broadway in austin

Broadway in Austin sets the stage for 7 can't-miss musicals at Bass Concert Hall

Les Miz is le coming back Austin.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Fans of classic musicals and buzzy, Tony Award-winning blockbusters will all find something to love during Broadway in Austin's upcoming 2019-20 season.

Broadway in Austin, which is presented by UT's Texas Performing Arts, takes over Bass Concert Hall to stage seven must-see shows throughout the year. Released on February 12, the lineup is includes one of Broadway's longest running productions, Les Miserables, and six-time Tony winner Dear Evan Hansen. (Incidentally, Ben Platt, who rose to fame playing Evan Hansen, will be performing a concert in Austin this March.)

Running September 10-15, Les Miserables returns to Austin to cap off the current season. Victor Hugo's classic story, which takes place in 19th century France, is brought to live with iconic musical numbers such as "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," and "Do You Hear the People Sing?"

Officially kicking off the new season is Jesus Christ Superstar, which recently won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. See it in-person October 18-13 as Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic show celebrates its 50th anniversary.

One of Broadway's most popular shows in recent years (read: hardest tickets to get outside of Hamilton), Dear Evan Hansen makes its Austin debut December 10-15. Don't miss this heartbreaking musical, which The Washington Post called "one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history.”

Say hi to Hello Dolly! when the beloved show returns to Austin January 21-26, 2020. The revival, which hit Broadway in 2018 with Bette Midler as Dolly, took home four Tony Awards.

Perhaps the lesser known of this season's lineup, Come From Away is a critical darling, heralded by The New York Times and Newsweek alike. Come From Away tells the story of 7,000 passengers stranded in small Newfoundland town. Take this remarkable journey February 18-23, 2020.

Bring the whole family on a magic carpet ride with Disney's Aladdin flies into town March 11-22, 2020. Then, hit the streets of New York with A Bronx Tale, which is based on Chazz Palminteri’s true life story. This unique show hits the Bass stage on May 5-10, 2020.

Tickets for the 2019-20 season go sale beginning at 11 am on February 11. Additional packages for the current season can also be purchased which will include Les Miserables. More information can be found here, or by calling 800-731-SHOW (7469). The deadline for current season subscribers to renew their seats is March 12.

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Women who Launch

Inclusive swimwear brand makes a splash — and a move to Austin

Photo courtesy Kitty and Vibe

Kitty and Vibe celebrated their move to Austin with a pool party at the Austin Motel.

For some, there is nothing more daunting than finding the right fitting swimsuit. Does it cover all the right bits, will it be snug in some parts but gape in others, or even worse, ride up where it’s not supposed to? Enter Kitty and Vibe brand swimsuits and their 28-year-old founder and CEO Cameron Armstrong.

Armstrong has put a lot of thought into this stressful ordeal. Though the brand officially launched in 2018, things really took off after Armstrong shared a January 2021 TikTok of herself trying on bathing suits and explaining the Kitty and Vibe sizing. The video went on to garner 3.9 million views, reaffirming the brand was on to something.

Organic and authentic celebrity endorsements soon followed from the likes of Katie Sturino, and Lena Dunham, as well as TikTok and YouTube celebrities. What these women were embracing was not only the cute fabrics, the fit and styles, but that the swimsuits came in sizes 00-28, where many on-trend swimwear manufacturers stop at size 10 — even though size 16 is the average dress size in the United States. Kitty and Vibe considers hip and inseam for best fit, in other words, hip and butt-focused sizing along with sustainable fabrics.

As the brand gained traction in 2021, Armstrong decided to relocate herself and the company from New York to Austin in February 2022. Once she’d settled in, she put out the welcome mat, celebrating the arrival with a pool party “for every booty” at the Austin Motel in early September. With local Austin vendors and a guest list that included customers showing off their Kitty and Vibe suits, the brand relies heavily on customer input to determine product launches. Their campaigns feature real women and real customers.

“Kitty and Vibe is a community-first brand,” Armstrong says, “which means we don’t make any major decisions without asking our customer base and social following first.”

Armstrong, grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, started her career in New York City in brand marketing working for companies like L’Oreal, Yves Saint Laurent and Giorgio Armani. When she decided to launch her own swimwear company, she wanted to instill the concept of kindness into the brand. The trademarked slogan “Kind is my Vibe” isn’t just about being inclusive with branding, but something much more personal to the founder.

"A part of my story that isn’t as well-known is how I chose to focus on a mission of kindness,” she says. “I am blessed to be the sister of a special needs person. My brother, Richard, has been instilling the virtue of kindness in me from the day I was born. Although he can’t talk, his heart speaks volumes. He is the purest person I know, incapable of cruelty, jealousy, or any ill intentions. His impact on my life has directly influenced our mission of fueling kindness at Kitty and Vibe. Our trademarked slogan always makes me think of him.”

With the move to Austin, Armstrong hopes to tap into the city’s “entrepreneurial spirit.”

“Austin drew me in because some of the most successful female-founded businesses have been built here – Bumble, Outdoor Voices, Kendra Scott, etc. I’ve found that Austin is an incredibly inclusive and welcoming town. This inclusive and open-minded nature is very reflective of both Austin and Kitty and Vibe, making this a perfect place for our business to grow. We hope to become the Austin gals’ favorite swimwear brand – spotted on Lady Bird Lake and Barton Springs, and top of mind for women of all shapes and sizes and known for our inclusive nature and welcoming events.”

Armstrong welcomes the Austin community to apply to be models for the swimwear, but also their line of pajamas and play dresses, a hybrid swim-meets-exercise dress made for activities in and outside of the water. Their most recent campaign was shot at Boggy Creek Farm and included all local Austin women, demonstrating that Kitty and Vibe are serious about becoming the kind, considerate neighbor we’d all like to meet — the one who also throws the good parties.

