Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris,
Rick Duplantier and Roxy Bergeron present
NINE LIVES: a Musical Witness of New Orleans
Three Performances Only
at Le Petit Theatre in
New Orleans on August 27, 28 and 29
Featuring Michael Cerveris
And New Orleans natives: Bryan Bratt, Paul Sanchez, trumpeter Shamarr Allen and more!
Music and Lyrics by Paul Sanchez and Colman deKay
Additional Lyrics by Michael Cerveris
Additional Words and Music by Shamarr Allen
Book by Kimberly Kaye
Directed by Jim Fitzmorris
Based on the Dan Baum book Nine Lives
Monday, August 25 – Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris and producing partners Rick Duplantier and Roxy Bergeron present NINE LIVES: A Musical Witness of New Orleans at Le Petite Theatre (616 Saint Peter St, New Orleans) for three performances only on August 27, 28and 29th. NINE LIVES: A Musical Witness of New Orleans depicts the personal stories of a diverse selection of New Orleans across the forty years between Hurricanes Betsy and Katrina. Based on the Dan Baum book Nine Lives, the musical is adapted with music and lyrics by Paul Sanchez and Colman deKay, additional lyrics by Michael Cerveris, book by Kimberly Kaye and directed by Jim Fitzmorris.
This 17 person cast features Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris, New Orleans natives TV and film actor Bryan Bratt, former Cowboy Mouse member Paul Sanchez and trumpeter Shamarr Allen who recently debuted in the James Brown biopic Get On Up, alongside popular singers George Sanchez, Jesse Moore, Robin Barnes, Vance Vaucresson, Alex McMurray, Debbie Davis, John Michael Haas, Ashley Rose Bailey, Tara Brewer, Erica Falls, Bill Malchow, Craig Klein and Sam Craft with musical direction by Matt Perrine.
Tickets range from $20-$50 and are available by calling 504-522-2081 or by visiting https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&w=a5099c1e21a37b9095a777494e8afdd6
Le Petit Theatre has partnered with the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC), www.nomaf.org to raise funds for the nonprofit which provides comprehensive health care and mental health/social services to local performers. NOMC representatives will be present at each performance with information on its services and how to donate. Nine Lives cast members will “pass the hat” for donations to the clinic after each show.
For more information please visit www.lepetittheatre.com.
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COMPANY BIOS:
MICHAEL CERVERIS. Broadway: Evita (with Ricky Martin), In The Next Room or the vibrator play, Hedda Gabler (with Mary Louise Parker), Cymbeline (with Martha Plimpton), LoveMusik (with Donna Murphy), Sweeney Todd (with Patti LuPone), Assassins, The Who’s Tommy and Titanic. London & Off-Broadway: Hedwig, Fun Home, King Lear (with Kevin Klein), Stephen Sondheim’s Road Show, Abingdon Square, The Games with Meredith Monk and Ping Chong at BAM Film: Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, Stake Land, The Mexican. TV: currently James Castro on “The Good Wife,” “The Knick,” September on “Fringe,” Mervin Frey on “Tremé,” “Fame.” Music: concerts at Carnegie Hall, NY City Opera, NY Philharmonic, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Ravinia, Jazz Fest and Preservation Hall, toured US/UK with punk icon Bob Mould. Tony award winner and 5 time nominee, Lortel, Outer Critics and Theater World award winner. He will open Fun Home on Broadway in April 2015. Has performed with Pete Townshend, Frank Black of the Pixies, The Breeders, Stone Temple Pilots. Recordings: solo debut Dog Eared and the upcoming Piety, recorded with Mark Bingham at Piety Studios in New Orleans. His country band, Loose Cattle, recently released their debut live CD, North of Houston.
