With so many great openings and events taking place over the next few days, this is shaping up to be a busy weekend for art lovers. Here is a brief rundown of some of the highlights. See you at the galleries! BiRDHOUSE Gallery (1304 E. Cesar Chavez) is hosting a reception for Corinne Loperfido's new show Not Everything Will Be Okay But Some Things Will on Sunday from 6-10pm. Loperfido's carefully stitched and penned work often suggest traditional folk art, seen through the lens of contemporary, dry wit. BiRDHOUSE's openings always deliver all the charm of a neighborhood block party, so come out and toast our early spring. more ›

The Scottish Rite production of As You Like It succeeds on pretty much every level it attempts to reach. It's stacked with competent actors, attractive costumes, and well-painted sets. The gags are still effective, and the music never strikes an ill note. In short, it's an entirely serviceable take on a Shakespeare comedy, with nothing much to say against it. If that sounds like a series of backhanded compliments, there's a reason... more ›

For the month of July, a nation is contained in the Off Center where Robert Faires delivers his one-man adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry V directed by Catherine Weidner. In less than two hours’ traffic on the stage, Faires simply and elegantly creates not only these great characters, kings and yeomen alike, but also the entire world in which we view them. more ›

For any Shakespeare geek residing in Central Texas, we can imagine no greater treat than to watch one of his plays performed on the “wooden O” that is The Curtain Theatre. Richard Garriott’s Elizabethan replica space is nestled on his property on the shores of Lake Austin and provided the backdrop for Austin Shakespeare’s inaugural Young Shakespeare production of The Comedy of Errors this past weekend. The all-teen cast delivered a solid performance that was pleasantly surprising in many ways. more ›

England’s most storied and inspirational warrior king is revealed in a new, one-man adaptation of the Shakespeare history starring B. Iden Payne Award-winning actor/director and Austin Chronicle Arts Editor Robert Faires. more ›

Austin Shakespeare presents its inaugural "Young Shakespeare" production The Comedy of Errors from June 25- 28 at the Curtain Theatre. Comedy is Shakespeare at his farcical best. Shipwrecks, two sets of twins, love on the rocks, long-lost relatives and a few lusty wenches - what more could one ask for? more ›

All the world's a stage, but not everybody has a script. 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 ›

Austin Shakespeare’s Artistic Director Ann Ciccolella offers an updated take on one of Shakespeare’s über-bummer tragedies, Macbeth, with pretty solid results mixed in with a little bit of Huh? Marc Pouhe as Macbeth gives a strong performance and is mighty easy on the eyes. Sharron Bower as Lady Macbeth is wonderful—cognitive dissonance personified with an utterly evil soul wrapped in the façade of loveliness. more ›

Before West Side Story, before Beverly Hills 90210, before Sex and the City, before so much of the drama—high and low brow—we have turned to for entertainment over the past several hundred years…before all that, there was Shakespeare. Master of Play Beth Burns takes her best shot at Shakespeare with a production of the comedy Twelfth Night at the Scottish Rite Theater. The production is perfectly cast. These actors are all so clearly smitten with the bard’s work that you can feel the love as they deliver, and deliver they do. more ›

Because the Scottish Rite Theatre knows you don't have enough daring swordplay, forbidden romance and robust fun in your life, they've given Austinist a pair of tickets to their new production of The Twelfth Night to pass along to our dear readers. Should you win, you'll enjoy one of the bad-assest female lead characters in the history of theatre, Viola, and her madcap attempts at impersonating her long-lost brother. All goes awry when people start falling in love with other people—regardless of what gender they’re supposed to be. The Scottish Rite production is directed by Los Angeles transplant Beth Burns, who’s also a part of the city’s famous Groundlings improv troupe. more ›

Following tonight's performance of Troades, the Vortex is hosting a reception in honor of Sean T.C. O’Malley, composer of the show's original score. // Every Wednesday night in March, all seats for Speeding Motorcycle at Zach are $15! // The Heroes of Comedy's Improvised Shakespeare, Saturdays at 8pm at the Hideout, is so popular that they had to extend the run through the end of March. // Mortified is back! more ›

Since appointing new AD Ann Ciccolella last fall, Austin Shakespeare has been kickin' ass and takin' names. // The director-less, self-dubbed "brats of theater," Bedlam Faction, have returned. // SVT has a trouserload of programming this month, including Twelfth Night, produced by Kadigan and Mountweazel. more ›

The Vortex has remounted one of its first big hits, Alan Bowne's Beirut. The original production put Vortex on the map as the place to go for cutting-edge, indeed bleeding-edge, work. With a script that's a tad dated but still meaty, the show explores the political, social, and emotional fallout of the AIDS crisis. It includes full nudity and sexually explicit material, all done to serve a story that's weighty and intense. Thu-Sun, 8pm, through 1/26. [Reservations: 478-5282] more ›

Photo courtesy Refraction Arts The Assumption12/7-21, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmBlue Theatre (916 Springdale Ave)Late Shows: 12/8, 15, & 21 @ 10:30pm[info] | [tickets]Here's something you might not know about us: Our hands-down favorite play by the old Bard has always been Hamlet. With that in mind, we expected to be at least a bit annoyed by Refraction Arts' irreverent re-imagining of one of Shakespeare's greatest works. But we weren't. As a matter of fact, immediately upon... more ›

