Performing Arts Houston | Encore Magazine, Fall 2023

Performing Arts Houston

MAGAZINE

Step Afrika! brings the beat.

Fall 2023

Performing Arts Houston

615 Louisiana Street, Suite 100 Houston, Texas 77002-2715

713.227.4772

info@performingartshouston.org performingartshouston.org

Meg Booth President

& Chief Executive Officer

Leslie Nelson

Chief Financial Officer

Raie Crawford Director of Education & Community Engagement

Jordan Drum Director of Development

Brian Glass

Director of Marketing, Communications & Digital

Caroline McCain Development Associate

Brenda Oliveira

Board Liaison & Executive Assistant

About Performing Arts

Helena Oliver Development Manager, Individual Giving & Events

Michelle Pacheco Patron Services Manager

Caroline Senter Public Relations Associate

Jennifer Steiner Director of Operations

Lee Strickland Director of Artistic Programming

Phoebe Vo Accounting Manager

Houston

Performing Arts Houston (formerly known as Society for the Performing Arts) connects audiences with exceptional artists through diverse performances and learning experiences. We ignite and cultivate passion for the performing arts, exploring the vast landscape of artistic expression to discover new understanding about ourselves, create community, inspire dialogue, and enrich our world. More at performingartshouston.org.

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON 2023–2024

Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE C O MMITTEE

H. William Swanstrom, Board Chair

Vijay D’Cruz, Board Vice Chair

Tymothi O. Tombar, Secretary

Curt D. Karges, Vice President, Finance & Audit

Willie C.W. Chiang, Vice President, Nominating & Governance

Melanie Gray, Vice President, Special Projects

G. Mark Jodon, Vice President, Development

Emily T. Kuo, Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Theresa Mallett, Vice President, Education & Community Engagement

Jeffrey A. Ball

Leah R. Bennett

Meg Booth (Ex Officio)

Charles C. Boettcher

Charles D. Davidson

Theresa A. Einhorn

Stephen M. Gill

Norah G. Adams

S. Kris Agarwal

Brian D. Bravo

Michael Cannon

Mary Fischer

Sean Gorman

Shawn K. Jackson

Joel Lambert

Ginni Mithoff

Deborah Gordon

Michael D. Hatfield

Eileen Lawal

Scott S. Nyquist

Marisol Salazar

Stephen M. Trauber

Saul Valentin

DIRECTORS

Salvador Pareja

Armando A. Perez

Lance G. Reynolds

Ann V. Rogers

Melanie B. Rother

Omar Samji

Leslie Elkins Sasser

Andrew B. Smith

Kristina H. Somerville

Katherine Easterby Murphy

Michaelene Lusk Norton

Margaret Alkek Williams

DIRECTORS EMERITI

James J. Postl

Robert B. Tudor III

John T. Jones Jr. Founder (1917-1994)

Marcus A. Watts

Jesse H. Jones II President, Society for the Performing Arts Foundation

SEASON SPONSORS

Audience

EXPERIENCE GUIDE

HEALTH & SAFET Y

All Covid policies are at the discretion of the artist, presenter, and venue, and are subject to change. For the latest updates on Health & Safety protocols, please visit performingartshouston.org/faq.

PARKING

Event parking is available in the Theater District Parking garage for $15. Street parking in Downtown Houston is free after 6pm, Monday-Saturday, and all day Sunday. Parking rates and availability are subject to change.

DOORS OPEN

Unless otherwise noted, doors to the lobby will open 60 minutes prior to performance start time and seating inside the auditorium will open 30 minutes prior to start time.

LATE SEATING

Late seating is at the discretion of the artist and may not be available. We suggest everyone arrive early, allowing extra time for parking, entry, and concessions inside the lobby.

FOOD & DRINK

Concessions are available for purchase in the lobby. Eating inside the performance space is prohibited but you're welcome to enjoy drinks during the show.

ACCESSIBILIT Y

For accessibility information, or to purchase accessibility seating, contact the Box Office at 713.227.4772, or visit performingartshouston/visit/ accessibility.

CHILDREN

Unless otherwise specified, all children ages 4 and above may attend performances. Tickets must be purchased for all children, regardless of age, as required by the City of Houston Fire Code.

DEVICES

As a courtesy to others, please silence all electronic devices and refrain from using them during the performance. Even on silent, the glow from devices can be a distraction. Photography and recording of any kind are strictly prohibited.

TICKETS

All tickets are non-refundable. Tickets can be exchanged or donated up to 48 hours prior to the performance. Exchange fees are waived for all Performing Arts Houston members.

LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH

Follow us @performingartshouston

Upcoming Performances & Events

JUL 29–30

AUG 18–20

SEP 16–17

SEP 23

SEP 24

OCT 13

OCT 19

OCT 20

OCT 20

OCT 27–28

NOV 1

NOV 3

NOV 26

DEC 10

JAN 19–20

JAN 23

FEB 9

FEB 23–24

MAR 7–9

APR 2

APR 12

APR 13

APR 30

MAY 3

JUL 6–7

Bluey’s Big Play

4th Annual Mariachi Festival • Presented by Mariachi Festival

MOMIX: Alice • Featuring Opening Night Party on SEP 16

An Evening with Isaac Mizrahi • Cabaret with a NYC fashion icon

Formosa Melody • Presented by Formosa Melody

John Waters: End of the World

Lila Downs: Día de Los Muertos • Celebrating Mexico’s Day of the Dead

An Evening with Bill Nye

Orchestra Noir: Y2K Meets 90s Vibe • Presented by Orchestra Noir

Step Afrika! Drumfolk • 30 th Anniversary

Vienna Boys Choir • 525 th Anniversary (yes, 525 years!)

