The Garden Theatre Will Stage the Houston Premiere of CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE '90S MUSICAL

One of Houston's newest theatre companies, The Garden Theatre, has announced its plans to bring the stage version of a cult classic to life in Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical at MATCH. Featuring the familiar story accompanied by '90s hits, the production will run November 18-27, 2022 at Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (3400 Main St.) in the heart of midtown. This will be the first production of Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical ever produced in Houston.

Founding Artistic Director and director of this production, Logan Vaden, says, "I cannot contain my excitement that we are bringing the stage version of Cruel Intentions to Houston audiences for the first time. It really is essentially the movie we all know and love, just with every '90s song you can imagine stuffed into it. It is a raucous good time. As a '90s baby, there is not a single song in this show that I didn't already know. The original cast album has been on repeat for years. When we were planning our season, we had an equally amazing show in this slot. Then the rights to Cruel Intentions were released and we made a big pivot to get to be the first in Houston to do it. It really is the '90s pop concert of your dreams."

Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical is based on the iconic 1999 film starring Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Geller. The musical pulls you into the manipulative world of Manhattan's most dangerous liaisons: Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Fueled by revenge and passion, the diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet on whether or not Sebastian can deflower their incoming headmaster's daughter, Annette Hargrove. As the two set out to destroy the innocent girl - and anyone who gets in their way - they find themselves playing a perilous game with only one rule: Never fall in love.

Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical features songs originally performed by '90s pop icons Christina Aguilera, *NYSNC, TLC, Boyz II Men, REM, and of course, Britney Spears. Entertainment Weekly described the original New York run as "the ultimate night out," while the New York Times called it "funny and nostalgia-fueled."

The film version of Cruel Intentions premiered in 1999, written and directed by Roger Kumble. The movie was adapted into a musical by Kumble, Lindsey Rosin, Jordan Ross, and premiered in Los Angeles in 2015. Following the Los Angeles run, the musical enjoyed a healthy Off-Broadway run and a national tour.

The cast of Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical are all local professionals including Austin Colburn as Sebastian Valmont, Julianne McBride as Kathryn Mertuil, Jackie Cortina as Annette Hargrove, Kinley Pletzer as Cecile Caldwell, Daniel Edwards as Greg McConnell, Efren Calderon as Blaine Tuttle, Sekou Nance as Ronald Clifford, and Whitney Wyatt as Bunny Caldwell. Jay Gracia and Morgan Kaupert round out the cast as onstage swings. The production team consists of Logan Vaden as director, William Michael Luyties as music director, Austin Colburn as choreographer, Whitney Zangarine as intimacy coordinator, Emily Buesing as stage manager, Nicholas White as set and lighting designer, Aarin Austin as sound designer, and Abigail Langston as costume coordinator.

Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical will run for ten performances only from November 18-27, 2022 at MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston; 3400 Main St. Houston, TX 77002). Adult tickets are $25. Student and senior tickets are $20. Tickets are available on the theatre's website at Click Here or by calling the MATCH box office at 713-521-4533.