Pre-show bites

The Best Restaurants near or in Houston’s Theater District

Whether you're craving West African cuisine, sushi, or comforting Italian, here's where to go for a meal before or after a theater performance.

08/05/2025 By Daniel Renfrow and Sofia Gonzalez

Do It

Your Guide to Houston's Best Art and Culture Events This August

Rubik’s Cubes, retro thrillers, bold choreography, and more—August in Houston is packed with creative energy.

08/01/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Bayougraphy

Meet the Puppeteer Behind Houston’s Most Imaginative Sets

Afsaneh Aayani invites audiences to believe in magic with imaginative puppets and set designs for Alley Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, Meow Wolf, and other noteworthy arts organizations in Houston.

07/15/2025 By Meredith Nudo

The Must List

Stages’ World Premiere of a New Classic Reframes Jack the Ripper

Rather than examining the murderer himself, Maggie Lou Rader’s Let. Her. Rip. centers Whitechapel women’s fight to unionize and survive on the margins.

06/12/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Raise the Curtain

Theater District Open House Returns to Celebrate a Houston Treasure

After a five-year hiatus, the free event is back to show Houstonians everything that makes downtown’s Theater District special.

03/07/2025 By Holly Beretto

Bayougraphy

The Ensemble Theatre Is Thriving Under Eileen J. Morris’s Leadership

She has worked as artistic director at Midtown's traditionally Black theater since 1990, making sure it remains a mainstay in the Houston performing arts scene.

12/23/2024 By Holly Beretto

The Must List

Alley Theatre’s Emotional Christmas Show Is for the Grinches

With humor and heart, the world premiere of The Night Shift Before Christmas looks at the heavy toll the holiday season can take on some.

12/13/2024 By Meredith Nudo

Happy Holidays

Houston Theaters Offer Inclusive Holiday Options for All

In a city as religiously diverse as ours, there's an appetite for holiday season entertainment that makes all audiences feel welcome.

11/22/2024 By Holly Beretto

Willkommen, Bienvenue

Houston’s Cabarets Are an Affordable Alternative to Broadway

Musical theater can be cost-prohibitive and, yes, a little intimidating. Our local cabaret scene allows fans to enjoy shows in a more intimate environment.

10/30/2024 By Holly Beretto

The Must List

4th Wall’s Swing State Asks Tough Questions Without Easy Answers

Ahead of the 2024 election, Rebecca Gilman’s Pulitzer Prize–nominated play examines how people build one another up…and all the ways these connections may crumble.

09/26/2024 By Meredith Nudo