Author Archives: Carol Kassie

Shakespeare Troupe of South Florida to present Twelfth Night in Boca Raton & Delray Beach August 14th & 15th

21 Wednesday Jul 2021

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“Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit” ~ William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244
or
Peter W. Galman
Shakespeare Troupe of South Florida
anon@shakestroupe.org / 718-813-7383“Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit.”
― William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

July 22, 2021

BOCA RATON & DELRAY BEACH, FL:  The Shakespeare Troupe of South Florida will present their production of Twelfth Night for two performances only – at the Mizner Park Cultural Center in Boca Raton on August 14th, and at the Delray Beach Playhouse on August 15th.

One of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy of love and ambition, and centers on twins Viola and Sebastian. Separated in a shipwreck, each believes the other has been lost.  Viola disguises herself as a young man named Cesario, and the now identical sister and brother separately seek their fortunes in the sea-coast country of Illyria.   Viola/Cesario unwittingly captures the heart of the wealthy countess Olivia and romantic and comedic complications ensue. 

The play is believed to have been written between 1601 and 1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season, and features several of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters, including Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, the fool Feste, and Malvolio the pompous steward of Countess Olivia’s household.

Peter Galman

Founded by noted South Florida Actor/Director/Producer Peter Galman, the Shakespeare Troupe of South Florida’s mission is to cultivate an appreciation of Shakespeare among new audiences through the employment of professional actors trained to give the most authentic performance culled from the cues and clues found in the 1623 First Folio.  The company has performed the Bard’s plays and conducted workshops in multiple venues and schools throughout the state.  

Galman has assembled an impressive cast for this production, including Sara Elizabeth Grant as Viola, Seth Trucks as Malvolio, Johnbarry Green as Sir Toby Belch, Michael Font as Feste, and Laurie Tanner as Maria.  Galman will take on the role Sir Andrew Aguecheek.  

General Admission tickets for Twelfth Night are available online and are Free.  There are also VIP tickets available for each performance.

For more information about the Shakespeare Troupe of South Florida please visit https://shakestroupe.org or contact Peter W. Galman at anon@shakestroupe.org / 718-813-7383 or Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Twelfth Night performance dates and times:

August 14 at 7:30 pm
Tickets:  General Admission – Free
VIP Tickets: $25
Mizner Park Cultural Center
201 Plaza Real,
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Box Office:  844-672-2849
Tickets online: https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/twelfth-night-or-what-you-will August 15 at 2:00 pm
Tickets:  General Admission – Free
VIP Tickets: $25
Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL  33444
Box Office:  561-272-1281
Tickets online:  https://delraybeachplayhouse.com/performance/twelfth-night-or-what-you-will

  • Seth Trucks
  • Sarah Elizabeth Grant
  • Johnbarry Green

MNM Theatre Company Partners with King of Cats Theatre Company to Bring Live Theatre to Schools and Families in Three Counties

16 Wednesday Jun 2021

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For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

June 16, 2021

BOCA RATON, FL: MNM Theatre Company will partner with King of Cats Theatre Company to bring Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) to the area. TYA’s purpose is to bring arts education and arts exposure to communities that are often overlooked and underserved within the South Florida community.  King of Cats Artistic Director Devin Tupler, along with the MNM Theatre Company team, have created a program that will be available to audiences who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience live theatre. The company’s pricing and business model are predicated on the premise that schools and families should be able to afford to experience theatre regardless of their socio-economic circumstances.

Marcie Gorman

“We are so pleased to be partnering with King of Cats,” MNM’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO said recently. “MNM has always been about community – we cast and hire within our South Florida community, and this is one project that fits our mission statement to a tee.”

“Theatre has given me my passion, my work ethic, my love of reading, my love for my fellow man, and almost every other trait I consider positive within myself,” Tupler says. “And I am not an anomaly. Almost every person I’ve met who was exposed to theater as a child (and I don’t mean just those working professionally in the field now) are some of the kindest, warmest, and hardest working people I know. So, when I heard from teacher friends that schools’ arts and theatre budgets kept getting cut, I knew I had to do something.  TYA is focused on inspiring the next generation through the arts, and that mission truly resonates with me.”

When asked about the origin of the name of her company, Tupler explains “I picked King of Cats because it refers to the character Tybalt in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, one of the plays we’ll be doing in 2022.  He’s the big brother everyone wishes they had (he’s a cousin in the play but still!). He’s protective, he loves his family with all of his heart, and his headstrong and fiery nature only show itself when he feels his family being slandered.” 

King of Cats will mount a four-show season beginning next fall, based on the current public school English curriculum, and will travel to three venues in three counties – Pinecrest Gardens in Miami/Dade, Miramar Cultural Center in Broward County, and FAU’s Barry Kaye Auditorium in Palm Beach County, during the 2021-2022 school year.

