Theatre--Performance (Musical Theatre)

The Great  Merlin, tries to ease his student, Arthur, about meeting his new bride!

The Eunice Players' Theatre presents the legendary musical  CAMELOT, the story of King Arthur, Guenevere and the Knights of the Round Table.

This musical runs July 25 through August 4. For ticket information, please call David's Hair Salon, 546-0163, or Turning Point, 457-2156. The Eunice Players' Theatre is located at 121 South Second St. in the heart of the downtown historic Eunice.

Theatre--Performance (Musical Theatre)

What happens when you put five musical directors in a room together? The audience will reap the rewards of a performance worthy of the legendary musical Camelot. Director Debi L.Crawford decided that she needed a team of singer/directors who could pull off the feat of bringing this show to the stage at the Eunice Players’ Theatre this summer.

All the directors are distinctly connected in the world of musical theatre. There was only one person that Crawford wanted as King Arthur in Camelot so she called her good friend, Darrel LeJeune of Basile. Their friendship goes back three decades, working together on several musicals such as Damn Yankees and Pajama Game back in the 1980s. He then appeared in Grease and then the duo co-directed the musical Godspell in 1994. Fiddler On The Roof in 2007 was the last show where LeJeune played the lead and Crawford directed. Last year, LeJeune directed the musical Godspell at Basile High, where he
is the music and art teacher.

Then she called another familiar face of the theatre, Angie Benoit McBride, to play the lead role of Guenevere and serve as music director. Crawford first cast McBride in the musical Nunsense as the novice nun in 1991 and 1998. Over the years, they have collaborated on numerous musicals which McBride would direct and Crawford would work on costumes or choreography. Crawford asked McBride to appear in a cameo role in Fiddler On The Roof as the dead butcher’s wife and as fate would have it, Angie met her future husband, Duncan.

During Fiddler an actor from Opelousas came to auditions and nailed the role of Perchik. Duncan McBride came with a vast amount of experience and freshness. Since Fiddler he has directed several shows at Opelousas Little Theatre and played lead in numerous musicals there, most notably Jekyll and Hyde.  He presently serves as president of their theatre. Duncan will portray the role of Lancelot and will coordinate the fight scenes.


The missing element to this well rounded team was a pianist. Once again, after numerous phone calls, Crawford was able to persuade Jimmy Broussard of Crowley to be the show's accompanist. Broussard is well connected to the Eunice Players’ Theatre both as a pianist and lead singer. He played Danny Zuko in Grease and Jesus in Godspell which Crawford directed. He has also directed several shows, most recently Grease for The Acadia Players’ theatre, and he serves as president of that theatre.

So there you have it, a story of five intertwined personalities who love music and theatre and together, they will provide a wealth of experience for this summer musical.

Camelot will open at the Eunice Players’ Theatre on July 25th and run through August 4th. Tickets for this musical will go on sale Monday, July 9th. For ticket information, please call 337-457-2156 or 337-546-0163.

Theatre--Auditions (Musical Theatre)

Auditions for CAMELOT at Eunice Players' Theatre.

Camelot. The beauty and splendor of the enchanting musical about King Arthur, Guenevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table, will be presented this summer at the Eunice Players' Theatre.

Auditions for this legendary musical will be held at 6:30 p.m. each evening
Tuesday, May 1st 
Wednesday, May 2nd 
Thursday, May 3rd 
at the Eunice Players' Theatre, 121 S. Second Street, downtown Eunice.

The director, Debi L. Crawford, is looking for men and women, ages 16 and older, who would like to experience the magic of this musical. For auditions, everyone will be taught a verse of the opening song, "Camelot". Each person will then sing this verse without background music. She would like to stress that no previous experience is required, just a desire to become a part of this musical. Volunteers for other aspects of the show, such as hair and make-up, costumes and lights and sound, are also needed. So please volunteer and experience this "brief and shining moment" of Camelot!

The production will open July 25th and run through August 4th. For more information about auditions, please call Debi L. Crawford at 337-457-2156 or 337-457-2979.

