Author Archives: Carol Kassie

New Theatre Company! Upstage Productions Debuts with Ira Levin’s DEATHTRAP in October

27 Wednesday Aug 2025

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The Curtain Rises on
Upstage Productions
The New Theatre Company to Present
Deathtrap
At Empire Stage in October

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

August 27, 2025

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:  Janice Hamilton – Actress, Singer, Auctioneer, and Business Woman, will add Producer to her resume when Upstage Productions – her brand-new theatre company – debuts with Ira Levin’s Deathtrap at Empire Stage this fall.  The show will run from October 10th through November 2nd at the popular Fort Lauderdale venue.

Ira Levin’s (Rosemary’s Baby) Deathtrap is an ingeniously constructed play that offers a rare and skillful blend of gasp-producing thrills and raucous laughter.  It provides twists and turns and sudden shocks in abundance as it follows the machinations of Sidney Bruhl, a writer of thrillers, whose recent offerings have been flops, and who is prepared to go to any lengths and use any devious means to improve his fortunes.

Janice Hamilton, through her company Hamilton Fundraising Auctions, has raised millions of dollars for hundreds of not-for-profit organizations and causes over the past thirty years. She also has an impressive film, television, and theatrical resume and has been featured in numerous productions throughout South Florida.  Some of her credits include City of Angels and Crazy for You (Jupiter Theatre); RX and Gingerbread Lady (Boca Stage); The Savannah Sipping Society, Morning After Grace, The Long Weekend (Pigs Do Fly Productions), Don’t Dress for Dinner (Caldwell Theatre); Hotel on Marvin Gardens (Actor’s Playhouse); Mystery of Love & Sex (Primal Forces); Anton in Show Business (Red Barn Theatre); Dames at Sea (Shores Performing Arts); and Menopause, the Musical (G-Four Productions). She toured the US in the award-winning comedy Viagra Falls opposite Harold Gould and appeared Off-Broadway in The Dutchman and Be Happy For Me. Her television and film credits include As the World Turns, Miami Sands, Boynton Beach Club, Lost Everything, Life’s a Drag, and Just My Type, and the Hallmark film A Royal Makeover, which was recently released on Amazon Prime.  

 “I chose Deathtrap as our opening production because I adore the murder-mystery genre and thought the timing was perfect in conjunction with Halloween”, Hamilton says. “Plus, Deathtrap is a comedy and pure escapism, something I believe is we all need in the present social climate.”

Deathtrap will be directed by Hamilton’s long-time collaborator DK Kondelik, who has also agreed to act as prop master and set dresser for the production.

Kondelik shares Upstage Productions’ artistic philosophy: “Whether on stage or in the classroom, we strive for artistic excellence that entertains, challenges, and inspires. Our mission is to celebrate the joy of live performance while elevating voices and provoking meaningful dialogue,” she says.  

Deathtrap will run at Empire Stage from October 10th through November 2nd.  Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online at upstageproductions.net or by calling 954-264-1461. 

For more information about Upstage Productions, or Deathtrap, to speak with Janice Hamilton, or to arrange to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

Deathtrap
By Ira Levin
October 10 – November 2
Directed by Deborah Kondelik
Tickets:  $40
For tickets:  upstageproductions.net
Phone:  954-264-1461
Performances:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
All performances will take place at 
Empire Stage1140 N Flagler Drive,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Janice Hamilton
Deborah Kondelik

Thinking Cap Theatre Announces Fall 2025 Lineup

18 Monday Aug 2025

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Thinking Cap Theatre
Announces
Fall 2025 Season Lineup

Award-Winning, Innovative Thinking Cap Theatre Celebrates its 15th Birthday
with a Dynamic Lineup as the Company in Residence at
The Hollywood Art and Culture Center

For Immediate Release
Contact: Bree-Anna Obst
breeanna@thinkingcaptheatre.org  / 310-500-6448
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

August 19, 2025

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: Thinking Cap Theatre (TCT) has revealed its Fall 2025 Season as the resident theater company of the Hollywood Art and Culture Center (HACC).  TCT’s fall 2025 lineup includes the 2nd Annual Women’s Equality Day Event, which now hosts the ERAS – a new regional award to  honor South Floridians who are championing gender equality – and two main stage productions, the provocative rock musical Lizzie the Musical, about alleged Victorian axe murderer Lizzie Borden, and Cymbeline, a rarely staged, genre-defying work by William Shakespeare.

“We are excited to celebrate 15 years of TCT with a dynamic lineup of programming for Hollywood residents and South Florida at large,” says Nicole Stodard, TCT’s founding Artistic Director.  “There is so much amazing development and growth in Hollywood’s downtown area as the City of Hollywood turns 100 and HACC turns 50 this November! It’s an exhilarating time to be working here and partnering with HACC,” Stodard adds.  To boot, TCT’s recent residency marks the return of professional theater to Hollywood for the first time since Hollywood Playhouse closed in 2003.

TCT Fall Events/Performances:

The 2nd Annual Women’s Equality Day Event & The ERAS (Equality Realized in the Arts and Other Sectors) will take place on Tuesday, August 26th at Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center.  In Thinking Cap Theatre’s special lineup, audiences will experience live performances of *suffragette comedies, songs, and an Isadora Duncan-inspired dance performance.

Tickets to the Event are $25.  Doors will open at 6:45pm for a celebratory reception and viewing of lobby exhibits by the League of Women Voters of Broward County, Hollywood Historical Society, and Stonewall Museum and Archives. Live performances in the theater will begin promptly at 7:30pm. The program will be approximately 1-hour long and will include honoring this year’s recipients of the ERAAS. Dessert, conversation, and photos will follow in the lobby.

The 2nd Annual Women’s Equality Day Event is presented in partnership with Hollywood Art and Culture Center. Community partners include City Theatre, League of Women Voters of Broward County, The Skirt Foundation, Women With Pride, Stonewall National Museum and Archives, and Hollywood Historical Society.

*About Suffragette Plays:
Dubbed “parlor plays,” these short suffragette comedies were privately printed and originally intended for amateur performance at home in, you guessed it, people’s parlors. In the late 1970s, while doing research at Radcliffe College, scholar Bettina Friedl rediscovered these long forgotten treasures and compiled them into a special edition. These dramatic gems humorously and pointedly tackle issues such as the work/life balance dilemma and the oppressiveness of socially-prescribed gender roles. Viewers can expect to enjoy some laughs and marvel at both how far we’ve come and how we’ve still to go in the journey for equal human rights.

~

Lizzie, The Musical

In October 2025, just in time for Halloween season, TCT will present Lizzie, The Musical, a provocative and pulsating musical exploration of the legendary 1892 trial of Lizzie Borden, who was accused (and ultimately acquitted) of brutally murdering her parents with an axe.   Lizzie, The Musical offers up a delicious blend of history and anachronism in its exploration of Lizzie’s oppressive upbringing, troubled relationship with her father, and unapologetic defiance of Victorian norms and courtroom accusations.  Fueled by a searing rock score, raw emotion, and dark humor, Lizzie, The Musical is a blistering portrait of one of America’s most infamous figures.

Lizzie, The Musical
October 18 – November 1, 2025
Music and Lyrics by Steven Cheslik-deMeyer
Lyrics, Book, and Additional Music by Tim Maner
Music and Additional Lyrics by Alan Stevens Hewitt
Directed by Nicole Stodard
Tickets: $45 (plus service charges)
For Tickets:  https://thinkingcaptheatre.org or
Phone: 310-500-6448
Performances:
Saturday, October 18 at 8 pm
Sunday, October 19 at 6 pm
Wednesday, October 22 at 7 pm
Saturday, October 25 at 3 pm
Sunday, October 26 at 6 pm
Wednesday, October 29 at 7 pm
Friday, October 31 at 8 pm
Saturday, November 1 at 8 pm
All performances will take place at
The Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center
1770 Monroe Street,
Hollywood, FL 33020

Lizzie, The Musical is supported by a grant from Community Foundation of Broward and is presented in partnership with the Art and Culture Center Hollywood.

Lizzie, The Musical contains strong language and mature content; it is recommended for patrons 13 years of age and older.

~

Cymbeline

In December 2025, TCT will present Cymbeline, which scholars affectionately refer to as Shakespeare’s “kitchen sink” play because of its wildly diverse stylistic elements, from history and romance to tragedy and comedy.  Peter Wayne Galman, a veteran actor of TV, film, and the stage as well as the Founding Artistic Director South Florida Shakespeare Troupe, will play the title role.  Never liked Shakespeare? Never seen Shakespeare performed live?  This anarchic and presciently modern work by the Bard is a great place to start (again).   There will be a ‘Talk Back’ after the 6 pm (closing) performance on Sunday, December 14th)


Cymbeline
December 5 – 14, 2025
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Nicole Stodard
Tickets: $45 (plus service charges)
For Tickets:  https://thinkingcaptheatre.org or
Phone: 310-500-6448
Performances:
Friday, December 5 at 7 pm
Saturday, December 6 at 7 pm
Sunday, December 7 at 6 pm
Wednesday, December 10 at 7 pm
Saturday, December 13 at 7 pm
Sunday, December 14 at 7 pm
All performances will take place at
The Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center
1770 Monroe Street,
Hollywood, FL 33020

Cymbeline  is supported by funding from The Maurer Foundation, The Warten Foundation, and Hollywood Art and Culture Center. 

For more information about Thinking Cap Theatre, any of the company’s Fall 2025 productions, or to attend a performance, please contact Bree-Anna Obst at
breeanna@thinkingcaptheatre.org  / 310-500-6448 or Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

Entr’Acte Theatrix to Present Richard O’Brien’s THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW October 10 – 26

14 Thursday Aug 2025

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Please note:  Due to the untimely and unexpected closing of Bob Carter’s Actor’s Workshop and Repertory Theatre in West Palm Beach, Entr’Acte Theatrix’ production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show will be presented at the Cast Theatre. The Cast Theatre is located 7429 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth, FL (33463)
Entr’Acte originally chose the Actors Rep space to present their work as Carter’s goal to provide a good meld of straight and musical theatre under the same roof is in keeping with Entr’Acte’s own mission to produce edgy, non-confirming material through musical theatre. 

Entr’Acte Theatrix
to present
Richard O’Brien’s
The Rocky Horror Show
October 10 – 26

“So, come up to the lab and see what’s on the slab!” ~ Frank N. Furter

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

August 28, 2025

LAKE WORTH, FL: It’s never too early to think about Halloween, and who better to celebrate the fast-approaching holiday with than the denizens of Dr. Frank N. Furter’s home-sweet-castle in Richard O’Brien’s beloved cult classic, The Rocky Horror Show.   Entr’Acte Theatrix is inviting audiences to come do the Time Warp again… when they present ‘Rocky’ at The Cast Theatre in Lake Worth from October 10th through October 26th.    

The Rocky Horror Show is an outrageous assemblage of – and humorous tribute to – the most stereotypical science fiction and horror movies, Marvel comics, Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello outings, and rock ‘n’ roll of every vintage. The play (upon which the classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show is based) has grown from an experimental production originally produced in a small London theatre in June 1973, to a cult phenomenon with fans world-wide.  The musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple who, when caught in a storm, find refuge in the home of a decidedly unusual scientist who is madly working towards unveiling his latest and greatest creation.

Rocky is also the quintessential audience participation show, and Entr’Acte will have what have come to be known as ‘survival kits’ available for purchase for those who want them.

This is the fifth time Entr’Acte Theatrix will present The Rocky Horror Show.  Their 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019 productions were so successful that when an encore presentation was suggested, it was, as Entr’Acte’s founder and producer Vicki Halmos says, “A ‘no brainer’!  Our audiences love the show,” she continues, “and so does our cast.  You can see it during rehearsals.  Their enthusiasm is boundless, and they are so excited to be able to bring all these characters to life – figuratively and literally!” she says with a smile.

Carlo Rufino Sabusap, who has appeared in each of the company’s Rockys, as well as numerous other Entr’Acte productions, will direct the production. 

“In an age and political climate where we should be progressing as a society and species, we are instead given constant reminders that bigotry is living strong and that people who are different from the status quo are considered less than people, and in some cases, stripped of their rights,” he says. “Rocky Horror celebrates the idea of the outsider. We not only want the audience to have fun, but they should also realize that the enjoyment they are experiencing is because a group of wildly different people from different backgrounds and life experiences worked together to make something great. This is our 5th time mounting this show, and I believe it is our value of working TOGETHER, and including our differences, that we are making something Great Again.”

Cast in Entr’Acte’s Rocky Horror Show are Elijah Pestana as Brad Majors, Rose Foster as Janet Weiss, Trevohnn Garner as Frank N. Furter, Carly Graefe as Magenta, Amalia Phend as Columbia, Greg Halmos as Riff Raff, Ace Gilliam as Rocky, Matthew Mayer as Eddie, Cherry Rivera as the Usherette, David Taylor as Dr. Scott, and Jason Fisher as The Criminologist. Also in the cast are Christia Santi, Sarah Romeo, Sarah Kenny, and Adler Monpremier.  

Along with director Sabusap, the show’s production crew includes co-Producer Greg Halmos, Musical Director Aaliyah Amoin, Choreographer Sarah Kenny. Lighting and Tech is by Elizabeth Southwell, and sound is by Atlas Saavedra.

The Rocky Horror Show will run for 12 performances only, from October 10 – 26 at The Cast Theatre. The theatre is located at 7429 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth, FL (33463). Tickets are on sale now, and are available online at https://linktr.ee/entractetheatrix.
Ticket prices range from $50 for VIP/Premium Seating, $35 for Standard Seating,  and $25 for Value Seating (at an odd angle, or partially obstructed view).   

For more information about Entr’Acte Theatrix or The Rocky Horror Show, or to arrange to see the production, contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com /561-445-9244.

~ 

The Rocky Horror Show
By Richard O’Brien
October 10 – 26, 2025
Tickets:  $25-$50
Direct ticketing link:  https://linktr.ee/entractetheatrix or
Call: 561-386-0045
Performances: 
$50 Premium seating
$35 Standard seating
$25 Value seating
For tickets:
Performances:
Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm
Saturdays at 11 pm
Sundays at 7 pm
All performances will take place at
The Cast Theatre
7429 S. Military Trail
Lake Worth, FL 33463

Celebrating Jewish Pride – A Free Reading of A PEOPLE by L M Feldman at Island City Stage on August 25th

28 Monday Jul 2025

Posted by in Uncategorized, YI Love Jewish, Yiddishkayt Initiative

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Celebrating Jewish Pride

Love Jewish to present a Free Staged Reading of
A People
by L M Feldman
Directed by Avi Hoffman
August 25th at Island City Stage
Love Jewish is dedicated to give a voice to contemporary Jewish LGBTQ+
artists and content creators.

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

July 28, 2025

WILTON MANORS, FL:  In celebration of Jewish Pride, Love Jewish, a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative, will present a staged reading of playwright L M Feldman’s theatrical mosaic A People as their inaugural season presentation. The performance will take place on August 25th at 7 pm at Island City Stage. 

Directed by Avi Hoffman and featuring South Florida favorites Ana Marie Calise, Eytan Deray, Lela Elam, Rayner Gabriel, Avi Hoffman, Autumn Kioti-Horn, Laura Turnbull, and others, A People will take audiences on a magical lyrical journey into heritage, tradition, religion, and humanity. 

Feldman holds up a mirror to 5000 years of Jewish identity and history, reminding us that we are all descendants from somewhere, and we can choose to deny our lineage, wrestle with it, or embrace it. Sometimes hilarious and sometimes terrifyingly honest, A People’s ensemble will take on a mass of old and new-world personalities to create snippets of life the way we see it, the way we want it, and the way it is.  

