Standing Ovation

Nearly 400 shows headline Houston Theater Week's fourth year of BOGO tickets

The Broadway cast of Spamalot.

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Get ready to raise the curtain, Houston: The city’s biggest celebration of live performance is back and more spectacular than ever.

Houston Theater Week returns for its fourth year from August 18–24, offering Buy One, Get One FREE tickets to nearly 400 performances across the 2025–2026 season. Whether you're a seasoned theatergoer or just curious about the scene, this is your chance to explore the city’s thriving performing arts for a fraction of the price.

Designed to support the city's creative professionals and open new doors for audiences, this annual initiative, powered by Houston First Corporation, has already generated nearly $4 million in ticket sales in just three years. Now, it's leveling up again.

As Hillary Hart of Theater District Houston puts it, “This campaign keeps artists working, audiences engaged, and the city’s creative heartbeat strong.”

The Houston Mariachi Festival returns August 22-24, 2025 at the Wortham Theater.Photo courtesy of Houston Mariachi Festival

What's new in 2025
More shows. More venues. And more ways to curate your perfect night out. This year debuts Ask V, an AI-powered personal assistant that helps you find the right show based on your interests, plus nearby restaurants, hotels, and hangouts to round out the experience. Think of it as your theater-loving best friend, but smarter.

Also new: an all-star celebrity lecture series. Snag tickets to see cultural icons like Jane Fonda, David Sedaris, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Chef Samin Nosrat live on stage.

From Broadway hits to bold premieres
Participating organizations include Theatre Under the Stars, Alley Theatre, Houston Symphony, ROCO, Stages, Tee Zee Productions, The Ensemble Theatre, Performing Arts Houston, and many more. Venues span downtown stages and neighborhood theaters, so you're never far from the action.

Seattle Opera Porgy and Bess Houston Grand Opera will stage 'Porgy and Bess.' Photo by Philip Newton

And the list of performances is nothing short of epic. You’ll find Tony Award winners, world premieres, holiday classics, cutting-edge concerts, and genre-defying dance, all included in the special offer.

Highlights include:

The Da Vinci Code and Real Women Have Curves at Alley Theatre
Monty Python's Spamalot and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical from Theatre Under the Stars
Giselle and Onegin by Houston Ballet
Porgy and Bess, The Barber of Seville, and Silent Night at Houston Grand Opera
Holiday favorites like Elf In Concert, Rocky Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Christmas, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, and A Christmas Carol
The return of the Houston Mariachi Festival, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
National tours of Life of Pi, Kimberly Akimbo, The Outsiders, Water for Elephants, and The Great Gatsby

And that’s just scratching the surface. There’s something for every age, taste, and cultural background — whether you’re craving Shakespeare or salsa, Bach or Broadway, mariachi or Mozart.

All the info
View the full list of shows and book your tickets starting August 18 at HoustonTheaterWeek.com. Use promo code HTW25 at checkout to unlock the BOGO deal for tickets purchased through August 24.

So don’t miss your cue. Whether you’re planning a date night, a family outing, or just need a good excuse to try something new, Houston Theater Week is your ticket to the best shows in town — times two.

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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

Standing Ovation

Nearly 400 shows headline Houston Theater Week's fourth year of BOGO tickets

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