Date of Show: Friday June 21st

Time of Show: 8:00pm

Price: $15 – $35

Date Tickets Are Available Through Ticketmaster: May 27, 2013 @ 10am

Buy tickets @ Ticketmaster: Click Here

Facebook Event: Click Here

Date of Event: Thursday April 18th

Time of Show: 7:00pm

Price: $15

Date Tickets Are Available Through Ticketmaster: April, 12, 2013 @ 10am

Buy tickets @ Ticketmaster: Click Here
Note: Valet parking will be available at $12/vehicle

Facebook Event: Click Here

Special Guest: Jodi Borrello

Date of Show: Saturday June 15th

Time of Show: 8:00pm

Price: $35 – $100

Date Tickets Are Available Through Ticketmaster: April, 18, 2013 @ 10am

Buy tickets @ Ticketmaster: Click Here

Facebook Event: Click Here

Special Guest: Jodi Borrello

Date of Show: Friday June 14th

Time of Show: 8:00pm

Price: $35 – $100

Date Tickets Are Available Through Ticketmaster: April, 18, 2013 @ 10am

Buy tickets @ Ticketmaster: Click Here

Facebook Event: Click Here

“Civil rights is one thing; this here is somethin’ else,” according to Matilda Banks, Drayton family housekeeper.

The Joy Theater is proud to present award-winning producer/director Tommye Myrick’s phenomenal production of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” This 1967 classic about interracial marriage during an important era of our country’s history is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 films in the last 100 years. The drama portrays a positive and, at times, comedic representation of the controversial subject of mixed marriages. It unfolds when the Civil Rights movement gripped the nation, and Americans were forced to face racial tolerance, acceptance and diversity.

Date of Show: Starts on February 22, 2013 – March 3, 2013

Tickets Available: December 14, 2012

Performance Dates:
Friday, February 22, 2013 8pm
Saturday, February 23, 2013 8pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013 3pm
Friday, March 1, 2013 8pm
Saturday, March 2, 2013 8pm
Sunday, March 3, 2013 3pm

Prices:
$35.00
$32.50
$22.50

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: December 14, 2012
Contact Ticket Master at 800-745-3000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com/

The play “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” by Todd Kreidler is based on the screenplay by William Rose. The storyline depicts the love between Jo Anna Drayton (portrayed by Vicky Illk), the young daughter of liberal White parents, and Dr. John Prentice (portrayed by Nicoye Banks), a distinguished and well-known physician from a prominent African American family. The play examines the reaction from both sets of parents, the families’ friends and other household members about the news of a possible marriage between a Black man and a White woman.

While the young couple comes to grips with the personal prejudices secretly harbored by outsiders, they must also contend with both of their fathers, who are dead set against the union.To complicate matters, the Drayton family maid, Matilda, and a close family associate put in their disapproving two cents. While Jo Anna is determined to proceed with the wedding regardless of people’s opinions, John refuses to consider marriage until he receives the approval of all concerned. Also attending dinner is Monsignor Ryan, who speaks as the voice of tolerance. Eventually, it is Mr. Drayton, Jo Anna’s father, who must come face to face with the fact that he has trouble accepting his own liberal philosophy when it is applied so dramatically to his own life.

The “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” cast includes a host of veteran performers: Carol Sutton as Matilda Banks, Dane Rhodes as Matt Drayton, Janet Shea as Christina Drayton, Harold Evans as John Prentice Sr., Gwendolyn Foxworth as Mary Prentice, Garth Currie as Monsignor Ryan, and Margeaux Fanning as Hillary St. George.

Tommye Myrick is a seasoned producer and director, who is dedicated to the revival of theatrical productions in New Orleans. Along with being a recipient of the New Orleans Big Easy Entertainment Award, Ms. Myrick has received numerous awards, as well as accolades from audiences and critics alike. Some of her most memorable productions include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, The Women of Brewster Place, Dinah Was…, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Lesson Before Dying, Death of a Salesman, and many more.

Ms. Myrick’s skills as a director are evidenced by the poised and skilled manner in which she introduces “White liberalism” and “Black racism” to the audience. Under Ms. Myrick’s direction, the cast succeeds in providing dramatic performances and memorable entertainment.The original screenplay cast of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (which included Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Beah Richards and Isabel Sanford) would be proud of the portrayal of the characters and the current relevance of a theme that was first brought to our attention in 1967.

The original stage play directed by Kenny Leon, World Premiered at True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta Georgia in July of 2012, starred Phylicia Rashad, Afemo Omilami and respected director/actress – Andrea Frye.

Please join the Joy Theater in welcoming Director Tommye Myrick as we celebrate this production of an American classic – “GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER”– to historic Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 22 –March 3, 2012.

Tickets are available beginning December 14, 2012. The Joy Theater is located in the heart of downtown New Orleans at 1200 Canal Street, 70112.

For more Information/Reservations:
For group reservations, fundraising opportunities or school day performances, contact Roxanna Charbonnet at guesswhoscoming1@gmail.com. For media information, contact Roslyn Nocentelli Flot at breakthrumediallc@yahoo.com or Sandie McNamara at 504-331-0722.

“Civil rights is one thing; this here is somethin’ else,” according to Matilda Banks, Drayton family housekeeper.

The Joy Theater is proud to present award-winning producer/director Tommye Myrick’s phenomenal production of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” This 1967 classic about interracial marriage during an important era of our country’s history is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 films in the last 100 years. The drama portrays a positive and, at times, comedic representation of the controversial subject of mixed marriages. It unfolds when the Civil Rights movement gripped the nation, and Americans were forced to face racial tolerance, acceptance and diversity.

Date of Show: Starts on February 22, 2013 – March 3, 2013

Tickets Available: December 14, 2012

Performance Dates:
Friday, February 22, 2013 8pm
Saturday, February 23, 2013 8pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013 3pm
Friday, March 1, 2013 8pm
Saturday, March 2, 2013 8pm
Sunday, March 3, 2013 3pm

Prices:
$35.00
$32.50
$22.50

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: December 14, 2012
Contact Ticket Master at 800-745-3000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com/

The play “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” by Todd Kreidler is based on the screenplay by William Rose. The storyline depicts the love between Jo Anna Drayton (portrayed by Vicky Illk), the young daughter of liberal White parents, and Dr. John Prentice (portrayed by Nicoye Banks), a distinguished and well-known physician from a prominent African American family. The play examines the reaction from both sets of parents, the families’ friends and other household members about the news of a possible marriage between a Black man and a White woman.

While the young couple comes to grips with the personal prejudices secretly harbored by outsiders, they must also contend with both of their fathers, who are dead set against the union.To complicate matters, the Drayton family maid, Matilda, and a close family associate put in their disapproving two cents. While Jo Anna is determined to proceed with the wedding regardless of people’s opinions, John refuses to consider marriage until he receives the approval of all concerned. Also attending dinner is Monsignor Ryan, who speaks as the voice of tolerance. Eventually, it is Mr. Drayton, Jo Anna’s father, who must come face to face with the fact that he has trouble accepting his own liberal philosophy when it is applied so dramatically to his own life.

The “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” cast includes a host of veteran performers: Carol Sutton as Matilda Banks, Dane Rhodes as Matt Drayton, Janet Shea as Christina Drayton, Harold Evans as John Prentice Sr., Gwendolyn Foxworth as Mary Prentice, Garth Currie as Monsignor Ryan, and Margeaux Fanning as Hillary St. George.

Tommye Myrick is a seasoned producer and director, who is dedicated to the revival of theatrical productions in New Orleans. Along with being a recipient of the New Orleans Big Easy Entertainment Award, Ms. Myrick has received numerous awards, as well as accolades from audiences and critics alike. Some of her most memorable productions include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, The Women of Brewster Place, Dinah Was…, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Lesson Before Dying, Death of a Salesman, and many more.

Ms. Myrick’s skills as a director are evidenced by the poised and skilled manner in which she introduces “White liberalism” and “Black racism” to the audience. Under Ms. Myrick’s direction, the cast succeeds in providing dramatic performances and memorable entertainment.The original screenplay cast of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (which included Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Beah Richards and Isabel Sanford) would be proud of the portrayal of the characters and the current relevance of a theme that was first brought to our attention in 1967.

The original stage play directed by Kenny Leon, World Premiered at True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta Georgia in July of 2012, starred Phylicia Rashad, Afemo Omilami and respected director/actress – Andrea Frye.

Please join the Joy Theater in welcoming Director Tommye Myrick as we celebrate this production of an American classic – “GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER”– to historic Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 22 –March 3, 2012.

Tickets are available beginning December 14, 2012. The Joy Theater is located in the heart of downtown New Orleans at 1200 Canal Street, 70112.

For more Information/Reservations:
For group reservations, fundraising opportunities or school day performances, contact Roxanna Charbonnet at guesswhoscoming1@gmail.com. For media information, contact Roslyn Nocentelli Flot at breakthrumediallc@yahoo.com or Sandie McNamara at 504-331-0722.

“Civil rights is one thing; this here is somethin’ else,” according to Matilda Banks, Drayton family housekeeper.

The Joy Theater is proud to present award-winning producer/director Tommye Myrick’s phenomenal production of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” This 1967 classic about interracial marriage during an important era of our country’s history is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 films in the last 100 years. The drama portrays a positive and, at times, comedic representation of the controversial subject of mixed marriages. It unfolds when the Civil Rights movement gripped the nation, and Americans were forced to face racial tolerance, acceptance and diversity.

Date of Show: Starts on February 22, 2013 – March 3, 2013

Tickets Available: December 14, 2012

Performance Dates:
Friday, February 22, 2013 8pm
Saturday, February 23, 2013 8pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013 3pm
Friday, March 1, 2013 8pm
Saturday, March 2, 2013 8pm
Sunday, March 3, 2013 3pm

Prices:
$35.00
$32.50
$22.50

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: December 14, 2012
Contact Ticket Master at 800-745-3000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com/

The play “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” by Todd Kreidler is based on the screenplay by William Rose. The storyline depicts the love between Jo Anna Drayton (portrayed by Vicky Illk), the young daughter of liberal White parents, and Dr. John Prentice (portrayed by Nicoye Banks), a distinguished and well-known physician from a prominent African American family. The play examines the reaction from both sets of parents, the families’ friends and other household members about the news of a possible marriage between a Black man and a White woman.

While the young couple comes to grips with the personal prejudices secretly harbored by outsiders, they must also contend with both of their fathers, who are dead set against the union.To complicate matters, the Drayton family maid, Matilda, and a close family associate put in their disapproving two cents. While Jo Anna is determined to proceed with the wedding regardless of people’s opinions, John refuses to consider marriage until he receives the approval of all concerned. Also attending dinner is Monsignor Ryan, who speaks as the voice of tolerance. Eventually, it is Mr. Drayton, Jo Anna’s father, who must come face to face with the fact that he has trouble accepting his own liberal philosophy when it is applied so dramatically to his own life.

