New Orleans Theatre

Fall means more than football and festivals - it's the return of the arts season to New Orleans as well. Last month we told you about some art and music festivals, but there's also a vibrant theatre tradition thanks to our literary heritage.

The SideArm Gallery - in space that used to be for handgun training - will be hosting several performances of the first New Orleans Fringe Festival November 13 - 16. Shows include Great Hymn of Thanksgiving / Conversation Storm about a family dinner and Struck/Break about people who are not what they seem. For a complete calendar and showtimes, visit the Fringe website. www.nofringe.org

Southern Repertory Theatre at Canal Place will be presenting Conor McPherson's The Seafarer November 5 - December 7. It was the hit of the Broadway season and arrives in timely fashion for the holidays. Later in the season, Southern Rep is part of a rolling world premiere of a new play - Sick by Zayd Dohrn.

One of the nation's leading community theatres, Le Petit Theatre in the French Quarter, is offering Crimes of the Heart in November and December and All Shook Up - a new musical comedy based on the music of Elvis Presley in January and February.

If you're more in the mood for comedy and the atmosphere of a French cabaret, then you're looking for Le Chat Noir or The Black Cat. Upcoming shows include Win, Place, Show & Scrooge in Rouge. Reservations are suggested.

Cripple Creek Theatre Company will be focusing on Louisiana Stagewriters Workshops over the holiday season with performances from the workshops offered on Friday and Saturday nights - a great opportunity to see new works from up and coming playwrights. Dates include December 21-22 and January 18-19.

The nickname for this season at the New Orleans opera is "I love you to death" and they mean it - Don Giovanni in November, Carmen in March, and La Traviata in April - these are the greatest stories in opera and shouldn't be missed.

If you prefer dancing to singing, the New Orleans Ballet presents the Trey McIntyre Project on November 21 & 22 at Dixon Hall. These performances will include a work commissioned by the New Orleans Ballet Association and featuring the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.