• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • All Articles
  • Arts & Culture
  • Health
  • News
    • News
    • Announcements
    • Obituaries
    • The Official Dish
  • Opinions
  • Horoscopes
  • PODCAST
  • Subscribe

Ambush Magazine

The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™

  • Read All Articles
  • Print Archive
  • Old Archived Site
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Amon Ra’s Le Petit Boule

July 8, 2021 By Tony Leggio

COVID-19 quashed the 2021 Mardi Gras season for our entire city.  Sequins and feathers would go on to gather dust as Gay Carnival Krewes canceled their elaborate balls. In the world of Gay Mardi Gras, however, it was more than just the balls.  All the fundraisers the organizations planned to hold leading up to their big events–some monthly occurrences–had to be shelved leaving them with a large deficit of the funds needed to throw these extravaganzas. 

One krewe, though, decided to keep its tradition going so that its members would not have to miss a ball in its 56 year history.  The Mystic Krewe of Amon-Ra hosted Le Petit Boule (The Small Ball) on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at the Zeitgeist Theatre located in Arabi.  A far cry from the over-the-top costumes of previous balls, this miniature presentation included several costumes with smaller back pieces (but still lots of feathers and sequins) and several entertainers. 

Amon Ra’s Le Petit Boule (Photo: Tony Leggio)

The evening began with Bradley Arsenaux singing the National Anthem followed by Marva White giving the Invocation.  Ron Issler delivered the President’s Welcome dedicating the ball to Matt Easley, a devoted krewe member who passed away earlier in the year.  Ron was later seen in the tableau as December dressed as a very sassy Santa.

Their majesties King and Queen Amon-Ra LV John East and Nancy Jean Peters reigned supreme over the evening’s festivities.  The tableau’s numbers consisted of titles such as D’italia, Demolition, Diva, Datolite and Da Balls before ending with an open court. 

Amon Ra’s Le Petit Boule (Photo: Tony Leggio)

The by-invitation-only evening was an intimate gathering of friends and supporters of the krewe.  What an amazing evening it was, reminiscing with people that I haven’t seen in over a year.  There were plenty of hugs, tears and toasts not only to the celebration of the night, but to our strength in community and our resilience. 

Amon Ra’s Le Petit Boule (Photo: Tony Leggio)

The New Orleans gay Carnival scene has been around since Yuga was formed in 1958.  There have been many different krewes over the years and to date we still have eight (Armeinius, Lords of Leather, Mwindo, Narcissus, Petronius, Apollo and Stars in addition to Amon-Ra).  I applaud all the members of Gay Carnival krewes both past and current.  These people kept the passion and majesty alive facing tough such circumstances as homophobia, racism, hurricanes, the AIDS epidemic and, most recently, COVID. 

Amon Ra’s Le Petit Boule (Photo: Tony Leggio)

Earlier in the year, Amon-Ra hosted their Rush Party at Good Friends Bar.  I was in attendance at that event also and enjoyed talking with the members. All of them consider themselves a family, sharing their love for this cherished art form that blends fashion, political satire and stage performances into a raucous night of entertainment. 

Amon Ra Rush Party (Photo: Tony Leggio)

If you would like to learn more about the Krewe, go to Amon-Ra’s website at http://kreweofamon-ra.com to learn more about this wonderful krewe. 

Amon Ra Rush Party (Photo: Tony Leggio)

Our community, like our city, reveled in our love for Mardi Gras, so being part of a krewe, especially one of the LGBT+ ones gives people the unique opportunity to be a part of the pageantry that makes Carnival special.

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Featured, Under The Gaydar

Related Posts

Under The Gaydar (Feb 13 – 26, 2018)
Under the Gaydar
Under the Gaydar

Primary Sidebar

Connect & Join the Conversation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Recent Print Editions

  • Volume 38 Issue 17
  • Volume 38 Issue 16
  • Volume 38 Issue 15
  • Volume 38 Issue 14
  • Volume 38 Issue 13
  • Volume 38 Issue 12
  • Volume 38 Issue 11
  • Volume 38 Issue 10
  • Volume 38 Issue 05
  • Volume 38 Issue 04

Recent Articles

  • Trodding the Boards March 21, 2023
  • Under the Gaydar (April 2023 Event Calendar)
  • Women Make History: Carnival 2023
  • An Interview with author Mark Chestnut
  • Trodding the Boards March 7, 2023

Experience Gay New Orleans

  • Gay New Orleans
  • Gay Mardi Gras
  • Gay Easter Parade
  • New Orleans Pride
  • Gay Appreciation Awards
  • Southern Decadence
  • Gay Halloween

Categories

  • A Community within Communities
  • Announcements
  • Arts & Culture
  • Bartender of the Month
  • Book Review
  • Business
  • Chop Chop
  • Commentary
  • Drag Queen Profile
  • Featured
  • Film Review
  • Financial
  • Geo Doing Geo Things
  • Health
  • Horoscopes
  • Interviews from Key West
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Moments in Queer New Orleans History
  • Museum Spotlights
  • Music
  • Musings by Catherine
  • New to New Orleans
  • News
  • Obituaries
  • Opinions
  • Pride Spotlight
  • Profiles & Spotlights
  • Sports
  • The Here and the Now
  • The Official Dish
  • The Real Cheese
  • The Rockford Files
  • Trodding the Boards
  • Uncategorized
  • Under The Gaydar

Footer

Ambush Magazine Logo

Ambush Magazine is New Orleans' and the Gulf Coast's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer entertainment, news, and travel guide since 1982.

Publisher TJ Acosta
Editor-In-Chief Reed Wendorf
Founding Publisher/Editor Rip Naquin-Delain
Senior Editor Brian Sands
Distribution George Bevan Jr

Email info@ambushpublishing.com
Phone (504) 522-8049

Recent Posts

  • Trodding the Boards March 21, 2023
  • Under the Gaydar (April 2023 Event Calendar)
  • Women Make History: Carnival 2023
  • An Interview with author Mark Chestnut
  • Trodding the Boards March 7, 2023

Proud Member

Gulf South LGBT Chamber Logo

Let’s Get Social

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 · Ambush Publishing LLC All Rights Reserved · Website Built by Reed Wendorf · Log in