Acting Unlimited Inc., a local theater company founded in 1995 (which has produced over 40 stage productions), presents Before You, an original play, written and directed by Daniel Povinelli and co-directed by Walter Brown. The show opens on Thursday, January 8th and runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (January 8-10, 15-17 and 22-24) at 7:30 pm at Cite Des Arts in downtown Lafayette. Tickets are $15.
Before You follows a single, thirty-something scientist named Jason, who is unhappy with his career and devises a "love equation" which he hopes will give him the key to a more fulfilling life. In increasingly surreal and menacing encounters, his boss, aided by a sexy colleague, tries to thwart his efforts to solve the equation. Jason must rely on his perpetually underemployed best friend along with the woman who may hold the key to his future to help hom find the solution--which may not lie in the realm of mathematics. The elusive solution is both simpler and more profound than he realizes...but will he recognize the answer when he sees it?
Povinelli is a professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and is one of the world's leading authorities on animal intelligence. After receiving his Ph.D. from Yale University, he was named one of the "Top 20 Scientists to Watch in the Next 20 Years" by Discover Magazine and his work has been covered by major international media (including Time, Newsweek, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, the Economist, National Geographic, the London Times, CBS News, National Public Radio, BBC Radio, BBC Television, Japanese Public Television, and Spanish Public Television). Povinelli has been writing fiction and poetry for over 35 years. This is his first public production of an original play.
Povinelli has been involved in local community theater for over five years as an actor, director, and set designer for the Evangeline Players, the Iberia Performing Arts League (IPAL), and Acting Unlimited. Povinelli is co-directing Before You with long-time collaborator Walter Brown, president and technical director of Acting Unlimited. Their co-directorial debut was a production of Thorton Wilder's stage classic, Our Town, for which they were awarded "Best Drama of 2006" by local critic, Ray Blum, who described the production as "one of the finest I have ever seen anywhere." The show won the Louisiana Association of Community Theater's Award for Best Technical Production of 2006.
For more information about Before You or for reservations or tickets, contact Cite Des Arts at 291-1122.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Theatre--Performance
Terry Huval with the band in Lovesick Blues
Hugh Harris as Hank Williams in Lovesick BluesThe Liberty Theatre in Eunice presents Lovesick Blues: An Evening with Hank Williams on Saturday, January 3, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
Hugh Harris of Denham Springs captures the look and the uncanny sound of Hank Williams in this memory play that features over 20 Hank Williams classics. The songs are woven through narratives by Hank's manager, Fred Rose, and reflective conversations Hank has with other important people in his life. Renowned local Cajun fiddler Terry Huval leads the band that stands in for Hank's signature band, The Drifting Cowboys. This musical play recounts Hank's life from his childhood beginnings to the fateful night in the back of the 1952 Cadillac where his life ended on the way to a New Year's Day performance in Canton, Ohio. The show is directed by Jody L. Powell.
Tickets are $12.00. Reserved seating is available by calling the Eunice Mayor's Office at 337-457-7389.
Hugh Harris of Denham Springs captures the look and the uncanny sound of Hank Williams in this memory play that features over 20 Hank Williams classics. The songs are woven through narratives by Hank's manager, Fred Rose, and reflective conversations Hank has with other important people in his life. Renowned local Cajun fiddler Terry Huval leads the band that stands in for Hank's signature band, The Drifting Cowboys. This musical play recounts Hank's life from his childhood beginnings to the fateful night in the back of the 1952 Cadillac where his life ended on the way to a New Year's Day performance in Canton, Ohio. The show is directed by Jody L. Powell.
Tickets are $12.00. Reserved seating is available by calling the Eunice Mayor's Office at 337-457-7389.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Theatre--Article
Cody Daigle has an article in the December 24th issue of the Times of Acadiana entitled "Staging Out of Trouble". The article explores the effects, both potential and realized, of the economic downturn on local community theatre. It is a very interesting article--comments on it are welcome here (and will be shared with the author and public).
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Theatre--Notice
I have just discovered that the reviews in the Daily Advertiser, to which I link when they appear, are quickly transferred to the archives when they are accessible only by payment. I will monitor the situation in order to see if they continue to print the theatre reviews (which are the only ones linked to this blog) online.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Theatre
Local theatres are dark for the holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Theatre--Fundraiser (Acting Up (in Acadiana))
Acting Up (in Acadiana) will be giftwrapping at Barnes and Noble (located on Johnston Street in Lafayette) on Christmas Eve from 9 am to 1 pm.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Theatre--Audition
Auditions are set for the Abbey Players Theatre's next production, Move Over, Mrs. Markham, by Ray Cooney and John Chapman. This hilarious British farce will have the audience laughing until they cry. The chaos begins when three separate couples all seek illicit liaisons unknowingly at the same time and place.
The Abbey Players are looking for 5 women and 4 men between the ages of 20 and 50. Auditions are open to all interested persons. Auditions will be Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm and Monday, December 15, from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm.
Auditions will be at the theatre, located at 200 South State Street, Abbeville, LA.
For more information call the theatre at 898-2442 or check out the website.
The Abbey Players are looking for 5 women and 4 men between the ages of 20 and 50. Auditions are open to all interested persons. Auditions will be Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm and Monday, December 15, from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm.
Auditions will be at the theatre, located at 200 South State Street, Abbeville, LA.
For more information call the theatre at 898-2442 or check out the website.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Theatre--Review (IPAL)
The Iberia Performing Arts League presents another installment of the popular Harry Monday mysteries (If It's Monday, It Must Be Christmas) tonight and tomorrow and next week on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This series of comic mysteries by Pat Cook is a cross between Murder, She Wrote and The Maltese Falcon. Harry Monday (Mike Berry) is a low rent PI brought in to discover who stole the Christmas payroll at Harrigan's Department Store--on Christmas Eve. The owner, Titus Harrigan (Donald Voorhies), traditionally passes out the Christmas payroll and bonuses in cash. On the advice of an employee, Loretta Mondello (Carmen Nicholson), he has stashed the money in a green wrapped package hidden among other packages waiting for pickup. To no one's surprise, the package is now missing.
Of course the cast teems with likely suspects. Among the store employees are Mr. Harrigan himself, his secretary (Martha Gilfoil), a sexy clerk with an eye for Monday (Erin Segura), a nice young man from the wrong side of the tracks (Travis Guillory) who is engaged to Harrington's adopted daughter (Sarah Leonard) and an elf (Blythe Bull) in search of a missing Santa who may have had more than toys in his bag. Ho, ho, ho!
Harrington also has a crosstown rival, Mildred Wolensky (Kristin Anderson) who knows more than she should about the situation. She has a spy in the organization--who?
This time out, Harry has a new aide--a con man named Louie Grandville (Michael Durand). And, of course, Harry's investigation is hampered by his perennial nemesis, Lietenant Brogan (Mike Boroto) and Brogan's prying young daughter (Isabell Gilfoil) who is determined to uncover the whereabouts of the missing Santa.
We even get a flashback to the origins of Monday's career back in elementary school. Young Monday is played hilariously by Matthew Lasseigne.
This is a by-the-numbers mystery which is fine because the mystery is just a hook for a series of verbal and physical gags. The characters are stock characters who don't need a lot of background story and that lets the actors get right down to the real business of creating unique and entertaining personalities. The set by Barbara Berry is particularly effective and attractive.
Treat the family to this fun show for the holidays. It is packed with IPAL stalwarts who are old hands at this kind of comedy and know just what they are doing. The newcomers to the cast do a fine job as well. Director Mac Stearns keeps things light and fast and keeps the plot threads clear enough to follow if you are the type to try to guess whodunnit.
IPAL has a well-oiled machine running this show including Nita LaCouture on the spotlight, Matthew Dugan as Stage Manager, the invaluable Gordon Bull on Sound, Michael Caffrey and Todd LeMaire designing the lights, and Fred Comeaux, Mike Berry and Mac Stearns building the set. Lobby decorations by Kristin Anderson, Martha and Isabell Gilfoil and concessions provided by the Acadiana Women Leaders.
The creative team--designers, director and cast of this show-- are all good and well worth your attention. But we sometimes forget how critical the contributions of the backstage crews can be. A fine cast in a cheesy-looking show is at a disadvantage. A wonderful show in a dirty and dreary theatre has no hope of success. The ticket office personnel and concession staff have to make you feel appreciated or you won't come back.
IPAL has a great family atmosphere. Your patronage is appreciated and they let you know it.
Finally--I wrote that this cast is packed with IPAL regulars. Don't get the idea that IPAL is closed to new talent. There are new people in this cast and in most of their casts. Audiences see the same faces so often because those are the people who actually come out to audition. Theatre is a wonderful experience and vey much open to newcomers. On stage or backstage, every theatre company in Acadiana is constantly looking for new faces.
You could be part of a great show like If It's Monday, It Must Be Christmas.
---Walter Brown
Of course the cast teems with likely suspects. Among the store employees are Mr. Harrigan himself, his secretary (Martha Gilfoil), a sexy clerk with an eye for Monday (Erin Segura), a nice young man from the wrong side of the tracks (Travis Guillory) who is engaged to Harrington's adopted daughter (Sarah Leonard) and an elf (Blythe Bull) in search of a missing Santa who may have had more than toys in his bag. Ho, ho, ho!
Harrington also has a crosstown rival, Mildred Wolensky (Kristin Anderson) who knows more than she should about the situation. She has a spy in the organization--who?
This time out, Harry has a new aide--a con man named Louie Grandville (Michael Durand). And, of course, Harry's investigation is hampered by his perennial nemesis, Lietenant Brogan (Mike Boroto) and Brogan's prying young daughter (Isabell Gilfoil) who is determined to uncover the whereabouts of the missing Santa.
We even get a flashback to the origins of Monday's career back in elementary school. Young Monday is played hilariously by Matthew Lasseigne.
This is a by-the-numbers mystery which is fine because the mystery is just a hook for a series of verbal and physical gags. The characters are stock characters who don't need a lot of background story and that lets the actors get right down to the real business of creating unique and entertaining personalities. The set by Barbara Berry is particularly effective and attractive.
Treat the family to this fun show for the holidays. It is packed with IPAL stalwarts who are old hands at this kind of comedy and know just what they are doing. The newcomers to the cast do a fine job as well. Director Mac Stearns keeps things light and fast and keeps the plot threads clear enough to follow if you are the type to try to guess whodunnit.
IPAL has a well-oiled machine running this show including Nita LaCouture on the spotlight, Matthew Dugan as Stage Manager, the invaluable Gordon Bull on Sound, Michael Caffrey and Todd LeMaire designing the lights, and Fred Comeaux, Mike Berry and Mac Stearns building the set. Lobby decorations by Kristin Anderson, Martha and Isabell Gilfoil and concessions provided by the Acadiana Women Leaders.
The creative team--designers, director and cast of this show-- are all good and well worth your attention. But we sometimes forget how critical the contributions of the backstage crews can be. A fine cast in a cheesy-looking show is at a disadvantage. A wonderful show in a dirty and dreary theatre has no hope of success. The ticket office personnel and concession staff have to make you feel appreciated or you won't come back.
IPAL has a great family atmosphere. Your patronage is appreciated and they let you know it.
Finally--I wrote that this cast is packed with IPAL regulars. Don't get the idea that IPAL is closed to new talent. There are new people in this cast and in most of their casts. Audiences see the same faces so often because those are the people who actually come out to audition. Theatre is a wonderful experience and vey much open to newcomers. On stage or backstage, every theatre company in Acadiana is constantly looking for new faces.
You could be part of a great show like If It's Monday, It Must Be Christmas.
---Walter Brown
Theatre--Review
In the opening moments of Lian Cheramie's solo show The OneWoman/Girl/Lady/Beotch Show, we're welcomed by an earnest cleaning woman suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Her job here is simple – offer the audience a brief welcome and introduction to the show we're about to see. But her fixation on getting things clean and an assortment of OCD tics prevent her from fully executing her task.
In many ways, the OCD cleaning woman that opens Cheramie's Show is a fitting symbol for the entire enterprise. Through a series of five brief character sketches and a handful of video shorts, Cheramie aims to introduce the audience to the many voices inside her head. But she never quite packs the punch she's aiming for -- like the cleaning lady, an earnest task is undone by an unnecessary fixation and a few tics of her own.
The show is far from a complete disappointment. Cheramie deserves high marks for tackling solo performance. It's a difficult genre to get right, and its demands on the performer are high. Cheramie takes the whole thing in stride, gliding comfortably from role to role with confidence.
The show also delivers some impressive work by Megan LeBleu, who filmed and edited many of the show's video pieces. There's a sophistication to much of the work she delivers for the show, and rather than slow the show down, the video pieces propel the show forward, landing some of the show's juiciest laughs.
But the whole thing never really gels as theatre. While Cheramie offers us a host of characters (including a snarky poet, an oddball Avon saleslady, a Sarah Palin knockoff and a sex-ed teacher who suffers from "foreign accent syndrome"), the characters never seem to develop past their initial punchline. Part of that could be due to the brevity of the live performance sections of the show, but it can alsobe traced to the show's writing. While she lands some good one-liners in almost all of the character sketches, Cheramie never digs deep enough into her characters to make them believable people. They remain stuck at the level of sketch comedy, and in some cases (namely the Avon lady) that superficiality undercuts what could be a truly affecting character study.
As a performer, Cheramie clearly has affection for each of her characters. But her performances strike a note of sameness that makes it harder for them to leave indelible impressions. Many of the sketches rely heavily on a character's awkwardness or terror of speaking in front of an audience, and this repeated motif throughout the sketches leaves us feeling as though we're treading water. (The same cannot be said for the video segments, though – a video sketch which charts Cheramie's star-crossed affair with a certain food item is both charming and very funny. In my opinion, it was the highlightof the show, and showed Cheramie to be a versatile, interesting performer.)
What it all adds up to is a show that never quite makes it past the surface of things. And that's unfortunate, because inside many of the sketches are glimmers of some really excellent material. Chermaie has the skeleton of five interesting characters that could hold a stage of their own, but right now, they're not fully formed, relying too much on a snappy punch line and not enough on fleshed-out characterizations.
The top practitioners of the solo form – among them John Leguizamo,Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin and Eric Bogosian – did more than make an audience laugh. They revealed something deeply personal about themselves through the characters they created. Yes, the were funny.But they also revealed painful truths about who we are. At present, The One Woman/Girl/Lady/Beotch Show is focused on getting the laughs. By investing some time getting at the truth, the show would add up to a whole lot more.
---Cody Daigle
In many ways, the OCD cleaning woman that opens Cheramie's Show is a fitting symbol for the entire enterprise. Through a series of five brief character sketches and a handful of video shorts, Cheramie aims to introduce the audience to the many voices inside her head. But she never quite packs the punch she's aiming for -- like the cleaning lady, an earnest task is undone by an unnecessary fixation and a few tics of her own.
