Troupe will hold auditions for 'Departed'

• By ROBIN MILLER
• Arts writer
• Published: Jun 14, 2009

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Auditions for New Venture Theatre’s upcoming production Dearly Departed are 2-5 p.m. today, June 14, at Independence Park Theatre, 7800 Independence Blvd.

The play is a comedy by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones. Greg Williams Jr. is director of the production set for July 30-Aug. 2 at Independence Park Theatre. Rehearsals begin Thursday, June 18.

This is a color blind casting call. Those auditioning should prepare a one-minute comedic monologue.

Available roles are Bud, an elderly man; Raynell, Bud’s wife; Ray-Bud, their son; Lucille, Ray-Bud’s wife; Junior, Bud and Raynell’s other son; Suzanne, Junior’s sassy wife; Aunt Marguerite, Bud’s very religious half-sister; Royce, Marguerite’s good-for-nothing son; Delightful, Bud and Raynell’s overweight daughter; the Rev. Hooker; Veda, Raynell’s elderly friend; Norval, Veda’s husband; Nadine, a young woman; Clyde, a friend; and Juanita, a cousin by marriage.

For auditions or more information, call (225) 939-3874, e-mail info@newventuretheatre.org or go to http://www.newventuretheatre.com.

Purses at LASM
The exhibit The Purse and the Person: A Century of Women’s Purses opened June 13 and runs through Sept. 13 at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road.

This show considers women’s lives as reflected by their handbags and the contents therein. The contents of the bags include objects from the recognizable — a lipstick, cigarette lighter, mirror — to the curious, including a combination phone dialer and address book. These objects open one’s eyes to an evolving society and women’s roles in it and to their daily activities and even their personalities.

Running in conjunction with this exhibit is the show Sparkle and Elegance: The Handbags of Judith Leiber. Renowned for elevating the purse to the status of accessory-as-art, Leiber has forever altered the craft of purse production. Best known for her minaudières, many of them constructed in charming organic shapes, Leiber covered her purses with brilliantly colored crystals, giving them an air of elegant playfulness while maintaining timeless style. Meticulous attention is given to detail and flawless hand craftsmanship.

This exhibition features approximately 25 purses from a local private collection.

For more information, call (225) 344-5272.

Nonprofit workshops
Swine Palace will host seminars on new marketing tools for local nonprofit organizations, presented by David Dombrosky from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Friday, June 19, at the Music and Dramatic Arts Building on the LSU campus.

The first workshop focuses on free or low-cost technology solutions, the second on social networking strategies.

Dombrosky is executive director of the Center for Arts Management and Technology, an applied research center at Carnegie Mellon University.

The workshops are free and open to the public, but seating is limited. To reserve a seat or for more information, call (225) 578-9278.