Tag Archives: William Hayes

The Messenger at Palm Beach Dramaworks

By Oline H. Cogdill “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing.’’ That quote, attributed to 20th-century German philosopher Hannah Arendt and, in other variations, to 19th  century British philosopher John …

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Dramaworks’ Devastating, Searing August: Osage County

You don’t want to go home again. Certainly, that’s the Weston family manse in the desolate prairie of Oklahoma as depicted in Palm Beach Dramaworks’ searing, devastating portrait of toxic family dysfunction in Tracy Lett’s masterpiece, August: Osage County, featuring as superb an ensemble as anyone could ask for, expertly molded by director William Hayes.

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Dramaworks Takes On Ultimate Epic of Family Dysfunction: August: Osage County

Remarkable for raging family furor, recriminations, love, regret, pain and torrents of alcohol-fueled vitriol, August: Osage County is accepted as one of The Great American Plays. Palm Beach Dramaworks is deep into weeks of rehearsal for this epic three-act, three-hour comic-tragedy with 13 cast members, director William Hayes, and a creative team taking on a Mount Everest of theater

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Cast of Region’s Top Actors Triumph in 12 Angry Men

A baker’s dozen actors we’ve seen in myriad roles over the past decade or more submerge themselves so deeply in their characters that they are nearly unrecognizable. An unequalled assemblage of A-list talent and accumulated skill merge into a single ensemble in Palm Beach Dramaworks’ vibrant revival of the classic jury room drama 12 Angry Men.

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Dramaworks’ Belle of Amherst Celebrates The Glory of Words

Palm Beach Dramaworks’ The Belle of Amherst reveal Emily Dickinson not as the reclusive old maid you perceived in American Lit class, but as a passionate and joy-radiating genius who can gently skewer pretension with self-deprecating humor. Margery Lowe in a bravura tour de force and director William Hayes create Emily as a vibrant, witty, independent thinker so engaging that you want to adopt her as your new best friend.

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Dickens Nailed It: South Florida Theater Two Years In Review

If Dickens’ opening line in A Tale of Two Cities has become a trite cliché through overuse it has become a painfully accurate truism about theater over the past two years, especially South Florida theater. Crippling loss and inspiring resurrection. Surrender and perseverance. And , now, the Covid threat has reasserted. But looking back on those two years delivers a testament worth celebrating and learning from.

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Covid Cancels, Postpones Performances In Miami

In the wake of several cast or crew members testing positive for Covid, Miami New Drama has cancelled its performances for A Wonderful World until resuming Dec. 29, the company confirmed Wednesday afternoon after shutting that night’s production.

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Growing Fear In The People Downstairs Is All Too Familiar

Theater is often political: but sometimes, like The People Downstairs, Michael McKeever’s harrowing world premiere at Palm Beach Dramaworks, the relevancy of the Dutch people hiding the Anne Frank family only magnifies as current events overtake them.

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Courage Among Ordinary People Honors The People Downstairs

Secretly, we wonder if we could be heroic in real life, whether we could find the courage to risk our lives to protect or rescue someone else. The question is at the heart of Michael McKeever’s The People Downstairs premiering at Palm Beach Dramaworks, focused on the people who hid Anne Frank’s family for two years.

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2021-22 SoFla Theater Will Be A Season Of Asterisks (Part 3 of 3)

The show will go on for SoFla theater, but 2021-2022 will be a season of asterisks, what ifs and when. In a three-part series, we talk to artistic and managing directors about why this season will be unlike any other: from COVID to diversity. While local theaters survived the past 17 months the coming season may determine whether every Florida company will still be here a year from now.

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