PAUL SANCHEZ. Fans may know Paul Sanchez as a founding member of the rock band Cowboy Mouth having played with the band from 1990 to 2006, for his role in the HBO series TREME where he played himself, or as the creative force behind the musical, story NINE LIVES. Native New Orleanian Paul Sanchez, was born in the blue-collar Irish Channel across the street from the Mississippi River. It was thanks to Trinity Episcopal School’s program to help the under privileged kids from his neighborhood that his career was launched playing The Artful Dodger in a summer day camp performance of OLIVER. By the time he was twelve, his brother, Andrew, was teaching Paul to play guitar. Sanchez defies categories and is noted as an actor, songwriter, singer, producer, writer and musician, with 11 solo CDs under his belt and another 11 CDs as a member of Cowboy Mouth. In January of 2010 Off Beat Magazine awarded Paul three Best Of The Beat Awards: Songwriter of The Year, Best Song Of The Year, Best Folk/Rock Album for Stew Called New Orleans, his duet record with friend and collaborator John Boutte. In April of that same year Gambit Weekly awarded him Best Roots Rock Performer at The Big Easy Awards. Primarily a songwriter Sanchez has written songs for Darius Rucker of Hootie and The Blowfish, had a song in the country charts which was recorded by The Eli Young Band, and a song covered by childhood idol Irma Thomas the Soul Queen of New Orleans.
BRYAN BATT is a native New Orleanian, actor, designer, fundraiser, and civic activist has won 2 Screen Actor’s Guild awards for his portrayal of “Salvatore Romano” on AMC’s critically acclaimed, Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody award winning dramatic series “Mad Men.” As an Author, both his memoir She Ain’t Heavy, She’s My Mother and décor book Big, Easy Style have received rave reviews. Theatrically Bryan is most proud to have created the role of DARIUS in both the N.Y. and L.A (Drama Logue Award) productions as well as the film adaptation of Paul Rudnick’s ground breaking comedy Jeffrey. Broadway leading and principal roles include: 2005 revival of La Cage Aux Folles, Beauty And The Beast, Seussical The Musical, Sunset Blvd., Saturday Night Fever, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Starlight Express, and Cats. Off-Broadway: Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back, Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act (Drama Desk Nomination).
KIMBERLY KAYE began her writing career as a journalist covering the arts for publications including The Economist, The New York Observer, Broadway.com, MTV.com and The New York Daily News, among others. The former Creative Director of Theatermania.com, she makes her full-length playwriting debut with Nine Lives. Her forthcoming holiday comedy collaboration Silent Night Of The Lambs debuts at the New Orleans Fringe Festival in November 2014. When not writing, Kimberly co-headlines the acclaimed country-rock band Loose Cattle with Michael Cerveris, the Porter to her Dolly
SHAMARR ALLEN, Music has been a part of Shamarr Allen’s life for as long as he can recall. A musical prodigy, people have forever recognized his extraordinary talents as a musician. Shamar’s countless career accomplishments are highlighted by performances with artists Patti LaBelle, Lenny Kravitz, Harry Connick Jr., Branford Marsalis, and a multi-city tour and studio recordings with country legend Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Leon Russell, and R.E.M.. His personal compositions include music for the New Orleans Saints, “Bring Em To The Dome,” the ecologically conscious oil spill record, “Sorry Ain’t Enough No More.” In 2011, he with his band the Underdawgs, were invited to tour Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as cultural ambassadors for the United States State Department. Again in 2012, the Underdawgs were again invited by the State Department to tour Central Asia this time touring Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Also in 2012, Shamarr was featured on the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals’ Congo Square poster. In 2013, the band was honored to be invited to perform at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the national center for the performing arts in Washington, DC. With all of those amazing achievements, Shamarr claims one of his favorite moments as being the first trumpet player to play the National Anthem for President Barack Obama. Ultimately, he played for the President twice, the second time with multi-platinum artist, Harry Connick Jr. at the White House. Most recently, Shamar made is acting debut in the James Brown biopic “Get On Up,” playing Brown’s band mate and music legend Fred Wesley.
JAMES FITZMORRIS: A playwright, critic, dramaturg and editor, Jim Fitzmorris is a New Orleans native who specializes in writing about the rough-and-tumble, daily life of the city he calls home. He was the theatre critic for Nola Defender and now does the same for The New Orleans Advocate. Jim is the winner of four Big Easy Awards for Best Original Production, a two time finalist for The Heideman Award, and a finalist for The Osborn Playwriting Award. Holding a PhD in Theatre History and Criticism from The University of Washington’s School of Drama, Jim’s most recent work was the critically acclaimed A Truckload of Ink.
JESSE MOORE has been a professional actor, musician and writer for more than 50 years. He has appeared in legit and musical theater, TV and film. He released four critically acclaimed CDs as a singer/songwriter, garnering two “Top Ten CDs of the Year” awards from the Times Picayunne. He lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where he is writing a book of memoirs titled, The Kid That Got Away and publishes a weekly blog, “The Nola Travelin’ Man” at www.jessemoore.com.
ROBIN BARNES. Officially the “Songbird of New Orleans”, grew up in a household of musicians with her family’s jazz band to early performances in church at six years old. Robin continued to participate in the church choir and moved onto weekly gigs with the Soul Heirs where she explored many avenues and facets of modern and classical jazz music at an early age in her career. As she got older and mainstream music began to take a hold, Robin was able to marry the two furthering her musical self-discovery. She was able to take on inspiration that encompassed the soulful and insightful musings of Etta James, the fierce stage presence of Bruno Mars and the earnest heartbreak of Adele. By captivating audiences with her a powerful voice that ranges with each verse. Ebony.com wrote, “Robin Barnes sings wonderful acoustic R&B that will renew your chilly spring mood. And it’s not a wonder why anyone would gravitate toward her bluesy, soulful sound.” Robin is currently the resident headliner for the Windsor Court Hotel and performs weekly at Hotel Monteleone. In 2013, Robin was nominated for Best Female Vocalist at OffBeat’s Best of the Beat Awards.
MATT PERRINE is called a “virtuoso sousaphone player” by Downbeat Magazine, Matt has been seen at nearly every major jazz festival in the US and Europe. In recent years. Matt and his horn have recorded and/or shared the stage with people like Eric Clapton, Bill Kreutzman, Jerry Douglas, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, OK-Go, The Indigo Girls, Dr. John, Ani DiFranco, Lew Soloff, Florence and the Machine, Better Than Ezra, and Bruce Hornsby. He has also lent his unique musical voice to some of New Orleans more high-profile and visionary local musical projects: most recently Bonerama, the Tin Men, Fatien Ensemble, Neslort and the Danza Quartet. He is co-founder of one of the city’s premier brass bands, the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, and was the recipient of Offbeat Magazine’s award for best tuba player for 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Matt began his career as a music educator at the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Camp and has since taught theory, music history and performance in master classes, and clinics domestically and abroad at St Bart’s Public School, Aurhus Rhytmik Conservatory and New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp. He functioned as adjunct professor at Copenhagen’s Rhythmik Conservatory as part of a New Orleans Music Summit and returned to represent New Orleans in the World Music Summit. Matt is currently a member of the UNO Jazz Program faculty under the direction of Elis Marsalis and instructs the UNO Traditional Jazz Combo and the UNO Brass Band. He is presently developing a New Orleans Tuba method book for secondary school classroom use. Today Matt plays sousaphone with the New Orleans based band, the Tin Men, with songwriter/ guitarist/vocalist Alex McMurray and local phenom “Washboard Chaz” Leary. The Tin Men’s first release, “Supergreat Music for Modern Lovers”, was nominated by the Big Easy Awards committee for Album of the Year. He also continues to play in the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Aurora Nealand’s Royal Roses, Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show and many other local bands. Nationally and internationally, Matt can be seen with the Tin men, Ray Anderson’s Pocket Brass Band, John Ellis’ Doublewide, Debbie Davis, the Royal Roses, and many others. In addition, he is booking his Sunflower City Trio and the Sunflower City Jazz Band at local clubs and festivals.
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