SPECIAL EVENTS

Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is proud to announce its partnership with the national Theatre Communications Group (TCG) initiative, Free Night of Theater, where theaters open doors to new audiences free of charge.

Free Night of Theater began in 2005 in three cities – Austin, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Now, the event has expanded to more than 120 participating cities. In 2008, more than 65,000 free tickets were distributed for 1,700 performances nationwide. This year, TCG anticipates offering almost 100,000 free tickets for theater companies in more than 800 theaters across the nation. The goal of Free Night of Theater is to attract new and diverse audiences to American not-for-profit theater. The program has expanded to include other disciplines including music and dance organizations nationally.

Free performances in Houston will be from October 8 – 18 and will feature 20 organizations offering over 2000 seats that will include a wide selection of theatre as well as dance performances. Participating organizations include: Classical Theatre Company, DiverseWorks Artspace, Encore Players, Ensemble Theatre, Express Children’s Theatre, Frenetic Theatre, Horse Head Theatre, Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera, InterActive Theater, Main Street Theater, Mildred’s Umbrella, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Stages Repertory Theatre, Texas Repertory Theatre, Theatre Suburbia, Theatre Under The Stars, Upstage Theatre and Voices Breaking Boundaries.

For performance information please visit www.HoustonArtsAlliance.com. Reservations can then be made online through a national ticketing website (administered through TCG) by visiting www.freenightoftheater.com. Tickets will be made available Monday, October 5. The public is encouraged to continue referring www.freenightoftheater.net   for ticket availability, added performances and or reservation cancellations.

There will be a kick-off reception for Free Night of Theater Houston at House of Blues, 1204 Caroline Street, on Tuesday, October 6 from 6 – 8pm in the Bronze Peacock Room. The reception is open to the public but an RSVP is required. Please reply by Friday, October 2 to janel@haatx.com.  Participating organizations will be on-site offering information about their performances.

Houston’s Free Night of Theater is sponsored by Southwest Airlines and House of Blues, with additional support from Houston Community Newspapers and Houston Press.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) is the national organization for America’s not-for-profit professional theatres.

The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA), a 501(c) (3) charitable organization, is the city’s municipal arts agency dedicated to advancing the nonprofit arts industry in the Greater Houston area. HAA’s mission is to nurture, fund, advocate and promote participation in the arts in Houston and Harris County, thus contributing to the enhancement of the region’s quality of life, economic competitiveness and attractiveness as a tourist destination. HAA distributes more than $10 million in grants to nearly 270 nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists and manages the city’s civic art collection of nearly 400 artworks as well as new acquisitions.

MORE INFO: For more information, visit the Houston Arts Alliance web site at www.HoustonArtsAlliance.com.