Grand Hotel The Musical

'Night, Mother

by Marsha Norman

Produced by The Alchemy Theatre

The Whisenhunt at Zach Theater
October 17 – 26, 2025

Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Marsha Norman’s ’night, Mother is a searing, intimate drama that unfolds over the course of a single evening. In this tense and profoundly human story, a daughter makes a life-altering confession to her mother, setting in motion an unflinching exploration of love, despair, and the quiet battles fought within families. With raw honesty and piercing dialogue, ’night, Mother asks: how well do we really know the ones we love most?

Age Recommendation: 16 and up due to mature themes and subject matter

Runtime: 90 minutes (no intermission)

Content Warning: This production contains frank discussions of suicide, depression, and end-of-life decisions. It may be distressing for some audience members. Resources and support information will be available in the lobby and program.

Following the Sunday, October 19 performance of ’night, Mother, The Alchemy Theatre will host A Conversation on Mental Health featuring moderator Anna Bunker, a community health professional and mental health advocate, joined by Dr. Tania Michaels and Dr. Katherine Rose, both experts in supporting youth and young adults in distress. The discussion will also include the actors from the production, offering a unique opportunity to explore the play’s powerful themes of mental health, connection, and hope through both a clinical and artistic lens. Audience members are invited to stay, listen, and take part in this important conversation.

Shows:

Oct 17 @ 7:30pm – Champagne Opening

Oct 18 @ 7:30pm

Oct 19 @ 2:30pm – Talkback to follow with mental health advocate Anna Bunker, Dr. Tania Michaels and Dr. Katherine Rose.

Oct 23 @ 7:30pm – Industry BOGO 

Oct 24 @ 7:30pm

Oct 25 @ 7:30pm

Oct 26 @ 2:30pm 

Pricing:

General Admission – $35 – $45

Students – $25

Seniors/Military – 10% discount

Groups of 8 or more – 20% discount

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Cast and Production Team

Sarah-Marie Curry

Jessie

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Sarah-Marie Curry is an award winning actor living in Austin, Texas. Regional credits include: Fun Home (Alison), The Last Five Years (Jaimie), Reefer Madness (Mary Lane), Company (Jenny),  Into the Woods (Cinderella), Mack & Mabel (Mabel Normand) and The Baker's Wife (Genvieve). She has been awarded Best Actress for her roles on stage with The B. Iden Payne Award Council of Austin as well as Best Improv Troupe multiple times over. On stage she has been called “hilarious” “fierce” “truly exceptional” and "part artist, part mad scientist" by The Austin Chronicle. For show updates and more go to www.sarahmariecurry.com 

Johanna Whitmore

Mama

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Johanna Whitmore has performed with Austin Shakespeare, Theatre en Bloc, Scriptworks, Hyde Park Theatre, and more, with notable roles including Emilia in Othello, Mrs. Bennet/Lady Catherine in Pride and Prejudice, and Galactia in Scenes from an Execution (for which she received B. Iden Payne and Critics Table Awards). She holds an M.A. in Theatre from the University of Maine and has directed and acted in over 150 productions. 

Michael Cooper

Director

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Michael Cooper is the Artistic Director of The Alchemy Theatre. Michael has directed numerous productions in Chicago and Los Angeles, with his Austin credits being the Alchemy Theatre productions of Grand Hotel, The Musical, King of Hearts (both at The Whisenhunt @ Zach Theater), The Baker’s Wife, The Virgin Trial, Mack & Mabel, Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory (2019 & 2023), The Waverly Gallery, and Reverie Theatre’s production of Outside Mullingar. Michael has also directed the Alchemy’s staged readings of Peter and Alice, Domesticated, The Virgin Trial and a new play, The Sunflower Apostle, which he also wrote. Michael is an alumnus of Lincoln Center Theatre Director’s Lab West and has performed Off-Broadway as Whizzer Brown in William Finn’s In Trousers. He is also the author of Dorothy Parker–Story Time for Grown Ups, based upon the rebellious life and extraordinary short stories of Dorothy Parker.

www.directorcooper.com | mcooper@thealchemytheatre.org

Marnie Near

Producer

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Marnie Larson Near is a producer with a background in both the arts and business. She studied acting and producing at Northwestern University and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco before earning her MBA from Duke University. After building a successful career in marketing, she merged her passion for storytelling with her business expertise to focus on producing for film and theatre. Her first feature film, the psychological thriller Birdsong, will premiere in March 2025 at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, CA. In theatre, Marnie has produced several acclaimed productions, including Grand Hotel, The Musical (2025) King of Hearts (2024), The Baker’s Wife (2023), Mack & Mabel (2022), The Virgin Trial (2022), and Kenneth Lonergan’s The Waverly Gallery (2019) for The Alchemy Theatre. In addition to her producing work, Marnie is actively involved in the arts community. She serves on the Board of Directors for ZACH Theatre and is the Board Chair for The Alchemy Theatre in Austin, TX.

