Reviews & Interviews

September 30 2008

by David Cuthbert, Theater writer, The Times-Picayune August 29, 2008

The five-member cast gives us an antic, anachronistic history of the state and the Louisiana Purchase, based on artist John Chase's irreverent pen and ink cartoon depictions, bracketed by current news and lampoons of Loozeanna icons. The script was still being added to opening night, with President Bush saying on his most recent visit that New Orleans is now "very much the city he remembered -- during his drinking days."

But after the nonstop comic parade of historical personages, politicians and personalities, quick changes, good jokes and bad puns, the actors drop their knockabout facades to appear as themselves and briefly tell their own and one another's storm stories, contrasting Betsy with Katrina.

The one that resonates the strongest is that of Rose Marie Sand, whose positive persona lights up the stage. Sand met her husband, Milton, after Betsy at a hurricane shelter when both were teenagers. And she lost him after returning home from the Katrina evacuation. "It took a hurricane to bring them together, " cast member Will Schneider says, "and a hurricane to part them."

The heartfelt and humorous exist side-by-side. "We can take anything, " goes one line. "We are resilient. You have to be, to cheer for the Saints all these years."

VOICES OF LOUISIANA
• What: Shine Productions presents The Evacuation Theatre Troupe's comedic Louisiana history and stories of resilience in the face of tragedy.
• Where: Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave.
• When: Final performances tonight and Saturday at 8.
• Tickets: $28, includes $5 bar credit.
• Call: 504.581.5812 or visit www.cabaretlechatnoir.com.


Chris Bordelon narrates confidently, knowing that if one joke bombs, another will connect big-time. The burly Schneider would look the most ridiculous in drag, so, of course, he is the one playing a succession of Spanish queens, with a vision "that one day everyone will be speaking Spanish from the roofs of New Orleans."

Barry Lemoine is a series of disgusted American Indians, Juan Ponce de Leon and Richard Simmons (who needs better material), while Tom Hassinger scores as Jefferson (Thomas, not Bill), playing "Deal or No Deal" for the Louisiana Purchase, and Edwin Edwards, who gets one of the night's biggest laughs with a gag about his fondness for ex-wife Candy.

Sand is a funny Anne Rice, but fabulous as a clueless Kathleen Blanco, reading everything she speaks from cue cards.

These are performers who have an actorly ease born of playing countless shows at home, across the state and country. They comprise a true ensemble, one specifically from St. Bernard, saying proudly, "Where else can you find someone smiling when they catch crabs?"

They also embody the joy of southern Louisiana:

"We live in the places we do because we choose to.

"And as long as there's music, we're gonna dance."

July 16 2008

by Brian Sands
June 15, 2008
Ambush Magazine

The Altos at Rocky and CarlosSicilian Room The rebuilding effort isn’t close to being done but Rocky and Carlos Restaurant is back up & running in Chalmette and that gives hope for the recovery of St. Bernard Parish as a whole. Recently playing in the Sicilian Room there was Shine Productions’ The Altos, an audience friendly spoof of you-knowwhich long-running TV show. There’s no
pretense to Shakespeare here (or Strindberg or Pinter or even Neil Simon) but old-time vaudeville is recalled with bad puns, running jokes, asides to the audience, and musical numbers popping
up out of nowhere. And let’s not forget the horny priest. A slim plot asks the audience to try to figure out who tried to kill Tony Alto. Whether you’re right or not becomes secondary to having just
plain ol’ fun but if you’re sharp enough to figure out the clues, you might even win a bottle of wine. The Shine cast knows just how to play off the enthusiasm of the audience with a wacky energy, even bringing some folks up on stage, while making sure none of them hijacks the show. Stand-out performers include Mary Burns as Tony’s Mom who milks every Italian Mama cliche and, using inspired
comic timing, gets away with it; Will Schneider playing a dumb gumba guido with vigorous conviction; and Christian Bordelon as Tony himself who tops double takes with triple takes. Bordelon also did a fine job of directing this madness, never allowing his cast to linger too long over any one piece of business. The veal Parmesan and baked macaroni were yummy, the play is a hoot, and by going you’re helping the economy in Chalmette. It all adds up to a great way to spend an evening. The next time The Altos returns, make sure to book early for best seats.

