Great piano and vocal teacher, helped my child multiple times prepare for school talent shows…read more Flexible scheduling, convenient location.

Easy 5 star review for this guy! We were married under a pecan tree in early spring so I wanted…read moresome light, happy music to accompany the ceremony and a solo guitar sounded like the perfect compliment. After scouring the internet, I found Charles' page and liked his repertoire, plus he was in our budget. After e-mailing back and forth, we booked him for our wedding ceremony. Charles was probably the easiest vendor to work with. Once we decided on our ceremony songs, I e-mailed them to Charles. I was a little nervous because a lot of the songs I requested weren't listed on his website, but he told me he'd have them ready for the wedding along with a few other songs to play while people mingled before the ceremony. The ceremony went perfectly and the music Charles played totally added to the emotion of the ceremony. I would definitely recommend Charles to anyone looking for a solo guitarist.

Last night the mister and I watch the Violet Crown Radio Players re-enact a radio show adaptation…read moreof a Perry Mason mystery, "The Crooked Candle". It was a great way to spend a Thursday night and the price was right. Free. The retro-vintage radio drama performance featured goat herders, ship captains, adultery, and much more! The event was sponsored by the Harry Ransom Center and performed by the Violet Crown Radio Players in the Jessen Auditorium on the UT campus. An Austin-based performance troupe, the VCRPs, recreate live radio experiences complete with vintage costumes and advertising. In reading the bios, every player has vast experience in the arts, on stage, writing, singing and acting. The Harry Ransom Center sponsors the VCRPs throughout the year. We plan to attend the July 10th performance of a 1950s radio show, "Dangerous Assignment". Check the Harry Ransom Center website for a schedule. Parking is sketchy but we found a park on 21st street. Dobie Parking Garage is a block away. Props to Kevin N. for posting this event!

To the Director and Board: A good amount of money was spent to buy tickets to Verdi's Requiem. I, a…read more76 year old native Austinite arrived at the Long Center about 20 minutes early (at the entrance to the parking garage). The next 15 minutes were spent looking for a parking place in the garage. I ended up parking at the very top and taking the elevator down. There were several other older ladies as well there who don't quite move quickly. By the time we walked to the door of the Long Center it was 3 minutes after the start of a 90-minute opera. I raced to get to my seat but was escorted to the upper balcony. As I entered there was a lady bandaging her leg on the stairs. From falling there. When I got to the upper balcony it was pitch dark and the helper had a flashlight that didn't work. It took me a while for my eyes to adjust and finally was able to be seated, slightly short of breath from the race and the altitude of those seats. Other nicely dressed older ladies came in after me and stumbled around to find seats. We were informed we would have to sit there for the duration as there was no intermission for a 90 minute performance. Why? I ask you why? Along with a canteen of water, a flashlight and a first aid kit do I need to bring a catheter to the Opera? This is ridiculous. I am pretty ticked off and will not attend again until something is done to remedy the deeply flawed, user-unfriendly experience I had. Navigating in the dark for a 76-year-old is not something that is a healthy activity. You do realize a lot of your audience are seniors, don't you? You do realize that you all probably go to the valet or VIP parking I passed at the one minute marker entrance to the parking lot and then go to your box seats? You're not experiencing what other people are experiencing and I'm afraid you've lost track. I hope you will do something to remedy.

I had the opportunity to see Cruzar de la Luna last night with friends and had such a great time…read more The storyline had beautiful depth and the orchestra was outstanding too. Great experience overall, Austin Opera knows how to put on a show!

Since moving to Austin in late 2020, my favorite activity has been going to the theatre. I have…read moreseen almost every show that Austin Shakespeare has put on since that date, and I am in love with this theatre company. They bring to life not only Shakespeare's works but also a variety of other great literary dramatic works. It's a great time with friends and the community here in Austin.

Austin Shakespeare is the Bard and more! I have enjoyed their performances at the Parker Jazz Club…read morewhere they highlight both vocal and instrumental performers usually focusing on one or two musical icons. in addition , their Shakespeare summer performances in Zilker Park and The Curtain Theatre. an historical replica of Elizabethan theaters, featuring youth is delightful. And, what about Tom Stoppard and other playwrites at the new KMFA studio or The Rollins at The Long Center? Such an eclectic company with superb multiracial actors, creative directing and adaptations! What's not to love?

There is so much history attached to the Neill-Cochran House from its very inception when the…read moreoriginal owners couldn't afford to finish building it (mid-1800s). This museum is not large, but it packs a lot of information and pieces of history throughout, including furnishings, artwork, and more. I have attended lectures and presentations here as well as done the museum tour. For special events, the staff is well-prepared and the set-up is welcoming and comfortable. Just as the tour is welcoming. The architecture and interior design are absolutely gorgeous and intact (as much as possible) from their origins. The tour guides and staff are all a wealth of knowledge, and they make history and learning fun for all ages.

