Swingin'

It's Acadiana: Out to Lunch

There’s always something to do in Acadiana. That’s great if you’re a consumer. Options for lifestyle and entertainment are a big part of your quality of life. But if you’re on the business side of the equation, an endless supply of activities makes for a crowded and competitive market.

Throw in Lafayette’s notorious seasonality, and running an entertainment business can be challenging — but rewarding.

Lafayette is a small market. That means we’re often off the radar for national tours in the performing arts space. But for years, we’ve had a steady stream of acclaimed productions and performers coming to town. Jackie Lyle has had a big hand in making that happen.

Jackie has worked in performing arts promotion and advocacy for decades now. She currently serves as executive director of Performing Arts Serving Acadiana, a nonprofit she founded to advance performing arts in Acadiana. Most locals know it as PASA.

If that sounds like a wide lens, it is. PASA supports all kinds of programs and shows. Jackie has staged performances by leading dance companies like Ailey II or the Kyiv City Ballet. They host jazz quartets, cabarets, off Broadway productions and more.

Access is a key goal here. PASA brings these performers and performances to local schools and makes space for people with disabilities to get involved through the PASAble initiatives. PASA also set up a musical instrument recycling program called Play it Again.

Jackie has spent most of her life in Lafayette. Before her career in arts advocacy she worked in advertising and marketing.

Being a small market means Lafayette can struggle to attract big city amenities. Point in case: Ask anyone when we’re getting a Trader Joe’s. But when the national brands arrive, it can pay off big time. Case in point: Lafayette is a small fish in the stable of Topgolf, but it’s a location that’s punching well above its weight.

Bryan Roger is Operations Manager for the Lafayette location.

If you’re not familiar with Topgolf, it’s an international brand of hyped up driving ranges. The facilities are huge. Like parking decks that serve food, beer and golf balls by the thousand. Bryan says TopGolfers will hit 20,000 golf balls on a slow day.

Bryan got to TopGolf by way of the restaurant industry. He grew up in a restaurant family and was previously an operations manager for Mexican food chain Chuy’s. Bryan was born in Lafayette but grew up in Mandeville. He returned to Acadiana about 20 years ago.

Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. You can find photos from this show by Astor Morgan at itsacadiana.com.

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