Greetings, friends of live theatre and of Itinerant Theatre (IT). After our heart-warming work with The Foundation House, Leah Howard Robinson and Tony James on “An Evening of Nellie Lutcher”, we are taking a break. We had a terrific time revisiting Nellie Lutcher. In that same month of April we also co-sponsored “Roots Revival ~ a musical history of Southwest Louisiana” with the Arts & Humanities Council SWLA and the City of Lake Charles.

Earlier, in January we pushed hard to sponsor the New Director’s Series — “Beauty Queen of Leenane” directed by Ronald Doyle and “Endgame” directed by Jonathon Richards, and then, New Directions, a lively March weekend of a workshop and performances of devised theatre by guest artist, Laura Rikard.

The season has been a good one. We are a bit tired and are taking a break.

Please check back in with us in August when we’ll start leaking plans for the future!

Greetings to all! May you all have a happy and rewarding 2016! Eat some black-eyed peas for luck and cabbage for money!

IT has had an event-filled 2014-15 season, culminating with the very successful Dinner Theatre at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in October. Thanks to all members of that congregation led by Nan Cagney who worked so hard on that good evening which featured Carol Anne Gayle as “Clyde” and Leah Howard Robinson as “Nellie”.

First things first! Become a member of IT. Support live, professional art! And get a tax deduction in the process. IT is a 501(c)(3) in good standing, and runs on a shoestring budget, while paying every single cast and crew. If you don’t have a brochure write email joypace@itineranttheatre.com .

We need to receive your membership by January 8 in order to list you in our program for the first event of 2016, our “New Director’s Series”. Remember, Students can join for $35, and the lowest general membership is $50. Don’t let that stop you from giving more!

Season’s Best!

The October 3rd Dinner Theatre ~ Louisiana Art & Music hosted by St. Andrew Presbyterian Church with IT is SOLD OUT, and the WAIT List is almost full. Only two spots are left.

Please telephone 436-6275 to get on this Wait List.

Itinerant Theatre proudly announces its 2015-2016 season:   “A Season of New Directions”.

On October 3rd at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church as part of an evening of dinner theatre, IT will produce Louisiana Women:  Art & Music. two popular one-woman plays by Carolyn Woosley.  The two 30-minute plays are “Clyde”, a play on the life of Shreveport native Clyde Connell, performed by Carol Anne Gayle, and “Nellie”, a play on the life of Lake Charles native Nellie Lutcher, performed by Leah Howard Robinson.  Doors open at 5:30pm.  A delicious 4-course dinner by a local chef will be served. Location is Fellowship Hall of the church, 4020 Hodges Street.  Tickets are $35; purchase at this website or reserve by calling 337-436-6275 or St. Andrew Pres. Church.

Coffee House Theatre, a free event, continues the first Saturday of each month, September – May at Stellar Beans Coffeehouse & Beanery, 310 Broad St., Lake Charles.  Watch for details on this Blog, on Facebook and Twitter.

For two mid-January weekends IT proudly presents its New Directors Series, produced in repertory fashion.  IT’s Artistic Director Joy Pace will mentor two new directors through a full production process, culminating in full productions of Endgame by Samuel Beckett, directed by Jonathon Richards; and, Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, director Ronnie Doyle.  The repertory method requires the directors to use the same basic set in alternating nights of performance.  Auditions are 6:00pm September 14, 2015 in Ben Mount Theatre of Central School.

March 24, 25 and 26  2016 IT proudly sponsors a weekend of “devised theatre” (a relatively new form of theatre).  Guest artist Laura Rikard of Brown University will perform two nights and one Sunday matinee of two of her devised works, and on Saturday afternoon she will conduct a workshop on the nature of “devised theatre”.  The two works are A Shaker’s Path:  a theatrical exploration based on the Life of Mother Ann Lee and Duse’s Blush, a play that explores the life of ground-breaking actress Eleonora Duse.  Watch for more details!

IT returns to Lake Charles legend Nellie Lutcher for two late April weekends.  “An Evening of Nellie Lutcher — Her Music, History & Career” will involve three engaging segments.  Leah Howard Robinson will first entertain with songs of and by Ms. Lutcher.  Playwright Carolyn Woosley will then give a short history overview so as to place Ms. Lutcher within the historical context of her exciting era.  Leah Howard Robinson will then perform the half-hour play “Nellie” by Carolyn Woosley.  Director is Joy Pace.

Watch for more details!  Follow IT on Facebook and Twitter.  See you at the show!

