A slew of Broadway and television stars will perform at Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) first American Musical Theatre Awards on May 18.

Honoring distinguished creative talents in the musical theatre, the 2002 awards will pay tribute to Tony-winning composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, who is responsible for such classic musicals as Mame; Hello, Dolly!; Mack and Mabel; and La Cage aux Folles. Among the performers who will take part in the tribute to Herman are Luci Arnaz, Jo Anne Worley, Davis Gaines, Karen Morrow, Nancy Dussault and Hugh Panaro.

David Galligan directs the evening, which features musical direction by Ron Abel. Special guests for the all-star bash include Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner; Hobby Center architect Robert A.M. Stern; Tony Curtis, who will star in TUTS’ upcoming musical production Some Like It Hot; and Viscount Joaquin Alvarez y Montez, a producer of musical theatre in Spain.

The evening will also inaugurate TUTS' new home, the $100-million Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, which is located at 800 Bagby at Walker in Houston, Texas. Although tables for the evening are sold out, individual tickets — ranging from $50 to $250 — are available by calling (713) 558 TUTS (8887). The American Musical Theatre Awards are scheduled to begin at 8:45 PM.

Theatre Under The Stars, one of America’s largest producers of non-profit musical theatre, was founded in 1968. Since that time, the theatre has produced more than 240 major musicals in Houston and Seattle, including many local, national and world premieres. They are currently represented on Broadway with the hit Disney musical Beauty and the Beast. —By Andrew Gans