September-October 2010 Issue

Ezine.com

ON THE TOWN

September/October 2010

John John Brand Brand Ben Ben Brewer Brewer Kathy Kathy Miller Miller Matthew Matthew Drutt Drutt Season Season 2010-11 2010-11 Fall Fall Art Art Festivals Festivals Candace Candace Andrews Andrews Plus Plus 15 15 Additional Additional Articles Articles

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Features 2010-11: A Season of 10 Big-Time Performances Kathy Miller Leads Children’s Fine Arts Series Into its 28th Year

On Stage Now! September and October Are Very Entertaining

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Exceptional Exhibits Highlight the Fall Season

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Mathew Drutt:

Keeping Pace With Art

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Candace Andrews 84 Managing Director of SanAntonio Botanical Garden Society

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Artpace’s Free Family Festival Is Made in San Antonio

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The Overtime Theater Is Very Original

Kaitlin Hopkins Directs Texas State’s New Musical Theater Program

Wild About Harry

World-Famous Photojournalist Harry Benson to Speak at TLU on October 18

John Brand Sustainable Success

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John Besh Brings Lüke to the River Walk

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Book and Author Luncheon Features Alton Brown

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Ben Brewer Heading Up Downtown Alliance and Centro San Antonio

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Fall Art Festivals in San Antonio Viva Huevolution!

San Anto Cultural Arts’ Huevos Rancheros Gala and Silent Auction

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Lair Creative, LLC would not knowingly publish misleading or erroneous information in editorial content or in any adv appear under any circumstances. Additionally, content in this electronic magazine does not necessarily reflect the view mances and exhibits, it is recommended that all times and dates of such events be confirmed by the reader prior to at

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Contributors

Departments Portfolio: Brenda Kingery Dream Weaver of Stories

Pinch Pennies & Dine Well: Upscale is On Sale!

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Picture This: Mosaics In The Center City

Marlo Mason-Marie

Thomas Duhon

Mikel Allen, graphic designer Hector Pacheco

Dana Fossett

Diane Powell

Sharon Garcia

Chandler Prude

Vivienne Gautraux

Angela Rabke

Greg Harrison, staff photograpaher

Sara Selango

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Melinda Higgins

Performing Arts Cover Photo: Jersey Boys Photo by Joan Marcus Events Calendar Cover Photo: Yeol Eum Son Courtesy cliburn.org Visual Arts Cover Photo: Greg Harrison Culinary Arts Cover Photo: Š Lockstockbob/ Dreamstime.com Eclectics Cover Photo: Greg Harrison

Cynthia Clark

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Front Cover Photo: Sebastian Lang-Lessing Photo by Marks Moore

Literary Arts Cover Photo: Greg Harrison

Susan A. Merkner, copy editor

Julie Catalano

Chris Dunn

Book Talk: Diana Lopez 114 Teacher, Writer and Young Readers’ Novelist Artistic Destination: Art Is The New Cool in New Braunfels

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Claudia Maceo-Sharp

Ditte Isager

Shannon Huntington Standley

Matt Johns

M. Yvonne Taylor

Michele Krier

Janis Turk

Christian Lair

Jasmina Wellinghoff

Kay Lair

Linsey Whitehead

On The Town Ezine.com is published by Lair Creative, LLC 14122 Red Maple San Antonio, Texas 78247 210-771-8486 210-490-7950 (fax)

vertisement in On The Town Ezine.com, nor does it assume responsibility if this type of editorial or advertising should ws or opinions of the management of Lair Creative, LLC. Since On The Town Ezine.com features information on perforttendance. The publisher assumes no responsibility for changes in times, dates, venues, exhibitions or performances.

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Performing Arts 10-44 10-44

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2010-11: A Season of B

By Sara Selango

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Big-Time Performances!

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roadway super-hit Jersey Boys opens Sept.

8 at the Majestic and runs for three weeks!

Sebastian Lang-Lessing makes his debut as the new music director of the San Antonio Symphony Oct. 2. This is big stuff at the beginning of what can only be described as an exceptional new performance season.

Coming after Jersey Boys in the Broadway Across America series is Beauty and the Beast Oct. 12-17, followed by Cirque Dreams Illumination Oct. 26-31.

The Majestic then hosts 9 to 5: The Musical Dec. 7-12 with Diana DeGarmo of American Idol fame playing the Dolly Parton role. Seasonal favorite A Tuna Christmas, starring Joe Sears and Jaston Williams, is a holiday gift to us all Dec. 21-26. That’s five great shows in this series before year’s end with four still to come. Legally Blonde: The Musical gets 2011 off and running Jan. 18-23, then it’s mega-musical Wicked on the Majestic stage for an extended run Feb. 16 to March 6. The incredible revival of West Side Story rolls in March 22-27, followed by season finale Rock of Ages, featuring American Idol’s Constantine Maroulis, May 10-15. That’s nine shows

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over the course of nine months. Big-time Broadway comes to town in a huge way!

The Sebastian Lang-Lessing era with the San Antonio Symphony begins opening night at the Majestic Oct. 2, an evening appropriately titled Meet Your New Maestro. Without a doubt, this performance will make the season highlight reel before what I expect to be a packed house. Sixteen classical concerts follow with Lang-Lessing conducting on 10 occasions, including four concerts in the new Tchaikovsky Festival from late April to early May. In addition, he will take the podium Jan. 12 for what promises to be a magical evening featuring Lang Lang, the world’s foremost pianist, as he performs Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2. I expect a packed house again. Year one of Lang-Lessing in San Antonio appears to be an absolute winner.

Other classical series conductors include KenDavid Masur, Christopher Seeman, Tito Munoz, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Dmitry Sitkovetsky and Jean-Marie Zeitouni. Featured per formers throughout the season are pianists Jeffrey Swann,

San Antonio Chamber Music Society once again offers a five-performance season beginning with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Oct. 10 and continuing in subsequent months with Imani Winds, Cypress String Quartet, Quatuor Ysaye and The symphony pops season offers six performances, Lafayette String Quartet. Tuesday Musical Club, leading off with A Tribute to the Music of John Denver. another local classical music presenter, celebrates Holiday Pops, Cirque de la Symphonie, Simply Sinatra its 88th season with concerts by Perlman/Schmidt/ with Steve Lippia, Braswell on Broadway and Fiesta Bailey Trio, pianist Spencer Myer, cellist Scott Pops round out the series. Handel’s Messiah and The Kluksdahl and soprano Jeanine De Bique.

Nutcracker with San Antonio Ballet are scheduled I also recommend consulting the Web sites as special events. for several local chamber groups composed Staying classical, Musical Bridges Around the World of symphony musicians, including Camerata enters its 13th season Oct. 3 with a performance San Antonio, SOLI Chamber Ensemble, Musical called Baroque Opera With Salsa Sauce at McAllister Offerings, San Antonio Brass and Olmos Ensemble.

Auditorium on the campus of San Antonio Full seasons of wonderful musical opportunities College. Four other presentations are included are offered by all. in its season with pianist Lilya Zilberstein and trumpeter Nicholas Payton as featured performers. Before leaving the classical genre, it must be Six free concerts, known as Musical Evenings at mentioned that the legendary Yo-Yo Ma will visit the San Fernando Cathedral, also are scheduled by this city March 31 with the Silk Road Ensemble courtesy organization from November through August. The of Arts San Antonio. Five other performances are included in the Arts San Antonio season, with Musical Bridges Web site has all needed details.

Ryo Yanagitani, Lilya Zilberstein and Freddy Kempf, plus violinists Elena Urioste and Robert McDuffie. Guitarist Richard Cobo and clarinetist Ilya Shterenberg also per form.

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highlights being Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker in At San Pedro Playhouse, an “all musicals” season is mid-December, Vince Gill Jan. 26 and Vienna Boys set for the Russell Hill Rogers Theater. First up is A Chorus Line in the fall, followed by A Christmas Choir in concert Feb. 19.

Carol: The Musical during the holiday season. Mame, Carver Community Cultural Center has posted A Light in the Piazza, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and selected performances on its Web site for 2010- The King and I come to its main stage in 2011. Five 11. Included are musical offerings from Jennifer shows also are offered at the Cellar Theater.

Holliday, Sol y Canto, Angelica Kidjo, Terri Hendrix and violinist Regina Carter, plus dance from The Renaissance Guild, performing at the Little Ragamala, Complexions and Tango Buenos Aires. Carver Civic Center, offers Black Nativity, Steel Magnolias, ActOne Series XVII and The Wiz during its The Carver scores big again!

2010-11 season.

Another of the city’s longtime presenters, the Children’s Fine Arts Series, is set for the season with The Classic Theatre San Antonio actually began eight performances for little ones shared between its season in August with a successful run of Much Charline McCombs Empire Theatre and Laurie Ado About Nothing. Coming next is Blithe Spirit, Auditorium at Trinity University. For details, check then The Lion in Winter and Hedda Gabler. All the very informative Web site for this organization. performances are at the Sterling Houston Theater in the Blue Star Complex.

Community theater has its collective act together as well for the upcoming season, starting with the Sheldon The Overtime Theater, also in the Blue Star Vexler Theatre at the Barshop Jewish Community Complex, has finalized plans through the end of Center. Shows at the Vex include Extremities, The the year, offering Broken Record in September, Doctor S Battles the Sex Crazed Reefer Zombies: The Arabian Nights, Unnecessary Farce and Assassins.

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The Musical in October and Christmastime at the Now let’s take a road trip with the first stop being New Braunfels. Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre Overtime during the holidays. is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an eightThe Woodlawn has three to see before the end of show season highlighted by Pat Hazell’s The Wonder the year as well. Hairspray rocks this historic house Bread Years, Celtic Blaze, Jim Witter: The Piano Men, through early September, followed by The Rocky Abracadabra-The Ultimate ABBA Concert and the Horror Picture Show in the fall and Annie between Bronx Wanderers.

Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Two area symphony orchestras of note are based in The Cameo Theatre, currently featuring Red, White Kerrville and Seguin. Symphony of the Hills, under and Tuna, has announced Murder at the Howard the direction of Dr. Jay Dunnahoo, will perform Johnson’s as its next main stage presentation from four classical concerts from October to April at Sept. 25-Oct. 17. Check their Web site for more the Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater in Kerrville. David coming attractions. As a matter of fact, go to the Mairs celebrates his 15th season as music director San Antonio Theatre Coalition Web site (www. of Mid Texas Symphony in Seguin. The orchestra satco.com) for the big picture of what’s happening will present six programs this season at Jackson Auditorium on the campus of Texas Lutheran at most local and area live theaters.

University and at various venues in New Braunfels.

Don’t worr y, I haven’t forgotten about opera!

Pagliacci / Suor Angelica in September, Marriage Up the road in Austin, just south of downtown on of Figaro in Februar y and H.M.S Pinafore in Lady Bird Lake, is Long Center for the Performing June represent the 2010-11 offering from San Arts, home to Long Center Presents, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Austin and Austin Antonio Opera.

Lyric Opera. Season 2010-11 performances here

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are obviously too numerous to mention in total.

A Long Center Presents sampling includes Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Tommy Tune: Steps in Time, Bowfire, A Ride With Bob – The Bob Wills Musical, Vienna Boys Choir, The Capitol Steps, Jaston Williams’ Cowboy Noises and Drumline Live.

presentations such as Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Ed Asner as FDR, A Tuna Christmas and Ann with Holland Taylor portraying Ann Richards are also included in the Paramount season. Kodo Drummers, An Evening with Nora Ephron and Cocktails with Larry Miller bear mentioning as well.

Austin Symphony Orchestra opens the season with acclaimed pianist Andre Watts as its special guest.

Violinist Ann Akiko-Meyers and pianists Benedetto Lupo and Jon Kimura-Parker will also appear with the orchestra this season, but the biggest moment of all is an evening with Itzhak Perlman in April. Ballet Austin features Carmina Burana, The Nutcracker, La Sylphide and The Magic Flute this season while Austin Lyric Opera brings La Traviata, The Italian Girl in Algiers and Flight to the Long Center stage.

Between September and December, a partial list of performers coming to One World Theatre on Bee Caves Road includes Don McLean, B.J. Thomas, Little River Band, Benise, Earl Klugh, Oleta Adams, Nneena Freelon, Los Lobos, Sinbad and Jose Feliciano. In 2011, enjoy Dave Mason, Arturo Sandoval, the Chieftans, Ray Price, Steve Tyrell and more.

Just a few blocks north on Congress Avenue is the historic Paramount Theatre with its extremely loaded annual schedule. Incredible evenings of entertainment await with performances by Bernadette Peters, Gladys Knight, Penn and Teller, Garrison Keillor and John Lithgow. Stage

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The Broadway in America series in Austin is presented by Texas Performing Arts at the University of Texas. Jersey Boys, which concluded a threeweek run in August, is followed by Shrek: The Musical and Cirque Dreams Illumination in November, Radio City Christmas Spectacular in December, Blue Man Group in February and West Side Story in March.

Most of the shows at staged at Bass Hall on the UT campus with the exceptions being Blue Man

Group and Cirque Dreams Illumination, which will be presented at Long Center. Other highlighted performances in the Texas Performing Arts season include Delfos Danza Contemporanea, pianist Emanuel Ax, Momix: Botanica, Miro Quartet, National Theatre of Scotland: Black Watch, Merce Cunningham Dance Company and the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma, to name a few.

can be seen here too, beginning with Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas Dec. 7. After that comes Glenn Miller Orchestra Feb. 12 and pianist Jeffrey Swann April 1. Corpus Christi Live! is next with five shows at the PAC highlighted by the appearances of John Davidson Nov. 7 and Destino Jan. 22.

The next time you head to South Padre Island, A quick trip down south takes us to Corpus Christi, remember that Broadway in McAllen has four where Broadway in Corpus Christi at Selena shows scheduled this season, three at McAllen Civic Auditorium gets things started Sept. 18 with Hal Center and one at State Farm Arena. Riverdance is Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight. Other shows in the arena show Jan. 11. Legally Blonde: The Musical the series are Cirque Dreams Illumination Oct. plays the Civic Center Jan. 24, as does The Color 23, Riverdance Jan. 12 and Cats April 5. Corpus Purple Feb.7 and Mamma Mia May 7-8.

Christi Ballet brings The Nutcracker to the Selena in 2010-11 is a season of big-time performances.

December and Sleeping Beauty in April.

Get some tickets and go!

The Performing Arts Center at Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi is home to three organizations, including the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, which has four classical and two pops concerts scheduled in this grand hall from October through April. Three Fergason Bravo! Series performances

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Photo Credits: Page 10-11 Jersey Boys Photo by Joan Marcus Page 12 (L-R) Mary Delgado in Jersey Boys Photo by Joan Marcus Lang Lang Courtesy San Antonio Symphony Elena Urioste Courtesy samnyc.us Page 13 (L-R) Helen Yorke and Marcie Dodd In Wicked Courtesy Majestic Theatre

Cirque Dreams Illumination, Aerilists Courtesy Majestic Theatre Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble Courtesy Texas Performing Arts Page 14 (L-R) Tango Buenos Aires Courtesy Carver Community Cultural Center West Side Story (Original Broadway cast shown) Courtesy Majestic Theatre Carlos Miguel Prieto Courtesy San Antonio Symphony

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Page 15 (L-R)

Page 17 (L-R)

Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps Photo by Carol Rosegg

Tommy Tune Courtesy tommytune. com

Itzak Perlman Courtesy imgartists.com

Cats Photo by Joan Marcus

Merce Cunningham Dance Company Courtesy Texas Performing Arts

Riverdance Courtesy Majestic Theatre

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Page 18 (L-R)

Blue Man Group Courtesy blueman.com

The Color Purple Photo by Paul Kolnik

Andre Watts Courtesy cmartists.com

Mamma Mia Photo by Joan Marcus

Bowfire Courtesy bowfire.com

Bernadette Peters Courtesy imdb.com

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“

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r e l l i M y h t a K

Leads Children’s Fine Arts Series Into its 28th Year

By Susan A. Merkner Photography Dana Fossett

A

of it.

lthough some arts organizations may be put “Live performances are so different from everything off by the idea of attracting a small audience, else,” Miller said. “It really engages an audience. the Children’s Fine Arts Series makes a habit Even very young children can sit through live shows because they are so mesmerized.”

The area’s only presenter of performing arts exclusively for young children now is charming its second generation of pint-size audience members, along with their parents, many of whom grew up attending CFAS shows.

For many young audience members, a CFAS show is their first exposure to live theater. Miller wants to make sure it’s a good experience so children and their families will return, and each season she works with a booking agent to select productions that offer children ages 3 to 10 innovative, educational and entertaining shows.

Executive director Kathleen Cuny Miller pours her heart and soul into the organization which she started in 1982 as a fundraiser for Judson Montessori Performances are limited to one hour in length School. Through the years, the CFAS has entertained – the better to keep youngsters from wandering approximately 150,000 audience members. physically and mentally. Some performers, such as September-October 2010 | On The Town 23

Austin-based musician Joe Scruggs and puppeteer Paul Mesner return every season, to the delight of families who enjoy seeing new presentations by familiar artists and sharing the experiences with younger children.

“Your audience always changes,” Miller noted.

Most of the performances are staged by national and international professional children’s theater touring groups specializing in music, dance and drama. Many shows are based on popular children’s literature; others address issues relevant to children in today’s society. The productions also help expose audiences to new expressions of culture from other countries. Groups from Austria, Canada, Korea, the Netherlands and Viet Nam have been among the touring groups featured by the CFAS. One change Miller has seen in the past two decades is the growth in the number of touring children’s theater productions. “There is so much more to choose from than when I first started booking performances,” she said.

One thing that hasn’t changed is Miller’s commitment to making the performing arts available to underserved children. Each season, she provides free tickets to daytime shows for school-age children, including those attending inner-city schools, Title 1 schools, organizations that serve special-needs children, family shelters and others. Miller said she provided about 5,000 children with free performances last year. Funding comes from underwriters, including corporations, foundations, government agencies and individuals, as well as numerous volunteers.

