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Arts
Dance
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee
Twyla Tharp is a living legend, and this show presents a joyous celebration of her 60 years on the cutting edge of what dance can show the world. Starting with Tharp’s 1975 piece “Ocean’s Motion,” the rock tunes of Chuck Berry announced that Tharp is here to break down balletic tropes and bring dance to the culture. Afterward, enjoy two new works – the Jacques Brel appreciation piece “Brel” and a new take on Vivaldi in “The Ballet Master.” Both prove that you can’t keep a good Tharp down. – Cat McCarreyThu., Sept. 26 -
Arts
Visual Arts
TAYO NA Sa Sabado Nights Launch Party & Vendor Market
From the eye of local Filipino American photographer Joi Conti, and the collective vision of Conti, art director Travis San Pedro, and graphic designer Lisa Crawford, comes TAYO NA Sa Sabado Nights, a 40-page editorial magazine meant to spotlight about 30 Filipino artists and makers from Austin. To launch the special publication, Conti and her team conceived of a vendor market to bring Austin’s Filipino creative community even further into the public consciousness. “TAYO NA (‘Let’s Go’) is more than a printed publication,” organizers state on the event page. “It’s a heartfelt story through the lens of Joi Conti.” – Cy WhiteThu., Sept. 26 -
Arts
Dance
Allysen Hooks Projects
I simply don’t understand dancers. How do they move like that? I snap 15 joints just crawling out of bed. Yet, somehow contemporary dancers can twist and mold their bodies for a performance. The new, all-female contemporary dance collective debuts at the Canopy Projects Gallery. There, you can watch a free show and indulge in the provided hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Something worth getting out of bed for, even with the snaps, crackles, and pops. – Amaya AustinThu., Sept. 26 -
Arts
Comedy
David Cross: The End of the Beginning of the End
With a CV longer than a CVS receipt, it’s tough to imagine anyone not being familiar with David Cross. Besides a storied acting career (Arrested Development, Todd Margaret) and groundbreaking work in sketch comedy (Mr. Show, The Ben Stiller Show), he’s been doing stand-up for several decades and is starting to get pretty good at it! Cross’ smart comedy intersects politics and satire like no other, but is reminiscent of late greats like George Carlin and Bill Hicks. Last year’s Worst Daddy in the World almost literally killed me, when he got to the punchline about how parenthood has changed the way he reacts to the news (I won’t spoil it for you). Maybe The End of the Beginning of the End will finish me off! – Kat McNevinsThu., Sept. 26 -
Arts
Dance
Dive: After Dark – SHOWGIRLS
What’s better than a Nineties camp classic that aged horribly being turned into an aerial show? Yeah, I’m drawing a blank, too. Inspired by Showgirls, the “erotic drama” that ruined careers but made some of the most iconic fashion choices, visionary pole and aerial dancer Lil Debbie brings a new dimension to the simple story of a small-town girl wanting to make it big as a dancer in Vegas and all the intrigue that goes into that. Taking to the sky on dancing silks will add an extra layer of camp and ostentation that probably would’ve fit onscreen back in 1995. Obviously, this ain’t a show for the kiddos: 21 and up. – Cy WhiteThu., Sept. 26 -
Arts
Books
Percival Everett Reading & Booksigning
“I do not view the work as a corrective, but rather I see myself in conversation with Twain.” That’s how author Percival Everett describes the relationship of his latest novel, James, to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which Everett has reimagined by centering the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “This is Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful,” wrote The New York Times’ Dwight Garner in a rave; the Booker Prize committee agreed, shortlisting the book on Monday. Everett’s Austin stop is free and open to the public, but waitlist only at this point. Good news: You can also livestream the event; just head to the John L. Warfield Center for African American Studies’ YouTube channel and click the “Live” tab.: – Kimberley JonesThu., Sept. 26 -
Arts
Visual Arts
"Native America: In Translation"
One thing I’ve loved about newer theatre or museums is the space given for land acknowledgement – statements about the ancestral roots of the space being used. Space that was not always ours, but taken. The Blanton’s latest exhibit tackles that question, but pushes the boundaries. It’s not just about what Native America was, but what it can be. Curator and lauded artist Wendy Red Star has assembled nine other Native artists to create a rich exploration of what life in America is today. Shown through a variety of mediums, something is guaranteed to resonate with the audience. Whether it’s the photos, paintings, videos, or multimedia works is up to you. – Cat McCarreyAug. 4-Jan.5 -
