22 Sides
22 Sides is a podcast that will let you get to know some fascinating people and keep up with many things that are happening in and around the Houston area.
22 Sides
The Healing Power of Houston's Theater Scene
What do you do when your entire identity has been built around another person and suddenly they're gone? For Jennifer Marie, the answer came in the form of Houston's vibrant theater community. After a devastating divorce ended her 20-year relationship, she found herself without friends, activities, or a sense of self. Looking back to who she was at 16, before her marriage, she rediscovered a forgotten passion for theater that would ultimately rebuild her life.
Jennifer Marie takes us on a deeply personal journey through Houston's diverse theater landscape, sharing how she went from attending her first post-divorce show alone to becoming a subscriber at three different theaters who sometimes attends performances twice weekly. She reveals the accessibility of Houston theater, with numerous venues offering pay-what-you-can options, volunteer opportunities for free tickets, and the annual Theater Week promotions each August. From Catastrophic Theater's thought-provoking productions to Stages' commitment to diverse casting, the conversation illuminates how theater provides not just entertainment, but healing.
The power of live theater emerges as a central theme - unlike passive television viewing, the communal experience of witnessing stories unfold alongside fellow humans creates connections that prove particularly valuable during periods of isolation. Jennifer describes how theater helped her rebuild her social circle, eventually leading to her "52 friend dates" experiment where she committed to meeting a different friend weekly for a year. Her story reminds us that healing often comes through deliberate action, community engagement, and rediscovering passions that define us separately from our relationships.
Whether you're a theater enthusiast or someone navigating a major life transition, this conversation offers insight into how the arts can facilitate personal transformation. Ready to explore Houston's theater scene yourself? Check out one of the many accessible venues mentioned in this episode, or share your own theater experiences with us through our talkback channel!
For more information on Houston Theaters, here is Jennifer Marie's list
We hope you will listen often.
For more information, visit our website 22sides.com
thank you for tuning in to 22 sides. This is Robin Mack, and I'm here with Alexis Melvin and Jennifer Marie, thank you for coming in. We're here today to just dance around in the conversation. We're happy that you can make it and thank you to those that are listening. We've had just a jump in subscribers and a bunch of downloads and we are in May. We had our first month of anniversary, I guess you'd call it so we were celebrating our first month.
Alexis:No, that's two days from now.
Robin:Two days from now. Okay, well, there's still time to celebrate.
Alexis:And if anyone would feel like they'd like to, we do have a support link where you can support us with some money to help pay for what we're doing, and so we always appreciate that. And who knows, we might even have some perks later on.
Robin:Yeah, that'd be great. So if you're clicking and playing and sharing, just thank you. And thank you for taking care and enjoyed this episode. Okay.
Alexis:Jennifer Marie, what do you want to talk about today? Well we're pretty open.
Jennifer Marie:Okay, I came here wanting to talk about one of my passions theater. Okay, I'm by no means like a scholar, a theater scholar or expert, I'm just, I guess, what you would call an aficionado.
Robin:Yeah, like a connoisseur, a supporter, a cheerleader.
Jennifer Marie:I go to a lot of theater sometimes twice a week.
Robin:What got you into it, like, how long have you been enjoying theater? That's a good question.
Jennifer Marie:I'm glad you asked that. So it's kind of funny the way I started, you know, going to theater. It's actually only been for a little bit over a decade. But um, I, I was, I was married to a musician for about 20 years and, like that ended in a really you know ugly divorce. Sure.
Jennifer Marie:And um yeah well, it doesn't always have to be well, yeah, but this was particularly ugly Right and um and and the thing about it was that we'd been together for two decades and I was with this person from the time I was 16 to the time I was 37. Wow and yeah, and so you know, as a lot of people can relate, that's a long relationship.
Robin:Actually, I literally looked up yesterday what's the average length of a relationship and Alexa or echo said two years and nine months. Wow, depending on the demographic and earned money and culture.
Jennifer Marie:So in america two years, two years and nine months, so you guys had like a few relationships, yeah so two decades is a long time to be with someone and you know a lot of people can relate that.
Jennifer Marie:You know, when you've been with someone that long, your lives become enmeshed and you, you, just you start to lose your identity. Sure, and so you know, I, I, all of a sudden I had lost my, my husband, my family, my best friend. You know, all of all of this, like pretty much overnight, yeah, and and and. So I was kind of left reeling, and and I didn't know who I was at that point and and that's a scary feeling, you know, like to, to just not know who you are after 20 years, because that was my entire adult life, so sure, developed around this person and mostly what we did was because he's a musician, we did, we went to shows, we, you know, and his friends were my friends, and so all of a sudden, I didn't have friends, I didn't have right uh thing to do because I love music, but like I didn't want to go to shows because that was a reminder of yeah, this jerk that.
Jennifer Marie:So you were really social but you kind of lost your venue and to be able to express that exactly, and, and so what I had to do was I had to think back to, you know, the jennifer murray before I got married 16 year old.
Robin:You have different taste buds now. Exactly like who am I?
Jennifer Marie:16 I had to go back to 16 and I was like, who was I before I, before I met?
Robin:this.
Jennifer Marie:It's a good question yeah and um, and all I could think of was, um, you know, I was at that at that time. I was like really into uh, theater of the absurd of the absurd, yeah, okay, um. And so I had gone, um, I think, with the school, to this uh, uh, school product, not a school production, the alley theater. Okay, did um, I'll be directs beckett, okay, and uh, and I loved it and I had I looked through like my old things from high school and I saw that I had that ticket stub and I was like, wow, I was like oh yeah, I'm like nice, I'm like 16 year old, j-old.
Robin:Jennifer Marie threw a ticket to you, know you in this moment, and it's like a little historian piece. That's like get your ass back to the theater.
Jennifer Marie:I have a little box of mementos from my childhood that I save and sometimes like I go back through it, but yeah, that was the one in particular that sparked the memory that, like, yeah to, I used to really be into theater of the absurd and I used to love reading beckett plays and and, uh, and I mean it's just weird, but like I, I found them relatable for some reason.
Robin:Um for those that maybe may not know what that is, I mean, the alley theater is in houston still, so that's a wonderful place to go and they do. Do they have a different level of outreach programs? They have shows right a lot. Yeah, you know, maybe a few a night, but is that a particular theater?
Jennifer Marie:well, I'll get into that. I'll get into that a little bit later, but but you know, to it's kind of to answer your question. Um, I saw that and I and I happened to be walking uh past the Continental Club and in one of the shop windows nearby there was a flyer for the Catastrophic Theater.
Robin:And you're actually wearing your Catastrophic shirt today. It's not a video podcast, but it's worth mentioning, right?
