Louisiana Crossroads adds Zachary Richard for the Season Finale June 3
Zachary Richard, David Torkanowsky and Shane Theriot will take the stage at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 at Central School Theatre. The trio will gather in celebration of "Last Kiss," Zachary's first release in English in 17 years. Co-produced by Zachary and New Orleans pianist, David Torkanowsky, the album was recorded in Montreal, Paris, Brussels, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Lafayette, Louisiana. The album features a duet with Céline Dion from the Robbie Robertson classic "Acadian Driftwood". Lake Charles is one of 4 cities to host the series along with Baton Rouge, New Iberia, and Lafayette. The program airs from 7-9 p.m. via 100,000-watt regional National Public Radio affiliate KRVS, simultaneously streaming audio worldwide via krvs.org. Tickets for the concert are on sale until 4pm the day of the concert online at www.LouisianaCrossroads.org or at the Arts and Humanities Council on the second floor of Central School at 809 Kirby Street. Advance tickets are $15, and will be $17 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.
Lake Charles Feature Film Good Boy to be Screened May 30Director/producer Patrick Roddy, in partnership with the City of Lake Charles, will screen Good Boy on May 30, 8 p.m. at Central School Theatre, 809 Kirby Street. Good Boy, Roddy’s third film,
was shot last summer in the Lake Charles area with cast and crew predominantly from southwest Louisiana. The psychological thriller was written by Ken Henderson of Moss Bluff. Henderson, a semifinalist in the Nicholl Fellowship screenwriting competition, also wrote Red 71. The lead actor in Good Boy is Josh Marcantel, a DeQuincy native who now lives in New York City where he co-founded the Black Door Theatre Company. Gary Shannon of Lake Charles, Louisiana, plays the villain in the film. Admission to the screening of Good Boy is free. The film is not rated, however it is suggested for mature audiences. For more information call 337-491-9147, or visit www.patrickroddy.com.Direct from Las Vegas: Coushatta Presents Legends In Concert May 6 - June 14
Coushatta Casino Resort is proud to present Legends in Concert, the original and largest live celebrity tribute spectacular in the world. It is the longest-running independently owned production show on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. Legends in Concert will perform two separate shows at Coushatta: May 6-24 will feature tributes to Elton John, Reba McEntire, and Elvis Presley; May 27-June 14 will feature tributes to Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Elvis Presley. Performances will take place in the Mikko showroom (inside the casino) Wednesday through Sunday at 7:00pm, with matinées Saturday and Sunday at 5:00pm. Coushatta Box Office offers a Club rate for Coushatta Advantage Club members: they may purchase tickets for $20 each at the Coushatta Box Office when they present their free Club card at time of purchase. Non-Club members may purchase tickets at the Box Office for $25 per person, and also from Ticketmaster.com. Casino specials for overnight dinner and show packages start at $109. Coushatta Casino Resort is located in Kinder, LA on Highway 165 (I-10 exit 44), featuring over 2800 slots and more than 70 table games. Phone 800-584-7263 for more information or visit the website at coushattacasinoresort.com.
Downtown at Sundown Through June 5
The event takes place at the Downtown Merchants’ parking lot at the corners of Ryan and Broad streets from 6-9 p.m. on four consecutive Fridays.
The remainder of the 2009 lineup:
May 29 City Heat
June 5 The Bad Roads
If inclement weather prevails, the concerts will be held inside the Lake Charles Civic Center. For more information, call the City of Lake Charles Arts and Culture Department at 337-491-9147 or visit www.CityOfLakeCharles.com.
McNeese Banners Series Presents Hurricane Audrey Documentary May 30
Free tickets for the Hurricane Audrey documentary, All Over But to Cry, are now available for pick up. The film’s premiere showing will take place in historic F.G. Bulber Auditorium on the McNeese State University campus at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 30. Tickets for the premiere of the Hurricane Audrey documentary are stationed at the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1205 N. Lakeshore Dr., McNeese Connection, 4314 Ryan St. and the Henning Cultural Center in Sulphur, La., 923 Ruth St. The documentary brings to life true stories of several survivors of the night Hurricane Audrey rushed ashore in 1957, tremendously impacting families and friends with the tragic loss of life in Cameron Parish. Many of these stories are told through interviews with survivors, notably brothers Keith and Jimmy Trahan, Laura Dupuis, Walter Rutherford, Benny Welch, Jerry Furs and sisters Lorina and Mary Bartie. McNeese’s Frazar Memorial Library is creating an exhibit to accompany the film, which will be on display in Bulber Auditorium the night of the premiere and then move to the library through Sept. 1. For more information, contact Katie Harrington, public relations manager at the bureau, by calling (337) 436-9588, or log onto www.visitlakecharles.org.
