Fellow Travelers
by Austin Opera
Feb. 06 - Feb. 07, 2027
Saturday-Sunday
In 1953, the young, idealistic Timothy Laughlin arrives in Washington, D.C., eager to join the fight against Communism. A chance encounter with Hawkins Fuller, a State Department official, results in Tim’s first job and his first romantic relationship with a man. As Tim struggles to reconcile his newfound love with his beliefs, the baleful force of McCarthyism threatens to cost Hawkins his job and his freedom.
Called “a deeply human love story” by the Chicago Tribune, Fellow Travelers portrays the experiences of government employees who were subject to humiliating investigations because of their sexuality.
Austin Opera’s performances in February 2027 kick off the second year of a national tour that will bring this story to multiple cities across the US in 2026 and 2027, one of the largest consortium projects ever attempted in the US opera industry. The tour is being co-produced by the Up Until Now Collective. In 2026, the tour begins with Seattle Opera (February 21-March 1), Portland Opera (March 7–15), San Diego Opera (July 10–12) and New York’s Glimmerglass Festival (July 18–Aug. 16).
“As we prepare to celebrate the opera’s tenth anniversary, I have been reflecting on my values as an artist, especially as a Queer artist making work during these uncertain times,” says stage director Kevin Newbury, who also directed the premiere of Fellow Travelers at Cincinnati Opera in 2016. “I believe that we stand on the shoulders of the people who came before us and who fought so hard and sacrificed so much for us to have the rights we have today. I believe in the power of art to build community. And I believe in the power of a good love story. And Fellow Travelers is, first and foremost, a good love story.”
Fellow Travelers
by Gregory Spears, Greg Pierce, based on Thomas Mallon's novel
Austin Opera
February 06 - February 07, 2027
February 6 & 7, 2027
Dell Hall, Long Center, Austin
