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Theatre
A Miracle on 34th Street: Classic Radiocast
With an original script by Penfold Theatre Company’s Nathan Jerkins, this holiday classic brings the humor and heartwarming holiday feels to Round Rock (Dec. 9-18) and Austin (Dec. 19), performed in that iconic live-radio-show format by local actors and a foley sound artist. We're telling you about these Round Rock gigs, even, because, well – look at this cast: Lowell Bartholomee, Eva McQuade, Mical Trejo, Marina DeYoe-Pedraza, and Robert Faires. And it's directed by Rosalind Faires. We say: If professionally staged Christmas cheer is your cuppa tea, this will totally slake your theatre thirst.Through Dec. 18. Thu.-Sat., 7:30pm. $16-21. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Butridge Gallery: The Art of Peace
Paintings and drawings by five award-winning Austin figurative artists: J.C. Amorrortu, Lawrence Jolly, Meena Matocha, Rhea Pettit, and Linda Wandt.Through Jan. 8 -
Arts
Theatre
La Pastorela
Teatro Vivo’s La Pastorela is a celebration of the Austin BIPOC community that keeps all the lessons and humor of the traditional Pastorela (with the familiar shepherds, angels, and devils), but sets in the present time in this city. Directed by Carl Gonzales, with musical direction by Eric Flores.Through Dec. 19. Thu.-Sat., 7pm; Sun., 2pm. Donations accepted. -
Arts
Dance
Tapestry: The Precious Present – In Love & Light
Tapestry Dance Company returns to the stage with all their stunning tap-dance choreography and this world premiere, featuring an array of local dance, vocal, and musical artists. Spoken word poet Zell Miller III; vocalists Nagavalli and Mohammed Firoozi; dancers Sharon Marroquin, Jun Shen, Andrea Ariel, and Francisco Graciano; Bharatanatyam master Anuradha Naimpally; flamenco legend Olivia Chacon; African dancer China Smith; flow artist Kelly Bach; Jeremy Arnold and director Acia Gray herself. And everybody in full! percussive! person!Dec. 9-12. Thu.-Fri., 8pm; Sat., 2 & 8pm; Sun., 2pm. $39 and up. -
Arts
Theatre
The 12 Dates of Christmas
Austin Playhouse presents Gina Hoben's heartwarming one-woman play that "offers a hilarious and modern alternative to the old standards of the holiday season," as a spurned fiancée re-enters the dating world, where romance isn’t – as you, citizen, may be way too aware – all it’s cracked up to be. Starring Lara Toner Haddock, directed by Cyndi Williams.Wed., Dec. 15, 7:30pm; Sat., Dec. 18, 7:30pm; Mon., Dec. 20, 7:30pm. Streaming on demand: Dec. 20-26. $20 (in-person), $12 (streamed live). -
Arts
Dance
The Watchmaker's Song
Ventana Ballet presents many different styles of dance in their immersive dance-theatre production based on the beloved Nutcracker ballet – not just classical ballet, but Egyptian belly dance, Spanish flamenco, Argentinian tango, American tap dance, and of course the inimitable Mother Ginger.Dec. 9-18. Thu.-Sat., 6:30 & 8:30pm; Sun., 1pm (kids show). $40. -
Arts
Theatre
Unexpected Joy
Here's the regional premiere of Bill Russell and Janet Hood's musical about three generations of female singers, long-held family tensions, and a week together where change is in the air. Directed by Lisa Scheps for Ground Floor Theatre, with in-person performances and streaming options, this is a shows that "weaves folk-rock, pop, and blues in bringing together a family that hasn’t experienced true joy in decades." Starring Michelle Alexander, Caroline Mullins, Amber Quick, and Cathie Sheridan.Through Dec. 19. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 5pm. $25.
