Bob Dylan, Carolyn Wonderland, The Defenestration Unit, Horseshoe, Different Kind of Monkey, Slump, The Seximals, The Misfires, JW Americana, Two Star Symphony, The Mathletes, The Magic Bullets, Satan's Cheerleaders, The Silver Jews, The Kinks, Daniel Johnston, Sparklehorse, Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Lydia Lunch, ZE Records
Books
Playwrights- Jason Nodler, Lindsay Kayser, Bertolt Brecht, Eugene Ionesco, Jean Genet, Samuel Beckett, Peter Weiss, Maria Irene Fornes, Sam Sheperd, Richard Foreman, George Buchner, Anton Chekhov, Heiner Muller, Brian Jucha, Mac Wellman, Bernard Marie-Koltes, David Mamet, Suzan-Lori Parks, Sarah Kane, Wallace Shawn, Lisa D'Amour
Houston's most provocative theatrical performance group.
The IBP Company was: Tamarie Cooper, Troy Schulze, Wayne Barnhill, Chris Bakos, Kevin Blessington, Noel Bowers, John Duboise, Joe Folladori, David Gipson, Paul Locklear, Kirk Markley, Jeff Miller, Tina Montgomery, Cathy Power, Charlesanne Rabensburg, Charlie Scott, Kyle Sturdivant, Kirk Suddreath, Mike Switzer, Tek Wilson, Cary Winscott, Walt Zipprian
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2007
INFERNAL BRIDEGROOM PRODUCTIONS
(1993 - 2007)
Infernal Bridegroom Productions (IBP) ceased operations this month due to insurmountable financial difficulties.
Founded in 1993, IBP produced 68 plays and was recognized locally and nationally for its provocative new work, its talented ensemble and its success in attracting non-traditional audiences.
The company's recent world premiere rock opera Speeding Motorcycle, created in collaboration with acclaimed artist and songwriter Daniel Johnston, received favorable coverage in The New York Times, Art in America, No Depression magazine, The Austin Chronicle and local media outlets. Past works also received positive coverage from American Theatre, Theatre Journal, Stage Directions and The Dallas Morning News.
IBP appeared regularly in the annual Houston Press "Best of Houston" issue, receiving awards for Best Theater Company, New Play, Original Show, Director, Actor, Actress, Set Design, Light Design, Costume Design, Special Effects, Christmas Show and Rock and Roll Theater. And The Houston Chronicle called IBP Houston's best experimental theater.
IBP enjoyed a large and loyal audience as well as regularly attracting out-of-towners that travelled to Houston specifically to see the company's work.
The company was acclaimed for its productions of rarely produced plays by Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, Bertolt Brecht, Georg Büchner, Jean Genet, Anton Chekhov, Sam Shepard and David Mamet and was the first to introduce Houston audiences to the works of playwrights Suzan-Lori Parks, Maria Irene Fornes, Sarah Kane, Heiner Müller, Wallace Shawn, Charles Mee, Richard Foreman, Mac Wellman and Bernard-Marie Koltès. IBP also attracted national attention for the theatrical premiere of A Soap Opera by Ray Davies and The Kinks and was lauded for its hit production of Broadway musical Guys and Dolls.
But IBP was perhaps best known for the new work it created. Highlights included Fucking A, commissioned by IBP and DiverseWorks Artspace and written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks; We Have Some Planes and Last Rites, conceived and directed by renowned theater artist Brian Jucha; Hide Town, commissioned by the NEA and TCG and written by Lisa D'Amour; Speeding Motorcycle, commissioned by The Rockefeller Foundation and conceived and directed by IBP founding artistic director Jason Nodler in collaboration with Daniel Johnston and the IBP company; Nodler's original plays In the Under Thunderloo, King Ubu is King and Meatbar; company member Troy Schulze's Me-sci-ah, Jerry's World (adapted from the radio shows of cult figure Joe Frank) and Actual Air (adapted from the poetry and music of Silver Jews frontman David Berman); founding company member Tamarie Cooper's 20 Love Songs and the wildly popular Tamalalia series created and directed by Cooper.
Although IBP was in residence at the legendary punk club The Axiom for the last five years, it spent nine years as a homeless company, performing in warehouses, bars, restaurants, aboard a moving school bus, in an abandoned outdoor shopping center and occasionally in traditional theater spaces such as Stages Repertory Theatre and DiverseWorks.
Music composed and recorded by IBP's resident orchestra, under the direction of former artistic director Anthony Barilla, has enjoyed regular radio play on college stations around the country and on NPR's This American Life.
The company received sustained and substantial support from the city of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, The Houston Endowment, The Brown Foundation, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts and generous individual donors.
Who I'd like to meet: Anyone sick of the same old scene.
Infernal Bridegroom Productions's Friend Space (Top 7)
An unfortunate event... We loved them all; a pair of mention that got to me well, Full Circle, and Hide Town. Loved them. You will be missed, please come back as soon as possible!
I went to the premeire of 20 Love Songs last night, and it was fucking great! I laughed so hard my face hurt after it was over! The food orgy has to be seen to be believed!
Very funny, very sweet, very romantic...Can't wait to see it again!
Come see some IBP players do some cardboard art with other H-town creative types at Super Happy Funland on Friday the 13th 7-9PM. Show up through the 20th. Here's this, gonna be at that show too. Hell Yeah.
Hey dude, there is two parts to this: Friday is our season kick off party at Roc Bar and Sunday is bout 1 at the Verzion (followed by the after party at the Mezzanine lounge). Please come out and support me. Kids under 12 free! Buy the bout pre-sale ticket before March 14th on HoustonRollerDerby.com for $10. Love you!
