Performing Arts Houston | Encore Magazine, Winter 2022

Performing Arts Houston

Matthew Whitaker

A jazz phenom who plays "like the the second coming of Ray Charles," ( CBS Sunday Morning )

Dance Theatre of Harlem Returns

Houston Residency Coming December

In advance of their February performances at Jones Hall, Performing Arts Houston hosts Dance Theatre of Harlem in December for a week of Education & Community activities around Houston! Meet and learn from company members through a variety of opportunities for dancers and dance-lovers of all ages. For more information about the schedule of events, scan the QR code.

Theatre of Harlem at Jones Hall

Photo by Claire McAdams

& Walt Zerkow Society for the Performing Arts Foundation

Performing Arts Houston 615 Louisiana Street, Suite 100 Houston, Texas 77002-2715 713.227.4772

info@performingartshouston.org performingartshouston.org

Meg Booth

President & Chief Executive Officer

Leslie Nelson

Chief Financial Officer

Andrea Allen Education Specialist

Jordan Drum Director of Development

Jessica Ellison Education Events Coordinator

Brian Glass Director of Marketing, Communications & Digital

Breanna Lindsey Box Office Associate Caroline McCain Development Associate

Brenda Oliveira Board Liaison & Executive Assistant

Helena Oliver Development Manager,

Individual Giving & Events

Michelle Pacheco

Patron Services Manager

Caroline Senter Public Relations Associate

Jennifer Steiner

Director of Operations

Lee Strickland

Director of Artistic Programming

Claire Williamson Director of Education & Community Engagement

About Performing Arts Houston

For over 55 years, Performing Arts Houston has connected audiences with exceptional artists through diverse performances and learning experiences throughout Houston communities and schools. We welcome all to ignite and cultivate passion for the performing arts and explore the vast landscape of artistic expression to discover new understanding about ourselves, create community, inspire dialogue, and enrich our world. More at performingartshouston.org.

Performing Arts Houston | performingartshouston.org

Board of Directors

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON 2022–2023 EXECUTIVE C O MMITTEE

G. Mark Jodon, Board Chair

H. William Swanstrom, Board Vice Chair

Tymothi O. Tombar, Secretary

Willie C.W. Chiang, Vice President, Nominating & Governance

Vijay D´Cruz, Vice President, Development

Melanie Gray, Vice President, Special Projects

Curt D. Karges, Vice President, Finance & Audit

Theresa Mallett, Vice President, Education & Community Engagement

Melanie B. Rother, Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Leah R. Bennett Meg Booth (Ex Officio) Charles C. Boettcher Michael Cannon Charles D. Davidson Theresa A. Einhorn

Stephen M. Gill Michael Hatfield Emily T. Kuo Eileen Lawal Ann V. Rogers Stephen M. Trauber

DIRECTORS

Norah G. Adams Jeffrey A. Ball Mary Fischer Sean Gorma Shawn K. Jackson Joel Lambert Ginni Mithoff Katherine Easterby Murphy Michaelene Lusk Norton

Armando A. Perez Lance G. Reynolds Gloria Ryan Marisol Salazar Omar Samji Leslie Elkins Sasser Nameer A. Siddiqui Kristina H. Somerville Margaret Alkek Williams

DIRECTORS EMERITI

James J. Postl Robert B. Tudor III

John T. Jones Jr.

Founder (1917-1994)

Marcus A. Watts

Jesse H. Jones II President, Society for the Performing Arts Foundation

SEASON SPONSORS

FUNDED IN PART BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON THROUGH HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE

Audience

EXPERIENCE GUIDE

HEALTH & SAFET Y

All Covid policies are at the discretion of the artist, presenter, and venue, and are subject to change. For the latest updates on Health & Safety protocols, please visit performingartshouston.org/faq.

PARKING

Event parking is available in the Theater District Parking garage for $12. Street parking in Downtown Houston is free after 6pm, Monday-Saturday, and all day Sunday. Parking rates and availability are subject to change.

DOORS OPEN

Unless otherwise noted, doors to the lobby will open 60 minutes prior to performance start time and seating inside the auditorium will open 30 minutes prior to start time.

LATE SEATING

Late seating is at the discretion of the artist and may not be available. We suggest everyone arrive early, allowing extra time for parking, entry, and concessions inside the lobby.

FOOD & DRINK

Concessions are available for purchase in the lobby. Please note that food and drink are not allowed inside the seated area of the theater.

ACCESSIBILIT Y

For accessibility information, or to purchase accessibility seating, please contact the Box Office at 713.227.4772.

CHILDREN

Unless otherwise specified, all children ages 4 and above may attend performances. Tickets must be purchased for all children, regardless of age, as required by the City of Houston Fire Code.

DEVICES

As a courtesy to others, please silence all electronic devices and refrain from using them during the performance. Even on silent, the glow from devices can be a distraction. Photography and recording of any kind are strictly prohibited.

TICKETS

All tickets are non-refundable. Tickets can be exchanged or donated up to 48 hours prior to the performance. Exchange fees are waived for all Performing Arts Houston members.

LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH

Follow us @performingartshouston

“Where else can you travel around the world without

here in

with

&

Photo by Claire McAdams

About the Performers

Meridian (Blue Man) received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Lawrence University and his Master of Fine Arts from the National Theatre Conservatory. He has performed as a Blue Man in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, and all over the United States as part of the group’s first North American Tour. Internationally he has performed as a Blue Man in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, China, South Africa, Mexico, Russia, and Canada as part of the World Tours. He is thrilled to be going back on the road with the cast and crew of the Blue Man Group North American Tour.

Mike Brown (Blue Man) has been Blue for over a decade and a half. For him, it has all been a dream come true. He would not be where he is today without the love and support of his family and friends. He is grateful for you all and truly hopes you enjoy the show.

Josh Wills (Blue Man) is originally from Ansonia, CT. He’s performed for Blue Man Group in New York, Las Vegas, World and National Tours. Other credits include: NY Theater: The Seagull (NY Classical Theatre). Regional: Last Train to Nibroc (Playhouse on Park), The Orphan’s Home Cycle (Hartford Stage), The Happy Prince (Long Wharf), The Tempest (Capital Classics), Macbeth, The Winter’s Tale, Hamlet, (Elm Shakespeare). TV: Mindhunter, WeCrashed, Blue Bloods Film: VITA, Sqizo, Cigarette Soup, Obey the Giant BA Theatre, Southern Connecticut State University.

Adam Zuick (Blue Man Captain) has been living the dream of being a Blue Man since 2013 and couldn’t be more excited to be back on the road! Previous Blue Man Group companies include Orlando, Chicago, New York and multiple North American Tours. A special shout out to Adam Berger and lots of love to my supportive family and friends.

Corky Gainsford (Band Captain) has been a Blue Man Group musician since 2001 in their Las Vegas show, touring Productions, TV performances (The Tonight Show, America’s Got Talent, Latin Grammy Awards), and the Multi-Platinum “Complex Rock Tour Live”

DVD. A songwriter, producer, and drummer on several Top 20 Billboard Rock Hits via Otherwise (Century Media Records) and Code Red Riot (Sony Music), he currently produces new music for clients at his Pop Cycle Studios headquarters. His passion projects include painting (Corky G Art) and creating graphic designs for custom t-shirts (Delete Designs).

Chris Reiss (Musician/Strings). Chris’ journey started in the little cozy wine town of Sonoma California. It was after attending the Institute of Performing Arts in Liverpool though that Chris was inspired to travel the world and experience art in many of its

different forms with his guitar and his random culinary skills. “A musician who also cooks, provides a meal for the ear.