Britney Salyer

Stage Manager

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Britney is a Jane of all trades, with her hands in all sorts of things, and always looking to learn, expand, and challenge herself both professionally and artistically. This is her 6th show with the Alchemy Theatre and she couldn’t be happier to be a part of such a wonderful group of creative, talented, and generous people.

Holly & Patrick Crowley

Set & Prop Designers

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These two Austinites have graced many stages together designing and building sets for more than fifty companies over the past 15 years. They have been featured in Broadway.com and have received awards in Set Design from Austin Critics Table Awards and B. Iden Payne.  A few past credits include -- Penfold Theatre: Ordinary Days, Now Then Again, Comedy of Errors, Ghost Quartet.  Austin Playhouse Design/Build Team Highland Mall New Space Construction and Productions 2012-2014 Seasons: The Game’s Afoot, Other Desert Cities, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Noises Off, Triumph of Love, Man of La Mancha, And Then There Were None, The Liar, The Dead President’s Club, Venus in Fur.  Long Center for The Performing Arts: Heller Awards for Young Artists, Summer Stock Austin 2016 (Build/Paint-The Addams Family, Carnival, and The Steadfast Tin Soldier). Austin Opera: Fidelio, Sweeny Todd (Additional Build/Bridges). Austin Symphony: Leonard Bernstein’s Mass (100th Celebration Produced by Merick and Karen Bernstein).  Ballet Austin: Grimm Tales (Build team for designers George Tsypin and Natalie Frank), Exit Wounds, Cinderella, POE (Design/build Pendulum), The Nutcrackers (Fabrication/2x Lifesize). Ballet Austin TWO: Donde van las Mariposas, Maria and the Mouse Deer.  Other companies include:  Fairmont Hotel, Theatre En Bloc (Fat Pig /Rude Mechs Old Space), Salvage Vanguard Theater, Pollyanna Theatre Co., Street Corner Arts (A Walk in the Woods), KLRU, PSAV, Corpus Christi Ballet, The Aurora Arts Theatre, Southwestern University Outdoor Stage Build 2021, and Turn-Key builder for Beyond Exhibitions/Paquin Entertainment USA – Beyond Van Gogh USA Tour/The Normal Studio.  Patrick is currently a Production Supervisor for The Long Center and Head Designer for DDP. Holly is found most days at the Scene Shop painting a backdrop or backstage at venues working as a Lead Carpenter for other wonderful productions. DDP would like to Thank Zach Scott/The Alchemy Theatre, the cast and crew, our kids Zena and Riah, our family, and you “The Audience”.

Kallie “KP” Pierce

Lighting & Sound Designer

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Kallie Pierce is the lighting and sound designer for 'night, Mother.

Claire Shelton

Costume Designer

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Claire Shelton is the costume designer for 'night, Mother.

Paige Freeman

Graphic Designer

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Paige is a graduate of the CHAS Acting Conservatory program, working actor, and creative director with experience designing for Broadway and Off-Broadway theater productions, NY based stand-up comedians, and Grammy Award-winning record labels. Her work has appeared in: The New York Times, BBC Music Magazine, The Tonight Show, Late Show, and The Late Late Show. Paige played Brianne/Chaya in The Alchemy Theatre’s production of Mary Jane, and she designed the posters for Alchemy’s The Waverly Gallery, A Christmas Memory, Mack & Mabel, The Virgin Trial, FrostBites: A Holiday Cabaret, The Baker’s Wife, Pipeline, King of Hearts, Grand Hotel, and for Reverie Theatre’s production of Outside Mullingar. paigefreemandesign.com | @paigefreemanhoover

Gwenny Govea

Social Media

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Guinevere “Gwenny” Govea is a media professional and award winning maker-of-musicals whose works have been produced at multiple notable theater spaces including The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Metro Theater Company in St. Louis. Gwenny has created content for The Atlas Obscura Podcast, The Drag Audio, Texas Tasty, and her own musical Spells of the Sea in addition to multiple shows at The Alchemy Theatre. She holds Bachelor's degrees in Theatre and Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and is very grateful to get the opportunity to promote gems such as 'night, Mother. For more about Gwenny, visit guineveregovea.com and follow her instagram @gwennygov.