Austin Playhouse

Just got back from seeing a production of Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing, and it was incredible! The play was fantastic, the actors all did amazing jobs, and this was possible the hardest working group of stagehands I’ve ever seen. Right now the theater is inside of an old mall, so it;s kinda creepy getting there, especially if you’ve never been before and don’t know where you’re going, but it’s definitely worth it!

I want to absolutely RAVE about the production of «Chicago» we saw last night here! Incredible, fantastic, delightful, wonderful, energetic, spectacular…(Quick…where’s my thesaurus?) It was thoroughly entertaining! Besides being one of my favorite Broadway plays, the production was well cast with incredibly talented performers!
Bravo!
Two Thumbs Up!
Hat’s Off!
No detail had been left unplanned down to the minutiae. The crew and orchestra deserve high marks as well for an incredible performance!
If you go to one show this year in Austin, make it this one… it’s a Must See!

I love local theatre productions. Especially intimate ones. When I heard a friend was in a recent production for Austin Playhouse, I knew I had to go see it. And boy, am I glad I did! Tickets were reasonable and they had wine/​beer/​cookies for sale (#winning) for your amusement and entertainment.
The actual production was great (we saw David Ives’ ‘The Liar’); I wasn’t sure what to expect, all I knew about it was that it was a comedy. It was hilarious. All the actors were great! Highly professional and perfectly executed.
Yes, it was a little scary going to the Highland Mall to go see it, but it’s totally worth it. Their temporary theatre is actually really well done, and no matter your seat you are close enough to see every expression on the actors’ faces. That’s awesome.
I plan on making more visits to see some shows by the Austin Playhouse! Even if my friend isn’t in the cast, I know it’ll be a great production and worth supporting.

Austin Playhouse provides great diversity in its offerings, and features local talent with its actors. Drama, comedy, and musicals are part of the annual season which presents classics as well as little-​known but excellent theater pieces. One of the interesting things about a repertory theater is that you can’t help thinking about other roles which you’ve seen an on-​stage actor portraying. Hopefully the proposed new playhouse will be built soon to give Austin audiences a better venue for the productions so many cherish.

Austin Playhouse is a secret treasure! It is perfect for those weekends when you’re not sure what you want to do, but you know you want to do SOMETHING. Student ticket prices make it a very affordable date-​night. We recently saw «The Importance of Being Earnest» and were very satisfied with the quality of the acting and the theater itself (though they are moving soon). Wine was something like $ 4 a glass, so even the drinks are affordable! And they let you take your drinks and snacks in with you! Why yes, I WOULD like to eat a chocolate chip cookie while watching the play!
The audience was eclectic. While there were several other 20– and 30-​something couples, there were equally as many middle agers and seniors. It looked like everyone enjoyed themselves, no matter their age. We will certainly be back!

This is such a cute little theatre in the round and I feel like it is my little secret playhouse! I do want others to learn about it so they can continue to thrive and grow as a company. I am planning on seeing the play Mousetrap this winter and I can’t wait because the last time I saw it was in London and I loved it!

This is one of Austin’s best kept secrets, and a locally owned operation.
Don Toner and crew have taken what was a small production company using a stage at McCallum High and evolved it into a year-​round full two-​stage facility with comfortable seating in an intimate atmosphere.
AP relies on a cast of seasoned local talent, including the brilliant and talented Michael Stuart, to provide a broad variety of theatrical productions each season. For live theater, the prices are reasonable, with half-​price student tickets and guest ticket discounts for season ticket holders.
The one thing I really appreciate about this venue is (and I repeat myself) the intimacy of the seating and stage. The stage literally ends at the edge of the first row. The most distant seats are no more than twenty feet from the stage, making the production even more real and audience connected. You get the feeling you are literally part of the play; there is no significant degree of separation between the actors and the audience.
The other thing that I love is that it’s literally a working company. Don Toner himself will often call back to confirm seating reservations. If it’s not Don, it’s frequently one of the other cast members. When you have a special request, there is no «box-​office» detachment. And, at the end of the play, Don’s waiting at the door to shake your hand and welcomes your comments regarding the performance.
If you’d asked me ten years ago if I would ever be caught dead watching five plays a year, my answer would have been an emphatic «no». Thanks to one of Don’s Actor’s Equity members, John Hoff, I got hooked. John’s no longer connected with the group as he’s living in Colorado, but I thank him for instilling the appreciation for this troup in me.
P. S. One of their most acclaimed productions is «Dead Presidents’ Club», which is showing for one more day (11÷9÷2008) at Evans Auditorium at Texas State University-​San Marcos. If you have time to catch this production today, do so. If you miss, pray for a summer revival in 2009!

Austin Playhouse is a wonderful little venue with excellent shows. It’s a theatre in the round, seating 100 (maybe 150) people. Thursday/​Friday/​Sunday tickets are $ 24, Saturday is $ 28, with senior discounts and half-​price tickets for students (pity I’m not one anymore).
I saw several of their shows last season, and two this time around, and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Great acting, and being in the round, it’s more immersive than your typical stage production.
Water, various forms of alcohol, and cookies are available at the theatre, much more reasonably priced than you’d ever find at the movies. Parking is plentiful and there are many wonderful restaurants nearby for you have dinner at before the show (or afterwards if, like us, you get stuck in I-​35 traffic and don’t end up with time beforehand!)