The number of CFAS shows in a season varies slightly from year to year, depending on the availability of funding. In the past, there have been as many as 11; this year there are eight, beginning Oct. 15 with “Giggle, Giggle, Quack” by the Dallas Children’s Theatre.

Funding has declined due to the weak economy, Miller said, adding, “But I don’t panic now.” Over the years, she has mastered the fine art of fund-raising.

“Every year, it’s like starting from scratch. What is frightening is when they give you nothing. It’s a leap of faith every year. I have to believe it will work out.”

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CFAS has used a variety of local venues in the past.

“Laurie Auditorium at Trinity University was our first and only home for a long time,” Miller said.

Some performances also were held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral and the San Antonio Museum of Art. Now the group calls the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre home.

children in the neighborhood. “I was such a tomboy,” Miller said. One of her favorite pastimes was staging puppet shows in her backyard, hiring neighborhood children to help.

“I love all that puppet stuff,” she said with a laugh.

“Everybody knows that about me. Puppets are a wonderful teaching tool.”

“Las Casas supports us every year. We couldn’t be there without them,” Miller said, adding, “Downtown Miller’s two sons, ages 33 and 25, are musicians, theaters are where people want to be.” and she is a grandmother. After her husband, Joe, passed away in 1998, she took a more active role in Like his audiences, the CFAS mascot, Rollie Rupert the company they started 30 years ago, M-Tronics, Rabbit, drawn by artist Susan Russell, has grown up, which sells batteries for business, individual and too. Russell initially designed him as a little rabbit, communications needs through its Web site, www. but then he got bigger and started wearing costume BatteryTex.com. pieces and props that coordinate with each season’s shows. Miller speaks of him fondly. “He has the cutest From helping with the company’s books years ago, expression on his face.” her role has expanded to CEO, and Miller now works alongside one of her brothers. “After my husband Several years ago, Miller started offering guidelines died, I had to step into the business more, and I for parents on each performance’s age-appropriate found out I can do this. I learned to stand my ground content. A 3-year-old may be frightened at a puppet when I talked to bankers. If you feel confident, it or a character or even a sound effect that would shows, and people buy into that.” elicit laughter from a 10-year old, Miller said.

That same self-confidence helps her in running the Technology has brought about changes in the way CFAS, which she calls very rewarding work. “There is Miller markets the CFAS. She no longer mails out a no down side.” three-piece printed brochure; now she sends a large postcard directing audiences to the organization’s Web site, which she set up five years ago. Visitors Children’s Fine Arts Series 2010-2011 Season can go online to see schedules and order tickets.

“It’s very good for parents, as it’s available 24/7, Giggle, Gaggle, Quack and it fits into their often-harried schedules,” she October 15 Leo Lionni Stories: said. Miller sends out an e-mail blast the week Swimmy, Frederick before a show to remind ticket-holders of the Pigeon Party and Inch by Inch upcoming event. Parents also can post reviews of November 12 April 29 performances online.

Joe Scruggs Holiday Pippi Longstocking Miller is a San Antonio native, born at Santa Rosa Concert

By American Family Hospital. She attended St. Mary Magdalen Elementary December 7 Theatre School and Providence High School, and obtained a May 5 bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Anne of Green Gables Texas at Austin. Her first job was working at Olmos February 11 The True Story of the Theater. “I started when I was 15, working as a candy Three Little Pigs girl, and eventually moved over to the box office.”

Room on the Broom June 10 March 11 She has two older brothers, two younger brothers and one younger sister. As the oldest girl in her For more information on the CFAS, call 340-4060 or family, she often babysat her siblings and other visit www.childrensfineartseries.org.

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The Overtime Theat

by Michele Krier

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ter Is Very Original

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T

he Overtime Theater is an original in more than one sense of the word. For starters, the troupe is dedicated to producing original works along with creative adaptations of old classics. At home in the Blue Star Art Complex, next to the Blue Star Brewery, the Overtime is working overtime and then some, to bring innovative shows to the stage.

a year that will grace the Overtime stage. That is an impressive schedule since a new show opens nearly each month. “It’s our mission to present original works or older works with a strong point of view,” Hartz said.

Equally at home in theater or film, Hartz, a selfconfessed avid reader and nerd from Anoka, Minn., also made a couple of short films with a friend and Artistic director and actor James Hartz has had the won several contests with their efforts. acting bug since it bit him in his early teens. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in theater at With a seating capacity of about 50, the Overtime the University of the Incarnate Word and started shows play to an appreciative audience who enjoy working at local theaters, ultimately discovering the tongue-in-cheek vintage approach. “We’ve the Overtime. “I really enjoyed the idea of doing found San Antonio is very responsive to musicals,” original works and original interpretations. So I Hartz said. “ They really are the bread and butter started acting in shows here and helping out when for theater. We’ve done at least one a year for the past few years.” The Overtime opened for business I could,” Hartz said. in 2006 and is set to celebrate its fifth anniversary Now he is responsible for reading the scripts, next year. choosing the shows and planning the season. As artistic director, he has a major job simply going Also on the horizon is attaining official nonprofit through the submissions to choose the 10 shows status which will help in attracting donations and

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financial support. Season and individual tickets are available now. Christie Beckham is in charge of fundraising and is also one of the company’s leading actresses.

you could go back and re-play your entire failed relationship over again, would you?

Broken Record, running through Sept. 18, is a new full-length production which tells the failed story of a couple in reverse -- from their current bickering back to when they first fell in love. The play, written by James Venhaus and directed by Catherine Babbitt, asks the powerful question: If

A few more shows on the horizon include a fun musical called Doctor S Battles the Sex Crazed Reefer Zombies in October and a ’60s-style variety show at Christmas time.

More proof that this is a play not to miss, San Antonio Express-News theater critic Deborah In just three short years, the Overtime produced Martin wrote, “Playwright James Venhaus and nearly 30 new shows, including three original the folks at the Overtime Theater...have another musicals: Sheer Bloody Lunacy!, Pirates Vs. Ninjas, winner in Broken Record.” and The Brain That Wouldn’t Die: A New Musical.

Additional productions were The Good Samaritan, A happy camper with the opening night success, Poet Faustus, Sob! Choke…LOVE!, What Will playwright Venhaus blogged, “ There was a full Happen, and most recently, the world premieres house and the show rocked! The cast was fantastic of Buddha Swings, Action Philosophers!, The Hard and the audiences really seemed to enjoy it. There Bargain, The Happy Couple, The Life and Death were laughs in all the places I had hoped there of the Amazing Captain Piledriver, and The Last would be... I’m thrilled with the outcome and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the run goes.”

Broadcast of Bailey and Long.

The Overtime is truly a labor of love for its

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volunteers and supporters. “There’s nothing else like it in town, to be honest with you,” Hartz said. “You won’t see any of the shows we do here anywhere else. And then the very next month will offer something completely different.”

Photo Credits:

Pages 28-29 The Life & Death of the Amazing Captain Piledriver cast photo by Local visual artists also have a friend in the Cynthia Davila Overtime, which gives them a prominent display Page 30 space in the Blue Star Complex.

Overtime Operational “One of the best aspects is getting to know the artistic Board community on a deeper level. Seeing the Overtime concept work is very, very rewarding. We’re injecting Standing (L-R) more fun into the theater scene. New artists and Jon Gillespie, local bands play inside the theater. We host a lot of James Hartz and events like Mystery Science Theater 3000, an improv Rob Barron group, film screenings, all done by local people you (L-R) Rigel Nunez know -- original and different. There’s a lot of heart Sitting and in each of our shows,” Hartz said.

Christie Beckham For more information, visit www.theovertimetheater.net.

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Page 31 Overtime Board of Directors Back (L-R) Michael Burger, Rigel Nunez and Chuck Wiggington Front (L-R) Jules Vaquera and Scott McDowell Page 32 The Last Broadcast of Bailey and Long cast photo

by Chris Champlin

The Overtime Theater Operational Board and Board of Directors photos by Cynthia Clark and Hector Pacheco.

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On Stage Now! September and October

Are Very Entertaining

By Vivienne Gautraux

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P

erforming arts patrons can look forward to grand evenings of live entertainment during the first two months of the new season. Broadway musicals, symphony concerts, opera, arena and music hall shows, dance, comedy and community theater are all on tap, and in many cases, in abundance.

Jersey Boys opens Sept. 8 and promises to thoroughly entertain Majestic Theatre crowds for the duration of its three-week run. After having been thrilled by this show in New York and Houston, I can tell you it has my vote as a bonafide must-see. Beauty and the Beast follows in the Broadway Across America lineup at the Majestic, running Oct. 12-17. Cirque Dreams Illumination completes the triple play Oct. 26-31.

There is a distinct air of excitement at the San Antonio Symphony these days. The Sebastian Lang-Lessing era as music director begins Oct. 2 with Meet Your New Maestro. After this historical evening, Lang-Lessing will conduct 11 more concerts during the season beginning in January.

Two additional classical concerts are scheduled in October, with the first being Oct. 8-9 featuring Christopher Seaman conducting and piano soloist Jeffrey Swann performing Chopin’s Piano Concerto 2. Ken-David Masur, the resident conductor of the symphony, takes the baton Oct. 22-23 in a program titled Italian Splendors, which will not only showcase the orchestra but the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers, as well.

Chamber music concerts in the first two months of the new performing arts season are plentiful starting with Camerata San Antonio’s program of Beethoven and Dvorak Sept. 16-17 and 19 at venues in Kerrville, Boerne and San Antonio. Up next is Musical Bridges Around the World’s Baroque Opera With Salsa Sauce Oct. 3, to be performed at McAllister Auditorium on the campus of San Antonio College. Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center inaugurates the San Antonio Chamber Music Society season Oct. 10 at Temple Beth-El, while Tuesday Musical Club follows suit with its opener featuring Perlman/Schmidt/ Bailey Trio at Laurel Heights Methodist Church Oct. 12. Camerata concludes things with Brahms Clarinet Quintet Oct. 14-15 and 17 at the same locations mentioned above.

Two performances from Arts San Antonio during this time are the acoustic-metal rock guitar duo Rodrigo

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y Gabriela Sept. 4 at the Majestic, followed by David Krakauer’s Acoustic Klezmer Project in Concert at Barshop Jewish Community Center Oct. 17.

The Carver Community Cultural Center gets its season off to a magnificent start on Oct. 23 with a performance by two-time Grammy winner Jennifer Holiday at their Jo Long Theatre. More great shows in the Carver 2010-11 season will be announced soon.

Opera takes center stage at Municipal Auditorium Sept. 17-19 when San Antonio Opera presents two of opera’s most powerful one acts: Pagliacci and Suor Angelica. Other selections in their season include The Marriage of Figaro in February and H.M.S Pinafore in June.

On the popular music front, AT&T Center offers a sixpack of performances in September and October, kicking off with the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato Sept. 10. Then in a row comes Kiss Sept. 19, Rush Sept. 23, Shakira Oct. 2, Carrie Underwood Oct. 7 and Vicente Fernandez Oct. 22. Other featured musical performances include Kansas with the UTSA Orchestra Sept. 17 at Laurie Auditorium on the campus of Trinity University, Bryan Adams at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Oct. 1 and B.B King at the Majestic Oct. 10.

Great, and I do mean great, live country and western music is available throughout early fall at such places as Gruene Hall, John T. Floore Country Store and Cowboys San Antonio. Visit their Web sites for headliners.

From the comedy world, check out Chelsea Handler at Municipal Auditorium Oct. 1 and Daniel Tosh at the Majestic Oct. 3. Also, nationally known standup comedians perform weekly at Rivercenter Comedy Club and Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club. Check their Web sites for details.

This brings me to community theater, a subject too large to take on here. Many super organizations throughout the area produce great works, including the Sheldon Vexler Theatre, Cameo Theatre, the Overtime Theater, Woodlawn Theatre, San Pedro Playhouse and the list goes on. The best way to keep track of their happenings (other than consulting the events calendar in this magazine) is to go to the Web site for San Antonio Theatre Coalition. SATCO is all September-October 2010 | On The Town 37

highlight performances at One World Theatre in September, with Benise and Little River Band being Before closing, I want to sweep a broad brush notables in October. September at Bass Concert Hall across the surrounding area for more outstanding on the UT campus brings the last week of Jersey entertainment opportunities, mentioning only the Boys ending Sept. 5. Other featured shows at the super-highlights. Pat Hazell’s The Wonder Bread Years Bass include Delfos Danza Contemporania Sept. 23, plays the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre in New Daniel Tosh Oct. 1 and Momix: Botanica Oct. 28.

Braunfels Oct. 9 and 17. The Long Center in Austin is loaded with September-October performances of Rounding out area performances are Martina note. A Ride With Bob –The Bob Wills Musical is first McBride Sept. 16 at American Bank Center in Corpus Sept. 17-18, then it’s Tommy Tune’s Steps in Time the Christi and Shakira at the same venue Oct. 5. Selena next evening. The legendary Frankie Valli appears Auditorium at American Bank Center welcomes Hal Oct. 17, and Drumline Live marches in Oct. 20. Also at Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight Sept. 28. Corpus the Long Center, Austin Symphony Orchestra opens Christi Symphony Orchestra officially opens its its season with Andre Watts Sept. 10-11. Other ASO 2010-11 season Oct. 9 at the Performing Arts Center concerts are Oct. 8-9 with violinist Judith Ingolfsson at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. At the and a pops performance of Cirque de la Symphonie same venue, Corpus Christi Live! presents The Great Oct.23. Ballet Austin welcomes audiences to Carmina American Songbook Oct. 22.

Burana at the Long Center Sept. 24-26.

Oops! I just have to mention a few more before Comedian Margaret Cho takes over and makes you exiting the pattern. Martina McBride appears laugh at the Paramount in Austin Sept. 12, and John in Hidalgo at State Farm Arena Sept. 15. Shakira Lithgow follows up exactly one month later with travels South Texas too with shows at Laredo Energy his Stories by Heart. Don McLean and B.J. Thomas Center Oct. 5 and Hidalgo’s State Farm Arena on things local and area theater; a wonderful source.

38 On The Town | September-October 2010

Oct. 9. “Fluffy,” Gabriel Iglesias, brings merriment to McAllen Civic Center Sept. 30 and follows with hilarity at Laredo Energy Center Oct. 2.

That’s what’s on stage in September and October. Many grand evenings of entertainment are yours to enjoy.

Photo Credits: Page 34 Beauty and the Beast Photo by Joan Marcus Page 35 Jersey Boys Photo by Joan Marcus Page 36 (Above) Sebastian Lang-Lessing Photo by Marks Moore (Below) Carrie Underwood Courtesy AT&T Center

Page 37 (Above) Cirque Dreams Illumination Courtesy Majestic Theatre (Below) Rodrigo y Gabriela Courtesy Arts San Antonio Page 38 (L-R) Frankie Valli Courtesy The Long Center A Ride With Bob Courtesy The Long Center Momix: Botanica Courtesy cami.com Page 39 (L-R) Margaret Cho Photo by Austin Young The Wonder Bread Years Courtesy Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre Drumline Live Courtesy The Long Center

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40 On The Town | September-October 2010

Kaitlin Hopkins Directs Texas State’s New Musical Theater Program

By M. Yvonne Taylor Photography Chandler Prude

B

orn to acting, producing and playwriting parents, Texas State University’s new musical theater director Kaitlin Hopkins was a show-business baby. The art of acting, the songs of the stage and the business of Broadway run through her veins. And it is that familial connection with the world of musical theater that helped her give birth to one of the most innovative, challenging and relevant musical theater programs in the country.

over 60 years of combined professional Broadway experience in the industry. I think that informs our program in a way that is really unique.”

Something else that Hopkins feels is unique about the program is the fact that the entire faculty consists of working Broadway professionals. “I spent a lot of time researching all the other programs, and there are professionals at other universities,” she said, “but not the entire faculty and not working on “I’m actually designing and running a whole program,” a Broadway level the majority of their careers.” said an animated Hopkins, who looked like she wanted to pinch herself in amazement and disbelief when In her research, she also looked at what other asked about the new program. “One of the things that programs are doing and how they are doing it. is so exciting is that we are creating it from the ground She also interviewed Broadway casting directors up. Between Robin Lewis, Jim Price and me, we have and professionals who have come out of the top September-October 2010 | On The Town 41

programs in the past five years, wanting to find out the things they learned — and what they wish they had learned.

She found the responses consistent: Most wanted more real-world experience and knowledge to use when entering a demanding and dynamic career.

So she took that information and used it to create a boutique musical theater program — a small program that focuses on quality over quantity. She also decided to help students learn about the business of Broadway through the expertise of the professional faculty, as well as the contacts and relationships she has built over her years growing up in a professional performing family. Students receive the practical and relevant knowledge they need to succeed in a highly competitive, creative arena.

“Theater arts in particular have to be passed on from generation to generation,” Hopkins said. “What I love about Texas State is that they get that. Everyone here has been so supportive in creating what young artists actually need to succeed in their profession.

We teach both the business and the craft.”

“So much of what we do is dependent upon passing the torch, sharing our life experiences, telling students what it’s really like to be a professional performer rather than leaving them with the romantic notion they have in their heads. I was raised by and among the people who virtually ushered in a new level of artistry in the theater, and I want to continue that tradition.”

For example, Hopkins designed a whole series of business labs for juniors and seniors. “I can teach them to sing and dance their faces off,” she said, “but that does them no good if they don’t know how to read a contract or what to expect in terms of how to behave as a professional or what the expectations are when they walk into a Broadway rehearsal for the first time. And how would they know all that unless we pass it on?”

42 On The Town | September-October 2010

The guest artist program helps students learn from the pros. “Because I’ve been fortunate enough to work in and grow up in this industry, I bring a lifetime of relationships with me, which allows me to create unique opportunities for my students,” she said. “Transitioning them into this industry is an important aspect of what they get at Texas State, but they also get to work with some of the top Broadway

creative teams in developing new musical work.”

