We're not in Lafayette anymore Toto?!

Standing inside any of the Buchanan Lofts in Downtown Lafayette & that's how you feel--like you're "not" in Lafayette, Louisiana anylonger?! Instead you're in say some Scandinavian or Euro Loft apartment, but for sure not in a hotel? even a boutique hotel/apt - these rooms are like living the Loft Life w/o actually owning or remodeling or decorating one?!

I don't know who Leah Simon is but the decorating she did in these is Absolutely Fabulous?! And I want to see more, will get my chance next at the Grand Opening coming up--YeeHah?!

This past Friday I got a sneak peek inside the Buchanan Lofts after a long wait, so many days at Americas Coffeehouse under them having Floyd make me my usual (a cross between a Machiato & a Cortado - which is what I use to order back in Stavanger, Norway for the last 2 years until I had to repatriate--again?!)

Many a day I would ask Floyd--Are they done yet?! And there's going to be a door where? into your coffee house from their lobby--I can't wait?! Not to mention I'd love to be walking in from over there, as if I were a guest of the Lofts right?! (one day - or when I have guests of my own who will come to stay here...another can't wait?!)

We were ending up our Social Media Breakfast meet up when Jaci with The Russo Group says: "Who wants a tour of the lofts?" I felt like saying "I do, I do, I do?!" like a little excited kid who's been asked do you want a double decker chocolate ice cream cone with sprinkles on top--Y-E-S?!

On their last day of construction & what looks like a lot of details left in the lobby as they were still making a lot of noise putting up the exterior lights, whilst we were trying to have our meet up too mind you (most of us were lucky & didn't yell out talking inbetween the silences of electricians working with drills or whatever else of higher decibles?!) We got to step carefully past it & up the lime green stairway to the 8 lofts above...

Although we didn't get to see them all, what we did see was as if we were walking thru a Loft Catalog of nearly ever element you'd love to see in a loft that you'd live in--to think you can stay in these overnight or over the weekend or longer is just mind boggling these days & here of all places?!

Me with my ExPat/Traveler eyes on still after only repatriating 3 months ago back to the US from Norway I keep thinking I'm on a trip somewheres & not to Lafayette, Louisiana either?!

So many little decorating details catch my eye, an antique or a stainless something or a piece of art or wallpaper strips that don't match but do or bare old red bricks or on & on this list could go...

What use to be an old Abdallas Dept store - which I do remember these from like the first time I lived here, going on my third time now - they have repurposed/recycled a lot & it's great to see that...

Love Jaci's story about the fur closet of Abdallas being repurposed into the backboard wall for one of the bed's in one Loft especially...thinking I'm sure Leah, who we're told decorated it all could tell us so many more - Jaci (Russo) also told us Leah (Simon) probably had all these great finds stuffed away in warehouse storage for a year or was it years getting ready to use them all in these 8 Lofts plus the Marquis Suite?!

I never thought we'd get to see that space too, but down the stairs we go & across in front of Americas Coffeehouse & back up the outside metal stairs to the Marquis Suite of the Buchanan Lofts that you can also rent out - though Leah has been living there while the rest of the Lofts were being done & decorated...

All of which I find out are Pet Friendly, as her big friendly puffball of a dog follows us up the stairs - am thinking how great is that too?! Having traveled through a lot of Europe watching so many folks traveling with their pets & knowing that when I did travel back here in the US on trips with a little dog even it was a huge expensive hassle in most cases...

Now the energy in the other Lofts was something, but to top that in this Marquis Suite/Loft was just Fabulous?! Again like walking thru some designer loft catalog, but I don't know how she does it--one that you feel comfortable in, like you could curl up on the sofa by the hanging fireplace or sit at the cypress wood dining table & have a fun meal with family & friends...

Of course the food coming out of the industrial modern kitchen would be Fantastic too - later I'll read that you can rent the space out & have the Chef from Tsunami's from downstairs come cook a meal (did I read that right, will have to go back & find that article to be sure now?!)