Please Notice:
A search is underway for photographs of Cameron Parish taken before Hurricane Audrey transformed the landscape in 1957. Photographs of Cameron Parish that show life before Audrey’s destruction are rare, according to Pati Threatt, assistant archivist at Frazar Memorial Library. Very few photographs of early Cameron existed in the first place, and those that did exist likely did not survive the destruction of Audrey and the more recent hurricanes. Threatt said people who have original photographs and would like to donate them to the McNeese archives for this exhibit can contact her at (337) 475-5731 or by e-mail at pthreatt@mcneese.edu.
Cutline: Aerial shot of damage to Cameron from Hurricane Audrey. The large building in the center is the Cameron Parish Courthouse. Photo/Smith Hall Collection/McNeese Archives.
Bob the Builder LIVE! June 8
Spud’s Big Mess Visits Lafayette’s Heymann Performing Arts Center for 2 shows on June 8. HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights owners, in association with UK-based I.P. Live, announced the debut of Bob the Builder LIVE! Spud’s Big Mess. This is Bob the Builder’s first touring stage show in the US in five years. Presented nationally by Magic Arts & Entertainment, Bob the Builde LIVE! Spud’s Big Mess will visit the Heymann Performing Arts Center at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 8 as a special event presented by the Performing Arts Society of Acadiana (PASA).
Black Heritage Gallery Presents Variations on a Theme Through May 29
The Black Heritage Gallery continues its 2009 season with the presentation of "Variations on a Theme”. The exhibit showcases the works of Malaika Favorite and other African-American artist with Louisiana connections. These artists explore diverse subject matter and media. Yet, what they share in common is a cultural connection of history and ideas embedded in the African American community. Therefore, no two artist's works are visually the same; nor do they reflect the same ideology, but they do share the same historical references. The gallery is free and open to the public.
L’Auberge du Lac Casino’s ‘Party by the Pool’ Concert Series May 7 – June 25
This series includes Seven Mary Three, June 4, and The Molly Ringwalds—80’s tribute band—June 18. Ladies get free admission to Party by the Pool. Gentlemen pay just $5; the cover charge is waived for ‘mychoice’ members. Must be 21 to enter. Please note that the event location is subject to change and/or cancellation due to inclement weather.
Louisiana Sci-Fi Expo Underway June 13-14
Calling all Sci-Fi fans, Con. Du Lac—The Louisiana Sci-Fi Expo will be held at Enos Derbone Recreational Complex in Lake Charles, June 13-14, 2009. The expo will combine science fiction, science fact (NASA and the National Weather Service), paranormal research, medieval arts crafts and combat demonstrations. There will also be mini-renaissance fair, acting workshops and more. Richard Hatch from Battlestar Galactica, who has been a part of both the original show in 1978 and the recent series on the Sci-Fi, will be a featured guest at this year’s expo. Panels on Star Trek and Star wars will be featured. Attendees of all ages are asked to dress up in their favorite Sci-Fi costumes for an intergalactic costume contest to be held on Saturday evening. Tickets are on sale now through June 5th and are $25. Admission at the door will be $30 and children 10 and younger will get in for free. On Saturday, June 13, Lifeshare Blood Center will be on hand for a limited time and all donors will receive $5 off their admission. For more information on Con. Du Lac, contact Justin Toney at 337-513-8927 or visit www.condulac.net.
L'Auberge du Lac Casino Resort's Nevie Beach Club Now Open All Summer
Nevie Beach Club is now open for the season with poolside patio dining. Their chefs have completely revamped the menu making it a bit 'lighter' and infused with more local / regional seafood (soft shell crab sandwich, oysters, red snapper po-boy, seafood tacos etc.). Nevie is open 7 days at 11:00 a.m.
