Lara Teeter Stars in Houston Grand Opera's SHOW BOAT, Opening Tonight

Houston Grand Opera welcomes Lara Teeter to the role of Cap'n Andy in the new production of SHOW BOAT opening tonight, January 18. Teeter takes on the role after Tommy Tune stepped down because he is on vocal rest. "We are thrilled to have Lara Teeter join the show on such short notice. He brings wonderful Broadway experience to this lively character," says Perryn Leech, managing director, Houston Grand Opera. "We wish Tommy Tune a speedy recovery."

The Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein musical will be directed by Francesca Zambello in a co-production with Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera and Washington National Opera. Houston Grand Opera artistic director and music director Patrick Summers is set to conduct.

Teeter will join Sasha Cooke as "Magnolia Hawks", Joseph Kaiser as "Gaylord Ravenal", Melody Moore as "Julie LaVerne", Morris Robinson as "Joe", Marietta Simpson as "Queenie" and Cheryl Parrish as "Parthy Ann Hawks". Lynn Wyatt will also play "Lady on the Levee".

The creative team also features choreographer Michele Lynch, set designer Peter J. Davison, costume designer Paul Tazewell, lighting designer Mark McCullough and chorus master Richard Bado.

Show Boat follows the theatrical family of The Cotton Blossom as it sails the Mississippi providing musical entertainment at towns along the river. A magical score and epic story make Show Boat a seminal work of the musical theater with a uniquely American accent. Houston Grand Opera's 1982 production made it to Broadway in 1983, directed by Michael Kahn and conducted by John DeMain.

A Broadway veteran, Teeter was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in the 1982 revival of the Rodgers and Hart classic On Your Toes performing the role of Junior Dolan, originally portrayed by Ray Bolger in 1936. Other Broadway credits include The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Pirates of Penzance, Happy New Year, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. On the operatic stage, he has performed at Lincoln Center with the New York City Opera as Silas Slick in Victor Herbert's Naughty Marietta and as Herman in Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. He made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut performing the role of Steve Sankey in Kurt Weill's Street Scene starring Catherine Malfitano. Directing credits include My Fair Lady for Opera Pacific and The Pirates of Penzance for Michigan Opera Theatre in Detroit.

For more about Show Boat at Houston Grand Opera, visit www.houstongrandopera.org.

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