Country Roads Magazine "The Performing Arts Issue" September 2024

Growing B Rouge

Since 1978, we have been the cornerstone of St. Francisville, serving our friends and neighbors with a winning combination of community vision and relationship banking. For nearly a decade we’ve been steadily growing in Baton Rouge, always mindful of maintaining the same level of exceptional personalized service. Soon we will break ground on our new Baton Rouge main o ce, and with the help of Cockfield Jackson Architects, Cangelosi-Ward General Contractors and Kenneth Brown Design we will endeavor to duplicate the Bank of St. Francisville aura, elegance and charm that so many have known and loved.

Coming Soon, 9015 Je erson Hwy

REFLECTIONS

The Last Laugh by James Fox-Smith

NEWS & NOTEWORTHIES

Changes at Opéra Louisiane, Tswift memorabilia & more.

CURTAIN CALL

Dance festivals, theatre productions large & small & harvest celebrations premiere this fall.

40 INSIDE THE BASIN

Observing intersections of collaboration and creativity at Clare Cook’s creative incubator by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

48 FROM BATON ROUGE TO BROADWAY

Tony-nominated director Lear deBessonet draws inspiration from the spirit of gathering in South Louisiana by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

52 A CITY THAT BEGETS EXPERIMENT

Inside the vibrant world of non-traditional theater in New Orleans by Alexandra Kennon Shahin

On the Cover

In Alexandra Kennon Shahin’s survey of New Orleans’s experimental theater scene (page 52), Monica Harris from The NOLA Project says, “You’re just kind of deciding your own fate. You’re the master of it, and you take the resources that are around you. One of the greatest resources in this city are people, and seeing what you can create together.” This sentiment resounds throughout this year’s Performing Arts issue, which celebrates the theatrical culture of our region and the grassroots, gritty, community-centered

On our cover, dancer Rebecca Allen breaks through the end of her introductory solo as the lead in Clare Cook’s new work “Rounding the Edge,” to be performed at the International Dance Festival in New Orleans (page 21) on September 12 and at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette on September 13. The dance is an exploration of human systems and routines, and how to navigate them, use them, push against them with softness and care. This mindset might also reflect Cook’s approach to cultivating her own arts community in Lafayette at Basin Arts, where she—with gentle determination—fosters a world of artistic collaboration and experimentation, rooted in the spirit of invitation.

SNOCONE HISTORY

MODERN CREOLE

Chef Eric Cook’s got a new cookbook, and a new restaurant by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

My Mom’s Chicken & Dumplings by Eric Cook

Q&A WITH DAVE REESE

“There’s a beer for every moment.” by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

SOUPÇON

A new era at The Mayflower, and more by CR staff

Visiting SnoWizard on River Road by Kristy Christiansen

Outdoors

Thoughts on names by Jess Cole

THE STORYVILLE PORTRAITS

The mystery of E.J. Bellocq by Kent Landry

THE IRON MEN

The 1899 football team that launched the SEC as we now know it by David Neil Drews

I MUST CONFESS . . . A Louisiana girl’s ode to Britney Spears by Megan Broussard

Escapes

DECADENT ROMP

Stepping out into New Orleans’s “Gay Mardi Gras” by Chris Turner-Neal

LADYBEAST

The life of a New Orleans circus artist by Samantha E. Krieger

Publisher James Fox-Smith

Associate

Publisher

Ashley Fox-Smith

Managing Editor

Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Arts & Entertainment

Editor

Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

Creative Director

Kourtney Zimmerman

Contributors:

Megan Broussard, Kristy Christiansen, Paul Christiansen, Jess Cole, Eric Cook, Shanna Dickens, Alexandra Kennon Shahin, Paul Kieu, Nikki Krieg, Samantha E. Krieger, Kent Landry, David Neil Drews, Chris Turner-Neal

Cover Artist Paul Kieu

Advertising

SALES@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM

Sales Team

Heather Gammill & Heather Gibbons

Operations Coordinator Camila Castillo

President Dorcas Woods Brown

Country Roads Magazine 758 Saint Charles Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Phone (225) 343-3714 Fax (815) 550-2272 EDITORIAL@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM WWW.COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM

the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. Country Roads magazine retains the right to refuse any advertisement. Country Roads cannot be responsible for delays in subscription deliveries due to U.S. Post Office handling of third-class mail.

Bobby Rush | Hal & Mal’s | Jackson, Mississippi

Reflections

FROM THE PUBLISHER

One August weekend I was hploughing through The New York Times Saturday edition when a headline, “No Joke: The Onion Thinks Print is the Future of Media,” stopped me in my tracks. The article confirmed that, for the first time in over a decade, the satirical newspaper would resume printing a monthly edition, available by mailed subscription. This warmed the cockles of my heart on various levels. Upon arriving in America, I stumbled almost immediately upon The Onion, the news parody launched in 1990 by two University of Wisconsin students. By the time I got here in 1995, it had become widespread enough for a New Orleans friend to have a stack of back issues on his coffee table. For slightly subversive current events satire, it couldn’t be beat. Who, during the midst of the 1995 Bosnian crisis, could ignore a newspaper whose front-page headline screamed “Clinton Deploys Vowels to Bosnia; Cities of Sjlbvnzv, Grzny to Be First Recipients”? I was hooked, and spent the rest of an afternoon snort-laughing my way through gleefully irreverent “news” under headlines like “New Study Reveals: Babies are Stupid,” “Archaeological Dig Uncovers Ancient Race of Skeleton People,” “Meek

Will Not Inherit Earth, Says Pope,” and, unforgettably, “Rosa Parks to Take Cab.” I bought a subscription and, for the en suing decade, the paper’s dementedly re visionist version of whatever was making news continued finding ways to brighten even the darkest hours in American life. For example, on the front page of The Onion’s first issue to appear after 9/11 ran articles entitled, “Hijackers Surprised to Find Selves in Hell: ‘We Expected Eter nal Paradise for This,’ Say Suicide Bomb ers,” and “American Life Turns Into Bad Jerry Bruckheimer Movie.” In 2008, when Barack Obama won the presiden cy, The Onion’s front page read “Amer ica Gives Hardest Job in the World to a Black Man.” It was profane and provoc ative, and somehow, by publishing ab surd things about controversial, politi cally sensitive topics, managed to wring laughs from people across the political spectrum (those with a functioning sense of humor, anyway). When The Onion stopped printing in 2013, I was among many who mourned its absence; visiting a website to read issues digitally somehow robbed even the funniest and cleverest headlines of the impact they had when pulled from the mailbox.

So, upon learning that The Onion was returning to print, I made a headline of my own: “Area Publisher Subscribes to Someone Else’s Newspaper,” because if ever there was a time for satire, surely it is now. There is just so much to make fun of. Besides, after spending thirty

periodical is coming back to print feels like a turning point. The Onion is just the latest of a series of publications that tried going all-digital, only to restart the presses, recognizing that a good print magazine can serve as a welcome antidote to a deluge of digital content that seeks to monopolize every dimension of our consciousness. Others include Field and Stream, the music magazine NME, high-end outdoors journal Mountain Gazette, and the foodie bible Saveur. All have resumed printing this year. What do these titles have in common? Each offers meticulously researched, thoughtfully curated, lyrically written, beautifully presented coverage of a particular

subject, then presents it to people who are passionate about it. Each has a beginning and an end, respects its audience’s intelligence, doesn’t try to trick or track them, and is a joy to pull from the mailbox. Like vinyl records, sailboats, and hardback books, some things are just better when you can touch them.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that, when it comes to the topics we care most about, we are drawn to the beauty, tactility and permanence of a printed page. Multiple studies have proved that readers retain more information from print—a fact that benefits advertisers too, since readers tend to assign deeper value to ads when encountering them alongside editorial they’re interested in. Actually, one of the most entertaining bits of The Onion was the ads, half of which were just as fake as the articles, making the real ones run by advertisers brave enough to support the enterprise, more engaging than ever. So, as I breathlessly await the arrival of my first edition in a decade, I’m rooting for The Onion’s success, and hoping that the millions of Americans in need of a good laugh will, like me, choose to support it by subscribing. If we do, perhaps the Americans referenced in the recent article “Americans Demand New Form of Media to Bridge Entertainment Gap While Looking from Laptop to Phone” will finally have what they’ve been looking for.

—James Fox-Smith, publisher james@countryroadsmag.com

Stimulating Scientific Creativity

Look up.

The tell-tale swirl of the DNA double helix. A cyclist, mid-rotation. One barely perceptible, colossal figure on a silent stroll. Rich, cascading blues in alternating shades of light and dark, evoking water, with glimpses of fish flickering in its depths. Flashes of freshly harvested fruits and vegetables tumbling across an expanse of radiant, intersecting colors.

You’re more likely to notice the immense, custom stained glass window adorning Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s entrance if you happen to glance up while passing through the facility’s cavernous atrium. This is deliberate; the artistic marvel—a riot of color enlivening an otherwise gray building—was created for the people working inside the heart of Baton Rouge’s premiere research institution. Amid their comings and goings, Pennington Biomedical employees are invited to contemplate the connections between their work and their world, as their eyes are drawn heavenward by the light.

Local artist Stephen Wilson, whose stained glass windows and installations adorn scores of buildings across the South, was chosen to bring a luminous, unexpected strain of beauty into a space devoted to science and discovery.

“There’s no replacement for having beautiful art, stimulating people’s scientific creativity and helping them feel like they’re in an environment that’s very welcoming,” according to Dr. Steven Heymsfield, Professor of Metabolism & Body Composition at Pennington Biomedical, and former executive director of the institution. “There’s no replacement for it.”

How art imitates research

A product of Louisiana’s Percent for Art Program that utilizes state funds to infuse art into public spaces, Wilson’s Pennington Biomedical window sought to reflect the research institution’s mission in both subtle and striking ways. Wilson, who has been producing stained glass since the 1970s when he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in the discipline from Louisiana State University, has always been drawn to the potential for movement in an art form often considered static.

After speaking to researchers and professors, Wilson penciled the design over several weeks to capture Pennington Biomedical’s focus on health and the human body.

Beginning with the iconic Pennington “P,” Wilson sketched the DNA strands, a walker, a cyclist, various fish, and fruits and vegetables—the hallmarks of a healthy lifestyle. After colorizing the sketch, he began translating its images, piece by painstaking piece, from page to glass. The different elements of the window, in various, brilliant hues, crisscross and intersect in surprising, elegant ways.

“It’s like your brain has to deconvolute all those different pieces, which is truly amazing,” Dr. Heymsfield says. “I think one of the incredible challenges is to make it visually beautiful with colors—balance all the colors—and yet have all these different objects with it.”

Like the stained glass windows that adorn religious institutions across denominations, the Wilson window at Pennington Biomedical reflects the values and mission of the institution, delivering its message using the language of beauty—a mode of communication all humans can understand.

Beauty’s role in scientific research

Art experienced in unlikely settings can be transformative.

Creativity, Dr. Heymsfield believes, runs along multiple pathways—one of which is art, and another, science. Placing the two pathways side-by-side has the potential to spark something in the other.

Art brings a different, nuanced set of ideas and culture to a structure, no matter what the building’s purpose. Wilson’s window, in this case, brings literal and figurative illumination to an environment dedicated to the quest for knowledge.

“It really helped transform Pennington,” Dr. Heymsfield says. “It would look very different without that window.”

Pennington Biomedical employees have sometimes asked for poster versions of the window, which they place in prominent positions in their workspaces. It seems the resplendent shapes and patterns alone are enough to transfix, apart from the ethereal reflections cast by light streaming through the glass at different times of day. The window itself has become a landmark in both Baton Rouge, and within the Center.

Wilson, roughly a decade removed from the window’s installation, has pondered what his art could mean to the throngs of scientific researchers moving through Pennington Biomedical’s hallways.

“Does it help when they’re looking through the microscope?” Wilson wonders.

He doesn’t think so—at least not in a traditional sense. But does it inspire them?

“Hopefully,” he says.

“More Opera!”

MEET ELIZABETH HERLITZ CORTES, WHO HAS BIG PLANS FOR OPÉRA LOUISIANE

“P

uccini is the gateway drug to opera,” swears Elizabeth Herlitz Cortes, Opéra Louisiane’s new Interim Director of Development and Community Engagement. She remembers vividly the moment her addiction began, singing in the chorus for an LSU Opera performance of La Bohème. “It was the second act, and I just started bawling, weeping,” she said. “I was so moved. I was like ‘This is what I want to do for the rest of my life’.”

She’d already known she was going to be in music; she had been playing the violin for sixteen years and started

training in voice in high school after observing an LSU Opera dress rehearsal performance of The Ballad of Baby Doe. She’d performed with the Baton Rouge Little Theater (now Theatre Baton Rouge) and had been voted “Most Likely to Get on Broadway” in her class at The Dunham School. But this moment in the middle of La Bohème, this is what sealed Cortes’s fate as a devotee of opera.

“That became my goal,” she said. After LSU, she attended Bowling Green University in Ohio to pursue a Masters of Music, where she became a member of the Toledo Opera Young Artists Program. “I was singing over three hundred performances for kids’ shows,” she said. “I was singing everywhere. And for the rest of my life, I know I have high notes at 8 o’clock in the morning, a high C at 8 am. Your technique sets in.”

Years later, having performed with numerous opera companies and music organizations, an opportunity as the Director of Development for Spotlight on Opera at Shreveport’s Centenary College brought her back home to Louisiana. There, she began to realize the power of her passion for opera, her ability to bring people to the art. “Right out of the gate, I believed in the power of opera so much, and I was able to verbalize the invitation, the why,” she said.

The why, she explained, is that opera is an access point

to all the arts that begins with the universal language of music. “Opera has a way to bridge all of these gaps, regardless of your political lines, age group, life experiences—for three hours we are all sitting in the same auditorium and we are able to connect with our humanity, to connect on the events that change us fundamentally as people,” she said. “At some point in time, we have all experienced passion, grief, anger, rage, joy elation. No other art form can do it like opera.”

In this new role at Opéra Louisiane, which brought her back to the hometown that introduced her to the art, Cortes plans to preach the gospel of “more opera!” With an overarching goal of making opera more accessible to more demographics in the Greater Baton Rouge region, she hopes to break down the barriers that make the artform intimidating or unfamiliar. “Sometimes you have to teach people how to enjoy the artform, to connect the dots,” she said, adding that she plans to maximize Opéra Louisiane’s presence in the community through local events and outreach efforts. “The majority of Baton Rouge hasn’t grown up with opera, so it’s about making it fun and enjoyable, recognizable. It needs to be commonplace again. It’s time to double down.”

—Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Learn more about Opéra Louisiane at operalouisiane.com, and don’t miss the chance to experience Puccini, the gateway drug, at the organization’s upcoming fundraising event “Dreams of Love: A Puccini Celebration” on September 5.

See Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight” fit in Mississippi

THE GRAMMY MUSEUM MISSISSIPPI ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF THE “TAYLOR SWIFT: THROUGH THE ERAS” EXHIBITION

Haven’t managed to snag Eras tour tickets yet?

Southern Swifties can soften the blow with an excursion to Cleveland, Mississippi—where the GRAMMY Museum there has recently unveiled a tribute to the larger-than-life popstar, nodding to her retrospective approach to her recent work with the exhibition title, Taylor Swift: Through the Eras

As Swift embarks on the last leg of her history-making international tour, the folks at the GRAMMY Museum Mis sissippi, with a sponsorship from Visit Mississippi, have made space to honor her musical legacy. “Just as the GRAM MY Museum Mississippi celebrates the evolution of music and genres, Taylor’s evolution from country to pop and later to indie-folk showcases the idea that music is not static but continually evolves,” said Emily Havens, Executive Director of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. “With fourteen GRAMMY Awards and over fifty nominations, her career alone is inspiring audiences to explore their creativity and push boundaries.”

The exhibition features a collection of artifacts representing Swift’s eleven “eras.” Some exciting exhibits include Swift’s custom Taylor GS-6 “Sparkle Guitar” from her Fearless tour, the custom Marina Toybina outfit with LaDuca boots from her 2013 GRAMMY performance of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” the 2018 Reputation tour Jessica Jones bodysuit and Louboutin boots, the Stella McCartney coat from the cover of evermore, and the Mati cevski gown and gloves from the “Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)” music video released earlier this year.

Swift: Through the Eras opened on August 23 and will run through February 2025. Details at grammymuseumms.org.

—Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Taylor

Elizabeth Herlitz Cortes, the new Interim Director of Development and Community Engagement at Opéra Louisiane.

Image courtesy of Visit Mississippi.

A Tip Tap Tale Takes the Stage

DENISE GALLAGHER’S JOURNEY FROM PAGE TO PERFORMANCE

It’s not often that someone finds their niche in fairy tales, but that’s exactly what artist, author, and, most recently, producer Denise Gallagher has done. Gallagher’s fanciful illustrations evoke the enchantment and mystery of Grimm’s fairy tales and fables from days of yore. It’s no wonder she long dreamed of bringing her stories beyond the page. As she puts it, “I wanted to create something that accompanied the music in my head.” And that’s precisely what she’s achieved with her children’s book, A Tip Tap Tale, which has now blossomed into a musical.

In A Tip Tap Tale, readers follow the adventures of Bouzou, a mud-brown hound dog from Louisiana, as he journeys from the swamp to the glittering stages of New Orleans—accompanied by Gallagher’s use of alliteration and jazzy rhythms.

“There has always been a tiny part of me deep down inside that wondered what it would be like to see one of my stories grow beyond the page and become something even grander,” said Gallagher. This dream began to take shape when she met Allison Brandon, the owner of Wonderland Performing Arts, in the fall of 2023. Their meeting sparked the idea of transforming A Tip Tap Tale into a musical, a concept that was soon backed by an ArtSpark Grant from the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

The grant, funded by the Lafayette Economic Development Authority and the National Endowment for the Arts, aims to support individual artists by pushing them to explore new creative avenues. For Gallagher, this grant was the key to turning her dream into reality. “The application process made me think about every detail of the project,” Gallagher said. “Once I received the grant, I hit the ground running, knowing I had a lot to do before the musical’s debut.”

Gallagher, who was new to writing for the stage, immersed herself in the world of children’s theater, studying various productions and reimagining her story as a series of scenes, each with its own musical number. To bring her vision to life, she collaborated with Colin Smith, a talented musician who infused the show with a lively Louisiana spirit. “He took my lyrics and my tone-deaf tunes and worked magic,” said Gallagher, highlighting the collaborative nature of the project.

The stage adaptation of A Tip Tap Tale also saw some significant changes from the original book. In the musical, the character of the Flea takes on a much larger role, serving as both a narrator and a central character with his own song number.

The performance, produced with Wonderland Performing Arts and premiered on August 31, was not just a culmination of Gallagher’s creative journey, but also a testament to the power of collaboration and community support. The production has brought together a talented cast of fourteen young actors, as well as a dedicated crew of designers and directors, all working together to bring this enchanting story to life.

Looking ahead, Gallagher is excited about the possibilities that this project has opened up for her. With a picture book and a middle-grade novel currently under submission, and a top-secret book project in the works, she’s not ruling out the potential for more theatrical endeavors. She admitted, “I think I may have caught the theater bug!”

—Shanna Dickens

Learn more about Gallagher and A Tip Tap Tale: The Musical at denisegallagher.com.

Image courtesy of Denise Gallagher

SEPTEMBER 2024

FIND OUT WHO'S IN LIGHTS, WHO'S IN TIGHTS, AND WHO'S ON STAGE. CULTURAL FESTIVALS, LIVE MUSIC, AND THEATRE PERFORMANCES GALORE •

On September 19, an evening with Carl “Buffalo” Nichols at the Acadiana Center for the Arts may surprise you. Nichols’ second album, The Fatalist, pushes the boundaries of what the blues can be, urging listeners to embrace the present by introducing electronic music to an old tradition, among other stylistic choices. By intimately linking his music to the modern day, Nichols reminds his audience the original force behind the blues is as immediate and pressing today as ever. See page 28 for details. Photo credit: Samer Ghani.

UNTIL SEP 2nd

WHO WOULDA THOUGHT … SHRIMP AND PETROLEUM FESTIVAL

Morgan City, Louisiana

Booth after booth after booth of festival food is the calling card of the longrunning Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, which has returned to Morgan City every summertime for almost ninety years. That first parade is remembered as a ragtag procession of local frog and alligator hunters, shrimpers, crabbers, and oystermen demonstrating on Labor Day. Famous for its Historic Blessing of the Fleet and boat parade, which features decorated shrimp boats, pleasure crafts, offshore supply boats, and some of the biggest "muscle" boats of the offshore industry, this festival has been rated a Top 20 Southeast Tourism Society event. Time magazine described it as "...the best, the most unusual, the most downhome, the most moving and the most fun that the country has to offer." This five-day crustacean celebration is one of Louisiana's oldest harvest festivals, a true celebration of men and women working in the region's seafood and petroleum

industries and the ways they work handin-hand culturally and environmentally.

Entertainment includes continuous live music by local and national acts, an arts & crafts show and sale, a children's village, fireworks, a car show, bass & softball tournaments, the huge Cajun Culinary Classic cooking contest, and lots more. Event locations vary, with most of the action centered around downtown Morgan City's Lawrence Park. Free. shrimpandpetroleum.org. •

UNTIL SEP 8th

LOOKING UP

FIERCE PLANETS AT LSU MOA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Featuring fiber art inspired by Johns Hopkins University’s Dr. Sabine Stanley, Fierce Planets: Work from the Studio Art Quilt Associates displays forty-two pieces from artists across the globe evoking space and the planets at the LSU Museum of Art. Their interpretations run the gamut from traditional quilts to soft sculptures. LSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and Geology and Geophysics

displays artifacts alongside artwork, such as a tile from a Space Shuttle, so viewers can access a richer understanding of space. Students of Associate Professor Loren Schwerd from LSU’s College of Art and Design have also designed and installed a sculpture inspired by the galactic theme on view in the adjoining gallery. lsumoa.org.

UNTIL

ARTISTIC ODDITIES

CURIOUSART AT THE ACA Lafayette, Louisiana

Explore a world of unexpected perspectives at Acadiana Center for the Arts' CuriousArt: The Fascinating Assemblage of George Graham exhibition. Hosted at the ACA ArtHouse & Mallia Galleria, Graham's work repurposes recycled and discarded materials, among other elements, to create intricate pieces that push the boundaries of artistic tradition. His use of unconventional canvases and mixed media further embellishes his distinct, often surprising art. acadianacenterforthearts.org. •

Events

Beginning September 1st - September 6th

UNTIL SEP 28th

ART EXHIBIT

“LAND AND SEE: A COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS”

Covington, Louisiana

Dive into surf and skate culture with Adam Israel Valadez’s Land and Sea: A Collection of Photographs at the St. Tammany Art Association. Valadez’s films and stills foster a deeper relationship between humans and nature, combining various genres to produce stark, intimate depictions of skateboarders and surfers. sttammany.art. •

UNTIL OCT 13th

ART EXHIBIT

LOUISIANA CONTEMPORARY

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is hosting its state-wide, juried exhibition, Louisiana Contemporary, curated by Lauren Haynes, the Head Curator of Governors Island Arts and Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Trust for Governors Island. The exhibition features works by thirty-seven Louisiana artists from over one-thousand submissions in a showcase of contemporary art practices in the region. ogdenmuseum.org. •

SEP 1st - SEP 8th

THEATRE

THE ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL

New Iberia, Louisiana

What happens when Wednesday Addams—known for her gloomy personality—falls in love with a charming man from a well-to-do family? Audiences will find out in Iberia Performing Arts League’s production of The Addams Family Musical. Hijinks ensue as the family known for being anything but ordinary hosts a fateful dinner for Wednesday’s normal boyfriend. 7 pm Thursdays— Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. (337) 364-6114. ipaltheater.com. •

SEP 5th

MAKE 'EM LAUGH

STAND UP COMEDY WITH MIA JACKSON

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From Comedy Central and MGM+, to Amy Schumer's national tour and Hulu's Life & Beth — comedian Mia Jackson has brought her signature smart relatability to great heights, and now she's coming to Baton Rouge. Catch her at the Manship Theatre. 7:30 pm. $25. Rated R. manshiptheatre.org. •

SEP 5th

PROVOCATIVE PERFORMANCES

CHAOTIC GOOD TIME: THE SELECT-YOUR-OWNADVENTURE BURLESQUE & VARIETY SHOW

New Orleans, Louisiana

Immerse yourself in a risqué adventure at the Allways Lounge, brought to life through enchanting performances from the most talented burlesque, drag, and variety stars New Orleans has to offer— paired with unforgettable storytelling, where your choices decide the fate of the evening's events. Whether or not the characters live happily ever after, a "Chaotic Good Time" is sure to be had by all. 7 pm. $20; $35 for VIP; $50 for VIP Deluxe Adventurer Package. thesocietyofsin.com. •

SEP 5th

LIVE MUSIC

BRIAN BLADE AND THE FELLOWSHIP BAND AT THE ACA Lafayette, Louisiana

Spend an evening at the James Devin Moncus Theater at the Acadiana Center for the Arts with Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, formed in 1997. In the twenty-six years of its existence, the band has released seven albums, including Kings Highway in 2023. 7:30 pm. $45. (337) 233-7060. acadianacenterforthearts.org. •

SEP 5th

ONSTAGE

YESTERDAY AND TODAY: THE INTERACTIVE BEATLES EXPERIENCE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Meet Billy Matthew and Ryan McGuigan, who despite their remarkable talents, are not pretending to be Lennon and McCartney. Their show is not about being transported back in time as much as it is celebrating The Beatles' music in the lives of the here and now. Arrive early to participate in the song request process—wherein audience members submit request cards with their name, their favorite Beatles song, and the reason they chose the song. This is how Matthew and McGuigan will choose their setlist, creating a narrative and storytelling experience built around the audience's memories and passion for The Beatles. 7:30 pm. $30–$50. manshiptheatre.org. •

Forty-two pieces of fiber art inspired by Johns Hopkins University’s Dr. Sabine Stanley form the basis of LSU Museum of Art's Fierce Planets exhibition, which remains on view until September 8. See page 11. Mary Tyler, "BANG," 2023. Cotton, computer generated fractal image. Photographed by Myron Gauger. Courtesy of Studio Art Quilt Associates.