The “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” cast includes a host of veteran performers: Carol Sutton as Matilda Banks, Dane Rhodes as Matt Drayton, Janet Shea as Christina Drayton, Harold Evans as John Prentice Sr., Gwendolyn Foxworth as Mary Prentice, Garth Currie as Monsignor Ryan, and Margeaux Fanning as Hillary St. George.

Tommye Myrick is a seasoned producer and director, who is dedicated to the revival of theatrical productions in New Orleans. Along with being a recipient of the New Orleans Big Easy Entertainment Award, Ms. Myrick has received numerous awards, as well as accolades from audiences and critics alike. Some of her most memorable productions include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, The Women of Brewster Place, Dinah Was…, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Lesson Before Dying, Death of a Salesman, and many more.

Ms. Myrick’s skills as a director are evidenced by the poised and skilled manner in which she introduces “White liberalism” and “Black racism” to the audience. Under Ms. Myrick’s direction, the cast succeeds in providing dramatic performances and memorable entertainment.The original screenplay cast of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (which included Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Beah Richards and Isabel Sanford) would be proud of the portrayal of the characters and the current relevance of a theme that was first brought to our attention in 1967.

The original stage play directed by Kenny Leon, World Premiered at True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta Georgia in July of 2012, starred Phylicia Rashad, Afemo Omilami and respected director/actress – Andrea Frye.

Please join the Joy Theater in welcoming Director Tommye Myrick as we celebrate this production of an American classic – “GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER”– to historic Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 22 –March 3, 2012.

Tickets are available beginning December 14, 2012. The Joy Theater is located in the heart of downtown New Orleans at 1200 Canal Street, 70112.

For more Information/Reservations:
For group reservations, fundraising opportunities or school day performances, contact Roxanna Charbonnet at guesswhoscoming1@gmail.com. For media information, contact Roslyn Nocentelli Flot at breakthrumediallc@yahoo.com or Sandie McNamara at 504-331-0722.

This theater should be commended on its transformation from a single screen film theater to the power house of entertainment it is today. Starting its career in the late 40’s and struggling through hard times it has remained a landmark and a piece of history that is still alive today. The events and performances that take place here are both relevant and exciting and should not be missed. You can always find the latest information on their events on their website or by calling in and asking for information.

The Joy doesn’t just open its doors for public performances; they have upgraded everything including their stage and all audio/visual equipment, and their seating capacity. What this means for you is giving you the capability to schedule a private banquet or special event. The Joy can host different seating arrangements, and those seating charts are also available online with all the information you’ll need to decide who you can bring and what you can do with the space. It is an inspiration to know that there is an open theater that celebrates New Orleans performance art and shares that with all of us. It is important as a community for us to know all parts of our culture, and art is no exception.
Given everything that can be said about

The Joy Theater there is no good reason to at least check out their events and see if you’re interested. You can always call for more information at (504)-528-9569. They are located at 1200 Canal Street in New Orleans and they are waiting to open their doors for you. So come join the celebration with them and get a taste of what you’ve been missing, I promise you won’t regret it and you’ll never miss it again.

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

There is a simple form you can fill out online on their website if you’re interested. On the form are some simple questions which require a contact name and an email for general contact information so a line of communication can be opened. Of course specific information about your group must be submitted. This information includes the name of your group, band, or act as it is important for the Joy to know your name.

Equally as important, the date proposed for your performance, everything must be scheduled within what the theater has planned already. To leave a personal phone number is optional, but if you want to talk to someone rather than communicate electronically, leave it and Sandie will be in touch! And if all goes well the Joy has to know how the routes with which to promote the show!

They ask that you submit with your booking information any website link your band may have this includes: Facebook, Twitter, a personal website, or any other form of  social media you might be involved with so that you can be recognized and promoted. Last but not least on the form is a conservative estimate of your current draw, meaning how many people do you believe currently follow your act. You will be in contact with Sandie McNamara who can be reached by phone at 504.331.0722 or by email at talent@thejoytheater.com.

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Date of Show: May 11, 2013

Time of Show: 7:30pm

Price: $40.00

Date Tickets Are Available Through Ticketmaster: January 13, 2013

Buy tickets @ Ticketmaster: Click Here

Facebook Event: Click Here

Announcing the first Live Presentation Show of the 9th Annual ZMR
Music Award! We have arranged an all-star line-up for the show. Many
have either won or were Grammy-nominated artists, plus some past award winners from 2011 ZMR awards. Performers include Will Ackerman, David Cullen, Jeff Oster, Michael Manring, Heidi Anne Breyer, Michael Brant DeMarie, Sajjad, Catherine Marie Charlton, Hennie Bekker and Lorrie Sarrafin. Other performers are still to be announced. This promises to be a magical evening!

Official Event/Production/Organization/etc: Zone Music Reporter Music Award Show

Click Here to view the Facebook Fan Page: ZMR Facebook Fan Page

Dr. Tony Herring, a student of Debakey’s in the 60’s begins a journey to better understand his mentor and what him the way he was. Debakey’s mark on the medical community spans over seventy years and he touched the lives of millions of people. He is a man who has done amazing work from developing surgical principles which began the M.A.S.H. unit, and he helped lay the foundation for the Veterans Administration Hospital system and the Library of Medicine.

His presence helped build the largest medical center in the world, the Texas Medical Center. Debakey’s ambition and drive led to great tools in the field of cardiovascular surgery and legendary ones like the roller pump for cardiac bypasses. He’s helped in the treatment of complex aortic aneurysms, carotid and coronary bypass surgery, and most recently the left ventricular assist device. In 2007, Dr. DeBakey was awarded the Gold Congressional Medal of Honor. If you visit the Joy’s website you can see a video clip of one of the surgeries.

Technology is always evolving and teaching us new things, and Dr. DrBakey is one of the pioneers of modern medicine. He is one of the team who is constantly figuring things out how and why they work; a true genius that deserves respect and honor.

The Joy Theater is proud to host this event to glorify a great man and his contribution to the human race and to the world. Come on out and enjoy a night of learning about a man who very possibly came up with the idea to save one of your loved ones or someone close to you. Show starts at 6:00 pm, get down there and don’t be late!

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

DeBakey, A Documentary Film

Date of Show: January 22, 2013

Time of Show: 6:00pm

Price: Free Admission

Date Tickets Are Available Through Ticketmaster: January 13, 2013

DeBakey is an inspiring documentary about the life of famed heart surgeon Michael E. DeBakey. Dr. Tony Herring, a student of DeBakey’s in the 1960’s sets out to learn what made his mentor and teacher tick. DeBakey’s career has spanned over seventy years, has in his work touched the lives of millions of people of all nations. In World War II he developed surgical principles which were the beginning of the M.A.S.H. unit. He helped lay the foundations for both the Veterans Administration Hospital system and the National Library of Medicine. His presence in Houston Texas help built the Texas Medical Center which is the largest medical center in the world. His innovations in the field of cardiovascular surgery are legendary and include development of the roller pump for cardiac bypass, the treatment of complex aortic aneurysms, carotid and coronary bypass surgery, and recently the left ventricular assist device. He is truly a national treasure. In 2007 Dr. DeBakey was awarded the Gold Congressional Medal of Honor.

Mardi Gras undoubtedly finds its namesake in the Big Easy. New Orleans not only hosts the greatest party in the world, but it lives it. During the season of carnival the city transforms and becomes a completely different beast. The people are different, the parties are different and everything becomes more alive!

Better Than Ezra aren’t strangers to partying and they have been known to have special Mardi Gras concerts full of surprises. This year the bank will be performing their third album, How Does Your Garden Grow? Sister Hazel is an alternative rock band from Gainesville, Florida, and uses great Southern pop hooks and country rock harmonies. Both are great groups with great sounds! You can check out sources online for more information through the Joy Theater’s event posting where they have the “Road to Mardi Gras” and related Facebook pages including “Better Than Ezra” and the “Krewe of Rocckus”.

New Orleans doesn’t just throw a party, the city becomes a party that must not just be experienced, but lived. The Joy is offering its stage to be a part of that life and be an extension of the spirit of carnival. Get online and check out the event for February, make your plans and call in to get your tickets, or click on any of the “buy tickets” buttons and purchase your tickets online . Come and “live” the celebration and let the Joy and its inhabitants sweep you off your feet and carry you away. Get online for your tickets and don’t be late for the show, it’s going to be a blast!

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112

Date of Show:

Friday, February 8, 2013 9:30pm

Price: $35.00

Better Than Ezra

We all know that New Orleans is the home of Mardi Gras, the greatest
party in the world. The City centers itself around this celebration of
culture and some would even say that the entire year revolves around
it. Better Than Ezra are no strangers to this concept and have
traditionally “thrown down” with the best of them. Their special
Mardi Gras concerts have become a regular fixture in the Carnival
schedule and usually feature a host of surprises that depart from a
regular BTE show.

This year the band will be performing their third album, How Does Your
Garden Grow? in its entirety. Released in 1998 by Elektra Records, the
album features fan favorites such as “At the Stars,” “One More
Murder,” “Allison Foley,” “Under You,” and more

Sister Hazel

Sister Hazel, the alternative rock band from Gainesville, FL, has
created its signature sound through the use of Southern pop hooks and
country rock harmonies. Despite the success of their platinum disc
“Somewhere More Familiar” as well as their 2009 album,
“Release,” which reached #37 on the Billboard Album Charts, Sister
Hazel felt that they had more to say. With the band’s quickest
album-to-album turnaround in their 15 plus career, they released the
country album, “Heartland Highway” in 2010. After all of these
years together, the band still hits the road regularly, doing around
100 dates annually in addition to their annual Hazelnut Hang at The
Windjammer on South Carolina’s Isle of Palms and their Rock Boat
excursion, which is the world’s largest floating music festival. The
band talks about their current situation, “We are all in groove. We
have all things rolling along,” asserts Block, with Newell seconding
that emotion: “I feel like we are stepping into our heyday.”

Link to the Official Website of Event/Production/Organization/etc.
Road to Mardi Gras

Links to all Related Official Facebook Fan Pages:
Better than Ezras Krewe of Rocckus

Bill Johnston was diagnosed with throat cancer on January 23, 212 and has been battling this disease all year long.  He has undergone 13 weeks of chemo treatments as well as 35 radiation treatments.  Bill’s recent biopsy indicated positive results; however, his doctor told him he ‘was not out of the woods yet’.  We appreciate your support and thank you so much for helping Bill and his family.  He has been a huge asset to New Orleans and bringing the music industry to New Orleans throughout the years, along with memories that are sure to be remembered for a very long time.

Bill Johnston was the founding partner of The Warehouse that opened down on the banks of the Mississippi River at 1820 Tchoupitoulas Street in January 1970 with The Grateful Dead, Fleetwood Mac and The Flock!  In the ‘70’s the decade of Creative Chaos, you could see the Allman Brothers, The Who, Rod Steward, Joe Cocker, ZZ Top, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Humble Pie, The Eagles and many other national and international acts for three to five bucks!