The Bard is back! This weekend only—Shakespeare shenanigans you won't want to miss. But first we're dropping a hint about a little show we've heard is fantastic. Shrewd Productions' Io: a myth about you runs through November 10, Th/Fr/Sa at the Vortex. This play with music features an all-star cast, including our current biggest crush Jude Hickey. Described as a "foray into heroic tales, vengeance, decadence, salvation, forgiveness, and rock & roll," it contains strong... more ›

Rush Hour 3: Don't Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker look dismayed to find themselves in the third installment of their never-ending Rush Hour franchise? If you find it hilarious to watch a BLACK GUY and an ASIAN GUY fighting crime--together!--then look out, because now they're fighting crime in France, the funniest place in the world! Which one of them do you think will be eye-rolling and making fish-out-of-water quips while dangling from the Eiffel Tower... more ›

Low-income families in Central Texas hoping to replace their old cars may qualify for financial aid Put that pen down, sir: authorities are going after hot check writers across the state this month There's a Lady Bird Johnson tribute DVD out now, with proceeds going to the LBJ Wildflower Center Houston area man gets evicted, leaves behind hundreds of chickens Williamson County animal shelter accidentally euthanizes lost dog after only two days, owners show... 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 ›

It's like "Two for Tuesday," but on Wednesday. And instead of classic rock gold, there are two books about a centuries-dead playwright. Still, it's fresher than Foghat. Tomorrow night Intellectual Property hosts UT English Professors Douglas Bruster and Eric Mallin as they present their works in the Shakespeare Now! series, a collection of books that take an unconventional approach to various aspects of the Bard and his works. more ›

Welcome, welcome, the return of This Week in Theatre, our weekly attempt to point you, dear reader, in the direction of some of Austin's best and brightest theatre offerings. Pickings are a touch slim this week, probably due to the spring holiday, but here are a few things that caught our eye. First, the Bard-lovin' thesps at Austin Shakespeare Fest have ganged up with none other than Richard Garriott to bring you an Easter... more ›

FRIDAY [16] art • Artist's Reception: Joan Winter: From Marfa to Sudari at Flatbed Press and Gallery (6-8pm) art • Flatstock 12 Poster Convention at Austin Convention Center (11am-6pm) books • Jack Pendarvis preseents The Mysterious Secret of the Valuable Treasure at BookPeople (3:00pm) books • John Sellers presents Perfect From Now On at BookPeople (7:00pm) sxsw • SXSW Film Festival at Everywhere sxsw • SXSW Music Festival at Everywhere theatre • Austin Shakespeare... more ›

Been putting off your Valentine's Day plans because you're just not sure what to do? How about a classy evening of theatre, courtesy of newcomers Mother of Invention Productions? The Mothers are serving up Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet for your viewing pleasure, and it's going down at the newish City Theatre. Congratulations to our winner Stephen! A little romance. A lot of tragedy. Reported to be "amazing" and "a joy to experience," what more... more ›

That's right: it's time to heat up your winter nights again, with the 14th season of FronteraFest. The Short Fringe, the Long Fringe, or Mi Casa es su Teatro -- FronteraFest is five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre presented by Hyde Park Theatre and Austin Script Works. For complete FronteraFest 2007 information, including times and locations for the Short Fringe, the Long Fringe and Mi Casa es su Teatro,... more ›

MONDAY [29] opera • Philip Glass' Waiting for the Barbarians at Bass Concert Hall music • Unwed Sailor, Bayta Darell, The Twilight Lieutenants at Emo's Lounge music • Hidden Hand, Kylesa, The Roller, Ironclad at Emo's music • The Fray, Mute Math at Frank Erwin Center music • Hill Country Outdoors' New Member Meeting at Opal Divine's Penn Field film • Darkon: The Movie at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Melody at Alamo Drafthouse... more ›

FRIDAY [26] film • El Automovil Gris at McCullough Theatre ® art • Opening Reception: Ishmael Soto: Vessels and Inspirations: Ceramic and Sculptural Work at Mexic-Arte Museum (7-9pm, free) books • Sarah Lewis presents Indecent at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Bil Dwyer at Cap City Comedy Club film • Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival 2007 at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown ® film • The Bridge at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar community • Meeting... more ›

Welcome to the Halloween edition of This Week in Theatre, and the first time since we’ve been in Austin that some company hasn’t produced a play about mystical and spooky stuff to commemorate this festive occasion. So, in lieu of seeing a “horror” play this weekend—an event where busty blondes disappear for no reason, only to return later after a highly unfortunate series of events has stripped them down to their underwear; or, you... more ›

Delightful Irony #1: Opening night at the start of the showcase film screening at the 19th Annual aGLIFF, a female voice loudly implores other members of the boisterous, predominantly female, near-capacity audience to “be quiet.” No. No, please don’t be quiet. As the opening credits for Puccini for Beginners begin to roll and the audience settles in, the point becomes all too clear: this—the film itself, our participation, everything that will happen in the... more ›

As part of UT's weeklong celebration of Shakespeare's Hamlet, a panel of law professors and Shakespeare directors will be meeting together tomorrow evening to discuss the legal implications of Hamlet's behavior and speech in Shakespeare's play. Actors from UT's own Spirit of Shakespeare will perform the play-within-a-play portion (but doesn't that make it a play-within-a-play-within-a-panel?). Entitled "The Law's Delay" (after a portion of Hamlet's best-known soliliquy), the panel will be led by UT Law... more ›