In When Something Wonderful Ends—a blend of autobiography, American history, and analytical rant about Middle East politics—Barbara Chisholm charms from start to finish, fully engaging the audience effortlessly. That's no mean feat, considering much of the subject matter is heavy fare, weaving together a convincing argument that the war in Iraq is all about oil. We attended the show with someone we consider conservative; he found the analytical nature of the piece compelling and convincing. See it to bask in Chisholm's sparkle and to check out Barbie's groovy gear, but take away a great night of thought-provoking theatre....

Thirteen years after founding Salvage Vanguard Theater, Artistic Director Jason Neulander is stepping down. Neulander has grown SVT from a crazy little fringe collective to a powerhouse producer of cutting-edge works. No doubt it'll be very exciting to see what he gets into next....

Image courtesy Rude Mechs The Method GunThru 12/15, Th/Fr/Sa at 8pmThe Off Center (map)[info] | [tickets] The Dick Monologues12/16 at 2pmHyde Park Theatre (map)12/12 at 7pm (sold out)[info] | [tickets]In this season of family-friendly fare, we're pleased to highlight a bit of naughty-naughty for your holiday pleasure. Admittedly it's something of an intellectually flavored naughty-naughty, but hey, that's how we like it. Rude Mechanicals' current show The Method Gun contains nudity! Whee! Nude Rudes!! Which......

[This review courtesy of new Austinist contributor Anna Hanks! -Ed.] As much as we'd like to change a few things about our first time, we regret we’ll never be able to repeat the experience. We also can’t change history, so catching the currently playing, slick incarnation of the Rude Mechanicals' Get Your War On also wasn't our first time. (We reviewed the show last January as well.) Directed by Shawn Sides, Get Your War......

We had, like, totally the best time at the Rude Mechanicals' annual fund-raising shindig this past Saturday, the Magnum P. Eye Ball. Hosted by Jonathan Quayle Higgins III, of course, the island-themed event featured local music icon Graham Reynolds of The Golden Arm Trio spinning period tunes. Meanwhile, numerous dudes walked around in mullets, mustaches and Hawaiian shirts, and several screens played different Magnum P.I. adventures. The night even included the chance to ride "The......

FRIDAY [4] party/bikes • Yellow Bike Project's Second Annual Bike Art Show with music by DJ Orion, DJ Katherine at Gallery 1906 (Free, 7pm-Midnight) art • Opening Reception: memoria/memoir: Carol Flax at Volitant Gallery, 320 Congress Ave., Ste 100 (6-9pm) art • B Scene at the Blanton Museum of Art 1st Anniversary Celebration at Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress ($5 members, $10 non-members, 6-11pm) art • Opening Reception: Tunnel Vision: Parading Down the......

THURSDAY [3] film • Austin Film Festival screens "The Ballad of A.J Weberman" at Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek (7:30pm Free/$4 Members/General) art • West End Gallery Night at Participating Galleries (Until 8pm) art • Blanton Museum of Art Public Tour: An Introduction to Prints at Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress (7-8pm) books • Book Release Party: Collecting the Imagination: The First Fifty Years of the Ransom Center at The Harry Ransom Center (7:00pm)......

MONDAY [30] food • Central Market Cooking School with Chef Aimee Olson: Spectacular Sponge Cakes at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($45, 6:30-9pm) books • Dirty Found: Live! with Found Magazine Creative Directors Jason Bitner and Arthur Jones at Alamo Downtown (7:00pm) film • "Dirty Found" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Music Mondays: "The Smiths: These Things Take Time" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown music • Music Industry Boot Camp, presented by......

Last night, Austin's theatre denizens gathered at Zach Scott Theater for the annual B. Iden Payne Awards ceremony. A function of Austin Circle of Theaters, every fall the BIPpies recognize outstanding work on Austin's stages. This year's ballot was chock full of amazing talent—undoubtedly the voting public had some difficult choices to make. With a fabulous ceremony helmed by Andrea Skola and the women of Shrewd Productions, and featuring commentary from the always-funny Buzz......

