Decisions, Decisions

How Houston Theater Companies Pick Their Plays

From stacks of scripts to strategic decisions, Malinda Beckham of Dirt Dogs Theatre Co. reveals how she builds a season. Hint: It involves quite a bit of reading.

10/14/2025 By Holly Beretto

Party Time

Beyond the Gala: How Small Arts Orgs Raise Funds Without Big Budgets

Fancy soirées have their place in the fundraising world, but they aren’t always realistic. Luckily, Houston arts nonprofits happen to be full of creative types with bright ideas.

10/07/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Do It

Your Guide to Can’t-Miss Houston Arts & Culture: October 2025 Edition

It’s gonna be a good month: Rothko Chapel is inviting over a beloved radical puppet theater, the Wild West comes alive through immersive theater, and the legendary Greek Fest returns.

10/02/2025 By Meredith Nudo

A Legacy That Lasts

Main Street Theater Celebrates a Half Century in Houston

For five decades, Main Street Theater has nurtured Houston talent, challenged audiences, and built an enduring stage for the city's storytellers.

09/09/2025 By Holly Beretto

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

Show Bites

The Best Places to Grab a Bite in Houston’s Theater District

Downtown Houston has so many dining options, but these are the best spots to visit before your show.

08/12/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

The Heart of It

Intimacy Coordinators Are Houston Theaters’ Secret Asset

Behind every romantic scene is a professional creating affection and making sure actors are comfortable.

02/19/2024 By Holly Beretto

Just Daydreaming

Actually Cool Things We Think Should Go in the Old Tower Theatre

The historic Montrose building is vacant again after Acme Oyster House closed, and we have some ideas.

01/05/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

For the Laughs

This Local Improv Group Proves Houston Is a Comedy Powerhouse

Can’t Tell Us Nothing was founded over a meal at Velvet Taco in 2015 and hasn’t stopped making us laugh since.

10/19/2023 By Meredith Nudo

Art for All

Houston’s Cultural Institutions Tackle Art Accessibility

From free museums to linguistic diversity, these organizations are paving the way to make art more inclusive.

09/07/2023 By Geneva Diaz

No Small Roles

Houston's Indie Theater Scene Proudly Has Its Freak Flag Flying

Outside the Theater District, smaller companies offer audiences something completely different, but equally—if not more—thought-provoking.

08/14/2023 By Holly Beretto