Season Thirteen (2024-2025)

Office Hours by Norm Foster

Friday, July 26, 2024 - Saturday, August 17, 2024

Get ready to leave your work worries behind and dive into a world of hilarity with the delightful comedy "Office Hours," by Norm Foster, brought to you by Cone Man Running Productions. Office Hours was originally produced at The Piggery Theatre in North Hatley, Quebec, in 1989. This madcap play is now coming to Houston with a special (legal) twist.

You’ll experience a dizzying day in the city through the lives of a chaotic group of characters in six different offices. From a domineering mother and hen-pecked father to a neurotic figure skater, sex-starved therapist, down-and-out film director, one-armed man, and an overweight athlete, their separate stories hilariously intertwine to create a web of connections that none of them realize.

Meet the Cast: Houston's Legal Eagles Bring Madcap Fun to the Stage

We are thrilled to present a cast made up entirely of Houston's legal community: judges, attorneys, law students, and law clerks. Under the expert direction of Christine Weems, with Barbara Stalder as the assistant director, these talented performers bring their unique flair to each role.

The Cast:

- Abigail Anastasio

- David Chapin

- Corey Fawcett

- Megan Fawcett

- Marcus Fifer

- Trey Gifford

- Alex LeBlanc

- Patrice McKinney

- Gerardo Mejia

- Mathew Mendoza

- Danny Norris

- John Raley

- Elizabeth Ray

- Cawlyn Robinson

- Hilary Unger

Understudy:

- Danny Franco

- Allison Mathis

"Office Hours" is staged by arrangement with Pam Winter, GGA, www.ggagency.ca

World Premiere of
Tales From the Cryptic Vault of the Anthologically Macabre
by Bryan Maynard

Friday, October 18, 2024 8pm - Saturday, November 2, 2024

Prepare to be thrilled and chilled this Halloween season with the world premiere of Tales From the Cryptic Vault of the Anthologically Macabre, a spine-tingling series of short plays written by Houston playwright Bryan Maynard. This eerie production will be brought to life by the talented directing team of Aaron Garrett, Qasim Makkani, Bryan Maynard, Ruth S McCleskey, Katherine Rinaldi, and Mark Stanley, with stage management by Barbara Stalder.

Meet the Cast:

The show features a stellar cast of local actors, including:

Algy Alfred

Heather Atkins

Karla Brandau

Sean Deflora

Mark Gonzalez

Liz Larson

Bryan Maynard

Jonathan Moonen

Jacobí Montgomery

Megan Nix

Kristina Treybig

About the Show:

Aleister Crowley, a mysterious and sinister figure, guides the audience through a selection of terrifying tales from his favorite book, Tales From the Cryptic Vault of the Anthologically Macabre. Each story is a journey into the unknown, filled with horror, humor, and unexpected twists. This production promises to be a spine-tingling experience that will leave you on the edge of your seat, if you dare.

Five Minute Mile: Holiday Edition!

Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 8 PM - Saturday, March 1, 8 PM

Get ready for a theater festival unlike any other! Cone Man Running Productions presents the Five Minute Mile - Holiday Edition, featuring 33 short plays and monologues. This dynamic event celebrates creativity and storytelling, performed by a stellar ensemble cast at our home in Spring Street Studios.

📍 Location: 1824 Spring Street, Studio 233, Houston, TX 77007
🎭 Artistic Director: Michael Weems
🎬 Directors: Ruth S. McCleskey and Christine Weems

What Makes This Festival Unique?

Each night, 20 plays will come to life in a thrilling, ever-changing lineup:

10 plays pre-set for the evening
5 chosen at random by the audience
5 voted on by the audience based on title, blurb, and buzz

Every performance is a fresh, unpredictable theatrical experience you won’t want to miss! Want a sneak peek at the Act 1 Lineups? Scroll to the bottom.

