The cast of the Tongue and Groove Theatre production of A Saga of Billy the
Kid got a tad more drama than they’d counted on during a sound check for the
show last week. The company was outdoors at Club de Ville, where they’re
staging the production, and gun specialist Bob Taylor was testing the Colt .45
six-shooters that will be used in it. After he’d fired three rounds, Todd Lowe,
who plays Billy, asked to handle the weapon. As he picked it up, a trio of
Austin’s finest, drawn by the sound of gunfire, burst on the scene. Armed and
taking no chances, they shouted at Lowe to put the weapon down. He did, but
not before he’d had the bejeezus scared out of him. Tongue and Groover Ellen
Yeakle explained to the police that they had gone through all the proper
channels regarding the use of guns in the production, and the cops apologized.
But Yeakle has continued to check in daily with APD to make sure their show
doesn’t prompt any more showdowns.
Shake Your Grove Thang
Admit it: You love guerrilla art pieces, and you’ve always wanted to be inone. Well, this is your chance. Physical Plant Theater, in conjunction with
Frontera@Hyde Park Theatre, is doing a big ol’ fun performance piece Saturday,
April 19, and they need folks to take part. The piece, intended to surprise and
delight motorists, is to be staged in the grove of trees east of North Lamar
and south of 28th Street. All told, the piece will last from 10am to 10pm, but
most participants will be needed only for a section in the middle of the day.
In this part, a crowd of people rush into the grove, take a nap, and then, very
slowly, leave. Anyone wanting to take part is welcome; just show up at the
north end of the grove at 1pm, wear bright clothes, and bring a pillow and
blanket. Your fling at guerrilla glory should be complete by 3pm. And even if
you don’t join in the fun, drive by.
Mo’ Theatre Week
Call it the week-long celebration too good to restrict to seven days. TheatreWeek, that annual promotion for local theatre from the Austin Circle of
Theatres, has been on since last Thursday, but it still has four days to go.
That means you still have the following opportunities to get down with local
stage hounds: opening night party with the cast of A Saga of Billy the Kid
(April 18); two-for-one coupon to a Live Oak show when you see Kara Bliss,
Brian Gaston, and Jason Connor at Later at Live Oak (April 19); and the Theatre
Week farewell blast with Judy Arnold performing a solo cabaret act at Speakeasy
(April 20). And you can still snag half-price tickets to A Saga of Billy the
Kid, Shear Madness, Grease, and ComedySportz. For info, call 320-7169.
Off the Desk
Mexic-Arte Museum is sponsoring a puppet-making workshop Saturday, April 19,10:30am-1pm, at the museum, 419 Congress. Participants will be able to make
their own plaster hand puppet and enjoy Pilgrimage to Chalma, a puppet show by
Terry Tannert. Call 480-9373 for more info.
This article appears in April 18 • 1997 and April 18 • 1997 (Cover).