Petit Reads: A Body of Water at Le Petit Theatre

NEW PLAY SET IN BATON ROUGE BY LOUISIANA NATIVE KELLEY NICOLE GIROD HOLDS FREE READING AT LE PETIT THEATRE

Le Petit Theater presents a public reading of award-winning playwright and producer Kelley Nicole Girod’s play A Body of Water as part of their Petit Reads series. A Body of Water is the third piece in Girod’s Louisiana trilogy that traces her family’s history in Louisiana and includes the plays This Stretch of Montpelier and The Faith Healer.

Set amidst the tempestuous backdrop of The Great Flood of 2016 in Baton Rouge, A Body of Water follows the story of Martha Girod, an affluent matriarch steeped in her Creole roots, who suddenly finds herself in an existential crisis as she grapples with her cancer recovery and a major life transition. In the face of the powers of nature and God, she is forced to confront a past that still haunts her when the storm leaves her and her husband temporarily unhoused, washing away the upper-middle-class stability they have long fought for, and unearthing her childhood trauma of living through Hurricane Camille.

Kelley is thrilled to bring her piece back to her home state and hopes to continue developing the trilogy in Louisiana. She also looks forward to continuing to work with Le Petit Theatre to create an artistic pipeline of Louisiana arts and artists between Louisiana and NYC.

A Body of Water is directed by Girod’s longtime collaborator and native New Orleanian Andrew Block. Performing for this reading are Troi Bechet, Leslie Castay, Robert DoQui, Lara Grice, Keyara Milliner, and John Neisler.

Petit Reads events are free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Reserve your free seat for A Body of Water at lepetittheatre.com or call the Box Office at 504.522.2081; open Monday through Friday from Noon to 5 pm.