HOUSTON, June 8, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensemble Theatre presents the Tony Award winning musical 'The Wiz' as its season finale opening June 25, 2009 at 7:30pm.
Director/ Choreographer Patdro Harris and Musical Director Carlton Leake will enliven The Ensemble's stage with this adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz.' The story of Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion's journey down the yellow brick road has been shared with the world for generations.
"We all have a yellow-brick road or a path we walk in life," says Harris. "Sometimes it takes us up mountains and down valleys just so we can realize there is no place like home."
Stories that are passed down from generations are often given multiple adaptations that spark our imaginations and broaden our perspectives. 'The Wiz' took Dorothy out of Kansas and placed her in New York, where the tornado whirls her to a city with a kaleidoscope of skyscrapers and bridges, and a mixture of rock, gospel, and soul music.
"Everyone will experience the journey of self discovery at some time in their life," says Harris. "And the story of Dorothy and her friends transcends all boundaries."
Previews: June 20, June 21, and June 24;
Show Run: June 25 - July 19, 2009
Performances: Thursdays: 7:30 p.m.; Fridays: 8:00 p.m.;
Saturdays: 2:00p.m. and 8:00p.m.; and Sundays: 3:00p.m.
****Opening Night is Thursday, June 25, 2009
at 7:30p.m.; Reception at 6:30p.m.***
Seating is limited. Call for availability of seats at: (713) 520-0055 or visit: www.ensemblehouston.com
Next year is the 35th anniversary of 'The Wiz' as one of Broadway's widely accepted productions featuring an entirely African American cast.
'The Wiz' was published by writer William F. Brown and musically arranged by composer and musical prodigy Charlie Smalls. It premiered on Broadway in 1975 with the original cast featuring: Tiger Haynes, Ted Ross, Hinton Battle, Stephanie Mills, Clarice Taylor, Mabel King, Andre De Shields, Tasha Thomas, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. The production won seven Tony Awards including : Best Musical; Best Original Score; Best Featured Actor and Actress in a Musical -Ted Ross and Dee Dee Bridgewater; Best Costume Design; Best Choreography - George Faison, the first African American to win in the category; and Best Direction of a Musical.
In 1978 the film version emerged featuring popular celebrities of the time: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor.
Featured actors on The Ensemble's stage include: Eddie Bassey, Anthony Boggess-Glover, Joshua Bolden, Bryant Bowie, Jennifer Colvin, Justin Cook, Henry Edwards, Melanie Finley, Tiffany Gilbert, Raiya Goodman, Tamara Harper, Tommie Harper, Kenyatta Herring, Margaret Hoffman, Vincent James, Danielle King, Shaunyce Omar, Maya Petty, Crystal Sharadin, Katlynn Smith, Roenia Thompson, Tracey Wheat, Tangela Wilson and Gary E. Vincent.
The Ensemble Theatre's 2008-2009 Season is sponsored in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and Texas Commission on the Arts. Continental Airlines is the exclusive airline sponsor for The Ensemble Theatre. This production was generously underwritten by Spectra Energy, Wells Fargo, Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., and KRIV FOX 26.
The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. The theatre is known as the only professional theatre in its region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. In addition to being the oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it also holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres that owns and operates its facility with an in-house production team. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble's $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997.
The Ensemble Theatre produces a main stage season of six contemporary and classic works devoted to the portrayal of the African American experience by local and national playwrights and artists. The theatre's Performing Arts Education program provides educational workshops, Artist-in-Residence experiences and live performances for students both off-site and at the theatre. Through its varied programs, The Ensemble Theatre benefits an audience and artistic constituency of approximately 65,000 people annually.
The Ensemble Theatre logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4566