Ambush Magazine

The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™

Brian Sands

Brian Sands began writing for Ambush Magazine in 1996. He became Co-Theater/Performing Arts Editor in 2002, going solo in 2011 upon the retirement of his late colleague Patrick Shannon with whom he founded the Ambie Awards in 2003 and presented them through 2011. He has written plays for and trod the boards of various theater companies in New Orleans over the years, winning a Best Actor award for his performance as Felix Unger in The Odd Couple.

Trodding the Boards August 16, 2026

By

New in New York Heading up to New York recently, what with orange dust from Canadian wildfires drifting east and news of tragic wars making headlines, I was in the mood for something that would bring a smile to my face. So no Death of a Salesman for me (tho everyone I know who saw the recent revival loved it); instead, bring on pure mindless, more or less, entertainment. Was … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards August 16, 2026

Trodding the Boards July 31, 2026

By

2026 Critics’ Choice Gay Appreciation Award winner On behalf of Tony Leggio and myself, I am delighted to announce that the winner of this year’s Critics’ Choice Gay Appreciation Award (GAA) is Crescent City Stage’s production of Primary Trust, Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about how one damaged man confronts the world which Michael A. Newcomer directed to … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards July 31, 2026

Trodding the Boards July 9, 2026

By

Critics’ Choice Gay Appreciation Award On behalf of Tony Leggio and myself, I am pleased to announce the nominees for this year’s Critics’ Choice Award that will be presented as part of the 36th Gay Appreciation Awards (GAA). They are: Carousel produced by Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane UniversityThe Crucible produced by Fat SquirrelThe Drowsy Chaperone presented by New … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards July 9, 2026

Trodding the Boards June 26, 2026

By

Echoes of the Heart at NOCCA’s Press Street Station Sometimes you don't realize how much you've missed something until you reencounter it after too long an absence. For example, billed as “a cabaret experience”, The NOCCA Stage Company’s recent original song cycle Echoes of the Heart took me back to the heyday of Le Chat Noir, that intimate boîte run by the stylish … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards June 26, 2026

Trodding the Boards June 18, 2026

By

Once at Le Petit Theatre through June 21 Based on the Oscar-winning movie that was kinda based on real life, Once is a “Czech girl meets Irish boy, boy almost gets girl, boy goes back to old girlfriend” tale. Or “Guy” and “Girl” as they’re called here. That Once rejects a “and they lived happily ever after” ending is refreshing and it’s not without its charms. But cliches … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards June 18, 2026

Trodding the Boards May 18, 2026

By

Medea at the Greenway Station through May 30 Do NOT miss The NOLA Project’s gripping production of Medea, Euripides’ still all-too-relevant 2,500-year-old tragedy, at the Greenway Station. Do NOT miss Natalie Boyd’s phenomenal performance as Medea, the granddaughter of the sungod Helios, who is cast aside for another woman by Jason (a terrific Jon Greene) of Argonaut … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards May 18, 2026

Trodding the Boards May 15, 2026

By

Primary Trust at the Contemporary Arts Center through May 24 Heading over to the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) to see Crescent City Stage’s production of Primary Trust, I knew very little about it other than that it had won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2024. I wondered if it would be like such previous Pulitzer winners as Fat Ham and the recently anointed Liberation, … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards May 15, 2026

Trodding the Boards May 1, 2026

By

Jagged Little Pill at Jefferson Performing Arts Center There’s not much to say about the recent Jefferson Performing Arts (JPA) production of Jagged Little Pill other than “Bravo!” for presenting this new, challenging musical and doing such a fine job with it. Using songs from Alanis Morissette’s catalog, including two newly written ones, Jagged Little Pill tells the … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards May 1, 2026