Reviewed by STEVEN G. KELLMAN                          On August 8, 1998, sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein disappeared. A troubled soul, he had left his home in Newton, Massachusetts to spend the summer with his uncle, Bob Alexander, a professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin. He passes his days in Texas working as an assistant at a nursing home …

Reviewed by STEVEN G. KELLMAN The Slip by Lucas Schaefer   Reviewed by Steven G. Kellman                          On August 8, 1998, sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein disappeared. A troubled soul, he had left his home in Newton, Massachusetts to spend the summer with his uncle, Bob Alexander, a professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin. He passes his days in …

Let’s start with Summer Night City which brings free weekly music series to Texas Public Radio Headquarters (321 W. Commerce St.) The announcement says: “Every Thursday in June, we are kicking off at 6 p.m. with the vibrant Last Chance Market, featuring DJs, food, amazing artists and cool vendors. Then, from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. attendees will enjoy two hours …

The Playbook: A Story of Theater, Democracy, and the Making of a Culture War by James ShapiroReviewed by Steven G. Kellman             For four heady, embattled years, 1935-1939, the United States indulged in an audacious artistic experiment – a government-sponsored network of cutting-edge theatrical productions in cities and towns throughout the country. Conceived during the Depression, as part of the …

NEWS ROUNDUP 6,20, 2025 This week’s Roundup will be short. Let’s start with visual arts events. The summer exhibition at the McNay Museum is a comprehensive survey of Jody Folwell’s career. The press release says: “Encounter the merging of tradition and innovation through iconic pottery in “O’ Powa O’ Meng: The Art and Legacy of Jody Folwell.” A contemporary potter …

The arts scene is getting quieter now that summer is almost upon us. But let’s see what is going on. The Inaugural Concert of The North East Wind Symphony, titled “The First” will be full of fanfares, big grand works and world premieres, as the ensemble is introducing itself to the public. Conducted by founder, Matthew Ramirez, and associated conductor, …

NEWS ROUNDUP, June 5, 2025 The arts scene is getting quieter now that summer is almost upon us. But let’s see what is going on. The Inaugural Concert of The North East Wind Symphony, titled “The First” will be full of fanfares, big grand works and world premieres, as the ensemble is introducing itself to the public. Conducted by founder, …

“ENDLING” by MARIA REVA Reviewed by Steven Kellman During the current Sixth Mass Extinction, two million species are, according to a study published in 2023, in imminent peril. Pity the endlings, the last survivors of species on the verge of disappearing. Pity poor humanity, largely responsible for the accelerated extinctions that endanger it as well.             At the outset of …