The Bee Cave Bee

 

Take a behind-the-scenes peek at Austin vaudeville’s storied past as the third Spicewood Art Society’s Art Trek sets off for “Lights, Camera, Action!” February 8, 2018.

 

 

(This trek is nearly full. Check the website, www.spicewoodarts.org, for availability. Sign up as soon as possible.)

 

The trip begins with the vaudeville exhibit at the Harry Ransom Center. After lunch at the Roaring Fork, trekkers take a walking tour of the Driskill Hotel and other historical buildings along Congress Ave.  The day ends with a tour of the Paramount Theatre, originally built for vaudeville.

 

Vaudeville traces its origins to fifteenth century France, mixing barbed satire with  humor and song. The Ransom exhibit examines the century-long run of vaudeville through the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in the United States and its far-reaching influence on today’s comedy, television and film. 

 

Opening in 1915 as a vaudeville theatre where Harry Houdini performed in 1916, the Paramount was converted in 1920 to a “grand movie palace” and was Austin’s premiere theatre for years. Restored to its former splendor, it still hosts more than 250 performances a year, screens more than one hundred films and is a principal venue for South by Southwest. Find out more at www.paramountaustin.org. 

 

Sign up by January 25 through the website, www.spicewoodarts.org. The tour is limited to 20 participants. The bus will leave the Barton Creek Lakeside Club lot, 1900 Clubhouse Dr., Spicewood, at 8:30 a.m. and return there at 4:30 p.m.  All transportation, food, gratuities, and admissions are covered in the trek price of $120.