Ann Allen Savoy, native of Richmond, Virginia and graduate of Mary Baldwin College (B.A., French) is a musician, photographer, record producer, and writer. Her destiny was sealed when she began to listen to rare collections of Cajun 78’s. She met her future husband, acclaimed accordion builder/musician Marc Savoy, and after their marriage she began documenting the Cajun culture, taking photographs, interviewing important musicians, and transcribing the Cajun French songs. Her documentation ultimately became a book, Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People Volume 1, which won the prestigious Botkin book award from the American Folklore Society. An avid photographer since high school, her photos have been exhibited at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and at the Festival of American Music in Eugene, Oregon.

Ann, a musician since the age of ten, began touring extensively with her husband and Michael Doucet as the Savoy Doucet Cajun Band , appearing in venues such as the Berlin Jazz Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, and throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. She and her friend Jane Vidrine also formed the Magnolia Sisters, and all women band, to explore the womanly side of Cajun music.She has a band with her husband and two sons, the Savoy Family Cajun Band. She has recorded fifteen CDs on the Arhoolie, Rounder,Vanguard, and Memphis International labels.

Approached by Vanguard executive Steve Buckingham, Ann produced two tributes to Cajun and Creole music, he concept of these CDs being pop stars performing with traditional musicians. The first of these, Evangeline Made, was nominated for a Grammy. Shortly thereafter she was approached by T Bone Burnett to appear in the film “The Divine secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood” and in the film appears as a musician in the 1940’s. Her songs from this film appear on the Sony soundtrack of the movie.She also worked with T Bone Burnett as associate music director for the film starring Sean Penn, All The King’s Men. For this film she also wrote and performed a song entitled “O, Comme Les Nuits Sont Longues.”.

Her good friend, Linda Ronstadt, asked her to record a record of duets with her, and this CD, “Adieu False Heart”, was also nominated for a Grammy.

Today Ann lives in Eunice, Louisiana and continues to travel with her bands, record, write books, and appear in films.

Discography
Ann and friends:
Adieu False Heart (with Linda Ronstadt) Vanguard-two Grammy nominations
Evangeline Made(with Linda Ronstadt) Vanguard-Grammy nominated
Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood(produced by T Bone Burnett, with Joel Savoy and Tom Wait’s band)-Sony Records
If Dreams Come True-Ann Savoy and her Sleepless Knights-Memphis International
Black Coffee-Ann Savoy and her Sleepless Knights-Memphis International
Allons Boire Un Coup-(with Joel Savoy/with Jane Vidrine) Valcour Records
Savoy Family Band:
Turn Loose but Don’t Let Go-Arhoolie 2008
Cajun Album-Arhoolie 2004
Live at Rhythm and Roots Vol 1 and vol 2-Festivalink 2005
Ann with Magnolia sisters:
Stripped Down-Grammy Nominated 2010
Apres Faire le Boogie Woogie-Rounder
Chers Amis-Rounder
Prends Courage-Arhoolie
Lapin, Lapin-self produced children’s CD
Savoy Doucet Cajun Band:
Best Of Savoy Doucet-Arhoolie 2006
Sam’s Big Rooster-Arhoolie
Live At The Dance-Arhoolie
Two Step Amede-Arhoolie
Home Music With Spirits-Arhoolie
Marc and Ann with other bands:
Now and Then-with Ken Smith-Arhoolie
Wade Fruge-Old Time Fiddling-Arhoolie
Ally Ban Meets the cajuns-with Ally Ban and various artists-Yazoo
J’ai Ete Au Bal-various artists-Arhoolie
CDs produced by Ann for Vanguard Records:
Evangeline Made-A Tribute To Cajun Music (with Cajuns and rock stars)
Creole Bred-A Tribute to Creole and Zydeco(with Creoles and Rock Stars)
Films:
Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood-Warner Brothers
All The King’s Men-Ithaca Films
Marc and Ann-Flower Films
J’ai Ete Au Bal-Brazos Films
Television films:
American Roots-America PBS
Ally Ban Meets the Cajuns-England
Fugues Americain: Cajun Country-France
Acadian Driftwood-Japan
Magic Sounds-Germany
Tuney Visits Cajun Country-America PBS
Music video:
Crescent City-Emmy Lou Harris
Books:
Cajun Music A Reflection of a People Volume-Bluebird Press 1984
American Roots-Cajun Chapter-Rolling Stone Press

Angela Belle Richard Wubben, a Lake Charles native, grew up in California, Colorado and Louisiana and worked out-of-state before returning in 1993 to pursue a degree in education (B.S., cum laude). For the past 13 years Ms. Wubben amd Mary Lee Coles have directed an after-school youth drama program for the Jeff Davis Arts Council, grades 3-10. Over 50 students participate. This fall she will direct “The Fairy Tale Courtroom” and a student-written play, “The Good Ferries Bad Retirement” (working title).

