Gambit: May 16, 2023

Immigration. CriminalLaw Traffic Tickets CallEugene Redmann504.834.6430

2632 Athania Pkwy., Met.,LA70002 Se HablaEspanol www.redmannlawnola.com

REAL ESTATEFOR RENT

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EMPLOYMENT

Dorignac'sFood Center seeks F Cashier withapositive attitude, excellent customer service, communication, basicmathskills & attn. to detail.Duties include: operatinga cash register,completing all transactions, abletomulti-task,balancing cash drawer & baggingpurchases. Must have open availability. Extensive Benefits.ApplyatDorignac'sat710 Veterans Blvd, Metairie.

Dorignac's Food Center seeks F Liquor Dept.Stocker.Energetic, hardworking, organized, able to multi-task. Knowledge of wine,spirits and beer aplus.Duties include: stocking shelves,customer service, &some warehouse organization. Must have open availability. Extensive benefits. Apply @ Dorignac'sat710 Veteran'sBlvd. Metairie

Academic &Career Advisor (Multiple): Provideguidance, consultation,& expertise relatedtoacademic &career advising for SchoolofMed Biomed Students. Reqs:PhD in Education, Counseling, STEM, or related field; Exp. in counselingormentorship; exp. in School of Medicine or other Prof School setting. MailresumetoGenean Mathieu: Tulane University,6823 St.Charles Ave.,300 GibsonHall, NewOrleans, LA 70118.

Immediatehireavailablefor drivers. Well mannered, respectful, energetic, reliable & professional.$30/hr. Part-time. Emailresume to Brewer: betsyciprianio@gmail.com

Automation Eng II (St. Rose, LA). Ensure successful completion of engineering projects, incl leading high quality design, developmt, installation &fulfillment of automation processes &systs. BS, Electrical Eng or closely rel field; 2yrs' automation or controls related engineeringexp,inclsomesolidexpineachofthefol‐lowing: Yokogawa Centum VP DCS;SFCs; integrat‐ing third party subsystems with DCS; foundation fieldbus devices;site commissioning activities for DCS;Generation ofHMIgraphicsusingP&ID&ven‐dor documents. MUST follow these specific instruc‐tions to be considered: Send CV &cvr ltr to laurie. firmin@champtechnology.com or Laurie Firmin, Champion Technology Services, Inc, 11824 Market PlaceAve,BatonRouge,LA70816within30days,ref Job#2022-138.

Paralegal, New Orleans, LA office. Please mail re‐sume to C. Cabalo, PeifferWolf Carr Kane Conway & Wise LLP,4 Embarcadero Ctr,Ste 1400,SF, CA 94111

FORTIERHIGHSCHOOL 1965 REUNION Saturday,May 27,2:00-4:30 @Rock-N-Bowl Contact Lane.carson@att.net, 985-867-0747

Anyone who knowsthe existenceorwhereabouts of DONNYMETZand theirheirs. Please contactAtty. Christopher H. King at 504-812-7884.

Publisher | JEANNE EXNICIOS STAFF

EDITORIAL (504)483-3105// response@gambitweekly.com

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Arts &EntertainmentEditor | WILLCOVIELLO

StaffWriters | JAKE CLAPP, KAYLEE POCHE,SARAH RAVITS

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ContributingWriter | IAN MCNULTY

CREATIVE

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Mid-Citymarinaparty

BayouBoogaloobrings music, art, food and comedy to BayouSt. John

THOUGHHE’SBEENBASEDINNEWYORK

FORYEARS,SeanPattoncame back to NewOrleans to film hislatest comedyspecial, “NumberOne,” at Tipitina’s.Itwas releasedin December on Peacock, andhe’s most recently been on an East Coast tour of rock clubsand theaters. This week,he’sheadlining thecomedytentatthe Mid-City BayouBoogaloo

It’s adaytime eventina30-foot by 60-foottentonBayouSt. John, butit’sa hometown show.It’salso anew dimension of theconstantly evolving festival

This year,Bayou Boogaloobrings music, art, comedy,a silent discoand more to BayouSt. John on Friday, May19, throughSunday, May21. Thecomedytentwill have stand-up acts allthree days.Friday nightfeaturesWait, What?, a stand-up comedy drinkinggame that typically runs at TheHowlin’ Wolf with five guestcomedians, andrecentcomic lineups have includedGeneva Joy, Laura Sandersand others. Saturday brings half-hour sets spaced throughoutthe afternoon by Rude Jude,MarkCaesarand KymbraLi.

On Sunday,Pattonperformsat5:50 p.m. VincentZambon,who hosts ComedyF—k Yeah at Dragon’s Den, performsat1:40p.m., andat3:45 p.m. there’sUkelele JokeswithJQ Palmsand ThomasJones

Musichas always been themain draw to BayouBoogaloo, andithas adiverse lineuponits twostages Colorado’s progressivebluegrass outfit Yonder MountainString Band headlinesSaturday.Closing Saturday’s live musicisa bounce and hip-hopshowcasefeaturing Juvenile,Partners-N-Crimeand DJ Jubilee. Texaspsychobilly band Reverend Horton Heat hasaclosing spot on Sunday.OnSundayafternoon, AtlantasingerBrooksMason leadsEddie 9V,a band that mixes soul,blues and Southernrock. Thelineupisheavy on localfunk, withWater Seedand TheRumble performingSaturday.OnSunday, psychedelic funk band TheIceman Specialhas atwo-set marathon slot from 5:45 p.m. to 8p.m Friday night, however, is focused squarely on localmusic,withthe Rebirth Brass Band,Bonerama, Boyfriend, People Museum and TheQuickeningall performing. Theweekend lineupalso includes LeTrainiump, BonBon Vivant,

JohnnySansone,Tascheand the PsychedelicRoachesand more. Thefestivalalso is trying outa silentdisco from 8p.m.to11p.m Friday andSaturday.Ina silent disco, patronsget headsets and can tune in to thestation they want to listen to,sopeople maybedancing to thesame or differentmusic

Another draw to thefestival is the de facto regatta. Foryears,patrons have broughtcanoes, kayaks, non-motorized smallboats,giant inflatables,rafts and makeshift barges.Floatingdevices canenter either endofthe bayou. Festival attendeeswho want to bring floating devices arerequired to payfestivaladmission,and a$100 refundable depositappliestosome flotation devicestoensurethey areremovedfromthe bayouafter theevent.Italso is possible to load some devicesintothe waterprior to thefestival.Standardstate laws forwatercraftusage and safety apply. Checkthe festival website fordetails

This year,the festival is trying out what it callsthe Moss StreetMarina. Usingthe spaceformerly occupied by R&SAutoonHaganStreet, there’sa hubofenvironmental groups witheducational displays. Thefestival also hasa Kids’ Tent.Someentertainment

by Will Coviello |

AMATHEMATICALLYTALENTEDTEENAGERWHO’SONTHEAUTISMSPECTRUM triestofigureout whokilled a neighbor’s dog,which leads to further questionsand discoveries.The drama is based on Mark Haddon’s novelofthe same name,though it’s substantiallyaltered from the book’sfirst-personaccount. At Le PetitTheatre May18-June 4. Find ticketsatlepetittheatre.com

Forthe Love of theCulture Fest

NEWORLEANSNONPROFITFEEDTHE SECONDLINETHROWS itsfirst For the Love of theCulture Festival onThursday, May18, with performances by TheRumble, Disturbing thePeace BrassBand, theSouthernBelle Baby Dolls, 79rs Gang andSpy Boys of the Nation.Big ChiefMonkBoudreaux of theGoldenEagles also will appear with TheRumble,which is frontedbyhis son, ChiefJoseph Boudreaux Jr.The fest runs 4 p.m. to 8p.m.atBeanlandia, 3300 RoyalSt. Find more info on Instagram,@feedthesecondline.

is participatory, andperformancesinclude Goat in theRoad Productions’ PirateImprovshow, kidskaraoke,Woodlawn Lions’ Vietnamese-style dance, AfroBraziliandrumming with Casa Samba’sCurtisPierre, Dances of theDiaspora, NewOrleans Hispano AmericanDanceand more.Therealsoare craftactivities such as puppetmakingand mask making.

Thefestival’s crawfish eating contest has alreadyhad itsinitial heats, and thefinalswill be on Saturday There’salso aloungeareaavailable to VIPticketholders.

Thefestival’sart market has nearly 50 vendors.Therealso are 20 food and drinkvendors. Festival drink booths arecashless,and attendeescan paywithcreditcards or electronic wristbands. Food and craftvendorsset theirown terms on acceptingcash andcredit.

Thefestival groundsstretchfrom LafitteAvenuetoDumaine Street Some streetsonsurrounding blockswill be closed to auto traffic. Parkingisavailable at Deutches Haus,The Canneryand elsewhere. Fortickets andinformation, visitthebayouboogaloo.com.

K.Flay

DARKPOP-ROCKERK.FLAYISONTOUR WITHTORONTO-BASEDALT-ROCK musician Grandson, whorecently releasedhis second album, “I Love You, I’mTrying.”Theyplayat7 p.m. Friday,May 19,atThe Joy Theater. Ticketsstart at $32 viathejoytheater.com

‘The CuriousIncident of theDog in theNight-Time’

PHOTO BY MICHAELDEMOCKER / THETIMES-PICAYUNE

ChiefJosephBoudreauxJr. leadsTheRumble

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER /THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN

BlueKrewe, thenonprofit that operates Blue BikesinNew Orleans, has givenaway1,000 free helmetstolocals. Blue Krewestarted itsBlue Bikes Helmet Giveaway to promote bike safety and to help eliminatebarrierstobicycling around NewOrleans.Healthcare provider HealthyBlue and bike safetyadvocacy groupBikeEasycontributed to theprogram

LouisianaHouseRepublicansrejectadding rape,incestexceptionstoabortionban

KhalilMcKnight, astudent at NOCCAand HammondHigh Magnet School, has been named a2023U.S.Presidential Scholar. TheDepartment of Educationthisyearrecognized161 high schoolstudents fortheir accomplishments and selected threefrom Louisiana: McKnight,Baton RougeMagnet High student DanielLiu and CaddoParish Magnet High’s Ananya Bhatia McKnight plans to attend the Rhode Island Schoolof Designinthe fall

ALOUISIANAHOUSECOMMITTEE

WEDNESDAYSHOTDOWNTWOBILLS

that would have addedexceptionsfor rape and incest to the state’sstrictabortion ban.