The company’s season will open with the world premiere of Robin Hood: How a Hero Came to Be, by local playwright/actor Robyn Eli Brenner. A devised work that is zany, quirky, fun, and full of heart, Robin Hood will be directed by Seth Trucks, and will run from late October through November.

King of Cats’ Devin Tupler will helm the January production, the world premiere of Treasure Island, by South Florida and New York based playwright Luis Roberto Herrera. The play is a swashbuckling, heart-stopping pirate adventure designed for middle schoolers, but has been approved for advanced elementary and 9th and10th grade students.

A new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, directed by Samantha Kaufman, will be King of Cats’ third production of their season.  This newly adapted version will retain Shakespeare’s classic language, but will add modern music, anachronistic costuming, stunt work, and the innovative use of multimedia. This show is designed for high school students. Romeo and Juliet will run from early February through the first week of April.

Awaken! is an adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty story by David and Paul Rigano, the award-winning cabaret and musical theatre song-writing team known as the Rigano Songbook. The multi-talented brothers will direct and musical direct the production –TYA’s only musical of the season.  Awaken! is designed for elementary school students and will run in April and May.

To learn more about King of Cats Theatre Company visit www.kingofcatstheatreco.org/.  MNM Theatre Company’s website can be found at www.mnmtheatre.org/. For more information about reservations, ticketing, pricing, specific dates, and availability, please contact Devin Tupler at  kingofcatstheatre@gmail.com / 954-850-0464

Jordon Armstrong and Devin Tupler as Romeo and Juliet

Stars to Sing in Concert: A MILLION DREAMS Will Feature Broadway’s Derek Klena, Christy Altomare, and Samantha Pauly

01 Tuesday Jun 2021

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Broadway Stars to Sing in Concert:
A Million Dreams
Featuring Broadway’s
Derek Klena, Christy Altomare, and Samantha Pauly
Will Showcase the Students of
Making It On Broadway

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jodie Langel, CEO Making It on Broadway
jodie@makingitonbroadway.net / 310-497-5964
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

June 1, 2021

LAUDERHILL, FL:  Making It On Broadway, an educational musical theater training program, will host a summer concert entitled A Million Dreams, featuring Broadway notables Derek Klena (Jagged Little Pill), Christy Altomare (Anastasia), and Samantha Pauly (Six) and the students of Making It On Broadway at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday, July 11th at 7:30 pm. 

A Million Dreams will feature songs from Broadway productions such as Mean Girls, Carrie, The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen, and Jagged Little Pill. Klena, Altomare, and Pauly will perform alongside students from the Making It On Broadway program who they will have been mentoring and teaching all week. (Mrs. Doubtfire star Rob McClure will also be one of that week’s mentors.)

Making It On Broadway is an acclaimed musical theatre program, founded by Broadway actress, teacher and author Jodie Langel, wherein students learn the realities of what it means to be a modern Broadway professional.  Participating in classes taught by Broadway professionals, students take acting, singing, and dancing classes every day, and are also given the opportunity to work with, learn from, and perform for professionals from every aspect of ‘the business’, including directors, music directors, producers, and Tony Award winners.  Past notable Making It On Broadway master class instructors include Sutton Foster, Kristin Chenoweth, Jeremy Jordan, Megan Hilty, Norm Lewis, and Jason Alexander.

Derek Klena originated the role of Eddie Birdlace in the stage adaptation of Dogfight and the role of Dmitry in Anastasia on Broadway.  He received a 2020 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill.

Christy Altomare played Wendla in the first national tour of Spring Awakening and Sue Snell in the Off-Broadway revival of Carrie.  She made her Broadway debut as Sophie in Mamma Mia and originated the titular role in the Broadway premiere of Anastasia.

Samatha Pauly originated the role of Katherine Howard in Six the Musical on Broadway.  She played Eva Peron in the critically acclaimed West End revival of Evita at Regent Parks Open Air Theatre.

Derek Klena, Christy Altomare, and Samantha Pauly
Jodie Langel

Jodie Langel’s many Broadway and touring credits include Les Miserables (Cosette), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator), Cats (Grizabella), and the pre-Broadway production of Martin Guerre (Bertrande). Her New York credits also include Bernstein’s Mass at Carnegie Hall/Kennedy Center, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the Westside Theatre. Jodie won “Best Actress” in I Come For Love at the NYMF Festival in New York City and was a part of the New York Workshop of The First Wives’ Club (understudy to Ana Gastayer). Locally she has received numerous Carbonell Award nominations and a Silver Palm Award.  Jodie also co-authored the book ‘Making It On Broadway: Actors’ Tales of Climbing to the Top’, which has become required reading at leading conservatories around the country.

Tickets for A Million Dreams range in price from $50 to $80 and can be purchased online at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pesptpm/10735597/1080236.