Walk out on the inside patio, stepping over the ledge as if you're in a New York Condo (I've only seen them on TV of course) to the smoothed cement floor to look out these huge rectangles cut out of the brick work & wonder how they did that, but can imagine sitting here with an espresso in my hand having late night conversations with the sounds of downtown Lafayette off a short distance...

Back inside notice an ocean waves view of what I think at first is a painting on a wall, when we're told it's from a photo taken when Leah was on an island in Hawaii that Vinyl (a once shop in RiverRanch they tell me) put on this canvas to hang like art - which is so fun, only sadly I hear they closed their shop (what bad timing for me then to return now--had in mind a whirlwind tour of photos in my head from past travels that could of done this with?!)

The ideas go on & just pour out of Leah like glitter?! Passing her desk she says it's on the IKEA Hackers page (maybe she submitted the photo) & I'm thinking OK I know IKEA but they have Hackers? & they do what? I guess they are a group that supports taking all things IKEA & making them into a bit different/other things - so say this desk instead of the legs going on the edges on either side of the top, as most would, they go inside at an angle to make a triangle underneath it instead...

Writing this I remember I wanted to go see what they have photos of on their webpage - because I've shopped at IKEA a lot & especially loved the store in Stavanger, Norway (am still kinda bummed that I'll be missing out on the new Gianormous IKEA that was going to open up in Forus - which I saw the sign for & read about, but knew I would probably not be there for their Grand Opening & could hardly imagine them making one bigger/better than the one they already had?!)

Just a small fraction of the ideas this creative beautiful woman has put into these Buchanan Lofts - I don't know which I'm more excited about, seeing the Lofts or meeting Leah?! Thank you Jaci?!

Walking out we hear again that they're suppose to be done that same day by 2 or was it 3:00pm to have their first guest?! I would love to see who that is, they should take photos...And too that they're nearly booked for International Festival, which for Lafayette that's end of the month of April already?! I am not surprised at all...

No April Fools--best Interior Spaces I've been in while in Lafayette, LA?! Now can't wait to attend the Grand Opening & hopefully will remember my camera & maybe be allowed to take a few photos...

Later I will Tweet Jaci to say she's lucky to get to take photos for the Opening & I'm thinking it could be an art/photo class for ULL students to come to the Buchanan Lofts to take photos - so many modern design interiors decorating compositions/portfolios they could make there (if only I knew how to use a real camera real well I'd be among them?!)

Then Jaci Tweets back to say we're all invited to the Grand Opening & I'm thinking Oh Yeah--another chance to see those lofts again...soon after daydreaming what it would be like to live in them, could I ever afford the daily/weekly/monthly rate to do just that - if I get an inheritance or win some lottery or sell all & just move in?! (sigh) Until then will just have to go visit & often, if I can get away with it for any reason what so ever?! Please, please, please...(I'm back to childlike excitement, if you could hear me?!)

Come on Toto let's go check in at the Buchanan Lofts--maybe the Marquis Suite will be open?!

(photo note: tabletop decor borrowed from amazon.com listing, photo by Kurt Adler - if I should give credit, but I'm sure there's a Dorothy Doll with Toto too somewheres else?!)

Links following to all things Buchanan Lofts that I could find while Googling madly to find out what I was missing & if I could possibly budget in a weekend to check in for real?!
(could not figure out how to copy any other photos except one from their holding page for the webpage to come, but will keep trying?!)


