Jan. 15 - The Austin Chronicle

62 | THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE | JANUARY 7, 2005 THEATRE | COMEDY | DANCE | CLASSICAL | LITERA | VISUAL ARTSFronteraFestThis annual five-week collection of short theatre pieces at Hyde ParkTheatre started back in ’93 and has returned year after year to redefinethe word “eclectic.” Luckily for Austin, it sometimes manages todefine “brilliant,” too, although who knows what forms or qualities anyof these nights of four to five performances of 25 minutes (or less)each will bring? Monologues? Plays in progress? Comedy improv?Cabaret singers? Avant-garde dance? Multimedia? A guy with a plasticcomb and a piece of wax paper doing for the Nirvana songbook whatJimi Hendrix did for “The Star-Spangled Banner”? Co-produced by HPTand Austin Script Works, it’s our own homegrown Gong Show, albeitsans gong, and (especially during “Best of the Week” Saturdays) it’s asure bet for off-kilter entertainment. And that’s just the Short Fringe.The Long Fringe (plays of 90 minutes or less, filling nights at the BlueTheatre) starts in a couple of weeks, and of course we’ll have thoselistings available for your perusal. Right now, here’s the lineup for thefirst week of Short Fringe:Tue., Jan. 11: “Vulnerable,” by Lisa Konoplisky for Cougar 5Productions; “LuBu McJohnson: Attempt #1,” by Bryan Roberts & LuBu McJohnson; “CaesarSalad,” by Jon Daries; “Talk to Me,” by Franky Ramont & Cleston Wright.Wed., Jan 12: “Just So Beautiful,” by Leilah Stewart; “Girls Girls Girls!” musical improv; “WhatYou Want!” by Rosaruby Glaberman & Erin Meyer; “Small Stars: The Musical” (music and lyricsby Miles Zuniga and Jeff Groves; story by Miles Zuniga, Jeff Groves, and Will Rogers); “are youmy daddy tonight?” by choreographer Mari Akita.Thu., Jan. 13: “Xenophobia,” by Kirk German; “Who Allowed This to Happen?” by David Ansel,Ethan Azarian, Tucker Livingston, and Brian Shapiro; “Letters From the Wall,” by Aaron Eckmanand Claude File; “Morale,” by David Toscano; “Cuentos Con Consuelo IV,” by ConsueloSamarripa.Fri., Jan. 14: “Dossier of Pearls,” by Cris Edwards; “Syncopation/Dissonance,” by LeslieHollingsworth; “Baka Gaijin,” by Loaded Gun Theory; “Objects in the Rear View Mirror May BeCloser Than They Appear to Be,” by Ryan, Robert, Tina, and Steve; “The Fourth Man,” by LillianKaufman.Sat., Jan. 15: Best of the Week, followed by an opening reception catered by Asti Trattoria.Performances begin at 8pm each night. For more details about the shows and their creators(and for those harried, last-minute updates), check out the HPT Web site. Hyde Park Theatre,511 W. 43rd, 479-PLAY. Tue.-Fri., $10; Sat., $12. www.hydeparktheatre.com.TheatreBY WAYNE ALAN BRENNEROPENINGSONNY’S LAST SHOT is Lawrence Wright’s raucous,ribald, and thoroughly bipartisan skewering of Texaspolitics, and it’s back (triumphantly, as they say) foranother go at stirring up your joy of theatre and disgustof government. It’s a comedy, of course, which isjust as well: With the state of things in our countrytoday, if we weren’t laughing, we’d be bawling oureyes out, no? Directed by Marco Perella. Jan. 6-Feb.5. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 5pm. The State Theater,719 Congress, 472-7134. www.sonnyslastshot.com.GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS! Austin’s only all-femaleimprovisational comedy troupe will conceive an entirerock opera or musical from audience suggestions.That’s right: live music, laughs, and spontaneousdegeneration all wrapped up in an attractively X/Xpackage. Rock opera: Fri., Jan. 7, 8pm. Musical:Sat., Jan. 8, 8pm. Arts on Real, 2826 Real (behindFlatbed Press), 472-2787. $10. ggg.austinimprov.com.THE SEED is a new play – a romantic musical,even – based on the myth of Persephone. It’s cocreatedby Mick D’arcy and Edmund Pantuliano,and it’s being given a staged