Theatre and Film South Campus

Pasadena, Texas, 1973 – An oil boom has ushered in the heyday of the famous Gilley’s Club, where thousands flock nightly to do-si-do like the cowboys of yore, and an all-night diner down the street that has revamped itself into a honky tonk that celebrates ‘Pasadena Pride and Houston Heritage.’ This is great news for Freddy Espinoza, the diner’s oddball fry cook, a fourth-generation Tejano and Pasadenian who jumps at the chance to put his old family recipes on the menu and cement the Espinoza story into the history of his hometown. But when he’s told his family’s food is not ‘on concept,’ Freddy bypasses his boss by creating a secret menu that’s too good to stay secret for long. When his recipes take off, Freddy questions the right way to honor his family’s legacy.

Showings:

• Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. (Opening Night)
• Friday, Feb. 27, at 2 p.m. (High School & Community Matinee)
• Saturday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m.
• Thursday, Mar. 5, at 7 p.m.
• Friday, Mar. 6, at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Mar. 7, at 2 p.m. (Closing Matinee)

Location:
Proscenium Theatre
Marie Spencer Flickinger Fine Arts Center (S15.151)
San Jacinto College South Campus
13735 Beamer Road, Houston, TX 77089

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Dr. Jonelle Walker is a Helen Hayes Award-nominated playwright, theatre-maker, and scholar based in Houston. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she pivoted to primarily creating immersive experiences. Her plays  tend to explore complex human emotions with a scholar’s eye for detail and a wickedly dark sense of humor. The Washington Post has called her work “vivid, artfully unnerving,” and “ingeniously crafted.”

A proud artist-scholar, Dr. Walker received her PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Maryland. While in school, she researched representations of white femininity on stage, film, and digital media dating back to the late 19th century. She was also the host and co-producer of RomCom Killjoys, a podcast applying feminist theories to romantic comedy on film.

In addition to her freelance artistic work, she is an Associate Producer At-Large and Company Member with Rorschach Theatre. Additionally, she co-founded Blind Pug Arts Collective and served as a member of the Not in Our House DC Core Committee.