Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Theatre--Performance


The Plastic Theater's double bill production of Becket's Krapp's Last Tape and Albee's The Zoo Story open on Thursday, March 1 at 7:30 pm.  Because the schedule is slightly different from normal, please note the following dates: 
March 1 at 7:30
March 2 at 7:30
March 3 at 7:30
March 4 at 3
March 8 at 7:30
March 9 at 7:30
March 15 at 7:30
March 16 at 7:30
March 17 at 7:30
March 18 at 3

Theatre--Performance





Wanderlust Theatre Co. presents Shylock, an award-winning one-man play about a Jewish actor who finds himself condemned by his own community for his portrayal of Shakespeare's notorious Jew.  Mark Folse, of NOLA Defender, says "McKellar's powerful performance...succeeds compellingly...brilliant acting."  Following the 2011 New Orleans Fringe Festival in November, this production was performed for the Shakespeare Behind Bars program in Louisville, Kentucky and has been selected to be performed this July in the 2012 Capital Fringe in Washington, D.C.

For two performances only, Shylock is being remounted at Theatre 810 - Saturday, March 10 at 8 pm and Sunday, March 11 at 3 pm!  Tickets are $10.  Call (337) 484-0172 for ticket reservations.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Theatre--Performance




The Acadiana Center for the Arts has provided this link for a taste of what L'Enfant Terrible is bringing to the stage in Hamlet, Prince of Puddles.


Hamlet, Prince of Puddles opens on March 1st and runs through March 3rd.


Theatre--Performance


Hamlet, Prince of Puddles @ Acadiana Center for the Arts

Special Ticket Offer! 
*Take advantage of our 2 for 1 ticket offer ending Wed, Feb. 29! 

Special offer available for phone purchases at 337.233.7060 or at our Box Office at 101 W Vermilion St. 

Hamlet, Prince of Puddles
presented by 
L'Enfant Terrible 
Thursday, March 1@ 6:30 PM
 
Friday, March 2 @ 9 AM & 11:30 AM (school shows)
Saturday, March 3 @ 11 AM & 7:30 PM 

Join us for L'Enfant Terrible's Hamlet, Prince of Puddles!
An all-ages adaptation of Shakespeare's classic play, this fun theatrical event will keep you on the edge of your seats. Don't miss this hilarious family-friendly event March 1 at 6:30 p.m.,March 3 at 11:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the James Devin Moncus Theater. We will also offer student shows for schools and home school students March 2 at 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark but after the untimely death of his kingly father, his mother Gertrude hastily marries his uncle Claudius. When Hamlet learns who is to blame for his father's death, he struggles to take action and becomes known as the Prince of Puddles!

Tickets are $6 for the March 1 Youth Performances and $10 - $12 for March 3's Saturday Special Performances.  

To book school shows call 337.233.7060 Ext. 232 for more information.  

More on L'Enfant Terrible: http://lenfantterrible.org/    

Read reviews
 on this performance: 

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Theatre--Review (AUI at Theatre 810)


