Central School Theatre Dedicated to Ben Mount

From left: Ann Knapp; Senator Willie Mount; Friends of Central School chairperson Laura Leach

This past Saturday, Friends of Central School and the City of Lake Charles dedicated Central School's theatre to the late Ben Mount. Without the vision and dedication of Ben, we simply would not have Central School today as a comprehensive arts and cultural center for the region. It is with great excitement that our theatre has been renamed the Benjamin W. Mount Auditorium. If you missed out on the day's events, you can still come by Central School to see Central School: A Visual History in the Black Heritage Gallery which exhibits photographs and artifacts from the center's past as a historic elementary school. You can also purchase Friends of Central School t-shirts and ornaments on the Arts Council's website.

Downtown at Sundown About to Kick Off!

The City of Lake Charles announces the kick off the 2012 Downtown at Sundown series with the sounds of Boomerang. The event will take place in the street within the 600 block of Ryan between Division and Mill Streets from 6-9pm. The former site of the event will be open and available for parking cars. Downtown at Sundown features a variety of music from local and regional bands as well as food and beverage booths, table top galleries, and activities for kids. We want everyone to come downtown to patronize the businesses and see the ongoing “Streetscape” project. 

Boomerang has been rockin' the region since 2006, and it's been one wild ride. Like a good pot of gumbo, Boomerang mixes it all up. Start off with a big serving of funk, toss in some classic rock, sprinkle it with country, serve it with a little dab of top 40 and you get an enjoyable party experience that can cater to anyone's tastes. They don't just serve in a bland 'ole gumbo bowl, they decorate it with bell bottoms, afros, glittered shirts and gold fish inlaid clodhoppers. Band members are Billy Cormier, lead guitar; J. P. Booth, drums; Victor Montgomery, lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Greg Richardson, keyboards; and Rod Lavergne, bass. For more info about Boomerang go to http://www.theboomerangexperience.com 

Beverage sales will be facilitated by B.A.A.K. of Southwest Louisiana (Benefiting Area At-risk Kids) and will benefit the Harbour House. Harbour House ETC provides intervention and prevention services which address the issues affecting youth and families who are in at risk situations.

“Since we’ve opened, Harbor House has served almost 7,000 admissions,” said Dunn.
It is one of ten programs belonging to the Educational and Treatment Council, Inc. (ETC).  The ETC is a private, not for profit social service agency providing intervention and prevention services which address the issues affecting youth and families who are in at risk situations. They are funded, according to Dunn, “through a variety of local money – parish money – as well as some state contracts and federal grants." Their major fundraiser for Harbor House, ‘Jokes, Jazz, and Just Desserts’, will be held in September at L’Auberge Hotel and Casino in Lake Charles.

 The five parish Southwest Louisiana area is their main area of focus. Eighty-five percent of admits to Harbor House come from Calcasieu parish while 15 percent come from outlying parishes and from out of state, although the out of state numbers are very small.

Quite a large number of the children admitted will have substance abuse issues, be one or more grades behind where they should be in school, have some kind of mental health issue, have a history of runaway behavior, suffer from some form of child abuse or neglect, or be a repeat admit. Seventy percent, according to Dunn, will have come from the juvenile justice or foster care system. For these children, Harbor House offers 24 hour supervision by trained youth care workers, individual case management by Bachelor degree level case managers, individualized and family counseling from Master degree level counselors, continuing education on site through Calcasieu Parish School Board, specialized programs (such as substance abuse awareness, social skills training, and conflict resolution, among others), and group counseling.

Dunn emphasized that however disconnected from society these children are through their situations, they still “have their own hopes and dreams for the future”. Some of them can’t be reached and are lost to suicide, drugs, or incarceration. But the majority of them can be reached and can go on to become productive, law abiding citizens.

Top of FBottom of Form

It is through the philanthropic support of The American Press, CITGO, Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel and Entergy that this popular, family-friendly event is sustained. The music line-up will be: May 18, Boomerang; May 25, Chris Ardoin and NuStep; June 1, Soul Vacation; June  8, City Heat.

           

If inclement weather prevails, the concerts will be held inside the Lake Charles Civic Center. Concert goers are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs, however, no outside beverages or pets are allowed on site. For more information, call the City of Lake Charles Arts and Culture Department at 337-491-9159 or visit on Facebook or www.CityOfLakeCharles.com

The Arts Council is on Team Joshua!

In case you haven't turned on the television in the past several weeks, Westlake native Joshua Ledet has taken FOX29's American Idol by storm! After showcasing his incredible vocal talents, Joshua has made it to the top five, but he needs your help in continuing his journey. Southwest Louisiana is rallying together to make our hometown singer a star.

A graduate of Westlake High School, Joshua started singing at the age of three in his father's church. Before he won over the hearts of the judges and the country on American Idol, Joshua worked for the Calcasieu Parish Recreation Center in Westlake.

Catch Joshua each Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on FOX29 or head over to Westlake for the viewing/voting party at the Westlake Multi-Purpose Complex at 6:30 p.m.  Be sure to vote for Joshua after each performance! If Josh makes it to the top three, American Idol will make a special trip to Southwest Louisiana to film Josh's hometown return to meet his supportive fan base. Voting opens after the performances each Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., so make your voice heard and vote for Josh!

