The show must go on! The Marigny Opera House is once again open for (show) business and the Fringe Festival will be holding their regularly scheduled performances in the venue all weekend. The popular downtown venue made headlines last week when it hosted Solange Knowles’ wedding and then made the front page again on Wednesday (11.19) when the venue was briefly shuttered.
Swamp deVille, Fringe Festival Development Coordinator and Board Member says, “The court ruled and Fringe prevailed. Marigny Opera House is 100 percent open for shows today and through the weekend. Rock on and enjoy the festival folks.”
Hours before the alternative theatre festival was scheduled to begin, the City sought, was granted, and enforced an injunction to shutter the space temporarily. At issue were a number of fire code violations.
Communications Director, Garnesha Crawford said, “Since April 2014, the City of New Orleans has not issued special event permits for the Marigny Opera House because the conditions of the building are not safe. We alerted the building owners of the significant code deficiencies identified during a joint inspection by the Department of Safety and Permits, Historic District Landmarks Commission, New Orleans Fire Department, and the State Fire Marshall, and hope that they will come into compliance so our event operators who want to use the space are not inconvenienced or liable if the building conditions caused substantial harm to occupants.”
The injunction was temporary lasting until Friday (11.20.) A hearing was scheduled for this morning and at conclusion, the ruling was in favor of the Opera House.
Festival organizers were quick to lookouts the legalities and credit a grassroots effort. DeVille says, “A tremendous number of people in the community stepped up. It is this community that makes Fringe what it is.”