Susan Branch News

Voting has now opened for the 2014 BroadwayWorld Austin Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 25th.

Every November, BWW-Austin teams up with other Austin-based theater publications to announce the Central Texas Excellence in Theatre Awards. The nominations were announced last night. Scroll down for the full list!

ZACH Theatre has announced the casting for a world premiere, multi-cultural, musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, at the Topfer Theatre, November 26 - December 28, 2014. This fresh take on the holiday classic, infused with modern pop, rock, and R&B hits, stars HARVEY GUION (White Christmas) as Ebenezer Scrooge, RODERICK SANFORD (The Gospel At Colonus) as the Ghost of Marley, and PAUL SANCHEZ (The Who's Tommy) as the humble Bob Crachit.

If I were asked to provide the perfect introduction to the work of playwright William Shakespeare I would advise that person to check out The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis' current production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Unlike the bard's histories or tragedies, this play is truly lyrical, funny, and filled with magical elements that make it especially appealing. It's also one of his few tales that isn't based on another source, springing with startling originality from his own fervid imagination, which makes it particularly special among his bountiful canon. It seems like I'm always saying this about the Rep, but they provide must-see entertainment on a regular basis, with this enchanting presentation acting as another fine example of their exemplary work.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare and directed by Paul Mason Barnes. This enchanting play will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, today, October 15-November 9, 2014.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare and directed by Paul Mason Barnes. This enchanting play will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, October 15-November 9, 2014.

Genius is not a term to throw around lightly. Genius suggests distinctiveness and even superiority. Geniuses are people that are seldom matched in their field. It's a level that most of us strive to reach but never achieve. Yet for director Dave Steakley, it's a well-deserved moniker. With his current production of Tommy, now playing at the Zach Theatre, Steakley pairs The Who's beloved rock-opera with the imaginative world of Alice in Wonderland. The result is a theatrical event that is impossible to forget.

ZACH Theatre announces the cast of this summer's most highly anticipated musical - The Who's Tommy in an all-new production created for ZACH's Topfer Stage July 9 - August 24, 2014. This dynamic cast includes some of Austin's best rock vocalists joined by a Guest Artist from NYC, a professional hip hop DJ/break-dancer, gymnasts, and a live band under the musical direction of ALLEN ROBERTSON.

After months of thought, debate and conversation, the staff and writers of Austin Entertainment Weekly with much assistance from Broadway World Austin's Editor Jeff Davis, have announced a new award system for the Central Texas Theatre Community.

Over the course of his fifty year career, Stephen Sondheim has written shows of a predominantly darker hue. He's tackled stories about showgirls who are past their prime, a barber turned serial killer, a giant who destroys a fairy tale kingdom, presidential assassins, and an entire country selling out to the western world. Still, his unassuming 1981 musical about the slow demise of a three-pronged friendship may be the saddest thing he's ever written. If that sounds like an indication that you should skip Merrily We Roll Along, keep in mind that no one does sad like Sondheim. In other words, roll along to St. Edwards University, see this show, and enjoy the emotional sucker punch.

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 considered it to be a perfect family film, my opinion of the film lessens ever so slightly with every stage version that I see of it. That's not to say that the stage versions are bad. On the contrary, they're often somehow superior to the film, as is the case with Zach Theatre's hysterical and incredibly enjoyable production.

Bookworks announces November events.

Austin Shakespeare presents William Luce's The Belle of Amherst, a one-woman show featuring Helen Merino tonight, November 14-24th at the Rollins Studio Theatre of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 West Riverside Drive, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm.

Austin Shakespeare presents William Luce's The Belle of Amherst, a one-woman show featuring Helen Merino November 14-24th at the Rollins Studio Theatre of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 West Riverside Drive, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm.

Austin Shakespeare presents William Luce's The Belle of Amherst, a one-woman show featuring Helen Merino November 14-24th at the Rollins Studio Theatre of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 West Riverside Drive, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm.

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama Other Desert Cities, October 25 - November 9, 2013. Joyce Cohen, Nancy Lemenager, Dennis Parlato, Kate Skinner and Michael Zlabinger make up the all-Equity cast. Check out photos of the cast in action onstage below!

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama Other Desert Cities tonight, October 25 - November 9, 2013.

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama Other Desert Cities October 25 - November 9, 2013. Check out a first look below!

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama Other Desert Cities October 25 - November 9, 2013.

Though art about art has been all over Austin as of late, there's always room for one more production provided it's as good as this. Museum is a bold, laugh-out-loud farce that lovingly mocks the pretentiousness often found in both modern art and those who claim to love and understand it.