Houston Theater District

Twilight of Romanticism

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:52:19 GMT

Twilight of Romanticism
Start Date: 1-May-10 8:00 AM
End Time: 1-May-10 10:00 PM
Location: Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall, Houston, TX 77002
Speaker:

Event Details:

The Twilight of Romanticism

Da Camera welcomes back the brilliant Orion String Quartet and proudly presents soprano Kelly Nassief in her Da Camera debut for an evening of works on the cusp between Romantic and modern. The seminal compositions of Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms, viewed as musical opposites in their own time, each provided irreplaceable inspiration for the young Arnold Schoenberg. Both influences are heard in the passionate and fiery Chamber Symphony, performed here in Webern’s arrangement for Piano Quintet. Of the Wesendonck Lieder, Wagner wrote, “I have done nothing better than these songs.”

Program:

Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder

Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No. 1 in E Major, Op. 9 (arr. Webern)

Brahms: String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111

Musicians: Kelly Nassief, soprano; Pacifica Quartet (Daniel Phillips, violin; Todd Phillips, violin; Steven Tenenbom, viola; Timothy Eddy, cello); Ida Kavafian, viola; Sarah Rothenberg, piano

“The Orion performed with confidence, precision, fluidity and surprising wit. The ensemble's style is tightly cohesive, with attention to nuance and crisp ornamentation.”— The Los Angeles Times

“Soprano Kelly Nassief is a real find. With pin-point focus, her clear, bright intonation is radiant.”— Albuquerque Journal

Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall

501 Texas

Houston, TX US 77002

Jazz: Esperanza Spalding

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:30:17 GMT

Jazz: Esperanza Spalding
Start Date: 24-Apr-10 8:00 PM
End Time: 24-Apr-10 10:00 PM
Location: Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall, Houston, TX 77002
Speaker:

Event Details:

Esperanza Spalding

If “esperanza” is the Spanish word for hope, then bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth. The 23-year-old prodigy is blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on the hypnotic. “

“Those following jazz ought to keep an ear on the bassist Esperanza Spalding, who is going about things her own way…The Esperanza Spalding experience is light, melodic, joyful, always sort of minimalist and airborne.” —Ben Ratliff, The New York Times

“She is an irresistible performer.” —The Seattle Times

The Da Camera Jazz series also includes: Charles Lloyd, Kenny Garrett, Dianne Reeves, Ben Allison and Man Size Safe and Brandon Lee.

713-524-5050 www.dacamera.com

Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall

501 Texas

Houston, TX US 77002

Modern Romantics

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:34:13 GMT

Modern Romantics
Start Date: 6-Apr-10 7:30 PM
End Time: 6-Apr-10 9:30 PM
Location: The Menil Collection, Houston, TX 77006
Speaker:

Event Details:

Modern Romantics

George Rochberg’s monumental String Quartet No. 3 represented a seminal break in 20th-century music. Radically marking a return to tonality, the quartet’s overt romanticism provoked discussion and controversy at its premiere in 1973. Rochberg set the stage for composers of succeeding generations to carry on the Romantic spirit. Harbison’s November 19, 1828 is a poignant memorial to Franz Schubert. The Shepherd School’s Jalbert, winner of the prestigious Stoeger Award for achievements in chamber music, is represented with the Houston premiere of a major new work.

Program:

Pierre Jalbert: Sonata for cello and piano

George Rochberg: String Quartet No. 3

John Harbison: November 19, 1828

Musicians: Curtis Macomber, violin; Andrew Jennings, violin; James Dunham, viola; Norman Fischer, cello; Jeanne Kierman Fischer, piano

Photo: (c) Placenotes, Kevin Keim

The Menil Collection

1515 Sul Ross

Houston, TX 77006

Steven Isserlis: Romantic Cello

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:38:48 GMT

Steven Isserlis: Romantic Cello
Start Date: 26-Mar-10 8:00 AM
End Time: 26-Mar-10 10:00 PM
Location: Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Houston, TX 77002
Speaker:

Event Details:

Acclaimed worldwide as one of the leading cellists of his time, Steven Isserlis makes his Houston recital debut in a dramatic program evoking 100 years of romantic music. From 19th-century Romantics Chopin and Schumann -- whose bicentennials Da Camera celebrates this season -- to the 20th-century American composer Samuel Barber, born 100 years ago, we hear the passionate Romantic spirit masterfully expressed within the classical sonata form.

