Houston Ballet: hurricane and flooding?

[California]

I don't see any information on their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts. I wonder what's happening with their studios and theaters. Any news?

[sandik]

I haven't heard anything, but I remember the last big flood they had, they'd stored several of their sets in a basement, and lost quite a bit.

[California]

This announcement just appeared on their Facebook; nothing about flooding at their buildings. I suppose that's good news.

 

12 hrs · 

 

 

Houston Ballet Academy

15 hrs · 

WEATHER UPDATE:

Houston Ballet will be closed through Tuesday, August 29. All Academy classes, rehearsals and activities are cancelled including ECE's Dance Talk.

Please continue to check back as we post updates.

[fondoffouettes]

It's been reported that flood waters have reached the main stages of the Wortham Center. 

 

http://www.statesman.com/weather/hurricanes/houston-flooding-along-key-city-bayou-hits-catastrophic-levels/prtx1Xazhy56VkDci4jLZN/

[California]

37 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

It's been reported that flood waters have reached the main stages of the Wortham Center. 

 

http://www.statesman.com/weather/hurricanes/houston-flooding-along-key-city-bayou-hits-catastrophic-levels/prtx1Xazhy56VkDci4jLZN/

So sad! Their season was to open September 8.  Watching the news, it's only going to get worse. And we don't know anything about the homes of dancers and staff, who are not exactly wealthy.

[California]

Miami City Ballet just posted a nice video, which somebody at Houston Ballet was able to share. I understand they had to shut down their web site, but apparently still have access to Facebook. If this doesn't work, search Facebook for MCB or Houston Ballet.

 

<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmiamicityballet%2Fvideos%2F10154624574801090%2F&show_text=1&width=560" width="560" height="420" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe>

 

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Edited August 29, 2017 by California

[California]

They reposted on Instagram. this might work: 

 

[sandik]

I'm wondering if it might be possible to put together a small tour for Houston, working with rep that doesn't really need much in the way of sets and costumes.  It's likely going to be ages until they're able to work at full force in their home theater, but I'd hate to see the company (and especially the dancers) lose their substance with this emergency.

[Helene]

Hopefully subscribers and ticket holders can be generous and donate their tickets.

[sandik]

Absolutely, but right now I'm thinking about the dancers -- how can they continue to practice their craft?

[Helene]

If they are going to take the show on the road, they are going to need funding, and if donors and ticket holders don't want to support this, then they can't perform anywhere else, unless they can organize a fundraiser somewhere else.   We know from experience that Seattle and San Francisco audiences were tepid about supporting their ballet companies when they needed to change venues in the same city.

 

They're also a union shop with a union orchestra, so this will take negotiations, particularly if there are strictures against performing in venues that aren't unionized.

 

It likely is too late to include them in performing art centers subscription packages, and many of these venues are booked for the season.

 

Sadly, many dancers may now be fighting for survival, let alone where they can do barre, let alone perform. 

[California]

Photos of the theater entrance:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Earlier today <a href="https://t.co/3FUBZHEnxG">pic.twitter.com/3FUBZHEnxG</a></p>&mdash; Pu Ying Huang (@puyinghuang) <a href="https://twitter.com/puyinghuang/status/902008743260454912">August 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Edited August 29, 2017 by California

[California]

The National Endowment for the Arts has posted a statement announcing emergency grants for arts organizations in Texas and Louisiana. I would imagine there are dozens of art museums, theaters, etc. that will be in need of assistance:

https://www.arts.gov/news/2017/statement-hurricane-harvey

[Drew]

From the Houston Grand Opera earlier today: https://slippedisc.com/2017/08/houston-grand-opera-a-full-and-frank-damage-assessment/

 

On multiple theaters in Houston from earlier today: http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/houston-theater-district-hit-hard-by-harvey-floodwaters-9743994

 

(Other theaters seem to have been hit even worse than the Wortham center.)

