Emily Hynds on No Kiss, Grown-up Storytime, and Houston's Theater Scene

In late August, Emily Hynds's fourth scripted play, No Kiss, was performed over two weekends at Alabama Song, a Houston venue run by a former Glasstire editor-in-chief. The approximately two-and-a-half-hour production depicts a breakup between two lovers, interspersed with comedic moments from their third roommate. Hynds, who studied theatre at the University of Houston, co-founded BooTown in 2007, a devised-theater company that concluded in 2017. She also initiated Grown-up Storytime (GUST) in 2007 at Rudyard's in Houston's Montrose area, where accepted writers receive $40, and submissions remain open and free. The inspiration for No Kiss emerged during 2024 rehearsals for The Imp, focusing on characters who were once intimate but now cannot be. The cast features Kathleen Gullion, Rahul Rao, and Hynds's husband, Joe Wozny. Hynds directed and incorporated additional scenes for Rahul during early rehearsals. GUST is approaching its 200th show, with a retrospective scheduled for January 2027, when Hynds will also assist direct Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at Classical Theater Company.