TUTS goes virtual

Beloved Houston theater troupe opens curtain on new digital content

Fans of TUTS can now stream stage experiences.

Photo by Melissa Taylor

With the COVID-19 crisis pandemic showing no signs of slowing, myriad local arts groups are pivoting to digital offerings. Such is the case with Theatre Under The Stars, which has just announced new digital content to get fans through the pandemic.

The beloved theater troupe has launched two new digital offerings: the TUTS Spotlight Webcast series and the TUTS Spotlight Podcast.

The Spotlight Series originated as a popular program at the Rotunda Theatre in St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, in which audiences could meet cast and creative team members for upcoming productions, and enjoy in-depth interviews about the process of creating musicals for TUTS. Guests were also treated to sneak-peek live performances of songs from the shows.

Now, the TUTS Spotlight Webcast will premiere live on the organization’s Facebook page on Wednesday, September 9 at 6 pm, according to a press release. The episode titled “Houston Strong” features a conversation with artistic directors from several Houston theatre companies including The Alley Theatre, Stages, Meca, Teatro de Gente, and the Ensemble Theatre – hosted by TUTS artistic director, Dan Knechtges.

The TUTS Spotlight Webcast series will take place on the theatre’s Facebook page at tuts.com/theatreunderthestars.

“We hosted a conversation on Facebook Live recently about digital virtual-reality theatre, and we received great feedback from viewers,” said Knechtges, in a statement. “We’re excited to officially launch this series next week by discussing the impact of COVID-19 on Houston’s performing arts community. This is a difficult time for theatre, but also a time of great innovation and recommitment to the value of cultivating local artists.”

Fans can look forward to future episodes of the webcast that will include interviews with prominent Broadway Tony-Award winners, discussions with members of the TUTS artistic team, and a look back at some of Houston’s ground-breaking musical premieres from the past.

Also launching on September 9 is the TUTS Spotlight Podcast, which will be hosted by Israel Jimenez, TUTS director of community engagement. This monthly podcast explores the TUTS vault of cast recordings, a massive collection that includes classic musicals to modern hits — as well as the totally obscure, according to a press release.

“This podcast is going to be really fun for musical theatre fans around the world,” Jimenez said in a statement. “Listeners are going to love diving into these albums and learning about the stories behind the music. We’ll even offer up a signature cocktail for each episode, for those who want to make an evening of it.”

Musical theater fans can also subscribe to the TUTS Spotlight Podcast on iTunes.

theater podcasts

Get inspired

Noted Houston street artist paints vibrant new mural at downtown venue

Photo courtesy of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

GONZO247 poses in front of his new mural, "Houston is Inspired" inside Hobby Center

Visitors to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts can now see an incredible new mural by one of Houston's most iconic street artists.Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., known as Gonzo247, debuted his piece, "Houston is Inspired" on Friday, December 12.

“This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston," said the artist in a statement. "It’s that raw, vibrant hustle — the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art — it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

The piece is called "Houston is Inspired," after the program at Hobby meant to showcase local performers by offering them week-long residencies on a prestigious stage. This season includes CJ Emmons's one-man comedy musical show I'm Freaking Talented; a rhythmic interactive storytelling experience called Our Road Home by Jakari Sherman; and Lavanya Rajagopalan's combination of music, dance and verse, Kāvya: Poetry in Motion. Information about all three shows, including ticket prices and availability, can be found at TheHobbyCenter.org.

The last show (debuting May 1) was a particular inspiration to Gonzo247. Viewers may notice a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Rajagopalan's show.

The Houston is Inspired program was launched launched in the 2023-2024 season. In addition to the residency in Zilkha Hall, artists are given a $20,000 stipend for production and marketing costs. It is now a permanent fixture of the Hobby season. Applicants for future seasons can submit here.

Known for his original "Houston is Inspired" mural in downtown's Market Square, Gonzo247 has been an active force in Houston art for 30 years, including producing the video series Aerosol Warfare about the street art scene in the 1990s and 2000s as well as founding the Graffiti and Street Art Museum. He also served as the artist liaison for Meow Wolf's Houston installation. If anyone's visual vision is perfect to welcome audience members to shows highlighting homegrown talent, it's him.

“Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see — it’s what you feel," he said. "This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture — the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

visual-art downtown mural gonzo247