Author Archives: Bill Hirschman
World Premiere ‘The Cubans’ Delves Into Family Generations
Michael Leon’s world premiere The Cubans at Miami New Drama delivers an almost tactile depiction of how an extended family with multiple generations prioritize family unity while trying to preserve their culture and values against social pressure to assimilate and their children embrace a diverse outside world.
Peter x Wendy Provides Theatrical Magic for Adults Escorting Their Children
If Area Stage Company’s world premiere production of Peter x Wendy documents anything, it’s that Giancarlo Rodaz is the Orson Welles-like wunderkind of South Florida theater. It is a testament to the wildly inventive and stylistic virtuosity of Rodaz as playwright, director, sound designer, lighting designer, set designer, costumer designer, composer and even playing the guitar live offstage.
Carbonell Nominees Announced; Dramaworks Shatters Record
Amid a backdrop of changes and challenges, the Carbonell Awards nominations were released Tuesday recognizing excellence in South Florida professional theater. Classics, world premieres marked the list for the April 6 ceremony. Palm Beach Dramaworks not only earned the most nominations of any company – 29 in 16 out of 20 categories – but multiple nominations for every single one of its 2019 productions.
Complete List of 44th Annual Carbonell Nominees & Stats
Best New Work (play or musical) + An Evening with John Wayne Gacy, by Ronnie Larsen, Ronnie Larsen Presents/Infinite Abyss + Confessions of a Cocaine Cowboy, by Billy Corben and Aurin Squire, Miami New Drama + Grindr Mom, by Ronnie …
Fight It If You Want, Mamma Mia! Still Indomitably Infectious
Mamma Mia! is another one of those Great Continental Divides in theater: you either love it – or you hate yourself for standing up and clapping along in the final mega-mix medley of infectious earwigs. As proven by Actors’ Playhouse’s full-out production, the damn thing can be a lot of good ol’ fun if you let yourself enjoy it.
Island City’s Satirical Musical Altar Boyz Is A Grin-Fest Hoot
Franklin Graham, the homophobic alt-right son of Billy Graham, just finished a revival tour of Florida this weekend. Too bad he didn’t attend the revival of the musical Altar Boyz at Island City Stage that energetically, if gently, teases boy bands and evangelistic Christian pop rock by infusing a decidedly gay undercurrent. It would have driven him crazy.
Ordinary Americans Digs Into Tragedy Of Blacklisting
GableStage’s co-production with Palm Beach Dramaworks of the world premiere of Ordinary Americans traces TV icon Gertrude Berg as she battles blacklisting, featuring stellar performance by Elizabeth Dimon.
Wick’s Cautionary Evita Reminds How Relevant It Remains Today
Later we’ll get to the surprisingly strong performance of an America’s Got Talent semi-finalist in the title role; more importantly, the Wick Theatre’s production of Evita is a painful reminder of just how current the 1976 work remains as a cautionary tale of faux populism harnessed by unscrupulous power seekers.
Thoroughly Modern Millie Shines In Riverside’s Edition
Riverside Theatre puts a new shine on old tropes in its snappy and vibrant production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Maltz Delivers A Fresh Riff On All That Jazz In ‘Chicago’
When hearing that the Maltz Jupiter Theater is presenting Chicago, potential audiences could be forgiven for thinking silently: “Chicago? Again? They could not be more wrong. For years, the Maltz has specialized in taking a popular title, and reimagining it so completely –it’s as if you’ve not seen it before.
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