Photo courtesy Kitty and Vibe

Kitty and Vibe celebrated their move to Austin with a pool party at the Austin Motel.

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Butcher's Ball brings top Texas chefs and ranchers to Brenham for weekend-long bash

Guests at a seated dinner at the Butcher's Ball in Brenham, Texas.

Photo courtesy of the Butcher's Ball

This weekend trip is all about finding a balance between demanding farming and ranching, and sustainable practices.

Something between Cinderella and Sweeney Todd, the Fifth Annual Butcher's Ball is a must-attend weekend for meat lovers concerned with ethics and sustainability. This collaborative festival is a blow-out event featuring 50 Texas culinary talents, but despite the big names in cooking, this one is centered around farmers and ranchers no longer behind the scenes.

This will be a drive for Austinites, as the weekend takes place at Rockin’ Star Ranch in Brenham, about an hour and 45 minutes directly east of the Capital City. It’s a compromise with Houstonians, who also have to drive about an hour and 15, and who make up the majority of the lineup. Visitors from either city can enjoy a road trip out to the country venue, or relax on a $50 round-trip bus, including drinks and snacks. Eat your heart out, Greyhound.

The event kicks off on Saturday, November 12, with a hayride, a farm-to-table dinner prepared by a dozen chefs, and music by unbounded pedal steel player Will Van Horn and the metal-bluegrass Fiddle Witch. The opening bites and following five courses are prepared by pairs of Texas chefs:

“Fireside bites” and bread: Ara Malekian of Harlem Road Texas BBQ and Sasha Grumman of Sasha’s Focaccia
First course: Alex Au-Yeung of Phat Eatery and Kevin Bryant of Roma
Second course: Cullen Holle of Country Sunshine and PJ Edwards of Meadow
Third course: Jane Wild and Sarah Heard of Foreign & Domestic
Fourth course: Dylan McShan of Easy Wind Catering and Tony Luhrman of El Topo
Fifth course: Karla Espinosa of Mad and Alyssa Dole of LuLoo’s Day and Night

Sarah Heard is the only Austin chef on the Saturday lineup, while Dylan McShan travels the farthest, from Marfa. Half of the Saturday chefs are from Houston, and most of the others are from surrounding cities:

The ball itself, on Sunday, is the main event. Most of Saturday's featured chefs are competing for the "Golden Cleaver," alongside 14 other Texas chefs. Jo Chan of Chan Hospitality is visiting from Austin, along with Jack Matusek of Raw Republic Meats. The “best bite” will be determined by guest voting. There will also be non-competitive programming, like live fire cooking, butchery demonstrations, and panel discussions about sustainable sourcing.

Throughout the weekend, the ingredients are the star of the show. They’re all coming from local Texas makers, such as Marfa Meats (as famous as most ranchers get), Good Thyme Farm (just north of Austin), Whitehurst Farm (local to Brenham), and more.

All proceeds from the weekend will go to Urban Harvest to support its farmers market program, which allows more than 100 local vendors to sell in Houston year-round on Saturdays. The market has lasted 18 years so far, and grown from just 7 vendors, now sourcing goods from a maximum of 180 miles away.

There are several options to buy tickets to Butcher’s Ball Weekend events, including just the ball ($175), just the dinner ($200), and a package of both ($350). There is also a kid's cooking class on Sunday for guests 6 to 17. All tickets are available on Eventbrite.

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Sports Illustrated races back into Austin with signature Formula 1 concert series

Travis Scott F1 Circuit Series After Party

Courtesy photo

Travis Scott headlined last year's Circuit Series After Party.

F1 fans will have even more to do when they descend on Austin in just a few weeks. An announcement from Sports Illustrated and Bootsy Bellows reveals the return of the popular Circuit Series After Party for this year's race weekend.

Presented by Cash App and Visa, the after party is a two-night event designed to kick off the U.S. Grand Prix. Taking place from 9 pm to 2 am on Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22, the signature music event will transport guests into an "experiential playground," according to a release.

Hosted in the parking lot at the former site of the Austin-American Statesman, the lineup features some of today's leading artists. Friday's set includes headliner The Kid LAROI and Zedd, supported by Irie, while Post Malone will headline the Saturday event, with a DJ set by Zack Bia.

Exclusively featuring the new Don Londres Premium Tequila, both events are produced by Uncommon Entertainment, while the series itself is produced by ABG Entertainment, Uncommon Entertainment, The h.wood Group, and Circuit of The Americas.

“We are thrilled to bring our infamous Bootsy Bellows ‘pop-up’ event back to Austin in partnership with Sports Illustrated and Uncommon Entertainment,” said John Terzian and Brian Toll of The h.wood Group. “This year’s talent and experiences promise to create an unforgettable time for guests during the Big Race Weekend.”

According to the release, Bootsy Bellows was founded in 2012 and combines live entertainment, exceptional service, and palpable atmosphere to create a decadent adult playground unparalleled by traditional nightclubs.

“We could not be more excited to bring Sports Illustrated back to Austin for The Big Race Weekend in partnership with The h.wood Group, Uncommon Entertainment and COTA,” said Tyler Salter, vice president, ABG Entertainment. “It’s hard to believe that we will be able to top last year’s sold-out event, but we’re confident that the return of the Bootsy Bellows x Sports Illustrated Circuit Series After Party will take this experience to the next level once more.”

Tickets went on sale on September 27 at 9am, with a limited supply of $500 VIP tickets available exclusively for Cash App Card customers.