Chris Schultz (Musician/Drummer) is based in New York City and has been performing with Blue Man Group since 2013. He served as the Music Director for BMG’s International Tour (2018) and worked on the creative team for The Speechless National Tour (2019) as well as the upcoming World Tour (2022). Notable Credits: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Broadway).

Michael Dahlen (Creative/Artistic Director, Performer) began his career with Blue Man Group as a Blue Man performer in the New York City Astor Place Theatre production. From there he took on the role of Performer Director where he cast, trained and developed new Blue Man performers for all of the North American and international productions. Michael’s Artistic Direction duties include the creation, development, evolution, and direction of existing Blue Man Group productions. As a Creative Director, Michael oversees the writing, creation, and development of Blue Man Group new productions. Blue Man Group career highlights include direction of 5G shows in New York, Boston and Chicago, creation and direction of Blue Man Group Berlin, and the creation and direction of Blue Man Group’s 2013 Hollywood Bowl appearance.

Andrew Schneider (Composer) is the Head of Music and Sound Production for Blue Man Group. He oversees all recording, mixing and produces audio content for a wide variety of applications including show and performance content, recording releases, video releases, marketing releases and more. He is an active and enthusiastic participant in the creation and composition of Blue Man Group’s music and sounds. Schneider engineered Blue Man Group’s debut album Audio, mixed their sophomore release The Complex and co-produced, mixed and engineered the group’s third record THREE. Currently, Schneider serves as Musical Composer for the Blue Man Group North American Tour. Growing up in an artistic household, music and performance has been a part of Schneider’s life from an early age. He began touring around the world in bands and recording music at the age of 18. As a freelance producer, mixer and engineer he has worked on nearly 1,000 Indie and major label releases with multiple Grammy and Juno nominations to date.

Schneider earned a Fine Arts degree in Media from Massachusetts College of Art. He currently enjoys music, film, performance, and spending time with his family.

Jeff Turlik (Composer) oversees all aspects of music and recorded sounds for Blue

Blue

Man Group as Creative Director and Music Supervisor. In Turlik’s role as Composer for the North American Tour, he has created a brand-new musical experience for Blue Man Group’s second-ever North American theatrical tour. Turlik has been with the entertainment phenomenon since 1999, beginning as a band member in the Boston resident show. Shortly after, he turned his sights toward music writing and directing in New York to support Blue Man Group’s domestic and global expansion. In addition to creating and mounting shows around the world, his career highlights include two performances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, two sold-out nights at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic, The Area2 Tour (supporting David Bowie, Busta Rhymes and Moby), The Complex Rock Tour, The Megastar world tour, The Tokyo Summersonic Music Festival, The Royal Variety Performance for Queen Elizabeth II in Cardiff, Wales, Carnival in Salvador, Brazil and various television appearances. A native of Pittsburgh, Turlik attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He spent his early career as a guitarist in hard rock bands, recording, touring, sleeping on floors, and has since worked as a musician, arranger, composer, music producer and music educator.

Jenny Koons (Original Director) is thrilled to join the Blue Man family, as this tour marks her first-time collaboration with Blue Man Group. Recent productions include Between Us: The Deck of Cards (Denver Center for the Performing Arts), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Public Theater Mobile Unit), The Tempest (The Juilliard School), Burn All Night (American Repertory Theater), Gimme Shelter (Why Not Theatre, Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games), and A Sucker Emcee (National Black Theatre, LAByrinth Theater Company). Jenny was the co-curator of the 2016 Toronto ThisGen Conference and co-founder of Artists 4 Change NYC (National Black Theatre). She has taught young artists here and abroad, and as an Asian-American woman, is a vocal advocate of equity in the arts. She is a proud 2017 Lilly Award recipient who grew up in Minneapolis, MN and in the mountains of Montana. www.jennykoons.com

Jason Ardizzone-West (Set Designer). OffBroadway: Wedding Band (Theatre for a New Audience); What Happened? (Hunter Theatre Project): The Michaels (The Public Theater); Uncle Vanya (Hunter Theatre Project, WNET 13 TV); Good Grief (The Vineyard); Illyria, Women of a Certain Age, What Did You Expect?, Hungry (The Public Theater).

Regional: The Bluest Eye (Huntington); Grace (Ford’s Theatre); Bliss (5th Avenue Theatre); School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Berkeley Rep); Once On This Island (Cincinnati Playhouse & Actor’s Theatre of

About the Performers

Louisville); Uncle Vanya (Old Globe); Native Gardens & The Royale (Cleveland Play House). Film/TV/Tour: Jesus Christ Superstar Live (NBC – Emmy Award & Art Directors Guild Nomination); Amend: The Fight for America (Netflix); Adele Live in New York City (Radio City Music Hall, NBC); Lana Del Rey (arena tour); Common (Audible Theater, The Tonight Show); Dermot Kennedy (arena tour). www.ardizzonewest.com; Instagram: @jasonardizzonewest

Jen Schriever (Lighting Designer) is a NYC based lighting designer whose work has been seen on Broadway and Off, across the US, and internationally. Favorite projects: Lackawanna Blues, What the Constitution Means to Me, The Lifespan of a Fact and Eclipsed on Broadway; A Strange Loop set to open on Broadway Spring 2021, The Soundtrack of America which opened the McCourt theatre at The Shed in NYC, and operas at The Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera and The Mariinksy in St. Petersburg Russia. Visit her at www. Jenschriever.com

Patricia Murphy (Blue Man Character Costume Designer) has worked on the Broadway productions of Black and Blue, The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Dracula and Wicked, among others. She has worked with many ballet companies, on several movies including the features Dracula and Far from Heaven and on Bette Midler’s Kiss My Brass tour. Other credits: Tick, tick... BOOM!; Once Around the City; The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin; Bright Lights, Big City.

Crest Factor (Sound Designer) With over 28 years of experience in professional audio, Marcus Ross commands a diverse expertise in all aspects of audio reproduction and reinforcement for live events. He began his interest in live entertainment as a musician and quickly learned that his inquisitive mind and analytical qualities were a great asset as an audio engineer. After touring with bands early in his career, Marcus began to branch out into many different disciplines. He has been monitor engineer for such bands as Slayer and The Black Crowes; mixed front of house for Patti LaBelle; worked as the Audio System Designer and Crew Chief for Van Halen; was Lead Audio for multiple Broadway touring shows ranging from large scale musical comedies such as The Producers and Spamalot to the one-man shows, such as, 700 Sundays with Billy Crystal; and most recently has worked as the Resident Designer for Blue Man Productions, overseeing all new projects and installations as well as maintaining the current shows. After more than 20 years in the industry, Marcus returned to higher education and obtained a Master’s Certificate in Music Production from

Berklee College of Music, while still actively working in the industry. He has maintained various certifications from manufacturers in the industry and, most recently, has become Head of Application Tour Support, US & Canada for L’Acoustics. Marcus oversees design and implementation of audio systems for music, theatre, and corporate events with Tony Pittsley through his company Crest Factor. Tony Pittsley enjoys the technology that is audio reinforcement. He has toured extensively with Broadway shows including The Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot, Spamalot, The Full Monty, A Christmas Story and others. In his off time, he enjoys wood working and spending time with his wife, children, and his dogs Zoe and Xena.

Lucy MacKinnon (Video Designer) is a New York-based video and projection designer. Broadway: Jagged Little Pill, How I Learned to Drive, The Lifespan of a Fact, Six Degrees of Separation, and Deaf West’s revival of Spring Awakening. Recent Off-Broadway credits include Kimberly Akimbo (The Atlantic Theater), White Noise (The Public Theater), After the Blast (Lincoln Center), The Treasurer (Playwrights Horizons), and Yen (MCC). As a graphic artist, Lucy has contributed work to educational institutions such as The New York Historical Society and The National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Emilio Sosa (Tour Costume Designer). Chair, American Theatre Wing; Broadway: Trouble In Mind, Skeleton Crew, On Your Feet!, Motown: The Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Tony nom.), Topdog/Underdog. TV: Annie Live! (NBC), Film: Red Hook Summer (Spike Lee Dir.). Recipient of NAACP Theater Awards, Lucille Lortel Award, Drama Desk (noms.).

