Sunday, May 31, 2009

Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill, Ar Rude at the Off Center, May 27 - June 7





Eugene O'Neill did not want you to see this astonishing, bleak and deeply moving drama. When he died in a Boston hotel room in 1953, he had left it locked up in the vaults of his publisher Random House with instructions that it was not to be opened for 25 years after his death, and that it was never to be performed.


Instead, his third wife Carlotta Monterrey, who had fought with him and protected him and nursed him since 1928, inherited the rights. She deeded it to Yale University with the stipulation that proceeds be used to build a drama library and to award scholarships for drama.

Long Day's Journey Into Night was first produced at the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre in February, 1956. The venue was apt. O'Neill's realistic, sometimes naturalistic drama shared much with the theatrical traditions of Strindberg and Ibsen. In 1936 the Nobel Committee had awarded O'Neill the Nobel Prize for literature, the only Nobel given to an American dramatist. The Broadway premiere at the Helen Hayes Theatre in November, 1956, received Tony awards for Best Play and Best Actor in a Play, as well as the New York Drama Critics' Circle awards for Best Play.

O'Neill wrote 19 one-act plays between 1914 and 1919, drawing extensively on his experiences as a seafarer, and over his career, a total of 32 full-length plays. His work was instrumental in converting the carefree, largely brainless American stage into a medium for serious literature. These were powerful stories, usually on dark subjects. Many drew on Greek mythology.
Only one, Ah, Wilderness!, was a comedy, a fantasy version of the years of his youth in New London, Connecticut, as the bookish son of a successful actor.

Long Day's Journey into Night takes exactly that setting. The characters are his parents, his brother, himself and an indolent maid. Their last name is changed to Tyrone, but not to protect any innocents. The action of this one long day in the summer of 1911 includes the moment of confirmation that the younger brother Edmund, the surrogate for O'Neill, has tuberculosis ("consumption") and shows us his mother Mary, lonely and desperate as she gives in to her addiction to morphine.

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com. . . .


Beating Back the Waves: Lars Gustafsson's Thoughts on Technology, Art and Freedom of Expression


The Swedish government authorities have recently taken steps aimed at limiting or shutting down Pirate Bay, the saucily unrepentant group that facilitates large scale sharing via Bit Torrent of copyrighted videos, films, music and books. The Scandinavian countries have the world's highest rates of Internet usage, and copyright holders in other countries have been ardently urging the Swedish authorities to act to protect copyrights that are formally guaranteed by international treaties.

Swedes are known for their socialist and mutually responsible approach to governing themselves, but at the same time, many of them are adamant advocates of total Internet freedom.

A Franco-German proposal on copyright enforcement and the Internet recently failed to prosper at the European Parliament, giving further impetus to Sweden's new "Pirate Party," which is organizing in order to influence the debate.

Noted Swedish writer Lars Gustafsson, who taught in Austin until his retirement in 2003, takes a look at the issues in the May 28 entry in his multilingual blog. The translation from Swedish to English was begun by Rasmus, the writer publishing at www.copyriot.se and was refined by AustinLiveTheatre.com.

Here's what Gustafsson has to say:

Beating Back the Rising Waters: On Internet Freedom and Citizens’ Rights

A writer of antiquity relates that the Emperor of Persia ordered his forces to flog the ocean’s waves because a storm was hindering the departure of his troop ships.

Stupid. Today, perhaps he might have complained to the Stockholm district court? Or consulted with the judges?

It is remarkable how strongly the plight of citizens’ rights in spring, 2009 resembles the struggle for freedom of press in France in the decades leading up to the French revolution.

A new world of ideas is emerging, one that would never have been possible without the ever increasing rapidity of technological development.

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .


Friday, May 29, 2009

The Fantasticks, Austin Playhouse, May 22 - June 28






The Fantasticks at Austin Playhouse is charming. The reliable, charming low-budget winsome musical that has been charming 'em since its low-budget opening off-Broadway in 1960.

