The Little Prince lands at Theatre 810

Wanderlust Theatre Co. has returned to the Theatre 810 stage with another thought provoking, whimsical production with their Original Stage Adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s allegorical classic The Little Prince.
"A cast of nine performs and incorporates original film footage, puppetry and unconventional theatre techniques to bring one of the most widely read books in the world to life. The Little Prince tells the tale of how a tiny man who falls from the sky befriends and ultimately changes the life of a stranded aviator.
This close knit ensemble of nine created the original adaptation together. It includes Catharine Arceneaux, Aren Chaisson III, John W. Fiero, Casey Harmon, Rick Manuel, Brady McKellar, Mike Munzing, Morgan Munzing and Wesley Saucier. The Little Prince is produced in cooperation with the Children's Museum of Acadiana, Lafayette Public Library System, and Acadiana Open Channel."

Wanderlust Theatre Co. was responsible for the gigantic puppets at this year's Festival International, and adds The Little Prince to its successful season lineup which has included Inherit the Wind and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play.



The show will take place at Theatre 810 on August 14,15, 20 & 22 at 7:30 pm, with matinees August 16, 23 at 3 pm. Tickets are $10/general admission, $8/children under 12

For ticket reservations, call (337) 484-0172 or purchase online at thelittleprince.eventbrite.com

August Awesomeness!

Poster by Destin Briant

August has arrived with a rush of creativity! Have we got a doozy of a month scheduled for you:

Yesterday, August 1st, Cult of the Stage Monkey of UL-Lafayette put on a free improv show to warm themselves up for the fall semester.

Today (August 2nd), at 2:00pm, the Level 2 Improv Students will perform in their student showcase, using all they've learned from Steve Benelli (of Silverbacks Improv Theatre) to entertain the public. This show is free! Join us today to cheer these brave students on!

This weekend, we welcome the return of Ricky Briggs & Friends! Ricky Briggs & Friends bring you another show filled with laughs, lungs, tears & maybe a few other bodily impulses. Don't miss it!!! Friday, August 7 & Saturday, August 8 at 7:30pm. Tickets only $10! To get tickets in advance call 337-484-0172 or purchase them online at rickyandfriends.eventbrite.com.
(Performances by: Ricky Briggs, Hannah Briggs, Andrew Hunter II, Mike Ledoux, Katherine Durel, Belle Saucier, Mackenzie McAnally, Ian Faul, John Charles II, Jesse Lasala, and Henri Hebert-Allemond.)

Next weekend, Wanderlust Theatre Company will bring us their much anticipated original adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s allegorical classic The Little Prince! A cast of nine performs and incorporates original film footage, puppetry and unconventional theatre techniques to bring one of the most widely read books in the world to life. The Little Prince tells the tale of how a tiny man who falls from the sky befriends and ultimately changes the life of a stranded aviator.

This close knit ensemble of nine created the original adaptation together. It includes Catharine Arceneaux, Aren Chaisson III, John W. Fiero, Casey Harmon, Rick Manuel, Brady McKellar, Mike Munzing, Morgan Munzing and Wesley Saucier. The Little Prince is produced in cooperation with the Children's Museum of Acadiana, Lafayette Public Library System, and Acadiana Open Channel.

Wanderlust's last work was seen as the official street animation for Festival International de Louisiane in April. It followed this season's productions of Inherit the Wind and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play.

August 13-15, 22 at 7:30 pm
August 16, 23 at 3 pm
Theatre 810, 810 Jefferson Street, Downtown Lafayette
Tickets are $10/general admission, $8/children under 12

For ticket reservations, call (337) 484-0172 or purchase online at thelittleprince.eventbrite.com

 

Poster inspired by artwork of cast member Morgan Munzing.

Silverbacks Improv Theatre will be back on August 19th at 7:30pm for another one of their signature improv shows! This will be the last month of their Summer Pricing Special, so Pay-What-You-Can and join us for a night of spontaneous entertainment!

