Ambush Magazine Volume 36 Issue 07 by Ambush Publishing

Volume 36 Issue 07 March 27 · April 9, 2018 Facebook.COM/AmbushMag

Award Winning

Easter Parade, Saints & Sinners Festival, and Crescent City Classic @AmbushMag

Celebrating LGBTQ Life, Music & Culture! Gulf South LGBTQ Entertainment/Travel Guide · 36th Anniversary 1982-2018 · For Adults Only

2 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

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The “Official” Dish by Frank Pizzolato, Publisher Email: frank@ambushpublishing.com

Closing in on Easter Weekend, Ambush has had a whirlwind month of activity leading up to its annual production of The Official New Orleans Gay Easter Parade. Last weekend saw the annual “Spring Fever” event at The Four Seasons in Metairie. Board member “Tip” Varnadore Chaired the event and led it to a great success. Next, was Sunday nights’ “Drag Extravaganza” at OZ. Fun time and very successful fundraising efforts for The Gay Easter Parade and Food for Friends. Saturday night we were all treated to yet another fun filled event at the Double Play, Great Food, Lots of auction items and outstanding performances made for a great evening. Under new ownership, the Double Play is very much a work in progress, Randy has undertaken a

MAJOR renovation of the place, and all indications are, he and his staff are committed to moving the Bar forward with a great new look, I think we can all look forward to many more years of good times, good drinks and good friends at the Double Play. We wish them every success. Coming up this week in the final sprint to Parade Day, on Easter Sunday, we have the designer underwear fashion show Thursday, the 29th at the Corner Pocket, 9 until 11, co-sponsored by our friends at Bourbon Pride. Josh Duffy is bringing in some of the latest fashions for this event. Yet one more chance to come out socialize with old friends, make new ones and lend support for the Easter Parade and Food for Friends.

Inside this Issue of Ambush Spring Seeds, Your Spiritual Potential

Book Review

Buku Music Festival Review

Commentary

A Community within Communities

Snap Paparazzi

12 13-16

Sports Snap Paparazzi

Snap Paparazzi

Easter Parade Guide

Ambush/GEP continues tradition; raises funds for FFF

Snap Paparazzi

22-23

The Historic New Orleans Collection Celebrates the Tricentennial

Snap Paparazzi

Moments in Gay History

Announcement

Under the Gaydar

Pride Side

LGBTQ Owned/Friendly Business Directory

34-35

Trodding the Boards

Tricentennial Profile in History

Snap Paparazzi

Gulf South LGBTQ Entertainment & Travel Guide Since 1982 New Orleans, Louisiana info@ambushpublishing.com

On Friday the 30th, the ever popular and always fun, Bunnies in the Big Easy party put on once again by Tony Leggio. This party is has become a great tradition in the build up to the Easter Parade. The event will take place this year at The Mardi Gras Museum at 1010 Conti St. in the French Quarter. Great Food, Cocktails, auction, boys bunny ears and bunny tails, something for every taste, and the Venue this year is worth a look at some of the best costumes from New Orleans Mardi Gras and its storied past. The Parade will start on Rampart St pre march cocktails at Gran Pre, and will end there as well. Ken has promised a full afternoon of fun to celebrate the 19th annual Gay Easter Parade. Start time is 4:30….line up begins at 3:30. I would like to extend our congratulations to our friend Royce Duplessis on his successful run for House seat in District 93. The Representative elect will represent the French Quarter and surrounding area. He joined us at OZ for the Drag Extravaganza last week, and we look forward to working with him on all the issues facing the French Quarter and the LGBT community. We also congratulate Appeals Court Judge Elect Dale Atkins, and Civil Court Judge Elect Ellen Hazeur, much success to all of them.

Job Opportunities Ambush Magazine is growing!

Freelance & Contributing Writers Wanted

We want to hear from you if you are a working or aspiring journalist interested in covering topics meaningful to the LGBTQ community.

Snap Paparazzi Photographer Wanted

Do you frequent the LGBTQ bars and events? We want to hear from you if you are interested in regularly covering the bars and events.

If you are interested, please email your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to info@ambushpublishing.com

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Facebook.COM/AmbushMag Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 • Texas-Florida Official Gay Easter Parade Guide© Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide© Official Gay New Orleans Guide© Official Pride Guide© Official Southern Decadence Guide© AWARD WINNING: Saints & Sinners Literary Festival Hall of Fame/2015, Louisiana Excellence Award: Media & Internet/2014, New Orleans Print Media Award/2014, 25th NO/AIDS Task Force Humanitas Award/2013, New Orleans Print Media Award/2013, Krewe of Mwindo Media Honoree/2009, Krewe of Petronius Carnival Spirit of Gay Mardi Gras XLVIII Award/2009, Forum For Equality Acclaim Awards X Media Recipient/2008, NO/AIDS Task Force Prometheus “Torch of Truth” [media] Award/2001 Email: info@ambushpublishing.com ANNUAL READERSHIP OVER 1 MILLION: 260,000+ Print/780,000+ Online CIRCULATION: Alabama - Mobile Florida - Pensacola Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, New Orleans, Slidell Mississippi - Bay St. Louis, Biloxi STAFF: PUBLISHER/EDITOR/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Frank Pizzolato, New Orleans GULF SOUTH/NEW ORLEANS AD SALES Jim Tomeny, New Orleans THEATRE/PERFORMING ARTS CRITIC Brian Sands AD REPS/JOURNALISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Misti Gaiter, Tony Leggio, Hubert S Monkeys, Felicia Phillips, Frank Perez, Rev. Bill Terry-New Orleans Miss Cie-Mobile, AL National Advertising Rep: Rivendell Media 212.242.6863 Ambush Mag is published on alternate Tuesdays of each month by Ambush Publishing. Advertising, Copy & Photo DEADLINE is alternate Tuesdays, 4pm, prior to publication week, accepted via e-mail only: info@ambushpublishing.com, except for special holidays. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and has the right to reject any advertising. The inclusion of an individual’s name or photograph in this publication implies nothing about that individual’s sexual orientation. Letters, stories, etc., appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of the Publisher or Staff of AMBUSH Mag. Subscription rate is $45 for 1/2 Year; $75 for 1 year. Sample Copy is $3 First Class Mail. ©1982-2017 AMBUSH PUBLISHING LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOTHING HEREIN MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER INCLUDING AD LAYOUTS, MAPS and PHOTOS.

Spring Seeds, Your Spiritual Potential by Pastor Allie Rowland, Metropolitan Community Church of New Orleans (MCCNO) Email: alisan.rowland42@gmail.com Website: www.mccneworleans.com

Spring Seeds and Your Spiritual Potential

Have you ever planted a seed? I remember the first seed I ever planted was in grade school in a little paper cup with soil in it, and then the whole class watered their seeds and waited, watching each day to see when their plants would come up out of the earth. Recently, I started to wonder about seeds. I did what most of us do these days – I googled “what happens when a seed dies?” I learned that all seeds have an embryo in them with a root and a shoot. And they all have a mechanism like an on/off switch which starts the process of germination. So, when all the conditions are right…when the seed has been in the ground long enough, and the temperature is right, and the seed has enough water… then the seed begins to germinate – to transform and become a plant. The seed doesn’t cease to be; the seed is simply transformed into something else…something that it always had the potential inside to be. Have you ever thought that there might be a spiritual blueprint for your life? A particular spiritual purpose that is in your DNA. That might seem like an odd question to you. Or, you might think that you’re fulfilling that purpose right now, or have already done it. Sometimes we use the talents and skills that we have, and everyone affirms for us that we are doing work that we excel at; work that makes a difference in other people’s lives. When we are doing work that suits our talents and our passions our spirits soar, we are fulfilled, and others are blessed. But sometimes in order to find that purpose, in order to truly live into who we have the potential to become, a part of who we used to be has to die. Most of us know what we struggle with in our lives – if we have an obsession or an addiction…or if we just struggle with our own particular personality quirks. For example, I’ve been told by others in my life that I have a tendency to be stubborn. It’s a strength when I’m in situations in which I need to persevere, but sometimes it hinders my openness to needed changes. You may

already know that there is something in your life that needs to die, something that often seems to prevent you from being your best self. If you don’t know, you might ask yourself if there is. You might also ask if you’re following your spiritual blueprint. If you’re not, what conditions have to change for you to do so? These are not questions that always have obvious answers to us. But I believe that if you keep seeking…that you will reach the point when you know you are following your spiritual path. Sometimes we need to die to the more selfish parts of ourselves. When we stop believing we are the center of the universe, and start paying attention to the needs of others, that’s when our love bears fruit. That’s often when the sacrifices we make for others out of love yield a harvest. If our life is only about our own needs; about achieving power, fame, and success, then it’s unlikely we’ll ever achieve our spiritual purpose and feel truly fulfilled. I think that within each of us is our own spiritual blueprint, the potential spiritual purpose within us. And when all the conditions are right, we have died to our selfishness, our selfrighteousness, our pride, our stubbornness, our ego…when we have died to our addictions…when we begin to let go and surrender, we can begin to transform. Sometimes letting parts of our old selves die, and becoming a new version of ourselves feels a little painful. We might even have some growing pains, but few things feel better when we are living our spiritual purpose – when we are in our right place and we know it! I think sometimes we know our spiritual purpose in specific moments. I’ve often felt this sense of living my own spiritual purpose in moments…when writing, singing…and when I would sit with others in conversation and connect on a deep level with those people. I knew in those moments that I was living my spiritual purpose. What have your own moments been? As you move more towards those moments, I believe your spiritual purpose will continue to unfold bringing more light and love into the world.

few things feel better when we are living our spiritual purpose – when we are in our right place and we know it!

GayMardiGras.com · GayEasterParade.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Facebook.com/AmbushMag · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · 5

Book Review by Frank Perez Email: f.perez@sbcglobal.net

New Orleans: The Founding Era. Erin M. Greenwald, Editor. Henry Colomer, Translator. Historic New Orleans Collection. ISBN: 978-0917860-74-4. 2018. 168 pages. $50.00. In commemoration of the city’s 300th anniversary in 2018, The Historic New Orleans Collection’s exhibition and companion bilingual book “New Orleans, the Founding Era” provides a multifaceted exploration of the city’s first few decades. New Orleans, the Founding Era gathers contributions from eight leading scholars of the French Atlantic World and features an illustrated checklist of artifacts from public and private collections across France, Spain, Canada, and the United States. This dual-language French/English publication from The Historic New Orleans Collection explores the ideas, peoples, and material cultures that shaped one of the most complex and challenging colonization projects in the Americas. Chapters and contributors include: “The Native World before New Orle-

ans” by Robbie Ethridge, The Founding of New Orleans in Imperial and Atlantic Perspectives: A Caribbean Port City” by Cecile Vidal, “Voluntary Migration and a New French Settlement” by Erin M. Greenwald, “French Architect-Engineers of New Orleans, 1718-1730” by Gilles-Antoine Langlois, “Missionary Orders in French Colonial New Orleans” by Emily Clark, “Forced European Migrants and Soldiers in French Colonial New Orleans” by Yevan Terrien, “Arriving Africans and a Changing New Orleans” by Erin M. Greenwald, “Native Americans in French colonial New Orleans” by Daniel H. Usner, Jr., Archaeology of Everyday Life in early New Orleans” by Shannon Lee Dawdy. Louisiana in the early eighteenth century experienced an intense period of immigration as nearly six thousand French- and German-speaking Europeans and a roughly equal number of enslaved captives taken from Africa arrived in the French territory. Those who survived first the crossing, and then exposure to New World diseases, established the roots of a blended,

Creole culture that persists to this day. The newcomers mingled with, learned from, and clashed with the native people who had long occupied the riverfront site chosen for New Orleans. As a cultural, economic, and diplomatic crossroads both of the lower Mississippi valley and of the broader Atlantic World, New Orleans was shaped by influences that stretched south from Nouvelle France and the Illinois Country, north from the Caribbean, and west from the Bight of Benin and the Breton coast. This landmark publication, edited by Erin M. Greenwald and translated by Henry Colomer, reflects the kaleidoscopic array of cultures that gave rise to this most cosmopolitan of North American cities. The exhibition will be on view Feb. 27–May 27 and brings together a vast array of rare artifacts from THNOC’s holdings and from institutions across Europe and North America to tell the stories of the city’s earliest inhabitants. Over the display’s 13-week run, a variety of programs will be offered to provide added opportunities to explore themes related to the exhibition. Details of each event are listed below. Registration is strongly encouraged for all activities. Reservations will be held un-

GEP

Presents

til five minutes prior to the beginning of the event, at which time any unclaimed seats will be released to the public. To make reservations email wrc@hnoc. org or call (504) 523-4662. Admission is free, unless noted otherwise. Erin M. Greenwald curated New Orleans, the Founding Era in honor of the city’s tricentennial. As curator at The Historic New Orleans Collection, she was project director of the National Endowment for the Humanities-funded traveling exhibition Purchased Lives: The American Slave Trade from 1808 to 1865. Greenwald holds a PhD in history from the Ohio State University. She is currently curator of programs at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Henry Colomer is a French documentary filmmaker and translator. He has directed some thirty films, including various portraits of artists and writers (L’exilé, Iddu, Ricercar, Vies métalliques), as well as a number of documentaries about the upheavals of the twentieth century (Monte Verità, Sous les drapeaux). Colomer has won several awards (Best Historic Documentary, Festival of History Films, Pessac, 1998, 2008; Focal International Award, London, 2010).

GayEasterParade.com

Easter Grand Marshals THE 19th ANNUAL

Photo by Arthur Severio

EVENTS & FUNDRAISERS Sunday, March 11: EGGSTRAVAGANZA

Saturday, March 17: SPRING FEVER

The Golden Lantern 3pm-5pm

The Four Seasons 9pm-11pm

Saturday, March 24: PURPLE PARTY Double Play 7pm-10pm

Sunday, March 18: DRAG SHOW NIGHT Oz New Orleans 7:30pm & 9:30pm

@GayEasterParade

6 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

Review: The True Buku Experience by Brian Rivas-Davi Email: brianrivasdavi@ambushpublishing.com

The Buku Festival gives New Orleans a nice escape from all the jazz with its Electronic Dance Music vibes and funky tone.