This is the show that smashed the records for long runs -- with a 42-year run by the original production and 17,162 performances. Then a New York City revival that ran 655 performances in 2006-2008 at the Snapple Theatre Center's Jerry Orbach Theatre on 50th Street, paused, then resumed and is still going. You can check out their website with perky piano audio, theatre description, ticket info and pages and pages of press clippings. Regular tickets are $75 (twofers, $112.50) and premium seating tickets are $125, which by comparison makes the Austin Playhouse production a grand bargain.

Wikipedia records that there have been 11,103 U.S. productions in 2000 U.S. cities and towns, as well as more than 700 productions in other countries, including 200 in Canada and 45 in Scandinavia.


What's the secret? There are several:

A comfortable formula (boy meets girl, fathers stage fake abduction, boy saves girl; boy discovers trickery, boy ventures into world, girl falls for cad and is disabused, couple are reunited, now more experienced and wiser).

Simple, memorable melodies and lyrics (Try to Remember, Why Did The Kids Put Beans In Their Ears?, Soon It's Gonna Rain, I Can See It).

The simple staging that evokes a troupe of traveling players. With duos: two lovers, two clownish dads, two actor-clowns. And with a mysterious master-of-ceremonies named "El Gallo" who moves the plot, fakes the abduction, seduces (or almost seduces) the jilted heroine, and exposes the lovers to the world's cruelties.

Click to read more on AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .


Thursday, May 28, 2009

Arts News: Connor Hopkins and Trouble Puppet Company Honored


Posted by Rob Faubion at AustinOnStage.com, May 29:

Trouble Puppet Theatre Company Founder Honored as Emerging Artist at National Conference

Connor Hopkins, Founding Artistic Director of Austin's Trouble Puppet Theater Company, has been invited to the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Puppetry Conference this summer as an Emerging Artist. Hopkins will workshop segments from his company's upcoming production of The Jungle, based on the book by Upton Sinclair.

Additionally, Trouble Puppet was recently awarded a seed grant from the Jim Henson Foundation in support of The Jungle. Trouble Puppet’s grant was the only one awarded to a company in the entire Southwest.
[. . . .]

Trouble Puppet’s production of The Jungle will premiere in Austin at the Salvage Vanguard Theatre in September 2009. For more information, visit www.TroublePuppet.com.

Click to read more at AustinOnStage.com . . . .

Update: Legislators Say They'll Correct TX HB 2649



Further to the proposed amendment to Texas House Bill 2649, which would have made obligatory the licensing of lighting designers of all professions, Managing Director of Austin Shakespeare Alex Alford passes along encouraging news:


CALL TO ACTION RE: LIGHTING DESIGNER LEGISLATION

Thursday, May 28, 2009 3:08 PM
From:

From Ken Shepardson:

Pass the word: According to Rep. Smith's office, HB 2649 is going to a House-Senate conference committee tonight. Rep. Smith is going to try to have the offending Senate amendment removed so that his original bill, which does not affect lighting designers, is the final version voted on and passed by both houses.

According to the Secretary of the Senate, the conference committee members from the Senate have not been appointed. Sen. Bob Deuell, from Greenville, is the Senate sponsor. According to his office, the conference committe will try to remove the Senate amendment, which should be doable unless Sen. Averitt (whose amendment it is) won't agree. Again according to Sen. Deuell's office, if the amendment cannot, for some reason, be removed, the bill may be allowed to die--Rep. Smith would rather kill the bill than pass it with the offending amendment.

I did just speak with Texas Sen. Kip Averitt's office about his Senate amendment to HB 2649, the one that affects lighting designers. Sen. Averitt's amendment will be removed from the bill. Lighting designers will no longer be included in the legislation. This comes from his office, who suggested I might spread the word.

Finally, once more from Sen. Deuell's office, if the bill does somehow make it to the Governor's desk with the amendment--and there's no way it should now--the word is that the Governor might veto it. Can't be sure . . . but that's the word.

Send this out to anyone who might be interested. And, for good luck next time, IF Sen. Averitt's office is right and his amendment is removed, everyone should send a short "Thank you" email to Sens. Deuell and Averitt and to Rep. Wayne Smith. IT CAN'T HURT!