For a change of pace, at 7:00pm on Friday, August 21, Theatre 810 will host An Evening with Andrew Duhon; Featuring Max Zemanovic and Sean Bruce.Norwood Recording Co. presents an intimate acoustic evening with New Orleans based singer/songwriter Andrew Duhon featuring percussionist Max Zemanovich. Lafayette singer/songwriter Sean Bruce will be the opening act with supporting musicians Chad Viator (guitar) and Trey Boudreaux (upright bass). This will be the first of many listening events brought to Theatre 810 in hopes of capturing the art of songwriting in a quiet, comfortable, and smoke free venue. Order your tickets online at eveningwithandrewduhon.eventbrite.com.

Acting Unlimited, Inc. will hold auditions for their October production of David Ives' All In The Timing on Sunday, August 23 and Monday, August 24th at 6:30pm. Those auditioning will be provided with sides for cold readings. No prep needed!

And, as a fitting end to a month that started with improv, an Improv Rumble will take place on Friday, August 28th at 7:30pm. Members of Silverbacks Improv Theatre and Cult of the Stage Monkey will be combined into mixed teams and battle head-to-head to entertain you, the audience. The winning team will be chosen by an audience vote. Silverbacks member Elaine Kibodeaux called the last Improv Rumble in 2013 "one of the best, most cooperatively fun competitions I've ever been a part of."

Banner image from the 2013 Improv Rumble at Theatre 810.

We hope you're as excited about this August as we are, and we look forward to seeing you in our little corner of downtown!

THIS IS OUR YOUTH comes to Theatre 810

Candace Grace, Dustin Babin, Ryan Broussard

  From the production's Facebook Event:

"This Is Our Youth is a comedy play by American dramatist and screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan, which premiered Off-Broadway in 1996 and on Broadway in 2014.

The play takes place in Dennis Ziegler's apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Dennis's friend Warren Straub, a dejected 19-year-old, has just been kicked out of his house and stolen $15,000 from his abusive lingerie-tycoon father. Dennis, the more wily and domineering of the two, spends some of the money on cocaine, hoping to sell it to a friend for much more. Jessica Goldman, an "anxiously insightful" fashion student, comes over and Warren hopes that he can use the money to entice her into bed.The play explores timeless issues of adolescence and maturity.

Shows will be held at Theatre 810 July 23, 24th and 25th starting at 7:30pm. Address is 810 Jefferson Street. Lafayette, LA 70501. Tickets will be $10 at the door or click on the link below to buy online. Cast includes: Candace Grace, Dustin Babin and Ryan Broussard. For more information email Broussard1033@yahoo.com"


You can order your tickets online at http://thisisouryouth.eventbrite.com/

Acadiana Rep returns to 810 this week with The Woman's Part by Cody Daigle-Orians

Etienna Wright, serving serious face in
ART's poster for THE WOMAN'S PART

First off: Congratulations to The Diamond Devil Revue, who popped 810's Burlesque Cherry with a packed-house show on Saturday night! We can't wait to have you Devils back!

Next up at Theatre 810, Acadiana Repertory Theatre brings us THE WOMAN'S PART, another original work from local favorite, Cody Daigle-Orians!

The Woman's Part celebrates women in theatre, both at the dawn of their professional entrance to the business and in today's world. Act One takes place in 1669 London, and follows Aphra Behn, the first professional female playwright, as she brings her first play "The Forc'd Marriage" to the stage. The second act takes place in 2015 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where an all-female theatre company plans to mount "The Forc'd Marriage" in an attempt to save their struggling company. Camaraderie, creativity and compromise face both sets of women artists in pursuit of a life in the theatre.

THE WOMAN'S PART is directed by Steven R. Landry and assisted by Gabe Ortego. The cast is made up of many familiar faces: Etienna Wright, Jordan Umphries, Deborah D. Ardoin, Cindy Hebert, Jody L. Powell, Chloe Abbott, Erica Jure, Bonnie Kyzar, John Snyder, and Allen Higginbotham.

Shows are June 19, 20,& 25, 26, 27 at 7:30pm with a matinee on Sunday, June 21 at 2:00pm. Tickets can be purchased online from Eventbrite at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-presents-the-womans-part-by-cody-daigle-orians-tickets-16769964415, reserved by phone at (337)484-0172, or reserved by email at theatre810@gmail.com.

