ON THE BOARDS
by GEORGE PATTERSON, New Orleans

A LOUISIANA GENTLEMAN

Southern Repertory Theater, 3rd Level, One Canal Place, 504.861.8163 or 504.861.5874.

Described by its author,
Rosary O'Neill as "a contemporary love story of the Louisiana Deep South,"
this latest edition to Ms. O'Neill's oeuvre features Barret O'Brien,
Shelley Poncy, Becky Allen and Soline McLain
and is co-directed by Beth Lincks & Susann Brinkley.
Fri. & Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm, thru April 27.

...AND THE BALL AND ALL

True Brew Theater, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907.

Now in its second year, this comic masterpiece, 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 cast includes local favorites, with costumes and wigs by Roy Haylock. Produced by Trish Denmark and Fred Nuccio, it will have an open-ended run. Fri., 8 pm; Sat., 6 & 9 pm; Sun., 3 & 7 pm.

BLOOD BROTHERS

UNO's Theater East, UNO, 504.280.SHOW.

David W. Hoover directs the Louisiana premiere of Willy Russell's musical about twin boys separated at birth. With sets by Jason Foreman and costumes by Tony French, the cast includes Gary Rucker and Scott Sauber as the brothers and Diana Boylston as the mother. Apr. 16 - 19, 8 pm.

HOT STUFF -NEW ORLEANS STYLE!

True Brew Cabaret, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907.

The fast-paced, New Orleans satirical revue starring and written by New Orleans' premiere musical comedy couple, Becky Allen and Ricky Graham. Fri., 10:30 pm.

KIM PREVOST & BILL SOLLY

Apres, 709 St. Charles Ave., 504.822.3211 or 504.821.4234.

The jazzy and earthy tones of vocalist Kim Prevost accompanied by guitarist Bill Solly are on display Thurs., Apr. 24, 10 pm.

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Orpheum Theater, 120 University Place, 504.523.6530.

The orchestra continues its Beethoven and Blue Jeans series with Timothy Muffitt conducting and Elmar Oliveira featured on violin in Grantham's To The Wind's Twelve Quarters, Beethoven's Concerto for Violin & Orchestra and Dvorak's Symphony No. 6. Thurs., Apr. 17, 7:30 pm; Sat., Apr. 19, 8 pm.

NEW ORLEANS DANCE IN CONCERT

CAC's Freeport McMoRan Theater, 900 Camp St., 504.522.1314; 504.528.3800.

The CAC and New Orleans Dance, under the direction of Barbara Hayley premiere a new work, Gaiety, Singing and Romance, choreographed by Ms. Hayley & Chris Becker, who also composed the music; Dollie Rivas' "Waiting On That 5 O'Clock Breeze" to songs by Nina Simone, a new duet choreographed by Monique Moss, and a new work to Bach's Violin Concert in A Minor choreographed and performed by Hayley, Alice Pascall Escher and Beverly Trask. Apr. 17-19, 8 pm; Apr. 20, 4 pm.

ONE MO' TIME

Samuel Du Bois Cook Fine Arts & Communications Center, Dillard University, 2601 Gentilly Blvd., 504.286.4762.

Vernel Bagneris' homegrown Off-Broadway hit about the golden era of Black vaudeville in the twenties will be presented by the university Apr. 23-28.

ON GOLDEN POND

Rivertown Repertory Theater, Fourth & Minor Streets, Kenner, 504.468.7221. Written by Ernest Thompson and directed by Joe Warfield, this bittersweet tale of the resolution of a dysfunctional family stars Charlotte Shully and Roy Dumont with Danon Dastugue, Michael Cahill, Peter Gabb & Justin Scalese. Apr. 17-May 4; Thurs.-Sat., 8 pm (buffet seating for optional dinner from 6 pm); Sun., 2:30 pm (buffet seating for optional dinner from 12:30 pm).

PICNIC

CAC, Bank One Theater, 900 Camp St., 504.528.3800; groups: 504.362.4451.

The Contemporary Arts Center and Sandi Roads Production Co. Present William Inge's Pulitzer Prize-winning romantic comedy. Directed by George Kelly, it will feature Dane Rhodes, Gia DiLeo, Leon Contavesprie, Sandy Bravender, Wayne Blankenship, Amy Bollin, Brandi Bates, Joan Blum, Sandy Stratman, Arvilla Bennett-Prior and Jeffery Glacier.Thur.-Sat., 8:30 pm, Sun., 2 pm, thru Apr. 27.

RIVER PARISH GHOSTS STORY

Oak Alley Plantation Outdoor Dinner Theater, 3645 Louisiana Highway #18, Vacherie, LA, 504.265.2151; 1.800.442.5539.

This new comedy by John Doucet (which won the 1996 Louisiana Native Voices & Visions Playwriting award) and directed by Perry Martin, is a humorous amalgam of ghosts and folk legends from Louisiana's river parishes, featuring the specters of privateer Jean Lafitte & Gov. Michael Hahn. Sat. evenings from 6 pm, Apr. 19, 26 & May 3; Sun. Mat. from 12 noon, Apr. 20, 27 & May 4.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Le Petit Theater du Vieux Carre, 616 St. Peter St., 504.522.2081.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical about the Trapp Family Singers ends the current theater season. Brandt Blocker is both musical and stage director, Holly Smith choreographs and Flo Presti is the vocal director, with Liz Argus as Maria, Lance Spellerberg as Capt. Von Trapp and Barbara Bernard as the Mother Abbess. The children are: Julie Tolivar, Taylor Miller, Keeley Tieperman, Alan Brockhoeft, Savanah Wise, Jenny Collins, Stephanie Gill, Meghann Mehrtens and Rachel Nusbaum. Also in the large cast are Peggy Sweeney and Phil Blunt. Apr. 25, 26, May 1, 2, 3 & 7, 8, 9 & 10, 8 pm; Sun., Apr. 27, May 4 and 11, 2 pm.

THE TRIAL OF THE BIG, BAD WOLF

NORD Theater, Gallier Hall, St. Charles Ave., 504.565.7860.

Ty Tracy revives the award-winning family musical of 1989, with book and lyrics by Bob Bruce and David Cuthbert and music by Danny Rubio. David Tringali recreates the role of B.B. Wolf in the this campy musical romp with Regina Bourgeois playing Granny Gabor, while Casey Cammatte, Ellen Flohberger & Lisa Moran are the three little pigs. Christopher Wecklein, Jeff Lukas, Bryan Wager, Steve Carter and Chris Melohn are also featured. Apr. 25, May 2 & 9, 8 pm; Apr. 26 & 27, May 3, 4, 10 & 11, 2 pm.

VISCOSITY & STOOL PIGEONS

Movie Pitchers, 3941 Bienville St., 504.488.4925.

Piazza Productions and In Depp Productions present two original "pieces." Viscosity, written and directed by Michael Depp concerns a man, the ambivalent object of his infatuation, and the incessant presence of a quartet in his living room and stars Drew Baldwin and Amy Abston with music by Brendan Connelly. Writer/Director Rene J. F. Piazza's Stool Pigeons is 15 monologues dealing with a realistic and hard view of life. It features Andrew Hebert, Rebecca Taliancich, Gina Poretto, Sharon Clement and Daryl Cade. Fri. & Sat., Apr. 18 & 19, 7:30 pm; Sun., Apr. 20, 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm.

IN THE WINGS

COMEDY SHOW WITH SANDRA BERNHARD

State Palace Theater, 1108 Canal St., 504.524.3381; 504.522.6160.

Comedian Sandra Bernhard will present a Comedy Show as a benefit for the T.A.L.K. Foundation, Inc. (Teaching And Loving Kids). Local talent will also be included. Thurs., May 1, 8 pm.

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

True Brew Theater, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907.

Written by Ricky Graham & David Cuthbert, with original music by Harry Mayronne, Jr. & choreography by Karen Hebert, this is a "slightly skewed tribute to the Saturday matinee serials....In two episodes!-the first, Commando Cody or Flash Gordon; the second, very Sheena, Queen of the Jungle..." Starring Becky Allen, the show, opening in late June, will play in tandem with ...And The Ball And All.

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Orpheum Theater, 120 University Place, 504.523.6530.

Klauspeter Seibel conducts, with soprano Amy Lawrence, tenor Gerald Stroup, baritone Philip Frohnmayer and the Symphony Chorus of New Orleans, Copland's Old American Songs and Orff's Carmina Burana. Thurs., May 1, 7:30 pm; Sat., May 3, 8 pm.

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Orpheum Theater, 120 University Place, 504.523.6530.

Klauspeter Seibel conducts Schubert's Symphony No. 8 ("Unfinished") and Mahler's Symphony No. 1. Thurs., May 8, 7:30 pm; Sat., May 10, 8 pm.

MISS SAIGON

Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts, Armstrong Square, 504.522.5555; 800.488.5252; for groups of 20 or more, 504.569.1520.

The Broadway Series at the Saenger Theater presents the Louisiana premiere of producer Cameron Mackintosh's London and New York blockbuster musical, with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics and book by Alain Boublil (creators of Les Miserables and Martin Guerre) and Richard Maltby, Jr., directed by Nicholas Hytner, at the Theater of the Performing Arts, since the Saenger's stage facilities are not large enough to house, among other things, the show's famous helicopter. With musical staging by Bob Avian, Miss Saigon reunites members of the Les Miserables design team: John Napier on sets, David Hersey on lights and Andreane Neofitou and Suzy Benzinger on costumes. May 7 - 26. Tues.-Sat., 8 pm; Thurs., Sat. & Sun, 2 pm. Additonal performances on Sun., May 11, 7:30 pm, Mon., May 26, 8 pm.

PAGEANT

CAC's Freeport MacMaRon Theater, 900 Camp St., 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 edition which will also have musical direction by Michael Howard, costumes by Roy Haylock, sets by Keith Christopher, Lights by Martin Sachs and sound by Jeffery Talbolt. 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, May 23-June 15. The Krewe of Petronius (504.525.4498) will sponsor two previews, May 21 & 22.