Buchanan Lofts - holding page, more to come
(& I hope soon, with more photos too?! now am hearing next week--Yeah?!)
http://www.buchananlofts.com/

Dwell magazine blog - from a visit to LA-ab & LSU graduate students in Architecture with Jim Sullivan their professor who designed the Marquis Suite at Buchanan Lofts

(if I understand what he wrote correctly)

http://www.dwell.com/slideshows/la-ab-and-lsu.html?slide=2&c=y&paused=true

VRBO from Home Away

(enjoyed the comments there - "not your mother's loft" & another fav quote: "If you want to commute quietly with nutrias, then keep looking..." This is so Cajun, I can just imagine it being said - also I know what a Nutria is, big ugly rat that looks more like a beaver to me?!)

http://www.vrbo.com/310776

from Buchanan Street Happenings - Marquis Suites
(I realize I have not met Michele & Sean Ezell who they mention as being a part of this revitalization of the upper warehouse space in downtown Lafayette - but am guessing when I met a lady out front watching the electrictians working, who said Leah was her sister that did all that design work upstairs which I was gushing about to her--that Michele may be Leah's sister, could be wrong but will find out am hoping yet during future visits of the Lofts?!)
http://www.downtownlafayette.org/Files/Press/Summer2010Newsletter.pdf

am guessing this is a Wedding link, being called Wedding Websit & under Out of Towners there's a How to Get Here & Recommended Hotels...sounds like someone's got family/friends coming into town hoping these Lofts will be ready & open for their Wedding party to stay at end of May - their other 2 choices noted were the boutique hotel downtown, The Juliet Hotel or the Hilton Garden Inn...
(if I had a vote, would be for Buchanan Lofts & I'd say Book Now?!)

http://ws3.ewedding.com/v30/links.php?a=alisondave

More great photos here of the Marquis Suite - even the dog, aww--she's such a fluffy furball...
(I agree the coolest place in Lafayette & all I got to do was visit so far?!)
http://www.corporatehousingbyowner.com/6748

this is the coolest place you'll ever stay in. comfortable, spacious, 60" HD tv with satellite, high speed fiber, outside patio, laundry room, and many more details. adjacent to an 8 room loft hotel

-Leah Simon

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End of my Googling Search list & photos--so far...

There will be more of course after the Ribbon Cutting (this Friday) & Grand Opening (April 14th am told) too, if I get to steal away & snap some sneaky shots?! Mwah hah hah...

(you may not know this about me, but normally I don't get all that worked up about interiors or decorating or even as a long time traveler overseas a room for the night--but these are so different & so fun & have just so much great energy in them & as well I've been lusting to live in a Loft for a lot of years...it feeds that need is all I can say right now, sorry?!)

Cast of Characters:









Jaci Russo - The Russo Group
http://www.therussogroup.com/
(plus find her on Facebook & Twitter & Linked In & what ever else constitutes Social Media--if it does then I'm sure she/they are there?!)

or for the Razor Branding Blog of Jaci's/The Russo Group go here...
http://www.therussogroup.com/razor-branding-blog/bid/37193/First-Friday-Social-Media-Breakfast







Leah Simon - Buchanan Lofts
http://www.buchananlofts.com/
(watch for more of her there when they get everything up & running, soon I'm sure...next week I'm hearing thru the Twitter Grapevine, so will be checking in to find out - or she's over on Twitter, look for her there @Leah600)

And a little blast from the past about Leah - from Rock 'n Roll to Sushi...
http://www.businessreport.com/news/2006/jun/06/leah-simon-co-owner-tsunami/
(besides St. Thomas Moore High School--the things you find a Googling?!)

Or this one from Elle Decor Magazine (previously in Metropolitan Home) - about her updating a mid-century ranch house in Baton Rouge...
http://www.elledecor.com/image/tid/5139?page=8&pause=1
(what her designer said there is so true--people love the vibe in her restaurant & you just feel comfortable in her home?! I'm thinking the same is true of these new lofts in Lafayette as well...)

Be sure to check out the Resources page for her house if you're into Design, because you can buy what's in the photos (of course for a price?!)
http://www.elledecor.com/met-home/met-home_november_2009_resources?page=0,9

Floyd Willis
Owner/Barista Americas Coffee House - Lafayette, LA
find him on Facebook for now www.facebook.com/floydwillis.flw
(am hoping he'll start up a webpage & include all his great photos of America too - or a book?!)

Other links of mention...

IKEA Hackers--they take IKEA furniture to a new level (of their own?!)
http://www.ikeahackers.net/
(no, I did not find Leah's desk in there--way too much else to be distracted by, so had to jump out...another time?!)