Program:

Barber: Sonata in C Minor, Op. 6

Schumann: Violin Sonata No. 3 in A Minor (arr. Isserlis)

Dohnanyi: Sonata in B-flat Minor for cello and piano, Op. 8

Chopin: Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65

Musicians: Steven Isserlis, cello; Denes Varjon, piano

“The music world - and music itself - is infinitely richer for the presence of Steven Isserlis.” - Gramophone

Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

800 Bagby

Houston, TX 77002

Jazz: Brandon Lee

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:29:33 GMT

Jazz: Brandon Lee
Start Date: 20-Mar-10 8:00 PM
End Time: 20-Mar-10 10:00 PM
Location: Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall, Houston, TX 77002
Speaker:

Event Details:

Brandon Lee Quintet

The talented trumpeter and graduate of Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts makes his Da Camera debut on the heels of the release of his debut album, From Within. The youngest faculty member in the jazz studies program at The Juilliard School, Brandon Lee has performed with Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Wynton Marsalis, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Wycliffe Gordon, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Eddie Henderson and Lewis Nash.

“from Houston, one of the baddest *#$*%* on trumpet out here.” — Wynton Marsalis

The Da Camera Jazz series also includes: Charles Lloyd, Kenny Garrett, Dianne Reeves, Ben Allison and Man Size Safe and Esperanza Spalding. Subscribe now!

Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall

501 Texas

Houston, TX US 77002

The Spirit of England

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:27:34 GMT

The Spirit of England
Start Date: 12-Feb-10 8:00 PM
End Time: 12-Feb-10 10:00 PM
Location: Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall, Houston, TX 77002
Speaker:

Event Details:

Two gems of the British chamber music repertoire are featured in this English tribute: Vaughan Williams’s atmospheric settings of A.E. Housman poems and Elgar’s majestic Piano Quintet. Tenor Andrew Kennedy, known for his dramatic performances in song and opera, and celebrated rising-star Orion Weiss make their Da Camera debuts.

Program:

Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge

Elgar: Piano Quintet in A Minor, Op. 84

Musicians: Andrew Kennedy, tenor; Laurie Smukler, violin; Kyung-Sun Lee, violin; Wayne Brooks, viola; Brinton Avril Smith, cello; Orion Weiss, piano

“[Andrew Kennedy is] a singer of wide, lustrous tone and striking dramatic prowess” -- The Times of London

“[Orion Weiss] played with scintillating charm…All the necessary responses to the music came naturally - charm, pliant phrasing, dazzling speed in fast-movement runs.”—Houston Chronicle

Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall

501 Texas

Houston, TX US 77002

Jazz: Ben Allison & Man Size Safe

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:09:34 GMT

Jazz: Ben Allison & Man Size Safe
Start Date: 6-Feb-10 8:00 PM
End Time: 6-Feb-10 10:00 PM
Location: Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall, Houston, TX 77002
Speaker:

Event Details:

Ben Allison and Man Size Safe

Ben Allison is a “visionary composer, adventurous improviser, and strong organizational force on the New York City jazz scene, [and] has emerged as a rising star over the past decade” (JazzTimes). Cited in the “Best Bassist” category of the 2007, 2006 and 2005 Down Beat Readers’ Poll. Allison’s Man Size Safe quintet mixes joyous exuberance and good-humored irreverence with textured grooves and an occasional political jab.

“Ben Allison's music has all the earmarks of jazz in motion to a higher evolutionary plateau.” -- Billboard

The Da Camera Jazz series also includes: Kenny Garrett, Dianne Reeves, Ben Allison and Man Size Safe, Brandon Lee and Esperanza Spalding.

Wortham Theater Center, Cullen Hall

501 Texas

Houston, TX US 77002

Piano recital: Seymour Lipkin

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:00:49 GMT

Piano recital: Seymour Lipkin
Start Date: 26-Jan-10 7:30 PM
End Time: 26-Jan-10 9:30 PM
Location: The Menil Collection, Houston, TX 77006
Speaker:

Event Details:

Seymour Lipkin, piano

A giant of the keyboard, known for his recordings of the complete sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert, makes a rare Houston appearance. A student of Rudolf Serkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski at the Curtis Institute of Music, Seymour Lipkin won the prestigious Rachmaninoff Competition at age 19 and went on to a distinguished career recording, appearing with orchestras and playing chamber music.

