Theatre--Performance

John Patrick Bray's Trickster at the Gate was produced Off-Off Broadway with the At Hand Theatre Company in March, 2009. It received outstanding reviews from The Huffington Post, NYTheatre.com, and Stage and Cinema. Trickster at the Gate premiered at the Cite des Arts in April, 2008, as part of The Renaissance of Zora Neale Hurston, and continued its run through Festival International. It was commissioned by the Performing Arts Society of Acadiana under The Big Read Acadiana Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.


Goodnight Lovin' Trail by John Patrick Bray will be produced during The Colors of Life evening of one-acts at the Producer's Club in NYC. Goodnight Lovin' Trail was John's MFA Thesis at the Actors Studio Drama School, and has been produced in various venues. In 2007, GNLT was produced during the first Hub City Theatre Festival at Cite des Arts, and won three awards: Audience Favorite, Best Actor (Myles McGinn), and Best Production Design (Rachel Adams).

John Patrick Bray's full-length play, Hound, will be produced during the Planet Connections Festivity in NYC (Off-Off Broadway) this June. Hound received its World Premiere at Cite des Arts in October, 2007. Currently, John is looking for friends who are willing to donate to the project (his goal is to raise $1,000 during the month of April, which will off-set all production costs). He is asking everyone he has ever met for $10. So far, John has raised over $2,000, which has paid for entry into the festival, a press agent, and Actor's Equity insurance. The remaining $1,000 will cover rehearsal space, post-cards, costumes, and make-up. If you are interested in making a donation, you can reach him at JohnPatrickBray@yahoo.com. For more information about the Planet Connections Festivity, please visit www.planetconnectionsfestivity.com.

Theatre--Performance

Committed: Gay Marriage and Other Nightmares of Middle America (A solo performance by Cody Daigle)opens at Cite Des Arts on Thursday, August 21st.

Committed: Gay Marriage and Other Nightmares of Middle America is the latest solo show by local playwright and actor, Cody Daigle. The piece is a seriocomic look at one man’s journey to meet his boyfriend at the altar.

From fake “marriages” during kindergarten playtime to a six-year committed relationship as an adult, the show looks at the challenges of growing up in a world without the possibility of marriage , and it makes a case for marriage’s ability to change everyone, regardless of who you fall in love with.

Committed is a funny, revealing, and very personal look at the gay marriage issue.

Local director and producer, Cara Hayden, directs the production with a scenic design by Duncan Thistlethwaite. The piece received two awards at the 2008 Hub City Theatre Festival-–Best Original Play and Best Actor.

WHEN: August 21-30, 2008, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Cité des Arts, 109 Vine Street, Downtown, Lafayette
COST: $12.00

For more information and reservations, please call 291-1122.

The show contains adult language and subject matter. Parental guidance is recommended.

Theatre--Review

Ray Blum reviews the Hub City Theatre Festival and its awards in the July 18th edition of the Daily Advertiser.

Theatre--Blog

Cody Daigle, who won best actor and whose show Committed won best production at the Hub City Theatre Festival over the weekend, blogs about theatre and his life at the Daily Advertiser site.

Theatre--Article

The Daily Advertiser ran an article announcing the results of the Hub City Theatre Festival.

Theatre--Hub City Theatre Festival Awards

The Hub City Theatre Festival ended on Saturday, July 12th, and the awards were announced during the closing ceremony:

Best Play
1st - Committed: Gay Marriage and Other Nightmares of Middle America by Cody Daigle
2nd - Momma Jass by Austin Sonnier

Best Production
1st - Gertrude Stein and a Companion by Win Wells presented by Firelight Theatre
2nd - Momma Jass by Austin Sonnier

Audience Favorite
1st - Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry presented by Eunice Players Theatre
2nd - The Lamp by Cindy Brown

Best Production Design
1st - Gertrude Stein and a Companion by Win Wells presented by Firelight Theatre
2nd - The Exile of Joe Gagliano by Chere Coen

Best Actor
1st - Cody Daigle for Committed: Gay Marriage and Other Nightmares of Middle America by Cody Daigle
2nd - Jerrod Arabie for The Exile of Joe Gagliano by Chere Coen

Best Actress
1st - Bria Hobgood for Gertrude Stein and a Companion by Win Wells presented by Firelight Theatre
2nd - Laura Blum for Gertrude Stein and a Companion by Win Wells presented by Firelight Theatre

Theatre--Reviews

The Hub City Theatre Festival has put up a blog for immediate audience comments on the participating shows.

