Taylor Beyer and More to Star in TUTS Underground's REEFER MADNESS; Cast Announced!

Mary Jane and friends are coming to town! TUTS Underground is taking you on a hilarious, psychedelic journey through Reefer Madness, Sept. 25 - Oct. 5 in Zilkha Hall at The Hobby Center. Inspired by the classic 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film, this tongue-in-cheek musical follows the hysterical downward spiral that arises when a group of clean-cut kids fall prey to the dreaded marijuana, and we're here to tell you who those crazy kids are.

Now, let's take a look at the dealers and smokers:

TAYLOR BEYER (Mary Lane) is very excited to make her TUTS Underground debut! Most recently, Taylor has been seen in Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical (Pippi) at Main Street Theatre for Youth, Dog Sees God (CB's Sister), Urinetown (Hope), and Spring Awakening (Anna) at Sam Houston State University. She is currently studying to receive a BFA in Musical Theatre from SHSU.

DYLAN GODWIN (Lecturer) returns to the TUTS having previously appeared in Beauty and the Beast and 110 in the Shade. National Tour: Fiddler on the Roof (Motel). Regional: Good People, A Christmas Carol, Ether Dome, Amadeus, Peter Pan and Our Town (Alley Theatre.) Life Could Be A Dream, AltarBoyz (Stages), The Tempest, Ubu Roi (Classical Theatre Company).

NICK HENDERSON (Jack Stone/ Jesus) is stoked to be hitting the TUTS stage for the first time, and once again light it up, in Reefer Madness. He last played Jack/Jesus at the 2 Mile High city of Breckenridge. He's jazzed to be at sea level. Nick performs all across the country, at hip joints like the ArvadaCenter, DenverCenter, TexasShakes, ColoradoShakes, CandlelightDinnerPlayhouse, St.LouisShakes, TheatreWorks, and most recently revamped The Dane, in Make Hamlet. Thanks go to his buds in the cast, and the denizens in the audience.

MARK IVY (Ralph Wiley/Switch Puller) TUTS: Little Shop (Seymour); Stages: Xanadu (Thalia), Life Could Be a Dream (Eugene), Next to Normal (Henry), Rabbit Hole (Jason), Panto's Mother Goose/Red Riding Hood/Cinderella; The Alley: A Christmas Carol (Male Swing/Future Understudy); Main Street YT's Alice in Wonderland (Mad Hatter); BCCM's New Girl in Town, The Pajama Game, Finian's Rainbow (Og), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and On the Town; Theatre LaB's True Love Lies (Royce). BFA in Musical Theatre from SHSU. HSMT and BTP alumnus!

SEAN MCGEE (Jimmy Harper) New York: Broadway Backwards (featured ensemble). Regional: Xanadu (Sonny) at Watertower Theatre, My Fair Lady (Freddy) at CityRep, Oklahoma! (Will Parker) at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Lyric Stage, and Discoveryland! , 42nd Street at the Wick Theatre, A Little Night Music, The Little Mermaid, and Spamalot at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. Sean holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from University of Oklahoma.

HOLLAND VAVRA (Placard Girl/Ensemble) TUTS: Beauty and the Beast, 110 in the Shade and Dreamgirls as well as fourteen productions at Stages Repertory Theatre. Last seen there in Xanadu, the Wonderettes series, The Great American Trailer Park Musical and The Spitfire Grill to name a few. Proud member of Actors Equity.

KRISTIN WARREN (Mae) TUTS: Murder Ballad (Narrator); Man of La Mancha; Guys & Dolls; The Sound Music; Meet Me In St. Louis; Cabaret; Scrooge; Tommy; Grease. Regional: Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett) 2013 BWW Best Actress Award; Spring Awakening (Adult Women); Batboy (Meredith); Ruthless (Judy) Generations, In The Next Room (Sabrina Daldry) Stages, Little Mary Sunshine (Nancy) Unity Theatre. Choreography: Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson; Spring Awakening; Batboy; Little Mary Sunshine. Associate Artistic Director, Wildfish Theatre.

BROOKE WILSON (Sally) Favorite credits: Whorehouse (Doatsey Mae), Hands On A Hardbody (Cindy), Urban Cowboy (Sissy), Whorehouse (Shy) at TUTS, Trailer Park Musical (Jeannie), Full Monty (Georgie), Rent (Maureen), Trailer Park Musical (Pippi), Evita (Eva cover), Whorehouse (Durla), The Water Coolers (Judy) natl/intl tours, Honky Tonk Angels (Sue Ellen), Bat Boy (Maggie), Beauty And The Beast (Babette), Footloose (Ariel), When You Wish, Singing In The Rain, Cats, Beauty And The Beast at TUTS, The Miser and Forum.

The ensemble is sure to be a big "hit" too: Tyce Green, Brittany Halen, Heather Hall, Jessica Janes, Cole Ryden, Christina Stroup and Robin Van Zandt.

The creative team: director Bruce Lumpkin, choreographer Dana Lewis, musical director and conductor Jack Beetle, lighting designer Clint Allen, sound designer Andrew Harper, set designer Ryan McGettigan, costume designer Amanda Wolff, assistant director Marley Wisnoski.

Special Events:

• Movie Screening at Sundance Cinemas - Sept. 22 at 7 PM
• Post-Show Event: Law & Order Night - Oct. 2
  Join us for a free, post-show talkback with a panel of Houston's judges, lawyers, and law enforcement as they discuss whether citizens of Harris County should go to jail for possessing marijuana. Panelists include: Judge Sherman Ross - Judge of County Criminal Court 10; Judge Michael McSpadden - 209th District Court; Dr. Teresa May, Director Harris County CSCD; Ted Oberg - Reporter, Channel 13; Joel Androphy, moderator.

Tickets: $25 - $49, Online: tutsunderground.com, Phone: 713.558.8887

The Underground series is a new venture and legacy for TUTS, Houston's premier nonprofit musical theatre company. TUTS Underground features productions that are edgy, captivating and occasionally a bit risqué.

To post a comment, you must register and login.