James Morris News

This December, TexARTS will make your holidays merry and bright as your favorite TexARTS stars deliver a wonderland of rousing holiday classics in 'A Cool Yule.'

The TexARTS Musical Theatre Academy is known throughout the Lake Travis region for producing memorable youth productions like 'Beauty and the Beast Jr.,' 'Bring It On the Musical' and 'Legally Blonde the Musical,' but this fall, the students have taken on a whole new challenge. A collaboration of TexARTS artistic director Darren Gibson and show director Russel Taylor, these 23 teenage artists have put into production an original revue of Broadway favorites called 'Project Broadway: Working Title.'

TexARTS will make your holidays merry and bright with its annual holiday show lineup. Scroll down for details! 

STEEL MAGNOLIAS is a comedic drama written by Robert Harling, based on his experience with his sister's death. It is about the friendships and families of a group of Southern women in northwest Louisiana. The title references how these women are both delicate and strong. One of the most produced plays in America, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who has never seen at least the film version.

In any given small towns across the country, there can be found a cozy in-home salon where the ladies of the neighborhood get their hair coiffed on a weekly basis. Some people might think that these establishments are near extinct, like video stores or pay phones, but rest assured they are alive and well.

Beginning tonight, October 16, Puccini's Tosca returns to the Met for thirteen performances starring four sopranos as the tempestuous title character.

Plácido Domingo, currently at the Met to conduct TOSCA, was admitted to the hospital yesterday, suffering from cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gallbladder. He is scheduled to undergo a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) early next week, and it is expected that this minimally invasive procedure will allow him to resume his activities after a brief hospital stay.

In any given small towns across the country, there can be found a cozy in-home salon where the ladies of the neighborhood get their hair coiffed on a weekly basis. Some people might think that these establishments are near extinct, like video stores or pay phones, but rest assured they are alive and well.

Beginning October 16, Puccini's Tosca returns to the Met for thirteen performances starring four sopranos as the tempestuous title character.

TexARTS presents Robert Harling's 'Steel Magnolias' at the Kam & James Morris Theatre, October 16-25. The third production in TexARTS' 2015-16 professional series, 'Steel Magnolias' is a glimpse into the lives of six Southern women who are 'delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel.'

Roberto Aronica will sing Cavaradossi in the first five performances of Puccini's Tosca at the Met this season—October 16, 21, 24 matinee, 29, and November 2—replacing Massimo Giordano, who is ill. As originally scheduled, Aronica will also sing the role on November 25, 28 matinee, and December 1.

Canadian soprano Erin Wall, who in August was featured in the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra's performance of Mahler's “Symphony of a Thousand” led by Andris Nelsons, and American baritone Steven LaBrie, a 2013 George London Encouragement Award winner who has sung Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin with Jessica Lang Dance at BAM and Jacob's Pillow, are the two artists who will open the 2015-16 season of the George London Foundation for Singers. 

Puccini's opera set in ancient China, TURANDOT, will return to the Metropolitan Opera for 16 performances beginning tonight, September 23.

Puccini's opera set in ancient China, TURANDOT, will return to the Metropolitan Opera for 16 performances beginning September 23.

TexARTS presents Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias" at the Kam & James Morris Theatre, October 16-25. The third production in TexARTS' 2015-16 professional series, "Steel Magnolias" is a glimpse into the lives of six Southern women who are "delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel."

The Metropolitan Opera will open its 131st season on Monday, September 21 with a new production of Verdi's Otello. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts his first Met opening night, a staging by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher of the late Verdi masterpiece based on Shakespeare's tragic drama of jealousy and deceit. Aleksandrs Antonenko, who has starred as the doomed Otello around the world to acclaim, makes his Met role debut opposite rising Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva in her first-ever performances of Otello's innocent wife Desdemona. Željko Lu?i? adds a new role to his company repertory as the evil Iago, as do Dimitri Pittas as Iago's pawn Cassio and Günther Groissböck as the Venetian ambassador Lodovico. Sher's staging will feature scenic design by acclaimed designer Es Devlin in her Met debut; costume design by six-time Tony Award winner Catherine Zuber; lighting design by two-time Tony winner Donald Holder; and video design by Luke Halls in his Met debut.

Playing at the Kam and James Morris Theatre in Lakeway, TexARTS presents the all-time audience favorite, GUYS AND DOLLS from August 14-23. Based on The Idylls of Sarah Brown by Damon Runyon, Frank Loesser's GUYS AND DOLLS takes us on a journey back in time to Broadway's Golden Era, and renowned director Kasey RT Graham has done a fine job bringing this Broadway classic to life.

?The 2015-16 season marks two milestones for the George London Foundation for Singers, which has been honoring, supporting, and presenting the finest young opera singers in the U.S. and Canada since 1971:  the 45th annual George London Foundation Awards Competition, which gives George London Awards to young singers each year; and the 20th year of its acclaimed recital series, which presents pairs of singers, both established stars and recent George London Award winners, at The Morgan Library & Museum.

A special Student Night has been added to the run of the TexARTS Professional Series production of 'Guys and Dolls.' Tonight, August 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kam and James Morris Theatre, students can attend the show for 50% off the regular ticket price with a valid student ID. After the show, the audience is invited to stay for a talk-back with the cast and creative team.

A special Student Night has been added to the run of the TexARTS Professional Series production of "Guys and Dolls." On Thursday, August 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kam and James Morris Theatre, students can attend the show for 50% off the regular ticket price with a valid student ID. After the show, the audience is invited to stay for a talk-back with the cast and creative team.