Photos by Bret Brookshire for The Language Archive by Julia Cho, Different Stages at City Theatre, January 10 - February 1, 2014

Photos by Brett Brookshire:

(CLICK for INFO and TICKETS)

Trevor Bissell (photo by Bret Brookshire)

Norman Blumensaadt, Trevor Bissell, Jennifer Underwood (photo: Bret Brookshire)

Eva McQuade, Circe Storm (photo: Bret Brookshire)

Click to view additional images by Bret Brookshire at CTXLT.com

BLOOD WEDDING by Federico Garcia Lorca, Mary Moody Northen Theatre, St. Edward's University, November 14 -24, 2013

(poster: Mary Moody Northen Theatre)

Babs George, Alec Esteban Cudmore (photo: Bret Brookshire)

Jose Antonio Rodriguez , Anna Schultz (photo: Bret Brookshire)

Arts&Culture Texas Feature on Fixing King John by Kirk Lynn, Rude Mechs, November 7 - 24, 2013

Excerpts from a feature published November 5, 2013:

Rude Mechs Launch Fixin’ Shakespeare with King John

by Lauren Smart November 5, 2013

Robert S. Fisher, Lowell Batholomee, Tom Green, Jay Byrd, E. Jason Liebrecht, Florinda Bryant, Jeffrey Mills (image: Bret Brookshire)

Leave it to Austin’s maverick troupe, the Rude Mechs, to tackle Shakespeare’s “problem plays.” Even the Bard’s esteemed canon contains a few duds, and in the new bi-annual series, Fixin’ Shakespeare, the Rude Mechs attempt to slice and dice these plays into more contemporary, and perhaps more palatable, shows. The series debuts with Fixin’ King John, Nov. 7-24, adapted by Kirk Lynn and directed by Madge Darlington.

“There are some Shakespeare plays that are really difficult to produce well, and this is one of them,” Darlington says. “For one thing, King John is too long and many of the plot points are convoluted.” [. . . .]

King John carries the company’s stamp in its collage-like synthesis of music, movement and text, but it deviates in one notable way. A month before rehearsals began, Darlington had a script in hand. “Kirk’s version has all the wonderful things of the original script, but through the lens of contemporary vernacular,” Darlington says. “He’s also added wonderful moments of connection with the audience that give this play more relevance.” [. . . .]

By bringing a new perspective to his work, the Rude Mechs hope to crack these plays open in a new way. “It’s similar to the relationship a cover band has with the original performer,” Darlington says. “Fixing it was a fun way to think about it, and of course there’s a little bit of hubris to that.”

Read full article by Lauren Smart at Arts&CultureTexas. . . .

Images By Bret Brookshire: Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman, Different Stages at the City Theatre, January 6 -28

Found on-line: images by Bret Brookshire for

presentation of

The Children's Hour

by Lillian Hellman

January 6 - 28, Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

at the City Theatre, 3823 Airport Road (behind the Shell station)(click for map)Pick your Price Tickets: $15, $20, $25, $30
** Reservations: 926-6747 **

Click to view additional images by Bret Brookshire at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Images by Bret Brookshire: Well by Lisa Kron, Different Stages, November 11 - December 3

Images by Bret Brookshire provided by

for Lisa Kron's

WELL

directed by Norman Blumensaadt

November 11- December 3

Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. No Performance on Thanksgiving, Thursday Nov 24 Added performance on Wednesday Nov 30

The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd (click for map)

“Pick your Price: $15, $20, $25, $30

For tickets and information call 478-5282

Different Stages opens its 2011 - 2012 season with Lisa Kron’s comedy Well. The acclaimed writer and performer Lisa Kron’s newest work is all about her mom. It explores the dynamics of health, family and community with the story of her mother’s extraordinary ability to heal a changing neighborhood, despite her inability to heal herself.

Click to view additional images by Bret Brookshire at AustinLiveTheatre.com. . . .

Images by Bret Brookshire: Night of The Iguana by Tennesse Williams, Different Stages at City Theatre, March 18 - April 9

Images by Bret Brookshire, from the Different Stages website:

Tennessee Williams'

Night of the Iguana

March 18 – April 9
City Theater, 3823 Airport Suite D ( ^map)
Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
Pick your Price Tickets: $15, $20, $25, $30
Reservations: 474–8497

Different Stages continues its 2010 – 2011 season with The Night of the Iguana. This Tony-Award-winning play by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner Tennessee Williams is a provocative exploration of human struggle and passion — full of intense drama, biting wit, and sexual tension. Defrocked priest T. Lawrence Shannon now scrapes out a living as a tour guide in Mexico. On the verge of a collapse, he abducts his tour group to a crumbling seaside hotel on the edge of the jungle. As a fierce tropical storm rolls in, Shannon must wrestle with the passions of the women around him – the wrath of a Texas school teacher, the advances of a lustful teenager and the jealousies of the widowed hotel owner – as he seeks solace with a new arrival, a gentle spinster traveling with her grandfather – the world's oldest living poet.

Directed by Norman Blumensaadt (The Carpetbagger's Children), The Night of the Iguana features Tom Chamberlain (The Goat or Who is Sylvia?) as the Rev. Shannon, Content Love Knowles (Murder Mystery Ballad) as the hotel proprietor Maxine and Rebecca Robinson (Circle, Mirror, Transformation) as the artist Hannah Jelkes. Also In the cast are Donald Bayne (The Duck Variations) as the poet Jonathan Coffin, Karen Jambon (Mary Stuart) as the Music Teacher Judith Fellowes and Chloe Edmundson (The Skin of Our Teeth) as her music student Charlotte Goodall. Rounding out the cast are Brian Brown, Ben McLemore, Scott Friedman, Phoebe Greene, Carrie Stephens, Justin Smith, Tony Salinas, Carlos Saenz and Ashley McNerney.

On Saturday March 26 join the cast for a Tennessee Williams Birthday Party, in honor of the Williams centennial.

Click to view additional images by Bret Brookshire at AustinLiveTheatre.com. . . .

Images by Brett Brookshire: Morning's at Seven by Paul Osborne, Different Stages at the Vortex, November 19 - December 11

Images by Bret Brookshire found at the website for Different Stages:

Different Stages opens its 2010–2011 season with Paul Osborn’s comedy

Morning’s at Seven

November 19 - December 11
at the Vortex Repertory, 2307 Manor Road

This story is about the intertwined relationships and long standing sibling rivalries of the four aging Gibbs sisters. Three of them have lived next door to one another for fifty years and the eldest sister lives only a few blocks away. Living so close has taken its toll. The quiet lives these women share with their husbands start to come unhinged when some of them begin to question what to do with their remaining years. Tensions rise when Ida’s 40–year–old son brings his fiancé of 12 years to the house for the first time. A story about growing old, growing up, and letting go.

Directed by Karen Jambon (Eurydice), Morning’s at Seven features Jennifer Underwood (The Carpetbagger’s Children), Lana Dieterich (Vigil), Bobbie Oliver (Spider’s Web) and Kathleen Lawson (On Golden Pond) as the four Gibb sisters. Playing the three husbands are Michael Hankin (The Skin of Our Teeth), Richard Craig (Lettice and Lovage), and San Damon (Spider’s Web). Playing Ida’s son and his fiancé are Jonathan Urso (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and Anne Hulsman (The Carpetbagger’ss Children).

Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. There is no performance on Thanksgiving, Thursday November 25. Added performance on Wednesday December 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are Pick your Price: $15, $20, $25, and $30. For tickets and information call 478-5282.

Click to view additional images by Bret Brookshire at AustinLiveTheatre.com. . . .