Arts Reporting: Austin Playhouse Announces Move to Mueller Development

Reported by Jeanne Claire van Ryzin on the Statesman's Ausin360 'Seeing Things' blog, November 19

Austin Playhouse announces move to Mueller

By Jeanne Claire van Ryzin Friday, November 19

After nearly ten years at its South Congress Avenue location, Austin Playhouse plans to build a $4 million new theater in the Mueller redevelopment in East Austin, theater officials announced Friday.

Catellus Development Group, the master developer of Mueller, confirmed that it had signed a letter of intent with Austin Playhouse.

The theater would be located in the Mueller town center, roughly north of Mueller’s Lake Park. The town center is planned to be a mix of retail, restaurant and entertainment venues. However, no date has been set to start that phase of the Mueller project.

“We’re excited about the opportunities the Austin Playhouse would bring to Mueller,” said Greg Weaver, managing director for Catellus Development Group, the master developer of Mueller. “The Austin Playhouse will help activate a new area of the Mueller community, draw new visitors to experience other elements of the development and provide another primarily nighttime venue to move Mueller toward a 24/7 community.”

The community theater group [SIC] plans to build a 17,000-square-foot two-theater complex with classrooms, a gallery, offices and ground-floor space to sublet to a bar or restaurant.

Don Toner, executive director of Austin Playhouse, said he expects construction to begin in 2011. He said the $4 million price tag includes about $2 million for the property and 100 parking spaces and $2 million for construction, fundraising and other project costs.

Toner said that $265,000 in pledges and cash has been raised so far.

Arts Reporting by Jeanne Claire van Ryzin: Shakespeare at the Long Center, Austin Playhouse at Mueller

Two items today from Jeanne Claire van Ryzin at the Statesman's Austin360 "Seeing Things" blog:

Long Center adds Globe Theatre production to HD film screenings

By Jeanne Claire van Ryzin | Friday, September 10, 2010, 10:58 AM

Expanding its agreement with HD film distributors, the Long Center for the Performing Arts has announced that it will now be screening recent Shakespeare productions from London’s Globe Theatre.

The first is the Globe’s 2009 production of ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ directed Dominic Dromgoole. It screens at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1. Tickets are $15, $10 for students.

Screening dates for more Globe Theatre productions will be announced in the near future.

Recently, the Long Center began screening Emerging Pictures Opera in Cinema series of recent production from international opera houses. The next in that series is London’s Royal Opera House production of ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’ which screens at 7 p.m. Sept. 14.

See thelongcenter.org for more information.

Austin Playhouse considers move to Mueller

By Jeanne Claire van Ryzin | Friday, September 10, 2010, 02:14 PM

After nearly a decade in residence at South Austin’s Penn Field development, Austin Playhouse is thinking about it’s next move. Where to? The Mueller redevelopment in East Austin.

Nothing is inked or written in stone yet, but Austin Playhouse, led by Don Toner, reports that it is in discussions to secure a location adjacent to the planned Austin Childrens’ Museum.

Austin Playhouse imagines its new facility to include two performance facilities — a 200-seat main stage and a 99-seat flexible second stage — along with classrooms and support facilities. Austin Playhouse estimates its project will cost between $3 to $5 million.

Greg Weaver, the Catellus executive in Austin in charge of the Mueller redevelopment told the American-Statesman today that “we’re in very preliminary discussions,” with Austin Playhouse about going into Mueller’s future town center, potentially adjacent to the planned new Austin Children’s Museum.

Weaver added that while the theater would be “a great addition” to the future town center, there is no deal at the moment. The Mueller town center is planned to be a mix of retail, restaurant and entertainment venues. However, no date has been set to start the town center phase of the Mueller project.