Latest news with #AxiosNewOrleans
Axios
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
New Orleanian scores a hit Broadway play
A new Broadway production is putting a Louisiana woman's story at center stage. Why it matters: It's getting rave reviews. Zoom in: The play, "Call Me Izzy," stars Jean Smart, the award-winning actress best known for her roles in shows like "Hacks," "Designing Women" and "Mare of Easttown." But it was written by Baton Rouge native and part-time New Orleans resident Jamie Wax. He was inspired to create "Call Me Izzy" by his aunt, a Baton Rouge-area woman who faced an abusive relationship. "She typified a beautiful quality you find in a lot of people but particularly, for me, the Southern women I grew up around and am still close to," Wax tells Axios New Orleans. "She had this quality of a sense of humor and storytelling as survival tools. In her darkest moments, she was at her funniest." Exploring that quality helped him shape the one-woman play, which has Smart playing every role. In rural Louisiana in 1989, Izzy mentally escapes her daily trauma by writing, and it turns out she's pretty good at it. Behind the scenes: When producers asked Wax for a quippy way to describe his play, he drew on a moment from an afternoon spent at Le Bon Temps Roule. As Wax tells it: "There's a guy who's a great barroom prophet of Uptown New Orleans and his name is Freebird. That's the only way anybody knows him." One day, Freebird told a story about the characters at his mom's dialysis facility. "It was hilarious. We're laughing so hard, and then he said, 'Then Mom died in the dialysis room and they had to wait for her to be taken out.'" "And the bar becomes silent and Freebird takes a swig of his beer and says, 'That's a sad story humorously told.'" "And I thought, that's my play: a sad story humorously told." Between the lines: Smart temporarily stepped away from the role due to a knee injury, but she's back onstage July 22. Catch up quick: Wax got his start as a comedian, eventually also serving as a correspondent for CBS News. But he kept plugging away at "Call Me Izzy." It came together after years of writing and interviewing dozens of domestic abuse survivors to inform the Louisiana-born story. What we're watching: Wax is turning the play into a novel, he says, while also working on an "expanded reach" for the production itself, as well as a new production.
Axios
09-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Why Nashville is New Orleans hospitality's new frontier
A new pipeline is opening up between New Orleans and Nashville, and it's creating big growth opportunities for Crescent City hospitality. Why it matters: Nashville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and tapping into that economic powerhouse can only be good for New Orleans business. The big picture: As Nashville's role in the music industry has boomed over the previous decades, New Orleans musicians have headed north in search of new opportunities. But the restaurant community's expansion into that market seems to be relatively recent — and it's in large part thanks to Elliott Kyle, a Nashville developer, sources tell Axios New Orleans. "He absolutely loves New Orleans and he's the throughput," says LeBlanc + Smith founder Robert LeBlanc. The intrigue: Kyle's connection to New Orleans began when he was in college at Washington & Lee, where Rene Louapre became one of his best friends. Later, Louapre would co-found Hogs for the Cause, giving Kyle another reason to visit the city and learn more about its food scene. As Kyle's real estate business in Nashville grew, he started seeing opportunities beyond its boundaries, he says. "That's really the work I like to do most: get to know independent operators on a personal level, develop some trust, and then a lot of times put my own money into these concepts because I want to put my money where my mouth is to support these people who are doing this amazing stuff," Kyle says. That method is behind New Orleans-to-Nashville spots like: The Turkey and the Wolf Ice House. LeBlanc's Barrel Proof Nashville and The Chloe Nashville, which is set to open this September. Another LeBlanc + Smith bar concept tentatively called Formerly Known As is also due open in The Gulch in October or November. And Little Miss Mao, though chef Sophina Uong closed up shop soon after opening. The door opens in both directions, too, with Nashville's Rice Vice recently opening in Algiers, though Kyle wasn't involved in that deal. Between the lines: The expansions, New Orleans hospitality owners say, are made easier by quick direct flights and a welcoming, uncompetitive industry similar to what they find at home. "I wouldn't necessarily want to go open a restaurant somewhere if when we started talking about it, people weren't like 'oh my gosh that would be so great, we'd love to have you, we'd love to have more people here,' which is cool," Turkey and the Wolf's Mason Hereford says. The "cultural pathways" between the two cities easily gel, says LeBlanc. In Nashville, the community is "super warm and inviting and believe, like we do in New Orleans, that a rising tide raises all boats."
Axios
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Behind-the-scenes of Edward Buckles' Essence magazine covers
When Essence magazine twice wanted to represent New Orleans on its covers over the past two years, it turned to Edward Buckles. Why it matters: The New Orleans native opted to put locals in the spotlight. Catch up quick: In 2024, Essence Fest celebrated its 30th anniversary with a " love letter" to New Orleans for its July/August magazine. And this year, Essence offered an ode to the city's post-Katrina revival. Buckles snapped the photos for both, using local crews and production while working with creative director Chike Ozah. What he's saying: The models, Buckles tells Axios New Orleans, are "the people who I thought were reviving the spirit of New Orleans, who are culture bearers doing their own version of rebuilding the city post-Katrina." Zoom in: Buckles, who grew up in Algiers, Uptown and in the 7th Ward, is a photographer and filmmaker. He made a national name for himself with his " Katrina Babies" documentary on HBO in 2022. The project had Buckles talking with people who, like him, were young New Orleanians at the time the storm hit. Before and since then, he's thought a lot about the cultural weight of rebuilding. "I wanted to highlight children who are currently carrying the torch of New Orleans, which are children not even born during Hurricane Katrina," he says. The end result is a pair of surrealistic cover photos taken at dusk, steeped in golden pinks and purples. In one, a young ballerina leaps uncannily high into the air above an empty lot, and in the other, a young trumpet player levitates just off an empty porch. Read the cover story. "We wanted to have the kids levitating above these places that were once underwater because that's my biggest hope for them: I want them to rise above all this. .. I want them to know their history and understand they are still very much impacted by Hurricane Katrina ... but still very much rise above all that," Buckles says.
