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Dougherty Arts Center demolition inevitable: Austin may not fund a new facility

05.16.12 | 07:30 am

The Dougherty Arts Center (better known as "The DAC") could be the next Austin landmark to face the wrecking ball. And it's going to happen sooner, rather than later.

What is not yet clear is whether the city will support rebuilding the popular hub, either at its current location — a long shot due to serious environmental problems — or somewhere else, taking a decades-old resource out of central Austin.

The DAC is just on the 78704 side of Lady Bird Lake, on Barton Springs road between the old Union Pacific railroad tracks and the new Palmer Events Center. Originally built as a U.S. Marine Corps and Navy Reserve facility back in the 1940s, the building is like thousands of other prefabricated, metal boxes built for the military immediately following WWII — cramped and not especially attractive.

But after the city took it over in 1978, the surrounding community made the most of the space, naming it for philanthropist and former Junior League of Austin president Mary Ireland Graves Dougherty and augmenting the old training center with studio and gallery space.

Just a few years after the abandoned National Guard armory down the street was reborn as the Armadillo World Headquarters, the postwar Naval Reserve building became a 26,200 square-foot community arts center with a 150-seat auditorium where the drill hall used to be.

If someone made a list of every class, performance, camp and concert that has taken place here over the years, it wouldn't fit into one of the tiny upstairs offices.

But the Dougherty Arts Center's fatal flaws aren't about the cramped quarters; they're about safety.

A 2009 State of the Environment study produced by the City of Austin reported there are more than 70 known abandoned landfills in and around the city.

One of them is directly under the Dougherty Arts Center.

Read more at www.austin.culturemap.com . . . .

Now available for Gilbert & Sullivan students and fans:

Papers, Presentations and Patter: A Savoyards’ Symposium

Papers Presented at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June 27–28, 2011
Edited and with an Introduction by Ralph MacPhail, Jr.
York, Pennsylvania, 2012

Gilbert and Gilbert & Sullivan

Ian Bradley

Was Gilbert a Little Liberal or a Little Conservative?"

Carolyn Williams
The Masculine Woman and the Feminine Man: Gender Parody in the Savoy Operas

Shane Kingston Magargal
A Greek Remark: The Savoy Operas Viewed through an Aristotelian Lens

Harry Benford
Components of Gilbert’s Genius

Andrew Vorder Bruegge
A Dull Enigma: Historians’ Analysis of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Impact on the Development of the American Musical Theatre

Sullivan, Gilbert, Gilbert & Sullivan— and A Soupçon of Cellier

John E. Dreslin

The Humor of the Operas: it's Not All in the Words

Elise Curran
Gilbert’s Girls: Comes a Train of Little Ladies

Sylvan H. Kesilman
The Principal Comic Roles in the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas

J. Donald Smith
The Writing and Composition of The Mountebanks: The Evidence of theAutograph Score, the Vocal Scores and the Early Librettos

Wisdom from the East and from the West

Thomas Drucker

Cheerful Facts about Matters Mathematical

Al Grand

Think British—Sing Yiddish!

Daniel Kravetz

Interfering in Politics: The Reality of Iolanthe

Marc Shepherd

The Curious Case of “Little Maid of Arcadee”
William Hyder

Shakespeare in the Park is seeking amale actor age 19 - 25 to take on two roles (the Duke and Balthasar) in upcoming production of The Comedy of Errors.

A new theater endeavor by Chelsea Bunn, this production will take place in Ramsey Park and be free and open to the public. Performance dates are June 22,23,24,29,30 and July 1st.

Rehearsals have already begun so time is of the essence! Interested parties should email a head shot and resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , along with their availability, to schedule an audition. This production will have improvisational tones so actors should be comfortable playing!

City Theatre, Austin holds auditions for She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith on May 16, 8:45 - 10  p.m.  and May 19, 10 - 1 p.m. Ten minute slots by appointment. The theatre is located at 3823 Airport Blvd. Suite D (click for map).

Call 512-524-2870 or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to set up an appointment. Bring headshot, resume, and a one-minute prepared monologue.  Scenes may also be performed.  Show dates:  July 19 – August 12 with rehearsals starting at the end of May.

