 It's a Bard knock life...& Juliet at The Saenger Theatre First Night Review: & Juliet @ The Saenger Theatre review by Dorian Hatchett We are such stuff as dreams are made on Shakespeare is for the people. I would posit the notion that every adaptation, every derivative work, is exactly in keeping with the voice of the bard. Each time someone picks up a play that was written for the stage at the Globe Theatre and says “But what if…” a new flower grows in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Jukebox musicals are the very definition of theatre for the sake of fun. If music be the food of love, play on & Juliet premiered in 2019 at the Manchester Opera House, and has been playing continuously in one form or another ever since. The soundtrack is by Pop songwriting phenom Max Martin, who is arguably the reason we know names like The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Pink, Katy Perry, and even Taylor Swift. The super-cut medleys in this show are pure nostalgia for millennials, candy coated love letters to the wreckless times in the late 90s and early aughts before social media and phones with built in cameras. The characters are believably teenagers because this was the treble and bass of our teenage years right there played out in lights and rhinestones. All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. & Juliet examines what would happen if the final tragic moments in Romeo and Juliet hadn’t been the end at all, but a prequel to Juliet waking up and realizing she kind of let herself get carried away with that star-crossed lovers bit. Rachel Simone Webb as Juliet is a rose we need by no other name. Her best friend May (Nick Drake) is the yassss every teenage girl needs in her corner. It also plays out a marital rift between the playwright (Shakespeare is played by Corey March) and his wife (Teal Wicks is Anne Hathaway) and as these story lines weave in and out of one another, and finally coalesce, we are shown a lesson about the value of kindness and truth in the pursuit of love. The course of true love never did run smooth This show is above all, polished. There’s a dynamic set, a company of skilled dancers who take up space and fill the background, a costume department that is at once a riot of color and variety and also completely cohesive. Just the right amount of broadway magic transports you into the action as confetti rains down during a rhinestone-studded climax when Juliet finally learns the lesson that her heart had been seeking the entire time. Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none &Juliet Plays at the Saenger Theatre January 14-19th, click here for information and ticketing 
A room of one's own: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, playing at Big Couch
First Night Review: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? @ Big Couch Review by Todd Perley Edward Albee’s notorious play landed in the early 1960s and was groundbreaking—and controversial— for its graphic autopsy of a nihilistic marriage. The idealistic ghost of the 1950s was finally put to rest when our less-than-ideal couple’s dirty laundry was displayed on stage, and this was beyond shocking for the era. Though certainly a play of its time, it remains timeless. Just as the play caused a stir in 1962, Mike Nichols’ film version starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was controversial in its own way. Shot in 1966, two years before the official demise of the tiresome Hays Code, there was nothing this raw and edgy in American cinema. It’s helpful to remember the historical and cultural significance when seeing this play through jaded 21st century eyes. Drowning George (Casey Groves) and Battleaxe Martha (Fire Weeds’ co-artistic director Lin Gathright) stumble home at 2:00am from a faculty party, and are soon joined by young newcomers to the college, Nick (Logan Macrae) and Honey (director Jaclyn Bethany). Thus begins three marvelous, unforgettable hours of liquor-ridden psychological warfare between our merry coterie. The play is just as funny and witty as it is eviscerating. All four Fire Weeds’ actors hold their own throughout the tricky material. In particular, Gathright manages to coax out the subtle, fragile pathos of braying, brazen, brutal Martha beyond even Elizabeth Taylor’s Oscar-winning film performance. I’ve never had so much sympathy for Martha as in this production. And I thought I knew Martha so well! The setting is crucial. Bywater’s theatre “Big Couch” seats a mere thirty-five people, and the intimacy of this theater-in-the-round literally puts you in George and Martha’s living room amidst the mayhem. Seated four feet away from a raving Martha is a frightening experience, and you can’t help feeling a part of the party. When George suggests a venomous game of Get The Guests, I reverted back to fourth grade, hoping the teacher wouldn’t call on me to participate. The tiny space also allows the performers, in less tumultuous scenes, to get as small and quiet as they please. Even whispering can be heard clearly. A larger venue would prohibit these quieter moments. Only Big Couch could provide this rare environment that serves the material so well. Whether you love the play and know it backwards as I do, or you’re a virgin, Fire Weeds and Big Couch offer a unique way to experience Albee’s masterpiece. I would call this a must see, but get your tickets soon. Those thirty-five seats are gonna fill up quickly. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” plays at Big Couch with an newly-extended run, through January 19 - click here for information and ticketing A free, weekly, curated arts and culture newsletter for New Orleans. Sign up here: 
