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 on the 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.
Joining Dvorsky and Illes in TUTS' production of A Wonderful Life are Erik Devine (Matthew), whose stage credits include Broadway's Cats and Ragtime; Michael Arnold (Ernie Bishop), whose Broadway credits include the original cast of Cats and 42nd Street Revival; Kevin Cooney (Uncle Billy), who has appeared in numerous TUTS shows, TV's "Nip/Tuck" and "Scrubs," and has been seen in both Legally Blonde films; David Koch (Sam Wainwright), who was seen in Broadway's original casts of Jekyll & Hyde and The Pirate Queen; Hal Robinson (Henry Potter), who appeared on Broadway in Cabaret and Grand Hotel; Susan Shofner (Milly Bailey), who has appeared in thirteen TUTS shows and the National Tour of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; Corby Sullivan (Harry Bailey), who is returning to TUTS having been seen in 110 in the Shade; Michael Tapley (Bert), who has appeared in numerous TUTS shows and was seen on Broadway in The Who's Tommy and Evita; and Patrick Richwood (Clarence), who has been seen in The Little Shop of Horrors and in films including The Princess Diaries and Beaches.
The ensemble cast includes Gary Bankston, John Berno, Marybelle Chaney, Ven Daniel, Angela Kristin Dickens, Ashlee Fife, Nkrumah Gatling, Mitchell Greco, Mark Laskowski, Reid Lee, Philip Lehl, Pamela M. Moore, Theresa Nelson, Marc Oka, Briana Resa, Krissy Richmond, Jim Shaffer, Christina Stroup, Lee Jane Walker, Karl Warden, and Paige Wheat and Nirayl Wilcox. Joining the student ensemble are performers from The Academy at TUTS' Humphreys School of Musical Theatre, which includes Michael Bevan, Sam Burkett, Sarah Burkett, Chris Canal, Sydney Crofton, Jack Delac, Maureen Fenninger, Jessica Ferguson, Noelle Flores, Trey Harrington, Mark Jackson, Trey Stoker, Caroline Taylor, Emily Thompson, Charity Van Tassel, and Samantha West.
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 includes Ed Goldschneider (Music Director/Conductor), Art Yelton (Conductor), Charlie Smith (Scenic Designer/Projection Designer), William Cusick (Projection Designer), Gail Baldoni (Costume Design), 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. Group discounts available for 15 or more and may be purchased by calling (713) 558-8888.
TUTS 2007-2008 "40th Anniversary" Season is sponsored by UBS Investment Bank. Sponsors of TUTS' production of A Wonderful Life include ConocoPhillips, Cokinos Bosien & Young, Spectra Energy and Ballard Exploration Company, Inc. 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 are ABC-13 and Houston Chronicle.
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. Dedicated to producing new works and classic masterpieces, the 2007-2008 "Dream of a Season" celebrates TUTS' 40th Anniversary Season of bringing world-class musical theatre to Houston audiences. 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.
-- www.tuts.com
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