Broadway in Austin

From Dirty Dancing to Once: 8 big Broadway hits are heading to Austin

The 2014 - 15 season of Broadway in Austin will knock your socks off with its variety of classical musical favorites, contemporary masterpieces and screen-to-stage adaptations. Here's a look at the stellar season coming to Bass Concert Hall later this year. Remember, tickets just went on sale, so now's the perfect time to buy a five-show package and know that your entertainment is covered for the rest of the year.

Beauty and the Beast: October 7 - 12
The 2014 season kicks off with a beloved cartoon classic coming to life. On stage, Beauty and the Beast is an eye-popping spectacle filled with lavish sets, extravagant costumes and your favorite characters.

Dirty Dancing: November 11 - 16
Relive one of the most iconic films of the 1980s with the stage production of Dirty Dancing. Featuring your favorite tunes from the classic movie, this evening with Baby and Johnny will be the time of your life.

Evita: December 9 - 14
The Tony award-winning production from Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber tells the story of Eva Perón, first lady of Argentina. A revamped Evita returns to Austin with a new production directed by Michael Grandage and choreographed by Rob Ashford.

Mamma Mia!: January 20 - 25, 2015
ABBA's classic songs are crafted into a story for the ages in this hit musical set in Greece on the eve of the main character's wedding.

Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles: February 6 - 7, 2015
This limited two-night engagement takes you back in time to when The Beatles ruled music. Every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary group has been mastered, so Rain delivers a note-for-note performance that’s as infectious as it is transporting.

Once: February 24 - March 1, 2015
This modern masterpiece follows the journey of a Dublin street musician, his hauntingly beautiful music and his new love interest. Fall in love with the main characters and the gentle, pure music of this tale.

Jersey Boys: March 24 - 29, 2015
Join the Four Seasons for a night of classic hit tunes. Actors playing Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Mass lead you through their rock 'n' roll history, featuring favorite songs like "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Sherry."

Annie: April 21 - 26, 2015
Broadway's loveable little orphan returns to Bass Hall for a few days of fun-loving musical theater next spring. Join Annie and her crew in the revival of one of Broadway's most iconic, heart-warming shows.

Beauty and the Beast.

Photo by Amy Boyle

Beauty and the Beast.

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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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From Dirty Dancing to Once: 8 big Broadway hits are heading to Austin

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