Critics’ Choice Gay Appreciation Award
On behalf of Tony Leggio and myself, I am pleased to announce the nominees for the Critics’ Choice Award that will be presented as part of the 35th Gay Appreciation Awards (GAA). They are:
Alice by Heart presented by Loyola University, Department of Theatre Arts and Dance
Anything Goes produced by Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University
A Chorus Line produced by Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University
A Doll’s House produced by Crescent City Stage
(clockwise from top) A Chorus Line, A Doll’s House, The Imaginary Invalid
The Imaginary Invalid produced by The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane
School of Rock produced by Jefferson Performing Arts
Works that were produced from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 were eligible. The GAA will be presented at the Marigny Opera House (725 St. Ferdinand St.) on Saturday, August 16. The show starts at 7pm–SHARP–but come early, from 6-7:00pm, and walk the Red Carpet with Felicia Phillips and Tiffany Alexander. All are invited to attend. Tickets will be sold at the door and Eventbrite for $20.
The Gay Appreciation Awards thanks those individuals and businesses in the LGBTQ community who are often not recognized for the outstanding services they provide and contributions they make. Over 25 categories are voted on by Ambush Magazine readers. The Critics’ Choice Award, however, is selected by Ambush’s two culture vultures who see the vast majority of theater and performing arts events in the Greater New Orleans area. Congratulations to all involved in each of our nominees!
Curtain Up
Things heat up in New Orleans in July and August so head indoors and cool off while watching any of the upcoming productions listed below.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof gets done fairly regularly here, but it’s always a treat to see Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about familial intrigue and machinations set in a Mississippi Delta plantation home during a hot, steamy summer. Big Daddy may be ill, but no one wants him to know. Maggie the Cat tries to lure husband Brick into bed and away from the bottle. And Brick rails, in existential despair, at the mendacity he sees all around him.
The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans (TWTC) tackles this classic July 10-27 at Loyola’s Marquette Theatre. TWTC Co-Producing Artistic Director Augustin J Correro helms a cast that features Rebecca Elizabeth Hollingsworth as Maggie, Brandon Kotfila as Brick, Randy Cheramie as Big Daddy, and Margeaux Fanning as Big Mama. Let the fireworks begin. [https://www.twtheatrenola.com/]
The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane (SFT) concludes its season July 11-27 with one of the Bard’s most popular comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Two pairs of lovers, fairies, a magic potion, an ass (who’s actually a human), and a troupe of amateur thespians–what could wrong?
Graham Burk directs a cast that includes James Bartelle, Robinson J. Cyprian, Ian Hoch, Alexandria Miles, Robert A. Mitchell, Matthew Raetz, Brandon Sutton, andBurton Tedesco. If Dream is as good as SFT’s initial offering this year, The Imaginary Invalid, it’ll be pretty dreamy indeed. [https://neworleansshakespeare.org/products/a-midsummer-nights-dream]
Unlike Cat and Dream, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, another classic, does not appear here too often. That will change when Fat Squirrel presents this Tony Award-winning drama at Big Couch August 4-14. Set during the Salem Witch Trials, this particular production will be presented as an examination of mental health, exploring the effect a Puritanical society has on young women, especially as seen in conversion disorder, a type of mass hysteria that results in a physical manifestation of trauma.
Among the members of Director Andrea Watson’s cast are Miles Hamauei, John Jabaley, Clint Johnson, Mary Langley, Jonathan Mares, Mary Pauley, Joe Signorelli and Joe Wright. Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory during the 1950s’ McCarthy era; it will be interesting to see how it resonates today. [https://fatsquirrelnola.square.site/product/the-crucible/K5HLNTB2FEB5AT6DGRBUPEKU]
Unlike Cat, Dream, and Crucible, Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B is no classic, having debuted just within the past few years. In it, playwright Kate Hamill transforms Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective duo into a pair of modern-day, female roommates navigating a post-pandemic world. Sherlock Holmes—brilliant, eccentric, and emotionally aloof—teams up with the pragmatic and empathetic Joan Watson. Together, they form a deeply codependent, quasi-dysfunctional “Odd Couple”, solving crimes and confronting villains who always seem one step ahead.