Utilizing the performing arts, media, publishing, education, language, and literature, the mission of Love Jewish is to Advocate for Jewish Pride, Build Cultural Bridges and Challenge Antisemitism Through the Arts by promoting Jewish history and life, and their far-reaching impact on the contemporary world. Based in Miami-Dade County, in proud partnership with the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University, YI Love Jewish builds engagement and forges multicultural and diverse connections through an immersive and varied range of programming for audiences worldwide.

Tickets for A People are free, with a suggested donation of $10, and are now available.  They can be purchased online at www.YILoveJewish.org/events. Island City Stage is located at 2304 North Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors (33305). 

For more information about A People, Love Jewish, and Yiddishkayt Initiative please visit https://yilovejewish.org.  To arrange interviews, photos, or requests to see the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. 

~

A People
By L M Feldman
Monday, August 25th at 7 pm
Tickets: FREE ($10 Suggested Donation)
To reserve:  https://yilovejewish.org/events
The performance will take place at
Island City Stage
2304 North Dixie Highway
Wilton Manors, FL  33305

L M Feldman is a queer, feminist playwright (and circus artist) who pens plays that are wildly theatrical but deeply intimate. Formally ambitious plays that move and take up space. Plays that are questioning, wrestling, and asking. Plays without answers. Plays about women and queers, plays about outsiders and searchers. Plays grappling with voice and agency, opportunity and access, history and its wake. Plays about the human connection. Plays that seek to be a greater, communal, rare theatrical event in which something transcendent transpires – for those both onstage & off.

Her plays include Thrive, or What You Will (Page 73 Residency, New Georges Audrey Residency); Another Kind Of Silence (Magic Theatre Virgin Play Festival, PlayPenn Conference, Playwrights Realm Fellowship, FEWW Prize Honorable Mention); Amanuensis (Georgetown University); A People (Orbiter 3, Jewish Plays Project); The Egg-Layers (Jane Chambers Honorable Mention, New Georges/Barnard College commission); Grace, or The Art of Climbing (Denver Center, Art House Productions, Nice People Theatre, ATCA/Steinberg New Play Award Nomination, Barrymore Nomination); ensemble-devised works, including Gumshoe (New Paradise Labs + Free Library of Philadelphia + Rosenbach Museum), War of the Worlds: Philadelphia (Swim Pony + Drexel University), And If You Lose Your Way, Or A Food Odyssey (The Invisible Dog, New York Innovative Theatre Award Nomination), and others; and a baker’s dozen of short plays. She has been nominated for the Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwright Award, Wendy Wasserstein Prize, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and the Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award. She was awarded an artist grant through the Boomerang Fund and a creation grant from the State of Vermont, and she has been an artist-in-residence at Terra Firma, SPACE at Ryder Farm, the School of Making Thinking, Tofte Lake Center, Montana Artists Refuge, Montana Repertory Theatre, Sewanee University of the South, Cornell University, and Theater Emory/Brave New Works Festival. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, L is also a New Georges Affiliated Artist, a devised-work collaborator, a teacher of playwriting (Bryn Mawr College, Lantern Theatre/Jefferson Medical School, PlayPenn), and a freelance dramaturg.

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L M Feldman
Avi Hoffman

Rome Saladino’s SALUTE TO MICHAEL BUBLÉ Returns to the Boca Black Box Center for the Arts on July 20th

10 Thursday Jul 2025

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Rome Saladino’s
Salute to Michael Bublé
Returns to
The Boca Black Box Center for the Arts
Sunday, July 20 at 7 pm

Saladino will be joined on stage by renowned musician –
Bublé’s featured trumpet player, Jean Caze.

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

July 10, 2025

BOCA RATON, FL: Multi-talented singer/actor/choreographer Rome Saladino will once again celebrate the stylings of international super-star (and The Voice coach) Michael Bublé when he returns to the Boca Black Box Center on July 20th with Feelin’ Good: A Tribute to Michael Bublé. The ‘one night only’ performance will take place at 7 pm.  (Saladino’s Bublé tribute sold out at the venue when he performed it in January.)

Saladino will sing the songs that made the American Music, Juno, and multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter a world-renowned phenomenon.   He will be accompanied by a seven-piece band, talented back-up dancers, and special guest star Jean Caze, Bublé’s own solo trumpet player.

This engagement celebrates the ten-year anniversary of Saladino’s Bublé tribute act, which he has performed throughout the United States, internationally, and on cruise ships around the world.

Inspired by Bublé’s Jazzy Big Band style, Saladino will perform the hits that put the Canadian superstar on the charts.  He will also channel ‘Frank, Dean, Ray, and Ella’ with classics such as “Feeling Good”, “Come Fly With Me”, “Cry Me a River”, “Haven’t Met You Yet”, “Home”, and “Sway. The evening will also include numbers from The Great American songbook as well as music from the ‘60s, 70s, and 80s.  

“Tributing Michael Bublé has been one of the greatest journeys of my life!” Saladino says.” His dedication to The Great American Songbook, his evolution as an artist and as a human being helped give me amazing opportunities to grow vocally and artistically. And, not to mention the travel! Seriously, it’s been an honor to have paid tribute to him for 10 years and counting!

 “The American Songbook feeds the soul in a way that I think we need now more than ever,” says Jean Caze.  “I can’t wait to perform again with Rome and share this music with everyone.”

