Hip Pocket Theatre’s 47th season will open a little earlier than usual to take advantage of [hopefully!] cooler weather, kicking off May 19. The season of six shows runs most weekends through Oct. 29 at its outdoor amphitheatre under the Texas stars, 1950 Silver Creek Dr. in Fort Worth. Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 9 p.m. for May through August, and 8:15 p.m. for September and October productions. Hip Passes are on sale now through June 11, and may be purchased for either five or 10 performances at the Hip Pocket Box Office. Single tickets also are available.
Hip Pocket’s Regular Season
Riders of the Purple Sage (May 19-June 11)
Johnny Simons and James Maynard adapted Zane Grey’s original story, which was last seen at Hip Pocket in 1996, with two previous productions. Action! Adventure! Romance in the wide open spaces! It’s a classic Western of the silent film era, about Lassiter, an avenging gunslinger in black, Jane Withersteen, a plucky and determined cattle rancher and the dastardly forces that separate them. JoAnn Gracey will direct, with music, lyrics and music direction by Joe Rogers.
El Maleficio De La Mariposa; The Butterfly’s Evil Spell (June 23-July 16)
The play was written by Federico Garcia Lorca, and was last produced at Hip Pocket in 2011. Lorca’s poetic world of beetles, fireflies and other magical creatures is disrupted when a hypnotic, wounded butterfly enters their dewdrop paradise. Boybeetle is cast under the spell of love, and Scorpy is sure to shake things up in this timeless tale of longing and beauty. Yvonne Duque-Guerrero will direct, with music composed and performed live by Darrin Kobetich.
White Elephant (July 28-Aug. 20)
White Elephant was first produced in New York City by La Mama ETC in 2009, receiving two grants from the Jim Henson Foundation, with a reprisal on the Hip Pocket stage with the original New York cast. A reimagining of the original production, it is a meditation on transition, memory and release. The show is presented as a series of poetic vignettes about animals, people and objects that transform from one plane to another. Their stories come to life through puppetry, mask, movement, film and live music. White Elephant was co-written & directed by Lake Simons and John Dyer, with music composed and performed live by Dyer and choreographed and designed by Simons.
Testing Ground 3+3 (Sept. 1-3)
Hip Pocket will return to its roots in experimental theatre by producing a festival of three new works by Rob Bosquez, JoAnn Gracey and Shelby Griffin. Stay tuned for more information.
Old And In The Way (Sept. 15-17)
Once upon a time three friends got the crazy idea of starting their own theatre. They had grown weary working with the restrictions of so called “professional theatre”. So they burned their equity cards and set out to create a place for original work in a rough- hewn, handmade space reflecting their hearts desires. Cash for this adventure began with $300 pulled from their hip pockets. These three were immediately blessed to have many talented folk flock to the fun and freedom of expression. Ticket prices were set at $2.50. This presentation is a nostalgic look back to the early days of a youthful dream, brought to life by the elders of our little tribe wrangled together by Doug Balentine, Diane Simons and Molemo! Molemo! is now one of the last living members of the original tribe and this presentation is meant to be a tender remembrance of the past and a tragi-comedic look at the last days of an old elderly hippy. This play is not for children. (Note: Tickets for this production only are set at $2.50 each!)
The Fly (Oct. 6-29)
James Clavell wrote the screenplay for this special Halloween production, which has been adapted by Shawn Gann. Gann also will direct, with music by Joe Rogers. “Terrifying! Nerve Shattering! Bloodcurdling!” Science played with The Atom and a MONSTER has emerged from the disastrous experiment! Combine your molecules with Hip Pocket Theatre as we use music, practical effects and whimsy to bring you The Fly! “If she looked upon the horror her husband had become… she would scream for the rest of her life!”
Hip Passes for five or 10 admissions are available now. Five-show passes are $85 and 10-show passes are $150 for adults, with reduced prices for seniors, military, teachers, students and children 12 and under. Hip Passes will only be available through June 11, so get your passes now and save money!
Single tickets are now available. Adult tickets are $25 on Fridays and Saturdays and $20 on Sundays, with reduced prices for seniors, military, teachers, students and children 12 and under. Tickets are available online on the Hip Pocket website. Performances are at 9 p.m. May through August and at 8:15 p.m. September and October. There is no late seating.
The Hip Café in The BackYard opens at 7 p.m. and offers beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks for purchase before and after the show and during intermission for shows performed with two acts. No outside food or beverages are permitted. Live music will be performed in The BackYard before and after the shows, starting at 7:45 p.m. May through August, and at 7 p.m. September and October.
Special Events
In addition to the season of musicals and plays produced by Hip Pocket, two additional offerings are planned. These do not fall within Hip Pocket’s regular season and are not covered with a Hip Pass.
Theatre/Movement Workshop
ROUGH MAGIC: LIVE WIRE with Lorca Simons (May 20-21)
This dynamic ritual theatre lab will be produced by Ecstatic Dance Dallas. The workshop will be held at Hip Pocket Theatre during the day on May 20 and 21. In response to Gabrielle Roth’s investigation into what it means to be an authentic human being, Lorca Simons is dedicated to the creation of physical theatre that is both interactive and transformative. Offering labs rooted in a visionary and rigorous technique for people to become true “athletes of the heart,” Live Wire ritual theatre expands the imagination through curiosity, breath, physical gesture and space. Performance art in the raw, rooted in the real. Registration and more information are available at Ecstatic Dance Dallas.
Special One-Night Only Performance
A Night of Grief & Mystery, World Tour (July 12 at Hip Pocket Theatre)
Stephen Jenkinson and Gregory Hoskins
A Night of Grief & Mystery combines stories and observations by author/culture activist Stephen Jenkinson, drawn from his decades of work in palliative care, with original songs/sonics by recording artist Gregory Hoskins. These two Canadian artists have been exploring the intersection of their work for eight years, across three continents, in three recordings and two short films. They come to the road now in 2023 as they did in the beginning: the two of them, a singer and a storyteller, out into the mystery days. Tickets and more information are available on the Nights of Grief & Mystery website.
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