Chicago the Musical

[Chuck50]

Chicago the Musical was in Houston for a limited engagement. I was here for a few days with Ben Nicholas what a find. The musical was awesome it was at the new Hobby Center for the Performing Arts also called TUTS. Theatre under the Stars. What an awesome experience it was. Of course the company was great too. Ben and I stayed at the Lovett Inn a very gay friendly and I think gay owned Inn in the Montrose area. Also went to Americas restaurant last nite and it was truly something special my second time there. Anyhow if you get a chance to see it in any city do. HUGS Chuck50

[Bilbo]

While we often just refer to the Hobby Center as TUTS, it's not actually an alternate name. It's their major tenet. TUTS started out as free musicals in the park (under the stars of Heaven). They still do one of those each Summer, but are mainly focused on their regular season shows. There was a long period (including two years where I performed for them) where they became locally produced musicals with imported leads - reading basically anyone who had a solo song - usually well loved has beens or good people on their way up. Thus, under the "Broadway stars." They spearheaded building the Hobby. In honor of their history, the building is decorated with stars here and there, and the main theater itself has a ceiling decorated with small lights lined up to make a map of the Heavens. There is even a moving light which goes by every five minutes or so to simulate a comet or shooting star. They have a mixture of production styles. Half or more of their shows are still at least half local performers with imported stars. But they have in recent years spearheaded a consortium of regional theaters which goes together for shows they can say are locally produced but are tours. And TUTS has been mixing in just actual tours at least once a season now. The most obvious of these was Dralion by Cirque de Soleil.

 

But, Chuck, you didn't really see TUTS. You saw a touring show brought to town by the other local producer, which I think just calls itself The Broadway Series. They are the second most important tenet at the Hobby.

 

And, yes, the Lovett Inn is lovingly owned and run by gay people.