The 2013-2014 TUTS Season is drawing to a close and I am thrilled to share that we have experienced one of our most successful years in the organization’s history. Not only has TUTS achieved record ticket sales for each of its productions on the main stage, we have also: launched a new series of contemporary musicals (TUTS Underground), received national recognition for our incredible training academy (HSMT), and increased our funding due to the generosity of the Houston community. It has been a great year all around and we have our patrons, donors, parents and arts supporters to thank for standing with us as we bring the magic of musical theatre to Houston.

One area of growth in TUTS that I personally have been excited to witness is that of the HSMT Association. While creating this group of HSMT alums, parents and supporters had been talked about for years, to see it come to fruition and develop as it has in the past couple of years has been great to witness. Through the HSMT Association, we wanted to not only re-connect HSMT alums, but also create a base for HSMT supporters to continue to be involved with this incredible training program and its phenomenal students. I believe we have planted those seeds and the group is just continuing to grow.

A full circle moment for the group, I think, was the HSMT Association’s special preview of TUTS Underground’s Hands On A Hardbody. HSMT alums and friends were able to see this incredible show, starring a number of HSMT alums, before it opened to the public. It was wonderful to see so many long-time TUTS family members gather together to cheer on their own in a Texas production. It really shows that what TUTS is creating, locally produced productions featuring performances from HSMT trained alumni, is something truly special.

We hope to see everyone again at future HSMT Association events as well as upcoming TUTS productions. I encourage you to share this newsletter with fellow HSMT alums, parents and/or supporters and invite them to join the Association. Membership is free and registration can be done online here.

Thank you for your continued involvement with TUTS and ensuring our success in educating and entertaining the community for years to come!

Regards,

John Breckenridge

N o t e f r o m T U T S P r e s i d e n t a n d C E O

H a n d s O n A H a r d b o d y E v e n t

John Breckenridge, Laura Benanti, Greg Harper (TUTS Board Chairman and Gala Co-Chair), and

Steve Burkett (Gala Co-Chair)

N E W S L E T T E R

June 2014

Broadway sensation Laura Benanti performing with TUTS’ HSMT students.

P a s s t h e S p i r i t S t i c k a n d S u p p o r t

B r i n g I t O n , T h e M u s i c a l !

Decorative pom-poms, elaborate choreography, dazzling cheer uniforms, incredible music and a set that transports the audience into a cheer competition. The Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) will bring all that and more to the stage with its production of Bring It On: The Musical (September 12 and 13). Each year, HSMT strives to bring Houston's finest musical theatre talent ages 13-18 together to rehearse and present a fully staged production. Students have the unique opportunity to enhance their musical theatre training through interactions with TUTS Artistic Team, directors, choreographers and musical directors. Over the years, the high-caliber HSMT productions have grown exponentially, becoming sold-out productions within the Houston community. In the past 5 years alone, the showcase production costs have increased by 131%!

This is where we need YOUR help! TUTS would like to invite you to support the high energy, high impact production of Bring

It On by making a contribution toward the HSMT Association’s fundraising campaign.

Through “Bring It On: The Campaign,” we invite HSMT alums, parents and supporters to

make a contribution that will not only cover production costs for this incredible show, but

also help spotlight and promote the HSMT Association!

The HSMT Association’s mission is to connect alums and supporters to the school as well

as foster a network of individuals committed to ensuring the continued success of HSMT.

Through the Bring It On fundraising campaign, you will assist the Association in having a

stake in bringing a wonderful opportunity to perform in a quality production to our

students and a entertaining and engaging show to the community.

There are a number of benefits granted to donors in appreciation of contribution! As an

individual donor to “Bring It On: The Campaign,” supporters will receive:

Recognition in the Bring It On! Playbill

Recognition on the TUTS website

Special recognition at the Annual HSMT Association’s Soiree immediately preceding the exclusive dress rehearsal of Bring It On: The Musical

Invitations to the exclusive dress rehearsal of Bring It On: The Musical and the post-show party

Bring It On: The Musical tells the story of the challenges and unexpected bonds formed through the thrill of extreme competition. It is also a timely story for the HSMT students performing in the production due to its themes of friendship, fitting-in, and choosing your future. We hope you will “bring it” by supporting our students and making it possible for TUTS to create the best production possible. To make your “cheer” gift to the HSMT Association, please click the donate button below!

Thank you in advance for your involvement and GO TUTS!

Save the Date

More than 50 HSMT Association members enjoyed a special preview of the last show in

TUTS Underground’s inaugural season, Hands On A Hardbody. Attendees reconnected

with fellow association members during a pre-show cocktail hour (with delicious bites

provided by Hard Rock Café), then headed into the theatre to see the dress rehearsal for

the show before it opened to the public. It was a great event and we enjoyed seeing some

of TUTS’ very own HSMT Alum onstage in the show! We look forward to seeing everyone

again at our next gathering in September for Bring It On! The Musical.

Big! Summer Fun

The magical story of a boy who wishes to be “big”

captivated audiences at Miller Outdoor Theatre this

past weekend as Humphreys School of Musical

Theatre presented its production of Big, The Musical!

More than 16,000 Houstonians attended day and

evening performances comprised of more than 60

talented HSMT students performing songs such as

“You’re a Big Boy Now” and “Welcome to MacMillian

Toys.” Of course, a musical performance of Big

would not be complete without the famous piano

scene, which was beautifully choreographed for the

stage by TUTS’ Shay Rodgers.

