Most of the time, news about a personnel change at an arts institution involves personnel leaving. It's rare to see news about personnel coming back. That's why we did a double take when the latest
Ballet Austin press release crossed our desk. The notice trumpeted the return of three - count `em, three - veterans of the company, signing back on for the 1998-99 season. Longtime fans of the company may recall
Willie Shives, a UT alumnus who performed with BA as a principal dancer for three seasons starting way back in 1982. He returns as a principal dancer. A mainstay of the company from 1983 to 1990,
Cathy Leon-Parker made her mark in character roles and the ballet Songs My Country Taught Me, which Ballet Austin artistic director
Lambros Lambrou adapted for her final company performance. Since then, Leon-Parker has appeared in BA productions of Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet. She returns as a lead character dancer. As for the third prodigal company member, it's unlikely that anyone with more than a cursory familiarity with Ballet Austin will need to be reminded who he is:
Stephen Mills. Mills returns to BA as resident choreographer, a role he filled for the company from 1994 to 1996. He left to pursue his choreographic career as a free-lancer. He returns as the only American choreographer to be selected for the sixth Recontres Choreographiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis, an extremely prestigious international dance competition. His piece Ashes was honored over dozens of other works by choreographers from around the world, and, in fact, this is a good time to congratulate Mills and welcome him home. He and seven BA dancers performed Ashes in Paris this past week. Our congratulations to Mills - and to Ballet Austin for getting him back on board.
Off the Desk
It's time again for the Austin Theatre Critics Table Awards. For the sixth year, arts writers from the West Austin News, the Austin American-Statesman, and The Austin Chronicle have put their swollen heads together and collectively settled on the outstanding work produced in Austin theatre from May of last year through April of this year. Sure, it's a screwy time frame and the critics' choices are no less idiosyncratic than anyone else's, but, hey, it's the thought that counts. And the ceremony itself is about as loose as one of these annual awards affairs get (I mean, how many others boast lightly toasted critics wobbily making jokes and occasionally even singing?). This year's event will also include tributes to two of its founding members who passed away in the last year: John Bustin and David Mark Cohen. The 1998 ceremony is on Tuesday, June 2, 7pm, at Top of the Marc, 618 W. Sixth. As always, it's free.
Worthy Causes
Rude Mechanicals is hosting its Third Annual Benefit on Saturday, May 30. This year, the event consists of two parts: the Benefit Carnival, a Cajun feast with beignets, cash bar, live music, a carnival, and silent auction; and Rude-Aid `98, a concert with Morningwood, Bongo Hate, Enduro, Gretchen Phillips, Jo Carol Pierce, et al. The carnival is
6-8:30pm; Rude-Aid is 8:30pm-2am, both parts are at Electric Lounge, 302 Bowie. Cost: $25 individuals ($40 couples, $10 starving artists). For more info, call 476-RUDE.
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