Axios
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
New Orleans mayoral hopefuls pitch big change at town hall
New Orleans voters got their first in-depth look Thursday at some of the candidates vying to succeed term-limited Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Why it matters: Residents are looking to the next leader to fix ongoing struggles with infrastructure, economic inequality and public safety. The big picture: Arthur Hunter, Helena Moreno and Oliver Thomas squared off for more than two hours at the town hall hosted by nonprofit Voters Organized to Educate. The public interest was intense, with the event reaching capacity before it started. Dozens were turned away at the doors, including Tyrell Morris, who is also running for mayor. Renada Collins and Ricky Twiggs were in the audience and told Axios New Orleans they were not invited to participate, even though they are campaigning. The latest: State Sen. Royce Duplessis on Sunday night said he will seek the office too, reversing course from his January decision that cited fundraising concerns. His formal announcement is expected Tuesday. Frank Scurlock, who made a bid for mayor in 2017, also says he is entering the race again. Between the lines: The on-stage candidates were chosen because they had a longstanding relationship with the organization and had filed campaign finance reports, said Devin Davis, the nonprofit's political operations director. Inside the room: It was packed, with 150-plus people sitting, leaning on walls and cramming in to every corner. Attendees were a mix of longtime residents, campaign supporters and community activists. Moderators with the nonprofit asked questions and the candidates had 60 seconds to respond. The questions focused on fixing the city's infrastructure and improving quality of life issues. What we learned: The candidates' platforms were similar, with each saying they want drivable streets, reliable power, good schools, safe neighborhoods and improvements for residents, not just tourists. The main difference seems to be their leadership styles. Oliver Thomas Thomas, a current councilmember, described himself as a middle-class native New Orleanian who will help people who he says have been "disrespected," "overlooked" and "forgotten," especially in New Orleans East. He also painted himself as a strong advocate for Black New Orleanians and formerly incarcerated residents. Thomas, who served three years in jail on bribery charges, touted his efforts with strengthening " Ban the Box," which prevents public employers from discriminating against job applicants with criminal backgrounds. Plus, he took credit for recent developments in New Orleans East: Lincoln Beach and the demolition at the former Six Flags. Arthur Hunter Hunter, a former criminal court judge, portrayed himself as a connector, saying he sees the mayoral position as one that brings everyone to the table. "That's what I've always been about — doing the work," he said. "Taking control, bringing the right people together and coming up with a solution and results." He brought success stories from his time on the bench and talked about how he would expand the New Orleans Recreation Department's role to help improve life for youth and families. He also talked about career training programs he started that are geared at creating a skilled workforce. Helena Moreno Moreno, another councilmember, painted the picture of herself as someone with good ideas who has been ignored over the years. "When I'm your mayor, I'm no longer going to be ignored and pushed aside," she said, especially with short-term rental regulations. She talked about her wins during her time on the council and in the state Legislature, citing her efforts regulating Entergy New Orleans, helping create NOPD's mobile crisis unit and working on mental health and homeless outreach services. She also talked about her work creating the housing trust fund, which is dedicated to affordable housing projects. Zoom in: They were all prepared and seemed comfortable talking on stage. Their comments often elicited applause and vocal support from the audience. Of the three, Moreno was the most critical of Cantrell, blaming her for her "absent leadership" and misaligned infrastructure priorities. Hunter took subtle shots at Moreno and Thomas, saying the council has had the power to change things and they haven't done it. He portrayed himself as an outsider who can make it happen. But in general, the candidates were civil and friendly with each other on stage as they shared a microphone. They got loud on a few issues, but not at each other. And, no one interrupted one another.
Axios
26-06-2025
- General
- Axios
United Houma Nation seeks federal recognition
The United Houma Nation, which is Louisiana's largest recognized tribe, continues to seek federal recognition as the group gears up for its annual powwow. Why it matters: Federal recognition unlocks funding, protections and land and water rights, in addition to sovereignty as a native nation. The big picture: The process is long and complicated, Principal Chief Lora Ann Chaisson tells Axios New Orleans. They've been pushing for recognition since before World War II, according to the Associated Press. They were denied in 1994 and have been appealing ever since. The application requires extensive historical documentation, which the nation continues to research, Chaisson says. State of play: The United Houma Nation has 19,000 tribal citizens, according to information from the Houmas. The majority live in Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, St. Mary, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. The Houma people established what is known today as the French Market in New Orleans. Bayou St. John and the land at Congo Square were also important to them, according to information from the tribe. They can trace their history in New Orleans back to 1675. Go deeper. Zoom out: The state has worked on exploring the indigenous history of Louisiana, with more hopefully to come, according to Carrie Broussard, the assistant secretary for the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development. There's the self-guided ancient mound tour, she said. And, there's a museum with guided tours at Poverty Point, the state's only World Heritage Site through UNESCO. What's next: At the tribal level, Chaisson said they want to move forward with a program to teach their youth the native Houma language.
