Tony Winner Phyllis Frelich to Work With School of Theatre & Dance Students

‘Children of a Lesser God’ actress and set designer husband Bob Steinberg set for workshops Feb. 8 - 11

Those who saw the original stage version of "Children of a Lesser God" will never forget the Tony Award-winning performance of Phyllis Frelich as an angry hearing-and speech-impaired student who finds love with her teacher.

Frelich, who is deaf, touched audiences on Broadway through her portrayal of a woman reluctant to embrace speech and equally hesitant to love someone. She will bring the energy and emotion from this stage performance to a University of Houston classroom Feb. 8 - 11.

She will work with students in the UH School of Theatre & Dance, showing them how to best use non-verbal communication in their acting. Joining Frelich will be her husband, scenic designer Bob Steinberg, who will work with the school's scenic design students.

Both Frelich and Steinberg will reunite with a few longtime friends while on campus. Mark Medoff, who wrote "Children of a Lesser God"and "Prymate" - a 2004 play that starred Frelich and featured Steinberg's designs - is now a visiting professor at the school. Steven Wallace, the school's director, was associate producer of "Prymate."

The UH School of Theatre & Dance offers bachelor's and master's degrees in theater and teacher certifications in dance. Its graduate program consists of a master of arts in theater and masters of fine arts in theater with specializations in acting, directing and design. Each fall and spring, the school produces five plays performed in the Wortham Theatre and the Jose Quintero Theatre, two dance concerts, the Stuart Ostrow Musical Theatre Workshop, student productions, the New Play Festival, the Houston Shakespeare Festival and the Children's Theatre Festival. The school has benefitted from notable star faculty such as Edward Albee, Lanford Wilson, Sir Peter Hall and Jose Quintero. Among current faculty are Houston Shakespeare Festival founder Sidney Berger, Tony Award-winning playwright Medoff and Tony Award-winning producer Stuart Ostrow.

For details on UH's School of Theatre & Dance, visit http://www.class.uh.edu/theatre/.

About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas' premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 35,000 students.