The line-up for the benefit includes Emcee – Jodi Borrello, a great New Orleans comedian.  Also performing is Joint’s Jumpin’ which is a great celebration of classic New Orleans Rhythm and Blues.  A name most should know, The Yat Pack will also be gracing the stage.  They are a New Orleans based band that strives to bring back the Swing era with pizzazz of Vegas starlight.  Last, but certainly not least, is The Warehouse New Orleans, featuring the Smoke Patrol.  All of these have a very special meaning to Bill.

We really would like for everyone to come and join us, and give us the opportunity to assist Bill and his family through this rough time.  One thing we are well known for here in New Orleans, is helping each other out.  On top of doing that and going home with a good, warm feeling in your heart, you get to experience a wonderful mixture of music with the show that will be put on!

Don’t miss out on this one folks!  Get your tickets now!

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70012
504-528-9569

This is a classic dating back to 1967, about interracial marriage during an important era of our country’s history. The American Film Institute has it listed as one of the top 100 films in the last 100 years! The drama portrays a positive and, at times, comedic representation of the controversial subject of mixed marriages. It unfolds when the Civil Rights movement gripped the nation, and Americans were forced to face racial tolerance, acceptance and diversity.

The play, by Todd Kreidler, is based on the screenplay by William Rose. The storyline depicts the love between Jo Anna Drayton (portrayed by Vicky Illk), the young daughter of liberal White parents, and Dr. John Prentice (portrayed by Nicoye Banks), a distinguished and well-known physician from a prominent African American Family. The play examines the reaction from both sets of parents, the families’, friends and other household members about the news of a possible marriage between a Black man and a White woman.

Prices for the show range from $22.50 to $35.00. You can purchase your tickets in advance by going to The Joy’s website or you can go straight to Ticketmaster (http://www.ticketmaster.com/The-Joy-Theater-tickets-New-Orleans/venue/222396).

The Joy Theater, since it’s reopening in December 2011 has worked hard to bring you some of the best shows to see. They have done an amazing job in making sure the performance arts community is heard and still has an audience. The theater has become a beacon for the New Orleans Arts Community to spread its new designs.

New Orleans has always been a city of entertainment and wonder and The Joy Theater was built in the country’s peak of movie attendance for the time. Settled on the corner of Canal Street and Elks Place, there was no missing it and today with its upgraded specs and a face lift, there is no need to miss it today. Keeping all of that in mind, this is just another reason to go ahead and get your tickets to “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner”, as it is sure to be a show that will entertain and bring back memories for some! Get your tickets today!

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
504-528-9569

The Actor’s Theater of New Orleans is presenting “A Christmas Carol: The Whole Story” for the twentieth year running. The show opens in two days on December 15th and celebrates the classic tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens’s tale of A Christmas Carol. This tale tells the remarkable story of a man who has grown cold and mean. Ebeneezer is taken by three spirits of Christmas through a journey of self-awakening and reinvention whereby the Scrooge is set upon a brighter path which warms his frozen heart. This story has characters you can fall in love with and truly follow through the events that unfold. Rene Piazza is starring as Scrooge for the twentieth year running and you don’t want to miss it!

There is a discount of ten dollars for students and tickets start at thirty dollars for every row in the balcony above the third.

The rest of ticketing is as follows:

• $35 for the first three rows of the balcony
• $40 for floor seating above the tenth row
• $45 dollars for the first ten rows of floor seating

The shows will run at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, so don’t miss your chance to see this great performance of Christmas redemption! This is certainly a story a lot of people can relate to, having the infectious spirit of Christmas lift them into a better place where they can truly enjoy the holiday season with their family and loved ones. The show is coming soon, get your tickets now and enjoy this classic performance. You can find more information at the Joy Theater’s website and more information on the Actor’s Theater of New Orleans at http://www.atnola.org. Have a Merry Christmas!

“Civil rights is one thing; this here is somethin’ else,” according to Matilda Banks, Drayton family housekeeper.

The Joy Theater is proud to present award-winning producer/director Tommye Myrick’s phenomenal production of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” This 1967 classic about interracial marriage during an important era of our country’s history is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 films in the last 100 years. The drama portrays a positive and, at times, comedic representation of the controversial subject of mixed marriages. It unfolds when the Civil Rights movement gripped the nation, and Americans were forced to face racial tolerance, acceptance and diversity.

Date of Show: Starts on February 22, 2013 – March 3, 2013

Tickets Available: December 14, 2012

Performance Dates:
Friday, February 22, 2013 8pm
Saturday, February 23, 2013 8pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013 3pm
Friday, March 1, 2013 8pm
Saturday, March 2, 2013 8pm
Sunday, March 3, 2013 3pm

Prices:
$35.00
$32.50
$22.50

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: December 14, 2012
Contact Ticket Master at 800-745-3000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com/

The play “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” by Todd Kreidler is based on the screenplay by William Rose. The storyline depicts the love between Jo Anna Drayton (portrayed by Vicky Illk), the young daughter of liberal White parents, and Dr. John Prentice (portrayed by Nicoye Banks), a distinguished and well-known physician from a prominent African American family. The play examines the reaction from both sets of parents, the families’ friends and other household members about the news of a possible marriage between a Black man and a White woman.

While the young couple comes to grips with the personal prejudices secretly harbored by outsiders, they must also contend with both of their fathers, who are dead set against the union.To complicate matters, the Drayton family maid, Matilda, and a close family associate put in their disapproving two cents. While Jo Anna is determined to proceed with the wedding regardless of people’s opinions, John refuses to consider marriage until he receives the approval of all concerned. Also attending dinner is Monsignor Ryan, who speaks as the voice of tolerance. Eventually, it is Mr. Drayton, Jo Anna’s father, who must come face to face with the fact that he has trouble accepting his own liberal philosophy when it is applied so dramatically to his own life.

The “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” cast includes a host of veteran performers: Carol Sutton as Matilda Banks, Dane Rhodes as Matt Drayton, Janet Shea as Christina Drayton, Harold Evans as John Prentice Sr., Gwendolyn Foxworth as Mary Prentice, Garth Currie as Monsignor Ryan, and Margeaux Fanning as Hillary St. George.

Tommye Myrick is a seasoned producer and director, who is dedicated to the revival of theatrical productions in New Orleans. Along with being a recipient of the New Orleans Big Easy Entertainment Award, Ms. Myrick has received numerous awards, as well as accolades from audiences and critics alike. Some of her most memorable productions include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, The Women of Brewster Place, Dinah Was…, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Lesson Before Dying, Death of a Salesman, and many more.

Ms. Myrick’s skills as a director are evidenced by the poised and skilled manner in which she introduces “White liberalism” and “Black racism” to the audience. Under Ms. Myrick’s direction, the cast succeeds in providing dramatic performances and memorable entertainment.The original screenplay cast of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (which included Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Beah Richards and Isabel Sanford) would be proud of the portrayal of the characters and the current relevance of a theme that was first brought to our attention in 1967.

The original stage play directed by Kenny Leon, World Premiered at True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta Georgia in July of 2012, starred Phylicia Rashad, Afemo Omilami and respected director/actress – Andrea Frye.

Please join the Joy Theater in welcoming Director Tommye Myrick as we celebrate this production of an American classic – “GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER”– to historic Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 22 –March 3, 2012.

Tickets are available beginning December 14, 2012. The Joy Theater is located in the heart of downtown New Orleans at 1200 Canal Street, 70112.

For more Information/Reservations:
For group reservations, fundraising opportunities or school day performances, contact Roxanna Charbonnet at guesswhoscoming1@gmail.com. For media information, contact Roslyn Nocentelli Flot at breakthrumediallc@yahoo.com or Sandie McNamara at 504-331-0722.

“Civil rights is one thing; this here is somethin’ else,” according to Matilda Banks, Drayton family housekeeper.

The Joy Theater is proud to present award-winning producer/director Tommye Myrick’s phenomenal production of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” This 1967 classic about interracial marriage during an important era of our country’s history is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 films in the last 100 years. The drama portrays a positive and, at times, comedic representation of the controversial subject of mixed marriages. It unfolds when the Civil Rights movement gripped the nation, and Americans were forced to face racial tolerance, acceptance and diversity.

Date of Show: Starts on February 22, 2013 – March 3, 2013

Tickets Available: December 14, 2012

Performance Dates:
Friday, February 22, 2013 8pm
Saturday, February 23, 2013 8pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013 3pm
Friday, March 1, 2013 8pm
Saturday, March 2, 2013 8pm
Sunday, March 3, 2013 3pm

Prices:
$35.00
$32.50
$22.50

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: December 14, 2012
Contact Ticket Master at 800-745-3000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com/

The play “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” by Todd Kreidler is based on the screenplay by William Rose. The storyline depicts the love between Jo Anna Drayton (portrayed by Vicky Illk), the young daughter of liberal White parents, and Dr. John Prentice (portrayed by Nicoye Banks), a distinguished and well-known physician from a prominent African American family. The play examines the reaction from both sets of parents, the families’ friends and other household members about the news of a possible marriage between a Black man and a White woman.

While the young couple comes to grips with the personal prejudices secretly harbored by outsiders, they must also contend with both of their fathers, who are dead set against the union.To complicate matters, the Drayton family maid, Matilda, and a close family associate put in their disapproving two cents. While Jo Anna is determined to proceed with the wedding regardless of people’s opinions, John refuses to consider marriage until he receives the approval of all concerned. Also attending dinner is Monsignor Ryan, who speaks as the voice of tolerance. Eventually, it is Mr. Drayton, Jo Anna’s father, who must come face to face with the fact that he has trouble accepting his own liberal philosophy when it is applied so dramatically to his own life.

The “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” cast includes a host of veteran performers: Carol Sutton as Matilda Banks, Dane Rhodes as Matt Drayton, Janet Shea as Christina Drayton, Harold Evans as John Prentice Sr., Gwendolyn Foxworth as Mary Prentice, Garth Currie as Monsignor Ryan, and Margeaux Fanning as Hillary St. George.

Tommye Myrick is a seasoned producer and director, who is dedicated to the revival of theatrical productions in New Orleans. Along with being a recipient of the New Orleans Big Easy Entertainment Award, Ms. Myrick has received numerous awards, as well as accolades from audiences and critics alike. Some of her most memorable productions include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, The Women of Brewster Place, Dinah Was…, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Lesson Before Dying, Death of a Salesman, and many more.

Ms. Myrick’s skills as a director are evidenced by the poised and skilled manner in which she introduces “White liberalism” and “Black racism” to the audience. Under Ms. Myrick’s direction, the cast succeeds in providing dramatic performances and memorable entertainment.The original screenplay cast of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (which included Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Beah Richards and Isabel Sanford) would be proud of the portrayal of the characters and the current relevance of a theme that was first brought to our attention in 1967.

The original stage play directed by Kenny Leon, World Premiered at True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta Georgia in July of 2012, starred Phylicia Rashad, Afemo Omilami and respected director/actress – Andrea Frye.

