sxsw 2012

Put some comedy on your calendar: Unofficial shows to check out this week

Music and movies are fun and all, but admit it, sometimes you need a break from loud clubs, or quiet theaters. Or maybe the exponentially increasing number of official and unofficial comedy shows around town is what brought you to SXSW in the first place?

If you’re badge-less or have to skip your favorite stand-up’s official showcase, here are a few unmissable unofficial comedy shows to catch.

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Sunday, March 11

Just for Laughs Showcase

8 p.m., Cap. City Comedy Club (8120 Research Boulevard)

It's that time of year: When bookers from the continent's biggest comedy fest flock to Austin to check out new talent. Hosted by Ramin Nazer, who appeared on Just for Laughs Montreal’s New Faces showcase last year, this line-up features so many strong local stand-ups we’re betting it’ll be hard for the JFL folks to choose just a few. Come see Maggie Maye, Chris Cubas, John Tole, Danny Palumbo, Brian Gaar, Kath Barbadoro, Lucas Molandes, Jonathan Pace, Holly Lorka, Nick Mullen, John Ramsey, Bob Khosravi and Matt Willis close out the first weekend of the fest.

Monday, March 12

Comedy Bang Bang! Live

8 p.m., The IFC House (302 East 6^th Street)

If you’re anything like me, the upcoming premiere of the Comedy Bang Bang! series on IFC is like Christmas and every birthday ever, combined. Scott Aukerman’s podcast, which blends interviews with improvised, insane character bits, is getting the small-screen treatment this spring, and the IFC House is bringing you a special sneak peek. (If you have a badge, you can also catch Comedy Bang Bang! Live at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday, March 10 at Esther’s Follies, and a live Comedy Bang Bang! podcast recording, also at Esther’s Follies, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 11.)

Tuesday, March 13

Disaster Comedy

9 p.m., The New Movement (616 Lavaca Street)

Celebrating the opening of The New Movement’s Lavaca Street location, this unofficial showcase features T.J. Miller, Eliza Skinner, Aparna Nancherla, Mike Weibe, Chris Rose, Chris Trew, Jeff Tyc and Lindsay Schiffhauer. There’ll also be drinks courtesy of Ranger Creek, so get there early to catch some amazing comics while checking out the former East Side theater’s new digs.

Wednesday, March 14

The Chris Gethard Show

Midnight, The New Movement (616 Lavaca Street)

If you catch one comedy show this week, make it The Chris Gethard Show. This completely unpredictable, interactive show broadcasts live on Manhattan public access and online every Wednesday night, featuring a rotating panel of comedians and complete randoms taking calls and taking on bizarre challenges. If you haven’t caught all the past episodes, here’s a quick primer to get you started. (If you’ve got a badge, see The Chris Gethard Show at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14 on The Next Stage at the trade show.)

Thursday, March 15

It’s Always Funny in Austin with Brian Gaar

9:15 p.m., ColdTowne Theater (4803 Airport Boulevard)

Usually a Friday night staple at the Velv, comedy columnist Brian Gaar’s round-up of noteworthy local talent takes a trip to ColdTowne for a special Thursday night show, hosted by Duncan Carson and featuring Lucas Molandes, Brian Gaar, J.Mo, Brooke Van Poppelen, Ryan Cownie, Kath Barbadoro, Dan Soder and Dan St. Germain.

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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sxsw 2012

Put some comedy on your calendar: Unofficial shows to check out this week

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration