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BWW Reviews: McCallum Fine Arts Academy Stages Darker LES MISERABLES
Earlier this season, I did something slightly unorthodox when I attended and reviewed Bonnie and Clyde at McCallum Fine Arts Academy. Over the past months, I've been asked about that review on more than one occasion, and the questions have typically been regarding why I'd review a High School produ...
BWW Reviews: Why You Need to Drop Everything and See CIRCLE THE WAGONS
I had a very interesting experience in a theater the other night. I was sitting in one of Austin's traditional theater spaces waiting for a show to begin, and two ladies sitting directly behind me were talking about a different show, Circle the Wagons, The Exchange Artists' exploratory, original, s...
BWW Reviews: Austin Shakespeare's OTHELLO Beautifully Designed and Acted
When Austin Shakespeare announced that their 2013-2014 season would feature a production of Othello, my immediate response was "Why?" After all, Austin's City Theatre produced the show just last season, and it was, as I mentioned in my review, "the highlight of the City Theatre's season."...
BWW Reviews: Outstanding Performances in WHIPPING MAN Saddled by Underwhelming Script
As part of a Jewish family, I have had to sit through my share of Passover Seders, some of which are more bizarre and uncomfortable than others. That said, a Seder between two once enslaved black men and their former owner just days after the end of the Civil War takes the matzo cake. Matthew Lope...
BWW Reviews: WICKED Flies High in Austin Due to Outstanding Supporting Cast
Wicked certainly has an interesting reputation among theatergoers. Some theater fanatics love the show. Others hate it. I've always found myself somewhere in the middle. Wicked certainly has both flaws and merits, but to those who only see its flaws, I have this observation to share. Of all the...
BWW Reviews: Audra McDonald Wows Austin in One Night Only Concert
It's entirely appropriate that the first syllable of Audra McDonald's name is pronounced "awe." Anyone who's heard a recording of her voice knows how incredible she sounds, and anyone who's seen her in concert knows how engrossing she is. With her gorgeous, crystal clear soprano voice, incredible ...
BWW Reviews: St Edwards University Puts Modern Spin on TARTUFFE
It's astounding and a little sad that of all the things that have fallen out of style since the 1600s, hypocrisy isn't one of them. Thankfully though, comedy isn't one of them either. Both hypocrisy and comedy take center stage in St Edwards University's production of Tartuffe, an interesting and ...
BWW Reviews: Quirky DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE Bolstered by Talented Cast and Imaginative Design
It's rare for two plays by the same playwright to run simultaneously in Austin. It's exceedingly rare for two plays by the same female playwright to run simultaneously in Austin. That's why it's so surprising that there are two productions of Sarah Ruhl plays in Austin right now. As ZACH Theatre ...
BWW Reviews: IN THE NEXT ROOM Well Deserving of the Buzz
I'm a sucker for plays that are so multifaceted that I feel I can't do them justice in a review. In the Next Room, or the vibrator play, now playing at ZACH Theatre, is without a doubt one of those plays. The comedy, written by Sarah Ruhl, is wonderful but exceedingly difficult to describe. It's ...
BWW Reviews: ZACH Theatre Hosts Mini RENT Reunion with ADAM AND DAPHNE IN CONCERT
In 1996, several up and coming performers made their Broadway debuts in a show that would make musical theater history. The show was Rent and two of those performers were Adam Pascal and Daphne Ruben-Vega. Some very lucky Austin area Rentheads, myself included, got a chance to see the two reunite ...
BWW Reviews: Paradox Players Production of SIX DANCE LESSONS Is a Valentine's Treat
There's a rather funny thing about relationships, whether they be friendships or romantic. We all know that they take hard work to maintain, but the best ones appear to require no work at all. While the unlikely chums in Richard Alfieri's dramedy Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks put in a painstaking...
BWW Reviews: GIDION'S KNOT a Visceral, Fierce Look at Bullying and Child Suicide
If you decide to see Gidion's Knot, and you should, take this word of caution. Be prepared to feel punched in the gut. This play will hit you, demand that you think, and will put you through a fair share of pain. I guarantee that it's worth it. Gidion's Knot may be uncomfortable, but it's defini...
BWW Reviews: Austin Lyric Opera's TOSCA Triumphs
My apologies to Verdi and Mozart. No one does romance like Puccini. If you were lucky enough to catch Austin Lyric Opera's recent production of Tosca, I assume you'd agree with me. The production is easily among the best productions in ALO's recent history....
BWW Reviews: PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT YOU SOMETIMES Doesn't Say What It Means
There's no doubt that People Will Talk About You Sometimes has good intentions, something I applaud and have no intention to criticize. The world premiere play from Poison Apple Initiative tries to tackle the topic of suicide and is inspired by 4.48 Psychosis, a performance art exploration of depre...
