starring:
Richard White, Susan Powell, Randy Rogel and Carol Swarbrick


Photo Caption: Randy Rogel as Willard Stroop and Lillian Graff as Wilma Winfrey. Photo by: Craig H. Hartley


Bio:
Composer and lyricist Randy Rogel is a three-time Emmy Award winning writer. Now a full-time television and film writer under contract to Warner Brothers (who were kind enough to allow him time off to do this show), he received a rare and prestigious Peabody Award for his work on Steven Spielberg's Animaniacs, for which he wrote many of the scripts and songs. Warner Bros. has also released three albums containing Randy's songs.

A writer of the original Emmy-winning Batman animated series and screenwriter for two Batman videos released in conjunction with Warner's most recent live action Batman movie, Randy also wrote 18 songs for Disney's CD-Rom interactive video of 101 Dalmatians. As a performer, Rogel is the quintessential "triple threat" singer-dancer-actor hailed by critics for his fearless physical comedy and impeccable comic timing. He previously starred for TUTS as Henry in Makin' Whoopee!, Snibson in Me and My Girl and Cosmo in Singin' in the Rain.


Musical Numbers:
A Pirate's Life.........................................Music: Smetana...............................Lyrics: Bernhard
Viva The People.....................................Music: Bizet.....................................Lyrics: Bernhard
Comin' Thro' the Rye..........................Music: Traditional............................Lyrics: Robert Burns
I'll Cut Him to Ribbons..........................Music: Green...................................Lyrics: Bernhard
Always the Bridesmaids.......................Music: Tchaikovsky............................Lyrics: Bernhard
Say No to Your Heart..........................Music: Bizet........................................Lyrics: Bernhard
When the Buzzards Come Back to San Juan Capistrano.....................Music and Lyrics: Rogel
Wanting You.........................Music: Sigmund Romberg............Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Be My Love............................Music: Nicolas Brodszky.......................Lyrics: Sammy Cahn
Give In To Me........................................Music: Schubert......................................Lyrics: Rogel
Temptation...............................Music: Nacio Herb Brown......................Lyrics: Arthur Freed
Zorro........................................................Music and Lyrics: Rogel
Grand Waltz............................................Music: Strauss
I Cannot Tell A Lie................................Music and Lyrics: Rogel
Santa Catalina.........................................Music: Bizet
Oh, Moon Man.......................Music: Debussy....................................Lyrics: Bernhard
Serenade...............................Music: Sigmund Romberg.....................Lyrics: Dorothy Donnelly
Before the Battle / Ave Maria...............Music: Dvorak, Puccini, Schubert, Wagner....Lyrics: Traditional, Bernhard


Dashing Masked Hero Rides from Page to Wortham Stage as TUTS Premieres ZORRO, THE MUSICAL Starring Richard White
Houston, Tx Texas' choice for the man behind the mask is handsome New York City Opera baritone Richard White, who takes the title role when Theatre Under The Stars' Zorro: The Musical premieres in August on stage at the Brown Theater of Wortham Center. Previews began August 13, with regular performances starting August 19 through August 30, 1998. Based on the magazine serial "The Curse of Capistrano" by Johnston McCulley, the musical adventure is co-authored by Jim Bernhard and Frank M. Young, with original lyrics by Jim Bernhard and Randy Rogel. Original music is by Randy Rogel, with other musical themes borrowed from such classic composers as Bizet, Debussy, Dvorak, Schubert, Puccini, Tchaikovsky and Wagner. The third and most ambitious new work to be mounted by TUTS this season, Zorro is described by its authors as a "new 1920's-style operetta created in loving hommage to Naughty Marietta, The Student Prince, The New Moon, The Desert Song, Rose Marie and all the wonderful operettas of old."

Joining White in the principal cast of this saga of daring-do in the old California are Susan Powell as Margarita; Jack Ritchel as her father, Don Carlos Pulido; Ira Hawkins as the pirate Redbeard; Peter Bryson as the avaricious Alvarado; Alberto Stevans as the haughty Capt. Ramon; Don Gardner as Don Antonio de los Reyes, the governor; Carole Swarbrick as his wife, Dona Elena, Michael Cousins as Miguel; Rosalia Villard as Carlotta; and Jason Douglas as General Santa Anna. Featured as the obligatory comedy duo stumbling in and out of danger are Randy Rogel as Willard and Lillian Graff as Wilma.

Principal fighters are whip master Scot J. Mann and fight captains Leraldo Anzaldua, Jason Kehler, Mike Mahaffey and Ryan John Spickard.

The musical is directed by Frank M. Young with musical staging by Michael Tapley, music supervision by Wayne Green, music direction by Allen Grubbs and orchestrations by Don Elam. Conductor is Richard Short. Playwright and lyricist Jim Bernhard previously wrote the book and lyrics for three other musicals produced by TUTS - Sir Jack!, Scrooge and Ninfa! His plays and musicals have been produced at such Houston theatres as Playwright's Showcase and the Tower Theatre, and his crossword puzzles have appeared in many national publications. A renowned Houston arts administrator, Bernhard is the former general manager of both Society for the Performing Arts and Theatre Under The Stars and served as interim artistic director of both the Alley Theatre and Stages Repertory Theatre. He is currently TUTS' director of special projects and guides TUTS' collegiate internship programs.