Houston Theaters & Performing Groups

Locating Theaters Willing
To Showcase New Works

By Anna Fay Williams and Diana Howie

We are preparing a directory to performance groups and theaters that are willing to engage in the development of new theatrical works by sponsoring readings and workshops. Our first task is to locate those groups in the Houston, Texas, area.

Our own research has located almost over 70 theatrical groups and venues that have been cited in newspaper stories in the Houston Chronicle and other publications. As we research these groups and theaters we are asking the following questions:


Do you hold readings for new works?
If you do, what is your upcoming schedule?
If not, would you welcome help in developing a reading series?
Do you offer workshop productions for new works?
If not, would you be open to sponsoring workshops productions?
Have you performed any works by Houston area playwrights
in the last two years?
If so, please list the show and writers.
How many seats in your theaters?
Please list the contact name, email and phone for the Artistic Director.

The results of this survey will be available this summer on a new website, SHOWGAB, with listings of full-length plays and musical productions now undergoing development and/or ready for production. If you are interested in having a play or musical listed on this new website, please send an email to us and we will contact you by email as soon as we have the pages formatted for the website.

We are including our list of theater groups and venues with this column. We invite you to correct or add to this information.


THEATERS AND VENUES FOR BOOKINGS

Aerial Theatre, 520 Texas Ave, Houston, 77002, 713/693-8600.

Axiom, 2524 McKinney, Houston, 77003, 713-522-8443.

Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Post Office St., Galveston,
77550, 800-821-1894, www.thegrand.com.

HCC-Central Drama Dept. Heinem Theater, 3517 Austin, Houston, 77004,
713-718-6600, Ed Muth, Director.

Houston Convention & Entertainment Facilities Dept, 615 Louisiana,
713-853-8000.

Houston Music Hall Foundation, 800 Bagby, Houston, 77002,
713-315-2400.

Kaplan Theatre-Jewish Community Center, 5601 S. Braeswood,
Houston, 77096-3907, Marilyn Hassid, Artistic Dir,
713-551-7255, www.jcchouston.org/arts_culture.html.

Lambert Hall,1703 Heights Blvd., Houston, 77008, 713-861-5303.

Midtown Art Center, 3414 LaBranch, Houston, Houston, 77004, 713-521-8803.

Miller Outdoor Theater, 100 Concert Dr PO Box 1562, Houston, 77005, 713-284-
8358, Shawn Hauptmann.

Sarofim Hall-Hobby Center, 800 Bagby Street, Houston, 77002,
713-315-2402.

Shrine of Arabia Temple, 2900 N Braeswood, Houston, 77025.

St Thomas University Jones Hall, Houston, 77002, 713-227-3974.

Super Happy Funland, 2610 Ashland, Houston, 77008, Venue,
713-880-210014.

Verizon Wireless Theater, 520 Texas Ave, Houston, 77002, 713-230-1666.

Zilka Hall-Hobby Center, 800 Bagby Street, Houston, 77002,
713-315-2402.



PERFORMING COMPANIES AND GROUPS

1886 Stafford Opera House, 425 Spring Street,
Stafford, 78934, 979-732-5135,
http://www.columbustexas.org.

A.D. Players Theater, 2710 W. Alabama, Houston, 77002,
713-526-2721, www.adplayers.org, Lee Walker, Literary Mgr.,
lee@adplayers.org.

ACE Theater, 17011 Bamwood, Houston, 77090, 281-587-1020,
www.acetheatre.org.

Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave., Houston, 77002, 713-228-9341,
http://www.alleytheatre.org/,
Gregory Boyd, Artistic Director.

Alvin Community College Drama Department, 3110 Mustang Road,
Alvin, 77511, 281-756-3607, drama@alvincollege.edu.

Applause Theatre Company, 6608 FM 1960 West Ste E.,
Houston, 77069, www.applausetheatre.com,
Jo Ellen Hubert, Ex Art Dir,
information@applausetheatre.com.

Baytown Little Theater, 1500 Lakewood Village Shopping Ctr,
Baytown, 77522-2022, 281-424-7617, Wally Hitley, Treas. http://baytown.littletheater.org/bltaboutus.html.

Best of Broadway-Great Caruso Dinner Theater, 10001 Westheimer,
Houston, 77042, 713-622-7469.

Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre, 3201 Allen Pkwy, Houston, 77019,
713/523-6300.

Clear Creek Country Theatre, Inc, 18091 Upper Bay Rd, Houston,
77058, 281-335-5228, John Noyes, Pres,
http://www.clearcreekcountrytheatre.org,

College of the Mainland Theater, 1200 Amburn Rd, Texas City,
77951, 409-938-1211.

Colourwhirl Inc. Youth, 16002 Camino Del Sol, Houston, 77083,
281-498-0454,
Larry Hunter, Director/-Playwright. www.colourwhirl.com.

Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square, Houston, 77035,
713-726-1219, infor@companyonstage.org.

