The Back Alley

To create a new production of A Christmas Carol from scratch is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am so honored to shape the Alley’s new adaptation of this beloved classic. We premiered this new version last year, staying faithful to Dickens’ wonderful language and filling the stage with traditional a cappella Christmas songs.

In the bustling streets of Victorian London, Charles Dickens wrote his timeless tale, A Christmas Carol. Published in 1843, this novella is a holiday tradition for readers and theatre audiences alike.

I am pretty sure that Anton Chekhov never imagined an entire evening of five of his short plays, some which he subtitled ‘a joke’ or ‘a vaudeville.’ He did not write them to make up an evening.

When you enter the theatre to see our beautiful production of American Mariachi, you are met with a towering wall that evokes the billboards and neon signs of 1970s Houston. This wall has been an exciting challenge for the Alley’s Lighting Team. Throughout the show, the wall changes colors, and various signs light up to cinematically transport the audience from place to place.

Little Amal is coming to Houston! Lost in the streets of Downtown Houston, Amal hears the iconic sounds of mariachi bands playing in the distance. She turns every street corner, but just can’t seem to find the music…  

Very often the first question audiences have upon walking into a Richard Nelson production is, “what’s up with all those hanging microphones?”

Dickens loved to perform his stories—so he created a special version of A Christmas Carol for exactly that purpose.

Little Comedies, thanks to Richard’s trust in the actors, in the plays, and in you, our audience, is determined to give us both: A great show and a beautiful simplicity in performance, design and concept.

The 1970s was a significant decade for Mexican-American culture in Houston. Houston was already deeply rooted in Hispanic heritage. The 1970s left a huge mark on Houston's identity. The decade impacted music and art to activism and community organizing. This profoundly shaped the city's cultural landscape.  

Alley Theatre's Resident Acting Company is a cornerstone of the Alley's artistic identity. Comprised of nine actors, the company brings a unique and vital element to the Alley's productions. Resident Acting Companies are exceptionally rare in modern theater. The Alley is honored to have the only full-time, year-round Resident Acting Company in the United States.