TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS
2018 –19 SEASON
Dear Donors, Subscribers, and Guests, Welcome to another exciting new season, our 10th since the renovation of Bass Concert Hall and changing our name to Texas Performing Arts. We are proud to present Austin’s most diverse and prestigious live performance experience! From music to dance, theater to touring concerts and Broadway shows, TPA has something for everyone. Not to mention, a variety of community events that enrich the performance experience for our campus and community audiences. Our 2018–19 Lexus Broadway in Austin season offers a fabulous seven-show lineup of new titles and classic revivals, including the muchanticipated Austin premiere of Hamilton! 4
TPA offers 3, 4, and 5-show Essential Series subscriptions, with substantial ticket discounts; and, you may choose one Broadway show! Please note: 2018–19 Lexus Broadway in Austin season subscriptions have reached an all-time high, severely limiting the number of single tickets available for purchase to add onto your 2018–19 Essential Series subscription. Addons are limited to Wednesday night shows; Hamilton is not available. Please consider adding a Texas Inner Circle membership or Student Ticket Fund donation to your season subscription. Membership donations from TPA patrons like you support $10 student tickets, paid student employment for 75 UT students, and free Youth Performances for area schools. Thank you for your continued support of Texas Performing Arts. I look forward to seeing you at a 2018–19 performance! Warmest regards,
Kathy Panoff Director and Associate Dean
Photo by Lawrence Peart
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2018–19 Calendar 6
The Essential Series SEP Voca People Sep 12 | BCH | p. 8
Jordi Savall The Routes of Slavery Nov 8 | BCH | p. 22
Songs of Freedom Feb 8 | MCT | p. 36
Reduced Shakespeare Company Sep 14 | MCT | p. 10
Pavel Urkiza & CongrÍ Ensemble Nov 9 | MCT | p. 24
Fred Hersch Trio Sep 21 | MCT | p. 12
C!RCA Humans Nov 13 | BCH | p. 26
A Thousand Thoughts Kronos Quartet and Sam Green Mar 27 | BCH | p. 38
Taylor Mac Sep 28 | MCT | p. 14
The Merchant of Venice* Nov 14–Dec 2 | OBT | p. 28
OCT Yekwon Sunwoo, piano Oct 5 | BRH | p. 16 Ragamala Dance Company Written in Water Oct 18 | BCH | p. 18
NOV Blackstar An Orchestral Tribute to David Bowie Nov 1 | BCH | p. 20 BCH Bass Concert Hall
Private Peaceful Nov 16 | MCT | p. 30
JAN
MAR
Teatro Línea de Sombra Amarillo Mar 29 | MCT | p. 40
APR Terence Blanchard and Rennie Harris Caravan Apr 11 | BCH | p. 42
Dorrance Dance ETM: Double Down Jan 30 | BCH | p. 32
The University of Texas Jazz Orchestra with Joe Lovano Apr 13 | BRH | p. 44
FEB
Trey McLaughlin & The Sounds of Zamar Apr 26 | BCH | p. 46
Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet Feb 5 | MCT | p. 34 MCT McCullough Theatre
BRH Bates Recital Hall
OBT Oscar G. Brockett Theatre
Subscription Information p. 58
3-Show Subscription
30/
$
per
ESSENTIAL SERIES TICKET
OCT The Play That Goes Wrong Oct 23–28 | BCH | p. 48
NOV Love Never Dies Nov 27–Dec 2 | BCH | p. 49
JAN 4-Show Subscription
27/
$
per
ESSENTIAL SERIES TICKET
Waitress Jan 22–27 | BCH | p. 49
FEB Anastasia Feb 12–17 | BCH | p. 50
APR Fiddler on the Roof Apr 2–7 | BCH | p. 50
5-Show Subscription
25/
Photo by Ali Cameron
$
MAY Cats May 7–12 | BCH | p. 51
per
ESSENTIAL SERIES TICKET
*A Texas Theatre and Dance production. Subscriber pricing not available.
Hamilton May 28–Jun 16 | BCH | p. 51
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Lexus Broadway in Austin Series
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
Voca People won the 2012 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Alternative Theatrical Experience.
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Sep 12 Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
Voca People
Photo by Kfir Bolotin
Voca People is a thrilling and original musical adventure unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Full of energy and bursting with comedy and fun, this international hit features more than 80 all-time favorite hits from Madonna, Michael Jackson, and even Mozart. No instruments, no sound effects—just eight incredible, talented singer-comedians.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
A Cappella, Beatbox, Comedy, Voice, Israel
“The harmonies are otherworldly!” —Time Out New York
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The Voca People are friendly aliens from the planet Voca, somewhere behind the sun... where all communication is made with music and vocal expressions. After a yearlong run Off-Broadway and successful world tours since 2009, Voca People will make their much-anticipated Austin debut at Bass Concert Hall!
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
In the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game, Adam Long, Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor each have a Bacon Factor of one because they performed voices in Balto, the title role of which was played by Kevin Bacon.