Theatre--Review (Eunice Players' Theatre)

A night of laughter is always a good thing. Recently I was playing bridge with my regular Friday night group, and these ladies always have these hysterical stories that bring us to the point of tears and side-splitting pain. Eunice Players Theatre is no stranger to nights of laughter, usually beginning every season with a rousing comedy. (Think Barefoot in the Park in 2011 and What the Bellhop Saw in 2010.) Their 43rd season
began in that rich tradition with a truly funny The Murder Room, a Jack Sharkey comedy expertly directed by Jody L. Powell.

Authors like Jack Sharkey and Ray Cook generally drive some theatre people crazy, for their plots and characters are often interchangeable and indistinguishable. If I see another Ray Cook script, I may gag, but there’s something about The Murder Room, when expertly cast and directed, that’s rewarding. The intense word-play, the comedic timing, the physical interactions, all blended rather well in this production. Jody L. Powell, no stranger to farces, has assembled all the pieces skillfully, and though there were minor complications the night I saw the production, it was an overall wonderful evening, well-paced and surprisingly character-driven, something usually lost in farces.

Speaking of characters, the six actors on stage nicely created the cast who go through the most incomprehensible events. Glenn Mentel, Jr. is a likeable Edgar Hollister, though his British accent wanders in and out. (I’m still trying to process that this is the same actor who played a terrorist in What the Bellhop Saw.) A new face on Eunice’s stage, Catharine Arceneaux plays Susan Hollister as the loveable but dim daughter, who isn’t all she seems, capable of playing with guns and just not comprehending what is going on around her. As the gold-digging American wife Mavis, Mattie Guidry looks spectacular with an array of outfits worthy of supermodels. Deborah D. Ardoin brings a veteran’s touch to the role of the housekeeper Mrs. Lottie Malloy, enunciating the best and locking the accent more than anyone. Andy Doucet hits the
funny lines and delivers a good Texan accent, but the dumb, good ole Texan gets a little old by Act II.

And then there’s the special category for Shane Guilbeau, playing Inspector Crandall for at least the third time. I saw him do this play at Cité des Arts some time back, and I’ve known Shane for … a number of years. I recently enjoyed Angela Lansbury, on stage in Gore Vidal’s The Best Man in New York City, who earned a solid laugh with a mere look; Shane is a master of such looks. No one can match his ability to
stand stock still and act with only his face and those wonderfully shifting eyes. He times his pauses masterfully and can even make people laugh with the way he answers a phone. If we could only get him to not break character, which really happened only once during the production, and nail his accent—at present, it’s from some indescribable European country—he would be unstoppable. But I laughed when he broke, for it was funny.

Farces require utter perfection in the pacing of words and the timing of actions, and there were a few issues with line delivery. At times, it went fluidly, but sometimes actors stumbled awkwardly with those finely-tuned lines. There were also technical difficulties with tie clips, lighting knobs, and foot-placement (Shane, watch where your foot is supposed to go!). There was one instance where Shane jumped ahead in the script, normally disastrous for a farce, but his attempts to fix it provoked even more laughter. And Catharine did break character in Act II, recognizing the audience’s laughter with a quick but visible smile. The set worked wonderfully for the small stage that Eunice has, but that hand-drawn charcoal portrait of Mavis was distracting and stood out badly.

Did I mention that this was a night of laughter? And in the end, that’s all that counted. The audience loved the pace, especially the confusing twists of words where the characters themselves became confused over what the original question was. Eunice Players will perform this play Sunday, April 22, 2012, and again two more performances Wednesday, April 25 and Thursday, April 26. Visit the Eunice Players on Facebook or the Eunice Blogspot http://www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com/. Of all the local theatres, Eunice has mastered the farce.
---Vincent P. Barras

Theatre--Performance

The Murder Room, the first show of Eunice Players' Theatre's 43rd season is set to open Wednesday, April 18.  The comedy-mystery, written by Jack Sharkey and directed by Jody L. Powell, follows the dastardly plot of one money hungry gold digger, Mavis, who is suspected of killing her wealthy husband, Edgar. When Edgar’s imbecilic daughter, Susan, arrives with her fiancé’, Barry, in tow, they unknowingly complicate Mavis’ plot. As the police attempt to solve the mystery of Edgar’s disappearance, his interfering housekeeper, Lottie, gets involved and chaos ensues. With lovably stupid characters and a script that crackles with silly wordplay and confusing questions, the play packs in laughs from beginning to end for a hilarious romp through the murder mystery genre with a resolution that is hard to see coming.

