Wanderlust Theatre Co.'s 12 ANGRY MEN

It’s 1957, and a young man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father -- a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence. The fate of the defendant is in the hands of twelve strangers. In Reginald Rose’s classic, Twelve Angry Men, things get very personal as evidence is scrutinized, perspectives are questioned, and biases are revealed. The ensemble cast is wholly comprised of seasoned theatre veterans. It includes Walter Brown, Aren Chaisson III, Steven Cooper, Joseph Diaz, Rudy Eisenzopf, John W. Fiero, Stefan Hannie, David Keadle, M. Brady McKellar, Milton G. Resweber, Robert D. Sidman, Phillip Spear and Duncan Thistlethwaite. Elsa Dimitriadis directs. This is the sixth production in Wanderlust’s 2012-13 season. Other productions have included We All Do by Jarin Schexnider, You’ve Got Hate Mail by Van Zandt & Milmore and Slamdango! Puppet Slam as part of Festival International de Louisiane. A talk back session will follow the Sunday, June 2 matinee that focuses on the complexities of race and juries and how they have been depicted in literature. May 31, June 1, 6-8 at 7:30 pm June 2 at 3:00 pm Theatre 810, Downtown Lafayette $10 admission For ticket reservations, call (337) 484-0172 or purchase online at 12angrymen.eventbrite.com For additional information about the company, visit www.wanderlusttheatre.com or facebook.com/wanderlusttheatre

CANCELLATION--SHAKESPEARE ACTING WORKSHOP -- Cite des Arts

Caroline McGee's Shakespeare Acting Workshop, scheduled for May 13-16, has been cancelled and will be rescheduled later in the year.  Details will be posted as soon as they are available.

Auditions for AUI's production of URINETOWN

Auditions will be held at Theatre 810 (810 Jefferson Street in downtown Lafayette) on Saturday, May 18th from 2 to 4:30 pm and on Sunday, May 19th from 3-6 pm. For more information about the auditions, please call AUI at 484-0172 or email to actingunlimitedinc@gmail.com.



One of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years, URINETOWN is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!



Inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, URINETOWN is an irreverently humorous satire in which no one is safe from scrutiny. Praised for reinvigorating the very notion of what a musical could be, URINETOWN catapults the “comedic romp” into the new millennium with its outrageous perspective, wickedly modern wit, and sustained ability to produce gales of unbridled laughter.



Nominated for a total of 20 Tony, Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards, URINETOWN won 3 Tony awards (Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Direction of a Musical) and a Theatre World Award (Spencer Kayden).



SHAKESPEARE ACTING WORKSHOP -- Cite des Arts

SHAKESPEARE ACTING WORKSHOP -- Cite des Arts

Caroline McGee, noted NYU professor/Director, Lee Strasberg Institute, is offering a Shakespeare Acting Workshop at Cite des Arts, May 13-16, 2013, for actors, students, & teachers, of all ages and experience. Designed as a common sense approach to make Shakespeare surprisingly accessible, specific tools are learned that lead to understanding and clarity in performance. Both comic and dramatic monologues/scenes are offered.

 

May 13-16---Monday-Thursday – 4-6 pm

Fee: $200

To register or more info: mcgeec50@yahoo.com; 347 677 3164

 

Be great in act as you have been in thought…King John

THIS WEEKEND: IMPROV-A-LOOSA at Cite des Arts!

Lafayette Parish Talent Theatre Program 

Presents

Improv-a-Palooza

The students of the Lafayette High School Talent Theatre program will present “Improv-a-Palooza”, an audience interactive improvisational performance.

    This family friendly, comical, “Whose Line is it Anyway?”-type show is a student run production directed by Stephanie B. “Improv-a-Palooza” will take place  at Cite des Arts (109 Vine St. right off Jefferson Street) on Friday, May 3rd and Saturday, May 4th at 7:30pm. 

 Tickets will be $5 and available at the door. For more information, please call (337) 291-1122.

AUDITIONS! The Little Mermaid! IPAL Summer Youth Musical

Auditions for IPAL’s annual Summer Youth Musical, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr., directed by Travis Guillory, will be held Saturday, May 18 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. or Sunday, May 19 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Essanee Theater, 126 Iberia Street in New Iberia. Children 10-18 are encouraged to audition. 

   There are seven principal characters (2 female, 3 male, 2 either), 11 supporting roles (7 female, 2 male, 2 either), and a chorus of merfolk, sea creatures, sailors and chefs. Those auditioning should come prepared with a one-minute song (it can be from The Little Mermaid, but that is not necessary). Singing to a karaoke track on a CD or singing a capella is appropriate. There will be no pianist available for auditions. Parent/adult volunteers are also highly encouraged to stop by to fill out a volunteer sheet. 

Adapted from Disney’s 2008 Broadway production, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. is based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. It tells the story of the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, who longs to leave her ocean home fathoms below to live in the world above. This exciting musical journey features the hit songs “Part of Your World,” “She’s in Love,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and the Oscar-winning “Under the Sea” along with many new songs from the 2008 Broadway version. The musical's book is by Doug Wright with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman (written for the film) and new lyrics by Glenn Slater. 

Main character and soloist rehearsals will begin Monday, May 27 and regular rehearsals will begin June 3 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.  Not all cast members will need be present for every rehearsal. Performances are scheduled for July 18-28, Thursday through Sunday. There will be a $75 production fee for all those cast in the show. If you have any questions, e-mail the director at trvsguillory@yahoo.com or call him at (337) 789-9362. E-mail is preferred. For those on Facebook, the link to the event page is http://tiny.cc/9e7guw . 

The Little Mermaid- Pandemonium Theatre Group

     Pandemonium Theater Group proudly presents their production of The Little Mermaid as written by Wayne R. Scott and produced with Special Arrangements with LifeHouse Productions, Inc. based on the ever popular and classical story of Hans Christian Andersen.

 

     This delightful musical will take your on an adventure from the palace of King Triton beneath the sea to the palace of Prince William on the beautiful shore from the hidden cave full of human things of Angelica to the dark and mysterious liar of the evil Sea Witch Octavia. 

 

     The fun-loving, adventurous Angelica has turned 16 and is being granted permission by her over protective father to venture to the surface to look above her ocean world to the mysterious and enchanted world of humans. It is only with great concern and much concern of her father, sisters, and her community of merfolk that she ascends into the unknown to find a whole new world of excitement and even love. 

    

     During her visit to the surface, Angelica comes alongside Prince Williams’ ship and becomes even more intrigued to learn more about the human world. However, Octavia has a different plan, a plan of destruction for the voyagers. The ship is destroyed and the crew is thrown overboard during which time Angelica comes to the rescue of Prince William despite the protesting of her best friend Finn.     

 

     When Angelica returns to the undersea palace, she is distraught by having to live in a separate world. Her father is angry that she encountered humans and has promised the entire kingdom that if anyone has any contact with the human world ever again they will be banished from the kingdom. Upset Angelica leaves the palace to seek refuge and solitude in her cave of human things when her loving Grandmer comes to her with a gift, a gift that brings her hope.

     

     Our wonderful casts consists of members representing the areas of Lafayette, Opelousas, Iota, and Crowley ranging from toddlers to adults from merfolk, fish, sea turtles, a sea horse, kelp and an evil sea witch to sailors, palace staff, townsfolk, a steward, and a prince. 

 

    Journey with us to the bottom of the sea as Pandemonium Theater Group presents The Little Mermaid Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 at 7 pm and Sunday, June 9 at 2 pm at the Grand Opera House in Crowley. Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for adults. Tickets can be purchased online at www.thegrandoperahouse.org, by calling the Grand Opera House at (337) 785-0440, or at the door one hour prior to show time.  For more information go to our Facebook page.                                                                                     

IPAL Youth Theatre Workshop!