 

 

[ABT Fan]

Yuriko and Jared are safe and so is their home. I have a feeling they're unusually lucky.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYYXlTZHX8P/?hl=en

[sandik]

From another Houston source

 

"The basement of the building that houses productions of Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet is filled with flood water, but water has already receded from the front of the house and the Brown Theater stage. There is some damage to the surface of the Brown stage. The Cullen Theater also has sustained a little water damage.

In a just-released statement, the HGO notes that "staff members had the foresight to move valuable instruments and many costumes, including those for our opening productions of La traviata and Julius Caesar, to higher floors in advance of the storm.”

 

Sounds like it could be much worse.

[California]

Houston Ballet just posted this on their Facebook page -- the embeds don't work so well, so I'll paste it in:

 

A MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM NELSON AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR STANTON WELCH:

The Houston Ballet family’s thoughts go out to our beloved city as it contends with the ongoing crisis caused by Hurricane Harvey. We are grateful to be able to share with you that our dancers, artists, and staff are safe, although many have been displaced and otherwise affected by this terrible storm.

We want to update you on the status of Houston Ballet’s activities as the new season approaches. Due to a disruption of the company’s systems from a power outage and minor water damage that caused our ticketing and email systems to go offline, our offices are closed and will remain closed through Labor Day.

Furthermore, our season-opening performances of "Poetry in Motion", scheduled for September 8-17, have been unavoidably cancelled. We will endeavor to reschedule those performances in the coming months. We are hopeful that "Mayerling" will be able to open the season with performances beginning on September 21st, as previously scheduled. This plan, of course, depends on the availability of the Wortham Theater Center, which has incurred some storm-related damage, as previously reported.

In advance of Harvey, Houston Ballet personnel relocated a substantial portion of our valuable costumes, including those for "The Nutcracker", from the Wortham Theater basement to a safe location. And, we are so pleased to report that the warehouse where all of our sets and additional costumes are stored sustained no damage.

While the recovery from Harvey will be difficult and prolonged, we join all Houstonians in our steadfast belief that our great city will emerge stronger than ever.

 

--------------

I'm amazed they expert to go ahead with Mayerling September 21, but if they've been working on it for a long time, perhaps that makes sense.

[California]

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has committed $1 million to cultural organizations impacted by the hurricane.

https://www.neh.gov/news/press-release/2017-08-30

 

[Helene]

From Houston Ballet's Facebook page:

 to MET dance Company and Center!

 

[mtthwbrehm]

I am really hoping that the performances of Mayerling go on as scheduled. I wonder if Houston Ballet will try to find alternate venues - places like Jones Hall did not flood. Either way, best of luck as they are repairing and many thanks to the MET Dance Center.

[Drew]

I was very intrigued when I read Houston Ballet was taking on Mayerling. I certainly hope they can perform it -- and people are able to attend!  But it must be a very tricky ballet to mount properly under the very best of circumstances.

 

Edited to add: I found this regarding changed company schedules/venues:

 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/houston/article/Due-to-Hurricane-Harvey-Houston-Ballet-Announces-New-Dates-and-Venue-20170907

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by Drew

[Helene]

Houston Ballet is doing four performances of "Mayerling" on September 22 (eve), September 23 (mat and eve), and September 24 (mat) at The Hobby Center.  The September 21, 29, 30 and October 1 performances have been cancelled.

 

https://www.houstonballet.org/seasontickets/pdps/2017-2018/Mayerling-2017/

 

[Helene]

According to an article in today's Links, Houston Ballet will be out of its building in Wortham Theater Center until at least May as a result of Hurricane Harvey.

[Helene]

This is an article in the NYT, which Marina Harss tweeted:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/19/arts/music/hurricane-harvey-closes-houstons-opera-and-ballet-home-for-a-season.html

 

It, too, says that the Wortham Theater Center is closed until at least May ("best case scenario"), but that 

 

Quote

Houston Ballet had already relocated its production of Kenneth MacMillian’s “Mayerling,” which opens Friday, to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts a few blocks away, and now must find new homes for its coming stagings of “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker.”

 

 

[ABT Fan]

Oh, that is so sad. Hopefully, someone (or a bunch of someones) with deep pockets comes forward to help with the rehabilitation.