Because the Texas State program accepts only 10 to 12 students a year, it can do things larger programs can’t, Hopkins said. “Our small size allows us to customize the curriculum, designing it specifically to the individual artist. Every artist is unique. Some candidates are highly experienced in an area like dance; others have had very little dance, but have incredible voices. I can’t stick both those kids in a beginning ballet class. It makes no sense.”

So the program she has designed will help nurture the strengths of individual students and will build expertise in the areas that need more development.

“I’m really interested in the artists who are going to define the musical theater of the future. I’m interested in the kid who says, ‘Yes, I want to perform, but I’m also interested in being a choreographer, or I’d love to direct, or I’m a composer, too.’ They need to be trained in every area of the industry — film, television, recording — and we are covering it all.

And I want the people who are thinking bigger picture — not just about themselves.”

To that end, Hopkins is looking for exceptional qualities in the students she is recruiting for the program. She believes what theater does best is serve the community at large. “I feel very strongly as we continue to define the program that part of its mission involves the community and how we serve it. I’m attracted to the artists who think globally, the kids who by their nature and character are people who are of service.”

Thanks to word of mouth, the Internet and people plugged into the theater world, the program is “getting slammed” with applicants — a good thing, Hopkins said. “My goal was to make this program the top musical theater program in the state by the end of our first year and keep the talent in Texas from going out of state, but word got out, and we are already being hailed as one of the top programs in the country, and the top talent is following.”

So how is Hopkins handling her new bundle of joy?

“This is far more exciting to me than anything I’ve ever done in my life, and that’s saying something.

My husband says that I’m talking in my sleep every night. I think it’s just my subconscious trying to process it all,” she said with a smile.

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44 On The Town | September-October 2010

Events Calendar 46-68

September-October July-August 2010 | On The Town 45

September-October 2010 Events Calendar Music Notes Bart Crow Band with Rob Baird 9/1, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ on IH-10 Foreigner 9/2, Thu @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels Blue October 9/3, Fri @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels Luke Olson 9/3, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

San Antonio Rose Live 9/3-10/31, Fri @ 7:30pm Sat @ 2pm & 7:30pm Sun & Mon @ 7:30pm Aztec Theatre Clay Walter with Emilio Navaira 9/4, Sat @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels Rodrigo y Gabriela Arts San Antonio Presentation 9/4, Sat @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre Aaron Watson plus Scott Wiggins Band 9/4, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Emory Quinn 9/8, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ on IH-10 Jonas Brothers with Demi Levato 9/10, Fri @ 7pm AT&T Center Casey Donahew Band 9/10, Fri @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Justa Touch of Soul 9/10, Fri @ 7:30pm Jo Long Theatre at CarverCommunity Cultural Center Leon Russell 9/10, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Mike McClure Band 9/3, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Charlie Robison 9/4-5, Sat @ 9pm Sun @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Eleven Hundred Springs 9/10, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

RockBox Theater in Fredericksburg 9/3-10/31, Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 4:30pm & 8pm Sun @ 1:30pm

Spazmatics 9/5, Sun @ 7pm (gates open) Whitewater Amphitheater, New Braunfels

Vox Audio 9/11, Sat @ 7:30pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre, New Braunfels

46 On The Town | September-October 2010

Slim Roberts and the Texas Weather Band 9/11, Sat @ 8pm Kendalia Halle The Ultimate AC/DC Tribute 9/11, Sat @ 8pm Backstage Live Bruce Robison 9/11, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Jason Boland and the Stragglers 9/11, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall Mid-Texas Symphony: Piano Pizzazz 9/12, Sun @ 4pm David Mairs, conductor Yeol Eum Son, piano Jackson Auditorium at Texas Lutheran University, Seguin Sunday Jazz at the Witte: Hard Bop Project 9/12, Sun / 4-7pm Witte Museum

September-October May-June 2009 2010 | On The Town 47

Two Tons of Steel 9/15, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ on IH-10 Camerata San Antonio: Beethoven and Dvorak 9/16, Thu @ 7:30pm Kerrville First Presbyterian Church 9/17, Fri @ 7:30pm Boerne First United Methodist Church 9/19, Sun @ 3pm Travis Park United Methodist Church Joe Nichols 9/17, Fri @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Kansas with UTSA Orchestra 9/17, Fri @ 8pm Laurie Auditorium, Trinity University Doug Moreland 9/17, Fri @ 9:30pm John T. Floore Country Store

Kyle Bennett Band 9/18, Sat @ 9:30pm John T. Floore Country Store Kiss 9/19, Sun @ 6:30pm AT&T Center Texas Renegade 9/22, Wed @ 6:30pm County Line BBQ on IH-10 Rush 9/23, Thu @ 7:30pm AT&T Center Tracy Lawrence Fri, 9/24 @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Ray Price 9/24, Fri @ 8pm John T. Floore Country Store

Warrant 9/18, Sat @ 8pm Backstage Live

Gardens By Moonlight: Raul Malo, Colao, Mission City Hot Rhythm Cats, Deadman and Rosie Flores 9/25, Sat @ 6pm San Antonio Botanical Garden

Billy Mata 9/18, Sat @ 8pm Anhalt Hall, Spring Branch

Slayer and Megadeth with Anthrax 9/25, Sat @ 7pm AT&T Center

Reckless Kelly 9/18, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

Honeybrowne 9/25, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

48 On The Town | September-October 2010

Los Lobos Guadalupe Cultural Center Presentation 9/25, Sat @ 7pm Plaza Guadalupe Musical Mentors Youth Orchestra of San Antonio Presentation 9/25, Sat @ 7pm Coker United Methodist Church Max Stalling 9/25, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Supple Folk Music: John Kirk and Trish Miller with Mark Cosgrove and Rick Wood Encore University Performing Arts Series Presentation 9/28, Tue @ 7:30pm Price Senior Center @ Texas State University, San Marcos

Bryan Adams 10/1, Fri @ 8pm Charline McCombs vEmpire Theatre Granger Smith 10/1, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore ountry Store Montgomery Gentry Sat, 10/2 @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio San Antonio Symphony: Meet Your New Maestro 10/2, Sat @ 8pm Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor Majestic Theatre Shakira 10/2, Sat @ 8pm AT&T Center Micky and the Motorcars 10/2, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

San Antonio Symphony: San Fernando Concert 9/29, Wed @ 7:30pm Ken-David Masur, conductor John Carroll, trumpet San Fernando Cathedral

Baroque Opera with Salsa Sauce Musical Bridges Around The World Presentation 10/3, Sun @ 3pm McAllister Auditorium, San Antonio College

Ecos de Puerto Rico: An Evening of Music from Puerto Rico and Latin America 9/30, Thu @ 7:30pm Jackson Auditorium, Seguin

UTSA Guest Artist Series: Tommy Igoe, Percussionist 10/5, Tue @ 7:30pm University III – Ballroom University of Texas at San Antonio – Main Campus

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Carrie Underwood 10/7, Thu @ 7pm AT&T Center

Tanya Tucker 10/9, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

Symphony of the Hills: Concert I – Opera Highlights 10/7, Thu @ 7:30pm Dr. Jay Dunnahoo, conductor Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater, Kerrville

Texas Style Music Fest 10/10, Sun / 1-5pm Gruene Hall

Aaron Watson with PRCA Rodeo 10/8, Fri @ 7pm Seguin Fairgrounds Stoney LaRue 10/8, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store Jack Ingram 10/8, Fri @ 9pm Gruene Hall San Antonio Symphony: Chopin Piano Concerto 10/8-9, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Christopher Seeman, conductor Jeffrey Swann, piano Majestic Theatre Kevin Fowler with PRCA Rodeo 10/9, Sat @ 7pm Seguin Fairgrounds Cactus Country 10/9, Sat @ 8pm Kendalia Halle

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center San Antonio Chamber Music Society Presentation 10/10, Sun @ 3:15pm Temple Beth-El Sunday Jazz at the Witte: Hot Sauce Jazz 10/10, Sun / 4-7pm Witte Museum B.B. King 10/10, Sun @ 7:30pm Majestic Theatre Perlman/Schmidt/ Bailey Trio Tuesday Musical Club Presentation 10/12, Tue @ 7:30pm Laurel Heights United Methodist Church Stars of Texas: Randy Rogers, Walt and Tina Wilkins, Kathleen O’Keefe and The Trishas, Encore University Performing Arts Series Presentation 10/12, Tue @ 7:30pm Glade Outdoor Theatre @ Texas State University, San Marcos

50 On The Town | September-October 2010

Streets of Gold Tour: 3oh!3 featuring Hellogoodbye 10/14, Thu @ 6pm Lonestar Pavilion at Sunset Station Camerata San Antonio: Brahms Clarinet Quintet 10/14, Thu @ 7:30pm Kerrville First Presbyterian Church 10/15, Fri @ 7:30pm Boerne First United Methodist Church 10/17, Sun @ 3pm Travis Park United Methodist Church Music of the French Cathedral San Antonio Chorale Society Presentation 10/15, Fri @ 7:30pm St. Mark the Evangalist Catholic Church 10/17, Sun @ 4pm Boerne First United Methodist Church

Mark Chesnutt Fri, 10/22 @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Vicente Fernandez 10/22, Fri @ 8pm AT&T Center Nick Lawrence 10/22, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store San Antonio Symphony: Italian Splendor 10/22-23, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Ken-David Masur, conductor SA Symphony Mastersingers Majestic Theatre Jennifer Holliday 10/23, Sat @ 8pm Jo Long Theatre at Carver Community Cultural Center

Delbert McClinton 10/15, Fri @ 8pm Gruene Hall

Bleu Edmondson 10/23, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

Chris Knight 10/16, Sat @ 9pm Gruene Hall

Charlie Robison 10/23, Sat @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

Mid-Texas Symphony: In City and Country 10/17, Sun @ 4pm David Mairs, conductor Patty Esfandiari, English horn, Andrew Gignac, trumpet New Braunfels Civic Center

San Antonio Symphony: Halloween Spooktacular 10/24, Sun @ 2:30pm Troy Peters, conductor John Clare, actor Laurie Auditorium, Trinity University

September-October 2010 | On The Town 51

Billy McLaughlin 10/24, Sun @ 6pm Majestic Theatre Wade Bowen Fri, 10/29 @ 7pm (doors open) Cowboys San Antonio Dwight Yoakam 10/29, Fri @ 9pm John T. Floore Country Store

On Stage God’s Favorite 9/2-4, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (Dinner @ 6:15pm) Harlequin Dinner Theatre Extremities 9/2-12, Thu & Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2:30pm (no show Thu, Sep. 9) Sheldon Vexler Theatre Broken Record 9/2-18, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Sun (9/12) @ 3pm (no show on Fri, 9/3) The Overtime Theater The King 9/3-4, Fri-Sat @ 7pm Jo Long Theatre at Carver Community Cultural Center The O9ers Return 9/3-4, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Rose Theater Company

Red, White and Tuna 9/3-5, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Cameo Theatre The Carpetbagger’s Children 9/3-26, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Cellar Theater San Pedro Playhouse Hairspray 9/3-12, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm Woodlawn Theatre Jersey Boys Broadway Across America Presentation 9/8, Wed @ 8pm 9/9, Thu @ 2pm & 8pm 9/10-25, Tue-Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm 9/26, Sun @ 2pm Majestic Theatre Once Upon A Musical Allegro Stage Company Presentation 9/9 & 12, Thu @ 6:30pm Sun @ 2pm Leeper Auditorium, McNay Art Museum The Complete History of America (Abridged) 9/9-10/3, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Circle Arts Theatre, New Braunfels

52 On The Town | September-October 2010

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 9/9-25, Thu-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater The Diary of Anne Frank Fredericksburg Theater Company Presentation 9/10-26, Fri-Sat@ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm (no show Fri, 9/17 – additional show Thu, 9/23 @7:30pm) Steve W. Sheperd Theater Jade Esteban Estrada Performs Icons: The Gay and Lesbian History of the World, Vol. 4 9/16, Thu @ 8pm The Overtime Theater Harvey 9/17-10/2, Thu @ 7:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Boerne Community Theatre A Chorus Line 9/17-10/17, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm (no show 9/19) Russell Hill Rogers Theater San Pedro Playhouse Lupe’s Art Blend 9/21 & 28, Tue @ 7:30pm Guadalupe Theater

Lettice and Lovage 9/24-10/16, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2pm (no show Sun, 9/26) Elizabeth Huth Coates Theatre at Hill Country Arts Foundation, Ingram Murder at the Howard Johnson’s 9/25-10/17, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Cameo Theatre 8 10/1-3, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm 10/6-9, Wed-Thu @ 7pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm The Stieren Theatre, Trinity University The Frankie Stein Show 10/1-30, Fri-Sat @ 9pm Zumbro Lounge at Cameo Center The Renaissance Guild: 10th Season Opening Gala 10/2, Sat @ 8pm Little Carver Civic Center A Nice Family Gathering 10/7-24, Thu-Sat @ 8pm (Dinner @ 6:30pm) Sun @ 3pm (lunch @ 1:30pm) S.T.A.G.E – Spotlight Theatre & Arts Group, etc., Bulverde

The Rocky Horror Show 10/7-11/6, Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 10pm (Nov 5-6 @10:30pm) Special Show Sun, Oct 31 @ 8:00pm Woodlawn Theatre

The Wonder Bread Years 10/9, Sat @ 7:30pm 10/17, Sun @ 2pm Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre, New Braunfels

Dr. S Battles the Sex Crazed Reefer Zombies: The Movie, The Musical 10/8-11/6, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Sun (10/24) @ 3pm (no show Fri, 11/5) The Overtime Theater

Beauty and the Beast Broadway Across America Presentation 10/12-17, Tue-Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Majestic Theatre

Blithe Spirit The Classic Theatre San Antonio Presentation 10/14-31, Thu-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Sterling Houston Theatre at Blue Star

I’ll Remember For You Jump Start Performance Company Presentation 9/17-26, Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Sterling Houston Theatre at Blue Star

The Dollman 10/15-30, Fri-Sat @ 7:30pm The Rose Theatre Company

The Arabian Nights 10/21-11/13, Thu & Sat @ 7:30pm Sun @ 2:30pm Sheldon Vexler Theatre

September-October May-June 2010 | On The Town 53

Home Grown Tomatoes 10/22-11/21, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Cellar Theater San Pedro Playhouse Cirque Dreams Illumination Broadway Across America Presentation 10/26-31, Tue-Fri @ 8pm Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7pm Majestic Theatre Harry Potwurst 10/29-11/7, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Circle Arts Theatre, New Braunfels

At The Opera Pagliacci & Suor Angelica San Antonio Opera Presentation 9/17-19, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2pm Municipal Auditorium La Boheme UTSA Lyric Theatre Presentation 10/8 & 10, Fri @ 7:30pm Sun @ 3pm Recital Hall University of Texas at San Antonio Main Campus

The Dance Bellydancer Superstars: Bombay Bellywood 10/9, Sat @ 8pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Das Avatar 9/11, Sat @ 7pm Jo Long Theatre at Carver Community Cultural Center

Stand Up Joe Devito 9/1-5, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Cleto Rodriguez 9/1-5, Wed-Thu @ 8:30pm Fri-Sun @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Hypnotist Peter Kingsley 9/4, Sat @ 5pm Rivercenter Comedy Club Thursday Night Laughs with Cleto Rodriguez‌.. on Wednesday 9/8, Wed @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

54 On The Town | September-October July-August 2009 2010

Shane Mauss 9/8-12, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Greg Vaccariello 9/22-26, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

LOL All-Stars 9/9, Thu @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Steve White 9/23-26, Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Tony Rock 9/10-12, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Rachel Feinstein 9/29-10/3, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

LOL All-Stars 9/15, Wed @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Cristela Alonzo 9/29-10/3, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Tennessee Tramp 9/15-19, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club 3 Non Juans 9/16-18, Thu @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Chris Fonseca 9/19, Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Chelsea Handler: Chelsea, Chelsea Bang Bang 10/1, Fri @ 8pm Municipal Auditorium Daniel Tosh: Tosh Tour Twenty Ten 10/3, Sun @ 7pm Majestic Theatre Ron Shock 10/6-10, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Gemini 10/6-10, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Tom Segura 10/13-17, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

Jim Dalaikis 10/21-24, Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Magician / Ventriloquist Andy Gross 10/27-31, Wed-Thu & Sun @ 8pm Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

For The Kids Greg Giraldo 10/15-17, Fri-Sat @ 8pm & 10:15pm Sun @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Loco Comedy Jam with Mike Robles and Friends 10/20, Wed @ 8pm Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

Ryan Stout 10/21-24, Thu & Sun @ 8:30pm Fri-Sat @ 8:30pm & 10:30pm Rivercenter Comedy Club

A Year with Frog & Toad 9/1-4, Wed @ 10:30am, Fri @ 7pm, Sat @ 2pm 9/7-25, Tue-Fri @ 9:45am & 11:30am Fri @ 7pm, Sat @ 2pm Magik Theatre

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Curious George Live!

