Note: This story is from 2014.

As a member of the press for the Hollywood Fringe Festival, which ran from June 12 to June 29, I took in no fewer than 15 productions, writing reviews and providing exclusive interviews with some of the gifted companies who presented terrific work at the Fringe.

One of the most fun aspects of the event for me was that I could take my bike on the Metro from Universal City and ride around Hollywood, making the experience as “green” as possible.

But now onto some of my Fringe favorites. Click on the links to be taken to my reviews and more.

Paul Hoan Ziedler’s Woof-Woof was a dynamic, foul-mouthed kick in the teeth, telling the story of a severely traumatized Iraq war vet who, just released from the army psychiatric hospital, decides to go visit his childhood friend in New York, even though he’s in no way prepared to re-enter society. The actors — Jay Seals, Devin Skrade and especially Brett Donaldson — really delivered.

Benjamin Durham (face covered) and Jonny Rodgers in No Homo.

Also good was two-time Fringe Fest award-winner No Homo: A Bromantic Tragedy, which skirted potential clichés and offfered up a scenario with fully-developed characters everyone in Los Angeles can relate to. And it was funny, too!

Another happy surprise was The Best of 25 Plays Per Hour, which consisted of sketches running around two minutes apiece. This sort of format runs the risk of becoming tedious, but the enormously talented company, Theater Unleashed, knew just how to present the pieces for maximum impact. Naturally, most of them were comedy skits, but there were a few poignant ones thrown in to break it up.

Brendan Weinhold and Dawn Alden in Four Tree Plays.

There was even an entertaining avant-garde theater piece, Four Tree Plays, consisting of a quartet of environmentally-themed pieces performed by actors who played trees, animals and even the occasional human. It had humor, it had movement, and it felt…oh, so avant-garde.

The Lost Moon Radio troupe, a Fringe favorite, came loaded for bear with Million Dollar Hair, a riotous musical tribute to a fictitious record producer, hosted by his malapropism-afflicted daughter, who introduces the acts that helped to make her father rich throughout the years. The genre spoofing is mostly dead-on, with some hilarious lyrics — and appreciably fine musicianship.

David Haverty, Kyle Nudo, Leigh Wulff and Michael Shaw Fisher.

Adding to the musical fun was Orgasmico Theatre Company’s The Werewolves of Hollywood Blvd., and this one was really ambitious. With some more spit and polish (and budget), I can easily see it playing successfully off-Broadway.

It’s about an entertainment agent who, when fired by the new owner of his firm, is urged by actual “werewolves” throughout history to get in touch with his animal side. And unlike those musicals whose songs merely set to music the dialogue the characters have just spoken (cough—Wicked), the tunes here actually advance the plot and develop the characters.

Among the other shows I enjoyed, Meet & Greet was a comedy about the “business” that features four actresses who meet in a San Fernando Valley casting office to compete for a lousy role in a trashy series about a “cougar” and her young lover.

Writers Stan Zimmerman and Christian McLaughlin, who’ve both been in the scene for a while, create a knowing and hilarious send-up of the dreadful Hollywood casting process. Carolyn Hennesy (True Blood) and ’80s goofy blond (and game show favorite) Teresa Ganzel brought the star power, ably supported by Vicki Lewis, Daniele Gaither and Paul Iacano. Easy to stage and funny as hell, I can see this becoming a regional theater favorite.

One-person shows were big at the Fringe, and I saw some good ones. I Want to Bury My Testimony was the intimate coming-out story of a former Mormon (Scott Hislop) who describes the challenges of growing up a “girly-boy” in Salt Lake City and Reno. Hislop’s charm and energy really put it over. 

The Wake, written and performed by a riveting Ben Moroski, was a dark and strange piece about a guy getting over being dumped by falling in love with a dead girl. Now who hasn’t done that?  

Linden Arden Stole the Highlights was written and performed by Colin Mitchell (whose Bitter Lemons site I also write for), and it’s a truly galvanizing work. Taking the lyrics of a rather obscure Van Morrison song as a starting point, Mitchell creates a legendary character — an expatriate gangster hiding out in Scotland — and it results in a forceful evening of theater.

If you’ve never experienced the Fringe, one thing to keep in mind is that there’s a scant 30 minutes downtime between shows, with several of them playing each day at each venue. So when one finishes, its company must rush out to let the next one come in, set up, do a lighting and sound check, and be ready to perform. Tick tick tick. Given these time constraints, it makes their accomplishments even more impressive.

I miss the Fringe already. Since shows were happening every day, I could hop the Metro on a Monday or Tuesday night if I felt like it — and go see a play. Now we’re back to a less-sparkling beginning of the week. It feels like the lights have gone out.

The post Theater Flashback: Covering the Hollywood Fringe appeared first on ArtScene SA.

NOTE: This interview was originally conducted in 2016.

With the Netflix release of Pee-wee’s Big Holiday this past March, fans of Paul Reubens’ ageless character have reason to rejoice. The film, directed by John Lee and co-written by Reubens and Paul Rust, puts Pee-wee back on the road, this time taking a cross-country trip to the Big Apple.