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Sep 14 McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Reduced Shakespeare Company
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]
Photo by Jeff Thomas
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] is the original and timeless classic from the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Experience all 37 plays in 97 minutes! This is an irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s plays. It was London’s longest-running comedy, playing nine years in the West End at the Criterion
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
“Breathlessly irreverent and pun-filled romp.” —Washington Post Theatre. The show has been seen at the Kennedy Center, Off-Broadway, and from sea to shining sea. Join these madcap men in tights as they weave their wicked way through all of Shakespeare’s comedies, histories, and tragedies in one wild and memorable ride that leaves audiences breathless and helpless with laughter. In the spirit of Shakespeare himself, RSC shows contain some occasional bawdy language and mild innuendo. All children (and parents) are different, so RSC has chosen to rate this show PG-13: Pretty Good If You’re Thirteen.
TAGS
Shakespeare, Comedy, Theater, Three-Man Troupe
Presented in partnership with Texas Theatre and Dance.
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Since its pass-the-hat origins in 1981, the Reduced Shakespeare Company has created ten world-renowned stage shows, two television specials, several failed TV pilots, and numerous radio pieces, all of which have been performed, seen, and heard the world over.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
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In 2006, Fred Hersch became the first person in NY’s Village Vanguard’s 75-year history to play a weeklong engagement as a solo pianist.
Sep 21 McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Fred Hersch Trio
—The New York Times
A select member of jazz’s piano pantheon, Fred Hersch is an influential creative force who has shaped the music’s course over more than three decades as an improviser, composer, educator, bandleader, collaborator, and recording artist.
Photo by Mark Niskanen
A ten-time Grammy Award nominee, Hersch has collaborated with an
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Hersch’s 2016 release, Sunday Night at the Vanguard, was nominated for two 2017 Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo, and is a definitive statement by his longrunning trio with bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson. This performance is certain to be an exquisite evening of jazz in the intimate confines of McCullough Theatre!
Jazz, Piano, Bass, Drums
Presented in partnership with the Butler School of Music and KUTX’s Sunday Morning Jazz with Jay Trachtenberg.
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astonishing range of artists throughout the worlds of jazz (Joe Henderson, Charlie Haden, Art Farmer, Stan Getz, Bill Frisell); classical (Renée Fleming, Dawn Upshaw, Christopher O’Riley); and Broadway (Audra McDonald).
“…a pianist, composer and conceptualist of rare imaginative power.”
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES Mac’s work, A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, was a 2017 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama.
Photo by Little Fang Photography
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Sep 28 McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Taylor Mac
A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (Abridged) Playwright, actor, singer-songwriter, performance artist, director, producer, and “Critical darling of the New York Scene” (New York Magazine), Taylor Mac has performed in hundreds of venues across the globe. Named “one of the most exciting theater artists of our time” by Time Out New York, Mac creates extravagant performance events that provoke and embrace diverse audiences. Join Mac as he escorts you through an abridged version of his epic piece that was originally performed as a one-time 24-hour event and was recognized on The New York Times 2016 lists of Best Performances, Best Theater, and Best Music. A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (Abridged) interprets the social history of the United States—all 240 years and counting—through popular songs ranging from murder ballads to disco, Walt Whitman to David Bowie, and beyond. The show is a dazzling experience that reflects our nation’s diverse and sometimes dysfunctional story so as to bolster a uniquely American sense of possibility.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Performance Art, Actor, Vocalist, Playwright, Cabaret, Pop Music, Musical Theater
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“Mr. Mac gave me one of the great experiences of my life.” —The New York Times
Presented in partnership with KLRU-TV.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
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“He possesses the uncanny ability to maintain soaring lyricism, holding counterpoint and accompaniment in an exquisite balance, laying them out clearly using welldifferentiated tones and colors.” —San Francisco Classical Voice
Oct 5 Bates Recital Hall 7 pm
A self-proclaimed foodie, Yekwon Sunwoo enjoys finding pho in each city he visits and takes pride in his own homemade Korean soups.
Yekwon Sunwoo, piano
2017 Cliburn Gold Medalist
Photo by Jeremy Enlow
Gold medalist of the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, 28-year-old pianist Yekwon Sunwoo has been hailed for “his total command over the instrument and its expressiveness” (San Francisco Examiner). The first Korean to win Cliburn gold, Mr. Sunwoo is a powerful and virtuosic performer, who in his own words, “strives to reach for the truth and pure beauty in music,” which he hopes to convey to audiences. Born in Anyang, South Korea, Sunwoo studied at the Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, and received his artist diploma at the Mannes School of Music under Richard Goode.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Piano, Recital, Solo, South Korea
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Presented in partnership with the Piano Studio of Anton Nel at the Butler School of Music and KMFA-FM.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
The company is currently under the direction of its co-founder Ranee Ramaswamy and her daughter Aparna, who is a firstgeneration IndianAmerican artist.
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—Tallahassee Democrat
Photo by Bruce W. Palmer
“The work’s power and the company’s artistry created a lexicon of sound, vision and movement that allowed each audience member to project their own story onto the stage.”
Oct 18
Ragamala Dance Company
Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
Written in Water
Conceived and choreographed by Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy Featuring original musical compositions by Amir ElSaffar and Prema Ramamurthy
Inspired by the second century Indian board game, Paramapadham (the precursor to Snakes and Ladders) and the 12th century Sufi poem, “A Conference of Birds,” Written in Water explores parallels between ecstasy and longing in Hindu and Sufi thought. With original artwork and a score by composer Amir ElSaffar, Written in Water brings together internationally celebrated artists and features a live music ensemble with a unique alchemy of Iraqi, jazz, and Carnatic instruments.