Adopt a Mardi Gras Krewe des Chiens King...Che-Che?!

Che-Che Krewe des Chiens King of IHS (Iberia Humane Society)

I saw him at the Doggie Parade & took his pic--now I find you can adopt him...
but want to know if you get his crown/cape if you adopt him too?!

Petfinder Adoptable Dog Link...
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18816968

Self proclaimed King Che-Che enjoyed being carried during the Krewe des Chiens parade!! 
What a ham!! He is about 6 to 8 years old, and is such a nice boy. 
He is the door greater at our facility, and loves napping with the cats in the baskets with blankets. 
Che-Che was found down a busy highway and was brought in, so we really have no history on him. 
He is neutered, had a dental and is ready for his forever home!


Iberia Humane Society Link...
http://iberiahumane.com/

Throw it to the Dogs Mister?!

Mardi Gras Parade Schedule 2011 - Lafayette, LA

Weekend Before Mardi Gras...
Friday - Krewe of Rio Parade
(also known as the NewOrleans Parade - after Katrina et al)
Saturday - Krewe des Chiens/Doggie Parade

Weekend of Mardi Gras...
Friday - Night Parade
Saturday - Kid's Parade
Lundi Gras - Queen's Parade - March 7th
Mardi Gras - King's Parade - Independent Parade - March 8th
(totally worn out & again with the weather, skipped these day of parades?!)

Photos to remember the parades by following:

Krewe des Chiens...

Krewe des Chiens - The King, Tug
(does he look royal in his attitude or what - he'll also turn
his head here to the left & then slowly to the right...as if
he's doing a parade wave to the crowds of his adoring subjects?!)

Queen des Chiens--Cookie...
can ya' see her out the back in her cape & crown (oh my?!)

Best Mardi Gras sign at the Doggie Parade...
"You Throw Like a Cat"
(of course lots of beads were thrown his way?!)

Best Dressed Doggie owner at Krewe des Chiens Parade...

Usually this is the type costume the Chicken Runners wear,

another story--another parade, but they ride horses & chase chickens...

Now I know for sure that Cupcakes are a big thing back in the US...

Here is one of a pair of Cupcake Pooches, the other actually walking in the Doggie Parade?!

Yes the 'real' King was also at the Krewe des Chiens Parade...

Elvis was of course in the Costume Contest before the Doggie Parade began?!



what can I say--weirdest woman's costume in the Doggie Parade?!

absolutely the scariest Doggie Parade owner costume, not hers -

the ringmasteress...but him--'the' Clown (from like Outer Space?!)

I'd say "keep walking & throw me nuthin' mister?!"

Court Jester - Fergus...

It's so obvious he would be the Jokester of the court,

perched on his green pillow - you just had to laugh...

Yes, there is a full court here today & the past court too -

there was as well a dress ball to follow for the Krewe des Chiens (of course?!)

loads of decorated wagons for the non-paraders & also the non-court pups...

while the court of the Krewe were in cars or on floats, with their human pages?!

best parade riding pooch, who looks like could of paraded...

but oh so cute in kiddie car instead right?!

some royalty walked with their subjects, her tirara is slipping...

where's a good page when you need them these days?!

HRH - Prince Harry...was also in attendance at Krewe des Chiens Parade?!

(these are all obviously Brits in their blue t-shirts)

now finally there's a good page--carrying his royal Chien,

in the Krewe des Chiens Parade?! (they represent the

Iberia Human Society, duh?!)

local radio station--The Dawg 97.3

How could they "not" be in the Doggie Parade right?!

Super Chi was in the crowd, watching the Krewe des Chiens Parade...

(his partner up in arms was named TiraMissSue - think Italian desserts?!)

End of my Day with the Dogs on the Streets...

A lot of fun, maybe the best of all the Mardi Gras parades & hardly any beads to show for it either?!