There are three easy ways for you to vote:

1.  Toll-free Voting:  To vote, simply watch American Idol on FOX, from 7-9 p.m. and dial Josh’s assigned telephone number starting at 9:01 p.m. until 11 p.m. Votes are unlimited when calling or texting.
2.  AT&T Text Voting: Joshua Ledet will be assigned his own SMS/text message short code number each Wednesday. AT&T wireless customers only may text the word ‘VOTE’ to Joshua’s 4 digit short code numbers.
3.  Online Voting: If you have a Facebook account, you can also vote online at www.AmericanIdol.com. Online voting is limited to 50 votes per account.

Voting will open at the end of each performance show on Wednesday night at 9:01 p.m. You will have at least two hours to cast your votes.  The results will be broadcast on FOX Thursday at 7 p.m. 

First Friday Reading Series Presents Free Fiction Reading

The First Friday Reading Series returns on Friday, May 4^th, with a free fiction reading by two McNeese MFA candidates at 7 p.m. at the Porch Coffee House & Café in Lake Charles. The monthly reading series is sponsored by the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana and acts as a way to encourage local poets and writers to further take part in the area’s booming literary scene.

Allie Mariano and Kelly Chase are both second year graduate students studying fiction in McNeese’s Masters of Fine Arts program in creative writing which recently was ranked as the 40^th best MFA program in the nation by Poets & Writers. Chase, originally from Poughkeepsie, NY, attended college in Oneonta, NY, and spent time working through AmeriCorps in St. Louis before pursing her studies at McNeese. Mariano is a native of Memphis, TN, and earned degrees in English and French at the University of Memphis before teaching in Angers, France.

The Porch is located at 4710 Common Street in Lake Charles, and live music follows each reading. For more information about the reading series, contact the Arts Council at (337) 439-2787 or visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

School Board and Arts Council Announce Summer Arts Camp!

Calcasieu Parish School System and the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana are pleased to announce Summer Arts Camp 2012. This year’s theme is “The Sound of Art,” and classes exploring this theme are offered in a variety of visual arts media and in performing arts.   Students who have completed grades kindergarten through eighth are invited to attend. Arts Camp will begin Tuesday, June 5, and end Thursday, June 28, at Lake Charles Boston Academy, 1509 Enterprise Boulevard in Lake Charles. Friday, June 29, has been set aside to pick up children’s art work.

The purpose of Summer Arts Camp is to provide children with a variety of creative art experiences on an individual basis within an open-studio environment. The instructors include Art Specialists, Master Teachers, and Professional Artists. Classes will be limited in size and class assignments will be made upon receipt of registration. The tuition of $235.00 covers three classes of specialized instruction for the entire month, all art supplies, themed T-shirt, and an open house reception.

Classes available include Drawing and Painting, Theatre, Musical Theatre, Cartooning, Photography, Pottery, Puppets, Portraits, Masks, 2-D Mixed Media, 3-D Mixed Media, Storytelling, and Stained Glass. Registrations forms can be downloaded from the CPSB website by clicking on the Parent and Students tab and then the Arts Camp link. Registration forms may also be obtained from the Arts and Humanities Council's website or the office at Lake Charles Boston Academy. Register by May 11^th for the early bird discount!  Reduced rates are available for families with more than one child attending Arts Camp.  For more information please call Bobbi Yancey, Director, at 337-526-2908.

Gold Key Quest Prizes Revealed!

The Arts Council's annual Gold Key Quest raffle fundraiser has official begun! Because of this fundraiser, we are able to operate at our current capacity, and you have the chance to directly benefit the arts in Southwest Louisiana through simply purchasing a $50 raffle ticket. Your investment in the Gold Key Quest raffle drawing also entitles you to a year-long membership with the Arts Council which includes access to our quarterly newsletter, the Imperial Calcasieu Social Secretary e-mail list, and exclusive previews of Arts Council events.


When you purchase your 2012 Gold Key Quest raffle ticket, you are automatically entered into the drawing which will be held at our third annual Arts & Crabs Fest on Saturday, August 18th.  To purchase your chance to win one of our ten amazing prizes detailed below, visit the Arts Council website.

$10,00 Cash Grand Prize

provided in part by Bolton Ford

Golf Getaway for Two

provided by L’Auberge®Casino Resort Lake Charles

$1,000 VISA Gift Card

provided by First Federal Bank of Louisiana

Original Oil Painting by Marilyn Cox

provided by Marilyn Cox

Rejuvenating Getaway for Two

provided by L’Auberge®Casino Resort Lake Charles

"Gator on the Geaux"

provided by Margaret Benoit

Crawfish Farm Excursion & Boil for Six

provided by Burt Tietje of Tallgrass Farm

Toshiba Satellite Dual-Core Laptop with 16.5" LCD Screen

provided by Walmart on the Bayou

One-of-a-kind Customized Jewelry

provided by Bijoux Fine Jewelers

Guided Fishing Tour with Overnight Stay and Dinner for Two at Grosse Savanne Lodge

provided by the Sweet Lake Land & Oil Company

Schwarzauer Wins Art Battle!

Photo by www.visitlakecharles.org.

Congratulations to our winning team for the 2012 Art Battle, Mindy Schwarzauer and Glenda Tupper! They employed live models for their piece, and crowd loved it! They earned over $550 in tips, and their piece was also auctioned off! Their mural will be displayed at Central School Arts & Humanities Center for thirty days, so be sure to drop by to see it. 


Check out this great video by Karen Wink at the American Press! Thank you to the Convention & Visitors Bureau, Southwest Daily News, and the American Press for covering the Spring Art Walk and Art Battle!