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Houston - Opera, Dance, Concert and Theatre

Houston has a fantastic array of current, cultural and classical performances that take place in some of the best and most modern facilities in the world. Whichever scene you choose to experience, you will find worldly acclaimed performances and artists.

Educational programs with volunteer participation are also offered. Most of these performances are within a sensible price range and many of them are free, so do take advantage!

In order to keep up with events and performances, some great resources include: The Houston Chronicle, check out the Zest on Sunday and Preview section on Thursday and The Houston Press and The Official Guide to Houston. The official guide is available at seasonal intervals.

On these websites you can search for all the major concerts and performances in Houston. It  may give you an opportunity to attend an event that you normally wouldn't. Since there are numerous facilities and art organizations in Houston, we have tried to keep our Paguro community in mind: instead of listing every event and appearing as just another ‘Yellow page listing’, we are selecting the events that we feel are most interesting to our readers. 

Please let us know about any cultural events you have attended and would like to share with the Paguro community.

Opera

Having evolved from a somewhat small regional Opera during its early years, this Opera is now the fifth largest in the States and has achieved broad acclaim for 25 world and 6 American premiers. With an extensive travel program, its Houston home is the 72 million state-of-the-art Wortham Theater, housing the Alice and George Brown Theater and the Roy Cullen Theater.

The Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is responsible for some excellent initiatives in education of opera and includes both community connections and young artists’ training and performance programs, such as "Opera To Go!", a portable touring company taking opera in English to children and families.

Houston Community College's Heinen Theater
Holding student and family matinees, it aims to assist the collaboration of HGO and the Houston Police Department's D.A.R.E. program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).
Another program is the Opera New World; it commissions and produces new music theater works that reach a wider audience than that of the traditional American opera audience.
Thirdly, the Houston Grand Opera Studio. It is a nationally acclaimed program, dedicated to the advancement of young artists with the potential for major careers in the opera/music theater profession.

  • Houston Grand Opera
    Wortham Theater Center     501
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1     (    713) 546 0200
    website:  www.houstongrandopera.org
    Their website has an extensive service facility, offering event listing, parking, directions, seating arrangements etc, online ticket purchase and volunteer opportunities.  They have produced a great little section called ‘Audience tips’ which amused us, and is certainly worth a visit if you are not familiar with opera.

Dance

This internationally acclaimed ballet troupe is the fifth largest in the States. With a repertoire extending from classics from the early century such as Swan Lake, The Nutcraker to productions by young, modern artists; it offers an extensive repertoire of performances. The facilities include an Academy for Children aged 4 to17, as well as education programs and a supportive ‘community outreach’ program.

Situated at the impressive Wortham Center, downtown, its website has a comprehensive program and details on ticket bookings, volunteer possibilities and directions etc.

  • Houston Ballet 
    1921 Bell Street
    ouston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1    (    713) 227 2787/+ 1 (713) 523 6300
    website: www.houstonballet.org

Symphony

  • Houston Symphony
    615 Louisiana, Suite 102
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1     (713) 224 4240
    website: www.houstonsymphony.org
    One of the top four cultural organizations in Houston, the Houston Symphony, performs at the multi-purpose Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, a venue which seats over 2900 people. The website below has informatin on online ticketing, directions etc. as well as all the programs that exist and are supported by the symphony. Established in 1913, with some 97 members in the orchestra, Houston Symphony is supported by a $22 million budget, staging 160 concerts from pop to classical as well as family and educational entertainment.

  • Houston Civic Symphony
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1     (    281) 586 2100
    website: www.civicsymphony.org
    This is a community orchestra that performs for free on Sunday afternoons and also holds free concerts at churches, schools and museums. It is a longstanding orchestra which exists through sponsorship and grants from the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County.

  • Bach Society 
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1     (713) 523 2864

Theaters

Don’t be fooled by the thought of a limited Texan Cowboy cultural scene - although that is fun as well! You can find traditional Texan entertainment in Houston, but there is also an excellent and extensive theater scene. 