The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center is located at 3800 NW 11th Place (33311), in the Central Broward Regional Park on the Northeast corner of Sunrise Boulevard and State Road 7. 

For more information about Making It On Broadway and Jodie Langel, visit https://www.makingitonbroadway.net or contact Jodie Langel at Jodie@makingitonbroadway.net / 310-497-5964.

MNM Theatre Company and North End Theater Company Partner to Produce Broadway at LPAC at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in 2022

01 Tuesday Jun 2021

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MNM Theatre Company and
North End Theater Company
Partner to Produce
Broadway at LPAC
at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in 2022

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

June 1, 2021

BOCA RATON, FL:  MNM Theatre Company will partner with North End Theater Company, the production division of Arts Center Management (ACM), a multi-platform theatre management company, to produce the Broadway at LPAC series at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center. ACM recently signed a long-term contract to produce the series for the City of Lauderhill.  The three-show 2022 season will feature the hit musicals Grease, Sister Act, and Guys and Dolls.

MNM Theatre Company is an award-winning not-for-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company whose mission is to produce high quality professional live theatre that inspires audiences and enriches the cultural life of the community while creating Florida based jobs in the Arts. 

Since the company’s debut production of A Chorus Line in 2014, Marcie Gorman, MNM’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO has been committed to providing job opportunities for Floridians, and as of January 2021 MNM Theatre Company has created over 800 theatrical employment opportunities both in front of and behind the curtain.

MNM has produced large scale musicals (including Spamalot, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Hair, La Cage Aux Folles, Little Shop of Horrors) as well as smaller, intimate productions (Side By Side By Sondheim, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, My Way, A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra), garnering critical and audience acclaim, numerous prestigious South Florida Carbonell Award nominations – and a win, and multiple Silver Palm Awards. Their recent innovative online production of Closer Than Ever received rave reviews from audiences and critics throughout the United States, and kudos from the show’s creators, Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire.

Marcie Gorman

“We are extremely excited to begin working with the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center and North End Theater Company,” Gorman says, “And to bring MNM Theatre Company and musical theatre to Lauderhill and Broward County!”

The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center has hosted numerous theatrical events and productions since it opened its doors in January 2016 and has grown its audiences to include theatre patrons from not only Broward County, but from Miami/Dade and Palm Beach counties as well.

“The City of Lauderhill is pleased to be working with our new partners, MNM Theatre Company and Arts Center Management, to present our upcoming Broadway series,” says Lauderhill City Manager Desorae Giles-Smith.  “After a year of being dark due to COVID-19, we are thrilled to bring light and life back to the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center!”

Arts Center Management is a multi-faceted theatre management, consulting, and production company whose main focus is to help theatres and theatre companies improve their programming and operations.  The company was founded by ACM President Kevin Barrett in 2014. Barrett began working with the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in 2014 and was instrumental in bringing the successful Broadway in Lauderhill series to LPAC. 

“It’s an honor to work with Marcie Gorman and her award-winning MNM Theatre Company,” says Barrett. “During the last year, we have been working behind the scenes, formulating our plans, and there’s no one I would want leading this exciting new venture more than Marcie. She is one of the most respected regional theater producers in Florida.”

Grease will run from January 14th – January 30th, 2022; Sister Act from February 18th – March 6th; and Guys and Dolls from April 1st – April 17th.  Grease and Guys and Dolls will be directed by Jonathan Van Dyke, and Sister Act will be helmed by Michael Ursua. 

Tickets and subscriptions to Broadway at LPAC will be on sale soon, and various subscription packages will be available.

The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center is located at 3800 NW 11th Place (33311), in the Central Broward Regional Park on the Northeast corner of Sunrise Boulevard and State Road 7.  For more information about LPAC visit https://www.lpacfl.com.

For more information about MNM Theatre Company (www.mnmtheatre.org/), ACM and North End Theater Company and/or the Broadway at  LPAC series, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

MNM Theatre Company’s Innovative Virtual Production of CLOSER THAN EVER Extended Through January 10th, 2021

22 Tuesday Dec 2020

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Theatre in the Time of COVID!

MNM Theatre Company Proudly Extends

Maltby & Shire’s
Closer Than EverThe Critically Acclaimed Production
Is Now Available for Streaming
On Demand
Through January 10th, 2021

Innovation is the key for MNM Theatre Company’s production of Closer Than Ever.

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

December 22, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:  MNM Theatre Company’s cutting-edge production of Maltby and Shire’s Closer Than Ever will now be available for streaming on demand through January 10th, MNM Producing Artistic Director Marcie Gorman announced today.