Along the way, he meets the anticipated collection of oddball characters, including a gang of female crooks (modeled after the buxom group in Russ Meyers’ Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill), some helpful Amish folk, and a friendly RV full of hairstylists. Best of all, erstwhile werewolf Joe Manganiello shows off his comic chops in the film as Pee-wee’s new BFF — and it’s hilarious.

On the day after its SXSW premiere, Reubens, Manganiello, Lee, and Rust, along with two of the gang girls, Alia Shawkat and Jessica Pohly, answered some pressing questions about the film and the welcome return of Pee-wee Herman

Co-scripter Rust, who co-created and stars in the Netflix series Love, says he had a blast working with Reubens on the screenplay. Of the many off-kilter characters Pee-wee encounters on the road, among the most delightfully bizarre is a group of extremely happy hairstylists (played by Darryl Stephens, Dionne Gipson, Anthony Alabi and Sonya Eddy) who give him a lift in their RV — and a makeover.

I asked where the idea for this flamboyantly friendly crew came from, and Rust told me they were inspired by the drag documentary Paris is Burning as well as John Waters’ ouevre, Hairspray in particular. As Pee-wee himself remarks, “Who doesn’t like giant hair?”

Rust explained that since there’s a rather long segment involving a farmer and his marriage-hungry daughters preceding this sequence, they felt like they needed to quickly add some more unusual characters. It’s a brief but memorable side-trip.

Lee, who co-created the cult MTV series Wonder Showzen, made his feature directorial debut with Big Holiday. He admitted to being a longtime Pee-wee fan, having first seen him in the 1981 HBO recording of Reubens’ original stage production of Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Working with cinematographer Tim Orr, Lee provides the look and feel required of a Pee-wee Herman film: bright colors, bizarre characters, and an overall childlike innocence.

There’s an ambitious, Gershwin-flavored musical number that spontaneously occurs when Pee-wee finally makes it to Manhattan, and I asked Lee about the logistics of managing all of those moving parts. He said it was done in two days, with himself and Orr pulling out all the stops to make it happen. Even though New York is a very permit-friendly town, that’s still an impressive achievement, and it gives Big Holiday a “big movie” moment.

As Bella, one of the gang girls who hijacks Pee-wee’s Fiat 600 and takes him hostage, Shawkat is irresistibly drawn to the manchild. It doesn’t hurt that her character’s nickname also happens to be Pee-wee, and she becomes his protector. Shawkat said that Bella, like so many others who come into his orbit, sees an innocent beauty in his character and wants to preserve it.

Pohly, who plays the tough-as-nails Pepper, provided this insight: in the world Pee-wee inhabits, the viewer gets the opportunity to bring whatever interpretation he or she wants to it. That’s quite true, and it’s the reason Reubens’ creation has such universal appeal.

Manganiello, who has been friends with Reubens for several years, jumped at the chance to participate in Pee-wee’s Big Holiday. He was a fan even before they met, confessing that he grew up as “a weird kid in a not-weird neighborhood,” and Big Adventure was his entrée into the concept of weirdness in the mainstream.

I asked him how the film’s Joe aligns with the real Joe, and he revealed that his character was originally intended to be a fictional action star named Joe Mancuso, but they decided at the last minute to have him play a version of himself. It was a good call.

Since we’re working in Pee-wee’s alternate universe, our star is blithely ignorant of who Joe Manganiello even is and is utterly incapable of pronouncing his last name: “Mangalalala?”

Nevertheless, the two quickly realize how much they have in common (root beer barrels top the list). Pee-wee views Joe as the very definition of cool, while Pee-wee brings out the 10-year-old kid in Joe, so he invites his new pal to come to New York to attend his birthday party — and that’s how the new adventure begins.

As Pee-wee encounters various setbacks en route to Manhattan, what keeps him motivated are happy dreams about the fun that he and Joe are going to have once he gets to the party. For some unspecified reason, these dreams are all in slow-motion – and in Spanish. Manganiello confessed to not knowing why they’re in that language, but they were a source of great amusement to both him and his wife, Sofia Vergara, when they previewed the film.

Reubens was delighted by the response the premiere received at the Paramount Theatre on March 18. The audience was laughing so heartily that many of the jokes were drowned out. He was also gratified that viewers found the plot, such as it is, absurdly funny. He said, “I love that you get that far into the movie, and [Joe] goes, ‘I want you to come to my birthday party,’ and you say, ‘That’s the plot?’”

Hey, where else are you going to get to see Joe Manganiello dressed in a Pee-wee Herman suit, jumping up and down in slow motion and shouting “Es perfecto!”?

Certainly what makes the film work is this: instead of trying to bring Pee-wee into today’s grimly social-media-driven, 24-hour news cycle world, the filmmakers decided to ignore it all entirely. Rather, we’re transported back into the character’s nostalgically optimistic, candy-colored ouevre, and everyone gets the opportunity to be a kid again – if only for 90 minutes.

But Reubens says he has more scripts and series ideas making their way through the production process, so we can look forward to hopefully spending more quality time with Pee-wee in the near future.

