Arts & Entertainment

Comments (0) Best Theater on a Shoestring Budget - 2008

Mildred's Umbrella ­Theater Company

Give a theater $100,000 and you expect something great, but the real test of a group of artists is what they can do with a next-to-nothing budget. We could all take a lesson from Mildred's Umbrella, a company dedicated to the strangeness of theater that manages to keep its artistic integrity on a shoestring budget. Many of their provocative productions are built around original scripts — this year, the group toured Rot, written by their resident playwright John Harvey with Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre, across Texas. They also produced innovative scripts like the Obie Award-winning One Flea Spare by Naomi Wallace. If anyone deserves a big fat grant, it's these very hardworking and dedicated artists, currently fabricating whole theatrical worlds out of dreams.

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2 comments
Gloria
Gloria

I had the pleasure of attending one of the plays put on by the Mildred's Umbrella Company, and found it throughly entertaining! These actors have perfected their craft and succeed in delivering a great performance for their audience. I was surprised to read in your article that they are able to produce such quality work with a "shoe-string" budget and I agree, that they should be given a grant to help them with such a worthwhile endeavor. I look forward to visiting Houston again soon and attending another Mildred's Umbrella production. Congratulations Mildred's Umbrella!

Rebecca
Rebecca

Murder of Crows set went for about 80-90 bucks. it would have been cheaper but for the paint and glue.

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