“The Things From Our Past” has developed over many years and explores family life in rural Acadiana before the advent of electricity. Ms. Wubben calls the narrated living history production “edu-tainment”. Members of the Richard family, young and old, join her in this exploration of “old stuff” and old living.

Ms. Wubben is currently completing a second degree in theatre. This pared down version of “The Things From Our Past” is in partial requirement of her degree. She lives in Lake Charles with her family, McNeese art professor Gerry Wubben and their two children, Liam and Avery

 

Crew

Carolyn Woosley, Playwright/Director/Producer, is Co-Founder and President of Itinerant Theatre, Inc. She also serves on the Board of The Lake Charles Little Theatre (The LCLT). A Lake Charles native, resident and retired Certified Financial Planner®, Woosley is a coastal and cultural activist. The LCLT produced seven of her 13-monologue cycle Louisiana Women in co-production with Carol Anne Gayle Productions — Adley Cormier, Director & Ms. Gayle as actor. An eighth, Nellie, directed by Brenda Bachrack, was co-produced by Leslie Berman and the Imperial Calcasieu Museum. Itinerant Theatre recently premiered Maggie (Joy Pace as actor). The Readers’ Theatre workshopped Maiden Lane and Miller’s Café, two full-length plays, Ms. Berman, Producer. Fanny a screenplay on Felix Mendelssohn’s sister, is optioned. Woosley is mulling converting from screenplay into play form Walking On Air which premiered at The LCLT as a one-act play. She also anticipates writing monologues on male characters.

Woosley, a LCHS graduate, studied history at Newcomb College of Tulane University (B.A., cum laude) and urban planning (M.A.) at U.C.L.A. She credits the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, the U.C.L.A. Writers’ Extension Program, Idyllwild Arts Academy, the late Norman Corwin, friends and family for early encouragement as a writer. For fun Woosley plays music, follows current events, relishes her daughter Brooke’s design career and boats with friends on The Queen.

Joy Pace, Producer, Co-Founder & Board member of Itinerant Theatre, Inc., currently serves as Chair of Region 6 for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. She also serves on the Board of The Lake Charles Little Theatre. Joy earned her B.A. from Centenary College of Louisiana, and her M.F.A. in Directing from Virginia Commonwealth University. A native Texan, and having lived in various areas of the country, she is thrilled to find this opportunity so close to “home”. Though a native Texan, Ms. Pace has lived in various areas of the country. Joy taught as Associate Professor of Theatre at Kentucky Wesleyan College where she was head of theatre and advisor to the Wesleyan Players for five years. She has also taught at Virginia Commonwealth University, and McMurry University.

Joy has worked professionally as an actor, director, vocal coach, instructor, and stage manager. Some of those credits include La Petit Little Theatre/Tennessee Williams Festival in New Orleans; The Blue Ridge Theatre Festival, Barksdale Theatre, Theatre Gym, and The Neighborhood School of The Arts in Richmond, VA; The Independent Theatre, Region 14 ESC, and Buffalo Gap Historic Village in Abilene, TX; and Theatre Workshop and Riverpark Center in Owensboro, KY.  She has worked in Educational Theatre for 14 years and enjoyed teaching every aspect of theatre while directing and finding avenues to continue acting. Her most recent directing credits include “All My Sons”, “Pygmalion”, “Othello”, “Waiting for Godot”, “Working: a musical”, and “The Long Christmas Ride Home”.  Her favorite recent acting credits include “Josie” in A Moon for the Misbegotten, “Sister Aloysius” in Doubt , and “Cornelia Scott” in Something  Unspoken.  In Educational Theatre she has directed over 30 productions and acted in many. Joy is greatly looking forward to a life filled with theatre, her great passion.