Talk about!  So, here we are, gasping, puffing, albeit insufficiently half-baked (make that fully-baked) for any movement of air, in our annual midsummer’s tropical heat wave; when, Holy Neptune, along comes a biblically proportioned 40 days of rain! Named appropriately after a Mardi Gras Parade, The Poseidon Deluge premiered June 1, on-the-same-bill (hmmm, that’s my first name) with the precisely scheduled June opening SWARM OF THE JUNE BUGS, what else? Just where are those little guys for the other eleven months? Add to that, a tropical depression is bearing down on Luzianne, trying to wash us away, again!  Ever notice on the Weather Channel, Louisiana’s topography has a pronounced ‘X’ (as in marks the spot) quite noticeable. Hurricanes just take dead aim at us; annually giving us the boot… which we’re shaped like to begin with. And, this Tropical Depression? What’s its name?  Bill!? Ya can’t get more vanilla than that … hmmm, again already with my first name … so hopefully it’ll pass, doing no harm (not exactly how I did it my way these past (many) years.

Midst all this, local theatre is doing well, thank you.  Oh, maybe not at the “theatrics” level of Major League Baseball: the Boys of Summer, geez, they let the heat get to them like clockwork this time of year: performing their annual beaning, brawling, bench-clearing fiascoes; flailing, “corking”, (sorry Sammy) punching away at “will” … hmmm, there’s my first name, again! The July All Star break should cool them down, getting their minds back on the pennant race; while theater in New Orleans, keeps at its torrid pace, sans any 7 inning stretch.

Tulane University’s Summer Shakespeare Festival has A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM running through July. Venue is Lupin Theater - Dixon Hall Annex. Tele: 1-504-865-5105 EXT. 2. July 4th is pay-what-you-will. July 20th and 23rd are family friendly performances ($5.00 off the $12.50 children’s tickets).  Also, at Tulane (on the Tulane-Newcomb campus) is THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES, produced by the Patchwork Players.  Tickets are only $6, thru July 19th.  Group rates (can you believe that!) are available. Tele: 1- 504 865-5106. Tulane does the “hat trick” with its July performance of THE MUSIC MAN at the Dixon Recital Hall. Tele: 1-504-862-3214. GO WAVE!

Kids are making waves, too! AN AFTERNOON OF SONG AND DANCE plays at the big house - Rivertown Theatre in Kenner Louisiana. Performed by 35 kids ages 13-17.

More kids on stage … THE PIED PIPERS OF SALEM at Salem Community Theatre 4212 Camp Street. 1-504-288-0717. Songs, stories, nursery rhymes performed by 25 kids. 5 bucks!

Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Avenue, gives you two original plays written by Kevin Allman and directed by Carl Walker. The two hits program titled Two In The Bush, are the plays: THE STUD MULE and SNATCHING VICTORY. $19. Tele: 1-504-581-5812. STUD MULE was a highlight of Le Chat’s last year’s one act play festival.  My play: IT’S HIS BALL AFTER ALL got its fair share of stage time in that festival; albeit, garnering only “also ran” status. I’ll come at them next year, you betchum!

Le Chat’s one act festival this year is down to 4 plays … originals, natch!

THE SUPER FRIENDS written by James Asmus.  Directed by Perry Martin. There’s this group of young adults who are musing on the meaning of the world.  One is a SuperHero, naming himself The American since all the good names, except Bill, hee-hee, are already gobbled up.

JUST SLEEP written by RJ Tsarov. Directed by Sean Patterson.  Two people just want to go to sleep. Problem is, they’re on a sleep disorder infomercial.

HENRIETTA HERMALINE’S FALL FROM GREAT HEIGHTS written by Maggie Smith, a University of Michigan grad. It’s about a shrinking violet who marries a social butterfly millionaire. It fails.  She retreats to her old ways: taking to communing with pigeons on a roof … Say what!?

HOLD FISHY TIGHT written by Paul Werner. Directed by John Grimsley.  There’s this writer whose characters become all too real … butt-in-skees to the max … like all really well written characters must do/be, ‘eh?

OH! Playmakers Playhouse in Covington, 24 miles across Lake Pontchartrain on the North Shore, is doing PAJAMA GAME … Nitey-nite, all, from the Land of Dreams!

For more monthly articles and the plays of Steve Esquerré, check the Archives.

© 2003 Steve&Lucille Esquerré

 

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