Ambush Magazine

The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™

Arts & Culture

The Gay Carnival That Wasn’t

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Months ago, New Orleans city officials announced that the 2021 Carnival Season would be different. They weren’t kidding. By the time Twelfth Night arrived, the community had adjusted to the fact there would be no parades this year. Yet many were saddened by the absence of so many traditional features that herald the arrival of Carnival—King Cake parties, Joan of Arc riding … [Read more...] about The Gay Carnival That Wasn’t

Book Review and Interview: The Axe Woman of Bourbon Street

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The Axe Woman of Bourbon Street. Jane Delacour. Gonzo Publications, 2020. In a fascinating new book, local historian Jane Delacour recalls the glory days of Bourbon Street and recounts the story of one the street’s legendary performers, Kitty West, also known as Evangeline the Oyster Girl. Along the way, Delacour provides not only some amazing insights into Bourbon Street’s … [Read more...] about Book Review and Interview: The Axe Woman of Bourbon Street

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

2020 Hindsight

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We can all breath a collective sigh of relief that 2020 is in the rear-view mirror.  And while we’re not out of the woods yet, the new year does offer hope.  2020 was a year I think most people want to forget; nevertheless, I can’t help but reflect on that annus horribilis at least one last time. Personally, the year began on a great note—my Twelfth Night Party was … [Read more...] about 2020 Hindsight

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

Book Review: Outrages: Sex, Censorship, and the Criminalization of Love

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Outrages: Sex, Censorship, and the Criminalization of Love.  Naomi Wolf.  Chelsea Green Publishing, 2020.  ISBN: 978-1-64502-016-5.  384 pages.  $19.95 Every book Naomi Wolf writes manages to piss off critics and her latest book, Outrages, is no exception. The book chronicles the struggles and eventual triumph of John Addington Symonds, an obscure … [Read more...] about Book Review: Outrages: Sex, Censorship, and the Criminalization of Love