Please join the Joy Theater in welcoming Director Tommye Myrick as we celebrate this production of an American classic – “GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER”– to historic Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 22 –March 3, 2012.

Tickets are available beginning December 14, 2012. The Joy Theater is located in the heart of downtown New Orleans at 1200 Canal Street, 70112.

For more Information/Reservations:
For group reservations, fundraising opportunities or school day performances, contact Roxanna Charbonnet at guesswhoscoming1@gmail.com. For media information, contact Roslyn Nocentelli Flot at breakthrumediallc@yahoo.com or Sandie McNamara at 504-331-0722.

“Civil rights is one thing; this here is somethin’ else,” according to Matilda Banks, Drayton family housekeeper.

The Joy Theater is proud to present award-winning producer/director Tommye Myrick’s phenomenal production of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” This 1967 classic about interracial marriage during an important era of our country’s history is listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 films in the last 100 years. The drama portrays a positive and, at times, comedic representation of the controversial subject of mixed marriages. It unfolds when the Civil Rights movement gripped the nation, and Americans were forced to face racial tolerance, acceptance and diversity.

Date of Show: Starts on February 22, 2013 – March 3, 2013

Tickets Available: December 14, 2012

Performance Dates:
Friday, February 22, 2013 8pm
Saturday, February 23, 2013 8pm
Sunday, February 24, 2013 3pm
Friday, March 1, 2013 8pm
Saturday, March 2, 2013 8pm
Sunday, March 3, 2013 3pm

Prices:
$35.00
$32.50
$22.50

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: December 14, 2012
Contact Ticket Master at 800-745-3000 or http://www.ticketmaster.com/

The play “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” by Todd Kreidler is based on the screenplay by William Rose. The storyline depicts the love between Jo Anna Drayton (portrayed by Vicky Illk), the young daughter of liberal White parents, and Dr. John Prentice (portrayed by Nicoye Banks), a distinguished and well-known physician from a prominent African American family. The play examines the reaction from both sets of parents, the families’ friends and other household members about the news of a possible marriage between a Black man and a White woman.

While the young couple comes to grips with the personal prejudices secretly harbored by outsiders, they must also contend with both of their fathers, who are dead set against the union.To complicate matters, the Drayton family maid, Matilda, and a close family associate put in their disapproving two cents. While Jo Anna is determined to proceed with the wedding regardless of people’s opinions, John refuses to consider marriage until he receives the approval of all concerned. Also attending dinner is Monsignor Ryan, who speaks as the voice of tolerance. Eventually, it is Mr. Drayton, Jo Anna’s father, who must come face to face with the fact that he has trouble accepting his own liberal philosophy when it is applied so dramatically to his own life.

The “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” cast includes a host of veteran performers: Carol Sutton as Matilda Banks, Dane Rhodes as Matt Drayton, Janet Shea as Christina Drayton, Harold Evans as John Prentice Sr., Gwendolyn Foxworth as Mary Prentice, Garth Currie as Monsignor Ryan, and Margeaux Fanning as Hillary St. George.

Tommye Myrick is a seasoned producer and director, who is dedicated to the revival of theatrical productions in New Orleans. Along with being a recipient of the New Orleans Big Easy Entertainment Award, Ms. Myrick has received numerous awards, as well as accolades from audiences and critics alike. Some of her most memorable productions include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, The Women of Brewster Place, Dinah Was…, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Lesson Before Dying, Death of a Salesman, and many more.

Ms. Myrick’s skills as a director are evidenced by the poised and skilled manner in which she introduces “White liberalism” and “Black racism” to the audience. Under Ms. Myrick’s direction, the cast succeeds in providing dramatic performances and memorable entertainment.The original screenplay cast of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (which included Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Beah Richards and Isabel Sanford) would be proud of the portrayal of the characters and the current relevance of a theme that was first brought to our attention in 1967.

The original stage play directed by Kenny Leon, World Premiered at True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta Georgia in July of 2012, starred Phylicia Rashad, Afemo Omilami and respected director/actress – Andrea Frye.

Please join the Joy Theater in welcoming Director Tommye Myrick as we celebrate this production of an American classic – “GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER”– to historic Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 22 –March 3, 2012.

Tickets are available beginning December 14, 2012. The Joy Theater is located in the heart of downtown New Orleans at 1200 Canal Street, 70112.

For more Information/Reservations:
For group reservations, fundraising opportunities or school day performances, contact Roxanna Charbonnet at guesswhoscoming1@gmail.com. For media information, contact Roslyn Nocentelli Flot at breakthrumediallc@yahoo.com or Sandie McNamara at 504-331-0722.

Coming soon, January 10, 2013, the Joy is holding a benefit for Bill Johnston. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in January of 2012 and has been fighting the disease for the last year. He has undergone radiation and chemotherapy treatments. His recent tests indicate positive results, but he is yet to be diagnosed as cancer free. There will be a silent auction that is scheduled to begin at 6 pm. Tickets are being offered through Ticketmaster and reserved seating begins at $35.00.

The show begins at 7pm and there is some great entertainment that has been scheduled. The line-up includes Emcee-Jodi Borrello a great New Orleans comedian. Also performing is Joint’s Jumpin’ which is a great celebration of classic New Orleans Rhythm & Blues. A name most should know, The Yat Pack will be gracing the stage. They are a New Orleans based band that strives to bring back the Swing era with the pizzazz of Vegas starlight. Last on the list but certainly not least is the Warehouse New Orleans featuring the Smoke Patrol. They like to relive the music and memories of the Warehouse, the legendary New Orleans music venue (1970-1982).

You can get a glimpse of these and more on The Joy Theater’s Facebook page. Come to the Joy and celebrate Bill Johnston on January 10, 2013 at 7 pm. The door opens at 6 pm and you can also view the seating chart online and get a glimpse of how the whole thing will be set up. Tickets are on sale now and will be on sale until up to two hours before showtime. Call now and make arrangements to come to this great benefit to enjoy the entertainment to celebrate Bill Johnston.

It’s the holiday season and Christmas is right around the corner. Everyone has Holiday parties and everyone has to find a place to have one! Are you trying to plan a corporate party or perhaps a large gathering of family and friends? The Joy Theater is definitely an option you should check into!

The Joy Theater is accepting bookings for holiday festivities and parties. It’s been beautifully renovated and offers a unique environment in the heart of downtown New Orleans. They offer flexible floor plans, three permanent bars, food and beverage catering and of course entertainment.

You can find their floor plans online as well the various types of entertainment they have had in the past and can provide you and your guests. The contact for these private events is Sandie McNamara and she can be reached either by phone or by email. Her contact number is 504-331-0722 and her contact email is sales@thejoytheater.com.

Bottom line, The Joy Theater has all you need and more. You don’t have to bring your own food, you don’t even have to bring your own entertainment, all you have to do is make one phone call and bring people. Some of these floor plans can hold over nine hundred people so I sincerely hope you have a lot of friends.

The Joy Theater has really blossomed since it reopened in 2011 and has sought to celebrate New Orleans culture and support the growth of New Orleans arts. Throw a great party here at the Joy Theater and be a part of that growth, give your hand in that celebration and not only have a good time, but take your part in helping make something better. Call or go online today to get more information and don’t wait, Christmas is right around the corner.

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
504-528-9569

This board is full of information like Irvin Mayfield making his own comment about the upcoming show “Say Hello to Old New Orleans”! These messages are reminders not to forget what’s going to try and keep the audience involved in Joy Theater events. There are great links to other pages including NewOrleans.com which is a great place to book all your travel and hotel needs. They always have the best prices and the best information for what’s going on in the city of New Orleans.

The Joy’s Facebook page has great pictures and posts about events coming and events that have passed. This gives prospective customers a great look at what the Joy is capable of and what they have to offer. Facebook gives a great inside look to the Joy and offers a unique perspective that will certainly tell you if this is the theater for you to attend. There are also links to the theater’s personal website, contact information, and the address of the theater. Their Facebook has everything you’ll need to help find information about their next shows and upcoming shows so that the audience can figure out when they need to buy their tickets and make it to the next big event.

The Joy Theater is a genuine pillar of the community in New Orleans. From film festivals to hip hop music awards, this theater has become a voice for the arts community to talk to the city with. Everything about the Joy screams New Orleans culture even from when it was first built in 1947. There’s no denying that the Joy has outdone itself and it only wants to continue to share that success with the community. Get online, check them out and see if there’s a show coming up that you’d like to make. Don’t forget the Joy also offers booking for private parties, so call or go online and find out all the information you can today!

The Joy Theater
1200 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
504-528-9569

Louie Duet, Ground Cover Entertainment and the show’s producer, said “Bill was diagnosed with throat cancer on January 23, 2012 and has been battling this disease all year long. He has undergone 13 weeks of chemo treatments as well as 35 radiation treatments. Bill’s recent biopsy indicated positive results, however his doctor told him he ‘was not out of the woods yet’. We appreciate your support and thank you for helping Bill and his family.”

Date of Show: January 10, 2013

Times: Show begins at 7pm

Entertainment:

Emcee-Jodi Borrello New Orleans comedian

Joint’s Jumpin’ A celebration of classic New Orleans Rhythm & Blues

The Yat Pack New Orleans based band that strives to bring back the Swing Era with an   added Vegas flair

The Warehouse New Orleans…REVISITED! featuring The SMOKE PATROL Relives the music and memories of the Warehouse, the legendary New Orleans music venue (1970-1982).

You can get a glimpse of them here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/282218658547418/

*With Reserved Seating $35

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: November 23. 2012

SILENT AUCTION BEGINS AT 6pm

Irvin Mayfield is a Grammy Award-winning artist with fifteen albums in his lifetime. He is the founding Artistic Director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and serves as the Artistic Director for the Minnesota Orchestra. He was nominated to the National Council of the Arts by President George W. Bush and awarded the post by President Barack Obama in 2010. He has received the highest award from the University of New Orleans where he serves as a professor and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Dillard University.

Ernest Gaines was born in the River Lake Plantation. He grew up in the south where storytelling and open speech was important to African American life. He absorbed the stories and they become a part of him and led to his ability. He is an accomplished writer and in 2007, the Baton Rouge foundation established the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence to recognize new fiction by African American authors. He is also an essayist and sought after public speaker. Today he lives in a house which he and his wife built on land that was once a part of the River Lake Plantation.

The Joy Theater is honoring a spectacular person with the talents of another spectacular person. Ernest Gaines is definitely an accomplished character worthy of praise, and Irvin Mayfield is equally equipped to honor him. The Joy Theater has definitely taken the torch and run with the cause of celebrating New Orleans and Louisiana heroes in the fields of art, music, dance, or any realm which furthers the growth of community and family. Come out and celebrate with the Joy on November 30th at 1200 Canal Street. Call or click here to book your tickets and make sure you don’t miss it.

