“Grand Finales: The Creative Longevity of Women Artists” by Susan Gubar Reviewed by Steven G. Kellman Some artists – Jean-Michel Basquiat, Emily Brontë, James Dean, Jimi Hendrix, Sylvia Plath, Arthur Rimbaud – flash across the firmament before abruptly flaming out. No less spectacular are those who manage to be productive into their eighties or nineties. Beyond tips about diet, exercise, …

Summer is time for festivals, and the The 29th Cactus Pear Music Festival is about to start, under the name 29 and Counting. “The name is a nod to our longevity and to the milestone just ahead – but also to the heartbeat of camber music itself… “Sustained by years of unforgettable performances, meaningful connections and a community that keeps …

Reviewed by Steven G. Kellman             The symptoms of a panic attack are often indistinguishable from what an artist experiences in the throes of creation – heightened sensitivity, the feeling that everything is strange, and the dissolution of time and space. Fifteen-year-old Nicholas suffers from an anxiety disorder that causes him to hyperventilate, feel separated from his own body, and …

Let’s start with film! The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center has announced its 46th Cinefestival SAN ANTONIO full program line up. The fest will take place July 9-13, 2025, showing Chicanx, Latinx and international Latin American cinema, with a strong focus on regional and local filmmaking.  It will showcase San Antonio premieres of new feature films: the Mesquite Award nominees for Best …

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, …