Jason Nodler and actress Tamarie Cooper rehearsing Infernal Bridegroom Productions’ Happy Days by Samuel Beckett

Jason Nodler has been involved with the theater ever since he attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. While studying playwriting at NYU, it became apparent to him that people his age had little interest in attending theatrical performances.

As soon as Mr. Nodler returned to Houston from college, he decided to start a theater company that would engage new audiences. He explains, "To make a change in theater, to make an advance in theater, it takes a company. Theater at one point was a popular art, which means two things: it was popular and it was art. Today it’s rarely more than one or the other. Anything that happens in life is the subject of theater. It has even less rules than music, so there is no reason that theater can’t be more compelling to a broader audience."

Mr. Nodler continues, "It’s somewhat common for a startup arts organization to form a board, become nonprofit, raise funds and maybe get into a new building before they create their first piece of art. We chose a very different model. Infernal Bridegroom Productions completed its first three years before we even applied for nonprofit status. We survived entirely on ticket sales, and always at a profit, with the tickets at $5.99."

The plays were staged at nightclubs, restaurants and warehouses. After the premiere of his first play, Mr. Nodler knew the company had the potential for success. He explains, "We had a very responsive, rowdy crowd. Then we had an incredible repeat crowd, with not enough room in the club. It was clear that the majority of the audience were not theatergoers or regular consumers of the cultural arts. Homeless people came to see the show; limousines pulled up. It was quite a scene."

Another three years would pass before the fledgling company requested foundation or individual support. "It eventually became clear that for the company to grow and fulfill its potential, we were going to have to employ a staff and get into our own building. The funding community has been wonderfully receptive to our argument that it’s time for us to grow," observes Mr. Nodler.

"Houston is my hometown, and if I make something happen, I would prefer to do it here. If we have success outside of Houston, we hope it will raise Houston’s visibility in the national arts scene and bring artists from out of town and audiences to the theater."

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