All-Beethoven program:

Fantasy in G Minor

32 Variations in C Minor

Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 “Moonlight”

Sonata No. 29 in B-flat, Op. 106
“Hammerklavier”

“...Technically his pianism far outshines Schnabel, while he is more consistent than Backhaus, more exciting than Arrau, plays with more tonal beauty than Brendel...” -- American Record Guide

The Menil Collection

1515 Sul Ross

Houston, TX 77006

The Santaland Diaries

Thu, 28 May 2009 18:59:22 GMT

The Santaland Diaries
Start Date: 27-Dec-09 7:30 PM
End Time: 27-Dec-09 8:30 PM
Location: Alley Theatre, Houston, TX 77002
Speaker:

Event Details:

David Sedaris’ Irreverent Holiday Comedy
The Santaland Diaries
By David Sedaris
Adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello
Neuhaus Stage
November 27 through December 27, 2009 (press opening: December 4, 2009)
This play is a subscription add-on.
Recommended for mature audiences due to language and subject matter.

Company Actor Todd Waite will reprise his role as “Crumpet the Elf” in the outlandish, and true, chronicles of David Sedaris’ experience as a worker in Macy’s SantaLand display. This compact, one-character comedy has been described as "a dream rendition at the Alley Theatre, courtesy of the ideally cast Todd Waite" by the Houston Chronicle. The Santaland Diaries is an hilarious cult classic, featuring comic encounters during the height of the holiday crunch. NPR humorist and best-selling author of Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers.

For more information visit www.alleytheatre.org or call 713.220.5700.

Alley Theatre

615 Texas Avenue

Houston, TX US 77002

The Santaland Diaries

Thu, 28 May 2009 21:09:33 GMT

Launching Houston Ballet's 40^th anniversary season with Manon is an acknowledgment of the key role that Sir Kenneth played in Houston Ballet's history, and his influence on Houston Ballet's repertoire during his time as the company's artistic associate from 1989 until his untimely death in 1992. During this period, Houston Ballet took five of his works into its repertoire: the one-act ballets Song of the Earth, Gloria, Elite Syncopations, and Solitaire; and the full-length, Manon.

Houston Ballet has become the leading exponent of MacMillan's works in America. Sir Kenneth's widow, Lady Deborah, who oversees the staging of MacMillan's work throughout the world, has served as a member of the national committee of the board of Houston Ballet Foundation since the mid 1990s.

Hailed by The New York Times as "one of the century's great choreographers" (September 12, 1993), Kenneth MacMillan was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1929. His strength of purpose can be traced back to the very beginning of his career when he read an advertisement announcing that scholarships for boys were available at the Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet School, where he completed his dance training and in 1946 became a founding member of the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, a new company formed by Ninette de Valois. In 1966, MacMillan received an invitation to direct the ballet company at the Deutsche Oper in West Berlin. Encouraged to accept by Dame Ninette, he took over the company and staged his own productions of The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. He also created the one-act ballet Anastasia, which was subsequently to become the third act of his full-length Anastasia.

Sir Kenneth had proved himself as the natural successor to Sir Frederick Ashton as director of The Royal Ballet, a post he assumed (at first in association with John Field) at the beginning of the 1970-1971 season and held until 1977, when he was appointed the company's resident choreographer. He received his knighthood in 1993.

MacMillan, along with Ashton, has been hailed as one of the greatest choreographers of full-length ballets of the 20^th century. Mary Clarke, editor of The Dancing Times of London commented, "It is no exaggeration to say that Kenneth MacMillan, through his choreography and through his choice of subject matter, pushed back the frontiers of ballet. Other choreographers before him explored human relationships but none ventured so bravely and so widely into complex and often tragic situations, with some characters culled from literature, some from his own imagination and some from real life."

MacMillan created Manon in 1974 for England's The Royal Ballet. Since its premiere, Manon has received critical acclaim in performances by Paris Opera Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, The Australian Ballet, English National Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada. Houston Ballet first performed Manon in 1994, and revived the work in 1998 and in 2002. Houston Ballet and American Ballet Theatre are the only American companies that perform the work.

Houston Ballet's performances of Manon are generously underwritten by The Wortham Foundation.

