best December theater

The Nutcracker and holiday classics lead Houston's 10 best shows this month

Whether you’re looking for something naughty or nice, Houston theater companies have a show in their bag of musical, dramatic, and comic goodies for you. December brings a diversity of shows for all ages, from an inebriated version of A Christmas Carol or an adult comedy about the highs and lows of holiday dating to dance and acrobatic spectaculars for the whole family. As 2025 draws to a close, every Houstonian deserves some theatrical treats.

The Nutcracker from Houston Ballet (now through December 28)
One of Houston’s most beloved traditions returns, as Houston Ballet invites us to a very magical night at the bustling Stahlbaum Christmas party. And one adventurous girl will receive a rather mysterious food preparation gift, in Houston Ballet co-artistic director Stanton Welch’s sugarplum dreamy Nutcracker Ballet.

Dancing to the beloved Tchaikovsky score, all our favorites – the Nutcracker Prince, Sugarplum Fairy, Rat King. and the international ambassadors – will take a turn at the magical winter court. In Welch’s imagining, Clara becomes the hero of this enchanting story where the all the animals dance as well as the weather, in the form of lovely snowflakes. With hundreds of characters, a 39-foot Christmas tree, a two-story Georgian mansion set, and 75 pounds of falling snow, this Houston-born production is renowned as one of the grandest versions of The Nutcracker ever staged.

Drunk Christmas Carol at Emerald Theatre (now through December 28)
From the inebriated crew that brought us Drunk Shakespeare, and just a month ago Drunk Dracula, comes this latest experiment in acting while sloshed. One thespian takes five shots of whiskey and attempts to take part in an epic retelling of one of the greatest holiday stories of all time. When one humbug-uttering, but still hot, silver fox is visited by three ghosts, will he change his ways, or get totally scrooged? The Drunk Shakespeare Society is decking the halls with a tipsy and twisted toast to the big Dickens himself, and the season of spirits (the alcoholic kind). Will the drunk actor be playing a ghost of Christmas, Tiny Tim, or even the grumpy Scrooge himself? We can’t predict, but we’re pretty sure it will be a night of caroling like we’ve never seen before.

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at Stages (now through December 28)
In this retelling of the classic Frank Capra film, as adapted by Joe Landry and based on the story 'The Greatest Gift' by Phillip Van Doren Sternad, some of our favorite Houston stage actors play 1940s radio actors attempting to broadcast a live radio performance of the It’s a Wonderful Life story. Six stage actors will play radio actors portraying dozens of Bedford Falls characters, while also creating live foley effects, from thunder and walking in snow to ice breaking, doorbells, and slamming doors, all layered with period-inspired design. Stages artistic director, Derek Charles Livingston, helms the staged and heartwarming radio chaos.

The Night Shift Before Christmas at Alley Theatre (now through December 28)
In this very contemporary Texas take on A Christmas Carol, we spend Christmas Eve with a lonely night owl taking a late night shift at a burger joint. The company gave the show a world premiere in 2022, but last year the script and name went through some changes from playwright Isaac Gómez to keep the laughs timely and story emotionally poignant.

In this very 21st century twist of a Carol, Scrooge becomes Margot. Flipping burgers and women-ing the drive-thru mic, Margot is about to find out the usual grumpy customers and an equally grumpy robotic Santa are the least of her worries. To bring a bit of Christmas spirit into her life, her dead friend Jackie Marley stops by with a gaggle of ghostly customers. Briana J. Resa, who originated the role of Margot with gusto, is back playing all the characters in this one-woman show.

Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance from Houston Ballet (December 5)
For 20 years, this annual one-night-only celebration always brings back some of the HB highlights from the last few season, while also offering a peek of what’s to come. The lineup of short works and excerpts from epic ballets also gives dance lovers a chance to relive the highlights, while the performances showcase the artistry and athleticism of HB’s stellar company. The Jubilee also gives audiences a chance to see the occasionally revival of rarely seen works pulled from the vault.

Some works to look forward to will be Vasily Vainonen’s rarely performed Flames of Paris and a premiere by emerging choreographers Ilya Kozadayev, who will be debuting his work Echoes. And to celebrate the work of former HB executive director James Nelson and his retirement, Stanton Welch has choreographed a special piece to “Dream A Little Dream.”

A Long Night from Cone Man Running Productions (December 5-20)
For those looking for some sugarplum-free thrills, here’s a world premiere psychological twisty tale, perfect for December’s long, dark nights. A Long Night is the story of a family harboring relationship-ending secrets and devastating truths they’ve hidden from one another. But when unexpected visitors arrive on Christmas Eve, the façade begins to crack, and what spills out is anything but festive. Cone Man says this brand new play by Matt Elliott and Debra Schultz explores themes of the terrifying cost of silence, the bleak consequences of greed, and the sometime dangers of trust.

