Everyone deserves a relaxing weekend after a long week of work, but no one may deserve it more than the poor, unfortunate souls who dealt with clouds of pollen exploding over the city. If you suffer from the dreaded cedar fever, it probably ruined your last weekend; hopefully your sinuses have now cleared up a bit so you can enjoy of the fun waiting for you over the next several days.
For more weekend enjoyment options, peruse the rest of our events calendar.
Thursday, January 16 — Sunday, January 19
Broadway in Austin: American Idiot
2014 marks 10 years since the release of Green Day’s seventh album, American Idiot. If you were in high school or middle school around that time and your wardrobe was almost entirely from Hot Topic, it was an important year for you.
It's also good timing for the Broadway musical adaptation of Green Day’s rock opera to come through Austin. Telling the story three teens seeking to escape the clutches of suburbia, American Idiot is a must-see for any die-hard fan of the California punk band.
If you’re on the opposite end spectrum, you might want to skip it, but if you’re somewhere in the middle, take a chance and enjoy a musical depature from traditional Broadway fare: a fast-paced story and music that explores what it means to be an American these days and reopens the question what makes the American dream.
Friday, January 17 — Sunday, January 19
Hidden Room Theatre: Der Bestrafte Brudermord, or Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most important works of art in Western theater, and you may feel like you have seen just about every possible interpretation on this dramatic work. But starting this weekend, you will have a chance to see a version of Hamlet like you've never seen before.
Der Berstrafte Brudermord is a German spin on the classic play, dating back to around 1710. Hidden Room is intent on performing the show as it was originally presented: as a live puppet show. Utilizing puppetry, onstage narration and even fireworks, the company turns out a production that not only tells the original story of Hamlet, prince of Denmark; it also throws in its fair share of extra characters and scenes, all at a breakneck and slapstick pace.
Saturday, January 18
Austin Classical Guitar Presents: Rovshan Mamedkuliev
Originally hailing from Baku, Azerbaijan, when it was still part of the Soviet Union, Rovshan Mamedkuliev showed exceptional musical talent from a very early age. Having performed across the world and been named the second of three consecutive Russian winners of the world’s most prestigious guitar competition, Mamedkuliev will stop by Austin for a special performance courtesy of Austin Classical Guitar.
The Long Center Presents: Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto has been entertaining the world for a long time. It’s always impressive when a performer can sustain a career for so long while still drawing big crowds. Mr. Bennett will be working his magic in Austin this weekend, and while he might seem too old-fashioned for some of you, that just leaves more room for fans of one of the smoothest voices still out there.
Hidden Room Theatre presents Der Berstrafte Brudermord, or Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
Fog really adds to the experience — and weirdly, it smells like pumpkin spice.
Some more information from the email from Pumpkin Nights.Graphic from Pumpkin Nights