December 29, 2006
First Night Preview: Evening Program and Grand Finale
First Night Austin Schedule
2-5pm Family Festival5:30-6:30pm Grand Procession
7pm Family Finale at City Hall
7-11:30pm Evening programming
Midnight Grand Finale
First Night Austin takes over downtown this Sunday, kicking off the second annual festival with three hours of family-friendly activities, performances, and art installations. From hip hop freestyling to Appalachian-style clog dancing, there promises to be enough culturally-rich distractions to entertain even that obnoxious nephew of yours who'd rather stay home to play Gears of War.
The heavy hitters among Austin's creatives will come out for the latter half of First Night, with luminaries in the dance, music, theatre, and poetry worlds taking over entire bridges, streets, and building facades to showcase their specially-designed works. We're especially looking forward to once-in-a-lifetime performances such as Blue Lapis Dance's "Angels in Our Midst," which is to feature dancers and building climbers -- adorned in tuxedos and ballgowns, no less -- suspended in mid-air against the Radisson Hotel.
At midnight, a massive pyrotechnic event over Town Lake will herald in the beginning of 2007.
As there will be much to see and do, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the schedule below. Performances and installations will be held on Congress Avenue (between Sixth Street and Cesar Chavez), Auditorium Shores, City Hall, First Street Bridge and Second Street District. Complimentary parking is available at the State Capitol Complex parking garages and surface lots, with a CapMetro shuttle taking folks to the event locations from 1:30pm until 1:30am. All activities are free.
First Night Austin 2007: [Program] [Map] [Schedule]
First Night Austin
Sunday, December 31st
2pm-Midnight
Downtown Austin
Blue Lapis Dance – "Angels in Our Midst"
A site-specific aerial dance work choreographed by Sally Jacques. Centered on the human journey, dancers and building climbers will ascend and descend the building in ballgowns and tuxedos. Dancers/collaborators: Blue Lapis Light and the Central Texas Mountaineers. [link] |
Radisson Hotel, West-facing Facade 9-9:20pm, 10-10:20pm |
Sharir + Bustamante Danceworks – "Garden of Forking Paths"
This multi-media, site-specific dance work exposes the intimacy, tenderness and sorrow of meeting and parting. Jose Bustamante, choreographer with collaborators Theresa Hardy and Andee Scott. Costumes by Amy Burrell. [link] |
Wells Fargo Lower Plaza, 111 Congress 9-9:20pm, 9:40-10pm |
Steve Bernal – "Solo Cello, Conscious Music"
Quiet, calm and melodious music provides respite from the chaos of our fast-paced, modern world. [link] |
Austin City Hall, Lobby 8:30-9:15pm |
The TroublePuppetShow – "Doctor Praetorius’ Alchemical Carnival featuring the Wheel of Destiny"
Dr. Praetorius travels in a gypsy wagon with a troupe of carnival performers he has created in his alchemical laboratory. The centerpiece of the show is "The Wheel of Destiny" which gives each spinner a prediction for the New Year. |
2nd & Lavaca St. 8-8:30pm |
Cardboard Ice Cream Truck Puppet Theater
A rolling ice cream truck puppet theater with muppets that play music, dance and handout balloons and popsicles. |
2nd & Lavaca St. 8:45-9:15pm |
Hip Hop America – "I Have a Dream"
Experience the four elements of hip hop; spoken word, breakdancing, deejaying, and graffiti art straight from Austin. Join graffiti artist Nate Nordstrom, the body rock of B-boy city, and top lyricists and dj’s brought to you by Austin Poetry Slam. |
AT&T Austin Fuzion, First St. Bridge 7:45-8pm |
Cybil Gustafson – "Pedi the Fu"
A pedicab-powered, action-adventure dance work with pirouettes, pedaling and karate kicks. |
AT&T Austin Fuzion, First St. Bridge 8-8:09pm, 8:15-8:24pm |
Anuradha Naimpally – "Bollywood"
Costumed dancers demonstrate moves from popular Hindi films accompanied by lively Bollywood film scores and scenes. [link] |
AT&T Austin Fuzion/First Street Bridge 9:30-10pm, 10:15-10:45pm |
The Djembabes
Fifteen member all women's drum and vocal ensemble perform music of West African origin "Austin style" in a special countdown to the new year. [link] |
AT&T Austin Fuzion, First St. Bridge 11:30pm-Midnight |
Luke Savisky "The I of Texas"
A unique and interactive monumental film/video event in which the individual eyes of willing Austin citizens will be documented in a special kiosk installation, then projected onto the water tower and mixed with a live montage by the artist. Watch the First Night website for the location and time of Luke's special documentation kiosk installation and his "eyeball wrangler" will put the "I" of YOU into downtown Austin architecture as a giant observer of a city in transition. [link] |
Water Tower/2nd St. Retail District 7pm-Midnight |
Oscar Riquelme "Painted Dances"
Interdisciplinary collaboration of music, dance and film in eternal video loops of 20 minutes. |
Auditorium Shores 7-11pm |
Austin Poetry Slam – "First Night Slams!"
A high-energy melding of poetry, theatre, stand-up comedy, hip hop, and maximum entertainment from Austin Poetry Slam and Southflavas. From the side-splitting hilarious to the best in confessional narrative, this showcase offers a taste of what Austin can expect as host city for the 2007 National Poetry Slam. [link] |
Wells Fargo Upper Plaza 7:45-8:15pm, 11-11:30pm |
Jaclyn Pryor – "Pink Bicycle Carnival"
A whimsical post-processional Bicycle Carnival at Town Lake created in collaboration with Bikes Across Austin. "PINK: WE (DELIVER) LOVE (FOR) YOU. (pass it on)" [link] |
Town Lake 8pm-Midnight |
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