Explosion of Poetry at Stellar Beans

This week and weekend, Stellar Beans will offer quite literally an explosion of literary events to entice even the homebody in us all to get off the couch and experience downtown Lake Charles. On Thursday, March 15th, the coffee house's monthly poetry night will feature a reading by Chris Shipman at 7 p.m.


Shipman is the author of Human-Carrying Flight Technology (Blaze VOX), Romeo’s Ugly Nose (forthcoming from Allography Press), and co-author of Super Poems (forthcoming from Kattywompus Press). Shipman was a finalist for the 2011 De Novo Award, the 2010 Akron Poetry Prize, and the 2010 Copperdome Prize. His poems appear in Cimarron Review, Exquisite Corpse, La Fovea, Salt Hill, and The Offending Adam, among many others. Shipman has been featured on Verse Daily and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He is the poetry editor for Dig Magazine of Baton Rouge and teaches at Baton Rouge Community College.


On Saturday, March 17th, Stellar Beans will continue with a reading by Arthur Pfister at 1 p.m. Also known as Professor Arturo, he is from New Orleans and is a Spoken Word artist, educator, performer, editor, speechwriter and recipient of the Asante Award. He received a Master of Arts degree in Writing from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. degree in English/Journalism from the State University of New York-College at New Paltz. Pfister, one of the original Broadside Press poets of the 1960s, has collaborated on a medley of projects with a mélange of artists including painters, musicians, photographers, dancers, singers, fire eaters, waiters, cab drivers, and other members of the Great Miscellaneous. 


He has performed his poetry, fiction, toasts and “jazz poems” on a solo basis or with musical accompaniment at Ebony Square, Vincent’s City Club, Louisiana Music Factory, the Contemporary Arts Center, the Louisiana Folklife Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Urban League’s Annual Golden Gala, Ashe Cultural Arts Center, among many others.


Also on Saturday, Stellar Beans will be the site of another Rumble in the Chuck poetry slam competition with poets from Louisiana and Texas competing for top honors at 7 p.m.


All of these events are free and the public is invited to attend. Poetry is not censored. For more information, contact Stellar Beans at (337) 564-5739.

The Importance of Being Earnest

Tourism Marketing Initiative Grant Available

Though our strong partnership with the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau we are able to present the Tourism Marketing Initiative grant program each year. This grant is designed to assist non-profit arts and cultural organizations in Calcasieu parish with marketing tools for creative endeavors in the area. 

With strong marketing strategies, the festivals, fairs, arts education programs, concerts, and performances that represent our Southwest Louisiana cultural heritage play a direct role in bolstering tourism to the area. Tourism comprises a large part of our state's economy, and by investing in the tools and means to boost attendance to arts events, we can better not only our quality of life but also the economic impact the arts and tourism have locally.

Qualifying arts and cultural organizations are able to apply for up to $2,000, and the funds can be used toward increasing and diversifying audiences for arts and cultural events through website development, billboards, brochures, press kits, radio and TV commercials, print ads, etc. 

All interested parties are encouraged to contact our grant administrator Jackie Dowden at (337) 439-2787 for further info and to visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org to download the guidelines and application. Grant applications are due Friday, March 4th, in the Arts Council office. 

Facebook Competition

Enjoy our Live @ the Lakefront music festival on us! Visit our Facebook fan page for a chance to win 30 free beverage tickets to use at any or all of the concerts! Beverage tickets can be used toward Budweiser and Miller products, wine, Cokes, and bottled water. All you have to do is reshare our Live @ the Lakefront poster on your Facebook wall by next Tuesday, March 13th, and we'll choose one lucky winner!

Children's Theatre Auditions Tomorrow!

Class and auditions for The Frog Princess have been announced by The Children’s Theatre Company; Kerry A. Onxley, Artistic Director. This unique production brings to life this charming tale of love and devotion, creating an unforgettable theatrical experience for the whole family.

Roles are reversed in this colorful adaptation of the Russian folk tale. Queen Natasha is tired and wants to turn over the throne to one of her three sons. Boris, her oldest son, is mighty and strong, while Casimir, the middle son, is clever with words and young Sasha is kind, but rather inept.  The queen reveals that the difference between a good king and a great king is the woman behind the throne.  So, she sends her sons off to find wives, using an arrow to guide them.  Boris's arrow leads him to the brave warrior Ursula, Casimir finds the vain and materialistic Vass and Sasha's arrow pierces Natalia ...  a frog!  This charming, delightful play ends as a  funny tale and a very clever story teaching that it pays to be kind to everyone ...  including frogs!

This one act show, based on the famous film, offers a large cast for boys and girls ages 9-18.  The show is scheduled for May 4-6, 2012.

Classes meet every Monday and Wednesday from 4:00-6:00PM.  Taught by a team of theatre professionals, the students work on musical theatre skills, acting, singing, dancing, script analysis and vocal development. Onxley states, “While the students are learning technique, they are building self-confidence, discipline, self-awareness and leadership skills”.

No experience is necessary. Enrollment in classes is required for auditions. Classes are currently in progress with auditions being held Wednesday, March 7 from 4:00-6:00PM and are held at the Central School of the Arts & Humanities Center (809 Kirby; Suite 313). For more information, contact the theatre at (337) 433-7323 or visit the website at www.childrenstheatre.cc.