The show is far from a complete disappointment. Cheramie deserves high marks for tackling solo performance. It's a difficult genre to get right, and its demands on the performer are high. Cheramie takes the whole thing in stride, gliding comfortably from role to role with confidence.
The show also delivers some impressive work by Megan LeBleu, who filmed and edited many of the show's video pieces. There's a sophistication to much of the work she delivers for the show, and rather than slow the show down, the video pieces propel the show forward, landing some of the show's juiciest laughs.
But the whole thing never really gels as theatre. While Cheramie offers us a host of characters (including a snarky poet, an oddball Avon saleslady, a Sarah Palin knockoff and a sex-ed teacher who suffers from "foreign accent syndrome"), the characters never seem to develop past their initial punchline. Part of that could be due to the brevity of the live performance sections of the show, but it can alsobe traced to the show's writing. While she lands some good one-liners in almost all of the character sketches, Cheramie never digs deep enough into her characters to make them believable people. They remain stuck at the level of sketch comedy, and in some cases (namely the Avon lady) that superficiality undercuts what could be a truly affecting character study.
As a performer, Cheramie clearly has affection for each of her characters. But her performances strike a note of sameness that makes it harder for them to leave indelible impressions. Many of the sketches rely heavily on a character's awkwardness or terror of speaking in front of an audience, and this repeated motif throughout the sketches leaves us feeling as though we're treading water. (The same cannot be said for the video segments, though – a video sketch which charts Cheramie's star-crossed affair with a certain food item is both charming and very funny. In my opinion, it was the highlightof the show, and showed Cheramie to be a versatile, interesting performer.)
What it all adds up to is a show that never quite makes it past the surface of things. And that's unfortunate, because inside many of the sketches are glimmers of some really excellent material. Chermaie has the skeleton of five interesting characters that could hold a stage of their own, but right now, they're not fully formed, relying too much on a snappy punch line and not enough on fleshed-out characterizations.
The top practitioners of the solo form – among them John Leguizamo,Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin and Eric Bogosian – did more than make an audience laugh. They revealed something deeply personal about themselves through the characters they created. Yes, the were funny.But they also revealed painful truths about who we are. At present, The One Woman/Girl/Lady/Beotch Show is focused on getting the laughs. By investing some time getting at the truth, the show would add up to a whole lot more.
---Cody Daigle
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Theatre--Audition (Opelousas Little Theatre)
Audition dates for Opelousas Little Theatre's Showcase: 2009 have been set. Showcase is a variety show that the community theatre puts on the last two weekends of every January as to draw local talent from the surrounding area with the hope of getting folks involved with the arts. This is a call to locals interested in displaying their talents. They are calling on singers, actors, musicians, dancers, poets, comedians, ect... Interested parties will take part in musical numbers, skits, dance routines, and whatever else we can think of. Folks should have material prepared when auditioning, (music for songs/a'capella, monologues, ect...). Showcase is an all-ages, all-encompasing kind of 'G' rated show for the whole family to enjoy. Come and join in on the fun at Opelousas Little Theatre and support community theatre.
Auditions will be held at Opelousas Little Theatre on the following dates:
Thursday, December 4th from 6 to 8 pm
Saturday, December 6th from 3 to 5 pm
Thursday, December 11th from 6 to 8 pm
Saturday, December 13th from 3 to 5 pm
For more information, call Walter Duncan McBride at 337-543-8762.
Auditions will be held at Opelousas Little Theatre on the following dates:
Thursday, December 4th from 6 to 8 pm
Saturday, December 6th from 3 to 5 pm
Thursday, December 11th from 6 to 8 pm
Saturday, December 13th from 3 to 5 pm
For more information, call Walter Duncan McBride at 337-543-8762.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Theatre--Fundraiser
Firelight Children's Theatre presents Cocoa with the Santas on Sunday, December 14th from 3 to 6 pm at the Milton Organization Building in Picard Park. This event is a fundraiser to help defray travel expenses for the students who, under the direction of Laura Blum, have been asked to perform in an Off-Broadway theatre on June 14, 2009. A group of 55 children, whose ages range from 4 to 27, will travel to New York City next June to be a part of this exciting opportunity.
Advance ticket prices are $5.00 for adults and $4.00 for children 12 and under. Tickets will also be available at the door ($6.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 12 and under).
The ticket price includes:
Entertainment by Firelight music and theatre students
Stories told by Mrs. Claus
Cocoa and cookies
Drawings for door prizes
There will be other activites available for an additional fee: craft booths, bakery, a candy store, cookie decoration, face painting, old time fair games, gifts in a jar, decorate an ornament, and pictures with Santa.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, call (337) 857-6991.
Advance ticket prices are $5.00 for adults and $4.00 for children 12 and under. Tickets will also be available at the door ($6.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 12 and under).
The ticket price includes:
Entertainment by Firelight music and theatre students
Stories told by Mrs. Claus
Cocoa and cookies
Drawings for door prizes
There will be other activites available for an additional fee: craft booths, bakery, a candy store, cookie decoration, face painting, old time fair games, gifts in a jar, decorate an ornament, and pictures with Santa.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, call (337) 857-6991.
Theatre--Performance (UL-Lafayette)
The UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts, in conjunction with Alpha Psi Omega and Chi Tau Epsilon, presents an end of the semester Student Showcase. The performances will feature student directed pieces in theatre and dance. Performances are Thursday,December 4th and Friday, December 5th at 7:30 p.m. in Fletcher Hall, room 134 on the UL-Lafayette campus.
Admission is free. For further information, please call the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts at 482-6357.
Admission is free. For further information, please call the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts at 482-6357.
Theatre--Auditions (UL-Lafayette)
The UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts will hold auditions for their spring production of Five Women Wearing The Same Dress on Thursday, January 15th and Friday, January 16th. The auditions will be held in McLaurin Hall (on the UL-Lafayette campus) at 7 pm each evening. The cast includes 5 women and 1 man. Auditioners should prepare a 30 to 60 second comedic monologue.
The play is set in the South. During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below. They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride's younger sister whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, these five very different women joyously discover a common bond in this wickedly funny, irreverent and touching celebration of the women's spirit.
Production dates for the show are March 4th through the 8th. For more information, contact the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts at 482-6357.
The play is set in the South. During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below. They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride's younger sister whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye. As the afternoon wears on, these five very different women joyously discover a common bond in this wickedly funny, irreverent and touching celebration of the women's spirit.
Production dates for the show are March 4th through the 8th. For more information, contact the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts at 482-6357.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Dance--Article (Lafayette Ballet Theatre)
There is an article in the Tuesday, December 2nd issue of the Daily Advertiser about Adrienne Boudreaux and the Lafayette Ballet Theatre's production of The Nutcracker. Ms. Boudreaux is cast as the Arabian Dancer in this year's production.
Theatre--Performance
The Lafayette High School Performing Arts Academy Theatre Arts Department's production of Thorton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth will run December 11-13th.
The much lauded playwright Thornton Wilder won the coveted Pulitzer Prize for this comedy-tinged look at an American family. Our production represents a poignant, albeit, cock-eyed view of what the American Ideal is all about. The show is directed by Blaine Peltier (The Rocky Horror Show).
The Skin of Our Teeth runs December 11-13 at the NP Moss Annex Auditorium, 801 Mudd Ave. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. All performances are at 8 pm. For tickets and additional information, please call 212-4471 or email lhspaatheatre@yahoo.com
The much lauded playwright Thornton Wilder won the coveted Pulitzer Prize for this comedy-tinged look at an American family. Our production represents a poignant, albeit, cock-eyed view of what the American Ideal is all about. The show is directed by Blaine Peltier (The Rocky Horror Show).
The Skin of Our Teeth runs December 11-13 at the NP Moss Annex Auditorium, 801 Mudd Ave. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. All performances are at 8 pm. For tickets and additional information, please call 212-4471 or email lhspaatheatre@yahoo.com
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Theatre--Performance
IPAL’s Christmas show this year will be If it’s Monday, This Must Be Christmas! – a comedy written by Pat Cook and directed by Mac Stearns. In order to produce the show during the Christmas season without conflicting with Christmas itself, there will be eight performances during the first two weeks of December. Performance dates and times are: Thursdays (December 4th and 11th), Fridays (December 5th and 12th) and Saturdays (December 6th and 13th) at 7:30 PM and Sundays (December 7th and 14th) at 3 PM. The cast is led by Mike Berry reprising his role as Harry, and includes Kristin Anderson, Michael Boroto, Blythe Bull, Michael Durand, Isabell Gilfoil, Martha Gilfoil, Travis Guillory, Matthew Lasseighe, Sarah Leonard, Carmen Nicholson, Erin Segura and Donald Voorhies. Matthew Dugan is the stage manager.
The play takes place just before Christmas in Harrigan’s Department store. When it is discovered that both the employees’ Christmas bonus money and the store Santa Claus are missing, a private detective named Harry Monday is employed to sort things out. Harry is a combination of all of the movie “private eyes” of the past and his handling of the case and the characters involved makes for a delightful evening.
All who saw IPAL’s production of Murder Is Bad But Monday Can Kill You! will remember the hilarious antics of Harry Monday and his rival, Lieutenant Brogan. They are back in an equally funny romp celebrating the Christmas season in the center of commercial Christmas activity – a department store.
Performances take place at IPAL’s Essanee Theater (126 Iberia Street in New Iberia). Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in New Iberia at Accentrics, Delaune’s Pharmacy, or Paul’s Flower Shop. Regular tickets, as well as $5 student tickets, may also be secured at the door. Additional information may be obtained by calling the theater at 364-6114.
The play takes place just before Christmas in Harrigan’s Department store. When it is discovered that both the employees’ Christmas bonus money and the store Santa Claus are missing, a private detective named Harry Monday is employed to sort things out. Harry is a combination of all of the movie “private eyes” of the past and his handling of the case and the characters involved makes for a delightful evening.
All who saw IPAL’s production of Murder Is Bad But Monday Can Kill You! will remember the hilarious antics of Harry Monday and his rival, Lieutenant Brogan. They are back in an equally funny romp celebrating the Christmas season in the center of commercial Christmas activity – a department store.
Performances take place at IPAL’s Essanee Theater (126 Iberia Street in New Iberia). Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in New Iberia at Accentrics, Delaune’s Pharmacy, or Paul’s Flower Shop. Regular tickets, as well as $5 student tickets, may also be secured at the door. Additional information may be obtained by calling the theater at 364-6114.
Theatre--Auditions
Omni Artiste is holding auditions for the upcoming production of Talking Bones by Shay Youngblood. The show is about three women who can hear inner voices of their Ancestors and the way that each of the women chooses to respond to the voices.
The cast will consist of:
Eila--Female in her early 20s
BayBay--Female in her early 40s
Ruth--Female in her early 60s
Oz--Male in his late 20s
Mr. Fine--Male in his 40s
The auditions will be held on Saturday, December 13th (from 2 to 4 pm), Sunday, December 14th (from 4 to 6 pm) and Monday, December 15th (from 6 to 8 pm) at Cite Des Arts on Vine Street in Lafayette.
The cast will consist of:
Eila--Female in her early 20s
BayBay--Female in her early 40s
Ruth--Female in her early 60s
Oz--Male in his late 20s
Mr. Fine--Male in his 40s
The auditions will be held on Saturday, December 13th (from 2 to 4 pm), Sunday, December 14th (from 4 to 6 pm) and Monday, December 15th (from 6 to 8 pm) at Cite Des Arts on Vine Street in Lafayette.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Theatre--Review
Spirit North, written by Leslie Lee and produced by Omni Artiste at Cite Des Arts deserves better audiences than it has been getting. The play concerns the responsibilities Black Americans owe to their communities and to individual members of those communities. Paul Massey (John Bess) is a defense attorney whose brother was framed and convicted by White American police. Paul has taken on the defense of a Black teen accused of murdering a Jewish student. There is some doubt as to which of three Black teens actually committed the murder but Maliki is a gang member and routinely victimizes his neighborhood. Nonetheless, Paul makes Maliki into a civil rights icon in order to intimidate the jury into exonerating him.
Paul's wife, Leila (Bria Hobgood), is a high school teacher confronted almost daily by the consequences of Black crime. She has, herself, been victimized by Maliki--a fact she has concealed from everyone, including Paul. Leila feels strongly that Paul should not be responsible for returning Maliki to the neighborhood. She wants Black criminals to be confronted with consequences for their actions and she wants them off the streets. Her best friend, Shelby (Brandi Sonnier), finds herself sympathetic to both sides of the debate. Shelby is the audience representative and her task is to try to find a way to reconcile both points of view--if that's even possible.
Finally, there is Ben (Nicholas Marchan), Paul's grandfather who slips in and out of senility. Ben constantly relives his showbiz past but occasionally becomes lucid enough to make some pointed comments on the situation. Complicating things further is the fact that Leila is pregnant and increasingly ambivalent about raising a baby with Paul.
This script is nicely balanced. It's not completely clear where the author stands although the ending somewhat weights the argument to the wife. Paul argues convincingly for the right of the accused to legal representation although Paul's real motivations are racial solidarity coupled with an all too human desire for vengeance. He doesn't care if Maliki is guilty or not. Leila's argument is that inner city neighborhoods need to be protected from predators of whatever race and that social progress requires social order. The two viewpoints are difficult to reconcile and the tensions that split the Black community also split the Massey family.
Although the setting is a disadvantaged neighborhood, the characters are well-educated professionals. Paul is a lawyer, Leila is a teacher and Shelby is a social worker. This is a play which works on the intellect as much as the emotions. The writing is literate, the characters are not victims and each of them argues his or her own point of view with eloquence and conviction.
John Bess is a well-known performer and activist who brings a solid presence and an inflexible passion to his role as Paul. Paul's sense of responsibility is more political than personal, a point dramatized by Paul's decision to put off the burden of caring for his own grandfather onto the shoulders of strangers in a nursing home.
Bria Hobgood brings a tremendous warmth and sympathy to the role of Leila. Her sense of responsibility is personal and maternal. She wants to keep Ben at home despite the difficulties of caring for him. She is a surrogate mother to her students and is about to be a mother in actuality.
John Bess and Bria Hobgood make obvious in their performances what draws this couple together and what pulls them apart.
Brandi Sonnier brings a nicely sassy quality to the role of Shelby.
Nicholas Marchan is 50 years younger than his character but his physical commitment to the role is amazing. He makes an equally strong emotional commitment. Watching and listening to him one sees the elderly Ben and not the young Nicholas. He makes Ben by turns dignified, defiant, funny and touching.
