Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Theatre--Audition
This is very last minute, but the Acadia Players of Crowley are holding auditions for a play by Natalie E. White tonight until 8 pm. The cast requires 10 women and one man between the ages of 18-75. The auditions will be at the Rice Theatre (323 N. Parkerson Avenue, Crowley). For more information, call 788-1879.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Theatre--Auditions
The Evangeline Players will produce the Neil Simon comedy The Odd Couple as part of their 2008-2009 season. Performances of this classic will be the first three weekends in August 2008. Vincent P. Barras will be directing and the parts of Felix and Oscar are pre-cast. They are searching for six supporting characters. There are four poker-playing buddies (males from 20s to 60s) who have small scenes in all three acts. There are two females needed to play the Pidgeon sisters from England, so British accents are important. The two females can be any age from 20s-40s.
Tryout dates are Sunday, May 18th from 2-4 pm and Tuesday, May 20th from 6-8 pm. People do not need to be at both audition dates. If you cannot make those dates, please contact Vincent P. Barras at 519-0865 to make other arrangements.
Those cast will be notified and given scripts by May 23rd. Rehearsals will begin on Monday, June 9th, but the poker scenes as well as the Pidgeon sister scenes will rehearse one day a week for the first five weeks with more frequent rehearsals as we near opening night.
Tryout dates are Sunday, May 18th from 2-4 pm and Tuesday, May 20th from 6-8 pm. People do not need to be at both audition dates. If you cannot make those dates, please contact Vincent P. Barras at 519-0865 to make other arrangements.
Those cast will be notified and given scripts by May 23rd. Rehearsals will begin on Monday, June 9th, but the poker scenes as well as the Pidgeon sister scenes will rehearse one day a week for the first five weeks with more frequent rehearsals as we near opening night.
Theatre--Article
This is not a newly published article, but the Teche News website has an article written by Ken Grissom on April 4th about the Evangeline Players' production of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Opera--Performance
Herman Fusilier has an article about the upcoming production of Carmen by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and the UL-Lafayette College of the Arts in the April 29 edition of the Daily Advertiser.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Opera--Performance
Carmen, an opera by Georges Bizet will be performed in French with supertitles on May 1 and 3, 2008 at 7:30PM in the Ducrest-Gilfry Auditorium in Angelle Hall on the campus of UL Lafayette. This is a joint production between the Acadiana Symphony and the UL Lafayette College of the Arts. It tells the story of the ill-fated gypsy girl, Carmen, who through manipulation and sexuality, manages to get herself murdered by a extremely jealous lover. The cast will be made up of professional singers in the leading roles and UL Lafayette students in the secondary parts. The role of Carmen will portrayed by Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Edyta Kulczak of Poland. Tickets are available at the offices of the Acadiana Symphony. For more information, call ASO at 232-4277.
Theatre--Performance
The Lafayette Parish Arts Academy theatre students will demonstrate the versatility of their new back box theatre on Thursday, May 1st by performing Eugene Ionesco's The Lesson and WASP by Steve Martin (one-act plays). A gala is scheduled on Friday, May 2nd to mark the official opening of the facility. Food, beverages, as well as before-and-after photos will be provided that night. Performances on both dates will begin at 8 PM at the N.P. Moss Annex on 801 Mudd Ave. All are welcome to attend as well as donate to the Arts Academy Theatre Arts program (There is no admission fee, but a donation--suggested at $5--would be appreciated.). Please call 212-4471 for further information.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Theatre--Performance
IPAL will present The Queen of Bingo by Jeanne Michels and Phyllis Murphy as the closing production of the 2007-2008 season.
The play focuses on two sisters and their love of bingo. During the course of their regular bingo get together at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, they play, comment on the other players and reminisce about each other and the people in their lives. The two ladies complement each other and support each other in true sisterly fashion and on this one night share something new, confess secrets and find redemption.
The cast features Ava Mingo as Sis and Barbie Delhomme as Babe. Michael Durand directs and plays the part of Father Muldoon. Whether or not the audience members know or care about bingo, everyone should see someone they know in these two sisters.
