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    The Ensemble Theatre

    4.1 (55 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    After the show
    Ekun D.

    I've been enjoying various productions since 2007. Take the Soul Train To Christmas raised the bar to a complete new level. I've never seen a bad production at the Ensemble. This current play was fun, energetic, creative, well directed and executed. I loved the cast and the music. I think the entire audience wanted to join in. Off course parking was good, the facilities as always clean, and the food delicious.

    George W. Hawkins
    Gary W.

    The Ensemble Theatre provides a rich tradition, legacy and vision of the late great George W. Hawkins and continues to inspire multicultural audiences from past, present and future. They offer extensive performing arts class for youths and live shows providing up and coming actors/actresses to showcase their talents. The musical production "The Twelve Ways of Christmas" hits home and will have you laughing, crying, smiling and remembering times growing up when life was slower and memories made with family and friends plentiful. The Ensemble Theatre provides incentives and discounts; in addition to a variety options to support becoming a patron of the arts. I recommend one of the Season Ticket packages. The theatre is very family friendly and is a great place to take family and friends. Parking can be limited at times, but there is a METRO light rail that runs every 6 min on weekdays and every 12 minutes on weekends or you can opt for a ride share service. Either way come see a show, you will be truly amazed!!!

    Ron P.

    There is simply nothing like live performances. Whether it be music or plays, everything seems to come to life. The Ensemble Theatre in Midtown Houston certainly brings out the best in live performances. We attended a Motown Christmas production at that location. The cast were wonderfully talented, the music upbeat, and the performance move along at a breathtaking 90 minute pace. The theater itself is easy to get to and the size of the theater was perfect. It wasn't a cavernous Arena where it's difficult to see what's happening on stage in detail. Nor was it a small nightclub that's more loud than pleasing . It had seating for maybe a couple hundred people it had a professional stage, and the sound system was incredible. This location has a year-long schedule if productions. I highly recommend you catch one of them.

    Playbill
    C B.

    This review is twofold Ensemble Theatre and "Paradise Blue" 5. I've attended several events over the years at The Ensemble, a Houston Mainstay. It has been remodeled and is a great venue for truly noteworthy events. The MetroRail light rail station has a platform named ENSEMBLE/HCC in Midtown which passes directly in front of the theatre. There is metered parking on the street on the side and limited free parking in a small lot. The Ensemble's website recently posted "sold out online; call box office for tickets for "Paradise Blue", Saturday matinee on 2.25.2023. So, I left 2 vm, Friday after business hours, hoping to reach someone. Thankfully, their box office responded after hours with 2 voicemails, during a round of phone tag. Shoutout to Cynthia! 3 I purchased 2 seats: B1 and C1 @$40 each flush against the theatre wall. There is NO mention of "OBSTRUCTED VIEW" on website when purchasing tickets. Our 9 seat section alcove has a small stage extension in front of our section and a LARGE wall OBSTRUCTING half the stage. Our dilemma surfaced quickly! We could only see the front of the stage. So while the rest of the audience roared in laughter during the bedroom scenes in middle to rear- we could only listen...... These seats should be removed! Neither the website nor playbill mention cigarette smoking or gun sound. The "Paradise Blue" theatre door had a taped 8 X 11 printout to indicate it. I have asthma. So many have PTSD. Here's a recommendation: Include warnings on theatre website, then we can make informed decisions prior to purchase.

    Lobby
    Stacey D.

    I went to Ensemble Theatre to see one of their plays and I truly enjoyed the experience. The theatre was very organized and had staff to provide you with any additional information you needed. The play was very entertaining and I also enjoyed the set-up of the stage.

    Excellent performance!
    Nikiba J.

    What did I think of the Ensemble Theatre? In what aspect? 1. Parking? 2. Staff: Professionalism, helpfulness? 3. Seating? 4. Performance? 5. Decore? I.e. the Christmas tree, the backdrop? For capturing the moment/Selfie pics 6. Ease of location to meet the performers and get autographs AND an available marker! (Whose genius/thoughtful idea was that?!) 7. Cleanliness? 8. Ease of finding the front door? 9. Briana Lott STAR of the show? (lol they all did a fantastic job). 10. The band? I was a SPECIAL GUEST of Briana Lott to watch her/the Performance of a Motown Christmas and it was GRRREAT (in my Tony the Tiger voice)!! The cast did an amazing job of singing, dancing and acting throughout the performance. They had the entire audience singing and dancing in our seats right along with them. You could hear audience members say "That's my sooong"! The only thing I didn't like about the show was the end, IT ENDED :( I would also like to give a LOUD stand up applause to the 2 young performers, BRAVO little ones...the girls sang and performed their butts off. If either of them was my daughter, I would have gotten so many evil eyes because I would have constantly yelled "That's my baby!! You see my baby?"in my Gina's from Martin voice. Good luck and God blessings for all performers futures endeavors! 5 stars for my review of The Ensemble Theatre.

