The Henchman: A Shakespeare
Story
May 8-26
The NOLA Project
Besthoff Sculpture Garden
City Park, New Orleans
(504) 302-9117
This wondrous new sequel to A
Midsummer Night’s Dream reveals the
true story of Jacob, the little changeling
boy who Oberon and Titania quarreled
over and his struggle to stake his claim
to King of India over that of his brother
Esau. 7 pm.
Flowers for Halie
May 8-26
Southern Rep Theatre
2541 Bayou Road, New Orleans
(504) 522-6545
Troi Bechet brings a legend to life in
this new celebration of the “Queen of
Gospel,” Mahalia Jackson. From her
early days in a shotgun shack in New
Orleans to her international success as
a singer and civil rights leader, Jackson
journeyed in faith and courage. An
evening of story and song illuminates
the struggles and triumphs of this homegrown
American icon. Written by and
starring Troi Bechet, directed by Richon
May and music direction by Emanuel
Burke.
Me and My Girl
May 10-19
Rivertown Theaters for the Performing
Arts
325 Minor Street, Kenner
(504) 461-9475
This multiple Tony- and Olivier-Award
winning show whisks you back to the
glittering 1930s, where the aristocratic
Hareford family seeks the legitimate heir
to the title of Earl who later turns out to
be a cockney commoner. 8 pm Fri.-Sat.;
2 pm Sun.
The Pianist of Willesden Lane
May 10-26
Le Petit Theater
616 St. Peter Street, New Orleans
(504) 522-2081
Set in Vienna in 1938 and London
during the Blitzkrieg, this production is
based on the life of Lisa Jura, a young
Jewish pianist who dreams of a concert
debut at the renowned Musikverein
performance hall but the Nazi
occupation changes everything except
her continued love of music and the
pursuit of success. 7:30 pm Thu.-Sat.;
3 pm Sun.
Story and Motion
May 12
Versipel New Music
Marigny Opera House
725 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans
(504) 948-9998
The six-member new classical music
collective conducted by Philip
Schuessler, ends its 2018-19 season
with performances of Tom Johnson’s
“Bedtime Stories,” Monica Pearce’s
“Leda Songs” sung by Brindley
McWhorter, Moon Young Ha’s “Fairy
Tale,” Scott Rubin’s “Etudes for Dancer
and Musicians” danced by Rebecca
Allen and Luciano Berio’s “Sequenza
X. 7 pm.
Stravinsky’s “The Rite of
Spring”
May 16 & 18
Louisiana Philharmonic
Orchestra
Orpheum Theater
129 Roosevelt Way, New
Orleans
(504) 523-6530
LPO closes out its 2018-19 season at
the Orpheum with Mussorgsky’s Prelude
to “Kovanschina,” Rachmaninov’s
“Piano Concerto No. 3” and Stravinsky’s
“The Rite of Spring.” Joyce Yang is the
piano soloist and Carlos Miguel Prieto
conducts. 7:30 pm.
Coppelia
May 17-19
Jefferson Performing Arts Society
Jefferson Performing Arts Center
6400 Airline Drive, Metairie
(504) 885-2000
Coppelia is a comic ballet based upon
two stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann: “The
Sandman” and “The Doll.” Live dancers
from Jefferson Ballet Theatre will
perform to the music of Leo Delibes as
a young boy falls in love with a life-sized
dancing doll and is shown his folly by
his girlfriend. 7:30 pm Fri. & Sat.; 2
pm Sun.
Invention
May 22
New Orleans Chamber Players
Marigny Opera House
725 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans
(504) 948-9998
Conducted by Joel Bein, the New
Orleans Chamber Players brings a
9-person ensemble of strings and
winds to the Marigny Opera House
for a performance of Reinhold Gliere’s
“Suite for Violin and Double Bass,”
Gyorgy Ligeti’s “Six Bagatelles for Wind
Quintet” and Bohuslav
Martinu’s “Nonet No. 2.” 7:30 pm.
Cinderella
May 24 & 25
New Orleans Ballet Theatre
Orpheum Theater
129 Roosevelt Way, New Orleans
New Orleans Ballet Theatre brings
to life a brand new production of the
timeless and enchanting full-length
ballet “Cinderella.” A select group of
talented local children will join the
professional dancers of NOBT for this
production. Premiering in the leading
roles of Cinderella and Prince are
Gabriela Mesa and Fabian Morales,
principal dancers with Dimensions
Dance Theatre of Miami. NOBT dancer
Felicia McPhee will return to the stage
in the role of the Fairy Godmother.
Birdfoot Chamber Music
Festival
May 28-June 1
(various locations in downtown New
Orleans)
(504) 451-6578
Recognized for its fresh approach and
youthful, rule-bending style, the Birdfoot
Festival brings artists and audiences
from around the world together to make
and experience dynamic live chamber
music. Celebrating its seventh season,
Birdfoot will present most of its concerts
and events at the Contemporary Arts
Center, the George and Joyce Wein Jazz
& Heritage Center. For more details and
tickets go to https://birdfootfestival.org.
The Pirates of Penzance in
Concert
June 1 & 2
Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane
Dixon Hall, Tulane University
(504) 865-5269
Music from the operetta by Gilbert
and Sullivan will be performed as
the opening event in Summer Lyric’s
2019 season. Familiar tunes like “I am
the Very Model of a Modern Major-
General,” “A Rollicking Band of Pirates
We” and others will be sung. 8 pm Sat.;
2 pm Sun.
New Orleans Chamber
Orchestra
June 14
Marigny Opera House
725 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans
(504) 948-9998
NOCO presents the first of its series
of two concerts in June, performing
Puccini’s “Crisantemi,” a world
premiere of Tucker Fuller’s “Ephemera,”
Respighi’s “Il Tramonto” and Haydn’s
“Farewell Symphony #45.” Maxim
Samarov conducts; mezzo-soprano
Claire Shackleton is the guest soloist.
8 pm.
Much Ado About Nothing
June 14-30
New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at
Tulane
Lupin Theater
Tulane University, New Orleans
(504) 865-5105
A favorite among Shakespeare’s
comedies, this delightful play presents
audiences with a battle of the sexes,
fueled by both friends and enemies. Fri.
& Sat. 7:30 pm and 1:30 pm Sun.
42nd Street
June 20-23
Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane
Dixon Hall, Tulane University
(504) 865-5269
Follow those dancing feet to 42nd
Street in this lively Tony Award-winning
musical from 1980, based on the famous
film about Broadway from the 1930s.
Music by Al Dubin, Harry Warren and
Johnny Mercer includes such standards
as “We’re in the Money,” “I Only Have
Eyes for You,” “Lullabye of Broadway,”
“Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and the title
tune. 8 pm Thu.-Sat.; 2 pm Sun.
New Orleans Chamber
Orchestra
June 29
Marigny Opera House
725 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans
(504) 948-9998
NOCO presents the second of its series
of two concerts in June, performing
premieres of Jerry Sieg’s “Fantasy for
Horn and Strings” and Tim Robertson’s
“New Work for Horn and Strings”
plus Dvorak’s, “Serenade for Strings.”
Phillip Larroque conducts; Mollie Pate,
principal hornist for the Louisiana
Philharmonic Orchestra is the guest
soloist.
CULTURAL EVENTS
IN AND AROUND NEW ORLEANS
MAY/JUNE 2019
NOTE: All performances listed here are ticketed events unless otherwise noted.
24 | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | breakthrumediamagazine.com MAY / J U N E 2 0 1 9
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