Presented in partnership with The University of Texas South Asia Institute and KUT-FM.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Dance, India, Indian-American, Bharatanatyam, Expression, Intercultural
This performance is made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
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Minneapolis-based Ragamala Dance Company “is providing some of the most transcendent experiences that dance has to offer,” (The New York Times) and have created a genre of performance that brings together a contemporary Western aesthetic with an Indian ethos. Sharing the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam with audiences for over 25 years, Ragamala brings their multidisciplinary work Written in Water to the Bass Concert Hall stage.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
Evan Ziporyn, who spearheaded this project, is a Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Music at MIT. He also serves as Chair of Music and Theater Arts, and in 2012 was appointed inaugural Director of MIT’s Center for Art, Science & Technology.
“Friday’s sold-out recasting of Bowie’s swan song as an extended orchestral piece…was in its way more faithful to his intentions than a straightforward duplication of the record.” —The Boston Globe
Photos by ioulex, Christine Southworth
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Nov 1 Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
Ambient Orchestra Conducted by
Evan Ziporyn Featuring
Maya Beiser, cello
Blackstar
An Orchestral Tribute to David Bowie Israeli-born cellist Maya Beiser has captivated audiences worldwide with her virtuosity, eclectic repertoire, and relentless quest to redefine her instrument’s boundaries. The Boston Globe declares, “With virtuoso chops, rock-star charisma, and an appetite for pushing her instrument to the edge of avantgarde adventurousness, Maya Beiser is the post-modern diva of the cello,” while Rolling Stone calls her a “cello rock star.”
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Photo by ioulex
For this performance, Beiser joins composer and conductor Evan Ziporyn and a 28-piece orchestra for a performance of Ziporyn’s arrangement of David Bowie’s entire last album Blackstar.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Orchestra, Cello, David Bowie, Music, Icon
Presented in partnership with the Butler School of Music and KMFA-FM.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
“Jordi Savall testifies to a common cultural inheritance of infinite variety. He is a man for our time.” —The Guardian (UK)
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In 2008 Jordi Savall was appointed European Union Ambassador for intercultural dialogue and was named “Artist for Peace” under the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors program.
Nov 8 Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
Jordi Savall
The Routes of Slavery 23
Performed by Savall and a large ensemble of guest performers, including Grammy Award-winning gospel group The Fairfield Four, this ‘musical memoir’ is accompanied with historical texts on slavery, beginning with the early chronicles of 1444 and concluding with texts written by Nobel Peace Prize-winner Martin Luther King, Jr. shortly before his assassination in 1968.
Photo by Teresa Llordes
This unique performance explores the history and music from the three continents involved in the trade in African slaves and their exploitation in the New World. They are brought together through the early music of the colonial period, the musical traditions of Mali, and the oral traditions of the descendants of slaves in Madagascar, Brazil,
Colombia, and Mexico. From the musical traditions of medieval Europe to negro spirituals, Savall sheds light on one of human history’s most painful chapters.
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Renowned early music interpreter and performer Jordi Savall returns to TPA with the Austin premiere of his new multicultural program, The Routes of Slavery.
Presented in partnership with the Butler School of Music and KAZI-FM.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Music, History, Multicultural, Early Music, World Music
This performance is made possible in part by the Topfer Endowment for Performing Arts Production.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
“Pavel Urkiza has mapped an intricate musical network that spreads from the Middle East to Spain to Africa to Cuba and Latin America.” —Miami Herald
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Urkiza was born to Cuban parents on an educational mission in the Soviet Union in 1963 and raised by relatives in Havana.
Nov 9 McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Pavel Urkiza & Congrí Ensemble
The Root of the Root Cuban guitarist and composer Pavel Urkiza leads his Congrí Ensemble through an evening of skillfully interpreted classic Cuban songs composed between 1851 and 1941. The Root of the Root is an exploration of the ancestral connections of music with songs that are part of Latin American popular heritage, learned and transmitted from generation to generation. Presented in a chamber format and accompanied by visuals from the era and historical narration, the pieces are performed on period acoustic instruments such as the romantic guitar, the mutto cornet, baroque flutes, and upright bass.
Photo by David Arenal
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TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Guitar, Cuba, World Music, Multimedia
Presented in partnership with the Ethnomusicology Department at the Butler School of Music and KUTX’s Horizontes.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
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Circa’s artistic director, Yaron Lifschitz, is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where he was the youngest director ever accepted into its prestigious graduate director’s course.
Nov 13 Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
“Courageous, ground-breaking, risk-taking—these are artist/athletes of the highest order.” —ArtsHub, Australia
C!RCA
Yaron Lifschitz, Artistic Director
Humans
Photo by Sarah Walker
Exploring the physical limits of their bodies as they are pushed to the extreme, they question how much we can take as humans. How much weight can we carry? Who can we trust to support our load? With incredible strength and integrity, they connect each moment seamlessly with the next in a thrilling and heart-stopping performance.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Circus Ensemble, Acrobats, Pushing Limits, Strength, Australia
This performance is made possible in part by the Topfer Endowment for Performing Arts Production.
