Bette Davis served the desserts. Marlene Dietrich and Lauren Bacall danced the night away. Red Skelton told the jokes and Bing Crosby crooned. The place was the Stage Door Canteen and the guests were the steady stream of GIs headed off to war. Many were leaving home for the first time and the Canteen offered a welcome opportunity to forget their anxieties—if only for a time—with entertainment, fellowship, and a little American spirit.
The National WWII Museum in New Orleans honors this memorable wartime tradition in our very own BB's Stage Door Canteen, an exciting entertainment and dining destination.
BB's Stage Door Canteen presents a wonderful weekly series of unique entertainment, showcasing the songs, style, stars, and spirit of this incomparable era. Enjoy evening and matinee performances by headliner acts, signature musical productions, big bands, dancing, the Victory Belles vocal trio, and more, plus preshow dinner, brunch, or lunch by The American Sector Restaurant & Bar. It's all at BB's Stage Door Canteen!
The story of how Bob Hope gave levity and laughter to troops during one of the most brutal conflicts in human history is a crucial component of the history of the war—and a demonstration of how humanity can shine through in the darkest of times. The National WWII Museum is proud to have BB's Stage Door Canteen performances supported by the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation. If you are a veteran of any war, you may be eligible for free show only tickets to BB's Stage Door Canteen performances through our Tickets for Troops program. Please call our box office at 504-528-1943 for more information.
The Best of Sinatra
Our salute to “Ol’ Blue Eyes” features the adorable and charming Spencer Racca backed by the Museum’s Victory Trio. Join us for a nostalgic matinee performance featuring Frank’s classic hits such as Fly Me to the Moon, All of Me, One for My Baby, Come Fly with Me, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, My Way, and New York, New York. This legend lit up the world with his voice!
Wednesdays through November 28, 2018
Sunday Swing
Sundays, July 8 – August 26
Dance lessons, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Live music, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Now in its 13th season, Sunday Swing is a popular summer program featuring local swing bands and dance instructors.
Tickets are $10 per person; FREE for Museum Members. Tickets can be purchased upon arrival. For more information, call 504-528-1944 x 287.
Stage Door Idol
Join us in BB's Stage Door Canteen, where contestants will vie for the title of the next Stage Door Idol! Area hopefuls will perform hits of the war years for celebrity judges and will be singing alongside our Victory Six Swing Band. Finalists will compete for the $1,000 grand prize. Come cheer on these talented singers! Four local celebrity judges will pick the Stage Door Idol winner. All preliminary rounds and finals are open seating—$10 at the door for the finals. (All preliminary rounds are only $5 at the door.)
Preliminary Rounds: July 10, 17, 24 & 31, 2018
Finals: August 14, 2018
Dine & Dance with the Victory Swing Orchestra
The National WWII Museum's own Victory Swing Orchestra celebrates the great big bands of the WWII era. This amazing ensemble of talented New Orleans musicians will have you In the Mood to dance the night away!
July 28, 2018
August 11 & 25, 2018
October 6 & 13, 2018
November 17 & 24, 2018
The Victory Belles
The Victory Belles are a delightful vocal trio performing the music of the 1940s, serenading audiences at The National WWII Museum and across the globe.
Matinee: August 3, 2018
September 17 & 28, 2018
October 8, 2018
February 27, 2019
Brunch: October 7, 2018
Dinner & Show: September 19 & 20, 2018
& December 30, 2018
Pump Boys and Dinettes
The “Pump Boys” sell high octane on Highway 57 in Grand Ole Opry country. The “Dinettes,” Prudie and Rhetta Cupp, run the Double Cupp diner next door. Together they fashion an evening of country western songs that received unanimous raves on and off Broadway. With heartbreak and hilarity, they perform what The New York Times called “a triumph of ensemble playing” on guitars, piano, bass, and even kitchen utensils.
Weekends, September 7 – 30, 2018
Dames at Sea
Presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, Inc.
Books and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller
Music by Jim Wise
This tap-happy gem of a show, called “a winner” by The New York Times, celebrates the golden era of movie musicals. A long-running Off-Broadway hit that brought stardom to a 20-year-old Bernadette Peters, this production is a tongue-in-cheek version of those large, flashy, 1930s Busby Berkeley-style musicals in which the naive chorus girl arrives in New York on the bus, steps into a role on Broadway, and becomes a star.
Selected as “Best Musical of the Year” by TIME, Newsweek, and the Outer Critics Circle.
Weekends, October 19 – November 11, 2018
The Original Stage Door Canteen
Where could a GI enjoy the best big bands, dance with the ladies, and rub elbows with the likes of Marlene Dietrich? Only at the Stage Door Canteen.