Rome Saladino was born and raised in Miami, Florida.  His extensive theatrical career – he has a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Florida Atlantic University – has included such roles as Curly in Oklahoma, John the Baptist in Godspell, Caleb in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Charles Dalrymple in Brigadoon.  He has also appeared in Annie, A Chorus Line, Camelot, Fiddler on the Roof, and West Side Story, and he was one of the leads in Encore!  The American Theatre in Tokyo Disney, Japan.  During his ballet career he performed with the Sacramento Ballet, Icelandic Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre. 

Renowned Jazz trumpet artist, composer, and educator Jean Caze has performed alongside such icons as Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Al Jarreau, Roy Hargrove, Arturo Sandoval, and George Duke. He currently serves as the featured soloist for Michael Bublé worldwide. Caze holds a bachelor’s degree from Manhattan School of Music and a master’s degree from Florida International University. Noteworthy achievements include securing second place in the 2007 Thelonius Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition and claiming victory in both the 2004 National Trumpet Jazz Competition and the 2006 International Trumpet Guild Jazz Competition. Currently, Jean is preparing to release a new album in 2025, which will be preceded by the release of several singles.

Tickets for Feelin’ Good: A Tribute to Michael Bublé at the Boca Black Box Center for the Arts range in price from $52 to $62 and are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.  The Boca Black Box Center for the Arts is located at 8221 Glades Road (#10), in Boca Raton (33434).

For more information about Rome Saladino and/or his Tribute to Michael Bublé please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

Feelin’ Good: A Tribute to Michael Bublé
Sunday, July 20, 2025 at 7 pm
Tickets: $52 to $62
For tickets:  561-483-9036 or click HERE
The performance will take place at
The Boca Black Box Center for the Arts
8221 Glades Road, #10
Boca Raton, FL  33434

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Jean Caze

Love Jewish to Present Avi Hoffman in CELEBRATING ‘YOSL’: REMEMBERING JOE PAPP! at the Triad Theater June 22nd

05 Thursday Jun 2025

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Love Jewish proudly presents Avi Hoffman in
Celebrating ‘Yosl’: Remembering Joe Papp  
A live and streaming concert event featuring Celebrity Video Testimonials

Theater icon Joseph Papp, aka Yosl Papirofsky, creator of the New York Shakespeare Festival & Public Theater, to be remembered and honored in a live and streaming concert celebrating his 104th birthday at the Triad Theatre on June 22, 2025, at 1 pm (EST).

“The single most creative and controversial figure in American theater”
– Newsweek

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

June 5, 2025
New York, NY – Joseph Papp (1921-1991), born ‘Yosl Papirofsky’, revolutionized modern theater as we know it. This theatrical icon – winner of 28 Tony Awards – will be the subject of a memorial concert on what would have been his 104th birthday on June 22 at 1 pm. This tribute will be presented by Love Jewish (a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative) at the Triad Theatre, 158 W. 72nd St., New York, NY 10023.

The concert event will also feature pre-recorded celebrity testimonials from Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody, F. Murray Abraham, Blythe Danner, John Lithgow, Estelle Parsons, and many others.

Joe Papp’s vision led him in 1957 to establish the “Shakespeare in the Park” free theatrical productions. Ten years later, he founded The Public Theater in the building that had formerly housed the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), a haven for newly arrived refugees fleeing persecution. The building was saved from demolition through Mr. Papp’s efforts after a long negotiation with the City of New York. It became the permanent home of the New York Shakespeare Festival/Joseph Papp Public Theatre (The Public) and is currently designated as a New York City Historical Landmark.

Hair, A Chorus Line, and Runaways, are among the most famous shows to evolve from his ‘workshops’, along with over 700 other shows Papp nurtured and/or produced. Modern blockbusters like Hamilton were also developed at The Public.  He championed the cause of multi-ethnic casting and socially relevant topics and was a social activist who also helped develop other off-Broadway experimental theaters. He worked to preserve the historic Broadway Theatre District and was considered one of the most philanthropic providers of inner-city access to the arts, believing that “if public libraries were free, public theatre should be free as well.”

Celebrating Yosl is a tribute that features YI Founder and CEO, Drama Desk Award nominee (Death of a Salesman) and world-renowned actor and Jewish cultural activist Avi Hoffman, who Joe Papp mentored in the 1980s with the creation of the Joseph Papp Yiddish Theatre.

Avi Hoffman was recently awarded Congressional recognition, invited to the Vatican to meet the late Pope Francis, and was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame for his lifetime dedication to advancing Jewish culture, Yiddishkayt, and Holocaust Awareness. He is best known for his Too Jewish Trilogy: Award-winning, one-man shows Too Jewish, Too Jewish, Too! (PBS, Performer of the Year ’95 – NY Press Magazine; L.A. OVATION award – Best Actor In a Musical 2001; NY Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award nominations) and Still Jewish After All These Years. On TV, he was featured as Sid Raskin in the Starz TV series Magic City, as well as on Netflix’s Bloodline, A&E’s The Glades, and on the NBC series Law and Order. He has recently starred in several indie films: You Will Not Play Wagner and the International Award-winning short Yiddish Films: Shehita (Best Thriller – HollyShorts Festival), Boxed, and the motion picture – The Imported Bridegroom. Avi has performed all over the world, has numerous acting and directing credits, and has received many awards and nominations.

In the photos below:          
Joseph Papp  
Avi Hoffman   
Photo credits:  Unknown
~
What: CELEBRATING ‘YOSL’: Remembering Joe Papp!
Where: Triad Theatre, 158 W. 72nd St., New York, NY 10023
When: Sunday, June 22nd at 1:00 pm EST
Click: General Admission Tickets: $36
Click: 20 VIP/Reserved Seating and Private Post-Show meal with Avi: $90
Click: Balcony Student Tickets: $18 (with any valid student ID)
Click: Streaming Tickets: $18/$36
To sponsor this event, please contact Ana Marie Calise anac@whyilovejewish.org
~
YI Love Jewish is a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative (YI), a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization that builds Jewish engagement and forges multi-cultural connections through an immersive and varied range of programming for audiences around the globe. YI offers a global clearinghouse of Jewish culture and entertainment staffed by experts in subject matter and production. The organization works with a wide range of organizations, including the University of Miami’s Sue and Leonard Miller Center and the George Feldenkreis Program in Contemporary Judaic Studies. YI partners with local Jewish Federations, JCCs, synagogues, Hadassah chapters, Hillel chapters, men’s groups, women’s guilds, special interest clubs, youth groups, summer camp programs and educational institutions worldwide.

Joe Papp
Avi Hoffman

Entr’Acte Theatrix to present JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR June 19 – 29

15 Thursday May 2025

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Entr’Acte Theatrix
to present
Jesus Christ Superstar
June 19 – 29

 “With the supremely simple concept of presenting the final week of the celebrated life of Jesus through a post-modern lens, composer Lloyd Webber and lyricist Rice created a sung-through rock opera for the ages.”
~ Simon Parris – Man in Chair


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

May 15, 2025

WEST PALM BEACH, FL: Entr’acte Theatrix’ second production of the 2025 season will be Jesus Christ Superstar.  The iconic musical will run at the William G Skaff Center in West Palm Beach from June 19th – 29th.

The first musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber to be produced for the professional stage, Jesus Christ Superstar has wowed audiences for over 50 years. A timeless work, the rock opera is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary and universally known series of events but seen, unusually, through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. Loosely based on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Superstar follows the last week of Jesus Christ’s life. The story, told entirely through song, explores the personal relationships and struggles between Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers, and the Roman Empire. The beloved score contains such well-known numbers as “Superstar,” “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” and “Gethsemane.” 

Director Matthew Farmer has cast Jacob Perry as Jesus, Elijah Rey as Judas Escariot, Anneliese Wolfanger as Mary, John Douglas as Peter, Brian Piedra as Simon, Aaron Fantacone as Annas, Chase Stante as Caiaphus, Greg Halmos as Pontius Pilate, and Carlo Sabusap as Herod. Ensemble members include Aaron Bravo, Rowan Pelfrey, Shelby Tudor, Emily Shecter and the show’s Music Director Aaliyah Amoin.

“We’re thrilled to have Matthew Farmer back with us and directing this show,” says Entr’Acte Theatrix Producer and Founder Vicki Halmos.  “It’s really a full circle – for us and for him.  Matt started out with us over 20 years ago, and his first role with our company was as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar!”“This innovative production will blend the powerful, timeless music of the original, in a most intimate setting,” says Farmer, who formerly served as the Creative Director at the Crest Theatre in Old School Square. “This fusion of classic and contemporary sounds will captivate audiences and create an unforgettable theatrical experience.”

“This time, we did not cast a typical actor in the role of Jesus, as we wanted a true rock sensibility,” Halmos continues. “Instead, we have cast Jacob Perry, a popular local rock/jazz musician, to get that vibe. But I have no doubt that Matt will turn him into Jesus. Jesus Christ Superstar is really Judas’ story. Our Judas also has amazing rock pipes. It’s all about hitting those notes!” she says. 

“This cast is turning out to be a fun contemporary group, and they’re managing the music amazingly,” Halmos continues. “As for us, about half of our cast are returned actors from Entre’Acte’s previous shows, and half are newbies. Matt is directing this classic rock opera piece beautifully. And our Music Director Aaliyah Amoin has been absolutely fierce in handling the music – she has been completely on task with this iconic score – just the way the composers intended.”

Amber Lebrun is the show’s Choreographer, Jaycie Cohen is the Sound Engineer, Elizabeth Southwell is the production’s Technical Director and Jackson Olivencia is the Stage Manager.

Jesus Christ Superstar will run from June 19 – 29 at William G Skaff Center in West Palm Beach (500 Spencer Drive, WPB, 33409).  Performances are on Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm.  Tickets range in price from $25 – $35 and are on sale now. They can be purchased online at www.PalmBeachTheater.org or by phone at 561-833-7529.

