Private Lives, Real Reflections: A Night at the Alley Theatre in Houston

"Freedom for us isn't about fireworks. It's about infrastructure."

That line's been circling around in my head a lot lately — and not just because it's a core

value of what we're building at Oqupi. It's because nights like this at the Alley Theatre

remind me why creative infrastructure matters.

A Night at the Theatre: Rediscovering Live Performance

A few weeks ago, I took a break from the usual hustle of Houston nightlife and found

myself at the Alley Theatre, watching Private Lives, a play by Noël Coward — directed

this time by KJ Sanchez, with a bold shift in setting from 1930s Paris to Argentina and

Uruguay.

It had been years since I'd seen a play — and by years, I mean middle school field trips to

Ensemble Theatre. So this wasn't just a random outing. It was an intentional choice to

realign with the part of me that's fully immersed in the arts — not just digitally, but in

real life.

I went with a friend who, like me, was craving something different. They used to perform

in theater, and somewhere along the way, life pulled them out of it. But walking into that

room together felt like returning to something sacred.

Melissa Molano and Hugo E. Carbajal in Private Lives at Alley Theatre. Photo by Lynn Lane via Houston Press

The Performance Experience

Before the show even started, the set design had me locked in — intricate shapes, warm

tones, and an energy that immediately told me I was about to witness something

special. And then the performers came out… and whew.

These actors didn't just act. They moved, they sang, they played instruments — I'm

talking:

• Beautifully emotional vocals

• Smooth and sexy footwork

• A range of emotional delivery that had me stunned

And the shift from Paris to Argentina/Uruguay? It was a breath of fresh air. It didn't just modernize the setting — it re-centered the story around performers of color and brought their culture to life in a beautiful, intentional way. The music, movement, and styling felt rich and layered. That song I mentioned earlier? It was in Spanish. And hearing it played live, in that moment of tension and tenderness, added so much depth. It was intimate, emotional, and grounding — a true homage to Latin culture and artistry.

If I had to sum it up, I'd say Private Lives is about the unbearable pull of love. How nothing — not distance, not a new partner, not time — can stand in the way of a connection that's written into your bones. It's about how love can be fleeting, hilarious, overwhelming, passionate, confusing, and absolutely worth every second.

It also made me reflect on how we sometimes jump into relationships just to cover the wounds from the last one — hoping the newness will fulfill us. But a band-aid is just a band-aid. Eventually, you're going to have to confront what's underneath.

Why This Matters for Digital Creatives

This night at the theatre reminded me how limiting the online world can be for creatives. So much of what we do is confined to our screens. This — being physically surrounded by artistry, by performers in their element, by people fully present — was a creative reset. I left feeling recharged, inspired, and limitless.

That's why Oqupi is connecting with the Alley Theatre — to help our community break from the digital blur and experience something different. Something real.

The last time I went to the theatre, I was a kid. Not because I wasn't interested, but because it wasn't in my direct line of sight. We're changing that.

So if you're a creative in Houston and you think theatre isn't "for you"? Give it a shot. Step into the kind of reality you might actually be meant for.

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Have you experienced a performance at the Alley Theatre or another live arts venue recently? What was your experience like?