Houston’s Theater District Takes Center Stage

By Randy Mallory

“All the world’s a stage,” William Shakespeare penned, “and all the men and women merely players.” If that’s true, then one weekend last fall I cast myself in one heck of a role. My objective? To learn as much as I could about Houston’s vibrant Theater District.

With major resident groups in all four disciplines—opera, ballet, music, and theater—Houston is one of a few American cities so artistically endowed. In fact, it ranks second only to New York City in the number of theater seats concentrated downtown—that’s more than 13,000 seats in a half-dozen venues an easy walk apart.

Act One: Touts to TUTS

In Hermann Square at McKinney Street, I happened upon the annual Asian American Festival in progress around the reflecting pool at City Hall. Indian dancers flowed across the open stage in colorful costumes, offering a graceful prelude to my theatrical weekend.

Act Two: Symphonic Spring

Act Two opened three blocks away at the venerable Jones Hall, where I had a ticket to hear the Houston Symphony perform works by classical-music icon Aaron Copland. From my red-velvet, orchestra-section seat, I got a close view of the Houston Symphony’s performance of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring,  followed by his signature Fanfare for the Common Man.

Act Three: Operatic Ball

En route to Act Three the next day, I passed sightseers in a horse-drawn carriage clip-clopping down Prairie Street near the Wortham Center, the venue for my afternoon opera. Inside, I rubbed elbows with opera devotees, most dressed to the nines, but some wearing regular street clothes like me.

Act Four: Arsenic and Old Laughs

I had a couple of hours before my final show at the Alley Theatre, so I followed other theater-goers around the corner to Birraporetti’s, a self-proclaimed “Great Italian Restaurant … and heck of an Irish Bar!” So as not to rewrite the script, I enjoyed a classic lasagna with a Guinness stout … all to the musical backdrop of a jazz flutist.

A Sneak Peak:

Before you go, check out these essentials!

From the August 2008 issue.

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