IT is on summer hiatus, but watch for the upcoming season.   (1) In August Coffee House Theatre starts up featuring The Children’s Theatre and their theatre workshops.  Coffee House Theatre will continue monthly through May 2016.  (2) IT will feature two of Carolyn Woosley’s 13 Louisiana Women, October 3, 2015 at a fun dinner theatre sponsored by St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Hodges Street, Lake Charles.  The two women are Clyde (Connell) played by Carol Anne Gayle and Lake Charles’s great Nellie (Lutcher) played by Leah Howard-Robinson.

(3) In addition, during the season IT is in planning stages for a fall “Nellie” weekend.  This will include the one-woman play, Nellie, performed 3-4 times by Leah Howard-Robinson, a history talk by Carolyn Woosley and some “Nellie” music, also performed by Leah Howard-Robinson.

(4)  January 14-24, 2016 IT inaugurates a “New Directors Series”.  In this series two modern classics (plays) will be performed in “repertory”by professional casts, as directed by two new directors.  Ronnie Doyle will direct Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh and Jonathon Richards will direct Endgame by Samuel Beckett.  The two plays will perform on alternating nights on the same stage using the same basic set structure.

(5)  IT’s final main production for 2015-16 will be a March weekend devoted to a relatively new theatrical form, “devised theatre”.  Laura Rikard, Professor at Brown University and IT’s guest artist, will perform two devised pieces on one weekend evening.  On that weekend Saturday Ms. Rikard will lead a participatory devised theatre workshop for anyone in the community.  Lunch will be included; a modest fee will be charged.

Watch this blog and the IT Facebook page for more details.   See you at the show!

“Man of a Thousand Songs” concludes our great 2014-2015 season at 7:00pm tonight. We are having really good audience response to this staged reading. Thank you!  All season our audiences have been special. We can hardly express how appreciative we are of you guys!  Watch for 2025-2016 season news. Like us on Facebook and Twitter. (We’ll ramp up on Instagram).   See you 7pm tonight at the show!  Room 339, 809 Kirby  St, LC. Tickets at the door. Arrive EARLY!!  $7/$5

Joy Pace, Executive & Artistic Director of IT,  was awarded the coveted Kennedy Center Medallion at the closing ceremony of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region 6 (KCACTF6) on February 28, 2015.  This Medallion is awarded to the top volunteers who run this complex, 6-state college theatre festival.  Joy Pace served as Chair for three years, preceded by her service as Vice-Chair and as Chair of the Student Directing Initiative and SDC.

Eight hundred students professors, and professional respondents attend this 6-state annual event, one of eight regional festivals nationwide.  The Festival celebrates and gives professional guidance to students who have submitted projects in their respective fields of specialty:  acting, directing, playwriting, stage management, scenic, lighting costume, makeup and sound design, to name some of the branches of this extensive festival.  Intensives in new play, short play and  the directing of these staged readings and invited full stage productions also occur, giving students opportunities to hone their crafts under the guidance of professionals.  Students from Arkansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana attend KCACTF6.

The concluding national festival occurs April 14-18 in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center where the works of top awardees from the eight regions are recognized.

You CAN buy tickets on this website for Louisiana Women:  Bound  — for tonight at 7:00pm and tomorrow’s matinee at 2:00pm.   Earlier today there was an inexplicable glitch in the widgets!!  It is fixed.

You can also call 337.436.6275  to reserve as “Will Call”.  Or, buy the tickets via our Facebook page.  You can pay at the door ($15/$10 for students).

In all cases plan to arrive 15 minutes early.  Location is Central School’s Ben Mount Auditorium, 809 Kirby St.

The show starts at curtain time.  There are no late admissions, even at intermission.   See you at the show!

Greetings, everyone.

Our current show, “Louisiana Women: Bound”, starring Sierra Jones-Demouchet, Jo Ann Hanks & Leah Howard-Robinson and directed by Joy Pace, is a success!  Crowds are growing.

Plan to attend this final weekend’s performances at 7:00pm Friday November 7, Saturday November 8 and the one 2:00pm Sunday matinee on November 9.  Be sure to arrive early.  Door opens a half hour ahead of show.  We have a wine & beer & soft drink bar & pre-show music.

Please note:  NO LATE ADMISSION, no exceptions.

Tickets are available for all performances.  Note:  For purchases via this website, we are aware of some glitches.  We are working on them.

To reserve, telephone 337.436.6275.  Your name and number of tickets for your night will be under “will call”.  Arrive by 6:45pm.  Pay at the door.  Ticket prices are $15 or $10 for students.