For director Rozie Curtis, bringing Big to the stage had been a dream twelve years in the making! “Shay Rodgers and I have been wanting to mount Big because of its beautiful story line and incredibly infectious music. What is so special about this story is that a boy made a very special wish that not only changed his life, but the lives of everyone he encountered. As I went through the directing process, I realized even more how poignant the story is.

As adults we rush through our lives from one thing to the next. We don’t stop and take time to just enjoy the moment. Children help us to do just that - to live in the moment. Surrounded by a 57 person cast of young people, helped all of us remember the joy of theatre. Our veteran actor, Jimmy Phillips, said it was a complete joy to work with the children. They reminded him how much fun musical theatre is!

Though it was twelve years in the making, it was worth every minute of it. Thank you to TUTS for allowing me to bring this story to the stage.”

What makes this show even more special is that the more than 50 toys (and the ball pit) used in the production were all donated and provided by the stars of the show. HSMT will now be donating those toys to the Texas Medical Center YMCA!

TUTS and HSMT is thrilled with the overwhelming response Big, The Musical received

and are grateful for the community’s support. We look forward to return to Miller next

summer with another fabulous show!

800 Bagby St, Suite 200

Houston, TX 77002

Tel: 713-558-2600

HSMT: 713-558-8801

Fax: 713-558-2650

E-mail: ashly@tuts.com

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Questions or comments? E-mail us at ashly@tuts.com or call 713-558-2600.

H S M T A s s o c i a t i o n S t e e r i n g C o m m i t t e e

Julie Baumgarten Pradel, Chair

Jenee Bobbora

Jessica Boone

Paige Erwin

Austin Karkowsky

Laurie Karkowsky

Sarah Imle Knight

Bob Lawson

Bruce Lumpkin

Shay Rodgers

Sandy Swierc

If you are interested in joining the HSMT Association Steering Committee,

please contact Ashly Alberto at ashly@tuts.com

W h e r e A r e T h e y N o w ?

LEWIS WILKENFELD (HSMT Alum 1973-1977)brings over 35 years of theatre experience to his position as Artistic Director of Cabrillo Music Theatre in Thousand Oaks, CA. Under Lewis’ leadership since 2006, Cabrillo Music Theatre has been rewarded with 39 Ovation Award nominations, and seven wins. Lewis has directed eighteen CMT shows during the last seventeen years, including recent productions of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Annie, The Sound of Music, Cinderella, Little Shop of Horrors, The King and I, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and The Music Man. His production of Bye Bye Birdie! was named Ventura County’s Production Of The Year. Additionally, Lewis’ work has won him a Drama Logue Award (The Wizard of Oz, starring Cathy Rigby), a Robby Award (Gypsy! at the Lawrence Welk Resort Theatre), and an AriZoni Award (Beauty and the Beast, Phoenix Theatre). Lewis’ work has been featured in nine productions for the Musical Theatre Guild in Los Angeles, six for the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido, as well as productions at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista, Musical Theatre West in Long Beach, the Norris Theatre in Rancho Palos Verdes, Utah Musical Theatre, and Theatre Under the Stars, in Houston, TX. Production experience includes Long Beach Civic Light Opera, California Musical Theatre, and his own production company, Can’t Stand Still Productions. Lewis’ past experiences include casting for film and television, teaching audition and acting technique in Southern California and around the country, and working in the development of new musicals for future productions. As a representative of Cabrillo Music Theatre, Lewis sits on the Theatre Department Advisory Boards of Moorpark College and Los Angeles Valley College. A member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers’ Society and Actors’ Equity Assn., Lewis’ proudest “productions” are the two he shares with his wife, Serena: daughter Melody and son Jesse.

Morgan Starr is currently a sophomore Theatre Major at The University of Texas at Austin. Morgan Graduated with honors and an International Baccalaureate Diploma from Klein Oak High School. She has been in several theatrical productions including: Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), Spring Awakening (Ilse), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (10 Little Indian Soloist), Little Women (Young Amy), Peter Pan (Peter), West Side Story (Anybodys), Grey Gardens (Jacqueline Bouvier) and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator). While at UT she performed in a new work, Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven. She is currently working on two new staged readings of Princesses the Musical and “Untitled Zombie Musical” with the Texas Musical Theatre Workshop where she is also interning. During her freshman year she was a member of the UT Women’s Rowing Team serving as captain.

Morgan attended HSMT from 2007-2010. During that time she performed in Geppetto and Son (Child), 13! (Cheerleader) and The Who’s Tommy (Pinball Lass). Her role as Smitty in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying earned her a Tommy Tune Award as Best Supporting Actress. She was also nominated for the Tommy Tune Best Leading Actress for her role as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. Morgan is honored by receiving the Ruth Denney Scholarship at the 2013 Tommy Tune Awards named in honor of Tommy Tune’s mentor and legendary Lamar High School teacher. She is also a recipient of the Texas Commission on the Arts Young Masters Award for Musical Theatre.

H S M T A s s o c i a t i o n D i r e c t o r y

In order to give HSMT Association alums a better way to communicate and stay in touch with each other, we are putting together a directory. The directory will contain photos, contact information, and an update on what the alum is up to now. The directory will not only allow alums to reconnect, but will also serve as a wonderful networking tool.

The directory will be pass-coded on the TUTS website and will not be open to the public. Only HSMT Association members will have access to the directory.

If you are an HSMT Alum who would like to be included in the directory, please fill out the attached form. E-mail the form and a current photo to ashly@tuts.com.