Children’s krewe rolls celebrates children
The Krewe of Lyonnesse and its guests traveled through time and space for the children’s Mardi Gras group’s 15th annual ball Saturday.
Serving as emcee was Andr é Moreau.
King Brian Joseph Arceneaux and Queen Mary Katherine Freeman Koch presided over the festivities at Boudreaux’s.
King Arceneaux, a freshman at Christian Life Academy, is the son of Keith and Beverly Arceneaux, and the grandson of Anna Barker and the late L.D. Barker, and Cecile Arceneaux and the late Mitchell Arceneaux.
Queen Koch, a junior at the Runnels School, is the daughter of Lisa Freeman Guidry and Burton Guidry and Karl and Victoria Koch, and the granddaughter of former Lt. Gov. Bobby and Marianne Freeman, and Dr. Robert Koch and the late Dr. Margaret Koch.
They were both introduced wearing royal gold attire. His majesty took a bow wearing a Renaissance-style gold lamé tunic and matching lamé trousers, a rhinestone-covered crown and scepter, and a fan collar sequined in a sunburst motif. His queen accompanied him costumed in a vintage ball gown, a beaded medici collar and a rhinestone crown and scepter, family pieces handed down from her mother.
Finishing their looks were 8-foot gold and silver brocade capes and trains emblazoned with the Lyonnesse crest, which depicts a lion emerging from the waters of a sunken island.
Attending the king were Baron Ben Vaughan and Prince Darren Moses II, both in traditional royal attire of tunics and capes. Serving the queen were Abby Frances Blaize and Amber Marie Moran, dressed as princesses in full ball-gown costumes and tiaras.
Presented as the returning royalty from 2011 were King Hays Sullivan Clary and Queen Emily Anne Lewis, with their attendants, princes Max Kimble and Dino Pellissier and princesses Sophia Shapiro and Emma Constant.
The royal couple greeted their subjects, who depicted characters of long ago.
Paying homage were princes Spencer and Steven Spivak and Ben Papizan, Vikings; duchesses Michaela Mitchell and Maggie Kimble, gladiators; princesses Ramsey Graves and Ann Stocker, royal court jesters from the Middle Ages; Prince Patrick Gaudet and Princess Riana Gaudet, characters from the Wild West; princesses Marley Graves, Ainsley Graves and Ann Malloy Kimble, southern belles; princesses Ellie and Emma Pennington, flappers from the Roaring Twenties; and baronesses Hannah Papizan and Coco Pellissier, USO patriotic girls from early war days.
Also were Princess London Deshotel and Baron Donovan Bailey, young people clad in ’50s attire; Duchess Jasmine Pizer, the iconic Lucille Ball; Duke Malcolm McNiece, Ricky Ricardo; dukes Dylan Zeringue, Grayson Papizan and Jacob Shapiro, the Rat Pack; Prince Joe Shapiro, and barons Sam Pennington and Sam Shapiro, hippies from the ’60s; Prince James Van Hook and Princess Olivia Van Hook, characters from the Space Age in ultra-modern costumes; and princesses Anna Vaughan and Poppy Pellissier, ’80s pop stars Cyndi Lauper and Madonna.
As the tableau concluded, the time warp shifted and the new generation appeared represented by princesses Sydney Kate, Maddie and Mary Michael Richmond.
President Angela Zeringue recognized Southdowns royalty, Emperor William Gladney and his wife, Empress Mary Gladney, and congratulated them on the 25th anniversary of the Southdowns Parade. Ball Captain Laura McNiece recognized former Lyonnesse royals in attendance, including 2003 Queen Abbey Constance, 2005 King David Lewis, 2007 King and Queen Clarke and Elizabeth DeMars, and 2008 King Jacob Lewis.
After bowing to their king and queen, the time travelers entertained guests as they danced to their own rendition of the “Time Warp,” followed by an evening of music by Color Blind.
The Krewe of Lyonnesse, which has a mission to celebrate the family while enjoying the southern Louisiana traditions of Mardi Gras, includes children between the ages of 3 and high school graduation in its ball processional and ride in the Southdowns Parade. In addition, the krewe participates in several community service activities and presents an annual tableau for the residents of Williamsburg Retirement Center.