Theatre--Performance

The Saturday schedule for the Hub City Theatre Festival at Cite Des Arts:

3:00 pm (mainstage): Exile by Maureen Brennan and Valerian Smith

4:00 pm (Second Stage): From Pen to Performance by Artistic Voices

5:00 pm (Mainstage): Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry

6:00 pm (Second Stage): Regarding Moore by Christine Baniewicz and Nick Hwang

7:00 pm (Second Stage): HCTF Interactive presentation of The Word

(Second Stage): The Yarn – What my Parents Forgot to Mention--an open mike storytelling event

(MAINSTAGE): Awards Presentation

Theatre--Performance

The Hub City Theatre Festival at Cite Des Arts will feature the following shows and events tonight:

7:00 pm (Mainstage): The Exile of Joe Gagliano by Cheré Coen

7:30 pm (Cafe): HCTF Interactive

8:00 pm (Second Stage): Momma Jass by Austin Sonnier

9:00 pm (Mainstage): Committed: Gay Marriage and Other Nightmares of Middle America by Cody Daigle

10:00 pm (Improv): Zagnuts: A Hypnomusical by Gourmet3

Theatre--Performance

Bria Hobgood and Laura Blum in Gertrude Stein And a Companion, part of the Hub City Theatre Festival at Cite Des Arts. The show runs Thursday, July 10th at 9:00pm.

Theatre--Performance

The cast of Cindy Brown's original piece The Lamp, which runs as part of the Hub City Theatre Festival at Cite Des Arts on Thursday, July 10th at 7:00pm.

Theatre--Performance

The 2nd Annual Hub City Theatre Festival kicks off this Thursday
evening at 7:00pm. It will continue Friday evening and Saturday beginning at 2:00pm. Please scroll down for the full schedule of events or you can check on our website for more detailed information regarding the individual productions, workshops, and events.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

7:00 pm – MAINSTAGE: The Lamp by Cindy Brown
8:30 pm – SECOND STAGE: To Protect and Sever by Steven Cooper
9:00 pm – MAINSTAGE: Gertrude Stein and a Companion by Win Wells

Friday, July 11, 2008

7:00 pm – MAINSTAGE: The Exile of Joe Gagliano by Cheré Coen
7:30 pm – CAFÉ: HCTF Interactive
8:00 pm – SECOND STAGE: Momma Jass by Austin Sonnier
9:00 pm – MAINSTAGE: Committed: Gay Marriage and Other Nightmares of Middle America by Cody Daigle
10:00 pm – Improv - Zagnuts: A Hypnomusical by Gourmet3

Saturday, July 12, 2008

3:00 pm – MAINSTAGE: Exile by Maureen Brennan and Valerian Smith
4:00 pm – SECOND STAGE: Artistic Voices: “From Pen to Performance”
5:00 pm – MAINSTAGE: Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry
6:00 pm – SECOND STAGE: Regarding Moore by Christine Baniewicz and Nick Hwang
7:00 pm –SECOND STAGE: HCTF Interactive presentation of The Word
SECOND STAGE: The Yarn – What my Parents Forgot to Mention--an open mike storytelling event
MAINSTAGE: Awards Presentation

Theatre--Performance

Theatre--Performance

Cite des Arts is proud to present a theatre event unlike any the Acadiana area has seen -- the second annual Hub City Theatre Festival, a three-day theatre festival presenting original and published theatre work from local and national writers.

The Hub City Theatre Festival will present the world premieres of seven theatre pieces, the reprise of one piece by a local artist, and two performances of pieces from published playwrights. Local theatre companies and independent artists from across the Acadiana area are producing the pieces, and local audiences can expect a diverse offering of theatre visions -- from the comic to the thought-provoking, from the socially relevant to the personally intimate, from the solo performance to larger cast pieces.

Performances begin on Thursday, July 10 and run through Saturday, July 12. All pieces will alternate performances between Cite’s Mainstage Theatre and Cite’s Second Stage space. The final performance schedule will be announced shortly.

The Hub City Theatre Festival will also incorporate two new divisions to the festival. The first, HCTF Interactive, will include activities for the audience and participants to provide feedback on the festival as it is happening. The second, HCTF Kids, will be a series of interactive workshops scheduled on the morning of Saturday July 12, 2008.

The pieces selected for this year’s festival are:

* The Lamp by Cindy Brown.
This world premiere comedy takes a humorous and introspective look at life with Charlene and her middle-aged friends as they blossom and explore new possibilities. Directed by Dana Reed, this one act play marks the second year that the playwright has participated in the Hub City Theatre Festival.

* To Protect And Sever by Steven Cooper.
A world premier short play by local writer Steven Cooper. This short piece takes a darkly comic approach to the rising threat of terrorism, domestic spying, and the education of our youth.

