Dish-Houston

Congratulations to each of the 2013 Tommy Tune Awards nominees! Forty-five of Houston's high schools participated in the Tommy Tune Awards during the 2012-2013 school year, all of which produced fantastic musical productions. A team of 29 Houston-based theatre professionals made 163 nominations in 15 categories. Here are the nominees in the top four categories:

Best Leading Actor
Clear Springs High School: Mark Mendell (Lt. Frank Cioffi) Curtains
Episcopal High School: Mark Hauptfleisch (Horton) Seussical
G. W. Carver Magnet High School: Trey Morgan Lewis (Mister) The Color Purple
James E. Taylor High School: Camron Alexander (Horton) Seussical
Klein High School: Nathan Eggen (Baker) Into the Woods
Klein Oak High School: Ryne Nardecchia (Sweeney Todd) Sweeney Todd: School Edition
Pearland High School: Matt Flowers (Emile de Becque) South Pacific
Seven Lakes High School: Joseph Nicholson (Man in Chair) The Drowsy Chaperone
Stratford High School: Graham Baker (Bobby Child) Crazy for You

Best Leading Actress
Clear Springs High School: Libby Hart (Carmen Bernstein) Curtains
Cypress Woods High School: Bethany Eggleston (Millie Dillmount) Thoroughly Modern Millie
Episcopal High School: Jennifer Laporte (Gertrude) Seussical
G. W. Carver Magnet High School: Amber Scott (Celie) The Color Purple
Kerr High School: Melissa Ramos (Kate Monster) Avenue Q - School Edition
Kinkaid School: Madi Goeringer (Roxie Hart) Chicago
Klein Collins High School: Ashlyn Connor (Elle Woods) Legally Blonde
Klein Oak High School: Morgan Starr (Mrs. Lovett) Sweeney Todd: School Edition
Pearland High School: Allison Anderson (Nellie Forbush) South Pacific

Best Supporting Actor
Cypress Falls High School: Thomas Valdez (Snoopy) You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Episcopal High School: Henry Herbert (Cat in the Hat) Seussical
G. W. Carver Magnet High School: Alric Davis (Harpo) The Color Purple
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts: Wesley Whitson (Vernon Hines) The Pajama Game
Pasadena Memorial High School: Alexis Vargas (Cornelius Hackl) Hello Dolly!
Pearland High School: Nathan Agnew (Billis) South Pacific
Second Baptist School: Ethan Hackett (Chip) On the Town
St. John's School: Sam Burkett (Bill Calhoun) Kiss Me, Kate
Stratford High School: McGregor Dalton (Bela Zangler) Crazy for You

Best Supporting Actress
Episcopal High School: Hayley Talkington (Jojo) Seussical
Friendswood High School: Haley Holtje (Adelaide) Guys and Dolls
G. W. Carver Magnet High School: Delaney Williams (Shug) The Color Purple
Kinkaid School: Carrie Walker (Velma Kelly) Chicago
Klein Collins High School: Miriam Richard (Paulette) Legally Blonde
Klein Oak High School: Sarah Holevinski (Johanna) Sweeney Todd: School Edition
Pasadena Memorial High School: Jaclyn Hernandez (Irene Malloy) Hello Dolly!
St. Agnes Academy: Madeline Garvis (Paulette) Legally Blonde
Woodlands High School: Devin Cherry (Ado Annie) Oklahoma!

The Tommy Tune Awards show will be held at the Hobby Center on April 16th. tickets will be available for purchase beginning on April 3.

Sponsors for the 2013 Tommy Tune Awards include The Brown Foundation, Inc. and ConocoPhillips.

Plenty of off-court events are planned during the 2013 US Men's Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club April 8-14. While four members of the Top 20 of the ATP World Tour Rankings will headline the action on-court, events ranging from a Wound Warrior exhibition to fashion shows will be among the highlights away from the courts.

Here's a look at the event schedule for the week:

Monday, April 8
Junior Night - Youth tennis will be celebrated on Junior Night, which will include a Q&A session with an ATP World Tour player for the participating kids before the night session of matches begins.

