I can't find words to describe how great the show is. I grew up in South Jersey and saw the Four Seasons every year in Atlantic City for years. Being a musician myself, (I'm a drummer), my dream was to back the Four Seasons. Of course that was only a teenage fantasy. That being said, the musical" Jersey Boys" stayed true to the best thing about the Four Seasons, their music. The musicianship and vocals are second to none. The entire cast of skilled actors and musicians was a joy to witness. And being able to learn the life stories of these iconic artists, brought me even closer to their music I grew up loving. Many "Four Seasons" songs have been used to describe this wonderful musical: "Too Good To Be True" or "Oh What a Night"; and funny enough, they really do fit the playbill. Seeing "Jersey Boys" at Bass Concert Hall is as good as it gets. As good as being in the Big Apple. I highly recommend seeing "Jersey Boys", before they'll be saying "Bye Bye Baby" to Austin. Collapse

If you're looking for something a little more intimate than just breaking that third wall, Muses IV: Memories of a House immerses you into every scene. Traditionally, the Muse series takes the audience on an adventure through disjointed scenes and stories, but this time around there is a link between scenes. Each scene is a unique snapshot of one family, and the audience gets to act as a sort of fly on the wall, but sometimes more. The script holds strong and thought provoking material, and the acting is excellent. The intimate setting not only provides a close feel with those on stage, but also fellow audience members. Lines begin to blur on whether you are an audience member as your position only takes you closer to the action in every scene. Remember to dress appropriately for the inclusion of outdoor weather! Collapse

City Theatre takes a journey into one of the hardest musical scores, twenty plus characters, a tower, a horse, giants and a myriad of other fairy tale delights that all lead to one place in the end - success! I applaud this group for presenting a humorous, thought-provoking, beautiful production that I will remember for a long time. Go see it. It won't disappoint! Collapse

Our Body: The Universe Within is a wonderful opportunity to view a stunning and well-presented exhibit of the human body. You WILL see and understand the body like you never have before... regardless of your background. ALL of the body "items" shown have undergone a process which preserves and make them plastic-like. There are many full bodies shown in various ways so that you may study the many different and interrelated systems that make up the human body. There are also many exhibits of body parts: hands, feet, lungs, liver, muscles, etc.... available for detailed study. In terms of logistics: The exhibit is well lit, there is quiet music playing in the background, some museum patrons are silently studying the bodies, some patrons are quietly chatting with their friends about what they are viewing, there are some benches to sit down on should you need to rest...More at nowplayingaustin.wordpress.com Collapse

The production was tight, energy-driven, cast perfectly. I don’t think I’m being a spoiler to tell you a true story about teaching in public schools today can’t end very well. Teachers straining to remain in love with teaching, buckling under pressure to teach history and science lessons chosen by right- wing fundamentalists, hyper-evaluated by administrators and school board members—all ready to throw the first stone since they are safe. As a former teacher, I can testify: there was nothing made up about this play. See it + send a link about it to all the teachers you know. Special date September 10, the final production, when the playwright William Missouri Downs will be visiting and host a ‘talk-back’ after. Special acting shoutout for Molly Fonseca and Dennis Kelleher Bailey, and director Derek Kolluri for great pacing and staging/design. Full review: rebablog.com Collapse

This is a lovely theatre piece. Performed at the rim of a pool, in it, or in the air by wonderful aerialists, it tells some of Ovid's stories of young lovers who suffer such anguish from death or doubt or greed or fear that they beg to be transformed, and are, into animals, birds, trees, by the pity of the gods, who cause some of their suffering. The actors are fit, great to look at, and very good; my only quibble was with their extreme regional accents, they need more voice training to overcome the American twang. But the beauty of the material, the cast, their athleticism, and the writing of the grand poet combine to make this special and uplifting. Some of the stories, Midas who transforms his daughter into a golden statue, Eros and Psyche, Orpheus and Eurydice, are familiar, others delightfully not. David Steakley to be commended for putting on something quite unusual, which deserved its Tony when it played in NY in 2001. Collapse

Thom is a wonderful host and the venue brings established poets as well as giving a voice to new poets. A very warm, friendly environment. Collapse

You know the show you are about to see will have some wild costume changes/hair styles when the opening announcer gives thanks to a stylist for taking care of the multitude of wigs used by the cast. So starts The Wedding Singer where all of your 80’s memories come rushing back at full speed. From the music, to the artists, to the clothing…there’s no escaping this blast from the past. There are some amazing voices in the cast: Katie Blacksmith and Brittany Scofield both handle the entertaining and the poignant songs with ease. Matt Gauck cast as the wedding singer proves to be an excellent choice – handling the comedic script well. Scene-stealer Dean Patch (dressed from the Milli-Vanilli/Boy George closet) has his moment in the spotlight…and several more stolen from others! The sight gags are great – the HUGE mobile phone in the car, the $900 CD player, the Jordache shopping bag…and the CLOTHES! Tell me – did they raid my closet from the 80’s??? The shoulder pads, the prairie dresses, the wide stretch belt – leggings and lace – it’s all on stage. A quick trip to Georgetown is all that’s needed for a trip 25 years into the past…come to the wedding to see The Wedding Singer. Collapse

Consider it a work in progress. It is always quite a risk to write, direct and produce your own theatre piece, and for this we give Freddy Carnes some admiration. However, the first recommendation is that you get some great voices to pull off the singing. Not so true in this production. It played more like a children's theatre piece, unsure if it wanted to be a comedy or a serious opera. Good elements came from the comical performance of Craige Kanne and the valiant efforts of Philip Olson as Telemachus, but overall The Odyssey still needs some work. Collapse