Gumbo (September 2015)

FREE

September 2015

PETER

CETERA

FINDS HIS ELECTRIC GROOVE

THE WATER IS RISING AT BAYOU PLAYHOUSE

GENE BONVILLAIN ANNUAL FISHING RODEO

BESTOF THE

BAYOU

SET TO ROCK HOUMA

KID’S PAGE FUN WHILE DINING!

2 September 2015

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Contents

SEPTEMBER 2015

ON THE COVER

PUBLISHER

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Brian Rushing publisher@rushing-media.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Shell Armstrong editor@rushing-media.com

Cetera finds electric groove for vast catalogue

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Gavin Stevens gavin@rushing-media.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Mariella Brochard Danielle Evans SALES MANAGER

Deanne Ratliff deanne@rushing-media.com

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Events

Music

6 10 12

18 20 21 22 22

SHRIMP & PETROLEUM FESTIVAL gears up for 80th year THIB. PLAYHOUSE TRIVIA NIGHT raises funds for Playhouse BATTLE OF THE BASIN Drag races in Morgan City

BEST OF THE BAYOU FESTIVAL is set to rock Houma PETER CETERA finds electric groove KID’S PAGE Fun games for the younger crowd HOT TIX Local performers highlighted PRESIDIO BRASS celebrates the Sounds of the Cinema

Arts

13 14 15 16

26 28 30 31 31 31 32 34

Brooke Adams ARSENIC & OLD LACE The Brewsters take Le Petit Theatre AT THE LIBRARY More than books at local libraries THEATRE LISTINGS Performances around the region FOR YOUR BRAIN Sudoku

37 38

BAYOU LAFOURCHE ANTIQUE SHOW collectibles for sale COYC HURRICANE FESTIVAL A storm season favorite

NEW ON DVD ‘The Runner’ REO SPEEDWAGON Rocks Cypress Bayou Casino THE LITTLE MERMAID King ready for NOLA reign

SAINTS FOOTBALL Saints itching to rebound GENE BONVILLAIN FISHING RODEO Rodeo honors life of former assessor

Gumbo Guru

EVENT LISTINGS Check out this month’s events

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RISING WATER Bayou Playhouse readies the sandbags

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CONTRIBUTORS

Jean-Paul Arguello John DeSantis Melissa Duet Casey Gisclair Felicia LeDuff Harry

FOR THE GAMERS Madden ‘16

Outdoors

ANNUAL POWWOW United Houma Nation

brooke@rushing-media.com

SATILLO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT Tantalizes the senses

6160 W. Park Ave., Houma, LA 70364 985.868.7515 • Fax 985.873.9009 GUMBOGUIDE.COM

The Gumbo Entertainment Guide is a free publication. The entire content of this publication is copyrighted by Rushing Media, with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. The Gumbo Entertainment Guide is published monthly by Rushing Media.

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Events

SHRIMP & PETRO FEST GEARS UP FOR 80TH YEAR T

he Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival got its start 80 years ago as a nod to the industries and the people of St. Mary Parish continue to celebrate the region’s abundance of seafood and wealth of oil.

Set for Sept. 3-7, this year’s festival has been awarded the 2015 Division III Festival of the Year title by the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals. The event last received the honor in 2006 and 2007.

“It really means a lot [to the community],” executive director Darby Isham said of the 80th anniversary. “The festival represents Morgan City, Berwick and Patterson, so it is really special to bring everybody together.”

Isham said the five-day event’s focus is on the traditional aspects – the boat blessing, carnival rides and games, arts and crafts, food and music.

The festival kicks off on Thursday at 1 p.m. with the 52nd Annual Artist Guild Unlimited Show and Sale, an annual art show hosted by the local non-profit organization that promotes the humanities through workshops, classes and gallery showing throughout the year.

The show and sale are open for several hours on each day of the festival.

A ribbon cutting ceremony with festival royalty follows at 5 p.m. Thursday, officially inviting attendees to join the fun.

A host of bands are slated to take the stage each day with appearances by the always popular Wayne Toups, Waylon Thibodeaux and Don Rich among the mix.

A live painting demonstration from this year’s festival poster artist, Lafayette-based Tony Bernard, will also captivate audiences beginning at 9 p.m.

Saturday.

One change to this year’s lineup is the site of Sunday’s Blessing of the Fleet.

Traditionally held near the festival

6 September 2015

grounds in Morgan City, this year’s blessing is slated to take place in Berwick instead.

“I think it’s kind of special that for a big anniversary year we will be able to do something in another city that is represented by the festival,” Isham explained. “They’ve been wonderful to work with, welcomed us with open arms and they are going above and beyond anything we could ask for them to help with.”

Bishop Shelton Fabre, of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, will preside over the blessing, as well as an 8:30 a.m. mass in Lawrence Park.

Sunday’s celebration ends with a street parade and fireworks show over the Atchafalaya River.

“Sunday is our most traditional day,” Isham explained. “The festival actually began with the street parade in 1936. They had that first jumbo shrimp catch and it came to the port of Morgan City. Trappers, shrimpers and hunters paraded the streets with this huge catch and that’s how the festival began.”

Isham is in her inaugural year as festival executive director. But she’s a longtime Morgan City resident. Her

Wanna Go? WHAT: Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival WHERE: Lawrence Park, Morgan City WHEN: Sept. 3-7 COST: Free admission INFO: shrimpandpetroleum.org

family relocated when Isham was 3 from Port Arthur, Texas. She left briefly in 2011 to earn a Mass Communicationdegree from Louisian State University.

“It’s really neat to have gone away – you really get to appreciate home and the small town and everyone knows everyone,” the festival director said.

“Everyone is family. We don’t have family here so it’s really special that everyone around here has kind of become family over the years. It’s really neat to be able to give back to a city that has welcomed us like they have.”

And Isham, like everyone in St. Mary, is excited to see the festival turn 80.

The Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival is set for 1-11 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4; 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5; 8:30 a.m.11 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6; and 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 7.

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PAY-ONE-PRICE CARNIVAL RIDE BRACELETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR $25 AT THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS. A DETAILED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS IS AVAILABLE AT SHRIMPANDPETROLEUM.ORG.

8 September 2015

Music Lineup FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 5-6:30 P.M.: Crossroads 7-8:30 P.M.: Todd O’Neill Band 9-11 P.M.: The Molly Ringwalds SATURDAY, SEPT. 5 1:30-3:30 P.M.: Déjà vu + Old Soul 4-6 P.M.: Bobby D Sawyer 6:30-8:30 P.M.: Frontiers 9-11 P.M.: Wayne Toups SUNDAY, SEPT. 6 1:30-3:30 P.M.: Beau Young Band 4-6 P.M.: Snapper and the Fishsticks 6:30-8:30 P.M.: Nashville South 9-11 P.M.: Category 6 MONDAY, SEPT. 7 11:30-1:30 P.M.: Southern Roots 2-4 P.M.: Waylon Thibodeaux 4:30-6:30 P.M.: Geno Delafose 7-9 P.M.: Don Rich

** Photo Credit: Skeet’s Photo Service

Events

TRIVIA NIGHT TESTS KNOWLEDGE, RAISES FUNDS FOR PLAYHOUSE

A

re you smarter than a trivia enthusiast? The Thibodaux Playhouse is ready to put your brain muscles to the test at its Trivia Night.

Set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Warren J. Harang Auditorium, the semi-annual fundraising event benefits the theatre group’s effort to build a new state-of-the-art theatre.

Teams of up to six players will compete in 10 categories – sports, music, movies, local history and theatre among them. Some questions come in audio or video form, testing teams to the max.

Team registration is $150, and prizes are awarded to the top-scoring team.

The lowest-scoring team receives the ‘Perfect Attendance’ award.

Many teams arrive in costume, and a prize is bestowed upon the best outfit.

“A committee from our board has

10 September 2015

already gone through the questions and answers already and we’ve kind of played it amongst ourselves to kind of check for problems and to see how enjoyable the program that we’ve put together is,” said Andrea Stentz, social secretary for the Playhouse.

A game moderator will ask questions.

Each team writes their answers on a sheet and submits it to a volunteer.

The answers are judged, and points are awarded to the team with the right answer.

“We’re working behind the scenes to tabulate [the scores] as people continue playing,” Stentz said.

During intermission, food and drinks will be sold. Also, everyone in attendance is invited to bid in the silent auction. Auction items include art from The Purple Penguin Art Company, hand-knitted items, gift cards, a picnic basket and wine. As of press time, more items were being added.

The Thibodaux Playhouse has rented space since 1992 to produce its shows at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center Theatre, a component of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, located on St. Mary Street in Thibodaux.

The Playhouse’s board of directors envisions the 55-year-old thespian institution one day having its own theatre

to call home. The organization has produced more than 200 plays at five different venues since its inception.

The new site would serve as a multi-purpose building, according to Roger Hernandez, president of the Thibodaux Playhouse. In addition to the main stage, it would include a separate black-box theater where visual, performing and literary artists could showcase their talent.

Hernandez said a projector and screen would run classic movies.

And the addition of a catering kitchen would allow the Thibodaux Playhouse to host dinner theaters, banquets and other events.

Another advantage of operating its own facility is that the organization could offer concessions during intermission. The Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center Theatre doesn’t allow food or drink in the building.

Hernandez said the new facility will cost $6-$10 million, and fundraising is constant. “It’s a massive undertaking,” he said. “It’s a big building [with] a lot of amenities.”

It will take a number of shows, fundraisers and trivia nights to realize a new facility. That’s why Stentz and Hernandez are hoping for a great turnout for this month’s contest.

Wanna Go? Thibodaux Playhouse Trivia Night WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 26 WHERE: Warren J. Harang Auditorium in Thibodaux COST: $150 per team; up to 6 players per team INFO: thibodauxplayhouse.com or Arclex@msn.com

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Events

BATTLE OF THE BASIN DRAG RACES BRING A NEED FOR SPEED TO MORGAN CITY

Battle of the basin drag races WHEN: Sept. 26-27 WHERE: Lake End Park, Morgan City

TO PURCHASE TICKETS, CONTACT THE MCFD AT 985-380-4611.

If

you have a need for speed, then Morgan City is the place to be in late September.

The Battle of the Basin Drag Races will take place from Sept. 26-27 at Lake End Park in Morgan City. It will feature some of the fastest boats in the world among seven separate categories – each of which will have their own double-elimination tournament throughout the weekend.

Cost to attend is $10 per day for adults or $18 for the weekend. Folks can also bring their own ice chests for $10, though food and drinks are sold at the event by the Morgan City Fire Department, as well.

12 September 2015

The first race will begin at 11 a.m. on both days. They last throughout the day – sometimes right up to sunset.

“It’s a good, fun family event,” event organizer Casey C. Weaver said. “I think we take pride on bringing people together. Whether you’re young or old, male or female – it doesn’t matter.

Anyone can come out and enjoy this, because it’s an awesome show. ” The boats go astonishingly fast.

Weaver said the slowest boat fans will see throughout the weekend cruise through the water at a 90-92 mph clip.

The fastest? They eclipse 100 mph.

The race is part of the Deep South Racing Association’s (DSRA) Summer

COST: $10 per day, per adult or $18 for the weekend INFO: 985-380-4611

Series, which runs throughout Texas and Louisiana from April-September.

The Morgan City Fire Department is the event’s co-sponsor, and proceeds from the event go to help MCFD, as well.

“In some of our fastest divisions, you’ll see boats that are cruising by at 105, 106 or even up to 108 mph,” Weaver said. “The way Morgan City is set up is awesome. People can go out and sit in the bleachers they have there, and others come by in their houseboats and watch the races, as well. It’s a very comfortable setting, and if we’re blessed with maybe a little cool front or something, it should be a lovely day in

late September.”

Weaver said folks should show up hungry.

The event organizer said MCFD handles concessions throughout the weekend, and annually serves “some of the best food on the earth.”

Weaver said that t-shirts and other merchandise are available, which makes the two-day event one of the best stops in the DSRA season.

“We’ve been coming to Morgan City for a long time, and that’s because it’s a great event,” Weaver said. “They do a lot to help us out, and I think they put on a great event. It’s one of our best weekends of the year.”

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Events

DANCE TO THE DRUMS

AT UNITED HOUMA NATION’S POWWOW Wanna Go? WHAT: United Houma Nation’s 7th Annual Celebrating Abilities Powwow WHERE: Houma Airbase Arena, 221 Moffett Road WHEN: Sept. 19-20 COST: Admission is free INFO: unitedhoumanation.org

F

or the cultural explorer, sometimes the greatest discoveries are close to home.

That’s the case with the United Houma Nation’s 7th Annual Celebrating Abilities Powwow on Sept. 19-20 at the Houma Airbase Arena.

The public is invited to witness friendly dance competition between native dancers.

Arts and crafts – including the Houma Nation’s famous basketry – will be on sale. Also, traditional Indian tacos, fry bread, which is a dense bread served individually or as dessert, white beans and shrimp boulettes will also be sold.

The powwow is like a family reunion, of sorts, for the tribe, but also an opportunity to raise awareness of people with disabilities.

“The main focus of the powwow is the vocational rehabilitation [program], which has been sponsoring this for [seven years],” said Thomas Dardar Jr., principal chief of the United Houma Nation tribe.

The powwow is put on by the tribe’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program, which provides employment services to disabled members of the UHN and the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana.

There will also be a number of community organizations offering information and on-site services to powwow-goers. The Louisiana Workforce Commission Rehabilitation Services will provide information on its services, which are similar to the tribe’s but for the public. The Advocacy Center in New

Orleans, a nonprofit offering legal services to seniors and those with disabilities, will also be on-hand. Medicaid staff will be available and Wal-Mart Vision Center will offer free vision screenings.

People are encouraged to bring folding chairs, as seating is limited.

The family-oriented event is strictly alcohol- and drug-free.

“Because the circle where the dancing, singing and the drumming takes place is a blessed arena, it’s inappropriate for liquor to be anywhere near it,” said Lanor Curole, program director for the United Houma Nation. “It’s considered disrespectful to do that.”

Guests are also reminded that it is inappropriate to join the drum or dance circle unless invited by a tribe member.

The colorful attire worn are a memorable sight. Visitors are welcomed to arrange their chairs outside the circle to get a good view.

The powwow offers the community an opportunity to experience the UHN culture, which thrived in Louisiana for centuries before French explorers even arrived. UHN tribe members have endured discrimination, exploitation and marginalization since Europeans arrived in America, but they are still thriving along the Louisiana bayous.

“When you talk to [non-Native Americans], they think all Native Americans are extinct. Contrary to that belief, we’re alive and well and we’re thriving here in south Louisiana. In Terrebonne Parish and throughout the state, we’re in six different parishes,” Cheif Dardar said.

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Events

ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES FOR SALE AT THIBODAUX AUDITORIUM It’s Wanna Go? WHAT: Ta-Wa-Si Antiques And Collectibles Show And Sale WHERE: Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium, Thibodaux WHEN: Sept. 11-13 COST: $10 (admission for all 3 days) INFO: 985-413-1147

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never too early to start holiday shopping and the 39th Annual Ta-Wa-Si Antiques and Collectibles Show and Sale is the perfect location to find one-of-a-kind items.

Approximately 48 dealers from 11 states – including vendors as far away as Mansfield, Ohio, and Drury, Missouri – are set to take over Thibodaux’s Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium Sept. 11-13 for what is sure to be the place to look for any and all things from times gone by.

Among the mix, event co-chair Sue Herpel said, is French and English antique furniture, linens, old coins, silver, glassware, china and antique paper items such as postcards. Fine jewelry and budget-friendly costume jewelry, which Herpel said is currently quite popular within the antique show circuit, will also be available for purchase.

And the show isn’t just the place to find the perfect gift, either. Looking for that final piece to complete your newly remodeled living or dining room? Dealers are also sure to have accent pieces like oil paintings, western and folk art, country baskets and oriental rugs.

“You never know what you are going to see year to year,” Herpel said.

If attendees get hungry while browsing and making their way through the aisles, Cajun cooking will also be available for purchase. The staff of Thibodaux-based Nicholas Catering will set up an on-site cafe, serving up some of their most popular dishes.

Net proceeds from this event are used by Ta-Wa-Si, a women’s civic club formed in 1947, to benefit local projects, charities and schools. Since its inception, the organization has established three full-tuition scholarships for

students at Nicholls State University and show proceeds have also helped the club establish an endowment at the university to ensure the scholarships are offered year after year. Show funds have also been allocated to a variety of community businesses and non-profit organizations, including the Bayou Country Children’s Museum and HOPE for Animals, as well as schools.

“We help out the schools a lot,” Herpel said of the effort. “We’ve bought a lot of band instruments and helped with math labs and computers. We try to put the money back into the community.”

The Ta-Wa-Si Antiques and Collectibles Show and Sale is from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 11 and Sept. 12; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 13.

The $10 admission at the door is good for all three days. For more information on the show, call 985-413-1147.

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Events

COYC HURRICANE FESTIVAL A STORM SEASON FAVORITE

L

ower Lafourche Parish communities are gearing up to pass a good time at the Cut Off Youth Center’s largest fundraiser of the year, the COYC Hurricane Festival Sept. 25-27.

The weekend-long event shares its name with the associated Miss Hurricane Pageant, which acts as the opening event for the popular festival.

Little ones get their moment to shine during a children’s pageant at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, two weekends prior to the festival. Older participants take the stage at 7 p.m. that same evening. A Queen’s Dinner for older participants is also served at 5:30 p.m.

The CYOC Hurricane Fest kicks off later in the month with carnival rides, arts and crafts booths and delicious Cajun food – an always-important component of the popular festival, according to COYC Director D’Lynn Boudreaux.

COYC HURRICANE FESTIVAL

WHEN: Sept. 25-27 WHERE: Cut Off Youth Center, 205 W. 79th St., Cut Off COST: Admission is free; food and ride tickets sold on site INFO: www.cutoffyouthcenter.org or 985-632-7616 Opening night, Friday, cover band Clustafunk, known for its high-energy performances kicks the fun off at 5:30 p.m., followed by Lockport rock cover band Swing Arm from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Saturday opens with Baton Rouge country/rock ensemble The Chase Tyler Band, followed by south Louisiana rock band Voodoo Bayou and Houma party band Ruff N Ready. Local swamp country band Gilligan and Da Gang rounds out Sunday’s events, playing from 11 a.m. until the close of the festival.

Attendees can also try their luck at a whopping $6,000 raffle. Tickets are $25 each. In all, 600 tickets will be sold in

the “drawdown” raffle. The two people who claim the last two tickets in the barrel will decide whether to split the winnings, or risk losing $3,000 to claim the entire prize amount.

In lieu of the annual festival parade, Boudreaux said, participants will instead have the opportunity to take to the streets for a color run, in which participants don white clothes and get doused with a rainbow of colored powders. Racers take off at 8 a.m. Saturday from the youth center, making their way to Cut Off Elementary School roughly 1.5 miles north and back.

Proceeds generated from the festival are vital to the center, Boudreaux said, as all of the money goes back to the center, which serves as a community meeting place and recreation facility for those who call the bayou region home.

“The profits raised go toward our building improvements, replacement costs and it helps pay our insurance,” Boudreaux explained. “It keeps us open.”

Because of its free admission, free parking and family focused fun, the three-day festival continues to grow in popularity.

“If you want to hear some great music and taste some really good Cajun cooking, this is where you want to be,” Boudreaux said.

For more information or to purchase a raffle ticket, call the Cut Off Youth Center at 985-632-7616. The festival runs from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27.

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Events

Have an event scheduled for next month you’d like listed? Upcoming events in Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes are printed FREE. Send your information – who, what, when, where, cost and a daytime phone number – to EDITOR@RUSHING-MEDIA.COM. 2015 DEEP SOUTH RACING ASSOCIATION “BATTLE ON THE BASIN” DRAG RACES SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 27

Outboard powered racers zip through the Atchafalaya River at this annual drag boat race, hosted by Deep South Racing Association. All drivers and boat owners must be paid Racing Associates in good standing with DSRA. Entry fee will be $100 per class with an additional $45 for safety crew services and $45 for weekend insurance coverage.

RUSSO’S BOAT LANDING IN THE ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, MORGAN CITY 985-519-1351, 985-860-1880, 337-277-7010, 228-263-5695, OR WWW.DEEPSOUTHRACING.NET

KIWANIS GUN SHOW

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 9 A.M.-5 P.M.

The non-profit Kiwanis Club of Thibodaux Gun & Knife Show requires all federal, state and local firearm ordinances and laws to be obeyed.

EVERGREEN CAJUN CENTER, HOUMA 985-438-3283

80TH ANNUAL LOUISIANA SHRIMP & PETROLEUM FESTIVAL

THURSDAY, SEPT. 3 – MONDAY, SEPT. 9

Celebrate Louisiana’s oldest harvest festival with a weekend of music, crafts, carnival rides and culinary oddities. Musical guests include The Molly Ringwalds, Todd O’Neill, Snapper and the Fishsticks and more.

LAWRENCE PARK, BERWICK BAY, AND DOWNTOWN

CLEOPATRA ROCKS THE SADIE HAWKINS FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 8 P.M.-1 A.M.

The Krewe of Cleopatra hosts a kick-off fundraiser party featuring special guests Souled Out. EVERGREEN CAJUN CENTER, HOUMA 985-632-1550 OR 985-852-6840

CAJUN ROLLERGIRLS VS. GULF COAST ROLLER GIRLS’ LAFITTE’S LADIES

HISTORIC DISTRICT, MORGAN CITY

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 7 P.M.

WWW.SHRIMPANDPETROLEUM.ORG

Support the sweet-and-sour hearts of the Tri-parish area when they do battle with Lafitte’s Ladies.

General admission is $12; tickets for children ages 6-12 are $8; and children ages 5 and under get in free.

FALLVILLE FESTIVAL AND OPEN CAR SHOW SATURDAY, SEPT. 5 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 6

Families and car enthusiasts are welcome to a day of crafts, cars and Cajun cuisine. All proceeds benefit the Crippled Children’s Camp and Louisiana Lion’s Eye Foundation. Admission is free.

EVERGREEN CAJUN CENTER, HOUMA

The United Houma Nation invites you to celebrate the disabled individuals who contribute to their community through their talents and abilities. The event features dancing and authentic Native American goods. Admission is free.

WARREN J. HARANG JR., MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM, THIBODAUX, 985-413-1147 OR WWW.TAWASI.NET OR TAWASI.LAS@ATT.NET

DOWNTOWN LIVE AFTER 5 FRIDAY, SEPT. 18

Meet at the Courthouse Square for a night with Blue Eyed Soul. Opening act begins at 5:30 p.m. and the main event starts at 7 p.m.

CUT OFF YOUTH CENTER, CUT OFF 985-632-7616

UNITED HOUMA NATION 7TH ANNUAL CELEBRATING ABILITIES POWWOW SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 20

More than 48 dealers from around the country will have a variety of items for sale, including jewelry, books, glassware, paintings, pottery, rugs, china, tools and more. Net proceeds from the show benefit local charities, schools and community projects.

Spend a weekend exploring craft booths, indulging in your favorite Cajun dishes and riding carnival rides by the Cut Off Youth Center. Musical guests include Voodoo Bayou Band, Ruff N Ready, Gilligan and Da Gang and more. All proceeds from the Hurricane Festival go to the COYC.

WWW.CAJUNROLLERGIRLS.COM

OR 985-688-9349

FRIDAY, SEPT. 11 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 13

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 27

THIBODAUX CIVIC CENTER, THIBODAUX

EVERGREENCAJUNCENTER.ORG OR 985-226-2776

39TH ANNUAL TAWASI ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES SHOW

CUT OFF YOUTH CENTER HURRICANE FESTIVAL

HOUMA AIRBASE PAVILION, HOUMA WWW.UNITEDHOUMANATION.ORG OR 985-223-3029

2ND ANNUAL AUTISM INFORMATION EXPO SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 9 A.M.-4 P.M.

The Autism Society Bayou presents the 2nd Annual Autism Information Expo with guests Kelly Fischer, M.A., L.M.H.C., and Maria Blanco, M.Ed, assistant professor at LSU Health Sciences Center. Topics such as caregiving, sexuality and bullying are up for discussion. The Autism Information Expo will have ample vendors that provide services to autistic individuals. Admission is free.

HOUMA-TERREBONNE CIVIC CENTER, HOUMA

COURTHOUSE SQUARE, HOUMA

GWEN_AUTISMSOCIETYBAYOU@YAHOO.COM

985-873-6408

OR BAYOUAUTISM@YAHOO.COM

GENE BONVILLAIN “IT’S 5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE” FISHING RODEO

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 27

The family of Gene Bonvillain will host its 4th Annual Fishing Rodeo to benefit research and awareness for mesothelioma. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from Stephanie Autin at 985-226-8894.

This free two-day, two stage festival features national headliners as well as Louisiana bands. Stroll through the Art Marketplace for customized goods, trawl through the food courts and local restaurants or simply pull up a chair and listen to some live entertainment.

TRADEWINDS MARINA, CHAUVIN, AND EAST PARK

DOWNTOWN HOUMA

RECREATION CENTER, HOUMA

WWW.BESTOFTHEBAYOU.LA

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 27

985-226-8894

16 September 2015

BEST OF THE BAYOU FESTIVAL

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Music

BEST OF THE BAYOU ROCKS HOUMA

MARC BROUSSARD

T

wo days, two stages and a whole lot of music ... Best of the Bayou is back Sept. 26-27, bringing some of the best national and homegrown talent to historic Downtown Houma.

This year’s lineup includes 21 performers slated to appear throughout the weekend and festival co-chair Billy Foster said attendees can expect a gumbo of musical genres to delight any and all.

“We always try to get what the festival committee feels will appeal to just about anyone,” he explained. “We start meeting in January and everyone throws out a wish list and we hand pick what we believe will have the biggest draw for our audience.”

Things kick off Saturday with a little soul and rock, followed by a power-driven lineup of funk masters, indie rockers and one good ol’ southern boy, Marc Broussard. Sunday promises more of the same musical flavor, rounded out by Houma’s resident rockers, Baby Bee. “Marc has been a favorite around here for a long time,” Foster said. “And The Revivalists, their shows are so electric.

They get the audience involved and every time I’ve seen them, the singer, David Shaw, has jumped down into the crowd. They just have so much energy. ... We have some great girl bands, too,

18 September 2015

with Kristen Diable, who is all over the country now touring and Maggie Koerner, who’s name you probably have never heard, but I guarantee you will soon.”

Let the music fill the air all day as you explore the festival’s other features, too.

Sunday’s Great Gator Races are always a hit and the newest event feature, the Cajun Reebox 5K, will take participants through a competitive trek right through the heart of the festival space.

The little ones can also get in on the fun with bounce houses, arts and crafts and much more at the Kids Korner.

As you make your way back to the stages, don’t forget to grab a bite from some of the area’s best restaurants and caterers around. Make a stop at the cocktail booth as well, to sip on the festival’s signature cocktail and enjoy the sights and sounds of this family-friendly event that is sure to have everyone passin’ a good time.

“Good music, good food, good drinks – there’s a lot to be had for free,” Foster said. “I think our lineup can stand up to any of the big festivals around. We want people to come out and have a good time and enjoy the beautiful scenery of downtown Houma.”

Singer-songwriter Marc Broussard of Carencro has been active in the music world all his life, starting when he was sitting in with his father’s band at the age of 5.

Armed with just a guitar and his soulful R&B voice, Broussard has managed to produce six studio albums and one live album in his 13-year career. Broussard has made guest appearances with the likes of Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, Willie Nelson, O.A.R., Bonnie Raitt and LeAnn Rimes. With such diversity in genres, Broussard’s style cannot be defined as simply folk or soul. Rather, Broussard calls his style “bayou soul,” hybridizing the “born on the bayou” lifestyle with blue-eyed soul.

THE REVIVALISTS

This New Orleans-based group consists of seven members on a variety of instruments, including a horn section. The Revivalists’s genre cannot be defined in one word: this self-described “rock hybrid” band derives its sound from rock, soul, funk, country, roots and folk. Rolling Stone magazine describes The Revivalists’ live performances as “a Crescent City-rhythm spin on jam-band jubilee.” Don’t expect a straightforward set list that adheres to their albums; these guys are prone to jamming and vocalist David Shaw’s antics will keep the audience alive and engaged.

DON’T MISS THESE ACTS! LOUISIANA LEROUX

Self-described “musical gumbo” of blues, R&B, jazz, rock, funk and Cajun

BABY BEE

Houma brothers Joe and David Stark are the masterminds behind that raw garage punk sound.

WAYLON THIBODEAUX CORPORATE AMERICA

New Orleans-based outfit with rock, R&B and funk roots.

JO-EL SONNIER

Cajun country recording artist from Westlake

Cajun, Zydeco, swamp pop; Houma

VOODOO BAYOU

Rock, country, swamp pop; Houma

TRAVIS MATTE AND THE KINGPINS Zydeco; Scott

TERRI & THE FELLAS

Country; Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes

BIG SAM’S FUNKY NATION

Led by trombone powerhouse Big Sam Williams, the Nation is a fusion of jazz improvisation and funk. Their live performances can be described as “high voltage.”

THE DULAC SMACK

Houma-based quartet with rock, blues and Americana feel.

KELLY WILLIS

Singer-songwriter combines with rockabilly and country

SWEET CRUDE

Indie rock; New Orleans

THE PONTCHARTRAIN WRECKS Rock, Americana; New Orleans

NONC NU AND DA WILD MATOUS

Zydeco, blues, rock, country; Thibodaux

MAGGIE KOERNER Pop; Shreveport

CAJUN PRESERVATION ALL-STARS

The All-Stars are a rag-tag group of Cajun musicians with one common goal: to preserve south Louisiana’s zydeco heritage.

GOOD FEELIN’

Jazz group from Thibodaux

KRISTIN DIABLE

Singer-songwriter fuses soul and Americana

LIL NATHAN AND THE ZYDECO BIG TIMERS Zydeco; Lafayette •

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19

Music

CETERA FINDS ELECTRIC GROOVE FOR VAST CATALOGUE T

rivia question: Who penned “If You Leave Me Now”? “Baby What a Big Surprise?” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry?”

“Hard Habit to Break?” Or “You’re the Inspiration?”

Chicago, you say. Close. Here’s another hit, he’s also the singer/bassist/songwriter behind the hits “If You Leave Me Now,” “After All” and “The Next Time I Fall.”

Peter Cetera has an enviable catalogue, indeed.

At age 71, the former Chicago frontman has long enjoyed his solo career, but it was only recently, after a several-year hiatus from the spotlight, that he returned to the stage. Luckily for Tri-parish residents, he’s slated to appear at the Cypress Bayou Casino on Sunday, Sept. 6.

“I took time off and didn’t think there was room for me anymore,” Cetera said. “But now I have this seven-piece electric group – a collection of Nashville friends – and we’re having so much fun.”

Chicago-born Cetera did get his start professionally in the late ‘60s with The Chicago Transit Authority, which would eventually become Chicago. The band zipped up the charts with “25 or 6

20 September 2015

to 4” with Cetera singing leads.

Suddenly the band was on the climb, but no one knew how to categorize their sound. It was ultimately tagged rock jazz. “I don’t know squat from jazz,” Cetera says.

“We were unique at the time we started,” the tenor recalls, “and it took us a while to get going.”

By 1985, things in the band had soured. He left the group, but stayed with the same label. And that made it tough for Cetera to make a name for himself. “[The label] wanted me to go back,” he said. “It was beyond repair by then.

They wanted me gone and so did I. It hasn’t been easy because I was always being pegged into the Chicago thing.”

That’s not to say Cetera’s solo move didn’t bring success. His first solo single, “Glory of Love,” the the to “The Karate Kid, Part II” was a No. 1 Billboard hit in 1986. It was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Cetera teamed with Amy Grant on “The Next Time I Fall” next. “Feels Like Heaven,” a hit with Chaka Khan, and “After All” with Cher would follow.

The songs, although quite popular, also fueled Cetera’s reputation as a balladeer.

Wanna Go? WHAT: Peter Cetera WHERE: Cypress Bayou Casino, Charenton WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 6 COST: $35-$50 INFO: cypressbayou.com

“I’ve always sort of been pegged that way,” he says. “In reality, my music has maybe one or two [ballads] on each album. My label promotes the ballads, but I have rock, too.”

And Cetera is proving it on this tour.

“Basically my show today is the songs that I’ve written, recorded and produced,” he says. That includes the pre-solo stuff.

“I’m very happy with the run I have had,” he says. “There are some good songs I’m very proud of.”

The audiences these days, much like his catalogue, are quite varied, too.

“I’m finding that there is a lot of mix in the audience,” he says. “Even the

older people that know the old stuff sometimes are surprised to hear the songs I’ve had a hand in. My audiences are a blend of people that know me from before and people who know me now.

“Some may know my name; some may know my face,” he continues. “But when I hit the stage and start playing the music, they’re still surprised. That’s fun to see; that’s what brought me back.”

Cetera says rarely does he play a show that someone in the audience doesn’t approach him to say they fell in love or were married to one of his songs.

“It is amazing to see how many of my songs meant so much to so many people,” he says. “These songs were the soundtrack to their lives. Sure, they’re a little shocked to see I am coming onstage without a rocker, but it never fails that somewhere, we’ll hit one of the songs that affected their lives.”

Cetera says as long as people keep showing up, he’ll keep touring. “I still enjoy it, playing these songs. I’m proud of ‘em. As long as I love doing the songs and can get around, why not? I’m looking forward to seeing everybody in that neck of the country.”

•

Kid’s Page

Sponsored by

Dots & Boxes Players take turns by drawing lines to connect two dots (Up & down and side by side. Never diagonal). A player that completes the fourth side of a square (a box) initials that box and must play again. When all boxes have been completed, the game ends and the player who has more initialed boxes wins.

Tic Tac Toe

gumboguide.com

21

Music

Concert listings are provided FREE monthly to Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne venues. Send your monthly calendar – the band name and date they’re appearing – address and contact phone number to EDITOR@RUSHING-MEDIA.COM.

PRESIDIO BRASS CELEBRATES THE SOUNDS OF THE CINEMA HOT TIX

TAMIA – Sept. 17, House of Blues, New Orleans, 7 p.m., $32

TICKETMASTER:

DIERKS BENTLEY SOUNDS OF SUMMER TOUR 2015 – Sept. 18, Bold Sphere Music at

(868) 448-7849 or www.ticketmaster.com TICKETWEB:

(866) 468-7630 or www.ticketweb.com LIVE NATION:

(800) 745-3000 or www.livenation.com (Ticket prices include handling fees.)

ZZ WARD: LOVE AND WAR TOUR – Sept. 1, House of Blues, New Orleans, 6:30 p.m., $22

SLIM CESSNAS AUTO CLUB WITH JOECEPHUS & THE GEORGE JONES TOWN MASSACRE – Sept. 1, House of Blues, New Orleans, 7 p.m., $11

ZZ TOP WITH SPECIAL GUEST BLACKBERRY SMOKE – Sept. 3, Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square, New Orleans, 7:30 p.m., $25.50-$55.50

MOTLEY CRUE: THE FINAL TOUR “ALL BAD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END” – Sept. 4, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $18-$123

X PLUS DEAD ROCK WEST – Sept. 4, House of Blues, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $25

SUPER FRESH HIP HOP FEST – Sept. 5, UNO Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $57-$97

TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS WITH SPECIAL GUEST ADAM HOOD – Sept. 10, House of Blues,

Champions Square, New Orleans, 7 p.m., $35.75$50.75

SWERVEDRIVER WITH GATEWAY DRUGS – Sept. 18, House of Blues, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $20

NEW ORLEANS BURLESQUE FESTIVAL’S QUEEN’S BALL! – Sept. 18, House of Blues, New Orleans, 10:30 p.m., $22

THE NEW ORLEANS BURLESQUE FESTIVAL’S BAD GIRLS OF BURLESQUE! – Sept 19, House of Blues, New Orleans, 10:30 p.m., $22

BLUES TRAVELER – Sept. 22, Civic Theatre, New Orleans, 9 p.m., $25 THE LANDING FESTIVAL – Sept. 25-27, South Shore Harbor, New Orleans, all day, $85-$225 LIVE AT THE FILLMORE, THE DEFINITIVE TRIBUTE TO THE ORIGINAL ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – Sept. 26, House of Blues, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $15

MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT – Sept.

26, House of Blues, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $15

ZEDD: TRUE COLORS TOUR PRESENTED BY T-MOBILE – Sept. 28, Bold Sphere Music at

New Orleans, 7 p.m., $17.50

Champions Square, New Orleans, 6 p.m., $36$91

TURQUOISE JEEP – Sept. 11, House of Blues, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $14

BILLY IDOL PLUS THE LONDON SOULS – Sept.

HALESTORM – Sept. 11, Civic Theatre, New Orleans, 8:30 p.m., $29.50

28-29, House of Blues, New Orleans, 7 p.m., $70-$87

ZOSO: A TRIBUTE TO LED ZEPPELIN – Sept.

12, House of Blues, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $15

PATTON OSWALT – Sept. 13, Mahalia Jackson

SCREAM “BACK 2 SCHOOL” FEST 2015 –

Theater for the Performing Arts, New Orleans, 8 p.m., $38-$43

Sept. 30, Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square, New Orleans, 7 p.m., $25.50-$85.50

DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID – Sept. 15-20,

JANET JACKSON: UNBREAKABLE WORLD TOUR – Sept. 30, Smoothie King Center, New

Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, various times, $25-$100

22 September 2015

Orleans, 8 p.m., $37.50-$118.00

•

T

eam a five-man California ensemble – a brass quintet, piano and percussionist – a Hollywood playlist and a dose of good humor, and you’ve got the makings of a great night out with Persidio Brass.

Products of their school’s band program, Persidio Brass got their start in 2006. Since then, the members – trumpeters Steve O’Connor and Dr. Timothy J. Tesh, horn player Mike McCoy, trombone player Jeff Harrigan and tubist, pianist and primary music arranger for the group Scott Sutherland – have performed with major symphony orchestras as well as a string of stars.

Persidio Brass has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Quincy Jones and others. Collectively, band members run the musical spectrum. They united with one primary goal – to promote music education and music appreciation among young people. At every opportunity, Persidio Brass continues to connect with a master class or school program.

The band stops at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium on Tuesday, Sept. 8, as part of the Community Concert Association’s 2015-16 season.

The show, “Sounds of the Cinema,” includes classic hits penned specifi-

cally for the movies. Concertgoers are promised a big dose of humor with blazing virtuosity, sensitive moments and first-class entertainment. Tunes range from “2001: A Space Odyssey” to the “Fantasia Suite” and “Moon River.”

Tickets are $45 for adults; $10 for children. The price includes admission to the CCA’s full season: THE YOUNG IRELANDERS, OCT. 8.

The eight-member Irish music and dance troupe has performed for heads of state and toured with “Riverdance” and “Lord of the Dance.”

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF SONG, FEB. 25, 2016.

The theatrical production brings composer Harold Arlen’s beloved songs to the stage: “That Old Black Magic,” “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road),” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” and more.

MATT DUSK, APRIL 19, 2016.

Big-band style crooner Matt Dusk delivers hits from The Chet Baker Songbook.

SAVANNAH JACK, MAY 19, 2016.

The three-piece band once opened for Peter Frampton, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, The Doobie Brothers and Kenny Rogers.

•

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COMING SEASON, VISIT WWW.MORGANCITYCCA.COM OR CALL FLOYD CLOUTIER AT 985-385-2307 OR DOYLENE PORTER AT 985-384-3277.

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Arts

BAYOU PLAYHOUSE REVISITS ‘RISING WATER’

R

umors of Bayou Playhouse director Perry Martin’s death may have been exaggerated, but not by much.

Martin was readying for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for John Schneider Studios’ Shakespearean festival in Holden, La.; gearing up for John “Spud” McConnell’s one-man show “The Kingfish”; and casting for the Bayou Playhouse’s opening show, “Rising Water.”

“My crew thinks I have a death wish,” Martin said of the workload.

The pace was hectic, but the longtime actor/director was managing. Until one night in mid-August.

“I woke up and the right side of my

24 September 2015

body wouldn’t move,” Martin said. He dialed a friend’s number, but words were barely understandable. The stroke was in control.

“Fortunately, my friend recognized I was in trouble and dialed 911,” Martin said.

The ambulance arrived within the “golden hour,” probably saving the director’s life and certainly saving his speech and motor skills.

“The good news is I’ll recover use of my hand and and speech in physical therapy,” Martin told Gumbo from his hospital bed in the Intensive Care Unit a few days after the incident. Commit-

‘RISING WATER’ WHEN: Sept. 18-Oct. 11 WHERE: Bayou Playhouse, 101 Main St., Lockport COST: $27 at the door INFO: bayouplayhouse.com or 888-99-BAYOU (22968)

ted to a “show must go on” mentality, Martin never stopped. Auditions for his season opening production of “Rising Water” were conducted from the ICU room. Between tests, treatment and doctor’s visits, a parade of actors, crew and theatre staff made their way in and out of the room.

The stroke has been little more than a speed bump.

It did, however, slightly delay the opening of “Rising Water.”

“We planned to bring it back for the [Hurricane] Katrina anniversary, but were afraid it would get lost in all the other storm-related productions,” Martin explained. “So we backed it up to September.” Ironically, the show was rescheduled for another disaster anniversary: 9/11.

The most recent, and certain, play date is Sept. 18-Oct. 11.

This marks the plays second run at Bayou Playhouse. Randy Cheramie and Lorna Gianelloni played Sug and Camille, the middle-aged couple who find themselves trapped in an attic after Hurricane Katrina. A knee injury prevented Cheramie from appearing this go-around. McConnell is playing the role.

New Orleans everyman Sug and realistic Camille awaken in the middle of the night to find their pitch-dark house quickly filling with water. The two clamber into the attic, and then onto their rooftop. Throughout, the two struggle not only to survive but also to keep the guttering flame of the love from being extinguished.

Playwright John Biguenet’s gripping script is about love, life in the Big Easy, resiliency and hope.

“It’s a great show and we’re excited to have it back,” Martin said. “And I’m especially glad to still be here to be part of it.”

•

gumboguide.com

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Arts

‘ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’ CONTINUES LE PETIT SEASON entirely on Roosevelt, from presidency, to his hunting trip in Africa, through building the Panama Canal,” Marant said.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” marks Marant’s third appearance in a Le Petit production. He had roles in “Who Killed the Kingfish?” and “The Apple Tree.”

The Brewster women’s seemingly put-together lifestyle starts to unravel when another nephew, Mortimer (James Stewart), shows up to announce his engagement to the minister’s daughter, Elaine (Celeste Roberts Bergeron).

He discovers a dead body hidden beneath the window seat while at the home.

The aunts have been busy with a most peculiar charitable mission, they explain, persuading a handful of older gentlemen inside for a sip of their own

Wanna Go?

T

he Brewsters are unusual, to say the least. In fact, the whole bunch is downright insane.

And the family is at the center of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” the second in Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne’s six-play 2015-16 season.

The Broadway classic was written by American playwright Joseph Kesselring in 1939 and was later adapted into a film starring Cary Grant. The show is kept much in the style of the original writing, complete with antique props and fashion realistic to the time period.

The plot, though riddled with dark elements of murder and bodies buried in the Brewster mansion basement, is also funny. Le Petit is performing eight shows Sept. 11-20.

“It’s not so much a mystery because everything is almost given away at the very beginning,” director Ouida Best said. “There’s some comedy to it. It’s a drama-comedy.”

The show opens in the living room of the Brewster home, where two old-maid aunts, Abby (Donna Benda) and Martha Brewster (Edwina Yakupzack), are chatting with Rev. Dr. Harper (Bud Barnes) about their dear nephew, Teddy (Matthew Marant), who believes he is the former president of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt.

Teddy’s alternate personality, as Dr. Harper explains to the women, makes him an ideal candidate for admittance to the Happy Dale Sanitarium.

“My character has modeled his life

‘ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’ WHEN: Sept. 11-20, 7:30 p.m.; 2 p.m. matinee Sunday (dark Saturday and Monday) WHERE: Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne, 7829 W. Main St., Houma COST: $15 INFO: houmalittletheatre.com or call 985-876-4278

special blend of homemade elderberry wine, laced with arsenic, strychnine and a hint of cyanide. The hobby, the women assure, is nothing to make a fuss over.

As Mortimer tries to figure out what the heck is happening to his beloved family, his less than normal, long-lost brother, Jonathan (Doug Holloway), appears with his alcoholic plastic surgeon sidekick, Dr. Einstein (Joel Waldron), to further fuel the chaos.

“He’s on the bad side, but he’s not really a bad person,” Waldron explained.

“He got mixed up in the wrong crowd. … He’s a fun character. He’s a little timid, which is a little different for me. I’ve always played more of a stronger role.”

Before long, 12 bodies are discovered in the Brewster home and several more are added to the list, thanks to Jonathan’s homicidal tendencies. The corpses are moved about in an attempt to keep the family’s secret under wraps, setting off one hilarious scene after another. Teddy’s incessant cry, “Charge!” as he makes his way up the stairs serves as a comedic thread through the mayhem.

“I jokingly say that my role in this play is to show up, make noise and run away,” said Marant, who has a history background, which helps with his portrayal of the former president.

The police squad – newcomer Malcolm Parfait, Steve Duplantis, Terrance Bonvillain and Frank Davis – eventually arrive to find out what the ruckus is about.

George Beaudry and Greg Whitney also make appearances as two older gentlemen who just might become Aunt Abby and Aunt Martha’s next charitable works.

“Trying to cast a 14-person production is tough,” director Best said of the show.

“I weakened some of the board members to get involved. … It’s fun. [The characters] are all a little cuckoo.”

•

26 September 2015

gumboguide.com

27

Arts

AT THE LIBRARY

LEARN ABOUT CHILD SAFETY

TEENS & TWEENS – LEARN TO CROCHET

SEPT. 18

EVERY THURSDAY IN SEPTEMBER

Representatives of the Learning Center at Lady of the Sea General Hospital will show parents how to properly restrain children in seat belts and discuss other safety issues. Open to the public.

Learn to make a chain, single crochets, double crochets and triple crochets.

GOLDEN MEADOW BRANCH, 1 P.M.

SEPT. 3

LEARN ABOUT CIRCUIT BOARDS SEPT. 24

Children and teens ages 12 and up can learn to build and then modify circuit boards. Space is limited, so sign up at the library.

THIBODAUX BRANCH, 5 P.M.

MOMMY & ME ZUMBA SEPT. 25

Mothers and children of all ages can attend a free Mommy & Me Zumba class.

THIBODAUX BRANCH, 11 A.M.

LUMINARY CRAFTS

DULAC BRANCH, 4 P.M.

CRAFTERNOONS: PONY BEAD CATS Open for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Registration is required.

MAIN LIBRARY, 4 P.M.

FUTURE LEADERS OF AMERICA’S GULF SEPT. 3

Supported by the Terrebonne Parish Library and HTV10, F.L.A.G. members develop leadership, journalism and project management skills as they educate and mobilize Louisiana youth around issues of concern to the future of our state, region and nation. Open to all high school students in Terrebonne Parish. Call 985-8765861, ext. 114, or email naomi@tpl.org for more information.

SEPT. 25

MAIN BRANCH, 6:30 P.M.

Adults can use glass gems, mason jars and battery-operated tea lights to make a luminary. Space is limited, so sign up at the library.

NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETRY

GHEENS BRANCH, 4:30 P.M.

TERREBONNE PARISH BABYGARTEN STORY TIME EVERY TUESDAY IN SEPTEMBER

EVERY FRIDAY IN SEPTEMBER

Explore Native American culture by learning this traditional craft. Be sure to bring a large bath towel.

DULAC BRANCH, 11 A.M.

RED, WHITE & BLUE TIE-DYE T-SHIRTS SEPT. 4

This program is open for parents and children from newborns to 18 months.

Open for students from 3rd to 12th grades. Participants must provide their own T-shirt.

MAIN BRANCH, 10 A.M.

BOURG BRANCH, 3:30 P.M.

LINE DANCING

THINKING OUT LOUD BOOK DISCUSSION

LEGO ROBOTICS

SEPT. 10

SEPT. 1

SEPT. 5

LEARN TO CROCHET

Learn or practice line dances at a free line dancing class. Open to the public.

EVERY SATURDAY IN SEPTEMBER

SOUTH LAFOURCHE BRANCH, 2 P.M.

Learn crocheting basics in these free classes. Some supplies provided, but those attending may want to bring a size G or H crochet needle.

The Thinking Out Loud book discussion group will meet to discuss “The Fault in Our Stars,” by John Green. October’s book will be “The Girl on the Train,” by Paula Hawkins.

MAIN BRANCH, 11 A.M. AND 3 P.M.

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP WITH PATRICIA POWELL

LAFOURCHE PARISH

SOUTH LAFOURCHE BRANCH, 10 A.M.

SEPT. 10

LEARNING TO BE HEALTHY

Local author Patricia Powell will host a free writers’ workshop. Registration is required.

SEPT. 9

THIBODAUX BRANCH, 5 P.M.

Children of all ages can enjoy a fun and informative story hour that focuses on being healthy. Tamaria Hawkins, the coordinator for Louisiana Rural Health Association’s Growing Up Fit program, will offer children tips for living healthy.

THIBODAUX BRANCH, 10:30 A.M.

Children from 2nd to 3rd grades and 4th to 7th grades can build and program machines using LEGO Robotics. Register at the library.

MAIN BRANCH, 6:30 P.M.

PEEK-A-BOO INFANT READING PROGRAM EVERY WEDNESDAY IN SEPTEMBER

This program is open for parents and children from newborns to 18 months.

EAST HOUMA BRANCH, 10 A.M.

GRANDPARENTS DAY BINGO SEPT. 10

Celebrate Grandparents Day a little early by playing bingo with your grandchildren. Open to the public.

CHOCTAW BRANCH, 5 P.M.

PATRIOTIC T-SHIRT WORKSHOP SEPT. 2

Children from pre-K to 2nd grade will paint patriotic images on their T-shirt. Children must provide their own shirt.

BOURG BRANCH, 4 P.M.

NATIONAL TEDDY BEAR DAY SEPT. 9

Celebrate National Teddy Bear Day with a special teddy bear craft.

RACELAND BRANCH, 4 P.M.

DEMO CAR SEAT SAFETY SEPT. 10

Representatives of the Learning Center at Lady of the Sea General Hospital will demonstrate and discuss car seat safety for parents.

LAROSE BRANCH, 12 P.M.

CANNING DEMO WITH SARAH JACKSON SEPT. 14

Local resident Sarah Jackson will demonstrate how to can fruits and vegetables. Open to the public.

BAYOU BLUE BRANCH, 1:30 P.M.

SOCIAL SECURITY WORKSHOP SEPT. 17 AND 19

Karen Bienvenu, a member of the Society for Financial Awareness, will conduct free workshops on how and when to draw Social Security Administration benefits.

THIBODAUX BRANCH, 5 P.M. AND 10:30 A.M.

28 September 2015

INGLES PARA HISPANOHABLANTES WORKSHOP / ESL MANGO SEPT. 2

Every alternating week, join us for ESL (English second language) reviews. We will work with the database Mango to help enhance English skills.

Library cards and PIN numbers are necessary.

EAST HOUMA BRANCH, 6:30 P.M.

COMPREHENSION-FOCUSED STORY TIME EVERY THURSDAY IN SEPTEMBER

SEW EASY EVERY MONDAY IN SEPTEMBER

This new program is specifically for struggling readers from 1st to 4th grade.

This is a free sewing group for beginners. Bring your own machine, supplies and fabrics.

DULAC BRANCH, 4 P.M.

DULAC BRANCH, 11 A.M.

OIL PAINTING WITH GAIL LECOMPTE

TERREBONNE COMIC CON

EVERY TUESDAY IN SEPTEMBER

SEPT. 20

Registration is required, with a limited class of 20. Paintings take a full month.

Join us for super time for fans of all ages at the Terrebonne Comic Con! There will be costume contests, a comic book swap, gaming, comic book Jeopardy, manga drawing sessions, story times and more.

DULARGE BRANCH, 10 A.M.

CRAFTERNOONS: MOSAIC OWLS SEPT. 10

MAIN BRANCH, 2 P.M.

Open for children from pre-K to 6th grades.

Registration is required.

MOVIE MONDAYS

MAIN BRANCH, 4 P.M.

WRITERS UNITE! CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP FOR TEENS: FICTION SEPT. 10

SEPT. 21

The North Branch Library presents “Sharknado!” Yes, really.

INTRODUCTION TO EXCEL

MAIN BRANCH, 6:30 P.M.

MAIN BRANCH, 7 P.M.

This adult computer class gives an introduction to the computer program Microsoft Excel.

SEPT. 23

Families are welcome to a viewing of “Night at the Museum.”

NORTH BRANCH, 2 P.M.

ADULT COMPUTER CLASS: BLOGGING BASICS SEPT. 15

Learn the fundamentals of writing and maintaining a personal blog. Space is limited; registration is required.

NORTH BRANCH, 2 P.M.

Stumped helping your kids with their homework?

The library can help you with a powerful toolkit full of free, easy-to-access library resources. Information for parents of elementary and middle schoolers will be presented on the first oor in the Arts and Crafts room. Go to the second oor Computer Lab to learn about the exciting resources the library has to offer high schoolers and adults. New sessions start every 30 minutes.

Open for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Registration is required.

MAIN BRANCH, 4 P.M.

SEPT. 17

Bring a covered dish. Come and pass a good time sharing oral history, humor, music and recipes and play a game of bingo!

EAST HOUMA BRANCH, 6:30 P.M.

CANCER SCREENINGS SEPT. 19

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center will be screening for prostate, skin, oral and colorectal cancer. All screenings are free and must occur one full year after your last screening.

TIFFANY DAVIS

Learn alongside other teens the art and technique of creative writing. This hour-long program will emphasize literary craft as well as the dedicated practice of peer review and revision.

MAIN BRANCH, 6:30 P.M.

HOUMA

GETTING OUT

BY AFTON BRINKMAN

“It’s about an 18-year-old girl in an abusive home who signs up for boarding school to get out and make something of herself. It shows how, no matter where you come from or what you’ve been through, there’s always [something] better for you.”

HOW TO DRAW MANGA SEPT. 26

Learn to draw manga and anime characters in this hour-long class headed by illustrator Alexis Richard. We will cover the basic skills needed to draw the characters in any style, as well as different ways to draw some of the most distinguishing features of manga art.

MAIN BRANCH, 3 P.M.

CAJUN POTLUCK BINGO

“I’m in the beginning, so I haven’t gotten into it really yet. I read it in high school. I saw the movie a couple of weeks ago with my daughter, so I wanted to read it again to see the difference between the movie and the book.

“The thing that I like about it the most is that even though a person might have a past, they can turn their life around and end up doing good things for their community.”

SEPT. 24

Come to the library to learn about our eBook services, including Overdrive and Axis360. Bring your Kindle, iPad, smartphone or other e-reading device to help connect to our services. Remember to have a library card in good standing and your library PIN to access the materials.

SEPT. 17

BY VICTOR HUGO

WRITERS UNITED! CREATIVE WORKSHOP FOR TEENS: CREATIVE NON-FICTION

SEPT. 16

CRAFTERNOONS: POPSICLE STICK SCARECROWS

LES MISERABLE

MAIN BRANCH, 6 P.M.

INTRODUCTION TO EBOOKS

MAIN BRANCH, 7 P.M.

HOUMA

SEPT. 21

HOMEWORK TOOLKIT FOR PARENTS

SEPT. 12

GRETCHEN AVET

NORTH BRANCH, 2:30 P.M.

Learn alongside other teens the art and technique of creative writing. This hour-long program will emphasize literary craft as well as the dedicated practice of peer review and revision.

FAMILY MOVIE

WHAT ARE YOU READING?

YOU SHOULD BE WRITING: CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP FOR ADULTS SEPT. 30

Ever thought, “I can write better than this” while reading a book, watching a movie or digging around online? Then you should be writing! This workshop aims to get you writing with exercises and peer discussions rather than critiques. Attendees must be 18 or older and must come ready to write.

MAIN BRANCH, 7 P.M.

JASON CROUCH HOUMA

OUR SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

BY M. RUSSEL BALLARD

“It’s about what our pursuit is in this life. We’re searching for happiness. It’s centered on Jesus Christ and how we can find peace ad happiness through him.

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MAIN BRANCH, 9 A.M.

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29

Arts THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: BOB HOPE AND HIS ALL-STAR PACIFIC TOUR SEPT. 18-20, 25 & 27

Take a seat in the crowd as Bob Hope takes the stage, just as he did during WWII to entertain the troops. This lively reenactment takes you there as Bob Hope presents a bevy of beauties: Judy Garland, the Andrews Sisters, Deanna Durbin, Carmen Miranda and Frances Langford, bringing levity and music to war-zone islands during WWII. THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM, BB’S STAGE DOOR CANTEEN, 945 MAGAZINE ST., NEW ORLEANS, 504-528-1943 ($30-$65)

MAGIC TREE HOUSE COLLECTION: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK SEPT. 18-27

What would you do if a tree house in your neighborhood could transport you anywhere you wanted to go? While exploring one afternoon, siblings Jack and Annie discover a tree house full of books. Jack looks through a book about dinosaurs and wishes he could see a real one.

Suddenly the wind begins to blow and the tree house starts to spin wildly. hen it finally stops, ac and Annie open their eyes to find they have been transported back to the time of the dinosaurs....

THIBODAUX PLAYHOUSE, 1120 CAROLINE ST., THIBODAUX, THIBODAUXPLAYHOUSE.COM, 985-446-2896

MY FAIR LADY SEPT. 25-OCT. 4

THEATER AUGUST WILSON’S ‘FENCES’ SEPT. 11-27

Tony Maxson, one of the greatest characters of American theater, has stepped up to the plate too many times in his life only to go down swinging. Shut out of the big leagues by prejudice, the former Negro League homerun king is now a garbage collector just trying to make a living and do right by his family.

ANTHONY BEAN COMMUNITY THEATER,

DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID

BLUEBERRY HILL

In a magical kingdom fathoms below, we meet Ariel, the little mermaid who is tired of ipping her fins and longs to be part of the fascinating world on dry land. Joining her are Sebastian, Ariel’s crabby sidekick; Ursula, the evil sea witch; Triton, King of the Sea, and the handsome and human Prince Eric. Based on the Disney animated film and hit roadway musical, The Little Mermaid” is making its New Orleans debut.

“Blueberry Hill” features classic New Orleans R&B songs made famous by local musical icons like Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe and many others! Not a revue type show or a retelling of the history of the recording business, “Blueberry Hill” instead tells a new story of everyday people who find themselves dealing with love and betrayal, laughter and tears. Audiences will find themselves sharing in the oy and sadness onstage and singing along as the plot takes some unexpected twists while bringing to life the songs they know and love.

SEPT. 15-20

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY: BIG BANDS OF WWII SEPT. 12

The National WWII Museum’s own Victory Swing Orchestra celebrates the great big bands of the WWII era. This romantic evening will feature classic hits like “Sentimental Journey,” “Begin the Beguine,” “Stardust,” “”Tuxedo Junction” and “Take the A Train” by bandleader greats such as Glenn Miller, Harry James, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Duke Ellington.

1118 CLEARVIEW PKWY, METAIRIE, WWW.JPAS.ORG, 504-885-2000 ($40-$60)

DISGRACED

SEPT. 30-OCT. 11

1118 CLEARVIEW PARKWAY, METAIRIE,

SEPT. 15-16

WWW.JPAS.ORG, 504-885-2000 ($30, ADULTS;

SHAVER THEATRE, LSU CAMPUS, BATON ROUGE,

The Victory Belles bring to life the songs that inspired the Allies to victory during World War II. This new Belles show features musical gems of the era such as “White Cliffs of Dover,” “Harbor Lights,” “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” “La Vie En Rose” and “I’ll Be Seeing You,” all sung in rich, three-part harmony.

$27, SENIORS AND MILITARY; $25, STUDENTS)

WWW.SWINEPALACE.ORG ($15)

SAENGER THEATRE, 1111 CANAL ST., NEW ORLEANS, SAENGERNOLA.COM, 504-525-1052 ($40- $100)

VICTORY BELLES: SONGS THAT WON THE WAR

JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER,

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT SEPT. 18 – OCT. 4

NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM, STAGE DOOR CANTEEN,

pamalot is ripped from the classic film onty Python and the Holy Grail.” It tells the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on the quest for the Holy Grail.

Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen and show-stopping musical numbers helped win this show a Tony Award.

945 MAGAZINE ST., NEW ORLEANS, 504-528-1944

THEATRE BATON ROUGE, 7155 FLORIDA BLVD.,

($30-$65)

BATON ROUGE, WWW.THEATREBR.ORG. 225-924-6496

NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM, STAGE DOOR CANTEEN, 945 MAGAZINE ST., NEW ORLEANS, 504-528-1944 ($30-$65)

($29, ADULTS; $20, STUDENTS)

30 September 2015

JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER,

Corporate lawyer Amir Kapoor is happy, in love and about to land the biggest career promotion of his life. But beneath the veneer, success has come at a price. When Amir and his artist wife, Emily, host an intimate dinner party at their Upper East Side apartment, what starts out as a friendly conversation soon escalates into something far more.

1333 S. CARROLLTON AVE., NEW ORLEANS, ANTHONYBEANTHEATER.COM, 504-862-7529 ($15)

SEPT. 17-27

“My Fair Lady” is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion.” The story concerns li abeth oolittle, a Coc ney ower girl who takes speech lessons from Professor Henry Higgins, a phoneticist, so that she may pass as a lady.

•

HAVE AN ITEM FOR GUMBO’S OCTOBER ISSUE? FORWARD THE DETAILS – who, what, when, where and cost, along with a daytime contact number – to: EDITOR@GUMBOGUIDE.COM.

Arts FOR YOUR BRAIN

NEW ON DVD – JOHN DESANTIS

‘THE RUNNER’ STUMBLES STARS: Nicolas Cage, Connie Nielsen, Peter Fonda, Sarah Paulson and Wendell Pierce.

The objective of sudoku is to enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that each horizontal row, vertical column, and subgrid or region contains each digit exactly once.

FOR THE GAMERS – CASEY GISCLAIR

MADDEN FITS THE BILL, AS USUAL

T

he end of August is like Christmas for most sports fans, because it’s the start of a new football season.

For me? I get more excited about the release of the latest Madden.

Madden 16 is the latest – another in the long-standing annual video game dynasty that was started in 1988, and has sold more than 100 million copies in its history.

Usually when doing these reviews, I scoop up demo discs from gaming companies. But I have too much respect for the Madden franchise. I actually buy this one the first day it’s in stores.

Is this year’s game worth it? Admittedly, the Aug. 25 release didn’t give me much time to work with my press deadline. But so far, I think it’s a good get.

The developers of Madden have

really focused on the passing game in this year’s installment – greatly changing the gameplay on pass plays to give a gamer more control over the action.

I love it.

It’s different, and takes a little getting used to. But I love the tweaks.

Of course, Madden is also a leader in online gameplay, and this year’s title is no different, allowing gamers to lock horns against others around the world.

Combine those tweaks with the always-awesome graphics, and the incredible realism that has made this title famous, and I think that Madden 16 is a big-time winner.

It’s a title that’s definitely going to get more than its share of play in my PlayStation throughout the fall – and even beyond.

•

AVAILABLE: Red Box, Amazon Streaming Video and other sites

T

he 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion claimed 11 lives and did damage to the Gulf of Mexico’s environment that has yet to be thoroughly tallied.

It was a disaster of invasions. The oil, and then the dispersants, invaded the water.

Fumes invaded the lungs of workers cleaning it all up. Communities that had been self-sustaining were invaded by poverty.

Worst of all was the invasion of opportunists, the national media outlets and the would-be documentary film-makers; any graduate student engaged in film showed up with a camera and a plan for cashing in.

I have no idea how much time or energy writer and director Austin Stark spent on learning about the disaster, which is the anchor for his 2015 film “The Runner,” starring Nicolas Cage.

Up until now, Stark’s only produced films. This is his first foray into writing and directing and it shows.

In a nutshell effort to avoid spoilers, here is the synopsis as best as I can reconstruct: Cage plays a Louisiana congressman who tries to champion the lot of fishermen upended by the spill. His character is upended by a morality-type scandal.

The question through the film is whether Cage’s character, Colin Price, can be redeemed politically, if not morally – a tall order indeed – and how that relates to what will happen to the fishermen.

Cage’s performance, absent some high points, is disappointing on several levels, but in particular his lackluster, totally unnecessary and occasional drawl is like chalk on a blackboard.

Cage, more than anyone, should know that we don’t drawl here, particularly if

his character is a New Orleans native.

Peter Fonda, as Cage’s ailing, former New Orleans mayor father, is far more believable and his performance – only as brilliant as the badly hatched plot will allow – is good.

There is little in the film to make us cheer for the personal or political redemption of Cage, and the conflicts he is faced with appear artificial.

Connie Nielson plays Cage’s beleaguered wife, and we don’t find a lot of reason to feel sorry for her either.

As one who was here for the spill, wrote about it, was in the midst of the Ken Feinberg-led claims meetings and saw the tears that were shed on local docks, I am insulted by the neat, overly simplified treatment of the spill’s aftermath that Mr. Stark creates.

Further, that anyone could have been elected to Congress from this part of the world and harbor any outwardly expressed sentiment that Louisiana must go totally green and give up on oil because it is dirty and archaic defies believability, and creates too much of a need for head-scratching to allow what good may have come from this film-making effort to be considered or digested.

The obligatory scenes of a conflicted Cage walking down Bourbon Street during the day, his flimsily gated uptown residence and the quick shots of Grand Isle – minus the beehive-level activity that really went on there during the spill’s aftermath – all make for disappointing use of Louisiana locations.

I realize that a film like this need not be accurate to a fault. If historical accuracy made for bad cinema, then we would have long ago stopped fussing over “Gone With The Wind.”

But when it is rooted in a specific event, and the storyline is already hackneyed and thin, then we would hope the filmmaker might have been more ingenious with his approach.

“The Runner” is worth watching if for nothing else your own comparisons like those made here, and fans of Cage will not be totally disappointed. But might want to have something of more substance to watch immediately after, to fill the hunger for something better that the film creates.

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Arts

REO SPEEDWAGON ROCKS CYPRESS BAYOU REO

Speedwagon co-founder Neal Doughty never had any intention of being in a rock

band.

Sure, he could play keyboards, but as an engineering major at the University of Illinois, his career path was decided.

But when dorm mate Alan Gratzer, REO’s initial drummer, proposed the change, Neal accepted.

“I never had any intention whatsoever of doing this for a living, much less thinking the band would still be around 50 years later,” Neal told Gumbo during a phone interview from his Phoenix, Arizona, home. “And there’s no retirement plan in the works anytime soon for REO Speedwagon.”

The year was 1967. Years were spent traveling and performing small gigs around the country trying to build a following. The band’s first break came in 1971 with the release of the self-titled debut, “REO Speedwagon.”

Critics were harsh, but the fans loved it.

REO Speedwagon and similar groups of the day – Styx, Loverboy, Foreigner and Journey – were much needed relief to the other sounds up and down the radio dial.

Lightening struck in the 1980s. At the height of the disco era, REO lit up the Billboard charts with the release of “Hi Infidelity,” which spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 slot. The album – certified

32 September 2015

platinum nine times and re-reissued as a 30th anniversary deluxe edition – included iconic rock hits “Keep On Loving You,” “Take It on the Run” and “Don’t Let Him Go.” “’Hi Infidelity’ was the kind of record that makes a band’s career,” Neal says.

In all, REO Speedwagon has a dozen studio albums to its credit, and a wealth of songs – including power ballad “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”

“We’ve selected the ones audiences like the best,” Neal says. “Our set list includes the songs all generations want to hear. Fortunately, we still love them, too.”

The co-founder said it’s not uncommon to look out at an audience and spot middle-aged rockers who experienced REO Speedwagon at its peak, as well as their children and grandchildren, who relate to the music from their childhoods.

REO SPEEDWAGON WHEN: Sept. 26 WHERE: Cypress Bayou Casino,

Charenton COST: $50-$65 INFO: cypressbayou.com

“It’s not unusual to hear, ‘My mom loves you guys,’” Neal says, chuckling.

“Our biggest hits include music that has crossed generations. It’s amazing to us every time we walk out there and see so many young people in the audience who’ve latched onto their parents’ music. Somebody brought them up right.”

And Neal said the entire band is enthusiastic about delivering tight shows.

“We’re all very much into playing for the crowd, but more than ever, we’re out they keeping it fresh,” he says.

“We’re our toughest critics onstage. Re-

ally, there are two audiences: the crowd that’s clapping and screaming and singing along, then there’s the other four guys in the band.”

Neal said this year’s REO Speedwagon tour includes fewer dates, allowing members more time to be home with their families. The lucky sites REO is visiting generally have a special place in their hearts. In 2009, the band rode with the Krewe of Endymion.

“It was such an incredible experience,” Neal said. “And who doesn’t love southern Louisiana.”

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Arts

‘LITTLE MERMAID’ KING READY FOR NOLA REIGN

F

red Inkley was born to be the king of attention.

“My mom had me by the piano ever since I could pull myself up,” Inkley told Gumbo. “I always wanted to be the center of attention.”

As King Triton in “The Little Mermaid,” the Saenger Theatre’s latest Broadway Across America production, Inkley gets his wish.

“I was very young when I sort of realized that I wanted to do this forever and ever if I could,” the actor said in a phone interview. He was days away from leaving his Cedar Grove, N.J., home for Houston, where he was preparing to assume the role of the king of the under-the-sea world.

34 September 2015

Inkley narrated his first play at age 6.

He found the spotlight again and again, including a high school production of “Camelot,” where he upstaged a bland Arthur as he acted out the song behind the fellow thespian’s back.

“I had the audience in stitches,” Inkley still recalls. “That solidified it.

That’s when I knew this is what I was going to do.”

Since then, the 50-year-old tenor has dedicated more than 20 years to perfecting his craft.

After years practicing and performing in small theatres, the musical theater vet landed his first Broadway appearance as Jean Valjean, the lead in “Les Miserables.” From there it was on to

Wanna Go? THE LITTLE MERMAID WHEN: Sept. 15-20 WHERE: Saenger Theatre, New Orleans COST: $25-$125 INFO: neworleans.broadway.com

the starring role in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” which made a stop at the Saenger in the 1990s – the last time Inkley visited New Orleans.

Not long before joining “The Little Mermaid,” Inkley also starred with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in the original Broadway musical version of “The Addams Family.”

“I did my first professional show when I was 25,” Inkley said. “Can you imagine doing this and being paid for it? It was a surreal moment.”

“The Little Mermaid” is based on the 1989 Disney film and the 1837 fairy tale penned by Hans Christian Andersen. It features a mermaid princess, Ariel, who is fascinated by the world and people on dry land. She hopes of someday join them, despite her pop’s forbidding it.

When Arial falls in love with human Prince Eric, the young princess makes a deal with King Triton’s sister and nemesis Ursala: Ariel is temporarily made human and, if she gets a kiss from her true love within three days, she’s promised the condition will be a permanent one.

The show includes memorable hits “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.”

The father of two girls – ages 20 and 12 – and a son, Inkley says he can relate to his character’s concern for his daughters’ welfare.

“It’s funny, when I’m asked my daughters’ ages, people always ask two questions: ‘With the same wife?’ and ‘On purpose?’” the actor says, laughing.

“The answer is yes and yes.”

His youngest, ironically, discovered “The Little Mermaid” again shortly before Inkley got word he’d gotten the part of the king. “She was playing [the DVD] all the time,” he said. “It’s odd.

I have one girl who is a young adult and one still just a little girl. I’ve been through all the phases of it.”

King Triton is a stern father with a huge heart, who tries to go out of his way for his girls. “He’s the penultimate single father with a slew of girls,” he said. “Triton has thought mistakenly that humans killed his wife. He hates to hurt humans in any way, and he doesn’t want to disappoint his daughters. But he does have a responsibility to the under-the-sea world. That’s my sense of the struggle.”

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Outdoors

SAINTS ITCHING TO REBOUND AFTER TOUGH 2014 36 September 2015

T

he offseason roster rebuild is over.

The brutally tough training camp practices are just about complete, as well.

Are you ready for some football? The New Orleans Saints surely are.

After a long, active offseason, the Black and Gold are itching to take the field after a subpar 7-9 season in 2014-15.

Throughout the preseason, the Saints haven’t been shy in saying they believe 2015-16 will be much, much better.

“I think everyone in our locker room understands what we are capable of,” receiver Marques Colston said. “I think the NFL is about execution, and last year, we didn’t always execute to the best of our ability. But I think we’ve cleaned some things up and will be ready to make amends for what we saw last fall.”

Offensively, the Saints are much different on paper. But with Drew Brees back at quarterback, all things are possible.

The Saints traded Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills in the offseason. Those guys were critical to New Orleans last season, and were Brees’ biggest weapons in a high-octane offensive attack.

The Saints also cut Pierre Thomas to clear salary cap space.

With the weapon holster a bit more bare than in years past, the Saints focused a lot of attention on its offensive line with the mindset that if Brees has more time to throw, the team’s lesser-known receivers could thrive.

New Orleans acquired center Max Unger in the Graham trade – a player who was a Pro Bowler for the Seattle Seahawks. The Saints also used a firstround draft pick on tackle Andrus Peat out of Stanford.

The reworked offensive line has drawn high grades throughout training camp from coach Sean Payton, who said that protecting Brees was one of the weaknesses the team had last season.

“It’s coming around,” Payton said. “I think they are building chemistry. We like the physicality. We like the effort and energy that those guys play with.”

On the opposite side of the ball, the Saints need a complete turnaround after a dreadful 2014 season.

New Orleans’ defense was one of the worst in the history of the NFL last season – a group that ranked at or near the bottom of the league in total defense, rush defense, pass defense and scoring defense.

The personnel is different this time around, but the team’s talent pool may even be shallower this fall with Pro Bowl defensive end Junior Galette and longtime middle linebacker Curtis Lofton both released in the offseason.

To patch up those holes, the Saints leaned heavily on its defense in the draft, selecting tackle machine Stephone Anthony in the first round (with a pick the Saints acquired in the Graham trade) and linebacker/defensive end Hau’oli Kikaha in the second round.

September Schedule PRESEASON THURSDAY, SEPT. 3:

@ Packers, 6 p.m., Fox-8/Raycom

REGULAR SEASON SUNDAY, SEPT. 13:

@ Cardinals, 3:05 p.m., Fox SUNDAY, SEPT. 20:

vs. Buccaneers, noon, Fox SUNDAY, SEPT. 27:

@ Panthers, noon, Fox

Throughout the preseason, both rookies have been huge to the team’s starting defense. Anthony is already the team’s starting middle linebacker – the guy making all of the calls for the defense. Kikaha has also slid into Galette’s old spot, and has shown the ability to put pressure on the quarterback off the edges.

“He is a true student of the game,” defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said of Anthony. “He’s had his learning curve, and he’s made his share of mistakes – all rookies do. But he’s been very coachable, and he’s a guy that we’re comfortable with in that position. Every day, he gets better and better.”

In the secondary, the Saints cut Corey White after a tough season. They replaced him with Brandon Browner, a tough and physical defensive back who has starred with the Seahawks and Patriots in his career.

It might take time for the defense to reach its peak. In the first preseason game, the Ravens exposed them and moved the ball pretty easily. But in the second game, New Orleans stymied the Patriots’ first team and forced several punts.

Almost anything would be better than last year, which was a nightmare from the start – all the way around.

“It’s a new year,” defensive end Cameron Jordan said. “And we’re ready compete. We’ve waited a long time for this.”

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Outdoors

LOCAL RODEO AIMS TO HONOR LIFE OF FORMER ASSESSOR L

ongtime Terrebonne Parish tax assessor Gene Bonvillain loved to fish.

He also loved to support local people.

He shopped almost exclusively at local businesses, because he was a staunch believer that doing so made the quality of life in our community better.

It’s pretty fitting that an event to honor Bonvillain’s life caters to those two loves.

The ‘It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere’ Fishing Rodeo will hold its fourth annual event from Sept. 25-27 at Tradewinds Marina in Cocodrie.

The event serves to honor the former official, who passed away in 2011 after a lengthy battle with mesothelioma.

Proceeds from the event go to support national mesothelioma research, but also to help local people in need.

Event organizers said that Bonvillain wouldn’t want it any other way.

“He loved to fish, and I know he would be so proud of what we’re doing,” Gene’s wife Darlene Bonvillain said.

“It’s a great weekend, and we have a lot of fun with it. It feels very good to use the proceeds to help out how we can.

We’ve paid medical bills for people who can’t afford to do so. We’ve bought lift chairs for people. We take pride in helping however we can. It’s a great cause.”

Darlene said this year’s rodeo will be the fourth of its kind. The first four were held at Coco Marina, but because of a booking conflict, the 2015 event will be held just down the road at Tradewinds Marina.

His wife said when the rodeo was created, the big focus was on fundraising to give to national research centers in an attempt to curb mesothelioma – a rare tumor that attacks some of the body’s major organs.

But Darlene said things have now evolved and a more localized approach is in place.

38 September 2015

“Gene loved the community, and he was one of those people who was always loyal to the area,” She said. “We still support some of the nationalized causes, but we also focus local. We want our efforts to stay here with our people.”

On the fishing side, Darlene said that the rodeo will crown champions in several inshore and offshore categories, including redfish, specks, drum and several other species.

As per the norm at rodeos around the area, food and drinks will be sold. An

auction will also take place Saturday night at 6 p.m., which will feature several prizes.

Sponsorship packages are also available for the weekend with all proceeds going to the cause.

“This year is a little low so far because of the oil industry being a little down,” Darlene said. “But we’ve grown, and people have helped out, and we’re grateful. We’re proud of how much things have grown.”

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ANYONE INTERESTED IN FISHING OR BEING A SPONSOR AT THE EVENT IS ASKED TO CALL STEPHANIE AUTIN AT (985) 226-8894.

Gumbo guru

SALTILLO’S TANTALIZES THE SENSES

M

istaking Tex-Mex flavors for real Mexican cuisine is not uncommon.

Saltillo’s Mexican Restaurant in Houma is setting the record straight.

As of this writing, Saltillo’s was located in a former Pizza Hut on Grand Caillou Road. That said, the décor is comfortable, rustic and gorgeous. A paper sign on the door alerted us that the eatery will move this month to the old Manchuria Restaurant site up the road at 110 Grand Caillou. I’m confident the move from Chinese and Japanese to Mexican motifs will be a success.

Just as nothing about the interior suggests pizza, neither does the menu.

Our waitress quickly greeted and seated us, and we began to scan the lengthy menu.

Wanna Go? SALTILLO’S MEXICAN RESAURANT

907 Grand Caillou Road, Houma 986-655-9999 saltillorestaurant.com Breakfast, 5-10 a.m.

Lunch, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Dinner 3-10 p.m.

The meal began with an order of Nachos Saltillo ($6.50, half order) – grilled chicken generously topped with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and jalapenos.

The combo was lightly baked, so the layers of cheese consumed the chicken. Doused with salsa, each bite was a flavor explosion.

My guests enjoyed the Quesadilla Texana ($10.25) and the Shrimp Fajita Salad ($9.50), while I ate tacos.

Shrimp, chicken and beef were stuffed between two flour tortillas. The seasonings accentuated the meat perfectly, and with a dollop of sour cream, made for a tasty meal. The fajita, meanwhile, was a feast. The pan-grilled, sizzling butterfly shrimp, onions and bell peppers arrived moments before the food. An avocado salad, sour cream and plates of refried beans and Spanish rice arrived first.

Two things are worth immediately noting: Saltillo’s portion size and fresh flavors.

We all left with leftovers, which were every bit as good at lunch the next day.

And the preparation of each of the dishes is perfectly executed.

No Guru visit would be complete wihtour dessert. We enjoyed Churros ($4.25), a rolled fried-dough pastry filled with custard, dusted with cinnamon and then covered with chocolate sauce.

Trust me, it is worth the calories.

Saltillo’s proved to be a great find on Houma’s east side. Once they’re in the new digs, we’ll definitely be back.

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