T. J. Gaudette
Fri., Nov. 17, 1995
Shortly after midnight on October 31, local theatre artist T. J. Gaudette
died. Gaudette had been battling AIDS for some time. Gaudette had ties
throughout the theatre community but was most closely identified with VORTEX
Repertory Company, for whom he worked as an actor (Nightsweat), a stage manager
(The Baltimore Waltz), and a scene designer (Steel Kiss, Post Post Porn
Modernist, Wisdom of the Crone, Free Will and Wanton Lust). In the company's
final season at the VORTEX Performance Cafe on Ben White Boulevard, Gaudette
served as Production Manager, and company founder and artistic light Bonnie
Cullum credits Gaudette with keeping the company alive as it made the
transition to its current home, Planet Theatre. Without question, he shall be
missed.
African-American theatre artists will be able to meet and discuss their needs
when the Progressive Arts Collective hosts the symposium Setting Our Agenda:
Preparing for the 21st Century. Presentations and focus groups led by Austin
arts professionals will cover careers, training, non-traditional casting,
audience development, performance art, what makes a production, and other
topics, specifically as they relate to black actors, writers, designers, and
directors. The event has been assembled by Boyd Vance, longtime Austin theatre
artist who moved to San Francisco last year but is back in town starring in the
Zachary Scott Theatre Center revival of Shear Madness. Vance has nurtured many
local African-American theatre artists in the past 20 years and says the
community of such artists is more alive than ever. "What we have to do now,"
says Vance, "is sit down and figure out what people's objectives are and how
they're going to reach them and how we're all going to work together." The
symposium is set for two days: Nov 18 and Jan 20. The November half will open
with a welcome by Michael Coleman and a brief history of Austin theatre from
Vance. The morning session will be held at the Austin Community College Rio
Grande campus, the afternoon session will be held at the Zachary Scott Theatre
Center. For more info, call Vance or Dewy Brooks at 447-5343.
The Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery has secured a major grant from the
Institute of Museum Services. The art museum for the University of Texas at
Austin was awarded $112,500 for the Institute's 1995-1997 funding cycle. The
grant serves a double purpose: financial assistance in that trickiest of areas
to secure funds, general operating support, and recognition from one of the
nation's most respected evaluators of museum operations and programs.
African-American Theatre Symposium
African-American theatre artists will be able to meet and discuss their needs
when the Progressive Arts Collective hosts the symposium Setting Our Agenda:
Preparing for the 21st Century. Presentations and focus groups led by Austin
arts professionals will cover careers, training, non-traditional casting,
audience development, performance art, what makes a production, and other
topics, specifically as they relate to black actors, writers, designers, and
directors. The event has been assembled by Boyd Vance, longtime Austin theatre
artist who moved to San Francisco last year but is back in town starring in the
Zachary Scott Theatre Center revival of Shear Madness. Vance has nurtured many
local African-American theatre artists in the past 20 years and says the
community of such artists is more alive than ever. "What we have to do now,"
says Vance, "is sit down and figure out what people's objectives are and how
they're going to reach them and how we're all going to work together." The
symposium is set for two days: Nov 18 and Jan 20. The November half will open
with a welcome by Michael Coleman and a brief history of Austin theatre from
Vance. The morning session will be held at the Austin Community College Rio
Grande campus, the afternoon session will be held at the Zachary Scott Theatre
Center. For more info, call Vance or Dewy Brooks at 447-5343.
On the Funding Front
The Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery has secured a major grant from the
Institute of Museum Services. The art museum for the University of Texas at
Austin was awarded $112,500 for the Institute's 1995-1997 funding cycle. The
grant serves a double purpose: financial assistance in that trickiest of areas
to secure funds, general operating support, and recognition from one of the
nation's most respected evaluators of museum operations and programs.
Send news on the local literary, performing, and visual arts scenes to: "Articulations,"
PO Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765 or e-mail to: onstage@auschron.com