In the meantime, check out Pee-wee’s Big Holiday on Netflix now.

(Production photo courtesy Netflix. Photos of Manganiello and Reubens by the author.)

The post SXSW Flashback: ‘Pee-wee’s Big Holiday’ Interviews appeared first on ArtScene SA.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum invites the community to celebrate Native American Heritage Month at the Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival on Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the museum’s campus on the San Antonio River Walk. The festival, museum admission and all activities are free, offering a full day of art, music, dance, storytelling, hands-on crafts and cultural connection for all ages. Free event registration is available online.

Throughout the day, guests of all ages can enjoy arts and crafts, meet artists, hear Native American music, learn about Native American heritage and culture and explore the Briscoe’s galleries at no cost. Highlights include:

• A spiritual blessing by United San Antonio Pow Wow, Inc., a group that works to provide Native American people the opportunity to participate, practice, teach and exchange tribal traditions among all tribes and to enlighten everyone about the history and culture of America’s first inhabitants.
• A Pow Wow-style drum circle with United San Antonio Pow Wow and Enemy Horse Drumming demonstrating and explaining common pow wow dance styles.
• Indigenous storytelling with Joyous Windrider and Rosie Torres, sharing intergenerational stories and movement that bring Native American stories to life for all ages.
• Live music by Native American artists, including Tim Blueflint Ramel. An enrolled member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, a federally recognized American Indian Tribe, flute player Blueflint Ramel has opened for and shared the stage with Grammy Award Winner Mary Youngblood and a wide variety of artists. He is also an accomplished flute and jewelry maker and will demonstrate his craft throughout the day.
• See ledger art with artist George Curtis Levi showcasing art that originated amongst the Cheyenne in the late 1840s. Ledger art utilized pages of repurposed record books (ledgers) to depict everyday life. A member of the Southern Cheyenne tribe in Oklahoma, Levi also has ties to the Arapaho and Oglala Lakota communities.
• See traditional pottery techniques of the Caddo Nation with Chase Kahwinhut Earles, a renowned Caddo pottery maker who has dedicated his craft to reviving and preserving the traditional pottery techniques of his Caddo Nation ancestors. Earles’ creates intricate, historically accurate pottery that reflects the deep cultural heritage of the Caddo people, whose pottery tradition dates back centuries. His works are celebrated for their authenticity, craftsmanship, and connection to Caddo history and spirituality.
• Shane Hendren, a turquoise expert and a Diné/Navajo jewelry maker who is a member of the Indian Arts & Craft Association (IACA), an organization committed to promoting the integrity of materials used in native jewelry.
• Wayne TaySha Earles, a Caddo carver who creates cultural stonework and stone jewelry inspired by ancient Caddo lithic artifacts unearthed largely from the Spiro Mounds in northeastern Oklahoma. Using soapstone, pipestone and alabaster, Earles makes exquisite replications of the ceremonial maces, batons and banner stones turned up by archeologists. He also carves stone pendants, necklaces and chokers.
• Crafts and fun for all ages include ledger art, mixed media collages, leather medallions, basket and loom weaving, a community weaving basket and creating your own parfleche case, a pouch typically made with rawhide that is painted with images or geometric designs. Plains Indians created the parfleche because of its utility, beauty and convenience. Other tribes in North America then adopted its use.
• Browse a curated selection of Native American artwork and talk with the artists as they demonstrate their crafts, including jewelry, pottery, beadwork and textiles.

Named in honor of the Payaya people who were indigenous to the San Antonio area, “Yanaguana” was the word they used to describe what is now known as the San Antonio River. The festival has been held annually since the museum opened and includes free admission to the Briscoe, making it a perfect way to celebrate the vital role Native Americans played in shaping the West while enjoying art and artifacts that highlight Native American history.

Festivalgoers can also enjoy the Briscoe’s 14 galleries and its special exhibition, Going to Texas: Five Centuries of Texas Maps, exploring the history and identity of Texas through 66 rare and original maps from the extraordinary Yana and Marty Davis Map Collection paired with more than 25 artworks from private loans and the Briscoe’s permanent collection. The map collection, on loan from the Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas, reveals how cartography shaped perceptions of the region across centuries. Spanning nearly 500 years, from 1525 to 2006, the collection is widely regarded as one of the most important Texas cartography collections in existence.

Photos courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum.

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Special Month-Long Altar Exhibition to Be Held in Progreso Gallery Honoring the Late Flaco Jiménez

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center will once again bring the community together for its annual Día de los Muertos celebration on Sunday, November 2, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Plaza Guadalupe, 1327 Guadalupe St.

The evening will also include the return of “La Vida de los Muertos”, a free multidisciplinary theater and dance performance presented by the Guadalupe Dance Company, Dance Academy, and Mariachi Academy. This original production combines traditional and contemporary music and dance to bring to life the mythological land of the dead, weaving together stories of family, love, and cultural tradition. The performance will take place at Plaza Guadalupe (1327 Guadalupe St.) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs for this outdoor event.

