John Breckenridge, president and CEO of Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS), is proud to announce Bruce Lumpkin will join the staff as Artistic Director.  In this position, Lumpkin will maintain artistic oversight of TUTS’ producing operations, including all self-produced shows and galas, as well as provide creative direction to TUTS’ Humphreys School of Musical Theatre.
 
“I am very excited to come home to be a part of the theatre where my career began," said Lumpkin.  He is a Houston native who began his directing career at TUTS’ Humphreys School of Musical Theatre as the resident director.  His most recent works at TUTS include White Christmas and Miss Saigon. 
 
Lumpkin’s experience includes working with Tommy Tune on the Broadway productions of Grand Hotel, Nine and My One and Only.  He also co-directed Grand Hotel on London’s West End, served on the creative team for the national tours of Dr. Doolittle and Nine and has directed regional productions at respected theatres across the nation.  Lumpkin received the Barrymore Award for Best Director and Best Musical for his revisionist look at Cabaret.
 
“We are delighted to bring Bruce to TUTS as the artistic director,” said Steve Burkett, chairman of TUTS’ board of directors.  “His passion for the theatre and impressive talent level will serve as a perfect fit for TUTS’ mission of enriching life through the experience of quality musical theatre.”
 
More about TUTS
Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston’s acclaimed nonprofit musical theatre company whose mission is to enrich life through the experience of quality musical theatre and to positively impact lives beyond the stage through innovative education & community outreach programs.  TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public when it was founded in 1968 at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park and is the only Houston arts organization that has performed there free to the public every year since the theatre opened.  Founded by Frank M. Young and currently under the direction of President and CEO John C. Breckenridge, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world premieres such as Kopit and Yeston’s Phantom, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll & Hyde, and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas as well as critically acclaimed re-inventions of classics Cabaret and Les Miserables.  Through its membership in the Independent Presenters Network, TUTS has helped bring Bombay Dreams, 9 to 5, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Spamalot, Legally Blonde, Ragtime, Curtains and The Color Purple to Broadway and ultimately back to Houston audiences.
 
In support of TUTS’ mission, TUTS Education programs provide instruction and stage experience for more than 21,000 students annually, allowing them to flourish in a year-round schedule of classes.  The Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) offers technique-driven classes for all ability levels and ages, ranging from four to adult.  Through a merger with The River Performing and Visual Arts Center (The River), TUTS provides an accessible and inclusive arts education for children of all abilities that will enhance their development into confident, balanced individuals.  TUTS Education provides extended on-site programming as well as off-site programming for children in schools, hospitals and other community-based sites.  TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston's high school musical theatre programs.  Visit TUTS.com for more information.