HP
Hip Pocket Theatre
Fort Worth's hidden gem of experimental theatre under the stars.
5(5 reviews)
Business
$$
Fort Worth's hidden gem of experimental theatre under the stars.
Hip Pocket Theatre is a unique, rustic outdoor venue in Fort Worth, offering experimental performances that blend movement, puppetry, live music, dance, and projections on a wooden stage. Established for nearly 50 years, it provides an intimate, magical experience with a relaxed backyard vibe, pre-show live music, and concessions. Perfect for those seeking creative, community-driven entertainment in a natural setting.
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Seasonal shows from May to October featuring movement, puppetry, projections, and live music in an open-air amphitheater.
Enjoy live music, beer, wine, and snacks in a casual concession area before the show starts.
Annual community-built puppet event on Halloween weekend, offering family-friendly fun.
Rustic wooden bench seating in a horseshoe layout with cushions and bug spray available for comfort.
Sales of beer, wine, soft drinks, and water at the box office, with credit cards accepted.
Absolutely love this theatre. It’s the best kept secret in Fort Worth. They’ll have been around for 50 years in 2026 and I’ve been coming here for 10! Relaxing vibe, rustic decorations, unique performances and genuine, good hearted people. Every summer they have a season of 4 or 5 shows that run from May-October with a community built puppet pageant on Halloween weekend. Their performances are experimental, and they use movement theatre, puppetry, projections, comedia dell arte, object work, live music and dance to tell stories on an old wooden stage. They’ve got a gravel road that leads to a natural parking area. Come early and enjoy wine/beer/snacks and live music in their concession area, which is called the Backyard. Check in at the box office and a volunteer will give you a little ticket. At show time, they ring a cowbell and audience members line up at the front of the theatre. You’ll put your ticket in a little basket and then go inside and find a seat on a rustic wooden bench. They usually have some cushions and bug spray for the audience to use, but you can also bring your own.
I returned to the Hip Pocket after about a fifteen year hiatus, and while there have been a few nice improvements to the venue, the place still has the charming country hippie vibe a I have fond memories of. Out in the sticks on the far west side of Fort Worth, the place can be a bit tricky to locate without GPS, but no issues getting right out there using Google maps. The ticket box office also sells a nice little selection of beer, wine and soft drinks or bottles of water, and there is a pavilion where local musicians play prior to the start of the play to entertain guests while they wait for the show to begin. The usher rings a cow bell to signal that they are seating for the show, and guests walk down a short path to enter the wooden amphitheater and seat themselves; general seating. Productions at the Hip Pocket are always eclectic and entertaining, and the small venue under the stars makes for an intimate experience where patrons are right up near the stage and can easily get immersed in the story as it unfolds. Bring a stadium cushion and some bug repellent to stay comfortable during your visit, and you will have a great time!
We have really enjoyed the last 7 seasons of their baudy, outrageously funny, and odd and so unlikely , creative and visually stunning shows. #Puppets music dance melodrama and all so outrageously entertaining. Bring your friends. Its one of the cooler traditions in Fort Worth. Great musicians play before and after every performance. Family owned usually but not family atmosphere.. a tradition. ...check in soon.
Wow! What an absolutely great experience we had. How is it possible we’ve not heard of this venue before?? Definitely at the top of Fort Worth’s best kept secrets! The backyard prior to the show is literally just that. It felt like we were invited to a friend’s backyard to chill, have some cocktails and listen to some really good music. It was very full of people, but didn’t feel crowded at all. They had a nice selection of wine and beer at reasonable prices and of course non alcoholic beverages as well. The ringing of the bell tells us it’s Showtime! The small open air amphitheater was just the cutest venue ever. There are three tiered seating sections with wooden benches in a horseshoe shape. The stage is easily visible from any perspective. As our ticket person said “Not a bad seat in the house”….agreed. The show performance and musical arrangements were excellent! Bravo! Exceeded my expectations and then some! The 411 Gravel roads and very dark driving in Gravel walkways and uneven paths inside venue Credit cards are accepted Cash tips are encouraged for the entertainment Food is by reservation only Alcohol is served Plenty of seating no need to bring your own Bring a small cushion pad for the theater benches No late seating No reentry if you leave the theater
This theatre will forever be a place of magic. Nowhere else, in all my travels, have I found a place like it. The actors and owners (artists and writers) create so much beauty and peace. Sitting under the stars watching their joyful presentation and listening to the beautiful music is an UNMATCHED night out.
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