The Neill-Cochran House Museum is a hidden gem in Austin, Texas. The historic house is beautifully…read morepreserved and the exhibits provide a fascinating insight into the region's history and culture. The knowledgeable and friendly staff make a visit to the museum an enjoyable and educational experience. I highly recommend a visit to the Neill-Cochran House Museum for anyone interested in history or architecture. Pro tip: I booked my session using GetOutPass, where I get access to multiple local venues similar to GoCity. Use coupon code: sale1 for an extra $5 discount on top of existing promotions

Phenomenal place to learn north Indian classical music. I love the patience of the teacher and her…read moregentle persistence to get the notes right. And after seeing the yearly dance performance by the students (wow....words don't do justice) I definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to get in touch with their roots or learn something new.

I am very fortunate to have my daughter learn from Vidyut. She is a very dedicated teacher (even…read morewith an injured knee, she took classes!) who gives individual attention and feedback. Her passion, efforts and patience as a teacher is truly commendable!

Love. Hate. Passion. Betrayal. A typical Friday night out at the bars for me, but also the major…read morethemes running through "Blood Wedding" (Bodas de Sangre), a tragic play by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca. Written in 1932, it has now been adapted in 2011 by The Wondrous Strange Players, an acting troupe that will be putting on the show here in Austin, TX at the Community Renaissance Market Theater. I was invited by my friend Trey, after he had read my impressions of other local plays I attended over the summer. He basically cut to the chase and said: "On our opening night, I want to see YOU in the audience". He sent me to their website and I made plans to be there, since that's usually when there's all that "opening night" electricity in the air. The Community Renaissance Market was at first, admittedly, a venue I was completely unfamiliar with. That is until I drove up and realized it was that south side market with a variety of locally owned micro-businesses; it's basically an air-conditioned hub for Austin's thriving "Buy Local" initiatives. Black curtains cordon off the stage and seating area from the rest of the market, and if I thought Zach Scott was an intimate setting, then compared to that space we were almost sitting in the actors' laps. We were instructed not to leave until intermission, as the actors would be making various entrances from each side. It's a reasonable request, because I could remember pondering at other theaters how one would even be able to go to the bathroom during the performance since there were always people lined up waiting for their cue. I was lucky enough to be sitting with Trey's friends, all of whom I could deduce work at the same office together. Actually, they kept referring to having come to support their friend "'Austen", so I thought we were there to see different people. When they asked me who I had come to see, I said I couldn't find his name on the cast list. They probably thought I was lying. A whole half hour went by before I realized that Trey *was* Austen, and I made sure to explain that to everyone during a break, so they didn't think I was some psychotic who pretends to know someone and then randomly name-drops actors to get into shows. The play is divided into three acts and two intermissions, but the total run time is about equal to that of one with just two acts. The story follows a love triangle that ends up with what can only be described as the wedding reception from Hell. When I described the plot to my mother the day before, she abruptly blurted out "Oh--that's García Lorca!" Apparently her Spanish teacher loved the playwright and had drilled all his works into their heads during her upper level Spanish literature courses. She said it would probably be really dramatic and ethereal, and that's exactly how it turned out. My friend Austen Simien played Leonardo, The Bride's old lover who is now married to another, but still madly in love with her. The Bride, played by Cameron Holmes, feigns that she doesn't love him back, but as with all good tragedies--of course she does. In short, if these people had computers, they'd still be Facebook stalking each other even after they'd both changed their relationship statuses. Ms. Holmes pulls off "stressed out" quite well, and she can do a mean cry, too. I also enjoyed the performance by Terrie Cooper as The Mother, whose son gets stood up by The Bride; her scenes at the end were especially well done. There's a lot of symbolism (a lullaby at the beginning metaphorically spells out the upcoming events). and some larger themes such as the role of women in society (The Mother explains to The Groom that if The Bride ever doesn't want to hit the sack, he has a right to press the issue because he's a dude. Ladies, your thoughts?). There's also moments of a capella singing, done especially well by Kat Eason as The Bridesmaid. In the director's thanks on the program, there's a shout out to the venue for "allowing a lot of crazy theatre people to do what they love". And that's what you're paying to see. I'd also recommend it to those especially familiar with the works of García Lorca, as the poetry is quite beautiful even in English. "Blood Wedding" is like the theatrical equivalent of live music in Austin; it's people working on their craft, no matter how big or small the venue, and having fun doing so. Tickets for "Blood Wedding" are $10, and can be purchased ahead of time from their website or at the door. The show runs September 8th-11th and 15th-18th.