Out of This World: Tobin Center Presents Virtual Performance of Jaston Williams’ ‘I Saw the Lights’
January 4, 2021 - San Antonio
Take me to your leader. On January 29, The Tobin Center will present Jaston Williams’ I Saw the Lights, a virtual performance. Photo: Facebook.
By Jade Esteban Estrada, Theatre Tio Columnist | San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Jaston Williams' "I Saw the Lights" will play at 7 p.m. Friday, January 29, 2021
- This is virtual content that can be enjoyed on one's own device
Solo performer Jaston Williams of Greater Tuna fame is back with a new dark comedy entitled I Saw the Lights.
When mysterious lights appeared over Lubbock, Texas in 1951, people wondered aloud whether they were part of a government plot, a Russian invasion or just seeing space aliens out to abduct Francine Whitharrel’s Persian cat. In this virtual production, audiences will hear from the preacher with too much sense of humor, even for a Methodist, the hippie whose girlfriend longs to become a Comanche, a socialite from Connecticut who holds grudges against trees, and the cowboy with a chronic fear of water. Ultimately, nine different souls are drawn together by the inexplicable and form a lasting bond through their humanity and humor.
Williams grew up in the Texas Panhandle, which undoubtedly inspired his portrayals of the characters in the town of Tuna, the humble setting of the play Greater Tuna that has entertained audiences since 1981.
I Saw the Lights was inspired by “The Lubbock Lights,” UFO sightings that took place in Lubbock in 1951.
“I love the isolation of West Texas,” Williams told Texas Highways Magazine in 2017. “Part of my heart will always be out there.”
Williams hopes that people will laugh and think when they see his shows, “and hopefully take their minds off the world,” he said. “That’s what art is good for, and that’s the one thing I’ve always loved about the theater.”
This show is a safe bet for theatre lovers who feel they just need some space.
IF YOU TUNE IN:
Show time: 7 p.m.
Date: Friday, January 29, 2021
Price range: $25-$35
Tickets: Here
Jade Esteban Estrada is the Theatre Tio columnist for the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers arts and entertainment. jade@sasentinel.com | Twitter: @getjaded