AFS Cinema

by Sabrina Wallace - June 17, 2026

Austin Playhouse’s Seared, directed by Lara Toner Haddock, serves up a grounded, well-paced production with strong ensemble work and a working kitchen that adds real texture. The staging feels alive, even when Theresa Rebeck’s script leans preachy and predictable....

by Sabrina Wallace - June 09, 2026

Jesus Christ Superstar at Georgetown Palace Theatre may be my favorite Palace production since I started reviewing in 2018. Jamie Rogers delivers a modern, energetic rock opera filled with standout performances, inventive staging, hip-hop-infused choreography, and a live band that absolutely rocks. ...

by Sabrina Wallace - June 07, 2026

Most people know Vincent van Gogh through his paintings. Leonard Nimoy's Vincent introduces us to the man behind them through the eyes of his devoted brother Theo. Penfold Theatre delivers a beautifully told, emotionally resonant production led by a captivating performance from Nathan Jerkins....

by Sabrina Wallace - June 07, 2026

What happens when fandom becomes an obsession? Dirty Gold Theatre's Insomnia Cafe takes a ridiculous premise and turns it into something surprisingly unsettling. Equal parts dark comedy and psychological thriller, the play left me laughing one moment and questioning why the next....

by Sabrina Wallace - June 01, 2026

The Robber Bridegroom is a wildly entertaining evening of bluegrass, folklore, romance, and comedy. The Alchemy Theatre transforms the Whisenhunt Stage into a constantly evolving Southern tall tale with inventive staging, excellent performances, and choreography that never stops moving—a joy from ...

by Sabrina Wallace - May 26, 2026

Funny, warm, and painfully relatable, Austin Playhouse’s Erma Bombeck: at wit's end transforms domestic chaos into razor-sharp comedy. Sarah Fleming Walker commands the stage in a captivating solo performance that captures the exhaustion, wit, ambition, and quiet resilience behind Bombeck’s icon...

by Sabrina Wallace - May 26, 2026

At first, Wakey, Wakey feels like an eccentric conversation filled with dry humor and scattered thoughts. Then the truth lands. Hyde Park Theatre’s production of Will Eno’s play is intimate and funny, and Ken Webster delivers a deeply human performance....

by Joni Lorraine - May 21, 2026

In Dillon Christopher Chitto’s PUEBLO REVOLT, now playing at Ground Floor Theatre, history breathes through two brothers standing at the edge of revolution. Funny, tender, deeply human, and quietly devastating, PUEBLO REVOLT transforms the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 from a distant historical event into...

by Sabrina Wallace - May 14, 2026

The Wiz at Bass Concert Hall delivers dazzling visuals, standout performances, and plenty of personality. Hannah Beachler’s scenic design and Sharen Davis’ costumes are unforgettable, while Phoenix Assata La Freniere, Kyla Jade, and the charming trio of Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion keep the jour...

by Sabrina Wallace - May 10, 2026

City Theatre Austin revisits Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple with nostalgic charm, a detailed lived-in set, and an entertaining ensemble led by Darwin Ragsdale and Zachary Gamble. While the pacing occasionally softens the comedy’s sharp edge, the production still delivers a fun night of classic laug...