reading at the Vortex.Sat., Jan. 8, 1pm. The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd.,478-5282. Free. www.vortexrep.org.FRONTERAFEST 2004 See box above.PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE has nothing to dowith British steel-belted radials, fool. Rather, it’s aseldom-staged Shakespeare drama about an exiledprince searching for a home and struggling to triumphover corruption as he travels through a seriesof kingdoms evoking the mysteries of an ancientMiddle East. Directed by Norman Blumensaadt forDifferent Stages, featuring Robert Rudié as the narrator.Jan. 14-Feb. 5. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 2pm.Arts on Real, 2826 Real (behind Flatbed Press),472-2787. $14-16 (pay what you can, Thursdays).ST. ENID AND THE BLACK HAND is the world premiereof Molly Rice’s eerie play-with-music, looselybased on W.W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw,” in whicha young woman, banished to an upstairs room,attains her powerful birthright while the fates deal herdownstairs family a very black hand indeed. “Never asafe minute!” Directed by Michelle K. Fowler, withchoreography by Ellen Bartel, lighting by JasonAmato, and musical direction by Chris Black.Recommended. Jan. 14-Feb. 5. Thu.-Sun., 8pm.ASL-interpreted show: Fri., Jan. 21. The Vortex, 2307Manor Rd., 478-5282. $5-20. www.vortexrep.org.SQUARE ONE is Steve Tesich’s futuristic love story,brimming with dystopian angst and paranoidmanuevering, in which Dianne meets Adam and marriageleads to a strained junction of trust and suspicionamid the pitfalls of a totalitarian state. Directedby Lorie Marsh for Storie Productions. Jan. 14-Feb.5. Thu.-Sat., 8pm. Extra shows: Sun., Jan. 23 & 30,2pm. Austin Playhouse, 3601 S. Congress, Bldg. C,443-8229. $10-20 (discounts available for students,seniors, ACoT). www.austinplayhouse.com.ENCHANTED APRIL is Matthew Barber’s Tony-nominatedromantic comedy about “four Englishwomenwho escape from the dreariness of their lives inSUBMISSION INFORMATION:The Austin Chronicle is published every Thursday. Info isdue the Monday of the week prior to the issue date. Thedeadline for the Jan. 20 issue is Monday, Jan. 10. Includename of event, date, time, location, price, phone number(s), adescription, and any available photos or artwork. IncludeSASE for return of materials.Send submissions to the attention of the appropriatewriter (see roster below). Mail to the Chronicle, PO Box49066, Austin 78765, fax 458-6910, or e-mail:This talented comedy troupe, called, for obvious reasons, Girls, Girls, Girls!, turns audiencesuggestions into a rock opera before your very amazed eyes at Arts on Real this weekend.post-WWI London to an Italian castle, findingromance and friendship and rediscovering life’senchantments.” Directed by Don Toner for AustinPlayhouse, featuring the talents of Mary Agen Cox,David Stahl, and others. Jan. 14-Feb. 14. Thu.-Sat.,8pm; Sun., 5pm. Special Valentine’s performance:Mon., Feb. 14, 8pm. Austin Playhouse, 3601 S.Congress, Bldg. C, 476-0084. $22-35 (discountsfor students, seniors, AcoT).ONGOINGMY SHOW has former Flaming Idiot Rob Williams,currently appearing in Zach Scott’s Santaland Diariesand thus having ever so much time on his talentedhands (?), using his Monday nights off to host a livevariety/talk show of his very own, featuring localcomedians, celebrities, politicians, and a few of thelocal characters who really do keep Austin weird.Mondays, 8pm. Zachary Scott Theatre, 1510 Toomey,476-0541 x1. $10. www.tendollarmonkey.com.AUDITIONSWAITING … is the latest script from ShanonWeaver, to be directed by Melissa Livingston for achick & a dude productions in February and March.It’s about “what happens when you die and whatyou can take with you and what you must leavebehind.” They’re looking for two males (aged 25-45)and a female (aged 20-30). Prepare two contrastingmonologues (no more than five minutes total). Callfor appt. Sat., Jan. 8, 10am-2pm; Tue., Jan. 11,6:30-9:30pm. Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 BartonSprings Rd., 444-6920. chickanddude@hotmail.com.GYPSY BABY: THE SILENT TREATMENT GypsyBaby’s looking for actors for their April 2005 productionof this new play by Lindsay Kayser; it’s anextension of their ongoing New Bob Project. Theplay, to be workshopped in January and rehearsedin February, will alternate between a “black andwhite, silent film world and a real color world.”They’re looking for circa 1920 silent-film stereotypes:a big daddy, a female journalist, a tall leadinglady, a Mary Pickford, a glib gay guy, a dashingWayne Alan Brenner, theatre, comedy.brenner@austinchronicle.com.Marc Savlov, film classes, instruction, events.film@austinchronicle.com.Robi Polgar, performance art, dance, classical.dance-classical@austinchronicle.com.Ric Williams, litera. litera@austinchronicle.com.Jacqueline May, visual arts. art@austinchronicle.com.Questions? Contact Wayne Alan Brenner, listings editor.brenner@austinchronicle.com.leading man, a wise older woman, a stagehand, amysterious drug dealer, a mousy never-the-star girl,and performers to play multiple chorus parts suchas film producers, stage hands, and dancers.Prepare a monologue or a side. E-mail for moreinformation or appt. Mon., Jan. 10, 6:30-9:30pm.Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd.,397-1468. susie@gypsybaby.com.MACBETH The Celtic Cultural Center of Texas andRenaissance Austin Theatre Company are looking foractors for this Shakespeare tragedy, to be directed byLorella Loftus in March and April. The Macbeth role’sbeen cast and there are no female roles available,but they’re looking for adult males for the rest of theScottish gang. Prepare a couple of two-minuteShakespeare monologues, bring headshot andrésumé. Mon., Jan. 17, 6:30-9:30pm. DoughertyArts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd., 431-6290.THEATRE CALL BOARDSUBMIT TO LA FEMME! For their second annualBareBones Festival, the Vortex Repertory Companyhas chosen the theme “La Femme: Plays andPerformance Written by and/or About Women.” Allsubmissions should be original, previously unproduced,and 15-60 minutes long. Plays must be ableto be produced with minimal technical requirements,no budget, and also have a small cast. Nontraditionaltheatrical performance must have a detailed score inlieu of script. No entry fee. Scripts nonreturnable.Hard copies only (no e-mail submissions). Selectedwork will receive up to seven public performancesduring the festival. Films and nontraditional performancesencouraged to apply. Finalists will be notifiedby June 1. Submission (postmark) deadline: March1. Mail to: BareBones Festival @The Vortex, 2307Manor Rd., Austin, 78722.MI CASA ES SU TEATRO is the part of FronteraFestthat happens in private homes and public spacesaround Austin. The events range from site-specifictheatre, film screenings, improv comedy, dancepieces among the living room furniture, oh, youname it. Actually, you can present it (on Sat., Feb. 5)if you’ve got what it takes. Got a performance ideayou’d like to put into action? Contact Mi Casa coordinatorGreg Romero via e-mail, and he’ll hook you up.Quickly, though: He’s under a scheduling deadline ofSat., Jan. 15, so you’d do well to get in touch waybefore then. gregromero@mail.utexas.edu.A BEGINNING ACTING WORKSHOP FOR ADULTSwill be conducted by Teatro Vivo’s artistic director,Rupert Reyes. This free workshop will provide experiencein audition techniques, rehearsal/performanceetiquette, and will culminate in the performance oftwo bilingual (Spanish/English) one-act plays.Registration: Mon.-Tue., Jan. 10-11, 6:30-9pm.Workshop: Mon.-Wed., Jan. 24-Feb. 16, 6:30-9pm.Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd.,970-7016.