New Orleans, Louisiana, Dec. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Michael Everest DeMarco's fondness for the city of New Orleans is no secret to anybody familiar with the man. Midway through his career, the famed thespian resisted the lures of fame and a lucrative career and instead returned to the city of his birth to devote himself full-time towards the development of the New Orleans theater scene. Ever since then, he has worked tirelessly towards that goal. In addition, Mr. DeMarco is also well-known for his various philanthropic activities geared towards the betterment of the city and its people.
But besides the fact that it is his hometown, what is it that binds him so to New Orleans? The question was put to the renowned stage actor during a recent interview and Mr. DeMarco was candid enough to discuss in detail all the things he loves about New Orleans, including his favorite places in the city and the activities he likes to engage in during his free time.
To begin with, Michael Everest DeMarco remarked that he has always felt fortunate to be a native of New Orleans courtesy of the gaiety and festive spirit the city is famous for. According to Mr. DeMarco, New Orleans is a city that "exudes cheerfulness" and he believes that this vivacious spirit of the place has played a key role in shaping his own personality.
In the light of this remark, it was little surprise when the actor named the French Quarter as his favorite destination in the city. DeMarco revealed that he started frequenting the Quarter and its many nooks and corners right from his teenage days and his love for the place still remains intact. When asked about his favorite spot in the Quarter, DeMarco said that he doesn't really visit too many places when he is in the neighborhood. Rather he likes more to saunter around the streets, taking the lively atmosphere in.
He also emphasized the point that if he still likes visiting the Quarter, it is not so much for nostalgic reasons as for the youthful energy and atmosphere of the place. For the same reason, he maintained, he likes Marigny and the more recent Bohemian artists' enclave-type neighborhood like the Bywater. In fact, the actor revealed that these days he actually prefers Bywater even more than the French Quarter since the former has a less touristy and more intimate feel to it compared to the Quarter.
As he remarked in an earlier interview, Mr. DeMarco loves working with younger, budding actors and nurturing their talents in the process. So, one can understand that he would feel a strong fondness for a graffiti-daubed young struggling artists' place like Bywater. Not only does he like visiting the neighborhood, DeMarco reveals, but he will often stop for a quick snack or a beer, and occasionally a full meal, at one of the many little cafes, bars, or restaurants that dot the neighborhood. The actor says that he enjoys the homely, backyard-like feel of these food joints much more than the cool elegance of the swanky and fashionable places located elsewhere in the city.
When talking about New Orleans, the topic of Mardi Gras is bound to come up sooner or later. However, the actor revealed that these days he rarely makes it to Mardi Gras due mainly to his busy schedule. Although he laughingly added that he does help the younger members of his retinue with tips on their costumes and the like. Similarly, the actor confessed that as much as he would like, he can rarely make it to the other famous fests of the city, especially the Nola Jazz Fest and the Tennessee Williams Literary Fest.
However, for his busy schedule, Michael Everest DeMarco mentioned that two places he still visits somewhat frequently are the New Orleans Jazz Museum and New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). Visiting these places fills the devoted thespian with fresh energy and inspiration for his own work.