“Día de los Muertos is one of the most meaningful cultural traditions of our community, and the Guadalupe is proud to be an anchor of authenticity in San Antonio’s Westside,” said Cristina Ballí, Executive Director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. “Our Día de los Muertos Community Celebration, La Vida de Los Muertos, is also one of the most educational programs in the region, teaching audiences of all ages the history, artistry, and meaning of this important tradition. This year, we are deeply honored to feature an altar dedicated to the legendary Flaco Jiménez, whose music and spirit embody the very heart of our culture.”

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center continues to honor the life and legacy of the late Flaco Jiménez with a special remembrance exhibition in the Progreso Community Gallery, celebrating his remarkable contributions to music and culture. The exhibit will feature rare photographs and memorabilia from community archivist Ramón Hernández.

This year’s altar exhibition will be on view at the Progreso Community Gallery (1300 Guadalupe St.), beginning Saturday, November 1, from 6 to 9 p.m., and continuing Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Sunday, November 30, 2025. Community-created altars will honor loved ones, cultural icons, and leaders who have passed on, including a feature altar paying tribute to Jiménez’s lasting legacy as one of San Antonio’s most beloved musical treasures.

Each participant celebrates their altar by honoring their loved ones, cultural icons and community leaders that have passed on. The creation of altars has become a unique cultural expression in Latin America. To book a school tour of the altar exhibit please contact GCAC Educational Director, Belinda Menchaca, at belindam@guadalupeculturalarts.org.

For details regarding this exhibit as well as the free Día de los Muertos outdoor performance, please visit www.guadalupeculturalarts.org.  All donations are appreciated for the Guadalupe to continue its programming throughout the year.

EVENT DETAILS:

• La Vida de los Muertos Music/Dance Performance
  Sunday, November 2, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
  Plaza Guadalupe, 1327 Guadalupe St.
  Featuring the Guadalupe Mariachi Academy, Dance Company, and Dance Academy
  Free and open to the public. Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs.
• Día de los Muertos Altar Exhibition
  Saturday, November 1, 6–9 p.m. (opening night)
  Progreso Community Building, 1300 Guadalupe St.
  Free and open to the public.
  Exhibition continues Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m., through November 30, 2025.

The post Gudalupe Cultural Arts Center Celebrates Día de los Muertos appeared first on ArtScene SA.

Free Community Concert at San Antonio Botanical Garden

Agarita, San Antonio’s innovative chamber ensemble, continues its 2025–2026 season with a free community concert featuring George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue for piano, strings, and clarinets, along with other Gershwin gems and complementary works. Gershwin is one of the few composers who truly integrated jazz in all its style, harmony, and soul into larger-scale classical forms. This performance will feature clarinetist Stanislav Chernyshev and will take place in the beautiful San Antonio Botanical Garden. Thanks to the City of San Antonio for their generous support.

WHEN: Sunday, October 19, 2025, 3:00 PM

WHERE: Betty Kelso Center, San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, San Antonio, TX 78209

WHO: Agarita Chamber Players
Featuring live performances by Agarita’s ensemble with piano, strings, and clarinets, including guest clarinetist Stanislav Chernyshev.

WHY: Part of Agarita’s free Community Concert series, this event makes high-quality chamber music accessible to the entire San Antonio community. Audiences will experience Gershwin’s innovative integration of jazz and classical music in a beautiful, natural setting.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Free tickets are available now
• Family-friendly
• Bilingual programming

For more information, please click here.

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Opening September 4 and running through October 5 at Classic Theatre, Real Women Have Curves is a heartfelt and empowering coming-of-age story. It’s a rich, character-driven play that celebrates culture, resilience, and self-acceptance.

Director Amelia Rico took some time to answer some questions for ArtScene SA.

ArtScene SA: Tell us a bit about the play.

Amelia Rico: Real Women Have Curves is a coming of age semi-autobiographical comedy about a group of women who work at a garment factory in the late 80’s trying to fulfill an insane dress order in the midst of L.A. INS raids and unfair wages for laborers and undocumented workers. We follow Ana, a high school graduate who has a bit of a chip on her shoulder, as she works, sweats and, eventually, sheds more than just her prejudice.

What will make it appealing to San Antonio audiences? How do you hope they will receive it?

San Antonio audiences are going to love this production because, first of all, it’s hilarious! It’s just such a fun show full of recognizable and relatable characters. Despite some of the heavy and, sadly, topical themes, I hope everyone will come with their moms, sisters, and girlfriends, ready to laugh, celebrate womanhood and have a great time.

They might also want to bring a tissue or two just in case. Like many good comedies, it is born out of pain and hardship, which really makes you appreciate the laughs!

What’s your opinion of the state of San Antonio theater today?

Nationwide, theater has been on a decline. I have worked in many theaters that have been struggling to find a foothold amidst cuts in art funding, economic decline, and rise in streaming television. But one thing I have discovered is that a new audience is primed and ready to discover live theater. With a million distractions and time suckers like social media ready and available 24/7 at the tips of your fingers, people are starved for human connection. Enter the Classic Theatre at San Pedro Playhouse with an amazing HERstory season lineup and it just fills me with joy and hope for the future of theater.