* Gertrude Stein And A Companion by Win Wells
Firelight Theatre will present the first published work of the festival with their first HCTF production. This memory play presents snapshots of the strong relationship across time between Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Through reflective and intimate storytelling, incorporating some of Gertrude Stein's own writings, the play reveals the fascinating journey of their remarkable life together in a time before such liaisons achieved any measure of social acceptance.

* The Exile of Joe Gagliano by Chere Coen
Gris-Gris Productions joins HCTF for the second year with its world premiere production. Bruce and Chere Coen pair together to bring us a funny yet touching portrayal of a New Orleans family evacuated during hurricane Katrina and adjusting to relocating in Lafayette.

* Momma Jass by Austin Sonnier, Jr.
The established Louisiana playwright will reprise this production for the HCTF stage. This one woman show starring Bria Hobgood explores the history of jazz.

* Willie And Me by Kimberly Johnson-Nagle.
The 2007 HCTF Best Play winning playwright and Best Production winning director Dr. Alex C. Marshall have paired together once again to present this world premiere production. Imagine, William Shakespeare in present day Louisiana and a troubled young lady who is trying to guide him through this new world. Can these strangers become friends or are there differences too much to overcome?

* Exile by Maureen Brennan and Valerian Smith
Brenrose Productions will present the debut of this work in progress. Focusing on the final days of Napoleon’s exile to the Caribbean island of St. Helen, this piece relies on gospel music to help tell the story.

* Last Night Of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry
Eunice Player’s Theatre brings their version of this Tony Award winning play to the Lafayette area. This charming and bittersweet comedy is set in 1939 in Atlanta, where Gone With the Wind is premiering. A segment of Atlanta’s Jewish elite is more concerned with who will be attending Ballyhoo, the social event of the season, than Hitler’s invasion of Poland. The arrival of a handsome businessman from New York forces the Freitag family to deal with who they really are as they are pulled apart and mended again with plenty of gentle comedy, sweet romance, and unexpected turns.

* Regarding Moore by Christine Baniewicz and Nick Hwang
In Baniewicz’s second year of HCTF, she has teamed up with a fellow LSU student to present the world premiere of this work in progress musical. In the scenes presented, English professor Dr. Steven Moore confronts two conflicting forces: his recent literary fame and his unique relationship with a 19-year-old student.

* Committed: Gay Marriage And Other Nightmares of Middle America by Cody Daigle.
Committed is a solo exploration of love, marriage, and commitment in the age of same-sex marriage. Weaving together the history of the fight for same-sex marriage in America and the personal history of the playwright, Committed makes the modest proposal that, gay or straight, marriage is good for us all.

Additional programming will fill out the festival, including a playwrights roundtable, a storytelling event, and other events to be announced.

The Hub City Theatre Festival is offering a variety of ticketing options for patrons to fully enjoy the festival. Festival passes, which gives patrons admission to every show in the festival are sold for $50.00. Saturday passes, which gives patrons admission to the full Saturday slate of shows are sold for $25.00. General admission tickets are also available for $5.00 per performance. For more information on purchasing a Festival pass or Saturday pass, call 291-1122.

The Hub City Theatre Festival is a one-of-a-kind theatre event for the Acadiana area that should not be missed. For more information on the festival lineup, the individual shows, ticketing options, and any other questions, call Cite des Arts at 291-1122 or visit Cite on the web at www.citedesarts.org.

Theatre--Audition

Auditions will be held at Cite des Arts on Saturday, June 7th from 11 am-1 pm and Sunday, June 8th from 1p-3 pm for the world premiere on an original play by local writer Chere' Dastugue Coen and directed by local actor/director Bruce Coen. The Exile of Joe Gagliano is a funny yet touching portrayal of the Gagliano family forced to leave their home and livelihood after Hurricane Katrina to seek refuge in Lafayette.

Characters:
Joe Gagliano 40's-50's
Marie Gagliano 40's-50's
Lisa Gagliano 15
Wayne Gagliano 18
Kevin Spears 40's-50's: Joe's best friend

A New Orleans "Y'at" accent is preferred for all the characters but not essential.

Theatre--Audition

Someone is needed to play the part of Shawn, the waiter and love interest in The Lamp, a one-act play that will be presented for one performance during the Hub City Theater Festival at Cite Des Arts in July.
This male character will play the love interest of Charlene, the main character, who will be around 50 years old. Shawn should be a younger man, ranging in age from about late 20's to late 30's.
Auditions will be Wednesday, June 4th from 6:00-8:00 pm at Cite.

For more info, call Cindy at (337) 839-9291 or 322-5166.

