SVT Reads "Thrush" in the Bank of America Basement

Yep, you can get access to the spooky, retro basement of the Bank of America building, downtown Austin, for free this coming Friday only. The ever-clever folks over at Salvage Vanguard are kicking off a series of readings with Caridad Svich's Thrush (A Play With Slaughter Songs). The piece has been in workshop for the last two weeks with the playwright, director Jenny Larson, composer Adam Sultan, dramaturge Colin Denby Swanson, and actors Kathy Catmull, Jason Hays, Jude Hickey, Adriene Mishler, Jeff Mills, and Elizabeth Wakehouse. Whoah! That's some seriously talented heat there.

SVT has produced Svich's work in the past; she authored the critically acclaimed Fugitive Pieces, which SVT mounted a few years back. She'll be in attendance on Friday to check out the reading and gather input about the piece, which she describes as "beautiful and haunting." How often do you get a chance to check out a work in progress? From a nationally recognized playwright? Not that often would be our guess.

And to sweeten the pot, SVT tells us that the production takes place in "a large, carpeted room flanked by gigantic computers that could have been used in a Kubrick film...about banking." We've always been fascinated by underground things, like skyscraper basements...and campus steam tunnels...and the like.

So before you hit the clubs this Friday, how about starting the evening with a little spelunking and culture? There's only one performance, this February 17th at 8:00PM, in the basement of the Bank of America building on 5th & Congress. SVT advises: "Patrons should look for the SVT banner to find the entrance." For more information contact SVT at 474-SVT6 or www.salvagevanguard.org.

*Image courtesy of Uun on Stock Exchange.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Julie Holden in Arts & Entertainment on February 16, 2006 1:30 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Jooley Ann

Nine years working in a basement? Geez, Pat! No wonder you still have odd dreams!

Your description is great. Makes me wish someone would produce a full-length performance or art installation down there. Sounds like they've got the room....

Pat Doyle

I worked in that basement from 1981-1990. It was very cool and mysterious. The labyrinth runs from under the parking garage at 5th & Brazos all the way around to the 6th street end of the bank's basement under 515 Congress. The original bank (Austin National) held monthly employee meetings in the old auditorium just below the Brazos St entrance. I believe the words "auditorium" are still affixed to that long-abandoned rear entrance. The auditorium was very 50s retro, complete with oak-paneled flip-seats and cloth projection screen. And the garage had one of those lift-belt elevator systems used for transporting valets up and down the levels. In the late 80s the auditorium was used for storing outmoded or spare processing equipment. I still have odd dreams involving that sprawling office-scape down there.