SEP 5th

HIGH-C DREAMS OF LOVE AT

OPÉRA LOUISIANE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Allow yourself to be swept away during an enchanting evening of Puccini in celebration of one of opera's most iconic composers. Hosted at City Club of Baton Rouge, the event will include dinner, drinks, and ethereal melodies to kick off the opening of Opéra Louisiane's 2024–2025 Season. Accompanied by Artistic Director Michael Borowitz and headlined by an ensemble of artists, the program will include arias and ensembles that illustrate Puccini's legacy. 7 pm–10 pm. $150–$250. operalouisiane.com. •

SEP 5th

GREEN THUMBS

GREENHOUSES AND FALL VEGETABLES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Ready to take the plunge and go for a greenhouse—but have no idea where to start? Or are you eager to plant a fall vegetable patch but need some guidance on what, how, and when, to grow? The East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners arrive to answer these questions and more during their latest workshop at the Main Library on Goodwood Boulevard. Free. 6:30 pm. ebrmg.wildapricot.org. •

SEP 5th -

SEP 27th

LIVE MUSIC

SEPTEMBER AT THE RED DRAGON

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

In its modest digs on Florida Boulevard,

the Red Dragon Listening Room, wellknown and emerging songwriters take the stage several times each month. With the venue's non-profit status all money raised at the door goes directly to the artists. Join the eager audience for one, or all, of these concerts:

• September 5: Charlie Mars (solo). $25–$35.

• September 6: Verlon Thompson w/ Clay Parker, Jodi James, and Eric Schmitt. $50–$65.

• September 13: Ryan Harris & Friends. $35–$35.

• September 20: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (band). $30–$40.

• September 25: Weeping Willows (Andy & Laura). $25–$35.

• September 27: Chris Thomas King. $50–$65.

Shows usually start at 7 pm or 8 pm. (225) 939-7783. Tickets at paypal.me/ reddragonlr; mention the artist in the message line. See the most updated schedule at the Red Dragon Listening Room Facebook Page. •

SEP 6th

GALAS LE PETIT THEATRE'S CURTAIN CALL BALL

New Orleans, Louisiana

Le Petit Theatre might be petite, but its fundraiser is "trés grande". Ever implementing the phrase "the show must go on," this year's gala kicks off the 108th season at Le Petit Theatre and Tableau restaurant. The evening begins

Events

Beginning September 6th

with cocktails and cuisine, before moving into the historic playhouse for a live performance by Broadway star and Tony Award Winner Betsy Wolfe (who starred in Waitres s, Falsettos, and Estella Scrooge). Guests can also bid on art, jewelry, and experiences in silent and live auctions. 6:30 pm. $250; $150 for guests forty and younger. lepetittheatre.com. •

SEP 6th

LIVE MUSIC

DOWNTOWN ALIVE!

Lafayette, Louisiana

Downtown Alive! has merged community and culture to create a first Friday of the month tradition (in the spring and fall) and celebration in the many creative spaces in downtown Lafayette. Food and beverage concession are available, and sales help keep Downtown Alive! free, so please leave your ice chests at home with your pets. This month, catch The Good Dudes at Parc Sans Souci. 6 pm. Free. downtownlafayette.org.•

SEP 6th - SEP 8th

THEATRE

SHREK: THE MUSICAL

New Orleans, Louisiana

Based on the Academy Award-winning DreamWorks film, Shrek: The Musical stars an unseemly ogre, a damsel in distress, a donkey who won't shut up, and a host of fairy tale misfits. Irreverent fun for all comes to the Saenger Theatre for three days only. 7:30 pm Friday; 2 pm and 8 pm Saturday; 1 pm Sunday. $29–$79. saengernola.com.•

SEP 6th - SEP 8th

LOOKING AT ART

TAWASI ANTIQUES & ART

Thibodaux, Louisiana

Sift through countless vintage and antique items—from estate and costume jewelry, to furniture, home décor, linens, original art, and far beyond at the TAWASI Antiques & Art Show at the Warren J. Harang, Jr. Municipal Auditorium. There will also be a raffle of donated items, and drawings for door prizes Friday and Saturday from 10 am–5 pm and Sunday from 10 am–4 pm.

$10 for the whole weekend. Tickets at eventbrite.com or at the door. tawasi.net. •

SEP 6th - SEP 14th

LIVE MUSIC CONCERTS AT THE BLUE MOON SALOON

Lafayette, Louisiana

For over twenty years now, the intimate Blue Moon Saloon has reigned as one of Acadiana's premiere locations for roots music, dancehall and all. A true homegrown honky tonk, the saloon is located on the outskirts of downtown district, and hosts performances of traveling and local musicians almost every weekend, and plenty during the weekdays, too. Here's what's coming up:

• September 6: Julian Primeaux, 8 pm.

• September 7: The Debtors, 8 pm.

• September 14: Amis du Teche, 8 pm. bluemoonpresents.com. •

SEP 6th - SEP 26th

ART EXHIBIT

RETROSPECTRUM: THE UNSEEN WORKS OF ALEX HARVIE & TJ BLACK

Hammond, Louisiana

Explore work by Alex Harvie and TJ Black, two artists prominent in the New Orleans art scene and known for

their distinctive, boundary-pushing styles. Hammond Regional Arts Center will host a showcase of recent work— some pieces of which have never been displayed before. All welcome at an opening reception on September 6 from 5 pm–8 pm. hammondarts.org. •

SEP 6th - SEP 27th

ART CLASS COLOR THEORY & DESIGN

Covington, Louisiana

Learn the basics of color theory through the lens of historical greats like Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Monet in this four-week art course delving into color mixing and painting at St. Tammany Art Association Art House in downtown Covington. Rachel Crawford, an awardwinning artist who studied at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, takes a hands-on approach to teaching her course as students create color wheels and paint while exploring the balance among color harmony, contrast, and value. The course will also expose students to design principles, elements of art, and the Divine Proportion. Students are responsible for most supplies and all experience levels are welcome. 1 pm–3 pm. $170. (985) 8928650. sttammany.art/colortheory. •

laughter

For life’s moments, big and small. We’re here with the strength of the cross, the protection of the shield. The Right Card. The Right Care.

The Angel Oak

Names are said to hold power, guiding our paths with purpose and distinction. The name “Angel” is one such name, rich with symbolism for hope. Like an angel, oak trees represent strength and hope, and the Angel Oak on Johns Island, South Carolina, embodies these qualities. With its stately branches spread wide like an angel’s wings, this majestic tree stands as a beacon of positivity, offering a message of resilience and unity to all who stand in its presence.

The story of the Angel Oak is one of nature’s quiet power, a living testament to the enduring spirit that connects the past, present, and future. The tale begins in an era when the world was much younger and human footsteps were far fewer. The tree sprouted in the shadows of taller

giants, stretching its limbs as it grew upwards and outwards.

The Angel Oak is steeped in history. Its roots dug deep into the soil, the tree witnessed Charleston’s growth from a small settlement into a thriving port city. It stood tall through hurricanes that lashed the coast and survived earthquakes that shook the earth beneath its mighty trunk. Floods tried to claim its ground, but the Angel Oak held firm against the forces of nature.

The tree became a gathering place for the community, with generations of families creating memories that would be passed down through time. Legends surrounding the Angel Oak added to its mystique, with some believing it

was protected by angels or inhabited by spirits. Visitors from near and far marvel at its grandeur, and its heavy branches, which rest upon the ground like sturdy pillars, become a playground for the island’s children.

Today, as the sun sets and casts a golden hue upon its leaves, the Angel Oak stands as a reminder of the importance of preserving our natural wonders. It teaches us the value of resilience and care for the world we live in. The Angel Oak invites us to slow down, appreciate the beauty that nature offers, and consider the legacy we leave behind. This living story, with its branches like the arms of an ancient guardian, welcomes all who come to experience the magic of its shade.

Events

Beginning September 6th - September 7th

SEP 6th - OCT 20th

ART EXHIBIT

AFTERGLOW

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Explore unique perspectives of the American immigrant, as defined by two artists' shared experiences as women and first-generation Americans. Afterglow presents recent works by Jade Hoyer and Lauren Cardenása—whose parents immigrated from Mexico and the Philippines respectively, that utilize printmaking to express the double consciousness feeling of foreignness that informs their understanding of the concept of "home." Presented by the LSU School of Art in Glassell Gallery, the exhibition seeks to bring LSU faculty and visiting artists with a variety of perspectives together in conversation. An artist talk will be held September 6 from 5 pm–8 pm. glassellgallery.org. •

SEP 6th - OCT 27th

ART EXHIBIT

"ENIGMAS & ENTANGLEMENTS" AT NUNU

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Artist Denise Verret’s Enigmas & Entanglements exhibition of new works

will kick off this month at NUNU Arts & Culture Collective. Verret, a Lake Charles native, often uses acrylic painting, mixed media drawing, and monotypes in her work, which is influenced by Dadaism and some Surrealism, among other traditions. Recurring elements in her work include pattern, line, and texture, while themes such as landscape, water, fire, and sky permeate her oeuvre. A reception with live music and complimentary food and beverages will be held September 13 from 6 pm–8:30 pm. Free. For details contact gene@powellschicago.com. (337) 847-1000. nunucollective.org.•

SEP 7th

FIT & FUN

2024 SICKLE CELL

ANEMIA RED RUN

New Orleans, Louisiana

Walk or run a 2K to support those impacted by Sickle Cell Anemia with the 2024 Red Run at City Park Festival Grounds. $30 for individual runners; $20 per person in a group of 10 or more. 7 am sign up; 8 am start. More information can be found at nolascaawareness.com. •

SEP 7th

THREADS

CREATIVE ACADIANA NEEDLE FELTING BASICS

Lafayette, Louisiana

For the latest in the ACA's Creative Acadiana workshop series, the artist and soft sculpture enthusiast Nhi Ngo will lead participants through the basics of needle felting. Basics aside, this class will explain many common beginner mistakes, and provide a guided demo to follow. Everyone goes home with a boiled shrimp charm made with their own hands. 2 pm at 101 W. Vermilion Street. $30 includes all necessary supplies. acadianacenterforthearts.org. •

SEP 7th

ALL A TWITTER

BIRDING WALK AT CAT ISLAND

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

Wake up bright and early to enjoy either a bird or nature walk at Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge. Hosted by the Friends of Cat Island, the walks will span about three miles and allow nature lovers to talk to experts about species identification. Bring water, bug spray, and sunscreen. Bird walk at 6 am; nature walk at 8 am. Free. Register with William Daniel at (225) 721-0090 or epewhd@icloud.com •

SEP 7th

ONSTAGE

BETSY WOLFE'S ONE-WOMAN CABARET * PANTS OPTIONAL New Orleans, Louisiana

Tony nominated Broadway darling Betsy Wolfe is bringing her one-woman cabaret show to Le Petit Theatre for one night only. 7:30 pm. $20–$90. lepetittheatre.com. •

SEP 7th

HISTORY & HERTIAGE THE WOMEN OF OAKLEY Saint Francisville, Louisiana

Four generations of women owned and operated Oakley House in what was otherwise considered to be a man's world. At the same time, the generations of African American women who served them fought to create and maintain their own identities. In this guided experience at Audubon Park, guests will get a behind the scenes look at both lineages of resilient women. Tours offered at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. $10; $8 for seniors 62 and older; $6 for students ages 4–17; free for children 3 and younger. (225) 6353739. lastateparks.com/historic-sites/ audubon-state-historic-site. •

SEP 7th

GOOD EATS

COVINGTON FOOD TRUCK & ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL

Covington, Louisiana

Grab a bite and beer on tap from Covington’s food trucks at this fun and festive evening at the fairgrounds. Come for the food, stay for the live music and local vendors. Awards, including for several food categories, will be given. 10 am–4 pm. Free to enter. More info at the Covington Food Truck & Arts and Crafts Festival Facebook Event. •

SEP 7th - SEP 15th

FESTIVAL

OLDIES BUT GOODIES FEST & BBQ COOK-OFF

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Go back to the good old days with the Oldies But Goodies Fest & BBQ CookOff, held at the West Baton Rouge Tourist Information & Conference Center over two weekends. The celebration kicks off with the Smokin Oldies BBQ Cook-Off on September 7, with food vendors and crafters on site. Then, on September 15, don your bell bottoms, a white t-shirt, and some sneakers for a day of hula hoop and jitterbug contests, an antique car show, and live music from Justin Cornett and Swampland Revival. Grab

some grub from local food and beverage vendors and enjoy the fun. 11 am–5 pm. Contact Lois Webre at (225) 344-2920 or lwebre@wbrcvb.com.westbatonrouge.net.

SEP 7th - SEP 21st

LIVE MUSIC CONCERTS AT LAKEVIEW PARK & BEACH

Eunice, Louisiana

The perfect escape into the wonderful wilderness of Cajun Country, Lakeview Park & Beach is a favorite among visitors (among them: Anthony Bourdain, Tony Chachere) and locals alike. Here are les bons temps of the summer:

• September 7: Dustin Sonnier & the Wanted, 8 pm.

• September 14: Travis Matte & the Kingpins, 8 pm.

• September 21: Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners, 8 pm. $10 for non-campers. lvpark.com •

SEP 7th - SEP 22nd

THEATRE 'TIL BETH DO US PART Covington, Louisiana

It’s not your average mid-life crisis in this raucous romp of a play lambasting a marriage on the brink of an untimely death—and one man’s efforts to bring it back to life. Hijinks ensue in 'Til

Protegeme 2024, a lithograph by Lauren Cardenás, is among pieces included in the LSU School of Art Glassell Gallery exhibition Afterglow. Through October 20.

Events

Beginning September 7th

Beth Do Us Part, running this month at Playmakers, Inc. Community Theater, as the confident Beth Bailey sashays into one couple’s life and threatens to break them apart to fulfill her own career ambitions. Does Gibby Hayden, the husband caught in the middle of his own marital breakdown, have what it takes to save his happily ever after? 7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. $15–$30. (985) 263-0055. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 7th - SEP 30th

ART EXHIBIT

BACKROADS AND BAYOUS: VISIONS OF LOUISIANA LIFE

New Orleans, Louisiana

This month, New Orleans artist Camille Barnes showcases her realistic oil paintings, reflecting the simple beauty of Louisiana life at Gallery 600 Julia. Inspired by the charm of her native city and educated at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, Barnes specializes in portraits and landscapes. An artist reception will be held September 7 at 6 pm–8 pm. (504) 895-7375. gallery600julia.com. •

SEP 7th - OCT 7th

BEHIND THE SCENES BACKSTAGE HOLLYWOOD: BOB WILLOUGHBY

Port Allen, Louisiana

Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of old Hollywood when the West Baton Rouge Museum presents

photographs by Bob Willoughby. This exhibition gathers photographs Willoughby shot backstage during the making of seventeen iconic films, from My Fair Lady to Rosemary's Baby. His spontaneous portraits of famous faces have come to define celebrity portraiture. Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am–4:30 pm, and Sunday from 2 pm–5 pm. $4 adults; $2 seniors, military, and students; Free for residents of West Baton Rouge and members of the West Baton Rouge Historical Association. westbatonrougemuseum.org. •

SEP 7th - NOV 23rd

ART EXHIBIT

WALTER ANDERSON - THE SOUTH'S MOST ELUSIVE ARTIST Meridian, Mississippi

Explore the vibrant watercolors, decorated ceramics, and detailed pencil sketches of Walter Inglis Anderson, sometimes called the “South’s most elusive artist.” A prolific twentieth century artist, Anderson led a deeply private life and often sought out the tranquility of his coastal cottage in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and spent long stretches camping on Horn Island, to capture the beauty of the natural world of the Gulf South. The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience in Meridian hosts a traveling exhibition of forty original pieces by Anderson. 11 am–5 pm Monday through Saturday; 1 pm–5 pm Sunday. $10; $8 for military and seniors; $5 for students and children. walterandersonmuseum.org. •

Adeline Miller from Amis du Teche, one of the bands playing at the Blue Moon Saloon this month.

Photo by David Simpson.

2024

• 9/13-14 – Mighty Roots Music Festival

• 10/9-12 – King Biscuit Blues Festival (Helena, Arkansas)

• 10/13 – Clarksdale Super Blues Sunday

• 10/13 – Pinetop Perkins Homecoming

upcoming events

• 10/17-20 – Deep Blues Fest

• 10/ 17-19 – Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival

• 10/24-27 – Hambone Festival

• 10/25-26 – Cruz’n The Crossroads Car & Truck Show

• 12/31 – Clarksdale’s New Year’s Eve Weekend 2025

• 1/24-26 – Clarksdale Film & Music Festival

• 03/29 – TATER SuperBad Blues Festival

• 4/10-13 – Juke Joint Festival & Related Events

Events

Beginning September 8th - September 12th

SEP 8th - SEP 25th

CATWALKS & COUTURE

HIGH FASHION ART SHOW & EXHIBITION

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Clothing designs by LSU and SU students will hit the runway at the High Fashion Art Show & Art Exhibition at Banana Republic in Town Center at Cedar Lodge, hosted by ellemnop.art.

The two-day fashion show (taking place September 13 at 7:30 pm and September 15 at 6:30 pm) will feature designs by students majoring in Textile, Apparel, and Merchandising. An accompanying month-long art exhibition showcasing fifteen local visual artists will also be held in store to bring an immersive artistic experience to shoppers. $25–$40. ellemnop.art/highfashionfineartii. •

SEP 8th - SEP 29th

MOVIE NIGHT

FILMS AT THE MANSHIP

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Leave the X-Men to the megaplex. Each month, the Manship Theatre offers a slate

of films, from modern classics to engaging new documentaries and locallyproduced stories. Here's what's in store:

• September 8: Common Ground:

The highly anticipated sequel to the documentary Kiss the Ground , this journalistic exposé finds its effect in personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, laid against the underbelly of money, power, and politics that fuel our struggling food and farm system. 2 pm. $12.50.

• September 25 & 29: Manhattan

Short Film Festival: As one of five hundred cities across six continents, Baton Rouge will host screenings at the Manship Theatre of the ten finalists in the 2024 Manhattan Short Film Festival—a format that offers attendees the chance to view, then vote for, their favorite films. And with past finalists having gone on to receive Oscar nominations in the "short film" category, the festival has become known as a breeding ground for the next big thing in film. You be the judge. 7:30 pm Wednesday; 2 pm Sunday. $13.50. manshiptheatre.org. •

BROOKHAVEN

FALL CONCERT SERIES

RAILROAD PARK STAGE

7:00–9:00PM

SEPTEMBER 13TH

SYMONE FRENCH & THE TROUILLE TROUPE

OCTOBER 18TH

AA’KEELA & THE BEATS

NOVEMBER 15TH

KEYS VS. STRINGS

SEP 12th

ONSTAGE SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE WITH THE LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra's 2024–2025 season gets underway at the Orpheum Theater with a performance of Pulse, an original piece penned by Brian Raphael Nabors, assistant professor of composition at the LSU School of Music. Also on repertoire will be performances of Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Hector Berlioz’s magnificent Symphonie

•

SEP 12th

ONSTAGE

AMANDA SHAW AT THE MANSHIP

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana's fiddle master Amanda Shaw has performed for over twenty years, bringing the energy and spirit of Cajun music across the globe. See her at the Manship Theatre. 7:30 pm. $30–$50. manshiptheatre.org. •

OLE BROOK FESTIVAL 50TH ANNUAL

DOWNTOWN BROOKHAVEN

6:00PM – 9:00PM

OCTOBER 5TH

OCTOBER 4TH 8:00AM – 4:00PM

Fantastique. Pre-concert talk by Maestro Matthew Kraemer at 6:30 pm. Concert at 7:30 pm. lpomusic.com.

"Wildman Kyron 2," by Rick Dobbs, is among pieces by thirty-seven Louisiana artists selected as part of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art's 2024 Louisiana Contemporary exhibition. Continues through October 13. See page 12.

Exchanging Culture, Step by Step

THE INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL NEW ORLEANS RETURNS

Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

In 2018, shortly after Leslie Scott’s contemporary dance organization BODYART expanded from Los Angeles to New Orleans, it premiered the multimedia production of hymn+them at Hotel Peter & Paul. The work is a feminist take on the Wizard of Oz that, through dance and integrated media, explores the oft-romanticized identity of the American woman, and it has had a much longer life than Scott ever imagined.

Later this month, six years since its premier, an excerpt of hymn+them will return to Hotel Peter & Paul as part of BODYART’s second annual International Dance Festival. “It’s really come full circle,” said Scott.

The piece itself played an integral part in the conception of the festival itself; in 2022 (after years of pandemic-related delays) BODYART took hymn+them on tour to Chile as part of an exchange with two arts organizations there, Cooperativa Corredor de Danza Valparíso and Centro de Experimentación Escénica. The experience brought Scott to contemplate ways in which traditional international tours can often suffer from extractionary, colonial formats in which American dance companies arrive, enjoy the landscape and culture, perform, and then leave, never to be seen again. “It became really important to me to keep at the forefront that as much as we want to share our art, it does need to be a cultural conversation and exchange,” said Scott. “Like, what does cross collaboration actually look like? How can we reach each other’s communities and support one another?”

Upon returning from the tour, the team at BODYART thought about ways to bring the Chilean dance companies they had partnered with to New Orleans, to offer them a platform here. “And New Orleans being such a big festival city, it seemed like the way to go,” said Scott, who herself has decades of experience producing and participating in dance festivals across the globe. “And in terms of contemporary international dance festivals in this format—New Orleans didn’t have that yet.”

In its second iteration, the International Dance Festival New Orleans will once again bring together dancers from the world over to New Orleans. It will also showcase the work of artists working to share multi-cultural dance traditions here in New Orleans—including Nicole Golden, founder of the Cuban dance organization Dile Que NOLA and Kai Knight, who dances with the Kumbuka African Drum and Dance Collective and Bamboula 2000 Band.

“There are not a ton of opportunities for local artists to present themselves in shared evenings in town,” said Scott. “I love bringing artists together, because it always sparks that light you don’t even expect. It’s an opportunity to make space for artists to share their work and be in conversation with artists from another part of the country or globe, which can spark new conversations and friendships and potential collaborations.”

The festival format includes a schedule of performances, master classes, and facilitated community conversations—and this year will include the first ever Dance Film Festival. Scott, whose research and teaching practice as a professor at Tulane University is at the intersection of dance and media, wanted to provide an opportunity for dance-for-camera projects. “It’s a newer art form, but because of the pandemic I think it’s really increased in recent years as people are looking for platforms to share our work,” she said. After putting out the call for submissions, BODYART found themselves with hundreds of submissions from over thirty countries. Nine of those will be screened at the Broad Theater as part of the festival on Saturday; and a larger selection will be available via an online screening option as well. “It was really wonderful to see the outpouring of interest,” said Scott. After BODYART’s performance of hymn+them at the International Dance Festival this year, it will be put to stage one final time in January in Chile, as part of the organization’s continued exchange with Cooperativa Corredor de Danza Valparíso and Centro de Experimentación Escénica. From New Orleans, to Chile, back home, and back to Chile again—with new ideas and friends and opportunities in tow—“This is probably the end of this work, how it will close out for now; and it’s bittersweet but also really satisfying,” said Scott. “It’s just kind of tying it up in a way that makes me very grateful.” •

The International Dance Festival will take place September 12–15 at venues throughout New Orleans. Weekend passes are $100, and include access to all performances, masterclasses, and community conversations. The event, classes and all, is open and accessible to professional and amateur dancers alike. More info at idfnola.com.

Dancers, from top to bottom, photographed during events at the 2023 International Dance Festival: Kai Knight, Caleb Dowden, and Brett Garfinkel, teaching a class. Photos by Gali Du, courtesy of the International Dance Festival New Orleans.

Events

Beginning September 12th - September 13th

SEP 12th

LEXICOGRAPHERS

26TH ANNUAL SCRABBLE CHALLENGE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Gear up for the 26th annual Scrabble Challenge at L’Auberge Casino and Hotel, all to benefit Adult Literacy Advocates. Enjoy three rounds of team Scrabble, a cash bar, a silent auction, and a buffet, as ALA students share how funding can help them achieve their goals. Teams and individuals with the highest scores are eligible for cash prizes. 6 pm–9 pm. $35 per person; $100 for four or a table. Student discount available. Tickets at the door or adultliteracyadvocates.org. •

SEP 12th - SEP 15th

UP IN THE AIR

CIRQUE ITALIA WATER CIRCUS

Alexandria, Louisiana

Cirque Italia's latest production delivers the captivating story of Rafael, a farm boy swept away by a tornado, who lands in the heart of the city's chaos. Performances land at Lake Charles's Prien Lake Mall

from September 19–22. Water Circus is a comedic escapade in the cirque tradition that follows Rafael the Clown as he transitions from farm life to the dazzling lights of the city, finding the humor in these very different worlds. As Rafael navigates the city, he encounters many personalities, reflecting the facets of urban life. Featuring trampoline, high wire, swing, fire, and rope acts, Cirque's talented performers bring this animal-free production's shape-shifting characters to dramatic, acrobatic life, in the process celebrating the rich tapestry of human experience. Performances at 7:30 pm Thursday and Friday; 1:30 pm, 4:30 pm, and 7:30 pm Saturday, 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm Sunday, under the blue and white big top tent at the Alexandria Mall. cirqueitalia.com. •

SEP 12th - SEP 15th

CULTURAL FESTIVAL

INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL NOLA

New Orleans, Louisiana

For the second year, the New Orleans contemporary dance company

BODYART presents the International Dance Festival New Orleans. The event— hosted at Tulane University, Hotel Peter and Paul, the Marigny Opera House, the Broad Theatre, and the New Marigny Theatre—is a collaboration with Chilean arts organization Cooperativa Corredor de Danza Valparaíso. Conceived as an opportunity for cultural exchange through the art of dance, the festival is made up of performances, presentations, and masterclasses by local and international artists. The festival will also

debut the first ever International Dance Film Festival on Saturday, featuring a selection of dance films from all over the world, screened at the Broad Theatre. Most classes are open-level. Events begin at 7:30 pm Thursday and carry on through 10 pm Sunday. $100 pass for the weekend; $50 for local artists; options for individual event tickets. Learn more about the International Dance Festival in Jordan LaHaye Fontenot's article on page 21. idfnola.com. •

Above is Marie Costanza's work "Here's Looking at You" from Hit Me with your Best Shot, an exhibit of fifty extraordinary photographs of birds from around the world at the historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center in Lake Charles. On display September 27 to November 30.