One of the great, generous-hearted and ingenious comedies of the English language, Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer offers a celebration of chaos, courtship and the dysfunctional family.  Hardcastle, a man of substance, looks forward to acquainting his daughter with his old pal’s son with a view to marriage. But thanks to playboy Lumpkin, he’s mistaken by his prospective son in-law Marlow for an innkeeper, his daughter for the local barmaid. The good news is, while Marlow can barely speak to a woman of quality he’s a charmer with those of a different stamp. And so, as Hardcastle’s indignation intensifies, Miss Hardcastle’s appreciation for her misguided suitor soars. Misdemeanours multiply, love blossoms, mayhem ensues.

Links to check out:  http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/68378/productions/she-stoops-to-conquer.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Stoops_to_Conquer

by Dr. David Glen Robinson

The Up Collective is in one of my favorite places, in East Austin, specifically at 2326 E. Cesar Chavez St.  The name is easy to get—one has to walk upstairs to a second floor gallery where the play is performed.  The art on the walls is really, seriously good and is priced like it, too. Palindrome Theatre's set is simple, designed for mobility.  It has two standing door frames with no doors, a table and two chairs, a filing cabinet and two revolving set pieces representing windows.  On one side of each of the painted windows there is a city dayscape; on the other side, a nightscape.  Palindrome plans to travel The Accidental Death of an Anarchist to several indoor and outdoor locations, and the set by George Marsolek is well adapted to that plan.

The Accidental Death of an Anarchist is a famous farce by Dario Fo.  The play is based on terroristic events and police corruption.  The work is fictional, but it updates itself in every new production with references to contemporary events.  The play premiered in Italy in 1970, found immediate popularity, and toured widely in Italy to play before millions of theatergoers.  International productions kicked off in the 1980's.  The Wikipedia article lists successful major productions in the UK, United States, Sri Lanka, India and China.  As the world moved into the 21^st century, the play caught on in Pakistan and Australia and saw more productions in Britain and the United States.  This thing has legs.

Dario Fo is the ultimate Internationalist gadfly, set on this career early in life when he was drafted by Mussolini’s fascist army late in World War II.  He soon deserted and, with his family, worked for the Resistance helping Allied soldiers escape the fascist forces.  Can there be any doubt that these were his formative experiences, which taught him the language of defiance?  He articulated this defiance and all that goes with it in his play writing and career in theatrical production, still going on today.  The response to his work was near-uniform condemnation, criticism and outright suppression by governments, churches and mosques around the world.  What was the outcome of the hostility of officialdom? In 1997, Fo was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his body of work.

Fo’s theatrical efforts have always been informed by early Renaissance Commedia dell’ Arte.  The traditional presenters of the commedia performed as costumed characters in the streets, and they quickly discovered that their biggest laughs came from fart jokes (and other bawdiness) told about dukes, bishops, kings and popes.  Hence Fo’s devotion to farce, improvisation, and references to government abuses.  Fo encourages producers of his plays to add local references and to rewrite dialogues as commentary on contemporary issues.  Give Austin’s small but active Commedia dell’ Arte community, Palindrome Theatre’s opening of a Fo play should find an informed and receptive audience.

Austin-based photographer Kirk R. Tuck writes and illustrates an article at his blog The Visual Science Lab about capturing an epic moment in the Zach Theatre's March-May 2012 production of The Laramie Project by Moisés and the Tectonic Theatre Project:

An interesting job with mixed light sources. On the stage.

by Kirk R. Tuck at The Visual Science Lab, May 12, 2012

Austin Live Theatre's backstage visit with director Bob Beare and the cast:

Blood Brothers

by Willy Russell

directed by Bob Beare

free admission; reservations at (512) 402-3086; donations gratefully accepted

Written by award-winning author Willy Russell, the plot of Blood Brothers revolves around the story of two twin brothers separated at birth. One brother, Eddie, was adopted by wealthy parents and lives an affluent life with endless opportunities. The other brother, Mickey, not blessed with similar circumstances, is raised in poverty by his birth mother. The tale spans more than 20 years of the boys’ lives and finds Eddie going to prestigious University of Oxford, while Mickey turns to a life of crime and ultimately prison. While trying to overcome the social divide, the boys both fall in love with the same girl. This proves to be too much, splits their relationship, and leads to tragedy.

announces its 2012 - 2013 season

In three locations with four productions the professional Austin Shakespeare company will bring audiences comedy and romance with Noel Coward's Design for Living and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice at the Rollins Theater, plus teens in Shakespeare’s beautiful story of parents and their youngsters Romeo and Juliet at the Curtain Theater.