USHER - The Las Vegas Residency, Blue Man Group Tour, Big Apple Circus, The Rockettes, NY Knicks City Dancers. Fashion: Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, Wynton Marsalis. Regional theaters across the United States and abroad. @esosafashion

Bill Swartz (SFX Designer). Celebrating 18 years with Blue Man Group, Bill Swartz currently serves as a Creative Director. While in this role, he founded and continues to run the creative Research and Development Lab for production design elements, including musical instruments, video surfaces, lighting, and special effects. For the Blue Man Group North American Tour, Swartz has put his unique skillset to work in the role of SFX Designer. A native of Chicago, Swartz began his career as a freelance designer/builder while also making records and touring with his own bands. Since joining the global entertainment phenomenon of Blue Man Group, he has opened shows in Germany, Canada, England, Holland, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Japan, and Australia,

and worked special events as a musician, technical director, and production manager, worldwide. Swartz earned his undergraduate degree in Music Performance/Technical Theater from DePauw University and attended Indiana University for postgraduate work in Jazz Studies. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his family.

Jonathan Knight (Creative Director) is a Creative Director for Blue Man Group in that role he develops new work in various mediums for the company. He is currently the Creative Director for the new Blue Man Group North American Tour having most recently completed work on Blue Man Group Berlin, and the Blue Man Group World Tour which opened in Singapore and has since been touring steadily in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Knight is a long-time member of Blue Man Group starting as a video operator for the Astor Place show in New York. Outside of Blue Man Group, Knight works as a writer and filmmaker having founded a small boutique production company in 2006 that focuses on social justice documentary, education, and experimental artist collaborations. He has been an adjunct professor in the schools of the City University of New York teaching courses in video production, film theory, and film history

Byron Estep (Senior Music Director) started playing Chapman Stick in the Blue Man Group band in 1994 as part of the “TUBES” show at the Astor Place Theater in New York City. Since then, he has been involved in the opening and direction of many Blue Man Group shows throughout the world. He currently works as a Music Director for Blue Man Productions and plays both Chapman Stick and Zither in the band. He has also played guitar and/or banjo on numerous recordings outside of Blue Man Group and composed several movie and video game soundtracks.

Erin Albrecht (Production Stage Manager) is thrilled to re-join the Blue Man family, having spent 5 years with BMG in Chicago. When not on the road, Erin is the Resident PSM at Court Theatre in Chicago and an adjunct professor of Stage Management at The Theatre School at DePaul University. She has managed OffBroadway productions with The Pearl, New York Classical Theatre, Westside Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Town Hall and throughout the regions in theatres such Arena Stage, Arkansas Rep, American Players Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival and others. She has toured nationally, internationally and on the open sea. She holds a Bachelor of Music from The Catholic University of America and a Master of Fine Arts from Virginia Tech.

Elena Chapman (Assistant Stage Manager) is delighted to return to Blue Man Group on tour! She started with Blue Man Group (NYC) in 2018 and has loved being a part of the Blue Man community ever since. Favorite credits include MetFest 2021 (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and WHAT WOMEN NEED: a night of original performances in support of Planned Parenthood (Baryshnikov Arts Center). @TheElenaClaire

Alanna Swovelin (Company Manager), Management: Los Angeles Opera, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Dancer: Los Angeles Opera, Tokyo Disneyland, Vancouver Winter Olympics, MGM Macau China, Holland America Line, The Magic Castle, San Diego Opera, Eugene Ballet Company. Affiliations: AGMA, Liberal Education for Arts Professionals, Pivot for Dancers. Secret Talent: USPA Licensed Skydiver.

Bond Theatrical Group (Tour Booking, Marketing and Publicity Direction) is an independently-owned booking, marketing and publicity company for live entertainment productions. Current tour marketing and booking shows include 9 to 5: The Musical, A Soldier’s Play, An Officer and a Gentleman, & Juliet, Annie, Blue Man Group, Cats, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, Clue, Clueless, Company, Diana, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Girl from the North Country, Jesus Christ Superstar, Lempicka, Love Actually Live, The Lehman Trilogy, May We All, The Brat Pack and What the Constitution Means to Me. Current tour booking shows include Kathleen Turner: Finding My Voice, Les Misérables and Spamilton. Current marketing and publicity shows include 1776, Anastasia, Dear Evan Hansen, Fiddler on the Roof, Jagged Little Pill, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Six, The Band’s Visit, The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, The Prom and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.

Jennie Ryan (Line Producer) Jennie’s variety of expertise includes producing, tour management, production finance, touring logistics, stage management, artist management, with extensive touring and international work in India, Europe, United Kingdom, Asia, Australia and Southwest Asia.

Jennie has produced shows in the most challenging domestic and international venues…. like active aircraft carriers, arenas, theaters, studios, ballrooms, and tropical beaches. As a Producer for Blue Man Group, shows include the North America Tour Australia Tour, Las Vegas Monte Carlo, NCL Epic, Tokyo, Casino Tour, and multiple corporate events and TV appearances. As Creative Producer Jennie lead an international creative team in developing

Badaling a theatrical show in Beijing China. Selected other recent tour credits include Chely Wright, Shinedown, Gary Sinise, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, NBA trophy tour, Miss Teen, Taylor Hicks, Wilmer Valderrama, Blue Angels, Salute to Troops (HBO). Jennie resides in New York and has dual US/EU citizenship.

Wendy Edwards (Executive Producer) holds the positions of Executive Producer for Blue Man Group and VStar Entertainment and Vice President of Operations for the Affiliate Shows Division of Cirque Entertainment Group. From 2016 to 2019 she held the position of senior vice president (SVP) for Touring Operations and Productions of VStar Entertainment Group. Prior to 2016, Wendy worked as Technical Producer, Production Director and Technical Director for various organizations in the Live Entertainment Industry, creating, producing, and operating live theatrical productions, exhibits, installations and events.

Seith Wenig (Executive Producer) has been with NETworks since its inception in 1995. He spearheaded the international tours of Fosse starring Ben Vereen and Ruthie Henshall. Seth has produced the Lincoln Center Theater production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific and the National Theatre production of War Horse. Together with Cameron Mackintosh, Seth served as Executive Producer for both the US and UK tours of the National Theatre’s My Fair Lady, the 25th Anniversary US tour of Les Misérables, the new The Phantom of the Opera tour, Miss Saigon. Currently, Anastasia, The Book of Mormon, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Beetlejuice. He is most proud of his greatest productions – Marlo and Camden.

Blue Man Group (Producer) is a global entertainment phenomenon, known for its award-winning theatrical productions, iconic characters and multiple creative explorations. Blue Man Group performances are euphoric celebrations of human connection through art, music, comedy, and non-verbal communication. Since debuting at New York’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the live show has expanded to additional domestic residencies in Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas, an international residency in Berlin, and multiple North American and World tours, reaching more than 50 million people worldwide. Blue Man Group is universally appealing to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds, and continually injected with new music, fresh stories, custom instruments and sensory stimulating graphics. Blue Man Group is owned and operated by Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. For more information, please visit www.Blueman.com

Cirque Du Soleil Entertainment Group (Producer)is a world leader in live

entertainment. On top of producing worldrenowned circus arts shows, the Canadian organization brings its creative approach to a large variety of entertainment forms such as multimedia productions, immersive experiences, theme parks and special events. Going beyond its various creations, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group aims to make a positive impact on people, communities and the planet with its most important tools: creativity and art. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, please visit www.CDSentertainmentgroup. com.

Networks Presentations (Producer) is an industry-leading producer of touring theatrical productions, committed to delivering quality entertainment to audiences worldwide for more than 25 years. Current and upcoming productions include 1776, Anastasia, Blue Man Group, Beetlejuice, The Book of Mormon, Elf the Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Hairspray, Les Misérables, Peter Pan, The Prom, and To Kill a Mockingbird. www.networkstours.com

Staff For Blue Man Group Tour

Executive Producers

Wendy Edwards & Seth Wenig

General Management

Gentry & Associates Gregory Vander Ploeg Pearce Landry-Wegener Steven Varon-Moore Madeline McCluskey Heather Moss

Blue Man Productions Operations Liason Doug Brown

Production Management NETWORKS PRESENTATIONS

Jason Juenker Hector Guivas Shelby Star Walker White pesci

Exclusive Tour Direction

BOND THEATRICAL GROUP

bondtheatrical.com

TOUR BOOKING

Temah Higgins

Mollie Mann

Wendy Roberts Megan Savage Madison St. Amour

MARKETING & PUBLICITY DIRECTION

DJ Martin Marc Viscardi Steph Kelleher Simon Rosales

Company Manager

Alanna Swovelin

Production Stage Management Supervisor Nykol DeDreu

Production Stage Manager Erin Albrecht

Assistant Stage Manager Elena Chapman

Assistant Company Manager Michael Marshall

Associate Lighting Designer Aaron Tacy

Moving Light Programmer Scott Kearns Tusing

Associate Sound Designer Tony Pittsley

Associate Video Designer Brian McMullen

Additional Musical Instrument Design Aron Sanchez Video Programmer Brian McMullen

Production Electrician Justin Petito

Associate Production Electrician Carl Gosselin

Production Sound Engineer Mason Wisecup Production Video Lorenzo Lagola

Associate Production Video Jada Hutchinson Production Props Clista Jarrett

Technical Director pesci

Head Carpenter Stephen Weeks

Assistant Carpenter Willow Carr Flyman Bianca Dominguez

Head Electrician Alexander Bradford Smith

Assistant Electricians Kendall Clark, Thomas Edwards, Emily Horton

Head Audio John Fynes

Assistant Audio Lucas McCaffrey

Head Props KJ Johnson

Assistant Props Taryn Nicole Wardrobe Supervisor Kathryn Trantham

Crew Swing Daniel Parsons

Production Assistants Kate Baxter, Jared Pereida

Stage Management Production Assistant Nikki Konomos

MIT Kevin Connolly, N8 Hassan, Violet W

Production MIT Ben Flint Band Trainer Robert Gomez

Bench Blue Man Kyle Fulton, Peter Musante

Bench Band Terry Tungjunyatham, Jeffrey Wright Production Photography Matthew Murphy, Joan Marcus

Accounting NETworks Presentations, LLC.

Legal Services F. Richard Pappas, Esq. HR Services Global Solutions, Inc.

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Strategy Production on Deck Housing ROAD REBEL GLOBAL Travel Agency Janice Kessler, Carlson Wagonlit Travel Trucking Janco

For Blue Man Productions/Cirque du Soleil

Founders: Chris Wink, Phil Stanton, Matt Goldman

Executive Management

President and Chief Executive Officer Stephane Lefebvre

President of Resident and Affiliate Division Eric Gilly Managing Director Mary Grisolano General Manager Ola Wawryn

Creation

Chief Creation Officer

Diane Quinn Marketing & Sales

Senior Manager, Global Marketing & Communications Nandita Marshall

National Sales Manager Peter Katz Sales & Revenue Analyst Rebeca Bloom Artistic Direction

Head of Artistic Direction

Tim Aumiller

Senior Music Director Byron Estep Senior Artistic Director Randall Jaynes Senior Artistic Director Michael Dahlen

Talent

Senior Director of Talent Operations Jennifer Archer HR Business Partner Cynthia Harms Infrastructure IT Team Lead Tim Zabel

For Networks Presentations

Chief Executive Officer. Orin Wolf Chief Financial Officer Scott W. Jackson

Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Ardizzone-West

Chief Producing Officer Seth Wenig

Executive Producers Mimi Intagliata, Trinity Wheeler

Associate Producer Hannah Rosenthal Executive Assistant Isabella Schiavon Health and Safety Director Kayla Rooplal Sr. Director/Finance John Kinna Controller Jennifer Gifford

Director of Tour Accounting Laura S. Carey Tax Director Pat Guerieri

Associate Tax Accountant Kim Ngan Tran Sr. Director/Booking and Engagements Mary K. Witte Director, Booking and Engagements Colin Byrne Engagement Manager Stacey Burns Director of Sales Zach Stevenson Director of Marketing Heather Hess Sr. Director/General Management Gregory Vander Ploeg General Manager/Operations Director

Pearce Landry-Wegener

General Manager Steven Varon-Moore

Associate General Managers

Madeline McCluskey, Heather Moss Operations Manager

Catherine Logan Blanar Sr. Director/Production Management Jason Juenker Sr. Production Manager

Hector Guivas Production Managers Shelby Stark, Walker White Technical Director pesci Music Coordinator John Mezzio Warehouse Manager Joseph Spratt Warehouse Costume Manager Bobby Maglaughlin

Insurance Broker Services

Maury Donnelly and Parr, Inc. Robert B. Middleton, Sr and Meghan Coleman

Financial Services and Banking Arrangements by Signature Bank

Credits

Scenery built by SCENIC SOLUTIONS Lighting rental provided by CHRISTIE LITES.

Video rental provided by WORLD STAGE.

Select SFX provided by J&M. Lab equipment and props provided by BMP.

Additional writing provided by ELIZABETH BIRKENMEIER. Voiceover Artist: LITHA P JOHNSON.

Official Rubik’s Cube provided by RUBIK BRAND LTD.

Billy Bass Fish usage courtesy of GEMMY INDUSTRIES. Rehearsed at Redhouse Arts Center, Syracuse, NY

Special Thanks

Albert Nocciolino, NAC Entertainment; Mike Intaglietta, Executive Director -- The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY.

Shop for Blue Man Group Merchandise

Connect with Blue Man Group @bluemangroup blueman.com

All stage work performed by

represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or I.A.T.S.E.)

About the Performers

Described as “phenomenal” Times, London) and “devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine) award-winning choir Tenebrae is one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles, renowned for its passion and precision. Under the direction of Nigel Short, Tenebrae performs at major festivals and venues across the globe, including the BBC Proms, Edinburgh International Festival, Leipzig Gewandhaus (Germany) and Melbourne Festival (Australia). The choir is renowned for its highly acclaimed interpretations of choral music ranging from the hauntingly passionate works of the Renaissance through to contemporary choral masterpieces, and is a dedicated advocate for contemporary composers, having worked with Judith Bingham, Ola Gjeilo, Alexander L’Estrange, Alexander Levine, Paweł Łukaszewski, Paul Mealor, Hilary Tann, Joby Talbot, Sir John Tavener and Will Todd. Tenebrae is also frequently engaged with the world’s finest orchestras, regularly appearing alongside the Academy of Ancient Music, Aurora Orchestra and Britten Sinfonia, and also curates an annual Holy Week Festival in partnership with St. John’s Smith Square.

Choral development is also central to Tenebrae’s ethos, and the choir has pioneered an inspirational workshop method, The Tenebrae Effect, designed to challenge and advance every participant by instilling skills essential to a Tenebrae performance. Since 2016 it has provided crucial training and performance opportunities to a quartet of outstanding young professional singers through its Associate Artist Scheme. As part of this fellowship, these young singers deliver regular choral development workshops in collaboration with Tenebrae’s education partners, Music Centre London, and London Youth Choir.

