A dozen superheroes sit at a bank of telephones in their submarine headquarters. Sounds like the beginning of a really strange joke, right? That's the premise of Mickle Maher's Spirits to Enforce, Capital T Theatre's New Directions production for this year's installment of FronteraFest. It gets weirder, though: the heroes (in street casual dress) are dialing for dollars for their upcoming production of The Tempest. Yeah, that Tempest. more ›

There's a question everyone who attends any sort of entertainment event has to determine their own answer to at some point: "When, if ever, do I walk out of a play/movie/band/recital/whatever that I'm not enjoying?" more ›

The FronteraFest Long Fringe finally kicks off tonight, and we couldn't be more excited. This looks to be one of the festival's strongest lineups in years, with ascending Austin companies like City On A Hill, Capital T Theater, and Tongue and Groove all participating, as well as a number of newcomers, out-of-towners, and theatermakers just one great show away from finding themselves one of 2011's most talked-about companies. With all of that happening over the next two weeks, Austinist polled our theater writers to see what they were most excited about. Keep reading to see what everyone's most psyched for. more ›

The problems plaguing the U2-soundtracked Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark musical aside, most theater doesn't really qualify as "pop culture". The eyes of the nation aren't on most productions, and they rarely find themselves in the same orbit as your average Entertainment Weekly fare. A sad truth that most theatermakers face is that, outside of their regular audience, people just aren't that interested in what's happening on theatrical stages. more ›

White Elephant gift exchanges are fun, and in October, you're not even tired of them yet. In the spirit of ever-pushing forward the holidays, Poison Apple Initiative (whose artistic director, Bastion Carboni, and resident dramaturg, Georgia Young, are both theater critics in these humble pages) have set up their Halloween-weekend fundraiser as a version of the theft-based Secret Santa game. The party, which also features an open bar provided by Tito's Vodka (including signature cocktails 'The Poison Apple' and 'The Critic'), a raffle, tarot readings, and sneak preview performances from Poison Apple Initiative's upcoming season, costs $20 for those who bring a White Elephant gift for the exchange. (Non-participants pony up an extra five.) The money goes to fund PAI's upcoming season, which kicks off in December with Crumble (Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake), and continues to include Sometimes Callie and Jonas Die and The Woyzeck Project. more ›

We learned today that the Blue Theater—high on our list of favorite performance spaces in Austin—was subject to some damage after a fire broke out Tuesday night between the venue and the neighboring Blue Genie Arts Bazaar. No one was hurt, and the space still exists and everything, but it suffered both interior and exterior damage as a result. more ›

Collaborative theater (that is to say, theater that starts with no concrete script and relies upon a slew of people creating from the ground up) can be such a mess. The reality behind such free-form movement of ideas is often that no one is stepping on, over, or past toes to choreograph those ideas into something synchronized and fluid. more ›

Spencer Driggers is a sweet-faced man who works in a bank and runs a theatre group called, innocuously enough, The Getalong Gang Performance Group. He also gives great hugs. It is under these guises that he, along with his gang of theatrical ruffians, has created some of the most raucous, scurrilous, and clever pop theatre that Austin has seen in the last few years (i.e. Arthuriosis and Ben Franklin: A Rock Opera among the productions). Austinist managed to Inter-snag the elusive Mr. Driggers just long enough to chat with him about his group's new production of Post-Oedipus, violence on-stage, and the fact that masturbation is funny. more ›

Now in its seventh year, the No Idea Festival has expanded once again to bring improvised music to select locales - Austin, San Antonio, Ft. Worth, Houston, and New Orleans - by selectively combining the talents of musicians from Austin to Zurich in collaborative, live performance. more ›

We liked Tutto Theatre's production of Ophelia. It's an interesting show, featuring five strong actresses portraying various aspects of Ophelia's psyche: in love, impassioned, on edge, undone, and in water. We liked it so much, we're giving away a pair of free tickets! more ›

With Tutto Theatre's Ophelia, writer and director Dustin Wills seems intent on adding to the canon rather than simply rewriting it. This new work featuring five Ophelias, Hamlet, and Polonius feels like a classical stage piece. more ›