Theatre--Auditions

Auditions will be held at Cité des Arts on June 9th and June 11th at 6:00pm for two original plays written by Steven Cooper.

TO PROTECT AND SEVER
This is a short comedy about the threat of terrorism, domestic spying, and the education of our youth. This show is to be presented at the Hub City Theatre Festival the first week of July.

Characters:
Sgt. McRuffle: Man- 30- 40
Teacher: Male or Female- 25-35
Kid 1: Male or Female- 13-18 (actor/actress can be older, but must look young)
Kid2: Male or Female- 13-18 (actor/actress can be older, but must look young)
Two Swat Team Members: Males 20-35

GNOSTIC COINCIDENCE
This is a full length play about two strangers becoming friends, their dreams, and the lessons they desire to learn. This show will run at Cite des Arts from August 14th-28th. Rehearsals will be in July and early August.

Characters:
Buzzbee: A very aware man of the street who is fighting an inner battle.
Male: 28-40
Ralph: A business man who is reaching a crossroads in his life.
Male: 28-40
Love: A muse that guides the characters in their dreams.
Female:20-40
Competition: A shadow character that challenges the characters in their dreams. Male: 20-35

The right age for the actors playing the characters is not as important as what
the actor can bring to the characters. Mr. Cooper is looking for the right ensemble to bring this play to life.

WHEN: June 9 and 11 at 6:00pm
WHERE: Cité des Arts, 109 Vine St., downtown Lafayette between Jefferson St. and Third St.

For additional information, please contact Steven Cooper at
barrelmaker76@gmail.com.

Theatre--Performance Schedule

Cite Des Arts announces their schedule of theatrical performances for the next few months:

May 22 – June 7: Cité des Arts presents Proof
June 12 – 14: Multiplicity, a new original work of theatre by Ezra Istre
June 20 – 21: Theatre Production by The Foundry Theatre Company
June 26 – 28: Firelight Children’s Theatre presents Three Piggy Opera and Peter Pan
July 10 -12: Cité des Arts presents the 2nd Annual Hub City Theatre FestivalJuly 18 – August 9: SAS and Shane Guilbeau Production
August 14 – August 30: Gnostic Coincidence, an original work by
Steven Cooper
September 4 – 20: Cité des Arts presents Greezy Spoon, an original work by Austin Sonnier, Jr.
September 25 – November 1: Alternating shows of the Cité des Arts’ production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Blaine Peltier and Discoproductions’ production of The Rocky Horror Show.

Theatre--Audition Cancellation

The following AUDITIONS have been CANCELLED at Cité des Arts for the one act comedy, The Lawyer Who Stopped Talking.

Saturday, May 24: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Sunday, May 25: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Monday, May 26: 6:00pm – 8:00pm

THESE WILL NOT BE RESCHEDULED. Cite apologizes for any inconvenience.

Theatre--Auditions

Auditions will be held for the one act comedy, The Lawyer Who Stopped Talking, an original piece by Jim Phillips. The performance of this play will take place during the Hub City Theatre Festival, July 10-12th at Cité des Arts. Some characters will play multiple roles and some roles are non-speaking.

WHEN:Saturday, May 24: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Sunday, May 25: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Monday, May 26: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
WHERE: Cité des Arts, 109 Vine St., downtown Lafayette, between Jefferson St. and Third St.

For additional information, please contact Jim Phillips at 337-290-1601.

Cast of Characters, The Lawyer Who Stopped Talking:

Tom Harris, Esquire: A man in his 30s-50s;
Scenes 1-4 The main character, a lawyer

Denise Harris: A woman in her late 20s-30s;
Scenes 1&4 Tom’s soon to be ex-wife

Maha Baba: A man in his late 40s-50s.
Scenes 1-4 Denise’s guru

Alice Barkley: A woman in her late 70s;
Scenes 2-4 Tom’s first devotee.

Director / Stage Manager: A man/woman in 20s-60s
Prologue

Bob: A man in his 20s-60s;
Scenes 1&4 Denise’s divorce lawyer.

Mr. Gunn: A man in his late 30s-40s;
Scenes 3&4 Detective

Sonia: A woman in her early 20s;
Scenes 1-4 Assistant detective

Lawyer No. 1: A man in his 30s-50s;
Scene 3 From Tom’s law firm

Lawyer No. 2: A man/woman in 30s-50s;
Scene 3 From Tom’s law firm

Television reporter: A man/woman in 20s-30s;
Scene 3

TV camera operator: A man/woman in 20s-30s;
Scene 3

Group of devotees: 6-10 men/women in their teens-50s
Scene 3

The Breather
Cloth Over Head
Tie-dyed Stretcher
Arrow Meditator