BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

THEATRE UNDER THE STARS
www.TUTS.com
Founded by Frank M. Young 1968

PRESENTS

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
March 14 - 26, 2006

A TALE AS OLD AS TIME TOLD IN TUTS' PRODUCTION OF DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Kim Huber stars as Belle in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

HOUSTON, TEXAS… It's a tale as old as time when THEATRE UNDER THE STARS stages its dazzling production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST from March 14 - 26, 2006 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby at Walker). This family favorite will feature lavish costumes, stunning sets and memorable numbers. Adapted for the stage from the original Academy Award-winning Walt Disney animated feature film, the musical features songs by the Oscar-winning team of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman with additional lyrics by Tony Award-winner Tim Rice.

Mark Madama will direct TUTS' production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Madama has worked for the past twenty years in musical theatre as a director, actor, choreographer, writer, producer and acting coach. As Director at Music Theatre of Wichita, Madama has overseen 17 consecutive seasons including shows such as West Side Story, Oklahoma! and Funny Girl, among others.

Kim Huber (front right) stars as Belle in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

Performing as the Beast and Belle are Joseph Mahowald and Kim Huber. Last seen at TUTS portraying Ace Gruver in the World Premiere of Sayonara, Mahowald has also appeared on Broadway as the title roles in Jekyll & Hyde, as well as Javert and Enjolras in Les Miserables. Huber performed in the World Premiere of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as an ensemble member, before moving to Broadway with the production. Her other Broadway credits include Sunset Boulevard and Marie Christine. Huber was last seen at TUTS as Cinderella in 2001’s Into the Woods. Brian Noonan will take on the role of swashbuckler Gaston. On Broadway, Noonan has performed in Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables.

Joining Mahowald, Huber and Noonan in principal roles are Aaron Krohn (LeFou), Charles Krohn (Maurice), Rob Lorey (Lumiere), Justin Robertson (Cogsworth), Chesley Santoro (Mrs. Potts), Susan Shofner (Madame de la Grand Bouche) and Zachary Tavlin (Chip).

Kim Huber (Belle) and Charles Krohn (Maurice) star in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

Performing in the ensemble are Camden Bertrand, Ricky Bulda, Holly Ann Butler, Keith Caldwell, Greg Dulcie, Dylan Godwin, Lisa Guinard, Bryan Jarrett, Matthew J. Kilgore, Mary Sharon Komarek, Claire Menger, Kathy Nejat, Melissa Pritchett, Luke Rawlings, Jose-Manuel Santos, Jim Shaffer, Sarah Corley Smith, Brian Spitulnik, Doug Thompson, Holland Vavra, Denise Williamson, Brooke Wilson, and Molly Wissinger.

Student cast includes Macy Bass, Sam Burkett, Heather Cooke, Ashley Flores, Connor Gilliland, Kalyn Hemphill, Connor Jones, Alicia Keene, Jennifer Laporte, Carlynn Laurie, Alison Luff, Taylor Maloney, Becky Moyes, Chelsea Sanders, Kayla Ayres Stoner, Sandra Valles, Charity Van Tassel, and Tyler Watkins.

Chesley Ann Santoro (Mrs. Potts), Kim Huber (Belle) and Susan Shofner (Madame de la Grande Bouche) star in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

A spell is cast on a Prince when he turns away an old, ugly beggar woman at his door. She reveals herself to be a beautiful Enchantress and changes the cruel, unfeeling Prince into a hideous Beast. His stubborn pride compels him to remain in his bewitched castle with the lovestruck candelabra Lumiere, the pompous clock Cogsworth, the kindly tea kettle Mrs. Potts, and an inquisitive teacup named Chip. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn their love in return, before the last petal falls from an Enchanted Rose. If not, he will be doomed to remain a Beast for all time. Belle is a beautiful and intelligent young woman who lives with her father, Maurice, in a small village. When her father is imprisoned by the Beast, Belle offers herself to the Beast in return for releasing her father from his prisoner’s cell in the Beast’s castle. The Beast accepts Belle’s offer to exchange places, and an opportunity to break the spell begins.

Aaron Krohn (Lefou) and Brian Noonan (Gaston) star in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

In addition to Madama, the creative team will also include choreography by Norb Joerdner. Bill Stanley will serve as Music Director. David Neville will provide Lighting Design, while Christopher “Kit” Bond will provide Sound Design. Scenery and Costumes provided by Music Theatre of Wichita, with set design by J. Branson and costume design by Tiia E. Torchia & Shawn-Adrian DeCou.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is the sixth longest-running musical in the history of Broadway and is currently Broadway’s longest-running American musical. Tony Award winner for Costume Design and nine-time Tony Award nominee including Best Musical, this eye-popping spectacle has been thrilling audiences worldwide with record-breaking runs in London, Los Angeles, Toronto, Sydney and Tokyo, as well as New York.

Rob Lorey (Lumiere) and Kim Huber (Belle) star in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

Single tickets for TUTS’ production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast ($27-$97) are available to the public by phone at (713) 558-8887 or outside the Houston area at (888) 558-3882; or in person at the Theatre Under The Stars Box Office, (800 Bagby at Walker, Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-4pm); or on-line at www.tuts.com. Audio described performances are available March 26 at 2 p.m.; open captioning March 26 at 7:30 p.m. Wheelchair accessible. Student and Seniors (60+) discounted tickets available one hour before performance. Group discounts available for 15 or more and may be purchased by calling (713) 558-8888.