Having been outta the country for 2 yrs & also outta the nearly a foreign country within the US,

aka Southern Louisiana, for even more years - I was determined to attend all the parades for the 2 weekends before/during Mardi Gras here in Lafayette...compared to New Orleans that goes for like 2 whole weeks I think, we did not drive the 2 hrs over for their parades either when these are like a 5 min. drive to downtown?!

And I do not ever remember there being a Doggie Parade before, so this was a great unexpected

fun crazy day of surprises for sure for me?!

More parade photos to follow next post & a video too--

Next up, Throw it to Norway Mister?!



YouTube Video: Soledad Barrio y Juan Ogalla in Joinville, Brasil 2010

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Soledad Barrio y Noche Flamenca - performance Heymann Arts Center
January 26, 2011

Sample Video to see them in motion....

YouTube Link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8lmmQq6nXE&feature=player_embedded

Flamenca not Flamingo

Flamingo

(photo from: It'sNature.org)

Flamenca

(painting by George Owen Wynne Apperley, from OceansBridge.com)

Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca

About Noche Flamenco

award winning

most sucessful touring company

formed in 1993, regularly tours the globe

regular seasons in NYC

(note: once seen in NY was brought to Lafayette, LA for this show?!)

critics hail as transcendent & deeply emotional performances

recognized as the most authentic flamenco touring co in the field

bringing to the stage the essence, purity & integrity of one of the world's most complex,

mysterious art forms w/o the use of tricks or gimmicks

all aspects of flamenco are interrelated & given equal weight in the presentation;

dance, song & music - creating a true communal spirit w/in the company...

the heart & soul of flamenco

(see their webpage...

http://www.nocheflamenca.net/engindex.php )

January 26, 2011 7:30 pm
"Fiery Footwork. Virtuosic Guitar."
PASA & Chevron presented at Heymann Performing Arts Center
"If they can warm up NY, they can Set Acadiana on Fire"

see webpage link... http://www.pasaonline.org/
PASA = Performing Arts Society of Acadiana

Monday, Jan 24 - Film presentation, UL
Wednesday, Jan 26 - Guitar & Dance masterclass, UL
Wednesday, Jan 26 - Pre-show talk, Heymann

Castanets in hand (not in this performance?!)

Note: arrived early, tried to sit in open area upstairs outside balcony doors
& listen to the speaker with his slide show, just could not hear...
watching slides in the end & noticed the castanets in hands were missing -
curious that when in Spain we had watched a Flamengo show with them,
as well as fans & long ruffled skirts & large black combs in the hair...
all of which I imagine is more traditional than this evenings performance,
where all of these were missing....

Soledad

Soledad Barrio - Dancer

born in Madrid

performed solo & with many other companies

thru out Europe, Japan & North/South America

with many artists & has won awards from over 12 diff countries

for her excellence in dance recently received a "Bessie" award

for Outstanding Creative Achievement

founding member of Noche Flamenca

married to the Artistic Director

have 2 daughters

Note: that last part blew me away, if you could see her dance & her all over tone,

you'd wonder how could she have had 2 babies & look/move like this still

link to YouTube Video, to see for yourselves...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8lmmQq6nXE&feature=player_embedded

(note: will post separately - since don't know how to add w/in the text here...)

Bailaora

painting by Franciso R. Sanchez Clement

Note: I use to have a white ruffled dress like this, my G-ma (bless her ever loving stitchery heart) made me a Flamenca dress out of old white sheets for an Elementary School Class Dance Presentation - I loved that dress, I cannot dance...no matter, I could pretend to my hearts content & did?!

Brief History of Flamenco

...conditions of Andalucian (region in Southern Spain) singer of the past made it inevitable that he/she should dwell on the more tragic aspects of existence...feelings inherent in the cante (song) are universal & timeless...represent a link between past & present.

...strong musical tradition documented from ancient times...thruout centuries Andalucia absorbed peoples of different cultures & backgrounds...As far as flamenco...most significant arrival...15th century...tribes of nomadic Gypsies settled in southern Spain.

