buyer beware

Houston buyers warned against phony Hamilton tickets ahead of show's big return

Beware of Hamilton tickets that are too expensive or too good to be true.

Photo by Joan Marcus

February’s highly anticipated return of the biggest phenomenon on Broadway to Houston isn’t without its hiccups. Hamilton, the award-winning, game changing hip-hip historical musical runs at the Hobby Center from February 20 to March 22 with tickets now on sale.

However producer Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center reports that there are numerous third-party sellers advertising tickets they do not actually have, at highly inflated prices.

To that end, those interested in tickets are encouraged to purchase at BroadwayAtTheHobbyCenter.com or TheHobbyCenter.org, and Ticketmaster.com, as those sites are the only official and authorized primary Hamilton tickets sellers.

The Hobby Center warns that if buyers see tickets for hundreds or thousands of dollars, there is no guarantee those tickets are genuine.

While it is legal to re-sell tickets in Texas, tickets purchased from other sources may be more expensive, invalid, speculative or ineligible for assistance, a press release notes. The center also advises against buying from secondary sites and third-party sellers, which includes bogus Facebook event pages.

As a buyer beware, the Hobby Center has furnished these Hamilton ticket buying tips.

To purchase tickets, go to the official website at BroadwayAtTheHobbyCenter.com, TheHobbyCenter.org, or Ticketmaster.com.
Avoid unofficial venue/ticket/show sites with ticket links. Don’t be fooled by secondary sites that imply affiliation with the Hobby Center by using photos of the venue, seating charts and images or information about upcoming shows.
Make note that the official website for the Hobby Center is TheHobbyCenter.org where you can find current and accurate information.
Check that the show/date/venue you are being offered is actually scheduled.
Check the official seating map of the venue at TheHobbyCenter.org to be sure seating locations actually exist.
If you hear a show is “sold-out,” first check with the venue to confirm that is the case.
You shouldn’t pay more than face-value, but re-sale is legal. Research to see if you’re paying too much.
If you see an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is. There are plenty of bogus sites.
If you purchase tickets, don’t post photos of them online, as it is possible to copy a photo to re-sell.
Fans may recall that the Broadway behemoth was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Hamilton last hit the Broadway in Houston stage in April 2018. As CultureMap previously reported, the musical based on the life story of the first U.S Treasury Secretary, the face on the ten-dollar bill, and sometimes forgotten founding father —Alexander Hamilton — deserves its multitude of Tony Awards.

Tens of thousands of fans have jam-packed New York City’s Broadway and local theaters to catch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterpiece, which centers on Hamilton and his colorful foil, Aaron Burr — and indeed, the story of a burgeoning America.

The musical has won Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and a special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

openings theater

welcome to houston

Musical theater veteran joins prominent Houston company

Courtesy of Stages

Stages has named Valerie Rachelle as its new associate artist director.

A Houston theater company is adding an accomplished artist to its ranks. Stages announced that Valerie Rachelle will be the company’s new associate artistic director beginning in January 2026.

For more than a decade, Rachelle has been artistic director of the Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, Oregon, where she oversaw artistic vision and operations. That theater specializes in musical theater performances offered in a cabaret setting.

Rachelle comes to Houston with a career spanning nearly 30 years as a director and choreographer. She has extensive experience in developing new musicals and plays for regional theaters and opera companies across the United States, including the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Sierra Repertory Theatre. She was appointed to her position at Stages following a nationwide search.

“I’m beyond thankful for this opportunity to join this incredible company, and I’m excited to be a part of a creative entity that has a strong mission and vision as Stages,” Rachelle said in a statement.

In her role with Stages, she will support artistic director Derek Charles Livingston with season planning and casting; liaise with artists, press, and staff; and coordinate day-to-day operations for the artistic department. She will also assist with crafting educational materials, direct and choreograph productions, and serve as the primary liaison with theatrical unions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Valerie to Stages in this role,” said Livingston. “I have seen her work as a director and director choreographer — she's excellent. Those skills combined with her experience as a theatre artistic director and manager only further fortify Stages' commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement.”

Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Rachelle began her career as a dancer and apprentice ballerina with the Eugene Ballet Company before earning her BFA in acting from California Institute of the Arts. She received her MFA in Directing from the University of California, Irvine. She has held teaching and directing positions at numerous institutions, including the University of Southern California, Southern Oregon University, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and others. She has also served as a mentor through Statera Arts, an organization dedicated to gender equity in the arts.

Rachelle teaches musical theater, auditioning, and singing at Southern Oregon University when she isn’t on the road as a freelance director and choreographer. She’s also a classically trained singer and toured the world with her parents and their illusionist show as a child.

“Joining the team that has a long-standing reputation of excellence in theater is an honor,” Rachelle added.

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