Texas Touring Roster for performances from September 1, 2022-August 31, 2024

A'lante Flamenco

Thundering footwork, chattering castanets, soaring vocals and blazing guitars, A'lante Flamenco takes hold of an audience and won't let go! Directed by Olivia Chacon, the company's seven dancers and four musicians fill the stage with energy, enthralling audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and presenting flamenco to Texas audiences in fresh and creative ways. Flamenco is a music and dance form hailing from southern Spain, with Roma (Gypsy), Middle Eastern, Jewish, and Latin American influences. A'lante Flamenco has been hailed by audiences and critics for their dynamic and contemporary approach to flamenco, uniting tradition and innovation. Available touring programs include theatrical productions (including Juana: First I Dream, inspired by poet Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz; The Red Shoes: A Flamenco Fairytale, based on the Hans Christian Andersen tale, and others) or a program appropriate for smaller venues, like Flamencura, which transports audiences into a traditional Spanish flamenco club. Programs can also be customized for specific events or audiences, including dance and music workshops, mini-performances, and lecture-demonstrations in Spanish or English, including discussions of history and cultural influences of flamenco. Photo by Estrella Chacon.

contact
Olivia Chacon
8910 Research Blvd. Unit D3
Austin, TX  78709
phone 512-850-1115
phone#2
e-mail info@alanteflamenco.com
public performance/concert $750 - $10,000
school performance $600 - $5,000
workshop fees $400 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $300 - $5,000
website https://alanteflamenco.com/

 

Adler & Hearne

From Texas’ upper east side, award-winning singer-songwriters Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne connect with audiences coast to coast. Their music is a signature blend of original folk, jazz, and blues with deep Texas roots. Their repertoire is playful, poignant, and poetic including sparky love ballads, historically based tributes, quirky story songs and anthems of justice and peace. Raised by musical families and nurtured by music ensembles through college, the husband-and-wife duo met in Nashville and now pay it forward together in performances from listening-room venues, festivals, and community events to churches, libraries, schools, and house concerts. Lynn co-wrote the theme song for the hit PBS children’s TV series Wishbone. Her diverse writing background brings added experience to the duo's workshops and presentations. Lindy sang in the famed Texas Boys Choir as a child, and for several years he and his band were Roy Clark’s backup group performing with Roy from Las Vegas to Hee Haw to Carnegie Hall. Adler & Hearne's songs share a common ground with the human experience of us all. The vibe of their live shows is a thoughtful balance: equal parts campfire song circle and concert hall polish, punctuated with humor and spirit. Photo by Francesco Silvestri.

contact
Lynn Adler
PO Box 979
Winnsboro, TX  75494
phone 214-952-6086
phone#2 817-600-1267
e-mail lynn.adler.songfarmer@gmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $1,500
school performance $300 - $750
workshop fees $300 - $1,500 Optional service workshop/festival/camp/commissioned song
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $200
website http://www.adlerandhearne.com/

 

Alley Theatre

Alley Theatre, acknowledged leader in American theatre, holds Applied Theatre, integrating drama in education, community, or therapeutic contexts, among its core values. The Alley Character Education Series (ACES) presents interactive touring assemblies for K-5th grade students. Delightfully wacky, the 'Oskar' plays are described as 'vaudevillian—SNL for K-5th graders,' and teach important life skills such as becoming an upstander against bullies, understanding the importance of diversity, social-emotional competence, resiliency, and coping with trauma. Comments such as 'The kids were super excited from our last show and this show lived up to the hype!' 'I loved the English/Spanish captions,' 'The music and special effects made a big impact!' 'Resilience was taught in a way the students could relate,' and 'The presentation kept the students engaged the whole time,' are common. With small casts, a portable, easy-to-assemble set, and an interactive digital guide, plays are designed for school auditoriums, gymnasiums, and multipurpose rooms. They provide a framework for post-performance discussions in the classroom and beyond. The Alley is also available to visit classrooms and community centers with programs like Staging STEM, First Draft personal narrative, SLAM Poetry, and Playwriting, as well as evidence-based professional development programs for teachers. Photo by Rachel Wagner.

contact
Elena Valladolid-Rivera
615 Texas Ave.
Houston, TX  77002
phone 713-315-5424
phone#2 713-315-5423
e-mail elenavr@alleytheatre.org
public performance/concert $433 - $595
school performance $433 - $595
workshop fees $150 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $2,000
website https://www.alleytheatre.org/education

 

American Dreamer

American Dreamer is four gifted musicians who bring a heavy dose of strings to their unique blend of indie-folk. Each member, Courtney Castaneda, Dana Marie, Camille Schiess, and Sasha Klare-Ayvazian, contributes something distinctive to their rich and remarkable sound. The quartet’s music builds on relatable folk songs, transformed through bold string arrangements (violin, cello, bass) and resplendent three-part harmony. American Dreamer’s four members met while pursuing graduate degrees at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas, Austin. They share a lifelong passion for crafting their art and using it to connect with urban and rural communities. American Dreamer strives to honor America’s deeply rooted folk tradition while exploring contemporary elements that roll the genre forward. American Dreamer is available for public performances, private engagements, school events, and workshops. The group can perform with or without vocals to accommodate different events and settings. American Dreamer offers workshops for classical string players on improvisation, soloing, and playing from chord charts. Reciprocally, the group assists songwriters in writing string arrangements for their music and communicating ideas to string players. Photo by Rachel Piotrzkowski.

contact
Sasha Klare-Ayvazian
800 W 38th St.
Austin, TX  78705
phone 413-320-7327
phone#2
e-mail americandreamermusic@gmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $2,500
school performance $500 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $300
website https://www.americandreamermusic.com/epk

 

ARCOS

ARCOS experiments rigorously to discover adventurous new forms of contemporary performance. Integrating overlapping layers of older and newer technologies in ways that question dominant understandings of the world and examine the turbulent processes of traditions in flux, their internationally award-winning, interdisciplinary work is accessible, relevant, and directly engaging to a diverse range of contemporary audiences. Recognized by critics for their 'kaleidoscopic artistry' (Austin American-Statesman) that is 'fierce and weird and wonderful' (Austin Chronicle) and 'thinks squarely outside the box' (Scotsman), ARCOS tours throughout Texas, nationally, and abroad to contemporary art centers, festivals, and academic residencies and symposia. Programs available for touring are a combination of existing repertoire and original commissions tailored to presenters’ specifications and various venue types, including performances suited to a theatrical studio or proscenium setting, site-responsive or immersive pieces in outdoor or alternative spaces, and interactive installations in galleries or libraries. While on tour or in residency, ARCOS also complements performances with innovative outreach and community engagement offerings, such as informal post-show conversations, interdisciplinary workshops or masterclasses, and volunteering for local charities. Photo by Eliot Gray Fisher.

contact
Erica Gionfriddo
1207 Southport Drive #106
Austin, TX  78704
phone 860-983-5974
phone#2 505-690-0194
e-mail a@arcosdance.com
public performance/concert $1,500 - $20,000
school performance $800 - $4,800
workshop fees $150 - $7,500
travel/per diem/lodging $40 - $9,600
website http://arcosdance.com

 

Austin Troubadours

The Austin Troubadours (AT) is an Austin-based group of instrumentalists and singers whose mission is to revive the beauty of musical masterpieces from Medieval and Renaissance Europe. AT was founded in 2008 by the award-winning lutenist and early music specialist Slobodan Vujisic. Mr. Vujisic has performed hundreds of concerts in Europe throughout the '80s and '90s including Berlin's Schauspielhous, Theater St. Marten in Paris, and the Dubrovnik Festival. Seven musicians in Renaissance costumes with more than 30 authentic period instruments perform the music of Medieval and Renaissance Europe. The shows are high energy and unconventional, with performers that include members of the Austin Opera, University of Texas faculty, Fulbright Scholars, and winners of Austin Statesman's Critics Choice Awards, funded in part by the City of Austin Cultural Commission. AT are proud to say that they have been approved for inclusion on the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster since 2014. Program 1 - Introduction to Renaissance Music (6-7 musicians); Program 2 - Music of Shakespeare's Theatre (6-7 musicians); Program 3 - Mediterranean Journey (Medieval music from Mediterranean countries, 6-7 musicians); Program 4 - Lute Song (Soprano and lute duets, 2-4 musicians). For more, please visit www.austintroubadours.com. Photo by Maya Sokovic.

contact
Slobodan Vujisic
13276 Research Blvd, #201
Austin, TX  78750
phone 512-983-0600
phone#2
e-mail slobodanvujisic@gmail.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $6,000
school performance $1,000 - $2,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $350 - $1,500
website http://www.austintroubadours.com

 

Axiom String Quartet

From Monteverdi to Michael Jackson, the Axiom Quartet is a dynamic professional string quartet based in Houston, TX. The group is known for presenting programs mixing classical string quartet repertoire, transcriptions, contemporary compositions, popular rock, electronic, indie, jazz, and pop genres in a single concert experience. Behind these programming choices are Axiom's belief that concerts that treat these genres with equal reverence can turn classical fans towards extraordinary popular music while serving as classical music advocates to those who normally do not attend classical concerts. As a result, many of their concerts are sold out. Since 2017, Axiom has been the Quartet-in-Residence for the School of Music at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX. They are also the primary outreach ambassador for Chamber Music Houston where they frequently perform around the Houston metroplex to engage area youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Axiom's touring schedule has ranged from Texas highways to international airports. In addition to annual concerts at the Cave Without a Name in the Texas Hill Country, Axiom has recently given multi-city tours of both the midwestern US and given a two-week tour of China. Photo by Lynn Lane.

contact
Hunter Capoccioni
7835 Redgate Circle
Houston, TX  77071
phone 319-504-6290
phone#2 713-444-3392
e-mail capoccioni@gmail.com
public performance/concert $2,000 - $4,800
school performance $600 - $2,000
workshop fees $1,200 - 2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $300 - $2,300
website https://www.axiomquartet.com

 

Ballet Austin

Founded in 1956, Ballet Austin has been under the capable leadership of Artistic Director and choreographer Stephen Mills for two decades. The company’s repertoire is grounded in classical ballet and defined by a focus on innovation and the incubation of new work. Ballet Austin makes its performance home in Austin and extends its reach through regional, national, and international touring engagements. The company has performed at the Joyce Theater in New York; the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; and festivals, choreographic competitions, and on tour in Canada, France, Italy, Slovenia, Israel, and China. Ballet Austin’s main company tours both full-length and mixed repertory programs. Full-length work includes Stephen Mills’ celebrated Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project and The Nutcracker. Mixed repertory programs include works by Mr. Mills, George Balanchine, and other internationally-recognized choreographers. Ballet Austin II tours family-focused story ballets including The Ugly Duckling, Peter & The Wolf, and Not Afraid of the Dark, a special glow-in-the-dark ballet featuring music and concept by Joe Scruggs. Beyond performances, Ballet Austin's programs also include school performances with accompanying curricula, on-campus dance workshops for elementary students, and creative movement workshops for young children in community spaces. Photo by Tony Spielberg.

contact
Bill Sheffield
501 W 3rd Street
Austin, TX  78701
phone 512-476-9151
phone#2
e-mail bill.sheffield@balletaustin.org
public performance/concert $7,500 - $50,000
school performance $500 - $7,500
workshop fees $50 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $10,000
website https://www.balletaustin.org

 

Azul Barrientos

Azul Barrientos is an acclaimed musician dedicated to uncovering and conserving the cultural influences and interconnections between Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Mexico. Born in Mexico City, Azul moved to San Antonio, Texas as a young woman, where she developed a reputation for building bridges between Mexicana and Chicana cultures. Her career has focused on the preservation of traditional songs from Latin America and the exploration of their diverse musical histories. Azul rejoices in her Latina roots, giving new life to the rhythms and stories of previous generations. She currently serves as Artist in Residence at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio, Texas. Available programs include solo concerts and performances with accompaniment. Azul performs with guitar and jarana at all concerts. Accompaniment may include piano and bass for a jazz-style concert; harp, cello, and percussion; or other variations including full band and duets. Children’s performances featuring traditional songs, games, dancing, and storytelling are also available. Multimedia presentations providing context on cultural themes may also be incorporated by request. Photo by Josh Huskin.

contact
Azul Barrientos
14439 NW Military Highway 108 #508
San Antonio, TX  78231
phone 210-897-3582
phone#2
e-mail info@azulmusica.com
public performance/concert $600 - $6,000
school performance $400 - $3,000
workshop fees $400 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $3,000
website https://www.azulbarrientos.com

 

Chris Barton

Write what you know,' the saying goes. But in author Chris Barton's Write What You’d Love to Learn presentation, based on his experiences with both playful picture books (including bestseller Shark vs. Train) and rigorously researched nonfiction (including 2020-21 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List book What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan), he encourages young audiences to improve their own writing by giving the not-yet-known a try. Born and raised in Sulphur Springs and now a resident of Austin, Chris is the author of many other picture books, including both fiction (Fire Truck vs. Dragon, 88 Instruments, Mighty Truck) and nonfiction (The Day-Glo Brothers, Dazzle Ships, All of a Sudden and Forever, and Whoosh!). He's shared Write What You'd Love to Learn with first graders in just 30 minutes, he's delivered a full-day version to educators and librarians, and he's adapted it for many ages and lengths in between. It can include an emphasis on (and many examples of) the importance of research, revision, or collaboration. His 3 to 4 sessions per day can also include writing workshops for both fiction and nonfiction. Photo by Heather Gallagher Photography.

contact
Chris Barton
PO Box 66104
Austin, TX  78766
phone 512-827-8266
phone#2
e-mail chris@chrisbarton.info
public performance/concert $750 - $3,000
school performance $1,650 - $2,250
workshop fees $1,650 - $2,250
travel/per diem/lodging $200 - $500
website https://www.chrisbarton.info

 

Chris Beall

The son of a motorcycle racer from a small town in west Texas, Chris Beall is a singer/songwriter/guitarist whose music has been featured on numerous Americana radio stations and music venues from TX to Nashville and back again. With influential nods to Tom Petty, Charlie Robison, Paul McCartney, and the storytelling style of Bruce Springsteen, Chris’s acoustic trio, duo, and/or solo configuration is perfect for any intimate venue. But these same songs morph into a driving roots-rock, full-band show that will have city dwellers rocking their country boots off while taking their hearts back to the country! Along with his solo career, he is a member of the well-established South Austin Moonlighters whose album, Travel Light, went to #1 on the Alternative Country Roots Radio Report in 2019. Chris’s imagery-filled musical stories 'fit back together' music and family, creativity and making a living, life and religion, and whiskey and church. Chris is the quintessential independent artist, he is the poster child for the new 'alternative music industry.' Sounds like: Charlie Robison, Radney Foster, Reckless Kelly. Available for 4-piece band, duo, and solo performances. Photo by Chris Beall.

contact
KT Gardner
4505 Bull Creek Rd.
Austin, TX  78731
phone 512-207-0825
phone#2 512-293-6705
e-mail ktrootstock@gmail.com
public performance/concert $600 - $5,000
school performance $600 - $2,000
workshop fees $600 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $2,000
website http://www.chrisbeallmusic.com

 

Beto and the Fairlanes

The music of Beto and the Fairlanes, the 'international band of Texas,' is a magical, cross-cultural incantation of salsa, jazz, rock, and Latin influences with irresistible dance rhythms and visions of the tropics. With Beto and the Fairlanes' hard-driving percussion, high-flying horns, and Beto's natural sense of fun and humor, you feel the excitement, celebration, and romance of traditions, north and south, meeting in the melodies and beat of their music. Beto and the Fairlanes tours with an 8- to 10-piece Latin-influenced ensemble, including horns, guitar, drums, percussion, bass, and keys. The repertoire includes original Latin, jazz, and jazz/rock tunes. The band has been voted into the Music Hall of Fame in Austin, honored with a star on the walk of fame in Corpus Christi, and featured on Austin City Limits. Photo by Jessie Rodriguez.

contact
Michael Mordecai
12400 Highway 71 West, Suite 350-177
Austin, TX  78738
phone 512-477-7777
phone#2 512-775-3727
e-mail mike@BBAbooking.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $5,000
school performance $2,500 - $4,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $1,000 - $2,000
website https://robertskiles.com/beto-and-the-fairlanes

 

The Bike Zoo

Ringmaster, co-founder, and UT Austin mechanical engineering graduate Jeremy Rosen and the Bike Zoo create life-long memories. Since unveiling their bike animals at the Austin First Night Parade in 2005, the Bike Zoo has rapidly expanded, performing at festivals, parades, and schools across the US and Mexico. Millions of people have experienced the Bike Zoo since its inception. They present a magical, immersive, and interactive environment for people of all ages. A unique addition to any festival, public space, corporate, family, or educational event, the Bike Zoo's ever-growing family of playful, hand-built bicycle creatures includes the giant 80-foot 6-rider Rattlesnake, seven giant Butterflies, the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat, the Barn Owl, the majestic Bald Eagle, the Praying Mantis, the 10-rider Bicycle Carousel, and the latest, the Giant Armadillo! You can count on the Bike Zoo to engage visitors of all ages and captivate the imaginations of those who see or interact with the larger-than-life zoo. The Bike Zoo’s creatures offer the public the opportunity to realize their fantasy of flight. Where else can you ride a 12-foot butterfly or an 80-foot rattlesnake? Some creatures serve as a stage or mobile activity booth and can accommodate people with special needs. Photo by Juliana Halverson.

contact
Beth Danziger
13730 Immanuel Rd
Pflugerville, TX  78660
phone 512-338-1832
phone#2 512-479-0420
e-mail yes@groovelabs.net
public performance/concert $1,500 - $20,000
school performance $0 - $20,000
workshop fees $3,000 - $25,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $5,000
website https://austinbikezoo.org/blog/

 

Blue Lapis Light

Blue Lapis Light (BLL) is a site-specific aerial dance company based in Austin, Texas, and founded by Artistic Director Sally Jacques. Using aerial techniques informed by classical, interpretive, and modern dance, BLL creates transcendent works of beauty, inspiring audience members of all ages and backgrounds. BLL offers aerial dance performances adapted to each location, making every show a unique event. The apparatuses used are determined by the site. The company specializes in aerial silks, harness work, Spanish web, and tiger stands. Custom music and costuming elements are chosen to reflect the theme of each event. BLL creates pieces on every scale, from one dance on a silk to an entire ensemble on the face of a building. Photo by Earl McGehee.

contact
Sally Jacques
PO Box 1821
Austin, TX  78767
phone 512-280-6688
phone#2
e-mail info@bluelapislight.org
public performance/concert $3,500 - $35,000
school performance $3,000 - $10,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $25,000
website https://www.bluelapislight.org

 

Brave Combo

Denton, Texas-based quintet Brave Combo has perfected a world music mix that includes salsa, polka, merengue, rock, cumbia, conjunto, zydeco, classical, cha-cha, the blues, and more. They are America's premier dance band and inventors of 'nuclear' polka (bandleader Carl Finch was inducted in the International Polka Association Hall of Fame in 2016), prompting one reviewer to proclaim, 'Even if you come for the party, you'll leave with something of a musical education.' Around the world at venues of all sizes, Brave Combo has charmed countless listeners and garnered many honors, including two GRAMMY Awards and six GRAMMY nominations. Brave Combo's repertoire of hundreds of songs (the band has released over 40 albums) in styles from polka to pop allows for a performance that can flex to be compatible with a family-friendly audience or with the stages of the biggest festivals and rock clubs in the world. Featured are group and organized dances that get the crowds up on their feet. In addition, more than twenty of Brave Combo's original compositions have been scored for a full symphony orchestra. Photo by Jane Beaver.

contact
Carl Finch
PO Box 233
Denton, TX  76202
phone 940-367-5270
phone#2 847-494-1091
e-mail office@bravecombo.com
public performance/concert $2,000 - $8,000
school performance $2,000 - $4,000
workshop fees $600 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $400 - $700
website https://bravecombo.com/

 

Brave Little Company

Brave Little Company is theater for everyone. Since 2013, they’ve been creating original plays about, with, and for kids and their grown-ups. They create theater the way kids play. When children engage in unstructured, imaginative exploration, their creativity is at full power, and they are at the center of the story. BLC's plays may include found object puppetry, sensory storytelling, and a meaningful role for the audience in making the story happen. Committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion as limitless as Texas, they bring bilingual performances and workshops to schools, libraries, and community venues. Their current productions include the bilingual play First Day, Nueva Escuela, about a girl who overcomes her fear of reading by writing herself into stories; and Wooden O, a sensory Shakespeare adventure for ages 3-5. BLC offers theater workshops for everyone, including creative collaborations with students with learning differences. BLC also facilitates THE BIG “US” PROJECT, a community-driven theatre piece led by 100 members of Texas’s refugee communities, now in its second year. They’re proud to tour Texas-wide through Young Audiences of Houston. Bookings include extension activities for teachers to implement in their classrooms. Visit www.brave-little.com for upcoming productions. Photo by Alan Nguyen.

contact
Martha Diaz
675 Bering Dr., Suite 300
Houston, TX  77057
phone 713-520-9267
phone#2 713-520-9264
e-mail scheduling@yahouston.org
public performance/concert $195 - $500
school performance $195 - $500
workshop fees $120 - $250
travel/per diem/lodging $50 - $200
website http://www.brave-little.com

 

Bruce Wood Dance

Hailed as Dallas’ 'shining star' by Arts and Culture Texas, Bruce Wood Dance (BWD) is a contemporary dance company that harnesses the power of dance to entertain, enrich, and heal. BWD celebrated 10 years of excellence in the 2019-2020 season. BWD is built on the vision and prolific artistry of acclaimed Texas choreographer Bruce Wood (1960-2014). Artistic director Joy Bollinger champions Wood’s legacy and offers programming described as 'emotionally charged and highly kinetic' (ArtandSeek.org). Recent commissions include works by 2018-2019 Jacob’s Pillow Choreography Fellow Bryan Arias, Bessie-nominated Katarzyna Skarpetowska, sought-after artists Yin Yue and Garrett Smith, and resident dancemakers Kimi Nikaidoh and Bollinger. Moreover, the 2020 repertoire features 'Elemental Brubeck' by the legendary New York choreographer Lar Lubovitch. BWD touring programs feature classes for ages seven through adult in ballet, modern, and jazz, and performances that leave a lasting impact. BWD has been recognized as Best Dance Company by D Magazine in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2019. BWD has performed at the prestigious Joyce Theater in New York on the 2020 American Dance Platform; in Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, Humble, and Big Spring, Texas; at Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Performance Series; and at festivals in New York, Ohio, and Washington, DC. Photo by Sharen Bradford.