Sen. Kip Averitt

Sen. Bob Deuell

Rep. Wayne Smith


Alex Alford
Managing Director
Austin Shakespeare
512 470-4505
alex@austinshakespeare.org

Upcoming: No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre, Domy Books, June 19 - July 3

UPDATE: Dan Solomon's interview of Bastian Carboni, with the question, "Why No Exit?" published in The Onion's Austin Decider, June 17

Found on-line:


Domy Books, in association with Poison Apple Initiative,
is pleased to present


no exit


By Jean-Paul Sartre

Modernized/Directed by Bastion Carboni

June 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th,
and July 2nd and 3rd
at Domy Books, Austin
913 E Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX
7:30pm, $10





Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .



Upcoming: Latino Comedy Project, Esther's Pool, June 11 - 13

Latino Comedy Project Esther's Pool Austin

Received May 28:

Hey Everyone,

The great gente at Esther’s Follies have graciously invited us back to their stage for another weekend of shows, June 11 - 13! Hope you can join us for the fun in two weeks! CLICK HERE or scroll below for all the info!

The LCP’s also on Twitter now! You can follow us at http://www.twitter.com/thelcp to receive LCP news and updates like this one in real time!

And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to read our blog about the LCP’s recent Emmy nomination. We've posted several video clips from our Emmy-nominated MTV3 ad campaign too!

Thanks again for all your warm wishes in the last couple of weeks. We’re touched by the sincere appreciation many of you have expressed. We do what we do because we love it. Knowing we have so many genuinely invested and loyal supporters at home has kept us going strong all these years, and it's what fuels our passion even now. So a heartfelt gracias to all of you. See you soon!

Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Boom Town by Jeff Daniels, Gaslight Baker Theatre, Lockhart, May 22 - June 6





Compression facilitates explosion.

This is a relatively simple application of basic physics. External pressure applied to a volatile gas speeds combustion, renders it the violent and maximizes heat.
That's one of the principles that runs your automobile with its internal combusion engine.

Director/designer David Schneider at the Gaslight Baker Theatre in Lockhart applies the principle to Jeff Daniels' sardonically titled "Boom Town."

Schneider shrinks the focus within the wide proscenium by masking the wings with black curtains, and sharply narrowing the playing space to a nearly claustrophobic kitchen set.

He has cast the three roles for maximum credibility. There's not a breath of comedy or of exaggeration here. Two men and a women are linked by a failing business in a failing small town. They constitute a triangle. . . in geometry the most stable of figures but in human relations potentially the most volatile.

Read More at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Tx Legislature Bans Lighting Designers; Governor's Action Next

Click for UPDATE, May 29 from Alex Alford: Legislators say they will correct bill, exclude stage lighting designers.

UPDATE, May 28 from Travis Bedard, with contact info for your representatives

NOTE: Following report is OBE ("OVERCOME BY EVENTS"), as detailed in updates, but remains here as a record of the political and legislative process.

It appears that while we haven't been looking, the Texas legislature has passed a bill that will put some theatrical lighting designers out of business.

This bill, introduced by
Rep. Wayne Smith (R) of Baytown, will require state registration and licensing of lighting designers and will limit licenses to already registered or licensed engineers, architects, landscape architects and interior designers.

The House passed the bill on May 3 and the Senate passed it today, May 27. Next stop is a House-Senate conference to reconcile differences -- the paragraphs on lighting design were inserted by the Senate. Rep. Smith may try to eliminate them in conference. If that doesn't work, the bill will move to the Governor's office for signature.

Excerpts from Tx HB 2649 are carried on jmonlight.com, accompanied by an undated, probably belated squawk from the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD).

This one could be sitting on the Govenor's desk as part of the thick bundle of laws the legislators are passing in the scant days remaining in the session. Governor Rick Perry would have twenty days to act. Or not act.

What does that mean? Specifics (with ALT emphasis added) from the on-line primer of the Guide to Texas Legislative Information:

Governor's action

Except in the case of a bill sent to the governor within 10 days of final adjournment, upon receiving a bill, the governor has 10 days in which to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature. If the governor elects to veto the bill and the legislature is still in session, the bill is returned to the chamber in which it originated with an explanation of the governor’s objections. A two-thirds majority in each chamber is required to override the veto. If the governor neither vetoes nor signs the bill within the allotted time, the bill becomes law. If a bill is sent to the governor within 10 days of final adjournment, the governor has until 20 days after final adjournment to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature.

Suggestion: Contact your state representative to voice opposition and contact Rep. Smith's office (tel. (512) 463-0733 and fax (512) 463-1323). Travis Bedard reports that Smith's staffers already have a prepared script, so they've been getting calls. Anticipating the worse, you can go to the "contact" page for the Governor's Office, where you'll find an on-line form to express your opinion on this one. Unless Tx HB 2649 is stopped, some talented theatrical lighting designers are going to be out of work. And theatres will be none the better for the Lege's well-intentioned meddling.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Upcoming: Good Things by Liz Lochhead, Renaissance Austin at the Vortex, June 12 - 27

UPDATE: Click for ALT review of Good Things, June 18



Found at NowPlayinginAustin.com:


Renaissance Austin and Vortex Repertory Company present

Good Things

by Liz Lochhead
June 12 - June 27

Renaissance Austin Theatre in association with VORTEX Repertory Company presents the U.S. Premiere of Liz Lochhead's romantic comedy, Good Things, directed by Karen Jambon.

“Liz Lochhead’s delightful new play is as funny, as touching, and yet as emotionally true as anything this supremely humane writer has yet produced” ---London Times

Good Things is a deliciously light romantic comedy recently penned by one of Scotland's finest literary award-winning female playwrights, Liz Lochhead (Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off, Medea).

Newly-divorced 40-something Oxfam volunteer Susan has finally settled on life as a single parent when a series of chance encounters and a procession of colorful characters turn her quiet life upside down . . . Witty, whimsical, funny and poignant, there is someone for everyone in this delightfully humane play.

Good Things stars Lorella Loftus, Craig Kanne, Michael Hankin, and Angela Loftus. The design team includes David DeMaris, Elaine Jacobs, Patrick Anthony, Andy Agne, Jonathan Urso, and Adam Gunderson.


Tickets: $10-$30
Info Phone: 512-478-LAVA
June 12-June 27, 2009, 8 p.m.
The VORTEX
2307 Manor Road Austin, TX 78722

Tex-Arts' Robin Lewis To Teach Part-Time at Texas State

From the San Marcos Mercury, May 26:

Broadway Veteran Robin Lewis Joins Musical Theatre program
Submitted by Brad Rollins on Tuesday, 26 May 2009
FROM TEXAS STATE NEWS SERVICE/JAYME BLASCHKE

Broadway veteran Robin Lewis will join the Musical Theatre Program at Texas State University as a per-course faculty member teaching musical theatre dance.

Lewis joins recent faculty additions Kailtin Hopkins and Jim Price in bolstering the Musical Theatre Program.

“In assembling the musical theatre faculty, I think Robin is the perfect complement to Kaitlin and Jim,” said Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance Chair John Fleming. “As a dancer and dance captain, Robin has worked with some of Broadway’s most acclaimed directors and choreographers (Susan Stroman, Ann Reinking). The addition of Robin to our program means that our students will receive top-level musical theatre dance training.”

Lewis is a veteran of several Broadway stage productions including Disney’s Beauty & the Beast (dance captain), A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden (dance captain) and Fosse (including the film version) with Ben Vereen and Ann Reinking. Additional credits include the Off-Broadway production of The Green Heart as well as the first national Broadway touring production of Mel Brooks’ The Producers starring Jason Alexander and Martin Short.

