wherefore art thou?

Houston Grand Opera stages outdoor performance of Shakespearean classic

HGO will present a free outdoor performance on Romeo and Juliet.

Photo by Lynn Lane

Typically, opera fans have to pack the Wortham Theater Center to enjoy a show. But now, Houston Grand Opera is showcasing a timeless classic in the great outdoors.

HGO will present Gounod’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, at Miller Outdoor Theatre (6000 Hermann Park Dr.) at 8 pm Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21.

These free performances mark a new production led by HGO Studio artists, with tenor Ricardo Garcia as Romeo and soprano Elena Villalón as Juliet. Grammy Award-winning baritone Donnie Ray Albert, an HGO favorite, will star as Lord Capulet. HGO’s resident conductor Benjamin Manis will conduct.

Fans can expect an opulent score, with soaring duets for the star-crossed lovers, choral harmonies, and new sets and costumes, per a press release.

Romeo and Juliet will two hours and 43 minutes including one intermission. The performance will be sung in French with projected English translations.

As always, tickets for covered seating at Miller Outdoor Theatre are free, and are available at 10 am the day prior to each performance at the Miller website or box office. Seating on the hill is also free and open to the public.

For more information on tickets and seating, visit www.milleroutdoortheatre.com.

opera

taking center stage

Stage adaptation of iconic Black movie Jason's Lyric to debut in Houston

Courtesy of Jason's Lyric

Most of the movie's cast will appear in the play.

Next year, Houston writer/producer/director/promoter Je’Caryous Johnson will be bringing another beloved Black movie to the live stage.

Jason’s Lyric will join New Jack City and Set It Off in the lineup of ‘90s Black-movie favorites that Johnson has adapted for the stage. The 1994 made-in-Houston drama stars Allen Payne and a pre-Will Smith Jada Pinkett as young lovers trying to maintain a relationship as conflicts and obstacles keep getting in the way.

Jason’s Lyric Live will go on a nationwide, 22-city tour, premiering right here in H-Town on Thursday, February 13 — just in time for Valentine’s Day.

“Houston is my home, and bringing Jason’s Lyric Live to life here first is my way of paying homage to the city and its people who inspired this story,” Johnson said in a statement. “This is more than a play; it’s a love letter to the community.”

Payne will reprise his role as Jason, with actress/model Eva Marcille stepping in Pinkett’s role as Lyric. Naughty by Nature rapper Treach, who played Lyric’s criminal big brother Alonzo in the movie, will also return to the role for the stage production. Tyrin Turner (Menace II Society), K. Michelle (Love & Hip Hop), and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Welcome Back, Kotter) will round out the cast.

"Jason’s Lyric is one of the films that defined my career as an actor,” Payne said. “To bring it to life on stage for audiences who loved the movie — and a new generation experiencing it for the first time — is an incredible honor."

Marcille is also psyched for the show, taking on the role that Pinkett memorably brought to life. "Lyric is a character who embodies resilience and hope, and I’m honored to bring her story to life on stage,” Marcille said.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, December 13, at 10 am. For a full list of dates and ticket information, visit the website.