HOUSTON
The Chinese Lady at Stages
Stages presents Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady, Feb. 27-March 26, 2026.
“Inspired by the true story of the first Chinese woman to step foot in America in 1834, The Chinese Lady, is a critically-acclaimed tale of dark poetic whimsy and a unique portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of 14-year-old Afong Moy who was immediately put on display as a living exhibit for a public who were mesmerized by her exotic ways and horrified by her tiny, bound feet. The Chinese Lady, in turn, puts on display the impressions of a young country struggling with how to define itself.”
Ballet Hispánico at Performing Arts Houston
Performing Arts Houston presents Ballet Hispánico in Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s CARMEN.maquia, Jan.16-17, 2026 at Cullen Theater, Wortham Center. Ballet Hispánico’s artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro describes the ballet as “suspenseful, passionate, and humorous. It’s a dance between intensity and levity, a constant interplay that makes the narrative so dynamic and timeless.”
Slyvia at Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet presents Stanton Welch’s Slyvia, Feb. 26-March 8 at Wortham Center. With Music by Leo Delibes, a refresh of the narrative involving fierce women, love, mythology, a conflict between the gods and humans, Slyvia will be a great opportunity to witness the full strength of the company.
AUSTIN
Yellow Face at Ground Floor Theatre
Ground Floor Theatre presents David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face, directed by Sandy Lam, Feb. 12-28, 2026. In a semi-autobiographical comedy, Yellow Face
“tackles questions of race, identity, and representation in the American theater with biting wit and satirical edge.”
Jason Moran at Texas Performing Arts
Texas Performing Arts presents Jason Moran Duke Ellington: My Heart Sings, Jan 31, 2026 at Bates Recital Hall. Moran will play a solo piano journey through Ellington’s iconic works and then be joined by UT’s acclaimed jazz orchestra for a thrilling big band finale. Presented in part by the College of Fine Arts Visiting Artist Endowment.
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AUSTIN
Director Sandy Lam. Photo courtesy of the artist.
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AUSTIN
Jason Moran. Photo by Clay Patrick McBride.
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DALLAS/ FORT WORTH
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana. Photo by Csilla Kajtar.
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DALLAS/ FORT WORTH
Grackle Dance Collective in Murmuration. Photo by Jenna Davis.
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DALLAS/ FORT WORTH
Liz Mikel; Photo courtesy of Stage West.
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HOUSTON
Houston Ballet Principals Karina González as Sylvia and Connor Walsh as The Shepherd in Stanton Welch’s Sylvia. Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2019). Courtesy of Houston Ballet.
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HOUSTON
Ballet Hispánico dancers Shelby Colona and Christopher Bloom, in Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's CARMEN.maquia. Photo by Paula Lobo.
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SAN ANTONIO
Dreamgirls director Darcell Andre. Photo courtesy of the artist.
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SAN ANTONIO
Chris Thile. Photo by Josh Goleman.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH
Grackle Dance Collective
Texas dance legend Jennifer Mabus’s new dance group, Grackle Dance Collective, premieres Murmuration, Jan. 16-17at the Latino Cultural Center. “Our flock of misfit creatives is unafraid of the unknown—constantly testing new methods of process and performance,” says Mabus about Grackle. “Murmuration brings together Dallas-based dance artists and musicians to devise an experimental dance theatre work rooted in community stories- inspired by the unrecognized strength and power of the native Texas grackle bird.”
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana at TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND
TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND, in association with AT&T Performing Arts Center, presents the Texas debut of Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana (USA/Spain), Feb. 6-7, 2026 Moody Performance Hall. With a powerhouse cast of dancers and musicians from the U.S. and Spain, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana brings all that pride and passion to life in Tablao Flamenco.
Where We Stand at Stage West
Stage West presents Donnetta Lavinia Grays’s Where We Stand in a co-production with Dallas Theater Center, Jan. 29-Feb. 15, 2026. “In this interactive play presented as a town hall gathering, Broadway actor and Dallas legend Liz Mikel plays a lone storyteller who weaves a world through music and magic.”
SAN ANTONIO
Chris Thile at Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
Acclaimed Grammy Award-winning mandolinist, singer, songwriter, composer, and MacArthur Fellow Chis Thile is touring Texas. He lands in Houston through Performing Arts Houston on Jan. 22 at the Wortham Center, in San Antonio at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 23, and in Austin on Jan. 24 at the Paramount Theater.
Dreamgirls at San Pedro Playhouse
San Pedro Playhouse presents the Tony Award-winning musical Dreamgirls, Feb. 6-March 8, 2026 at the Russell Hill Rogers Theater. “When building the creative team, it was essential that it reflected the Black artists of San Antonio, especially Black women,” says director Darcell Andre. “This story lives in our music and our memory, so having Black women leading costumes, hair and makeup, and assistant directing was non-negotiable. Their lived experience brings the nuance, honesty, and cultural preservation this show deserves.”
—NANCY WOZNY