10/1-3, Fri @ 7pm Sat @ 11am & 3pm Sun @ 1pm & 5pm Petite Rouge 10/6-11/6, Tue-Fri @ 9:45am & 11:30am Fri @ 7pm, Sat @ 2pm Magik Theatre Giggle, Giggle, Quack Children’s Fine Arts Series Presentation 10/15, Fri @ 6:30pm Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

Miscellaneous Bellator MMA Fighting Championship 9/2, Thu @ 6pm Majestic Theatre 2010 Alzafar Shrine Circus 9/9-12 Thu @ 4:30pm & 7:30pm Fri @ 10am & 8:15pm Sat-Sun @ 10am, 3pm & 7:30pm Freeman Coliseum Mexican Cuisine Boot Camp: Appetizers and Hors d’Oeuvre 9/27-28: Mon-Tue, 7:30am-1:30pm Culinary Institute of America at Pearl Brewery

Mexican Cuisine Boot Camp: Puebla and Oaxaca 9/29-10/1, Wed-Fri / 7am-1:30pm Culinary Institute of America at Pearl Brewery Taste of CIA Cookbooks: The Italian Table 10/2, Sat / 9:30am-2:30pm Culinary Institute of America at Pearl Brewery Taste of CIA Cookbooks: Bistros and Brasseries 10/23, Sat / 9:30am-2:30pm Culinary Institute of America at Pearl Brewery

On Exhibit ARTPACE Hudson (Show)Room On The Road: Robert Adams, Ant Farm, John Baldessari Walker Evans, Robbert Flick, Mary Heilmann, Roger Kuntz, Danny Lyon, Catherine Opie, Allen Ruppersberg, Ed Ruscha Stephen Shore, Alexis Smith, Kon Trubkovich, Andy Warhol Thru 9/5

56 On The Town | September-October 2010

Window Works Ken Little Thru 9/19 International ArtistIn-Residence New Works: 10.2 Jamal Cyrus Corey McCorkle Monika Sosnowska Curated by Patrick Charpenel Thru TBD Hudson (Show)Room Matthew Ronay: Between The Worlds 9/23-1/2/11 Window Works Leonardo Drew 9/23-1/2/11 BIHL HAUS ARTS Raul Castellanos: Recyling & Recovery Thru 9/11 Roy Pittman: Between the Leaves Opens 9/17 BLUE STAR CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER ArtSmart Students: New Crew Works Thru 9/25 Laurel Gibson: Mater Terra Curated by Alex Rubio Thru 9/25

I’d Rather Get Fired Than Quit Bryson Brooks, Derek Allen Brown, Kerri Coar, Lisa Corradino, Joe De La Cruz, Bryan De La Garza, Beto Gonzales, Jake Zollie Harper, Nicholas Hay, Daniel, Saldana, Gabriela Santiago & Jeremiah Teutsch Curated by Justin Parr & Ed Saavedra Thru 10/2 Kemp Davis: Kathy Drive 9/2-25 This Is Not a Photo Show: Ben Aqua, William Betts, Helen Maurene Cooper, Thomas Cummins, Michael Eddy, Matthes Noel-Tod & Yumi Janairo Roth Curated by Kimberly Aubuchon 9/2-11/6 Kathy Coiner: You Appear to Me to Be Someone Whose Life is Meaningless Curated by Chuck Ramirez 9/2-11/6 Hills Snyder: The Casual Observer 9/30-11/6 Christopher McNulty: Days 9/30-11//6

CENTRO CULTURAL ATZLAN A Tale of Two Cities: A Photographic Essay 9/2-30 GUADALUPE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER Fantastic Fuerzas/Forces David Almaguer, Albert Alvarez, Rafael Fajardo, Xavier Garza, Jaime Higa, Nadin Ospina, Dulce Pinzón, Angel RodríguezDiaz, Gustavo Higuera, Juan Felipe Salcedo Curated by Patty Ortiz 9/16-11/20 INSTITUTO CULTURAL DE MEXICO FotoSeptiembre USA 2010 Exhibits: Slanted Glances: Idiosyncratic Interpretations of Independence & Revolution in Mexico Arturo Betancourt, Luis DelgadoQualtrough, Anely Guerrero, Ajejandro Jurado Prieto, Bela Limenes, Michael Mehl, Nydia Mejia Zavala, Eliseo MendozaAltamira, Cesar Ochoa, Stanley Shoemaker, David Silvan, William Villafana Curated by Michael Mehl Opens 9/4

Oyeme Con Los Ojos: Josephine Sacabo Coordinated by Michael Mehl and Jennifer Shaw of New Orleans Photo Alliance Opens 9/4 Halfway Child: Josefina Niggli Opens 9/4 McNAY ART MUSEUM Ellen Phalen: Theme and Variations Thru 9/5 Neither Model nor Muse: Women as Artists Thru 9/12 Janet Lennie Flohr: Learning to Say Good-Bye Thru 9/12 Gary Lang: Dividing Time Thru 10/3 You’ve Got Mail: The Greeting Cards of Richard Anuskiewicz 9/8-1/2/11 Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism 10/6-1/16/11

September-October 2010 | On The Town 57

SAN ANTONIO BOTANICAL GARDEN Albert Paley: Art In The Garden Curated by Bill FitzGibbons Thru 9/30 Playhouses & Forts Thru 10/24 George Schroeder: Art In The Garden Curated by Bill FitzGibbons 10/30-3/30 SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART Season Four of Seasons of Beauty: Yoshitoshi’s Thirty-two Aspects of Daily Life Thru 10/31 Tierra, Libertad y no Re-Eleccion!

Photography from the MexicanRevolution 9/4-2/13 To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum 10/16-1/9 SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ART & CRAFT Carra Garza: Ordered Kingdom Thru 9/11

All School Exhibition 2010 Thru 9/12 Sara Katherine Boyd and Mark Crutsinger: Certificate Student Exhibit Thru 9/12 Teen Studio Intensive Program: Bee Nation Thru 9/12 Kent Rush: In Choate and Sublime 9/23-11/28

Buffalo Soldiers: Discovering Heritage on the Texas Frontier Thru 1/3/11 Play: An Interactive Exhibit for the Whole Family Opens 10/9 WITTE MUSEUM Dinosaurs Unearthed Thru 9/6

Amanda Stark: The Astral and Tellurian 9/23-11/28

Feathered Fossils: The Latest Dinosaur Discoveries Thru 9/6

Ramin Samandari: Veils of Nephele 9/23-11/13

A Royal Garden Thru 9/15

Alan & Blake Weissling: A Generational Influence 9/23-11/28 Family 10/15-31 INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES Lone Star & Eagle: An Exploration of German Immigration to Texas Thru 9/19 Texas Contemporary Artists Series: Henry Cardenas Thru 10/15

58 On The Town | September-October 2010

Don Yena: Painting the South Texas History Thru 1/2011

Festivals & Celebrations First Friday Art Walk 9/3 & 9/1, Fri / 6-9pm Southtown / Blue Star / King William Taste of the River Walk 9/8-9, Wed-Thu / 6:30pm-11pm River Walk Jazz’SAlive 2010 9/18-19 Travis Park 2010 Taste of San Antonio Expo 10/3, Sun / 12pm-6pm Pearl Stable 2010 Taste of San Antonio Expo Showcase Dinner 10/5, 6pm-10pm Pearl Stable

1910: A Revolution Across Borders 9/18-2/27/11

24th Annual Gruene Music & Wine Festival 10/8-10 Gruene Hall

Backyard Monsters 9/25-1/2/11

Chalk It Up 10/10, Sat 10am-5pm Houston Street

Beautiful Bugs: Specimens From the Witte Museum Collection 9/25-1/2/11

10th Annual International Accordion Festival 10/15-17, Various Times La Villita

Junior League Holiday OlĂŠ Market 10/20-23, Wed-Sat @ 8am Alzafar Shine Temple BOOtanica! Fall Festival 10/24 San Antonio Botanical Garden

Area Performance Highlights

Austin Jersey Boys Broadway Across America Presentation 9/1-5, Wed-Fri @ 8pm, Sat @ 2pm & 8pm Sun @ 2pm & 7:30pm Metamorphoses 9/1-12, Wed-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm & 7pm Whisenhunt Stage Zachary Scott Theatre

The Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel 9/3-4, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center

Punch Brothers Featuring Chris Thile and Loudon Wainright III Texas Performing Arts Presentation 10/10, Fri @ 8pm Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas

Jean Piche Texas Performing Arts Presentation 10/9, Thu @ 8pm McCullough Theatre, University of Texas

Austin Symphony Orchestra 9/10-11, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Peter Bay, conductor Andre Watts, piano Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center

September-October July-August 2010 | On The Town 59

Margaret Cho 9/12, Sun @ 8pm Paramount Theatre

Don McLean 9/19, Sun @ 6pm & 8:30pm One World Theatre

Andrew Heller 9/28, Tue @ 7:30pm One World Theatre

Operacion Clown: Callete! (Shut Up) Texas Performing Arts Presentation 9/15, Wed @ 8pm Spanish Version 9/16, Thu @ 8pm (English Version) McCullough Theatre, University of Texas

Tommy Tune & The Manhattan Rhythm Kings 9/19, Sun @ 7:30pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center

Nikki Yanofsky 9/30, Thu @ 7pm One World Theatre

Tommy Emmanuel 9/16-17, Thu-Fri @ 7pm One World Theatre Rent 9/16-11/28, Wed-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 2:30pm Kleberg Stage Zachary Scott Theatre A Ride With Bob 9/17, Fri @ 7:30pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center Ballet Austin: Not Afraid of the Dark 9/18-19, Sat-Sun @ 2pm & 4:30pm Paramount Theatre Austin Symphony Orchestra: Wind Ensemble (Free Concert) 9/19, Sun @ 5:30pm Mexican-American Cultural Center

Mike Daisey: The Last Cargo Cult Texas Performing Arts Presentation 9/21-22, Tue-Wed @ 8pm McCullough Theatre, University of Texas Delfos Danza Contemporanea Texas Performing Arts Presentation 9/23, Thu @ 8pm Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas BJ Thomas 9/24, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre Ballet Austin: Carmina Burana and Kai 9/24-26, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Sun @ 3pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center The University of Texas Wind Ensemble with Joseph Alessi and the Jim Cullum Jazz Band Texas Performing Arts Presentation 9/26, Sun @ 7pm Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas

60 On The Town | September-October 2010

Suzanne Vega 10/1, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre Daniel Tosh: Tosh Tour Twenty Ten 10/1, Fri @ 7:30pm & 10:30pm Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas Patton Oswalt 10/2, Sat @ 8pm Paramount Theatre Jordi Savall, Hespèrion XXI & Tembembe Texas Performing Arts Presentation 10/3, Sun @ 7pm Bates Recital Hall, University of Texas Jaston Williams’ Cowboy Noises 10/6-17, Wed-Thu @ 7:30pm Fri @ 8pm, Sat @ 3pm & 8m Sun @ 2pm & 7pm Rollins Theatre at The Long Center Buena Vista Social Club’s Omara Portuando 10/7, Thu @ 8pm Paramount Theatre

Austin Symphony Orchestra 10/8-9, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Peter Bay, conductor Judith Ingolfsson, violin John Lithgow: Stories

By Heart 10/12, Tue @ 8pm Paramount Theatre Billy Cobham 10/13, Wed @ 7pm One World Theatre Chris Isaak 10/13, Wed @ 8pm Paramount Theatre Brian Culbertson 10/14, Thu @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre Benise: The Spanish Guitar One World Theatre Presentation 10/15, Fri @ 8pm Riverbend Centre Straight No Chaser 10/16, Sat @ 8pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m Still in Therapy featuring Steve Solomon 10/17, Sun @ 5:30pm & 8:30pm

September-October 2010 | On The Town 61

Frankie Valli 10/17, Sun @ 7pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center Aziz Ansari: Dangerously Delicious Tour 10/17, Sun @ 7:30pm Paramount Theatre Guy Clark 10/19, Tue @ 7:30pm Paramount Theatre Sufjan Stevens 10/19, Tue @ 8pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center Drumline Live 10/20, Wed @ 8pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center Gorillaz 10/22, Fri @ 8pm Frank Erwin Center Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Jonathan Biss, piano Texas Performing Arts Presentation 10/22. Fri @ 8pm Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas Austin Symphony Orchestra: Cirque de la Symphonie Sarah & Ernest Butler Pops Series 10/23, Sat @ 8pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center

Austin Symphony Orchestra:Halloween Children’s Concert 10/24, Sun @ 2pm Michael and Susan Dell Hall at The Long Center California Guitar Trio 10/24, Sun @ 6pm & 8:30pm One World Theatre Luciana Souza Trio Texas Performing Arts Presentation 10/25, Mon @ 8pm Hogg Memorial Auditorium, University of Texas Cyro Baptista: Villa-Lobos/Vira-Loucos Texas Performing Arts Presentation 10/26, Tue @ 8pm Hogg Memorial Auditorium, University of Texas Momix: Botanica Texas Performing Arts Presentation 10/28-29, Fri-Sat @ 8pm Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas Little River Band 10/29, Fri @ 7pm & 9:30pm One World Theatre Corpus Christi Devil Driver 9/3, Fri @ 7pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater

62 On The Town | September-October 2010

Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida 9/3-26, Fri-Sat @ 7pm Sun (9/19 & 26) @ 2pm Harbor Playhouse Blue October 9/4, Sat @ 7pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival with Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold 9/11, Sat @ 3:15pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater Martina McBride 9/16, Thu @ 8:30pm American Bank Center Arena Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight 9/18, Sat @ 8pm Selena Auditorium at American Bank Center Flyleaf 9/24, Fri @ 7pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater Daddy Yankee 9/25, Sat @ 7:30pm American Bank Center Arena Stone Temple Pilots 9/27, Mon @ 6:30pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater

Shakira 10/5, Tue @ 8pm American Bank Center Arena Jason Aldean 10/8, Fri @ 8:30pm American Bank Center Arena Evil Dead: The Musical 10/8-23, Fri-Sat @ 8pm 10/24, Sun @ 8pm 10/25-31, Mon-Sun @ 8pm Harbor Playhouse Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra: 65th Season Premier 10/9, Sat @ 8pm John Giordano, conductor Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano Performing Arts Center at Texas A&M Corpus Christi Repent & Let’s Have Church 10/16, Sat @ 7pm Selena Auditorium at American Bank Center Gary Allan 10/21, Thu @ 7pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater The Great American Songbook Corpus Christi Live!

Presentation 10/22, Fri @ 7:30pm Performing Arts Center at Texas A&M Corpus Christi

Halloween Hootenanny: Gruesome Twosome with Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper 10/24, Sun @ 6pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater

Curious George Live!

10/28-29, Tue @ 7pm Wed @ 10:30am & 7pm Selena Auditorium at American Bank Center

Black Label Berzerkus: Black Label Society, Childen of Bodom and Clutch 10/29, Fri @ 6:30pm Old Concrete Street Amphitheater Laredo Daddy Yankee 9/24, Fri @ 8pm Laredo Energy Arena Gabriel Iglesias 10/2, Sat @ 8pm Laredo Energy Arena

Shakira 10/6, Wed @ 8pm Laredo Energy Arena Rio Grande Valley 2010 Alzafar Shrine Circus 9/4-5, Sat @ 3pm & 8pm Sun @ 1pm & 5:30pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo Martina McBride 9/15, Wed @ 8:30pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo

Tambuco The Arts Center Signature Series Presentation 9/17, Thu @ 7:30pm The Arts Center, Brownsville

Noche de Box Bicentenario 9/18, Sat @ 7pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo

September-October 2010 | On The Town 63

Valley Symphony Orchestra: Opening Night 9/30, Thu @ 8pm Peter Dabrowski, conductor UTPA Fine Arts Auditorium, Edinburg

Sesame Street Live: Elmo’s Green Thumb 10/21-24, Thu-Fri @ 7pm Sat @ 2pm & 5:30pm Sun @ 1pm & 4:30pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo

Gabriel Iglesias 9/30, Thu@ 8pm McAllen Internacional Civic Center

Casting Crowns 10/29, Fri @ 7pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo American Bank Center Arena

Luna Negra Dance Company and Turtle Island String Quartet The Arts Center Signature Series Presentation 10/1, Fri @ 7:30pm The Arts Center, Brownsville Houston Rockets vs.

Orlando Magic 10/5, Tue @ 7:30pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo WWE Smackdown 10/6, Wed @ 7:30pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo 14th Annual Brownsville Latin Jazz Festival 10/8-10, Fri-Sun Various venues–info at www.brosociety.org/jazz Shakira 10/9, Sat @ 8pm State Farm Arena, Hidalgo Valley Symphony Orchestra Ensembles: Music Among the Stars 10/16, Sat @ 8pm Neuhaus Tower -17th floor, McAllen

Photo Credits Page 46 (L-R)

Yeol Eum Son Courtesy cliburn.org Page 50 (L-R) David Mairs Courtesy Mid-Texas Symphony Billy Mata Courtesy billymata.com Reckless Kelly Courtesy recklesskelly.com Rush Courtesy AT&T Center

Luke Olson Courtesy lukeolson.com

Page 52 (L-R)

San Antonio Rose Live!