Historian Felix Grande writing about life in the 15th, 16th & 17th centuries stated: "...if we do not relate the music...to brutality, repression, hunger, fear, menace, inferiority, resistance & secrecy, then we shall not find the reality of cante flamenco...it is a storm of exasperation & grief."

...earlier records suggest flamenco was at one time unaccompanied, it is hard ...to imagine flamenco w/o a guitar....underlying rhythmic structure...the compas...complex syncopation against the compas, w/the cante being sung almost entirely off the beat & the guitarist maintaining the rhythm, adding further to the syncopation...the singer is at liberty to improvise...guitarist (toque - guitar playing) may not beforehand...

...guitar has an exceptionally long history in Spain...the lute...popular in the rest of Europe...rejected in Spain as a foreign intrusion since it was of Arab origin...(guitar) most suited to the accompaniment of ballads by strumming...lute...picked more delicately...cheaper (guitar) to produce & more robust.

...19th century...2 types of singing in Andalucia...cante gitano of the Gypsies & the cante andaluz...

2 styles together...resulted in the cante flamenco as it has come to us-the end product being...greater than the sum of its parts.

...wail of the cante jondo (deep song) resembles the mournful chant...it't poetry has the existentialist angst & philosophical questioning common in Arabic poetry...the dance...suggests the repetitive key symbol prevalent in Islam, the trance inducing rhythms of Africa...

...establishments appeared...dedicated wholly to the performance of flamenco...known as cafes cantantes, coffee theatres, where refreshment...enjoyed while watching the performance...heyday passed by the 1920's...

Dance has always been associated with flamenco...difficult to imagine this music w/o movement...the raw un-choreographed dances of Andalusian Gypsies...has maintained the art form in its most creative essence...

link to their webpage, to read it for yourselves...

http://www.nocheflamenca.net/engflamenco.php



photo by Andrea Mohin/The New York Times.com

Program -

performed by the company at Heymann Center...

Solo de Guitarra

ALBA

Solea por Bulerias

Seguiriya

- Intermission -

Refugiados

Solea

Esta Noche No Es Mi Dia

*program subject to change

(note: it was, but I cannot tell you which number they skipped & which they added)

Spectacular Images that I wish I could of Photographed or Video'd from this Performance...

Lighting - in spots or from off stage, right or left, as if in a dimly lit cafe...

Staging - groups of chairs or canes...

Sounds of clapping, by 2 hands that sounded like many...

Guitar with clapping & shoe heels tapping the wooden stage floor & staccato of voices singing or once canes against the wood...

Capturing the full out emotion of the singing along with the tight movements of both male or female dancers, all w/o me knowing much Spanish & it was all in Spanish...

Soledad - was once told by a Portuguese about this feeling, solitude or loneliness, looked it up on Wiki, tried to comprehend it...but watching this evening of performance of Soledad Barrio y Noche Flamenca explained it all very well...(added bonus that her name is Soledad - which I didn't know it could be used as a name until now)

Soledad, the word, from Wikipedia link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soledad

Soledades, the poem, by Luis de Gongora, from Wikipedia link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soledades

Gongora: Soledades...the book...LookInside...pag xii...Synopsis...

http://www.amazon.com/Gongora-Soledades-Luis-Gbongora-Argote/dp/1853995339#reader_1853995339

Synopsis

In the 1st Soledad a young man - a 'stranger' or 'pilgrim' - is shipwrecked, after being banished (from the Court?) by the woman he had dared to love. He lands on a remote shore.  The poem describes his journey through an idealised countryside.  He stays the night with some goatherd & next day meets a large party on their way to a wedding. He accompanies them, & the Soledad ends with the celebrations.  The narrative is interrupted at various points: by the stranger's verses in praise of country life, by the old man leading the wedding party, who delivers a tirade against overseas greed & exploitation, & by songs at the wedding.

