A great theatre whose repertory company put on great shows. My son was previously a member of their Youth Theatre group and he is now a professional actor.
My 11 year old daughter has participated in YPS(Young Performers Studio) at the Alley Theatre for the past two summers. This program has been a great benefit her. Not only has the Alley Theatre provided her with the basics of acting, they have also enhanced her creativity. I especially appreciate that the students learn how to construct a play from start to finish and all productions presented at the end of the program are written by the students themselves. Very impressive.
This past summer, I participated in the Alley Theater's HYPE (Houston Young Playwrights Exchange) program. I can honestly say that attending the program gave me a different perspective on writing, and it led me to develop a passion for playwrighting that I wouldn't have developed had it not been for the Alley Theater (I had never been involved with a theater before and my school does not offer a theater program or club). I love the Alley!
I became more involved personally as an usher when the company I work for started sponsoring the Alley Theatre many years ago. The staff and actors are amazing. Because I try to usher once a month, I've seen plays which I would not have chosen on my own to see but thoroughly enjoyed, which has made it quite evident that the selection of plays is so varied that everyone will find something to "must see". Volunteers are treated with respect and like one of their own. I've recommended friends who have become ushers too. I am their biggest fan! Monika B.
The Alley theater not only provides good quality programming for the community as a whole, they have many out reach programs for children and artists. As a volunteer, I have been part of these opportunities. To see a child attend their first live theater performance is wonderful. They are so excited and learn so much. I have ushered at The Alley for years. I have always been treated with respect, courtesy and a level of professionalism rarely found in a volunteer arena. The Alley is a treasure to the entire Houston community and all who walk through their doors.
I have been an Alley Volunteer for 16 years and have enjoyed my relationship with the Alley very much. The theatre is small enough to be able to have a good seat anywhere one wishes. The actors are fantastic, the stage props awesome, and there is an array of plays to please all patrons. Come to the Alley for a very enjoyable time of entertainment.
I spent 15 weeks at the Alley as a Bettye Fitzpatrick Intern in the Marketing department and then was given the opportunity to extend my stay. My time spent at the Alley Theatre could not have been more positive. I was very lucky to be given the chance to explore my love of the arts and find out that there is a place for a young professional with no theatre experience to speak of in the world of professional theatre. The people I interacted with on a daily basis were always ready to help me learn and advance as an intern and the entire company is filled with people ready to help others at a moment's notice. Everyone I encounter at the Alley is genuine and honest in their love of theatre and their desire to offer their skills and talents in creating premiere theatre experiences.
My husband and I enjoy the Alley Theatre so much and look forward to every play they put on there. We have been to many plays in London, New York and Los Angeles many times and we know that we have actors, designers and directors whether they are resident or brought in for a production will be indeed the quality, talent of the top in the world. We are looking forward to our close relationship for many years to come with the Alley.
The Alley Theatre is a treasure. It is one of the few independent theatres in the country and is one of the few theatres in Houston where people can see an original, quality production. My husband and I started volunteering at the Alley about a year ago. The staff of the Alley always treats us with respect and appreciation. I feel that by volunteering at the Alley, I am helping to provide quality artistic entertainment for the Houston area.
I love the Alley Theatre! Each season they offer an excellent selection of plays. Sometimes the material is thought-provoking, sometimes just plain fun, but always quality productions. I look forward to their offerings at Christmas time - can't wait to see Todd Waite as Crumpet the elf!! :-) Have been volunteering since 1999 and will continue to volunteer every year. The house managers work hard to keep us trained and informed, and urge us to make each performance a good experience for the patrons. I think this is the best theatre in Houston.
I've been a volunteer since the 90's and have enjoyed the experience and appreciated the opportunity I was given to see wonderful plays, both new and classic. The student matinees are fun to help with because of watching the reactions of the students. Even those who have obviously come only because it was required of them become caught up in the magic of live theater and find themselves enjoying the whole experience. What a wonderful way to introduce students to classic literature, experimental plays and the wonders of language.
After a friend invited me to become a volunteer years ago, I went the first time and loved the Total experience. All performances are first class!! What a great place to to volunteer.