Director Alex Marshall and his Stage Manager/Assistant Director Andrew Hunter have presented a thoughtful, emotionally stirring show on a good looking set with a very appealing cast. Shows like this--entertaining and substantive and presented with artistic excellence--need our support.
This could easily be a movie on Lifetime. It is easy to see how this would play successfully on the small screen with this cast and director. But live theatre has a magic that film and television cannot match. Something electric happens when one is actually in the room with the performers that no camera can ever capture. Live theatre is moving and exciting in a way that can become addictive. But it can't happen in a vacuum. Performers need an audience. Companies need ticket revenue. Theatre operators need to pay overhead. This is an art form that can vanish without our support.
You can still catch Spirit North Saturday, November 29 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 30 at 3 PM. You won't regret it.
---Walter Brown
Paul's wife, Leila (Bria Hobgood), is a high school teacher confronted almost daily by the consequences of Black crime. She has, herself, been victimized by Maliki--a fact she has concealed from everyone, including Paul. Leila feels strongly that Paul should not be responsible for returning Maliki to the neighborhood. She wants Black criminals to be confronted with consequences for their actions and she wants them off the streets. Her best friend, Shelby (Brandi Sonnier), finds herself sympathetic to both sides of the debate. Shelby is the audience representative and her task is to try to find a way to reconcile both points of view--if that's even possible.
Finally, there is Ben (Nicholas Marchan), Paul's grandfather who slips in and out of senility. Ben constantly relives his showbiz past but occasionally becomes lucid enough to make some pointed comments on the situation. Complicating things further is the fact that Leila is pregnant and increasingly ambivalent about raising a baby with Paul.
This script is nicely balanced. It's not completely clear where the author stands although the ending somewhat weights the argument to the wife. Paul argues convincingly for the right of the accused to legal representation although Paul's real motivations are racial solidarity coupled with an all too human desire for vengeance. He doesn't care if Maliki is guilty or not. Leila's argument is that inner city neighborhoods need to be protected from predators of whatever race and that social progress requires social order. The two viewpoints are difficult to reconcile and the tensions that split the Black community also split the Massey family.
Although the setting is a disadvantaged neighborhood, the characters are well-educated professionals. Paul is a lawyer, Leila is a teacher and Shelby is a social worker. This is a play which works on the intellect as much as the emotions. The writing is literate, the characters are not victims and each of them argues his or her own point of view with eloquence and conviction.
John Bess is a well-known performer and activist who brings a solid presence and an inflexible passion to his role as Paul. Paul's sense of responsibility is more political than personal, a point dramatized by Paul's decision to put off the burden of caring for his own grandfather onto the shoulders of strangers in a nursing home.
Bria Hobgood brings a tremendous warmth and sympathy to the role of Leila. Her sense of responsibility is personal and maternal. She wants to keep Ben at home despite the difficulties of caring for him. She is a surrogate mother to her students and is about to be a mother in actuality.
John Bess and Bria Hobgood make obvious in their performances what draws this couple together and what pulls them apart.
Brandi Sonnier brings a nicely sassy quality to the role of Shelby.
Nicholas Marchan is 50 years younger than his character but his physical commitment to the role is amazing. He makes an equally strong emotional commitment. Watching and listening to him one sees the elderly Ben and not the young Nicholas. He makes Ben by turns dignified, defiant, funny and touching.
Director Alex Marshall and his Stage Manager/Assistant Director Andrew Hunter have presented a thoughtful, emotionally stirring show on a good looking set with a very appealing cast. Shows like this--entertaining and substantive and presented with artistic excellence--need our support.
This could easily be a movie on Lifetime. It is easy to see how this would play successfully on the small screen with this cast and director. But live theatre has a magic that film and television cannot match. Something electric happens when one is actually in the room with the performers that no camera can ever capture. Live theatre is moving and exciting in a way that can become addictive. But it can't happen in a vacuum. Performers need an audience. Companies need ticket revenue. Theatre operators need to pay overhead. This is an art form that can vanish without our support.
You can still catch Spirit North Saturday, November 29 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 30 at 3 PM. You won't regret it.
---Walter Brown
Theatre--Article
There is an article by Cody Daigle in the November 28th edition of the Daily Advertiser about Acting Up (in Acadiana)'s latest project, Play. Music. Heal.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Theatre--Performance/Workshop
Acting Up in Acadiana and the Dana Foundation presents The One Woman/Girl/Lady/Beotch Show featuring Lian Cheramie. With audience interaction and video skits, these characters will be under one roof on the same night for the first time. In coordination with this performance and the Dana Foundation, Cheramie will conduct a workshop for teachers called “Characters Alive”. In this workshop designed for teachers, Cheramie will share how she creates and develops a character and how students can do the same when working with poetry.
The One Woman/Girl/Lady/Beotch Show will take place at the Acadiana Center for the Arts on Friday, December 5th and Saturday, December 6th at 8pm; a talk back will follow the performance on both nights. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. For more information call (337) 309- 4964 or (337) 739-4273.
“Characters Alive” is an Arts in Education workshop is geared toward 6th-12th grade educators. It will take place on Thursday, January 15th from 4:30-6:00pm at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. For more information or to register, call (337) 233-7060.
The One Woman/Girl/Lady/Beotch Show will take place at the Acadiana Center for the Arts on Friday, December 5th and Saturday, December 6th at 8pm; a talk back will follow the performance on both nights. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. For more information call (337) 309- 4964 or (337) 739-4273.
“Characters Alive” is an Arts in Education workshop is geared toward 6th-12th grade educators. It will take place on Thursday, January 15th from 4:30-6:00pm at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. For more information or to register, call (337) 233-7060.
Opera--Performance
The UL Opera Theatre has completed the audition process and announced the cast for the spring 2009 production of The Marriage of Figaro. The cast is:
Susanna - Stacy Broussard
Figaro - Brian Sanford
Countess - Sasha Massey
Count - Nathan Abbott
Cherubino - Jessica Wiltz
Basilio/Don Curzio - Kevin Credeur
Bartolo - Ben Sellers
Marcellina - Lindy Waldmeier/Carolyn Broussard
Antonio - Nicholas Manzo/Jonah Slason
Barbarina - Angela Prejean/Jenee Luquette
Conductor - Mariusz Smolij
Director - Shawn Roy
accompanied by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra
Susanna - Stacy Broussard
Figaro - Brian Sanford
Countess - Sasha Massey
Count - Nathan Abbott
Cherubino - Jessica Wiltz
Basilio/Don Curzio - Kevin Credeur
Bartolo - Ben Sellers
Marcellina - Lindy Waldmeier/Carolyn Broussard
Antonio - Nicholas Manzo/Jonah Slason
Barbarina - Angela Prejean/Jenee Luquette
Conductor - Mariusz Smolij
Director - Shawn Roy
accompanied by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra
The opera will be performed at Angelle Hall on the UL-Lafayette campus on Thursday (April 30th), Saturday (May 2nd) and Sunday (May 3rd).
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Dance--Article (UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts)
The Daily Advertiser's Judy Bastien has written an article about the UL-Lafayette's Department of Performing Art production of State of La Danse in the November 20 issue of the paper. State of La Danse opens tonight at Angelle Hall at 7:30 pm.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Editor's Note
As you all may have noticed, lately there haven't been many reviews. I am having trouble finding reviewers. If any of you are interested in reviewing for "publication" here, just leave a comment to this post. All comments are moderated, so no one will see these comments. Please leave me your e-mail address so that I can contact you.
I think that the reviews add a lot to the blog, and I am hoping that you all think so too.
I think that the reviews add a lot to the blog, and I am hoping that you all think so too.
Dance--Performance
The UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts will present State of La Danse, opening Thursday, November 20th at 7:30 pm at Angelle Hall. This year's dance concert involves UL dance majors as well as returning graduates of the UL dance department. The choreographers this year are:
Kenneth Jenkins
Kristi Carr
Marie Broussard
Lacey LeBlanc (Graduate)
Anthony Whitehurst (Graduate)
Performances will be held Thursday, November 20th through Saturday, November 22nd at 7:30 pm and on Sunday, November 23rd at 2:00pm.
Kenneth Jenkins
Kristi Carr
Marie Broussard
Lacey LeBlanc (Graduate)
Anthony Whitehurst (Graduate)
Performances will be held Thursday, November 20th through Saturday, November 22nd at 7:30 pm and on Sunday, November 23rd at 2:00pm.
Theatre--Performance
The Omni Artiste presentation of Spirit North opens Friday, November 21st at Cite Des Arts. Written by Leslie Lee and directed by Dr. Alex Marshall, this is a story of a black defense attorney who brilliantly wins successful acquittals for his clients that place him in profound conflict with his wife and family
WHEN: Friday (November 21 and 28) and Saturday, (November 22 and 29) at 7:30 pm and Sundays (November 23 and 30) at 3:00 pm.
WHERE: Cité des Arts, 109 Vine St., Downtown Lafayette between Jefferson. St. and Third St.
COST: $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for senior citizens and students
For reservations or additional information, please contact Cité at 337-291-1122.
WHEN: Friday (November 21 and 28) and Saturday, (November 22 and 29) at 7:30 pm and Sundays (November 23 and 30) at 3:00 pm.
WHERE: Cité des Arts, 109 Vine St., Downtown Lafayette between Jefferson. St. and Third St.
COST: $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for senior citizens and students
For reservations or additional information, please contact Cité at 337-291-1122.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Theatre--Workshop
Acting Up (in Acadiana) invites you to take part in a rare chance to observe the creative process of developing a collaborative new work. Most often, our community only experiences final, polished performances on stage. We don’t often have the opportunity to observe the rehearsal process--to see how work is developed--to witness the art of collaboration between different disciplines. Acting Up (in Acadiana) opens our process to the public as we develop PLAY. MUSIC. HEAL. The project brings together actors, musicians, and writers to create a contemporary story about the potential for music to heal. We invite you to join us on Monday November 17th when Henry Gray will be our guest musician . On Monday November 24th Bernard Pearce will create music and Kaili Hollister and Justin Zsebe from Tim Robbins’ The Actor’s Gang based in Los Angeles will join the creative process. The sessions will round up with Chris Courville on December 1st and Chris Stafford on December 8th as music contributors. All sessions are free and open to the public and take place at the Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA) 101 W. Vermilion St. in downtown Lafayette from 6-7:45 PM. For more information please contact Paige Krause at (337) 309-4964 or actingupinacadiana@gmail.com. This project is funded in part by the Louisiana Division of the Arts and the Acadiana Arts Council.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Performing Arts--Scholarships
Guidelines for the L. Hill Bonin, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Award, administered by Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA), are available for high school and college students pursuing short-time educational and training opportunities in performing arts or arts administration and non-profit organizations or groups that propose performing arts productions or activities which involve and benefit high school or college students.
Completed forms and all attachments must be submitted to the PASA office by March 1, 2009 to qualify for the 2008/2009 scholarships. Scholarship eligibility requirements and application can be found online at www.pasaonline.org. Applicants with questions about the application process and requirements can call the PASA office (337)237-2787.
The L. Hill Bonin, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund was created to award talented and deserving performing arts students with funds to support their pursuit of advanced study or training, beyond their present studies and training. The scholarship has been extended to include groups that provide opportunities to students for enhancing their performing arts talents through professional training.
To be considered for an award, students must be enrolled in any high school or college in the parishes served by PASA, be planning to pursue a career or professional training in performing arts or arts administration, be a citizen of the United States and a Louisiana resident, and have an overall grade point average of B or higher on their high school or college transcript. For a non-profit organization or group to be eligible it must propose a production, performance, or activity that involves high school or college students and ensure that the funds will be used for the enhancement of the talents of the students in the performance.
"The Bonin Scholarship allows recipients a chance to learn from some of the world's best performing arts instructors," says PASA Executive Director Jacqueline Lyle. "As a performing arts presenter, we support the growth and development of young talent and with this scholarship can assist students with the opportunity to develop into the top artists they will become."
Recipients are chosen by the PASA Bonin Scholarship committee, composed of PASA board members and a representative of the Bonin family. Recipients, after meeting eligibility criteria, are chosen on the basis of the artistic merit of the proposed training or project, planning and design of the proposal, and appropriate request and plans for the use of the funds.
Last year the Bonin scholarship awarded four recipients, including one ULL student and two high school students.
Flutist Roldon Brown, a senior at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette was invited by Robert Langevin, Principal Flutist in NY Philharmonic and faculty member at Julliard School, to study in Oxford, England. He attended the Oxford International Music Academy and the Nice International Music Academy.
Philip McPeek, a senior at Lafayette High School, and Sarah White, a graduate of Catholic High School of New Iberia, were the two outstanding high school students selected by the committee. McPeek, a member of the Lafayette High School band, used his scholarship to attend summer music programs at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp Ensemble Program, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Summer Percussion Academy, and Blue Lake Fine Arts camp. White used her scholarship to attend the New York Conservatory School for Dramatic Arts in New York City.
For the first time in the scholarship's history, funds were awarded to a local acting company to conduct a summer theater camp for area youth.
The Summer Youth Shakespeare Ensemble was the first-ever organizational recipient of the Bonin scholarship. This company hosted a summer theater camp for area youth. Students in the ensemble came from public and private schools in Acadiana, local homeschool programs and ULL. The ensemble presented Shakespeare's The Tempest in July 2008 as its end of session production.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the L. Hill Bonin Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, you may mail a check to P.O. Box 52979, Lafayette, LA 70505.
Completed forms and all attachments must be submitted to the PASA office by March 1, 2009 to qualify for the 2008/2009 scholarships. Scholarship eligibility requirements and application can be found online at www.pasaonline.org. Applicants with questions about the application process and requirements can call the PASA office (337)237-2787.
The L. Hill Bonin, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund was created to award talented and deserving performing arts students with funds to support their pursuit of advanced study or training, beyond their present studies and training. The scholarship has been extended to include groups that provide opportunities to students for enhancing their performing arts talents through professional training.
To be considered for an award, students must be enrolled in any high school or college in the parishes served by PASA, be planning to pursue a career or professional training in performing arts or arts administration, be a citizen of the United States and a Louisiana resident, and have an overall grade point average of B or higher on their high school or college transcript. For a non-profit organization or group to be eligible it must propose a production, performance, or activity that involves high school or college students and ensure that the funds will be used for the enhancement of the talents of the students in the performance.
"The Bonin Scholarship allows recipients a chance to learn from some of the world's best performing arts instructors," says PASA Executive Director Jacqueline Lyle. "As a performing arts presenter, we support the growth and development of young talent and with this scholarship can assist students with the opportunity to develop into the top artists they will become."
Recipients are chosen by the PASA Bonin Scholarship committee, composed of PASA board members and a representative of the Bonin family. Recipients, after meeting eligibility criteria, are chosen on the basis of the artistic merit of the proposed training or project, planning and design of the proposal, and appropriate request and plans for the use of the funds.