Jennifer Marie:They were doing Endgame Okay, and I was like wait what, like that game Okay, and uh, and, and I was like wait what?
Robin:Like this is like that's a sign Like I need.
Jennifer Marie:I need to go through this, like I, I need to go, and so I went, and this was back when they were like in the old diverse works Uh, I think, I think I it was a long time ago.
Robin:It's okay, no one's going to fact check you, but it was a while. It was a while Catastrophic has had its own transformations over the years and they have a mission that says something like we will destroy you.
Jennifer Marie:But yeah, we'll speak to that later, all those cliffhangers, right? So I walked by and I saw that and then I went, I went by myself.
Alexis:So that was the first thing. That's a big deal.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah. I went by myself, so that was the first thing I was like, yeah, I'm like, uh, I'm like I'm, I'm going to go check this out and see if I still love theater, still love it as much as I did when.
Robin:I was younger and I did, and I was like.
Jennifer Marie:You know what? I'm just going to keep going Like.
Robin:I'm the message. Yeah, yeah, I'm like let's lean into this, right, I'm going to keep going. And uh, what do you remember yourself in that seat? Like particularly cause some people get super critical about?
Jennifer Marie:like, well, the production value was this, or the subject line was that? But what resonated with you? Going back to it, I, you know, I'm always, I'm always in awe of what people can do. Uh, live, I'm, I'm a, very, uh, I'm a, I'm a pretty shy person. Like you know, if I'm thrown in front of an audience, uh, I will freeze, I free.
Robin:I tend to freeze up, you know like actually know you be on this podcast and we were really surprised that you said yes to a microphone, because we've seen you say no to other microphones. Not the person to be a stage hog or whatever which I mean you know someone listening? Right now, would probably hear that you're real confident, and I think that's important to say, because there's a, there's a place for everyone, right and? Um well, it's a subject matter, it's a subject matter that I'm talking about.
Jennifer Marie:And you know yeah, so uh, you know. I feel a little more confident uh talking about it, but if uh and I've done performances don't get me wrong like I can go in front of people.
Jennifer Marie:It's just terrifying and so I know that feeling, and so when I see what people can do with the little money that they're given in Houston, uh, you know, I've been to Broadway in New York and I've seen, you know, productions and they're, yeah, they're impressive. But like it, you know, does it? Is it as satisfying as all of the theater that Houston has? You know, I don't feel the need to go to New York, spend money I mean, there it's, it's so expensive Whereas you know Houston's got so much quality theater that is, like, you know, half of it's pay what you can, sure.
Robin:You know it's accessible?
Jennifer Marie:It's not. You know, there's a lot of gatekeeping, I feel like on Broadway, in here. It's like they have the opportunity to, you know, to spread whatever message they they feel like. So, um, I'm always in awe of like, oh my God, like, how can people remember so many lines? And and how you know? How do they not mess up? How does that flub? How did it? You know? The energy, the energy of the people in the theater, is like you know like you could, you could watch TV and that's great.
Robin:You know like you know?
Jennifer Marie:yeah, it's like you know like you could you could watch tv and that's great. You know, like you know, it's a really passive uh. You know way to consume, uh, you know media but, uh, and that's what most people do you know, because it's easy, it's accessible.
Robin:Yes, yeah, it's easy, you turn on tv.
Jennifer Marie:You know you're, you're right there in your own home, uh, you know. But but there's something about going to the theater and and living that experience with your fellow human beings. That is uh, especially when you know at that time I was lonely you know, I was.
Jennifer Marie:I was lonely because I had, uh, you know, I just I was going in the middle of a divorce, and so, seeing that there were all these other people that were able to, you know, to enjoy this and seeing the life that was unfolding on stage and just, you know everything about theater, Thank you for elaborating with that, because one of the side effects to isolation, depression, loneliness, that they were talking about during the pandemic was, you know, some of those quick remedies that we did have before the pandemic, like theater, like concerts.
Robin:We couldn't whether you're introverted or extroverted, you couldn't just go and be with a group of people and hear the same laughs or hear the same you know, or wow.
Jennifer Marie:That was brutal.
Robin:Yeah, it's hard and so you, you, you become your own echo chamber and it's, it's tough. But I just want to highlight that that if someone is feeling some sort of way, maybe look for a group of production of music, theater, comedy, where you can share an experience with people and treat yourself to a ticket Volunteer. I mean there can be paywall, uh, pushback sometimes and and that uh gives me goosebumps. But a lot of these theater places are also looking for volunteers when you're down in the dumps, it's easy to isolate yourself.
Jennifer Marie:But that's the opposite of uh, really what you need to be doing, um, and you don't even have to interact with the people. It's just kind of like being in you know, in a you know with people who share the same interest.
Robin:So you were there and you were, you know, reignited for your passion of what people can do, live, how people respond to it on stage, and you found new access. Were you, kind of like, consumed with the theater bug after that?
Jennifer Marie:Yeah, I wanted to know more, like I. You know, since then, I've only missed maybe two catastrophic productions in the last over a decade, wow so they gained not just a one-time ticket, right, they gained a whole champion for their theater.
Robin:I'm a subscriber now.
Jennifer Marie:I'm actually a subscriber to three theaters with my theater wife. Y'all know Jay, right, I have heard of Jay, everyone's heard of Jay. Yes, I've heard of Jay, and thank you for outing your relationship.
Robin:I mean, not everyone can come out about their theater spouse, but I think that's also important to say, because sometimes people start to get into enjoyments that they like and the people around them are like, oh, it's just not really my thing. Right, absolutely, that's okay, you still don't have to go alone, you just find a friend who also wants to go.
Robin:You find someone in the theater who wants to go? And I mean, I have been privy to some of this excitement. In fact, I full disclosure, like was invited back to catastrophic through you, through a free ticket, which is a little silly, given the fact that they're like pay what you can because you can literally pay zero right, but I just forgot about it.
Robin:Right, and I knew them when they were in the inferno bride group, but I never knew their rebranding. And so here we were, a bunch of friends. Jennifer made us like hey, I have a ticket for you, I go out to this uh, tamarind musical, let's say, cause I'm pretty sure it was that and it was. It was a fun time, that Tamarind musical is the gateway to uh, to the catastrophic.
Robin:Alexis has been to it too after the pandemic. As I said, a gateway drug, I see that, yeah, and to your point, I took my grandmother when she was in town and she's in Yuma and she was just floored. She was like the talent here is really exceptional. They're, they're, uh, it really is. It was a musical, so you know, they write their own script.
