Meeting of the Actors Equity Association, West Palm Beach Chapter, also known as the cast of Pam Beach Dramaworks’ Dividing the Estate, one of ten shows opening this week / Photo by Alicia Donelan
By Bill Hirschman
In addition to the two major productions still running that opened earlier this month and the four productions that opened last week, there will be 10 – count ‘em 10 – productions opening this week, not to mention five more opening the following week.
Perhaps producers are racing all at one time to get the last of the snowbirds’ discretionary dollars before they head back north; perhaps they think the geographical distance makes it unlikely their customers will travel to another county; perhaps they simply don’t look at each other’s calendars. No one knows.
While many of the shows were scheduled many months ago, one show was just announced Saturday and another was delayed a week and dropped into the roiling sea of offerings.
Check out our calendar for more details. Click here.
And with so many openings, a review cannot stay posted in our four featured positions at the top of the page for very long. To find the most recent reviews, either scroll to the bottom of the front page and look at the list in the red ribbon with the headline “Reviews,” or for an even more comprehensive list, click on the word “Reviews” on the left hand side of the teal strip near the top of the front page.
Here’s a look at the smorgasbord of offerings:
Tuesday
—-American Idiot – Broward Center for the Performing Arts — The Green Day rock musical as part of Broadway Across America series. Not for the Rodgers and Hammerstein devotees, but definitely for the Rent and Spring Awakening crowd.
Thursday
—-Brothers of the Dust – M Ensemble performing at the Miami Light Box – Just announced in a mailing that arrived Saturday afternoon. This play by Darren Canady won the Osborn Award two years ago from the American Theatre Critics Association competition. Brothers of the Dust looks at a farm family in 1958 Arkansas: the brother who stayed to work the land and is discouraging his son from attending college, the wastrel whose entrepreneurial dreams imploded, and the poet pursuing a writing career in Chicago. As secrets emerge, the potential for discovery of oil on the family homestead pits each against the other in a clash of values.
—-Vanities – Parker Playhouse —Part of the new national Winterstage series produced by local playwright Matthew Lombardo and the Broward Center’s Jill Kratish. Jack Heifner’s 1976 classic play traces the lives of three Texas cheerleaders through the tumult of the 1960s. Cast includes soap star Heather Toms.
Friday
—-Dividing the Estate – Palm Beach Dramaworks –- Horton Foote’s 1989 play about a dysfunctional family led by a crusty matriarch that is trying to deal with the potential estate when real estate values plummet and an unexpected tax bill may wipe out the family wealth.
—-Mr. Marmalade – Outré Theatre Company performing at Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center– Noah Haidle’s decidedly uncomfortable, uncompromising and unconventional black comedy about a little girl and her imaginary friend: a workaholic cocaine addict who beats his personal assistant and has a penchant for porn and sex toys.
—-Paradise Motel – Miami Theater Center’s Sandbox Series – A world premiere from local playwright Juan C. Sanchez, commissioned for its black box space by MTC (formerly the Playground Theatre). It tells the story of a seedy motel on Calle Ocho from its pristine heyday in the 1950s to its decayed, present-day existence. Told in seven scenes, each one taking place in the same room of the motel, but in a different decade and with different characters, the play explores how the gradual deterioration of the motel mirrors its clientele and traces the neighborhood’s evolution into Little Havana.
Saturday
—-Tosca – Florida Grand Opera at the Arsht Center and later the Broward Center –-Puccini’s classic tale of a passionate and beautiful singer, Floria Tosca, is in love with a handsome young artist, Cavaradossi, but pursued by the lustful chief of police, Scarpia. Opening weekend competes with the Ultra Music Festival at nearby Bayfront Park, so parking will be scarce and expensive. Come early.
—-Not Ready For Prime Time – New Theatre performing at South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center in Cutler Ridge— Part of the Millennial-oriented Boomfrog series, this play looks at the wild family of creative minds who founded Saturday Night Live during its first five years – you know, when it was reliably funny. New Theatre’s new home is a far piece from downtown Miami so build in travel time.
—-Dirty Blonde – Plaza Theatre in Manalapan – This play with music about Mae West was a major success at GableStage several years ago. Then, as now, it stars one of the region’s best actresses, Margot Moreland.
—-Have I Got A Girl For You – Island City Stage in Fort Lauderdale – This LGBT-oriented company produces a comedy described as “How does a newly sober, gay musical theatre actor get his life back on track? By running the largest female escort agency on the East Coast!”
Opening The Following Week
—-Gerald Ford Superfreak – Mad Cat Theatre Company performing at the South Beach Comedy Festival – One night only tryout of new play co-written by Mad Cat’s founder genius Paul Tei and company members Jessica Farr and Theo Reyna. It explores the ripples of history, more specifically how the effects of Gerald Ford’s presidency affected our country’s leadership in the year 2112, as told by a surprise narrator from the future. Only 8:30 p.m. on April 2 at the Fillmore in Miami Beach.
