Southern Rep Theatre to Present BOUDIN: THE NEW ORLEANS MUSIC PROJECT

Southern Rep Theatre has announced details for its upcoming production of BOUDIN: The New Orleans Music Project. Southern Rep teamed up with WWOZ 90.7 FM and a volunteer Story Krewe to ask locals all over New Orleans to answer the question, "How has New Orleans music saved your soul?" The stories they collected form the basis for this original musical production celebrating the people, the music, and the magic of New Orleans.

BOUDIN is a truly collaborative project that includes theatrical, musical, and visual elements. Six musician-actors will bring the stories and the music of New Orleans to life in this 90-minute production at the new Ashé Power House Theater. Local visual artists have contributed personal music altars that will be displayed as part of the show, and a team of multimedia artists have been enlisted to create an interactive pre-show installation that includes geographical and historical context for the stories and music of BOUDIN.

"Bringing this project to fruition has been an invigorating and inspiring process," says Southern Rep's Producing Artistic Director Aimée Hayes. "It's been an absolute privilege to create this all-new theatre piece out of the incredible stories the community has shared with us and out of the experiences our own performers have brought to the piece. It's not like anything we've ever done, and I can't wait to share it with the community."

The production is conceived and directed by Sean Daniels, Artistic Director of Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and co-curated by Hayes. Noted New Orleans composer and producer Jay Weigel is the Music Director. The ensemble cast features Brittney James, Clint Johnson, Natalie Jones, Phillip Manuel, Dorian Rush, and Josh Smith.

Says director and co-curator Daniels, "Southern Rep's commitment to telling the stories of its community is admirable and awesome. While other theatres feign interest in who their audience is, Southern Rep has put them and the city center stage. It's a real celebration of the music, the people, and the unbreakable spirit of this city. When Aimée approached me about creating something with the community, I knew that no other theatre was as well positioned to really create something so vibrant and local, so I jumped at the chance."

The dynamic narratives that have been collected by the BOUDIN Story Krewe are available online at www.boudinmusicproject.com. Southern Rep invites the community to continue to add to this archive of local music history by visiting the website and uploading their own stories.

BOUDIN: The New Orleans Music Project has been supported by a community advisory board consisting of WWNO's Gwen Thompkins, Claire Bangser of NOLAbeings, Crystal Gross of WWOZ, David Kunian of WWOZ, Gene Meneray of Arts Council of New Orleans, Melanie Merz of WWOZ, Jim O'Quinn of American Theatre Magazine, Dr. Ray Sanders of The New Orleans Imperative, Cameron Shaw of Pelican Bomb, and Mr. Weigel.

BOUDIN is presented by Southern Rep Theatre as part of its 28th mainstage season. Performances run April 15 - May 17 at Ashé Power House, 1731 Baronne Street (previews April 15 - April 17). Tickets and information are available at www.southernrep.com or by calling the box office at (504) 522-6545.

BOUDIN: The New Orleans Music Project is supported in part by a grant from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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