Register Now for Holiday Camps!
2022 – 2023 Theater for Youth Season
Subscriptions for our 2022-2023
Theater for Youth Season are now closed!
Create a 3 Production Package, 4 Production Package, or the whole season with a 5 Production Package, and save on single ticket prices AND receive great benefits, including:
- Free, unlimited TICKET EXCHANGES throughout the season.
- LOWEST TICKET PRICE with no ticketing fees.
- Access to the BEST SEATS before single tickets go on sale to the public.
- PRIORITY ACCESS for our Holiday Subscription add-ons.
- Discounted tickets for additional purchases to the Theater for Youth and the MainStage (in Rice Village).
2022 – 2023 MainStage Season
Subscriptions for our 2022-2023
MainStage Season are now closed!
Subscribe today, save on single ticket prices, AND receive great benefits, including:
- Free, unlimited TICKET EXCHANGES throughout the season.
- LOWEST TICKET PRICE with no ticketing fees.
- Access to the BEST SEATS before single tickets go on sale to the public.
- PRIORITY ACCESS for Subscription add-ons like The Wickhams – Christmas at Pemberley.
- Discounted tickets for additional purchases to the MainStage and the Theater for Youth (at the MATCH).
The Hard Problem
The Hard Problem
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Rebecca Greene Udden
If there is nothing but matter, then what is consciousness? This is what scientists have deemed “the hard problem.” In Tom Stoppard’s brilliant and most recent play, Hilary, a young psychology researcher at a prominent brainscience institute, is nursing a private sorrow while delving into examination of the hard problem at the think-tank. Is the day coming when the computer and the MRI scanner will answer all the questions psychology can ask? Or is there more to being human… Hilary’s personal journey alongside her professional exploration takes the audience on a ride through the mind and heart like only Tom Stoppard can.
LOCATION
Main Street Theater – Rice Village
2540 Times Blvd.
Houston, TX 77005
Directions
PERFORMANCES
EXTENDED
THROUGH OCTOBER 13!
September 14 – October 13, 2019
Previews: September 8, 12, & 13
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays–7:30pm
Sundays–3:00pm
Sunday, September 29 at 3pm
Open “in-sync” Captioned Performance
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Please note: no outside food/snacks are allowed at the theater. You may purchase concessions at the show.
Children under the age of 13 are not allowed in the theater.
Part of the Art Series Events for The Hard Problem
Tuesday, August 20 at 6:45pm: Join us for free, first read-thru of The Hard Problem. For who are new to us, this is a Part of the Art Series event where you get to be a fly on the wall for the very first rehearsal, hearing the cast read the play aloud for the first time together. It’s a lot of fun, and you get a glass of wine and the chance to mix and mingle with the cast on a break. RSVP to shannon@mainstreettheater.com
Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6:45pm: Opening Night Pre-Show Discussion with the director Rebecca Greene Udden and designers Eric Marsh and Victoria Gist. Free.
Sunday, September 22: Following the matinee, join us for a discussion with actors from the production and members of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) Houston for a discussion of the central philosophical issue of the play–the “Hard Problem” in the study of consciousness–and its incorporation into the play’s dramatic conflicts. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Mark Ryan, representing IONS-Houston.
Sunday, September 29: Following the matinee, John Lienhard, originator of The Engines of Our Ingenuity and Prof. Emeritus of Engineering and of History at the University of Houston, will give a post-show talk followed by an open discussion with the artists and audience.
Friday, October 4: Join us for a post-show discussion with Jeffrey J. Kripal who holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought, Associate Dean of Humanities at Rice University. Dr. Kripal’s latest book, The Flip: Epiphanies of Mind and the Future of Knowledge, touches on some of the very subjects addressed in The Hard Problem. Watch a video from the evening: https://youtu.be/zrKkGxzyJJw
Sunday, October 6: Following the matinee, beginning around 5pm, join us for a book signing with Dr. E. Andrew Boyd, Scheduled Contributor, Houston Public Media’s The Engines of Our Ingenuity. His book, Beyond Comprehension: A Scientific Look at the Challenge of Knowing Everything, is very on point with The Hard Problem:
The universe is infinite.
The human brain isn’t.
Are we up to the challenge of knowing everything?
Containers filled with paint that can’t be painted. Experiments that give contradictory results. Numbers that don’t add up. Explore the scientific middle ground between light and shadow. The very real realm lying beyond comprehension. For more information, see https://www.beyondcomprehension.info
Free Beer Fridays: Following regular Friday performances sponsored by Saint Arnold in The Liberty Group lobby (previews excluded).
After-parties following all Saturday performances, including a special reception on Opening Night, in The Liberty Group lobby.
Season Sponsor
Season Sponsor
A Year with Frog and Toad
A Year with Frog and Toad
Book and Lyrics by Willie Reale
Music by Robert Reale
Based on the books by Arnold Lobel
Directed by Jimmy Phillips
This whimsical musical follows two best friends through four, fun-filled seasons. They plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding, eat cookies and learn life lessons along the way. A sweet tale of the power of friendship!
Sunday, September 29:
Join us as we partner with the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center for Frog and Toad crafts, biofact fun, and more, both before and after the shows!
Sunday, October 6:
It’s Grandparents Day at Frog and Toad!
Grandparents, join us for a special day with grandchildren, making memories with photo ops and more. Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your performance.
PERFORMANCES
Weekend & Holiday Performances: September 29 – October 26, 2019
School Matinees: September 24 – October 25, 2019
Sunday, October 6 at 3:30pm
Sensory-Friendly/Relaxed Performance
Sunday, October 26 at 10:30am
Audio Descriptive
Advance Reservations Required (7 days minimum). Click here to reserve.
Saturday, October 26 at 1:30pm
ASL
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Please note: no outside food/snacks are allowed at the theater. You may purchase concessions at the show.
Recommended for Pre-Kindergarten and up.
Children under the age of 3 (including sleeping babies) are not allowed in the theater.
Register Now for Spring Break Camp!
We have classes and camps all year long
at Main Street Theater!
Registration is now OPEN for:
Spring Break Camp
Summer Camp
Click here for all the details!
All Classes & Camps held at MST – Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd.
Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue
Production Partner:
Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue
By Quiara Alegría Hudes
Directed by Rebecca Greene Udden
Elliot Ortiz is a young soldier, like his Pop was before him, like his Abuelo before that. But despite the things they share—their love of music, their love for each other, and their experiences of war—even when they desperately need to communicate, they just can’t seem to make it work.
This powerful portrait of a Puerto Rican military family by Pulitzer Prize winner and Tony Award® nominee Quiara Alegría Hudes (In the Heights, Water by the Spoonful) is a breathtaking symphony of music, memories, and the things that mark our bodies…and our souls.
Houston audiences will have the rare opportunity to follow Hudes’ Elliot Trilogy playing concurrently. Main Street’s production of Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue, Part I of the Trilogy, and Stages Houston’s production of Water by the Spoonful, Part II, which open 1 day apart in February. Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company will produce the final installment of the trilogy, The Happiest Song Plays Last, will have a staged reading at MST during the first week of March.
February 23: Join us for our Part of the Art Series post-show discussion with Sandylane Oquendo, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Retired, HUD Certified counselor and Home Ownership Promotion & Preservation Program Manager with the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, and Osvaldo Gelpi, SSG Retired US Army, advocate for Puerto Rican Veteran benefits in the island.
LOCATION
Main Street Theater – Rice Village
2540 Times Blvd.
Houston, TX 77005
Directions
PERFORMANCES
February 8 – March 1, 2020
Previews: February 2, 5 & 6
Sunday, February 23 at 3pm
Open “in-sync” Captioned Performance
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Please note: no outside food/snacks are allowed at the theater. You may purchase concessions at the show.
Children under the age of 13 are not allowed in the theater.
Production Sponsors
THE HUMPHREYS FOUNDATION
Season Sponsor
Season Sponsor
Cry It Out
Following the instructions of city officials regarding Covid-19 coronavirus, Main Street Theater has canceled all performances and classes for the foreseeable future. While we do not take this decision lightly, our foremost priority is ensuring your health and safety, as well as the health of our artists and staff.
Our offices are currently closed as well. We understand your concerns and ask your patience at this time. Rest assured that we will be in touch as soon as possible regarding your tickets and other matters.
We will continue to monitor the city’s response to Covid-19 coronavirus closely and notify you once we have more information.
Thank you so much for your understanding and support. We wish you well during this difficult time and look forward to seeing you once we resume performances.
Cry It Out
By Molly Smith Metzler
Directed by Rachel Ollagnon
On maternity leave for the first time, Jessie and Lina tiptoe to their shared backyard for a precious cup of coffee and a chat during naptime. This new comedy takes an honest look at the absurdities of being home with a baby, the dilemma of returning to work, and how class impacts parenthood and friendship. A whip-smart exploration of “the fourth trimester” from Molly Smith Metzler (Orange Is the New Black, Shameless), Cry It Out captures the belly laughs, raw rage, and secret confidences that come with the early days of parenthood.
LOCATION
Main Street Theater – Rice Village
2540 Times Blvd.
Houston, TX 77005
Directions
PERFORMANCES
June 4 – 28, 2020
TBD
Open “in-sync” Captioned Performance
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Please note: no outside food/snacks are allowed at the theater. You may purchase concessions at the show.
Children under the age of 13 are not allowed in the theater.
SPONSOR
Season Sponsor
Season Sponsor
The Cat in the Hat Performance
The Cat in the Hat Performance
TOURING PERFORMANCE
Adapted by Katie Mitchell
Based on the book by Dr. Seuss
“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day.” So begins the wildly popular Dr. Seuss classic that generations of children have read. But never fear, the Cat in the Hat appears, along with Thing One and Thing Two (bringing mayhem and fun!), to take Sally, her brother, and the fish on a madcap adventure!
Technical Requirements
Download the Playbill
Download a Color Poster for Your School (legal size)
Download a Black and White Poster for Your School (legal size)
Color Poster – letter size
Black and White Poster – letter size
PERFORMANCES
On Tour: February 11 – May 22, 2020
For information about public performances, click the button below
Costume Renderings by Designer Danielle Hodgins
Cat in the Hat Visit
The Cat in the Hat
CHARACTER VISIT
Each visit includes:
-
Each school visit is forty-five minutes long and includes charcter sharing his adventures from the story in a mini-interactive performance, a “question and answer” period, and a photo with the students. (Maximum capacity: 150 students)
- $200 per visit
PERFORMANCES
On Tour: February 11 – May 21, 2020
For information about public performances, click the button below