The show opens on May 2 at 7:30 pm and will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday through May the 18th.
For more information, call IPAL at (337) 364-6114.
The play focuses on two sisters and their love of bingo. During the course of their regular bingo get together at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, they play, comment on the other players and reminisce about each other and the people in their lives. The two ladies complement each other and support each other in true sisterly fashion and on this one night share something new, confess secrets and find redemption.
The cast features Ava Mingo as Sis and Barbie Delhomme as Babe. Michael Durand directs and plays the part of Father Muldoon. Whether or not the audience members know or care about bingo, everyone should see someone they know in these two sisters.
The show opens on May 2 at 7:30 pm and will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday through May the 18th.
For more information, call IPAL at (337) 364-6114.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Theatre--Performance
Despite the fact that this is the weekend of Festival International de Louisiane and most people think of music, there will be a lot of theatre and dance happening in the area connected to Festival.
PASA and Cite Des Arts are presenting John Bray's Trickster at the Gate, an original show, as part of The Big Read. Special Festival showtimes are 7 pm on both Friday and Saturday.
Acting Up (in Acadiana) is presenting 2 shows at the LUS Pavillon de Cuisine. The first, which will begin on Friday night at 7:15, is a one time production of Sustained Winds, an original show which the company has performed in New York. The second, which will be performed at the same venue on Saturday at 2:30 pm is Avon Lady.
The UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts will present a number of dance pieces at the LUS Pavillon de Cuisine. On Saturday, April 26th, the dancers will present Their Tongue, She Held a Sign in the Heir, and Windowpain at 1 pm. At 8 pm the same day, they will perform Manic. On Sunday, April 27th, the dancers will perform VIM and Get Over It at the same venue at 1 pm. That evening, they will perform Dissolve and Breaking the Mold at 4:00 pm and Transforming Embrace at 5:45 pm.
Fianlly, completely unconnected to Festival, the Opelousas Little Theatre is presenting the final weekend on You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
PASA and Cite Des Arts are presenting John Bray's Trickster at the Gate, an original show, as part of The Big Read. Special Festival showtimes are 7 pm on both Friday and Saturday.
Acting Up (in Acadiana) is presenting 2 shows at the LUS Pavillon de Cuisine. The first, which will begin on Friday night at 7:15, is a one time production of Sustained Winds, an original show which the company has performed in New York. The second, which will be performed at the same venue on Saturday at 2:30 pm is Avon Lady.
The UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts will present a number of dance pieces at the LUS Pavillon de Cuisine. On Saturday, April 26th, the dancers will present Their Tongue, She Held a Sign in the Heir, and Windowpain at 1 pm. At 8 pm the same day, they will perform Manic. On Sunday, April 27th, the dancers will perform VIM and Get Over It at the same venue at 1 pm. That evening, they will perform Dissolve and Breaking the Mold at 4:00 pm and Transforming Embrace at 5:45 pm.
Fianlly, completely unconnected to Festival, the Opelousas Little Theatre is presenting the final weekend on You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Theatre--Review
Ray Blum reviews Lafayette High School's production of Guys and Dolls in the April 25th edition of the Daily Advertiser.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Theatre--Workshop
Dana Reed’s Summer Theatre Camp is back again this year and the Opelousas Little Theatre campers will produce the hit production Charlotte’s Web. Unlike the OLT season show, which is a musical, this production will only use the campers to produce, act and work the non-musical show of Charlotte’s Web. Campers ages range from 7 – 17 and will start camp Wednesday, May 16th at 6pm and Saturday, May 19th from 10am – 12noon. Our regular camp schedule starting June 4 & 7, will be Mondays and Thursdays 1pm – 5pm at the Opelousas Little Theatre. The production will be held August 2, 3, 4 at 7pm and August 5th as a 2pm matinee. For more information, call 351-2591
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Theatre--Review
The newest reviewer for the blog is Cody Daigle. Cody is a playwright and former Lafayette Parish Arts Academy theatre instructor. His plays The Last Night of the World, Life/Play, and Providence have been produced in New York, and many of his plays have been seen locally. He is currently a reporter for The Daily Advertiser.
