2010/2011 Houston Family Arts Center Season Purchase the 2010/2011 Season! Customize your ticket package Save money and select your seat NOW for the entire season! Eight shows or more constitute a package that allows you to receive priority seating for the entire year before seating is opened to the general public, while eliminating all ticket processing fees. Choose your shows, performances, and seats by clicking on the link below. WEST MOON STREET July 30 - Aug 15 on the Garza Mainstage If you like The Importance of Being Earnest, you'll LOVE West Moon Street!  Young Lord Arthur is deliriously happy and engaged to the lovey Sybil when a palmist at Lady Windemere's party redicts that he will commit a murder.  As a proper English gentleman, he now reluctantly feels it is his Duty to carry out "the unfortunate business" before his nuptials, with bumbling and hilarious results!  Based on an Oscar Wilde short story.  Directed by Lisa Garza.  "Oscar Wilde’s short story Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime is a clever mystery, written to indict the fate industry with whom late-19th-century aristocrats seemed so enthralled. The writer Rob Urbinati has molded the story into a briskly paced comedy of manners true to its author’s greater spirit. A complete delight!" The New York Times Performances July 30, 31, Aug 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 2010 DAMES AT SEA Sept 24 - Oct 17 on the Garza Mainstage This small musical has it all:  tap-dancing chorus girls, witty songs, and a happy ending!  A parody of the 1930's Ruby Keller-type movies, a young girl arrives in New York with nothing but her tap shoes in her suitcase.  By the end of the day, she has not only snagged the starring role in a new Broadway show, but the leading man as well!  Directed by Elaine Edstrom  Chosen Best Musical of the Year by Time, Look, Newsweek, and the Outer Critics Circle Performances September 24, 25, October 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 2010 Auditions July 17, 2010 for 18 and up. THE QUILTMAKER'S GIFT December 3 - 19 on the Garza Mainstage A mysterious old quilt maker sends a greedy king on a journey of self discovery in which he learns that happiness doesn't come from acquiring things but from giving freely to others.  A play with music and a message that is perfect for the Christmas season.  Directed by Lisa Garza.  "Plenty to enjoy in this engaging fable." —Ft. Worth Star Telegram "Outstanding...Exceptionally witty, charming lyrics... stellar material..." —Arizona Republic Performances December 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 2010 Auditions October 16, 2010 ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN Jan 14 - 29 on the Garza Mainstage Based on the best-selling book by Robert Fulghum, this stage adaptation is comprised of stories from Robert Fulghum's first five best-selling books, which sold over 15 million copies in 93 countries, and which have been translated into 27 languages.  These entertaining stories are primarily about ordinary people, but the author's comic style takes a funny, insightful and heartwarming look at what is profound in everyday life.  Directed by Cary Thornton  "Heartwarming, charming, funny and touching. The stories are about all of us." —National Public Radio "A refreshingly intimate combination of theatre and storytelling. Gentle…funny…joyous. Sparks of recognition ignited the audience." —The Chicago Sun-Times Performances January 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 2011 Auditions November 15, 2010  WILLY WONKA March 4 - 20 at the Berry Center Lyrics and Music by  Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley Adapted for the Stage by  Tim McDonald and Leslie Bricusse Based on the Book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl  Our spring family musical is this fun, lively show based on Roald Dahl’s classic children's story of the world-famous candy man, Willy Wonka, and his quest to find an heir.  Young, good-natured Charlie wins one of five golden tickets hidden amongst thousands of Wonka chocolate bars. What have Charlie and the other four kids won? A tour through Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, led by the eccentric Wonka himself. The factory itself is like a fantasy world: crazy color schemes, wild inventions, secret rooms, busy Oompa Loompas, and lots and lots of delectable sweets. But Wonka has a hidden agenda, and during the tour he tests each child's character and honesty.  Directed by Josh Clark Performances March 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 2011 at the Berry Center Auditions January 7-8, 2011 THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL April 15 - May 7 on the Garza Mainstage Pulitzer prize winning author Horton Foote's poignant story of the aging widow Carrie Watts takes place in Houston in 1953.  Mrs. Watts imagines that if she can only return to her childhood home of Bountiful, she will regain her strength and dignity, but an adversarial  daughter in law constantly thwarts her attempts.  