The Story of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Manon

Manon is set in 18^th century France, and opens in the courtyard of an inn near Paris. In the first scene the audience is introduced to several characters who play key roles throughout the ballet. The beautiful Manon arrives in a coach, on her way to a convent. She is to meet her brother Lescaut, a young adventurer with a fondness for drink, women, and gambling. During her journey, Manon has attracted the attention of a rich older gentleman. A rich man of the world, Monsieur G.M., also has his eye on Manon, and he speaks to Lescaut about engaging Manon as his mistress. Des Grieux, a young divinity student at the inn, is struck by Manon's beauty, and falls in love with her, persuading her to elope with him.

In the second scene of the ballet, Manon and Des Grieux dance their love for each other in a pas de deux at Des Grieux's lodgings in Paris. Des Grieux leaves briefly to mail a letter to his father. Lescaut arrives with Monsieur G.M., who brings Manon jewels and opulent clothes to lure her into becoming his mistress. Enchanted by the vistas of wealth that she can imagine, Manon stifles her regret at leaving Des Grieux, her first love, in the consoling touch of fur and jewels. She and Monsieur G.M. depart. Lescaut awaits Des Grieux's return to convince him that there will be a huge financial reward if Manon remains with Monsieur G.M.

The second act of the ballet unfolds in a private house in Paris, where the proprietress madame is pairing her courtesans off with various gentlemen. Lescaut, already drunk, enters with Des Grieux just in time to witness the arrival of Manon, magnificently dressed in a sumptuous gown, on the arm of Monsieur G.M. Manon is the envy of every man present at the party. Des Grieux takes her aside, and reminds her of his love for her. At first unmoved by his pleas, Manon eventually relents, telling Des Grieux that she will run away with him if he can win a great deal of money from Monsieur G.M. at a game of cards. She supplies him with the cards that will enable him to win by cheating.

The third act of the ballet follows the disgraced Manon to New Orleans as she and Des Grieux pursue their romantic destiny to its ultimate conclusion in the bayous of Louisiana.

HOUSTON BALLET
MANON
FACT SHEET

WHAT: MANON
Music by Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912)
Orchestrated and arranged by Leighton Lucas,
with the collaboration of Hilda Gaunt
Choreography by Sir Kenneth MacMillan
Designs by Peter Farmer
Lighting by Christina Giannelli

Generously sponsored by: The Wortham Foundation, Inc.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
A modern classic, Manon charts the romantic adventures of an irresistibly beautiful femme fatale and her one true love, the impoverished student Des Grieux, from the demi monde of Paris to the bayous of Louisiana. Sir Kenneth has created a brilliant dance drama that explores the relationship between love, sex, and the corrupting power of money. The passion and danger of Manon's central pas de deux have proven irresistible to audiences around the world, and have made it one of the most popular full-length ballets of the second half of the 20^th century.

WHEN: At 7:30 pm on September 10, 12, 18, 19, 2009
At 2:00 pm on September 13, 20, 2009

WHERE: Brown Theater, Wortham Theater Center 501 Texas Avenue in downtown Houston

TICKETS: Start at $17. Call (713) 227 ARTS or 1 800 828 ARTS
Tickets are also available at www.houstonballet.org and the Houston Ballet Box Office at Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Avenue (at Smith Street).

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit Houston Ballet on the Web at www.houstonballet.org

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25-Jun-09 2:30 PM

Theatre Under The Stars’ “Pick Four” Season Package On Sale Now!

noemail@houstontheaterdistrict.org — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON, TEXAS…It’s never too late to become a subscriber and Theatre Under The Stars provides multiple subscription packages to fit your needs! TUTS has just announced the availability of the “Pick Four” special subscription offer. Subscribers may pick their favorite four out of six incredible musicals in TUTS’ 2009-2010 “The One That You Want!” season line-up at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby & Walker). “Pick Four” packages are available for as little as $105 and allow subscribers to craft their own season. Benefits of the four-show season package include: discounted subscriber pricing, discounts when purchasing additional individual tickets for certain shows, and freedom to exchange tickets for other performances.

In its 2009-2010 season TUTS will feature some of the finest musical productions from the Broadway stage, combining powerful classics with innovative new creations and revivals.

• Chills will multiply, you’ll lose control, this is the one that you want! T-Birds and Pink Ladies will have you hopelessly devoted as TUTS presents the tour of the 2008 Tony Award-nominated revival of Broadway’s, Grease, September 8-20, 2009 with special guest star, American Idol Taylor Hicks at selected performances!

• Clang, Clang ,Clang went the trolley! Charming musical staging and a treasured score are sure to bring back tender memories of times past. The beloved MGM movie musical brings all its magic and beauty to the stage for the TUTS debut of Meet Me in St. Louis, September 29 – October 11, 2009.

