Every time I hear that country song, "What Hurts the Most" all I can think about is a woman dressed…read moreup in cowboy duds, lip synching to it. Amazing performances, an amazing experience for me. I had a great time here! I've never seen or even imagined anything like this before! At one point (during an, of course, JT performance) I forgot for a few minutes that it was a female on the stage and I put a dollar in her pants. No, I wasn't drunk, either. I'll definitely be coming back to check out further exploits!

Kings N Things, Austin's own drag king performance troupe, is the perfect mix of intellectual edge…read moreand pure sex appeal. No need to engage in that old mind/body split - with KNT, you can have your cake and politicize it, too. Their seasonal shows at Elysium are a treat - ribald Valentine's ballads, sexy Easter bunnies, you name it. My personal favorite king is DD Cummings, but I've got a major Trevor N Deavor jones as well. Keep your eye on their myspace for upcoming shows so you can come out and pick your own favorite!

Best bet is to get season tickets. I've found more and more the shows that focus less on the…read more"greatest hits" and more on the "off the beaten path" selections.

The Austin Symphony Orchestra is the oldest performing group in Austin, Texas, USA. It was founded…read morein 1911. The mission of the Austin Symphony Orchestra is to bring live symphonic music to the people of the Austin area through community orchestra concerts, to provide enjoyment and enhanced musical appreciation and knowledge, to provide an avenue of artistic growth for regional performers, and to encourage continual musical study for area musicians. The symphony hosts entertainers who specialize in jazz, swing, and other brass supported musical disciplines. Thing Two and I have been here on multiple occasions to support the orchestra. Each performance is unique and timeless. Patrons who attend the symphony are allowed to bring in their own food/picnic baskets to enjoy while in attendance. The alcoholic drinks served here are at premium costs, but that is to be expected at venues such as this one. Thing two and I have also had the pleasure to meet Peter Bay (Music Director and Conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra since 1998) on several occasions. I appreciate the time he has taken with Thing Two and others who have stopped him after shows to educate them and get them more involved in music. If you are looking for a fun night out with family or for looking for date ideas, Austin Symphony Orchestra should definitely be a consideration.

Contemporary. Artsy. A metaphorical performance is what I would call "Austin is a Place (You Are…read moreHere)." Although this play wasn't my in my taste (by no means the performer's faults), I felt that the cast poured their hearts and souls into making even a self-proclaimed Yelp! critic like myself enjoy their evening. I will continue to purchase tickets to the performing arts in Austin regardless of whether or not I actually enjoyed the play, however, because I feel that this (art) is what makes Austin what it is. That, and it keeps me from falling into the depths of Hell's modern day entertainment known as reality TV. The theatre is located in a GIGANTIC pink building in the "not-so-greater" part of Austin. You would never have known it existed if it weren't for the small sign in the window. The theatre shares their space connected to a bingo hall (which was 100% SMOKING indoors) and was all about the size of a mini grocery store inside. The waiting area was much like a Pinterest DIY project (but I loved it). The staff friendly. The theatre area - not so great. A variety of mismatched, folding metal chairs to sit on; no air circulation (cue the cigarette smoke from next door); and no stage. What can I really expect though for two tickets that costed only $15? The setting: Just a pile of dirt, shovels, enough shoes to keep the homeless satisfied for the next five years.... AND THE PERFORMERS GIVING IT THEIR ALL. Each cast member had a particular "something" about them that I really enjoyed. Noted especially in the main three: the Irish girl, the Native American, and the Black female. I'm unsure from the program hand-out who is who... but these were the ones that I took to the most. While the seating was a bit uncomfy, the atmosphere hot and smoky, and not knowing what the heck was going on for the first 20 minutes of the show (at least), I'd still come for another performance.

Its as close to the best of Off Broadway as you will get.If you want to see a really good play with…read morefine acting and great directing go to "Jacobs Ladder" at the George Carver Museum put on by the Theatre En Bloc company. Was getting so tired of going to see poorly acted/staged/directed plays in Austin and yearning for something even close to decent. "Jacob's Ladder" meets and exceeds expectations.Only one more weekend from what they said and every house should be packed for this production. I will be excited to see what else this company has up their sleeves!

Any theater that produces Tennessee Williams is a goldmine to me. Oh how Mr T speaks to me and my…read moresouthern draw of sad romanticism. 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' lured me into just the two hours of steamy intensity I needed to really get my summer started right. I saw June 3rd performance and was wondering who could pull off Elizabeth Taylor's red lipped tip toes and oh boy did that gal cast as Mae do it. So impressive were all the other endearing actors playing Big Mama, Brick and Big Daddy. Brick and Big Daddy's talks were so believable I thought I was in their pickles of reality myself. Brick pulls off a big drunk like no other. My mouth was watering for the brown juice myself and I don't even really drink much. My many respects to Aaron Black, Zac Crofford, Anne Hulsman and Cassadie Petersen that bombshell minx herself. I just don't see how y'all remember all those lines and deliver them in such a natural real amusing splendor.