Evening performances will be held April 19, 20, 21, 25, 26 at 7:00 p.m. A matinee will be held Sunday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m. Dinner theatre (with steak and trimmings) is scheduled for Wednesday, April 18 at 6:00 p.m. with the performance immediately following. Tickets for the play and season tickets are currently on sale at David Ltd. Salon and Turning Point in Eunice, or by calling David at 546-0163 or Debi at 457-2156 to charge by phone. More information can be found on EPT’s Facebook page or at www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com

Pictured l-r are Shane Guilbeau, Mattie Guidry, Glenn "Jay" Mentel, Jr., Catharine Arceneaux, Andy Doucet, and Deborah D. Ardoin.

Theatre--Auditions (Musical Theatre)

Camelot. The beauty and splendor of the enchanting musical about King Arthur, Guenevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table, will be presented this summer at the Eunice Players’ Theatre.  Auditions for this legendary musical will be held Tuesday, May 1, Wednesday, May 2, and Thursday, May 3 at 6:30 pm at the Eunice Players’ Theatre, located on South Second St.

The director, Debi L. Crawford, is looking for men and women, ages 16 and older, who would like to experience the magic of this musical. For auditions, everyone will be taught a verse of the opening song, "Camelot", which they will sing without background music. She would like to stress that no previous experience is required, just a desire to become a part of this musical. Volunteers for other aspects of the show such as hair and makeup, costumes and lights and sound are also needed, so please volunteer and experience this “brief and shining moment” of Camelot!

The production will open July 25 and run through August 4. For more information about auditions, please call Debi Crawford at 457-2156 or 457-2979.

Tickets are now on sale for The Murder Room, the season opener at Eunice Players' Theatre,  The comedy-mystery, written by Jack Sharkey and directed by Jody L. Powell, follows the dastardly plot of one money hungry gold digger, Mavis, who is suspected of killing her wealthy husband, Edgar. When Edgar’s imbecilic daughter, Susan, arrives with her fiancé’, Barry, in tow, they unknowingly complicate Mavis’ plot. As the police attempt to solve the mystery of Edgar’s disappearance, his interfering housekeeper, Lottie, gets involved and chaos ensues.  With lovably stupid characters and a script that crackles with silly wordplay and confusing questions, the play packs in laughs from beginning to end for a hilarious romp through the murder mystery genre with a resolution that is hard to see coming.

Evening performances will be held April 19, 20, 21, 25, 26 at 7:00 p.m.  A matinee will be held Sunday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m.  Dinner theatre (with steak and trimmings) is scheduled for Wednesday, April 18 at 6:00 p.m. with the performance immediately following.  Tickets for the play and season tickets are currently on sale at David Ltd. Salon and Turning Point in Eunice, or by calling David at 546-0163 or Debi at 457-2156 to charge by phone.  More information can be found on EPT’s Facebook page or at www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com.

Pictured left to right:  Catharine Arceneaux, Shane Guilbeau, Mattie, Guidry, Glenn "Jay" Mentel, Jr., Deborah D. Ardoin, and Andy Doucet

Theatre--Performance

The Eunice Players’ Theatre is preparing to open its 43rd season with a comedy mystery, The
Murder Room, directed by Jody L. Powell. Written by Jack Sharkey, the two-act show is a whodunit
filled to the brim with quick and witty dialogue, inept criminals, bumbling police, and other characters
both scheming and idiotic.

The play follows the dastardly plot of one money hungry gold digger, Mavis, who is suspected of
killing her wealthy husband, Edgar but nobody seems to know where the body went. When Edgar’s
imbecilic daughter, Susan, arrives with her fiancé’, Barry in tow, they unknowingly complicate
Mavis’ plot. As the police attempt to solve the mystery of Edgar’s disappearance, his interfering
housekeeper, Lottie, gets involved and chaos ensues.

Rehearsals are underway and the cast of stage veterans and those stepping on the Eunice stage
for the first time are already creating characters that will have audiences in stitches as they hurl one-
liners, Abbott-and-Costello style, back and forth.

Stepping onto the stage as the suspected murderess Mavis, is Mattie Guidry of Eunice, making her
stage debut at EPT. Despite having not acted since high school in school and Christmas plays,
Mattie’s comedic timing is impeccable and her costumes are stunning.

Returning to the EPT stage following his portrayal of Babu, the terrorist, in What the Bellhop Saw is
Glenn “Jay” Mentel, Jr. of Opelousas. Jay’s gift for physical comedy is proven in the role of Edgar, as
he bumbles his way through the endless cellar steps and the man-eating window seat on the set that
has as many tricks as the plot.

Also returning from What the Bellhop Saw is Shane Guilbeau of Lafayette. Shane plays James
Crandall, a police inspector with a secret of his own. Audiences are sure to remember his portrayal of
the hotel manager who kept audiences laughing with his comedic demeanor, his expressive face, and
his impressive height.

Deborah D. Ardoin, recent Best Actress Irving Award winner for playing Mom in A Nice Family
Gathering, has the role of Lottie, Mavis and Edgar’s housekeeper. Her interfering and gossipy ways
might help the police – or confuse them even more.

Another newcomer to EPT is veteran actress Catharine Arceneaux of Lafayette, playing the
role of Susan with perfect innocence and giddiness. A theatre minor in college, Catharine has
Shakespearean and musical theatre experience.

Andy Doucet of Opelousas is a familiar face to EPT, having been in last year’s Schoolhouse Rock
Live!, for which he won the Irving Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Andy fills the role of Barry,
Susan’s impromptu fiancé’ from Texas, who unknowingly complicates Mavis’ plot.

With lovably stupid characters and a script that crackles with silly wordplay and confusing questions,
the play packs in laughs from beginning to end for a hilarious romp through the murder mystery genre
with a resolution that is hard to see coming.

Evening performances will be held April 19, 20, 21, 25, 26 at 7:00 p.m. A matinee will be held
Sunday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m. Dinner theatre (with steak and trimmings) is scheduled for Wednesday,
April 18 at 6:00 p.m. at Nick's on Second St., with the performance immediately following. Individual
tickets for the show will be on sale soon. Season tickets are currently on sale at David Ltd. Salon
and Turning Point in Eunice, or by calling David at 546-0163 or Debi at 457-2156 to charge by phone.
More information can be found on EPT’s Facebook page or at www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com.

Theatre--Ticket Information

The Eunice Players' Theatre has season tickets available for purchase for the 43rd season. A $20.00 ticket includes 3 shows, a postcard notifying the dates of the upcoming show, voting privileges and an invitation to the annual Irving Awards. The first show of the season, The Murder Room, opens in mid-April. It is a two act mystery farce directed by Jody L. Powell.

For season ticket information, please call 337-546-0163 or 337-457-2156 or check out the theatre's website, www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com.

Theatre--Performance

Brett Faulkner, Michael Sanchez, Vincent P. Barras, Deborah D. Ardoin, Angelle Driggs

The comedy, A Nice Family Gathering, has opened at Eunice Players’ Theatre but performances continue this weekend and through next week.  The two-act heart-warming comedy, written by Phil Olson and directed by Jody L. Powell, is a timely fit for the Thanksgiving season.