Series Sponsor

by Gittings

How did you first get involved with Performing Arts Houston?

My wife, Mignon and I were asked to chair an event for Society for the Performing Arts (before the name change) in November 2016 called “Taste of SPA.” It was an event benefiting the organization’s Education and Community Engagement Programs. We moved to Houston in 2001 and quickly became involved in the arts. Vinson & Elkins, my law firm, has always supported the arts in Houston. We were honored to be a part of the organization and get more involved. After that event, I was asked to be on the Board.

Why do you believe it is important to support the arts?

The arts are humanity’s spirit and are We believe that supporting the arts in any community is important. We are especially fortunate in Houston to have so many wonderful arts organizations

that inspire us, entertain us, and provide outreach to the community. Arts can revive communities, create a vibrant society, and teach us so much about ourselves and others. We have always enjoyed the arts with our children from an early age, and they now have an appreciation for all forms of performing arts. Another reason we support the performing arts is to make sure that opportunity is afforded to children across the city through Education and Community Engagement programs as those provided by this organization.

Tell us about your background in the arts.

Mignon and I are both attorneys by trade and not really artistic or performers, but we have been patrons of the arts for many years and can certainly appreciate it. We enjoy all types of performances from plays to ballets to musicals. We love the variety of programming that Performance

Arts Houston provides each season. Mignon sits on several other arts Boards in Houston (Houston Ballet and Alley Theatre).

What’s one of your favorite Performing Arts Houston experiences?

We have enjoyed a great number of performances over the years through the organization. Alton Brown is always a fun favorite, and we also enjoyed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.

What are you most looking forward to this season?

We are really looking forward to Preservation Hall Jazz Band, a New Orleans Institution. We lived in New Orleans during law school, and Mignon is from Louisiana, so we enjoy a taste of New Orleans when we can get it here. We are also excited about the variety this season.

Interview by Jordan Drum

Admiral Transfer Music Series 22/23 Season Featured Program

PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON presents

Matthew Whitaker

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022 | 7 :30 PM

CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM CENTER

Duration: 90 minutes, with no intermission

Band Members

Matthew Whitaker, piano and Hammond B3 organ

Marcos Robinson, guitar

Karim Hutton, bass

Ivan Llanes, percussion

John Steele, drums

the

"Matthew Whitaker is music. To see and hear him play is to know that divine talent exists. Beyond his innate musical abilities is a sheer joy and passion to create music.”- Monifa Brown, WBGO.

Born in 2001 in Hackensack, NJ, Matthew Whitaker grew up surrounded by music. His love for playing music first began at the young age of 3, after his grandfather gave him a small Yamaha keyboard.

At 9, Matthew began teaching himself how to play the Hammond B3 organ. Four years later, he became the youngest artist to be endorsed by Hammond in its 80+ year history. He was also named a Yamaha Artist at 15, becoming the youngest musician to join the stellar group of jazz pianists.

Matthew has had years of music instruction, studying classical piano and drums at The Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School in NYC. It is the only community music school for the blind and visually impaired in the US. He also attended the Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege Jazz Program.

He previously studied at The Harlem School of the Arts and was a member of both the Jazz House Big Band and the Organ Messengers at Jazz House Kids in Montclair, NJ. Matthew has received the “Outstanding Soloist Award” from Jazz at Lincoln Center's Charles Mingus High School Competition & Festival and the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival. He was also recognized by the Harlem International Film Festival, which named him “Most

Remarkable Young Person on Screen.”

He’s already toured both here in the US and abroad, performing before The Youth Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in NYC, and on other world renowned stages, including: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC; SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival and at international venues in France, Italy, Germany, Indonesia, UK, Australia, Switzerland, Portugal, Japan, Spain and Morocco.

Matthew has performed with an array of outstanding musicians: Ray Chew, Christian McBride, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Rhoda Scott, Cameron Carpenter, Regina Carter, Jason Moran, Jon Batiste, Cory Henry, Marc Cary, Arturo O’Farrill, James Carter, Roy Ayers, D.D. Jackson, The New York Pops Orchestra and with Hamiet Bluiett and his Bio- Electric Ensemble.

In 2010, Matthew was a winning participant in the “Child Stars of Tomorrow” competition, as part of Amateur Night at the Apollo. A year later, at just 10 years old, he was invited to perform at Stevie Wonder’s induction into the Apollo Theater’s Hall of Fame. He returned to the Apollo for FOX TV’s revival of Showtime at the Apollo in 2016, where he won the audience over with

his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s classic “I Wish.” Matthew has been on national and international radio and television, which includes the TODAY SHOW documentary series "Boys Changing The World," Harry Connick Jr Show and an appearance on the syndicated TV talk show ELLEN!

Having composed several original compositions, Matthew names a list of stellar musicians, composers/arrangers as his artistic influences including: organists Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Rhoda Scott; pianists Stevie Wonder, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Ahmad Jamal, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Chick Corea, Jon Batiste, Cory Henry, Marc Cary, Jason Moran, D.D. Jackson, Chopin, Bach; and drummers Roy Haynes, T.S. Monk, Herlin Riley, Otis Brown III, Otis Brown Jr, and Johnathan Blake.

In 2017, he was named 1 of the 17 people to watch in New Jersey by The Record, one of New Jersey’s largest newspapers and add to Crain's Business New York breakout list of 20 under 20 as a performing artist. In 2018 The Root added Matthew to its list of 1 of 25 Young Futurist Leaders and was named as 1 of 7 rising stars for 2018 by USA Today network's 201 Magazine. He's also a recipient of The Harlem Stage Emerging Artist Award. 2019, and the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers award in 2019 for his orginal song "Emotions!," and for his composition "Underground" in 2020.

Series Sponsor Mr. Whitaker will be performing on a Yamaha piano, courtesy of Yamaha Artist Services, New York

About the Performer

Nigella Lawson is an internationally renowned food writer and TV cook whose successful television programs have made her a household name around the world.

Nigella read Medieval and Modern Languages at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and went on to become Deputy Literary Editor of The Sunday Times at the age of 26, followed by a successful career as a critic and op-ed columnist, writing for a range of newspapers, including The Times and The Guardian

In 1998 she published her first cookbook, How To Eat, The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food. She now has twelve bestselling books to her name, including her latest, Cook, Eat, Repeat: Ingredients, Recipes, and Stories. Her books have sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

Her first TV series, Nigella Bites aired in 2000, followed by a string of successful series broadcast in the UK, USA, Australia and beyond.

Nigella Lawson

Nigella was a judge on the three seasons of The Taste which broadcast in the UK and US in 2013 and 2014. She has made several appearances on MasterChef Australia. Nigella was voted author of the year at the 2001 British Book Awards (Nibbies), and Best Food Personality 2014 at the Observer Food Monthly Awards.

She lives in London.

Pages & Stages Book Club: Neil deGrasse Tyson

MAR 1

Virtual Book Club

MAR 6

Pre-show meeting before Neil deGrasse Tyson: Delusions of Space Enthusiasts

Pages & Stages Book Club: CION

APR 12

Virtual Book Club

APR 21

Pre-show meeting before Vuyani Dance Theatre’s Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero

Tazeen Zahida

What led you to apply for New/Now?

As a former awardee of the Houston Artist Virtual Commissioning Project, I had a great experience with their staff and was most keen to be able to collaborate with them on the New/Now project. Being an independent theatre maker does get tiring, and I wish to be just the playwright that I am at the core. This project was a promise that all my logistical challenges will be taken away and I will be able to focus on my craft.

What role does the city of Houston play in your inspiration and/or creative process?