Robin:They're, they're singing, they're dancing, it's off the wall, it's relevant, and so they're literally putting things in the script that were we had just lived through any this last year, but in a hey, let's get through it Chuckling sort of way, and like that was so healing. And she was like wow, I don't see this in you, I don't have access to this, you know. And so she still remembers that and and uh. But back to the invitation of what I got to be invited on a, on a free ticket or from a friend. I ended up extending that to the next person in the next theater and they ended up extending that to the next person, because when it's pay what you can, it makes it accessible to share as well. And the next thing, you know, catastrophic has way more viewers than they probably were getting just off of clicks or regular sharing marketing. You know they have literally butts in seats, which is a big deal for them to perform, so you can get that audience participation again and it's just been a beautiful thing to see.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah theaters absolutely rely on word of mouth because it's not enough to just advertise Like there's. You know, it's one thing about Houston. Yes, it's international. It's one thing about houston, yes, it's international, it's a beautiful city, like in terms of the diversity and all that. But you, it's so hard to get people off their butts out into the anything, out into the theaters, out into any kind of shows. Uh, you know, it doesn't matter if they, if they'll enjoy it. It's just so hard because of the traffic, because of heat, because of you know. So if you can grab a buddy and and you know, and go to the theater, you know that just helps so much because you know you're people are missing out.
Alexis:People are missing out on so much talent. I think the other thing with Houston is there's so much to do.
Jennifer Marie:There is always so much to do.
Alexis:Yeah, and you know, at some point you get overloaded with how much there is to do and you don't do anything.
Jennifer Marie:No, exactly, and and it can get expensive. I mean, I do go to the theater, like I said, twice a week and I have three subscriptions, but a lot of the other theater companies they offer, you know, pay what you can nights, so it is accessible, you can, you can go to to almost. I've got a list of like nine theaters, most of them have discount tickets of some type.
Jennifer Marie:Let's hear those just in case people are interested yeah, like catastrophic obviously has a just a pay, what you can model. So uh they their suggestion all the time, all the time, yeah, every show. So their suggestions about 35, I think, for the ticket. But if you can only pay 10, uh, you know that's cool. They just want you to to go and and see their performance, you know and catastrophic presents at match yes, they're at the match, uh.
Jennifer Marie:So, yeah, there is the, the parking involved with that too, but it is also along the light rail, uh, so that you know. You know if that helps. Yeah, stages, I just learned about this through another friend, but they have a $15 like standby, oh nice yeah. So if you go the day of and they have seats left, sure you can get them for $15.
Robin:Wow, it was going to. It was going to just be empty anyway.
Jennifer Marie:So I'm glad these theaters are finding ways to bring people in and to stay open, cause I want, I want them to stay open, just like you, right, and and um and a lot of them. So in August, every August, which is my birthday month, there's a, there's this thing called theater week where a lot of these uh theaters have offer buy one, get one tickets on their production.
Robin:So if you're in Augustust. Yeah, if you're going with a friend. Uh, that usually averages out to about 25 a ticket right and I think so in your experience with jay, you had somebody that on a bogo and next thing you know she's bogoing and you're bogoing right and there's a spreadsheet involved to find out who has tickets to what and which pal is going.
Jennifer Marie:So you guys have a very open theater relationship. Because this spreadsheet is pretty detailed, because after a while it gets. We don't like to miss.
Robin:We don't like to miss, but after a while it gets hard to go, wait, who's going to this one? And then it's kind of fun that if you just I want to throw this out there, because I said to someone oh, sometimes there's theater tickets involved and and, and they said to me oh, I'm the day of person, so if you have anyone who doesn't want that seat, please call me, oh, and like then they're crafty, but that's, yeah, you know what?
Robin:hey, that that comes up more often than you think yeah, because sometimes people have to do something else or they can't make it. And you still don't want that seat to go to. Oh, my God, so many times.
Jennifer Marie:I need that person's number because that happens. Jamie Gonzalez, okay.
Jennifer Marie:But actually actually actually Jamie Jay filled that for me a lot of times too. We have three theaters that we have subscriptions to together. Uh, so you know we're always uh paired up for that. But then you've got all these other ones that, uh, you know, piecemeal we, we go to but yeah, so stages has that 15 stand by, uh, main street. The best thing to do for them is usually their their preview subscription is pretty reasonable. I want to say I paid like 80 or 90 for for next season okay, um, and how many shows are in a season?
Jennifer Marie:if someone doesn't know, yeah, and that's what sucks, changes main street. Uh, main street was doing six uh productions per season, but they had to cut down back to four because of budget constraints. Sure, um, so, yeah, um, but they have, uh, they have free parking around the theater. If you get there early enough and you know the pay, parking isn't uh isn't too bad, but, um, yes, or you can do like theater week and get buy one, get one for them, usually um mildred's umbrella. Their productions are usually uh, around 2020. It's a smaller theater. They're not doing as many shows, but it's all women. It's focused on, you know, on women like their stories. Yeah, they give access to that Right.
Robin:I feel like each place has their little niche, so they don't. It doesn't feel like they're competing as much.
Jennifer Marie:They do, they do have, they do just have a little bit of uh differences, but they're in houston. The wonderful thing about the theater is most of them choose to focus on, uh, social justice themes, uh, and so you know it. Just depending on which theater it it'll, they'll, they'll hit you harder with it, like Like catastrophic.
Robin:Sometimes over the head. If you don't actually leave Right, we will destroy you, is their motto. Sure sure you know that going?
Jennifer Marie:in. They're, yeah, yeah, catastrophic. Will make you think, uh, and will make, will make you feel something you're gonna. You're gonna either. Like I went to to see one play I don't love catastrophic, but like I hated it. Yeah, I hated this place so much it was cleansed and uh, and I talked. I had to talk to Jason Nodler, the artistic director after to process my feelings Sure.
Robin:That's a good point, because a lot of these theater places have talkbacks.
Jennifer Marie:Right, I did the talkback, but then we had to talk one-on-one over it because I was like, why would you do this? And I hated it so much. I got a visceral reaction to it. But I still respect the hell out of them for for putting it on, for doing it, because they had something to say it made. It's made me think a year later still about it, like I still think I, I, my feelings on it are still evolving.
Robin:Wow yeah, and that, that to me, is another difference. I mean, you can get that with TV, but you're going to get it in a whole different experience if you're sitting in an environment where that's being produced at a different level with your senses.
Jennifer Marie:I was I was, I was, so it was almost like a horror play, and I hate horror movies, sure.
Jennifer Marie:And so the thing about it, you know, was like there was there was violence, there was so much like it was. There was so much violence in it and it was horrifying to me and it was making me so mad and but it was cartoonish violence, like they even like toned it down, like they had, like these you know fake rats that were, I mean it was, it was pretty cartoonish, but it was still giving me this visceral feeling, uh, sitting in the theater to where I was shaking.
