Upcoming: Menagerie on a Hot Tin Streetcar by Rob Nash, staged reading at the Vortex Repertory, December 19

Found at Rob Faubion's AustinOnStage.com:

Rob Nash Returns to VORTEX Theatre

For his next project, award-winning writer and performer Rob Nash has put the plays of Tennessee Williams through a comedic blender to create the ensemble mash-up, Menagerie on a Hot Tin Streetcar. The new work will receive its debut staged reading on Sunday,

December 19th, at the VORTEX Theatre.

More than just a parody - although Nash promised plenty of that - the playwright has tried to create a dramatic Tennessee Williams-esque comedy/drama as his 21st original work. Gay Tombrickly wants his "beard" wife Maggie Mae to stop demanding he give her a child, as this would require sleeping with her. Tombrickly likes his women like he likes his coffee - and he hates coffee. Blanchymanda drinks and hallucinates while trying to marry her cripple half-wit daughter Stellaura off to gentleman caller, while her husband Stangoop tries to inherit the Night Iguana Shoe Store from his transgendered mother/father Big Mama Daddy.

Writing and performing his own brand of one-man shows at The VORTEX since 1995, Nash has performed his works across the United States. His award-winning Holy Cross Sucks! premiered Off-Broadway in September 2005 to rave reviews, earning a "Top 10 Broadway and Off-Broadway Shows of 2005" recognition by Time Out New York.

His solo theatre and standup comedy have also been seen internationally at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Montreal Comedy Arts Festival, and Atlantis Cruise Lines. Nash has been featured on Comedy Central, VH1 and Q Television.

The one-night performance begins at 6:30 p.m., and admission is free - although donations will be accepted. The VORTEX Theatre is located at 2307 Manor Road. For more information, call (512) 478-LAVA (5282) or visit www.VortexRep.org.

(Rob Nash photo by Kenneth Gall)

Upcoming: Boxed Set, Rob Nash solo at the Vortex Repertory, December 17 - 18

Found on-line:

The VORTEX presents

Rob Nash’s

Boxed Set

2 Nights Only! Dec.17-18, 2010 Friday-Saturday 8 p.m.

Vortex Repertory, 2307 Manor Road (click for map)

Tickets:$30-$10
$30-$25 Priority Seating, $20-$15 General Admission, $10 Starving Artists
Limited seating. Advance purchase recommended.

Selected scenes from Rob’s 20 award-winning theatrical works including the one that started it all: 12 Steps to a More Dysfunctional You (Rob’s 1st play); The off-Broadway sensation, Holy Cross Sucks! (his 8th play), Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as Scrooge and Marley in A Christmas Carol Roasting on an Open Fire (16th play) and last summer’s smash hit Special Needs (20th play). Plus some new stories and standup and maybe a song or three…

Brad Hastings will be making a guest appearance both nights. He was “Whipping Boy” back in the 90’s and 00’s, and created sound design for the Dysfunctionals and Holy Cross Sucks plays.

Have a Rob Nash Xmas!!!

Upcoming: 12 Steps to a More Dysfunctional Christmas by Rob Nash, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, December 25 - January 2

Found on-line:

VORTEX Repertory Company presents

12 Steps to a More Dysfunctional Christmas
Written and Performed by Rob Nash
Dec. 25-27, 2009 (Fri-Sun) & Dec. 31-Jan.02 (Thur-Sat.), 8pm !! 6 Nights ONLY !!

Rob Nash returns to The Vortex with his famous dysfunctional holiday show for 6 nights only. This one-man, black comedy is a sure cure for the average, overly-sweetened holiday fare. Rob’s biting wit, sharp writing, and exceptional acting have earned him numerous awards and accolades. Take the edge of the holidays and join us for 12 Steps to a More Dysfunctional Christmas.

Enjoy live holiday musical performances by John & Tyler in the cafe before and after the show Dec 25-27, Dec 31- Jan. 2. Come share some hot spiced wine!

The Vortex Café is now serving fabulous gourmet, sandwiches, tamales, cake from Chez Zee, and hot spiced wine, in addition to our exceptional assortment of beer and wine and homemade sangria. Come early, stay late.

Happy Holidays!

Tickets: $30-$10 ($30-$25 Priority Seating, $20-$15 General Admission, $10 Starving Artists)

Upcoming: Holy Cross Sucks! by Rob Nash, Vortex Repertory, March 20 - April 4

From the Vortex website:








UPDATE: Review by Barry Pineo in Austin Chronicle of March 26

HOLY CROSS Sucks!!
A Comedy About The Tragedy of High School
presented by Rob Nash and the VORTEX Repertory Company
Written and performed by Rob Nash | Directed by Jeff Calhoun

Mar.20-Apr.04, 2009; Thurs-Sun; 8pm
Tickets: $30-$10
$30-$25 Priority Seating, $20-$15 General Admission, $10 Starving Artists
Limited seating. Advanced purchase recommended.
Tickets available on-line www.vortexrep.org or at 512-478-LAVA (5282)

Over three years in the making have led to the first post off-Broadway production of Rob Nash’s award-winning HOLY CROSS SUCKS!