    Xmas spirit is upon us lobby of the Ensemble theater
    nathalie m.

    Small theater in midtown Houston with adequate parking and NO concessions lol. Had a fantastic time. Part of a birthday present I got spoiled this year . Anyhoo...went to see a musical called a Motown Xmas. I was like what...?! The music, the dancing the acting. My my my I was trying to decide which singer had the best voice etc. Mission impossible. They were all honestly wonderful. I told all my friends about it and asked them to spread the word they wouldn't regret it. Met one of the actors after the show, took pics and thanked him for a wonderful performance. The staff from when you step in to when you leave are courteous professional and there's a sense of pride in them that makes you feel like you're about to embark on something awesome. And it's true. Nothing negative to say. I will ABSOLUTELY go back. Love love love.

    The Baby of the family loved the show with Mom and Daddy
    maxine w.

    We had an incredible evening for our family of 3 last night at this venue. The staff is courteous and professional. The theater is very clean and well keep. The bathrooms are modern clean and well stocked. Concession offerings are good also during intermission. The stage play Love & Southern Discomfort is very well written and the actor's were amazing and available after the show to offer their signed autographs. Worth every penny. Incredible Downtown Houston Night on The Town Experience!! Totally recommend this Theater

    Play Bill
    Vanessa R.

    Motown Christmas is MAGICAL!! The VOCALS, the dancing and the entire cast rocked the Christmas holiday for me. I cried and got chills from the a cappella renditions of all my childhood favorites. The one detractor was a microphone malfunction that was jarring at times. Loved the show and highly recommend.

    The Ensemble Theatre
    David T.

    My family and I were surprised w/ tickets to a production at the Ensemble Theatre while visiting Houston. We learned that this is an African-American theatre that was established in the '70's. The production that we saw was titled "School girls," which appeared to be a riff on "mean girls." The entry process was smooth, and we were directed to our seats prior to the opening act - our kids were given front row seats as my son likes the theater. We thought that the actors did a wonderful job, and the production was engaging. Overall, this was a pleasant experience. I was very pleased to see the level of support from the many patrons that attended the show. I would like to go back when I visit Houston again.

    Jermany D.

    This was my first visit to the Ensemble Theater and I must say that it is a hidden treasure. My daughter and I attended a Girl Scout Event: Christmas Is Coming Uptown! The singing was perfect and trust me, I do not like musicals, but this one was very entertaining. The cast is very talented and enthusiastic; capturing the audience attention from beginning to end. The intermission was also not that long, so that was a plus. Every eat in the theater is a perfect seat given that it is a very small and intimate setting. Upon entrance, greeters were handing out playbills. The lobby is very large and impressive, decorated with a beautiful Christmas tree which provided a perfect prop for pictures. The restrooms were very clean and inviting with a pleasant smell. There are two sets of RR, one in the front and one near the Children's Theatre, both were exceptionally clean; toilet seat covers were provided, which is a huge plus for the germaphobics. Exiting the theatre was quick and easy. I will definitely be on the look out for upcoming shows!

    Mi A.

    The oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, and holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres owning and operating its facility and producing in-house... Today I watched my cousin close out play for the young performers summer workshop... I was very impressed with all the young performers performance... The staff put in quality and time in grooming and guiding the children which was exuberated in the performance... I would highly recommend catching one of the plays at the theater if you have a love for the performing arts. If you have a young person that has an interest in performing this would be a wonderful place to help guide and groom...

    Cicely B.

    I love coming here for the shows. The cast is always so talented! Before the show, they welcome you and offer beverages, (free or for sale depending on the event), and personally welcome you there. The sets are nicely built and cleverly done, given the size of the stage. The theater is nice and small, which means that you are engulfed into the fictional world of the story, which can sometimes involve audience participation. The ensemble is located on main in midtown but has been around since I was little, so they are all seasoned and well organized, which makes the experience that much better.

    Cast from "FLY"

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    The Soul Train Christmas was excellent! The only issue was that there was no soap in the ladies restroom.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - The Ensemble Theatre

    Review Highlights - The Ensemble Theatre

    This was my first visit to the Ensemble Theater and I must say that it is a hidden treasure.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston

    MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston

    4.1(34 reviews)
    0.1 miMidtown, Fourth Ward

    Why 5 stars? Because this was a great place to watch a show…read more --- --- --- We took our son here to watch the Pigeon Extravaganza and were really impressed with the entire production. I'm not sure if I'm just reviewing the physical theatre or everything about the experience, but it was all 5-stars across the board. The actors were excellent, the production quality was very high and the theatre was nice, new and comfortable. I guess the only gripe is that getting out of the parking garage was not efficient at all with the extremely slow machines, but everything other than that was great. We found it funny that no one even ever scanned our tickets - this was purely on the honor system, which seems like a really weird choice. I hope this place is definitely making the money needed to pay these actors for doing such a great job!