Tuesday, April 9
HLTA Ladies Day - The Houston Ladies Tennis Association will host a special clinic and Q&A with Wayne Bryan and ATP World Tour players at 10:30 a.m. The special ticket price includes both the clinic and a ticket to the day session.

Tuesday and Thursday, April 9 and 11
Corona Q&A - An ATP World Tour player will visit the Corona Beach House during happy hour for a Q&A session with fans.

Wednesday, April 10
Armed Forces Appreciation Night - Several events will take place to honor members of the military, including a special Wounded Warrior tennis exhibition before the night session begins. A military color guard will also help open the night session.

Wednesday-Thursday, April 10-11
Tootsies Fashion Show SOLD OUT - A fabulous brunch is served while fashions and accessories from Tootsies are showcased on the runways over the pool at River Oaks Country Club. This popular event once again sold out in just minutes for 2013.

Friday, April 12
USTA Member Appreciation Day - USTA members will receive a gift with proof of their membership from USTA Texas. There will also be a reception held for USTA members before the start of the day session on Friday.

On Court
Opening rounds of the qualifying tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7, and these matches are FREE to the public. Several main draw players will also be practicing at the courts over these days, so it's a great chance for fans to see a lot of tennis action! Monday-Friday, day sessions will begin at Noon, and night sessions will start at 6 p.m. On Saturday, April 13, the singles semifinals will be played back-to-back beginning at 1 p.m., and the doubles final will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday's singles final will begin at 2 p.m.

The main draw for the tournament will be made late in the afternoon on Friday, April 5. The projected top four seeds, who will all have first round byes, are projected to be No. 12 Nicolas Almagro, No. 14 and defending champion Juan Monaco, No. 18 Tommy Haas and No. 20 and the top-ranked American Sam Querrey. Other players in the main draw who will play Monday or Tuesday include two-time Grand Slam champion from Australia Lleyton Hewitt, Spain's Fernando Verdasco, France's Nicolas Almagro, and AmericansJohn Isner, James Blake, Ryan Harrison and Houston resident Michael Russell.

In addition to these singles players, four-time doubles champion the Bryan Brothers will return to River Oaks. The twin brothers Bob and Mike are the World No. 1 doubles team. They own the record for Grand Slam titles with 13 together as well as total career titles together with 86. 

Information on these special events and tickets can be found at www.mensclaycourt.com or by calling 713-874-6294. Several sessions are very close to selling out, however the Ticket Turnback program will return for fans to donate tickets for sessions they cannot attend to the box office so they can be resold with the purchase price being donated to charity. A new beneficiary for the Ticket Turnback program will be announced before the tournament.

For the third year, Music Doing Good collaborates with The Jung Center of Houston for a benefit concert entitled, Shadows & Light: A Musical Journey on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27, 2013, 7:30 pm at The Jung Center, 5200 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX  77006. All proceeds from this specially-commissioned event benefit The Jung Center’s Carolyn Grant Fay Building improvement project. There is a $20 recommended minimum donation, seating is very limited and tickets can be purchased by calling 713.524.8253 or sfitzpatrick@junghouston.org.

Carl Jung wrote, “The conscious mind is on top, the shadow underneath, and just as high always longs for low and hot for cold, so all consciousness, perhaps without being aware of it, seeks its unconscious opposite, lacking which it is doomed to stagnation, congestion, and ossification. Life is born only of the spark of opposites.”

The tension of opposing forces is the wellspring from which all creativity flows. In the world of musical expression, these forces are played out and balanced unlike in any other art form. This musical journey explores the creative tension of shadows and light, dissonance and harmony, chaos and order. Music Doing Good core artists and special guest, flutist, Judy Dines, of the Houston Symphony will explore this theme across genres of music, from classical compositions to original songs.

Music Doing Good, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to inspire and transform lives through innovative, music-based programming. Music Doing Good engages, educates and enriches the community through carefully developed outreach programs and raises friends and funds through world-class concert events. This year, Music Doing Good will touch the lives of more than 10,000 individuals as the organization strives to create a world where we all live in concert.

