The Ensemble Theatre

I purchased tickets for my mom, daughter and I to see the musical, A Soulful Christmas, and it was SPLENDID!!! Each of us truly enjoyed ourselves. The entire cast was full of talent; it was full of very good singing, dancing and fun. We will definitely be regulars!

I love plays, and theatrical events, but some how I just can’t get into some of the plays hosted here. Don’t get me wrong, the actors are great performers, the stage and dialogue are wonderful, I just don’t relate to the 3 – 4 plays that I have seen here. They tend to be ha funny, not ha ha ha funny if you know what I mean. Yes, I’m aware that all plays are not comical, and some have in depth story lines, with other purposes and intentions than to be funny. However, my focus seems to drift off to other places, which only confirms that, I don’t find the plays interesting.
You have to attend at least one or two for yourself to determine if it is me or the plays, for I know others that love this theatre and all that it represents, I’m just not fond of them. However, I will stress the greatness of the staff, that works here. They are so friendly and attentive, I happened to be 20 minutes late to this last one and the greeter actually walked me back stage, through the theatre to a seat that would not bring attention to my tardiness, and allowed me to sit in until intermission, until I could get to my actual seat.
The Ensemble Theatre represents and holds alot of value, to lives of the human race, and the community and inspite of how I feel, I would like to say, Thanks for your generosity, and great humanity to the city, museum, and theater district.

This theater seems to specialize in African American themed productions. I saw «Collard Greens and Platanos» which had really good acting. It’s one of the nicer local theater company facilities in town, which is why I was surprised they didn’t use mics! Parking is more than adequate on street or lot. Just make sure you don’t get jumped since it’s in the bad part of midtown.
I wasn’t really a fan of the «Collard Greens and Platanos» script because it didn’t really focus on a story but more on exposition, history, and issues. Sometimes you just want a good plot ya know? If a play wants to make a statement about society it should be done less blatantly to be more effective. Not sure if this problem was just this particular play or if this is how most the Ensemble’s productions go.

I love coming here for the shows. The cast is always so talented! Before the show, they welcome you and offer beverages, (free or for sale depending on the event), and personally welcome you there.
The sets are nicely built and cleverly done, given the size of the stage. The theater is nice and small, which means that you are engulfed into the fictional world of the story, which can sometimes involve audience participation.
The ensemble is located on main in midtown but has been around since I was little, so they are all seasoned and well organized, which makes the experience that much better.

My bf got us tickets to go see «Collard Greens and Platanos.» Not only was the play entertaining but it was also informative. The actors did a splendid job! You could tell they spent a lot of time rehearsing and preparing for their shows. The Ensemble Theater is a great spot for a date. The place itself has a good number of parking spots near by so you don’t have to worry about walking long distances in your cute heels. Bring cash– they sell snacks during intermission and they are $ 2 each. Yes, a 50 cent bag of chips sells foe $ 2 each (that would be the only con)

Went to see «FLY», a portrait of the Tuskegee Airmen and Desegregation of the American Military. The actors were truly entertaining and very gifted in their skill. I enjoyed myself to the point where I had to purchase season tickets. This theatre is truly a Texas Landmark and I encourage you to attend.
Support your black owned businesses!!!

There’s not a bad seat in the house but I would suggest sitting at least 2 rows back from the stage. The theater is very intimate which I love. Plays spill from the stage into the audience. Production is more than I would expect from such a small theatre. New assigned seating is great. The ensemble is now a staple on my entertainment calendar.

The Ensemble Theatre is one of Houston’s treasures. An African-​American company by heritage and repertoire, the Ensemble is, as you can tell anytime you see a performance, a theatre for all Houstonians. The quality of the work is always first rate, whether it’s the Ensemble’s mastery of the works of the great American playwright August Wilson (sadly none of his works this season) or the annual summer musical, guaranteed to make you smile and tap your feet.
The Ensemble also has a wonderful performance space that is rented out for everything from weddings to performances. We have been proud clients of the Ensemble’s Performance Centre since 2006 and could not be happier. The staff is friendly, professional and easy to work with. They (particularly events manager Willda Jackson) will bend over backwards to make your event a success. And the parking is easy… always important in Houston.
If you have not been to the Ensemble, go! You won’t be disappointed.

My friend and her family were watching a Christmas play at the ensemble theater and were nice enough to invite me. I found parking right away on the side street, they also have a lot. We went inside and the show started right on time. The actors were awesome and the stage was decorated beautifully. The theater itself was very cozy. There were small issues with the sound system, but other than that the play went on smoothly. I am glad I found out about this theater because I really enjoyed the play and plan to return.

What a great place to catch a show! I’ve come here on dates with my husband and on other occasions I’ve brought my nieces and nephews for cultural exposure. I enjoy the quality of plays and the intimacy of the theater.

I was visiting Houston from Los Angeles and attended the Preview night of Immediate Family on ⁹⁄₂₂. What a great performance. The theater was very nice and should be considered a première location to appreciate the arts.

I’ve been to lots of theaters and this one is very nice for such an intimate venue (about 250 seats)… it’s a nice space but no curtain? Okay, whatever.
I was there to see a preview of an upcoming play and I was pleasantly surprised about the professionalism of the sound, staging, direction and the quality of the acting, etc.
If you ever have the chance to go… it’s a must see.

I think this is my favorite theater company in town. The performances and production values are just outstanding.
I sure wish they could get scripts to match, though. The show I just saw, _​From My Hometown_​was thin, thin, thin, scriptwise. I enjoyed it anyway, because the singing, acting, direction sets, EVERYTHING, was just so outstanding, and the script served somewhat adequately to hold the songs together.
I wish I could write plays — I’d write them some. Unfortunately, I can’t. :-(
The train from here stops just a block or so from Hotel Zaza, if you want to eat at Monarch before or after the show. Be sure and check directions and maybe look at some pics on Google first, though — even though the train station is close to Zaza both ways, it’s not necessarily obvious which direction to walk by looking — first time I took my own advice I wound up going almost completely around a block I didn’t have to go around.

Great place to see a show. It is small and intimate and I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house! Acoustics were great.
My roommate who is in the Lion King has a show here for 2 nights only. It is called the Heart Cycle. Check it out Mon Aug 6^th if you can :)

Unfortunately, I did not have te opportunity to see the play I intended to see this evening because I was unable to find parking. I left my house 45 minutes in advance only to find the theater but no parking in a decent perimeter. The lot across the street is a pay in advance lot with slots so small for the dollar bills, you are unable to pay. I ended up parking in a lot near a restaurant two blocks away. Once at the theater, I was told the show was closed until intermission (understandable). I have one word for the ensemble theater… VALET!

When it’s time to take in a lil culture, one of my favorite mediums is to catch a play. this theater gives a lot of variety and most are afro-​american themed plays. They do do musicals too. I like it because there is not a bad seat in the place. The place although in need of an update was comfy and the sound was awesome. I enjoyed the performance, and I am looking forward to other plays there. They run every month for 2 weeks or so, just check their website.

I’ve seen quite a few performances here. If you are looking for a large theatre, then look elsewhere. This theatre brings three words to mind — class, community and culture. The last musical that I saw here was The Twelve Ways of Christmas. I thoroughly enjoyed it.