Houston Theater Reviews

Review: MJ - Yet Another Bio-Jukebox Musical, but A Dazzling Performance Nonetheless
by Miranda Keating - November 27, 2023

'MJ' was a slick production with an extremely talented cast who executed some elite singing and dancing, and I know that the show is a crowd-favorite currently with numerous Tony Awards under its belt. Still, it did not strike me as significantly better or even different than any of the other bio-ju...

Review: THE TURN OF THE SCREW messes with the truth at CATASTROPHIC THEATRE
by Brett Cullum - November 22, 2023

But one thing I promise you, you have never seen it done like this before. And you probably won’t ever get another chance to see something quite this inventive in any given year of Houston theater. This is a thrill to witness, and unlike anything out there. It manages to be THE BLAIR WITCH of stage ...

Review: GEORGIANA AND KITTY: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY at MAIN STREET THEATER
by Brett Cullum - November 21, 2023

There is a distinct charm to GEORGIANA AND KITTY that makes the audience feel like they are invited for Christmas at Pemberly. You get a true sense these actors are welcoming you to their world, and it’s a place that is joyously cozy for the holidays....

Review: SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET at TUTS
by Christian Gill - October 24, 2023

Of the many things I could compliment about TUTS’ production of Sweeney Todd (the songs, the costumes, the lighting) perhaps the most important is that it’s authentic. This is as close to the original Angela Lansbury/Len Cariou (later played by George Hearn) production as we can reasonably hope....

Review: SWITZERLAND at STAGES HOUSTON
by Brett Cullum - October 13, 2023

I was expecting a thriller along the lines of MISERY, but in the end the psychological aspects of SWITZERLAND are such that make it a chiller instead. Kenn McLaughlin, Sally Edmundson, and Ian James make a great team to bring it to life....

Review: WAITING FOR GODOT at CATASTROPHIC THEATRE
by Brett Cullum - October 04, 2023

You are never going to see a more definitive version of this show in Houston, and CATASTROPHIC is the company to bring it to you....

Review: THE LARAMIE PROJECT at THEATRE SUBURBIA
by Brett Cullum - September 20, 2023

They have a mix of genders, races, and experience levels to work with. The result is what community theater is all about, a perfect blend of people coming together for a common cause. You can feel their love of the piece and each other radiating from the stage. This is why people adore and do commun...

Review: Feminist Farce 'POTUS: OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE' is a Joyful Rollercoaster of Hilarity While Asking Real Questions
by Miranda Keating - September 14, 2023

'POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dubmass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive' is described as a 'feminist farce', which I think is the best definition of this delectable piece. I stepped into the theater one moment, and boom! It was done, flying by, and what a joy it was....

Review: MEDEA at Classical Theatre Company
by Brett Cullum - September 11, 2023

Callina is always a smart actress, and she mines this mythical lady for something more than simple madness. No, she finds a way to make her choices as an ultimate strategist even if she is a woman scorned. She is torn at every step of the way by the evilness of her plan, yet she knows if the wrongs ...

Review: FAR EAST at On the Verge Theatre
by Brett Cullum - September 04, 2023

The thing about FAR EAST is the emotional stakes are never high. Unlike MADAME BUTTERFLY where we are faced with a scorned woman and an illegitimate child, here we never see the soldier’s Japanese lover. And contrasted with FROM HERE TO ETERNITY where an affair is consummated on a wildly active beac...

Review: JAGGED LITTLE PILL at Theatre Under The Stars
by Brett Cullum - August 31, 2023

JAGGED LITTLE PILL is half brilliant and half hackneyed, but there are moments when it is dizzyingly great.  A clever but overstuffed book married with challenging pop rock songs keeps the cast and audience on their toes, but when it hits the high it is worth it.  “You Oughta Know” and “Uninvited” a...

Review: BONNIE & CLYDE at The Garden Theatre
by Brett Cullum - August 13, 2023

Just a reminder, the MATCH complex in Houston has some of the best air conditioning around. And this show is pretty hot and sultry, so it’s a perfect pairing....

Review: 1776 Delivers The Founding 'Mothers' At Theatre Under the Stars
by Brett Cullum - July 21, 2023

I teasingly have been calling this 1776 - THE FOUNDING MOTHERS EDITION all week, and it is finally here at the Hobby Center brought in by Theatre Under the Stars. This is a New York cast hitting Houston for a three night stop of a national tour. My question is, does it really make that much of a sta...