June 29 2008

By David Cuthbert, Times Picayune, June 27, 2008

Participatory dinner theater is not my favorite thing. My attitude is that the audience sits here, the play goes on there and never the twain shall meet. Shine Productions' "The Altos" at Rocky & Carlo's, however, is a somewhat different story. Rarely has there been so felicitous a trifecta of theater, location and cuisine as this popular St. Bernard Parish bacchanal.


The fourth wall is not so much broken as machine-gunned to smithereens the moment you enter the utilitarian Sicilian Room, where costumed actors from the "Sopranos"-inspired comedy circulate in character, doing the Wiseguys strut, hurling insults about other characters, flirting and posing for photos, setting up the extremely informal mise en scene as your food is served.

This is not just a performance, it is a three-hour experience and often a very funny one that purposefully never rises above a "Shadddup-a-you-face" sketch comedy, capische? All it needs is Tootsy-Frootsy ice cream for dessert. Yet most of the actors perform with the true give-and-take of an experienced ensemble, because that is what they have been for years, in stagings both satirical and serious (sometimes simultaneously).

The plot has members of the Alto family coming out of hiding from the Witless Protection Program for the funeral of mob boss Tony Alto, incinerated into a "crispy critter" by a car bomb. Besides, all the evidence against them washed away in the flood.

Perched by the urn with his ashes is Tony's enlarged and framed mug shot. His eulogy begins, "What can we say about Tony Alto that hasn't already been said -- under deposition?"

Ah, but was Tony really killed? Who is that unusually ugly stripper in the big, black fright wig? There are more murders, with the bodies dragged out back for Sidney Torres to pick up. Comedy shtick includes a bell ringing every time a gangster movie or police show is mentioned, Three Stooges routines, and liberal lacings of local punch lines: "Damn that Jack Stephens!"; "One call, that's all"; Dollar General Stores and much more. The show's eclectic musical content offers a rap, "Ave Maria, " "Mambo Italiano, " and the big production number, "What's a Matta You?" that had us all singin' like canaries.

The most successful caricatures are Mary Burns' riotously bitchy old biddy Nona Alto, the Mafia Mama in deep mourning who still can get down when "You're No Good" is heard; Will Schneider's hunky, convincingly criminal stereotype Chris Alto; Katherine Karcher as sexy, gum-chewing widow Toffee Alto; and Barry Lemoine as priapic priest Father Flip ("a man of the loin cloth"). Director Christian Bordelon scores in a dual role, Lou Roper has his moments as Uncle Senior, Peggy Wegener adds a solid vocal presence, but Katie Betz needs to be surer of her lines and delivery as Dr. Malaise.

The program is a newspaper, The Crimes Picayune; the communal dining arrangement guarantees that you will know the Katrina stories of everyone at your table; and the menu offers the restaurant's famous cheese-and-mac, a dish akin to the loaves and fishes, because no matter how much of it you ingest, a huge helping remains on your plate.

The whole enterprise has the guts of a burlesque burglar ("Thief of Bad Gags"), exemplified in the line, "Gettin' it all out never did anyone any good except strippers and people with food poisoning."

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THE ALTOS

What: Shine Productions presents an interactive dinner theater murder mystery-comedy, directed by Christian Bordelon.

Where: Rocky and Carlo's Sicilian Room, 613 W. St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette.

When: Final performances tonight, Saturday and Thursday, dinner at 7, show at 8.

Tickets: $35, dinner and show. Call for ticket availability.

Call: (504) 666-1220.


Theater writer David Cuthbert can be reached at dcuthbert@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3468
SHINE PRODUCTIONS

June 25 2008

Times Picayune
Thursday, June 19, 2008
By Kim Gritter

If you have mob movie mania, but enjoy a good laugh at the same time, check out Shine Productions' "The Altos," St. Bernard Parish's longest running mob murder mystery dinner show, when it returns to the stage this weekend.

The show, billed as "Like the Sopranos, only lower," tells the tale of how alleged mob boss Tony Alto gets "bumped off." As his so-called "friends" gather at his funeral, they feast like kings, all the while speculating how the late, great Alto was slain.

