wicked disappointment

Bewitching Broadway musical favorite's Houston summer run postponed due to COVID

A Wicked disappointment: The Broadway favorite has been postponed.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Local theater fans who were anxiously awaiting the Broadway sensation Wicked to return to The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts have been handed some sad news.

Broadway at the Hobby Center announced that the wildly popular musical’s run will be postponed due to the continued effects of the pandemic.

Instead of the June 23-August 1, 2021 run, Wicked has been rescheduled to May 31-July 2, 2023, the theater organization reported on March 30.

Thankfully for fans, My Fair Lady is still scheduled to open the 2021-2-22 season on September 14-19 of this year.

What does the change mean for season 2020-2021 season subscribers? Season ticket holders will keep their same seats, Broadway at the Hobby Center promises.

Importantly, subscribers will have priority access this spring to secure their same package seats for Hamilton. Patrons will be notified when seats are available for purchase and if applicable, credits from previously canceled Broadway at the Hobby Center shows may be used towards Hamilton tickets.

Given the continuing COVID crisis, producers note that “there may be additional unforeseen scheduling changes in the season,” in a press release, but that subscribers will have the option to receive a credit, refund, or the ability to donate the value of their tickets.

Here is the current Broadway at The Hobby Center season schedule. Individual show ticket sales will be announced at a later date.

My Fair Lady: September 14-19, 2021
Tootsie: November 16-21, 2021
Hadestown: January 4-9, 2022
Fiddler on the Roof: April 26-May 1, 2022
Disney’s Frozen: June 30-July 17, 2022
Mean Girls: August 16-21, 2022
Hamilton (7-show package add-on): February 22-March 20, 2022
Beautiful (season option): June 3-5, 2022

“With Broadway tours closed for over a year now, it’s going to take some time for producers to recast, re-rehearse, and successfully prepare the show to get back on the road,” said Fran Macferran, president and CEO of the Hobby Center Foundation, in a statement.

“Broadway tours stop in many different states along their route, and all venues across the country must also be open at 100 percent for tours to resume. The Hobby Center continues to consult with our health care advisor, Houston Methodist, in all decisions related to welcoming our valued patrons, staff, volunteers, cast and crew back to the theatre. We are actively working on a plan to re-open following appropriate public health guidelines.”

theater

MFAH expands

Houston museum acquires historic Masonic lodge property for new greenspace

Holland Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A.M./Facebook

The building at 4911 will be torn down for the new greenspace.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has acquired a prime parcel to expand its campus in the Museum District. On Tuesday, December 23, the museum announced it has purchased a two-acre parcel of land at 4911 Montrose Blvd that will bring its total footprint to 16 acres.

Located just north of the Glassel School of Art, the property will be developed as a greenspace that will serve as a community lawn as well as be utilized for future museum events and parking. MFAH has retained landscape architects Nelson Byrd Woltz — the firm responsible for work at Memorial Park and the recently-opened Ismaili Center — to create the design for the new greenspace.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston greenspace rendering A rendering offers a bird's-eye preview of the new greenspace.Image by by Cong Nie/Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

At this time, the museum does not have plans to build anything on the property, according to a press release.

To make way for the greenspace, the property’s existing building, Holland Lodge No. 1, will be torn down. Built in 1954 as a home for the oldest Masonic lodge chapter in Texas, the building features a sandstone mural facade. It has been for sale since at least 2005, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.

Demolition on the site is expected to begin in spring 2026 with the greenspace opening in approximately two years, according to press materials. In addition to the Glassell School, the museum’s campus includes the Audrey Jones Beck Building, the Caroline Wiess Law Building, the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden, and the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building.

“We are delighted to contribute to Houston’s greenspace access with this new initiative, which will expand the museum’s 14-acre campus to a thoroughly walkable 16 acres,” Gary Tinterow, director and Margaret Alkek Williams chair of the MFAH, said in a statement. “While the primary objective for the purchase of this property is to secure land for any potential future expansion of the museum, our priority now is to create a welcoming community lawn. Thoughtfully designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz, one of the leading firms in sustainable landscape practice, the site will serve as public greenspace and provide additional parking for museum visitors.”

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