SEP

12th - SEP 22nd

THEATRE

“YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU” Monroe, Louisiana

Meet the whimsical Sycamore family, who put their passions before all else. Strauss Theatre Center’s performance of George Kaufman and Moss Hart's classic comedy You Can’t Take It With You at the theatre in Monroe invites audiences to a comedic clash between two diametrically opposed families. When Alice Sycamore becomes engaged to her boss’s son, the Sycamores are forced to confront the conventional Kirby family. 7 pm Thursdays–Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. strausstc.com. •

SEP

12th - OCT 26th

ART EXHIBIT

ELIZABETHAN GALLERY ART SHOW

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Elizabethan Gallery hosts the work of members of the Associated Women in the Arts for its annual art show, this year titled Reflections & Shadows Just Around the Bend, including works by Kathy Daigle, Pat Wattam, Patricia Ryan, Shirley Young, Frances Durham, Dana Mosby, Muriel Prejean, Kay Lusk, Kim Pierson, Becky Olivier, Debbie Shirley, Donna Kilbourne, Terry Head, Laure Williamson, Debra O’Neil, SuEllen Lithgoe, Virginia Donner, Margaret

Blades, Jan Hebert, Carole Sexton, Monica Wood, Ellen Jenkins, Marylyn Daniel, Margo Brault, Meredith Smith and Nanci Charpentier. Meet the artists on September 12 from 5 pm–8 pm. Free. elizabethangallery.com. •

SEP

12th - NOV 17th

ART EXHIBIT

“SOUTHERN REFLECTIONS” AT THE LSU MOA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana painters Kathryn Keller and Shirley Rabé Masinter are paired at the LSU Museum of Art to showcase the state’s rural landscapes and intimate cityscapes, respectively. While Keller’s scenes of pastoral life combine loose brushstrokes and earthy tones to evoke the beauty of the natural world, Masinter produces photorealistic urban tableaux that capture the indomitable spirit of inner-city New Orleans. lsumoa.org. •

SEP 13th

EN POINTE

BROADWAY AT THE BALLET & SILENT AUCTION

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Support the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s mission while experiencing an enchanting evening filled with song, dance, and the magic of Broadway. Hosted at the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, the Broadway at

the Ballet Cabaret Style & Silent Auction will celebrate artistry while giving guests the opportunity to bid on items and experiences—all while enjoying hors d’oeuvres, wine, and beer. 7 pm–10 pm. $75. batonrougeballet.org. •

SEP 13th

THEATRE

BARTENDER, THE MUSICAL

Lafayette, Louisiana

Written and composed by New Iberia's own Ian Bonin, Bartender, the Musical dives right into the world of dating in the 21st century. Three bachelor best friends regal their war stories of bad dates, good dates, and searching for that elusive thing called a "soulmate" to the bartender, who has heard it all before. See this musical onstage at Cité des Arts. 7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. $20; $10 for students. citedesarts.org. •

SEP 13th -

SEP 14th

CHEERS

LOUISIANA BOURBON FESTIVAL

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

It's another year of celebrating local bourbon culture while supporting community causes. The Bourbon Society of Baton Rouge returns with its premiere event, The Louisiana Bourbon Fest.

Guests will get the opportunity to learn from leading authorities in the whiskey industries at educational seminars, and sip on craft bourbons from over thirty distilleries from around the country at a grand tasting. Ages 21 and up only. Seminars are from 10 am–5 pm, followed by the Grand Tasting from 7 pm–10 pm. $50 for designated drivers, $100 tasting tickets, $150 all-day seminar and tasting tickets, $250 VIP tasting and dinner tickets. louisianabourbonfest.com. •

SEP 13th - SEP 14th

THREADS

RED RIVER QUILTERS ANNUAL QUILT SHOW

Shreveport, Louisiana

View more than two hundred quilts at the Red River Quilters Annual Quilt Show at the Louisiana State Fairgrou nds Ag Building in Shreveport. This year, a National Association of Certified Judges certified quilt judge will assess the pieces. Enjoy a silent auction, vendors from across the South, and a special exhibit featuring water related blue batiks. With a theme of "The Roaring Twenties a Second Time Around," participants have the chance to pose with fun props from the era. Friday, 9 am–6 pm; Saturday, 9 am–4 pm. $10 ages 11 and older; $5 ages 5–10; free for children under five. redriverquilters.com. •

Upcoming Events

Harvest Days | Saturday, October 5 & Sunday, October 6 | 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Experience the history of 19th-century rural Louisiana during harvest time. Don't miss this unique opportunity to step back in time and explore the rich heritage of Louisiana! Tickets available at https://bit.ly/RLMHD2024

Corn Maze at Burden | Every Saturday in October | 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Traverse the maze. Meander through the sunflower fields. Ride a hayride and pick satsumas. Climb hay mountain. Explore the corn crib and more. Advance tickets required. Available at https://bit.ly/CornMaze24

Night Maze at Burden | Saturday, October 26 | 6-9 p.m.

Try to find your way out of the corn maze in the dark at Night Maze. Wear your Halloween costume and enjoy hay mountain, the corn crib and games. Join us for this fun, family event. Advance tickets required. Available at https://bit.ly/CornMaze24

Haints, Haunts & Halloween | Sunday, October 27 | 2-4:30 p.m.

Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and activities of an old-fashioned country fair. Enjoy storytelling, cake walks, games and trick-or-treating. Tickets available at https://bit.ly/RLMHHH2024

Premiering this holiday season!

November 29-December 29

Step inside a glowing wonderland and discover a new festive tradition. Experience the radiant beauty of historic Windrush Gardens at Burden, exquisitely lit for the holidays. Ticket sales coming soon!

An LSU and LSU AgCenter facility.

Events

Beginning September 13th -

SEP 13th - SEP 14th

ONSTAGE

DANCE/SPLITS AT ACA

Lafayette, Louisiana

Clare Cook and Leigha Porter seek to dazzle in this contemporary dance series at the James Devin Moncus Theater at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Cultivated specifically in creative spaces within Acadiana, Dance/Splits synthesizes the choreographers’ individual talents to create a performance promised to deliver boundary-pushing creativity. 7:30 pm. $25–$35. (337) 233-7060. acadianacenterforthearts.org

Learn more about Cook's process preparing for Dance/Splits in Jordan LaHaye Fontenot's story on page 40. •

SEP 13th - SEP 14th

FOOD FESTIVAL

NATCHITOCHES MEAT PIE FESTIVAL

Natchitoches, Louisiana

Not to worry, these aren't the London meat pies of the Sweeney Todd fame. Just the good ol', perfectly seasoned, beef and pork meat pies that Natchitoches

September 15th

is famous for, taking center-stage at this action-and-food-packed free festival held at the Riverbank in Downtown Natchitoches. The weekend will feature live music, children's activities, art vendors, a Brewfest, and of course all of the flakey, richly savory meat pies you could possibly eat. Free. 6 pm–10 pm Friday; 10 am–10:30 pm Saturday. meatpiefestival.com. •

SEP 13th - SEP 22nd

THEATRE

SIX, THE MUSICAL (TEEN EDITION)

Mandeville, Louisiana

Henry VIII’s six wives take to the stage to retell five hundred years of messy historical relationships, spinning them into a girl power ballad. 30 By Ninety presents Six, the Musical (Teen Edition), highlighting the lives of powerful queens often remembered only for their divorces or deaths. 8 pm Fridays & Saturdays; 2:30 pm Sundays. $32; $30 for seniors and military; $28 for students thirteen and older; $25 for children under twelve. (844) 843-3090. 30byninety.com. •

SEP

13th - SEP 22nd

THEATRE

SCHOOL OF ROCK: THE MUSICAL

Metairie, Louisiana

Jefferson Performing Arts kicks off its 47th season with a performance of School of Rock: The Musical at Jefferson Performing Arts Center. The musical follows a singer and guitarist who cons his way into substitute teaching at a prep school. He ends up forming a band of talented fifth-grade students in an effort to win a local Battle of the Bands competition. 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. 2 pm on Sundays. $30–$80. Tickets at (504) 885-2000 or jpas.org. •

SEP 14th

HISTORY & HERITAGE THE 1810 WEST FLORIDA REBELLION AT AUDUBON HISTORIC SITE

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

Audubon Park commemorates the 1810 West Florida Rebellion with a day of commemoration and education on Oakley Plantation's role in the September uprising. Activities include weapons demonstrations, uniform displays, and historical discussions. 10 am–3 pm. $10; $8 for seniors 62 and older; $6 for students ages 4–17; free for children 3 and younger. (225) 635-3739. •

SEP 14th

GREEN THUMBS

DEADHEADING AND PRUNING YOUR ROSE BUSHES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Color your thumb that little bit greener by attending "Deadheading and Pruning Your Rose Bushes: What, Why, How, When, Which and Even Who," a handson workshop presented by The Baton Rouge Botanic Garden Foundation as part of the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library's Garden Discoveries series. Led by consulting rosarian and master gardener Sheldon Johnson, the program addresses common questions about roses, then leads attendees on a tour of the Baton Rouge Botanic Gardens. Bring garden gloves and hand pruners to take part in the gardens' annual rose pruning following the lecture. Free. 10 am. Register at ebrpl.co/calendar. •

SEP 14th

WINGED WONDERS HAYNESVILLE CELEBRATION OF THE BUTTERFLIES

Haynesville, Louisiana

For the twenty-sixth year, Haynesville residents will gather in the Claiborne Parish Fair Complex to celebrate the season's winged beauties. Marvel at displays of various butterfly species, take part in butterfly gardening workshops led by

"Milton & J's," a watercolor by Shirley Rabé

featured at the LSU Museum of Art's Southern Reflections exhibit. On display from September 12 to November 17. See page 23.

entomologists and conservationists, and enjoy all the trappings of a small town festival: live music, arts and crafts vendors, children's activities, and delicious local food. Be sure to catch the butterfly release, one of the most magical moments of the festival, as well as the butterfly parade—featuring brilliant costumes and floats inspired by one of our region's most beautiful, and important, insects. haynesvillela.org. •

SEP 14th

LOOKING AT ART OPEN STUDIOS BR: AN ARTISTS' STUDIOS TOUR

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Get to know the local painters, jewelers, potters, and sculptors who shape the capital city's creative culture during Open Studios BR: A Baton Rouge Artists' Studios SelfGuided Tour, which encourages visits to locations across Baton Rouge. Open Studios BR invites the curious and those looking to get a head start on their holiday gift lists to the city's studios and creative spaces during a coordinated open house, using a web-based map. Free. 10 am–5 pm. jewelofhavana.com/openstudiosbr. •

SEP 14th

LIVE MUSIC MIDSUMMER JAZZ ON THE BAYOU Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Saxophone extraordinaire ScoSax brings a night of music and entertainment back to the Manship. Come and experience an exciting lineup of performers showcasing the region's signature sounds. Proceeds go to two local nonprofits. 7:30 pm. $45. manshiptheater.org. •

SEP

14th

RETAIL THERAPY

ST. GABRIEL FIREFLY MARKET

Saint Gabriel, Louisiana

Nestled under the majestic oaks of Chatsworth House, just a skip and a

hop from the Great Mississippi River, enjoy an afternoon exploring the wares of local vendors—offering goods such as fresh produce, jelly and jams, seasonings, sweets, homemade bread, arts and crafts, and more. Enjoy beverages from local beer, wine, and cocktail vendors while you shop and enjoy live music by local artists, and make a special Saturday evening out of it. 5 pm–9 pm. stgabrielfarmersmarket.com. •

SEP

14th

WHO'RE YOUR PEOPLE

"LOUISIANA'S GERMAN COAST:

300 YEARS OF HISTORY"

Port Allen, Louisiana

Stop by the West Baton Rouge Museum to learn more about the history of Louisiana's German Coast from Jay Schexnaydre, a tenth generation descendant of the River Road. Schexnaydre, President of the GermanAcadian Coast Historical & Genealogical Society, will discuss a range of topics from settler history and migration patterns to why "German" people speak French. 10:30 am–noon. Free. •

SEP 14th

FOOD FESTIVAL

BILOXI SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

Biloxi, Mississippi

The Biloxi Seafood Festival returns this year on the Biloxi Town Green for a full day of delicious seafood, live music, and arts & crafts. Enjoy music from the Chitlins, Hip Pocket, and The Network, among others. 9 am–9 pm. Find more information at the Biloxi Seafood Festival Facebook Page. •

SEP 14th - SEP 15th

GAMERS

RETRO CON

Morgan City, Louisiana

Calling all gamers! Head to the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium for Retro Con, a video game convention that celebrates everything across the gaming spectrum and beyond, from comic book authors to nerd culture. Enter video game tournaments, trade with video game vendors, and hobnob with dedicated cosplayers, comic creators, and local artists. Saturday from 10:30 am–6:30 pm; Sunday from 11 am–5 pm. Free. louisianaretroconvention.com. •

SEP 15th

BOOKWORMS

PREMIERE OF PRESS L. ROBINSON’S "PRESSING FORWARD"

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Join community leader and educator

Press L. Robinson, Sr. as he releases his

Masinter

Adapted from Fey’s hit 2004 film, Mean Girls was nominated for a staggering 12 Tony Awards. This queen-bee took Broadway by storm and has joined the musical in-crowd. And now, so can you with Mean Girls High School Version!

Events

Beginning September 15th - September 19th

new memoir, Pressing Forward, at the Main Library at Goodwood. Robinson recounts his South Carolinian childhood, young adulthood at Morehouse College and Howard University, career in the Southern University System, and more. As the first elected Black member of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, Robinson's story describes how he worked hard to create a more equitable social environment for Black Americans in the city. Light refreshments will be served. 6 pm. Free. ebrpl.org. •

SEP 18th

ART HISTORY LECTURES

CHERISHED: THE ART OF CLEMENTINE HUNTER

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Stop by the Main Library at Goodwood to listen in as Callie Smith, LSU Museum of Art Educator, delivers a compelling presentation on the life and art of celebrated Louisiana artist Clementine Hunter. An exhibition of numerous works and pieces by Hunter, the renowned and prolific self-taught Black Louisiana artist

unexpected and timeless. Live musical performances of well-known country classics will serve both as backdrop and centerpiece for the wondrous visual theatre performed by Cirque's best talents. 7 pm Wednesday–Saturday, with an additional 3:30 pm Saturday matinee; 1 pm and 4:30 pm shows on Sunday. $44–$124. saengernola.com. •

SEP 19th

INKLINGS

DEEP SOUTH WRITERS SERIES:

AUTHOR E.M. TRAN

Lafayette, Louisiana

Hosted by the creative writing program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with support from the Friends of the Humanities and Cité des Arts—the Deep South Writers Series welcomes New Orleans author E.M. Tran to the stage at Cité des Arts. Tran is the author of debut novel Daughters of the New Year, and has been published in The Georgia Review, Literary Hub, Joyland Magazine, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and more. 7:30 pm–8:30 pm. Free. citedesarts.org. •

Events

Beginning September 19th - September 21st

SEP 19th

ONSTAGE

KARMA AND THE KILLJOYS AT THE MANSHIP

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Fans of Billy Joel, Fiona Apple, Queen, and Florence and the Machine will be thrilled to discover an up-and-coming band from right here in Baton Rouge. A performance by Karma and the Killjoys brings classical piano layered over gritty electric guitar, and this time they're debuting their latest album, Synthetic The new work speaks to the existential anxieties of the new generations when it comes to religion, politics, and society. Opening the show will be local favorites

Jodi James and Clay Parker. 7:30 pm. $24–$44. manshiptheatre.org. •

SEP 19th - SEP 22nd

MUSIC FESTIVAL

MISSISSIPPI SONGWRITERS

FESTIVAL

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Celebrate the Gulf Coast's thriving musical and creative spirit at the Mississippi Songwriters Festival in

various locations across Ocean Springs. Over four days some of the state's best songwriters are sure to captivate. Find out more at msafestival.org. •

SEP 19th - SEP 22nd

FESTIVAL

LOUISIANA FOOD & WINE

FESTIVAL

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Celebrated chefs from across Louisiana and Texas—not to mention foodies, restaurateurs, wine aficionados, and more—are flocking to Lake Charles for the festival Travel + Leisure called one of five "must-experience festivals" across the entire United States. Over the course of four days, expect culinary tastings, demonstrations, master classes, wine dinners, jazz brunches, and more—giving those who love cuisine, wine, and spirits the opportunity to indulge in all kinds of deliciousness while chatting with chefs and industry experts, and experiencing one of Louisiana's best natural resources: our cuisine. 8 am–5 pm. Tickets at bontempstix.com. louisianafoodandwinefestival.com. •

SEP 20th

HANDS IN DIRT

MASTER GARDENERS

FALL SEMINAR

Mandeville, Louisiana

Explore plants with authors, experts, and gardening personalities at St. Tammany’s Master Gardeners Fall Seminar at the Church of the King in Mandeville. The day offers a Plant Boutique, food, seminars, and table talks staffed by local experts. Speakers include Frances Schultz, a garden and home interior designer and preservationist; Lisa Ladson with Hartley

Botanic Glasshouses & Greenhouses; and Stephen Sonnier, Dunn & Sonnier owner. 8 am. Tickets available online at stmastergardener.org/event. Contact info@stmastergardener.org for details. •

SEP 20th

LIVE MUSIC

HISTORICAL HAPPY HOUR: FLORIDA STREET BLOWHARDS

Port Allen, Louisiana

Your weekly happy hour just got happier, with an added dose of storytelling and local lore. For its regular Historical

A band performs at a previous year's Farm Fête, which supports Big River Economic & Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA). The fundraiser will be held at the newly renovated Main Street Market complex. See page 31. Photo by Ingrid Nacole Photography.

Happy Hour events, the West Baton Rouge Museum hosts a local musicians and storytellers, featuring intellectual discussions, music, panels, speakers, and—of course—drinks, though those are up to you. So pack up your favorite libations, and open your mind to the history of our community. This month features the Florida Street Blowhards, a traditional jazz band led by Sam Irwin. You'll hear tunes that remind you of King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Buddy Bolden, among others, from a band passionate about upholding the early jazz greats. 6 pm–8 pm. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.com. •

SEP 20th - SEP 21st

CULTURAL FESTIVAL

5TH ANNUAL SOUL FOOD FUSION FESTIVAL

Natchez, Mississippi

Celebrate the culinary culture and heritage of Natchez during the fifth annual Soul Food Fusion Festival, which returns to the bluff in front of the Natchez Grand Hotel. Come downtown on Friday to enjoy BBQ Blues and Brews—a chance to bring your own lawn chairs and beverages to enjoy a DJ and special performances on the river bluffs. On Saturday, ticketed participants get to partake of a White Linen Community Dining Night, gathering at a loooonnnng

banquet table set up between the hotel and the river bluff, where they'll feast on fresh-prepared Mississippi soul food paired with live band and special guest performances. Free on Friday; $30–$400 for Saturday's dining event. 6 pm–11 pm Saturday. For details, visit the Soul Food Fusion Festival Natchez Facebook Page or call (601) 807-1008. •

SEP 20th - SEP 29th

THEATRE

THEATRE BATON ROUGE

PRESENTS, "THE CAKE"

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

In a story for the stage written by Bekah Brunstetter (writer for the NBC hit This is Us ), a Christian baker in North Carolina is confronted with a challenge to her own beliefs when a best friend's daughter asks her to make her wedding cake. The Cake is a story of "self-discovery and compassion," and will unfold on the Theatre Baton Rouge studio stage this month. theatrebr.org. •

SEP 21st

FESTIVAL

BAYOU TECHE FEST

New Iberia, Louisiana

Head to Bayou Teche Fest for a great time with wooden boats and classic cars at Bouligny Plaza. Enjoy fare from food trucks and live entertainment. 9 am–

1 pm. Contact events@cityofnewiberia. com for more information. •

SEP

21st

BREWS & BRATS

NORTHSHORE OKTOBERFEST

Covington, Louisiana

The German Oom-pah comes to the Covington Trailhead for the Northshore Oktoberfest celebration. Let the little ones face paint, "bile duck," and chicken dance the day away while the grown ups compete in Hammerschlagen and Masskrugstammen. Oh, and drink lots of beer in the beer garden. The event will benefit the A Rhea of Hope, a 501(c)3 charity founded by Heidi Rhea, a resource in research, education, and public awareness for Cholangiocarcinoma, also known as Bile Duct Cancer. 4 pm–9 pm at the Covington trailhead. $10; $5 for kids ages six to fourteen; kids younger than five get in free. Find the event on Facebook for more information. •

SEP 21st

ALL A TWITTER

BIRDING AT BURDEN

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

It's no secret that Louisiana is aflocked with an enormous variety of birds. At LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden alone, over 320 species have been

recorded—from the meager mockingbird to the wondrous woodpecker. Once a month, Burden invites the bird-experts and bird-curious alike to participate in two-hour guided bird walks. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars, a cell phone, birding apps and/or Field Guides, sunscreen, insect repellant, appropriate outdoor footwear, weather-appropriate clothing, and water. 7 am–9 am. $10. lsu.edu/botanic-gardens. •

SEP 21st

PLAY DATES

PLAY SOIRÉE: GOODNIGHT MOON ON THE LAGOON

New Orleans, Louisiana

Channel your inner child at the annual Play Soirée at the Louisiana Children’s Museum for a night of fun in support of the museum. The Great Friend to Kids Award ceremony kicks off the night, followed by the patron party where participants can enjoy early access to the museum along with delicious food and live music. The gala closes out the evening with more music, a jewelry raffle, silent auction, and Goodnight Moon-themed activities. Award ceremony from 6 pm–7 pm; Patron Party from 7 pm–8 pm; Gala from 8 pm–11 pm. $125–$250. lcm.org •

The Louisiana Food & Wine Festival is a showcase of Louisiana’s unique culture and cuisine, from its culinary superstars and beverage experts to its artisans and live music. Enjoy a variety of allinclusive food and drink tasting events with celebrity guest chefs and hundreds of varieties of wine, beer and spirits.

Events

Beginning September 21st - September 22nd

SEP 21st

GOOD DEEDS

9/11 HEROES RUN

Gonzales, Louisiana

Honor the heroes of 9/11 and those in service to our country by running a 5K to support a charity that empowers veterans and their families at River Parishes Community College. The event raises funds for the Travis Manion Foundation, which seeks to strengthen communities in memory of those who served to protect them. 8 am. travismanion.org. •

SEP 21st

CULTURAL FESTIVAL

LAGO FEST

Mandeville, Louisiana

Head to the Mandeville Trailhead Amphitheater for Hola Northshore's Lago Fest to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Put on your dancing shoes for salsa lessons and listen to live music while enjoying authentic drinks and food from area restaurants. There's plenty for the kids too, including face painting and piñatas. 3 pm–9 pm. Free. See the Lago Fest 2024 Facebook page. •

SEP 21st

LIVE MUSIC

GRAND COUNTRY JUNCTION AT SUMA CROSSING

Livingston, Louisiana

Livingston's most happenin' live music event, Grand Country Junction, returns to Suma Hall, promising a program of classic country led by the Epps Family of Belton, South Carolina. Doors open at 5:30 pm; show starts at 7 pm, 28975 Satsuma Road. $15; $10 for ages 4–12, Children 3 and under are free. grandcountryjunction.com. •

SEP 22nd

BEHIND THE SCENES

ETHEL CLAIBORNE DAMERON LECTURE SERIES WITH ACTOR

JOHN MESE

Port Allen, Louisiana

The West Baton Rouge Museum rolls out the red carpet for actor John Mese, who will give a talk about his path to becoming a Hollywood actor. He has worked in New York and Los Angeles for the last thirtyfive years and can be seen in HBO's From the Earth to the Moon, Winston, and on the

A photo from a previous year's performance at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art with Luther Dickinson, of the North Mississippi Allstars. Dickinson collaborates with other musicians, such as the one pictured above, for a night of musical experimentation, featuring funk, rock, and blues inspired by murals at the Ocean Springs Community Center. Photo provided by the Walter Anderson Museum of Art.

Showtime TV series, Fallen Angels. The lecture will accompany Backstage Hollywood: The Photographs of Bob Willoughby, on display at the museum. 2:30 pm–4 pm. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.org. •

SEP 22nd

CULTURAL FESTIVAL GONZALES HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Gonzales, Louisiana

Celebrate Ascension's vibrant Hispanic

community when food, vendors, music and cultural programming marshall their forces in Gonzales's Jambalaya Park. Noon–7 pm. Free. visitlasweetspot.com. •

SEP 22nd

LIVE MUSIC

LUTHER DICKINSON CONCERT

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Luther Dickinson, of the North Mississippi Allstars, performs with collaborators for a night of musical experimentation at the

Events

Beginning September 23rd

Walter Anderson Museum of Art. The night will feature funk, rock, and blues—all inspired by Walter Anderson murals at the Ocean Springs Community Center. Each year Dickinson celebrates the 3,000 square feet of murals depicting the Southern landscape through musical expression. $35; $60 for VIP. 7 pm–10 pm. elizabeth@ walterandersonmuseum.org. •

SEP 23rd - OCT 26th

ART EXHIBIT

LEMIEUX GALLERIES EXHIBITION

New Orleans, Louisiana

This month, LeMieux Galleries features new works from four artists whose practices range from text-based paintings, to oil on copper sheets, to found objects. The exhibition includes Benjamin J. Shamback's Golden Hour : Paintings on Copper, Leslie Nichols's Letters from the Past, and Calder Kamin's & Jacob Reptile's Mutant Menagerie. lemieuxgalleries.com. •

SEP 24th

HUNTING & GATHERING

LECTURE: ROCKHOUNDING IN LOUISIANA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Channel your inner rock explorer in this

Louisiana rockhounders lecture at the Beverly Brown Coates Auditorium at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum. Catherine Rouchon, one such dedicated rock hunter, is a graduate gemologist, silversmithing, and lapidary artist who also creates unique jewelry pieces inspired by the state's geology. Rouchon will give a brief talk on the state's geological history through the lens of the gemstones, rocks, and minerals scattered across Louisiana that will give even the beginner rock hunter know where to start. 6:30 pm–8 pm. $15; $10 for students and Hilltop members. lsu.edu/hilltop. •

SEP 24th

JURASSIC JAMS

DINOSAUR JR. AT THE MANSHIP Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Catch alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. live at the Manship Theatre and jam to their critically acclaimed fifth studio album, Sweep It Into Space. Characterized by powerful and emotional tracks, the album captures the band's signature energy while launching into sonic experimentation. 7:30 pm. $50–$70 plus fees. manshiptheatre.org. •

Clare Cook and Leigha Porter, pictured above, are two Lafayette choreographers who will present new work in a double bill at the Acadiana Center for the Arts titled Dance/Splits. See page 24.

Photo by James Wilson.