Real Women Have Curves plays Thursday through Sunday at the Classic Theatre, 800 West Ashby Place. Tickets and showtimes can be found here.

Feature photo: Amelia Rico with the cast. Photos courtesy Classic Theatre.

The post Exclusive Interview: Amelia Rico, Director of ‘Real Women Have Curves’ appeared first on ArtScene SA.

Agarita, San Antonio’s innovative chamber ensemble, is proud to announce its 2025–2026 season.

It will feature seven community concerts, its Humble Hall mobile concert series (reaching all ten San Antonio City Council districts and four Bexar County precincts}, and the recording of a debut album along with internationally acclaimed guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas.

This season expands Agarita’s groundbreaking blend of music, community engagement, visual art, and education. It also marks a major milestone with the debut of the newly expanded Agarita Loft — now equipped to host the Loft Concert Series, Community Concert Lecture Series, and CASA Loft Concerts, creating a flexible, intimate space for performances, dialogue, and community connection.

The newly expanded space, created by joining the adjacent suite, adds 1,642 square feet, doubling gallery capacity, and increasing seating to comfortably accommodate up to 100 guests. Outfitted with two Steinway pianos, the enhanced Loft will debut with the Places in South Texas concert on August 29 and a gallery opening on August 20, inviting the community to experience its intimate, art-filled setting.

The Loft will also house the Agarita Loft Gallery’s 2025–2026 exhibition season, curated by Jon Hinojosa, It will spotlight artists exploring themes of heritage, identity, and creative expression through exhibitions, artist talks, and family workshops.

“This season is our most ambitious yet,” said Marisa Bushman, violist, executive director, and co-founder of Agarita. “We’re recording our first album with international guitar sensation Pablo Saínz Villegas, expanding our community reach and growing into new artistic collaborations. The decision to expand the Agarita Loft just after opening its doors in 2024 as our headquarters and gathering space speaks to the deep resonance we’ve had with our community. We’re pushing boundaries, honoring heritage, and continuing to redefine what classical music and the arts can mean in San Antonio.”

“Recording our first album is a milestone we’ve dreamed of since Agarita began,” said Bushman. “To collaborate with Pablo Saínz Villegas—an international guitar virtuoso who shares our passion for connection and storytelling—makes this project even more meaningful. These newly commissioned works will celebrate the diversity of our sound and spirit, and we can’t wait to share them with the world,” she added.

Season Highlights

Debut Album Announcement
Recording May 2026 in collaboration with Pablo Saínz Villegas, the album will feature original commissioned works by Andrea Casarrubios, Clarice Assad, Javier Farias, Ethan Wickman, and Chris Rogerson.

Free Community Concerts (seven total)

Agarita’s Community Concerts bring bold programming to stunning venues across San Antonio. All are free and open to the public.

• Sept. 6, 2025, 7:30 p.m. – Chapel of the Incarnate Word
  The Four Seasons Reimagined
  In 2012, Max Richter recomposed The Four Seasons in his own voice, imbuing Vivaldi’s famous Baroque motives with a contemporary poignancy that brought worldwide acclaim. Experience the power of this monumental work live inside the breathtaking Chapel of the Incarnate Word, with special guests and Agarita’s own twists.
• Oct. 19, 2025, 3:00 p.m. – Betty Kelso Center at San Antonio Botanical Garden
  Rhapsody in Blue
  George Gershwin is one of the only composers who truly integrated jazz in all its style, harmony, and soul into larger-scale classical forms. Come share the experience of hearing this unique arrangement of his iconic 20th-century work Rhapsody in Blue for piano, strings, and clarinets, along with other Gershwin gems and complementary works, at the beautiful San Antonio Botanical Garden.
• Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 6, 3:00 p.m. – SAY Sí
  Agarita + Azul Barrientos and SAY Sí
  Join Agarita and singer-songwriter Azul Barrientos as they reunite for a special collaboration with SAY Sí and its students, inspired by change and transformation. In addition to new arrangements and songs by Azul and works that complement the program’s theme, these two shows will feature art from different disciplines by SAY Sí’s talented students. The Friday evening show (indoors) will be a more intimate concert, and the Saturday afternoon event (outdoors) will be a community celebration that includes vendors and other multimedia, culminating in a musical performance.
• Jan. 17, 2026, 7:30 p.m. – Agarita Loft
  One in Four, One in Eight
  There is often an unfortunate and unnecessary taboo surrounding topics of infertility and pregnancy loss. The physical, psychological, and emotional journeys for women, if shared and understood, can lead to incredible personal growth, community-wide empowerment, and positive systemic change. In her new work One in Four, One in Eight for Agarita, Katherine Pukinskis explores four emotional chapters during her own journey, from anticipation to disorientation, loss, and ultimately strength.
• March 22, 2026, 3:00 p.m. – Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, H-E-B Hall
  Agarita + Pablo Sáinz Villegas
  World-famous Spanish guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas returns to The Tobin Center for an innovative show with Agarita that features several world-premiere performances and highlights a year-long, collaborative musical project. Don’t miss this exciting next development of their musical relationship, and celebrate this diverse program of emerging musical voices.
• April 4, 2026, 7:30 p.m. – Stable Hall
  Agarita + Caroline Shaw
  Grammy-winning composer, singer and violinist Caroline Shaw comes to San Antonio to join Agarita for a show at Stable Hall that features her acclaimed works. Take part in this musical journey of Shaw’s unique voice, along with works that speak to her aesthetic and musical inspirations.
• June 27, 2026, 7:30pm – Location TBD
  Agarita + Nilgun Derman of Niche Clothing Co
  Niche Clothing Company teams up with Agarita for a show featuring music through the ages, with original clothing designs fitted to the program. Feast your eyes on unique performing outfits by designer Nilgun Derman that illustrate the aesthetic and period of the program’s eclectic musical selections, and enjoy a concert of exceptional range, from the Renaissance to modern America.