Robin:Yeah, I can feel you feeling that again and and yeah, yeah.
Jennifer Marie:And so and so you know you can, you've been, we've all, I feel like we've all become desensitized to like movie and TV violence you know, like you see it and it's much more real, but it doesn't affect you in the same way as like sitting in that theater did for me With TV.
Alexis:you aren't in it, You're watching.
Jennifer Marie:Exactly, and it was so real and with theater or even a movie, you know if you're someplace where it's a crowd and you're there.
Alexis:You're sort of in it.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah and and you're some someplace where it's a crowd and you're there, you're sort of in it, yeah and, and you're in it, but and they, even they, they did like I say, they, they, they scaled it back, they toned it down. Uh, you know, I think for that reason and and like there was a lot of exaggerated, like you know, cutting off of body parts. But you know it was, it wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't real. But like the sentiment behind it was, you know, and I, you know, I, I sat through the whole thing and then I was like why did I sit through the whole thing? You know?
Jennifer Marie:like I couldn't walk but I I felt like I couldn't leave. I don't it's a weird it's a weird feeling, but yeah, I, we did have a long conversation about it afterwards and and you know it's absolutely not, you know you can tell he he felt bad about it.
Robin:Uh, you know about my feelings, like, but at the same time, you know, I I respect that, I respect that they had to tell that story, you know right, right, and you know it's dancing, or you're literally talking about some of the things that that people might want to know as they grow into theater because, like Alexis said, it's it is different than television, right, you know, when you go there and and and it's not always the most accessible to all minds, all moods, all traumas, all body abilities, because if you're in a theater space, you may feel like you literally can't get up because, say, you're mid row, right, you know, and you might, you might, you might just have to go to the bathroom, you know.
Robin:And so some people feel like they have to stay or they can't leave, and some, some productions actually asked you to stay the whole time and to not disrupt the cast, right, and so there there's, there's a little bit of rules, that kind of go around that, and public agreement, that kind of go around that. And I think that, knowing you, it's important to say I think your theater experience, the way you view theater, is to not read descriptions before you go to things.
Jennifer Marie:Right, that's something I know about you Is that correct.
Robin:I like to be surprised, okay, and with surprise can come, can come. That all right, yeah, good surprises, yeah right, yeah, yeah. And and these theaters are doing amazing work that you may not find on television and so they're going to cover, uh, very pleasant experiences that are really imaginative and fantasy, and then they're going to cover some really rough experiences that you don't have someone necessarily able to push a pause button on in the moment. So, once you are in the moment and you see something you can't unsee, you can't unhear, there may need to be a little after processing, and I respect Jason for being able to do that with you and the Catastrophic team for being able to do that with their people.
Robin:And so I would say, if you were somebody that may not want to be subjected to all topics you know violence is one for people but sometimes I'm in a mood I don't want to watch happy stuff, to be honest, right Like. Or I don't want to watch rape stuff. I don't want to watch rape stuff. I don't want to watch racism stuff. I I never again in my life ever have to learn one more thing about nazis.
Robin:Personally, right like. Been there, done that, felt it to my core, will live a better life because of it personally, but to see it over and over again, or you know what? Even annually revisiting the Nutcracker Not to poo-poo people's traditions, but you know, you just don't have to watch all the same topics if you don't want to. There's so much. Thankfully, we're like so privileged and the people work real hard for this in Houston like to have so much subject matter diversity that you really it's kind of cool to like go and read the descriptions and for the first time you'll see people taking on topics that they never have, and then maybe you don't have to do any of the traditional stuff that maybe you never related to or didn't want to watch well, what's cool about all the houston theaters that I've that I follow, is that they, they bear witness to, uh, marginalized communities.
Jennifer Marie:And that was, you know, going back to cleansed the one, the catastrophic one that I, that I, you know, had issues with, sure, uh, you know that was the. The thing was that was bearing witness to, uh, to somebody's uh severe mental illness. You know the, the playwright uh actually ended up, uh, you know, killing herself. So, um, you know that was so difficult and it's not something that you would normally seek out. You would not normally seek out to seek to be inside the brain of somebody with mental illness, inside the mind of somebody with mental illness, but they did it, they felt that they had to bear witness to that and I, you know you don't get that in in places that you know that have to sell tickets for a certain amount, that have to fill the seats you know.
Jennifer Marie:So I think that that's an amazing thing about Houston theater is that you get the good, the bad and the ugly you know Well, in Catastrophic's commitment they have people who are open about their mental illness and they are employing people.
Robin:Some of the casts, uh, are sure about those things and they go through those things and so, again, it's really nice to have a place to go and see some of that stuff to be related. If related is what you're going for, if it's not, then maybe you know.
Jennifer Marie:Just you're going to have to be on your own mental space, no matter what. You're going to have to be responsible it depends on your own mental space.
Robin:No matter what, you're going to have to be responsible for your own care.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah.
Robin:And some people may not organically know that, going into the theater and they may not understand the rules and they might feel like they have to sit there, they do not Right. They do not Right.
Alexis:That's true. Did we get through your list?
Jennifer Marie:No, we haven't gotten through it. We keep going back to your number one, it is my number one, sorry so Mildred's Umbrella. They have something coming up, I think, in September and tickets are about $20. But you can also volunteer. They have volunteers so you can get a free ticket if you need that Cool volunteers that. So you could get a free ticket if you. If you need that cool um, I think uh stages also has volunteer ushers that you can get you know, free, free tickets.
Robin:I know that the hobby center, their volunteers really love volunteering.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah, tuts tuts had a great season last season. I loved it and I don't normally like musical theater, but it was a great season. I saw the Cher story, the Gloria Estefan story, it was On your Feet or whatever, so wait a minute.
Robin:You enjoyed the Diva series.
Jennifer Marie:I'm not shocked. I'm not shocked. It was great. I mean you came camera ready.
Robin:You have sparkle shoes. It's fine. You understood the assignment.
Jennifer Marie:And I think, what else was it? Oh, mean Girls, mean Girls.
Robin:Okay, that's important.
Jennifer Marie:So it's best to get their tickets during Theater Week Tuts Tuts, yeah. Or the email, like sign up for their email blasts, because they usually have discounts, like significant discounts. And what's Theater Week? Theater Week, the one in August where you can get, like, you know, buy one, get one free on a lot of these productions. So Tuts is a big one on that one and because their tickets can run it pretty expensive, you know, you can sit in different parts of the theater and it lowers the ticket price. But if you can get during Theater Week, that's usually a good deal.