I’m no stranger to music festivals. As a fairly recent San Francisco transplant, I was excited to see what New Orleans’ underground house music scene was slinging. Upon entering the gates I was completely blown away with how such a young festival was so put together. Upon entering the gates the main stage was set up in front of an old abandoned power plant, adding to the funky, fun vibes. Yearly, Buku is held at the historic Mardi Gras World, walking and driving distance from all the major hot spots and hotels in the city. After a short Uber ride, I was able to catch the first major headliner, MGMT, which was the best appetizer I could imagine to set the stage for my weekend. I’ve been a long time fan of MGMT since their first album dropped in 2007. The crowd here was mostly on the older Millennial side and brought waves of nostalgia to everyone in the audience. They started out with a few of their classics and followed with a lot of their newer stuff. As always, they crushed their set and gave me a great intro to Buku. Friday, in particular, all the artists I REALLY wanted to see were playing at the main stage, which didn’t give me much time to explore the rest of the festival that evening. Towards the end of MGMT I darted over to the Wharf stage to catch Honey Dijon’s set to help switch the vibe a bit. I was very excited to see Honey Dijon because this was the first year Buku had a queer/trans artist doing a great headline on a decent time slot. Hailing from New York really changed the tone for the evening with her fantastic energy. It’s really great to see a DJ who appreciates her fans and is just so stoked to be playing. In between sets I gave myself time to adventure around and check out all the other things Buku had to offer. I danced with party bears in front of a shopping cart stereo covered in LED lights. I got to witness a pop up Buku themed fashion show. I even participated, and failed completely, in a danceoff. It was a good surprise to see an EDM-based festival cater to everyone and welcome everyone with open arms. I did a little shopping in the main vendor square, ate some really tasty tacos, and got a pretty reasonably priced tall boy before venturing back to

the Power Plant stage to catch the next big headliner. I’m a pretty late band-wagoner to SZA, but she was a must see to me for the night. She started her set with Love Galore. Still being in full dance mode from the DJ sets, she made it really easy to move my hips and everyone in the crowd seemed to have the same idea. SZA was fantastic with and without music, talking to the crowd every chance she got and really immersing herself with the New Orleans atmosphere. Unfortunately she took a pretty nasty fall towards the end of her last song, which ended things quite abruptly. Though it’s good to know she’s doing fine now! During my downtime between the next headliner, I cruised over to the Float Den to catch Alison Wonderland’s set. As the night grew darker, the lights got brighter, the music got louder, and the people got more pumped. I managed to squeeze my way to a semi front location between sweaty partiers and scantily clad girls. The Float Den was a truly magical experience. Whoever decided to put a whole DJ set in a warehouse surrounded by creepy and colorful Mardi Gras floats should get a promotion. Between the booming bass, light and smoke show, and historic floats surrounding the dance area, it was a real glance of everything Buku stands for. Bonus points to the hot shirtless guy who gave me all of his glow-in-the-dark accessories while I danced my little butt off. On my way back to the Power Plant stage I accidentally stumbled into one of the many VIP only section of the event called “The Mansion”. Buku really knows how to take care of their VIP patrons, providing a Disneyland-like experience complete with a fake bayou scene in front of an indoor mansion and open bar. The entire venue was the complete package and no matter how much money you wanted to spend, they made it worth every penny. They even offered VIP stages so you can get the full experience of your choosing. Did I mention the unlimited open bar? The final main headliner for Friday night was one of my guilty pleasures, Migos. This band choice came completely out of left field for me but I was more than happy to shuffle my white boy legs around in the dirt as they played “Stir Fry”. Migos have become quite popular in the underground scene as well as mainstream. I’m excited to check them out at Coachella this Continued on Page 8

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Continued from Page 7

year. After the last performance of the night, I took a friend’s recommendation and cruised back over to the Float Den to check out some of Porter Robinson Virtual Self. My glow stick necklaces really fit in well here and it ended up being THE dance party of the night and I good sendoff for my Friday. For Saturday, Day 2, I decided to get an earlier start solo to get a better feel for everything. (And snap some pictures of Buku in the daylight). Because I had used up my first day putting a lot of my focus on a lot of the bigger headliners, I was going to use my second day to check out the local artists and headliners. Buku had a lot to offer New Orleans resident DJs and aspiring artists. Upbeat Academy is a Louisiana based non-profit which provides underprivileged kids the opportunity to perform and produce EDM and hip-hop. So my first stop was to the Front Yard stage to check out these kids in action. The Front Yard doubled as both an art exhibit and center stage for aspiring New Orleans artists of all types, regardless of age, race, gender, and sexual preference. Located towards the front entrance, it was surrounded with giant murals, posters, and graffiti art. The artist I was able to catch was a kid no less than 16 years old who sang freestyle rap lyrics to an upbeat electronic backing and it was fantastic to watch. The festival really took pride in making sure this was heavily featured and highlighted throughout the whole weekend. I turned around back to the main Power Plant stage to see some of Illenium’s set. This is an artist I’m not very familiar with but was drawn into because of the sound and flashing colors. I grooved to his fun day-beats and great energy. The show itself was a spectacle with a full laser lights complete with smoke machine and fire blasting center stage. I wasn’t quite ready yet to go full dance mode quite yet but his performance was a great way to gear me up for the eventful night I was about to have. At the end of Illenium’s set, I met up with friends around the Wharf Stage to fully start my evening. We walked back towards the Vendor Square, got burgers and beer and dove into the night. I got a chance to meet a few of the local DJs playing that evening and a bunch of fellow gay music junkies. As the day faded and the sun set over the river more and more people poured into the festival. Each person had his or her own individual style and it was energetic to see all the vibrant costumes and how much effort everyone had put in to looking their best. From bright colored shirts to no shirts at all, there was definitely a lot of eye candy to look at which was a good perk. We made our way over to the Ballroom Stage to catch an artist I had not

really heard of but my friends were very excited to see. With chandeliers lights and a grand stage I have to say Sylvan Esso was probably one of the best performances I saw the entire weekend. Being new to her music she truly was able to make me fall in love and regret not finding her music prior. For a tiny woman, she gave one of the largest shows as she took the stage with her dance moves and rocker style. Her voice travelled through the halls and the lights reflected across all the crystal chandeliers. Before I knew it I had been dancing for an hour straight and felt great. After Sylvan Esso we took an hour to walk around, make new friends, get some more drinks before the next Ballroom set. We attempted to get to the Power Plant stage to catch some of Bassnectar’s but since we came mid set, the only available viewing area seemed about half a mile away from the stage. After an hour of exploring we made our way back to the Ballroom Stage to catch some of Little Dragon’s set. This is a group I was fairly excited to see as I’ve been a pretty big fan of their music and they delivered just as well I figured they would. Being close to midnight, we decided that would be the last set we would see that night as we pushed our way back to the festival exit. We danced through the crowds for our last time and made a quick trip back to reality. Overall, Buku provided me a very unique experience and I’m extremely lucky I got the opportunity to check it out. It truly gave me a much-needed escape from the Big Easy. It was a great way to check out both the mainstream and underground house scene. It gave me chance to connect with local artists who really put their heart and soul into the music scene. Most of all, it gave me a fun weekend partying on the Mississippi River and a great way to spend the night out in our new and warm spring weather. I really wish New Orleans had more music festivals like this one. It truly made me a believer. I will see y’all next year Buku peeps.

8 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

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A Community within Communities by The Very Rev. Bill Terry+ Email: fr.bill@stannanola.org

EASTER!!

“Alleluia Alleluia The Lord is Risen!” the people then respond“The Lord is risen indeed Alleluia Alleluia!” And so it goes throughout the world for centuries the same anthem has been shouted out by Christian worshippers. We love Easter because it is the fulfillment, we believe, of an eons old promise. In this resurrection story the world is given an idea of new life. We all, or many of us, have experienced pain and suffering. We have each, or many of us, have been hung on a cross. Our crosses may be sadness or despair. Our cross may be rejection or disenfranchisement. Our cross may be deep economic poverty. I know a woman, a wonderful fragile sort of woman. She and her lovely husband lost their baby boy a few years ago. It was a deep and profound tragedy. The baby was about two. They woke up and he had simply stopped living. To this very day it is a cross to bear. This mother has been by most standards heroic. She has turned her son’s death into a cause. Both husband and wife raise money for children in the name of their lost son. They contribute funds for music to little children. A cross is always present in their lives. Since then they have had a daughter and she is lovely and bright and precocious. They are trying to have another baby and they both hope for a boy. She is getting a bit older and pregnancy is high risk at her age. They have done all sorts of tests and each time an embryo is tested some genetic defect is discerned and she relives her lost little boy. “Is it my fault?” or “Why

is God doing this?” She is angry with her genetic misfortunes. She tries to remain optimistic but of the several eggs harvested only one seems to be without genetic defect. So, she relives her cross throughout this whole span of time. Loving her daughter and husband but somehow incomplete in what she wanted of this world. She is mad at God. That is OK and in fact it is more than OK. It is what the psalms are mostly about. She asked for advice. First, forget God for a moment. God is too big and too removed and simply something that most of cannot or will not understand. But Jesus is a different story. Jesus can at least be understood and visualized. Jesus walked and talked. Jesus broke bread and ate and laughed and cried. Jesus gave us a new way to think, behave, and believe because in Jesus this remote “GOD” becomes at least a little more knowable and a lot more relational. I asked her to imagine that she was sitting at a roughhewn table. It is lit by an oil lamp and sitting there is the Jesus of her imagination. He takes a pita loaf and breaks it. He dips into olive oil and eats. He tears another piece and offers it to her. She takes it nibbling at its edges and looking at this Jesus. He smiles sadly at her and says, “In my moment of greatest pain, when no wanted anything to do with me, I was alone and taking in all of the sadness of the world, even then I cried out, ‘My God why have you abandoned me!” He looks downward and dips another piece of bread in the olive oil. Even Jesus felt a pain like hers and even Jesus feels pain like you or

your friend. Even Jesus understands the depths of our love, laughter, sadness, pain, and sensuality. He felt and experienced all of that and more. He is a door and gateway to love and, we believe eternal life. That is the resurrection story. He is risen and remains so alive to us and to the generations that followed those Apostles those followers that hid in the shadows during his trial but then by his new life came out of hiding and proclaimed his kinship his brotherhood his adoration of his people – all nations all peoples he loved. His kinship is the resurrection. That love will conquer all in the end. That love will triumph over evil though maybe not today. When we discover at least the possibility of this authentic love we will have a new hope. It is true that the church took what he is and changed not necessarily for the better. It is true that the church is broken, wrong minded, and contrary – but then so are we. The church is us. Reclaim it and enter into resurrection, new life, and new love. Reclaim your church and make it your own because it is. Know this that in your pain he has pain, in your love he is love, in your searching he is a guide, in your rejection he is rejected. That is the resurrection. Easter is a part of a whole story

and that story includes his trial and crucifixion. That story is about a first deep and longing breath bursting forth from one who was dead but is now alive. Breathe deeply of this life and share your love. Breathe deeply in your sorrow and know that you are not abandoned but have a companion. Do not be distracted by haters and judgers in their churches and sanctuaries for they are as broken as anyone can imagine. Do not let the perversions of hatred and exclusion deter us all from a love that is greater than anyone of us can imagine but that we can receive. I am mindful of a dear friend, Stewart Butler, who loves and is in love today as much as yesterday with his life and soul mate Alfred. Alfred is alive today as much as ever. He resides in Stewart’s hear, mind, and his very soul. That is resurrection and that is Easter. “Alleluia Alleluia The Lord is Risen!” the people then respond“The Lord is risen indeed Alleluia Alleluia!” Come and join us this Easter at St. Anna’s Episcopal Church at 10:30 a.m. for a full Festival Mass and worship because, “All are welcomed and none are shunned.” We are located at 1313 Esplanade Ave.

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Commentary by Frank Perez Email: f.perez@sbcglobal.net

Be Afraid—the Louisiana State Legislature Has Convened

The regular session of the Louisiana State Legislature began on March 12. One bill of particular interest to LGBT folks is Senate Bill 219, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s work-force non-discrimination law. The bill was initially referred to the Senate Labor Committee, which voted along party lines to send the bill to the full Senate. The four Democrats

on the committee (Troy Carter, Regina Barrow, Wesley Bishop, and JeanPaul Morrell) voted to advance the bill; the committee’s three republicans (Neil Riser, Ronnie Johns, and Barrow Peacock) voted to kill the bill. The only group to oppose the bill at the committee hearing was the arch-conservative Louisiana Family Forum, a homophobic, evangelical-based religious group that opposes equality for LGBT people. The full Senate killed an identical bill last year in an 11-24 vote. In all likelihood, Senate Bill 219 will probably face the same fate this year.

The party line vote illustrates the necessity of voting for candidates who represent our community. Many years ago, I was shocked and dismayed to discover there are actually gay republicans. It may not make sense to a lot of us, but there are more of them than you might think. It is a phenomenon I have yet to understand, even if I have accepted its inexplicable existence. One of my college drinking buddies at LSU many moons ago is now the head of the Georgia Log Cabins. I concluded long ago that our friendship was more important than our political differences. I gave up trying to argue

10 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

with him. I have other gay friends who are also republicans. I may joke with them about it but I harbor no illusions that they will change their political opinions. It is, as they say, what it is, and they are who they are. The only thing more confounding to me than gay republicans is gay people who don’t bother to vote at all. I may not agree with gay republicans but at least they vote. I can respect that more than I can gay people who don’t vote. A plea: if you’re not registered to vote, do so immediately. People died to give you that right. And if you don’t vote, don’t complain.

A local favorite since 1971!

601 Decatur St. | (504) 524-8990 | CafeMaspero.com GayMardiGras.com · GayEasterParade.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Facebook.com/AmbushMag · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · 11

Snap Paparazzi From Oz New Orleans | Photos provided by Persana Shoulders, Christo, Dwain, Mark & eyeLucius

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Bench turns from question mark to strength for Pelicans by David Grubb, Crescent City Sports

NEW ORLEANS — It comes as no surprise that Anthony Davis had another outstanding game last night as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Dallas Mavericks 115-105 at the Smoothie King Center. Davis rightfully grabs the lion’s share of the headlines after posting 37 points on just 21 field goal attempts in 35 minutes. He remains among the few viable MVP candidates in the NBA. However, another story is developing for the Pels. After essentially being a liability for half of the season, the New Orleans Pelicans’ bench has come alive. With Jrue Holiday sidelined with flu-like symptoms, there was no choice but for the backups to move to the forefront. Ian Clark finished with 19 points and four assists, including going 4-4 for nine points in the decisive fourth quarter. Cheick Diallo had 10 points and 14 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Even Larry Drew, in just his second game with New Orleans, got into the flow by knocking down a couple of three pointers during his time on the

court. In wins over the Celtics and Mavericks, the second unit has combined for 87 points, 41 rebounds, 20 assists, six steals and three blocked shots. It’s a welcome departure from the results the team saw from its reserves for most of the season. On January 28, the day of DeMarcus Cousins’ injury, the New Orleans Pelicans were tied for dead last in the league in bench scoring at 23.8 points per game on 44 percent shooting. Even more telling was the apparent lack of confidence that the coaching staff had in the subs. Only the notorious Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota, well known for squeezing every minute from his starters, played his bench less than Alvin Gentry. Boogie going down opened up playing time for sure, and Davis, Holiday, and E’Twaun Moore are all on pace to or have set career-highs in minutes this season. But there was no guarantee that the Pelicans would get more out of the backups. Clark and Diallo hadn’t earned consistent minutes; in fact, out-

Even more telling was the apparent lack of confidence that the coaching staff had in the subs.

side of Darius Miller, there wasn’t much to be encouraged by. Since then, there has been a shift. Whether out of plain necessity or just the acceptance of roles, the Pels’ bench has climbed from one of the very worst to approaching the league average. In their last 22 games, New Orleans is averaging 36.1 bench points per game, a nearly 13 point improvement. The reserves have increased their shooting to 47 percent, good for fifth in the NBA in that span. Their 37 percent shooting from beyond the arc ranks eighth. “It’s very important,” Davis said of the importance of the improved bench play. “Especially late in this stretch and you are playing so many minutes. When you come out, you either want to lead or be right there when the bench comes in. When we make those subsitutions, we want the bench to come in and maintain the lead or give us the lead. They have been good all season and they are playing their butts off.” Ian Clark has benefitted from the increase in playing time as much as anyone. Playing 25 minutes per game over the last two months, his 10.7

points per game ranks fifth on the team. “(Earlier in the season) I really didn’t know where my shots would come from,” said Clark. “Obviously playing with AD, he makes everything look so easy, so you want to feed him the ball all the time, but he encourages me to be aggressive. I just want to do anything I can do to help this team.” Adding Solomon Hill to the group can only make things better. One thing the Pelicans were missing was a tough wing defender and Hil was the only candidate to fill that role. He’s easing back into things after missing 69 games with a hamstring tear. Last night was encouraging as Hill earned a +/- of +9 in 11 minutes of action. His intensity and willingness to get on the floor was the spark the Pelicans needed as they held the Mavs to just 10 points over the final nine minutes of the second quarter as New Orleans took a 54-52 halftime lead. “People just stepped up,” said Hill. With Jrue out, Ian did a great job for us on both ends of the court, he came out ready. That is all we can ask for, when one guy goes out, it is an oppor-

Adding Solomon Hill to the group can only make things better.

