FronteraFest 2009: Week 1 Recap
Written by Ryan E. Johnson

Each week, austin.com writer Ryan Johnson will give us his favorites from that week of FronteraFest. This first week of FronteraFest lived up to its anticipation, with four nights of short plays that really packed a wallop. While there may have been a few missteps in the bunch, this week certainly had some shining moments, that step a high standard for those that follow to measure up to. So, without further ado, this week’s choices, in no particular order:

Southern gal sings the bluez in the key of E-Flat
Anyone who’s ever seen a production by Zell Miller III and Ebony Stewart knows they’re about to get a sock in the jaw, but they still blow you away every time with their social commentary and clever lyricism. Southern Gal regales us with stories of the life of an African-American female, and Stewart bewitches audiences with a jarring but beautiful combination of schoolgirl innocence and dance club sexuality, luring the audience in one moment and shocking them the next. The most amazing part of this piece is that it’s a work-in-progress, so audiences may get to see even more of the amazing show in upcoming months.