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Nicholls State University President Bruce Murphy asked the crowd in the theater to pronounce the words on the screen.
A mixture of “Ooh Là Là” and “Oh Là Là” came back from the crowd.
“One more time,” Murphy said, and a more resounding “Oh Là Là” greeted him. A satisfied Murphy responded, “That’s better than most do!”
Murphy was not merely conducting a language lesson on the often-mispronounced French expression. The back-and-forth was part of his introduction of the “Oh Là Là” theater series that Nicholls will host this school year.
The university hosted donors, lifetime alumni members and Nicholls Foundation board members at the renovated Mary and Al Danos Theater on Thursday to introduce the five travelling shows of “Oh Là Là” and give the crowd the chance to purchase season tickets. Monique Crochet, Nicholls’ acting director of advancement, said the upgrades to the Danos Theater, with $9.6 million of renovations finishing last year, made the theater series possible. Crochet said the improved theater allowed Nicholls to bring high-quality, high-demand shows to Thibodaux.
“We noticed other universities were doing it. We thought it would be a great idea to bring this to our local area,” Crochet said.
Local tugboat magnate Arlen “Benny” Cenac is sponsoring the entire theater series, and Nicholls is accepting sponsorships for each of the individual shows. According to Crochet, revenues from sponsorships and ticket sales will go toward maintenance of the theater and the purchasing of future shows.
“Oh Là Là” kicks off on Sept. 7 with the Frankie Valli tribute show “Let’s Hang On!” The show, which has been touring for seven years, features six vocalists and dancers as well as a live band performing all the hits from Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Following “Let’s Hang On!” is a Christmas show by the Dutton Experience on Nov. 25. The Dutton Experience is a 15-member family band that has been playing together since 1991. The Duttons will bring a variety of genres from bluegrass to classical music to the Danos Theater.
The series continues in 2018 when a neighboring act comes down to Bayou Lafourche. The New Orleans-based Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at the Danos Theater on Feb. 15. Also formed in 1991, the LPO is the oldest full-time musician-governed and collaboratively-operated professional symphony in the nation. After that, the Golden Dragon Acrobats will bring their aerial excellence to Thibodaux on March 25. The acrobat troupe, which began in China 50 years ago, is recognized as the premier Chinese acrobatic company in the United States, according to Nicholls’ press release announcing the shows.
“Oh Là Là” finishes by turning Lafourche Parish into Merseyside so locals can hear the timeless songs of the Fab Four. The Liverpool Legends are a Grammy-nominated Beatles tribute band featuring four musicians handpicked by George Harrison’s sister. The show features vintage instruments and iconic costumes from the Beatles’ run atop the music world, including hits from the members’ solo careers.
Crochet said while the “Oh Là Là” series is heavy on musical acts, she thinks the wide range of music brings a good diversity of performances, and she expects Nicholls to find different acts in the future. She said the university will start ramping up its booking efforts for the 2018-19 season in January when acts start revealing their schedules. Murphy pointed to “Oh Là Là” as another piece in the puzzle making up the university’s goals.
“Here at Nicholls, our vision is to be the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Bayou Region. The diversity of world-renowned acts coming to our campus as part of the Oh Là Là series fits perfectly with what we’re trying to accomplish,” Murphy said.
According to Murphy, the name Oh Là Là is an homage to Al Danos, who enjoyed conversing in French. The Danos family, whose parents donated $1 million toward the theater’s renovation, released a statement in support of Nicholls’ upcoming series.
“Mom and Dad would have loved this and attended every show,” The Danos family said. “Oh Là Là is exactly what Dad had in mind when he started raising money for the theater.”
Season tickets are now open to the public for purchase, while Nicholls has reserved three rows of seats for students and two more for individual sales of each show. Upper-level season tickets are $125 and single tickets are $30, and lower-level season tickets are $150 and single tickets are $35. To purchase tickets or become a sponsor, call Tammy Toups at (985) 448-4134 or email tammy.toups@nicholls.edu. •