Founded in 1958, The Jung Center is a nonprofit educational institution dedicated to the 
continuing education of the human spirit through psychology, the arts and the humanities. Through classes, programs, weekend workshops and community outreach collaborations, the Center provides opportunities for psychological, artistic and intellectual development based on the psychology of Dr. Carl Jung – a psychology that invites us to personal growth and a deepening commitment to the community we share.

For more information, please visit www.musicdoinggood.org or call 713.524.2854 x4923.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) President and CEO John C. Breckenridge has announced TUTS’ 2013-2014 mainstage season running in Sarofim Hall at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.  The riveting lineup of shows will run the gamut from riotous to ribald, family friendly to funky, and from contemporary to classic – every musical theatre lover with find something to love in the upcoming season.

“We’re thrilled to introduce the line-up for our upcoming season.  There's a little something for everyone with shows ranging from the classics and the family favorites to Broadway's freshest and edgier productions,” says Breckenridge.

September 29 - October 12, 2013

Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical

This outrageously fun show tells the uplifting story of a trio of friends, on a road trip of a lifetime, who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed.  An international hit with over 500 dazzling, Tony Award-winning costumes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert features a hit parade of dance-floor favorites including "It's Raining Men," Finally," and "I Will Survive."  The Hollywood Reporter calls Priscilla "funny and fabulous!  Joyous entertainment with eye-popping visuals and unexpected heart!"  Priscilla Queen of the Desert runs September 29 – October 12, 2013.

December 6 – 19, 2013

Elf – The Musical

One of the most beloved Hollywood holiday hits of the past decade is born again – live on stage!  Elf - The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole.  Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf.  The New York Times says that Elf is, “splashy, peppy, sugar-sprinkled holiday entertainment!”  USA Today calls Elf, “endearingly goofy!”  Variety proclaims, “Elf is happy enough for families, savvy enough for city kids and plenty smart for adults!”  The polished score includes the hit tunes “A Christmas Song” and the satirical “Nobody Cares About Santa”.  After spending two huge seasons on Broadway, Elf - The Musical will delight the whole family during its Houston premiere December 6 – 19, 2013.

January 22 - February 2, 2014 

We Will Rock You

From London's West End, the worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton comes to Houston for a limited engagement!  We Will Rock You features the greatest hits of the legendary British rock group, Queen. Now in its 11th year in London and seen by a staggering 15 million people worldwide, this hilarious, multi-award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon boasts a fantastic score of killer Queen tunes that you just can’t resist singing along to, such as “Another One Bites The Dust,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “We Are The Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and, of course, “We Will Rock You.” It’s the world champion of musicals and the show that rocks harder than any other, so don’t miss the party!  We Will Rock You runs January 22 - February 2, 2014.

March 4 – 16, 2014

The Wizard of Oz

"We're off to see"…the most magical adventure of them all.  Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic totally reconceived for the stage.  Developed from the ever popular MGM screenplay, this new production contains all the beloved songs from the Oscar-winning movie score, all the favorite characters and iconic moments, plus a few surprises along the way, including new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.  Click your heels together and join Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Dorothy and her little dog Toto as they journey though the magical land of Oz to meet the Wizard and obtain their hearts' desires.  Watch out for the Wicked Witch of the West and her winged monkeys as you rediscover the real story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat for all the family.  The Wizard of Oz runs March 4 - 16, 2014.

May 6 – 18, 2014

Evita

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony Award-winning musical returns at last!  Eva Peron used her beauty and charisma to rise meteorically from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady.  Adored by her people as a champion for the poor, she became one of the most powerful women in the world -- while her greed, outsized ambition and fragile health made her one of the most tragic.  Evita tells Eva's passionate and unforgettable true story and features some of theatre's most beautiful songs, including 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Another Suitcase in Another Hall," and "High Flying, Adored."  Don't miss the stunning new production of Evita, running May 6 - 18, 2014.

