Last year, for Main Street Theater, Emerick hauntingly illuminated the cool, intellectual Hannah, the linchpin of the contemporary scenes in Tom Stoppard's time-tripping Arcadia (1993), perhaps the most satisfying - and romantic - play by English theater's resident genius. As Shaw's "new woman" - Candida is cool and regally elegant, always in control and much smarter than the two men who love her and make her choose between them - Emerick was the apex and driving force of Classical Theatre's definitive, humorous, visually stunning production. This year, she played George Bernard Shaw's ideal woman, the eponymous heroine in Candida (1898). Shannon Emerick recently played two iconic characters who bookend the 20th century, and she played both of them to perfection. Who knows what future Acousticas will bring, but Austin's brainchild has already proved that the local music scene's heart is as big as its talent. With shades of Houston's storied singer-songwriter tradition born at places like Anderson Fair and the Old Quarter, each Acoustica brings together about a dozen of Houston's most talented (and altruistic) artists for an electricity-free evening, and has already spawned some unique collaborations, like rapper Fat Tony fronting artsy classical ensemble Two Star Symphony. The response was so overwhelmingly positive that several acts who didn't play begged him to do another one there have since been three more, with May's installment collecting donations for the Japanese Red Cross Society. Austin planned last November's inaugural Acoustica as a way to see several of his favorite artists in the same place and help out the Houston Food Bank for the holidays. Photographer and local music junkie Mark C. Canned Acoustica didn't start out as a concert series.
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