Country Playhouse, 12802 Queensbury,Houston, 77024,
713-467-4497, Barbara Lasater, Artistic Dir,
www.countryplayhouse.com.

Chrighton Theatre, 10001 Westheimer Rd, #1090,
Conroe, 77301, 936-441-7569.

Cy-Fair College Barker, Cypress Campus, 9191 Barker Cypress Rd,
Cypress, 77433, 281-290-3929, http://www.nhmccd.edu,
Ron Jones, Ron.Jones@nhmccd.edu.

Dionysus Theatre, 5601 S Braeswood, Houston, 77096, 713-728-0041, http://www.dionysustheatre.org/contact.htm,
deb@dionysustheatre.org.

DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway, Houston, 77002, 713-223-8346,
Sara Kellner, Ex Dir, www.diverseworks.org.

Dos Chico’s Theatre Commune, Houston, 77006,
Bob Morgan, contact, dccommune@yahoo.com.

Encore Theater, 2011 Lamar, Houston, 77002,
713-527-8277, Harold Haines.

Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main Street, Houston, 77002,
713-520-0055, http://www.ensemblehouston.com.

Express Children's Theater, 446 Northwest Mall, Houston, 77092,
713-682-5044, http://www.expresstheatre.com.

Flying Geese Productions, 1834 Southmore, Houston, 77004,
713-274-6199, Melissa Thibodeaux, www.flyinggeese.org.

Fort Bend Community Theater, 2815 N. Main St, Stafford, 77477,
281-208-3333, http://www.fortbendtheatre.com/.

Galveston Outdoor Musicals, 14528 Steward Road,
Galveston, 77554, 409-737-3440.

Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston, 1177 West Loop South,
PO Box 741267, Houston, 77274-1267, 713-627-3570,
http://www.gilbertandsullivan.net/new/framemain.html,
info@gilbertandsullivan.net.

Gray Wolf Theatre, 12440 Oxford Park Drive, Houston, 77082,
www.graywolftheatre.org, Thomas Coffman, Artistic Director, t
homas@graywolftheatre.org.

Harbour Playhouse, 3803 Hwy 3, Dickinson, 77539-5158,
281-337-7469, Bennie Nipper,
www.bayareahorbourplayhouse@hotmail.com.

HCC-Central Drama Dept, 3517 Austin, Houston, 77004,
713-718-6600, Ed Muth, Director.

Hispanic Theatre Workshop, 5210 Wesleyan #B-211, Houston,
77005-1208, 713-525-3123, Elsa Zamboxco, Director/-Playwright.

HITS Theatre, 311 W 18th St, Houston, 77008-3903 713-861-5173,
http://www.hitstheatre.org/ Melinda Parmer, Managing Dir,
mparmer@hitstheatre.org.

Houston Baptist University Drama Department, 7502 Fondren Road,
Houston, 77074, www.hbu.edu, info@hbu.edu.

Houston Playback Theatre, Unknown, Houston,
713-774-2438, Leslie Guana, Production Mgr,
http://www.geocities.com/houstonplayback.

Houston Shakespeare Festival-UH School of Theatre,
133 Wortham, Houston, 77204-4016, 713-743-3003,
www.hfac.uh.edu/theatre/hsf.htm,
Jonathan Middents, Artistic Director.

Infernal Bridegroom Productions, 2524 McKinney,
Houston, 77003, 713-522-8443, Anthony Barilly,
www.infernalbridegroomproductions.com.

Kingwood College Theatre Department, 20000 Kingwood Dr,
ngwood, 77339, 281-312-1672, Eric Skiles,
eric.c.skiles@nhmccd.edu, Artistic Dir.

Kuumba House Inc., P O Box 8070, Houston, 77288,
713-524-1079, Lindi Yeni, www.kuumbahouste.org.

Main Street Theatre-Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose,
Houston, 77006, 713-524-1722, Rebecca Udden, Artistic Dir, www.mainstreettheater.com/home.html.

Main Street Theatre-Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd,
Houston, 77005, 713-524-3622, Rebecca Udden,
Artistic Dir, www.mainstreettheater.com/home.html.

Masquerade Theatre, 3552 East T.C. Jester Houston, 77018,
713-861-7045, Phillip Duggins,
www.masqueradetheatre.com.

Packin Productions, 7602 W Montgomery, Houston, 77091-2126,
T. Sibley Thomas.

Pasadena Little Theater, 4318 Allen-Genoa Road, Pasadena,
77504, 713-941-4636, http://web.wt.net/~plth.

Playhouse 1960, 6814 Gant Rd, Houston, 77070, 281-587-8243.

Radio Music Theater, 2623 Colquitt, Houston, 77098,
713-522-7722, Steve Farrell, Director/Playwright,
http://www.radiomusictheatre.com.