The sheer experience of this city is enriching due to its diversity and inclusivity, which is most certainly reflected in its colorful art scene. A female Muslim writer of color can be a part of the Mistletoe Art Market and present a piece about the feelings of a Muslim during Christmas Time. This speaks volumes about the nature of a town. Houston and its multicultural spirit work as the canvas for my creativity.

The winners of New/Now: The Houston Artist Commissioning Project reflect the diversity of Houston, each combining their own unique background with music and theatrical art forms to create exciting new works to share with our community. See their World Premieres on FEB 24–25 at the Wortham Center.

Interview by Claire Williamson

What do you hope audiences learn from or experience through your commissioned work?

As a writer I like staying true to my craft, I never employ a lesson, a message, or a moral in my stories. To me, the sole purpose of telling a story is the fact that the story is worth telling. My aim is to make the audience think and analyze their choices and biases. That is what I intend to do in my commissioned piece.

Tazeen Zahida Vivalda Ndula

Vivalda Ndula

What led you to apply for New/Now?

The opportunity to showcase my artistic work to Houston's local residents.

What role does the city of Houston play in your inspiration and/or creative process?

The city and its beautifully diverse people with a broad range of cultures and languages creating a sense of home.

What do you hope audiences learn from or experience through your commissioned work?

If we take a minute to reflect and analyze our surroundings with a tolerant heart, we might learn that we are individually and uniquely beautiful in our own way, but a complement to each other.

Anthony Brandt

What led you to apply for New/Now?

I’m very grateful to Pepe ContrerasVidal for suggesting that we apply to

New/Now. Pepe is a pioneer in real world neuroimaging of the arts. The work we are doing together is a combination of artistic performance and scientific experiment, and Pepe and I are both eager to share it with new audiences.

What role does the city of Houston play in your inspiration and/or creative process?

Diversity is the heart and soul of Houston, both in its extraordinary mixture of cultures and its exciting range of cutting-edge industry, research, and the arts. I’m not sure a project like Diabelli 200 that involves a collaboration with a new music ensemble and a neuro-engineering center could arise in too many other places and am also proud that it brings together University of Houston, where Pepe teaches, and Rice, where I do.

What do you hope audiences learn from or experience through your commissioned work?

Back in 1819, composer and publisher

Anton Diabelli invited several dozen Austrian composers to submit a variation on a theme he’d written. Fifty composers sent in a single variation; Beethoven wrote thirty-three, which were published in 1823. How Beethoven’s approach differs from that of his contemporaries is very revealing about the creative process—it is like a sonic brain scan of imagination at work.

Diabelli 200 revisits Diabelli’s theme two hundred years later. In our performance, the conductor and pianist will be wearing portable EEG caps that will monitor their brain activity as they rehearse and perform. Data from the caps will be incorporated into the animated projections designed by composer Badie Khalegian. I hope that audiences will see that both the arts and sciences bring us knowledge about ourselves, looking into our inner lives and illuminating them in ways that often intersect.

J.E. Hernández

What led you to apply for New/Now?

Performing Arts Houston has begun to dedicate serious resources towards the elevation of Houston-based artists and their artistic practice. The works are presented in a large, highly visible stage (both actual and metaphorical), which presents an exciting opportunity to present stories that do not have a voice in the contemporary art world. The chance to collaborate in this way serves to put important, impactful, and relevant stories on the forefront of the Houston performing arts scene, in a way that compels audiences to pay attention and absorb the humanity of our stories.

Photos by Claire McAdams

What role does the city of Houston play in your inspiration and/or creative process?

My life has become inexorably connected and intertwined with this city - the zeniths and nadirs of my life have all occurred here. I'm a firm believer that my work will never be greater than my life - that is to say, my work must come from the depths of my slice of our human condition, and Houston has been the scaffolding upon which that is built. Until I no longer live here, my work is a part of the pluralistic artistic world of Houston to which I belong, and I am proud of being a part of that.

What do you hope audiences learn from or experience through your commissioned work?

At the core of Desert Shelter is an observation and expression of humanity. I want my work to build a bridge in between myself, the subject matter, the substantive core of this work, and audiences. Music is very much a conversation of authorship in between the creators (who are the stewards of ideas), the interpreters (who are fundamental in materializing those ideas), and the audience who become the authors of our work as it lives on through them and the real world.

A bridge that connects all three in conversation is the underlying goal of my practice.

Anthony Brandt

J.E. Hernández

About the Performers

The Blind Boys of Alabama have the rare distinction of being recognized around the world as both living legends and modern-day innovators. They are not just gospel singers borrowing from old traditions; the group helped to define those traditions in 20th century and almost single-handedly created a new gospel sound for the 21st. Since the original members first sang together as kids at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in the late 1930s (including Jimmy Carter, who leads the group today), the band has persevered through seven decades to become one of the most recognized and decorated roots music groups in the world.

Touring throughout the South during the Jim Crow era of the 1940s and 1950s, the Blind Boys flourished thanks to their unique sound, which blended the close harmonies of early jubilee gospel with the more fervent improvisations of hard gospel. In the early 1960s, the band sang at benefits for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and were a part of the soundtrack to the Civil Rights movement. But as the years passed, gospel fans started to drift away and follow the many singers who had originated in the church but were now recording secular popular music. And the Blind Boys, who refused many offers to ‘cross over’ to secular music, also saw their audiences dwindle. However, the Blind Boys persevered, and their time came again, starting in the 1980s with their starring role in the Obie Award-winning musical “The Gospel at Colonus,” which began a new chapter in their incredible history. It’s almost unbelievable that a group of blind, African American singers, who started out touring during a time of whites-only bathrooms, restaurants, and hotels, went on to win five GRAMMY® Awards, a Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY, be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and to perform at the White House for three different presidents.

Few would have expected them to still be going strong—stronger than ever, even—so many years after they first

The Blind Boys of Alabama Christmas Show

joined voices, but they’ve proved as productive and as musically ambitious in recent years as they did in the beginning. In 2001, they released Spirit of the Century on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label, mixing traditional church tunes with songs by Tom Waits and the Rolling Stones, and won the first of their GRAMMY Awards. The next year they backed Gabriel on his album Up and joined him on a world tour, although a bigger break may have come when David Simon chose their cover of Waits’ ‘Way Down in the Hole’ as the theme song for the first season of HBO’s acclaimed series The Wire. Subsequent GRAMMY-winning albums have found them working with the likes of Ben Harper, Robert Randolph, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Allen Toussaint, and Willie Nelson.

In 2013 the band worked with Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) to release I’ll Find A Way, a powerful collection of gospel and spiritual songs new and old, featuring some of the Blind Boys’ most fervent vocals as well as contributions by a new generation of Blind Boys fans, including Merrill Garbus of tUnEyArDs, Patty Griffin, and Justin Vernon himself. In 2014 the Blind Boys released “Talkin’ Christmas!”, a collaboration with Taj Mahal, that continued the band’s streak of creating original and interesting work. It includes new versions of Christmas standards, covers of hidden gospel gems, and seven brand-new holiday songs featuring Money Mark on keyboards, Taj Mahal on vocals and songwriting collaborations with Stax Records soul legend William Bell.

In 2017 the Blind Boys released Almost Home on the band’s own BBOA Records label, in collaboration with Amazon Music. The 12-song collection serves as a fitting capstone to a seven-decade career that has both defined the sound of the American South and pushed it forward from the 20th century and into the 21st. Almost Home was recorded over four different sessions with four different GRAMMY-winning producers in four

different cities. John Leventhal recorded the Blind Boys and their band in New York City, Vance Powell in Nashville, Chris Goldsmith in Seattle, and Los Lobos' Steve Berlin at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. The album is composed primarily of original songs which focus on the remarkable journey of the band’s two surviving original members at the time, long-time leader Clarence Fountain (who has since passed away), and current leader Jimmy Carter. It features songwriting contributions from an exceptional collection of artists including Valerie June, North Mississippi Allstars, Phil Cook, John Leventhal, Marc Cohn, Ruthie Foster, and more. Almost Home succeeds in looking backwards, while still sounding as vital and modern as ever.

2019 brought them back together with Marc Cohn and producer John Leventhal for Work To Do, a unique collection that combines the songwriting talents of Marc Cohn with the soul-stirring harmonies of the Blind Boys which falls on the heels of more than a year of live collaborative dates. Work To Do is comprised of three studio tracks by Cohn and the Blind Boys (two originals, including the title track, and a version of the gospel standard “Walk In Jerusalem”) plus seven intimate live performances recorded at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, CT, during a taping of the PBS series The Kate. Original plans were to release an EP containing the studio tracks, but the excitement and magic captured during the taping inspired the decision to create this unique hybrid album.

Since they released their debut single, “I Can See Everybody’s Mother But Mine”, on the iconic Veejay label in 1948, the Blind Boys have been hailed as "gospel titans" by Rolling Stone and have collaborated with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Prince and Lou Reed, and performed on some of the world's most prestigious stages. The New York Times said that they "came to epitomize what is known as jubilee singing, a livelier breed of gospel music," adding that

Series Sponsor Show Sponsor

"they made it zestier still by adding jazz and blues idioms and turning up the volume, creating a sound…like the rock 'n' roll that grew out of it." The New Yorker simply called them "legendary."

The Blind Boys' live shows are roofraising musical events that appeal to audiences of all cultures, as evidenced by an international itinerary that has taken them to virtually every continent. The Blind Boys of Alabama have attained the highest levels of achievement in a career that spans over 75 years and shows no signs of diminishing.

Most teenagers have not charted on Billboard, collaborated with Hall of Fame songwriter David Porter, or been endorsed by Hammond Organs and Fishman amps. But then Sarah Grace is not your typical teen, or even your typical singer, for that matter.

Millions of people were introduced to then-15-year-old singer a few years ago on Season 15 of The Voice. Sarah Grace is the first Voice contestant to play trumpet on the show, and the first to play organ. She won over the public

and judges alike as she made her way through to the semi-final round. Voice Coach Adam Levine hailed her as a “pint-sized powerhouse,” and fellow coach Jennifer Hudson praised Sarah Grace’s sassiness, while her coach, Kelly Clarkson, marveled at the teen’s “big, old-soul voice.” Viewers were similarly captivated by the soulful pop singer, who was a Public’s Vote winner during the four-week Live Playoffs. During her time on The Voice, Universal Republic released four singles of covers she performed on the show, exclusively on Apple Music/iTunes, which have since been released widely including Florence & the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over”, Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, and the Blind Boys of Alabama’s arrangement of “Amazing Grace.” In addition to a weekly television audience of ten million on The Voice, to follow, her performances on YouTube accumulated over twelve million views.

Sarah Grace and The Soul’s own sound effortlessly slips and slides between styles and eras, from modern pop to vintage blues and other American roots styles. Her songs reveal a wise-beyond-

her-years sophistication that blends genres into a stirring groove. In fact, her Voice performances exemplify this diversity with her range encompassing classic blues, traditional gospel, and recent rock hits.

Having found great success on The Voice, the Houston native is ready to go to the next stage – literally. In 2019 onward, Sarah Grace has been playing more live concerts and national festivals with her band, The Soul. The group is an established presence in their hometown Houston music scene, where Sarah Grace and The Soul were crowned “Best Newcomer” by the Houston Press. She is excited about recording her debut album and touring, which is worked in around her senior year in high school - at Houston’s prestigious High School of Performing and Visual Arts (where Beyoncé attended, and Blue October was formed). Sarah Grace signed a record deal with German record label Ruf Records, noted for successes with artists like Samantha Fish. In 2021 Sarah Grace will not only graduate from high school but will record and release her debut album.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

Felipe Esparza

Jones Hall

The 2010 winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing , Felipe Esparza is a comedian known for his stand-up specials They’re Not Gonna Laugh at You and HBO’s Translate This .

We regularly present some of the best ballet and contemporary dance companies in the world. This year, we feature artist groups from Taiwan, Minneapolis, South Africa, and New York City. Each has a style all their own.

PART OF THE TUDOR FAMILY DANCE SERIES Dance Theatre of Harlem FEB 3–4, 2023

Jones Hall

Style: Ballet—classical steps performed en pointe.

About the company: Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded by Arthur Mitchell in 1955 after he made history by becoming the first Black principal dancer for New York City Ballet.

Featured work: Higher Ground was choreographed by Robert Garland and is set to music by Stevie Wonder. This is the first time Stevie Wonder has approved the use of this much of his music for any one project.

Why you should see this: Don’t miss out—this will be Dance Theatre of Harlem’s first company performance in Houston in over 20 years and Artistic Director Virginia Johnson’s final tour with the company.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan: 13 Tongues OCT 1, 2022

Cullen Theater

Style: Contemporary—an eclectic mix of dance styles with no rules.

About the company: Named after the oldest known dance in China, Cloud Gate was founded in 1973, becoming the first contemporary dance company in the Chinese-speaking community.

Ragamala Dance Company

MAR 10, 2023

Cullen Theater

Style: Bharatanatyam—South Indian dance style that uses precise footwork, gestures, and facial expressions.

About the company: Based in Minneapolis and founded in 1992, Ragamala Dance Company is a true family affair. Led by Ranne Ramaswamy and her two daughters, Aparna and Ashwini Ramaswamy.

Gregory Maqoma’s Vuyani Dance Theatre: Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Boléro

APR 21, 2023

Cullen Theater

Style: Contemporary

About the company: Gregory Maqoma founded Vuyani Dance Theatre in 1999 after being inspired by the traditional dance forms he saw from across his nation of South Africa.

The program: The music of Ravel’s Bolero is scored for South African a cappella

The program: Artistic Director CHENG Tsung-lung’s 13 Tongues takes audiences to a vibrantly and bustling city scene, as ancient traditions merge with secular life.

Why this is different: 13 Tongues is an immersive experience featuring stunning visual effects. The dancers sing, scream, and laugh while performing beautifully choreographed movements.

The program: Fires of Varanasi: Dance of the Eternal Pilgrim depicts a ritual through which mortals meet the divine and imagines the crossing place where humans enter the world of immortality. The piece reflects sacred pilgrimage routes, the Ganges River where ashes are scattered, and the deity Shiva through a theatrical reimagining of the birth-death-rebirth continuum of Hindu.

Why you should see this: Ragamala’s performances are some “of the most transcendent experiences that dance has to offer,” (The New York Times)

voices in this dramatic, ultimately uplifting, theatrical-dance work with live music. Drawing inspiration South African author Zakes Mda’s novels Cion and Ways of Dying, the character Toloki moves through a hauntingly beautiful exploration of grief, struggle, and relief—a requiem that awakens connection to the departed souls. Why this is different: This will be Houston’s first opportunity to experience the genius of choreographer Gregory Maqoma.

Metamorphosis: Third Coast Percussion featuring choreography by Movement Art Is MAY 5, 2023

Cullen Theater

Style: Memphis Jookin & popping—styles of street dance.

About the company: Co-founded by Lil Buck and Jon Boogz, Movement Art Is uses movement artistry to inspire and change the world while elevating the artistic, educational, and social impact of dance.

About the program: At once intensely personal and fiercely virtuosic, Metamorphosis seamlessly blends two disparate styles of street dance, set to live music by GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion.

Why you should see this: This is a completely different style of dance than you’re used to seeing in this setting, and a completely new way of experiencing this music.