Review: PRESENT LAUGHTER dazzles at MAIN STREET THEATER
by Brett Cullum - July 20, 2023

PRESENT LAUGHTER gets a stunning revival at Main Street Theater with a returning director and leading man remounting the show with a power packed cast. The Noel Coward classic is always an “audience pleaser” from its inception in the early forties, and this new production is like great champagne and...

Review: THE HOUSE OF PATRICK at Vincent Victoria Presents
by Brett Cullum - July 13, 2023

It fuses music, fashion shows, and simply fun lively scenes that turn THE HOUSE OF PATRICK into a … well… house party! The energy is high, and the show is a ton of fun....

Review: TAMARIE'S TOTALLY TRUE REVUE (PLUS LIES TOO!) at The Catastrophic Theatre
by Brett Cullum - June 25, 2023

You see this year is all about truth and honesty, and examining what that means to Tamarie and her squad. Onstage there is a lie detector, and throughout the evening truths are revealed as are lies. And somehow highlights include dancing poop, Aristotle, an 80s PSA star, Tinkerbell, George Washingto...

Review: A MAROON'S GUIDE TO TIME AND SPACE Gets Funky with Abolition at Catastrophic Theatre
by Brett Cullum - June 03, 2023

This isn’t a play, it’s some sort of intergalactic space time hiccup that just happens at the MATCH complex to kick off your summer. It’s very hip, lively, and a great dose of WTF and OMG simultaneously. Like Janelle Monae says, “Girl, this is craziness. Let me tell you!”...

Review: WICKED THE MUSICAL at Hobby Center For The Performing Arts
by Armando Urdiales - June 02, 2023

Wicked: The Musical has been enchanting audiences worldwide for years, and the current touring production is no exception. With its mesmerizing performances, breathtaking set design, and unforgettable music, this production offers a spellbinding experience that will leave you spellbound....

Review: A Celebration of Drag: THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE is Making Audiences Rise to Their Feet in Houston
by Miranda Keating - May 31, 2023

​I first read THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE when I was cast to play Jo in a directing class production. It seemed like such a fun show, with sassy lines, hilarious scenarios, and endearing characters. However, the logistics of the constant costume, set, and mood shifts seemed like a nightmare. Howev...

Review: Elizabeth A.M. Keel's TOOTH AND TAIL at Mildred's Umbrella Warms Hearts with its Unique Take on the Classic Fairy Tale
by Miranda Keating - May 30, 2023

On May 10th, I had the joy of seeing Mildred's Umbrella's latest production, Elizabeth A.M. Keel's TOOTH AND TAIL. Even though the show's short run is now over, I wanted to share my thoughts about TOOTH AND TAIL to shine a light on Keel's work as well as the artistry that every person involved with ...

Review: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY stuns at DIRT DOGS
by Brett Cullum - May 29, 2023

Dirt Dogs’ current incarnation of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY is the finest work they have done in over eight years at the MATCH, and it is easily among the best things running this year in Houston theater. This show is cast immaculately, technical design nears flawless, and direction is tight and wrought....

Review: 4TH WALL THEATRE CO.'s SHOWS PROWESS IN EXCEPTIONAL FAIRVIEW
by Armando Urdiales - May 30, 2023

Do you ever watch a film and think about what you do in the conflict? Does your concept of that conflict change? How would you react if you were in Thano's snap or your father said you couldn't interact with the human world because you live underwater? Now add those ideas and mix them with thoughts ...

Review: THE BEST OF EVERYTHING Lives Up To Its Title At Main Street Theater
by Brett Cullum - May 22, 2023

SEX AND THE CITY certainly owes quite a bit to the source material for this play. Main Street Theater’s production of this work is adapted by Julie Kramer, and pushes THE BEST OF EVERYTHING into a satirical statement on the world then contrasted with the world now....

Review: CATHOLIC SCHOOL GIRLS at On The Verge Theatre
by Brett Cullum - May 07, 2023

The play is performed by four actresses who portray both school girls and their nun teachers over a span of seven years in the 60s at a Catholic school. It aspires to be a simultaneously funny and heartbreaking look at what it means to lose your innocence, your faith, and your youthful optimism abou...

Review: SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CAST OF THE JERSEY LILY Thrills Its Audiences with Grace and Charm
by Miranda Keating - May 05, 2023

Honestly, I did not know what to expect when I was walking into the Alley Theatre for SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE JERSEY LILY; I have never been a person who goes out of their way to engage in tales of mystery. However, when this show ended, I was still on my toes and itching for more!...