Local News
Houston’s Theater District Suffers Setbacks From Flooding
Houston CultureMap writes that 16 years ago, Tropical Storm Allison damaged Houston’s Theater District, but since then, the area has been safe from flooding. Unfortunately, this time, Harvey’s extreme weather “flooded virtually every major performing arts venue in the downtown district.”
On Facebook on Monday, Theater District officials posted a statement detailing the damage to each building. They say that the Wortham Theater Center had intruding water in the front of the building which has drained and left dirt, and the Brown Theater stage was greatly damaged by water. Also, the basement is still flooded. For the most part, all is okay at the Jones Hall for the Performing Arts except for a rehearsal room where the Houston Symphony plays. The Hobby Center “has some water penetration in Zilkha Hall through the loading dock area of the foyer.” And sadly, all of the parking garages in the district (which are underground) are overtaken by flooding.
Houston Culture Map says that the Wortham Center houses the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet, and thankfully, the staff members were able to move the costumes for productions of “La traviata” and “Julius Caesar” before the storm hit.
It will take a while to assess how to move forward with all of the damage. For now, ticket holders for Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” at the Alley Theatre should inquire about refunds as the electricity has been damaged in the building. Email the box office at [email protected].