[ . . . . ] In addition to his time on the boards, Lewis has choreographed for the Oklahoma Lyric Opera, Zachary Scott Theater Center (for which he’s received multiple B. Iden Payne and Austin Critics’ Circle Awards), Zilker Productions and TexARTS (Critics Circle Award-winner). Lewis was also voted “Best in Austin” for his choreography and “Keeper of the Fosse Flame” by the Austin Chronicle.

Click for full text at SanMarcosMercury.com . . . .

Monday, May 25, 2009

Hay Fever by Noël Coward, North by Northwest Theatre Company at the City Theatre, May 22 - June 7







Bernadette Nason sparkles like pink champagne in this amusing, silly piece written by "the master" Noël Coward when he was a mere boy of 25.

Hay Fever lightly chronicles the start of a weekend at a country house near London, property of the Bliss family -- David is a novelist, Judith is an actress who recently said her adieux to the London stage and their children Simon and Sorel have no identifiable professions or preoccupations.

They all have artistic temperaments and a cheerful disregard for social niceties. As Sorel says to her brother in the first scene, "You're right about us being slapdash, Simon. I wish we weren't." His reply: "It's not our fault -- it's the way we've been brought up."


That impulsiveness and disregard applies to relations within the family, as well.


Click to read more on AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: Long Day's Journey Into Night, Ar Rud at the Off Center, May 28 - June 7


UPDATE: Click for ALT review of May 31




Received by e-mail:





Eugene O'Neil's

Long Day's Journey Into Night
Directed by Dr. Lucien Douglas
May 28 - June 7

Tickets: FREE.....(donations Greatly Appreciated)

“A play of old sorrow, written in tears and blood,” Long Day’s Journey into Night is the masterpiece of Nobel laureate Eugene O’Neill, the playwright who revolutionized American theater in the first half of the 20th century.

Love and jealousy, recrimination and forgiveness, the agony of the artist in capitalist America—illuminated in the Tyrone family as they come to terms with a son’s debilitating illness and a mother’s tragic addiction.

The Ar Rud production of Long Day’s Journey into Night is a labor of love offered to the Austin community in honor of Eugene O’Neill and in celebration of theater’s healing power.

Thursday - Saturday 7:30 PM
Sundays at 3 PM

Opening: Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 7:30pm
Final performance: Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 3:00pm
The Off Center, 2211 Hildalgo St., Austin, TX

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com. . . .


Upcoming: Trying, Paradox Players, June 12 - 27

UPDATE: ALT review of Trying, June 18

Found at the website:


Paradox Players presents

Trying

by Joanna McClelland Glass, directed by Gary Payne.
June 12 - 28

The play tells the story of the volatile, yet warm relationship between Francis Biddle, who had been Attorney General under Franklin Roosevelt (among other achievements) and his young, spunky personal secretary. The play is set in 1968.

Based on the author’s own experience, this compelling, comic drama pairs an outspoken young woman and a cantankerous Philadelphia aristocrat who served as FDR’s Attorney General and presided at Nuremberg,in a project to complete his memoirs. It is humorous and touching how they are “trying” to understand each other.

Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .


Sunday, May 24, 2009

The Long Now by Beth Burns, Shrewd Productions at the Blue Theatre, May 21 - June 13






Beth Burns'
The Long Now opens with the charmingly simple concept stressed in its marketing:

Tish Reilly has a very special friend – Time. Tish can go back to any place where a good memory remains and enter it, reliving the moments that please her.


We meet the winsome Tish, played by Shannon Grounds, at her dead end job of alphabetizing and filing folders beginning with the letter "F." Maybe this is an insurance company; maybe it's another bureaucracy.

Her boss Tom is a limp self-important macho dolt. Her female co-worker Sherrie laughs at Larry and at the absurdity of their assignments. Good sport Sherrie, played by Anne Hulsman, is always pressing Tish to come along for a girls' lunch or a girls' night of drinking.
No wonder our Tish is a dreamer, escaping into reveries reaching all the way back to the warm, safe world of elementary school. Tish goes out to fetch coffee for the office,calls up her friend Time.

Tish receives Time's permission to transform into her tiny self, back when Mom was her best friend, and at school a cute boy named Larry was paying delighted attention to her.


