The Alley Theatre in Houston

The Alley Theatre in Houston is where natives and tourists go to see new and classic plays that are being performed in the city. The theatre promises to offer patrons a transformative and enlightening experience by only offering plays that fit the rigorous standards set by the Alley Theatre.

The Alley Theatre sits in a castle-like building of stone and cement. Although the theatre looks aged and beautiful from the outside the inside isn't ancient in appearance and is a comfortable, spacious and clean environment that can seat over 800 attendees.

The city of Houston has a dynamic and diverse art scene and the Alley Theatre is definitely part of it. The theatre has offered the city of Houston cultural experiences since 1968. The Alley Theatre has an intriguing history that began in a leaky room where talented actors and musicians performed on the rugged stage. It struggled for sixty years to become the theatre that Houstonians have come to love, cherish, and respect. The Alley Theatre has humble beginnings that speak highly of the its efforts to remain a symbol of high quality performance in the Houston art and cultural scene.

The Alley Theater's dedication to educating the public is as strong as its dedication to performing arts. The theatre has an Education and Community Engagement Department that offers programs to exchange ideas and dialogue that encourage artistic thinking and living. Another program called DramaKids is an after school program offered by Alley Theatre for upper elementary school students. The DramaKids program helps the children to gain confidence and poise and develop character. It encourages the children to work effectively in a team environment. A weekly workshop specifically for teenage thespians is also available through the theatre.

Theatre fans give the Alley Theatre high markings and reviews. The plays that are given at the Alley Theatre are described as bold, entertaining, and mesmerizing. The theatre has received the coveted Tony Award which is only given to one theatre per year. In addition to the Tony Award, Alley Theatre has won national recognition for its prestige and excellence in classic and traditional play performances. The most popular of the plays at the Alley Theatre is the play A Christmas Carol. The talented in-house actors at the theatre put on the show every year and draw thousands to see the performance on stage. Performing neglected plays such as Charles Dicken's Christmas Carol featuring Ebenezer Scrooge are an essential source of revenue for Alley Theatre.

One interesting thing the world class performers at Alley Theatre do is something called "Talk-Backs." Essentially, a Talk-Back is an interactive performance that engages the audience. The actors pose questions, dilemmas, or problems and encourage the audience to engage in the actual performance itself. This method is often implemented by the artistic staff at the Alley Theatre.

Young theatre-goers who desire to frequent the Alley's productions can enjoy an annual membership for a $75 fee. The membership includes invitation to behind-scenes events at the Alley, volunteer opportunities, fundraiser invites and much more.