Continued on Page 14

Fritz, Tulane focuses on ‘everybody getting a little bit better’ in spring by Lenny Vangilder, Crescent City Sports

NEW ORLEANS – It’s been 107 days since Jonathan Banks was, allegedly, stopped short of the goal line on the final play of Tulane’s 2017 football season against SMU in Dallas. On Monday morning, the Green Wave returned to the football field for the first time since that fateful day that provided a gut-wrenching end to Willie Fritz’s second season at the helm. But rather than harp on what might have been, Fritz’s focus is on what is to come in 2018. “We feel like we’re close right now,” Fritz said. “That’s all we’ve been talking about – everybody getting a little bit better and having an opportunity to win those close games.” Banks, a senior, is back for his second year as the Wave’s starting quarterback. “Most of us, we have experience,” Banks said. “We all know each other, so it’s easier to play like that.” Banks said he doesn’t want a repeat of 2017, when he missed the better part of two games with an injury. “I can’t keep taking the hits like the running backs and (have to) get the ball to our receivers faster,” he said. Said Fritz of Banks, “I thought he

really came on the last few weeks of the season.” With running backs Dontrell Hilliard and Sherman Badie graduated, the first shot at the starting job will go to junior Darius Bradwell, who has bulked up to 235 pounds. “We’ve got some good backs,” Fritz said. “Darius Bradwell is an excellent, big back. He got better and better throughout the course of the year. We’ve got (Texas Tech transfer) Corey Dauphine, who ran a 20.7 200 meters in high school and has good size, and (sophomore) Stephon Huderson, along with three guys coming in.” Fritz is happy with the progress of his freshmen who enrolled in January, but noted that defensive back Chris Joyce missed practice with a hamstring injury. Monday was the first of 15 allowable practices in the spring for the Green Wave, which will hold its spring game on April 14. This article was originally published by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

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tunity for another guy to go out there and play hard. Cheick is playing some really good basketball. Anthother double-double for him. That is huge in a game like that when we are fighting for our lives and every game matters.” In the midst of five games in six days, the Pelicans sit 2-1 and are currently fifth in the Western Conference standings. To survive the rest of the way, New Orleans will have to continue to get valuable minutes from its bench. Alvin Gentry knows that managing the minutes of his superstars is critical as the playoffs approach, and that can only happen if he can trust his subs. “I think Ian is playing really good basketball,” Gentry said. “Cheick Diallo continues to play great for us off the bench. So those are the kind of things you’ve got to have at this stage to try to stay in the race. With five teams within two games of each other fighting for home court advantage in the first round and trying to avoid the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, the Pelicans will need the bench to continue to be consistent, to continue to produce. For the first time in a while, there’s a reason to believe that they can. This article was originally published by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

LSU has reasons to believe defensive line can be stout in 2018 by Rene Nadeau, Crescent City Sports

LSU linebacker Devin White (#40) famous for his Haka dance demonstraplays behind a defensive line consisttion. ing of exciting talent like Rashard LawThe 6-foot-3, 303 pound native of rence (File Photo: Terrill Weil). Honolulu started 25 games at Texas The old commercial that stated Tech, including 13 as a freshman. “It’s what up front that counts” certainly The talent on hand in 2017 was applies to football. The defensive line pretty good though. LSU faced the top play at LSU will have a profound affect three offensive lines in the nation last on the Tigers’ success in 2018. season – Notre Dame, Alabama and I had the opportunity to pick the Auburn. The Tigers outgained them all brain of a long time on the ground in their One player to keep college football dematchups. None of an eye on is redshirt fensive coordinator the threesome had and former NFL asfreshman Neil Farrell. awe inspiring sucsistant coach who cess running the ball has close ties with the LSU program. I against LSU. Notre Dame had 154 quizzed him as to who would be some yards rushing, Alabama just 115 yards of the key components on the D-line. and Auburn managed 157 yards. The He emphatically described a Texas Irish resorted to the passing game in Tech transfer yet to suit up in a game. order to pull out a bowl win. “Breiden Fehoko! He’s big, strong, A returning Tiger talent is junior quick, explosive, with great character,” tackle Rashard Lawrence (6-3, 300), he continued. “He reminds me Leonard who tallied 26 tackles, 3.5 TFL and Marshall (ex-LSU star with 12 years in 2.5 sacks during the ’17 campaign. He NFL).” may not wow too many with any NFL Heavily recruited by both Alabama Combine numbers, but when you flip and Georgia prior to his transfer to on the tape, he jumps off the screen. LSU, Fehoko is playing for a defensive “Lawrence dominated Notre mastermind, Pete Jenkins, who was Dame’s Quenton Nelson (likely top 10 the big draw for him to Baton Rouge. overall NFL draft pick this spring). He A fun fact is that Fehoko’s dad has super in-line quickness,” stated the played the role of the Warrior mascot coach. for the University of Hawaii. He was Working last season through a high ankle sprain suffered in the opener against BYU, Lawrence played through it to perform at less than his best. Yet, Alabama All-SEC tackle Jonah Williams recently commented how tough a player Lawrence is by terming him “a helluva man.” Ed “Rogaroo” Alexander (6-3, 340) is experienced at nose tackle after going through a physical and mental learning curve upon his arrival in Tigertown. He made steady progress, particularly throughout the later part of the ’17 campaign. Alabama’s offensive line had challenges trying to block him. “He matured and has a chance to be really good,” explained the defensive guru. A 2017 signee Tyler Shelvin has been struggling with the “battle of the bulge” since his arrival. Now firmly entrenched into Tommy Moffitt’s conditioning program, Shelvin’s future will be determined by his personal commitment and desire. He has flashed skills sporadically throughout his freshman season. Redshirt sophomore Glen Logan made spot appareances in ’17, but the Destrehan High product is expected to take on a larger role. “He has the ability to be good,” noted the coach. “He just must be more committed.” Young talent and newcomers have a chance to make the d-line unit much better. One example of the talent gap on LSU’s defensive front comes from the NFL’s perspective on the most vet-

14 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

eran 2017 performers. There was a trio of fifth year seniors in the rotation but none gained an invite to the NFL Combine. One player to keep an eye on is redshirt freshman Neil Farrell out of Mobile, Alabama. He was rated the top defensive tackle in the state of Alabama in the 2017 class. Agile enough to play center on the basketball court for Murphy High, Farrell has significant upside. “He has a knack for the game, God given. His skill is natural,” noted the coach. The linebacking corps will be tested. SEC leading tackler Devin White will be the bellcow of the defense. He could make even bigger strides this season. “No. 40 is a good linebacker. He has got to be a good communicator, lining up in pre-snaps. He matured. He will be a lot better in 2018. “LSU has a lot of good looking athletes at linebacker. They are quite capable. They were good running to the ball last year.” One edge player who has just scratched the surface is sophomore K’Lavon Chaisson, a 5 star recruit in 2017 out of Houston. He was expected to learn behind Arden Key, but Chaisson was thrown into the fire too soon, starting four games including the season opener against BYU. He possesses game changing ability. The terrific Texan will assume a larger responsibility in 2018, with greater expectations. He displays cat-quick reactions and explosion to the ball. Much will be determined by how the offense performs though. Playing with leads and have a greater margin for error leads to a more aggressive and disciplined defense. The defensive expert weighed in on the quarterback situation from a coach’s perspective, and Tiger fans will like what he sees. “Myles Brennan will be much better (than he was in 2017) with Steve Ensminger.” LSU’s current defensive front on their potential conjures up memories of past championship-level success for nthe Purple and Gold. “Fehoko, a healthy Lawrence and Alexander are continuing on the path that is a true SEC front,” the coach said emphatically. “They are not quite at the level of Roland Barbay, Henry Thomas and Karl Wilson (all three were first team All-SEC in ’86 and collectively played 24 years in NFL), but they are not way off.” This article was originally published by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

Tom Benson: A winner who made the Saints winners by Les East, Crescent City Sports

NEW ORLEANS — Just like the professional franchises that he owned, Tom Benson should be judged by the final results. The Saints and Pelicans have had many games that featured rough spots but ended in victory as well as seasons that seemed headed for poor finishes only to end as successes. Benson, who died Thursday afternoon at age 90, owned the Saints for the last 33 years and the Pelicans, who were called the Hornets when he purchased them, for the last six years. When he bought New Orleans’ NFL franchise from original owner John Mecom Jr., Benson declared that he was going to make the Saints winners. Though there were certainly times along the way when the bad exceeded the good, in the end Benson himself was a winner as an owner and his hometown should be eternally grateful. The Saints, the Pelicans and New Orleans are all much better off because of Mr. Benson. Unlikely many of his brethren, Tom Benson was a reluctant owner of a sports franchise. He wasn’t born into wealth and didn’t become an owner to satisfy his ego. Benson built a business empire primarily by selling cars and stepped forward at the 11th hour to form a partnership to buy the Saints because it looked like he was the last chance to prevent the franchise from moving to

Jacksonville, Fla. At the time the Saints were 18 years old and one of the most poorly run franchises in professional sports. Benson removed Bum Phillips as general manager and head coach after the 1985 season and quickly showed his business acumen, setting out to hire “the best man for the job” of running his football operation. Benson had no delusions about his football acumen and he brought in a Hall of Fame administrator in Jim Finks and suddenly New Orleans’ football organization had the beginnings of respectability. Finks hired Jim Mora, who had done an exceptional job in the United States Football League. In the second season of the Finks-Mora era, the Saints had their first winning season and went to the payoffs for the first time. They would make three more playoff appearances under that regime, though they never won a playoff game. Finks stepped down in 1992 after being diagnosed with lung cancer and died two years later. In Finks’ absence, Benson’s organization slumped. The owner’s ill-advised appointment of the troika of Mora and administrators Bill Kuharich and Jim Miller to replace Finks didn’t work. Mora resigned midway through the 1996 season and Benson opted for a new regime led by former Bears coach Mike Ditka, whose three-year tenure

was disastrous. Benson regained his footing when he cleaned house after the 1999 season and hired Seahawks assistant general manager Randy Mueller, who hired former Saints assistant Jim Haslett as head coach. The first team of the Mueller-Haslett era produced a playoff berth and the Saints’ first playoff victory, but after two seasons Benson shockingly fired Mueller with little explanation. Haslett lasted four seasons after Mueller was replaced by assistant general manager Mickey Loomis, but New Orleans never returned to the playoffs and things bottomed out with a 3-13 record during the displaced 2005 season because of Hurricane Katrina. The months that the Saints spent anchored in San Antonio while New Orleans began to rebuild from Katrina were the nadir of Tom Benson’s tenure as Saints owner. He worked to make the move to his second home permanent for his football franchise, but then NFL owner Paul Tagliabue forced Benson and the Saints to return to New Orleans for the 2006 season. Tagliabue and the NFL also were helpful to the Saints in identifying talented assistant coaches as they searched for a replacement for Haslett, who was dismissed after the 2005 season. Benson and Loomis settled on Cowboys assistant Sean Payton, which began an historic run of person-

nel acquisition that immediately turned New Orleans into a Super Bowl contender. As for Benson, once he returned to New Orleans he embraced the rebuilding of his football team and his hometown. Benson tailored ticket prices to the economic realities of a smaller and rebuilding market and the Saints have sold out on season tickets ever since. As Payton, new quarterback Drew Brees and a bonanza of other free agents and draft choices led the Saints to the NFC Championship Game, Benson became a leader in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast. In the 12 seasons since the return to New Orleans, the Saints — a laughingstock when Benson bought them — have been one of the model NFL franchises. They won Super Bowl XLIV and went to the playoffs five more times, including last season. There’s no denying the fact that if Benson had had his way, the Lombardi Trophy from the 2009 season would likely be housed in the Alamodome rather than 5800 Airline Drive. But Benson and the Saints did return to New Orleans and the circumstances matter little when compared to not only the team’s success but also to Benson’s leadership in the community. His purchase of the Pelicans, whom the NBA had taken control of from forContinued on Page 16

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mer owner George Shinn, came under circumstances similar to those of his Saints’ purchase. Benson’s philanthropy includes high-profile donations to the Ochsner Health System and the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well as countless other gifts that aren’t well known. Ultimately, Tom Benson consistently stepped forward to upgrade New Orleans’ NFL franchise, its NBA franchise, numerous other businesses and the community at large. As legacies go, that’s a winner.

Snap Paparazzi From Stonewall Sports New Orleans | Photos provided by Stonewall Members

This article was originally published by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

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Snap Paparazzi From Oz’s Drag Extravaganza Gay Easter Fundraiser | Photos by Davis Walden

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19th Annual Gay Easter Parade Benefiting Food for Friends

Nicole Lynn Fox & Carl Mack 2018 Grand Marshals

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSORS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON AS OF PRESS TIME FOR THE 2018 OFFICIAL NEW ORLEANS GAY EASTER PARADE The Gay Easter Parade serves as a fundraising event where Ambush donates all profits to Food for Friends.

GEP Platinum

Golden Lantern, James Garner; Bourbon Pub, Sandy Sachs; Alva John Groth ll; Friday Night Before Mardi Gras

GEP Gold

700 Club, Matt Gigglio; Corner Pocket, Michael Elias; Faubourg Bistro, Matt Hayes, Glen Kahrman & Noel Twilbeck

GEP Silver

Robert Herndon; Jeremy Fontenot & Kyle Keenan; Stuart Nettles/ EGM XV & Safonda Peters/ EGM IX, Ronald L Issler

GEP Bronze

Krewe of Stars; Kathryne McNeil; Frank Abbruscato; Crescent City Leathermen; Rodney Thoulion & RJ Buras; Herman Ordoyne; James Davis; John Marc Sharpe & RP Smith; Tony Leggio; Aaron Rusich; A&B Errand Services, LLC; Ted Jeansonne & David Cabrera, Tim Goodman 20 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

Ambush/GEP continues tradition; raises funds for FFF by Rodney Thoulion

As Ambush publisher Frank Pizzolato says, “Easter is about resurrection, not about death.” With the passing of Rip Naquin followed by Marsha Delain-Naquin in 2017, there was much uncertainty in the community. Certainly, the community was unsure whether Ambush, let alone the Gay Easter Parade, would ever see light again. The one thing Pizzolato was left in the dark about and never saw coming was his transformation into a drag queen to support the Gay Easter Parade (GEP) and Food For Friends at the Drag Extravaganza held at Oz on March 18. “I tell you I’ll never do that again,” he exclaimed. “I still have glue on my eye lids from the lashes,” he laughingly continued. Pizzolato, publisher of Ambush, transformed into a drag sensation in one of the six fundraisers held by the Gay Easter Parade board leading up to the big event on April 1. “The Gay Easter Parade is such a tradition in our gay community and a popular one too,” Pizzolato said. This year parade goers can expect “the usual array of carriages, bonnets, bunnies and accompanists. This year we have attracted not only the LGBTQ community but also many walking groups from the business community.” According to the GEP website, the parade began 18 years ago by Lance Ford of Lance’s Pub and Dance Pavilion on the Westbank and his partner Carl Ford. The Naquins were the first grand marshals and they were intricately involved in the parade eventually taking it over from the Fords. In its fourth year, the parade began to raise money for Food For Friends. Before that time, according to Glen Kahrman, business development coordinator, monies were split among several charities. Kahrman has long appreciated Naquin’s and the GEP board’s support. “The demand for Food For Friends continues to remain strong,” Kahrman said. “This is one of the few programs (of CrescentCare-NO/AIDS Task Force) that is not underwritten by grant funding. Nutrition has been proven to be an important part of a medication regimen. Nutrition aids people in becoming stable and places them on a path to recovery.” GEP funding, Kahrman says, has allowed FFF to add thousands of clients to its rolls over time. Today, FFF’s pantry service and home delivered meals serves up 34,000 meals annually which is the equivalent of 185,000 pounds of food. The pantry’s number of unduplicated clients continues to grow at 540 and home delivered meals for homebound clients is at 72 unduplicated. Over the years, the GEP has raised more than $260,000.

