Dear UHCL community & friends,
I am delighted to welcome you to an exciting new season at the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s (UHCL) Bayou Theater. Our upcoming productions promise to be a journey through various enriching experiences, offering stories and performances that captivate and entertain. From the timeless melodies of chamber music to the vibrant rhythms of Norteño, and the captivating allure of Broadway, there truly is something for everyone this season.
At UH-Clear Lake, we believe in the transformative power of the arts to inspire and unite. The Bayou Theater is not just a stage, but a space where our community can come together to explore, reflect, and grow.
Exceptional arts in your backyard.
There are great things happening at the Bayou Theater this 2024–2025 season! We’re moving into a new era as we celebrate 50 years of UHCL.
This season, we are offering a wide variety of programming to fit any taste or interest!
In our Classic Series, experience the dynamic programming of Mercury Chamber Orchestra and Apollo Chamber Players as they delight with the sound our community has come to deeply love.
Our Contemporary Series brings you new, exciting options featuring the music of Dolly Parton and Motown, nationally renowned Norteño covers, heartfelt stories, and the best of Broadway.
The Special Events provide a wide array of programming for the entire Bay Area Houston community. These events are sure to be entertaining for everyone— from children, to college students, to families, and anyone in between.
We are delighted to parter with our dear friends at Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theater for the upcoming Disney’s Beauty and the Beast performance. This co-production will be a magical experience you do not want to miss!
As the new director of Theater and Cultural Arts, my goal is to bring the Bay Area Houston community the same quality of performing arts you get in Houston, without all the traffic! I believe we have done exactly that. I can’t wait to share this special season with all of you.
See you at the theater!
Stephen Davis Director, Theater and Cultural Arts
CONTEMPORARY
I Will Always Love You:
Katie Deal Sings Dolly Parton
UHCL Alumni Night
Celebrate beloved American icon Dolly Parton with award-winning country artist and actress Katie Deal (9 to 5, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline). Leading a sublime band, Deal does Dolly proud with her authenticity, vulnerability, and buoyant charm. As a singer-songwriter, Deal is the recipient of a Georgia Country Artist of the Year Award and an honored member of the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. Milwaukee JournalSentinel cheers, “Deal shines when she sings.” Hit songs include “Here You Come Again,” “I Will Always Love You,” “9 to 5,” and “Jolene.”
Presented by Artists Lounge Live.
SPECIAL EVENT
Beauty and the Beast
A Bayou Theater & Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre Co-Production
Beauty and the Beast tells the story of an unkind prince who has been magically transformed into an unsightly creature as punishment for his selfish ways. To revert to his true human form, the Beast must learn to love a bright, beautiful young lady whom he has imprisoned in his enchanted castle before it is too late.
To purchase tickets, please visit bahbt.org
BEFORE THE SHOW
Tea with Belle
Enjoy treats and goodies* with Belle and many of the characters from Beauty and the Beast. Childrens tickets $20 each, and adults just $10.
*Pre-show event tickets sold separately. Only available for matinee shows.
CONTEMPORARY
EZ Band
EZ Band is a Houston-based Norteño ensemble that covers all of your favorite once-Top 40 hits! They have created more than a dozen covers in Norteña form, such as “Creep” by Radiohead and “Easy on Me” by Adele—and they’ve started to soar. The EZ Band’s rendition of “Hey There Delilah” has been played more than 1.5 million times on Spotify, and at least two million times on TikTok.
Join the EZ Band at the Bayou Theater for a night of musical fusion!
Performance will be presented in both English and Spanish.
CLASSICAL
Mercury Chamber Orchestra: Classical Piano Trios
Join Mercury Chamber Orchestra for an evening of classical piano trios with Jonathan Godfrey, Violin; Elinor Frey, Cello; and Mario Aschauer, Fortepiano
Join us for a special Halloween movie party as we screen Hocus Pocus (1993). This film follows a villainous comedic trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy (Omri Katz) in Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween night. (This film is rated PG.)
Enjoy a snack bar with “build your own” candy bags. Costumes are encouraged!
Open Caption Provided (On-Screen Subtitles) SUBSCRIBE TODAY Individual Tickets Start at
Mercury Chamber Orchestra: Vivaldi, Handel,
& Bach
A program of Baroque concertos featuring periodinstruments with Jonathan Godfrey, Violin; Nate Helgeson, Bassoon; and David Dickey, Oboe, alongside Mercury Chamber Orchestra.
