photograph c. Gray Hawn http://www.grayhawn.com/

Next performances:

Benefit for CASA of Travis County

Austin, Texas

February 18 - 20

advance tickets only through CASA office

call Erica at CASA (512) 459-2272

 

Kimmie Rhodes soundtrack CD $14.99 plus postage

Click here to purchase

 

playbook by Kimmie Rhodes & Joe Sears

... a windblown tale featuring interpretive dance performed to original music played by singer-songwriter Kimmie Rhodes and her musical ensemble.
Award-winning actor Joe Sears serves as narrator for the story, playing a variety of legendary “spirits of the desert”curiously following and attending a young
mortal woman who has exiled herself to the wilderness in a struggle to escape the sorrows of her Texas bordertown life and the bad choices she has made.

 

The Making of Windblown - to see the director's drawings, hear music samples, etc.

 

Kimmie Rhodes is a Texan singer-songwriter who has recorded and performed professionally for over 20 years. She has released seven solo albums, toured internationally and appeared on many European and American television and radio broadcasts including Austin City Limits and Late Night with David Letterman, creating a solid worldwide fanbase. Her songs have been recorded by numerous platinum-selling artists and have appeared in many major motion pictures. She lives in Austin with her family and writes with Joe Sears. Together they have staged several original musicals since 1998 including Small Town Girl and Hillbilly Heaven (a Tuna spin-off starring “Aunt Pearl”).For the past three years she has also worked as Musical Director for Sears’ outdoor drama, Trail of Tears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Sears has been acting professionally for the past 30 years. He is now completing his 14th smash tour of A Tuna Christmas, for which he received the 1995 Tony Award Nomination for “Best Actor In A Play”. He is also a five-time nominee for the Helen Hayes Award for Best Actor for his character portrayals in the Tuna trilogy. He originated these roles off-Broadway when Greater Tuna premiered in October 1982. He appeared with Fannie Flagg in The Foreigner and later played her role. He has appeared on the Merv Griffin and David Letterman shows and received the 1993 Los Angeles Dramalogue Award for “Best Actor” for A Tuna Christmas. He made his movie debut with Tommy Lee Jones and Matt Damon in The Good Old Boys. He was awarded the “Theatre LA Ovation Award” for best Actor in 1999. His credits include a season with Theatre Works USA in New York, summer stock, outdoor drama, HBO, and eight Shakespeare plays. Among his many roles are Bottom and Thisby in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor and the Doctor in Three Sisters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choreographer Jo Ann Schatz has extensive dance and musical theatre background. Over the past twenty five years she has performed off-Broadway and in Europe and choreographed theatrical productions in Austin, Texas, where she teaches dance at St. Edwards University. She collaborated with Kimmie Rhodes and Joe Sears on Hillbilly Heaven and Trail of Tears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cast of Characters

Joe Sears……………………Texas Ranger, The Padre, Arthur E. Stilwell, Lottie Deno

Kimmie Rhodes…………….Troubador

Heather Huggins……………Liliana

Juan Lino Camargo…………Angelino

Jo Ann Schatz………………El Diablo Gallo

Joe Gracey………………….Old Man Calaveras, Whipsnade the Butler, Mexia Man

Becky Pearl Gonzales………Little Mexia Boy, Flower Girl

Sharon Marroquin…………..Desert and Cantina Dancer

Lucia Rodriquez*…………...Desert and Cantina Dancer

Aaron Weisinger**…………Desert and Cantina Dancer

Jamie Rhodes……………….Cantina Dancer, Field Worker

Gabe Rhodes………………..Desert and Cantina Musician (Guitars, Harmonium, Melodica)

Will Sexton…………………Desert and Cantina Musician (Guitars)

Ellie Fletcher, Hanna Marecek…Calavera Girls

*understudy to Liliana

**understudy to Angelino

ACT I

Scene 1: Bordertown field in Mexico “Windblown”

Scene 2: Juarez cemetery “Oh Padre”

Scene 3: Somewhere in the deserts of Big Bend, Texas “Lost In You”

Scene 4: Days later, Big Bend Desert “Desert Train”

ACT II

Scene 1: Bordertown Cantina “Cantina”

Scene 2: Alley outside the Cantina “Little Angelina”

Scene 3: Cantina, days later “El Diablo Gallo”, “Angelino”

Scene 4: West Texas Heaven “Clear Blue Sky”

Written by Joe Sears and Kimmie Rhodes

Music and Lyrics by Kimmie Rhodes*

Choreography by Jo Ann Schatz**

Soundtrack produced by Gabe Rhodes

Produced by Sunbird Music and Gracey-Rhodes Productions

*“Cantina” by Gabe Rhodes

*“That’s My Heart” with Kent Robbins

**“Angelino” by Juan Lino Camargo and Heather Huggins

 

Directed by Joe Sears

Kimmie Rhodes…………….. Musical Director

Jo Ann Schatz……………….Choreographer**

Gabe Rhodes………………..Assistant Musical Director, Soundtrack Producer

James Gonzales……………..Technical Director/Follow Spot Operator

David W. Weiss…………….Lighting Designer

Robert Benjamin……………Associate Lighting Designer

Jamie Rhodes………………..Costumer*, Stage Manager

Ken Huncovsky……………..Sound Designer

Robert Tolaro……………….Assistant to the Director

Mark Huber………………….Sound Engineer

Joe Gracey…………………...Graphic Design

Gray Hawn…………………..Photography

Karen Jones……………….Assistant Wardrobe & Assistant to the Stage Manager

*Lottie’s costume by Corby Jackson

**choreography for “Angelino” by Juan Lino Camargo and Heather Huggins

 

We Wish to Express Our Special Thanks to:

City of Conroe, Texas

Gray Hawn Photography

Willie Nelson & Family

Bill & Cathy Gracey

Lee Duffy and the Austin Songwriters Group

Danny Young and Texicalli Grille

Dave, Danny, Michael and Threadgill’s World Headquarters Restaurant

Curra's Restaurant

Jon Lacy

Marilyn Bellows and Doug Edmondson

Footworks

Tapestry Dance Company

Dance Umbrella

Austin Circle of Theatres

Movin’ Easy

University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance

Austin Community College Dance Department

Austin Ballet

Jose Bustamante

Darla Johnson

Angie Johnson

Jeremie Rhodes

Rick & Peggy Schatz

Greater Tuna Corporation