All Events
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Arts
Visual Arts
Art for the People Gallery: Alchemy
Witness now the meditative and exploratory oil and ink artworks of Wolf Garden. "Through peaceful paintings and bold poetry, this show invites individuals to connect with their ultimate reality: infinite potential."Through Dec. 20 -
Arts
Books
BookWoman Virtual Poetry Reading
Featuring Tina Cardona and Kelly Ann Ellis, co-founders of the nonprofit HotPoet, Inc., for an evening in celebration of Letters Sent Inland: Selected Poems of Glynn Monroe Irby. Cindy Huyser hosts; an open mic follows.Thu., Dec. 9, 7:15pm. Free. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Canvas: Hell Year
The pandemic-weary artists in this new group exhibition – Nate Szarmach, Sandra Boskamp, Padaric Kolander, Yamin Li, Arlo Neill, Andrew Smenos, Shayne Murphy, and more – take the year 2021 to task by implementing images of burning cars, facemasks, nightmare skeletons, cherubs, and nuclear explosions into their work.Through Jan. 8 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Christian-Green Gallery: The Black Index
The artists featured in this show — Dennis Delgado, Alicia Henry, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Titus Kaphar, Whitfield Lovell, and Lava Thomas — build upon the tradition of Black self-representation as an antidote to colonialist images. Using drawing, performance, printmaking, sculpture, and digital technology to transform the recorded image, these artists question our reliance on photography as a privileged source for documentary objectivity and understanding.Through Dec. 11. Wed.-Fri., noon-5pm; Sat., 11am-2pm201 E. 21st -
Arts
Visual Arts
Daniel Johnston: I Live My Broken Dreams
The Contemporary Austin presents the first-ever museum survey of works by Daniel Johnston. "Step into the surreal universe of this visionary musician and artist, filled with love, loss, ghosts, aliens, superheroes, and the eternal battle between good and evil."Through March 20 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Elisabet Ney Museum: Ongoings
Marie Elena Ely’s show at the Ney Museum is a collection of photo/collage/paintings and prints.Through Jan. 9 -
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
Gilbert & Sullivan: Back on the Boards - Wish You Were Here!
Austin's Gilbert & Sullivan Society presents these familiar numbers in traditional staging to celebrate the holiday months of 2021, streaming free of charge via the GSA website throughout December, featuring celebrated local performers in duets and solos on the Worley-Barton stage, as directed by Jan Jones and Holton Johnson.Through Dec. 30. Free. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Guzu Gallery: Anime Wonderland
More than 30 local artists deck the walls with vivid spectacle as this powerhouse of a pop culture gallery hosts its first show in two years, each artist inspired by Japanese animation — from classic to modern anime (and everything between). It's Guzu's biggest exhibition yet, with all prints, sculptures, and paintings available for purchase – in person or online. Note: Let's all love Lain.Through Dec. 31 -
Arts
Theatre
Hamilton
This, in case you somehow didn't know (and please accept our congratulations on finally waking up from that years-long coma, yo, it's good to have you back), is the touring production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's hip-hop musical about America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Brought to town by the good people of Broadway in Austin, it's a phenomenon that's worthy of its endless hype, and they say tickets are possibly still available.Through Dec. 19. Tue.-Fri., 8pm; Sat. 2 & 8pm; Sun., 1 & 7pm. $49-299. -
Arts
Theatre
Kin • Song: Ode to Disability Ancestors
UT's Department of Theatre & Dance presents this virtual-access "digital performance ritual,", this "cybernetic seance," conceived and directed by Alexis Riley and crafted from monologue, dialogue, puppetry, song, and dance to "call upon the ghosts of our disability ancestors, waking them from their unmarked graves to join us in an act of mourning, celebration, and care."Available on-demand through Dec. 12. $5. -
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
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
Mexic-Arte Museum: MX 21 – Resistance, Reaffirmation, and Resilience
