The Last Shall Be First
New Year's Eve becomes a cultural extravaganza with First Night Austin
By Robert Faires, Fri., Dec. 30, 2005
The last night of 2005 will be the first night of First Night Austin, and the arts scene is eager to see just how our town will embrace this cultural spectacle that's now become a New Year's Eve tradition in scores of other cities across the continent. The local version, developed in the past year by Anne Elizabeth Wynn and guided by director Ann S. Graham, will see more than 80 local arts groups and individual artists animating downtown this Saturday with performances in theatres, in outdoor public spaces, and on the street, showing art in windows of buildings and across their facades, creating art in museums and across the entire First Street Bridge. The first three hours are designated a family festival, then a Grand Procession down Congress Avenue and over to City Hall serves as the bridge to the evening celebration, starting at 7pm and ending at 12mid with fireworks on Town Lake. Admission to outdoor events is free, but to attend indoor events, you need a First Night Austin 2006 Button ($8 if purchased in advance, $10 at the event; children 6 and younger are free). Free parking is available at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd.; Townlake Center, 721 Barton Springs Rd.; and in the State Capitol Complex lots. Capital Metro 'Dillos will ferry First Nighters to the festivities between 1:30pm and 3am. Paid parking is available in the Austin Convention Center Garage, 201 E. Second ($7 per vehicle). Below is a list of scheduled events by time. You can find additional breakdowns by discipline on the Web site, www.firstnightaustin.org.
Overall Schedule:
Family Festival 2:00-5:00pmGrand Procession 5:30–6:30pm
Family Finale 6:30-7:00pm
Evening Program 7:30-11:30pm
Midnight Finale 11:30-12:00am
Ongoing All Day
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Adam Reese – Spring Fever, plaza, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Large, vibrant prints of wildflowers in bloom. Through Jan. 3
Art Is the Bridge, First Street Bridge. Austinites can help create the longest chalk drawing in the world across the 800-ft.-long First Street Bridge. Each person decorates a 12-inch-by-12-inch square. 2pm-12mid
Field Sketch 01, Auditorium Shores. Artists, designers, and architects create a temporary monument using three 30-foot-by-50-foot metal grids from which 4,500 weighted vinyl tubes are suspended and illuminated. 2-11:30pm
Woode Wood & Beth Lee, Congress Avenue. Strolling guitar/mandolin player and singer/songwriter perform original roots rock, Americana and modern folk. 2-11pm
Barna Kantor – Reflections, One American Center, 600 Congress. Mirrored sidewalk alters our perception of the ground beneath us. 2-9pm
Family Festival, 2-5pm
Ongoing all afternoonThe Butler Brothers – Black Eyed Pea, Fielding Lecht Gallery, 708 Congress. Eight-foot-long giant black-eyed pea pays tribute to good luck and prosperity in the New Year. 2-5pm
Chinese Yo Yo Troupe, 301 Congress. Chinese folk sport group demonstrates the Chinese Yo-Yo. 2-5pm
VSA arts of Texas – Wearable Art Hat-Making Workshop, 301 Congress. Hands-on workshop for creating festive hats using an HEB bag and fanciful attachments. 2-5pm
Grand Procession Art Flag Making Workshop, Community Room, Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress. All-ages hands-on workshop for creating original art flags for First Night Austin Grand Procession. 2-5pm
Coronado Studios, Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress.Hands-on workshop in which participants can "pull" an original silkscreen print. 2-4pm
Carmela Castrejon, Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress.Make a miniature piñata in this hands-on workshop for all ages. 2-4pm
Mexic-Arte Museum – Feliz Años, Feliz Familias, Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress. Artist-led workshop for creating traditional Latin American holiday crafts such as maracacitos, papel picados, and masks. 2-4pm
The Robot Group, upper plaza, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Real Austin-produced robots and miniature train cars with robotic passengers. 2-4pm
2pm
