Grants are available for performing arts organizations who offer educational programs in the greater New Orleans area. The Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education, the folks who bring us the Big Easy Awards for music and theatre for the past 20 years, also offer grants for projects that focus on education in the performing arts. Past recipients include NOCCA, All Kinds of Theatre, and the Fred J. Palmisano Memorial Scholarship Fund at UNO Dept of Drama.

Application deadline is December 14. Email a description of your project and the amount you are requesting to Gloria Powers, Executive Director of the Foundation.

The New Orleans Opera has been getting creative to appeal to new audiences. It’s adopted the ideas of a New York group to present Opera on Tap, a gathering of opera fans in barrooms with previews of upcoming shows. Last Wednesday, the group toasted Puccini at the Rusty Nail (Formerly the Mermaid Lounge). The group is presenting Il Trittico, a trio of one-act operas (recast in New Orleans settings) by Puccini, next weekend (Nov. 16-18) at Tulane’s McAlister Auditorium. As a special offer, the opera is offering first-time opera goers $20 tickets. Opera virgins need only call the opera ticket line (529-3000) to reserve a seat and get the special price. Any seat in the house is available at the special rate, so call early.

What if Judas Iscariot did not commit suicide? And instead he married, became a farmer, and wrote a Gospel? Sounds like the kind of theater production that would earn a grant. Cuz you know, it’s serious, and it challenges stuff, like, assumptions. Maybe Judas Iscariot isn’t really such a bad guy after all. Wasn’t he just used by God? Maybe Judas deserves our pity, if not, say, our veneration? Yep, this production company will travel Read the rest of this entry »

The common theme of the 9 playlets that comprise Root [Cel.lar] seems to be “the basement”, that is, 7 of the playlets are set in a basement, 1 in Hell, and 1 by Rob Tsarov is just plain dark, like a cellar. I like these thematic presentations of short plays by local playwrights, like the recent Beignet Plays at Le Chat Noir. Even if 1 or 2 suck, you’re bound to see something good. And there was good work to see Read the rest of this entry »

If y’all enjoy the gala parties for the Big Easy Music Awards, the Big Easy Theatre Awards, and the Classical Arts luncheon, support the Foundation that produces them. The Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education is a 501c3 non-profit that acknowledges and promotes the work of performing artists in the Greater New Orleans area. The Foundation also Read the rest of this entry »