Regina Hearne News

The Ensemble Theatre dances a step further into its 40th anniversary season with the holiday musical, The First Noel, Book, Music, and Lyrics by Lelund Durond Thompson and Jason Michael Webb, Directed and Choreographed by Patdro Harris, and Musical Direction by Chika Kaba Ma'atunde, Opening Night and media reception, Thursday, November 17, 2016.

The Ensemble Theatre leaps further into its 40th anniversary season celebration with the regional premiere holiday musical, The First Noel, Book, Music, and Lyrics by Lelund Durond Thompson and Jason Michael Webb, Directed and Choreographed by Patdro Harris, and Musical Direction by Chika Kaba Ma'atunde.

Many theatre companies stay true to the commercial theatre blueprint, and then there's The Ensemble! The Ensemble was founded in 1976 by George Hawkins. His mission was to create a theatre that would provide diverse roles for black artists. Here we are 39 years later and The Ensemble is taking the Houston theatre scene by storm with their Houston premiere of TRAV'LIN - the 1930's Harlem Musical.

The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Texas, is offering Trav'lin - the 1930s Harlem Musical as its season finale, Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris has announced. Official opening is June 25, 2015 with performances from tonight,  June 20 through July 26. The new staging follows a sold-out run of the show at the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and a successful 2013 production at the Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas.

I have to admit, it's hard for me to get exited about stage adaptations of the Cinderella story. Growing up, I had Rogers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Julie Andrews crammed down my throat. The 1997 version starring Brandy promised to be a fresh and relevant take on the material, but I was not impressed. Now, the New York Theatre Scene is about to welcome Rogers and Hammerstein's version on Broadway. But, maybe they need to reexamine things because at Houston's Ensemble Theatre the African-American Shakespeare Company and Carlton Leake version of CINDERELLA is captivating, powerful, and beautiful! This well-liked and exhilarating piece of theatre is back by popular demand and being presented for its third time at Ensemble Theatre.

The Ensemble Theatre joyfully concludes its 35th Anniversary with its season finale gospel-musical comedy, Sanctified, by Javon Johnson; Opening Night and Media Reception, June 28, 2012, 6:30 p.m.