FAT KID, 2019
October 2026 at Off The/Lane in NYC!
In this modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic novel Persuasion, the quiet heroine Anne was persuaded to give up the love of her life 18 years ago. That love has grown up to be the exquisitely passionate queer activist Celia Wentworth. When Celia is suddenly thrown back into Anne’s life, will she be able to forgive Anne’s lack of courage? Will Anne finally stand up for who she is and what she wants? Will Anne’s family of faded television stars tolerate a transition to modrately-priced moisturizers?
Recent Projects
DEATH AND HARRY HOUDINI
Created by Keaton Wooden, the project is based on an original play by Nathan Allen. Lisa Quoresimo directed the piece which featured musical staging by Edward Talton-Jackson and music direction by Graham Sobelman.
This musical centers on young Erik Weisz, who after witnessing the death of his father, becomes haunted by death and vows to prove himself its greatest opponent in history. Terrified, but stubborn, Erik transforms his life to become “Harry Houdini” and uses his skills for showmanship, strength, and illusion to prove to death, and himself, that he fears nothing. Along the way Harry meets his future wife, foils charlatans, and inspires a nation to believe in the impossible. How will Harry finally defeat the greatest foe every magician, human, and artist faces?
The Mysterious Stranger
The first dramatization of this work by Mark Twain! San Francisco Youth Theatre Director and Composer Emily Klion, and Playwright Cliff Mayotte visited SUU for the concert reading of this musical, our fourth collaboration with San Francisco Youth Theatre.
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Everything Changes
Catalyst, a Theatre Think Tank works with great playwrights and composers from around the globe. Festival events occur throughout the year, embracing new technologies for remote development as needed. This wide array of rehearsal and performance possibilities allow flexibility for all our collaborators.
Catalyst, a Theatre Think Tank strives to be an agent of change for new works and new voices in the theatre.
Directors Mindy Cooper and Lisa Quoresimo
Our Vision
The theater community, today more than ever, needs new works, new stories and new storytellers. That’s why Catalyst is committed to creating an artistically supportive place for new plays and musicals to grow and find their voices. What better location to cultivate these new voices than Southern Utah University? We can welcome playwrights to our beautiful mountain campus, virtually or in person, and provide them with the resources and commitment of a large Theatre and Dance Department which shares facilities with the Tony-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. Catalyst is a creative space where world-class theater artists, passionate students, and intelligent audiences meet to foster important narratives as they move forward onto the national stage.
Catalyst eagerly looks for new stories at all stages of development. We work closely with our authors to find the process that is most useful to them.
We offer our playwrights:
Table readings - with or without an audience.
Workshops - rehearsal time to be spent as the author needs
Invited readings - Book-in-hand performances with or without audience feedback sessions
Productions - A first look at staging with lite production values.
Press