Kahrman said while the homebound numbers seem small in comparison, it is an important function of the agency to provide flash frozen meals. Each week clients receive 14 meals and breakfast items. “In many cases, we are the only contact our clients have with the outside world when we make our deliveries. It’s heartwarming to know we have brightened someone else’s day. In addition to fundraisers like GEP, Food For Friends has developed a catering menu and is marketing its home delivered meals to the elderly who are unable to cook. “The extra sales from these items push us closer to meeting our budget goals,” Kahrman said. Easter Grand Marshals Nicole Lynn Foxx and Carl Mack feel a strong obligation to raise funds. Both are integrally involved in raising the necessary funding. For Foxx, at 28 years old, this is her first honor of this magnitude in the community. “People have been real supportive. Our community is traditional and I have many untraditional qualities that I didn’t how people would take to that,” Foxx said referring to her many tattoos. “Now I feel a larger part of the community.” Last year Foxx rode in the parade with her cohorts from OZ. “It was amazing to see the children and the delight in the eyes. They were so excited to see the festive colors. It was inspiring to see families and to know there are allies who love and support our community.” For Foxx the Gay Easter Parade will be a farewell of sorts. She will relocate to Chicago the day after the parade where she will immerse herself in what she refers to as “drag college.” Foxx is nervous about her move; she says she’s never been away from New Orleans for more than two weeks. She will return in June for her show at the Ace Hotel. Foxx often travels to Pensacola, Chicago and New York to sharpen her drag craft. Mack, owner of Carl Mark Presents, is no stranger to putting on a show. With all the grace of Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, Mack has already delivered on some great outfits for Foxx and himself to wear. “He has made me feel like I’m in the Princess Diaries trying on all these gowns. It is so much fun!” Foxx said. Mack admits they have purple outfits, yellow outfits, blue outfits, but for the parade they settled on pink. Mack, a parade natural, who has been in business for 30 years and owned a costume shop in the French Quarter for eight years, recently opened The Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Cultures. He is also a reigning captain of Krewe of Stars, a

new Mardi Gras krewe. “I am very visually oriented,” Mack said of eye for detail. “I’m looking to our throws and what attendants are going to wear. I have to make sure the lady looks good,” Mack said of Foxx. Mack expressed his honor of getting “to raise funds for a good community cause.” “I feel I get to represent the gay community and the French Quarter business owners as a business owner myself.” Mack has long been a participant in the Chris Owens’ Easter Parade so his schedule will be quite busy Easter weekend. The Gay Easter Parade will begin Sunday, April 1 at Grand Pre’s at 4:30 p.m. It will wind through the French Quarter and will end where it began. The Gay Easter Parade sponsored by Ambush is a family-friendly parade that will feature 30 carriages. Longtime Easter Parade board member and Grand Marshal of the fifth Easter Parade Tony Leggio says the magic of the parade is that it transports you to a more simple time in New Orleans. “The carriages, the beauty of the outfits , the bonnets, the costumes, the pastel colors…unlike other holidays, this is a chance for us (the gay com-

munity) to show off our finery.” Kahrman wants to remind everyone that the parade is a culmination of events that support FFF. Donations to the organization will be collected along the route. “Please remember to be generous to those who are marginalized in our community and lack resources for healthy nutrition,” he said. Easter weekend is packed with offerings: Bunnies in the Big Easy will take place on Good Friday at The Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture. Elizabeth Bouvier’s Marigny Bunny Hop takes place on Saturday. To participate in the Gay Easter Parade contact Frank Pizzolato at frank@ambushpublishing.com To find out more about Food For Friends go to CrescentCare.org. Members of the Gay Easter Parade Board are Harry Delaune-Varnadore, Tony Leggio, Jeremy Fontenot, Darrin Duplissey, Monica Synclaire-Kennedy, Tony Lala and Reba Douglas Rodney Thoulion is a freelance writer. Contact him with news ideas at rthoulion@gmail.com.

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Snap Paparazzi From Sipps Bar in Gulfport, MS | Photos Submitted by Kara Coley

SIPPS BAR GULFPORT Our beer is cold, patio is shaded, and pool tables and nightlife dance floor are waiting for your moves at Sipps bar Downtown Gulfport.

OPENING HOURS Everyday 5pm - TILL ADDRESS 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, MS Phone: (228) 206-7717 Email: sipps25th@gmail.com 22 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

Snap Paparazzi From Golden Lantern’s Gay Easter Fundraiser | Photos by Davis Walden

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The Historic New Orleans Collection Celebrates the Tricentennial by Frank Perez Email: f.perez@sbcglobal.net

As New Orleans marks its 300th year, The Historic New Orleans Collection will explore the kaleidoscopic array of cultures that gave rise to one of North America’s most diverse cities. Objects from THNOC’s holdings will join rare materials from institutions across Europe and North America in “New Orleans, the Founding Era,” an original exhibition and bilingual companion book available Feb. 27, 2018. In 1718 the riverfront site proclaimed “La Nouvelle-Orléans” by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, sieur de Bienville, had long been used by Native American populations, but to the unfamiliar it seemed an unwelcoming location for a fledgling colony. Yet out of the harsh terrain, New Orleans began to take shape, and over the course of the next few decades, every newly arrived group expanded and changed the settlement’s personality and landscape. “This exhibition will offer visitors an opportunity to reflect on the complicated and often messy nature of New Orleans’s birth and early years,” said Erin M. Greenwald, historian and exhibition curator. “It examines the lived experiences of the settlement’s earliest inhabitants, a majority of whom— including French and Canadian soldiers, French convicts and enslaved Africans—were unwilling participants in France’s colonization of the lower Mississippi Valley.” The display will feature works on paper, ethnographic and archaeological artifacts, scientific and religious instruments, paintings, maps and charts, manuscripts and rare books. These original objects will be complemented by large-scale reproductions and digital displays. More than 75 objects will be on loan from organizations in Spain, France, Canada and around the United States. A number of items, like a pair of 18th-century Native American bear-paw moccasins from the Musée du quai Branly in Paris and pieces of 15th-century Mississippian pottery from the University of Mississippi, have rarely traveled beyond their home institutions. “There were so many groups whose existence in and around early New Orleans shaped its growth and development,” Greenwald said, who now serves as curator of programs for the New Orleans Museum of Art. “To tell their stories we have included not just the written record, like maps, memoirs, and letters, but also material culture objects—those found above ground, like the mortar and pestle used by Sister François Xavier Hébert in an early New Orleans hospital, and be-

low ground, including a host of early 18th-century artifacts recovered from archaeological digs in the 21st-century French Quarter.” John H. Lawrence, director of museum programs at THNOC, noted his excitement for the exhibition as it relates to the city’s milestone anniversary. “We hope that the power of seeing these amazing original items in the exhibition will give every visitor a sense of awe and inspiration that they are viewing things that are nearly as old as the city itself,” Lawrence said. The exhibition’s digital displays will include an interactive map of archaeological digs at a variety of French Quarter sites, a game quizzing visitors on supplies needed for a new home in the settlement, a digitized 1731 inventory of enslaved Africans and African-descended people living on a West Bank plantation and a series of short films featuring “talking silhouettes” narrating the experiences of early residents. In addition, the companion catalog—in both English and French—will feature essays describing the different populations who inhabited precolonial New Orleans and the surrounding areas, as well as the forces driving the settlement’s growth. Essayists include Greenwald and historians Emily Clark, Shannon Lee Dawdy, Robbie Ethridge, Gilles-Antoine Langlois, Yevan Terrien, Daniel Usner and Cécile Vidal. Gérard Araud, ambassador of France to the United States, contributed the book’s foreword. The exhibition, located at 533 Royal St., will be on view through May 27, 2018, and open to the public Tuesday– Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Details on the display’s robust programming schedule—including a concert, lectures, and demonstrations—are available online at www. hnoc.org. The exhibition is supported in part by Whitney Bank and Arnaud’s Restaurant. The companion catalog has been made possible with support from the 2018 NOLA Foundation, Air Liquide, Alliance Française de la Nouvelle-Orléans, Council of French Societies in New Orleans, France-Louisiane Franco Américaine Association, Les Causeries du Lundi, L’Union Française, French American Chamber of Commerce–Gulf Coast Chapter, Consulate General of France in New Orleans, IBERIABANK, Dr. Phillip Mollère and E. Alexandra Stafford. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Historic New Orleans collection is also

Photo Courtesy of the Historic New Orleans Collection sponsoring the following public events. Tuesday, March 27, 6–7 p.m. “Arriving Africans and a Changing New Orleans” THNOC, 533 Royal Street Historian Erin M. Greenwald, who curated the exhibition “New Orleans, the Founding Era” and now serves as curator of programs for the New Orleans Museum of Art, will offer a presentation on the formative role Africans played in the cultural, economic and physical development of early New Orleans. Prior to this program, the exhibition will be open for one hour from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, 6–7 p.m. “The Tunica-Biloxi and the Rise of Louisiana” THNOC, 533 Royal Street John D. Barbry, director of development and programming for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, will explore the rich history of the Tunica nation, the Tunica Treasure and efforts to revitalize the language. Prior to this program, the exhibition will be open for one hour from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 12, 1–4 p.m. “Traditional Herbal Remedies” A Demonstration by Eddie Boyd, THNOC, 533 Royal Street

In this outdoor demonstration, Eddie L. Boyd, former faculty member of the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, will discuss his research on traditional herbs and their uses as medicine passed down through generations in the African American community. Tuesday, May 22, 6–8 p.m. “The Early French Mapping of Louisiana” THNOC’s Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street The final program of the series will feature a lecture with Dennis Reinhartz, emeritus professor of history at the University of Texas at Arlington, who will discuss the early French cartography of Louisiana, which ultimately led to the founding of New Orleans. Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. For more information, visit www.hnoc.org, call (504) 523-4662, or follow THNOC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Snap Paparazzi From Four Seasons’ Gay Easter Fundraiser | Photos by Davis Walden

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Moments in Gay New Orleans History by Frank Perez Email: f.perez@sbcglobal.net

The LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana Turns Four Years Old

This year, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana turns four years old and as it does, the non-profit organization can look back on a record of solid, tangible accomplishments. The mission of the Archives Project is to promote and encourage the protection and preservation of materials that chronicle the culture and history of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community in Louisiana. The group’s chief purpose is educating the community on the importance of archiving LGBT+ historical materials and making them available for future generations to access, research, and study. By developing financial resources to assist in the preservation and availability of certain LGBT+ collections, the Project helps promote the proper maintenance and preservation of historical LGBT+ materials. The Project is in the process of indexing, publishing, and maintaining a current list of these materials and where they

are located. The Archives Project enjoys a collaborative relationship with a variety of area museums, libraries, and archival repositories has facilitated the donation of significant collections to these institutions, including the Historic New Orleans Collection, the Louisiana Research Collection at Tulane University, the Newcomb College Institute, the Amistad Research Center, and the Louisiana State Museum. Some of the collections now being preserved include the personal papers of local gay activists Alan Robinson and Stewart Butler. In addition to preserving primary source material, the Archives Project has also aided researchers. Writers, filmmakers, and graduate students have reaped the benefits of the Project’s relentless efforts to preserve and catalog our collective history. The group’s website, https://www. lgbtarchiveslouisiana.org/, features an extensive bibliography of sources on local gay history, including books, chapters in books, articles, theses and dissertations, and films. The website

also contains annotated bibliographies of news coverage on topics such as transgender violence and the HIV/ AIDS crisis. There is also an extensive list of obituaries on key figures. The incredible success of the Archives Project is especially amazing when one considers it is an all-volunteer organization; none of the group’s officers or board members are paid. The history of the Archives Project is a classic example of what a handful of dedicated individuals with a shared vision can accomplish. In 2012, Stewart Butler, Otis Fennell, and Mark Gonzales founded the Legacy Project with the goal of compiling oral histories. Completing one interview, the group realized that the time, logistics, and money involved were overwhelming and the Legacy Project slowly dissipated. The need and desire to preserve local gay history was still strong and from the ashes of the Legacy Project, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana rose. In June 2013, a handful of dedicated and interested people began meeting to discuss the necessary action of preserving all parts of our local LGBT history and how this endeavor might be undertaken. One of the organization’s first steps was to survey local libraries and collections to determine what LGBT-related holdings already existed. Questionnaires were sent to archivists at several local institutes and several on-site visits were made to local repositories.

In October of that same year, the Society of American Archivists held their national conference in New Orleans and a few members of the group’s LGBT Roundtable met with members of the LGBT+ Archive Project of Louisiana. Holding a community meeting in November, the group set out to gather input from the public. After numerous months of information gathering, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana adopted its mission statement. In June 2014, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana was officially born at a public meeting where bylaws were adopted and officers elected. Since then, the Archives Project has hosted public lectures, panel discussions, and workshops on topics such as the HIV/AIDS crisis in New Orleans, personal archiving, lessons in activism from the Lesbian Avengers, Second-Wave Feminism, aging, the Up Stairs Lounge arson, and many more. The Project is a Community Partner with Tulane University’s Center for Service Learning and has developed an internship program with undergraduate students at the university. The Project has also established a grant program that facilitates the processing of manuscript collections and helps underwrite LGBT+ history projects. Most recently, the Archives Project has recently launched an Oral History initiative. The Project’s annual flagship fundraiser is the Oracle Gala, which is held in the Fall.

Announcement by Frank Perez Class on French Quarter History to Feature LGBT Contributions

Several years ago, I designed a course on the history of the French Quarter at Delgado Community College. My vision for the course was to not only cover “traditional” history but also the hidden history that is rarely included in Chamber of Commerce brochures and conventional books. I wanted to explore the “underbelly,” as it were, of the sacred enclave known simply to locals as “the Quarter.” Because of my passion for gay history, the course contains a strong LGBT+ component. Gay men, after all, led early preservation efforts to save the neighborhood from the wrecking ball. But I also wanted to explore other marginalized groups and their contribution to the development of America’s quirkiest neighborhood—other groups such as immigrants, free people of color, sex-workers, mafioso and others. The class focuses on the history of the French Quarter as both the original 26 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

city of New Orleans and its shifting role as the city’s flagship neighborhood. While the French, Spanish, and early American periods are covered, the emphasis of the course is on 20th century history. Topics include, but are not limited to: architecture, historical preservation, colorful characters, the rise of tourism, literature and arts, drinking culture, crime and vice, and LGBT+ history. The last class meeting is a tour of the French Quarter. I’ve taught the course several years now and it never gets old. There are no assignments or tests and no grades (the class is offered through the Continuing Education and is non-credit). If you love the French Quarter and want to learn more about what makes it so unique, I invite you to enroll in the course. The course begins April 17 and meets once week on Tuesday evenings for seven weeks. Cost is $249. Registration is now open at the Delgado website.

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Enough is Enough Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi. Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).