• Seven rambunctious children and the most irreverent nun ever to kick a habit lend their playfulness to the holidays at TUTS, welcoming your family into theirs, with The Sound of Music. Sure to be one of “your favorite things,” sing along with us from December 8-20, 2009!

• Lovers separated and clashing cultures create the passion and thrills of Miss Saigon, the epic pop-opera that transports you halfway around the world. “The Heat is On in Saigon” warms TUTS from February 9-21, 2010.

• “Gorgeous! South Pacific doesn’t just float; it soars!” cheers USA Today. “Simply Wonderful! Theatrical Magic!” exclaims the New York Post. TUTS is proud to welcome this dazzling wartime love story and seven-time 2008 Tony Award®-winning Lincoln Center Theatre production revival March 9-21, 2010.

• An American standard takes on a new frontier in the innovative and refreshingly wholesome new musical, Little House on the Prairie! Join TUTS as the old-time values and spirit of this classical TV series unfold on the stage, April 28- May 9, 2010.

“Pick Four” subscriptions to Theatre Under The Stars’ 2009-2010 season are available by phone at (713) 558-8887, outside the Houston area at (888) 558-3882, in person at the Theatre Under The Stars Box Office (800 Bagby at Walker) or online at TUTS.com. For a “Pick Four” brochure, call Theatre Under The Stars at (713) 558-2600.

For all of Theatre Under The Stars’ 2009-2010 shows, air transportation is provided by Continental Airlines, the official airline of Theatre Under The Stars. Additional support is provided by St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System, the official Healthcare Partner of Theatre Under The Stars. Media sponsors include ABC-13 and Houston Chronicle. Season support is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Theater District Association and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Founded in 1968, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston’s acclaimed non-profit musical theatre company and is currently under the direction of President and CEO John C. Breckenridge. TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public in 1968 at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park, and is the only Houston arts organization that has performed there free to the public every year since the building opened. Since its founding by Frank M. Young, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world premieres such as Disney’s When You Wish, Kopit and Yeston’s Phantom, Jekyll & Hyde, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Funny Girl, and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. TUTS has also produced international tours including Debbie Reynolds in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Juliet Prowse in Mame, Robert Goulet in Man of La Mancha, as well as critically acclaimed local re-inventions of classics such as Cabaret and Les Miserables. As a way to continue the tradition of musical theatre, TUTS’ Humphreys School of Musical Theatre provides instruction and stage experience for more than 1,700 students annually through both The Academy and The Studio, which allow students to flourish in a year-round schedule of classes. Housed in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston’s high school musical theatre programs.

22-Jun-09 3:00 PM

Theatre Under The Stars is proud to present our 42nd Free Summer Musical: 42ND STREET at Miller Outdoor Theater July 9 – 14, 2009!

noemail@houstontheaterdistrict.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Houston, TX - The tap-happy Tony® Award winning spectacle of 42nd Street marks Theatre Under The Stars’ (TUTS) 42nd summer of free performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre. 42nd Street brings the grand-scale dance numbers of 1930s Broadway to Miller Outdoor Theatre (100 Concert Drive) every evening July 9 – 14, 2009 at 8:15 p.m.

Set on Broadway during the Great Depression, 42nd Street is the classic backstage tale of aspiring actress and small-town girl, Peggy Sawyer, who finds love and success on the Great White Way. Cast as a chorus girl, Peggy finds herself replacing the star of the show on opening night. The director urges her, "You're going out there a youngster. But you've got to come back a STAR!” Full of thrilling, grand-scale tap numbers and over the top dance routines, 42nd Street features music by Harry Warren, lyrics by Al Dubin and book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. It's based on the Warner Bros. film of the same name and the novel by Bradford Ropes. The 1980 musical includes "Lullaby of Broadway," "We're in the Money," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" and the title song “42nd Street”.

“It’s wonderful to see a show like this; a show that really satisfies my craving for the spectacular kind of tap numbers prevalent in old Broadway,” says Frank Young, Founder of Theatre Under The Stars. “Anyone who’s ever felt nostalgic for classic Broadway, or just had a dream to be on the big stage will love this show,” says Young.