Appropriately staged at Rocky and Carlo's Sicilian Room, 613 W. St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette, the production has sold out more than 20 shows since its debut in 2004.

Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and June 27-28. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $35 per person and include a pre-show dinner with a choice of three of Rocky's specialties -- veal Parmesan, Italian sausage or stuffed bell pepper. A cash bar also will be available.

All seats must be reserved in advance. For tickets, call producer Rose Marie Sand at (504) 666-1220.

Christian Bordelon, who will portray Alto and direct the production, said the show will provide spectators with a chance to forget their troubles.

"In a place where the storm probably devastated the most, we just want people to be able to get out and have a good time somewhere close to home without having to travel far," Bordelon said.

Bordelon said the show is audience interactive so no two shows are exactly alike. Guests are encouraged to don their finest mob attire to "dress to express your inner Alto."

"The show is constantly changing because of the improvisational aspect," he said. "We throw in local references and current events, so we like to say the script is very 'liquid.' "

Other cast members include: Barry Lemoine as Father Flip; Katherine Karcher as Toffee Alto; Katie Betz as Dr. Malaise; Louis Royer as Uncle Senior; Mary Burns as Nona Alto; Will Schneider as Chris Alto; and Peggy Wegener as the vocalist. Annette Campo is assistant director.

June 10 2008

New Orleans CityBusiness, Sep 6, 2004 by Holly Miller

An Evening with Betsy, Voices from the Storm, Shine Productions' hit play about the 1965 hurricane, is back this month for an encore performance. The show, which features original music and footage while actors and Louisiana citizens tell stories from the storm's devastation, debuted in 2001 and sparked the formation of Shine Productions in Chalmette. Rose Marie Sand, co-owner of Shine with Barry Lemoine, was in high school when Betsy hit town. She made her acting debut telling her story in the 2001 performance of An Evening with Betsy. The play runs Sept. 10-12 and Sept. 17-19 at Nunez Auditorium in Chalmette.

Why is Shine holding an encore performance of 'Betsy?'

This is actually the play that started this company. When we did it in 2001, we did it in May and September and both of those showings sold out every performance. A lot of people have asked us to bring Betsy back - not the hurricane, the show. ... People have grown up hearing stories about Betsy. A lot of people mark their lives before and after Betsy. A lot of them had very dramatic things happen to them. When you go out in the lobby, people are sharing Betsy stories as much as they're talking about the play.

Is there anything different this time around?

For this performance we have a lot of new stories. This play was written from stories of survivors. People who had a story to tell from Hurricane Betsy came together to tell stories to Barry Lemoine, who wrote the play from the stories. We put the word out and got some new stories. Barry has incorporated in the new script some of the old favorite storytellers, too. I like to say it's both funnier and more poignant this time.

How is the show set up?

The show has several different components. We have video and still footage from Hurricane Betsy that we incorporate and show on the screen while some of the storytellers tell their stories. Photos and video came from the Army Corps of Engineers, TV and some private citizens. ... The set is a recreation of a shotgun double, and so many people who walk into the auditorium say, Oh my God, that looks like my aunt's house.

What are your memories of Betsy?

Although many of the stories are dramatic and sad, mine is happy because Hurricane Betsy marks the anniversary of my husband and I meeting one another. My home was flooded, so my family evacuated to Chalmette High, as did his. I went and worked in the office to help register people, and he came down to the office and helped the paramedics. ... The play runs the gamut of stories: love, marriage, birth, death and every human emotion there is.

How did Shine Productions get its start?

My partner, Barry Lemoine, was a drama teacher at Andrew Jackson High School, and I went to tell my story to use for the play. We decided through the success of the play and the chemistry of people that came together for this project to start Shine Productions.

How many employees does Shine have?

It's just my partner and myself and a lot of wonderful volunteers that we
could not do this without.

Has your audience grown over the past few years?

Definitely. We started out kind of from scratch, and right now our mailing list has more than 2,500 people. A lot of those names are from St. Bernard Parish, but more and more an awful lot are coming from outside St. Bernard. One of the projects that really expanded our base was the first show of the season, The Altos. It sold out every one of five days, so we kept adding dates. It ended up running six months - the longest running play in St. Bernard history. We also have a variety show, an adult cabaret show and we do acting workshops.