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By popular demand, Australia’s award-winning contemporary circus ensemble, Circa, returns to Bass Concert Hall with a new program. Ten acrobats take us on a stirring journey of what it means to be human and how our bodies, our connections, and our aspirations all form part of who we are.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
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“Thou call’dst me dog before thou hadst a cause; But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs.” —Shylock, The Merchant of Venice
Nov 14–Dec 2 Oscar G. Brockett Theatre
Texas Theatre and Dance Presents
The Merchant of Venice
By William Shakespeare Directed by Adam L. Sussman
of Venice tackles, head-on, the topics of anti-Semitism, misogyny and homophobia in society.
TICKETS Full Price $26* Subscriber pricing not available for this performance
TAGS
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A businesswoman, hated for being Jewish, tries to break into the clique of rich men that runs Venice. A wealthy merchant seeks to buy the love of a young man. A sheltered heiress attempts to escape her dead father's will. One of Shakespeare's most controversial and misunderstood plays, this production of The Merchant
Photo by Lawrence Peart
Part scathing social satire, part romantic comedy, part revenge thriller, The Merchant of Venice defies expectations and asks us to examine what hatred we hold in our hearts.
Shakespeare, All That Glitters, UT Students, Classics Made New, Pound Of Flesh
Presented in partnership with Texas Theatre and Dance.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
Private Peaceful is based on the book by Michael Morpurgo, who also wrote War Horse and over 100 books for children.
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Nov 16 McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Verdant Productions & Pemberley Production Present
Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo Directed and Adapted for Stage by Simon Reade
Following the worldwide success of Michael Morpurgo’s best-selling book, film, and stage play, War Horse, Simon Reade adapted this stage version of Morpurgo’s award-winning book, Private Peaceful.
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“Heart-warming, as well as wrenching. A timely reminder of the heroic sacrifices that were made by those involved in the conflict.” —Edinburgh Evening News
Photos by Tom Lawlor
This riveting one-man play relives the life of Private Tommo Peaceful, a young soldier awaiting the firing squad at dawn. During the
night, he looks back at his short but joyful past growing up in rural Devon: his exciting first days at school; the accident in the forest that killed his father; his adventures with Molly, the love of his life; and the battles and injustices of war that brought him to the front line. Don’t miss this moving, funny, and heart-breaking play.
texasperformingarts.org
To commemorate the 100year anniversary of the conclusion of World War I, Private Peaceful is a timely reminder of the heroic sacrifices that were made by those involved in the conflict.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Theater, World War I, Comingof-Age
Presented in partnership with Texas Theatre and Dance and KLRU-TV.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
Using original tap “instruments” designed by 2014 Bessie Award Winner Nicholas Van Young, the score of ETM: Doube Down is not simply danced to, but danced BY the company.
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Jan 30 Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
Dorrance Dance Michelle Dorrance, Artistic Director
ETM: Double Down
Photos by Christopher Duggan, Matthew Murphy
—The New Yorker
ETM: Double Down celebrates the extreme mobility of the percussive body, combining rhythm with interactive electronic music technology in a perfect fusion of movement and sound. ETM: Double Down features eight dancers and three musicians working together to create a dazzling symphony of rhythmic nuances. Don’t miss Dorrance Dance’s exciting visual and auditory extravaganza that seamlessly merges modernity with tradition.
Presented in partnership with Texas Theatre and Dance and KUT-FM.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Tap Dance, Music, Orchestra of Bodies, Rhythm
This performance is made possible in part by the Topfer Endowment for Performing Arts Production.
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“One of the most imaginative tap choreographers working today,”
Founded in 2011 by artistic director and 2015 MacArthur Fellow, Michelle Dorrance, Dorrance Dance is an award-winning New York-based tap company whose work presents the beautiful history of America’s original dance form in a fresh, dynamic, and compelling context.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
Flutist Michael Hasel originally began conducting in piano and organ studies, intending to graduate as a church musician.
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Feb 5 McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet Michael Hasel, flute Andreas Wittmann, oboe Walter Seyfarth, clarinet Marion Reinhard, bassoon Fergus McWilliam, horn
—Manchester Evening News
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Chamber Music, Ensemble, Classical, Winds, Germany
Presented in partnership with the Butler School of Music and KMFA-FM.
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“Arguably the best ensemble of its kind in the world.”
Photo by Peter Adamik
Texas Performing Arts welcomes back the ensemble that has virtually redefined the sound of the classical wind quintet. Founded in 1988, during the tenure of conductor Herbert von Karajan, the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet is the first permanently established wind quintet in the famous orchestra’s rich tradition of chamber music. Their repertoire covers the spectrum of the wind quintet literature, and the ensemble’s stellar reputation has led to collaborations with legendary conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Muti, James Levine, and Daniel Barenboim.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
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“A centerpiece of the program is ‘Everything Must Change,’ associated with Ms. Simone. Alicia Olatuja brings an earnest intensity to the song… ‘No one and nothing stays unchanged,’ she sings, and as she slowly builds a crescendo, she hints at both a formidable obstacle and the will to overcome.” —The New York Times
Singer and composer Theo Bleckmann has composed for a range of instruments including piano, violin, kalimba, chimes, glockenspiel, toy microphone, and even sewing machines.
Feb 8
Songs of Freedom
McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Ulysses Owens Jr., Music Director Featuring
Theo Bleckmann René Marie Alicia Olatuja Under the direction of Grammy Award-winning drummer, Ulysses Owens Jr., the 1960s are explored through the work of three prolific artists: Joni Mitchell, Abbey Lincoln, and Nina Simone—all of whom shaped the music and culture of the 1960s through their artistry. Each artist expressed freedom in various ways. Joni composed and sang about the freedom of love, Abbey expressed freedom of her individuality and race through her lyricism, and Nina demanded political freedom through song.
