Keep Austin Real

Where else can you get yer fix fer wang aaaaaand theatre all in one, fell swoop?

Been seeing more and more tags all over Austin. Pony boys and girls ( = kids on two wheels that smell like they've been riding around all day) with their Sharpie protests on covering signs for more lofts, more condos, more gloss. Black scratched angry handscrawl:

YUPPIES OFF THE EAST SIDE.

And it seems in the nature of agreement with such protests, my watching of this yuppification of a few ZIPcodes on-the-other-side-of-the-tracks for so long that the cheaper real estate in the more established communities is being gobbled up like a post-Church tear through a Denny's. Property values are skyrocketing, and Austin enclaves of culture are vanishing. One could make a similar case for Arts on Real, a queer theatre that has been churning out controversial man-part-showing art for the beter part of five years or so.

Recently, we received an emotional plea from the space, announcing closure at the end of May if they aren't able to raise $7,500 by the end of April. That's one week. "This is a real emergency. Not a fundraising effort," they say. It's just so pig***king sad.

If you can give something, anything to keep this place alive, please do. We know that we would gravely miss it.

Thanks.