This Thursday through Sunday, improvised music is going to grab a foothold in both Austin and San Antonio. Featuring thirteen artists from all over the world – from the close confines of Houston and Austin to the far-off reaches of Tokyo and Boston – the No Idea Festival is poised to showcase a diverse array of acts you likely won’t see anywhere else, anytime soon. more ›

ArtSpark 2008 applications are available through 3/31, and this year HBMG is awarding $15,000 in prizes to two winning creative teams. For the uninitiated, ArtSpark throws a "spark"—a piece of visual art or music—to a group of creative teams and tasks them with creating a new play or video game. If you're active in almost any creative field, check it out. more ›

Zach Scott is getting national attention for its run of Porgy and Bess at the newly remodeled Austin Music Hall. The show runs two weekends only, and wraps up this Sunday. // Jaston Williams had great success with his autobiographical, one-man show, I'm Not Lying—and now he's back with more. This weekend only, Cowboy Noises further explores Williams' fascinating life with humor and, we expect, unflinching honesty. // We're mighty fond of local playwright Max Langert, and his current play, You're Happier Than You Think: Recalibrating Your Emotional Scale, at Frontera Short Fringe sounds like a charmer. Saturday @6:15pm, and Sunday @noon. more ›

The third annual see.hear.speak fest opens on Thursday and closes on Saturday, with shows nightly at 8 & 10 at Coldtowne Theater. Bringing a few big-name comedy groups to town, this year's fest has quite the lineup. more ›

Starting tonight and going through February 3, The Long Fringe portion of FronteraFest will showcase pieces up to 90 minutes at the Blue Theater. Max Langert's You're Happier Than You Think: Recalibrating Your Emotional Scale and Spank Dance Company's Dance Carousel 2008 kick off the shows with stories of downtrodden ocean liner passengers and innovative choreography. more ›

Fall finally arrived on Sunday, not that anyone would notice. However, autumn also brings a start to most theatre companies' 2007-08 season. Things are kicking on Austin's boards. Here're a few shows we're excited about. If you need to warm up, consider taking in Naughty Austin's Cellbloq. In the words of writer-producer Blake Yelavich, who says it best, "Yes, it's about a bunch of muscular guys in prison, but that doesn't mean it is strictly... more ›

Friday, July 6artB Scene - Too Darn Hot! at Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress ($5-$10) booksAlan Porter presents Before They Were Beatles, with Beatles cover band Daytripper at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedyJohn O’Connell with Jesse Pangelinian at Cap City Comedy Club comedyPunchline, open mic stand up comedy at ColdTowne Theater (10pm) comedyLovey and Lovey at ColdTowne Theater (8pm) comedyWeekly Improv Cage Match! at ColdTowne Theater (11:30) film"Bonnie & Clyde" and "White Heat" at The... more ›

Monday, July 2film"Clash By Night" and "The Asphalt Jungle" at The Paramount Theatre filmLast day of "Labyrinth" at Dobie Theatre film/awesomeRobosaurus Live with "Transformers" at Alamo South Lamar foodCentral Market Cooking Class: Empanada Workshop at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($65, 6:30-9:30pm)musicCanada, Our Solar System, Ryan Anderson at Emo’s musicBurning Brides, Strange Boys, Black Earth, Blackmarket at Emo’s musicBurning Brides at Waterloo Records (Free, 5pm)... more ›

FRIDAY [15] juneteenth/parade • Alvin Patterson Battle of the Bands and Drumline Competition at Congress Avenue (2pm) books • Lama Surya Das presents Buddha is as Buddha Does at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Billy D Washington with Doug Mellard at Cap City Comedy Club comedy • Punchline, open mic stand up comedy at ColdTowne Theater (10pm) dance • Constellation, a site-specific dance work from Sally Jacques at Pickle & Thornberry Federal Courthouses (9pm) dance... more ›

FRIDAY [8] music • DJ Krames (Cobra Kai), Prince Klassen at Beauty Bar (Free) books • Dominic Smith presents The Beautiful Miscellaneous at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Punchline, open mic stand up comedy at ColdTowne Theater (10pm) film • "The Secret Mirror" at The Paramount film • Master Pancake Theatre: "The Breakfast Club" at Alamo Downtown film • "Severance" at Dobie Theatre food • Central Market Cooking Class: Manicotti Workshop with Foodie Barbara Sampson at... more ›

