Theatre for Fri., May 16

OPENING

Arts

Theatre

Anklets in the Boardroom

Ever wished you could just redo that awkward situation? Take that snappy comeback you dreamed up in the shower hours later and test it out in real life? It’s possible with forum theatre. Forum theatre isn’t just a fancy term for non-bedroom role-playing. It’s more like applied academia, performances intentionally inviting the audience to participate in examining issues and testing out solutions. That’s exactly how Leela Theatre presents Anklets in the Boardroom, a series of scenarios based on real-life workplace bias experienced by Asian women. It’s an intensely individualized experience, expanding scope depending on you – yes you, the audience – to set the course of exploration. How could things be better? What should have happened? How can we fix the future? – Cat McCarrey

May 16-18

KLRU

ONGOING

Arts

Theatre

Austin Shakespeare presents Julius Caesar

Friends, Texans, Austinites, lend your ears and eyes to Shakespeare’s classic coup, as tortured and brutal as tactical Brutus can offer. Or shall I say bodacious Brutus, since Austin Shakespeare’s production of Julius Caesar offers a tantalizing twist – Caesar’s inner circle is mostly women, adding what might be seen as righteous rage to raw revolution. This Caesar’s served with a cunning corporate aesthetic. No need to clutch your pearls though. There’s still the mired malaise of what best serves the collective good. Grab your friends and family, and “get-tu” Zilker for this free show. – Cat McCarrey

Through May 25

Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater
Arts

Theatre

Dirty Gold Theatre Presents: Venus in Fur

A seductive reconsidering of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s original novella, David Ive’s play gets reimagined once more by local theatre company Dirty Gold, who describe their work as “dynamic, provocative, character-based theatre that comments on contemporary society and our shared humanity.” What comments can they generate via Venus’ discussion of sexual power plays? You’ll just have to step into the metaphorical boudoir to find out. Special bulletin for Austin’s theatre pros: Wednesday, May 14, is Industry Night with promised ticket discounts both for presale and door tix. – James Scott

Through May 17

Sterling Stage
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 Scott

Through May 18

Zach Theatre's Kleberg Stage
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 Renovitch

April 24 - May 17

Hyde Park Theatre
Arts

Theatre

I Wanna Be a F*cking Princess

This show scores one point for an extremely cathartic title, one that seems ridiculously fun to scream across the room. It scores five more for tackling the emotional pressure cooker of bridal parties and – brace yourselves – bachelorettes. Let’s add 10 points for putting that within a fractured fairy-tale format. I’m picturing something as fiercely fanged as the recent gal pals in White Lotus, but maybe with literal wolves? And finally, heap on about a hundred points for integrating this into the peri/menopausal exploration of HOT: the Exhibit, adding a whimsical performance aspect to an already-informative examination of an overlooked ordeal. Let’s talk about the changes women go through! Whether literally transformative, or just emotionally so! – Cat McCarrey

Through May 24

Ground Floor Theatre
Arts

Theatre

La Fenice Presents Adventure Party TPK

Roll a 20, double-tap the X button, then step away from the tabletop or controller. Entire a tangible world of action with immersive theatre company extraordinaire La Fenice, presenting a fantasy adventure the likes of which exist only in the annals of imagination. Billed as Ren Faire meets D&D, these actors will embody what Artistic Director Kate Meehan calls “live action Adult Swim cartoons.” I’m picturing irreverent orcs and sarcastic squires – maybe a saucy wench or two if we’re lucky. And that could change with every performance! If it’s anything like La Fenice’s other works, each night will have an individual experience, led by the viewer themselves. A choose-your-own-adventure book come to life: What could be better than that? – Cat McCarrey

Through May 17

Butterfly Bar at the Vortex
Arts

Theatre

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

See why 10 Tony Awards were showered on this stage adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 jukebox musical smash hit. The story of a French courtesan and her penniless poet lover stays the same, but the song catalog expands to include Sia and Katy Perry numbers.

May 14-25

Bass Concert Hall