Copyright 2004 Dolan Media Newswires

May 29 2008

Times Picayune
Thursday, May 29, 2008
By Barry Lemoine


They have sewn costumes and painted sets. They have operated the lights and the sound. They have sold tickets, worked the bar, and done whatever else was necessary for the show to go on. And recently, for the first time, Arabi neighbors and theater fans Katie Betz and Katherine Karcher shared the stage.

The duo was part of a recent comedy showcase held in Slidell, hosted by local comic Wes Cannon. Featuring Amanda Hebert, veteran performer and star of Late Night Catechism, the 80-minute show was a wild mix of stand-up and sketch comedy.

Betz and Karcher were in a number of skits, playing multiple characters including Hillary Clinton, a crazy nurse, and a game show contestant.

And although neither is new to the stage, they both agree working as part of an ensemble was fun.

"It's always fun to make people laugh," Betz said. "That's kind of been the mission of what we've been doing. Doing different shows at different venues."

Karcher said the rehearsals are almost as much fun as performing.

"Being with your friends, creating something fresh and funny is what I really like," she said. Being a part of any production is fun, she said. "On stage is just lagniappe."

The pair will next appear together in the return of the mob spoof, "The Altos," slated to open in late June in Chalmette, with Old Arabi resident Christian Bordelon serving as director.

And speaking of Arabi, in the audience the night of the comedy show was former Arabi resident and former Miss Louisiana Chrissy Cuenca.

Cuenca and her fiancée, Rudy Knoll now live in California but were in town, renovating their Old Arabi home.

May 19 2008

By John Alfone, Where Y'at Magazine
October 2007

Now in residence at Le Chat Noir, Bless Ya Boys is a playful look at the New Orleans Saints franchise’s history interpreted by St. Bernard Parish’s Shine Productions. Written by Tom Hassinger/directed by Barry Lemoine and coinciding with the 2007 Saints football season, the play takes the audience on a journey through the team’s history, revisiting the names and the legends that have given the team their rollercoaster reputation. Meant to be taken lightly with its satirical nature, Bless Ya Boys lovingly looks at the transformation of a hapless football from losers into winners.
According to the troupe’s website, “The mission of Shine Productions is to bring the community closer through creative collaboration. By offering a diversity of the arts to St. Bernard Parish, we will take an active role in building the next generation actors, writers, directors, designers, producers and performers.” With the vast majority of the actors either growing up or currently living in “the Parish,” the piece has an authentic, yet refined stamp of New Orleans genuineness as Tom Hassinger and Barry Lemoine are joined on stage by actors Chris Bordelon, William Schneider, Shane Palmer and Jenny Abshier.
With that perspective in mind, the play chronices the birth and life of the team with sketches throughout that detail memorable moments and fantasies involving the team’s evolution. One of the funnier sketches involves Archie Manning talking to his children Eli and Peyton about why they shouldn’t attempt to become professional football players. After Archie encourages the pursuit of a career as a concierge, he also extols why his son Cooper will eventually become an NFL player.
Another hilarious scene involves a meeting between Mike Ditka and his number one draft pick Ricky Williams. When Ditka accidentally mistakes one of the bohemian Williams’ joints for a cigar, the audience is privileged to witness a softer side of a NFL personality best known by the nickname “Iron Mike.” With Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” playing in the background, this scene is a hoot.
A final favorite scene is the gratuitous hot lesbo locker-room scene involving the troupe’s two nubile actresses. While it is not entirely clear what the producers were thinking (or smoking) when this scene was conceived, one could only hope for more scenes such as these.
If there are any shortcomings, it would rest in the costume of St. Peter. Meant to be looking down at the team from the Heavens, his celestial gown appears as though it were found on the closet rack after someone’s graduation. While it is not the fault of the producers, an audience member might have a difficult time following the finer points of the play if unfamiliar with the Saints’ storied history. Beyond that, the play is humorous and is a delight for fanatics of the Saints who wear the black and gold every fall.

May 19 2008

by Angus Lind, Times Picayune, September 24, 2007

It covers 40 years in 90 minutes, moving faster than many New Orleans Saints players ever did and running through lines with more punch than the team had during much of its history.