White Christmas from Theatre Under the Stars (December 9-24)
TUTS always makes its holiday show one of the biggest, most joyous of the year, and this season is no different with this classic Irving Berlin musical. In this story, two tapping army buddies, Bob and Phil, turned song-and-dance sensations, team up with a pair of talented sisters to save a snowy Vermont inn. Inspired by the beloved 1954 film, this festive Broadway musical sparkles with romance, nostalgia, and show-stopping numbers like “Blue Skies,” “I Love a Piano,” and “White Christmas.” Along with a huge cast of local favorites actors and nationally-acclaimed performers, look also for a very talented teen ensemble made up of students from TUTS Humphreys School and The River. With a full orchestra and Broadway-worthy sets and costumes, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a bit of “snow” falls upon audiences with this family favorite.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas at Stages (December 12-28)
'Tis definitely the season for comic one-woman shows, as Stages rings in the holidays with the hilarious heartbreak of modern dating. After seeing her fiancé kiss another woman at the televised Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mary’s life falls apart. Over the next year, she stumbles back into the dating world, where “romance” ranges from weird and creepy to absurd and comical. It seems nothing can help Mary’s growing cynicism, until the charm and innocence of a five-year-old boy unexpectedly brings a new outlook on life and love. This charming one-woman play offers a comic and modern alternative to the old standards of the holiday season. Dynamic local actor Jaime Rezanour plays Mary, and staged in the very intimate Levit Stage, audiences will be up close for all the failures and wins of this show’s romance hijinks.

Who's Holiday! from Garden Theatre (December 18-21)
In honor of their fifth anniversary, Garden Theatre is bringing back some audience favorites, including this decidedly adult holiday show, an irreverent parody about the aftermath of the Dr. Seuss Grinch Who Stole Christmas classic. Cindy Lou Who, the adorable tike who saved Christmas from the Grinch in the original story, has reached adulthood, lives in a trailer on Mount Crumpit, and boy has she seen some Seussicial – let’s say – stuff in her time. Local fav Chaney Moore, who has appeared on many a Houston stage, plays the bawdy, outrageous Cindy Lou as she prepares to host a tell-all Christmas party. “She’s got a martini in one hand, a cigarette in the other, and she’s ready to finally tell you her side of the story,” says Garden Theatre AD, Logan Vaden.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze presented by Performing Arts Houston (December 23-24)
Take a break from the holiday pace with this show perfect for visiting family and friends of all ages. This whimsical family holiday spectacular wraps a Broadway-style production around an infusion of contemporary circus arts, including soaring aerial acts, tumblers, dancers, and clowns. With a child’s perspective, a fantastical cast of holiday storybook characters come to life on stage in a production that features an original musical score, twists on holiday classics sung live, new sets, scenery, and storylines.

$\u200bHouston Ballet presents The Nutcracker$

Photo by Alana Campbell (2025). Courtesy of Houston Ballet

Houston Ballet presents The Nutcracker.

performing-arts ballet houston ballet openings

best july art

MFAH celebrates America 250 and 7 more must-see art openings for July

Photo courtesy of Art Club

Orkhan Mammadov’s “Visions” at Art Club

The middle of summer is traditionally a time for Houston art galleries, museums, and institutions to take a bit of a breather, allowing art lovers a chance to catch up with spring exhibitions in cool art spaces. But this July keeps the art openings coming as the month brings several celebratory shows and intriguing exhibitions of local artists. Let’s enjoy a sizzling summer of art as the MFAH honors our nation’s big 250; Art Club unveils a new lineup of exhibits; and Avenida Houston expands our art horizons.

Art Club’s New Season at POST (ongoing)
When Art Club, the immersive space and DJ venue opened over a year ago, it promised Houston art lovers and club goers this techno art museum would continue to change and evolve over time with new artists and large-scale installations. Now with 12 fresh, radical, and cutting edge, gallery-sized works for the summer, it has certainly delivered on that promise. Created by individual artists, collectives, and international design studios, the new exhibits send visitors into kinetic light space and beguiling soundscapes. Many of the installations merge ancient cultures and practices with some of the most high tech art mediums, taking visitors into a different strange, alien world with each gallery, but ones that always echo with human connection.

One highlight of the new season is Lina Dib’s “Here and Now,” where beautiful yet eerie flower descend from a darkened sky, blooming to a soundscape of migratory bird sounds made by human immigrants to Houston. Art Club’s mirrored "infinity room" gets a new resident in Orkhan Mammadov’s “Visions,” which merges a thousand years of art history with machine learning.

Light artist Sasha Kojjio processes large bodies of text through sorting and generating algorithms, spinning the results into light until meaning dissolves and only movement remains. For Sphere³ II, international design studio Radugadesign, explores ancient Greek geometry through light, mirrors, and sound, creating an object that feels as if it could transport humans across space and time.

“This season, we’ve continued to bring new media art from around the world to Houston with digital art ranging from the Islamic world to the Incan traditions of the Andes,” said Kirby Liu, founder and curator of Art Club Houston and managing director of POST. “The theme is the conviction that the binaries we use to see the world – whether analog versus digital, human versus machine, or tradition versus technology – are no longer doing the work we ask of them.”

