Arts Alive San Antonio

Theater stages are alive with music, dance and even new plays! That’s great news and we can’t wait to tell you about it.

The Public Theater of San Antonio is opening its original, made-in-San-Antonio holiday show called Season’s Greetings from San Antonio, a musical revue of holiday songs performed by the fictional Dotz a Capella male quartet during their televised Christmas Special. Directed by Matt Cassi with music direction by Darrin Newhardt, the show includes songs in English, Spanish and Yiddish, and reflects different ways San Antonians mark and celebrate the holiday season. A few stories contributed by community members will also be woven into the fabric of the presentation. The Dotz singers are portrayed by John Berring, Chaz Ingraham, Jeremy Marmolejo and Damien De Shaun Smith. (Opens Friday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 19; Fridays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.; tickets must be purchased in advance at www.thepublicsa.org or call 210-733-7258; masks required.)

The Magik Theater of San Antonio has a special show, too: Ella Enchanted, an upside-down version of Cinderella, which was adapted for the stage by Karen Zacarias from the eponymous children’s book by Gail Carson Levine. In this fairytale the heroine, Ella of Frell, is given the “gift” of obedience from her fairy godmother. She is not happy with it, and eventually embarks on a mission to change her predicament. Not only does she save herself, she also saves the prince! There you go – a feminist Cinderella! (Opens Nov. 20 at 6 p.m., runs through Dec. 24; 420 S. Alamo; tickets $20 for kids, $25 adult, with discounts for educators, military, students & seniors; www.magiktheatre.org or call 210-227-2751; the Nov. 27 performance will be “Pay What You Wish.” American Sign Language-interpreted show is on Dec. 11)

At the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, they will be presenting three new original plays by local playwrights in their Teatro Salon Readers Theater Series 2021. The readings start with Lalo y Lola by Linda Cuellar, on Nov. 16, and continue with La Nina Girasol by Julio Cesar Duenas, Nov. 18, and Un Nuevo Capitulo by Patricia Zamora on Nov. 23. The first and the third are described as comedies, while La Nina is a children’s play in the style of Chicano magical realism. (Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., 78207; free; 210-271-3151, www.guadaluprculturalarts.org)

At the Overtime Theater, you can enjoy a cabaret-style musical evenings this weekend featuring a strong cast of performers: Arianna Gonzalez, Renae De Hoyos, Nicole Erwin, AJ Erives, Dan Timoskovich, and Julian Prosper. (Nov. 19-20 at 8 p.m.; social mixer at 7:30; tickets $10, available at the door or online; https://theovertimetheater.org/the-overtime-cabaret/)

Another stage show is Defining Moments produced by the group of UTSA faculty and students as a way to connect and continue learning during 2020 when in-person classes and activities were verboten. The original production combines the talents of students from six disciplines – history, English, art, music, dance and architecture. (Nov. 19, 7 p.m.; Buena Vista Theater, UTSA Downtown Campus; free but reservations recommended. To learn more about this show, see our story from Nov. 17 on this site)

As usual, music is everywhere but let’s start with the very promising concert In the Style of Jazz which is part  the Musical Bridges Around the World season. It will feature Russian musicians, pianist Valery Grokhovski and violinist Mark Cheikhet, and two San Antonio-based players, drummer Darren Kuper and bassist Zlatan Redzic, who, judging by his name, hails from the former Yugoslavia. He is currently a San Antonio Symphony member. Grokhovski is well known in San Antonio as both a jazz and classical master who has recorded more than 20 albums in both genres. Both Grokhovski and Cheikhet are related to MBAW founder Anya Grokhovski, and that’s how San Antonio audiences get to enjoy their virtuosity fairly often. Redzic and Kuper are also highly accomplished pros, with distinguished careers of their own. Kuper has had an interest in combining jazz and classical since at least 1990 when he formed the Jazz Protagonists, a neo-classical piano jazz trio.  

