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Austin Opera Presents Madame Butterfly
An eerily everlasting warning about U.S. imperialism, Madame Butterfly shares the story of naval Lieutenant Pinkerton brokering a Japanese bride before leaving her pregnant and alone. It can easily stand for global politics as a whole, while still hitting as a romantic tragedy. It’s exactly the kind of haunting art that inspires a million homages. Puccini’s own music rises and falls like leaves on the wind, from soft chorals to aerobatic arias. Join Austin Opera and prepare to fall in love all over again while listening to the titular Cio-Cio-San. It’ll be a knife right to your heart. – Cat McCarreyApril 25-27 -
Arts
Theatre
Body Politics
Poet, comedian, multi-hyphenate powerhouse Shasparay has been out here, highlighting social injustice with their poignant mix of wry humor and clearcut boundaries. They know what’s right, what’s wrong, and who they are. Expect that level of clarity with Body Politics, their solo show treatise on the “fat experience.” Having a body is inherently political. Especially when female-presenting. Especially when Black. Especially when fat. And Shasparay? They’ve been through it all. Belittlement, shame, fetishization, all within the presentation of curves and skin and outward expression. It’s a show about the thin line between love and hate, about self-acceptance, about reconciling identity. And with Shasparay’s dynamic delivery, it will be difficult to look away. – Cat McCarreyApril 23-27 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Iana Nikutina: “Many Faces, One Force”
Presented by the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (Branch 147, which represents Austin and San Antonio), Iana Nikutina’s exhibition focuses on the feminine face of activism. Both American and Ukrainian women feature in her portrait series, all of whom represent change in the face of adversity. Check out Nikutina’s bold colorful creations and meet the artist herself at this Friday’s opening reception, celebrating her show’s move from its premiere in Leander to Austin’s own Ao5 Gallery. – James ScottFri., April 25 -
Arts
Dance
Metamorphosis Dance Presents The Little Mermaid
Of course a dance company called “Metamorphosis” would present The Little Mermaid, one of the greatest shape-shifting stories in the canon. (My top three are Little Mermaid, Swan Lake, and Kafka’s own Metamorphosis.) It makes sense that they would tackle the transformative tale of a mermaid longing to be human. The gracefulness of dance fits well under the sea. Who else but dancers could flow like underwater dwellers? Who else but ballerinas could dramatize the unique torment and romanticism of being willing to trade comfort for unrequited love? Because there’s no Disney-fied dramatics here. Instead of being part of your world, Metamorphosis is showing all the pain and pleasure of Hans Christian Andersen’s original gruesome text. Brace yourself for a not-so-happy ending, shown in the most lovely ways. – Cat McCarreyApril 25-26 -
Arts
Classical Music
The Beerthoven Concert Series Presents: Rags to Riches
Beerthoven returns not just with their signature warm pastries/cold beer refreshments via Easy Tiger and Lazarus Brewing, but with a new show spotlighitng the works of German Texan immigrants as well as Scott Joplin and Johannes Brahms. What do they have in common? "They all went from Rags to Riches!" says Beerthoven, who'll feature performances by executive director Daniel Swayze, pianist Austin Haller, and vocalists Trevor Shaw, Shari Wilson, Laura Mercado-Wright, and Gregory Hilliard.April 25-27
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Arts
Visual Arts
Art & Parks Tour
This sweet opportunity comes to us from the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Pease Park Conservancy, and Ride Bikes Austin – so we know it's a damned good thing indeed. Take the self-guided Art & Parks Tour to explore the best of what Downtown Austin art and parks have to offer through this selection of curated murals, artworks, and green spaces. You can sign up anytime, so click that URL and get ready to learn the most vibrantly visual parts of your city soon – live and in person. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Atelier Dojo: Remote Studios