CONTEMPORARY
Nebraska Backward
Experience the universal coming-of-age story of Nebraska Backward . Billed as a “one-person storytelling mixtape,” Nebraska Backward is a collection of interrelated stories of growing up on the Great Plains. Deftly performed by the writer himself, this award-winning show will appeal to adults of all ages. Written and performed by Charles Parrott.
“If I can crack open my calcified feelings and pour them out on stage, there is hope for all us to be a little more honest with ourselves.” - CHARLES PARROTT
20 FEB
SPECIAL EVENT
Movie Party:
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Join us for a special art market and movie party! Artists, crafters, and fans of all things nerdy are welcome.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) follows Miles Morales as he becomes the new Spider-Man and joins other Spider-People from various parallel universes who team up to save New York City from the film’s main antagonist, the Kingpin. (This film is rated PG.)
Open Caption Provided (On-Screen Subtitles)
Higher & Higher:
A Rock n’ Soul Party with Chester Gregory CONTEMPORARY
Broadway star and recording artist Chester Gregory expertly honors the legends of Rock and Soul. The star of Motown: The Musical, Hairspray, and Dreamgirls won acclaim for his outstanding portrayal of Jackie Wilson in The Jackie Wilson Story. In concert, Gregory offers his considerable talents to the music of Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Brown, and more. New York Times exclaims Gregory is “jaw dropping” and “overflowingly charismatic.” Featuring a sensational band, songs include “(Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay,” “I Got You (I Feel Good),” and “My Girl.”
Presented by Artists Lounge Live.
SPECIAL EVENT
Main Street Theater for Youth: Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!”
An elephant named Gerald and a pig named Piggie are best, best, “bestus” friends. Get ready for a musical experience, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved, award-winning, best-selling children’s books that will leave you doing the “Flippy Floppy Floory” dance!
Recommended for pre-kindergarten through 5th grade.
Books and Lyrics by Mo Willems
Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
Based on the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems.
Tickets Start at $5
CONTEMPORARY
Alli Mauzey
The best of Broadway, right here in Clear Lake! Join us for a night of showtunes and more with Alli Mauzey, fresh off her run in the Tony Award-winning Kimberly Akimbo. After multiple runs as Glinda in the hit musical Wicked, sharing the stage with musical theatre royalty such as Bernadette Peters, Bette Midler, and Kristin Chenoweth, Alli is sure to be full of stories and songs to delight all audiences.
TONIGHT ONLY
Parents’ Night Out!
Leave your children in the care of our experienced and certified art teacher just around the corner in our Arbor Building for a night of enriching activities while you enjoy our show. $15 per Child*
CLASSICAL
Mercury Chamber Orchestra: The Art of Joropo
An intimate program featuring Alexis Cárdenas, a Venezuelan violinist known for his unique blend of classical and Venezuelan folk music, alongside Mercury musicians.
DONATIONS
From Generous Patrons Like You
*For children K–6. Childcare will be available from 7–9:30 pm.
To continue producing excellent art in your backyard, we rely on donations from generous patrons like you. To donate, go to giving. uh.edu/uhcl and under the “Search Funds” box search for “Bayou Theatre Operations.” Donate Today
Apollo celebrates the multicultural beauty of Houston—by many metrics the most ethnically diverse city in America. In a complementary program strand, we reflect on the rarity of a country born with freedom of religion and diversity of thought as an integral part of its democracy DNA. Program to include folk songs from around the globe and newly commissioned works highlighting our multicultural community.
24 APR THROUGH 26 APR
UHCL Storytellers Presents
This show examines the relationship of space and the proximity to Johnson Space Center, UHCL, and the greater Houston area. This show aims to explore perspectives to autonomous spaces as it situates itself within these two extraordinary institutions. Furthermore, the show engages in the interpersonal relationships of what it means to
Season Subscriber Benefits
1. Can’t make a show? Subscribers enjoy free ticket exchanges. Simply change your tickets before your scheduled performance for another date (upgrade charges may apply).
2. Want to bring a friend to your scheduled performance? You can purchase companion tickets to your subscription shows at a discounted rate. Get subscriber-exclusive pricing, companion ticket discounts, no-fee exchanges and more.
