Trodding the Boards

Orpheus Descending at Loyola’s Marquette Theatre Watching The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans’ recent production of Orpheus Descending at the Marquette Theatre on Loyola University’s campus, I couldn’t help wondering why it has never been turned into an opera. Its poetic monologues could serve as arias, both lyrical and dramatic. Duets among the leads … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards April 24, 2025

Joe & Marilyn at Westwego Performing Arts Theatre Most people have some familiarity with Marilyn Monroe, the mid-twentieth century movie star and sex symbol whose fame continues to burn brightly as movies, books, songs, etc. about her still tumble forth regularly. Even non-hard core fans may be aware of her early hardscrabble life, celebrity marriages, brief fame in … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards March 28, 2025

Curtain Up Now that Mardi Gras is just a happy memory, it’s time for theater to move back indoors again. Through the beginning of Jazzfest, lots of shows will be debuting on local stages from Metairie to the Northshore to the West Bank. Hope you’ll be able to check out some--or all--of the following. Coming to bat at the Westwego Performing Arts Theatre is the Jefferson … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards March 7, 2025

Brechtfest VI at the AllWays Lounge Sure New Orleans has potholes and too many corrupt politicians and a crumbling education system. But it also has phenomenal restaurants, vibrant art galleries & museums, and Mardi Gras. Add to that latter list, Brechtfest whose sixth iteration recently appeared in the Twilight Room of the AllWays Lounge. Regrettably, productions of … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards February 24, 2025

Timbuktu, USA at The New Marigny Theatre My last column included a brief write-up of Intramural Theater’s recent production of Timbuktu, USA, but it merits a few more words as such inspired madness doesn’t grace our stages too often. Ken Prestininzi’s absurdist comedy tells the wild story of Kelly Kilkenny, an oversexed Secretary of State, who having once been passed over … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards February 14, 2025

Good Night, Oscar at Le Petit through January 26 Le Petit is currently presenting Doug Wright’s play Good Night, Oscar. Oscar who? Oscar Levant. Oscar Levant who? I suspect those under 30 or 40, or even 50, 60 or 70 might have difficulty answering that question. Even the show’s director, A.J. Allegra, writes in a program note, “If you had asked me two years ago who Oscar … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards January 13, 2025

The Year in Review I’ve been postponing writing this column and now, it seems, I’ve postponed it all the way into 2025. I’m actually quite good at procrastinating and, with all the holiday festivities that have been going on recently, it’s been quite easy to dilly-dally when there are cards to mail, presents to wrap, and parties to go to. But there’s been another reason … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards January 3, 2025

The Trojan Women at The New Marigny Theatre through December 13 Euripides’ The Trojan Women ranks as one of the most despairing plays in the canon. An unsparing portrait of victims of war, it does not offer cheery visions of sugarplum fairies or redemptions of scrooges; needless to say, it’s not your typical Holiday fare. Fat Squirrel’s production of it at The New Marigny … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards December 13, 2024