Last year the Bonin scholarship awarded four recipients, including one ULL student and two high school students.
Flutist Roldon Brown, a senior at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette was invited by Robert Langevin, Principal Flutist in NY Philharmonic and faculty member at Julliard School, to study in Oxford, England. He attended the Oxford International Music Academy and the Nice International Music Academy.
Philip McPeek, a senior at Lafayette High School, and Sarah White, a graduate of Catholic High School of New Iberia, were the two outstanding high school students selected by the committee. McPeek, a member of the Lafayette High School band, used his scholarship to attend summer music programs at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp Ensemble Program, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Summer Percussion Academy, and Blue Lake Fine Arts camp. White used her scholarship to attend the New York Conservatory School for Dramatic Arts in New York City.
For the first time in the scholarship's history, funds were awarded to a local acting company to conduct a summer theater camp for area youth.
The Summer Youth Shakespeare Ensemble was the first-ever organizational recipient of the Bonin scholarship. This company hosted a summer theater camp for area youth. Students in the ensemble came from public and private schools in Acadiana, local homeschool programs and ULL. The ensemble presented Shakespeare's The Tempest in July 2008 as its end of session production.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the L. Hill Bonin Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, you may mail a check to P.O. Box 52979, Lafayette, LA 70505.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Theatre--Performance
The Opelousas Little Theatre will present its second and final weekend of Of Mice and Men beginning on Thursday, November 13th.
The Opelousas Daily World ran an article about the show back in October.
The Opelousas Daily World ran an article about the show back in October.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Theatre--Article (Evangeline Players)
The Daily Iberian ran a feature article about It's a Wonderful Life, the Evangeline Players' new production, which opens tonight in St. Martinville.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Dance--Performance
The University of Louisiana-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts will present the fall dance concert, State of La Danse, beginning November 20th, 2008. This year's dance concert features current UL dance majors as well as returning graduates of the UL dance department.
The choreographers for this dance concert are Kenneth Jenkins, Kristi Carr, Marie Broussard, Lacey LeBlanc (graduate of the UL-Lafayette program) and Anthony Whitehurst (graduate of the UL-Lafayette program).
The dance conert is held at Angelle Hall on the UL-Lafayette campus on Thursday, November 20th, Friday, November 21st and Saturday, November 22nd at 7:30 pm. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, November 23rd at 2 pm.
For more information, please call the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts at
(337) 482-6357.
The choreographers for this dance concert are Kenneth Jenkins, Kristi Carr, Marie Broussard, Lacey LeBlanc (graduate of the UL-Lafayette program) and Anthony Whitehurst (graduate of the UL-Lafayette program).
The dance conert is held at Angelle Hall on the UL-Lafayette campus on Thursday, November 20th, Friday, November 21st and Saturday, November 22nd at 7:30 pm. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, November 23rd at 2 pm.
For more information, please call the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts at
(337) 482-6357.
Theatre--Contest/Performance
The Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA) and Cox Communications are thrilled to announce 17-year-old Lafayette native, Courtney Svendson, as the winner of the "Singing with the Broadway Stars" contest.
The contest is a companion to the upcoming performance of Neil Berg's widely acclaimed 100 Years of Broadway, a musical revue of Broadway's most celebrated shows, which features a dazzling cast of five Broadway stars accompanied by an all-star New York band.
A panel of judges made up of industry professionals selected Svendson to sing a solo onstage as part of the finale of the Lafayette show. The panel also chose Connie Ledet, Brittany Morvant , Kelly Rowland and Brooklyn Woods as runners-up, all of whom will perform with the entire 100 Years of Broadway cast.
According to San Francisco's KABC radio theater critic, Jerry Friedman, "This revue features some of the best songs from the best Broadway shows, all sung by some of the most talented performers working today, singing many of the hit songs that they have sung on Broadway."
100 Years of Broadway recreates the greatest moments from the finest shows of the century featuring the actual stars of shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, CATS, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Jekyll & Hyde. These amazing performers light up the stage with songs from the hit shows in which they starred. Neil Berg presents brilliantly revived arrangements of Broadway classics as well as thrilling numbers from Broadway's newest hit shows.
Past productions of this popular show have featured Betty Buckley, Liz Callaway, Ben Vereen, and Alex Santoriello among others. Along with musical director and pianist Neil Berg, the Heymann Center production will feature Rita Harvey (Christine Daee, Phantom of the Opera), Ray McLeod (Wreck, Wonderful Town), Carter Calvert (Grizabella,Cats), Danny Zolli (Jesus, Jesus Christ Superstar), and Erick Buckley (Jean Valjean, Les Miserables).
100 Years of Broadway will be at the Heymann Center on Thursday November 13 at 7:30 p.m. for one night only. Tickets are on sale at all TicketMaster outlets, online at www.pasa-online.org or by calling the TicketMaster office at (337) 262-8686.
The auditions for the contest ended Friday October 31, at 5 p.m. and was open to anyone ages 15 years or older. Interested applicants submitted video through social networking sites Myspace, Facebook and Youtube or if they did not have access to a video camera, Acadiana Open Channel (AOC) filmed auditions at no charge and, assisted applicants with uploading their video to the competition website. All entrants received an automatic 15% discount on tickets to the show.
Tickets for Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway performance are on sale at all TicketMaster outlets, online at www.pasa-online.org or by calling the TicketMaster office at (337) 262-8686.
For more information about the Performing Arts Society of Acadiana please visit us online at www.pasa-online.org or contact PASA at (337) 237-2787.
The contest is a companion to the upcoming performance of Neil Berg's widely acclaimed 100 Years of Broadway, a musical revue of Broadway's most celebrated shows, which features a dazzling cast of five Broadway stars accompanied by an all-star New York band.
A panel of judges made up of industry professionals selected Svendson to sing a solo onstage as part of the finale of the Lafayette show. The panel also chose Connie Ledet, Brittany Morvant , Kelly Rowland and Brooklyn Woods as runners-up, all of whom will perform with the entire 100 Years of Broadway cast.
According to San Francisco's KABC radio theater critic, Jerry Friedman, "This revue features some of the best songs from the best Broadway shows, all sung by some of the most talented performers working today, singing many of the hit songs that they have sung on Broadway."
100 Years of Broadway recreates the greatest moments from the finest shows of the century featuring the actual stars of shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, CATS, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Jekyll & Hyde. These amazing performers light up the stage with songs from the hit shows in which they starred. Neil Berg presents brilliantly revived arrangements of Broadway classics as well as thrilling numbers from Broadway's newest hit shows.
Past productions of this popular show have featured Betty Buckley, Liz Callaway, Ben Vereen, and Alex Santoriello among others. Along with musical director and pianist Neil Berg, the Heymann Center production will feature Rita Harvey (Christine Daee, Phantom of the Opera), Ray McLeod (Wreck, Wonderful Town), Carter Calvert (Grizabella,Cats), Danny Zolli (Jesus, Jesus Christ Superstar), and Erick Buckley (Jean Valjean, Les Miserables).
100 Years of Broadway will be at the Heymann Center on Thursday November 13 at 7:30 p.m. for one night only. Tickets are on sale at all TicketMaster outlets, online at www.pasa-online.org or by calling the TicketMaster office at (337) 262-8686.
The auditions for the contest ended Friday October 31, at 5 p.m. and was open to anyone ages 15 years or older. Interested applicants submitted video through social networking sites Myspace, Facebook and Youtube or if they did not have access to a video camera, Acadiana Open Channel (AOC) filmed auditions at no charge and, assisted applicants with uploading their video to the competition website. All entrants received an automatic 15% discount on tickets to the show.
Tickets for Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway performance are on sale at all TicketMaster outlets, online at www.pasa-online.org or by calling the TicketMaster office at (337) 262-8686.
For more information about the Performing Arts Society of Acadiana please visit us online at www.pasa-online.org or contact PASA at (337) 237-2787.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Theatre--Audition
IPAL is holding the final day of auditions for its spring production of Oklahoma! at the Essanee Theater in New Iberia on Monday, November 3rd from 5:30-7 p.m. The production will be directed by Don Voorhies. Auditions for all parts are open, and those wishing to obtain materials in advance may call Don Voorhies (364-1975), IPAL (364-6114), or e-mail the production team at ipaloklahoma@cox.net.
Theatre--Performance
On November 14th, 15th, and 16th, Firelight Children’s Theatre will present a pair of one-act plays at Cité des Arts in downtown Lafayette. The younger troupe will perform A Thousand Paper Cranes, the true story of a young survivor of the Hiroshima bombing during WWI. The older thespians will present Mmmmbeth, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s MacBeth with a focus on “Is that laughter I hear before me, the punchline toward my funnybone?”
The shows, directed by Laura Blum, are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. curtain openings on the 14t and 15th, and matinee presentations on the 15th and 16th at 3:00 p.m. For reservations or information, call 291-1122
The shows, directed by Laura Blum, are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. curtain openings on the 14t and 15th, and matinee presentations on the 15th and 16th at 3:00 p.m. For reservations or information, call 291-1122
Friday, October 31, 2008
Theatre--Performance
This is the final weekend for the repertory presentations of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Rocky Horror Show at Cite Des Arts. Both shows will run tonight (Hedwig with its last performance at 8 pm and Rocky Horror at midnight) and Rocky Horror closes tomorrow night with an 8 pm performance.
Theatre--Performance
What began as an exercise in non-linear narrative writing is now a full-length play, currently being prepared for showing as this season’s final production at the Eunice Players’ Theatre. Providence, written by Cody Daigle of Scott, LA, infuses a present day storyline with flashbacks that reveal events occurring in the months leading up to the opening scenes of the play. Jody L. Powell, director of the play, assists the audience in shifting through time by lighting changes, set arrangement, and seamless scene changes.
The story begins and ends with two couples in an airport, with an individual from each couple on the verge of a new beginning. Their futures are uncertain as they take risks that may change their relationships with those closest to them. Unlike traditional plays where the first few scenes are used to set up the plot, this play delivers the main event early on, while the rest of the story has the characters living with the effects.
Having seen a reading of Providence, Powell knew it was a play she wanted to stage one day. “I’ve admired Cody’s work for years and am delighted to share his work with others. It’s a rare opportunity to direct a script written by someone with his talent from this area.” Daigle is pleased to see the play being produced by the Eunice institution. “It’s an honor that my work was chosen when there are so many other options,” he stated.
Daigle’s work is well written, with conversations between the characters so real and honest, that it was chosen by Maeutic TheatreWorks, an off-Broadway company in New York City, to be a part of their 2008 season. The show ran for a month in February and received positive reviews. Byrne Harrison of Stage Buzz Review called it a “a beautiful and touching work of art not to be missed”.
Laurie Lawson, critic for a theatre based website, noted the use of sophisticated and sharp humor to reveal the development of an unexpected, emerging friendship between two men. Their conversations are underscored by the meaning of “providence” as it becomes more than just a destination when the word is capitalized.
This marks the third play Daigle has had produced in New York City, including Life/Play at the International Fringe Festival in 2007, and The Last Night of the World in 2006. His works have also been produced in Lafayette over the past several years.
On the heels of the show’s New York success, Powell assembled a cast of experienced actors she knew would deliver the range of emotions these multi-faceted characters have to display. Andre Andrepont, Angelle Bellard, Gabe Ortego, and Bonnie Pitre fulfill their duties admirably following weeks of character exploration and development that will leave audiences pondering the similarities between the life experiences they share with the characters.
The show will open with a matinee on Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. Dinner theatre is scheduled for Monday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. at Nick's on Second St., with the performance immediately following. Other performances dates include November 5, 6, and 8 at 7:00 p.m., and the play will close with a matinee performance on Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. Season ticket holders should call 866-856-3653 to make reservations. Individuals without season tickets can purchase tickets by calling Louis Wright's Store at 337-457-3330. Tickets are $10; dinner (steak, sides, dessert) plus ticket is $25. The theatre is located at 121 S. Second St. in Eunice.
The story begins and ends with two couples in an airport, with an individual from each couple on the verge of a new beginning. Their futures are uncertain as they take risks that may change their relationships with those closest to them. Unlike traditional plays where the first few scenes are used to set up the plot, this play delivers the main event early on, while the rest of the story has the characters living with the effects.
Having seen a reading of Providence, Powell knew it was a play she wanted to stage one day. “I’ve admired Cody’s work for years and am delighted to share his work with others. It’s a rare opportunity to direct a script written by someone with his talent from this area.” Daigle is pleased to see the play being produced by the Eunice institution. “It’s an honor that my work was chosen when there are so many other options,” he stated.
Daigle’s work is well written, with conversations between the characters so real and honest, that it was chosen by Maeutic TheatreWorks, an off-Broadway company in New York City, to be a part of their 2008 season. The show ran for a month in February and received positive reviews. Byrne Harrison of Stage Buzz Review called it a “a beautiful and touching work of art not to be missed”.
Laurie Lawson, critic for a theatre based website, noted the use of sophisticated and sharp humor to reveal the development of an unexpected, emerging friendship between two men. Their conversations are underscored by the meaning of “providence” as it becomes more than just a destination when the word is capitalized.
This marks the third play Daigle has had produced in New York City, including Life/Play at the International Fringe Festival in 2007, and The Last Night of the World in 2006. His works have also been produced in Lafayette over the past several years.
On the heels of the show’s New York success, Powell assembled a cast of experienced actors she knew would deliver the range of emotions these multi-faceted characters have to display. Andre Andrepont, Angelle Bellard, Gabe Ortego, and Bonnie Pitre fulfill their duties admirably following weeks of character exploration and development that will leave audiences pondering the similarities between the life experiences they share with the characters.
The show will open with a matinee on Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. Dinner theatre is scheduled for Monday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. at Nick's on Second St., with the performance immediately following. Other performances dates include November 5, 6, and 8 at 7:00 p.m., and the play will close with a matinee performance on Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. Season ticket holders should call 866-856-3653 to make reservations. Individuals without season tickets can purchase tickets by calling Louis Wright's Store at 337-457-3330. Tickets are $10; dinner (steak, sides, dessert) plus ticket is $25. The theatre is located at 121 S. Second St. in Eunice.
Theatre--Performance
Bonnie Pitre and Gabe Ortego in Providence, an original work by Cody Daigle, which opens Sunday, November 2nd at the Eunice Players' theatre.
Andre Andrepont and Angelle Bellard in Providence.
Season ticket holders should call 866-856-3653 to make reservations. Those without season tickets can purchase individual tickets by calling Louis Wright's Store at 337-457-3330.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Theatre--Workshop
This is an announcement from Amy Waguespack and Acting Up!:
Most often, our community only experiences the final, polished performance on stage. We are rarely given the opportunity to take part in the rehearsal process. To see how work is developed. To witness the art of collaboration between different disciplines.
