Admit it—it’s hard to plan a romantic Valentine’s Day date. Whether this is your first year together or your fortieth, a lot of pressure goes into creating the best atmosphere for couples celebrating Cupid’s favorite day. Take advantage of these four shows playing in Austin throughout the romantic holiday:
Romeo and Juliet, adapted
As a popular meme summarizes this Shakespeare classic, Romeo and Juliet is the story of a three-day relationship between a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old that causes six deaths. Despite that, it’s still held up as the epitome of epic romantic love, which makes it perfect Valentine’s viewing when seen through the lens of Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare (which features a cast of sober actors attempting to keep the show running while dealing with one very drunk castmate).
Spider House Ballroom, Feb 16-March 24, Fri and Sat at 7:00pm; $16.50.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Though not a romantic story, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a play about love of the familial kind. It follows the life of Christopher, an autistic teenage boy who is investigating the murder of his neighbor's dog. ZACH’s production is stylized and moving, and reminds us that love comes in many different forms.
ZACH Theatre. January 31-March 4, Wed-Sat at 7:30pm, Sat and Su at 2:30pm; $30-$80.
Coming Up Short
Coming Up Short is a new play by writer/director April L. Phillips and is billed as a Christian Musical Dramedy. Focusing on the dating lives of contemporary singles, the show mixes a panoply of musical styles together with some spoken word poetic monologues to create a production that will run for one night only: Valentine’s Day.
George Washington Carver Museum, Feb 14 at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.
Romeo and Juliet
If a traditional take on Shakespeare is more your style than the drunken version, you can’t go wrong with this production of Romeo and Juliet from St. Edwards University. As with all of the school’s shows, it promises to be a weighty and emotional performance that showcases the prodigious talents of up-and-coming young actors.
Mary Moody Northen Theatre, Feb 15-25, Thur-Sun at 7:30pm and Sun at 2pm; $10-$25.