A neon-lit corner of Sixth Street has pulsed with satire, magic and music for almost half a century. Esther’s Follies, the sketch-comedy revue launched on April Fool’s Day in 1977, has become an Austin institution — one that has survived fires, cultural shifts and even a global pandemic.
Today, its cast and founders reflect not only on the laughter but also on the gratitude that comes from sustaining one of the city’s most enduring creative spaces.
“From the beginning, we wanted Esther’s to be a place where Democrats and Republicans could sit together and laugh at themselves,” said co-founder and producer Shannon Sedwick, who has been at the heart of the show since day one. “That sense of shared humor is what kept us going — through good times and very hard times.”
What began as a quirky experiment in a small space quickly evolved into a signature Austin spectacle. Early productions included water ballets on land, costumed antics and irreverent sketches that echoed the spirit of Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows. Sedwick and co-founder Michael Shelton named the revue after swimmer Esther Williams, adding a touch of absurdity that matched the city’s “Keep Austin Weird” sensibility.
By the early 1980s, tragedy struck when the original venue was destroyed by fire.
“We lost everything… our piano, our costumes,” Sedwick recalled. “But the community rallied around us. Ann Richards and Lily Tomlin even staged a benefit to help us rebuild. That support cemented the bond between Austin and Esther’s.”
Over the decades, Esther’s became more than just a comedy show. More than a thousand performers have passed through its doors, yet the heart of the troupe remains steady, thanks to longtime players like Ray Anderson, who has dazzled audiences as a magician, director and choreographer for over 40 years.
“Nobody thought magic and sketch comedy would mix,” Anderson said. “But somehow it worked. I learned here that I had to be just as funny as the comics on stage. The magic can’t be the side act; it has to be part of the laughter.”
Performer and writer Shaun Branigan, who joined the show 27 years ago, credits its survival to its adaptability. “Audiences have shorter attention spans now, so the show is faster, sharper. You learn to say in two words what used to take five. Esther’s forces you to stay sharp and that keeps it exciting.”
For writer and performer Ted Meredith, who has spent 18 years balancing satire with wide appeal, Esther’s success lies in finding angles audiences can connect with.
“By the time we put something on stage, every joke has already been on Twitter. Our job is to give it an Austin twist, something people won’t see anywhere else,” he said. “When we reopened after the pandemic, that first night was the most grateful I’ve ever felt.”
Ellana Breedlove, who has served as Anderson’s magician’s assistant for 16 years, calls that live connection irreplaceable.
“Performing five nights a week is a gift,” she said. “The energy from an audience… that exchange is real magic. People escape real life for a while and we get to share in that with them.”
As Austin’s reputation as a comedy capital has grown, Esther’s Follies has maintained its place as both a cornerstone and an outlier. While big names and new clubs have shifted the scene, the Follies remains singular: a mix of political satire, vaudeville, music and magic that could only have been born in Austin.
“Comedy is hard right now because people are so divided,” Sedwick admitted. “But our job has always been to find the funny in what unites us or at least make both sides laugh at themselves.”
For the cast, gratitude runs deeper than applause. It’s about collaboration, survival and a rare stability in the unpredictable world of live theater.
“I’ve been here longer than I ever imagined,” Branigan said. “What keeps me coming back is the creativity and the chance to make people laugh every night.”
Sedwick summed it up best: “Austin has given us everything — support, loyalty, love. In return, we’ve given laughter. It’s been a true love affair with this city.”
As Esther’s Follies approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027, the show remains more than entertainment. It’s a reminder of the power of comedy to heal, unite and endure. In a city known for its music and innovation, Esther’s has carved its own legacy: one of resilience, absurdity, and above all, gratitude for the laughs that keep Austin’s spirit alive.
“The energy from an audience… that exchange is real magic."
“Austin has given us everything — support, loyalty, love."