Feature: COOL SUMMER SHOWS are ALL OVER HOUSTON

Let’s face it: summer in Houston can be downright oppressive due to the heat and the mosquitoes. But do you know who has some of the best air conditioning in the city and no bugs (well, most of them)? The theaters! Houston has several summer traditions that make this time of year even more fun, such as a homegrown musical and one of Agatha Christie’s chilliest thrillers. So let’s rundown some of the highlights coming up as the dog days of summer descend on all of us here in H-Town. Here is your Summer Theater Guide from BROADWAY WORLD! 

First up, if you drive just past Minute Maid Park, where the Astros play you will find REC ROOM ARTS. They are one of Houston’s hippest theaters in town that all the “cool kids” know about, and this summer through July 6th, they are putting on the Pinter classic BETRAYAL. It’s a play about a messy affair between two best friends and one of their wives. You can almost feel the chill in the air from the very start as the three-person cast shoots daggers into each other’s eyes. It’s only one act, and there is a full bar for before and after if you are thirsty. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.recroomarts.org/betrayal.

Over at the MATCH facility, FADE TO BLACK runs through June 30th. This is the ultimate intersection of Juneteenth and Pride, with ten black playwrights, ten directors, and twenty-five of some of the best actors in Houston. This year offers a stunning mix of fantasy, comedy, drama, and horror. The MATCH is famous for its air conditioning, and they have an awesome concession stand along with bars and restaurants within walking distance. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://matchouston.org/events/2024/2024-fade-black-festival.

DISNEY’S THE LION KING arrives at the HOBBY CENTER as part of the BROADWAY series, starting July 11th and running through August 4th. If you want a great family show, this is the one to take the kids to. The animal costume designs are the stuff of legend, and the Elton John songs are amazingly well done. This one will be a big seller, so grab your tickets and make your plans to witness the circle of life onstage right in front of you. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.thehobbycenter.org/events/the-lion-king/.

If you want something a little less family-friendly, how about a queen instead of a king? Tamarie Cooper is the queen of the CATASTROPHIC THEATRE, and every summer, she offers up a new musical comedy that she writes along with creative partner Patrick Reynolds. TAMARIE’S TEXAS TOAST runs through August 3rd at the MATCH (the one with the good air conditioning!). Tamarie is always a good time, and this is her first show specifically about Texas. It took her something like 28 years to address her home state, but we’re here for it. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://matchouston.org/events/2024/tamaries-texas-toast-0.

Over in Rice Village at the MAIN STREET THEATER, they are determined to scare the pants off you. THE WOMAN IN BLACK opens July 13th and runs through August 11th. This has been called one of the scariest plays in modern history, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s an awesome ghost story and should be chilling enough for the summer. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://mainstreettheater.com/the-woman-in-black/.

Speaking of chilling, The Alley Theatre presents its annual “Summer Chiller!” This year, it is the remarkable AND THEN THERE WERE NONE from Agatha Christie playing from July 19th until August 15th. This show has no less than ten possible murders as a group assembles on a mysterious island for unknown reasons other than to be blackmailed and killed. The deaths come fast and furious. I am hoping for spectacular offings, and the Alley always delivers when it comes to these types of shows. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.alleytheatre.org/plays/and-then-there-were-none/.

If you are looking for something a little more musical over mystery, the COLOR PURPLE will be presented by a collaboration between The Garden Theatre and The Sankofa Collective. This is the first time these two companies have joined forces, and they will be in the largest space at the MATCH, presenting this beloved musical loaded with local Houston talent. This special event only runs one weekend, from August 2nd through the 4th. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://matchouston.org/events/2024/color-purple.

A new non-profit theatrical company will launch its first show at the Hobby Center this summer. The Houston Broadway Theatre is a non-profit company led by Houston native Tyce Green, and their first production is the thought-provoking NEXT TO NORMAL. The cast includes Mary Faber, American Idol legend Constantine Maroulis, Mary Caroline Owens, Tyce Green, Josiah Thomas Randolph, and Manuel Stark Santos. It is also a single weekend event starting July 26th and wrapping up on the 28th. The show should be a good mix of local talent mixed in with Broadway performers. 

For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.thehobbycenter.org/events/next-to-normal/.

STAGES HOUSTON also has you covered with MISS RYTHM: THE LEGEND OF Ruth Brown, which runs from August 9th to October 13th. This will be an intimate cabaret complete with a jazz band backing a powerhouse vocalist. It’s the true story of a 50s icon who was such a good seller for Atlantic Records that they became known as “the house that Ruth built!” This is STAGES' big musical for the year and is one not to be missed! 

For more information and tickets, visit:  https://stageshouston.com/event/miss-rhythm-the-legend-of-ruth-brown/.

Of course, here at BROADWAY WORLD HOUSTON, I have got you covered in the shade all summer long. I will be seeing most of these shows and, along with the staff, writing up plenty of interviews and reviews to help you make the best choices this time of year and every month after. Houston always has something special to offer, and we have one of the most vibrant theater scenes in the country. Have a great summer, and if you see me out… say hi! I’ll buy you a cold drink!

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