An Evening with David Sedaris

Dirty Dancing in Concert • You’ll have the time of your life

An Evening with Howie Mandel • Stand-up with the legendary comedian

New/Now • World Premieres by Kam Franklin, Group Acorde & ShaWanna Renne Rivon

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo • Featuring their biggest hits

Time For Three • GRAMMY® winners make their Houston debut

Manual Cinema: Leonardo! • Celebrated Chicago theater company

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater • Featuring Revelations

Bruce Liu, Piano • International Chopin Piano Competition Winner

The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes

Kronos Quartet and Sam Green: A Thousand Thoughts • 50 Years Tour

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain • Bring your own ukulele (BYOU)

An Evening with Peter Sagal

Bluey’s Big Play

Tudor Family Dance Series

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

MOMIX: Alice

SEPTEMBER 16–1 7, 2023

SATURDAY | 2 PM & 7 :30 PM

SUNDAY | 2 PM

CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM CENTER

Duration: 110 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission

See program insert for more information

Sponsored in part by

About the Show

About the Artists

Moses Pendleton

Founder and Artistic Director

Cynthia Quinn

Associate Director

Assisted by:

Orla Badendale

Heather Conn

Nathaniel Davis

Derek Elliot Jr.

Hailey Green

Seah Hagan

Aurelie Garcia

Adam Ross

Woodrow F. Dick III

Production Manager and Lighting Supervisor

Alexa Denney and Lily Fontes

Technical Crew

Michael Korsch

Lighting Design

Moses Pendleton

Music Collage

Andrew Hanson

Music Editing

Woodrow F. Dick III

Video Design

Michael Curry

Spider Puppet Design

Phoebe Katzin

Costume Design

Phoebe Katzin and Beryl Taylor

Costume Construction

Victoria Mazzarelli

Ballet Mistress

Philip Holland

Research Consultant

Quinn Pendleton

Communications Manager

Paula Budetti Burns

Company Manager

About the Program

ACT ONE

Down the Rabbit Hole

 A Summer Day

 Alice Down the Rabbit Hole

 Pool of Tears

 A Trip of Rabbits

 The Tweedles

 The Cheshire Cat

 Advice from a Blue Caterpillar

 The Lobster Quadrille

 Mad Hatters

 The Queen of Diamonds

 The Queen of Clubs Versus The Queen of Spades

 The Mad Queen of Hearts

 Cracked Mirrors

ACT TWO

Through the Looking Glass

 There is Another Shore

 Into the Woods

 The Wolf-Spied-Her

 Looking Through Stained Glass

 Garden of Molar Bears & Other

Creatures

 The Mock Turtle Deflated

 Trial of the Fallen Cards

 Bed of Roses

 Go Ask Alice

Admiral Transfer Music Series

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

An Evening with Isaac Mizrahi

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 | 7 :30 PM

ZILKHA HALL, THE HOBB Y CENTER

Duration: 90 minutes, without intermission

About the Artist

Isaac Mizrahi has worked extensively in the entertainment industry as a performer, host, writer, designer, and producer for over 30 years. He was most recently seen as Amos Hart in the Broadway production of CHICAGO and has an annual residency at Café Carlyle in New York City. Isaac has also performed at various venues across the country such as Joe’s Pub, The Regency Ballroom, and several City Winery locations nationwide. The New York Times noted, "he qualifies as a founding father of a genre that fuses performance art, music and stand-up comedy."

He is the subject and co-creator of Unzipped, a documentary following the making of his Fall 1994 collection which received an award at the Sundance Film Festival. He hosted his own television talk show The Isaac Mizrahi Show for seven years, has written three books, and has made countless appearances in movies and on television. He served as a judge on Project Runway: All-Stars for the series’ entire sevenseason run.

Mizrahi has directed productions of A Little Night Music and The Magic Flute for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Annually, he directs and narrates his production of the children’s classic Peter and The Wolf at The Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Mizrahi has his own production company, Isaac Mizrahi Entertainment, under which he has several projects in development in television, theatre and literature. His New York Times Bestselling memoir, I.M., was published in February 2019.

Series Sponsor

The Negro Motorist Green Book was created by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with Candacy Taylor and made possible through the generous support of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

John Waters: End of the World

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2023 | 7 :30 PM

CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM CENTER

Duration: 90 minutes, without intermission

About the Show

About the Artist

John Waters has written and directed sixteen movies including Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Polyester, Hairspray, Cry Baby, Serial Mom, and A Dirty Shame. He is the author of ten books: Shock Value, Crackpot, Pink Flamingos and Other Trash, Hairspray, Female Trouble and Multiple Maniacs, Art: A Sex Book (co-written with Bruce Hainley), Role Models, Carsick, Make Trouble, Mr. Know-It-All, and in 2022 his first novel, Liarmouth: A Feel Bad Romance.