A ward to the wise: The cast of Human Troubles at The New Marigny Theatre
First Night Review: Human Troubles @ The New Marigny Theatre Review by Todd Perley Set in the fictional (???) hospital called “Orleans Parish Psych Ward for Poor Mutherfuckers,” (and I’d like to place a bid on the neon sign telling us this), Mariana Santiago’s new, one-act play follows the...ahem...“recovery” of four patients treated by a staff of caregivers who all suspiciously resemble each other. Dora (Liz Johnston-Dupre) has been committed for a three-day evaluation after a suicide attempt. She is smart, but depressed. Her intelligence is not recognized because depressed people are clearly stupid in the eyes of this cut-rate facility. She just wants to get this 72 hours behind her, but becomes embroiled in the neuroses of her fellow inmates. It’s difficult to call this musical comedy a satire since its examination of America’s lackluster mental health care seems awfully close to how many of these facilities are actually run. We immediately sympathize with Dora as she voices her distaste for the facility and her new comrades, and her displeasure is only more ‘proof’ of her diagnosis of crazy. Through absurdly short and dismissive one-on-one sessions with the shrink, neglect from the nurse (“If they want me to care about you, they’re gonna have to pay me $2 an hour more”), and pointless art therapy classes, none of our inmates does much recovering. The lack of character arcs is in itself a damning commentary—people leave very much the way they came in. Except perhaps for Dora, who may or may not survive the ordeal due to death threats from the Jesus freak, appropriately named Christian. Santiago’s play does not indulge in the hubris to propose a solution to the dilemma; rather, she holds a mirror to the problem, and then laughs at it. Laughter is, after all, the best medicine. - Human Troubles plays at New Marigny Theatre January 2nd–5th - click here for more info and ticketing - READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH MARIANA SANTIAGO - SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE WEEKLY ARTS & CULTURE NEWSLETTER  Gnome alone: Elf, The Broadway Musical
Review by Dorian Hatchett New Orleans loves Christmas. Any holiday that comes with an excuse to add glitter to anything really speaks to us. We are the rhinestone-bedecked drag queen of American cities, and so it is no surprise that a musical whose primary message is that the christmas spirit can be found in the shimmering refraction of tinsel and lights would be well received. Elf: The Broadway Musical at the Sanger is a saccharine, sparkling package wrapped in the exact right amount of ribbons and bows for our addiction to anything extra. I enlisted the aid of my eleven year old to add a youth perspective, and while he insisted that he would “literally die” if I tried to quantify the show’s relative level of “rizz” in a published review, all potential parental embarrassment was immediately forgotten as we approached the theatre entrance. Giant snow machines making soap bubble flakes transformed the marquis into a magical wonderland and turned every person in line into a kid anticipating an epic winter adventure. It doesn’t snow in New Orleans (3 times in my entire life, to be precise, and never enough to stick) but the Saenger Theatre would not be deterred, and even an avowed Christmas-hater like myself was melted a little bit by the kids and adults twirling around in the fluffy white flurries pouring onto the brick pavers. Director Sam Scalamoni brings us a feel-good story based on the 2003 Movie that’s appropriate for kids and adults alike. The cast is a mix of seasoned actors and relative newcomers who play their parts with sincerity and delight. Special mention must be made of New Orleans’ own Tyler Price Robinson (Store manager, Mr. Greenway) who absolutely lights up the stage with his presence, chewing up scenery along the way. Broadway traveling shows are known for bringing a high level of technical production value and Elf is no different. Layers of curtains and backdrops move the action like the page turns of the story book that Santa is reading, and the musical numbers are tight and polished. In particular both the kid and I agreed that the Nobody Cares about Santa scene was our favorite, with choreography and lighting equal or better to any scene we’ve seen on Broadway. A grip of department store Santas and bell ringers eat late night dinner at a Chinatown restaurant and bemoan the lack of Christmas spirit in the city that never sleeps, while cabaret lighting and classic chair dance moves create a vibe that feels very reminiscent of Cell Block Tango. Physical comedy, a few belting voices singing ballads, and costumes as bright and colorful as a dish of ribbon candy really complete the chemis-tree equation for a holiday show that sleighs. Elf: The Broadway Musical runs at The Saenger Theatre through December 8th.  Patrick Barlow, writer of the Broadway and West End hit The 39 Steps, has retold Charles Dickens’ holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. This thrilling adaptation uses only five actors to bring some of Dickens' most beloved characters to life. From Scrooge and Tiny Tim to Bob Cratchit and Mr. Fezziwig, Barlow's A Christmas Carol uses nothing more than some simple props, fresh physicality, and the power of imagination to convey this timeless story of redemption. Witness Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation from a stingy miser to a man who generously celebrates the spirit of the season all year long, in this highly theatrical adaptation.
A Christmas Carol can be seen in a limited run from December 4th to 15th at the Loyola Marquette Theater. Evening performances are at 7:30 pm with Sunday matinees at 2:30 pm. Tickets are on sale now - click here  Fresh off their Gambit 2024 Best of New Orleans top local theatre company win, Crescent City Stage is serving up a festive masterpiece guaranteed to warm your heart and spread holiday cheer.
Now in its second year, this production of Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of 'Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol', brings the magic of Christmas alive with just five local actors. LeBaron Thornton, Erin Cessna, Eleanor Frederic- Humphrey, Ryan Reilly, and Michael A. Newcomer will morph into Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and a merry band of characters. A Christmas Carol can be seen in a limited run from December 4th to 15th at the Loyola Marquette Theater. Evening performances are at 7:30 pm with Sunday matinees at 2:30 pm. Tickets are on sale now HERE .  For those feeling LUCKY, Broadway in New Orleans' upcoming musical, BEETLEJUICE has announced a lottery ticket policy. The Saenger Theatre will be partnering with the digital ticket lottery platform Lucky Seat. On Friday, November 8, participants will have a chance to win $49 tickets for the New Orleans engagement, playing at the Saenger Theatre from November 12-17, 2024.
Entries for shows at The Saenger Theatre will open at 12pm. on Friday, November 1, and close at 9:30am. on Friday, November 8. Lucky Seat will send an email to winners starting at 10am on Friday, November 8, and will continue throughout the day as needed. Winners will have until 1 pm on Friday, November 8, to claim and purchase their tickets. Participants must have a Lucky Seat account to participate in the lottery. Entrants may create an account on LuckySeat.com to enter (conditions apply). Broadway in New Orleans will also offer special Student Rush Tickets for $30. Students simply need to bring valid college student identification with them to the Saenger Theatre Box Office beginning two hours prior to each performance. The Student Rush Ticket price will be valid for evening performances ONLY with a two-ticket limit per student ID. Student Rush Tickets are subject to restrictions. Performance Schedule:
 Pass Over Review by Momo Doll The scene has been set and it is a street in the ghetto, but also a plantation… but also, Egypt, a country built on slavery. In the NOLA Project's 'Pass Over', Antoinette-Chinonye Nwandu creates an up close and personal view of the struggle of what it means to be a Black man in a modern city. It also examines how the impact of the horrors of the plantation continue to drive racial tensions to trauma of biblical proportions. This emotional ride takes the audience through peaks of laughter and valleys of sorrow while weaving a tale of hope, helplessness, and the intense harm caused by ignorance and inaction. The story follows longtime friends Moses (Martin “Bats” Bradford, pictured) and Kitch (DC Paul), two young men with wells of trauma, dreaming about passing over into the promised land of the American dream. The audience gets a feeling of closeness and participation in the dreaming of these young men through the open-air setting of the play, which allows the actors to improvisationally use the sounds of New Orleans to remind the audience that this play could, and likely is, happening every day in our city with our very real community members. Moses and Kitch are a beautiful display of the comradery of young men who have bonded through years of shared survival in a way that grows friendship into unconditional love and brotherhood. The arrival of a stranger who is clearly where he should not be and interactions with law enforcement, both characters played by Keith Claverie, highlight the impact that years of surviving just to stay alive has interpersonal communication and responses to everyday behavior. The audience is drawn in to the discomfort of the interracial dynamic between the characters with life experience on opposite ends of the societal spectrum. The interaction between the three man is a brilliant explanation of the deep impact of words and how the ignorance of privileged entitlement often poses a bigger threat to the dreams and advancement of the oppressed than open hatred. This play is an experience and a lesson in cultural differences between people living in the same city, the connection of history to the present, and deep love between friends. As an added bonus, there is also an abundance of pop culture references throughout the play that give moments of comedic relief during the turmoil of the 80 minutes of emotional investment in the lives of two men just dreaming of a life worth living. Take a friend down to the New Orleans African American Museum and see this amazing performance. You won’t regret it, and if you take “that” friend who is awkward in diverse groupings, then you could also be helping a friend learn. Pass Over plays at NOAAM through November 9th READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH NOLA PROJECT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, TENAJ WALLACE  Jekyll & Hyde @ JPAC review by Todd Perley Halloween is a good time to wear a mask and pretend to be something horrifying. If you need instruction, 'Jekyll & Hyde' is here to help. The musical veers from Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 allegorical novella, adhering more to the first stage production from 1887, which most notably added a love interest—or interests, since both Jekyll and Hyde get girlfriends—aw, how sweet! The novella, play, and musical all explore the dichotomy of good v. evil in all of us and the battle between ego and id, but with murder and mayhem to zhuzh things up a notch. This seemed to be the Victorian zeitgeist of the moment, since a year after Stevenson gave us the good doctor and nasty ole’ Hyde, Oscar Wilde gave us Dorian Gray. So many naughty Victorian boys! I prefer my musicals dark and eerie. 'Jekyll & Hyde' came out in 1990, eleven years after 'Sweeny Todd', and the two make lovely, macabre bookends. I’m fine with adding music to an eldritch tale if said music is sufficiently moody, frenetic, and sinister, which this certainly is. The songs complement the skeletal set and dreary lighting. It’s a fair guess that Danny Elfman saw 'Jekyll & Hyde' and was inspired by the songs for his 1993 scoring of 'Nightmare Before Christmas'. Both productions use music as paint for the spooky atmosphere effectively, and both are composed to perfection from the same color palate. This is a juggernaut of a production, with the principle cast and ensemble numbering twenty-nine, plus a twenty-seat orchestra, resulting in a continuous wave of aural and visual inundation. Tough to keep this hectic pace going for nearly three hours, but they succeed. Tyler Walls plays the eponymous hero/villain with empathy, and his pipes are frankly amazing. Ever try to sing a duet with yourself? Mr. Walls pulls it off. Monique Abry Knoepfler and Stephanie Abry (real life sisters-in-law) bring softness to the stage as Jekyll and Hyde’s respective boos, tempering the dark themes with humanity. And again with the pipes! The ensemble pieces, backed by the gorgeous orchestra, are hair-raising—a wall of exquisite sound, like hell’s own choir. Ken Goode’s direction keeps the plot and character arcs sailing smoothly along. He has this to say: “The show is darker and more violent than most of the rest of the musical theatre canon,” (I’m here for it!), “but it is a lush melodrama at its core and its indulgent score and story keep it extremely relevant to current societal issues and conversations.” Societally relevant indeed. If you also find jolly catharsis in the violent dispatching of self-righteous hypocrites, this one’s for you. Jekyll & Hyde plays through 3 November at Jefferson Performing Arts Center  The Big Easy Boys & Babes return to Le Petit Theatre with a hit revue that honors New Orleans' spirit and musical heritage. The Big Easy Boys’ newest act, Live at Le Petit: The Big Easy Beat! is a rocking tribute to the musical heritage of New Orleans including music by iconic artists such as Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, The Dixie Cups, and more! The Big Easy Boys are Jonathan Drury, Deiveon Martinsen, Pat Smith, and Michael Taravella. Their knockout sidekicks, The Big Easy Babes, will be joining them onstage. The Big Easy Babes are Whitney Mixon, Josie Oliva, and Cristen Spencer.
Join for a celebration of classic rhythm and blues on November 14, 15, and 16 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $25, or choose a flexible package. PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: November 14 – 16, 2024 at 7:30 PM WHERE: LE PETIT THEATRE - 616 St. Peter Street BOX OFFICE: 504 522 2081 x 1 or lepetittheatre.com TICKETS: Single tickets range from $25-$45. $15 student tickets are available for every performance. |
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