Alexis:Yeah, and one real quick comment. We're in Houston, and for those of you that aren't in houston, august is a special month in houston, you're gonna want indoor fun, yeah you want indoor fun and even getting there theater week is in august and they, they do, I think, activities in the actual theaters.
Jennifer Marie:But the tickets that you buy during theater week, like that's, that's the thing, jay, and I like to plan ahead because the tickets that you buy during theater week, like that's, that's the thing, jay, and I like to plan ahead because the tickets that you buy during theater week, um, can be throughout the entire next year.
Robin:Cover the year right so that if you're, if you're really into it, that's when you get the discounts yeah, if you already know you want to go to.
Jennifer Marie:Uh, you know predict look in.
Jennifer Marie:August, uh, production then yeah, in August is the best time to look um. Classical theater company. I believe they have a pay-what-you-can model as well. I might be mistaken on that. They don't have a current production so I couldn't look it up and I don't recall. But they also have tickets available on if you're a subscriber to like Seat Junkie. They're usually on that. Seat Junkie used to be a better thing for Houstonians, pre-pandemic. You pay for like a subscription for the year and then you're pretty much a seat filler for, you know, for productions, various productions or whatever. But yeah, they used to be on that one. So you can sometimes get free tickets on that. And Dirt Dogs has pay what you can nights, um, so yeah, and uh, it's a pretty good list. Yeah, uh, unfortunately I, I, you know, and I I feel a little embarrassed that I have not gone to, I don't think, a single ensemble theater, what?
Robin:I know.
Jennifer Marie:I was looking at the theaters and I was like wait, but I go to so much theater that I hesitate to add. But that's no excuse I need to go to an ensemble theater production.
Robin:I'm just shocked that you've been doing this for a decade and there's a theater you haven't uncovered I know I'm not shaming you, I'm just impressed that you haven't discovered something, and I think that's a beautiful thing about something that people love is they, if they can still, you know, years into it, find a newness, you know, and if ensemble is your thing, then I hear they do great work.
Jennifer Marie:I yeah, I need to go. I need to go check some something out, because that's right across from the match. Uh, so it's, you know, yeah, there's no excuse. Um, fourth wall, fourth wall has a stuff at spring street. Um, their, their ticket prices usually run high, I feel like, but I think they also have the the um volunteer tickets as well. So, um, you know, really, if, if you want, if you, if you want to go to the theater in Houston money's usually not an issue, like you can always find a way to get there and not pay a ton of money, you know.
Robin:Exactly, and for those listening if you're having a moment where that is just not in your budget or you want to take a few friends or something like, maybe email them, Maybe let them know, because they might have a slow night and they could probably cut you a deal or they might work something out Like you never know. I mean, a lot of these missions, of these theaters is to have people in the seats. They want to share what they've worked really hard on. I mean theater. You have to work for hours to be able to even put that off.
Alexis:And theaters are like anything else, like an airline seat right, but once the performance is over, the seat's worthless, it didn't get filled right, exactly, and and every single one of these theaters that I've gone to are, uh, are.
Jennifer Marie:This is important to me because my partner is in a wheelchair. Um, they're, they're wheelchair accessible oh, they're they're wonderful about working with you. Um, you know, especially if you give them just a little heads up that you're coming, you know, and that you need wheelchair accessibility, they'll pull seats.
Robin:That's great. They'll rearrange. That's so good to know. So you have been to these places and you know that they are wheelchair accessible. Every single one of these is wheelchair accessible. Thank you, you know that they are wheelchair accessible. Every single one of these is wheelchair accessible.
Jennifer Marie:Thank you. Now, the only one that's a little bit of a disappointment is the Spring Street fourth wall. You kind of have to go in through the back route. It's a bit of a hassle.
Robin:I'm not going to lie. Right, but it's still accessible, but it's still accessible yeah. So if you're going into the fourth wall, the walls anything at Spring Street, anything at Spring Street going into the fourth wall, the walls, anything at spring street, anything at spring street studios. Just just know where the entrance is and maybe you don't have to walk around the whole building and whatnot.
Jennifer Marie:Um, no, you, you literally do you have to walk like it's either it's either on one side or on the other side, okay, uh, and, and you have to get somebody to open it. Open the door for you, okay, where the ramp is, there's going to be some pre-work, that's's my only complaint it's impossible.
Robin:Yeah, that's my only complaint.
Jennifer Marie:But it's you know.
Alexis:But I think you said something real important. Give them a heads up.
Jennifer Marie:Give them a heads up.
Alexis:Give them some time so they can work with you, don't?
Jennifer Marie:just you know, show up the night of and say, oh, by the way, Right, you know I dropped who I had planned to drops out and and you know my partner so graciously steps in and goes with me. But uh, you know, uh.
Robin:I think it's important to keep being aware for friends that are asking friends, uh, theater spaces, group oriented spaces, like, especially when the heats are high, how are you helping your person have sitting points? Getting to the theater, getting to your event, how are you helping people actually get there faster or easier on all levels of mobility? Because even people who are mobile, who can do a lot of things for themselves, may be a little bit more depleted in these, uh summer times. And there needs to be chairs, there needs to be a stopping point. You know if you, if you struggle, and it'll just have everyone have a better experience.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah, and the wonderful thing about all of these is that they're air conditioned. That's a big deal. That's a big deal.
Robin:That's a big deal. That's a big deal that's a big deal.
Jennifer Marie:You, you, really, you literally can go to to houston live theater and see quality theater for about the same price as a as a movie ticket wow, yeah, I mean, that's a good point, right, movie tickets have gone up and up.
Robin:Right, that's a good point. Yeah, well, thank you for sharing that.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah, so what else?
Alexis:should we know about Houston theaters?
Robin:Because you didn't just enjoy theater, you also became a performer, or were you a performer before? I mean, I don't sound like it, truly. I don't.
Jennifer Marie:Let's not highlight that I don't consider myself a performer. She's blushing.
Robin:I'm a reluctant performer.
Jennifer Marie:Okay, let's not highlight that, yeah, I don't.
Robin:I don't consider myself a performer I'm a reluctant performer okay, okay, let's not highlight that then, yeah, I will, I will, I will.
Jennifer Marie:Sometimes we don't want your uh openings to pick up in case this in case this uh gets viral, like jennifer marie is not looking for spots she's like no, no, I prefer to be more behind the scenes. So when you say behind the scenes.
Alexis:What do you mean?
Jennifer Marie:You know, so support like product. I'm more of a producer than an than a actor type.
Alexis:That's where I was headed with it.
Jennifer Marie:Right. Without actually saying yeah, you know, I, I enjoy, I mean I enjoy it, I it it definitely. You know, kuma definitely pushes me to do new things.