The Eunice Players' production of Alfred Uhry's The Last Night of Ballyhoo is awash in a quality often missing these days in the theatre – charm. From its opening moments, this production works hard to win us over, and it does so without feeling forced or pushy. It's an ingratiating production that never becomes grating, and by evening's end we're glad to have made its acquaintance.
The Last Night of Ballyhoo, the 1997 Tony-winner for Best Play, takes place in the Atlanta home of Adolph Freitag (Wesley Saunders), who lives with his two sisters, Reba (Deborah Ardoin) and Boo (Jody Powell). Boo's daughter Lala (Claire Anding) has returned home after a disastrous semester at college, and Boo is determined to set her back on track in Atlanta's social circles. Her plan centers around getting Lala the perfect date for Ballyhoo, an annual dance for the wealthiest of Atlanta's Jewish population. Complicating matters is the visit of Reba's daughter Sunny (Abby Deger) from Wellesley and the appearance of Joe Farkas (Gabe Ortego), a Jewish boy from New York recently employed by Adolph's bedding company.
From there, the play follows typical romantic comedy plot turns. Lala falls for Joe, while Joe falls for Sunny. Boo contrives to get a good Jewish boy from Lake Charles named Peachy (Ryan Buxton) in for Ballyhoo. Adolph tries to dodge the romantic entanglements brewing under his roof, and Reba spouts a seemingly endless supply of priceless Uhry one-liners.
The best acting on stage comes from the trio of Saunders, Powell, and Ardoin. These three ground the production and do an excellent job capturing the buoyant spirit of the play. The time these three spend on stage together is a delight, and I was always eager for their return. Ardoin in particular delivers the goods, giving Reba a warmth and poignancy that elevated her above just being comic relief.
Among the younger cast members, Ortego turns in a confident performance as Joe, and Buxton makes an impression with the show's smallest role. Anding and Deger both do nice work in the show's ingénue roles, but their footing falters when the play hits its more somber notes.
And it is in those moments when the production itself fails to impress. The beauty of Ballyhoo lies in Uhry's ability to puncture the comedy with moments of real emotional force – the bitter confrontation between cousins at the close of Act One, a deeply moving recollection by Sunny in Act Two – without which the play loses an important texture. These moments are never fully realized in this production, and one wishes for the opportunity to peek past the charming exteriors of the characters into their darker, less comfortable spaces.
Because, while the bulk of the narrative traffics in "Who will ask who to Ballyhoo?" romantic comedy, Uhry's real focus is deeper -- the assimilation of American Jews in the South prior to WWII. Beneath the fuss over dresses, dates, and Ballyhoos past, the play lays bare the systematic peeling away of the family's Jewish identity and the brutal prejudices that surface once that identity is taken away.
In one of the play's pivotal scenes, Sunny tells Joe, "There's a hole in me where Judaism should be." That hole exists in each of the central characters, and without experiencing the wreckage that absence leaves behind, the audience never feels the full impact of Uhry's message. Without rough edges, Ballyhoo never gets under our skin, which is where it aims to be.
That aside, the production remains a delight. Ortego (doing double-duty as director with Angie LaCalle) has put together a good-looking and entertaining evening of theatre. The Eunice Players have done a commendable job with a difficult play, and I left the theatre eager to see what they'd do next.
Long on charm, this Ballyhoo will leave you smiling.
--Cody Daigle
The Eunice Players' production of Alfred Uhry's The Last Night of Ballyhoo is awash in a quality often missing these days in the theatre – charm. From its opening moments, this production works hard to win us over, and it does so without feeling forced or pushy. It's an ingratiating production that never becomes grating, and by evening's end we're glad to have made its acquaintance.