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Should I Take Mytesi If I Am: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant? • Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother? • It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you

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Under the Gaydar by Tony Leggio Email: ledgemgp@gmail.com

Party Down

As we grow closer to Easter weekend, there are lots of events, fundraisers and festivals, that there is just not enough time to attend everything. Here are just some of my highlights that include new venue openings, Easter fundraisers, theatre and the luck of the Irish. There are so many new event venues, restaurants and hotels opening up in the city, it is hard to keep track of them. I attended four openings, the first was the Jung Hotel located on Canal Street. This historic property has been restored to its former glory with a gorgeous marble lobby and impressive event space. Located in the heart of the city’s growing Biomedical District, The Jung Hotel is only a few blocks from the excitement of the French Quarter. The opening of the original Jung was on December 19, 1907 to much fanfare. The renowned New Orleans architectural firm of Weiss and Dreyfus designed the 10-story building, a mix of Renaissance and Baroque styles, located at the corner of Canal and Howard Streets. Each of the 700

rooms had a bath and “fancy spreads with the words “Jung Hotel” embroidered on them. Marble and terrazzo Turkish Baths marketed as providing a “rejuvenated peppy feeling,” catered to both men and ladies (on separate days, of course). Topping it all off was “the brightest spot in the night life of New Orleans,” the Roof Garden, which boasted the first retractable roof in New Orleans. It became the focal point of the city’s social scene, hosting ladies’ bridge luncheons of Crab à la Newburg during the day and supper-dances at night. While the Jung continued to host society weddings and other events, World War II was a part of life at the hotel in the early 1940s. In honor of FDR’s birthday, the hotel put on a special two-hour floor show. When the Jung held a contest to name its new cocktail lounge—the winning name was the Cotillion Lounge—the winner received a $25 War Bond. The postwar years marked the advent of the hotel’s radio era. On January 8, 1947, WJMR’s 286-foot antenna was positioned atop of the hotel, making it the second tallest structure in Louisiana.

Operations of the first new standard broadcasting station began on January 20 with a sunrise-to-sunset schedule. Celebrities also frequented the Jung. In October of 1952, Hank Williams and his wife Billie Jean Jones got married in front of a live audience at the Municipal Auditorium, a scandalous affair since Billie Jean was not officially divorced from her previous husband. From 1971 to 2012 the Jung changed hands four times and was closed twice. A bright spot during this period was that the Jung was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1982. Today the hotel is a member of the New Orleans Hotel Collection, a locally-owned company. I am very lucky in my job to work on some memorable and cool events, one such event happened this last two weeks when we did the unveiling of the new Louisiana One airplane that was just added to the Southwest fleet. We did an event on the tarmac at the Louis Armstrong Airport in the morning attended by employees, press and lots of political dignitaries including the Governor John Bel Edwards and Mayor Mitch Landreiu. Performing at the ceremony was Trombone Shorty and his band. It was followed up later in the day with a parade in the Central Business District complete with floats, the 610 Stompers, revelers, striltwalkers and big heads. Southwest Airlines is our airport’s

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largest carrier and continues to expand its offerings in New Orleans. Louisiana One joins 11 other state-themed 737s in the Southwest fleet. Other states represented include Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico and Tennessee. The new plane features our state bird in flight, with a nurturing pelican spreading her feathers and feeding her babies. Later that night I attended the second new opening at Cavan restaurant located on Magazine Street. Cavan’s is described as a coastal American restaurant A Coastal American restaurant. It is located in a New Orleans mansion that dates back to1883. They served up some scrumptious fare and you cannot beat the atmosphere. It just oozes New Orleans charm no matter where you are seated, the front courtyard, the expansive porch or any of the downstairs or upstairs rooms. It was a busy two weeks of fundraisers with my first one being the United Way’s Gumbo Cook-Off at the Royal Sonesta. Several local restaurants participated in this delicious fundraiser where guests get to choose their favorite gumbo from the over one dozen different entries. There was classic, exotic and seafood gumbos as well as several dessert selections. This event is a New Orleanian’s dream. After that I attended the Palace Continued on Page 29

Continued from Page 28

Market event on Frenchman Street. Palace Market more than just an art market. This outdoor night art market features handmade local art you can’t find anywhere else in New Orleans. This evening they were promoting their back area that you can rent out for private parties. Your guests can mix and mingle with not only the other guests but also shop for some great art with the vendors. This place was cool and the vendors there are extremely talented. There was even a guy there making bow ties for you while you waited. Even though New Orleans close relationship with France had ceased after it was founded, the French attitude is still at the heart of the city’s culture and is the framework which New Orleans built its own traditions. I was honored to be recently invited to a reception at the French Consulate General Vincent Sciama’s home in the Garden District to announce the Gay Games in 2018 in Paris. With New Orleans celebrating its tricentennial, it was a great tie in to our bond with France. Several members of the LGBTQ community were on hand for this announcement promoting participation in the event and all the festivities that go with it. I had not realized we had a large contingent of New Orleanians who participate in this event which happens every four years. To learn more about the gay games, go to www.gaygames.org.

After the reception, I attended the groundbreaking new opera Champion which made its New Orleans premier at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre. Champion is an African-American boxing opera in two acts with music by Terence Blanchard and a libretto by Michael Cristofer. Based on the life of welterweight prize fighting champion Emile Griffith who killed a man in the ring. It also focused on his struggle with his homosexuality. The jazz opera was provocative and entertaining with an outstanding and talented cast. The following night I went from the opera to murder. But before I discuss the murder, I attended an art opening at Barrister Gallery on Sty. Claude. Jerry Siegel has an exhibit of photographs he took of drag personas that is just simply stunning. He has several pieces where the phot goes form the fierce drag personality to the vulnerable man underneath. Definitely check this out. Now onto the murder. I attended premier photographer Barrett Delong Church’s thirtieth birthday dinner which was also a murder mystery. It was a fun night where we each had characters to portray and had to ask questions to deduce who the culprit was. Add to the fact that everyone was flamboyant and overly theatrical and you have a twisted murder mystery that even Agatha Christie herself could not have dreamed up. The party

was held in Matt Dow’s French Quarter home which is very atmospheric. It has been a minute since I have done a good murder mystery game and it is a unique and entertaining way to celebrate the death of your twenties. The close of my two weeks was very busy. On Sunday, I helped emcee the Gay Easter Parade fundraiser at the Golden Lantern. Owner James pulled out all the stops with incredible food, a great show led by hostess Monica Sinclaire Kennedy and a live auction that brought in lots of money for their charity Food for Friends. Next, the opera Champion which I attended on Friday had their final performance that Sunday and ended with a closing party at Robin and Terrance Blanchard’s stately home near the Lakefront. The celebration also coincided with Terrance’s birthday so you can imagine when it came down to sign we had the best opera vocalists in attendance. Joining the many local personalities in attendance was NCIS New Orleans’ own CCH Pounder and Claws Niecy Nash. Talk about a star studded affair. The next week, I was just as crazed as the first starting on Tuesday with the opening of the brand new Landry’s restaurant location in the French Quarter located in the Jax Brewery building. This venue is larger than the last one with great private spaces and outdoor dining overlooking the Mississippi River. Then I attended the French Quarter Festival gala (held month earlier than normal) at Antoine’s. This event was a basic who’s who in the hospitality industry and was spotlighted by the restaurant’s delicious food, and music by Al Carnival Time Johnson. It was a lovely evening of dancing and dining as the entire restaurant was open to guests to enjoy. Also this week, I was able to entertain clients at two unique (and fairly new) New Orleans eateries. The first was N7 which is located in the Bywater. This little French restaurant and wine bar has been touted by Bon Appetite Magazine, Imbibe Magazine, Conde Nast and Coastal Living. Founded by filmmaker Aaron Walker and chef Yuki Yamaguchi, N7 specializes in French cuisine infused with a Japanese touch. The restaurant is set off the street behind a tall fence amidst a garden, with indoor and outdoor seating. The building was previously home to a tire shop. Before that it was a stable for carriage horses. The wine menu is focused on European winemakers who adhere to a natural, handmade approach to winemaking: little or no added sulfites, natural yeasts and the use of no pesticides. The restaurant derives its name from Nationale 7 (N7), the highway that once ran from Paris to the border of Italy. Known as the “Route des Vacances”, vacationing Parisians would take the road on their way South. Along the way, the Michelin Guide would di-

rect them to the mom and pop restaurants which began to appear in farmhouses and hotels along the way to cater to them. Hence the origin of the Michelin Star. This place is all about the atmosphere, it is romantic but yet light-hearted festive. You feel like you are dining in another country (which many times NOLA feels that way). The food was just delicious with some of the dishes being served in the can, very French. The second place I went to was Bratz Y’all the German beer garden and restaurant in the Bywater. Good food, great beer for a reasonable price definitely make this place one of my favorites. This week the National Association of Caterer’s and Events (NACE) held an educational wine dinner at Morton’s Restaurant discussing the wines of Bordeaux. They showed us wine tasting techniques and we learned about this delicious wines and its history while pairing it five different courses. I love when we can drink and learn at the same time. School should have been like this. The St. Patrick’s Day holiday is very popular in New Orleans with parades happening over a two week period all over the city and the suburbs. One of the most well-attended parades is the one in the Irish Channel that happened on St. Patrick’s Day. My friend Contessa Breaux’s house is a block off Magazine Street and right along the route. She hosted an afternoon Irish delight soiree that consisted of grilled food, lots of libations, jello shots in syringes and the parade of course. My friends and I spent the day catching cabbage, kissing Irish men in skirts and doing copious amounts of Jameson shots. As one can imagine, my foray into St. Patty’s Day never made it into the evening, I was done by six. I love a holiday all about Irish whiskey and bad decisions. I ended my two week sprint with a play and a fundraiser. I saw The Wiz produced by See Em On Stage Productions at Delgado and I have to admit this was the first time I had seen the production. It was a solid show with a good (and funny) cast. The guy playing The Wiz was just hysterical. Keep an eye out for shows form this theatre company; they are known for staging unique award-winning productions. Afterwards, I went to the Gay Easter Parade fundraiser at oz hosted by the always fabulous Persana Shoulders. It was quite and evening with a packed, mostly straight audience. The entertainers were phenomenal and the best part was when they put Ambush owner and editor Frank Pizzolato in drag. I have to admit he makes for a very pretty lady and rumor has it he may be starting his own show some time soon. Well that wraps everything up, Easter is upon us so make sure you come out to the last few fundraisers Continued on Page 30

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as well as attend the parade on Easter Sunday.

Hot Happenings

Every month we will feature weekly events at some of the best LGBTQ bars int he city as well as special fundraiser, festivals and drag shows. In NOLA, there is no lack for hot happenings. Here are just a few of them. Tuesday, March 27, 30, 2018 Kocktail Karaoke: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine Street; 8 p.m. - midnight Join us at Good Friends Bar for Kocktail Karaoke with the winner gets a $25.00 bar tab. Country Dance lessons: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 8 p.m. Tuesdays are Country Dance lessons with dancing from 8 - 11 p.m. Bourbon Boylesque: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 8:00 p.m. See the men of Oz like you have never seen them before. The show stars Atomyc Adonis, Bobby B, Franky, Phathoms Deep and other special guests. Hosted by Trixie Minx. Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras: Buffa’s Bar and Restaurant; 1001 Esplanade Avenue; 8 p.m. Tacos, Tequila, and Tiaras is a one of New Orleans’ only family friendly drag shows! Join hostess Vanessa Carr Kennedy every Tuesday, have a taco or two, and learn a little bit about the art of drag.

Extra - A Political Cabaret: Always Lounge; 2240 St. Claude Ave; 9:30 p.m. Having trouble understanding the current political mess through all the fake news? Feeling isolated and hopeless in the face of an ever growing list of seemingly unsolvable problems? Where are you supposed to get information in all of this mess? At this point, nothing is clear. With a world this ridiculous and confusing, drag queens and kings are the only people who could possibly be qualified to report the news. So, let the queens and king of Extra! help you sift through everything and make sense of it all. Six of New Orleans’ best will be taking on current events, politics, and news in a night of satire, comedy, tear jerkers, live interviews, and even real opportunities for you to get involved in local politics and activism. It’s a show that asks: What is a drag number allowed to be about? How can drag help make the world better? $8 at the door; Doors at 9:30 show at 10:30. Featuring performances: Napoleon Complex (Cheryl), Franky, Mz Aza Metric (Evan), Gayle King Kong, Tarah Cards(Cate) and hosted and produced by Quinn Laroux. Wednesday, March 28, 2018 WednesGays at LPK Uptown: Louisiana Pizza Kitchen; 615 South Carrolton Ave.; 5 p.m. Join us every Wednesday to celebrate diversity. See

old friends or make some new ones and find out what’s happening in the Nola community. All this while enjoying 1/2 price drinks from the bar. Invite your friends. You Better Sing Karaoke; Lafitte’s in Exile; 901 Bourbon Street; 7 p.m. Join DJ Kory and DJ Derek as they play Karaoke at Lafittes in Exile. Behind the bar slinging your drinks for you are Jeremy, Ryan, and Tim. Oz Show Night: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 10:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Nicole Lynn Foxx, Lisa Beaumann, Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; Chichi Rodriguez and Dominique DeLorean. Game Night: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 7 p.m. Wednesdays are Game night with Honey Bee at 7 p.m. with free jello shots and Bar Tabs. Thursday, March 29, 2018 Honey Bee Trivia: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Thursday is Honey Bee Trivia at 7 p.m. Four rounds with jello shots to the winner of each round and a Bar Tab to top person/team of the night. Seasons of Love - A New Orleans Krewe Social: Four Seasons; 3229 N. Causeway; 7 - 10 p.m. Join hosts Becky Allen and Marshall Harris for Seasons of Love: A New Orleans Krewe Social. Krewes from across town are coming together to celebrate what makes us all

special. There will be a complimentary buffet starting at 7:00pm, with a fabulous stage show to follow at 8:00pm. Appearances by Krewe of Stars, Krewe of Armeinius, Krewe of Narcissus, The Lords of Leather, Krewe of Petronius, and more! Other entertainment will be provided by some of our city’s finest entertainers. Girl | Crush: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon Street; 9 p.m. Girl | Crush is bringing you a weekly event for girls who like girls, and their friends! This flavor of CRUSH entitled DTF is exclusive to New Orleans’ #1 Dance Club, Oz and happens every Thursday night. The Jeff D Comedy Cabaret; Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 10 p.m. The Comedy Cabaret stars Jeff D. featuring Gia Giavanni. Enjoy hilarious comedians, amazing talent and the Ladies of Oz. Strip Off: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; midnight Persana Shoulders hosts the Strip Off every Thursday night. Sign up begins at 11 p.m. and the show features a spotlight performance by Miss Gay Louisiana America 2013 Mercedes Ellis Loreal. Winners receive 1st PLACE - $100 Cash • 2nd PLACE - $50 Bar tab Friday, March 30, 2018 Bunnies in the Big Easy: Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture; 1010 Conti Street; 7 - 9:30 p.m. The Gay Easter Parade is putting the Good Back into Friday! The cost is Continued on Page 31

The Gay Easter Parade starts and ends at our front door so come by for a great view!

