dystheatre

03/17/2023

Hello, hello! We were talking about doing this YEARS ago, but now’s probably as good a time as any — looks like dystheatre may finally officially rebrand / reveal itself to be “Do You See Theatre!?”

To be honest, that’s what "dystheatre" always stood for. That’s always been the question. DO YOU SEE? The name was originally inspired by one of the most common Mamet-isms that we picked up on when we were learning to improvise in that style so many years ago. The phrase “do you see?” was everywhere in David Mamet's plays! We fell in love with it.

Yes, it's true, we used to do a lot of Mamet and Mamet-inspired work... but not so much these days. We DO still like to SEE theatre though, and we always thought it might be cool to re-purpose this FB page to promote other companies' theatre-work while we’re not producing it.

Meanwhile, our focus has shifted in the last many years from "produce some theatre" to "Make Every Media," a production company where we've been hard at work making podcasts, movies, music, games, apps, and broadcasts:
http://MakeEveryMedia.com

Recently we’ve brought things full circle in a way, partnering with The Hidden Room to create a motivational storytelling mobile game that utilizes theatrical and improvisational techniques & professionals to help keep you engaged in your everyday tasks! And we’ve only got 50 HOURS LEFT on a Kickstarter to help fund a full-cast recording for this quite ambitious immersive / theatrical / motivational experience. 50 backers are currently pledging a total of $4.2k to pay all these actors and engineers... but it’s all or NOTHING if we don’t hit that $5k mark!! More info here: http://kck.st/3lEQFkJ

Kinda reminds us of that time we were freaking out about hitting $2k for True West 😅 But y'all got us there then, back in 2011, and we're still so grateful for that!! Though we're not producing for the stage these days, our core mission remains the same: to help folks tell their stories as safely and as humanly as we can. It just so happens that this has meant mostly making things remotely for the last few years! We may some day take to the stage again. But until then, BEWARE THE INFINITE IDES! And follow the link below to check out what may be the final newsletter to ever go out from the dystheatre account... it goes into much more detail about "The Hidden Storybook," our migration from theatre company to media company, and our "media hatchery" pilot program:
https://mailchi.mp/1e95f4116844/thehiddenstorybook

Thanks so much for all of your considerations over the years 🎭 💕

-dysmgmt

Introducing our newest and most experimental production to date! And you can get it on your very own mobile device!! But there’s only 3 days left to support this project on Kickstarter and get rewards like stickers and tidy sessions:

07/31/2019

Do You See Theatre? Do Ya See POLITICS as Theatre? If you don’t, maybe you should... catch the next season of Over the Lege!! Ya might learn a thing or twenty about yer local gov’rnment pardner, and that can’t be bad I reckon.

Over The Lege is back and better than ever! We'll be performing our fourth season, "Over The Lege: The House Awakens" at The Long Center this September! TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!

https://thelongcenter.org/events-and-tickets/over-the-lege-part-4-the-house-awakens/

06/08/2019

Do You Support Theatre? We’ll be here till 1 to hear about the city’s ongoing efforts to support arts and artists during this creative space crisis!

In 2018, the City of Austin voters approved a bond proposition that would provide funding for acquisitions and improvements of creative spaces. Before the bonds were approved by the voters, Austin City Council adopted Resolution No. 20180809-061 on August 9, 2018, directing staff to recommend a prop...

03/27/2019

For financial assistance with your creative space, check out the eligibility requirements and application info below. Submissions for eligibility due by THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 29!

REMINDER: The deadline to submit eligibility requirements is THIS FRIDAY, MAR 29.
The Creative Space Assistance Program (CSAP) aims to provide direct support to qualifying creative organizations facing temporary or permanent displacement, or to organizations previously displaced.

For additional information, visit www.austintexas.gov/csap or contact Kim McCarson, Music and Entertainment Division Economic and Business Liaison, at 512.974.7963 or at [email protected].

10/31/2018

FronteraFest submission deadline is tomorrow!!

The 2019 Fronterafest submission deadline is this Thursday, November 1st! Fronterafest is "five weeks of alternative, offbeat, new, and just plain off-the-wall fringe theatre" that happens every year

03/22/2018

Do ya see theatre? Cuz there's sure a lot of it to be SEEN over here: Fixing Troilus & Cressida | Wakey Wakey by Will Eno at Hyde Park Theatre | The Secretary | Con flama by Sharon Bridgforth | White Rabbit Red Rabbit. You don't wanna miss a single one of these if ya can help it!