Are you a STAR?

IPAL YOUTH THEATRE WORKSHOP

 June 24-28, 2013 from 9-12 Noon

A theatre workshop for the aspiring young performer

Ages 6-9 only

Price includes a t-shirt and snacks

IPAL’s week long Youth Theatre Workshop is a fun way for the aspiring performer ages 6-9 to get to know their local theatre. The young stars will learn about singing, dancing, and script writing, not to mention various acting and improv activities. On the final day of the workshop, a small “concert type” performance with the theme of The Little Mermaid will be given for the parents. Hope to see you there!

Directors: Blythe Bull and Anne Caffery

IPAL, 126 Iberia Street, New Iberia, LA 70560

To register email cafferys1@cox.net and a registration form will be sent to you.

Call 337-256-0604 for more information.

REGISTER SOON – SPACE IS LIMITED!

KREMLIN KOMEDY--REVIEW

“Kremlin Komedy”
Theatre 810
April 25-27 & May 2-3

Life is a brutal journey that ends in the hands of death. Hilarious, no?

That’s the whispered truth at the heart of “Kremlin Komedy,” a clever and very funny program of one-act plays by Russian absurdist writer Daniil Kharms and American playwright David Ives. As conceived by Nathan Gabriel, and directed by Gabriel, Andre Trahan, Alicia Chaisson and Travis Johnson, “Kremlin Komedy” delivers its quick and furiously funny bursts of savage comedy as a sort of dark vaudeville -- set against a simple but evocative curtain designed by Johnson -- that begins with a wait for an oncoming train and ends, as everything does, with a visit from Death.

The bill is almost entirely dedicated to the work of Kharms, and the pieces are real discoveries. The opening piece, “Mashkin Killed Koshkin,” a wordless interlude between two men waiting for a train that devolves into murder (delightfully played by Dustin Lafleur and Bryce Romero), plays like “The Zoo Story” for two Russian clowns. “Fedya Davidovich (Parts I and II)” takes an outrageous bit of physical comedy and turns it into a sharp comment on desperation in poverty. “Rehabilitation,” the blackest of the comedy on the bill, finds gruesome laughs in a most despicable character. And “Untitled,” performed by Rachel Chambers, needs only two sentences to do what Jonathan Swift did in “A Modest Proposal” and bring down the house while doing it.

Gabriel and Alicia Chaisson, who direct the lion’s share of the Kharms’ pieces, find great moments of physical comedy to balance the darkness of the scenes, and they work like gangbusters. They are supported by some very capable performers, particularly Aren Chaisson (whose mostly wordless opening for “What They Sell In Stores Nowadays” is priceless) and Cris Matochi (who gamely turns the audience against him in “Rehabilitation”). The show’s real standout is Bryce Romero, who displays a real knack for physical comedy and lands some of the evening’s best laughs. He shines brightly in “Mashkin Killed Koshkin” and finds some lovely grace notes in the final moments of “Pakin and Rakukin,” mostly without saying a word.

“Variations on the Death of Trotsky,” a one-act by American playwright David Ives, fits less comfortably into this bill. The one-act, which plays out a series of increasingly silly variations on the final day of Leon Trotsky (who lived almost twenty -four hours after having a mountain climber’s axe smashed into his skull), feels a little too long, too labored and too earnest next to the short ferocious bursts of Kharms’ work. Nancy Ramirez has a few bright moments as Trotsky’s long-suffering wife, but the show’s trio of actors never quite settle on a single tone, and the piece ends up feeling as though it belongs in a different show.

The best comedy comes from dark places, and “Kremlin Komedy” mines that darkness well. Gabriel and company never shy away from the dark, so their show about the hell of life is, seriously, funny as hell.
---Cody Daigle

KREMLIN COMEDY--REVIEW

Katie Slattery Lamson is a graduate of the UL-Lafayette Department of  Performing Arts and a teacher for talented theatre students in Iberia Parish.  This is her first review.

