Houston Honors the Hill.
A Texas-sized premiere of legacy, Black history and HBCU pride, Dear Prairie View is a powerful new large-scale work that celebrates one of Texas’s greatest treasures: Prairie View A&M University. This landmark production marks the university’s 150th anniversary with a sweeping, soul stirring tribute to the power of Black history, Black education, and HBCU pride. Part concert, part ritual, part homecoming, this is a performance you don’t want to miss.
Dear Prairie View is conceived and directed by Harrison Guy, a proud former student of Prairie View A&M University. It was on the Hill that Harrison began his artistic journey as a member of the university’s Classic Dance Ensemble. The experience shaped his voice as a choreographer, cultural leader, and community builder. This work is both a personal tribute and a collective celebration of the institution that gave him and so many others the wings to soar.
Founded in 1876 on the grounds of a former plantation, Prairie View A&M University became the first state supported college for African Americans in Texas. Just two years later, eight young men stepped onto that land and into history. Their journey lit a path for generations of Black Texans who would go on to lead, create, and transform the world. Dear Prairie View brings that story to life through music, movement, and memory in a celebration that stretches from the past to the present and beyond.
Told through the eyes of a young boy discovering the magic of campus life, the show invites the audience to step into history and a vibrant world of marching bands, step shows, protests, professors, pageantry, and pride. It is a celebration of what it means to belong to an HBCU and why that matters more now than ever before.
Featuring original music by PVAMU Professor of Music and Collaborative Pianist Dr. John L. Cornelius II, lighting design by alum Bryan Ealy, and performances by Houston’s acclaimed Urban Souls Dance Company, this event brings together artists, alumni, and current students in a dynamic, intergenerational cast. It is a true community collaboration—powered by Houston, shaped by Prairie View.
This production is not just for Prairie View—it is for anyone who believes in the power of Black excellence, legacy, and education. Whether you are an HBCU alum, a proud Houstonian, or someone who just loves a great story told with heart, Dear Prairie View is your invitation to be part of history.
New/Now is made possible by generous support from the Powell Foundation and the Performing Arts Houston Foundation through the Toby Mattox Fund for New Works.