ON THE BOARDS
by GEORGE PATTERSON, New Orleans

A CLOSER WALK WITH PATSY CLINE

North Star Theatre, 347 Gerard St., Mandeville, 504.626.1500; 1.800.924.5538.
Mari Vigueira as Northstar's Patsy Cline

[Photo: Jose Garcia]

Another musical look at the ill-fated country singer written by Dean Regan and directed by Lori Bennett. It will star Mari (Serpas) Vigueira with her band, The Instigators. The production will also feature the director's husband, Michael Bennett, playing a number of roles ala Greater Tuna with Ms. Vigueira's husband, Ed, serving as musical director. Previews June 19, 20, 21 & 26. Thurs.-Sat., 8 pm, June 27 thru July 12. Sun., July 13, 2 pm.

...AND THE BALL AND ALL

True Brew Theatre, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907.
Now in its second year, and final week, this comic masterpiece, and Big Easy Award-winning hit, written and directed by Ricky Graham, concerns the problems of the members of the fictitious all-female Krewe of Terpsichore, when the treasurer absconds with the ball money. The final performances will feature Becky Allen in her original role of Frances Trepagnier, along with original cast members Yvette Hargis, Kiel Junius, Renee Maxwell. Traci Collins Butts, Amanda Hebert, and Shannon Mathas complete the cast. Fri., Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 3 pm, thru June 14.

ANGELS FALL

Lafayette Community Theatre, 529 Jefferson St., 318.235.1532.
Written by Lanford Wilson and directed by Cody Daigle, this drama takes place in a quiet little church in New Mexico where six people's lives are changed forever. Thurs., Fri. & Sat., 8 pm, thru June 28.

MONDAY NIGHT CABARET

Chris Wecklein, Cynthia Owen & Harry Mayronne

[Photo: Steven Forster]

Chef's Table, 2100 St. Charles Ave., 504.525.2328.
Harry Mayronne, Jr., Cynthia Owen & Christopher Wecklein's acclaimed cabaret act, which ran for over a year last season, is back for a month of Monday night performances in June. The trio will be joined by special guest Lyla Hay Owen. 8 pm, June 16 & 23. Optional dinner service from 5:30-7:30 pm.

PAGEANT

CAC's Freeport MacMaRon Theatre, 900 Camp Street, 504.523.1216 or 504.522.5252.
This was a rousing Off-Broadway musical comedy hit of several years ago, in which the audience gets to pick the winner of a nightly beauty pageant with men playing the beauty contestants. Written by Bill Russell, Frank Kelly & Robert Langbottom, with music by Albert Evans, Carl Walker will helm this local premiere edition with musical direction by Michael Howard, costumes by Roy Haylock, sets by Keith Christopher, lights by Martin Sachs and sound by Jeffery Talbolt, produced by All Kinds Of Theatre. Wess Hughes plays emcee Frankie Cavalier, presenting Brooks Braselman as Miss Deep South, Russell Hodgkinson as Miss Great Plains, Douglas Park as Miss Bible Belt, Steve Sherman as Miss Texas, Paul Soileau as Miss Industrial Northeast and Ken Weatherup as Miss West Coast. Thurs-Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm, through June 30.

PETER PAN

Dixon Hall, Tulane University, 504.865.5269.
The musical adaptation of the James M. Barrie fairy tale about the boy who won't grow up, with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh (additional lyrics by Comden and Green) and music by Moose Charlap (additional music by Jule Style). Directed by Michael Howard, it stars Liz Argus as the flying fairy, Marc Embree as Captain Hook and Elliot Keener as Smee. Alton Geno provides the choreography; David Potter, the scenery; Pam Legendre, musical direction; and, Elizabeth Parent, the costumes. June 19, 20 & 21, 8 pm; June 21 & 22, 2 pm.

PROMISES, PROMISES

Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 325 Minor St., Kenner, 504.468.7221; 504.826.8000, ext. 1746.
Burt Bacharach and Hal David's single foray into the world of musical comedy, with book by sure shooter Neil Simon, based on the movie The Apartment. Ken Risch directs, with local musical comedy star Cynthia Owen returning from California to play the female lead. Others in the cast include Eric Haston, John Hammons, Steven McCreary, Adriano Mulino, John Lovett, Amanda Avery, Mary Gibas, Susan Domangue, Debbie Ledet, Meg Francis, Lauren Landwerlin, Barry Howell, Maria Thomas, Terence Foster and the director, Ken Risch. Thurs.-Fri., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm, thru June 29. Optional opulent dinner buffet available from 6 pm nightly, 12 pm on Sun.

RUMORS

Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, 616 St. Peter St., 504.522.2018.
Stocker Fontelieu directs Neil Simon's raucous, hilarious farce of stairs, doors, and mistaken identities, with Leon Contavesprie, Walter Bost, Marc Belloni, Adrian J.Benjamin, Jr., Gemma Denmark, Michael Ernst, Christopher Fritz, Pauline Prelutsky, Janet Shea and Kathy Taaffe. Thurs.-Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm, June 13-29.

SCREAMING DIVAS

CAC's Bank One Theatre, 900 Camp St., 504.522.1314, 504.528.3800.
One of San Francisco's most unique entertainment experiences, the Divas revive their 1996 hit, Aberrant Acappella! From Tchaikovsky to the Who, the Divas' skewed musical commentary breaks the fourth wall with an interactive show that lets the audience call the shots. It's not just virtual reality, it's real reality. The Screaming Divas are: Melissa Baer, Danielle Nice (from New Orleans), Pamela Nissley, Lilli Oldfield & Tina Osinski. Wed, Thurs., Sun., 7:30 pm; Fri. & Sat., 7:30 & 10 pm (no shows June 6; June 14, 10 pm only) thru June 22.

SNOW WHITE

Rogers Chapel, Broadway and Newcomb Campus, 504.865.5105.
Tulane University Department of Theatre & Dance's Patchwork Players Improvisational children's theatre company conceived, written and directed by Buzz Podewell, presents its version of the children's classic fairy tale with a cast comprised of Podewell's daughter, Jessica, Tom Dugger, Greg Stratton, Kathryn Walton, Lance Spellerberg and Marc Anderson. Thru June 29.

THE TEMPEST

Lupin Theatre, Tulane University, 504.865.5106.
In a mythic story of vengeance, Shakespeare explores themes of betrayal, exploitation, hope and redemption on a mystical island. Ron Gural plays Prospero; Lara Grice, Ariel; Danny Bowen, Caliban; Lisa Childers, Miranda; with Marc Anderson, J. P. Delahoussaye, Michael Downing, Daryl Harris, Heather Hollingsworth, Jerry Lee Leighton, Rebecca Lovett, Gavin Mahlie, Mark McLaughlin, Bob Pavlovich, Lance Spellerberg and Pete Thomason. Aimee Michel, who gave us last year's memorable production of Macbeth, directs. Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 pm; Sun., 2 pm, thru July 25.

IN THE WINGS

THE BOYS IN THE BAND

Southern Repertory Theatre, 3rd Level, One Canal Place, 504.525.4498.
The Krewe of Petronius, in association with Southern Repertory Theatre, presents Mart Crowley's classic black comedy about life among New York gays, circa 1968. George Patterson directs. Fri. & Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm, Aug. 22-30.

DARYL'S PERILS: DEMON DOMINATRIX OF THE MOON MEETS THE AMAZON QUEEN OF THE LOST LAGOON

TrueBrew Theatre, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907.
Written by Ricky Graham & David Cuthbert, with music by Harry Mayronne, Jr. & choreography by Karen Hebert, scenery by Ron Williams, costumes by Debbie Simeon and Roy Haylock and starring Becky Allen, Shelley Poncy & Ron Williams, this is an outrageous new musical comedy homage to Hollywood cliff-hanger serials. Others in the cast are: Kerry Mendelson, Sean Patterson, Stephen Rizzo, Billy Slaughter, and Mandy Zirkenbach. Opens July 18. Krewe of Petronius sponsors two dress rehearsals, Sat., July 5, 9 pm or, Sun., July 6, 7 pm. Call 504.525.4498 for tickets for these two performances only.

THE ECUMENICAL CONVERSION SCAM & THE BIG SHOT OF AFRICA

CAC, 900 Camp St., 504.523.1216 or 504.522.5252.
Raven Productions presents two new plays by James McKay Fitzmorris in repertory. Nick Faust directs both, with Bert Pigg playing a New Orleans councilman in The Big Shot Of Africa along with Carol Sutton, Harold Evans, Karen Kaia-Livers, Michael Sullivan & Michael Arata, while The Ecumenical Conversion Scam (part two of this "kitchen trilogy") will feature Ron Gural, Adriana Bate, Tim Daley, Gemma Denmark, Max Arnaud and producer Aimee Hayes. July 11-Aug. 10.