So far, this could be a whimsical children's play, except for some of boss Tom's coarse
har-har language and coworker Sherrie's raucous talk. Nothing too serious is going on. Work is hell, but we all knew that, and the cardboard comic figures make it palatable. There's a cute joke about misfiling the "Pf" names (such as "Pfluger") among the "F" names. We're ready to settle in and enjoy the education and vicissitudes of Tish.

But what about that figure of Time? The puppet figure is visible only to Tish and to us. Time speaks in the eerie voice furnished by T. Lynn Mikeska, patronizing but barely inflected.

We are not in Muppet land here. Time appears as a stark flat articulated figure moving on any of the several screens ranged across the set. Time appears in different sizes and faces, including one tiny face that in a spine-chilling moment simply dissolves to a gray haze.


Click to read more on AustinLiveTheatre.com . . .


Saturday, May 23, 2009

Upcoming: Last of the Red Hot Lovers by Neil Simon, Way Off Broadway Community Players, June 12 - 27

Found on-line:

Last of the Red Hot Lovers

By Neil Simon

Directed by Lissa Satterfield

June 12 to June 27
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm
Plus Sunday June 21 at 3:00 PM

Click Here for Reservations


Barney Cashman at the age of 47 wants to join the sexual revolution before it's too late, but Barney Cashman is a gentle sober soul with a true-blue wife of 23 years and absolutely no experience in adultery, so he fails in each of three seductions.

First he tries a flaunting sexpot who likes cigarettes, whiskey and husbands other than her own. Barney is not properly set up for such compulsions, especially in his mother's apartment, so he flunks the course. But he's got a better idea; a kooky actress friend should be just the ticket. But she turns out to be madder than a hatter. So that leaves his wife's best friend. But unfortunately the friend is a sternly driven moralist who sees sin round every bend. Obviously Barney was born to failure.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Theatre Classes: Intermediate Acting, Directing for the Stage, WOBCP, Leander, June 16 - July 30


Received May 21 from WOBCP, Leander:

Classes in Leander!

Way Off Broadway Community Players present two new classes at the WOBCT, 10960 E. Crystal Falls Parkway, Leander,
in our new
Theater Arts Education Series:

INTERMEDIATE ACTING CLASS June 16 - July 30
(7 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday evenings)

and


DIRECTING FOR THE STAGE
, June 18 - July 30

(Thursday evenings, 7-9 pm
)

Click for further information at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Upcoming: The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged), Way Off Broadway Community Players, Leander, May 28 - June 6


Received on May 21 from WOBCP, Leander:

Way Off Broadway Community Players
continues our 12th season with

the manic comedy

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [abridged]
by Adam Long,
Daniel Singer, and Jess Borgeson, directed by Lynda Davidson.

Performances will run Fridays and Saturdays from May 29th through June 6th at 8 PM. There will be one Sunday performance on May 31st at 3 PM.

NOTE: The May 30th performance will be a free performance at Robin Bledsoe Park on Bagdad Road in Leander. There is no seating at the amphitheater, but they do have a nice lawn. You may bring lawn chairs or blankets, but many folks sit on the ground.

Three guys, one dead playwright, and 37 plays, all in under two hours. A mix of pratfalls, puns, willful misreadings of names and dialogue, clunky female impersonations, clean-cut ribaldry, and broad burlesque. In this universally acclaimed theater experience, three zany guys manage to compress the complete works of Shakespeare into a couple of hours of high-speed over-the-top hilarity.

Read More at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Profile of Bonnie Cullum by Michael Barnes, Austin Statesman


Statesman social blogger Michael Barnes publishes on the Arts 360 "Out and About" blog a May 21 profile of Bonnie Cullum, artistic director of the Vortex Repertory theatre.

Click to read on-line profile of Bonnie Cullum.

