Ring in the holiday cheer when one of the most popular and heartwarming films ever made comes to life on stage! Based on Frank Capra's 1946 classic film, Theatre Under The Stars proudly presents the timeless masterpiece A Wonderful Life as its holiday production, December 11-23 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby at Walker).
Featuring a book and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick (of Fiddler of Roof fame) and music by Joe Raposo ("Sesame Street" composer), A Wonderful Life is the musical adaptation of the Golden Globe Award-winning film "It's a Wonderful Life," starring Jimmy Stewart. Recently, It's A Wonderful Life celebrated 60 years as one of America's favorite holiday traditions when it topped the American Film Institute's list of Most Inspiring Films of All Time.
George Dvorsky will star as George Bailey, the role immortalized on screen by Jimmy Stewart with Mary Illes as Mary Hatch Bailey. Dvorsky has been seen on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Passion and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. A Wonderful Life marks Dvorsky's sixth TUTS appearance. Most recently, Dvorsky starred in TUTS' 110 in the Shade, Anything Goes and Brigadoon. Previously, Illes was seen on Broadway in The Music Man, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Steel Pier, and She Loves Me. Other credits include appearing in Sunset Boulevard in Toronto, Canada and TUTS' World Premiere of What Every Happened To Baby Jane?.
TUTS' Associate Artistic Director, Roy Hamlin, will serve as Director with Paula Sloan as Choreographer. For TUTS, Hamlin has directed 110 in the Shade, Anything Goes, Brigadoon, and The Wizard of Oz. Other Houston directing credits include Call Me Madam, Bunnicula, and Underneath the Lintel with Main Street Theatre; Baby with Stages Repertory; and The Miss Firecracker Contest for the historic Strand Theatre in Galveston. Houstonian Paula Sloan will serve as choreographer. Previously, Sloan choreographed National tours of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Unsinkable Molly Brown and is currently directing and choreographing the new National Tour of Urban Cowboy and the upcoming National Tour of Little Women.
Set in the small town of Bedford Falls in the 1940s, A Wonderful Life is the story of George Bailey, who has a heart of gold but has long felt like a failure. When George wonders what life would be like if he had never been born, an angel shows him how different the world would be if he didn't exist.
The creative team will also include Ed Goldschneider (Musical Direction/Conductor), Charlie Smith (Scenic Designer), Ray Delle Robbins (Costume Coordinator), Richard Winkler (Lighting Designer) and Christopher "Kit" Bond (Sound Designer).
Single tickets for TUTS' production of A Wonderful Life ($29-$93) are available to the public by phone at (713) 558-8887 or outside the Houston area at (888) 558-3882; or in person at the Theatre Under The Stars Box Office, (800 Bagby at Walker, Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-4pm); or on-line at www.tuts.com. Audio described performances are available December 23 at 2 p.m.; open captioning December 23 at 7:30 p.m. Wheelchair accessible. Student discount tickets are available one hour before performance. -- www.tuts.com
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