The local powerhouse of figurative painting, the art school that's the smart school for artists of all kinds, they've got a painting-along-at-home series going to help you keep your skills honed in these socially restrictive times, featuring live costumed models posing on camera and a thriving community of creatives rendering that lovely human biotecture from their separate studios. "Join us for a three-hour costumed-model drawing session. Use any supplies you wish, listen to music, share your work, chat with others. It’s a great way to stay connected with your art community!"Tuesdays, 1:30-4:30pm; Fridays, 6:30-9:30pm; Saturdays, 9:30-12:30pm. $5. -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Brave New Textiles”
Indeed a reference to Aldous Huxley’s renowned 1931 dystopian novel, Bolm Arts’ latest multi-artist exhibit tackles the ever-evolving questions of naturalism, commercialism, and personal and national identity reflected in the contemporary fiber world. Curated by textile artist Amanda Fay and painter Stephanie Mervine, this Eastside gallery showcases 10 Central Texas creatives, including sustainable yarn worker Bitter Hag, upcycled fashion and visual/performance Renaissance person Corinne Loperfido, and interdisciplinary artist Jonas Criscoe. Loperfido hosts a separate pop-up shop during Thursday’s opening reception, while author Nicole Josephine Kline presents an open mic poetry night the following day. Carys AndersonApirl 17-May 3Bolm Arts Gallery, 5305 Bolm Rd. Bay 9 -
Arts
Visual Arts
“Transcendence: A Century of Black Queer Ecstasy, 1924-2024”
Across politics and pop culture, depictions of queer Black life most often emphasize pain, if not patronization. “Transcendence: A Century of Black Queer Ecstasy,” a multimedia exhibition presented by UT-Austin’s Art Galleries at Black Studies, flips the script, offering a century’s worth of works that focus instead on Black joy. Organized around seven themes – Portraiture, Beyond Figuration, Dance and Movement, Spirituality, Sex and Sensuality, Black Queer Futures, and Altered States – the works of over four dozen artists remind us that even in the face of adversity, we can achieve transcendence. – Carys AndersonThrough May 9Christian-Green Gallery, 201 E. 21st St. & Idea Lab, 210 W. 24th St. -
Arts
Dance
Ballet Austin: Classes
Learn your way to physical grace with a dance class at Ballet Austin. There are so many varieties to choose among – ballet, barre, contemporary dance, hip-hop, tap, cardio dance fitness, Pilates, and more – and all taught by professional instructors. See website for details.$3-7 per class. -
Arts
Comedy
Cap City Comedy Club
That's right: Cap City Comedy Club, the longtime cornerstone of Austin's comedy scene for nearly four decades is at a new venue in the Domain. And here's Valerie Lopez with a closer look at what's in store for the scene via the venue. Click for details! -
Arts
Classical Music
Classical Music for the World’s “East in the West: Sounds, Minds, and Dharma”
Classical Music for the World’s spring festival commences with CMFW artistic adviser and cellist Francesco Mastromatteo performing a Bach-heavy program under the theme “Under the Cross” – a good fit for Good Friday. Other opening weekend entertainments (all entirely free, by the way) include classical guitarist Noemi Passiatore on Saturday and then a pairing of Mastromatteo and Passiatore on Sunday for a bill that spans Enrique Granados’ Goyescas to Ennio Morricone’s film scores. In total, the festival boasts seven nights of (again, entirely free!) music across three weeks, culminating in a May 4’s Love Concert: “Celebrating Oneness” at Fo Guang Shan Xiang Yun Temple, presenting sponsor. – Kimberley JonesApril 18 - May 4Multiple locations -
Arts
Comedy
ColdTowne Theater
ColdTowne's new brick-and-mortar place is totally open, and who knows what they'll shake this city with next? But one truth remains: ColdTowne is a designated den of gold, baby, sweet comedy gold. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Dana Robinson: “The Middle Distance”
Ivester Contemporary, that purveyor of meticulously curated duo shows at its Canopy space on Springdale, offers a solo exhibition by Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Dana Robinson this spring, featuring 12 delicate acrylic, ink, and fabric paintings with ironically punchy names. The surfaces almost recall a scrapbooking sensibility with neon pinks and collaged bits of hand-dyed cloth, but are blurred at the edges like memory. Contrasting Robinson’s strained sensitivity, Texas State alumna Sydney Guzman’s “Under the Moon’s Eye,” running concurrently, asserts a less abstract approach, offering painterly scenes of surreal nature, animals, and the artist herself while exploring similar themes. – Lina FisherThrough May 24 -