HoneyBee Trivia Thursdays 7:00 PM

Happy Hour Daily

Free Jello Shots & Bar Tab

noon - 9:00 PM

Country Dancing Tuesdays 7:00 PM

Saturday, 03/31 7 04/07 10:00 PM

Drag & Champagne Brunch Sunday 04/08

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noon-3pm

Continued from Page 30

$35.00. Buy Tickets: https://gay-easter-parade.ticketleap.com/bunniesin-the-big-easy-2018/dates/Mar-302018_at_0700PM Come out to the hottest party to kick off your Easter Weekend! Enjoy a vodka, wine and beer bar plus food, DJ, special guest performances, auctions and the fabulous Bunny Boys. There will be lots of entertainment and fun in this fabulous museum! All the proceeds go to help Food for Friends. We only sell 100 tickets to this event, so get your tickets now before they sell out. Music of Senator Ken: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music with Senator Ken playing all your favorites. Play Girlz: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 10 - 11:30 p.m. Drag show featuring Gia GiaVanni and special guests. New Meat Amateur Dance Contest: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis Street; 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Lisa Beaumann, anyone can enter - $100 cash prize. Bad Friday Beer Bust: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields; 9 p.m. - midnight. Support the Lords of Leather with $10 bottomless keg beer, sodas, snacks, and of course, $1 Jello Shots! Leather Love Laughter are always free! Gimme A Reason with Mionq (Berlin): Poor Boys Bar; 1328 St. Bernard Avenue; 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Gimme A Reason is an all inclusive transcendental dancing party. Disk Jockeys performing will be Minq (Berlin, Germany), Quick Weave (Pink Room Project), Paul Oneill (Techno Club) and Bouffant Bouffant (Trax Only / Gimme A Reason). $5-$10 siding scale. Saturday, March 31, 2018 Annual Mr. Louisiana Leather Easter Basket Drive: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Avenue; 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. On March 31st before the Bunny Hop at the Phoenix, Mr. Louisiana Leather will be collecting filled easter baskets to be donated to St. Anna’s Episcopal Church. It doesn’t matter if you fill your own basket or buy a pre-filled basket just as long as you have fun with it and keep it under $20. The goal this year is to break the record and collect 160+ donated baskets! There will also be a Pre-Easter brunch and $4 absolute Bloody Marys with all the fixins. 16th Annual Marigny Bunny Hop Pub Crawl: 2 p.m. Come out and join Bunny Hop XVI Grand Marshals Misti and Catherine Gaither along with Bunny Hop XVI Grand Marshal Jarret Mallon to the 16th Marigny Bunny Hop Pub Crawl !! Get those bonnets out for a fun filled Easter tradition. The following is the schedule of participating bars and which contest they will host - 2:00-2:30 Mag’s 940 (Sassiest Bonnet); 2:303:00 The Friendly Bar (Best Couple); 3:00-3:30 Mimi’s in the Marigny (Tallest

Bonnet); 3:30-4:00 Big Daddy’s (Widest Bonnet); 4:00-4:30 Cutters (Most Glamorous); 4:30-5:00 Who Dat Coffee Café (Best Newbie); 5:00-5:30 Kajun’s Pub (Sissiest Bonnet); 5:30-6:00 The Phoenix (Butchest Bonnet). Also presented at the Phoenix: Best Group, Life of the Hop, Best of the Best, and the Meyer-Routh-Murrell. Piano Bar with Trey Ming; Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine Street; 4 - 7 p.m. Sing along with your favorite songs with Talented piano player Trey Ming. Music of Vanessa Carr Kennedy; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy songstress Vanessa as she sings some of the tops hits of yesterday and today. Divas R Us; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 10 - 11:30 p.m. This wonderful drag show directed by Monica Sinclaire Kennedy includes a special guests stars. Beauties and Beaus - A Sexy Variety Show: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; 10:30 p.m. Glamour Puss Productions & Lana O’Day present the second edition of BEAUTIES & BEAUS: A VARIETY SHOW OF THE SEXY NATURE. Everyone enjoys a good drag show... everyone enjoys a good burlesque show... who wouldn’t love a show spotlighting the amazing talents both art forms? Starring: Host & Emcee Lana O’Day, Miss Gay Four Seasons La USofA 2018 Britney DeLorean, burlesque beauty Xena ZeitGeist, boylesque cutie Dionysis Sea, and the ever so handsome Justin Betweener. High Profile - A Year in Review: Santos Bar; 1135 Decatur Street; 10 p.m. - 3 a.m. High Profile | A Year in Revue: Celebrating One Year of Brand Excellence. Earlier this month at the New Orleans Nightlife Awards, High Profile was the recipient of the coveted Brand Excellence award. As this award coincides with our one year anniversary, we want to celebrate with YOU™, our friends and fans, by offering a glimpse into our star studded™ lives (for $5). What to Expect: Performances by Garlic Junior, Jassy, Visqueen, and Franky, Slenderella’s Comeback : Take 2, Dj set by Sensitive Jock • NOMA’s latest satellite fashion exhibit, High Profile | A Year in Retrospect, Red Carpet Photo Op, Party videography by Viceland™ Sunday, April 1, 2018 Gay Easter Parade: French Quarter; 4:30 p.m. The parade showcases the fashion and creativity of the entire LGBT community with gentlemen in summer suits/tux with hats, and ladies in Easter suits/dresses with Easter hats. Bottomless Mimosa: Cafe Lafittes in Exile; 901 Bourbon Street; 1 - 4 p.m. Bottomless Mimosas are offered upstairs from 1 - 4 p.m. for $12. You Better Sing Karaoke; Grand-

Pre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Join DJ Kory and DJ Derek as they play Karaoke at Good Friends Bar. Behind the bar slinging your drinks for you are Jeremy, Ryan, and Tim. Jubilee: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 5 p.m. This Sunday Funday show stars Reba Douglas and special guests. Zingo: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis Street; 6:30 p.m. Play Bingo with hosts Opal Masters followed by the Barry BareAss Dancer of the Week Contest. Oz Show Night: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 9:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Nicole Lynn Foxx, Lisa Beaumann, Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; Chichi Rodriguez and Dominique DeLorean. Drink Drown and Drag: The Pub; 801 Bourbon Street; 6 - 9 p.m. Sunday Funday upstairs at The Parade. $15 Drink and Drown from 6 - 9 p.m. with a star studded drag show starting at 8 p.m. Monday, April 2, 2018 S.I.N. Night: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis Street; Starting at 9 p.m Come drink with Ashlee. Get your SIN card and receive $2.50 canned beer or well drinks and $1.50 draft. Margarita Mondays: Grand Pre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. From 7 p.m. till close enjoy margarita specials with your bartender Michael Tuesday, April 3, 2018 Kocktail Karaoke: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphione Street; 8 p.m. midnight Join us at Good Friends Bar for Kocktail Karaoke with the winner gets a $25.00 bar tab. Country Dance lessons: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 8 p.m. Tuesdays are Country Dance lessons with dancing from 8 - 11 p.m. Bourbon Boylesque: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 8:00 p.m. See the men of Oz like you have never seen them before. The show stars Atomyc Adonis, Bobby B, Franky, Phathoms Deep and other special guests. Hosted by Trixie Minx. Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras: Buffa’s Bar and Restaurant; 1001 Esplanade Avenue; 8 p.m. Tacos, Tequila, and Tiaras is a one of New Orleans’ only family friendly drag shows! Join hostess Vanessa Carr Kennedy every Tuesday, have a taco or two, and learn a little bit about the art of drag. Wednesday, April 4, 2018 WednesGays at LPK Uptown: Louisiana Pizza Kitchen; 615 South Carrolton Ave.; 5 p.m. Join us every Wednesday to celebrate diversity. See old friends or make some new ones and find out what’s happening in the Nola community. All this while enjoying 1/2 price drinks from the bar. Invite your friends...

You Better Sing Karaoke; Lafitte’s in Exile; 901 Bourbon Street; 7 p.m. Join DJ Kory and DJ Derek as they play Karaoke at Lafittes in Exile. Behind the bar slinging your drinks for you are Jeremy, Ryan, and Tim. Oz Show Night: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 10:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Nicole Lynn Foxx, Lisa Beaumann, Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; Chichi Rodriguez and Dominique DeLorean. Game Night: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 7 p.m. Wednesdays are Game night with Honey Bee at 7 p.m. with free jello shots and Bar Tabs. Thursday, April 5, 2018 Bow Tie Bash: The Lighthouse; 734 Camp Street; 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Join Crescent Care for the Bow Tie Bash 2018, featuring entertainment by Kelcy Mae and Will Dickerson, an open bar, foods by Food For Friends, raffles and a creative bow tie contest! Bow Tie Bash is a CrescentCare event benefiting those affected by cancer and HIV in the New Orleans community. Proceeds from Bow Tie Bash will help our Food For Friends program deliver meals to cancer and HIV-positive clients who are unable to prepare meals for themselves. Each year, Bow Tie Bash honors the memory Chet Pouricau, whose exuberant personality and penchant for eye-catching bow-ties inspired those around him. This year, Bow Tie Bash will also honor the memory of Larry Mercier, long-time advocate for those affected by HIV in the New Orleans community. For tickets go to www. crescentcarehealth.org. Honey Bee Trivia: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Thursday is Honey Bee Trivia at 7 p.m. Four rounds with jello shots to the winner of each round and a Bar Tab to top person/team of the night. Girl | Crush: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon Street; 9 p.m. Girl | Crush is bringing you a weekly event for girls who like girls, and their friends! This flavor of CRUSH entitled DTF is exclusive to New Orleans’ #1 Dance Club, Oz and happens every Thursday night. The Jeff D Comedy Cabaret; Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 10 p.m. The Comedy Cabaret stars Jeff D. featuring Gia Giavanni. Enjoy hilarious comedians, amazing talent and the Ladies of Oz. Strip Off: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; midnight Persana Shoulders hosts the Strip Off every Thursday night. Sign up begins at 11 p.m. and the show features a spotlight performance by Miss Gay Louisiana America 2013 Mercedes Ellis Loreal. Winners receive 1st PLACE - $100 Cash • 2nd PLACE - $50 Bar tab Friday, April 6, 2018 New Meat Amateur Dance Contest: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis Continued on Page 32

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Street; 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Lisa Beaumann, anyone can enter - $100 cash prize. Saturday, April 7, 2018 8th Annual Wigs, Wine and Fundraiser Party: 700 Club; 700 Burgundy Street; 6 - 9 p.m. It’s time again to comb out your wigs and and prepare your palate for some ‘fine’ wines! Now at a bigger venue and for a good cause! Show up in a wig of your choice along with a bottle of wine that you feel pairs well with your wig. Wig & Wine pairings will be judged as either ‘Classy’ or ‘Trashy’. Appropriate glassware (or cups) will be provided for you, depending on how you are judged. Please Note- showing up in last years wig is just plain TRASHY!Awards for ‘Classiest’, ‘Trashiest’, ‘Best Group’ and ‘Best In Show’ Wig & Wine pairings will be given out at the party. Hosted at the 700 Club this year. $5 cover for those who arrive in a wig. $10 cover for those who come without (a trashy wig will be provided while supplies last). Wine will be provided along with well vodka drinks by the 700 Club as part of your cover during the party. All bottles of wine brought to the event will be pooled together and raffled off to ONE winner at the end of the night. Each person bringing a bottle will receive a raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets will be available for $5 each. Must be present to win. This is a great way to get your wine cellar stocked up so don’t go too cheap with your wine pairings in case you win! Money raised from cover charge and raffle will go The Greater New Orleans Foundation LGBT Fund as well as Friends of the New Orleans Public Library. Piano Bar with Trey Ming; Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine Street; 4 - 7 p.m. Sing along with your favorite songs with Talented piano player Trey Ming. Johnny Passion Presents Risque: Always Lounge; 2240 St. Claude; 10:30 p.m. - midnight Johnny Passion presents .. RISQUE’ .. the sultry side of drag starring Monique Michaels-Alexander .. Pussy Hertz, Ava Gina and special guest star. Analia XO. NO Cover. You Can Leave Your Hat On: Twist of Lime; 2820 Lime Street; 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. Come see the us at new show at TWIST OF LIME featuring: Lady Magic Necha, The Vamps, Scott Bradley, Passion Casidrine, Dominique Delorean, and Britney Delorean. Sunday, April 8, 2018 Bottomless Mimosa: Cafe Lafittes in Exile; 901 Bourbon Street; 1 - 4 p.m. Bottomless Mimosas are offered upstairs from 1 - 4 p.m. for $12. Big Easy Animal Rescue Sunday Social: Where Y’at Music; 3431 Houma Blvd; 3 - 6 p.m. If you love food, bingo, karaoke and hanging out having

a chill relaxed time, then be sure to join us for this event. They will be raising money for Big Easy Animal Rescue BEAR. There will be a $10 donation at door which will be donated to this wonderful non profit organization. Non smoking event, there will be additional tables set up outside! You Better Sing Karaoke; GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Join DJ Kory and DJ Derek as they play Karaoke at Good Friends Bar. Behind the bar slinging your drinks for you are Jeremy, Ryan, and Tim. Jubilee: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 5 p.m. This Sunday Funday show stars Reba Douglas and special guests. Zingo: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis Street; 6:30 p.m. Play Bingo with hosts Opal Masters followed by the Barry BareAss Dancer of the Week Contest. Oz Show Night: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 9:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Nicole Lynn Foxx, Lisa Beaumann, Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; Chichi Rodriguez and Dominique DeLorean. Drink Drown and Drag: The Pub; 801 Bourbon Street; 6 - 9 p.m. Sunday Funday upstairs at The Parade. $15 Draink and Drown from 6 - 9 p.m. with a star studded drag show starting at 8 p.m.

WednesGays at LPK Uptown: Louisiana Pizza Kitchen; 615 South Carrolton Ave.; 5 p.m. Join us every Wednesday to celebrate diversity. See old friends or make some new ones and find out what’s happening in the Nola community. All this while enjoying 1/2 price drinks from the bar. Invite your friends... You Better Sing Karaoke; Lafitte’s in Exile; 901 Bourbon Street; 7 p.m. Join DJ Kory and DJ Derek as they play Karaoke at Lafittes in Exile. Behind the bar slinging your drinks for you are Jeremy, Ryan, and Tim. Oz Show Night: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 10:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Nicole Lynn Foxx, Lisa Beaumann, Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; Chichi Rodriguez and Dominique DeLorean. Game Night: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 7 p.m. Wednesdays

Monday, April 9, 2018 S.I.N. Night: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis Street; Starting at 9 p.m. Come drink with Ashlee. Get your SIN card and receive $2.50 canned beer or well drinks and $1.50 draft. Margarita Mondays: Grand Pre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. From 7 p.m. till close enjoy margarita specials with your bartender Michael Tuesday, April 10, 2018 Kocktail Karaoke: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphione Street; 8 p.m. midnight Join us at Good Friends Bar for Kocktail Karaoke with the winner gets a $25.00 bar tab. Country Dance lessons: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 8 p.m. Tuesdays are Country Dance lessons with dancing from 8 - 11 p.m. Bourbon Boylesque: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 8:00 p.m. See the men of Oz like you have never seen them before. The show stars Atomyc Adonis, Bobby B, Franky, Phathoms Deep and other special guests. Hosted by Trixie Minx. Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras: Buffa’s Bar and Restaurant; 1001 Esplanade Avenue; 8 p.m. Tacos, Tequila, and Tiaras is a one of New Orleans’ only family friendly drag shows! Join hostess Vanessa Carr Kennedy every Tuesday, have a taco or two, and learn a little bit about the art of drag. Wednesday, April 11, 2018

32 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

are Game night with Honey Bee at 7 p.m. with free jello shots and Bar Tabs. Thursday, April 12, 2018 Honey Bee Trivia: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Thursday is Honey Bee Trivia at 7 p.m. Four rounds with jello shots to the winner of each round and a Bar Tab to top person/team of the night. Girl | Crush: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon Street; 9 p.m. Girl | Crush is bringing you a weekly event for girls who like girls, and their friends! This flavor of CRUSH entitled DTF is exclusive to New Orleans’ #1 Dance Club, Oz and happens every Thursday night. The Jeff D Comedy Cabaret; Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 10 p.m. The Comedy Cabaret stars Jeff D. featuring Gia Giavanni. Enjoy hilarious comedians, amazing talent and the Ladies of Oz. Strip Off: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; midnight Persana Shoulders hosts the

Strip Off every Thursday night. Sign up begins at 11 p.m. and the show features a spotlight performance by Miss Gay Louisiana America 2013 Mercedes Ellis Loreal. Winners receive 1st PLACE - $100 Cash • 2nd PLACE - $50 Bar tab Friday, April 13, 2018 Music of Senator Ken: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music with Senator Ken playing all your favorites. Play Girlz: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 10 - 11:30 p.m. Drag show featuring Gia GiaVanni and special guests. New Meat Amateur Dance Contest: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis Street; 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Lisa Beaumann, anyone can enter - $100 cash prize. Saturday, April 14, 2018 NOAGE Presents Coffee Talk Mindfulness: New Orleans Healing Center; 2372 St. Claude; 10 - 11:30 a.m. In Room #250 of the New Orleans Healing Center. Coffee and refreshments will be provided. The topic will be Mindfulness. Evidence supports the use of mindfulness to alleviate symptoms of a variety of mental and physical disorders, and many people find that mindfulness practice enriches their spiritual life. The Moderator will be Rolf VanAnders. He is on the Wellness Committee at LSUHSC and have created a mindfulness training program called the Mindful Tiger which meets 32 times a month at various locations across our campus, the LSU Dental School, and the Ochsner- Kenner hospital. His mission Is to promote mindfulness and meditation training as a way to get in touch with our rich inner resources of wellness, healing and creativity, and to celebrate our quality of life as both individuals and community. Piano Bar with Trey Ming; Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine Street; 4 - 7 p.m. Sing along with your favorite songs with Talented piano player Trey Ming. Music of Vanessa Carr Kennedy; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy songstress Vanessa as she sings some of the tops hits of yesterday and today. Divas R Us; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 10 - 11:30 p.m. This wonderful drag show directed by Monica Sinclaire Kennedy includes a special guests stars. Johnny Passion Presents Elite Celebrity Entertainment: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 10 p.m. - midnightJoin show director and host, Johnny Passion for the debut of ELITE Celebrity Entertainment at GrandPre’s. Starring Pussy Hertz and Ava Gina with special guest star Solitaire (Bonita Folse). Showtime is 10pm with NO cover!

