Krewe of Orpheus

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name = Krewe of Orpheus


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formation = 1993
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location = New Orleans
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website = http://www.kreweoforpheus.net/
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The Krewe of Orpheus (1993) is a relatively recent New Orleans Mardi Gras super krewe which puts on one of the largest parades in the famous Carnival celebrations of New Orleans, Louisiana. The krewe was founded in 1993 by Harry Connick, Jr. & Sr. with Sonny Borey.

History

The Krewe accepts members of either gender and any race or ethnicity, and quickly became one of New Orleans' largest, after it was founded in 1993. [ "Krewe of Orpheus Parade" (notes), webpage: [http://search.cityguide.aol.com/neworleans/entertainment/krewe-of-orpheus-parade/e-1908278 CityGuide-NOLA] .] It is a music-based krewe, taking its name from Orpheus {ohr'-fee-uhs} [ The mythological name "Orpheus" is commonly pronounced "ohr'-fee-uhs" in English, although some names have a different pronunciation in ancient Greek; see "Encyclopedia Mythica: Pronunciation guide" webpage: [http://www.pantheon.org/miscellaneous/pronunciations.html Pantheon-pronun] .] of Classical mythology. The Krewe of Orpheus was founded by Harry Connick Jr., his father, Harry Connick, Sr., and Sonny Borey. [http://www.broadwaytovegas.com/February15,2004.html Broadway To Vegas February 15, 2004 ] ] When the krewe had their first parade, on February 14, 1994, [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AD&p_theme=ad&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB47780EF2ADC1B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM NewsLibrary Search Results ] ] it was a record high 700 riders on their parade, and they had then already established themselves as a superkrewe. The Krewe of Orpheus was the first super Krewe to include both men and women.

Parade

The Krewe of Orpheus parades on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street on Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) - the day before Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). The parade ends inside the Convention Center where Orpheuscapade begins. In addition to the floats, the parade also includes "flambeaux," stilt-walkers and several marching bands.

Parade themes

*2008 Cocktail Concoctions [http://www.nola.com/mardigras/index.ssf/2008/01/krewe_of_orpheus_will_announce.html nola.com] ]
*2007 Tales of Transformation [ [http://bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/2007-02-27/feat.php bestofneworleans.com] ]
*2006 Signs and Superstitions [ [http://media.www.thehullabaloo.com/media/storage/paper958/news/2006/02/24/Arcadefeatures/Parades.Routes-1989023.shtml thehullabaloo.com] ]
*2005 Dance of the Hours [ [http://media.www.thehullabaloo.com/media/storage/paper958/news/2005/02/04/Arcadefeatures/2005-Parade.Guide-1988442.shtml thehullabaloo.com] ]
*2004 Serenades of the Seasons [http://www.broadwaytovegas.com/February15,2004.html broadwaytovegas.com] ] - a tribute to the sights, colors and sounds that mark the changing tides of the year. [ [http://www.mardigrasunmasked.com/maps/KreweofOrpheus.htm mardigrasunmasked.com] ]
*2003 A Flourish of Fetes and Feasts [ [http://bestofneworleans.com/dispatch/2003-02-25/feat.html bestofneworleans.com] ]
*2001 Crescendos of Creation [http://www.gambitweekly.com/dispatch/2001-03-06/ae_feat.html gambitweekly.com] ]
*2000 Musical Metamorpheus
*1999 Premieres of the French Opera [ [http://www.geocities.com/jabot2000/clb/articles/2.html Soaps In Depth Article ] ]
*1996 Phoenix
*1995 Lyrical Legend of Orpheus
*1994 Rhythm, Rhyme & Revelry [http://web.archive.org/web/19980111070831/www.mardigrasneworleans.com/orpheus/posters.html]

