Theatre Under The Star Offers CHRISTOPHER JACKSON: LIVE FROM THE WEST SIDE

Theatre Under The Stars announced today that it is one of a select group of nonprofit arts organizations participating in a livestream concert event, Christopher Jackson: Live from the West Side on Sat., Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. CST. Jackson is a Grammy® and Emmy®-winning songwriter/composer and a Tony®-nominated actor best known for originating the role of George Washington in the cultural phenomenon, Hamilton.

Passes for Christopher Jackson: Live from the West Side are $40 per household and are available at TUTS.com. In addition to accessing the live performance, passes will include an additional 72 hours of on-demand viewing, available beginning one hour after the live broadcast ends. Proceeds from ticket sales will support Theatre Under The Stars.

Accompanied by a live band, Jackson will be performing songs from his favorite musicals, pop standards, and some of his original material, and he will share stories from his time affiliated with two of the most important musicals of the last decade, In The Heights and Hamilton.

"We're delighted to be able to partner with performing arts organizations across America to host this exciting livestream event," said Dan Knechtges, TUTS Artistic Director. "We can't wait to get back into the theatre, but our current ordeal pushes us to explore creative ways to stay connected with our audiences. This concert will bring some magic into the homes of Houston's Broadway fans, and the proceeds will help support the future of musical theatre in Houston."

The livestream, which is a co-production of Dallas Summer Musicals and Entertainment Benefits Group, is being shared by a number of nonprofit arts presenters around the country.

"Nonprofit arts presenters are the lifeblood of the performing arts industry and a pipeline for young talent. Without them there is no Broadway," said Jackson. "While everything is shut down during this terrible pandemic, I am delighted to be able to help spread some joy and help raise some much needed support for these deserving organizations."

The event will broadcast from NYC's New World Stages, the off-Broadway venue that has housed productions of Jersey Boys, Avenue Q and many others. Audience members will also be invited to text in questions, some of which will be answered during the live event.

Christopher Jackson is a Tony-nominated actor as well as a Grammy and Emmy-winning songwriter/composer best known for starring as George Washington in the critically acclaimed, award-winning Broadway musical, Hamilton. He can currently be seen starring in the hit CBS drama Bull and has recently completed a limited run of Freestyle Love Supreme on Broadway. He also starred in Ava DuVernay's Netflix mini-series When They See Us with Michael K. Wiliams, Vera Farmiga and John Leguizamo.

In December 2018, "One Last Time (44 Remix)" was released as a part of the Hamildrop series which featured Chris alongside President Obama and BeBe Winans.

His Broadway credits include Holler if Ya Hear Me, After Midnight, The Bronx Bombers (Derek Jeter), In The Heights (Benny), Memphis (Delray Farrell) and The Lion King (Simba). Off Broadway credits includes Bronx Bombers (Primary Stages), The Jammer (Atlantic Theater Co.), Lonely, I'm Not (Second Stage), In the Heights (37 Arts), and Cotton Club Parade (ENCORES at City Center).

In film and TV, he has appeared in Freestyle Love Supreme (Pivot Network), Person of Interest, A Gifted Man, Fringe, Gossip Girl, Tracers, and Afterlife.

Christopher recorded an original song written by Lin-Manuel Miranda for the Disney film Moana and was also the composer/songwriter for Sesame Street (with six Emmy nominations, and one win), and co-music supervisor and writer for The Electric Company (PBS).

Chris won an Emmy Award for his song with Will.I.Am, "What I Am." In 2010, he released his first solo album titled, "In the Name of Love" with Yellow Sound Lab Records and is currently working on his 2nd album. Recently, Chris performed at Kennedy Centers Honors Gala celebrating Lin-Manuel Miranda. He also has several musical projects in development for the musical stage and has sold out concerts at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center.

THEATRE UNDER THE STARS ("TUTS") - (Dan Knechtges, Artistic Director; Hillary J Hart, Executive Director) - Founded by Frank M. Young in 1968, Houston's non-profit home for musical theatre, is dedicated to enriching lives through innovative musical theatre, inclusive educational curriculums and dynamic community engagement. For more information, visit tuts.com.

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