    This is a solid performance venue in the heart of Midtown. I've attended a couple shows here and…read morerecently was part of a performance so I had the chance to see backstage as well. The venue is easily accessible. The theaters are on the smaller side (around 300 seats). It's usually clean though on a recent visit I saw some goldfish snacks spilled on the ground which was before we used the space - but it's possible their cleaning staff was coming later in the evening. There's a box office outside and refreshments are also available though I've never bought any food or drinks here before. The parking is a bit of a drawback - there are paid garages and if you get lucky and park at off times there is sometimes free (or cheap) street parking. The backstage was pretty clean though cramped for our large group. There's one women and one men's bathroom with 2 stalls. The backstage is easily accessible from the back of the theater.

    Photos
    MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston - Photo op

    Photo op

    MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston - Picture of the onsite cafe

    Picture of the onsite cafe

    MATCH - Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston

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    The River Oaks Theatre - Bar area at the entrance

    The River Oaks Theatre

    4.1(64 reviews)
    2.1 miRiver Oaks, Montrose

    It's always a pleasure supporting small local theatre! I came to the River Oaks location to watch…read moreNo Other Choice (10/10 film btw) since it was screening on the first week of January. Tickets were on the pricier end especially since it was a Thursday night, but not a big deal. The workers were friendly, and the seats were EXTREMELY comfortable & cushy... I still think about them to this day... I also thought it was nice how movie viewers could order food and the workers would come serve it on a platter! I'm not too familiar with any deals or memberships that the River Oaks Theatre may have compared to its big name competitors, but I highly recommend everyone to experience a film here at least once! Also there is ample parking nearby, but can't speak on it too much since I was dropped off.

    I loved the OG River Oaks theater and am happy to patronize the new theater that's taken its place…read more Service is good. It's a beautiful space. The programming has been solid. I have removed 1 star due to the unfortunate experience I had via their expensive hotdog. This is a warning to everyone here.. the banh mi hotdog tastes like a**. omgagod... it literally tastes like evil. I have never had anything like it, and I've eaten at dozens of Vietnamese restaurants in my life. It's not only the pickled veggies on it that seemed to have marinated in something really awful, but it's the weird smoked? flavor given to the hotdog. I considered sending it back but opted to just make the best of the movie. Do you like the hotdog? If so I'd like you to post an opposing review because I can't imagine someone enjoying it. And since I am here... I get the gratuity is included but the wait staff never came back to clear dishes, and maybe it's because they will only come if you press the button? If that's the case it was not communicated to us, and when the wait staff went by us to serve our neighbors maybe it would be a good practice to check in quickly with other people in the row while they're there? That's it. Will return. Will never order hot dog again.

    Photos
    The River Oaks Theatre - Ice cream sandwich

    Ice cream sandwich

    The River Oaks Theatre - Beautiful bar!

    Beautiful bar!

    The River Oaks Theatre - Larger downstairs theatre

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    Larger downstairs theatre

    Stages

    Stages

    4.5(58 reviews)
    1.8 miMontrose, River Oaks

    Stages is my favorite performing arts theater in Houston! Ever since I saw my first show here, The…read moreHeart Sellers, I knew I had found something wonderful and was hooked. Since then I've gone on to see The ripple, the wave that carried me home, and the latest show, The Lehman Trilogy. Each show Ive watched here has been wonderfully well crafted in storytelling, acting, and have been very immersive to the audience. You can definitely feel the love that was put into each production. I've been enjoying going to opening preview night of each of these shows, there's something really different about seeing the first live performance for each production. Seeing the directors and producers all watching their hard work come to life, the roaring standing ovation. It's a great place to be at! I fully recommend people to check out their productions as they're never a disappointment to me!

    Wow I came to see a play at STAGES, based on the life of Lauren Anderson, the black prima…read moreballerina! I had great seats right in center,but really the venue is so intimate there is not a bad seat in the house. The play Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson. I believe this was the last performance of the show. Shes a Houston icon. It was a story of her life, told thru Houston Ballet dancers and other amazing actors. It was authentic, and showed a black woman's plight of becoming one of the best dancers in the US, her perilious journey through addiction, and her life now. It was centered and focused on her voice, and it was beautiful story that should be heard by many Americans, not just the black community. Bravo Lauren Anderson!

    Photos
    Stages - The ripple, the wave that carried me home

    The ripple, the wave that carried me home

    Stages - Amazing performance by all of the actors and Houston Ballet dancers.

    Amazing performance by all of the actors and Houston Ballet dancers.

    Stages - The Lehman trilogy

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    The Lehman trilogy

    The Ensemble Theatre - theater - Updated May 2026

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