Home Events Arts

for Fri., Dec. 1
  • A Christmas Carol

    Austin’s hottest holiday tradition returns with new music and surprises to ring in the season. ZACH’s adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a musical sleigh ride through rhythm and time, infusing the traditional Victorian story with a score that spans all genres.
    Nov. 17 - Dec. 31  
    ZACH Theatre
Recommended
  • Arts

    Visual Arts

    Sí Gallery: Hats Off

    This group show of photography features 25 artists revealing the depths of their creativity and courage to explore new landscapes, applications, portraiture, abstracts, techniques, and technologies within their medium. With stunning new images by Alberto Magrin, Rachel Helden, Tuan Bui, Taylor Vieger, and others.
    Opening reception: Fri., Dec. 1, 6-8pm
  • All Events
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Ao5 Gallery: May Pang's John Lennon photos

      May Pang presents a three-day exhibition featuring 30 candid John Lennon photos – taken by herself during their 18-month "Lost Weekend."
      Dec. 1-3. Fri.-Sat., noon-6pm; Sun., noon-5pm  
    • 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

      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

      Visual Arts

      Big Medium: Fuertes y Firmes

      The multidisciplinary artist José Villalobos grew up on the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, and was raised in a traditional and religiously (Evangelical) conservative family. His work reconciles the identity challenges in his life, caught between traditional Mexican customs and American mores, as well as growing up with religious ideals that conflict with and condemn being gay.: Villalobos manipulates material through the context of self-identity as he examines gender roles within family culture, demonstrating that dismantling traditional modes of masculine identity centers an interstitial space where materiality softens virility.Recommendation: See this vivid show of highly resonant work, the inaugural exhibition in the new Big Medium space – from the folks who bring our lucky city the annual Austin Studio Tour.
      Through Dec. 2
      4201 S. Congress #323
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Cage Match Project: Attitudes of Humility

      In each of her installations, Maggie Jensen becomes involved in different systems or aesthetics of authority, whether the art institution, a natural history archive, or extractive resource infrastructures. She makes requests of a cultural archive or government agency to access data about particular objects, and the process informs artworks that reveal the paths and limits of the internal logics of these institutions.
      Through Feb. 4. Free.
    • 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

      Theatre

      Christmas Belles

      "Christmastime in the Lone Star State - but the Futrelle sisters of Fayro, Texas, are not exactly in a festive mood. Frankie is overdue with twins, Twink’s in jail, and Honey Raye is trying to keep the Tabernacle of the Lamb’s Christmas pageant from spiraling out of control." This Southern down-home comedy, written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, is a special treat serving up plenty of laughs for the holiday season. Directed by Tracy Arnold for City Theatre.
      Through Dec. 17. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 3pm. $15-25.  
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Cloud Tree: The Weight of It All

      Graham Franciose fills the Cloud Tree gallery with delicate moments frozen in time. A prolific gouache and watercolor painter, his 40 original poetic works on paper will charm you with their delicate beauty and intricate details.
      Through Dec. 2
    • 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

      Día De Los Muertos: Honoring Our Artists Who Have Already Departed

      This memorial exhibition features work by Rene Anguiano, Sam Coronado, Ray Gaytan, Marsha Gomez, Nivia Gonzalez, Lupe Lopez, Adolfo Mexiac, Arturo Rivera, Farah Rivera, Susana Santos, Pablo Taboada, and José Francisco Treviño, with an altar by Carmen Alvarez.
      Free.
    • 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

      Esther's Follies

      Esther's Follies – Austin's not-so-secret weapon in the fight against ennui – the comedy gem that still dazzles this growing urban hub – returns to the weekly live and in-person stage of their club on Dirty Sixth, the whole troupe bringing back old favorites and debuting a new program of hilarity with topical, ripped-from-the-headlines sketches and musical numbers. And you do need a laugh or two, right about this time, don't you, citizen? (And how about a margarita to go with that?) We'd add that the mind-boggling illusions of magician Ray Anderson are a bonus in the night's clever spectacle … but, the way that arch maestro conjures mystery and delight, "bonus" would be an insult.
      Thu., 7pm; Fri.-Sat., 7 & 9pm. $30-40.  
    • 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

      Classical Music

      Festival: Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi

      The Philharmonie Orchestra and Redeemer Choir under the direction of Mark Dupere perform works by Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi.
      Dec. 1-2. Fri., 7:30pm; Sat., 7pm. Free.  
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Flatbed Press: Unfolding the Rainbow of Motherhood

      Kyle Hawley, founder and creative director of Letterpress PLAY, breaks the silence surrounding motherhood with her powerful exhibition, using the unique medium of monoprinting, to transform cloth utility accessories and garments that she designed for mothering into seven life-sized prints that are embedded with colors that recall the nostalgic colors of Kodachrome.
      Through Dec. 2. Free.
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Forces of Nature: Ancient Maya Art

      From ceramic vessels to greenstone jewelry, 200 works of classical Maya art (250-900BC) depict the relationship between the royal courts of ancient Maya and their supernatural entities.
      Through Jan. 7. $8-15.
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Harry Ransom Center: Art In Words

      Featuring collaborations between fine presses and artists, examples of typographic and concrete poetry, and experimentations in pop and surrealism, the exhibition puts prints by Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Ed Ruscha in conversation with works by Charles Henri Ford, Kristin Calhoun, David McGee, and others.
      Through Feb. 4. Free.
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      If The Sky Were Orange: Art In the Time of Climate Change

      This two-part exhibition explores the history and contemporary urgency of climate-related issues. Curated by journalist Jeff Goodell, who has written extensively on the topic, it's the first exhibition at the Blanton to explore one topic across several of the museum’s temporary gallery spaces. See our review of the show right here.
      Through Feb. 11. $8-15.
    • Arts

