Next Iteration Ensemble

Originally in Houston, now found in Portland, Maine, USA

Next Iteration Ensemble (NIE) is committed to devise, perform, produce, and promote thought-provoking, theatre; perform under-represented work, re-imagine known works; and collaborate locally, nationally and internationally by engaging our audience, our communities and other artists.

NIE began in Houston in 2015 and today, after its founder and director related to Maine is looking to collaborate and bring its diverse theatre to a stage in Portland.

"There is a hunger to see the human presence acted out. As long as that need remains, people will find a way to do theater."—Zelda Fichandler

Turquoise by Deb Margolin, Photography by Pin Lim

Open Carry: It’s Loaded, Workshop Reading, NIE Company Devisied, Photography by Pin Lim

Smart People by Lydia Diamond, Photography by Pin Lim

Pay-what-you-can tickets always at Next Iteration

We believe that theater is a collaboration between the audience and players. We believe that that no matter what your circumstances, you are welcome to be a part of our audience. Our tickets are always pay-what-you-can! Please pay as much as you can to help cover the cost of our work…our suggested ticket price is just that, a suggestion, but never, ever feel that you cannot pay enough. Our theater is your theater. And we always mean this.

SHIV by Madhuri Shekar, Photography by Pin Lim

NIE Productions include works by:

Aditi Kapil

Aisha Rahman

Augusto Amador

Ayad Akhtar

Danai Gurira & Nikkole Salter

Deb Margolin

Lauren Yee

Lisa Boss Omlie

Madeleine George

Madhuri Shekar

Rhett Martinez

Sofia Alverez

Susan Soon Ye Stanton

Atacama by Augusto Amador, Photography by Pin Lim

Next Iteration Ensemble

NIE was the brainchild of director, dianne k. webb, and was soon joined by Tayyba Kanwal as business manager as they launched Next Iteration Ensemble.

Our first production was the creation of Readfest Houston that brought six plays performed by six theater companies to the stage over three days at the MATCH in midtown Houston.

From there one thing led to another and together with many talented actors we brought Houston audiences…

  • the Annual Intercultural Play Reading Series (IPRS)

  • world premiere of Omlie’s The Baby

  • a workshop production of Deb Margolin’s Turquoise

  • Next Iteration Presents that shared our theater space with other performing groups during dark times—featuring T.R.U.T.H. Project, Ophelia’s Rope improv, Meta-Four, Tabla Houston, Driven Theatre, & Wordsmyth Theater.

  • NIE Conversations—a professional development opportunity for actors, directors, and acting students. Past classes featured Jef Johnson, Armando Silva, Deb Margolin, and Driven Theater’s Rachel Dickson.

"...I insist only that it be relevant, in a strange way, to the scene that has chosen to spread itself out before us, the theatre of our lives." —Barthelme