Acting Up! opens our process to the public process as we develop our new work entitled Play. Music. Heal. The project brings together actors, musicians, and writers in creating a contemporary story revolving around the potential for music to heal.
We invite you to join us on Monday, November 27th and experience the music and collaboration of Henry Gray and Acting Up!. All sessions are free to the public.
Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA)
101 W. Vermilion St. in downtown Lafayette
6:00-7:45p.m.
For more information please contact
Paige Krause @ 337.309.4964 or actingupinacadiana@gmail.com
JOIN US FOR ANOTHER SESSION....
NOVEMBER 3 CHRIS COURVILLE
NOVEMBER 10 BERNARD PIERCE
NOVEMBER 17 CHRIS COURVILLE
DECEMBER 1 CHRIS COURVILLE
DECEMBER 8 CHRIS STAFFORD
Funded in part by Louisiana Division of the Arts and Acadiana Arts Council.
Most often, our community only experiences the final, polished performance on stage. We are rarely given the opportunity to take part in the rehearsal process. To see how work is developed. To witness the art of collaboration between different disciplines.
Acting Up! opens our process to the public process as we develop our new work entitled Play. Music. Heal. The project brings together actors, musicians, and writers in creating a contemporary story revolving around the potential for music to heal.
We invite you to join us on Monday, November 27th and experience the music and collaboration of Henry Gray and Acting Up!. All sessions are free to the public.
Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA)
101 W. Vermilion St. in downtown Lafayette
6:00-7:45p.m.
For more information please contact
Paige Krause @ 337.309.4964 or actingupinacadiana@gmail.com
JOIN US FOR ANOTHER SESSION....
NOVEMBER 3 CHRIS COURVILLE
NOVEMBER 10 BERNARD PIERCE
NOVEMBER 17 CHRIS COURVILLE
DECEMBER 1 CHRIS COURVILLE
DECEMBER 8 CHRIS STAFFORD
Funded in part by Louisiana Division of the Arts and Acadiana Arts Council.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Theatre--Review (UL-Lafayette Performing Arts)
There’s lies, there’s damn lies, and then there’s statistics. Or so might say John Graunt, lead character in the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts presentation, The Living. Written by Anthony Clarvoe about the Great Plague which enveloped London in 1665, and frequently using diaries, newspaper reports, or other original sources, the drama played to a full house on its opening night at the University’s Fletcher Hall. Fine acting, beautiful staging, and passionate direction by Department Chairman Nyalls Hartman made it a memorable evening.
The story deals with characters who were unable to escape from (or perhaps chose to remain in) London during that horrible period. It confronts all attending with a question - What would YOU do if 1000 people in your city died in a month, then in a week, then in a day, then in an hour? And who would you blame? Would it be yourself, the government structures, the government leaders, the economy, refugees, the medical establishment, health care policy, the church, or, indeed, God himself? With our own recent experiences of Hurricane Katrina, and more recently Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, it is a question all of us in Southwest Louisiana can understand. Strangely enough the story, about one of the most horrible events to confront the human race, is not about death but about life. And though there are parallels to much going on today (and that has gone on in history under every government, in every generation), it is fundamentally an affirmation of the human spirit. The ending, which I shan’t spoil for you, gives us Clarvoe’s take on the way it’s ‘spose to be.
Outstanding in a terrific cast is Clayton Shelvin as John Graunt, a statistician who has examined the Bills of Mortality to find causes of the epidemic. As he finds out (and who in the modern world of information over-kill and 24 hour news would not understand) the information is inaccurate, self serving and a gross underestimate. In small steps, he leads us through the mysteries of the 1665 plague and of human nature. Shelvin spoke directly to the audience much of the time in a narration of sorts, or perhaps a lecture, but he effectively became our friend and companion as we experienced the terror and fear which enveloped Londoner’s of the era. Shelvin was moving, sensitive, and portrayed John Graunt beautifully. Also outstanding was David Huynh, as Rev. Vincent, and Greta Trosclair in a haunting death scene.
The stage was arranged in three levels, one of which was the theater floor itself, which aided in bringing the impact of the action directly to the audience. Throughout the presentation, the characters never touched (who would), but yet they were acting in the virtual lap of the audience. We were drawn in; we recoiled. Lighting designer Travis Johnson provided evocative lighting which heightened the emotion, aided the story, and carried the action quickly from scene to scene. Costume designer Laura Brody’s work was superior.
Theatre in Acadiana is alive and well, and in the last few weeks it was easy for this reviewer to attend four presentations. UL is to be congratulated for assuming a leadership role in this important artistic area. Though not without controversy, this script was out of the ordinary and the cast was full of young people who were obviously inspired, taught, and growing in the hands of the faculty. The direction, technical work, and acting were top notch. Congratulations to Department Chairman Hartman and the UL administration and faculty for assuming your rightful role.
Interestingly, the final curtain call had fourteen players on stage. Yet the program only listed ten cast members. There’s lies, there’s damn lies, and then there’s statistics.
The show continues thru October 26 with a 7:30 curtain Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and a 2:00 matinee on Sunday. DON’T MISS IT!!!
---Donald Voorhies
The story deals with characters who were unable to escape from (or perhaps chose to remain in) London during that horrible period. It confronts all attending with a question - What would YOU do if 1000 people in your city died in a month, then in a week, then in a day, then in an hour? And who would you blame? Would it be yourself, the government structures, the government leaders, the economy, refugees, the medical establishment, health care policy, the church, or, indeed, God himself? With our own recent experiences of Hurricane Katrina, and more recently Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, it is a question all of us in Southwest Louisiana can understand. Strangely enough the story, about one of the most horrible events to confront the human race, is not about death but about life. And though there are parallels to much going on today (and that has gone on in history under every government, in every generation), it is fundamentally an affirmation of the human spirit. The ending, which I shan’t spoil for you, gives us Clarvoe’s take on the way it’s ‘spose to be.
Outstanding in a terrific cast is Clayton Shelvin as John Graunt, a statistician who has examined the Bills of Mortality to find causes of the epidemic. As he finds out (and who in the modern world of information over-kill and 24 hour news would not understand) the information is inaccurate, self serving and a gross underestimate. In small steps, he leads us through the mysteries of the 1665 plague and of human nature. Shelvin spoke directly to the audience much of the time in a narration of sorts, or perhaps a lecture, but he effectively became our friend and companion as we experienced the terror and fear which enveloped Londoner’s of the era. Shelvin was moving, sensitive, and portrayed John Graunt beautifully. Also outstanding was David Huynh, as Rev. Vincent, and Greta Trosclair in a haunting death scene.
The stage was arranged in three levels, one of which was the theater floor itself, which aided in bringing the impact of the action directly to the audience. Throughout the presentation, the characters never touched (who would), but yet they were acting in the virtual lap of the audience. We were drawn in; we recoiled. Lighting designer Travis Johnson provided evocative lighting which heightened the emotion, aided the story, and carried the action quickly from scene to scene. Costume designer Laura Brody’s work was superior.
Theatre in Acadiana is alive and well, and in the last few weeks it was easy for this reviewer to attend four presentations. UL is to be congratulated for assuming a leadership role in this important artistic area. Though not without controversy, this script was out of the ordinary and the cast was full of young people who were obviously inspired, taught, and growing in the hands of the faculty. The direction, technical work, and acting were top notch. Congratulations to Department Chairman Hartman and the UL administration and faculty for assuming your rightful role.
Interestingly, the final curtain call had fourteen players on stage. Yet the program only listed ten cast members. There’s lies, there’s damn lies, and then there’s statistics.
The show continues thru October 26 with a 7:30 curtain Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and a 2:00 matinee on Sunday. DON’T MISS IT!!!
---Donald Voorhies
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Theatre--Performance
The UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts will present Anthony Clarvoe's The Living opening on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:30 pm. The show will run Thursday, October 23th, Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th at 7:30 pm and on Sunday the 26th at 2 pm.
Anthony Clarvoe writes in his preface to The Living, "The events that took place in London in 1665 have survived thanks to the extraordinary testimony left by Captain John Graunt, Dr. Nathaniel Hodges, Sir John Lawrence, Samuel Pepys, and the Reverend Dr. Thomas Vincent; and to a remarkable act of historical imagination, Daniel Defoe’s novel A Journal of the Plague Year. This script owes a handful of sentences, and its existence, to them." So, in fact, the characters of John Graunt, Mayor Lawrence, Rev. Vincent and, presumably, Dr. Harmon, were inspired by individuals who experienced the Great Plague of London firsthand.
Bites from a flea which had pastured on a black rat poisoned the human system so severely that the victim could expire within days, covered in sores called "buboes" or "plague tokens." Plague also took a pneumonic form which was transmitted by coughing or sneezing. Some folklorists contend that the symptoms - a rosy rash or sneezing (A-tchoo!) - along with the aromatic herbs people carried to ward off sickness, is the genesis of a popular children’s song. Its original form was
Ring a ring o’ roses
A pocket full of posies
A-tishoo
A-tishoo
We all fall down.
When plague burst into an epidemic in the summer of 1665, most scholars agree that there was gross underreporting in the weekly Bills of Mortality, caused by families fearful of retribution, and by parish clerks who conspired to prevent widespread panic. By mid-June, over a hundred plague deaths per week were announced in the bills, although the real numbers were much higher. The government’s remedy was to hire older women as "searchers of the dead" - if plague was found, the city quarantined the infected household, nailing shut the doors and posting watchmen to guard against flight. By early July, almost everyone who could afford to leave the capital did so. The King and his court, the Privy Council, families of means, and almost all clergy and physicians fled, leaving the general population to fend for themselves. Those who tried to leave the city after July found the people of the surrounding towns fiercely guarding the roads, turning back anyone from London. The dire lack of doctors and hospitals, coupled with the flight of the clergy, caused great hardship for those who were left behind. A few brave physicians stayed to tend the sick as best they could, wearing protective clothing and beaklike leather headpieces stuffed with herbs. Nonconformist clergymen - whose presence had been outlawed in the Restoration - returned to minister from vacated pulpits. Funerals were forbidden, thus burials took place at night in massive pits dug outside the city walls, attended by the few maverick preachers willing to provide services for mourners.
As is so often the case in human affairs, fear provoked desperation, despair, and the common response to flee. However, London’s Great Plague also saw many acts of uncommon courage and compassion. The Living chronicles an extraordinary effort to survive, not just as individuals, but as a society. Historical accounts are full of behavior that illuminates both the worst and best that human beings are capable of. England’s institutional response to this epidemic allows many interesting comparisons to crisis in our own times. And the response of the individuals in this play allows us to look into our own hearts--to consider how we will respond if those around us fall.
Anthony Clarvoe writes in his preface to The Living, "The events that took place in London in 1665 have survived thanks to the extraordinary testimony left by Captain John Graunt, Dr. Nathaniel Hodges, Sir John Lawrence, Samuel Pepys, and the Reverend Dr. Thomas Vincent; and to a remarkable act of historical imagination, Daniel Defoe’s novel A Journal of the Plague Year. This script owes a handful of sentences, and its existence, to them." So, in fact, the characters of John Graunt, Mayor Lawrence, Rev. Vincent and, presumably, Dr. Harmon, were inspired by individuals who experienced the Great Plague of London firsthand.
Bites from a flea which had pastured on a black rat poisoned the human system so severely that the victim could expire within days, covered in sores called "buboes" or "plague tokens." Plague also took a pneumonic form which was transmitted by coughing or sneezing. Some folklorists contend that the symptoms - a rosy rash or sneezing (A-tchoo!) - along with the aromatic herbs people carried to ward off sickness, is the genesis of a popular children’s song. Its original form was
Ring a ring o’ roses
A pocket full of posies
A-tishoo
A-tishoo
We all fall down.
When plague burst into an epidemic in the summer of 1665, most scholars agree that there was gross underreporting in the weekly Bills of Mortality, caused by families fearful of retribution, and by parish clerks who conspired to prevent widespread panic. By mid-June, over a hundred plague deaths per week were announced in the bills, although the real numbers were much higher. The government’s remedy was to hire older women as "searchers of the dead" - if plague was found, the city quarantined the infected household, nailing shut the doors and posting watchmen to guard against flight. By early July, almost everyone who could afford to leave the capital did so. The King and his court, the Privy Council, families of means, and almost all clergy and physicians fled, leaving the general population to fend for themselves. Those who tried to leave the city after July found the people of the surrounding towns fiercely guarding the roads, turning back anyone from London. The dire lack of doctors and hospitals, coupled with the flight of the clergy, caused great hardship for those who were left behind. A few brave physicians stayed to tend the sick as best they could, wearing protective clothing and beaklike leather headpieces stuffed with herbs. Nonconformist clergymen - whose presence had been outlawed in the Restoration - returned to minister from vacated pulpits. Funerals were forbidden, thus burials took place at night in massive pits dug outside the city walls, attended by the few maverick preachers willing to provide services for mourners.
As is so often the case in human affairs, fear provoked desperation, despair, and the common response to flee. However, London’s Great Plague also saw many acts of uncommon courage and compassion. The Living chronicles an extraordinary effort to survive, not just as individuals, but as a society. Historical accounts are full of behavior that illuminates both the worst and best that human beings are capable of. England’s institutional response to this epidemic allows many interesting comparisons to crisis in our own times. And the response of the individuals in this play allows us to look into our own hearts--to consider how we will respond if those around us fall.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Theatre--Performance
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Aquila Theatre Company, an internationally known theatre company, kicks off the next PASA in the Park with their presentation of The Comedy of Errors, a free outdoor performance offering from the Performing Arts of Society (PASA). This performance is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 30 in Parc International in downtown Lafayette. Gates open at 6 p.m.
The evening event on October 30th is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted but not required. For more information about all upcoming Performing Arts Society of Acadiana presentations, visit www.pasa-online.org or call (337) 237-2787.
Theatre--Review (Teche theatre for the Performing Arts)
Franklin’s Teche Theater for the Performing Arts chose Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as its 2008-2009 season opener. According to cast-member Ed Verdin, “We always choose deep, challenging, thought-provoking dramas that showcase acting talent.” And this they did. Ably and passionately directed by Allison Jones, the classic came to life in the hands of a talented and dedicated cast. The drama takes place in one day, and involves the terminal diagnosis of Big Daddy, and the reactions of his wife, sons, and in-laws to the situation. Underlying the story are the concepts of truth, love and lust of various kinds.
Act I belongs to Maggie, and in this case LaDaisha Bowles was more than up to the challenges of the role. Seductive, determined, yet hurting, her sensitive performance let us know exactly who is the cat on the hot tin roof and that she wants to get off. With a near-perfect accent, catlike movements, and full of sexual tension she firmly established the sexuality inherent in the story. Brick, played by Ed “Tiger” Verdin was indeed confounded by the cat he shared his life with. His “Brick,” the alcoholic older son of Big Daddy, was well done. Never over-reacting, never showing spunk, despite the pleading of his wife, the taunts of his brother and sister-in-law and the “mendacity of life,” he finds his consolation and hiding place in the bottle. And therein lays his problem. Through Verdin’s performance we see Brick’s weakness and frustration.
Act II, of course, belongs to Big Daddy on a talking jag, as Brick comments. Foul-mouthed and irascible, as the patriarch of the family Big Daddy provides the philosophical underpinning of the plot. “Ignorance of mortality is a comfort,” he notes, but “A man can’t buy back his life, once his life is finished.” Larry Deslatte’s Big Daddy was aristocratic, feisty, powerful, and confident. He confessed to playing the southern gentleman, but admitted to being anything but. In his performance on-stage he smokes a cigar and the aroma filling the auditorium only added to the characterization. With a face like Burl Ives, but a smaller frame, he nonetheless filled the stage. High point in the entire drama was the confrontation between Big Daddy and Brick ending Act II. The dramatic intensity was overwhelming as Brick finally reveals the problem in his relationship with youthful friend Skipper. Bravo to Verdin and Deslatte for an exhilarating moment at the theater!
Act III finally brings the entire family together in the resolution of the story and the conflicts that have been built up. Big Mama, played by Denise Hodge, finally has her chance to show her stuff, and despite her world collapsing around her she does so with real spunk. She roars, she cries, but she goes on. Ricky Pellerin as Gooper and Erin Segura as Mae are perfectly matched as the frivolous, greedy, catty “younger sibling family.” And their children are … obnoxious. The fertile family provides the little “comic relief” in the story, and is to be commended for supporting, but not overwhelming, the efforts of the four central characters. The rest of the cast, Tyra Yarber (Rev Tooker) and Christian Glorioso (Dr. Baugh) and a staff of five servants admirably did the job of bringing the time, place, and family life to the stage.
The set designed by Tyra Yarber and constructed under master builder Brett Casselman was a wonder. We could feel we were in a plantation, where the rich and successful confronted real life. A slightly raked bed made the bedroom scenes easy to see and follow.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof plays only four performances, and regrettably half are already over. Only Monday, October 20 and Tuesday, October 21 are left. The show is long (over 3 hours plus 2 intermissions), but if you are interested in serious theater, is well worth the trip. A big “Bravo” to director, cast, and organization for such an ambitious undertaking.
--Don Voorhies
Act I belongs to Maggie, and in this case LaDaisha Bowles was more than up to the challenges of the role. Seductive, determined, yet hurting, her sensitive performance let us know exactly who is the cat on the hot tin roof and that she wants to get off. With a near-perfect accent, catlike movements, and full of sexual tension she firmly established the sexuality inherent in the story. Brick, played by Ed “Tiger” Verdin was indeed confounded by the cat he shared his life with. His “Brick,” the alcoholic older son of Big Daddy, was well done. Never over-reacting, never showing spunk, despite the pleading of his wife, the taunts of his brother and sister-in-law and the “mendacity of life,” he finds his consolation and hiding place in the bottle. And therein lays his problem. Through Verdin’s performance we see Brick’s weakness and frustration.
Act II, of course, belongs to Big Daddy on a talking jag, as Brick comments. Foul-mouthed and irascible, as the patriarch of the family Big Daddy provides the philosophical underpinning of the plot. “Ignorance of mortality is a comfort,” he notes, but “A man can’t buy back his life, once his life is finished.” Larry Deslatte’s Big Daddy was aristocratic, feisty, powerful, and confident. He confessed to playing the southern gentleman, but admitted to being anything but. In his performance on-stage he smokes a cigar and the aroma filling the auditorium only added to the characterization. With a face like Burl Ives, but a smaller frame, he nonetheless filled the stage. High point in the entire drama was the confrontation between Big Daddy and Brick ending Act II. The dramatic intensity was overwhelming as Brick finally reveals the problem in his relationship with youthful friend Skipper. Bravo to Verdin and Deslatte for an exhilarating moment at the theater!
Act III finally brings the entire family together in the resolution of the story and the conflicts that have been built up. Big Mama, played by Denise Hodge, finally has her chance to show her stuff, and despite her world collapsing around her she does so with real spunk. She roars, she cries, but she goes on. Ricky Pellerin as Gooper and Erin Segura as Mae are perfectly matched as the frivolous, greedy, catty “younger sibling family.” And their children are … obnoxious. The fertile family provides the little “comic relief” in the story, and is to be commended for supporting, but not overwhelming, the efforts of the four central characters. The rest of the cast, Tyra Yarber (Rev Tooker) and Christian Glorioso (Dr. Baugh) and a staff of five servants admirably did the job of bringing the time, place, and family life to the stage.
The set designed by Tyra Yarber and constructed under master builder Brett Casselman was a wonder. We could feel we were in a plantation, where the rich and successful confronted real life. A slightly raked bed made the bedroom scenes easy to see and follow.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof plays only four performances, and regrettably half are already over. Only Monday, October 20 and Tuesday, October 21 are left. The show is long (over 3 hours plus 2 intermissions), but if you are interested in serious theater, is well worth the trip. A big “Bravo” to director, cast, and organization for such an ambitious undertaking.
--Don Voorhies
Theatre--Review (Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts)
After watching the Pollitt family celebrate the patriarch's birthday in Tennessee Williams' classic Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, you will go home and clasp your own dysfunctional family to bosom with gratitude. Infidelity, homosexuality, alcoholism, chicanery and children in need of domestication--this play has it all spread out among a cast with names like Gooper, Sister-Woman, Brick and Maggie The Cat.
The plot basically consists of the struggle to inherit Big Daddy Pollitt's vast estate. Like all the best tycoons he has made no will and clearly favors one son over the other. It's people like this that keep Dear Abby in business. Well, Big Daddy has terminal cancer, his favorite son is a lush and probably gay. The other son is a responsible lawyer with a wife and five and a half children. Guess who isn't getting bupkis if Big Daddy DOES sign a will.
Brick is laid up in his room (at Daddy's house) with a broken ankle and no visible means of support. His sole comfort is a well-stocked liquor cabinet which insulates him from the demands of his frustrated wife, Maggie (the cat of the title). Maggie wants love, money and a child and all that stands in her way is a feckless husband who can't seem to get past the fact that Maggie tried to commit adultery with Brick's best friend Skipper. This resulted in Skipper telling Brick that he couldn't have sex with Maggie because she was the wrong half of the couple. Brick pitched a fit, Skipper died and Maggie spends all of Act One thinking over the wisdom of THAT plan.
Brick and Maggie's bedroom is Ground Zero for the rest of the family who traipse in and out without bothering to knock. This probably has an inhibiting effect on Brick's libido but it's not the worst of his problems. Eventually Maggie tells Big Daddy a big fib. She claims to be pregnant--by Brick--and ends the play by pouring out Brick's alcohol and propping him up in bed while she lays down the law.
This play is VERY tricky for a number of reasons. In the first place there really isn't ANYONE you would care to know personally. They range from annoying to repellent and the moral center of this universe is a drunk.
Second, the entire first act is a virtual monologue by Maggie as she has to enlist our sympathy while laying out the whole plot and psychoanalyzing every character who matters, living or dead. All this while putting on stockings and makeup with the aim of getting a rise out of her surly husband who barely speaks to her. That's pretty much the first act.
In the second act we find out, along with Brick, that Big Daddy has no problem with homosexuality. It worked for him and he sees no reason it shouldn't work for Brick. Big Daddy points out that Brick is his own worst enemy and Brick gives Big Daddy a bit of news in return. Big Daddy is going to die of cancer, sooner rather than later. Big Daddy takes it like a man--he has a tantrum.
In act three everyone concedes that nice guys finish last, though nobody in this play actually knows one. Still, the gloves come off and finally Maggie and Brick, who have prided themselves on honesty if nothing else (and they're right about that), connive in lying to the rest of the family about Maggie's pregnancy. Apparently, the thinking is that sex got them into this mess and sex can get them out of it again.
Despite a cast of thousands, the play is really a three-person drama. It rises and falls on Maggie, Big Daddy and Brick. Brick has the miserable job of being the reactor to everything that happens. He never initiates anything but his responses are vital to the performances of the other two. He needs to be able to hold our interest by saying and doing virtually nothing. Maggie has to hit notes other than sex and Big Daddy has to get past being a crude narcissist.
You can see a handsome production of this staple of the American Theatre at the Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts in Franklin on Monday and Tuesday, October 20 and 21, at 7:30.
The production, directed by Allison Jones, looks great and features some fine acting. Ladaisha Bowles is a commanding Maggie and Larry Deslatte Jr., a blustery Big Daddy. As Brick, Ed Verdin makes art of surly silence which is capable of abrupt explosions. Erin Segura is a pretty and sympathetic Mae and Ricky Pellerin makes you sympathize with Gooper. Denise Hodge is a "smother" for the ages as Big Mama. The no-neck monsters are little horrors and the guests and servants look appropriately uncomfortable at the shenanigans going on around them.
Put a little extra aside for the baby-sitter, though. The production runs over three hours. Language and thematic material make this a PG (PG-13?) evening.
---Walter Brown
The plot basically consists of the struggle to inherit Big Daddy Pollitt's vast estate. Like all the best tycoons he has made no will and clearly favors one son over the other. It's people like this that keep Dear Abby in business. Well, Big Daddy has terminal cancer, his favorite son is a lush and probably gay. The other son is a responsible lawyer with a wife and five and a half children. Guess who isn't getting bupkis if Big Daddy DOES sign a will.
Brick is laid up in his room (at Daddy's house) with a broken ankle and no visible means of support. His sole comfort is a well-stocked liquor cabinet which insulates him from the demands of his frustrated wife, Maggie (the cat of the title). Maggie wants love, money and a child and all that stands in her way is a feckless husband who can't seem to get past the fact that Maggie tried to commit adultery with Brick's best friend Skipper. This resulted in Skipper telling Brick that he couldn't have sex with Maggie because she was the wrong half of the couple. Brick pitched a fit, Skipper died and Maggie spends all of Act One thinking over the wisdom of THAT plan.
Brick and Maggie's bedroom is Ground Zero for the rest of the family who traipse in and out without bothering to knock. This probably has an inhibiting effect on Brick's libido but it's not the worst of his problems. Eventually Maggie tells Big Daddy a big fib. She claims to be pregnant--by Brick--and ends the play by pouring out Brick's alcohol and propping him up in bed while she lays down the law.
This play is VERY tricky for a number of reasons. In the first place there really isn't ANYONE you would care to know personally. They range from annoying to repellent and the moral center of this universe is a drunk.
Second, the entire first act is a virtual monologue by Maggie as she has to enlist our sympathy while laying out the whole plot and psychoanalyzing every character who matters, living or dead. All this while putting on stockings and makeup with the aim of getting a rise out of her surly husband who barely speaks to her. That's pretty much the first act.
In the second act we find out, along with Brick, that Big Daddy has no problem with homosexuality. It worked for him and he sees no reason it shouldn't work for Brick. Big Daddy points out that Brick is his own worst enemy and Brick gives Big Daddy a bit of news in return. Big Daddy is going to die of cancer, sooner rather than later. Big Daddy takes it like a man--he has a tantrum.
In act three everyone concedes that nice guys finish last, though nobody in this play actually knows one. Still, the gloves come off and finally Maggie and Brick, who have prided themselves on honesty if nothing else (and they're right about that), connive in lying to the rest of the family about Maggie's pregnancy. Apparently, the thinking is that sex got them into this mess and sex can get them out of it again.
Despite a cast of thousands, the play is really a three-person drama. It rises and falls on Maggie, Big Daddy and Brick. Brick has the miserable job of being the reactor to everything that happens. He never initiates anything but his responses are vital to the performances of the other two. He needs to be able to hold our interest by saying and doing virtually nothing. Maggie has to hit notes other than sex and Big Daddy has to get past being a crude narcissist.
You can see a handsome production of this staple of the American Theatre at the Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts in Franklin on Monday and Tuesday, October 20 and 21, at 7:30.
The production, directed by Allison Jones, looks great and features some fine acting. Ladaisha Bowles is a commanding Maggie and Larry Deslatte Jr., a blustery Big Daddy. As Brick, Ed Verdin makes art of surly silence which is capable of abrupt explosions. Erin Segura is a pretty and sympathetic Mae and Ricky Pellerin makes you sympathize with Gooper. Denise Hodge is a "smother" for the ages as Big Mama. The no-neck monsters are little horrors and the guests and servants look appropriately uncomfortable at the shenanigans going on around them.
Put a little extra aside for the baby-sitter, though. The production runs over three hours. Language and thematic material make this a PG (PG-13?) evening.
---Walter Brown
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Opera--Performance
The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and the UL-Lafayette Opera Theatre have announced their joint production of The Marriage of Figaro. Dates for the performances are April 30th (7:30 pm), May 2nd (7:30 pm) and May 3rd (tentatively scheduled at 3 pm). The May 3rd production will feature the student cast. There will also be 2 performances for area schools on May 1st (at 9 am and 11 am). The opera will be performed in English and directed by Shawn Roy and conducted by Maiusz Smolij accompanied by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra.
All performances will be at Angelle Hall's Ducrest-Gilchrist Auditorium on the UL-Lafayette campus. Tickets can be purchased from the Acadiana Syphony (412 Travis Street in the Oil Center).
All performances will be at Angelle Hall's Ducrest-Gilchrist Auditorium on the UL-Lafayette campus. Tickets can be purchased from the Acadiana Syphony (412 Travis Street in the Oil Center).
Theatre--Performances
This is from The Rocky Horror Show production team:
Remaining Hedwig performances (all at 8 pm): 10/23, 10/25, 10/31
Remaining Rocky Horror perforamnces:
10/18(TONIGHT!) at 8pm and Midnight
10/24 (8 pm and Midnight)
10/31 at Midnight (almost sold out)
and 11/1 at 8 pm
Reactions have been great...Audiences have been large
Come join the fun
Reserve your seats TODAY!
