I worked two shows of the Beauty and the Beast Broadway in Austin show from the Bass Concert Hall over the weekend. The show was great. My favorite number was “Be Our Guest”; great music and great choreography, including tap.
Between shows, I went up to the balcony on the 6th floor to see the post-sunset sky over the 40 Acres.
I worked the Girl from the North Country traveling Broadway show this weekend. I was looking forward to it because it was based on songs from Bob Dylan. I didn’t know anything else about it.
It was more of a spoken play, set in the Depression in Duluth, Minnesota. The story is a tad dark, but well done. The singers were very good.
They performed over 20 Dylan songs, but only the lyrics were familiar, not the melodies, as they were arranged very differently than what I was familiar with.
Overall I enjoyed show. But, the highlight was getting to chat with Ann, Shelly, and Laura who were in the audience on Sunday. 🙂
I’ve started my second season with Texas Performing Arts as a volunteer usher. I now have a name tag with my name on it! Moving on up. Yesterday I worked the show for Broadway in Austin’s performance of SIX – The Musical.
A bit of an unusual musical. It really didn’t have much dialog other than the songs that each of the six former wives of Henry VIII sang, giving a glimpse into each of their different situations before and after marrying the king. As they say in the show…”Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” There were no set changes. No intermission. Just 80 minutes of singing and dancing. All that is not bad, just different. I enjoyed it very much.
They have moved on from Austin, but the current US Tour runs through the end of July 2024. You can see the remaining tour schedule here
The Texas Performing Arts 2022/2023 season is coming to a close. I worked as a volunteer usher for my eighth event yesterday, a production of the Broadway in Austin musical Hairspray – very colorful, talented singers, and great tunes. In a month or two I’ll decide whether to sign up for the next season. I very much enjoyed the shows I was able to work.
Today I ushered for the final two shows of the Broadway in Austin play, To Kill a Mockingbird. Richard Thomas, formerly John Boy on The Waltons, played the lead of Atticus Finch. He doesn’t have the physical presence of Gregory Peck, who played in the film version released in 1962. But he made a great Atticus. I really enjoyed the show.
Fun fact: the actress who played Scout in the 60’s movie version had a different role in this production. Pretty amazing that she’s still involved with the show and its message, 60 years on.
Happy Mother’s Day!
I ushered for two University of Texas graduations this weekend at the Bass Concert Hall. I need to remember to wear earplugs next time. Wow. One ceremony had about 500 grads. As each walked across the stage, their friends-and-family-posee cheered. Very loudly.
It’s all good; it was a special day for each of the graduates. Well done Class of 2023!! Go live your best lives!
I worked the Easter Sunday matinee of Riverdance – the 25th anniversary show. 25 years ago I was knee deep in work projects, so I wasn’t a huge fan the first time around. My mother had all the DVDs, though – Riverdance AND the Three Tenors. So I signed up as a nod to my mom…and my Irish dad.
The show was pretty toe tapping good!
I’ve started volunteering at the Bass Concert Hall as an usher. Today I worked the matinee for the Broadway musical “Ain’t Too Proud,” the story of the lives of the members of The Temptations. The venue was full of music, dancing, and lights…. a great story and show.
I got home from the show in time to watch the FAU Owls play in the Final Four. Sadly, we lost. Should have won, but a great game played by all.
Over the holidays I spoke with a couple of friends who volunteer as ushers for the Texas Performing Arts organization, which hosts events all year at the Bass Concert Hall on the UT campus, and several other local theaters.
I was interested. I do have “theater” experience after all … I worked on the tech crew for the event coliseum at the university I attended back in the day – setting up, tearing down, and working spotlights for concerts, and helping Monte with productions for the showbiz club where we worked. Ok, so theater may not actually be in my blood, but I’ve at least stubbed my toe on it a few times. 🙂
I had an interview this week, attended a training session for volunteer ushers tonight, and decided to join for the remainder of this season – through August – to see how I like it. And to see how it fits in with all the other things I enjoy doing.
A bonus: I got to see some cool views of an empty Bass Concert Hall tonight.
Sheila365 