Arts
Theatre
Arcadia
There was a time, not so long ago, when science was seen as entertainment. No, not Ancient Greece when philosophers would turn experiments into public spectacle, or the Victorian era when lectures on new theories would fill auditoriums. It was the 1990s, when everyone owned a copy of A Brief History of Time on their nightstand, quarks were cool, and Tom Stoppard could write a play about chaos theory and the heat death of the universe, and it would be universally regarded as one of the greatest works of 20th century drama. Eros and Thanatos push and pull in this poetic tale of love and research. – Richard WhittakerThrough Oct. 6 -
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
“Texas Artists/Texas Music”
Art and music? Name a more iconic duo. For this exhibit, a dozen local artists created pieces inspired by a song, musician, or style of music associated with the Lone Star State. Influences could range from Selena to Willie to Beyoncé, from Houston rap to Tejano to blues. Come see what inspired participating artists Amitai Plasse, Billy Ray Mangham, Carl Block, Denise Elliott Jones, Greg Barton, Jess Wade, Jamie Lea Wade, Karen Woodward, Liz Potter, B Shawn Cox, Sylvia Troconis, and TVHeadATX. – Kat McNevinsThrough Oct. 26 -
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
Visual Arts
Carl Cheng: “Nature Never Loses”
The California-based artist, known for combining visual art and industrial design, uses media including photography, sculpture, simple machines, and more to explore both the art world and corporate culture and other themes during this exhibition’s six-decade span. While tackling often serious subject matter, Cheng’s work retains a sense of playfulness on display at the Jones Center. Get a first look of the collection at the public opening reception Friday at 6pm. – James RenovitchSept. 6 - Dec. 8 -
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
Visual Arts
Echoes of Home: Relational Memories and Urban Futures
Ever topical, Ivester Contemporary’s September Project Space show centers around memory and home – concepts apt for the seasonal change to cooler weather. This exhibit, “Echoes of Home: Relational Memories and Urban Futures” by Occupy Vacancy, a public art initiative based in St. Louis, is its first ever within a gallery context. Usually the artists, Brianna McIntyre and André Fuqua, transform vacant lots into neighborhood-specific installations “that contemplate St. Louis’s vernacular architecture, settlement history, and blight within the city’s Northside,” reads the exhibition text. “Echoes of Home” similarly uses architectural elements and aspects of the urban landscape, but within a gallery context, inviting Austinites to reflect on our own complicated and rapidly changing urban landscape. – Lina FisherThrough Oct. 12 -
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
Comedy
Garage
Picture this: You are giggling and guffawing, perhaps even rolling upon the ground. How could this be your reality, Reader? By attending improvised comedy show Garage, where women and non-binary comics create on-the-spot comedy from audience song suggestions. These peeps will make your cheeks ache from smiling after an hour of their high-octane hilarity hosted by local stand-ups – and all for like eight bucks pre-show, and $10 at the door. Like, sheesh. What more could you want? Maybe, like, an in-venue bar or something? Oh, wait: Fallout Theater freakin’ has that, too. No more excuses, Reader. Seize your ROFL reality. – James ScottThursdays. Through Oct. 3 -
Arts
Visual Arts
Julia Lucey: “Trying to Fit In”
A fox peers through purple foliage. Coyotes wear bright flowers as camouflage. A bear wanders among California tiger lilies spotted by vibrant green dots. These are a few of the creatures who inhabit Julia Lucey’s painted worlds – all of them wildlife in increasingly unfamiliar spaces. Lucey utilizes traditional aquatint etchings to communicate the man-made strangeness being visited upon our natural world, with the effect mirroring “a visual tableau much like the European tapestries of the 17th Century,” as the event copy states. But these works are more than beautiful: They ask the viewer to contemplate their own place in the paving over of other animals’ habitats. – James ScottSept. 7-29 -
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
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
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
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
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