July 7, 2003

Contact Michael Cinelli for information on the Mitchell gift announcement at 713/743-8155

Center for the Arts at UH

              School of Theatre

Combines the roles of professional arts producer with its function as a conservatory, preparing students for the professional as well as the academic world.

Faculty includes the world’s leading Shakespearean director, a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, a three-time Pulitzer Prize- and two-time Tony Award-winning playwright, and one of Broadway’s top scenic designers.

Stages dramatic works and musicals on campus, while producing the popular Children’s Theatre Festival and the Houston Shakespeare Festival at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Academic offerings run from history of theatre to dance, from directing to technical production, from costume and makeup design to period acting styles… home of the Center for Choreography.

Recently completed 29th season of the Houston Shakespeare Festival (an Equity company) that attracts 50,000 Houstonians annually to free performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

On campus, recently completed 27th season of the Children’s Theatre Festival (CTF), where 30,000 children annually enjoy plays written by noted playwrights such as Charles Strouse (Annie, Bye-Bye Birdie, Applause), Mark Bramble (42nd Street) and Ntozake Shange (For Colored Girls…).

Broadway composer Jerry Bock (Fiddler on the Roof) provided score for CTF’s 2002 production of new musical Brandon Finds His Star… School of Theatre Director Sidney Berger wrote the book, his third collaboration with CTF.

Collaborates with Tony Award-winning Alley Theatre, with classes taught by Alley staff and co-productions with combined Alley and School of Theatre casts.

Produces a four-play major season, with a yearly attendance of 14,500, complemented by The Musical Theatre Workshop of new musicals, overseen by Stuart Ostrow as well as Edward Albee Playwright’s Workshop, led by that distinguished faculty member.

School enjoys the second largest subscriber family in Houston for non-musical theatre—the Alley Theatre, of course, being first.

Shakespeare Outreach program tours schools, community centers, and institutions for troubled youth, doing performances and residencies… Texas Commission on the Arts voted it best program of its kind in Texas.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.