Arts
Theatre
Dial M for Murder
Film buffs know the Hitchcock version of Dial M for Murder, a delicate cocktail of a mystery movie with adultery, blackmail, and the blessed screen presence of Grace Kelly. Jarrott Productions has mixed up their own version of the timeless thriller. It’s got the signature intrigue, with a delectable twist courtesy of playwright Jeffrey Hatcher’s more modern adaptation. Still set in the stylish 1950s, Jarrott’s serving up suspense with heavy dashes of queer romance, women’s liberation, and the fragile male ego. There’s more than money on the line with this production of surreptitious schemes gone awry. – Cat McCarreyThrough April 27 -
Arts
Theatre
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
In this, the doldrums of spring … is it just me, or are even the wildflowers less vibrant than usual? We could all use an escape. An evening in the French Riviera could fit the bill, especially while watching the exploits of two conflicting con men. First introduced in film by Michael Caine and Steve Martin, the titular Dirty Rotten Scoundrels of Austin Playhouse’s musical mayhem will perform literal tap dances around each other as they try to score big time. It’s almost, almost too wonderful to be true. Who will get the girl? Who will get the cash? Who will leave entertained (could it be you)? Shows start this Friday, April 11. – Cat McCarreyApril 11 - May 11 -
Arts
Theatre
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!
Beep beep! Make way for this vehicular bird, who springs from author Mo Willem’s Pigeon picture books onto the Zach stage for this family-friendly musical. Originally commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the production is suitable for kids 3 years old and up – so a perfect pick if you’ve got antsy toddlers yearning to dance and sing during stageplays. Plotwise, this isn’t a challenging piece: When a bus driver disembarks from their seat, a mischievous fowl takes the wheel to expectedly chaotic results. Feathers will fly, I’m told. – James ScottThrough May 18 -
Arts
Comedy
East Austin Comedy Club
Founded by comedians Raza Jafri and Andre Ricks, this club that operates out of Tiger Den on the Eastside is the city's only BIPOC-owned comedy venue. -
Arts
Comedy
Fallout Comedy
This hotbed of local performance is carrying on even more than usual, with an eclectic mix of live, mind-rocking comedy from some of Austin's best, all week long. Hey! The place is our cover story, as reported by Valerie Lopez! And, srsly, who would ever disagree with the sentiment of Monday night's Fuck This Week show? Check the website for details. -
Arts
Theatre
FEAST.
Shrewd Productions brings playwright Megan Gogerty’s one-woman take on the Beowulf story to the Hyde Park stage. That one woman is repeat B. Iden Payne award winner Katherine Catmull. The tale is mythological but also runs up against modern culture and is described as both “immersive” and “visceral.” That sounds about right for a play that tackles the authoritarian moment we’re currently wrestling with. Laughs and rage are also promised, and that’s our baseline these days, so we’re looking forward to it. – James RenovitchApril 24 - May 17 -
Arts
Theatre
Filigree Theatre Presents: The Illusionary Games of Edward Rye
“Masks and Mirrors” is the guiding theme behind Filigree Theatre’s sixth season, which closes out with a bang (or a shatter) in The Illusionary Games of Edward Rye. World-class psychiatrist Rye sets out to prove that all existence is a masked mirror, a quirk of the mind. Like all great men, he tries to prove his theory through a woman. Only once he’s beguiled a woman into his experience does Rye begin to wonder who, exactly, is controlling whom. Twisty, turny, and with multiple layers of play-within-a-play storytelling, Edward Rye uses actual illusions – never tricks – to make characters and audience alike question their reality. – Cat McCarreyApril 18 - May 4 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Jiab Prachakul: Sweet Solitude