Courtesy Aztec Theatre

Tracy Lawrence Courtesy tracylawrence. com

Clay Walker Courtesy cmt.com The Spazmatics Courtesy thespazmatics. net Page 48 (L-R) Eleven Hundred Springs Courtesy liveatfloores.com Jason Boland and the Stragglers Courtesy thestragglers. com Two Tons of Steel Courtesy twotons.com

64 On The Town | September-October 2010

Bryan Adams Courtesy Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Sebastian Lang-Lessing Photo by Marks Moore Page 54 (L-R) Carrie Underwood Courtesy carrieunderwood official.com Dr. Jay Dunnahoo Courtesy Symphony of the Hills Stoney LaRue Courtesy stoneylarue.com Jeffrey Swann Courtesy melodybunting. com Page 55 (L-R)

Ray Price Courtesy liveatfloores.com

Kevin Fowler Courtesy kevinfowler.com

Honeybrowne Courtesy liveatfloores.com

B.B. King Courtesy bbking.com

Los Lobos Courtesy loslobos.org

Navah Perlman Courtesy imgartists.com

Page 53 (L-R)

Ilya Shterenberg Courtesy Camerata San Antonio

Max Stalling Courtesy maxstalling.com

Page 56 (L-R)

Ken-David Masur Photo by Greg Harrison

Andrew Gignac Courtesy Mid-Texas Symphony

September-October 2010 | On The Town 65

Jennifer Holliday Courtesy playbill.com Charlie Robison Courtesy liveatfloores.com Troy Peters Courtesy Youth Orchestra of San Antonio Page 57 (L-R) Dwight Yoakam Photo by Ed Rode Broken Record Courtesy The Overtime Theater Page 58 (L-R) Jersey Boys Photo by Joan Marcus Beauty and the Beast Photo by Joan Marcus Cirque Dreams Illumination Photo by Joan Marcus Alzafar Shrine Circus Courtesy alzafar.org Page 59 (L-R) Joe Devito Courtesy Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Tony Rock Courtesy Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club

66 On The Town | September-October 2010

Rachel Feinstein ourtesy Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Ron Shock Courtesy Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club Page 60 (L-R) Buffalo Soldiers Exhibit Courtesy Institute of Texan Cultures Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) Pink and Yellow Hollyhocks, 1952 Oil on canvas Bequest of Helen Miller Jones © Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Courtesy McNay Art Musuem Art in the Garden Cross Cut by Albert Paley Courtesy albertpaley.com Taiso Yoshitoshi Japan (1839-1892) Strolling: The Appearance of an Upper Class Wife of the Meiji Era, 1888 Woodblock print on paper On loan from Lenora and Walter F. Brown Photography by Peggy Tenison Courtesy San Antonio Museum of Art

Page 62 (L-R) Dinosaurs Unearthed Courtesy Witte Museum Woman Train Photo by Augustin Casasola Witte Museum Collection

Operacion Clown Callete Courtesy Texas Performing Arts Tommy Tune Courtesy tommytune.com Daniel Tosh Courtesy danieltosh.com

Momix: Botanica Courtesy Texas Performing Arts

Page 67 (L-R)

Drumline Live Courtesy Long Center

Nobuyuki Tsujji Courtesy Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra

Page 66 (L-R)

Jersey Boys Photo by Joan Marcus

Page 64 (L-R)

Andre Watts Courtesy cmartists.com

Benise Courtesy One World Theatre

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Courtesy Texas Performing Arts

Little River Band Courtesy One World Theatre

Gabriel Iglesias Courtesy www.fluffyguy.com

Page 63 (L-R) Margaret Cho Photo by Austin Young

Jason Aldean Courtesy jasonaldean.com

The Great American Songbook Courtesy Corpus Christi Live!

Turtle Island String Quartet Courtesy turtleislandquartet.com

September-October 2010 | On The Town 67

68 On The Town | September-October 2010

Visual Arts 70-100

September-October 2010 | On The Town 69

Exceptional Ex Highlight the F

By Shannon Huntington Standley

Museum Art Center FP Editorial

70 On The Town | September-October 2010

xhibitions Fall Season Museum Art Center FP Editorial

September-October 2010 | On The Town 71

T

he fall season in San Antonio always brings a breath of fresh air—marking the change of seasons, the change of temperatures and the change of world-renowned art and culture available at this city’s fine institutions.

Buzz on by the Witte Museum this fall for bugs, bugs and more bugs. The fall blockbuster, Backyard Monsters: The World of Insects, is invading the Witte on Sept. 25, featuring six gigantic robotic insects, world-class specimens of exotic insects and invertebrates, hands-on insect interactives and robo-bugs the visitor can control. To complement the exhibition and also opening Sept. 25, the Witte is presenting Beautiful Bugs: Specimens From the Witte Museum Collection. Drawn from their extensive collection of insect specimens from around the world, this exhibit focuses on the beauty, strangeness and complexity of insects. In conjunction with the bug theme, the Witte worked with artist Cakky Brawley’s sculpture class at Palo Alto College, which spent the spring 2010 semester creating found-object sculptures reflective of an insect. Art in the Yard: Insect Innovations will land in the Witte front yard Sept. 25.

The fall exhibitions at the Southwest School of Art & Craft, all opening Sept. 23, are must-sees. Wellknown photographer and professor Kent Rush presents In Choate and Sublime, a show of new works taken around South Texas; Michigan artist Amanda Stark presents complex glass and metal sculptures in The Astral and Tellurian; and adjunct faculty member Ramin Samandari investigates the forces of time, place and history through digital photographs in Veils of Nephele.

Dreamy landscapes will grace the walls of the McNay Art Museum beginning Oct. 6 through Landscapes From the Age of Impressionism. Chronicling the evolution of this 19th century French technique up to its influence on early 20th century American artists, this exhibition includes many of the Brooklyn Museum’s finest works from this period.

Recently, the McNay announced the addition of two important paintings to its collection of works by the great Spanish master Pablo Picasso, Reclining Woman on the Beach and Crouching Woman of 1958. In celebration of this gift, Pepe Karmel, Ph.D., will highlight the two oil paintings as part of the distinguished lecture series with Picasso’s 72 On The Town | September-October July-August 2010 2010

Nudes: Sex, Lines and Decoration at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11. Karmel, associate professor and chair of the department of art history at New York University, holds a distinguished position among academic and museum Picasso scholars.

Also tapping into the Brooklyn Museum’s holdings is the San Antonio Museum of Art, presenting To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures From the Brooklyn Museum on Oct. 16. Explore ancient Egyptians’ beliefs about death and the afterlife through more than 100 objects tracing the myths that shaped Egyptians’ expectations about the afterlife and the proper preparation of body and tomb that were essential to survival in the underworld. On Sept.

4 the San Antonio Museum of Art will open two exhibitions in honor of Fotoseptiembre: Tierra, Libertad y No Re-Elección and No Escape: Photographs of the Brothers Montiel Klint. The first features 25 rarely seen photographs from SAMA’s permanent collection boasting vivid imagery chronicling some the most poignant and defining moments in the history of Mexico. No Escape features largescale color photographs of staged scenarios with provocative narrative content by the Mexico Citybased Montiel Klint brothers.

October marks the last chance to see two of the Institute of Texan Cultures’ exhibitions. The Texas Contemporary Artists Series featuring Henry Cardenas closes Oct. 15. Don’t miss the opportunity to pay homage to artists who call Texas home. The nod to a historic military unit, Buffalo Soldiers, closing Oct. 31, takes a look at the AfricanAmerican regiments of the U.S. Army established in 1866. Focusing on the experience of individuals serving with the 9th U.S. Cavalry between 1866 and 1875, visitors can explore who these soldiers were, why they joined the Army and what daily life was like during their service in Texas. Keep an eye out for Leaving Home, Finding Home: Texan Families Remember the Mexican Revolution, opening Nov. 6, for in-depth look at families affected by the Mexican Revolution of 1910.

With the change of the seasons, the galleries at Blue Star Contemporary Art Center change as well.

On view through Oct. 30, the ARTsmart/MOSAIC program features ceramics by students who learned techniques by local ceramicist Laurel Gibson.

Gibson also exhibits works of her own, featuring September-October 2010 | On The Town 73

new fiber-based work in Mater Terra. The Blue Star Lab and Flight Gallery collaboration, “I’d Rather Get Fired Than Quit,” is on view through Oct. 2; and through Nov. 6 is This is not a Photo Show, which pays homage to Magritte, exploring the tension between the photographer and the photographed, between the picture and its viewer, between the art and the artist. Kathy Coiner’s You Appear to me to be Someone Whose Life is Meaningless, also on display through Nov. 6, is an intimate look into the hardships of the women who have experienced domestic abuse. Kemp Davis’ Kathy Drive, on view through Sept. 24, is an ongoing photographic project and collection of the artist’s childhood memories. The Casual Observer, by Hills Snyder, is the fourth in a series derived from his 1997 murder ballad “Song 44” and is on view through Nov. 6. Exploring the limitations of reason, Christopher McNulty’s Days is also open until Nov. 6. A Texas Photographic Society exhibit opening Oct. 13, Captivar la Luz: A Latino Experience, explores Latin life, culture, conflict, and social and economic issues. Finally, the biannual Art in the Garden is back at the San Antonio Botanical Garden beginning Oct. 14. This year’s artist, George Schroeder, is known for his physicality, rawness and remarkable elegance.

Bihl Haus Arts presents Danville Chadbourne in Retrospective Part II: The Artist’s Collection, Wood Reliefs 1980-1999, opening Oct. 22. Primarily a sculptor in clay and wood, Chadbourne works in a range of materials and in both two- and threedimensional formats. Over the years he has created a complex body of work unified by a primal iconography and artifact-like quality, emerging from a very personal and consistent formal, aesthetic and philosophical sense.

San Antonio offers an amazing array of choices in art and culture. No matter the taste of the observer, there really is something for everyone.

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Photo Credits: Pages 70-71

74 On The Town | September-October 2010

To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum Courtesy San Antonio Museum of Art

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Page 72 (Above) Giant Beetles from Backyard Monsters: The World of Insects Courtesy Witte Museum (Below) Frederick Childe Hassam, Poppies on the Isles of Shoals (detail), 1890. Oil on canvas.

Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mary Pratt Barringer and Richardson Pratt Jr. in memory of Richardson and Laura Pratt.

Page 73 (Above) Henry Cardenas: Texas Contemporary Artist Series Courtesy Institute of Texan Cultures (Below) The Astal and Tellurian An exhibit by Amanda Stark Courtesy Southwest School of Art and Craft Page 74 (Above) False History of Deception Danville Chadbourne acrylic on wood, fiber 47 x 53�

1982-88 Photo by Conan Chadbourne Courtesy Bihl Haus Arts (Below) Frankie Made Me Do It Kemp Davis, 2010 Courtesy Blue Star Contemporary Art Center Page 75 (Above) Iminente Caida del Ciego No Escape: Photographs of the Bothers Montiel Klint Courtesy San Antonio Musuem of Art (Below) Casual Observer Hills Snyder Courtesy Blue StarContemporary Art Center

September-October 2010 | On The Town 75

Portfolio:

76 On The Town | September-October 2010

Brenda Kingery:

Dream Weaver of Stories

By Sharon Garcia Photography of Brenda Kingery by Dana Fossett

B

renda Kingery has assumed many roles in her extraordinary life – teacher, artist, goodwill ambassador, historian. But first and foremost, Kingery is a story teller of the most remarkable kind.

Her first-hand experience led years later to a master’s thesis in Ryukyuan folk art and the opportunity to return to Okinawa as a professor with the University of Maryland’s Far East division. Years of extensive travel throughout Asia followed. There is clearly an influence of Oriental patterns and perceptions in much of Kingery’s work from this period.

Through her artwork, which she describes as “narrative symbolism,” Kingery has been able to capture the very essence of her subjects and the worlds they inhabit.

Her paintings offer a textural snapshot of distinct Returning to the United States, Kingery and her native cultures, capturing the movement and passion husband settled in Texas, but she felt drawn to revisit her native Oklahoma and reconnect with her of rich ceremonial traditions. own cultural heritage. She found this inspiration Whether depicting the rhythmic dance of a Native through her grandmother, a former housemother at American celebration, the crafting of Okinawan Bacone Indian College and member of the Chickasaw pottery or the haunting portraits of women from nation. For the next eight years, her work reflected Uganda and Guatemala, Kingery’s art offers a visual a rediscovery of her past with a focus on American biography of a 40-year artistic journey that took her Indian imagery and tribal traditions. The result of this introspection can be found in Kingery’s lively around the world.

Pow Wow Series, in which vibrant hues and intricate In 1968, Kingery and her husband, Tom, a pilot in patterns combine with images of ceremonial feathers the U.S. Air Force, were transferred to the island of and elements of the earth.

Okinawa, where they would spend a total of seven years. “A lot of my interest in folk art and indigenous Threads of Blessing cultures started there,” Kingery said. “I visited villages and small islands where artists were doing pottery By 1995, Kingery had already gained notable success and textiles exactly the way they had 600 years ago. I as a visual artist and educator. Little did she know that a chance meeting with the Episcopalian bishop was amazed at the history I was witnessing.”

September-October 2010 | On The Town 77

of Honduras would lead to a whole new chapter in her pursuit of cultural story telling.

At the invitation of the Honduran bishop, Kingery and a small mission team of women from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church traveled to the small village of Villanueva with materials to teach the women of the community embroidery and appliqué design techniques. “Women from all cultures learn how to sew – a practical skill passed down through generations,” Kingery said, “but they had never used this skill to create art.”

Kingery’s group came together with women from the village to create a 4-foot-by-6-foot banner commissioned by the bishop. She recalls “having only a car port and a light bulb” as their studio and “the days and hours spent sharing stories, fellowship and working together to create something of beauty, all by hand.”

With the success of this first workshop, the Hands of Hope organization (later called Threads of Blessing), was formed. Soon after, Kingery helped organize similar trips to Mexico, Uganda and Honduras where women in remote communities began creating fine art textiles, wall hangings and tapestries with the skills and supplies provided by Threads of Blessing.

The workshops not only encourage women to gather as a community and learn organizational skills, the proceeds from each work of art go directly back to the women artists. These funds have been used to open a day care, pay for school fees for their children, buy seed for crops and provide medical care.

Her mission work also has given Kingery a new source of inspiration for her own art. Her “Women Without Voices” series captures the intense beauty and dignity of the women she met, sharing expressions of thread and fabric.

The Artist An avid painter since the age of 19, Kingery describes her own artwork as “a visual translation of weaving and textiles” onto canvas. She carefully combines textures and as many as 20 layers of paint to evoke a multidimensional feeling of movement and space.

78 On The Town | September-October 2010

In 1993, Kingery was named Artist of the Year by the San Antonio Art League Museum. In addition to

her tenure at the University of Maryland, she also has taught drawing, painting and art history at institutions such as Texas Tech University, San Antonio College and at the Center for Creativity and Spirituality in Kerrville.

Her work has been included in many private, corporate and public collections in the United States and abroad.

She has had major exhibits in Okinawa and Tokyo, Chicago, Indianapolis, Santa Fe and Washington, D.C. A voting member of the Chickasaw nation, Kingery became a 2007 presidential appointee to the board of trustees of the Institute of American Indians and Native Alaskans in Art and Culture in Santa Fe. At this point in her career, Kingery continues to be inspired by the diverse world around her and is always open to whatever new adventure might be waiting around the corner. “I didn’t write a list down to say this is what I’m going to do in life… It’s sort of like painting abstractly. You just go in and let it happen.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Photo Credits: Page 78 (Above) Joseph’s Egyptian Robe 52 x 52” Acrylic on Canvas Genesis Series (Below) First Light 48 x 48” Acrylic on Canvas New Work Series Page 79 (Above) The Gift 40” x 40” Oil on Canvas Women Without Voices Series (Below) Ataloa and Blue Jay 52 x 52” Acrylic on Canvas Pow Wow Series

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Matthew Drutt: Keeping Pace With Art

By Julie Catalano Photography Greg Harrison

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atthew Drutt doesn’t hesitate when identifying the turning point for Artpace during his stint as its executive director since 2006: the sudden death a year later of Pace Foods heiress Linda Pace, founder of what has become one of the most successful and respected contemporary artists residency programs in the country.

from elsewhere in the United States and three from other countries. Afterwards there is an eight-week exhibition (“Everything we do here is free,” Drutt says) complete with full-color brochure of each artist’s work. Artists cannot apply; they are chosen by an invited guest curator.

“We not only foster the creation of the work and the “I don’t think it gets any more pivotal than that,” completion of it, but we often lead people to another Drutt says quietly, sitting in his office at a former place in their work. It encourages you to take risks,” Hudson automobile dealership in downtown San Drutt says.

Antonio and now home to rotating exhibits created by regional, national and international artists. His In a way, that is also the story of his own career. eyes cast downward as he remembers the question Drutt, 47, comes by his artistic leanings both that hung in the air in the days that followed: Could environmentally and genetically. His mother, a Philadelphia art dealer, used to “drag” the youngster Artpace survive without Linda Pace? to openings. “My earliest memories are of people’s Drutt had heard about Artpace almost from the legs. I couldn’t see past their kneecaps.” He attended minute it opened (“Word spread like a brush fire”) New York University with a double major in art as a place where contemporary artists could be history and Russian studies, and immediately got a free to focus only on their art. “Artpace became the job at the Whitney Museum of American Art (“one of place where the impractical and the unconventional the most exciting places in New York in the 1980s”) as a curatorial assistant intern. He left for East Berlin became the model.” in 1989 to do research for his doctorate.

Each year, nine artists are invited to live and work at Artpace’s 18,000-square-foot facility for eight weeks Back in New York, he saw an ad for a curator at the to conceive and create. Three are from Texas, three Guggenheim and was “ecstatic” when he got the job. At September-October 2010 | On The Town 81

the same time, he was adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Art (“My college professors had convinced me I needed to teach”).

By all accounts, senior curator Drutt had reached the top, and was just about to settle into a “very comfortable, long-term career in a big New York museum” when a call came from Houston.

The director of the Minil Collection was looking for a chief curator. Was he interested? The Minil, says Drutt, is viewed as “the Pantheon in my field. It’s a place where it’s all about the experience of art.”

After some soul-searching, Drutt concluded that “if I didn’t take that job, I might never leave New York.

And if I never left New York, I might never do a lot of things I wanted to do that I couldn’t do in New York,” including shows that “weren’t necessarily tourist attractions or popular hits.” He had to buy a car again, but “that was fine.” Indeed – it was an Audi TT roadster convertible sports car. Happily ensconced at the Minil, here came another call – this time from Linda Pace. Familiar with Artpace, Drutt said yes.

Used to working with collections, he theorized that he would be “involved in the creation of work that might not otherwise get made, creating different kinds of legacies.”

Married for six years to Claudia Schmuckli, director of the Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, Drutt says he loves Texas, especially Marfa, West Texas and Big Bend. An extensive traveler who speaks Russian, French, German, SwissGerman and Spanish, his favorite cities are Mexico City, Bogota, Berlin and Sao Paulo.