Crescent City Stage will give this darkly comic re-imagining its local premiere at the abovementioned Marquette Theatre. Lorene Chesley and Brittany Chandler star as Holmes and Watson, respectively, with Sarah Colbert Cutrer and Jarrod Smith playing an assortment of other roles. Elizabeth Newcomer directs. Whodunnit? Find out August 28 through September 14. [https://www.crescentcitystage.com/ms-holmes]
For classic musicals, head to Dixon Hall where Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University (SLT)continues its season with Company, July 10-13, directed by Leslie Castay. Stephen Sondheim’s 1970 Tony-winner was one of the first “concept” musicals as it explored contemporary dating, marriage, and divorce while following bachelor Bobby interacting with his married friends, who throw a party for his 35th birthday. [https://liberalarts.tulane.edu/summer-lyric-theatre/ticketsevents/events/company]
Considered one of the greatest musicals of the 20th century, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel finishes SLT’s season July 31-August 3. Directed & choreographed by Diane Lala, this musical drama, a resetting of Ferenc Molnár’s 1909 play Liliom to New England, includes such standards as If I Loved You, June is Bustin’ Out All Over, and You’ll Never Walk Alone. [https://liberalarts.tulane.edu/summer-lyric-theatre/ticketsevents/events/carousel]
One of Carousel’s most famous sequences is its fantasy ballet. If you’d prefer an entire evening of ballet, Marigny Opera House presents the premiere of FLUID July 28-31. Local choreographer Calvin Rowe’s latest work celebrates the joys and trials of the dancer’s life. Rowe promises to use the Opera House stage and aisles for a performance that combines modern dance, pole dancing(!) and spoken word. The work will be accompanied live by an original score by Landon Strause, and performed by Sierra Carvalho, Ma’Kayla Parker, Leah Logsdon, Imani Cunningham, Cullen Barrilleaux, Julia Lemann, Cameron Gibson, and Rowe. [https://marignyoperahouse.org/upcoming-events/fluid-a-new-dance-by-calvin-rowe/]
Having been a fixture on MTV and in the public consciousness for over 40 years, “Weird Al” Yankovic can certainly be regarded as a classic of sorts. On July 29, the pop icon brings his multimedia comedy rock show BIGGER & WEIRDER to the Saenger Theatre, playing his hits as well as fan favorites which have never been performed live. “This is kind of a ‘best of both worlds’ tour,” explains Yankovic. “We’ll be doing all the big crowd-pleasing parodies as well as some deep cuts for the hardcore fans.” Opening will be cult favorite Puddles Pity Party, the 7-foot sad clown. [https://www.saengernola.com/events/weird-al-yankovic/]
“Weird Al” Yankovic
On the Northshore, two modern musical comedies can be found; they may not be classics yet, but maybe someday they’ll be so designated.
There’s something rotten at Playmakers Theater in Covington July 12-27. Or rather, Something Rotten!, a hysterically funny and tuneful musical comedy about two brothers who want to write a hit play but are overshadowed by the Renaissance rock star “The Bard”. Set in 1595, Something Rotten! follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who are inspired to write the world’s first musical after a soothsayer predicts that theater will involve singing, dancing, and acting. Something Rotten! was written by brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick who grew up in Baton Rouge. [https://playmakers-theater-05.webself.net/something-rotten]
Mandeville’s 30 by Ninety Theatre presents Andrew Lloyd Webber’s buoyant musical School of Rock. Based on the movie, the tuner follows Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star who decides to earn some extra cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight–A pupils into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. But can he get them to the Battle of the Bands without their parents and the school’s headmistress finding out? See for yourself August 9–24. [https://30byninety.com/shows/school-of-rock/]
And, after 7 years, this has definitely become a Southern Decadence classic, so you won’t want to miss the 8th iteration of Bette Bathhouse & Beyond (Southern Decadence edition) on Sunday, August 31, beginning at 10:00pm at Café Istanbul.
NYC impresario (and erstwhile part-time New Orleanian) Daniel Nardicio brings Bette Bathhouse & Beyond back to New Orleans where singer/comedienne Amber Martin will recreate one of Bette Midler’s iconic shows done at NYC’s notorious gay bathhouse, the Continental Baths. Renowned DJ Johnny Dynell will be playing “Bathhouse Disco” from the era between Amber’s sets, while Drew Brody performs as “Barry M.” on piano to accompany Amber/Bette’s three 20-minute all-Bette song sets. As an added bonus, this year there’ll be a special guest performer — JIMBO, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars! (In fact, JUST found out there’ll be 2 more special guest performers, Ada Vox who promises to “blow your towel off!” and, direct from London, MOUSE!
Bette Bathhouse and Beyond‘s Amber Martin with Drew Brody at the piano (photo by Koitz)
The audience will be required to wear only towels, bathrobes, or underwear (bring your own towel, or rent one from the Bette staff for $5) to recreate the raunchfest vibe of the famed bathhouse and clothing is optional, so all Bette’s are off! [https://www.redeyetickets.com/bette-bathhouse-beyond-southern-decadence/]
Enjoy! And try to, as it says on the label of Hellman’s Mayonnaise, keep cool but do not freeze.
