Westwego, LA

Saturday night, I had the chance to attend my first ever show at the Westwego Performing Arts Theatre in historic Salaville. Out to celebrate the hubby's birthday this weekend, we started the evening with the buffet dinner in the community center, then walked out the back door and directly into the intimate theatre that is just the right size to give everyone a great view of the stage. While dinner was not that impressive (next time I'll save the $15), the musical was quite entertaining and showcased the local talents of the ensemble cast.

Set in the fictional Armadillo Acres trailer park in Starke, Florida, the musical comedy follows the stories of the residents set to song. Not for the kiddies, there were a few "blue" words sprinkled through the show, but the audience appeared to soak up every entertaining scene. The cast did a terrific job, with a couple of standout singers in the bunch, including Jessie Terrebonne as "Pippi" and Meredith Long as "Betty". Here's the show synopsis from the JPAS website:

What does a 35-year-old woman with agoraphobia, a stripper who doesn't mind hangin' around in her work attire after hours, a man on a rampage to win back his ex, and a woman who is psychologically habitually pregnant have in common? They are all stars in The Great American Trailer Park Musical! This comedy takes you to Starke, Florida for a chance to experience the lifestyles of the down and out and fabulous. So watch out for "Road Kill" and cross over to "This Side The Tracks" to meet the colorful folks of Armadillo Trailer Park in this crazy, fun-lovin', rated R musical.

A short intermission gave us just enough time to refill our drinks from the bar and visit with the friends that we ran into before the performance. I'm always reminded of how "small town" the West Bank is when I attend a function and see loads of people that I know! Chef Emile was just a couple of rows in front of us, out for a date night with his sweetie, still basking in the glow of kicking Bobby Flay's butt in a jambalaya throwdown last year.

If you have never been to the JPAS in Westwego, or haven't been for awhile, I heartily recommend that you check out the upcoming schedule and make plans to attend. Have an early or late dinner and enjoy the show.

For the talented kids and teens in your family, the theatre is offering a Youth Musical Theatre Summer Camp. Registration begins on March 3rd at 8:00 am. With enough participants, the kids will put on a musical at the end of the summer camp session. This sounds like a great way to keep the kids busy this summer, while encouraging their creativity.

It's been another great West Bank weekend....