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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on the bright side

'First-of-its kind' Houston park reveals 6 murals by local artists

Houston artist Ade Odunfa stands in front of his mural "Salt Marsh" at the Hill at Sims.

Photo by Scott Julian, courtesy of Houston Parks Board

"Birth From the Sea" by Ade Odunfa

One of Houston's most innovative green spaces, the Hill at Sims, is edging toward completion as artists put the finishing touches on a series of six beautiful murals. They should be ready when the park has its grand opening on Saturday, May 23.

The project is being led by Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis and the Houston Parks Board. Located in Sunnyside along Sims Bayou, it combines a flooding retention pond with walkways and other infrastructure to create a unique multi-use community space. Adding a series of environmentally-themed murals highlights the project's dedication to empowering nature around Sunnyside.

“When we bring art, resilience, and opportunity together in one place, we create something that can serve and inspire future generations for decades to come," said Ellis in an emailed statement. "The Hill at Sims is a community-oriented, first-of-its-kind green space in the neighborhood I grew up in. These murals honor Sunnyside, celebrate the natural world, and help turn public space into something people feel proud to protect.”

The murals include “Impression of Nature” by Emily Ding, “Step Into the Wild” by Carlos Alberto, “Birth from the Sea," a reproduction of a John Biggers’ mural by Ade Odunfa, "The Heron and the Fish” by Ana Marietta, “Rêverie” by Amy Sol inspired by Claude Debussy’s 1890 solo piano piece, and “Salt Marsh”, another Biggers reproduction by Bimbo Adenugba.

Houston is a major mural and street art city, with an increasing number of spaces using murals to showcase local talent as well as bring a sense of identity to locations like the Hill at Sims. The green space offers both a massive natural setting in a neighborhood that has traditionally been underserved in park acreage with an elevated point to view the whole city, a rare treat in a place as flat as Houston. Thanks to the Bayou Greenways Project, a 150-mile series of trails that connects parks across Houston, people can walk or bike to the Hills at Sims if they choose to.

"Our goal is for every person who visits this park to feel that Hill at Sims truly represents the Sunnyside community. Public art is a powerful and joyful way to evoke feelings of connection and stewardship in public settings,” said Justin Schultz, President and CEO, Houston Parks Board, in an emailed statement. “Houston Parks Board is proud to support Commissioner Ellis to bring Sunnyside residents a transformative, multi-benefit greenspace that captures the spirit of Houston: turning our climate challenges into vibrant community assets.”

The total cost of Hill at Sims is $28.3 million. Funding comes from Precinct One ($18.8 million), The Brown Foundation ($7.5 million), with an additional $2 million from public federal and state funds secured by State Representative Alma Allen and Congressman Al Green. When complete, it will feature a 1.6 mile basin loop trail, water access pier, a parking lot, a 2,000-square-foot open air pavilion with restrooms, flexible lawn space for active programming, and picnic pavilions.

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