FRIDAY [1] party • Rare Magazine Summer Issue Launch Party at Mean Eyed Cat (5:30pm) bikes • Republic of Texas Biker Rally at All Over Austin dance/benefit • Project Transitions Hosts 12th Annual Texas Swing at Saengerrunde Hall and Scholz’s Beer Garten ($40, 8-Midnight) art • Opening Reception: Cantanker/us, the Cantanker Magazine staff show at Else Madsen Gallery, 411 Brazos, Suite 99 (7-11pm) art • The B Scene at The Blanton Museum of Art,... more ›

FRIDAY [25] party • The Onion's "Summer Fun Blast Blowout Extravaganza!" Party with Clap!Clap!, Crash Gallery, Devil in the Choir, DJ Rubix, Prince Klassen, and a chance to win a scooter from Scooter Revolution at Beauty Bar ($2, 9:30pm) theatre • Rubber Repertory presents A Thought in Three Parts at The Vortex (8pm) music • Emissions From the Monolith Fest at Emo's music • Voxtrot, Au Revoir Simone, The Black, Zykos at Emo's music... more ›

Only two weekends remain for local actors improvisers comedians hooligans The Frank Mills to bring you sketch comedy every Friday and Saturday in May, 8pm at the Blue Theater. The other day, we chit-chatted with Frank Mills member (and Austinist writer) Erika May about the show, improv in Austin, and some of Winning Dirty's more famous audience members. Here's what she had to say. What's up with the name "The Frank Mills." Was Frank Mills... more ›

FRIDAY [4] party/bikes • Yellow Bike Project's Second Annual Bike Art Show with music by DJ Orion, DJ Katherine at Gallery 1906 (Free, 7pm-Midnight) art • Opening Reception: memoria/memoir: Carol Flax at Volitant Gallery, 320 Congress Ave., Ste 100 (6-9pm) art • B Scene at the Blanton Museum of Art 1st Anniversary Celebration at Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress ($5 members, $10 non-members, 6-11pm) art • Opening Reception: Tunnel Vision: Parading Down the... more ›

FRIDAY [27] music • While You Were Out, presented by Bueno Music Bureau, with The Unbearables, She Sir, The Scripts, Friday After Dark at Club de Ville ($5) books • Anita Gonzalez, Ph.D., presents Dancing Between Myth and Reality at CAAAS (UT - Jester A232) (3:00pm) comedy • Tig Notaro and Steve Burr at Cap City Comedy Club comedy • Punchline, open mic stand up comedy at ColdTowne Theater (10pm) dance • Fetish and Other... more ›

Looking for something interesting to do this weekend? It's Friday, after all, and there has to be something unconventional you can participate in, or at least bear witness to. Yeah, there's a few shows you could attend, or perhaps you could just say "screw it" and while the hours away at a bar. Deep down, though, you want to stretch out and do something different. As part of the Fuse Box Festival, local performance... more ›

Sadly, it is upon us. We'd say they saved the best for last, but the whole darn fest has been great from start to finish. Along those lines, all of the offerings these last several days look to be par excellence. Here're just a few. The Blue Screen International Program, Part I, curated by Lisa Kaselak. (Read Lisa's interview with Refraction Arts' Ron Berry here.) This 1.5 hour program, tonight only, 8pm at the Blue... more ›

TUESDAY [24] party • KLRU, Downtown Austin Alliance and Action Figure host a party for Season 3 of "Downtown" at Seaholm Power Plant (7:30pm, Free, Bring a Canned Good) POSTPONED books • Rob Neyer and Jim Baker present Baseball Prospectus 2007 at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Tig Notaro and Steve Burr at Cap City Comedy Club film • AFS Essential Series: "Funny Games" at Alamo Downtown film • "Shaft" with Free 40! at Alamo... more ›

MONDAY [23] books • David Sedaris at The Paramount Theatre books • Bill Bradley presents The New American Story at BookPeople (7:30pm) art • Artistic License: WorkSpace Artist Jedediah Caesar at the Blanton Museum of Art at The Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress (Included with Museum Admission, 6-7pm) comedy • "Funniest Person in Austin" Contest, Hosted By Mario DiGiorgio (Winner 1999)" at Cap City Comedy Club dance • The Whirling Dervishes at... more ›