Upcoming: Sweeney Todd and Little Shop of Horrors, SummerStock Austin 2009


Posted by Rob Faubion at AustinOnStage.com:


SummerStock Austin Moves to The Long Center for Upcoming Sweeney Todd and Little Shop of Horrors

SummerStock Austin (SSA) - the seasonal training program collaboration between St. Edward's University and Zilker Theatre Productions - starts its fifth season with a move to a new venue. This year’s summer stagings of Sweeney Todd and Little Shop of Horrors with be presented at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center.

Due to renovations to the Mary Moody Northen Theatre at St. Edward's University, SSA will have to move its performances to down the road to Austin’s newest center for the performing arts. The SSA program will remain a sponsored project of St. Edward's and Zilker Theatre Productions, and rehearsals, administrative offices and set construction will still remain at St. Edward’s.

For this year’s shows, SummerStock Austin has cast a 38 member company of college and high school performers and 10 technicians. The 22 college students come from St. Edward's University, Texas State University, Baylor University, AMDA and Juilliard School of the Arts.

High school participants come from eight different area schools including McCallum, Bowie, Dripping Springs, Westwood, McNeil, Cedar Park, Blanco, and Star Charter. More than 80 students auditioned and interview to be part of the fifth season.

Read more at AustinOnStage.com . . .


News: Latino Comedy Project Nominated for an EMMY


Received from the Latino Comedy Project, May 21:

Hey Everyone,

We wanted to share the news: Last week, The Latino Comedy Project’s MTV3 comedy ad campaign was nominated for an Emmy!

Yes, an EMMY.

Go here to read our blog all about it and to watch clips from the campaign!

Also, the LCP’s now on Twitter! Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/thelcp to receive LCP news and updates like this one in real time!

Thanks again for all your support. We promise there are more incredible things in store for The LCP in 2009! We hope you'll be there with us.

Adrian
The LCP
http://www.lcp.org
http://www.twitter.com/thelcp
http://www.myspace.com/latinocomedyproject
http://youtube.com/user/LatinoComedyProject

Upcoming: Faster Than The Speed of Light, Salvage Vanguard

UPDATE: Review by Mary Lingwall at Daily Texan On-line, June 11

UPDATE: Review by Wayne Alan Brenner for Austin Chronicle, June 11

UPDATE: Review by Rob Faubion at AustinOnStage.com, June 4

UPDATE: Review by Joey Seiler on Austin Statesman's Austin360 "Seeing Things" blog, June 1

UPDATE: Decider Austin Interview with creators + video (1min 50 sec)

UPDATES: Click to connect to slide show and audio at web site

Faster than the Speed of Light Salvage Vanguard

Click for press release published by AustinOnStage.com, May 26


05-28
posted by "Austin Actress":

So it's time. Next week, Faster than the Speed of Light!: The Musical, is making its world premier. This show is unlike any musical I’ve seen before. I love it. Its this dark, clubby, hot thing that is the lovechild of some of the the most talented people in Austin. Many of whom come from entirely different fields than theatre. We also have an amazing live band. The music truly is incredible. I play a super mean dominatrix henchwoman. I’m part of the chorus, aka Cult of Chaos. I hope I scare you. Only not with my dancing. Okay, so here’s what we are officially saying about the show:

Faster than the Speed of Light! is an original Sci-Fi musical produced, written, directed, scored, danced, sung, designed and built entirely by a local Austin cast and crew. This is also an exciting opportunity for the Salvage Vanguard Theater, a non-profit east Austin theater company, who is co-producing the project as a part of a new movement to hone in on the talents of local and independent Austin theater.

The show runs from May 28th – 30th, June 4th – 7th, and June 11th – 13th. All shows begin at 8 o’clock and cost only 12 dollars. The salvage vanguard is located at 2803 Manor Road (www.salvagevanguard.org) Each thursday shows are “pay what you wish” where we encourage people to come see the production for whatever price is appropriate to them.

And when you get a moment, please visit our website at www.fasterthanthespeedoflight.org

Also, side note, Bill and I made both the poster and the website. Make sure you check out the ‘About’ section with your sound up.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Sordid Lives, Sam Bass Community Theatre, May 15 - June 6







Round Rock's Sam Bass Community Theatre isn't a formal repertory company. It's a circle of players, techs and supporters who gather for six or seven productions a year in the plain playing space that was formerly a Union Pacific depot
.

