Batman - I agree that Jekyl + Hyde and Civil War were pretty weak, but then again aren't most musicals? But you gotta admit that Not About Nightingales was well received in NYC, and it was a powerful show. I'm an Alley subscriber and have a love-hate relationship with them....dig some stuff, really hate others...but every once in a while they do something really good (Virginia Woolf was pretty wicked this year) and it makes the blue-hair crap worth my time. "A Trip To Bountiful" ? Ugh. I dread next Thursday. I have yet to see a Radio Music Theater performance that hasn't knocked me off my seat in hysterics. RMT is pretty humorous stuff. And sadly, I have yet to catch one of your productions, although I hear lots of good things and mean to do it sometime this summer. Esp if you do the Houston Bar Scene play.
I've heard and read that in other publications, thank you very much. And no, I can't quote them or provide links, but Houston IS rather famous for having great museums and fine arts. we're not London or New York, but we've got a well-respected establishment down here for music and the arts.
HeyP and Behad's BBQing Johnson Space Center is great... saw it today the People are great.... some find this important the Trees are great too
Hey Lynus, didn't mean to offend. It's just that that 'second to NY' line is directly from the Theatre District PR literature. I was working at the Alley when they were forming the original language. I can't vouch for other arts pubs, but that language has definitely never appeared in a national theater publication. The Ballet under Ben Stevenson (now gone), the Opera under David Gockley (still there) and the Symphony under Eschenbach (gone) have been very well respected and more than hold their own with other regional arts orgs. The Alley is pretty well respected, but less so with regard to a lot of American cities. They got the regional Tony, but every city gets it eventually. But they do a lot of good work, some great. I've seen very little over the past few years, but I'd call them the second best theater in town (and the best Equity theater). Just couldn't let 2nd to NY stand. mateo: I didn't see Nightengales, but I heard it was very fine. It was also a co-production with Moving Rep (I think that's their name) and though it was a premiere, it was a very old play which had just gone unproduced. Their record on new plays is less than impressive. But I do think Greg Boyd's a very good director (though I don't always care for the aesthetic) and the company is full of excellent actors. We are doing the bar play. We're rehearsing right now as well as recording the soundtrack. It's called Meat/BAR and it runs every Thurs-Sat in May, at the Axiom. I recommend opening weekend when the tickets are only $5.99. Tex: Thanks for the props. Have you seen our plays? Have I met you?
Hell we even have the Forbbiden Garden here in Houston! http://www.stockyard.com/photos/VP1590.htm I cant post pics cause i am on a a mac , and it only has on big button on the mouse and so i have no idea how to right click to get the properties of the picture to post it. sorry.
Okay, fair enough. So who would be 2nd to New York? <----asking honest opinion here. (and I didn't take offense....I love my home and I absolutely HATE hearing this city disrespected....not that I thought you were disrespecting it, that is.)
Lynus: I don't like hearing Houston disrespected either. I choose to live here and I love it. Second to NYC? I'll only speak to what I know which is theater. It really depends on what sort of theater you go for. There are towns that are big in pro theaters which are successful commercially and others which are lauded for ambtious, critically acclaimed work. But by any criteria Houston wouldn't be second. (What the PR sought to claim, by the way, was that we were second to NY in number of theater SEATS, which later turned out not to be true either.) The easy answer would be Chicago, on just about all counts. It's 2nd to NY as a theater town in general and has more theaters than any other town besides NY (may even have more). They'd also beat us in terms of the strength of the work. Other towns whose theaters would rank higher in terms of commercial and critical success would be Minneapolis, Boston, San Francisco and Seattle (at the least). There are probably ten other cities with theaters on par with the Alley, by any standard. That's really not to dis them (I was joking when I said they 'drooled.'). Just had to put the lie to the silly PR spin. They're very good, even if they're not as good as us. (This is where I'd insert a winking smiley face if I used such things.)
What's so good about Houston? Nothing really. I suppose the Mexican food, but that's more of a Texas thing. You can get other foods just as well in any other big city. I think with the Texans, Houston is one of the best sports' towns in the country, simply because every franchise is well respected and seems to be committed to winning. Still, several other big cities have 3 or 4 top-knotch franchises. While some people here have listed good things about Houston, I'm not really sure if there's anything that any other city doesn't provide, with the exception of NASA, but how great is that really?
I live in Beaumont- 90 min East of Hou. My wife and I go to Houston at least 3 times per month for Rocket games in season. We also go for concerts, doctor -specialist visits- any important medical issue. We enjoy the entertainment in Hou. Exploring- shopping, checking out clubs and new bands. We have 3 neices living there. I like it because I know my way around pretty well. We have travelled to Florida, Ark, Atlanta, New orleans and other Texas cities. I think Houston people are generally friendly and helpful. More so than other places I have lived and worked as a short timer. Things are cheaper in Hou. The quality of life is good and there is plenty of things to do. I have lived down here all my life and would rather deal with heat in summer here than cold in other places like Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, New York, or Philadelphia....
Ohh yea, Great reminder, TBar that Houston has one of the best medical facilities and some of the best doctors in the world Damn, we rock!
1. You could say that about any city except the one she lives in. 2. Houston is the capitol of fat asses and fat people. We are the fattest city in America. 3. Jennifer Lopez's ass is one of the most beautiful asses in America. An ex once told me she loved J-Lo cause she'd made it safe to have big butts again. Amen to that. And small ones too. No one should feel bad about their ass. Least of all J-Lo, whose ass is beautiful. I've never heard her music or seen her movies, but I'm a big fan. Did you have a point?
I loved how you mixed titty bars with the opera snd stuff. I even love that you used the word plethora to ennumerate our bountiful supply of titty bars. Most people would say, "we gots a buncha 'dem booby bars" But you said it like you were talking about art houses!!! fun fun!
If we don't attract a bunch of out-of-towners, then why does it seem that every 3rd person I talk to seems to be from somewhere else? We may not have a bustling tourist trade, but lots of northerners seem to like moving here. also, as mentioned...lots of great "Gentleman's entertainment establishments" Galveston and Clear Lake areas have great water recreation facilities. NASA, of course.. One of the top medical centers in the country. Lots of beautiful, friendly ladies. Home of the greatest hardcore Rockets fans! Cost of living.. and of course... The Rockets/Texans/Astros