Celebrity monarchs

*2008: Helio Castroneves, Sidney Torres, Lance Bass, Kevin Meaney, Salt-n-Pepa, Christian LeBlanc, Ricky Paull Goldin, Sean Payton, Josh Gracin [http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-36/1200516263295460.xml&storylist=louisiana]
*2007: Patricia Clarkson, Sean Payton, Harry Connick, Jr. [ [http://www.wdsu.com/mardigras/10825748/detail.html wdsu.com] ]
*2006: Steven Seagal, Josh Hartnett [ [http://www.nola.com/mardigras/parades/?content/celebs_2006.html nola.com] ]
*2005: Sawyer Brown, Toby Keith [http://www.satchmo.com/nolavl/mardigras.html satchmo.com] ]
*2004 Dominic Monaghan, Brad Paisley, Nicole Miller, Harry Connick, Jr.
*2003 Travis Tritt, Harry Connick, Jr.
*2002
*2001 Glenn Close (grand marshall), Whoopi Goldberg, Hoda Kotb, Harry Connick, Jr.
*2000 Whoopi Goldberg (grand marshall),
*1999 Sandra Bullock, [ [http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/NEWS/9902/15/new.orleans.carn/index.html cnn.com] ] Forest Whitaker,
*1998
*1997 Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Anne Rice, Harry Connick, Jr.
*1996 The Road Rules gang from MTV, Laurence Fishburne, Jay Thomas ('96 King of Orpheus), Anne Rice ('96 muse of Orpheus), Harry Connick, Jr. [ [http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/compucast/compu.html mardigrasneworleans.com] ]
*1995 Anne Rice
*1994 Little Richard, Branford Marsalis, Vanessa Williams, Dan Aykroyd, Harry Connick, Jr.

Other celebrity monarchs for the Krewe of Orpheus include Camryn Manheim, Debbie Allen, Tommy Tune, James Brown, David Copperfield, Delta Burke, Gerald McRaney, Josh Gracin and Christian LeBlanc.

Floats

Per 2008, the krewe has 36 floats.Harry Connick, Jr. wrote and recorded a song for his 1994 album "She", called "Here Comes the Big Parade". The song's musicvideo shows clips from floats in the parade. The floats have a large amount of flowers, gilding and gold leaf. The flowers are made out of cardboard, wire, paint, gold leafing, some of paper mache, etc.

Notable floats

*In 2004, they bought the Orpheus "Dolly Trolley", the original trolley that was in "Hello Dolly" with Barbra Streisand.
*The "Smoking Mary" (Smokey Mary) is a float that looks like a steam locomotive
*The Orpheus "Leviathan" Float has been part of the parade since 1998. It's a 139 foot, fiber-optic float. The first float ever to use fibre optic lighting.
*"Trojan Horse"

Throws

The throws include emblem beads, stuffed animals, signature beads, light-up Orpheus medallion beads, cups, three different types of doubloons.

torage

After the parade everything is stored at Mardi Gras World. The floats are taken apart and re-built there every year.

Orpheuscapade

The parade ends inside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center where Orpheuscapade begins. Orpheuscapade is the post-parade black-tie party, that includes live music, food, and dancing, and it's open to the public by paid admission. The Orpheuscapade draws a crowd of over 5000 people each year.

Performers for the 2008 Orpheuscapade include: Josh Gracin, Salt-N-Pepa, Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys, Rebirth Brass Band, Bucktown Allstars, and Sha'on and the Girls with Success.

Other

*This krewe does not have any connection to:
**the first "Krewe of Orpheus": a ball krewe in Orleans Parish (1940s, 1950s)
**"The Original Krewe of Orpheus": a parade krewe in Mandeville, Louisiana (founded 1987)

Notes

External links

* [http://www.kreweoforpheus.net/ Official website]
* [http://musicbox.sonybmg.com/videos/harry-connick-jr/here-comes-the-big-parade "Here Comes the Big Parade" - Harry Connick, Jr. music video]
* [http://carlnivale.theatricana.com/krewe-orpheus-new.html Krewe of Orpheus, at "Prof. Carl Nivale"] .
* [http://www.nola.com/mardigras/parades/ NOLA.com : Mardi Gras : Parades]