Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) present Once on This Island

This incredible production is the first of two that will be offered at Miller Outdoor Theatre by TUTS this summer.  ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is a celebrated tale of love, hope, life and death. This musical, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, follows the life of Ti Moune as she goes on her quest to prove that love is stronger than death. The show is based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy.  Lynn Ahrens created the book and lyrics for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and the music was composed by Stephen Flaherty.

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND features a full cast of incredibly talented students from TUTS Humphreys School of Musical Theatre, and is being directed by George Brock. Joining him on the production is Mikeitta Williams as Choreographer, Melanie Bivens as Musical Director, Andrew Harper as Sound Designer, Christina Giannelli as Lighting Designer, Colleen Grady as Costume Designer and Ryan McGettigan as Scenic Designer.

The cast for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is as follows:

Jaylen Axel as Agwe, Jessica Helgerud as Andrea, Andrew Ricks as Armand, Elyce West as Asaka, Alex Rudd as Daniel, Drew Shaffer as Daniel’s Father,  Lauren McDonald as Erzulie, Daelin Elzie as Gatekeeper, Hannah Pettit as Little Girl, Caroline Basu as Little Ti Moune, Courtney Schmitt as Madame Armand, Jazmyne Charles as Mama Euralie, Jamir Brown as Papa Ge, Grace Nardecchia as Ti Moune, and Payton Alix  as Ton Ton Julian.  

The Ensemble includes:

Gerra Gistand, Thomas Brown, Andrew Burke, Abriel Coleman, Mabyn Coleman, Chase Fontenot, Isabella Forney, Sydney Gamarra, Haylee Harris, Sydnie Harris, Ty Hart, Christine Hernandez, Michael Karash, Paco Medina, Molly Oubre, Carlie Sachs, Alyssa Sunew, and Hope Vanderburg.

Performances of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND are made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:  Miller Theatre Advisory Board, The Wortham Foundation, Edward and Helen Oppenheimer Foundation, and Texas Commission on the Arts.

Founded in 1968, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston’s leading Musical Theatre Company.  TUTS is a 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization with a focus on inclusivity, education and community engagement.  TUTS relies on the generous support of donors to continue offering the very best in musical theatre to the greater Houston community, as well as to support our education, community engagement, and accessibility programs.  For more information, visit www.tuts.com.

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital is the official healthcare partner of Theatre Under The Stars and the official sponsor of the 2016/17 Season. United Airlines is the official airline partner of Theatre Under The Stars. KTRK ABC13 is the official media partner of Theatre Under The Stars.

Founded in 1972, the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT), the nationally-recognized educational wing of Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS), offers the only technique-based musical theatre training program in the Houston area.  HSMT educates and develops musical theatre students of all ages and is fully committed to providing our community with the very best in performing arts education.  Focusing on the principle of process over product, students learn the fundamentals of musical theater performance through year-round courses, productions, workshops, and master classes, all geared toward equipping students with the tools they need to be successful in musical theatre and in life.  Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital is the official healthcare partner of the HSMT.  Visit TUTS.com/hsmt for more information!

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).  All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com