Actress, Loretta Swit will play the role of prima donna Dorothy Brock. Though she’s no stranger to the stage, Swit is best-known for her two-time Emmy-winning portrayal of Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H. Swit was also seen on Broadway in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Returning to the TUTS Stage as Billy Lawlor is Humphreys School of Musical Theatre alum, Austin Miller. Miller recently starred as Adam in the Broadway bound Trip of Love and headlined the First National Tour of Hairspray as Link Larkin. Miller’s TV credits include NBC’s “Grease: You’re The One That I Want”. He also appeared in Disney’s When You Wish, TUTS’ last free summer musical at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Starring as Peggy Sawyer is Shannon M. O’Bryan. Shannon has performed Peggy on Broadway all over America and abroad. In the role of director Julian Marsh, is Steve Blanchard. Blanchard’s Broadway credits include Beauty and the Beast, Camelot, The Three Musketeers, and A Christmas Carol. On the TUTS 09-10 season, Blanchard will star opposite Melissa Gilbert in the national tour of Little House On The Prairie.

Also appearing in the cast are Tony Lawson as Pat Denning, Denise Nolin as Maggie Jones, James Young as Bert Barry, David Titus as Abner Dillon and Sarah Strimel as Anytime Annie. Ensemble features Robert J. Abdoo, Andrew Black , Adam Brozowski , Jason Michael Butler , Abby Church, Veronica Diperna, Lisa Guignard , Sarah Marie Hicks , Rashaan James, II , Kolina Janneck , Scott Leiendecker , Christian Mansfield , Janelle Neal , Candice Pennefather , Tripp Pettigrew , Chuck Rea , Ariel Reid, Krista Saab, Geo Seery , Samantha Shafer , Stephanie Van Duynhoven , and Correy West.

42nd Street will be directed and choreographed by Norb Joerder, whose work can be seen from Broadway to regional theaters across America, European and International productions. He reunited Robert Goulet and Camelot for a critically acclaimed revival on Broadway and a record breaking National tour. He also staged the Richard Harris International Camelot that toured Australia and Europe. In New York, he has directed and choreographed revivals of 42nd Street with Jerry Orbach and Tammy Grimes, La Cage Aux Folles with Gene Barry and Lee Roy Reams, and Gypsy with Lainie Kazan. Joerder previously worked with Theatre Under The Stars as director of the 1990 production of Camelot. John Visser, Music Director for this production of 42nd Street, conducted The National Tour revivals of South Pacific, Camelot, Man of LaMancha, and the 30TH Anniversary Tour of The Fantastiks starring Robert Goulet. Other National Tours include Anything Goes with Mitzi Gaynor, Guys and Dolls with Maurice Hines and five productions of Camelot with Richard Harris including the Theatre Under The Stars production.

For more information on 42nd Street, call (713) 558-TUTS (8887) or visit Theatre Under The Stars on the web at www.tuts.com or Miller Outdoor Theatre on the web at www.milleroutdoortheatre.com. Free tickets for the covered seats are available on the day of performance between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Miller Theatre Box Office. Any tickets remaining will be given out one hour before curtain. No tickets? Bring a cozy blanket and enjoy the show from the Miller Theatre lawn, the perfect place for a picnic and a show!

Sponsors for TUTS' presentation of 42nd Street include Miller Theatre Advisory Board, The Wortham Foundation, Inc., The Brown Foundation, Inc., Wells Fargo, and the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation.

For all of Theatre Under The Stars' 2008-2009 shows, air transportation is provided by Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of Theatre Under The Stars. Additional support is provided by Spectra Energy and St. Luke's Episcopal Health System, the Official Healthcare Partner of Theatre Under The Stars. Media sponsors include ABC-13 and Houston Chronicle. Season support is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Theater District Association and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Founded in 1968, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston's acclaimed non-profit musical theatre company and is currently under the direction of President and CEO John C. Breckenridge. TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public in 1968 at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park, and is the only Houston arts organization that has performed there free to the public every year since the building opened. Since its founding by Frank M. Young, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world premieres such as Disney's Beauty and the Beast, as well as International tours including Debbie Reynolds in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Juliet Prowse in Mame, Robert Goulet in Man of La Mancha, the Tony Award-winning revival of Carousel and the Deaf West Theatre production of Big River. As a way to continue the tradition of musical theatre, TUTS' Humphreys School of Musical Theatre provides instruction and stage experience for more than 1,700 students annually through both The Academy and The Studio, which allow students to flourish in a year-round schedule of classes.   Housed in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston's high school musical theatre programs.
For more information visit www.TUTS.com

19-Jun-09 4:00 PM