Week of 9/17

We at 810 are simply over the moon about all of the things that are happening at our theatre!  From productions to rehearsals to classes, there really isn't any time that something isn't happening.  Also, on the administrative side, we continue to refine our process, last week completing a Venue Rental Guide that will help clearly explain our policies and offer tips to guest producing companies and artists. 

Last month, The Stage Monkeys of Lafayette were forced to cancel their show due to Hurricane Issac.  So, this month, they are performing TWICE to accommodate the demand for their shinanigans - Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th at 7:30 pm.  Did you know that studies suggest that children laugh almost 400 times more frequently than adults each day?  And, did you know that MBA programs such as Duke are now teaching improvisation as part of their curriculum to encourage adaptability and reactibility?  So come laugh like a kid and learn like a business grad at 810 this week!  Tickets are $7/general and $5/w student ID, and you can reserve over the phone or purchase online through EventBrite.

Also at 810 this week, the AUI Theatre Academy acting classes (for all ages) are in full swing Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday (you still have time to register before it's too late!).  Rehearsing in 806 and 810 is AUI's Dracula and Wanderlust Theatre Co.'s The Monster Tales.  On Sunday, the UL Department of Performing Art's student production of Proof is loading in, but more on that next week!  Whew! Until then....

Week of 9/10

This week performing at 810 is The Plastic Theatre of Lafayette's Recovery Academy.  This is such a treat for us to bring to you, and really, a reminder of why we all need the arts in our lives.  The Recovery Academy is a theater project for women recovering from addiction and homelessness.  A collaboration between Plastic Theater and the Acadiana Outreach Center, this project was funded by a generous grant that also makes this production FREE to the public.


Over the past month, a handful of local theatre artists conducted workshops at 810 with the participants, focusing on topics such as acting, improvisation, sound, puppetry, and movement.  From those workshops, a script was created based on the stories of these brave women's lives as they share how they have dealt with addiction and homelessness on the streets of Acadiana.  "Off the Streets" is directed and produced by Keith Dorwick, artistic director of The Plastic Theater of Lafayette and co-directed by Elaine Kibodeaux, member of the improv troupe The Stage Monkeys of Lafayette as well as an active local actor.

This show is not to be missed.  Oscar Wilde once said, "I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being."  Let's come get a sense of these women's lives, Acadiana. 

Admission is FREE.
Wednesday, September 12 - Saturday, September 15 at 7:30 pm.  Click here for online reservations.

Welcome Back!

Welcome to our 2012-2013 season!  There are so many things in store for you at 810 this year and we can't wait to tell you about them.  Each Monday, this blog will be updated with news and happenings of the week, so check back frequently.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have reorganized a few administrative things at the theatre; things that after almost a year of productions we found needed to be streamlined or improved to serve the community better.  We have an intern now at the theatre, Joseph Diaz, who opens the theatre box office every week day (M/W/F 3-5pm, T/TH 2-4) and is helping to interface with the producing companies.  Of course, Walter Brown continues to run the show as the Facilities Director, addressing countless needs of the venue.  Marie Delahoussaye Diaz had so much on her plate last year handling box office, promotion and administration needs, that she now has help with many of those tasks and can focus her energy more on long term development for 810 and Acting Unlimited, Inc.  Elsa Dimitriadis is the new Operations Manager, handling most of the promotion, overseeing box office needs and scheduling.

This week at 810, the Plastic Theatre of Lafayette's Recovery Academy is continuing to rehearse and prepare themselves for their show next week (see sidebar.)  On Friday, the AUI Theatre Academy acting classes begin.  Fridays will be the Tween acting classes from 4:30 to 5:30, Tuesdays will be the Teen acting class from 4:30 to 5:30 and Wednesdays the Adult class, also from 4:30 to 5:30.  Walter Brown will be teaching the Tween class, and Jarin Schexnider will be teaching the Teen and Adult classes.  There is still time to register - if you are interested, the online registration form can be found here!  Also on Friday, The Tea Sippers' Theatre Co. will be holding auditions at Space 806 from 4 to 7 pm. 

AUDITIONS for AUI's Dracula will be on Saturday and Sunday at 810.  For more information about those auditions, you can visit the AUI Facebook event page! 

OK - That should catch you all up for this week!  See what a crazy, exciting year it's going to be this season at 810?  Until next Monday...

The Tea Sippers, Lafayette's completely teen-organized theatre company bring Samuel Beckett's Endgame to Theatre 810 this July.

During a post-apocalyptic time, four absurd characters struggle to find the answer to a question bigger than life; when does one stop playing? Playing what? Playing the game of life.

