Armando Urdiales

Dominique Morisseau’s Mud Row is a powerful story about legacy, reconciliation, and the unshakable ties that bind families together. Set across two generations of women in one Pennsylvania home, the play explores how the past continues to echo through the present. At STAGES, actor Ashlyn Evans takes on the role of Toshi, a woman fighting to rebuild her life while wrestling with family history, addiction, and the hope of redemption. Evans brings a fierce honesty and emotional depth to the role, capturing both Toshi’s rough edges and her quiet strength.

Houston audiences are in for a treat as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee returns to Theatre Under the Stars, featuring one of the city’s favorite comedic performers—Mark Ivy—reprising his beloved role as William Barfée. Known for his quirky brilliance, quick wit, and (of course) the “magic foot,” Barfée has long been an audience favorite in this hilarious and heartfelt musical about the pressures and peculiarities of growing up.

Shannon Emerick, a celebrated Houston stage actress and two-time Houston Press Best Actress winner, takes on one of Greek tragedy’s most formidable figures in Classical Theatre Company’s production of Electra. As Clytaemnestra, the queen, mother, and murderer whose actions set a family and a city on a path of grief and revenge, Emerick brings a deeply human perspective to a character often seen as purely villainous. In this interview, she discusses how she approached the role, the personal and emotional connections that shaped her performance, and what drew her to embody one of theatre’s most iconic and challenging women.

Orlando has long been one of Houston’s most beloved actors, captivating audiences with his dynamic performances in productions like Private Lives, American Mariachi, and Sherlock Holmes and the Jersey Lily. Now, he takes on an extraordinary challenge in STAGES production of The Lehman Trilogy, a sweeping saga that spans nearly two centuries and follows the rise and fall of the iconic Lehman family.

Jennifer Dean, Artistic Director of 4th Wall Theatre Co., brings a keen eye for both timely storytelling and innovative theatrical craft to the company’s latest production, Eureka Day.

James Mirrione, the bookwriter behind The Grippe, invites audiences to revisit a pivotal moment in history through the lens of theatre. Inspired by the overlooked story of the 1918 Spanish Flu and its striking parallels to contemporary society, Mirrione combines rigorous historical research, personal family history, and music of the era to craft a play that is both enlightening and emotionally resonant.

What did our critic think of SCHMITT'S PSALM 47 AND STRAVINSKY'S FIREBIRD at Houston Symphony?

Houston Ballet’s Rock and Roll and Tutus brings together legendary choreographers with fresh new voices, and among them is Jacquelyn Long, who not only performs but also contributes her own original work to the program.

For Houston Ballet dancer Saul Newport, Rock and Roll and Tutus is more than just a performance program. It is a test of versatility, artistry, and endurance. Moving between the joy and vigor of Illuminate, the swagger of Rooster, the intimacy of What I Was Thinking While I Was Waltzing, and the classical celebration of Vi et Animo, Saul embraces each ballet as its own world. His approach is rooted in honesty, whether channeling the legendary energy of The Rolling Stones, finding balance in sprightly choreography, or drawing from personal memories to make movement feel lived in. In this conversation, Saul shares how he shifts mindsets between such contrasting works, the rituals that help him reset, and what he hopes audiences take away from experiencing these journeys in one evening.

A.D. Players continues its tradition of thought-provoking theatre with Freud’s Last Session, a play that imagines an extraordinary meeting between Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, and C.S. Lewis, the beloved author and Christian apologist. As the two men wrestle with questions of faith, reason, and the meaning of life on the brink of World War II, audiences are invited into a dialogue that feels strikingly relevant to our own polarized times. We spoke with Christy Watkins, who brings this intellectual and emotional journey to life on stage, about the play’s enduring resonance, the challenges of embodying such weighty historical figures, and the importance of listening across differences.

What did our critic think of KIMBERLY AKIMBO at Hobby Center For The Performing Arts?

Bria Washington is stepping into the spotlight as the determined and big-hearted Akeelah in The Ensemble Theatre’s production of Akeelah and the Bee. Based on the beloved film, Cheryl L. West’s stage adaptation follows an 11-year-old girl from South Los Angeles who discovers her gift for spelling and, through it, the power of perseverance, self-belief, and community. For Washington, the role is both a challenge and a joy—one that resonates deeply with her own journey as an artist navigating new chapters in Houston.