Kremlin Komedy is an incredible collaboration of artists. Four directors and seven actors put together a series of nine comedic short plays by and about Russians- the perfect theatrical event to start its run during Festival International de Louisiane.

Written by Russian absurdist Daniil Kharms and American comedic David Ives, these plays weave together a night of intense laughter.

Travis Johnson’s set quite literally explored the softer side of the Iron Curtain. A pile of furniture and other items are stacked and lit so beautifully; exposed by a delicate patchwork curtain. The contrast of light and shadow on this mound of debris is quite stunning.  Items from this pile are used to create the world of each play, bringing forth purpose and meaning to disheveled ruin.

Andre Trahan’s direction of MASHKIN KILLED HOSHKIN is impeccable. This play breaks down any and all social barriers we have while waiting for a train. I forgot I was watching live theatre and was transported into the world of silent film and slapstick. Dustin LaFleur (Mashkin) and Bryce Romero (Koshkin) had incredible chemistry on stage! (Something I can speak highly of for all the actors throughout this show!) This comedy was so well directed down to the slightest glance that the audience was sent into hysterics over and over again, and just when you think it couldn’t be funnier – BAM! It hits you again!

I’ve seen performances by Aren Chaisson in the past and he is adoringly shameless. He will do anything for a role and tonight was no exception! He held roles in several of tonight’s pieces. In WHAT THEY SELL IN STORES NOWADAYS, directed by Nathan Gabriel, Chaisson brought us into his world using nothing more than a plastic satchel and his incredible use of physicality, especially in his facial expressions.

In FEDYA DAVIDOVICH (PARTS I and II) directed by Alecia Chaisson, Rachel Chambers plays alongside Aren Chaisson. This series will absolutely take your breath away! After watching this, I guarantee that you will be plagued with one question… Was the butter actually REAL?!

Chris Matochi commands the stage in REHABILITATION. With once small shift of his eyebrow or the slightest twist of his head, he will turn you on or completely disgust you.

VARIATIONS ON THE DEATH OF TROTSKY is reason enough to see the entire show. Directed by Travis Johnson and performed by Vincent Barras, Nancy Ramirez, and Chris Matochi, we are given several comedic variations on, as the title suggests, the death of Leon Trotsky. Barras and Ramirez make an excellent Mr. and Mrs. Trotsky, moving from scene to scene with such grace. I do wish that the timing were a little tighter between variations because we see Trotsky rise from the dead a split second after the lights on the new variation have already come up. But, hey, it didn’t KILL the mood!

Brady McKellar’s costumes are, of course, stunning, and I am especially impressed with Trotsky’s hat. Fashioned with a mountain climbers’ axe, the hat was worn flawlessly by Mr. Barras.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that stage manager, Kelsey LaCoste, called an incredibly tight show. The actors’ diligence during set changes combined with traditional Russian music made transitions between each play incredibly smooth.

While the intimate setting of Theatre 810 is perfect for this show, anything staged on the ground was difficult to see from the fourth (and final) row. It is not distracting, but I would recommend that you get to the theatre early enough to grab a closer seat.

Kremlin Komedy is running Saturday April 27 at 7:00 pm during Festival International and it will also run the following weekend, May 2-4. Each performance is at 7:00 pm. The entire production runs nearly 45 minutes. Admission is $10.

If you've ever wondered what could possibly be more disgusting than having your wife clip her toenails at the dinner table, then you MUST go see Kremlin Komedy!
---Katie Slattery Lamson

Classes in Puppetry Arts!

