wherefore art thou a shelby?

Shakespeare meets Peaky Blinders in Austin replica theater production

The Bard gets the Birmingham treatment in this creative rendition of Romeo and Juliet.

Photo courtesy of the Curtain Theatre

This summer, Austinites will have the opportunity to experience one of literature's greatest love stories in a new way. Austin Shakespeare, in partnership with the University of Austin, brings a fresh (and free) production of Romeo and Juliet to the Curtain Theatre, providing a distinctive fusion of traditional drama and contemporary creativity.

Set against the backdrop of Lake Austin at the Curtain Theatre, a replica of an Elizabethan playhouse, this production promises a compelling mix of tradition and novelty. The production features a dynamic cast of 18 actors, including Austin Shakespeare alumni Helyn Rain Messenger and Dane Parker in the titular roles of Romeo and Juliet.

This year’s production is inspired by the period crime drama Peaky Blinders,which follows a Birmingham gang from the 1920s and beyond. This stylistic choice not only sets a unique tone but also bridges Shakespeare’s timeless narrative with a touch of early-20th century grit.

“The Peaky Blinders feel is definitely in the costumes by Cecilia Gay and in the swagger of the actors," says Austin Shakespeare artistic director Ann Ciccolella in an email to CultureMap. "Plus [there will be] live and recorded music from the 1930s to 1960s, with some original Austin singer-songwriters in the show, Helyn Rain Messenger and Michael Morse.”

Austin Shakespeare began in 1984 and now calls itself the only professional classical theater company in Central Texas. This year, 2024, marks the 38th anniversary of offering professional Shakespeare productions to the public.

“[Our work has been] pretty much continuous (except for COVID), and we always do a twist on the concept of the show," says Ciccolella. "Last time we did Romeo and Juliet it was a Pachuco, bilingual production on Zilker Hillside Theater. [For] this show, like many of our productions, [half of the actors] have worked with us before, and half of the actors [are] not only new to Austin Shakespeare, but some new to Austin!”

The production will run from May 23 to June 9, with performances every Thursday through Sunday at 8 pm. Free ticket registration opens May 1 at austinshakespeare.org. The Curtain Theatre is located at 7400 Coldwater Canyon Dr., in West Austin beyond Westlake Hills.

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Texas Film Icons

Elijah Wood, Michelle Rodriguez, and more celebrate Texas Film Awards

Photo by David Brendan Hall

Elijah Wood presents at the Texas Hall of Fame induction.

With South by Southwest (SXSW) in full swing, Austinites are keeping an eye out for celebrity sightings around the city. Last week’s Texas Film Awards offered an opportunity to see several celebs gathered in one place. Honoring legends of the Texas film industry, the annual fundraising event inducted new members into the Texas Film Hall of Fame, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Austin Film Society (AFS), the milestone year for the Texas Film Hall of Fame welcomed new members Michelle Rodriguez, Tim and Karrie League, and Noah Hawley. Before the event, CultureMap caught up with AFS founder and film director Richard Linklater about the anniversary.

Richard Linklater Texas Film Awards Richard LinklaterPhoto by David Brendan Hall

“It’s very cool,” he said, “Forty years is wild. You can’t help but reflect back to year one. We grew with Austin: as Austin has grown, so have we.”

Sharing the impact of AFS grants on stage during the event, Linklater elaborated further on this symbiotic growth.

“The rising tide of Austin lifted our boat, and we grew when we needed to [without] losing our fundamental film freakiness," Linklater said. "Forty years in, I know two things to be true: community is everything. Watching movies together connects us and builds that community. And, the love and appreciation of cinema knows no bounds: if you nurture it, it feeds you back ten fold.”Linklater is on a recent awards streak, having been honored with a Texas Medal of Arts Award in late February.

Presenting to Killeen-born and San Antonio-raised Michelle Rodriguez, director Robert Rodriguez spoke about the actress’s “unshakeable swagger” and how he wrote the character of Luz with her in mind after seeing Girl Fight.

Robert Rodriguez and Michelle RodriguezPhoto by Lauren Slusher

He also introduced a surprise guest to the event, Vin Diesel, who co-starred with Rodriguez in the Fast and Furious franchise. Sauntering onto the stage in a black cowboy hat, Diesel shared that he recently discovered his Texan roots and that their Texan identity was one of many things that bind him to Rodriguez as his ride-or-die.

Vin Diesel Texas Film Awards Vin DieselDavid Brendan Hall

Actor and one-time Austinite Elijah Wood presented the award to Tim and Karrie League, founders of the Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest.

Elijah Wood Tim and Karrie League Texas Film Awards Elijah Wood, Tim and Karrie LeaguePhoto by Lauren Slusher

Wood praised the Leagues for their impact not just on the Austin film industry but the wider film community by redefining what a theater could be, “a place that embraces both first-run studio films, independent and international gems, and the most obscure oddities dug from the archives; a place where you can pair dinner with a movie; where themed screenings create memories beyond the film itself.”

On the red carpet before the event, Wood told CultureMap what he most misses about Austin:

“I don’t live here anymore, but it still feels like home,” he shared. “I miss the food, tons of restaurants I love like Emmer & Rye, Loro, pizza from Via 313, Olamaie, Clark’s, Fresa’s.”

For the final award of the night, Atlanta actress Zazie Beetz and Fargo actor David Rysdahl presented the award to writer and producer Noah Hawley, who is currently working on Fargo and Alien: Earth.

David Rysdahl, Noah Hawley, and Zazie BeetzPhoto by Lauren Slusher

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