Video Promos by Christian Huey: ALAMO AFTERMATH by John Cecil, Crank Collective, November 7 - 16, 2013

Crank Collective presents 

Alamo Aftermath: A Texas Revolution Operetta

Inspired by letters and memoirs from the Texas Revolution

November 7-16 (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays) ,8 p.m.

City Theatre, 3823 Airport Rd. (behind the Shell station) - click for map

Tickets: $12/ $15/ $20 Info and tickets: www.texshows.com or call 512/569.6155. Thursdays tickets are all $12!

  (video by Chrisian Huey)

After the Alamo fell, the Texas army under Sam Houston retreated, leaving behind charred settlements and a mob of evacuating civilians. Heroes and villains of every background emerged in this “Runaway Scrape,” ending the battle with a victory for Texas at San Jacinto. Crank Collective, under the direction of John Cecil, tells this incredible story in a one-hour operetta featuring drama, comedy, battle scenes and music with a live band.

Second of three in a series of Texas history musicals, the production follows Tejano patriot José Antonio Menchaca from besieged San Antonio to East Texas, where he becomes embroiled in the war’s final battle. Fighting alongside him are the Barnaby brothers, reluctant soldiers who fled scandal in Georgia to claim cheap land in Texas. Based partly on Menchaca’s memoir and historical documents, the all-ages production of Alamo Aftermath tells of love of country, lust for land and the birth of the nation of Texas.

(video by Chrisian Huey)

About José Antonio Menchaca Born in San Antonio, in 1800, José Antonio Menchaca fought with Juan Seguin and Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacinto. He later led patrols around San Antonio to prevent Indian attacks, and again fought the Mexican army in 1843. Always involved in Texas politics, he later fought for the rights of Tejano veterans to receive military pensions for defending Texas during the Revolution.

Cast and Ensemble The cast includes: Phil Rodriguez, Carl Guthrie, Dan Dalbout, Megan Ortiz, Christian Huey, Kimberley Wilson, John Medberry, Matt Melton, Doug Rensi, Lucy Miller-Downing and John Stephens. The band is Jonathan Hoyle, Chris La Cava, John Cecil.

About Crank Collective Crank Collective is a rotating group of actors, musicians and theatrical artists which has performed in New York, Prague and Bucharest. They brought the show Epidemic of Fear: An Influenzical to Austin in 2009 and then Drone in 2011 (nominated for an Austin critic's Table Award for Best Musical Production). This past year, Crank Collective performed Cabeza de Vaca at the Long Center as Part 1 of the Texas History Series.

Crank Collective is a sponsored project of the Austin Creative Alliance, a non-profit arts service organization, working to advance, connect, and celebrate Austin’s creative life. Alamo-Operetta is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division.

Upcoming: Insomnia, a musical comedy by Crank Collective at the Hideout Theatre, March 25 - April 10

UPDATE: KOOP-FM's Lisa Schepps interviews director John Cecil and the cast, and they perform two numbers from the show, March 22 (30 min.)

Found on-line:

Insomnia: A Musical Comedy

March 26 - April 10, Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.

Hideout Theater, 617 Congress Avenue (Mainstage, first floor, not the improv space upstairs)

(Google directions and map) Running Time: 60 minutes

Ticket Price: $15, general admission; $12 student/senior

Tickets by Phone: 866-811-4111 or on-line at theatermania.com

• “Insomnia Patch activates the body’s own “alert centers,” creating a sense of well-being, enhancing productivity, and ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR SLEEP.”

Another light musical comedy from Crank Collective, who produced last year’s H1N1-themed Epidemic of Fear, The Influenzical. Insomnia is directed by John Cecil, and features Kacey Samiee, Joshua Meindertsma, Gail Hebert, Phil Rodriguez, Brett Tribe, Tracy Medberry and Kate Caldwell. Live music provided by Mikey Walters, Chris LaCava and the Hoyle Horns.

Crank Collective is a sponsored project of the Greater Austin Creative Alliance, a non-profit arts service organization, working to advance, connect and celebrate Austin's creative life. Insomnia is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division.

More information and media at www.insomniashow.com, or contact John Cecil at insomniapatch@gmail.com or 512-569-6155.


Cast: Brett Tribe, Kacey Samiee, Phil Rodriguez, Tracy Medberry, Josh Meindertsma, Gail Hebert, Kate Caldwell (click image for bios)

Video montage from the 2008 production of Insomnia in Bucharest



Crank Collective is a sponsored-project of Austin Circle of Theaters, and this project is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division

Grease, Georgetown Palace Theatre, March 20 - April 19

The Georgetown Palace Theatre is back to doing what they do best -- a rollicking big musical comedy with lots of dance,sparkling with a glitzy coating of happy nostalgia. Grease is no trail breaker, but it's for sure an entertainment where the whole family can kick back and enjoy. With the bonus that they'll learn that live theatre is so much more than the talking pictures from the 1978 movie with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Everybody's doing it. The Texas School for the Deaf puts on a version tonight and tomorrow, with the interesting twist that the the interpreters for the audience will be speaking, not signing. Tex-Arts is running a June theatre camp for youth that will culminate in performances of the show.



The Palace does the theatrical version of Grease, which originated in Chicago in 1971 and went on to Broadway. There's music not included in the movie version, but the story's generally the same: after a summer romance, sweet Sandy and greaser guy Danny encounter one another unexpectedly at their urban high school, with all sorts of social pressures from the Pink Girls clique and the guys' T-Birds gang (a pretty innocent group of gawkers, closer to the then-contemporary "Happy Days" TV show than to the gangs in West Side Story).

Scenes take place in the school cafeteria, at a slumber party, around a hot rod, in the burger palace, at the gym dance, at the drive-in movie, and at a party. No studying for these kids! Teachers are goofs and the class brain is, in today's terms, a nerd. But who cares? What's important is hormones, acting out, having a good time, and getting the chance to dance, dance, dance!

Read More at AustinLiveTheatre.com. . . .