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Hold onto your cultural calendar because arts events are springing up all over the city! Here’s a round-up of exciting opportunities, from stages to museums.
Lake Area Ballet Theatre (LABT) presents Alice in Wonderland, a full-length, family-friendly ballet that brings the wonderful world of Alice, the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, and the Red Queen to life. The production features enchanting choreography by Jill Eathorne Bahr and fantastical costumes by Chicago-based costume designer Travis Halsey inspired by the surrealism of Cirque du Soleil. Bahr and Halsey have spent hours corresponding on the designs for the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, March Hare, and the Caterpillar along with an entire deck of cards portrayed by the students of LABT. Little touches, like Alice and the White Rabbit hosting the wild tea party, complete with oversized teacups and pots — create an entertaining alternate reality. Enjoy the whimsical characters with music by French composers Poulenc, Milhaud, Pierne, and Debussy. Public performances on Friday, March 22, 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 23, 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. at Rosa Hart Theatre at the Lake Charles Event Center. Tickets $25 and available at www.lakeareaballettheatre.com or by calling the box office at 337-491-1432.
ACTS Theatre presents Anything Goes March 1, 2, and 3, and partners with Banners at McNeese for a special final performance at Bulber auditorium on March 8. Anything Goes is a musical featuring the compositions of Cole Porter and starring local performer Allison Schnake as Reno Sweeney. Taking place on the S.S. American, Reno teams up with Moonface Martin, public enemy #13, to help her friend Billy win the heart of debutante Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to someone else!
April 26-May 5, ACTS will present No Time for Sergeants, based on the novel of the same name and later adapted as a teleplay and eventual movie starring Andy Griffith. www.actstheatre.com
The Lake Charles Little Theatre stages the acclaimed jazz musical revue Ain’t Misbehavin’ — the Tony Award-winning celebration of the music of 1930s slide-piano songwriter Fats Waller — during the week of Juneteenth. The show features a diverse cast of local singers and musicians. Performances held at Southlake Theater Friday, June 21, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 22, 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 23, 2:00 p.m. Tickets available at lclittletheatre.com and at the door.
Westlake High Theatre presents PHANTOM, based on the novel by French author Gaston Leroux. The story follows a disfigured eccentric genius who secretly coaches an aspiring opera singer and forces her to learn to sing majestically. The relationship turns tragic when the Phantom falls in love with her and kidnaps her to prevent her from being with her fiancé. The Broadway production was made famous by Andrew Lloyd Webber and took its final bow after 13,981 performances closing in New York City on April 16, 2023.
Directed by Kerry A. Onxley, PHANTOM will be performed on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the Westlake High Theatre, 1000 Garden Drive Westlake, La. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at the box office. For more information contact Onxley at (337) 217-4950 or [email protected].
The Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) presents The Hobbit May 11 & 12. This enchanting adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale invites audiences to join a band of daring dwarves, a wacky wizard, and humble hobbit Bilbo Baggins on their quest to recover ancient treasure. This return to the world of fantasy will capture the hearts and imaginations of children and parents alike. Directed by Kerry A. Onxley, performances will be held at Westlake High Theatre. To purchase tickets ($15 each), contact the theatre at 337-433-7323 or visit online at www.childrenstheatre.cc
Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center offers three floors of ever-changing art exhibitions and experiences!
- Reclaimed Creations, by internationally known sculpture artist Sayaka Ganz, takes you on a journey with wildlife “in motion” created from discarded plastic objects. Mark your calendars for a reception, gallery talk, and artist Q & A with Ganz on Friday, March 15, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, March 16, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Ganz will lead a community art project using reclaimed materials. Both events are free, open to the public and family friendly. Through May 4.
- Louisiana Folk, Flora, and Fauna by New Orleans artist and gallery owner, Lance “Varg” Vargas, March 16 to May 18. Vargas creates abstract figures from architectural salvaged objects that take your senses to the Crescent City. Vargas’s artist talk and reception are planned for Thursday, April 4.
1001 Ryan Street. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Admission free. Historic City Hall is also home to the Black Heritage Gallery and Gallery by the Lake. For more information, please call 337-491-9147, email [email protected] or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.
Visit Henning Cultural Center in Sulphur and see their exhibit Curioddities: Myths & Legends. On display through March 21. 337) 527-0357, brimstonemuseum.org.
Imperial Calcasieu Museum in Lake Charles, La will host Art Under the Oak beneath the majestic Sallier Oak on March 24, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. The festivities promise an array of activities, including Bunny Games with the Easter Bunny, a mini petting zoo by Almosta Ranch, and a vibrant pop-up market showcasing local arts, crafts, and delicious treats. Attendees can also explore the museum’s rich history exhibits and enjoy complimentary admission. For more information, call 337-439-3797 or visit www.imperialcalcasieumuseum.org.
The Stark Museum of Art in Orange, Tx. presents a quilt exhibition called Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West. The first of its kind, this exhibition explores the path of Black history in the West with a timeline of original pictorial quilts, beginning in 1528 with the arrival of Africans in the American West and continuing through the Civil Rights Movement. Dispelling the myth that Black people in the old West were mostly cowboys, Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West shows rich diversity in their occupations and achievements in society, religion, education, and the arts. On display March 2 – August 3.