03/02/2018

In case you haven’t heard, dystheatre & Make Every Media have been busy these last two years collecting and preserving memories, artifacts, and 360º photos & videos of beloved Austin Arts Venues gone by, namely Salvage Vanguard Theatre, The Off Center, and the old home of The Institution Theater. We’ve been using these assets to create a podcast series (Make Every Media) about the preservation of arts spaces in Austin, and an immersive virtual reality app (The Preservation Station) that will allow people to revisit those venues right on their phones, with or without a VR headset.

It’s an exciting project (if a bit heartbreaking sometimes, because it’s still sad that these wonderful theaters are gone), and we’re making solid strides in the development of the app, releasing podcast episodes all year long about the arts landscape in Austin, and teaming up with local developers and artists to make it all happen. But as you might imagine, production and development requires a LOT of time and effort... and we would like to PAY our local talent for this time and effort.

Cue pitch! Till 6pm today, we’re accepting contributions to help our efforts as part of this city-wide push to raise funds and awareness for ALL the arts in Austin, TX. Click those hashtags if you’re curious about all the local talent taking part in this event. Or click right here if you’re interested specifically in supporting our project and guaranteeing your spot to beta test our app:

https://amplifyatx.ilivehereigivehere.org/preservationstation

For more info about Make Every Media:
http://makeeverymedia.com

Join me in giving back to the community we love right here in Central Texas with a donation of $25 to your favorite cause!

02/04/2018

Quick Tips for Getting Involved in the Film & Theatre Scenes in Austin, TX: 1. 2018 Unified Auditions are February 11th! Register by this Monday, February 5th at noon: austincreativealliance.org/audi

07/28/2017

Tonight Salvage Vanguard Theater presents WPA: Cooler Bodies by Diana Lynn Small! And TODAY, we present to you the first episode of the Make Every Media Podcast about the preservation of arts spaces in Austin, TX. Featuring an intro to the venue formerly known as SVT, a totally relevant (we swear) tangent about Not This American Life! (a show which originated at SVT), and there's the most perfect Southpaw Jones song / cherry-on-top at the end! We love that guy!

Introducing The Preservation Station Episode 1: the first in a series of Make Every Media Podcasts about the preservation of arts spaces in Austin, TX! Includes interviews w/ Jenny Larson of Salvage

06/12/2017

As rents for residents and businesses continue to climb, Austin City Council has approved a plan to help the city’s artists afford to keep their venues and

01/30/2016

Episode 2 of the Make Every Media Podcast deals primarily with the goings-on of dystheatre and Happiness is a Choice in 2016. It also mentions briefly Sondheim for One, which is a show that is happening TONIGHT at 10pm at The Institution Theater! It's an improvised ensemble musical performed by one. Don't miss it! Subscribe to the podcast here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/make-every-media/id1073223081

In which we attempt to make everything that we ever wanted to make. In one year. Or however long it takes. Interested in helping out? E-mail: [email protected] More info at http://www.makeever

05/02/2015

MAY 9TH! Jeff leaves for Istanbul soon and we just can't let him go without doin' a SHOW! Next Saturday as an additional treat after The Jukebox Musical's 10pm production of "IN THE AIR TONIGHT: The Story of The US vs USSR Space Race told through the music of Phil Collins," Confidence Men: Improvised David Mamet will improvise a two-act play for you! The last one to feature Jeff Britt for a year! http://confidencemenimprov.com/site/goodbyejeff/

One of our own. Going all the way to Istanbul. Why? To TEACH. We give him the grand farewell, a lesson in English F* Grammar, before he sails off to teach it on foreign soil. Goodbye, Jeff! Fare thee well.

04/01/2015

The Professor: Improv Inspired By Doctor Who will rematerialize at Haven Con in only THREE days--couldn't miss the very first LGBTQIA Geek and Gamer Convention in TEXAS! Wouldn't miss it for the whole dern space-time calliope. And you don't have to miss it either. April 4th, 7pm. Door prices are really rather cheap. Would you like a jelly baby? http://havencontx.com/latest-news-and-updates/