Irvin Mayfield is a prominent figure in a variety of facets of New Orleans society. He serves on multiple boards including: the New Orleans Public Library Foundation (President), Louisiana State University’s Department of Psychiatry and Health Science, Unity of Greater New Orleans and so many more. He also serves as the Director of the New Orleans Jazz Institute.
Cyril Neville is the youngest of the four Neville brothers. He has had a rocky road to success but aside from his fractured beginnings in 1976, the four brothers joined together to form The Neville Brothers. Cyril has started his own record label, Endangered Species, and also founded the New Orleans Musicians Organized or NOMO to assist uprising musicians with career advice.
For more information you can visit the main website http://www.thenojo.com or their Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nolaNOJO. The show is on November 17, 2012 and it begins at 8:00pm with an 18 or older restriction. You can view the seating chart online and don’t forget you can buy tickets at the door as they are available two hours before showtime.

Prices are as follows:
$15 for Students
$25 for General Admission
$40 for Priority

So call or get your tickets online and don’t miss this great concentration of talent as it sweeps across the stage. Don’t pass up this opportunity to be a part of something great and see some New Orleans faces as they perform live at the Joy Theater. Show your support for the continued growth of the Joy and embrace how they support local art and artists and help them thrive in a city so well known for its talent.

Friday, November 30, 7:30pm
The Joy Theatre, 1200 Canal Street

Pricing is as follows:

$15 for Students
$25 for General Admission
$40 for Priority

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster November 1 2012

Reserved Seating for Priority, not for General Admission

Groupon Special (2 for 1) – 7 day turnaround November

IRVIN MAYFIELD

Irvin Mayfield, 34, is a Grammy and Billboard Award-winning artist with 15 albums to his credit. Mayfield is the founding Artistic Director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and currently serves as Artistic Director of Jazz at the Minnesota Orchestra. He is a professor at the University of New Orleans, where he also serves as Director of the New Orleans Jazz Institute. Mayfield was nominated to the National Council on the Arts by President George W. Bush and was subsequently appointed to the post by President Barack Obama in 2010. Mayfield also received The Chancellor’s Award from the University of New Orleans (the highest ranking award given to a professor) in 2010 and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Dillard University in 2011. A passionate advocate for New Orleans and for the arts, Mayfield is President of the New Orleans Public Library Foundation and Chairman of the Board for the Soledad O’Brien & Brad Raymond Foundation. He also serves on the boards of Citizens United for Economic Equity, Louisiana State University’s Department of Psychiatry and Health Science, the
New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, Tulane University’s School of Architecture, Unity of Greater New Orleans, the University of New Orleans College of Education and Human Development, and the Youth Rescue Initiative.

ERNEST GAINES

Ernest James Gaines was born on the River Lake Plantation near the small hamlet of Oscar, in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. His ancestors had lived on the same plantation since slavery, remaining after emancipation to work the land as sharecroppers. Gaines and his family lived in the houses, much expanded, that had once served as slave quarters. His parents separated when he was eight; the strongest adult influence in his childhood was a great aunt, Augusteen Jefferson, crippled from birth, who crawled from kitchen to the family’s garden patch, growing and preparing food, and caring for him and for six of his brothers and sisters.

Story-telling and oral tradition were a powerful part of African American life in the rural South, and young Ernest Gaines absorbed the stories of his family and neighbors, acquiring a sense of history and an ear for the rhythms of vernacular speech. The only school for African American children in the district was conducted in a single room of the black church. School was open for less than half the year; from the age of nine, Ernest Gaines and the other children were sent to labor alongside their elders in the fields, harvesting vegetables and cotton. Pointe Coupee Parish offered no public high school to its black citizens. For three years, Gaines attended St. Augustine’s School, a segregated Catholic school in the parish seat at New Roads, Louisiana.

During World War II, his mother and stepfather, like many African Americans of their generation, left the South to find work in the booming wartime economy. At 15, Gaines joined his mother and stepfather in Vallejo, California, northeast of San Francisco. To keep him off the streets and out of trouble, his stepfather urged him to spend time in the public library. He soon became enthralled with literature, particularly the 19th century Russian masters, whose tales of a countryside steeped in feudal tradition echoed his own experience of plantation life. Finding no literature that directly portrayed the life of African Americans in the rural South, he began to write stories of his own, recreating the world of his childhood.

After serving in the U.S. Army, he enrolled at San Francisco State University, where he published a number of short stories in the University quarterly. His stories won him admission to the selective graduate program in creative writing at Stanford University, conducted by the novelist Wallace Stegner. Gaines settled in San Francisco after graduate school, working a variety of part-time jobs in the afternoon and reserving his morning hours for writing.

His first novel, Catherine Carmier, was published in 1964. A tragic love story played out against the complex caste system of rural Louisiana, the work met a favorable critical reception, but sold poorly. The next years were difficult ones for Gaines, as a succession of novels and short stories were rejected by publishers. In 1966, he was awarded a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts to continue his writing. The following year, his second novel, Of Love and Dust, appeared. Again, he told a story of life and love thwarted by the legacy of servitude and discrimination, but this book attracted greater attention than his first.

While many of his contemporaries were depicting the recent experience of African American migrants to the urban North, Gaines’s work was rich in history, the accumulated experience of centuries. A collection of five stories, Bloodline, was published in 1968. In his novels and stories, Gaines created a vidily detailed imaginary community called Bayonne. Although it is clearly modeled on his own Louisiana parish, his Baynonne is full of invented characters and incidents, often shocking, but utterly convincing. Deeply grounded in a distinctive place and culture, his tales resound with universal themes of love and family, of responsibility, injustice and endurance.

In 1971, Gaines was appointed Writer-in-Residence at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. That same year, he completed the work that was to make him famous far beyond his own country. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1971) is the first-person narrative of a fictional 110-year-old woman, born in slavery, who lives to see the stirrings of the modern Civil Rights Movement. Her story led readers through a century of African American life. A 1974 television adaptation of the novel became a national event. The film won nine Emmy Awards and brought Gaines’s work to the attention of a vast audience for the first time.

Not long after the book’s publication, Gaines was awarded a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship and switfly completed a number of major works. In My Father’s House (1978) deals with the estrangement of fathers and sons, a recurring theme in his works. A Gathering of Old Men (1983) tells a complex story through the voices of 15 different narrators — black, white, Cajun and Creole — with a single violent act illuminating the history of an entire community. It too was adapted for television.

In 1993, Gaines received a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant.” The same year saw the publication of his most critically acclaimed novel to date. A Lesson Before Dying describes the belated education of a young man wrongly sentenced to death. The book created an international sensation; beyond its achievement as a work of literature, it became a touchstone in the ongoing debate over capital punishment. The work received the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, and a 1999 television adaptation won the year’s Emmy Award as Best Film for Television.

Since 1983, Ernest Gaines has been Writer-in-Residence at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. He and his wife, attorney Dianne Saulney, divide their time between San Francisco and Louisiana. In addition to his other honors, Ernest Gaines has been awarded the National Humanities Medal of the United States, and is a Chevalier of France’s Order of Arts and Letters. In 2007, the Baton Rouge Foundation established the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence to recognize new fiction by African American authors.

In addition to his novels and stories, Gaines is a well-regarded essayist and is much in demand as a public speaker and commentator on American life. A number of his stories and essays were gathered in the 2005 collection Mozart and Leadbelly. Today, his permanent residence in Louisiana is a house that he and his wife built on land that was once part of River Lake Plantation, where he spent his childhood, and where his ancestors labored for generations.

For more Information:
Main Website:
The NOJO http://www.thenojo.com/

Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Orleans-Jazz-Orchestra-NOJO/55747661855

Biography of Ernest Gaines
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/printmember/gai0bio-1

The story of New Orleans own 10th Ward Buck. Live on stage as he
showcase his ups and downs in the city of New Orleans. Now he’s a
candidate for New Orleans City council district B.

Date of Show: October 25, 2012

Time: 7:00pm

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: October 1, 2012
Prices:
$25 General Admission
$35 VIP

Generations of New Orleans’ Hip-Hop artist‘ will come together to bridge the music gap for one exceptional night. The city will unite to set off the showcase with raw style and flavor; that sparked and inspired the sound of so many artist world-wide.

Impeccable artists thrive with a distinct Southern demeanor and confidence delivering pride, pain and revelry in the booth. With respected references and influences from past artists like Soulja Slim, Tim Smooth & Magnolia Shorty, New Orleans hip-hop music is on the rise! Hip-hop music originated as a form of musical expression meant to empower and educate its listeners. As the culture grew and diversified, it took many different paths. But, like most forms of art, the music genre is making a strong comeback to its roots. Many believe the foundation of hip-hop has died. Well, there is no better place than New Orleans to revive the true essence of hip-hop.

The show is set for October 20, 2012 and will be hosted by Shiny Green.

NOLA Underground Hip-Hop Awards is an opportunity to celebrate the spirit of local hip-hop and the top tier of talented local artists.

Date of Show: October 20, 2012

Time: 7:00pm

Prices:
$15 General Admission
$50 VIP

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: October 1, 2012

For more Information:
Main Website:
NOLA Hip-Hop Awards http://nolahiphopawards.com

Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/nolahiphopawards

For the twentieth year running, Rene Piazza stars as the lovable humbug Ebenezer Scrooge. Join the Actor’s Theater of New Orleans in December at the Joy Theater. The mission of the ATNO is to produce a broad range of theatrical presentations to the highest possible quality, to celebrate the achievements of volunteers and staff, to join with other community theaters for mutual assistance and enrichment and so much more.

This program is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, and many more and is administered through the Arts Council of New Orleans. If you visit ATNO’s website you can check out some of the awards their actors have received over the years and realize they are definitely worth checking out. Not to mention that their comedic rendition of the Christmas Carol has been on for twenty years!

Pricing is as follows:
$10 off discount for Students
$45 for the first ten rows
$40 for the rest of the floor seating
$35 for the first three rows of balcony
$30 for the rest of the balcony

Don’t forget that ATNO has a special promotion going and this weekend only with the promotional code “humbug” you can get five dollars off admission.

This show has touched a lot of people. Others productions, movies, and more have lived through this story and ATNO have put their own spin on it. The Joy Theater is happy to host ATNO on their stage and invites you to come and see them perform. Tickets go on sale starting October 6th and you’ll be missing out if you don’t call right away and buy your tickets!

Date of Show: December 15, 2012

Times: 10:30 pm

Prices:
$5 off discount for Students
$25 General Admission

*With General Admission
*Groupon Special(2 for 1)- 7 day turnaround

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: October 6, 2012

For more Information:
Main Website:
Improv 7 http://www.atnola.org

Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/actorstheatreofneworleans

For the twentieth year running, Rene’ Piazza stars as the lovable
humbug Ebeneezer Scrooge in this comedic spin on Charles Dickens’s
classic tale – A Christmas Carol. Join this cast of zany characters on
Scrooge’s ghostly journey toward redemption and Christmas merriment!

