The Tears of a Clown

Cirque Du Soleil's touching show Corteo makes Austin debut at Moody Center

Cirque Du Soleil performers in Corteo, coming to Austin.

Photo by Maja Prgomet

Mauro’s funeral has lasted years. Corteo by Cirque Du Soleil, the elegiac circus show celebrating the life of a fictional clown upon his passing, is returning to North America for the first time since 2019. Originally in Italian but beloved around the world, this piece of theater will both entertain and move Austinites as it transforms the Moody Center for five shows, February 2-5, 2023.

Although Corteo has been in North America, this is its Ausin debut. It comes on the heels of Ovo almost exactly one year prior. Where the insect-themed Ovo dealt with birth via a mysterious egg, Corteo runs through a clown’s memories and relationships as he’s on his deathbed. The tone is nostalgic, but according to artistic director Alison Crawford, it’s not a sad show.

“It's very touching because we get to know his character and the people that he loved during his life. He was a clown, so he had … some funny moments, and there's happy moments,” says Crawford. “Sad moments? I mean, at the end, we feel he's leaving us. Some people, it can remind them of somebody that was dear to them. But it's a very happy look at life.”

Set in the 18th century — if not in earthly Italy, then at least in a very Italian space full of chandeliers and velvet — this quasi-play is narrated by Mauro, and set to music by a seven-piece band spanning several styles from the folk music of the Romani people and Ashkenazi Jews, to more romantic and lyrical tunes. The multicultural aesthetic draws wonder from all audiences, but Crawford says Americans seem most drawn to humor across the circus repertoire.

“I love every moment of it. I've watched the show hundreds of times and I still don't get bored of it,” says Crawford. “The music really pulls you into the story, too.”

Corteo premiered in 2005 in Montreal, under a Big Top tent, meaning things will look a little different here, in Austin. This show in particular is unique for its dual view of the circular stage, causing half of the audience to face the other. Despite the opulent stage design and safety considerations — with aerialists literally swinging from the chandeliers — loading the show in takes 12 hours, and loading out takes less than four.

Like Crawford, audiences who have been to many Cirque Du Soleil shows know that the shine remains, even when they’ve seen the troupe or the story before. Austin is the only Texas city hosting this circus, but audiences have five chances to see it. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.

circus concert theater

High Score

Austin named the nation's pickleball capital in industry report

Photo by Henry Selis Photo

Other Racquet Social Club is back after city woes.

It's no secret that Austinites love pickleball. A new study proves just how much by ranking Austin the No. 1 city for pickleball in the whole country. Dallas and Houston also made the top 10 at Nos. 3 and 8, respectively.

The report was published by TeachMe.To, an online marketplace for learning sports (and sometimes music) from private instructors. It used data from its own platform, USA Pickleball, Places2Play, local pickleball associations, and more. It also referred to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), which named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America, with a growth rate of 223.5 percent over three years.

Similarly, TeachMe.To ranked Austin as the fastest-growing city for pickleball, and citing this as the main reason for the overall title of "the nation's pickleball capital."

It name-checked the Austin Metro Pickleball Association (AMPA) — with approximately 3,000-3,500 members — and the Austin Pickleball League (APL), estimating that overall, "15,000-20,000 people play pickleball at least occasionally in the greater Austin area." About half of those players — about 8,000-10,000 people — play at least twice a month.

The report did not include gender data on Austin, specifically, but it did note that not only are two-thirds of pickleball players female; women's involvement in the sport is also growing 50 percent faster than men's.

New courts everywhere
This probably isn't a surprise to people who have noticed the number of courts opened around Austin in recent years. By 2024, TeachMe.To's data shows 32 dedicated courts in Austin, and thanks to with a utility rate of 92 percent it doesn't look like that'll be slowing down.

In the summer of 2023, the online booking platform Swimply noticed how many pickleball courts there were in Austin compared to such great demand, and added courts to its service. In fall 2023 and summer 2024, at least two important developments expanded that availability: Other Racquet Social Club opened as a friendly, country club-like neighborhood option, and national chain The Picklr announced it's bringing five locations to Austin and Round Rock.

Perhaps because Austin is such a food-obsessed city, there seems to be some growing opportunity for food and beverage hospitality around pickleball, too. Other Racquet recently started hosting the Bill's Dips food truck, a spinoff of the popular downtown restaurant Bill's Oyster; and a pair of bars with pickleball courts, Drifters Social Coffee & Cocktails and The Pickle Pub, also opened in South Austin this year, with strong online ratings already.

The trend has even reached into real estate (see this cute house with its own pickleball court) and inspired athletes to introduce similar sports to the local market, as in the case of the padel club Paddle39. TeachMe.To's report also mentioned tech companies adding pickleball to their campuses.

Aside from growth, the study also considered lesson activity (including information about teacher availability and diversity of clinic offerings), infrastructure, community vitality, the tournament scene.

Austin had the highest concentration of all the cities of players under 40 (65 percent), as well as the highest share of national lesson bookings. At 16.90 percent, that means about one in six of the pickleball lessons contracted through this platform were in Austin. Lesson demand, the report says, is growing 125 percent year-over-year.

Elsewhere in Texas
Dallas was No. 3 thanks in part to its "central location" according to the report.

"The city's 45 dedicated courts and 85 [percent] public accessibility rate have fostered one of the most active competitive scenes in the country, with 8,500 registered league players," it says. "The combination of strong tournament presence, extensive infrastructure, and a 112% growth in lesson bookings solidifies Dallas as a powerhouse in the national pickleball landscape."

Houston made No. 8 with an emphasis on integrating pickleball with other sports.

"The city's 22 dedicated courts have seen a 92% increase in lesson bookings, driven by innovative programming that includes the nation's first corporate league system," it says. "Houston's success in integrating pickleball into existing sports infrastructure while maintaining 72% year-round utilization demonstrates a sustainable model for rapid growth."

Overall predictions
After laying out data about the top cities in pickleball, the report made some predictions. As the Austin newcomer mentioned above believes, the report also thinks padel is the next big thing. It also guesses more cities will act like Houston by focusing on hybrid facilities.

It also expects to see an expanded professional circuit and mainstream coverage, more technology used on the court, a rise in the prevalence of young players, and more opportunities in corporate wellness and real estate. "Dedicated pickleball facilities will become as common as swimming pools in luxury developments," it says. Texans will be the judge of that one.

pickleball lists