Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival Poster Unveiling

On Tuesday, April 1 at 3pm, the DownTown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival, in partnership with Associated Louisiana Artists - Gallery by the Lake, will hold a Press Conference and will unveil its 2014 Official Festival Poster while announcing and acknowledging the 2014 Festival sponsors, activities and line-up. The public is invited to attend. This will take place at Gallery by the Lake at 106 West Pryce Street, Lake Charles. Refreshments will be served.

The top finalist posters will be on display at the gallery during the month of March and April, including during the annual SWLA Arts and Humanities Art Walk in late April.

The DownTown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival, which is recognized as a Top 20 Event in the Southeast and one of the top 55 Gulf Coast destinations in the month of April, will be April 11-13 at the Lake Charles Civic Center.  Steamboat Bills will be on site boiling thousands of pounds of crawfish. There is great Zydeco and Cajun music at its best, as well as great food and exciting family fun at one of the largest indoor/outdoor Crawfish Festivals in Southwest Louisiana. There are activities for everyone, including a pageant, parade and midway carnival! This is southwest Louisiana at its finest!

For more information, to become a sponsor or vendor, enter the pageant or parade, or purchase pre-sale tickets, please visit www.downtowncrawfest.com.

The Onlies to Perform at Wild Beast Feast

The Lafayette based band, The Onlies, will highlight the Lake Charles Symphony’s annual Wild Beast Feast on Sat., Mar. 29, 2014, with its special blend of folk and bluegrass music. With the release of “Open Road” in 2013, the group has discovered that the road truly has opened up for them.   Their album was produced by Grammy nominated producer and engineer Terry  DuPuy who has worked with Hunter Hayes, Roddie Romero, and Feufollet among many others.   Though The Onlies started out as a duo with Fawn Larson and Will Harrison, they have since added music veteran Gary Newman on upright bass and Luke Andrus on drums.  “Larson’s siren-like vocals will sweep you in with the ebb and flow of her carefully crafted lyrics while Harrison’s playful yet rough edge becomes softened as their melody and harmonies intertwine.”   

The Onlies continue to stick to their folk roots while borrowing from bluegrass, old country, Cajun, blues, indie and pop to make one incredibly enjoyable and diverse album.   Guests at this popular symphony fundraiser will be tapping their feet and singing along while sampling the savory dishes of more than 20 cooking teams.    Doors open at 5:00 p.m., a live auction begins at 7:00 p.m., and music will be played until 9:00  p.m.   Tickets are $50 for ages 14 & up, $25 for ages 7-13, and 6 & under are free.    For ticket info, call (337) 433-1611 or go online at www.lcsymphony.com.  

            

Free Screening of Los Viages del Viento

There will be a free screening of Los Viajes del Viento (The Wind Journeys), a 2009 Colombian film, on Friday 21 March, 7 p.m., at the Historic Central School in Lake Charles.  The winner of a Cannes award and numerous others, this work from filmmaker Ciro Guerra shows the travels of Ignacio, who plays an accordion that is rumored to have been the devil’s.  After the musician’s wife dies, he journeys to return the accordion to its original owner.  

Ignacio’s loneliness is broken by a young man who wants to learn from him, and they explore the music of the Caribbean.  But Ignacio’s self-imposed solitude has become a hard-to-break shell.  Director Guerra says, “This is the story of a journey….into something unique….like the music that was born.  For centuries we’ve asked ourselves:  What keeps us apart?  Now is [the] time to ask what brings us together.”  

Sponsored by Dr. Carrie Chrisco, Los Viajes is presented by Calcasieu Cinema International, a branch of the Council for International Concerns, in partnership with McNeese State University’s Banners Cultural Series and the Office of Equal Opportunity, The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, Common Ground/Culture Fest Louisiana, Lake Area Psychiatry, and Coca-Cola. A moderated discussion will follow, and free drinks and popcorn will be served!  For more information, email cbadeaux@mcneese.edu or jkprjs@gmail.com .

Jazz in the Arts

Jazz In The Arts will host its next concert on Sunday March 16, 2014 at Central School's Benjamin Mount Theatre at 5:00 p.m.  Tickets are $10 in advance, and $12 at the door.

Featured are two seasoned jazz musicians that are widely known.  Sylvester "Stank" Leblanc and Charlene "Salemah" Broussard have traveled throughout the country sharing their music "Jazz".

Sylvester "Stank" LeBlanc is an electrifying musician and vocalist.  Along with phenomenal saxophone and flute playing, LeBlanc adds unique yodeling-scat vocals to the show.  

Charlene "Salemah" Broussard is a soulful, powerful, and entertaining songstress.  She is an internationally known artist who has been performing for over 20 years.  

For more information contact Pat Daigle at 794-5744, or the Arts Council at 337-439-2787. 

KMI Children's Art Contest!

Knight Media Printing is currently accepting submissions for its Children's Art Contest.  All children 18 years of age and under are eligible to submit original artwork in either traditional or digital mediums.  No photography will be accepted.  A prize will be awarded for the best in each age group (toddler, elementary, junior high, and high school). There will be a grand prize overall best and a People's Choice for the one that receives the most "likes" on Knight Media's Facebook page.  

All winners will receive 1 large print and 4 small prints of their artwork.  Original artwork will be showcased at the Arts Council of SWLA as well as featured in the Jambalaya News.  All entries must be submitted with an entry form available at www.kmimedia.com/artcontest. Mail or drop off submissions at Knight Media Printing, ATTN: Art Contest, 412 W. McNeese St., Lake Charles, LA 70605.  All submissions must be received by February 21, 2014.  Call 337-478-8350 for details.          

Live @ The Lakefront 2014 Lineup Announced

Coffee House Theatre returns to Stellar Beans

The Children’s Theatre Company’s (CTC) will perform selections from Disney’s TARZAN at Coffee House Theatre on February 1 at 7:00PM.  Presented  by Kerry A. Onxley; CTC Artistic Director, Taylor Simon; CTC Associate Director and Joseph Boyette  (Vocal Director) this family musical will make its full debut on Friday, February 21, 2014 at Central School Theatre.  Coffee House Theatre is hosted by Itinerant Theatre. 

(PHOTO CAPTION:  Tarzan, portrayed by John Paul Primeaux, calms Jane, played by Abigail Guillory in a scene from Disney’s TARZAN) (Photos by Meagan Green.)

Based on Edgar Rice Burrough'sTarzan of the Apes and the smash-hit 1999 Disney animated film, TARZAN tells the story of a shipwreck leaving an infant orphaned on the West African shore, the helpless baby Tarzan is taken under the protection of a gorilla tribe and becomes part of their family. When he eventually encounters his first human--Jane Porter, a curious young explorer--both their worlds are transformed forever. This production features music and lyrics by pop icon Phil Collins, including the Grammy and Oscar winning song, "You'll Be in My Heart", and book by Tony Award-winning playwright,David Henry Hwang.

The Coffee House Theatre performance will be held at Stellar Beans in downtown Lake Charles (319 Broad Street).  For more information, call 337-564-5739.