Left: The 2024 Richard P Stahl Festival of New American Theatre cast of Let the Good Times Roll: A New Orleans Gumbo (Photo by Jen Barraza)
Right: Gina Guarino* as Wanda, Scott Davidson* as Captain, Carmiña Monserrat* as Liza Jane and Tre Moore* as L.D. (Photo by Brennen Russell)
Before there were costumes, lights, or choreography, there was just a story, and a room full of people willing to listen.
In January 2024, Let the Good Times Roll: A New Orleans Gumbo premiered as a staged reading at The Phoenix Theatre Company’s Festival of New American Theatre.
Now, just over a year later, it returns as a fully realized world premiere production, guided by Tony Award winner Jack Viertel, Broadway talents Sara Edwards, and Sonny Paladino, and backed by producers Michael Kruke and Ram Narasimhan.
What was once a Festival workshop moment is now the heartbeat of an entire season finale.
“Developing new work is a vital part of our mission, and we are committed to continuing that work and helping launch the next generation of theatre,” said Artistic Director Michael Barnard.
Let the Good Times Roll was conceived by Tony Award winner Jack Viertel, whose Broadway pedigree includes shaping some of the most beloved musicals of the last two decades. With this project, Viertel sought to capture the soul of New Orleans by threading iconic music into an original story. Creating a kind of jukebox gumbo, the musical features songs by Jelly Roll Morton, Bessie Smith, The Meters, Dr. John, and many more.
At the center is a woman rediscovering herself after heartbreak, guided by a city that knows how to survive. The result is a blend of narrative and nostalgia, anchored in authenticity.
Held each year by The Phoenix Theatre Company, the Festival has become a place where playwrights and composers share early drafts with live audiences. For Let the Good Times Roll, the January 2024 reading was a key step in the show’s evolution. It drew praise from critics and audiences alike, with Cabaret Scenes calling it “a love letter to New Orleans.”
The reading sparked excitement from theatre lovers and critics, signaling that this story, and this sound, deserved a bigger stage.
When a show has this much energy, it needs a team that can match it beat for beat. Director and choreographer Sara Edwards helped refine the show’s narrative flow and bring movement to its music, while Music Supervisor and Orchestrator Sonny Paladino crafted arrangements that honor the source material while making space for storytelling.
With producers Michael Kruke and Ram Narasimhan supporting the project and a concept album in the works, the show began its march toward a world premiere.
Now, Let the Good Times Roll closes out the season not only with a live on stage band and glittering design, but it’s a full-circle moment for the team and the company that believed in its potential from day one.
From workshop to world premiere, this production is a testament to what’s possible when you invest in new voices and honor the sounds that shaped our past.
Performances run August 6 through August 31, 2025, at The Phoenix Theatre Company’s Hormel Theatre. Tickets are available now at phoenixtheatre.com.
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*Courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the U.S.
