Theater & Dance

Arts Legacy

Past to Present: How Houston Built Its Performing Arts Legacy

Before the glitz of the Theater District, Houston’s arts legacy started with dirt-road opera halls and one woman’s bold vision.

09/27/2025 By James Glassman

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

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

The Must List

River Oaks Theatre’s Mystery VHS Show Is Always a Fun Time

The monthly Tape Worms series shows movies that aren’t shown anywhere else in Houston…but it’s a surprise.

02/17/2025 By Meredith Nudo

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