The 2nd Soledad follows a similar pattern, but here the journey is by boat along a seashore & the stranger spends a night with a family who live on an offshore island.  Again there are 2 interruptions: by the young man, by the father of the family & by 2 of his daughters' suitors.  The stranger continues by boat the next day & sees a palace on the shore, from which a hawking party is just setting out.  The hawking is described in detail & the poem ends, not with the bang of the 1st Soledad, but with the whimper of chicks running to the hens for protection from attacking raptors.

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(Frog) Chorus: Brekekekex ko-ax ko-ax

Aristophanes -The Frogs revisted, not the Greek's version, followed by the staged Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, not the short/interent film...a double bill of one act original musicals, in 2 hrs - of so much fun didn't notice the time passing & that was actually watching 2 plays?!

In the orginal Greek version there are 2 Greeks in the War of the Words: Aeschylus & Euripides, while in this revist (adaption) by Cody Daigle the Battle of the Genius is between: George Bernard Shaw & William Shakespeare (study up on those plays/dialogs before reading/watching to better grasp the tit for tat dualing between these two...)

I was well surprised & to think in Lafayette too at the Cite des Arts on Vine - parked for 5 bucks when the show only went for 8 bucks, also bought a lapel pin to help the cause (after watching I'm glad I did both, bought a pin & a ticket...)

Me sitting up high in the dark recesses on my own overlooking the simple stage, the young actors & very little stage props or costumes were involved yet still captivating - which is how theater should be I'm thinking, am too thought what this musical would like like in London's Theater District (as I have only been to one show there, Wicked - which was just that, again wicked fun...)

The (Frog) Chorus.."Brekekekex ko-ax ko-ax"
(esp liked the big round green goggles & the stance of the froggie performers, not to mention this great sound for a frog chorus - besides the rest of the fun musical score by Roy Bertucci?!)

Photo Credits - borrowed from local theater blog with more photos, go check ém out too (since figured they would not like me copying all of them probs)...
http://acadianatheatrehappenings.blogspot.com/


Also Photo Credit of green show bill - from, local Newspaper Article: On Stage by Cody Daigle...
http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20101230/ACADIANA02/12280342/On-Stage

The Chorus in a more serious, dressed in white moment...

Read more here about the original Greek version of Aristophanes The Frogs - I had to buy a Greek Drama paperback book (by Bantam/Dell) to read it, couldn't find it online...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frogs

Of course now I bought the book & read the play, "then" I find it to read online...so you can too - here:

http://www.greektexts.com/library/Aristophanes/The_Frogs/eng/244.html

Read more about the original July 2008 film/internet Dr. Horrible...on Wikipedia (of course)...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Horrible's_Sing-Along_Blog
Note: iTunes Store has the music & there's a CD too (must go look for that next) - Oh my & DVD/Blu Ray as well...(how did I miss all this multi-media fun?!)

Orig banner - from Wikipedia

Another Note from reading Wiki: Who knows there may be a sequel for Dr. Horrible too?! Now for them to get Neil Patrick Harris off his TV series - How I Met Your Mother to play in it as Dr. Horrible once again...

Dr. Horrible & Captain Hammer on stage at Cite des Arts - Lafayette, LA

Note: will add more from the double plays program when I can return to the Americas Coffeehouse with free WiFi & a real good attempt at a Cortado...mmm...

OK--make that Coffee Cottage in the Oil Center instead (mixing it up...)

Director's Note: (from said double bill program)

"From the start, it has been the theater's business to entertain people...it needs no other passport than fun." Bertolt Brecht

"Both shows speak to loftier things, yes. The Frogs concerns itself with the challenges of change and the power of Art. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog looks at the price of ambition and the difficulty of forging connections in the world of the World Wide Web.

But the real connective tissue between these two shows is a belief that the theater is at its most powerful when it entetains. When it aims for joy. When it speaks from the heart...

...We hope the shows entertain you; and, as one of the characters in The Frogs sings, "If one of you should leave tonight/with something in your heart/we have done what we have come to do."

No more, no less.
Enjoy the show,
Cody Daigle

Note: Again borrowed the Director's Note from the program, thank you AUI/AURA?!