Winner Top Ten Broadway/off-Broadway Shows, 2005 Time Out New York Magazine

Playwright/Performer, Rob Nash in conjunction with Tony Award Nominated Director, Jeff Calhoun present HOLY CROSS SUCKS!, a comic journey through those unforgettable years of high school, starring Rob Nash as an ensemble cast that includes “the virgin”, “the nerd”, “the homo”, “the punk”, “the fat kid”, and “the slut.” Welcome back to the 80’s and the formative years that traumatized us all!

In the spirit of teen film classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Fast Times At Ridgemont High, HOLY CROSS SUCKS! follows three best friends as they navigate those painful, life-defining, and humiliating years of high school. We're never as vulnerable and as vicious, as beautiful and as ugly, as idealistic and apathetic, and as vain and as humble as when we're adolescents. Playing a full cast of beloved and reviled characters, Nash explores these paradoxes with biting humor, insight, and a killer soundtrack.

“A comic escapade, with a teeming cast of richly detailed characters engaged in a breakneck series of amusing rites of passage.” -Austin Chronicle

“HOLY CROSS SUCKS! Rob Nash's infectious solo show, based on his years at a Jesuit high school in Texas, mines the 1980's for pop-culture references and for John Hughes-style narrative devices. But the nostalgia goes deeper than Izod and "Purple Rain" in this unexpectedly rich coming-of-age tale, made all the warmer by Mr. Nash's cool, unflappable demeanor.” -New York Times

“Nash clearly loves his wannabe rebels. As a performer and writer, his virtuosic peaks come when the boys share private moments, and he flickers between them with impeccable precision. Holy Cross Sucks may be the perfect vehicle for Nash's undeniable acting talent… Nash… up there alone, displaying his prowess to the world.” - Variety

ROB NASH has performed internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Montreal Comedy Festival. Nash’s work has been produced at regional theaters including Stages in Houston, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Carolina Theater in Durham, VORTEX in Austin, The Cable Car in San Francisco, and Velvet Elvis Arts Lounge in Seattle.

JEFF CALHOUN directed and choreographed the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Big River (for deaf and hearing audiences!) and Grease! (Tony nomination Best Choreography). Last season he staged the original Broadway smash hit, Grey Gardens he produced and directed the original Broadway musical Brooklyn which begins its national tour in May 2006. Calhoun made his Broadway directing debut with Tommy Tune Tonight and his collaboration with Tommy Tune on The Will Rogers Follies led to the 1997 Tony Award for Best Choreography. Calhoun directed and choreographed the Deaf West production of Oliver! (Ovation Award- Direction), and both the Deaf West and Mark Taper Forum productions of Big River (Ovation and L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards for both Direction and Choreography). Recently Calhoun co-directed the world premiere of Himself and Nora with Joseph Hardy at the Old Globe Theater. He co- choreographed the Tony-winning revival of Annie Get Your Gun with both Bernadette Peters and Reba MacIntire. Calhoun received the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for his choreography in Bouncers.

Upcoming: Twelve Steps to A More Disfunctional Christmas, Vortex Repertory, December 18 - January 3

Found on-line:

12 Steps to More Dysfunctional Christmas
Written and performed by Rob Nash. Presented by VORTEX Repertory Company
Dec.18-21, Dec.25-28, 2008, and Jan.01-03, 2009 8pm (Thursday-Sunday)

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VORTEX Repertory Company presents 12 Steps to a More Dysfunctional Christmas by Rob Nash: a Holiday show that everyone and their dysfunctional families can relate to during this special time of year. Award-winning writer/performer Rob Nash brings his hilarious brand of comedy to life, revisiting this classic that first played The VORTEX at Christmas in 1994. That show marked the beginning of the successful series of Rob Nash’s many one-man plays at The VORTEX.

Set your watches back to 1993 and enjoy the New Age-Recovery Industrial Complex’s favorite family, the Smiths! Dust off your Wilson-Phillips, Michael Bolton, and New Kids on the Block. Find your copy of The Road Less-Traveled. Remember when the internet was a pipe dream called "the information superhighway", another George Bush was an ex-president, and your cell phone was called a car phone.

Rob Nash is famous for shifting from character to character, adeptly creating 3 generations of The Smith Family. If you have never met them, you will love them (and hate them). If you already know them, you will want to meet them again.

Sneak Preview: Fred calls his mother for the first time in 3 years. Margot juggles her annual New Year’s Party, The Junior League, Bible Study and Book Club. Ashley gets her heart broken by Maddie (again) at the Spring Dale Mall Taco! Taco! Taco! over a watermelon banana smoothie smoothie smoothie with granola and M&Ms. Matt survives a coma inducing car crash. Windsong creates a Wild Inner Child Weekend retreat experience. And that’s just Scene One! Oh, and Phil Donahue makes a short appearance, don’t forget that!

Enjoy the holidays with the most dysfunctional people we know, our families. The Smiths make almost any family seem more functional. 12 Steps to a More Dysfunctional Christmas plays for 3 weeks only at The VORTEX. When you can’t sit home with the family one more night, take this time to venture out to enjoy live performance in Austin at The VORTEX.

“How do you do that?” –Ann Richards

Top 10 Broadway/Off-Broadway 2005 for Holy Cross Sucks! –Time Out Magazine

Tickets: $30-$10
($30-$25 Priority Seating. $20-$15 General Admission. $10 Starving Artists)
Limited Seating. Advanced purchase recommended. Group Sales Available.
Three weeks only!