HOUSTON THEATER REVIEWS

Josephine Baker is a historical figure that is not discussed nearly enough, but one of the joys of the Vincent Victoria company is they make sure attention will be paid.  And they do it with a keen eye for detail, and an honor for the spirit of the lady who lived it....

The annual tradition of STAGES THEATRE's Christmas PANTO comes roaring back with a jolly great time in Shawanna Renee Rivon's and Elizabeth A.M. Keel's PANTO LITTLE MERMAID. Set in the beach town of Galveston, TX, the story is a great time for all as audience members are integral parts of the produc...

A 3D Quidditch Match, a Live Dragon, and an interesting take on Dobby the House Elf greets the young and young at heart at Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. This Harry Potter experience is a 75-minute hilarious summary of all seven Harry Potter Books. Writers, Daniel Clarkson ...

It's holiday time in Houston, and THE LITTLE MERMAID has arrived at Theatre Under the Stars! With music by the legendary Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a book by Doug Wright, this production does your favorite childhood movie justice—and then some. ...

This hilarious Tony Award winning musical surrounds confirmed bachelor Robert on and around his thirty-fifth birthday. Through a series of dinner parties, drinks, weddings, and dates, Robert weighs the pros and cons of staying single with his zany group of closest friends. Including beloved songs by...

A Christmas Carol is an age-old classic that tells the story of redemption and the importance of love and compassion. It follows a man, Ebeneezer Scrooge, known for his greed and cruelty to others. Following the visits of an old friend, and three timely spirits, Ebeneezer is shown what his greed and...

MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY is the sort of show that will remind audiences you should do anything but marry without affection.  There is a lot to love in this Christmas play that feels authentically like a gorgeous Christmas coda to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. ...

The A.D. Players shows many walks of life with their poignant production of The Christmas Shoes!...

A hospital bed, chairs, and a large screen greet audiences as Catastrophic Theatre returns with a heartbreaking production of 4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane. British playwright, Sarah Kane, is semi-autobiographical as the work deals with mental illness and a young person's descent into finally committ...

The Ensemble Theatre brings Houston a new holiday tradition with A Motown Christmas. In it's 45th season, the Ensemble invites you to come and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with this exciting, family-fun Christmas musical. Featuring holiday favorites such as 'Deck The Halls', 'This C...

My advice for TOOTSIE THE MUSICAL is to distance yourself from the original film, and accept they are taking a dated concept and transposing it awkwardly onto today.  You are going for the exquisite comedy performances that surpass the fact that TOOTSIE has not very much to say about gender that se...

After a two-year absence, Mildred Umbrella comes back with the regional premiere of El Huracan by Charise Castro Smith. This production reopens a theatre, reestablishes their commitment to telling female-centric stories, and promises a more diverse future for Mildred's Umbrella where they continue t...

Based on the hit-film, Sister Act is a feel-good musical comedy that is bringing joy, song and laughter to the people of Houston. Sister Act tells the story of a nightclub singer (Deloris) who is forced to take refuge from the mob in a convent. The story brings brings audiences joy and laughter as D...

One of the things that drew me to Houston theatre as a young audience member was when I began to recognize the faces onstage. After spending some time in Houston, you start to recognize the same smiling, singing faces (and make a habit of looking forward to seeing their name appear in your program!)...

As an ensemble the players make the most of this work without the usual cast of thousands that the play can sometimes utilize. The way it is all staged I could hear each performer solely during different group times, and everyone was right in the pocket with harmonies and projection....

F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C. Fantastic is defined in the dictionary as 'extraordinarily good' Simply put, and to use in a sentence, 'The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee at STAGES Theatre is simply a FANTASTIC production that should and needs to be seen by all.' Not only is the show brilliant, but it has easil...

Review: 72 Miles to Go is how every character has a life beyond the central issue....

When Henrik Ibsen's character of Nora left her family in his famous work A Doll's House, western theater was thrust in to the modern era. Now in the 21st century, Nora returns in in Lucas Hnath's A Doll's House Part 2, and the audiences gets answers to the many questions one could have on what happe...

Immersion begins with the space. A company makes a statement as soon as the audience steps through the door. The space can be pretentious, epic, ominous, and so much more. In the case of the Firecracker Production's performance of Dominique Morisseau's Pipeline I would describe the space using the w...

A love-story comes to Houston! Live theatre is officially back, and what better way to kick it off than with a heartwarming (true!) story at the George Theater? A.D. Players opens their 55th season, named a Season of Triumph, with this touching and feel-good Houston premiere. Written by award-winni...

Theatre Under The Stars bursts with Rock n Roll energy as they reopen at the Hobby Center after a 19-month intermission with Rock of Ages. On October 7th, Chris D'Arienzo's rock party opened to great applause as a nostalgic night out greeted Houstonians becoming a much-needed break from the turbulen...

The plight of the blue-collar workers in Reading, Pennsylvania reflects the tensions facing many working Americans. For some people, it's easier to blame those close by than the real causes of their pain. For many Americans people of color become the fall guys that excuse the greed of the rich and p...

The show never gets to where it promises to go in the setup, but thanks to a great cast and a gung-ho production team it does entertain.  DARWIN IN MALIBU works great as a light comedy, and it lets the actors showcase their immense skills at creating wonderful characters....

Vincent has always had a certain style all his own, and it is no surprise he makes an engaging host of a black themed variety show.  He holds the audience easily in his grasp, and makes them laugh and squirm all at once.  He’s a whirlwind of energy, and it comes off so good naturedly that by the...

Last night I sat in a theatre for the first time in 557 days. I’m positive I wasn’t the only one holding a track record of that caliber, because the excitement in the Hobby Center was tangible. Theatre is back indeed. And what better way to welcome you than the visually stunning, lovely tale of ...