Sambaxé, Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Eighth.Classical Brazilian tunes and Brazilianized American pop music by this vocal and percussion band. 2-2:30pmCreative Opportunity Orchestra, Circle of Light, State Theater, 719 Congress. Multicultural musical celebration of the holiday season featuring 19 artists. 2-2:45pm
Richard "Rashah" Carson – Drumming Workshop, lobby, Bank of America, 501 Congress. All-ages hands-on workshop teaching rhythms and tones of African drums and percussion instruments. 2-2:30pm
Capitol City Highlanders Pipe Band, balcony, 327 Congress. Authentic Scottish and Irish tunes on the bagpipes with drum accompaniment. 2-2:30pm
Austin Taiko – Great Drums, lobby, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Synchronized traditional style and original songs on Japanese drums. 2-2:30pm
2:30pm
Dance International, Frost Bank lobby, 401 Congress. Waltzes, Foxtrot, Swing, Samba, and more ballroom and Latin dancing. 2:30-3pm2:45pm
The TroublePuppetShow – Song of the Ghost Ship, plaza, Bank of America, 501 Congress. Three-masted sailing ship on wheels serves as a puppet theatre in a tale of heroes trapped between one year and the next. 2:45-3:15pmRichard "Rashah" Carson – Drumming Workshop, lobby, Bank of America, 501 Congress. All-ages hands-on workshop teaching rhythms and tones of African drums and percussion instruments. 2:45-3:15pm
Austin Taiko – Great Drums, lobby, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Synchronized traditional style and original songs on Japanese drums. 2:45-3:15pm
3pm
Badgerdog Literary Publishing – Youth Voices in Ink, Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress. Young authors read their original works from Anthology of New Voices From Central Texas. 3-3:30pmKabula: Brazilian Intercultural Exchange – Capoeira Angola, 816 Congress. Traditional ritual drama featuring this fighting art carried from Africa to Brazil. 3-3:45pm
Outreach Productions – Mumba and the Stew Pot, Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Eighth. Story of Mumba the troublemaker monkey told through dance, drumming, and puppetry. 3-3:30pm
Capitol City Highlanders Pipe Band, balcony, 327 Congress. Authentic Scottish and Irish tunes on the bagpipes with drum accompaniment. 3-3:30pm
Central Texas Mountaineers – Austin Urban Ascent 2006, west facade of the Radisson Hotel, Congress at Cesar Chavez. Speed rock-climbers climb up and rappel down the hotel facade dressed as businessmen. 3-3:20pm
O'Henry Museum – "Joe and Billy," Boards and Commissions Room, Austin City Hall. Unpublished William Sidney Porter manuscript read aloud by Russell Wiseman with singing cowboy Bill Oliver and weaver Amy Crockett. 3-3:30pm
Marrilee Ratcliffe/Open Book Project – Turning the Page on 2005, Opening the Book of 2006, Austin City Hall. Larger-than-life open book with imagery and text by Austin Public Library patrons chronicles the past and depicts hopes for the future. 3-5pm
3:15pm
Creative Opportunity Orchestra, Circle of Light, State Theater, 719 Congress. Multicultural musical celebration of the holiday season with 19 artists. 3:15-4pm3:30pm
The TroublePuppetShow – Song of the Ghost Ship, plaza, Bank of America, 501 Congress. Three-masted sailing ship on wheels serves as puppet theatre in a tale of heroes trapped between one year and the next. 3:30-4pmDance International, Frost Bank lobby, 401 Congress. Waltzes, Foxtrot, Swing, Samba, and more ballroom and Latin dancing. 3:30-4pm
Mariachi En Fuego, plaza of Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Music of the Mariachi on guitarro, trumpets, violins, and vihuela. 3:30-4pm
3:45pm
Love of China School of Chinese Dance, lobby, Bank of America, 501 Congress. Traditional Chinese folk dance performed by dancers ages 7-18. 3:45-4:15pmDjundun Dudes, lobby, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Young people's percussion ensemble working from the traditions of West Africa. 3:45-4:15pm
Uprise! Productions – Power Is Yours: Take It or Leave It, 100 Congress. The journey of the warrior figure to empowerment told through spoken word and poetry, dance, Capoeira, and stage combat. 3:45-4:15pm
Central Texas Mountaineers – Austin Urban Ascent 2006, west facade of the Radisson Hotel, Congress at Cesar Chavez. Speed rock-climbers climb up and rappel down the hotel facade dressed as businessmen. 3:45-4:05pm