Sunday, April 15, 2018 Bottomless Mimosa: Cafe Lafittes in Exile; 901 Bourbon Street; 1 - 4 p.m. Bottomless Mimosas are offered upstairs from 1 - 4 p.m. for $12. You Better Sing Karaoke; GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Join DJ Kory and DJ Derek as they play Karaoke at Good Friends Bar. Behind the bar slinging your drinks for you are Jeremy, Ryan, and Tim. Jubilee: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal Street; 5 p.m. This Sunday Funday show stars Reba Douglas and special guests. Zingo: Corner Pocket; 640 St. Louis Street; 6:30 p.m. Play Bingo with

hosts Opal Masters followed by the Barry BareAss Dancer of the Week Contest. Oz Show Night: Oz; 800 Bourbon Street; 9:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Nicole Lynn Foxx, Lisa Beaumann, Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; Chichi Rodriguez and Dominique DeLorean. Drink Drown and Drag: The Pub; 801 Bourbon Street; 6 - 9 p.m. Sunday Funday upstairs at The Parade. $15 Draink and Drown from 6 - 9 p.m. with a star studded drag show starting at 8 p.m.

If you want to make sure your upcoming event is listed, email the information to me at ledgemgp@gmail. com.

The Pride Side

New Orleans Pride is excited to launch a chapter of Stand For The Silent (SFTS). It is time that we no longer allow individuals to suffer at the hands of a bully. STFS New Orleans hosts events revolving around bully prevention. Above all, it illustrates the main lesson taught through the Stand For The Silent program: I AM SOMEBODY. Stand for the Silent was started in 2010 by a group of high school students in Oklahoma City, OK, after they heard the story of Kirk and Laura Smalley’s son, Ty Field- Smalley. At eleven yearsold, Ty took his own life after being suspended from school for retaliating against a bully that had been bullying him for over two years. Stand for the Silent exists as a platform to allow Kirk and Laura to share their story, and offer education and tools that will prevent their tragedy from happening to another child and family. Kirk and Laura’s mission is to continue to change kids’ lives and bring awareness to bullying and the real devastation it causes. Since May 2010, Kirk and Laura Smalley have traveled to over 1,000 schools and spoken with over 1,000,000 kids! In March 2010, Kirk and Laura met privately with President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in The White House prior to attending the first ever White House conference on bullying. One of the biggest issues here in New Orleans is Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites. More than 160,000 students miss school daily in the U.S out of fear of bring bullied. And guess where Louisiana falls Nationwide? We are #2 WORST when it comes to controlling bullying and #1 in the Nation for the most high school students who have attempted suicide.

These statistics are unacceptable and The New Orleans Pride Organization is doing something about it. It is time that we stop using social media as a platform to bully each other. It is so easy to for someone to hide behind a keyboard and talk bad about someone or something. We challenge each of you to be the change in this city. Bullying stops with you; whether you are the one typing the message or the one that “likes”, “shares”, or “comments” on it. You become part of the problem when you do that. Stand up for what is right, Stand Up For The Silent and lets work together to end Bullying in New Orleans and Louisiana. To learn more about the program, email sfts@prideneworleans.com

New Orleans Pride Announces its 2018 Line -Up Last Saturday, New Orleans Pride unveiled its 2018 lineup at Hotel Le Marais. The Krewe De Fleurs was on hand to help with the occasion along with Gia Giavanni who performed “This is Me.” More than 30 events are set for June 8-10, 2018. Pride kicks off on June 8th with a Glow Party at One Eyed Jacks featuring LE1F, Delish Da Goddess, Bouffant Bouffant, and Ryan Tiffin. Saturday, Pridefest will again be on Elysian Fields with local entertainment including Amanda Shaw, Marshal Harris, TBC Brass Band, Mardi Gras Indians, and more. The Parade will roll at 7:30pm on Saturday and is set to have nearly 20 floats and 5,000 participants. After the parade, there are several events to choose from, including Girl Crush: Rouge at Coyote Ugly. For more information or a complete event line-up, visit NewOrleansPrideFestival.com

GayMardiGras.com · GayEasterParade.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Facebook.com/AmbushMag · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · 33

LGBT Owned & Friendly Business Directory

947.3735, KajunPub.COM MAG’S 940, 940 Elysian Fields Ave., 948.1888 OZ NEW ORLEANS, 800 Bourbon, 593.9491, OzNewOrleans. COM THE PAGE, 542 N. Rampart St., 875.4976 PHOENIX/EAGLE, 941 Elysian Fields, 945.9264, www.phoenixbarnola.com Rawhide 2010, 740 Burgundy St., 525.8106, Rawhide2010.COM TROPICAL ISLE: Home of the Hand Grenade, 721 Bourbon St., 529.4109, TropicalIsle.COM VALIANT THEATRE AND LOUNGE, 6621 St. Claude Ave., Arabi, LA, 504.900.1743 Slidell, LA [985] BILLY’S, 2600 Hwy. 190 West, 847.1921 Biloxi, MS [228] CLUB VEAUX, 834 Howard Ave., 207.3271

bookstores

New Orleans, LA [504] FAB - Faubourg Marigny Art & Books, 600 Frenchmen St., 947.3700

circuit/events

Easter Sunday, April 11, 2018, 19th Official Gay Easter Parade, New Orleans, sponsored by Ambush, GayEasterParade. com

costumes

New Orleans, LA [504] QT PIE BOUTIQUE - 241 Dauphine St., 581. 6633

galleries

New Orleans, LA [504] CASSELL-BERGEN GALLERY, 1305 Decatur St., cassellbergengallery.com, 504.524.0671

guides

AMBUSH Mag, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137; 504.522.8049, AmbushMag.COM; marsha@ripandmarsha.com

groceries/delis

New Orleans, LA [504] QUARTERMASTER DELI, THE NELLIE DELI, 1100 Bourbon, 529.1416

hair salons

bars

Mobile, AL [251] B-Bob’s Downtown, 213 Conti St., 433.2262, B-Bobs.COM Flip Side Bar & Patio, 54 S. Conception St., 431.8819, FlipSideBarPatio.COM GABRIEL’S DOWNTOWN, 55 South Joachim St., 432.4900 The Midtown Pub, 153 Florida St., 450.1555 Pensacola, FL [850] THE ROUNDUP, 560 East Heinberg St., 433.8482 Baton Rouge, LA [225] GEORGE’S, 860 St. Louis, 387.9798, SPLASH, 2183 Highland Rd., 242.9491, SplashBR.COM Lake Charles, LA [337] CRYSTAL’S, 112 W. Broad, 433.5457 Metairie, LA [504] FOUR SEASONS & PATIO STAGE BAR, 3229 N. Causeway, 832.0659, FourSeasonsBar.com New Orleans, LA [504] 700 CLUB, 700 Burgundy, 561.1095,

BIG DADDY’S, 2513 Royal, 948.6288 BIG EASY DAIQUIRIS, 216 Bourbon, 501 Bourbon, 409 Decatur, 617 Decatur THE BLACK PENNY, 700 N. Rampart BOURBON PUB & PARADE, 801 Bourbon St., 529.2107, BourbonPub.COM Café Lafitte in Exile, 901 Bourbon Street 522.8397, Lafittes.COM CORNER POCKET, 940 St. Louis, 568.9829, CornerPocket.NET COUNTRY CLUB, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 CUTTER’S, 706 Franklin, 948.4200 THE DOUBLE PLAY, 439 Dauphine, 523.4517 THE FRIENDLY BAR, 2301 Chartres, 943.8929 GOLDEN LANTERN, 1239 Royal, 529.2860, Facebook.COM/GoldenLanternBar Good Friends Bar, 740 Dauphine St, 566.7191, GoodFriendsBar.COM GRANDPRE’S, 834 N. Rampart St., 267.3615, Facebook.com/grandpres KAJUN’S PUB, 2256 St. Claude Ave.,

New Orleans, LA [504] Two Guys Cutting Hair, 2372 St. Claude Ave., Suite 125, appointments: Adikus 215.519.5030, Trent 504.239.2397

hardware

New Orleans, LA [504] MARY’S FRENCH QUARTER HARDWARE, 732 N. Rampart, 529.4465

accommodations

New Orleans [504] AARON INGRAM HAUS, 1012 Elysian Fields, New Orleans, LA 70117, PHONE: 504.949.3110, www.ingramhaus.com/xqey, e-mail us at ingramhaus@yahoo.com. Condos with queen-size beds, private entrances; located only six blocks from Bourbon Street and walking distance to most New Orleans attractions. Several favorite bars are within one block. [0118] BLUES60 GUEST HOUSE, 1008 Elysian Fields Ave. New Orleans, LA 70117, Phone: 1.504.324.4311, www.blues60guesthouse.com, info@blues60guesthouse.com. The Blue60 Guest House with 5 suites provides a peaceful retreat in the center of the Faubourg Marigny, just blocks from the French Quarter and Frenchman

34 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

St. [1115] BURGUNDY BED AND BREAKFAST, 2513 Burgundy St., New Orleans, LA 70117, PHONE/FAX: 504.942.1463, Toll Free (Continental US only): 1.800.970.2153, www.theburgundy.com, E-mail us at theburgundy@cox.net. Gay owned and operated in newly renovated 1890’s double. Four guest rooms with private baths, guests’ parlor and “half-kitchen”, courtyard and half-open tubhouse with spa (hot tub/ whirlpool). Clothing optional in sunbathing and hot tub area. Walking distance to French Quarter. Immediate vicinity of gay and lesbian bars/venues. [0815] The french quarter guest houses, 1005 St. Peter, New Orleans, LA 70116, Phone: 1.800.367.5858, FrenchQuarterGuestHouses.com, email: Info@frenchquarterguesthouses.com. Four meticulously restored boutique inns located in the heart of the French Quarter’s most popular LGBT neighborhood. Each building’s individual character and charm provides an unforgettable authentic French Quarter experience!

media

New Orleans, LA [504] AMBUSH Mag, Official Gay Easter Parade Guide, Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide, Official Gay New Orleans Guide, Official Gulf South Guide, Official Pride Guide, Official Southern Decadence Guide, 828A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, AmbushMag.COM; email: ripna@ambushmag.com AMBUSHonLINE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137; 522.8049, ambushonline. com, email: ripna@ambushmag.com

organizations

FOOD FOR FRIENDS, 504.821.2601 ext. 254 FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE MARDI GRAS (FNBMG), 504.319.8261, www.fridaynightbeforemardigras.com GAY APPRECIATION AWARDS, 828A Bourbon St., 70116-3137; 522.8049; AmbushMag.COM/GAA GAY EASTER PARADE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, info@ gayeasterparade.com, GayEasterParade. COM GAY MARDI GRAS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM GAY NEW ORLEANS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayNewOrleans.COM HAART (HIV/AIDS Alliance Region Two, Inc.), 4550 North Blvd. Ste. 250, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, 225.927.1269, www. haartinc.org, offers a complete continuum of care to people living with HIV/AIDS including housing, primary care, medications, case management, and an array of supportive services. In addition HAART provides HIV prevention education and FREE testing to the Baton Rouge area. HALLOWEEN IN NEW ORLEANS, INC., PO Box 52171, 70152-2171; HalloweenNewOrleans.COM KREWE OF AMON-RA, PO Box 7033, Metairie, LA 70010, KreweOfAmonRa. COM KREWE OF ARMEINIUS, PO Box 56638, New Orleans, LA 70156-6638, KreweOfArmeinius.ORG KREWE OF MWINDO, PO Box 51031, 70156; 913.5791, KreweOfMwindo.ORG, krewe@kreweofmwindo.org KREWE OF NARCISSUS, PO Box 3832, New Orleans, LA 70177. Contact: 504.228.9441

522.5565, www.cafesbisanola.com Cheezy Cajun, 3325 St. Claude Ave., 265.0045, www.TheCheezyCajun.com Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., 598.1010, www.CloverGrill.com Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St., www.TheCountryClubNewOrleans. com, 945.0742 Gene’s Po-Boys & Daquiris, 1040 Elysian Fields Ave., 943.3861, www.genespoboys.com Ilys Bistro, 1040 Elysian Fields Ave., 947.8341, www.Facebook.com/ILYSBistro Kingfish Kitchen & Cocktails, 337 Chartres St. 598.5005, www.KinfishNewOrleans.com Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St., 522.6746 Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro, 720 Orleans, 523.1930, www.OrleansGrapevine.com Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St. , 529.1416, www.QuartermasterDeli.net Royal House Oyster Bar, 441 Royal St., 528.2601, www.RoyalHouseRestaurant.com

real estate

New Orleans, LA [504] Engel & Völkers New Orleans, Michael Styles, Realtor — Michael specializes in helping first-time homebuyers and real estate investors find the perfect New Orleans properties. 504.777.1773, NolaStyles.com Latter & Blum, Steven Richards Realtor, 504.258.1800, SteveRichardsProper-

ties.com New Orleans Relocation, Realtors — gay-owned boutique real estate agency for locals and newcomers. 504.273.0088 www.NOLArelo.com

retail/shopping

New Orleans, LA [504] BOURBON PRIDE, 909 Bourbon, 566.1570 COK (Clothing or Kinkl), 941 Elysian Fields, 945.9264 MARY’S FRENCH QUARTER KITCHEN & BATH, 732 N. Rampart, 529.4465 QT PIE BOUTIQUE - 241 Dauphine St., 581. 6633 XXXSHOP, 1835 N. Rampart St., 504.232.3063

services

New Orleans, LA [504] Formal Connection, 299 Belle Terre Blvd. LaPlace, LA, 985.652.1195

theatres

New Orleans, LA [504] CAFE ISTANBUL, 2372 St. Claude Ave., #140, 504.974.0786, CafeIstanbulNOLA.COM

tours

New Orleans, LA [504] Gay New Orleans Walking Tour, Crescent City Tour Booking Agency, (LGBT Business of the Year) 638 St. Ann St., 568.0717. follow Gay New Orleans Walking Tour @ Facebook.COM

Job Opportunities Ambush Magazine is growing! KREWE OF PETRONIUS, PO Box 1102, Kenner, LA. 70063-1102, www. kreweofpetroius.net KREWE OF QUEENATEENAS / KING CAKE QUEEN ROYALTY CLUB, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM/KCQ LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, 1308 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504.475.7911, www.lgbtarchivesla.org MYSTIC KREWE OF LORDS OF LEATHER, 1000 Bourbon St #B415, New Orleans, LA 70116, www.lordsofleather.org MYSTIC KREWE OF SATYRICON, 2443 Halsey Ave., New Orleans, LA 70114, 504.906.7990 Todd J. Blauvelt / Secretary, krewe.of.satyricon@gmail.com, MysticKreweOfSatyricon.COM NO/AIDS TASK FORCE, 2601 Tulane Ave., Suite 500, 70119; 504.821.2601; NOAIDSTaskForce.COM NEW ORLEANS PRIDE, info@neworleanspridefestival.com; 504.321.6006; NewOrleansPrideFestival.COM; NOLAPride. ORG; New Orleans Pride fully embraces the message of “One CommUNITY” as we celebrate our history and promote the future prosperity of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region. We use public awareness and education about the LGBT+ community as a way to combat “phobias” and discrimination. Our programs, seminars and events leading up to, and during Pride weekend, are meant to include individuals from all walks of life. RENEGADE BEARS OF LOUISIANA, PO Box 3083, New Orleans, LA 70177;

renegadebearsoflouisiana@gmail.com SOUTHERN DECADENCE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, SouthernDecadence.COM ST. ANNA’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1313 Esplanade Avenue New Orleans, LA 70116 504.947.2121, stannanola.org

pharmacy

Mumfrey’s Pharmacy, 1021 W. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette, LA 70043, 504.279.6312, www.MumfreysPharmacy.COM. Supporting & serving the LGBT Community for over 20 years. Local pharmacy offering personalized family-like service, automatic refills & free metro wide confidential pickup & delivery. Also offering shipping for out-side our delivery area. When you call us you speak to a person, not a machine. See our ad.

