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In the 2025-2026 school year, the Hobby Center is excited to present a diverse range of free educational field trips to Hobby Center’s Zilkha Hall with the goal of serving 5th grade students in Houston. Through this TEKS-aligned series, 5th grade students are introduced to dance, music and/or theater in ways that are engaging, fun and further their learning and belonging.
THIS OCTOBER:
HASAN HATES RONNY: RONNY HATES HASAN
– Comedians Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng embark on a nationwide tour where they will air their grievances - onstage, at the same time –for a paying audience.
WHO: The Hobby Center presents
WHAT: Hasan Hates Ronny: Ronny Hates Hasan
WHEN: Oct. 5, at 6 and 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Hobby Center | 800 Bagby Street | Houston, TX 77002
TICKETS:
Start at $22.50. Available online at www.The-HobbyCenter.org or www.BroadwayAtTheHobbyCenter. com, and in person at the Hobby Center Box Office (800 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002). Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Call (888) 451-5986 or e-mail houston. groups@ broadwayacrossamerica. com.
During these divided times, many people believe that open dialogue and discourse are the only tools to mend a wounded nation. Comedians Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng believe the opposite: Hatred is the answer.
This is not one of those tours where two friends co-headline a show so they can go on vacation together. Ronny and Hasan despise one another. And for one night only, in 19 cities, they will air their grievances –onstage, at the same time – about America, each other, and each other’s entire family trees – for a paying audience.
The format? A DEBATE TO THE DEATH.
Imagine CNN’s Presidential Townhall that’s somehow more demented and with less decorum. This will be a race to the bottom.
Minhaj and Chieng will face off about America’s most urgent issues: Presidents, War, the Economy, Immigration, Infrastructure, Food, Dating, Family Values, and of course, the impending Race War. This is not a call for peace. It’s a call for pettiness. Are you in?
EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES | ARS LYRICA HOUSTON | ORÍGENES – a free educational initiative designed to engage and inspire the next generation through live performance.
WHO: The Hobby Center presents
WHAT: ExxonMobil Discovery Series: Ars Lyrica Houston with Orígenes
WHEN: Oct. 6 – 9 at 10 and 11:45 a.m.
WHERE: The Hobby Center | Zilkha Hall | 800 Bagby Street | Houston, TX 77002
TICKETS:
To learn about the Hobby Center’s education programs and how your school can attend, please visit thehobbycenter. org/education/.
Orígenes
is a bilingual program curated by Mexican-born mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte and Spanish-born percussionist Jesús Pacheco. The program explores the development of voice and percussion instruments with a focus on Spanish and Latin American cultures. Four singers and four percussionists will perform impassioned music from the Renaissance to the present day, showcasing composers like Gaspar Fernandes (Mexico), Ney Rosauro (Brazil), Codex Truxillo (Peru), David Hanlon (Washington, DC), and more. Featured instruments will include gongs, bells, whistles, vibraphone, and drums. Students will learn how these instruments were used for communication, accompanying people through the everyday human experience: from festive celebrations to poignant moments of sorrow and drama. From the earliest forms of musical expression to contemporary soundscapes, Orígenes immerses students in a journey through time, revealing the diverse colors and textures of Spanish and Latin American musical heritage.
LIVE AT THE FOUNDERS CLUB: A Flamenco Journey starring Ana María Barceló
– The Hobby Center’s Founders Club has been transformed into an intimate cabaret club with tables for 4 and table service throughout the performance. Patrons are invited to bring a group or meet new friends as parties of 1, 2 and 3 may be seated with other guests.
WHO: The Hobby Center and Jazz Houston Presents Live at the Founders Club
WHAT: A Flamenco Journey starring Ana María Barceló WHEN: Oct. 10 and 11, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.; doors at 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Hobby Center | Founders Club | 800 Bagby Street | Houston, TX 77002
TICKETS:
Start at $35. Food and beverage costs are not included in the price of the ticket. Available online at www.The-HobbyCenter.org and in person at the Hobby Center Box Office (800 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002). Discounts available for groups of 10 or more by calling 713-3152525, option 4.
“Flamenco en Travesía”, translates to ‘Flamenco Voyage’ or ‘Flamenco on a Journey’. Through powerful singing, virtuosic guitar playing, and expressive dance; the audience is taken on a journey across the Atlantic, showcasing the evolution of flamenco through its encounters with Latin American cultures and musical traditions. This show explores the deep connections between flamenco, originated in Spain, and Latin American rhythms through the ‘palos de ida y vuelta’; styles that originated from the cultural exchange between Spain and the Americas. The performance highlights how genres like guajira, colombiana, milonga, and vidalita influenced flamenco creating a rich fusion of melodies, harmonies, and dances.
CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! – An Epic Queen Sing-Along!
WHO: The Hobby Center presents
WHAT: Choir! Choir! Choir!
WHEN: Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. WHERE: The Hobby Center | Zilkha Hall | 800 Bagby Street | Houston, TX 77002 TICKETS:
Start at $51.20. Available online at www.The-HobbyCenter.org and in person at the Hobby Center Box Office (800 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002).
“Why see a show when you can BE the show!”
Choir! Choir! Choir!
is the fully interactive, participatory show that turns audience into performer! Get ready to laugh, dance and SING! your hearts out with hundreds of other music- lovers just like you. It’s like a big birthday party for the greatest songs of all time and you’re invited! All voices welcome, no experience necessary. We Teach, You Sing! Everyone Wins!
