Giving Hurricane Harvey Victims Free Theater Seats Makes Everyday Houstonians Gifting Heroes

When a Night Out Means Everything

By Shelby Hodge // Feb 16, 2018

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'Memphis' is currently playing at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.

Even six months after Hurricane Harvey, numbers of Houstonians and some of the city’s performing arts groups remain displaced. So in a coming together effort to serve both Houstonians and the arts groups, Theater District Houston has developed a clever idea to fill seats and offer a magical, theatrical escape for flood victims — the Give a Seat campaign.

The theater district is asking those spared from the flood waters to step up and make a donation to the program at www.GiveASeat4Houston.org, thus giving those affected by the storm an uplifting evening of theater at one of the city’s seven major performing arts organizations. For every $10,000 that is raised, Theater District Houston can send 200 individuals to a theater performance. Donations of all sizes are welcome.

The district is partnering with BakerRipley to identify those who will receive tickets from among families and seniors being assisted through the non-profit’s disaster case management service. In addition, Lyft and Ridesharing will provide rides for those who don’t have access to transportation.

Performing arts organizations participating in the Give a Seat campaign are the Alley Theatre, Da Camera, Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera, Houston Symphony, Theatre Under the Stars and Society for the Performing Arts.

A number of civic leaders and performing arts advocates, including Mayor Sylvester Turner, have joined the campaign with social media videos posted on the theater district’s Facebook and Instagram pages.