Season 8: bioluminescence

MARCH 1-3 2024 AT PERSHING EAST

We’re back with the fourth incarnation of our Self Portraits series! Thirty new pieces are performed each night at random, chosen by the audience -- some of the pieces are funny, some are sad, but they are all tied together through one central theme: honesty. Each of the pieces represents something that the person or people performing it actually feel, or something that has actually happened to them. There are no characters, no costumes, and no fourth wall. Just bare-bones, DIY performance art in its purest form. The result is something that can best be described as barely controlled chaos.

Performances will take place at Pershing East, in an open warehouse space behind the coffee shop. There is a parking lot for our attendees.

Written by: The Ensemble

Directed by: Sarah Hogestyn

PERFORMANCES AT PAPER PLATE GALLERY FROM 8:30PM - 9:30PM ON MAY 10TH, 11TH, 12TH, 17TH, 18TH, 19TH.

Aurora is a starseed who yearns for a celestial voyage back to her home planet. On the eve of her thirtieth birthday she treks out to a field and puts out a signal, hoping to finally catch that ride. Inspired by the legendary UFO crash in Aurora, Texas, this captivating play intertwines themes of cosmic wonder, familial bonds, and the quest for belonging amidst the vastness of space. With nods to T.S. Eliot and infused with the sweetness of donuts, fireworks, and the mysteries of the cosmos, 'Aurora' is a transcendent theatrical experience unlike any other. Let the cosmic journey begin…

Written by Chris Fontanes

Directed by Trace Turner

Stage Managed by Jessika Land

Starring Rosemary McGraw as Aurora, Cassandra DeFreitas as Andi, Bonnie Lambert as Anne

Poster artwork designed by SJ Anderson

PERFORMANCES OF TRASH PLANET WILL RUN 8PM TO 10PM FROM FRIDAY, AUGUST 16TH - SUNDAY, AUGUST 18TH AND FRIDAY, AUGUST 23RD - SUNDAY, AUGUST 25TH.

Prepare to embark on an otherworldly journey with 'Trash Planet,' a gripping new science-fiction play that catapults you into the heart of an intergalactic saga. Follow a band of intrepid survivors marooned on a colossal, planet-sized landfill in a distant galaxy, where every scrap becomes a lifeline and survival is the ultimate prize. Their fragile existence is upended when a mysterious newcomer emerges from the wreckage, disrupting their precarious balance and forcing them to confront their deepest fears and desires. As tensions mount and alliances shift, the group must navigate treacherous terrain, both literal and metaphorical, to forge a path home amidst the towering heaps of refuse that define their world. 'Trash Planet' is a thrilling exploration of resilience, adaptation, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.

Content warning: Mentions of (no depictions) suicide, homicide, and drug use

Written and Directed by Marian Kansas

Stage Managed by Jessika Land

Starring Joanna Gunaraj as Maribel, Katy Matz as Julia, Meredith O’Brien as Ma, N.R. Oglesby as Critter, Brennan Patrick as Cam, Madi Luebbers as Teeny, Madison Laird as Jasmine

Costume Design by Remy Joslin

Scenic Design by Cody Arn

Lighting Design by Gavin Kenter

Poster artwork designed by SJ Anderson

Bottle Alley Theatre Co's season eight finale -- The Haunting of Hill House 

“Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it has stood for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.”

The Haunting of Hill House is a direct stage adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 gothic masterpiece, a novel which Stephen King calls "the greatest haunted house story ever written.” The play follows four individuals during an extended stay at the infamous Hill House as they investigate the house for evidence of paranormal activity. The story is an extended study in atmospheric horror and contains themes of isolation, madness and repressed sexuality. 

Staged within the iconic Flower Hill Center on West 6th, The Haunting of Hill House will offer a truly immersive experience for those seeking the perfect adventure for an October night. Warning: this production features strobing lights that could affect photosensitive viewers.

Angelina Castillo as Eleanor Vance 
Allanah Maarteen as Theodora 
Liz Waters as Dr. Jo Montague 
TK Dooley as Luke Sanderson 
Lligany Otaduy as Elena Montague 
Iliana Griffith-Suarez as Arlene Dudley 

Adapted and Directed by Chris Fontanes 
Assistant Directed by Faith Sanders 
Stage Managed by Remy Joslin 
Produced by Amber Wilson 
Lighting Design by Patrick Anthony 
Costume Design by Maddy Lamb 
Prop Design by Sarah Hogestyn 
Sound Design/Music by Victoria Schwarz & Tyler Mabry 
Poster Design by SJ Anderson 
Program Design by Emily Rankin

Doors at 7:30pm, Shows at 8:00pm. Performances will take place at Flower Hill Foundation 1316 W 6th Street. Please enter through the front gate on W 6th Street. We will have folks on site to check you in and show you where to go. Please keep in mind there is no onsite parking so please plan on arriving early. There are a number of paid lots next to Flower Hill Center as well as free parking throughout the neighborhood. We'll be sending along a map closer to the event to all ticket purchasers. We would advise taking advantage of ride sharing if possible or carpooling if you can. Please obey the parking signs throughout the neighborhood and do not park in front of anyone's driveway.