Kenner's award winning theatre features Broadway musicals, comedies, dramas, and command performances in this 300-seat facility. Winner of numerous Big Easy awards and the critic's choice for area productions, the theatre showcases some of the best talent in our state.
2008 - 2009 Theatrical Season
MISS SAIGON - September 18 - October 4
The regional community theatre premiere of the epic musical bows on Rivertown's stage under the expert hands of Director Butch Caire with Vatican Lokey as The Engineer. Based on Puccini's opera, Madame Butterfly, this epic production centers around the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover during the Vietnam War.
By Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr., the show's inspiration was reportedly a photograph, found by Schönberg that showed a Vietnamese mother leaving her child at a departure gate at Tan Son Nhut Air Base to board a plane headed for the United States where her father, an ex-GI, would be in a position to provide a much better life for the child. Schönberg considered this mother's actions for her child to be "The Ultimate Sacrifice," an idea central to the plot of Miss Saigon.
OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS - October 31 - November 16
Food, fidelity and family in Hoboken, New Jersey! Joe Pietro's is an endearing, heart-warming comedy about the tug-of-war between ambition and meatballs. It's what happens when a grandson's loyalty to his two sets of eccentric, old-fashioned Italian grandparents is upset by a job promotion that threatens to separate them. This play is one of the most amusing and touching modern American comedies. Directed by Dane Rhodes.
THE ARMSTRONG HOTEL - January 16 - February 1
The WORLD PREMIERE of a new comedy written and directed by Dane Rhodes and starring Becky Allen and Sandy Bravender. The Armstrong Hotel never existed, but all the institutions and landmarks it represents are known in every New Orleans heart. The story centers on the two LaSalle sisters who have spent their lives cleaning, or rather avoiding cleaning, a downtown hotel. It is just before the 1984 World's Fair and New Orleans is quickly changing into a new type of town hoping to draw tourist dollars. As the old girls lounge in an unused room watching local news, they deal with family dramas, personal conflicts, and a sexy young traveler who forces them to come to grips with old secrets that may forever sever their lifelong relationship. In this surprisingly moving story, the dialogue between Michaela and Josephine is both funny and sad, but always holds that special wisdom old New Orleanians seem to possess.
WAIT UNTIL DARK - March 6 - March 22
This Broadway hit mystery drama by Frederick Knott is a masterfully constructed thriller moving from one moment of suspense to another as it builds toward an electrifying, breath-stopping final scene. A sinister con man, Roat, and two ex-convicts are about to meet their match. They have traced the location of a mysterious doll to the Greenwich Village apartment of Sam Hendrix and his blind wife, Susy. The con man and his ex-convicts convince Susy that the policehave implicated Sam in a murder, and the doll, which she believes is the key to his innocence, is evidence. When Roat kills his associates, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues between thetwo. And when darkness falls, Susy turns out all the lights leaving them both in the dark to play by her rules. Directed by Butch Caire.
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO - May 8 - May 24
Another regional premiere, this delightful romantic musical comedy follows two young gals from Brooklyn who spend an unforgettable weekend in 1960 at a wacky Catskills resort. Packed with beloved Neil Sedaka hits including "Calendar Girl" , "Laughter In The Rain" , "Solitaire" , and "Love Will Keep Us Together" , will rekindle memories of the golden old days, as our girls learn that you don't find love, love finds you. Bright-eyed bombshell Lois drags the recently jilted Marge to Esther's Paradise, where they meet a zany cast of characters including a comedian, a headliner, jack-of-all-trades and the spunky proprietress. When Lois's efforts to cheer up Marge collide with the Headliner's star attempts, the result is a case of mistaken identity, misdirected love and a series of hysterical hijinks all culminating in one unforgettable end-of-summer concert. With lyrics by Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield and Cody Philip, written by Erik Jackson and Ben H. Winters and directed by Patrick Mendelson.
For the Children's Wing:
ALADDIN December 5 - 14, 2008
Disney's Aladdin will make it's Community Theatre regional debut on the Mainstage for the holidays. Produced by Bonnie Knowles and Kathy Riess and directed by Scott Sauber, this stage adaptation of the Disney hit will have all the favorite characters including Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie. Filled with mayhem and magic carpet rides, the musical includes the Academy award-winning score by Alan Menken, adapted and arranged by Brian Louiselle with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and additional lyrics and book adapted by Jim Luigs.
Click here to go to the Rivertown Repertory Theatre website.
Season Tickets: $105.00 for Adults 18-54. $95.00 for Seniors 55 and up. Season ticket holders get a discount on the optional buffet catered by Messina's Restaurant.
Single show tickets areas follows:
Plays - Adults $22.00, Senior/Student (13-21) $20.00, Children (6-12) $10.00.
Musicals - Adults $25.00, Senior/Student $22.00, Children $12.00.
Pre-performance buffet $18.00 (subscribers) per person,/$20.00 (Regular) per person.
The old theatre is available for rent (when available) by the Rivertown Repertory Guild.
The Rivertown Repertory Theatre is located at 325 Minor St., Rivertown, Kenner, Louisiana. Click here for a map and driving directions.
For information and reservations, call the box office Tuesday - Friday 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or one hour prior to each performance at (504) 468-7221.