Date of Show: December 15, 2012

Times: 2:30pm and 7:30pm

Prices:
$10 off discount for Students
$45 for the first ten rows
$40 for the rest of the floor seating
$35 for the first 3 rows of the balcony
$30 for the rest of the balcony

*With Reserved Seating

Dates Tickets are Available Through Ticketmaster: October 6, 2012

For more Information:
Main Website:
Actors Theatre of New Orleans http://www.atnola.org

Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/actorstheatreofneworleans

The Joy now features a built in stage and three permanent bars so there’s room for entertainment and fun! They have brand new sound and lighting equipment sure to fit your every need and they want you to perform with them!

There is a simple form you can fill out online on their website if you’re interested. You will be in contact with Sandie McNamara who can be reached by phone at 504.331.0722 or via email at talent@thejoytheater.com. On the form are some simple questions which require a contact name and an email for general contact information so a line of communication can be opened. To leave a personal phone number is optional, but if you want to talk to someone rather than communicate electronically, leave it and Sandie will be in touch!

Of course specific information about your group must be submitted. This information includes the name of your group, band, or act as it is important for The Joy to know your name. Equally as important, is the date proposed for your performance, everything must be scheduled within what the theater has planned already. They ask that you submit with your booking information any website link your band may have, this includes: Facebook, Twitter, a personal website, or any other form of social media you might be involved with so that you can be recognized and promoted. Last but not least on the form is a conservative estimate of your current draw, meaning how many people do you believe currently follow your act.

All these questions are important to booking a show with The Joy Theater and of course there is a small forum for any additional information you may want to provide. Submit this form and see if you can perform here in New Orleans! It’s a wonderfully renovated venue and they want to host you so contact Sandie McNamara as soon as you can and get booked!

This record began as one man’s journey down a dark and lonely road. It evolved to be any man’s journey and has become a tool of empowerment for any and all going through similar circumstances. A dissolution of marriage, a custody battle plagues more than its fair share, and this album is a melodic understanding of how these individuals are not alone. On Joy’s website you can already read comments on the posting for the show and see how people who have seen them before are raving about being able to see them again. Personal strife makes a lot of good music, but having the ability to make it relatable to a much larger audience is what makes great music.

The Joy Theater has been completely redone and now offers a great deal of seating and new lighting and sound set ups for its stage. It is perfect for live music, dance, and even comedy shows. It is an excellent venue for New Orleans natives and travelers alike to come see a classic New Orleans theater jump into the now and embrace the city today and celebrate New Orleans music and culture. The Joy now has three permanent bars, so in true New Orleans style, it’s always sure to be a party.

The Joy is proud to present Blue October and their message to the city of New Orleans. They perform this Sunday, September 30th, at 8:00 pm. The door opens at 7:00 p.m., there are no age restrictions. Tickets begin at $32.00 for general admission and go up to $45.00 for reserved balcony seating. Ticket sales will continue if not sold out and be available at the door two hours before showtime. Buy your tickets today and plan to immerse yourself in this tour, let this music carry you away.

The city of New Orleans is just as much about business as it is partying. This theater can accommodate both! Whether business or pleasure, they cater to all. They have flexible floor plans with balcony seating that has 250 permanent seats and the entire venue can hold up to 900 guests, 3 permanent bars, food and beverage catering and fantastic entertainment. For details and booking you should contact Sandie McNamara at 504-331-0722 or at sales@thejoytheater.com.

This has become a 10,000 square foot multi purpose venue with a brand new state of the art sound and lighting system and a built in stage. This new personality of the Joy is perfect for receptions, cocktail parties, awards, dinners, concerts, or your own productions! You can find pictures of the new design TheJoyTheater.com.

The Joy is rich with history; it opened on February 7, 1947, as a movie theater. Its opening film was Lover Come Back starring Lucille Ball and George Brent. It closed for a short time in 1978 and permanently in 2003. It was the first movie palace constructed in New Orleans following the Depression. Located on Canal Street, which for over a century has been the heart of commerce in New Orleans. This building stands as a symbol of the history of downtown New Orleans.

For travelers and natives alike, this building is full of history and has been redone with the sole purpose of being bigger and better. Celebrating New Orleans culture in the heart of downtown New Orleans, there’s no better place to catch a great glimpse of New Orleans history. This theater is rich in where it’s come from and its ability to now serve multiple purposes to serve all types of clientele. Call or message Sandie today and see what you can work out, this is definitely not an opportunity to be missed.

The Joy Theater features a flexible seating plan on the first floor, and the balcony has two hundred and fifty permanent seats. The Joy offers both reception seating and banquet seating, having different setups and capacities to be flexible as to you and your guests needs. The reception arrangement can hold up to five hundred and fourteen guests, and the banquet seating can hold one hundred and fifty. Along with updated seating, they also offer brand new state of the art lighting and sound to better equip you and your guests with the best experience possible.

The Joy Theater is open to receptions, cocktail parties, awards, dinners, or productions, and would love to be the site of your next private party. You can view the specifications and layouts for the different seating arrangements online at the Joy’s website.

Having featured live music such as Etta James and Percy Sledge, dance shows, and live theater, it is a perfect location for a private event to share between you and your guests. The Joy Theater provides live entertainment which can be more exciting than a film. There’s something about the experience of hearing the emotion in someone’s voice, or hearing music live that is just better.

Being originally designed in the 1940′s and renovated in 2011, the Joy Theater has brought back an iconic form of “JOY” to New Orleans. The purpose of live entertainment is to draw you away from your seat and bring you into the world they’re producing, whether it is music, theater, or dance. The Joy offers a unique experience to share with you and your guests and books shows unique to New Orleans, which celebrate New Orleans culture.

Having a flexible floor plan and hosting New Orleans talent, there is no reason not to bring your next private event not only to the city of New Orleans, but right here to The Joy Theater.

If you’re an event planner, contact Sandie at 504-331-0722 or email: sales@thejoytheater.com

He is the winner of over eight Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards. Born in 1941, he began his musical training under his father when he was very young. At age five, he began piano lessons and music theory with Oscar Boufartique, and then he continued studying at the Municipal Music Conservatory of Havana at fourteen.

He really began at fifteen when he formed his first Jazz Trio with Emilio del Monte and Luis Rodriquez. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation presents a fabulous concert featuring the legendary Cuban jazz pianist. All year long the Foundation produces cultural events that highlight local culture and the artists that create it. All of the functions they put together: concerts, festivals, educational programs, lectures, and gallery exhibits all serve one function, and that is to rebuild New Orleans through cultural development.

In 1973, Chucho Valdes founded “Irakere”, which is highly regarded as the most important group in Cuban Musical History. It’s an explosive mixture of jazz, rock, classicism, and traditional Cuban music. This group produced a sound that had never been heard before and they revolutionized the entire spectrum of Latin music.

This man has created a legacy for his genre. And many credit New Orleans with the creation of Jazz music, and the originator of the culture. Chucho Valdes took his ability for music and created his own Jazz, and has come from the work of his movement to share his talents with the city of New Orleans.

The Joy Theater is doing well with providing amazing entertainment, and as it is produced by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation admission is free. So if you love Jazz as much as Chucho and the city itself, you should find yourself at the Joy November 19, 2012 show starts at 7:30!

This album is a representation of the unsettling personal shift their lead singer underwent. Justin found himself at the end of a bad marriage and in the middle of a hard custody battle. He began to document his hardship and produced thirteen tracks of healing. He called it his “Audio Journal” and the music that ensued serves as an emotional roller coaster of infectious melody.

The band didn’t abandon Justin, but instead supported him and from that unity came stronger and fuller music to share with their fans. This album represents one man’s hardest times and he and his band have taken that hardship and turned it into something completely relatable.

Blue October has always been a refuge for its fans, but this album and these songs represent the most honesty Justin has put forward. In New Orleans, we appreciate honesty and trust because we all depend on one another to move ahead. We are not strangers to trials and tribulations and having this album, this show, come to the city is going to be amazing.

Music is supposed to touch people, move people, it is supposed to express the artist in a way so that their fans can live through their lives and find resolve. If you are one of those that can truly be moved by music, feel it in your soul and walk away knowing you feel better because of it, then this is a show that should not be missed. Both the people of New Orleans and their universal fans can appreciate this connection and celebrate it. Blue October forms that connection, and they are coming to the Joy Theater at the end of September. Don’t miss your chance to hear this amazing music and get to see the new theater!

All year long, the Foundation produces cultural events that spotlight our unique culture while supporting the people who create it. We present festivals and concerts, lectures and literary events, gallery exhibits, educational programs and business networking conferences. It’s a diverse set of activities, all with one purpose: rebuilding New Orleans through cultural development.

Chucho Valdes Is a winner of eight grammy awards, five grammy awards and three Latin Grammy awards. He was born in 1941, The Pianist, composer, professor of music, musical arranger and director of group, began his musical training in his former years, at home, under his father influence “The Great Bebo Valdes” and his mother Pilar Rodriguez, teacher of piano and singer. At age 3 he could already play the piano just by hearing the melody on the radio.

In 1973 he he founded “Irakere”, which was considered the most important group in Cuban Musical History in the second half of XX century. Irakere was an explosive mixture of jazz, rock, classicism and traditional Cuban Music, a sound that had never been heard before that revolutionized the Latin music.

HOSTED BY NEW ORLEANS OWN 504DIVA KALI RED

OPENING ACTS

• Lady Cam
• Pluto
• Da Rapture
• Lil Ace
• K Leavy

MAIN ACTS:

• Celina Lina
• J-City
• Amanda J
• JC-Styles One Nation
• MJ of NOLA
• LUCKyLOU & F.N.S Dance Crew & STV Dancers
• Keedy Black1

In February of 1947 The Joy Theater was opened on the southwest corner of Canal St. and Elks Pl. It was designed by Favrot and Reed architects and completed in 1946. It is an 11,000 sq. ft. building encompassing about 8,500 square feet of auditorium and 2,500 sq.ft. at the upper levels.

It was first a movie palace designed around optimism and economic expansion of post war America. For over a century Canal Street has been a center of commerce in New Orleans and over that century Canal St. and the Joy have grown.

Today the Joy Theater has been rebuilt and completely redone. Reopened in December 2011 the theater is now equipped for live theater and a lot more guests. The Joy now knows how to throw a party with banquet seating available and arrangements capable of handling up to almost 1,000 guests for any type of event you can fit comfortably. They also host all kinds of entertainment now including live theater, live music, comedy shows, and even dance shows.

This theater has come a long way from a single screen film theater to offer the city of New Orleans real exciting entertainment on a higher scale. They also like to book true New Orleans talent to help promote local artists and really embrace true New Orleans culture and help celebrate where the city has come from and represent where it’s going.

From meager beginning, to miraculous rebirths, today the Joy Theater has walked a tough road. But they are doing everything they can to make sure that they are supported by a great event schedule, flexibility for their guests, and reasonable prices to attract everyone to their new routine. This theater has come a long way to ensure that a classic theater from New Orleans can stay alive and thrive in a new age. Don’t forget to check the schedule online and call to reserve for a group or a private event today.

