Sondheim's PUTTING IT TOGETHER at Ovations Night Club Begins Next Month

Main Street Theater begins 2015 with the Stephen Sondheim musical revue Putting It Together. The production will be at Ovations Night Club in Rice Village (next door to MST's village home) while the theater undergoes renovation.

With previews January 3, 4, and 7, Putting It Together opens January 8 and runs through February 1 at Ovations, 2536B Times Blvd., 77005. Performances are on Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $39 - $25 (previews are $20), depending on date and section, and are on sale in person at the Main Street Theater Box Office, 2536C Times Blvd., via phone at 713.524.6706, or online at MainStreetTheater.com.

About Putting It Together

Putting It Together is the emotional story of two couples' entangled relationships as they confront the troubles of marriage, infidelity and divorce - while at a Manhattan cocktail party. The young lovers and the middle-aged married couple reflect on the complexities of modern relationships through the songs of Stephen Sondheim. The production includes 31 songs from 12 of Sondheim's original musicals and 1 of his films, including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Merrily We Roll Along, Anyone Can Whistle, Sundayin the Park with George, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, The Frogs, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Recommended for audiences 13 and up.

About Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim is a prolific composer and lyricist known for his vast contributions to American musical theater for more than 50 years. He is the winner of an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards (more than any other composer) including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and the Laurence Olivier Award. His most well-known works (as composer and lyricist) include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sunday in the Park with George, and Into the Woods. He also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story, Gypsy, and Candide (1974). Sondheim has written material for movies, including the 1981 Warren Beatty film Reds, for which he contributed the song "Goodbye For Now." He also wrote five songs for the 1990 movie Dick Tracy, including "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" which won the Academy Award for Best Song.

Part of the Art Series

Main Street Theater has an audience engagement initiative, the Part of the Art Series, which provides special opportunities for people to connect with MST's work in new ways. Part of the Art events for Putting It Together include:

First Dress Rehearsal: December 30 at 7pm at Ovations. Watch the first dress rehearsal $25 per person. Email shannon@mainstreettheater.com to book a seat.

Free Opening Night Pre-show Discussion with the Designers: January 8 at 6:45pm at Ovations. A 15-20 minute discussion with the show's designers about their process. What intrigued them about this play? Did things change for them along the way? Their favorite prop/costume/part of the set/sound cue/lighting moment? Included in ticket price; no RSVP required.

After-parties (following Friday and Saturday night shows): beginning January 10. Enjoy a free drink with the cast after the show! Included in ticket price; no RSVP required.

Post-show Discussion:

Following the matinee on January 18: Be part of - or just listen to! - a discussion with the artists from Putting It Together. No RSVP required; even if you have tickets for a different day, everyone is welcome at this discussion.

About the Production

Andrew Ruthven is the Director. Luke Kirkwood is the Musical Director. The cast includes Terry Jones (A Catered Affair), Tamara Siler (Caroline, or Change), Christina Stroup (Into the Woods), David Wald (Into the Woods), and Justin White.

The design team includes Ryan McGettigan (set design), LA Clevenson (costume design), Eric L. Marsh (lighting design), Alex Worthington (sound design), and Rodney Walsworth (properties design). Lauren Evans is the production stage manager.

Main Street Theater was founded in 1975. The organization currently produces plays at two locations, 2540 Times Boulevard in Rice Village and for the 2014-15 season only, our Theater for Youth is housed at Talento Bilingüe de Houston. Our MainStage is in its 15th season operating under an Actors' Equity Association union contract. The MainStage features new works (including numerous world and regional premieres), rediscovered classics, passionate revivals, works by female playwrights, and neglected musicals in the intimate setting of our Rice Village location. Our Theater for Youth is Houston's most-attended theater for young audiences, serving over 138,000 children and families from the greater Houston area in school performances, weekend family matinees and tours to schools and community centers across the state of Texas. Plays are selected based on literature children are reading at home or at school. Our Education Department offers students a performing arts playground where professional theater artists serve as mentors. In support of Main Street Theater's mission, our Education Department provides a significant resource in the community for education in theater and classical theater for children, families and educators and provides classes and camps (on and off-site) as well as programs in residential treatment facilities for Harris County youth.

Main Street Theater is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for not-for-profit theaters, of Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ), the world theatre network of theatre for children and young people, and a founding member of Houston Arts Partners. MST's MainStage operates under Actors' Equity Association Small Professional Theater contract.

Main Street Theater is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

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