Throughout 2021, Mexico is commemorating major events in history: the falling of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlán, the invasion by Spain, and the Independence of Mexico. Mexic-Arte Museum presents this vibrant group exhibition and programs in conjunction with Mexico’s 2021 events, reaffirming their common cultural history. Also: "Los Pueblos Originarios," featuring photos of continuing traditions by Mary J. Andrade; and Las Flores – La Vida, a new show displaying flower-themed art from more than 200 local and regional artists.Through Feb. 27. $7. -
Arts
Classical Music
Midday Music: Advent a Cappella
The Voices of St. David’s, the professional vocal ensemble of St. David’s Episcopal Church, presents a program of sacred music for the season.Thu., Dec. 9, noon. Donations accepted. -
Arts
Visual Arts
Northern-Southern: Far In
The amazing maker Laura Lit has summoned the full range of her experience in painting, film makeup, special effects, and architectural restoration to create these new animal-sized wall reliefs of wood, resin, and clay. Twelve of these brilliants will hang in Northern-Southern, each "a deliberate dreaming, a spirit made solid, a tether to within." Note: The artist will be present at a Happy Hour every Friday, 4-6pm, throughout the run of the show.Through Dec. 18107 E. Fifth -
Arts
Theatre
Strange, But Perfect
In Carlo Lorenzo Garcia's new play, the year 2020 was a never-ending river of bad news in which marketing assistant Charlie from NYC decided to quarantine at his grandma's house in rural America. But, WTF, someone else was already there: a townie who's been acting as Charlie's grandma's caretaker? Weirdness, hilarity, and complex humanity ensue. Directed by A. Skola Summers for Street Corner Arts, featuring Natalie D. Garcia and the playwright himself.Through Jan. 29. Thu.-Sat., 8pm. $25. -
Arts
Visual Arts
The Blanton: Without Limits: Helen Frankenthaler
Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011), a key figure in the development of color-field painting, was a tireless experimenter with color, form, and technique. This exhibition celebrates the generous gift from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation of ten prints and six proofs that span five decades of the artist’s career.Through Feb. 20 -
Arts
Theatre
The Thanksgiving Play
Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in Larissa Fasthorse’s satire as a troupe of terminally “woke” teaching artists trip all over themselves to create a politically correct, yet historically accurate, yet dramatically revolutionary, yet accurately represented and responsibly cast, Thanksgiving play for elementary schools. Directed by Melissa Vogt for Different Stages, featuring Luke Wallens, Chiara McCarty, Greg Ginther, and Cassandra DeFreitas.Through Dec. 11. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 6pm. $15-35. -
Arts
Visual Arts
UT Idea Lab: The Way Back Home
On display: Four distinct bodies of work that Austin-based video and mixed-media artist Ariel René Jackson has produced over the past five years.Through March 22210 W. 24th -
Arts
Visual Arts
Wally Workman Gallery: The Matter of Enchantment
In this new show, Will Klemm's ethereal and light-focused landscapes are organized into the four seasons, representing the physical time of year and as the psychological seasons of human life.Through Dec. 30 -
Arts
Visual Arts
West Chelsea Contemporary: Concrete to Canvas
This is WCC's biggest and most comprehensive exhibition of graffiti and street art to date, featuring works from the gallery’s 1000-piece collection, encompassing a diverse set of contemporary masters, including Blek le Rat, Cey Adams, Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Banksy, Richard Hambleton, RETNA, LadyPink, PhoebeNewYork, Swoon, and more.Through Jan. 2 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Women & Their Work: Pattern Language – لغه نمطيه
Through installations that invert the principles of architectural design, artist Rehab El Sadek questions existing power dynamics and contemplates the role of the individual within the built environment. Note: Talk with the artist, Sat., Dec. 11, 11am.Through Dec. 16 -
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: Backstage at the Boneyard
Ah, here's a terrific show of new paintings and prints from Jon Langford. You want to see a macabre and storied wonderland of Western skeletons boning up the bare truths of a life musically lived, then you'll be glad to feast your peepers on this wealth of weird beauty.Through Dec. 24