My daughter and I went opening night for The Bat. We didn't know what to expect but we had an…read moreincredible time. The music was great. The singing incredible and the jokes funny. The references to Austin landmarks, famous faces, color and events came fast and furious. If you are into events and Trivia around Austin, this is the "Opera" to go to. Basically the story is that prank was pulled on a man that leaves him drunk in a bat costume under the south congress bridge and this is his revenge. The show goes over the top but if you love Austin and everything about it. You should go see this show. You could tell that the writers love the color and flavor of Austin Weirdness. And that love and laughter is what you should take away from it..,,

Murder? Gay intrigue? PIGEONS?…read more I saw the lizzie borden musical last week and I can't stop thinking about it. I walked up the stairs and was greeted by the twins from the shining speaking in unison and I knew I was in for a treat. The show had a sparse set and only 6 to the cast but I was totally blown away, which is a testament to the strength of the performances and live band. I went randomly because I saw a flyer for it in my local coffee shop and knew it would be right up my alley. Not only did they do an incredible job with this material, the fact that they put it on at all was such a treat considering it doesn't seem very well known. I never would have heard of my new favorite musical otherwise. Looking at the list of their past productions I couldn't believe I hadn't heard of them before. The only complaint I had was that I went to the last show, because if I could've I would've seen it again and brought all my friends. So Doctuh Mistuh if you're reading this..... just a few more shows? Please? Anyway, regardless I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the shows in their Summer repertoire. Toxic avenger the musical? Sign me up!

I was lucky enough to catch a performance of The Heathers musical put on by Doctuh Mistuh…read moreProductions recently and was super impressed. The Vanguard Theater is a nice home for their recent musicals, such as Silence!, Evil Dead, Rocky Horror, and others. There is a certain dark aesthetic to their selection- campy, cult classic, and black comedy seem to be some of their faves. They strive to bring shows with Austin flair, that we'd have no way of seeing otherwise, fantastic, interesting, entertaining shows. I believe they're non-profit and rely on their t-shirt sales, which are unique and funny too. The Heathers as a musical was a no brainer, hell, I think I like it more as a musical. The actors/singers/abstract movers are all very talented and do a great job of transforming into their archetype. I had a couple of songs stuck in my head when I got home and looked up a few videos of other productions, but I enjoyed the actor's performance from Doctuh Mistuh so much more. Animated actors with great comedic timing without being over the top. That's a hard line. The experience really felt like being in an 80s movie, kudos to that! Highly recommended, tickets are cheap, the Vanguard is awesome with its affordable drinks, and the art director Michael is charismatic and commanding! It's a great place to teach your kids about drugs, alcohol, sex, murder, and curse words if you just want to jump right on that!

Every time I hear that country song, "What Hurts the Most" all I can think about is a woman dressed…read moreup in cowboy duds, lip synching to it. Amazing performances, an amazing experience for me. I had a great time here! I've never seen or even imagined anything like this before! At one point (during an, of course, JT performance) I forgot for a few minutes that it was a female on the stage and I put a dollar in her pants. No, I wasn't drunk, either. I'll definitely be coming back to check out further exploits!

Kings N Things, Austin's own drag king performance troupe, is the perfect mix of intellectual edge…read moreand pure sex appeal. No need to engage in that old mind/body split - with KNT, you can have your cake and politicize it, too. Their seasonal shows at Elysium are a treat - ribald Valentine's ballads, sexy Easter bunnies, you name it. My personal favorite king is DD Cummings, but I've got a major Trevor N Deavor jones as well. Keep your eye on their myspace for upcoming shows so you can come out and pick your own favorite!

A summer musical for kids at a price that can't be beat...FREE! I love free…read more This year they performed The Curious Case of Rumplestiltskin. It was a little over an hour long, a perfect length of time for the kids. The music was campy and the costumes, lights, props, and sets were colorful enough to hold the attention of my 22 month old. I think it was a hit for her first play/musical experience. The George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center Boyd Vance Theatre is small and holds about 130 people. I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. They started handing out tickets about an hour before the 11am show. They opened the doors about a half hour before the show. All first come, first served. They had free face painting, a free raffle, Girl Scout patches for $3, and T-shirts for $10-15. Donations are accepted to benefit the production. At the end, they have all the actors come out and sign the kid's programs and hand out little toy trinkets. My princess was most infatuated with the three little piggies character. She was so excited to meet them! Can't wait to go back next year!