The Tea Sippers' Theatre Company is a theatre troupe in the Lafayette downtown area that was established in September of 2010 by Jarin Schexnider, a local artist. The company originated as The Grizzly Alpaca Theatre Troupe and then grew into their current form. Opening with Jeffery Jones's heartfelt, yet strangely driven 70 Scenes of Halloween in October of 2010, the leading performers of the production were not yet ready to see their group end, thus continuing with their dream. Taking the profit made from  70 Scenes, the troupe now directs, produces, and performs original and classic pieces throughout Lafayette. Being 100% teen-run, the company feels it necessary that the community and others beyond are allowed to experience what they bring to the stage. "We aren't like any others. We are different. We are who we are. That's why we do it", said director Andrew Vincent of the Tea Sippers. 

17 year old, Andrew Lee Vincent and 16 year old, Kaitlin Romero lead the company. Being two of the original members, they serve as the heads of the company and strive to reach a few goals. "We aim to create a safe and conductive environment for the creative thoughts for teens. I do this to express my thoughts and ideas and help others to do what they want acting wise", says Kaitlin Romero. 

Diving into one of Samuel Beckett's most famous works, the Tea Sippers will be performing at Theatre 810, located at 810 Jefferson Street on July 12, 13, and 14 at 7:30pm and on July 15 at 2:00pm. Admission is $10 for all audiences and tickets can be purchased online at http://teasippersendgame.eventbrite.com, by phone at             (337) 484-0172        or at the door of the theatre. 

ACADIANA REPERTORY THEATRE

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL

 FRIDAY, JUNE 29:

100 Planes--Lieutenant Kay McClure, a hotshot pilot, meets her match in Major Anne Clarkson. As Anne pushes Kay harder and harder, questions arise. What exactly is Anne training Kay to do? David, an aspiring reporter and Kay's lover, probes deeper and discovers Anne's true motivations. 100 Planes examines the tug of war between love and ambition for female pilots in the Air Force.
 The cast of 100 Planes includes Evan Melancon, Etienna Wright, Jody Powell, and Sarah Brown.
100 Planes  will be read at 6:30pm on June 29th.
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The Human Capacity-Set in East Berlin before and after the fall of the Wall, the play follows the journey of a Stasi officer as he seeks redemption from the woman whose life he shattered. Both torturer and victim find themselves caught in a struggle to reconcile the horrors of their past with their hopes for the future. The Human Capacity is a searing look into a society and a family in turmoil, and an exploration of the human capacity for cruelty, perseverance, and forgiveness.
 The cast of The Human Capacity includes Kayla Lemaire, Evan Melancon, Bobby Bender, Casey Harmon, Kevin Miller, and Kate Schneider.
The Human Capacity will be read on June 29th at 8:30 pm

SATURDAY, JUNE 30:
Principal Principle--Armed only with her dreams of making the world a better place and a fresh teaching degree, Kay Josephs quits her corporate job to teach English in an urban high school.  She wakes up to harsh realities: the copy machine is broken, the system is broken, and the spirits of her fellow teachers are broken.  Or are they?  A dark comedy of academic intrigue, Principal Principle takes a peek at the politics behind the closed doors of the teachers' lounge.
 The cast includes Etienna Wright, Apiyo Obala, Kristina Marshall,Shana Ledet Qualls, and Kate Schneider.
Principal Principle will be read Saturday, June 30th, at 6:30pm. All you teachers out there should put this one on your calendar!
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A Place to Land--Graham and Rebecca are a couple on the brink of non-coupledom.  Feeling too young to have been married so long, they seek advice and indiscretion from their closest friends, Casey and Miyo.  But when Casey and Miyo discover that the closeness they truly want comes from each other, a hilarious downward spiral of secret-revealing, feelings-hurting, and self-discovery is initiated.  Why is it sometimes so much sadder to see a couple stay together than to see one break up?  And why do the most revealing and tense moments of our lives so often take place at mealtime?  As funny as it is heartfelt, A Place to Land is a new relationship examination for a new generation, whose themes are as familiar as the voices inside your head.
 The cast includes Lindsay Finley, Bobby Bender, Etienna Wright, and Steven R. Landry.
The show will be read on June 30th at 8:30pm...and if you want to be a little star struck, the playwright will be there!

SUNDAY, JULY 1
A Home Across the Ocean--Connor and his boyfriend think they’re ready to start a family; Connor’s recently widowed mother thinks she needs to re-start a family herself. When a thirteen-year-old foster child and a poet from London arrive into their lives, they’ll find out exactly how ready they are.
 Cast members for this show are Jody Powell, Steven R. Landry, Gabe Ortego, Moresa Robinson, and Duncan Thistlethwaite.
 A Home Across the Ocean will be read at 3:00pm on July 1st, the finale of our festival.