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Photo by Pablo Riquelme
Ulysses Owens Jr. leads a jazz ensemble and a trio of extraordinary featured vocalists including classically-trained jazz artist Alicia Olatuja, Grammy Award-nominated Theo Bleckmann, and vocalist/composer/theatrical performer René Marie, in a celebration of the impact and vast repertoire of three musical changemakers.
Presented in partnership with the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies, KUT-FM, and KUTX’s Sunday Morning Jazz with Jay Trachtenberg.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Music, Drums, Voice, Freedom, Joni Mitchell, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Jazz, Songwriters
This performance is made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
“No American ensemble has had a more far-reaching impact on the development of contemporary classical music than the San Francisco–based Kronos Quartet.” —Listen Magazine
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A Thousand Thoughts made its official debut as part of the New Frontier program at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival which features experimental works.
Mar 27 Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
A Thousand Thoughts A Live Documentary with Kronos Quartet Written and Directed by Sam Green and Joe Bini
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sam Green and Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet have teamed up for a wildly creative multimedia performance piece that blends live music and narration with archival footage and filmed interviews with such prominent artists as Philip Glass, Tanya Tagaq, Steve Reich, Wu Man, and Terry Riley. As Green tells the multi-decade and continent-spanning story of the groundbreaking string quartet, Kronos revisits its extensive body of work, performing music by George Crumb, Laurie Anderson, John Cage, and many others. Together on stage, Green and Kronos craft an important record and exploration of late 20th– and early 21st–century music. Transcending the typical live music and film event, this collaboration quickly becomes a meditation on music itself—the act of listening to it closely, the experience of feeling it deeply, and the power that it has to change the world.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Chamber Music, Live Documentary, Quartet, Strings, Multimedia
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Presented in partnership with the Butler School of Music and KMFA-FM.
In most of their works, Teatro Línea de Sombra deals in a critical manner with the social and political reality in Mexico.
Photos by Sophie Garcia
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
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“The sensibility of the visceral piece Amarillo is in sync with much of serious Mexican art: raw, tragic, unsparing, poetic, vibrant. Director Jorge A. Vargas draws from a global avant-garde theater trove, layering live video with film projections, everyday objects used as symbolic props, abstract monologues (and a stunning physicality that burns with urgency).” —The Seattle Times
Mar 29 McCullough Theatre 8 pm
Teatro LÍnea de Sombra Jorge A. Vargas and Alicia Laguna, Artistic Directors
Amarillo
Amarillo tells the story of a man who departs Mexico for a land of dreams: Amarillo, Texas— but vanishes before reaching his destination. Far away, a woman reconstructs his journey, imagining what might have transpired not only for him, but for the other thousands of faceless men and women who have taken the same path—and for those who were left behind. Combining stunning multimedia projections, visceral imagery, and poetic storytelling, this renowned theater company from Mexico City creates a rich, poignant meditation on the harsh realities faced by immigrants and their families. Amarillo is performed in Spanish with projected English surtitles.
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Presented in partnership with the Center for Mexican American Studies and The Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies and KLRU-TV. TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Theater, Political, Mexico, Immigrants, Borders
This performance is made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
Caravan will premiere at the 2019 SOLUNA International Music & Arts Festival in Dallas.
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Apr 11 Terence Blanchard E-Collective Rennie Harris Puremovement Dance Company
Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
Caravan: A Revolution on the Road Andrew Scott, projections & installations
—The New York Times black lives in the 21st-century through Blanchard’s fusion of jazz, R&B, blues, funk, and soul, interwoven with Harris’ African American dance styles, and Scott’s conceptuallybased visual projections and installations, which are rooted in African and African American art and culture.
Photo by Henry Adebonojo
Caravan is a captivating new program that explores
“A trumpeter of expressive urgency and a composer of expansive vision.”
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Music, Trumpet, Dance, Visual Art, Projection, Multimedia
Presented in partnership with the Butler School of Music, Texas Theatre and Dance, and KAZI-FM.
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Multiple Grammy-winning composer/trumpeter Terence Blanchard and his E-Collective quintet join forces with hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris’ dance company, Puremovement, and sculptor/ projection-mapping artist Andrew Scott in this multidisciplinary performance that transcends racial and social boundaries and breathes life into conversations on personal and collective identity in relation to social and political structures.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
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“After 30 albums as a leader and at least 25 years in the spotlight, it’s clear Joe Lovano is more than a dominant figure in jazz. He’s jazz’s answer to George Clooney or Jeff Bridges, a vibrant player who delivers an awardworthy performance every time out.” —The Wall Street Journal
Lovano began playing the alto saxophone at five, switching to the tenor saxaphone a few years later.
Apr 13 Bates Recital Hall 7:30 pm
The University of Texas Jazz Orchestra Jeff Hellmer, Director with special guest
Joe Lovano Grammy-winning saxophonist, composer, and producer Joe Lovano joins the UT Jazz Orchestra as part of the Butler School of Music’s annual Longhorn Jazz Festival.