4pm
Tongue and Groove Theatre, Congress between Sixth & Ninth. Roving mimes with the International Tubadores perform busker-style street theatre. 4-5pmBadgerdog Literary Publishing – Youth Voices in Ink, Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress. Young authors read original published works from Anthology of New Voices From Central Texas. 4-4:30pm
Kabula: Brazilian Intercultural Exchange – Bumba-meu-Boi, 816 Congress. Traditional story told through puppets accompanied by percussion and singing. 4-4:45pm
Outreach Productions – Mumba and the Stew Pot, Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Eighth. Story of Mumba the troublemaker monkey told through dance, drumming, and puppetry. 4-4:30pm
Sambaxé, Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Classical Brazilian tunes and Brazilianized American pop music by this high-energy vocal and percussion band. 4-4:30pm
B-Boy City Break Dancers, plaza, Frost Bank Tower, 401 Congress. Street dancers break to the beat of hip-hop culture. 4-5:15pm
O'Henry Museum – "Joe and Billy," Boards and Commissions Room of Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Unpublished William Sidney Porter manuscript read aloud by Russell Wiseman with singing cowboy Bill Oliver and weaver Amy Crockett. 4-4:30pm
Elaine Shen & Melanie Schopper – Snow Tree Island, Triangle Island, First Street Bridge at Cesar Chavez. Falling "snow" within the canopy of live oak trees. 4-5pm
4:30pm
Acia Gray of Tapestry Dance Company |
Tapestry Dance Company, State Theater, 719 Congress. Jason Janas, Matthew Shields, and Acia Gray perform improvisational tap to live accompaniment by jazz trio. 4:30-5pm
Salvage Vanguard Theater – ReVERBerations, exterior balcony, Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Austin Poetry Slam artistic director Mike Henry and SVT company member Hilary Thomas play off five words in a spoken-word improv. 4:30-4:50pm
Love of China School of Chinese Dance, lobby, Bank of America, 501 Congress. Traditional Chinese folk dance performed by dancers ages 7-18. 4:30-5pm
Djundun Dudes, lobby, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Young people's percussion ensemble working from the traditions of West Africa. 4:30-5pm
Mariachi En Fuego, plaza of Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Music of the Mariachi on guitarro, trumpets, violins, and vihuela. 4:30-5pm
5pm
Salvage Vanguard Theater – ReVERBerations, exterior balcony, Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Austin Poetry Slam artistic director Mike Henry and SVT company member Hilary Thomas play off five words in a spoken-word improv. 5-5:20pm
The Sno-ball art car by Colleen Sommers will roll with the Grand Procession |
Grand Procession, 5:30-6:30pm
Parade down Congress to Austin City Hall, featuring: a Segway ballet, a RoboTheremin marching band, an art car covered with Hostess Snowballs, an "Antarticar," giant puppets, giant piñatas, colorful banners, kites, Indian lanterns, jugglers, unicyclers, skaters, stiltwalkers, bagpipes, percussion, and dance, with:Texas Juggling Society & Austin One-Wheelers Unicycle Club, The Art School of the Austin Museum of Art@Laguna Gloria, Académicos da Opera from the Austin Samba School, Tanjore Performing Arts & Indian Cultural Center, Rhythm/Rituals N.W.A. Performance Group, Kabula: Brazilian Intercultural Exchange, Capitol City Highlanders Pipe Band, Jean Graham and Linda Anderson, Angela Entzel and Wanda Krudas, Garreth Wilcock's Ant Brigade, Vortex Repertory Company, The Trouble Puppet Show, Richard "Rashah" Carson, Totally Cool/Totally Art, Theater Action Project, Chinese Yo Yo Troupe, Percussion Cubana, Cycle Circus Austin, The Robot Group, Chad Rittenberry, Cybil Gustafson, Pilar Castrejon, Barbara Timko, Aralyn Hughes, Jaclyn Pryor, Andy Cover Families and friends with art flags are invited to join the end of the Grand Procession.
Family Finale
6:30-7pm, Austin City Hall Come together after the Grand Procession for an early ringing in of the New Year, complete with 7pm fireworks.
Académicos da Opera, the Austin Samba School. Celebratory music and dance of Carnaval in Rio. 6:30– 7pm.
