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| Arraon Hixson (4th from right) with his zany troupe of actors performing PIMPROV at the new House of Hixson Theater he built with his father at 5851 W. Madison St. For schedule of upcoming productions, call 773/417-4945. |
The actor, comedian, fitness coach, choir leader, and carpenter has built his own theater – The House of Hixson – at 5851 West Madison Street in Austin.
“I saw a need in the community and I filled it. I want to help other people in my community develop their talents,” Hixson says.
Hixson and his father, school administrator Anthony Hixson, worked tirelessly throughout the summer turning a storefront into a 50-seat live theater. It opened over the Christmas holiday.
Arraon Hixson, aka Skippa, is a graduate of Duke Ellington Elementary School, Prosser Career Academy, and Columbia College. He says acting has allowed him to meet people and travel to places he could have never dreamed. It also allows him to depict characters that are totally opposite of him, as well as work with people he admires.
“I want my theater to not just create the next superstar, but to create successful people, even if they don’t end up on Broadway or the big screen,” Hixson explains. “The entertainment industry hosts a plethora of careers and not just in acting. House of Hixson is here in the community to introduce people to all sides of the industry.”
In addition to presenting original plays in an intimate setting, House of Hixson will also be a comedy club and offer skit comedy productions. Arraon also plans to provide improvisational acting classes, community theatre, poetry, open mic, and premiere independent film showings. The theater is also available to businesses and organizations to rent for workshops and fundraisers.
As a not-for-profit enterprise, corporate sponsorship is being sought to guarantee House of Hixson is able to provide quality live productions, plus acting classes, and to present top-name performers.
House of Hixson will be home to an odd repertory sketch comedy troupe called PIMPROV. It has been performing for five years at the Chemically Imbalanced Theatre in Lakeview. It features four actors portraying pimps who have completed an improv acting course. A reviewer from the Chicago Tribune wrote: “I laughed. Flat-out laughed. But it was hard to figure out which was funnier: the scenes from this troupe or the audience reactions, which fluctuated between gut-busting laughter and mouth-gaping shock.”
Upcoming productions include: Talent Showcase on Saturday, February 4, 7:00 PM, $10; Theo Huff in Now Is The Time on Saturday, February 11, 7:00 PM, $20; and PIMPROV on Saturday, February 25, 8:00 PM, $15.
For tickets, call 773/417-4945. Obtain more information by visiting www.HouseOfHixson.com, or email your contact information to HouseofHixson@gmail.com.