Remaining Hedwig performances (all at 8 pm): 10/23, 10/25, 10/31
Remaining Rocky Horror perforamnces:
10/18(TONIGHT!) at 8pm and Midnight
10/24 (8 pm and Midnight)
10/31 at Midnight (almost sold out)
and 11/1 at 8 pm
Reactions have been great...Audiences have been large
Come join the fun
Reserve your seats TODAY!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Theatre--Performance
The Evangeline Players are proud to present their Christmas show, It's A Wonderful Life. Based on the beloved classic starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, this adaptation by Doug Rand from the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra, and Jo Swerling, has kept all the magic of the original movie. George Bailey, played by Steven "Smitty" Smith, Jr., receives a wonderful gift: the ability to see what his life would have been like had he never been born, and the results are life-altering. All the rich characters are there: the loving wife Mary (Stephanie Judice), the congenial drunkard Uncle Billy (Milton Resweber), the despicable Mr. Potter (Bob Sidman), and the angel in training Clarence Oddbody (Vincent P. Barras). A cast of twenty actors under the direction of Vincent P. Barras brings this Frank Capra masterpiece to life. The cast includes Joyce Case, Kristyn Champagne, Ivy Fauntleroy, Isabelle and Peyton Florsheim, Kayla Heintz, Jacob and Justin Judice, Keith Laperouse, Sarah Leonard, Chris Parich, Will Perry, Jesse Schexnayder, Mac Stearns, Audrey Thibodeaux, and Dr. Daniel Wiltz.
The play opens at the DuChamp Opera House in St. Martinville on Friday November 7th and runs until Sunday November 23rd, with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $10.00 per person and can be obtained by calling the DuChamp Opera House at 394-6604 or Shamrock Office Supply at 394-5574.
The play opens at the DuChamp Opera House in St. Martinville on Friday November 7th and runs until Sunday November 23rd, with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $10.00 per person and can be obtained by calling the DuChamp Opera House at 394-6604 or Shamrock Office Supply at 394-5574.
Theatre--Review (UL-Lafayette Opera Theatre)
Ray Blum reviews the UL-Lafayette Opera Theatre production of Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know in the October 17th edition of the Daily Advertiser.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Theatre--Performance
Rehearsals are underway at the Eunice Players' Theatre for Providence, the final production of the season. This two-act play written by local playwright, Cody Daigle, was produced off-off-Broadway earlier this year and was deemed a critical success. Jody L. Powell, director of the show, is proud to announce an outstanding cast, composed of theater veterans and returning favorites.
The play involves Neil and Jo, a married couple undergoing stressful times, and Mark and Sara, two friends at a crossroads as one prepares to start a new phase of life at the other’s insistence. An unexpected life-changing event brings the two men together to form a new friendship based on shared emotions. The story is beautifully told through a blending of current events and personal flashbacks.
Playing the role of Neil is Andre Andrepont of Opelousas. Although Andre is most active at Opelousas Little Theatre, his most notable role having been Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, he previously amused audiences on the EPT stage as Nick in Over the River and Through the Woods. Appearing as Jo, Angelle Bellard has recently been playing on various stages in Acadiana including Abbeville and Lafayette. Eunice audiences may remember her roles Cherie in Bus Stop and Nicki in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.
Joining the cast as Mark, Gabe Ortego is fast becoming a Eunice staple as he was cast earlier this year as Joe in The Last Night of Ballyhoo and last year as Motel in Fiddler on the Roof. Gabe has many credits from Opelousas Little Theatre, including director of Monky Business and The Last Five Years. Bonnie Pitre returns to the EPT stage as Sara, after having appeared in Woman and The Sound of Music, and running the lighting for If the Shoe Fits.
The show will open with a matinee on Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. Dinner theatre is scheduled for Monday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. at Nick's on Second St., with the performance immediately following. Other performances dates include November 5, 6, and 8 at 7:00 p.m., and the play will close with a matinee performance on Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. Season ticket holders should call 866-856-3653 to make reservations. Individuals without season tickets can purchase tickets by calling Louis Wright's Store at 337-457-3330. Tickets are $10; dinner (steak, sides, dessert) plus ticket is $25. The theatre is located at 121 S. Second St. in Eunice.
The play involves Neil and Jo, a married couple undergoing stressful times, and Mark and Sara, two friends at a crossroads as one prepares to start a new phase of life at the other’s insistence. An unexpected life-changing event brings the two men together to form a new friendship based on shared emotions. The story is beautifully told through a blending of current events and personal flashbacks.
Playing the role of Neil is Andre Andrepont of Opelousas. Although Andre is most active at Opelousas Little Theatre, his most notable role having been Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, he previously amused audiences on the EPT stage as Nick in Over the River and Through the Woods. Appearing as Jo, Angelle Bellard has recently been playing on various stages in Acadiana including Abbeville and Lafayette. Eunice audiences may remember her roles Cherie in Bus Stop and Nicki in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.
Joining the cast as Mark, Gabe Ortego is fast becoming a Eunice staple as he was cast earlier this year as Joe in The Last Night of Ballyhoo and last year as Motel in Fiddler on the Roof. Gabe has many credits from Opelousas Little Theatre, including director of Monky Business and The Last Five Years. Bonnie Pitre returns to the EPT stage as Sara, after having appeared in Woman and The Sound of Music, and running the lighting for If the Shoe Fits.
The show will open with a matinee on Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. Dinner theatre is scheduled for Monday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. at Nick's on Second St., with the performance immediately following. Other performances dates include November 5, 6, and 8 at 7:00 p.m., and the play will close with a matinee performance on Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m. Season ticket holders should call 866-856-3653 to make reservations. Individuals without season tickets can purchase tickets by calling Louis Wright's Store at 337-457-3330. Tickets are $10; dinner (steak, sides, dessert) plus ticket is $25. The theatre is located at 121 S. Second St. in Eunice.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Theatre--Performance
The Theatre League of Louisiana presents The Pajama Game at the Heymann Center on Wednesday, October 15th at 7:30 pm.
From Music Theatre International:
The dangers of a workplace romance are explored to hysterical effect in this romantic comedy from the creators of Damn Yankees. Conditions at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory are anything but peaceful, as sparks fly between new superintendent Sid Sorokin and Babe Williams, leader of the union grievance committee. Their stormy relationship comes to a head when the workers strike for a 7½-cent pay increase, setting off not only a conflict between management and labor, but a battle of the sexes as well.
Bright and brassy, this unconventional, fast-paced Broadway favorite is every bit the embodiment of legendary director George Abbott at his very best. The energetic score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross is brimming with songs and dances, which have become popular and musical theatre standards (among them “Hey There,” “Steam Heat” and “Hernando’s Hideaway”) and features plenty of splashy, fun production numbers, including a comic “dream ballet.” For solid, classic musical comedy, it’s hard to beat The Pajama Game.
For more information, ccontact the Heymann Center.
From Music Theatre International:
The dangers of a workplace romance are explored to hysterical effect in this romantic comedy from the creators of Damn Yankees. Conditions at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory are anything but peaceful, as sparks fly between new superintendent Sid Sorokin and Babe Williams, leader of the union grievance committee. Their stormy relationship comes to a head when the workers strike for a 7½-cent pay increase, setting off not only a conflict between management and labor, but a battle of the sexes as well.
Bright and brassy, this unconventional, fast-paced Broadway favorite is every bit the embodiment of legendary director George Abbott at his very best. The energetic score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross is brimming with songs and dances, which have become popular and musical theatre standards (among them “Hey There,” “Steam Heat” and “Hernando’s Hideaway”) and features plenty of splashy, fun production numbers, including a comic “dream ballet.” For solid, classic musical comedy, it’s hard to beat The Pajama Game.
For more information, ccontact the Heymann Center.
Theatre--Peformance
Aquila Theatre will perform the classic drama The Iliad in a daytime performance for junior high and high school students at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday October 29 at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. Admission for the student performance is $5 per person through advance registration with PASA. Interested principals and teachers can call the PASA office at (337) 237-2787 for more information.
Theatre--Master Class
On Wednesday, October 29, PASA and Acting Up!, the professional theater company at the Acadiana Center for the Arts (ACA), will host a master class with members of Aquila Theatre. The class will be held at the ACA from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
" This master class is a theatrical training opportunity for actors in our community to connect professionally with and learn from Aquila Theatre Company, a highly respected acting troupe known for staging original and innovative performances," says PASA Executive Director Jacqueline Lyle.
Company members from Aquila Theatre will teach an advanced physical theater master class that gives participant a chance to experience the requirements and discipline of working and performing in a physical theatre company. It focuses on ensemble acting and participants will explore the imaginative and physical resources that the company uses in order to create its own unique theatrical style.
The master class fee is $10 and, due to space limitations, registration in advance is required by calling (337) 233-7060.
For more information about all upcoming performance of Performing Arts Society of Acadiana, visit www.pasaonline.org or call the PASA office at (337) 237-2787
" This master class is a theatrical training opportunity for actors in our community to connect professionally with and learn from Aquila Theatre Company, a highly respected acting troupe known for staging original and innovative performances," says PASA Executive Director Jacqueline Lyle.
Company members from Aquila Theatre will teach an advanced physical theater master class that gives participant a chance to experience the requirements and discipline of working and performing in a physical theatre company. It focuses on ensemble acting and participants will explore the imaginative and physical resources that the company uses in order to create its own unique theatrical style.
The master class fee is $10 and, due to space limitations, registration in advance is required by calling (337) 233-7060.
For more information about all upcoming performance of Performing Arts Society of Acadiana, visit www.pasaonline.org or call the PASA office at (337) 237-2787
Theatre--Performance
Lafayette (La) Acadiana residents have the opportunity to experience a comedy classic and flex their acting skills when the Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA) hosts a variety of community activities leading up to Aquila Theatre's performance of The Comedy of Errors on October 30, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.
Aquila Theatre headlines PASA's annual free performance at Parc International in downtown Lafayette on October 30th, 2008 at 7:30pm. PASA in the Park is an annual event sponsored this year by Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, FM Bank, E Bell Designs and Centennial Wireless. This performance is also supported in part by grants from Southern Arts Federation, and the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, and additional grants as administered by the Acadiana Arts Council.
The first event is a community discussion led by ULL's Dr. Susan Nicassio at the Iberia Public Library main branch on Tuesday October 21 at 6:00 p.m. that will focus on The Comedy of Errors, a classic Shakespearean comedy that is considered by some to be a brilliantly encrypted message to a deeply divided Elizabethan England. Others consider it is a hilariously entertaining comedy written by one of literature's greatest dramatists.
Aquila Theatre returns to the Parc International stage exactly 3 years after they launched the very first PASA in the Parc. In 2005, PASA was set to present Aquila Theatre's Hamlet at the Heymann Performing Arts Center but due to the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Heymann Center became unavailable due to the housing of storm evacuees.
After deciding to go forward with the performance, PASA decided to move the show to Parc International and was such a hit that PASAthe Park became an annual offering
The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare's most well known comedies. The plot of the story involves two pairs of identical twins in the same household separated by a devastating shipwreck and a hilarious case of mistaken identity. But as the comedy unfolds, all is not what it seems.
The New York Times says: "No one who sees the rousing production by the excellent Aquila Theater Company will forget a whit of it."
The Aquila Theatre's imaginative production of Shakespeare's classic comedy is a "must-see" for newcomers to Shakespeare and current enthusiasts alike. The company has won international praise for their innovative presentations of classical drama and their unique staging of classical comedy. Aquila has also received prestigious international awards and high praise from audiences, critics and scholars. Some of their accomplishments include representing the National Endowment of the Arts at the White House and performing Shakespeare for the President and First Lady and, in the summer of 2007, making their Edinburgh Festival debut.
"This is a great night of fun for everyone come out and see theatre in best way possible at Parc International under the stars with family and friends," says PASA Executive Director Jacqueline Lyle, "The best part is that it is free so everyone will have the chance to experience a fantastic theatrical production."
In addition to the performance, audience goers are encouraged to dress in their favorite Halloween costume and compete for a variety of prizes, including tickets to upcoming PASA performances. The contest starts at 6:30 p.m. and costume categories include: most creative, scariest and cutest costume. This is an all ages contest and everyone is invited to participate.
Limited bleacher seating will be available and PASA in the Park-goers are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs. Beverages and popcorn will be available for purchase and picnic dinners are welcome. However, no ice chests or pets are allowed.
The evening event on October 30th is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted but not required.
Aquila Theatre headlines PASA's annual free performance at Parc International in downtown Lafayette on October 30th, 2008 at 7:30pm. PASA in the Park is an annual event sponsored this year by Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, FM Bank, E Bell Designs and Centennial Wireless. This performance is also supported in part by grants from Southern Arts Federation, and the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, and additional grants as administered by the Acadiana Arts Council.
The first event is a community discussion led by ULL's Dr. Susan Nicassio at the Iberia Public Library main branch on Tuesday October 21 at 6:00 p.m. that will focus on The Comedy of Errors, a classic Shakespearean comedy that is considered by some to be a brilliantly encrypted message to a deeply divided Elizabethan England. Others consider it is a hilariously entertaining comedy written by one of literature's greatest dramatists.
Aquila Theatre returns to the Parc International stage exactly 3 years after they launched the very first PASA in the Parc. In 2005, PASA was set to present Aquila Theatre's Hamlet at the Heymann Performing Arts Center but due to the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Heymann Center became unavailable due to the housing of storm evacuees.
After deciding to go forward with the performance, PASA decided to move the show to Parc International and was such a hit that PASAthe Park became an annual offering
The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare's most well known comedies. The plot of the story involves two pairs of identical twins in the same household separated by a devastating shipwreck and a hilarious case of mistaken identity. But as the comedy unfolds, all is not what it seems.
The New York Times says: "No one who sees the rousing production by the excellent Aquila Theater Company will forget a whit of it."
The Aquila Theatre's imaginative production of Shakespeare's classic comedy is a "must-see" for newcomers to Shakespeare and current enthusiasts alike. The company has won international praise for their innovative presentations of classical drama and their unique staging of classical comedy. Aquila has also received prestigious international awards and high praise from audiences, critics and scholars. Some of their accomplishments include representing the National Endowment of the Arts at the White House and performing Shakespeare for the President and First Lady and, in the summer of 2007, making their Edinburgh Festival debut.
"This is a great night of fun for everyone come out and see theatre in best way possible at Parc International under the stars with family and friends," says PASA Executive Director Jacqueline Lyle, "The best part is that it is free so everyone will have the chance to experience a fantastic theatrical production."
In addition to the performance, audience goers are encouraged to dress in their favorite Halloween costume and compete for a variety of prizes, including tickets to upcoming PASA performances. The contest starts at 6:30 p.m. and costume categories include: most creative, scariest and cutest costume. This is an all ages contest and everyone is invited to participate.
Limited bleacher seating will be available and PASA in the Park-goers are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs. Beverages and popcorn will be available for purchase and picnic dinners are welcome. However, no ice chests or pets are allowed.
The evening event on October 30th is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted but not required.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Theatre--Contest
PASA is sponsoring a contest to choose a local performer in the 100 Years Of Broadway show. Winner will sing a solo part in the finale! Runners up will sing one chorus number with the stars of the 100 Years of Broadway Show at the Heymann Center on Thursday November 13,2008. All runners-up and winners will receive a pair of tickets, and a free show CD.