Whoever says Austin isn’t a fine art town can get the hell out of here. We continually break artistic ground with innovative and international taste. The Contemporary once again adds to that rep by hosting artist Jiab Prachakul’s first solo museum show. Born in Thailand, living in France, and with a solid film background behind her, Prachakul’s work has a bold style and clear point of view. Heavy graphic lines and soul-stirring colors fill her art. Each moment could be a film still, each stroke staking her claim on a far-too-Western art world. Widely accessible but intensely intimate, Prachakul’s scenes beg for close inspection. Join the Contemporary, and the artist herself, in examining her offerings during Friday’s opening night festivities or in conversation on Saturday, Feb. 1. – Cat McCarreyThrough August 3 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Laguna Gloria
This local treasure of a venue, run by those Contemporary Austin folks who also bring us the Jones Center shows Downtown, is all about the outdoors – which is perfect for these trickily navigated times of ours, n'est-ce pas? Recommended: Stop by and breathe in the air, enjoy the lawns and gardens and the many examples of world-class sculpture arrayed across the property, and (as Frankie used to say) r-e-l-a-x.Thu.-Fri., 9am-noon; Sat.-Sun., 9am-3pm -
Arts
Visual Arts
Landmarks: Self-Guided Walking Tour
Use your smartphone to access self-guided tours of the outdoor public art sited by UT's award-winning Landmarks program any time you feel like it. BONUS: There's also a free, docent-led tour starting at Marc Quinn's "Spiral of the Galaxy" (1501 Red River) on Sun., Jan. 8, 11am. -
Arts
Theatre
Lipstick
Theatre and queer people have been entangled since the very first wigs were powdered, so it’s no surprise Austin Rainbow Theatre sashayed onto the Central Texas scene in 2021. This Friday, April 11, they kick off new show Lipstick – a farce featuring typical goof-ups of the LGBTQ variety. This includes: the is-this-a-date question, everyone crashing in on a private moment, and norms being – oh my gosh! – challenged. Written by Lane Michael Stanley and world-premiered in Florida, this comical yet heartfelt play provides queer joy in our own long-suffering conservative state. – James ScottFridays - Sundays, April 11-26 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Martha's Contemporary: Hokey Pokey + What You See Is What You Get
Here's a two-person exhibition that features painting, installation, videography, and sculpture by Moll Brau and Wes Thompson. It's a deep dive into a pool of loneliness, triumph, and rebirth. It's a forest of mazes where fireflies provide the light. It's a show of creations from a pair of terrific, hardworking local artists and you don't want to miss it. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Museum of Illusions
Enter the fascinating world of illusions in this new venue that boasts a stunning array of intriguing visual, sensory, and educational experiences among new, unexplored optical wonderments.$20-24.11010 Domain #100 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Old Bakery Gallery: Fantastical Flora
This multimedia exhibition is a comprehensive exploration of the beauty of botanical forms, expressed realistically and in the abstract, featuring the work of local artist Francine Funke.Opening reception: Sat., Jan. 20, 1-4pm. Free. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Ranran Fan: “Inhale the Interruption 动弹”
Described in their about-the-artist as a “device-maker,” current new media art assistant professor at University of North Texas Ranran Fan digs into time-telling with their latest exhibition. Opening Saturday, March 22, this three-part installation features an ongoing incense burning – recalling the Chinese cultural association of incense with time measurement and memory. Exhibition attendees are invited to share their response to the scents and sensations to a chatbot trained on Fan’s personal writings, which will speak out its own replies. Also on display will be automated time-tracking sculptures, interactive video projections, and an outdoor sundial sculpture – all of which Women & Their Work says “explores the passage of time and the potential for healing.” – James ScottThrough May 8 -
Arts
Comedy
Snail Haven's Comedy Pregame
This is a weekly stand-up comedy showcase to help you pregame your Friday night on the town. (Snail Haven also features music shows, film screenings, and general hangs. Best bet: Follow @SnailHavenShows on Instagram and DM them for event details.)Fridays, 8pm. Free. -