Loft Concert Series

COMPOSERS ALLIANCE OF SAN ANTONIO (CASA) LOFT CONCERTS

Agarita is partnering with the Composers Alliance of San Antonio (CASA) on a series of newly commissioned musical compositions celebrating inspirational locations in and around San Antonio. Titled Places in South Texas, the project commemorates CASA’s silver anniversary and is supported through individual commissions and by the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts and Culture. The pieces will be premiered on two Loft Concerts, and then a “video postcard” of each will be released on CASA’s YouTube channel. Subscribe to keep up with the project’s progress!

Composers: Brian Bondari, Timothy Kramer, Juan Luis de Pablo Enriquez Rohen, S. Beth May, and others.
Premiere Dates: 8/29/25 and 11/5/25

Watch online: CASA YouTube Channel »

Agarita’s intimate Loft Concerts continue with premieres and classical favorites, including:

• Works by Brahms (Sextet No. 2, Piano Quintet), Beethoven (String Quartets), and Amy Beach (Piano Quintet)
• Dates include: 9/17/25, 9/18/25, 9/26/25, 12/16/25, 12/17/25, 1/24/26, 2/6/26, 4/22/26, 4/23/26, 5/6/26, 5/7/26

LOFT COMMUNITY LECTURE SERIES

Daniel’s Loft Lecture Series (5)
Thought-provoking discussions with Daniel Anastasio.
Dates: 10/8/25, 12/10/25, 1/7/26, 2/11/26, 4/15/26

New: Community Concert Lecture Series (4)
Free public talks aligned with Community Concert themes.
Dates: 9/3/25, 12/2/25, 1/14/26, 6/24/26

AGARITA INSPIRES!

40 Agarita Inspires! in-school and library performances are planned for the 2025–2026 season, reaching thousands of students across San Antonio with high-quality arts education.

AGARITA HUMBLE HALL

Agarita will return to all 10 districts and 4 precincts of San Antonio with accessible concerts with our mobile concert hall, the Humble Hall. Collaborations include San Antonio musicians Azul Barrientos and Dr. Aaron Prado.

This past season, Agarita’s reach has grown exponentially—from serving just over 1,200 people in its inaugural 2019–2020 season to nearly 25,000 in 2024–2025, including: 14,031 students across 51 educational shows through its Agarita Inspires! program. It also served the community through its Humble Hall mobile performances in all 10 districts and 4 precincts. All performances are offered free of charge.

AGARITA LOFT GALLERY: 2025–2026 EXHIBITIONS

Curated by Jon Hinojosa, the Agarita Loft Gallery presents a powerful season of exhibitions focused on heritage, identity, and creative expression. All exhibits will include panel discussions or artist talks, and hands-on workshops for families.

“This gallery is more than a place to show art—it’s a space to build community and reflect collective memory,” said Jon Hinojosa, curator of the Agarita Loft Gallery. “We’re curating artists who challenge narratives and celebrate heritage, and we’re inviting audiences to engage in dialogue and imagination.”

Featured Exhibitions:

• Thursday, August 21, 2025 – Thursday, October 23, 2025: Raíces y Recuerdos – San Antonio Stories Exhibit
• Thursday, November 6, 2025 – Thursday, January 22, 2026: Mark | Trace | Gesture, Non-Narrative Painting Exhibit
• Thursday, February 5, 2026 – Thursday, April 2, 2026: The Shape of Memory – Mixed Media Exhibit
• Thursday, April 16, 2026 – Thursday, June 18, 2026: Contemporary Craft with Co Curator Katy Silva
• Thursday, July 2, 2026 – Thursday, August 20, 2026: Reclaimed Realities – Assemblage
• Thursday, August 27, 2026 – Thursday, September 24, 2026: Frontextos, Art Exhibit and Poetry with Octavio Quintanilla.

Programming is subject to change.

Feature photo: Agarita (photo by Josh Huskin).

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Brackenridge Park is the perfect destination, and now it’s easier than ever to explore thanks to the Brackenridge Park Conservancy who designed a special map noting all of the art stops along with the story behind each. This Art Installations Guide is accessible on the Conservancy’s newly revamped website. Tucked throughout the park are cultural treasures and architectural marvels that many San Antonians have yet to discover. From striking public art installations to historic landmarks dating back more than a century, Brackenridge Park is home to some of the city’s most scenic and storied locations.

