Houston got a rare kind of star power on Friday night, February 6, 2026: the kind that doesn’t just perform for an audience, but seems to plug into it. Bernadette Peters brought her current concert tour to the Hobby Center, appearing as part of the venue’s Beyond Broadway series, and the evening played less like a stop on a routing calendar and more like a reunion with someone the crowd has loved for decades.
If you’ve ever wondered what separates a true musical-theater icon from a very talented performer, Peters offered a masterclass in the difference. Not because she relied on bells and whistles—she didn’t. The magic was in the way she moved from wit to vulnerability, then back again, as if the emotional switch were hidden in the lyric itself.
A legend’s night out — and a setlist built to seduce
The Houston Press review describes the show as part of Peters’ 2026 concert tour, a run that stretches across the country through June. While the exact setlist for any concert can shift from city to city (and it’s always worth noting that reviews capture one night’s version of a show), the write-up highlights several standout numbers that landed with particular force in Houston.
Among the songs called out: “In Buddy’s Eyes” (Follies), “No One Is Alone” (Into the Woods), “Fever” (the Peggy Lee classic), and “There Is Nothing Like a Dame” (South Pacific). The review also points to “So Long Dearie” (Hello, Dolly!) as proof that Peters can still bring the belt when she wants to—an important note, because she’s never been a “stand there and sing pretty” kind of artist. She acts. Always.
And then there’s the emotional core of the whole Bernadette Peters universe: “Send in the Clowns” (A Little Night Music). The review says that when she leans into that song, the effect is devastating in its honesty—less “big Broadway moment,” more “quietly open wound.”
The voice, the craft, and the tiny human details that make it feel real
One of the more interesting (and credible) elements in the Houston Press account is that it doesn’t pretend the night was some untouchable, airbrushed perfection. It notes that her upper range occasionally sounded a bit worn, while her middle register remained strong—a very human detail, and honestly, part of what makes a live concert compelling.
Because Peters’ superpower isn’t vocal gymnastics. It’s storytelling. The review frames her approach as treating songs like monologues, shaping dynamics and intention the way an actor shapes dialogue. That’s why, even in a concert setting, she doesn’t just deliver “hits.” She delivers scenes—miniature, self-contained dramas that unfold in three to four minutes.
A trio that knows when to sparkle and when to disappear
Peters was backed by an accomplished, tight-knit band: music director Ted Firth (piano), Kevin Axt (bass), and Patrick “Cubby” O’Brien (drums). The review paints the staging as elegant—drapery, polished lighting, and that signature Peters silhouette framed like a portrait—suggesting a show designed to flatter her presence without competing with it.
A fun footnote from the night: the review identifies “Cubby” O’Brien as the same Cubby associated with the Mickey Mouse Club—a pop-culture time capsule of a detail that likely delighted a certain slice of the audience. (As with any anecdote embedded in a performance review, it’s best treated as reported rather than independently confirmed unless the venue provides its own bio notes.)
Broadway royalty with receipts
The Houston Press article also revisits the career landmarks that make Peters’ legend status feel less like hype and more like math. She’s been Tony-nominated seven times, and won Best Actress in a Musical for Song and Dance (1986) and Annie Get Your Gun (1999). Her 1999 Tony win is widely documented in major theater outlets, including Playbill’s Tony-winner coverage.
The review also references her work under some of Broadway’s most defining names—Stephen Sondheim and others—while noting that film never quite found the perfect box for her (even with memorable appearances in movies like The Jerk, Pennies from Heaven, and Annie).
The crowd didn’t just applaud — they testified
The clearest sign of what kind of night this was: the audience wasn’t passive. The Houston Press account describes loud applause and even shouted declarations of love—those spontaneous blurts that happen only when people feel like they’re part of a moment, not just watching one.
It also describes Peters’ stage presence in vivid, fashion-forward terms—sequins, a high slit, a kind of confident strut that turns the stage into a runway without tipping into self-parody. That glamour is part of the Peters brand, yes, but it’s also part of the contract she has always made with her fans: I will show up like a star, and then I will let you see the person inside the star.
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What’s next — and what we can say with certainty
According to the Houston Press review, Peters had recently appeared at Radio City Music Hall with the New York Philharmonic led by Gustavo Dudamel. (Independent posts and venue announcements around that pairing exist, but the Houston review is the cleanest direct source for the claim in this context.)
The review also names her next stop as February 19, 2026, at Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. That date and venue are also listed by the casino’s event page and major ticketing platforms, which strengthens confidence that it’s accurate.
As for what Houston got: one night of proof that “theater legend” doesn’t have to mean museum-piece nostalgia. It can mean alive, present-tense electricity—a performer who can still make a room feel like it’s holding its breath.
And if you missed her this time? Keep an eye on that tour routing. If the Houston stop is any indication, Bernadette Peters doesn’t simply visit a city—she claims it, one story-song at a time.
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