Two music compilation CDs have been released by New Line Records, A John Waters Christmas (2004) followed by A Date With John Waters (2007). In 2017 Third Man Records released a 7” EP of Waters reading Make Trouble and in 2021 Sub Pop records distributed his Prayer to Pasolini as part of its Singles Club. John’s audiobooks Carsick and Mr. Know-It-All were both nominated for GRAMMY® Awards in the Best Spoken Word Album category.

John Waters is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Additionally, he is a past member of the

The Andy Warhol Foundation Board and the Wexner Center International Arts Advisory Council. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Baltimore Museum of Art as well as the Maryland Film Festival and has been a key advisor to the Provincetown International Film Festival since it began in 1999, the same year Waters was honored as the first recipient of PIFF’s “Filmmaker on the Edge” award.

In September 2014 Film Society of Lincoln Center honored John Waters’ filmmaking with a 10-day celebration entitled Fifty Years of John Waters: How Much Can You Take? featuring a complete retrospective of his work. The next year the British Film Institute also honored John’s contribution to cinema with their own program called The Complete Films of John Waters…Every Goddam One of Them. In 2015, Waters was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and the same by the Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA) in May 2016, as well as by School of Visual Arts (SVA) in 2020. The French Minister of Culture bestowed the rank of Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters to Mr. Waters in 2015. In February 2017 John Waters was honored with the Writers

Guild of America East’s Ian McLellan Hunter Award for his body of work as a writer in motion pictures.

Waters is a photographer whose work has been shown in galleries all over the world. In 2011 he was selected as a juror for the Venice Biennale. He’s performed his one man spoken-word lectures entitled This Filthy World, False Negative or Make Trouble and his annual Christmas show, A John Waters Christmas, at colleges, museums, film festivals and comedy clubs around the world. Waters has appeared in many motion pictures and television shows including Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild, Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown, Seed of Chucky, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. The Simpsons, Ryan Murphy’s Feud, The Blacklist, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Search Party. He also was one of the faces of a Nike campaign in 2019 and the Saint Laurent fall 2020 menswear campaign in 2020.

John Waters: End of the World

Admiral Transfer Music Series

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

Lila Downs: Día de Los Muertos

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 | 7 :30 PM

JONES HALL

Duration: 90 minutes, without intermission

Sponsored in part by

About the Artists

Lila Downs

Vocals, Jarana, hand percussion

George Saenz Jr

Music Director, Trombone, Accordion

Lautaro Burgos

Drums

Nakeiltha Campbell

Percussion

Josh Deutsch

Trumpet, Keys

Rafael Gomez

Electric & Acoustic Guitars

Luis Guzman

Bass

Sinuhe Padilla

Acoustic Guitar, Jarana, Bajo Quinto

Featuring Ballet Folklorico de Austin,

Directed by Edgar Yepez

Alex McIntire

Audio Engineer - A1 / FoH

Paris Lawson

Audio Engineer – Monitors

Johnny Moreno

Lighting & Video Direction / Design

Benito Cohen Downs

Teleprompter

Vicente Sanchez

Ms. Downs’ Assistant

Casey Fatch

Road Management

International Music Network

Booking Agency

Lila Downs is one of the most influential artists in Latin America. She has one of the world’s most singular voices and is known for her charismatic performances. Her own compositions often combine genres and rhythms as diverse as Mexican rancheras and corridos, boleros, jazz standards, hip-hop, cumbia, and North American folk music. Her music often focuses on social justice, immigration, and women’s issues.

She grew up in both Minnesota and Oaxaca Mexico, her mother is from the Mixtec indigenous group, and her father was Scottish-American. Lila sings in Spanish, English, and various Native American languages such as Zapotec, Mixtec, Nahuatl, Maya, and Purepecha.

She has recorded duets with artists as diverse as Mercedes Sosa, Caetano Veloso, Juanes, Norah Jones, YoYo Ma, Juan Gabriel, Carla Morison, Natalia La Fourcade, Santana, The Chieftains, Nina Pastori, Soledad, Diego La Cigala, Aida Cuevas, Toto La Momposina, and Bunbury. Chavela Vargas named Lila her successor.

She has sung with symphonies such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony and the UNAM symphony in Mexico, as well as with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. She has given concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, the Hollywood Bowl, Auditorio Nacional, and Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. She was invited by Barack Obama to sing at the White House and has performed at the Oscars for her participation in the film Frida

Lila has recorded nine studio albums. She has been nominated for nine GRAMMY® Awards and has won six.

Kam Franklin New/Now Winner, 23/24 Season

New/Now Onward with

On September 5, Kam Franklin, Group Acorde, and ShaWanna Renee Rivon were announced as the newest winners of New/Now: The Houston Artist Commissioning Project.

We asked each to share why they applied for the project, how our city factors into their creative process, and what they hope audiences will take away from their latest works, set to premiere January 19–20, 2024, at the Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater.

INTRODUCING THE WINNERS

What role does the city of Houston play in your inspiration and/or creative process?

The city of Houston inspires nearly everything I do. I was raised here. I experienced my first loves, loss, failures, and success here. I learned how to be the artist I am today because of this city and the people that make it what it is. I’m inspired by the various communities, the culture, the food, the bars, the museums, and the plethora of artists that make me want to go home and practice every time I experience their art. Houston is an incredible city, and I’m grateful every time I get to release new material here.

Kam Franklin

Commissioned Work: Bayou City Comeback Chorus, Part 2

What led you to apply for New/Now?

I initially found out about New/Now thanks to a series of local arts organization email lists that I’m subscribed to. I think the first one I saw it mentioned in was in an email from the BIOPIC Arts Network & Fund. After doing some research, I quickly saw that it was a perfect opportunity for me to apply for.

What you hope audiences learn from or experience through your work?

I hope that audiences leave our performances wondering what they can do to make the world a better place. I often write about topics that impact us as a society, but I try to present it in a way that encourages listeners to step up and get involved to be the change they want to see in their communities.

Group Acorde

Commissioned Work: Entrainment

What led you to apply for New/Now?

New/Now is a great program! Group Acorde has applied for New/Now since the program's inception because the collaborations between music and dance that our company features align with the mission and works that the New/Now program presents. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to present work at such a prestigious performance venue, and the piece we are creating utilizes staging elements and technical aspects of the venue to create a more robust piece. Being a part of Performing Arts Houston's season allows us to connect with a larger, more diverse audience as well as other artists.

What role does the city of Houston play in your inspiration and/or creative process?

Group Acorde's creative process thrives on collaboration and partnerships with Houston area artists, venues, and businesses. The company benefits from Houston's diversity in ethnicity, culture, and the arts because our works are inspired by and reflect the unique voices of our community. It is Group Acorde's mission to create connections between art mediums and connect with our audience by providing affordable, live performance art to the Houston area.

What do you hope audiences learn from or experience through your work?

Our company creates work that aims to open a dialogue between art mediums and provide a rich, unique experience to the audience. The projection in our new work provides an up-close look at the piano and double bass instruments as they are being played, and the lighting design includes a moment where audience members are prompted to use their cell phones as flashlights to observe the dance. We hope that the audience will feel brought closer to the stage through the projection and lighting design as we build a sense of community between the audience and performers in this work.

ShaWanna Renee Commissioned Work: Emancipation

What led you to apply for New/Now?

I wanted to apply to the New/Now because the mission aligned with my personal mission, which is to tell stories out of Houston that highlight narratives for underrepresented areas. I write stories that give a voice to the Black woman, and her plight throughout centuries. I thought this would be a wonderful way to be introduced to Performing Arts Houston’s audiences. It’s also refreshing that an organization wants to develop and grant new works by homegrown artists.

What role does the city of Houston play in your inspiration and/or creative process?

Houston is the central character in my piece. It’s the central character in most of my work. My goal was to create a positive image of what Houston could look like in the future, if we worked as hard as our ancestors did, we could create a new world where we are all thriving and free. My play takes place on Emancipation Street in Third Ward and examines how we as a people have been working toward our freedom here in Houston, and what we do with that legacy today will determine our freedom in the future.

What do you hope audiences learn from or experience through your work?

I hope the audience is entertained and learns something new. Mostly I would hope the audience can walk in the shoes of the characters. From that I hope they can gain sympathy for the characters and understand how some people’s circumstances can really dictate the negative situations in their life and realize this is a problem we have in Houston. I wish everyone will leave feeling a sense of community and hope.

THE AFTERGLOW

New/Now supports Houston artists through the creation of new works, performed for the first time on the stages of the Theater District. While these premieres are the culmination of many months of work and preparation, they also have a long afterglow. These artists continue to create and inspire change in our communities.

We asked three previous New/Now artists about how their participation has changed their work going forward, what they’re most proud of, and upcoming projects audiences can look forward to.

professionalism. Finally, it was wonderful to be introduced to new audiences drawn to New/Now’s diverse programming. What performance or creative accomplishment over the course of your career are you most proud of & why?

I would highlight The Runaway Species, the book I coauthored with neuroscientist David Eagleman, which illustrates that creativity is part of every human brain and advocates for a greater role for the arts in the curriculum. Among my recent works, I’m most proud of LiveWire and Diabelli 200—my two collaborations with Dr. Contreras-Vidal—and my chamber opera Kassandra, which updates the myth of Apollo and Cassandra to tell a modern story about climate change and sexual harassment. In all these cases, the hope of making a difference in the world is what makes these works particularly meaningful.

Can you share any information with us about upcoming projects? What are you most excited about?

Anthony Brandt, 22/23 Season Winner

Commissioned Work: Diabelli 200

How has your participation in New/Now impacted your creative work moving forward?

The New/Now commission has impacted my work in several ways. First, it helped to further my collaboration with Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal and the University of Houston BRAIN Center, who used Diabelli 200 as the basis for a scientific experiment: the conductor and pianist were outfitted with portable EEG caps that monitored their brainwaves during the rehearsals and performances. Dr. Contreras-Vidal is a pioneer in realworld neuro-imagining, and this combination of artistic performance and scientific experiment was among the first of its kind. Second, it was very special to experience Performing Arts Houston’s high production values: the stage crew under the direction of Jennifer Steiner managed the complex logistics of the multi-disciplinary program with great care and

Right now, I’m working on the score for Meeting of Minds, a ballet for two dancers and live and recorded string quartet. The project involves other 2023 New/Now participants: Dr. Contreras-Vidal and the UH BRAIN Center team; choreographers Andy and Dionne Noble and their company Noble Motion Dance; and composer and visual designer Badie Khaleghian. Similar to Diabelli 200, the dancers will be wearing portable EEG caps, with projections that respond to the live data. The theme of the dance is polarization: the dancers will begin in opposition and gradually arrive at a mutual understanding. Meanwhile, the Brain Center will be looking for the neural signatures of conflict and cooperation. We’re performing Meeting of Minds for several thousand HISD 5th graders as part of the Hobby Center’s Discovery Series, and then premiering the work for the public on January 19 and 20, 2024 at the MATCH.

