GET in on THE AcT
Listings editor: Lauren LaBorde listingsedit@gambitweekly.com; FAX:483-3116 Deadline: noon Monday Submissions edited for space
TheaTeR 504. Anthony Bean Community
Theater, 1333 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-7529; www.anthonybeantheater.com — Anthony Bean’s original hip-hop musical tells the story of young people’s role in New Orleans’ recovery. Tickets $20 general admission, $18 students and seniors. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday.
ABOUT TIME. Cutting Edge
Theater, Attractions Salon, 747 Robert Blvd., Slidell, (985) 639-8294; www.cuttingedgetheater.com — An elderly couple spends the day in their kitchen talking about everything, including what it means to share a life together. Tickets $17. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday through Oct. 2.
ALIENS, IMMIGRANTS AND OTHER EVILDOERS. Shadowbox
Theatre, 2400 St. Claude Ave., 523-7469; www.theshadowboxtheatre.com — José Torres-Tama’s “sci-fi Latino noir” performance depicts the struggles of immigrants through satire Tickets $10 general admission; two tickets for $15. 8 p.m. Thursday-Sunday through Oct. 10. CHINESE CULTURAL EXCHANGE ACROBAT & ORCHESTRA SHOW.
CURTAINS. Rivertown Repertory
Theatre, 325 Minor St., Kenner, 468-7221 — After a stage actress is killed during her curtain call, a detective moonlighting as a musical theater fan tries to solve the mystery and save the show. Tickets $35 general admission, $33 seniors and students, $17 children ages 6 to 12. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, then 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 3. A FEW GOOD MEN. Playmakers
Theater, 19106 Playmakers Road (off Lee Road), Covington, (985) 893-1671; www.playmakersinc. com — Aaron Sorkin’s play follows the trial of two Marines for complicity in the death of a soldier. Tickets $15 general admission, $10 students. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
HAIRSPRAY. Le Petit Théâtre du
Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter St., 5222081; www.lepetittheatre.com — A plump teen gets her dream of dancing on a popular 1962 TV show and tries to use her newfound stardom to racially integrate the program. Tickets
start at $31. 8 p.m. ThursdaySaturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 10.
BuRlesque & CaBaReT
review
LET FREEDOM SWING! National
World War II Museum, 945 Magazine St., 527-6012; www.nationalww2museum.org — The musical highlights wartime-era big band and swing music. Visit www.stagedoorcanteen.org for details. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday. THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT.
AllWays Lounge, 2240 St. Claude Ave., 218-5778; www.marignytheatre.org — Cripple Creek Theatre Company presents Jean Giraudoux’s comedy with live music by Ratty Scurvics. Tickets $10. 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
PETITE ROUGE: A CAJUN RED RIDING HOOD. Teatro Wego, 177
Sala Ave., Westwego, 885-2000; www.jpas.org — The musical is the story of Little Red Riding Hood set in the Louisiana swamps and bayous. Tickets $25 general admission, $20 students and seniors, $15 children 12 and under. 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday through Oct. 3. REASONS TO BE PRETTY. Ac-
tor’s Theatre of New Orleans, WTIX-FM Building, second floor, 4539 N. I-10 Service Road, Metairie, 456-4111 — A man and his friends confront the value of physical beauty when his offhand comments about his girlfriend’s lackluster looks get back to her. Tickets $20 general admission, $18 students and seniors. 7:30 p.m. ThursdaySaturday.
SLAM. Le Chat Noir, 715 St.
Charles Ave., 581-5812; www. cabaretlechatnoir.com — Poets and actors compete in the open mic monologue and poetry slam. Tickets $10. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
THE UNACQUAINTED. Ashé Cultural Arts Center, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 569-9070; www.ashecac.org — Pamela Davis-Noland’s play is a modern day retelling of the story of Jesus Christ. 8 p.m. FridaySaturday, 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets $25 general admission, $20 in advance, $15 students. WONDER OF THE WORLD.
Delgado Community College, Isaac Delgado Hall, Drama Hall, third floor, 616-6066; www.dcc. edu — In David Lindsay-Abaire’s play, a woman flees to Niagra Falls after discovering her husband’s sexual fetish involving Barbie doll heads. Tickets $10 general admission, $8 Delgado students, faculty and staff. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturay, 7 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 3. ZOMBIE TOWN: A DOCUMENTARY PLAY. Le Chat Noir, 715 St.
Charles Ave., 581-5812; www. cabaretlechatnoir.com — The mockumentary follows a San Francisco theater troupe that travels to the site of a zombie attack to interview survivors. Tickets $10. 11 p.m. Saturday.
dr. Feelgood As the title of In The Next Room (or the Vibrator Play) suggests, playwright Sarah Ruhl is not the least bit shy about the raciness of the subject. Director Aimée Hayes teases out a flurry of entertainingly awkward moments as well, but the work is a smart exploration of intimacy, and rousing performances by the entire cast make it an exciting opening to Southern Rep’s season. A funny reference to a barbaric demonstration — Thomas Edison’s electrocution of an elephant at Coney Island on Jan. 4, 1903 — offers the only clue to exactly when the play is set. Dr. Givings (Shad Willingham) is both a physician and an inventor, having created an electronic vibrating device to treat women for hysteria. In the medical office in his home, he and his nurse assistant Annie (Morrey McElroy) bring patients to a state of “paroxysm,” helping them relieve stress and release “juices” bottled up in their lower abdomens. He is helping usher in a modern age of technology, innovation and self-discovery. The other room on the split stage is the Givings’ living room, where Ms. Givings (Katherine McClain) chats with the various patients seeking relief, including an artist (Clint Johnson) who also seems to be suffering from hysteria. The doctor otherwise keeps his practice separate from his marriage. He wouldn’t think of crossing the ethical line of treating his own wife, but he views her in clinical terms anyway. They have a baby, and he doesn’t believe his wife’s milk is sufficient, so they hire a wet nurse to care for the infant. What most of the people in the play actually suffer from is the suffocating mores of the Victorian-era. It’s hard to imagine how people came to be so estranged from their own bodies and desires, and the play considers some alternatives to the constraints of traditional marriage. Mr. Daldry (Jason Kirkpatrick) brings his wife Sabrina (Lucy Faust) for treatment, afraid she’ll never bear him children. The painter’s complications include being bothered by bright light so much he could lose the ability to pursue his creative passions. And Dr. Givings seems incapable of diagnosing let alone applying his scientific mind to the emotional gap between himself and his wife. The naïvete about what Givings’ therapy actually does versus the patients’ desire for fulfilling relationships is pushed to the point of high farce. The mechanics of both repression and release are smart and funny. Ruhl’s play is as compassionate as it is cleverly written. It gets punny at times, but never wincingly bad. By the time the wet nurse (Kesha Bullard) unloads some rage and grief, it’s both a stunning moment and a bit overdue. The play’s climax, however, seems a bit rushed, though it manages both to surprise and satisfy. Among the many fine performances are Johnson’s expressive artist, Bullard in her moments of candor, Willingham for his assured and pompous Dr. Givings, Faust for the awakening Sabrina, and McClain for her excitable character. — Will Coviello
THRU SEPT
26
in the next Room (or the Vibrator Play) 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 3 p.m. Sun. Southern Rep, The Shops at Canal Place, third floor, 365 Canal St., 522-6545; www.southernrep.com Tickets $29-$35
BURLESQUE BALLROOM. Irvin
Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse, 300 Bourbon St., 553-2270; www. sonesta.com — Trixie Minx stars in the weekly burlesque show featuring the music of Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown. Call 553-2331 for details. 11:50 p.m. Friday.
DOWN THE HATCH: A CABARET IN TWO COCKTAILS. Le Chat
Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 5815812; www.cabaretlechatnoir. com — Bob Edes Jr., Elizabeth Pearce and Jim Walpole tell the story of New Orleans through its signature cocktails. Tickets $20 (includes cocktail tastings). 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday. THE MIDNIGHT REVUE. Starlight
by the Park, 834 N. Rampart St., 561-8939; www.starlightbythepark.com — Marcy Marcell directs a weekly female-impersonation jazz cabaret. Call for ticket information. Midnight Friday.
RICKY GRAHAM’S 2010 RENEW REVUE. Le Chat Noir, 715 St.
Charles Ave., 581-5812; www. cabaretlechatnoir.com — The cabaret show celebrates life in New Orleans. Tickets $32 (includes $5 drink credit). 8 p.m. Monday.
audiTions BARBERSHOP HARMONY SOCIETY. Christ the King Lutheran
Church, 1001 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, 469-4740; www.ctknola.org — The Greater New Orleans Chapter holds new member auditions for its Mardi Gras Chorus. Call 363-9001 or visit www.mardigraschorus.org for details. 7:15 p.m. Tuesday. CRESCENT CITY SOUND CHORUS.
Delgado Community College, City Park campus, Orleans Avenue, between City Park Avenue and Navarre Street, 671-5000; www.dcc.edu — The women’s chorus holds weekly auditions for new members. Call 4530858 or visit www.crescentcitysound.com for details. 7 p.m. Monday.
Comedy A.S.S.TRONOTS. La Nuit Comedy
Theater, 5039 Freret St., 6444300; www.nolacomedy.com — Four androids improvise a space voyage based on audience suggestions. Tickets $6. 8:30 p.m. Thursdays.
BASED ON REAL LIFE. La Nuit Comedy Theater, 5039 Freret St., 644-4300; www.nolacomedy. com — The weekly long-form improv comedy show features some guys, a girl and someone named John Stewart. Tickets $6. 8:30 p.m. Saturday. BROWN! IMPROV COMEDY.
Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center, 1618 Oretha Castle
Haley Blvd., 827-5858; www. zeitgeistinc.net — The comedy troupe stars Johnathan Christiansen, Gant Laborde, Ken Lafrance, Bob Murrell and Kelli Rosher. 10 p.m. Saturday. COMEDY CATASTROPHE. Lost
Love Lounge, 2529 Dauphine St., 400-6145 — The bar hosts a free stand-up comedy show. 9 p.m. Tuesday.
COMEDY GUMBEAUX. Howlin’ Wolf (The Den), 828 S. Peters St., 522-9653; www.howlinwolf.com — Local comedians perform, and amateurs take the open-mic. Tickets $5. 8 p.m. Thursday. DYKES OF HAZARD. Rubyfruit Jungle, 1135 Decatur St., 571-1863; www.rubyfruit-jungle.com — Kristen Becker hosts a show with live music, sketch comedy, burlesque and more. Admission $5. 9 p.m. Friday. GOD’S BEEN DRINKING. La Nuit
Comedy Theater, 5039 Freret St., 644-4300; www.nolacomedy. com — Actors improvise a comedy based on audience suggestions. Tickets $10. 10 p.m. Friday.
GROUND ZERO COMEDY. The Maison, 508 Frenchmen St., 3097137 — The show features local stand-up comedians. Sign-up is 7:30 p.m. Show is 8 p.m. IVAN’S OPEN MIC NIGHT. Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance St., 5255515 — The Rusty Nail hosts a weekly open-mic comedy and music night. 9 p.m. Tuesday. LAUGH OUT LOUD. Tarantula Arms, 209 Decatur St., 525-5525 — Simple Play presents a weekly comedy show. 10 p.m. Thursday. NATIONAL COMEDY COMPANY.
Yo Mama’s Bar & Grill, 727 St. Peter St., 522-1125 — The interactive improv show features B97 radio personality Stevie G and others. Call 523-7469 or visit www.nationalcomedycompany.com for details. 10 p.m. Saturdays. ROUNDHOUSE. La Nuit Comedy
Theater, 5039 Freret St., 6444300; www.nolacomedy.com — Comedians perform a barefoot improvisation show. Tickets $10. 10 p.m. Fridays.
STAND UP NOLA PRESENTS JAYSON CROSS. Boomtown
Casino, Boomers Saloon, 4132 Peters Road, Harvey, 366-7711; www.boomtownneworleans. com — The stand-up comedian performs. Free admission. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday. STUPID TIME MACHINE. The Factory, 8314 Oak St — The improv group performs a weekly comedy show. Tickets $1-$6. 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. THINK YOU’RE FUNNY? Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St., 8659190; www.carrolltonstation. com — All comics are welcome at the open-mic. Sign-up is 8:30 p.m. Show starts at 9 p.m. Wednesday. For complete listings, visit www. bestofneworleans.com.
GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > SEPTEMBER 21 > 2010
Tulane University, McAlister Auditorium, 529-3000; www. tulane.edu — A traditional Chinese acrobatic troupe performs to live music from a folk orchestra. Tickets $30-$50. 8 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday.
sTage
photo by John barrois
lisTings
57