Memories of World War II, Photographs from the archives of The Associated Press Through June 13
Scheduled to open Friday April 24 and run through Saturday, June 13, 2008. An opening reception will be held from 6-9pm at the 1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street. The public is invited to provide photographs of WWII veterans to be included on the Wall. For additional information email ArtsAndCulture@cityoflc.us.
AMSET Lecture Hall to feature Local Artist Bernice Thrall Switzer Through May 31
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET) presents a collection of art by local artist Bernice Thrall Switzer (1897-1990) on display in the Quinn Lecture Hall through May 31. Eleven watercolors dating from circa 1915, a self-portrait of Switzer and three Newcomb Pottery pieces that date from the early 20th century are on loan from the artist’s daughter, Beaumont-resident Sue Mann, for the exhibit. Bernice Thrall was raised in Lake Charles, La. She studied art at Newcomb College in New Orleans during World War I (1914-1918) and is considered to be the first woman commercial illustrator in that city. AMSET is located 500 Main Street, Beaumont TX. AMSET Hours: Monday-Friday: 9am-5pm, Saturday: 10am-5pm, Sunday: Noon-5pm. Closed Major Holidays. Cafe Hours: Mon-Fri 11 am-2 pm. Admission: Free. For more information call: 409-832-3432.
Cigar Club Upcoming Events June 16
Carlos Torano Cigars / Pierre Ferrand Cognac Pairing Event with Hosts Brian McGee (Torano, C.A.O.) and Hugo Chambon (Ferrand)
Opelousas Set to Celebrate Spice & Music Festival June 5 -7
The Opelousas Spice & Music Festival, a unique three day celebration showcasing the area’s Cajun and Creole culture, is scheduled for June 5-7, 2009.
Musical performances include: Southern Soul (Swing Out) from Lil’ Fallay, Cajun- French from Lost Bayou Ramblers and Zydeco from Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band. Friday night will also feature a heated Zydeco dance contest. Families can also take advantage of $15 ‘all you can ride’ bracelets on Friday evening.
Saturday at 1:00 pm, Horace Trahan & the New Ossun Express, Step Rideau, Hotline, Jeffery Broussard, Lil Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers, J. Paul & Zydeco Nu Breed and Chris Ardoin & Nu Step perform. Other Saturday events include a Cajun/Creole cooking demonstration, a Fiddler Jam with Hadley Castille at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Leon Chavis & the Zydeco Flames are scheduled to perform at 1:00 p.m. followed by Krossfyre, Patrick Henry, Cajun-Zydeco Grammy winner Terrance Simien and Chris Ardoin & Nu Step. In addition to great music, Sunday will feature a Cajun Dance Contest, Pepper Eating Contest and Queen’s Spice Cook-Off Contest, where individuals and teams will prepare red beans and rice for competition.
On Saturday and Sunday, festival admission is $10 for adults and $3 for children 12 years and younger. On Sunday, admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children 12 years and younger. For more information visit www.opelousasspiceandmusicfestival.com or call (337) 948-5227 or (337) 948-6263.
Le Festival de la Viande Boucanee (The Smoked Meat Festival) June 26 & 27
June is festival time is South Louisiana, and when you hear the music and smell delicious food coming from clouds of smoke, then it's Le Festivale de la Viande Boucanee, better known as the Smoked Meat Festival. This two day event, promoted by Chapter 632 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, is held on the last full weekend of June each year in the "Smoked Meat Capital of the World", Ville Platte, Louisiana. Some of the activities you can expect: Cookery demonstrations, Arts & Crafts Trade Show, Food Booths, Military Demonstrations, World Championship Smoked Meat Cook Off-professional and amateur divisions. The festival will be held at the Ville Platte Civic Center and Grounds.
Admission to the Festival: Adults $7.00, Children under 12 years $1.00
Bands on June 26 include: De Ja Vue, Bayou Katz, Travis Matte & The Zydeco King Pins. Bands on June 27 include: Al Roger & Louisiana Pride, Don Fontenot & Les Amis, Cajunation, Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition, Bag of Donuts, Wayne Toups & Zydecajun.
For more information contact: 337-363-6700 or visit the website at www.smokedmeatfestival.com.
