From Aug. 18-24, live theater, opera, dance and musical performances will take place at downtown venues and community theaters in the Houston area.

The gist

According to a July 29 news release from Houston First Corporation, the marketing agency behind Houston Theater Week, the event will run for seven days, offering nearly 400 live performances across the city. The group is also launching Ask V, a new AI-powered assistant designed to help customers find shows and book tickets.

Customers will be able to use Ask V to help navigate the wide variety of showings and receive tailored recommendations based on their preferences. Ask V will also recommend hotels, restaurants and excursions to do around Houston.

What’s new

Another new addition to the week-long event is celebrity panels. The lecture series will include speakers such as actress Jane Fonda, Chef Samin Nosrat, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and humorist David Sedaris, according to the release.

Partnering organizations involved this year include popular Houston staples such as Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet, The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and Houston Symphony.

Ensemble Christopher Fitzgerald James Monroe Iglehart in the Broadway production of SPAMALOT. (Courtesy of Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman).
Ensemble Christopher Fitzgerald and James Monroe Iglehart in the Broadway production of SPAMALOT. (Courtesy of Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman).

More details

Michael Heckman, President & CEO of the Houston First Corporation, said last year Houston Theater Week sold more than 32,000 tickets and brought in a revenue of nearly $1.4 million.

Heckman said the power and popularity of the week is evident in the “record number of offers and deals available to consumers this year.”

“We are pleased to once again partner with our world-class performing arts organizations to bring exclusive deals to audiences and generate revenue that helps strengthen our performing arts community,” Heckman said in the release.

Tickets go on sale Aug. 18 and can be purchased on the organization’s website. Residents can buy one ticket and get a second one free with the code HTW25.