June 13 – 26, 2014

Disney’s The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid takes place in a magical kingdom fathoms beneath the sea, where the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. First, though, she'll have to convince her crabby sidekick Sebastian to help her defy her father King Triton and leave the underwater palace.  The plot thickens when Ariel makes a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula that forces her to convince handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl with the enchanting voice.  Family members will remember the catchy hit “Part of Your World” and the Academy Award-winning song “Under The Sea”. The Wall Street Journal claims The Little Mermaid is "a musical that does justice to the lovely film from which it sprang," and Time Magazine calls it "one of the most ravishing things I have seen on a Broadway stage."  Based on the Disney animated film and two-time Tony Award nominated Broadway musical, make the Houston debut of The Little Mermaid a part of your world June 13 – 26, 2014.  Dive in – life is the bubbles under the sea!

New and renewing subscriptions to the Theatre Under The Stars 2013-2014 season are available online at TUTS.com, by phone at (713) 558-TUTS, outside the Houston area at (888) 558-3882, or in person at the Theatre Under The Stars Box Office (800 Bagby at Walker).  For a full season brochure, call Theatre Under The Stars at (713) 558-2600.  Discounted group subscriptions of 15 or more are also available by calling (713) 558-8888.  

In addition to a phenomenal season schedule, TUTS continues to provide new and exciting theatre experiences. With each show come a number of associated events and opportunities:

• Exclusive VIP events including intimate cast talk-backs, exclusive events with show partners, backstage tours, and more!

• OUT@TUTS, the GLBT-friendly group which hosts a cabaret-style evening in Artista restaurant the first Thursday of each show. Visit TUTS.com/OUT for more information.
  

Throughout the season, special event information will be available at TUTS.com/Events.

Theatre Under The Stars’ 2013-14 season is generously sponsored by St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System. For all of Theatre Under The Stars’ 2013-2014 shows, air transportation is provided by United Airlines, the official airline 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.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston’s acclaimed nonprofit musical theatre company whose mission is to enrich life through the experience of quality musical theatre and to positively impact lives beyond the stage through innovative education & community engagement programs.  Currently TUTS engages more than 200,000 people annually through productions at Sarofim Hall and Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center and at Miller Outdoor Theatre.  TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public when it was founded 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 theatre opened.  Founded by Frank M. Young and currently under the direction of President and CEO John C. Breckenridge and Artistic Director Bruce Lumpkin, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world premieres such as Kopit and Yeston’s Phantom, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll & Hyde, and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas as well as critically acclaimed re-inventions of classics Cabaret and Les Miserables.  Through its membership in the Independent Presenters Network, TUTS has helped bring Bombay Dreams, 9 to 5, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Spamalot, Legally Blonde, Ragtime, Curtains and The Color Purple to Broadway and ultimately back to Houston audiences.

In support of TUTS’ mission, TUTS’ Education & Community Engagement programs provide instruction and stage experience for more than 48,000 Houstonians annually.  TheHumphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) offers technique-driven classes for all ability levels and ages, ranging from four to adult.  Through The River Performing and Visual Arts Center (The River), TUTS provides an accessible and inclusive arts education for individuals of all abilities that will enhance their development into confident, balanced individuals.  TUTS Education & Community Engagement provides extended on-site programming as well as off-site programming for children in schools, hospitals and other community-based sites.  TUTS’ community partnerships include collaborations with the Houston Independent School District and Region IV school districts, the YMCA of Greater Houston, M.D. Anderson Children’s Cancer Center, Texas Children’s Hospital and Shriner’s Hospital – Houston, among several other Houston-area organizations.  TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston's high school musical theatre programs.

For more information CLICK HERE

But you can try to get your head around it at the Alley Theatre beginning March 1st. Bringing together an outstanding, large cast with a world-class artistic team, Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd directs Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men. This epic production brings this captivating military courtroom drama to life. 

You may remember the 1992 movie with Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore that was nominated for four Academy Awards. 

Jeremy Webb as Lt. j.g. Daniel A. Kaffee and Lee Sellars as Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep in the Alley Theatre’s production of A Few Good Men. A Few Good Men runs March 1 through March 24, 2013 on the Hubbard Stage. Photo by Jann Whaley.