The Last Night of Ballyhoo, the 1997 Tony-winner for Best Play, takes place in the Atlanta home of Adolph Freitag (Wesley Saunders), who lives with his two sisters, Reba (Deborah Ardoin) and Boo (Jody Powell). Boo's daughter Lala (Claire Anding) has returned home after a disastrous semester at college, and Boo is determined to set her back on track in Atlanta's social circles. Her plan centers around getting Lala the perfect date for Ballyhoo, an annual dance for the wealthiest of Atlanta's Jewish population. Complicating matters is the visit of Reba's daughter Sunny (Abby Deger) from Wellesley and the appearance of Joe Farkas (Gabe Ortego), a Jewish boy from New York recently employed by Adolph's bedding company.
From there, the play follows typical romantic comedy plot turns. Lala falls for Joe, while Joe falls for Sunny. Boo contrives to get a good Jewish boy from Lake Charles named Peachy (Ryan Buxton) in for Ballyhoo. Adolph tries to dodge the romantic entanglements brewing under his roof, and Reba spouts a seemingly endless supply of priceless Uhry one-liners.
The best acting on stage comes from the trio of Saunders, Powell, and Ardoin. These three ground the production and do an excellent job capturing the buoyant spirit of the play. The time these three spend on stage together is a delight, and I was always eager for their return. Ardoin in particular delivers the goods, giving Reba a warmth and poignancy that elevated her above just being comic relief.
Among the younger cast members, Ortego turns in a confident performance as Joe, and Buxton makes an impression with the show's smallest role. Anding and Deger both do nice work in the show's ingénue roles, but their footing falters when the play hits its more somber notes.
And it is in those moments when the production itself fails to impress. The beauty of Ballyhoo lies in Uhry's ability to puncture the comedy with moments of real emotional force – the bitter confrontation between cousins at the close of Act One, a deeply moving recollection by Sunny in Act Two – without which the play loses an important texture. These moments are never fully realized in this production, and one wishes for the opportunity to peek past the charming exteriors of the characters into their darker, less comfortable spaces.
Because, while the bulk of the narrative traffics in "Who will ask who to Ballyhoo?" romantic comedy, Uhry's real focus is deeper -- the assimilation of American Jews in the South prior to WWII. Beneath the fuss over dresses, dates, and Ballyhoos past, the play lays bare the systematic peeling away of the family's Jewish identity and the brutal prejudices that surface once that identity is taken away.
In one of the play's pivotal scenes, Sunny tells Joe, "There's a hole in me where Judaism should be." That hole exists in each of the central characters, and without experiencing the wreckage that absence leaves behind, the audience never feels the full impact of Uhry's message. Without rough edges, Ballyhoo never gets under our skin, which is where it aims to be.
That aside, the production remains a delight. Ortego (doing double-duty as director with Angie LaCalle) has put together a good-looking and entertaining evening of theatre. The Eunice Players have done a commendable job with a difficult play, and I left the theatre eager to see what they'd do next.
Long on charm, this Ballyhoo will leave you smiling.
--Cody Daigle
Monday, April 21, 2008
Dance--Performance
In connection with Festival International de Louisiane, the UL-Lafayette Department of Performing Arts will present a number of dance pieces at the LUS Pavillon de Cuisine.
On Saturday, April 26th, the dancers will present Their Tongue, She Held a Sign in the Heir, and Windowpain at 1 pm. At 8 pm the same day, they will perform Manic.
On Sunday, April 27th, the dancers will perform VIM and Get Over It at the same venue at 1 pm. That evening, they will perform Dissolve and Breaking the Mold at 4:00 pm and Transforming Embrace at 5:45 pm.
For the full Festival International schedule, see here.
On Saturday, April 26th, the dancers will present Their Tongue, She Held a Sign in the Heir, and Windowpain at 1 pm. At 8 pm the same day, they will perform Manic.
On Sunday, April 27th, the dancers will perform VIM and Get Over It at the same venue at 1 pm. That evening, they will perform Dissolve and Breaking the Mold at 4:00 pm and Transforming Embrace at 5:45 pm.