Robin:You ended up getting some pushy friends when it comes to theater and party throwing and things, Okay. Well, another thing that is possible to talk about, if you want, is the power. I mean it kind of like leads into where you were starting was how to develop relationships. You know, I know that you volunteer in different ways in different places. Do you want to speak on that or no?
Jennifer Marie:How to develop relationships. Like we're spinning off of how how to not be lonely.
Robin:You don't have to. I mean, this is our. I mean before, before you were talking, I thought you've some of the topics that you have that add value to your life. This is my observation and opinion that some people could that wonder if it's worth the work is volunteering, like I mean, if that would help people.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah, yeah. So you know, going back to when I was trying to rebuild my life and rebuild, you know, relationships and friendships and all that of my own.
Robin:Okay, so let's start like this so well, okay, so you know.
Jennifer Marie:When I was trying to figure out, you know where to go I, at that time, facebook was a place for friends Sure, real friends. It wasn't the election interference model that it carries today.
Alexis:You mean it had a few facts?
Jennifer Marie:It had a few facts and friendliness that were friendly. Well, my point is that the algorithm at that time would actually show people and not bots.
Jennifer Marie:For sure, algorithm at that time would actually show people and not, uh, not bought. And so, um, you know I was, I was scrolling through, looking uh, uh posts from because you know you're lonely and you're trying to to see what's out, you know, like to see what other people are doing. And, um, and I came across one of my friends uh, a mutual friend who kept like commenting the funniest stuff on on other friends posts and and so, you know, I was like, and this might not work for everyone, but I went to look at that person's profile because I was like man, I, you know this person's hilarious.
Robin:Like I feel like we'd be friends in real life.
Jennifer Marie:And and I did, and it was, it was Stephanie St. We'd be friends in real life. And and I did, and it was, um, it was Stephanie St Sanchez and her profile picture. Her profile picture is, uh, you know, her holding a Teddy Ruxpin and holdinga butcher knife, like she's holding a Teddy Ruxpin in one arm and a butcher knife in the other. And and she was just so funny and I, I just I messaged her directly and I said, hey, listen, I don't know you, but I feel like if I did, we'd be really good friends. So, you know, whatever. And so she ended up inviting me to be on one of her productions, cause she's a multimedia artist, uh, so she invited me to to be, you know, part, to partake in it, whatever. And um, and that's when I met, like all the other friends that I have now. So that's where you went wrong, that's where I went wrong.
Robin:So there you were, your love for theater. It's it sort of lit up. And then you met one friend who happened to actually be around theater and then that connected you to a lot of different types of stages, a lot of different formats of art to just make it clear who we do know. Right, you absolutely should have them on. All interesting, like these, all the friends that I made.
Jennifer Marie:I mean, at one point or another, they've all had um their own, um film festival you know, a lot of them are, um, you know well-established artists that you know they get grants for things and and you know I'm invited to to do a lot of uh, a lot of stuff with them.
Jennifer Marie:So I mean that that's been very fulfilling in my life. You know, to not to not just have, uh, you know, friends that you go out and and drink with and you know watch TV with, but to have people who are creative and invite you to create with them.
Robin:I think the cool thing about artists is they always need attendance. You know they always need a little support with their events or you could always share their stuff and it just means the world to them and it's creative, it's not something you're regularly going to find.
Alexis:The other thing is speaking of personal knowledge. You're very organized.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah. I do bring that to the table?
Alexis:a lot of them are not and they really appreciate it, especially if it has a little bit of humor and understanding with it well, they do need that, you bring a lot to the table.
Robin:Was it through creating these friend bridges that you started volunteering in more places, or were you always volunteering before then?
Jennifer Marie:um, well, I was. I was raised with a volunteer spirit from, uh, my mom, she, uh, you know she. She took me when I was just in elementary school. She started me going to the library and we volunteered at the downtown library, uh just a good idea putting stuff up on on shelves and all that. She was a a stay-at-home mom and I think she just didn't want to like stay at home all the time, you know.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah, we get stir-crazy, but yeah, so we would go do stuff like that. You know just, various volunteer opportunities you know I've worked with, you know, teaching people how to read. I did that in high school and I tried doing that as an adult. But it then pandemic stuff or whatever. Um, and I'm on, you know. So I, I do a lot of volunteer work and and, uh, it's just because of that, that spirit, that I was raised. But I also want to point out that, um, I also did another thing on Facebook around that time when I was trying to push myself to to foster, you know, stronger relationships or to to develop new ones. I, I did a 50, I did a 52 friend dates year, really, what's this? So every week I would have a date with a friend, okay, and and I post it on, you know, post a picture or a description or whatever on Facebook. So you know, I that forced me to, to scrounge up 52 friends, okay so look, maybe you had okay, so you had Stephanie.
Robin:That was one like you feel like you're.
Jennifer Marie:How did you get? 52 takers, you feel like you're lonely, right, right and, and you know a lot of people, I guess maybe they don't want to do anything about it. You know they they want to, I don't know or or maybe they just don't know what to do.
Alexis:Yeah, let's just say they don't know maybe they want someone new to do it right.
Jennifer Marie:So I, you know I'm I. I felt like, you know, my friendships had uh gone with my ex-husband or whatever, and and so you know I was like well. Well, let me try to go rekindle past relationships. Okay, or maintain some of the ones that I could, you know. So I had, yeah, I just had to think of 52 people, and if I couldn't think of one, I had to find somebody.
Robin:I mean at some point you got to the end of like your so.
Jennifer Marie:I had to get the new one. I did 52. I haven't had 52.
Robin:Oh, I did. Yeah, I did one one a week. Okay, so you, you stopped and looked in your life and, after all the loss, you still found 52 people that you could connect with. I had to. I mean that's that's pretty phenomenal that's pretty phenomenal because you know, oh, it's exhausting trust, that's pretty phenomenal.
Jennifer Marie:Because, you know, especially, oh, it's exhausting, trust me, it's like, it's like herding cats, you know Because like not only do you have to find these people, but you have to convince them to go out as well.
Jennifer Marie:Sure Because a lot of people, you know they just want to stay connected on social media, sure. So you have to find somebody who's willing to do that, you know, to go to go actually do something. And then you have to find stuff. You can't just go out to dinner every week because that just leaves you with weight gain, you know you know what I'm saying. Like you have to find different activities to do with people. We've all been there. This is laughter.
Robin:Laughter of relatedness.
Jennifer Marie:Some of it, yes, Some of it's cool, but some of it, you know, I mean you just have to find other things to do, and so that actually was a pretty fulfilling year. You know push, but that was something that I pushed myself to do.
Robin:So you know, Go ahead go ahead?
Alexis:How many of those 52 people?
Robin:are you still seeing? That's what I want to know.
Jennifer Marie:That's what I want to know. Like seeing regularly.
Alexis:Well, as you consider friends like still, did you have some interaction with?
Jennifer Marie:you know, I mean I consider myself lucky that probably at least half of I probably have at least half of those still, that's some good odds. I wouldn't have guessed that.
Robin:I wouldn't have guessed that, I mean you're you're a great person that keeps up with people and you do bring a lot to the table, but if you're just talking numbers of people who maybe didn't even want to go out, that's a pretty good return right, I I try to maintain uh relationships.
Jennifer Marie:You know, just uh.
Robin:You never, you never know, I mean yeah they do state, they do say that, statistically, if you were going to have an interaction with another person, most often that interaction that you have with them, however it goes, you're thinking it went way worse than the person you had the interaction with. And so people start to not take that risk and they start to be their own critic before it even happens. And so less and less invites happen, less and less bridges get built and the person, the person's just over there, like waiting to be asked or thought it was fine or whatever you know. So the, the, the action is important and the followup is crucial, because they might've had a really good time and you just don't even know my my partner, michael uh, has has this wonderful way of uh of leaving people uh that I that I appreciate Uh.
Jennifer Marie:he likes every so often he likes to say glad you got to see me. He likes every so often he likes to say glad you got to see me and I love it that's such a diva line yeah, I love it, yes I've heard that I love it, you know glad
Robin:you got to see me. You got to see me, so you know. Version of you're welcome.
Jennifer Marie:You know, sometimes you just have to look at the people around you uh, you know, at their most confident moments and and just mirror that you know, fake it till you make it sure uh, that's that's what I mean.
Jennifer Marie:You look at the best in all of your friends and or anyone like anyone that is in proximity to you, look at the best of them and then just try to try to mirror that. You know that's where you want to be. Try, and there's so many times where I have been in a situation where I am forced to socialize with people right and you're saying you're introverted, you're not, you're not interested, you're not going in strong with that.
Robin:Yeah I, I'm, I don't in like and so, and so I'm like, I'm like ugh, and so I'm like how would Robin be? In this situation. How would Robin be?
Jennifer Marie:And it brings me out of my shell, you know.
Robin:No, that's great, I like that.
Jennifer Marie:I'm like, I'm Robin now yeah.
Robin:No, it's great. It's great. It's like you're taking the theater persona of whoever has the strength that you need, right, and sometimes it might be Michael going you are welcome to see me, you know, like you, you know. And then sometimes it might be that Stephanie St Sanchez vibe of like hey, I'm going to get this gaggle of kittens together and see what happens, right.
Jennifer Marie:Stephanie is is the best storyteller. I can't wait to have her on here, just the best. Uh, storyteller, uh, I can't wait to have her on here, just the best. Oh yeah, stephanie, you know, stephanie can hold court and just like have you in tears with the ridiculousness of some of her stories, uh, you know. So, yeah, that's. Uh, that's one thing that I I do look to stephanie when I'm thinking like I need to tell a story, but it's so hard to learn that.
Robin:Sure, no, but I really appreciate the exercise of like you're in a moment. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, our strong, you know, moments and sometimes our shaky moments. But it's like, what friend could I pull from right now in my mind that could like totally deliver on this and just sort of like imbue them, you know, just like go like, okay, I'm going to bring them into the table and see what happens, and that's important. And, uh, you've certainly been that person for me when it's, you know, it came inside of well, actually a few ways, but but, on this note, you said to me one time it was regarding a friend, and, and that they were, they were being very isolated at the time, right, and you said to me, like what it took for me to break out of my isolation was a lot of just showing up attempts.
Robin:You know, like, every baby shower, did you want to go? No, but you went. You know, uh, every postcard you wrote someone did you want to write it? Maybe it was cute, but you still had to take the time and get the stamps, you know, and, and what came of that is great, and so I think sometimes it's it really is important to remember that it is a numbers game of putting actions out there to seeing where bridges connect.
Robin:You got to water your garden, your garden you do, and even when you water it I mean especially in houston like it dries up quick. We're in the middle of planting season, you know like you gotta admire the blooms when they're there and then they're also not going to be there at some point. You know, and so you're. You're making a lot of memories and you inspire me a lot, and I can go on and on, but I am excited to maybe have you back on a cat panel. Cat panel.
Robin:Where we talk about cats and share stories and just be funny divas.
Alexis:I likely won't be here.
Robin:Oh, so you're lost and you know I'd like to do a dog one, cause they're different people, you know, I know Exactly exactly. But, but you know being you don't have to be a yes to all things, but look at the yes that you want to lean into and and go from there, and that's something I really knew myself. But, knowing yourself, you still have those moments where you need to be reminded by somebody else, and you've been that person for me. So, so thank you very much, much.
Robin:I, I have really valued our time together and I, I authentically, just kept seeing you around, people I knew, and I stopped and I said what, like? What's your story? Like, what do you do? Where do you work? Like, what are we supposed to say in this moment? And you were like, I mean, that's not, like, it's not even the biggest takeaway, you, but we just kept hanging out and we kept hanging out and then I think they're like, in fairness, it was a wonderful thing. There wasn't much word shared, there was a lot of doing because we were, we were volunteering at events, getting them off the ground, putting up chairs, climbing up ladders, you know, and and I just had so much appreciation for you because I was like like dang, if Jennifer Marie is, like, willing to climb a ladder so many times for this event, I need to step up my game. Like what am I doing? Like I am slumping in comparison to her, you know.
Robin:I just I appreciate that. So it's kind of like one of those things where, if you're a runner and you want to increase your pace, go for the fastest runner, not the one that's behind you. You know like, go for the fastest runner, not the one that's behind you, go for the person that's doing something and just see what you can glean from it. And you've definitely been that person for me. Oh, thanks.
Alexis:And what I can say is that I've always enjoyed the fact that A you're basically quite nice Basically, but there is a point and some people don't have that point where you just need to be blunt and get it done yes, don't call me honey badger for nothing.
Robin:Yes, yes, yes, jennifer marie once uh shared with me that she can, she feels very related to a honey badger and, and, uh, as much, as as much as it's going to be a yes person, there is a limit and I don't know mine all the time, and so when I feel like maybe it shouldn't be a yes or I'm overextending myself, I call my honey badger line and I say Jennifer Marie, I need a honey badger because something might be off here. And she was like, oh no, excuse me, no, no, no, no.
Jennifer Marie:She's like, oh, we're going to walk that back. That is absolutely not happening.
Robin:This is where it's too far, it's too far.
