It's a meditation on competing visions of the Wild West. It's a love story to Austin. It's about two dachshunds, a mountain lion, and the people they're tied to (sometimes literally). The Rude Mechs have managed to pack all of those things into I've Never Been So Happy, a video-enhanced, dance-spattered musical that lives up to the promise of its title. The Rude Mechs have made their name with original, collectively created theater, and their latest offering is no different. From the seed of an idea sparked five years ago, Kirk Lynn and Peter Stopschinski have built a bouncy, sweet, utterly delightful love story that's family friendly, save a few curse words more ›

Tomorrow night at Salvage Vanguard Theater, UT's Libraries and the Fine Arts Library are hosting a panel discussion with quite an impressive panel of local playwrights. None other than George Brant, Sherry Kramer, Kirk Lynn, and Steve Moore "will address their position as straddlers—young, critically acclaimed playwrights whose early successes in the 20th century influenced the theater’s trajectory into the 21st." more ›

[This review courtesy of new Austinist contributor Anna Hanks! -Ed.] As much as we'd like to change a few things about our first time, we regret we’ll never be able to repeat the experience. We also can’t change history, so catching the currently playing, slick incarnation of the Rude Mechanicals' Get Your War On also wasn't our first time. (We reviewed the show last January as well.) Directed by Shawn Sides, Get Your War... more ›

Recently seen in another local media resource: "OK, I'll say it: Ken Webster's "St. Nicholas" is a tour de force." Ken Webster is an actor, the Producing Artistic Director of Hyde Park Theatre, and an advocate of the idea that more local actors and performers should get their 15 minutes of fame. From the beginning, he has been a part of FronteraFest, Austin's annual fringe theatre festival which opens its stages to dozens of... more ›

Off like a prom dress indeed. This summer, theatre in the A-burg is gonna get all raucous on yah ass. The newbies, the small, feisty, ain’t-takin’-no-shit-from-the-man performance companies du resistance are all comin’ outta the woodwork to rock your sweet casbah. With that in mind, our Austinist pick of the week is Minus Tide. It’s a co-produced effort from Bayou Radio Productions (which isn’t too dissimilar from the dirigo group) and Austin fringe heroes,... more ›

Grrr. There's some straight-talking, cut-that-jive-or-I'll-slap-you karma in the air this week. Out in Washington, members of congress are smacking around their local law enforcement, in NYC, city detectives have been shooting people for money, and here in Texas, some ass on the Sunset Advisory Commission has issued fightin' words 'gainst our arts community. Well theatre-goers, we're fighting back. Grrr, again. Earlier this week we told you how local artists have rounded up mad cash... more ›

[Update: All the tickets have been claimed! Thanks to everyone for playing, and congrats to the lucky winners -- enjoy the show! -Ed.] Wanna see the latest star-packed thriller from the Rude Mechanicals: Decameron Day 7: REVENGE? Wanna go for FREE? Be one of the first five people to send us an email (be sure to take the () off the @), and we'll set you up with two tix, complimentary of the Rudes.... more ›

F R I D A Y [16] [theatre] Rude Mechs present Pale Idiot by Kirk Lynn at The Off Centre (Through Sat, $12, 8pm) [Austinist Review] [theatre] Langston Hughes' "Black Nativity" at Austin Playhouse on Penn Field (Through Sat, $20, 7:30pm) [theatre] "When Pigs Fly" at Arts on Real (8pm) [theatre] Shrewd Productions presents "Xmas Unwrapped! A Holiday Burlesque" at Hyde Park Theatre (Through Sat, 10pm) [theatre] "A Christmas Carol" at The State Theatre... more ›

There's a whole slew of theatre productions closing this weekend. This being the busy time of year, we were unable to get to most of them. Sadly. If we could clone ourselves, here's a list of shows we'd be sure to hit this weekend. Pro Arts Collective presents Black Nativity by Langston Hughes Adapted, Directed and Choreographed by Jason Ansara Brooks This passionate, high-energy combination of gospel music and the story of the nativity... more ›

M O N D A Y [12] [music] UT Ethnomusicology Dept Ensembles at Momo's (8pm) [music] David Newbould at Flipnotics (8pm) [music] Singer-Songwriter Night at Longbranch Inn [music] Elizabeth McQueen at Theadgill's (8pm) [music] Listening party for Ludacris' new album, Disturbing Tha Peace at Nasty's (8pm) [music/shopping] Armadillo Christmas Bazaar with the Eggmen at Austin Music Hall (Check website for dates/hours) [party] Friends of the Spade Christmas Party at Velvet Spade (11pm) [film/food] "Narnia"... more ›