Noel Coward’s

Design for Living

November 7 – 25, 2012

at the Long Center’s Rollins Theater. From one of the world’s most popular wits, a provocative story of three friends who engage in a complicated, comic, and loving, relationship.

Jane Austen’s

Pride and Prejudice

February 6 – 24, 2013

at the Long Center’s Rollins Theater. A new adaptation of one of literature’s most beloved romances involving the proud Mr. Darcy and the clever Elizabeth Bennett. Features extensive 19th century ballroom dance. The new version by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan has been enormously successful at regional theaters around the U.S. recently especially at Oregon Shakespeare.

Shakespeare’s

The Winter’s Tale

May 1-26, 2013

FREE Shakespeare in the Park at the Zilker Hillside Theatre. A dark romance fueled by the war between jealousy and joy, set in Latin America, staged with tango choreographed by Monica Caivano of Esquina Tango and culminating at Carnaval in Rio.

Young Shakespeare’s

Romeo and Juliet

June 20-30, 2013

at Richard Garriott’s replica of Shakespeare’s Curtain Theater off City Park Rd. (FM 2222 & Loop 360). Our fifth year with a new company of teen actors who competitively audition for this production directed and designed by professionals. Teen actors for this 6-week intensive program are selected through open auditions.

ABOUT AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE: Founded in 1984 and the only professional classical theater company in Central Texas, Austin Shakespeare presents professional theatre of the highest quality with an emphasis on the plays of William Shakespeare, bringing to the public performances that are fresh, bold, imaginative, thought-provoking, and eminently accessible, connecting the truths of the past with the challenges and possibilities of today. Austin Shakespeare’s ongoing “Shakespeare Aloud” reading group and “Artist’s Way” sessions invite new participates weekly. Austin Shakespeare’s education program 20/20 sends professional actors into the schools to encourage love of language.  Austin Shakespeare is a proud member of the Austin Creative Alliance.

Your ideal summer job?

Seaworld San Antonio Auditions for Performers and Interviews for Technicians Friday, May 11, 2012

Looking for a summer job? Our next big audition/technical interview session is this FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012 (applicants must attend the audition/interview to be considered).  Audition Location: SeaWorld San Antonio Team Member Entrance on Military Drive West between Highway 151 and Loop 1604. Register at Human Resources.  Although we see all talent/technicians during these auditions, we are especially looking for the following:


Performer I (Actor) – interested applicants will apply for Performer III and will be considered for a Performer I at the audition –Position is open May 7-11, 2012 (applicants must attend the audition on May 11, 2012 – see Audition Website or attached Audition Poster for preparation information)
Performer II (Costumed Character Dancer) – interested applicants will apply for Performer III and will be considered for a Performer II at the audition – We are interested in all talent, but especially looking for applicants 4’11” to 5’1” and 5’6” to 6’2” – Position is open May 7-11, 2012 (applicants must attend the audition on May 11, 2012 – see Audition Website or attached Audition Poster for preparation information)
Performer III (Walk Around Costumed Character) – interested applicants will apply for Performer III – We are interested in all talent, but especially looking for applicants 4’11” to 5’1” and 5’6” to 6’2” – Position open May 7-11, 2012 (applicants must attend the audition on May 11, 2012 – see Audition Website or attached Audition Poster for preparation information)


Interested? Apply online, then come to the Auditions on Friday May 11.
Click for Performer III Employment Application -  Audition email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Audition Website: http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-sanantonio/2012%20Auditions or visit http://www.seaworldjobs.com

Our colleague Thomas Jenkins at the San Antonio Current has written a powerful review of Zach's The Laramie Project, Ten Years Later, which AustinLiveTheatre.com is proud to republish here to complement the AustinLiveTheatre review of May 2:

The Wicked Stage:

The Laramie Project, Ten Years Later

by Thomas Jenkins, May 7, 2012

. . . last weekend, I headed up to Austin’s Zach Scott Theater to catch The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, which also has yet to see a San Antonio production (although it would fit in nicely at, say, the Jump-Start).

