MoHA Announces Holiday Show: The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12 PM 11/14/2025
Contact: Eriane Austria,
A high-fantasy, fanfic-fueled holiday experience at The Museum of Human Achievement
AUSTIN, TEXAS --
Today, The Museum of Human Achievement announces its annual holiday musical, The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty. In five performances this December 18-20, MoHA continues to reimagine Christmas classics with avant-garde absurdity — this time, drawing from preteen crush energy and early 2000s fanfiction to put a twist on The Lord of the Rings. An annual act of community creation since 2013, the MoHA holiday show will once again place Austin icons behind the scenes and on stage to deliver fun, campy, and joyful performances this holiday season.
MoHA’s holiday show is a cornerstone of Austin’s seasonal traditions. Last year’s TITANIC #2 saw almost one thousand attendees and starred beloved Austin artists Khattie Quinones, Thomas Graves, Lynn Metcalf, Thor Harris, Turito, and p1nkstar, as well as visiting artists Shaboom! and Terror Pigeon. In response to high demand, this year MoHA is offering five performances, as well as early access to tickets for supporting members, available November 13-17, before the wide release to all on November 18th.
Zac Traeger, executive director of The Museum of Human Achievement, says: "In MoHA's full calendar of multidisciplinary, innovative, and original community arts programming, the holiday show stands out as something I look forward to every year. I can think of no better way to celebrate the creative gifts of Austin's community than with foam, dancing, music, fake snow, practical effects, painted cardboard and irreverent mash-ups of camp and pop culture. I know many folks look forward to MoHA's holiday show all year round, and The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty is worth the wait."
Megan Tabaque, director of past MoHA holiday shows Edward Normalhands in 2023 and Batman Returns Returns in 2018, directs The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty in MoHA’s East Austin warehouse art space. Tabaque is developing the script along with writers Roxy Castillo, Sam Mayer, Aira Juliet, and Sawyer Stoltz. MoHA and Terror Pigeon will lead production; Stephanie Page, Emily Gilardi, and Jess Bee will create costumes; and volunteers and community members will support with building the set. Prepare for an experience that will put you in your feels and make you totes obsessed with the foreboding holiday glow of Mount Doom.
“Hark! The herald Wizards sing! Glory to the Christmas Ring! The One Ring to rule the yule! To warm the heart of every holiday-loving hobbit, elf, and ent in Middle Earth! Whomever possesses the One Ring possesses the true spirit of Christmas. But on Christmas Eve of 2003, the Ring falls into the wrong hands! The only person that might save it is…a middle school girl writing a Lord of the Rings x Wicked fanfic fable for the ages in her LiveJournal?! You may think you know the story of the One Ring, but if you're not at The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty, you're only getting one side of it.”
The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty
December 18 - 20, The Museum of Human Achievement
Find the ticket link here.
Supporting members get early access to tickets, on sale November 13-17. Wide ticket release to all begins November 18th.
About The Museum of Human Achievement
The Museum of Human Achievement is an Austin-based 501(c)3 nonprofit providing funding, infrastructure, professional support, and affordable physical space to under-resourced artists across all disciplines. Steeped in principles of collaboration, experimentation, inclusivity, and accessibility, MoHA fosters an empowered, resilient creative community in Texas and beyond.
Since its founding in 2012, MoHA has partnered with 1,300 organizations to create new works; presented 5,500+ artists; and welcomed 250k visitors to its East Austin campus. MoHA has assisted 140 first-time grant recipients and distributed $1.6M to artists (70% BIPOC, 61% LGBTQIA). At present, MoHA houses studio and office space for twenty community arts groups and mutual aid organizations, as well as for local and visiting artists. MoHA supports more than a thousand artists annually through its programs and events, and it produces more than a hundred free public programs annually which integrate community vision, arts, and social practice. Learn more at https://moha.wiki/
Media Assets
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Show Poster
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Poster for The Summer Sauron Turned Pretty, designed by Billie Buck.
Logo
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The Museum of Human Achievement (MoHA) logo
Photos from Past Shows
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Photo by Erika Rich. The Shabooming at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2022. -
Photo by Olivia Vale. Batman Returns Returns at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2018. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. Edward Normalhands at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2023. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. Edward Normalhands at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2023. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. Edward Normalhands at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2023. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. TITANIC #2 at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2024. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. TITANIC #2 at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2024. -
Photo by Ismael Quintanilla. TITANIC #2 at The Museum of Human Achievement, 2024.