As for whether Artpace could survive without its iconic founder, all one needs to do is watch kids carrying out their work on the last day of Teen Camp, observe the lunchtime crowd enjoying weekly Taco Friday in the courtyard before an exhibition tour, and listen to Matthew Drutt: “I wish Linda had lived to see that Artpace has become something that a lot of people have a stake in – the city, the National Endowment for the Arts, the artists. It was something once only viewed as ‘her thing’ that became something that belongs to everybody.”

For more information, visit artpace.org.

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Candace Andrews: Managing Director of San Antonio Botanical Garden Society

By Diane Powell Photography Greg Harrison

“

I was delighted when the Botanical Garden entered my life almost 20 years ago,” said Candace Andrews, who has been managing director of the San Antonio Botanical Garden Society for the last 12 years. “It felt like somewhere I belonged from the start.”

Once known as “Rattlesnake Hill,” the Botanical Garden acreage originally belonged to George Washington Brackenridge, who deeded it to the city in 1899. “What a long way it has come,” Andrews said.

Shortly after the Botanical Garden opened in 1980, its nonprofit partner, the San Antonio Botanical Garden Society Inc., was chartered to raise the money to steward the garden’s development needs. Today, the garden welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually through its daily admissions and specialevent offerings. Andrews said the Botanical Society boasts membership of more than 3,000. “We’re also proud to support the education initiatives at the garden – that’s how children first discover the world of plants and learn to become good stewards of our environment.”

Andrews, a descendant of the pioneering Cunningham family of Texas Rangers, gained her passion for nature as a child growing up on her family’s farm and ranch in Central Texas. Her Botanical Society “job” started on a volunteer basis, when Andrews, who has a master’s degree in English, joined the Botanical Society board, especially enjoying her newsletter work. When asked in 1998 to become managing director, Andrews resigned from the board (she was then development chair) and followed her passion for the Botanical Garden, but no longer from her desk at home.

“Every garden is about growing – and that couldn’t be more true than at the Botanical Garden this year, For two years, she was the sole staff person, but she with an exciting new master plan just completed,” said, “It was never the job of just one person – the she said. It took 18 months of diligent effort and board members were integral to the success of the careful planning to prepare the comprehensive and nonprofit – and still are!” Nancy Zachry was board thoughtful vision for the garden. “We want this to president at the time, and Andrews said the two be the finest regional garden in the United States – women “still have a special bond to this day from and I know that can happen,” Andrews said. those early days when we surprised ourselves with all our successes.” Her desk today is still nestled The new master plan will take the garden to new inside the historic Carriage House, but the staffing levels, with a new entrance sequence, a paseo encompasses four full-time employees handling the ribbon of walkways flowing through the garden, garden’s development needs. classrooms, a family adventure garden, and indoor September-October 2010 | On The Town 85

event space for seminars, exhibits and rentals. “At last, the garden can have a rain plan,” she said. “We are ecstatic about having that option.”

“The Lucile Halsell Conservatory and the Texas Native Trail already set this garden apart. These are exceptional settings. That we have an Emilio Ambasz-designed glass conservatory is an amazing architectural achievement. Filled with exotic plants from around the world makes it unmatchable. And as a setting for sculpture, it couldn’t be more dramatic.”

Especially close to her heart is the Texas Native Trail, with its native plants and historic cabins, its beautiful lake and wildlife. “It delights me every time I take that walk across Texas,” she said. Completed in 2006, this four-year Botanical Society-funded project updated the native area. “Our native plant collection is a major strength of this garden, and it’s an amazing story. Did you know that the East Texas Pineywoods area was once just a barren hill with a quarry? Now it’s surrounded by towering trees and a pristine lake that’s home to turtles and ducks – and a magnet for children to visit.” Andrews said a trip she made to Pedernales State Park a few years ago led to the latest addition to the Texas Native Trail, a new bird watch this spring that “connects us to the birding world.”

She added, “The mirrored-glass front is a wonderful window to the world of nature. I’ve loved seeing a painted bunting take its morning bath.”

“Connecting people to the plant world is our daily business at the garden,” Andrews said. In fact, if you’ve enjoyed seeing dinosaurs or big bugs or playhouses (currently on display) at the garden, then you’ve enjoyed something that the Botanical Society makes possible. In 2002, the Botanical Society created the garden’s first exhibit, Dinosaurus Tex. It was “a watershed event – and we had so much fun doing it,” Andrews said. “The children’s favorite toy from the gift shop was a dinosaur clacker. The sounds could be deafening inside the Carriage House, but it was music to our ears to know that so many children and their families were discovering the garden.”

“I think it’s critical that today’s children find a connection to nature early in their lives,” she said.

Whether it’s a beautiful garden in San Antonio or, for Andrews, a beloved creek in Bell County, those early experiences imprint us for life.

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WILD ABOUT HARRY World-Famous photojournalist Harry Benson to speak at TLU on October 5

By Janis Turk

E

veryone is wild about Harry, and Harry Benson is wild about San Antonio. Though you may not recognize his name, you’ll certainly recognize the world-famous photographs taken by Benson, who I’m fortunate to have as my brother-in-law and as a frequent San Antonio visitor.

One of the most highly acclaimed photojournalists of our time, with 13 books, 45-plus solo exhibits (including a lifetime retrospective at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in D.C.), the title of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth, medals of honor, lifetime achievement awards and work in Vanity Fair, Life, Architectural Digest, Newsweek and more to his credit, Benson says he’s a lucky man.

Perhaps, but this talented Scot, who began as a beat photographer on London’s Fleet Street, and whose wife, Dian “Gigi” Daniels Benson, hails from Seguin, has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time. Call it luck, or just keen instinct, but when anything important happened in the world, Benson just happened to be there: at the Berlin Wall when it went up and when it came down; with the Beatles on the plane when they first came to America and alone with them in a Paris hotel room for a Photo of Harry Benson by Gigi Benson

pajama party pillow fight, Benson got the picture.

At the Watts riots in Los Angeles and in Ireland for I.R.A. hunger strikes, there he was. Marching with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement and with Robert Kennedy as he blazed the campaign trail, Benson kept pace. Later, he would stand near Bobby Kennedy at the moment he was shot. Benson was there when Nixon resigned, and he has photographed 11 sitting presidents. He has snapped pictures in the Neverland bedroom of Michael Jackson, in a locker-room shower with O.J. Simpson, and in the hospital with Elizabeth Taylor.

He even has shots of Willie Nelson in a bubble bath in a big red tub. Benson was in New York when the Twin Towers fell and in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. With chameleon-like facility, Benson and his photographs have blended themselves into the landscape of our culture and sharpened our focus on the past half-century.

Benson also is lucky in love—he’s been married for 43 years and is the proud father of two beautiful daughters, Tessa Benson, who is the West Coast editor of Self and editor-at-large for the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, and actress Wendy Benson Landes, who appeared in several episodes of Desperate Housewives last season but prefers playing September-October 2010 | On The Town 89

The Beatles Arrive New York © Harry Benson 1964

mom to Mimi, 6, and Dominic, 3. Wendy’s husband, Michael Landes, is a film and stage star best known as the star of Final Destination II, the TV series Special Unit 2, and for appearing in the recent Queen Latifah movie, Just Wright. He is also starring in the world premier of David Mamet’s new play, House of Games, at the Almeida Theatre in London beginning Sept.

9. Benson’s brother-in-law is former city councilman and long-time movie theater owner Dan Daniels.

With wife Gigi growing up in Seguin and San Antonio, Benson considers the San Antonio area a second home and is always pleased to be a guest on San Antonio Living and to speak at local venues such as Texas Lutheran University, have a book signing at The Twig, or even a photo exhibit at the Southwest School of Art & Craft, as he has in the past.

Queen Elizabeth II of En

C.C. Sabathia for a shoot. Though he is a little bit older than the Beatles, Benson still has striking good looks and an intoxicating charm as he explains how he always manages to get his shot.

Q&A With Harry Benson • Almost by accident, you were assigned to travel with and cover the Beatles when you, and they, were first starting out. What was that like?

Beatle mania was just beginning. They were smart and talented and having a good time. They were as surprised by the enormity of their success as much as I was. It all started when I got a call late one night from the picture editor in London, and he said, “You’re going tomorrow on an early morning flight to Paris to cover When Benson speaks at TLU in October, he’ll be the Beatles.” And I said, “No, I’m not. I’m going to Africa signing and selling books after the show, and for the anniversary of independence,” and I thought, he’ll be taking questions from and talking with you know, “I’m a serious journalist. I want to do the big story.” I hung up the phone and thought that was that. audience members.

Five minutes later the phone goes again. The editor When we last spoke, Benson was precisely where says, “You’re going to Paris.” So I went. When I heard the he wanted to be — on assignment for Architectural music, it was sensational, and I was completely sold.

Digest, doing a cover shoot of Cher in her living When we got to America, I stepped off the plane with room, and then on to see New York Yankees pitcher the Beatles, I knew I was never going back… except to 90 On The Town | September-October 2010

ngland @Harry Benson 1966-7

Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, New York @Harry Benson 1964

show off to my mother.

• You’ve photographed every president since “Ike.” Which did you most like to shoot?

When you’re the only one in the room with the president, it’s very special. Each president has been interesting in his own way, but President Richard Nixon was the most fascinating. There was always some drama going on. I remember I photographed the President and Mrs. Nixon on the Truman balcony at the White House one afternoon. The President was delayed. When he arrived, he seemed troubled and in a very bad mood. It turns out to have been just two days after the Watergate break-in — maybe he’d just heard that there was a problem — so those pictures took on a new meaning for me. Then, later, I went to San Clemente shortly after his resignation. I spent two or three days with him, and I said afterward, “I want to thank you, Mr. President.” I told him I knew it was a very difficult time for him to be photographed and thanked him for seeing me. He replied most kindly, “You must allow a professional do his job.”

• You were steps away from Sen. Robert Kennedy in the Roosevelt Hotel ballroom in Los Angeles

when he was assassinated. What happened, and what was going through your mind in that terrible moment?

It was June 4, 1968, and Bobby had just won the California primary. He gave the victory sign to the hoards of happy supporters and said, “And on to Chicago!” As I neared the kitchen door to follow him out, I heard a scream and knew at once what had happened. We had walked out of happiness into hell.

I kept thinking, “Stay at the center. Don’t mess up. This is for history.” There was complete chaos. The room was swaying with screaming people. Bobby was on the floor with blood coming out of the back of his head.

His eyes glazed over, and a rosary was placed in his hand. Ethel was brought in and kneeled down beside him. I kept stuffing exposed rolls of film in my socks so the police wouldn’t find them and take them from me. It seemed like a long time before an ambulance arrived. There was crying, screaming — complete bedlam in the kitchen. Afterward, I noticed five other people had been shot around me. I was bruised all over from being shoved around. Afterward, I felt a kind of numbness that you feel after coming through violence, and I wanted to be alone. A campaign worker placed her straw boater on the pool of blood left where Bobby September-October 2010 | On The Town 91

Janis and Tina, Madison Square Garden, New York City @Harry Benson 1968

had lain. That image tells the story of the tragedy.

• What assignment was your most challenging?

I could say photographing the starving children in Africa or the Gulf War, but I think it would have to be both photographing Sen. Robert Kennedy’s assassination and marching with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement. I’m very proud and pleased that I did cover the civil rights movement. Not many of us are left that did. It was exciting, and in some ways it was one of the best parts of my life, but it was dangerous. Awful things happened. You can’t imagine.

We’d get threats late in the night from the Klan, too.

Once I got up from the table in a Mississippi diner to go get some camera equipment I’d left in car, and when I came back I found the journalists I had just been sitting with had been terribly beaten during the few moments that I had stepped away.

President John F. Kennedy,

goal can be achieved if you are willing to work for it.

Nothing is just handed to you. Living in America [since 1964] has allowed me to do just that. I feel America is my home now. That is why I became a U.S. citizen.

My wife, Gigi, is a Texan, and our two daughters live in Los Angeles. I like to visit Glasgow, my hometown, whenever I am on assignment in Europe. But I can’t wait to get back to New York after four days. And I love coming to Texas and having Mexican food at El Ranchito in Seguin. It’s the first thing we do when my wife and I land in Texas—we drive straight to El Ranchito from the airport.

• Which is your favorite photograph you have taken?

The Beatles’ pillow fight. We were in Paris in the George V Hotel when they found out “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was No. 1 on the American charts and they would be going to America to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, • Your life story seems to epitomize the American and I was going with them. I asked them to have a dream — what has becoming a United States pillow fight like the one they had several nights before.

John said, “No, that will make us look silly.” Then John citizen meant to you? sneaked up behind Paul and hit him in the head with a The American dream — I think it is simply having the pillow, and they were off. The pillow fight photo is my opportunity to work at what makes you happy. Your favourite, even today.

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Paris @Harry Benson 1961

President Richard M. Nixon Resigns@Harry Benson 1974

• Is there anyone that you still haven’t photographed I am not slowing down. I’m shooting for Architectural Digest now, and I’ve got a new book in the works. My and want to some day? wife, Gigi, is a tremendous help in all I do.

The Pope propped up in bed reading the Sunday papers.

• Any advice you can share with other • Have you gone digital yet—or are you still a photographers? darkroom kind of guy?

Photography is not a team sport. And don’t dress like a About two years ago, I started using a digital camera, maintenance man if you want to be asked back. Also, the Canon Mark IID, and it has changed my career. I think you need an inherent love of photography, a Digital is magic. My first book in digital was Tivoli strong determination to succeed and a willingness to Gardens, and all the photographs were taken with my put everything else second to your work. You also need digital camera. There are nuances you just can’t get a sense of history, an awareness of human behavior, physical stamina, an interest in world events, a survival with film. instinct, a sense of humor, a naïve belief in yourself … and a bit of luck.

• What’s the best thing about your job?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I travel the world taking photos and get paid for it.

That is what most people do on holiday. I don’t know NOTE: World-famous photojournalist Harry Benson will present a digital slideshow of his work, with a what I would do if I had to work for a living. discussion of the back-story behind his photographs of the Beatles, U.S. presidents, celebrities, world • What’s next for you? leaders and more, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, in I am only as good as my last picture. I think that Jackson Auditorium on the campus of Texas Lutheran attitude keeps me on my guard and keeps me from University in Seguin. To view an extensive collection of slacking off. Taking pictures is fun. I love what I do, and his photographs, go to www.harrybenson.com.

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Artpace’s Free Family Festival is Made in San Antonio

By Matt Johns Photography Courtesy Artpace

94 On The Town | September-October 2010

K

ick up some colorful dust with Artpace from some 13,000 people downtown.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at Chalk It Up, the seventh annual chalk art festival, held Among the crowd of onlookers, more than 40 premier San Antonio artists will transform Houston Street on Houston Street downtown. sidewalks into amazing works of art rendered in Every year, Artpace, a local nonprofit dedicated to chalk at this free, family-friendly event. Everyone is the creation and advancement of contemporary art, invited to help complete a super-sized street mural, transforms downtown into the site of its biggest and a variety of family activities will be offered in annual community outreach event. Named best arts the Kidzone, a space where imaginations soar. This and cultural project by the Best of Downtown San convivial street scene continues the city’s efforts Antonio Awards for its 2004 launch, this year’s festival to help return the downtown area to a place where theme is “Made in San Antonio,” placing an emphasis locals come to shop, dine, relax and be entertained. on the vibrant local art community and showcasing the talent that exists within the city limits. With a goal For more information about participating, volunteering to make art accessible to as many people as possible, or involving a school or community group, contact Chalk It Up: Made in San Antonio is expected to bring Artpace at 210-212-4900 or education@artpace.org.

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Culinary Arts 102-112

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• • • • • • • • • •

John Brand Sustainable Success

By Chris Dunn Photography Greg Harrison

W

e can’t tell you the name of the town in Nebraska where John Brand is from, because there isn’t one; just a couple of back roads and a rural mailbox mark the spot where Brand was raised.

seasonal food. “It wasn’t something I was taught out of a book,” he says. “It was something we did.”

He credits his mom with starting him on the path to becoming a chef. “She taught me how to cook. I give her a lot of credit for introducing us to food, and I just kept with it. She taught me an enjoyment as well as how to eat and how to prepare food.”

But a childhood spent in the rural Midwest had a profound impact on Brand’s philosophy as a chef, as well as his continued success. “I don’t think I saw the influence of growing up on a farm until cooking Brand’s culinary journey began at the age of 16 years later when I realized that there’s an obvious as a dishwasher, followed by various positions at connection,” he says. the Hyatt Regency Beaver Creek Resort and Spa in Colorado, then as executive sous chef at the Hyatt Brand and his five younger siblings grew up working Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch in in the fields and helping their mother in the kitchen— Arizona and at Little Nell in Aspen, executive chef nurturing, preparing and eating locally raised at Keswick Hall in Virginia, chef de cuisine at Charles September-October 2010 | On The Town 103

Court restaurant Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, and now, as executive chef at two awardwinning San Antonio hotels.

His career path would appear to have been a vertical, straight line, but in a sense, it has been a circular journey, back to his roots in rural Nebraska.

At the AAA four-star Las Canarias restaurant in the Omni La Mansión del Rio and at Pesca on the River in the Forbes four-star Watermark Hotel and Spa, Brand emphasizes locally sourced, seasonal and sustainable food.

He admits sometimes it’s a challenge. “Trying to find a balance is an ongoing thing—it never lets up,” he says. To illustrate, he says he is currently using blueberries from Texas, California and Mexico to support local farmers while still providing for the needs of his customers. “You want to support the heritage of the local area; for instance, the (Gulf ) fishermen, who are obviously under duress right now.

But the other side of the coin is I have to support the customer,” he says, adding, “I like to think wherever I got it from, somebody was practicing some sort of ecological responsibility.”

“I don’t think I saw the influence of

growing up on a farm until cooking years later when I realized that there’s an obvious connection. ”

- John Brand Brand looks upon these challenges as a good thing, explaining that every day should give you “something to make you pause; it’s the pursuit of excellence, the question of quality, the chance of quality.” He pauses, and asks, “Is this the best I can do?” revealing an angst that he attributes to his German Lutheran heritage. “I like to think I can relate to that work ethic, or maybe that style.”

