The holidays are fast approaching and for many that means friends and family visiting from out of town. If you’re wondering how you’re going to entertain those visitors in Houston, look no further than the Theater District. The downtown district offers one of the largest concentrations of theater seats in the country and features performances in every discipline, from musical to ballet. This season is full of amazing productions, but we’ve picked five you can’t miss.
1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream: One of the most famous authors in the world, Shakespeare’s work has been staged in thousands of productions.The Alley Theater is celebrating 400 years of Shakespeare’s work with an adaptation of arguably his most famous and light-hearted comedy. Oct. 7-Nov. 5, The Alley Theater.
2. Song About Himself: The Catastrophic Theater is known for Tamarie Cooper’s quirky, independent productions and pay-what-you-can tickets. This season they’re producing Song About Himself, by audience favorite Mickle Maher. In a dystopian future, a corrupted and crumbling version of the Internet, now called “the Weed,” allows human beings to communicate in only the most banal and fragmentary ways. A woman named Carol joins YouSpake, a rogue social media site maintained by an enigmatic host/hostess. The secrets Carol uncovers will either reconnect her to humanity or destroy her. Nov. 11-Dec. 3, Catastrophic Theater.
3. Into the Woods: This musical was recently seen on the big screen with the likes of Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick and Johnny Depp, and is coming to Houston this season with its fantasy filled numbers. James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim take everyone’s favorite storybook characters and bring them together for a timeless, yet relevant piece, and rare modern classic. Dec. 6-18, TUTS.
4. Mamma Mia!: Yet another musical we saw on the big screen with Meryl Streep in the lead (do we see a pattern?) On its farewell tour, the musical will stop at Houston’s Hobby Center for a 4-night showing that you won’t want to miss. Over 45 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the iconic songs from ABBA that make Mamma Mia! the ultimate feel-good show! Oct. 6-9, Hobby Center.
5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time: Having seen this play last year on Broadway, I can assure you that you are in for an amazing experience. The work written by Simon Stephen and based on the best-selling book by Mark Haddon, is “one of the most fully immersive works ever to wallop Broadway” (The New York Times). It tells the story of 15-year-old Christopher, who is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor’s dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever. Jan. 24-29, 2017, Hobby Center.