For more information about Entr’Acte Theatrix and/or Jesus Christ Superstar, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Jesus Christ Superstar is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com 

~

Jesus Christ Superstar
June 19 – 29
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Tickets: 
$35.00 Premium viewing seats ($40 at the door)
$30.00 Standard Viewing Seats ($35 at the door)
$25.00 Value View Seating ($30 at the door) (may be obstructed)
For tickets:  www.PalmBeachTheater.org
Phone:  561-833-7529
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The William G Skaff Center
500 Spencer Drive
West Palm Beach, FL  33409

(Click on each image to enlarge it, then right click on the enlarged image and ‘save image as’ or ‘copy image’)

Jacob Perry
Anneliese Wolfanger
Elijah Rey
Anneliese Wofanger & Jacob Perry
Matthew Farmer
Aaliyah Amoin
Aaron Bravo
Aaron Fantacone
Amber Lebrun
Anneliese Wolfanger
Brian Piedra
Carlo Sabusap
Chase Stante
Elijah Rey
Emily Shecter
Greg Halmos
Jacob Perry
John Douglas
Rowan Pelfrey
Shelby Tudor

The Riveting Legal Drama A CLASS ACT Opens at the Township Center for the Performing Arts June 20 – 29

15 Thursday May 2025

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Riveting Legal Drama
A Class Act
at
The Township Center for the Performing Arts
June 20th – 29th

“…always absorbing, always unpredictable.”
~ TheaterScene.net

“…contamination is really a national crisis, and the real scale of contamination is staggering. The more we test, the more we find it.”
~ Melanie Benesh, Legislative Attorney at the Environmental Working Group, Washington

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

May 15, 2025

COCONUT CREEK, FL:   A major chemical company pours cancer-causing waste into the water supply, and a high-powered law firm brings a class action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of “the little people” – who might die from the poisonous water. Who wins?  Who loses?  A Class Act, Norman Shabel’s intriguing and timely look at the inner workings of our justice system will ask and possibly answer these, and other questions when the play runs from June 20th through June 29th at the Township Center for the Performing Arts.   

As the lawyers wheel and deal and decide whether to take a settlement or go to trial, it becomes increasingly unclear who is really winning. Who makes millions whether they win or lose? Which lawyers battle the best… or the worst? Who gets justice in the end? A Class Act is a sophisticated thrill ride that has been described as “engrossing and gripping”. It examines a world in which greed pervades, the loyal suffer, and morality is always relative.

“When I originally wrote the play, we were all probably peripherally aware that there was poison being dumped in the worlds’ drinking waters by non-caring corporations whose only consideration was saving expenses in the production of their products,” Shabel said recently.  “In fact, several years ago the Environmental Protection Agency warned that ‘forever chemicals’ found in our nations’ drinking water are more dangerous than previously thought, and by some estimates, these toxic family of chemicals can be found in the blood of nearly every person on our planet.

“Courts are inherently dramatic places, and I guess I saw that connection between law and theater before I even realized it,” he continued. “A Class Act depicts the dramatically war-like negotiations between those corporate non-caring pollution perpetrators and the lawyers who represent the dying public.”

Attorney turned author and playwright Norman Shabel spent close to 50 years as a trial and class action lawyer.  He has drawn upon his experience to fashion a ‘pulled from the headlines’ look at what goes on in corporate America, in courtrooms, and behind the scenes.  A Class Act received excellent reviews when it played Off-Broadway in 2016.

A Class Act director Seth Trucks’ cast includes Johnbarry Green as Edward Duchamp, Carey Brianna Hart as Dorothy Pilsner, Murphy Hayes as Ben Donaldson, Rick Prada as John Dubliner, Ben Prayz as Ignatio Perez, Manny Zaldivar as Frank Warsaw, and director Trucks who will play Phil Alessi.  Sara Grant will serve as the production’s Stage Manager.

A Class Act will run at The Township Center for the Performing Arts from June 20 – 29. Tickets are $27 ($25 for children under 15) and can be purchased online at https://boxoffice.townshipcoconutcreek.com or by phone at (954) 970-0606.

The Township Center for the Performing Arts is located at 2452 Lyons Road in Coconut Creek (33063).

For more information about A Class Act, or to arrange to see the production, pleasecontact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

A Class Act
By Norman Schabel
June 20 – 29
Performances:Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets: $27 (Children under 15, $25)
For tickets: https://boxoffice.townshipcoconutcreek.com
Or call (954) 970-0606
The Township Center for the Performing Arts
2452 Lyons Road
Coconut Creek, FL 33063
Box Office: 954-970-0606

Norman Shabel
Seth Trucks
Johnbarry Green
Carey Hart
Ben Prayz
Manny Zaldivar
Murphy Hayes

The Pompano Players’ I DO! I DO! Opens May 23

08 Thursday May 2025

Posted by in Clients, Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Pompano Players

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The Pompano Players’
I Do! I Do!
Opens May 23rd
at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center

A delightful, sentimental, funny, and moving musical exploration of one couple’s life together.

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

May 8, 2025

POMPANO BEACH, FL: The Pompano Players final production of their inaugural season is I Do! I Do! – an intimate and nostalgic look at a marriage by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (The Fantasticks).  The production will open on May 23rd at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center and run through June 1st.

I Do! I Do! was written as a star vehicle for Mary Martin and Robert Preston; the original production received seven Tony Award nominations.   The two-person musical focuses on Michael and Agnes, beginning on their wedding day, and follows them as they navigate the ups and downs of their 50 year marriage.  Set to a delightful and tuneful score, I Do! I Do! is a lovely story of two soulmates navigating the realities of a life together.

The production, directed by Carbonell Award-winner Andy Rogow, will star another Carbonell Award-winner – Lindsey Corey – as Agnes, and Silver Palm Award-winner Alex Jorth as Michael.