Events

Beginning September 24th - September 27th

SEP 24th - SEP 25th

ONSTAGE

BATON ROUGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS "QUEEN OF THE NIGHT"

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Surrounded by candlelight, a quartet of Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra musicians will perform pieces from Mozart and Queen. Those seeking a romantic excursion or simply a unique musical experience will enjoy the more intimate venue at the Virginia & John Noland Black Box Studio at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center. Shows at 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm. $30–$50. (225) 383-0500. brso.org. •

SEP 26th

GOOD EATS FARM FÊTE RETURNS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Enjoy a fall evening of delicious food, curated cocktails, and live music in support of Big River Economic & Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA), when the annual Farm Fête is held at the newly renovated Main Street Market complex. Attendees get to taste food samplings from ten local chefs and listen to music by John

Gray Jazz & Friends. There'll be silent and live auctions to round out the evening fundraiser, which supports BREADA's Small Farmer Support Fund, Red Stick Farmers Market, and more. 6 pm–9 pm. Tickets at farmfete.org. •

SEP 26th

LIVE MUSIC

SIERRA GREEN AND THE GIANTS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Queen of Frenchman Street is headed to Baton Rouge. With deep roots in the musical world that built Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, and Allen Toussaint—Sierra Green brings the legacy of the New Orleans church-choir-singer-turned-soul-legend into the contemporary musical landscape. Catch her with her band The Giants at the Manship Theatre. 7:30 pm. $19–$29. manshiptheatre.org. •

SEP 26th

THEATRE

REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Red Magnolia Theatre Company brings up the lights at Pelican to Mars in Mid

City to present a live, staged reading of Real Women Have Curve s, a play set in a sewing factory in Los Angeles and centered on the lives of five women struggling to meet chaotic, impossible deadlines. Through the eyes of Ana, a Mexican-American woman who dreams of one day going to college, the play delves into the Latina immigrant experience, touching on themes from gender to body image. 7:30 pm at 2678 Government Street. $20 tickets at redmagnoliatc.org/tickets. •

SEP 26th

LIVE MUSIC JAKE XERXES FUSSELL AT THE ACA Lafayette, Louisiana

Jake Xerxes Fussell is a singer and guitarist based in Durham, North Carolina. He is, according to Ann Powers of National Public Radio, “maybe the leading interpreter of American folk music right now…” Fussell’s album Good and Green Again was released to critical acclaim in January, 2022. The album featured some formidable musicians

Dancers pose in a previous year's parade in a procession down Main Street at the annual Louisiana Sugarcane Festival in New Iberia. Photo provided by the Iberia Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau.

including Casey Toll on upright bass, Libby Rodenbough on strings, Joe Westerlund on drums, Joseph Decosimo on fiddle, and others. Bonnie “Prince” Billy contributed additional vocals. Expect a powerful show from 7:30 pm at Acadiana Center for the Arts. $35. acadianacenterforthearts.org •

SEP 26th

GOOD EATS

SHADOWS-ON-THE-TECHE FARM FEST

New Iberia, Louisiana

The annual Farm Fest at Shadows-onthe-Teche kicks off the beginning of the Louisiana Sugarcane Festival. The evening will be filled with fun, food, drinks, and live entertainment. 4 pm–8 pm. $10 per family. Contact (337) 369-6446 or shadows@shadowsontheteche.org. shadowsontheteche.org. •

SEP 26th

LIVE MUSIC

ROCKIN' THE RAILS CONCERTS

Covington, Louisiana

Covington continues their Rockin' the Rails concert series this fall. Every Thursday night, attendees are treated to free live musical entertainment in historic downtown. This month catch The

Rumble at Rev. Peter Atkins Park. 5:30 pm–7:30 pm. Free. covla.com. •

SEP 26th - SEP 27th

BOOKWORMS AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR

AT THE LIBRARY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library's annual Author/Illustrator Program affords an opportunity to participate in an exchange of ideas with prominent writers, artists, scholars, and performers of literature for children and young adults. This year's program welcomes author Jerry Pallotta, who writes the popular Who Would Win? series. Pallotta will lead the following events:

• September 26: Meet Jerry Pallotta, with a book-signing and reception to follow.

7 pm–8 pm. Free.

• September 27: Behind the Writing, 8:30 am–noon. $25 for adults. Free for children. ebrpl.com. •

SEP 26th - SEP 29th

SOMETHING SWEET

LOUISIANA SUGARCANE FESTIVAL

New Iberia, Louisiana

This eighty-one-year-old New Iberia festival launches the annual grinding season with a sweet, sweet celebration

of local farmers. The festival honors the industry with a blessing of the crop, a 5K race, the naming of a King and Queen, food, Cajun music, and the procession of several parades down Main Street. Plus, the SugArena at the Acadiana Fairgrounds will host a 4-H livestock show, and Farm Fest will take place at Shadows on the Teche. Wear your dancing shoes: The music lineup includes Swamp Land Revival, Chubby Carrier, Rouge Crew, Ryan Foret, and more. Free. Find schedule and more information at hisugar.org.

SEP 26th - OCT 6th

LIVE MUSIC

NOLAXNOLA

New Orleans, Louisiana

NOLAxNOLA returns this fall, with eleven nights of live music in fifty venues across the city—featuring over three hundred shows by hundreds of musicians, guest appearances by music industry leaders, and more. Details to come at nolaxnola.com. •

SEP 27th

ANIM-ALES

BREW AT THE ZOO

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Brew at the Zoo, presented this year by The Queen Baton Rouge, returns for a tenth year. Attendees are invited to sample

local and regional craft beers while tasting morsels supplied by area restaurants after hours at BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo. Drink, dance, and celebrate amongst the animals, in support of conservation and education at the capital city's beloved zoo. Admittance is for those 21 and older. $60; $110 for VIP. 7 pm–10 pm. Tickets available at brzoobrew.org. •

SEP 27th - SEP 28th

MUSIC FESTIVAL

LE GRAND HOORAH

Eunice, Louisiana

Le Grand Hoorah returns for a twoday musical and cultural Cajun celebration at Lakeview Park near Eunice. This year’s lineup includes Cajun Strong, Kyle Huval and the Dixie Club Ramblers, C-4 avec Steve Riley, Horace Trahan and the Ossun Express; Bonsoir Catin, The Revelers, and Pine Leaf Boys. Other festivities include a boucherie, food booths, French immersion student performances, dancing, optional camping, and outdoor fun. Kick-off party at 8 pm Friday; 8 am–10 pm Saturday. $15 for 21 and older; $10 for ages 9–20; Free for children 9 and younger. Tickets can be purchased at legrandhoorah.com or at the door. •

October 18th -19th, 2024 October 18th -19th,

Friday. October 18th

4:00 p.m. Gates Open 6:45 p.m. Balloon Glow 7:45 p.m. Fireworks 8:00 p.m. Chee Weez

Morning & Afternoon Flights each day (weather permitting)

major sponsors

co-sponsors

Saturday, October 19th

11:00 a.m. Gates Open 12:30 p.m. Lincoln Outfit

2:00 p.m. Taj Farrant

3:30 p.m. The Heartshakers 5:30 p.m. Eric Gales 7:30 p.m. CHAPEL HART

2024 Natchez Balloon Festival artwork winner Jillian Birely, Vidalia, LA High School Senior

Events

Beginning September 27th - September 28th

SEP 27th - SEP 28th

CAFFEINE FIXES

NOLA COFFEE FESTIVAL

New Orleans, Louisiana

Coffee fanatics rejoice: the NOLA Coffee Festival is here to satisfy your caffeine cravings, all while showcasing the latest in coffee gear and tips to get the best cup of Joe. The two-day festival is split into an industry trade show on Friday and an all-out bonanza for coffee fans on Saturday. On Friday, exhibitors from around the world will share new coffee products and brewing techniques, while industry speakers will offer their insights throughout the day. Then, on Saturday, coffee connoisseurs

to highlight New Orleans as a center of global influences through—what else?—it's music. This gathering of diverse influences in Louis Armstrong Park will feature performances by New Orleans musicians presented alongside global stars. The lineup includes: Steel Pulse, Average White Band, Spyro Gyra, Jesse Royal, Mystic Marley, and more. Noon–8 pm. $50 each day; $90 for weekend pass. iafnola.com. •

SEP 27th - SEP 29th

BOOKWORMS

PIRATE'S ALLEY FAULKNER FESTIVAL

New Orleans, Louisiana

Literature and Life," and features keynote speaker Lawrence William Coates, who will discuss Faulkner's many diverse

SEP 28th FLOATS

ANNUAL VERMILIONVILLE

BAYOU FEST & BOAT PARADE

Lafayette, Louisiana

Round up friends, a canoe, some costumes, and a fiddle or two. Kick off the start of fall with the annual Bayou Fest & Boat Parade starting at the dock at Vermilionville. The parade will wind along the bayou all the way to Southside Park, with music serenading boaters as they float. Be sure to catch the boat decorating contests, shore

The Choupique Cajun Band performs at the 2019 Le Grand Hoorah, held at Chicot State Park near Ville Platte. Pictured above are Bill Grass, Warren Thomassie on drums, Jesse Brown, Anglyn Brown, and Kent Lavigne. The annual music festival and cultural Cajun celebration will return this year at Lakeview Park near Eunice. See page 35. Photo by David Simpson.

Drag Bingo at Smoot’s A night of comedy, performances, and yes, bingo - featuring Tisha Mingo and Fendi LaFemme

Cocktail Party at The Cedars

open house at the refurbished historic home with raffles, and special guest lunch-date auction Quick-Ch ange Drag Showdown

contest

crown featuring host Carson Kressley and performances by Josalyn Royale

"The Conflict," a work by Denise Verrett, who currently has work on display at NUNU Arts & Culture Collective. Her work is influenced by Dadaism and some Surrealism, among other traditions. Her exhibit, titled Enigmas & Entanglements, remains on display from September 6 to October 27. See page 16.

SEP 28th

ONSTAGE OPERACRÉOLE IN LAFAYETTE

Lafayette, Louisiana

New Orleans's Opera Créole returns to Acadiana with a performance of lost or rarely performed works by free 19th century New Orleanian composers of color, as well as other celebrations of Louisiana's distinct Créole language and culture through the performing arts. Facilitated by Performing Arts Serving Acadiana (PASA), the show will take place at Angelle Hall on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's campus. 7:30 pm. $43. pasaonline.org.•

SEP 28th

SAUCY SHINDIG

SPAGHETTI COOK-OFF AT THE YAMBILEE ARENA

Opelousas, Louisiana

Consider this a BYOP event (Bring Your Own Parmesan), as the Opelousas Lions Club hosts the first spaghetti cook-off at the Yambilee Ag Arena. Don't just come for the sauce; attendees also get to enjoy a car show, silent auction, petting zoo, and more alongside live music from One Trick Pony and Coteau Grove. $5 for taster bands. Proceeds support the Opelousas Lions Club. 9 am–6 pm. For more information contact (337) 351-2412. •

SEP 28th - OCT 6th

MUSIC FESTIVAL

RED RIVER REVEL

Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport's Red River Revel welcomes heavy hitting headliners this year for one of North Louisiana's biggest events of the year—taking place over nine days at the Festival Plaza. Look forward to performances by Jefferson Starship, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Chapel Hart, Soul Grooves, Frank Foster, T.K. Soul, and many, many more. Discover artists and makers representing virtually every media, and bring the young 'uns, too: the Kids Center offers attractions including a Mock Dino Dig, a miniature grocery, rides, face painting, and laser tag. Admission is $5 on weekends and weekdays after 5 pm; free Monday through Friday until 5 pm. redriverrevel.com. •

For all our September events, including the gobs we couldn’t fit in print, visit countryroadsmag.com/ events-and-festivals.

2024

ARTS FOR EVERYBODY

40 A BASIN OF CREATIVE ENERGIES IN ACADIANA // 48 FROM THEATRE BATON ROUGE TO BROADWAY: MEET LEAR DEBESSONET // 52 THE WORLD OF EXPERIMENTAL THEATER IN NEW ORLEANS •

ART IN COMMUNITY

Seven Days at Basin Arts

INSIDE THE MULTI-FACETED LAFAYETTE ARTS INCUBATOR

Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot • Photos by Paul Kieu

On the outskirts of downtown Lafayette, hthe Halo Building harbors a thrumming world of Acadiana creativity. On any given day, through Basin Arts’ doors pass a dozen dancers, artists bearing canvases, designers brimming with ideas, and children filled with wonder.

Founded and helmed by dancer/teacher/choreographer/arts administrator Clare Cook, the nonprofit has operated as an arts incubator in Lafayette for eight years—providing creative space and opportunity for the community’s small-but-mighty world of professional and amateur dancers, as well as artists operating in various other mediums, through an ever-evolving rotation of classes, residencies, performances, and exchanges.

The concept came to Cook as the manifestation of a sensation she’d pursued across New York City’s professional dance scene for a decade—“this magical feeling of collaborative energy, of all these systems coming together and the thing we’re making becoming more than any one of us.” When she decided to move home to Lafayette, she knew the creative world she’d be re-entering would be smaller, less institutionalized, less established. She’d have to find a way to facilitate that feeling for herself.

She spent the first year back in Louisiana querying, dipping her toes in. “Like, what’s happening in Lafayette? What are the needs? How can I contribute?” After some time, she started to make connections, a web forming in her mind of Acadiana’s most uniquely

talented creatives. She just needed a way to bring them all together, to foster the collaborative energy she’d always sought out. “There needed to be a vehicle, a container for it,” she said. A basin.

Since 2016, Basin Arts has grown into a genre-agnostic arts hub in Lafayette, a beacon that brings artists together in the name of art-making as much as art-made; and inspires participants to explore new ways to inject art and artists into the larger community.

To get a sense of what this looks like in the day-today, I asked Cook if I could haunt Basin Arts over the course of a few weeks—to spend time observing the world she’s created, and the sorts of ideas and individuals that pass through it . . .

A photo from rehearsals of Clare Cook's dance work "Rounding the Edge," featuring dancers (left to right): Gabrielle Marino, Rebecca Allen, John Alex McBride, Kennedy Walker, and Nicole Curtis.

Day 1: Animal Dance

The endeavor started with a performance, the culmination of one of Basin’s newest initiatives, the Dance Lab Residency. The program provides an opportunity for dance artists across Louisiana to use the dance space and resources at Basin Arts to develop new work while engaging with the Lafayette community. Ann Glaviano, a New Orleans artist and choreographer, was the program’s first Resident Artist this past July. During her time at Basin she hosted a master class and a brown bag lunch conversation, while preparing for a showcase of her work-in-progress, Animal Dance

The work itself is highly abstract, performed without music—the sounds of Glaviano wandering the stage with a single high heel keeping disconcerted time. She dances, but disorientedly, holding a balloon or carrying a suitcase. She climbs a chair, reaching for the sky, and calls out phrases like: “I have something to communicate.” “I am on fire, keep clear of me.”

Some moments of the dance were humorous, others moving—all of it wrapped in the tension of audience participation. There were around fifteen or twenty of us, many of whom were handed written instructions upon arrival. Before our chairs were mechanical switches, which

THE CONCEPT OF BASIN ARTS CAME TO CLARE COOK AS THE MANIFESTATION OF A SENSATION SHE’D PURSUED ACROSS NEW YORK CITY’S PROFESSIONAL DANCE SCENE FOR A DECADE: “THIS MAGICAL FEELING OF COLLABORATIVE ENERGY, OF ALL THESE SYSTEMS COMING TOGETHER AND THE THING WE’RE MAKING BECOMING MORE THAN ANY ONE OF US.”

controlled the lights and other production effects. There was anxiety in unexpectedly finding oneself part of the show, but not quite knowing how until the moment arrived. Mine came at the very end, as Glaviano walked from the stage out the front door of Basin while we, the audience, sang (in harmony!) “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”. My job was to shut off the lights.

When the lights came back up, with the applause, Basin Arts transformed from a theater space with dropcloths as curtains and professional lighting apparatuses, into its world of artistic ideating and conversation. Glaviano sat in a chair before the audience while Cook facilitated a Q&A. Audience members, sipping complimentary wine, were a mix of Glaviano’s friends, dancers from across the state, and local Lafayette creatives/ Basin regulars. We faced the black dance floor, and behind us was the gallery space, where over fifty works of visual art by Lafayette artists were displayed as part of the annual BARE Walls Group Exhibition. In discussion, Glaviano shared that though she had been working and performing Animal Dance for six years now, this had been her largest audience yet. The intimate piece thrived in close quarters, but had struggled against institutional barriers and a premier that was canceled in the wake of the pandemic. “So I’m just DIY producing it at this point,” she said. “Truly, my biggest support structures are my colleagues, like Clare. Like the work gets done through things like this residency, at places like Basin.” Cook, nodding, responded, “We all have the tools we need.”

Day 2: Pilates

The following Tuesday I was back at Basin for a Pilates mat class taught by Cook—one of many adult classes on the roster during summer. I arrived and set my mat on the Harlequin dance floor where Glaviano had performed a few days prior, the room now bright with natural light and morning energy. One class member, Ana Leger—a Basin regular and bodywork practitioner—got me signed in and helped me find a roller and weights

When Basin first opened, its main focus was to offer adult dance classes. “There was no professional dance community in Lafayette,” said Cook. “There was no one producing professional work, and there were no opportunities for regular people (adults, specifically) to take dance classes.” She started offering a range of classes designed for beginners, nonprofessional dancers, and professional dancers—ten to twelve a week.

Today, in part because of the nurturing role Basin Arts has played for the local dance community, Lafayette boasts a much more robust collective of resources for area dancers beyond Basin—with more people choreographing work for the stage, collaborating, applying for funding. There are more places offering adult dance classes, too. “What we’re always trying to do is look ahead, and model something which we hope will then get the legs to flow out and do something more,” said Cook.

In the interest of refocusing its role in supporting local artists, Basin Arts has reduced its dance class offerings, offering one to two daily classes on Tuesdays–Thursdays, usually open-level (meaning anyone can take them). In addition to ballet and contemporary dance classes taught by Cook and other teaching artists, Cook offers a regular, usually twice-weekly Pilates class—a program that supports dancers’ health while also appealing to a broader segment of the public, who (like myself) might feel more comfortable in a work-out setting than a dance setting. It’s another way to pull more of the community into the space.

Having taken Pilates via Youtube for years, and more recently in classes at a local gym, I found Cook’s class to be steadying and approachable, and still challenging enough to be wholly effective. Throughout the hour, she’d demonstrate poses and moves while constantly emphasizing a focus on the core. The class was small, about seven people, and the space—open and airy, festooned with artwork—added a meditative quality.

Top: Clare Cook, leading rehearsals for her newest dance work "Rounding the Edge". In addition to being a dancer and creative herself, Cook has been a leader in developing a sustainable, accessible arts community in downtown Lafayette at Basin Arts. Middle: Members of the local creative and dance community observing Clare Cook's rehearsal for her dance work "Rounding the Edge" and offering feedback. From left to right: Michael Crotty, Ashlie Boelkins, myself, Paige Krause, Gina Hanchey, and Mary Francis “Cissy” Whipp. Bottom: Moments from the rehearsal of "Rounding the Edge".

Day 3: Ballet Class

Later that week I came back to Basin to observe the open-level ballet class taught by Gina Aswell. Sitting at a meeting room table, I watched four students—all women, some in traditional ballet flats, some in socks, one barefoot—set up at the bar, stretching muscles to an instrumental version of “Cinderella” by Remi Wolf. All appeared to have been before, understanding without conversation that each phrase demonstrated by Aswell was open to interpretation. Together they reached and pointed and kicked—beautiful coordination in the art’s most basic moves.

A phrase set to the quicker tempo of Britney Spears’s “Toxic” was a challenge: tendu, turn in, turn out, flex, point, plié, reverse. When the moves got muddied or the group appeared to struggle with something, Aswell would pause the music and go over it again. There were opportunities for modifications—when one dancer appeared to be in pain, Aswell encouraged her to get a foam roller. Reminding them all to breathe, she said “Every breath you take is life, don’t forget. And life is where the drama is. I want to see more drama.”

After class, as the group gathered their things, conversations turned to children: having them and surviving postpartum. By the time they were walking out the door, playdates had been scheduled.

Over the course of the class, a steady stream of people had flowed in and out of Basin, including Dirk Guidry—a painter-in-residence who keeps his studio in the corner of the dance space. Guidry is also the director of Basin’s BARE Walls program, a subscription service available to Lafayette businesses in which they can convert their public-facing walls into gallery space featuring a rotation of local art. The innovative program simultaneously infuses art into community spaces while generating income for local artists.

As the dance class wrapped up, I introduced myself to Taylor Elliott, the Operations Director at Basin, who was storing and organizing artwork from the program’s roster. She told me that the BARE Walls program is now serving around twenty businesses in Lafayette, and over fifty artists. “And it’s so simple,” she said. “It’s accessible for businesses; we handle everything.”

Elliott joined the Basin Arts team in 2021 as Cook’s number two. “Basin and its programs were expanding so quickly,” she said. “They were looking for

One of the open-level adult dance classes offered at Basin Arts.

someone to help Clare build up systems to manage it all.” In that capacity, Elliott has played a big part in keeping Basin’s many arms manageable and sustainable, and implemented fundraising strategies to keep it all going. “Every day is something different,” she said. “It’s such a fluid, creative space, a blank canvas. It’s a gallery space, and has held everything from a musical performance to poetry readings to dance performances. But the most beautiful thing about what we do, I think, is holding space for the community to come in and see the creative process in real time. That’s part of our model.”

Day 4: Set Design Meeting

Back at Basin a few afternoons later, I met Cook as she started to build out the landscape for an upcoming performance of her latest work, “Rounding the Edge”— which will be performed as part of a double bill with fellow Lafayette choreographer Leigha Porter at the Acadiana Center for the Arts on September 13 in a show titled Dance/Splits

Cook explained that her vision for the dance emerged from a personal curiosity around systems. “Family systems, government systems, human systems,” she said, noting the influence of the Fibonacci Sequence—a mathematical sequence in which each number is the sum of the two that precede it. “You’re put into these systems, and there’s routine, there are needs. How do you manage those responsibilities?” Her thesis, through the work, is to explore how to get right up to the edge of those systems and then, instead of punching through, to round over them—approach them with a strength found in softness. “So, looking at routines, patterns, structure, and honoring the fact that we have these things for survival and they are natural, if rigid. But how can we accept transitions and accept each other’s systems with softness?”

This afternoon she was working with architect and ULL professor Ashlie Boelkins—a longtime collaborator and friend. “We’ve known each other since kindergarten,” Boelkins said. Since Cook’s return to Lafayette, the two have created several dance/installation projects together. “We start day-one with sketchbooks,” said Boelkins. “And then it just evolves together, a true exchange throughout an ever-changing process.”

For “Rounding the Edge,” the women envisioned a stage draped in gauzy, floating fabrics. Cook brought bolts of it in various pastel colors. Immediately, it was decided that the light pink, almost flesh-toned, was the winner. As Boelkins and Cook

laid it across the ground, then stood over it contemplating, their four young daughters (two for each) ran loose across the dance floor. When the women stood on chairs to hang the fabric from the ceiling beams, to see what it looked like hanging, the girls ran through it, giggling and shouting. A fan was brought out to blow the fabric out across the floor like a ghost, eliciting shouts of “It’s flying! It’s flying!”

The fan was loud, a problem Cook was trying to work out with Boelkins. They wanted the fabric to balloon into “pods” and rooms across the stage; so they needed the fan. But would the sound disrupt the music? “What if we used it?” Cook asked. “As white noise?” The music, she explained, would be performed live by composer Hillary Bonhomme. “Maybe she could vocalize into the fan.” In response, one of the girls went and stood behind it, singing—her voice ululating through the room.

“IT’S SUCH A FLUID, CREATIVE SPACE, A BLANK CANVAS. . . THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT WHAT WE DO, I THINK, IS HOLDING SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN AND SEE THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN REAL TIME.”

—TAYLOR ELLIOTT

Day 5: Board Meeting

The following week, I hopped on a lunchtime Zoom call with the Basin Board of Directors, who were gathering for their bi-monthly meeting.

It’s evident that part of what makes Basin Arts an especially effective arts organization is its carefully established structure of logistics and administration. When I asked Cook what it’s been like to lead those aspects of Basin atop her work as a creative, she explained that she has always, since college, approached her own pursuit of the arts with a sense of strategy. “I think some of the

skillset has been due to my environment,” she said. Attending LSU on a TOPS scholarship, her only access to a dance career came in the form of a dance minor. “So I had to choose a major that I could somehow mobilize into a career in the arts.” She finished in public relations, with a double minor in arts administration and dance—an education she packaged to secure jobs in admin for choreographers across New York City as she supported furthering her dance education at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. “There wasn’t a sort of plug-and-play model, so I had to make it happen, and learned a lot on the fly, seeing how my skills could build and collaborate and intersect.”

With the support of her board, made up of creatives and arts administrators from across Lafayette (including frequent Country Roads contributor Paul Kieu, who serves as president of the board and whose photographs accompany this article), Cook and Basin Arts have been able to coordinate a series of major and minor fundraising efforts, secure sponsorships for the organization’s programs, organize regular engagements and performances, and pursue opportunities for largescale community art projects like the 2023 mural by Jamar Pierre at the Historic Four Corners.

A point of discussion was an August fundraiser, a new event that would be replicated annually called “Lineage”. The evening, which was to take place at the Acadian Superette (owned by Cook’s husband Robert Autin), would include a meal, drinks, live music, and a dance performance—all to celebrate recipients of the Lineage Award. The award, in its inaugural year, was created to honor artists who have contributed a lifetime’s worth of inspiration to the Acadiana community, laying the foundation for future generations of artists. This year’s honorees are Mary Francis “Cissy” Whipp, who co-founded Louisiana’s first modern dance company and has been teaching and produc-

ing dance in the region for over forty years; and Robert Dafford, whose murals across the United States span fifty years and have earned him a place as one of America’s best recognized muralists.

Cook emphasized the importance of centering Whipp and Dafford in the event’s messaging. “I really want them to feel valued and seen as part of the event,” she said. Board member Molly Rowe agreed: “I think we take it for granted, this amazing cultural structure we have in Acadiana; there was a generation of artists that built that and invested in it. And they’re still here. Cissy and Robert were part of that foundation.”

“Right,” said Cook. “I keep dreaming about what I’m going to say about them at this event, like stress dreams.” Lineage, and the passing of time, has been on her mind. “You know, the unannounced subtitle of this event is that I’m turning forty that night,” she laughed. “So all of that—a new decade. All of this is just swirling in my mind right now, beautifully, emotionally. And I think about Cissy and Robert, truly understanding the depth of their contribution and what they accomplished for us, just forty-five years ago. And they are just here, living it every day, just doing the work as they’ve been doing it for a lifetime.”

