Saenger Theatre Enthusiasts Continue to Join the "Share Your Saenger Stories" Campaign

For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Brooks Horton
The Ehrhardt Group
(504) 558-1790
bhorton@theehrhardtgroup.com

Saenger Theatre Enthusiasts Continue to Join the "Share Your Saenger Stories" Campaign
Notable New Orleanians Bryan Batt, Dale Barriere and Irvin Mayfield Share Saenger Sentiments in Anticipation of 2013 Re-Opening

 (NEW ORLEANS, La.) - Jan. 14, 2013 - The Saenger Theatre "Share Your Saenger Stories" campaign is calling on locals and visitors alike to share their photos, videos and recollections of the theatre, along with their hopes for the future of the New Orleans' landmark.

Three notable Saenger devotees, Bryan Batt, Dale Barriere and Irvin Mayfield, have joined the movement by sharing their stories and memories, as well as hopes for the future, of the city's most notable theatre.

Bryan Batt, a New Orleans native, is an actor known for his role in the AMC series Mad Men, as well as his on-stage performances in shows such as Saturday Night Fever, Cats, Beauty and the Beast and the Starlight Express. A devoted member of the New Orleans community, Batt shared how outings to the Saenger Theatre as a child molded his life and inspired him to want to become an actor.

"I remember walking into that theatre with my grandmother and just looking at that sky with the stars and that outdoor feel of that plaza...it's just magic," said actor, designer and author Bryan Batt.

Dale Barriere serves as the owner and president of Barriere Enterprises, Inc., one of only a handful of female-owned marketing and entertainment promotion agencies in the country. She is also the founder of the Sisters by Faith Ministry, an organization empowering and encouraging women of Household of Faith Family Worship Church International. Barriere shared her memories of working at the Saenger prior to starting Barriere Enterprises, Inc. As an entertainment promoter, Barriere shares how valuable the Saenger Theatre is for New Orleans.

"It's the premiere theatre...there's nowhere else like it....for the city, it's a great venue and a great asset," said Barriere.

Irvin Mayfield, renowned Jazz musician, is a passionate advocate for New Orleans and for the arts. A Grammy and Billboard Award-winning artist, Mayfield wears many hats, including trumpeter, bandleader, composer, arranger, cultural ambassador, recording artist and founder of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO). Mayfield says one of his best memories of the Saenger Theatre is playing his first trumpet battle with Kermit Ruffins on the Saenger stage. He also shared his memories from childhood of anxiously awaiting upcoming musical performances at the Saenger.

"It's a very beautiful, historic building even on the outside," said jazz musician, professor and cultural ambassador Irvin Mayfield, "I remember driving down Canal Street as a kid and you would see the name on the marquee outside. It was really amazing to have a sense of something coming."

The Saenger Theatre was built in 1927 at the corner of Canal and North Rampart streets in downtown New Orleans and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and has since been the focus of a complex redevelopment project scheduled for completion later this summer.
To submit your stories, scanned photos and videos, visit www.saengernola.com/stories, "Like" The Saenger Theatre on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/saengernola or Tweet to @SaengerNOLA using the hashtag #SaengerStories.

About Canal Street Development Corporation
In 1989, the former D. H. Holmes department store, parking garage and storage facilities were offered as a donation by the Dillard family to the City of New Orleans. With a tremendous opportunity to reshape one of the most important areas of the city, the Canal Street Development Corporation was formed as a public benefit corporation to accept the donation consisting of nearly two square blocks bounded by Canal, Dauphine, Bienville and Bourbon Streets. That property portfolio consists of a soon to be Hyatt Hotel, apartments, parking garage and a number of restaurants. The Canal Street Development Corporation has also partnered with ACE Theatrical Group to restore and expand the historic arts venue.

About ACE Theatrical Group
ACE Theatrical Group, LLC is a theatrical management and development company formed by entertainment industry veterans specializing in the design, development, construction and operation of first class, live performance venues throughout North America. The company has a long history of working with municipalities, non-profit agencies and community groups to develop spectacular performance facilities with state-of-the-art improvements emphasizing patron comfort and artist's technical needs.

ACE Theatrical Group is based in Houston, TX, with offices in New York, San Antonio and New Orleans. The principals have over 175 years combined experience and collectively have development and management credits in 35 theatrical venues in the United States and Canada, with 20 of those also including the design and construction of those projects. Visit www.acetheatricalgroup.com for more information.