Celebrate "Swing!" As A TUTS Premiere

Jump and jive to the hottest beats from the Big Band Era when Theatre Under The Stars produces Swing! from January 30-February 11 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby at Walker). Swing! is a celebration of the music and dance phenomenon that swept the nation in the 30's and 40's and has returned to become one of today's fastest growing trends.

A TUTS premiere production, Swing! crosses ethnic and cultural barriers, highlighting an eclectic mix of Jive, Latin Swing, West Coast Swing, Hip-Hop Swing and Country Western Swing. Clive Barnes of the New York Post has called Swing! "A major breakthrough and the most exhilarating show in town!"

In addition to several original songs, the Tony Award-nominated Swing! features such classic swing tunes as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Harlem Nocturne," "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," "Sing, Sing Sing!," "Stompin at the Savoy," and "Blues in the Night." Swing! opened in 1999 at the St. James Theater and ran for 461 performances before closing in 2001. The Broadway production, featuring direction and choreography by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, received five nominations including "Best Musical" at the 2000 Tony Awards.

A veteran Chicago director, Marc Robin, is directing TUTS' premiere production of Swing!. In addition to directing and choreographing TUTS' recent premiere production of Cats, Robin has directed and choreographed for the Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, and more. He is also the winner of eleven of Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Awards and was nominated in 2005 for his production of Beauty and the Beast.

Mark Eckstein and Beverly Durand will serve as co-choreographers. Eckstein, who will also serve as Associate Director, received the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Award for "Best Choreography" for his work on Swing! and was nominated for an LA Stage Ovation Award for "Best Featured Actor in a Musical" for his performance in Swing!. Durand, who specializes in partnering, has been seen on Broadway in Swing! and Forever Tango. She has co-choreographed several productions of Swing! and Saturday Night Fever in The Netherlands, and is a recipient of the Joseph Jefferson Award for "Best Choreography" for Swing! along with Mark Eckstein and Marc Robin.

TUTS' production of Swing! stars Keith Lamelle Thomas (Everett), who has been seen on Broadway in Swing! and Ragtime; Michelle Dawson (Laura), who appeared on Broadway in Show Boat and originated the role of Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime (Chicago); Emily Drennan (Ann), who was seen Off-Broadway in Toxic Audio and Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love; and David Elder (J.C.), who received an Outer Critics Circle and Astaire Award nomination for his performance in 42nd Street on Broadway.

Joining the ensemble cast are Alison Solomon, Desiree Duarte, Adealani Malia, Lori Barber, Michelle Marmolejo, Beverly Durand, Quinn M. Bass, Parker Esse, Christopher Saunders, Anthony Wayne and Mark Eckstein.

The creative team will include Sam Kriger (Conductor), Richard Winkler (Lighting Designer), Christopher "Kit" Bond (Sound Designer), John Farrell (Scenic Consultant), Julie Duro (Associate Lighting Designer) and Thomas Marquez (Costume Advisor).

Area students will sing, sing, sing to the electrifying tunes of Big Band at Theatre Under The Stars' Student Matinee performance of Swing! on Wednesday, February 7 from 10 a.m.-Noon at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby at Walker). This Swing! Student Matinee performance is held in conjunction with TUTS' Education and Outreach Program. Prior to the show, teachers are encouraged to incorporate the themes and poems that Swing! is based on into their lessons. To aid teachers, TUTS has developed an educational study guide with discussion questions and show background to assist them.

TUTS Study Guides for students feature Musical Theatre 101, Show Background, Discussion Questions/Written Assignments, Projects, Song Lyrics, and more. Guides are structured for Elementary, Junior/High School levels. To access the TUTS Season Study Guides, visit www.tuts.com then select the show for which you would like a study guide. Each show page has a bar with a Detailed Synopsis and a Study Guide link.

Tickets for the Swing! Student Matinee performance are $9.75 per student with one complimentary chaperone ticket for each 20 student tickets purchased. To purchase tickets, contact Natalie Young at (713) 558-8888. Group discounts for 15 or more are also available for other season shows. -- www.tuts.com