I listened on, absorbing the breadth and depth of Basin Art’s impact in the here-and-now—honoring this past as it pushes into the future. With exciting developments just around the corner, Lafayette singer-songwriter Johanna Devine expressed her anticipation for all that is on the horizon: “This all just bodes really well for the next ten years at Basin, like you are really finding your feet in the community,” she said.

Cook only emphasized, “I think the name of the game is making sure we maintain our ‘Basin-ness’. We can’t lose the heart, the relationship-based intentional connections, the collaborative environment. We hold fast to that, each step of the way.”

Day 6: Projectspace

One of the most fascinating and generative programs at Basin Arts is its Projectspace Residency—a three-month opportunity for artists across mediums to bring an in-progress work into the space and develop it, inviting the community into the process. As with all else at Basin, multi-disciplinary collaboration and experimentation are paramount. Some featured projects have included Armed Rhymery’s interactive and sensory “Living Altar” installation, which featured spoken word and music performances around the themes of ancestry and growth; an exhibition of Kristie Cornell and Marla Kristicevich’s photographic and sculptural exploration of the Bayou Teche, called Meander Mindset ; and more recently, Kelly Clayton’s exploration of joy as a practice, through the creation of historic dress and textiles in preparation for a culminating “dance party” celebration with the community.

Cook invited the applicants to brainstorm, to hash out their ideas. Ana Leger, who I had met earlier at the Pilates class, shared her vision for a project that explores art from the perspective of a “non-artist”. “I’m a member of the community who is inspired by artists,” she said. “I want to see the community see their role in art creation. I want to take people who say that they are not an artist, or not a dancer, and give them a vehicle to see their ideas magnified.”

“That’s interesting,” said Cook. “I also think it would be interesting to turn that around and see who you are in the space, not only ‘I’m not this,’ but how do you visually and experientially represent your community?

Thinking about it as a conversation.”

One of the other applicants interjected: “And what is an artist, anyway? Who decides?”

Day 7: Rehearsal

I arrived on a Sunday afternoon about a month out from Cook’s “Rounding the Edge” performance. She and her cast—five dancers selected through an audition process—had spent the weekend working through the piece-in-progress. When I arrived they were all in a circle. The dancefloor was draped in four times as much fabric as had been there during the early design process with Boelkins. Cook was flipping through a notebook, and in a corner the costume designer Paula Calderon was ironing and sewing away.

I’d met Calderon a few days before; she’d taken part in the Pilates class as well as the ballet. A recent transplant to Lafayette and first-time collaborator at Basin Arts, she is a professional ballet dancer with twenty

years of experience, which translated into a career in stage and costume design in her hometown of Medellin, Colombia. In conversation with Cook about illustrating softness through an earth-toned palette for this piece, she had created an ensemble of muted yellows, greens, browns, and blues in a variety of textures: silk, tulle, linen, and cotton. The centerpiece dress, an elegant green silk, came from Dirt Cheap, Cook confided with a smile.

A selection of local dance professionals had been invited to watch this early run-through of the work, among them Cissy Whipp, Gina Hanchey—whose Ballet Académie shares the Halo Building with Basin, dancer/choreographer Paige Krause, Boelkins, dancer and ULL professor Michael Crotty and painter Hagit

Clare Cook, founder of Basin Arts, performing at the March 2020 site specific performance, "Dance On Site" at the historic Nickerson House in Lafayette.

Barkai, who is also a professor at ULL. “I invited you all here today because I wanted to get new eyes on it, your eyes on it,” said Cook. “What are people seeing? What’s landing? What’s confusing?”

She explained that the dancers would be performing to a combination of metronome and recorded music that didn’t accurately portray the vision for the final show—Hillary Bonhomme, who would be performing live, couldn’t be present for the rehearsal. So they were making do. For the beginning, she prepped us: envision the curtains at the ACA opened a sliver, so that you could only see the lead dancer, Rebecca Allen from New Orleans, emerge in a solo from behind the pink gauze, being blown up by a fan in the back. The curtains would then open, revealing the rest of the cast.

Without giving too much away (the show will premiere at the International Dance Festival in New Orleans on September 12 and at the Acadiana Center for the Arts on September 13), the work centered on Allen, who moved through the space navigating moments of chaos and strife broken by moments, exhales, of solitary reflection, followed by a drive towards connection—the dancers moving together in satisfying and beautiful sequences. The draped fabrics operated as rooms within a world, barriers transformed into shelters.

After the dancers concluded the unfinished work, they all sat on the floor with Cook and looked to us. “What did you see?” Cook asked. Immediately, Whipp said she saw a family unit—with Allen as the mother figure.

“It’s so delicate,” said Krause. “I start to follow these stories of letting something go, whatever is coming through.”

Barkai noted that when Allen came through to the end of the fabric in her beginning solo, her emergence from it came with a gust of wind from the fan in the back. “It was a beautiful moment,” she said. “I don’t

know if that can be replicated at the ACA.”

Cook laughed, “If you sit in the front row!”

The conversation continued, with more questions about Allen’s role in the group. Is she the authority? Are the other dancers parts of her? Is she the mother?

Finally, Cook shared that in a sense, all was true. But the concept for the piece, as she’d only admitted to the cast earlier that day, came from her experience of motherhood. “I’ve been making this dance and so resistant to talk about it being that,” she said. “Like, why don't I want to admit that this dance is about being a mother?”

Part of it, she pondered, is because she doesn’t want to put that interpretation on the dancer or even the audience. “The things I’m understanding about myself are universal things, not only for mothers to understand. It’s about time and space. It’s surreal, since I’ve become a mother—time is extended and accelerated at the same time. You want to just go, like there’s momentum, but sustained energy. And you’re inside of that. But in that space it can be endless.” This is her struggle at the moment, she explains. It’s why the work isn’t complete yet. “How do you end the dance?”

Armed now with Cook’s intent, the audience around me offered extensions of her interpretation, and ways to incorporate that into the choreography. Considering mothering as an act, a system of community, an approach to authority, an opportunity for tenderness, an ever vacillating network of tension and responsibility. Boelkins asked Cook, “Is the piece trying to put mothering in one full day, or is it years? Does it end after the morning routine, or at the end of a lifetime?”

Time is important, agreed Cook, scribbling in her notebook. She envisions the piece as both simultaneously. “I am in this chapter of life where everything feels important—the most tiny things, like a morning routine. But at the same time I’m reflecting on a life. On legacy and lineage.”

“I’m just curious,” said Boelkins, “does she end up by herself again, like in the start? Does it go full circle? Or is it all of them, together?”

Cook wasn’t sure, she said, not yet.

The next day, on a phone call, Cook said that she’d had her “aha” moment when she went home that night. “I see it now,” she said. “What I connected was that my experience of becoming a mother, the act of mothering—and that existence for me has been the portal to have a much different understanding of surrender, and abandoning control, and allowing life to sort of take me on the ride. And trusting it to put me in the right place.”

It's a revelation that required the community’s feedback, she said, the collaboration of ideas. This has always been the pillar of her process, the heart of her vision for Basin. “You can’t as an artist really get to a deeper understanding of your work without sharing what you’re doing,” she said. “And then from the community/philosophical standpoint, as a society discussing and sharing creative process, you have to learn to be patient. You have to not know the answer, how something is going to work out. You have to connect with other people to get something done. You have to be vulnerable. There are so many things that happen inside a creative process that mirror other systems, that mirror our world.” •

Learn more about Basin Arts and its programming at basinartslafayette.com.

"Rounding the Edge" will premiere at the International Dance Festival New Orleans on September 12 (read more about the festival on page 21) and as part of Dance/Splits at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette on September 13. bodyartdance.com/ idfnola2024. acadianacenterforthearts.org.

DIRECTOR

"A Gumbo of Influences"

HOW GROWING UP IN BATON ROUGE SHAPED

THE

CAREER OF TONY-NOMINATED DIRECTOR LEAR DEBESSONET

Story by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

director and Baton

In true South Louisiana form, Lear deBessonet describes her attraction to directing theatrical performances as akin to presenting a shared meal.

“The director is thinking about, from the moment that the audience walks into the space—what do they see? What do they hear? What is the energy in the room? And there's an aspect of kind of hosting to it, like hosting a great dinner party,” deBessonet said. “And that has always really interested me.”

Since 2020, deBessonet has been the artistic director of the concert series Encores! at New York City Center, where she breathes new life into classic American musicals from the archive. With Encores!, she has directed such performances as Lionel Bart’s Oliver and Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods —for which she earned a Tony nomination for Best Direction of a Musical and the Drama League’s award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical. The Drama League also recognized deBessonet with its Founders

Award for Excellence in Directing.

Prior to her work at Encores!, deBessonet spent eight years as resident director at the historic Public Theater, directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and others.

Though today she is a denizen of New York City, deBessonet’s almost rapturous love of theater is both uniquely Baton Rougean while also inextricably linked to her childhood in a house filled with music and unabashed theatricality.

“A lot of the musicals that I have directed on Broadway are things that my mother used to play on the piano when I was a little girl,” deBessonet said. “I think that she herself was so creative and really encouraged me and my sister to play. And so my earliest productions as a director were plays that my sister and I would do at our house, usually with our cocker spaniel, Spotty, playing a role and with other kids from the neighborhood.”

Even in those early years, deBessonet exhibited an insatiable desire to direct. An old family photo captures her at five years old in a kindergarten performance: she’s wearing a pink, poofy dress, bearing a wand aloft, her mouth open wide. Years later, she said, her family had a nice chuckle over the photograph. She commented to her mother that she seemed to be “really enthusiastically participating in this play.”

Her mother countered, “Oh no… There was somebody else that was not standing where they were supposed to be, or not saying their line. And that was you, essentially redirecting the play.”

For her eighth birthday, deBessonet begged her mother for an Annie themed birthday party. She was obsessed with the musical and insisted not on an Annie cake or balloons, but on producing and directing her own version of the play. Her mother was all in.

“I had this slumber party where the girls came over, and it was sort of like, ‘straight to wardrobe!’ As soon as they came over, we got into costumes,” deBessonet said. “We got to rehearse late into the night, and then the next morning, when people's parents came to pick them up, we had our audience, and we performed Annie.”

Her sister was also in that production, as was their dog—in the role of Sandy. Decades later, deBessonet would direct NBC’s Annie Live! for a surreal, memorable callback to her childhood dream.

As soon as she was old enough, deBessonet launched headfirst into Baton Rouge’s theater scene, taking BREC classes and performing with local community theater companies, acting at the library, the mall, in outdoor spaces.

Tony-nominated

Rouge-native Lear deBessonet. Photos courtesy of deBessonet.

During this time, she encountered numerous mentors who all, in their own way, shepherded her through those juvenile years as a burgeoning theater kid. deBessonet lauded former Episcopal theater director Danny Tiberghein, who died tragically her senior year, as her biggest champion and directorial influence. She also credits many others, including former arts council leader Renee Chatelain, Paige Parsons Gagliano, who has been an active presence from Episcopal theater productions to Theatre Baton Rouge, and Charlotte Nordyke, who founded Playmakers of Baton Rouge.

Chatelain remembers first crossing paths with deBessonet in a Playmakers’ production of The Arkansaw Bear. Even then, deBessonet was a deeply serious child actor, with focus and drive.

“She’s always been brilliant,” Chatelain said. “What I might have imagined for her has been quadrupled by what she’s actually done.”

This “gumbo of the influences” in her early years sparked deBessonet’s interest in the power of the performative, and the spiritual surge of potential she believes manifests when people gather.

Mardi Gras. Church. Football. These are the places deBessonet describes as the “truly magical aspects of daily life” in Baton Rouge, and throughout South Louisiana, that inspire her directorial style and appreciation for theater. “These are all things that do have an aspect of, like, just beauty and color and spectacle and music, while also being things that are very community building, very community oriented,” she said. “All of those things are intergenerational. You know, you will see babies and you will see people in their nineties at all three of those things, right? And people from all different backgrounds, all different races. And that is something that is, I think, at the very core of my sort of DNA as an artist.”

Recognizing the value of reaching diverse audiences, regardless of artistic exposure, demographics, or economic background, has come to define much of deBessonet’s artistic identity. At a TED Talk delivered in April, she explained that the pageantry of theater is vital for communities to cultivate interconnectedness through joy and imagination. This passion has led her to direct performances in far-flung locations such as shelters and prisons, and to found programs that make robust opportunities for artistic experiences more accessible for everyone.

“My work has a spirit of, ‘Come on, y’all! Everybody!’ in a way that is very Louisiana,” she said.

After she made it to New York City in the early aughts, hustling for close to five years to break into the industry, deBessonet began to actualize her vision of bringing theater to unexpected places and people.

In 2006, she founded her first major initiative, Tickets for the People, a program that distributed thousands of tickets to non-traditional audiences, including students, seniors, immigrants, and those living in low-income housing. While deBessonet said they technically did distribute the tickets and accomplish their goal, the program was “a big disappointment.”

“I ended up feeling like, oh, it's actually not just about essentially getting butts in seats in the audience, like it's not enough for somebody to come and see a show that they might have no connection to,” she said. “Really, theater has to be a much more holistic, relational thing, and ideally for community, it needs to involve participation. It needs to involve not just watching something but making something yourself.”

Her vision to transform the experience of theatrical performances into an involved, communal project grew into the program Public Works, which she brought to The Public Theater in 2012. Public Works draws community members from all over New York City together for 200-person pageants, often performed at Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The program unites military veterans, children, senior citizens, formerly incarcerated people, and other unlikely company members to create productions that are by, for, and of the community.

Public Works and its unifying mission harken back to deBessonet’s earliest conceptions of theater as a space for fostering togetherness and providing nourishment for the soul.

“There was a spiritual aspect to what happens in the theater, and that when humans gather together in the theater, that it could be a place of unique healing and joy,” deBessonet said. “And, you know, I believe that God is present everywhere, and certainly I do believe that God shows up in the theater.”

More recently, deBessonet has been leading a new, innovative venture focused on bringing artistic expression to as many people as possible—even beyond New York City. As an artistic director, with Nataki Garrett and Clyde Valentin, of the national arts and health initiative One Nation/One Project, she launched the Arts for EveryBody initiative.

Inspired by the 1936 Federal Theater Project involving eighteen municipalities presenting their own

Evangeline Parish Evangeline Parish

Fairs and Festivals

Mamou Cajun Music Festival Sept. 13 & 14

Le Grand Hoorah: Sept. 27 - Sept. 29

Louisiana Cotton Festival Oct. 9 - Oct. 13

Le Tournoi de Ville Platte Oct. 13

Louisiana Swine Festival

Nov. 1 - Nov. 3

Lear deBessonet directing Once Upon a Mattress on Broadway this year. Photo by Kevin V. Doan.

October

October

Off-Stage Left

IN THE

"WILD WEST" OF NEW ORLEANS THEATER, INNOVATIVE AND NON-TRADITIONAL WORKS THRIVE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES

Story by Alexandra Kennon Shahin

Historically, New Orleans is a place rich in theatrics. But it is not, strictly speaking, a theater city. This is to say that the local theater scene is one that operates upon an infrastructure almost as fragile as the city’s own: cobbled together and highly susceptible to storms. But in this sinking swamp city, there is of course also a long legacy of open-mindedness, creativity, and innovation emerging from the discord—a place where flowers are planted in the potholes.

Lacking the longstanding foundational support of major theater scenes like New York’s or Chicago’s, New Orleans has attracted a collective of theatermakers often interested in experimentation, in pushing boundaries. Operating outside the paradigm of traditional theater, several grassroots organizations have emerged on the scene, championed by artists driven by a need to explore, through the art of performance and storytelling, the things that impact their community the most: sense of place, social justice, complex histories, and looking toward the future.

“The Wild West” of New Orleans’s Theater Scene

Over the course of the last twenty years since Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans theater scene has often been described as the “Wild West”. Facing the tumultuous cultural and infrastructural disruptions of devastating hurricanes, the pandemic, and a rapidly evolving media landscape—theater has become increasingly challenging to make and sustain. These broader challenges have resulted in a dearth of affordable venue spaces and public funding for the arts—forcing local theater companies to compete for the same precious few grants year after year, making it a struggle to survive for even the most-committed and best-supported companies

Such challenges have led to the closure of several of the city’s most impactful theater organizations, including the circa-1986 Southern Repertory Theater—once considered a leading voice in regional theater—which closed its curtains in 2022 following years of struggles to find a stable venue and sustain itself financially.

Almost a decade before that, one of the most supportive programs for local small theater in the city, New Orleans’s Fringe Festival, was forced to dissolve in 2014 (though there were various efforts to revive it, all unsuccessful) after continual struggles for funding and infrastructure. For years, the event had been an outlet for hundreds of local performances by small and emerging theater companies.

Still, art prevails. Rather than totally extinguishing New Orleans’s theater scene, these challenges have fostered a surviving theater landscape built from determination and innovation, which has resulted in work that reinvents the model of theater in the modern age, reaching new audiences and inspiring experiment.

“It's necessity that spawns that creativity. I think it gives us a way to expand how we want to produce and the kinds of stories we want to tell,” said Monica Harris, New Orleans-based theater artist and interim managing director of The NOLA Project. “You're just kind of deciding your own fate. You're the master of it, and you take the resources that are around you. One of the greatest resources in this city are people, and seeing what you can create together.” And the theater scene of New Orleans, she noted, attracts a different kind of artist, the kind with a particularly “experimental spirit”.

Theater Outside of the Theater

One of the biggest challenges to creating theater in New Orleans is the city’s lack of available and affordable traditional theater venues. Even the city’s older, more established companies, like The NOLA Project, which has been active for almost twenty years, does not have a consistent venue currently. As a result, the organization has produced works in an eclectic variety of spaces—from galleries and courtyards in the New Orleans African American Museum (where they staged The Colored Museum), to an old brake-tag station on the Lafitte Greenway (where they staged Dracula). According to Harris, the opportunity to bring theater into unexpected places has actually helped further The NOLA Project’s mission of making theater more accessible to the community. “We are a majority Black city with a lot of complex and rich cultural history,” she said. “And we want to be working with spaces who align with that in mind, where we can reflect the kind of audience base we want to reach and access people who may not be familiar with us at all, or who are not exposed to theater in their everyday lives. Bringing theater to different neighborhoods, I think, is a very direct way to make an immediate impact.”

Other theater companies have found stages in the city’s historic churches. St. Rose of Lima Church on Bayou Road, for instance, was home to Southern Rep for a time, and now operates as The

André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice (ACC)—a nonprofit dedicated to community development through the arts, with an emphasis on supporting Black artists, home to the theater group No Dream Deferred. Likewise, for many years the Tennessee Williams Theater Company of New Orleans staged Williams’s original works in a community church space and is now currently in-residence at The Marigny Opera House—a nonprofit venue in a deconsecrated historic church whose mission is devoted to providing a home for the arts, even (perhaps especially) those who lean toward experimentation. All manner of original music performances, ballet, burlesque, theater, and circus acts (and sometimes unexpected combinations of these artforms) have been produced at The Marigny Opera House.

And, in true New Orleans fashion, theater finds its way into bars, as well. AllWays Lounge & Cabaret on St. Claude Avenue is perhaps the most prolific example of bars-as-theater, hosting all manner of burlesque, cabaret, and left-of-center theater out of its main lounge area as well as from The Twilight Room space in the back. “We have everything from traditionally trained thespians to self-taught singers, actors, dancers, comedians, musicians, and sideshow artists,” said Zalia BeVille, owner and booking agent of The AllWays. “Depending on the way that they wish to present themselves at any moment, they can take their visions from the realm of traditional to experimental… But we tend to nurture and encourage pushing boundaries and looking deeper.”

Among the recent lineup at The AllWays are an original dark musical comedy led by a drag queen; a psychological horror show tying in sideshow, burlesque, and live music; and The Van Ella Bordella—which weaves burlesque with scripted theater, improvisation, comedy, musical theater, and historical trivia with sex worker education and advocacy. “After 250 shows, I'd say it's been well received by the city,” BeVille said. “One thing I notice about New Orleans is that we tend to push boundaries by leaning towards the raunchy, sensuous, sultry, queer nature of our southern swampy environ.”

While innovative theater pops up in atypical venues across the city, some dedicated, if offbeat, spaces for theater have emerged to respond to the need. “Creative spaces are incredibly important. They are such a major cornerstone of our culture,” BeVille said. “Many times overlooked by the mainstream, these spaces along with the performers and works that emerge from them, create commentary and beauty along with a dialogue for politics, religion, struggle, and celebration… It would be a very gray world without them.”

One example of this sort of venue is The Actor’s Apothecary on Prytania in the Lower Garden District, which was

A scene from The Pretty Trap, staged by The Fire Weeds at Big Couch as part of the 2023 Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival. Photo by Craig Mulcahy, courtesy of The Fire Weeds.

born from a desire to rekindle the local acting community after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to offering various taping, editing, and marketing services for actors, as well as classes, the space also hosts staged readings, improv shows, and plays in a black box theater setting.

Across town in a 4,000-square foot Marigny warehouse space, Catapult is dedicated to the development of original performances, offering rehearsal space as well as a design studio, which allows design elements to be incorporated into the rehearsal process. Founded in 2012 by a collective of performance companies, including Mondo Bizarro, Artspot Productions, and (now defunct) New Noise, with Jeff Becker and Lisa Shattuck—Catapult is used by several local ensembles, including Goat in the Road and Another Gulf is Possible, as a shared resource.

Another center for theatrical gathering is Big Couch, which operates out of a former department store space in the Marigny and hosts improv shows and classes, as well as a wide variety of performances and readings, many of which lean avant-garde. Small, innovative companies like Fat Squirrel—which has produced shows ranging from Shakespeare to absurdist takes on Medieval morality plays—find a home at Big Couch.

Fourth Wall Be Damned

One stand-out approach to theater that is especially responsive to the challenges of finding a home in traditional venues is that of the site-specific, immersive play. Intramural Theater, originally founded by A.S. Wilson in 2015 as the Cobbleslop Group, emphasizes “physical and spatial experiments with original scripts” and incorporates various elements of live music, visual arts, and movement into works designed with a particular nontraditional space in mind.

Five of Intramural’s works have been generated from Kirschner’s devising method, which combines improvisation with free-writing exercises within a non-hierarchical ensemble. The company’s most recent production, staged in May of 2024 at the Music Box Village Schoolhouse, was an original work titled The Bermuda Can Company —which satirically imagines a New Orleans startup creating the first fully recyclable can, before descending into chaos when the prototype is discovered missing.

Another more established theater group working in this space is Goat in the Road Productions, helmed by co-artistic directors Shannon Flaherty and Christopher Kaminstein. Goat in the Road’s plays often begin with research into lesser-told areas of local history with particular resonance today, inspired by

“IT'S NECESSITY THAT SPAWNS THAT CREATIVITY. I THINK IT GIVES US A WAY TO EXPAND HOW WE WANT TO PRODUCE AND THE KINDS OF STORIES WE WANT TO TELL."

—MONICA HARRIS, INTERIM MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE NOLA PROJECT

real historic spaces. One well-received example was The Family Line, an original immersive play staged in the back rooms and courtyard of the historic BK House in the French Quarter. Centered around the 1892 New Orleans General Strike, and on the Black and Sicilian workers who came together across racial lines in solidarity for better working conditions, the play invited audience members to meander through different rooms and areas, following whichever actors they chose or remaining in one area as the action unfolded.

“I would say overall, we're trying to look for ways to present theater that's maybe just outside of the traditional theater-going experience. And I love the traditional theater-going experience. But I'm also aware that fewer and fewer people are going to traditional shows across

the nation right now,” Kaminstein said. “I think that experiential element is partly what audiences are looking for. They're looking for something to go to that really takes them out of their life and is different from something they've seen before. Which I think is the challenge we have as theater makers right now.”

Taking the approach of inserting theater into real-world spaces one step further, Goat in the Road’s Play/Write program brings theater and playwriting classes to hundreds of New Orleans public school students each year, culminating in showcases of student-written works. “And so the educational work and the original work have been leaning on each other from the beginning,” said Kaminstein. “And I think that's important to say, because I think there can be a tendency in theater and experimental

A scene from Goat in the Road's production of The Family Line, which ran at BK House from October 2022–January 2023. Photo by Josh Brasted, courtesy of Goat in the Road.

theater to be a little bit navel gazey. And our goal from the beginning was like, ‘how can we do something that really responds, and it's in the community, as well?’”

The program, hand-in-hand with the touring show Goat in the Schools— which brings student-written plays to local school libraries, gymnasiums, and cafeterias—allows young people the opportunity to see their own writing come to life on stage. Kaminstein points out that the student-written works are some of the most “experimental” of anything GitR produces. “It’s the most trippy, surreal, interesting, bizarre—it's like, very experimental what these students are doing with their work,” he said.

The next project coming from GitR, to be released September 29, is a theatrical, immersive audio guide through the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs, Mississippi—created with support from the New Orleans Center for the Gulf South and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The company is also staging an original work called Carlota , whose title character is based on a character from their 2018 play, The Stranger Disease. A musical, Carlota is an intergenerational story about a Cuban immigrant who returns to Cuba and joins the Revolution, and is scheduled to premiere in the spring of 2026.

Aria Jackson (center) as STRONGNESS, Constance S. Thompson ( left) as THICKNESS, and Erin King (right) as SOFTNESS in The Defiance of Dandelions by Philana Omorotionmwan, directed by Nicole Brewer as part of 2023 WE WILL DREAM: New Works Festival produced by No Dream Deferred NOLA. Photo courtesy of No Dream Deferred.

A New Look at Old Stories

The perspective shift that takes place when theater’s conventions become re-ordered often results in exciting original work, but can also generate re-examinations of canon. In 2023 for instance, The NOLA Project produced Shakespeare's Tempest, Reimagined, directed and adapted by founding member James Bartelle. Staged on Lafitte Greenway, the eleven actors making up the cast (including Harris as Prospero) all remained “on stage” for the entire performance, observing the action and contributing sound effects and song. Leslie Claverie, who played Ariel, led the cast in singing the original music, written by Alexis Marceaux and Stephen MacDonald of Sweet Crude.

Another experimental take on the bard’s work premiered at this year’s New Orleans Shakespeare Festival—which presented its high-concept multimedia, “very psychological” version of Julius Caesar in the black box space of Tulane’s Lupin Theater, under Salvatore Mannino’s direction. “It was just a completely different kind of sensory experience of Shakespeare, that I had not done before, as was The Tempest, even though both directors took completely different takes,” said Harris, who, in addition to her work with The NOLA Project, played Calpurnia in Julius Caesar

New Voices Take the Stage

One of the more recent companies to arrive on the New Orleans theater scene is the female-driven company, The Fire Weeds, who produced their inaugural production at Big Couch as part of the 2023 Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival. Earlier this year, co-founders and theater/filmmakers as well as actresses Jaclyn Bethany and Lin Gathright produced two of Williams’s more obscure and female-focused oneacts, The Pretty Trap and Interior Panic, under a joint bill they titled “Outraged Hearts”. Each play is an early iteration of one of Williams’ most-produced and most-famous plays—The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire, respectively. The Fire Weeds’ production reimagines them from the points of view of of the troubled protagonists Laura and Blanche.

“These ideas of female desire or repression, or sexuality, or mental health, it's all actually a very interesting and positive and collaborative exploration of these themes in a modern context,” said Bethany. She and Gathright were intrigued with the ways these infrequently-staged scripts recenter women in a way that is hopeful, offering among other things a new perspective on Williams and his work. “We didn't want to play it safe. The thing that sort of kept us going was

A performance at The Allways Lounge, courtesy of The Allways Lounge.

A scene from Goat in the Road's production of Top 5 Survival Moves, which premiered in March 2024 at the Contemporary Arts Center, created in collaboration with Katya Chizhayeva about the Ukraine war. Photo by Josh Brasted, courtesy of Goat in the Road.

if we were going to do these things that are in the cultural zeitgeist, we needed to take risks and really push them and push ourselves as artists.”

While The Pretty Trap was staged in Big Couch’s theater space, Interior Panic was put up in the venue’s second room— which isn’t set up as a traditional theater venue at all, but better lent itself to the dingy world of Stella’s apartment. The exterior door through which actors would enter and exit was actually on Desire Street, with characters already within the world of the play coming and going as part of the pre-show.

The Fire Weeds’ next production will be Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, staged at Big Couch from December 4–21, 2024. Especially given the play’s original context of the political upheaval of post-election 1960s, Bethany believes Albee’s work has the potential to be particularly resonant. While this script is less obscure than their previous offerings, The Fire Weeds still intend to approach it in their own way, with women at the center. “We're really interested in examining it from the female perspective, and it's also one of the greatest plays of all time,” Bethany said.

Over in the Tremé, one of the city’s oldest theater companies has been producing innovative theater works since 1980. Operating under the longstanding mission to uplift the voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) creatives while addressing matters that

A scene from The Pretty Trap, staged by The Fire Weeds at Big Couch as part of the 2023 Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival.

Photo by Craig Mulcahy, courtesy of The Fire Weeds.

impact the Black community, Junebug Productions was founded by John O’Neal in 1980 as the successor of the Free Southern Theater, which was itself founded in 1963 as a cultural extension of the Civil Rights Movement. One of Junebug’s most impactful performances to-date was 2011’s The Homecoming Project, which told the story of Black New Orleanians in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The performance was presented in the style of a second line, emphasizing the ways in which New

Orleans’s own cultural traditions are inherently theatrical. More recently, the Junebug Juke Joint series has brought an immersive theatrical experience of R&B music history into various venues, from the Contemporary Arts Center to the recently-restored Dew Drop Inn.

A younger company with similar missions of celebrating Black leaders in the arts and telling stories rooted in place is No Dream Deferred. The concept came from a conversation between Lauren E. Turner, Keah Moffett, Yolanda Wil-

liams, and India Mack about the need to create “a space where Black theater makers in particular, and BIPOC theater makers generally speaking, had more autonomy and agency around the art they were making and how it was being made,” said Turner, founding producing artistic director of No Dream Deferred.

Since its founding, No Dream Deferred’s mission has expanded to include the development of new plays by Black Southern playwrights. This work

has manifested as the We Will Dream: New Works Festival, launched in 2023 as a biennial event that licenses and produces never-before-premiered works by emerging Black Southern writers. “You could be a playwright and call yourself a playwright because you write plays, but you may die or leave the profession never having seen any of your work on stage ever,” said Turner. “Those odds, when it comes to Black playwrights—it shrinks to a minute amount. We wanted to change that dynamic.”

A scene from The NOLA Project's production of Shakespeare's Tempest, Reimagined, directed and adapted by founding member James Bartelle, and staged on Lafitte Greenway. Photo courtesy of The NOLA Project.

Besides producing new works and doing so with teams of primarily professional Black actors and designers, the shows No Dream Deferred aims to produce are deeply connected to the shared experiences of New Orleans audiences. “I think that the arts at large, or performing arts, should always be seeking to serve as an asset to the shared vision for any community that it's in, because that's really how you cultivate investment in what it is you're doing,” Turner said. “So New Orleanians come to see our work, they see themselves. They see a message that's relevant to them. And so, we really focus on cultural relevance in our work.”

The impact of working from the Black-led cultural institution that is the André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Culture Justice (formerly the St. Rose of Lima Church) on a historically Black culture, arts, and entrepreneurship corridor in the 7th Ward is not lost on Turner and collaborators. “We’re just really embracing and soaking up the abundance of that history, that legacy, and the narrative of what that means, and figuring out how we keep it moving forward in a way that feels right for us,” Turner said. No Dream Deferred is currently looking ahead not only to its 2025 We Will Dream: New Works Festival in the spring but has been invited to the 2025 International Black Theater Summit in Ghana to strategize regarding the festival’s future.

Working with frequent collaborator Lisa Shattuck—whose passion for original works rooted in place overlap with No Dreams Deferred’s—the company is in the process of developing a unique new work, Wonder Wander City Park, launching in April of 2025 as part of the We Will Dream: New Works Festival. The “immersive audio experience” will take audiences through New Orleans City Park, unpacking the complex, multi-layered history of the land that’s enjoyed as a public space today. “It's a way for people to uncover or have a deeper awareness about how all of our histories culminate to create our experience now,” Turner said. “So, it covers everything from when City Park was segregated, to the Native history, to all of the experiences of City Park, through storytelling.”

Wonder Wander City Park comes as an evolution of a 2023 production Shattuck and her husband Jeff Becker co-produced with Mondo Bizarro titled Wonder Wander Future Date. Audience members listened through headphones as they “went on a date” with actors who spoke to them live, allowing them to engage in conversation. The kicker? The actors were playing New Orleanians from hundreds of years in the future. “And they're asking the audience, ‘what does it look like here, where you're standing?’ and you come to realize that where they are, a few hundred years later, New Orleans is underwater,” Shattuck explained.

For Wonder Wander City Park, the audience will be talking with someone from the past. “You're gonna be entertained, and you're gonna have fun, but also, you may have some realizations or learn something that you weren't aware of, and like, how does that affect you?” Shattuck said, “So I really think creating meaning with a group of people while you're experiencing a cultural event is the goal.”

Reflecting on New Orleans's theater landscape as a whole, Shattuck pointed out that this tendency toward nontraditional, original theater events is an inherent aspect of New Orleans culture. “I mean, New Orleans’s tradition of community-based participatory stuff like parades and second lines, burlesque, Super Sunday, and all this stuff—that supports the theater culture here, and supports [the theory] that you don't have to do traditional pre-scripted theater if you don't want to,” she said. “Creating meaning together to experience some cultural event, I think that's just built into the New Orleans culture. That is one of the things that makes it possible to have such a broad range of theater in this city.” •

thenolaproject.com • nodreamdeferrednola.com • twtheatrenola.com • marignyoperahouse.org • theallwayslounge.net • theactorsapothecary.com • mondobizarro.org • goatintheroadproductions.org • bigcouchnola.com • fatsquirrelnola.square.site • intramuraltheater.org • neworleansshakespeare.org

Gwendolyn Foxworth as Anna J. Cooper in Drapetomania: A Nego Carol by M.D. Schaffer, directed by David Kote as part of the 2023 WE WILL DREAM: New Works Festival produced by No Dream Deferred. Photo courtesy of No Dream Deferred.

A Special Advertising Feature from Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

Let the Music Play

Local musician keeps performing throughout cancer journey and clinical trial

Electric bass players know a secret.

Eclipsed on stage by magnetic vocalists, showy guitarists and frenetic drummers, they’re often the most understated and least noticeable members of a band. But if a bassist were to take the night off, the audience would sense it instantly. The background thrum of bass provides something elemental, creating a kind of rhythmic scaffolding to which the rest of the instruments cling.

“The bass is like the foundation,” said Emmett Haas, 63, longtime bassist with the popular regional cover band, The Electrix. “If you get a note wrong, it’s the one that stands out the most.”

Emmett’s love for music stems back to his pre-teen days growing up in Baton Rouge. Then, he eschewed the quieter clarinet his parents hoped he’d play for the bass guitar. Fast-forward several decades, and the full-time IT consultant is still playing music for fun, both at home in his studio and with The Electrix, a band that specializes in crowd-pleasing cover tunes. The group plays weddings and events throughout the region and can be heard regularly at the St. Anne Wine Bar in Mandeville.

Playing live music to enthusiastic crowds has brought Emmett joy for years. But it became especially important after he was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2022.

“That changed everything,” he said.

The diagnosis was jarring, but Emmett said he quickly felt he was in good hands at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

Immediately after discovering a tumor in Emmett’s kidney, medical oncologist Daniel LaVie offered him the chance to join an immunotherapy clinical trial. A key objective of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has been to expand its participation in clinical trials, which advance knowledge about leadingedge treatments. Every patient at Mary Bird Perkins is evaluated for a clinical trial, which is added to standard of care treatment and may benefit the patient’s ultimate outcome.

“They offered me the clinical trial and I definitely moved right into it,” Emmett said. “Along with getting better, I wanted to also try to help people out there beside myself.”

Rather than chemotherapy, Emmett was placed on a pharmaceutical regimen. “Over several months, the course of drugs helped shrink the tumor from around 15-18 centimeters to around 9-10 centimeters,” Emmett said. He has since completed the trial and is now undergoing another drug therapy.

Like any cancer treatment journey, Emmett’s has seen some side effects and down days. He said music has helped brighten his spirits.

“I find that when I listen to music, I don’t think about having cancer. I’m not emotionally attached to the cancer,” Emmett said. “It’s been therapeutic. It stimulates my mind. Not only does it take my thoughts away from the cancer, it also helps my brain because I’m remembering different patterns, notes and parts.”

And it’s not just while playing live. Between gigs, and after work, Emmett composes his own music in a home studio, where he plays a variety of instruments, including the keyboard.

The social aspect of playing in a band full of friends has helped, too.

“When I told the band, they said, ‘Hey, we got your back, and we know what you’re going through,’” Emmett said. “It’s been great, just continuing to get up there with everybody.”

60 A CHEF NAMED COOK // 64 MY MOM'S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS // 65 WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A MASTER CICERONE // 66 SOUP ÇON // 67 DID YOU KNOW THE SNO-CONE IS A LOUISIANA DELICACY? • SEPTEMBER 2024

RESTAURANTS

"I Want to Feed You My Story"

WITH A NEW COOKBOOK AND A NEW RESTAURANT ON ST. CHARLES, CHEF ERIC COOK IS HAVING A MOMENT

Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

In Chef Eric Cook’s notes—a yellow legal pad scrawled with recipes, stream of consciousness journaling, little drawings (he calls it the ‘serial killer notebook’)—is a list of potential names for his cookbook. Listed in his “pharmacist’s handwriting”: “The Guilt of Success,” “Eat This,” “Bite the Hand That Feeds You,” “Return to Simplicity,” “Sense of Place”. How to sum up his thirty-year career in New Orleans cuisine, but more than that—a sacred and inherited food culture that had come to shape his life, his world—in just a few words?

“These are dishes that represent the evolution of culture over hundreds of

years, the influence of tradition and local ingredients,” said Cook. “It’s a food culture that continues to become more and more diverse. It’s evolving and it’s relevant, and it’s happening right now. It’s modern. It’s a story. That’s what it is. I don’t just want to tell you my story, I want to feed it to you. I want you to understand it, and smell it, and taste it.”

Modern Creole is what he landed on, emphasizing a historic, tradition-infused cuisine as a contemporary phenomenon, an ongoing story. To be published on September 17, 2024 with a foreword by Gordon Ramsay, the cookbook is an extension of Cook’s oeuvre of “simple cooking,” a hallmark at his restaurants

Gris-Gris and Saint John. It has always been about elevating the food that beckons Louisianans to the table. “That’s what I think the story is about: home,” he said. “The kitchen is the heart of the home. And when people come to the table, that’s what it’s all about. Everything stops.”

This was how it was in the kitchen that raised Cook, anyway. Born the youngest of four children in Arabi, Louisiana, Cook grew up in the thick of St. Bernard hunting and fishing culture. (Arabi, he also noted, is home of the very first Popeyes. “Every Wednesday they’d sell gizzards for a dollar,” he laughed.) He remembers standing on a stepstool on the linoleum floor beside the double oven,

peeling shrimp and potatoes next to his mom. She cooked on the weekdays, and on the weekends his dad came in with more daring, game-centered recipes. “He did a whole redfish court-bouillon, and I remember standing in front of the oven looking at that fish,” said Cook, who has described his childhood as “one of the greatest upbringings you could ask for”. The plan wasn’t always to be a chef—“I don’t think I’ve had a plan in my entire life,” he laughed. After graduating from high school, he immediately joined the Marines, a calling he has described as “more like a scream” to him. He quickly made his way up the ranks, a “wild man” thriving in an environment of such

Chef Eric Cook, photographed at his restaurant Gris-Gris in New Orleans. Photos by Sam Hanna, courtesy of Chef Eric Cook.

structure and discipline, and describes his tour as “some of the best years of his life”. He remembers how when he was abroad, his mom would send care packages with Creole spices and booze.

Cook returned to the New Orleans area unsure what was next, a little lost. He’d never been to a fine dining restaurant when a family connection introduced him to the late Michael Roussel, who was at the time the Executive Chef at Brennan’s. “I came out of the military and fell into the kitchen,” said Cook, who found the structure, discipline, and sense of camaraderie of a professional kitchen reminiscent of life in the Marines. “It was, like, violent and vulgar, and everyone was always drinking,” he said. “I loved it.”

to cuisine, recalling the distinct delights of his childhood kitchen table. He started talking to his mom, digging through his grandmother’s recipes, the old neighborhood and church cookbooks. “You get into those local parish things, and those people are not putting their B-game into those books,” he said. “This is their neighborhood pride. This is Miss Mabel’s oyster dressing, you know it’s legit. Those are the recipes that I trust, those emotional connections.”

It opened up a window, he said, a big one—revealing the treasures of hyper-regional, Southeastern, Gulf Coast cuisine.

“WE NEED TO PRESERVE THIS CUISINE,

TO KEEP THE OLD BOOKS, TO TALK ABOUT THEM, AND WE NEED TO SAY THAT IT’S MODERN, THAT IT’S HAPPENING NOW. WE NEED PEOPLE TO GET BACK IN THE KITCHEN.”

“The simplicity of using what’s around you, that became my new direction,” he said. He got rid of the sous vide machines, all of them, and told his crew at the American Sector, “We’re gonna get back to cooking, y’all. We’re gonna learn how to braise things, we’re gonna learn how to sear things, we’re gonna learn how to stew. We’re gonna get back to fire.” He started ordering fresh hogs from the local butcher every week, swordfish broken down to its tiniest parts. “That byproduct usage thing really came to the forefront—tip to tail, heart to skin, cracklins and hog head cheese and bacon.”

—CHEF ERIC COOK

Cook cites Roussel as the number one influence of his life. “I still hear that guy’s voice in my ear,” said Cook. “You could see the passion. His approach, his training, the way he ran his kitchen in one of the most famous restaurants in the world—that was the big thing for me. It was culture.” Training under Roussel at Brennan’s, Cook worked his way up to sous chef and chef de partie, then went on to cook at many of the city’s finest restaurants, including Bourbon House, Tommy’s Cuisine, and N.O.S.H. It was while working as the Executive Chef for the National World War II Museum’s restaurant American Sector, though, that he started reaching back toward his roots.

“We were young and thought we were hot stuff,” he remembered. “The molecular gastronomy thing was hitting and everything was sous vide. I think at one point I had like ten sous vide machines we flew in from Germany. We were reading Thomas Keller’s Under Pressure and In the Charcuterie, and everything had to be this super technical stuff.”

One day, a friend came to try out Cook’s restaurant, and he was hoping to impress him. “We happened to be doing something with rabbits that day,” remembered Cook. He decided to prepare an old school rabbit fricassee—“big hind quarters, a really deep dark brown Vermilion Parish gravy”—served with blackened cornbread. “And a lightbulb goes off, like ‘this is really, really good’.”

He started reconsidering his approach

This was the key to the Creole cuisine he’d grown up with, he quickly realized—the genius of it came straight from the resources available to this region’s ancestors, transformed into recipes passed down as heirlooms, generation after generation. “How can you not make great food with all this? You have to try to mess it up,” he said. “Traditional gathering food, that’s what we have here in South Louisiana. It’s indigenous. What they do, what my mom did, what the grandparents did, it’s been going on for hundreds of years. And it’s just simplicity.” Preserving that heirloom became the drive behind Cook’s work as a New Orleans chef. “It’s important for us to feed this story to people and let them know it’s worth preserving.”

After twenty years working in the New Orleans restaurant business, the time finally came in 2018 for Cook to open his own place. “I kept hitting the glass ceiling,” he said. “I was ego driven, hot headed, a ruckus. A tough employee. I’ve been fired from a lot of really great jobs just because I would get so frustrated, so motivated to go further. It’s humbling to look back on. I’ve said many apologies to people I worked for since then.” Gris-Gris came about, he said, out of necessity. He had already made a name for himself; this was a way to keep climbing.

Cook’s wife, Robyn, gave him the final push—“she’s always ten steps ahead of me,” he said. She found the location for Gris-Gris on Magazine, saw the vision clear as day. “It was such an organic process,” said Cook about opening the restaurant. “I probably wrote the menu for our opening in twenty minutes.”

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SATURDAY, OCT 12

Cajun Creole Fest ........ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Youth Gumbo Cookoff Serving @ 12:00 pm

SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC

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Geno Delafose and French Rocking Boogie 10:00 am – 12:30 pm Sideshow ....................... 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Food, soft drinks & beer will be sold. No ice chests or pets, please.

Cooking Demo & Dinner (Advanced Tickets Required) .... 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm FOR MORE INFO VISIT IBERIACHAMBER.ORG/GUMBOCOOKOFF

That menu included no-nonsense home-cooked New Orleans food, prepared with love and generations of precedence—dishes that rarely saw the spotlight in the city’s fine dining institutions. Liver, served on grits with onions. White beans and ham hocks. Redfish court-bouillon like his dad used to make and his mom’s chicken and dumplings. “And it’s not a menu gimmick,” he said of the chicken and dumplings, which appear on the menu as “My Mom’s Chicken and Dumplings”. “She cooks this for my birthday to this day, because it’s been my favorite thing since I was like four years old. That’s real stuff. That’s fifty years of family food on the table, right there, for everyone to enjoy.” The gumbo is inspired by a gumbo he ate years ago in Delcambre, Louisiana—prepared by his best friend’s mom, Dale Landry. “It took me years to understand it, but once you do, you get it,” he said. “Louisiana cooking is so much more than how we do things, but why we do them. And that’s the thing you have to teach. There’s got to be passion. It’s got to be history. There’s got to be emotion in it.”

His classic training in brigade-style kitchens helped Cook to run a successful restaurant, but at his restaurants he’s never operated strictly from recipes (and in fact wrote many of them down for the first time for his cookbook). “It’s the way onions smell in a kitchen, how things look, taste,” he said. “There’s no

strict regimen. It’s like, taste it to see if we need more salt. It’s instilled in you. It’s hereditary.”

Filling an extremely narrow, nuanced niche in New Orleans’ restaurant landscape, Gris-Gris quickly became a local favorite, garnering instant recognition in 2018 as Eater New Orleans’s Readers Choice for Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year, New Orleans City Business’s Restaurant of the Year. And in 2019, New Orleans Magazine and TimeOut.com named Gris-Gris one of the city’s Best Restaurants.

In 2021, Cook took his philosophy one step further by opening a second restaurant, Saint John, on Decatur Street in the Quarter. Saint John would still serve traditional Creole home cooking, but the special stuff—the holiday dishes your grandmother brought over once a year: smothered turkey necks, beef daube, a rack of lamb, redfish meuniere. The Haute Creole restaurant placed an even bigger emphasis on what Creole cuisine is: food inspired by the traditions of the melting pot, prepared using local resources, with pleasure and celebration in mind.

In the eight weeks between spontaneously taking over the historic property that once housed Maximo’s and Saint John’s opening weekend (which coincided with Hurricane Ida), Cook pored over old cookbooks, and asked every member of the staff to call their grandparents and

ask about their favorite holiday dishes.

“I’ll never forget, it was like October 3, and we were still looking for the right étouffée recipe,” he said. “And I’m digging around, looking through my grandmother’s River Road cookbook, and a newspaper article falls out. I open it up, and it was dated October 3, 1978. It was an article about how being a great chef can really elevate you as an entertainer or something. And I flipped it over, and it was a recipe for shrimp étouffée. And

I was like ‘This is my Mamère telling me we’re doing this.’ And that was it. That was the recipe, and stayed the recipe.”

After years of financial struggles at Saint John, in May of 2024, Cook and his team sadly announced the restaurant’s closure. “We were brokenhearted,” he said, explaining that though he had hoped to see a post-pandemic renaissance in New Orleans, similar to how the city came together after the trauma of Hurricane Katrina, that relief never effectively

Oyster BLT, as featured in Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine.

reached the city’s restaurant industry. In addition, the restaurant’s location on lower Decatur had the price tag of the Quarter without the foot traffic. “At the end of the day, if you’re not breaking even, you’ve got to turn,” said Cook.

Cook describes the months leading up to the decision as turmoil for him. “I spent a lot of days in my backyard just walking in circles, trying to figure out the next move,” he said, admitting he’d gotten so desperate as to consider re-opening Saint John in the mall. “I was in a panic, survival mode. How do you walk away from this? I was so depressed it was dying, I was dying with it. I dyed my hair black, it was dark.” All the while, once again Robyn was ten steps ahead. “She just let me go through all that, and on the backside had been working independently planning this new location. One day she says, ‘You’re done? Let me show you something.’”

She’d found a dream location for a new Saint John, set on St. Charles on the streetcar route, right between legendary restaurants Herbsaint and Desi Vega’s, in the building formerly home to Le Chat Noir. “It was perfect,” said Cook.

“That belief in Saint John as a concept was so important to us,” said Cook. “It was an act of preserving this legacy of people I respect and came up under, and making space for the people who are coming up right now and need a future to be able to still talk about these

things, these recipes that came from people who aren’t with us anymore. They’re still alive every day in these plates, these restaurants. Saint John, it deserves to be a restaurant.”

The new location’s opening this fall will coincide with the release of Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine. The book, Cook said, was a much-needed reminder—amidst the disappointment of losing Saint John— of his story, and the story he’s always tried to tell. “We need to preserve this cuisine, to keep the old books, to talk about them,” he said. “And we need to say that it’s modern, that it’s happening now. We need people to get back in the kitchen.” •

Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine will be available for purchase on September 17, 2024 at grisgrisnola.com. A launch party will take place on pub day at Gris-Gris from 5:30 pm–8:30 pm, with complimentary passed appetizers and happy hour drinks. Chef Cook will be available to sign copies and take photos. Saint John will re-open later this fall on St. Charles Street. Get the latest official updates on the restaurant's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Seared Pork Belly on Compressed Watermelon with Jalapeño demi-glace.

My Mom's Chicken & Dumplings

FROM "MODERN CREOLE: A TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS CULTURE AND CUISINE" by Eric Cook, reprinted by permission of Gibbs Smith Books Serves 4–6

When I was growing up and it was my birthday, I could request whatever I wanted for dinner and my mom would cook it for me. I always asked for chicken and dumplings. It’s not a big-deal dish and it’s easy to make, but Mom always made it well and it made me feel good. When I opened Gris-Gris, this was one of the first dishes on the menu. I quickly found out I wasn’t the only one who had great memories of it. A large rotisserie chicken is the way to go here. Just pull it apart and reserve the bones for stock. The dumplings are a treat, but this quick stew is also just fine over rice or buttered noodles.

For the Chicken Sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into quarters

1 cup diced celery

1/2 teaspoon tomato paste

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 quart chicken stock

2 bay leaves

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried, plus more fresh thyme leaves, for serving

2 teaspoons black pepper Kosher salt

Chicken Sauce

For the Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour

11/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup buttermilk

Melt the butter in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring well, until caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and stir to fully mix all the ingredients. Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then add the chicken, thyme, pepper, and salt to taste. Stir and let the sauce simmer while you make the dumplings.

Dumplings

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Slowly add the buttermilk while whisking, until the mixture reaches biscuit consistency, about 10 minutes.

To Assemble

Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough directly into the sauce. Place the dumplings around the pot so they don’t clump together. Press them down so they are just under the surface of the sauce. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low so the sauce simmers and the dumplings cook. After 15 minutes, remove one dumpling and cut it in half. If it is the same opaque texture all the way through, then it’s done. If it is doughy in the center, cook the remaining dumplings for 3 minutes longer. Don’t overcook or the dumplings will fall apart.

Serve garnished with fresh thyme. •

Photo by Sam Hanna

There's a Beer for Every Moment

A CONVERSATION WITH MISSISSIPPI'S MASTER CICERONE, DAVE REESE

By Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

It’s fitting that Dave Reese is from Milwaukee, otherwise known as “Brew City”—with its legacy hof brew barons that goes back to the 19th century. Now based in Biloxi, Mississippi where he operates Fly Llama Brewing, Reese is recognized as one of the world’s foremost beer experts. Last November, after over a decade of study and failed attempts, he achieved the esteemed distinction of Master Cicerone—the highest level of certification one can acquire on the knowledge of beer and brewing. He is one of only twenty-eight individuals in the world who has successfully passed the rigorous test, and the only one in Mississippi. As he prepares to open his newest venture, Copper Llama Distillery, sometime in the next year, we reached out to learn more about what it takes to become a Master Cicerone, and the secrets to enjoying the “perfect beer”.

How did your interest in beer and brewing begin?

In early college, I got into home brewing. I was going to school for chemistry at the time, and I was working in the hospitality industry—managing bars and clubs and working around Milwaukee. I was homebrewing.

I ended up getting a job managing a brew pub at the time, and the owner and I hit it off. He didn’t have a brewer. And he's like, “Listen, if you want to be my brew master, I'll pay for your education. I was like, “hell yeah.” I ended up going to Siebel Institute of Technology, and I got my degree in brewing there around 2010. And then it was off to the races.

