Upcoming: Shakespeare Scrooged by Manuel Zarate, December 14 - 30

presents 



Shakespeare Scrooged
by Manuel Zarate

December 18 and 19 only, 7:30 p.m.

The Trinity Street Players Black Box (on the 4th floor of First Baptist Church, Austin) at the corner of 9th & Trinity in downtown Austin.

The HBMG Foundation presents Shakespeare Scrooged, a retelling written and directed by Manuel Zarate of the classic Dickens Christmas Caroll with Shakespeare's fiesty, funny and often infamous characters! With a stellar cast, Shakespeare Scrooged stars Michelle Haché (Sound of Music), Michelle Alexander (Xanadu), Alison Stebbins (All My Sons), Aaron Alexander (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Derek Jones (Of Mice & Men), Cody Eastman (Baby), and Ann Pittman (Ragtime)!

Two nights only and seating is limited! Email apittman@hbmginc.com to reserve your seat! Tickets are free, but donations are accepted!

Donations will be collected for Trinity Center and Caritas of Austin. 

Four Square by Manuel Zarate, FronteraFest at the Blue Theatre, January 27 - February 4

Inevitably, Manuel Zarate's one-act play Four Square reminds one of Edward Albee's The Zoo Story. There's a chance encounter in a public place with no one else around. The chat between two strangers starts with simple exchanges, courtesies, really, then progresses until we eventually see that one of them is a psychotic and the other is a victim. There's something of the bull ring to the concept, except that instead of the ceremonial squads to do the tormenting, there's only the psycho. And the shape is different: the playing space is defined by a chalk square scrupulously marked into quadrants. The two are chained together by circumstances -- metaphorically at first and then in an unexpected development, literally.

Albee's story is simple, a searing descending arc; Zarate's is considerably more complex. The victim in this story is a woman, Beverly -- hesitant and a mild physical handicap. Ann Catherine Pittman in that role initially seems to resemble a bird with a broken wing but as the story develops she proves capable of anger, stubbornness and effective resistance. J. Ben Wolfe is David, who says that he's waiting for a bus so he can visit his wife and daughter. It never comes and he was probably not waiting for it in the first place. Late in the action in a flash of insight unexplained to the audience, Beverly realizes that David probably has no family because he has driven them away or perhaps even killed them.

Read more at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Auditions: Male Actor for a month at the Edinburgh Fringe in August in Four Square by Manuel Zarate

Seeking actor for role of “David” in the Long Fringe production Four Square, to be performed at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, August 2-30, with other potential performances earlier during spring or summer in Austin, Texas. Paid position, $207/week for Equity/Non-Equity actors. Written and directed by Manuel Zarate, Four Square features Douglas Taylor and Ann Pittman, with Andy Perry as stage manager.

This is a very physical three-person show. FronteraFest description: "What is love? It's everything and nothing. It's funny and awful. It's the "till death do us part" and the one night stand. For three strangers in Austin, Texas, one night will change their lives forever. Each will face the myth of their past and the reality of their present. Love is not what we thought it was."

To audition: please attend a performance of Four Square playing at Austin’s Frontera Fest and thenspeak with Manuel, Andy, Doug, or Ann after the performance. You may also email your resume & headshot to Manuel at mzarate@hbmginc.com. Four Square will be performed Jan 27^th at 7pm, Jan 29^th at 4:15pm, Feb. 1^st at 7pm and Feb. 4^th at 9:15pm at the Blue Theater. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door or on-line. After the company gauges interest, formal auditions will start in February with rehearsals in July for the Edinburgh performances in August.

Upcoming: Four Square by Manuel Zarate, FronteraFest at the Blue Theatre, January 27 - February 4

Received directly:

Upcoming: Burlesque for Peace, Valentines Day, United States Art Authority, 9 p.m.

Received from the HBMG Foundation:

"We are always happy to support a former ArtSpark workshop speaker. Our friend Mike Wilson and his wife are putting on a Valentines Day Extravaganza benefiting a PeaceOneDay.org. Tickets for the dinner and show are sold old but you can still catch the show for $20. To purchase tickets Visit: www.burlesqueforpeace.org"

Burlesque for Peace 2009
Valentine's Day Extravaganza!!
The United States Art Authority
29th St. & Guadalupe
Next door to Spider House Cafe

Just the show, $20

The show starts at 9pm and the price includes one free Tito's Vodka cocktail of your choice!

There will also be an art auction, door gifts, a photo area, and special surprise guest performers!

Afterparty starts at midnight. A $10 donation is suggested if attending afterparty only.