It's always awesome when Austinites earn national recognition — unless it's coming from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Back in May, a 20-something-year-old woman robbed a Northwest Austin Wachovia bank, while sporting a UT cap and a rather confident smile. The sassy lady evidently had such a good go of her first robbery that she took her one-woman-act to the west coast. According to the FBI's "WANTED" poster, the "Ponytail Bandit" is believed to have also robbed banks in Roseville, California, and Lynnwood, Washington. In all three cases, her M.O. remained the same: shoulder-length blonde ponytail pulled through the back of a baseball cap, she'd simply saunter into the building, demand money from a teller, and walk out. She's also characterized by a rather unique waiting line stance: arms crossed and shoulders slouching forward ever so slightly, the stick-thin Ponytail Bandit bears a striking resemblance to one Montgomery Burns. Those with info on this fugitive are invited to ring the FBI at 202-324-3000.

Sometimes theatre is a deep, penetrating look into the human soul -- a full course dinner from soup to nuts. Other times it's more akin to tapas -- a variety of yummy snacks that adds up to light fare. Radio :30 (check out that whippy e-card!) at Hyde Park Theatre is somewhere in between. Both tragic and comic, both heavy and light, it's served up like tapas but lingers (in a good way) more... 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 ›

As mentioned yesterday here on Austinist, Rude Mechanicals has mounted an upgraded version of last year's workshopped production, Get Your War On!. ( In case you haven't been reading Austinist, or didn't see the cover of this week's Austin Chronicle, we'll give you the lowdown on this unique work. Basically, shortly after 9/11/2001, a New Yorker named David Rees started writing, and publishing online, an acerbic, satirical comic strip called Get Your War On!.... more ›

Canadian Chris Earle's analysis in descent, Radio: 30, follows an award winning radio personality who slowly breaks down over a day long struggle with a simple thirty second ad. Directed by Ken Webster and featuring Mical Trejo and Robert S. Fisher, the play depicts a man who can tell you, with a smile, how he seduced his best friend's wife and forced out his predecessor to achieve his standing. A truely post-modern man. Hyde park... more ›