JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and More Set for Sankofa Collective 12th Season

The Sankofa Collective has announced its 12th season, titled The Masks We Wear. The Houston-based company’s 2026 lineup will include concerts and theatrical productions presented at Stages, the Pearl Theatre, and the Deluxe Theatre.

“The Masks We Wear examines the roles we adopt to survive in an ever-changing world,” said Founding Artistic Director Alric Davis. “We live in a society that decides who is worthy of empathy — and who must carry fear instead. Too often, marginalized communities are cast as threats, stripped of tenderness, complexity, and humanity long before they ever speak for themselves. From public myth and private illusion to fear of the unknown, this year’s programming will invite audiences to look beyond appearances and confront the truths beneath the surface.”

VIVA SELENA!

May 1–5, 2026 | Directed by Crystal Mata | Location: Stages

Meet Ellie, played by Elysa Aguilar, a young girl who grows up with the Tejano music queen Selena Quintanilla as her guide, learning about love, loss, and finding her own voice. Through story, movement, and iconic songs, this one-woman tribute concert celebrates the power of music to teach us how to dream, to grieve, and to shine.

BACK TO THE 90S BASH

June 6–7, 2026 | Location: Pearl Theatre

Experience live music as bands and performers take the stage to present popular hits from the 1990s. The concert event will feature songs associated with artists including Shaggy, TLC, the Spice Girls, and Tupac.

REEL2REAL: SOUNDTRACKS FROM BLACK MOVIES

June 19, 2026 | One Night Only | Location: Pearl Theatre

Reel2Real: Soundtracks from Black Movies brings music from Black cinema to the stage, featuring songs and film scores that have shaped storytelling on screen.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Written by Tennessee Williams
July 17–20, 2026 | Directed by Alric Davis | Location: Pearl Theatre

Blanche DuBois arrives in New Orleans clinging to memories of the past while staying with her sister Stella and Stella’s husband Stanley. As tensions rise within the household, the truth behind Blanche’s past and Stanley’s suspicions begin to surface. The production stars Tene A. Carter as Blanche, Briana Monet as Stella, and Leandro Salazar as Stanley.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber | Lyrics by Tim Rice
August 14–17, 2026 | Directed by Alric Davis | Location: Deluxe Theatre

This rock opera explores the final days of Jesus of Nazareth as he rises as a leader in Jerusalem and becomes a figure of intense devotion, scrutiny, and political threat. The production will feature Nnandi Nwanwo as Jesus Christ, Juan Sebastian Cruz as Judas Iscariot, Raven Justine Troupe as Mary, and Christina Wells as King Herod.

FRANKENSTEIN

Adapted by Tim Kelly from the novel by Mary Shelley
October 30 – November 3, 2026 | Directed by Brandon McCormick | Location: Pearl Theatre

Presented in co-production with the Pearl Theatre, Frankenstein follows scientist Victor Frankenstein as he creates life and then rejects the being he has brought into the world. Isolated and feared, the Creature searches for understanding in a society that refuses to accept him. The production will star Alric Davis as Victor Frankenstein and Steve Scott as the Creature.