Georgetown Palace Theatre is presenting the new virtual show I Saw the Lights, featuring Texas favorite Jaston Williams of Greater Tuna fame in a darkly funny solo performance. The show is directed by our own Kristen Rogers and filmed at the State Theatre in Austin.

When mysterious lights appeared over Lubbock, Texas, in 1951, people wondered aloud whether they were part of some government plot, an invasion by the Russians or just seeing space aliens out to abduct Francine Whitharrel’s Persian cat. In I Saw the Lights, you will hear from the preacher with too much sense of humor, the hippie whose girlfriend longs to become a Comanche, a socialite from Connecticut who holds grudges against trees, and the cowboy with a chronic fear of water. All in all, nine variant characters are drawn together by the inexplicable and are forever bonded through their humanity and humor.  

Playwright and performer Jaston Williams is best known as the co-author and co-actor of the hilarious Greater Tuna quartet of plays, each set in the fictional town of Tuna, Texas, the “third-smallest” town in the state. But he’s been a part of many celebrated stage presentations throughout his career. Williams’ performances have played on and off Broadway, throughout the US, and in all corners of Texas. He received the national Marquee Award, a lifetime achievement award from the League of Historic American Theatres. And among other honors, he’s also the recipient of the Texas Governor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts and the 2013 Texas Medial of the Arts award. 

Directed by the Palace Theatre's own Director of Education Kristen Rogers, who is thrilled to have worked with Jaston on this project. They have previously worked together on several shows, including A Wolverine Walks Into a Bar, Clear to Partly Crazy, Don't Blame the Car, and Blood and Holly. Kristen recently completed her doctorate in interdisciplinary fine arts at Texas Tech and loves working with theatre students in the Palace Education program. "Being in a rehearsal room with Jaston is non-stop, hilarious fun. He is a master storyteller and has such a profound love for the genuine humanity in the characters he creates and performs. Getting the opportunity to deliver this most recent show online, so that people anywhere can share in the experience, is beyond exciting," says Kristen. 

About the Georgetown Palace Theatre
The historic Georgetown Palace Theatre, an entertainment hub of the downtown Georgetown Square, is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Georgetown and Williamson County by providing a venue for quality and affordable entertainment and educational opportunities in the performing arts. The Georgetown Palace Theatre has reopened when many theatres have not but the road has not been easy. The Palace has adapted by offering outdoor movies and musical events, plays with small casts and operated at reduced capacity. The Education Program has continued to offer classes and camps with strict safety protocols and it is currently registering for summer camps. For more information and an updated schedule, visit https://www.georgetownpalace.com.