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect: reviews and previews sometimes described the play as a sequel or epilogue to the original Laramie Project, but neither moniker exactly inspired confidence in the evening’s artistic merits. (I mean, is there any term less exciting than “epilogue”? Appendix, maybe. Or Nachschrift.)  But it turns out that The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later is not only a fully-realized and intelligent work of theater, but that, in many ways, it’s a more substantial and rewarding piece than even the original play.

The first Laramie Project certainly had novelty going for it: most American audiences had never been exposed to the type of theater-as-sociology-experiment represented by Moisés Kaufman’s Tectonic Theater Company. (Happily, there’s now an off-shoot of that movement in SA, at the AtticRep’s Forum Theater Project.) Seeing a theater company descend on a town—microphones and videocams in tow—represented something new and exciting, as actors transformed the raw transcripts of their interviews into an affecting docudrama about the shocking murder of Matthew Shepherd: a young gay man brutally beaten and left for dead, shackled to a fence in Wyoming. The piece thus explored the intersection of homophobia, politics, and rural identity at the turn of the millennium.

At first, the sequel presents itself almost identically to the original play: troupe members return to Laramie, Wyoming—with the same sort of idiosyncratic self-narration that characterizes the first piece—and begin the long (and doubtless, tedious) process of field work. But then the piece takes a startling turn. In 1998, the Tectonic Theater Company was not only new to American audiences, but new to Laramie: the troupe’s other-ness helped to establish its credibility as a dispassionate recorder of human experience. By 2008, however, the observers had clearly affected the observed—and the observed are hopping mad. (“We’re a town, not a project,” the local paper objects.) And as the Tectonic Company discovers, there are darker undercurrents afoot: in the first play, it was obvious that Matthew Shepherd was the victim of anti-gay violence—indeed, the trial transcripts are conclusive on this point. By 2008, however, the town is well on its way towards re-inventing history: after an (odious) episode of TV’s “20/20,” much of Laramie is happy to think of the murder as merely a drug deal gone bad. (No homophobia here in Laramie, thank you much.) And that’s just the remembering; even worse is the forgetting, signified not only by literal excision of Shepherd’s fence, but by the clueless freshmen at the University of Wyoming who have only the vaguest idea of who Shepherd was, or why anybody should care.

The first Laramie Project was permeated by a sense of a single crime’s injustice: the second, by the inexorable and cruel suppression of the discourse of homosexuality within an entire system. The first looked at the plight of a solitary gay man at a single, terrible, instant in time; the second, at a pattern of injustice against gays that permeates all available media (newspapers, TV, theater) and that uses every postmodern trick in the book: re-writing, re-membering, re-presenting. Dave Steakley’s elegant and understated production employs the spare set design—a table and chairs—to good advantage; the ugliness of human nature plays out against the natural beauty of Wyoming, as illuminated in Colin Lowry’s subdued projections. The acting of the eight-person company is generally fine: it’s always a pleasure to see Jaston Williams (of “Greater Tuna” fame), though sweet-faced Frederic Winkler is somewhat miscast as neo-Nazi murderer Aaron McKinney. (That interview is still the most horrifying and gripping scene in the play, however.) The evening’s single intermission makes more dramatic sense than the original’s double intermission.  It’s a powerful evening of theater.

The Zach Scott is presenting both parts of The Laramie Project in repertory for another week, so if you haven’t seen the original, you can (and should, dammit) take in a twofer on Saturday. For unless one of the theaters in San Antonio programs it soon, Alamo City audiences will have to wait until The Laramie Project: Twenty Years Later.

-- Thomas “Bouquets” Jenkins, Current Theater Critic