For the full Festival International schedule, see here.
Theatre--Performance
In connection with Festival International de Louisiane, Acting Up will present Sustained Winds, an original work, at the LUS Pavillon de Cuisine at 7:15 pm on Friday, April 25th.
Acting Up will also present Avon Lady at the same venue on Sunday, April 27th at 2:30pm.
For the full Festival schedule, see here.
Acting Up will also present Avon Lady at the same venue on Sunday, April 27th at 2:30pm.
For the full Festival schedule, see here.
Theatre--Performance
In connection with Festival International de Louisiane, PASA and Cite Des Arts are presenting John Patrick Bray's original Trickster at the Gate. Performances will be Friday, April 25th and Saturday, April 26th at 7:00 pm. For more information, tickets or reservations, call Cite Des Arts at 291-1122.
For the full Festival schedule, see here.
For the full Festival schedule, see here.
Opera--Article
There is a short article about the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra/UL College of the Arts production of Carmen in the April 21st edition of the Daily Advertiser.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Opera--Article
Lifestyle magazine has an article about Carmen, (the opera to be produced in collaboration by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and the UL-Lafayette College of the Arts) in the April-May edition.
Theatre--Review
Ray Blum of the Daily Advertiser reviews Searching for Eden: Adam and Eve in the April 18th edition of the paper.
Theatre--Summer Camp
Firelight Children's Theatre announces its schedule for Summer Camps 2008. The T'Lights Camp (ages 4-8) will present The Three Piggy Opera. This camp will run from June 16-26 at 2p.m.-3:30p.m.
Firelight Children's Theatre Camp (9 and up) will work on a production of Peter Pan from June 9-26, 2008 at 9a.m.-1p.m.
Performances of both shows will be at Cite' des Arts beginning on June 27 and running through the 29th.
For more information,see Firelight Children's Theatre online or call (337) 856-0595.
Firelight Children's Theatre Camp (9 and up) will work on a production of Peter Pan from June 9-26, 2008 at 9a.m.-1p.m.
Performances of both shows will be at Cite' des Arts beginning on June 27 and running through the 29th.
For more information,see Firelight Children's Theatre online or call (337) 856-0595.
Theatre--Review
This is the first review by Donald "Doc" Voorhies. Doc has been active as a player and director with both Evangeline Players and IPAL since 2006. He most recently directed Little Shop of Horrors in New Iberia and is presently in To Kill a Mockingbird in St. Martinville.
Guys and Dolls, the legendary Frank Loesser musical, is fifty-eight. But as presented by Lafayette High School as its spring musical, it has a vitality, excitement, and quality that makes every moment a joy! Guys and Dolls tells the story of Nathan Detroit, a New York City Gambler, and his fiancée (for 14 years) Adelaide. The plot centers on Nathan’s efforts to find a place for “the game” and Adelaide’s efforts to get Nathan to actually marry her. Filled with great musical numbers, including at least five songs that became (what used to be called) hits, it provides great humor, great dance, and great song.
The large cast of students at Lafayette High certainly lived up to the potential of the show. Leading the cast was Josh Coen as Nathan and Alex Hollerman as Adelaide. Coen’s singing and acting brought out the schemer in Nathan, and entertained the audience throughout. Hollerman was simply sensational as Adelaide – whether belting out songs like “Bushel and a Peck” or enthralling the audience with the humor and melodies of “Adelaide’s Lament,” her accent (remarkable), stage presence (formidable) and abilities (numerous) brought down the house. These leads were ably assisted by Jared Price as Sky Masterson and Alicia Neto as Sarah Brown who gave a most realistic interpretation of the secondary love story and by Phillip Boudreaux, Josef Rowe, and Johnny Johnson as sidekicks and co-conspirators with Detroit. Seth Minix was perfect as the serious Arvide.