Audition Today!
To submit an audition: You must be 15 years of age or older. No purchase necessary. Winner must be available at the Heymann Performing Arts Center by 1 PM on the day of the performance for sound check and rehearsal. Entries recieve an automatic 15% discount on tickets to the show. You can upload your audition using MySpace, Facebook and YouTube.
MySpace: Submit a friend request to Singing With the Broadway Stars.
Facebook: Become a fan of Singing With the Broadway Stars.
YouTube: Add Singing With the Broadway Stars as a friend.
No video camera? No problem!
Acadiana Open Channel will video auditions and assist applicants with uploading the video to the contest website for free! Interested applicants should call AOC at (337) 232-4434 ext. 201 to schedule an appointment.
For more detailed information and how to submit your audition go to: www.singingwiththebroadwaystars.com.
Contest Ends: Friday, October 31 at 5 pm
Questions? Visit us online at www.pasaonline.org or call (337) 237-2787.
Audition Today!
To submit an audition: You must be 15 years of age or older. No purchase necessary. Winner must be available at the Heymann Performing Arts Center by 1 PM on the day of the performance for sound check and rehearsal. Entries recieve an automatic 15% discount on tickets to the show. You can upload your audition using MySpace, Facebook and YouTube.
MySpace: Submit a friend request to Singing With the Broadway Stars.
Facebook: Become a fan of Singing With the Broadway Stars.
YouTube: Add Singing With the Broadway Stars as a friend.
No video camera? No problem!
Acadiana Open Channel will video auditions and assist applicants with uploading the video to the contest website for free! Interested applicants should call AOC at (337) 232-4434 ext. 201 to schedule an appointment.
For more detailed information and how to submit your audition go to: www.singingwiththebroadwaystars.com.
Contest Ends: Friday, October 31 at 5 pm
Questions? Visit us online at www.pasaonline.org or call (337) 237-2787.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Theatre--Review (UL-Lafayette Opera Theatre)
Secrets Every Traveler Should Know is inspired by the Fodor travel guide of the same title. This revue, which ran for 900 performances on Broadway, is packed with useful information and suggestions. Uzbekistan is a place to get away from it all--from it ALL. You can have a hot time in Martinique. The William Morris Travel Agency will do for your travel plans what is has done for Paris Hilton's career plans. Dark pleasures and heartaches await those intrepid enough to actually wait for the next operator.
Originally performed with only four actors and a small combo, this production has expanded the cast to 14 singers and dancers accompanied by a piano and bass. This presents no problems and creates the opportunity to see an additional ten talented young people on the stage. Although not all of the performers are Vocal Arts majors, all of them have experience singing and dancing on stage. It shows. The clever lyrics are clearly enunciated and the dances are fun to watch. There is even an audience participation line dance taught by the cast at the end of the intermission!
A revue is just a collection of skits, songs and dances, usually humorous and satirical. Secrets is genuinely funny and the cast has a wonderful time presenting the material. It would be hard to pick a favorite performer although Jared LeBlanc has "star" written all over him. Martha and Ruth Diaz and Jenee Luquette are perfect as Barbie Doll stewardesses. Sasha Massey is a torch-singing Carol Burnett. Nick Manzo brought the house down with a rubber glove. Kristina Marshall can dominate a stage just standing there--although she does considerably more than that in a Carmen-Miranda getup backed by a male chorus right out of Vegas. Lindy Waldmeier is a martini-swilling beauty on a cruise to ennui with Brandon Breaux who may be the incarnation of Noel Coward's id. Evan Melancon can milk an audience sleeping in a chair! Nathan Abbot brings Rat Pack savoir-faire to a scene about what we leave behind when we leave home. Kevin Credeur looks like Ratso Rizzo as he sweats through customs. Alex Hollerman is a hoot as a small-town girl with a big city heartache who has a bus ticket and isn't afraid to use it. Stacy Broussard shows us why Star Search will never go out of fashion.
The whole cast just sparkles playing a variety of characters in the thirty or so songs and skits. Music Director/Pianist Marcus McCullough gets some great lines in a salute to the Salzburg Mozart Festival. Marcus is worth watching anyway. This man lives his music. He also has the best musical joke in the show as he tries to extricate himself from the last few bars of a Mozart concerto. Robert Nash, on bass, has some great expressions.
The costumes are witty, especially the stewardess outfits and the costume for NAKED IN PITTSBURGH which was a clear audience favorite. HOT LAVA puts the emphasis on HOT. I have to say it was my favorite number for staging, costume, performance and all-round pizzazz. But really, any number would be someone's favorite and they all deserve it. Check out Ruth Diaz and Evan Melancon in orthotic devices singing and dancing like Astaire and Rogers--in body casts. What's not to love?
Small pieces moving on and off the stage combined with a clever backdrop let the show move along smoothly and quickly and supply all the visual reference we need. Sound and lights are smooth.
You could see a production of this show that spent more money, but you won't see a better production.
Smart Traveler Secret # 100--This show is about to close. Catch it tonight. Secret #101--Director Shawn Roy is a local treasure. Tell him so.
Secret #120--The acoustics in the room are fine unless you sit right next to the piano, as I did. Leave a little space so that you can hear the singers better. The show is not amplified so the singers have to hold their own with the musicians. They can and do, but they're more successful when they are closer to the audience than the musicians are.
---Walter Brown
Originally performed with only four actors and a small combo, this production has expanded the cast to 14 singers and dancers accompanied by a piano and bass. This presents no problems and creates the opportunity to see an additional ten talented young people on the stage. Although not all of the performers are Vocal Arts majors, all of them have experience singing and dancing on stage. It shows. The clever lyrics are clearly enunciated and the dances are fun to watch. There is even an audience participation line dance taught by the cast at the end of the intermission!
A revue is just a collection of skits, songs and dances, usually humorous and satirical. Secrets is genuinely funny and the cast has a wonderful time presenting the material. It would be hard to pick a favorite performer although Jared LeBlanc has "star" written all over him. Martha and Ruth Diaz and Jenee Luquette are perfect as Barbie Doll stewardesses. Sasha Massey is a torch-singing Carol Burnett. Nick Manzo brought the house down with a rubber glove. Kristina Marshall can dominate a stage just standing there--although she does considerably more than that in a Carmen-Miranda getup backed by a male chorus right out of Vegas. Lindy Waldmeier is a martini-swilling beauty on a cruise to ennui with Brandon Breaux who may be the incarnation of Noel Coward's id. Evan Melancon can milk an audience sleeping in a chair! Nathan Abbot brings Rat Pack savoir-faire to a scene about what we leave behind when we leave home. Kevin Credeur looks like Ratso Rizzo as he sweats through customs. Alex Hollerman is a hoot as a small-town girl with a big city heartache who has a bus ticket and isn't afraid to use it. Stacy Broussard shows us why Star Search will never go out of fashion.
The whole cast just sparkles playing a variety of characters in the thirty or so songs and skits. Music Director/Pianist Marcus McCullough gets some great lines in a salute to the Salzburg Mozart Festival. Marcus is worth watching anyway. This man lives his music. He also has the best musical joke in the show as he tries to extricate himself from the last few bars of a Mozart concerto. Robert Nash, on bass, has some great expressions.
The costumes are witty, especially the stewardess outfits and the costume for NAKED IN PITTSBURGH which was a clear audience favorite. HOT LAVA puts the emphasis on HOT. I have to say it was my favorite number for staging, costume, performance and all-round pizzazz. But really, any number would be someone's favorite and they all deserve it. Check out Ruth Diaz and Evan Melancon in orthotic devices singing and dancing like Astaire and Rogers--in body casts. What's not to love?
Small pieces moving on and off the stage combined with a clever backdrop let the show move along smoothly and quickly and supply all the visual reference we need. Sound and lights are smooth.
You could see a production of this show that spent more money, but you won't see a better production.
Smart Traveler Secret # 100--This show is about to close. Catch it tonight. Secret #101--Director Shawn Roy is a local treasure. Tell him so.
Secret #120--The acoustics in the room are fine unless you sit right next to the piano, as I did. Leave a little space so that you can hear the singers better. The show is not amplified so the singers have to hold their own with the musicians. They can and do, but they're more successful when they are closer to the audience than the musicians are.
---Walter Brown
Friday, October 10, 2008
Theatre--Review (UL- Lafayette Opera theare)
Don’t miss the boat! Secrets Every Traveler Should Know, the UL- Lafayette Opera Theater Guild’s presentation at Fletcher Hall, is a winner. Full of humor, great music, enthusiastic performances, and recalling Everyman’s travel experiences, it provides two hours of pure fun, joy and pleasure! Based on Wendy Perrin’s Fodor travel guide of the same name, it presents in song, dance and skit the mishaps, pitfalls, and pleasures every traveler has experienced … whether by plane, boat or bus. It also deals with a few “closer to home” experiences.
A “Revue,” rather than proper “book musical,” Secrets presents a series of vignettes related to travel and travelers. There are the archetypal stewardess types, car rental agents, customs officials, and of course tourists--tourists who have lost their luggage, tourists seeing America first, tourists with “Montezuma’s Revenge,” tourists at the buffet. A running joke everyone in the audience will identify with is the frustrated customer on the other end of an automated service call. Whether dealing with a travel agent or a credit card company, everyone can empathize with the man trying, and trying, and trying to get a hold of a live person! The music ranges from Latin dance numbers (two of them), to a French cabaret song, to a take-off (pun intended) on the Salzburg Music Festival. Much of the music, though, reminds one of what might have been heard in the nightclubs in Vegas, New York, or maybe Monte Carlo in the 60’s and 70’s. With songs and sketches by a group of thirteen writers, the show is hip, nostalgic, irreverent and clever. There is never a dull moment.
In a traditional musical, one has the luxury of meeting and following the characters. By my count over sixty “characters” are introduced to the audience during this show. And the cast numbers but fourteen! Let’s see, my travel computer tells me that’s about 4 characters per cast member! And every character was distinct, every one was perfect. Through marvelous costuming, a quick-change set, and outstanding acting we meet ‘em all. (Hey, if you travelled you met ‘em all and maybe even did it all before!). The singing is outstanding, as is par for a Shawn Roy production. Whether in individual numbers, duets, or choral singing, every (unmiked) word and note were crystal clear! In this show even the pianist had lines, and both pianist and bassist had a costume change. And the audience, well, at one point half of them were dancing on the stage. It was that much fun!
A revue, by definition, is a true ensemble endeavor, so I won’t even attempt to pick out the best among them. I had my favorites, and others had theirs. Suffice it to say that every one of these performers was wonderful. Ranging from college graduates, to current UL students, to community members, these fourteen young performers would make anyone proud they are in our area!
The finale of both the first and second act is the song “See It Now.” And you better! The remaining performances are Friday and Saturday night (October 10, 11 at 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday and Sunday Matinees (October 11 and 12 at 3:00 p.m.). Tickets are only available at the door. Don’t miss the boat! You’ll regret it.
---Donald Voorhies
A “Revue,” rather than proper “book musical,” Secrets presents a series of vignettes related to travel and travelers. There are the archetypal stewardess types, car rental agents, customs officials, and of course tourists--tourists who have lost their luggage, tourists seeing America first, tourists with “Montezuma’s Revenge,” tourists at the buffet. A running joke everyone in the audience will identify with is the frustrated customer on the other end of an automated service call. Whether dealing with a travel agent or a credit card company, everyone can empathize with the man trying, and trying, and trying to get a hold of a live person! The music ranges from Latin dance numbers (two of them), to a French cabaret song, to a take-off (pun intended) on the Salzburg Music Festival. Much of the music, though, reminds one of what might have been heard in the nightclubs in Vegas, New York, or maybe Monte Carlo in the 60’s and 70’s. With songs and sketches by a group of thirteen writers, the show is hip, nostalgic, irreverent and clever. There is never a dull moment.
In a traditional musical, one has the luxury of meeting and following the characters. By my count over sixty “characters” are introduced to the audience during this show. And the cast numbers but fourteen! Let’s see, my travel computer tells me that’s about 4 characters per cast member! And every character was distinct, every one was perfect. Through marvelous costuming, a quick-change set, and outstanding acting we meet ‘em all. (Hey, if you travelled you met ‘em all and maybe even did it all before!). The singing is outstanding, as is par for a Shawn Roy production. Whether in individual numbers, duets, or choral singing, every (unmiked) word and note were crystal clear! In this show even the pianist had lines, and both pianist and bassist had a costume change. And the audience, well, at one point half of them were dancing on the stage. It was that much fun!
A revue, by definition, is a true ensemble endeavor, so I won’t even attempt to pick out the best among them. I had my favorites, and others had theirs. Suffice it to say that every one of these performers was wonderful. Ranging from college graduates, to current UL students, to community members, these fourteen young performers would make anyone proud they are in our area!
The finale of both the first and second act is the song “See It Now.” And you better! The remaining performances are Friday and Saturday night (October 10, 11 at 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday and Sunday Matinees (October 11 and 12 at 3:00 p.m.). Tickets are only available at the door. Don’t miss the boat! You’ll regret it.
---Donald Voorhies
Theatre--Article
Cody Daigle has an article about The Rocky Horror Show in the Friday, October 10th edition of the Daily Advertiser.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Theatre--Workshops
Acting Up (in Acadiana) invites the public to take part in free, open to the public sessions exploring the collaboration of actors, musicians, and writers.
Observe a process which will generate a contemporary story exploring issues of our time and the potential for music to heal. Observe the creative process. Talk with artists. Offer feedback during the development sessions.
Each Monday, October 13th - December 8th.
6:00 - 7:45p.m.
Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA)
101 W. Vermilion St. in downtown Lafayette
Each Monday will highlight a new musician!
October 13 Carol Fran
October 20 Chris Stafford
October 27 Henry Gray
November 3 Chris Courville
November 10 Bernard Pierce
November 17 Henry Gray
November 24 Bernard Pierce
December 1 Chris Courville
December 8 Chris Stafford
Please contact Paige Krause at (337)513-5106 with any questions.
These workshops are sponsored in part by the Acadiana Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts.
Observe a process which will generate a contemporary story exploring issues of our time and the potential for music to heal. Observe the creative process. Talk with artists. Offer feedback during the development sessions.
Each Monday, October 13th - December 8th.
6:00 - 7:45p.m.
Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA)
101 W. Vermilion St. in downtown Lafayette
Each Monday will highlight a new musician!
October 13 Carol Fran
October 20 Chris Stafford
October 27 Henry Gray
November 3 Chris Courville
November 10 Bernard Pierce
November 17 Henry Gray
November 24 Bernard Pierce
December 1 Chris Courville
December 8 Chris Stafford
Please contact Paige Krause at (337)513-5106 with any questions.
These workshops are sponsored in part by the Acadiana Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts.
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