Austin Poetry Slam – "The City is Speaking." Mike Henry, Jaclyn Pryor. 7pm
! Pyrotechnics ! CSC, Rooftop Display. 7pm
The Evening Program
Ongoing all evening Mary Ann McQuillan – Brushstrokes at Midnight, Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. Video installation in which a young child "paints herself in" behind glass windows. 6:30-11pm
Johnny Walker – Floating Dragon, Town Lake. Hundred-foot-long illuminated floating structure like a glowing Chinese Dragon glides upon the dark waters of Town Lake. 7-11:30pm
Oscar Riquelme – Shadow Catcher, lower plaza, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. The artist captures First Night Austin festivalgoers in paint as light casts their shadows on canvas. 7-11pm
Luke Savisky – D/x, Radisson Hotel, Congress at Cesar Chavez. Monumental 35mm and 16mm film montage lights up the west facade of the hotel. 7-11pm
The Butler Brothers – Black Eyed Pea, Buford Tower, West Cesar Chavez. Eight-foot-long giant black-eyed pea pays tribute to good luck and prosperity in the New Year. 7-11pm
Elaine Shen & Melanie Schopper – Snow Tree Island, Triangle Island, First Street Bridge at Cesar Chavez. Falling "snow" within the canopy of live oak trees. 7-11pm
Marrilee Ratcliffe/Open Book Project – Turning the Page on 2005, Opening the Book of 2006, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Larger-than-life open book with imagery and text by Austin Public Library patrons chronicles the past and depicts hopes for the future. 7-11pm
Jill S. Kivikko – Triptych, 301 Congress. Drawing upon mythology of the Greek Fates and Hours, J.S. Kivikko explores cycles of initiating, expanding, and letting go. 7-10pm
6:30pm
Olivia Chacon and Company – De Noche, State Theater, 719 Congress. Original production showcasing the beauty and range of flamenco music and dance. 6:30-7:15pmRajamani World Music Ensemble, Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Oliver Rajamani leads his six member ensemble on a journey through India, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. 6:30-7:15pm
7pm
Natyalaya School of Dance – Antariksha, lobby, Bank of America, 501 Congress. Indian dance ballet explores the story of the individual soul going through the cycle of life. 7-7:35pmSharir + Bustamante Danceworks – Court Dance, lobby, Frost Bank Tower, 401 Congress. Dance fantasy reminiscent of an 18th-century court dance or a life-size chess game. 7-7:20pm
Poor Man's Fortune, 301 Congress. Celtic music trio performs traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, France, and Galacia on traditional instruments. 7-7:30pm
7:30pm
Djembabes, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Women's drum and vocal ensemble perform music of West African origin "Austin style." 7:30-8pmUprise! Productions – Power Is Yours: Take It or Leave It, 100 Congress. The journey of the warrior figure to empowerment told through spoken word and poetry, dance, Capoeira, and stage combat. 7:30-8pm
Kabula: Brazilian Intercultural Exchange, plaza, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. A celebration of the New Year through the traditional art, imagery and joyous charm of Brazil. 7:30-8pm
7:45pm
Olivia Chacon and Company – De Noche, State Theater, 719 Congress. Original production showcasing the beauty and range of flamenco music and dance. 7:45-8:30pmRajamani World Music Ensemble, Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Oliver Rajamani leads his six member ensemble on a journey through India, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. 7:45-8:30pm
Poor Man's Fortune, 301 Congress. Celtic music trio performs traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, France, and Galacia on traditional instruments. 7:45-8:15pm
Austin Poetry Slam – Poetry Slam Town Criers, upper plaza, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Members of the 2005 Austin Poetry Slam team perform a series of three-minute poems/monologues. 7:45-8:15pm
8pm
Fire Dancing Spectacular – Night of Magic, Auditorium Shores. Fire dancing performed by local troupes Las Elefinas (8pm), Sangré del Sol (8:30pm), Pyrogenesis (9pm), Thundertopia Angels of Fire (9:30pm), and Tropical Productions (10pm). 8-11pmSharir + Bustamante Danceworks – Court Dance, lobby, Frost Bank Tower, 401 Congress. Dance fantasy reminiscent of an 18th-century court dance or a life-size chess game. 8-8:20pm
Improvisational Movement Project – Getting From There to Here, 100 Congress. Five dancers in electro-luminous costumes explore the pedestrian experience through spontaneous dances on the urban streetscape. 9-9:30pm
Cybil Gustafson – Segway Ballet, plaza, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. A "ballet" for four dancers on Segways exploring everyday actions and the relationship that develops between dancers. 8-8:07pm
Austin Poetry Slam – I Live Here/a Poetry Slam Collaboration, Council Chambers, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Five-voice poem about the experience of living in Austin, drawn from personal stories. 8-8:25pm
8:15pm
Cybil Gustafson – Segway Ballet, plaza, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. A "ballet" for four dancers on Segways exploring everyday actions and the relationship that develops between dancers. 8:15-8:22pm8:30pm
Austin Poetry Slam – Poetry Slam Town Criers, upper plaza, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Members of the 2005 Austin Poetry Slam team perform a series of three-minute poems/monologues. 8:30-9pmDjembabes, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Women's drum and vocal ensemble perform music of West African origin "Austin style." 8:30-9pm
Big Chief Kevin and the Flaming Arrow Mardi Gras Indians, plaza, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Big Chief Kevin performs Mardi Gras Indian classics like "Shallow Water" and "Sew Sew" with the Flaming Arrows. 8:30-9pm
8:45pm
Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble, 301 Congress. Egyptian style bellydance set to live music of a Middle Eastern persuasion. 8:45–9:15pm9pm
Blue Lapis Light - Whispers of Heaven |
Blue Lapis Light – Whispers of Heaven, State Theater, 719 Congress. Dancers explore aerial space using flowing pillars of cloth, reaching, and freefalling from up to 20 feet. 9-9:45pm
Freddie Steady 5 Featuring Austin a Go Go, Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Original Texas rock & roll sprinkled with covers from the 1960s accompanied by Austin's Go Go Girl. 9-9:45pm
Improvisational Movement Project – Getting From There to Here, 100 Congress. Five dancers in electro-luminous costumes explore the pedestrian experience through spontaneous dances on the urban streetscape. 9-9:30pm
Central Texas Mountaineers Ñ Austin Urban Ascent 2006, west facade of the Radisson Hotel, Congress at Cesar Chavez. Speed rock climbers climb up and rappel down the hotel facade dressed as businessmen. 9-9:20pm
The TroublePuppetShow – Song of the Ghost Ship, plaza, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Three-masted sailing ship on wheels serves as a puppet theatre in a tale of heroes trapped between one year and the next. 9-9:30pm
Austin Poetry Slam – I Live Here/a Poetry Slam Collaboration, City Council Chambers, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Five-voice poem about the experience of living in Austin, drawn from personal stories. 9-9:25pm
9:30pm
Twyla & the Twilight Star Ensemble, 301 Congress. Egyptian style bellydance set to live music of a Middle Eastern persuasion. 9:30-10pmAnuradha Naimpally – Bollywood, upper plaza, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Costumed dancers demonstrate moves from popular Hindi films accompanied by lively Bollywood film scores. 9:30-10pm
Inside Out Steel Band, lobby, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Music from the Caribbean and the Americas performed on the Trinidad Steel Pan. 9:30-10pm
Big Chief Kevin and the Flaming Arrow Mardi Gras Indians, plaza, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Big Chief Kevin performs Mardi Gras Indian classics like "Shallow Water" and "Sew Sew" with the Flaming Arrows. 9:30-10pm
9:45pm
Central Texas Mountaineers – Austin Urban Ascent 2006, west facade of the Radisson Hotel, Congress at Cesar Chavez. Speed rock climbers climb up and rappel down the hotel facade dressed as businessmen. 9:45-10:05pm10pm
Chandra Washington – In Pursuit of Wellness, Council Chambers, Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Original spoken-word and a cappella vocal compositions drive an energetic, insightful, and inspiring presentation. 10-10:30pm10:15pm
Blue Lapis Light – Whispers of Heaven, State Theater, 719 Congress. Dancers explore aerial space using flowing pillars of cloth, reaching, and freefalling from up to 20 feet. 10:15-11pmFreddie Steady 5 Featuring Austin a Go Go, Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Original Texas rock & roll sprinkled with covers from the 1960s accompanied by Austin's Go Go Girl. 9-9:45pm, 10:15-11pm
Anuradha Naimpally - Bollywood |
Anuradha Naimpally – Bollywood, upper plaza, One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress. Costumed dancers demonstrate moves from popular Hindi films accompanied by lively Bollywood film scores. 10:15-10:45pm