Also this month: Silverbacks Improv Theatre will return on Wednesday, June 24th at 7:30pm with a SUMMER themed improv show. In celebration of summer jobs, summer schedules, and summer wallets, Silverbacks are having a Summer Special pricing for their 810 shows: Instead of a set ticket price, they invite you to Pay What You Can for the summer months! 

We've certainly got a busy summer ahead of us, and we can't wait for you to see everything going on at Theatre 810!

We're Revving Back Up for the Summer!

It's been on the seemingly quiet side here at Theatre 810 for the spring, but we've been keeping ourselves busy, none-the less!

This past weekend, we hosted a special show, dubbed "Improv and Pirates," which was actually a setup that ended in a wedding proposal! With the help of Silverbacks Improv Theatre and The Whiskey Bay Rovers, a man brought together his beloved's friends and family to surprise her with a special show geared directly towards her. In the finale, a friend of the couple came out to sing a special song, which turned into a duet as the man stepped up to serenade his girlfriend, after which, he proposed, surrounded by friends, family, improvisers, and pirates. She said yes, of course! Congratulations, Jason & Eden! Thank you for sharing your special moment with us!

May certainly ended with a bang, and June is looking to be pretty fantastic as well!

The deadline to sign up for Improv Classes with members of Silverbacks Improv Theatre is swiftly approaching!

The 4-week Level 1 course, exploring the fundamental skills and games behind improvisational theatre, will be taught by Sarah Mikayla Brown and will begin on June 6th at 10:00am. Register to secure the very last spot in the class online at https://improvlevel1.eventbrite.com/

The 4-week Level 2 course, with Steve Benelli, is designed for those who have some previous beginner training in Improv and work on in-depth techniqes, skills, and games behind improvisational theatre, beyond the fundamentals. Register online today at https://improvlevel2.eventbrite.com/

On June 7th, The Tea Sippers' Theatre Company will be hosting a Tony Awards Gala at Theatre 810.

The Teasippers say, "The purpose of this event is to bring the community together to watch the annual Tony Awards, show appreciation for the arts, and to celebrate the success of our local theatre companies. Admission for this event is free of charge, but donations are strongly suggested. All proceeds will go toward funding next year's gala and keeping local theatre alive. Food will be provided for all guests. Please feel free to contribute a dish of your own. THE MORE FOOD THE BETTER!"

This year, the event will be a COSTUME PARTY! The hosts encourage guests to be  creative, wearing costumes from any genre; Movie or theatre stars, characters, etc. There will be a costume contest held after The Tony Award event ends. The party starts at 6:00pm!


In another Theatre 810 first, The Diamond Devil Revue is set to bring its fun and flirty brand of Burlesque to our little Black Box.

The Diamond Devil Revue, the new Lafayette burlesque troupe, will perform at Theatre 810 on Saturday, June 13 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance at http://diamonddevilrevue.eventbrite.com/ and $15 at the door. Only ages 18 and up will be admitted.

The show will feature thrilling acts and teases by favorite Lafayette burlesque performers such as Lucy Furr, Mia Moore, Sugar Bits, and pin-up model Jezzie Jay. The Diamond Devil Revue is hosted by Mr. Buttz and will also feature Martini Bear and Shirley Yours, introducing FiFi L'Amour. Don't miss out on this spectacular new show right here in Lafayette!

PHEW! That's a lot of fantastic stuff, And that's only our first 2 weeks!

Next week, we'll have more information on Acadiana Repertory Theatre's next show, The Woman's Part by Cody Daigle-Orians, scheduled to open on June 19th (thewomanspart.eventbrite.com) and more shows from our friends at Silverbacks Improv Theatre!

Be sure to subscribe to our Google Calendar of Events so you won't miss a single event!

Silverbacks to offer Multi-Level Improv Courses starting this June!

Steve Benelli and Sarah Mikayla Brown of Silverbacks Improv Theatre

In response to the interest of the community, Silverbacks Improv Theatre in collaboration with Theatre 810 will begin offering a regular serving of improv classes, starting this June. In this first session, members of Silverbacks Improv Theatre will offer two options for classes, Improv 1 and Improv 2.

