Noon

Welcome and Announcements

12:15 p.m.

Toni O & Blue Haze

1:15 p.m.

New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus

1:30 p.m.

Krewe of Divas

2:30 p.m.

Michael Sandlin

2:45 p.m.

Blessing of Relationships

3:00 p.m.

Recognition of Honorary Grand Marshal

3:30 p.m.

Laurence LeSage

4:30 p.m.

Daphne MuShatt with Miss Jane

All Afternoon

DJ Tatia Coco

All Afternoon

Resource Fair

All Afternoon

Children's Play Area

Daphne MuShatt has been a regional favorite for years and naturally was a big hit at last year's Baton Rouge Pride Fest, so we're pleased to have her return this year along with Miss Jane.

An entertainer since 1978, she got her start starring for more than three years as "Big Bertha Williams" in the popular Off-Broadway production of  "ONE MO' TIME".  While performing in several musical productions she fine tuned her solo performance on the "convention circuit" with her jazz band. For the next several years, as a solo performer, Ms. MuShatt played every major hotel, club and river boat in New Orleans, including The Plimpsol Club, Seaport Cafe, Crazy Shirley's, Can Can Cabaret and Preservation Jazz Hall.    She has performed for Brown Bag Concerts, The New Orleans French Quarter Festival, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, in New Orleans and The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in Rio de Janerio, Brazil.

In 1985, she became half of the highly successful duo "BORN DIVAS" where, for 8 years she was a favorite with audiences and the media for her flashy, uninhibited style and sassy repartee with the audience. One East Coast newspaper said, "On stage, the trio [keyboard player included] is dominated by the most impressive personage of Miss Daphne MuShatt, a six foot, stunningly good-looking black woman possessed of a superstructure which makes Dolly Parton look like an adolescent boy .......especially equipped for it, [she] bumps, grinds and jiggles to the obvious, noisy delight of their fans."  She can "croon a ballad, sock a rock number and ladle out a standard with the sweetness of Log Cabin poured reeeeal slow."

Among her many accomplishments, she received a special invitation to perform for PRESIDENT and MRS. GEORGE H,W. BUSH for the 75th Anniversary of the Naval Air Reserve.  She also has done special performances for ABC, NBC, and FOX Television Networks, in addition to having performed with and for such greats as Sting, Carol Channing, Dick Cavatt, Helen Reddy and Joan Rivers.

Known throughout the country for their efforts to raise money for AIDS, she and her groups have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the care of persons affected by AIDS.

For the past few years she has enjoyed playing locally, in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, with her group, “SHE The Band” and her latest group “N-2N”.  Performances include such notable venues as, New Orleans Lakefront Arena, and Margaritaville Café, New Orleans, The Varsity Theatre, Spanish Moon, The Atrium, Baton Rouge Theatre for the Performing Arts, Baton Rouge, and Snooks-Bourbon Orleans, New Orleans. Recent solo performances include a featured performance with The Jimmy Maxwell Orchestra and special guest appearance with Ms. Irma Thomas.

A versatile performer, Ms, MuShatt has been reviewed with awe and rave in newspapers across the country from New Orleans' Times Picayune to New York's Village Voice.  Perhaps June Bonner of the Coconut Club in Charleston, S.C., summed it up best with this remark, "I don''t know what I could say that could possibly prepare you for what you are about to see."           

Toni O & Blue Haze:  When singer/songwriter Toni Otts met up with drummer Bryan Gieseler in a previous band, they clicked instantly.  They went on to team up with blues guitarist Colin Beyer and songwriter/bassist Michael Taylor to form Toni O and Blue Haze. 

This Baton Rouge based band brings a lot of energy and soul to the stage that the audience really responds to.  Fans say the best way to experience them is live because of their mix of energy and powerful vocals.

This isn't your typical club band and they can really rock the blues!

Laurence LeSage has performed at many fundraisers, contests, Mardi Gras balls, resort campgrounds, weddings and charity events in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. 