You're missing out if you don't see the Alley's plays: a wide variety of classics, new debuts, hilarious, drama, historical, modern, timeless, musical, and just plain weird - all well acted and staged in creative imaginative ways. As an usher I feel privileged to get to meet and greet Alley patrons and enjoy a top show to boot.
I feel honored to have the opportunity to support the Arts in Houston by ushering at the Alley Theater. The Alley is an institution integral to making Houston the world class city it is today.
Amazing place to be a part of and volunteer for. They have a true passion for what they do and it's an honor to be a part of their mission.
My son took part in The Alley's Young Performers Studio last summer and he had a fabulous time, made lots of new friends and was part of a spectacular performance at the end.
I feel fortunate to be a Houstonian and to be able to be a part of this exceptional endeavor. The Alley Theatre's productions are superb. In addition, the management and supporting staff make it a pleasure to usher.
The productions at the Alley are wide-ranging and always fantastic. The Volunteer Usher program is a great way to work with a great group of people, and stay connected to the Theatre.
The Alley Theatre provided a scholarship to my disabled daughter so she could participate with her peers in their summer enrichment program. My daughter grew so much from her experience and had a good time as well. I was amazed at how caring and giving the staff at the Alley were and impressed with their very organized enrichment program. We can't wait to do it again next summer.
The Alley Theatre is wonderful! The actors are superb and evey perfoprmance I have seen has been excellent. They plays are diverse and can be enjoyed by all ages. Long live the Alley!!!
I love to volunteer at the Alley Theatre. You meet interesting people and everyone is very professional. All the performaces are wonderful.
It is delightful to volunteer at The Alley Theatre. You meet interesting people and see top-notch, award-winning enteretainment. It is one of Houston's cultural gems.
We are so very lucky in Houston to have the wonderful and professional Alley Theatre! I enjoy volunteering....and I especially enjoy seeing the productions (including tha Talk Backs).
The Alley Theatre is THE theatre for our Houston community. The artistic quality is very high We all eagerly look forward to every new season.
Every performance I have seen has been of the highest quality. I am amazed at the talent in Houston. Thank you Alley for bringing the best to Houston.
We LOVE the Alley Theatre! We have been season ticket patrons for many years and we really enjoy the diversity that is offered. Year after year we have watched the very talented cast grow as performers. We are so fortunate to have the high quality live theatre that the Alley provides for us year after year.
We really enjoyed seeing the holiday performance of a Christmas Story at the Alley this year. We found it to be well produced & entertaining & the characters all came to life in the familiar story.
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During frequent visits to Houston, I've had several opportunities to attend performances at the Alley Theatre. I've enjoyed the variety of performances offered, both on the smaller Neuhaus stage aswell as the Hubbard stage. I've enjoyed some of the holiday shows too, and especially enjoyed looking at the wonderful Christmas trees on display in the Theatre over the past couple of years. What a wonderful tradition.
I worked as an intern and had a wonderful experience. Everyone was very welcoming from day one. I was given more and more complicated projects that helped me grow and understand my field better. My ideas were readily accepted and some were implemented. I felt like a true part of the team and not 'just an intern.' I did the Fitzpatrick internship program and even got paid a little each week and finding a paid internship in the arts is not easy. I encourage anyone interested in Theatre interships to check out the Alley Theatre.
It's always a treat when we visit the Alley during Houston's Annual Theatre District Day. It's an opportunity to purchase tickets for family shows at reasonable prices. It's a welcoming venue for all.
My 12 year old daughter joined the Young Performers Studio this fall and is receiving professional lessons in multiple aspects of theatre at a reasonable rate also. She wants to be a writer and I hope that one day she can come back to the Alley and give back to those that are giving her so much.
I have nothing but the best to say about the Alley. As far as community engagement goes, the Alley has many opportunities for those interested in the arts to see the Alley up close. It's a wonderful hub for regional theatre; those operating the Alley deserve at least a dozen awards.
As a young college grad, I have had the pleasure of interning at the Alley Theatre twice. My first internship in 2008 was with the Young Performer's Studio as a teaching assistant. I was so fortunate to work with such talented professionals and get the experience of working side by side with them. I was able to see how smoothly their backstage production ran and how they greatly influenced the lives of children in Houston. My second internship in 2010 right after college was in Marketing and PR. This internship experience was different; I was working in the administrative offices and seeing how a successful regional theatre deals with the ups and downs of the struggling economy, customer relations, and marketing individual productions. The best part about my time at the Alley has been the way they treated me like a professional. They always expected the best out of me and in turn, I always strived to do my absolute best. They were helpful in not only teaching me about my specific internship interests, but allowing me to step outside of my department and help others throughout the building. As a fresh college graduate, I was also on the job hunt throughout my internship. The staff at the Alley were so vital during that time. They supported me and were willing to give me any time necessary to go out for interviews. I got a job before my internship was over, and they were nothing but ecstatic for me to go take the new job. Without their guidance, knowledge, and faith in me, I would not have been able to enter the 'real world' with such confidence. My supervisors were very detailed with my performance review and gave me wonderful constructive criticism.
The Alley takes great care in making sure their interns leave with an experience that makes them not only knowledgable about the professional arts world, but the saff takes the time to carefully craft them into better individuals as well. I am lucky to have gotten the time to be a part of what they are doing for the arts of Texas.
The Alley Theatre launched a unique partnership with Katy ISD last year. The highly interactive relationship between The Alley, Wood Group and Morton Ranch High School was a first for business partnerships in Katy ISD. The partnership supported a year-long residency program at Morton Ranch and, was so successful that, thanks to additional funding from Wood Group, we have expanded to include Taylor High School this school year. The programs offered by The Alley are outstanding. They instruct and inspire students on every level. The Alley's presence has energized these two high school theatre programs. Our high school students have enjoyed theatre instruction and experiences they never would have received otherwise. Of course, the secret to all great partner relatioships is quality, dedicated, passionate people. The Alley leads the way in the Houston area, in my opinion, in their commitment to extending the blessing of theatre to students in the Houston Area. They come to us. They reach out across all boundaries. We are most grateful and hope that our partnership with them will continue for years to come.
This is the second year that The Alley Theatre and Wood Group have worked with Katy ISD. The program has helped my daughter learn proper writing skills, performance etiquette and stage appreciation. The program has also allowed other students to have their plays performed. There is no substitute for the knowledge, skill and dedication that The Alley has for our children. When many fine arts programs are being stripped from schools, it is good to know that others are out there trying to keep art alive.
Alley Theatre provides meaningful, hands-on types of training programs for theatre teachers, their students, and their administrators. Teachers receive training, recognition, relevant participation, and inciteful leadership ideas for making their classroom instruction increasingly powerful while grounding professional expertise.
Dr. Susan K. Vaughan
The Alley Theater is a long standing well respected major cultural arts center for the people of Houston Texas. I know that when I bring my family or friends to a show it will be a magical experience. I can rely on the Alley to always have top notch performances and design talents. My sister took acting lessons there in the 1960's when it was the Theater in the Round, and I have watched it grow over the years to world renown status all while keeping its intimate and charmed atmosphere. The Alley Theater is a true Houston gem.
Our family has a tradition of attending Christmas Carol at The Alley Theater every year. It is a wonderful start to Christmas and we truely enjoy it. Party of the fun is the atmosphrere created with all of the beautiful Christmas tree's in the lobby area. We have enjoyed taking pictures in front of the tree's for our Christmas card. I was honored when I was invited along with other Houston area designers to decorate one of the trees in 2010. It was so much fun and exciting to be part of the tradition we love so much. This year we also saw a young man propose to his beautiful bride to be in front of the biggest tree, it was so sweet. The production is top notch, location in downtown Houston is fantastic and the volunteers and staff are absolutely fabulous. We look forward to many years of this Christmas tradition. Thank you Alley Theater!
I love going to the Alley Theatre. It is a totally different experience and I always come away with a smile on my face. The intimate setting in the small theatre is my favorite because it makes me feel that I am part of the cast and I am totally enthralled by the experience. Riejan
I think the Alley Theatre is my favorite venue to see a play in Houston. The intimate stage setup is very conducive to feeling a part of the performance. The accoustics are so good, even when I have not been as close as I would prefer. The ambiance, the specific plays, all of it is magical. I took my youngest son and his girlfriend to To Kill A Mockingbird a few years back and it lit the seed of what a live performance can do that a film or a book cannot accomplish. I love The Alley!
I think this organization is a huge asset to Houston. Katy ISD has a partnership with the Alley Theatre and the Wood group, which makes many workshops, back stage tours, Playwriting 360, and the A-Team opportunities available to our students.
Our high school theatre department is entering into the 4th semester of working with the Alley Theatre's Education Department. We are extremely grateful to the directors and technicians who have worked with us in the classroom and back stage at the Alley throughout the past two years. It has allowed our theatre students opportunities that many may not have had to see a variety of professional productions and to participate in responding and reacting to those productions with the teaching artists. In addition, the Playwriting 360 residency has also allowed our students to experience a "cross curricular" process on our campus with a Creative Writing class. The students now understand the importance of new works to the world of Theatre with many of them stating that they hope to write more! Thanks also goes to Katy ISD, Partners In Education Department and especially to the Wood Group for providing us this wonderful opportunity.
This is the 2nd year that my high school has been fortunate enough to be a part of the Alley's Playwriting 360 partnership. As a school administrator, I can't say enough positive things about the experience this partnership has given our students. They have the opportunity to write plays, have them critiqued by professionals, work through the revising and editing process, experience the emotions of seeing their creative work interpretted by actors and directors, see it play out in front of an audience, etc - all in a very guided, nurturing framework. Although we had a great theater department before the partnership with the Alley, their commitment to our school has taken it to the next level. The Alley epitomizes what a school-business partnership can mean for students.
On October 16, 1999, I attended Alley for Educators, a workshop for teachers that included a pre-show discussion of the production "A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE", lunch, the play, and a post-show TalkBack with the actors and artist team. From that date on, the Alley been part of my Houston family. The annual series of workshops for teachers was soon renamed Between the Lines and I moved between the lines of audience member and financial supporter to giving my time and energy as a volunteer for the Alley's Education and Community Engagement Department and for the activities the Alley offers free to the public during the annual Theatre District Open House. Why is the Alley worthy of my support? The Alley has a long history of enhancing curiosity, imagination and insight in Houston audiences. The company of actors are professionals that give consistently believable performances in a wide variety of productions by well-known and newly-discovered playwrights. As an audience member participating in real-time storytelling, I am given opportunities to consider "Who am I?" and "What is my place?" in an interesting and increasingly diverse world. The theater stretches my understandings of the important concepts that I teach elementary students in Houston ISD and adds depth to my teaching. I feel joy as I watch my students use their imaginations and gain confidence through their work with an Alley teaching artist in a school residency and as they join other Houston area children and Alley teaching artists to create and perform original stories as part of the Young Performers Studio. I feel pride in Houston and the Alley as I watch the show "I, BARBARA JORDAN" performed as a touring production in schools and the full-stage productions of the season's plays that are offered to students in Alley matinee performances. I feel hope in the future of our human community as I read scripts sent to the Alley's Houston Young Playwrights Exchange (HYPE), follow the top teenage writers as they revise their plays with professional help, and then watch a readers' theater production of the still-in-process growth of the play. Understanding, Joy, Pride, Hope -- what a gift to life I receive from the programs of the Alley Theatre!
During the summer of 2009, I interned with the Education & Community Engagement department. In addition to administrative duties, I assisted with the HYPE (Houston Young Playwright Exchange)and YPS (Young Performers Studio) programs. The quality of both of these programs is excellent. The student playwrights involved in HYPE were supported by highly qualified one-on-one mentors and benefited from guest artists before seeing their works staged for the community. The younger students involved in YPS had excellent, dedicated teaching professionals who guided them through a variety of teambuilding and skillbuilding activities such as improvisation, drama incorporated with music, shadow puppet construction, as well as many other activities. From the start, I felt welcomed by all members of the Alley and appreciated their collaboration and support for one another. I would love the opportunity to work with the Alley again!
Not only do I attend every TalkBack at the Alley Theatre, I greatly look forward to them. Joe Babb does an amazing job discussing and examining the context and content of the play. It provided a much richer experience.
My students have been given the most important gift from the Alley, the opportunity to experience live theatre of the highest caliber. We, as teachers, can experience thought provoking workshops in Between the Lines and see the play! It is a win-win combination. Thank you, Alley!
