Articulations

At the Austin Museum of Art, the Big Wait is over. AMOA has named museum director and curator Elizabeth Ferrer to fill the post of director. The announcement, made by museum CEO Sid Mallory Wednesday, April 9, ends a turbulent year at the museum, begun last March when Daniel Stetson resigned as director just as the institution was preparing for its grand expansion downtown. AMOA had to make the leap into the galleries at 823 Congress without the aid of a permanent director, and while the staff in place did a heroic job, the absence of a director was felt. Now, a new era begins. Ferrer, who currently works with the Americas Society in New York City as director of its Visual Arts Department and curator of its art gallery, was the unanimous choice of the search committee, which talked to candidates from across the U.S. She joins the AMOA full-time in July.

Radio Free Heather

Heather Woodbury has returned to town to treat us to another run of her astonishing "performance novel" The Heather Woodbury Report or Whatever (you know, that 10-part play by Woodbury in which she plays 100 characters; it dazzled audiences last year), but this time around, she won't be doing it solely at Planet Theatre. Prior to her April 24-May 4 run at the Planet, Woodbury will be recording her Report for posterity at Flashpoint Recording Studio, 609 Trinity. The project is the work of a private citizens' arts consortium in town that is backing the project for future radio play and distribution. Recording started Tuesday and continues through next Wednesday. Then she has a week to relax before it's back to the stage. For reservations to the theatre performances, call 454-TIXS.

Theatre Week

It's not the kind of celebration where you need to break out decorations or practice carols, but Theatre Week is definitely worth getting in the spirit of. This annual event from the Austin Circle of Theatres promotes the fine theatre in our city and entices Austinites to sample it with special events and ticket discounts. For instance, you can enjoy a free beer with the cast of subUrbia (April 11), free pastries with the cast of Deep in the Heart of Texas (April 12), free barbecue with VORTEX Repertory Company (April 13), food and drink with the cast of Grease (April 15), and a chat with the cast of Woody Guthrie's American Song (April 16). And that's not the half of it! There are half-price ticket specials to many shows and more fun through April 20. For the full story, call 320-7169. Then see a play!

Off the Desk

Austin Access Arts provides another of its Audio Described Performances, in which trained volunteers provide descriptions of plays to patrons wearing headsets tuned to a specific FM frequency, this Saturday, April 12, at 8pm. It's for Woody Guthrie's American Song at the State Theatre. Call 454-9912.

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Send literary, performing, and visual arts news to: "Articulations," PO Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765 or onstage@auschron.com