Upcoming Events
“TuTu”
Sept. 21-Oct. 1
Wortham Theater Center , 501 Texas Ave.
The first triple bill of the season sets the stage with a playful look at classical ballet. Stanton Welch’s “TuTu” is full of agility and speed, with tongue-in-cheek choreography that showcases superb classical technique. Set to Ravel’s Concerto for Piano in G major, the dancers are outfitted in brilliantly colored costumes inspired by Gustav Klimt’s gold-hued paintings.
“Wall Drawing: Marc Bauer”
Sept. 22-Sept. 1, 2024
Menil Drawing Institute, 1412 W. Main St.
“Wall Drawing Series: Marc Bauer” is the fifth installment in the Menil Collection’s Wall Drawing Series, which began in 2018 as part of the institute’s commitment to seeking new approaches to the form and language of drawing.
“Take-Off”
Sept. 22-23
Midtown Arts and Theater Center, 3400 Main St.
Celebrating Uptown Dance Centre’s 23rd season and featuring three new premiers, including founder and artistic director Beth Gulledge-Brown, resident choreographer Andre Silva, and former principal dancer of Houston Ballet and Broadway star Krissy Richmond, “Take-Off” is a dance collaboration you don’t want to miss.
Houston Symphony Presents “Blockbuster Broadway”
Sept. 22-23
Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St.
The Houston Symphony welcomes legendary baritone singer Norm Lewis to the Jones Hall stage to perform hit songs spanning his Broadway career. Following his Broadway debut in 1993, the two-time Grammy nominee has since landed prominent roles in beloved theatrical titles such as “Miss Saigon,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Les Misrables,” among others. Led by conductor Steven Reineke, Lewis performs unforgettable songs including “Ya Got Trouble” from “The Music Man,” “The Music of the Night” from “The Phantom of the Opera,” “I Got Plenty o Nuttin” from “Porgy and Bess,” and many more.
houstonsymphony.org/tickets/concerts/blockbuster-broadway-with-norm-lewis
Houston Turkish Festival
Sept. 23-24
The Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park, 105 Sabine St.
Celebrate Turkish culture with entertainment featuring performances from local and international artists such as Yeni Turku, a globally-renowned Turkish band, and Tuana, a dance troupe that has performed in 45 countries. The festival hosts a wide variety of arts and crafts, a market with local vendors, Turkish food, beer and wine, Turkish coffee, and a dedicated children’s area. The World Pavilion showcases booths from other cultural organizations in the Houston area. Approximately 10,000 visitors are expected during the two-day event.
“Chryssa and New York”
Sept. 29-March 10, 2024
The Menil Collection, 1533 Sul Ross St.
This exhibition presents the innovative art made by the Greek-born artist Chryssa (1933–2013) while she was living in New York City from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Renowned for her adoption of industrial process, found commercial materials, and early work with neon light, she stands at the forefront of American art in the wake of World War II.
“Flutter: The Monarch Butterfly Project”
Sept. 30-Oct. 1
Houston Botanic Garden, 1 Botanic Lane
Open Dance Project presents the site-specific work “Flutter: The Monarch Butterfly Project,” which brings a theatrical approach outdoors where the company takes on the natural phenomenon of the monarch migration with its signature athleticism and poignant wit. Using gestures and movement patterns inspired by monarch butterflies, an ensemble of quirky characters and personalities that seem at once totally human yet also completely butterfly beckon and entice viewers to follow them on mini-migrations through the garden.
Asiatown Bus Tour
Sept. 30
Teo Chew Temple, 10599 Turtlewood Court
Experience an insider’s perspective of Houston’s vibrant Asiatown. Enjoy a delicious dim sum lunch, browse the aisles of an Asian market, explore an exquisitely beautiful temple, and visit Houston’s own Vietnam War Memorial. Learn about the rich history and establishment of Houston’s Asian American community while being introduced to some of the unique cultural, dining, and shopping destinations along Bellaire Boulevard.
Solar Eclipse Viewing Party
Oct. 14
Rooftop Cinema Club, 1700 Post Oak Blvd.
Prevent Blindness Texas, the state’s leading nonprofit eye health and safety organization, hosts this solar eclipse viewing party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. while also providing information about safe viewing of this and the upcoming solar eclipse in April 8, 2024.
“Sweeney Todd”
Oct. 17-29
Theatre Under The Stars, 800 Bagby St.
Winner of eight Tony Awards, Stephen Sondheim’s musical masterpiece takes audiences in the dark corners of 19th century England and the inventive tale of a vengeful barber whose love for a lost daughter has pushed him close to the edge, and an all too eager pie shop owner, who will do anything for a price.
Party in the Park
Oct. 19
Menil Park, 1423 Branard St.