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Joe Lovano’s impressive career has found him touring with jazz greats such as the Woody Herman Thundering Herd, Dr. Lonnie Smith, McCoy Tyner, John Scofield, and Jack DeJohnette. Lovano has also created a body of work for his own large ensembles including strings, woodwinds, his horn-rich Nonet, and more recently, his newest iteration of the classic quartet.
Photo by Craig Lovell
Directed by Professor Jeff Hellmer, the UT Jazz Orchestra is the Butler School of Music’s premier jazz ensemble. In recent years, the Jazz Orchestra has performed with such luminaries as Michael Brecker, Maria Schneider, Stefon Harris, Joshua Redman, Cyrus Chestnut, and Conrad Herwig.
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Jazz, Saxophone, Orchestra, UT Students
Presented in partnership with the Butler School of Music, the Longhorn Jazz Festival, and KUTX’s Sunday Morning Jazz with Jay Trachtenberg.
THE ESSENTIAL SERIES
Trey McLaughlin has always wanted to be a choir conductor. When he was young, he used to line up his mother’s perfume bottles up on the dresser and teach them their parts.
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Apr 26 Bass Concert Hall 8 pm
Trey McLaughlin & The Sounds of Zamar Hailing from Georgia, Trey McLaughlin & The Sounds of Zamar are known for their expressive vocals and intricate arrangements of classic gospel hymns, transcending cultural boundaries with fresh adaptations of contemporary gospel, pop, and musical theater hits. The group has performed with gospel greats, such as William McDowell, Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, Richard Smallwood, Earnest Pugh, and James Fortune, and their viral videos have garnered millions of loyal YouTube viewers.
“…warm, polished vocals and complex jazz harmonies… Trey McLaughlin & The Sounds of Zamar demonstrate that gospel comes in many musical shades and hues.” —Journal of Gospel Music
TICKETS
Full Price $40 Subscriber Price $25+
TAGS
Gospel, Pop, Voice
Presented in partnership with the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies and KAZI-FM.
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Texas Performing Arts welcomes one of the most talked about new groups on the gospel scene!
LEXUS BROADWAY IN AUSTIN SERIES
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The Play That Goes Wrong Bass Concert Hall
Presented by Texas Performing Arts. Broadway Across America provides production services for Texas Performing Arts. Sales tax exempt pursuant to Texas Tax Code Section 151.3101 (a)(3).
What would happen if Sherlock Holmes and Monty Python had an illegitimate Broadway baby? You’d get The Play That Goes Wrong, Broadway and London’s award-winning smash comedy! Called “a gut-busting hit” (The New York Times) and “the funniest play Broadway has ever seen” (HuffPost), this classic murder mystery is chock-full of mishaps and madcap mania delivering “a riotous explosion of comedy” (Daily Beast) that is “tons of fun for all ages” (HuffPost)!
Harrison Unger, Jonathan Fielding, Clifton Duncan, Amelia McCalin, Alex Mandell in the Olivier and Tony Award-winning production of The Play That Goes Wrong; Photo by Jeremy Daniel
Oct 23–28
Love Never Dies
The Sequel to ‘Phantom’ Nov 27–Dec 2
Bass Concert Hall
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Lenne Klingaman, Desi Oakley and Charity Angel Dawson in the National Tour of Waitress; Photo by Joan Marcus
Photo by Lawrence Peart
Meghan Picerno (“Christine Daaé”) and Gardar Thor Cortes (“The Phantom”) star in Love Never Dies; Photo by Joan Marcus
The ultimate love story continues in Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spellbinding sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. Be seduced by this dazzling new production that takes audiences on a thrilling rollercoaster ride of intrigue, obsession and romance.
Waitress Jan 22–27
Bass Concert Hall “Waitress is a little slice of heaven!” says Entertainment Weekly and “a monumental contribution to Broadway!” according to Marie Claire. Don’t miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.
LEXUS BROADWAY IN AUSTIN SERIES
Feb 12–17
Bass Concert Hall Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventurefilled new musical Anastasia is at home in Austin at last! This dazzling show will transport you from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out on a journey to discover the mystery of her past.
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Fiddler on the Roof Apr 2–7
Bass Concert Hall Tony®-winning director Bartlett Sher brings his fresh take on a beloved masterpiece to life. Rich with musical hits you know and love, including ‟Tradition,” ‟Sunrise, Sunset,” ‟If I Were A Rich Man,” ‟Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and ‟To Life (L’Chaim!),” this new production is “entirely fresh, funny, and gorgeous. A reason for celebration” (New York Magazine).
Christy Altomare from the original Broadway Cast of Anastasia; Photo by Matthew Murphy
Anastasia
Cats May 7–12
May 28–June 16 Bass Concert Hall
Rediscover Cats—the beloved musical with breathtaking music— including one of the most treasured songs in musical theater, “Memory.” Featuring new sound design, direction and choreography for a new generation—experience Cats for the first time as it begins a new life, or let it thrill you all over again! 51 texasperformingarts.org
Tyler Hanes as Rum Tum Tugger in Cats on Broadway; Photo by Matthew Murphy
Bass Concert Hall
The 2018–19 Subscription Series Matawan By Dan Caffrey Oct 10–21
Texas Theatre and Dance 52
The Merchant of Venice By William Shakespeare Nov 14–Dec 2 In Venice, a Jewish businesswoman tries to join a clique of powerbrokers, a wealthy merchant tries to buy a young man’s love, and an heiress attempts to escape her dead father’s will. Combining elements of satire, comedy and thriller, The Merchant of Venice asks us how far we’re willing to go to achieve happiness. Part of the 2018–19 Texas Performing Arts Season
Photo by Lawrence Peart
College of Fine Arts
In 1916, a series of fatal shark attacks terrorized the New Jersey Shore. Further inland, a polio epidemic plagued Philadelphia, while the cloud of World War I loomed. Matawan follows the humans who struggle against these forces, as well as the story of the shark—a creature whose constant evolution has led to years of survival.