Easy 5 star review for this guy! We were married under a pecan tree in early spring so I wanted…read moresome light, happy music to accompany the ceremony and a solo guitar sounded like the perfect compliment. After scouring the internet, I found Charles' page and liked his repertoire, plus he was in our budget. After e-mailing back and forth, we booked him for our wedding ceremony. Charles was probably the easiest vendor to work with. Once we decided on our ceremony songs, I e-mailed them to Charles. I was a little nervous because a lot of the songs I requested weren't listed on his website, but he told me he'd have them ready for the wedding along with a few other songs to play while people mingled before the ceremony. The ceremony went perfectly and the music Charles played totally added to the emotion of the ceremony. I would definitely recommend Charles to anyone looking for a solo guitarist.

The Nutcracker! What a great Christmas time tradition to share with young children. As we enter…read morefall I am already thinking about Christmas festivities! I realized I had not published my review before - and thought now just the right time to do so! This past Christmas ('11) I was looking high and low for an affordable, approachable, truly child-friendly (casual) performance of the Nutcracker in the Austin area. (I inquired about, of course, the extremely high priced, formal professional version down town and knew that was not quite what I was looking for.) I sent emails and made phone calls and stumbled upon The Ovation Ballet Company Nutcracker. I am very glad that I did. The tickets were very affordable and the show was held at the Vandegrift High School. Perfect! My group was very excited when I announced that we would be going to the show, and NO they would not have to wear formal Sunday clothes. They were free to just enjoy the performance. I highly recommend this for families and children. It's formal enough that kids get a clear sense of the excitement and preparation of the participants but casual enough not to dampen or overwhelm the young visitor! This version was just long enough to hold their attention as well. It's the feel of an upscale recital. The show itself featured a wide range of ages (mostly children), body types (both height and weight varied greatly), ethnicity, and ballet experience. The venue allowed for very easy and ample parking and large clean rest rooms to boot. The Vandergrift auditorium is intimate enough to allow the very last row to see clearly and not feel nose bled. The seating was quite comfortable. Apparently Ovation Ballet Company has been doing this for a long time and they told me that they usually sell out. I plan to get tickets again this year and bring a group of young kids! It's the perfect kid friendly and family friendly tradition or introduction to the performing arts!

Do not miss this production about Texas' own Janis Joplin! The cast, band, and crew area absolutely…read morephenomenal and has put a lot of love and soul into this show. You will sing, clap, and even get up and dance to all the songs and numbers that move you and let me tell you - they ALL do! Don't be afraid to get up and dance it out. People in front and behind you are most likely doing the same thing and/or thinking about it. Fine crowd tonight to where I felt like I was being electrified with some good soul, rhythm, and blues tunes. The singers and band played off the crowd's energy and delivered an amazing show. Loved the great biography as the show played on highlighting Janis Joplins raising, background, touring, and life. Paired with images of her family and the dramatic lighting you are really taken back to 60's-70's as Janis found her voice in her music journey. Grab a drink at the bar and check out the small photo booth in the main concession area as it's free. Also expect a 20 min intermission so go to the lobby and stretch your legs. Parking was super easy and free along Riverside Dr. by Lady Bird Lake and in the lot past the theater.

Im thankful that Yelp provided these tickets to see Janis Joplin at Zach Theatre. The show was…read moregreat! It had a little bit of everything like humor and different singers singing songs from great artists like Aretha Franklin & Nina Simone. It was a good storyline about Janis and the people that inspired and influenced her in her music career. There was a little delay before the show due to technical difficulties but they managed to get it resolved and started a half an hour late. This show was definitely worth coming out to see and the seats are all great at Zach so its a win win. I love the shows they have a zach theatre and Janis Joplin is a great show.

Free Night of Theater is a movement that is offered in 120 US cities including Austin, Texas…read more Every October most of the local theaters offer up tickets absolutely free for performances. The goal is to introduce people to theaters they have never been to before. If you want these tickets, sign up for their email list. Pay close attention to the time and day they become available as tickets go very quickly, often in as little as an hour. A variety of types of theater including comedy and musical theater are included. I've attended performances for the past four years and all have been fun and it has introduced me to a number of lesser known venues and performing groups (the large, well-known theaters such as the Zach Scott also participate).