Karaoke/Open Mic Nights:

Put yourself out there from behind the mic and release all that stage fright with a karaoke or open mic night. Venues like Strange Brew and Bears on Fairfield play host to these events, creating a welcoming atmosphere where you can share your musical or spoken-word talents with an appreciative audience. For me, I like my karaoke with a little two-step, so I head over to Big Country, Bossier City.

2. Performing Arts Theatre:

Step onto the stage and explore the world of acting, dance, and behind-the-scenes magic at theaters like Shreveport Little Theatre, Emmett Hook Center, Stage Center, East Bank Theatre, or BPCC Theatre. Our city’s thriving performing arts scene offers a stage for everyone, from seasoned performers to those taking their first steps in the spotlight. Additionally, if you’re looking to venture into the realm of experimental and avant-garde theater, Shreveport-Bossier City is home to troupes like Lumpy Grits and collaborative experiences with Company Rep Theatre.

3. Artist Calls

Keep an eye out for local artist calls and exhibitions organized by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and The Bossier Arts Council. Events like Critical MASS or themed shows provide opportunities for visual artists to display their work, connecting them with our dynamic arts community. They aren’t the only ones; for example, The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation has an artist call out now celebrating the Whooping Crane, with a deadline of January 6, 2024. The calls come quickly, so sign up for the email lists to get the first alerts. You might also want to join the Shreveport-Bossier Artist Calls Facebook group for a variety of artist calls.

4. Makers Fairs:

Showcase your handmade jewelry, woodworking projects, or any unique creations, and connect with fellow makers in our community. When figuring out how to price your creations for a Makers Fair, think about what you spent on materials, your time, and any other costs like rent or tools. Check out what similar stuff is going for, and keep in mind who’s shopping—try to find that sweet spot where your prices are fair, and people still see the value in what you make. Think you can jump right in? Sign up through the BAC for the Mardi Gras Makers Faire in The East Bank District on Jan. 26th.

5. Prize Fest Competitions: 

Elevate your creativity by participating in the annual Prize Fest, a celebration of innovation in film, music, food, and fashion. Whether you’re a filmmaker, musician, chef, or fashion designer, the allure of significant cash rewards adds an extra layer of excitement to this vibrant festival, motivating participants to showcase their best work and compete at the highest level. The generous cash prizes serve as a testament to the festival’s commitment to supporting and honoring outstanding talent across diverse creative disciplines, making Prize Fest an unmissable opportunity for aspiring and established artists alike.

The post 5 Best Ways to Express Your Creativity in SBC appeared first on SB Magazine.

DR. RAY SCO T CRAWFORD

BRINGING HOME THE GOLD

BY SEVA MAY

As we close the book on another exciting Olympics, we applaud our fellow Americans who brought home medals. Think of the hours these athletes must spend training and honing their skills for competition. Making it to the Olympics is a proud moment and bringing home the gold is the high point of their career.

Here in Shreveport-Bossier City, we have a gold medalist— and although he is not exactly an athlete, one could draw a parallel between what he does and that of a trained athlete. The similarities will amaze you.

Bossier Parish Community College Dean of Communication and Performing Arts, Dr. Ray Scott Crawford, has been awarded- ed the prestigious Kennedy Center Gold Medallion for Region VI during the 54th Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).

Crawford found out about the award through an email and the timing could not have been more perfect. After performing the National Anthem at one of the Mardi Gras Bals, Crawford, all alone in his vehicle, happened to check his phone, and there it was: the notification that he would be the recipient of this honor. “I was coming home from a Shreveport Mardi Gras event where at least a dozen of my present and former theatre students had worked as designers, technicians, and talent. I received the email announcing the award. I was happy and surprised for the honor, but mostly I was reminded of the wonderful opportunities that BPCC theatre and KCACTF have provided for our students,” Crawford recalls.

This is the highest award the festival gives and is considered a great honor in theatre education. Region VI covers Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Each year, the eight KCACTF regions honor individuals or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to the teaching and producing of theatre and who have significantly dedicated their time, artistry, and enthusiasm to the development of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

With theatre degrees from Louisiana Tech and Texas Tech University, and a dozen years of professional work in and around the Chicago area, Crawford has taught theatre performance, directing, management, and applied voice at BPCC for almost 24 years. He helped establish the Associate of Arts degree in Theatre, along with Stephen W. Slaughter, shortly upon his arrival at the school. The degree continues as the AA in Performing Arts (with concentrations in Theatre and Music) as the only two-year theatre degree offered in the state. He was promoted to dean of Communication and Performing Arts in 2012 but has continued teaching and directing plays and musicals for the school all during his tenure.

For KCACTF, Crawford has served as a regional respondent, traveling to Arkansas, Texas, and within Louisiana to evaluate and respond to other college and university theatre productions hoping to be considered for presentation at the regional festival. For BPCC, he has coached dozens of performers and singers in the regional Irene Ryan acting and Musical Theatre Initiatives (singing) scholarship competitions for KCACTF. Many of his students have been finalists. He has also entered numerous shows in festivals in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. BPCC’s productions of The Woman in Black, Echoes, The Turn of the Screw, and A Texas Romance all received the highest recognition at the state level. The Turn of the Screw went on to garner top honors regionally and to become one of the top five productions in the nation at the National KCACTF in 2016, with Craw- ford as Distinguished Director.

This summer Crawford begins his 37th year as Artistic Director of the Canterbury Summer Theatre in Michigan City, Indiana. Each year he offers professional opportunities to many, including BPCC students, some of whom he hires as talent and technicians for the whole season. Others who are the cast and crew of the summer show at BPCC are hired to tour the production to the Canterbury at the end of the summer to complete the season. “It’s a win for both the Canterbury and for BPCC,” Craw- ford says, “as the Canterbury gets an additional show for the summer and the students get a professional gig.”

In April, the Performing Arts Program at Bossier Parish Community College will premiere The Rat’s Tale of Cinderella, an all-new, fairytale children’s musical. Rat’s Tale is one of almost three hundred theatre productions directed by Crawford, which has provided opportunities for innumerable students and young theatre professionals from all over the world. While his resume may reflect his accomplishments (all eight pages), it certainly cannot describe all the hurdles he has had to jump or the rehearsal marathons he has had to run. Although he did not get to stand on a podium on national television (the ceremony was virtual), he was surrounded by a host of his peers, students, and close friends. Shreveport and Bossier City is proud of his accomplishments and happy for this achievement.

About The Rat’s Tale of Cinderella

This sparkling princess production – adapted by Crawford – tells the familiar story of a mistreated young woman whose life is transformed through magic, love, and her own grit and determination. Audiences will be excited to experience this well-known story told with a nod to Louisiana Mardi Gras culture through the point of view of the animals. Join the Rat Brothers, Alphonse and Gaston as they narrate their version of the story! Brimming with physical comedy, funny jokes, interactive Q&As, and astonishing theatrical effects, The Rat’s Tale of Cinderella includes everything you can think of that makes a show fun for children of all ages: ridiculous stepsisters, a magical and kooky fairy godmother, a beautiful ball, helpful animals, and of course a new twist on Cinderella’s shoe that gets left behind with a handsome prince.

The show opens on April 22 and will run on the 23, 29, 30 at 7:00 p.m. and April 24 and May 1 at 2:00 p.m. The Rat’s Tale of Cinderella is for children of all ages. Call 318-678-6021 for tickets. Or visit www.ticketsource.us/bp theatre for online reservations.

The post DR. RAY SCOTT CRAWFORD: BRINGING HOME THE GOLD appeared first on SB Magazine.