Country Roads Magazine "The Performing Arts Issue" September 2025
by James Fox-Smith
Baton Rouge talent in Edinburgh, the revival of the Lincoln Theater & “Rock School” radio
From contra dance to zydeco— inside the micro-communities keeping social dance alive by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
The loss of Theatre Baton Rouge and the evolution of community theatre in the Capital City by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
Farces and fantasies take the stage at community theatres across the region.
Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, a landmark artistic collaboration returns by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
On the Cover
HIGH AND BRIGHT: A LOUISIANA TWO STEP
Photo by Paul Kieu
By the time you’re reading this, creatives across the region will be attending rehearsals, building sets, and going to costume fittings in preparation for the start of the new performing arts season. There’s a lot of significance held in this year’s slate of events—it’s been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic emptied auditoriums, causing an existential crisis for dance and theatre organizations across the country. It’s been twenty since Hurricane Katrina disrupted New Orleans’s thriving creative scene as we then knew it. And just around the corner is the 230th anniversary of our state’s grand legacy in the history of performing arts: the first ever opera to premiere on American soil did so at the Théâtre St. Pierre in New Orleans.
So, where does that leave us today ? Our 2025 Performing Arts issue homes in on the current moment, in which community theatres face modern challenges, and respond to them with creativity and openness; in which artforms like dance can be used to articulate the impossible dualities of mourning the past and victoriously taking on the future; in which Shakespeare is performed for free in the libraries and Tennessee Williams is still attracting new, dedicated fans.
It’s also a moment defined by a collective desire to rekindle dying connections to our bodies, our communities, and our culture. The stage is not for everyone, but the dancefloor can be. This is why our first feature in the issue is centered on the culture of social dance, flourishing in pockets across Louisiana. “Dance is your birthright as a person,” says Ann Glaviano. It’s an expression of performance that belongs to anyone who seeks it out.
A hobby, an art, a health pursuit, or a tribute to one’s culture—joining the crowds on a local dance floor is, more than anything, “just freaking fun,” as said by Adeline Miller. “It’s just so freaking fun.”
SAC-A-LAIT SEASON
Petitioning Lana Del Rey for a rewrite by Megan Broussard
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, Elizabeth Chubbuck Weinstein, Kristy Christiansen, Paul Christiansen, Cayman Clevenger, Jess Cole, Ed Cullen, Alexandra Kennon Shahin, Kristin Kirschner, Paul Kieu, Drake LeBlanc, Lucie Monk Carter, Olivia Perillo, Sarah Pilbeam, Zac Thriffiley
Cover Artist Paul Kieu
Advertising
SALES@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM
Sales Team Heather Gammill & Heather Gibbons
Operations Coordinator Molly C. McNeal
President Dorcas Woods Brown
Visiting
of
The rise of the Tennessee Williams Theatre Co. by Zac Thriffiley
SHE DANCED WITH A REDFISH A book/play review by Alexandra Kennon Shahin
The Louisiana Shakespeare Festival by Kristen Kirschner
ARIAS IN THE QUARTER, AGAIN The inaugural New Orleans Opera Festival by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Voyaging to Bama by Kristy Christiansen
CYCLE ZYDECO Inside Acadiana’s rolling block party by Ed Cullen
No portion of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Country Roads magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect 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.
Reflections
FROM THE PUBLISHER
The other night my wife and I had dinner with an old friend. Rod Dreher, a son of St. Francisville whose name will be familiar to many readers, was back in town after a long absence, and on a Saturday night in August we met at the St. Francisville Inn. As you do, we started reminiscing, mostly about the literary festival we had a hand in co-founding: the Walker Percy Weekend. After all, it was how we got to know one another in the first place.
The year was 2013: Rod and his family had recently moved back to St. Francisville after decades away during which he had gained prominence as a critic, writer, and political and cultural commentator. His book The Little Way of Ruthie Leming, about his sister’s battle with cancer, had just come out, and Rod was longing to reconnect with small-town life. The book had been a success, but even so, when local matriarch Ms. Nancy Vinci invited us to dinner at Galatoire’s, “… because I have something I want to talk to you about,” we should’ve known a dragooning was in store. No sooner had the appetizers arrived than Ms. Nancy got down to business.
She considered it her life’s work to see St. Francisville’s long-vacant Julius Frey-
han School building returned to public life, she said. The building required a multi-million-dollar restoration, and Ms. Nancy intended to establish an event to raise funds toward that restoration. She wanted to know what ideas a couple of media-types could come up with. Rod looked up from the Crab Maison he was trying to hide in long enough to say, “What about Walker Percy?” The rest, as they say, is history.
Who was Walker Percy, you ask? I certainly needed to. Percy was a writer and philosopher working in the Southern Gothic tradition, whose books and essays explored the dislocation of man in the modern age. Born in Alabama, raised in Mississippi, and a North Carolina alum, he graduated from medical school at Columbia University, intending to become a psychiatrist. Shortly after, he contracted tuberculosis—an illness that confined him to a sanitorium in upstate New York for years. While lying around with nothing to do, Percy read: Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, Kafka, Thomas Mann. He came to question science’s ability to explain the mysteries of human existence. His first novel, The Moviegoer (1961) won the National Book Award. In later novels and essays, Percy continued to interrogate the good and the bad of contemporary existence in Southern settings, interweaving personal experiences from his own life—which included visits to Percy family relatives in the Felicianas. Later in life, Percy settled in Louisiana, teaching
ential writers and thinkers, including David Brooks, Walter Isaacson, and J.D. Vance, prominent academics, Percy’s own daughter Mary Pratt, and hundreds of ordinary folks interested in exploring big ideas in a small-town setting. In the process, the event has contributed more than $250,000 towards the Julius Freyhan School restoration.
writing at LSU and Loyola before dying in Covington in 1990.
Before we knew it, Rod and I were making plans to put on a literary festival dedicated to a dead philosopher in rural Louisiana in the middle of summer. Improbable? Yes. Likely to succeed? No. But you try telling that to Nancy Vinci and see how far it gets you.
Twenty-five years after Percy’s death, it turned out that interest in his unique brand of existential questioning, delivered with humor, a deep Catholic faith, and a Southern sensibility, was very much alive. For that first festival, hundreds of Percy faithful came from all over the country to discuss his books, sit in on lectures and discussions led by writers and academics, and to marinate in summer heat while eating crawfish and drinking bourbon—both activities which Percy was famously fond of.
In the decade since, the Walker Percy Weekend has continued, hosting influ-
So, this month, Louisiana’s unlikeliest literary event returns for a tenth time. Academics, writers, humorists, and lovers of literature and big ideas will gather to explore the theme “The Last Laugh: Wit, Wisdom, and Ten Years of the Walker Percy Weekend.” As always, there will be spirited literary discussion, lots of laughter, great food, and plenty of bourbon. But here’s the beautiful part: this event will mark the official reopening of the Julius Freyhan School, which emerges from a $4.2 million restoration ready to host both the Walker Percy Weekend and a concert by the Sonny Landreth Trio the weekend of September 19—20. Seventy-five years after the school’s closure to students, how inspiring it is to see the halls, classrooms, and marvelous, lightfilled auditorium of St. Francisville’s first public school filled with books, lectures, and music again. Do come if you can, and raise a glass to Walker Percy, Nancy Vinci, and the power of never giving up on a good idea.
“The Steadfast Foundation has opened me up to so many opportunities and one of those opportunities was the ability to dream. I could not have done that without having a solid banking institution that knows me by name, that has my back—and that’s the Bank of St. Francisville.”
– George Gillam - Executive Director Steadfast Foundation
BSF is a proud supporter of the Steadfast Foundation. To learn more please visit: thesteadfast.org
Carter Leak IV (BSF President and CEO), George Gillam (Steadfast Foundation Executive Director), Shawna Gose (Steadfast Foundation Board President)
Lighting up the Lincoln, Once Again
AFTER SITTING DERELICT FOR YEARS, BATON ROUGE’S HISTORIC BLACK THEATRE RETURNS
Swing by Baton Rouge’s historic Lincoln Theater in its hheyday, and you might have caught a performance by Louis Armstrong or Cab Calloway, chatted with neighbors and local business leaders at the pharmacy, or attended a civil rights meeting.
Built in the 1940s under the guidance of Dr. Aristotle Chatman, the Lincoln Theater stood at the center of a bustling social and entertainment scene for the city’s Black community in the mid-twentieth century, creating a vibrant, inclusive space for Black performers, visionaries, and locals in a segregated, pre-Civil Rights Louisiana. Here, audiences took in performances by James Brown and Lionel Hampton by night, and by day they shopped at a deli, got a haircut at a barbership, or visited business offices geared toward community services. The theatre served as a landmark for other seismic events, too,
such as meetings to organize the 1953 Baton Rouge bus boycott.
When the city's downtown district began to hemorrhage occupants and business in the 1980s, the Lincoln closed. It fell into disrepair, and remained that way for several decades. The iconic illuminated marquee, directing audiences to the theatre on Myrtle Walk at the corner of Eddie Robinson Sr. Drive, went dark.
Now, due to efforts that have been underway since 2009, the historic Lincoln Theater is slated to reopen as a fully renovated and restored facility by the end of this year. Beyond the theatre itself, the transformed site will incorporate a cultural education center featuring an exhibition on the 1953 Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, and the Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame Museum.
“The vision was, of course, to save a historical beacon,” said Brenda Perry, the founder of the museum and visionary of the new, multi-use space. “We wanted to
School of Rock
bring it back, not just as a theatre, but as a culture center, where you could have different types of arts and programming to give back to the community.”
Through a combination of state, city, and community funding, the theatre, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has undergone extensive construction in recent months. UpStage Theatre Company, led by Dr. Ava Brewster-Turner, will settle into the facility as the resident theatre company when it opens to the public—hopefully just in time for a Christmas show. And under the direction of Donna Butler, the director of film & video productions, the cultural center will host screening events of documentaries and other significant films.
Efforts are also underway to restore the nearby Lincoln Hotel, where, historically, traveling Black performers were granted a safe place to stay in Baton Rouge during segregation—a move that local leaders
hope will bring life back into the area.
“To have those two cultural icons back and thriving in our community is going to be really huge,” said Whitney Hoffman Sayal, executive director of the Baton Rouge Downtown Development District. “And I think that is going to spur and catalyze additional development around those areas, in addition to restoring a really profound community pride that you still see there. Once these buildings are returned to commerce and returned to the community, I think you’re really going to see that blossom.”
It was Perry’s dream to bring the theatre back, and she has praised the vast numbers of committee members and leaders who have supported her, revealing “the magnitude of the unity of people” dedicated to preserving this jewel of the city’s Black history.
“If we don’t treasure our landmarks,” Perry asked. “Who will?” lbhhf.org
—Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY’S “ROCK SCHOOL” PROGRAM HONORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Whhen Dr. Joseph Burns, music historian and host of the Southeastern Louisiana University’s radio show Rock School, first learned the program had been selected for collection by the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB)—he thought it was a joke.
“Just shocking, shocking on every single level,” he said. “It’s going to outlast me. Somebody thought that something I created should live in perpetuity as a representation of radio. I mean, who gets this?”
The AAPB, a collaboration between Boston’s WGBH station and the Library of Congress, works to archive digital files of television and radio programming across the United States for long-term preservation and easy accessibility.
“The Rock School Special Collection” includes more than nine hundred episodes produced for almost two decades
by Southeastern’s radio station 90.0 The Lion (formerly known as KSLU), featuring discussions of popular songs and artists, music trends and history, and the cultural moments that mark the evolution of music over the decades.
“I’m one of those weird human beings that enjoys research for research’s sake,” Burns said. “I enjoy just simply finding a topic and learning as much about it as I possibly can. What Rock School allowed me to do was sort of blather this out after I have done all the research. It gave me a reason to do the research.”
Burns, also the interim head for the Department of Communication and Media Studies at Southeastern, started the program eighteen years ago and has watched, with some bemusement, as it has gained notoriety, won awards, and attracted a devoted following. While the program has had four co-hosts since its inception, Burns’s wife, Tammy, joined him in 2015 as his current showrunner.
Rock School began, as radio legacies often do, with a pledge drive (complete with tote bags). Though Burns had more than a decade of experience as a morning disc jockey in radio, he believed he had left broadcasting entirely behind after completing his PhD and beginning his academic career. Then came the fated KSLU pledge drive, and a pitch for him to hop on the air to help the station earn some money. He requested no limits when he went live, and was given the goahead.
“I’m going to play what I want to play, I’m going to say what I want to say… just hand me the station,“ he said. “And so I went on. I went on the air, and it’s one of those things like riding a bike. Once I was in front of the microphone, it took off.”
Since then, it’s been a crash course in all things music. The weekly, one-hour show tackles a different music topic each week and plays songs that fit the subject matter.
Burns packages the show into a podcast format, in addition to airing it on the radio.
“Over the course of this show, we’ve covered the basics, the top ten songs from this year, and that kind of stuff. As of late, it’s becoming more and more academic,” Burns explained. “We’re doing a tremendous amount on copyright, a tremendous amount on AI.”
Apart from enjoying researching and hosting the show, Burns said the program has expanded his professional outlook as well, turning into publications and quotes in news articles. He has even been featured in a book about the meaning of the lyrics of Don McLean’s “American Pie.”
“I never set out for this to be as successful as this is,” he said. “It took off, and has taken on a life of its own.” americanarchive.org
—Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
The BRIDGES Project
RISING YOUNG ACTORS IN BATON ROUGE TAKE ON THE EDINBURGH FRINGE STAGE
In August, the Scottish city of Edinburgh welcomed millions of creatives traveling from across the globe to hundreds of stages across the city. Held annually since the 1940s, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is today the largest and most prestigious arts and culture event in the world—revolving around thousands of performances of comedy, theatre, dance, circus, music, spoken word, visual art, and more. And on the first few days of the month-long festival’s programming, at the 600-person Central Hall auditorium, thirteen Greater Baton Rouge-area teenagers took the stage.
The students were part of the Arts Council for Greater Baton Rouge’s (ACGBR) BRIDGES Project, a regional youth theatre program launched earlier this year with an inaugural ensemble of student performers from across the council’s ten-parish area.
The program is overseen by Chris Adams, the Director of Technical Operations at ACGBR who, until recently,
taught theatre at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. While teaching, Adams’s students were nominated through the American High School Theater Festival to submit an application to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe—and became the first Louisiana high school to ever be accepted.
Having witnessed the impact that cultural exchange on such a grand scale can have on young creatives, Adams wanted to find a way to offer that opportunity to kids who had less robust theatre programs than somewhere like Baton Rouge Magnet. When he joined the team at the Arts Council, he proposed a theatre program that operated on a geographic basis, uniting kids from across the region.
“The name ‘Bridges Project’ came from the idea that we’re linking Louisiana through theatre,” said Adams. “We’re bridging the gap.”
The students in the final ensemble were selected by audition, representing Baton Rouge Magnet High School, East Ascension High School in Gonzales, Jewel
Sumner in Kentwood, Lutcher High School, and Hanson Memorial High School in Franklin. And earlier this year, the American High School Theater Festival invited them to perform at the 2025 festival in Edinburgh as the first nonhigh school group to ever be accepted.
For months, the group rehearsed the play they would bring to Edinburgh, a new work by Claudia Haase and Sara Grace Kraning called Soundscapes, which tells the story of a young girl struggling to make sense of her world through the lenses of synesthesia and neurodivergence. To accompany the students’ performances, the Emmy and Grammy-award winning Baton Rouge composer Mike Esnault composed original musical arrangements.
With the support of a $100,000 donation from Shell Global and the official title of Cultural Ambassadors of Louisiana, the students crossed the Atlantic in late July, many of them for the very first time, for a whirlwind cultural experience. They spent three days in London, seeing
performances on the West End and at the Globe Theatre. “Many of these kids have only ever seen shows at their local community theatre,” said Adams, who prioritized opportunities for the kids to experience the novelties of one of the most culturally rich cities in the world. “Every museum in town, we were there,” he said.
In Edinburgh, they stayed in dorms, where they met with the more than 400 other students who had traveled to perform at the festival. “In the evening, we’d walk by the dorms and see our kids with other kids from five or six different schools, from all over the country, sitting around a piano singing showtunes,” said Adams. “Like, maybe more than anything, that was the purpose of our trip.”
Learn more about the BRIDGES Project at artsbr.org, and learn how you can support future cultural exchange efforts by contacting Adams at cadams@artsbr.org.
—Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
SEPTEMBER 2025
BREAK OUT YOUR DANCING SHOES, CATCH SOME QUALITY THEATRE & KICK OFF FALL FESTIVAL SEASON WITH A TWIRL OR TWO •
A couple spins to the music of Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys at the 50th
Recreational Complex. This year's festival is September
UNTIL SEP 13th
YEE-HAW "CREOLE COWBOY" AT THE ACA Lafayette, Louisiana
At the Acadiana Center for the Arts, artist Drake Leblanc’s Creole Cowboy documents his cultural heritage through photography and filmmaking. Leblanc's most recent film, Footwork, explores Black and Creole cowboy culture, questioning and subverting Hollywood stereotypes. Leblanc's photography shines a light from inside the world of Creole trail rides, celebrating moments of joy and camaraderie between riders. acadianacenterforthearts.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 19th
STAINED GLASS GLIMPSES "CONTEMPORARY VIEWS OF THE CASTELLATED CAPITOL" Baton Rouge, Louisiana
In this exhibition at Louisiana's Old State Capitol, celebrate the building's 175th anniversary with paintings, garments, photographs, jewelry, and more honoring the iconic landmark. Featuring twenty well-known Louisiana artists, the exhibition delves into the capitol's storied legacy and its grand beauty. laoldstatecapitol.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 19th
VISUAL ARTS
POYDRAS CENTER
POP-UP EXHIBIT
New Roads, Louisiana
The Poydras Center in New Roads hosts a joint art exhibition this summer by Pointe Coupee native Leslie Charleville and Baton Rouge artist Ellen Ogden. Charleville specializes in the seventeenth century Japanese art form of gyotaku, or fish rubbing; she uses the technique on alligators. Over the course of her career, she has printed massive gators and 600-pound tuna. Ogden works with Kouri-vini (Louisiana Creole) activists and is currently a student of the Master Naturalist program, a fellow of the Institute of Environmental Communication at Loyola University. Her art explores healing and accessibility, among other themes. In addition to work from each artist, the exhibition will feature a collaborative work. artscouncilofpointecoupee.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 21st
REMEMBRANCES
DAPPER BRUCE LAFITTE: "A TIME BEFORE KATRINA"
New Orleans, Louisiana
In Dapper Bruce Lafitte's latest exhibition, he lovingly, painstakingly documents Black life, cultural pride,
and institutional memory in New Orleans. Working with fine-tip pens, markers, and handcrafted paper, Lafitte creates powerful, bold compositions—a mournful requiem of pre-Katrina New Orleans featuring the city's former landmarks. The exhibition also retains hope, recognizing the resilience and cultural resistance of these communities, despite the surrounding swirl of chaos and transformation. noma.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 21st
FURRY FRIENDS "PAWS & POSE: A PUP-UP EXHIBIT"
Shreveport, Louisiana
In celebration of International Dog Day, Shreveport's R. W. Norton Art Gallery is letting the dogs out in this playful, pop-up exhibition titled Paws & Pose: A Pup-Up Exhibit. The show features a collection of goofy and awww-inducing canine candids honoring (wo)man's best friend. rwnaf.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 23rd
VISUAL ART
55TH ANNUAL
RIVER ROAD SHOW
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The Art Guild of Louisiana presents its 55th Annual River Road Show, a national
annual Mamou Cajun Music Festival in 2023, held at the Mamou
12–13. Photo by David Simpson. See more on page 22.
Events
Beginning September 1st - 5th
juried exhibition at the Louisiana State Archives. Calvin Liang is juror and judge; he is a graduate of the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. Of the 355 works of art entered by 115 artists, Liang selected 65 paintings from artists across ten states. artguildlouisiana.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 24th
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
BAC PRESENTS:
"CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER"
Bossier City, Louisiana
In this "Glow Show" by artist Chang Liu, the artist creates glowing resin creations to elicit emotion, curiosity, and whimsy. On display at the Virginia Cook Gallery at the Bossier Arts Council, Curiouser & Curiouser is meant to be viewed in three different lighting selections—day, dark, and black. bossierarts.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 25th
PHOTOGRAPHY
NOPA PUSHPIN SHOWCASE
New Orleans, Louisiana
The New Orleans Photo Alliance's annual PushPin Showcase allows members to engage and network with
each other's photography in a relaxed exhibition. Members are welcome to hang their work in the gallery through the show's close on September 25. neworleansphotoalliance.org. 1
UNTIL SEP 26th
REMEMBRANCES
KATRINA, THEN AND NOW: A 20 YEAR COMMUNITY COMMEMORATIVE EXHIBITION
Slidell, Louisiana
In this exhibition presented by the Northshore Cultural Economy Coalition and hosted by George Dunbar Gallery at Slidell City Hall, the devastation of Hurricane Katrina on sites along the Northshore is juxtaposed against modern day photographs of those same sites, which have been recovered and revived. Artifacts, personal stories, and media coverage contribute to the legacy, a defining moment in Louisiana's history. The exhibition serves as an opportunity for reflection and a celebration of resilience. Regular gallery hours are Monday–Thursday 10 am–2 pm or by appointment. A closing reception will
be held September 26 from 3 pm–6 pm. Free. kreweofblackandgold.com. 1
UNTIL SEP 27th
VISUAL ART "NATURAL ORDER" AT OCTAVIA ART GALLERY
New Orleans, Louisiana
Natural Order, presented by Octavia Art Gallery, features work by Marina Savashynskaya Dunbar, a Belarusian artist based in Charleston, South Carolina. The exhibition displays paintings built from plants, landscapes, and horizons. Apart from pigments, Dunbar uses sand and other media across the surface of the canvas in her creative process, manufacturing a habitat of its own. octaviaartgallery.com. 1
UNTIL OCT 26th
VISUAL ARTS
PEG USNER AT FAR HORIZONS GALLERY Folsom, Louisiana
Mandeville artist Peg Usner creates plein air paintings that reveal the beauty of New Orleans and surrounding areas in architecture and landscape. Her work will be on display at the Far Horizons Art Gallery Thurdays–Sundays from noon–4 pm. Free. farhorizonsart.com. 1
UNTIL NOV 2nd
CULTURAL EXHIBITIONS
"CREOLE: REFRAMED"
Port Allen, Louisiana
The West Baton Rouge Museum hosts a new mini-exhibition titled Creole: Reframed, displaying work from photographer Cécile Smetana and linguist Oliver Mayeux. A year ago, the two launched a project to create a contemporary portrait of Creole-speaking communities in South Louisiana. Through documentary photography and linguistic fieldwork, the exhibition acts as a teaser before the full show is presented in 2027. westbatonrougemuseum.org. 1
SEP 3rd
TINY TREES
BONSAI WORKSHOP AT SKEETA HAWK BREWING
New Orleans, Louisiana
Grab some gardening gloves and head to Skeeta Hawk Brewing, all in the name of making tiny trees. Bonsai Bar offers a night with friends crossed with learning the skills and techniques behind the art of bonsai. Learn core concepts with experienced teachers as you pot, prune, and design your own bonsai tree during this botanical ball of an evening. 6 pm. $85. bonsaibar.com. 1
SEP 4th
INKLINGS
AN EVENING WITH ED RUZICKA! Lafayette, Louisiana
Ed Ruzicka, author of the collection of poems, In the Wind, visits Cavalier House Books in Lafayette for a reading. Ruzicka, who has written several other full-length books, is also the president of the Poetry Society of Louisiana. Free. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 4th - SEP 7th
MOVEMENTS
INTERNATIONAL DANCE
FESTIVAL NOLA
New Orleans, Louisiana
For the third year, the New Orleans contemporary dance company BODYART presents the International Dance Festival New Orleans. The event— hosted at Tulane University, the Pitot 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. Most classes are open-level, and amateur dancers are invited to participate as well as professionals. Events begin at 7:30 pm Thursday and carry on through 12:30 pm Sunday. Options for individual event tickets begin at $25. Find the full schedule at idfnola.com. 1
SEP 4th - SEP
14th
THEATRE
ASCENSION COMMUNITY
THEATRE PRESENTS "STEEL MAGNOLIAS"
Gonzales, Louisiana
Grab your loved ones for a classic tale of brash but big-hearted Louisiana women this fall, when the Ascension Parish Community Theatre puts their talents toward Steel Magnolias. Shelby, Truvy, M'Lynn, Clairee, Annelle, and Ouiser are at the center of this story of life, love, and loss in a thinly-veiled Natchitoches. 7 pm Thursday–Saturday; 2 pm Sunday. $33; $28 for military and seniors 55 and older; $15 for children and students. actgonzales.org. 1
Read more about Ascension Community Theatre in Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun's story on page 44.
