OCTOBER 10: ALLEY THEATRE, 615 TEXAS AVENUE
Where better to begin than at the Alley, founded in 1947? Who better to provide the backdrop for the series than Everett Evans, longtime theater critic for the Houston Chronicle? What does a community need to build a vibrant theater scene? Is Houston a theater city? He will address these questions and others. Gregory Boyd, artistic director of the Alley Theatre since 1989, has produced and directed classics, premieres by major playwrights, and works by rising talents. He has served as panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, has directed theater across America, and has taught at several universities. Under his leadership, the Alley formed its own professional resident theater company and received the 1996 Special Tony Award. Terrence Dwyer, an exciting new arrival in Houston, is the distinguished new managing director. He comes to us from La Jolla Playhouse. We will also tour the state-of-the-art Center for Theatre Production at the Alley.

OCTOBER 24: STAGES REPERTORY THEATRE, 3201 ALLEN PARKWAY
Rob Bundy, artistic director since 1996, has produced and directed more than sixty plays at Stages. He has also directed at the Alley and at other theaters around the country. An evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts, he taught at the Juilliard School and at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Meet the other half of Stages' dynamic duo, Kenn McLaughlin, the managing director. For 26 years, Stages has served as an important venue for new writers, and has presented works by established playwrights; it has also maintained a vibrant children's theater program.