Poor Boy Preservation
If New Orleans had its own food pyramid, the poor boy sandwich would be the foundation. This primary source of sustenance is both simple and indulgent, and with numerous ways to adorn one, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t appreciate its appeal.
Whether you like it “dressed,” or prefer yours with fried shrimp, roast beef, or French fries and gravy, creative variations of the sandwich are available at a bevy of local restaurants and bakeries. On Nov. 14 the Oak Street-based Po-Boy Preservation Festival will welcome dozens of these establishments as they set up vendor booths and tempt our taste buds.
Fans of the sandwich are encouraged to explore the neighborhood and dance to live music that will come from three stages. Twelve bands will perform throughout the day including Rebirth Brass Band, 101 Runners, Los Poboycitos and Baby Boyz Brass Band.
There will also be arts and crafts; a children’s section with games and prizes; panel discussions covering the history of the poor boy; a raffle for a jet ski; and other highlights. No one will go home hungry. Information, poboyfest.com.
100 years of multimedia dance
Alwin Nikolais, celebrated as the father of multimedia theater, was a choreographer; composer; and costume, set and lighting designer. He was known for featuring grand illusions in his performances. His repertoire, which spans more than 60 years, will be honored at the Alwin Nikolais Centennial, performed by the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and presented by the New Orleans Ballet Association and the NOCCA Institute. Ten dancers will perform the most influential works, including Crucible, Tensile Involvement and the premiere of a restored mixed-media spectacle called Temple. Directed by Alberto del Saz, a former dancer with Nikolais, performances take place Nov. 19 and 20 at NOCCA in the Freda Lupin Memorial Hall.
Information, 522-0996, www.nobadance.com.
Magic of Mozart
The New Orleans Opera Association presents Mozart’s The Magie Flute in a mythical, magical two-act performance that has been mesmerizing audiences for more than 200 years. The story begins as Prince Tamino faints while being chased by a serpent; unconscious, he’s rescued by three ladies – attendants of the Queen of the Night. But the rescuers leave the scene and Tamino awakens as a bird-catcher, covered in feathers, stands over him, claiming that it was he who saved him. When the trio of ladies appears again, they present Tamino with a portrait of the queen’s daughter, Pamina, whom they say is enslaved by the evil Sarastro. Tamino falls in love with the girl in the portrait and is encouraged to rescue her. He is presented with a magic flute that’s said to possess the power to change men’s hearts, among other powers. What ensues in the rest of the performance is a tangled – and enchanting – web of deception, love and enslavement – it’s a German libretto with a talented cast and picturesque scenery.
Information, www.neworleansopera.org.
Snapshots of Life in Louisiana
Through Feb. 13, New Orleans Museum of Art hosts a photographic exhibition called “Residents and Visitors: Twentieth-Century Photographs of Louisiana,” a collaboration between NOMA and the Historic New Orleans Collection. While these museums have partnered in the past, this is first to be based on institutional photographic holdings. This exhibit will display more than 100 images that offer glimpses of people, primarily in and around New Orleans.
Information, www.noma.org.
On the Fringe
International performers will convene in the artistically inclined Bywater and Marigny neighborhoods for the third annual New Orleans Fringe Festival, Nov. 17-21. Locations at grassroots theaters and unconventional spaces will host wildly innovative original theatrical performances that break boundaries. The Fringe Festival welcomes many genres of theater – comedy, drama, musical theater, cabaret, dance, multimedia, circus, sideshow and interdisciplinary – with emerging and established actors and artists being equally welcomed onto the stages. Also of note are the kids’ activities – Family Fringe offers a range of arts activities, including improvisational activities, crafts, open-mic for kids, a Nola Rising paint party, puppet shows and more. The Fringe Festival is a nonprofit founded by local arts organizers to nurture fearless theater in the area and to benefit the artists, neighborhoods, venues and local businesses who encourage it.
Information, www.nofringe.com