As you follow the Sam Bass season, you have the pleasure of seeing familiar faces reappear in new guises and disguises. They're friendly folk; the cast always gathers outside the theatre to greet their departing public. As I was driving home afterwards, there popped into my mind all unbidden the scene in which Hamlet expresses his pleasure at re-encountering the band of traveling players.

The final production of the season is set in Winters, Texas. That's a town so small that when I found it on Google Maps I had to back out twice before I could orient myself. Winters is smack dab in the middle of the state, in a largely blank area about 20 miles south of Abilene. The inhabitants of Winters might well be considered "people of the land." That is, echoing Mel Brooks' dialogue for Gene Wilder in Blazing Saddles: "You know -- morons."

The characters and incidents in Sordid Lives are ridiculous but very funny. We in the audience laugh with good heart at small-town dumbness, morality and immorality -- in fact, with a certain proprietary affection. We're in Texas and we know those stereotypes, folks who are the focus of many a joke.

This is a revenge play. Shores acknowledges that he grew up in the mercilessly parodied town of Winters.

Click to read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Upcoming: Teacher, Teacher by Max Langert, Loaded Gun Theory at


Received May 19:

It may be summertime, but school is still in session!

TEACHER, TEACHER

Loaded Gun Theory and Austin Scriptworks member Max Langert team up for a zany new comedy about what teachers are really up to when class is over. School buses run amok and zombie students attack, but at least there's plenty of coffee!

Teacher, Teacher is being directed by E.D. Harrelson and stars Jessica Medina, Louise Martin, Jeanne Harris, Robert Dieke, Ian King and Travis Holmes.

June 12,13, 17-20, and 25-27 at 8:00pm
Tickets: $18/$15 for ACoT/Teachers
Austin Scriptworks Benefit Night June 17th - 50% of proceeds donated to Austin Scriptworks
Special Artist night June 18th - $15/13 for ACoT/Teachers (online only!)
Performances at the Off Center, 2211-A Hidalgo Street

Wednesday June 17th is Scriptworks night
Join us on Wednesday June 17th for a benefit for Austin Scriptworks. A grant from them is helping us put on "Teacher, Teacher" and so we're giving back 50% of proceeds from that night to their "Finer Point" grant fund.

We'd like to encourage all writers and those who appreciate new works to head out in support. You can buy your tickets for that night here:

http://lgt.buyplaytix.com

Teacher, Teacher is presented with assistance from Austin Script Works
through their Finer Points Fund for new play production


Loaded Gun is a sponsored project of the Austin Circle of Theatres

Auditions for The Rivals, Weird CIty Theatre Company

As published on Austin.com:

Open Auditions for The Rivals at Weird City Theater
Written by Dan Viotto
Auditions to be held on Tuesday May 19th.
ImageWierd City Theater is calling out to all you budding thespians in the area in the hopes that you want your moment in the spotlight. Auditions for the upcoming performance of The Rivals will take place on Tuesday May 19th, but actors will need to arrange for the audition before the fact. Auditions will be held at the theater offices of Austin Circle of Theaters located at 701 Tillery Street in East Austin. To schedule your audition, please send an email to weirdcitytheater@gmail.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
The Rivals is written by Richard Brinsly Sheridan and directed by John F Carroll. Performances run July 13 —July 26, 2009. Performances will take place at the Dougherty Arts Center, 110 Barton Springs Road, in Austin, Thursday through Saturday night at 7:00PM and Sundays at 3:00PM.

Weird City Theatre Company is a sponsored project of Austin Circle of Theatres, a non-profit performing arts service organization. Weird City Theatre's mission is to encourage the growth of the artist and represent the uniqueness and vitality of Austin through re-envisioned classics and original works, cross-media, and merging a new audience with the traditional. Keeping a child-like since of play, they focus on the process of the actor and are playing their part to keep Austin weird!

For more information visit the theater's website.