Also On Stage A Plan and Not Quite Enough Time By Kirk Lynn
UTNT (UT New Theatre) Curated by Liz Engelman and KJ Sanchez
Feb 13–17
Sep 29–30
Mar 14–31
Inspired by Euripides’ The Women of Troy, The Women of (a song not song) invites the audience to join nameless ghosts on a multilingual journey through poems and tales. As a partially-devised work collecting voices of historically marginalized people, the play explores trauma and our political and personal wars against ourselves.
A semi-staged reading featuring professional actors, this lyrical biography of Leonard Bernstein takes a symphonic look at the major melodies playing throughout his life: music, family, spiritual longing, carnal passions and death. We see Leonard as a boy and man, as a father and son; bisexually brilliant and politically naïve. Cymbals crash, the brass crescendos, the maestro takes a bow.
UTNT (UT New Theatre) presents newly developed works from playwrights of the Department of Theatre and Dance and Michener Center for Writers. Now in its twelfth season, this showcase exists as an incubator for new work, with many plays continuing on to be professionally produced across the country.
Dance Repertory Theatre presents
Fortitude Mar 5–15 Dance Repertory Theatre returns to the stage in Fortitude, a concert celebrating the enduring spirit of dance and strength of those called to it as a field. Fortitude features works by renowned guest artists, faculty and students as well as the annual presentation of the Haruka Weiser Memorial Commission.
Commissioned by the College of Fine Arts Dean’s Office, Texas Theatre and Dance, and Texas Performing Arts.
Dance Repertory Theatre presents
Fall For Dance Nov 6–11 Dance Repertory Theatre, the award-winning student dance company, presents new work from professional and student choreographers in Fall For Dance.
The Cohen New Works Festival Presented by Broadway Bank
Apr 15–19 Presenting over 30 new works to more than 7,000 attendees in five days. The largest festival of its kind, this biennial performance event celebrates original works created by university students and faculty.
For more information, visit JoinTheDrama.org All titles and dates are subject to change.
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The Women of (a song not song) By I-Chia Chiu
College of Fine Arts
Butler School of Music 54
Jennifer Higdon Residency Sep 29–Oct 4 The Butler School will host Pulitzer Prize- and Grammy Award-winning composer Jennifer Higdon as recipient of the 2018–2019 Eddie Medora King Award. Higdon will coach students on her works to be performed throughout the fall schedule. Wind Ensemble Sep 30 | 4 pm Symphony Orchestra Oct 1 | 7:30 pm
All Higdon Residency concerts will take place in Bates Recital Hall.
Visit music.utexas.edu/calendar for developing details on our upcoming season.
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New Music Ensemble Oct 3 | 7:30 pm
Our Work Extends Beyond the Stage Campus & Community Engagement Events In addition to serving as master-level teachers and guest lecturers on campus, university faculty, Essential Series artists, and Lexus Broadway in Austin company members, and university faculty connect with the community through: • Panel discussions • Workshops • Open rehearsals • Pre-performance talks • Post-performance talks • Meet and greet brown bag lunches
Texas Inner Circle Questions? 512.232.8567 support@texasperformingarts.org
Educational Programs (Grades 7-12) We offer two free daytime Youth Performances with accompanying study guides each year, open to teachers and students across Central Texas, as well as complimentary Students Experiencing the Arts with Their Teachers (S.E.A.T.) tickets that allow teachers to bring small groups of students to many of our evening performances as an educational experience. $10 Tickets for Central Texas Students of All Ages Thanks to generous donations to our Student Ticket Fund, students have access to worldclass performances for just $10. texasperformingarts.org/get-involved
Texas Inner Circle members enjoy exclusive benefits and opportunities. And while the perks are great, the real benefit of your taxdeductible contribution is the support it provides for community programs, student employment and mentoring, educational opportunities, and the world-class artists seen on stage only at Texas Performing Arts.
Photo Photo by by Lawrence Lawrence Peart Peart
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Thanks to the generous support of individual donors, Texas Inner Circle Members, and corporate sponsors, our engagement programs reach over 6,500 community members of all ages and backgrounds each year.
2018–19 BENEFITS
PARKING
Benefactor’s Circle — $6,000 • Private dinner with Kathy Panoff, Director of Texas Performing Arts • Seat plate in Bass Concert Hall (First Orchestra Level) • Plus, all benefits listed below...
UNLIMITED VALET PASSES VIP LOT 20 PASS
Producer’s Circle — $3,000 • Seat plate in Bass Concert Hall (Second Orchestra Level) • Plus, all benefits listed below...
FOUR VALET PASSES VIP LOT 20 PASS
Director’s Circle — $1,500 VIP LOT 20 PASS
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Center Stage — $600 • Invitations to special member events • Invitations to open rehearsals and master classes with touring artists • Plus, all benefits listed below...