contact
Gayle Halperin
3630 Harry Hines Blvd. #36
Dallas, TX  75219
phone 214-298-9212
phone#2 214-952-8398
e-mail gayle@brucewooddance.org
public performance/concert $2,500 - $10,000
school performance $1,000 - $2,500
workshop fees $250 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $720 - $4,000
website http://www.brucewooddance.org

 

State Artist Cyrus Cassells

A 2019 Guggenheim Fellow, Cyrus Cassells has won the National Poetry Series, a Lambda Literary Award, a Lannan Literary Award, two NEA grants, a Pushcart Prize, and the William Carlos Williams Award. He was named the 2021 Texas Poet Laureate. His 2018 volume The Gospel according to Wild Indigo was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award and the Balcones Prize. Still Life with Children: Selected Poems of Francesc Parcerisas, translated from the Catalan, was awarded the Texas Institute of Letters’ Soeurette Diehl Fraser Award for Best Translated Book of 2018 and 2019. His 7th book, More Than Watchmen at Daybreak, a lyric cycle about his stay in a Benedictine desert monastery in northern New Mexico, was published by Nine Mile Books in 2020. His eighth book, The World That the Shooter Left Us, was published by Four Way Books in February 2022. He is a tenured full professor of English at Texas State University. Photo: Rachel Eliza Griffiths

contact
Cyrus Cassells

Austin, TX 
phone 512-245-3799
phone#2
e-mail cc37@txstate.edu
public performance/concert $1,750 - $3,250
school performance $2,000 - $3,500
workshop fees $3,500 - $5,000
website https://faculty.txstate.edu/profile/1921978

 

MCP Shows/Margaret Clauder

Margaret Clauder is an internationally known award-winning storyteller/puppeteer/ventriloquist who has traveled the US and abroad performing for audiences of all ages. She is a costumed variety performing artist and performs as one of her 9 original characters. Characters include her original Mother Goose, THE Bookworm, Meteorologist Maggie, Astronomer Annie, Masai Maggie (a safari clad performer), Imma Sleuth (detective), Senorita Margarita, Mother Nature, Alphie the Elf, Mrs. Claus, and many more. Her programs align with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards and encourage children to enjoy the wonder of reading by promoting books, stories, and their imaginations. Children's imaginations burst with wonder when they see her puppets magically talk and sing with Margaret's outstanding ventriloquism, an art that she has worked on diligently for over 30 years. As a columnist for various children's performer magazines such as The Calliope and The Funny Paper, and a sought-after lecturer for performance conventions, such as the International Ventriloquist Convention, The Texas Clown Association, The International Association of Kids Show Professionals, The Tejas Storyteller Association, and the Society of American Magicians, she has mentored hundreds of variety arts performers from around the globe. She is open to travel in Texas, the United States, or abroad. Photo by David Thomasson.

contact
Margaret Clauder
916 Wayland Dr
Arlington, TX  76012
phone 817-265-5696
phone#2 817-980-1760
e-mail margaret@mcpshows.com
public performance/concert $300 - $1,000
school performance $300 - $895
workshop fees $500 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $475
website http://www.mcpshows.com

 

The Cliburn

Established in 1962, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is widely considered one of the preeminent international music contests and remains committed to its original ideals of supporting and launching the careers of pianists and sharing the transformative powers of music with a wide global audience. The prizewinners of each Cliburn Competition are awarded three years of career management resulting in hundreds of engagements. They are available for solo recital, chamber, and concerto performances, master classes, outreach events, and in-school presentations. Each artist has prepared classical piano repertoire for solo recital, as well as for performance with chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras. Photo by Jeremy Enlow.

contact
Sandra Doan
201 Main Street, Suite 100
Fort Worth, TX  76102
phone 817-738-6536
phone#2
e-mail sdoan@cliburn.org
public performance/concert $4,000 - $7,000
school performance $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $250 - $1,000
website https://www.cliburn.org

 

Conspirare

GRAMMY Award-winning Conspirare is a professional choir led by founding artistic director Craig Hella Johnson. Conspirare performs in Texas, nationally, and internationally. Conspirare performs broad repertoire, including works from the choral canon and contemporary compositions embracing a wide variety of styles. Conspirare's current touring programs include: (1) Conspirare Christmas, a seasonal program that mixes sacred and secular, traditional and contemporary, classical and pop in Craig Hella Johnson's signature 'collage' programming. Performed a cappella with a guest artist and instrumentalists. (2) Craig Hella Johnson's Considering Matthew Shepard, performed with choir, soloists, and instrumental ensemble. Conspirare also offers additional programs that vary by season. These programs may include works spanning genres, composers, and periods and are offered in conjunction with Conspirare’s season repertoire. Photo by Scott van Osdol.

contact
Ann McNair
1812 Centre Creek Drive, Suite 110
Austin, TX  78754
phone 512-476-5775
phone#2 512-481-1676
e-mail amcnair@conspirare.org
public performance/concert $22,000 - $60,000
school performance $15,000+
workshop fees included in fee
travel/per diem/lodging $10,000
website https://conspirare.org/

 

Conteño

The fundamental characteristic that distinguishes the unique sound of Conteño is the harmonious balance of styles distinctive to regional Texas-Mexican music including the genres of conjunto, tejano and norteño. Conteño, hailing from the border town of Brownsville, TX, has a signature style that is an explosion of upbeat, modern rhythms rooted in traditional sounds. These unique characteristics have created a faithful fan base in the Rio Grande Valley and throughout the state of Texas. The front men of the group, Juan and Federico Longoria, are considered masters in the regional tradition of Texas-Mexican accordion and bajo sexto performance. Conteño’s music appeals to all age groups and performances can accommodate any size crowd from small, unplugged, intimate sessions to large outdoor festivals in every region of Texas. Conteño prides itself in not only performing the rhythms of conjunto, tejano and norteño music, but educating the public about the cultural traditions of regional Texas-Mexican music and its significance to Texan culture. Photo by Telegrafico Promos.

contact
Juan Longoria
5105 Boca Chica Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78521
phone 956-466-4454
phone#2 956-545-4416
e-mail grupoconteno@gmail.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $6,000
school performance $500 - $2,500
workshop fees $500 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $1,500
website https://www.grupoconteno.com

 

Decee Cornish

Raised in Houston's Fifth Ward, Decee attended Prairie View University, then joined the military and served around the world. He traveled and lived among peoples of five continents experiencing their culture, learning their history, and hearing their stories. Decee began his storytelling career at a nonprofit youth facility for disadvantaged and at-risk children. He uses his stories to teach, motivate, inspire, and often just to entertain. Decee continues to bring smiles and laughter to troubled youth through the 'I Have a Dream' Foundation. Decee received numerous storytelling awards, including the prestigious John Henry Faulk Award for outstanding contributions to the art of storytelling. Decee's programs include plenty of audience participation, drumming, and music, providing fun for all. Texas, Civil War, multicultural, United States, and world histories are some of the many curriculum-related programs available. He performs ghost stories, myths, tall tales, multicultural folktales, or just fun stories for entertainment. For over 20 years, Decee has provided storytelling in schools, libraries, local and national festivals, corporate, and special events. He has been a featured storyteller at festivals where he entertained audiences big and small, from ages eight to eighty. Photo by Paul Porter.

contact
Carole Weitzel
118 Beach Mountain Cove
Georgetown, TX  78633
phone 512-914-2596
phone#2 682-347-7107
e-mail carole@authorsandmore.com
public performance/concert $550 - $1,500
school performance $800 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $150 - $1,000
website http://www.deceecornish.com

 

Creative Action

The plays were amazing! My students were totally engaged,' Ms. Ortiz, Ridgetop Elementary. 'It’s really cool how we talked to the characters and got to act,' 7th grader, Ojeda Middle School. Since 1997, Creative Action has delivered Interactive theater programs for preK-7th grade that offer an immersive classroom experience through role play, characters, puppets, song and movement. Through engaging, multi-day residencies performed by professional actor-teachers, students develop age-appropriate academic, social, and emotional learning skills, including conflict resolution, bullying prevention, leadership, and empathy. Annually, they visit 500+ central Texas classrooms and engage 10,000+ youth. Each grade-level specific performance unfolds over four consecutive days, with a fifth follow-up session 3-6 weeks later. Examples: The Heroes/Los Heroés (1st) is a bilingual performance in which students take a journey from Barton Springs to Costa Rica to Mt. Kilimanjaro to discover the four steps to peace; The Courage to Stand (4th) explores historical acts of courage from the Civil Rights Era and the Holocaust as students become courageous bystanders; Crossing the Line (6th-7th) addresses consent as characters navigate social media bullying and harassment. They also provide extension activities, parent workshops, professional development, and community events to deepen program impact and build inclusive school communities. Photo by Creative Action.

contact
Lynn Hoare
1023 Springdale Road, Bldg. 3, Suite A
Austin, TX  78721
phone 512-442-8773 Ext. 122
phone#2 512-442-8773 x128
e-mail schoolbased@creativeaction.org
school performance $300 - $600
workshop fees $60 - $720
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $600
website https://creativeaction.org/programs/school-based/brave-schools/

 

Creativity Shell

The Creativity Shell is on a mission to use creative trades to educate and inspire the next generation of makers. The organization teaches sewing/textile arts and other creative trades classes to students in their mobile studios, libraries, schools and shelters that rescue children from homelessness, trauma and human trafficking. Classes and events led by the Creativity Shell are designed to educate and inspire children by teaching them essential life and practical skills. The sewing/textile arts and other creative programs can last anywhere from a 2-hour workshop to a 15-week semester. To give students creative outlets to showcase their work, the Creativity Shell has launched two major annual events in Houston. The Munchkin Market is a popular event among K-12 students. Students participating in this event learn to make their own items and sell it to the public. The second event is the annual fashion show called Creativity Rocks! For students to participate in Creativity Rocks, they must design, make and model their own outfit based on the annual theme of the show. The Creativity Shell’s ability to make classes fun and exciting for children creates a positive atmosphere with children willingly enrolling in the programs. Photo by Shelancia Daniel.

contact
Shelancia Daniel
1580 Kingwood Drive #A
Kingwood, TX  77339
phone 832-943-9767
phone#2
e-mail sdaniel@creativityshell.org
public performance/concert $300 - $4,500
school performance $600 - $6,000
workshop fees $300 - $2,500
travel/per diem/lodging $600 - $2,500
website https://www.creativityshell.org

 

Dallas Black Dance Theatre

With vivid performances and inclusive classes, Dallas Black Dance Theatre positively impacts lives and bridges cultures through the transformative power of dance. Since its founding in 1976 by Ann Williams as a small community-based dance troupe, it has grown to become Dallas’ oldest and largest professional dance company and the tenth-largest arts organization of color in the nation. It has toured numerous Texas cities, 31 US states, and 16 countries on five continents, including performances for Queen Elizabeth II and President Nelson Mandela. The company’s repertoire is broad, from masterworks by Alvin Ailey and Twyla Tharp to an aerial ballet and silent disco experience. Dance styles available for touring include modern, ballet, jazz, African, and some tap. Five performing ensembles (the main professional company, the second professional company DBDT: Encore!, and three elite student performing ensembles from the Academy) provide a variety of performance types and fee ranges to accommodate audiences of any size and age. Professional dancers hail from top national programs like the Ailey School and NYU, while Academy students continue dance training at the Juilliard School and SMU, among others. In 2017, Dallas Black Dance Theatre received the Texas Medal of Arts Award in arts education. Photo by Brian Guilliaux.

contact
Richard Freeman, Jr.
PO Box 131290
Dallas, TX  75313
phone 214-871-2376
phone#2
e-mail booking@dbdt.com
public performance/concert $7,000 - $20,000
school performance $3,000 - $8,500
workshop fees $500 - $4,000
travel/per diem/lodging $2,600 - $14,250
website https://www.dbdt.com

 

Dallas String Quartet

An international music sensation, Dallas String Quartet was founded in 2007 by violist Ion Zanca. A fusion of contemporary classical and pop music, DSQ uses both traditional and electric strings performing as a quartet with the full accompaniment of drums and guitar. Known for their eclectic renditions of anything from Guns N’ Roses' ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ to Shawn Mendes' ‘Señorita,’ DSQ is Bach meets Bon Jovi. In addition to their electric show, DSQ performs a holiday show titled after their newly released album 'A Very Merry Christmas.' The group is comprised of composer and violist Ion Zanca, violinists Eleanor Dunbar and Melissa Priller, bassist Young Heo, guitarist Anthony Plant, and percussionist/drummer Efren Guzman. DSQ has over 30 million streams on Spotify, more than 4 million views on YouTube, and receives over 1 million streams per week from their dedicated fans on Pandora. DSQ has performed for Presidents Obama and Bush, the College Football Playoffs, the NBA and NFL organizations, and sold out concert venues like the House of Blues and symphony halls. They’ve played alongside Josh Groban, Chicago, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and had music featured by ESPN and A&E. The Wall Street Journal: 'this is not your grandmother’s string quartet.' Photo by Teresa Jolie.

contact
Kevin Peters
G.L. Berg Entertainment
Minneapolis, MN  55402
phone 888-654-6901 Ext. 9
phone#2
e-mail kevin@glberg.com
public performance/concert $11,000 - $12,500
school performance $5,500 - $6,250
workshop fees $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $1,000 - $1,500
website https://www.glberg.com/roster/Dallas-String-Quartet

 

State Artist Jennifer Ling Datchuk

Jennifer Ling Datchuk, the 2021 Texas State Visual Artist in 3-D work, is an artist born in Warren, Ohio and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Her work is an exploration of her layered identity – as a woman, a Chinese woman, as an “American,” as a third culture kid. Trained in ceramics, Datchuk works with porcelain and other materials often associated with traditional women’s work, such as textiles and hair, to discuss fragility, beauty, femininity, intersectionality, identity, and personal history. Datchuk holds an MFA in Artisanry from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a BFA in Crafts from Kent State University. She is an Assistant Professor of art at Texas State University and lives and maintains a studio practice in San Antonio. She was awarded a residency through the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum to conduct her studio practice at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, Germany and has participated in residencies at the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China, Vermont Studio Center, European Ceramic Work Center in the Netherlands and Artpace in San Antonio. In 2017, she received the Emerging Voices award from the American Craft Council and in 2020 was named a United States Artist Fellow in Craft. Photo: Clint Datchuk

contact
Ruiz-Healy Art
201-A East Olmos Dr.
San Antonio, TX  78212
phone 210-804-2219
phone#2
e-mail info@ruizhealyart.com
workshop fees $500 - $2,000
website https://jenniferlingdatchuk.com/

 

Deep Blue Something

It’s been a while since the worldwide success of the Home album and the singles Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Halo, and Josey, but Deep Blue Something reconvened in 2016 to record the Locust House EP. 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of Breakfast at Tiffany's. With over 250 million streams and downloads now, the band is celebrating with a world tour for the fans! It certainly doesn’t hurt that a whole new generation of fans has embraced the band due to their inclusion in popular films and TV series. In one six-month period during 2018, the band’s Spotify listeners went from 200,000 to over 1.5 million, and this total continues to grow. 2019 saw the band touring the UK and Europe for the first time since Breakfast at Tiffany’s shot to number one 20 years ago plus they confirmed a handful of warm-up US dates. With those shows being a huge success, the band is ready to celebrate 25 years of Breakfast at Tiffany's in 2020 with a world tour. The wait is over, Deep Blue Something is back with a live show that is being talked about as the best the band's ever played! Photo by Deep Blue Something.

contact
J.R. Denson
3209 West End Ave
Nashville, TN  37203
phone 214-587-8193
phone#2
e-mail jr@spacecolonelmgmt.com
public performance/concert $5,000 - $15,000
school performance $7,500 - $20,000
workshop fees $10,000 - $25,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $1,000
website http://www.deepbluesomething.com

 

Del Castillo

Del Castillo has become a symbol of the cross-cultural power of music with their eclectic blend of flamenco, rock, Latin, blues, and world music. They have been described as a 'cross between Paco de Lucia and Yngwie Malmsteen,' or a 'Latinized Allman Brothers Band.' Their shows consist of passionate material including fresh-faced flamenco, many originals, classics given a new coat of paint, and jamming with the enthusiasm of a band that is comfortable together, but years away from feeling tired. They have received numerous awards, and their music has appeared in a dozen major films and TV shows. They can offer workshops in guitar playing, songwriting, and percussion if presented in conjunction with a concert or school performance. School performances work best if scheduled in conjunction with a public performance. Photo by Mark del Castillo.

contact
Roggie Baer
2809 North Torino
Tucson, AZ  85712
phone 512-554-4004
phone#2
e-mail roggie@rajiworld.com
public performance/concert $7,000 - $10,000
school performance $3,500 - $5,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $2,500
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,000
website https://www.delcastillomusic.com

 

Deux, Classical Vocal Duo

While Crystal and Angela have long enjoyed thriving careers as soloists, they have always genuinely preferred collaboration. Both singers are professionally based out of San Antonio, and in the fall of 2017, they made their official debut as Deux. They have appeared together in over 40 recitals and concerts throughout south Texas and beyond. They have appeared on the Artist Series at Texoma NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and have been featured artists on Texas Public Radio. Their repertoire includes a wide range of styles from the early 17th century to art song, sacred music, opera, and also contemporary commissioned works. Deux is available for formal concerts, lecture-recitals, house concerts, special events, sacred music programs, educational and community programs, master classes, and career talks to young performers. Photo by Susan Riley.

contact
Angela Malek
615 Freiling Dr.
San Antonio, TX  78213
phone 210-740-1363
phone#2 210-602-1242
e-mail deuxclassicalvocalduo@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $4,000
school performance $600 - $900
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $1,500
website http://www.deuxofficialwebsite.com

 

Joseph Dixon

With over twenty-five years’ experience, Joseph Dixon works in the areas of art for education and community outreach. Dixon has conducted over a thousand workshops, residencies and performances in the Houston, Dallas, Beaumont and San Antonio areas through collaborative partnerships with schools and organizations. Currently, Dixon serves as a teaching artist for various nonprofit art organizations, including the River Performing and Visual Arts Center, ArtReach, Young Audiences of Houston, and Avondale House, where he implements fine arts programming in music and visual art designed to aid communication and social development and encourage fine and gross motor development for students with autism and other disabilities. Dixon also provides children's performances through his Early Inspirations Performances Series which offers interactive, educational performances designed to encourage creative thinking, promote team learning, and foster social development through the presentation and engagement of the arts. Each performance is Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills-aligned. Dixon provides curriculum guides for all performances to aid educators in building knowledge and skills. Performances: History and Songs of the Mardi Gras Indians, Let’s Play Together Drum and Strum /Jawad African Rhythms and Spirituals. Photo by JD Art.

contact
Joseph Dixon
2011 Plum Falls Ln.
Pearland, TX  77581
phone 281-896-2914
phone#2
e-mail dyoungartists@yahoo.com
public performance/concert $450 - $900
school performance $450 - $900
workshop fees $250 - $450
travel/per diem/lodging $77 - $190
website https://www.josephdixonart.com

 

State Artist Gaspar Enriquez

Born in 1942 and raised in El Paso’s Segundo Barrio, Gaspar Enriquez earned a BA in art from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1970 and an MA in metals from New Mexico State University in 1985. His dramatic portraits range from works on paper of writer Rudolfo Anaya, artist Luis Jimenez, and artist John Valadez for the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian, to 24-feet-high pieces commissioned for the San Antonio Convention Center, to illustrations for Rudolfo Anaya’s Elegy on the Death of Cesar Chavez. No matter their size, his powerful, acrylic, air-brushed portraits reveal his subjects’ dignity and demand the viewer’s attention. His works are held by museums including the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Tucson Museum of Art, the El Paso Museum of Art, and by private collectors such as Cheech Marin. Mr. Enriquez is the recipient of the Father Rahm Segundo Barrio Person of the Year Award (2016) and a Mid-America Arts Alliance Fellowship (1994). In 2015, he was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas at El Paso.

contact
Gaspar Enriquez

San Elizario, TX 
phone
phone#2
e-mail genriq4709@sbcglobal.net
public performance/concert TBD
school performance TBD
workshop fees TBD
website https://gasparenriquez.com/

 

The Ensemble Theatre

The Ensemble Theatre (TET) was founded in 1976 to preserve African-American artistic expression. TET produces a main stage season of six contemporary and classical works devoted to the portrayal of the African-American experience by local and national playwrights and artists. Theater programs benefit a multicultural audience that is diverse in age, income, ethnicity, and culture. The Ensemble's touring program provides live performances for students in schools, churches, and community organizations. Curriculum materials are designed to enhance the impact of the program and link plays to specific Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and STEAM. Touring performances include Uncle Remus’ Br’er Rabbit, adapted by TET founder George Hawkins, a fun-packed story of African-American folklore and American popular culture. I, Barbara Jordan, by Celeste Bedford Walker, explores Jordan’s journey to greatness and those who inspired her. Additional touring offerings are developed yearly and may be derived from social-emotional learning concepts, standard children’s literature, national celebrations, or historical events. (See website for additional plays and season information.) Photo by David Bray.

contact
Tour Coordinator
3535 Main Street
Houston , TX  77002
phone 713-807-4317
phone#2 713-520-0055
e-mail toured@ensemblehouston.com
public performance/concert $1,200 - $15,000
school performance $800 - $950
travel/per diem/lodging $325 - $4,000
website https://www.ensemblehouston.com

 

George Ensle

A member of Houston's 1960s folk music scene, George has been performing for over 50 years. His focus is always on uplifting the listener, and he tailors each concert to connect with audiences of all ages, using his extensive repertoire and showmanship to deliver a concert filled with poignancy and a healthy dose of wit and wisdom. At festivals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, churches, theaters, concert halls, listening rooms, and house concerts, his shows include original story songs mixed with country, gospel, and folk standards. His performances range from solo to duo, trio, or full band, and he offers songwriting workshops for songwriters at all levels. George has served as Texas artist in residence, won numerous songwriting awards, been nominated Songwriter of the Year by the Texas Music Academy, released 15 albums, and been inducted into the Houston Folk Music Archives at Rice University. His original song, Build A Bridge was adopted by the Build a Bridge Foundation for Healing through the Arts. George is a strong believer in the healing power of music, and whether playing a festival or an intimate concert for one in hospice, his mission is always to deliver the message of hope. Photo by Ira Hantz.

contact
George  Ensle
PO Box 732
San Marcos, TX  78667
phone 512-560-6157
phone#2
e-mail george@georgeensle.com
public performance/concert $500 - $2,500
school performance $400 - $1,500
workshop fees $400 - $800
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $700
website http://www.GeorgeEnsle.com

 

Chris Espinosa XYZ: Improvise! Write! Perform!

