Texas Book Festival 2020: Mychal Denzel Smith

A conversation with the author of Stakes Is High

"...Mychal Denzel Smith almost didn’t write Stakes Is High: Life After the..."

Nov. 4, 2020 Arts Post by Evan Rodriguez

Applause! Applause!

Austin Critics Table nominations, 2004-2005

"...writers, consisting of the Austin American-Statesman's Michael Barnes (arts), Jamie Smith Cantara (theatre), Sondra Lomax (dance), David Mead (music),..."

May 27, 2005 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

All Aboard for Middle Earth

Fans of J. R. R. Tolkien needn't wait until the December 12 opening of the film of Lord of the Rings to take a journey to Middle Earth. Second Youth Family Repertory Theatre, an Austin arts company acclaimed for its intelligent, highly theatrical stage shows for family audiences, will ferry you there this weekend via its production of The Hobbit.

"...of the Ring, the first film in director Peter Jackson's highly anticipated screen adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's..."

Nov. 9, 2001 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Austin Theatre Critics' Table 1999-2000 Nominations

"...achievement in theatre. The participating critics -- Michael Barnes, Jamie Smith Cantara, and Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, Austin American-Statesman;..."

May 12, 2000 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

The Hobbit

Second Youth Family Theatre's production of The Hobbit offers much that is magical, but awkward staging and inexperienced actors keep the show from achieving true enchantment.

"...The Hobbit: Magical Mystery TourJacqueline McGee Performing Arts Center,..."

Nov. 16, 2001 Arts Review by Barry Pineo

Payne Pleasures 2004

Sam Bass Theatre's Forever Plaid took top honors at the 30th anniversary B. Iden Payne Awards

"...outstanding achievements in local theatre from August 2003 through July 2004. The ceremony, marking ACoT's 30th anniversary, was held..."

Oct. 8, 2004 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Austin Critics Table Nominations, 2003-2004

The full list of nominations for the 2003-2004 Austin Critics Table Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in local theatre, dance, classical music, and visual art

"...writers, consisting of the Austin American-Statesman's Michael Barnes (arts), Jamie Smith Cantara (theatre), Randy Harriman (music), Sondra Lomax (dance),..."

May 14, 2004 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Beauty and the Beast

Second Youth Family Theatre's Beauty and the Beast is no less magical than other versions of the tale, but its real enchantment comes from the way it show us its fairy tale characters discovering each other's hearts.

"...pouty, pampered sisters, amusingly played by Christiana Little and Joeleen L. Ornt). Still like many a young heroine, she..."

Oct. 10, 2003 Arts Review by Robert Faires

Heartbreak House

Should you attend the UT Department of Theatre and Dance production of Heartbreak House, you'll have to work to keep up with the student cast, which blasts through the wordy script, but your labors will be rewarded by some fine design work and acting, and G.B. Shaw's timely critique of the leisure classes awakening to a world at war.

"...than two years later, we face the monoliths of Joe Millionaire and Anna Nicole Smith...."

March 7, 2003 Arts Review by Barry Pineo

The Mark Twain Show

Second Youth Family Theatre's season opener is a perky and enjoyable sampler of the works of Samuel Clemens, better known to readers of literature and fence painters the world over as Mark Twain.

"...Youth Family Theatre's season opener is a perky and enjoyable sampler of the works of Samuel Clemens, better known..."

Sept. 20, 2002 Arts Review by Robi Polgar

Payne Pleasures 2004

Latest ACoT theatre-award nominations favor two Austin musicals

"...30th go-round (recognizing work mounted from August 2003 through July 2004), they're giving their loudest endorsement to a pair..."

Aug. 20, 2004 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Austin Theatre Critics' Table Nominations 1998

"...achievement in theatre. The participating critics — Michael Barnes, Jamie Smith, and Anna Hanks, Austin American-Statesman; Jerry Conn, West..."

May 15, 1998 Arts Feature

The First To Question

Remembering the ultimate theatre historian, Oscar Brockett, 1923-2010

"...would come to visit in Austin and Brock would join us. I had never had a meal with him..."

Nov. 19, 2010 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

The Arkansaw Bear

The magic and spirit of Second Youth Family Theatre's production of The Arkansaw Bear make for a moving story of a child coping with a grandparent's death

"...its language or its story, but because of its subject matter and its target: It's a play written for..."

April 23, 2004 Arts Feature by Barry Pineo

The Bremen Town Musicians

Although it harbors minor inconsistencies, Allen Robertson's The Bremen Town Musicians, set in Depression-era America and scored with gospel and bluegrass music, is a fine play for family viewing. It has enough talking, singing animals to satisfy any kid and music that is highly enjoyable in and of itself.

"...Dougherty Arts Center, through June 22..."

June 20, 2003 Arts Review by Molly Beth Brenner

A Christmas Carol

In this version of A Christmas Carol presented by Second Youth Family Theatre, actors use minimal pieces of set and costumes to conjure the many places and characters of Dickens' familiar tale and move through the text with intense focus, knowing exactly what story they need to tell and telling it well.

"...the Charles Dickens tale, after being taken on a journey through his life by the Spirits of Christmas Past,..."

Dec. 20, 2002 Arts Review by Barry Pineo

The Snow Queen

In Second Youth's 10th anniversary production of The Snow Queen, the ending can be sensed from the beginning, but it's the journey that counts, and this journey is full of wonderful surprises and theatrical magic.

"...all things come out right. Or perhaps it's the journey that always is taken, whether an actual physical journey..."

Nov. 3, 2000 Arts Review by Barry Pineo

The Secret Garden

Despite its seemingly morose story, Zilker Theater Productions' The Secret Garden is most assuredly uplifting, even moving

"...Caspers lures us into a world that is both majestic and frightening: Specters are always watching the living, and..."

July 16, 2004 Arts Review by Heather Barfield Cole

Exhibitionism

Chronicle Art Reviews

"...A mild insult from a stranger. Viewed by themselves, just for what they are, such occurrences are minor, inconsequential......"

Oct. 3, 1997 Arts Review

Wise Up

For its staging of Sandy Asher's ironically titled children's comedy 'The Wise Men of Chelm,' Second Youth Family Theatre gets to bring the playwright to town

"...the reasons we have all of these horrible Polish jokes," says Whitney Presley, who is directing Sandy Asher's ironically..."

April 29, 2005 Arts Feature by Barry Pineo

O Rooster, Where Art Thou?

As Second Youth Family Theatre revives its original musical version of The Bremen Town Musicians, set in 1930s America with a country, bluegrass, and gospel soundtrack, writer / lyricist / composer Allen Robertson reflects on the show's creation 12 years ago.

"...who was the director of Snow Queen. Rod, Rick Smith [Second Youth's producing artistic director and director of the..."

June 6, 2003 Arts Feature by Barry Pineo

Wild Rides

UT students pack bigger, better New Works Festival with more thrills than a carnival midway

"...is so wild, so inventive, so provocative in its subject matter and approach and blending of art forms that..."

April 8, 2005 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

University Co-op Presents the 2005 David Mark Cohen New Works Festival

"...spaces around the Winship Drama Building, 23rd and San Jacinto, some of them quite small and able to seat..."

April 8, 2005 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Ovid's Myths: the Roman Nose in Exile: Merry Metamorphosis

Exhibitionism

"...Project InterAct, Zachary Scott Theatre Center's professional theatre company for..."

Nov. 7, 1997 Arts Review

Nominations for the 2004-2005 B. Iden Payne Awards

A complete list of all Payne Award nominees.

"...James and the Giant Peach, Scottish Rite Children's Theatre..."

Aug. 19, 2005 Arts Feature

1998-99 B. Iden Payne Award Winners

The year's best work on Austin stages.

"...on local stages from the period August 1998 through July 1999. ACoT members voted on 23 awards, in categories..."

Sept. 17, 1999 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

SXSW Film Goes Right to the Moon

Apollo 10 1/2, Sandra Bullock, and more join movie list

"...SXSW has strapped on the rockets with not just a few titles for this year's film festival, but..."

Feb. 2, 2022 Screens Post by Richard Whittaker

Freedomland

This Richard Price story about simmering racial tension that boils over during the course of a police investigation is choppy and erratic.

"...Directed by: Joe Roth. Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianne Moore, Edie Falco,..."

Feb. 17, 2006 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The boy wizard rides again and this outing proves zippier and spookier than the previous two.

"...Oldman, Michael Gambon, David Thewlis, Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith...."

June 4, 2004 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

From the sets to the story to the whole tone of the film, this first Potter film is an almost literal adaptation of J.K. Rowling's beloved children's book.

"...by: Chris Columbus. Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, John Cleese, Ian Hart, Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane, Emma..."

Nov. 16, 2001 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10     NEXT ›    14 »