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..,,

Any theater that produces Tennessee Williams is a goldmine to me. Oh how Mr T speaks to me and my…read moresouthern draw of sad romanticism. 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' lured me into just the two hours of steamy intensity I needed to really get my summer started right. I saw June 3rd performance and was wondering who could pull off Elizabeth Taylor's red lipped tip toes and oh boy did that gal cast as Mae do it. So impressive were all the other endearing actors playing Big Mama, Brick and Big Daddy. Brick and Big Daddy's talks were so believable I thought I was in their pickles of reality myself. Brick pulls off a big drunk like no other. My mouth was watering for the brown juice myself and I don't even really drink much. My many respects to Aaron Black, Zac Crofford, Anne Hulsman and Cassadie Petersen that bombshell minx herself. I just don't see how y'all remember all those lines and deliver them in such a natural real amusing splendor.

Since moving to Austin in late 2020, my favorite activity has been going to the theatre. I have…read moreseen 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.

Austin Shakespeare is the Bard and more! I have enjoyed their performances at the Parker Jazz Club…read morewhere 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?

To the Director and Board: A good amount of money was spent to buy tickets to Verdi's Requiem. I, a…read more76 year old native Austinite arrived at the Long Center about 20 minutes early (at the entrance to the parking garage). The next 15 minutes were spent looking for a parking place in the garage. I ended up parking at the very top and taking the elevator down. There were several other older ladies as well there who don't quite move quickly. By the time we walked to the door of the Long Center it was 3 minutes after the start of a 90-minute opera. I raced to get to my seat but was escorted to the upper balcony. As I entered there was a lady bandaging her leg on the stairs. From falling there. When I got to the upper balcony it was pitch dark and the helper had a flashlight that didn't work. It took me a while for my eyes to adjust and finally was able to be seated, slightly short of breath from the race and the altitude of those seats. Other nicely dressed older ladies came in after me and stumbled around to find seats. We were informed we would have to sit there for the duration as there was no intermission for a 90 minute performance. Why? I ask you why? Along with a canteen of water, a flashlight and a first aid kit do I need to bring a catheter to the Opera? This is ridiculous. I am pretty ticked off and will not attend again until something is done to remedy the deeply flawed, user-unfriendly experience I had. Navigating in the dark for a 76-year-old is not something that is a healthy activity. You do realize a lot of your audience are seniors, don't you? You do realize that you all probably go to the valet or VIP parking I passed at the one minute marker entrance to the parking lot and then go to your box seats? You're not experiencing what other people are experiencing and I'm afraid you've lost track. I hope you will do something to remedy.

I had the opportunity to see Cruzar de la Luna last night with friends and had such a great time…read more The storyline had beautiful depth and the orchestra was outstanding too. Great experience overall, Austin Opera knows how to put on a show!

I haven't been to much theater in Austin (except the big productions) because I never know which…read moreones to go to. And i loathe sitting in shows that are bad because I've paid $15 a ticket and feel compelled to wait and see whether it will improve. Luckily, the show I saw here was funny and well done. Part of the Frontera Fest (long fringe) and the whole process was quite efficient. You're on the guest list? Great. Here's a program and a seat. In fact they were nice enough to provide me with a chair so I didnt have to traipse about the chairs on the risers. They've got sodas for sale but it may be BYO (check first) and they've got plenty of bathrooms. All good things to know when you're headed to a performance. If you get the chance to see a show here, do. Its a small theater so there are no bad seats and if you make sure you're not seeing bad theater, well then you're most likely in for a treat.

A fucking puppet show? Are you kidding me?…read more That's what I went to see at Salvage Vanguard Theater, and I liked it so much I went back for another show. I'll be back again. Now, I've only seen their puppet shows, I have no idea if they do other things. The puppet shows are different from anything you've seen: excessively dark, and no strings attached. The puppeteers wear dark beekeeper like suits and hold the brightly painted puppets up and manipulate them from behind. You can see everything that's going on, but within a minute or two, you forget the puppeteers are there and the characters take a life of their own. And what characters! It's obviously all-original and all home made, but they do such a good job of creating compelling characters and stories for them to tell that you'll wonder why they aren't more successful. My girlfriend and I still endlessly quote the shows we've seen and we keep trying to describe the characters and stories in a way that makes sense. It seems we utterly fail at that, and it's why I'm going to keep my review short. This place doesn't make sense. The show doesn't make sense out of context. It doesn't look like much from the outside ... or the inside. But trust me. I give it five stars for a reason, and this isn't even ordinarily my scene. I've tried to convince all my friends to go with varying levels of success, but no one has been disappointed and they all want to come back for more. If you've found it, go experience it.

Whatever internal fever attracted you to this capital city, that same intrigue will spike when you…read moresee a Chaotic production. Known for taking classic works & twisting them, Chaotic's audience niche may be best described as the open-minded, creative intelligentsia who hungers for strikingly alternative visuals and dialogue. Chaotic dumped Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" into a junkyard (if you've any interest in fashion, review those photos immediately). They put Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" in an insane asylum -- &, yes, they did it before Tim Burton & the Syfy channel. Most recently, they brought ancient Greece to modern Austin with "Lysistrata," confronting America's deep-seeded issues with sexuality. Their productions provide not only that hilarious, terrifying, emotion-emanating entertainment element so necessary for a live theater production, but also an introspective aspect which provides hours of post-consumption conversation. However, they have a habit of presenting the final product before it's fully developed. The concepts are fabulous; the execution sometimes falls short.

This gala was swanky and fun! Over the top in a very good way. I felt like I was in NYC not ATX…read more There were ladies dancing on tables dressed like showgirls from the moment you walked in the door. A classy affair with some entertainment to keep it lively. If you are a supporter of the arts, this is the place to see and be seen.

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).