Is There Life after Lubbock?
by Jaston Williams
Jun. 01, 2019
Saturday
Stateside at the Paramount presents
Is There Life After Lubbock?
Starring Lubbock Legends Jaston Williams & Kimmie Rhodes
ABOUT JASTON WILLIAMS
Jaston Williams is the author and co- actor of the two person Greater Tuna plays, Greater Tuna, A Tuna Christmas, Red, White and Tuna and Tuna Does Vegas, all four of which played across the U.S. for over thirty years, with stops off and on Broadway and in such venues as the Kennedy Center, Fords Theatre, The Alley Theatre in Houston, Pasadena Playhouse in L.A, American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, The American Spoleto Festival and as an official American entry to the Edinburgh Festival, as well as two command performances at the White House, (back in the time when such a thing was an honor).
He also wrote the screenplay and performed in the Norman Lear H.B.O. version of Greater Tuna. The Tunaplays are still among the most produced scripts in America offered in the Samuel French catalogue and A Tuna Christmas was chosen for inclusion in Best Plays of 1995. In a forty-year career, he has performed in plays running the gamut from the avant-garde works of Eugène Ionesco to the joy of musical comedy.
For his recent solo work, Jaston was recently awarded the national Marquee Award for Outstanding Contribution to Historical Theatres. He is a seven-time nominee for the prestigious Helen Hayes Awards, which recognizes and celebrates excellence in professional theatre; a recipient of the L.A. Drama-LogueAward, and the San Francisco Bay Area Critics Award. He has also received the Texas Governor’s Award for Contribution to the Arts in Texas, and the Texas Medal of The Arts. He holds an Outstanding Alumnus Award from Texas Tech University, where he is guest lecturer on the subject of playwriting.
Jaston’s post-Tuna career has featured a number of original performance pieces presented coast to coast and which range in subject matter from his father’s nervous breakdown the night the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan, to escaping down a rumbling Guatemalan volcano while being pursued by armed kidnappers, to showing up at a 1970s Renaissance Fair, held at Dennis Hopper’s house, while wearing a chicken suit and passing himself off as Michelangelo. It’s been every kind life but boring.
Jaston lives in Lockhart, Texas, which is well within the Austin sphere of influence, with his husband, Kevin, and their son, Song.
ABOUT KIMMIE RHODES
In her three-decade-plus career, Austin-based singer-songwriter Kimmie Rhodes has released 16 solo albums, written and produced three musical plays, published a novella/cookbook and written many multi-platinum songs, recorded by such stellar artists as Willie Nelson, Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Amy Grant, CeCe Winans, Joe Ely, Waylon Jennings, Peter Frampton, Mark Knopfler, Emmylou Harris and others. A native Texan, she was raised in Lubbock, where she cultivated the spirited mix of talent and determination that still fuels her success.
Rhodes recently released her memoir, Radio Dreams: The Story of the Outlaw DJ and the Cosmic Cowgirl. She served as liaison, consultant and donor of archives and artifacts for a major Country Music Hall of Fame Museum exhibit, “Outlaws and Armadillos; Country’s Roaring 70’s,” which opened spring of 2018. Rhodes also received a special recognition award from Mayor Dan Pope and The Lubbock City Council in May of 2018 for her achievements as a singer-songwriter, playwright and author.
In her role as an honorary ambassador for The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, Rhodes visits Glastonbury, England annually to attend Squeeze co-founder Chris Difford’s songwriting retreat at Pennard House, where established singer-songwriters share knowledge and co-write with aspiring young talents. Foundation co-founders and Holly’s widow, Maria Elena Holly, recently celebrated Rhodes’ efforts by presenting her with a custom-made guitar crafted by famed luthier Alistair Atkin. A replica of Buddy Holly’s 1943 J-45, the guitar is encased in hand-tooled leather featuring the words “Lonesome Tears,” the Holly song for which it’s named. Fellow ambassadors with whom Rhodes shares this special honor, each presented with a uniquely titled guitar, include Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Dolly Parton Bob Dylan and Joe Ely.
“Kimmie Rhodes: The soul of a poet and the voice of an angel.”
– Rodney Crowell
“Kimmie has the voice of a beautiful child coming from an old soul. She touches us where the better angels of our nature dwell, and I believe we need that now more than ever. If you haven’t before, do yourself a favor and bring her into your listening life.”
– Emmylou Harris
Is There Life after Lubbock?
by Jaston Williams
Jaston Williams
June 01, 2019
Doors: 7:00 pm | Show: 8:00 pm
Tickets: $25-$35
Paramount Presale: Tuesday, April 9
Public On Sale: Wednesday, April 10 at 10:00am
Want presale access? Donate at least $120 annually or $10 monthly to get presale access for a full year!
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Event Parking Information
Secure covered parking is offered to patrons at the 600 Congress parking garage. For additional parking information, please click here.
Personal Items Policy
The Austin Theatre Alliance is taking measures to increase the safety and security of its patrons and staff. We have instituted a No Large Bag Policy at all shows and events at the Paramount and State Theatres. Read more information on banned items, permitted items and our full policies here.
