03.11.2024

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Today’s Forecast

🩰 “Madness” on the dance floor

Ballet Austin to premiere original work, “Stephen Mills’ POE / A Tale of Madness,” this month

Four dancers pose amid a gothic-inspired set featuring candles and moody lighting.

See the dark tales of Edgar Allan Poe come to life through Ballet Austin dancers. | Photo by Paul Michael Bloodgood & Virtigo Pictures, courtesy Ballet Austin

Ballet Austin’s newest original production, “Stephen Mills’ POE / A Tale of Madness” premieres this month and it has more Austin connections than you may think.

Here’s what you should know about the gothic-inspired show.

First, some background

Ballet Austin has a unique ability to produce original works every few years, thanks to a 2016 endowment from Dr. Ernest and Sarah G. Butler, who are longtime patrons of Austin arts.

The $3 million Butler New Choreography Endowment funds Ballet Austin’s original productions in perpetuity, making the dance company the largest in the US to have a fund reserved exclusively for creating new work.

The first original work that came to be as a result of the fund was the fairy tale-inspired “GRIMM TALES,” which premiered in 2019.

Poe dancers are posed amid a moody set. — The Ballet Austin production is the second original work funded by the Butler New Choreography Endowment.
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Photo by Paul Michael Bloodgood & Virtigo Pictures, courtesy Ballet Austin

This show

The ballet centers, unsurprisingly, on the dark tales of Edgar Allan Poe. Several of the author’s stories are featured in the dance, including “The Raven,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “Fall of the House of Usher.”

Choreographed by lauded artistic director Stephen Mills, the show is set to original music from composer Graham Reynolds (who has scored films like “Before Midnight” and “Bernie”).

The ballet premieres on Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. — tickets range from $15 to $99.

Learn about Poe in Austin

Learn more about Edgar Allan Poe at UT’s Harry Ransom Center, which houses an extensive Poe collection including ~70 letters, plus art, photographs, and Poe’s writing desk.

Browse the digital collections online or request to see them in person by making a reservation to visit the Center’s Reading Room.

Events

Monday, March 11

Helping Hands Lab | Monday, March 11 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Round Rock Public Library, 216 E Main St., Round Rock | Study your genealogy with help from the pros at this workshop.

Tuesday, March 12

Free Day | Tuesday, March 12 | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | Free | Enjoy the gardens at no cost all day long.
Tuesdays Unplugged | Tuesday, March 12 | 8 p.m. | Speakeasy, 412 Congress Ave., Austin | Free | There’s never a cover at this local singer-songwriter showcase.

Wednesday, March 13

St. Elmo x St. Elmo | Wednesday, March 13-Sunday, March 17 | 11 a.m.-11:45 p.m. | St. Elmo Brewing Co., 440 E. St. Elmo Rd., Austin | Free | Strap in for five days of live music and drink specials at this SXSW celebration.
Modern Day Mid-Week Reset | Wednesday, March 13 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Vuka - Bouldin Creek, 411 W. Monroe St., Austin | $8-$40 | Learn stress management tools at this event centered on relaxation and genuine connection.

Thursday, March 14

All Things Food Summit at SXSW | Thursday, March 14 | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. | Barr Mansion, Ballroom, and Farmstead, 10463 Sprinkle Rd., Austin | Free | More than 60 speakers will talk at this festival pop-up, which will also feature food tastings, film viewings, and live performances.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Shop

Top drawer looking sad? Time for a spring refresh.

Bombas’ top spring products include the Lightweight No Show Sock + Garden Party Ankle Sock. | Photo by Bombas

It’s time to spring clean your top drawer — and Bombas’ comfy, invisible socks will gladly replace your old, mismatched pairs.

Their no-show styles vanish under shoes, while blister tabs keep your heels happy. Plus, one pair purchased equals one pair donated to those in need.

Select top picks for spring are currently 5-15% off. (We love the Lightweight No-Show Sock 4-Pack + Garden Party Ankle Sock 4-Pack.) Plus, orders $50+ ship free.

Bonus: New customers can use code 6AM20 for an extra 20% off.

Shop spring socks

News Notes

Civic

Travis County declared a state of emergency ahead of the total solar eclipse next month. The move will allow the county to access additional funding for first responders and public safety ahead of the thousands of visitors expected to descend on Central Texas. (KXAN)

Coming Soon

Korean fried chicken restaurant Donkey Mo’s will open two new spaces in Austin this month. The first — at 5312 Airport Blvd. — will open Thursday, March 14, and be followed by a location at 1100 S. Lamar Blvd. on Thursday, March 21. (Eater Austin)

Cause

Nonprofits raised more than $10 million in this year’s Amplify Austin Day, which took place last week. The top-raising groups included Central Texas Food Bank, Shadow Cats Austin Wildlife Rescue, and the Missy Project. (KVUE)

Trending

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a visit to Austin for SXSW last week, and were spotted at Soho House and La Barbecue. Post Malone, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Katie Couric also visited the Capital City — see the full list of celeb spottings. (Austin American-Statesman)

Community

Dripping Springs is seeking $5 million to help build a new, 37,000-sqft library. The new structure would more than triple the size of the current library, which was built ~25 years ago and spans 9,500 sqft. (KXAN)

Art

You may know about the troll headed to Pease Park, but did you know about his slightly smaller friend a few blocks away? Stop by BEPI Park for another troll sculpture inspired by the larger-than-life Thomas Dambo installation, built by local Gary Schumann. (KUT)

Sports

Did you miss the Mavs beating the Heat? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Dallas Mavericks with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Try This

Hold your horses, Austin: The Capital City’s largest carnival, happening now through Saturday, March 23, is in full swing. From world-class livestock shows to top-ranked ProRodeo competitions and live performances, there’s no shortage of things to do at Rodeo Austin. Check out the lineup + grab tickets.*

Shop

This cozy men’s sweatshirt has been climbing the sales ranks and we can see why — the brushed fleece makes this everyday essential super comfortable.*

Food

🍕 Pick your pie

Meet the winner of ATXtoday’s pizza bracket

A graphic with a bracket of the top four pizza finalists.

Help us choose the best pizza in Austin. | Graphic by 6AM City

Welcome back to our ATXtoday pizza bracket, where we’re asking you to determine the best pizza in Austin.

After our second round of votes, we’re down to four “teams” left:

Via 313 and Home Slice Pizza | The Detroit-style pizzeria will face down the South Congress original.
Pinthouse Pizza and Pedroso’s Pizza | Both this brewpub and New York-style pizzeria are well-known for their pies.

Ready to decide who moves on to the final two in our bracket?

Keep your eye on the pies

The Buy

The Buy 3.11.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

Flower pots, solar lights, or lemon trees in QVC’s garden deals. “Love your garden” items are on sale until Thursday, March 28, meaning it’s the perfect time to start dreaming up this year’s outdoor spaces.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
London

From the editor

City Editor Figi and I got to see a great fashion show at SXSW, showcasing clothing from Houston-based Magpies & Peacocks.

The nonprofit design house uses recycled textiles to create up-cycled looks, which is pretty cool. My favorite look was made of leather from Southwest Airlines seats.

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