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, 21/22 Season Winner

Commissioned Work: The World’s Intermission

How did your participation in New/Now impact your creative work moving forward?

My directorial debut was with my New/Now Project. I don't think I would have the confidence I have to consider a vision in its grander scale without my experience with Performing Arts Houston.

What performance or creative accomplishment over the course of your career are you most proud of & why?

I am most proud of whatever work I am currently creating. My newest memoir, Black Chameleon, has my heart right now. But I am ever falling head over heels with my next idea.

Can you share any information with us about upcoming projects? What are you most excited about?

I am currently working on a full-length opera for American Lyric Theater entitled She Who Dared. It chronicles the women behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott and is composed by my good friend Jasmine Barnes. We are also collaborating on a shorter opera for Opera Theater St. Louis, entitled On My Mind. Then, I have a few book projects in progress, a children's book, Hush Hush Hurricane, coming out next year, and an upcoming opera for Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center that is composed by Jaylin Vinson.

You can purchase D.E.E.P.’s latest book, Black Chameleon: Memory, Womanhood, and Myth at Brazos Bookstore or wherever books are sold.

Sonny Mehta of Riyaaz Qawwali, 21/22 Season Winner

Commissioned Work: Saint Kabir’s Poems in Qawwali

How did your participation in New/Now impact your creative work moving forward?

It allowed me to create a new show that centered interfaith relationships, helped me build a community between allies across the South Asian community in Houston, and enabled me to create a full show of music around Sant Kabir's poetry. What performance or creative accomplishment over the course of your career are you most proud of & why?

This June, I won the Joyce award, a national recognition. Along with 4 other artists from across the USA, this honor allows me to work with Black and Brown populations in North and South sides of Chicago to develop new music. This music and ongoing community work enables these disparate communities of color to find our commonalities and appreciate differences, all while beginning to heal.

Can you share any information with us about upcoming projects? What are you most excited about?

The Gospel-Qawwali collaboration first premiered in Houston (2021) and was supported by The City of Houston. Since, it’s been presented by The Smithsonian. As an extension of this work, Houston's Asia Society will premiere Jazz-o-Qawwali (April 2024). This exploration, still honoring the Black and South Asian communities, focuses on how music that's rooted in religion and spirituality can take on life and meaning beyond religious spaces.

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

An Evening with Bill Nye

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023 | 7 :30 PM

JONES HALL

Duration: 90 minutes, without intermission

About

About the Artist

Engineer, comedian, author, inventor— audiences revere this good-natured Renaissance Man's infectious blend of humor, intellectual curiosity, and devotion to solving some of the world's most complex challenges through science. Best known for his Emmywinning run as "Bill Nye the Science Guy," he brings his love of science and flair for comedy to every appearance— deftly translating complex issues to help inspire audiences of all ages to engage with and improve our world.

Bill’s wit and enthusiasm has garnered 18 Emmy awards. Bill is also an author and frequent speaker on topics of global importance including climate change, evolution, population, space exploration, and STEM education. He is a steadfast champion of the unwavering value of critical thinking, science, and reason.

In 2016, Netflix announced that Nye would appear in a new series, Bill Nye Saves the World, which premiered on

April 21, 2017. Its third and final season was released on May 11, 2018.

His next series, The End is Nye was ordered by Peacock in March 2021. Teaming with Seth MacFarlane and Brannon Braga, the series has Nye exploring natural and unnatural disasters, explaining them scientifically to detail surviving, mitigating, and preventing them. It premiered on August 25, 2022.

Nye was the subject of the documentary film Bill Nye: Science Guy.

His 2014 debate with a creationist who believes the earth is only 6,000 years old has been viewed nearly 6.5 million times on YouTube. After that experience, Bill wrote his first book for a general audience, Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, which went on to become a New York Times best-seller. He is also the author of seven children’s books, including his most recent bestselling fiction series, Jack and the Geniuses.

Nye also serves as CEO of the Planetary Society, the world’s largest spaceinterest group. And, as an inventor, he holds a number of unusual patents, including an improved toe shoe for ballerinas, a device to help people learn to throw a baseball better, a magnifier made of water, and an abacus that does arithmetic like a computer–with only binary numbers.

Nye graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Cornell University and returned there as a visiting professor from 2001-2005. In 2010, Bill joined the ranks of his astronomy professor Carl Sagan when he was elected the American Humanist Association’s “Humanist of the Year.”

Through all of his work, Bill hopes to inspire people everywhere to change the world.

Get to know our Board Chair, Bill Swanstrom

How did you first get involved with Performing Arts Houston?

I’ve been on the Board of Directors for 15 years now. I’ve always been a big believer in the importance of the arts as part of what sustains and nourishes any community. So, when one of my mentors at Locke Lord introduced me to Performing Arts Houston, I was excited to get involved. And I’ve been excited to be involved ever since.