Spotlighting the Menil Collection’s neighborhood, green spaces, and outdoor sculptures, this enchanting evening includes refreshing cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and multiple food stations, accompanied by a live entertainment experience.
“Party in the Park”
Oct. 19
Menil Park, 1423 Branard St.
Mark your calendars for the return of the Menil Collection’s fall fundraiser, Party in the Park, an evening soiree that spotlights the Menil’s neighborhood, green spaces, and outdoor sculptures.
“Glass in Flight”
Oct. 21-April 19
Houston Botanic Garden, 1 Botanic Lane
Glass in Flight, by Tucson artist Alex Heveri, makes its Texas debut with 21 steel and hand-cut Dalle de Verre glass sculptures of gigantic, realistic insects including butterflies, dragonflies, and beetles. Sunlight through the colored glass mimics the transparency and iridescence of insect wings, intensifying the illusion of movement and life.
Sheldon Spooktacular
Oct. 21
Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center, 14140 Garrett Road
The annual Halloween in the Park is back. Like in previous years, visitors are welcome to come out to the park to enjoy festive themed crafts, meet with community exhibitors, try and find bats on top of the 82-foot John Jacob Observation Tower, and try the Spooky Trail...if you dare.
“Hanne Darboven: Writing Time”
Oct. 27-Feb. 11, 2024
Menil Drawing Institute, 1412 W. Main St.
This exhibition represents an exploration of the artist’s work through the generative role the entwined actions of drawing and writing played within her practice. Darboven is best known for her immersive installations of individually framed sheets filled with written formulations and collaged images, and at the heart of her practice is the question of how to picture the unfolding of history, time, and one’s place within both.
Native Prairie Plant-a-thon
Nov. 4
Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center, 14140 Garrett Road
At the annual Native Prairie Plant-a-thon volunteer event, help put thousands of native grasses and forbs back into the prairie as part of the park’s continued restoration efforts. Restore the coastal prairie and this unique coastal ecosystem that once covered the landscape of Houston and provides habitat for many birds, amphibians, and mammals. Families, children above 8 years of age, and large groups welcome.
“When You Wish Upon a Star: A Jazz Tribute to 100 Years of Disney”
Nov. 11
Geiger PAC, 16713 Ella Blvd.
The newly created house band of The National Jazz Museum in Harlem presents this celebration of 100 years of Disney through the sounds of jazz. From “Snow White” to “Lady and the Tramp,” “Mary Poppins” and “Toy Story” to “The Jungle Book,” popular songs from these famous films have been interpreted and recorded by Disney music fans such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Dianne Reeves and others. “Someday My Prince Will Come,” “He’s a Tramp,” “Everybody Wants to be a Cat” and “The Bare Necessities” are just a few of the iconic songs to be performed and the band looks back on the impact of jazz on 100 years of Disney magic.
“Radiant Nature: See the Garden Glow”
Nov. 17-Feb. 25
Houston Botanic Garden, 1 Botanic Lane
The Houston Botanic Garden glows with more than 50 large-scale Chinese lantern installations—in three themed zones, including an interactive area with lighted swings, seesaws, and other immersive opportunities for family-friendly play—celebrating the beauty of nature in Asian culture. “Radiant Nature” runs for 59 nights, spanning the traditional fall and winter western holiday season through Lunar New Year and the Chinese Lantern Festival. Visitors can also shop a festive marketplace selling seasonal and ethnic food and beverages, as well as Chinese handicrafts.
“The Nutcracker”
Nov. 24-Dec. 27
Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Ave.
Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch choreographs this production of “The Nutcracker,” featuring the beloved music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Following the annual Stahlbaum Christmas party, journey through the glittering Land of Snow to the bright and joyful Kingdom of Sweets with Clara, Drosselmeyer, and the Prince as he reunites with the Sugar Plum Fairy among the clouds, where the real magic happens. Welch’s “The Nutcracker” features hundreds of characters, elaborate sets, and stunning details that captivate audiences.
“Cistern Illuminated”
Nov. 25-Jan. 7
Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, 105 Sabine St.
The second annual “Cistern Illuminated” is a site-specific winter light installation in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. Houston artist/engineer Kelly O’Brien returns for another holiday season, this time incorporating new audio and visual elements to create a more fully immersive experience. This installation debuted in November 2022 and presented the public with a completely new view of this historic space. Tours and choral performances also take place throughout the event.
“Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance: A Celebration of Stanton Welch”
Dec. 1
Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Ave.
