solid goldblum

Jeff Goldblum and jazzy orchestra makes ah, delightful return to Houston

Well, how lovely...Jeff Goldblum is back.

Photo by Pari Dukovic

One of America’s most beloved celebrities is making an, ah...well, uh, delightful return to Houston in the new year.

Jeff Goldblum, who boasts a cinematic and TV career full of blockbusters and cult classics over 40 years, will perform with his Mildred Snitzer Orchestra at Jones Hall at 7:30 pm Friday, January 28, 2022.

The 2022 performance, part of a Society for the Performing Arts series, will feature Goldblum tickling the ivories on piano with his jazzy ensemble. Expect impromptu jokes, anecdotes and stories from his storied performing days and gigs at LA’s Rockwell Table and Stage, and a Q&A session.

Those who attended Goldblum’s 2019 performance at Jones Hall know that Goldblum will stop for photos, selfies, videos, and even help with a spontaneous wedding proposal.

Given the improvisational nature of jazz and Goldblum’s stream-of-consciousness, “ah, how lovely” je ne sais quoi, the night is a perfect marriage of high-level music and hijinks.

Best known for his instantly recognizable and memorable roles in The Fly, Independence Day, and the Jurassic Park franchise, Goldblum’s music run has proved far more than a simple vanity project. His band’s debut album, The Capitol Studios Sessions, scored No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums charts in 2018.

Fresh off that success, Goldblum followed with the coyly titled album I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This in 2019. Most recently, the affable, gregarious, and effortlessly charming has completed his second season of The World According to Jeff Goldblum, now streaming on Disney Plus (his Houston episode from Season 1 is not to be missed).

Expect a night of hilarity, one finely tuned to the Bayou City; Goldblum wore a cowboy hat and fringe western shirt when last here. “Ah, what a fair city,” Goldblum said of Houston in his trademark cadence when he last chatted with CultureMap. Truly, there’s no telling what he’ll have to say next.

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Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra; 7:30 pm Friday, January 28, 2022; Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St. For tickets and information, visit the official SPA site. Tickets start at $40.

concerts celebrities

miller outdoor theatre improved

Hermann Park's always-free theater breaks ground on new Gateway Plaza

Miller Outdoor Theatre Gateway Plaza rendering

Courtesy of DLR Group with landscape design by Michael Van Valkenburg Associates (MVVA)

Theatre visitors will see this new sign at the plaza's entrance.

One of Houston’s most enduring, family-friendly attractions is getting some upgrades. When audiences return to Miller Outdoor Theatre next summer, they’ll be welcomed by a new plaza and other improvements.

The Miller Theatre Advisory Board (MTAB) officially broke ground on the new Gateway Plaza last week. It marked the occasion with a ceremony attended by Houston Mayor John Whitmire, park board representatives, and other officials.

Designed to improve accessibility and the overall visitor experience, the Gateway Plaza will feature new walkways that will both connected the theater to the rest of Hermann Park and improve drainage at the site. Three new shade structures will replicate the theater’s distinctive, A-frame design. In addition, the “Dining Bosque,” a popular area for pre-show meals, will have its picnic tables refreshed, among other improvements.

“We’re thrilled to have broken ground on the Gateway Plaza Project,” MTAB managing director Claudia de Vasco said in a statement. “It’s a fitting start to Miller’s next century — an investment in spaces that reflect who we are as both an iconic arts venue and a welcoming public gathering place, inviting everyone to experience the performances and memories that make Miller so special.”

Located on 7.5 acres within Hermann Park, Miller Outdoor Theatre provides eight months per year of free programming in genres such as classical music, jazz, Shakespeare, classic movies, and more — all funded by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. It has seating for approximately 1,700 people as well as a spacious lawn that can hold another 4,500. Currently, the facility is closed for construction but is scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2026.

“Miller Outdoor Theatre is a special gathering place for the people of Houston,” added Mayor Whitmire. “I am excited about the Gateway Plaza Project because these improvements will ensure that Miller Outdoor Theatre continues to serve the community for generations to come.”

Courtesy of DLR Group with landscape design by Michael Van Valkenburg Associates (MVVA)

Theatre visitors will see this new sign at the plaza's entrance.

miller outdoor theatre performing-arts hermann-park parks