Why do you believe it’s important to support the arts?

The entire community benefits from a thriving arts scene—even the community members who never take advantage of the many amazing artistic performances in Houston. We can’t attract and retain businesses or the people they employ without having the vibrancy and energy that the arts provide to the community.

Tell us about your background in the arts.

I am definitely more of an appreciator/admirer of art and artists—I’m not someone who has actual artistic ability! Even when I was younger, my most intimate involvement in the arts was doing theater and other performing arts reviews and critiques for my school newspaper. I’m sure the artists I reviewed appreciated and embraced my feedback…

In more recent years I have taken shots at writing a children’s book (really just for my grandkids) and little songs for the people I love (again, mostly grandkids).

What’s one of your favorite Performing Arts Houston performances?

That’s a tough one. My wife is a former dancer and so we always appreciate the many amazing dance performances that Performing Arts Houston brings. But maybe my personal favorite was seeing Harry Connick Jr. on the eve of the world changing almost overnight because of Covid-19.

What are you most looking forward to this season?

Hmm, another tough one. I’m committed to seeing as many performances this season as possible and am most intrigued by the performers who I don’t know as much about as I should. For example, I’m excited about the Kronos Quartet 50th Anniversary tour (I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve never seen them). And as someone who has said many times that Peter Sagal may be the funniest person that most people haven’t heard of, I’m excited to see his performance. And of course, the many great dance performances in the lineup!

Left: Bill and Janet Swanstrom at the 2022 Performing Arts Houston Holiday Party

Renovating Jones Hall

Exciting Updates to a Beloved Houston Landmark

Jones Hall is an icon. Ongoing renovations will ensure this cherished theater, enjoyed by Houstonians for generations, can be enjoyed for decades to come. With many improvements already in place, there’s still so much to look forward to.

Updates for the 23/24 Season:

• New seats in the auditorium

• New and expanded aisles

• New restroom facilities and improved access

• Acoustic enhancements

• An expanded and enhanced Green Room

Future updates include:

• Reconfiguration of the lobby

• State-of-the-art audio and visual systems

• Accessibility improvements to the auditorium and Texas Avenue entrance

Learn more about the Jones Hall Renovation, the generous donors contributing to this project, and how you can support the revitalization of this beloved Houston landmark at performingartshouston.org/renovation.

Photo by Melissa Taylor

Tudor Family Dance Series

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

Step Afrika! Drumfolk

OCTOBER 2 7 –28, 2023

FRIDAY | 7 :30 PM

SATURDAY | 7 :30 PM

CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM CENTER

Duration: 95 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission

Sponsored in part by

About the Show

Administrative Creative Team

C. Brian Williams

Founder & Executive Producer

Lamar Lovelace

Executive Director

Mfoniso Akpan

Artistic Director

Conrad R. Kelly II

Assistant Artistic Director

Artis Olds

Director of Arts Education and Community Programs

Stacy Burwell

Director, Administration and Special Projects

Margo Cunningham

Marketing Manager

Dana Weinstein Manager, Institutional Relations and Research

Jakari Shermanan Director of Drumfolk

Marianne Meadows

Lighting Designer/Production Manager

Jeremiah Daison

FOH Engineer

Mikaela Fraser Monitoring Engineer

Rashaad Pierre Monitoring Engineer

“They took the drums away...but they could not stop the beat.”

—Dr. David Pleasant

About the Program

Drumfolk20

Choreography by David Pleasant, Jakari Sherman, Jeeda Barrington, Mfoniso Akpan

When Africans lost the right to use their drums, the drum found its way into the body of the people. Acclaimed Folk Artist Bessie Jones called them the “Drumfolk:” a people who created rhythm with their bodies, giving rise to new American movement practices like ring shout, tap, hambone and stepping.

Stono

Choreography by Ronnique Murray, Jakari Sherman, Jordan Spry, Mfoniso Akpan, and Júlio Leitão

The Stono Rebellion, an uprising initiated by 20 enslaved Africans, is one of many large-scale confrontations where tyrannized communities challenged their persecutors. The Rebellion began near the Edisto River in South Carolina on September 9, 1739. About 20 Africans raided a store near Wallace Creek, a branch of the Stono River. Seizing guns and other weapons, the rebels headed south towards a promised freedom in Spanish Florida, waving flags, beating drums and shouting “Liberty!“

As they marched, many colonists were killed, and the rebellion numbers grew from 20 to approximately 100. Once the rebels reached the Edisto River, even more colonists descended upon them and the revolt was defeated. After Stono, South Carolina authorities moved to greatly restrict the lives and culture of Africans in the colonies, leading to the Negro Act of 1740.

INTERMISSION

Un/Afraid

The Negro Act of 1740 prohibited enslaved African people from growing their own food, learning to read, moving freely, assembling in groups, or earning money. Africans also lost the right to use and play their drums.

Un/Afraid responds to this historically impactful code of law through the lens of 21st Century American culture. While the drum was physically taken away hundreds of years ago, art forms like beatboxing, hip hop and stepping demonstrate how the instrument retained a significant space in the lives of AfricanAmericans.

