By Jeanni Ritchie
I love NSU Theatre and Dance’s summer dinner theatre shows. Last year my mom and I attended the first musical show, then brought along the rest of the family for the murder mystery dinner. The shows were in reverse order this year, the murder mystery premiering in June followed by “Dinner and Doo Wop” in July.
This year it was all about Girl Power! I borrowed my sister’s Expedition and loaded it up each time for a good, old fashioned GNO! That’s “Girls Night Out” if you missed the 2007 Miley Cyrus tune!
On July 29, seven giggling middle-aged ladies pulled up to the Venue on Front Street in Natchitoches, ready for a fun-filled night of song and dance. It was Week 2 of the run, the cast pulling double duty as performers and servers as usual.
The dinner theatre experience included a full meal and live entertainment by one of the most talented departments in Louisiana.
Dinner and Doo Wop was a fun-filled musical romp through the 1950s and early 1960s, featuring classic doo‑wop, early rock ’n’ roll, poodle skirts, greasers, puppy love, and high-energy group choreography. Audiences were transported back to a slower-paced, foot‑tapping era filled with innocence and nostalgia.
I’m a sucker for nostalgia!
Directed and choreographed by Pia Wyatt with musical direction by Robert Cardwell, the production featured an energetic and talented student ensemble, including Christian James, Tyler Sibley, Leah Thompson, CeeCee Doucet, Dani Warino, and Khuyen Tran, who I first saw in ASH’s high school production of Footloose on a visit home before I moved back to Central Louisiana! Tran also served as Dance Captain.
Tran wasn’t the only familiar face. Leah Thompson remains a topic of conversation in our home to this day! Not only did I think about her energetic performance of Sheryl Crow’s All I Wanna Do in last year’s Destination Rock and Roll, when I requested it on a recent sunset cruise but my dad talks about the sexy and mysterious hostess Vesper Du Vaamp from last year’s Live and Let Spy. Especially when his photo with her pops up on the photo carousel.
She’d reminded me of 17-year old me in the musical. Apparently she reminded Dad of 17-year old him at the murder mystery dinner!
Thompson is one of my favorite NSU Theatre performers and she did a fabulous job so, along with Tran, Doucet, James, Sibley, and Warino. The sextet was spectacular!
Our meals were great, as usual, our table divided equally between “I Only Have Eyes for Roast Chicken” and “Daddy-O Brisket.” The rest of the menu was the same for everyone: The Big Bopper’s Broccoli Bowl (soup), Shake, Rattle, and Romaine (salad), Greased Lightnin’ Dirty Rice and Sugar Shack Carrots (sides), and Strawberry Sock Hop Delight (dessert).
My favorite numbers were Fever (Khuyen Tran), It’s My Party (CeeCee Doucet and female ensemble), Tell Him (Leah Thompson and Ensemble), Who Put the Bomp (All), You Don’t Own Me (Female Ensemble), and Splish Splash (Chris James, Tyler Sibley).
James pulled my friend Debbie Trussell out of her chair to dance in the latter number. She was moving so fast I couldn’t tell if it was her but I snuck over to her table between the salad and the entree delighted to see it was indeed the former fellow 1st grade teacher and good friend of my parents’ boogying the night away. I wish I’d taken a video for posterity!
Dani Warino brought the house down with her rendition of Who’s Sorry Now, a tune by the beloved Connie Francis who passed away in July.
As did Tyler Sibley with Love Potion #9. Bringing comedic flair to a classic, the audience was hooting and hollering as he finished!
What a fun evening with friends, old and new, listening to tunes from the 50’s and 60’s and having an absolute blast!
Even on the way home as we continued the Doo Wop with car karaoke from the 50’s and 60’s!
NSU Theatre and Dance’s Upcoming Season:
Sondheim on Sondheim: Sept. 24-28
The Learned Ladies: Oct. 29- Nov. 2
37th Annual NSU Christmas Gala: Dec. 3-5
Dancescapes: Feb. 19-22
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (revised) (again): March 11-15
She Loves Me: April 22-26
Follow NSU Theatre and Dance at facebook.com/
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.