On June 4, 2003, he won First Place in the "Marigny Idol" contest held over eight weeks at Cowpokes in New Orleans.  He performed at the 2003 and 2004 Mr. Louisiana Leather contests, the 2004 and 2005 Lords of Leather Bal Masques and at the 2004 and 2005 New Orleans Pride Festival. He recorded a demo album in Sept 2004.  In Jan 2005, Laurence was noted as the first live singer in the 32 year history of the Krewe of Shangri-La's "La-Tee-Da" Bal Masque held at the Riverside Hilton, New Orleans. 

Laurence also was scheduled to appear at the Sept 3, 2005 showing of the Mr. Louisiana Leather contest, but thanks to Hurricane Katrina, it was not meant to be.  Laurence landed in Georgia after the storm and soon found performance opportunities in north and middle Georgia and in Jacksonville, Florida, and Dade City, Florida.  In 2010, he moved back to his roots in Louisiana, where he intends to stay, record an album...and sing "as long as they will let me"!  His first performance in 2010 was at the Lords of Leather Ball on February 14 at the Alario Center in Westwego.

The New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus are fresh from their "Disco Daze" concerts June 18 in New Orleans and June 19 in Baton Rouge.

Taking its inspiration from the Windy City Gay Men's Chorus of Chicago, the New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus was formed in 1982. Throughout its history, the chorus has been a strong supporter of the gay and lesbian community. In addition, it also serves as a model of gay pride to the straight world.

The award-winning group boasts a long record of commissioning new works and performing with local celebrities, and they've been recognized with Gay Appreciation Awards Performing Arts Award for four years in a row. Most of all, their performances are just a lot of fun!

The Krewe of Divas prides itself on giving young performers a venue to show off their talents, as well as supporting the community at large.

And what a venue they give. The group performs all across the Baton Rouge metropolitan area, as well as in central and southeastern Louisiana.

Fresh from their "pride ball" last weekend, performers for Pride Fest include Chica LaRouge, Kyle Kahn and Alexa Milano, Miranda Mann, Miss Gia and Jacob LaCara, Adriana Alexander, Amanda Rose Andrews, Alli Walker LaMann, Mary Jane Sparks, Briana Marie Andrews, Veronica Andrews and Rachel Monroe.

Michael Sandlin is a favorite among the congregation at Metropolitan Community Church of Baton Rouge for his lively gospel style.

The owner of Tiger Truck Stop, Sandlin also has his own inspirational CD that he hopes will be a blessing to you and others. The CD features 10 songs including His Hand In Mine, He Touched Me and The Old Rugged Cross.  You may even get to hear some of those at Pride Fest.

July 12

(Wrap up 2010, begin 2011 plans)

All meetings are at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room at MCCBR,

7747 Tom Drive, Baton Rouge

Other Group's Pride Events

That May Interest You:

New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus "Disco Daze"

Saturday, June 19, 7:30 p.m., Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge (Goodwood Boulevard)

www.nogmc.com

Krewe of Divas Pride Bal Masque

Saturday, June 19, 8  p.m., The Union Hall (Government Street), Baton Rouge

www.kreweofdivas.com

Capital City Alliance "Kings, Queens and Everything In Between"

Tuesday, June 22, 9 p.m., Splash (Highland Road), Baton Rouge

www.ccabatonrouge.org

Not Sure About the Location?

Try This Map for Help:

The Belle of Baton Rouge Atrium (formerly the Sheraton Atrium) is located in downtown Baton Rouge adjacent to the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino (and between the Baton Rouge River Center and the I-10 approach to the Mississippi River bridge). 

Plenty of free parking is offered in the Belle's garages and surrounding public parking lots (under the bridge). Paid parking also is available in the area (beside George's). We recommend using the free parking in the Belle garage located on the south end of the hotel complex (between Europe and South on River Road - behind the 13th Gate building).

Pride Fest will be occupying most of the south end of the Belle of Baton Rouge Atrium (the end closest to the I-10 bridge). You won't be able to miss us no matter how you enter the Atrium.

Major events coordinated by Metropolitan Community Church of Baton Rouge Pride Team in cooperation with Krewe of Apollo Baton Rouge, HAART, Krewe of Divas, Forum for Equality, Gamma Alpha Psi, Capital City Alliance and other individuals and organizations and generous sponsors. To volunteer, find out how your group can be involved, or help to sponsor these events, check our Sponsor and Resource Fair pages or e-mail BRPride@bellsouth.net