The John Henry Faulk Living Theatre operated as a small theatre venue at 204 East Fourth Street in downtown Austin, Texas. It was active by 1996 and remained in use through at least 2000, hosting locally produced plays, experimental theatre, and improvisational and sketch comedy. The venue was named for Austin-born folklorist, broadcaster, and free-speech advocate John Henry Faulk.
History In December 1996, The Austin Chronicle described the John Henry Faulk as a new downtown theatre at Fourth and Brazos.
The theatre was created in tribute to John Henry Faulk's achievements and ideals. It served the community through performances, workshops, theatre classes, and community meetings.
A Chronicle location listing identified 204 East Fourth Street as the administrative offices of the American Institute for Learning and the home of the theatre. The nonprofit offered educational and skills programs to teenagers and adults.
In 1999, the American Institute for Learning was completing a 16,000-square-foot classroom and office building at Fourth and San Jacinto, intended to expand its classrooms and computer access. By July 2000, the organization was known as American Youth Works, which the Chronicle identified as the former American Institute for Learning. The theatre remained active at 204 East Fourth Street through October 2000. Austin city records later listed American YouthWorks at 216 East Fourth Street in 2004, and by 2013 the former theatre address at 204 East Fourth Street was occupied by the newly opened Brazos Hall.
Programming The theatre's documented programming included work by Austin artists and local companies as well as visiting performers.
In February and March 1998, the Pro Arts Collective presented an adaptation of James Weldon Johnson's God's Trombones at the theatre. That spring, Tongue and Groove Theatre Company staged Our Own Dear Anton's Abandoned Story Cycle there. In May, the Chronicle described bent spectacles as a new local company in its review of the company's production of Jean-Claude van Itallie's America Hurrah at the theatre. Later that year, the theatre hosted Austin playwright Clay Nichols's O.T.
In November 1998, the theatre hosted two nights of programming for MoMFest. On November 11 and 14, the programs included Theatre’less Theatre Corps’ The Last Immigrant, Funky Boy Productions’ On the Move, Chris Alonzo with Austin Performance Ensemble (A.P.E.S.) in Eggshells, and Script & Wine.
The theatre served as one of the venues for the fourth Big Stinkin' festival in April 1999. Its schedule included the Perks, Lester McFwap, the New Ingredients, the Improv Bandits, the Have-Nots!, Spoo, Drunk Baby Collective, the Transformers, Well Hung Jury, Scratch Theatre, 2BD+1BA, the Perch Theatre, the Van Gogh-Goghs, the Skinnies, One Hit Wonder, and a youth workshop showcase. During an Improv Bandits performance, a Chronicle reviewer described the theatre as a small room with a black stage and a full audience. Festival coverage described One Hit Wonder as combining music, dance, and sketch comedy.
In December 1999, the theatre hosted the premiere of Ruth Margraff's alternative opera The Cry Pitch Carrolls, with music performed by the Golden Arm Trio. In 2000, it hosted the Disciples of Melpomene's staging of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, an adaptation of A Clockwork Orange by Fabulous and Ridiculous Theatre, and a production of Macbeth.
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