Purchases at the door are accepted, in general.  IT accepts cash, checks & credit cards.

See you at the show!

We are excited to be four days from opening night!  Light and sound are in final stages of design.  Set is up at Central.  We’ve been on KPLC & KRVS, along with our area’s rags.  Please note the correct dates (the Scene had them incorrect) and times:  Thurs – Sat Oct. 30, 31 and Nov 1, all at 7pm; and, Friday-Saturday Nov 7 – 8 at 7:00pm.  The one Sunday matinee is Nov. 9 at 2:00pm.

Performances are at Central School’s Benjamin Mount Auditorium (Central’s theatre).  Tickets are $15 or $10 for students.  Buy tickets on this website or at the door, or reserve for will-call at 337.436.6275.    Don’t miss these three one-woman plays.  Each is less than 30 minutes long.  There are two 10-minute intermissions.  What a deal!  See you at the show.

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”  was a great success, to us!  Excellent, large audiences that were very responsive. Cast & crew worked their hearts out. Imperial Calc. Museum was a fine co-host. We now take a summer break. See you In July at Coffee House Theatre.

IT has moved into Imperial Calcasieu Museum’s large gallery.  The set is up, as are lights.  We’re adding side lights for shadows and brightening of actors’ faces.  Norman McKnight is in charge of all of that, and he’s doing a great job.  Joy Pace’s plate is quite full being set designer and constructor, as well as starring as no less than “Martha”.  All in all, we’re excited, the energy is up for this show.  It is being presented as an absurdist comedy (tragi-comedy) and as a love story.  Opening night is six nights away, Friday the 16th at 7pm.    Get your tickets now — $15/$10 students — at  www.itineranttheatre.com  or call 337.436-6275 to reserve, but arrive 15 minutes early for unpaid.  The venue is intimate; we release will-call tix at 6:45.  See you at the show.

IT brings the endearing, death-defying play Tuesdays with Morrie to Lake Charles for one weekend only, March 13-15, 7:00pm, at Imperial Calcasieu Museum, 204 W. Sallier St.  Carolyn Woosley, Director, will have completed directing the play at Orange Community Players in Orange, TX (Feb. 13-23).  Portraying Morrie Schwarz is Michael Goldman.  Mitch is played by Mike Muffuletto.  Don’t miss this up-close and personal slightly Brechtian interpretation of this inspiring, poignant play.  Thanks goes to A.C.T.S., and Diane McCarthy, producers, for the 2013 premier of this production.

We’ve marketed “The Writers”, the actors are in rehearsal.  We’re doing a fitting for Kate’s corset Monday with expert seamstress, Diana LaRussa.  We load in Sunday.  Norman McKnight will run technical rehearsal while we simultaneously run dress rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Donna Rigdon Jones is a poll worker, so, her “Kate” only gets one full evening’s run-through on Wednesday!  Gabe Brown, Stage Manager, and Norman will quickly familiarize themselves with three very separate sets that they will build and tear down Friday and Saturday nights.  Good training!   Leslie Berman has new music for “Kate” lined up.   It’ll be a fun, interesting evening of short one-woman plays.   So….. Join Itinerant Theatre for ” The Writers”, 7p, Nov 9-10 co-presented with Imperial Calcasieu Museum at the Museum, 204 W. Sallier St., LC, 70601.   Buy tickets at www.itineranttheatare.com or call 337.436.6275.

Welcome back to our Itinerant Theatre site!  IT is emerging from hiatus with a bang. We’ve started Coffee House Theatre at Stellar Beans Coffeehouse on Broad Street. We feature local community theatre previews, our own previews and readings of new works and the classics. They occur the first Saturday of each month at 7:00pm August – May. Free!   

The first two weekends of this December IT produces “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play”, at Central School’s Ben Mount Theatre (check back, as the elevator currently is not working, and we may have to move venues). Director Joy Pace seeks 5-10 actors for 25 roles.

AUDITIONS are September 26th in our studio 339 of 809 Kirby St. (Park & enter in the back.)  Encourage talented people to audition. Actors are to bring a monologue that shows their ability to play multiple roles. (Don’t be deterred; if you don’t have a monologue, the Director will provide you with excerpts from the play.)

Expect, once again, high quality entertainment as IT  continues to work hard to build audience for theatre and the performing arts, in general.

Check back often for news, updates, added performances, and more.  Be sure to “like” IT on Facebook at ItinerantTheatreInc.