The Cook-Off

Performing at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum on
Sunday, December 8, 2024

Brunch & Performance,
11:00 AM

Afternoon
Performance,
2:00 PM

The Cook-Off

Shawn E. Okpebholo, Composer
Mark Campbell, Librettist

Join three competitors from the nation’s favorite fictional cooking show, “America Loves Food”, as they battle it out to make the best version of a classic comfort food: macaroni & cheese! As the timer ticks away and tensions rise, the contestants lock horns, reveal personal truths, and spar about the dish’s origins (including whether or not New Orleans might be to blame).

This brand-new opera by industry luminaries Shawn E. Okpebholo and Mark Campbell is presented in collaboration with our partners, the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, for two performances on December 8, 2024. Join us for either our 11:30am (featuring a pre-show brunch prepared by SoFAB’s renowned culinary school) or 2pm performance for a true musical feast!

Featuring:

Evan Bravos, Kenny Kincaid
Emily Pulley, Beryl Bennett
Ashley Fabian, Ivy Sweet
Rehanna Thelwell, Kendra Smith
Jehú Otero, Alvaro Mendez
Joshua Anand Slater, conductor
Dennis Whitehead Darling, stage director

Musical accompaniment provided by members of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

Meet The Artists.

Rehanna Thelwell

Kendra Smith

Evan Bravos

Kenny Kincaid

Emily Pulley

Beryl Bennett

Dennis Whitehead Darling

Stage Director

Dennis Whitehead Darling

Conductor

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra