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 is a member of the Big Easy Theater Committee. He currently co-hosts, with Brad Rhines, Stage Talk with Brian and Brad; episodes can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/StageBeatNewOrleans

Trodding the Boards March 9, 2021

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Brighton Beach Memoirs at 30 by Ninety Theatre through March 14 I remember seeing Brighton Beach Memoirs at the then-recently rechristened Neil Simon Theatre and being a bit underwhelmed by it. I’m not sure if it was because my expectations were too high after its rave reviews and Tony Awards or because the charms of this intimate family dramedy got lost in the upper reaches … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards March 9, 2021

Trodding the Boards February 23, 2021

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The Glass Menagerie at Playmakers Theater through March 14 According to Tennessee Williams, “Time is the longest distance between two places.” When a play is done as superbly as Playmakers Theater’s current production of The Glass Menagerie, however, the distance between “Lights up” and “The curtain falls” feels less like two plus hours than a blink of the eye, a … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards February 23, 2021

Trodding the Boards February 10, 2021

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at Jefferson Performing Arts Center One may wonder who’s crazier: the inmates of a State Mental Hospital who populate One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) for putting on this complex play with its large cast? It may not matter as, nowadays, it seems like everyone’s a little bit crazy...or more. At a … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards February 10, 2021

Trodding the Boards January 12, 2021

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Alex Brightman and Wayne Brady/The Seth Concert Series through January 24 Neither Alex Brightman nor Wayne Brady had ever done a live concert with Seth Rudetsky prior to their appearances on The Seth Concert Series, its first and second shows, respectively, of 2021. Both fell under the spell of theater at an early age and both came off as extremely nice, likable gents. They … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards January 12, 2021

Trodding the Boards December 29, 2020

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Year in Review I don’t think anyone will be sorry to see the curtain coming down on 2020. In this year-like-no-other, theaters and other performing arts venues throughout our area were forced to shut down in mid-March. For about two months after that, it seemed as though the light that usually shines so brightly on the arts here had gone off as local artistic directors … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards December 29, 2020

Trodding the Boards December 15, 2020

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The Nutcracker at Jefferson Performing Arts Center thru Dec. 20 JPAS Artistic Director Dennis Assaf was justifiably proud, excited, and a bit relieved when he stated during his pre-show speech that The Nutcracker would be the “first live theater production we’ve done here since January.” Though the opening matinee performance had sold out, due to Covid-19 necessities, the … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards December 15, 2020

Trodding the Boards November 17, 2020

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Church of Twerk at The Music Box Village How should I describe Ha Sizzle and Team Sizzle’s Church of Twerk? A neo-soul/bounce concert featuring twerking dancers? Immersive performance art? A glorious revival meeting? All of the above? I'm not sure, but it had me grinning from ear to ear for nearly all of its 60 minutes. Taking place at the only-in-New Orleans Music Box … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards November 17, 2020