"The Mission of The Ensemble Theatre is to preserve African American artistic expression and enlighten, entertain and enrich a diverse community."
Influenced by the African American Theatre movement of the 1960s and 70s, George Hawkins founded a Black theatre company in 1976 in Houston, Texas.
George observed that professional roles were few and far between for Black actors and his frustration led him to create his own company, then known as The Black Ensemble Company. Hawkins’ goal was to create a theatre that focused on themes of Black life, expanded employment opportunities for actors of color, while providing theatrical education opportunities for the entire community. He located the building to use as a storefront theatre at 1010 Tuam Street and renamed the company The Ensemble Theatre.
In 1985, the theatre moved to its current Midtown Arts District home at 3535 Main Street, where its longevity propelled the district into being named a Cultural Arts District designated by the Texas Commission on the Arts. George Hawkins passed away in 1990, but his dream, drive and passion continued under superb leadership and community support. The Late Board President Emerita, Audrey H. Lawson, led the capital campaign for The Ensemble’s $4.5 million building renovation that concluded in 1997. The Ensemble Theatre is a founding member of NABTBO, National Association of Black Theater Building Owners which posits The Ensemble Theatre as the oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest and one of the nation’s largest African American theatres owning and operating its facility.
The programs and operations of The Ensemble Theatre benefit a multicultural audience that is diverse in age, income, ethnicity and culture. The Ensemble Theatre produces a Mainstage Season of contemporary and classical works devoted to the portrayal of the African American experience by local and national playwrights and artists. The institution has produced fifteen world premieres and over one hundred regional premiers in its history. The Ensemble Theatre benefits an audience and artistic constituency of approximately 65,000 people annually.
The Celebrating the Creative Journey Community Engagement Series (CCJ) offers an expanded repertoire of artistic programming and projects outside of the mainstage season. The artistic offerings are in the form of digital and live workshops, performances, collaborations, and discussions. The Ensemble Theatre is committed to cultivating Houston artists, to provide a platform for new and developing works, and to explore collaborative opportunities. Over the CCJ six-year history, The Ensemble Theatre has been proud to be in league with prestigious artists leading in the industry and to have collaborated with world-changing entities such as Dance Theatre of Harlem, Interfaith Ministries and Museum of Fine Arts Houston. The Ensemble Theatre is intently supportive of Houston based artists, providing additional engagement for Ensemble community artists through the CCJ Artist Highlight Projects which offers developmental support and production resources for selected projects.
Serving more than 30 thousand youth throughout Houston and beyond, The Ensemble is a premiere leader with its Touring Education program providing educational workshops, artist-in residence experiences and live performances for students both off-site and at the theatre. The theatre produces excellent productions for young audiences engaging our future leaders using theatre as the mechanism for exploring social emotional learning, teaching universal themes and inspiring growth for the betterment of the global community.
Also, the Young Performers Program (YPP) offers intensive winter, spring and summer training for youth ages 6 to 17, encompassing instruction in all theatrical disciplines. Former YPP’ers have become dynamic leaders in the craft and have been seen on Broadway, in hit television programs and on the silver screen.
The Ensemble Theatre has been recognized for its outstanding contributions to the legacy of the theatre community. The institution received the prestigious AUDELCO Award for persevering following the death of their founder. This year, the theatre was honored with The Theatre Company Longevity Award by the National Black Theatre Festival, for developing and maintaining Black Theatre in Houston since 1976 and for its profound contributions to the American Theatre.
The national publication, Broadway World, identified The Ensemble Theatre in 2020 with nine awards including Best Theatre Staff, Top Arts Supporting Organization and Theatre Company of the Decade. In 2021, Project1Voice awarded The Ensemble Theatre with their Regional Theatre award for exemplary work. The Ensemble Theatre has been selected numerous times to share works at the National Black Theatre Festival, having risen to the top through a competitive selection process. The Ensemble Theatre continues to affect the national landscape of the arts!