Blue October is coming to the Joy, September 30th of this year and are sure to excite. Tickets start at $32 dollars and there is no age restriction for this event, doors open at 7:00 pm and the show starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets go on sale July 27th at 10 am!

Blue October is a rock band from Houston, Texas formed in 1995. The band was formed by a trifecta of creative minds including the lead singer Justin Furstenfeld, his brother Jeremy, and Ryan Delahoussaye, and they were discovered by Kid Rock’s manager Michael Rand.

Having run through hard times, the band has used their music as a form of empowerment. They have achieved platinum sales with singles like “Hate Me” and “Into The Ocean”. This  partnered with constant touring has solidified the band’s name in the music world. The band has had film and television placements in The Sopranos, Saw III, and NCIS. What they’re bringing down here to New Orleans is “Any Man In America”.

On June 1, 2010 the band announced the beginning of their next studio album. It debuted August 16th, 2011 and they haven’t stopped since. This album is a compilation of trials and tribulations staying strong and coming through as a group to continue to produce something people can enjoy. Just like New Orleans, where life can be a struggle and we can come together to help anyone get through anything, this is a perfect group with a perfect message.

The Joy has had all kinds of New Orleans natives who play all kinds of New Orleans music. Blue October has a great message for New Orleans and it is to be celebrated and enjoyed. This city can relate to hard times and needs to see how there is always a way. I am very excited to see this band at this theater in this city and I won’t miss the show, you shouldn’t either!

The Joy Theater features a state of the art sound and lighting system, new stage, dressing rooms and a flexible seating plan all on the first floor, and the balcony has two hundred and fifty permanent seats.

They are open to receptions, cocktail parties, awards, dinners, or productions, and would love to be the site of your next private party. You can view the specifications and layouts for the different seating arrangements online at the Joy’s website.

The Joy offers both reception seating and banquet seating, having different set ups and capacities as far as your guests are concerned. The reception arrangement can hold up to five hundred and fourteen guests, and the banquet seating can hold one hundred and fifty.

Having featured live music such as Etta James and Percy Sledge, dance shows, and live theater, it is a perfect location for a private event to share between you and your guests. The Joy Theater helps you host a perspective of the city that doesn’t involve copious amounts of alcohol or deafening music, dare it be said that it’s a slightly more sophisticated way to entertain than a standard night on Bourbon St.

Being originally designed in the 1940′s and renovated in 2011, the Joy Theater has brought back an iconic form of “JOY” to New Orleans. There aren’t many feelings better than being lost in live performance, whether it is music, theater, or dance. The Joy offers a unique experience to share with you and your guests and books shows unique to New Orleans, and some developed and which celebrate New Orleans culture.

Having a flexible floor plan and hosting New Orleans talent, there is no reason not to bring your next private event not only to the city of New Orleans, but right here to The Joy Theater.

If you’re an event planner, contact Sandie at 504-331-0722 or email: sales@thejoytheater.com

It was the first movie palace after the depression era, with its first screening of Lover Came Back featuring Lucille Ball. The Joy Theater now offers live music, comedy shows, dance performances, and live theater. If you’re not a native or if you have yet to hear about The Joy Theater we are going to take a look at some of the events they have had to see what might tickle your fancy.

In the past, the theater has had Irma Thomas, a Grammy award winning singer from New Orleans. Also, the Soul Rebels, a seven-piece ensemble mixing the sounds of Mardi Gras funk, soft rock, and reggae.

Live theater has graced the Joy as Glitz took the stage in January; Glitz is a stage production that celebrates the art of female impersonation. Let’s say you prefer the beauty and finesse of dance, the Joy has had two dance presentations: Rick Delaup Presents: The Queens of Burlesque and City of Hope: NOLA Cares.

Although the Joy offers a main-stream variety of shows, since their reopening in December 2011, they’ve had mostly live music: Percy Sledge known for “When a Man Loves a Woman” in January, Cowboy Mouth, who is New Orleans rock and roll, the Little River Band having a modest beginning in Australia sought to conquer the world via America and got a little piece of New Orleans here at the Joy Theater, and much more.

Since December 2011, The Joy Theater has had an array of big hitting acts to liven up New Orleans night life. Here at the theater, they understand that New Orleans isn’t always all about loud nights and morning headaches, and they are here to help. The Joy Theater is yet another wonderful place in the city to bring you and a group of people. Spanning an amazing 10,000 square foot venue, the theater is able to hold up to nine hundred guests. The theater is available for receptions, parties, dinner, or productions. You can view photos of the facility on the theaters website.

New Orleans has always been a city of entertainment and wonder and The Joy Theater was built in the country’s peak of movie attendance for the time. Settled on the corner of Canal St. and Elks Place there was no missing it and today with it’s upgraded tech specs and face life. There’s no need to miss it today.

Standing today, re-opened and back in business, The Joy Theater now comfortably can accommodate 900 guests. If you visit their website (http://www.thejoytheater.com/) you will find that the theater has itself broken down for banquet seating, reception seating, and of course, the theater seating. So, you can see they can handle anything thrown at them.

Brought to the modern day, The Joy Theater is still a standalone building with a fixed stage, but features three permanent bars and flexible floor plans. However, it isn’t just atmosphere the new Joy Theater brings to the table; they also have a completely updated audio/visual system! From speakers that will blow your mind to 42”-70” LCD TV screens The Joy Theater has a very intriguing system that will leave you satisfied. Do not forget lighting, any good stage needs appropriate lighting and The Joy Theater has 95 lighting fixtures, that’s at least one for every ten quests they can bring in.

If you want a blast from the past, The Joy Theater has plenty of pictures from the days of old on their website, but who would not want to have a refreshing evening of live music or stage play in this beautiful new theater. Lights, camera, action, The Joy Theater has it all and having only reopened in December of 2011, they are dying to share it with you. Don’t forget you can find the Joy Theater on Twitter and Facebook, where you can find others’ reviews and of course once you set foot in the theater yourself, share it with the rest of the world.

Tickets starting at $32 for GA and $45 for RSVD Balcony Seats.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, July 27th at 10am.

Internet-only Pre-sale on Ticketmaster starts Wed July 25 at 10AM, password is: ROCK.
Blue October’s seventh full-length studio album, Any Man in America, is a new beginning.

An unexpected and unsettling personal shift sparked the music that would become Any Man in America. Singer Justin Furstenfeld found himself mired in the end of a marriage and a tenuous custody battle that consumed him to the breaking point. Instead of falling further, he turned to the studio and began documenting moments in his life in 2008 as the band was working on their last offering, Approaching Normal. The result is thirteen new songs that tell a cathartic tale of heartbreak and healing through unbridled lyrical honesty, anthemic modern rock hooks, and melodic soundscapes.

“I was separated at the time, and my daughter was in Nebraska while I moved back to Texas alone,” he explains. “I decided to document everything. If I messed up along the way, I’d tell that too.  We called the album my ‘Audio Journal’ as I began writing. I didn’t want the music to just be about me though. I wanted it to help other people in who might be going through the same thing.”

That “Audio Journal” follows the dissolution of his marriage, the horrible fallout that resulted, and the closure that finally came. With the crack of a power chord, a haunting piano melody, or the texture of electronic despair, Blue October builds an immersive and often infectious “real life” emotional roller coaster.

However, the band neglected to simply wallow in the negative aspects of this ride. Rather, the music became a tool of empowerment. Justin goes on, “The most important thing in my life was the birth of my daughter. That changed me into a man. This record is my chance to speak my heart because I never got that opportunity to do that in the court system.  When my world was turned upside down and my daughter was being taken away from me I was being told ‘you know it is not right but you are going to have to accept it.’ In America, the system makes it easier to be a deadbeat father than a man who wants to provide for and love his children.  This is my deposition.” Along the way, his band mates were there for him. Justin wasn’t alone, and that unity makes for richer, fuller music.

“We’re in a band together, but first and foremost, we’re family,” adds his brother and drummer Jeremy. “The album evolved into one man’s journey through a really harsh time, but any man could be put in this situation of being kept away from his family. There’s nothing that you feel like you can do to change it. However, we’ve always been right there for each other to deal with what comes along in life.”

Since 1995, Blue October has been a refuge for its members and fans worldwide. Over the course of five albums, achieving platinum sales with singles like “Hate Me” and “Into The Ocean” along with non-stop touring solidified the band’s presence in the music world. They’ve had high-profile film and TV placements on The Sopranos, Saw III, and NCIS to name a few. Justin was also featured in a unique tour alongside Twilight author Stephanie Meyer in 2008. Plus, they’ve played to fans in nearly every corner of the world. However, it all simply set the stage for Any Man in America.

After two years of Justin documenting and recording the demos of what would become Any Man in America, the band retreated to an Austin, TX studio with mixer and producer Tim Palmer [Grammy award wining mixer for U2’s ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind, David Bowie, Pearl Jam, and Robert Plant].  Co-producing with Justin, Palmer helped the band capture each and every instance that the lyrics describe so vividly. As Justin puts it, “Palmer allowed me the freedom to be that open and honest.” Any Man In America is an album with a beginning, a middle and an end. It’s a “concept” album, except that this is not a concept, it is Furstenfeld’s reality. The story begins with “Feel Again,” a sentimental cry out to a lost love, a wanting for return to the way we were.

The album’s first radio single, “The Chills”, espouses the truthful storytelling that Justin and his band mates hold as paramount. A propulsive backbeat morphs into one of the biggest hooks of Blue October’s career as Justin urges for change in the relationship. The singer exclaims, “I’m pleading, ‘Why do you have to act like that? Why do I always feel these chills?’ Those chills are how you know you love someone. The song is about me trying to prove my love because of those chills.”

After a melancholic orchestral segue and harrowing voicemail messages, the album dips into “The Flight (LNK to MSP).” A heavy dark beat burns underneath a volatile verse colored with searing anger and emotion. The song recounts when Justin received life-changing news while boarding a flight to speak at a suicide prevention event on Capitol Hill.  This news would crush “any man in America.” “The song is a centerpiece for the album, and it was a pivotal point in this four year period. At that moment, I realized I had to think of my daughter’s future first and foremost instead of focusing this relationship,” he says. “I had to write something that got those feelings of rage out so I could stop giving it so much attention.”

The title track also illuminates the band’s evolution. Blue October seamlessly infused nuances of hip-hop into their patented sound, yielding intriguing, infectious tunes. “I’ve always been a fan of smart hip-hop,” declares Justin. “There’s a confidence that comes from rap that definitely inspired me. Artists like Paul Wall, Eminem, Jay-Z and growing up around Houston’s Swishahouse empowered me because they had no fear of speaking their minds. Nobody in rock is that honest. We definitely tried to incorporate that frame of mind on this album.” A chance meeting with Austin/San Antonio poet and rapper Ray C, who had just gone through a similar family experience, led to a guest appearance on the title track to express his personal views on how this subject matter has even touched his
life.

