Texas Comedies Gets Boozy with PROHIBITION Musical Comedy

A century ago, Prohibition was the political struggle that divided America. Set in Texas, Prohibition: A Musical Comedy about the War on Booze from Texas Comedies (formerly Crank Collective) retells the true story of the ferocious conflict between the "Drys" and the "Wets." Election fraud, bribery, the Klan and World War I all play a part in this one-hour musical comedy with a live band.

The newest addition to the "Texas History Musicals" series (following Murders & Moontowers, and The True Story of Bonnie and Clyde), Prohibition depicts the fight in Texas over the Prohibition of alcohol. Created by John Cecil and Texas Comedies, the show explores the epic struggle that dragged in temperancers, doughboys, German-Americans, suffragettes and gangsters, and culminated in a notorious era of criminality and vice.

Prohibition swept through Texas in the early 20th century, but some urban areas held on to "demon rum" by a thin margin. Drys manipulated wartime propaganda in their effort to eradicate alcohol, questioning the loyalty of German-Americans and arguing that brewers were the "enemy in the home camp." Ultimately, Texas passed statewide Prohibition, which was superseded by the Volstead Act and the 18th Amendment.

The cast features Kirk Kelso, Megan Ortiz, Heath Allyn and Joshua Meindertsma. Band includes Mikey Walters, Chris La Cava and Jonathan Hoyle.

IF YOU GO:

Texas Comedies: an Austin based theatre group
Prohibition: A Musical Comedy about the War on Booze
Thu/Fri/Sat-Feb 23, 24, 25 and Mar 2, 3, 4 at 8pm
At Dougherty Arts Center Theater, 1110 Barton Springs Road, 78704
Tickets: www.texshows.com or call 512-569-6155. $25/$20/$12

Texas Comedies (formerly Crank Collective), led by producing director John Cecil, is a rotating group of actors, musicians and theatrical artists that has performed in New York, Prague and Bucharest. The ensemble brought the show Epidemic of Fear: An Influenzical to Austin in 2009, then Drone in 2011 (nominated for an Austin Critics' Table Award for Best Musical Production). For its Texas History Series, Crank Collective recently produced Cabeza de Vaca, Alamo Aftermath, Boomtown, The True Story of Bonnie and Clyde, and Murders & Moontowers.

Crank Collective is a sponsored project of the Austin Creative Alliance, a non-profit arts service organization, working to advance, connect, and celebrate Austin's creative life. Prohibition is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division.

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