VIP LOT 20 PASS
Back Stage — $300 • Invitation to the Season Preview Party for two • Option to purchase touring concert and Lexus Broadway in Austin tickets before public onsale** • Name(s) listed in season programs • Plus, all benefits listed below...
TWO GARAGE PASSES
Front Stage — $150
Photo by Lawrence Peart
• Best-available seating for Essential Series subscriptions and Essential Series One-Day Presale • Access to the private Texas Inner Circle Lounge with pre-ordered drinks and express elevator for intermission • Invitation to our Members-Only Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Bass Concert Hall *Non-transferable. Ticket limits and exchange restrictions may apply. **Subject to availability. Please note that some benefits, such as garage passes, may reduce the tax-deductible portion of your contribution. You may choose to forgo parking to maximize the impact of your gift. Memberships are valid for the length of the performance season, September 1 through August 31.
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• Ticket Concierge service for priority seats and exchanges* • Plus, all benefits listed below...
Subscribe Now The Essential Series 58
THREE Ways To Buy Your Essential Series Tickets As a Subscriber Choose from a subscription of 3, 4, or 5+ performances with the option of including a full-price ticket to one Lexus Broadway in Austin show* (excluding Hamilton) and/or a full-price ticket to Texas Theatre and Dance’s The Merchant of Venice. Benefits: • Preferred subscriber seating • Guest passes to the Texas Inner Circle Lounge at Bass Concert Hall • Free ticket exchanges • Subscriber hotline access
Online texasperformingarts.org/season Phone 512.477.6060 In Person 2350 Robert Dedman Dr., Tue–Fri, 10 am–6 pm
Full Price Tickets $40
With a Texas Inner Circle Upgrade Receive additional benefits like parking, presales, and unlimited access to the Texas Inner Circle Lounge.
3-Show Subscription $30/per Essential Series Ticket
As an Individual Ticket Buyer Full Price Tickets: $40
4-Show Subscription $27/per Essential Series Ticket
Discounts for Individual Tickets: • $10 Student Tickets • $12 Military Tickets • $32 UT Faculty and Staff Tickets • $34 Senior Tickets • Discounts may be available for groups of 15 or more. *Only Wednesday evening Lexus Broadway in Austin performances are eligible as subscription add-ons.
5-Show Subscription $25/per Essential Series Ticket UT Faculty and Staff Subscriptions 50% off full-price tickets when you subscribe
Lexus Broadway In Austin Series FOUR Ways To Buy Your Lexus Broadway In Austin Tickets As a Lexus Broadway in Austin Subscriber Purchase a 7-show package.
Online BroadwayInAustin.com
Benefits: • Access to the best seats in the house before the general public • Package prices as low as $224 • Ticket exchange and replacement • Opportunity to request a seating upgrade for the 2018–19 season
Phone 800.731.SHOW (7469), Mon–Fri, 9 am–5 pm
As an Essential Series Subscriber Purchase a 3, 4, or 5-show subscription to purchase one Wednesday evening Lexus Broadway in Austin performance* (excluding Hamilton) before tickets go on sale to the general public. With a Texas Inner Circle Membership Gain special pre-sale access to individual show tickets. As an Individual Ticket Buyer Purchase your ticket when they go on sale to the general public. Dates vary.
*Only Wednesday evening Lexus Broadway in Austin performances are eligible as subscription add-ons.
In Person 2350 Robert Dedman Dr., Tue–Fri, 10 am–6 pm
7-Show Package • The Play That Goes Wrong • Love Never Dies • Waitress • Anastasia • Fiddler on the Roof • Cats • Hamilton
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Know Before You Go Situated on the main campus of The University of Texas at Austin, Texas Performing Arts encompasses five distinct venues including Bass Concert Hall, McCullough Theatre, Bates Recital Hall, B. Iden Payne Theatre, and Oscar G. Brockett Theatre.
Photo by Lawrence Peart
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Accessibility Assisted listening devices are available at Guest Services for performances at Bass Concert Hall. Please contact us at least two weeks prior to performances for sign interpretation and audio description. 512.471.8207 Food and Drinks Bass Concert Hall offers a full bar, snacks, and a limited dinner menu. McCullough Theatre offers limited bar service and snacks.
Lost or Misplaced Tickets For mobile or print-at-home tickets, you can request reissued tickets through your online account. For mailed tickets, please contact the Ticket Office. Third-Party Sales StubHub is the preferred ticket marketplace of Texas Performing Arts. This exciting partnership with StubHub allows patrons to buy and sell tickets with confidence, backed by StubHub’s FanProtect® guarantee. Texas Performing Arts assumes no liability for tickets purchased through unauthorized channels. For more information on venues, venue policies, directions, menus, and more, go to texasperformingarts. org/visit.
General Questions 512.471.2787 info@texasperformingarts.org Ticket Office Questions – 512.471.1444 To Purchase – 512.477.6060 tickets@texasperformingarts.org Tue–Fri, 10 am–6 pm
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Parking Please arrive early and expect to pay for parking. You can pre-purchase guaranteed parking online until 10 pm the night before the performance. texasperformingarts.org/ visit
Texas Performing Arts
P.O. Box 7818 Austin, TX 78713-7818
The Texas Performing Arts 2018–19 Season is made possible by generous contributions from the following corporate sponsors and community partners:
/texasperformingarts @tpapresents @tpapresents texasperformingarts.org