ow can we not begin with our town’s Big Easy Entertainment Award Show held last Monday, April 16th at the New Orleans Hilton Riverside?  It’s our Tony and Grammy awards all wrapped into one gala event. New Orleans, and ALL outlying theatre groups, actors, directors, and the many vital individuals whose particular talents are crucial, have their annual, “And the winner is” Reward show, I prefer to call it.

This is the fourteenth such Big Easy show, and it does have its rightful place.  Not only the winners walk away with a glow. Every nominee and every contributor to our local, unique, pool of exceptional talent are proud of their work and enjoy the opportunity to come together as ONE. Years of sacrifice, determination, and God-given talent must not go unnoticed. Yes, they are awarded, however, more germane, they receive their just rewards.

“It was the best of times”

John Goodman and Harry Shearer co-hosted.  They were on the ‘mark’ professionally, yet so witty. They knew their job, no upstaging by these two pros.  And, Welcome Home to Harry Anderson, who worked the crowd. Tonight belonged to all in attendance and, of course, especially to the nominees and eventual winners. Many were overwhelmed, humble, funny, cried. Losers took it on the chin. There were those who got to do what comes naturally.  They performed. Got to go to their safe place, their happy place, on stage, before their peers; doing the number that got them, or the show they performed in, nominated. These people would read the proverbial phone book if two or more gathered before them. And, it wasn’t all about the Big-bucks pros (yeah right).  Bumping elbows, dashing up stage, much faster, to accept, were so many gifted young talents. Their flame is just firing up, of course; but it’s not a tiny spark, not a token award or appearance to give the young ones a bone. We start them young here, also.  Get it in their blood early, step aside, guide and nurture, naturally; then, watch that spotlight shine on them!

It must have been in the wind, because we were allowed during the week before the Big Easy Award Show, to be in the presence of three wonderful performers, who fit perfectly of what we speak. Two are rising through the ranks: Mr. Roch Eshelman and his leading lady, Carolyn. They’re in the University of Loyola’s Drama Department, under the guidance of Ms. Gloria Gresham (chair and professor).  We tell Roch, jokingly, but mean it, that Nathan Lane is in trouble once Roch earns his wings. The young man knows how to make an entrance, and, take his turn inside the spotlight. Yet, he maintains his roots and upbringing: he works in the Parish Priests’ Rectory behind the scenes. Carolyn can play a Glen Close or Mary Martin, just hold an audition! They’re on the Great White Way Train (make that a Big Easy Streetcar!)

We were at a family crayfish-boil Easter Sunday. Becky Allen came.  She’s a family connection on Lucille’s side.  She’s also one of the ‘divas’ of New Orleans’ Theatre. This lady’s motor has no off-switch. Her plate is full in theatre bookings. Even when she went on vacation to Europe last year, she sent back ‘dailys’. And, speaking of plates being full, sister, does she dig those crayfish!  We all did! Becky knows what’s best.  Any New Orleans native worth their salt gets their ‘fix’ of mudbugs, in/off season! 

She and Actor/producer/director Ricky Graham and Company, resuscitated a dying community theater during the late 70’s-80s. Heaven knows what we’d be “going to” had it not been for them.   A list of the Winners in each category follows:

2001 ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Terence Blanchard
2001 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRE Janet Shea
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC Wardell Quezergue 
AMBASSADOR OF ENTERTAINMENT Bryan BattMUSIC
HERITAGE AWARD The Zion Harmonizers
BUSINESS RECOGNITION AWARD 2000 Rehage Entertainment and Voodoo Music Festival
2001 THEATRE AWARD WINNERS: 
Best Musical Barnum Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré 
Best Drama The Iceman Cometh Dog & Pony Theatre Company
Best Comedy Lend Me a Tenor Rivertown Repertory Theatre
Best Director Comedy/Drama John Grimsley The Iceman Cometh
Best Director Musical Ricky Graham and Heidi Junius  Beehive
Best Choreography Karen Hebert Kiss of the Spider Woman
Best Musical Director Flo E. Presti  Beehive
Best Set Design Keith Briggs Lend Me a Tenor
Best Lighting Design Daniel Zimmer Beehive
Best Costume Design  Roy Haylock Beehive
Best Performance by a Child  Gabrielle Porter Babes NORD Theatre
Best Supporting Actress in a Play  Helen Blanke Blithe Spirit
Best Supporting Actor in a Play  Eddie Collins Noises Off
Best Actress in a Play Janet Shea The Iceman Cometh
Best Actress in a Musical Amy Alvarez Barnum
Best Actor in a Musical Jimmy Murphy Barnum
Best Original Play Thoroughly Modern Millennium  Written by Ricky Graham and David Cuthbert Music by Dane Evans with Additional music by Harry Mayronne and Fred Palmisano. The unstoppable Becky Allen performed a number from this Play winner. 
Best University Production Chess Delgado Community College
2001 MUSIC AWARD WINNERS: 
Best Traditional Jazz Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers
Best Modern Jazz Los Hombres Calientes
Best Traditional Brass Band Treme Brass Band
Best Contemporary Brass Band ReBirth Brass Band 
Best Gospel Choir Alvin Bridges & the Desire Community Choir
Best Gospel Group/IndividualAaron NevilleBest Funk Galactic
Best Rhythm & Blues Eddie BoBest Rap Mystikal
Best Blues Joe KrownBest Rock Supagroup
Best Roots Rock Li’l Band o’ Gold
Best Zydeco Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
Best Cajun Bruce Daigrepont
Best Country/Folk Spencer Bohren
Best Latin Fredy Omar Con su Banda
Best World Music Revealers
Best Male Performer John Boutté 
Best Female Performer Irma Thomas 
Best Emerging Group Morning 40 Federation 
Best Album Mardi Gras Mambo – Cubanismo! In New Orleans Featuring John Boutté and the Yockamo All -Stars.  Hannibal Records; produced by Jesus Alemany, Mark Bingham, John Boyd Recorded at the Boiler Room New Orleans. 

THEATRE

LADY DAY at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Southern Repertory Theatre, Third Level, Canal Place. Telephone: 504-861-8163 Voices in the Dark and Southern Rep present Lainie Robertson’s drama, which tells of singer Billie Holliday’s troubled life within the context of a nightclub show and 17 shows. Performances at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and, at 2 p.m. Sundays through May 13^th. Tickets are $20.00, $10.00 Seniors, $8.00 for Students and Teachers.

LATE NITE CATECHISM continues at Le Petit du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peters St. Telephone: 504-522-2081. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets to Thursday and Sunday shows are $20.00.  Friday and Saturday Shows are $25.00 This show just won’t stop. CLASS is still in session. 2nd Smash Year!

LIMERICK JUNCTION playing also at Le Petit du Vieux Carré, in the Teddy’s Corner. A free-form poetry show for kids, with Creators Gary Rucker and Dane Rhodes interacting with young audiences to demonstrate that poetry is fun. Tickets are $7.50 

NOT OVER … ever! Why did Tennessee Williams continually rewrite his own works? In a 1961 interview by Studs Terkel, lies the answer. When the NIGHT OF IGUANA was trying out in Chicago, Williams told Terkel: “The first production of a play isn’t, for me, the final one.  Should “IGUANA”, close after a short run, I would go on working at it … for me, the production of a play is only an incident in its life … I feel that a play is dynamic and living far beyond the time of the Broadway opening and the press the following morning. As long as I’m living, the play will live within me.  And I will keep it alive, and do all I can to complete it.  I will not be limited by its reception. These characters are living beings to me.  They are more alive to me than I am to myself. They are my life … until I’ve created them as fully as I can, they will be with me.  Then, I release them and they have their own lives to lead without me”.

© 2001 Lucille&Steve Esquerré 

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