Always one of the most fun performances of the season, this year’s “Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance” celebrates the 20th anniversary of Stanton Welch as Houston Ballet’s artistic director. The evening begins with highlights of Welch’s work created in Houston over the past 20 seasons. There’s also three new ballets by soloist Jacquelyn Long, demi-soloist Jack Wolff, and corps de dallet dancer Jindallae Bernard. To close, audiences enjoy a world premiere, one-act ballet from Welch himself, set to one of the most popular concertos ever written, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
houstonballet.org/seasontickets/pdps/2023-2024/jubilee-of-dance
The King’s Singers Presented by Chamber Music Houston
Dec. 12
Stude Concert Hall, Brockman Music and Performing Arts Center, Rice University, 6100 Main St.
This special King’s Singers Christmas program includes festive music from their recent travels across the world. Celebrate some of the most important musical anniversaries of the last year, plus 400 years of the great English composer, William Byrd, and 100 years of Disney magic.
chambermusichouston.org/concerts/2023-12-12-the-kings-singers
“The Christmas Revels: An Appalachian Celebration of the Winter Solstice”
Dec. 21-23
The MATCH (The Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston), 3400 Main St.
Bring your whole family and share in the joys of Christmas, New Year’s, and Twelfth Night with traditional carols, gospel songs, spirituals, shape-note hymns, square dances, and folk tales from the hills of 1930s North Carolina.
MLK Grande Parade Midtown Houston
Jan. 15
Midtown Houston, 1200 Holman St.
Consisting of more than 100 culturally diverse performance groups from across the nation, the MLK Grande Parade in Midtown Houston is one of the largest single-day multicultural events in the U.S. that is held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During the annual parade, 300,000 spectators are expected.
Artist Talk: Nari Ward
Jan. 18
The Menil Collection, 1533 Sul Ross St.
Join artist Nari Ward for a discussion of his practice, including his acclaimed sculptural installations composed of found and collected discarded material. The conversation explores the themes of his work informed by the materials, community, and location in which he works, and is organized on the occasion of the display of “Say Can You See, 2021,” on view in the exhibition “Longing, Grief, and Spirituality: Art Since 1980.”
Balourdet Quartet in Concert
Jan. 23
Stude Concert Hall, Brockman Music and Performing Arts Center, Rice University, 6100 Main St.
The Balourdet Quartet is Chamber Music Houston’s emerging young ensemble of the 2023-2024 season, as it has been storming the world’s stages and winning top awards. The program includes works by Joseph Haydn, Carl Nielsen, Karim Al-Zand, and Felix Mendelssohn.
chambermusichouston.org/concerts/2024-01-23-balourdet-quartet
Schumann Quartet in Concert
Feb. 13
Stude Concert Hall, Brockman Music and Performing Arts Center, Rice University, 6100 Main St.
The three Schumann brothers have been playing together since their childhood. They’re joined by violist Veit Hertenstein to complete this phenomenal German ensemble. Performing works by Mozart, Janacek, and Beethoven, they are lauded for their fire and energy, playing staggeringly well with sparkling virtuosity and a willingness to astonish.
chambermusichouston.org/concerts/2024-02-13-schumann-quartet
“Cinderella”
Feb. 22-March 3
Wortham Theater Center , 501 Texas Ave.
Make no mistake, this is not your childhood “Cinderella.” More tomboy than a princess, Stanton Welch’s title character is a striking woman of substance, determination, and spunk. Not waiting on a prince to rescue her, Cinderella is in control, fighting the will of her evil stepmother with wit and vigor. And when she finds true love, she grabs it and holds on with both hands. Set to Prokofiev’s classic score with a spectacular set and costume design by Kristian Frederickson, Welch’s unique spin on the storied classic brings the work into modern times with a twist to suit the 21st century.
“Janet Sobel: All-Over”
Feb. 23-Aug. 11
The Menil Collection, 1533 Sul Ross St.
This exhibition focuses on the abstract paintings made by Janet Sobel (1893–1968) during the 1940s when her short-lived but meteoric career began. Acclaimed for her skillful use of color and densely layered compositions that spilled to the edges of the support, Sobel pioneered what became known as “all-over” abstraction.
Castalian String Quartet Concert
Feb. 29
Stude Concert Hall, Brockman Music and Performing Arts Center, Rice University, 6100 Main St.
The Castalian Quartet is rapidly emerging as an exciting voice on the international chamber music scene. This young, London-based ensemble has swept competitions, including a 2016 award from the Banff International String Quartet Competition. The program includes Joseph Haydn’s Quartet in A major, op. 20/6; Benjamin Britten’s Quartet No. 3, op. 94; and Beethoven’s Quartet in B-flat major, op. 130. Performers are Sini Simonen (violin), Daniel Roberts (violin), Ruth Gibson (viola), and Christopher Graves (cello).
chambermusichouston.org/concerts/2024-02-29-castalian-string-quartet
