By 2 Girls Who Travel love the theater. So when the Ensemble Theatre (Houston, TX) announced their 2018-2019 season, we were thrilled. So in true 2 Girls Who Travel fashion, we are sharing the good news!
If you aren’t familiar with the Ensemble Theatre, we need to change that immediately. Located in Houston’s Midtown District, The Ensemble was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins. The mission of the Ensemble is to preserve African American artistic expression and enlighten, entertain and enrich a diverse community.
Today, the Ensemble is the oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, and holds the impressive distinction of being one of the nation’s largest African American theatres to produce in-house and own its building.
The operations and programs of The Ensemble, which include educational workshops, artist-in-residence experiences, and live performances for students both off-site and at the theatre, and the Young Performers Program, benefit a multicultural audience.
The Ensemble’s executive director, Janette L. Cosley and artistic director, Eileen J. Morris, lead the theatre in producing the Mainstage Season of six contemporary and classical works devoted to the portrayal of the African American experience by local and national artists and playwrights.
More than 60,000 people are reached through The Ensemble’s programs each year. So you may wonder how you can help support the theatre in continuing their programming.
- Subscribe to their Mainstage Season of productions.
- Enroll your children in the Young Performers Program.
- Support the Annual Fund by making a tax-deductible donation to assist with the theatre’s operating costs.
- Attend special events like the Annual Black Tie Gala, Annual Golf Tournament and the Heart of the Theatre.
- Tell a friend and invite them to a production.
- Consider a bequest to the theatre in your will.
Take a look at the upcoming, new season of programming.
2018-2019 Season
‘da Kink In My Hair
Comedy/Play with music/ Regional Premiere
By Trey Anthony
Previews: September 15, 16, and 19
OPENING NIGHT: September 20, 2018
Runs: September 20 – October 14, 2018
Synopsis:
Set in a Caribbean hair salon of a West Indian stylist in Toronto, ‘da Kink in my Hair gives voice to eight Black women who tell their unforgettable stories in a kaleidoscope of drumming, singing and dance. It is a testament to the challenges and triumphs in the lives of contemporary Black women, many of whom are immigrants to North America from the Caribbean. Mixing laughter and tears, revelation and inspiration, the unapologetically intense stories of each woman are woven together in this powerful piece.
Christmas is Comin’ Uptown
Musical
Written by Phillip Rose & Peter Udell
Previews: November 10, 11, and 14
OPENING NIGHT: November 15, 2018
Runs: November 15 – December 30, 2018
Synopsis:
Who doesn’t love a classic with a twist! The traditional story of “A Christmas Carol” gets a jazzy and colorful makeover! In this version, Scrooge is a Harlem slumlord who is just about to foreclose on a tenement house and a church when a surprise visit from an “old friend” and some groovy ghosts make him reconsider.
Too Heavy for Your Pocket
Drama/ Regional Premiere
Written by Jiréh Breon Holder
Previews: January 19, 20, 23
OPENING NIGHT: January 25, 2019
Runs: January 25 – February 24, 2019
Synopsis:
In rural Tennessee at the height of the Civil Rights Movement two young couples struggle to understand justice, love, and their own responsibilities. When Bowzie gets a scholarship to attend Fisk University, he has the opportunity to improve his family’s life. His education goes beyond the classroom, as he becomes a Freedom Rider and joins the fight against racism in the Deep South, leaving his obligations as a husband and friend behind. A beautifully written look at the personal cost and private struggles behind public events, Too Heavy for Your Pocket speaks powerfully about the bonds of friendship and what defines true family.
Freeda Peoples
Comedy/Drama/ Regional Premiere
Written by Joyce Sylvester (Playwright of Women In the Pit)
Previews: March 17, 17, and 20
OPENING NIGHT: March 21, 2019
Runs: March 21 – April 14, 2019
Synopsis:
The Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, there is a none righteous not even one (Romans 3:32). Therefore, the church is the perfect place for spiritual growth. Freeda Peoples deals with the relationships between the deacons, trustees, and the new pastor and how no one is who they really seem to be. This comedy/drama will have you rolling in the aisles.
Pipeline
Drama/ Regional Premiere
Written by Dominique Morisseau (Playwright of Detroit ’67)
Previews: May 4, 5, and 8
OPENING NIGHT: May 9, 2019
Runs: May 9 – June 2, 2019
Synopsis:
Nya, an inner-city public high school teacher, is committed to her students but desperate to give her only son Omari opportunities they’ll never have. When a controversial incident at his upstate private school threatens to get him expelled, Nya must confront his rage and her own choices as a parent. But will she be able to reach him before a world beyond her control pulls him away?
Josephine Tonight
Musical/ Regional Premiere
Book & lyrics by Sherman Yellen
Music by Wally Harper
Previews: June 22, 23, 26
OPENING NIGHT: June 27, 2019
Runs: June 27 – July 28, 2019
Synopsis:
A musical biography of showbiz legend Josephine Baker. Josephine Tonight draws on the early life of the internationally known singer, actress and nightclub sensation who wowed audiences in America and Europe in the first quarter of the 20th century, and reveals the relationship of the young Josephine and her laundress mother who steers her toward success and then guides her to remember her roots.
For Tickets to the new season, visit www.ensemblehouston.com or see the box office info below.
Box Office Ticketing Hours:
Monday – Friday Noon – 5:00PM
713-520-0055 or 713-807-4300
boxoffice@ensemblehouston.com
Show Nights Ticketing:
The box office is open two hours before the start of every show.
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