Houghton has played leading roles in over 60 productions on Broadway, off-Broadway and in regional theatres across America. She won the Theatre World Award for her performance in A Scent of Flowers off Broadway in 1969.

In 1975, Houghton wrote a children's story, "The Wizard's Daughter", which is collected in the book Two Beastly Tales, illustrated by Joan Patchen, who was actor Ken Jenkins's first wife; there was another story included in the book, written by JB Grant, Houghton's elder brother.

Houghton is also a Playwright and has translated the works of others for the stage, as well as writing her own plays. Eleven of her plays have been produced. Her play Buddha was published in Best Short Plays of 1988. Her musical Bookends premiered at NJ Rep Co. summer of 2007, received rave notices and garnered the theater the highest box office sales in their 11-year history. Since then it has twice been part of The York Theatre’s Developmental Reading Series and is currently being redeveloped.

Houghton has presented lectures at venues across the country including the 2001 Fall Concert & Lectures Series at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and at The Cosmopolitan Club. She lectured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art again in June, 2008, presenting "Saucy Gamine, Reluctant Penitent, and Glorious Victor," a review of her aunt's career in Hollywood as reflected in three of her films.

She has appeared in The Last Airbender, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, in 2010.