Renovated and Renewed: Texas Performing Arts Returns for 40th Season

by Britni Rachal on August 5, 2021 in Entertainment, Music, Theatre, Living Texas, Austin,
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Bass Concert Hall on the University of Texas in Austin campus is raising the curtain on some notable upgrades, including a $3 million renovation—just in time for dozens of musical and artistic comebacks for 2021-2022.

The musicians of Third Coast Percussion and dancers from Movement Art Is in Metamorphosis. See them on stage at TPA December 4. Photo Landon Akiyama

Leading American talent will once again be front and center in Austin. The stage is set for upcoming performances, including an encore of off-Broadway’s Hamilton, which first captivated Austin crowds during the 2018-2019 season.

With a little Hakuna Matata, for the first time in a decade, Disney’s The Lion King returns to Austin. Other notable Broadway season shows include Hadestown, Tootsie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and Mean Girls.

The Spektral Quartet will collaborate with Nathalie Joachim to perform her Grammy Award-nominated album, Fanm d’Ayiti (Women of Haiti) at TPA April 22, 2022. Photo Dan Kullman

Experience the Upgrades

Something else to look forward to—improved seating! For the first time in its 40-year history, all 2,900 audience seats in the Texas-size auditorium have been replaced. Audio-visual upgrades and new circulation space in lobby areas to reduce crowding will also hopefully increase the overall enjoyment of the audience.

Acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung joins the UT Jazz Orchestra for a collaborative concert as part of the 2022 Longhorn Jazz Festival.
Photo Joseph Boggess Photography

Choices Galore

Along with Broadway Austin’s season, Texas Performing Arts will host its Texas Welcome Series events, which include national touring attractions, concerts and comedians.

With a calendar too rich in depth to include everything here, some of the notable upcoming shows in October include #IMOMSOHARD: The Getaway Tour (Oct. 15), Jeff Jeffries (Oct. 22), The Beach Boys (Oct. 24) and Ballet Hispanico (Oct. 30). As we move nearer to the holidays, November’s offerings include Katie Couric: Going “THERE” Live (Nov. 3), Jason Moran and the Harlem Hellfighters (Nov. 5), Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles (Nov. 14), the Kronos Quartet (Nov. 19 & 20) plus the intriguing prospect of the Hip Hop Nutcracker with MC Kurtis Blow (Nov. 23).

Coming October 30, Ballet Hispánico in Tiburones by choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Photo Paula Lobo

Hamilton in December

December brings in the big guns, as Hamilton launches the Broadway Austin season on Dec. 7.

Tickets for the 2021 portion of the 40th Season of Broadway in Austin are on sale online. Additional production tickets for 2022 will go on sale later this year. There are also plans for some of the smaller shows to take place in a more intimate, smaller capacity setting.

A complete look at the entire Texas Performing Arts season is available here.

Eric Berryman in The Wooster Group’s THE B-SIDE: “Negro Folklore From Texas State Prisons” A Record Album Interpretation. Catch the show September 9-12. Photo Bruce Jackson

Cover photo courtesy Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater /Andrew Eccles

Britni Rachal lives in Austin, Texas. She is a freelance journalist, full-time marketer, and a Realtor®. In addition to writing, Rachal enjoys traveling, event planning, fashion, fitness and serving the Austin community.