The brilliant Fringe Festival has begun on the corner of Dauphine and Press. And although it is not in the Quarter, it’s near and so what’s it to you if I review it here? (Sorry – cocktail hour has been delayed; someone’s a little frayed…)
At that corner, you’ll find the Free-For-All Tent and Fringe headquarters, but to see the over 60 collective artistic expressions known as Fringe, you’ll need to be mobile and able to read a map. The venues for performances that run the gamut from the smutty to the sublime are held in lovely or maybe lowdown places throughout downtown. Running through the weekend, get thee to Press and get your tickets to as many performances as you can stand. Bring a flask, an extra jacket and maybe a flashlight (advice from an annual fester) and expect to be dazzled.
Category Archives: theater
TWLF tip#1
Among the lengthy list of events that the Tennessee Williams Festival has planned for next week are a few that deserve to be highlighted. So today through Thursday (TWLF opening day) I’ll pick one that looks particularly good.
The tip for today is for one of the theater events. Tickets are half price through Tuesday (only 17.50)
Hiding in Plain Sight: Tennessee Williams’ Treasures
Some of Tennessee’s most beautiful writing is “hidden” in some of his lesser-known works as well as within his most famous plays. Now, in an evening that’s not-to-be-missed, luminaries of the page and stage gather to share some of the playwright’s unsung treasures.
Reading gems culled from full-length plays, one-acts, letters, and essays, actress Piper Laurie, playwright John Guare, actress Amanda Plummer, author Jewelle Gomez, columnist Amy Dickinson, director and actress Jodie Markell, actress Cristine McMurdo-Wallis, author Ace Atkins, and others will take a closer look at the Williams canon and bring his words to life with an evening of readings from well-known plays including Suddenly Last Summer and The Night of the Iguana, as well as remarkable monologues and scenes from plays you might not be as familiar with such as Candles to the Sun, Clothes for a Summer Hotel, Not About Nightingales, Tiger Tail, The Fat Man’s Wife, The Day on Which a Man Dies, Will Mr. Merriwether Return from Memphis? and Something Cloudy, Something Clear.
This theatrical treasure hunt offers an entertaining and surprising look at Williams’ legacy.
Hosted by Thomas Keith, and curated by Keith and Paul J. Willis.
Sponsored by the Bollinger Family Foundation.
Date: Saturday
Time: 8:00 PM-10:00 PM
Location: Hotel Monteleone, La Nouvelle Ballroom
Ticket Code(s): AllAccessPass, HidingSat8pm
Ticket Type(s): All Access Pass, Individual Special Event Ticket
Price: $35
Looks like Le Petit will be halved
I am not sure what I would do if I had to save it, but I do wonder how a restaurant can coexist in that small space with a theater, AND that tight corner at Jackson Square AND getting deliveries AND the noise and Square life right there…
I wish everyone well with this endeavor, but there is no turning back once done. I think the Brennans know what they are doing most of the time. I hope this is one of those times.
Original post:
First story
FAQ about the sale from Le Petit Theatre website:
Dickie Brennan buys 1/2 of Le Petit Theater
Sign to save Le Petit
It’s imperative that we save the oldest community theater in the U.S!
Le Petit has operated in the French Quarter for over 95 years but has fallen on financial hard times recently. As badly as we all want the theater back, the process to look for new owners of this historic theater must be transparent and fair. The Guild of Le Petite Theater du Vieux Carre is an autonomous group that supports the theater revival but its members are concerned that the theater’s governing board is moving too quickly toward a possible deal with Dickie Brennan to operate a restaurant in place of one of the theater’s two stages. As a result, they have drafted this petition:
I want to preserve the cultural and historic integrity of Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, and I demand that the process to determine the future of the theatre be transparent. The Board of Governors must follow the bylaws of the nonprofit organization, uphold their fiduciary responsibilities and review all options to ensure the long-term sustainability of the theatre.
Please go online and sign today!
and read Doug MacCash’s nola.com article:
French Quarter block by block 
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