As the players take the stage, the audience finds the Lundeen family gathered for the first Thanksgiving since Dad died.  His presence, however, is felt by middle son, Carl, as Dad beseeches him to tell his wife of 35 years that he loved her.  The situation gets complicated by Carl’s own feelings of neglect, and when Jerry, Dad’s old golfing buddy, shows up to dinner as Mom’s “date”.

Humor drives the play through family situations that everyone will find familiar - including sibling rivalry and odd dinner fare - but at the story’s heart lies the touching realization that letting loved ones know they are truly loved is a necessity for eternal peace.

Evening performances will be held November 5 and 9-11 at 7:00 p.m.  A matinee will be held Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m.  Dinner theatre (with steak and trimmings) is scheduled for Tuesday, November 8 at 6:00 p.m. at Nick's on Second St., with the performance immediately following.  Individual tickets for the show ($10 each/$15 extra for dinner) can be purchased over the phone with Visa and Master Card by calling 457-2156 or 546-0163, or they can be picked up at David Ltd. Hair Salon at 204 S. Second St. in Eunice.  More information can be found on EPT’s Facebook page or at www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com.

Theatre--Performance

As the Eunice Players’ Theatre closes its 42nd season, Jody L. Powell brings to the stage A Nice Family Gathering by Phil Olson, a two-act heart-warming comedy fit for the Thanksgiving season.

As the players take the stage, the audience finds the Lundeen family gathered for the first Thanksgiving since Dad died.  His presence, however, is felt by middle son, Carl, as Dad beseeches him to tell his wife of 35 years that he loved her.  The situation gets complicated by Carl’s own feelings of neglect, and when Jerry, Dad’s old golfing buddy, shows up to dinner as Mom’s “date”.

Rehearsals are underway and the cast of stage veterans and those stepping on the Eunice stage for the first time are already creating characters that will have audiences laughing one minute and tearing up the next.

Current EPT board member Brett Faulkner fills Dad’s ghostly shoes.  A regular set builder for EPT, Brett started onstage in To Kill a Mockingbird at EPT and later won the Best Actor Irving Award for the title role in Jake’s Women”.  He was most recently seen in Fiddler on the Roof and Moonlight and Magnolias.

Deborah D. Ardoin of Eunice has the role of Dad’s widow, Helen.  Debbi is an audience favorite in comedic and dramatic roles as indicated by her many Irving Awards including most recently Best Actress Awards for playing Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Annie in Misery.  Her favorite comedic roles include Sister Amnesia in Nunsense, and Chick in Crimes of the Heart, all at EPT.  She is a member of Acadiana Repertory Theatre and Cite des Arts’ improv group, both based in Lafayette.

Vincent P. Barras of Lafayette, playing Carl, is a veteran of over 50 plays throughout Acadiana but this is his first time on the EPT stage.  Vincent has held prominent roles in many plays including Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, Stage Manager in Our Town, and Fagin in Oliver!.  He has also directed numerous plays.

Carl’s older brother, Michael, is played by Michael Sanchez of Eunice.  This marks his second show with EPT having previously been seen in Moonlight and Magnolias.

Angelle Driggs of Eunice has the role of Jill, Michael’s wife.  Angelle won a Best Supporting Actress Irving Award for her performance in Over the River and Through the Woods.  A graduate of Oliva Dodd’s Studio of Dance, Angelle’s dance skills were prominently featured in EPT’s Grease and Godspell.

Also a graduate of Oliva Dodd’s Studio of Dance is Sarah Soileau of Eunice, making her stage debut as Stacy, the youngest member of the Lundeen clan.  Sarah has previously assisted with backstage duties on Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

John D. Kittles of Eunice steps in as Jerry.  John made his debut on the EPT stage in the lead role in last season’s What the Bellhop Saw and has since been seen in Crowley’s Pandemonium Theatre’s production of A Flea in Her Ear.

Humor drives the play through family situations that everyone will find familiar - including sibling rivalry and odd dinner fare - but at the story’s heart lies the touching realization that letting loved ones know they are truly loved is a necessity for eternal peace.

