IN AND AROUND NEW ORLEANS Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill May 5-7, 12-14 and 19-21 Pontchartrain Landing 6001 France Road, New Orleans (504) 333-6748 Produced and directed by Tommye Myrick, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill features Sharon Martin singing many of the songs made famous by Billie Holiday during the height of her career from the 1930s through the 1950s. Martin will be accompanied by a trio consisting of a piano player, a drummer and a bass player. She will also narrate events in Holiday’s life in the first person. Channel 6 Newsman Norman Robinson makes his acting debut as Hal Emerson. An optional buffet dinner theater package is available for an extra charge. Show times are 7:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Sundays. Seating for the buffet is an hour before the show. 7 Bye Bye Birdie May 5-21 Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts 325 Minor Street, Kenner (504) 461-9475 To the dismay of his adoring fans, hip-swinging' teen idol Conrad Birdie (loosely based on Elvis), is about to be drafted into the army by Uncle Sam. Follow his journey in this Tony Award-winning Best Musical where you’ll hear such Broadway musical standards as “Put on A Happy Face,” “Kids,” and “A Lot of Living To Do.” Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. 7 Finding Neverland May 9-14 Saenger Theatre 1111 Canal Street, New Orleans (800) 218-7469 or (800) 840-9227 Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will capture the magic of childhood and the result is “Peter Pan.” Show times vary; call or visit website for more information. 7 CULTURAL EVENTS MAY/JUNE 2017 Bon Operatit! presents “Leading Ladies” May 10 Four Points by Sheraton Hotel 541 Bourbon Street (at Toulouse), New Orleans In this free concert, the musically gifted quartet of singers in Bon Operatit! celebrate Mother’s Day with music by the great women from the operatic and musical theatre stages. The performance will run from 7:00-9:00 p.m. $5 valet parking rate available for attendees. 7 Jessica Lang Dance May 13 Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts 1419 Basin Street (Louis Armstrong Park), New Orleans (504) 522-0906 Sponsored by the New Orleans Ballet Association, Jessica Lang Dance returns to the main stage with spellbinding, artfully crafted works that represent the highest levels of professional dance by one of the world’s leading choreographers. 8p.m. 7 Pepe Romero and “The Three Cornered Hat” May 18 & 20 Orpheum Theater 129 Roosevelt Way, New Orleans (504) 523-6530 The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents superstar guitarist Pepe Romero making an eagerly awaited guest appearance. Maestro Carlos Miguel Prieto leads the LPO and NOVA Masterworks Chorale in the performance of Hispanic classics, including Manuel de Falla’s popular ballet score, El sombrero de tres picos (The Three Cornered Hat). 7:30 p.m. 7 La Flamenca May 19-21 Marigny Opera House 725 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans (504) 948-9998 Set in 19th century Cuba and performed by Opera Creole, the opera tells the story of a Creole songstress, her troubled love for a Spanish military officer, and her dramatic struggles in the conflict for Cuba’s independence. Written in 1903 by Lucien Lambert, a composer of New Orleans Creole heritage, the production features a cast of nine members, accompanied by a pianist, a small orchestra and a flamenco choreographer. 7:00 p.m. 7 Dreams en Français May 25 Marigny Opera House 725 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans (504) 948-9998 The New Orleans Chamber Orchestra opens its second summer season with an evening of “Dreams en Français” (Dreams in French). Featured artists are harpist Catherine Anderson and soprano Amy Pfrimmer with arias from Andre Ernest Gretry’s Sylvain (the first opera performed in New Orleans in 1796) and favorite French songs and arias. Phillip Larroque conducts the orchestra. 8:00 p.m. 7 Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) May 31-June 25 Loyola University Marquette Theatre 6161 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans (504) 522-6545 This regional premiere written by Suzan-Lori Parks and sponsored by Southern Rep Theatre, is set in West Texas in 1863. A slave named Hero is promised his freedom in exchange for his service in the Civil War - on the Confederate side. What Hero finds on the front lines might make it impossible for him to return home the same man. Performance times vary; call for details. 7 As One June 2-4 Marigny Opera House 725 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans (504) 948-9998 and (504) 529-3000 In the first-ever offering in the New Orleans Opera Association’s Chamber Opera Series, As One chronicles a transgender person’s inner journey. This new, 75-minute chamber opera depicts the experiences of its sole transgender protagonist, Hannah, as she endeavors to resolve the discord between herself and the outside world. Two singers, a baritone and a mezzo-soprano, both portray the character Hannah. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2:30 Sunday. 7 The Taming of the Shrew June 2-18 Lupin Theater Tulane University, New Orleans Performed by the Cripple Creek Theatre Company, William Shakespeare’s bawdy comedy turns raw and heartbreaking. As Petruchio sets out to “tame” the unbridled Katherina, and men vie for the affections of the dutiful Bianca, themes of disguise, subversion, and costume run rampant. Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m.; Sundays 1:30 p.m. 7 Mamma Mia! June 6-11 Saenger Theatre 1111 Canal Street, New Orleans (800) 218-7469 or (800) 840-9227 A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you'll never forget! On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the Greek island they last visited 20 years ago. The production features some of the best-known songs of the Swedish group ABBA. Show times vary; call for details. 7 Annie Get Your Gun June 22-25 Dixon Hall Tulane University, New Orleans (504) 865-5269 This award-winning musical composed by Irving Berlin is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley (1860–1926), a sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West, and her romance with sharpshooter Frank E. Butler. It features such classic Broadway show tunes as “There's No Business Like Show Business,” “Doin' What Comes Natur'lly,” “They Say It's Wonderful,” and “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better”). Friday and Saturday 8 p.m.; 2 p.m. Sunday. 7 MAY / J U N E 2 0 1 7 breakthrumediamagazine.com | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | 19
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