I kind of cut my teeth in his place, and I learned a lot. The industry was pretty different than it is now, and we were pretty experimental at the time. I remember taking a lot of risks. I made some good beers,

made some bad beers, but I was just good at it. I always had a palate. I was blessed with a very good palate. So, I worked there for five or six years, and then I got sick of the winters and sick of the cold. So, I started looking for an opportunity, and I ended up taking a job as brewmaster in Gulfport Mississippi at Chandeleur Brewing Co. After five or six years working for them, I felt it was time to open my own place and started down that path. And eventually opened up Fly Llama in 2021.

What made you want to pursue this highest level of brewing education, to become a cicerone?

It was kind of like the quest for knowledge, I guess. I wanted to do something extraordinary. And at the time, when I decided I wanted to pursue the Master Level, there were probably like fourteen masters who had passed the test at that point. I loved what I was doing. I thought I was good at it. And I guess it was a little bit of ego. To me, passing that test was like the best thing that I ever could have done.

What was the preparation like for this test? Why are there so few masters?

I think I passed Level One like ten or twelve years before I passed the Master. It’s not something you can just do overnight. The amount of knowledge that you need—it is absurd. It's an absurd amount of studying and preparation you have to do. Just the memorization you have to do. I lived and breathed this industry, but when you get a few months out, you have to literally start training, like for a marathon. You’re doing flashcards—I mean when it comes down to it, you’ve got to cram. I wouldn’t have been able to pass this without the team around me, and my family. My poor wife endured endless blind tastings.

But the journey to get there made me such a better brewer. I traveled all over the world studying for this test. I got 120 hours of classroom flavor training from Dr. Bill Simpson—who is considered one of the best in the world. And ultimately what I was chasing is a merit badge to do it. But it's the hustle to get there that was so worth it.

Taking the test was an awful experience. It’s two days, and I had to take it three times to pass. On the third time, over those two days I turned in over seventy pages of written essays. There are oral exams where you’re sitting across from some of your heroes—Randy

Mosher, guys that I’ve idolized since I entered the industry. You sit down at a table and they’re grilling you, and it’s intimidating. You’re really putting yourself out there, putting it all out there—making yourself really vulnerable. Most people don’t pass this test on their first try, so to do this you have to accept that you’re probably going to fail a few times, and that’s just part of it. But if you want to be one of the best, that’s what you’re going to do.

What was it like in the moment, learning you had passed?

I remember getting the call and I told my wife I was going to meet her for lunch. I remember going down the street and buying a very, very expensive bottle of tequila, and walking to my parents’ deck downtown, and I was like “we gotta talk”. We sat down and we polished off that tequila and a six pack, and that was a really great day. That was a really happy day. It was a lot of emotions, a lot of relief that I didn’t have to go through it again.

Now that you are a Master Cicerone, what has that meant for your profession?

For me, it was really more about the journey. If you’re in consulting or beer education it’s probably a bigger deal than it was for me. There wasn’t a whole lot of change. We had a couple of TV cameras show up. But I honestly did it just to become a better brewer, and I think it shows in our liquid at Fly Llama. Ironically, one of the first things we did after I passed was sign up for distilling school. We recently bought the building across the street from the brewery, and are going to open up a distillery. That’s the next horizon. Beer is my one true love, but there are a lot of similarities in the industries. Now, we’re going to take that fermentation knowledge and apply it to making spirits.

How

do you go about evaluating a beer?

Now, when you go through extensive flavor training, there’s certain things you do to evaluate a beer. You hold it in a certain way, you swirl it in the glass in a certain direction and at a certain speed. And when you train yourself, what that does is it tells your mind that you’re in evaluation mode. So you perceive the beer and evaluate it in a different way. When you really look into a beer, there’s a lot of things you’re going to find that most people don’t realize are there. But there are also times I just want to sit on the back porch

and enjoy a beer, and it’s hard for me to turn off. If I’m drinking one of my beers, it’s absolutely impossible.

Now, I know this is a simple question that has no simple answer—but what makes a perfect beer, in your opinion?

Wow. That is a loaded question. The perfect beer, it’s relative. There’s a perfect beer for every moment. Where are you? Who are you with? Are you sitting on a back porch? Are you eating some aged cheese? Are you having a burger? A piece of cheesecake? What is a perfect beer? It just depends on the moment.

Now, desert island beer? I’d probably say Augustiner Helles—well, nah I couldn’t just pick one. Guinness dry stout is probably one of my desert island beers. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

What advice would you give folks who are amateurs interested in learning more about how to appreciate beer?

First step would be to go to your local brewery or go to your local taproom. There’s more breweries now than there’s ever been in the history of the U.S. and a lot of them are struggling, they need our support. Start at the source, it’s always going to be fresh, it’s going to be local. There’s so much to learn there and brewers want to share their knowledge.

There’s also homebrew clubs, and certainly a lot of local support with social media and things, some really fantastic groups on Facebook.

But just work on your palate. Become a taster, pay attention to things. I have a magnolia tree in my front yard and I will not walk past it without going up and smelling those beautiful white blossoms. One of the things my wife and I love to do is go to the grocery store, split up, and we’ll each buy like three mystery ingredients and then get home and blind taste test each other. Flavor is just a big part of our lives. But challenge yourself, develop your palate, question things.

And there are some great books out there—Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher, that’s where everyone should start. That’s step one, and from there, there are a lot of places you can go. •

Try Reese's beers at Fly Llama Brewing, 186 Bohn St. Biloxi, MS 39530. flyllamabrewing.com.

Dave Reese, courtesy of Reese.

SERIES PREMIERE Sunday, September 15 at 8PM

6-PART SERIES begins Wednesday, September 18 at 7PM

A DASH OF DINING NEWS

By CR Editorial Staff

A New Era at The Mayflower

In downtown Jackson, Mississippi, The Mayflower Cafe has stood sentry for almost a century now, making it one of the oldest restaurants in the state. Opened in 1935 by Greek immigrants George Kountouris and John Gouras as a hamburger joint and beer garden, it has since earned the status of a grand dame, known for its distinctive Mississippi classics-meetsGreek delights menu and featured nationally on Food Network’s Sauced , Ghosts of Mississippi, and The Help. In recent years, rumors have been percolating about the restaurant’s closure, but earlier this year came the announcement that the legacy would live on, now in the hands of James Beard Award-winning Jackson chef Hunter Evans, who also owns Elvie’s down the street. Evans has promised that the iconic restaurant’s character will go unchanged, with new developments carefully inspired and informed by the Mayflower’s illustrious history. One change customers can look forward to is a committed-to-fresh approach on the seafood menu, translating Evans’s commitment at Elvie’s to sourcing locally whenever possible. As of press-time, the Mayflower was set to open in late August. themayflowercafe.com

Launching: Kenner’s Inaugural Restaurant Week

SEASON PREMIERE Thursday, September 12 at 7PM

www.lpb.org

Smart and adventurous Louisiana eaters should make plans to visit Kenner this month, as the river/lakeside city outside the Crescent launches its inaugural Restaurant Week. With plenty of specials and discounts for visitors from September 8–14, there’s no better time to try local favorites like Baja Nola Mexicajun, Chilango’s Seafood, Gendusa’s Italian Eatery, and more. visitkenner.us/kenner-restaurant-week

Baton Rouge’s Main Street Market Re-Opens

From the folks who bring you the Red Stick Farmers Market each Saturday, the 8,000-square-foot Main Street Market under the Galvez Parking Garage at 504 N. 5th Street in downtown Baton Rouge is set to welcome new businesses in its freshly renovated space. The $1 million state project began last November as an effort to better connect the outdoor market to the indoor vendors—with an emphasis on healthy food options, supporting small Louisiana farms, and overall sustainability. Now accepting vendor applications, BREADA has said that there is availability for permanent vendor stalls, pop up spaces, and a fully-equipped teaching kitchen. On September 26, BREADA’s annual Farm Fête will be held in the space as a first-look opportunity for the Baton Rouge community. breada.org/farm-fete •

Photo by Thomas Robertson.

Louisiana, Home of the Snocone

THE HISTORY OF THE SUMMER TREAT'S NEW ORLEANS ORIGINS

Story by Kristy Christiansen • Photos by Paul Christiansen

Louisiana is famous for its food and its cocktails, for its coffees and spices. But where do all these products begin?

Country Roads series, “Made in Louisiana”.

On any summer day in New hOrleans, hordes of people hline the sidewalks waiting their turn to soften the sweltering heat with a decadently cold snoball.

Growing up in Alabama, I spent my childhood enjoying a similar treat, albeit the ice was a little clunkier and we called them “snow cones”. Having taste-tested both on numerous occasions, my preference has leaned Louisiana: snoballs, with their ice shaved so fine as to conjure up images of snowflakes melting on your tongue, are the superior summer treat.

But it wasn’t until recently that I discovered that the secret behind snoballs’ particular delight actually had Louisiana origins. We followed them to a corporate-looking building on River Road near the Orleans /Jefferson Parish line.

Walking into the headquarters of SnoWizard, Inc., my husband, Paul, and I were warmly greeted by a tiny, energetic Chihuahua, who herded us into the conference room to meet with SnoWizard CEO Ronnie Sciortino. Tall, animated, and Sicilian to the bone, Sciortino is the current owner of SnoWizard and the nephew of the business’s founder, George Ortolano—who invented one of the first mechanical snoball machines in the world. Sciortino immediately launched into his family’s illustrious history.

“We were a big, Italian family,” began Sciortino. “My grandparents had eight kids, one stillborn. They moved here from Vacherie and opened a grocery on Magazine and Constantinople in 1920. The former owners were Zatarains, who used to bottle Pa-Poose root beer in little bottles there.”

Sciortino went on to detail how all the kids attended school until fifth or sixth grade before quitting to work in the grocery. Only Sciortino’s mother, Regina, the youngest of the children, was allowed to attend her full years of school. Years passed and several of the children opened their own groceries, including Sciortino’s Uncle George Ortolano.

Hoping to bring in more income in the sweltering New Orleans summers, Ortolano noticed the popularity of a shaved ice business up the street—operated manually by turning a crank to grind the block of ice. “But he wanted a finer ice, like the hand planes could make.”

In 1936, his uncle George successfully designed a machine that could create the delicate snow he envisioned. He made four original machines and put them in his family’s groceries scattered throughout the city. At his own grocery, he sold snow cones in Chinese food pails.

Using one of his brother’s machines, another Ortolano brother, Frank, opened a true snow cone “stand” on Elysian Fields, a pop-up shop that he could put together in half an hour and, at the end of the season, dismantle and store in his garage. Sciortino explained that this contraption was the origination of the phrase “snow cone stand.” Frank was so successful with his business that he made enough money to open the Steer Inn restaurant in the late 1950s, a car hop BBQ burger joint near Pontchartrain Beach. (Frank also designed a conveyer grill for his burgers, the prototype of which was incorporated into Burger King’s process and is still used by the chain today—but that’s a story for another time.)

Meanwhile, George Ortolano became a shipbuilder for the war efforts of the 1940s. Using his newly obtained welding skills, he began tweaking his machine and, in 1948, went into full-on production, calling his early invention the Snow-Wizard Snow-Ball Machine. In the early years, all the machine parts were made by hand; but as his sales increased, Ortolano began automating production and standardizing parts. With the new changes also came a new name, the SnoWizard SnoBall Machine®, and thus: the New Orleans snoball was born.

Ortolano’s wife, Josie, played a crucial role in the snoball business as well, mixing existing extracts and flavorings to create new snoball flavors. Some, like nectar cream, ice cream, and chocolate cream, still grace the menu today.

The baton was passed to Sciortino in 1981, when he bought the manufacturing business from his uncle, George. Four years later, he assumed the supply business of cups, flavors, and all the miscellaneous snoball accessories. He set about making improvements to the SnoWizard and has since built the company into an industry leader.

Walking us through the warehouse floor, Sciortino pointed out a row of SnoWizard machines with colorful front doors. “We can make twenty machines at a time in five door colors,” he said. “We sell about three hundred machines per year, so I’ve probably made fifteen thousand machines since I took over the business.” Ninety-nine percent of his sales, he said, are made in the U.S., but SnoWizards have also been shipped to Australia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Honduras.

Upstairs, we entered Sciortino’s lab, where he spends most of his days mixing snoball flavors, starting with a super concentrated compound that is then combined with water, a preservative, and citric acid, if needed, to create a concentrate. Snoball stands then make their ready-touse flavors by mixing the concentrates with simple syrup. When Sciortino took over, SnoWizard offered forty snoball flavors. He’s now expanded that selection to 150, plus other specialty flavors he sells to bakeries for cakes.

“Our number one seller is strawberry,” he noted. “It has been forever, but coming really close is Tiger’s Blood. I think it’ll take over in the next few years.”

Back downstairs, we marveled at the seemingly endless racks of flavors, a display worthy of Willy Wonka’s factory. Itching to taste a few, we acquired some samples to bring home and try out with our own shaved-ice machine, the stepsister to SnoWizard’s superior fluffy ice maker. •

The SnoWizard headquarters are open to the public, and visitors can stop by at 101 River Road in New Orleans from 9 am–5 pm Monday through Friday, or 9 am–noon on Saturday. You can also shop online at snowizard.com.

We (writer-photographer duo Kristy and Paul Christiansen) are on a mission to discover the origins of some of our most famous and unique locally made products through the bi-monthly

SnoWizard CEO Ronnie Sciortino.

Outdoors

The Scientific & the Common

ALL A NAME HOLDS

Story

and photos

by Jess Cole

In the world of garden making and plant growing, names are of utter importance. When it hcomes to the titling of plants there is always a “Latin/botanical” name, and there is a common name.

The botanical name associated with a plant is its “scientific” name, the name officially used within the industry and academia. These names are part of the seven level “binomial no -

menclature” system that Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus created in the mid 1700s to neatly and clearly categorize the organisms of our natural world. His system begins with the broadest classes of our flora and fauna kingdoms and then narrows, very specifically, to distinct species.

The objective of using a plant's Latin name is to avoid confusion. Linnaeus created a system that was to be

a universal language within the plant world. If used correctly, I can go to England— a land vastly different than Southern Louisiana—and mention a perennial plant to a fellow gardener via its Latin name and we both know what that plant is. This is despite the two cultures likely having totally different “common names” for this plant. The Latin name, theoretically, is always the same. Once upon a time, I despised the

existence and usage of our Latin plant name system. It seemed confusing, a literal foreign language, and like a heartless/sterile way to describe plants. Plant ID classes, during my time at LSU, were grueling for me. But over time, this slowly began to change. As I became ever-more immersed in the plant world, and encountered these Latin names more often, I began to see similarities, overlaps. After all, it's just another language for translating and memorizing.

A Latin plant name starts with the genus (family name) followed by the species name. I was once advised to think of it like a phone book: family name first, then specific name. Within this set up you can (1) memorize family names to at least identify the family of a plant and (2) look into the specific name to find a more detailed description of that plant. Specific names often explain something quite characteristic about a plant—for example the color of its flower, shape of its leaf, the plant's growing habits, the area in which it is found.

A quick lesson: Take the Latin name for “White Oak”, Quercus alba for example. Quercus is the family name for oaks. When you see “Quercus” you know we are talking about oak trees. Alba is Latin for “white”.

This is not always the case, unfortunately. Sometimes, the specific name references the botanist (often an old European man of botanical past) who “discovered”/botanized the plant. For example, one of my favorite perennials common to Louisiana and Texas is called Oenothera lindheimeri. Lindheimeri references the German botanist Ferdinand Lindheimer who came to the American Southeast in the early 1900s, botanizing his way around the American frontier. This approach to scientific naming, I personally believe, is a fault to the system.

As for common names: There can be many, if not a dozen, associated with one plant. Furthermore, depending where you are geographically on this earth, the common names will likely completely change.

Botanical names of plants are important, but I cherish common names. Common names offer the plant you’re engaging with a sense of place,

The Hurricane Lily, or Lycoris radiata

community and seasonality. They often make a plant relatable, tying into our common societal doings and community ponderings.

As a lovely example, take the non-native but magical perennial bulb, Lycoris radiata , brought over from Japan to Louisiana. I was raised to call this flower, that comes faithfully in our still very hot and humid late summer weeks, "Hurricane Lily." Though we are deep into hurricane season already in southern Louisiana, this flower comes at the height of our storm season. My good friend Jlayun, though, calls this flower "first sign of fall" where she is from in China; to her and her family, this flower says that fall has officially arrived.

Another good friend from

Mexico often teaches me, through common plant names, about plants her family and friends use in their meals. One of my favorites hails from the mallow family (which includes hibiscus, cotton, and okra): Malvaviscus arboreus. This perennial is commonly, in Louisiana, called “Turks Cap”.

September Plant Spotlight: Oakleaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia

My friend calls it “Little Apple” and showed me how the little red apple-like fruit after bloom also tastes a bit like apples when eaten fresh or cooked.

Most plants carry with them sometimes dozens of common names, all of which tell their natural history as they relate to humans. Common names

This native hydrangea can be found in wet areas of our woods and along stream banks. I find it often in the steep woods surrounding St. Francisville, near the Mississippi river. This understory flower is much taller and with a more wild form than most of its Asian relatives typically found at the local nursery. It is a lovely native to add to a back corner of a shade garden or to plant en masse. Its leaves resemble large oak leaves, hence the name. The creamy ivory blooms are giant and fade into lovely blush hues as summer wears on. No shade garden is complete without it.

are the language of the everyday: easy, sweet, and accessible to all.

Names can be complex, names can be entire sagas. Names can be simple and straightforward; sometimes they can mean literally nothing. They can reference random people or can speak multitudes in description. Plant

names have the power to connect communities and share interesting bits of history. Next time you encounter a plant name (common or botanical), delve deeper and find that the plant itself can illuminate much beyond its physical form, even through the study of words. •

Photo by Nikki Krieg

The Man Behind the Lens

THE MYSTERY OF E.J. BELLOCQ AND HIS STORYVILLE PORTRAITS

By Kent Landry

“He always behaved nice. You know, polite…. I don’t know if he ever wanted to do nothing but look.”

—Adele, Storyville Prostitute, commenting on E.J. Bellocq

The peculiar looking man walks over to his 8x10 inch view camera, inserts a glass plate that has been pre-emulsified with a gelatin coating, and opens the shutter—which exposes the plate to light. The subject remains still. Comfortable. Undaunted. After a while, the light causes the silver nitrates on the glass plate to dance around and bombard one another, producing a chemical reaction that captures the image the camera is chasing. Once caught, the photographer stores the glass plate to be developed for later use and the subject goes about her business as usual. But the image—the image is now arrested in time. Immortal.

The subject, and many others like her, was a product of Storyville. New Orleans’s notorious red-light district thrived from 1896 to 1917 as an attempt to temper the vice of the city by containing it in a sixteen-square-block area toward the back of town. Dubbed “Storyville” after Alderman Sidney Story, who championed the idea, the area debuted with a procession of naked prostitutes parading down Canal Street to their new “home” while men hooted and hollered. The unrestricted Storyville was home to over two hundred brothels, a couple thousand ladies of the night, and a collective of professional musicians playing a boisterous version of ragtime and bigband music, a sonic embodiment of the Afro-Caribbean culture that found a home in the Crescent City. The music was being played freely, without constraints, breathing and swinging, the rhythms of the night. They’d eventually call it Jazz.

But perhaps just as mysterious and enigmatic as the lady in the photo, was the man behind the lens. Ernest J. Bellocq, a professional photographer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, took eighty-nine such photos of the ladies of Storyville. By day, he made his living taking pictures of homes, school class photos, and prints for the shipyards in New Orleans. But in his free time, Bellocq aimed to capture the darker sides of his city, including the opium dens of New Orleans’ Chinatown (although those images have never been found). And Storyville was just a few blocks from his home.

After Bellocq’s death, his glass plates—never shown to anyone—serendipitously found their way into the hands of a New Orleans art dealer named Larry Borenstein, an antique collector who discovered them in a shop in New Orleans. (Borenstein’s own gallery eventually became home to the Quarter’s house of Jazz, Preservation Hall.) Borenstein sold the plates to photographer Lee Friedlander, who developed the negatives and brought them to New York City to be displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in 1970. Over the years, people have been drawn to the distinct quality of the photos and the relaxed na-

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912; image by E.J. Bellocq © Lee Friedlander, courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.

ture of the subjects. Though the pictures were taken in the notorious brothels of the day, there is a wholesome nature to them.

Since then, much has been made of these photos and their significance to New Orleans and the time period, granting Ernest J. Bellocq significant posthumous fame. He and his photos have inspired poems, articles, books, and even the 1976 film, Pretty Baby which starred a twelve-year-old Brook Shields in a salacious and controversial role as a child prostitute and David Carradine, playing a debonair Ernest J. Bellocq, the object of her affection.

Despite his status as a cultural icon, quite little is actually known about Bellocq, personally or professionally. Much of what we think we know about the man comes from a composite sketch of Bellocq’s characteristics that were told to Friedlander and presented in his exhibition. In it, alleged contemporaries of Bellocq painted a portrait of a man with a rather large head, a curious walk, a high-pitched voice, and with a “sit-down place that was rather wide.” Some even went so far as to claim Bellocq might have suffered from hydrocephalus— an enlarging of the brain. It was also claimed that he was a bit aloof and hard to get along with, only opening up to people if they talked to him about certain points of interest, like photography.

Because this portrayal is all we know

of Bellocq, most of the contemporary art inspired by him (with the exception of the aforementioned Pretty Baby) used these characteristics to portray the man as some scourge of society—a simpleton with a large head and silly walk, prone to fits of anger and hard to befriend.

So, are these depictions an accurate representation of the man, or are they apocryphal opinions of a few acquaintances interviewed twenty years after his death? Rex Rose, in his article, “The Last Days of Ernest J. Bellocq,” disputes the idea that Bellocq was a simple-minded hydrocephalic dwarf, noting that he was about average height for the time, that his facial structure—in one of the best pictures of Bellocq—shows no signs of abnormalities associated with the disease, and his success as a commercial photographer during his lifetime makes the idea that he was at all mentally challenged implausible.

Here is what we do know:

Bellocq became a member of the New Orleans Camera Club in 1891, and his photos often appeared in local newspapers. Although less famous than he is today, Bellocq was very much a part of New Orleans society, considered a prominent young photographer frequently capturing images of boxers and baseball players who passed through town, as well as various New Orleanians’ homes. He was born to an aristocratic family, was well educated, and

had the luxury of choosing a profession in its infancy.

According to Bellocq’s death certificate, he died at age seventy-six on October 3, 1949 from an accidental fall occurring at the Federal Reserve Bank, which left a lacerated wound to his scalp and led to swelling in his brain. He died two weeks after the fall at Mercy Hospital. The report gave no indication of hydrocephalus or any other condition at the time of his death. Is it possible that the edema of the brain resulting in his death might be the impetus for the notion that he suffered from hydrocephalus throughout his lifetime? That is a question to which we will probably never have an answer.

An arguably more intriguing mystery is that of Bellocq’s purpose for these iconic photographs. Some suggest that the pictures were for promotional materials for the brothels where the women worked, but none were ever used for this purpose. A few negatives were even found with the faces of the women scratched out, yet no one knows for certain who did this or why. Some have suggested that Bellocq’s brother, a Jesuit Priest, may have scraped the photos; however, it seems unlikely that he would have defaced some and left the others. It is more likely that Bellocq himself marred the images, but to what end remains an enigma.

In the photos, the women appear

comfortable with Bellocq, perhaps because they considered him a kindred spirit, a union of the dregs of society, a person disregarded by the social elite, but still holding his own hopes and dreams as they did. Or simply because they came to trust him.

Approaching forty when the photos were taken, Bellocq was no longer an up-and-coming photographer, yet the women allowed him into their world and permitted him to be a conduit for their inner feelings, a liaison to the outside world. Part of the reasons the images have so captured people’s imaginations this past century is that they are more than photographs of prostitutes, objects of male desire; they are photographs of women, each possessing depth and individuality.

Whether Bellocq was a curious figure with a high-pitched voice and large head or a debonair, aristocratic character able to persuade ladies of the night to pose for his camera, we will likely never know.

Perhaps he was simply a talented photographer, keen on taking pictures of subjects which he found personally appealing. Or possibly, through his own creative lens, he saw things that the outside world ignored, and captured them for posterity. As with the photographs he left us, we will have to form our own opinions, our own theories, with only clues culled from the ashes of time. •

The Iron Men

BACK IN 1899, THE TEAM AT SEWANEE SPARKED THE BEGINNINGS OF SEC FOOTBALL AS WE KNOW IT TODAY

By David Neil Drews

On a clear November night hin 1899, the bleachers and sidelines of the University of Texas’s homefield were packed with fans—5,000 in their finery—cheering and anxiously awaiting the first snap of the game.

Joe Abbott, a University of Texas guard, locked gazes with opposing lineman “Wild Bill” Claiborne, a starting guard for Sewanee, a small college that sits on a mountain in Tennessee. Claiborne wore a black patch over his blind eye.

Wild Bill pulled off his eye patch, threw it over his shoulder and pointed at his menacing, discolored eye. “See this?” he growled. “Got it the last time out.” The Texas center hiked the ball. Twenty-two men sprang into each other. Some knocked heads. Some dived at shins. Some threw fervent gut punches. It was a bone-crushing and sometimes fatal era of college football.

Behind his team’s sideline, Luke Lea, the Sewanee team manager, took his derby hat off, smacked it to his thigh, and smiled widely. Lea was convinced that he had just witnessed the dawn of what would become the South’s greatest passion and the envy of a football nation.

Today’s mega-power collegiate football region is irrefutably the South. However, during the first thirty years of the sport, Southern football dominance was yet to be achieved. The nineteenth-century powerhouses were Harvard, Penn, Yale, and Princeton. Most Southern schools did not field a football team until the early 1890s, more than two decades after the college football inaugural game between Rutgers-Princeton in 1869.

At the end of the 1890s, a nation increasingly hungry for college football had no regard for the Southern game. Eastern sportswriters, coaches, and fans ignored football below the Mason Dixon line.

Tired of the East’s disrespect for Southern football—Lea and the Sewanee administration unified around a goal to catapult Southern college football to national prominence, with Sewanee at the vanguard. They were determined to “. . . bring fame to Southern teams, to raise (their) younger athletes to the standard of the East,” as Lea put it in the Sewanee school newspaper, The Purple

So, Lea, part prophet and wholly a gambler, hatched and orchestrated an astonishingly reckless campaign. The twenty-one-year-old liberal arts student booked his 1899 Tigers on a 2,500-mile, nine-day train excursion to play five games in six days—from Sewanee to

Austin and back. All five opponents— Texas, Texas A&M, Tulane, LSU, and Mississippi—were larger schools with physically larger players than Sewanee’s.

