TUTS Presents JEKYLL & HYDE, 10/9-21

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) has announced the international musical sensation and four time Tony Award nominee Jekyll & Hyde will run at Hobby Center For The Performing Arts Oct. 9 – 21, 2012 as TUTS' opening show for its 2012-2013 "A Lot To Love" season. After four thrilling, chilling years on Broadway and multiple world-wide tours, this "dark and dangerous love story returns in a stunning new production" that includes all the classic songs ("This is the Moment," "A New Life," and "Someone Like You") that first grabbed audiences by the throat and transformed Jekyll & Hyde into a theatrical phenomenon.

The musical stars Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis in the dual title role of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde. Starring alongside him will be Grammy nominee and R&B superstar Deborah Cox as Lucy.

Several stage veterans will join the headlining cast. Teal Wicks, whose credits include Wicked's Elphaba on Broadway, will play Emma Carew. Laird Mackintosh, who played on Broadway and in the first national tour as George Banks in Mary Poppins, will portray John Utterson. Richard White, whom audiences will remember from the lead role in TUTS' Zorro and Phantom, Broadway's Most Happy Fella and the national tours of Urinetown and Camelot, will play the role of Sir Danvers Carew.

Rounding out the cast are David Benoit, Jerry Christakos, Dana Costello, Wendy Fox, Brian Gallagher, Sean Jenness, Mel Johnson Jr., MiLes Johnson, James Judy, Ashley Loren, Courtney Markowitz, Aaron Ramey, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Rob Richardson, Blair Ross, Doug Storm, Haley Swindal and Jason Wooten.

TUTS' presentation of Jekyll & Hyde is part of a 25 week national tour leading up to a Broadway engagement of the show starting in April 2013. TUTS fittingly serves as a stop during the tour as the show originated right here in Houston.

Conceived for the stage by Tony and Grammy Award nominee Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, Jekyll & Hyde features a book & lyrics by two-time Oscar winner, Emmy winner and four-time Tony Award nominee Leslie Bricusse, music by Frank Wildhorn, and will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award Nominee Jeff Calhoun.

The musical is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's acclaimed novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde about a London doctor who accidentally unleashes his evil alternate personality in his quest to cure his father's mental illness.

TUTS will offer special events in conjunction with the show to make for an unforgettable musical experience:

Jekyll & Hyde Blood Drive: Monday, Oct. 8 and Tuesday, Oct. 9; 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
To celebrate a "bloody" good time, TUTS has partnered with our season sponsor St. Luke's Episcopal Health System to host a blood drive at Hobby Center. Medical technology has provided many life-saving discoveries over the years, but there is still no substitute for blood. In a medical emergency, often the most important element is the availability of blood. Blood donations can help a variety of individuals: trauma victims, surgery patients, premature babies, individuals with anemia, cancer patients and many more.
Blood donors on both days will receive a promotional code for discounted tickets to see the show. Visit TUTS.com/Events to learn more about the blood drive.

Culture + Cuisine: Tuesday, Oct. 9 - Sunday, Oct. 21
Make it the perfect night with a delicious dinner before the show. Enjoy special pricing on a set 3 course meal followed by an orchestra level seat at the show. A shuttle is available on request to travel between the partner restaurants and Hobby Center. These dinner packages are available in conjunction with all evening performances.
For more information or to purchase a dinner package, visit TUTS.com/CultureCuisine or call the box office at 713-558-8887.

OUT@TUTS Post-Show Cast Party: Thursday, Oct. 11
A post-show, cabaret-style event at Artista Restaurant for TUTS' GLBT friends. Guests will get a special treat as Deborah Cox will stop by the fete to greet OUT@TUTS patrons. Visit TUTS.com/OUT for more information.

Teen Night at TUTS: Wednesday, October 10, 2012
TUTS spreads the love of musical theatre to the next generation with Teen Night at TUTS! Any adult who purchases a full price ticket can bring a teen under 18 for free and enjoy pre-show activities in the Grand Lobby. Visit TUTS.com/Events or call 713-558-TUTS (8887) to purchase tickets.

Murder Mystery Package: Guests can enjoy a weekend filled with entertainment starting with murder mystery theater and dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse on Saturday, Oct. 13 or Saturday, Oct. 20. Guests will continue the fun with a matinee performance of Jekyll & Hyde on the following Sunday.
These packages are available by calling 713-558-TUTS (8887) or online at TUTS.com/Events.
Tickets (starting at only $24) are available on-line at TUTS.com, by phone at (713) 558-TUTS (8887), outside the Houston area at (888) 558-3882, or in person at the Theatre Under The Stars Box Office, located at 800 Bagby at Walker, Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. An audio described performance is available Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m.; open captioning is available Sunday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. The Hobby Center is wheelchair accessible. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more. Group tickets may be purchased by calling (713) 558-8888 or via email at groupsales@tuts.com.

TUTS' presentation of Jekyll & Hyde is made possible by the generosity of ConocoPhillips.

Theatre Under The Stars' 2012-2013 "A Lot To Love" season is generously sponsored by St. Luke's Episcopal Health System. For all of TUTS' 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 outreach programs. 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 programs provide instruction and stage experience for more than 21,000 students annually, allowing them to flourish in a year-round schedule of classes. The Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) offers technique-driven classes for all ability levels and ages, ranging from four to adult. Through a merger with The River Performing and Visual Arts Center (The River), TUTS provides an accessible and inclusive arts education for children of all abilities that will enhance their development into confident, balanced individuals. TUTS Education provides extended on-site programming as well as off-site programming for children in schools, hospitals and other community-based sites. TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston's high school musical theatre programs.

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