Rep. DelishaBoyd,aNew OrleansDemocrat whoauthored oneofthe proposals, told the HouseAdministrationofCriminal JusticeCommittee shewas theresultofrape. She said her mother was15whenshe hadher and that theman whoraped her mother wasinhis late 20s.

“Mymother neverrecovered from that,” Boyd said.“She was dead before shewas 28 yearsold because no onetook time to take care of thechild that had been violatedbya predator.” Both Boyd andChairman JoeMarino, aGretnaindependent,tearedup during her testimony.

“Ifyou areforcing rape and incest survivors in Louisiana to carryforcedpregnancy, youare notsupporting victims,”she said Andrea Dube, whoworks on Democraticpolitical campaigns, said shewas rapedasa teenager andfelt“belittled”and “dismissed” when shereported it to thepolice.

“It’snot lost on me that in order to fightfor ourright to privacy, womenmust reveal themost intimate detailsoftheir most traumaticexperiences,” shetold thecommittee

THE COUNT #

THENUMBER OF OCHSNER HEALTHEMPLOYEES WHO WILL SOON LOSE THEIRJOBS.

Thestate’s largest hospitalsystemwill layoff employees across its42hospitals andother health facilitiesinLouisiana andMississippi. Thelayoffs will impact people in management,administrative andclerical rolesand come on theheels of Ochsner’sfirst unprofitableyearin more than adecade, accordingtoThe Times-Picayune. Thecompany’s CEO citedsoaring costsofmedical supplies, prescriptions,labor andequipment,as well as theend of governmentpandemic relief as reasons.

C’EST WHAT ?

LouisianaHouseofRepresentatives passed ameasure 98-4 to requireevery public school classroom to display“In God We Trust”on11-by-14-inch paper.The bizarrecherry on topofthisridiculousrequirement: An amendmenttolower thepostersizeto8.5-by-14, so that themotto couldbe moreeasilyprinted,failed. The measureisnow goingtothe state Senate

ButRepublicanseasily defeated both measures on aparty line vote,withMarinojoining thefour Democrats in supportofthe bills.

Boyd’s wasn’t theemotionally impactfultestimonythe committeeheard Wednesday. Lawmakersalso heardfrom KatieHunter-Lowrey of the Louisiana Survivorsfor Reform Coalition,who said sheisasurvivorofrape by someone shewas dating andsuffers from PTSD from that experience

Some people whosaid they were theresultofrape or incest also testified in opposition to thebill,and some membersofthe committee sawthe testimoniesasevidence that womenand girlsshould be forced to carrytheir rapist’s child because thechild could grow up to be asuccessful adult

Boyd said Rep. Tony Bacala,a PrairievilleRepublican, asked her followingthe testimonyifshe was “gladthatyou’rehere.”

Boyd repliedshe wasbut that “noneofmychildhoodtraumas normyadult successes…gives me theright to decidefor another familywhattodointheir household.”

Thecommittee then rejected 5-9asimilar bill by Rep. Cedric Glover, aShreveportDemocrat. —KAYLEEPOCHE

42.2% PUTITINTOROADWORK ANDDRAINAGE

19.6%

10.8%

Abortion-rightssupportersprotestonthestepsofthe JohnMinorWisdomUnitedStatesofAppealsFifthCircuit BuildingaftertheSupremeCourtdecisiontooverturn Roev.Wade,inNewOrleans,Friday,June24,2022.

PHOTOBYSOPHIA GERMER /THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Ahalf-centuryin, thisisstill mydreamjob

FIFTYYEARSAGOTHISWEEK,ONMAY 16,1973,ANERVOUS18-YEAR-OLDKID from the9th Ward walked into thecacophonousTimes-Picayune newsroom to begin asummer internship as areporterfor his hometown newspaper. It would becomehis dream joband,over thenexthalf-century,his career That kidwas me

Barely ayearout of high school and still wet behindthe ears, Ihad no idea what layahead,but my initial trepidation— theveryideathatIWAS WORKING FORADAILY NEWSPAPER— quickly gave waytoa rush of adrenaline everytimeI showedupfor work

In fact, it wasnot knowing what thenight might bring— Iworked“nightsidegeneral assignment” Wednesdays throughSundays,2:30-11 p.m. —that made thejob so exciting.SomenightsIcovered amurder, othersa fire,still othersa picket line,

visiting dignitary, refineryexplosion,oraspeechby then-Gov.Edwin Edwards.

Ilived forthe adrenalinerushofa bigstory —and, of course, afront-pagebyline.

Newsroomsbackthen were loud,filled with the telltale sounds of typewriters clacking and reporterstalking to sourcesonthe phone or joking with each other overthe clatterofteletypemachines. Shouting wasmorethancommonplace;itoften wasnecessary. Andifyou weren’thavingfun,you were in thewrong business

We typedour storiesinduplicateonlegal-size sheets of newsprintusing carbon papertomake thecopies. Andthose functionsonyourlaptop called “cut”and “paste”— thoseare literally named forthe wayweoften hadtocut partsof

Beforehewasahard-nosedreporter,ClancyDuBos playedleadguitarinateenchoralgroupcalled “JustUs”thatperformedatmonthly“guitarMasses” inhislocalCatholicparish.He’spicturedherein1971 withLeslieBrandtandPamGarrity.

ourcopywith scissors andpastethem higher or lowerinthe story—orremove them altogether

Reportersand editorswereadifferent breed back then.Quite afew were straight outofCentral Casting, which is to saythey includedoddballs,drunks and legends

Ihad alot of mentors amongthem, and Iamprofoundlygratefultothem Many of them aregonenow —EdAnderson, my first nightcityeditor; Jean LaPlace,who showed me around thebuilding on my firstday at work; VinceRandazzo,the cigar-smoking, no-nonsense city editor whogave me my first shot at covering politics;Dave Snyder,who wasevery reporter’s favorite supervisor; andmanyothers.

Imade andreconnectedwith wonderfulfriends along theway.Igot to work forseveral yearswith thelateFrank Donze, my high schoolclassmate who wasa universally lovedand respectedCity Hall reporter. InvestigativereporterPierreDeGruy and Iusedtosneak outonFridayafternoons and go sailing.Pierrelater served as my best manwhen my wifeMargo andIgot married.

PHOTOBYTERRY FRIEDMAN /THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Childhood comes and goes in ablink. We’reherethrough the stages of your life, with the strength of the cross, the protection of the shield. The Right Card. The Right Care.

In away,I caneventhank the oldTPfor my marriage. Oneof my newsroom buddies back then wasfeature writer Lily Jackson, aSouthernbelle from North Carolina.A fewyears afterI left theTPand beganfreelancing for Gambit,Lily introduced me to her daughter,Margo,but cautioned her to “stayawayfromhim.” Uh,me.

That maybeaninevitability in today’sdigital world, butIthink it distractsreporters from ourcore mission, which is seekingand telling thetruth

As Isharethese thoughts,I’m reminded of abit of wisdom a veteranreportergave me many yearsago.“There’stwo things reporterslikemost,”hesaid. “The first is writingfor anewspaper;the second is bitching aboutwriting foranewspaper.”

Ihave no doubtthatmyyounger colleaguesenjoy theirworkas much as I’ve enjoyedmine, andI admire howtheymanage to do so much morethanIhad to do as a young reporter

As I’ve gotten older,I oftenfeel theweightofhard-earned wisdom —the kind that comesfrombeing haunted by one’s mistakes

Ialso feel blessed

DuBos,kneeling,picturedhere with(clockwisefromDuBos)

TPreporterMillieBall,PRexec RosalieBaker,TPreporterAnita Schrodt,andTPsportswriter PeteBarrouquereinawarmupforthe1976NewOrleans GridironShow.Proofthat beforetheMackelMane,there wastheDuBos‘Do.

Thankfully,Margo ignored Lily’s admonition,and Lilyforgave us. We gotmarried,boughtGambit and have livedhappily ever after —and Margoremains my best editor.Overthe years, newspapers changed dramatically.Itstarted withcomputers.Thencame the internet.The GreatDisruption Newsroomstoday don’tlook or soundanythinglikethose of a half-century ago. They’requiet, more like librariesthan busy hubs forink-stained wretches

Most newsroomsalso no longerhave copy desks, which is a shame. Thecopydesk washome to thenewsroomelderswho proofreadcopy, correctedtypos and wroteheadlines

Today’sreporters typically write theirown headlines, which involvesmuchmorethan accuratelysummarizing theirstories

In today’sdigital newsroom,it’sall aboutthe “clicks” —and headlinesdrive clicks. Reportersalso add“links” to theironlinestories, whichgenerateadditionalclicks. Alas,the internet hasmade reportersinvoluntarymembers of the paper’ssalesteam.

DuBos,anoldfisherman, withhisbestcatch—andhis besteditor—formerGambit

PublisherMargoDuBos,pictured herein2018atthePressClub ofNewOrleansannualawards banquet,whereDuBoswas honoredwiththeclub’sLifetime

AchievementAward

My career hastracedthe last half-century of localhistory, alongwiththe tectonic changes that technology hasbrought to journalism,and broughtmeback to whereIbegan.Inadditionto writing forGambit,I have recently rejoined TheTimes-Picayune|The Advocate as an editorialboard member andcolumnist.

