The wealthy and powerful Delacroix family of Bayou Noir, Louisiana, must deal with enemies both human and supernatural -- as well as its own familial dysfunction -- if it's to survive into the future.

SYNOPSIS:

(Note: this is the synopsis for the pilot episode of Bayou Noir; for the synopsis of the overall series, go to https://www.stage32.com/profil...)

As the saga of the dynastic Delacroix family begins, patriarch Jean-Baptiste “JB” prepares to retire from the family’s main business interest; the family prepares for a return to the fold, if only briefly, of “prodigal” daughter Camille; and the town of Bayou Noir, Louisiana, founded by a Delacroix ancestor three centuries earlier, prepares to throw a grand fete on Saturday to honor JB. But all is not sunshine and roses: youngest son Marcel recently had to move back home (again), and he and JB are fighting constantly. Far more important, though, is that JB must end a long standing smuggling deal with the New Orleans mob, which means potentially risking the wrath of its Don, Salvatore Basamonte. Meanwhile, oldest son and JB’s designated successor, Maurice, has a strange and troubling dream, in which a friendly but mysterious woman in all white warns him of an upcoming “time of trouble” that could spell disaster for not only the Delacroix, but for even Bayou Noir itself.

If this wasn’t enough, JB’s nephew, Steve, has mysteriously disappeared yet again at the time of the full moon. His father, JB’s younger brother Gervais, thinks he’s been turned into a Rougarou (werewolf), but JB thinks it’s all superstitious nonsense, and that he is suffering from PTSD due to a wolf attacking him on a hunting trip some months earlier. Then strange things begin to happen in addition to Steve’s disappearance; odd footprints are found on the Delacroix’s ancestral plantation, a rash of “Peeping Tom” incidents in town involving a culprit wearing a “hairy Halloween mask”, and finally a brutal murder in the parking lot of a local nightspot, witnesses describing the assailant as a dark, hair-covered figure.. Gervais is convinced it’s proof positive Steve has become a Rougarou (Cajun werewolf), while JB insists that there’s nothing to indicate Steve being connected to any of it.

As the week progresses, Maurice continues to be haunted by his dream. He feels compelled to look up the name the woman in it called herself, only to find out that she really existed — and died over a century ago. A secret visit to a local psychiatrist finds no answers, but gives a possible clue about the dream, and that it might not have been just a dream. Marcel’s fortunes change somewhat as he meets Sonia Chavez, a waitress at the Chat Noir Cafe (and the one who usually serves JB and his friends their morning Cafe au Lait and Beignets), while browsing books at a local used bookstore. They converse, and before she leaves, she gives him her phone number.

Finally, on Friday, Camille arrives from Baltimore, her two kids in tow. The entire family, JB, matriarch Madalaine, Maurice (a widower) and his two kids, Camille and hers, and Marcel all go out for a reunion supper of sorts. It starts out pleasant, but a slightly drunk JB manages to put a damper on it by bragging on Maurice, and making sarcastic digs at Camille and Marcel. Meanwhile, in an apartment in New Orleans French Quarter, Sal Basamonte meets with Lilith Mauvaise, a Witch Queen he keeps on the mob’s payroll. His anger about JB cancelling their smuggling arrangement and the resulting loss of profits this will cause has not cooled, and he is out for revenge. He wants the main Delacroix family business brought to its knees, so that JB must come begging to him for help. Lilith agrees to help him achieve this, in exchange for a percentage of the company’s stock. Finally the night comes to a close as two hunters spot the Hair-Covered Figure tearing chunks out of a freshly killed wild boar and eating them. They fire on it, and it runs off. They give chase, firing again and hitting it. In its flight, it manages to trip on an exposed tree root, sending it hurtling down a deep, dark ravine. 
Saturday, comes bright, warm, and clear. At the bottom of the ravine, a man, badly injured and dressed in the same clothes as the Hair-Covered Figure, crawls out from some brush. It is indeed Steve Delacroix, and as his father has correctly surmised, he has indeed become a Rougarou. With the help of a tree branch, he manages to rise to his feet, and in a semi-amnesiac state hobbles off to find a road. He finds no road, but a clearing instead, where sits a shack belonging to a local “swamp rat”, Old Vic. When Vic comes outside to see why his hound dog Jasper is making a fuss, he finds Steve, who collapses at his feet. Later on, Steve wakes on a cot in Old Vic’s shack. He is unable to remember anything about how he got there, or why he has a bullet hole in his undershirt and a round, reddish-pink scar; only that his name might be “Steve”. Old Vic offers him water, which he drinks. He then tries to offer him food, but Steve passes out again before he can answer. At the fete, things are in full swing, as JB happily holds court, while Marcel sits off by himself near the door, waiting on someone. Maurice searches for Camille, who left for the porta-potties a while ago, but hasn’t returned. He finds her in an unused office on the fairgrounds where the fete is taking place, smoking pot with a security guard. He dismisses the rent-a-cop, and they argue. He sends her back in to the fete, following behind.

As the fete continues, Marcel’s “someone” finally shows. It’s Sonia, who was delayed by car trouble. They share drinks and conversation. They then share several dances, which catches JB’s less-than-approving attention. At the same time, Lilith arrives at the fete, in the guise of a freelance photojournalist from New Orleans, Maria Pentangelli. She seeks out Maurice, and they also share drinks and conversation, with Maurice very taken with her almost unnatural beauty. When Maurice is called over to another table, “Maria” uses the opportunity to take her leave, but not before slipping the plastic glass and napkin Maurice was using into her purse when he’s not looking. Meanwhile, Marcel and Sonia slip out and go back to her apartment, where they make love. Afterwards, they lie in bed together talking. Sonia reveals to Marcel that she’s both a sensitive, and also a Voodoo priestess in training, which he finds surprising but intriguing. Before he returns to the fete, they decide that they are in a relationship.

Some time later, the fete is winding down, and only the Delacroix, the band, a bartender, and some cops are left. One of the cops reminds the family that they need to leave shortly, due to the curfew on because of the vicious murder the other night. Before they do, a half in the bag JB proposes one last toast to the family, which concludes with “After 300 years, we are still here”. But this tranquil moment is in contrast to the storms looming on the horizon… Back in New Orleans, Lilith stands before an altar in her apartment. On the altar is the plastic glass and napkin she took; a figurine with Maurice’s face on it in the the glass, and the napkin wrapped around it, held in place with a jewelry chain. Lilith chants words in French over it… And in the woods, Old Vic returns with provisions from a trading post for him and his “houseguest”, only to find a window smashed out, the door to the shack open, and Steve gone…