Freelance & Contributing Writers Wanted

We want to hear from you if you are a working or aspiring journalist interested in covering topics meaningful to the LGBTQ community.

Snap Paparazzi Photographer Wanted

Do you frequent the LGBTQ bars and events? We want to hear from you if you are interested in regularly covering the bars and events.

If you are interested, please email your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to info@ambushpublishing.com

photography

New Orleans, LA [504] GRAHAM/STUDIO ONE NEW ORLEANS, by appointment, grahamstudioone. com

restaurants

Metairie, LA [504] Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop & Pub, 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., 835.2022, GumboStop.com New Orleans, LA [504] The Bombay Club, 830 Rue Conti, 577.2237, www.bombayclubneworleans. com Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard, 819 Rue Conti, 581.3866, http://broussards.com Cafe Sbisa, 1011 Decatur St.,

Get Listed

Want to see your business, organization, or event in our next issue?

Email Ambush info@ambushpublishing.com

GayMardiGras.com · GayEasterParade.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Facebook.com/AmbushMag · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · 35

Trodding the Boards by Brian Sands Email: bsnola2@hotmail.com

Champion at the Mahalia Jackson Theater Rarely does New Orleans Opera (NOO) present a work of a living composer. Rarer still is for that composer to be a native-born New Orleanian. Accordingly, NOO’s production of Terence Blanchard’s Champion counts as a major event. That it deals with the life of the gay (or bisexual) boxer Emile Griffith and features a gay bashing and scenes set in gay bars make it unique. I wish I could say it was a knockout. Rather it registered as a split decision. Griffith, three-time World Welterweight Champion and two-time World Middleweight Champion, is now best remembered for his 1962 championship fight against Benny “The Kid” Paret in which the seventeen punches he landed on Paret in seven seconds resulted in not only a win, but also a coma from which Paret would never recover. Paret died ten days later. That Griffith came from a tough background and would go on to great professional heights, within an already tumultuous personal life, before being

felled by “boxer’s brain,” or trauma-related dementia, only offers more moments of potentially heightened drama. Despite the fact that Blanchard has already done many film scores and won five Grammy Awards, Champion marks his operatic debut. Still, he grew up in a musical household where his parents wanted him to become a classical musician. As he commented in a recent interview, “My father loved opera. I used to hear it all the time.” His favorite opera is La bohème. It shows. Though subtitled “An Opera in Jazz” and featuring a Jazz Quartet (Michael Pellera, Steve Masakowski, Herman LeBeaux and Jason Stewart, all in top form), Champion, while certainly jazzy with moments that would not feel out of place on Frenchman Street, unarguably belongs in the concert hall. Blanchard’s score offers lushly romantic melodies set against underscoring that can be at times shimmering, at times churning, beautiful throughout. Best of all, unlike most contemporary operas in which the vocals too often seem arbitrary, Blanchard suc-

Anthony P. McGlaun and Aubrey Allicock in Champion matically segued from scene to scene, ceeds in his stated quest “to make sure effectively employing members of the that all of the musical lines sounded Marigny Opera Ballet choreographed natural” for the words of the libretto, no by Seán Curran. small achievement. (Though I did wonder if the gay bar If one might wish that there had been one tune, at least, that you Griffith happened to “find his way to,” could’ve left the Mahalia Jackson as the synopsis put it, would host drag Theater humming, a Musetta’s Waltz queens and a guy in a harness--bars in perhaps or a Toreador Song as in CarNYC tend to be more specialized--I’m men (or even Jerry Springer: The willing to give that a pass as it presentOpera’s I Just Wanna Dance), well, ed a more visually striking image than, that might come in Blanchard’s next say, a bunch of guys in Levis.) opera on which he is already working. As the Young Emile Griffith, AuDirector James Robinson’s probrey Allicock conveyed the boxer’s duction, aided by James Schuette’s innocence, cockiness and confusion costumes, created a great sense of at both his sexual yearnings and the the mid-century time period and cineContinued on Page 37

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Continued from Page 36

rise & fall of his career. Arthur Woodley was touching as the older Griffith, battling the challenges of dementia. Karen Slack made a properly brazen Emelda Griffith, Emile’s opportunistic mother who abandoned him at an early age, the gorgeous sounds emanating from her mouth contrasting with her sullied soul. Michelle Rice brought warmth to Kathy Hagan, the owner of the gay bar who councils Griffith. I especially appreciated Robert Orth and Tony Bentley, as Griffith’s Manager and the Ring Announcer, respectively, whose more mature, yet still fine, voices added an extra touch of authenticity to their characters. They and the entire rest of the cast all sang superbly. One only questioned the visible use of microphones for the singers. Isn’t opera supposed to be a celebration of the unadorned human voice? It’s not like the Mahalia Jackson is that huge an auditorium. And when the sound system died during Little Emile Griffith’s scene, young Soley Montès proved incapable of making himself heard. The biggest problem with Champion, however, is its libretto by Michael Cristofer, a Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner for The Shadow Box forty years ago, which lacks any sense of build-up, too often telling us Griffith’s story with overwrought sentimentality when it should be showing it to us dramatically. For example, one moment Griffith is meeting Howie Albert, a hat manufacturer (Griffith also designed hats), who thinks this young man newly-arrived from the Virgin Islands could be a boxer; immediately thereafter, Griffith’s headlining in major arenas. Even if Griffith rose quickly through the ranks, which apparently he did, Cristofer doesn’t layer any suspense into this sequence. Similarly, in Act Two, Griffith sees a young lady and declares she’s “the gal I’m gonna marry”; next thing you know, he does. A Wikipedia check confirms that the marriage occurred only two months after they met, but where’s the courtship scene which could’ve revealed something vital about their characters? More damningly, though we see Paret taunting Griffith with gay slurs during the weigh-in for their fight, Cristofer omits that they, according to Blanchard, “were friends. They used to play basketball together.” Where is the tension that follows from such a betrayal, the fuel of many operas? Even Griffith’s relationship with Luis Rodrigo Griffith is unclear. One had to read the program to realize that Luis is Griffith’s adopted son as well as caretaker; just because he calls Emile “Papi,” a general term of endearment, doesn’t clarify this. Rather than repetitiously having the older Griffith sing (and sing) about putting on his shoe

(there are more interesting ways to portray dementia; see Florian Zeller’s The Father for example), Cristofer could have more trenchantly examined what each meant to the other. I wish I could say that, despite this, the opening night audience loved Champion as was the case with the Jimmy Buffett’s critically-drubbed Escape to Margaritaville. Instead, whereas one might’ve expected multiple curtain calls, after two bows the applause faded. Terence Blanchard is certainly a hometown champ. Champion, however, despite his best efforts, is, until necessary revisions occur, a runner-up. NOO next presents a 75th Anniversary Celebration on April 20 and 22, promising historic memories and legendary musical moments from international stars and Louisiana’s leading vocal talent including Raymond Aceto, Luretta Bybee, Casey Candebat, Leslie Castay, Ivan Griffin, Paul Groves, Kathleen Halm, Daveda Karanas, Angela Mannino, Sarah Jane McMahon, Lucas Meachem, Chauncey Packer, and the magnificent Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel. Maestro Robert Lyall will lead the combined forces, including the 90-member New Orleans Opera Chorus and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, in selections by Verdi, Mozart, Offenbach, Rossini, Puccini, Wagner, Bizet, Gershwin, a collection of Broadway favorites and more. Here’s to the next 75 years! The Color Purple at the Saenger Theatre Ah, what a brilliant director can do. John Doyle’s imaginative reconceptualization of the musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s epistolatory novel The Color Purple took a lumbering show and, by paring it down to its essentials, made a simple but powerful production out of it. Gone are any hyperrealistic scenic elements replaced by chairs, lots of them in various shades of brown, that effectively stand in for all the book’s locales. If the touring company’s recent stop at the Saenger still had an episodic feel to it, Doyle’s fluid staging allows for a greater narrative momentum while still encompassing lovely images as when cast members cause large pieces of cloth to billow up and then gently float down. Marsha Norman’s book never fully overcomes the challenge of having a basically passive heroine at its core; would that she had inserted some scenes to show how an oppressed wife forges her way to being a successful entrepreneur. As it stands, one rarely feels viscerally connected to the events unfolding onstage which are ultimately wrapped up too tidily. The score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray reflects their pop backgrounds; the music reveals

its jazz, R&B and gospel influences in pretty ways yet never rises much above the synthetic and generic. As with Champion, one wishes for one or two truly memorable numbers, though Sofia’s Hell No! could become an anthem of the #MeToo movement. Under Jane Cox’s lighting, sublime in its subtleties, the entire cast, led by Adrianna Hicks as Celie, sang ravishingly and did fine dramatic justice to their characters, though, as usual, because theirs are the most well-defined ones, Carrie Compere as Sofia and J. Daughtry as Harpo stole the show. The next Broadway in New Orleans offering will be Rent (April 17-22) which, set in NYC’s East Village at the very dawn of gentrification, now seems like more of a historical musical than Les Misérables or even Camelot. The season concludes with Waitress (June 12-17) Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson’s adaptation of the charming movie by the late Adrienne Shelly which is still packing’em in on Broadway. Curtain Up The second annual Gretna Mainstreet New Music Theatre Festival presents three new musicals as staged readings at the new Gretna Cultural Center for the Arts (740 4th St.) on March 30 and 31. This year is subtitled “The Season of Love”. On March 30, the Festival begins with Cupid & Psyche! with music by Jinwan Kim, book & libretto by Sean Hartley, and starring New Orleans vocalist Yvette Voelker as Venus, the goddess of love. For the March 31 matinee, the award-winning family musical Treehouse Players’ Rapunzel returns. The show, which ran for over two years here in the 1990s, has been reworked and rewritten for contemporary audiences. It stars Big Easy Award winner Soline McLain and the delightful Tulane Summer Lyric stalwart Ashley Smetherman. The Festival closes on the evening of March 31 with an intimate three-person musical called Sit Down and Eat Before Our Love Gets Cold by Barbara Schottfeld. Through-sung, the show features Wendy Miklovic, Megan Sauzer Harms and Chad Gearig-Howe. Through April 7, The NOLA Project presents Jaclyn Backhaus’ Men On Boats at Lusher’s Lions Gate

Theatre (5624 Freret St.). Ten explorers. Four boats. One Grand Canyon. Men On Boats is the true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition when a onearmed captain and a crew of insane yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River. Men On Boats turns American history on its head as the entire cast of “men” are all portrayed by women. Shannon Sindelar directs Claire Gresham, Monica R. Harris, Leslie Claverie, Lillian J. Small, Allena Fleming, Keyara Milliner, Kali Russell, Natalie Boyd, Te’Era Coleman, and Meredith Owens. Set just a few years later in 1878, The Stranger Disease follows seven people who live in, or orbit around, Madame John’s Legacy, as rumors of what would be one of the city’s worst yellow fever epidemics begin to spread. Navigating post-Reconstruction New Orleans, as well as a romance that crosses the color line, the characters must decide whether to stay or leave the city. The Stranger Disease, an immersive, original, historically inspired performance about yellow fever in nineteenth-century New Orleans, is a collaboration between The Louisiana State Museum, Friends of the Cabildo, and Goat in the Road Productions. It runs through April 15 at Madame John’s Legacy (632 Dumaine St.). The Rent Is Too Damn High! is an art-based festival event featuring an exhibition and catalogue publication that celebrates the New Orleans Tricentennial and creates a platform for Black New Orleanians to use art, history and culture to make meaning of the city’s 300-year legacy, and, ultimately, to shape it. The work of 15 artists will be displayed representing photography, painting, sculpture, mixed media and video. The exhibit will be on view April 7-May 6 at the Crescent City Boxing Gym (3101 Erato St.). As part of the opening reception on April 7, there will be a mock-debate, directed by Pamela Davis-Noland, wherein four mayoral candidates engage with the most pressing issues in contemporary, post-Katrina New Orleans. Each “candidate” will be a character taken from the annals of New Orleans history. They’ll sure have a lot of characters to choose from!

Please send press releases and notices of your upcoming shows to Brian Sands at brian@ambushpublishing.com.

GayMardiGras.com · GayEasterParade.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Facebook.com/AmbushMag · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · 37

Tricentennial Profiles in History by Frank Perez Email: f.perez@sbcglobal.net

Bienville and English Turn Late in the Summer of 1699, a British warship—the Carolina Galley— entered the mouth of the Mississippi River slowly made its way upstream. The Carolina Galley was led by Captain Louis Bond and filled with settlers eager to establish an English foothold in the lower Mississippi Valley. Seventeen years earlier, the French explorer Robert LaSalle had claimed all the land drained by the mighty river for the King of France— Louis the XIV, which is how Louisiana acquired its name. Claiming land is one thing but settling it is another. Because of her preoccupation with conflicts and turmoil in Europe, France was slow to establish a permanent settlement on the Gulf Coast. A generation after LaSalle, two French brothers from Montreal began exploring the Gulf Coast and founded Biloxi and Mobile. Bienville would go on to found New Orleans in 1718. In 1699, when Bienville was only 19 years old, he was sailing down the

Mississippi River when, upon reaching a sharp bend the river south of the present site of New Orleans, he encountered the Carolina Galley. The presence of the ship filled with English settlers confirmed his suspicion that if France did not act quickly, the British would usurp the land claimed by LaSalle. Bienville faced a dilemma. He was not equipped or prepared to engage the British Warship in battle. Retreating and informing his superiors was not really an option either because communication was cumbersome and took a long time. Bienville, ever the wily politician, chose to rely on his charming personality and silver tongue to persuade Captain Bond to turn around and leave the river. In other words, he lied. As he approached the Carolina Galley, Bienville had the good fortune of having met Captain Bond years before. His brother Iberville, an officer in the French Navy, had once defeated Captain Bond in battle before and actually took him prisoner for a while. Reminding Bond of the incident and never mentioning Iberville had recently died,

Bienville warned the good Captain that an immense French fortification was just around the sharp bend in the river and quite ready to sink his boat. In reality, there was nothing around the bend but alligators and mosquitos.

ARE YOU BEACH READY FOR PENSACOLA MEMORIAL WEEKEND?

3630 COLISEUM ST. NOLA, 70115 38 · The Official Mag: AmbushMag.com · March 27 – April 9, 2018 · Official Southern Decadence Guide · SouthernDecadence.com

Bienville’s bluff worked. Captain Bond turned his boat around and headed back to the Gulf. The bend in the river where the meeting took place is still called English Turn.

Snap Paparazzi Out and About | Photos by Tony Leggio

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