Take a roll of the dice this week and certainly find something worth seeing as live theater swings into high gear with musicals, social dramas, murder mysteries, new works and some cherished favorites.
From “Phantom” to “Frozen,” “Guys” to “Raisin,” it might just be a real case of “Catch (a show) If You Can.”
Stephanie Abry
Donald Jones Jr.
‘Guys and Dolls’
The colorful denizens of journalist Damon Runyon’s New York in the 1920s and ’30s are the stuff of Broadway legend and one of the most popular shows set to open this week at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré.
“Guys and Dolls” opened on Broadway in 1933 with such interesting characters as Sky Masterson, Sarah Brown, Nicely Nicely Johnson, Miss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit as a mélange of gamblers, showgirls and members of the Save-A-Soul Mission.
Shake them up like a pair of dice at a mobile craps game, throw in some love and some great Frank Loesser songs and score a 7 or 11. “Lucky Be a Lady Tonight,” “A Bushel and a Peck” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”
Leslie Claverie
Michael Paternostro
From the sewers of the Big Apple to the hot spots of Havana, the show is a whirlwind of interesting characters and the power of love.
A.J. Allega and Janué Buisson co-direct, with the latter also choreographer. Stephanie Abry is Sarah, Donald Jones Jr. is Sky, with Leslie Claverie as Miss Adelaide, Michael Paternostro as Nathan and Keith Claverie as Nicely Nicely. Other cast includes Andrew Michael Antoine, Anna Laura Birbiglia, Chrissy Bowen, Aaron Brewer, Donavan Allen Davis, Bob Edes Jr., Rahim Glaspy, Craig Leydecker, Jorden Brue Majeau, Deiveon V. Martinsen, Daniel Rigamer, P.J. Ruffins, Adrienne Simmons, Knox Van Horn and Camille von Hoven.
The show is at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through March 29, as well as a 2 p.m. show March 21, at 616 St. Peter St. Tickets start at $82. Visit lepetittheatre.com.
‘Frozen: The Broadway Musical’
The greater New Orleans area seems to have skipped the brutal freeze last month, but things are getting really chilly at Jefferson Performing Arts Center as Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and company drop the temperatures and raise the roof for “Frozen: The Broadway Musical.”
Based on the 2013 Disney animated film that turned frostbite into a fashion statement, the 2018 Broadway brought the story to life. The story revolves around a pair of royal sisters, one cursed with the ability to free anything (including the entire country) and the other cursed with a loveable but naive spirit that ends of getting her in trouble but saving the day.
Packed with singable songs like the anthemic “Let It Go,” the show also features “For The First Time in Forever” and “Fixer Upper.”
For the JPA production, Scott Sauber takes the helm as director, with Kaitlin Zelon as choreographer and music direction by Linden Uter. while Micah Desonier “lets it go” as Elsa and Melissa McKenzie is Anna. Colin Richard is Kristoff, with Avery Gerosa as crafty reindeer Sven and Rachel Abbate is the lovable snowman Olaf. Other cast includes Nathan Long, Nathan Parrish, Allee Peck, Ty Robbins, Luke Sirinides, Emily Breaux, Ryan Kelly-Moore, Donnie Lawson, Anna Kramer, Olivia Yi, Juliette Banquer, Ellie sander, Emory Farber, Daniela Vazquez, Sasha Munchak, Kelly Amstutz, Ariyana Reed, Alyssa Daigle, Benjamin Benigno, Adriel Aviles, Noah Smith, Nina Ballon, Brandon Garza and Clark Long.
Organizers for the show promise “stunning costumes, imaginative scenic elements, and a live orchestral sound that elevates the magic of this wintery adventure.” The stage show also adds to the story of the sisters.
The is at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through March 15 inside the auditorium at 6400 Airline Drive in Metairie. Tickets start at $39. Visit jpas.org.
Luke Boucvault as Chad leads the company of Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts’ production of “All Shook Up” in the song “C’mon Everybody.”
‘All Shook Up’
The music of Elvis Presley has entered the building at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts as the company gets “All Shook Up” with a jukebox musical featuring the King’s tunes and a touch of William Shakespeare, opening this week.
Set in a small town, a guitar player arrives on the scene and, much like Presley in real life, becomes the talk of the town. Comedy, romance, dance numbers and more come about and the show uses Elvis’ songs to move the story along.
“Heartbreak Hotel, “Jailhouse Rock” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” are some of the classic pieces that fit together with the show to move the story along.
Gary Rucker directs, with Michael Civitano as musical director and Belle Tudor as choreographer. Luke Boucvalt is the guitar-playing Chad, Maddie Plunkett is Natalie and the cast also includes David W. Hoover, Mitchell Samuel Kogan, Shana Hill, Amber Rayne Lemelle, Laurie Reinagel, Michael John Smith, Jennifer Delatte, Alicia Amedee, Sophia Rose Blasio, Brandon Bui, Savannah Chiasson, Shelbi Copain, Jordan Davis, Tessa Demers, Christina Early, Mary Clare Eastland, Andrew Eastland, Joan Frilot, Rachel Gagnard, Brielle Hebert, Diavian Janaé, Mason Morgan, Beau Moss, Cayden Pecoraro, Raegan Jolie Rozas, Lauren Smith, Donnie Stafford and Maria Zeringue.
The show is at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, plus March 19, and 2 p.m. Sundays through March 22 at 325 Minor St. in Kenner. Tickets start at $52. Visit rivertowntheaters.com.
‘Carlota’
Cuba pops up in two shows opening this week, once in a Broadway classic and again in a new play with music to open by Goat in the Road Productions.
“Carlota” is based on a fictional character with ties to the island nation as well as New Orleans by the name of Carlota Ruíz de González.
Spawned from a concept by Denise Frazier, show information describes the lead character as “a grandmother, a revolutionary, a healer, and a bad ass. She stabbed a Spanish colonel (maybe), survived a flood, crisscrossed Cuba, abandoned her son (no she didn’t), played the lotto, saved lives, survived enslavement and laughed when she wanted.”
In addition to the concept, Frazier is also listed as the lead composer, with Chris Kaminstein as the lead writer.
The show moves through the 19th and 20th centuries while featuring Afro-Cuban and Creole musical influences.
Taking part in the production are Claudia Duran, Lilian Lombera, Mariola Chalas, Cristina “Cuba” Hatheway, Claudio Venancio and Katerin Ferrer.
The show runs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Caribbean and New Orleans Arts, 4210 St. Claude Ave. Tickets start at $25. Visit goatintheroadproductions.org.
Rodina Harrison is ‘Mama’ Younger, Jeremiah Baham is her grandson Travis Younger and Melanie Banks is Ruth Younger in the Slidell Little Theater production of ‘Raisin in the Sun’ opening this week.
‘A Raisin in the Sun’
The 1959 play “A Raisin in the Sun” was groundbreaking in many ways. It was the first play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway. It was also the first time a Black director had directed a show.
Almost 70 years later, the story of the Younger family of Chicago still resonates as a story of self perception, discrimination, financial security and assimilation. In the show, the family has come into some insurance money, and how it is to be spent and how it eventually changes the family are central issues.
Slidell Little Theatre will bring the story to the contemporary stage this week, with Jennifer Baptiste directing. The show also features Rodina Harrison, Thomas Baham Jr., Leo Harris, Melanie Banks, Jeremiah Baham, Chris Frazier, Reginald McNeil, Kevin M. Page Sr., Kevin McCormack and Alonda Cooper.
The show will run at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through March 15, as well as at 2 p.m. March 14, at 2024 Nellie Drive in Slidell. Tickets start at $25. Visit slidelllittletheatre.org.
Cast members for Evangeline Theater’s production of ‘Catch Me If You Can’ include, from left, Emily Carmadelle, Zachary Van Zandt, Patricia Guevara and Sarah Chauppette Fontenot. The cast members are in the 13th Gate Escape Room that mimics an airplane. The show opens Thursday.
‘Catch Me If You Can’
Evangeline Theater Co.of Mandeville moves into a new space at 2635 N. Causeway Blvd. and leads off 2026 with a musical about a chameleon fraudster who leads the FBI on a merry chase.
“Catch Me If You Can,” the 2011 stage show based on Steven Spielberg’s 2002 movie, follows a young man with a talent for forgery and masquerade as he is pursed by an FBI agent who wants to make him pay for his crimes.
Emily Carmadelle is the director and choreographer with Jonathan Sturcken as the musical director.
Zachary Van Zandt is Frank Abignale Jr., the lead mystery man, with Barrett Baumgartner as FBI Agent Carl Hanratty. Other cast include John Carambat, Elizabeth Burris, Casey Lipscomb, Michael D. Graves, Cat Schully-Williams, James Bevolo, Matthew Price, Meagan Harris, Chauppette Fontenot, Patricia Guevara, Emily Carmadelle, Taryn Terrell and Marli Freas.
The show is at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through March 22. Tickets start at $32. Visit evangelinetheater.com.
‘Dial M for Murder’
The classic thriller, “Dial M for Murder” continues its run at Playmakers Theater in Covington.
With plot twists and turns, Frederick Knott’s story, about a former tennis player who plots the demise of his wealthy wife, ran on Broadway and then Alfred Hitchcock made it into a film with Grace Kelly.
Derek Thrush directs the St. Tammany Parish production with Jaclyn Krottner as the wife and Daniel Laurent as the husband. Other cast includes Robert Fielding, Larry Bergeron, Martin Booda, Code Wren, Aisha Sophia Johnson and Michaela Lauer.
Tickets start at $23 at bontempstix.com.
Onstage this week, March 5-12
“CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY”: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays through March 15; Cutting Edge Center for the Arts, 767 Robert Blvd. Slidell. Young Charlie Bucket gets one of the magical golden tickets that offer a tour of the mysterious Willy Wonka factory. The cast of characters, from Wonka to the other kids on the tour, are as full of flavor as the chocolatier’s handiwork. And what happens to them is just as interesting. Tickets start at $35. cuttingedgetheater.com.
Isaiah Bailey is the phantom and Jordan Lee Gilbert ss Christine Daaé in ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ North American Tour coming to the Saenger this Friday.
“PHANTOM OF THE OPERA:” 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays plus Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. Saturdays through March 15; Saenger Theatre, 1111 Canal St. The touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s show, the longest-running in Broadway history, features the revitalized production that opened in London in 2021 by the original producer Cameron Mackintosh. Tickets start at $52. saengernola.com.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nola.com ’
