Last Saturday, I was invited by my friend to a special event held at The Ensemble Theatre presented…read moreby Impulse Houston! The program was called Queer Monologues: The Affair of Authenticity ,and a night of raw real and radical truth. They also had a panel of guests speakers, who shared their real life stories and testimonies about their life experiences in the community. The program focused on mental health for all types of relationships, that people go through in everyday life. Overall...this was an awesome event to remember!!!

The Ensemle is a must for a night out on the town! They have plays every weekend and will have some…read moreof the best live music you can find in Houston! My husband and I came to see Get Ready and we loved the acting, singing and piano playing behind all of the tunes. There are no bad seats in the building. This is a theatre for the African American Arts so if you want to support black theatre this is the place to be!

This place was incredibly amazing! It was very cool inside and we came to see the Hunchback of…read moreNotre Dame. They have a wine bar and a build your own pasta pot plate area that would've been good to know about before we headed off to dinner. The production was incredible. We were sat very close to the production and it was so amazing to see all the actors so close! I will say that the staff was very efficient and amazing when we came into the facility. They will call window was quick and coming to check your ticket in was also very efficient. Definitely recommend as something new and cool to do if you are in the area.

Disappointing seating failure!…read more My family purchased tickets months in advance for ABRA Cadabra's ABBA tribute, specifically first row seats in the front section of the theater. We paid a premium for that location and planned the evening around it. When we arrived, a manager informed us that the entire section had been closed and we would be reseated farther back. No prior notice had been given by email, phone, or the ticketing platform. For a family night that had been scheduled and paid for well in advance, being moved from the seats we bought to a noticeably inferior location felt like a bait & switch. Front row tickets are not interchangeable with mid house seats; the difference in proximity, sightlines, and energy for a high-energy tribute show is substantial. The responsible course would have been to contact ticket holders days earlier, offer comparable or upgraded seats, or provide a partial refund or credit. None of that occurred.

I saw a ballet in Saturday night. Their website suggests nearby lots and makes you aware of pricing…read moresurges. I was able to find street parking two blocks away and walk up. I arrived just at starting time so I wasn't shown directly to my seat but found it without issue. I was in the orchestra which did not have great elevation so it was hard to see over the head of the person in front of me. The curtain faced technical difficulties during the opening act which caused a 5 or so minute delay, confusion, and laughter. The opening scene was to be very dramatic and mesmerizing but this dampened it. During intermission the lines for the restroom were very long as there is only one set of restrooms for the whole place as far as I could tell. It did move quickly. There are a couple of bars with reasonably priced drinks. It seems they are planning renovations and of the list I think more restrooms are the main thing that's needed. All in all it's a pleasant venue with reasonably priced tickets/sales.

The pros: Great acoustics with an excellent orchestra…read more Appreciative audience. The cons: Poor design that forces people to go up and down stairs for the restroom and drinks. The worst: No security for reserved drinks and tables. How do I know? Someone stole my prepaid drink and table. By the time I searched every table, weaving through the crowd, it was time to go back for the second half. So I couldn't stand in line and ask what the hell happened. No way to prove I didn't get what I paid for so no way to recoup my money. First time to this venue and first time something like this has happened. Too bad. Doubt I will be back. I know it shouldn't be a deal-breaker, but the carelessness with people's time and money is ridiculous.

My son and I took Carey Pickens' ballet class. We had the best class ever! After searching for…read morethorough, creative, fun ballet classes throughout Houston, this is the ONLY ballet class to take. The entire class was engaging and Ms. Pickens made the experience fun. She was extremely knowledgeable about the art form itself connecting it to the human form. Greatest ballet class in Houston.

First time at the Houston ballet and I thought it was beautiful. Me and my friend purchased tickets…read morefor the '30 under 30' special ($15 each). We sat in the Grand Tier section on row A. For $15 I don't think the view was that bad. We went for the "Rock, Roll, & Tutus", I love classical ballet so it wasn't what I was expecting but it was good. Didn't really care for the tap ballet performances. It's pretty long so be prepared to sit for a long time. I'm giving it a 3 because of the RUDE customer service. Purchasing my tickets over the phone was a hassle. Secondly, me and my friend were interrupted TWICE while talking to another couple by an employee who wanted to check our tickets. We were practically followed every time we got up during intermission. The employee did not bother checking anyone else's ticket in the area which was strange. It was such uncomfortable experience!

The Landing Theatre has recently moved to the old Catastrophic Theatre's location at the Docks…read morewarehouse complex. It's a little hard to find, but it's worth the search. I saw FOOL FOR LOVE there recently, and it was good, powerful show. The best part is that they are on a "Pay What You Can" model, so that there's really no excuse to not see great, live theatre in Houston. They're also holding professional acting classes there as well as special seminars throughout the year. In April, they'll host the NEW AMERICAN VOICES play reading series, which brings some of the emerging playwrights from across the country in to have their new plays read in front of a live audience with the chance to receive feedback after the performance. There's not a bad seat in the theatre to see the show!