The Nutcracker! What a great Christmas time tradition to share with young children. As we enter…read morefall I am already thinking about Christmas festivities! I realized I had not published my review before - and thought now just the right time to do so! This past Christmas ('11) I was looking high and low for an affordable, approachable, truly child-friendly (casual) performance of the Nutcracker in the Austin area. (I inquired about, of course, the extremely high priced, formal professional version down town and knew that was not quite what I was looking for.) I sent emails and made phone calls and stumbled upon The Ovation Ballet Company Nutcracker. I am very glad that I did. The tickets were very affordable and the show was held at the Vandegrift High School. Perfect! My group was very excited when I announced that we would be going to the show, and NO they would not have to wear formal Sunday clothes. They were free to just enjoy the performance. I highly recommend this for families and children. It's formal enough that kids get a clear sense of the excitement and preparation of the participants but casual enough not to dampen or overwhelm the young visitor! This version was just long enough to hold their attention as well. It's the feel of an upscale recital. The show itself featured a wide range of ages (mostly children), body types (both height and weight varied greatly), ethnicity, and ballet experience. The venue allowed for very easy and ample parking and large clean rest rooms to boot. The Vandergrift auditorium is intimate enough to allow the very last row to see clearly and not feel nose bled. The seating was quite comfortable. Apparently Ovation Ballet Company has been doing this for a long time and they told me that they usually sell out. I plan to get tickets again this year and bring a group of young kids! It's the perfect kid friendly and family friendly tradition or introduction to the performing arts!

I attended the ballet The Nutcracker. The Austin ballet was brilliant; Young, vibrant and talented…read more The music was great and the story classic. Enclosed Parking was easy $10, the walk to the theater was close. Highly Recommend. A+

Just saw an amazing performance by this company of The Nutcracker. This was a version was done by…read moremainly children with a few adults. The talent the kids have, and they direction they followed of their directors was top notch!

I recently attended a friend's wedding in Austin and was blown away by this band. I was surprised…read morewhen she told me that she booked that band site unseen (or unheard in this case). She trusted her wedding planner to make the decision and luckily, it worked out great. Sauce was awesome! They are some of the best performers I've seen. They have wonderful chemistry and you can tell they love what they do. From old school Motown to '80s music and today's hits, this band not only does it, but does it well! Seriously, they had the crowd on the dance floor all night long and their energy was incredible. They played a huge variety of artists/songs, but some of my faves were Michael Jackson songs, Beastie Boys, Stevie Wonder, Outkast, and Black Eyed Peas. They have choreographed moves for almost every song they do, they include the crowd here and there, and their transitions from song to song are seamless. If you are looking for a band to rock your socks off (literally), look no further than Sauce The Band!

OUTSTANDING performers!! It's impossible to not have a FABULOUS time when in the presence of this…read moregroup! The entire band gives everything they've got to ensure guests have fun! You can't help but get up & move!! Ten person band complete with saxophone & horn! We have watched them perform over several years in both Austin & Fredericksburg - they are TOPS - ONE OF A KIND!!

The first time I attended the Danger Derby at Blue Genie was last year and I have to say this year…read morewas so much better. This is a free Austin event that is open to anyone of all ages! For all of you that don't know what the Danger Derby is allow me to elaborate! It's an extreme pinewood derby hosted by Blue Genie Art Industries every year during the East Studio Tour. There is quite a bit of parking located within the canopy lot, on the street or in the surrounding neighborhoods. Also, some of the studios were open so, if you didn't get a chance to go on the tour you can take a minute to appreciate some art by local artists. If you wish to enter a car into the race you can stop into Blue Genie and purchase your kit and register your car on-line. The track runs from the rooftop of Blue Genie to the ground, winding cars through obstacles including a swinging anvil, flames and blades. The event has an alcohol sponsor so; we all know what that means: Free drinks! Last year it was sponsored by Deep Eddy but, this year it was Tito's, East Ciders and I believe Live Oak Brewery. The lines aren't very long but, if you are like me, come prepared with some beers in your purse or bag. Also, please remember to tip your bartenders! Blue Genie was also screen printing T-shirts for sale on-site. There were also a handful of food trucks/vendors on-site this year which was a nice change. There was also an opportunity to buy VIP tickets and have perfect viewing of the races, small bites and booze included in the ticket price. This is a dog friendly event however; some of the dogs were irritated with the fireworks that were going off. There were announcers this year and music playing in the background throughout the event. There is also an after party located at Gourmands down the street! I had a great time last year however, I feel like Blue Genie really stepped up and took this event to the next level this year!