Cité des Arts and Hobgoblin Hill Puppets

bring you

 Keys to the World of Puppetry

July 9-12, and 16-19

Contact: Alice Wallace, 337-856-4260 Or Christy Leichty 337-291-1122

What? Classes in Puppetry Arts

Who? Alice Wallace of Hobgoblin Hill Puppets

When?  July 8-11, and 15-18, 5:30-7:30 pm

Where? Cité des Arts, 109 Vine St., Lafayette, LA 70501

Cité des Arts Hosts Puppetry Classes for Adults

Have you been looking for the door to puppetry? Have you been hoping to entertain kids, incorporate puppetry into your classes, or bring puppetry into your own home? Well, now is your chance! Alice Wallace of Hobgoblin Hill Puppets, under the sponsorship of Cité des Arts, will be conducting puppetry classes for two weeks on July 9-12 and 16-19, and classes will start at 5:30 pm and end (tentatively) at 7:30 pm. (Some people might want to stay after class to discuss their new ideas, try an experiment, or ask more questions.)

Hobgoblin Hill Puppets is a traveling troupe begun in 1987 in Lafayette, Louisiana, by Alice Wallace, who is a teacher in the St. Martin Parish schools. Now, approximately two hundred puppets since the company’s beginning, Hobgoblin Hill Puppets have been featured performers at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival, Galveston’s Dickens on the Strand, Lafayette’s Festival International, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, and Puppeteers of America conventions in across the United States.

     The focus of these classes will include:

1. An overview of puppetry styles across the world 

2. Practice in developing voices

3. The opportunity to work with many different types of puppets

4. Experimentation with skits 

5. Examination of styles of puppetmaking

6. Instruction in theater construction

7. Open brainstorming sessions on how to work puppetry into your home, your class, or your life.

Miss Wallace will bring in her theater, many of her puppets, and a bucket of ideas on how to make puppetry work for you! Classes will cost only $200.00 per student.  Teachers, and students (high school/college) will get a $40.00 discount.  All you need to bring is an open mind and the courage to make a fool of yourself in front of others. Sign up before the class fills up! www.citedesarts.org or call 291-1122.

Fundraiser/ Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder

 Fundraiser for Festival of Words with film Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder

  Saturday, April 13, 2013

  7:00 p.m. poetry  --  8:00 p.m. movie

  Cite des Arte, 109 Vine St. Lafayette, LA 70501

CONTACT: Patrice Melnick: Festival of Words (337) 662-1032 or Cite des Arts (337) 291-1122

On Saturday, April 13, join us for a screening of the new film Ferlinghetti A Rebirth of Wonder.  The evening will also include beat poetry performances and a silent auction to raise funds for the Festival of Words. It all takes place at Cité des Arts on Vine St. in Lafayette, LA. 

The evening launches with beat poetry performances by local poet Jerry McGuire and other area poets.

At 8:00 p.m. begins the first run film Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder.  In this definitive documentary, director Christopher Felver crafts an incisive, sharply wrought portrait that reveals Ferlinghetti's true role as catalyst for numerous literary careers and for the Beat movement itself.  As poet, playwright, publisher, and activist, Lawrence Ferlinghetti helped to spark the San Francisco literary renaissance of the 1950s and the subsequent “Beat” movement.  

You can see a trailer at http://firstrunfeatures.com/trailers_ferlinghetti.html

The event will also include a silent auction that includes fine, handmade quilts by Le Coudre Points of Arnaudville and by Gwen Miller; art glass by Karen Bourque, paintings by William Turley; glass chimes by Jerilyn Lavergne and recycle art by Trish Ransom.  Food will be available as well as drinks through Cité des Arts’ Station Cafe.  Funds will go towards the annual Festival of Words, November 7--9, 2013 featuring Darrell Bourque, Genaro Kỳ Lý Smith and Naomi Shihab Nye.

Sponsored by the Festival of Words, Cane Fire Film Series, Cite des Arts, & Small-Time Cinema.  Cité des Arts is located at 109 Vine St. in Lafayette.  

Tickets are $15 @ Casa Azul in Grand Coteau and Cite Des Arts.  FMI: 337-662-1032 or 337-291-1122