Nowadays I’mmoreworldly, less patientand lesstrusting. Butin ways toonumeroustocount,I’m still that kidwho nervouslywalked into thenewsroom 50 yearsago withnoideawhatlay ahead

Except Iknowthatthisisstill my dream job.

PHOTO BY DANIEL ERATH/ THETIMES-PICAYUNE

BLAKEPONTCHARTRAIN™

@GambitBlake |askblake@gambitweekly.com

HeyBlake,

WhiledrivingdownTulane Avenue,Ispottedan interestingoldbuildinga fewblocksawayonGravier Street.Itsfacadesays itwasonce“McDonogh SchoolNo.30.”Whatcan youtellmeaboutit?

Dearreader,

WITHADESIGNMUCHMOREORNATE THANMOSTSCHOOLBUILDINGS,the former McDonogh 30 school wasbuilt in 1894 in the2200block of Gravier, just offofSouth Galvez Street.

According to thePreservation Resource Center,the building waslikelydesigned by architect William Freret.Itincorporated a mixoflateVictorian-eraarchitecturalstyles,including Italianate arched windowsand elaborate parapets.Therewerealso Romanesque-style turretsand an Eastlake-style porch

Thethree-story building housed McDonogh 30,one of morethan threedozen localschools named forphilanthropistJohn McDonogh. Theschooltaughtkindergarten throughsixth grade students up untilthe 1930s. Thebuildingthen served as thelocationfor some city offices, including theDepartment of Public Health,and as apolice training facility.In1953,the building wasonceagainusedasa school, before closing again in 1976

BLAKEVIEW

In 1982,the Orleans Parish SchoolBoard sold theproperty at auctiontoadoctorwho planned to renovate it formedical student housing or adoctor’soffice, but thoseplans nevermaterialized. Instead, WYLD,one of thecity’s oldestBlack-owned radiostations, movedits studios into thebuilding. Theradio stationleftafter several years, and thebuildingsat vacant forsome20years

A$7million renovation and rehabilitationcompletedin2019 by L+MDevelopmentand the architectural firm Rome Office transformed theproperty into The Schoolhouse,a 14-unitapartment buildingand commercialspace Many of thebuilding’s historic architectural featuresthatwere removedordestroyedoverthe years, includingthe porch,turrets and parapets with an ornamental frieze,wererestored.

THISWEEKEND,THEMID-CITYBAYOUBOOGALOOWILLDRAWTHOUSANDS of people to BayouSt. John forthree days of music, food,art andmore, on the banksofthe historic bayou.

Oneofthe most recognizable symbolsofthe area,datingbacktothe late 19thcentury,isthe Magnolia Bridge,also knownasthe CabriniBridge or BayouBridge. Thehand-cranked swivel bridge wasbuilt in thelate 1800swhenBayouSt. John still served as acommercialwaterway.

Thebridgeoriginally crossedthe bayouatEsplanade Avenue.In1909, at acostof$30,000,itwas movedtoits currentlocationconnecting HardingDrive and thecampusofCabrini High Schoolacrossthe bayou on Moss Street.That’sexplainsthe “CabriniBridge” name.Itreplaceda smallerpedestrian bridge called Magnolia Bridge,which referred to apark andentertainment area along thebayouoncecalledMagnolia Gardens.

Thebridgeoriginally pivotedatthe center to allowcommercialvessels andbargestopass throughthe bayou. It wasrefurbished in 1934 when pedestrian walkways were added and againin1936bythe Works ProgressAdministration.

Priorto1972, thebridgewas open to vehicular trafficbut is nowlimited to pedestriansand bicyclists.

In 1990,a City Councilordinance made “MagnoliaBridge” thestructure’s officialname, butthe names“CabriniBridge” or “Bayou St.John Bridge” arestill oftenusedfor it.The bridge is apopularspotfor photo shoots and weddings, includingthe 2008 wedding of Saints star Steve Gleason and hiswifeMichel Thebridgerecentlyunderwenta$1.3million renovation and repainting.

AFTER 45 YEARS IN THE JEWELRY BUSINESS, I’M RETIRING! As a thank you to t community that has g en

As athank youtothe Metairie communitythat hasgiven us so much supportoverthe years, we’rehavingthe biggest jewelrysaleinour history! ALLMUSTGO! Comecelebrate with us duringthisonce in a lifetime sale before we close the doorsfor thelasttime!

2228GravierSt PHOTOBYBLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN

POET LAUREATES

Inspiring the next generation of poets, one sliceatatime

826New Orleansispartofthe larger 826National nonprofitwhich workswithchildrenand youngadultsincommunities across thecountrytofostercreativewriting skills.826 New Orleansrecentlyheldits annual“PizzaPoetry” contest, in coordination with local pizzashops This week we arepublishingtheir six“PizzaPoetLaureates,”aswellaswriterLiamPierce’s Q&Aabout thegroup with itsExecutive Director AshleyDaniels-Halland ManagerofCommunity Engagement &StrategicPartnerships EmilyStarr.A full transcriptofthe interviewis availableonour site,gambitweekly.com

What does826 New Orleans do?

ASHLEY DANIELS-HALL: We amplify studentvoices across the city throughprint as apartofthe largest youthwriting networkin thecountry:826 National. We do it by hostingcreativewriting workshops, and programming that ultimately leads to publication and studentauthorship. Luckily,since we don’t have the same assessmentparameters as aschool, we gettobring thejoy of writingtokidsages3-18, to let them live in this fullyfreeand creativespace.Ultimately, we want to introduce them to allforms of expression,allowingthese children to grow up to be emotionally well.Tobecomeadultswho have an artistic outlet,tofeel free,empowered.

What’sPizza Poetryabout?

EMILYSTARR: We used to be alocal programcalledBig Class, whofirst launched PizzaPoetryin

2014 to celebrateNational Poetry Month. We startinJanuary, when NOCCAstudentsdrive to schools and setupworkshopsinschools They generated 400poems, butweprinted 3,000poems to sticker on to pizzaboxes from localpizza placesacrossthe city includingPizza Delicious, Reginelli’s,Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza, G’sPizza andMidwayPizza for deliveryand pickup on April 28th

Poetryiskinda having amoment rightnow.Why and whydokids interface with it so well?

DANIELS-HALL: Emily and Iweretalking aboutthisand we agreed that poetryisthis accessible literary genrewhere you’re allowedtobeimperfect. It canlook anyway and canspeak to anything.Poetryallowsyou to feel heardand be seen at the same time. Giventhe pandemic and Hurricane Ida, that’s somethingthatweall needright now. Especially here.

Anyspecial moments from your PizzaPoetry celebration on April28?

DANIELS-HALL: It washuge. We had around 75 people funnelingthrough ourcenter. One 8-year-old student’s grandmother came from St.Louis forit. Thegirl wouldn’tget on stage,but she read her poem to herfour-yearold brother,who wastransfixed Thegrandmother told me,“I can’tbelieve it.Henormally hates reading. Butseeingher read;he wantstoreadnow.” They ended up purchasing five booksfrom ourhaunted supplystore —each 826locationhas athemedstore —and picked outsix morebooks from ourdonationspile.

STARR: IwalkedintoMidway Pizzatodropoff poems andthey allstarted clapping. They said it wastheir favorite side work of the year:readingall thepoems and stickeringthem to pizzaboxes. We offeredtohave volunteers come in and do allthe stickering and no one took us up on it.One

employeesaiditwas her favorite dayofthe year.

So what’s next for826 NewOrleans?

STARR: In thefall, we’relaunchinga newprogram with Tulane’s creative writing department to makea book. Tulane students aregoingtodevisethe concept foraclass of 826students,build awriting collection,copyedit, design, andultimatelypublishand throwaparty forthe book that we allmadetogether.We’ll work withseveral differentclassrooms acrossthe city of NewOrleans, bringing thesecollege students into classrooms to mentorthese students on abook project.

LEFT: PROVIDED PHOTO BY RAIBOLDEN

ILLUSTRATIONSBYMICROVONE /GETTY IMAGES

ABOVE: PROVIDED PHOTO BY COREYKENNEDY

Beginning

William Xi

12TH GRADE, THE WILLOW SCHOOL

I don’t know what it was like, seeing the small, blue plus sign in her hands.

You were in France, a foreign land, away from your family, friends, language, home I can imagine your feelings of awe and dread as you realized you could never return with me alive.

I don’t know where your courage came from to lead us to a new world. To take everything you cherished and leave it behind all for me.

You hardly spoke English as you boarded the boat I imagine the sky was cloudy, just like our future was in that moment

Though I will never understand everything you have done, I know more of your story now, how you brought us here and raised us from poverty and gave us, me, a beginning.

To Be a Bee

Jaceon Bee, 3RD GRADE, LAFAYETTE ACADEMY

I’d be a bee

I’d eat pollen all day and fly from flower to flower And I would taste honey and smell people and hear the queen bees. Honey, pollen and flowers -

I STING and buzz around people with yellow shirts

MathemaGician

Alex Jackson, 2ND GRADE, ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART

Alex J., Master of Subtraction

Mathemagician of my fractions

I’ll jump on stage and do my magic.

Math is magic.

Magic’s joy.

I’ll bring that joy to all the people.

Joy to all the girls and boys

When my ear hears, “ENCORE! ENCORE!,”

I’ll make sure that they all see more

Exhilaration

Siya Patel

5TH GRADE, EDWARD HYNES CHARTER SCHOOL

Exhilaration is white

It sounds like shallow breaths

It smells like fresh air

It tastes like cold water

it looks like morning dew

Exhilaration feels like you can do anything

A Prayer

Jay Angel Garcia

3RD GRADE, HOMER PLESSY COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Cuidar a mi hermano y ayudrale a mi mama

Estar con mis amigos y ayudarle a mi papa

Y abrasar a mi abuelo

Take care of my brother and help my mom

Be with my friends and help my dad

And hug my grandpa

Insects

Alex Hembree-Padgett

7TH GRADE, BRICOLAGE ACADEMY

Murderers!

