Top Live Theater & Performing Arts in Houston This Week: May 12 to 18, 2025

See the latest performing arts productions and theater happenings opening across Houston from Monday, May 12 to Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Asia and Asian artistry takes the stage this week, with performances in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Discovery Green and Miller Outdoor Theatre.

There’s a fun fairy tale that many kiddos and tooth fairy fans will love at the Wortham Center, Apollo’s final performance of Freedom at Unity Houston, and a world premiere at Archway Gallery.

Dirt Dogs Theatre opens a creepy conspiracy theory story, Main Street Theater opens a story about family and changing neighborhoods, and DaCamera brings jazz greats to Houston.

Top Theater & Arts Performances This Week: May 12 to 18, 2025

New Openings & This Week Only Shows

Performing Arts Houston: Toothrina Von Twinkle A Fairy’s Tale The Musical at Wortham Center | Thursday – In this entry for kids, Young Toothrina Von Twinkle is ready to earn her wings and become a real tooth fairy, but then, her best-friend-turned rival sets a mischievous plan in motion that could change fairy history forever. $24+. 7pm.

Indo-American Association: Strings & Beats…Tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain at the MATCH | Thursday – Sarod maestro and Padma Shree awardee Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar unites with tabla virtuoso Pandit Tanmoy Bose to pay homage to Ustad Zakir Hussain, an Indian legend who redefined the rhythm and percussion in world music. $29 and up. 8pm.

The Swan Painter at Discovery Green | Thursday | FREE – Catch a performance art and theater piece that brings a Japanese-based story to live, using movements, live music, lighting and costume design in a one-of-a-kind experience. 8pm.

Vitacca Ballet: Smith Works at The Hobby Center | Thursday & Friday – Houston choreographer Garrett Smith and his company present an evening of audience favorites, including “Somewhat Closer”, “Hypnotic Forces”, “After Silence”, and an innovative world premiere. $20+ 7:30pm.

Bach Society Houston: Knights in Shining Armor at MFAH | Friday – Hear music from French, Italian, Spanish, and possibly German/Swiss writers, performed by nine singers and one percussionist in this concert of madrigals and chansons by composers who worked at roughly the same time as the era showcased in the museum’s Knights in Shining Armor: The Pavia Tapestries exhibit. Included with $24 admission. 6:30pm.

Dance of Asian America: 5th Annual Asia to the World at Miller Outdoor Theatre | Friday | FREE – Experience the distinctive and stunning dances from different regions of Asia, brought to life through vibrant costumes, music, and movements in this show that will delight audiences of all ages. 8:30pm.

Assemblage at The Jung Center | Friday & Saturday – Through intimate videos and live performances, explore the concepts of impermanence, ancestry, artist identity and the human effort to fit the pieces together. $15. Times vary.

Houston Symphony: Stayin’ Alive: The Bee Gees & Beyond at Jones Hall | Friday to Sunday – You’ll be dancing in your seat as world-renowned a cappella sensation Rajaton brings their smooth harmonies to the songs that lit up the disco era. $51 and up. Times vary.

Dirt Dogs Theatre: Bug at MATCH | Opens Friday | Closes Saturday, May 31 – A lonely waitress and Gulf War vet and drifter fall in love and find themselves embroiled in paranoia, conspiracy theories, and twisted psychological motives in this Tracy Letts play. $30. Times vary.

Music Box Theater: Number-One Hits at Queensbury Theatre | Opens Friday | Closes Saturday, June 28 – Relive chart-topping hits from 1958 ‘til now in a cabaret-style show celebrating multiple decades and music styles that have become the soundtrack to our lives. $40+. Times vary.

Kim’s Convenience at Main Street Theater | Opens Saturday | Closes Saturday June 15 – The basis of the popular Canadian sitcom, this play by Ins Choi tells the story of Mr. Kim, who runs a convenience store in an up-and-coming Toronto neighborhood and who must decide if he should sell to developers or pass the business along to his daughter. $45 and up. Times vary.

Apollo Chamber Players: Freedom at Unity of Houston | Sunday – Apollo’s We the People season concludes with an intergenerational conversation about freedom, democracy, and the future, featuring professional musicians as well as the Kinder HSPVA Chorale and contributions by the HSPVA U.S. history students. $35; $25 HSPVA; $10 students, teachers and first responders. 2pm.

DaCamera: Rising Star Jazz Artists—New Jazz Underground at The Eldorado Ballroom | Sunday – This New York-based trio known for their captivating performances and viral videos showcasing their chemistry, musicality, and raw ambition, merge traditional jazz sensibilities with the modern influence of swing, hip-hop, house/afro-beats and Afro-Cuban music. Choose What You Pay. 5pm and 7pm.

Nicky Sohn x Emissary Quartet: Left on Sweetleaf at Archway Gallery | Sunday, May 18 | FREEwith RSVP – This concert features the world premiere of a new work by acclaimed composer Nicky Sohn and showcases the quartet’s innovative approach to flute ensemble music. 6pm.

They’ve Got Legs: Ongoing Shows

Paul Hope Cabaret: Coming Up Roses—Jule Styne’s Broadway of the 1950s at Ovations | Monday | Closes Monday, May 19 – I love Paul Hope’s dedication to keeping the Great American Songbook alive, and am looking forward to this concert of Jule Styne songs. $25+. 7:30pm.

Primary Trust at Alley Theatre | Tuesday to Sunday | Closes Sunday, May 25 – Join Kenneth and Bert as they sip on mai tais at the local tiki bar. When Kenneth’s longtime job ends, he is forced to push past his boundaries and reconcile with his past. Times vary.

Das Barbecü at Stages | Wednesday to Sunday | Closes Sunday, June 1 – The foot-stomping musical reimagines Wagner’s epic Ring cycle as a hilarious Texas hootenanny, with five actors playing more than 30 parts. $25 and up. Showtimes vary.

4th Wall Theatre Co: Hamlet at Spring Street Studios | Thursday to Sunday | Closes Saturday, May 24 – 4th Wall presents a stripped down, modern reimagining from Off-Broadway theatre company Bedlam, with 4 actors taking on 30+ roles in a fast-paced, intimate version of Shakespeare’s classic masterpiece. $22+. Times vary.

Coconut Cake at The Ensemble Theatre | Thursday to Sunday | Closes Sunday, June 1 – A neighborhood and its residents are upended when a mysterious Creole woman moves into an abandoned house down the street. She brings with her coconut cake and strange remedies, and soon, everyone on the block is affected by her actions. $40+. Times vary.