MoHA Announces Cast for The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2025
Contact: Eriane Austria,
Beloved Austin performers to bring fantastical, campy holiday musical to life at The Museum of Human Achievement
AUSTIN, TEXAS --
Today The Museum of Human Achievement announces the cast and crew for their upcoming annual holiday musical, The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty. In five performances this December 18-20, MoHA continues to reimagine Christmas classics with avant-garde absurdity — this time, drawing from preteen crush energy and early 2000s fanfiction to put twists on The Lord of the Rings and Wicked.
An annual act of community creation since 2013, the MoHA holiday show will once again place Austin icons behind the scenes and on stage to deliver fun, campy, and joyful performances this holiday season. Consider including the show in your upcoming guides to celebrating the holidays in Austin. It’s a unique experience that will put audience members in their feels and make them totes obsessed with the foreboding holiday glow of Mount Doom.
The cast that will bring the story and stage to life includes beloved Austin performers: Roxy Castillo, Aira Juliet, Baldie Loxx, Alexander the Great, and Vertarias. Ensemble members supporting the main cast include Kelsey Oliver, Mase Kerwick, Sir Beauregard Elliot Esquire, Chuqui, and Turito. Megan Tabaque, director of past MoHA holiday shows Edward Normalhands in 2023 and Batman Returns Returns in 2018, directs The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty in MoHA’s East Austin warehouse art space. Tabaque is developing the script along with writers Roxy Castillo, Sam Mayer, Aira Juliet, and Sawyer Stoltz. MoHA and Terror Pigeon will lead production; Stephanie Page, Emily Gilardi, and Jess Bee will create costumes; Beth Schindler will lead props; and volunteers and community members will support with building the set, painting, prop-making, and assisting with various needs during the shows.
Zac Traeger, executive director of The Museum of Human Achievement, says: "In MoHA's full calendar of multidisciplinary, innovative, and original community arts programming, the holiday show stands out as something I look forward to every year. I can think of no better way to celebrate the creative gifts of Austin's community than with foam, dancing, music, fake snow, practical effects, painted cardboard and irreverent mash-ups of camp and pop culture. I know many folks look forward to MoHA's holiday show all year round, and The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty is worth the wait."
The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty
December 18 - 20, The Museum of Human Achievement
"Hark! The herald Wizards sing! Glory to the Christmas Ring! The One Ring to rule the yule! To warm the heart of every holiday-loving hobbit, elf, and ent in Middle Earth! Whomever possesses the One Ring possesses the true spirit of Christmas. But on Christmas Eve of 2003, the Ring falls into the wrong hands! The only person that might save it is…a middle school girl writing a Lord of the Rings x Wicked fanfic fable for the ages in her LiveJournal?! You may think you know the story of the One Ring, but if you're not at The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty, you're only getting one side of it."
Find the ticket link here.
About The Museum of Human Achievement
The Museum of Human Achievement is an Austin-based 501(c)3 nonprofit providing funding, infrastructure, professional support, and affordable physical space to under-resourced artists across all disciplines. Steeped in principles of collaboration, experimentation, inclusivity, and accessibility, MoHA fosters an empowered, resilient creative community in Texas and beyond.
Since its founding in 2012, MoHA has partnered with 1,300 organizations to create new works; presented 5,500+ artists; and welcomed 250k visitors to its East Austin campus. MoHA has assisted 140 first-time grant recipients and distributed $1.6M to artists (70% BIPOC, 61% LGBTQIA). At present, MoHA houses studio and office space for twenty community arts groups and mutual aid organizations, as well as for local and visiting artists. MoHA supports more than a thousand artists annually through its programs and events, and it produces more than a hundred free public programs annually which integrate community vision, arts, and social practice. Learn more at https://moha.wiki/
Media Assets
Click on the image or logo to download. Please provide proper attribution with the image caption when using the images.
Show Poster
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Poster for The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty, designed by Billie Buck.
Logo
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The Museum of Human Achievement (MoHA) logo
Photos from Past Shows
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Photo by Erika Rich. The Shabooming at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2022. -
Photo by Olivia Vale. Batman Returns Returns at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2018. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. Edward Normalhands at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2023. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. Edward Normalhands at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2023. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. Edward Normalhands at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2023. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. TITANIC #2 at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2024. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. TITANIC #2 at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2024. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. TITANIC #2 at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2024.
