To the surprise of many newcomers, Houston's downtown Theater District ranks second only to New York City for the number of theater seats in downtown area. It offers a unique blend of cutting-edge performance art and well-known classics in a variety of intimate settings- Alley Theater, Jones Hall, Wortham Theater Center, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

Alley Theater
One of the oldest resident professional theater companies in the country, Houston’s Alley Theatre presents diverse plays by contemporary dramatists. Some are theater classics, others new works.

Jones Hall hosts the Houston Symphony and the Society of Performing Arts. While Jones Hall concerts and performances are always thrilling, it is also the frequent scene of gala occasions -- receptions, banquets and dances that are very much a part of Houston’s social scene.

Wortham Theater Center is one of the stars of the Theater District. This elegant venue, with its dramatic Grand Foyer, is the home of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet.

Hobby Center for the Performing Arts- Still another spectacular venue in the Theater District is the Hobby Center that offers performances on two stages and provides state-of-the-art settings for shows staged by Theatre Under the Stars and Broadway Series.]

The Houston Ballet has been hailed by The New York Times as 'one of the nation's best ballet companies.'The company gives more than 80 performances annually at its home theater, Wortham Theater Center, and has toured nationally and internationally to overwhelming critical acclaim.

Broadway in Houston brings the best of Broadway touring productions to Houston such as Chicago, Rent, The King and I, and Titanic, along with long-run Broadway blockbusters like The Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon have all been part of Broadway in Houston.

Houston Grand Opera. Of the many stars in the Theater District, few shine as brightly as the Houston Grand Opera. Founded in 1955, the company has a proud history of groundbreaking productions earning Emmy, Grammy and a Tony awards as well as world premieres, television appearances and special recordings.

The Houston Symphony has an impressively rich history and is today counted among the world’s finest orchestras. The symphony regularly tours the U.S. and abroad and performs classical, pops and education concerts in Jones Hall and during the summer at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and Miller Outdoor Theater. 

Miller Outdoor Theater is the only free open-air theatre of its kind in the United States. It is a home away from home for some of Houston's most dynamic arts organizations such as Houston Grand Opera, Festival Chicano, Houston Symphony, Theatre Under The Stars and a host of other multi-cultural groups and theater companies. Every performance in March to November season is free.

Each season, Society for Performing Arts brings the world's greatest performing artists and companies to Houston.  Performances range from traditional to contemporary, including orchestras and dance companies, recitalists and solo performers, as well as new art forms and culture-specific attractions.

Theater Under the Stars- The largest and most recognized producing and presenting equity organization in the country, is in its 34th season of musical theater. It is responsible for launching Broadway hits such as Beauty and the Beast and Jekyll & Hyde.