HOUSTON THEATER REVIEWS

This sentimental value proved to be a benefit for Art Factory’s intimate production, which hits some satisfying notes amid some noticeable stumbles. While I delighted in hearing the songs that I have loved since I was a faux-edgy 16 year old, I daresay that a lesser Sweeney Todd fanatic may have e...

There's an unmistakable sadness to Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's Bob: A Life in Five Acts. What makes the show stand out is the playwright's choice to present Bob's life story in the form of an absurdist comedy. When tragedy strikes, as it does suddenly and often, it always comes in the form of something c...

A jovial spirit permeates the Alley Theatre as people pack in for the opening night performance of Dead Man’s Cell Phone, MacArthur Genius Sarah Ruhl’s effervescent, acerbic and poignant play. Director Brandon Weinbrenner offers a talented cast of six actors staged in the circular thrust Hubbard...

Fans of old school science fiction (particularly the thoughtful, novelistic kind that prefigured The Twilight Zone and Star Trek) should find much to enjoy the Classical Theatre Company’s adaptation of H.G. Wells’s famous 1898 novel, The War of the Worlds....

The story goes that Stages staff member, Eboni Bell Darcy, was part of the discussion for the theater's reopening season. Ideas evidently floated around in the zoom call. It was Eboni's idea for Stages to commission their own jukebox musical. This excellent idea led to the creation of ShaWanna Renee...

Catastrophic Theatre’s THE BOOK OF GRACE makes good on the company’s promise of “we will destroy you” in the best way possible. The production is a well-honed punch to the gut that will leave you reeling and provoked....

This spring, Brendan Bourque-Sheil's story of a woman dealing with life's impossible changes is one of Houston's best plays. Set in the fictional town of Buxtop, Texas, the protagonist, Hallie (Susan Koozin), wakes up after an overdose and the resultant story is about how a person copes with almost ...

Liz Duffy Adams' Dog Act is as much a depiction of the future as it is a nostalgia play about theatre people. The characters have no audience other than each other, and while they find joy in their own performance, the actors seem to feel the same love....

What a gut punch of a play is Branden Jacob-Jenkins’s Gloria, and what a tight and well-paced rendition 4th Wall Theatre Company has offered. The script maintains a remarkable self-awareness that manages to stay ahead of the audience’s assumptions and even subvert them. All of this is tapped int...

They call Gander, Canada 'The Rock.' However, they should really call not only Gander but the musical, Come From Away, a gem, as it is one of the rare musicals that not only is entertaining but also a brilliant reminder of the beauty of humanity....

This production of The Cake may not be perfect, but what it lacks in thematic depth, it makes up for in confectionary charm and good intentions....

The prevailing theme of ISHIDA Dance’s new work You Could Release Me is love, and the many forms that love takes. You Could Release Me is broken up into four separate dance pieces, each exploring a different aspect of how we relate to each other. The show presents a moving and honest reflection on...

This take on Jane Austen's classic novel, adapted by Kate Hamil, adds a great deal of humor to the surroundings of the story. The production could have easily lost the heart of the piece by over bloating the comedy, but by keeping it, for the most part, with the ensemble players we're allowed to ta...

HAMILTON is a joy to watch, and this cast lives up to the hype of the material they have been entrusted with. Rest assured this is the best way to see the show… live and in person. There is an energy to be shared with the cast and the audience that the COVID era almost made us forget....

It’s a chance to sit in an intimate space with artists who excel at telling a story you will never see in a large opera house or performance hall. A STEADY RAIN is tough, profane, and full of over-the-top masculinity, and yet it feels as progressive as it can be. It asks tough questions, and it ...

There's a question at the heart of Chisa Hutchison Amerikin. Should we sympathize with hateful people? The piece in many ways acts as an exercise in empathy. We have characters willing to do reprehensible things yet suffer great turmoil. Do they deserve sympathy? If they do, whose job is it to give ...

As the audience walks into MACGYVER THE MUSICAL at STAGES, the greeting they receive is full of '80s​​​​​​​ nostalgia. Primarily based on the TV series, the audience is reminded of the height of '80s fashion and pop culture. Jane Fonda's workout tape, teased hair, and denim are the ...

Shannon Emerick’s portrayal of Isabelle Arc is the performance on which MOTHER OF THE MAID hinges, and she manifests a miracle consisting of fully-realized characterization and range. Rarely will you see an actress wholly embody a role so fully and disappear completely into another person....

Co-Directors Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade's production of Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE as staged by the Houston Grand Opera is brilliant and astounding. From the incredible set and projection design to its clever staging and superb acting—this production is one that even a 'non-opera-goer' shou...

NO ONE OWNS ME by Chris Cragin-Day and Pia Wilson running at AD Players is one of the most exciting productions occurring this winter in Houston. The play involves the daily lives and conversations of two Houston women. Sex trafficking advocate and counselor, Carla, and recent victim, Macey, discuss...

The story of Vichet Chum's High School Play revolves around the Texas UIL program but it's also about everything. If you have any sort of experience with High School Theater then this play will likely speak to you....

Classical Theatre Company has brought R.U.R. to Houston. It quickly became apparent that there were no clear rules on what could happen next. A transition could cover ten years or a few seconds. A character's attitude on death could be funny or horrifying. As the play went on it became clear that th...

When one thinks of a production, usually there is a script, with a director, creative team and the actors have a bevy of time in order to put on the best performances of their life. However, the newly formed Garden Theatre has chosen to do the exact opposite in a smart, clever, and brilliant product...

Within the realm of fantasy roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons, players have the ability to choose between moral alignments. One of these is the notion of chaotic good and this phrase is the perfect summation of 4th Wall Theatre Co.'s production of THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT. In short, this ...

Yet another holiday tradition for Houstonians returns to its beloved stage for live and in-person performances. The Houston Ballet's the Nutcracker is a family experience for all and has continued on in its legacy of giving Houston a symphonic  treat. The music in the ballet is stellar, beautifully...