Arts & Culture

One of the city’s oldest institutions is changing, and in a very big way.

"We’re adding 65,000 sq. ft., some of which is renovated space, some of which is new space," said Marise McDermott, president and CEO of the Witte Museum.

“The Witte is going through a major transformation, we’re very excited," she said. "It’s so radical, or so dramatic, that we are calling it the new Witte.”

The Pioneer Museum's Roots Music Concert Series continues in Fredericksburg. I spoke to one of the musicians, Bobby Mack.

Mack is playing his brand of music, or as he puts it, “Texas blues guitar.”

Mack is a native Texan, raised in Fort Worth, but he got to Austin right about the time of the early 70s music explosion.

British rock band The Who released the album "Tommy" just months before playing it at Woodstock in the summer of '69. Eventually "Tommy" was re-written and found its way to the Broadway stage. Soon it will be playing at The Playhouse.

“The Who’s 'Tommy' is a rock opera that chronicles the life of one person named Tommy," said actor Daniel Quintero, an 18 year old that looks young for his years.

"My role is Tommy as a ten year old," he said.

For The Playhouse production, Quintero said there are three people who play Tommy at three stages in life.

It’s hard enough for Hollywood to put together a superhero movie that looks great and has a coherent story on a $200 million budget, so what do you think would happen if a San Antonio director wanted to pull it off locally? Although he wouldn’t reveal his budget, it’s safe to say Mark Cantu had less to work with for his feature than Joss Whedon did for “The Avengers.” Cantu’s “Now Hiring” boasts some nicely choreographed fight scenes, surprisingly effective special effects, and at its heart, a sweet husband and wife story.

San Antonians knew it as the Mission Drive-In for decades. But the old Mission Drive-In was closed in the early 2000s. When the city bought the property with 2008 bond money, they built the new Mission Library.

“After the library was completed there was additional funds to rehab the marquee itself, and put some public art there and to create a plaza in front of the marquee,” said Sebastian Guajardo of the Department for Culture & Creative Development.

The San Antonio Symphony’s season is done and won’t start until September. So what are all those musicians doing with their time?  I found out at least one of them isn't exactly kicking back for the summer. Aimee Toomes, who plays violin in the symphony, was one of those kids who picked up an instrument early.

“I started playing violin when I was a fourth grader in public school, and 20 something years later I’m a violinist with the San Antonio Symphony,” she said.

She’s no slouch when it comes to how she learned her trade.

I've probably had half a dozen people worriedly ask me, "What's going to happen to the Majestic after the Tobin opens?" So I decided to ask the person most likely to know if there any truth to the rumor that the Majestic Theatre will be closing down after the Tobin Center opens.

“No truth to that rumor, not at all," said Mike Rilley, who is the Majestic’s general manager.

“The Majestic’s got next year probably as much programming as we’ve ever had,” he said.

So I asked him to detail exactly who's coming to the Majestic.

The Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum mosaic program is grooming promising art students for a future in the field. Last week I introduced you to the program that encourages art students’ interests and abilities. This week I’ll introduce you to a student benefiting from the program.

Blue Star Mosaic recruits talented students from area high schools to join their after school program.  One of those students, Yenifer Gaviña, detailed the time commitment, "from 4:30-7:30 and during summer from 1:30-5:30.”

I asked her if that was a big sacrifice of her time.

It’s an art opening with a very unusual premise. First, there’s its title: "HOT."

“Hot is just an amazing exhibit and series of additional events that surround the idea of climate change," said Kellen McIntyre, Bihl Haus Arts executive director.

Regarding climate change, she had a nagging thought: 

“What could we do in San Antonio? How could we bring artists together?” McIntyre said.

So she appointed a curator to gather art on that theme.

“I’m working with Raul Castellanos, who is an amazing San Antonio Artist,” McIntyre said.

Ballet San Antonio has hired a high-visibility retiring dancer with the objective of continuing to elevate the ballet.

“We are so thrilled to bring on a new artistic staff member: Amy Fote," said Ballet San Antonio Artistic Director Gabriel Zertuche. "She’s coming to us as a retired principal dancer from Houston Ballet.”

I asked Zertuche about her job responsibilities.