It's a mind-boggling task to capture the essence of the theater events in Houston, since there are so many professional and semi-professional productions in the Houston theater district. To learn more about the Houston theater district go to website:  www.houstontheaterdistrict.org
Here you can find out about the facilities, events, parking arrangements and nearby restaurants. If you enjoy being a part of the cultural scene, you might consider living downtown, where you can indulge in such a superb selection of facilities within this 17 mile block theater district.

We have itemized some of the better known theaters below, however there is a huge number of  University and Amateur Theaters, both in city theaters and community and neighbourhood facilities.

  • The Alley Theatre
    615 Texas St.
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1 (713) 228 9341
    website: www.alleytheatre.org
    This theatre dates back more than 50 years, was given a ‘Tony Award" in 1996, and is home to one of Houston’s most respected theater companies. It boasts a subscription audience and is acclaimed as a national training center. Housing two stages, the Alley seasons offer a wide variety of plays. These range from world drama to contemporary, from masterpieces to comedy. The Alley is considered to be one of the nation’s most innovative professional resident theater companies and is very supportive of educational and community programs as well as always looking for volunteers! A great place to get involved with the cultural scene!

  • Ensemble Theater
    3535 Main Street
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1 (713) 520 0055
    This is reviewed as one of the most distinguished African-American theaters in the Southwest of America. Staging comedy, music, drama to musicals, its capacity is some 200 seatings.

  • Houston Broadway 
    Houston
    Texas
    United States
    Tel: + 1 (713) 629 3700 Ticketmaster tickets
    Tel: + 1 (713) 622 7469 Season tickets
    website: www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/
    website: www.broadwayacrossamerica.com
    This represents the visiting performances from Broadway, with the website showing all the events visiting Houston; from Disney productions to traditional Broadway musicals.

  • Main Street Theater
    Tel : + 1 (713) 524 6706
    website: www.mainstreettheater.com/home.htm
    A online booking facility is available on the website, as well as programs, directions and educational and volunteer programs.
    With the aim of offering a challenging, individual and more varied program than Houston’s mainstream theater, Main Street has brought together intellectually appealing works as well as mid-range works, but allowing for local talents to be seen and heard. The MST has expanded considerably, resulting in the need for two stages to meet its repertoire as well as the children’s theater programs.
    Main Street hosts productions in two locations:

  • Main Stage Productions
    Main Street Theater in
    Rice Village
    2540 Times Boulevard
    Houston
    Texas
    USA

  • Youth Theater Productions
    and
    Humphrey's Concert Musicals
    play at
    Main Street Theater at Chelsea Market
    4617 Montrose Boulevard
    Houston
    Texas
    USA

  • Miller Outdoor Theater
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1 (713) 284 8350
    website: www.houstonparks.org/MillerOutDoor/milleroutdoor.htm
    Tel : + 1 (713) 284 8350
    Situated in Hermann Park, this theater stages free theater productions (however some performances require tickets to the seated area) from many resident theaters such as the Houston ballet/opera performances extending to childrens' theaters and concerts. It is a somewhat unique feature and you should take an opportunity to visit it whilst in Houston during the weather spring or fall (autumn) season when the evenings are at their best.

  • Stages
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1 (713) 527 0123
    website:  www.stagestheater.com/
    The site has online booking, seating and extensive program details. A repertory theater, Stages is reported to be one of the boldest theaters in Houston. Early Stages, Stages Children's Theatre is considered to be one of Houston's premier destinations. School field trips are frequent visitors and it is the only area children's theater is affiliated with a professional Equity arts organization.

  • Theatre Under the Stars
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1 713 558 2600 
    website: www.tuts.com/
    email:
    Recently moved to the newly constructed Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Houston's first musical theater production company with an impressive 200 plus performances and an extensive educational schedule for song and dance, TUTS is considered Houston's own Broadway. Yearly in July, a musical spectacular - which is free to the public -takes place in the Miller Outdoor Theater.

  • Main Street Theater
    Houston
    Texas
    USA
    Tel: + 1     (713) 524 6706
    website: www.mainstreettheater.com

 

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