The experimentation didn’t stop there. Certain nights in the studio would lead the band to push the envelope further. Jeremy adds, “We’d put five drummers in a room each with a single drum and do tracks where five guys end up being this huge drum corps. We were able to open up and experiment in this new sound. You can still tell it’s Blue October, but there’s maturity. Justin is talking about super important subject matter that could hopefully be life changing for other people. He’s standing up for this larger purpose, and it’s wonderful.” The album itself leaves off with on an uplifting note with “The Follow Through.” It’s an utterly epic final word that sees some closure for Justin. Patricia Lynn of The Soldier Thread gorgeously delivers the lines “Let me help you live on,” and it’s truly inspiring.

Justin delves deeper into the song, “The last words had to be something positive. I needed to hear a female’s voice saying that. I needed to believe that there is love out there still for my daughter and for everybody. I thought that was really important, and I didn’t want to end with my voice.” The loudest voices will be the audiences everywhere that sing along to these songs with Blue October. Ultimately, that’s who the band continues to write for. The frontman sums everything up, “This happens every day in America. I just want to show you can make it through, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

The Joy Theater opened February 7, 1947 as a movie theater, located on the corner of Canal St. and Elks Place at 1200 Canal St. It was designed by Favrot and Reed Architects and is one of the few remaining examples of the post-war movie palace. Canal St. has been a booming location for commerce in New Orleans for well over a hundred years.

Reopened in December of 2011 the Joy Theater now serves as a multipurpose entertainment venue completely recast and ready to serve New Orleans. Everything about the Joy is new and exciting, and coming from being a single screen movie palace to now hosting live music, comedy shows, and live theater. It has so much more to offer the exciting and always growing community of New Orleans. Canal St. today hosts so much more than just shops including: The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, The Saint Hotel, the rehabilitated Joy Theater, and the Astor Crowne Plaza. Prize hotels only add to the richness of New Orleans style and being expertly located, serve New Orleans tourism on a silver platter. Entertainment, food, drinks, people, and the unique culture of the city, everything you could want, are within walking distance

One of the main points of entertainment on Canal St., the Joy Theater, is certainly doing what it can to keep up with the times. Having closed permanently in 2003 it has been reintroduced! To quote The Joy’s website, “This ain’t your Grandparent’s move theater. Hell, it ain’t even a movie theater.”

Featuring: Theresa Andersson and Mrs. Magician

Saturday, June 23
@ 9:00pm -11:00pm
The French Quarter

Complete your night of Grub Crawling with Bon Appétit with an exclusive live concert by Mrs. Magician and opening act Theresa Andersson.

Theresa Andersson is a stunning vocalist and a talented multi-instrumentalist, Theresa Andersson is best known for her live shows, where she crafts complexly layered songs using a bevy of drums, stringed instruments, and looping pedals. The Swedish-born, New Orleans-based soul singer has received acclaim from The New York Times, MTV, SPIN, Paper Magazine, and more. Her latest record Street Parade is a lush, joyful, and sometimes melancholy ode to they city she has called “home” for nearly 20 years. It reflects a dreamy Nordic pop sensibility firmly rooted in and influenced by the warm gospel and soul sounds that drew the artist to New Orleans in the first place.

Mrs. Magician hails from the pilings of various San Diego piers. Like those pilings, their sound is encrusted with salty hooks drenched in waves of reverb and barnacled fuzz. Ghostly harmonies slither and shimmer together with weirdly beautiful hooks, souped-up surf sounds, and a solid wall of reverb. Their new album Strange Heaven incorporates the sunny, beachside energy expected of San Diego natives, but this quartet arrives with a shocking amount of spunk, distinguishing them as a band who’s willing to show us the dark side of their California roots, too. The result is a timely and hopefully timeless artifact. With sold-out shows across the West Coast, the band will bring their magic to the New Orleans Bon Appétit Grub Crawl.

Featuring: Midnite (100% Roots Reggae), Dead Prez & The Hot 8 Brass Band

Ticket Office opens at 10 pm
Music begins at midnight
Box Office closes at 3 a

11:59pm-12:45am: The Hot 8 Brass Band
1am-3:30am: MIDNITE
3:45am-4:45am: Dead Prez & The Hot 8 Brass Band

Midnite is a roots reggae band hailing from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which has been playing since 1989. The band’s music follows in tradition with the roots reggae bands of 1970s Jamaica. The lyrical portions of Midnite’s compositions are characterized as the “chant and call” style which gives their music a spiritually intense and an overtly Rastafari movement feel. The lyrics are centrally focused on the plights of the oppressed, the inherent faults of the current political, economic and social settings on a global scale, and the redemption available to mankind through a life dedicated to Jah.

Doors at 9 PM, Show to begin at 10 PM

General Admission: $35.00

The Preservation Hall Crescent City Revue is a Jazz Band that derives its name from Preservation Hall, the venerable music venue located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. The band has traveled worldwide spreading their mission to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans Jazz. Preservation Hall  continues with a deep reverence and consciousness with music that embodies a joyful, timeless spirit.

We are thrilled to announce the second show of our annual Superfly During Jazzfest Concert Series! Preservation Hall Crescent City Revue featuring Preservation Hall and Friends (with VERY SPECIAL GUESTS) will perform on Saturday, May 5th at the brand new Joy Theatre, located in downtown New Orleans on Canal Street. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the band, and this special gig will be substantially different from the Preservation Hall shows that has made the club of the same name so famous. Coming off a star studded 50th anniversary performance at Carnegie Hall in NYC, which featured Allen Toussaint, Del McCoury, My Morning Jacket, and many others, Preservation Hall is taking their 50th anniversary seriously, and this special show will feature a multitude of VERY special guests that will help the band celebrate in Jazzfest style.

The newly re-opened Joy Theatre is NOLA’s newest music venue, located on Canal Street in the bustling and famous downtown area of New Orleans. Having been in existence from 1947 – 2003, the Joy has since undergone a multi million dollar renovation and now features a state of the art sound and lighting system that cater to the frequent concert goer and music aficionado.

Tickets go on-sale Thursday, March 29th at Noon EST via Ticketmaster.

Preservation Hall Crescent City Revue featuring Preservation Hall and Friends

Special Guests to be Announced!

Monday April 09, 2012

7:30PM

Performers from Disney’s THE LION KING, will come together to present an amazing evening of music and dance that includes 18 different numbers in a musical revue with song, dance, and spoken word. The collaborative event will be hosted by New Orleans radio personality John “Spud” McConnell and will feature live music by Theresa Andersson as well as performances by Mudhoney Dance Collective.

Audience members will have a chance to enjoy unique performances, a live auction for one-of-a-kind autographed Lion King merchandise, and a raffle for a grand prize.

Rick Delaup and the New Orleans Burlesque Festival present a special evening with the Queen of Burlesque titleholders, Perle Noire (2009), Coco Lectric (2010), and Ginger Valentine (2011). These bombshell beauties competed for the title among the world’s top burlesque dancers at the New Orleans Burlesque Festival, one of the top burlesque festivals in the world.

These award-winning acts will be accompanied by a live traditional jazz band! Burlesque superstars Lola van Ella, plus Miss Stormy Gayle, Athena, and Nathan Kepner & Morgan Tsu-Raun round out the cast to give you a stellar show featuring the very best in burlesque today! Get your tickets now for this event before they’re all gone!

Through NOLAFW, NOLA Fashion Council aims to create opportunity and exposure for both established and up-and-coming Southern based (or born) designers while making an economic and artistic impact on the fashion industry. Biannually, NOLAFW showcases designer talent in Runway Shows and Presentations, offers industry-based Educational Workshops and provides a Fashion Market to both designers and artisans.

NOLAFW promotes New Orleans as the artistic and fashion-forward venue that it already – perfect for editorial coverage. By highlighting the rebirth of the city, all of its amenities and culture, we are helping to put the city on the map as a destination for global Fashion, Entertainment and Art industry events.

To date, LRB’s success in Australia had been modestly in keeping with the band’s place in Australian music history — respected but not totally embraced. The single from the new album, Glenn Shorrock’s “Help Is on Its Way,” changed that. Another important hit in America, in Australia it went all the way to number one. The album sold gold in America, the first time an Australian act had achieved such a feat. It was followed by Sleeper Catcher, again produced by Boylan, the first album recorded in Australia to sell over a million copies in the U.S. This time, LRB’s greater success was in America, with the single “Reminiscing” becoming a number three hit. This was the song John Lennon confessed he made love to during his “long weekend” separation from Yoko Ono.

Cowboy Mouth is New Orleans rock n’ roll. Annually presenting roughly 150 shows, releasing nearly a dozen records, and featured on TV shows and radio stations everywhere, Cowboy Mouth has been seen and heard by millions of fans worldwide. For more than 15 years, the members of Cowboy Mouth have preached and shouted at the top of their lungs the joys of being alive and the joys of being in and from New Orleans, sharing a slice of Mardi Gras heaven with fans around the world. As frontman Fred LeBlanc has said,”If The Neville Brothers and The Clash had a baby, it would be Cowboy Mouth.”

The band’s 11 album releases include two records on MCA, one on Atlantic and several on their own Cowboy Mouth Records label. So far, the band has enjoyed domestic sales of over 500,000 units. But the album sales pale in comparison to the number of tickets the band sells to their live events. Cowboy Mouth shows are legendary, and have been witnessed by more than 9 million fans to date. Always on the road, they’ve toured several times with their friends in Hootie and the Blowfish, BareNaked Ladies, Sister Hazel and Better Then Ezra as well as other well known supporting acts.

Crowd participation is a must at a Cowboy Mouth show. Led by Fred’s larger-than-life presence, the band’s performances are high-energy and extraordinarily intense, usually leaving audiences as drenched and spent as the band. Cowboy Mouth fans range from ages five to age eighty-five, but they have one thing in common – as Fred confides to the audience, “Cowboy Mouth is about pretending that you’re five years old, naked as a jaybird and about to turn the hose on your parents, and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it.”

Jodi Borrello
A stand-up comedian who is a regular with Budd Friedman’s The Improv, and a favorite at Harrah’s in Las Vegas.

Bianca Del Rio (Roy Haylock), the irreverent “Bitch” of New Orleans and New York, introduces you to her glamorous friends… Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Carol Channing, Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Mary J. Blige, Cher and recent additions – Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse.

Their performances will deceive you. You never know what Bianca will say, and your eyes won’t believe what you see. A night of fabulous entertainment awaits. Come and see for yourself – because seeing is believing. Maybe.

Get Glitzed!

Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James.

Lance Ellis is a bandleader, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, producer, videographer, actor and entrepreneur just to name a few of his talents. Lance has shared the stage with and has lent his unique talents to the legendary 70′s funk/soul band WAR, the original Meters, Neville Brothers, Mem Shannon, keyboardist Art Neville, Funky Meter bassist George Porter Jr. and Zydeco rhythm & blues master Chubby Carrier to name a few.

In addition to his two solo CD’s, he appears on a number of other recordings by his fellow New Orleans musicians. Lance is the consummate entertainer; he has a vibe that makes everyone smile. His unmatched musical talent is only enhanced by his onstage presence, involving the audience and making the music come alive.