BWW Reviews: BOWIE PROJECT Is a Dance Oddity
It's about time that the music of David Bowie gets a stage treatment, and it's no wonder that the inventive Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre clearly sees the potential to create a unique theatrical experience through Bowie's work. Part concert, part dance show, and part performance art, the world premie...
BWW Reviews: SNIPER'S NEST Gives Interesting But Implausible Glimpse of Lee Harvey Oswald
There's something about The Sniper's Next, a theatrical reinterpretation of Me & Lee, that is compelling and engaging despite the major implausibilities....
BWW Reviews: World Premiere of MOCHA Gives an Honest Depiction of International Adoption
Any theatergoer knows that new works tend to be hit or miss. New works premiering at a fringe festival tend to be even more unpredictable. Yes, there are plenty of successful, well-respected plays that had their beginnings at a fringe fest, but thousands more premiere and are swiftly forgotten. M...
BWW Reviews: Hidden Room's DER BESTRAFTE BRUDERMORD Gives Austin a Comedic HAMLET…With Puppets!
To all at The Hidden Room, I hope you know that you've accomplished the impossible. You've made me like Hamlet. I know there are millions out there who consider Hamlet to be the greatest tragedy of all time, but I on the other hand consider the act of viewing Hamlet to be the real tragedy. Honest...
BWW Reviews: W.K. Tells Conventional Love Story in a Surprising, Unconventional Way
If you go see W.K., the startling original play now playing at The Vortex, you may notice the following note in the program: "W.K. is a work in progress and we would love your feedback, thoughts, and ideas as we continue to develop the piece." Here's my feedback. Don't change a damn thing. As it ...
BWW Reviews: Different Stages' THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE Explores Expressions of Love
At the top of the second act of The Language Archive, a skilled linguist named George (Trevor Bissell) gives the audience a lesson in Esperanto, a universal language created in the late 1800s. In the span of about 2 minutes, we learn the Esperanto translations of 'I am loved,' 'I was loved,' and 'I ...
BWW Reviews: Ask Someone to Lend You a Ticket to LEND ME A TENOR
In her curtain speech on opening night of Lend Me a Tenor, now playing at the Georgetown Palace, Artistic Director Mary Ellen Butler called playwright a Ken Ludwig a "comedic genius," and explained why she encouraged director Lannie Hilboldt to tackle the play. Hilboldt, a professional musician, ha...
BWW Reviews: Austin Playhouse's VENUS IN FUR is a Steamy, Naughty Treat
Austin actresses, take note. If you're not getting cast as often as you'd wish, there are two techniques you may want to try. Next time you go to an audition, come with props, specifically a dog collar and a whip. If that's not your style, then just try to emulate the incredible talents of Molly ...
BWW Reviews: Perfection Isn't an Impossible Dream for MAN OF LA MANCHA Tour
MAN OF LA MANCHA has entertained audiences for almost 50 years, and if the current National Tour is any indication, it will continue to do so 50 years from now....
BWW Reviews: Fantastic Performers Can't Overcome AMERICAN IDIOT's Banal Direction and Concept
Don't let the scattered empty seats in Bass Concert Hall fool you. American Idiot is quite possibly the biggest sell-out show in history. Billie Joe Armstrong and Co., I hope the millions you've earned by pimping out one of the greatest albums of a generation made it all worth it, and I hope it di...
BWW Reviews: A CHRISTMAS STORY Is a Family Crowd-Pleaser
There's no question that A Christmas Story is a beloved classic. The 30 year old film gets plenty of airtime on cable channels during the holiday season, and it's inspired two stage adaptations, one musical and one non-musical. But as much as I love the 1983 film A Christmas Story and have always ...
Videos
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& Juliet Bass Concert Hall at the University of Texas in Austin (7/14-7/19) |
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Boogie Down Broadway Empire Garage (6/27-6/27) |
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The Unknown Tour Julie Rogers Theatre (11/07-11/07) |
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The Book of Mormon (Non-Equity) Bass Concert Hall (6/08-6/13) |
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Guns N’ Roses Globe Life Field (9/09-9/09) |
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Jesus Christ Superstar Georgetown Palace Theatre (5/29-7/05) |
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Austin City Limits Music Festival: Weekend One – 3 Day Pass Zilker Park (10/02-10/11) |
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Every Brilliant Thing Georgetown Palace Theatre (6/19-7/19) |
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Disney’s Newsies Bastrop Opera House (9/04-9/27) |
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Vincent Penfold Theatre Company (6/04-6/21) |
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