Departing on November 7, 1899, the Tigers traveled thirty-six hours in a Pullman sleeper from Sewanee to Austin. Their punishing road trip launched against the Texas team whose players averaged 180 pounds to Sewanee’s 163, but Sewanee was quick and gritty, and won 12 to 0. After Sewanee and the University of Texas collided and kicked up clouds of dust, the home team hosted a ball in honor of their new friends from the Cumberland Mountains.

After drink and dance, the Sewanee men said goodbye to their friendly foes and boarded their train. The next day in Houston, the Tigers shut out the Aggies, 10-0—officially sweeping the state of Texas.

Exhausted and battered, the Tigers were back in their sleeper car a few hours after the A&M game. The next morning, they arrived in the Crescent City, where a specially selected committee of Tulane students welcomed them at the Southern Pacific depot. That afternoon, Sewanee beat Tulane 23-0. In the spirit of New Orleans generosity and good sportsmanship, the Tulane men were gracious hosts and treated their guests to a night of theater and drinking.

The next day was Sunday and Sewanee’s first day off the gridiron since they’d left Tennessee four days before. After attending mass, the Tigers rested, nursed injuries, and some no doubt also nursed hangovers, before attending an afternoon sailing party hosted by the Tulane students and footballers.

points and allowing none. For the season as a whole, they continued their streak, shutting out 11 opponents; scoring 322 points, while only giving up 10, which was to John Heisman’s Auburn squad.

According to the Sewanee team captain, Henry Seibels, there were no jealousies between his teammates, who survived and triumphed by virtue of “an indomitable will to conquer.” Many sports luminaries have declared that the greatest college football team of all-time is the Iron Men—as the 1899 team is still referred to on the Sewanee campus.

Although Texas, Texas A&M, Tulane, LSU, and Mississippi all fell to the Iron Men of Sewanee, Tennessee, they, too, were part of the birth of Southern football. Thirty-four years later, LSU, Tulane, and Mississippi joined Sewanee as four of the thirteen charter members of the Southeastern Conference. Eventually, Texas A&M in 2012 and Texas in 2024 would also become part of the most powerful college football league in the country.

Perhaps the biggest impact the 1899 Sewanee Tigers had on their region was that they inspired Southern colleges to support their football teams vigorously. Over the following century, Southern

Monday, Sewanee lined up against LSU in Baton Rouge and beat a less experienced Tiger squad, 34–0. The Purple indicated that LSU played “good ball” despite the score and “yielded gracefully to the inevitable.” Nobly, the LSU players sent the victors off to Memphis, wishing them good fortune against the Ole Miss Rebels.

The Sewanee Tigers had now shut out four teams in five days. Years later, one of the Tigers recounted how the team’s trainer, Cal Burrows, rubbed the players’ legs to enable them to sleep. Despite pain and exhaustion, Sewanee stifled Ole Miss and finished their march across the Southland with a 12–0 triumph.

On their epic 1899 trip, the Tigers shut out the five teams they faced, scoring 91

college football gradually transformed into a cultural phenomenon and the most dominant force in the college game. Seventeen of the last twenty NCAA National Champions have hailed from the South.

Today, the crowd noise is deafening at a big-time Southern football game. Part of the thunderous roar is an echo from 1899 when a small school on a Tennessee mountain top wildly welcomed home their intrepid warriors, just back from an incomparable, monumental road trip. •

David Neil Drews is the author of the novel Iron Tigers. Learn more at irontigersfootball.com

Photo by Dave Adamson.

The Sewanee 1899 football team that won five games in six days against big name opponents. The University of the South (Sewanee) Public Relations department, via Wikimedia.

“. . . Baby One More Time” had just premiered on Thanksgiving and I remember my tween self thinking it was the hottest thing I’d ever seen except for maybe Thursday’s fried turkey.

I watched MTV religiously every day after that to record the video just so my best friend and I could learn the dance. It was the first of many of my VHS tapes labeled Megan’s Mix —many of which captured Britney’s most iconic performances.

My best friend would come over to mine and I to hers, the tapes always in tow, so we could memorize each step perfectly. We’d read in YM or Teen that Britney was from our home state, catapulted from Kentwood to Hollywood. It was proof that it was only a matter of time before we were discovered, too— maybe at Target, Albertson’s, or Hebert’s Specialty Meats.

It was at one of these Britney-slumber-dance parties when I got the first sucker-punch of girlhood. My best friend let slip that the party we were both attending the next day had a sleepover after, and I wasn’t invited. It was a blow that made my heart wince. From that moment on, Britney’s bangers became something more; a way to drown out hurt, a place of escape.

Whenever I heard my mom crying—

“My loneliness is killing me….”

Or my dad breaking things—

“But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart…”

I MUST CONFESS

A Louisiana Girl's Ode to Britney Spears

SHE'S THE PRINCESS OF POP, AND SO MUCH MORE

By Megan Broussard

Wmentions Britney Spears within my earshot, there is only one thing I can do: become their best friend—because one, I know anyone who knows that Pepsi’s the best kind of Pepsi has to be a good person. And two, their impeccable taste is only further solidified because I know that they know “sprankle” cheese is elite cheese. Both essential qualities in a friend, in my opinion.

In the rare instance someone is speaking ill of the Princess of Pop, the Duchess of Dance, the COUNTESS OF THE EIGHT COUNT, I must say I am…taken aback. And, I dread what happens next.

My hip juts out, my finger flies in

front of my face and the words, “First of all…” form on my lips before, thank goodness, my conscience shuts me up. (My conscience, for the record, is my momma Mary’s voice sayin’, “It’s not ya business what other people like or don’t like, Megan UH-lizabeth.” She’s right. I mean, she’s always right.)

But, the truth is I can't help myself. It’s a compulsion like the way I suck my teeth before saying “aww” at a cute puppy or bite a chunk of ponytail when I’m thinking too hard. Could this just be Y2K nostalgia eating away at me? A deep-seated, long-buried yearning for the more innocent time of body glitter, the Backstreet Boys, and butterfly clips? No, it can’t just be that; when people talk smack about Christina Aguilera or Jessica Simpson or Mandy Moore,

I don’t reach for my hoops. So, it must just be Britney…

But, why?

Why do I feel the need to go so hard to defend someone who doesn’t even know I exist? Someone whose life couldn't be more different from mine? The closest I’ve ever gotten to a red carpet was a purple one in my twenties after I tripped over an exercise ball and spilled a bottle of Bordeaux all over my Dallas living room.

When exactly did my obsession with Brit-Brit start? The first time I can remember hearing her name was when I was twelve. It was on one of those November days in Lafayette, Louisiana that started off chilly but had me sweating through my Limited Too pullover by noon. The music video for

The sounds of the girls from the party prank calling me—my best friend’s laugh the most distinctive before the click—

“Sometimes I run, sometimes I hide….”

If my girlhood had a soundtrack, it would be Britney’s top hits, plus a couple of deep cuts (ahem, “Cinderella” and “Unusual You”). It was her voice that truly got me through the toughest years of adolescence, days that I thank the good Lord didn’t involve social media. Whenever I thought things wouldn’t get better, when home was scary and my friends became my bullies, I’d take Britney with me in my discman and plop down barefoot in the warmest spot of the yard, my trampoline, a ritual that reminds me of a page I earmarked in Britney’s memoir The Woman in Me In it, Britney says, “I would lie down on these rocks and look up at the sky, feeling the warmth from below and above, thinking: I can make my own way in life. I can make my dreams come true.” Same, Britney. Same. You see, Britney didn’t just sing about loneliness. She really and truly knew loneliness. And not just any kind of loneliness. She knew my special brand: a Louisiana girl loneliness, the kind that can only be cured by bayou heat and a bit of hope.

So yes, I do still go hard for Britney Spears, all these years later. Can you hold it against me? •

Britney Spears, Roundhouse, London (Apple Music Festival 2016). Photo by Drew de F Fawkes. From Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0.

Explore Houma’s Fall Festival Season!

Where Cajun culture runs deep and Southern hospitality reigns long: Houma is the much beloved home to Louisiana’s Bayou Country, with thousands of square miles of vast, mineral-rich wetlands and murky, mysterious swamps.

And it’s when the air turns crisp and the leaves start to turn that the allure of its bayou legends and scintillating folklore tales shine brightest. So with the fall festival season upon us, it’s time to kick our dancing, running, and walking shoes into high gear –– cause Houma is throwing the ultimate fall fetes and we don’t want to miss a moment of the fun!

Hero Fest

September 20 - 22

Barry P. Bonvillan Civic Center

After a smashing debut last fall, Hero Fest is back for a second year of funfilled, family-friendly festivities. Kicking off the musical lineup on Friday night is The Kings of Neon, which hails from neighboring New Orleans … followed by a cadre of musical acts including Rodney Atkins, The Canebreakers, and Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition and more over the course of the weekend. But before donning your dancing shoes, it’s time to lace up those running shoes at the 5k on September 21 (register here by September 2 to secure a race t-shirt!). The festival also features a live auction, plenty of Cajun food favorites, and local arts and craft vendors.

The three-day event –– launched to support the community’s first responders –– will once again raise funds for these local heroes, in partnership with nonprofit organizations and local vendors.

October 5

Walker

Downtown Houma at Courthouse Square

It’s time to bring out those vibrant mumus and snazzy tracksuits to celebrate this year’s annual MawMaw Walker event. PawPaw outfits are equally encouraged … dare we say it’s time to dust off (and show off) those vintage monocles and checkered vests. The festive fun begins at noon with a costume contest for the best dressed MawMaw and PawPaw of the lot, with the main event being a walking pub crawl (so wear comfy shoes).

This cheekily-monikered event, inspired in part by the styles of our beloved Cajun grandmas and grandpas, is held to champion and support downtown Houma’s restaurants, pubs, and businesses. Registration for the costume contest is now open (the fee is $20; all for a good cause –– you’ll be supporting efforts to revitalize Downtown Houma!). Winners will get exclusive MawMaw-worthy swag (and bragging rights), and the event features live music by Flesh Karnival.

Bayou Regional Arts Fest

October 11 - 12

Downtown Houma

Shining a spotlight on the spectacular artisan community of Terrebonne Parish, Bayou Arts Fest is a visionary celebration of the community’s folklorists, tradition bearers, artists, musicians, and chefs –– officially deemed The Culture Collective, this groundbreaking initiative makes its highly anticipated debut at this year’s festival.

Artists of every hue will showcase their dynamic cultures –– including Cajun, Creole, Native American, Vietnamese, and so many more –– through a dazzling display of creative talent, from sculpture and dance to painting, music, and beyond.

With over 15,000 attendees at last year’s extravaganza, Bayou Arts Fest will once again be the community celebration to see (and be seen at) with endless amusements and tasty delights throughout. Experience storytelling and sing-along sessions, enjoy Cajun favorites from fried seafood to jambalaya, and stroll through downtown Houma to witness the region’s arts and crafts heritage in all their well-deserved glory.

Bayou Dularge Knights of Columbus Cajun Fair

October 11 - 13

Knights of Columbus Hall Theriot, LA

The rip-roaring, spine-tingling, thrillinducing Bayou Dularge Knights of Columbus Cajun Fair of the fall is back –– with dozens of fair rides and games, mouthwatering Cajun food from po’boys to fried catfish, live entertainment, and plenty of amusements (including a raffle, auction, and live music) to be enjoyed by all across the three-day event. Rumor has it that after you come just once to the fair, you’ll come back for life –– cause it’s that good.

(And here’s a fun-fair fact for you: With a community heritage that spans more than 40 years, the Cajun fair has even featured wooden rides made by its members in past years!)

All proceeds from the multi-day fair benefit the Knights of Columbus, whose efforts are dedicated to supporting the recreation centers, schools, and churches of Dularge and its community.

Rougarou Fest

October 18 - 20

Downtown Houma

Folklore is powerful (and spooky) stuff. As any kid who grew up in the Bayou knows all too well, a parent just mentioning the Rougarou, the legendary werewolf-like creature, was enough to snap you back into good behavior. So what better way to keep that generational tradition alive than by celebrating it at the annual Rougarou Fest? There’s live music, plenty of games and activities for the kids, delicious Cajun food, the Krewe Ga Rou parade, arts and crafts, an outdoor movie, scavenger hunt, pumpkin lighting, and more at this three-day extravaganza.

Rougarou Fest benefits the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center, a nonprofit which provides crucial resources in teaching and learning about Louisiana’s fast-disappearing coast. And Rougarou has been called a “best-of” (costume party, festival, event, you name it) by many folks over the years, so it’s clearly high-time to check it out for yourself!

MawMaw

Escapes

CRASHING THE PARADE

A Decadent Romp

STEPPING OUT INTO NEW ORLEANS'S "GAY MARDI GRAS"

By Chris Turner-Neal

Iregularly told people that I didn’t like going to Southern Decadence, the annual Labor Day gay extravaganza, because I didn’t like being hot in crowds. This is the God’s-honest truth, but it concealed the ancillary fact that the festival intimidated me.

I’ve always struggled to feel fully at home in gay spaces, partly because I’m screamingly self-conscious about my appearance and partly because of an aversion to being “part of the group”. But when the team at Country Roads offered me a two-night stay at a downtown hotel to visit Decadence and write about it, there was no way I was turning it down. Telling myself I was brave from the comfort of a cozy hotel suite was exactly the post-breakup tonic I wanted.

I took a rideshare down to the voco St. James Hotel Friday evening and got my key to the first real hotel suite I’ve ever stayed in. A cozy sitting area opened into a bedroom with a fancy elevated bed: to my delight, there was a small step unit to climb to get in. A more patient man might have saved one of the two chocolate fleur-de-lis that greeted me there for the following day, but I did not. I turned in early after a nightcap at the hotel bar to keep my powder dry for the next morning. An attempt to say some hellos on dating apps failed because they were nearly too overloaded to launch: I was not the first person with this idea, nor the one with the most up-to-date phone.

Saturday morning, I lathered up in sunscreen—I burn if I stand too near the microwave, so being outside all day in late summer was going to require some repeated applications—and loaded up a small bag of necessities: more sunscreen, water bottle, fan, costume change.

After an honest conversation with myself about my outfit—if the sequins chafe now, imagine how they’ll feel in seven hours— I changed and headed to brunch.

I was meeting my dear and perennially late friend Leah and some of her friends at Tableau; we started hitting the champagne and appetizers until she swanned in. I can recommend a bowl of turtle soup and the Gulf fish sandwich to set you up for the day, as they were both delicious and set me up with a good layer to go out drinking on. I fortified myself further with a slice of tarte a la bouille and then began harassing Leah to pay up: we had somewhere to be.

Our “somewhere to be” was the Mrs. Roper Romp, an unofficial but widely celebrated adoration of the secondary character from Three’s Company. Played by Audra Lindley, Mrs. Roper was the open-minded, lovelorn, caftan-wearing, macrame-tying wife of Norman Fell’s frantic landlord. (The cast saw heavy churn, so you’re forgiven for remembering incorrectly, as I did, that she was married to Don Knotts.) The good-hearted high-camp sitcom character has emerged as an aspirational figure for people who like loose, comfortable clothes, vivid colors, and to relax on the porch with a glass of wine resting between hijinks. Lucy Ricardo is too high-energy, the millionaire’s wife too buttoned-up, Maude too heavily scheduled, but we could all wear a caftan, do some crafts, and only get up to mischief when it served our purposes.

Today, La Roper is commemorated by parties and parades of people assembled in caftans and plastic jewelry—curly red wig optional. The New Orleans iteration was lining up outside lower Quarter gay bar the Golden Lantern as a come-one, come-all profusion of

breathable paisley. After a quick costume change in the bathroom of Tableau—not my most dignified hour, not my least—I was ready to head over, but as we approached the bar, we were met by the ladies themselves. The parade had begun on schedule, an amusingly rare occurrence, and so the romp had romped to us. We crashed the parade and began waving at the crowd.

Leah and I spent about twenty minutes in the parade as ersatz marchers before deciding that we had romped as much as we could reasonably be expected to in that heat and defected to the Hermes Bar for champagne cocktails and ice water (in that order, twice). Refreshed and newly effervescent, we started on the best part of any New Orleans festival day: wandering around. We ran into friends, friends of friends, and people whose costumes we liked, hitting up perennial favorite Cosimo’s with a married couple dressed as Marie Antionette and Elvis before retreating into the Marigny to enjoy a couple of frozen drinks at R Bar.

R Bar is famous for its haircut-and-a-shot deals, but as no barber was present, I had Leah sit in the built-in barber chair and spun her around. A couple of frozen drinks there brought down our core temperature into the safe zone but also made spinning in the chair less than completely prudent, so we walked a block to Royal Sushi, a stalwart for people needing to supplement liquid refreshment with good filling food. We shared dumplings and rolls and restored our carb level over tipsy professions of friendship. Afterwards, Leah cabbed home, and I decided to walk back to the hotel through the French Quarter. Some parties were winding down, some showing no signs of fatigue. Heat-woozy but unburnt, I tumbled into a clean, cozy bed satisfied from a day of silliness and friendship. It hadn’t been my task to fit any mold that day: the festival, and the city, had fit me. •

takes place August 31–September 4 throughout the French Quarter. Details at southerndecadence.com.

Southern Decadence, New Orleans, 2014. All photos by EgOiStE on Flickr. CC By-NC 2.0.

Directory of Merchants

Abita Springs, LA

Abita Fall Fest 33

Akers, LA

Middendorf ’s 56

Alexandria, LA

Alexandria/Pineville Area CVB 46

Baton Rouge, LA

Alzheimer’s Service of the Capital Area 28

Allwood Furniture 45

Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre 50

Baton Rouge Clinic 43

Becky Parrish Advance

Skincare 66

Blue Cross Blue Shield 14

BREC 26

BREADA- Main Street

Market 69

Calandro’s/Select Cellars 11

East Baton Rouge Parish

Librar y 80

Elizabethan Gallery 71

Federales Festival 63

Louisiana Arts and Science Museum 26

Louisiana Center for the Book 25

Louisiana Public Broadcasting 66

LSU Burden Museum & Gardens 23

LSU Online and Continuing Education 16

LSU Rural Life Museum 57

Manship Theatre 13

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center 59

Opéra Louisiane 12

Pennington Biomedical Research Ctr. 7

Tigers Trail RV Resort 55

Woman’s Hospital 47 WRKF 89.3 FM 64

Brookhaven, MS Brookhaven Tourism Council 20

Cleveland, MS Visit Cleveland 31

Clarksdale, MS Visit Clarksdale/Coahoma County Tourism Commission 19

Corinth, MS

Corinth Area Tourism Promotion Council 27

Hammond, LA Tangipahoa Parish CVB 79

Harvey, LA Vicari Auction Company 30

Folsom, LA Giddy Up/Far Horizons Gallery 49

Houma, LA Houma Area CVB 74

Jackson, MS Visit Mississippi 5

Lafayette, LA

Acadiana Center for the Arts 6 Allwood Furniture 45 J & J Exterminating 44 Festivals Acadien et Creoles 3

Lake Charles, LA

Louisiana Food and Wine Festival 29

Mansura, LA Avoyelles Tourism Commission 42

Monroe, LA

Discover Monroe-West Monroe 10

Morgan City, L A Cajun Coast CVB 58

Natchez, MS

Great Mississippi River Balloon Races 35

Katie’s Ladies Apparel 71 Natchez Convention Promotion Commission 34 Natchez Pilgrimage Tours 37 Y’all Means All/The Weekend 36

New Iberia, LA

Iberia Chamber of Commerce 61

Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau 51

New Roads, LA

Pointe Coupee Parish Tourist Commission 17

New Orleans, LA

Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights 9 Longue Vue House & Gardens 18

New Orleans Ballet Association 34

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation 62

Opelousas, LA

St. Landr y Parish Tourist Commission 18

Pass Christian, MS Hotel Whiskey 61

Plaquemine, LA

Iber ville Parish Tourism Department 42

Port Allen, LA

West Baton Rouge Museum 50 West Baton Rouge Convention and Visitors Bureau 54

Raceland, LA

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou 38, 39

Scott, LA

Bob’s Tree Preservation 15

Sorrento, LA Ascension Parish Tourism Commission 56

St. Francisville, LA Bank of St. Francisville 2 Cross Quilter 32 Poppin’ Up Plants 71 Magnolia Cafe Inc. 64 Music on the Mount–Mt. Carmel Catholic Church 32

St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival 77

Town of St. Francisville 55

Ville Platte, LA

Evangeline Parish Tourist Commission 49

West Monroe, L A

Discover Monroe-West Monroe 10

Zachary, L A

Lane Regional Medical Center 22

The annual St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival is a weekend-long celebration of the culinary culture of Louisiana and Mississippi with acclaimed chefs, creative wine pairings, cocktail and spirit tastings, craft beer and live entertainment in one of Louisiana’s most beautiful and historic small towns.

Friday, November 8

Jazz Brunch at the St. Francisville Inn Winemaker Dinner at Magnolia Café featuring Eberle Winery

Saturday, November 9

Bubbles and BBQ at North Commerce Mad Hatter Soirée at the Royal Inn

Sunday, November 10

because with other professional athletes, there are seasons,” she said. “But as a circus artist, there really isn’t an off-season to take breaks. I have to show up to train even if I don’t want to.”

Not unlike the circus world of the 1800s, circus art today has little regulation or physical therapy support. “So, if you had a big fall, you were dead or out of work,” she explained.

studios. “The people who have coached me have been holding space for me to grow as a person, and I really wanted to be that for other people,” she said. On coaching kids, she explained, “There is innate fun in circus, [and] the idea of play is encouraged. Circus gives kids tools to play better, to learn where your limits are or what’s possible.”

Sponsored by Tangipahoa Parish Tourism

PERSPECTIVES: IMAGES OF OUR STATE

LadyBEAST

THE LIFE OF A CIRCUS ARTIST IN NEW ORLEANS

By Samantha E. Krieger

LadyBEAST’s latest show, performed in May 2024 and titled Vaudeville Revival, opens with famed juggler Helen Wonjila, who spins multiple hoops from her torso and limbs, tossed to her from offstage. The Lady [BEAST] of the night enters, first miming an embrace with a trenchcoat and then transitioning into an impressive aerial rope act directed toward her invisible companion. Onlookers watch as she climbs the rope, twisting herself into its coils, then allows herself to fall and spin out to nearly floor-level—a collective gasp.

“Everyone remembers the first time they went to the circus, because they saw things that they believed impossible,” LadyBEAST reflected. “I was like six, and I’ll never forget seeing it and how exciting it was and overstimulating.”

Now a multidisciplinary circus artist, producer, and coach, LadyBEAST has trained in seven of Houdini’s Top Ten acts (putting her own spin on them, of course), appeared in the seventeenth Ripley’s Believe It or Not! book for her bottle walking act, given a TED Talk on how spectacle and performance can be used to enact change, been featured in New Orleans Magazine’s “People to Watch,” opened her own production company, and performed with traveling circus tent shows across the country.

After completing a BFA in Mixed Media and Painting at Guilford College in North Carolina, the artist behind the character and concept LadyBEAST lived in London for three years, curating for the traditional white-wall gallery scene. Feeling unfulfilled, at age twenty-three she left the galleries behind, and embarked on a spontaneous excursion to a tiny off-the-grid Nicaraguan island. When she moved back to the U.S., she purchased a giant box truck, which she dubbed “LadyBEAST.” The name conjures images of a tough woman, someone who is “tender but also powerful.”

Her uncle, Russel, and a friend helped her convert the truck into a camper, which took her all across the country to participate in performance art projects and collectives. And then, in 2012, she landed in New Orleans.

“That’s when I realized that street performing was a hustle,” she said. As she developed her act, a fire show on Frenchman Street, she took on the name of her home on wheels. “That’s when I became LadyBEAST,” she said. “I was living in [the camper], I was touring in it… it felt like this extension of me… when I took the name, it was part of me. I feel like I’m that person now.”

Being a professional circus artist— marrying art and athleticism—is demanding, though. “[It] is probably one of the most physically taxing jobs

Death-defying acts also require mental calm, like LadyBEAST’s 2018 Burning Man straitjacket escape, achieved while upside down and suspended from a hot air balloon one hundred feet in the air. “I had such a meltdown—crying, screaming [the day] before,” she said. “I had to get it out of the way to be able to be strong and present… and then the next day I felt totally calm. My friend told me I was too calm, that everyone else [was] freaking out, and I was like, ‘But I can’t.’ It’s not that I’m not scared, it’s that you have to be scared to do the thing, to push through to the other side.”

LadyBEAST trains in her oldworld craft with any of her five coaches, three to five hours a day, five days a week. The rest of her day is typically filled with client meetings, artists’ rehearsals, and private coaching. Meditating, walking her dogs, and communing with nature keep her grounded, though she leads a life in the air.

The unfortunate reality of circus life is that it requires specific facilities, often nonexistent. LadyBEAST currently trains on a rig in her backyard, or at one of two local theaters, the Joy Theater and the Marigny Opera House—where she currently holds a residency. She is in the process, though, of building out her own Bywater circus training facility, Beasttown—which she plans to open next spring.

The ground floor will serve as her husband Dominic Franceschi’s Build Fwd woodworking studio and a circus training/ performance space available to artists in the area, and the second floor will consist of rentable artist

Over the years, LadyBEAST has produced shows honoring the legacies of trailblazer circus performers, as well as more contemporary presentations like the September 2023 sci-fi OtherWORLDS performance, which blurred the lines between reality and fiction. OtherWORLDS highlighted some ground acts—such as contortion, dance, and various tableaus—but primarily featured aerial acts, performers suspended from chains, trapeze, ropes, hoops, and a Spanish web. One performer even trained in the old circus art of hair hanging, a rare technique that involves braiding the hair in such a way as to hang one’s weight from it. LadyBEAST says her goal is to “transport audiences” so “time and space float away." May’s Vaudeville Revival was the first in what will be a series of rotating circus acts—intended to honor old-world circus with a modern twist. The finale is a never-before-seen surprise, and I can’t spoil it. But, if you’re hoping to catch the next edition of Vaudeville Revival, LadyBEAST and her team will present a Mardi Gras show on February 28, 2025. •

For information about upcoming shows and private coaching, or to schedule a consultation for an upcoming event, visit ladybeastproductions.com and @ladybeastproductions LadyBEAST

on tour with Vernardos Circus.

Photo by Tyler Whitman, courtesy of LadyBEAST.

LadyBEAST with her doubles partner Marlo Winter. Photo by Darrell Miller, courtesy of LadyBEAST.