Theatre--Performance

ACADIANA REPERTORY THEATRE

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL

FRIDAY, JUNE 22:

THE DIVINE VISITOR--After faking his own demise to escape his debts,  the rake Whitestone plans to leave his home of Langfoss-on-the-Stow forever.  When he finds out that every beautiful woman in town was weeping at his funeral, though, he chooses to stay and makes a bet with his friend Wren to bed all of these ladies by appearing as his own ghost.  But the townsfolk believe him to be not a ghost but an angel, and soon all of the women are hoping to be divinely inspired by this messenger of God. When a visitor who is truly from beyond comes to town, however, Whitestone and Langfoss-on-the-Stow will never be the same again. Full of laughs and a few lessons along the way.
 The cast of The Divine Visitor includes Duncan Thistlethwaite, Steven R. Landry, Gabe Ortego, Kevin Miller, Jody Powell, Alexis Carroll, Kate Schneider, and Stace Broussard.
The Divine Visitor is the opening reading of our festival, and will be read on June 22nd at 6:30pm
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SWEET, SWEET SPIRIT--When a father's temper lands his gay teenage son in the emergency room of a small Texas town, the conservative family members square off in a battle for custody, prompting deep introspection: Who among them is best to care for this child, and what place can they find for him in their world?
 The cast includes Shana Ledet Qualls, Casey Harmon, Nicole Begue Hackman, Gabe Ortego, and Tami Castille.
 Sweet, Sweet, Spirit will be read at 8:30pm on Friday June 22nd.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23:
IN THE OPEN--A bad boy and his good-hearted girl; a religious loner; a widowed father; a single mother looking for meaning; the closeted best friend--IN THE OPEN is a classic American drama about being on the social fringe. After he's abused by a teacher, Dustin wants blood. He meets Jordan, a smart Christian kid who's been bullied by the teacher's son. They join forces and reason is soon lost in the smoke of anger. IN THE OPEN peers unapologetically at the logic and emptiness that leads to community violence.
 The cast includes Sarah Brown, Jody Powell, Andrew Vincent, Brandi Champagne, Kevin Miller, and Clyde Reed.
 In the Open  will be read at 6:30pm on Saturday June 23rd
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THE TERRIBLE GIRLS--a wicked dark comedy of friendship, obsession, and Southern sensibilities. Two women battle for the love of one man, while the third guards a terrible secret. It’s a wild mix of fearless comedy and Southern Gothic horror.
 Cast members for this show are Alexis Carol, Etienna Wright, Tami Castille, and Casey Harmon
 The Terrible Girls reading will be at 8:30pm on Saturday, June 23rd.

SUNDAY, JUNE 24
BARRIER ISLAND-- tackles a fearless community that rests their lives against the historic wall that protects the Island from natural disasters, and the young generation that challenges the emotional disasters no wall can protect, before the arrival of Hurricane Ike. Barrier Island is the first play in the trilogy The Galveston Cycle.
 The cast of Barrier Island includes Lindsay Finley, Duncan Thistlethwaite, Shana Ledet Qualls, Nicole Begue Hackmann, Steven R. Landry, Kaitlin Romero, Bobby Bender, Bruce Coen, and Jackson Schneider.
Barrier Island will be read at 3:00pm on Sunday, June 24th.

THE COMPLETE WOMEN OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ~ IN TWO PARTS

Two one-act plays with the Bard at their Heart.

SECOND BEST BED - by Tim Kelly
One of the most fascinating mysteries dealing with William Shakespeare is the fact that he left his wife, Ann Hathaway, nothing but his "second best bed." This odd bequest has puzzled biographers for centuries. The play opens as several gossipy neighbors visit Anne's cottage. They already know of the bequest and are anxious to see Anne's reaction when she hears the news, which is about to be delivered by Shakespeare's two daughters, Judith and Susanna. The women are cheated out of their amusement by Anne's fierce faith in her husband, even though his wealth has been left to others. However, the bard was never one to leave things as they seem and by curtain time Anne has discovered just how greatly Will loved and needed her. It's a surprise ending that catches not only Anne unaware but the audience as well.
WHEN SHAKESPEARE'S LADIES MEET - by Charles George
Imagine the fun when six of Shakespeare's heroines get together to discuss the universal topic—love.  Juliet has just fallen in love with Romeo and the other ladies of the Bard's imagination convene to enlighten her on the best method of conducting a romance.

Directed by Kate Schneider

The Cast Includes:
Second Best Bed:
Dorothy #1 - Patricia Sidman
Dorothy # 2 - Laura Blum
Virginia - Hope Garrett Cook
Marchette - Erica Jure
Nell - Shannon Kenast
Prudence - Catherine Arceneaux
Anne Hathaway - Nancy Dere
Susanna Shakespeare - Megan Connor
Judith Shakespeare - Anne Dronet

When Shakespeare's Ladies Meet:
Katherine #1 - Elaine Kibodeaux
Katherine #2 - Kay Manuel
Desdemona - Alicia Roberts
Juliet - Monique Arabie
Portia - Jan Erin Corzo
Ophelia - Erin Claire Couvillion
Cleopatra - Mitu Dasgupta
June 8th, 9th, 15th & 16th at 8:00pm
June 10th & 17th at 3:00pm

Theatre 810 ~810 Jefferson~ Downtown Lafayette ~
Tickets are available online here or by phone reservation at (337) 484-0172.