Children's Theatre Co. Offers Shakespeare Workshop

The Children's Theatre Company presents Midsummer Fun! as part of the next Summer Starz Series. This theatre workshop teaches children the language and ideas of William Shakespeare. Students perform excerpts from some of Shakespeare's most popular plays while experiencing the technical aspects of lighting, set designs, and creating costumes. The workshop concludes with a free public performance starring all of the students.


The workshop, open to boys and girls ages 5 to 18, will be held on July 23-27 and costs $85. No experience is needed for the workshop. All workshops have limited enrollment and are held at Central School Arts & Humanities Center (809 Kirby Street).


For registration information, contact the theatre at (337) 433-7323 or visit www.childrenstheatre.cc.

Calcasieu Libraries Host Page Turner Adventures

Comedy team Riley Roam and Kenny Mikey will entertain with the Adventures of Page Turner, “World Famous Storyologist” in Calcasieu Parish Public Library locations July 16 - 20. A cross between Indiana Jones and Mary Poppins, Page Turner travels the world collecting, telling and writing stories, In “The Great Pizza Contest”, they will tell a hilarious tale of conflict resolution. All library programs are free and open to the public.

The Page Turner Adventures can be seen at the following times, dates and locations:

Monday, July 16:

• 10 a.m. at the Sulphur Regional Library, 1160 Cypress St., 721-7141.
• 2 p.m. at the DeQuincy Library, 102 W. Harrison St., 786-4213 (DeQuincy residents) or 721-7087.

Tuesday, July 17:

• 10 a.m. at the Central Library, 301 W. Claude St., 721-7116.
• 2 p.m. at the Carnegie Memorial Library, 411 Pujo St., 721-7084.

Wednesday, July 18:

• 10 a.m. at the Moss Bluff Library, 261 Parish Road, 721-7128.
• 2 p.m. at the Iowa Library, 107 E. 1^st St., 582-3597 (Iowa residents) or 721-7101.

Thursday, July 19:

• 10 a.m. at the Fontenot Memorial Library, 1402 Center St., Vinton, 721-7095.
• 2 p.m. at the Starks Library, 113 S. Hwy. 109, 743-6560 (Starks residents) or 721-7107.

Friday, July 20:

• 10 a.m. at the Westlake Library, 937 Mulberry St., 721-7113.
• 2 p.m. at the Epps Memorial Library, 1320 N. Simmons St., 721-7090. 

Who makes the best pizza in the town of Mozzarella - Vincent Van Dough or Leonardo Da Munchi?

When everyone in town takes sides and begins arguing, Mayor Ann Chovi decides to hold the Great Pizza Contest. The entire audience becomes the main character in this hilarious tale, and helps Mayor Ann Chovi decide once and for all who makes the best pizza in town! The Great Pizza Contest is presented by the Emmy Award Winning Team at Page Turner Adventures, and based on the book by Riley Roam. The books will be available and Riley will autograph books after the show.

Riley Roam plays the intrepid Storyologist, and her bumbling assistant  is played by former Ringling Brothers clown Kenny Mikey. The Emmy award winning duo has wowed thousands of children at schools, libraries, and theaters nationwide with their one-of-a-kind brand of educational entertainment.

The duo’s  iParenting Award winning video series “This is ONLY a Test!” is seen in schools across the

country and their productions have aired on FOX Kids, PBS, The Travel Channel and at Scholastic Book Fairs throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Riley and Kenny were recently asked to partner with the International Reading Association as video hosts and online content producers where they are excited to share their motto: “When You Read, Every Day is an Adventure!”

This program is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA.

For information on the programs, services and resources of the Calcasieu Parish Public Library, please visit us on the web at www.calcasieulibrary.org or call 337-721-7116.

Best of the Best Exhibit Opens Tonight

Associated Louisiana Artists at Gallery By the Lake will host the opening reception for Best of the Best which brings together four talented artists in this group exhibit. The reception will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the exhibit will hang until August 31st, 2012. 

Jennifer Widener

Jennifer Widener is ALA’s newest Board Member. Wisconsin born, she came here from Florida 24 years ago.  An accounting supervisor at PPG, using her left brain, her love of art makes use of her right brain as she paints abstractions freely in the world of her own she creates on canvas.  No formal training, she is enjoying her mentoring by Lois Derise.  Her painting focus changes every couple of years.

Beth Fontenot is not only an excellent watercolor artist, but is the Outstanding Dietician of the Year, according to the annual Food and Nutrition Conference in Baton Rouge last month.  Additionally, Beth writes a weekly column for the Lake Charles American Press on the subject of nutrition.  She taught the subject for 17 years at McNeese University, and now she is inspired to paint food (and whatever else catches her eye!)  Art-wise, she has participated in 2 exhibits at Stellar Beans, owned by former ALA member Valerie Smith, and was the featured artist at an exhibit at the Art Institute of Houston.  In 2012, Beth was awarded first and honorable mention awards, and in 2011 she won 2nd and 3rd place awards for her watercolors in the Lone Star Art Guild region.  She contributed her work to ALA's "Foot by Foot" effort to save the Louisiana Wetlands as well.

Beth Fontenot

Barbara Dugas loves art.  An accomplished watercolorist, she travels around the world taking workshops from such notables as Tony Couch and Brenda Swenson. She’s been to Italy, Turkey, and France and beyond since she’s retired from Boeing.  She was a contributing artist in ALA’s Foot by Foot: Vanishing Wetlands Campaign.  She has no aspirations of fame for her work, instead considering it a hobby.  She enjoys her watercolor class under the tutelage of Sue Zimmermann. Her painting in The Best of the Best exhibit was painted at the Erbon Wise property in Sulphur.

Cindy Ottenweller  works full time as a mechanical draftsman for the Levingston Group at PPG.  Her sister’s friend from Baton Rouge included her in a Painting with a Twist class and she found she was a natural.  Friend Jennifer did the legwork and found ALA classes for them both to attend.  The only problem she has with painting is that she wants to keep every one of them.  Each of them has meaning to her and she gets attached.  Her bucket list of future paintings include portraits of her kids, vintage vehicles and architecture, (which will be second nature for her!) She loves her Tuesdays with Lois Derise and her painting classes. 

For more information, contact Associated Louisiana Artists at (337) 436-1008.

200 Years of Taste Exhibit Opens at Libraries

The Calcasieu Parish Public Library presents an excited exhibit that celebrates our culinary culture of Louisiana!

Summer Pops Goes MoTown!

The Lake Charles Symphony and First Federal Bank present this year's exciting Summer Pops annual concert on Saturday, July 14th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Each year this event brings together symphonic music with contemporary genres, and Summer Pops 2012 is going MoTown!

The concert will unite the Lake Charles Symphony, conducted by Bohuslav Rattay, with guest artists Destan Owens, Ramona Keller, and Kimberly JaJuan, and this collaboration will offer top of the charts hits such as "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," "ABC," "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered," "My Girl," "Stop in the Name of Love," "RESPECT," and many more! Expect the party to go on throughout the night as they bring the songs to life with their talented vocals!

Several seating options are available for purchase starting at just $20 from the Lake Charles Symphony website: http://www.lcsymphony.org/order-online.html. Pizza (8 slices for $10) and drinks will be available for purchase. Call the Symphony office at (337) 433-1611 for details.

Pinnacle Foundation Sponsors Arts & Crabs Fest!

From left: Kerry Andersen; Paula Gillard; Erica McCreedy; Keith W. Henson

Pinnacle Entertainment Foundation, the parent company of L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, committed to a sponsorship of $5,000 for the annual culinary event Arts & Crabs Fest. Kerry Andersen, Pinnacle Entertainment Director of Media Relations & Public Affairs, and Keith W. Henson, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of L'Auberge Lake Charles, presented a check to Erica McCreedy, executive director of the Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA, and Paula Gillard, Arts Council board president. The event is coordinated jointly by the Arts Council and the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau and celebrates the ties between local seafood and culture. Pinnacle's sponsorship ensures that this year's event creates a wider impact on our tourism and culture. Arts & Crabs Fest will be held on Saturday, August 18th, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center, and a limited number of $25 wristbands will be sold, which can be purchased at www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org. For details, call the Arts Council office at (337) 439-2787.

Children's Theatre Co. Presents Summer Workshops

The Children’s Theatre Company begins its 2012 Summer Theatre Workshops with “Wild Things” for children ages 5-8.  This workshop introduces children to theatre through the use of creative drama, theatre games, creative movement, stage makeup, costumes and musical theatre. The workshop cost is $65.00 and is held on July 9-11 from 10:00AM to 11:15AM.  The afternoon workshop session is entitled “Acting for the Camera” for children ages 8-18.  This workshop covers auditioning for commercials, reading commercial scripts, exploring different commercial techniques, and beginning improvisational skills. Information and samples are shared on doing resumes, head shots and finding the best agent or manager. The workshop cost is $85.00 and is held July 9-11 from 12:00-1:30PM.  No experience is needed for the workshops.  All workshops have limited enrollment and are held at Central School of the Arts & Humanities Center at 809 Kirby Street.  For registration information, contact the theatre at 337.433.7323 or visit the website at www.childrenstheatre.cc and click on Summer Starz Series.