When it comes to EPIC anthems, it doesn’t get BIGGER than Queen! And nothing feels better than belting out their biggest hits with a room full of Queen fans! So unleash your inner Freddie Mercury, grab your best friends and frenemies, and create harmonies that will blow the roof off the place! We Will CHOIR! You! will be the most fun you’ve had in years…
EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES | THE ENSEMBLE THEATRE| DON’T WORRY WILLY – a free educational initiative designed to engage and inspire the next generation through live performance.
WHO: The Hobby Center presents
WHAT: ExxonMobil Discovery Series: The Ensemble Theatre with Don’t Worry Willy WHEN: Oct. 21 – 24, 2025 at 10 and 11:45 a.m.
WHERE: The Hobby Center | Zilkha Hall | 800 Bagby Street | Houston, TX 77002 TICKETS:
To learn about the Hobby Center’s education programs and how your school can attend, please visit thehobbycenter. org/education/.
A high-stakes test turns a 5thgrade classroom into a whirlwind of anxiety, self-doubt, and support. William “Willy” T. Bear, an imaginative but anxious student, escapes into the Willyverse—a world where his emotions take shape. Struggling with friendships and past bullying, he leans on his twin sister, Jen, while facing pressure from perfectionist classmate Penelope. With a diverse group of classmates—each facing challenges like autism, dyslexia, and grief—Willy must learn to manage his emotions. Guided by their lively teacher, Miss Bovine Longhorn, and the wise Pokey Toes Turtle III, the students discover coping strategies, friendship, and self-acceptance. Through music and storytelling,
Don’t Worry Willy
explores social- emotional learning, neurodiversity, and self-expression— reminding young audiences that it’s okay to feel, struggle, and be themselves.
HAUNTED OBJECTS LIVE!
– Join paranormal TV’s Dana & Greg Newkirk for a journey through history, folklore, and true-life accounts of artifacts that seem to possess a life of their own.
WHO: The Hobby Center presents
WHAT: Haunted Objects Live!
WHEN: Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. WHERE: The Hobby Center | Zilkha Hall | 800 Bagby Street | Houston, TX 77002 TICKETS:
Start at $32.50. Available online at www.The-HobbyCenter.org and in person at the Hobby Center Box Office (800 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002).
Are you ready to uncover the chilling true stories behind the world’s most haunted objects? Join Greg and Dana Newkirk (Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits, Amazon Prime’s Hellier) for an interactive presentation that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
As two of the world’s only full-time paranormal investigators, the Newkirks have spent their lives collecting and caring for cursed artifacts, possessed dolls, and other creepy artifacts said to display supernatural activity. Now you can experience their spine-tingling true tales yourself!
During this presentation, the Newkirks will take you on a journey through history, folklore, and true-life accounts of encounters with objects that seem to possess a life of their own. Learn the untold truth about famous cursed objects like the Crying Boy Painting, discover why the Dybbuk Box is scarier than the demon it’s rumored to imprison, and tag along as Greg & Dana reveal how they broke the curse of the Catskills Crone! You’ll even have the opportunity to help the Newkirks create a new haunted artifact, live and in person, with just the power of your mind!
This interactive stage presentation is a must-see event for anyone interested in the paranormal, history, or just looking for a good scare!
EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES | YUNGCHRIS & SONKISS’D DANCE CONCEPTS | MY POSSE’S ON BROADWAY – a free educational initiative designed to engage and inspire the next generation through live performance.
WHO: The Hobby Center presents
WHAT: ExxonMobil Discovery Series: YungChris & Sonkiss’d Dance Concepts with My Posse’s On Broadway WHEN: Oct. 28 – 30 at 10 and 11:45 a.m.
WHERE: The Hobby Center | Zilkha Hall | 800 Bagby Street | Houston, TX 77002 TICKETS:
To learn about the Hobby Center’s education programs and how your school can attend, please visit thehobbycenter. org/education/.
Originally Commissioned by Performing Arts Houston My Posse’s on Broadway
is a Street Dance production representing the authentic Houston Hip-Hop dance movement that emerged in the early 1990s. It narrates the story of its arrival in Houston during the early 1980s and its current evolution, with two Breakers from Houston representing the U.S. in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. The story starts with a high-energy but brief history of the culture of Hip-Hop and its origin. The narrator, also the high school dance teacher, prepares to teach his class on the first day of school. The lesson is knowing their local historic dancers and crews and not just the popular dancers from social media. They don’t know anything about the amazing dancers from their city, Houston, Texas, who made history, but they’re about to learn today! My Posse’s on Broadway combines all four elements of the Hip-Hop culture, including graffiti, dancing, DJing, and Mcing/storytelling. As the students learn about their local heroes, they become inspired to write their names in history.
COMING UP NEXT:
Broadway at the Hobby Center: A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, Nov. 4 – 9 Hobby Center’s Live at the Founders Club: Divas Across the Decades starring Christina Wells, Nov. 6 & 7 Hobby Center ExxonMobil Discovery Series: Tilt!, Nov. 11 – 13 Hobby Center Presents: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Nov. 16 Hobby Center ExxonMobil Discovery Series: Female Expressions, Nov. 18 – 20 Broadway at the Hobby Center: The Outsiders, Nov. 18 – 23 Hobby Center’s Beyond Broadway: Mamma I’m A Big Girl Now!, Dec. 13