Live @ the Lakefront is on the Horizon!

From left: Patricia Prudhomme of Tobacco Free Living,
Denise Fasske of the City of Lake Charles, Mayor Randy Roach,
Rodney "Poncho" Seaford of JPMorgan Chase, and Matt Young of the Arts Council

The Arts Council and the City of Lake Charles are proud to announce Live @ the Lakefront sponsorships from Isle of Capri Casino, Tobacco Free Living, and JPMorgan Chase. Their dedication to our inaugural music festival will ensure its success for years to come! And don't miss out on our kick off concert on March 16th when Twangsters Union, Wendy Colonna, and Certain Satellites hit the stage from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Arcade Amphitheater!


March 16th will mark the kick off opening concert for Live @ the Lakefront, a brand new three-week music festival presented by the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana and the City of Lake Charles, and this festival is designed to unify art, music, food, and culture into a singular collective Southwest Louisiana experience, all in one event. Isle of Capri Casino will sponsor the first concert with Twangsters Union, Wendy Colonna, and Certain Satellites taking the stage by storm from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Arcade Amphitheater at the Lakefront Promenade. Concerts on March 23rd and 30th will follow.

Local New Wave band Certain Satellites
will open the evening at 6 p.m.

Festival goers can spread a blanket on the amphitheater's grassy hill and listen to the best live music around with the lakeshore scenery and cool March weather as the perfect backdrop. Live @ the Lakefront will act as a fundraiser for the arts in Southwest Louisiana with the proceeds from all Coke, Budweiser, Miller, and wine sales going directly to the Arts Council's efforts to support area arts and cultural initiatives and endeavors.

SWLA native Wendy Colonna

Mayor Randy Roach will open the festival with a welcome from the stage at 6 p.m. with local New Wave band Certain Satellites to follow. Certain Satellites has become known around town for its innovative, and albeit unpredictable, performances that tap into a melody of little-known genres in Lake Charles from Shoegaze, an introspective-driven subgenre of alternative rock, to New Wave, a branch of punk rock that incorporates electronic and experimental music.

Southwest Louisiana native Wendy Colonna will follow with her resounding vocals and deep retro soul will perform with an impromptu compilation of Lake Charles musicians. Colonna, now working out of Austin, has recently named Austin’s “Best Singer/Songwriter” by Austin American Statesman, and has six albums under her belt that have cemented her and her one-of-a-kind soulful voice as a force to be reckoned with in the music world.

Twangsters Union will headline March 16th's kickoff concert

Twangsters Union will headline the evening’s live music. Since 2005, Twangsters Union, with members Joey LeBlanc, Donice Morace, Joe Rogers, Ron Harvey, and Jeff LeBlanc, have brought their high energy blend of Southern rock and country music to the area, and have opened for Reba McEntire, Percy Sledge, and Kenny Chesnutt, among other big names. With regular appearances among the state’s festival, fair, and fundraiser circuits, Twangsters Union’s heartfelt ballads and power house harmonies are infused with raucous and dizzying dance beats that draw audiences away from the typical cover band experience and instead offer a versatile tour of country-infused rock music.


The festival is free to the public, and it will also showcase local artists, children's activities, vendors, and Lake Area food booths. Live @ the Lakefront is made possible by Deep South Productions and generous sponsorships from Isle of Capri Casino, JPMorgan Chase, and Tobacco Free Living. Event partners include Townsquare Media, Gator 99.5, Coca-Cola, 107JAMZ, Cajun Radio, KISSFM, 92.9 The Lake, the Porch Coffee House & Cafe, American Press, Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau, Knight Media Printing, Southwest Daily News, the Jambalaya News, Lagniappe, Thrive Magazine, KPLC, Beverage Sales, Southwest Beverage, and Redfish Rental.


For more information, call the Arts Council office at 439-ARTS or visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

Art Battle Registration Open

Are you up for the challenge, Lake Charles? The Arts Council will host its second annual Art Battle during this year's Spring Art Walk on April 13th. Last year the Art Battle was wildly successful and brought out an insane number of people for its first go-round. This year we are moving the Art Battle into downtown to better concentrate all our Spring Art Walk efforts to showcase downtown businesses and local artists.

Ten teams of up to four artists can compete in the Art Battle, but the team only has one hour to create a mural from scratch! Any mediums, materials, and subjects are accepted, and you'll receive a blank, primed piece of plywood with its size ranging from 2'x3' to 4'x6', depending on the number of teammates.

The winning mural will be selected by the amount of tips audience members put into a team's tip jar, and 50% of the tips will go back to the team. Last year, Painting With A Twist snagged first place with over $300 in tips in their jar! The winning mural will be put on display at Central School for 30 days after the competition. A fee of $25 is required with registration, and teams are responsible for bringing all of their supplies and materials.

All of the completed murals are featured in a silent auction during the evening, and 70% of the sales also go back to the team. Registration forms are available at the Arts Council office, and your payment confirms your spot. Call us at 439-ARTS for details! Registration ends March 30th.

To sum up:
Team sign-in: 5:30 p.m.
Battle: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Silent Auction: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.