When asked how food service at a hotel differs from that in other restaurants, Brand says, “’Range’ sums it all up. I have the range to do some really good food…but also range knowing that I have to have chicken fingers back there in the freezer somewhere for somebody that wants chicken fingers.”

According to Brand, the needs of the guest always take precedence. “There’s no room for ego in the

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kitchen,” he says.

However, he does not believe pleasing a guest precludes educating him. At Las Canarias, he has introduced a wide variety of wild game and buffalo.

“As a service to the customer, we should celebrate more of the other animals we have,” he says. “Our taste should be much more educated than just beef tenderloin. There is more to the world than just beef.”

An example of this is his version of buffalo flank steak. “You wrap that in bacon, put a nice sauce on it, and you’re able to keep the moisture, and balance out the flavor,” he says.

Country-fried quail is another popular entree.

Brand has prepared it numerous ways and keeps coming back to a straightforward breaded and fried approach. He has served the quail with various accompaniments, from pickle relish to apricot aioli, and it is always a hit.

He has also introduced native grains to his menus, such as amaranth, quinoa and chia seeds. “I do think we should recognize what grasses or what grains were once here before we got here—what grew in this area and this climate,” he says.

The menu at Pesca on the River emphasizes “wholesome lifestyle versus spa cuisine.” He explains the difference by saying, “Generally, most cooking would be cook light and finish heavy, but at Pesca we don’t use any thickeners…no roux, corn starch -things that make you feel heavy. It’s more ingredient driven, flavor driven.” And, as the name implies, the focus is on the freshest seasonal and sustainable seafood he can find.

Brand says, “I appreciate the environment that I have.

My draw to San Antonio is food as well as culture, and I see the opportunities in that.” He’s taken full advantage of those opportunities -- Tripadvisor rates Las Canarias as No. 1 out of 1,392 restaurants in San Antonio, and it was voted Readers and Critics Choice for Best Hotel Restaurant by the San Antonio Express-News for 2009.

Brand reacts to these accolades with his characteristic humility and introspection. “Every moment we could be doing something better,” he says. “It’s great, thank you very much, but now the work starts, now it’s maintaining it.”

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Pinch Pennies & Dine Well:

Upscale Is On Sale!

By Marlo Mason-Marie

I

need to enlist in a physical training regimen at this very moment because I plan to take advantage of the abundance of offers from great restaurants that arrive in my e-mail box on a nonstop basis. Gracious, what’s the deal? Why all of the sudden am I being treated to $50 in food at incredible eateries for only $25, or $40 for $20?

What has happened to cause this blitz of discounted epicurean opportunities?

a deal” vehicles directly into our daily lives by way of the Internet. In doing so, the art of the dining deal has been refined. Who am I to complain?

This bandwagon is really rolling, and it’s attracting some very fine dining establishments. Upscale is on sale! Pardon me for name dropping, but here goes.

In the very recent past I’ve been able to buy into half-price (or better) deals at Biga on the Banks, Barbaresco Restaurant and Bar, The Gazebo at Los Competition for the dining dollar is obviously one Patios, Milano Ristorante Italiano, Las Canarias at of the reasons, while the online existence of Living La Mansion del Rio Hotel, Grey Moss Inn, Le Midi Social, Groupon, Deal of the Day SA (KSAT), Great Day Restaurant and Bravo Cucina Italiana.

SA Great Deals (KENS), WOAI 4Savers and San Antonio Discount Deals is still another. These purveyors of I have also pinched pennies on markdowns offered half-pricing have successfully driven their “let’s make by the aforementioned Web sites and will eventually 106 On The Town | September-October 2010

dine extremely well at The Vineyards Restaurant, Luce Ristorante e Enoteca, Acenar, Quarry Hofbrau, Sazo’s Latin Grill at Marriott Rivercenter, Auden’s Kitchen, Ounce Steakhouse and Pesca on the River.

point of this article is to depict the large number of noteworthy places available at delicious prices. The upscale dining market is especially competitive at this point in time, a fact that puts scores of frugal foodie possibilities right at your fingertips. Just sign Other quality restaurants which have participated up for the online services I’ve discussed (they’re all with one or more of these deal-maker programs free), then select the offers you prefer. include Roaring Fork, Crumpets Restaurant and Bakery, Tomatillos Café y Cantina, Meson Twenty-five highly respected restaurants have European Dining, Oro Restaurant and Bar at the been mentioned here. The question becomes: Who Emily Morgan Hotel, Coco Chocolate Lounge and is next? Who will join this list tomorrow, the next Bistro, Maggiano’s Little Italy, El Chaparral Mexican day or the next?

Restaurant and The Grill at Leon Springs.

Get dressed up and go out. It’s an affordable I was about to say I’m sorry for listing one restaurant endeavor if you know how to maximize your dining after another, but I won’t do so because the real dollars, and now you do.

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John Besh ..

Brings Luke to the River Walk By 108Janis On TheTurk Town | September-October 2010

Y

ou can almost taste the excitement in the air downtown—and smell the food from the kitchen—as San Antonio welcomes New Orleans celebrity chef John Besh’s restaurant Lüke to the River Walk at the new Embassy Suites Hotel.

Besh is becoming something of a household name with his new TLC channel television food show Inedible to Incredible and his successful family of restaurants, including New Orleans’ Restaurant August, Besh Steak, American Sector, Domenica and Lüke, as well as a Lacombe, La., restaurant La Provence. He’s also appeared on popular food network hits Top Chef and Iron Chef, and though he’s a Louisiana boy, born and bred, he says he always had an affinity for the Alamo City and has long been eager to open a restaurant here.

blessed. When I spoke to him three weeks ago, he was signing his cookbook, My Louisiana, at a Tales of the Cocktail book-signing event at the Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans. He was warm, friendly and self-deprecating, as always, but it’s clear he’s enjoying his success. He’s already looking ahead to the holidays, too, where everyone in the bustling Besh family household has a job to do.

We sat down over bread pudding last winter as he told me stories of holiday meals at his house in Mandeville.

While wife Jenifer is busy making cranberry sauce, John and their four young sons are getting their hands messy making the good stuff —the dressings — up to their elbows in dirty rice, shrimp and mirlitons, crawfish andouille, cornbread and oysters, too—while humming along with a Neville Now San Antonians and Besh don’t have to wait Brothers’ holiday CD. Besh’s mom and younger sister any longer. Lüke opens Oct. 15 at the new Embassy are at work making ambrosia, pies and pralines, Suites Hotel on Houston Street, catter-corner from divinity and other deserts. Even his brother-inthe Majestic Theatre, at River Walk level. Besh also law is pouring over a pot of poule-d’eau gumbo as is scheduled to speak at a symposium on food at dad prepares shrimp rémoulade, crabmeat ragoût 9:30 a.m. Nov. 4 in Jackson Auditorium at Texas and a pâté or two. (It’s a big kitchen). Then Jenifer Lutheran University in Seguin. checks on the two turkeys she and her mother are making because there has to be enough left over Besh’s executive chef from the first Lüke in New tomorrow for turkey gumbo and sandwiches with Orleans, Steven McHugh, moved to downtown cranberry sauce.

San Antonio with his wife this spring to get the restaurant ready for opening this fall. McHugh “It takes a village to do our holiday dinners,” Besh moved here permanently to ensure that he and says with a grin.

Besh’s high standards for great food carry over to their new restaurant on the River Walk. The At Thanksgiving, the family enjoys an enormous cuisine will be German/Alsatian and American in buffet; at Christmas, it’s a seated and plated theme—with bits of Louisiana and Texas thrown celebration with a standing rib roast, bubbling in for good measure. You’ll find the best burger popovers and all the trimmings for 40-plus family and fries in town at Lüke, but you also can order members and friends. And though New Years’ Eve fresh seafood, German fare and fabulous dishes will find Besh at one of his restaurants, two days you can’t find anywhere else but the South. later, he’ll spend his anniversary with the woman he’s known since they lived down the street from Lüke’s vibe is casual and laid back, yet glowing and one another as children in Slidell. gleaming—just picture a happening neighborhood brasserie or bistro—and best of all it will open Besh knows he’s a lucky man. He has a lovely wife, early and close late. You can walk in after a show four healthy young sons and a stellar career as one at the Majestic, as late as 11 p.m., and no one will of America’s most popular, award-winning chefs. look at you like you’re keeping the kitchen open Born in Meridian, Miss., and raised in Slidell, Besh is or that the staff wants to go home. Want lunch at partner and executive chef in six highly successful 3 p.m.? OK. A late dinner after 10 p.m. will be OK, restaurants in New Orleans. Add a hearty helping too. McHugh will be there to ensure the quality is of friends, loyal business partners and staff, a large consistent any time of day. extended family and time to hunt, fish and cook with his kids, and you have the recipe for a pretty Besh is a busy man who considers himself richly sweet life.

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And then there’s the bread pudding. As it’s set before us, Besh tells me it’s his son Brendan’s favorite. “I always relate bread pudding to this time of year when it’s getting cooler outside. It was a warm, wintry dessert when I was growing up, so we make it for our kids now, too,” says Besh, a trim, unassuming guy with golden boy-nextdoor good looks—unassuming, that is, until he flashes what is arguably the most winning smile in the South and blinks disarming, denim-colored eyes. I haven’t even tasted the bread pudding yet, but like most women who have seen him on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America, I could eat Besh up with a spoon. Southern charm, good manners and warm bread pudding still go a long way.

But it’s his food that has made him famous. Named one of the 10 best new chefs in America by Food and Wine in 1999, Besh also won the James Beard Foundation award for best chef in the Southeast in 2006. From his five years in the Navy, to time spent in kitchens of Germany and France, to his debut as a restaurant owner and celebrity chef on the popular Food Network, Besh has earned his stripes. He also has become something of a local hero, helping feed thousands of oil field workers, stranded citizens and folks in need in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The Besh family of restaurants has grown steadily in popularity, too, winning accolades from Conde Nast, Travel and Leisure and The New York Times.

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But more important than being on top in their careers is staying on top of things at home, say John and wife Jenifer, an attorney. Family comes first with four growing boys to feed: sons Brendan, 13; Jack, 8; Luke, 6; and Andrew, 5. “Our families have been friends and neighbors since we were kids, so Jenifer and I are part of this huge Catholic family, and we all get together for holiday meals,” Besh says. “I was exposed to great cooking throughout my childhood. My mother is a phenomenal baker, too. Because of her, we grew up eating great deserts, homemade Southern food and healthful food. Mom was into health food before it was cool.

I didn’t even know what junk food was: I never had a store-bought brownie or cake or cookie, but we did have homemade deserts, so that still plays a huge role in our holiday feasts.”

“I remember the smell of nuts and butter in my grandmother’s kitchen, too, and the sound of bacon cracking and sizzling, and my grandmother talking to her biscuits. ‘Rise, biscuits! Rise!’ she’d

say. She got me jazzed about cooking. She was a passionate cook,” he recalls.

Besh remains fully committed to farm-to-fork style food—using the best local ingredients, in season, whenever possible. “At home, we have blueberry and blackberry bushes and figs growing, and we pick these with our kids on Sundays and bake with them,” says Besh, who feels it’s important that kids see the whole process, as he did when he was a child.

Although Besh admits he doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, one of his favorite recipes came from a friend who gave him a special cake one Christmas—an act that became a tradition year after year. “It was about six or seven years ago when he first left a little note on my doorstep, ‘Bon Noël! Pêre Roux,’ with a jar of preserved figs, blue cheese and crackers, and an amazing cake.

It’s a white cake with a Bananas Foster-type filling slathered between the layers, and then the whole thing is doused with dark rum and coated in Creole cream cheese icing topped with shards of white chocolate. It’s possibly the best desert I’ve ever had. I’ll give you the recipe—it’s in my cookbook, too,” Besh says. And he did. As he says his goodbyes, I am already looking forward to the next time I meet him and the first time I get to dine at Lüke in San Antonio.

NOTE: Meet John Besh in person when he speaks at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 4 in Jackson Auditorium at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. The event is free and open to the public. McHugh and Besh will be at the Oct. 15 opening of Lüke on the River Walk.

For more information, visit chefjohnbesh.com.

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John Besh My New Orleans: The Cookbook Photo by Ditte Isager

Crawfish Boil PoBoy at Lüke Photo by Janis Turk

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Literary Arts

114-120

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Diana Lopez Teacher, Writer, Young Readers’ Novelist Story and Photo 2010

by Jasmina Wellinghoff 114 On The Town | September-October

Book Talk: A

Corpus Christi native, Diana Lopez has always loved stories. As a child, she whispered stories to her younger sister at bedtime. So it was only natural that she would eventually turn to writing them as well.

their writings gave me insight into their voices.

After graduating from St. Mary’s University with a B.A. in English, Lopez taught middle school in San Antonio for nine years, during which she also earned a master’s degree in creative writing from Texas State University.

Her thesis work, a novella titled “Sofia’s Saints,” later was published by Arizona State University’s Bilingual Review Press. More recently, she turned her attention to young readers, which resulted in her second book, “Confetti Girl,” released by Little Brown in 2009.

DL: That’s exactly what it is. It’s a challenge to write from a young person’s perspective because as you grow older you acquire all these other insights that you didn’t have when you were a child. I felt I needed to go back to my childhood setting where I actually experienced the emotions of a young girl. But that still wasn’t doing the trick for me. So I realized that I had to switch from past to present tense. That really helped me get back into a young person’s mindset.

Though she’s been teaching at St. Philip’s College for the past six years, Lopez says she wanted to reach out to young girls like her former pupils. “Confetti Girl” is told from the perspective of a sixth-grader named Lina Flores, who is dealing with growing pains, school issues, friendship and budding romance in addition to the loss of her mother and her father’s sadness. Reviewers have praised the book for its honesty, wit and warmth as well as its portrayal of a Texas Hispanic community and its culture. Spanish dichos (sayings) are sprinkled throughout the text, and cultural icons such as cascarones are woven into the story.

JW: Could you elaborate on that?

This fall Lopez will be moving to Victoria where she will be teaching at the University of Houston – Victoria and participating in the work of Centro Victoria, whose goal is to introduce Mexican-American literature into Texas school curricula.

JW: What made you decide to switch from writing for adults to writing for young readers?

DL: When I taught middle school, one thing I noticed is that the students weren’t always interested in the books I had to teach, so I wanted to write a book that kids like them could relate to. Reading students’ homework and their journals (as a teacher) helped me to get a good sense of what their interests and concerns were, and I wanted to tap into that emotional territory. And most importantly,

JW: You have lived in San Antonio for 22 years, yet you set your book in Corpus. Is it because when you think about childhood, you think of Corpus?

DL: When you write in the present tense, you don’t have the benefit of hindsight because you don’t know what is to happen next. When you write in the past tense, you are looking back, and it was very hard for me to let go of my adult self as I looked back. The present tense helped me shed everything I’ve learned since I was, say, 13 years old.

I also think that it gave the book immediacy as things are happening as you are reading about them.

JW: What other adjustments did you have to make?

DL: When I decided to write for young readers, I had to learn the conventions of writing for that age group. Scenes have to move a little faster, there should be a little more white space on the page…

The vocabulary was especially hard because I didn’t want to patronize the young people but I also had to get in touch with the way they actually speak and the level of vocabulary they have. It was also a challenge to know how subtle or how obvious to be with some of the plot points and some of the symbols. Luckily, I worked with an editor at Little Brown who was excellent at picking out the places that needed fixing in that regard, and she was also great at recognizing when the adult voice crept in.

So, yeah, it was a learning process for me.

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JW: Cascarones are prominently featured throughout be wasting your time. This past May, I had the chance the book. Are they there simply as an element of to return to that same conference in Albuquerque as a Mexican-American culture or is there more to it? success story. It was very satisfying.

DL: At first it was a setting detail (to describe the atmosphere in a character’s home) but as I continued to write and learn more about cascarones they became a symbol. That’s why I named the book “The Confetti Girl,” to bring out the symbolism of the confetti and the joy that you get from that activity of breaking something to reach the beauty that’s locked inside. (At readings, Lopez loves sharing the cascarones tradition with people who don’t know what they are. Kids love it.)

JW: Is it easier to find a publisher for young readers’ literature than for adult fiction?

DL: Yes, there’s a bigger market for young fiction.

In fact, publishers and booksellers are so hungry for young readers’ books. I have also noticed that when I do readings a lot of adults will buy several copies to give to their grandchildren or as presents to friends’ kids. People are more likely to buy for a child than for an adult. And then if you can get the librarians and the schools behind it, there’s definitely a good market.

JW: In the acknowledgements, you thank a group of fellow writers with whom you have been meeting on a regular basis. How important is it to have that kind of JW: When you encounter your readers at readings and support? school workshops, what are some of the messages you want to impart to them?

DL: My group Daedalus (that includes five other San Antonio writers) has been meeting once a month for DL: A lot of them tell me they want to write but they don’t about five years. So they saw and critiqued most of have any interesting stories to tell. What I want them to “Confetti Girl,” except the last couple of chapters. I think walk away with when I visit them is the understanding it’s important for a writer to get feedback from others who that just being alive is a story to tell. They may not think are outside of the story and who don’t have the emotional that their experience is interesting because it is part of investment in it that you have. The other thing I found their everyday life but it’s a mystery to someone else. useful was simply knowing that I had to turn in some new The reason we love literature is because it gives us the pages, having that deadline. Not wanting to disappoint opportunity to live so many different lives and see so them, kept me writing. It’s a wonderful support system. many different points of view.

JW: “Confetti Girl” is your debut novel for young readers.

How did you go about finding a publisher?

JW: Do you plan to continue writing for middleschoolers?

