Tag Archives: Ricky J. Martinez

City Theatre To Send Its Work (And Local Actors) Around The World With ‘Shorts On Ships’

In a move that will spread the brand of Miami-based City Theatre around the world, the company begins this month producing collections of its short plays on Azamara Club Cruises luxury ships. The effort to maximize the extended use of its huge catalog of 10-minute plays represents what City Theatre sees a new producing prototype not just for itself but the theater industry.

Posted in Performances, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Kind Of Year Was It? Our Critics’ “Best Of” 2016 Lists

Critics and award judges have been talking about it for weeks: The sheer amount of high quality work has made evaluating the last 12 months unusually challenging, but also an opportunity to remember one of the most rewarding calendar years in recent memory. So here’s a supremely subjective stab by all three critics here at Florida Theater On Stage at recognizing the shows and performances that stood out from a pack of productions.

Posted in Features | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Updated Story: New Theatre Announces It is Closing, In Part To Eroding Audience

New Theatre, one of the most high-profile Florida theaters for 30 years and developer of the Pulitzer-winning Anna in the Tropics, is closing, its board of directors announced Thursday. The cause appears to be economics although the specifics have not been disclosed. Artistic Director Ricky J. Martinez actually resigned May 23.

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Roof! Reaches Heights In Its Love Affair With Miami Locale

There’s a rhythm to Ricky J. Martinez’s writing in his new play Roof!, which is having its world premiere at New Theatre. If there was a tin roof in Roof! (there isn’t), the words would sound like a tap, tap, tap on the tin. It has to do mostly with how Martinez has constructed the piece, his Ode to Miami. It’s “Miami language dealt in a Felliniesque way,” says one of the characters. It’s true.

Posted in Performances, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Theatre’s Ricky J. Martinez Receives Margo Jones Award

Ricky J. Martinez, artistic director for the New Theatre in Miami, has been named the recipient of the 2016 Margo Jones Award presented by The Ohio State University Libraries and OSU Arts and Humanities. The award honors those who have …

Posted in News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Diament’s Franz (Kafka) And Albert (Einstein) Debate The Meaning Of Life At New Theatre

If you’re going to stage a dorm debate about the meaning of life, religion, science, suffering, love, guilt, and the loveliness of the universe, it would hard to find two more interesting contestants than Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka. Playwright Mario Diament’s Franz & Albert does a reasonably intriguing job fictionalizing a meeting that likely happened in 1911 Prague.

Posted in Performances, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

New Theatre’s World Premiere Footprints Is Earnest But Awkward History Lesson

The world premiere of Miamian Sandra Riley’s badly flawed Footprints at New Theatre clearly establishes the playwright’s deep love and extensive research into the early history of South Florida and the efforts of a real-life married couple to preserve its natural wonders over 35 years. But theater is not a history lesson, even when taught through the lives of loving creative souls who encourage each other’s dreams.

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Westfall’s Intriguing Premiere ‘Two Weekends and a Day’ Has Promise But Needs More Work

Susan J. Westfall’s Two Weekends and a Day at New Theatre is a classic example of a world premiere that has admirable virtues worth exploring further, but a serious need for more re-tooling.

Posted in Performances, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Not Your Grandma’s Theater: The 2015-2016 Season In SoFla

South Florida theaters still mount familiar warhorses, but the 2015-2016 season is proof that companies realize the future of theater is to attract pre-retirement audiences with shows steaming fresh out of Manhattan, edgy intellectually challenging works, imaginative takes on familiar titles, regional premieres of shows you only read about in The New York Times over the past few years and some shows you have never heard of, period.

Posted in Features | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gen Y’ers Struggle With Dehumanizing Technology In New Theatre’s Leveling Up

Leveling Up getting an intriguing production by New Theatre is about far more than a 20-something gaming magus in Las Vegas hired to remotely operate drones that eliminate real targets in the Middle East.

Posted in Performances, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment