NEW ORLEANS THEATER REVIEWS

The sparkles and feather boas were out in full force last night because after more than a year away from the stage, EGOT winner Liza Minnelli is back in action!  Last night she graced the Gulf Coast at Biloxi's IP Casino with her comeback performance 'Liza Minnelli in Concert with Billy Stritch.'...

Le Petit Theatre wrapped up their 2014-2015 season with crowd pleaser MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.  Music and lyrics written by none other than the amazing Stephen Sondheim, MERRILY tells the story of a one Franklin Shepard (Richard Arnold) and his rise to fame in Hollywood.  Sounds like a dream, right?...

Once again Rivertown has done it, folks.  I mean seriously… I don't think it's actually possible for these guys to put on a bad show.  This time, they took us to the French Riviera to hang out with the likes of Lawrence Jameson (played by Robert Pavlovich), Freddy Benson (played by Gary Rucker),...

Whether audience members know, or let alone have heard, about opera singer Maria Callas, Master Class offers much to contemplate about the dedication towards one's art....

Andrew Lloyd Webber is a household name for many fans of Broadway. From his mega-hits ranging from Cats to Phantom of the Opera, everyone knows his works. The Saenger Theatre is no stranger to the genius of Lloyd Webber either, having housed the current tour of Phantom of the Opera earlier this seas...

Tonight, Cutting Edge Theater opened musical GOING TO THE CHAPEL, which centers on leading lady Betty Lou and her bridesmaids the week of her wedding. I find the content of this show incredibly timely and fitting for the beginning of spring in the New Orleans area as many deem this time of year 'we...

There have been a few times in my life where I attended an event, be it a theatre production or a concert, and I woke up the next morning still reeling from the excitement with a cheesy smile plastered across my face. The first time I remember that happening was when my dad took me and my younger s...

To view 'Once' at the Saenger Theatre for St. Patrick's Day was a great decision....

Will Rogers, 'Oklahoma's Favorite Son,' was one of those do-it-all celebrities. Cowboy; trick roper; vaudeville performer; comedian; newspaper columnist; film actor; politician; husband to Betty Blake; and father to Bill, Mary, James, and Fred. The man did it all. Because Will's vaudeville trick rop...

It's funny how some things never grow old. While a rendition of "Tomorrow" won't stop the presses, it still provokes heart melting awes, especially if it is sung by a plucky orphan girl. Perhaps this is why the Saenger Theatre saw great success with their production of "Annie," as part of their Nola...

Alright, so unlike most humans who are currently in their mid-twenties, I grew up listening to the tunes of artists like Bing Crosby (not just at Christmastime), Judy Garland, Perry Como, Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, The Andrews Sisters… I could go on forever. I listened to it beca...

The sheer power of rock could be heard in the French Quarter last Friday evening as punchy drum beats, attacking guitars and warm piano notes became the backdrop of the greatest story ever told....

If you look up the word 'perfection' in the dictionary, after the actual definition, you'll see a picture… a teeny tiny little picture. Do you know who it's a picture of? William Shakespeare. Don't believe me? Go look it up. Did you see it? Ok… so maybe I lied about the picture of my pal W...

The one thing I love about theatre, especially musical theatre is that there is always something out there for everyone. There are musicals that can provoke tears or laughs depending on your mood, and there is always that one musical that makes you bounce in your seat. For many, this musical is "MAM...

If you're wondering whether you should go see the NOLA Project's production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), I'll make it easy for you: go see Twelfth Night. It's the perfect escape during the holidays if sugarplum faeries and Christmas ghosts are not your thin...

Ok so here's the deal… I like to laugh. No, I love to laugh. You know when something tickles your fancy and you start laughing so hard that you just can't control yourself? I'm talking tears (and quite possibly snot) running down your very red face, and your cheeks and belly hurting so bad you ...

'There it is, Wendy. Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning!' The most famous directions in the world. Is there a person on the planet who doesn't know how to get to Neverland? Better yet, is there a person on the planet who doesn't wish he or she could go to Neverland? How exci...

The Saenger Theatre has been turned into the Opera Populaire from Nov. 5-16 as the "Broadway in New Orleans" season brings in Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical, "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" to New Orleans....

From Oct. 7-12, the Crescent City turned into the Second City as the sensational Broadway hit "CHICAGO" gave audiences "All that Jazz" at the Saenger Theatre for the theatre's Broadway in New Orleans series....

I love plays that make me think. This is a play that made me think. It made me think about all of the people, not only in my personal life, but also around the world who suffer from some form of mental illness. It's real. It exists. And it should not be ignored. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST...

The Chekhov inspired VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE opened this weekend at the ever-so-charming Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre under the direction of Ron Gural. Written by Christopher Durang, the story revolves around three middle-aged siblings who tend to get under each other's skin. Vanya ...

You might say it takes a village to create a musical, and in the case of “Fiddler on the Roof,” nothing could be truer. Slidell Little Theatre (SLT) honors the 50th anniversary of “Fiddler,” and its own tradition of excellence, with an endearing take on the now-classic Broadway hit of 1964....

Slidell Little Theatre just ended its third weekend of performances for the comedy-musical-Shakespearean hybrid KISS ME KATE. The show is a play within a play, and centers around a group of actors who are attempting to put on Shakespeare's classic comedy THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (musical style), all...

The latest show to sweep New Orleans' Saenger Theatre off its feet was the enchanted Disney fairy tale BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. This classic tale that brings many of us back to our childhoods was more magical than I could have imagined. From the set to the music to my favorite characters and everythi...

Slidell Little Theatre's Production of dark comedy ARSENIC AND OLD LACE was a show that I had been looking forward to since I learned of their season schedule. It's rare that I attend shows that are not musicals, but when I read the synopsis, I knew I couldn't miss this one....