ATXplained

KUT shares never-before-heard Austin stories in immersive Paramount Theatre performance

ATXplained takes place at the Paramount Theatre on Wednesday, September 28, from 7 pm to 9pm.

Photo courtesy of KUT 90.5, Austin's NPR station

Whether you're a brand-new Austin transplant or you've been here for decades, it's always a good idea to learn more about the city's history, food, art, language, and more. KUT News is inviting Austinites old and new to do just that, immersing them in never-before-heard stories through ATXplained Live at the historic Paramount Theatre.

Bringing stories to life in unexpected ways through props, costumes, video, music, and audience engagement, the show takes place on Wednesday, September 28, from 7 pm to 9 pm. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 12 at AustinTheatre.org.

The historic theater will be the perfect setting for the performance, which curates stories from listeners curious about the people, places, and culture in Austin. Touching on every aspect of Austin life, the show celebrates the voices of people who don't make “the news,” but have important things to say.

“The ATXplained series is all about trying to help people understand their city — even things they didn't know they wanted to understand. That's really at the core of public radio’s mission,” said KUT Projects Editor Matt Largey, who is producing, hosting, and performing in the live show. “And listening to live storytelling alongside hundreds of other people in a darkened theater can be magical.”

The crowd-sourced reporting series originally launched in 2016, and this will be the award-winning show's third live performance. The innovative show kicks off by asking a question about life in Austin, which the KUT newsroom then investigates.

While countless unforgettable tales have come out of the popular series, some of the most memorable include the story behind the “Fair Sailing Tall Boy” memorial, how Austin’s Godfather of clubbing came to be, and an exploration of Austin’s shrinking African American population — despite an overall population boom.

Made possible by Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's concessions program, Thundercloud Subs, and Extended Campus at The University of Texas at Austin, the one-night-only show is not one to miss.

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New

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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