Marcie Gorman

“We are so proud of this project,” Gorman explains, “and we want to make sure everyone who would like to see Closer Than Ever has the opportunity to do so.  Our director, Jonathan Van Dyke, came up with an incredibly creative and innovative way to make live theatre during the pandemic, using video, audio, and projections.  Our cast and crew stayed safe and healthy throughout the entire creative process, and their dedication to this project is another reason why we want to ensure their work remains available for a while longer. Plus, of course,” she adds, “The reviews by both audiences and critics alike have been nothing less than stellar, so it’s a popular demand extension, too!”

Closer Than Ever has received universal praise since it began streaming on November 27th, including glowing endorsements from both composer David Shire (“The performances were honest and great, the musical direction, staging, production design, choreography all first rate, and [your] direction and overall conception of how to present CTE and keep it “Covid-safe” was truly impressive.”) and lyricist Richard Maltby Jr. (“The performances were all on the money and very true, Surprisingly, that isn’t usually the case with this show. Your staging ideas and your filming ideas were very very clever. It was an actual film version of the show, which was daring to attempt. Clearly you approached the show with a great deal of love and a great deal of respect for the material. I heard every word, and the vocals were glorious.”)

Closer Than Ever features self-contained songs which deal with such diverse topics as security, aging, mid-life crisis, second marriages, working couples, and unrequited love. Maltby and Shire based many of the songs on real-life experiences of their friends, or stories told to them.

Closer Than Ever stars Aaron Bower, Johnbarry Green, and Carbonell Award-winners Shelley Keelor, and Elijah Word, each of whom have worked with MNM Theatre Company in the past.   The technical crew, almost all of whom are also MNM alumni, includes Eric Alsford as the production’s Musical Director, and Emily Tarallo as the show’s Choreographer.  Lighting Designer is Clifford Michael Spulock, Sound Designer is Mike Kelly, Scenic Artist is Cindi Taylor, and Scenic Designer is Jordon Armstrong.  Johnbarry Green serves as Technical Director, Cliff Burgess as Videographer, Michael Joseph as Assistant Videographer and Wig Design is by Justin Lore of Tease & Floof Custom Wig Boutique.  Amber Mandic and Andrea Guardo are the production’s co-Stage Managers and co-Props Mistresses.

Closer Than Ever will be available On Demand through January 10th, on Music Theatre International’s (MTI) streaming platform www.ShowTix4U.com via MNM Theatre Company’s website www.mnmtheatre.org.  Once tickets are purchased, patrons will receive a link to view the production.  The link will be active for 48 hours from the first click.  Tickets are $20.

MNM Theatre Company is an award-winning not-for-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company whose mission is to produce high quality professional live theatre that inspires audiences and enriches the cultural life of the community while creating Florida based jobs in the Arts.

For more information about Closer Than Ever and MNM Theatre Company please visit www.mnmtheatre.org/ .  To speak with Marcie Gorman or Jonathan Van Dyke, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~~

Closer Than Ever
Streaming On Demand
Through January 10th, 2021
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr.
Conceived by Steven Scott Smith
Directed by Jonathan Van Dyke
Tickets: $20
Tickets available at https://www.mnmtheatre.org/
Direct ticketing link:  https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/41307

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MNM Theatre Company to Stream Maltby & Shire’s CLOSER THAN EVER On Demand – November 27 – December 31

09 Monday Nov 2020

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Creating Theatre in the Time of COVID!
MNM Theatre Company’s Innovative Production of
Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever
Will Be Available for Streaming on Demand
November 27 – December 31

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

MNM develops a cutting edge and creative way to move forward with
 Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever.

November 9, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:  Rehearsals and filming have been completed for MNM Theatre Company’s upcoming production of Closer Than Ever, David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr.’s fascinating song cycle that explores the everyday struggles of love in the modern world.  The production will begin streaming on November 27th and be available through December 31st.

Director Jonathan Van Dyke has developed an innovative theatrical hybrid that marries live performances with video, audio, and projections.  “The result,” says MNM Producing Artistic Director Marcie Gorman, “is an exciting and creative way to make live theatre during this horrendous pandemic.” 

Marcie Gorman

“We rehearsed at our warehouse in Boca Raton, and filmed there as well,” Gorman explains.  We followed extremely strict protocols throughout the process and were constantly mindful of the health and well-being of our cast and our crew.  COVID testing, masks, cleaning, and sanitizing – we did it all constantly.   But what’s so wonderful is that we are created and performed live theatre and we will be able to share it with a worldwide audience.

“And Jonathan’s concept, which involves integrating live performances with projections, is brand new.  It’s what will separate this production from just being a filmed play – it’s a hybrid with three components, not just two, and as far as we know, no one has ever done anything like it before.”

Jonathan Van Dyke

“This concept was developed to allow us to create theatre during the pandemic, but it can and will be implemented for a live production,” Director Jonathan Van Dyke explains.  “The integrated projections allow for intimate onstage moments; the actors were each green-screened separately and the results were edited for projection, so they appear to interact with one another.”

                      Shelley Keelor and Aaron Bower in Closer Than Ever
“They never held hands… they were just edited that way!”  Jonathan Van Dyke
Photo credit:  Jonathan Van Dyke

Closer Than Ever features self-contained songs which deal with such diverse topics as security, aging, mid-life crisis, second marriages, working couples, and unrequited love. Maltby and Shire based many of the songs on real-life experiences of their friends, or stories told to them.

Closer Than Ever stars Aaron Bower, Johnbarry Green, and Carbonell Award-winners Shelley Keelor, and Elijah Word, each of whom have worked with MNM Theatre Company in the past.   The technical crew, almost all of whom are also MNM alumni, includes Eric Alsford as the production’s Musical Director, and Emily Tarallo as the show’s Choreographer.  Lighting Designer is Clifford Michael Spulock, Sound Designer is Mike Kelly, Scenic Artist is Cindi Taylor, and Scenic Designer is Jordon Armstrong.  Johnbarry Green serves as Technical Director, Cliff Burgess as Videographer, Michael Joseph as Assistant Videographer and Wig Design is by Justin Lore of Tease & Floof Custom Wig Boutique.  Amber Mandic and Andrea Guardo are the production’s co-Stage Managers and co-Props Mistresses.

Closer Than Ever will begin streaming on November 27th and will be available On Demand through December 31st on Music Theatre International’s (MTI) streaming platform www.ShowTix4U.com via MNM Theatre Company’s website www.mnmtheatre.org or on the company’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/mnmtheatrecompany . Once tickets are purchased, patrons will receive a link to view the production.  The link will be active for 48 hours from the first click.  Tickets are $20.  

MNM Theatre Company is an award-winning not-for-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company whose mission is to produce high quality professional live theatre that inspires audiences and enriches the cultural life of the community while creating Florida based jobs in the Arts. 

For more information about MNM Theatre Company please visit www.mnmtheatre.org/   To speak with Marcie Gorman or Jonathan Van Dyke, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244..

Please feel free to forward this article.  Thank you!

~~

Closer Than Ever
Streaming On Demand
November 27 – December 31
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr.
Conceived by Steven Scott Smith
Directed by Jonathan Van Dyke
Tickets: $20
Tickets available at https://www.mnmtheatre.org/ ,
www.facebook.com/mnmtheatrecompany or
Direct ticketing link:  https://www.showtix4u.com/events/closerthanever 

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MNM Theatre Company to present Maltby & Shire’s CLOSER THAN EVER on Demand!

13 Tuesday Oct 2020

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MNM Theatre Company will present

Maltby & Shire’s
Closer Than Ever
Correctly Socially Distanced!
Available for Streaming on Demand
November 27 – December 31

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

October 13, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:  MNM Theatre Company, like almost every theatre company around the world, has been drastically affected by COVID-19. All scheduled productions have either been cancelled or postponed indefinitely, with no re-start date in sight.  However, the company’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO Marcie Gorman and Director Jonathan Van Dyke have come up with an innovative way to provide audiences with theatre, and the company’s first production Maltby and Shire’s Closer Than Ever will debut on November 27th and be available for On Demand streaming through December 31st.

“Since we haven’t been together for a long time, we knew it was time to be Closer Than Ever,” Gorman says. “Just the name of this show seemed to be a perfect fit for these times – so many of us are still so far apart and yet in many ways, Closer Than Ever. 

“And Jonathan has developed a safe and incredibly creative way to present it to audiences”, she continues.  “I’m excited about this on so many levels, not the least of which is to provide work for our actors and technical people, most of whom haven’t worked for months, and are so looking forward to once again ‘making theatre’”.  

Closer Than Ever will be filmed at MNM’s Boca Raton warehouse/studio, which will be cleaned and sanitized regularly. Maximum safety precautions will be observed from the start of rehearsals through the final performance: Individual show segments will be filmed separately; actors and tech crew have been asked to observe COVID protocols and remain as isolated as possible unless rehearsing or performing. They will be COVID tested frequently; their temperatures will be taken each time they enter the building; and they will be required to hand sanitize multiple times every day.  They will maintain at minimum a 6-foot social distance whether on stage or off; and masks will be worn at all times unless the actor is on stage or being filmed.  A very small invited audience will be present at one taping – but everyone will have his or her temperature taken, audience members will also be properly socially distanced, and each audience member must be part of the show’s participants’ ‘bubble’.

Closer Than Ever is a nonstop exploration of everyday struggles in the “modern world”. Topics ranging from unrequited adoration… to aging… to Muzak are tackled with resounding sincerity and precisely placed hilarity. Each song is a unique story told by a new character, taking audiences into the minds of the individuals facing these completely relatable challenges. Lyricists Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire based many of the songs on real-life experiences of their friends, or stories told to them.  The show won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical.

“Knowing what we are facing in live performance logistically and what would resonate artistically, for me the choice was Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever,” says Jonathan Van Dyke who will direct and stage the production.   “The title alone says so much of where we are. While unable to be close physically, in our hearts and minds we are Closer Than Ever.

“Working with MNM and our integrated video concept, we hope to have found a way to navigate safety measures and still execute some intimate moments in an artistic way,” he continues.  “The humanity and honesty of the songs delivers such a layered theatrical experience. Maltby and Shire have created over a dozen Broadway shows, film and television scores, and are the recipients of Grammy, Tony and Academy Awards.  I’m so looking forward to working on this material with this team.”

Closer Than Ever will star Johnbarry Green, Aaron Bower, and Carbonell Award-winners Shelley Keelor, and Elijah Word, all of whom have worked with MNM Theatre Company in the past.   The technical crew, also all MNM alumni, includes Eric Alsford as the production’s Musical Director, and Emily Tarallo as the Choreographer, as well as Lighting Designer Clifford Michael Spulock, Sound Designer by Mike Kelly, Scenic Artist Cindi Taylor, and Scenic Designer Jordon Armstrong.  Johnbarry Green will serve as Technical Director, Cliff Burgess as Videographer, Michael Joseph as Assistant Videographer, wigs by Tease & Floof Custom Wig Boutique, and Amber Mandic and Andrea Guardo will be the production’s co-Stage Managers and co-Props Mistresses.

The award-winning duo, lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. (Miss Saigon, Fosse, Ring of Fire) and composer David Shire (film scores include The Conversation, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, All The President’s Men, and parts of Saturday Night Fever), began working together as students at Yale University. Their first Broadway credit as a team was in 1968, when their song “The Girl of the Minute” was used in the revue New Faces of 1968. Their shared credits include Baby (1983), Big (1996) and Take Flight (2007).  Richard Maltby conceived and directed the only two musical revues to win the Tony Award for Best Musical:  Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1978) and Fosse (1999). David Shire won the Oscar for the theme song to Norma Rae “It Goes Like It Goes”; as a pianist Shire played for the original productions of both The Fantasticks and Funny Girl.

Closer Than Ever will begin streaming on November 27th and will be available On Demand through December 31st on Music Theatre International’s (MTI) streaming platform www.ShowTix4U.com via MNM Theatre Company’s website www.mnmtheatre.org or on the company’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/mnmtheatrecompany . Once tickets are purchased, patrons will receive a link to view the production.  The link will be active for 48 hours from the first click.  Tickets are $20.  

MNM Theatre Company is an award-winning not-for-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company whose mission is to produce high quality professional live theatre that inspires audiences and enriches the cultural life of the community while creating Florida based jobs in the Arts. 

For more information about MNM Theatre Company please visit www.mnmtheatre.org.  To speak with Marcie Gorman or Jonathan Van Dyke, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

Closer Than Ever
November 27 – December 31
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr.
Conceived by Steven Scott Smith
Directed by Jonathan Van Dyke
Tickets: $20
Tickets available at https://www.mnmtheatre.org/  and/or  www.facebook.com/mnmtheatrecompany or
https://www.showtix4u.com/events/closerthanever  

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MNM Theatre Company’s CABARET Postponed – New Dates to be Announced

18 Wednesday Mar 2020

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MNM Theatre Company’s
Cabaret
Postponed
New Dates to be Announced
“So – life is disappointing? Forget it!
We have no troubles here! Here life is beautiful… The girls are beautiful…
Even the orchestra is beautiful.”  ~ The Emcee/Cabaret

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com  / 561-445-9244

March 18, 2020
WEST PALM BEACH, FL:  MNM Theatre Company’s production of Cabaret, which was scheduled to open on May 15th and run through May 30th  in the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center, has been officially postponed due to COVID-19.  A new date has not been announced, but the company’s Founder and Artistic Director Marcie Gorman is firmly committed to opening the show at a later date, once an all clear regarding the virus is announced.

Marcie Gorman

“We are watching and listening very carefully to the directives of the CDC, WHO, the Mayor of West Palm Beach, and of course the Kravis Center,” Gorman says. “But our first concern, as always, is the health and safety or our artists and our patrons.  And until such time as we are guaranteed that there will be absolutely no danger to anyone, we will be on hold.”

Refunds are available to those who have already purchased tickets for Cabaret – ticket purchases will be automatically refunded to MNM patrons’ original method of payment. (For more information, visit www.kravis.org or call the Kravis box office at 561-832-7469.)

However, like many other theatre companies, MNM is a 501(c)(3)/not-for-profit organization, and is hopeful that patrons will consider making a tax-deductible donation equaling  the price of their tickets to the company.  Donations can be made at www.mnmtheatre.org.

For more information about MNM Theatre Company, please visit www.mnmtheatre.org or contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-554-9244.

March & April at the Miznzer Park Cultural Center

09 Monday Mar 2020

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March & April at
Mizner Park Cultural Center:
Festival of Classics: A Night of Short Performances
& Artist Conversations – March 16
Tovah is Leona – March 28 & 29
Wiesenthal – April 3-5
Hank Williams and My Honky Tonk Heroes – April 8
Judy Carmichael: Swing Time!  A Celebration of the
Great American Song Book – April 17
Harrison Greenbaum:  What Just Happened?
A Comedy + Magic Show – April 25

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

March 9, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:     Mizner Park Cultural Center will once again host a wide variety of entertainment and events over the coming weeks.  Comedy, music, magic, and live theatre are all on the popular venue’s schedule during March and April.

On March 16th, the award-winning actor Avi Hoffman will host Festival of Classics: A Night of Short Performances and Artist Conversations.  The show, presented by Joseph Papp Yiddish Theatre, Shakespeare Troupe of South Florida, Grace Arts, New City Players, and Thinking Cap Theatre with Emily Ricca Dance Collective, will showcase local South Florida companies performing the Classics.  Hoffman, who will be joined by special guest Susan Papp, will take on the persona of Joseph Papp, the American theatrical producer and founder of the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Public Theatre.

Tovah Feldshuh

Six-time Tony and Emmy nominated star Tovah Feldshuh returns to the theatre on March 28th and 29th for four encore performances of Tovah is Leona! a musical production featuring highlights from the new Broadway-bound musical Queen of Mean, based on Piers Ransdell’s New York Times best-selling biography of Leona Helmsley.  In the production, which sold out in January, Feldshuh, as the disgraced doyenne, comments and sings about anything and everything – from her meteoric rise from office temp to trophy wife, from wheeler-dealer to hotel magnate, to her relationship with real estate rival Donald Trump.

Tom Dugan as Simon Wiesenthal

Wiesenthal, the story of ‘an ordinary man who did extraordinary things’, will run for four performances only, from April 3rd – 5th.  Written by and starring Tom Dugan, Wiesenthal is the riveting true story of Simon Wiesenthal.  Nicknamed ‘The Jewish James Bond’, he devoted his life to bringing more than 1,100 Nazi war criminals to justice. Intelligent, funny, flawed, and noble, Wiesenthal was a universal hero.

Jason Petty will bring his acclaimed musical review, Hank Williams and my Honky Tonk Heroes, to the Cultural Center on April 8th.  Petty a masterful singer, actor, and historian, whose musicianship and songwriting abilities have won him numerous performances at The Grand Ole Opry, will recreate the magic that Williams and his ‘honky tonk heroes’ – the giants of country music – created.

Grammy-nominated pianist, vocalist, and songwriter Judy Carmichael will celebrate the music of swing piano greats with an evening of classics from the Great American Songbook in her show Swing Time!  A Celebration of the Great American Song Book on April 17th.  From the Gershwins to Cole Porter to Fats Waller and Peggy Lee, Carmichael’s mastery of the piano style popularized by Count Basie and James P. Johnson among others, has been lauded all over the world.

Harrison Greenbaum

Harrison Greenbaum will return to the Mizner Park Cultural Center with What Just Happened?  A Comedy + Magic Show on April 25th.   The award-winning magician and comedian, who has been featured on “America’s Got Talent”, NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”, and National Geographic’s “Brain Games”, has created a unique blend of comedy and magic, jaw-dropping cutting edge illusions, mind reading, and legerdemain, much of it invented specifically for this performance, and never seen before.

Tickets to each of these performances, as well as many other Mizner Park Cultural Center performances are on sale now and can be purchased online at http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com or by phone at 844-672-2849. Ticket details are below.

The Mizner Park Cultural Center is located at 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432. Website: http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/Like us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MiznerParkCulturalCenter/

For more information about the Mizner Park Cultural Center, and any of these shows, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.
~
Ticket prices and performance times:

Festival of Classics: A Night of Short Performances and Artist Conversations
Monday, March 16, at 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm
Tickets:  $25-$50Direct link for tickets:  https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/festival-of-classics/Tovah is Leona
Saturday, March 28 at 3 pm & 8 pm
Sunday, March 29 at 2 pm & 7 pm
Tickets: $49 – $59
Direct link for tickets:  https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/tovah-leona-march/2020-03-28/Wiesenthal
Friday, April 3 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 4 at 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 5 at 2:00 pm
Tickets:  $45
Direct link for tickets:  https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/wiesenthal-2/2020-04-03/Hank Williams and My Honky Tonk Heroes
Wednesday, April 8 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $39 – $45
Direct link for tickets:  https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/hank-williams/Judy Carmichael:  Swing Time!  A Celebration of the Great American Song Book
Friday, April 17 at 7:30 pm
Tickets:  $37 – $47
Direct link for tickets:  https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/judy-carmichael/Harrison Greenbaum:  What Just Happened?  A Comedy + Magic Show
Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $29 – $39Direct link for tickets:  https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/harrison-greenbaum-3/For tickets to all shows at the Mizner Park Cultural Center, and for more information: https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/   or call 844-672-2849.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southeastern Premiere! The Award-Winning Play CHASING JACK at The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park March 12 – 22