Now, with the Art Installations Guide, visitors can plan their self-guided walking tour and uncover the park’s hidden gems at their own pace.

Start your journey here: https://brackenridgepark.org/things-to-do/art-installations/

This self-guided tour explores hidden gems that even most locals may not know about, and tourists may find as a budget-friendly option when exploring the Alamo City.

Highlights include:

Dionicio Rodriguez’s Faux Bois Sculptures
Brackenridge Park is best known for the captivating work of renowned Faux Bois artist Dionicio Rodriguez, whose handcrafted concrete sculptures mimic natural wood with remarkable detail. Explore unique pieces like the whimsical Hollow Tree House, the rustic Faux Bois Bridge, and the charming Palapa Bench and Palapa Table with Benches. These beloved works reflect Rodriguez’s artistry and the park’s rich cultural legacy.

Lions Field Sculpture
This 8-foot Italian marble lion by Louis Rodriguez is a symbol of strength and pride in San Antonio. Overlooking the Lions Field Community Center, this life-sized sculpture honors the community’s enduring connection to its history and resilience.

Broadway Entrance by George Schroeder
A beautifully ornate metal gateway that greets visitors at the park’s Broadway entrance. This striking piece adds elegance while celebrating the city’s musical and artistic heritage.

Genius of Music by Pompeo Coppini
This bronze statue honors the Tuesday Musical Club, the oldest musical club for women in Texas. It’s a tribute to the cultural contributions of women in San Antonio’s artistic history.

Metal Screen by Cakky Brawley
Located on the parking garage façade along Avenue B, this glowing LED-illuminated screen is a modern tribute to the San Antonio River—blending function with contemporary art.

Whether you’re planning a weekend outing, or just looking for a meaningful afternoon stroll during your lunch break, Brackenridge Park offers an experience that’s inspiring, accessible, and free.

Feature photo: Life Cycle of the Gulf Coast Toad by San Antonio artist Diana Kersey (courtesy Bracvkenridge Park).

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WESTERN ROOTS, ISLAND VIBES: CELEBRATE COWBOYS, VAQUEROS AND PANIOLOS AT THE NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY

Saddle up for a full day of family fun and cowboy culture at the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s National Day of the Cowboy celebration on Saturday, July 26, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This free community event brings the spirit and traditions of the American cowboy, Mexican vaquero and the Hawaiian paniolo to life with hands-on activities, artist demonstrations, music, food and more, all in the heart of downtown San Antonio at the Briscoe’s River Walk campus, 210 W. Market Street.

The free community event includes admission to the museum and its exhibitions, as well as indoor and outdoor activities.

In celebration of the Briscoe’s acclaimed exhibition, Aloha Vaqueros, which explores the deep connection between Mexican vaqueros and Hawaiian paniolos, the museum is offering free admission all day, giving visitors the chance to explore the entire museum and the special exhibition that ties cowboy traditions across cultures and oceans. From the open ranges of Texas to the lush ranchlands of Hawaii, Aloha Vaqueros highlights how a gift of cattle sparked a unique cowboy legacy still thriving today.

Families can wrangle up fun in the Lil Buckaroo Corral, featuring stick pony barrel racing, horseshoe tosses, lassoing, bull riding and cowboy crafts like spur and hat-making, and making your own brand. Creative stations include silversmith etching and lei making presented by Nā Mamo cultural group, performing live at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. All arts and crafts are free, and supplies are provided.

The museum’s National Day of the Cowboy Celebration also includes free event and museum admission and activities for the whole family, including the museum’s 14 galleries and the McNutt Sculpture Garden. Lassos and fun with local rodeo cowboys and the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Watch a trick roper dazzle and delight with roping demonstrations – and don’t be surprised if he lassos a cowpoke or two!
A display of escaramuza attire – what the talented women who participate in charreadas wear as they perform – and a local rider answering questions about what it’s like to be an escaramuza.

Throughout the day, Western heritage comes alive with live demonstrations from acclaimed artists and craftspeople, including:

• Wilson Capron – silversmith and engraver
• Leland Hensley – traditional rawhide braider
• Jason Scull – Western sculptor
• Mike Capron – Western painter

Step back in time and enjoy chuck wagon cobbler samples, then hear cowboy poetry with Don Mathis at 12:30 p.m. and cowboy ballads with Jesse White at 3:00 p.m. Don’t miss Antoinette Lakey’s engaging story times about trailblazing figure Mary Fields at 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Food trucks will serve up cowboy-approved eats for purchase all day, including Cake-N-Que and Hokulani Shave Ice, making this a day full of flavor and fun.

One of the Briscoe’s most treasured annual events, National Day of the Cowboy highlights and preserves America’s cowboy culture and pioneer heritage. The day began in 2005 to celebrate and preserve the heritage of the American cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero in the United States. The state of Texas declared it a day of honor in 2015, and the Briscoe annually hosts a free community day marking the occasion, throwing open the doors of the museum to honor the cowboy, vaquero and yes, paniolo, in us all.

