Rendering courtesy of Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and Designtrait
Austin Film Society's new art house movie theater premieres soon. On Friday, May 26, AFS Cinema will begin screening a variety of new releases, premieres, classic flicks, documentaries, curated series, and more at 6226 Middle Fiskville Rd.
"Opening the AFS Cinema is an enormous accomplishment involving a large, committed team of professionals and volunteers. This move allows AFS to vastly increase our signature film programming, add a much-needed program of new releases, and claim total control over our space, including a lobby that will become Austin's living room for cinema lovers," says AFS CEO Rebecca Campbell in a release.
The property, formerly the Marchesa Hall and Theater, officially transformed into the AFS Cinema in spring 2016 but closed last fall for a major overhaul. Updates include a new lounge area; full-service bar; marquee sign; updated event hall; and an additional cinema, bringing the total to two screens. Designtrait and Michael Hsu Office of Architecture teamed up with AFS founder and acclaimed director Richard Linklater to redesign the space.
New food and beverage options are on the horizon too. Chef Peter Klein, along with WHM Hospitality consultants Bill Mann and Jorge Hernandez, crafted a menu of easy-to-eat items, including sausages from Smokey Denmark, cheese plates from Antonelli's, and specialty popcorn. The bar will feature craft beer, signature cocktails, and fresh coffee.
"I'm thrilled to join the team at the AFS Cinema, which will be a community hub and gathering place for film lovers. We've crafted a menu to complement that, with offerings focused on local and regional products and ingredients, nourishing comfort foods, and a twist on the classics," says Klien.
The first movie series, dubbed Texas Film Christening, will feature five classic Lone Star flicks: Rio Bravo, Tender Mercies, August Evening, Sugarland Express, and The Last Picture Show (which includes an introduction from Linklater). Other upcoming series include Comedy, Italian Style; The Noir Canon; Cinema of Resistance; and the family-friendly Sunday School. The latter two will be monthly offerings.
Tickets are now on sale for May and June screenings.
Austin's Mama Duke is set to showcase her original rap on America’s Got Talent.
Austin musician Mama Duke is no stranger to the limelight, but her journey to becoming a multifaceted artist has been anything but conventional. Now, she’s taking her artistry to a national stage, representing Austin on America's Got Talent (AGT). Her audition will air June 17 at 7 pm on NBC (locally on KXAN).
With deep roots in storytelling and a genre-defying sound, Mama Duke embodies creative evolution. Hopping between rap, pop, and other genres, her music is a testament to her love for bridging communities and celebrating individuality.
Music has always been a force of connection for Mama Duke, and that journey started early. Growing up in a household where rap wasn’t allowed, her mother instilled a love of storytelling through other genres, sparking her passion for lyrics and meaning. Now, the musician's refusal to be boxed into a single genre is central to her identity as an artist. She describes herself as being “in the middle of everything,” a reflection of her life experiences.
Her upcoming appearance on AGT marks a milestone in her career, one that she views as an opportunity not just for herself, but for all the communities she represents.
CultureMap took some time with Mama Duke to learn about her artistic point of view and audition on America's Got Talent. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
CultureMap: You've been in and around music since childhood. What is it about the medium of music that you love?
Mama Duke: "I grew up on the Mexican side of my family, and so my mom didn't let me listen to rap growing up, and I always was listening to, like, just oldies. And I owe my mom so much. But every time we listened to a country song, she'd turn it off and be like, ‘What do you think that was about?’ We talked about songs. And so it is just storytelling that I am so excited about. Obviously music performing, but also telling other people's stories ... pulling that out of you, that's what I love."
CM: You're often defined as 'genre hopping.' How would you describe your music to someone who's never heard it before?
MD: "I'm in this weird space for lack of a better word. I sometimes I don't know what to say. I love pop music. But then if somebody just introduced me as pop artist Mama Duke, or even when people say 'she's a rapper,' I'm like, that does not feel good, you know? And so I think I'm still developing that. I feel like I want to give you an answer. I don't have just one."
CM: That's part of what makes your music unique, too. You can hear the genre hopping, even in individual songs. Can you tell me more about your desire to mix styles?
MD: "For me, it's just like I am a bridge to a lot of different things. I'm half Black, half Mexican, right in the middle. I'm also a masc presenting queer woman. I am literally in the middle of all these communities. And so for me, it's like, I love being a bridge. It's something that doesn't turn off. I always say rap music got me here. Universal did a songwriting camp in the pandemic, and that's when I started making songs with people from Brazil. You know, I love bridging worlds."
CM: You're about to perform on America's Got Talent. What does it mean to you to represent Austin on the AGT stage?
MD: "Oh, man, it is literally for everyone. I mean, I would say triple whammy, right? I'm a part of so many minority groups, you know, and then you add artists in there. We're all trying just have some sort of spotlight on us. ... To be seen by such a big platform is — I can’t explain it. Imagine if you won the lottery and you cannot cash this until next February. You’re still moving. But you eat different things, treating people different. Traffic feels different. News feels different. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to feel like this; feel invincible, you feel invited to the table."
CM: What are you most excited for the world to see when your performance airs?
MD: "I hope people can see me beyond the performance, beyond my story. You know, like if you didn't like the song, you liked me. If you didn't like me, you liked the song, or you appreciated my outfit, or you laughed a little. I want people to see that a starving artist from Austin, Texas, is touching ... Simon [Cowell] or Scary Spice. I was always the Black girl. I always had to be, like, even if I wanted to be Sporty [Spice], I think, gladly, was always that loud Black girl. And so to be seen there, it's crazy."
CM: What was the turning point for you in moving from just listening and consuming to actually making music?
MD: "When I was younger, my mama had this software on her computer. Horrible mic, horrible, horrible, horrible. But it worked, and she had a CD burner. So here I am, 14 years old, rapping on this rinky dink mic, burning it and selling it in the hallways. I really didn't know you could be anybody and get paid for it. It was just, I love to do it. Then I went to the Art Institute for photography — that was my first love. I heard that Austin was the Live Music Capital of the World. Moved to Austin, started performing, and I was like, ‘People pay for this?' Even $50? You want to give me $50 to do the song I made in my closet? ... I was just winging it."
CM: What advice do you have for musicians in Austin trying to make it to where you are?
MD: "I mean, it's a little lonely for anybody out there in the early stages or middle stages. Your blueprint is not going to look like mine. You're really precious. ... Truly, to have this golden ticket to go audition, it's like every 'no' mattered. The day after my audition airs, [I'll go to work at] the YMCA... I could be mad about that, like, dang, I got this opportunity, and I still got to clock in the day after. [But] I get to do that, and I'm okay with that. Your story is your story. You have to love that part of it, to love this part. If you are truly an artist, this is what we do. We struggle and fall in love with that part."