When she is finally able to make that visit, she returns to Houston with closure, secure in the knowledge that her life has been enriched by her last visit to her old home.  Directed by Sedric Willis. First presented on television and then produced on Broadway. "…the rarest of theater experiences, an evening which will prove an indelible memory…Horton Foote has done, and done beautifully, the one thing it is important for a playwright to do. That is, provide the disciplined material for expert actors to completely capture an audience and hold it through the evening." —NY World-Telegram. Performances April 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30, May 1, 5, 6, 7, 2011 Auditions February 26, 2011 THE MONEY IN UNCLE GEORGE'S SUITCASE May 27 - June 18 on the Garza Mainstage Written by Houston playwright Pat Cook, this hilarious comedy centers on Uncle George, whose simple life and ramshackle cabin are all that it takes for him to be satisfied.  He invites his citified relatives for a weekend visit, but they can't wait to escape his road kill cooking, mangy dogs, and dilapidated house--  that is until they learn that hidden somewhere on the property is a suitcase stuffed with money!  The process of searching for the money rekindles old memories and a yearning for old fashioned values that used to be important to the family.  Directed by Tracy Clayton.  3 m, 5 w, including one teen. "George's gift is much more important than mere money, even though the relatives don't see it that way - at first..." Performances May 27, 28, June 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 2011 Auditions April 9, 2011 OKLAHOMA! July 22 - August 6 at the Berry Center Our final show of the 2010-2011 Season is the always popular Rodgers and Hammerstein smash hit set in the Oklahoma territory at the turn of the century.  Revivals of this popular musical have won nearly every award on Broadway.  A perennial audience favorite, this musical is a perfect close to the HFAC season.  Will Curly outwit the evil Jud to win Laurie's hand?  Of course!  It's Oklahoma!  Directed by Ilich Guardiola.  4f, 6m, large singing/dancing ensemble with numerous small roles 1944 Pulitzer Prize, Two 1955 Academy Awards, One 2002 Tony Award and seven nominations, Four 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards (London) The New York Drama League named Oklahoma the "Best Musical of the Century" Performances July 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31, Aug 5, 6, 2011 at the Berry Center Auditions May 20, 21, 2011   INTRODUCTING THE TEEN ACTORS' GUILD (T.A.G.) The Teen Actors' Guild is a set of shows specifically for advanced young actors in grades 7-12.  The purpose of T.A.G.  is to bridge the gap between the Actors' Academy shows and the mainstage, allowing teens to fill lead roles that might otherwise go to adults, and develop their acting talent to the next level.  Shows are by audition only, and are more highly competitive.  Shows are student pricing for all tickets, but are full, "real" shows, produced by advanced teen actors.   TWELVE ANGRY JURORS (performance workshop) August 19-22 on the Studio Stage Directed by Sam Brown All tickets $10.00 Based on the movie, 12 Angry Men,  this is a gripping examination of a diverse group of twelve jurors who are uncomfortably brought together to deliberate after hearing the 'facts' in a seemingly open-and-shut murder trial case. They retire to a jury room to do their civic duty and serve up a just verdict for the indigent minority defendant (with a criminal record) whose life is in the balance. The frightened, teenaged defendant is on trial, as well as the jury and the American judicial system with its purported sense of infallibility, fairness and lack of bias.    The compelling, provocative play examines the twelve jurors' deep-seated personal prejudices, perceptual biases and weaknesses, indifference, anger, personalities, unreliable judgments, cultural differences, ignorance and fears, that threaten to taint their decision-making abilities, cause them to ignore the real issues in the case, and potentially lead them to a miscarriage of justice.  Fortunately, one brave dissenting juror votes 'not guilty' at the start of the deliberations, not necessarily because he believes the defendent innocent, but because of reasonable doubt. Persistently and persuasively, he forces the others to slowly reconsider and review the case. Heated discussions, the formation of alliances, the frequent re-evaluation and changing of opinions, votes and certainties, and the revelation of personal experiences, insults and outbursts fill the jury room.    THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (large musical) November 12 - 21 at the Garza Mainstage Theatre Directed by Ilich Guardiola ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (drama) February 11-27 at the Garza Mainstage Theatre Directed by Sam Brown     Show a print version

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