Ensemble Cast (Alphabetical):

Abigail Anastasio
Helen Baker
Nata Cornelio
Deirdre Phlegm
Mark Gonzalez
Stephanie Kelso
Jacobi Montgomery
Suzanne Mobarak
Patrice McKinney
Amy Pope
Cawlyn Robinson
Barbara Stalder
Hilary Unger

Plays Featured in the Festival

#frankenstein #modern by Thomas J. Misuraca (Halloween)
10 Seconds Left by Cole Dzubak (NYE)
A Christmas of Inexpressible Pleasure by Diana Howie (Christmas)
A Misunderstanding at Sunshine Quest by William Ivor Fowkes (NYE)
A Sibling's Soliloquy by Ruth McCleskey (National Siblings Day)
Anaconda in the Mangrove Trees by Evan Baughman (Amazon Prime Day)
Auld Lang Syne by John Patrick Bray (NYE)
Broken Hearted Valentine by Carl Williams (Valentine's Day)
Chemistry by David L. Williams (Anniversary)
Christmas Temptation by Conor Farrell (Christmas)
Classic Family Holiday Dinner by Cassie Randall (President's Day)
Dear Nate by Ali Keller (Christmas)
Elf on a Shelf by James Kelsey Nelson (Christmas)
Empower Hour by Ophelia’s Rope (International Women’s Day)
First Florida Xmas by Helen Cheng Mao (Christmas)
Friendzoned by Reed Halvorson (Christmas)
Halloween is Straight Pride by Colleen O'Doherty (Halloween)
Hinata by Jade Rothman (Anniversary)
Jesus Comes Back by Jessica Moss (Easter)
Kareem Dream by Nabra Nelson (Ramadan)
Man and Mooncake by Yangzhou Bian (Mid-Autumn Festival)
National Vanilla Cupcake Day by Bara Swain (National Vanilla Cupcake Day)
Next Year by Yangzhou Bian (Chinese New Year)
Oy Vey Maria by Mark Harvey Levine (Christmas)
Spirits by Thomas J. Misuraca (Christmas)
The Christmas Lights by Alex Dremann (Christmas)
The Last Father's Day by Fernando Dovalina (Father's Day)
The Light by Mark Harvey Levine (Hanukkah)
The Very First Christmas by Joe Farrell (Christmas)
Under a Christmas Moon by Brian Rust (Christmas)
Wanna Get Ghosted by Colleen O'Doherty (Christmas)
Welcome to Christmas Village by Dan Guyton (Christmas)
Zombie Valentine by Kate Danley (Valentine's Day)

Cone Man Running presents a Pronoia Theater Production

Io: A New Myth

Encore Performance

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Cone Man Running is proud to present Pronoia Theater's Io: A New Myth, an original comedy-drama blending mythology, art, and music into an unforgettable theatrical experience.

Follow Io (portrayed by Helen Rios) as she faces the challenges of rebuilding her village after a devastating attack. The play explores themes of deception, retribution, and hope while navigating a story enriched with city politics, divine intervention, and the resilience of the human spirit. Io: A New Myth showcases Pronoia Theater’s commitment to storytelling through original comedy, paired with moments of thought-provoking drama.

Directed by Ruth McCleskey, the production features an original score and songs by MoontangDaydream weaving an enchanting musical thread into the narrative. This encore performance promises to captivate audiences with its humor, heart, and depth.

About the Show

Io: A New Myth is inspired by the paintings of contemporary Houston artist Erin Harms. Written by Aaron Garrett, this unique production combines striking visuals, a powerful story, and a musical atmosphere created by Sandra Peck Ramsey.

Originally premiered at the Mix-Match Festival on January 18, 2025, Io is brought back by popular demand for an encore performance.

Cast & Creative Team

Io: Helen Rios
Chorus: Caryn Fulda, Megan Nix, Grace Ojionuka
Director: Ruth McCleskey
Original Music: Sandra Peck Ramsey
Stage Manager: Amy Pope

Special Thanks: Cone Man Running Productions, Kacie Adams, Jessica Kelly Garrett, and Steven Saltsman

Pronoia Theater

Founded in 2018, Pronoia Theater is dedicated to creating innovative, original comedy—both scripted and improvised. Their work explores empathy and humanity through humor, engaging audiences in non-traditional spaces. The company has premiered 12 original plays and created numerous online series, including the popular audio drama Space Train.