“Although growing up I had a huge collection of hundreds of original cast albums, I never owned I Do, I Do! nor had I ever seen a production of it. So, when I was asked to direct this production it was completely new to me,” Rogow says. “It is such a charming, intimate piece, with a score that is lovely and full of melodies that I find myself humming throughout the day. It’s very similar in those ways to Schmidt and Jones most famous musical, The Fantasticks, which I directed this past fall. I Do, I Do! is also a show that relies on its star power, and we certainly have that with Lindsey Corey and Alex Jorth. They are both true triple threats and audiences are going to fall in love with them.” 

The I Do! I Do! creative team includes Music Director Eric Alsford; Amanda Lopez is the show’s Choreographer, Claudia Smith is the Scenic Designer, Lowell Richard is the Lighting Designer, Penny Williams is the Costume Designer, and Elizabeth Guerra will take care of Props. Jeremy Quinn will serve as the production’s Stage Manager.

I Do! I Do! will run May 23 – June 1 at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center.  The theatre is located at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, in Pompano Beach (33060)

Tickets for I Do! I Do! range in price from $45 to $65.  Tickets may be purchased online at https://pompanobeachculturalcenter.com or by calling 954-501-1910.

For more information about I Do! I Do!, to speak with anyone involved in the production, or to arrange to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

I Do! I Do!
May 23 – June 1
Book by Tom Jones
Music by Harvey Schmidt
Lyrics by Tom Jones
Based on The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog
For tickets:  https://pompanobeachculturalcenter.csstix.com/event-details.php?e=625  or
Call:  954-501-1910
Performances:
Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The Pompano Beach Cultural Center
50 West Atlantic Blvd.,
Pompano Beach, FL  33060

(Click on each image to enlarge it, then right click on the enlarged image and ‘save image as’ or ‘copy image’)

Production Photos by Amy Pasquantonio

All photos: Lindsey Corey and Alex Jorth

Andy Rogow
Lindsey Corey
Alex Jorth


The Delray Beach Playhouse Announces Its 2025 – 2026 Lineup

23 Wednesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Delray Beach Playhouse

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Subscriptions Are Now Available for
Two Signature Series

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

April 23, 2025

DELRAY BEACH, FL: As its landmark 78th season draws to a close, the Delray Beach Playhouse is thrilled to announce its 2025 – 2026 season and officially open subscriptions for two of its most beloved offerings: the Main Stage Play Series and the Best of Broadway Cabaret Series. As the historic venue enters another season, it continues its mission to entertain, inspire, and bring the community together through live theater.

“Our 78th season was truly unforgettable, with sold-out houses and extraordinary performances,” says Executive Director Kevin Barrett. “We’re grateful for the continued support and look forward to welcoming both new and returning audiences. With two incredible series – from classic comedies to Broadway icons – this will be a season to remember.”

The Playhouse’s 2025 – 2026 Main Stage Plays Season, which kicks off in November and runs through May, will feature four full-scale productions ranging from classic musicals to laugh-out-loud comedies, and edge-of-your-seat thrillers. The season opens with the joyous, dance-filled musical The Pajama Game (Nov. 14 – Dec. 7, 2025), followed by the suspenseful mystery Strictly Murder (Jan. 30 – Feb. 22, 2026). The spring welcomes the Broadway smash Something Rotten! (Mar. 20 – Apr. 12, 2026), and the series concludes with the heartwarming Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy You Can’t Take It With You (May 8 – 24, 2026). Subscriptions for the Main Stage Plays series start at $139.

Meanwhile, the Best of Broadway Cabaret Series returns with five intimate, star-powered performances spotlighting Broadway legends and timeless tunes. The lineup includes: Jeff Harnar with The 1959 Broadway Songbook (Dec. 15–17, 2025), returning Broadway icon Tovah Feldshuh in TOVAH: Out of Her Mind (Jan. 5–9, 2026), KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler in Always: The Love Story of Irving Berlin (Feb. 16–19, 2026), Good Witch / Bad Witch starring former Wicked cast members Alli Mauzey and Dee Roscioli (Mar. 23–25, 2026), and Playhouse favorite Laura Yanez in Let’s Misbehave: The Music of Cole Porter (May 11–13, 2026). Subscriptions for the Best of Broadway Cabaret Series begin at $249.

Both series reflect the Playhouse’s commitment to offering a diverse and high-caliber season filled with music, laughter, heart, and theatrical magic!

Subscriptions for both series are now on sale. Main Stage subscriptions begin at $139. Subscriptions for the Best of Broadway Cabaret Series begin at $249.  Subscribers enjoy exclusive perks such as early seat selection, discounted service fees, and first access to the most in-demand shows.  

Current subscribers have until June 1, 2025 to renew their seats. Subscriptions are available online, or patrons may submit completed forms (available on the Playhouse’s website) directly to the Playhouse box office.

Individual tickets will go on sale later this year. Ticket prices will vary, and group rates will be available.

More information about all these productions, including show descriptions and logos, is available on the theatre’s website: delraybeachplayhouse.com. 

The Delray Beach Playhouse is located at 950 NW 9th Street, in Delray Beach, 33444. The Box Office can be reached at 561-272-1281. 

For more information about The Delray Beach Playhouse visit delraybeachplayhouse.com, or contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

About the Delray Beach Playhouse:
Serving South Florida since 1947, the Delray Beach Playhouse is one of the region’s oldest and most cherished cultural institutions. Located on beautiful Lake Ida, the Playhouse produces a full season of theatrical works, concerts, and educational programming, welcoming thousands of patrons annually to experience the joy of live theater.

(Click on each image to enlarge and/or download)