Top 15 Theater & Arts Performances in Houston: May 2022

By
Holly Beretto
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"Dead Man's Cell Phone" closes at Alley Theatre in early May | Courtesy of Alley Theatre

Catch virtual and live performances all month long with our roundup of theater and performing arts productions happening in May 2022.

The month of May brings several major productions to a close—including the Houston Symphony career of Conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada—while a world premiere takes the stage at Alley Theatre, a 4th Wall production returns from its pandemic hiatus, a genre-twisting violin performance comes to Downtown, and more.

Check out our highlights for the city’s performing arts events this month:

Top 15 Performing Arts Events in Houston: May 2022

  • Houston Symphony presents Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony at Jones Hall | Friday, April 29 to Sunday, May 1 | Virtual Option – In his final performances as music director for the Houston Symphony, Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducts this resplendent symphony, unmatched in all of music. Celebrate the end of an era on the Houston arts scene with a performance that showcases the orchestra at its very best. $29 and up (livestream is $20). Friday and Saturday 8pm; Sunday 2:30pm.
  • Broadway Across America presents Fiddler on the Roof at Hobby Center | Ongoing | Ends Sunday, May 1 – There’s a reason this show is a Broadway classic. The story of dairyman Tevye, his wife, and five daughters, it features instantly recognizable songs such as “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “Tradition.” Helmed by Tony Award–winning director Bartlett Sher, it’s an uplifting look at life, love and family. $30 and up. Showtimes vary.
  • Classical Theatre Company presents The War of the Worlds at the DeLuxe Theater | Ongoing | Ends Sunday, May 1 – Originally published in 1898, The War of the Worlds is the story of invaders from Mars. Turned into a radio drama, the play stunned and terrified listeners in the 1930s. Across its 120-year life, it’s been immortalized in comic books, movies and more. Now, CTC offers this world premiere of the enduring tale that offers insight to what it means to be human. $25 and up. Wednesday to Saturday 8pm; Sunday 2:30pm.
  • Apollo Chamber Players presents American Legends at Multiple Venues | Sunday, May 1 & Saturday, May 7 – The string quartet closes its season with the live world premiere of In the Shadow of the Mountain by Jennifer Higdon, the world’s most performed female living composer. $55 and up at Hobby Center (Sunday, May 1); $25 at Bayou Theater in University of Houston–Clear Lake (Saturday, May 7). Times vary.
The stunning Houston Grand Opera production of “Turandot” ends this month | Courtesy of Houston Grand Opera
  • Single Black Female at Ensemble Theatre | Ongoing | Ends Sunday, May 8 – This regional premiere of the hilarious two-woman show explores the lives of thirtysomething African American women as they look for love, the perfect outfit and a sense of dignity in a world that refuses to acknowledge them. $37 and up. Showtimes vary.
  • Dead Man’s Cell Phone at Alley Theatre | Ongoing | Ends Sunday, May 8 – A woman in a café. A phone that won’t stop ringing and a man who won’t pick it up. A death. One impulsive action that leads to a lie. This wildly imaginative comedy explores mortality and the need for connection. $43 and up. Showtimes vary.
  • Houston Grand Opera presents Turandot at Wortham Theater Center | Ongoing | Ends Sunday, May 8 – Puccini’s masterpiece is the story of a princess who has no desire to marry and thwarts the efforts of her suitors by challenging them to answer complex riddles or be beheaded. But what happens when she finds someone who can finally answer? $25 and up. Thursday to Saturday 7:30pm; Sunday 2pm.
  • Stages presents You Are Cordially Invited to Sit In at the Gordy | Ongoing | Ends Sunday, May 22 – This world premiere explores the lives of four Black college students from Houston’s segregated Third Ward who join the fight for Civil Rights. Backed by music from the 1960s and ‘70s, this Houston-based story in inspired by the true story of the Bayou City’s first sit-in. $15 and up. Showtimes vary.
“You Are Cordially Invited to Sit In” closes out its production in late May | Courtesy of Stages
  • AD Players presents Apollo 8 at the George Theatre | Wednesday, May 4 to Sunday, June 5 – The America of 1968 is divided by race and culture, and facing the possibility of losing the space race to Russia. So, when NASA decides to move up its planned orbit of the moon and has 16 weeks to make it happen, the country gets caught up in the story. This play blends real events with fictional stories to create a piece that merges the themes of the divine and human. $30 and up. Showtimes vary.
  • Born With Teeth at Alley Theatre | Friday, May 6 to Sunday, June 5 – This world premiere of Liz Duffy Adams’ play looks at what happens when two of the greatest writers of all time—Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare—meet in the back room of a pub to write a play. Expect intrigue, danger and egos in equal measure. $47 and up. Showtimes vary.
  • 4th Wall Theatre Company presents Between Riverside and Crazy at Spring Street Studios | Thursday, May 12 to Saturday, June 4 – This Pulitzer Prize–winning play is the story of a retired New York City cop and a cast of larger-than-life characters fighting to keep it together in a gritty, changing world. One of 4th Wall’s last shows before the pandemic shuttered theaters, the show brings back the original cast. $32 and up (pay-what-you-can on Monday, May 30). Showtimes vary.
  • Performing Arts Houston presents Black Violin: Impossible Tour at Jones Hall | Tuesday, May 17 – See how classical music and hip-hop blend in an unforgettable performance. Classically trained string players Wil B. and Kev Marcus join forces with DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes in a show that breaks down the stereotypes of what classical music can be. $39 and up. 7:30pm.
Will B. and Kev Marcus lead Black Violin for a genre-bending performance at Jones Hall | Courtesy of Black Violin

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Holly Beretto
Holly Beretto
Holly Beretto writes about food and wine, the arts and interesting people for a variety of local and regional publications. In addition to 365 Things to Do in Houston, her work has appeared in the Arizona State University Alumni Magazine, Arts + Culture Texas, Bayou City Magazine, Downtown, Galveston Monthly and Houston Woman. She is also a regular contributor to Eater.com's Houston site. She earned her B.A. in mass communication with a minor in professional writing from Franklin Pierce College (now Franklin Pierce University) and her M.A. in communication studies with an emphasis in journalism from St. Louis University. She has worked in television news production, public relations and marketing in Rhode Island, Maine, New York and Texas. A native Rhode Islander, she has lived in Texas since 1997. She is the author of Christ as the Cornerstone: Fifty Years of Worship at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, published by Bright Sky Press.

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