The Alley has been working at my high school all year. The Alley has sent teaching artists to teach my acting class, they performed a one woman show, and they conducted a playwriting contest and chose one of our student's plays to read at the Alley. They invited 60 of our students to attend plays at the Alley. This has been a thorough Alley experience for Reagan.
I grew up in Houston, and was frequently brought in to see shows as a student in the public system. At first, I was just wowed by the spectacles I was seeing, but as I learned more about theater, I began to appreciate what a gift was being shared. (Other kids had superheroes who crossed comic book plot lines. I had the Alley's resident troupe of actors, who I couldn't wait to see in new "episodes".) Now that I've graduated from the University of Houston (who has a strong, working alliance between their students and professors and the Alley's artists and technicians), I've had the joy of working as a teaching artist for the Alley. Never doubt that the kids are grateful for being made a fuss of, or receiving access to culture they would have otherwise never encountered. It's something they never forget. The Alley's education department works tirelessly to share theatre with the people of this city. They are passionate, fun, protective of the arts, and endlessly encouraging towards the students they encounter.
Our organization is part of the Alley Theatre AlleyWays Program and we have been so fortunate to have been able to expose our students to theater in Houston. Before participating in this program, none of our students had ever attended a theater arts performance before. Many of our families are low-income and their financial focus is on other things such as rent and food. To be able to plant the seed of appreciation of the arts in these kids now is such a blessing for our organization!
I was a long-term season ticket holder right out of college in the 80's. I was thrilled with the quality of the production and acting. I was proud my hometown had such quality theatre. When I lost my job I started ushering as a way to cut back expenses. The staff treat the ushers like an asset. I work for a local university and have had the pleasure of seeing our drama students effuse about David Rainey, a member of the Alley Resident Company, and his contribution as an instructor in or drama program.
My daughter was the recipient of a partial scholarship for a young performer’s acting (summer) class. In a short amount of time, my daughter made new friends and learned to love the theater for all its worth. Her behind the scene experience helps her appreciate all that goes into a play now rather than just enjoying the actors and the acting. The program boosted her self confidence and has given her something else to strive for in life. Just recently she worked on her class schedule for the 2010-2011 school year and I was happy to learn that she signed up for a semester of theater. I have the Alley Theater to thank for that piece of happiness in a young girl’s life.
The quality of the Alley's productions just keeps going up, with a great mix of classics and new works, including 3 world premieres this season. Mrs. Mannerly, currently on the small stage, is a wonderfully entertaining work, as was Wonderland, which just closed. The resident company is tremendously talented, and it is a pleasure to watch them in various different roles throughout the year and year to year.
Since to being drawn to Houston 20 yrs ago, in part by its great reputation for Fine Arts, I've been involved with the Alley Theater, one of the very few with its own Resident Acting Company. The productions are ALWAYS 1st rate, second to none. Artistic Director Gregory Boyd is a nat'l leader in the field with new productions, their costume dept also supplies local resident opera and ballet companies, and their educational workshops and matinee's for students are a huge asset to the community.
The Tourette Syndrome Association of Texas is honored to be a part of the Alley's AlleyWays program. The AlleyWays events allows us a way to provide our adult TS members with an amazing outing. Several of our play-goers had neer before seen a play and ALL have raved about the quality of the performances and the high level of entertainment. We have also taken advantage of an after-performance talk to learn more about the entire "process" -- another highly-lauded opportunity. The Alley continues to bring exceptional works with exceptional acting to our lucky community.
Houston is so fortunate to have such great theatre. I have seen a variety of plays/musicals at the Alley and enjoyed them all. Jekyle And Hyde was developed there and it went on to Broadway. I saw the World premier of Wonderland there today, another terrific musical. The two stages allow for large productions upstairs and more intimate performances downstairs.
The Alley is a fantastic community resource - and has been for many years! Every production I have seen there has been absolutely superb - from the acting, to the sets, costumes, and lighting. I also am privileged to be a part of the group that provides exemplary service to the audiences.
Alley Theatre's resident company is superb! It is such a rare privilege to see the same actors portray so many different "faces". Each one is extremely versatile. Sprinkle this with performances by wonderful guest artists and you have it all: old friends and familiar faces and fresh new talent all working together to keep Houstonians entertained. Always a treat.