Le Petit Theatre in New Orleans to Host Free Reading of Kelley Nicole Girod's A BODY OF WATER

On Thursday, July 18th at 7 pm, Le Petit Theater will present a public reading of award-winning playwright and producer Kelley Nicole Girod's play A Body of Water as part of their Petit Reads series. A Body of Water is the third piece in Girod's Louisiana trilogy that traces her family's history in Louisiana and includes the plays This Stretch of Montpelier and The Faith Healer.

Set amidst the tempestuous backdrop of The Great Flood of 2016 in Baton Rouge, A Body of Water follows the story of Martha Girod, an affluent matriarch steeped in her Creole roots, who suddenly finds herself in an existential crisis as she grapples with her cancer recovery and a major life transition. In the face of the powers of nature and God, she is forced to confront a past that still haunts her when the storm leaves her and her husband temporarily unhoused, washing away the upper-middle-class stability they have long fought for, and unearthing her childhood trauma of living through Hurricane Camille.

Kelley is thrilled to bring her piece back to her home state and hopes to continue developing the trilogy in Louisiana. She also looks forward to continuing to work with Le Petit Theatre to create an artistic pipeline of Louisiana arts and artists between Louisiana and NYC.

A Body of Water is directed by Girod's longtime collaborator and native New Orleanian Andrew Block. Performing for this reading are Troi Bechet, Leslie Castay, Robert DoQui, Lara Grice, Keyara Milliner, and John Neisler.

Petit Reads events are free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Reserve your free seat for A Body of Water at lepetittheatre.com or call the Box Office at 504.522.2081; open Monday through Friday from Noon to 5 pm.

"Louisiana native Girod has dug deep into the shady side of the polite Cajun society." - Theater Is Easy review of This Stretch of Montpelier

"Girod's command of language is exquisite. More poetic than Tennessee Williams, more hopeful than August Wilson, with the searing grace of Flannery O'Connor." Emily C.A. Snyder's review of This Stretch of Montpelier

A native of Louisiana, Girod has lived in NYC since 2005 where she completed her master's in playwriting at Columbia University. Since graduating, she has established herself in NYC as an award-winning playwright and producer. Girod is currently the Director of New Work at the world-famous Apollo Theater and serves as Executive Director of OBIE award-winning The Fire This Time Festival, a platform for early career Black playwrights, which she founded in 2009. In 2023, she received New York Innovative Theater's prestigious Ellen Stewart Award.

An award-winning NYC-based director, Block is the recipient of the Ovation and L.A. Drama Critics Circle awards for Best Director & Production for the world premiere of John Pollono's Small Engine Repair. Selected credits include: Adam Szymkowicz's Clown Bar 2 (SparkPlug Productions), Kelley Nicole Girod (Body of Water, This Stretch of Montpelier), Mark Jason Williams' Straight Faced Lies and The Other Day (Theatre at 14th St Y). Andrew also serves as TDF's liaison and representative to NYC's vibrant Off and Off-Off Broadway community.

A Body Of Water has received developmental support from the Sundance IDP Grant and City Arts Grant (NYC).

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

WHAT: Petit Reads free play reading of A Body of Water

WHEN: Thursday, July 18, 2024, at 7 pm

WHERE: LE PETIT THEATRE - 616 St. Peter St. New Orleans LA 70116 | 504.522.2081

BOX OFFICE: 504.522.2081 x 1 or lepetittheatre.com

TICKETS: Tickets are free but seats are reserved.

CONTACT: For A Body of Water and general Le Petit Theatre inquiries, contact: Brooke Rabon; 504.522.2081 x6; brabon@lepetittheatre.com

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