Robin:Yeah, you know it's important to have those friends because you know it's like when you have those moments it's like, okay, I need a phone a friend for when I'm down, I need a phone a friend for, oh no, I should say no, but I can't. That's mine and you know I need to phone a friend for when I want to have fun. I need to phone a friend for I just want to talk about cats and not the world's on fire. You know I need to phone a friend for when I feel like I don't know what movies to watch. But maybe we should start a Queen Latifah appreciation party. I mean, all I'm saying is.
Jennifer Marie:You don't talk about the Queen Latifah Appreciation Society. Hey, if the queen latifah appreciation society.
Robin:It's just hey. If someone deserves appreciation, I I will talk about that, but it is important to have a honey badger. That will not invite everyone, so you have to start your own appreciation party and and keep going. And so if you don't find fun in theater or pals or volunteering, that is okay, keep looking for you and you'll find it. There's tons of things out there and we're gonna keep inviting people to talk about their thing and maybe you'll glean some of that.
Jennifer Marie:But also, you know, just a reminder say no, I mean say yes Sometimes, like you know, if you keep saying no to everything, you're missing out.
Robin:You're already at a no, you don't, you don't like if you automatically think, oh, I'm not going to like it.
Alexis:You don't know Like if you automatically think oh, I'm not going to like it?
Jennifer Marie:you don't know? Yeah, you don't know. And what's the best that can happen? You know what I'm saying. Like you're going to, you know, you're going to hang out with friends, Right?
Alexis:The other thing with events, theater shows you might think you aren't going to like it and be surprised, Exactly.
Jennifer Marie:You never know.
Alexis:If it's somebody that's either interesting or, you like, either one's okay.
Robin:Yes.
Alexis:Then a yes is a pretty good idea sometimes.
Robin:Yes, and I want to thank everyone for taking their time to appreciate the Theater Society in Houston, because they do work very hard. It is wonderful to see our theater actors. Actresses continue to get new roles, continue to grow their career, continue to be in multiple plays and they work with each other sometimes. So I'll go to a different stage and see similar faces and a lot of them are super nice. Like they'll talk to you afterwards, they're glad that you came. So it really is its own type of community. If you're interested and if you have a kid that is interested, maybe go to some of the talk backs and just ask what did it take to be on set design, or what did it take to write this play, or what did it take to bring it to town? Because they're willing to talk to people.
Jennifer Marie:Oh, absolutely, and sometimes you can find out a lot of good behind the scenes knowledge, and also the diversity that is shown in all of the, all of the productions that I that I go to. Um, it's wonderful.
Jennifer Marie:You know, you, you, you can, you can see yourself in in in something in in Houston in a in one of the theater productions in Houston, like you're, you're going to find something that reflects you and you know, I gotta, I gotta say Stages is really up their game. Recently we saw what is it called? Mrs Mrs Holmes and Watson and the the lead. The lead Watson, wait, the lead Holmes. Mrs Holmes was played by a trans woman and they did such an amazing job. It was, I was. I was so delighted to to see that because I don't think I've ever seen a trans individual as a lead, as a lead In a Houston production and I've been going for like a decade Now. Sure, catastrophic has had trans actors, you know, in their productions, but to see that I was like that is and it had nothing to do with the story.
Robin:Well, it was just a story.
Robin:It was just that this was a a good a wonderful actor, yeah, yeah wonderful, uh, you know, yeah, actor, and, and it was uh one of the things that I liked about their story because I did see them get interviewed on, I don't know, our version of good morning america or like our good morning houston or something like this, I don't.
Robin:I don't know the actual news outlet it was, but it was an interview highlighting the show and they said that the lead actually started out being a part of the background productions, like, I think, set design and things like this, and so to go from that to actually being a lead is a really big deal. But show was was really smooth and funny and I could see it being a series actually. Yes, and stages went out of their way and contacted the transgender foundation of america and gave uh tickets to people to be able to go and take part and really welcome them, and that was a beautiful thing that theaters maybe maybe don't have it in their budget to do, but do it anyway, like it was beautiful and and I really appreciate theaters reaching out to orgs that they want to bring into their spaces Like that's, that's a bridge that they're building and and you give access to again theater that people probably had barriers to get to all the barriers.
Jennifer Marie:I mean, I just imagine being a trans youth, uh, seeing that, you know, for the first time, I you know it gave me, it just gave me chills. I was like you know, you, you don't, you don't get to see that. Uh, in a lot of things and and I really commend stages for for that, they put on so many, their diversity is just it's really unmatched. They put on so many wonderful shows and, yeah, it's a magical place.
Alexis:I think one of the things when we're talking about is the person was playing the part, not playing a transgender person.
Jennifer Marie:Exactly, that's the thing I loved the most about it because, like they, didn't have to, they didn't have to fit a certain like, they were just able to be a good they were an actor.
Robin:Yeah, this is a dynamic character too. I mean, I truly do hope that they make a series out of it. So so so, check out, check out stages and if you don't see yourself in that, still enjoy it if you want to. They have lots of different topics and then if you want to see your version of yourself or your version of the thing that you want to enjoy on a stage, keep going down the list, because there's a lot to be had in Houston particularly, and then check out your local offerings. If you're not in Houston, it might be a very similar deal and we're happy to see theaters keep going, because it's a different venue from TB.
Jennifer Marie:Yeah, it's definitely. Yeah, I mean it's yeah.
Robin:Yeah, well, thank you for coming in, jennifer Marie. We really appreciate having you here and we look forward to having you back.
Jennifer Marie:My pleasure. This was really an enjoyable experience, wonderful I mean, we didn't make it horrible.
Robin:No, we'll try harder. Someone who doesn't run to a mic might come back. That's a good sign.
Jennifer Marie:I'm I'm I'm looking forward to the cat panel. Yes, uh, you know, miss kiki susan, rest in peace, still has a lot to say.
Robin:Well, that might have to go to our ghost panel. I'll bring the Ouija board, okay, okay.
Alexis:Alright, so I don't have to unpack mine.
Jennifer Marie:It's on the third floor in case you wonder.
Robin:I think we're good. Yeah, thank you. Okay, thank you. Now you want to do an?
Alexis:extra, while we're good.
Robin:Yeah, thank you Okay thank you.
Alexis:Now you want to do an extra while we're here.
Robin:Okay, let's see. Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, you might want to check out Mel Alani's episode and stay tuned for the cat panel and Stephanie St Sanchez Cause I'm pretty sure it's on the way.
Alexis:And feel free to send us questions. We have two or three ways you can do that. The best way is to send them via our talk back and we'll get them right away and give you an answer that you may or may not like, but it'll be answered, thank you.
