Blinn-Brenham Theatre Director’s play featured in New York
‘The Prisoners of Driscoll Street’ is premiering in Brooklyn
January 18, 2019
Blinn College-Brenham Campus Theatre Arts Director Brad Nies’ latest play, “The Prisoners of Driscoll Street,” is a featured production this week at the 22nd Annual Black Box New Play Festival in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The play is one of 11 premiering at the festival and will be produced through Sunday, Jan. 20. Tickets and information are available online at www.galleryplayers.com.
“This is really exciting for me because not only will my play be produced in a nice theatre, but I have never had a play produced outside of Texas,” Nies said. “It is exciting that a theatre in New York thought that it was a good play and universal enough to be produced.”
“The Prisoners of Driscoll Street” is based on the Ice-Box Murders that happened in Houston, Texas in 1965. Fred and Edwina Rogers, an elderly couple living in the Hyde Park neighborhood in the Montrose District, were found murdered and stored in the refrigerator of their home. An investigation led police to believe that Edwina Rogers was in her son’s bedroom on the evening of the murders. This docudrama depicts the possible altercation between a mother and her son, a son who may very well have murdered both his parents.
“About 10 years ago, I had read a book that was based on this story and was really intrigued,” Nies said. “I love true-crime topics and this is a very mysterious event, which I found very interesting.”
The play is directed by Dominic Cuskern. It stars Sue Glausen as Edwina Rogers and Kevin Morin as Charles Rogers. The creative team includes Co-Producers Cuskern and Glausen, Production Stage Manager Timothy Sheridan, Lighting Designer Tianshu Zhao, Sound Designer Charlie Hill, and Assistant Stage Manager Kirill Polich.
Following the Sunday matinee, Nies will discuss the play in a talkback.
Nies has served as the Blinn-Brenham Theatre Director since 1990. His writing production credits include “Just Ignore My Sister,” “Haunting the House,” “The Bother,” “The Boys from Houston Heights,” “Dean: A Monologue,” “Bricks and Stones,” and “Teatime.” Published plays written by Nies include; “Interpretations of a Murder,” “Miss Imogene’s Prize-Winning Roses,” “Teatime,” “Perfect Mother,” Minor Inconveniences,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Boys from Houston Heights,” and “Haunting the House.”