TUTS 2005-2006 “Ultimate” Season is sponsored by Stanford Private Wealth Management. Sponsors of TUTS’ production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast include ConocoPhillips, Locke Liddell & Sapp, Ballard Exploration, PricewaterhouseCoopers, AIG American General, EIM Controls and The City of Houston. Air transportation is provided by Continental Airlines, the official airline of Theatre Under The Stars. Media sponsors are ABC-13, Houston Chronicle, and KLDE 107.5 FM.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) was founded in 1968 by Frank M. Young. TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public 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 building opened. Since its founding, TUTS has produced more than 275 musicals including many local, national and world premieres and is currently represented on Broadway with Beauty and the Beast. TUTS is also noted for mounting many International tours, including Debbie Reynolds in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Juliette Prowse in Mame, Robert Goulet in Man of La Mancha and the Tony Award-winning revival of Carousel. As a way to continue the tradition of musical theatre, TUTS’ Humphreys School of Musical Theatre provides instruction and stage experience for more than 1,700 students annually. Now housed in the new Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston’s high school musical theatre programs.

Kim Huber (Belle) and Joseph Mahowald (Beast) star in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

-0-0-0-0-0-

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

CAST OF CHARACTERS
ENCHANTRESS…………………….LISA GUIGNARD
YOUNG PRINCE……..................…….MATTHEW J. KILGORE
BEAST…................................………..JOSEPH MAHOWALD
BELLE……............................………….KIM HUBER
BOOKSELLER…………..........…………….GREG DULCIE
LEFOU…............................…………..AARON KROHN
GASTON…………............................………..BRIAN NOONAN
THREE SILLY GIRLS…………………….BROOKE WILSON, DENISE WILLIAMSON, HOLLAND VAVRA
BARTENDER……..................…….JIM SHAFFER
MAURICE…................................………..CHARLES KROHN
WOLVES……...........CAMDEN BERTRAND, MATTHEW J. KILGORE, LUKE RAWLINGS, BRIAN SPITULNIK
COGSWORTH…………..........…………….JUSTIN ROBERTSON
LUMIERE…............................…………..ROB LOREY
BABETTE…………............................………..AMY BODNAR
MRS. POTTS…………………….CHESLEY ANN SANTORO
CHIP……..................…….ZACHARY TAVLIN
MADAME DE LA GRANDE BOUCHE…................................………..SUSAN SHOFNER
SALT AND PEPPER……............................………….RICHARD BULDA, JOSE-MANUEL SANTOS
DOORMAT…………..........…………….LUKE RAWLINGS
CHEESEGRATER…............................…………..KEITH CALDWELL
MONSIEUR D'ARQUE…………............................………..GREG DULCIE

Justin Robertson (Cogsworth) stars in Theatre Under The Stars' production of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Single tickets may be purchased by calling 713-558-TUTS or online at www.tuts.com. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

SCENES AND MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

OVERTURE

PROLOGUE (THE ENCHANTRESS)
BELLE……..............….BELLE, GASTON, LEFOU, SILLY GIRLS, TOWNSPEOPLE
NO MATTER WHAT…………….....................................................MAURICE, BELLE

NO MATTER WHAT (REPRISE)……………...............................................MAURICE

ME….........................................................................................……….GASTON, BELLE
BELLE (REPRISE)……….............................................................................……..BELLE
HOME….......................................................................................................……….BELLE

HOME (REPRISE)….......................................................................……….MRS. POTTS

GASTON……………..............LEFOU, GASTON, SILLY GIRLS, TAVERN PATRONS
GASTON (REPRISE)….................................................................……….GASTON, LEFOU
HOW LONG MUST THIS GO ON?……...............................................................…….BEAST
BE OUR GUEST…………….......LUMIERE, MRS. POTTS, COGSWORTH, WARDROBE, CHIP, BABETTE, ENCHANTED OBJECTS
IF I CAN'T LOVE HER……....................................................................................…….BEAST

INTERMISSION

ACT II

ENTR'ACTE / WOLF CHASE

SOMETHING THERE……....................................……..BELLE, BEAST, LUMIERE, MRS. POTTS, COGSWORTH
HUMAN AGAIN……….............……..LUMIERE, WARDROBE, COGSWORTH, MRS. POTTS, BABETTE, CHIP, ENCHANTED OBJECTS
MAISON DES LUNES……................................................................…….GASTON, LEFOU, MONSIEUR D'ARQUE
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST…………….......................................................................................................MRS. POTTS
IF I CAN'T LOVE HER (REPRISE)……........................................................................................................…….BEAST
A CHANGE IN ME………...............................................................................................................................……..BELLE
THE MOB SONG……........................................……..GASTON, LEFOU, MONSIEUR D'ARQUE, TOWNSPEOPLE
THE BATTLE……….................................................................................................................................……..COMPANY
TRANSFORMATION……................................................................................................................…….BEAST, BELLE
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (REPRISE)…………….......................................................................................COMPANY

Theatre Under the Stars Presents Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST from March 14th through the 26th, 2006 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Photo courtesy of TUTS.

-0-0-0-0-0-