Houston Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations

Review: STAR WARS IN CONCERT: RETURN OF THE JEDI at Houston Symphony
by Armando Urdiales - January 10, 2026

The Houston Symphony’s presentation of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in concert was a breathtaking reminder of how timeless and transportive John Williams’ score is. Performed live under conductor Steven Reineke, the orchestra did more than accompany the film. It became its pulsing soul. Each note s...

Review: DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Broadway At The Hobby Center
by Brett Cullum - January 08, 2026

The current BEAUTY AND THE BEAST tour is a celebration of the Broadway musical’s 30th anniversary, and a chance for director and choreographer Matt West and book writer Linda Woolverton to revisit a stage version they have been working on since it all began in Houston during 1993....

Review: CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90S MUSICAL at The Garden Theatre
by Jonathan Netek - December 27, 2025

A Nostalgic Blast: CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ’90s MUSICAL Brings Pop to Midtown...

Review: WHO'S HOLIDAY at The Garden Theatre
by Brett Cullum - December 20, 2025

WHO’S HOLIDAY is playing one weekend only. And if you don’t go, then Cindy Lou Who will remain extra lonely. The play is a ton of fun, and Chaney Moore is the star and the only one....

Review: THE 1968 CHERRY COLA PITTS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL at Vincent Victoria Presents
by Brett Cullum - December 15, 2025

It’s a fantasy idea that a black gay man could have a Christmas special in 1968 that would revel in his own identity so unapologetically. It sure wasn’t the world of that time, and it sure isn’t the world of today. But in some strange way, you will leave wishing it were the world we live in....

Review: IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS at Theatre Under The Stars
by Brett Cullum - December 12, 2025

Going into Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS, you already know what you are in for. Most people have seen the film starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, released in 1954....

Review: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY at Stages Houston
by Jonathan Netek - December 06, 2025

It’s a Wonderful Way to Celebrate the Season....

Review: OUR TOWN at 4th Wall Theatre Co.
by Armando Urdiales - December 03, 2025

4th Wall Theatre’s production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town is a heartfelt, wonderfully acted reminder of why this American classic continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. With clarity, simplicity, and a deep respect for Wilder’s vision, the company creates a Grover’s Corners that feels bo...

Review: DRUNK CHRISTMAS CAROL at Drunk Shakespeare
by Brett Cullum - November 26, 2025

So, this DRUNK CHRISTMAS CAROL is completely irrelevant... err... irreverent, but refreshing. You know the story, and if you don’t, you haven’t been watching television or at the Alley for two decades or more....

Review: BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS DISORDER at CATASTROPHIC THEATRE
by Brett Cullum - November 24, 2025

BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS DISORDER by Kathy Ng is many things, including beautiful, weird, funny, sad, touching, and completely random. It is extremely well-acted by a trio of actors, and the design is next-level impressive....

Review: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at Opera In The Heights!
by Armando Urdiales - November 22, 2025

Tenuous scene changes, promising performances, and Stephen Sondheim's dazzling score are hallmarks of Opera in the Heights' season-opening production of A Little Night Music. While there are some areas for improvement in this evening's performance, this production is a music lover's dream, offering ...

Review: THE OUTSIDERS at Broadway At The Hobby Center
by Jonathan Netek - November 19, 2025

Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s 1967 novel and Francis Ford Coppola's iconic 1983 film, this Tony-award winning musical features a book by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine, music and lyrics by folk band Jamestown Revival’s Jonathan Clay & Zach Chance....

Review: ANGELS IN AMERICA PART ONE: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES at REC ROOM ARTS
by Brett Cullum - November 11, 2025

Rec Room Arts has delivered at least the first half of a miracle. This is something that feels less like a revival and more like a call to arms, and Kushner’s words echo louder and more forcefully than ever. ...

Review: A BEAUTIFUL NOISE presented by Broadway at The Hobby Center
by Brett Cullum - November 05, 2025

This really isn’t about revelation; it is truly solely for celebration. If you’re a fan, you’ll love A BEAUTIFUL NOISE. If you are not, you may wonder why everyone is here....

Review: IL TRITTICO at Houston Grand Opera
by Armando Urdiales - November 02, 2025

What did our critic think of IL TRITTICO at Houston Grand Opera?...

Review: THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at Theatre Under The Stars
by Armando Urdiales - October 27, 2025

Finally, as the theater district is abuzz for the 2025 - 26 season, Theatre Under The Stars brings out not with a bang but with a heartfelt and endearing show: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With performances from legendary Houston locals and direction from the original Broadway choreog...

Review: THE MINUTES at Dirt Dogs Theatre Co.
by Jonathan Netek - October 27, 2025

Written by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Tracy Letts and nominated for Best Play at the 2022 Tony Awards, THE MINUTES is a political satire infused with dark humor, offering a timely critique of power dynamics, political corruption, and the manipulation of history....

Review: PORGY AND BESS at Houston Grand Opera
by Armando Urdiales - October 25, 2025

As Houston performing arts ventures grow for the 2025-26 season, Houston Grand Opera surpasses them all with a thrilling 50th anniversary production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Starring powerhouse performers Angel Blue and Michael Sumuel in the title roles, this theatrical staging further cements ...

Review: MUD ROW at Stages Houston
by Jonathan Netek - October 19, 2025

Class, love, and family are at the forefront of this poignant generational drama....

Review: MIDNIGHT HIGH: A NIGHT AT THE OXHEAD at The Octarine Accord
by Brett Cullum - October 17, 2025

Forget the haunted house this season, and try something a little bit more involved and engaging. The night I visited MIDNIGHT HIGH was a lot of fun, and this company called The Octarine Accord really does know how to color their magic....

Review: ELECTRA at Classical Theatre Company
by Brett Cullum - October 13, 2025

But could director Jon Harvey be purposefully lightening his ELECTRA for this era? Does he want a more pop-friendly approach? Do we need that now? These are all questions that only he can answer, but the show itself has a nice pace and energy....

Review: THE BODY SNATCHER at The Alley Theatre
by Jonathan Netek - October 10, 2025

A Heart of Darkness: THE BODY SNATCHER Delivers Gothic Thrills...

Review: THE LEHMAN TRILOGY at Stages Houston
by Jonathan Netek - September 27, 2025

A sweeping epic opens the latest Stages season....

Review: THE DA VINCI CODE at Alley Theatre
by Brett Cullum - September 25, 2025

It’s a marvelously entertaining thriller that audiences are likely to flock to, because it has a sense of awe-inspired fun that you seldom find in the theater. It's high-tech Agatha Christie, and perfect for the Fall.  ...