Your students take center stage to create exciting and unforgettable moments using nothing but their imaginations. Chris Espinosa XYZ, arts integrated teaching artist, improv-storyteller, and author, uses improv comedy to sharpen creativity, develop critical thinking skills, and inspire students to write a narrative or expository, and perform it! Espinosa's five-day residencies and workshops motivate students to write in class and for 'The Test.' Even reluctant writers will want to write! Chris has implemented over 100 residencies (2,000+ classroom hours) and helped thousands of elementary and middle school students write their stories and essays. Many of the schools that hosted his program experienced higher test scores. His Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills-based lessons focus on ideas, voice, and word choice; he adapts his program to support the writing methods in your classrooms. Chris is an author of two books; completed improv training from an original member of the Groundlings; founded two improv comedy groups; and traveled as an improv-storyteller for a live cotton-tail bunny and a robot dog. 'Chris Espinosa provided an engaging week of writing…His exuberant personality hooked the fourth-grade students...The connections we made with him and the artistry we experienced have left a lasting impression.' Kimberly Paul, Basswood Elementary (Keller, Texas). Photo provided by artist.

contact
Chris Espinosa
2104 Old York Dr.
Keller, TX  76248
phone 817-689-0973
phone#2
e-mail chrisespinosaxyz@gmail.com
public performance/concert $550 - $1,050
school performance $550 - $1,050
workshop fees $1,850 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $300
website http://www.chrisespinosa.xyz

 

FLY Dance Company

Entertainment with wholesome, universal appeal,' NY Times. Founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Kathy Wood, FLY Dance Company offers a variety of concert performances as well as educational shows, workshops, and residencies available for booking locally, nationally, and internationally. Labeled an artistic phenomenon, FLY crosses street dance with classical choreographic principles. Their technique is hip hop, very creative, gymnastic, and highly masculine. FLY's concerts are clean-cut, wholesome artistry designed to cross all audience boundaries, young and old, men and women, sophisticated and unsophisticated, with pieces combining styles and cultures to reflect contemporary Americana. FLY's community outreach reaches an average of 50,000 kids annually with educational shows, residencies, and workshops that are unmatched in variety and positive social impact. Put it all together and you will agree, 'There is no other group like FLY Dance Company,' the Gentlemen of Hip Hop. FLY’s educational shows are fun and fast-action; scripted and designed to deliver entertainment, knowledge, and important social messages to school-aged audiences. Concert offerings are available as full-length or mini-concerts and are adaptable for college student activities and youth concerts. Performances can vary in length and cast size, with performing fees adjusted accordingly. Photo by J. Del Fierro.

contact
Jorge Casco
15433 Chichester Ln
Houston, TX  77040
phone 713-835-5499
phone#2 832-660-5879
e-mail jorge@flydancecompany.com
public performance/concert $5,000 - $12,000
school performance $900 - $2,500
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $1,000
website https://www.flydancecompany.com

 

Flying Balalaika Brothers

The band Flying Balalaika Brothers was founded in 1995 by guitar virtuoso Zhenya Rock. The band has featured Balkan, Ukrainian, Romany (Gypsy), Jewish, Russian, and Cossack folk music with crossovers into bluegrass and even country music. The group’s name comes from the uniquely shaped instrument known as the balalaika. A balalaika is a triangular-shaped instrument you can see in the photo of the band. Flying Balalaika Brothers successfully perform at festivals and present educational programs in three languages (English, Spanish and Russian). The cross-culture educational program includes musicians and dancer performing in native costumes. Presentations combine music performances with the exploration of sounds, rhythms, and cultural history of traditional Slavic folk instruments combined with traditional American instruments. The musical journey compares and contrasts the rich musical heritage and traditions of two cultures. The in-class workshops offer children a chance to touch and experience the musical instruments first hand. The band also has a special program, Application of STEM Standards with Music Concepts. In this program, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics applications are demonstrated by a musical presentation. Students can apply the information that they will learn through the presentation in classroom activities and problems. Photo by Katie Smith.

contact
Nataly Rock
12320 Bainbridge
Austin, TX  78750
phone 512-962-8494
phone#2 832-317-8502
e-mail balalaikaunlimited@gmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $7,000
school performance $300 - $2,000
workshop fees $100 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $150 - $1,000
website http://www.flyingbalalaikabrothers.com

 

Forklift Danceworks

Founded in 2001 by Artistic Director Allison Orr, award-winning Austin-based Forklift Danceworks engages diverse communities in the creation of innovative civic dance projects. Drawing inspiration from the movement of work and everyday life, Forklift’s performances highlight the skilled movement and often unheard stories of the people whose work sustains our daily lives. From city sanitation employees to Venetian gondoliers, local baseball players to recycling warehouse workers, Forklift’s partners are cast as the primary performers and have included firefighters, pool maintenance workers, a symphony conductor, electric utility workers, college campus employees, and many others. Forklift artists have garnered local and national attention for outstanding choreography and artistic excellence, with commissions by Fusebox Festival, National Performance Network, the International Community Arts Festival, and the University of Houston. Forklift’s uniquely collaborative process is best toured by commissioning the company to create a site-specific work for the host organization, involving employees or community members and local artists as performers. Allison Orr and Associate Artistic Director Krissie Marty can also set work on professional or student dancers and/or community members for theater-based performances. The company offers school residencies from pre-K to college, professional development for classroom teachers, leadership training workshops, and keynotes. Photo by Jonica Moore.

contact
Gretchen LaMotte
2023 East Cesar Chavez
Austin, TX  78702
phone 512-222-5287
phone#2 609-468-8968
e-mail info@forkliftdanceworks.org
public performance/concert $2,000 - $50,000
school performance $500 - $3,500
workshop fees $500 - $10,000
travel/per diem/lodging $300 - $3,000
website https://www.forkliftdanceworks.org

 

Guy Forsyth

Guy Forsyth migrated to Austin in 1990, quickly making his musical mark. As a regular onstage at Antone’s, he formed the Asylum Street Spankers, went solo, formed the Hot Nut Riveters and a blues band, toured the world, won many Austin Music Awards (winning 2019 honors for Best Blues/Soul/Funk Band and Best Miscellaneous Instrument-harmonica, and 2018’s Best Male Vocals award) and toured the world some more. He’s toured the globe and shared stages with acts like Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Lucinda Williams. Guy regularly performs in solo/duo/blues band or string band configuration(s). Mixing humor, irreverence, devotion, and deep knowledge of musical history, he’s earned his status as one of the city’s top talents— a status he now proudly shares with his favorite partner, his wife, Jeska Bailey Forsyth. Their newest release, Conspirators, rose to #1 Song of the Month and #5 Top CD of the Month in July 2019 on the Folk DJ radio chart. As co-conspirators in life and song, they’ve proven that the whole can indeed be even greater than the sum of its formidable parts. As a proud TCA Texas Touring Roster member, they have traveled the state to present educational programs at schools and libraries. Photo by Rene Maldonada.

contact
KT Gardner
4505 Bull Creek Rd
Austin, TX  78731
phone 512-207-0825
phone#2 512-207-0825
e-mail ktrootstock@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,200 - $7,500
school performance $900 - $2,000
workshop fees $900 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $1,500
website https://www.guyforsyth.com

 

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra is made up of 66 internationally-recruited musicians who have brought world-class symphonic performances to rural communities across Texas for over 35 years. The FWSO is nationally recognized for its artistic excellence and dynamic approach to music education programming. With the help of an experienced managerial and artistic staff, the Orchestra frequently presents inspiring public or student-focused performances in concert halls, community centers, and schools. Whenever possible, the FWSO seeks to make symphonic music accessible to children and adults who, due to geographic constraints, might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a live, professional orchestral performance. The Orchestra regularly presents a wide range of traditional and contemporary works that are audience-specific and age-appropriate, both in Fort Worth and throughout neighboring communities. Also, education programs include study materials, provided in advance of each performance to prepare students for their concert experience. Based on availability and the presenter's budget, community concerts can feature soloists, incorporate choral support, and take place in outdoor venues. The FWSO's unique programs are constantly being updated. Please consult their website or contact the FWSO for current details. Photo by Julien Lambert.

contact
John Clapp
330 East Fourth Street, Suite 200
Fort Worth, TX  76102
phone 817-665-6107
phone#2
e-mail jclapp@fwsymphony.org
public performance/concert $20,000 - $30,000
school performance $10,000 - $15,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $5,000
travel/per diem/lodging $2,500 - $12,000
website https://fwsymphony.org/in-the-community/community-events

 

Ruthie Foster

Those who have followed Ruthie Foster’s eclectic musical history know that she can ignite any stage with her combustible blend of soul, blues, rock, folk, and gospel. Ruthie’s astonishing voice has taken her on an amazing ride from humble church choir beginnings in rural Texas, to a tour of duty with the US Navy Band, and finally back to Austin and an award-filled music career. Ruthie has received 2009, 2012, and 2014 GRAMMY Award nominations for Best Blues Album; 9 Blues Music Awards, of which 7 are for Best Traditional Blues Female Artist; and three-time Best Female Vocalist and Texas Hall of Fame inductee in 2019 from Austin Music Awards. Ruthie Foster can perform solo with her guitar, or in duo, trio, quartet, quintet, and big band configurations. Her show includes originals and covers in the areas of blues, folk, soul, and gospel music. Photo by Riccardo Piccirillo.

contact
Tom Gold
PO Box 440326
Somerville, MA  02144
phone 617-969-0810
phone#2
e-mail tom@concertedefforts.com
public performance/concert $4,000 - $20,000
school performance $4,000 - $20,000
workshop fees $4,000 - $15,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,000
website http://www.ruthiefoster.com

 

Glass Half Full Theatre

Glass Half Full Theatre was lauded by the Austin-American Statesman for their 'inventive blend of puppetry and physical storytelling that employs gestures and expressions in tandem with props and sets to convey the narrative along with a variety of puppetry techniques.' Based in Austin, the company's current touring roster features sophisticated shows for multigenerational audiences includes the critically acclaimed Cenicienta: A Bilingual Cinderella Story, which won Best New Play from Austin Critic's Table and launches a national tour at the Kennedy Center in April 2021. The story features Belinda, an emerging Latina poet who uses her considerable imagination to re-enact the story of Cinderella through object theater (puppetry with everyday objects). Also on offer this season are Trash Talk with Polly Mermaid, a new interactive show that inspires audiences to divert plastic waste from landfills, Once There Were Six Seasons, which demonstrates effects of climate change on cultures and features 'tiny puppets, ingenious sets made of recycled materials, and gorgeous music from around the world,' and The Circus, a silent clown and puppet show featuring the underclass performers at a circus. Glass Half Full is known for their 'precise, engaging, and humorous' approach to real-world issues and imaginative solutions. Photo by Michael Ferstenfeld.

contact
Caroline Reck
1119 Omega St
Austin, TX  78721
phone 347-907-5428
phone#2 512-541-9192
e-mail caroline@GlassHalfFullTheatre.com
public performance/concert $500 - $3,000
school performance $500 - $2,000
workshop fees $250 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,500
website http://www.GlassHalfFullTheatre.com

 

The Grand Ol' Production Company

The Grand Ol’ Production Company provides true-blue, all-American, always Texan musical variety shows with original scripts that will have audiences laughing, crying, singing along, and coming back year after year. Each show draws the audience in with its unique 'progressive nostalgia,' capturing Baby Boomers and Millennials alike with tunes and laughs that revive personal experiences and memories at every stop. The performances combine musical genres across opera, Americana, blues, jazz, gospel, and country, to name a few. In 2019, the Grand Ol’ Production Company toured nine cities across Texas with two dozen shows between The Grand Ol’ American Radio Show and The Grand Ol’ Christmas Show. In 2021 they will premiere The Grand Ol' Texas Show and The Grand Ol' Halloween Show to audiences across our great state. Additionally, the Grand Ol' Production Company produces customized shows for municipalities to celebrate historical milestones, anniversaries, and festivals. Photo provided by artists.

contact
William Hearn
1630 Bayram Drive
Houston, TX  77055
phone 979-373-1009
phone#2 979-583-2221
e-mail will@goshowproductions.com
public performance/concert $13,500 - $20,000
school performance $12,000 - $15,000
travel/per diem/lodging $2,000 - $3,000
website https://www.goshowproductions.com

 

Great Promise for American Indians

Since 2004, Great Promise for American Indians has performed across the state of Texas with the mission of preserving the traditions, heritage and culture of American Indians. Their culturally authentic programs are both entertaining and informative. Traditions, stories, and history come alive through song and dance. Audiences are introduced to the sights and sounds of the modern-day powwow which is still a relevant and disciplined form of artistic and cultural expression. Dance styles and regalia are explained and demonstrated. Narration, live singing and drumming, and audience participation enhances the overall experience. Programs Director and individual artist Nan Blassingame (Cheyenne/Arapaho), an accomplished dancer and craftsperson, is also available for craft and dance workshops. Nan offers educational programs that feature hands-on participation and the sharing of her talents and experiences on a personal level with audiences of all ages. Great Promise programs are flexible and tailored to the needs of the presenter ranging from one artist to a larger group. Presentation size, time length, and content can be adapted to fit most events, venues, audiences, and budgets. School and classroom programs compliment Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards for arts, music, and social studies. Photo by Great Promise for American Indians.

contact
Jessica Scott
3710 Cedar St., Box 19
Austin, TX  78705
phone 202-441-3197
phone#2 512-371-0628
e-mail jnotts4@hotmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $2,500
school performance $300 - $1,500
workshop fees $300 - $2,500
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $2,000
website http://www.austinpowwow.net

 

Grupo Fantasma

A nine-piece collective formed in 2000 in Austin, Grupo Fantasma has been praised as one of the most important independent acts in the Latin genre. In 2011, they garnered further acclaim by winning a GRAMMY (their second nomination) for the self-produced El Existential which the Wall Street Journal praised as 'Latin music both new and traditional…vibrant fusions that transcend easy classification.' The band’s live show, declared by NPR as 'seamless whenever and wherever they’re on stage' has brought the band to major festivals internationally including Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, WOMEX, WOMAD, etc. The group has performed two tours to Kuwait and Iraq to entertain US troops and state department cultural-exchange tours of Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, and Qatar. Additionally, the group has appeared on Austin City Limits television three times and has collaborated with artists such as Prince, GZA (of Wu-tang Clan), Spoon, and Daniel Johnston, among others. Their most recent album, American Music Vol. VII, was released in March 2019 on the Texas-based Blue Corn Music label. Grupo Fantasma can perform original music from their seven albums as well as collaborate with artists, expanded big-band lineups as well as offering workshops and clinics. Photo provided by the artist.

contact
Andrew Hall

Austin, TX  78704
phone 512-312-9350
phone#2
e-mail andrew@truegrittalent.com
public performance/concert $5,000 - $10,000
school performance $3,000 - $10,000
workshop fees $1,500 - $4,000
travel/per diem/lodging $300 - $2,000
website https://www.grupofantasma.com/

 

Guadalupe Dance Company

The Guadalupe Dance Company (GDC), founded in 1991, is the professional dance ensemble of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, where it regularly presents the regional dances of Mexico and the Flamenco rhythms of Spain. Committed to maintaining its rich cultural traditions and artistic excellence, the GDC commissions international choreographers for the creation of new works. The GDC is available for public performances, school lecture-demonstrations, and group workshops. Performances can include live music by Mariachi Azteca de America, the resident mariachi of the Guadalupe, as well as various flamenco musicians. The GDC offers three production variations: Celebrando Tradiciones features traditional folklorico dances of the many colorful and vibrant regions of Mexico with dancers deeply immersed in the art form; Alma Flamenco is a soulful journey to the dance and music of Spain featuring sophisticated rhythms and choreography; Rio Bravo is a unique and original dance production offered exclusively by GDC: five dance suites explore the cultural exchanges between south Texas and Mexico from pre-Columbian times to the present day. Suites include Texas-based indigenous pieces, Mexican folklorico dance, European-influenced dances, and modern-day Tejano and cumbia dance and music. Rio Bravo is a perfect program for Hispanic Heritage Month or Texas history presentations. Photo by Edward Benavides.

contact
Jeannette Chavez
723 S. Brazos St
San Antonio, TX  78207
phone 210-271-3151
phone#2
e-mail jeannettec@guadalupeculturalarts.org
public performance/concert $3,500 - $9,500
school performance $1,500 - $3,500
workshop fees $1,500 - $2,500
travel/per diem/lodging $1,500 - $5,000
website http://www.guadalupeculturalarts.org

 

State Artist Laurie Ann Guerrero

Laurie Ann Guerrero, 2016 Texas State Poet Laureate, was born and raised in the Southside of San Antonio. She holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature from Smith College, where she received the Academy of American Poets Prize, and an MFA in poetry from Drew University. Her first full-length collection, A Tongue in the Mouth of the Dying, received the 2012 Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize and an International Latino Book Award, and was listed as one of 14 must-read works of Chicano literature by Rigoberto Gonzalez. Guerrero’s work has also been honored with the Panhandler Chapbook Award, and grants from the Artist Foundation of San Antonio and the Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Foundation. In 2014, Guerrero and was appointed poet laureate of San Antonio by Mayor Julian Castro. Her latest collection, A Crown for Gumecindo, was released by Aztlan Libre Press in spring 2015.

contact
Laurie Ann Guerrero

San Antonio, TX  78223
phone 210-818-2147
phone#2
e-mail Lguerrero@alumnae.smith.edu
public performance/concert TBD
website http://www.laurieannguerrero.com

 

2020 Gurwitz International Piano Competition Winner and Finalists

The Gurwitz International Piano Competition is the latest iteration of the esteemed San Antonio International Piano Competition (SAIPC), now under the production and artistic direction of Musical Bridges Around the World (MBAW) and its founder and CEO, Dr. Anya Grokhovski. Under MBAW’s leadership, the competition has undergone a visionary transformation to incorporate innovative partnerships with internationally renowned artists, newly commissioned work for piano and world instruments, and a world music repertoire outside the classical canon. In 2018 the Gurwitz was accepted as a member of the prestigious Geneva, Switzerland-based World Federation of International Music Competitions, putting the competition squarely in the world spotlight. For the Gurwitz 2020, a panel of distinguished judges led by Jury Chairman Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Music Director of the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, selected 12 finalists from a field of 76 applicants hailing from 21 nations. From this field, three achieved the honor of being finalists: Jiale Li from People’s Republic of China, Yedam Kim from South Korea, and Leonardo Colafelice from Italy. These incredibly talented young pianists represent the future of world-class piano, demonstrating extraordinary skill, artistry, and versatility across a variety of formats and styles, celebrating cultural diversity. Photo provided by artists.

contact
Elena Portnaya
23705 IH-10 West, Suite 101
San Antonio, TX  78257
phone 210-464-1534
phone#2
e-mail elenaportnaya@yahoo.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $3,500
school performance $500 - $1,200
workshop fees $500 - $1,200
travel/per diem/lodging $800 - $2,200
website https://www.musicalbridges.org

 

Stockton Helbing

Stockton Helbing is a Dallas-based jazz drummer and bandleader whose dynamic performances have been heard throughout the United States-- first, while he was a member of the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band, then as a drummer for jazz trumpet legend Maynard Ferguson, and now as a drummer for Tonight Show legend Doc Severinsen. Since 2016, Helbing has directed a program in the Dallas-Fort Worth area called the Helbing Jazz Initiative, whose mission statement is to 'encourage, educate, and embolden people through jazz music.' With this program, Helbing and his band have given masterclasses, concerts, clinics, and lectures for thousands of students and adults by celebrating the diversity of the great artists throughout the history of jazz, and how those artists both musically and socially overcame the challenges of their day and age to positively impact lives in the United States. Stockton Helbing and his various sized groups offer presentations on jazz masters including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, and many more. These presentations may be custom tailored and/or combined for any age group and demographic and may be performance-based, educational, interactive, or a mixture of all three. Photo by Troy Medinis.

contact
Stockton Helbing
1136 Valley Oaks Dr
Lewisville, TX  75067
phone 940-390-4111
phone#2
e-mail stocktonhelbing@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,250 - $5,000
school performance $1,000 - $5,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,250
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,000
website http://stocktonhelbing.com/

 

Terri Hendrix W/Lloyd Maines

Recognized by Acoustic Guitar magazine as one of Texas’s 20 essential contemporary songwriters, San Antonio native Terri Hendrix has independently released eighteen albums; co-wrote a GRAMMY Award-winning instrumental for the Dixie Chicks; and garnered a star on the South Texas Walk of Fame, Art of Peace Award by St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Distinguished Alumni Award at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and an induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame in San Marcos. On vocals, harmonica, and guitar, she tours with legendary pedal steel, guitar, and dobro player Lloyd Maines. As a GRAMMY Award-winning producer and musician, the Lubbock-born Maines has been featured at the Bob Bullock Museum and inducted into both the Buddy Holly and Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. Together, and as a trio or band, they have played every major venue and festival in the country. They even represented Texas at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the Washington Mall. They have taught songwriting and music business workshops at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Texas Tech in Lubbock, and Boston's Berklee School of Music, among others. They also offer a music therapy program for people with disabilities, and tour behind their award-winning children's album, doing concerts at libraries and schools. Photo by Dave Hensley.

contact
Terri Hendrix
415 N Guadalupe Street
San Marcos, TX  78666
phone 512-426-7288
phone#2
e-mail office@terrihendrix.com
public performance/concert $1,750 - $4,000
school performance $750 - $3,500
workshop fees $1,500 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $250 - $750
website https://www.terrihendrix.com

 

Henry Brun & The Latin Playerz Orchestra

Percussion dynamo Henry Brun has accumulated over 835 recordings, which include GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Awards, Univision Premios a La Música Latina, and multi-platinum recordings. His body of work includes original compositions, radio and television commercials, motion pictures, featured on Televisa’s 'Raza de Campeones,' Austin City Limits Live, Black Entertainment Channel, and a documentary produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation, to name a few. In 1990, Henry created the Latin Playerz to express his passion and conviction of world rhythms. His music covers a cavalcade of Latin styles, ranging from the slow tempo of a Cuban cha-cha and the more upbeat mambo to the conga and rumba, guanguancó, songo, charanga, son montuno, timba, and merengue rhythms. The band integrates these with rhythm and blues, swing, and straight-ahead jazz. They’ve become a touring force, popular in the United States and around the world. Past performances include concerts and educational workshops in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Texas, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, Louisiana, Taiwan, South Korea, Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Jazz a Vienne in France, and many more. As a percussionist, his increased popularity has placed him in demand nationally and internationally, in all genres of music. Photo by Al Rendon.

contact
Henry  Brun
PO Box 12545
San Antonio, TX  78212
phone 210-445-1444
phone#2 210-733-3806
e-mail henry@henrybrun.com
public performance/concert $3,000 - $5,000
school performance $3,000 - $5,000
workshop fees $300 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $1,500
website http://www.henrybrun.com

 

State Artist Sara Hickman

Texas State Musician Sara Hickman is a singer/songwriter who has performed at house concerts, hospitals, prisons, theaters, children’s events, conferences, festivals and all the way to Carnegie Hall and the Tonight Show. Her concerts are uplifting, connective and full of joy whether with 50 people or 5000. She has released 14 albums for adults and 3 for children, winning multiple awards for her music and humanitarian efforts in the U.S. and abroad. She performs solo, duo or with band and has taught songwriting, creativity and music industry workshops at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Boys & Girls Club, Swannanoa Gathering, Sisters Folk Festival and for corporate and private events. She has performed, recorded or toured with Willie Nelson, John Prine, Shawn Colvin, Terri Hendrix, Dan Fogelberg, Jimmy LaFave, Robert Earl Keen, Eliza Gilkyson, Asleep at the Wheel, Nanci Griffith, Billy Bragg, Richie Havens and many others.

contact
Sara Hickman

Austin, TX 
phone 512-203-2580
phone#2
e-mail booksara@sarahickman.com
public performance/concert $1500 - $10,000
school performance $850 - $2,000
workshop fees $850 - $6,500
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $250
website http://www.sarahickman.com

 

History In Person Theater

Recipient of the 2008 Texas Council for the Social Studies 'Friend of Social Studies Education' award and keynote presenter for the 2014 Texas Social Studies Supervisor's Association state conference, Bill Perryman is known throughout Texas for his work in the field of history and social studies education. An award-winning teacher, Mr. Perryman holds a master's degree in education from Texas State University and an administrator/mid-management certification from the University of Texas-San Antonio; he has conducted graduate studies coursework in historical research through the University of Virginia. History In Person Theater features historical portrayals of pivotal characters in Texas and American history augmented by music, sound effects, and visual images to create a multi-sensory experience for each audience. Program repertoire includes Adventure on the Underground Railroad - The Stories of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Franklin - An American Sensation, Sam Houston - Portrait of Honor, Thomas Jefferson - Independency 1776, Meriwether Lewis - Expedition Extraordinaire, Abraham Lincoln - Conscience of a Nation, Paul Revere - An American Patriot, George Washington - A Call to Duty, and William B. Travis - The Alamo - 1836! Photo by Lindsey Kaye Perryman, MPh.

contact
Billy Perryman
17314 Sable Landing
San Antonio, TX  78232
phone 210-494-8623
phone#2 210-422-6322
e-mail usahistory@earthlink.net
public performance/concert $550 - $1,250
school performance $550 - $1,000
workshop fees $1,250 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $800
website http://www.historyinperson.us

 

Hot Club of Cowtown

Austin, Texas-based hot jazz and western swing trio Hot Club of Cowtown blends the early western swing of Bob Wills and Milton Brown with European hot string jazz of the same era. The band also writes its own material and reinterprets everything from hoedowns to American songbook standards in its own original style. Voted Ameripolitan Western Swing Group of the Year 2015 and inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame in 2004, HCCT has toured with Bob Dylan and others and represented Texas music throughout the world for the US State Department from Azerbaijan to the Sultanate of Oman. Ten studio albums, a global following, and the relentless passion of its live shows are the band's continuing trademark. 'This trio's stylistic genesis, as well as title, stems from the realization that the great heritage of strings (guitars and violins) originates mutually with the Manouche gypsies of France and the no-less virtuosic hillbilly pickers and fiddlers of Oklahoma and Texas….the threesome of high-heeled violinist Elana James, guitarist Whit Smith and bassist Jake Erwin showed from the beginning that jazz and country music could exist together on the same page, a highly commendable achievement if ever there was one.' -Wall Street Journal. Photo by Dave Creaney.

contact
Elana James
PO Box 66203
Austin, TX  78757
phone 512-470-1259
phone#2
e-mail info@hotclubofcowtown.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $7,500
school performance $500 - $1,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $1,000
website https://hotclubofcowtown.com/

 

Houston Boychoir

Houston Boychoir sparks rich musical experiences throughout the city, state, and region. With a reputation for artistic excellence, Houston Boychoir is in high demand among major performing arts organizations. Boys regularly collaborate with professional ensembles such as the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Bach Society Houston, Opera in the Heights, Mercury, and more. Serving as ambassadors for their city, state, and nation, the boys perform down the street and around the world through annual concert tours across the United States, Europe, China, and South Africa. Audiences everywhere delight in the choir's ephemeral sound, charming exuberance, and professional demeanor. Houston Boychoir's musical touring repertoire is widely varied and draws on literature from all styles, languages, and periods of music history to be personalized to your event. In addition to classical, liturgical, and traditional selections, boys present folk music that spans the globe in language and origin. Our repertoire also includes contemporary compositions and Broadway hits. Photo by Kevin McGowan.

contact
Haley Bartell
PO Box 271342
Houston, TX  77277
phone 281-484-1560
phone#2
e-mail info@houstonboychoir.org
public performance/concert $1,000 - $7,000
school performance $500 - $7,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $7,000
travel/per diem/lodging $1,000 - $10,000
website https://www.houstonboychoir.org

 

Houston Grand Opera

Houston Grand Opera offers two touring programs serving children: Opera to Go! and Storybook Opera. Opera to Go! (OTG) delivers high-energy opera to schools, libraries, and community centers in a fully staged, 45-minute performance for grades pre-K through 8. Performances are sung in English or English/Spanish. OTG brings costumes, sets, and beautiful music to life! Shows are available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Teachers receive a study guide in advance. The 2020-21 season features a world-premiere opera, Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, which tells the true story of Kate Sandwina, a strong woman who toured with P.T. Barnum and fought for women’s rights in the early 20th century. An engaging and enjoyable introduction to opera for young children (pre-K through grade 2), Storybook Opera brings singing storytellers to schools and libraries for 30 minutes of captivating fun with opera-based books! English or bilingual programs are available on weekdays or weekends by request. Photo by Lynn Lane.

contact
Chelsea Lerner
510 Preston Street
Houston, TX  77002
phone 713-546-1241
phone#2
e-mail clerner@houstongrandopera.org
public performance/concert $75 - $1,100
school performance $75 - $1,100
travel/per diem/lodging $50 - $1,350 (per day)
website http://www.houstongrandopera.org/community-programs

 

Houston Symphony

Founded in 1913, the Houston Symphony is an internationally recognized orchestra known for its artistic excellence, innovation, and service to the community. Each year, the 88 full-time musicians of the Houston Symphony perform more than 250 concerts, recitals, education, and community programs and events that impact the lives of more than 400,000 people, including over 97,000 children and students and more than 100,000 who attend performances free of charge. In addition to concerts in major performance spaces, the orchestra regularly performs in hospitals, schools, and other community centers throughout the city. The Houston Symphony offers a wide variety of programming options that can be customized to meet the diverse needs of its presenters. In addition to concerts featuring classical masterpieces and popular programming, the Houston Symphony can perform interactive family concerts, multicultural programs, and engaging educational concerts that are TEKS-aligned. Also available for the tour are performances of the orchestra's multimedia HD Odyssey film projects: 'The Planets,' 'The Earth,' and the recently completed 'The Cosmos.' Photo by Anthony Rathbun.

contact
Vicky Dominguez
615 Louisiana Street, Suite 102
Houston, TX  77002
phone 713-238-1473
phone#2 713-224-4240
e-mail vicky.dominguez@houstonsymphony.org
public performance/concert $50,000 - $100,000
school performance $15,000 - $50,000
workshop fees $500 - $5,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $45,000
website https://www.houstonsymphony.org

 

Indigenous Cultures Institute

Indigenous Cultures Institute is touring Yana Wana’s Legend of the Bluebonnet, a 50-minute play for young audiences written by Miakan-Garza tribal members, about the Coahuiltecan’s 'Mission Indians' version of how this blue flower first appeared in Texas. Commissioned by the Dallas Children’s Theater, it premiered in 2018 and the new 2019 production features an all-Native cast and crew. Modern-day Maria discovers her indigenous legacy through her grandmother’s ancient story of young Yana Wana who followed a sacred deer to save her people with the gift of water and a blue flower. A different version than what’s in books, but as ancient as the petroglyphs of Texas; illustrating the power of heritage and the value of every child’s personal gift. The Institute also sponsors Cuicani In Xochitl-- a dynamic Aztec dance company with dramatic sound, movement, and colorful regalia; Adrian Villegas-- award-winning, Emmy-nominated comedic performer, with uproariously funny, one-man show Barrio Daze and other works; Jessica Mejia-- Coahuiltecan storyteller for children audiences; Jose Dominguez-- Aztec Danza workshops and storytelling; Aaron Pyle-- accomplished composer/musician, Native American flute player; and Mitotiliztli Yaoyollohtli-- phenomenal Aztec dancers, with awe-inspiring, feathered regalia, and audience participation. Photo by Ulises Garcia.

contact
Maria Rocha
PO Box 1414
San Marcos, TX  78667
phone 512-393-3310
phone#2
e-mail ICIinfo@indigenouscultures.org
public performance/concert $500 - $3,500
school performance $100 - $1,500
workshop fees $500 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $200 - $1,000
website https://indigenouscultures.org/

 

Donna Ingham

Tale teller and author Donna Ingham takes the ancient art of storytelling and gives it a Texas twist in her finely crafted stories from history, folklore, and her personal experiences. A recipient of the Tejas Storytelling Association’s John Henry Faulk Award and a National Storytelling Network ORACLE Award, she is also a champion liar, having been named the Biggest Liar in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Denton, and, yes, the whole state of Texas. A college English professor in her former life, she is an award-winning writer and producer of spoken word CDs, with six books and five CDs to her credit. Her stories reflect her native roots in the Lone Star State, and she chooses appropriate stories for all ages and stages. She continues to offer her popular 'Tall Tales and True' programs adaptable for all ages, with some stories complemented by guitar, ukulele, or washboard accompaniment. Representative stories allow for multicultural elements and geographic scope. In addition to programs and performances for schools, libraries, conferences, and festivals, she also offers keynotes, luncheon and after-dinner speaking, author visits, workshops, and residencies. Photo by C. Y. Ingham.

contact
Donna Ingham
1025 Coventry Road
Spicewood, TX  78669
phone 512-656-8186
phone#2 830-693-1641
e-mail tell.write@gmail.com
public performance/concert $350 - $1,500
school performance $450 - $1,000
workshop fees $450 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $50 - $1,000
website https://www.donnaingham.com

 

J Muzacz

Houston-born J Muzacz is a muralist and public artist with 15 years of experience painting large-scale murals for both public and private clients. He is also an educator and author/illustrator with two books to his credit, both bilingual in English and Japanese, from his time teaching overseas in Japan. He has lived and worked in Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand, having painted numerous notable murals abroad, one of which found its way into a Samsung commercial, as well as the cover of Hong Kong Airlines magazine. Connecting his passions for art and travel, J is eager to tour and engage with schools and communities all over the state of Texas, making and facilitating mural and mosaic art that uplifts, educates, and inspires people of all ages for years to come. Recently J has been commissioned across the country for commercial murals in Florida, California, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. He has also been invited to festivals as a featured artist in Austin, Houston, and Flint, Michigan, just to name a few. Photo by Luis Armando.

contact
J Muzacz
1717 E Cesar Chavez St
Austin, TX  78702
phone 512-497-1492
phone#2
e-mail jmuzacz@gmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $12,000
school performance $500 - $12,000
workshop fees $500 - $12,000
travel/per diem/lodging $250 - $2,500
website https://jmuzacz.com

 

Joel Laviolette & Rattletree

Joel Laviolette & Rattletree offer a variety of offerings catering to the specific needs of the event. Rattletree is a must-see multi-sensory live show experience of electronic percussion and one-of-a-kind hand-built African marimbas triggering driving synth sounds, bursts of color, and dynamic live video projection. Rattletree primarily plays evening festivals and venues where their multimedia art experience and captivating electronic sounds shine. Kupira Marimba is their highly versatile fully acoustic family-friendly offering. Kupira's music creates a foot-stomping, heart-pounding, and hand clapping experience for people of all ages. Laviolette has over 25 years of experience studying and playing traditional music with his teachers in Zimbabwe. Kupira Marimba brings joy and cultural experience to schools, libraries, museums, city concert series, and outdoor community festivals. Joel Laviolette also offers solo interactive multi-media performances that incorporate live music, interactive video projection mapping, and audience participation. These installations are a big hit at lighted-arts festivals, museums, and art galleries. All performances may include an optional hands-on workshop or educational demonstration/assembly. Every show is customized to the needs of the presenter, and we are excited to make your next event something that people will be talking about for years! Photo by Ismael Quintanilla III.

contact
Joel Laviolette
300 Crockett St. #112
Austin, TX  78704
phone 512-905-9329
phone#2
e-mail joel@rattletree.com
public performance/concert $1,500 - $10,000
school performance $1,800 - $3,500
workshop fees $1,000 - $5,500
travel/per diem/lodging $200 - $1,000
website https://joellaviolette.com

 

State Artist Amanda Johnston

2024 Texas Poet Laureate, Amanda Johnston, was born in East St. Louis, IL, and raised in Austin, TX. She began writing poetry while living in Kentucky. She earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine. She is the author of two chapbooks, GUAP and Lock & Key, and the full-length collection Another Way to Say Enter. Her work has appeared in Callaloo, Poetry Magazine, Puerto del Sol, Muzzle, and the anthologies, Furious Flower: Seeding the Future of African American Poetry and Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism. She is the cofounder of Black Poets Speak Out, and founder of Torch Literary Arts. Named one of Blavity’s “13 Black Poets You Should Know,” Amanda’s work has been featured on Bill Moyers, the Poetry Society of America’s series In Their Own Words, The Moth Radio Hour, and the Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day series. She was commissioned to curate a collection of poems for the Poetry Coalition on the theme Where My Dreaming and My Loving Life: Poetry & the Body. Photo by Cindy Elizabeth.

contact
Amanda Johnston

Round Rock, TX 
phone
phone#2
e-mail amejohnston@gmail.com
public performance/concert $2,000 - $5,000
school performance $1,500 - $5,000
workshop fees $2,500 - $5,000
website https://www.amandajohnston.com/

 

Stephanie Urbina Jones and the Honky Tonk Mariachi

Blazing trails from Texas to Mexico, Stephanie Urbina Jones and her history-making Honky Tonk Mariachi are telling a new story in American music, blowing hearts and minds wide open with their mix of classic country rock with a twang and the intoxicating, joy-filled sounds of Mexico. This new style fondly called 'country music with chili peppers' is inspiring and building bridges between worlds. From the first gritos to the last yee haws, from the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry to the two-stepping dance halls of Texas to festivals around the world, Jones and her fiesta platter of love (percussion, trumpets, violins, vihuelas, guitarróns, guitars y mas) are sharing culture, stories, and songs that bring people together. Stephanie tours internationally, having performed in fourteen countries, including appearances at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival, Magic Town Music Fest in Mexico, Festival Country Rendezvous in France, Country Gold in Japan, Gstaad Festival in Switzerland and the Belladrum Tartan Heart Fest in Scotland; plus the CMA Music Festival, Americana Music Festival, Wille Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic, and performances on the Grand Ole Opry. Stephanie is a Kerrville New Folk Finalist, #1 Texas Country Artist, and #1 Billboard Country Songwriter. https://stephanieurbinajones.com Photo by David Bean.

contact
Preston Sullivan
909 Division St. 200
Nashville, TN  37203
phone 615-405-3103
phone#2 210-378-5897
e-mail preston@globaleyesentertainment.com
public performance/concert $4,500 - $12,500
school performance $2,500 - $3,500
workshop fees $2,500 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $600 - $1,200
website https://www.stephanieurbinajones.com

 

The Juicebox Jukebox

The Juicebox Jukebox was created by Dallas-based singer/songwriter and father-of-three Bradley James Skistimas. Their mission is to enrich children’s lives through fun, positive, and educational music and videos that parents and teachers can enjoy, too. They focus their songs on core subjects and character-building themes with a fresh perspective for students primarily in pre-K through 2nd grade. In 2019, the Juicebox Jukebox launched the Kindness Tour, a live concert experience for schools, libraries, and festivals featuring a unique blend of live music performance and video production from their growing catalog of songs. This fun and engaging program features live versions of Juicebox favorites like 'The ABCs of You,' 'Kindness,' and 'Thankful,' and is all about encouraging a community of kindness. Videos by the Juicebox Jukebox have currently collected over 200,000 views on YouTube and are growing daily. Several of them are the result of direct collaborations with Texas Independent School Districts and were safely filmed right inside elementary schools with principal, teacher, parent, and student participation. These have been some of the Juicebox Jukebox's favorite and most popular projects and they plan on more school collaborations in 2020. Photo by Kelly Skistimas.

contact
Kelly Skistimas
205 Goodnight Lane
Waxahachie, TX  75165
phone 214-457-3677
phone#2 214-476-3334
e-mail kelly@sevenplacesmusic.net
public performance/concert $500 - $2,000
school performance $500 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $500
website http://thejuiceboxjukebox.com

 

Elizabeth Kahura

Elizabeth Kahura is a native of Kenya, Africa. Living in the United States since 1995, she shares the African 'beat' with audiences through the African Safari program. As a storyteller, musician, and teacher, Elizabeth educates while at the same time entertaining audiences through storytelling, puppetry, music, language arts, and hands-on art projects. Schools, libraries, museums, and festivals enjoy her inspirational countenance, her displays of African artifacts, and her ability to build a bridge of understanding. She demonstrates the similarities and differences between US and African cultures through several popular programs. A Day in Africa highlights geography and culture. A Jungle Walk highlights the flora and fauna of Africa. Folktales from Africa highlights interactive tales, poems, and chants. African Art highlights carvings, clothing, and instruments. Sound of Africa highlights the art of drumming and dance. Holidays around the World highlights Kwanzaa as it relates to other world celebrations. Programs align with school curricula such as social studies, language, and fine arts. Children will learn Swahili words through stories, songs, and rhymes in each program. Also available are diversity workshops for adults. Elizabeth received a Kenyans in Austin (KIA) 2017 'Mashujaa' (heroes) award in recognition of her contribution to cultural preservation and awareness. Photo by Andrew John.

contact
Elizabeth Kahura
5011 Daymon Court
Hutto, TX  78634
phone 512-826-0756
phone#2
e-mail ekahura@hotmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $3,500
school performance $500 - $3,500
workshop fees $500 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $1,500
website https://www.safariprogram.com

 

Kathak Rhythms

Kathak Rhythms, under the direction of Guru Akhila Rao, is a Kathak dance school and performing company based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex that uses the classical Indian dance form as a method for artistic and cultural engagement and discovery. Traditionally attributed to the traveling bards of ancient northern India known as Kathakars or storytellers, Kathak gained refinement and complexity in technique and aesthetics over two millennia. Kathak Rhythms' presentations range from traditional to modern themes while maintaining the purity of the dance form. The company offers solo concerts, mini-performances, and full-length dance-theater productions set to live music accompaniment or recorded music tailored to fit a wide range of audiences, budgets, and time limits. Lecture-demonstration-workshops introduce participants to basic body movements, traditional gestures for storytelling, and musical mathematics. Repertoire productions include Meet Me on the Meadow (90-minute musical amalgamation of dance-music-art-multimedia, commissioned by Renu Foundation), Destination India (highlighting regional influences on Kathak), Ashtanayika (8 stories of heroines), Kathak through the Ages, and NrityaArpan (showcasing the three core tenets of all Indian classical dances, Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (expression) and Natya (drama). With unique presentations, educative themes, and social messaging, the dance company is sure to capture the hearts of Texas audiences. Photo by Ram Kalpat.

contact
Sunaina Rao
4020 Hedgcoxe Rd Ste #150
Plano, TX  75024
phone 817-300-2741
phone#2 469-443-8225
e-mail kathakrhythms@gmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $12,000
school performance $250 - $5,000
workshop fees $1,500 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,000
website https://www.kathakrhythms.com/

 

State Artist Diana Kersey

When Diana Kersey was growing up in Lubbock, her parents let her dig a mud pit in their backyard. Thirteen inches down, she hit clay, and she’s been working with it ever since. Kersey is a visual artist working exclusively in clay, from small studio pieces to large architectural installations. Her work has become instantly identifiable, due to the muscular, spontaneous qualities of the material enhanced with her colorful, translucent glazes. Her public works have been commissioned by the City of San Antonio, VIA Metropolitan Transit, the San Antonio River Authority, and the City of Harlingen. In 2021 she completed her largest private commission to date, The Riparian Edge, for a San Antonio office tower. Kersey earned an MFA in ceramics from Washington State University in 1997, and a BFA in drawing from Texas Tech University in 1994. She is on faculty at Northwest Vista College and owns and operates Kersey Ceramics LLC in San Antonio. Workshops are available for beginner through advanced ceramic artists or structured as a community project for a specific location: pottery, sculpture, or architectural ceramics. Photo by Clara Lewis-Valero.

contact
Diana Kersey

San Antonio, TX 
phone 210-573-7418
phone#2
e-mail info@dianakersey.com
public performance/concert $300
workshop fees $700/day
travel/per diem/lodging $300
website https://www.dianakersey.com/

 

Kids Who Care Musical Theatre

Since 1989, Kids Who Care's resident company has performed its original musicals around the globe, reaching over 40,000 annually. Young actors (1st through 12th grades) deliver polished high-energy performances that create a feeling of empowerment at schools, theaters, afterschool programs, corporate events, galas, and community festivals. Kids Who Care musicals, with literary contributions from our kids and a collection of Texas playwrights, poets, and songwriters, bring a message of positive change about issues that matter. From global warming, refugee freedom and over-testing in schools to musicals about our Texas heritage, this company brings visibility to things that matter with a voice that can't be ignored. The resident company tours original works from October to May under the direction of Executive Director and Founder, Deborah Jung. Photo by Zuilma Gonzalez.

contact
Pam Adair
1300 Gendy Street
Fort Worth, TX  76107
phone 817-737-5437
phone#2 682-465-2869
e-mail pam@kidswhocare.org
public performance/concert $500 - $3,000
school performance $500 - $3,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $1,000 - $10,000
website https://www.kidswhocare.org

 

Kamica King

Kamica King is a soul singer-songwriter known for her smooth vocals and acoustic stylings. With her eclectic blend of feel-good music, the classically trained vocalist has a knack for connecting to the heart of her audience, blending genres and weaving story and song together to inspire and uplift. She offers live solo performances and leads interactive workshops that can be adapted for a variety of audiences, ages, and ability levels. A musical storyteller, Kamica was one of only four artists featured by NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert creator Bob Boilen on Inside the Mind of Bob Boilen (2019) for her song 'Live, Love, Dream.' She has performed at the US Open, Carnegie Hall, in South Africa, and delivered a live music-infused TEDx talk entitled 'The Power of Song' at TEDxSMUWomen. Kamica’s workshops include songwriting, performance technique, stress management through music, and community programs designed to engage participants in creative expression and community building through group music-making experiences (drum circles, singing, songwriting). She is a City of Dallas Community Artist, board-certified music therapist, and founder/CEO of the music-based socio-emotional wellness company King Creative Arts Expressions. Additional performance styles include smooth jazz, neo-soul & hip-hop. Photo by Amy Hendricks Photography.

contact
Kamica King
5606 SMU BLVD, Ste 601-254
Dallas, TX  75360
phone 214-267-9064
phone#2
e-mail Booking@kamicaking.com
public performance/concert $500 - $2,000
school performance $500 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,000
website http://www.KamicaKing.com

 

Oba William King

A new resident to Dallas-Fort Worth, Oba William King is an interactive storyteller, author, drummer, and award-winning performer. He is a nationally touring educational entertainer and workshop presenter. Oba's 'Storytelling Time' school and library programs are engaging activities for all ages and cultures in venues large or small. He presents 'Spinning A Yarn' for seasoned adults and his 'Family Literacy Night' activities have thrilled audiences all across these great United States. His most significant storytelling experience was achieved during his sojourn to Benin, west Africa as part of a team of missionaries assigned to develop water wells in three small villages around the city of Cotonou. Oba's rhythmic drumming and traditional American folk tales were orally translated into the regional languages during his presentations. A favorite presenter at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, TN, the National Association of Black Storytellers Annual Festival and Conference, and the Chicago History Museum's King Day Celebration, he also presented Family Night at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Oba William King is a Traditional Folk Arts Fellowship recipient from the Illinois Arts Council sharing the art of storytelling, poetry, and spoken word for all ages and all cultures. Additional programs can be created to fit your needs. Photo by Chicago Association of Black Storytellers.

contact
Oba William King
7313 Colonial Dr
Forest Hill, TX  76140
phone 817-405-9492
phone#2 773-288-0800
e-mail oba.owk@gmail.com
public performance/concert $465 - $2,000
school performance $300 - $950
workshop fees $275 - $1,150
travel/per diem/lodging $225 - $1,175
website https://www.obawilliamking.com

 

State Artist Shelley King

Shelley King is Royalty in Texas. 2008 Texas State Musician, Shelley King has been an ambassador of the Austin, Texas sound for over twenty years. Noted vocalist and songwriter, studio musician, touring side musician and producer King is also a successful solo artist and leads her own band of A-list musicians. King’s blend of blues, folk, country, soul and rock led her to be the first woman appointed by the Texas Legislature to represent the state as it’s Official Musician. She has won Austin Music Awards for Song of the Year and Best Roots Rock Band. Shelley has released nine albums of original music to rave press reviews and radio chart success. King tours Texas and the US performing almost nightly at intimate concerts, clubs and major venues and festivals. Her songs have been recorded by numerous national and international artists. She is available to perform as a solo, duo, trio or band, acoustic or electric. She has also conducted songwriting and team building workshops at schools, festivals and major corporations.

contact
Perry Drake
PO Box 33097
Austin, TX  78764
phone 512-386-6355
phone#2 512-786-4568
e-mail lemonade_records@yahoo.com
public performance/concert $400 - $7,000
school performance $200 - $2,000
workshop fees $400 - $5,000
website http://www.shelleyking.com

 

Sue Kuentz

Thank goodness storytelling found Sue Kuentz early in her career because she has a lot to say! Sue excites and connects to family and adult audiences by taking them on journeys through her multicultural folktales, fairy tales, urban legends, and personal stories from around the world. Using words, music, puppetry, and even string figures, she engages active participation among listeners, mesmerizing even the most reluctant of kids. Sue's storytelling passion and energy originated from her 32 years as an elementary teacher and librarian in San Antonio. She has performed at multiple schools, libraries, festivals, and conferences throughout Texas such as the Grand Kids Fest in Galveston, the George West Storyfest, the Texas Library Association, ESC 20 Library Resource Roundup, and the Texas Storytelling Festival. Performances include but are not limited to: Multicultural Tales from Around the World, Stories for the 8 Habits of Happy Kids, Storytelling and Writing for 3rd-7th graders, Stringing You Along: String Figures in Stories, Tales to Chill Your Bones, and Urban Legends for Tweens. Sue devours the brain research on storytelling and shares her knowledge in workshops such as Telling Your School’s Story and We’re Hot-wired to Tell Stories in school districts throughout Texas. Photo by Chuck Kuentz.

contact
Sue Kuentz
151 Saur Road
Bulverde, TX  78163
phone 210-326-7877
phone#2
e-mail sue.kuentz@gmail.com
public performance/concert $250 - $2,000
school performance $200 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $2,000
website http://www.door2lore.com

 

Lannaya Drum & Dance

Intricate dance moves, thunderous live West African drumming, and vibrantly costumed performers transport audiences on a journey through Guinean rhythms and social dances! Lannaya is a nonprofit formed in 2000 and dedicated to exposing and educating audiences to authentic and progressive interpretations of drum and dance of the African diaspora. They’re committed to preserving vibrant cultural traditions through workshops and performances in schools, festivals, parties, receptions, and a host of special events. In the SuSu language of Guinea, Lannaya means 'confidence.' It's what they seek to convey through a variety of programming tailored per presenter, suitable for small/large audiences and diverse facilities, including Rhythm & Movement of West Africa. The interactive school show for grades K-12 complements STAAR and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills requirements by introducing music and dance vocabulary, authentic instruments, math, history, geography, & culture. Includes study guide, energetic dancing to live drumming, costumed performers, a brief history of dances and musical instruments, call/response songs. Drum and/or Dance Residency: multi-day or week, drum and/or dance intensive. Dances and traditional polyrhythmic music of west African countries like Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, etc. Drum/Dance Workshops: instructional workshops ideal for the classroom, family, and other festive group activities. Drum and dance performances: traditional and innovative African diasporic rhythms. Photo by Kirk Marsh Photography.

contact
Tonya Pennie
PO Box 40577
Austin, TX  78704
phone 855-526-6292 Ext. 2
phone#2
e-mail Dance@Lannaya.org
public performance/concert $1,600 - $5,000
school performance $700 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $4,000
website https://www.Lannaya.org

 

Las Tesoros de San Antonio

Las Tesoros de San Antonio currently includes Blanca Rodriguez, 'Blanquita Rosa,' and Beatriz Llamas, 'La Paloma del Norte,' two singers who each enjoyed widely popular recording careers in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s throughout the US, Mexico, and beyond. Now in their 80s, these musical icons have returned to the stage, inspiring audiences to celebrate and reclaim the rich cultural traditions of San Antonio and south Texas. Las Tesoros perform a variety of musical styles in Spanish and English including rancheras, música norteña, boleros, corridos, and more. Each singer, with her own personal story and style, contributes to this unique ensemble representing the soul of Texas/Mexico border music. Touring performances may feature one or both members of Las Tesoros, and are accompanied by trio or mariachi. Screenings of the feature-length documentary, Las Tesoros de San Antonio: A Westside Story, are available, as well as interactive bilingual presentations and Q&A sessions. Las Tesoros were honored to receive a National Heritage Fellowship in 2019 and have received many other awards and honors. Unfortunately, former members Janet Cortez 'La Perla Tapatia' and Rita Vidaurri 'La Calandria' passed away in 2014 and 2019, respectively. Photo by Antonia Padilla.

contact
Amelia Valdez
922 San Pedro Ave
San Antonio, TX  78212
phone 210-228-0201
phone#2
e-mail esperanza@esperanzacenter.org
public performance/concert $600 - $6,000
school performance $600 - $3,000
workshop fees $300 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $2,500
website http://esperanzacenter.org/esperanza-projects/las-tesoros/

 

Laser Spectacles, Inc.

Laser Spectacles, Inc. uses laser light to create art and entertainment for events. Tim Walsh, the president of Laser Spectacles, is called 'The Memory Weaver' for his ability to transform a venue with lasers and music into an experience that attendees will remember forever. The company energizes fairs or festivals with dancing laser beams and mesmerizing laser graphics, brings historical buildings to life using exciting 'laser mapping' techniques, and provides interactive experiences for attendees. Venues include fairs, festivals, rodeos, churches, meetings, libraries, sporting events, anywhere large groups of people are gathered. Lasers bring a sense of excitement to an event, and provide an alternative to fireworks for a 'grand finale.' And lasers can communicate! Using logo projection and laser text projection, attendees can see sponsor logos and even learn about the theme and history of the event, all presented as part of an entertaining light show. Company president Tim Walsh is an accomplished composer and performer and has applied his talent to create laser art in unusual ways that have won many awards over the last 30 years. Photo by Jake Splawn.

contact
Timothy Walsh
PO Box 1535
San Marcos, TX  78667
phone 512-392-4600
phone#2 512-787-7585
e-mail laserinfo@laserspectacles.com
public performance/concert $3,500 - $20,000
school performance $2,000 - $5,500
workshop fees $2,000 - $5,500
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,500
website http://www.laserspectacles.com

 

Laughter League

The Laughter League produces hundreds of shows annually throughout Texas and beyond. School assembly programs: Science of the Circus utilizes skills seen at the circus such as juggling, balancing and dance to teach laws of motion, simple machines and other science concepts; Count on Comedy Math Show shows audiences how math is everywhere; and The Magic Storybook introduces children to the elements of stories, such as characters, settings, costumes, music, and structure. Libraries book the summer reading show year after year, which aims to excite young children about reading and learning to use their imagination. All school and library shows are presented by a team of gifted physical actors who utilize comedy as a tool for inspiring laughter and engaging their audience. Laughter League presents large scale theatrical presentations, which take audiences on a journey through the Golden Age of Comedy by combining the dazzling excitement of Cirque du Soleil with the madcap mirth of Saturday Night Live, featuring a talented ensemble of musicians, comedians, and cirque artists. They create memorable shows filled with stunning feats of daring and purely magical moments that have been performed around the world, from China to the Middle East and even Paris, Texas. Photo by Lennie Duensing.

contact
Tiffany Riley
410 S. Windomere
Dallas, TX  75208
phone 972-258-6313
phone#2 917-861-5030
e-mail tiffany@laughterleague.org
public performance/concert $600 - $3,000
school performance $600 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $300 - $2,000
website https://www.laughterleague.org

 

Le Theatre de Marionette

Le Theatre de Marionette’s repertoire of storybook classics and variety shows has delighted audiences across Texas since 1985. Known for its theaters operating from 1990-2004 in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington, Le Theatre’s Dallas-Fort Worth-based touring company performs in a multitude of small and large venues from schools, libraries, and museums to malls, civic centers, performance halls, and festivals. Featuring one-of-a-kind marionette puppets, designed and built by a team of local artists, Le Theatre’s performances are family-friendly, kid-tested and teacher-approved. Educational, interactive puppetry classes and marionette-making workshops are popular add-ons to round out the Le Theatre experience. LTDM performs in two styles: bridge (long-strung) and cabaret (short-strung). Bridge titles include 'The Little Mermaid,' 'Jack and the Beanstalk,' 'Cinderella,' 'Snow White,' and 'Wizard of Oz.' With 40-50 minute running times, these presentations are perfect for booking field trips into a 150-500 seat venue and can be combined with hands-on, interactive workshops sensitively designed to instruct in puppet operation and/or construction. Cabaret titles include 'Silly Strings' variety show, 'Out of This World' sci-fi variety show, 'Happily Ever After' the princess-palooza hit, as well as 'Hansel and Gretel,' a storybook favorite with schools and child care centers. Photo by John Hopkins.

contact
LTDM Entertainment
3200 Mississippi Avenue
Fort Worth, TX  76110
phone 469-442-1919
phone#2
e-mail info@ltdment.com
public performance/concert $595 - $2,500
school performance $595 - $995
workshop fees $250 - $450
travel/per diem/lodging $75 - $1,200
website https://www.ltdment.com/

 

Kim Lehman

Kim Lehman is a storyteller, musician, workshop presenter, honey bee educator, and author. For over 30 years, she has performed at hundreds of festivals, schools, libraries, and museums, including being a featured teller at the Texas Storytelling Festival. Each entertaining and educational program includes a variety of stories and songs that can be tailored to each audience and venue. Kim is a well-known educator best known for her dynamic, practical workshops featuring easy-to-implement activities for librarians, teachers, and parents. She has presented over 160 workshops throughout Texas. Some popular topics include using music, storytelling, puppets, art, science, and literature with children. The Story and Song programs combine songs, stories, props, poetry, puppets, and participation for preschool, elementary ages, and families. Possible themes include folktales around the world, pioneers, fairy tales, space, and more. All Together Now is an inter-generational program, bringing together children and senior citizens. Science programs range from Aerodynamics to The Buzz About Bees, a program about honey bees with participation, music, props, and optional hands-on activities. Known as the Bee Lady, Kim is the author of Beekeeper’s Lab: 52 Family-Friendly Activities and Experiments Exploring the Life of the Hive. Photo by Mark Wieland.

contact
Kim Lehman
PO Box 117
Smithville, TX  78957
phone 512-627-0113
phone#2
e-mail kimlehman123@gmail.com
public performance/concert $300 - $1,000
school performance $250 - $1,500
workshop fees $250 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $1,000
website https://www.kimlehman.com

 

Bob Livingston

Singer-songwriter Bob Livingston is a folk-rock raconteur who tours nationally and internationally. He is a founding member of Austin’s legendary Lost Gonzo Band that toured and recorded with many of Texas’s most iconic musicians, including Jerry Jeff Walker and Michael Martin Murphey. Known as a consummate storyteller, Livingston takes his audiences on wild and colorful rides down the rutted roads of his extensive musical history. His recordings have received wide acclaim, including Album of the Year at the Texas Music Awards for his solo record, Gypsy Alibi. Livingston also leads a multicultural group called Cowboys & Indians (Where East Meets West) that features performers from Texas and India. As a cultural ambassador for the US State Department, Livingston toured over 30 countries. In India, he played with local musicians mixing rhythms, instrumentation, and insights from both east and west. Inspired by these experiences, he wrote original material and produced the Cowboys & Indians show. Livingston conducts workshops, lectures, and seminars on songwriting, touring, and music history. Livingston was inducted into the Texas Music Legends Hall of Fame in 2016 and the West Texas Walk of Fame in 2018. Photo by Valerie Fremin.

contact
Bob Livingston
10712 Watchful Fox Dr
Austin, TX  78748
phone 512-554-9416
phone#2
e-mail boblivingston1@me.com
public performance/concert $750 - $5,500
school performance $500 - $3,500
workshop fees $400 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $150 - $950
website https://www.BobLivingstonMusic.com

 

Los Texmaniacs

Max Baca and Los Texmaniacs are the past, present, and future of conjunto music. Combine a hefty helping of Tex Mex conjunto, simmer with several parts Texas rock, add a daring dash of well-cured blues and R&B riffs, and you’ve cooked up the tasty GRAMMY-winning Los Texmaniacs groove. Max Baca is a legend on the bajo sexto, and Josh Baca is fast attaining legendary status on the accordion; with those two instruments, they create the core of the lively conjunto sound. Los Texmaniacs are the new worldwide kings of Texas roots music, feeding the masses with only the best in musical fare, cooked up from wide-ranging experience in touring and recording. While Max Baca has participated in eleven GRAMMY Award-winning projects, the band's first Smithsonian Folkways recording in 2010 won a GRAMMY. This was followed up with a nomination for their 2019 album, Borders y Bailes. Whether playing an intimate house concert as an acoustic trio or rocking stage/theater/street dances, the band always entertains and educates. This music is not a dusty museum relic, but a vital heartbeat for a group of musicians who truly have one foot on either side of the border and live a daily code-switching identity. Photo by Michael Stewart.

contact
KT Gardner
4505 Bull Creek Rd
Austin, TX  78731
phone 512-207-0825
phone#2
e-mail ktrootstock@gmail.com
public performance/concert $3,500 - $10,000
school performance $2,500 - $5,000
workshop fees $2,500 - $5,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $2,500
website http://lostexmaniacs.com/

 

The Magik Theatre

Find out what over two million children and their families have discovered: fun, interactive performances where books come to life on stage! For more than 25 years, the Magik Theatre has delighted young audiences and families with literature-based productions that are engaging, educational, and fun. Magik On The Road is their touring troupe, producing such wonderful plays as 'Dr. Krashundbang,' 'The Kingdom of Texas,' 'Jack and the Beanstalk,' and other family-friendly productions based on beloved fairy tales and children's books. Each production comes with a Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills study guide for pre-K through 6th grades, and educators can easily integrate these theatrical experiences into their curriculum. The host only needs to provide an empty space, and Magik On The Road will fill that space with laughter, wonder, and imagination. Magik On The Road will bring all of their own equipment and can perform in a variety of venues, from classrooms to cafeterias and from libraries to performing arts centers. Photo by Megan Coy.

contact
Adriana Gonzales
420 S. Alamo St.
San Antonio, TX  78205
phone 210-227-2751
phone#2
e-mail info@magiktheatre.org
public performance/concert $400 - $20,000
school performance $400 - $12,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,500
website https://www.magiktheatre.org/

 

Main Street Theater

Main Street Theater is Houston’s oldest and largest theater for youth, reaching over 130,000 children each season through performances at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH) and through statewide touring. Recognized by American Theatre Magazine as one of the top 20 theaters for young audiences in the country, they present a repertory based on the most relevant and challenging literature for youth. Main Street Theater began touring decades ago to reach schools that could not travel to them. They regularly tour to Abilene, Bryan, Yoakum, Bastrop, College Station, Austin, and many more. Each season they tour a new title appropriate for elementary age children. Recent tours have offered 'Schoolhouse Rock, Live!' 'The Magic School Bus,' and 'Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat.' All performances include a short talkback with students and photo opportunities afterward, and each school receives free education materials to supplement the learning experience. They also offer 45-minute character visits in which a title character from one of their production presents a mini-interactive performance, followed by a talkback and a photo opportunity. Photo by RicOrnelProductions.

contact
Amanda Arnold
3400 Main Street Suite 283
Houston, TX  77002
phone 713-524-9196
phone#2 option 2
e-mail aarnold@mainstreettheater.com
public performance/concert $600 - $800
school performance $200 - $800
travel/per diem/lodging $20 - $2,000
website https://mainstreettheater.com/book-a-tour/

 

Mariachi Las Alteñas

Mariachi Las Alteñas is an all-female mariachi group that is making waves across the United States. Their mission is to achieve excellence as overall musicians and performers and to raise the standards for women in mariachi music. Las Alteñas has a complete instrumentation, which includes five violins, two trumpets, a guitarron, vihuela, and guitar creating a full mariachi sound acknowledged in the industry. Their signature colorful trajes de charro and vocal harmonies draw abundant crowds to their performances. They are known for their musical diversity, which appeals to crowds of all generations. The name Las Alteñas is taken from the birthplace of mariachi music, Jalisco, Mexico. The higher region, Los Altos de Jalisco, is an area described as being near the top of the world, and fans say these ladies are up there! Celebrating 17 years as 'Texas’s Finest Female Mariachi,' Las Alteñas has been able to share their music at some of the most prestigious venues throughout the US. Mariachi Las Alteñas recently finished their 15th-year anniversary album which was released on all digital platforms in the fall of 2017. Photo by Edward Benavides Tilde Photography.

contact
Valerie Vargas
306 Oblate Dr.
San Antonio, TX  78216
phone 210-340-0128
phone#2
e-mail mariachilasaltenas@yahoo.com
public performance/concert $500 - $1,500
school performance $500 - $1,000
workshop fees $500 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $2,000 - $10,000
website http://www.mariachilasaltenas.com

 

Marlon Simon and the Nagual Spirits

One of the main exponents of Latin jazz for the past 30 years, Marlon Simon and the Nagual Spirits will present the highest caliber of original Latin jazz compositions. Marlon has produced seven internationally acclaimed CDs as a leader/musical director and has toured in the USA, Europe, Canada, and South America presenting the Nagual Spirits Latin jazz message. The band was selected to present international concerts representing the excellence and integrity of the musical art forms born in the USA (in this case, Latin jazz), a program sponsored by the State Department. Marlon has also performed as a sideman or guest with different artists such as Paquito de Rivera, Hilton Ruiz, Jerry Gonzalez, Bobby Watson, and Chucho Valdez, among others. He has solid experience in his field and has also developed a career as an educator. More information about this project is available at www.marlonsimonmusic.com. Photo by Juan Ramirez.

contact
Marlon Simon
20115 Benton Springs Lane
Richmond, TX  77407
phone 915-235-9346
phone#2
e-mail marlonsi@live.com
public performance/concert $2,000 - $3,000
school performance $2,000 - $2,500
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $1,000 - $1,500 per day
website https://www.marlonsimonmusic.com

 

Joe McDermott Bouncing Ball Music, LLC

Referred to as 'a Texas treasure' by the Texas Library Association, Joe McDermott released his first album of children's music in 1988. A former Montessori teacher, Joe has dedicated the last 32 years to honing the art and craft of entertaining children. His songwriting has garnered numerous Parent’s Choice Awards and nominations, in addition to NAPPA and International Song Writing Contest awards. In 2006, he took first place in the Children’s Music category for the John Lennon Song Writing Contest. He was invited to team up with Stan and Jan Berenstain to convert eleven of their original storybooks to music. Impressed by Joe’s musical talent, Stan Berenstain quipped that Joe was an 'absolute wizard at communicating to children with music.' Known for his lively school concerts, Joe also creates and produces recording workshops and school-specific music video workshops for elementary school students. With the aid of Hollywood special effects programs, children can ride in rockets, airplanes, and ocean liners and visit other countries or planets! If a classical touch is desired, Joe has thirteen compositions scored for partial or full symphony orchestra. For bigger organizations such as towns and cities, Joe presents a Family Holiday Sing-Along. Photo by Joe McDermott.

contact
Joe McDermott
3413 Gable Drive
Austin, TX  78759
phone 512-689-5361
phone#2
e-mail joemcdermott@sbcglobal.net
public performance/concert $350 - $2,500
school performance $450 - $2,500
workshop fees $600 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $857
website http://www.joemcdermottmusic.com

 

Wildlife Conservation Artist Vickie McMillan-Hayes

Vickie McMillan-Hayes is considered a world-renowned wildlife conservation artist in her field of painting. Her exhibitions include art museums and galleries throughout the country and abroad. Vickie is published in well-known books, magazines, articles, and reviews both locally and internationally. Vickie conducts collaborative community paintings and murals with groups of people for installation in libraries, public buildings, hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, government organizations, treatment centers, foster care, and health and human service centers. She delivers specialized workshops including AP art, residencies, lectures (elementary-college), live performance painting, collaborative painting at festivals, team-building and staff development (teachers), judging (is a rodeo art judge). Her collaborative paintings/murals integrate Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum goals for schools, foster unity in the community, advance global conservation causes, and encourage the use of recycled materials when possible. Each project is designed/conceptualized in advance with set project goals or designed under Vickie's guidance during workshops. Vickie teaches and demonstrates the use of materials, technique, research, team-building, cooperation, creative learning through educationally relevant objects, life skills, and pride. Large scale murals/paintings can be based on curriculum (including topics such as science, technology, engineering, math, the earth, life cycles, rain forests, geography, and history) or other interests. Participants are engaged in the project from concept (brainstorming/themes) to unveiling. Photo by Vickie McMillan-Hayes.

contact
Vickie Hayes
10419 Hollowback Dr.
Katy, TX  77494
phone 404-771-8084
phone#2
e-mail vickievhayes@gmail.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $50,000
school performance $700 - $2,000
workshop fees $2,500 - $4,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,200
website http://www.Vickiemcmillan.com

 

Jasminne Mendez

Jasminne Mendez is a poet, playwright, educator, community organizer, and award-winning author. Mendez has had poetry and essays published by or forthcoming in The New England Review, The Acentos Review, Kenyon Review, Gulf Coast, The Rumpus, and others. She is the author of two poetry/prose collections: Island of Dreams (Floricanto Press, 2013) which won an International Latino Book Award, and Night-Blooming Jasmin(n)e: Personal Essays and Poetry (Arte Publico Press, 2018). She is a Pushcart Prize nominee and has received fellowships from Canto Mundo and the Kenyon Review Writer's Workshop, among others. She is an MFA graduate of the creative writing program at the Rainier Writer's Workshop at Pacific Lutheran University, and a University of Houston alum. She offers workshops, readings, talks, and performances that center around the intersections of Afro-Latinx identity and culture, chronic illness and disability, motherhood as a woman of color, borderlands, immigration, and what it means to be 'from everywhere and nowhere' all at once. She appeals to audiences as young as middle school and can tailor poetry, performance, and creative nonfiction workshops and events to both large and small audiences. Photo by Michael Leonard.

contact
Jasminne Mendez
11742 N Michael Cir
Houston, TX  77071
phone 281-702-8235
phone#2
e-mail jasminnemendez@gmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $3,000
school performance $300 - $2,000
workshop fees $300 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,500
website http://www.jasminnemendez.com

 

Mercury Chamber Orchestra

Founded in Houston in 2000, Mercury has a mission to serve the community by celebrating the power of music, Baroque and beyond, teaching, sharing, and performing with passion, intimacy, and excellence. The orchestra offers performances of a broad repertoire of music on period instruments and has garnered critical acclaim around the world through innovative and accessible performances, domestic and international tours, and groundbreaking music education programs. Each year, Mercury performs over fifty concerts and reaches over 20,000 listeners and 5,000 youth in its performances around the Houston area and beyond. Touring programs are flexible to meet presenters' needs but range from two-hour concerts of orchestral music featuring the full ensemble performing works from the Baroque to Romantic eras for large audiences of up to 1,000 to smaller ensembles for more intimate venues. Mercury also offers 45-minute educational presentations for school assemblies that mix standard curriculum topics such as science and history with an introduction to classical music as well as workshops for school orchestral programs. Photo by Runaway Productions.

contact
Andres Gonzalez
3100 Timmons Lane, Suite 201
Houston, TX  77027
phone 713-533-0080
phone#2
e-mail andres@mercuryhouston.org
public performance/concert $2,500 - $20,000
school performance $500 - $1,400
workshop fees $200 - $5,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $5,000
website https://www.mercuryhouston.org

 

Mexico 2000 Ballet Folklorico

Founded in 1999, México 2000 is a professional dance ensemble. Bring the flare of Mexican culture to your event! Dance performances are fast-paced and nonstop, featuring dances from different regions with their European, Mayan/pre-Columbian, and South American influences. These dances highlight the beauty, romance, and culture of traditional México. The programs 'Fiestas de México!,' 'Día de Muertos' & 'Christmas in México' are available in an educational and concert-type option. Presentations range from 20 minutes to 2 hours. At Fiestas de México educational school shows, audiences will learn history about Mexican holidays while connecting to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in Spanish language arts, social studies, fine arts, and music while enjoying the most beautiful and representative dances, costumes and music from different regions of México. During these interactive shows, audiences will participate by clapping, yelling (cheers of joy/gritos), stomping, and selected students will try out steps with music on stage. School study guides and concert programs are available. 'Christmas in México' is a compilation of traditional Christmas dances & songs (villancicos) including the traditional Pastorela, the Piñata, the three Wise Men & Felíz Navidad! Presentations are strictly focused to preserve and promote Mexican traditional heritage. Questions and pictures are allowed at the end. Photo by Leopoldo A. Palencia.

contact
Leopoldo (Alex) Palencia
2807 Bissell Way
Wylie, TX  75098
phone 214-364-2629
phone#2 214-384-2537
e-mail info@mexico2000.net
public performance/concert $2,800 - $8,500
school performance $900 - $2,500
workshop fees $500 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $2,000
website http://www.mexico2000.net

 

Lucas Miller, the Singing Zoologist

Want to get your students excited about science? STEM and the arts go hand-in-hand in multimedia presentations by author, YouTuber, and 'singing zoologist,' Lucas Miller! Pre-K to 5th graders will laugh, sing and learn about wetlands, ocelots, monarch butterflies, metamorphosis, and much more through Lucas' creative blend of smart songwriting, hilarious puppetry, and dazzling animations. Perfect for elementary schools, libraries, and family concerts: kids love Miller's zany, unbridled enthusiasm, and adults love his focus on accurate, curriculum-related science. Each 45-55 minute presentation features several songs and stories that address a major science theme such as life cycles, adaptations, Texas ecosystems, and ocean ecology. Creative animations, videos, and images accompany the music and lessons to deepen understanding and keep the audience focused. Lucas earned a degree in zoology and has been touring Texas and the nation since 1994. He knows his biology and how to introduce kids to science in a way that leaves them excited and motivated. Look him up on YouTube to sample his work and then visit www.singingzoologist.com for all the details on bringing him to your school, library, theater, or other venues. Photo by Thomas Slanker.

contact
Lucas Miller
12805 Winding Creek Rd.
Austin, TX  78736
phone 512-567-2626
phone#2
e-mail jlucasmiller@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $4,500
school performance $750 - $3,000
workshop fees $500 - $2,500
travel/per diem/lodging $25 - $1,500
website https://www.singingzoologist.com

 

Jamal Mohamed

Born in Lebanon and raised in Chicago, Jamal Mohamed presents performances and workshops that transport the audience to ancient times and exotic locales. He has been a featured artist in many international music events and has performed with Sting, Mark O’Connor and many other acclaimed artists. In addition, Jamal is a widely acclaimed educator and has presented workshops across the globe from Mexico City to Shanghai, China. Jamal is currently on the faculty at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University, where he teaches percussion and is the founder and director of the SMU Meadows World Music Ensemble. Offerings include performances by the Jamal Mohamed Ensemble (between 2 and 6 members) featuring virtuoso musicians performing traditional music from a variety of cultures with special emphasis on the Middle East, or Jamal’s interactive solo program, in which he uses a wide variety of authentic instruments to acquaint students with traditional music from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America with gongs from China, Talking Drums from Africa and various percussion from around the world. The presentation culminates with students joining Jamal on stage for an exciting jam session with an international flavor. An experience they will never forget. Photo by John Derryberry.

contact
Jamal Mohamed
6101 N Bishop
Dallas, TX  75275
phone 214-289-9599
phone#2
e-mail jamal@jamalmohamed.com
public performance/concert $750 - $2,000
school performance $750 - $1,500
workshop fees $350 - $750
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $850
website http://www.jamalmohamed.com

 

Montopolis Productions

Montopolis produces multimedia concerts themed around the natural wonders of Texas. Their critically acclaimed music incorporates rock, country, and modern classical. Each performance is accompanied by stunning video and a narrator who tells stories drawn from Texas history and legend. 'The Legend of Big Bend' concert features a cowboy narrator reciting tales of old west heroics and cowboy poetry. The visual element features the work of landscape photographer Christopher Zebo. Instrumentation: pedal steel guitar, piano, string trio, trombone, and drums. 'The Living Coast' concert is narrated by scientists Wendy Gordon and Megan O'Connell and features film of the Texas coast by director Anlo Sepulveda and drone pilot Reagan Jobe. Instrumentation: piano, guitar, horn section, string section, drums. 'Music for Enchanted Rock' is a modern classical suite for string trio, pedal steel guitar, and piano. Chickasaw performer Amy Bluemel tells stories of Enchanted Rock and regional indigenous tribes. Features landscape photography of Enchanted Rock by Rip Shaub. Montopolis also tours live scores to silent films such as 'Man with a Movie Camera' and 'The Return of Draw Egan,' a comedic western. The Montopolis musicians include members of the Austin Symphony, Okkervil River, Tosca String Quartet, and the Polyphonic Spree. Photo by Sunday Ballew.

contact
Justin Sherburn
6805 Santos Street
Austin, TX  78741
phone 512-964-7979
phone#2
e-mail jsherburn1@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,500 - $7,000
school performance $500 - $2,500
workshop fees $500 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,000
website https://montopolismusic.com

 

State Artist Karla Morton

Karla K. Morton, 2010 Texas Poet Laureate, is an award-winning author and a celebrated poet and presenter. She has been described as “one of the more adventurous voices in American poetry,” but don’t let the title “poet” fool you– Karla is an outgoing, warm and energetic ball of fire that loves to promote poetry and the arts. She has spoken, offered workshops, and performed her poetry at venues and events across Texas. From small town classrooms to cancer support groups to large corporate conferences, Karla is comfortable in any crowd. Her poetry spans many subjects and forms and evokes laughter, tears, and inspiration. Karla is the author of Wee Cowrin' Timorous Beastie (a North Texas Book Festival Awards Finalist), Becoming Superman, Stirring Goldfish, Redefining Beauty (a 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Award Winner written during her journey through cancer), and 6 additional books. She has been featured on Good Morning Texas, NPR, ABC News and in newspapers across Texas. A Texas native and mother of two, Karla is a graduate of Texas A&M University and currently resides in Denton, Texas. Karla also offers presentations on her photography.

contact
Kelly Kirkendoll
236 River Bend Trail
Combine, TX  75159
phone 972-330-2882
phone#2 817-236-6075
e-mail kelly@thrivepublicrelations.com
public performance/concert $400 - $1,200
school performance $400 - $600
workshop fees $400 - $1,200
website http://www.kkmorton.com

 

Mother Falcon

Mother Falcon is a symphonic rock band from Austin, TX, known for their wide-ranging instrumentation and collaborative songwriting. Founded in 2008, the group includes a collective of musicians including players of strings, horns, guitars, pedal steel, and percussion. Embraced by Austin, Mother Falcon garnered national attention in 2013 and has since been touring the US and Canada performing original music, and performing an original score commissioned by Lionheart Youth Theatre in collaboration with Glass Half Full Theatre. The band has also collaborated with artists including Ben Sollee, Amanda Palmer, Kaki King, and Gina Chavez. In 2019, Mother Falcon was awarded the B. Iden Payne Award for Best Original Score for American Blood Song, written in collaboration with Austin’s Trouble Puppet Theatre Company. Over the last 8 years, the band has been running the Mother Falcon Music Lab, an educational program designed to empower students to be creative with the skills they have through collaboration in music and media. Players of all instruments and abilities become members of multi-instrumental bands and collaborate to write an original song. Different workshops allow students to expand their creativity and perspective, including logo design, DIY screen printing, analog and digital recording, podcasting, photography, and animation. Photo by Alexandra Galewsky.

contact
Diana Burgess
1401 West 40th street
Austin, TX  78756
phone 512-413-7639
phone#2
e-mail outreach@mfml.org
public performance/concert $2,500 - $10,000
school performance $1,200 - $4,000
workshop fees $500 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $1,500 - $3,000
website https://motherfalconmus.com/

 

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an internationally known poet, educator, activist, Poet Laureate Emeritus of Houston, Texas, and author of Newsworthy (Bloomsday Literary). Formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Poet in the World, she was the founder of the longest-running poetry slam venue in Houston, Texas (Houston VIP Slam). Her work has appeared in Houston Noir by Akashic Press (2019), Black Girl Magic by Haymarket Books (2019), Fjords Journal, Crab Orchard Review, and on such platforms as NPR, BBC, ABC, Blavity, Upworthy, and TedX. A fellow with the Writer's Hotel and the Poetry Incubator, D.E.E.P.’s collaborations with the Houston Ballet, the Houston Rockets, and Houston Grand Opera have opened new doors for performance poetry. As a finalist for Texas Poet Laureate, a Kennedy Center Citizen fellowship, and the prestigious Breadloaf Retreat, her work has been highlighted and studied in Canada, England, New Zealand, and Germany. She had the pleasure of performing and leading a workshop at the Leipzig in Autumn literary festival in 2018, where she bridged the gap between the slam and international publishing communities. She offers workshops, performances, professional development, and dramaturgy services. Photo by Paula Lu.

contact
Deborah Mouton
19410 Clevera Walk Ln
Houston, TX  77084
phone 951-505-2874
phone#2
e-mail deep@livelifedeep.com
public performance/concert $2,000 - $10,000
school performance $1,500 - $7,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $5,000
travel/per diem/lodging $250 - $3,000
website https://www.livelifedeep.com

 

Mrs. Dipsworth

Mrs. Dipsworth is a fairy godmother-style character with a larger-than-life presence and highly interactive presentation. She reads stories chosen by the teacher, librarian, or host that align with their current theme or curriculum. Songs and dances that complement the story are added to enhance the overall experience, and the delivery is comparable to that which every spunky grandmother would give. Children ages 0 through 11 have been entertained by Mrs. Dipsworth’s storytime since 2011. School districts such as Fort Worth ISD, Irving ISD, Aledo ISD, Dallas ISD, Keller ISD, and more have created extended curriculum including regular visits from Mrs. Dipsworth. Dallas-FortW orth native Sheran Goodspeed Keyton beautifully transforms from her regular live performance persona to become this fun and engaging character. Sheran Goodspeed Keyton has been acting and singing professionally for more than 30 years. She has performed in many venues all over the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and has toured nationally and internationally. During the past 15 years, Sheran Goodspeed Keyton has partnered with many arts organizations in the area to produce original works. She has formed a relationship as an artist with Big Thought and has performed in the Dallas ISD for the past 14 years. Photo by Freddie Watkins, Forever Photography Studios.

contact
Sheran Keyton
PO Box 15963
Fort Worth, TX  76119
phone 817-313-3052
phone#2
e-mail mrsdipsworth@yahoo.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $1,500
school performance $500 - $750
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $500
website https://www.mrsdipsworth.com/

 

Anuradha Naimpally

Anuradha Naimpally, Bharata Natyam dance soloist, collaborator, and educator, is an experienced performer worldwide. From concert halls to school cafeterias, libraries to universities, Anuradha connects this ancient art of India to modern audiences of all ages through engaging explanations and moving performances. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the prestigious Jacqueline LeMieux Prize from the Canada Council and the title 'Artistic Jewel' in India. She has been named and nominated Best Dancer by the Austin Area Critics' Circle numerous times. Anuradha offers a traditional formal solo concert introduced with demonstrative explanations, performed in authentic costumes to recorded music that can be modified for intimate spaces. Sacred Earth Stories, an ensemble production with multimedia, connects ancient earth mythologies to current climate issues and is suited for theater spaces. Her Arts in Education presentation is popular in schools, libraries, and museums. Moving Myths of India is an engaging, interactive children’s show for all ages, highlighting mythology through storytelling embellished with creative hand symbols, rhythms, and cultural values of India, performed in colorful costume. Live musical accompaniment is available on request. Anuradha has an MFA in Dance and also offers master classes, workshops, and lecture-demonstrations at the high school and university level. Photo by Sadu Bajekal.

contact
Anuradha Naimpally
5602 N Scout Island Cir
Austin, TX  78731
phone 512-791-7258
phone#2 512-795-8627
e-mail anu@austindanceindia.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $6,000
school performance $650 - $1,200
workshop fees $750 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,000
website https://www.austindanceindia.com

 

Bernadette Nason

Multiple award-winning English storyteller/actress/writer Bernadette Nason has studied all over the world, including Guildford Acting School. She's the author of Tea in Tripoli: A Memoir, and appears in movies like Miss Congeniality and regional theatrical productions. She's performed on four continents, and been 'The Biggest Liar in Texas.' Believing the power and influence of live storytelling can change the world, Nason produces captivating programs of multicultural stories, mixing traditional telling with creative drama. Her acclaimed programs include ethnic world tales, holiday themes, and personal family yarns. With shows suitable for all ages, she presents in schools, libraries, festivals, conferences, theaters, retirement communities, and more. Working closely with educators, Bernadette offers uplifting, interactive stories with content supporting character development and academic testing requirements. Need a specific program? Nason can tailor accordingly. With over 30 years' experience, she has hundreds of stories available (regularly preparing fresh ones) but programs are compiled seasonally for ease of selection and booking. Always available: collections for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Black History Month, Valentine's Day, Legends of Texas Flowers, St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo. New: 'Summertime Scorchers' and 'Tails and Tales.' Photo by Huck Huckaby.

contact
Bernadette Nason
2900 West Anderson Lane, C200/302
Austin, TX  78757
phone 512-633-1803
phone#2
e-mail bmnason@gmail.com
public performance/concert $350 - $2,000
school performance $350 - $2,000
workshop fees $450 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $2,000
website http://www.bernadettenason.com

 

NobleMotion Dance

NobleMotion Dance (NMD) exploded onto the Houston dance scene in 2009 and has since received critical acclaim for their 'extraordinary athleticism' and 'cutting edge' programming. NMD seeks to make work that is emotionally daring and honest; inspires discourse and understanding amongst diverse communities; and integrates dance, theater, and technology in unique ways. In recent years, NMD has received over 30 positive local and national reviews for its work and was described as one of Houston’s 'A-list' dance companies in Dance Magazine. NMD tours nationally and has been invited to perform by numerous organizations. NMD strives to create a total theater experience. What makes their broad-ranging repertory unique is that NMD can offer dance performances that integrate technology, light installations, and most recently, artificial intelligence. This submerses the audience into new worlds, allowing them to see dance in fresh and exciting ways. NMD is a company of twelve dancers and holds a repertory of over 35 works ranging from intimate to technical wow. Photo by Lynn Lane.

contact
Colette Kerwick
3400 Main Street, Suite 5
Houston, TX  77002
phone 505-920-4104
phone#2
e-mail colette@noblemotiondance.com
public performance/concert $5,000 - $20,000
school performance $2,000 - $5,000
workshop fees $250 - $6,000
travel/per diem/lodging $250 - $5,000
website http://www.noblemotiondance.com/

 

Open Dance Project

Open Dance Project’s highly stylized dance theater performance experiences break down conventional barriers between artist and audience to make dance more accessible and meaningful for both. Under the direction of Annie Arnoult, one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch for 2018, this critically acclaimed troupe of dancer/actors brings timely, thought-provoking subject matter to the stage through their dynamic physicality, daring athleticism, and emotional honesty. Current offerings include three performances for young audiences: 'Staging Stories Live,' where dancers build a comic dance theater performance that can be tailored to any theme using audience suggestions; 'ENGINuity,' an educational romp through the history and science of engines; and 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,' a humorous and poignant coming-of-age tale featuring ODP's signature athleticism, theatrical antics, aerial silks, and acrobatics. For general audiences, the company offers 'Panopticon,' a retro-futuristic dystopian love story with a set that transforms around the audience throughout the show, and 'All the Devils are Here: A Tempest in the Galapagos,' where Shakespeare’s 'The Tempest' collides with the true story of an unsolved murder in the Galapagos in 1929 in a fantasy-inspired set constructed of recycled plastic bottles designed by Ryan McGettigan. Photo by Lynn Lane.

contact
Annie Arnoult
747 N Shepherd Drive, Suite 100
Houston, TX  77007
phone 832-962-8982
phone#2
e-mail annie@opendanceproject.org
public performance/concert $1,000 - $15,000
school performance $750 - $5,000
workshop fees $120 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $1,100 - $7,150
website https://www.opendanceproject.org

 

Amalia Ortiz

Amalia Ortiz appeared on three seasons of Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry on HBO. NBC Latino named her book, Rant. Chant. Chisme., one of '10 Great Latino Books of 2015.' It won the 2015 Writers' League of Texas Poetry Discovery Prize. Amalia spoke at TEDx McAllen 2015. She was awarded an Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Grant and a writing residency at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. She is a CantoMundo Fellow, a Hedgebrook writer-in-residence alumna, and she was the inaugural performing-artist-in-residence at ArtPace in 2018. She was awarded a National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Fund for the Arts Grant to film music videos for her latest book, The Cancion Cannibal Cabaret (Aztlan Libre Press). Amalia received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Amalia is available for spoken word performances, writing workshops, and the performances of her latest book/punk musical, The Cancion Cannibal Cabaret, with her band, Las Hijas de la Madre. Photo by Gladys Ornelas.

contact
Amalia Ortiz
127 East Drexel Avenue
San Antonio, TX  78210
phone 512-940-0228
phone#2
e-mail amiortiz@aol.com
public performance/concert $750 - $2,000
school performance $500 - $1,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $3,000
website http://www.amaliaortiz.net

 

Outspoken Bean

2018 Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs Houston Resident Artist Program and 2017 Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and Idea Fund grant recipient, Emanuelee Outspoken Bean is a performance poet, writer, compassionate mentor, electric entertainer, and educator. He was a 2011 Texas Poet Laureate nominee, ranked 9th in the Individual World Poetry Slam 2013, ranked 2nd in collaborative poetry at Group Piece Finals 2013, and ranked 9th at National Poetry Slam 2014. He started performing spoken word in 2005. Bean also works with youth organizations from across the country such as Inside Out in Detroit, Youth Speaks in San Francisco, and Tigertail Productions' 2016 youth slam, WordSpeak, in Miami. While balancing a very busy touring schedule, in Houston Bean serves as the project coordinator/lead coach/mentor for Meta-Four Houston, a project of Writers in the Schools (WITS) that works with professional performance/slam poets and encourages self-expression/literacy among Houston's youth through creative writing and performance. He also has a one-man show, 'Converse,' which is an interactive theatrical story-telling based on Bean, a heartbroken, outspoken, comedic, military brat. The dramatic and provocative show lures the audience into joining a long-overdue conversation about mistakes, redemption, and the power of words. Photo by Tally Mark Photos.

contact
Emanuelee Bean
1127 Usener Street
Houston, TX  77009
phone 210-415-7148
phone#2
e-mail Outspokenbean210@gmail.com
public performance/concert $750 - $4,000
school performance $750 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,500
website http://www.outspokenbean.com

 

Paradox Traveling Art

Paradox Traveling Art was founded and created by El Paso, Texas artist Laura Turón. The project is a traveling art installation project housed within a converted full-size school bus. The bus functions as a gallery and an art piece at the same time. With this project, Ms. Turón focuses on delivering art to areas that have limited or no access to art spaces; inspiring and encouraging artists; and providing art workshops, exhibitions at events, and lectures that promote creative expression and critical thinking. Available programs include interactive art installation exhibitions--visitors walk inside the gallery space within the bus, and interact with the current installation; workshops-- visitors are able to participate in workshops to create art installations displayed within the gallery space or in workshops related to the current exhibit; and art talks-- the current artist provides a talk about the current art installations and does a Q&A. Photo by Laura Turón.

contact
Laura Turón
2809 Sacramento Ave
El Paso, TX  79930
phone 915-691-4026
phone#2
e-mail info@lt-artdesign.com
public performance/concert $1,200 - $8,000
school performance $1,200 - $8,000
workshop fees $1,200 - $8,000
travel/per diem/lodging $300 - $700
website http://www.lt-artdesign.com

 

Steve Parker

Steve Parker creates communal, democratic work to examine history, systems, and behavior. His projects include elaborate civic rituals for humans, animals, and machines; listening sculptures modeled after obsolete surveillance tools; and cathartic transportation symphonies for operators of cars, pedicabs, and bicycles. He is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, a Harrington Fellowship, and the Tito’s Prize. Parker has exhibited and performed at institutions, public spaces, and festivals internationally. Highlights include Art Basel Miami Beach, the Lucerne Festival (Switzerland), MASS MoCA, the Lincoln Center Festival, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Fusebox Festival, Tanglewood, Los Angeles Philharmonic inSIGHT, SXSW, the Stone, Contemporary Arts Center (New Orleans), the Blanton Museum of Art (Austin), the Asian Arts Initiative (Philadelphia), The Contemporary Austin, Bowerbird, and the Gene Siskel Film Center (Chicago). Parker has been awarded support from the National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, the Copland Foundation, the Puffin Foundation, and the Mid-America Arts Alliance. He is the Curator of SoundSpace at the Blanton Museum of Art, Executive Director of Collide Arts, and a full-time faculty member at the University of Texas-San Antonio. He holds degrees in math and music from Oberlin, Rice, and the University of Texas-Austin. Photo by Blanton Museum of Art.

contact
Steve Parker
12026 Wycliff Ln
Austin, TX  78727
phone 312-498-6047
phone#2
e-mail steven.c.parker@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $50,000
school performance $500 - $10,000
workshop fees $500 - $6,500
travel/per diem/lodging $150 - $2,000
website https://www.steve-parker.net

 

State Artist David M. Parsons

David M. Parsons, 2011 Texas State Poet Laureate, poems are straightforward, vivid writing bringing settings alive, shaping intimate portrayals of everyday life. His poetry speaks from the past and the present, balancing ordinary and extraordinary experiences. Audiences and readers will find in his most celebrated work: award-winning poems found in as diverse locales as a romantic, historic house in England to another favorite about the poet running into President Lyndon Johnson in an iconic Austin restaurant. His latest works are also included with new revelations that will bring what has become a Parsons Poem trademark, the rewarding discovery of a transforming moment.

contact
David Parsons
414 Oakhill Dr.
Conroe, TX  77304
phone 936-524-6537
phone#2 936-760-2743
e-mail dmparsons@suddenlink.net
public performance/concert $500 - $1,000
school performance $300 - $500
workshop fees $300 - $500
website http://www.daveparsonspoetry.com

 

The Peterson Brothers

The Peterson Brothers combine infectious energy and modern grooves with soul, funk, blues & jazz to create their own unique sound. For a decade, the Texas natives have been building a fan base across America, playing both classic funk and soul, and their original music that includes jam-band style improvisation by Glenn Jr. on vocals and guitar, and Alex on bass, vocals and violin. The brothers’ love for classic funk, soul, and blues music was born when their mother and grandmother brought home a crate of assorted albums and a turntable from a garage sale. The Peterson Brothers learned to play by listening to artists like the Isley Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, the Brothers Johnson, and B.B. King; from there, they created their own stage show. Some of their first consistent gigs included regular performances at Antone’s, the Saxon Pub, Gruene Hall and other renowned venues. Photo by Lu Jansen.

contact
Deanna Peterson
805 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
Bastrop, TX  78602
phone 512-517-4922
phone#2 512-217-0659
e-mail petersonbrothersband@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $9,000
school performance $500 - $2,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $5,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,000
website http://www.PetersonBrothersBand.com

 

Riyaaz Qawwali

Riyaaz Qawwali is a SouthAsian-American musical ensemble that specializes in Qawwali, a genre of music from Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. Their performances showcase South Asia's rich poetic and musical heritage to new audiences. While paying homage to 700-year-old cultural and lyrical tradition, the musicians tailor their performances to their audiences based on the audience's exposure to this genre. They have been covered by NPR, Huffington Post, Miami Herald, NY Times, and other major publications. Riyaaz actively engages the audience in the performance, whether they be in a large performing arts center or a small classroom. The ensemble includes 5 vocalists, 2 percussionists, and 1 harmonium (accordion) player. They are the only US ensemble representing this genre and have played for schools, universities, museums, festivals, and state events. In addition to concerts, Riyaaz's programming options include community engagements, festival appearances, and/or educational sessions (lecture-demonstrations). The educational sessions could be: (1) a deep dive into this Islamic music, (2) understanding the 700-year old poetry, (3) understanding the historical impact of this genre, or (4) understanding South Asia through the arts. Riyaaz's artistic director has authored a book on Qawwali and Sufi music. This can act as an optional reading for the sessions. Photo by Riyaaz Qawwali.

contact
Sonny Mehta
3505 Queensburg Lane
Friendswood, TX  77546
phone 512-709-4003
phone#2
e-mail riyaazqawwali@gmail.com
public performance/concert $4,000 - $8,000
school performance $2,500 - $3,950
workshop fees $750 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $350 - $1,000
website https://www.riyaazqawwali.com

 

Oliver Rajamani

Oliver Rajamani performs innovative soul-stirring original music, including traditional Romani and Indian folk/Gypsy songs. Rajamani has created a sound of his own with the historic threads of Indian/Gypsy folk, Romani and Texas cultures and music while bringing recognition to the historical Indian origins of the Romani people. His performances and recordings with international artists are as stylistically far-flung as Willie Nelson, Gypsy Kings, Eric Johnson, Dotschy Reinhardt, Edie Brickell, L. Shankar, Jeronimo Maya, Ustad Aashish Khan, Ustad Shujaat Khan, and Tomasa La Macanita. Touring programs include: Flamenco India, an innovative musical journey into the deep and historical Indian roots of Spain's Gypsy flamenco, consisting of a colorfully large ensemble of dancers and musicians from the Indian and flamenco traditions; Texas Gypsy Lonestar, bringing recognition to Romani center and historical archives in Austin, Rajamani unites India, Romani and Texas cultures through original compositions backed by traditional Lone Star musicians; and Moonlight Tanz, Rajamani with his western string orchestra featuring musicians and dancers from the Middle Eastern and Indian/Romani traditions with performances on exotic instruments such as the rebab and oud. Photo by Srivas Venkatesh.

contact
Ampara Young
3103 Bee Caves Road Ste. 120
Austin, TX  78746
phone 512-477-7330
phone#2
e-mail booking@oliverrajamani.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $12,000
school performance $1,000 - $4,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $4,000
travel/per diem/lodging $1,000 - $5,000
website https://www.oliverrajamani.com

 

Graham Reynolds

Called 'the quintessential modern composer' by the London Independent, Austin-based composer-bandleader-improviser Graham Reynolds creates, performs, and records music for film, theater, dance, rock clubs and concert halls with collaborators ranging from Richard Linklater and Jack Black to DJ Spooky and Ballet Austin. He recently scored Where'd You Go Bernadette, with Cate Blanchett; the Rude Mechs' Stop Hitting Yourself, for Lincoln Center Theater; Ballet Austin's Grimm Tales; Happy Jail for Netflix; and a multi-year commission from Ballroom Marfa, The Marfa Triptych. From improvised workshop series, small watering holes to large scale performances such as Mozart's Requiem Undead, Reynolds' touring offerings are extensive, adaptable, and include commissions and scores. His Creative Capital Award-winning project, Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance, is a bilingual cross-border opera about the enigmatic general, legendary bandit, and hero of the Mexican Revolution, providing a lens into Mexico, the border, and the relationship between communities of both nations. Other touring options include an original live score for Alfred Hitchcock's The Lodger, the jazz-based but far reaching Golden Arm Trio, the Marfa Country & Western Big Band Suite, as well as commissions, private performances, workshops, or master classes, whether as a solo artist or a group. Photo by Bill McCullough.

contact
David Lobel
5811 Berkman Dr, Ste 132
Austin, TX  78723
phone 512-785-3783
phone#2
e-mail david@lobelarts.com
public performance/concert $1,500 - $100,000
school performance $1,200 - $12,000
workshop fees $1,200 - $10,000
travel/per diem/lodging $150 - $10,000
website https://www.grahamreynolds.com

 

State Artist Dario Robleto

Dario Robleto, the 2016 Texas State Visual Artist - 3-D, is a native of San Antonio. His sculptures, prints and installations combine esoteric materials and processes to explore forgotten corners of history, art and science. He received his BFA from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Robleto has had over 30 solo exhibitions since 1997 and has had works included in many prestigious group shows and collections. His work has been seen most recently in solo exhibitions at the Menil Collection, Houston and the Baltimore Museum of Art. He has received numerous awards, including the 2007 Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant, the 2009 USA Rasmuson Fellowship, and the 2011 Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship. He is currently an Artist Research Fellow at Rice University in Houston, where he lives and works.

contact
Inman Gallery
3901 Main Street
Houston, TX  77002
phone 713-526-7800
phone#2
e-mail info@inmangallery.com
public performance/concert TBD
website http://www.dariorobleto.com

 

Jolie Rocke

Jolie Rocke is a Houston-based soprano whose talents have taken her from a Carnegie Weill Recital debut to European tours and Far North Queensland, Australia. Noted by the Hartford Courant as a 'gifted, versatile vocalist who’s as much at home soaring on opera arias and celestial hymns as she is getting down with funky blues and earthy jazz,' Rocke’s passion is sharing the gift of song with the world and drawing from her life experience when she performs or works with aspiring young artists. Maya Angelou noted, 'Jolie Rocke sings with such passion … and compassion!' Her passion for music and her desire to pass it on to students lead her to produce concerts, conduct master classes, direct community arts programs, and train aspiring singers as a private voice teacher and coach. Programs: Singing HERstory; Opera, Behind the Scenes!; Songs of the African American Soul; Sing, Langston!; Good News; The Science of Singing. Acclaimed as a singer and educator, Rocke was honored by the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. 'Rocke can make her queen-size instrument of a voice fit cozily and expressively in an array of soulful sounds,' as she does in her CD, Rock of Ages: Hymns for the Soul. Photo by Devon Cass.

contact
Ashley Lewis

Houston, TX 
phone 281-939-5093
phone#2 281-816-6740
e-mail alewis@jolierocke.com
public performance/concert $800 - $3,000
school performance $500 - $3,000
workshop fees $750 - $1,500
travel/per diem/lodging $50 - $1,200
website https://www.jolierocke.com

 

SaulPaul

GRAMMY Award-nominated artist SaulPaul has garnered an international reputation as a musician with a message. Part rapper/part singer-songwriter, SaulPaul is an entertaining artist who blends his voice, his guitar, and his loop pedal to create a live show that is nothing less than an experience. SaulPaul shares his art with his heart and has been inspiring audiences through his music. From performing at two TEDx Talks, five Super Bowls, America's Got Talent, SXSW, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Austin City Limits, SaulPaul has performed nationally and internationally in theaters, concert venues and festivals across the country. Armed with two chart-topping #1 songs on Sirius XM along with an extensive catalog of music, he offers a blend of music for audiences of all ages and fit for performance venues and interactive experiences. SaulPaul is available for live performances, workshops, and masterclasses, as well as commissions. His tour offerings are extensive and adaptable to different environments. New to his repertoire, he is also making the new musical, SaulPaul's Alien Adventure, coupled with a complete score, as well as live interactive music experiences and music-themed activities for the whole family. Photo by Jeremy Jones.

contact
Bianca Neal
8225 Cross Park Drive #143595
Austin, TX  78714
phone 512-229-8681
phone#2 512-300-4376
e-mail booking@saulpaul.com
public performance/concert $2,500 - $50,000
school performance $750 - $15,000
workshop fees $1,200 - $6,500
travel/per diem/lodging $150 - $2,000
website http://www.saulpaul.com

 

State Artist Margo Sawyer

Margo Sawyer, 2015 Texas State Visual Artist in 3-D works, investigates the relationship between color, space and transcendence through her sculpture. Art and architecture converge in her works to transform mundane structures into euphoric icons, marrying exquisite materials in unexpected ways to form large public spaces that become intimate refuges. Her recent body of work, Synchronicity of Color, includes the lauded work that is a focal point at Houston’s Discovery Green. Margo Sawyer holds a B.A. Honors Degree from the Chelsea School of Art in London and an M.F.A. in sculpture from Yale University. Sawyer has been the recipient of numerous awards including a National Endowment for the Arts Artist Fellowship, two Fulbright Research Awards, the Japan Foundation Fellowship for Artists, and the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award. She has been a fellow of the American Academy in Rome and an ArtPace resident artist in San Antonio. Her sculpture is in the public art collections of the Cities of New York City, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston, and at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, Indiana. Sawyer is a Professor of Sculpture and Extended Media in the Department of Art & Art History at the University of Texas at Austin.

contact
Bright & Early Building
107 South Avenue C
Elgin, TX  78621
phone 512-281-4808
phone#2
e-mail margosawyer@gmail.com
public performance/concert $700 - $3,000
school performance $500 - $3,000
workshop fees $500 - $5,000
website http://www.margosawyer.com

 

State Artist Jan Seale

Jan Epton Seale, 2012 Texas Poet Laureate, is a native Texan. She is familiar with much of Texas, having lived in north and central Texas as a youth, with summers spent in the Panhandle, and living in South Texas all of her adult life. Seale received her education at Baylor University, the University of Louisville, and the University of North Texas. She has taught English and creative writing at three Texas universities. Her life’s work includes eight books of poetry, two of short fiction, three of nonfiction, and several children’s books and dramas. Apparent in her writing is her interest in the people and places of Texas, as well as those of the Southwest and the wider world. Her short stories have been described as a “capable evocation of peculiar personalities” with a “sense of nostalgia and richly drawn places”…“all ending in epiphany.” Her poems are said to be “both beautifully witty and serious.” Seale is at home with many types of audiences. She particularly enjoys college groups, civic and writers’ organizations, nature lovers, elder learners, women, and church lay-groups. Comfortable on stage or in small gatherings, with sensitivity to and rapport with her audiences, her presentations are noted for their humor and accessibility. Seale is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, the Texas Folklore Society, the Poetry Society of Texas, the Story Circle Network, and the Texas Writers’ League.

contact
Jan Seale
400 Sycamore Ave.
McAllen, TX  78501
phone 956-686-4033
phone#2
e-mail janseale@rgv.rr.com
public performance/concert $300 - $500
school performance $100 - $200
workshop fees TBD
website http://www.janseale.com

 

Mark Shelton Solo Percussionist

The warmth and humor of Mark Shelton combine with his percussion prowess to create a family-friendly concert experience that connects with audiences. Mark entertains (and educates) with his trademark high-energy style as he romps and stomps his way through an arsenal of percussion paraphernalia that can include marimba, doumbec, bones, bodhran, cajon, hammered dulcimer, handpan, and Handsonic. In his one-man show, Music From My Galaxy, Mark draws upon a background that includes classical, folk, pop, jazz, gospel, ethnic, and contemporary music to create an engaging collage 'for the drummer in all of us.' An experienced educator, Mark offers learning events that include percussion masterclasses, professional development sessions, school assembly programs, and drum circles. Photo by Zach Ashcraft.

contact
Mark Shelton
PO Box 293621
Lewisville, TX  75029
phone 214-507-6366
phone#2 800-272-2249
e-mail markshelton@verizon.net
public performance/concert $450 - $1,950
school performance $250 - $750
workshop fees $250 - $975
travel/per diem/lodging $135 - $750
website https://www.marksheltonmusic.com

 

State Artist Ire’ne Lara Silva

Ire’ne Lara Silva, the 2023 Texas State Poet Laureate, is the author of four poetry collections, furia, Blood Sugar Canto, CUICACALLI/House of Song, and FirstPoems, two chapbooks, Enduring Azucares and Hibiscus Tacos, and a short story collection, flesh to bone, which won the Premio Aztlán. ire’ne is the recipient of a 2021 Tasajillo Writers Grant, a 2017 NALAC Fund for the Arts Grant, the final Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Award, and was the Fiction Finalist for AROHO’s 2013 Gift of Freedom Award. Most recently, ire’ne was awarded the 2021 Texas Institute of Letters Shrake Award for Best Short Nonfiction. ire’ne is currently a Writer at Large for Texas Highways Magazine and is working on a second collection of short stories titled, the light of your body. A new poetry collection, the eaters of flowers, is forthcoming from Saddle Road Press in January 2024. Her first comic book, Vendaval, will be released in April 2024 from Scout Comics/Chispa. Tour offerings include keynote addresses, readings of all her published work, including poetry, essays, and short stories, and various writing workshops of varying lengths open to writers of all skill levels and genres. Topics include Gritos as the Source of Our Voices, Writing the Difficult, Dismantling Doubt, Forget Discipline: Wanting Your Way Through Writing, Contemplating Mortality, and The Stories Our Bodies Tell.

contact
Ire'ne Lara Silva

Austin, TX 
phone 512-783-0994
phone#2
e-mail irenelarasilva@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,500 - $3,500
school performance $1,500 - $3,500
workshop fees $1,500 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $300 - $750
website https://irenelarasilva.wordpress.com/

 

Toni Simmons

Toni Simmons is an award-winning, dynamic storyteller and author who brings new life to her stories with orchestrated songs, rhythms, chants and audience participation. Toni is a former librarian and drama teacher who has presented her multicultural tales throughout the US. She has captivated audiences at many festivals including her performance at the National Storytelling Festival Exchange Place. Internationally, she has performed in schools in South Africa, in Germany, and in Mexico. She was designated as an NEA American Masterpiece artist. Her interactive sessions also use creative drama with a variety of age-appropriate folklore. The audience is taken on an imaginary story trip to different continents all the while helping to tell the stories. Her programs are designed to motivate, inspire, and educate while being entertaining. Some popular programs include Exploring Our Cultures and Black History Month. She performs at schools, libraries, churches, festivals, and museums. She conducts workshops for storytellers, teachers, and students on using drama in stories and beginning techniques. Photo by Duane Reed.

contact
Toni Simmons
5306 Perrington Heights Lane
Houston, TX  77056
phone 972-765-4741
phone#2
e-mail toni@tonisimmons.com
public performance/concert $350 - $1,000
school performance $350 - $1,200
workshop fees $500 - $1,200
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $500
website https://www.tonisimmons.com

 

Storybook Theatre of Texas

Recognized as edutainers (educational entertainers), the award-winning traveling troupe Storybook Theatre of Texas (SBT) has provided family-friendly entertainment for literally millions of children in theaters, schools, and libraries since 1991. A recipient of the 2014 China Children’s Theatre Festival Excellent Play Award and named an NEA American Masterpiece artist in 2009, SBT travels nationally from New Braunfels, Texas. SBT’s interactive 30-45 minute programs are available year-round. Programs include: Two Pigs and T.H.E. Wolf, The New Little Red Riding Hood, Doing What’s Right Can Never Be Wrong, Cooking Up Fun with Idioms, Country Mouse, City Mouse, Goldifox and the Two Hares, Allie In Historyland, and Country Mouse, City Mouse World Tour. New in 2020 is the community parent-night personality-based program, Who’s Living Under Your Roof? Each program offers different themes, highlighting bullying, character traits, making wise choices, friendship building, idiom phrases, good nutrition, environment, nursery rhymes, diversity, and history. In addition, their singing, puppetry, interactive participation, and use of sign language has won rave reviews. Storybook Theatre’s goal is to promote literacy and help children and families grow stronger together, become confident, courageous, and positive influencers in their communities. Extension lessons/Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills are online at www.sbtheatre.com. Photo by Steve Slate of Captured Keepsakes.

contact
Lynn Draper
10415 Teich Loop
New Braunfels, TX  78132
phone 210-658-6450
phone#2 830-214-7136
e-mail sbtheatretx@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $3,000
school performance $600 - $2,400
workshop fees $600 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $200 - $2,000
website http://www.sbtheatre.com

 

State Artist Carmen Tafolla

Dr. Carmen Tafolla, 2015 Texas State Poet Laureate, is known internationally for her moving inspirational performances and heart-felt poetry readings. A poet, children’s writer, performance artist, storyteller, motivational speaker, and Associate Professor at UTSA, Tafolla was chosen in 2012 as the first Poet Laureate of the City of San Antonio. Her mission as State Poet Laureate is to plant seeds of poetry all over Texas through her “Poet Trees” initiative, sponsored by UTSA, in which twenty public schools with predominantly low-income student populations will be chosen to receive books and workshops free of charge between August 2015 and April 2016. Dr.Tafolla also conducts dramatic performances, keynotes, readings and workshops in English and Spanish to all age groups. The author of more than 20 books, her work appears internationally in five languages, in journals, magazines, newspapers, college textbooks, and elementary school readers, and she has won numerous awards including the Américas Award, the Charlotte Zolotow, the Art of Peace, two Tomas Rivera Book Awards, and five International Latino Book Awards.

contact
Dr. Carmen Tafolla

San Antonio, TX 
phone
phone#2
e-mail CarmenTafollaSAbookings@yahoo.com
public performance/concert TBD
website https://www.carmentafolla.net/

 

Tapestry Dance Company

Under the direction of international tap dance artist Acia Gray, Tapestry Dance Company was founded in 1989 and exists as the only full-time, professional repertory tap company in the world. The company has presented over 580 original dance works, has hosted numerous tap dance legends and masters in residence, and has been named an NEA American Masterpiece artist. The company's vision, presentation/preservation of classic work and the creation of contemporary rhythm and percussive dance, educates audiences about tap's unique heritage and value as well as its collaborative nature in staying current. Through its multiracial dancers, Tapestry reflects the diversity of Texas's cultural heritage and broadens the understanding of contemporary/traditional choreography with an emphasis on rhythm/percussive dance. Tapestry presents an exciting and eclectic concert and outreach programs of tap dance, bringing the best of traditional to contemporary tap works (tied together with modern dance, body percussion, and contemporary movement) to the stage. Tapestry shares common bonds while defying stereotypes in presenting accessible, unique, and sophisticated works. Tapestry celebrates universal values and always surprises their audiences with fresh dance experiences. When Tapestry performs, the excitement is shared by performers and viewers alike. Photo by Nicola Gell.

