Houston, TX – Tony®-Award-nominated actress, Emily Skinner, will head up an all star cast for a newly conceptualized production of Into The Woods at Theatre Under The Stars this holiday season. The production, which is being directed and choreographed by Tony® Award Nominee Robert Longbottom, will run in Houston from December 6 – 18, 2016 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.

Skinner is best known for her Tony®-nominated role in Side Show. Her last Broadway appearance was in Billy Elliot. Most recently, she originated a role in Hal Prince’s new musical Prince of Broadway in Japan. Her other original Broadway cast credits include Jekyll & Hyde, James Joyce’s The Dead, The Full Monty, Dinner at Eight, and The Actors Fund productions of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Dreamgirls.

Nick Bailey, who plays Rapunzel’s Prince, has appeared on stage in shows such as the Broadway production of Casa Valentina, the Off Broadway production of Hit The Wall and world premiere of The Bridges of Madison County at theWilliamstown Theatre Festival. Brent Bateman is playing the role of the Steward. Bateman appeared in the National Tour of Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and has been on television in shows such as “Boardwalk Empire” and “Blue Bloods”.

Lauren “Coco” Cohn, who is playing Jack’s Mother, was most recently on Broadway in Mamma Mia! in the role of Rosie. Cohn has a long list of film and television credits to her name including “Frasier”, Catch Me If You Can, “ER”, “Desperate Housewives”, “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody” and “Royal Pains”. Britney Coleman, who is playing the role of Cinderella, has appeared in a variety of shows, readings and workshops at the historic St. Anne’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, NY, and various regional theaters across the country including the Old Globe Theater, Marriott Lincolnshire Theater, Westport Country Playhouse, Baltimore Center Stage and The Fulton Opera House.

Kally Duling, who was recently the Understudy for Joan / Med. Alison in Fun Home on Broadway, is playing the role of Little Red Ridinghood. She also appeared on “The Good Wife”. Stephanie Gibson, who appeared on Broadway in shows such as Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Addams Family and Spamalot; and in film and television in Are You Joking, “Person of Interest” and “Snafu”, in the role of the Baker’s Wife. Gibson also has a special connection to TUTS as a former Tommy Tune Award winner. Jillian Gottlieb who is playing the role of Rapunzel has appeared in a variety of Off Broadway and Regional productions including The Golden Bride, Wonderful Town (Off Broadway) and Lend Me a Tenor (Regional).

Jeremy Hays is taking on the roles of Cinderella’s Prince / Wolf. Hays made his Broadway debut in the first revival of Les Misérables and went on to originate the role of Enjolras for the 25th Anniversary production at Paper Mill Playhouse as well as in the national tour. He was most recently seen on Broadway in the role of Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera. Tyler Jones, who was recently in the touring production of The Book of Mormon, is taking on the role of Jack. Jones has appeared in a number of films including Red Dragon and Minority Report. Laura Jordan, who was in the original companies of Cry Baby and In My Life on Broadway, is playing Cinderella’s Stepmother. Mary Claire King is playing therole of Lucinda. King was recently in the touring production of Catch Me If You Can and has appeared a variety of regional productions including War Paint, Young Frankenstein and Hairspray.

Alexa Magro, a familiar face to the TUTS audience, will be taking on the role of Snow White. She was most recently on the TUTS stage in Oliver! and is a student at the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre. Her other productions with TUTS include RENT, Bring It On, Elf and The Music Man. Courtney Markowitz is playing the role of Florinda. Markowitz’s stage credits include the Broadway and National Tour of Jekyll & Hyde, the national tour of Spring Awakening and she most recently appeared on the TUTS stage in Mary Poppins. Meg Schneider, who is playing the role of Sleeping Beauty, was recently in a national tour of Camelot. She has also appeared in several productions at the Barn Theatre including Chicago and The Full Monty.

The roles of Cinderella’s Mother / Granny will be played by Susan Shofner. Shofner is a familiar face to the TUTS audience having appeared in Bonnie and Clyde, The Music Man and A Wonderful Life. Paul Slade Smith is playing theroles of the Narrator / Mysterious Man. Smith was most recently on Broadway in Finding Neverland in the dual roles of Charles Frohman and Captain Hook. He made his Broadway debut in Finding Neverland in the role of Mr. Henshaw. His previous performing credits include the national tours of Wicked and The Phantom of the Opera, and productions at American Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Goodman, Steppenwolf, and Geva Theatre Center.

Jim Stanek who is playing the role of The Baker, has a vast array of Broadway credits including Fun Home, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, the 1996 revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Indiscretions, Little Women and Lestat.

All casting for this production was handled by Stewart / Whitley, the casting agency headed by Duncan Stewart CSA & Benton Whitley CSA known for their work with such Broadway productions as The Great Comet, On The Town, Pippin, Chicago The Musical, La Cage Aux Folles, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

The Theatre Under The Stars production of Into The Woods is possible thanks to the generous support of production sponsors Accenture and Locke Lord LLP. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital is the official healthcare partner of Theatre Under The Stars. United Airlines is the official airline partner of Theatre Under The Stars. KTRK ABC13 is theofficial Media Partner of Theatre Under The Stars.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.tuts.com. Theatre Under The Stars is a 501c3 Non Profit Organization.