Itinerant Theatre World Premiere: Cleoma ~ A First

Itinerant Theatre announces its second Bicentennial Year production, the world premiere of Cleoma ~ A First.  This one-woman play, written by Lake Charles native Carolyn Woosley, is from her 13 play cycle Louisiana Women.  Cleoma will be performed as a staged reading by two-time Grammy-nominated musician, Ann Savoy.  Cleoma will be performed at Imperial Calcasieu Museum at 204 W. Sallier St. Lake Charles, La.  Performances will be held at 7pm, Thursday - Saturday, Ocotber 4-6.  Tickets are $10 at the door.  





A Q&A with author and actress follows the Thursday night premiere.  Opening Friday night is Things From Our Past by Angela Wubben, a one-half hour dramatization of life in rural Acadiana.  After the Friday performance of Cleoma, Ann Savoy will introduce her new CD of Cleoma Falcon music.  Ms. Savoy will sign CDs and host a Q&A on its making.


Following the Saturday performance, the Grammy-nominated female troupe, The Magnolia Sisters, will play two sets of a blend of musical genres authentic to SWLA. This musical event begins at 8:00pm, outside at The Annex.  An additional $10 ticket is charged.  

Cleoma (Cleoma Breaux Falcon) and her husband Joe Falcon were the first Southwest Louisiana musicians to be recorded (Columbia Records 1928).  Cleoma was an iconic rule-breaker.  Women did not perform music in public, either before or after her, perhaps until Marc and Ann Savoy of Eunice, La.  Set in Crowley in the 1930s, Cleoma gives the audience a taste of life in the rough-and-tumble dancehalls of SWLA during a time of change as Acadiana’s music meets up with “hillbilly” and other musical forms.  Songs, woven throughout the play, will first be interpreted into English by a “reader” who will be on stage with Ms. Savoy.

Producers of Cleoma ~ A First are Joy Pace and Carolyn Woosley.  Ms. Woosley is Director. Ann Savoy is costume designer. Leslie Berman is sound designer. Technical consultant  is Norman McKnight. A grant by the Convention & Visitors’ Bureau of SWLA helped make this production possible.  Tickets for Cleoma are $10. A separate $10 is charged for the Saturday night Magnolia Sisters concert, with $5 discounts for those who attend any Cleoma performance.  To purchase all tickets, visit the website www.itineranttheatre.com , call 337-436-6275 or at the door.  Tickets for Cleoma are limited to 60. Tickets for The Magnolia Sisters are unlimited.
            Itinerant Theatre is dedicated to providing an affordable, professional forum for the performing arts and artists and productions for artistically underserved audiences.  For information call 337.436.6275, visit Facebook or the website: www.itineranttheatre.com                    

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