Continuing their committment to original work and local writers, AUI shines a spotlight on the voices of writers over 50 in "PG-50, a triple bill of one-acts that explore life, love and memories of those of us who aren't kids anymore. As a whole, the show is a successful showcase for three emerging local writers, and while the pieces have varying levels of theatrical success, there's a satisfying takeaway from the evening as a whole, and the show is a positive addition to the local theatre scene.
The curtain-raiser 'Wet Dreams," by local storyteller and writer Sally Donlon, looks back at her childhood in downtown Lafayette through two connected tales. The piece is filled with some sharply observed details, some warm-hearted nostalgia for locals and a funny recollection of "bat whomping" that was the highlight of the piece. But "Wet Dreams" succeeds more as memoir than theatre, and would likely be more successful read than performed.
Mitu Dasgupta's solo piece "Harry" raises the bar for the evening. It tells the story of a woman reconnecting with an old flame and the imaginary husband, Harry, she created years before to gently let this flame chase another woman. It's a clever take on a familiar convention, and it's got its share of zingy one-liners and clever comic twists. But what really resonates is the broken heart beneath the comedy -- a woman looking back on her tough choices that have left her single in her 50s -- and the piece's gentle examination of regret. Inside "Harry" is a larger piece of theatre, one that fleshes out these currently unseen characters and situations in its solo form. But even in its solo form, "Harry" entertains.
"Sex, Lies and Social Security," the evening's final and longest piece by Patrica Drury Sidman, is perhaps the most successful. Charting the budding online romance between a pair of would-be lovers past their 50s not only succeeds as a love story, but scores as a commentary on modern relationships and the challenges of discovering them in an online world. The biggest laughs come from the online dating section of the piece -- particulary the sharply observed absurdity of some online personal ads -- and Drury and Bob Sidman (playing marginally fictionalized versions of themselves) perform them with honesty and panache. The piece is ultimately a sweet and affecting story of taking the risks required for love instead of choosing the safety of being alone, and that's something everyone can take to heart.
What makes PG-50 such an intriguing entry in local theatre isn't the strength of the individual pieces, but the cumulative affect of them all. The worlds and experiences of the characters in these three worlds aren't the usual fare for theatres, and there's something satisfying about hearing voices you don't otherwise hear. What's most reassuring (and the evening's most powerful take-away for me) is the idea that at any age, the challenge of just getting through the day is the same -- our regrets, our passions, our insecurities, our dreams and our connections to home are ageless things. Kudos to AUI and the company of artists in "PG-50" for showing us that truth through a different lens.
---Cody Daigle

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Theatre--Audition

Wanderlust Theatre Co. is looking for an early 20s to late 30s female actor for its upcoming May production of You've Got Hate Mail!  The lady we need is comfortable with raunchy comedy, so if that's you, email us!  A prepared monologue is great, but not a deal-breaker.  We'll provide sides.  Auditions will be held by appointment February 27 - March 2.  To schedule a slot, please email Elsa Dimitriadis at elsa@wanderlusttheatre.com.

You've Got Hate Mail! is Van Zandt and Milmore's comic answer to A.R. Gurney's Love Letters.  An adult comedy of errors, it's a hilarious tale of love gone digital!  This production will be the third in Wanderlust's 2011-2012 season.  Please visit www.wanderlusttheatre.com for more information about Wanderlust projects.

Theatre--Performance

Acting Unlimited  presents PG-50, an original show featuring the work of three local women (with the help of one local man)


Wet Dreams: Tales from the Third Coast
Written and performed by Sally O. Donlon.

Harry: A One-Woman Show. 
Written and performed by Mitu Dasgupta.

Sex, Lies and Social Security. 
Written by Patricia Drury Sidman and performed by Patricia and Bob Sidman.

Wet Dreams was, in part, first performed by Sally O. Donlon in December, 2011 as part of the Hub City Storytelling Festival at Cite des Arts. Sally's talent for storytelling matches her considerable talents as a community leader. Her lively personality shines through in these tales recalling and re-imagining experiences. "No one escapes childhood.... The outcome, though, depends on your point of view!"

Harry has been performed by Mitu Dasgupta over the years for friends and family. By popular demand, she now brings this entertaining tale to the stage. Mitu is active in the arts in Lafayette and has acted in several Acadiana theatre productions. In Harry, a woman deals with a past lover and a current unwanted pursuer only to face her present lover who wasn't there in the first place. "Come with an open mind and a bit of imagination to sort it all out."

Sex, Lies and Social Security was originally produced by AUI in 2009 for the Minnesota Fringe Festival, one of the largest such festivals in the U.S., where it received rave reviews. It was performed then, as now, by writer Patricia Drury (now Sidman) and Bob Sidman. Patricia is a storyteller new to Lafayette and Bob has acted in numerous productions in the area. Sex, Lies and Social Security is both personal and satirical and depicts some of the hazards - and rewards - of internet dating over age 50. "It ain't over 'til it's over and it ain't over yet."

All three shows will be presented at Theatre 810, Lafayette's newest theatre venue and AUI's new home.
810 Jefferson St., Lafayette, LA
(Next door to Carpe Diem Gelato and Espresso.)
Ample nearby free parking.

Friday, February 24 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 25 at 7:30 pm
Sunday February 26 at 2 pm

TICKETS:
There are currently three ways you can purchase tickets for PG-50.

1. http://pg-50.eventbrite.com/ to purchase tickets online with your Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express card.

2. Purchase tickets in person, at the door. Box office will open an hour prior to curtain. Due to limited seating, AUI/AURA cannot guarantee that seats will be available for purchase at the door for each performance.

3. Reserve your seats by phone at 337-484-0172. Our box office staff will hold your reservation until the night of the show, and you can purchase your tickets when the box office opens. Our box office only accepts cash or check at the door. Reservations are held until 10 minutes prior to curtain, then they are released to patrons on the waiting list. 

For any questions, call 337-484-0172. And we'll see you at the show!

Theatre--Auditions

The Eunice Players’ Theatre will hold auditions for the first play of the 43rd season, The Murder Room on Monday, February 27  and Tuesday, February 28 at 6:00 p.m. each night at the theatre at 121 S. Second St.in Eunice (between Nick’s on Second St. and Bertrand’s Office Supplies).  Director Jody L. Powell needs 3 adult men and 3 adult women, ages 20’s to 50’s to fill the cast.  More people are needed to assist with set decoration, backstage duties, costuming, etc.  The play is a two-act mystery farce by Jack Sharkey, with rehearsals throughout March and production scheduled for mid-April.  Auditions are open to everyone who wants to get involved with their local community theatre. 


FMI, or to schedule an audition time, call Jody at             337-580-1787      . 

Theatre--Auditions

Auditions for IPAL’s Blithe Spirit will be held Monday, March 26, from 6:30 – 8 p.m, and Tuesday, March 27, from 6:30 - 8  p.m. at the Essanee Theater, 126 Iberia St. in New Iberia. This classic comedy by Noel Coward will have a cast of 2 men and 5 women, ages 20 – 60-plus. No special advance preparation is required; cold readings from the play will be performed at the auditions. Run dates for this show are scheduled for May 31–June 3 and June 7-10.


 For more information call the theater at 364-6114 and leave your name and phone number, or email us at ipal@cox.net

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Theatre--Performance

"Rockets and Polar Bears" Plays by Gabrielle Reisman
WhenSat, February 25, 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Where109 Vine Street/Downtown Lafayette off of Jefferson (map)
DescriptionOne Act Plays by Gabrielle Reisman, Directed by Regina Sullivan

Theatre--Performance



Abbey Players presents Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, directed by Dianne Moss.
Opening night is Feb. 24th and is a "Patrons' Night" open to the public.  Tickets for this premier performance are $35, and include a catered dinner, drinks, dessert and the show.
Regular performances continue weekends until March 31st.  Tickets are priced at $15.
Tickets can be purchased online at abbeyplayers.com, or by calling the theatre at 893-2442.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Theatre--Performance

LOVE LETTERS opens on Friday, February 10th at 7:30 pm at Theatre 810.  A love story told through letters, this is the perfect beginning to Valentine's Day.  There will be only 2 presentations of the show, Friday evening and Sunday afternoon at 3 pm.

For tickets, call or text (337) 873-1548.

Performing Arts--Scholarship


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 as well as for 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 5 p.m. on March 15, 2012 to qualify for the 2012/13 scholarships. To request scholarship guidelines and an application please go online to www.pasa-online.org or call PASA at (337)237-2787 ex. 206.

The L. Hill Bonin, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund was created to award talented and deserving students of the performing arts with funds for enhancing their talents through participation in advanced study or classes beyond those available in their present study programs.  Now awards may benefit groups that provide opportunities to students for enhancing their performing arts talents.
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.

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.

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.

Performance--Theatre (Musical Theatre)


Chicago-The Musical  is the hottest ticket in town! For THURSDAY March 15 and THURSDAY March 22 tickets are available at Paul’s Flower show and Accentrics on Main Street.   For FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY performances tickets are available but must be purchased directly from IPAL. This may be done by calling IPAL at 364-6114 or by emailing IPAL at ipal@cox.net  . In any case, please leave your NAME, your TELEPHONE NUMBER, and the date and times you wish tickets. NO tickets are currently available at Delaune’s Pharmacy.
We thank you all for your continuing support of IPAL and interest in its many activities. WE are only here because of YOU!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Theatre--Performance


Loren Farmer  and the Eavesdrop Theatre will produce the tense new drama by David Mamet called Race at Cite des Arts, 109 Vine Street Downtown Lafayette, February 3, 4, 10, 11, & 12.  Evening performances will be at 7:30pm, Sunday matinee’s will be at 2:00pm. Tickets are $10.00 and may be purchased at the door, or from the website www.citedesarts.org

David Mamet tackles America’s most controversial topic in a provocative new tale of sex, guilt, and bold accusation.  Two lawyers find themselves defending a wealthy white executive charged with raping a black woman.  When a new legal assistant gets involved in the case, the opinions that boil beneath explode to the surface.  When David Mamet turns the spotlight on what we think but can’t say, dangerous truths are revealed and no punches are spared.

Theatre--Performance (Musical Theatre)


UL Opera Theatre and The Compound are pleased to announce their collaboration on an exciting spring production: a revival of GRAND PRÉ, a musical by local playwright Cody Daigle and local composer Roy Bertucci.

In 1755, British military at Grand Pré, Nova Scotia, began a forced removal of all Acadian civilians, sending them on boats to other corners of the world. This removal would cast the Acadian people out of their homeland, tear apart families, and force the Acadians to resettle in ports all along the Eastern Seaboard, finally settling in Louisiana after many years of travel.

GRAND PRÉ musicalizes the beginning of the “Great Removal,” set against the story of a family already at war with itself. As the LeBlanc family struggles to accept the inclusion of a British solider to their family by marriage, forces in the outside world move to dismantle the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia for good. GRAND PRÉ is a musical about a moment of sweeping historical change, the human cost of history and the price we pay for loyalty.

Originally commissioned in 2005 by the Acadian Cultural Center and Cite des Arts, GRAND PRÉ was first produced in 2005. This version of GRAND PRÉ is a significantly revised version of the original show, containing an overhauled book, a new character and a new musical number.

GRAND PRÉ features performances by Jonah Slason (Louis), Alexandra Hollerman (Helene), Jenee Luquette (Cecile), Sadie Bekurs (Isabelle), Garrett Guidry (Thom), Tessa Espinosa (Alice), Jay Broussard (Allain), Shelby Runyan (Barillot), Aren Chaisson (John Winslow), and Holden Greene (Charles Lawrence).
Shawn Roy directs this new production with David Boudreaux supplying musical direction and new orchestrations. Duncan Thistlethwaite (scenic design) and Gina Baronne (costume design) round out the artistic team.

GRAND PRÉ marks a unique collaboration between two local producing agencies. UL Opera Theatre has supplied Acadiana with top-notch musical offerings for several years (including last year’s exciting THE MIKADO and THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD), and The Compound is one of the area’s newest companies, having scored a major success with their workshop production of the new play WILLIAM AND JUDITH.

This collaboration brings together two exciting companies in an effort to bring a new musical to life.

GRAND PRÉ will run March 8-11 at the Ducrest-Gilfrey Auditorium at Angelle Hall on the U: Campus. Curtain on Thursday, Friday and Saturday is 7:30 p.m. The Sunday matinee curtain is at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door.  There will also be a free school show on March 9th at 10 am.

For more information, call 482-6012.



Theatre--Performance


The Abbey Players takes great pleasure in announcing the cast of their forthcoming production of Steel Magnolias.




Center: Anna Edwards......(Shelby) 
bottom, left, with glasses: Laurie Hayes......(Annelle) 
top, left. boat-neck top: Patsy Hebert.......(Ouiser) 
top, center with pearls: Jenny Felder.......(Clairee) 
top, right, V-neck: Patricia Townsdin........(M'Lynn) 
bottom right, fur collar: Sandra Cormier........(Truvy) 

Theatre--Performance


Love Letters, a play involving two actors reading their love letters to each, was a hit when it premiered in 1989, and it returns to the Lafayette area for two performances shortly before Valentine’s Day. The author A. R. Gurney created a poignant story involving two friends who begin writing notes to each other in school, and from there, they developed a life-long relationship, both complicated and touching. One of the first performances in the Acadiana area was at the Lafayette Community Theatre located on Jefferson Street.

“It was 1996,” Vincent P. Barras recalled, “and I watched two actors on stage reading letters to each other, and I thought, ‘This is mesmerizing. I want to do this one day.’”

It’s sixteen years later, but dreams can come true. Gurney’s play Love Letters will be performed the weekend of February 10th at Theatre 810, also ironically on Jefferson Street. First published in 1989 and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, this play has had a history of famous actors and actresses read the letters of Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner. In 2007, it was performed in a fundraising event featuring James Earl Jones and Elizabeth Taylor.

“I’m presently rehearsing for IPAL’s production of Chicago set to open March 9th in New Iberia,” Vincent continued, “but when Theatre 810 had an unexpected opening in their schedule, I realized it was now or never.”

The play’s intimate style is reminiscent of reader’s theatre, where actors sit and read a script before an audience and then ask for their input. For this play, however, the letters form the heart of the play: two actors reading the love letters that they’ve written to each other over a fifty year time span.

Amanda Newbery, a Lafayette Parish Talented Teacher, will play the part of the free-spirited yet unstable artist Melissa Gardner. A transplant first from England and then from New Orleans, she starred in the Evangeline Players’ production of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts and recently finished a two-week revival of Wendy Wasserstein’s Uncommon Women and Others at Cité des Arts.

“It’s a gem of a play,” she mentioned wistfully, “and its premise requires little memorization, which is a good thing considering our time frame! It’s both lovely and bittersweet.” Amanda just finished orchestrating a successful presentation of plays titled Out of the Box this past weekend, all performed by students in the Talented Program of Lafayette Parish.

Vincent P. Barras will play the part of the dutiful Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, who in the course of the play becomes a United States Senator. A regular on the IPAL stage and the St. Martinville DuChamp Opera House, he also performs with Acting Unlimited, Inc. and the Eunice Players.

The play follows the “near misses” between Andrew and Melissa from their first letters in school to their college days to middle age and beyond. It’s an unpretentious look at two characters beginning in 1937 and traveling over half a century through boarding schools, wars, discoveries, and even political campaigns.

“I’m just so grateful to Theatre 810,” he noted of the new stage directly next door to Carpé Diem Gelatto-Expresso Bar. Amanda even added, “It’s a wonderfully intimate gathering, and during the intermissions, people can trot next door to Carpé Diem and get the most exquisite ice cream and hot chocolate.”

Theatre 810, a welcome addition to Lafayette’s incredible theatre tradition, just finished three productions in its new space at 810 Jefferson Street. They opened with Cody Daigle’s William and Judith, a new adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and David Ives’ series of one-act skits in Lives of the Saints. Two weekends after Love Letters, Acting Unlimited, Inc. will present PG-50, a collection of three locally written one-act plays about life after age 50.

“There are just so many opportunities for theatrical experiences in this area,” Amanda marveled. “Isn’t it fantastic?”

Love Letters will run for only two performances, one on Friday, February 10th at 7:30 pm, and another on Sunday, February 12th at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $10, and can be reserved by calling 337-873-1548. The box office at Theatre 810 opens one hour prior to all performances, and tickets are also available at that time