That's "Bless Ya, Boys," a loving, irreverent broken-field run down the black-and-gold memory lane playing at 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Le Chat Noir, through Oct. 30.


In the show, at least two dozen Saintly characters are played by only six versatile actors, most of them operating in quick-change mode. The Shine Production comedy troupe of Arabi, through Divine Intervention (the stage is divided into Heaven and Earth), brings together Buddy Diliberto, John Mecom, Tom Benson and Rita Benson LeBlanc, Marie Laveau, Archie Manning and sons, Jim Mora, Vince Marinello, Mike Ditka, Ricky Williams, Hank Stram and the Saintsations -- or, as they are referred to here, the "SinSations."

Then there are Heavenly figures such as St. Peter, St. Christopher and Our Lady of Perpetual Incompetence, plus Gumbo the St. Bernard mascot, the Bagheads and the booming melodramatic voice of the late John Facenda of NFL Films, brought back to life and sarcasm by the vocal chords of Tom Hassinger.

Facenda: "The Saints capped off the year 2000 with their first-ever playoff win, a thrilling come-from-ahead victory over St. Louis that was sealed when Rams' return specialist Az-Hakim muffed a routine punt in the final minute of play. Five years later, the Saints would offer Az-Hakim a lucrative free agent contract, demonstrating the keen eye for talent and re-sale value that has characterized the organization since Tom Benson assumed ownership and laid the groundwork for guiding the team . . . just around the next curve."

"Bless Ya, Boys" is directed by Barry Lemoine, a key performer (as St. Peter, Ricky Williams and Eli Manning) along with Hassinger (Benson, Archie, Buddy D); Christian Bordelon (Marinello, Stram, St. Christopher); and Will Schneider (Mecom, Ditka, Gumbo and Peyton Manning).

Then there are those SinSations, played by Shane Palmer (who also appears as Marie Laveau) and Jenny Abshier, who tells the audience:

"My name is Monica. I'm from Metairie. I've been dancing since I was 3. Actually, that's when I started taking classes. My mama said I danced right out of her womb . . . My dream is to marry a rich football player. But first I want to be a SinSation."

The play was conceived while the Shine actors, most of whom are from St. Bernard and lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina, were on the road as the Evacuation Theatre Troupe during the 2006 season. They were doing their "Voices of Louisiana" production, about the history of the state and the hardships facing it in the storm's aftermath.

"We did 16 shows over a 12-week period in the Louisiana Purchase area, but every Sunday we were running and gunning, trying to find a town that had a sports bar where we could watch the Saints," said Lemoine, a huge fan. As the season progressed, the idea for the comedic tribute to the Saints was hatched.

Shine does a Shakespeare production that covers 37 plays in 90 minutes, "so we knew we could do 40 years of the Saints in 90 minutes," said Lemoine, who, aside from his work with the troupe, also produces educational videos for the St. Bernard Parish school system. A collaborative effort, the show is updated every week, to incorporate current topics and developments with the Saints.

"We tweak it," Lemoine said. "It's a nurturing group; anything goes. There are a lot of ad-libs and new one-liners, and everybody's quick on their feet."

In time, he said, Bum Phillips and Snake Stabler may be written into the show, but as it is, the play certainly has legs and will travel well.

The show goes back to before the city had a football franchise: We see a powerful Louisiana politician wearing suspenders in an animated conversation with the NFL commissioner, trying to hammer out a deal for an anti-trust exemption.

The commish says if the NFL gets the exemption, they'll give New Orleans a couple of preseason games.

"I got a problem with that," says the pol. "You see where I come from, we believe in squid pro quo." And then in no uncertain terms he tells the commissioner he has no choice but to give New Orleans a team if he wants the exemption.

He asks the commissioner if he is familiar with his close friend Tony Alto and the Alto family. The commissioner is puzzled and says, "The Altos?"

"Yeah, like the Sopranos . . . but lower. Tony asked me to make you an offer you can't understand."

The Beer Man (no, not Michael Lewis; this one is from Section 652, the Dome's nosebleed section) takes a walk through the audience at one point, hawking his beer. He is one of the characters who resides in Heaven.

"I was there when the Dome opened 'til '86, when I came up here," the beer seller says. "Man, we had some fun. I remember 1979. With Archie leading the way, we finished with eight wins and eight losses, the first non-losing team in team history. Record beer sales, too. The next year, the team lost 15 games, including one in which we blew a 28-point lead.

"But you know the people of New Orleans. You gotta make the best of a bad situation, right? So there was another record beer sales but for another reason."

The "Odd Couple" segment with Iron Mike Ditka and Ricky Williams could be one of the best, with Ditka blasting the dreadlocked running back for throwing away his expensive stogie. He then finds some of his player's joints, smokes them 'til he is stoned, then chums up with Ricky, saying he needs to "get in touch with his inner lotus."

Then there's Buddy D in his studio, joined by Hank Stram. Buddy says he hasn't seen the coach since . . .

"Fourth of July, 2005. The day I passed. Six months after you," Stram says.

Buddy then asks him if he had any regrets coaching the Saints.

"I wish Archie would have been healthy the whole time I was there," Stram says. "He was a franchise player without a franchise. I wish Chuck Muncie hadn't been a cokehead. . . . Yeah, a few regrets."

Hassinger, a stand-up comic and school psychologist in St. Tammany Parish, is at his comic zenith as Buddy D, complaining that there are squirrels even in Heaven and trying to pronounce "Hevery Denderson . . . Dendery Heverson . . . you know, that kid from LSU."

The choices of music in the show are excellent, one prime example being "Spirit in the Sky" for Buddy's "The Point Hereafter" with Hap Glaudi. And there is a surprise ending for the audience, many of whom wore Saints attire and cheered loudly the night I was there.

Wednesday morning quarterbacking: Maybe the costume for Texan John Mecom should have been a cowboy hat and boots instead of cargo shorts and a floppy hat, and maybe the Ditka character could have had a more exaggerated slicked-back wig. But this is fast-paced comedy by a small troupe with not much time for wardrobe adjustments. So there won't be a penalty flag.

Or a replay challenge. The play stands. Touchdown!

. . . . . . .

Columnist Angus Lind can be reached at alind@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3449.

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April 22 2008

DramaRama 15 Delights: Something for every theater-going taste at annual stage event
by David Cuthbert, Theater writer, The TimesPicayune April 22, 2008

Christian Bordelon and William Schneider wrung every comic and touching nuance from the Evacuation Theatre Troupe's account of traveling in an RV "To the Headwaters" of the Mississippi River. Their journey included stops in Nowhere, Texas; an encounter with police in Red Cloud, Nevada; the generosity and love of the people in a small Kansas town; and the magical moment of standing in the water where the Mississippi begins. The two actors also helped write and direct.

April 17 2008

wonderfully entertaining! this was the first production we were able to attend. it will not be the last. Kim Duplantier

the show was great. the price should have been $50 a person. Melissa Taranto

u kids rock!! I never saw a more better one. I like cheese.

It was very entertaining and funny. laughed so hard I cried. great performance Nicole Anthony

Hosts and servers were very nice and very eager to make sure I had everything I needed. The show was very entertaining! I laughed the whole time! I was very impressed with the interpretation of each work by Shakespeare. Matthew Piediscalco

Great Job! Keep on shining! Susan Cooper

Food was fantastic, workers extremely friendly and inviting. Show was very funny and well-done; creative, inventive. A hugh thanks for a wonderful evening!

Hosts, hostesses and wenches, etc., were all very friendly and accommodating. Food was wonderful (no surprise for R & C's of course). THE FUNNIEST night of theatre I have ever experienced. Bravo.

Awesome! Stupendous! Terriffic! Amazing! Great! It was better than CATS! I laughed, I cried, I kissed $30 goodbye.

So proud!! Love all y'all. Lillian Barras

My face hurts! Laughed my ass off. Ray Drew

Non stop laughter. Would pay to see it again anytime. Please do more shows of all types in St. Bernard. Chad O'Neil

Nice clothes, do they sell men's clothes where you bought that? So Will's middle name is Fanning? hahaha Love you guys! Keep the dream going. My lightsaber better not be broke when I get it back! Colleen Avila

Unbelievable funny, witty, playful and a fantastic time. You guys were friggin' awesome! Debbie Pearson

Oh my God, the most hilarious thing I ever saw. So sorry for laughing so loud. The best ever.