PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER DUGGAN.
One of the few perks of being older is that I can truly say I remember the Houston Ballet during the pre-Walsh era. I watched (with joy) both Connor and Joseph, the princely pair on our cover, rise from Academy students to principals of one of the nation’s leading ballet companies. I caught the fearless duo in the midst of slaying tigers for La Bayadère and on the threshold of Stanton Welch’s newest opus, The Rite of Spring. It’s been a privilege to be a Walsh watcher, but that’s what we do around here. Watch, notice, observe and write.
This month we are all about paying attention, from Abby Koenig’s investigation of live reading culture to Ben Koush’s piece on a new direction in Houston’s domestic architecture.
As we move firmly into 2013, I realize that we’re not the new kid on the block anymore. I hear a lot less “Arts + What?” these days. So it’s a good time to loosen things up. In an experiment designed to welcome a broader range of writing, I’ve opened up the reviews section to include responses. You can read Frank Burt’s meditation on Jeff Talbott’s controversial play The Submission at Black Lab Theatre, Devon Britt-Darby on matters involving The Menil, marriage and a tree, along with my own response to “a response to Tony Feher’s Free Fall”.
After many reader requests to see some jazz coverage in A+C, where better to start than with Christian McBride’s upcoming Da Camera show? I promise it won’t be such a long wait for the next jazz show.
Our tribe of artist/writers has been busy. Congratulations are in order for writer Koenig on her recent play at Horse Head Theatre, Joe Wozny’s new film at BooTown, and Britt-Darby, whose paintings are in ProjeXion, a three-person show with Tim Gonzalez and Alexandre Rosa, on view through February 20 at Avis Frank Gallery.
This month’s Art/Ad Bomb comes from Houston artist Sasha Dela, who is also included in our live/work story. Visit her at sashadela.com.
See you out on the watching path,
–NANCY WOZNY
Nancy@artsandculturetx.com
@artsculturehou