—-Sunset Boulevard – Radio Theater at Arts Garage in Delray Beach – two nights only April 2-3, live performance of a radio script of the classic Billy Wilder film as it was recreated for a radio network years later. This company has done two other pieces this season with fine actors and ingenious sound effects.
—-Steel Magnolias – The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton – The perennial three-hanky comedy about sisterhood in the South.
—-Evita — at the Kravis and later at the Arsht – Arguably the best musical that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice ever wrote.
Just Opened Last Week
—-Chess – Slow Burn Theatre Company in Boca Raton – See our review, click here.
—-Clark Gable Slept Here – Zoetic Stage at the Arsht – See our review, click here.
—-The King and I – Maltz Jupiter Theatre – See our review, click here.
—The God of Isaac – Broward Stage Door in Coral Springs – See our review, click here.
Still Playing Right Now
—The Mountaintop – GableStage in Coral Gables – See our review, click here .
—-Spamalot — Actors Playhouse in Coral Gables – See our review, click here.
And there’s still more
—-Man of La Mancha – Pembroke Pines Theater of the Performing Arts – A promising production by the one of the best known community theaters in the region. (March 21-April 13)
—-4 Girls 4 — A Live at Lynn (University) concert of show tunes with a stunning array of Broadway divas Andrea McArdle, Christine Andreas, Faith Prince and Maureen McGovern. (March 29-30)
—-Rhinoceros – FAU production of Ionesco’s classic about conformity. (April 4-13)
—-Fancy Nancy– South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center in Cutler Ridge –The beloved children’s book series is now a musical. (March 29)
—-Disney’s Aladdin — Sol Children Theatre in Boca Raton (March 28 – 30)
— The Pajama Game— Delray Beach Playhouse – The classic 1950s musical by another fine community theater. (March 29-April 13)
—-Fiddler on the Roof – Levis JCC in Boca Raton (April 5- 6)
And, doubtless, we have left something out.
By Bill Hirschman
In addition to the two major productions still running that opened earlier this month and the four productions that opened last week, there will be 10 – count ‘em 10 – productions opening this week, not to mention four more opening the following week.
Perhaps producers are racing all at one time to get the last of the snowbirds’ discretionary dollars before they head back north; perhaps they think the geographical distance makes it unlikely their customers will travel to another county; perhaps they simply don’t look at each other’s calendars. No one knows.
While many of the shows were scheduled many months ago, one show was just announced Saturday and another was delayed a week and dropped into the roiling sea of offerings.
Check out our calendar for more details. Click here. http://www.floridatheateronstage.com/calendars/calendars-2012/
And with so many openings, a review cannot stay posted in our four featured positions at the top of the page for very long. To find the most recent reviews, either scroll to the bottom of the front page and look at the list in the red ribbon with the headline “Reviews,” or for an even more comprehensive list, click on the word “Reviews” on the left hand side of the teal strip near the top of the front page.
Here’s a look at the smorgasbord of offerings:
Tuesday
—-American Idiot – Broward Center for the Performing Arts — The Green Day rock musical as part of Broadway Across America series. Not for the Rodgers and Hammerstein devotees, but definitely for the Rent and Spring Awakening crowd.
Thursday
—-Brothers of the Dust – M Ensemble performing at the Miami Light Box – Just announced in a mailing that arrived Saturday afternoon. This play by Darren Canady won the Osborn Award two years ago from the American Theatre Critics Association competition. Brothers of the Dust looks at a farm family in 1958 Arkansas: the brother who stayed to work the land and is discouraging his son from attending college, the wastrel whose entrepreneurial dreams imploded, and the poet pursuing a writing career in Chicago. As secrets emerge, the potential for discovery of oil on the family homestead pits each against the other in a clash of values.
—-Vanities – Parker Playhouse —Part of the new national Winterstage series produced by local playwright Matthew Lombardo and the Broward Center’s Jill Kratish. Jack Heifner’s 1976 classic play traces the lives of three Texas cheerleaders through the tumult of the 1960s. Cast includes soap star Heather Toms.
Friday
—-Dividing the Estate – Palm Beach Dramaworks –- Horton Foote’s 1989 play about a dysfunctional family led by a crusty matriarch that is trying to deal with the potential estate when real estate values plummet and an unexpected tax bill may wipe out the family wealth.
—-Mr. Marmalade – Outré Theatre Company performing at Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center– Noah Haidle’s decidedly uncomfortable, uncompromising and unconventional black comedy about a little girl and her imaginary friend: a workaholic cocaine addict who beats his personal assistant and has a penchant for porn and sex toys.