Arts
Comedy
South Austin Comedy Club
South Austin’s first dedicated comedy venue is spearheaded by local comics Martin Henn, Andre Ricks, and Raza Jafri, and brings top-notch acts to South Austin every Wednesday through Saturday. Note: The upcoming comics – including nationally touring acts, local sweethearts, and everyone in between – will be listed on Instagram each night.Wed.-Sat., 7:30pm -
Arts
Visual Arts
Stephen L. Clark Gallery: Kate Breakey
This exhibition of new work by Kate Breakey showcases hand-colored photography of the natural world, particularly of Texan and Australian landscapes, animals, and insects. -
Arts
Comedy
The Creek and the Cave
This snazzy spot for local and national stand-up acts has shows almost every night of the week. -
Arts
Comedy
The Hideout
The diverse lineup of hilarious, always surprising improv shows continues, with Pgraph and Maestro and the Big Bash and more, for the most unexpected delights of in-person entertainment.$10 and up. -
Arts
Visual Arts
UT 2024 MFA Studio Art Thesis Exhibition: “Acceleration Without Arrival”
I’ve said it before, and even if I risk sounding repetitive I’ll say it again: AUSTIN HAS A GREAT ART SCENE. But it’s not necessarily in museums or vaulted halls: It’s emerging from the embryonic chrysalis of our punk underground and yes, even our academic towers. UT’s MFA students have already made waves on the local gallery circuit, whether through Britt Moseley’s video soundscapes at MASS Gallery or through Katherine Vaughn’s work at shedshows. But they’re just one-seventh of the talent presenting at “Acceleration Without Arrival.” Experience all the up and coming glory in one place through the next few weeks. Celebrate with the department at April 18’s opening night, or take a guided tour with the artists the following day. These creators mix subject matter and artistic medium in ways that blow past the edges of what can be. Enter the future with their new works. – Cat McCarreyApril 18 - May 10 -
Arts
Comedy
Velveeta Room
The legend of Ronnie Velveeta lives on at this storied 'stablishment of a stand-up stage, where some of the country's hottest comics come to make the floorboards quake with laughter every weekend on Dirty Sixth. Brandie Posey: Sat., May 20, 8 & 10pm. Jake Flores: Sat., May 27, 8 & 10pm.$10. -
Arts
Theatre
What the Constitution Means to Me
Director Jenny Lavery’s work has often had a political tinge, but her most recent productions have been unrelenting in how they push the audience to engage with the forces that endanger and shape society. After her long-delayed and critically lauded production of abortion drama Roe, now she takes on the Pulitzer-winning political conversation between one woman at two points in her life. Best known to non-theatre audiences as the overly loyal June Thompson for Boardwalk Empire, Nisi Sturges dons the signature yellow jacket of Obie-winning playwright Heidi Schreck as she contends with the potential and the limitations of one of America’s most important documents. – Richard WhittakerThrough May 11 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Words and Wonder: Rediscovering Children’s Literature
One of the pleasures of having a first-rate research center and archive in town is how the Harry Ransom Center will regularly comb through its own vast holdings and hand-pick gems to present in a new context. Hence the HRC’s latest exhibit, “Words and Wonder: Rediscovering Children’s Literature,” which pulls from its manuscript, art, photography, film, and performing arts holdings to spotlight early 20th-century authors and illustrators catering to a young readership. The exhibit includes magic lantern slides from Aesop’s Fables, John Tenniel’s illustrations of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Ernest H. Shepard’s indelible images from the Hundred Acre Wood, among other treats. Runs through August 17. – Kimberley JonesThrough August 17 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Wyld Gallery
This is Ray Donley's gallery of art by Native Americans, located in that company of artistic glory called Canopy and resplendent with creations from the original people of our struggling country.Call for appointment -
Arts
Visual Arts
Yard Dog: Paul Rodriguez
Yard Dog presents the vibrant works of Paul Rodriguez, a printmaker from San Miguel de Allende. "And some very cool new paintings by Harry Underwood."Opening reception: Fri., Jan. 19, 7-9pm