Since moving to Austin in late 2020, my favorite activity has been going to the theatre. I have seen almost every show that Austin Shakespeare has put on since that date, and I am in love with this theatre company. They bring to life not only Shakespeare's works but also a variety of other great literary dramatic works. It's a great time with friends and the community here in Austin. read more

Austin Shakespeare - Performing Arts Near Me - Austin, Texas

Austin Shakespeare is the Bard and more! I have enjoyed their performances at the Parker Jazz Club where they highlight both vocal and instrumental performers usually focusing on one or two musical icons. in addition , their Shakespeare summer performances in Zilker Park and The Curtain Theatre. an historical replica of Elizabethan theaters, featuring youth is delightful. And, what about Tom Stoppard and other playwrites at the new KMFA studio or The Rollins at The Long Center? Such an eclectic company with superb multiracial actors, creative directing and adaptations! What's not to love? read more

Austin Shakespeare's latest production "O. Henry Stories" was awesome! It was great to see stories from the turn of the twentieth century with an Austin connection (and go see the O. Henry Museum in downtown Austin). A simple set put all the focus on the actors and Sidney Porter's words. Austin Shakespeare is always doing something for everyone! read more

Year after year I am blown away by Austin Shakespeare performances!!! We are so lucky to have such accessible theatre in Austin for so many years!! The quality is excellent and types of performances are so varied. The team finds show that are topical as well as thought provoking. I can't wait to see and hear Songs from West Side Story at Parker Jazz Club and El Cid in English AND Spanish at the Rollins theatre at the Long Center. read more

I got to see the Austin Shakespeare production of Design for Living at the Rollins Theater at the Long Center and it was a complete delight. I hadn't been to see a play in a while outside of the free Zilker performances (also by Austin Shakespeare), but this performance whet my appetite again for live theatre. The performers are real artists, and they made the best of the sparse stage decoration and the small theater. Martin Burke and Helen Merino made me laugh so hard. Michael Miller and Michael Dalmon were genius as Otto and Ernest. read more

Shakespeare is generally better suited for translators than for actors. I very, very rarely attend Shakespearean productions, simply because, in the words of the Barenaked Ladies: "It's all been done." & I could be wrong about Austin Shakespeare. Having only seen their performances of Ayn Rand's "The Anthem" & George Bernard Shaw's "Man & Superman," I've not yet been exposed to their Shakespeare. But those two productions matched each other in clarity, humor, beauty, intrigue & enthusiasm. They've become one of the very few theatrical companies in Austin which I will not second-guess attending. Let's put it this way: If my father were murdered & my partner insane, but Austin Shakespeare was presenting "Hamlet" that night, I'd still attend. Yes. They're that good. read more

A HUGE thank you to Kelly and the Long Center AND Austin Shakespeare for tickets to the opening of "Pride and Prejudice"! I must say, I'm very much a novice when it comes to live theater performances. My girlfriends says it's just because I don't appreciate art... That may or may not be true. However, Pride and Prejudice served for a wonderful date night! It gave my girlfriend and me the chance to wear real clothes and spend an evening together feeling all sophisticated while we watched a spectacular play! Pride and Prejudice is centered around a bunch of wannabe love stories. The Bennett family has five daughters, and Mrs. Bennett can't WAIT to get rid of them all. Throughout the play, multiple potential suitors come out of the woodwork, and one-by-one, they are seen to have vital character flaws that keeps the Bennett daughters from marrying them. The Austin Shakespeare group and the cast of Pride and Prejudice did a wonderful job being animated and engaging and just a lot of fun. The audience and I laughed numerous times at the jokes and insinuations put forth by the cast. You couldn't even tell that it was opening night! Despite the two and a half hour long showing, the cast never tired out, being full of energy and excitement for the duration of the play. Hats off to a wonderful cast and crew and here's hoping to a great time showing at the Long Center! read more

I saw Austin Shakespeare's production of Twelfth Night "Bollywood style" at Zilker last night, and it made me appreciate talented thespians. Not only do they have to memorize dialogue that is not in the vernacular, they have to deliver it in a fluid way and also try to translate it to the audience using body language. Also they had to learn how to dance in a different style for the dance numbers. I'm glad I had read the play in high school but I think if you hadn't read the play it would be easy to grasp the plot. There were some truly talented actors in this company, and I look forward to more Shakespeare In The Park productions from them. read more

When I moved to Austin from London, England in 2013, I was worried that I'd miss out on my theatre time. A friend introduced me to Austin Shakespeare, and I can't tell you how lucky we are to have a company like this on our doorstep. I've now had the pleasure of both performing with and watching various productions produced by Austin Shakespeare. Productions are consistently brilliant, and focus not only on Shakespeare, but on other classic literature. They also have a wonderful Young Shakespeare program, which is something that is very close to my heart. The work that these kids produce is outstanding, it's clear they love what they do. I'm so grateful that we have programs like this in our city. Thank you Austin Shakes! read more

Thanks to Kelly, I obtained two tickets to the opening night of "Pride and Prejudice" with Austin Shakespeare performing at the Long Center. I'm not one for plays, nor am I a guy who'd willingly watch a 2+ hour play, especially considering how I'd be competing against Mr. Darcy for my girlfriend. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the production. The actress who played Eliza Bennett was killer and played the role well. The play did run for 2.5 hours, but it didn't really feel that way. The play was humorous and high energy, and the cast oozed with enthusiasm and excitement, especially because it was the opening night. I followed the story pretty well, and even if I didn't watch the movie, I thought AS did a great job of telling the story of Mr. Darcy and Eliza Bennet with tact, humor, and clarity. In the altered words of Mr. Darcy, "Austin Shakespeare, I love you. Most ardently. Please do me the honor of taking my 5 star review." read more

I saw Austin Shakespeare's productions of Romeo and Juliet, and Othello, and was disappointed by both. I find Austin Shakespeare's approach to be very heavy handed, colorless, wooden, and traditional to the point of caricature. The vast majority of characters all appear to be speaking their lines in a wooden manner, without thought for the meaning of their lines, nor the intention that their lines should effect on their fellow actors and the audience. The staging and predictable spatial relationship of actors are boring. For those seeking a watered down production of Shakespeare that is highly traditional, without care for great acting or the deeper meaning of Shakespeare's verse, you may still pass the time effectively, by sleeping, and wake up in time to go home. I can tell you that Austin Shakespeare's shows would be laughed off the stage in NYC or Chicago. Another experience : From myself and other actors that I know in the community : Austin Shakespeare does not inform actors when they are not cast in a production. Even actors who are called back to read for characters, repeatedly giving their time to audition, are not informed of the production's decision if they are not cast. They have repeatedly given a part of their day to Austin Shakespeare, but this organization can not in turn honor them by providing an email? I find this highly unprofessional, and without honor for the actors and actresses efforts in the community, especially given the status of Austin Shakespeare as a publicly funded organization. Was the above review of Romeo and Juliet and Othello colored at all by my experience auditioning? Yes, to the extent that I have made the effort to provide this review. However, certainly not, in regards to the review's critical analysis, opinions which I have given to other Austinites long before my audition experience. Notice that the director of Austin Shakespeare, Ann Ciccolella, was the first reviewer for this Yelp page, however she does not state that she not only works for Austin Shakespeare, but is the director! read more

Over the last eight years or so artistic director Ann Ciccolella has steadily moved Austin Shakespeare from the annual 'free Shakespeare in Zilker Park' format to a professional theatre company producing a three-play season, supporting a summer youth Shakespeare production at the outdoor Elizabethan-stage-replica Curtain Theatre, and providing weekly meetings for close readings of Shakespeare texts. The company has a repertory feel, with certain very talented actors such as Helen Merino, Marc Pouhé and Michael Miller returning regularly to the boards, but it's also a launch pad for local talent. Ciccolella isn't stuck in Elizabethan mode, even though the annual outing in May is always Shakespeare. The company has produced Tom Stoppard, George Bernard Shaw, Tennessee Williams and Noël Coward; this season features Harold Pinter's Old Times. They've solved for themselves the art venue crisis in Austin. The May performance, free to all, is at the Sheffield amphitheatre in Zilker Park, and Austin Shakespeare is accredited as a resident company at the Rollins black box theatre in the centrally located Long Center for the performing arts. Production values are high. Every performance at the Rollins Theatre is followed by a brief but often enlightening talk-back with director and actors. One of only three professional theatres in the bustling creative state capital, Austin Shakespeare is a gem. It's run efficiently on not much more than a shoestring budget and deserves enthusiastic support both from audiences and from donors. read more

Last night we attended the opening show for the production of: The Belle of Amherst at the Rollins Studio Theater of the Long Center. From the New York City stage comes the acclaimed actress Helen Merino who stars in a one-woman show about Emily Dickinson. This has to be the best show yet, from staging, sound and lighting to the performance of Ms. Merino. This production and Ms. Merino's performance will rival any theater in New York, London or Mexico top stages. Fabulous is an understatement. The dialogue was complicated but they managed quite successfully to weave into the dialogue Emily Dickinson's life stories and her poems. Ms. Merino's performance was amazing...she was able with vocal intonation, facial expressions and body language take you from smiling and laughing one moment to crying the next as we followed Emily with her life story. The show didn't linger nor was slow...on the contrary it kept you engaged and even a bit curious as to what was coming next. A must see if you are looking for some quality acting and overall theater production! read more

Great performances make Shakespeare and other "classic" theater very accessible! Austin Shakespeare attracts audiences from all over the state, and rightly so. The quality of the staging and acting is very high, bringing out the meaning and the comedy in the text that so often goes unnoticed. While the Rollins shows are most often adult fare, the Shakespeare in the Park (Zilker) are definitely family friendly and wonderful fun. Picnic on a blanket while watching some of the best theater around. read more

We have seen several Austin Shakespeare Theater performances, both Shakespearean and contemporary. Every production has been professional and entertaining. I don't think you could find a more creative and enthusiastic troupe anywhere given their adaptations of works by such diverse artists as Ayn Rand, GB Shaw, and even Shakespeare. The venues for the Austin Shakespeare Theater performances are fabulous,especially The Curtain Theater, modeled on The Globe, an original venue for Shakespeare's plays. "Shakespeare in the Park" every summer in Zilker is a wonderful outing for the whole family. As a patron of the arts in Austin, I highly recommend Austin Shakespeare Theater performances. read more

These people can do ANYTHING. It's not your grandma's Shakespeare that's for sure. From Sondheim to Stoppard the range of this Austin classic is staggering. They go to great lengths to find the best talent for their productions, and it shows. Also this company is taking Shakespeare into schools where he otherwise would not be taught...yes it is apparently a thing to not teach Shakespeare in schools nowadays. If you have the chance to support this company by seeing a show or just making a donation (and you do!), then you must do so at once! read more

I've been to many of their productions over the years and they've always been at least good. "Mary Stuart" was legendary. Shakespeare is in the company name, but they don't limit themselves to to only the bars's plays. It's worth keeping an eye on their schedule. read more