THEATRE
Proof
Presented by
Austin Playhouse
at
Austin Playhouse
January 28-February 20, 2011
Avg. Event Rating (4.5 Stars):
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Written in 2001, Proof explores complex relationships – similar to a mathematic...al equation – between a father and daughter, rival sisters, and two young lovers. Catherine, a young woman with unmistakable symptoms of depression, takes care of her former genius of a mathematician father through a long struggle with mental illness. While celebrating her 25th birthday, she begins to wonder how much of her father's genius &nd and madness – she's inherited. Proof has earned the Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, Joseph Kesselring Prize and Drama Desk Award.
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At-a-
Glance
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Venue Info
Austin Playhouse
3601 South Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78704
Full map and directions
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Admission Info
Tickets:
$20 Thursday – Sunday; student tickets are half-price!
Check for Discount Ticket
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Dates & Times
Dates:
January 28-February 20, 2011
Times:
Thursday – Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 5pm
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Accessibility Info
Currently, no accessibility information is available for this event.
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Video & Image Gallery
Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.
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Member Reviews
Add review/comment
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Event Name: Proof
"A good story well-told"
Review
posted by:
Liz
from Austin, TX,
Jan 31, 2011
Proof is an interesting story with a couple of twists that keep your eyes wide open waiting for what's coming next. Catherine is a 25 year old, dealing with the death of her famous but mentally ill...
Expand
Proof is an interesting story with a couple of twists that keep your eyes wide open waiting for what's coming next. Catherine is a 25 year old, dealing with the death of her famous but mentally ill mathematician father. She has inherited her father's love of mathematics. Perhaps her fear of inheriting his illness causes her to act out. She's loud, rude, disrespectful, not very pleasant - you excuse someone with those behaviors when they've had a recent loss. Or could it be she is losing it - following in father's footsteps? You'll have to go find out for yourself. I loved it. It was the first time for me to see a play at Austin Playhouse. Excellent production. The actors were all marvelous!
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Event Name: Proof
"Proof of Good Productions"
Review
posted by:
Stephen
from Austin TX,
Jan 31, 2011
I had the privilege of being at the Larry L King Theatre, a part of the Austin Playhouse to see Proof on its opening night. The cast was small, four people to be exact, but within a few minutes you...
Expand
I had the privilege of being at the Larry L King Theatre, a part of the Austin Playhouse to see Proof on its opening night. The cast was small, four people to be exact, but within a few minutes you realized that every character on stage came to life in an instant. I have nothing short of good praise for The Austin Playhouse and their tireless work at perfection and entertainment. The cast is made up of Molly Karrasch, Lara Toner, Tom Parker and David Meissner. Lara Toner pulled off the double duty of directing this gem along with Cyndi Williams.
The story in itself explores what we all deal with everyday, relationships. They exist in the form of a proof like the math formula that this story is all about. Every character has a relationship with the other that is either visually displayed to us through words and actions or in the attitudes of the characters when the situation involving other characters is mentioned. I say that last statement in the fact that the older sister and her father never share the stage in the present sense. It’s the little things these actors do that sell the story along as it is told in a dual configuration of past and present mingling with one another to help the audience understand the situation at hand. I don’t mind giving away this bit of the story because right from the start it is apparent. The father daughter relationship shows a daughter who has both her father’s genius and his issues of being a bit mad. Guess it goes with that thin line between insanity and genius. As an audience member I was drawn into the characters each of the four played. They seem to grasp their characters, breathe life into them and get you as an audience to care or at least be interested in what they have to say. I have seen these actors perform before and know their range. I was pleased that the set and lighting provided just the right support for this most gifted cast. I hope you see this show.
Collapse
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Event Name: Proof
"Mathematical proofs are sexy!"
Review
posted by:
L Graber
from Austin TX USA,
Jan 29, 2011
You do not have to love math to have a good time at Proof. It is really a story about relationships and trust. Trust me when I tell you that there is no new ground broken in this play. But the...
Expand
You do not have to love math to have a good time at Proof. It is really a story about relationships and trust. Trust me when I tell you that there is no new ground broken in this play. But the performances are all good - you can empathize if not identify with the characters. You can feel their pain and their pleasure. You will go home feeling connected to your friends and family, and believing in the worth of fighting through the agonies of life. I think that is a good payoff for an evening at the theater.
Collapse
-
Event Name: Proof
"Brilliant"
Review
posted by:
Jay Y.
from Austin, TX,
Jan 29, 2011
"Proof" was my first Austin Playhouse production, and I enjoyed it immensely. It is an interesting story which actors bring it to life with energy and a fast pace, and held my interest from the...
Expand
"Proof" was my first Austin Playhouse production, and I enjoyed it immensely. It is an interesting story which actors bring it to life with energy and a fast pace, and held my interest from the beginning. Catherine, the daughter of a recently-deceased mathematician, Robert. Robert had recently passed away as the story begins, and Catherine is trying to come to grips with his death, on her 25th birthday, no less. We learn that Robert was brilliant and made vital contributions to his profession, but was struggling with mental illness in his later years. A former doctoral student of Robert's, Hal, comes to Catherine and tries to figure out if there is any vital work Robert left behind in the old house. This leads to a plot turning point, which I won't reveal here. It's always a joy to watch actors skilled in their craft with ezcellent chemistry bring a fascinating story to life, and that's what happens in "Proof." Seeing this show is an opportunity you can't afford to miss.
Collapse
-
Event Name: Proof
"Proof proves perfect play"
Review
posted by:
Jesse Griffith
from Aus-Vegas, Texas USA,
Jan 29, 2011
"Proof" is one of those almost perfectly written plays, but it isn't the type of play that 'plays itself' (ie: Grease, most Neil Simon, etc), the characters are complex, multi-layered. There's a lot...
Expand
"Proof" is one of those almost perfectly written plays, but it isn't the type of play that 'plays itself' (ie: Grease, most Neil Simon, etc), the characters are complex, multi-layered. There's a lot going on here, a great deal of information is conveyed by what is NOT spoken. We see years of resentments, doubts, insecurities, inflated egos, all inconvenienced by humanity. These people are complicated creatures, not just by life but also by choice. They are scientists, they see themselves as different from the rest of us, a bit superior in their left-brain, logical thinking. And yet they are forced to face their humanity and it is overwhelming. They use anger as a mask, the easy way out. And the more they run from themselves the more they run into themselves and one another. This production could not have been better. It needs a few tweaks, what play doesn't? They were close to invisible opening night, they will be gone tonight. Go see the proof...
Collapse
-
Media
Gallery
-
Member
Reviews
-
Member Reviews
Add review/comment
-
Event Name: Proof
"A good story well-told"
Review
posted by:
Liz
from Austin, TX,
Jan 31, 2011
Proof is an interesting story with a couple of twists that keep your eyes wide open waiting for what's coming next. Catherine is a 25 year old, dealing with the death of her famous but mentally ill...
Expand
Proof is an interesting story with a couple of twists that keep your eyes wide open waiting for what's coming next. Catherine is a 25 year old, dealing with the death of her famous but mentally ill mathematician father. She has inherited her father's love of mathematics. Perhaps her fear of inheriting his illness causes her to act out. She's loud, rude, disrespectful, not very pleasant - you excuse someone with those behaviors when they've had a recent loss. Or could it be she is losing it - following in father's footsteps? You'll have to go find out for yourself. I loved it. It was the first time for me to see a play at Austin Playhouse. Excellent production. The actors were all marvelous!
Collapse
-
Event Name: Proof
"Proof of Good Productions"
Review
posted by:
Stephen
from Austin TX,
Jan 31, 2011
I had the privilege of being at the Larry L King Theatre, a part of the Austin Playhouse to see Proof on its opening night. The cast was small, four people to be exact, but within a few minutes you...
Expand
I had the privilege of being at the Larry L King Theatre, a part of the Austin Playhouse to see Proof on its opening night. The cast was small, four people to be exact, but within a few minutes you realized that every character on stage came to life in an instant. I have nothing short of good praise for The Austin Playhouse and their tireless work at perfection and entertainment. The cast is made up of Molly Karrasch, Lara Toner, Tom Parker and David Meissner. Lara Toner pulled off the double duty of directing this gem along with Cyndi Williams.
The story in itself explores what we all deal with everyday, relationships. They exist in the form of a proof like the math formula that this story is all about. Every character has a relationship with the other that is either visually displayed to us through words and actions or in the attitudes of the characters when the situation involving other characters is mentioned. I say that last statement in the fact that the older sister and her father never share the stage in the present sense. It’s the little things these actors do that sell the story along as it is told in a dual configuration of past and present mingling with one another to help the audience understand the situation at hand. I don’t mind giving away this bit of the story because right from the start it is apparent. The father daughter relationship shows a daughter who has both her father’s genius and his issues of being a bit mad. Guess it goes with that thin line between insanity and genius. As an audience member I was drawn into the characters each of the four played. They seem to grasp their characters, breathe life into them and get you as an audience to care or at least be interested in what they have to say. I have seen these actors perform before and know their range. I was pleased that the set and lighting provided just the right support for this most gifted cast. I hope you see this show.
Collapse
-
Event Name: Proof
"Mathematical proofs are sexy!"
Review
posted by:
L Graber
from Austin TX USA,
Jan 29, 2011
You do not have to love math to have a good time at Proof. It is really a story about relationships and trust. Trust me when I tell you that there is no new ground broken in this play. But the...
Expand
You do not have to love math to have a good time at Proof. It is really a story about relationships and trust. Trust me when I tell you that there is no new ground broken in this play. But the performances are all good - you can empathize if not identify with the characters. You can feel their pain and their pleasure. You will go home feeling connected to your friends and family, and believing in the worth of fighting through the agonies of life. I think that is a good payoff for an evening at the theater.
Collapse
-
Event Name: Proof
"Brilliant"
Review
posted by:
Jay Y.
from Austin, TX,
Jan 29, 2011
"Proof" was my first Austin Playhouse production, and I enjoyed it immensely. It is an interesting story which actors bring it to life with energy and a fast pace, and held my interest from the...
Expand
"Proof" was my first Austin Playhouse production, and I enjoyed it immensely. It is an interesting story which actors bring it to life with energy and a fast pace, and held my interest from the beginning. Catherine, the daughter of a recently-deceased mathematician, Robert. Robert had recently passed away as the story begins, and Catherine is trying to come to grips with his death, on her 25th birthday, no less. We learn that Robert was brilliant and made vital contributions to his profession, but was struggling with mental illness in his later years. A former doctoral student of Robert's, Hal, comes to Catherine and tries to figure out if there is any vital work Robert left behind in the old house. This leads to a plot turning point, which I won't reveal here. It's always a joy to watch actors skilled in their craft with ezcellent chemistry bring a fascinating story to life, and that's what happens in "Proof." Seeing this show is an opportunity you can't afford to miss.
Collapse
-
Event Name: Proof
"Proof proves perfect play"
Review
posted by:
Jesse Griffith
from Aus-Vegas, Texas USA,
Jan 29, 2011
"Proof" is one of those almost perfectly written plays, but it isn't the type of play that 'plays itself' (ie: Grease, most Neil Simon, etc), the characters are complex, multi-layered. There's a lot...
Expand
"Proof" is one of those almost perfectly written plays, but it isn't the type of play that 'plays itself' (ie: Grease, most Neil Simon, etc), the characters are complex, multi-layered. There's a lot going on here, a great deal of information is conveyed by what is NOT spoken. We see years of resentments, doubts, insecurities, inflated egos, all inconvenienced by humanity. These people are complicated creatures, not just by life but also by choice. They are scientists, they see themselves as different from the rest of us, a bit superior in their left-brain, logical thinking. And yet they are forced to face their humanity and it is overwhelming. They use anger as a mask, the easy way out. And the more they run from themselves the more they run into themselves and one another. This production could not have been better. It needs a few tweaks, what play doesn't? They were close to invisible opening night, they will be gone tonight. Go see the proof...
Collapse
-
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