you don't have to do anything Photos - Off-Broadway

I recently had a fascinating conversation with Abby Z, director and choreographer of RADIOACTIVE PRACTICE, about her work with the New Utility and this unique show opening Friday as part of the Fusebox Festival here in Austin.

What is it about a good horror story that draws audiences by the cart load?  Is it the adrenaline surge of danger around every corner, even as the viewer remains safely out of danger? Or is it the exploration of the dark side of man’s psyche, feeding a vicarious blood lust in the deep recesses of our primordial hind brains? Or, is it a bit of schadenfreude, particularly if the victim is “deserving”?  All of things await the anxious theatregoer in Palm Canyon’s Theatre’s latest venture, Steven’s Sondheim’s macabre masterpiece “Sweeney Todd”.

WICKED comes to town this week! And even though it’s running for nearly two weeks, don’t expect to get seats for much longer, because this show is (yes, I’m going to say it, so go ahead and sing it yourself) POPular. WICKED is in fact, pushing up against THE LION KING as the highest grossing musical of all time. This stands to reason, as it is based on what is arguably the most influential film of all time, The Wizard of Oz. WICKED actually has its roots in lesser known novels also called Wicked, by author Gregory McGuire. And now, after fourteen years of various delays, the film version will finally be released later this year.

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, often simply referred to as 'The Trocks,' is a well-known all-male drag ballet company that parodies and pays homage to classical ballet. The company was founded in 1974 in New York City by a group of ballet enthusiasts who shared a love for dance and a desire to satirize the conventions of classical ballet. 'The Trocks,” come through Austin on tour at the Bass Concert Hall on January 19th.