Aaron Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose film credits include The Social Network, Moneyball, Charlie Wilson's War, and the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic. Sorkin's HBO hit series, The Newsroom, debuted in 2012 bringing in an average of 7 million viewers per episode. Sorkin produced and wrote the television series Sports Night, winning the Humanitas Prize and the Television Critics Association Award. He spent the next four years writing and producing The West Wing, winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series all four years, two Peabody Awards and the Humanitas Prize.

Aaron Sorkin returns to the Alley Theatre after The Farnsworth Invention in 2009 with this captivating courtroom drama. A Few Good Men ran for nearly 500 performances on Broadway in 1989, became an Oscar-nominated film in 1992 and was re-conceived for a 2005 London revival. This taut, tense thriller, originally inspired by true events, erupts when two Marines are accused of the hazing death of a fellow Marine at Guantanamo Bay. This hard-hitting, suspenseful story puts the Marine code of honor on trial.

"Sorkin's plays live in a way most theatre writing doesn't," Artistic Director Gregory Boyd says. "As scene follows scene his plays have a tempo-rhythm, a quickening and almost musical life - in orchestrating the entire event, Sorkin uses all the tools. His writing is alive - and he is, and rightly, a model of contemporary dramatic storytelling. We're very pleased to welcome him back to the Alley's stage."

The cast of A Few Good Men features Alley Theatre Resident Company Members Jeffrey Bean as Cmdr. Walter Stone, James Black as Capt. Matthew A. Markinson, Emily Neves as Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway, David Rainey as Judge Julius Alexander Randolph, Jay Sullivan as Cpl. Howard, and Todd Waite as Capt. Isaac Whitaker.

Making their Alley Theatre debuts are Max Carpenter as Pfc. Louden Downey, Robert Eli as Lt. Jack Ross, David Pegram as Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson, Michael Schantz as Lt. Jonathan James Kendrick, Lee Sellars as Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep, Jeremy Webb as Lt. j.g. Daniel A. Kaffee, and Jared Zarilli as Lt. j.g. Sam Weinberg. 

Houston actors making their Alley debuts are Daniel Bevan, Andrew Garrett, Dain Geist, Darnea S. Olson, Benjamin Reed and Tristien Marcellous Winfree. Houston actors returning to the Alley stage include Ross Bautsch, Mark Jackson, and Justin O'Brien.

A Few Good Men, by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Gregory Boyd, begins performances Friday, March 1, opens officially Wednesday, March 6, and runs through Sunday, March 24, 2013, on the Hubbard Stage.

ABOUT THE ALLEY THEATRE 
The Alley Theatre is a nationally recognized Theatre Company based in Houston, Texas.  The Alley was founded in 1947 and is one of the few US companies with a commitment to resident artists. Under the direction of Artistic Director Gregory Boyd and Managing Director Dean R. Gladden, the Alley creates a wide-ranging repertoire of innovative productions of classics, neglected modern plays, and new works in its 11 production season. The Alley has brought its productions to Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, 40 American cities, to Berlin, Paris, and St. Petersburg, as well as to major European festivals (including two in one season at the Venice Biennale). A recipient of the Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the Alley has premiered plays by Edward Albee, Horton Foote, Robert Wilson, Rajiv Joseph. Kenneth Lin,  Eve Ensler, Keith Reddin, and Herbert Siguenza, as well as creating the premieres of the musicals Jekyll & Hyde, The Civil War, and Wonderland. Other notable collaborations include The Roman Plays (with Vanessa Redgrave), Hydriotaphia (by Tony Kushner), and Danton'sDeath. The Alley's productions are built and rehearsed in the Alley Theatre Center for Theatre Production - a 75,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the theatres themselves and are performed on the 824-seat Hubbard Stage and the 310-seat Neuhaus Stage. The Alley continues to provide its audiences with thought-provoking, diverse and transformative theatre. alleytheatre.org

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to A Few Good Men start at $26. All tickets to A Few Good Men are available for purchase at alleytheatre.org , at the Alley Theatre Box Office, 615 Texas Avenue, or by calling 713.220.5700. Groups of 10 or more can receive special concierge services and select discounts by calling 713.220.5700 and asking for the group sales department.