—-Paradise Motel – Miami Theater Center’s Sandbox Series – A world premiere from local playwright Juan C. Sanchez, commissioned for its black box space by MTC (formerly the Playground Theatre). It tells the story of a seedy motel on Calle Ocho from its pristine heyday in the 1950s to its decayed, present-day existence. Told in seven scenes, each one taking place in the same room of the motel, but in a different decade and with different characters, the play explores how the gradual deterioration of the motel mirrors its clientele and traces the neighborhood’s evolution into Little Havana.
Saturday
—-Tosca – Florida Grand Opera at the Arsht Center and later the Broward Center –-Puccini’s classic tale of a passionate and beautiful singer, Floria Tosca, is in love with a handsome young artist, Cavaradossi, but pursued by the lustful chief of police, Scarpia. Opening weekend competes with the Ultra Music Festival at nearby Bayfront Park, so parking will be scarce and expensive. Come early.
—-Not Ready For Prime Time – New Theatre performing at South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center in Cutler Ridge— Part of the Millennial-oriented Boomfrog series, this play looks at the wild family of creative minds who founded Saturday Night Live during its first five years – you know, when it was reliably funny. New Theatre’s new home is a far piece from downtown Miami so build in travel time.
—-Dirty Blonde – Plaza Theatre in Manalapan – This play with music about Mae West was a major success at GableStage several years ago. Then, as now, it stars one of the region’s best actresses, Margot Moreland.
—-Have I Got A Girl For You – Island City Stage in Fort Lauderdale – This LGBT-oriented company produces a comedy described as “How does a newly sober, gay musical theatre actor get his life back on track? By running the largest female escort agency on the East Coast!”
Opening The Following Week
—-Gerald Ford Superfreak – Mad Cat Theatre Company performing at the South Beach Comedy Festival – One night only tryout of new play co-written by Mad Cat’s founder genius Paul Tei and company members Jessica Farr and Theo Reyna. It explores the ripples of history, more specifically how the effects of Gerald Ford’s presidency affected our country’s leadership in the year 2112, as told by a surprise narrator from the future. Only 8:30 p.m. on April 2 at the Fillmore in Miami Beach.
—-Sunset Boulevard – Radio Theater at Arts Garage in Delray Beach – two nights only April 2-3, live performance of a radio script of the classic Billy Wilder film as it was recreated for a radio network years later. This company has done two other pieces this season with fine actors and ingenious sound effects.
—-Steel Magnolias – The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton – The perennial three-hanky comedy about sisterhood in the South.
—-Evita — at the Kravis and later at the Arsht – Arguably the best musical that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice ever wrote.
—-Over The River and Through The Woods — Broward Stage Door — Re-re-re-revival of Joe DiPietro’s straight play success before he wrote I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change.
Just Opened Last Week
—-Chess – Slow Burn Theatre Company in Boca Raton – See our review, click here. http://www.floridatheateronstage.com/reviews/slow-burn-prevails-over-difficult-chess-match/
—-Clark Gable Slept Here – Zoetic Stage at the Arsht – See our review, click here, http://www.floridatheateronstage.com/reviews/zoetic-and-mckeever-skewer-hollywood-as-a-cesspool-in-clark-gable-slept-here/
—-The King and I – Maltz Jupiter Theatre – See our review, clickchere. http://www.floridatheateronstage.com/reviews/maltzs-lovely-the-king-and-i-is-rapturous-musical-theater/
—The God of Isaac – Broward Stage Door in Coral Springs – See our review, click here. http://www.floridatheateronstage.com/reviews/god-of-isaac-explores-search-for-identity-with-humor-heart/
Still Playing Right Now
—The Mountaintop – GableStage in Coral Gables – See our review, click here http://www.floridatheateronstage.com/reviews/a-trip-to-gablestages-the-mountaintop-is-worth-the-climb/.
—-Spamalot — Actors Playhouse in Coral Gables – See our review, click here. http://www.floridatheateronstage.com/reviews/spamalot-is-supremely-silly-and-delightfully-demented-fun/
And there’s still more
—-Man of La Mancha – Pembroke Pines Theater of the Performing Arts – A promising production by the one of the best known community theaters in the region. (March 21-April 13)
—-4 Girls 4 — A Live at Lynn (University) concert of show tunes with a stunning array of Broadway divas Andrea McArdle, Christine Andreas, Faith Prince and Maureen McGovern. (March 29-30)
—-Rhinoceros – FAU production of Ionesco’s classic about conformity. (April 4-13)
—-Fancy Nancy– South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center in Cutler Ridge –The beloved children’s book series is now a musical. (March 29)
—-Disney’s Aladdin — Sol Children Theatre in Boca Raton (March 28 – 30)
— The Pajama Game— Delray Beach Playhouse – The classic 1950s musical by another fine community theater. (March 29-April 13)
—-Fiddler on the Roof – Levis JCC in Boca Raton (April 5- 6)
And, doubtless, we have left something out.
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