SEP 4th - JAN 4th
VISUAL ART
"A BAYOU STATE OF MIND"
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
A Bayou State of Mind, on display through the fall and winter at the LSU
Museum of Art, explores Louisiana’s culture, traditions, history, land, and identity through highlighting works by a diverse array of artists. The artists envision and recreate the state's unique character, filtered and translated through their personal experiences, histories, and identities. The exhibition includes "The Bayou Collection," a series of forty paintings by the iconic Louisiana artist George Rodrigue. A free public reception will be held Thursday, September 11 from 6 pm–8 pm. lsumoa.org. 1
SEP 5th
FUN-DRAISERS
THE CURTAIN CALL BALL 2025
New Orleans, Louisiana
Celebrate in style at the 11th annual Curtain Call Ball at Le Petit Theatre, where the evening will be filled with tasty food, freely-flowing drinks, a live and silent auction, and entertainment by a cast of local favorites and Young Conservatory artists. The night will begin with cocktails and cuisine at Tableau Restaurant before moving to the historic playhouse for live performances of favorite Broadway tunes. $250 for one ticket; $150 for a "young players" ticket for those below age forty. 6:30 pm. lepetittheatre.com. 1
SEP 5th
TURN IT UP
DOWNTOWN ALIVE!
Lafayette, Louisiana
Downtown Alive! has merged community and culture to create a first Friday of the month tradition in downtown Lafayette. Food and beverage concessions 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— with special activations from UL Athletics, UL Alumni Association, and campus partners. 6 pm–8:30 pm. Free. downtownlafayette.org. 1
SEP 5th
RETAIL THERAPY
FULL MOON MARKET
Plaquemine, Louisiana
Stroll through a whimsical market under the light of the full moon, in celebration of local art, food, and creativity. Shop handmade creations, partake in delicious local food, and enjoy the ambiance at Studio C323 in the heart of Plaquemine. 6 pm– 9 pm. visitiberville.com. 1
SEP 5th - SEP 6th
SOMETHING OLD
TAWASI PRESENTS: TREASURES ON THE BAYOU
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Previously known as the Tawasi Antiques
Events
Beginning September 5th - 6th
and Art Show, this two-day event showcases antique and art dealers from across the country. Head to Warren J. Harang, Jr.Municipal Auditorium and don't miss out on antique furniture, silver, glass, porcelain, jewelry, linens, maps, and more. 10 am–5 pm. $10. Details at the Treasures on the Bayou Tawasi Facebook page. 1
SEP 5th - SEP 7th
THEATRE
IPAL PRESENTS "THE LITTLE MERMAID"
New Iberia, Louisiana
It's a story audiences across all ages know and love: Ariel, a mermaid who dreams of life on land, falls in love with a prince and bargains away her beautiful voice for a pair of legs. The sea witch behind the trade will stop at nothing to foil Ariel's plans to win the prince's heart. The Iberia Performing Arts League presents The Little Mermaid. 7 pm Fridays and Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. $22.58. 1
SEP 5th - SEP 26th
GOOD EATS
FOOD TRUCK
FRIDAY NIGHTS
Gonzales, Louisiana
Come enjoy nights of family fun at TRM Axe Throwing with an extensive lineup of vendors and performers including Summers Dawg Daze, Tre's Street Kitchen, Zora Christina Catering LLC, Wings on the run, Repicci's Italian Ice of Livingston, and Dee Be Chef. Free. 7 pm–'til. visitlasweetspot.com. 1
SEP 6th
ECO-FRIENDLY
PARKS FOR POLLINATORS
BIOBLITZ AT NORTHLAKE NATURE CENTER
Mandeville, Louisiana
Head to the Northlake Nature Center
in Mandeville for a day of contributing to science, while getting up-closeand-personal looks at the remarkable pollinator populations of our region and learning about what makes them special. Part of the the National Recreation and Park Association's nationwide Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz effort to document the variety of species—these events invite community members to explore the Northlake Nature Center and document their insect encounters with the app iNaturalist. Start the day with Wild Ones Pontchartrain Basin, who will lead the morning BioBlitz from 9 am–11 am. Then, come back in the evening for an event hosted by the Pelican Park Nature Club in which organizers will set up a moth sheet—a white sheet illuminated by a bright light—to attract nocturnal insects and allow for easy identification. 7 pm–9 pm. Details at the Northlake Nature Center Facebook page. 1
SEP 6th
ART EVENTS
SEPTEMBER AT THE WALTER ANDERSON MUSEUM OF ART Ocean Springs, Mississippi
The Walter Anderson Museum of Art offers a selection of programming for the month of September. Events include:
• September 6: WAMA Family Day : Dusti Bongé Self Portraits—Create a self-portrait using a variety of art media, from markers and colored pencils, to collage and watercolor. 11 am–3 pm. Free to families with children under 18 in attendance.
• September 20: Science Saturday on the MS Gulf Coast —In partnership with the Mississippi Science Festival, WAMA is hosting a day of hands-on discovery and exploring the wonders of science including biology, robotics, the art of scientific illustration, and more. 11 am–3 pm. Free. walterandersonmuseum.org. 1
"Capitol Kaleidoscope" by artist Becky Fos, on display at the Old State Capitol for the exhibition, Contemporary Views of the Castellated Capitol, on display until September 19. Photo courtesy of the Old State Capitol. See more on page 11.
On July 17, eight talented high school music students from the Heritage School of Music arrived in the town of Quimper, in the Finistère region of northwestern France, to embark on a groundbreaking itinerary of cultural exchange experiences, artistic collaborations, and memorable performances.
The project was conceived as the centerpiece of a new exchange program facilitated by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music in partnership with the Quimper-based organization Aprèm Jazz.
“The purpose behind the trip was to give exposure to different cultures and international stages to our kids here from New Orleans,” said Kia Robinson Hatfield, Director of Programs, Marketing, and Communications for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. “Many of them had never traveled abroad before, so this was their first experience on an international flight, much less performing in front of an international audience that appreciates jazz.”
The experience has been a long time in the making. A year ago, Hatfield joined the School of Music’s Director Derek Douget on a scouting trip to Quimper to begin making plans. During that expedition, while learning about the traditional music of the Finistère region (part of Brittany, on the country’s northwestern, Atlantic coast) and local interpretations of jazz, Douget began composing a song—combining the styles of Breton pipe music with that of New Orleans jazz. He called it, “Andro,” and gave it—like a gift—to his students and their counterparts in Aprèm Jazz.
Jazz Without Borders
“This song is so beautiful,” said Hatfield. “It was a crowd pleaser from the start. And people requested it all throughout our stay.”
Hatfield could tell that the first time they played it, the students were nervous. “They knew every note,” she said. “But you could see there were nerves as they performed in front of this French audience.” The most remarkable part of the trip, she said, was watching that fear and trepidation fall away as the students’ confidence grew. “By the end, they were doing these improvs, and the song gained this new musicality as they grew in their comfort with the music and each other. I don’t know, it just evolved. The difference between the first performance and the last performance, it was just incredible.”
“They are a real band. You can’t convince me otherwise. The commitment from them is just astounding.”
-Kia Robinson Hatfield
The possibilities of exchange and collaboration through music, as well, were powerful takeaways from the trip. The New Orleans students joined forces with ten music students from Quimper to create music together—overcoming language barriers while exploring ways to communicate through the shared language of their instruments. “Like our drummer, he got with their drummer, and they both—through hand motions and ‘like this’ or ‘comme ça,’ they found their rhythm.” The students took their roles as musical ambassadors seriously, traveling from stage to stage, performing at six festivals and countless other events, going from city to city. “And then they’d go back to their dorm and practice for the next day,” said Hatfield.
Considered a resounding success that surpassed the organization’s wildest dreams, the exchange program was made possible by Hatfield and the staff of the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music—including Douget, Andrea Garcés, and Peter Harris—in addition to several parents who were integral to ensuring the travel went smoothly. Working behind the scenes were Jason Doyle, Director of Operations and Technology at the School of Music, and Susana Cuartas, a Pro-Audio Engineering student from the School of Music, who, together, recorded audio during each performance and supported the group’s technical and engineering needs throughout the trip.
The next chapter of the program will take place in February, when students from Aprèm Jazz will travel to New Orleans to share their music with our city, while learning more about the Louisiana way of life. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is currently developing a full schedule of engagements and performances across the region, including a program with WWOZ. “We’re excited to introduce them to our languages here—Cajun and Kouri-Vini. And of course our music, from New Orleans jazz to Southwest Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco. We’re gonna give it all to them. We’re going to overwhelm them with Louisiana love.”
Learn more about the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music and its exchange program at heritageschoolofmusic.com.
A special advertising feature from New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
In a first-of-its-kind international exchange, teenage jazz musicians from Louisiana and France answer each other with music
Events
Beginning September 6th
SEP 6th
HISTORY
THE PLANTATION CARPENTER
Saint Francisville, Louisiana
Head to the Audubon State Historic Site in St. Francisville to see the park carpenter at work and learn about what life was like for the enslaved carpenters who built most of Oakley Plantation. The discussion will explore the complex and nuanced skills of these forgotten artisans, from making shingles to complex cabinets. 10 am–1 pm. (225)-635-3739. 1
SEP 6th
GOOD EATS
LOUISIANA FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL
Slidell, Louisiana
Round up your friends, load up your lawn chairs, and head to the Harbor Center to be overwhelmed with tasty options on wheels, plus live music, vendors, and more at this outdoor festival. Doors are open from 11 am–6 pm. Free. harborcenter.org. 1
SEP 6th
GREEN THUMBS
NATIVE HABITAT
RESTORATION
Saint Francisville, Louisiana
At this native habitat restoration event, volunteers will spend the morning removing invasive plants from the Audubon Oakley House State Historic Site property, planting native species in their stead. The effort is part of plan to restore the property from the look of a park to a woodland, as described by the legendary John J. Audubon. 9:30 am–noon. lastateparks.com. 1
SEP 6th
GOOD EATS
LAUREL FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL
Laurel, Mississippi
Head to the Laurel Fairgrounds for the Laurel Food Truck Festival—fall edition. Featuring twenty-six trucks coming from Louisiana and Mississippi, the day also promises an upbeat music lineup, including Ra’Shad the Blues Kid, Blues Impala, and Brother Josh & Sister
George Rodrigue's "Watchdog," one of forty of the iconic painter's works on display at the LSU Museum of Art's exhibition, A Bayou State of Mind, opening in September. Photo courtesy of LSU MOA. See more on page 13.
Lex. There will also be a Kids Zone and Adults Zone for activities throughout the day. 10 am–6 pm. $1 at the gate. jonescounty.com. 1
SEP 6th
MOVEMENTS
EGYPTIAN STAR
DANCE AT LASM
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Myth and movement collide at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum in this whimsical evening of dance and storytelling. Under the lights of the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium, dancers fuse narrative and performance, evoking the celestial mythology of ancient Egypt. 6 pm. $25; $10 for children; $15 for adult members; $5 for child members. lasm.org. 1
SEP 6th
FUNDRAISERS
LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA’S 2025 BENEFIT CONCERT: A TRIBUTE TO ELLIS MARSALIS JR.
New Orleans, Louisiana
At the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2025 Benefit Concert at the Orpheum Theater, the evening will celebrate the legacy of Ellis Marsalis Jr.—a pioneering New Orleans jazz pianist and educator. Ellis Marsalis Jr. had
been scheduled to perform with the LPO in March 2020 in what was to be one of his final public appearances that was ultimately canceled due to the emergence of the COVID pandemic; he died three weeks later after contracting the virus himself. The fundraiser evening features Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, and Jason Marsalis joining the LPO. Doors open at 7 pm; show at 8 pm. $45. lpomusic.com. 1
SEP
6th
LIVE MUSIC
SAINT SOCIAL AT THE SANCTUARY
Biloxi, Mississippi
Billed as a new band of old friends, Saint Social hosts a pop-up show and live recording event at Biloxi's The Sanctuary. Don't miss the performance of this Gulf Coast band, with a chance to become part of a raw, powerful live album. Doors open at 6:30 pm; show at 7:30 pm. $10; $20 for reserved seating; $40 for VIP balcony. thesanctuarybiloxi.com. 1
SEP 6th - SEP 20th
FRESH EATS
SEPTEMBER AT BREADA'S FARMERS MARKET
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge's Main Street Market is in full swing for Farm Fête month,
with three Saturdays of exciting events leading up to the big day the evening of September 26. Each Saturday, celebrate the season with a morning market of tasty cooking demos, live music, and raffle ticket sales for a chance to win "Date Night for a Year." 8 am–noon. breada.org. 1
SEP 6th - SEP 21st
THEATRE
PLAYMAKERS OF COVINGTON PRESENTS: "DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER"
Covington, Louisiana
In this comedic play, there's hilarity, cheating spouses, confused alibis, cooks who can't cook, friends who blow your cover, and more. Playmakers of Covington presents Don't Dress for Dinner, a hilarious romp for audiences to enjoy the foibles of an indiscreet couple (or two). 7:30 pm; 2 pm Sundays. $15–$25. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 6th - SEP 30th
VISUAL ART
"SKY" AT GALLERY 600 JULIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Artist Chuck Broussard's Sky, on display at Gallery 600 Julia, showcases plein air paintings of Louisiana's southeastern prairies in dramatic style under a spectacular, all-encompassing firmament.
Artist reception September 6, from 6 pm–8 pm. gallery600julia.com. 1
SEP 6th - OCT 19th
VISUAL ART
"DISK FULL: CHRISTINE BRUENING AND JANNA AHRNDT"
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
LSU College of Art & Design and LSU School of Art presents a joint exhibition titled Disk Full: Christine Bruening and Janna Ahrndt at Glassell Gallery. The exhibition explores the overwhelm of our digital lives, unpacking the endless and occasionally absurd world of digital accumulation, from screenshots and archives, to bookmarks and cloud storage. A free, public reception and artist talk will be held September 19, from 5:30 pm–8 pm. design.lsu.edu. 1
SEP 6th - JUL 19th
EXHIBITIONS
"ANGELA GREGORY: THE ALLEN MONUMENT"
Port Allen, Louisiana
The fourth installment in a series focused on Louisiana artist Angela Gregory, The Allen Monument displays artworks, memorabilia, and artifacts that provide insight into Port Allen's history and the Civil War's legacy. Gregory, who is known for architectural
Events
Beginning September 6th - 9th
commissions on the Louisiana State Capitol and other public monuments, was the first female sculptor in the state to achieve international recognition. westbatonrougemuseum.org. 1
SEP 7th
DO-SI-DO
MONTHLY CONTRA DANCING
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Lace up your dancing shoes: Contra dancing at St. Alban's Chapel is sure to get you moving to the beat. A traditional American social dance, similar to square dancing but done in two long lines, contra dancing requires no experience, with both singles and couples welcome. Newcomer orientation 1:15 pm; dance 1:30 pm–3:30 pm. $7, free for first time attendees. louisianacontrasandsquares.com. 1
Learn more about contra dancing, and other forms of social dance, in Jordan LaHaye Fontenot's story on page 38.
SEP 7th
LIVE MUSIC
RED STICK RHYTHMS CONCERT SERIES
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
This fall, spend an evening at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and get to know some of our region's most talented musicians through the Red Stick Rhythms Concert Series. On Sunday, September 7, Mr. Versatile (aka Lil Daddy) and International Bleuski will perform, followed on September 21 by Xavie Shorts and Zap 193—with more concerts to come. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket. 6 pm–8 pm. Free. ebrpl.com. 1
SEP 7th
FIT & FUN
13TH ANNUAL 5K RUN & WALK FOR KIDS' GROWTH
New Orleans, Louisiana
Lace up your running (or walking) shoes and join the Human Growth Foundation with the Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes at Manning Family Children's Hospital to increase awareness of rare childhood growth disorders. The 5K Run & Walk for Kids' Growth community event, held at Audubon Park in New Orleans, will feature food, live entertainment, and display booths. All registered participants will receive event tee shirts and finisher medals. Awards will be given to top runners. 7:30 am. $15 to participate; $10 for those under eighteen; $5 for children under age ten. runwalkforkidsgrowth.org. 1
SEP 7th - SEP 28th
DANCE FLOORS
BAL DU DIMANCHE
Lafayette, Louisiana
Vermilionville’s Bal du Dimanche (Sunday Dance) provides a weekly opportunity to let your legs lead the way through Cajun and zydeco rhythms from some of the area’s finest musicians. 1 pm–4 pm at the Vermilion Performance Center. $10. (337) 233-4077. vermilionville.org. 1
Learn more about Cajun and zydeco dancing, and other forms of social dance, in Jordan LaHaye Fontenot's story on page 38.
SEP 7th - SEP 28th
LIVE MUSIC
CAJUN AND ZYDECO JAM AT BAYOU TECHE BREWING Arnaudville, Louisiana
Sundays draw the musicians to the Teche—where craft beer compliments the sounds of Cajun and Zydeco. Come out to Bayou Teche Brewing for front porch jams, wood fired pizza, and eco-friendly microbrews made with local ingredients. Bring your own instrument and your dancing shoes, and join in on the celebration of our heritage. Zydeco from 11 am–1 pm, Cajun from 2 pm–5 pm. Free. bayoutechebrewing.com. 1
Let's Go Girls: It's the second annual LaRuE Women’s Empowerment Celebration, honoring and elevating women making a difference in rural communities and public leadership. At Paragon Casino in Marksville, attendees can find inspiration, connection, and fun (with the country-glam theme) through an evening of powerhouse keynote speakers, live music, a themed photo backdrop, line dancing, games, giveaways, and networking opportunities. 6 pm. $25. larue.la/womens-empowerment. 1
SEP 9th
FUN-GUYS
MEDICINAL MYCOLOGY: PART II Baton Rouge, Louisiana
In this lecture on medicinal mushrooms at the Beverly Brown Coates Auditorium at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum, biological engineer and Mycocentrics founder Jordan Gros will teach attendees
Events
Beginning September 9th - 12th
through how to "access the medicine in mushrooms" from home. Learn cultivation techniques, how to craft tinctures, and more. No need to have attended part one of this series to get the most out of it. 6:30 pm. $15; $10 for students and Hilltop members. Register at lsu.edu/hilltop. 1
SEP 9th - SEP 18th
LIVE MUSIC
SEPTEMBER AT THE MANSHIP
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
This September the Manship features several live performances. The schedule is as follows:
• September 9: Karla Bonoff—A singersongwriter, Bonoff is known for her earthy, soul-searching anthems filled with joy, heartache, and raw emotion. 7:30 pm. $40–$60.
• September 14: The Sharpe Family Singers—Led by two Broadway-star parents and their equally talented children, the Sharpe Family Singers perform Broadway showstoppers, Disney favorites, blockbuster soundtracks, and contemporary pop hits. 2 pm. $40; $30 for children.
• September 18: Dumpstaphunk—
Known for complex funk, rock, and R&B arrangements, this New Orleans musical institution promises to wow audiences with its musicianship grounded in Big Easy traditions. 7:30 pm. $46–$66 manshiptheatre.org. 1
SEP 10th
SHOWTIME
CULTURE COLLISION 15
New Orleans, Louisiana
Someone once likened Culture Collision to a trade show, but it's much more than that. Effectively, it is an annual happy hour to kick off New Orleans's vibrant cultural season, where movers and shakers can connect and share their projects and talents. The one-night-only affair presented by the New Orleans Museum of Art and WWNO 89.9 takes place at NOMA this year, and features dozens of performing and visual arts participants. It's an evening of food and drink devoted to introducing potential audience members, volunteers, patrons, and artists to the diverse mix of arts that the city has to offer. Small plates and a cash bar. 5:30 pm–7:30 pm. $100. culturenola.org. 1
SEP 10th
BOOK CLUB
GALLIER GATHERINGS BOOK
CLUB: "INSATIABLE CITY"
New Orleans, Louisiana
Searching for erudite experiences? At this evening of conversation and wine at Gallier House, attendees have the opportunity to discuss the 2024 book, Insatiable City: Food and Race in New Orleans by Theresa McCulla. McCulla's book explores how foodways and discourse in the city are informed and undergirded by systems of inequality. The night's discussion will be led by Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses Director of Educational Programming, Dr. Amy Katherine Medvick. hgghh.org. 1
SEP 11th
FLAPPER FASHION
FASCINATE ME: A 1920S
CHAPEAUX AFFAIR
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Inspired by the over-the-top glitz, glamour, and verve of the Roaring Twenties, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum’s Fascinate Me—A 1920s Chapeaux Affair celebrates the 100th anniversary of the historic train depot housing the museum with a fun-packed evening of fascinator-making and a lecture on 1920s fashion and headwear.
The night promises vintage elegance and speakeasy vibes. 5:30 pm–7:30 pm. $70; $60 for members. lasm.org. 1
SEP 11th
GREEN THUMBS
EBR MASTER GARDENERS
PRESENTATION
Zachary, Louisiana
Looking to spend your grocery money on a plant or two? Why not consider an African violet or succulent? Presented by Master Gardener Whitney Briggs, a landscape horticulturalist, the first part of the presentation explores the varieties of African violets, where to grow them, and how to propagate them. The second presentation will be led by Nancy Jurasinski, a retired science teacher, who delves into succulents as a special subset of plants that are easy to grow, and just as easy to kill. 6:30 pm at Zachary Branch Library. Free. ebrmg.wildappricot.org. 1
SEP 11th
SOUND ON A TASTE OF THE DEEP SOUTH PRE-PARTY
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Gear up for A Taste of the Deep South Festival with this exclusive pre-party at Henry Turner Jr.'s Listening Room.
You’re free to live your life out loud! Because you’ve got the compassion of the cross, the security of the shield, and the comfort of Blue behind you.
Join Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor and the Listening Room All-Stars, with additional talent included as a sneak peek of select acts performing at the festival on Saturday and Sunday. 7 pm–midnight. $30. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP
11th
GOOD DEEDS GET TO KNOW YOUR JEWISH CEMETERY
New Orleans, Louisiana
At this interactive workshop held at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, attendees will learn about cemetery preservation basics, including documenting burial sites and cleaning monuments, from Emily Ford, owner of Oak and Laurel Cemetery Preservation. Other topics include long-term preservation support efforts, community involvement, and care for abandoned cemeteries. 6 pm–7 pm. Register at msje.org. 1
SEP 12th
MUSIC NORTHSHORE CLASSICS: WEIGEL VIOLIN CONCERTO Covington, Louisiana
Fans of classical music will be riveted by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra's newest program at the Fuhrmann Auditorium—featuring the world premiere of New Orleans's own Jay Weigel's "Violin Concerto" as its centerpiece. The night will also feature performances of works by Benjamin Britten, Florence Price, and Miguel del Aguila. Doors open at 6 pm, and a preconcert discussion will take place from 6:30 pm–7 pm. Show from 7:30 pm–9:30 pm. $35–$69; $13 for students and children. lpomusic.com. 1
SEP 12th
GREEN THUMBS
NATIVE HABITAT RESTORATION
Saint Francisville, Louisiana
Audubon State Historic Site welcomes guests to join its ranger-led program to learn about Mason Bees, the great pollinators. Discover the importance of pollination to fruit, nuts, and vegetables. Each child in attendance (suggested ages five to twelve) can make and take home their own Mason Bee House to hang in a sunny location. 9:30 am–11:30 am. To register, call (225) 635-3739. 1
SEP 12th
INKLINGS IN CONVERSATION WITH GERALDINE BROOKS
Natchez, Mississippi
Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks discusses her novel, Horse, based on the true story of the 19th century racehorse called Lexington. Brooks, who is visiting the Natchez Grand Hotel as part of the Natchez Reads 2025 program, will also discuss the art of writing as part of her lecture. 6:30 pm. Free. visitnatchez.org. 1
SEP 12th
CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS
MAP 2025: WE ARE THE CULTURE
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Hosted by Creatives for the Culture, the second annual MAP: Music, Art, Poetry event is themed "We Are The Culture," celebrating Black creativity. An immersive cultural experience at the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, the evening includes visual art and archival displays, performing art, live music and a DJ, fashion and style exhibitions, author meet-and-greets, and interactive
- 5:30pm Refreshments & Specials
Mare Martin, "Passages," 2017, oil on linen, on display at the Hilliard Museum of Art as part of the artist's Beyond the Botanical exhibition. The exhibition opens in September and runs until February 14, 2026. Photo courtesy of the Hilliard Museum of Art. See more on page 26.
Ceramic Platters by Alice Michel
Pathway, Oil by Carol Hallock
Big Blue Morning Flight, Oil by Andrea Phillips
Events
Beginning September 12th - 13th
cultural installations. 7 pm–10 pm. creativesfortheculture.net. 1
SEP 12th - SEP 13th
DOWN HOME DANCING
MAMOU CAJUN MUSIC FESTIVAL
Mamou, Louisiana
Head down to good ole Grande Mamou for this two day annual festival, and get a glimpse of the vibrant, intimate world of Cajun music on the prairie. This year's lineup includes Wayne Toups, Jamey Beard & Cajun Friends, Jace Goulash & the Breaux Bridge Aces, Fred Charlie & the Acadiana Cajuns, The Revelers, and more. In between fais do dos, pass a time and win the title as the champion of the boudin eating, beer drinking, nail driving, or dizzy dash contests. Workshops will also be offered in zydeco dancing and Cajun dancing. $10 per day at the Mamou Recreational Center Complex. mamoucajunmusicfestival.com. 1
SEP 12th - SEP 13th
ARTS & CRAFTS
RED RIVER QUILTERS QUILT SHOW
Shreveport, Louisiana
The 2025 Red River Quilters Quilt Show, this year with the theme "Celebrating The Art of the Quilt," is a must-attend event for passionate quilters and crafting aficionados. Held at the Louisiana State Fair Grounds Ag Building in Shreveport, the event includes plenty of quilts (210 for judging), a silent auction, a special exhibit titled "Quilts that Shout," a new "first time youth quilters" category, and more. 9 am–6 pm Friday; 9 am–4 pm Saturday. $10; $5 ages five to ten; Free for children under five. redriverquilters.com. 1
SEP 12th - SEP 21st
THEATRE
“THE LOST BOY” AT CITÉ DES ARTS
Lafayette, Louisiana
The Lost Boy, presented by Cité des Arts, tells the fictionalized story of writer James M. Barrie and his winding path to creating the character of Peter Pan. Returning home to Scotland, Barrie confronts family trauma and grief, finding his footing in an unexpected friendship and discovering his own magical gift for storytelling. An opening night gala will be held September 12 at 6:30 pm, with the show at 7:30 pm. 7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. $25; $35 for gala tickets. citedesarts.org. 1
SEP 12th - SEP 21st
THEATRE
30 BY NINETY PRESENTS: "TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE" Mandeville, Louisiana
30 by Ninety Theatre presents Tuesdays with Morrie, the autobiographical account of Mitch Albom, a career-driven journalist, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. When Mitch learns years after his graduation that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease, they reunite, beginning a weekly pilgrimage that delves into the meaning of life. 8 pm; 2:30 pm Sundays. $22; $20 for seniors, military; $17 for students; $14 for children twelve and younger. 30byninety.com. 1
SEP 12th - NOV 2nd
VISUAL ARTS
CHARLES CHAISSON’S “WRITTEN IN THE VEIL” Arnaudville, Louisiana
In Charles Chaisson’s Written in the Veil , on display at NUNU Arts & Culture Collective, the artist explores perception and the thresholds between mind, body, and beyond. Chaisson, a New Orleans native, uses vivid hues and interwoven forms to urge viewers to consider connectedness through conceptualization and symbolism, revealing multi-layered reflections. An opening reception will be held September 12 from 6 pm–9 pm. nunucollective.org. 1
SEP 12th - NOV 2nd
VISUAL ARTS
RALPH SCHEXNAYDRE’S “BLUE BLUE BLUES” Arnaudville, Louisiana
Ralph Schexnaydre’s Blue Blue Blues, on display at NUNU Arts & Culture Collective, consists of lumen prints and cyanotype prints, created using plant materials found along Bayou Teche, local roadsides, and on his own property. Schexnaydre, a Lafayette artist, then cuts the plants and reassembles them, transforming something "normal" into something transcendental. An opening reception will be held September 12 from 6 pm–9 pm. nunucollective.org. 1
SEP 13th
RETAIL THERAPY
ST. GABRIEL’S FIREFLY MARKET Saint Gabriel, Louisiana
At the Chatsworth House in St. Gabriel, the Firefly Market hosts more than sixty vendors serving beer, wine, cocktails,
Events
Beginning September 12th - 13th
fresh produce, jelly, jams, seasonings, food, and more—alongside all sorts of traditional arts and crafts. Come for the wares, stay to enjoy the breeze and shade beneath the historic oaks. 4 pm–8 pm. Free off-street parking available. info@stgabrielfarmersmarket.com. 1
SEP 13th
GOOD EATS
BILOXI SEAFOOD FESTIVAL
Biloxi, Mississippi
Celebrating its serendipitous proximity to the Gulf's bounty, the city of Biloxi invites all to its enormous (and wellattended) annual Seafood Festival on the Town Green. This beloved Gulf Coast happening attracts tens of thousands of people annually to feast on all the delicacies the festival has to offer— and is consistently ranked as a top event in the Southeast. With succulent seafood, live music, and arts & crafts, who couldn't find something to like?
For the twenty-seventh 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 entomologists and conservationists, and enjoy all the trappings of a small town festival. 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. 1
SEP 13th
ROCK ON OLDE TOWNE METAL FEST
Slidell, Louisiana
Step back into the heavy hitting '60s and '70s with an unprecedented lineup of
Gulf South metal bands taking the stage at Saint August Maison in Olde Towne Slidell. Hosted by Chafunkta Brewing Company, the inaugural Olde Towne Metal Fest will feature performances by Louisiana bands Neznum, Mississippi's Killhammer, Alabama's D.R.E.A.D., Deathen; as well as Florida bands Dark Con of Man and World's Fair Hotel. Chafunkta beer will be on tap, food will be for sale, and children are welcome. Noon–night. $25, $10 for children ten years old and younger. visitthenorthshore.com. 1
SEP 13th
B0OKWORMS CELEBRATING THE WRITTEN WORD
Hammond, Louisiana
Join Hammond Regional Arts Center at Tope La Catering Ruby Room to celebrate the written word, featuring acclaimed suspense author and New York Times bestselling mystery and thriller writer, Erica Spindler (of The Final Seven (2016) and The First Wife (2015)). The afternoon promises publishing stories, a chance for Spindler to share her insights on the creative process, an exploration of her newest challenge adapting books to film, and, of course, handcrafted teas
poured by Fleur de Lis Tea Company. 2 pm–4 pm. $25; $20 for members. hammondarts.org. 1
SEP 13th
GREEN THUMBS GARDEN DISCOVERIES: VIBRANT SEASONAL COLOR IN YOUR GARDEN
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Gardening in South Louisiana is a battle of the elements, to be sure. Learn how to work with our ever-shifting climate in this presentation by landscape architects William and Isabel Rountree at the Main Library at Goodwood. They will speak on topics such as how to keep plants blooming through a hot, humid summer; how to choose plants that can survive the freezing temperatures and survive until spring; and how to prepare your soil.
A tour will follow in the Baton Rouge Botanic Garden afterwards. 10 am. Free. Register online at ebrpl.com. 1
SEP 13th
TURN IT UP HIGHLAND JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL
Shreveport, Louisiana
The Highland Jazz & Blues Festival returns to Shreveport's Columbia Park with nonstop live music, featuring local
and national jazz and blues artists. There will also be food and artwork at this "party in the park." 10 am–6 pm. Free. highlandjazzandblues.org. 1
SEP 13th
BARD BASH
SHAKESPEARE AT THE LIBRARY
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
This fall, children ages 5–11 are invited to embrace their inner bard at an interactive presentation at the Delmont Gardens Branch Library hosted by the Louisiana Shakespeare Company, who will introduce the young theatre-goers to Hamlet. 10 am. ebrpl.com. 1
Read more about the Louisiana Shakespeare Company in stories on pages 44 and 64.
SEP 13th
CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS
OLD SPANISH TRAIL DAY
Rayne, Louisiana
Head to historic downtown Rayne for the seventh annual Old Spanish Trail Day. The celebration features a merchants’ market, open car show, French Table, blacksmith, wood turning and tatting demonstrations, vegetable wagon, food truck, and more. 9 am–3 pm. Learn more at Rayne's Old Spanish Trail Day Facebook page. 1
SEP
13th
HISTORY
REGENCY CUSTOMS AT OAKLEY
Saint Francisville, Louisiana
At the Audubon Oakley House State Historic Site, attendees have the opportunity to explore the world of Oakley Plantation through the lens of sometimes baffling (but always interesting) 1821 customs. During a walk and talk tour of the house, learn about why being served a cold plate was a bad thing, the myths of the fireplace screen, and more. Park admission prices apply. Girl Scouts in uniform admitted for free. 12:30 pm–2:30 pm. (225) 635-3739. 1
SEP 13th
GOOD EATS
LYDIA CAJUN FOOD FEST
New Iberia, Louisiana
Food, cars, and Cajun music—and all to help financially aid local cancer patients: things kick off at Weeks Park, where at 10 am, a walk honoring cancer survivors will take place. Then, a fabulous lineup of local talent keeps the party going through 9 pm. All this, in addition to a car show, tasty Cajun food, a hotly-anticipated cook-off, arts and crafts, and more. 9 am–11 pm. lydiacancerassociation.org. 1
SEP
13th - SEP 14th
THEATRE
LOUISIANA YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS: ALADDIN JR. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
In this Disney classic, the street-wise Aladdin is thrust into a magical adventure after stealing a genie's lamp, befriending a magic carpet, and falling in love with a princess. Sing along to upbeat favorites in this high-energy retelling of a childhood musical masterpiece, performed by the newly formed Louisiana Youth Theater at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center. 7 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday. $15. louisianayouththeatre.org. 1
Read more about this premiere for the Louisiana Youth Theatre in Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun's story on page 44.
SEP 13th - SEP 14th
THEATRE
25-HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL
New Orleans, Louisiana
For its sixth year, Intramural Theater presents its 25-Hour Play Festival at The Marigny Opera House, in which actors, directors, and playwrights across New Orleans are challenged to create five new works of theatre inspired by a secret prompt. It's twenty-five hours until the curtain goes up and it's showtime. The timer starts at 8 pm on September 13.
Breakfast and dinner provided September 14. Public showing of the plays at 8 pm September 14. intramuraltheater.org. 1
SEP
13th - SEP 14th
GOOD EATS
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 Convention & Visitors Bureau. The celebration kicks off with the Smokin' Oldies BBQ Cook-Off on Saturday from noon–4 pm, with food vendors and crafters on site, and live music by Justin Cornett. Then, on Sunday, 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 Waters Edge from noon–4 pm. Grab some grub from local food and beverage vendors and enjoy the fun. westbatonrouge.net. 1
SEP 13th - SEP 15th
MUSIC FESTIVALS
A TASTE OF THE DEEP SOUTH Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Pull out your lawn chairs and head to East Baton Rouge's Main Library: One
SWEET THINGS TO DO
Steel Magnolias | Sept. 4 - 7
Donaldsonville Farmer’s Market | Sept. 6
Gonzales Gun & Knife Show | Sept. 6 - 7
Steel Magnolias | Sept. 11 - 14
9/11 Heroes Run | Sept. 13
Louisiana Custom Knife Show | Sept. 13 - 14
Jurassic Quest | Sept. 19 - 21
Baton Rouge Home Show | Sept. 27 - 28
Boucherie & Balloon Festival | Oct. 17 - 19
La Fete des Bayous | Oct. 30 - Nov. 2
Boots on The Bayou Music Festival | Oct. 31 - Nov. 1
View our full calendar of events!
Events
Beginning September 13th - 17th
of the city's biggest music festivals is back with the 9th Annual Taste of the Deep South, emphasizing world music among other numerous genres. The jampacked lineup includes Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor, along with the Listening Room All-Stars, Lil Ray Neal, 100 Screaming Meters, Jessi Campo, and Howard County. Check out a vendor's village, Henry Turner Jr. Look-A-Like Contest, dance contest, and watermelon eating contest to complete the experience. Noon–8 pm. Free; $25 for VIP. htjday.com. 1
SEP 13th - OCT 15th
VISUAL ARTS
RACHEL CRAWFORD & HOLLY STONE-BARKER AT FRAMEWORKS GALLERY
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Frameworks Gallery presents a joint exhibition by collage and mixed-media artists Rachel Crawford and Holly StoneBarker. A free opening reception with light refreshments will be held September 13, 1 pm–3 pm. fwgallery.net. 1
SEP 13th - OCT 31st
PHOTOGRAPHY
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC WORK OF MARY ANN HAAS AT THE ATRIUM GALLERY
Covington, Louisiana
The Christwood Atrium Gallery, in collaboration with the Saladino Gallery, presents a solo exhibition featuring the photographic work of Mary Ann Haas, a Louisiana-based, mixedmedia artist and photographer. A free opening reception is September 13, 4:30 pm–6:30 pm. For details, contact johnmaginnis2@gmail.com. 1
SEP 13th - JAN 31st
VISUAL ARTS
"FRAGILE MATTER" AT THE HILLIARD
Lafayette, Louisiana
Fragile Matter, on display at the Hilliard Art Museum, joins contemporary and historical voices through the works of Manon Bellet and Hannah Chalew with Harriet Joor (1875–1965). Joor's ceramics served as one of the founding gifts of the museum's permanent collection. The resultant conversation between the museum's permanent collection and contemporary art practices is rooted in craftsmanship, environmental awareness, and a reverence for the Gulf South. hilliardartmuseum.org. 1
SEP 13th - FEB 14th
VISUAL ARTS "BEYOND THE BOTANICAL" AT THE HILLIARD
Lafayette, Louisiana
In Mare Martin's Beyond the Botanical, the artist harnesses her artistic and gardening prowess to draw on Goethe’s The Metamorphosis of Plants and create paintings, drawings, and sculpture channeling science and spirit. Trained as a botanist and raised on an Opelousas farm, Martin uses rich pigment, texture, and form to bring her works to life. hilliardartmuseum.org. 1
SEP 13th - JUL 25th
VISUAL ARTS "NERVESCAPE" AT THE HILLIARD Lafayette, Louisiana
In New York-based Icelandic artist Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir's Nervescape, the artist transforms the Hilliard Art Museum into a fictional forest. Resplendent in blues, pinks and yellows, the forest is comprised of thousands of bundles of synthetic hair resembling nerve cells and will serve as a backdrop for Hilliard events throughout its year-long installation. hilliardartmuseum.org. 1
SEP 15th
MUSIC
MORGAN CITY LIVE COMMUNITY CONCERT SERIES: PIANOMANIA! Morgan City, Louisiana
The Community Concert Association of Morgan City Inc. has been producing its annual Morgan City Live Concert Series since 1947. This fall, the season is kicking off on the Schreier Theater stage with a performance by piano virtuoso Jared Freiburg, a master of 1950s era oldies, channeling the electric energy of legends like Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, and Ray Charles and belting out classics like "Real Wild Child," "Pretty Woman," "Blue Suede Shoes," and lots more. 7 pm. $25. morgancitylive.com. 1
SEP 17th
INKLINGS
BOOK TALK: "THE HERESY OF VIRTUE
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Join local author Claire Bateman for a discussion, during the ninetieth anniversary of Huey P. Long's assassination, on her forthcoming book, The Heresy of Virtue. Presented by East
Events
Beginning September 18th - 19th
Baton Rouge Parish Library's Special Collections Department, the discussion will focus on the infamous event from the perspective of Yvonne Pavy Weiss, the wife of the alleged assassin Dr. Carl Weiss and a relative of the author. Bateman will showcase much of her research gathered over the years, including family stories, letters, photos, and journals. 6 pm. Free. ebrpl.com. 1
SEP 18th
LIVE MUSIC
JASON SCOTT & THE HIGH HEAT AT THE TEXAS CLUB Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Head to the Texas Club to catch Jason Scott & The High Heat, an eclectic mix of Americana, roots, rock, and country. Doors at 7:30 pm; show at 8:30 pm. $27. thetexasclub.com. 1
SEP 18th - SEP 19th
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 Brian Pinkney and Andrea Davis Pinkney—who have together published more than seventy books, many of which have won prestigious awards such as the Caldecott Honors and Coretta Scott King Honors. Catch the Pinkneys at the following events:
• September 18: Meet the Authors Enjoy a free, family-oriented presentation at the Main Library, where you can get your books signed. 7 pm–8 pm. Registration not required.
• September 19: Behind the Writing This presentation is geared toward teachers, librarians, writers, parents, and lovers of children's literature. 8:30 am–noon at the Main Library. Free, but online registration is required. ebrpl.com. 1
SEP 18th - SEP 20th
LYRICAL LOCALES
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 three days, some of the state's best songwriters are sure to captivate. msafestival.org. 1
SEP 18th - SEP 21st
GOOD EATS
LOUISIANA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Celebrated chefs from across Louisiana and Texas—not to mention foodies, restaurateurs, wine aficionados, and more—flock to Lake Charles midSeptember for the festival Travel + Leisure called one of five "mustexperience 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. 6:30 pm–8:30 pm Thursday and Friday; 2 pm–5 pm Saturday; 11 am–3 pm Sunday. $99–$190. Tickets at louisianafoodandwinefestival.com. 1
SEP 19th
LIVE MUSIC
SONNY LANDRETH TRIO IN ST. FRANCISVILLE
Saint Francisville, Louisiana
Presented by The Republic and Red Dragon, the Grammy-nominated Louisiana native Sonny Landreth Trio performs at the The Freyhan Cultural Center at the Freyhan School in St. Francisville. 7 pm–10 pm. $70–$90. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 19th
LIVE MUSIC
WBR SEPTEMBER
HISTORICAL HAPPY HOUR:
DOUG BROUSSEAU AND THE RIVER CITY ALLSTARS
Port Allen, Louisiana
West Baton Rouge Museum's historical happy hour for September features Doug Brousseau and the River City Allstars, an award-winning band filled with Baton Rouge-area Blues musicians gracing the Juke Joint's porch stage for an evening of live music. 6 pm–8 pm. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.org. 1
SEP 19th
LIVE MUSIC
BACKYARD BLUES
Saint Francisville, Louisiana
Get ready for an evening of good vibes with Backyard Blues, live at The Mallory in St. Francisville. The lineup includes the Josh Garrett Band, Lil’ Ray Neal Blues Band, and Eric Johanson. There will be ice-cold drinks to stay cool throughout the evening. 5 pm–11:30 pm. $25 advance; $30 at the door. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 19th - SEP 20th
GOOD EATS
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 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 children's activities, art vendors, a Brew Fest, and of course all of the flakey, richly savory meat pies you could possibly eat. Not to mention live performances by the likes of D.K. Harrell, Jo-El Sonnier, and Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs. Did we mention admission is free?
"Bourbon does for me what the piece of cake did for Proust," wrote iconic Southern author Walker Percy in 1975. There won't be any tea and cake served at the ninth annual Walker Percy Weekend, but with delicious Southern savories by the hundredweight and bourbon cocktails served throughout St. Francisville's historic district, no one will be starved for sustenance—literary or otherwise. Beloved for blending spirited literary discussion with spectacular social events, the Walker Percy Weekend fortifies attendees for a series of literary lectures and panel discussions with fine Louisiana food and beverages. The festival invites fans of Southern literature to explore Percy's thought and writing through presentations by renowned scholars, panel discussions, and social and culinary events inspired by the author's most famous works. This year the fest will explore the theme "The Last Laugh: Wit, Wisdom, and Ten Years of the Walker Percy Weekend." Events take
place in atmospheric locations around St. Francisville's historic district. For more details and accommodation information, visit walkerpercyweekend.org. $275 for all access ticket; individual tickets available at bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 19th - SEP 20th
GOOD EATS
6TH ANNUAL SOUL FOOD FUSION FESTIVAL
Natchez, Mississippi
Celebrate the culinary culture and heritage of Natchez during the sixth annual Soul Food Fusion Festival, which returns to the bluff in front of the Natchez Grand Hotel. Enjoy live music, dancing, wine and food samples, and a signature community dining table. Oh, and be sure to dress the part—this year's theme is "Western White: Where the South Meets the Wild West." 6 pm–11:30 pm Friday; 6 pm–11 pm Saturday. $30 presale; $40 at the door. Find 6th Annual Soul Food Fusion Festival on Facebook for details. 1
SEP 19th - SEP 28th
THEATRE
BAY SAINT LOUIS LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS: "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD"
Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi
In this adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer-Prize-winning story, a young girl named Scout watches her father grapple with compassion, courage, and morality in a sleepy Alabama town during the Great Depression. To Kill a Mockingbird, presented by Bay Saint Louis Little Theatre, explores themes of race, class, coming-of-age, and the bond between a father and daughter. 8 pm; 2 pm Sundays. $25; $20 for seniors, military, and first-responders; $12 for children twelve and younger. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 19th - SEP 29th
THEATRE "CRITICAL MASS"
New Orleans, Louisiana
Intramural Theater presents the regional premiere Critical Mass at the Marigny Opera House, in which a narrator takes the audience on a darkly comic journey into humanity’s impulse toward criticism. In the meantime, a troupe of actors strives to prove their worth to a theatre critic, all while the critic goes through an existential crisis. This absurd, madcap performance is sure to leave audiences asking questions, turning a mirror on the very act of performance. $7:30 pm. $25; pay-what-you-can night September 19. intramuraltheater.org. 1
Events
Beginning September 20th - 25th
SEP 20th
FALL FESTIVITIES
“CANVAS & CHORDS”
ART STROLL
Covington, Louisiana
In this free event to support the Northshore Arts Community, head to TerraBella Village in Covington for Canvas and Chords and an evening of art, live music, food trucks, beer, wine, cocktails, and open houses (and be sure to wear your brightest, boldest colors to boot). A portion of the night's proceeds will support the St. Tammany Art Association. 4:30 pm–8:30 pm. Free. terrabellavillage.com. 1
SEP 20th
LIVE MUSIC
JAZZ'N THE VINES FEATURING THE CHARMAINE NEVILLE BAND Bush, Louisiana
Jazz’n the Vines kicks off its fall season in style, with the Charmaine Neville Band bringing New Orleans royalty and powerhouse vocals to Wild Bush Farm + Vineyard. A food truck will be on site, so pack a blanket, fest chair, and dancing shoes. Gates open at 5 pm; music at
6:30 pm. $12 in advance; $15 at the gate. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 21st
CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS
LAGO FEST
Mandeville, Louisiana
Head to the Mandeville Trailhead Amphitheater for Hola Northshore's Lago Fest, presented in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month to honor our local Latinx community and their many cultural contributions to the region. Put on your dancing shoes for salsa lessons and listen to live music from Hispanic bands while enjoying authentic drinks and food from area Hispanic restaurants. There's plenty for the kids too, including face painting and piñatas. Begins at 11 am. Free. For more information, see the Hola Northshore La Facebook Page. 1
SEP 23rd
TWITTERS
THE DAILY LIVES OF LOUISIANA HUMMINGBIRDS—AND THE GARDENS THAT ATTRACT THEM
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Get up-close and personal with the
ruby-throated hummingbird. At the LSU Hilltop Arboretum, Master Naturalist and photographer Dennis Demcheck discusses Louisiana hummingbird behavior and highlighting native plants critical to hummingbird survival. 6:30 pm. $15. $10 for students and Hilltop members. Register at lsu.edu/hilltop. 1
SEP 24th
MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
BEN FOLDS & A PIANO Lafayette, Louisiana
Head to the Heymann Center for a dazzling one-night-only performance
featuring singer-songwriter Ben Folds. This live musical experience includes Folds' past and current hits from more than three decades asa platinumselling artist. 7:30 pm. $52–$83. heymanncenter.com. 1
SEP 25th
GLASS HALF FULL SOUTH AMERICAN WINE TASTING
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Explore the world of South American wines at the Watermark Hotel in Baton Rouge. There will also be light
September at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art includes a number of events for children and families, including a self-portrait activity inspired by a current exhibition and a science program. Photo courtesy of the WAMA. See more on page 14.
bites served over the course of the evening. 6:30 pm–7:30 pm. $36. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 25th
FRESH EATS
SHADOWS-ON-THE-TECHE FARM FEST
New Iberia, Louisiana
Returning for its eighth year, the annual Farm Fest at Shadows-on-the-Teche kicks off the beginning of the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival with live music by 2NL Jazz Combo and Andy Smith, as well as delicious food and drink, Louisiana-style. 4 pm–8 pm. $10 per family. Food and games tickets available to purchase. Contact (337) 369-6446 or shadows@shadowsontheteche.org. shadowsontheteche.org. 1
SEP 25th
FRESH EATS
BREADA'S FARM FÊTE
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
From the folks who bring you the Red Stick Farmers Market and Main Street Market—Farm Fête brings together all the things we love about local produce and producers. At the Main Street Market location enjoy live music by John Gray Jazz & Friends and Ashley Orlando;
unique farmers market-inspired bites whipped up by local chefs from Bergeron's City Market, Chef Celeste, Chow Yum, City Club, Cocha, Crave-A-Balls, Eliza, Eloise Market & Cakery, Houmas House, and Mestizo's; beverages by Blend Wine Bar, Chow Yum (Mocktail), Community Coffee, Oxbow Rum Distillery, and Uncorked; a raffle; and a display of items to be auctioned. 6 pm–9 pm. $95; $20 for a raffle ticket. breada.org. 1
SEP
25th - SEP 28th
SNAPPY SHINDIGS
ALLIGATOR FESTIVAL
Luling, Louisiana
See ya' later alligator—at St. Charles Parish's annual Alligator Festival— where, no, there are no crocodiles to be found. Held at West Bank Bridge Park, this festival takes place over two jam-packed days filled with the best Luling has to offer: carnival rides, craft vendors, live music, and plenty of gator fare—fried, grilled, frittered, in a sausage and in a sauce piquante too. Thursday is "Locals' Night" with free admission from 6 pm–9 pm; Friday the festival is open from 6 pm–11 pm; Saturday 11 am–11 pm; Sunday 11 am–9 pm. $5 admission, free for ages ten and under. alligatorfestival.org. 1
SEP 25th - SEP 28th
SOUND ON INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL NOLA
New Orleans, Louisiana
This international music festival is meant to highlight New Orleans as a center of global influences through—what else?— its music. This worldly, eclectic gathering of diverse influences will take the iconic stages at Orpheum Theater, Congo Square, and the Fillmore—featuring performances by New Orleans musicians presented alongside global stars. The allstar lineup includes: Steel Pulse, Pieces of a Dream, Irvin Mayfield, Luciano, Gerald Albright, and many more. 11 am–11 pm. Tickets start at $55.70. iafnola.com. 1
SEP 25th - SEP 28th
TURN IT UP RED RIVER REVEL
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport's Red River Revel welcomes heavy hitting headliners 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 Pam Tillis, Galactic, Howard Hewett, James Leblanc, Tab Benoit, Zach Edwards and the Medicine, and many more Discover artists and makers representing virtually every medium, and
bring the young 'uns, too: the Kids Center offers attractions including a Mock Dino Dig, a miniature grocery, rides, face painting, laser tag, and rides. Admission is $5 on weekends and weekdays after 5 pm; free Monday through Friday until 5 pm. redriverrevel.com. 1
SEP 25th - SEP 28th
INKLINGS PIRATE'S ALLEY FAULKNER FESTIVAL
New Orleans, Louisiana
Dust off your copies of As I Lay Dying and The Sound and the Fury: The annual Faulkner Society fall festival, "Faulkner for All!" is here. The Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society, Inc. was founded in the 1990s to celebrate writers, taking its name from the great William Faulkner, who wrote his first novel while living on Pirate's Alley in New Orleans. The theme for this year's event, hosted predominantly at the Beauregard-Keyes House, is "Embracing the Marginalized In Literature & Life," and featured guests include Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Olen Butler, internationally noted art photographer Josephine Sacabo, National Book Award winner Justin Torres, and Louisiana poet Julie Kane, among many others. For schedule, authors, and free and ticketed event information, email:
Events
Beginning September 25th - 26th
faulkhouse@aol.com. For specifics visit faulknersociety.org. 1
SEP 25th - OCT 5th
SOUND ON 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. 1
SEP 25th - OCT 11th
SEASONAL STROLLS
NATCHEZ FALL PILGRIMAGE
Natchez, Mississippi
"The most extensive tours of the most extravagant antebellum homes in America:" that's the way the Pilgrimage Garden Club describes the Natchez Pilgrimage—the spring and fall tour of homes that has kept visitors coming back to Natchez since 1932. Today, Natchez's streets remain lined with the palatial mansions and filigreed townhouses, and each year the families that occupy them allow guests to nose through twohundred-year-old homes. Find details at natchezpilgrimage.com. 1
SEP 26th
ICONIC DUOS
BIG FREEDIA AND THE LPO IN CONCERT
New Orleans, Louisiana
In a joint concert audiences won't want to miss, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra partners with global bounce music icon, Big Freedia, at the historic Orpheum Theater. The night marks the third collaboration between LPO and Big Freedia, both of which have, together, captivated audiences in previous electrifying performances. 8 pm. $45. lpomusic.com. 1
SEP 26th
NEWSIES
WRKF NINTH ANNUAL FOUNDERS LUNCHEON
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Celebrate local, public radio at WRKF's ninth annual founders luncheon, with NPR journalist Mary Louise Kelly attending as the year's featured speaker. Kelly, longtime co-host of All Things Considered and known for her reporting on national security and global affairs, will speak at noon at the Crowne Plaza
Baton Rouge. Doors open at 11:15 am; luncheon starts at noon. $160 for nonWRKF members; $125 for members. bontempstix.com. 1
SEP 26th
ANIM-ALES
BREW AT THE ZOO
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Brew at the Zoo returns for an eleventh year to bolster education and animal welfare efforts—all while having a wild time. 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. 6:30 pm–9 pm. brzoobrew.org. 1
SEP 26th - SEP 28th
SOMETHING SWEET LOUISIANA
SUGARCANE FESTIVAL
New Iberia, Louisiana
This eighty-two-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. Free. Find schedule and more information at hisugar.org. 1
SEP 26th - SEP 28th
THEATRE "THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST" AT THE SULLIVAN THEATER Central, Louisiana
Sullivan Theater presents the classic Oscar Wilde farce, set in 1895 in Britain and featuring two men who take on the identity of "Ernest," leading them to fall in love—and into mishaps. Don't miss this witty, comedic tale of romance and mistaken identity. 7:30 pm; 2 pm Sundays and the October 4 performance. $23–$29. sullivantheater.com. 1
Read more about the Sullivan Theater in Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun's story on page 44.
Events
Beginning September 26th - 30th
SEP 26th - OCT 4th
SHOWTUNES
BROADWAY SINGING COMPETITION
Mandeville, Louisiana
Jazz hands and high notes at the ready?
This Broadway Singing Competition hosted by 30 by Ninety Theatre is a drama kid's dream come true. Performers sing a song from a Broadway musical, in character. After a rigorous audition and preliminary rounds process, the finals will be held for an audience to judge a people's choice award. The schedule is as follows:
• September 26: Round 1 at 7 pm.
• September 27: Round 2 at 4 pm, and Round 3 at 7 pm.
• October 4: Final Round at 7 pm.
$12 to attend the live shows; seating limited. 30byninety.com. 1
SEP 26th - JAN 4th
VISUAL ARTS
"DAWOUD BEY: ELEGY"
New Orleans, Louisiana
Dawoud Bey: Elegy on display at NOMA showcases the work of acclaimed
photographer Dawoud Bey, delving into memories and histories of the early African American experience through landscape visualizations—both real and imagined. The exhibition includes fortyfive black-and-white photographs and two film installations, probing the powerful historical past at sites in Louisiana, Virginia, and Ohio. Bey shapes the experiences of perseverance and struggle wrapped up in the African American historical identity. noma.org. 1
SEP 27th
SEE-FOOD
BOAT TO TABLE DINNER
Morgan City, Louisiana
Honor our local shrimping industry with a true Louisiana dining experience— straight from the boat, immersed in the shrimping culture this region was built upon. Hosted on the Freret Street Dock, the dinner includes fresh-as-they-get and steaming Louisiana shrimp, potatoes, corn, dip, and a dessert—plus ice cold beverages and live music from Cliff Hillebran. 5:30 pm–7 pm. $25. 1
SEP 27th
SEASONAL CELEBRATIONS
FOLSOM FALL FESTIVAL
Folsom, Louisiana
Pumpkin spice season is alive and well in the cozy little town of Folsom, where a fall festival will be in full force this Saturday. Think chili cook-off, antique tractors, a farmers market, food trucks, and even a mechanical bull. It's community bliss at its best. 8 am–4 pm. Free. visitthenorthshore.com. 1
SEP 27th
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
HIKES & HOPS
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
This fall, enjoy a laid-back afternoon of trails and tastings at Moncus Park. Embark on a casual group hike with refreshments and sales from some of the state's finest breweries and distilleries. After, relax to live music by the Zach Edwards Trio and try the fare of local food trucks. 5 pm–8 pm. $25. Tickets available on site or at moncuspark.org/hikesandhops. 1
SEP 27th
SOUND ON MUSIC AT THE DEW DROP
Mandeville, Louisiana
In 1885, a group of civic-minded African
American residents of Mandeville, headed up by a woman named Olivia Eunio, established the Dew Drop Social and Benevolent Association—which would be a community space of shared resources and neighborly care. Still standing today, the Dew Drop Jazz & Social Hall is considered the world's oldest virtually unaltered rural jazz dance hall, built the same year that traditional jazz was born in New Orleans. Today, the Friends of the Dew Drop continue to maintain the historic building and to host regular celebrations of rural Southern music, and especially jazz. On six Saturdays this fall, the Dew Drop will welcome renowned locally and touring artists to its stage. Shows begin at 6:30 pm. $10; souvenirs and beverages available for purchase; plus home-cooked meals available from next door. dewdropjazzhall.com for the latest schedule. 1
SEP 27th - SEP 28th
THEATRE
RED MAGNOLIA THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: "GIRLS IN THE BOAT"
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Red Magnolia Theatre Company stages Alice Austen's Girls in the Boat at the LSU Rural Life Museum, part of its readers theatre series. Inspired by the true story of the U.S. women’s Olympic rowing team,
SEP 27th - OCT 25th
CONSERVATION
THE TIGER ISLAND FIRE
MEMORIAL PRESENTATION
DeRidder, Louisiana
SEP 30th
FILMS
"ANCESTRAL ARTISTRY: THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICANS & CREOLES OF COLOR ON LOUISIANA ARCHITECTURE"
the play follows a group of fierce young women as they battle discrimination to compete in the male-dominated sport of rowing. 7:30 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday. redmagnoliatc.org. 1
Read more about the Red Magnolia Theatre Company in Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun's story on page 44.
SEP 27th & OCT 4th
SAINTS
SALON DE JEANNE D'ARC
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc hosts an
informative salon dedicated to the famous French heroine—in advance of its annual January parade. Held on September 27 at The Old Ursulines Convent Museum, and on October 4 at the Jefferson Parish East Bank Regional Library in Metairie, the conference features a slate of experts, authors, theatrical presentations, and scholars. No registration is required, and the events are free and open to the public. Explore Catholic New Orleans culture, create your own medieval coat of arms, and take in a play about the saint's life featuring slides and medieval music. Find a full schedule at joanofarcparade.com. 1
When the “Tiger Island Fire” broke out on August 22, 2023, it became the largest wildfire in Louisiana history. Consuming thousands of acres across West Central Louisiana, the fire ravaged communities and destroyed homes. At the Beauregard Museum, visitors are invited to consider a month-long review of the Tiger Island Fire, including the economic and personal impact. Organizers present data from the US Forest Service and State agencies, as well as information on wildland firefighting, forest conservation efforts, and art created from the devastation. The opening ceremony is September 27 at 1 pm. cityofderidder.org. 1
SEP 28th
HIGH NOTES
"OVER THE TOP" AT OPÉRA
LOUISIANE
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Opéra Louisiane presents Over the Top, in which three superstar sopranos battle it out to prove which is the greatest diva of them all. 3 pm at the Manship Theatre. $51. operalouisiane.com. 1
New Orleans, Louisiana
Don't miss an outdoor screening of Ancestral Artistry: The Influence of Africans & Creoles of Color on Louisiana Architecture at the Pitot House. The documentary explores the history and craftsmanship found in the legacy of enslaved artisans and their descendants who transformed the design and architecture of Louisiana's cities. Bring blankets or lawn chairs, enjoy a cold drink and some popcorn, and stick around for a Q&A with the artisans featured in the film. 6 pm–9 pm. $30. prcno.org. 1
For more events visit countryroadsmag.com/eventsand-festivals.
A work by New Orleans artist Charles Chaisson in his exhibition at NUNU titled Written in the Veil. In this solo exhibition, Chaisson delves into the perceived thresholds between the mind and body, among other themes. A reception will be held September 12 for Chaisson and another parallel exhibition, Ralph Schexnaydre’s Blue Blue Blues. Photo courtesy of NUNU. See more on page 22.
WTWO-STEPS
Allons Danser
FROM CONTRA DANCE TO ZYDECO —
INSIDE THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES KEEPING SOCIAL DANCE CULTURE ALIVE Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
hen did we stop dancing?
It’s been a long time since the weekly town hall dance acted as the structured incubator for romance, or the dance club as the necessary respite from a hard day’s work. A century ago, most people absorbed dance as part of the generalized social fabric. Today, many adults across America wouldn’t even know where to go dancing, just for fun. Or even if they did, they wouldn’t feel comfortable showing up there. They wouldn’t know what to do.
Theorize as to how and why this cultural shift occurred: there are the many evolutions of media and its impact on music consumption, there is the introduction of the Internet—where we can now watch dancing and live music without having to participate in it, where we can all interact without physical embodiment. And, perhaps most profoundly, there is the rise of hyper-individualism, at the cost of community-based social ecosystems.
Ann Glaviano, a forty-one-year-old professional dancer in New Orleans, describes how, in her thirties, she observed her friends, especially her male friends, losing their adolescent insecurity, coming to understand the pleasures of dancing, and doing their best to take part in it when they’d go out, but being totally unequipped. “They just did not know how. I thought it was so tender, and also so very sad.”
Whatever the breaking point actually was, the day dance became niche was a loss for society. Simultaneously art and sport, catharsis and bonding, dance of every level and genre has been scientifically shown to have more impact on longevity and eudaimonia —an Aristotelian concept that means ‘a state of living well’—than virtually any other physical activity.
“Dancing is your birthright as a person,” said Glaviano. “I think it’s spiritually and therapeutically important for everyone to dance. I’m so serious.”
Though no longer mainstream, dance still survives, thrives even, within little pockets of the social ecosystem—spurring micro-communities across America. Here in Louisiana, people are carving out spaces where we can exercise this “birthright”—enjoying the ancestral joy of movement in communion with others.
Meeting the People Where They Are
One of the biggest barriers keeping people, especially young people, from learning to dance today is simple: fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of embarrassment, fear of being bad at something. “It’s a risk,” said Glaviano. “It’s scary to show up to a place that you’ve never been to do a thing you’ve never done in front of other people. It’s a really vulnerable position to be in.”
Chung Thang, a Lafayette dance instructor and self-proclaimed introvert, said that he actually finds social dancing to be an antidote to modern day social anx-
ieties. “It’s a structured social experience,” he said. “You can still get out there, and talk to people, and meet people. But you know exactly what to do for like three minutes at a time, and you’re automatically with people who have a shared interest.”
When it comes to ballroom, the pinnacle of traditional partner dancing, people tend to have a preconceived idea of competition-worthy lifts and classical music. “People might have an idea that ballroom is very formal, but there are so many styles that are very relaxed and loose and modern,” said Baton Rouge instructor James Heath.
Ballroom encompasses an incredible range of genres, skill levels, and styles within itself—something Heath hopes to communicate to the general public. “Everyone is welcome,” he emphasizes in his beginner classes at the newly opened Baton Rouge Ballroom, where he teaches everything from cha-cha and rumba, to waltz and East Coast Swing.
Heath said that his students range from ages eight to ninety, and that he’s seen people come to ballroom dancing for a multitude of reasons: whether that be exercise, training for competitions, mental health, or social interaction. “There are so many reasons why people come in,” he said.
Ballroom is what brought Thang into the dance world. He was a student at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette looking for ways to find community and,
Dancers at Black Pot Festival in Lafayette. Photo by Olivia Perillo.
on a whim, decided to check out the student ballroom club. In no time, he had worked his way up to instructor and was discovering that the basics of ballroom granted him access to the spectrum of dance genres, from casual Cajun and zydeco to the more technical West Coast Swing—which he started teaching every week.
I first learned about what Thang was up to while scrolling Instagram. At twenty-five years old, he’s trying to reach the new generations where they are, with Reels cutting between young people weaving, turning, dipping, and stepping to songs like Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof” and The Chicks’ “Tonight the Heartache’s on Me.”
“If you live in Lafayette, Louisiana and you’re looking to get out of the house, meet new people, and build real friendships, that’s why we created Parish Nights,” he appeals in one video, promoting the experience as an option apart from traditional modern nightlife, where old fashioned fun reigns, and authentic connection is the goal.
Held on Friday evenings, Parish Nights are targeted to people between the ages of eighteen and thirty-nine—a demographic that Thang wasn’t encountering organically in other local dance communities. He said he looked around one day and realized that “everybody I was hanging out with was between fifty and seventy.”
But Thang suspected there were other young people like himself in Lafayette. He started Parish Nights as a way to foster a dance community specifically for that demographic. Instead of West Coast Swing, he decided to focus on country swing and line dancing—“They’re simpler,” he said. “You can pick it up quick, and there
do The Twist.’ You kind of can’t fail.”
The dancefloor Glaviano cultivates at HEATWAVE! is shaped by a specific form of dance-fueled ecstasy. She doesn’t want couples twirling across the floor, capitalizing attention. She hates when a circle forms. “We’re not taking turns,” she said. “The night is for everyone to be on the ride together. This is specifically meant to be solo, freestyle, social dancing. I want people to forget they have a face because they are dancing and singing so hard. There’s something that happens in your body . . .
about line dancing in New Orleans, but that it didn’t really hit until after Richard Simmons died last year, when she hosted a Sweatin’ to the Oldies tribute night— inviting people to attend a mixer and line dancing class before the actual DJ set. In the Instagram post Glaviano made about the night, she wrote that the event “exceeded her wildest expectations,” and that she’d received countless messages from attendees about “how long it’s been since they’ve gotten to sweat it out on a dance floor.”
“DANCING IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT AS A PERSON. I THINK IT’S SPIRITUALLY AND THERAPEUTICALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO DANCE."
—ANN
GLAVIANO
is an instant gratification. Maybe it has to do with our generation’s desire for that quick hit of dopamine, but people really love it.”
In New Orleans, Glaviano is also homing in on the idea of making spaces where social dance can feel easy, unintimidating, and safe. As a DJ, she’s been hosting her HEATWAVE! Dance parties at bars across the city since 2013, playing exclusively “rare and sentimental” records from the years 1957–1974—“post swing, pre-disco.”
“For this specific era of dance, you don’t need a partner, and there isn’t complex choreography” she said. “There were fad dances, but they were one-off steps, and no sequences. Like, ‘The Twist.’ A baby can do the Twist. And you know you’re doing it in the right moment because the song exhorts, ‘Come on baby, let’s
that’s pinnacle for me. That’s what I’m trying to do. No one is standing there sipping their drink trying to look sexy. It’s not sexy. It’s, like, unhinged. That level of unselfconsciousness, available to everyone, is my goal.”
All Together, Now
Over the past year, Glaviano has also begun incorporating line dancing into the experience at HEATWAVE! It’s something she’s been interested in from the beginning. “The experience of unison choreography gives me a very deep dancerly pleasure, but I also think it’s a human pleasure,” she said. “It’s just so great for groups of people to do a superfluous art thing together. I get, like, emotional about it.”
She said she’s tried a few times to get people excited
Since then, she’s started hosting her line dance-focused HEATWAVE! nights once a month, usually at Okay Bar. “It’s just great,” she said. “You’re learning something alongside people. Nobody is picking it up immediately. You can laugh at yourself.”
The pleasure of harmonious group dancing is also the driving force behind a growing community of folks across the region, who are regularly coming together to practice the tradition of contra dance—a form of English and Scottish country dancing dating as far back as the seventeenth century, in which dancers move in coordinated lines and formations, performing simple steps at the direction of a “caller,” who directs dancers to do moves like “circle left,” “swing,” and “do-si-do.”
In Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Contras & Squares group meets for a dance on Saturdays once a month at St. Alban’s Chapel. Margaret Lovecraft—who has taken lessons in ballroom, Irish dancing, and tap dancing throughout her life—started going to the contra dance in 2023. “I just loved it,” she said. “I didn’t have to bring a partner, because you dance with everybody. It’s very much a group thing. And it’s not hard or intimidating, but it’s challenging enough and you can perfect it.”
“Once you learn the figures, you develop a muscle memory, and you can just let one flow into another,” explained Charlene Heaton, co-founder of Louisiana Contras & Squares. “You’re using your body and you’re doing something that’s fluid. It’s this wonderful thing.”
The dance is always performed to live music, adding a layer to the experience. “That really gets my soul going, and makes my feet want to dance,” said Lovecraft.
The passion for this specific form of dance has connected the group to a broader network of contra dance enthusiasts across the region, including on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Natchez; there is even an emerging group in St. Francisville. Members often travel to
Dancers at the very first official contra dance in St. Francisville in July. Photo by Molly C. McNeal.
Dancers at Ann Glaviano's HEATWAVE! in at Okay Bar New Orleans. Photo by Cameron Bordelon, courtesy of Glaviano.
festivals hosted in major cities across the country, during which they take part in massive dances with hundreds of people. “It’s pretty special to feel part of a big group like that,” said Heaton. “All the different styles that go on, the different energy levels.”
Take My Hand
Part of the unique pleasure of social dance, especially partner dancing, is the opportunity to physically connect with other people within the confines of, essentially, struc-
“The reason I think there is so much laughter in our dances is because people are playing,” said Heaton. “They’re joking around. Some are doing things backwards or adding extra flourishes. And I’ve made some beautiful friendships through it.”
“It’s not about being serious,” said Ashley Dugas, who teaches Cajun dancing in Carencro. “It’s not about knowing the steps precisely and at the right time. It’s really just about having fun and enjoying where you’re at.”
Heath said he believes dance is a singular form of human communication. “It’s a way of talking without using words, of creating your own story through movement,” he said. “And you’re dancing so close to each other, you have to get very comfortable, in a platonic and respectful way. It’s a partnership, or like a team.”
“It’s so open and eager,” said Cajun dance instructor Adeline Miller. “Because dancing is all about breaking that barrier of like, you and me. No, this is us, together.”
“It’s such a quick way to get to know someone,” echoed Drake LeBlanc, a Lafayette-area artist who is frequently seen on zydeco and Cajun dancefloors across Acadiana. “And it’s beautiful. You learn a lot about yourself, and there is this social and almost spiritual connection that you develop with your partner that can last a lifetime.”
But at the same time, it doesn’t have to be that deep—LeBlanc says that there are occasions when he’s met someone dancing, and considered that person a friend, but the relationship remains relegated to the specific universe of the dancefloor. “We laugh because there will be people I’ve been friends with for like two or three years, and we have no idea what the other person does for work,” he said. “It’s like its own mini network, separated from everything else going on in the world.”
“Dancing has always been something associated with joy and togetherness,” said Erica Fox, a musician and the executive director at the Lafayette African American Museum and cultural center Maison Freetown, where over the past year she has started hosting old time house lalas with zydeco music and dance classes. “It doesn’t matter if you’re strangers, or have been knowing each other forever, dance can be this kind of unifying tool to bring people together.”
Top left: Dancers at Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, photo by Paul Kieu.
Top right: Contra dancers in St. Francisville, photo by Molly C. McNeal.
Bottom: Zydeco dancers in Acadiana, photo by Drake LeBlanc.
Louisiana’s Culture of Dance
In the national landscape of social dance, Louisiana holds a rare position of prominence—especially in Acadiana, where the traditions of Cajun and zydeco dance remain an integral part of the culture that defines the region. Especially active around the periphery of the folk music scenes, the local dancing community is very much alive—and even, in recent years, youthful.
“Around here, you can find dancing on Wednesdays at the Blue Moon Cajun Jam, zydeco on Thursdays at Rock ‘n Bowl, music at the Hideaway, Saturday brunch at Buck and Johnny’s,” said Joshua Kirby, a zydeco dance instructor. Sunday is the best day for dancing, he went on, with Vermilionville’s Bal du Dimanche, often a show at Rock ‘N’ Bowl, a show at Cypress Cove Landing in Henderson, and—his favorite—zydeco at O’Darby’s in Carencro.
Many people in this region, including Miller, Fox, LeBlanc, and Dugas, grew up entrenched in the world of local dance traditions. “Probably just as soon as I was able to walk, they would have me dancing on my dad’s shoes at Mulate’s in Breaux Bridge,” said Miller, whose early exposure to Cajun dancefloors put her on a path to becoming a professional musician. Dugas, born into a Cajun music dynasty (her father is Kevin Dugas, her grandfather Nolan Dugas), was always encouraged to play the music, but found herself more entranced by the dancefloor. “I’d rather be the center of attention there than on stage,” she said, laughing.
Fox remembers dancing with her cousins to records of Rockin’ Sydney and Clifton Chenier to entertain her grandmother, who was immobile. “There was zydeco always playing, and we’d dance at family reunions or get-togethers, always,” she said.
LeBlanc grew up exposed to some zydeco when joining his cousins on trail rides, but said that his family mostly danced swing out—a style of dance rooted in Black culture that is typically performed to R&B music, with origins as part of the Lindy Hop. He didn’t start dancing in earnest, with intention, he said, until right before the pandemic. “That’s when I started going out, trying to learn all these different styles of dance,” he said, noting how distinct swing out is from zydeco, which is itself totally distinct from Cajun. “But, just like in the music, they all take influences from each other.”
For these dance leaders in Acadiana, social dancing is more than just a hobby— though it is that, too: “It’s just so freaking fun,” said Miller. “I have so many reasons to love dancing, but first, it’s just freaking fun. Who would have said celebrating your culture could be as fun as it is?”
Cajun and zydeco dance, an extension of Cajun and zydeco music, is a specific expression of culture in South Louisiana—an homage to the traditions of our ancestors. Most of the people who come to Dugas’s classes, she said, are there because they recall their grandparents dancing, but regret that they never learned themselves. “It’s usually, ‘We’ve always been around it, and I’m tired of just sitting in my chair when we go to a festival or the dance halls.’ And they love the music, they’re just unsure of what they’re doing on the dance floor, and they’re shy or nervous.”
Kirby observes the same in his zydeco classes, which he conducts in partnership with Fox at Maison Freetown. “People just want to experience their own culture in a way that they’ve witnessed, but never felt they had access to,” he said.
In fact, Fox and Kirby’s Maison Freetown zydeco dances emerged directly from a community demand for an evening French Table. “It was a younger demographic, who wanted something in the evenings, wanted to learn more about Kouri-Vini and practicing Creole French,” said Fox. “So we wanted to add a little spice to it, and to find a way to put the language into practice by listening to zydeco songs en Français, and then dancing.” The lala-style house dances quickly outgrew the space at Maison Freetown, and now Fox and Kirby have taken the experience on the road to venues across the state.
“Music has always been on the front lines of cultural preservation in Louisiana,” said LeBlanc, emphasizing that even more than the music, dance is the most accessible point of entry into the larger efforts of cultural appreciation and protection in our region. It’s something fundamentally about having a good time, and you don’t need to play an instrument, or speak the language, to participate.
“There are a lot of ways to participate in our culture,” said Miller. “But maybe you don’t like to cook, and you don’t play an instrument. Learning our language is super important, but it’s a long process and it’s hard. What’s easy is to go to a dance class, or just ask somebody to teach you a few steps real quick. I can show you everything you need to know in like two hours, and then you have this whole new area of your life, directly connected to your region and probably your ancestry.”
Not that the experience is relegated only to those of Cajun and Creole descent— some of the most passionate people on local dancefloors and in dance classes are transplants, or even tourists. Kirby, an Atlanta native, has only lived in Louisiana since 2019 and is today one of the local dance scene’s most familiar faces, not to mention a fierce competitor on the festival dance competition scene. His first encounter was when a stranger invited him to dance at his first ever Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, and the rest is history.
“As someone who isn’t from here, dancing and going to these dancehalls and these festivals, it’s given me a commonality that I can share with folks who are part of this culture,” he said. “I want to learn the language, and I’ve experienced the landscape.
And there’s more that I have yet to experience. I want to get out and go frogging. But my entryway into all of it, into frogging even, is through zydeco. I guess there are other ways to do it, but I do it through zydeco dancing.”
South Louisiana culture, and its dancefloor, are open to everyone—this is a sentiment emphasized by each of the Cajun and Creole dancers I spoke to. The spectrum of skill levels is infinite, of age, of race. “It’s an articulation of our history of multiple communities,” said LeBlanc. When outsiders are interested enough to take part, “they become a part of our culture as well,” said Miller.
And once people become part of that community, once they step into the cultural fold, according to LeBlanc, it’s a natural progression that they will begin to care about the larger historical and cultural efforts of cultural preservation in South Louisiana. “You realize that to ensure it continues, we have to ensure the language continues and support our musicians and our dancehalls,” he said.
“I hate playing to an empty room,” said Miller. “I’m playing for the dancers. It’s a community of giving and taking, and I’m playing for y’all. Y’all show up and dance.” 1
Get Out There
Across our region, there are dozens of dance groups, events, and classes offered, ranging from ballroom to line dancing. Below are the ones mentioned in this article, but this is not a comprehensive list.
Parish Nights (Lafayette)
A country swing and line dancing event for ages eighteen to thirty-nine, held almost every Friday—begins with an informal lesson followed by social dancing. $10 per night, or $18 monthly membership. Thang is also available for private lessons. parishnights.com.
Lafayette West Coast Swing
The Lafayette West Coast Swing group meets every Thursday evening for an informal lesson, followed by social dancing. Free. Thang is also available for private lessons. lafayettewcs.com.
HEATWAVE! (New Orleans)
DJ Ann Glaviano hosts her HEATWAVE! dance parties, playing pop records from 1957–1974, on the second Saturday of every month at Twelve Mile Limit and on the fourth Saturday of every month at Okay Bar, 9 pm–1 am. For an hour before the Okay Bar sets, Glaviano offers a line dancing class. Free. annglaviano.com.
Baton Rouge Ballroom
Classes on most evenings, ranging from beginner level to advanced, and
in genres that include East Coast Swing, salsa, chacha, Bachata, waltz, and more. Heath is also available for private lessons. rougeballrooom.com.
Louisiana Contra and Squares (Baton Rouge)
Held once a month on Satur days from 3:45 pm–6:30 pm at St. Alban’s Chapel, these dances begin with a work shop for beginners, and fea ture live music and a caller. Free for first-timers. anacontraandsquares.com.
Ashley Dugas’s Cajun
Dance
Lessons (Carencro) Dugas offers private dance lessons in Cajun dancing, with options for individuals, couples, kids, and large groups. cajundancelessons.com
Adeline Miller’s Cajun Dance Lessons (Lafayette)
Miller occasionally hosts group dance lessons at venues around Louisiana, including the Blue Moon Saloon. See her perform live with her band Amis du Teche at upcoming shows by following them on social media.
(Lafayette & Beyond)
Follow Maison Freetown on social media to learn about upcoming zydeco porch jams, lalas, and musical experiences taken on the road across Louisiana.
Maison Freetown LaLas and Zydeco Dance Lessons
Dancers at Festivals Acadiens et Créoles. Photo by Paul Kieu.
Can't Stop the Beat
THE
LOSS OF THEATRE BATON ROUGE AND THE EVOLUTION OF COMMUNITY THEATRE IN THE CAPITAL REGION
Story by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
Ask any actor in the Greater Baton Rouge area, and they’ll tell you their Theatre Baton Rouge story; the musical that gave them courage to sing in front of an audience; the training as a teenager that propelled them to bigger and better acting jobs; the cast that became family; the show that, when they were a child in the audience, opened their eyes to the magic of theatre.
“[Theatre Baton Rouge] has touched so many people’s lives. It was a space where passion and talent and dedication came together to tell all these stories of all these different people that came from so many different walks of life,” said Marion Bienvenu Mayfield, a community theatre veteran who volunteered at Theatre Baton Rouge (TBR) for more than two decades. “It wasn’t just about entertainment. It was about connection. Generations grew up at that theatre, and just fell in love with the place.”
An almost eighty-year-old institution, TBR has long been a creative
beacon for theatre-minded community members in the capital region, from youth studying the dramatic arts and adult actors seeking on-stage experience, to the designers, directors, and technical personnel who bring plays and musicals to life. Since the mid-twentieth century, when community theatres were few and far between in the Greater Baton Rouge area, TBR has produced high-quality performances season after season, bringing shows to the city at a grand scale.
When news of the legacy institution's closure broke on March 1, 2025, the local community theatre scene roiled.
The statement on TBR’s social media read: “For seventy-nine seasons, Theatre Baton Rouge has had the honor of bringing stories to life on stage, creating unforgettable moments, and serving as a home for artists, audiences, and dreamers alike. It is with an incredibly heavy heart that we share the news that due to our current financial situation, Theatre Baton Rouge can no longer continue producing shows and offering educational programming at this time.”
Ticket sales had decreased after the COVID pandemic, according to the statement, as audiences grew wary of tightly packed indoor venues, and subscriptions waned. While these normally reliable forms of revenue dissolved, production material and operations costs ticked up, placing “an unbearable strain on our ability to keep the stage lights on,” according to the statement.
TBR’s final performance took place on March 23. Six months later, as companies, troupes, and community theatres across the region work double time in preparation to open their fall seasons, the legacy company’s absence looms large.
“There’s a huge vacuum now in stage opportunities,” said Dave Freneaux, chairman of the Central Cultural Foundation, which oversees the Sullivan Theater in Central. “[TBR was] doing ten plays a year, and actors were looking forward to being in those plays. A lot of people were very, very sad it happened. It happened during our rehearsal process for Hunchback, and it was a visible
punch in the gut for so many of our actors.”
“It was a shock,” said Xenobi Indigo, theatre and special facilities manager at Independence Park Theatre in Baton Rouge. “It was a shock, and it was kind of like losing a best friend.”
“The arts are very important, and it's a bit lost with the closure of Theatre Baton Rouge, because, you know, there's always something for everybody [there],” said Dr. Ava Brewster-Turner, founder of UpStage Theatre Company. “There's comedy, there's drama, there are youth programs, there are summer programs. And we're going to miss that.”
Times are tough for nonprofit, community-driven, volunteer-run theatres, which exist outside the realm of for-profit endeavors, or university programs; for a community theatre to thrive—not just exist—the community must be invested. And for smaller drama organizations, such as the 225 Theatre Collective, the shuttering of such a monolith raises existential questions: If a titan like TBR is forced to close its doors due
From the Sullivan Theater's performance of Oklahoma! in June. Photo courtesy of the Sullivan Theater.
to financial woes, what does that mean for companies without the budget and exposure of a large community theatre?
“It’s a little scary to hear, owning a theatre company, that a really well-established one is closing down, and all the issues that they encountered before that,” said Stephanie Calero, founder and artistic director of the 225 Theatre Collective. “We definitely feel for them, and feel for the community as well, because I know it was such a big part of the theatre scene in Baton Rouge.”
“I think it was kind of a wake up call for a lot of people that arts, and the arts community, should be not just explored more, but supported more,” added Victoria Brown, 225 Theatre Collective’s co-founder and costume department head.
There are other questions that linger, some urgent, some requiring thoughtful consideration: Is the gap left by TBR too large to fill? Does the theatre community want to fill it at all, given TBR’s legacy? And what does this mean for the other theatres, troupes, and companies that have emerged in recent years, finding a niche within Baton Rouge’s performing arts ecosystem? Is there a path forward, and if so, what does it look like? Can the city’s theatre scene evolve?
“I want us to take the time to mourn the loss of a really good friend, and also reach out to those friends that are here right now, still wanting to bring that joy through theatre back,” said Indigo. “We have experienced a loss, but life does go on. And, like Hairspray, you can’t stop the beat.”
TBR, which began as Baton Rouge Civic Theater in 1946, produced shows and led workshops under the maxim, “Theatre for the Community, by the Community.” Over the decades (along with two name changes—to Baton Rouge Little Theater in 1951, and then Theatre Baton Rouge in 2013), that motto held true. Located in Baton Rouge’s MidCity district, the organization’s building contained a lobby and social room, in addition to its 327-seat main stage and smaller, ninety-five-seat studio.
Jenny Ballard, who worked as TBR’s creative director from 2014–2023, first fell in love with the organization while directing a production of Annie. It was a space where people could feel safe to practice their craft and enjoy themselves outside of the confines of a 9-to5 job—a haven, a creative and vibrant world unto itself; here people honed their talent, made lifelong friends, developed romantic relationships. Ballard and her husband were married on TBR’s stage.
“I think that TBR represented true community theatre in that there was a place for anybody in the community. And I think these days that's rare,” she said. “Genuinely, people from all walks of life were welcome on that stage, behind that stage, in the lobby—at any time. I think that TBR was a family, in
a lot of ways. I remember hearing many people say, throughout my nine years there, that it was their home.”
Beyond TBR’s physical stages, its reach was extensive, nurturing, and powerful, generating talented young actors, directors, and other creatives; and offering support to smaller companies just getting started.
“I think, honestly, that every theatrical organization in East Baton Rouge Parish owes its existence to the generations of people that Theatre Baton Rouge trained and gave stage experience and technical experience [to],” said Freneaux. “I don’t think there’s a group out there that didn’t have somebody from the Theatre Baton Rouge community as
a driver behind their organization. Their gift to the community has been phenomenal.”
With the Sullivan, a fledgling theatre founded in 2023, TBR shared costumes and props from their arsenal of supplies. And many of the directors, designers, and actors who populate the Sullivan today—as well as most every theatre group in the area—grew up at TBR, Freneaux said.
Indigo started their theatre career at TBR “at the ripe old age of eleven.” If a young person wanted to pursue an interest in drama, getting involved in TBR was the most obvious path. “If you were in school, and you were interested in theatre, that’s your route,” they said.
Mayfield and her mother, Chrissy Bienvenu, discovered TBR when Marion was in middle school. The teen’s passion for the stage, along with its positive influence on her life, eventually inspired her mother to perform as well. In 2018, mother and daughter shared the stage in their “dream roles” for TBR’s production of Cabaret, with Mayfield as Sally Bowles, and Bienvenu as Fraulein Schneider.
“It was a place that fostered a culture of mentorship, too. I remember I had people on that stage that I looked up to that inspired me,” Mayfield said. For a time, she worked as a professional actor, mastering the skills she had first learned at TBR—a track she has watched oth-
Maisie, as played by Emery McCandless, in Christian Youth Theater's production of Seussical in February. Photo courtesy of CYT Baton Rouge.
ers follow. “It was kind of this training ground. There are so many Theatre Baton Rouge alums out there in the real world today that are making a living [in theatre], and it’s because they got started at Theatre Baton Rouge.”
TBR made its stages available to rent at affordable rates, allowing other companies to produce performances in a wellknown venue with a storied legacy and plenty of seating. Losing access to that venue, in addition to the organization itself, is a loss to the local community.
“There was a desire, of course, from grassroots groups, to not see it go away,” said Jennifer Ellis, administrative vice president of Red Magnolia Theatre Company. “It really is a unique space. One thing I’m concerned about is the lack of affordable venues in Baton Rouge for smaller theatre groups. TBR did make their facility affordable, and one of the reasons we [are able to] get creative with our production is because of venue costs.”
The grief—the mourning period for the institution, and what it represented—remains ongoing. But evolution is inevitable. Other companies may see an uptick in actors auditioning for fall plays, and some theatres are considering expanding their season offerings by a couple of shows to address the need for more theatre in the area. The physical theatre,
“EVEN
Greater Baton Rouge area, but I'm not sure this hole can ever properly be filled. I really think this is a massive loss that's going to feel ripples for a really long time.”
Though TBR was once virtually the only name in the game when it came to community theatre in Baton Rouge, that’s no longer the case. Today, there are organizations that have been around for a couple of decades (instead of almost eighty years) that have left their own imprint on the region, as well as up-and-coming companies in their infancy exploring how traditional theatre can evolve to fit different identities, expectations, and needs. Their goals may vary, but their calls to action remain consistent: support local theatre, because local theatre is a reflection and celebration of community.
UpStage Theatre Company, an African-American theatre company founded by Brewster-Turner, has been around for twenty-three years, but often flies under the radar. Ten years ago, after UpStage partnered with TBR to host the state theatre festival, UpStage won the competition and went on to represent Louisiana at nationals in New Mexico. The company has performed around the country, fostered a love of theatre in local kids, and made a conscious, purposeful space in Baton Rouge for Black actors. When the
IN SMALL PLACES LIKE LOUISIANA, WHERE YOU WOULDN’T NORMALLY SEE A BIG ARTS COMMUNITY, YOU CAN TELL IT’S GETTING BIGGER EVERY DAY BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE THAT YEARNING TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, AND TO OPEN UP, AND TO REALLY TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, AND UNDERSTAND THAT ART AS A WHOLE HAS A HUGE IMPACT. . . AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY READY FOR THAT TYPE OF EXPRESSION LATELY.”
—VICTORIA BROWN, 225 THEATRE COLLECTIVE
nestled in the Bonne Carré Business Park on Florida Boulevard, remains vacant.
“It was more than just a stage. It was more than just a theatre. It was where I made so many important relationships,” Mayfield said. When news broke of TBR’s shuttering, she and her husband— who she met at TBR—mourned. Her co-workers brought her gifts, like she had lost a family member; the Facebook notifications, reminding her of core memories made onstage in recent years, sting. “I’m still grieving this theatre.”
“I think losing it is massive,” Ballard added. “I think there's a hole that, yes, will be filled, and is being filled slowly but surely as more theatres start to pop up and develop, and try to cater to the massive talent that is housed within the
historic Lincoln Theater reopens in the coming months after completing renovations, UpStage will become its resident theatre company.
“We’ve been here for twenty-three years, but we don’t get the kinds of publicity I wish we could get,” Brewster-Turner said. “We’ve traveled the world, basically, and people still don’t know that we exist. It’s just the support that we need.”
There are also larger brick-and-mortar community theatres such as Ascension Community Theatre (cranking out heavy-hitter plays and musicals for twenty-five years), and the Sullivan which, even in its youth, has already made a name for itself, producing an impressive slate of shows each season.
“There really is nothing to do in Central. We don’t have movie theatres, we don’t have a bowling alley, we don’t have bars with live entertainment. If you want to do anything, you pretty much have to leave Central,” Freneaux said. “We just fill the vacuum for entertainment. Now, because it’s, I think, good theatre, we also have become a draw for people from Baton Rouge.”
Apart from these more traditional theatres, several companies, collectives, and groups have sprung up in recent years, each carving out more specialized slices of stage in Greater Baton Rouge’s performing arts scene.
Red Magnolia Theatre Company, which launched in 2017 after a group of friends connected through the Baton Rouge theatre community, focuses on staging plays either written by a female playwright or featuring strong female roles. The company’s formation was “really just providing more opportunities for women in the theatre scene here, as well as having a way for women to creatively collaborate,” said Ellis. “We are not a brickand-mortar organization. We have never been. We don’t have plans to become one. We are one hundred percent volunteer driven, we have no staff.”
Then there’s the Louisiana Shakespeare Company, just two years old, devoted to bringing William Shakespeare’s masterpieces to audiences in accessible, relatable formats. “There’s a need for Shakespeare because no one does it, because everyone’s scared of it,” said Jennifer Bouquet, co-founder, executive director, and artistic director of the company. “We know Shakespeare, but we also saw a bigger need for more accessible arts education and performance. We wanted to have another space where actors could come and experience something that’s a little more niche, that they might be afraid of.”
The 225 Theatre Collective, which has its own studio, has also capitalized on a “niche” approach to the-
atre, offering experiences unlike anything else in the area—from main stage performances, to workshops, to classes, to youth theatre education. Beyond the performing arts, 225 embraces poetry, visual arts, and beyond, with the collective essentially acting as an all-purpose arts hub. Their mission is to “make the space for anybody and everybody to come,” to participate in the arts, to take risks.
“You can definitely tell there’s a need for belonging and expression,” said Brown. “Even in small places like
Louisiana, where you wouldn’t normally see a big arts community, you can tell it’s getting bigger every day because people have that yearning to express themselves, and to open up, and to really take it seriously, and understand that art as a whole has a huge impact. And then, you know, specifically theatre—it's storytelling. It's connecting with an audience, it's connecting with one another, it's pouring your heart out into something. And I think people are really ready for that type of expression lately.”
Berkley Case as Victoria in CYT Baton Rouge's production of CATS in May. Photo courtesy of CYT Baton Rouge.
Then, there are the youth—the brighteyed actors, techs, designers, and directors who will helm the theatre community of Baton Rouge ten or fifteen years from now. They are the beating heart of the city’s dramatic landscape, and have taken center stage (so to speak), performing their own shows, leading their own productions.
Whether kids begin their theatrical experience on a carpet square watching Playmakers of Baton Rouge (a professional, rather than community theatre, paying actors in the hopes of helping them make a living) perform riveting children’s theatre, or at a drama camp at Independence Park Theatre or Christian Youth Theater (CYT), their options are extensive.
“Basically, we’re using theatre to build up kids and families,” said Tonja Rainey, artistic director and co-founder of CYT Baton Rouge. “By focusing on character and excellence, we feel like that brings a level of performance that’s amazing. We’re always amazed at how well our kids do.”
In some cases, the kids are even taking matters into their own hands. In recent months, fourteen-year-old Annie Engholm, who attends Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, founded a brand new endeavor: the Louisiana Youth Theatre. She got the idea after finishing a performance with her friends. Walking into the living room, she told her parents she wanted to direct something. So, she founded her own theatre company.
At LYT, kids run the show, quite literally. They are the creative directors, costume designers, actors, stage hands. “We’re getting to have this new experi-
ence of theatre that we’ve never had before,” Engholm said. Ultimately, she wanted to let kids “know they can do it, even though they’re young.”
Their first production, Aladdin Jr., will be staged at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge this September. A glance at the show’s press release reveals the group has overall support from artistic mentors and giants in the Baton Rouge community—Beth Bordelon of Red Magnolia, Erica Malone and Elena McPeak, formerly board members at TBR; Indigo of Independence Park Theatre, and Chris Adams, director of technical operations at the Arts Council.
need to get the word out: Theatre is still here in Baton Rouge, alive and well! There are opportunities to act, direct, produce. Audiences can find quality performances in their backyard, where these grassroots performing arts organizations have been for a long time.
The spirit of camaraderie and community support lavished on the youth of the parish also extends to other theatre companies and organizations. Since TBR’s closure, the performing arts denizens of the region have banded together to uplift each other, elevating their offerings, advertising each other’s shows, sharing production materials, and exploring how they can work together.
Todd Henry, the executive director of Playmakers of Baton Rouge, said that he has a lot of hope for the future of theatre in the city. “I have really nothing but positive hope … I’ve seen so many younger groups coming up, wanting to try different new things, which is great.” he said. “I’ve really seen a lot more just collective support and people really reaching out to each other.”
There’s also the sense that companies
“I think that the local theatre groups all have their nose to the grindstone and are continuing to produce their seasons,” Ellis said. “Hopefully providing opportunities for people that formerly exclusively volunteered with TBR, to let them know there are still options for them to express themselves through theatre in our community.”
“I hope that we expand, that we increase and not decrease, because we’ve lost a jewel in our city, and that was Theatre Baton Rouge. And I would just like to see our community theatre scene grow,” Brewster-Turner said. “I would love to see more collaboration among all of us.”
Community theatre veterans like Mayfield recognize the necessary changes that come with the loss of a legacy institution like TBR—the opportunity for renewal, for revitalization.
“I just think that it is super important that we take the loss of Theatre Baton Rouge and use it as a rallying cry for increased support in the arts for our city,” she said. “It might not be the same
theatre scene that we’ve been used to, but it’s going to shift, and it’s going to evolve, and as long as there are people to tell stories, and people that care in our community, then the theatre scene in Baton Rouge will thrive.”
For Indigo, the future of Baton Rouge’s theatre scene embraces diversity, in a way that reflects the community and takes creative chances—making theatre, truly, for everybody.
This year’s teen camp at Independence Park Theatre staged Beetlejuice Jr., with kids ages twelve to sixteen training for an upbeat musical in just three weeks.
Indigo said they haven’t seen an audience for these summer performances so large since 2009, suggesting the theatergoing public’s flinty resolve to support the performing arts in the wake of TBR’s closure. And the kids themselves—their confidence, friendship, and commitment—continue to inspire.
“I tell them all the time, especially my teenage kiddos, the way that you guys come together, accept one another, love on one another, and support one another—I want that to just infect the world,” Indigo said. “I want the world to be infected with the love, and the beauty, and the joy that they create here, because that's the world I want to live in.” 1
Top: Scene from UpStage Theatre's production of A Lesson Before Dying Courtesy of UpStage Theatre Company.
Bottom: Scene from Red Magnolia Theatre Company's production of Little Women.Courtesy of Red Magnolia Theatre Company.
What’s Onstage in the Capital Region
In the Greater Baton Rouge area, theatre is thriving—if you know where to look.
Sullivan Theater
Located in Central on—you guessed it—Sullivan Road, Sullivan Theater has the size to produce the big musicals and plays little theatres across the country make their bread and butter on. This fall, catch Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest from September 26–October 5. sullivantheater.com
225 Theatre Collective
A truly collaborative endeavor, 225 seeks to bring together artists of all stripes to engage in different creative opportunities, both on stage and behind the scenes. In addition to different kinds of shows, 225 offers workshops, classes, and art events. To support the collective, community members can submit donations or consider sponsorships. FRIGHT NIGHT—An Evening of Scary Monologues & Scenes runs October 23–25, while Peter Pan (Close Enough) runs November 14–16. 225theatrecollective.com
Independence Park Theatre
Part of BREC, the Independence Park Theatre can be rented out by other companies (so keep an eye out for their calendar of upcoming events), but also hosts a popular summer camp for children in which they produce a full-scale musical in three weeks. theparktheatre.com.
UpStage Theatre Company
Celebrating its twenty-third season, UpStage Theatre Company has made a name for itself in the Baton Rouge area for providing opportunities for African-American artists to expand their talents. When the historic Lincoln Theater opens in the coming months, UpStage will become the resident theatre company. Catch “An Evening of Performing Arts” on October 26. upstagetheatre.biz
Red Magnolia Theatre Company
Billed as a “women-focused community theater,” Red Magnolia produces shows either written by a female playwright or featuring strong female roles. It offers both main stage performances and a readers series. Girls in the Boat, by Alice Austen, will run September 27 and 28 at LSU's Rural Life Museum. redmagnoliatc.org
Louisiana Shakespeare Company
This two-year-old company does exactly what it sounds like: produces plays by William Shakespeare, making the bard’s often winding way with words accessible to modern audiences. Its motto is, “Shakespeare belongs to everyone.” The company’s latest show, The Tempest, just closed in August, so stay tuned for Storytime with Shakespeare and Stage Combat Workshops offered through its programming. lashakes.org.
Playmakers of Baton Rouge
For many children in the Baton Rouge area, they have their first theatre experience on a carpet square, watching actors perform beloved classics that inspire and entertain kids of all ages. In addition to workshops and classes, stay tuned for upcoming performances at playmakersbr.org
Ascension Community Theatre
For twenty-five years, ACT has been bringing quality theatre to Ascension Parish, with high-energy seasons packed full of audience favorites. Don’t miss Steel Magnolias playing September 4–14. actgonzales.org
Central Community Theatre
Since 2007, CCT has been “bringing Broadway to Central” in venues across the Baton Rouge area. Annie Jr. is slated for November 10–15. centralcommunitytheatre.org
CYT Baton Rouge
An after-school theatre arts training program, Christian Youth Theater is an affiliate of the national organization and works with kids ages four to eighteen, producing several shows a year. Christian Community Theater, for adults, also offers one fulllength, Broadway-style musical a year. CYT will perform Narnia October 23–25 at Abundant Life Church in Denham Springs. cytbatonrouge.org
Louisiana Youth Theatre
Newly formed and launching its inaugural season, LYT (pronounced “light”) was created by youth, for youth. Its first show is Aladdin Jr., running September 13 and 14 at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. louisianayouththeatre.org.
Dance to Death
TWENTY YEARS AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA, A LANDMARK ARTISTIC COLLABORATION
RETURNS TO NEW ORLEANS, THIS TIME CELEBRATING THE CITY'S SURVIVAL
Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
It was November 21, 2008 in New Orleans, three years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall and the levees broke; three years since the city went hunderwater. Much of the population that had called the city home was still, slowly, finding its way back after so suddenly and traumatically losing every thing. Some never would return. The city itself was be ing arduously reassembled, brick by brick, the memo ry of all that had been lost clashing against a stubborn spirit of hope. And across the world, people struggled to understand: Why rebuild such a vulnerable, unlikely city at all?
That night, at the Dixon Concert Hall at Tulane University (all other major performance venues in the city were still under repair), an audience of around one thousand New Orleanians waited for a response of fered by a groundbreaking collaboration of artists both of and inspired by the city, who promised to proclaim: this, this is why
“We thought, ‘How can we be a part of spreading the message worldwide that the creativity of the city is alive, that there are things happening here?” said Jenny Hamilton, the Executive Director of the New Or
The show began in the sudden, spontaneous way of New Orleans’s mesmerizing street jazz performances, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band erupting into the standard rag, “That’s a Plenty.” Dancers from the Trey McIntyre Project played the part. Dressed in the garish, over-the-top style of Carnival, their limbs reached and shimmied and kicked in the intuitive, corporeal joy imposed by the band’s syncopated rhythms. They were familiar, but they were not meant to be people. Each one wore a mask, a skull. They were dancing skeletons.
For McIntyre, the metaphor of the second line felt resonant in the New Orleans of that time, when the city was still on its knees, sustained—more than anything—by the hope and sporadic joy woven into its very cultural fabric.
“In New Orleans, I feel like the day-to-day is so much about living your life because of the presence of death,” said McIntyre. The awareness of our own ephemerality grants all the more reason to embrace pleasure and joy alike. At the same time, observing what has been lost, and granting the space to mourn and wail over it through ritual, lets celebration in, and allows us to survive it.
Responding to the anthems of Preservation Hall, the dancers, as macabre jesters, shifted between unison and chaos, play and ritual, humor and darkness, technical mastery and improvisation. The Times Picayune’s reviewer, Chris Waddington, called the performance a “unique artistic triumph,” akin to Mardi Gras, “the dark revel that only makes sense when you’ve gone through a hurricane season, buried a few friends, and danced in a second line parade with tears in your eyes.”
in New Orleans, they don’t have time for bullshit, and I knew that I wanted to be a conduit and representative of the people there.” Before he even began choreographing, he spent intentional time in the city, speaking with culture bearers and listening to what was important to them. “It’s a special thing, being an artist in that way, getting to step into different cultures as sort of an archaeologist, and getting certain kinds of access that has a real purpose behind it.”
From the beginning, Hamilton and McIntyre knew that New Orleans jazz would be a centerpiece of the project. They just needed the right musicians. McIntyre spent weeks visiting local jazz halls. “I think the thing for me about Prez Hall was twofold,” he said. “One was the connection to the genre’s most historical roots, this true preservation of the style that spoke to what is the flavor and experience of the city. And the other thing was meeting Ben Jaffe.”
“It was this immediate meeting of the minds of these two creative geniuses,” said Hamilton of McIntyre’s collaboration with Jaffe, the longtime creative director of Preservation Hall Jazz Band. “It was incredible.”
“Great artistic collaborations are one of the joys of my life,” said Jaffe. “You get to learn about another person’s creative process, really immersing yourself in a new world, beginning to see where you can contribute to that world, and where your worlds overlap.”
As dance is a core quality of New Orleans music, Jaffe said it was nothing new to join his work to movement. “But it was a different sort of interpretation,” he said. “We got to learn a lot about movement and timing and the things these kinds of dancers respond to.”
As for McIntyre, he found the improvisational
Dancers from the Trey McIntyre Project in the original 2008 production of "Ma Maison," courtesy of Trey McIntyre.
BODYTRAFFIC dancers from the 2025 production of "Ma Maison," photo by Trey McIntyre.
quality of jazz a worthy challenge to his exacting approach to choreography. “There was a big kind of letting go that had to happen working with a live band, and seeing the opportunities that come from that, how a dancer might interpret or color a movement differently from show to show, and it’s lovely in its own way.”
A Victorious Return
Seventeen years since “Ma Maison’s” premiere, marking the twentieth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, McIntyre is returning to New Orleans in November to reprise “Ma Maison” with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and his Los Angeles dance troupe BODYTRAFFIC.
“It feels so right to restage the show again,” said Jaffe. “I’m old enough to know the importance of marking anniversaries, these important moments to acknowledge and reflect on the biggest events in all our lives . . . This performance became a pillar moment in my life. This creation, it helped us, as a band, to take the next step forward to move the city forward, to move ourselves forward, to move our lives forward.”
Now, returning to New Orleans in 2025, “Ma Maison” holds a new meaning. “When you say, ‘Katrina,’ and you say ’twenty years,’ that takes every single one of us back to what we were doing when the storm hit, and the weeks and months and years afterward,” said Hamilton. “We have a million stories. And it’s still difficult, the lives that were lost. But there’s something celebratory, too, in the sense that as a city we are still here. We came out of what was complete and utter devastation and stood up as a city and said, ‘New Orleans matters. It matters to the country. It matters to the world.’ And that’s what we’re celebrating with this restaging.”
In addition to “Ma Maison,” NOBA’s November performance by McIntyre’s BODYDANCE and Preservation Hall Jazz Band will feature a reprisal of the collaboration’s companion piece, “The Sweeter End.” Meant as a counterpoint to “Ma Maison,” the dance is inspired by New Orleans’s embrace of pleasure, “the quietness, and
the juiciness, and the utter joy of what it is to be a human being,” said McIntyre.
But the production will actually open with a never-before-performed-in-New Orleans work by McIntyre called “MayDay,” which also carries with it themes of death and living with relish, this time as an homage to Buddy Holly, who had an enormous early influence on rock and roll, and died in a plane crash at the age of twenty-two. “When we think about what’s valuable in our life, to have lived a life that’s short and have contributed that much . . .” said McIntyre. “The dance has this red airplane that hovers over the dancers, with this sort of impending feeling of death, but at the same time, the dancers are having relationships, they’re endeavoring to live a life there, even knowing that one day it’ll all be over.”
Brought together, the new production once again hones in on the dichotomous nature of our New Orleans, indulging in all its contradictions, articulating the duality of this city—a city of death, a city of life, where ecstasy ripples right through grief, coexisting in a singular form of survival unlike anywhere else on earth.
“Victory,” said Jaffe, of what the audience should expect to feel, watching the performance in November. “Emotionally, the audience will walk away with a feeling of victory.” 1 nobadance.com.
BODYTRAFFIC dancer from the 2025 production of "Ma Maison," photo by Trey McIntyre.
54 MEET TWO OF BATON ROUGE'S MOST INSPIRED SPIRIT HANDLERS // 56 RECIPES FOR YOUR NEXT HAPPY HOUR // 57 SOUP ÇON • SEPTEMBER 2025
HAPPY HOUR
ALCHEMY
Raising the Bar
MEET THE MAKERS REDEFINING COCKTAIL CULTURE IN THE CAPITAL CITY
Story by Elizabeth Chubbuck Weinstein • Photos by Molly C. McNeal & Lucie Monk Carter
Though ubiquitous on bar and restaurant menus today, not all cocktails are created equal. Some are truly works of art, elevating a meal or experience, perfectly balanced and picture-perfect.
In Baton Rouge, two mixologists of note are raising expectations for what a cocktail can and should be: Maranda Howell, owner and founder of The Tipsy Librarian, and Alan Walter, Baton Rouge’s first James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
Howell’s mission is aimed at “demystifying” cocktail-making for the “cocktail curious.” Walter, on the other hand, refers to himself as a “spirit handler,” an alchemist who is constantly experimenting. I recently had the good fortune to sample their creations and discuss with them the ins and outs of our local cocktail culture. Before heading out, I did a little research on the origin of the word “cocktail.” I’ll just say: it’s not what you think. My deep dive revealed a dark side of the … horse industry. The word is theorized to have originally referenced the controversial practice called “gingering,” in which a seller would insert a raw ginger suppository into a horse’s rear, encourag-
ing the horse to attractively “cock its tail.”
One of the first uses of the word in reference to an alcoholic drink is found in the New York newspaper, The Balance and Columbian Repository, in 1806, which provided the definition of “a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.” Invented in New Orleans around 1838, the traditional Sazerac fits this description and is one of the oldest cocktails in America.
Soon, all mixed drinks were being referred to as cocktails—that is, until 1862 when Jerry Thomas wrote How to Mix Drinks: or, A Bon Vivant’s Companion to differentiate the cocktail from other types of alcoholic libations. Among his recipes were ten that used bitters, including the martini. The highball was introduced in the 1890s, a drink without bitters composed of only distilled spirits and a mixer. Bartenders began referring to drinks made the “old-fashioned way” as “Old Fashioneds” to distinguish them from newer methods.
“A cocktail should be a vacation in a glass,” said Howell, sitting at the bar top in her cocktail school, The Tipsy Librarian—which she opened in Towne Center almost two years ago. She chuckled as she told me that she really is a librarian. For years she worked at Catholic High’s library. Then one day, after dropping her
son off at college in South Carolina, she had her first perfect cocktail. “For the first time ever, I realized that a cocktail could be beautiful to look at and to taste, that they could be delightfully complex, interesting, and delicious.”
Without any prior bar or restaurant experience, Howell is a self-taught mixologist. She spent hours attending celebrated mixologist Toby Maloney's bartender trainings and studying his book, The Bartender's Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro. Now, Maloney is a personal friend of Howell’s. After mastering the skills, Howell opened “the space [she] wished always existed” to empower others to create adult beverages at home.
Her private and group classes at The Tipsy Librarian encompass set-ups to make three cocktails and come with takehome recipes on library cards, as well as Uber vouchers. “By the third drink, everyone is best friends!” she said. In addition to talking about the drinks’ histories, Howell explains each ingredient’s role (“how the spirit is behaving”), what can go wrong (“identify the point of no return”) and how to correct it. She is confident that “with proper precision, a cocktail should come out the same each time and never be a surprise.” Encouraging her guests to be adventurous, she likes to remind them that “you have to train your palate. Take three sips before you decide if you like it or not.”
While Howell takes an educational approach to mixology, Alan Walter, in his practice, aspires to introduce “a sense of wonder” into the cocktail experience. I first met Walter a few years ago and quickly became a fan of his imaginative drinks. While at Brakes Bar on Government Street, he gained a local reputation for mixing exotic spirits and liquors with fresh bitters, syrups, and juices that he
Cocktails from Maranda Howell's Tipsy Librarian class. Photo by Molly C. McNeal.
Maranda Howell (at the head of the table), teaching her cocktail class at the Tipsy Librarian. Photo by Molly C. McNeal.
prepares himself, and using garnishes like fresh herbs or flowers from his garden. For a special touch, he serves his drinks in his own personal collection of vintage glassware.
For all their beauty, what really sets Walter’s cocktails apart is his tendency to use unusual —what he calls “playful”— ingredients. He told me his talent comes naturally: “I grew up being a small-town boy going on edible plant walks … take a strange ingredient like Spanish Moss. Why not? It’s not [any] more impressive than a grapefruit.” I once asked Walter to create a special beverage for the opening of an art exhibition I curated, and he produced a frothy egg white-topped confection using gin infused with dandelion roots. He has even made margaritas with pine needles. An artist in his own right,
he modestly said, “If you absorb what others have done, then you can create your own.”
After years in the industry, Walter is finally striking out on his own, launching a cocktail-catering business, which will offer tailor-made seasonal drink menus for special occasions and intimate affairs. He likes the idea of celebrating “elopement after-parties.” Called Sprezzatura after the Italian phrase that means “effortless grace,” the endeavor’s name is highly appropriate for someone known to casually add a sprig of sweet olive or a magnolia blossom to a tall-glassed Tom Collins. To introduce his new concept, Walters held a speakeasy cocktail tasting event at The Guru in May.
The enduring intrigue of speakeasies stands alongside the ingenuity we asso-
ciate with the craft cocktail movement, both of which we owe to Prohibition in the 1920s and ‘30s. The difficulty of obtaining wine and beer encouraged innovation in mixology, introducing added sweeteners like honey, fruit juices, and flavorings to mask the inferior taste of bathtub gin. Tropical Tiki drinks were all the rage in the 1940s, with rum-based beverages like the mai tai, zombie, and New Orleans’s own hurricane. The afternoon cocktail hour became a suburban home ritual in the 1950s with the introduction of mass-produced commercial liquor. Despite the James Bond-influenced martini trend of the sixties (“shaken not stirred”)—cocktails declined in popularity through the 1970s. Our most recent fascination with craft cocktails emerged in the late 1980s and ‘90s, spurred by a handful of inventive mixologists in New York, who were inspired by the creativity of the past. The trend quickly spread
to San Francisco and Chicago, and to New Orleans with the opening of Cure in 2009.
Holding her own speakeasy-of-sorts at The Tipsy Librarian, Howell invited Walter to team up at an event that I was fortunate to attend. The appreciative audience included repeat customers from Howell’s classes—I met a woman and her daughter who told me they have attended five lessons so far; fans of Walter’s—more than one couple, including myself and my husband, confessed to having endowed him with handpicked produce in the past; neighbors and friends; and even a young woman who was departing for London early the next morning—she just didn’t want to miss the occasion. While everyone mingled and chatted, Howell and Walter performed their magic, producing one beautiful and imaginative cocktail after another, stirring our imagi-
To book Walter at Sprezzatura, call or text 504-931-8071. Visit thetipsylibrarian.com to see Howell’s class offerings.
Alan Walter and one of his artisanal concoctions. Photos by Lucie Monk Carter.
Photo by Molly C. McNeal.
The Tipsy Librarian’s Amaro Sour
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Amaro Montenegro
3/4 oz. Russell’s Reserve 10 Year bourbon
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/4 oz. honey syrup*
12 drops Crude Sycophant bitters (available at The Tipsy Librarian)
Fresh orange peel
Directions
Shake all ingredients with ice until well-aerated. Double strain over fresh ice in an on-the-rocks-style glass. Express orange peel over the top, and leave as garnish.
*For the honey syrup, combine three-parts honey to one-part warm water. Mix well. Store in refrigerator.
Alan Walter’s Cantaloupe Cocktail
Ingredients
2 oz. fresh cantaloupe juice
1 1/2 oz. London Dry gin
3/4 oz. dry vermouth
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 egg white
8-10 drops fresh horseradish juice
Lemon zest, tiny flakes
Directions
Dry shake first six ingredients. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a coupe glass (stem glass with a rounded, shallow bowl). Using an eyedropper, apply 8-10 drops of fresh horseradish juice on top of the egg white froth, and add a little lemon zest.
By CR Editorial Staff
Magnolia Pantry Takes Up Residence Downtown Lafayette
At Lafayette’s Moncus Park Farmer’s Market, for years, shoppers could perfectly pair a handpie bursting with seasonal fruit filling with a refreshing lavender lemonade— treats that were thoughtfully made, delicious, and pretty, too. When Korey Champagne of Acadiana Slice Pies noticed customers’ tendency to treat his and Alexis Badon’s Magnolia Moon Herbals’ separate booths as a one-stop shop, he suggested they go into business together. In February 2024, under the umbrella of Magnolia Pantry, the two won One Acadiana’s Small Business Challenge, scoring a brick-and-mortar home in the historic Sans Souci building in downtown Lafayette. As of early August, their tea and pie shop is finally open for business. magnoliapantry.com.
The Saga of the Mona Lisa
All’s well that ends well for this New Orleans restaurant saga: when the beloved Italian cafe on Royal Street, Mona Lisa Restaurant, announced that it would be forced to close (via a drawing of a skeleton drinking wine and a handwritten message “Realtor said we have to vacate?” placed on the door), the city rallied. A neighborhood institution that has been around for almost forty years, the restaurant faced eviction after new owners purchased their building. In response, New Orleanians organized a protest, titled “Night of 1,000 Mona Lisas”—inviting the masses to invade the block on August 16 dressed as da Vinci’s muse. Now, though, the event has evolved into a massive celebration following the announcement that the building’s new owners have agreed to a new arrangement. “We love this city and the community, and couldn’t imagine not being a part of it,” wrote Mona Lisa’s owners in a statement. “Now it seems as though we won’t have to!” monalisaneworleans.com.
Dubai Chocolate Takeover
It’s been almost two years since FIX Dessert Chocolatier’s Dubai handcrafted chocolate bar—a confection made with pistachio-tahini cream and knafeh—went wildly viral on TikTok. Caroline Merryman, owner of Caroline’s Cookies, admitted that when she launched her version of a Dubai Chocolate cookie in August she figured she was late to the game. The response has proven otherwise; in her shops across Lafayette and Baton Rouge, she can’t keep the flavor on the shelves. Most mornings, there is a line out the door at opening time, and she frequently runs out of stock before noon. Responding to the frenzy, she has promised that September will bring a new twist to the popular recipe. Stay tuned at eatcarolinescookies.com.
Monroe-West Monroe Restaurant Week Takes Off
It’s dinner time up north—from September 15–21, Discover Monroe-West Monroe is hosting its annual Restaurant Week, during which more than twenty four local restaurants will offer prix fixe menu options and specials ranging from $10–$50. Some participating restaurants include Parish Restaurant, Delta Biscuit, Waterfront Grill, Flying Heart Brewing & Pub, Okaloosa, and many more. monroe-westmonroe.org/mwm-restaurant-week.
Caroline Cookies's Dubai chocolate cookie, photo courtesy of Caroline's Cookies.
Outdoors
OUR SUSTAINABLE GARDEN
Where the Coneflowers Grow
VISITING COPENHAGEN HILLS, ONE OF LOUISIANA'S RAREST LANDSCAPES
Story by Jess Cole
Ihmet C.C. Lockwood five years ago, over a kayak sale.
I had been searching for a new hboat, when I came across his post online, requesting the craft to be picked up at his tiny cottage of an office in downtown St. Francisville.
The friendship was sealed, though, over coneflowers. The vintage touring kayak turned out to have several additional pieces to it, which C.C. kept finding and dropping off on the porch of my Baton Rouge Garden District home. There were pieces of narrow old styrofoam for balance, and skirts to keep out water (which, I, far less bold and experienced of a kayaker than C.C., would never use). One day, I was home when he came by. It was midsummer and my front yard was blooming, en masse, with stands of purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea.
C.C., struck by the wildflowers, remarked that they reminded him of the echinacea he encountered at Copenhagen Hills, a preserve in North Louisiana. He had spent time there five years prior, working on his book, Louisiana Wild, which highlights Nature Conservancy
preserves across the state.
I had never heard of this place, but began to study it with gusto—vowing to myself that I would convince this new friend of mine to bring me to Copenhagen Hills.
Fast forward another five years, and we are now living in the same town, and finally, this much-anticipated trip was to come to fruition. C.C. suggested we wait till the end of July for the best purple coneflower display.
Copenhagen Hills could perhaps be considered the most important ecological site within our state; to say it's a botanical gem is an understatement. Because it was historically unsuitable for mass monoculture crops such as soybeans or cotton, its steep hills have been left largely untouched. The preserve is located just outside of Columbia, Louisiana above the Ouachita River—two and a half hours northeast of St. Francisville and forty minutes directly south of Monroe.
These hills are home to calcareous soils with high clay content, which foster twenty-six rare plant species, twelve of which have never been
documented anywhere else in Louisiana. The site is exceptionally concentrated in native woody plants. It is believed that, likely, there are more native woody species here per square mile than anywhere else in the United States, outside of Florida.
Will Degravelles, land steward and restoration ecologist for the Louisiana chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), met us at Copenhagen Hills to guide us through some of the prairies. He was there partially for a weekend adventure and partially on the clock. A knowledgeable botanist and forester, Degravelles has been visiting the prairies often as of late, filled with gratitude at the chance to spend more time in the woods than behind a computer. In preparation for a much-anticipated land restoration process, he and a fellow comrade have been marking significant woody species and pockets of woody specimens he deems worthy to remain within the prairie space and not be selectively removed. Though this year's coneflower display did not match C.C.'s expecations based on his previous visits, we did encounter
the flowers dotted throughout the prairies, some of the only herbaceous blooms still standing before the fall display to come. I realized for the first time that I had never before now encountered naturally occurring Echinacea purpurea, a bizarre revelation of a perennial so easy to grow within the cultivated landscape. I scan over hundreds of echinacea blooms each summer day within my perennial gardens. It is a forever joy to witness a native plant within one of its naturally occurring ecological systems. The experience offers an opportunity to survey why and how this plant has come to call this space home. The sporadic echinacea and silphium blooms were dispersed among acres of faded bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), and expanses of warm season grasses. I had come for the flowers, but DeGravelles gave us a lagniappe education on some extraordinarily rare native woody species. I was especially impacted by the oaks unique to the space—particularly the rare and endangered Oglethorpe Oak (Quercus oglethorpensis), thus far only found in extremely isolated pockets
Purple coneflowers growing at Copenhagen Hills. Photo by C.C. Lockwood.
in the southeast. The various hawthornes held my attention, as well. Altogether, these trees create a near unbelievable and thriving ecosystem from a perfect composite of earth elements. It causes me to daydream of the infinite other complex ecological communities that humans have erased with no comprehension or regret.
Both DeGravelles and C.C. are unsure of why the echinacea display at Copenhagen Hill seems to be diminished this year. There could be various factors related to climate change that have altered the space or timeline in the past decade, but, more likely, fire—or rather, the lack of it—is the culprit. Fire has a deep symbiotic relationship with various ecosystems and especially that of the prairie—which historically has been sustained by routine burns, keeping the grasslands open and thriving. The fires came from both natural happenstance and intentional burning by Native peoples. It is, of course, hard to know how often these fires impacted the land, but many find it safe to assume that historically, the burns averaged a biennial occurrence. But the preserve has not seen a burn since 2006, a decade even before C.C. began studying it.
Today, TNC has finally gotten the funding needed to begin restoring the Copenhagen Hill prairie, which depends on regular burns and selective management of the encroaching woody species. At a time when our lands are nationally facing the threat of losing protection, it
September Plant Spotlight: Echinacea Purpurea, Purple Coneflower
The forever faithful show-stopping purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, I herald as the queen of the perennial garden, native or not. Not only are the blooms profuse from spring to fall, the coneflower also makes an excellent cut flower. It returns with vigor each year from its root stock and reseeds with splendor, spreading through the garden readily but not too aggressively. Grow one, and there is never another need to buy seeds or a plant again. Purple coneflower also has a long medicinal history and is used by many of my herbalist friends for various purposes. This is an excellent perennial for both winter garden interest and winter wildlife benefit. Do not cut back your coneflowers; the seed heads offer much food and the pithy stems are perfect for overwintering native bees in your garden. My personal echinacea is often devoured, in its entirety, by the silvery checkerspot butterfly it hosts. I used to be sad to “lose” the plant to them, but now I watch the show with pride.
was invigorating to visit a natural space more protected than any other I have set foot upon. It was encouraging to observe it in the good hands of TNC and a deeply passionate land steward such as DeGravelles. Louisiana is perhaps one of the most biodiverse states in America, yet nearly ninety percent of the land is still privately held. Copenhagen Hills is a reminder
that all is not lost, that we humans and our deep, innate, seemingly biological need to control the natural world can actually coexist symbiotically.
Toward the end of the day, as magnificent storm clouds began to roll in, C.C. and I left DeGravelles alone in R. Dales Prairie (named after the late R. Dale Thomas, professor of botany at the Uni-
versity of Louisiana-Monroe) to continue his woody species marking on a serene prairie remnant, on a slope surrounded by a great undulation of land . . . an oddly divine view the average Louisianan is not blessed to experience. 1
To support the work of TNC, visit preserve.nature.org.
SEPTEMBER 2025
Culture
60 A NEW ORLEANS COMPANY DEDICATED TO TENNESSEE WILLIAMS BEATS THE ODDS //62 REVIEW: "SHE DANCED WITH A REDFISH" // 64 THE BARD IN BATON ROUGE // 65 COMING IN 2026: THE INAUGURAL NEW ORLEANS OPERA FESTIVAL // 66 DO THE LOUISIANA TWO STEP, HIGH AND BRIGHT BACKSTAGE PASS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
A Streetcar Named Success
HOW THE TENNESSEE WILLIAMS THEATRE COMPANY OF NEW ORLEANS BECAME ONE OF THE HOTTEST TICKETS IN THE SOUTH
Story by Zac Thriffiley
On first glance, Big Daddy hPollitt’s mansion looks like a house not meant to stand. Walls shoot upward and loom over the family at crooked angles. Mosquito nets hang from the ceiling, haunting as ghosts. A birthday cake lays in ruins on an antique dresser.
From the darkness, a voice calls out, “Places for the top of act three!”
If Big Daddy’s home threatens to sink into the marshes of the Mississippi Delta, the same cannot be said of the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans (TWTC), which closed out its
tenth anniversary season with Williams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in August.
In fact, TWTC and its national reputation appear sturdier than ever, at a time when theatre companies across the country struggle to recover from the reverberations of pandemic-related closures, combined with fresh uncertainty over funding for the performing arts.
Co-founded in 2015 by Augustin J. Correro and Nick Shackleford, TWTC started out as a way to introduce Williams’s lesser-known works and brilliance to his “spiritual hometown.”
“Our first production was Kingdom of Earth, which we opened in the rec room of the St. Charles Avenue Christian Church with fifty-five seats for audience members,” Correro recalled. “And we only had about $5,000 that we had fundraised from friends and community members, so we pulled it off on a very shoestring budget.”
“It was risky to do a lesser-known Williams play,” Shackleford added, “but the material resonated with the community. So, we decided to take a bigger risk with our next production.” That play would be Small Craft Warnings, another late-era
Williams production that other companies considered too obscure to produce.
“It was a wild adventure, because we set this play that takes place in a bar in an actual bar—Mag’s 940 on Elysian Fields. But then we walked in one day, and the owners had put up their Christmas decorations. So, we said, ‘Well, I guess the show’s set at Christmas now!’”
There’s a long tradition in New Orleans of producing theatre in unconventional spaces. But it didn’t take long for more established institutions to take note of the impressive work Correro and Shackleford were doing on a consistent basis. In 2019,
From the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company production of A Streetcar Named Desire
All photos courtesy of the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans.
Dr. Laura Hope, the chair and artistic director for the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance at Loyola University New Orleans, invited TWTC to become the resident theatre company at Loyola.
“And in that first year at Loyola,” Correro says, “we were getting ready to open In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel, and we had even brought in an actor from New York to play one of the roles, when the university announced that we needed to shut down because of the pandemic.”
TWTC joined the thousands of theatres across the United States that were forced to go dark for eighteen months or more. And when pan demic protocols finally eased in 2021, the costs of labor and building materials started to rise, putting significant financial strain on institu tions that had been around for generations and were still struggling to get back on their feet.
According to American Theatre, more than thirty major regional the atres have permanently closed their doors since 2020, including several in Louisiana. Southern Rep in New Orleans closed in 2022 after lay ing off many of their staff during the pandemic and struggling to regain their audience base. Just this year, Theatre Baton Rouge (TBR)—one of the oldest community theatres in the country—announced that it was closing in the middle of its 79th season, with Board President Andrea Tettleton saying that TBR was “a victim of long COVID.”
“We were lucky because we didn’t have a mortgage to pay,” said Shackleford. “And we do a lot of our own marketing and box office op erations, so we were able to limit our overhead costs while we waited to figure out what to do next.”
“Next” wouldn’t happen until the spring of 2022, when TWTC fi nally opened their production of Christopher Durang’s For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls, a spoof of Williams’s plays that Correro had cast nearly two years earlier. For the company, the end of pandemic signaled a rebirth as they filled in the void left behind by so many shuttered ven ues.
“We watched as other companies lost their audiences,” Correro said. “But we had the opposite experience. People wanted to come back. We were selling out performances like crazy.” When TWTC finally pro duced A Streetcar Named Desire in 2024, they extended the original sold-out, three-week run by an additional three weeks and set a compa ny record for most profit raised from a single production.
Now, local and national organizations have taken note of the work Correro and Shackleford are doing and have offered even more resourc es to expand their programming. Gambit Weekly named TWTC the “Best Local Theater Company." A grant from the New Orleans Theatre Association allowed the company to remount shows that had been can celed due to the pandemic and the subsequent series of hurricanes that swept through the Gulf. The Tennessee Williams Theater Festival in Provincetown, MA, invited Correro to bring his production of Clothes for a Summer Hotel to an interested audience of New England arts lov ers. And earlier this year, TWTC announced that they were the recipi ent of a grant from The Shubert Foundation, the nation’s largest provid er of unrestricted arts funding in the country.
“We had applied for the grant before,” Shackleford said, “and we didn’t get it, but the board wanted to have a conversation with us. And they said they would love to see us produce newer, original works.”
This led Correro to start developing more experimental pieces inspired by the work of Tennessee Williams, but completely original in concept and execution. First, there was The Six Blanches, a play in which six actresses explored different aspects of Williams’s most famous heroine within the storied walls of the Historic New Orleans Collection.
“But my most twisted idea by far,” Correro said, “has been The Felt Menagerie. I had this idea to give voice to all the thoughts and feelings that go unspoken in Williams’s plays, but I wanted those voices to come from the mouths of professionally designed puppets.” Bold perhaps, but the Shubert Foundation clearly saw the idea as a risk worth taking.
When it comes to 'what's next,' Shackleford and Correro aren’t afraid to admit that they’re dreaming big. “One of our long-term goals is that we want to have a Tennessee Williams Cultural Arts Center that can be a museum during the day, but a fully staffed performance venue in the evenings—some place where we can bring the genius of this playwright not only to New Orleans, but to audiences and tourists from around the world as well.”
Back at Loyola’s Marquette Theater, Correro stood in front of the stage with his arms lifted like a conductor before a world-class orchestra.
“Okay, everyone, take your bows. You’ve earned it.” He smiled. “But then we’re doing it again.” 1 twtheatrenola.com
From top to bottom, shots from Tennessee Williams Theatre Company productions: top two photos, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; bottom, Penny Dreadful.
Widow Paris to the Stage
CAROLYN NUR WISTRAND'S NEW PLAY HUMANIZES
AND MYTHOLOGIZES
MARIE
LAVEAU
AND NINETEENTH CENTURY NEW ORLEANS
Story by Alexandra Kennon Shahin
In St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 on Basin Street in New Orleans, Marie Laveau’s tomb is the City of the Dead’s biggest draw. The site is so popular that the Catholic diocese controlling the cemetery has imposed strict limits on even happroved tour groups coming through to see it. They must take turns, patiently waiting for the prior group to snap their photos before getting a closer look. When they finally face the oft-vandalized brick and stucco tomb, it is covered in scrawled “x”s and littered with offerings: liquor bottles, cosmetics, cigarettes, hair ties, flowers. What is left of Laveau’s bones may be interred here (though even that is up for debate), but this place also serves as a reminder of the way she persists in the living world of New Orleans myth.
It is these two distinct-yet-inseparable versions of Laveau as human and legend whom Carolyn Nur Wistrand depicts in her two-act play She Danced with a Redfish, which had its world premiere in 2017 at Cook Theater at Dillard University, New Orleans, where Wistrand is a professor of drama and English. The story centers on Laveau’s spiritual awakening as she becomes the “Widow Paris,” losing her husband and unborn child while simultaneously accumulating the power which would eventually lead to her status as the “Voudou Queen of New Orleans.”
Some plays are best performed on stage and never read; thankfully, this is not one of those, and earlier this year UL Press published it in book-form. Even with relatively minimal stage directions, Wistrand manages to depict Laveau’s world on St. Ann Street viscerally, leaning into drama and magical realism to let the audience’s imagination fill gaps intentionally left vague. Photographs from the original production at Dillard assist in filling in the vision, as well. It is easy to imagine how a theatre director might be drawn to producing She Danced with a Redfish, assuming they could guarantee a strong cast of Black or Creole actors to carry it: the setting is relatively simple and fixed at Laveau’s home, and historical accuracy would likely be the biggest hurdle for the otherwise simple staging.
A scene from the original production of Carolyn Nur Wistrand's play, She Danced with a Redfish, at Dillard University. Women of Vieux Carré: Kasey King, Jocilyn Johnson, Cierra Brown, Loreal Armstead, Sydney Jack, Jada Williams; Destani Smith as Sanité Dédé; Rashella Mariá Marie Laveau; Sterling Miller as Bras-Coupé. Images courtesy of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Press.
The “Women of the Vieux Carre”—named Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday— act as a chorus, establishing the scene and forwarding the narrative throughout. Wistrand’s use of a chorus conjures the feel of a Greek or Roman play, which draws interesting parallels between the mythology and theatre of New Orleans and that of ancient Greece. A devotee of both, I was inspired by this play to consider connections I never before noticed, depicting Laveau with raw human emotion, tragedy, and power not unlike Sophocles’s Antigone or Euripides’s Medea.
Of course, this play is not set in ancient Greece—it takes place in early nineteenth-century New Orleans, a time and place that is subject to a great deal of mythologizing itself. Wistrand takes care to weave in references that glimpse what that world might have been like for a free woman of color in Laveau’s position. It’s a world that remembers Saint-Domingue, where the Haitian Revolution occurred and where Laveau’s husband, Jacques Paris was born; a world shaped by the Code Noir, which governed enslaved individuals in French-owned New Orleans. There are references to the 1811 German Coast Uprising, the largest rebellion of enslaved people in American history; to Congo Square, where enslaved people and free people of color gathered on Sundays to chant, drum, and trade goods; and to Bayou Road, which was and continues to be a stronghold of Black and Creole communities. Pere Antoine, Spanish priest of St. Louis Cathedral at the time, makes an appearance in conversation; as do placage balls, where it’s said married European men would go to find Creole mistresses.
The play is character-driven, and these subjects are addressed through imagined members of Laveau’s orbit. One is her friend, Colette, who is mistress to a French captain and has Laveau style her hair for placage balls. Another is Dr. John, Laveau’s more sinister Voudou priest counterpart who was also a real person, purportedly entombed in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, not far from Laveau.
Those looking for a historically accurate telling of Laveau’s life in She Danced with a Redfish will be disappointed; offended, even. In the process of praising the work, author and UNO professor Niyi Osundare called it the product of an “audacious imagination,” and this rings true. But those who have studied Marie Laveau know better than to expect a realistic biography in the first place, because too little is known about Laveau’s life for that to be possible. Though she was a real person—a flesh and bone free woman of color who lived in a cottage on St. Ann and was baptized at St. Louis Cathedral, and who (at least allegedly) is interred in St. Louis Cemetery—our lack of information and surplus of mythos relegate and elevate her to the position of legend. It is within these confines that Wistrand contributes to Laveau’s ever-expanding tapestry of lore by vividly presenting her for the stage. 1 ulpress.org.
Treatments For Aging Oaks
• 2 to 3” layers of composted organic matter will fuel soil organisms. Create a forest ecosystem under your tree.
• Improve soil health (de-compact, aerate, improve drainage).
• Apply continuous small doses of elements: less nitrogen, more phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and beneficial soil microbes.
• Remove competition: remove turf, vines, shrubs, and other competing canopy.
• Expand resource space. Mulch open soil space.
• Prune to reduce mass (trim exterior crown weight). Support mass and control movement via installing tree support system, TSS’ (cables, brace rods, guys, and limb props).
• Protect high value trees from lightning.
• Manage against insects and disease infection.
• Minimize injury and soil damage. Keep people and machines away.
The Bard Belongs to Everyone
INSIDE THE LOUISIANA SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S FIRST FESTIVAL, WHEN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND TOOK OVER DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE
Story by Kristin Kirschner • Photos by Maggie Moroney
Though the ever-fickle forecast called for rough winds to shake the darling buds of May 10, the day of the inaugural Louisiana Shakespeare Festival proved to be more lovely and more temperate than any weatherman could have predicted.
Hosted by The Louisiana Shakespeare Company at The Capitol Park Museum in downtown Baton Rouge, the event offered attendees the opportunity to watch scenes from Shakespearean plays, participate in stage combat workshops, make and write with period-accurate ink, and enjoy Renaissance costume displays and dance demonstrations. The festival’s impressive draw of families, theatre lovers, performers, and inquisitive newcomers alike transformed an otherwise sweltering corner of Louisiana into a lively slice of Elizabethan England—ruffles, rhymes, and all.
Such a spirited turnout surpassed what the founders of the Louisiana Shakespeare Company imagined when they formed their organization in August of 2023. Back then, Jennifer Bouquet (executive and artistic director), Katy Truluck (production manager), and Liz Odom Dalton (head of combat), were just three friends riding the post-show excitement of a Romeo and Juliet production. “There was just this feeling we all had of wanting to do more,” Bouquet recalls. The trio initially planned to independently stage Macbeth with a cast made up of their numerous talented friends, but scheduling
conflicts sidelined the production. Instead of allowing this setback to hamper the group’s momentum, Bouquet floated another idea to her partners: “Why don’t we make a company?” What followed was a summit that took place around Bouquet’s dining room table. “We just hashed it out,” Bouquet said. “We talked about the pros and the cons of making a company. . . and we always just kept landing on community as the most important thing of all.”
This community focus manifests most clearly in the Louisiana Shakespeare Company’s library program, which brings Shakespeare productions to underserved communities in East Baton Rouge and Tangipahoa parishes. “The mission of that program is to bring a free, child-friendly, interactive, fun performance to underserved communities that may not be exposed to this type of art,” Bouquet says. With a blend of fifty percent explanatory narration and fifty percent actual Shakespearean text, their format demystifies the language for audiences of all ages, many of whom will experience Shakespeare in their English Language Arts classes in middle school.
Even with the library program’s momentum and the popularity of the mainstage productions, the organizers were concerned about maintaining the public’s appetite for their offerings. Bourque explained, “One of the thoughts we had at first was, ‘What if people don't like Shakespeare as much as we do?’” But as the Bard himself wrote in Henry VIII, “Things done well, / And with a care, ex-
empt themselves from fear.”
The success of the first Louisiana Shakespeare Festival proved this sentiment to be true. Remarkably well-orchestrated, the engaging activities flowed seamlessly from the museum's outdoor spaces to its interior galleries. Dalton led riveting interactive stage combat demonstrations that captivated audience members with a behind-the-scenes look at the choreographed violence that makes Shakespeare's tragedies so thrilling. The energy was infectious as adults and children alike found themselves swept up in the theatrical joy of learning to slap each other (safely!).
Natalie Roy Mitchell, a Latin and Roman technology teacher at Glasgow Middle School, demonstrated the ancient Roman process of making gall ink. She invited attendees to make their own vials by mixing an iron solution with oak gall, the natural tree growths that form when bark is damaged by insects or the elements. With the feather quills and parchment provided, participants tested their ink, and practiced their fanciest lettering, with flair.
Adding to the enchantment of the day, Shakespeare himself and his regal patron Queen Elizabeth I mingled with the crowd, posing for photos and engaging visitors in character. Demonstrating that the community spirit can reach far beyond city or even state lines, these special guests, portrayed by Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire’s Jeff Wolfthall and Jules Schrader, flew down from Chicago to help bring the Bard’s festival to life.
In other sections of the festival, Marie Stagg's period costume exhibit allowed visitors to ogle at authentic Elizabethan England attire, while the Louisiane Vintage Dancers captivated audiences with demonstrations of Renaissance social dances. John Cavalier of Cavalier House Books brought a rich display of Shakespeare and Shakespeare-related books and poetry. Outdoor performances ran every fifteen minutes, featuring scenes and monologues from Shakespeare’s tragedies and comedies. This constant rotation ensured that the roughly 200 festival-goers—the most the museum had seen on a Saturday in years—could experience multiple facets of the company's work throughout the day.
For Bouquet, though, the success of the company and festival isn't measured solely in attendance numbers, but in its commitment to accessibility and community. This idea crystallizes in the company’s motto: “Shakespeare belongs to everyone.” Bouquet said they chose the word “belongs” deliberately. “Shakespeare may not be for everyone, and it might not be everybody's cup of tea, but he belongs to everybody, and everyone deserves to at least be able to try and have a good experience with Shakespeare.”
In a world where high culture can often feel intimidating or exclusive, the Louisiana Shakespeare Company and the triumph of their inaugural festival are a testament to the Bard's greatest stage direction of all: “the play's the thing–and everyone deserves to play!” 1 lashakes.org.
'TILL THE FAT LADY SINGS
Arias in the Quarter, Again
A STAR-STUDDED FESTIVAL RETURNS GRAND OPERA TO ITS ORIGINAL AMERICAN STAGE IN NEW ORLEANS
Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
In 2026, the 250th year since America gained its independence, New Orleans will also be celebrating a somewhat mystical alignment of anniversaries in hthe world of performing arts.
There is the centennial of Edna Ferber’s bestselling novel Show Boat, which inspired the first great American musical by the same name—joined by the 100th birthday of the “Father of American Opera,” Carlisle Sessions Floyd; as well as the 99th for New Orleans-born, internationally-acclaimed bass-baritone Norman Treigle.
And over it all: the 230th anniversary of André Ernest Grétry’s staging of Sylvain at the Théâtre St. Pierre in New Orleans, the first documented opera performance on American soil.
Meting these occasions in due fashion, the New Orleans Opera Association (NOOA) is doing what New Orleanians do best: hosting a festival of unprecedented grandeur. The inaugural New Orleans Opera Festival, to be held from March 24–April 1, will honor the city’s storied history as the American birthplace of the genre, the home of the first opera house in the country.
“Every new opera from the [European] continent premiered in America here, and then went to New York,” said Lila Palmer, an acclaimed British-American producer and librettist who joined NOOA as artistic director and CEO in 2024. “There were eight opera houses here, performing Italian, French, German, and English repertoire for everyone—including free people of color, Creoles, and the enslaved. No one was not touched by opera in the city. Opera is as foundational to the musical
identity of New Orleans as Congo Square and Acadie.”
Palmer noted that there has not been a focus on delivering full-scale professional opera in the French Quarter in over a century, since the 1919 burning of the city’s main opera venue, Théâtre de l’Opéra. That devastating blow to the city’s opera scene has been compounded in more recent years by the loss of the Theatre for the Performing Arts after Hurricane Katrina.
“This festival puts a living history back where it first bloomed,” she said, “and casts a vision and possibilities for the future.”
The star-studded festival will “go into the center of the opera world,” with multiple showings of four full-scale operas, as well as a series of concerts by international opera stars, according to NOOA Director of External Affairs Christopher Tidmore. “There really is something for everybody,” said Palmer, “[whether] you want your performance close and personal—with history unfolding right before your eyes—or if you want a romantic fantasy and the chance to be swept away to an earlier and more glamorous time, and just hear music that will break your heart and then uplift it.”
At the festival’s centerpiece are four intimate performances of Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites, to be staged in the Old Ursuline Convent with music by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO). Audiences limited to 250 will have “unparalleled access to the performers” of this French Revolution story about a group of Carmelite nuns who refused to renounce their vocation. (The real nuns who inspired the opera were canonized as saints by Pope Francis in Decem-
Engraving in book, America revisited: From the Bay of New York to the Gulf of Mexico, and from Lake Michigan to the Pacific, by Sala, George Augustus (1828-1895), volume II, published 1882.
ber 2024—in part due to a miracle that took place in New Orleans, when a Carmelite lay sister was reportedly cured of cancer after praying to them.) The cast will include Norman Treigle’s daughter, Phyllis and granddaughter, Emily—both nationally recognized operatic performers from New Orleans, as well as one of the hottest sopranos on the national opera circuit, Leah Hawkins. “This is going to be the equivalent of going to a super limited access private gig, in operatic terms, but at the most refined level possible,” said Palmer. “We expect it to be heavily oversold.”
There will also be two performances of Richard Strauss’s comic opera Der Rosenkavalier, which, according to Palmer, “is the one to choose if you like lush romantic film scores and historical fiction,” and concerns deeply human dramas including aging as a woman, coming of age as a young girl, loving more than one person, and navigating the complexities of class. The show, to be staged at the Mahalia Jackson Theater, will feature opera superstars, including soprano Amanda Majeski, conductor David Neely, and Tony award-winning director Melly Still.
When planning the festival, the centennial of the novel that inspired Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern’s Mississippi River musical Show Boat felt, to Palmer, too good an opportunity to pass up. “Having a showboat available on the Mississippi River, it would have just been a travesty not to acknowledge that and have some fun,” she said. “Think Broadway stars singing the hits and reimagined arrangements by Louisiana musicians, including of course, ‘Ol’ Man River’”—all staged river boat cruise-style.
With so many of the opera world’s biggest names in town, the festival will also stage a series of concerts, including one by Majeski—who will be joined by the Treigles—as well as one by global opera star, South African soprano Golda Schultz. “She is an old-fashioned star,” said Palmer, “and one of the most exciting singers I have ever seen in concert.” There will also be a more relaxed candlelight concert at St. Mary’s Chapel—“For me, it’s really important that the festival also provides some quiet spaces and moments for reflection … when people are experiencing peaceful music and shared experiences together.”
The grand finale of the festival will be a progressive performance of Carlisle Floyd’s 1955 song cycle work, Pilgrimage, which he based on Biblical texts. Taking place the Wednesday of Holy Week, the immersive experience will lead the audience on a pilgrimage through the French Quarter, with four stops for live musical performances on the street, culminating in an orchestral denouement by LPO. “This is going to be literally a journey of discovery, musically and physically,” said Palmer. “This concert is really a metaphor for what I hope the experience of the festival will bring people, which is the opportunity to reconnect with themselves, the musical heritage of the city, and the direct experience of their environment.”
Tickets to Dialogues des Carmélites (going fast), Der Rosenkavalier, and Pilgrimage —along with the rest of the New Orleans Opera Association’s 2025/2026 season, are currently for sale. Stay tuned for future announcements regarding the New Orleans Opera Festival, which will take place March 24–April 1, 2026. 1
“ Sac-a-Lait Season”
PETITIONING LANA DEL REY FOR A REWRITE
Story by Megan Broussard
Around a year ago, Lana Del Rey became my cousin. Well, probably anyway—because somewhere down the line Jeremy Dufrene has to be a cousin or a cousin’s cousin or a step-cousin’s cousin.
And, it appears she’s fallen for more than just the sweet bayou man and his airboat—Lana Del Rey appears besotted with the bayou itself. You can see it in her recent performances in Southern belle Gucci and Valentino dresses, on front-porch swings incorporated into her Southern Gothic sets, and in her lyrics since at least 2021. She said it herself in “Dance Till We Die”: “So we made it back in the middle of the night / To the Louisiana two-step, high and bright.” That’s not just a line—it’s a love letter. And lately, she’s made that love literal: the backdrop imagery in her current tour features Louisiana’s own Lake Martin, its arched cypress trees with silvery Spanish moss transporting fans from around the world to our little piece of sportsman’s paradise.
So, as one of her biggest fans and a firm believer that the universe can make anything happen if you’re open enough to share your tiniest hopes with it, I am throwing this out there: Will you, my Cocodrie Queen, Lana Del Rey Dufrene, sing this Louisiana version of “Summertime Sadness” I wrote for you, for us, for the Gulf Coast girlies?
It’s my hope that you’ve become so enamored by our state’s beauty, so captivated by our Cajun culture—so utterly dumbfounded by how many different names start with “Jean” and end in e-a-u-x within a two mile radius—that you will bless us with your rendition of, ahem, “Sac-a-Lait Season."
Sac-a-Lait Season
I used to live in the hills, Celebs in the streets
Now I’m chasin’ gator thrills
All for cher Jeremy
I had my rouge skirt on that night
We danced to zydeco ’til twilight
He said he wondered if he might Turn me on to the ‘laissez’ life
Oh, mais là, I feel it in my hair
Humidity, oh well, enamored by his stare Bébé, I’m at peace, no need to go elsewhere
Safe with him in our fishin’ spot
(un, deux, trois, quatre)
I used to live in the hills
Celebs in the streets
Now I’m chasin’ gator thrills
All for cher Jeremy
I live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait, season
Sa-sa-sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
I'm feelin' bewitched by the night
Cruisin’ down I-10 past the exit sign
Got my wild Cajun with his hand in mine
If this is my fate, then I’m doin’ just fine
Oh, mais là, I feel it in my hair
Humidity, oh well, enamored by his stare Bébé, I’m at peace, no need to go elsewhere
Safe with him in our fishin’ spot
(un, deux, trois, quatre)
I used to live in the hills
Celebs in the streets
Now I’m chasin’ gator thrills
All for cher Jeremy
I live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Sa-sa-sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Think I’ll second line forever
Like the beads miss the breeze when the floats roll by
Easter lunch with his mom ‘n’ dem
Even if he’s late, I’ll still save him a plate and drive
I live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Sa-sa-sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
I used to live in the hills, Celebs in the streets
Now I’m chasin’ gator thrills,
All for cher Jeremy
I live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait,
Sa-sa-sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Live for sac-a-lait, sac-a-lait season
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Lana Del Rey on tour, performing at Wembley Stadium on July 3, 2025, against a backdrop of Louisiana scenery at Lake Martin in Breaux Bridge, shot by Acadiana filmmaker and photographer Olivia Perillo. Photo by Sarah Pilbeam.
Gwen Sellers, Agent
VOYAGES
Full Steam to Mobile
EXPLORING MOBILE IN THE SHADOW OF THE SS UNITED STATES’ FINAL JOURNEY
Story by Kristy Christiansen • Photos by Paul Christiansen
All eyes were on Mobile, Alabama, last March when the SS United States, with its dual smokestacks in faded red and white, hslid into Mobile Bay with the help of a few tugboats. As the ocean liner progressed into port, the city’s skyline stood as a dramatic, modern backdrop against this symbol of the last glory days of ocean travel. Within the ship’s rusted walls, countless stories glided, suspended in the air, joining the ones that lay beneath the glittering, metal-clad skyscrapers rising above it.
Much of this history can be explored downtown, in the port city’s National Maritime Museum of the Gulf, a glass-covered monument to the nautical world on the Mobile River waterfront. This is where our family began our rediscovery of “The Azalea City”—only a two-hour drive from our home in New Orleans.
Inside, we encountered the SS McLean, a life-sized replica of a container ship stacked high, commemorating Waterman Steamship Corporation owner Malcolm McLean and the Port of Mobile’s notable involvement in the first retrofitting of ships to carry containers. The idea transformed the shipping trade, reducing costs for transporting goods around the world. The hyper-realistic SS McLean floats in a pool of water, which ripples beneath the ramps that lead deep into the bowels of the ship, where an interactive seafaring playground awaits. Over the next several hours, we tested our skills at reading latitude and longitude, learned how to use propulsion to sail, and brushed up on our maritime myths. Inside a glass-bottom boat simulator, we cruised above
the virtual remains of El Cazador, one of more than two thousand shipwrecks that lie at the bottom of the Gulf. On the top floor, the kids “piloted” a ship along Mobile Bay, while we ventured outside onto the balcony for 360-degree views of the Port and downtown. Before us, the Mobile River flowed past the Alabama Shipyard and Little Sand Island to reach the Bay, while to our west, cars rounded the I-10 curve near the Civic Center before disappearing into the tunnel traveling beneath the river.
After emerging from the ship’s hull, we headed to historic Dauphin Street for lunch. Across from the famed, single-screen Crescent Theatre, advertising its current showing of Casablanca, at Rooster’s Tacos and Tequila we feasted on Latin tacos overflowing with seasoned chicken and beef—until the sounds of a parade beckoned us back outside. Singers and dancers in brightly colored costumes partied down Dauphin on their route to Mardi Gras Park to celebrate the Gulf Coast Caribbean Festival. We quickly paid our bill and followed the procession, joining in the revelry until they conveniently dropped us at our next destination.
The Exploreum Science Center is a kids’ dreamland, where they can spend an afternoon doing kid-sized grown-up jobs. Under the guise of fun, the installations teach lessons like how the body’s organs work, how to use physics through levers and pulleys, how to design paper parachutes and let them fly, and even how to cook up a virtual shrimp and grits. There was a time when all three of my boys would have begged to stay longer. Now, however, I stayed behind with my youngest, while
the teenagers went in search of other diversions, such as the sci-fi book collection in the Haunted Book Shop down the street. This, naturally, was followed by mocha iced coffees around the corner at Great Day Latte.
From here, we walked the short trek to the Convention Center, puddle jumping our way to the backside, where the Perdido Queen riverboat awaited us. We filed up the gangway to an air-conditioned room with tables and chairs, a perfect setup for their nightly sunset dinner cruises. It was still afternoon though—we were here for their Mobile River tour, looking forward to a close-up viewing of the SS United States. Larger than the Titanic, the grand ocean liner debuted in 1952, and on its maiden voyage, became the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. With propellers designed by a top-secret Pentagon program, the ship made it from New York to Southampton, England, in three days, ten hours, and forty minutes.
“It hit the speed record, and no ship has ever met that record [since],” said Perdido Queen Captain Michael Dorie, while he steered the riverboat past the hulking ship. “It operated from 1952 to ’69. Then it was shut down for maintenance and never fired back up. Commercial airlines eventually led to its demise.”
In 1996, the ocean liner arrived in Philadelphia, with an ambitious plan to one day be returned to service. Unfortunately, the dream never became a reality, and nearly thirty years later, Okaloosa County, Florida, bought the ship for a million dollars with plans to sink it off the coast in late 2025 or early 2026, to create the world’s largest artificial reef. Before it was to be submerged, though, the ship had one final stop in Mobile, where it was to be stripped of any hazardous materials.
Accompanying us below deck on the Perdido Queen was Pam Paflas, a resident of nearby Foley who sailed on the SS United States in 1963 at the age of eleven. Surrounded by paraphernalia from her sixteen-day cruise to the West Indies, Paflas regularly accompanies the tour to share her story with other passengers. While a blackand-white video of waving passengers rolled beside her, she passed around sixty-year-old dinner menus and her father’s photographs from their family’s journey on the once luxurious ship.
When the riverboat pulled into port, we hoofed it to the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for Saturday evening Mass. Completed in 1850, the Cathedral is a fixture in downtown Mobile, with its Greek Revival façade overlooking the picturesque greenspace of Cathedral Square. Inside, the exquisite gold and red ceiling compliments the stained-glass windows, which were created in Munich, Germany, and frame a beautiful space for spiritual reflection.
After Mass, we joined back up with the now-tiredbut-determined Caribbean Fest revelers and followed them to Loda Bier Garten for dinner, where we were greeted with more than one hundred beers on tap and allegedly some of the juiciest burgers in town. Mustering one more burst of energy after our jam-packed day, we drove the short distance out of town to Bellingrath Gardens & Home for an evening viewing of their Gulf Coast Chinese Lantern Festival. Built by Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, the famed gardens, which opened to
Disclaimer: This trip was partially funded by Visit Mobile.
Colonial Fort Condé, a partial replica of the 1723 fort around which the city of Mobile was built.
the public in 1932, sprawl majestically across sixty-five acres along scenic Fowl River. As the sun set, the inaugural Lantern Festival brought a new level of wonder, illuminating the main paths through the gardens with brightly colored dragons, flowers, lanterns, and more.
On Sunday morning, we continued our mariner’s voyage, descending steeply into the bowels of the World War II battleship, the USS Alabama. Ducking beneath pipes and weaving our way through the warship’s vast interior, it was hard to imagine a crew of 2,500 living and working here for months at a time. The ship was literally a floating city, complete with galleys (that’s kitchens for you landlubbers), mess halls (dining areas), dentists and doctors’ offices, a store, barber, chapel, blacksmith shop, and—in every nook and cranny—yet another bunk bed. Tucked away was also a room filled with artillery, a reminder of the ship’s true purpose. In 1943, the crew of the USS Alabama saw both the North Atlantic and South Pacific seas and led the American fleet into Tokyo Bay in 1945.
Today, the ship dominates Battleship Memorial Park, a complex that includes the World War II submarine USS Drum —the oldest American submarine on public display, an Aircraft Pavilion, tanks and artillery, and a recreational park. A short jaunt down Battleship Parkway sits Ralph & Kacoo’s, our lunch destination overlooking the water. Our waiter, “Miles the Magnificent,” brilliantly convinced me to try the snapper topped with both a crab cake and lump crab meat, while the others in our crew went for the equally delectable brunch menu offerings of eggs, crab cakes, and cheese grits.
Back downtown, we stepped off South Royal Street into the Italianate showpiece that once housed a bustling public market and the seat of city government. Opened in 1858, today the building serves as the History Museum of Mobile, offering visitors a glimpse into the area’s past through exhibits spanning the city’s three-hun-
dred-year history, including a fourteenth century Native American dugout canoe.
Wandering between the placards and exhibits, we learned about how—after sailing to the Gulf Coast in 1698 to secure land for France—Pierre Le Moyne Seigneur D’Iberville left his twenty-two-year-old brother, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne Seigneur de Bienville, in charge of building a settlement on the Mobile River. The wooden fort he oversaw was completed in 1702 farther north, but after repeated flooding, the town moved twenty-five miles south to present-day Mobile in 1711. A wooden fort built here was replaced in 1723 with a brick one, which lasted until 1818, when it was dismantled to make room for the growing city. You can still get a sense of what the fort would have looked and felt like though, via a visit to Colonial Fort Condé (entry included with admission to the History Museum), a partial replica of the 1723 structure. Costumed staff beckoned us inside, where we explored the vaulted tunnels and scaled the walls for expansive views of the city.
To round out the weekend, we headed down Government Street to the Oakleigh Garden Historic District, home to Historic Oakleigh House Museum. The restored 1833 Greek revival mansion was closed on Sunday, but we drove by for exterior views of the white-columned mansion, before stopping at our final destination, Callaghan’s Irish Social Club. The traditional Irish pub has sat on the corner of the crowded Charleston and Marine Streets since 1946, tucked away in the Garden District neighborhood. Known for its award-winning bar and burgers, as well as the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration on the Gulf Coast, Callaghan’s frequently features nightly live music. Luckily, we made it in time to secure a booth beside a memorabilia-bedecked wall and place our order before the evening band kicked off. Against the backdrop of lively folk music, we wrapped up a weekend of new memories, submitting ours to Mobile’s rich collection of stories created by generations of travelers before us. 1 mobile.org.
Left: The USS Alabama at Battleship Memorial Park. Right: The SS United States, currently docked in Mobile Bay before it is sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Destin.
Ride, Revel, Repeat
INSIDE THE ROLLING BLOCK PARTY THAT IS CYCLE ZYDECO
Story by Ed Cullen
Early on the first morning of the Cycle Zydeco’s “festival on wheels” last spring, organizer Scott Schilling awoke to thunder, lightning, and pouring rain.
reation Alternatives in Louisiana organization (TRAIL), took over what had, by then, become a nationally-known bicycle tour.
He drove what was supposed to be that day’s winding route out of Lafayette toward St. Martinville, ending in Breaux Bridge, finding streets littered with debris and flooded from a storm that had dumped six inches of rain overnight.
He quickly began rerouting the first few miles of the day’s ride using the app “Ride with GPS,” an app many of the 500 riders had downloaded on their cell phones.
That first morning found me in the lobby of the Staybridge Hotel in Lafayette, waiting with other riders for word from Schilling. There, I spoke with Steven Nagle, who had traveled from Blacksburg, Virginia. He’d ridden Cycle Zydeco the year before and liked it enough to come back. For him, an ambitious rider who has completed the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicyle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) fifteen times, the ride through the Acadiana countryside is more like a rolling block party. “I like Cycle Zydeco for its size, the flat roads, and good food,” Nagle said.
Joan and Doc Williams (best known as the founders of Pack and Paddle, an early Lafayette outdoor outfitter) started Cycle Zydeco with the Lafayette Visitors and Convention Center in 2002. Ten years later, they passed the water bottle to Schilling, who, with a small army of volunteers and the Transportation Rec-
Cycle Zydeco is meant to introduce cyclists to Louisiana’s French culture, food, and people. It’s set apart from other guided rides as way to immerse oneself in the local color. The route is strategically set in proximity to local festivals, dancehalls, restaurants, distilleries, and tourist destinations across Acadiana.
The ride is traditionally held the week after Easter. The school holiday allows the organizers to use the St. Bernard School campus in Breaux Bridge for a tent camp—a cheaper alternative to Lafayette’s hotel options, with shower trucks, music, dancing, food trucks, and a crawfish boil. Other overnight options included an RV Park outside of Breaux Bridge and a small tent village on the lawn at the Staybridge. On days two through four, the routes started and ended in Breaux Bridge, with bus shuttles running from Lafayette hotels and a nearby RV park.
We finally rolled out at 11 am, headed to St. Martinville, the only official rest stop on Schilling’s revised route. Though the rural roads were narrow, motorists for the most part give riders a wide berth. People we encountered along the way were welcoming, offering us water and directions. In St. Martinville, a bar near the official rest stop put chairs on the sidewalk to accommodate the overflow of thirsty riders. The stop in a small park on Bayou Teche offered live music some riders
danced to, as well as bottled water, juice, fruit, and snacks.
Over the course of almost forty sweltering miles in the saddle that first day, I met cyclists from all over the country. Cycle Zydeco 2025 attracted riders from New Mexico, Michigan, Rhode Island, Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Alabama, and more.
Dorothea Goodwin of Ann Arbor, Michigan, described the air as “very heavy.” There was a group of women in their sixties who’d gone to the same high school in Tacoma, and some young riders from New Orleans whose Bluetooth music setup helped get me through the last two miles to Breaux Bridge.
“I love the music and the dancing,” said Lori Miller Horton of Kingston, Rhode Island. “I’ve been doing rides for twenty-five years, and this is the only one I’ve repeated.”
Cycling is one way some graduates of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, stay in touch. The day before the ride they were partying in the parking lot of the Staybridge. “This is my second Cycle Zydeco,” said Dave Wasson, of St. Paul, Minnesota. “We love the easy-going nature of the people here, the food and music. We love Breaux Bridge.”
Half their group, Wasson said, were on e-bikes. “The rest of us are on traditional bikes. We all stick together.” Bicycles on the Cycle Zydeco ride run the gamut from beater bikes, to expensive road and hybrid bicycles, to e-bikes, tandem, and recumbent bicycles.
Support and Gear (SAG) cars followed the riders with mechanics and first aid
kits. (Not all mechanics are familiar with the different makes of e-bikes—something to keep in mind if you’re thinking about renting an electric bike for any organized ride.)
Leslie Todd of Baton Rouge had rented an e-bike for the ride, but couldn’t get the battery to work. She ended up riding the heavy bicycle with no motor assist for twenty-three miles. Before the second day’s stretch, she’d recovered and got the battery working, and she was able to ride the rest of the tour.
“This was Leslie’s first multi-day ride, and after a really tough day of riding a sixty-pound bike in the heat on Day 1, I was concerned she would lose her enthusiasm,” Sallie Williams, also of Baton Rouge, said, but “she’s talking about what her next ride will be.”
“Once the first day was over,” Todd said, “I had a really good time.”
Nagle’s perception of the guided riding experience as a mobile block party is on point. Each day’s suggested distances and stops are just that: suggestions. Finding themselves in need of water and shade, a group of riders I was with pulled up at a flower farm outside Breaux Bridge, which wasn’t an official stop. The gardeners let us fill our water bottles and wet our hair, arms and legs. Refreshed, we pedaled on.
Over the next few days, many of the folks I’d encountered explored the Louisiana destinations around us: riding out to Arnaudville for the Étouffee Festival and to visit the NUNU Arts and Culture Collective, before stopping at Maison Stéphanie near Cecilia. They were
Cycle Zydeco riders on the Henderson levee. All photos courtesy of Cycle Zydeco.
wandering the grounds when one of the owners came out to give them a tour.
A long-time bicyclist, I have ridden eighty miles in a day before, but I’d never ridden on an organized tour like Cycle Zydeco.
Cycle Zydeco is billed as an easy ride that doesn’t require great fitness, but a daily ride of thirty to forty miles requires bicycle and rider to be in good working order. I had trained for the ride with three, ten-mile rides a week. Before I ride a tour again, I’ll increase the training distances and frequency. It’s a good idea to have ridden the longest distance of the tour at least once before the big ride.
Marianne Bichsel, from Seattle, was also on her first organized bicycle ride.
“I’m a runner,” she said. “It was a great ride.” I rode with her through the day on different stretches. I could have set my bike’s speedometer by her pace, which never varied.
Each day, we had until 10 pm to make it back to Breaux Bridge to catch the last shuttle bus to Lafayette. Most riders made it by late afternoon, with plenty of time to hit the shower trucks and change clothes for dinner. The Cycle Zydeco package includes Zydeco Bucks for meals at participating restaurants. I used some of mine at a Vietnamese food truck. Late afternoon on that first day, other riders had put their bicycles on racks in the St. Bernard School yard and were hydrating with bottles of water, soft drinks, and
beer. A band was playing, and thoughts of the day’s heat were fading. Large fans stirred a breeze under a pavilion where some riders were dancing.
The shuttle ride back to Lafayette at the end of the first day left me tired and happy. The bus dropped me off at my hotel where I walked my bicycle through the lobby to the elevator and into an air-conditioned room with the promise of a hot shower.
A Louisiana native, I’d seen the small towns of Acadiana through the eyes of people from other parts of the country and in a way that only the slower pace of cycling permits.
Next year’s ride is promised to be ambitious. Long and short rides of thirty to sixty miles include visits to Jefferson Island, the Rip Van Winkle Gardens and Avery Island, Breaux Bridge, Henderson, Catahoula, Lake Fausse Pointe, St. Martinville, New Iberia, Loreauville, Cecilia, Arnaudville, Grand Coteau, Sunset, Opelousas, Washington, Carencro, and the Boudin Festival at Scott. The bands Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and Chubby Carrier are booked, with more music announcements to come. Each day will start and finish in Breaux Bridge with shuttles. 1
Registration is open and fills up fast. Cycle Zydeco 2026 will take place April 8–12. Find details at cyclezydeco.org.
Cycle Zydeco riders on a swamp tour (top) and dancing at Bayou Teche Brewery (bottom).
DIRECTORY OF MERCHANTS
Akers, LA
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PERSPECTIVES: ART OF OUR STATE
José María Cundín’s Worlds of Contradictions
FROM A STUDIO IN FOLSOM, THE SPANISH AVANT-GARDE MASTER IS A STORYTELLER IN THE ABSTRACT
Story and photo by Cayman Clevenger
Where pastures meet oak trees and silence settles over a tranquil pond in Folsom, Louisiana, José María Cundín continues to create against time, against expectation, and in an unrelenting pursuit of meaning.
Nearing eighty-eight years old, Cundín remains a vital thread in the Spanish avant-garde artistic movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, and distinguished by its use of bold abstraction, surrealism, and conceptual innovation to express dissent and critique political power.
A Basque-Spanish painter, sculptor, and multidisciplinary artist of international acclaim, Cundín has called Louisiana home for decades. He is the last living member of the original Orleans Gallery, a groundbreaking artist-run collective that once included such contemporary luminaries as George Dunbar, Ida Kohlmeyer, Lin Emery, and John Clemmer. These were titans of culture who were disciplined, daring, and deliberate—artists not bound by style, but by a seriousness of purpose and a commitment to craft. That gallery wasn’t just a venue—it was a cultural engine, the first standalone contemporary art space in the South. More than a physical space, it was a beacon: a bold stance against artistic conformity, a living laboratory for risk, invention, and resistance.
Cundín speaks of the original Orleans like one speaks of a vanished homeland. The loss of the gallery’s physical presence is one thing; the fading of its ethos is another. “The connection,” he says, “has been lost.” The gallery and his work, he insists, were never meant to reflect the world back to us as it is, but to challenge
us to reimagine what it could be.
Step into Cundín’s Folsom studio today and you enter a world where abstraction meets memory, and satire tangles with reverence. One is met with not only the usual pungency of oil paint but also notes of tobacco, fine European cologne, and freshly cut wood. He greets visitors like old friends, ushering them onto a throne-like chair while he settles into a worn office seat.
“I’m not the bad boy artist some would have you think,” he smirks. “You put your leg through one commissioned canvas in front of a gallery owner, and that becomes your reputation.” The moment, borne from frustration with an unreasonable client, lives in infamy. But, in the vast scope of his ongoing legacy, it’s a mere footnote in a decades-long career.
The works in his studio are masterpieces of abstraction, figuration, and chromatic brilliance. Contradictions thrive: sculptures of epoxy carry the weight of bronze or marble, half-finished canvases resist resolution, and frames push beyond the canvas to extend the story. A chair salvaged from a Pan-Am hangar leans just enough into a rebellion of design to invite conversation. Once meant for military precision, its paint is no longer regulation. It now bears camouflage reimagined in absurd, misshapen patterns, half uniform and half subversion, serving as both homage to its utilitarian past and a satirical protest against its legacy.
Cundín is as much a storyteller as he is a painter. His tales spill effortlessly and are told with humor and the kind of clarity only age, and unflinching observation, can offer. His stories span his early years in Europe and New York, of avant-garde gatherings, of friendships with Southern legends, and of brushes with icons.
Among these, there is a fabled Salvador Dalí story. In the early sixties, broke but inspired and living in New York City, Cundín and his friend, the writer Victor Fuentes, dreamt of staging a puppet show based on playwright and poet Federico García Lorca’s poetry, aimed at underserved Spanish-speaking neighborhoods in New York. Their vision was pure and their intent sincere, but they ran out of money.
They then heard that Dalí—wealthy, eccentric, and a fellow Spaniard who had already reached worldwide acclaim—was in town. They decided to turn to him for help. After Cundín prepared to camp out for as long as needed, a doorman took pity on him, tipping him off that Dalí’s car was on its way. When Cundín finally intercepted him on the sidewalk outside the St. Regis, Dalí dismissed him with a sneer and a sharp insult in their native dialect. Little did Dalí know, the young man in his way would follow suit in international acclaim.
“It was a shame,” Cundín says, without bitterness. Brilliance without generosity, he believes now, is hollow. The memory remains a reminder of what art can lose when ego eclipses vision. The rejection only crystallized his conviction. In his eighties, he still plans to bring the puppet show to life, perhaps needed now more than it was then.
Even at this age, Cundín’s brush remains as steady as that of any old master, his touch undiminished by time. The paintings reveal a singular marriage of intellectual playfulness and painterly sophistication—moving with a logic both architectural and organic: forms behave according to the space around them while carrying their own interior pulse. Cundín calls this style ‘plasticity,’ a living responsiveness, where crowding forms become a single figurative entity and concave surfaces shift perspective. There is a balance of precise, almost engineered, arrangement of form with a chromatic freedom that feels improvisational, like jazz rendered in oil and pigment.
The pigments are hand-mixed, and radiate with precision and emotion. Brilliant color interacts with intricate brushwork, drawing the viewer close from across the room. His current series, defined by pastel and jewel-toned fragments—stacked, scattered, and interlocked—speaks to his fascination with structure. Their softened edges and luminous harmonies suggest a deep appreciation and understanding of the
importance of color itself.
Cundín often frames his abstractions with language, where the painted inscription functions as both a wry literary reference and a clue to the true subject of the painting, pulling the viewer into a layered conversation about meaning, absurdity, and the act of looking. His paintings resist literalism or realism, instead offering a visual that is at once cerebral and playful, rigorous and lyrical—rooted in the traditions of modernist abstraction, but animated by his idiosyncratic wit. To step into his world is to be reminded that art can be both a vessel for ideas and a playground for the senses—equal parts beautiful and thought-provoking.
Having lived in Louisiana for over seven decades, Cundín finds in its landscapes, histories, and characters an endless stage. He’s reimagined its swamps with pyramids and triumphal arches, rendered its dreamlike ecosystems, and painted its characters—from preachers and Elvis impersonators, to politicians and the fictitious recurring Rosita Camargo. The satirical Southern belle dominated his works in the sixties and seventies, something of a muse who floated through his paintings with both poise and irony.
But beneath the whimsy—Darwinian ducks, triangular ukuleles, Fabergé egg homages—lies something deeper. A sharp political awareness threads through Cundín’s work. His art is as likely to speak in the language of humor as it is to confront history head-on, but the throughline is always precision of thought and the belief that objects can carry meaning layered like paint: a plywood alternative critiquing the now defunct monument to the Battle of Liberty Place years ahead of its time, a chicken coop filled with eggs as a metaphor for predestination, an editioned engraving of the Declaration of Independence on handmade Basque paper. Along the frame of an abstract figuration portrait of his favorite Basque philosopher, exiled by a corrupt government, reads in Spanish, roughly translated “Don Miguel de Unamuno Y Jugo vacations alone in the Canary Islands nude.”
For Cundín, art is not merely expression; it’s intervention. It’s the divine spark. “We make something that was not there before. Out of nothing,” he says. “And what is that, if not playing God?” 1