The program sounds fabulous, with Bach, Gershwin, Mozart, Mendelssohn and French legendary chansonnier, Charles Aznavour, all having time in the spotlight. (Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., San Fernando Cathedral downtown; free but tickets required; register at https://musicalbridges.org/event/in-a-style-of-jazz/)

The Agarita Chamber Players will present Postcards from the Border, a concert inspired by the work of photographer Joel Salcido and writer Oscar Casares who documented the situation along the US-Mexico border. The concert will take place at the Holly Auditorium on the campus of UT Health San Antonio. (Nov. 22, 6 p.m., 7703 Floyd Curl Drive,78229; free but donations to benefit UT Health San Antonio Refugee Clinic are expected.)

And here’s one you may not want to miss. The Tennessee Valley Authority, the venerable bluegrass band founded by Hank Harrison and his brothers Jeff and Scott in 1972, is marking its 50th anniversary of playing the “lonesome sound” from the Appalachian region right here in San Antonio. The band has changed members over the years but it’s still going strong. You can see them in action Sunday night at the Lonesome Rose. (Nov. 21, 4 p.m., Lonesome Rose, 2114 N. St. Mary’s; $15; 210-455-0233, www.thelonesomerose.com)

Another local performer, rapper Mexstep, will join forces with a few others, including Andrea Vocab Sanderson, San Antonio’s poet laureate, Saturday for a show at the Lighthouse Lounge. This rapper, whose real name is Marco Cervantes, is also a prof of Mexican-American studies at UTSA, so expect a more sophisticated delivery and language. (Nov. 20, 9 p.m., Lighthouse Lounge, 1016 Cincinnati St.; free but a small donation welcome. No phone number given.)

A big name will be playing at the Majestic Theater Friday, Nov. 19. We are talking about David Wallace Crowder, mostly known as Crowder, a Christian music star singer/songwriter who has sold three million records, won the Dove Award, and is currently touring to promote his newest album, “I Know a Ghost.”
(Nov.19, 7 p.m.; Majestic Theater, 224 E. Houston, 78205; tickets start at $29.20 + fees; 210-226-3333)

And let’s not forget the Million Dollar Quartet at the Tobin, a show based on a Broadway musical which was based on a real-life event that happened in 1956 at the Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. For one evening, four, now legendary, men – Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis found themselves together at that fame studio, and the owner recorded everything. In the current show, they will celebrate the season with jam-packed evening of hits. (Nov. 22, 7:30 p., 100 Auditorium Circle, tickets $34.50- $69.50 at tickets@tobincenter.org or call 210-223-8624)

A number of new exhibits are opening in the next few days. Ruiz-Healy Art is celebrating its Quinceanera with an exhibit of artists that have been significant to the gallery’s history. That includes names such as Jesse Amado, Richard Armendariz, Cecilia Biagini, Nate Cassie, Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Graciela, Chuck Ramirez, and others. Should be an impressive exhibition. (Open house, Saturday, Nov. 20, 12-3 p.m.,201-A E. Olmos Dr., 78212; 210-804-2219; https://ruizhealyart.com, exhibit closes Jan. 29, 2022)

The Clamp Light Gallery is currently showing I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times by Sarah Sagarin. In the press release, the artist says she approaches her work from a formal aspect, with problems of composition being the emphasis, not concept. Yet despite of that “Sarah’s paintings tell stories.” This is a small gallery in a building that houses artist studios. (1704 Blanco Rd, 78212, viewing by appointment; call or email: 832-259-3530, clamplightstudios@gmail.com)

Centro Cultural Aztlan is hosting a holiday market offering paintings, sculptures original prints, jewelry, furniture and textiles, Nov. 19-21, 1800 Fredericksburg Rd., #103; 210-432-1896, https://centroaztlan.org.

The city’s Arts & Culture Department has a job opening for a Film & Music Assistant Marketing Manager. To see details and apply go to  www.sanantonio.govhrcareercenter.