I’m

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Chiang Family Series

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

Vienna Boys Choir

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023 | 7 :30 PM

CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM CENTER

Duration: 90 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission

Series Sponsor

Photo by Lukas Beck

About the Artists

The Vienna Boys Choir is one of the most famous choirs in the world, and one of its oldest. In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I moved his court to Vienna to establish the Chapel Imperial there, along with the Vienna Boys Choir. Over the centuries, the court attracted musicians like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Anton Bruckner. Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert were themselves choirboys.

Today the Vienna Boys Choir is a private, non-profit organization, which relies on sponsorship and donations. The Choir maintains a primary school, a junior and a senior high school. 300 boys and girls between the ages of six and 19 attend the Choir's Schools in Vienna's Augarten park. All receive individual voice lessons and sing in one of the choirs. The Choir's education is open to all, regardless of their origin, nationality, or religion. About a third of the students go on to become music professionals.

The 100 boy choristers between the ages of nine and fourteen are divided into four choirs. Between them, the choirs give around 300 concerts each year, attended by almost half a million spectators around the world. Since 1924, the boys have sung over 1000 tours in

100 different countries, which has resulted in a staggering 29,000 performances. At the Sunday services in Vienna’s Imperial Chapel, they perform with members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Opera Chorus. The Choir frequently appears with major orchestras, conducted by the likes of Joana Mallwitz, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Christian Thielemann, and Simone Young. Recent highlights include appearances at the Salzburg Festival and at the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year’s Concert.

The Vienna Boys Choir's singing tradition is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in Austria. Professor Gerald Wirth, himself a former choirboy, is the Artistic Director of the entire Campus.

Manuel Huber is one of the Vienna Boys Choir's conductors and he also arranges music and lectures on choral conducting and voice training.

Huber was born in Brixen-Bressanone, South Tyrol. He started playing the piano and singing at a young age. For eight years, he sang with the Vinzentinum Boys' Choir in Brixen. At 15, Manuel Huber started conducting the choirs in his native village of Weitental and began studying piano at Claudio Monteverdi Conservatory in Bolzano. He went on to study choral and orchestral conducting,

music education, and psychology in Salzburg, finishing his courses with distinction.

He has conducted the Chamber Orchestra Budweis, the Bad Reichenhall Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mozarteum Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, he headed the youth project at an opera festival in Immling, Bavaria. For two years, he was choirmaster and voice coach of the Tölz Boys Choir in Munich. In 2019, Manuel Huber became choirmaster of the Vienna Boys Choir's Mozart Choir. He selects and rehearses the boys' concert repertoire, as well as the masses for the sung services at Vienna's Imperial Chapel. In addition, he prepares the choristers for sound recordings and film projects, and for special concerts conducted by the likes of Ivor Bolton, Riccardo Muti, and Franz Welser-Möst.

Asked about his work with his choir, Manuel Huber said, “I love our work together, the boys' enthusiasm for music. My goal is to teach them the tools of the trade, to understand and feel music. It is wonderful to see them grow up and come into their own.”

See program insert for more information

23/24 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

An Evening with David Sedaris

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2023 | 7 :30 PM

JONES HALL

Duration: 90 minutes, without intermission

Photo by Anne Fishbein

About the Show

About the Artist

David Sedaris is one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. He is a master of satire and one of today’s most observant writers.

Beloved for his personal essays and short stories, David Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever, Holidays on Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, and Calypso, which was a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. He is the author of Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, a collection of fables with illustrations by Ian Falconer. He is also the author of an essay length ebook titled Themes and Variations. Each of these books was an immediate bestseller. He was also the editor of Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories. His pieces regularly appear in The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.” The first volume of his diaries Theft By Finding: Diaries (1977-2002) was a New York Times best-selling book. As a companion piece to the book, Jeffrey Jenkins published and edited an art book of Sedaris’s diary covers, entitled David Sedaris Diaries: A Visual Compendium. His book, The Best of Me, is a collection of 42 previously published stories and essays, about which novelist Andrew Sean Greer wrote in the New York Times: “You must read “The Best of Me.” It will be a new experience, knowing that enough time has passed to find humor in the hardest parts of life. More than ever — we’re allowed to laugh.” The second volume of his diaries, A Carnival of Snackery, Diaries (20032020) was also a New York Times bestseller, and the audiobook was selected as part of Apple’s Best Audiobooks of the Year for 2021. His new book, Happy-Go-Lucky, debuted at number one on the New York Times best-seller list.

Sedaris and his sister, Amy Sedaris, have collaborated under the name “The Talent Family” and have written half-a-dozen plays which have been produced at La Mama, Lincoln Center, and The Drama Department in New York City. These plays include Stump the Host, Stitches, One Woman Shoe, which received an Obie Award, Incident at Cobbler’s Knob, and The Book of Liz, which was published in book form by Dramatists Play Service.