Amazing theatre, every time I go the shows are great. The theatre is pay what you can and I do not…read moreknow any other theatre like this in Houston! So that's a plus.

In the late 80's, both the Wortham Center downtown and Alice Pratt Brown Hall at Rice University…read moreopened. This is quite impressive since Houston's economy was in the tank at the time and the millions of dollars required for their construction were all raised via private funds. Alice Pratt Brown Hall became a reality because the Browns, Studes, Duncans and the Olds provided a big chunk of the required capital and got various portions of the place named after them. It's a wonderful facility and the home of Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. It houses Stude Concert Hall (1000 seats), Duncan Recital Hall (250 seats) and my favorite, the Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall and Grand Organ. In addition, the facility is chock full of studios, rehearsal spaces, practice rooms and classrooms. It's one of the big reasons the Shepherd School is becoming so prestigious. As a concert venue, it provides the best value for money anywhere in Houston. All the faculty, guest and student recitals are FREE and with world-renowned musicians on the faculty, the musicianship is of the highest level. This is the best place to consistently hear world-class chamber music in Houston. In addition to the Rice faculty recitals, the Houston Friends of Music holds its subscription series at Stude Concert Hall that features some of the world's greatest chamber ensembles. All the halls have excellent acoustics and an intimate feel. The Edythe Bates Old Recital Hall features a tracker action organ with 4493 pipes modeled after French instruments. It will blow your socks off. The hall is also used for chamber and choral music. I've performed there a number of times and love the intimacy with the audience and the variable acoustics controlled by curtains that can be raised and lowered on the walls. There is always something going on here during the school year. You really do need to stop by. To get here, take Entrance #8 off of University Blvd. West Lot 1 is right across the street from the hall. Please note that you have to use a credit card to pay and get out of the lot (failure to have one means you're stuck). Paying for parking is a lot cheaper than paying for a recital.

Tuesday I was checking out the CultureMap events calender and noticed the Shepherd School of Music…read moreat Rice University was performing a free concert at 8pm. I thought it would be a good idea to stop by Valhalla for a pre-show refreshment 30 minutes before the show and discovered they had 95 cent Zeigenbock on draft - Today was a good day for discovery. 20 minutes later I left for the Hall, which is two blocks away, and arrived just in time to find a seat . The first piece was the Overture to La Gazza Ladra by Gioachino Rossini. Stanley Kubrick used it in his 1971 film A Clockwork Orange - So yes, you've heard it and you liked it. However, hearing live was even better. I have to agree with Dolph W. "...the musicianship is of the highest level. This is the best place to consistently hear world-class chamber music in Houston." For me, this was a 5 star experience and I will be going back. Note: Unless otherwise noted, admission to all Shepherd School of Music events is free and tickets are not required.

One of the best kids theaters in town. Very professional…read more The director and owner has everything under control and she does a great job! This year is our 7th show there! Recommend 100%

Very unassuming entrance, just a door that leads to stairs to the basement. We arrived after dark…read moreand had a hard time finding it, as the sign on the building had not been illuminated. Once down stairs, we found a nicely appointed seating area, with tastefully painted walls. The restrooms were nice. In one corner was a small bar serving wine and drinks and with shelves hosting supplies. The theater is quite small and intimate. I was there for a performance of "Tigers Be Still", which was a great show and conducive to the theater's style. The seats are in an L-shape around 2 sides of the stage. The seats were comfortable and the staff were friendly.

OH! So you want to check out the opera but don't have have Rockefeller money?…read more Well Opera in the Heights is your answer. I came for the last showing of Pearl Fishers, which is a traditional French Opera. We got middle balcony seats using a student discount for 10 bucks a ticket. That's a steal! The production value was great, one non changing stage, costumes remained constant also, but they were very colorful and appeasing to the eyes. The plot could been a little bit better planned and acting was eh, but the singing was superb. It's a small space so basically every seat in the house is a good view. I like the smaller intimate theaters because you feel like you are part of the show, especially when some of the singers walk up the aisles onto the stage. If $10 is too much to "TRY" out the opera, they offer a free dress rehearsal where you can can take pictures!!! I will be back for another show.

If I could give 6 stars, I would. Last night I watched Bellini's Capuletti E Montecchi, a rendition…read moreof Romeo and Juliet. I was impressed that this was actually better than the rendition of Othello we saw a month ago! Needless to say, I look forward to watching a rendition of Macbeth in February! So nice to have a cultural gem in Houston that isn't pretentious or pricey!