Jeff Davis - Page 11

On Tuesday, September 3rd, a very selected audience of lucky Austinites were invited to a special invitation-only screening of a developmental production of the Broadway-bound musical, Allegiance, hoping to raise funds and support to further bring the show to the Broadway stage. I was lucky enough to attend, and while it may be unconventional for a theater critic to review or even comment on a piece they technically did not see live (what was shown in Austin was a professionally filmed version of the world premiere production of Allegiance at the Old Globe in San Diego, CA) the show is too good to ignore.

There are so many characters in the visual arts who we instantly recognize. The Mona Lisa. The statue of David. We could probably even name the artist and where the piece is showcased now. But what about the models that inspired these iconic works? As one performer in Art Show/Model Show asks, "Why does the identity of the model disappear?" It's doubtful that the models/performers in Art Show/Model Show will ever disappear from the memory of Austin audiences. With a fearless combination of humor and poignancy, the performers give us a unique perspective from behind the canvas.

The Playhouse in San Antonio is redefining youth outreach with The Tribe, a new and exciting network of young artists that engages new theatre audiences, promotes artistic expression in the community, and fosters San Antonio's next generation of artists. Membership into The Tribe is open to all high school and college students in San Antonio.

New Orleans native and star of TV's Mad Men, Bryan Batt will bring his hilarious show Batt On A Hot Tin Roof to Austin's Zach Theatre for one night only on Tuesday, September 10th. This handsome Broadway star of La Cage Aux Folles, Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, and Starlight Express, to name just a few, will light up your night with his personable wit and leading man song stylings. Mr. Batt recently chatted with us about his work on Broadway, Mad Men, and his cabaret act.

Octavio Solis is a prolific Latin American playwright with over 20 plays and numerous awards to his credit, or so I'm told. His drama Bethlehem, now playing in San Antonio, won the 2002 Latino Playwriting Award, but after seeing the show (my first introduction to Solis's work), I'm not exactly sure why. His text is the glaring weak link of the production. While the cast is fantastic, the text is a jumbled, long, and puzzling mess that seems more concerned with creating an 'ew' factor than an entertainment factor.

It's no secret that the musical Grease has reached cult classic status. The movie in particular is a massive hit, and the stage version is a favorite of regional theaters. It's no surprise then that the current production at Austin's City Theatre is playing to packed houses and receiving standing ovations. People love this show.

There are so many words and phrases in this world that shouldn't go together, such as a cappella and musical, modern theater and ancient Greek mythology, and Miley Cyrus and respectable young artist. While I have no clue what Vortex Rep thinks of Miley, it seems that where the rest of us see things that don't go together, the artists at Vortex Rep see a theatrical opportunity. Their latest production, an original a cappella musical inspired by Greek mythology, is exciting, imaginative, and-with a few minor tweaks here and there-could become a favorite of regional theaters across the country (and I consider Off-Broadway as a region, too).

I've always had the inclination that the line between man and God is infinitely small. In Greek mythology, that line is so small that the earthbound Mount Olympus is the home of the Gods, and the Gods often descend from their perch to mingle with humans. Moreover, the Gods have human emotions of anger, guilt, anxiety, depression, frustration, and lust. With that kind of storm, there are more than enough reasons to see a shrink. That's certainly the main point of Zeus in Therapy, Tutto Theatre Company's world premiere comedy based on the unpublished work of Douglass Stott Parker. It ain't easy being a God, and by extraction, it ain't easy being human, either.

Think of A Few Good Men, and you're bound to think of Jack Nicholson screaming the iconic line "You can't handle the truth!" in the celebrated 1992 film. However, if you're lucky enough to catch Georgetown Palace's current production of the 1989 play which inspired the film, you're bound to think of a remarkably effective and thought provoking evening of theatre.

Is there a twelve step program to creating a perfect comedy? I don't know, but if there is, writer Stephen Adly Guirgis and Austin's Capital T Theatre have found it. The Motherf**ker with the Hat is a hysterical, riotous comedy that, despite what the vulgar title may suggest, is just as intelligent and poignant as it is filthy.

