Austin Activities: Theater

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Austin is a great city for theater, especially if you like new works.

• Rude Mechanicals or Rude Mechs, www.rudemechs.com. Original pieces are always engaging. Their production values are over the top (10 foot tesla coils on stage), and always make you interested to be watching theater. They did Lipstick Traces, which I loved. Also loved Get Your War On. They tour, so look for them.
• Pro Arts Collective, www.proarts.info. They do everything: theatre, dance, hip-hop, musicals, festivals and more.
• Teatro Vivo, teatrovivo.org. Dedicated to producing quality bilingual theatre. Reflects the heart and soul of the Latino reality.
• Salvage Vanguard, www.salvagevanguard.org. Original musical pieces in conjunction with the Golden Arm Trio's Graham Reynolds are not to be missed.
• Different Stages, www.main.org/diffstages. One of Austin's oldest rep. companies.
• Refraction Arts, refractionarts.org. They dabble in multiple mediums. Always interesting.
• the dirigo group, www.thedirigogroup.com. These critical darlings do original and established work.
• Bedlam Faction, www.bedlamfaction.com. The typical Bedlam fare is nervy, physical productions of lesser known early-modern playwrights. They occasionally do new, local works.
• Naughty Austin, www.naughtyaustin.com. Started out dedicated to gay-themed scripts, but they've been branching out lately.
• Loaded Gun Theory, www.loadedguntheory.com. Original pieces.
• Yellow Tape Construction Co, www.yellowtape.org. New work in theatre, dance, music, and many different combinations of the three.

• The State and Paramount Theaters feature a wide variety of plays and acts, from Broadway touring shows to Chinese acrobats to plays and unique dance companies. Note that the State Theater is closed for most of the 2006-2007 season due to flooding. Performances not canceled will take place in the Paramount Theater. www.austintheatre.org
• Go to Esther's Follies for an entertaining Saturday Live-like comedy skits (Th-Sa). Located in the 6th street entertainment district it's a great way to start an evening. Reservations recommended. www.esthersfollies.com
• The Off Center, www.rudemechs.com/off_center/index.htm. Managed by Rude Mechs and home to some of Austin's best theatre, music and dance: Deborah Hay Dance Company, Physical Plant Theatre, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, The Golden Hornet Project.
• The Hideout, www.hideouttheatre.com. Managed by The Austin Improv Collective. You can always find improv comedy there.
• The ColdTowne Theater, www.coldtownetheatre.com. Plenty of comedy, ranging from stand-up to sketch and improv.
• Zach Scott, www.zachscott.com. Dave Steakley is artistic director. If you are looking for solid musical theatre, this is your venue. They also have a lock on Christmas plays.
• The Blue Theater, refractionarts.org/index.shtml. Managed by Refraction Arts and featuring theatre, music, film and dance.
• The Vortex, www.vortexrep.org. Bonnie Cullum is artistic director. Original musicals and operas and plays. Some of the most delightfully weird stuff you'll see.
• Sam Bass Community Theater, www.sambasstheatre.com.
• Arts on Real, www.artsonreal.com.
• The Gas Light Theater, www.gaslighttheater.com.