Everyday we get stepped on, squished, dissectedCRUNCH!

There goes anotherMy kin on the bottom of children’s shoesTiny so we are…

We could not hurt them if we triedGreenish blood camouflaged in the grassDeath surrounds us

Eyecandy

Mason Hereford’ssplashy newrestaurant by Beth D’Addono |

IFAMOODY’80SNIGHTCLUBFELL HARDFORANAILSALON,Hungry

Eyes would be theirlove child

TheMagazineStreet lounge and restaurant from theteambehind Turkey and theWolfand Molly’s Rise and Shinetakes thecompany in anew direction, and it’s amindfulway to grow that spotlights MasonHereford’scommitment to supporting histeam’spotential and development.

Hereford and hiswifeLauren Agudo broughtTurkeyand the Wolf chef PhilCenac into the ownership loop.LahzieTakada, last of Faubourg Wine, is the GM andsommelier,and bartender Carlos Quinonez runs the cocktailprogram

Hereford hasparlayeda fine-diningbackgroundatplaces like Coquette into atake-no-prisonersapproachtofast casual sandwiches and breakfast.It’s an approachthatearnedTurkey and theWolfthe topspotinBon

Appetit’s 2017 listofthe best new restaurantsinAmerica.Hesees

HungryEyesasanopportunity to developthe team

HungryEyesisatrip. First came thename, areferencetothe song immortalized in “Dirty Dancing,” and everybodyagreed it wasa perfect name fora restaurant. The ’80s themebloomed from there. Housed in thestorefrontthat wasformerly Italianrestaurant RedGravy,the 40-seat space shines with custom neon from BigSexyNeononOrethaCastle

HaleyBoulevard and vintage piecesHerefordfound with the help of Chicago-baseddesigner Paul Octavious. They unearthed allkinds of treasures at the sprawlingantiquesshowin RoundHill,Texas,hauling back everything from original Paris streetlampstomirrorsand iconic Patrick Nagelposters.Apretty back patiooffersadditional leafy seating.

Close upsofbee-stung lips and come-hithereyesabound

Arevolving playlist, curated by staff, customersand friendslike

TouréFolkes from Turning Tables,keeps thevibegoing.

Theidea, Hereford says, is forHungry Eyes to be the kind of place dinerscan come to afterwalking theirdog,meet up with friends and have nibbles and drinks.Or youcan strapon thestilettos and strike apose.

“The cool thing about the’80sis they were equal parts playfuland sensual,” says Hereford,who at 37 wasbornin the’80sbut grew up in the’90s.

“Wewanteda funplace to be.”

Chef Cenacdevisedacompact butaction-packedmenu that flirts with familiarity butstrikes itsown path.Thereare about 15 itemsofwhatHerefordcalls

“unpretentiousluxurydrinking food forthe curious.”Herecommends five dishes fortwo people, or more forthe famished Thebest-sellingplate is artichokes on thehalfshell,and with goodreason. Importedbaby artichoke hearts arenestled into deep ceramicLoftinoyster shells and served sizzling with a thick, smokymoritachili sauce and garlicky Parmesan cheese House-made ciabatta fordipping is served on theside.

Grilled pastrami is cubed and threaded on skewers,brushed witha zippyred wine barbecue sauce and served with lettuce fortucking into wraps. Thefun of offering somethinglikefried veal sweetbreads with peanuts and puffed rice or Alaskan halibut crudo with pineappleand bird’s eye chili isn’tlostonchefs used to composing creative sandwiches at

acounter-servicerestaurant. Thestacked nuts and seed tostadaisa stellarplant-based option.It’sa saladindisguisewith aslather of salsamacha,cashew cheese andsomeheatfromarbol chilies.Itlooks daunting, butdinerscan breakthe seed-studded tortillas andscoop away

Pastry chef KeiraWattis behindthe sourdoughciabatta and creative desserts like the B52Vienetta, vanillaice cream encased in dark chocolate and doused withaB52 shot of Baileys IrishCream,Grand Marnierand coffeeliqueur.Technicolorriffs on martinisaboundonthe drinks menu,along withzero-proofsips and awinelistfocused on small bio-dynamic producers

“Wereally wanted afun place to hangout,” Hereford says.“It all came together thankstothe badass people on theteam. It ain’t aboutme.”

Emaildining@gambitweekly.com

Bushwines

LIFTINGTHELIDONATRAILER-MOUNTED GRILLBYTHEVINEYARDTASTINGROOM revealedaharvest of Louisiana ducks, headsand beaksincluded, slowly gainingamoredeeplyburnished hue. Thearoma of roasting meat and wood smokepermeated theoutdoor cookingareaaschef Marcus Jacobsapplied moregarlickyglaze in thefinishing phases.

An outdoorwinedinner was abouttobegin at Wild Bush Farm & Vineyard,but therendering of these localbirds wasnot theonlychange taking shape.

Wild Bush is thenew namefor aproperty that hadlongbeen knownunder previous ownership as PontchartrainVineyards

It’s in Bush,a fewmiles northof Covington. Here,the alluvial landscape of southeast Louisiana gives waytogentlyhillyterrain,horse ranchesand farms. Peelingoff the country highwayand drivingdown

atree-lined,winding dirt road,Wild Bush emergeswith vine rows running across abackdropofgreen fields It looks like apiece of wine country transportedtothe BayouState Rightnow,WildBushismaking wine that wasliterally transported from West Coastwinecountry and finished here. In thenearfuture, Wild Bush will producewinefrom grapesgrown on-site, part of its proprietors’ visiontoshake up the idea of what Louisiana wine canbe. Thegrape typesthathistorically have been able to contendwithour climate tend toward thesweet, like muscadine.

Butwithnewly developed hybrid grapesand adifferent outlook on wine in general, thecouple behind Wild Bush areconvinced their property canbea showcase for Louisiana wine alignedwithchangingmoderntastes

ChefPhilCenac(left)with ownersLaurenAgudoandMason HerefordatHungryEyes.

PHOTOBYCHERYLGERBER /GAMBIT

PHOTO BY IANMCNULTY /THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

That couple is Monica Bourgeois and Neil Gernon.Theyare seasonedveteransinthe NewOrleans wine scene, coming up through restaurantsand distributors.In 2009,theystarted theirown wine labelVending MachineWines, whichisinfacta localcompany makingNapaValleywines

VendingMachine labels like Double Shotgun(ared blend)and Crooked Mayor(acabernet) are familiar findsonlocal retail shelves and restaurantlists

Thecouple bought former PontchartrainVineyards from founderJohn Seago last year.A pioneerinLouisiana winemaking, Seago made Pontchartrain Vineyardsintoa destinationfor popularevents, like theJazz’n theVines outdoor concertseries. That continuesatWildBushwith AmandaShawonMay 20 and Rockin’ Dopsie Jr.onJune3

Before theproperty changed hands,the vineyardshad become overgrown.Workisunderway to rehabilitate thevines and plant newones. In some cases, that meansbringingback30-yearold vines. Forthe newplantings, Bourgeois says they areusing hybrid grapes,newly developed by theviticulture programat University of California at Davis.

Onenow planted,camminare noir,issaidtohave characteristics of cabernetand petite syrah, while thecaminante blanc brings characteristicsofsauvignonblanc and chardonnay. Another,paseante noir,issaidtoresemble zinfandel Eachwas cultivatedtobemuch more diseaseresistant and better suitedtoour humidclimate.It will be severalyears before these plantings aremature enough for winemaking, perhapsfouryears

In themeantime, there’splenty of wine comingthrough Wild Bush underits ownlabel. It is made with grapes from Napa andOregon’s WillametteValley. It’s truckedhere to Wild Bush,whereit’sfinished and bottled.

Wild Bush also is growing four varietiesofmuscadinegrapes, old-schoolNortongrapesand blueberries,which will allbepartof thewinemakinghereoncethey’re readyfor harvest

Wine tastesare moreopen these days,withlessfamiliar typesof wine gettingmoreattention from sommeliersand consumers. Pétnats (a naturallysparking wine), aromatizedwines (likeaperitifs) and orange wines(derived from grape skin contact) have allbuilt niches andfollowings

“The adventurous drinkerismakinga mark in theindustry,not so much guided by wine guidescores

or even necessarily location,” Gernon says

In themidst of this,Bourgeois and Gernon believe Wild Bush canmake amarkwith winescomingfromthe localsoilthatare distinctivelythemselves,and decidedly notthe sweet elixirs forwhich Louisiana winemakinghas been known.

“Wewanttochange what people thinkaboutwhen they hear ‘Louisiana wine.’Wewanttomake somethingtheycan show friends from other places,and saythis is what Louisiana wine canbe,” Gernon says Bourgeois and Gernon aregiddy withthe possibilities at Wild Bush, and notall of them arepurelyinwine.

TheduckJacobswas cooking oneApril nightwas forawinedinner Wild Bush hosted in conjunction with BackwaterFarmstead, aduckfarmlocated just up the road in Bush andknown forits foie gras production

Jacobsisco-founder of Marjie’s Grill and SeafoodSally’s,two New Orleans restaurants. Themain coursewas finished with honey produced on Wild Bush property overthe lusciousduckfattiness of it all, served with dirty rice.WildBush pairedthiswith twored blends Onewas called TheKid’s GotHeart, which givesa smokyfinish; theother wasCreature Feature,which could be describedasdarkand brooding, though Gernon callsita wine with “a lotofanger andnoregrets.”

Themeal wasroundedout by duck fattamales served with an aromaticpét-nat called Hot Biscuits in Love;aduck-based take on French onions lacedwith cheese from BelleEcorceFarms in St.Martinville, accompaniedby achardonnaycalledI Know ILove You; and finally aduckfat pecan pie with asavory back beat,served withportbottled hereearlier by PontchartrainVineyards

These Wild Bush bottlings are very smallproduction, topping out at 200cases forone label, and as small as 35 casesfor that chardonnay. Some aresold in thetasting room only;othersare distributed around Louisiana

Bourgeois and Gernon seethe vineyard as alaboratoryfor their ownwinemakingendeavors,and also forpeople around aculinary realmwho want to collaborateina unique Louisiana setting.

“It’sa playgroundfor us,” Gernon says. “Wedon’t have rules forit. Doesittastegood? Howcan we combinewhatgrows heretomake somethingthat’sgreat,ordoeswhat we’regrowing taste good enough to be asinglevarietal?There’ssomuch we candohere.”—IAN McNULTY /

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JustinBruhl

Chef by Will Coviello

JUSTINBRUHLGREWUPIN

MASSACHUSETTSANDWORKEDIN

BOSTON foryears before moving to NewOrleans.Here, he’s cooked at CompereLapin and Maypop and started hisMatchbook Kitchen pop-upatBarrelProof, whereheservesaprimarilyAsian menu Saturday through Monday. He’s preparingafive-course tasting dinner at Mister Maoon Wednesday, May17. In June, he’lldoa collaborativeevent with Nashville-stylehot chicken pop-up DaddyHot Bird.For more information, visit@matchbookkitchen on Instagram.

Howdidyou getintocooking?

JUSTIN BRUHL: Igot into cookingwhen Iwas akid.Mymom wasareally good cook.She was half Japanese and shetook us to Chinatownand allthe cool stores, and Iknewwhatadumpling wasata young age. Ialways had somethinginthe back of my mind aboutfood. Ididn’tthink aboutitasaprofessionuntil I wasinhighschool. That’s when it really started Almost allmyprofessionalcareer happenedinBoston. Iworkedat Babbo, which wasaMario Batali restaurant.Ispentalot of time in theNorth Endata fine dining Italian spot.I spentfouryears with theFranklinGroup,which is Citizen Public Houseand FranklinSouthie

When Iturned30, Imovedto NewOrleans forvarious reasons Istarted offatCompereLapin and wasthere fora year.Icame in withoutknowing therewas such an awesomepop-upscene.Iknew it wasmoreopen than Boston, whereyou can’tdoa damn thing That wasone of thebiggerreasons Imoved. It wasbetween Chicago and NewOrleans.Thatwas the very beginningof2016. Idrove throughthe blizzard that ripped apartNew England to getout

Howdidyou startMatchbookKitchen?

B: Idid my first thingfor myself in Boston.Itwas anow-defunct startupwhereyou would go on this site and click on what chef you wanted to come to your house and cook either afamily-style dinner or atasting. As acook,you’d puta

prix fixe there. You’d need athree or four course menuand a fivetoseven course. Peoplecould click on themenu and your schedule. I’d putupmydaysoff, because Iwas a full-time sous chef Igot my feet wet. I waslike, Ican make moneyfor myself

When Icame to NewOrleans, Iwasn’tthinking about that quiteas hardashavingto re-networkmyself.

When Istarted at Compere Lapin, they broughtme to Barrel Prooffor drinks afterwork.

Isaw therewere pop-upsand they coulddowhatever they wanted.That’s whereitstarted.I took theA.M.spotatMaypopsoI coulddothatstuff as well.

At first it wasone daya week, butitgrew, and then oneday Iwas quitting my job. Iwould alsobeat CourtyardBrewery.Idid some fun lunchshiftsatCoffeeScience.As far as full time at Barrel Proof, that wasa pandemic thing.

Now, Ialwayshave thefan favoritesthatItry nottochange. I always have salt roasted,smashed and then re-fried potatoes.The crowd favorite is theonion dip. It’s from-scratch caramelized onion and nori dip. It tastes like theonion dip yougrewupwith, withpreserved seaweed.It’sdank

Afan favorite Ican nevertouch is dandan noodles.That’sas traditional as youneed it to be, butwith alittlemoresauce. I make it how70% of Sichuan Chinamakes it,and Idon’t think it should be changed.I getfresh noodles from theAsian market.I candoitvegan with mushrooms, which gotsomeexcited vegans onboard

Thefried chickenand ricedish gotmeonthe map. It used to be onlyGeneral Tso’schicken,but nowI trytochange it twoorthree timesa year.Inthe summer,I do lemon-ginger chicken.I’lluse nice lemons andfresh ginger and float Sichuanoil on thetop.Right now, it’s orange-sesamechicken.If thereare satsumas around or nice oranges,I’llsqueeze them and put that in there.

They’reall made from scratch riffsonthe American-Chinese dishes that youget when you’re shitfaced in Chinatownat3a.m.

WINE OF THE WEEK

Idotwo at least oneortwo specialthingsevery month.Last month Idid asteak tipnight.Idid an Italian nightatRabbit’sFoot, withfresh pasta.I foundsome rampsand did ramp agnolotti

Whatwillyouserveat thedinneratMisterMao?

B: Ihave been thinkingabout doingatastingsince Istarted doingpop-ups.Sophina(Uong) reached outtomewith her pop-up series.It’safancierversion of what Iamdoing. It’s fresh pasta —everythingfromscratch —but elevated AnytimeI putout amenu, it’s subject to change. It’s ideas of whereI want to go,but with popups, youdon’t have purveyors at your fingertips.You mightnot be abletofindramps

Snapper aguachileistwo of my favorite thingsinone place.Ihad an ah-ha moment.Why can’tthis be acrudo?I love theflavorprofile of savory Thai laab and other dishes like it.These areall things that would be greatonraw fish —all themintand toastedricefor crunch.Iabsolutely love rawbars. Iamhappy to do ceviche, butata barit’salittletough

That dish is aplayonthe flavor profileoflaab with my favorite wayofdoing rawthings, which is aguachile, becauseMexicois oneoffavorite food destinations Real MexicaninOaxacaand beachceviches

Ceretto Arneis

Crisp and bright, Ceretto’s Arneis is aperfect matchfor the white-wine consumer who enjoys freshness (over oak) on their palate.With vibrantacidity and enticing aromas of green apple, Bartlett pear and orange blossom intertwined with subtle hints of almond

DISTRIBUTED BY

PHOTO PROVIDEDBYJUSTINBRUHL

Out2EatisanindexofGambitcontractadvertisers Unlessnoted,addressesareforNewOrleansandall acceptcreditcards.Updates:Email willc@gambitweekly.comorcall(504)483-3106

8FreshFoodAssassin — 1900 N. Claiborne Ave.,(504) 224-2628; Instagram, @8freshfoodassassin Chef MannyJanuary’sserveslambchops, T-bone steaks,salmon, crab cakes, deep friedribs,fried chickenand seafood-loadedoysters.Noreservations

Delivery available.Lunchand dinner

Tue.-Sun $$

Acorn — 12 HenryThomasDrive,(504) 218-5413;acornnola.com Thecafe at theLouisiana Children’s Museum has blackened shrimp tacostoppedwith arugula,radish, pineapple-mango salsa andcilantro-lime sauce. No reservations.breakfast andlunch Wed.-Sun $$

Angelo Brocato’s — 214N.Carrollton Ave.,(504) 486-1465;angelobrocatoicecream.com This sweetshop serves itsown gelato, spumoni,Italian ice, cannolis, biscotti,fig cookies,tiramisu,macaroons and more.Lunchand

dinner Tue.-Sun $

Annunciation— 1016 Annunciation St.,(504) 568-0245;annunciationrestaurant.com Gulf Drum Yvonne is servedwith brownbuttersauce with mushrooms andartichoke hearts

Reservations recommended.Dinner

Thu.-Mon $$$

Banana Blossom— 5009th St.,Gretna, (504)500-0997; 504bananablossom.com JimmyCho’s Thai dishes include smoked porkbelly and pork meatballs in lemongrass broth with egg, greenonion,cilantroand garlic Reservations accepted forlarge parties except weekends.Deliveryavailable.Lunch anddinner Tue.-Sat $$

TheBlueCrabRestaurant andOyster Bar— 118Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985)315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504)284-2898;thebluecrabnola.com

Basinbarbecue shrimp areserved overcheesegrits withacheesebiscuit. Outdoor seatingavailable.Noreservations.Lakeview: lunchand dinner

Tue.-Sun.Slidell: lunch Fri.-Sat., dinner

Wed.-Sun $$

Broussard’s— 819Conti St.,(504) 581-3866;broussards.com Rainbow troutamandineisservedwith tasso andcornmacque chouxand Creole meuniere sauce.Reservations recommended. Outdoorseating available.

Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunchSun $$$

Cafe Normandie— HigginsHotel,480 Andrew HigginsBlvd.,(504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining The menu combines classicFrenchdishes and Louisiana itemslikecrabbeignets with herb aioli. No reservations

Breakfastand lunchdaily $$

TheCommissary 634OrangeSt., (504)274-1850; thecommissarynola. com Thecentral kitchenfor Dickie Brennan restaurantshas adine-in menu with asmoked turkey breast sandwich withbacon,tomatojam, herbedcream cheese,arugula and herbvinaigrette on honeyoat bread. No reservations.Outdoor seatingavailable.LunchTue.-Sat. $$

Curio— 301Royal St.,(504) 717-4198; curionola.com ThecreativeCreole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken andandouillejambalaya.Reservations accepted.Lunch and dinnerdaily $$

Desire Oyster Bar— RoyalSonesta NewOrleans, 300Bourbon St.,(504)

$—averagedinner entréeunder$10 $$—$11-$20 $$$—$20-up

586-0300;sonesta.com/desireoysterbar ThemenuhighlightsGulf seafoodinCreole dishes.Char-grilled oystersare topped with Parmesan and herbs.Reservations recommended

Breakfast, lunchand dinner daily $$

Dickie Brennan’sBourbon House — 144Bourbon St.,(504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse.com There’sa seafood raw barand dishes like redfish with lemon buerreblanc.Reservations accepted

Lunchand dinner daily $$$

Dickie Brennan’sSteakhouse — 716

Iberville St.,(504) 522-2467;dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com A6-ouncefilet mignon is served withfried oysters, creamedspinach, potatoes andbearnaise.Reservations recommended

Dinner Mon.-Sat $$$

DragonflyCafe— 530Jackson Ave., (504)544-9530; dragonflynola.com

Thecasual cafe offers breakfast plates,waffles,salads,coffee drinks andmore. Deliveryavailable Reservations accepted.Breakfast and lunchWed.-Sat. $$

El Pavo Real 4401 S. BroadAve., (504)266-2022; elpavorealnola.com

PescadoVeraCruzisasauteed

Gulf fish topped withtomatoes, olives,onion and capersand served withriceand string beans. Themenu also includes tacos,enchiladas and more.Outdoor seatingavailable.No reservations.Lunchand early dinner

Tue.-Sat $$

Felix’s Restaurant &OysterBar

739Iberville St.,(504) 522-4440; 7400 Lakeshore Drive, (504)3044125;felixs.com Louisiana oysters areservedraw or char-grilledwith garlic,Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Themenuincludesseafood platters, po-boysand more.Noreservations

Lunchand dinner daily $$ Frey SmokedMeat Co.— 4141 Bienville St.,Suite 110, (504)488-7427; freysmokedmeat.com Thebarbecue spot serves pulled pork,ribs,brisket, sausagesand and itemslikefried pork belly tossed in pepperjelly glaze.No reservations.Lunch anddinner daily $$ FrootOrleans — 2438 Bell St.,Suite B, (504)233-3346; frootorleans.com Thereare freshfruit platters and smoothie bowlssuchasa strawberry shortcakeand more usingpineapple, berries,citrus and more.Noreservations.Outdoor seatingavailable Breakfastand lunch daily $$

Juan’sFlyingBurrito 515Baronne St.,(504) 529-5825;2018MagazineSt., (504)569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave.,(504) 486-9950;8140Oak St., (504) 897-4800;juansflyingburrito.com

TheFlying Burrito includes steak, shrimp,chicken,cheddar jack cheese, blackbeans,rice, guacamoleand salsa. Outdoor seatingavailable.Noreservations.Lunchand dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

Katie’sRestaurant 3701 Iberville St.,(504) 488-6582;katiesinmidcity. com The eclectic menu includes aCajun Cubanwith roasted pork, ham,cheeseand pickles on buttered bread.Deliveryavailable.Reservations accepted forlarge parties. Lunch and dinnerTue.-Sun. $$

Kilroy’s Bar— Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504)528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining Thebar

menu includes sandwiches,saladsand flatbreads,including onetoppedwith peach, prosciutto,stracciatella cheese, arugula and pecans. No reservations

Dinner Wed.-Sat $$

Legacy Kitchen’s CraftTavern— 700Tchoupitoulas St.,(504) 6132350;legacykitchen.com— The menu includesoysters,flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches,saladsand aNOLAStyle GritsBowltopped with bacon,cheddar and apoached egg.Reservations accepted.Breakfast, lunchand dinner daily $$

LegacyKitchen Steak&Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway,Gretna, (504) 513-2606;legacykitchen.com The menu includes filets mignons, bone-in rib-eyesand topsirloins,aswellas burgers, salads andseafood dishes

Reservations accepted.Outdoor seatingavailable.Lunchand dinner

Mon.-Sat $$

LuzianneCafe— 481GirodSt.,(504) 265-1972; luziannecafe.com Cajun

Sunshine Beignets arestuffed with eggs,bacon,cheeseand hotsauce No reservations.Deliveryavailable

Breakfastand lunch Wed.-Sun $$

MartinWineCellar 714Elmeer Ave., Metairie,(504) 896-7350;3827Baronne St., (504)894-7444; martinwine.com—

Thedeliservessandwiches and salads such as theSena, with chicken, raisins, bluecheese, pecansand Tabasco pepperjelly vinaigrette.Noreservations

Lunchdaily $$

Mikimoto 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504)488-1881; mikimotosushi.com

TheSouth Carrollton roll includestuna tataki,avocado and snow crab.The menu also has noodle dishes,teriyaki and more.Reservations accepted Delivery available.LunchSun.-Fri., dinnerdaily. $$

Mosca’s— 4137 Highway90West, Westwego,(504) 436-8950;moscasrestaurant.com Thisfamily-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialtiesincludingchicken ala grande and bakedoysters Mosca. Reservations accepted.DinnerWed.Sat. Cash only $$$

Mother’s Restaurant— 401Poydras St.,(504) 523-9656;mothersrestaurant net— This counter-servicespotserves po-boys,jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, redbeans andriceand more.Delivery available. No reservations.Breakfast, lunchand dinner daily $$

Neyow’sCreole Cafe 3332Bienville St.,(504) 827-5474;neyows.com The menu includes redbeans with fried chicken or porkchops, as well as seafoodplatters, po-boys, char-grilled oysters, salads andmore. No reservations.Lunchdaily,dinnerMon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$

Nice Guys Bar&Grill 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504)302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola.com— Char-grilled oystersare topped withcheese. Themenu also includes wings, quesadillas,burgers, salads, seafood pasta and more.No reservations.Lunch daily,dinner

Mon.-Sat $$$

Orleans GrapevineWine Bar&Bistro 720Orleans Ave.,(504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com Thewine bar’smenuincludesCreole pasta with shrimp andandouilleintomatocream sauce.Reservations accepted forlarge parties.Outdoor seatingavailable

Dinner Thu.-Sun $$

PalaceCafe— 605Canal St.,(504) 523-1661;palacecafe.com The contemporary Creole menu includes

signature crabmeatcheesecaketopped withmushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce.Outdoor seatingavailable Reservations recommended.Lunch

Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch

Sat.-Sun $$$

PeacockRoom— KimptonHotel Fontenot,501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com

Blacklentilvadouvancurry comeswith roastedtomatoes,mushroomsand basmatirice. Reservations accepted

Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Rosie’sonthe Roof— HigginsHotel, 480AndrewHiggins Blvd., (504)5281941;higginshotelnola.com/dining— The rooftopbar has amenuofsandwiches, burgers andsmall plates.Noreservations.Dinnerdaily $$

Tableau— 616St. PeterSt.,(504) 934-3463;tableaufrenchquarter.com

Pasta bouillabaissefeaturessquid inkmafaldine,littleneckclams,Gulf shrimp,squid,seafood broth,rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seatingavailable.Reservations recommended.Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch

Thu.-Sun $$$

Tacklebox— 817Common St.,(504) 827-1651;legacykitchen.com— The seafood restaurantservesoysters, and dishes like redfishSt. Charles withgarlic-herbbutter, asparagus, mushroomsand crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted.Breakfast, lunchand dinner daily $$

Tavolino Pizza&Lounge— 141 Delaronde St., (504)605-3365;tavolinonola.com— Themenu features thin-crust pizzas,salads, meatballs and more.ABehrman Hwy. pizzais toppedwith pork belly,caramel, carrots,radishes, jalapenos andherbs.No reservations.Outdoor seatingavailable

Dinner Tue.-Sat. $$

Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza— 1212 S. ClearviewParkway,Elmwood,(504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans MemorialBlvd., Metairie,(504) 510-4282;4024Canal St.,(504) 302-1133;4218 Magazine St., (504)894-8554; 70488 Highway21, Covington, (985)234-9420;theospizza. com AMarilynnPotaSupremepie is toppedwith mozzarella,pepperoni, sausage,hamburger,mushrooms,bell peppersand onions. Therealsoare salads,sandwiches and more.Delivery available.Lunchand dinner Tue.-Sat $ Tito’s Ceviche& Pisco— 1433 St. CharlesAve., (504) 354-1342;5015 Magazine St.,(504) 267-7612; titoscevichepisco.com Peruvian lomo saltado featuresbeefsauteed with onions, tomatoes,cilantro, soysauce andpisco, served with friedpotatoesand rice Outdoor seatingavailable on Magazine Street.Deliveryavailable.Reservations accepted.Lunchand dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$

TheVintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144;thevintagenola.com The menu includes beignets,small plates, flatbreads and aveggie pressed sandwich with avocado,onions, arugula, redpepper and pepper jack cheese No reservations.Deliveryand outdoor seatingavailable.Breakfast, lunchand dinnerdaily $$

Zhang Bistro 1141 DecaturSt.,(504) 826-8888; zhangbistronola.com— The menu of Chineseand Thai dishes includesa Szechuan HotWok with achoiceofchicken,beef, shrimp or tofu with onions,bellpeppers,cauliflower, jalapenosand spicysauce. Reservations accepted.Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue $$

ARTS& ENTERTAINMENT

DirtyDozenBrass Band

THESTORIEDNEWORLEANSBRASS BANDRECENTLYWONITSFIRST

GRAMMY Awardfor “Stompin’ Ground,” acollaborationwith AaronNevillethatappeared on thesoundtrackto“Take Me to theRiver: NewOrleans.” The band playsTipitina’sat8:30p.m Saturday,May 20,withvocalist Quiana Lynell.Ticketsare $20 viatipitinas.com

Phantom Limb

ONITSLATESTALBUM,“PASTORAL,” BIRMINGHAM,ALABAMA-BASED INDIEROCKBAND PhantomLimb sampledand chopped recordings of Southernpastors and comedians, mixing strange voices into itshazygarage rock and Animal Collectiveesqueelectronics.Itmakes forinterestingcommentary on Southernness and growing up in rural locations. Phantom Limb plays Gasa Gasa at 9p.m Saturday,May 20,withThe Nancies, DustySantamaria and Dumbster.Tickets are$10 viaticketweb.com

MoneyChicha vs.Los Guiros

AUSTIN,TEXASPSYCHEDELIC LATINBANDMONEYCHICHAAND NEWORLEANS’CUMBIABAND Los Guiros sharea bill at Toulouse Theatre.Money Chichafeatures members of Grupo Fantasma andplays apercussion-heavy blend of Colombian and Peruvian sounds.At9p.m Saturday,May 20.Tickets $15 viatoulousetheatre.com

glbl wrmng

LOCALHIP-HOPCOLLECTIVEGLBL WRMNGANDLETRAINIUMP perform at Wednesdayatthe Square. Therealso is an artmarketand food and drinkvendors. From 5:30 p.m. to 8p.m.Wednesday, May17, in LafayetteSquare. Find informationatylcwats.com

Claudia Gray

AUTHORCLAUDIAGRAY,WHOLIVES

INNEWORLEANS,established herself first withseveral popular Young Adultnovels,including the“Firebird” trilogyand the “Evernight”series, andhas writtenseveral well-received “StarWars”books,including “LostStars.” Last year,she released her first adulthistoricalmystery,“TheMurderofMr. Wickham,”and this week will publishits sequel,“TheLate Mrs. Willoughby.” Gray celebrates thebook releaseat6

p.m. Tuesday, May16, at Garden District Book Shop witha book signing,Q&A andinterview sessionwith GenevieveEssig. Theevent is free, andthe bookisavailable for$17 via gardendistrictbookshop.com

Kumasi Afrobeat Orchestra

INSPIREDBYFELAKUTIAND AFROBEAT,THEKUMASIAFROBEAT

ORCHESTRA is alarge ensemble that puts aNew Orleans spin on Afrobeat.New OrleansConjunto

Tierra Lindaplays salsa, popular Cuban music, son-montuno and Latinjazz. At 8p.m.Friday, May 19,atthe Broadside. Tickets$20 viabroadsidenola.com

NhaQua Nha: Home to Home GUITARISTANDCOMPOSERDYLAN TRANISJOINEDBYMEMBERSOF THELOUISIANAPHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA and othersina program blending newarrangementsoffolkand popular Vietnamesemusic and originalcompositions. Theshowis part of theOgden AfterHours series,which hasbeenrestored afterthe pandemicinterruption as amonthly series.At6 p.m. Thursday, May18, at theOgden Museum of SouthernArt.Tickets $13.50.Admissionisfreefor Ogdenmembers.Visitogdenmuseum.orgfor details.

AmandaShaw

AMANDASHAWANDTHECUTEGUYS

PERFORMANOUTDOORCONCERT

at Wild Bush Farm,formerly Pontchartrain Vineyards. Food trucks Squeal BBQand Fete au Fete will providefood. At 6:30 p.m. Saturday,May 20. Tickets$12 foradultsand $5 forchildrenvia wildbushfarmandvineyard.com

Hash Cabbage record release

PSYCHEDELICIMPROVISATIONAL BANDHASHCABBAGE celebrates thereleaseofits newalbum, “The VillageofSon Jon” at the Maple Leaf Bar. At 10 p.m. Friday, May19. Tickets $10inadvance, $15 at thedoor. Find information viamapleleafbar.com.

RAIN:Beatles Tribute

THETOURING SHOWDELIVERS

NOTE-FOR-NOTEFAITHFULRENDITIONS of TheBeatles “Abbey Road”album andits central London rooftopconcert in 1969. At 7p.m.Sunday, May 21,atSaengerTheatre.Find ticketsvia saengernola.com

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MUSIC

FOR COMPLETE MUSIC LISTINGS AND MORE EVENTSTAKING PLACE IN THENEW ORLEANS AREA,VISIT CALENDAR.GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

Tolearnmoreaboutaddingyourevent tothemusiccalendar,pleaseemail listingsedit@gambitweekly.com

TUESDAY16

BAMBOULAS —Big Soul,1:15pm; CarmelaRappazzo Quartet,5:30 pm; Andy jForest Blues, 9pm

BLUE NILE —Water Seed,9 pm

CHOP HOUSE —PhilMelancon,6pm

FRITZEL'SEUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB

—Richard"Piano"Scott, 12:30pm; ColinMyers ,5pm; Fritzel'sAll Star Band,8pm

SIBERIA —Conan,Thra, 8pm

SIDNEY'S SALOON —The Amazing Henrietta, 6:30 pm

THERABBITHOLE —Rebirth Brass Band,10pm

WEDNESDAY17

BAMBOULAS —Boardwalker andthe 3Finger Slingers, 1:15 pm;JohnSaavedra, 5:30 pm;Roule and theQueen,9 pm

BLUE NILE —New BreedBrass Band,9pm

FRITZEL'SEUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB

—Richard"Piano"Scott,12:30 pm; Bourbon StreetSTARS,5 pm;Fritzel's AllStar Band,8 pm

LAFAYETTESQUAREPARK

Glbl Wrmng,LeTrainiump,5 pm

LONGUE VUEHOUSE AND GARDENS —Twilight at Longue Vue: KatieCat &Cain Featuring The Hiptones,5 pm

NEW ORLEANSJAZZMUSEUM —Audrey

LeCroneand theCrawzaddies, 2pm

REPUBLIC NOLA —Vedo, 8pm

SIBERIA —Lazarus Dance/Thornpuller/ HoneyThe Fool,8:30pm

THEJAZZPLAYHOUSE BigSam,7:30 pm

THURSDAY18

BAMBOULAS —Sigridand ZigZags, 1:15 pm;Giselle AnguizolaQuartet, 5:30 pm;Wolfe John’s Blues, 9pm

BLUE NILE —WhereY'atBrass Band,9 pm

FRITZEL'SEUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB

Richard“Piano’Scott,12:30 pm;Doyle Cooper ,2:30pm; John Saavedra,5 pm;Fritzel's AllStarBand,8 pm

LE BONTEMPS ROULE —Soul Rebels, 11 pm

ORPHEUMTHEATER —The Mars Volta Tour,7 pm

PAVILION OF THETWO SISTERS NewOrleans Mystics, 6pm

PEACOCKROOM, HOTELFONTENOT —DaLovebirds withRobin Barnes and PatCasey ,8 pm

THEJAZZPLAYHOUSE —Brass-AHolics,7:30 pm

FRIDAY19

BAMBOULAS —St. Julien X, 11 am;Fully Dressed Po Boys,2:15pm; LesGetrex and Creole Cookin ,6:30pm; Bettis and 3rdDegreeBrass Band ,10pm

BLUE NILE —The Caesar Brothers, 7pm; KermitRuffins andthe BarbecueSwingers,11pm

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM

TrumpetSlim&Brass Flavor,10pm

CARROLLTON STATION —Marina Orchestra,Sweet Magnolia Brass Band,9pm

FRITZEL'SEUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB —Richard“piano”Scott,12:30 pm; SamFriendBand ,2:30pm; LeeFloyd &Thunderbolt Trio ,6pm; Fritzel'sAll Star Band ,9 pm

JOYTHEATER —Grandson&K.Flay, 6pm

KERRYIRISH PUB —Patrick Cooper,5 pm

PUBLIC BELTATHILTONRIVERSIDE

PhilMelancon, 5pm

REPUBLIC NOLA —Blankface,Decimate,SVGMAZE,Definitive,11pm

SIDNEY'S SALOON —Rik Slave's DarkLoungeMinistries, 7pm

THEJAZZPLAYHOUSE —TrixieMinx's Burlesque Ballroom ,7 &9 pm

SATURDAY20

BAMBOULAS —Jaywalkers, 11 am; TheNew Orleans SwingingGypsies, 2:15 pm;JohnnyMastro,6:30pm; PaggyPrine, 10 pm

BLUE NILE —George BrownBand,7 pm;Khris Royal&DarkMatter, 11 pm

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM —The Marigny StreetBrass Band,10pm

D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS —Soul Rebels, 10 pm

DOUBLEDEALERCOCKTAILBAR AT THEORPHEUMTHEATER —The Slick Skillet Serenaders,9 pm

FRITZEL'SEUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB —Richard“piano”Scott,12:30 pm; SteveDetroy, 2:30 pm;Lee Floyd& Thunderbolt Trio, 6pm; Fritzel'sAll Star Band ,9 pm

MISS RIVERATFOURSEASONS

HOTELNEW ORLEANS

Jazz Brunch,10:30 am

ORPHEUMTHEATER —LPO:Season Finale&Gala, 7:30 pm

PUBLIC BELTATHILTONRIVERSIDE

PhilMelancon, 5pm

SIBERIA —Wavering/LauraFisher/ Zetroc,9 pm

SMOOTHIEKING CENTER —Zach Bryan, 8pm

THEJAZZPLAYHOUSE —The James RiverMovement,7:30 pm

RebirthBrassBandplays RabbitHoleTuesday,May16.

