Heinen Theatre
About the Heinen Theatre
The jewel of the Central College campus, the historic Heinen Theatre is an elegant, intimate venue that serves as the performance home of our dance, drama and music departments. Once Temple Beth Israel, it’s now a theatre, modern and professionally staffed, that maintains an Art Deco charm in its architectural details and stunning stained glass skylight.
Temple Beth Israel is the work of Joseph Finger (1887-1953), an architect who, in ‘20s and ‘30s, shaped the Houston skyline. Among his major works: the Plaza and Lancaster hotels, Houston City Hall and the iconic Clarke and Courts printing plant.
Congregation Beth Israel, the oldest congregation in Texas, built their temple in 1924 and in 1967 passed the building on to Houston Independent School District. In 1971, HISD dedicated it to the city's first integrated high school, the now internationally recognized High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. In 1982, the fledgling Houston Community College moved in, and completed its transformation into a theatre. Now a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark, the Heinen hosts productions large and small, and it's a favorite venue for Houston's performing arts community.
People often call and ask whether we rent the theatre. The answer is, yes, it’s part of our mission to make a well-equipped affordable performance space available to our community. Below you’ll find the answers to some frequently asked questions.
FAQs about Renting the Heinen Theatre
What dates are available?
We build our calendar around the events scheduled by Central’s Fine Arts department. Once all academic events are scheduled, we make a limited number of dates available to the public.
Call theatre production manager Lorrella Cobb, at 713.718.6581, as far in advance as you can.
How many seats does it have? Tell me more.
The Heinen has 298 hundred seats and space to accommodate wheelchairs. Other amenities include a grand piano, dance floor, a star drop and projection screen. Our lobby isn’t suitable for receptions, but our theatre manager can recommend a number of options on campus and nearby. And we are very pleased to offer our guests free parking.
What does it cost?
It depends on the type and complexity of the event. The total cost usually covers space and equipment rental, and staff required to support your production. A simple event with one performance and no rehearsal time will cost around $980. Add in a day or 2 of rehearsal, a second performance, and costs run from $1,500 - $3,000. For productions requiring several days of rehearsals and several performances, expect to pay $2,500 up to $7,000. Our theater manager will work with you to develop an estimate for your particular event. A final invoice that reflects actual charges will be submitted to you for payment during the final performance.
How do I reserve the theatre?
First, all our theatre production manager to check on available dates. If we can accommodate you, we will place a one-month hold on the date(s). A deposit of an estimated $200 a day confirms the booking.
Once the deposit is paid, you can cancel the event but HCC will charge an administrative fee equal to that amount.
We also require liability coverage for the period of the rental, and must receive the certificate before we can write the contract.
For more information about the venue, policies and pricing, please contact Lorrella Cobb at 713.718.6581.