What to know about the 2025-2026 theater season
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"Porgy and Bess." Photo: Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera
Theaters are pulling back the curtain on their upcoming season — and the calendar is packed with drama, mayhem and laughter.
Why it matters: The 2025-2026 lineup announcements help theaters lock in subscribers and boost revenue ahead of the fall, while giving audiences a glimpse of what's to come.
The big picture: Houston is home to one of the country's most active theater communities, with a mix of major institutions and smaller companies that stage work year-round.
Here's a snapshot of what the theater scene next season will look like:
Broadway at the Hobby Center
- This season brings a mix of Houston premieres, high-energy newcomers and returning fan favorites.
- The lineup opens with the first national tour of the Tony Award–winning "Kimberly Akimbo," followed by new-to-Houston productions like "Water for Elephants" and "The Great Gatsby." Fan favorites such as "Hadestown" and "Six" return.
- Eight-show package subscriptions begin at $359.
Houston Grand Opera
- HGO's theme this season is meant to "honor the light we hold for our art form, and the great composers and storytellers through the centuries — but for all the artists and creatives who bring light into our world," says CEO Khori Dastoor.
- The company revisits "Porgy and Bess," which helped launch HGO as a trailblazer and went on to earn a Tony and a Grammy. The season also includes the company's first-ever production of Puccini's "Il trittico" and a revised version of the Pulitzer Prize–winning "Silent Night" by Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell.
- Full subscriptions start at $100.
Theater Under the Stars
- Next season at TUTS leans into stories rooted in the past. "Million Dollar Quartet" recreates a 1956 recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and other rock legends. "Back to the Future: The Musical" brings the beloved '80s film to the stage.
- The season kicks off with "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," set at a fictional middle school spelling competition.
- Subscription packages will be available April 21.
Houston Ballet
- A mix of beloved classics and contemporary works awaits this season, with world premieres, audience favorites, and celebrated guest choreographers in the spotlight — from the haunting romance of "Giselle" to a vivid tribute to Frida Kahlo in "Broken Wings."
- Season packages start at around $135.
The Alley Theatre
- The Alley's upcoming season blends world premieres with inventive takes on well-known stories. Highlights include "English," the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner about five students grappling with identity and language in an English class; a stage adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code"; and "The Body Snatcher," a spine-tingling love story arriving just in time for spooky season.
- Three-play subscription packages start at $195.
Worthy of your time: Miller Outdoor Theatre's current season, with free shows from spring to fall opens Friday with a dance adaptation of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."
What we're watching: Some community theaters, including Ensemble, Main Street, Stages and Catastrophic, will also soon announce their upcoming seasons.