HOUSTON THEATER REVIEWS

It’s about the power of imagination and fear. Main Street Theater in Rice Village has resurrected this gothic ghost story just in time to chill down a rather hot and humid summer....

The stage does not bind the performers, and the show remains an immersive experience like no other. It is akin to climbing into a cart at the Disney amusement park and turning in an E-ticket for an all-out assault on your senses. Kids will love it, and the adults will marvel at the elegant design....

This company is just really strong at putting on funny-as-hell musical sketch comedies. It’s as if SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE were written by Kander and Ebb. ...

The playwriting talent on display here is awe-inspiring, and I found myself sucked in shortly after each set change and new scenario. What fascinates me most about this year is that the subject material has shifted a bit overall. FADE TO BLACK has always addressed racial issues, but now the works ar...

BETRAYAL is everything you want from a REC ROOM production. It is thoughtful, well-acted, and designed especially for a small space. Sophia Watt and her company drive home the conflicts and the feelings of confusion and loss when an affair falls apart messily and mercilessly....

The audience I saw DIAL M FOR MURDER with roared to their feet after all was said and done. This is a charming production with plenty of technical eye candy and sublime campy takes on characters. These kinds of shows fit what THE ALLEY THEATRE does best: entertain and thrill us with a summer mystery...

Despite my critiques of the show’s content itself, OTHELLO: THE REMIX is certainly a fun night out due to the catchy songs, exciting dance moves, and wonderful performances. I believe that everyone should watch the show, take in the exhilarating music and theatrical pictures, and see for themselve...

Intimacy is one of STAGES THEATRE’s core values. And they should point to this anytime they want to proclaim proof of it. You can’t do this in a larger space. Nobody else in town could pull this off. It is a prime example of what this company does best....

It is a tense Southern psychodrama about family and the results of abuse on members of it. Cicadas, verbal sparring, racism, and outright brawls all make appearances as one would expect. Yet the show is still surprising in many turns and should have audiences laughing and gasping often simultaneousl...

Sometimes, it’s fun to watch a theatre company let their hair down and have fun. And with ON MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH, the Ensemble Theatre does just that. This is a giggle-filled, fast-paced murder thriller in the vein of Agatha Christie being spoofed at every turn. It is high-energy, camp...

It is not a flashy musical with special effects and huge dance numbers, but rather a somber meditation on Depression Era America and deep cuts of Bob Dylan’s songbook. It’s brilliant, and it will make you think. It’s akin to watching ghosts sing Americana arias, something you will never quite ...

I am unsure if I know of any other music diva who needs three different actresses to play her, but Cher seems to have required that. We have not one, not two, but three Chers in this show. And do they trot on, do their part of life, and leave? Heck no! They all talk to each other, advise each other,...

Should you avoid seeing the show? For God’s sake, no. You will miss what is surely going to be one of the most talked about pieces of work in Houston’s theatrical history. Go see it, and make your own call whether you love or hate it. But don’t let them brainwash you into thinking this is only...

I don’t think you are going to find a funnier TAMING OF THE SHREW easily. Director Dana Bowman has lucked out to get the cast and crew that could pull this off, and she had extreme insight into how to handle the problems the show represents to women today. You will laugh, and you will find it a de...

STAGOLEE AND THE FUNERAL OF A DANGEROUS WORD is a wonderful meditation on the power of words, folklore, and the human condition. It soars and becomes electric any time actors TiMOThY ERiC and Seth Carter Ramsey confront each other. It has a power and heft you do not see in most theater. It goes to a...

Part of the genius of THE OUTSIDER is it is pure farce. Characters and plots are played larger than life, and doors constantly swing open with new surprises behind them. We’re not in the sturm and drang of THE WEST WING, but rather the territory of a silly sitcom like VEEP. Physical comedy, verbal...

Patti Lupone has always known how to merge pop culture with her theatrical training, and she can craft a story around any song she chooses. And that is why we come, to hear the storyteller tell her tale....

It’s fun, a bit quirky, and has a Fellini-sized cast that should make your head spin in all the right ways. Apparently, it takes an army to make a diva, but then again, is that a surprise?...

Malinda L. Beckham has always been a master of directing testosterone-fueled plays where men fight and abuse each other. She and her cast bravely take on Martin McDonagh’s script and make wise decisions. The pace is breakneck, never allowing the viewer to wallow much in the muck. She brings out th...

THE NERD is frankly still THE NERD, and the director, Brandon Weinbrenner, doesn’t reinvent much of anything. There’s nothing new or fresh, and the script is presented almost as if it would have run back in 1981. There is no discernable reason to remount this show save for the idea that it was f...

Explore the insightful play Laughs in Spanish at STAGES, a captivating blend of humor and cultural exploration. The play offers a fresh perspective on the human experience, highlighting the joys and challenges of navigating the world through the lens of language....

Sports. The word with various meanings, but always seems to perpetuate a game, a sparring of two teams or two people. This battle is well done on-stage with Rec Room Arts, King James. Rajiv Joseph’s expert play book ends the friendship of two male Cavaliers fans at the start of Lebron James career...

For the “Late Nite Catechism” series of shows, actors dress up as a character named “Sister” and lead their audiences through a “class” full of audience interaction. Denise Fennell-Pasqualone has been performing as 'Sister' for many years now, but–for this specific show–she preaches ...

IT IS MAGIC is far from false advertising because this play, this cast, and this team make some pretty strong magic from Mickle Maher’s latest play. Just sit back, relax, and let it all wash over you is my advice. It’s funny, it’s quirky, and it is unlike anything else you are likely to see an...

The Garden Theatre is currently presenting ANN, a one-woman show highlighting the life of the prolific Texas governor, Ann Richards. Nora Hahn stars as Ann, and with her ability to play to the audience in such an intimate way yet still have the gravitas of a bold politician, Hahn was clearly the rig...