Making Election Night a Truly Theatrical Experience
As election date has drawn ever nearer, I've started to feel as annoyed as this little girl about the constant poll numbers and horse-race-media-analysis of this year's Presidential election. Can't it all just be over already? In all seriousness, though, GO VOTE today if you didn't vote early. Here's a nifty mobile application* if you need help finding a nearby polling place in Austin.
If you are still excited and eager about election night and all that means, some local venues have you covered! Each of the Alamo Drafthouse locations is hosting an Election Results party starting at 7 pm tonight. A $5 voucher gets you in the door (and covers part of your food/drink order). State and local races will also be included in the coverage shown at the Alamo.
The Violet Crown Cinema will also host an Election Night Watch party. The televisions in their lobby and lounge will be showing election results, as will one of their theater screens. The night's menu will include such goodies as Red, White, and Bleu Cheese Pizza (red peppers, bleu cheese and prosciutto), an All-American Hot Dog, and Wateroak Chevre Panna Cotta with local blueberries and raspberries, as well as their usual fare. Both the Alamo and VCC state that all political parties are welcome!
If you are weary of all the media hoopla about the election and want a breather, Cluny Brown will screen at Alamo South Lamar as part of the AFS current Essential Cinema series. The 1946 Lubitsch comedy stars Jennifer Jones as an aspiring plumber and Charles Boyer as the older man who falls for her. Say hi to Jette if you go.
As part of KLRU's Community Cinema program, Solar Mamas will be shown at 7 pm at Windsor Park library. You can watch an inspiring documentary about women being empowered through the study of solar engineering at the Barefoot College of India, and participate in discussion with other community members. It's free!
The Alamo Drafthouse on Slaughter will be showing 1976's Network, Sidney Lumet's biting drama about network television/journalism which still remains relevant. Watching this film might counteract any overexposure to the media circus that has happened during this (and every) presidential campaign season ... but I'm not making any promises.
*Editor's note: The nifty mobile application was created by our webmaster, Chip Rosenthal.
[Photo credit: "Debate-13" by David Hill. Found on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license. Thanks, David!]