Scottish Rite Theatre-Houston, 7575 Brompton, Houston, 77025,
713-432-1980, www.srmason-houston.org, Blain Koening,
Theatre Mgr., aasrhou@SWBell.net.

Silver House Collective Artists Showcase, 1107 Chartres,
Houston, 77003, 713-547-0125,
www.runamucktheater.com,
Wayne DeHart, contact. 713-524-5107.

Slightly Off Center Players, 4201 Center, Deer Park, 77536,
281-479-2260, Jeff Sensat, Artistic Dir,
www.slightlyoffcenterplayers.com/.

Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Pkwy, Houston, 77019,
713-527-0220, www.stagestheatre.com/cms_home/index.html,
Rob Bundy, 713-527-0220, ext. 213, . rbundy@stagestheatre.com.

Stageworks, 807 William St, Houston, 77019-1897, 713-228-8956.

Stargaze Theatre, 3722 Washington, Houston, 77007,
713-426-2626, bienvienue@ev1.net.

Strand Theatre, 2317 Ship's Mechanic Row,
Galveston, 77550, 409-763-4591, Brandon Dinklage,
Artistic Dir, www.galveston-thestrand.org.

Talento Bilingue de Houston, 333 S Jensen Dr, Houston, 77003,
713-222-1213, http://www.tbhcenter.com.

Texas Mime Theatre, 2714 Florence, Houston, 77009,
713-880-9868, Mick Corley.

Texas Opry Jamboree, 32243 Old Hempstead Rd, Magnolia, 77355,
281-356-6779.

Texas Repertory Theater Co.,14243 Stuebner Airline, Houston, 77069,
281-583-7573, http://www.texreptheatre.org, Craig A. Miller,
Artistic Director, cmiller@texreptheatre.org.

Theater LaB, 1706 Alamo, Houston, 77007, 713-868-5516, http://www.theaterlabhouston.com/index.htm,
Gerald Blaise LaBita.

Theater New West, 1415 California St, Houston, 77006,
713-394-0464.

Theatre Southwest, 8944-A Clarkcrest, Houston, 77063,
713-661-9505, Mimi Holloway, Producing Dir,
mimi@theatresouthwest.org.

Theatre Suburbia, 1410 W 43rd St, Houston, 77018,
713-682-3525, http://www.theatresuburbia.com.

Theatre Under the Stars, 800 Bagby, Houston, 77002,
713-558-2600, http://www.tuts.com.

Univ. of Houston-Downtown O'Kane Theater, One Main St,
Houston, 77002, 713-221-8952,
Prof. Ethan Krupp, krupp@dt.uh.edu.

Univ. of Houston Dept of Theater, 133 Wortham, Houston,
713-743-3003, 713-743-3003, Sidney Berger,
http://www.hfac.uh.edu/theatre.

Univ. of St Thomas Drama Department, Jones Theater,
3910 Yoakum, Houston, 77006, Samuel M. Havens,
havens@stthom.edu.

Upstage Theatre, 5601 S Braeswood, Houston, 77265,
713-838-7191, Sonia Kronberg, contact,
http://www.upstagetheatre.org.

SHOWGAB Tackles Steps

By Anna Fay Williams and Diana Howie

This blogspot will be dedicated to the steps in bringing new theatrical works to the public through reports on opportunities for readings, workshops, festivals and competitions. Initially, we will focus on those opportunities in the Houston, Texas, area.

We will discuss other factors which may assure success or failure for a new show such as media policies in publishing reviews and the content of critical reviews in publications. Reviews of new works will be tracked as they provide a barometer of the media interest in types of theatrical shows and their content.

The preferences of reviewers will be examined by such indicators as the frequency with which they publish features and critical reviews for various theatrical groups in the area over a period of time. Our first analysis will examine the reviewer’s practices at The Houston Chronicle, the tenth largest metropolitan publication in the United States, and certainly the most influential publication in the Houston area.

The path to bringing a new work to the public is often long and arduous—for some a decade or more. Live theater, more than other arts, is subject to the whims of the public and attitudes about topics considered appropriate for the theater. However, many writers and creators are not discouraged by the difficulties when they believe in their own works. The history of theater is filled with such stories and we will also look at some of those experiences.

We are most interested in regional and local theatrical groups on this blogspot because that is where new writers are most likely to get their works produced. The financial premiums for new productions are too high on Broadway so many are entering Fringe festival productions, where the luck of the draw may bring a show to stage.

A companion website will be mounted this summer with directories to new works and free listings for those shows. In this way, we hope to create a bigger marketplace for new works. In the past, many writers have found it difficult to keep their works in the public view, especially when it is difficult to get productions up for any period of time. This blogspot will also include articles about theaters which have readings and workshop series for new writers, composers and performers. We’ll keep a calendar and locate those theaters which are open to scheduling readings and workshops in the future.

We have faith that there are adventuresome theatrical companies which are interested in presenting new works. We hope you will join us in these efforts with your comments on this new blogspot.