By Caroline Senter

Part

Admiral Transfer

About the Performers

Featuring an ensemble of aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, fun-loving skippers, breath-catching acrobatics, and much more, the Dayton Daily News proclaims, “A new set of eyes should be added to my Christmas list... there’s no way the stunts I witnessed onstage actually happened as most

of them aren’t humanly possible.”

Imaginative and fun for the whole family, Cirque Dreams Holidaze features a world-renowned cast of performers accompanied by an original music score including new twists on seasonal favorites such as “Deck the Halls,” “Winter Wonderland,” and “Rockin’

Around the Christmas Tree.” Singers, dancers, penguins, toy soldiers, and reindeer invoke the dreams behind a child’s eye on the most magical of nights. Amidst a backdrop of new sets, scenery, and storylines, this familyfriendly production is sure to put a twinkle in your eye!

Individual Supporters

Performing Arts Houston would like to thank the individuals who support our work through generous contributions throughout the year. For more information on donor benefits, please visit performingartshouston.org/donate or contact Jordan Drum at 713.632.8104 or jdrum@performingartshouston.org.

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Performing Arts Houston | performingartshouston.org

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Amr Abouleish

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Wai-Ling Cheng Eric Chhoeu Monica Childers Raymond Cho Lynnique Chopin Amy and John Chronis Councilwoman Karla Cisneros and Tim Cisneros Michael Clark Andrew Clarke and Gerhard Mosch Cliff Clinton

James Connor Mary Cooper Fred Corsiglia Brian Cosgrove Gigi Cox Dawn and Michael Croxton Lilly and Harrison Cullen Chau Dang Larry Danziger Lisa Darling Jeff Davis

Patrick Davis Lulu and David Deanda Roxena Deaton Courtney and Eric Diehl Pete Diez Sheila Diombala Karen Doolittle Pamela Dorsey Michael Dougherty Dianne Dove Cheryl and Rennie Dover Elizabeth Ducharme Mary E. Edgerton David Edwards Alexandra Ellis Alexandra Emsley Catherine Enbody Logan Eneix Katie Esparza Rhonda Everley Jana and Ben Exner Scott Fagot Jamie Fairchild Kenzel Fallen Chris Farrell Lawrence Febo Jennifer Feldmann Kelli Fereday Brian Flores Rick Flowers Ida Franklin Allison Frazar Cheryl Fricke Julio Cesar Garcia Yvette Garvin Magda Ghobashy Rosary Giang Deborah Giannoni Mark Goloby Carissa Gonzales Paolo Gonzalez Samuel F. Gorman Melissa Gould Cynthia Griffin Cathy Hamill Mackenzie and Spencer Harris Michelle Hart

Individual Supporters

Kia Hawkins

Brandy Hebert Clair Hedgcoxe Nancy Henderek Christine Henry Susan Hightower Andrea Holberg Tracy Holmes

The William H. Hopkins Jr. Family Sharon Hudson-Spinks Velda Hunter Zahira Hurtado Constance Iannello Larisa Ivy Katie Jackman Edwin Jennings Ian Joyce Minjeong Kang Joy Kelly Lori Kennedy Samir Khushalani and David Brantley Dorothy Kreft Jay Larry Andrew Lee Stephen Lichlyter Un Young Lim Nancy Little Kay and Brandon Lobb John Lock Jennifer Looff

Dolores Lopez-Cardenas and Eduardo M. Lopez Linda Lorelle and Lou Gregory James Low

Serean Loyland Deborah Lugo Jan Lyons Paul Maner Paul Manino and Elizabeth Cloninger

C.J. Mantilla TaJonique Martin Dinah Massie Patricia McKaskle Lisa Mendelovitz Sey Milan Bobbi Jo Miller Diane Moeller Melissa G. Morse

Matt Moseley

Judy Mucasey Mariko Nakanishi Lynda Nguyen Bobby Nix David Obando Ruthann Obidigbo Brian O'Connor

The Oehlman Family Martina Ogbonna Brenda Oliveira Brian Orr H. and D. Osecki Susan Snider Osterberg and Edward Osterberg Jim Oswald Kathy Overly Margaret Owen Jennifer Palermo Corey Pallatto Hughan Jonathan Penchas Graciela Perarnau de Loukanis Bradford Phillips Nicholas Phillips Arthur Pike Amy Marlyse Plato and Kelly Plato Chris Poelma Gerard Pollard Diane E. Prince Archana and Rajeev Raghavan Michele Rainford Justin Ramirez Cheryl Ray Tonie Reincke Jane and Alex Robinson Becky and Richard Rosser Alina Saldarriaga Lisa Salom Joyce and Steve Sandweiss Rebecca Schlembach Mary Schoemann Amber Schumacher Robert Sheen

Eugenie Sheinberg

Peggy Shuttlesworth-Bittick Maxine and Bubba Silberstein Walter Simons Rohit Sinha

Allison Sliva

Angela Smith and Mark W. Smith Brooksy Smith

Roger Smith III Sydney and Allen Smith Trina Stanfield Sarah Stehling Brandon Stein Mary and Garland Stephens Faith Strunk Mark K. Sullivan Hayle Summers Laura Taggett Sheila Tanner Lisa Tatom Edda Tinis Nancy Townsend Vanessa Tutos Christine Tyler and Anthony Stergio Lesly Van Dame Gleeson Van Riet Jane Vaselenak

Jocelyn Velazquez John M. Vitucci

Sixto Wagan Heidi Walker-Beale Charles Ward Latoya Warnie Kevin Washington Alero and Thomas Waterhouse Kim and John Watson Eileen Webb John Welch Joyce M. Wellman Carol Werner Bettina M. Whyte Edward Wiegele Carrie Wirsing Tazeen Zahida Elizabeth and Ron Zermeno

Listings accurate as of 10/1/2022

Institutional Partners

Performing Arts Houston is proud to recognize our corporate, foundation, and government partners for their exemplary community leadership and support. To learn more about partnership opportunities and benefits, please contact Jordan Drum at 713.632.8104 or jdrum@performingartshouston.org

CORPORATE PARTNERS

$50,000+

ConocoPhillips † H-E-B †

$25,000-$49,999

Admiral Transfer & Rigging Westwood Wealth Management $10,000–$24,999

711 Fit

Associated Pipe Line Contractors, Inc. Jackson & Company Locke Lord LLP † Motiva Enterprises, LLC Plains All American T.D. Securities

Tenenbaum Jewelers* Truist Bank Wells Fargo†

$5,000–$9,999

Bank of Texas Barclays Bergner & Johnson Design Elizabeth Anthony Goldman Sachs Houston First Corporation Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo LD Systems* PNC Bank

Shearman & Sterling LLP Van Cleef & Arpels

FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

$100,000+

Cullen Foundation Houston Endowment, Inc. †

The Humphreys Foundation† The Wortham Foundation, Inc. †

$50,000-$99,999

The Brown Foundation, Inc. †

$25,000-$49,999

City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance†

M.D. Anderson Foundation† National Endowment for the Arts Powell Foundation

$10,000-$24,999

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts † Vivian L. Smith Foundation Taiwan Academy, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston Texas Commission on the Arts † The Vaughn Foundation†

MATCHING GIFT SUPPORTERS

Chevron Corporation

ExxonMobil Kinder Morgan Foundation

Listings Accurate as of 10/1/2022

Murphy Oil Corporation Phillips 66

$1,000-$4,999

ExxonMobil †

Murphy Oil Corporation Neiman Marcus USAA

$5,000-$9,999

City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board †

George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation†

Kayser Foundation

New England Foundation for the Arts, Inc.

Truist Bank USAA

*Includes in-kind support †Indicates 10+ years of consecutive support