Evening performances will be held November 3, 5 and 9-11 at 7:00 p.m.  A matinee will be held Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m.  Dinner theatre (with steak and trimmings) is scheduled for Tuesday, November 8 at 6:00 p.m. at Nick's on Second St., with the performance immediately following.  Individual tickets for the show will be on sale soon.  More information can be found on EPT’s Facebook page or at www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com.

Theatre--Performance

The last week of Completely Hollywood (abridged) will be presented by The Eunice Players' Theatre.

Tickets are available by calling 337-457-2156 or 337-546-0163. Season ticket holders are encouraged to make their reservations for this show. The show runs Wednesday, Sept. 21, Thursday, Sept 22 and Saturday, Sept. 24 with curtain at 8pm.

Theatre--Performance

Tickets for the Eunice Players' Theatre's upcoming show, Completely Hollywood (abridged) are now on sale. This two-act comedy stars Kevin Miller, Kevin Courville and Van Reed in their third installment of an abridged show. Watch as they shamelessly take all of the movie classics and shred them into itsy bitsy pieces. Completely Hollywood (abridged) opens Thursday, September 15 and continues on September 17, 21,22, 24 at 7pm. There will be a matinee on Sunday September 18 at 2pm and a Dinner Theatre on Tuesday, September 20th at 6pm. The steak dinner  is catered by Nick's on Second St. and dessert with coffee is served at intermission. For ticket information, please call 337-546-0163 or 337-457-2156. This is the second show of the Eunice Players' Theatre so all season ticket holders are encouraged to make their reservations. For more information, please check out the theatre's website: www.euniceplayers.blogspot.com. The Eunice Players' Theatre is located at 121 South Second St. in the historic downtown section.

Theatre--Performance

Completely Hollywood (abridged) to be shown at Eunice Players' Theatre.

After ripping through The History of America and shredding All The Great Books, the three amigos of abridgement are back once again to take on 189 of the most beloved movies of all time and recut the celluloid into pieces. Tinseltown will never be the same after the Eunice Players' Theatre presents Completely Hollywood (abridged), directed by Debi L. Crawford and starring Kevin Miller, Kevin Courville and Van Reed.

Completely Hollywood (abridged) will run the following dates:
Thursday, September 15
Saturday, September 17
Sunday, September18
Tuesday, September 20
Wednesday, September 21
Thursday, Septermber 22
Saturday, September 24
All shows are at 7:00 p.m., except Sunday, which is at 2:00 p.m.

Ticket information will be available soon. The Eunice Players' Theatre is located at 121 South Second Street in the historic downtown section of Eunice. Be sure and check out the Theatre's website.

Theatre--Auditions

The Eunice Players’ Theatre will hold auditions for the final play of the 42nd season, A Nice Family Gathering on Wednesday, August 31 at 6:00 p.m. Director Jody L. Powell needs 4 men and 3 women, ages 20’s to 70’s to fill the cast. More people are needed to assist with set decoration, backstage duties, costuming, etc. Auditions for the two-act comedy by Phil Olson are open to everyone who wants to get involved with their local community theatre. Auditions will be at the theatre at 121 S. Second St. (between Nick’s on Second St. and Bertrand’s Office Supplies). Production for this play will be in mid November. For more information, or to schedule an audition time, call Jody at 337-580-1787.

Theatre--Auditions

The Eunice Players’ Theatre will hold auditions for the final play of the 42nd season, A Nice Family Gathering on Saturday, August 27 at 10:00 a.m., and Wednesday, August 31 at 6:00 p.m.  Director Jody L. Powell needs 4 men and 3 women, ages 20’s to 70’s to fill the cast.  More people are needed to assist with set decoration, backstage duties, costuming, etc. Auditions for the two-act comedy by Phil Olson are open to everyone who wants to get involved with their local community theatre.  Auditions will be at the theatre at 121 S. Second St.(between Nick’s on Second St. and Bertrand’s Office Supplies).  Production for this play will be in mid November.  FMI, or to schedule an audition time, call Jody at 337-580-1787.