Notes from New Orleans

As promised during our Fat Tuesday in Kentucky post, our friend Terry has filed a report on her exciting trip to New Orleans:

"We walked with the Skull and Bone Gang at 6am from the Treme through the French Quarter (first time since 1819 they've ever gone through there!) and back- about 3 miles or so. There was a stilt-walker, and kid-skulls. They carried huge, fresh pigs feet and knocked on doors with them, saying, "Wake up! Do not be late, it's Mardi Gras mornin', got to celebrate!", and "We come to remind you to get your life together - by the time you see me, it's too late to cry!" The stilt-guy chanted "You better stop the killin', or you gonna have to come with me; you better stop the lyin' or you gonna have to come with me..." "Wake up out the bed!" They rang doorbells and rocked people's cars, and then hugged anyone who opened their doors.

I am pleased and proud to say I did not set one foot on Bourbon Street. We made it to one big parade in hopes of seeing the Muses, but they were late, and it was fucking 40 degrees and windy like Chicago. So, we caught a few beads and went back home. Can't wait to go back..."

"1.) with Ronald Lewis, who runs the House of Dance and Feathers (a museum he runs in his back yard in the Lower 9th Ward) at the Backstreet Cultural Museum in the Treme
2.) sewing feathers with SpyBoy Ricky for the Little Queen of Yellow Pocohantas
3.) with George, Wild Man of the North Side Skull and Bone Gang
4.) helping Ida Mae, Big Queen of the Creole Wild West finish her Suit on Mardi Gras Day
5.) Ida Mae's grandson Adam, a Little Chief wearing his first Suit ever."


Photos by Charles Silver. Check out his great photographic work on his website and his flickr account.

A Year in the Death of Eddie Jester

Catclaw's newest production, T. Gregory Argall's A Year In The Death Of Eddie Jester, opens Thursday, June 18th! It's at FUZION on 1335 Story Avenue in Beautiful downtown Butchertown, and starts at 7:30pm.

It'll cost you a mere ten-spot to get in (25% student discount with ID) and see Toulouse-inations actors Sidney Hymson, Jill-Marie Schierbaum, and Carolyn Purcell; and Patrick Amsterdam's Todd Ziegler.

The show is produced by Jeffrey Scott Holland, and in the director's chair this time we have the great George Robert Bailey, star of Patrick Amsterdam and Clown #1 in Toulouse-inations.

The play concerns Eddie Jester, a stand-up comedian who addresses an audience of the mind from inside his own head. In actual fact, Eddie is laying in a coma in the hospital surrounded by former friends and lovers, who think that Eddie can't hear the things they're saying.... but he can.

Questions? Contact the Catclaw Theatre Company by calling 502.649.3378 or by e-mail.

"Patrick Amsterdam"

Jeffrey Scott Holland (your humble author)'s short play Patrick Amsterdam makes its world premiere at the Finnigan’s Festival at The Rudyard Kipling in the glorious Old Louisville district!

Patrick Amsterdam concerns an increasingly washed-up lounge singer and his downward spiral. George Robert Bailey stars as Patrick, Todd Ziegler plays his hippie sidekick and Sarah East plays the card girl.

The dates are: April 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 & 25, at 7:30pm.

Meanwhile, you can help support JSH's Catclaw Theatre Company by making a Paypal donation to catclawtheatre@gmail.com or clicking here. Help us bring weird theatre to the masses!

Please help Catclaw Theatre!

My theatre company, Catclaw, is in dire need of funds to continue our weird and mysterious works, and to take it to another level. Catclaw benefits the community by bringing new quality and variety to the theatre scene in Kentucky and surrounding areas. Furthermore, for our traveling productions, we intend to promote Kentucky actors and give them new opportunities to make their talents known to a national (and even international) audience.

We have a goal of setting up our own theatre space in Louisville by this time next year. Help us reach that goal!


No donation is too small, and all donors will receive acknowledgement in our playbills and newsletters, plus receive special discounts and thank-you gifts. For supporters giving over $500, your donation will include exclusive VIP invitations to upcoming special events, as well as other benefits we haven't even thought of yet. Contact us for details on how superdonors will get free tickets for life, and/or free advertising in our playbills for life!

You can also support us by purchasing items from our eBay auctions, and if there's anything else we can do for you, just let us know. Seriously. We'll come over and cook you dinner and paint your fence and shovel the snow from your driveway for a donation. You tell us what you need.

Catclaw Theatre Company is not a 501(c)(3) entity at this time and gifts to us are not tax-deductible at present.

Our Paypal account address is sdeatrick@gmail.com. To donate, click the Paypal button below:

Toulouse-inations

No Unusual Kentucky updates in a week??

Well, I've not had much time as of late. I've been in superserious crunch time with my play Toulouse-inations, which makes its world debut tomorrow night at 8pm at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Louisville. The show is pretty damn weird in itself, in more ways than one, so go and check it out even if you think theatre's not your bag.

After its run in Louisville, the show will go on to play in other cities and will set its sights on an Off-Off-Broadway production in NYC in 2009. By sheer persistence, stubbornness, and plugging away, this play will eke out a reputation for itself, for better or for worse, by hook or by crook, a bis ou a blanc.

Someday you'll kick yourself for not having jumped on this chance to see the show in its very first raw incarnation with its original cast, so save your future self the anguish of hindsight, and purchase tickets NOW!

Consult the Kentucky Center's schedule here to peruse and purchase. The show opens August 7 and runs for FOUR DAYS ONLY.

Questions? Call the Kentucky Center at 502.562.0100 or Catclaw Theatre Company at 502.649.3378.