Celebrate the cowboy way – Briscoe style! – and honor the history, heritage, and artistry of the American West. Admission to the event and the Briscoe are free all day. For more information and for free registration, visit briscoemuseum.org.

Celebrating Cowboys, Vaqueros and Paniolos All Year Long

From its McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.

Feature photo: storyteller Antoinette Lakey. All photos courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum.

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SAFILM – San Antonio Film Festival opened its 31st annual celebration of cinema on Tuesday night with two Texas premieres and debuted a new venue partnership with EVO Entertainment in Schertz. The Wasps, Executive Produced by Richard Linklater, debuted as the first SAFILM Festival screening at EVO Schertz, with Directors Jake Binstock and Parker Rouse in attendance. At Radius Center, The Compatriots premiered, with director Spencer Cohen in attendance. The Compatriots is a timely story of immigration, deportation, and friendship; with an encore presentation scheduled on Thursday, July 24 at 3:00 p.m. at Feik Rotunda at Tobin Center.

SAFILM will continue through Sunday at four city locations, showcasing over 200 films, including features, shorts, documentaries, student, international and local films during the six-day celebration of cinema. It is also honoring Shaquille O’Neal with the SAFILM  Texas Yanaguana Award at the Grand Finale Awards Ceremony to close out the show, Sunday, July 27 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Tobin Center. The Grand Finale is free and open to the public.

The prestigious  Texas Yanaguana Award will be accepted by Shaq’s brother, Jamal Harrison, who was in attendance for SAFILM’s Opening Night festivities and will be supporting the festival all week. During their youth, Shaquille O’Neal and his brother lived in San Antonio, Texas for some time, making a major impact on the brothers during critical childhood years. Unfortunately Shaq is unable to be there in person, but will be making a special video appearance during the Grand Finale Awards Ceremony.

FREE EDUCATIONAL INDUSTRY PANELS — OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

LIVE Screenplay Readings hosted by Cedric Smith — Friday, July 25, with feature length scripts from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and short scripts from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Screenwriting Panel: Made in San Antonio! Saturday, July 26 at 10:00 a.m., featuring screenwriters with roots in the Alamo City:  Marcella Ochoa (My Name is Maria De Jesus), Richard Dane Scott (A Tooth Fairy Tale), and T. Barclay Spaugh (Field Afire). Moderated by Patty Sandoval Sralla, co-founder of the local San Antonio Screenwriters Guild.

All-Women Film Panel: Rebels and The Rebirth of CInema featuring Elizabeth Avellan. It will also include actress, writer and producer Feliz Ramirez (Grand Hotel) and acclaimed film producer Felicia Villarreal. Saturday, July 26th at 12:30 p.m. at Tobin Center in the Carlos Alvarez Theater. Moderated by Randy Beamer. Sponsored by CINEMA SOUNDOFF.

Selected Screenings

A Savage Art
Directed by Bill Banowsky
Wed., July 23, 7:00 p.m.
EVO Entertainment Schertz

Chronicles the life and career of Australian-born, Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist Patrick Oliphant. His tenure as an American cartoonist spanned five decades and ten U.S. Presidents. The film highlights the effects of extreme political partisanship on media and editorial cartooning, showing how Oliphant used his biting wit, sharp critical eye and masterful drawing skills to take on presidents, popes and the powers that be.

My Little Moon
Directed by Ali Atshani
Thurs., July 24, 3:00 p.m.
Tobin Center McLaughlin Rotunda

The story of this film is based on real events during the protests last year against compulsory hijab and the killing of many young girls and boys in Iran by the Iranian regime.

Rainbow Door
Directed by Trent Moran
Thurs., July 24, 3:00 p.m.
Tobin Center: Carlos Alvarez Theatre

A writer struggles with a screenplay, death, alcohol and what color the door should be painted.

The Pantone Guy
Directed by Patrick Creadon
Thurs., July 24, 9:30 p.m.
Tobin Center McLaughlin Rotunda

At 96 years old, Larry Herbert, known as “The Pantone Guy,” is a visionary whose revolutionary idea to standardize color remains largely unrecognized. Directed by Patrick Creadon (Wordplay, Hesburgh), this compelling documentary features an exclusive interview with Larry himself, offering an intimate glimpse into the mind behind Pantone and his enduring impact on how we perceive and use color today.

SAFILM Festival Badges are offered for VIP, Student, Weekend and Day access and includes entry to all film screenings, VIP/Filmmaker Lounge from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with hosted drinks and bites, exclusive invites to nightly After-Parties and the annual Grand Finale: 2025 SAFILM Award Ceremony on  Sunday, July 27, celebrating the visionary artists across 20 competitive festival awards with a special presentation honoring Shaquille O’Neill with the Texas Yanaguana Award, accepted by his brother Jamal Harrison and special video message from Shaq. The Grand Finale Awards Ceremony, along with the Industry Panels and Workshops are FREE and open to the entire community.

More info, All-Access Badges and Individual Movie Tickets can be found here.

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