We know...it's a strange question. The Rude Mechanicals, kings and queens of strange done with quality and flair, open Rebecca Beegle's Have You Been Assassinated tonight at 8pm. Directed by Carlos Trevino—the man who helmed such delights as Not Clown and The Kinderman Depiction—Have You Ever Been Assassinated looks odd and intriguing. We got our hands on a few advance copies of some press photos, so we thought we'd share 'em with you.......

And they're off.... The nominations for this year's B. Iden Payne Awards have been announced. We received 'em this morning, straight from the offices of the Austin Circle of Theatres. If you want to get in on the action, ballots will be available starting this Thursday, September 21, at ACoT (701 Tillery Street) & AusTIX (kiosk at the Austin Visitors Center, 209 E. 6th Street). You must be an ACoT member to vote, but......

For real. We mean it this time. Last chance. Ever. Pressured by the score-loving, moviegoing public, the folks over at the Alamo are giving us one last chance to see Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly accompanied by a 30-minute live performance featuring the film’s composer Graham Reynolds. Reynolds is one of Austin’s busiest musicians; when he’s not composing film scores, he’s a member of the Golden Arm Trio, the resident composer for the Salvage Vanguard......

[Update: All the tickets have been claimed! Thanks to everyone for playing, and congrats to the lucky winners -- enjoy the show! -Ed.] Wanna see the latest star-packed thriller from the Rude Mechanicals: Decameron Day 7: REVENGE? Wanna go for FREE? Be one of the first five people to send us an email (be sure to take the () off the @), and we'll set you up with two tix, complimentary of the Rudes.......

The always fabulous Rude Mechanicals are hostin' a shindig to raise a little dough and give a behind-the-scenes peek into their inner workings. Their invite includes the directive, "let us know you are coming (so we can be sure to have enough wine for everyone!)." Need they say more? The self-described "company that's more fun than a barrel of greased monkeys on trucker speed" is an Austinist favorite, so if you're feeling all philanthropic......

This comes from new contributor Jonathon. You know that Rude Mechs show we've been talking, and talking, and talking about? ('Cause we loved it, and the Statesman loved it, and the Chronicle loved it.) You know how you were crying in your latte because your boyfriend forgot to buy tickets and now it's all sold out? Dry your tears. The Rudes have added three more shows next weekend (February 10 & 11). Friday @......

The holidays are over, and our hard-working thespians are back on the boards. A pile o' theatre is opening this weekend. There's so much to choose from -- just take a gander at the following delights. Get Your War On! - Rude Mechanicals "A down and dirty theatrical adaptation of David Rees' savage and hysterical internet comic strip of the same name, Get Your War On represents stunned and outraged Americans as they react......

As mentioned yesterday here on Austinist, Rude Mechanicals has mounted an upgraded version of last year's workshopped production, Get Your War On!. ( In case you haven't been reading Austinist, or didn't see the cover of this week's Austin Chronicle, we'll give you the lowdown on this unique work. Basically, shortly after 9/11/2001, a New Yorker named David Rees started writing, and publishing online, an acerbic, satirical comic strip called Get Your War On!.......

Rude Mechanicals is back with their theatrical adaptation of David Rees' hysterical and incisive internet comic strip, "Get Your War On." From the Rude Mech site: Rolling Stone called this internet phenomenon "sardonic, hilarious, and impossible to pigeonhole." USA Today simply dubbed it "Brilliant." "Get Your War On" represents stunned and outraged Americans as they react to 9/11, the Bush administration and this totally awesome War On Terror. "Hey, remember when we declared a......

There's a whole slew of theatre productions closing this weekend. This being the busy time of year, we were unable to get to most of them. Sadly. If we could clone ourselves, here's a list of shows we'd be sure to hit this weekend. Pro Arts Collective presents Black Nativity by Langston Hughes Adapted, Directed and Choreographed by Jason Ansara Brooks This passionate, high-energy combination of gospel music and the story of the nativity......

We just got home from taking in the third to last performance of Rude Mechanical's Pale Idiot at the Off Center. Since there are only two performances remaining, both of which are not sold out (much to our amazement), we're going to try jotting off an uncharacteristically short review. We confess that we're not as familiar with the Rudes as we should be. Tonight's performance really made us feel rotten about missing so much......