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.

Another musical look at the ill-fated country singer written by Dean Regan and directed by Lori Bennett. It stars Mari (Serpas) Vigueira with her band, The Instigators. The production also features Michael Bennett playing a number of roles ala Greater Tuna with Ms. Vigueira's husband, Ed, serving as musical director. Thurs. - Sat., 8 pm, thru Aug. 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, directed by Mr. Graham, with music by Harry Mayronne, Jr. & choreography by Karen Hebert, scenery by Ron Williams, costumes by Debbie Simeon & Roy Haylock & starring Becky Allen (as the Demon Dominatrix & the Amazon Queen), Ron Williams (as Dash Daryl) & Shelley Poncy, this is an outrageous new musical comedy homage to Hollywood cliff-hangar serials. Others in the cast are: Kerry Mendelson, Sean Michael Patterson, Stephen Rizzo, Billy Slaughter & Mandy Zirkenbach. Thurs.- Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 3 pm.

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 the voices of Carol Sutton, Harold Evans, Karen Kaia-Livers, Michael Sullivan & Michael Arata, while The Ecumenical Conversion Sign (part two of this "kitchen Trilogy") features Ron Gural, Adriana Bate, Tim Daley, Gemma Denmark, Max Arnaud & producer Aimee Hayes. Scenic design is by Mac Eaton. Ecumenical: Wed., July 30, 9 pm (informal preview); Thurs., July 31, 7:30pm (preview); Fri., Aug. 1, 7:30 (opening); Sun., Aug. 3, 2:30 pm; and, Big Shot: 7:30 pm; Ecumenical Tues., Aug. 5, 7:30 pm; Big Shot: Wed., Aug. 6, 7:30 pm; Ecumenical: Thurs., Aug. 7, 7:30pm; Big Shot: Fri., Aug. 8, 7:30 & 9:30 pm; Ecumenical: Sat., Aug. 9, 7:30pm; Ecumenical: Sun., Aug. 10, 2:30pm & Big Shot, 7:30 pm.

LI'L ABNER

NORD Theatre, Gallier Hall, 504.565.7860.
Ty Tracy's 1997 Summer Youth Workshop presents this 50's musical comedy hit with book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank (based on Al Capp's comic strip) with music by Gene DePaul and lyrics by Savannah's own Johnny Mercer. Boasting a cast of 60 between the ages of 8 & 18, Kasey Marino plays Lil Abner & Angela Mannino is Daisy Mae. Aug 7 - 24, Thurs. - Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm.

PAGEANT

CAC's Freeport MacMaRon Theatre, 900 Camp St., 504.523.1216 or 504.522.5252.
This is 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 Longbottom, with music by Albert Evans, Carl Walker directs the local premiere edition with musical direction by Michael Howard, costumes by Roy Haylock, sets by Keith Christopher, lights by Martin Sachs & 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. & Fri., 8 pm; Sat., 6 & 9 pm, thru Aug. 16.

TIMES LIKE THESE

TrueBrew Cabaret, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907.
Singer Diane Lala & pianist Lantz Harvey return to the TrueBrew Cabaret with their new two-act cabaret which they're calling Times Like These. Lala & Harvey perform some of their familiar favorites as well as new songs by Stephen Sondheim, Alan Jay Lerner & Comden & Green, to name a few. Fri., Aug. 8 & 15, 10:30pm.

IN THE WINGS

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Southern Repertory Theatre, 3rd Level, One Canal Place, 504.861.8163.
Southern Repertory Theatre, begins is four-play season with a fiftieth anniversary production of Tennessee Williams' most produced play, in collaboration with the Dog & Pony Theatre & Michael Arata Productions. John Grimsley designs and directs; Shelley Poncy is Blanche, Michael Arata is Stanley, Eva Earls is Stella & Danny Bowen is Mitch. Sept. 12 - Oct. 5.

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 dark comedy about life among New York gays, circa 1968. George Patterson directs Brett Boyle, Ted Butler, Ken Capone, Harold Evans, Curtis Hunt, Richard Klaus, Johnny Lopez, Robin Malta & Gordon Randolph. Fri., Aug. 22 & Sat., Aug. 23, 8 pm; Sun., Aug. 24, 2 pm; & Fri., Sat., Sun, Aug. 29, 30 & 31, 8 pm.

DRAMARAMA IV

CAC, throughout the building, 900 Camp St., 504.522.1314; 504.528.3800.
Theatre and performing artists from throughout the city combine their talents in this fourth annual showcase of New Orleans' theatrical riches. The evening features excerpts from comedies, dramas, musicals, children's theatre & performance arts pieces. 7 pm.

MY FAIR LADY

Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 325 Minor St., Kenner, 504.468.7221.
Rivertown opens the new season with the Lerner & Loewe classic musical based on Shaw's Pygmalion. It will directed and choreographed by Alton Geno. Sept. 11 - Oct. 5.