contact
Acia Gray
7325 Gaines Mill Lane (Registered Office)
Austin, TX  78745
phone 512-695-6560
phone#2 512-474-9846
e-mail Soulsfeet@mac.com
public performance/concert $5,000 - $15,000
school performance $500 - $2,500
workshop fees $250 - $500
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $3,500
website https://www.tapestry.org

 

Tejas Dance

Tejas Dance will leave you in a trance-like state from the combination of untethered stomps, intricate expressions, and enchanting stories. Dance partners Bhuvana Venkatraman & Chintan Patel find innovative new ways of sharing the classical Indian technique of Bharatanatyam with contemporary audiences. Through lively spatial patterns and precarious holds, the dancers hold lengthy stillness in stressful bends before erupting into elongated strides, pulling the duet into every corner of the stage. Through a dramatic collection of narratives, mudras, and athletic movements, Tejas Dance uses a dance form closely tied to storytelling to provide a visually stunning tribute to Indian culture, community, and humanity. Tejas Dance is sure to take the audience members on a journey into India’s past and present through poetry and musically charged movements. Tejas Dance offers several evening-length productions as well as customized programs to suit various events, venues, and audiences. They also offer master classes, workshops, and lecture-demonstrations on storytelling through Bharatanatyam. Photo by Kim Leeson.

contact
Bhuvana Venkatraman
3630 Harry Hines Blvd
Dallas, TX  75219
phone 469-323-6878
phone#2 817-692-2836
e-mail TejasDanceDFW@gmail.com
public performance/concert $500 - $8,000
school performance $300 - $2,500
workshop fees $300 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $4,000
website https://sites.google.com/view/tejasdance/home

 

Texas Folklife

Texas Folklife is a statewide organization dedicated to presenting, promoting, and preserving the diverse living heritage of the Lone Star State. As the National Endowment for the Arts-designated folk and traditional arts organization of Texas, Texas Folklife is engaged in projects around the state, including free and low-cost events that attract multi-generational audiences, and hands-on experiences for K-12th grade students and teachers in a variety of art forms. Additionally, Texas Folklife media projects, film and radio documentaries bring national attention to extraordinary Texas talent. Touring performances focus on the talented young champions of Texas Folklife's annual Big Squeeze statewide accordion contest, exemplifying the unique musical traditions of Texas: Cajun, zydeco, conjunto/tejano and polka. Artists included in the current roster: Keyun Dickson & the Zydeco Masters, Donovan Bourque, Nachito Morales & Los Morales Boyz, Luis Gonzales, Mason Nesvadba, and the All-Around Czechs (Brandon Hodde and Garrett Neubauer). Touring package includes a screening of Texas Folklife's 'The Big Squeeze' documentary film by esteemed filmmaker Hector Galan. Musician-led workshops and related Accordion Kings and Queens photo exhibition celebrating the diversity of Texas accordion music are also available. The project can be scaled to the presenter's budget. Photo by Texas Folklife.

contact
Elisha Oliver
724 Eberhart Ln #500
Austin, TX  78745
phone 512-441-9255
phone#2
e-mail eoliver@texasfolklife.org
public performance/concert $500 - $7,500
school performance $200 - $2,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $2,500
travel/per diem/lodging $100 - $1,500
website https://www.texasfolklife.org

 

Texas Gypsies

The award-winning recipe for the Texas Gypsies is to perform the vintage jazzy swingin' cool crooning hep cat sounds of the '20s-'30s-'40s along with a taste of its sister sound western swing, some Gypsy jazz magic sprinkled over the top, and finish up with a high energy bowl of retro deco rhythm! The band mixes a blazing horn section, rocking-swinging guitars, slapping upright bass, passionate violin, and retro style drumming to harmoniously create their own unique and fun sound! They offer several different shows with the Roaring '20s Great Gatsby show being very popular with presenters over the last several years. The band has toured this show in the US and internationally! They can perform shows from a four-piece combo to a 12-piece big band to fit within presenters' various budgets. The band will dress in vintage 20's-30's costumes for their shows. Photo by John Heiman.

contact
Steve Curry
1126 Shady Oaks Ct
Allen, TX  75002
phone 469-879-2646
phone#2
e-mail texasgypsies@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,500 - $7,000
school performance $1,200 - $3,500
workshop fees $600 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,500
website https://www.texasgypsies.com

 

The Texas Horns

Now entering their 21st year, the Texas Horns are a powerful and veteran three-piece horn section featuring Mark ‘Kaz’ Kazanoff on saxophone, harmonica, and vocals, John Mills on saxophone, and Al Gomez on trumpet. The Texas Horns have been featured as the house horn section at music festivals including the Ottawa BluesFest for 19 years, the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon, the Chicago Blues Festival, the Calgary Blues Festival, and the King Biscuit Festival. Versatile arrangers and excellent ‘readers,’ the Texas Horns present their own set of rockin’, sophisticated, and contemporary blues, R&B, and jazz music, with original songs from two studio albums. The Texas Horns band has Tommy Taylor on drums, Glenn Shuetz on bass, Matt Farrell on keyboards, and Mike Keller on guitar. The three primary players can offer school and library shows. Released in 2019 on Severn Records 'Get Here Quick' has garnered stellar reviews from many publications, including Living Blues, Downbeat, Buddy Magazine, and Blues Music Magazine. 'Get Here Quick' continues to be featured on numerous radio shows internationally. Photo by Chris Caselli.

contact
KT  Gardner
4505 Bull Creek Rd
Austin, TX  78731
phone 512-207-0825
phone#2
e-mail ktrootstock@gmail.com
public performance/concert $1,500 - $7,500
school performance $1,000 - $5,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $1,500
website https://www.thetexashorns.com

 

Texas Shakespeare Festival's Roadshow

The Texas Shakespeare Festival has been providing high caliber professional theater to the east Texas region for over three decades. It has produced 254 productions for over 280,000 people. The festival has been featured in the New York Times, Nation Magazine, hundreds of newspapers and magazines in Texas, and the Austin American-Statesman named it 'indisputably the best Shakespeare Festival in Texas.' The Texas Shakespeare Festival's Roadshow brings abridged productions of Shakespeare into schools and communities throughout the state. Since it began in 2016, the tour has reached over 24,000 students, traveling as far as 600 miles from the Festival's home in Kilgore, Texas. The TSF Roadshow has been honored with numerous grant awards from Texas Commission on the Arts, Humanities Texas, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Production offerings change every season with multiple productions available for students from middle school to high school. Photo by John Dodd.

contact
Matthew Simpson
1100 Broadway
Kilgore, TX  75662
phone 903-983-8610
phone#2
e-mail Msimpson@texasshakespeare.com
public performance/concert $1,000 - $2,500
school performance $1,000 - $2,500
workshop fees $500 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $25 - $100
website http://www.texasshakespeare.com

 

The Texicana Mamas

A collaborative effort between three of the state’s most celebrated Latina musicians-- Tish Hinojosa, Patricia Vonne, and Stephanie Urbina Jones-- the newly-minted trio has already created a buzz that complements the kudos their individual careers have collected. Separately, their musical influences include folk, conjunto, Americana, flamenco, country, Tex-Mex rock ‘n’ roll, the Texas singer-songwriter tradition, the mariachi, corrido and norteño traditions of the border, and Lone Star country-rock. Together, melding these inspirations with their own distinct sounds and personalities, the Texicana Mamas are creating something new, fresh, and vibrant. This group isn’t just a band, they are music ambassadors sharing the traditions of their culturally rich heritage through music and storytelling. Photo by Patricia Rodriguez.

contact
Stephanie Urbina Jones
PO Box 42652
Austin, TX  78704
phone 210-378-5897
phone#2 512-461-6641
e-mail sujmusic@gmail.com
public performance/concert $5,000 - $10,000
school performance $1,000 - $5,000
workshop fees $1,000 - $7,000
travel/per diem/lodging $600 - $2,000
website https://www.thetexicanamamas.com/

 

Tim Tingle, Choctaw Storyteller and Author

A lifelong Texan and member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Tim Tingle is known for selecting tales that perfectly fit his audience. As the author of twenty books and a touring storyteller for two decades, Tingle has hundreds of stories in his repertory. For K-2nd graders, his stories are fun and audience-participating, such as How Rabbit Lost His Tail, because he won’t stop talking! A favorite for 2nd and 3rd graders is Backyard Bigfoot, a hilarious story about Bigfoot, as seen through a hole in the fence! For older school audiences, How I Became A Ghost is told in the voice of a ten-year-old boy struggling to survive the Trail of Tears. Crossing Bok Chitto is a powerful story of the friendship between Choctaws and enslaved peoples before the Civil War, and Tingle plays the drum and sings Choctaw songs throughout the performance. He has performed across the US, and at schools and theaters in Canada, Germany, and Ireland. Whether storytelling and playing his native flute and drum, or delivering keynote addresses and teaching writing workshops, Tim Tingle strives to entertain and inform, and will gladly develop programs to fit presenters' needs. For more performance details: www.timtingle.com Photo by Robbie Trujillo.

contact
Tim Tingle
4417 Morningside Way
Canyon Lake, TX  78133
phone 830-832-4288
phone#2
e-mail luksi853@outlook.com
public performance/concert $150 - $950
school performance $250 - $1,250
workshop fees $250 - $750
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $1,500
website http://www.timtingle.com

 

Tiny Tails to You, LLC

Tiny Tails to You provides amazing storytelling shows that bring the animal world to life for audiences of all ages. Their educational programs capture the wonder and joy of animals through silly songs, fun facts, stories, and animal movement and feeding demonstrations. The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills-aligned curriculum is perfect for children of all ages. Their Potter-themed 'Magical Creatures' programs and 'hoppy' hours are perfect for teens and adults, and the Tiny Tails storytelling pet therapy programs with reminiscing are great activities for seniors. Tiny Tails to You has provided monthly indoor storytelling shows at BookPeople in Austin since 2010. They have provided annual programs for many Austin Public Libraries, the Georgetown Public Library, San Marcos Public Library, Umlauf Sculpture Garden, University of Texas Fine Arts Program, ZACH Theatre, Texas Lutheran University and at schools, preschools, assisted living facilities, universities and businesses all over Texas. Photo by Tiny Tails to You.

contact
Chelsea Phillips

Austin, TX 
phone 512-423-5577
phone#2
e-mail info@tinytailstoyou.com
public performance/concert $300 - $2,500
school performance $300 - $2,000
workshop fees $300 - $2,500
travel/per diem/lodging $40 - $250
website https://www.tinytailstoyou.com

 

State Artist Vincent Valdez

Vincent Valdez, 2015 Texas State Visual Artist in 2-D work, grew up in San Antonio and demonstrated talent for drawing at an early age. He received a full scholarship to the Rhode Island School of Design, where he earned his B.F.A. in 2000. In 2004 at age 26, Valdez was the youngest artist to have a solo exhibition at the McNay Museum in San Antonio when Stations, his suite of monumental charcoal drawings, was shown. Other exhibition venues include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Snite Museum of Art, Parsons Paris, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, OSDE Buenos Aires, and the David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University. A recipient of residencies at the Skowhegan School of Painting and the Kunstlerhaus Bethania in Berlin, Valdez currently serves as Chair of the Drawing and Painting Department at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio. Mr. Valdez is available for visiting artist workshops/lectures and also for audio/visual projects such as this one: http://livestream.com/wlu/strangest-fruit-radio-hour.

contact
Vincent Valdez
807 N. San Marcos
San Antonio, TX  78207
phone
phone#2
e-mail vvaldez78@gmail.com
public performance/concert TBD
website http://www.vincentvaldezart.com

 

Johnny Villarreal/The Edge of Imagination Station

Have you ever wanted to bring your art to life? Johnny Villarreal and the Edge of Imagination Station are here to help! With over ten years’ experience teaching in the community, Johnny has shown users of all ages, abilities, and skill levels how to create animated sequences and short stories. His workshops cover the basics of stop motion animation and topics such as storyboarding, character development, shot selection, audio recording, and post-production. All of Johnny’s stop motion animation workshops incorporate some mix of chalk, paper, clay, and miscellaneous objects. Available programs include a drop-in activity where participants learn the basics of stop motion animation and create their own animated sequences, a guided storytelling workshop where participants learn how to organize and narrate a short story, stop motion (plus) workshops where participants will learn about stop motion and incorporate additional processes and materials such as watercolor, cardboard sculpture, or special effects/post-production, promotional video production where teens in your community work together to create a promotional video for your organization, and creative content development workshop where you work with Johnny to plan and develop original creative content for your organization. Photo by Sweetleaf Photography.

contact
Johnny Villarreal
PO Box 152965
Austin, TX  78715
phone 210-364-5123
phone#2
e-mail johnny@theedgeofimaginationstation.com
public performance/concert $750 - $3,000
school performance $500 - $2,500
workshop fees $750 - $3,000
travel/per diem/lodging $150 - $1,000
website http://theedgeofimaginationstation.com/

 

Vocal Majority Chorus

Imagine the impact of a best-in-the-world musical act, with more than 100 singers, at your next event, an experience unlike any of your attendees have experienced. If you want to get your audience on their feet and charged up, look no further than Dallas-based Vocal Majority! Their lush, multi-layered harmonies and electrifying choreography make each performance an extraordinary experience. Their 100+ voices have inspired people for 48 years. Their diverse repertoire energizes your event with three performance-length options: a 10-15-minute event kick-off, a 45-60 minute program, or a full, two-hour performance in two acts. Vocal Majority volunteer musicians have inspired thousands since 1972. They are a nonprofit Barbershop Harmony Society chapter and 13-time International Champion Gold Medalist winner. Men of all backgrounds, ages, and walks of life perform because they love singing and touching people’s hearts. Vocal Majority has performed throughout the US, and in Canada, England, Scotland and Wales. They’ve performed in multiple cities across Texas, including Abilene, Anna, Crockett, Denton, Greenville, Kilgore, Lubbock, San Angelo, San Marcos, Tyler, Waco, and others. In 2019 they performed in Salt Lake City with Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the 4th time on their worldwide television and radio program Music and the Spoken Word. Photo by Andy Whalen.

contact
Nick Alexander
7383 Sandy Lake Rd.
Quinlan, TX  75474
phone 903-356-3993
phone#2 214-384-9555
e-mail ShowVP@VocalMajority.com
public performance/concert $10,000 - $15,000
school performance $3,000 - $8,000
travel/per diem/lodging $0 Local - Actual costs depending upon distance and length of stay
website https://www.VocalMajority.com

 

Patricia Vonne

Hailed as a 'Renaissance woman of Austin, Texas' by the New York Times, Patricia Vonne has claimed many titles in her illustrious career: singer, songwriter, actress, activist, and award-winning filmmaker. The three-time Austin Music Award winner is back with her seventh album, Top of the Mountain. Vonne continues her trailblazing ride along the borderland where Castillian & Mexican infusions of flamenco and fiery gypsy guitar meets all- American rock 'n' roll. Vonne has toured internationally including the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland & World Expo in Japan. She has shared the stage with Chris Isaak, Los Lobos, Raul Malo & collaborated with Texas musical heavyweights such as Charlie Sexton, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Rosie Flores, Doyle Bramhall & Flaco Jimenez. Vonne toured as a member of Tito and Tarantula, the band featured in the Tarantino/Rodriguez film From Dusk Till Dawn. Vonne has appeared on the big screen in Spykids, Desperado, Machete and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, in which she reprised her role as Dallas/Zorro Girl; Her song, Traeme Paz, was featured in the film Once Upon a Time in Mexico. 'Imagine a young Chrissie Hynde fronting the Mavericks with a little help from Calexico.' -WORD. Photo by Mark Guerra.

contact
Patricia Rodriguez
PO Box 42652
Austin, TX  78704
phone 512-461-6641
phone#2
e-mail info@patriciavonne.com
public performance/concert $2,000 - $10,000
school performance $500 - $2,000
workshop fees $500 - $2,000
travel/per diem/lodging $400 - $2,000
website https://www.patriciavonne.com

 

State Artist James C. Watkins

James C. Watkins is a ceramic artist who has worked with clay for over 40 years. His work is held in 25 permanent collections, including the White House Collection of American Crafts at the Clinton Library, the Shigaraki Institute of Ceramic Studies in Shigaraki, Japan, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, the Everson Museum, the Tweed Museum, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Watkins’ work has been widely exhibited in 47 solo exhibitions and 172 group exhibitions. Watkins is a Texas Tech University, Horn Distinguished Professor Emeritus and the 2019 recipient of the HCCC Texas Master Award presented by the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. Watkins is the author of Reflections Made of Memories and the co-author of two books: Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques co-authored with Paul Andrew Wandless, and Architectural Delineation: Presentation Techniques and Projects, co-authored with James T. Davis. His work is the subject of the book A Meditation of Fire: The Art of James C. Watkins by Kippra D. Hopper. Watkins has also written numerous articles for national and international magazines. He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and his MFA from Indiana University. Mr. Watkins offers lectures, wheel throwing pottery demonstrations, and alternative firing workshops based on his book, “Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques” co-authored with Paul Andrew Wandless. Photo by Bonni Oakes.

contact
James C. Watkins

Lubbock, TX 
phone 806-441-9178
phone#2
e-mail james.watkins@ttu.edu
workshop fees $1,000 - $3,000
website http://www.jcwclayworks.com/

 

Dale Watson

Although born in Alabama, Dale Watson is as Texas as the Panhandle. He came to country music early and naturally. His truck-driving father moonlighted as a country singer, and his older brothers had bands as well. Dale remembers receiving his first guitar at age seven and starting to write songs shortly after, 'the same stuff I'm writing about now,' he says with a laugh. A man with more than one life's experience under his belt, he has entertained crowds all over the world, including recent appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and PBS’s long-running Austin City Limits. Dale has been inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame and even founded his own genre of music, Ameripolitan. Photo by Candice Ghai.

contact
Davis McLarty
4425 Mopac South Building II, Suite 300 B
Austin, TX  78735
phone 512-848-0813
phone#2 512-848-0813
e-mail davis@atomicmusicgroup.com
public performance/concert $5,000 - $10,000
school performance $4,000 - $6,500
travel/per diem/lodging $500 - $2,000
website http://www.dalewatson.com

 

Mr. Will/Will and The Wilderness

Whether it’s encouraging toddlers to jump around and shout out their favorite mode of transportation (Excavator!), or getting couples to two-step while singing along to original Americana tunes, 'Mr. Will' has energized crowds for two decades with lively, toe-tapping, and often interactive music. Multifaceted singer-songwriter Will Dupuy entertains the young and young-at-heart with children’s concerts and country music sets. Mr. Will taps into the developmental and interactive aspects of raising kids with fun songs while showcasing a rambunctious spirit in live concerts for the under-seven crowd and now also a 'tween' show. The greatest charm of his shows is how the infectious melodies, combined with upbeat lyrics, get undeniably stuck in your head. However, some parents may recognize Will’s voice from his days touring with the South Austin Jug Band, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis, or Bob Schneider. But that's what music is all about, bringing people together and having fun, no matter the age. The talent that propelled him to perform continues with the latest incarnation of his own 'adult' band, Will and the Wilderness. With this group, Will often trades an acoustic guitar for his signature upright bass while playing a mix of original tunes and genre-crossing hits. Photo by Nicola Gell.

contact
KT Gardner
4505 Bull Creek Rd
Austin, TX  78731
phone 512-207-0825
phone#2
e-mail ktrootstock@gmail.com
public performance/concert $600 - $7,500
school performance $600 - $1,500
workshop fees $600 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $0 - $1,500
website https://www.mrwillmusic.com

 

WindSync

Hailed by the Houston Chronicle as 'revolutionary chamber musicians,' WindSync is internationally recognized for dramatic and engaging interpretations of classical music. The young, adventurous group performs from memory and focuses on building a connection with audiences through dynamic concert programming and charismatic stage presence. Frequently partnering with Young Audiences Arts for Learning across the state of Texas, WindSync also specializes in educational assembly programs in schools, family-friendly concerts, and concerts for audiences with autism or special needs. In WindSync’s concert program Songs, Dances, and Dreams, audiences will experience the wide array of colors created by the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French horn and the extraordinary virtuosity of each musician. The mix of repertoire includes classical music written for the wind quintet, arrangements of well-loved repertoire such as 'Bolero' and 'Summertime,' and new music with an exuberant, pop-rock sensibility. 'Peter and the Wolf' introduces the five wind instruments of the orchestra in an educational, family-friendly outreach program. Complete with a unique costumed and choreographed version of Prokofiev’s classic tale, WindSync inspires the imaginations of audiences of all ages. Photo by Kristina Jacinth.

contact
Anni Hochhalter
4515 Briar Hollow Pl. #306
Houston, TX  77027
phone 832-639-4212
phone#2 702-275-7014
e-mail contact@windsync.org
public performance/concert $3,500 - $8,500
school performance $1,000 - $3,500
workshop fees $1,000 - $3,500
travel/per diem/lodging $250 - $2,500
website http://www.windsync.org

 

Sue Young

Bilingual storyteller Sue Young has delighted audiences at museums, festivals, schools, and libraries around Texas and the US since 1994. An accomplished singer and songwriter, she received a 2013 Texas Music Awards nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year. Her CD, The Legend of the Quetzal, received a 2007 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award and she wrote the 2009 and 2011 Texas Summer Reading Club theme songs. Her interactive programs include Cantos Y Cuentos: Tales & Tunes of Latin America, a fun trip around Latin America through legends, folktales, traditional and original songs; ¡Viva México! Celebrate Mexico through songs and stories; Texican Tales and Tunes, cowboy songs, Mexican cantos, and stories showcasing the diverse cultural heritage of Texas. Sue offers an annual summer reading program tailored to the collaborative theme (and writes a song to go with the theme). Staff development sessions and workshops for adults, teens, and children are available, including Create Your Own Song, a songwriting workshop for 3rd graders through adults. Photo by Brenda Ladd.

contact
Sue Young
PO Box 5786
Austin, TX  78763
phone 512-914-9553
phone#2
e-mail sueyoungmusic@gmail.com
public performance/concert $250 - $1,200
school performance $250 - $1,200
workshop fees $250 - $1,000
travel/per diem/lodging $25 - $200
website https://www.sueyoungmusic.com

 

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