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, and far superior, 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. This long-running musical tribute (now in its fifth month) also features Michael Bennett playing a number of roles ala Greater Tuna with Ms. Vigueira's husband, Ed, serving as musical director. Oct. 2, 3, 9, 10 & 11, 8pm; Sat., Oct. 4, 6pm.

...AND THE BALL AND ALL

Tony Mandina's Westbank Theatre Banquet Room, 1915 Pratt St., Gretna, 504.362.4451.
Ricky Graham's award-winning comedy about the members of an all-female krewe trying to put on a Mardi Gras ball returns to the boards in this special dinner theatre production. Mr. Graham directs Sandi Bravender, Amanda Hebert, Renee Maxwell, Jo Ann Testa, Jennifer Breedlove, Denise Ponce & Roy Haylock as Ernesto, the costume designer. Fri. & Sat., dinner at 7:15pm, curtain at 8:15pm; Sun., Oct. 12, 19 & 26, buffet at 12noon, curtain at 1:15pm, thru Oct. 26.

ANGELS IN AMERICA - Part One: Millennium Approaches

Claude L. Shaver Theatre, Music & Dramatic Arts Bldg., LSU, Baton Rouge, 504.388.3527 0r 504.388.3533.
Swine Palace Productions presents the first part of Tony Kushner's epic two part play about the life of Roy Cohn, faith, national identity, responsibility in relationships and angels in America. This production, directed by Barry Kyle, stars Mark McLaughlin as Roy Cohn, with Bill McDonald, Matt Scott and Tony Molina.Tues. - Sat., 8pm; Sun. 2pm, through Oct. 11.

ANNE & UNCLE WAYNE

True Brew Cabaret, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907, 504.443.4276.
Uncle Wayne Daigrepont teams up with Anne Decareaux in a new cabaret act built around naughty material cushioned with the cachet of Gershwin and Broadway melodies. 7pm, every Sunday night in Oct.

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. Thurs. - Sat., 8pm; Sun., 2pm, thru Oct. 5.

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), Gavin Mahlie (as Dash Daryl) & Jorinda Junius, 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, Brian Rosenberg & Mandy Zirkenbach. Fri., 8pm; Sat., 6 & 9pm; Sun., 3 pm, thru Oct. 12.

IT'S SHOWDOWN TIME

Samuel DuBois Cook Fine Arts & Communications Center, Dillard University, 504.286.4857.
The University Theatre at Dillard opens its third season with Don Evans' Off-Broadway comedy hit drawn from Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew, transferring the Bard's setting from Padua to a black neighborhood in Philadelphia. Directed by Dr. Alexander C. Marshall, it stars two sets of alternating performers: Leslie Elliard & Kimberly S. Bright, and Jamal Sterling & Nina Domingue. Oct. 8-11 & 13, 8pm; Oct. 12, 3pm.

MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA!

CAC's Bank One Theatre, 900 Camp St., 504.528.3800.
Matt Borel, The Friends of NOCCA and the Contemporary Arts Performance Support Program presents the New Orleans premiere of Athol Fugard's contemporary drama about a black South African teacher and how he deals with the violence and chaos of apartheid. Directed by Raymond Vrazel, Jr., the cast includes Chicago actor Ron Dortch, Laren Levy and Lloyd Joseph Martin. Thurs. - Sat., 8:30pm, Sun., 3pm, Oct. 10 thru Nov. 2.

MY FAIR LADY

Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 325 Minor St., Kenner, 504.468.7221.
Rivertown opens its 10th season with the Lerner & Loewe classic musical based on Shaw's Pygmalion. Directed and choreographed by Alton Geno, it features Ken Risch as Higgins, Ashley Smetherman as Eliza, Fermin Ramos as Col. Pickering, Russell Hodgkinson as Alfred Doolittle, with Andee Reed as Mrs. Pearce and Linda Hubchen as Mrs. Higgins. Charles Ward produces, Brandt Blocker is music director with Robert Self doing the elaborate sets and Trish McClain, the more elaborate costumes, all lit by Daniel Zimmer. Thurs. - Sat., 8pm; Sun., 2pm, thru Oct. 5. Optional buffet available from 6pm; 12pm Sun.

PRETTY BABY

Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, 615 St. Peter St., 504.522.2081.
Le Petit begins its season by showcasing a brand new musical based on the popular 1978 Paramount Pictures film of the same name which starred Susan Sarandon and Brooke Shields. With book by Anne Rose and songs by composer/lyricist Hugh McElyea, Pretty Baby is directed and designed by John Pascoe (who boasts international and New York credits)-with choreography by New Orleans' own Ben Bagby-and stars N.Y. actors Alissa Dean as Violet (the "pretty baby"), Rachelle Fleming as Hattie and David Engel as Bellocq, the photographer. Wed.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 2pm, thru Oct. 4.

SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE - THE SONGS OF LEIBER AND STOLLER

Saenger Theatre, 143 N. Rampart St., 504.522.5555; (Baton Rouge) 504.488.5252; or (outside NO & BR) 800.488.5252.
This exuberant, colorful, 39 song Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical revue is a tribute to songwriters Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller and includes such favorites as "Hound Dog," "Love Potion #9," "Stand By Me," "Yakety Yak," "There Goes My Baby," "On Broadway," and "Jailhouse Rock." It is Directed by Jerry Zaks, with musical staging by Joey McKneely, designed by Heidi Landesman and William Ivey Long, and stars, in NO only, B.J. Crosby. Tues. - Sat., 8pm; Thurs., Sat. & Sun., 2pm, thru Oct. 5.

TWELFTH NIGHT

UNO Theatre East, 504.280.6317.
Peter Carver directs Shakespeare's pessimistic comedy, setting it in a "posh California beach house during the roaring 20's." Oct. 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 8pm; Oct. 12, 2:30pm.

IN THE WINGS

COMPOSING TCHAIKOVSKY

Tulane University's Lupin Theatre, 504.865.5106.
Tulane University Theatre begins the 97- 98 season with the world premiere of a new play by Laura Edmondson which gives Tchaikovksy's estranged and socially shunned wife back her voice-only to come face-to-face with her rich rival, Nadezdha von Meck, the reclusive widow whose wealth and letters fuel the famous Russian composer's creativity. Directed by new faculty member Lisa Jo Epstien, the cast includes Heather Hollingsworth, Alice Johnson, Brandon Voss, Leslie Gastineau, Scott Gastavson, Isaac Colunga and Ryan Flaherty. Wed. -Sat., 8pm; Sun., 2pm (no performance Thurs., Oct. 23), Sat., Oct. 18, 2pm. Oct. 15 -26.

IL TROVATORE

Theatre Of The Performing Arts, 801 N. Rampart, 504.529.2278.
Set in 15th century Spain, amid a stirring tale of jealousy, ill-fated love and a mother's shocking revenge, this Giuseppe Verdi masterpiece is opera at its grandest. Directed by David Morelock, Ruth Falcon stars as Leonora, with Irina Mishura, Eduardo Villa, Yalun Zhang and Mark S. Doss. Semyon Vekshtein conducts the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Wed., Oct. 15 & Sat., Oct. 18, 7:30pm.