Production values were high. Particularly well executed in this production were the large (very large) production numbers like “Bushel and a Peck” and “Take Back Your Mink” (doll night club numbers) and “Luck Be a Lady” (guy dance number) and “Havana” (a night club number). These were done with humor, originality, and dancing skill remarkable for high school students. The set and costumes were evocative of the 50’s era, and transitions between the many and varied scenes were virtually instantaneous. The rather large band was “right on” and did not overwhelm and singers on stage. Both the overture and exit music were an enjoyable concert in their own right. Bravo!
Director Paula Horn is to be congratulated for such an ambitious undertaking, done with such fidelity to the original. The discipline and coordination of the cast, stage crew, and musicians was remarkable. Choreographer Allison Barron, musical directors Holly Grefe and Marcus McCullough, and band director Scotty Walker brought the kids in the show up to a standard not always reached in a High School Musical. In the finale the entire cast (I believe over 70) was on stage and it was a remarkable sight to see! Luck was a lady to me and other theatergoers that night!
--Donald "Doc" Voorhies
Guys and Dolls, the legendary Frank Loesser musical, is fifty-eight. But as presented by Lafayette High School as its spring musical, it has a vitality, excitement, and quality that makes every moment a joy! Guys and Dolls tells the story of Nathan Detroit, a New York City Gambler, and his fiancée (for 14 years) Adelaide. The plot centers on Nathan’s efforts to find a place for “the game” and Adelaide’s efforts to get Nathan to actually marry her. Filled with great musical numbers, including at least five songs that became (what used to be called) hits, it provides great humor, great dance, and great song.
The large cast of students at Lafayette High certainly lived up to the potential of the show. Leading the cast was Josh Coen as Nathan and Alex Hollerman as Adelaide. Coen’s singing and acting brought out the schemer in Nathan, and entertained the audience throughout. Hollerman was simply sensational as Adelaide – whether belting out songs like “Bushel and a Peck” or enthralling the audience with the humor and melodies of “Adelaide’s Lament,” her accent (remarkable), stage presence (formidable) and abilities (numerous) brought down the house. These leads were ably assisted by Jared Price as Sky Masterson and Alicia Neto as Sarah Brown who gave a most realistic interpretation of the secondary love story and by Phillip Boudreaux, Josef Rowe, and Johnny Johnson as sidekicks and co-conspirators with Detroit. Seth Minix was perfect as the serious Arvide.
Production values were high. Particularly well executed in this production were the large (very large) production numbers like “Bushel and a Peck” and “Take Back Your Mink” (doll night club numbers) and “Luck Be a Lady” (guy dance number) and “Havana” (a night club number). These were done with humor, originality, and dancing skill remarkable for high school students. The set and costumes were evocative of the 50’s era, and transitions between the many and varied scenes were virtually instantaneous. The rather large band was “right on” and did not overwhelm and singers on stage. Both the overture and exit music were an enjoyable concert in their own right. Bravo!
Director Paula Horn is to be congratulated for such an ambitious undertaking, done with such fidelity to the original. The discipline and coordination of the cast, stage crew, and musicians was remarkable. Choreographer Allison Barron, musical directors Holly Grefe and Marcus McCullough, and band director Scotty Walker brought the kids in the show up to a standard not always reached in a High School Musical. In the finale the entire cast (I believe over 70) was on stage and it was a remarkable sight to see! Luck was a lady to me and other theatergoers that night!
--Donald "Doc" Voorhies
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Theatre--Black Box Opening
With the help of the students, the Theatre Arts classroom (formerly an old band and storage room) has been transformed into a fully-functional “black box” performance facility ideal for intimate pro-ductions. The students will demonstrate the versatility of their new theatre on Thursday, May 1st as they perform one-act plays by Eugene Ionesco and Steve Martin. A gala is scheduled on Friday, May 2nd to mark the official opening of the facility. Food, beverages, as well as before-and-after photos will be provided that night. Performances on both dates will begin at 8 PM at the N.P. Moss Annex on 801 Mudd Ave. All are welcome to attend as well as donate to the Arts Academy Theatre Arts program (There is no admission fee, but a donation--suggested at $5--would be appreciated.). Please call 212-4471 for further information.
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