“Horizon” at The Plaza at Avenida Houston (now through September 7)
Outdoor art gets expansive with these new interactive installations set between George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green. Created by acclaimed multidisciplinary artist and set designer, Olivier Landreville, in collaboration with sound and light designer, Serge Maheu, “Horizon” invites Houstonians to take a seat inside these domed art structures and contemplate the sculpted skies. Gently rocking the chairs within the pieces will trigger a series of light and soundscapes.

Houston First Corporation has partnered with international public art producers Creos and Init to present Horizon with the hope it gives Houstonians and all the national and international visitors we’ve had this summer to slow down, unwind, and enjoy one of our favorite community spaces.

“George Washington: America's Enduring Icon” at Bayou Bend (now through November 22)
The MFAH celebrates America's first president with this fascinating decorative art exhibition at its Bayou Bend house museum. “Enduring Icon” includes objects from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries featuring images of George Washington during his lifetime, as well as many that mourned or honored him after his death. The exhibition examines the many ways that Americans have recognized, honored, celebrated, memorialized, and appropriated Washington as both a man and icon.

“America 250” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (now through January 3)
The 4th of July might have passed, but Houstonians and visitors from around the world can continue to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday by taking this special marked journey through the MFAH. Instead of a contained exhibition, museum curators have chosen over 70 artworks from the collection across the campus to tell a uniquely American story through art.

From golden antiquities to Native American pottery to vast painted landscapes to large-scale installations of futuristic cities, these pieces reflect the complexity and diversity of the American experience, while drawing connections between our nation and the MFAH's history as a collecting institution. As visitors explore the museum, indoors and out, they’ll find guides to the artworks, along with newly created audio stops and labels that discuss each artwork from these historical and cultural perspectives.

"On the occasion of the nation’s 250th anniversary, we saw a singular opportunity to look at our collections and select objects that reflect the multitudes of individuals who have contributed to the identity of our nation,” describes MFAH director, Gary Tinterow. “The curators’ choices will allow our visitors to experience our collections framed within a series of illuminating and sometimes surprising narratives.”

"Representation of Form" at MATCH (July 9-12)
Photography and choreography dance together as Group Accord and photographer Christopher Peddecord collaborate in the creation of this multidisciplinary art event. Peddecord has taken photographs of Group Acorde dance artists and layers the images with one another. Those photographs will then be displayed and projected throughout the MATCH Box 1 space. During live performances, the dancers will move within the images of themselves. Audiences will also be free to move about the space, immersing themselves within the installation.

“Casa de Cultura: The Living Archive” at the Fresh Arts Gallery in Winter Street Studios (July 9-August 22)
Fresh Arts’ ongoing Space Taking Artist Residency invites traditionally underrepresented local artists to experiment and “take over” Fresh Arts’ gallery space at Sawyer Yards. The initiative has produced some stunning and surprising artwork and live performance experiences over the past few years.

For “Casa de Cultura,” Violeta Alvarez, an award-winning local photographer, will present work inspired by her mother’s life and journeys. Alvarez will create a “Living Archive” exploring cultural identity, migration and collective memory. The project will feature two photography exhibitions: one a curated selection of Alvarez’s music photography, including her early work with Justice Records, and the second built entirely from open-call live portrait sessions of individuals with ancestral ties to Mesoamerica. Several live events and performances will take place throughout the residency, including community photo sessions, panel discussions, a podcast recording, Aztec dance performances, Chicanx artist vendors for Second Saturdays, and community drives.

"World of Color” at Laura Rathe Fine Art (July 16-August 14)
This exhibition brings together a group of artists working in different mediums and producing very distinct imagery, but all their art explores vivid colors and manifests a sense of wonder and play. "World of Color" explores color as both a meaningful and nostalgic force, brought to life through Miriam Fitzgerald’s intricately folded paper, Gian Garofalo’s flowing stripes of pigmented resin, Pablo Dona’s miniature figures swimming within teacups, and Lynn Sanders' layered colorscapes. Exhibition organizers note that through curious and intuitive explorations of color, each artist engages with combinations that create a childlike sense of discovery.

"Learning Curve 18” at Houston Center for Photography (July 16-August 16)
This annual exhibition celebrates the HCP students’ work over a given year, and for the 18th iteration, the exhibition will showcase students from various programs at the Center doing a range of photographic work from digital to alternative processes. Jessi Bowman, the Houston-based photographer, curator, and founder of FLATS, a community darkroom and photo lab, is this year’s juror. Bowman has intentionally selected pieces exploring photography from a multitude of approaches, subjects, and perspectives in order to create an show that reveals artists working in community.

“As a juror, I was drawn to work that embraced curiosity and possibility. The strongest images often reflected a willingness to take risks,” explains Bowman in a statement about the selections, adding “Many of these photographs show artists pushing beyond technical proficiency toward a more personal visual voice.”

$\u200bOrkhan Mammadov\u2019s \u201cVisions\u201d at Art Club$

Photo courtesy of Art Club

Orkhan Mammadov’s “Visions” at Art Club

openings visual-art museums