The focus for theatrical endeavors this week takes on a decided gender-specific tone as shows look at a monarch’s wives, the struggle of a quartet of sisters during the Civil War and the “curse” affecting Irishmen when the curtains go up on theaters around the New Orleans area.
Spring has most definitely sprung.
‘Six’
Music, costumes, lasers, lights and six pop princesses (well, queens) will be belting out their side of the story of one of the most memorable tales of matrimony and monarchy.
History classes were never like this. Until now.
“Six” gives the ex-wives of England’s King Henry VIII a chance to tell their story, with some crazy beats and staging in a “history remix” that’s still running on Broadway. This marks the Tony-winning show’s second cruise to the Crescent City.
The queens, from Catherine of Aragon to Katherine Parr (and Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves and Catherine Howard in between), suffered a variety of fates: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded and survived — in that order.
The show clips along at a pace that rivals Henry’s attention span and covers a lot of territory with each of the queens telling their story in a unique song and style. The concert-style production, which includes the band on stage, packs a lot of information in a compact form.
The show is at 7:30 p.m. April 14-18, 2 p.m. April 18, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. April 19, and is suitable for ages 10 and up. Tickets start at $39. Visit saengernola.com.
Laura Waringer is Beth in the 2010 United Kingdom premiere of ‘Little Women,’ shown at right in the photo.
‘Little Women’
The March sisters of Concord, Massachusetts, have been celebrated in a variety of motion pictures and plays since Louisa May Alcott brought the Civil War-era family to life just after the war.
The 2005 Broadway version, which featured Sutton Foster and Maureen McGovern, made the jump to England in 2010.
It was there that Laura Waringer starred in the show.
Now Dr. Waringer, she is director of the Performing Arts at Tulane University production of “Little Women,” which opens April 15 with a cast of students and faculty.
“Returning to this story now as a director working with my extraordinary students feels like a full-circle moment,” said Waringer. “They have brought their own insights, humor, vulnerability and creativity to these characters, affirming just how timeless this story truly is.”
Taking roles are Eliza Mullins, Josie Pines, Kayla Rutner, Lena Hanson, Hadley Magaziner, Sacha Codron, Garrin Mesa, Luke Boucvalt, Cici Giebutowski, Grace Gilchrist, Nora Feinberg and Allie Small, with Beverly Trask and Jeffrey Gunshol.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. April 15-20, except April 18, with a 2 p.m. matinee April 20 in Lupin Theatre, 69 Newcomb Circle, on the Uptown campus. Tickets start at $10. Visit purplepass.com/tulanetd.
Cast for ‘The Irish Curse’ includes, from left, Martin Booda, Gary Gilmore, Michael Tanner, Rob Reidenaur and Ronald Brister.
‘The Irish Curse’
The old adage about certain aspects of male anatomy gets a night to shine in the comedy production planned for Cutting Edge Center of the Arts in Slidell.
In “The Irish Curse,” a support group of Irish-American men meet in a church basement to talk about their individual insecurities and “shortcomings.” The show is filled with lots of laughs, adult themes and strong language.
Billed as a “revealing portrait of how men, and society, define masculinity,” the 2005 show “dares to pose the fundamental question that has been on the minds of men since the beginning of time: ‘Do I measure up to the next guy?'”
Taking roles in the production are Martin Booda, Rob Reidenaur, Ronald Brister, Michael Tanner and Gary Gilmore.
The show is at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, April 10-18 at 767 Robert Blvd. Tickets start at $30. Visit cuttingedgetheater.com.
Onstage this week, April 2-8
“BASTARD NATION: DECOLONIZING LOVE AND FAMILY”: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; New Marigny Theatre, 2301 Marais St. Final installment of reproductive health by local playwright Anita Vatshell (a registered nurse) looks at the death of family matriarch and the secrets revealed to the siblings through her will. Tickets are $25. newmarignytheatre.com.
Patrick Nicks is Stanley, Lauren Guglielmello is Stella and Jaclyn Bethany is Blanche in the Irene Collective’s production of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ opening this weekend.
“A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; Big Couch, 1045 Desire St. The fragile world of Blanche DuBois takes an unintended excursion away from reality in Tennessee Williams’ classic by the Irene Collective, held in conjunction with the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival. Tickets start at $25. streetcarnola.net.
Siegfreid and Odette fall in love in ‘Swan Lake’ coming for a one-night-only performance April 2 at Metairie’s Jefferson Performing Arts Center.
“SWAN LAKE”: 7 p.m. Thursday; Jefferson Performing Arts Center, 6400 Airline Drive, Metairie. International Ballet Stars bring their production of Tchaikovsky’s classic with new hand-painted sets and more than 200 costumes. Tickets start at $35. jeffersonpac.com.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nola.com ’
