Performania: A Spotlight on Texas Stages

Nancy Wozny·
AustinDallas/Ft WorthHoustonMusicPerformaniaSan AntonioTheater
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AUSTIN

Peril in the Alps at Austin Playhouse

Austin Playhouse presents the regional premiere of Steven Dietz’s Peril in the Alps, inspired by Agatha Christie’s Poirot Investigates, and a sequel to the hit comedy Murder on the Links. Ben Wolfe returns as the iconic Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, Nov. 21-Dec. 28, 2025. Expect “colorful characters in an exhilarating blend of suspense, humor, and theatrical magic.”

Manual Cinema at Texas Performing Arts

The popular Emmy Award-winning Manual Cinema returns to Austin with The 4th Witch, presented with Fusebox and presented in part by the College of Fine Arts Visiting Artist Endowment, Nov. 15, 2PM & 7:30PM at McCullough Theatre .  “The all-new performance blends shadow puppetry, live-action silhouettes, and original music to create a haunting reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.”

DALLAS/FORT WORTH

Bruce Wood Dance Dallas

Bruce Wood Dance Dallas launches season 16 with Glow, an evening that includes works by Bruce Wood. Lar Lubovitch and Robert Battle, Nov. 21-23, 2025 at Moody Performance Hall. Joy Bollinger,  Bruce Wood Dance Dallas Artistic Director, is especially excited about the world premiere from Battle. “He’s one of the most recognized choreographers we’ve commissioned, and yet he arrived with such openness and humility,” Bollinger says. “It’s been refreshing for him to just focus on creating.”

Anne Plamondon Danse at TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND

TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND presents the US debut of Anne Plamondon Danse, the Canadian troupe that is gaining global momentum, Nov. 7-8 at Moody Performance Hall. Her work has been celebrated for both its technical brilliance and its genuine emotional depth. TITAS executive and Artistic Director Charles Santos is particularly excited to have Anne Plamondon Danse on the lineup, adding, “Every year we look for a ‘discovery company’ that’s breaking into the touring scene, and this year it’s Anne.”

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 at Stage West

Stage West presents the regional premiere of  Peter Rothstein’s All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, with vocal arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, and directed by Dana Schultes, Dec. 3-21, 2025. All is Calm chronicles the remarkable true story of Christmas Eve 1914 in the cold trenches of World War I. “ In this powerful musical recounting of shared humanity in dark times, a 10-man a cappella chorus weaves together soldiers’ letters, poetry, and period songs—ranging from trench tunes to holiday carols.”

HOUSTON

Houston Cinema Arts Festival

Houston Cinema Arts Society presents the Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF) Nov. 6–16, 2025, with events happening at DeLUXE Theater, River Oaks Theater,  Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Susan and Fayez Sarofim Hall at Rice University, The Menil Collection and Aurora Picture Show. This festival’s theme is “HERE”—an exploration of what it means to be present and navigating the uncertainty of our time. Highlights include Houston Stories, a showcase of local voices; Borders | No Borders, featuring emerging talent from Texas and Latin America; the 11th annual CineSpace competition with NASA; and numerous regional premieres.

Porgy and Bess and Il trittico at HGO

Houston Grand Opera opens the season with two opera milestones: Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, the very opera that earned HGO  a Tony and Grammy Award, through Nov. 15 at Wortham Center; and Il trittico (through Nov. 14) HGO’s first-ever full presentation of Puccini’s masterful trio of one-act operas which includes  Il tabarro, a tale of passion and betrayal set on the Seine, Suor Angelica which “delves into the desperation of a cloistered nun with a haunted past, Gianni Schicchi, the tale of a cunning conman who turns a family’s greed into a delightful farce.”

Twincussion at Asia Society Texas Center

Asia Society Texas Center presents Twincussion: ‘Twin Beats’ — Melodies and Rhythms From Taiwan, presented in partnership with Taiwan Academy on Nov. 21. Twin brothers Jen-Ting and Jen-Yu Chien “blend instruments from marimbas and wind-chimes to Chinese opera gongs and electronics, uniting Eastern and Western traditions.” Asia Society’s director of performing arts and culture Michael Buening states, “Twincussion combines beautiful performance with jaw-dropping musicianship, and Asia Society is delighted to welcome them from Taiwan so that Houston audiences can experience these remarkable artists in action.”

SAN ANTONIO

Water Street Dance at Tobin Center

Water Street Dance Milwaukee makes its San Antonio debut this season on Nov. 13 at The Tobin Center with four dynamic works in an evening designed to showcase the full range of talent at this upstart company, known for its bold contemporary repertory. “Whether you’re a seasoned dance enthusiast or experiencing contemporary dance for the very first time, Water Street promises a performance with something for everyone,” says Morgan Williams, founder and artistic director of Water Street Dance Milwaukee.

The Wild Swans at Turnip Ensemble Theater

Turnip Ensemble Theater presents The Wild Swans, a bold new devised theatre adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen tale, Nov. 6-9  at Say Sí Black Box Studio Theatre. This developmental production invites audiences into the creative process. Audience feedback will help shape the work as it continues to move toward a large-scale world premiere planned for fall 2026.

-NANCY WOZNY

Nancy Wozny

Nancy Wozny is editor in chief at Arts and Culture Texas, a contributing editor at Dance Magazine and a frequent contributor to Pointe Magazine and Dance Teacher.