18 Tuesday Feb 2020

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Jolt Productions, Inc. In Association with
Midlife Crisis Productions
Presents
The Southeastern Premiere of
Chasing Jack
March 12 – 22, 2020

 “This riveting, insightful and roller coaster of a ride is not done
until the last card is drawn.”
~ Susana Bowling – Times Square Chronicles

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

February 18, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:   Chasing Jack, the award-winning play by John S. Anastasi, will have its southeastern premiere at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park this March.  The production, to be directed by Peter J. Loewy, will begin previews on March 12th and open on March 14th.  The show will run through March 22nd.

Chasing Jack, which won the Best Play Award at the 2019 New York Theatre Festival Summerfest, is the story of Dr. Jack Chase, a surgeon with a serious gambling addiction.  Through the lens of a malpractice lawsuit that could end his career, Chasing Jack explores familial relationships, medical ethics, and the potentially crippling effects of addiction.   The stakes couldn’t be any higher as Jack looks back at pivotal moments in his life, his relationships, and his career.

John Anastasi, M.D.

“I had written several plays, three of which were produced Off Broadway,” playwright John Anastasi said recently, when he was asked how Chasing Jack came about.  “It was after a reading of my play I Forgive You Ronald Reagan, starring Lucie Arnaz and her husband Laurence Luckinbill, and we were all out for dinner.  Lucie asked me about her mother’s aortic dissection (I am a thoracic surgeon in ‘my other life’!) and we started talking about heart surgery.  She listened to all the stories and was mesmerized, and at the end of the evening she said, “You write well but the best stories are when you write and talk about what you do!”  My response was that I spend 14 hours a day doing heart surgery, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer and write about it.

“So, two plays later I was at the opening night party of my play, Would You Still Love Me if, with Kathleen Turner,” Anastasi continued.  John Patrick Shanley came up to me and said almost the same thing: “Write about what you know…” There are two things I love, medicine and the law.  My daughter is a lawyer.  So, I started to think of how to connect them all and after an especially difficult operation, the germ of the story began.

“I don’t want anyone to get the idea that I’m Jack, because I’m not,” he says.  “Some of me is in him as I believe some of me is in all the characters I write, even the women.  The monologues Jack speaks regarding what it’s like to be a heart surgeon are very real.   The addiction concept is drawn from having the unfortunate experience of operating on drug addicts over the years, and watching them lie, betray, and systematically destroy every relationship, especially the people who love them the most.”

Anastasi and Director Loewy have cast a combination of local and out of town actors in the production.  Galen Murphy Hoffman will play Dr. Jack Chase, and two-time Tony Award nominee Crista Moore will portray the attorney Ockerman – the first time a woman has played this role.  Other cast members include India H. Jarvis as Taylor, Elana Valastro as Rebecca, David Sadaka as The Judge, Rick Malone as Robert, Ben Prayz as Dr. Fox, and Francis Allen as Dr. Noel.

Chasing Jack will run from March 12th – 22nd at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  Tickets are $30; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $25.  Tickets can be purchased online at sugarsandpark.org/chasing-jack  or by phone at 561-347-3948.  The Willow Theatre is located at 300 South Military Trail, in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park (33486).

For more information about Chasing Jack please visit www.chasingjacktheplay.com/.  To arrange for interviews, or for photos, or to arrange to see the production, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

This is a story about a world-class gambling obsession
that starts off at 100 miles-per-hour and builds from there.
It’s not a courtroom drama.
It’s a courtroom bombshell.

~*~

Chasing Jack
March 14 – 22, 2020
Preview performances March 12 & 13.
By John S. Anastasi
Directed by Peter J. Loewy
Tickets: $30 / $25 for groups of 6 or more
For tickets:  561-347-3948 or https://sugarsandpark.org/chasing-jack
Showtimes:
Thursday, March 12 at 7pm
Friday, March 13 at 8pm
Saturday, March 14 at 2pm
Saturday, March 14 at 8pm
Sunday, March 15 at 2pm
Thursday, March 19 at 7pm
Friday, March 20 at 8pm
Saturday, March 21 at 2pm
Saturday, March 21 at 8pm
Sunday, March 22 at 2pm
All performances will take place in
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486

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