Sedaris has been nominated for five Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. His audio recordings include “David Sedaris: Live for Your Listening Pleasure” and “David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall.” A feature film adaptation of his story C.O.G. was released after a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (2013). Since 2011, he can be heard annually on a series of live recordings on BBC Radio 4 entitled “Meet David Sedaris.” In 2019 David Sedaris became a regular contributor to CBS Sunday Morning, and his Masterclass, David Sedaris Teaches Storytelling and Humor, was released. There are over 16 million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 32 languages. He has been awarded the Terry Southern Prize for Humor, Thurber Prize for American Humor, Jonathan Swift International Literature Prize for Satire and Humor, Time 2001 Humorist of the Year Award, as well as the Medal for Spoken Language from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In March 2019 he was elected as a member into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2020 the New York Public Library voted Me Talk Pretty One Day one of the 125 most important books of the last 125 years. You can follow David on: Facebook: facebook.com/davidsedaris Website: davidsedarisbooks.com

“Sedaris ain’t the preeminent humorist of his generation by accident” —Whitney Pastorek, Entertainment Weekly

“Sedaris has hit upon the narrative equivalent of Pepsi, or the PlayStation, or oxygen, or the haircut: something that others in the world might actually want and find useful. . . He’s smart, he’s caustic, he’s mordant, and, somehow, he’s . . . well, nice.” —Bill Richardson, Toronto Globe and Mail

“Sedaris’s droll assessment of the mundane and the eccentrics who inhabit the world’s crevices make him one of the greatest humorists writing today.” —Chicago Tribune

“Sedaris belongs on any list of people writing in English at the moment who are revising our ideas about what’s funny.”

San Francisco Chronicle

Follow David on Instagram: .instagram.com/davidsedarisbooks

23/24

Season Featured Program PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

An Evening with Howie Mandel

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2023 | 7 :30 PM JONES HALL

Duration: 75 minutes, without intermission

Corporate Sponsor

About the Show

About the Artist

Howie Mandel has remained a constant force in show business for more than 30 years. He can currently be seen on NBC’s flagship series America’s Got Talent where he has served as a judge for eleven seasons. He recently finished production on his new documentary Howie Mandel: But Enough About Me. Other recent projects include judging NBC’s America’s Got Talent: The Champions, CNBC’s Deal or No Deal where he served as executive producer and host and Nat Geo Wild’s Animals Doing Things where he co-hosted with his son Alex. He also executive produced the Quibi series Kirby Jenner. In 2019, he released his first solo special in 20 years Howie Mandel Presents Howie Mandel at the Howie Mandel Comedy Club. In 2020 Howie teamed up with ePlay Digital Inc. and launched the charity, Breakout the Masks, a mobile game campaign to give back to those involved in the fight against COVID-19. Via Howies’ Games the first challenge is Outbreak where players’ points translate to donations of N95 face masks, portable ventilators, gloves and other Personal Protective Equipment to doctors, nurses and more front-line workers. The second game SwishAR has users looking for America’s Got Talent’s, Howie Mandel, to join in a backyard basketball game to shoot hoops. Both games are available on the Apple App store and Google Play.

His additional projects, as a Host, actor, and/or executive producer include Take It All and Howie Do It for NBC, Deal With It for TBS, and Mobbed for FOX. Previously, Mandel received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program for Deal or No Deal and a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Game Show Host for the syndicated version of the show. Mandel’s versatile career has encompassed virtually all aspects of the entertainment spectrum, including television, film and stage. From his work on the Emmy Award-winning St. Elsewhere, to the international animated children’s series Bobby’s World, Mandel has become a mainstay of the American comedy scene. In 2009, Mandel added author to his resume when he released his frank, funny and no-holds-barred memoir, Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me. The memoir revealed his ongoing struggle with OCD and ADHD, and how it has shaped his life and career. It made The New York Times bestseller list on its first week and remained on the list for several consecutive weeks. Mandel has done countless comedy specials both on cable and network television. He has also hosted his own syndicated talk show, The Howie Mandel Show and continues to be a mainstay on the talk show circuit. He also continues to perform as many as 200 stand-up comedy shows each year throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Individual Supporters

Performing Arts Houston would like to thank the individuals who support our work through generous membership contributions and annual gifts. For more information on member and donor benefits, please visit performingartshouston.org or contact Jordan Drum at (713) 632-8104 or jdrum@performingartshouston.org.

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Institutional Partners

Performing Arts Houston is proud to recognize our corporate, foundation, and government partners for their exemplary community leadership and support. To learn more about partnership opportunities and benefits, please contact Jordan Drum at 713.632.8104 or jdrum@performingartshouston.org

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Admiral Transfer & Rigging

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$100,000+

Houston Endowment, Inc. †

Texas Commission on the Arts †

The Wortham Foundation, Inc. †

$50,000-$99,999

The Brown Foundation, Inc. † City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance†

The Humphreys Foundation†

$25,000-$49,999

M.D. Anderson Foundation† National Endowment for the Arts

Powell Foundation

$10,000-$24,999

City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board †

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts †

Vivian L. Smith Foundation

MATCHING GIFT SUPPORTERS

Chevron Corporation

The Coca-Cola Company

Listings Accurate as of 2/5/2023

ExxonMobil Murphy Oil Corporation

Bergner & Johnson Design*

Houston First Corporation

PNC Bank

$1,000-$4,999

ExxonMobil †

LD Systems*

Murphy Oil Corporation

Texas Tourism Indusry Recovery Program

$5,000-$9,999

The Friedkin Group

Gensler

George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation†

Kayser Foundation

New England Foundation for the Arts, Inc.

Phillips 66 Truist Bank

*Includes in-kind support †Indicates 10+ years of consecutive support

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

ROBERT BATTLE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

MATTHEW RUSHING ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

MAR 7–9, 2024

performingartshouston.org