WILD BUSH FARM +VINEYARD AmandaShaw, 6:30 pm

SUNDAY21

BAMBOULAS —MattRhodyand Jasmine,1:15pm; Midnight Brawlers, 5:30 pm;EdWillsBlues 4Sale,9 pm

BLUE NILE —The BakedPotatoes, 7pm; StreetLegends Brass Band,10pm

FRITZEL'SEUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB

Seva Venet,12pm; JD Haenni Swing, 2pm; MarlaDixon ,5pm; Fritzel'sAll Star Band ,8pm

HOWLIN'WOLF —Hot 8Brass Band,10pm

MISS RIVERATFOURSEASONS

HOTELNEW ORLEANS

Jazz Brunch, 10:30am

OLDARABI LIGHTHOUSE RECORDS ANDBOOKS —MikeDarby,4 pm

ROYALFRENCHMENHOTEL &BAR

TheWildlifeBand feat.Shawan Rice,6pm

SIBERIA —PostLunch,DaScreech, FightDream,Silver Dose,9pm

THEJAZZPLAYHOUSE —GlenDavid AndrewsBand ,7:30 pm

MONDAY22

BAMBOULAS —Giselle AnguizolaQuartet, 1:15 pm;The Melataun’s, 5:30 pm;EdWillsBlues 4Sale,9 pm;

FRITZEL'SEUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB

MatineeAll Star Band,12:30 pm;Lee Floyd and ThunderboltTrio, 5pm; RichardScottand Friends, 8pm SCAN FOR THE COMPLETE GAMBIT CALENDAR

PHOTO BY BRETTDUKE/THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Bigfinish

Final thoughts on Jazz Fest 2023

by Jake Clapp

THE2023NEWORLEANSJAZZ&

HERITAGEFESTIVALWASBIG.There were bignames, bigmoments on stageand bigcrowds— and occasionally some biglines.

If last year’s Jazz Fest contended with themajor challenges of returningnearly three yearsafter itslast editiondue to thepandemic,thenJazzFestin 2023 showeditwas back on its feet andlookingtogrow. Andit did so throughsomechanges, with good-to-mixedresults

Rain hitacoupleofdays, but theweather wasmostlybeautiful, drawing outcrowdsfor performances by Lizzo, RobertPlant and AlisonKrauss,Wu-Tang Clan and theSoulRebels, Ed Sheeran, Mumford& Sons,Jon Batisteand many, many more.Therewere soft-shellcrabpo-boys,crawfish strudel,mango freeze,strawberry lemonade and enough good food to causea heart-attack

With sevendays’ worthofmusic, food andarts, therewas alot for people to take in.Sobeforewe saygood-bye to Jazz Fest 2023, we wanted to round-up some final observations about abig year on the Fair Grounds. Jazz Fest announced 460,000people attended this year’s eventand thefestivalwill return April 26 to May5,2024.

Here aresomethoughts from Jazz Fest 2023:

CASHLESSWASAMIXEDBAG

Oneofthisyear’sbiggest changes wasthe festival’s decisiontogocashless.And at first, it did notgowellas food and drinklines pileduponopeningday whilevendors andattendees adjustedand dealtwithfrozencard readers.But thingssteadilygot better as thefestival went along

By theend of thefestival,some vendors seemed to have mixedfeelings about thenew system andwe hope that Jazz Fest will spendthe next year askingquestions to understand if cashless really is forthe best, andifso, howcan it be improved.

YOUPAIDWHATFORACOORS?!

Jazz Fest hasn’t been cheapfor a while, butitseemedlikepriceson theFairGrounds hitanew high this year.Partofthatisbecause of inflation and theprice of doingbusiness in 2023,but thecashless system also contributedtoit. Vendors are charged transactionfees— which manyincludedintotheir prices and taxeswereaddedontop.And

RESERVE SPACEBY: MAY19 ISSUE DATE: MAY30

that wasbeforeyou tipped when prompted on thecardreader.

JONBATISTE’SJOYOUS HOMETOWNRETURN

WhileJon Batistenow livesinNew York,itseemslikeNew Orleansis neverfar from hisheart.The Kenner native headlined thefestival’s second Friday —walkingout to amassive cheer from theFestivalStagecrowd —and rocked as perfect aJazzFest setasanyone would ever want.

GREENKREWE

This wasa relatively cleanJazzFest as compared to previous years. That wasdue to severalnew sustainabilityand recycling initiativesimplementedbythe Jazz Fest,including itsdedicated GreenKrewe.There were more recycling stations and arewards program incentivized attendees to grab agreen bag, collectcansand bottles and return them to designatedtents.The fields in frontofthe bigFestival and Congo Squarestagesstill looked like a hurricanehad passed through at the end of theday,but it wasnoticeably better than in previous years.

CREATURECOMFORTS

Last year,JazzFestrolledout locationsfor free waterrefillsand free sunscreen. Thoselocations returned this year along with asmall peacegardenand asober-focused wellness tent —witha mocktail truckserving akiller non-alcoholic Cuba libre. We’d love to seethose optionscontinuetogrow. Andit also would be good to seethe festivaltakemeasures to bolsteraccess forattendees with mobility issues inside of thetentstages

Read alongerversionofthis article online at bestofneworleans.com.

ContactAdDirector SandyStein 504.483.3150 or sstein@gambitweekly.com

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To join, visit: bestofneworleans.com/member

TheBigSteppersSocialAid& PleasureClubparadedthroughthe

PHOTO BY GABRIELLEKOREIN/ GAMBIT

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HallofWonders

by WillCoviello

FOLLOW MY WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY ON FACEBOOK

Down the Hatch theHatch

AND BITES

ASTHESTORYGOES,THESERPENT WASVERYPERSUASIVE with Eveinthe Garden of Eden Butwhatdid it actually say?

In hershortone-act play “Eden,”KatyMaddox offers anew view of what happened.

“It’swritten in agossipy, ‘MeanGirls’aesthetic,”says Bennett Kirschner,founder of IntramuralTheater.“The serpentistelling Evethat Adam and Godare controlling andmanipulative.”

“Eden” is one of six shortplays in One-ActWonders, aprogram presentedMay 18-21 by IntramuralTheater at theOld Firehouse on MandevilleStreetin theMarigny.

Thesix showsvaryinsettings from theGardenofEdentoasubwayplatformtothe evacuation from Saigon during theVietnam War. There’splayful comedy and some experimentalapproaches.All the worksare lessthan20minutes and run each nightinaprogram curated forsomecohesion, though they’re allfromdifferent playwrightsand have differentdirectors.

IntramuralTheater has presented the25-Hour Play Festival in recent years. In it,teams have oneday to write and producea shortplay. Insteadofdoing 25-Hourthisyear, Kirschner,MadiZinsand Jordan Holton createdOne-Act Wonders. Thesix plays were selected from morethan 30 workssubmitted in March, and almost allofthem arenew works, beingproduced forthe first time.

BeccaChapman is aveteran actress andfounder of Prescription Joy, agroup that uses clowning and humortocheer up hospital patients.Her play“TheBed We Make”isaplayful comedy about amattress,a pillow andamonster from under thebed talkingabout howthey’re dealingwiththe human that sleeps thereevery night.

“The Finest Goddamn Tree in Saigon”isset at theU.S.embassy in Saigon as thecityfalls during thefinal days of theVietnam War. An ambassador is holding up the evacuation overa symbolicgesture as thetension mounts.It’swritten by C.A. Munn,a graduateofUNO’s creative writing programwho has written forIntramural’soriginal works, includingJanuary’s“CAVE.”

“Rope” is aboutacouple who move to thecountry,and when

thehusband comeshomefrom shopping, he hasa rope. He suddenlythought it wouldbegood to have in theirnew environment, butheforgotwhatshe hadasked himtoget.The couple realizes the change of spaceisrevealingthings they hadn’tseenabout themselves before.Inone of themoreexperimental stagings in Wonders, there arefiveactors in Adam Tourek’s two-characterwork.

Adolfo Rodriguez’s“Writer’s Block” takesplace on asubway platformasa trainapproaches. Two strangershave asmallwindowto unburden themselves before time is up. Kirschner’s“TheBusiness of Medicine” is about twofigures at an awkwardbusiness meeting.

IntramuralTheater primarily presents devised works, in which participants start with aseedofanidea, such as voyeurism or reincarnation, and thewriters,actors and designersdevelop aproductionover months. Itsloneproductionofa well-known playwas SamShepard’s “CowboyMouth,” soon afterthe playwright’s deathin2017. Butthe companystaged it in asmallhotel room,withjust enough room for 15 audiencememberstoviewit intimately closetothe action

Kirschner movedtoNew Orleans in 2014,inpartexcited aboutthe city’s experimentaltheater scene. TheNew Orleans Fringe Festival shuttered soon afterward, and other successors have struggledtofindgrounding. With One-ActWonders, workstend toward moreconventionaltheater, butit’sanumbrella that is allowing morethan 30 actors,directors and designerstoproducea diverseslate of worksunder one roof Fortickets andinformation, visitintramuraltheater.org.

‘TheBusinessofMedicine’

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BENNETT KIRSCHNER

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ACROSS

1Swing by

6Sop up

12Fez or beret

15General — chicken

19Preface

20“Hello” singer Lionel

21Santa winds

22Eight, in Berlin

23Alternative to potstickers

26Trevi Fountain city

27Golf prop

28Requiring lots of attention

29L-P linkup

30“— Up My Heart” (1997 *NSYNC song)

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CROSS WORDS

By Frank A. Longo

32Call before the court

35Touchy topic

37Skit-filled NBC show, in brief

38Texas-Louisiana border river

41Three, in Paris

42H.G. Wells’ Doctor Moreau, e.g.

46Penetrating

47Get older

50Give off

51Shaggy’s nickname for his dog

52Pollen lover

53Actress Perlman

54“Life Is Good” rapper 55Letter after pi

56212 degrees Fahrenheit, for water

61“Yup”

63Big Apple sch. 66Alpha Sig, e.g 67Speaks from a soapbox 68Right after being baked 72Fake: Prefix 75Stalagmite site 76Camera type, in brief

35Female sib

36Dutch artist Jan

38 -Cat

39From Z

40Lettuce type

42Option list

43East Asian nanny

44Platter

45 Lodge (motel chain)

46Actor Harvey

48Heredity unit

49Wolfs down

52Malaise, with

57Proposal 58Original

15“Proud Mary” star —