Hi Team,
Some of the theatres I've contacted in the past few weeks have gotten back to me, and some have not, so I'll just post some of what I've found out so far so that you can incorporate the useful bits into your script and installation planning ideas.

Basically I'm on a mission to find out about the regeneration of theatre attendance in NOLA and it seems to have been vibrant and enthusiastic. The highlights include:

Le Chat Noir Cabaret
This is a little off our beaten path but as Shelley's been posting about Storyville, I thought the first theatre I would tell y'all about should be a Cabaret in keeping with the theme. Here are some clips from my conversation with "Sue" at Le Chat Noir:

During the time that we are there, they have Steve Ross on, who is a great show and you can find out more about that on their website (http://www.cabaretlechatnoir.com/performances.html). There's a great restaurant called "Herb Saint" nearby which Sue recommends...
but more to the point, they had a show the Saturday night before the hurricane hit. The water came within a half of a block of the theatre but the building sustained no damage. On the Sunday they came in and
"bagged up the piano like a gift"
and the theatre was closed until the last week of October. When they came back in
"it smelled like Grandma's closet"
but
"it was a major knock-wood time" that they were not damaged physically by the hurricane.
"The Cabaret goddesses were totally on our side"
as the doormen on the hotel across the street looked on and the cabaret wasn't touched.

Sue's apartment building was flooded, and as she was up on a higher level the water came up to the top step and trapped them, so they had to stay home until the water subsided. Once she could leave, she hopped on her bicycle and came down to the cabaret, where the two doormen from the hotel told her how close it had been.

The theatre opened up again on All Saint's Day, (1 Nov) with a cocktail party for the inspectors going around looking at all the buildings, and anybody in town that was part of their "cabaret family". Sue told me that in New Orleans it is traditional to clean off the sepulchres and graves of family members on that day, but they weren't able to do that because of the damage, so they "just cleaned off ourselves!" and began with their first cabaret show. In the beginning it was nothing but wacky benefits one after another; the "cabaret family" of performers who had moved out to other areas of the states all came home and put on shows there, and the owner of Le Chat Noir set up an Actors' Fund which helped cabaret actors come home.

It would be great to visit Sue at the Cabaret...she'll talk your ear off and seems like a real font of information and great stories.


The Southern Rep
By far and away the most interesting venue in terms of Regeneration, because it has completely revitalized its mission since Katrina. Since K I'm most interested in how they've specifically endeavoured to put on work by local playwrights. I'm in touch with the dramaturg, Bryan Sands, there and he's getting back to me with answers to my questions this week.

Anthony Bean Community Theatre and Acting School

This is a good contact for regeneration in Education, they said that during the week that we are in New Orleans they have a youth summer camp production, "Soulville II" which is written and directed by Anthony Bean, so those members of ATHE who are interested in young people’s theatre could certainly get in touch, and I can follow this up for more details if we think it would be a good idea.

Perhaps more directly relevant in terms of direct regeneration after Katrina, Anthony Bean Community Theatre staged a production of Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” which starred Councilman-At-Large Oliver Thomas, which was a big hit and also showed the city government taking a direct stand in the arts to support the community. They gave this press release which may be of use to the script-writers in our group:

We at the ABCT are proud to produce an August Wilson drama and to stage it at this
time in New Orleans. It has significant meaning to the staff and cast. Its in honor
of the passing of August Wilson, for whom the theater community would suffer a great loss, but also it says something about us as Orleanians. It says we been tested
and in many cases, devastated, but we are determined to move on and to show the
world, we've been knocked down but not out. We will survive and come out of this
thing stronger and a much better City in spite of it. We would like to thank you
for your continue support and hope to see you at this wonderful production.

Direct comments from theatres, like the above, might be useful in our installation or script?

Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre

616 St Peter St (Cross street: Chartres St)

www.lepetittheatre.com

Currently active; see their listing on bestofneworleans.com

This is one of the more interesting theatres in terms of physical plant regeneration. They have bounced back from Katrina with a renovated theatre, a new orchestra pit, and a season of musical performances. They are an inspiration. They are currently rehearsing for the opening of their next show and so no one is around to answer questions, though I’ve been directed to try the director Sonny Borey upon his return, and I’ll do that.