See the latest performing arts productions and theater happenings opening across Houston from Monday, October 23 to Sunday, October 29, 2023.

Looking for ways to keep the theater calendar straight? We have you covered with this weekly roundup series tracking openings at theaters and performing arts institutions across the city of Houston.

Dig deeper for more ongoing performances happening on stages across Houston by checking out the 365 Houston Calendar.

Here’s our list of must-see openings:

Top Performing Arts Openings This Week: October 23 to 29, 2023

• Formosa Quartet with Mei-Hui Wei: The Music of Taiwan at Asia Society Texas | Thursday, October 26 – This concert celebrates Taiwanese indigenous music and nanguan, a beloved style of classical Chinese music known for its soft melodicism. Look for contemporary pieces by composer Shih-Hui Chen, who will speak on Taiwanese musical traditions and cultural context of the pieces. $30. 7:30pm.
• Shepherd School Orchestra presents Fire and Ice at Rice University’s Stude Concert Hall | Friday, October 27 – This program draws from the mythical and the magical, featuring performances of Scriabin’s Poème de l’extase (Poem of Ecstasy), Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” Pay-what-you-wish. 7:30pm.
• Performing Arts Houston presents Step Afrika! Drumfolk at Wortham Center | Friday, October 27 & Saturday, October 28 – A little-known historic event in the early 18th century stripped Africans of the rights to use their drums. But it couldn’t stop the music, whose beats became infused in their bodies. Presented by the first professional dance company dedicated to stepping, this event offers expressions of endurance, hope and unity. $39 and up. 7:30pm.
• Houston Symphony presents Go Now: A Tribute to the Moody Blues at Jones Hall | Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29 – World-class rock musicians from the band Go Now—including drummer Gordy Marshall, who spent decades playing with the Moody Blues— join the Symphony for stunning re-creations of classic hits like “Nights in White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” and “Go Now.” $34 and up. Friday and Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 2:30pm.
• Houston Grand Opera presents Falstaff at Wortham Center | Friday, October 27 | Ongoing – Verdi’s final masterpiece follows the adventures of the drunken, vain, formerly thin knight Sir John Falstaff. He’s fallen on hard times, but he decides he’s going to woo a couple of wealthy women in an attempt to cash in. But when they find out his scheme, they vow revenge. $25 and up. Showtimes vary.
• Center for Indian Classical Music of Houston presents Saadhana Sur Sang at MATCH | Saturday, October 28 – In a concert celebrating the organization’s 20th anniversary, audiences can enjoy some of the world’s finest Indian classical artists. Featured performances include selections from Hindustani traditions, tabla instrumentalists and an appearance by Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, one of today’s finest sitar players. $35 and up. 2:45pm.
• Intempo Dance Ensemble presents Day of the Dead Celebration at MATCH | Saturday, October 28 – This evening of dance and music features catrinas and sugar skulls dances, transporting audiences to the magical world of Dia de los Muertos. The Mexican tradition is a celebration of life, remembering loved ones who came before us, but with joy and devotion, dedicating an altar to welcome them back for their visit to the world of the living, once a year. $25. 7pm.
• Houston Chamber Choir presents City of Stars at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Saturday, October 28 | FREE – Spend an evening under the stars in Hermann Park, listening to the Grammy Award–winning ensemble sing favorite songs from beloved films such as A Star is Born, The Wizard of Oz and more. 7:30pm.

Final Performances This Week

Rec Room’s Heroes of the Fourth Turning closes on Saturday, October 28.

Sunday, October 29 sees the final shows of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Hobby Center, Garden Theatre’s The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Stages’ production of Always…Patsy Cline, and Unity Theatre’s On the Exhale in Brenham.

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