Improv 1 is an entry-level course that will be equally relevant to those who are interested in performing improv, and those are simply looking to think outside the box and have some fun. Teacher Sarah Mikayla Brown will teach improv fundamentals in a laid-back environment. Improv comedy is a great way to exercise the brain and to learn effective brain storming and communication skills.

Teacher Sarah Mikayla Brown is a Lafayette native and ULL graduate who went on to live in Chicago and found the Chicago Fringe Festival, as well as study improvisation at the Annoyance Theater. Now living in Lafayette, she is a member of two professional ensembles, Acting Up! in Acadiana and Silverbacks Improv Theatre. She is the co-creator of the popular play, “Cajun Face.”

Improv 2 is intended for those who have taken an introductory lesson in improv in the past, or who have had equivalent experience. This class will focus on teaching students how to build characters and to begin on the skills needed to create improvised scenes. Improv 2 will be taught by Steve Benelli.

Benelli is a native of New Orleans but has been living in Lafayette since 1998 when he became a founding member of the UL-Lafayette based improv troupe, Cult of the Stage Monkey – Lafayette. He served as a longtime director of COSM before resigning that post a few years ago prior to becoming a founder of Silverbacks Improv Theatre. Steve is also a musician and is a member of the pirate band, The Whiskey Bay Rovers.

Silverbacks Improv Theatre (Lafayette, LA) mixes special improvised brews for audiences across the U.S. Favorite improv creations include Film Noirs, 90's Sitcoms, and Sci-Fi's. The Silverbacks are always energetic, nerd-tastic, and not afraid of costumes. The Silverbacks consists of members who have trained and performed in places as far as Mississippi, Texas, Illinois, California, and D.C. with a combined total of over 50 years of improv experience. Silverbacks Improv Theatre performs monthly at Theatre 810 and for Lafayette’s 2nd Saturday Art Walk at Cité des Arts.

Registration is available through Eventbrite. Space is limited, so sign up to secure your spot today!

1. Improv 1 – A Silverbacks Improv Class in Collaboration with Theatre 810 (Teacher Sarah Mikayla Brown)
Dates: June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27
Time: 10am – 12pm
Ages 16+
Register by Calling Theatre 810 at (337) 484-0172 or at: https://improvlevel1.eventbrite.com

2. Improv 2 – A Silverbacks Improv class in Collaboration with Theatre 810 (Teacher Steve Benelli)
Dates: June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27
Time: 2:30 – 4:30pm
Ages: 16+
Register by Calling Theatre 810 at (337) 484-0172 or at: https://improvlevel2.eventbrite.com/

Acting Unlimited invites YOU to audition for The Addams Family: A New Musical!

Acting Unlimited will hold auditions for The Addams Family (the musical) on May 16, 17, and 18 at Theatre 810 (810 Jefferson St., Lafayette, LA). Saturday auditions will be held 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and auditions on Sunday and Monday will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Those auditioning must prepare one minute of a musical theatre song, will be asked to read scenes from the script, and will be taught a dance combination. No accompanist will be available.

Performances of the production will be August 7 to 16, Friday through Sunday at Burke Theatre on UL’s campus. Rehearsals will begin in early June. All roles in the musical are available, including all of the quirky Addams family clan: Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Fester, Grandma, and Lurch. There are several supporting roles for a young man, a woman in her 40s, and a man in his 50s. The chorus of deceased ancestors can be of any age and any voice range. The production is directed by Travis Guillory.

The Addams Family is a new musical comedy with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice that opened on Broadway in 2010. The show features an original story, and it's every father's nightmare. Wednesday Addams, a teenage girl with a passion for the macabre, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart, “normal” young man from a respectable family. And if that weren't upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father, Gomez, an eccentric Spanish patriarch, and begs him not to tell her sultry, aloof mother, Morticia. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before - keep a secret from his beloved wife. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday's new, all-American boyfriend and his conservative parents. They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky. They're all together ooky - The Addams Family.

For more information, contact Travis Guillory at trvsguillory@yahoo.com or contact Acting Unlimited at actingunlimitedinc@gmail.com or (337)484-0172.

Join the event on Facebook for updates: https://www.facebook.com/events/1600853486828581/1614846055429324/