Christmas Comedy

A little Tuna with your turkey? Joe Sears and Jaston Williams return just intime for Thanksgiving

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a hilarious two man play promises to get you in the Christmas spirit. Joe Sears and Jaston Williams have been a successful comedic duo for more than 30 years and the pair play all 24 characters in the classic show, A Tuna Christmas. What started as a simple skit in Austin a quarter century ago continues to draw audiences to watch the bumblings of the eccentric characters of Tuna—the third smallest town in Texas.

With quick costume changes and sharp wit, Sears and Williams bring the two-dozen characters to life. "At A Tuna Christmas, people get to see their favorite Tuna characters in their funniest moments and best costumes and at the best time of the year!” Sears says.

It’s 24 hours before Christmas and the citizens of Tuna are battling some seasonal traumas, including a fishy Christmas phantom interfering with their preparations for the annual yard-decorating contest. Others are hitting numerous obstacles while rehearsing for a local presentation of A Christmas Carol. Williams and Sears masterfully portray a whole town full of characters while exploring the true meaning of Christmas, in this show that's brought generations of Austinites together for the holidays.

The Tuna series of shows also includes Greater Tuna (which debuted in Austin in 1981), Red White and Tuna and Tuna Does Vegas. Joe Sears says he and Jaston Williams have been laughing buddies since 1973 and have been touring together with the Tuna productions since 1982.

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A Tuna Christmas is playing at The Paramount Theatre November 22-27. Click here for show times and tickets.

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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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