Early on in Learner and Lowe's Camelot, Guinevere asks, 'Where are the simple joys of maidenhood?' If her question was instead 'Where are the simple joys of musical comedy?' I'd tell her to look no further than the Woodlawn Theatre. Their current production of Spamalot is two hours of pure fun and brilliant comedic performances, simple though the material may be.

Anyone who's seen any of the annual Zilker summer musicals in Austin's Zilker Park know that, though the productions are free to the public, the entertainment value and quality are always top-notch. Zilker's 55th annual production, Little Shop of Horrors, does not disappoint. This is a dazzling, colorful, and hysterically funny take on a staple of musical theater. The shop may be little, but the entertainment value is gigantic.

Adaptations are a tricky business. Staying too close to the source material may make the audience wonder why the material was adapted in the first place, and straying too far may seem disrespectful (everyone involved in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, that one's directed at you). But occasionally, an adaptation comes along that has clear reverence towards the original work but is also unafraid to stand on its own. Such is the case with Breaking String Theater's fantastic production of Three, or The Sound of the Great Existential Nothingness, a new and exciting modernization of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters.

An hour and a half of two men sitting in a small apartment discussing religion doesn't scream "riveting theatre," but under the right circumstances, anything is possible. Case in point: Trinity Street Player's current production of The Sunset Limited. While the show may not be action packed, it is a thought provoking and well-crafted work.

Summertime in Austin seems like the perfect place and time for a happy-go-lucky musical celebration of jazz music and swing dance. At least SummerStock Austin thinks so, and I whole-heartedly agree. Their production of Swing!, a dazzling and energetic musical revue, is absolutely astonishing and completely entertaining. Though SummerStock Austin's other two current productions of Pippin and The Bremen Town Musicians are excellent and memorable, Swing! proves to be the biggest crowd-pleaser of the bunch.

There are some things in the arts that I never expect to see. One is Harvey Firestein covering a Josh Groban song. Another is Lindsay Lohan winning an Oscar. And another is an avant garde production of A Raisin in the Sun. Well, I guess 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

If there's any lesson to be learned from the slapstick musical Bugsy Malone, now playing at Sam Bass Community Theatre, it's that gangsters are adorable. Who knew? Armed with some silly string guns and custard pies, Bugsy Malone softens the gangster genre to cute, sweet, and fun family entertainment.

Tackling a show like Pippin takes some major cojones. The original Bob Fosse production featured an iconic, Tony Award winning performance from Ben Vereen and was the first Broadway musical to feature the work of composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The current Broadway revival of Pippin just won four Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress, Best Actress, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Revival of a Musical. Pippin is certainly not a safe choice for a troupe of young performers like the High School and college age artists of SummerStock Austin. That said, the award-winning SummerStock Austin never takes the safe road, and their courageousness pays off with their exciting, enjoyable, and thrilling production of Pippin.

Everyone loves a good "The Show Must Go On" story, and they don't get much better than the story of The Playhouse's current production of Ragtime which plays The Charline McCombs Empire Theatre now through August 18th. Though originally planned for The Playhouse's Russell Hill Rogers Theatre, plans changed after the recent San Antonio flood damaged the historic structure, causing the need for major repairs. While a late change in venue is a major curve ball for any production, any problems that it may have caused are nowhere to be seen. While stripped of the grandiose design which usually accompanies the epic American musical, The Playhouse's version is still quite alluring and emotionally stirring.

Founded in 1989, Tapestry Dance Company has been a hallmark of the performing arts in Austin and one of the most respected tap dance companies in the world for over 20 years. The company has won many prestigious awards, including "Best Dance Company" from the Austin Chronicle and "Best Ensemble" from the Austin Critics Table. In addition to producing several events and concerts every year, Tapestry Dance Company also teaches dance trough their award-winning academy.