moving forward

Longtime Houston arts group leaps forward with new artist relief fund

Society for Performing Arts hosts beloved acts such as the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.

Photo by Andrew Eccles

As Houston takes a collective sigh of relief after dodging one disaster, a beloved local arts organization is mobilizing to help with another major crisis. Society for the Performing Arts has announced Arts Forward, a $1.5 million Relief & Response fund aimed at helping those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund will help the organization weather the pandemic crisis and remain ready to present performances when it’s the right time to return to the theater, according to a press release. Arts Forward will also help SPA advance community initiatives and implement initial stages of the 2020 SPA Strategic Plan.

Fundraising has already surpassed the $600,000 mark, according to SPA. Those interested in contributing to the fund can donate here.

Due to the pandemic, SPA cancelled or postponed more than 45 performances and more than 90 education and community engagement programs. The arts group reports that its projected gross revenue losses exceed $3.5 million for the 2020-21 season, with additional revenue losses expected beyond the coming year.

Meanwhile, with live performances on hold, SPA has launched the SPA Houston Artist Commissioning Project. Six virtual commission winners will be chosen on September 14, to receive $800 awards for new digital work to be premiered this fall. Additionally, $5,000 awards for live performance pieces will be announced in January; those works will be premiered in summer 2021.

Widely recognized as one of Houston’s most longstanding and culturally relevant arts organizations, SPA has recently hosted cherished icons such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.

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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.