      Theatre

      Jack & Aiden

      "When Aiden first meets Jack, it’s through the transactional world of gay male hookup apps – Aiden’s first exploration since transitioning. But as the two spend more time together, things get complicated - they must navigate their grief, recovery, and trauma, and find out if they can hold one another’s human messiness." This is the world premiere of a new musical, commissioned by Ground Floor Theatre, with book by Lane Michael Stanley, music and lyrics by Tova Katz, and starring Justin P. Lopez and Laura Leo Kelly. Directed by Trace Turner, with musical direction by Trey Shonkwiler. Age recommendation: 18 and older, due to brief nudity, depictions of sex, and the subjects of addiction and recovery.
      Through Dec. 16. Thu.-Sat., 8pm. $30.  
    • 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

      Lora Reynolds Gallery: Spatial Moto

      New and recent work by Erin Shirreff, her practice rooted in the studio and in process: material translations from two to three dimensions (or from three to two) or from analog to digital (and vice versa) are what form her diverse but interrelated bodies of work.
      Through Jan. 13
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Lydia Street Gallery: Elemental Topography & The Color Of Words

      Erin Cunningham's works examine and portray intricacies within the female figure, delving into the subtleties of the body's external structure. Elsa Gebreyesus explores visual representation of poems and themes by poets or wordsmiths she's been inspired by.
      Through Dec. 17. Artist reception: Sat., Dec. 9, 6-9pm
    • 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

      Martha's: Algo Familiar

      This fine gallery's front space features the creations of textile artist Erick Medel from Los Angeles, paired with local archivist Alan Garcia. And the back space brings new works on paper by Austin-based artist Manik Raj Nakra.
      Through Jan. 6
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Mexic-Arte Museum: 40 years of Dia de los Muertos

      This exhibit presents an impressive collection of relevant artworks created by artists with an intimate connection to the Mexic-Arte Museum and the Austin community.
      Through Jan. 7
    • Arts

      Theatre

      Miss Lulu Bett

      In Zona Gale's classic play – the first play written by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama – Lulu Bett lives with her sister's family and does all the cooking in the house. Spinsterhood seems to be her destiny – until an enthusiastic visitor proposes. Directed by Norman Blumensaadt for Different Stages.
      Through Dec. 9. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 6pm. $15-37.  
    • Arts

      Theatre

      Murder on the Links

      Murder's afoot – and it's wearing those funny golfers' socks! Yes, Austin Playhouse presents the regional premiere of Murder on the Links, from the Agatha Christie novel, written and directed by Steven Dietz. Bonus: An all-star cast! We mean, Ben Wolfe (as Hercule Poirot, no less), Lara Toner Haddock, Huck Huckaby, Tonie Knight, Chase Brewer, and Sarah Chong Dickey.
      Through Dec. 30. Thu.-Sat., 8pm. Sun., Dec. 24, 2pm; Dec. 17, 5pm. $21-42.  
    • 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.
      11010 Domain #100
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Northern-Southern: Others

      Laura Lit’s sculptures are like utterances of deep quiet made solid and real. These newest ones have been built over two years, with skeletons of wood, muscles of foam, tissues of paper clay. The forms are painted with acrylic and oil, adorned with feather-feelers of plastic or scales of dyed resin. Some of these sculptures are the size of rabbits; others loom like growing trees. Gentle suggestion: FFS, don't miss this magnificent show.
      Through Dec. 17
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      SAGE Gallery: Go to Your Room

      Journey into a pipe-cleaner wonderland via Montrel Beverly's immersive teenage bedroom straight out of the early Nineties, chock-full of everything from Lunchables to Ninetendos to Air Pressure Jordans, all made out of pipe cleaners.
      Through Dec. 9
    • 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

      Theatre

      Staged Reading: The Ghosts of Christmas Past

      The Archive Theater previews their Victorian Christmas production, The Ghosts of Christmas Past.
      Nov. 30-Dec. 3. Thu.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 5pm. $10-20.  
    • 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 Comedy Mothership

      Joe Rogan's new venue is open and packing in the comedy-craving crowds at what used to be the Alamo Ritz, bringing in some of the biggest names (Rogan himself among them) and rising stars in the business, all presented with the kind of provocative pizzazz that makes Dirty Sixth (and especially this Mothership) a destination seven days a week.
    • 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 sometimes 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. For instance: Their annual New Year's Eve spectaculars will start your 2024 off right, baby! See the website for details.
      $10 and up.  
    • Arts

      Theatre

      The Smartest Girl In The World

      Miriam Gonzales' new play takes a look at the bonds of family and the key to facing life’s challenges together. Directed by Roxanne Schroeder-Arce.
      Nov. 30-Dec. 3, times vary. $10-15.  
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Thomas Kinkade's Winter Wonderland

      Here's an exhibition featuring three rare original paintings by Thomas Kinkade – and a plethora of editioned artworks and memorabilia. Bonus: a Christmas tree room adorned with Kinkade Studios' commercial products, an electric train set with a mini village, and fake snow outside the gallery.
      Through Dec. 23
    • Arts

      Visual Arts

      Unchained.Art: Holiday Show

      In this curated collection, Unchained's family of 14 emerging and established artists – including photographers, sculptors, and painters specializing in a range of styles from abstract to figurative to ink on rice paper - have each selected their one favorite piece from their own portfolio.
      Through Jan. 7
    • 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.
    • 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: New Baseball Paintings

      Austin artist Will Johnson explores the history of baseball in a series of portraits of players. An avid baseball fan since childhood, he began creating these paintings in 2007 or 2008, wanting to pay tribute to some of his favorite players and stories — especially unheralded players — through folk art paintings.

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle