Ensemble Theatre Marks 50 Years as Houston's Oldest Black Theater
This fall marks the beginning of the 50th-anniversary season for Houston's Ensemble Theatre, established in the mid-1970s by George Hawkins, who passed away in 1990. His vision was to create opportunities for Black performers. Initially located at 1010 Tuam, the theater relocated in 1985 to a former car dealership due to increasing rent costs. Key supporters included Pastor William A. Lawson and his wife, Audrey, while Eileen J. Morris, who became a volunteer in 1982, now serves as the artistic director. The theater has produced notable plays such as A Raisin in the Sun and August Wilson's The Piano Lesson. Following the pandemic, subscriber numbers dropped from 2,500 to below 1,000. The upcoming season will feature revivals of A Motown Christmas and A Raisin in the Sun.
Key facts
- The Ensemble Theatre, founded in the mid-1970s by George Hawkins, is Houston's oldest Black theater company and is preparing its 50th-anniversary season starting this fall.
- The original venue at 1010 Tuam measured less than 1,000 square feet and seated only 60 to 75 people.
- The theater moved to a former car dealership on Main Street in 1985 when rent rose from $300 to $3,000 per month.
- Founder George Hawkins died in 1990 at age 43; Eileen J. Morris, who joined as a volunteer in 1982, is now artistic director.
- Pastor William A. Lawson and his wife Audrey Lawson, founders of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, joined the theater's management team to secure grants and financial support.
- Since the pandemic, Ensemble subscribers dropped from 2,500 to a little less than 1,000, and Morris hopes to reach 3,000 during the 50th season.
- The 50th season will revive A Motown Christmas and A Raisin in the Sun, with The Wash premiering at the start of 2027, inspired by the 1881 Atlanta washerwomen strike.
- San Antonio's Renaissance Guild and Dallas' African American Repertory have had no active programming since COVID, while Fort Worth's Jubilee Theater is in its 45th season.
Entities
Artists
- George Hawkins
- Eileen J. Morris
- Rachel Hemphill Dickson
- Steven J. Scott
- Patdro Harris
- August Wilson
- Duke Ellington
- Langston Hughes
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- William A. Lawson
- Audrey Lawson
- India Arie
Institutions
- Ensemble Theatre
- Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church
- Prairie View A&M University
- Renaissance Guild
- African American Repertory
- Jubilee Theater
- Soul Rep Theater Company
- Texas Observer
Locations
- Houston
- United States
- Texas
- Chicago
- San Antonio
- Dallas
- Fort Worth
- Sundance Square
- Third Ward
- Atlanta
- Harlem
- New York City