DL: The job of a writer has three parts – writing, publishing and marketing. You have to learn the business DL: Yes. I am finishing my next book for the same age side of writing, and I have learned a few things along group. It’s called “Breath Sisters” right now although that the way. My first book was published by a university may not be the final title. It’s about the choking game. press and my second one by a New York publisher. With My former students would engage in this horrible game university presses you don’t need an agent; you can without realizing the danger. I wanted to write a book submit yourself. The big New York publishers, however, that’s kind of a cautionary tale about the choking game won’t even look at your work unless it comes to them but also one that explores the motivations for doing risky through an agent. Finding an agent that shares your things. Why do good kids do this type of thing? It’s been vision can be a challenge but luckily there are many a challenging subject to write about because I need to ways to go about it. I think the best avenue is to attend show the appeal (of engaging in dangerous behavior) a writers’ conference. without glamorizing it. I don’t want to write a preachy book, so that’s the challenge.

The one I went to was the Latino Writers Conference in Albuquerque where I met my future agent face to face. I gave her two chapters of “Confetti Girl” to read, and she was very encouraging (and later agreed to represent Lopez). So my advice is: Do some research before going Lopez’s comments have been edited slightly for space to a conference to make sure that agents representing and clarity. “Confetti Girl” is available wherever books your genre of literature will be there. Otherwise you’ll are sold. The paperback version came out in May 2010.

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Book and Author Luncheon Features Alton Brown

By Claudia Maceo-Sharp

N

ow in its 19th year, the annual San Antonio Express-News Book and Author Luncheon, whose proceeds benefit the Cancer Therapy and Treatment Center’s Phase I Clinical Research Program, is set for Oct. 18 in the ballroom of Marriott Rivercenter.

is chock-full of behind-the-scenes photographs and trivia, science-of-food information, cooking tips, and — of course — recipes, according to the publisher.

The eclectic nature of this year’s menu of authors parallels the diversity of San Antonio. Currently residing in San Antonio, Leila Meacham complements Brown In recent years, this premier literary event, organized at the table. Her book, Roses, is a multigenerational by committees of volunteers, raises on the average novel many have compared to Gone With the Wind, $200,000 for important cancer research. Steve set in Texas during a slightly later era. For guests’ Bennett, Express-News book editor, once again dining pleasure, native San Antonian John Phillip has lined up a delectable group of authors in an Santos shares his second memoir, The Farthest Home assortment of genres to appeal to the discriminating Is in an Empire of Fire, published this spring. Plan to palates of San Antonians, many returning year after be surprised by Frank Deford. While he may well be year. Attendees will once again be in the capable recognized as a successful sportswriter, Publisher’s and entertaining hands of maitre d’ Colleen Grissom. Weekly calls his latest publication, Bliss Remembered, Highly recommended, the entre du jour is Alton a poignant historical romance. New Yorker travel Brown of Food Network fame. Those familiar with his writer Ian Frazier provides the exotic flare with his book Good Eats: The Early Years, will be delighted to travel tales of Siberia. Finally, when you thought all see that Good Eats 2: The Middle Years, published by are sated and ready for a nap, there’s always room Abrams, debuts in October. for Bonny Becker’s fresh fare, Bedtime for Bear. After which, what more could one want than to curl up The sequel picks up where the bestselling first volume with a good book and then nap. left off. Showcasing everything Brown fans (and they are legion) have ever wanted to know about For more information, visit Cancer Therapy and his award-winning television show, The Middle Years Treatment Center’s Web site at ctrc.net.

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Eclectics 122-136

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Ben Brewer Heading up Downtown Alliance and Centro San Antonio

By Angela Rabke Photography Greg Harrison

T

he Downtown Alliance offices are nestled into the fabric of Houston Street—well, technically, they are under Houston Street, but a well-placed atrium fills the space with light, and there is an optimistic sort of energy in the old Maverick Building. It’s appropriate that this organization, dedicated “to making downtown San Antonio a better place to live, work, eat and play,” is located in the first significant restoration on Houston Street. Built in 1876, it was the first Houston street building to be restored due to revitalization efforts in the 1980s.

Leading the revitalization cause is San Antonio’s longtime champion for upward and inward growth, Ben Brewer. Brewer started the Downtown Alliance in 1994.

“Live” is a key word in the stated mission of Downtown Alliance. Downtown San Antonio has always been a draw for tourists—the River Walk, the missions and the Alamo always have been popular destinations, and as a result, the Alamo City is the No. 1 destination in Texas, with 20 million visitors per year, most of them recreational.

The real challenge, Brewer said, is getting people who already live in San Antonio to spend time downtown.

“City centers define communities, and that is why it is so important to do what we do. A lot of people have lost touch with downtown, and it has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Or maybe they only come downtown once a year for Fiesta, which is a lot of fun, but they might get frustrated about parking or crowds, and miss out on what this area offers the rest of the year.”

“My training as an architect is where the passion started,” he said. “I love urban areas. That wonderful mix when Keeping these folks, as well as tourists, in mind, the you combine the buildings and people is what truly alliance recently began the Downtown app for smart defines a city.” phones. Launched in July, the app already has had well over a quarter-million hits. The application, which His passion for downtown improvement also led to the is populated with information from the Downtown creation of Centro San Antonio, a partner organization Alliance Web site, is a first for a downtown organization. that supports the Downtown Alliance with three “Basically, it is a mobile Web site,” Brewer said. “You programs: Ambassador Amigos, Maintenance Amigos can type in a restaurant, and it will give you walking and Streetscaping Amigos. The group provides services directions and tell you where to park. It’s particularly and improvements as a supplement to those provided helpful for people that aren’t familiar with downtown.” by the city of San Antonio. From the inception, Brewer and his organizations have concentrated on making the The thoughtful use of technology fits nicely into Brewer’s downtown area (extending from the Pearl complex to progressive perspective on growth; he spends a lot Blue Star to the UTSA Downtown Campus) the very best of time thinking about creating a San Antonio that is place to live and play in San Antonio. relevant for younger generations, like Millennials. “This September-October 2010 | On The Town 123

generation has always been wired, so the Downtown app is natural for them. But beyond technology, this generation is concerned about their environment, and the goal is to create a really great, relevant environment for them.” Because this generation is drawn to urban living, many projects that are in the works enhance the livability of downtown.

One such project is the establishment of a street car program. While street cars would be new to San Antonio, many cities utilize them for transportation, and Brewer has toured many operations around to country as part of San Antonio’s planning team. Local streetcars would serve River North and connect through Southtown to Pearl, and also would serve an east/west alignment from UTSA to St. Paul’s Square, making it easier to navigate downtown without hassling with a car. It’s one of many projects in the works for what Mayor Julian Castro has dubbed the “Decade of Downtown.”

During the interview, Brewer mentioned several other significant projects: a new federal courthouse; a new downtown emergency services center combining fire, police and EMS; a new home for the UTSA School of Architecture in the vicinity of the downtown campus, and a new Municipal Complex near the existing City Hall.

Reflecting on the “Millennials,” Brewer also discussed the need for affordable residential space downtown.

“The master plan we are working on envisions 4,000 to 6,000 units of affordable housing, resembling the Pearl District in Portland,” he said. Additionally, the Pearl complex soon will offer more residential space.

Providing residential space is critical to the maintenance of a vibrant downtown, he said.

All of these efforts will be defined largely by a visioning process called “San Antonio 2020.” The results of this process will serve as a roadmap for downtown, defining its future direction. Given the scope of the projects, strong partnerships are in order, and Brewer said he believes those relationships are in place.

“There is a great dynamic right now with our mayor and the city manager -- both are very passionate about downtown,” Brewer said. “This plan will provide great focus for downtown.” Solidifying the partnership is a new umbrella organization, the Centro Partnership, which will provide a public/private partnership to guide and shepherd growth and development of the center city.

To learn more about the Downtown Alliance or Centro San Antonio, visit www.downtownsanantonio.org.

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Fall Art Festivals

By Linsey Whitehead

I

t’s Fall again, which means cool, crisp air, falling leaves and Fall Art Festivals, an annual event celebrating the rich culture of San Antonio. Fall Art Festivals offers many wonderful opportunities to sample the rich and diverse cultural life that drives the heartbeat of this colorful city. Visitors can find everything from photography in galleries and jazz music in the park to accordions on the river, parading calaveras and a mariachi extravaganza.

Most of these festivals began as grassroots efforts and expressions by individual artists and organizations. They now define the creative, artistic and cultural character of San Antonio.

and in the festival’s web galleries. All exhibits are free and open to the public. For more information please visit the festival’s web site, www.safotofestival.com.

Jazz’SAlive

September 18-19, Travis Park

Jazz’SAlive presents the best local, regional, national and international jazz musicians in a two-day outdoor festival in San Antonio’s beautiful Travis Park. Local acts perform in the afternoon, and national artists are showcased in the evening. Jazz’SAlive also hosts the Starlight Salute Gala and the Jazz’SAlive Champagne Brunch, both at Fall Art Festivals is coordinated by the City of San Antonio the historic St. Anthony Hotel, by the park. Jazz’SAlive is Office of Cultural Affairs. Most events are free and open organized by the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio to the public. Visit the Fall Art Festivals web site at www. Parks Foundation. All concerts are free and open to the fallartfestivals.com for more information. public. For more information please visit the web site at www.saparksfoundation.org.

FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA

September 1-30, Citywide This annual international photography festival is a unique, eclectic, month-long celebration of the photographic arts. Dozens of exhibits showing traditional photographs, digital images, photography based works, photographic installations, funky camera, and alternative processes, are presented in galleries, museums, art centers and other exhibition spaces in San Antonio, the Texas Hill Country, 126 On The Town | September-October 2010

International Accordion Festival

October 15-17, La Villita

The International Accordion Festival presents richly diverse squeezebox-driven musical traditions from all over the world. The festival also organizes workshops by master accordionists, dance instructors and accordion makers. Open-mike sessions, food booths, and plenty of dancing space make the accordion festival a wonderful

s in San Antonio opportunity for visitors to interact with these vibrant musical traditions. The International Accordion Festival is a free two-day outdoor festival, open to the public.

For more information please visit the festival’s web site, www.internationalaccordionfestival.org.

Día de los Muertos

November 2, Citywide

Día de Los Muertos is a colorful flurry of traditional and contemporary festivities that celebrate ancestral remembrance and harvest season rituals from Central Mexico’s indigenous cultures. Observed on November 2 and during most of the month; exhibits and events that include altars, ofrendas, calaveras, flores, pan de muerto, chocolate, visual arts, poetry and music are presented throughout the city. The festival is a mainstay of San Antonio’s folklore and a vivid expression of its cultural heritage. Exhibits and events are free and open to the public. For more information please visit the festival’s web site, www.sacalaveras.com.

Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza

November 28 - December 5, Citywide

and longest running Latin music event of its kind in Texas. Included is a mariachi-inspired art exhibit, student mariachi serenades on the River Walk, workshops, mariachi group and vocal competitions and a concert featuring the world renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan. For more information please visit the festival’s web site, www.mariachimusic.com.

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Page 127 (L-R)

Hombre al Agua No Escape: Photographs of the Brothers Montiel Klint Photo by Gerardo Montiel Klint FotoSeptiembre USA Exhibit at San Antonio Musuem of Art

International Accordion Festival Photo by Douglas Manger Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan Courtesy Cynthia Munoz www.mariachimusic.com

The Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza music festival attracts Dia de los Muertos thousands of fans to the Alamo City for what is the largest Courtesy City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs September-October 2010 | On The Town 127

King Huevo Santiago Garcia and Queen Huevo Megan Kromer

¡Viva Huevolution!

San Anto Cultural Arts’ Huevos Rancheros Gala and Silent Art Auction

By Melinda Higgins

128 On The Town | September-October 2010

S

omething different happens on the West Side the first Saturday in October: hundreds of people descend on the Plaza Guadalupe to buy local art, pay homage to King and Queen Huevo, feast on Huevos Rancheros, and participate in community and economic development by reinvesting in and celebrating the cultura y vida of the West Side. In short, they participate in a Huevolution.

That’s what San Anto Cultural Arts’ (SACA) annual Huevos Rancheros Gala and Silent Art Auction brings to anyone who attends the event—a full-out Huevolution. SACA always has challenged individuals from other parts of San Antonio to take a closer look at the West Side and see it for its true beauty and dignity -- a community that values family and a neighborhood that is decorated by murals, churches, creeks and landmarks. SACA’s Huevos Rancheros Gala celebrates the deep, rich traditions of the West Side and invites people from all over to share in the

festivities and be a part of the area’s reinvestment.

Most of all, the Huevos Rancheros Gala is fun.

This parody on the traditional fundraising gala is fun for people of all ages and backgrounds, and the festivities Oct. 2 will be no exception: breakfast will be catered by Estela’s Mexican Restaurant, DJ JJ Lopez will be spinning hits alongside other great San Antonio musicians, and King Huevo Santiago Garcia (arts and West Side advocate and poet) and Queen Huevo Megan Kromer (nonprofit advocate and arts supporter) will reign over the day.

The gala runs from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 2 at Plaza Guadalupe, 1327 Guadalupe St. Admission is by donation because SACA is committed to having individuals of all fintancial means be able to attend.

For more information, contact SACA at 210-226-7466. ¡Viva Huevolution!

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Artistic Destination:

130 On The Town | September-October 2010

Art Is The New Cool in New Braunfels

By Julie Catalano

TT

hink New Braunfels, and no doubt your thoughts turn to water, water everywhere: picturesque Landa Park with its spring-fed swimming pool, top-rated Schlitterbahn water park, and fond memories of floating down the Guadalupe River in an inner tube with an ice chest filled with frosty beverages bobbing by your side.

All very cool things indeed, but there’s another side to this small Texas town that has nothing to do with getting soaking wet. Founded in 1845 by German settlers, New Braunfels boasts an equally refreshing, eclectic blend of visual and performing arts, great museums and historic districts just 20 miles northeast of San Antonio.

example, celebrating its 10th anniversary season this year.

“We’re a well-kept secret,” says Janet Allen, artistic director of the 578-seat historic structure that brings in professional touring groups about eight to 10 times a year. “It’s truly a step back in time once you walk in the doors because we still have the original theater seats.”

In 2000, the theater underwent an approximate $1.5 million interior renovation, but “We’ve tried to keep everything on the outside looking exactly like it did in 1942,” Allen says.

The 2010-11 season kicks off Sept. 11 with “Vox Take the BraunTex Performing Arts Theatre, for Audio,” and on Oct. 9 and 17, former Seinfeld writer September-October 2010 | On The Town 131

Pat Hazell presents his one-man comedy, “The Wonder Bread Years.”

The theater has helped to breathe new life into the downtown historic district, Allen says, along with the addition of restaurants such as Myron’s Prime Steakhouse, Huisache Grill and Wine Bar, Friesenhaus, and the brand-new 2Tarts Bakery and Catering. “Before now, the streets pretty well curled up at night. Downtown New Braunfels is starting to get a different face.”

Food – sausage, to be exact – is the centerpiece of the venerable Wurstfest (wurstfest.com) celebrating its 50th anniversary this year from Oct. 29-Nov. 7. But art is also taking center stage with a commissioned mural by artist Brent McCarthy that covers the north end of the Wursthalle.

“We’re having some very special guests from Germany this year,” says director of Wurst relations Herb Skoog, including Johannas von OppersdorffSolms-Braunfels, a descendant of Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, the founder of New Braunfels.

Fan favorite Freiwillige Feuerwehr Bonbaden, a volunteer fire department band from Germany, will be performing most days of Wurstfest, Skoog says.

It’s not all oompah bands and lederhosen on the music scene in New Braunfels – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Some of the best country music this side of Nashville can be heard booming out of the oldest dance hall in Texas in the Gruene Historic District. Who has played the legendary Gruene Hall? Who hasn’t? Everybody from the homegrown Wimberley Volunteer Fireants to superstars such as Jerry Lee Lewis, the Dixie Chicks, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Leon Russell, whose “Last Intimate Performance Tour” is set for Sept. 10. A complete performance calendar can be found at gruenehall.com.

For a more sedate artistic experience, the New Braunfels Art League (newbraunfelsartleague.com) offers classes and workshops in watercolor, oil, acrylics, pastel and more, in a beautiful 1913 historic home.

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“Classes are for all ages and all abilities, from children to adults, and beginner to accomplished artist,” says president Kathy Perales. One of the highlights of NBAL is the 45th annual ARToberfest Oct. 3-Nov.

10, a juried, regional, all-media fine art show that expects about 60 participants this year. “It’s open to everyone,” Perales says. Submission guidelines are at newbraunfelsartleague.com.

For a relatively small town (population 51,800), New Braunfels is awash in museums – about a dozen of them. The Sophienburg museum (sophienburg.com) takes visitors through a cultural and historical journey of New Braunfels’ beginnings. The Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture is located in Heritage Village, a collection of historic structures relocated to an 11.5acre site (nbheritagevillage.com). The New Braunfels Railroad Museum (newbraunfelsrailroadmuseum. org) is dedicated to the preservation of railroad artifacts and education.

Even heavy metal has a different meaning in New Braunfels. On Sept. 11-12, the seventh annual Texas Metal Arts Festival brings together 40 Texas artists including goldsmiths, tinsmiths, silversmiths, blacksmiths and sculptors in ongoing demonstrations of skills, tricks and techniques in transforming raw metal into fine art, jewelry, folk art and sculptures (texasmetalarts.com). The “Red Hot ‘n’ Hammered” weekend will feature red hot licks from the E Flat Porch Band and Friends. Very cool.

For more information, visit newbraunfels.com.

Photo Credits: Page 130 Band shell and fountain In the circle Photo by John Mohar Page 131 Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre Courtesy Janet Allen

(Below) Comal County Courthouse On Main Plaza Photo Courtesy New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce Page 133

Page 132

(Above) Gruene Water Tower Photo Courtesy New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce

(Above) Mathis Family at Wurstfest Photo Courtesy New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce

(Below) On stage at Gruene Hall Photo Courtesy New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce

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