AUSTIN THEATER REVIEWS

Though some moments certainly work more than others, West Side Terri is an amusing and enjoyable show carried by a skilled performer....

I've heard it said that we are our most authentic selves when no one else is around and it's just us with our thoughts. Perhaps that's why Tru is so effective. By giving us a one man play in which Truman Capote can contemplate his life and the people in it, Jay Presson Allen has given us a fascin...

Though there have been a few modifications to the tour over the last few years (the set design is slightly simpler and some moments have been cut for time) The Lion King is still majestic, astonishing, thrilling, and thoroughly entertaining....

When the Georgetown Palace announced that they'd be producing Dearly Beloved by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, the team behind Dixie Swim Club and The Hallelujah Girls, I expected that I would have lots of fun, and I did. That may be the only problem with this frivolous character co...

I hoped to enjoy the World Premiere of Elizabeth: Heart of a King, now playing Austin's Vortex Theatre as it had many elements I generally gravitate towards. However, though Queen Elizabeth may be one of the most successful monarchs in history, Elizabeth: Heart of a King does not fare so well....

While there are still a few kinks in the material, Invisible Inc. is a must-see production of an engrossing and enchanting new play....

Everyone knows many of Sherlock Holme's signatures, including the arrogant and infamous retort of, "Elementary, my dear Watson." With The Game's Afoot, an enchanting and exciting new play by Ken Ludwig, the Austin Playhouse proves that their skills and talents are anything but elementary as they pr...

Oscar Wilde once said, "A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament." Indeed, it is the "unique temperament" of the Marquis de Sade which is on display in Different Stages' outstanding production of Quills, written by Doug Wright. With its hysterical text, its magnificent cast, and ...

This winter marks a momentous occasion for Ballet Austin. This year's THE NUTCRACKER is the company's 50th annual production of the beloved ballet, and from my seat last night, I can say that this Golden Anniversary production is exactly that: golden. Helmed by choreographer Stephen Mills, this NU...

WHITE CHRISTMAS, now playing at Zach's Topfer Theatre, is the best of the best. It's a fun, dazzling, family-friendly celebration of not only the Holiday season but of the golden age of Broadway and Hollywood as well....

When a show is as acclaimed as BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL, the worldwide megahit that won 10 Tony Awards, audience expectations are high to say the least. Mine were. And no matter how high my expectations can get, many a show surpasses them with ease. BILLY ELLIOT isn't one of those shows. Despit...

Austin's Palindrome Theatre certainly has a short but interesting history. When it opened three years ago, Palindrome stated they would close their doors in December 2012. In those three short years, they've staged seven productions and have earned plenty of critical acclaim. And now as it is Dec...

Back in September, I sang the praises of Austin's Capital City Men's Chorus, saying "This group is polished, professional, hungry to be heard, and just as good as their counterparts in other cities such as Los Angeles and New York." Three months later, the only change is an adornment of holly berri...

It's a Christmas Miracle! With MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, the Georgetown Palace Theatre has breathed new life into a loveable but flawed and forgotten musical and in the process has given Austin a sparkling, family-friendly Holiday treat....

Family. They'll always be there for you, and odds are they'll drive you crazy, too. That seems to be the general idea of Joe DiPietro's dramatic comedy, Over The River and Through the Woods, currently playing Austin's City Theatre. While there are countless plays like this, City Theatre's product...

The stage version of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, presented for the 2nd year in a row by The Penfold Theatre Company, is in many ways more enjoyable than the original film. This show is as warm and sweet as a cup of hot coco on Christmas Eve....

When you see a show titled Vodka, F***ing and Television, it's inevitable that one question will come to mind. Will the show be as crass and funny as the name suggests, or will it go overboard and be dead on arrival? I'm glad to say that with its witty script, skillful direction, and extraordinar...

When you walk into the Whisenhunt Stage to see their current production of The Santaland Diaries and are greeted with fractured Christmas songs such as "Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire," "It's the Most Fattening Time of the Year," and "Yellow Snow, Yellow Snow, Yellow Snow," you know you're in fo...

You may already be familiar with A CHRISTMAS STORY, the neo-classic film based on the books and essays of Jean Shepherd, which follows young Ralphie Parker in his quest to receive a Red Ryder B.B. Gun for Christmas. This holiday season, San Antonio's Woodlawn Theatre offers a pleasant, charming, an...

It may be Thanksgiving week, but Christmas is already in full swing at the Long Center. With Cirque Dreams Holidaze, the Long Center is alive with jugglers, acrobats, illusionists, dancers, and a healthy dose of Christmas cheer....

With Hester Prynne, the heroine of The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne created one of American literature's most wonderfully flawed characters. There's much to love about Hester and much that is worrisome. She's a sinner and an adulterous, but she's also a courageous woman who wishes to atone ...

I know I read You Can't Take it With You back in college, and I must offer my apologies to my fantastic professor, Gary Gardner, because I did not remember anything about this play until seeing the current production by Different Stages. This production of the classic American comedy by George Kauf...

It may not even be Thanksgiving yet, but at Sam Bass Theatre, the halls are decked and the mistletoe is hung. With their current production of A Christmas Carol, one of the first Holiday offerings in Austin this season, it's clear that their aim is to create a fun, family friendly experience, and t...

I am very pleased to say that Texas State University - San Marcos's current production of Into the Woods is easily the best live production of the show that I have yet to see. This winning cast, smart director, and wonderful creative team have created an Into the Woods that is charming, funny, hear...

Whether you are an opera connoisseur or an opera virgin, Austin Lyric Opera's production of PAGLIACCI is a must see. The music is beautiful. The visuals are mesmerizing and stunning, and the cast is second to none. It's hard to come by an evening that is more enjoyable than this....