The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts with presenting sponsor ExxonMobil announces Live at the Founders Club, an intimate new cabaret nightclub experience showcasing both local performers and national talent in a format not commonly offered in Houston.

After a successful first event presenting The Songs of Tony Bennett in partnership with Jazz Houston last fall, Live at the Founders Club gets into full swing this week with a Valentine’s program of reimagined love songs starring Houston actor/chanteuse Holland Vavra in LOVE, Holland (Vavra – not the country) on February 14 and 15.

Additional artists are announced through June 2024. Tickets for these limited engagement events go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 16 at 10am. Visit TheHobbyCenter.org for more information.

For this series the Founders Club – a flexible event space located above the Hobby Center’s restaurant Diana American Grill – has been transformed into an intimate cabaret club with tables for 4 and table service throughout the performance. Patrons are invited to bring a group or meet new friends as parties of 1, 2 and 3 may be seated with other guests.

A full bar and light bites are available before and during the show with doors opening at 6:00pm and show at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $49.

Live at the Founders Club is part of the Hobby Center’s new mission and strategic plan that seeks to transform the organizations impact in Houston’s performing arts ecosystem, and position the Hobby Center as a connector, conveyor and incubator for all Houston audiences, artmakers and arts organizations.

“Our goal is to curate a wide and diverse range of exceptional artistic and educational programming throughout our campus,” said Hobby Center CEO Mark Folkes. “The Founders Club stood out to us an underused space that could become home to a series of intimate concerts from local, Texas and sometimes national performers. Every other major market across the country has multiple supper club, or cabaret type performance venues. Now Live at the Founders Club provides the opportunity to create that experience in Houston.”

LOVE, Holland (Vavra – not the country) | February 14 & 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the ones you love and some of the greatest love songs ever written! Musical theater triple threat and comedienne Holland Vavra puts her own spin on classic love songs including, The Power of Love (Huey Lewis & The News), Rich Girl (Hall & Oates), Let’s Get it On (Marvin Gaye), Suspicious Minds (Elvis Presley), Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke) and more. An upbeat tune could now be a love ballad, and vice versa…anything could happen in this intimate cabaret performance!

Keys/music director: Jonathan Craft | Bass/upright: Erin Fisher Wright | Percussion: John Gremillion

REMAINING 2023-2024 SEASON SHOWS ON SALE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16:

The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John starring Michael Cavanaugh | April 4 & 5

Sophisticated Lady: The Songs of Natalie Cole starring Belinda Munro | May 17 & May 18

*Presented by the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and Jazz Houston

Sinatra & Beyond starring Tony DeSare | June 14 & 15

Desde De Alman: Songs from the Heart starring Camille Zamora| June 21 & 22

TICKETING: Tickets start at $49. Beginning Friday, February 16 at 10 am, available online at www.TheHobbyCenter.org and in person at the Hobby Center Box Office (800 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002). Discounts available for groups of 10 or more by calling 713-315-2525, option 4.

Patrons can become a “Hobby Center Insider” by signing up at thehobbycenter.org/news/stay-connected where they receive perks such as access to purchase tickets before public on sale. Live at the Founders Club pre-sale access for “Hobby Center Insiders” begins Thursday, February 15.

The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts serves as a connector, convenor and incubator for all Houston audiences, artmakers and arts organizations. Opened in 2002, the campus houses two theaters including the 2,650-seat Sarofim Hall and the 500-seat Zilkha Hall. Delivering a best-in-class patron experience, the Hobby Center welcomes over 400,000 audience members annually to engage with high-quality arts programming including the Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center series. The Hobby Center is also home to a full season of musical theatre produced by Principal Resident Company Theatre Under the Stars, as well as a variety of diverse performances from both Houston-based and touring artists and companies. Education and accessibility initiatives are central to the Hobby Center’s impact in Houston through programs like the ExxonMobil Discovery Series that welcomes thousands of students to performances every season. Please visit TheHobbyCenter.org. Follow the Hobby Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.