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Carol Kassie

~ Theatrical Marketing & Public Relations

Carol Kassie

Category Archives: MNM Theatre Company

GUYS AND DOLLS Opens at LPAC on April 1st!

09 Wednesday Mar 2022

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, MNM Theatre Company, Uncategorized

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Abe Burrows, Alex Van Hasselt, Alexandria Thomas, Alison Podolsky, Amanda Eisele, Amber Mandic, Andrea Guardo, Ashley Rubin, Bobby Peaco, Broadway at LPAC, Caiti Marlowe, Cindi Blank Taylor, Colleen Pagano, comedy, Frank Loesser, Geoffrey Mergele, Guy Haubrich, Guys and Dolls, James Skiba, Jamie Brothman, JB Green, Jo Swerling, Jonathan Eisele, Jonathan Van Dyke, Jordon Armstrong, Justin Lore, Justin Thompson, Kat Gold, Larry Buzzeo, Leah Sessa, LPAC, Manny Zaldivar, Marcie Gorman, Michael Harper, Michael Kreutz, Michael Materdomini, MNM Theatre Company, musical comedy, Musical Theatre, Norita Bandel, North End Theater Company, Penny Williams, Randall Swinton, Sean Davis, Tommy Paduano

MNM Theatre Company
The City of Lauderhill and
North End Theater Company

present

April 1 – April 16, 2022

“If you have ever searched Times Square to find that vanished Broadway of lovable gangsters, wisecracking dolls and neon-splashed dawns, you must not miss … Guys and Dolls.”
~ Frank Rich, The New York Times

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

March 10, 2022

LAUDERHILL, FL:  Sky Masterson, Nathan Detroit, Sarah Brown, and of course Miss Adelaide… these names are often familiar to Broadway aficionados of all ages.  Guys and Dolls, the third joint production to be presented by MNM Theatre Company, the City of Lauderhill, and North End Theater Company will bring these iconic characters (along with Nicely Nicely Johnson, Harry the Horse, Angie the Ox, and others) to life on the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC) stage from April 1st through April 16th. 

Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, and considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy, Guys and Dolls has won multiple Tony, Drama Desk, Olivier, and Critics’ Circle awards since it debuted at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre). With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Most Happy Fella) and the book by acclaimed humorist Abe Burrows and award-winning writer Jo Swerling, the show received unanimous rave reviews when it opened on November 24th, 1950.

“There is only one defect – but a serious one – about the musical, Guys and Dolls, which opened at the 46th St. Theatre last evening,” John Chappman of the New York Daily News wrote on November 25, 1950. “And I might as well report it now and get on to happier things: The big trouble with Guys and Dolls is that a performance of it lasts only one evening, when it ought to last about a week.”

The story focuses on gambler Nathan Detroit as he tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck. Meanwhile his girlfriend, nightclub performer Miss Adelaide, laments that they have been engaged for fourteen years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler, Sky Masterson, for the dough, and Sky ends up chasing the strait-laced missionary Sarah Brown as a result. Guys and Dolls takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually, everyone ends up right where they belong. 

Marcie Gorman

“This show has been on my bucket list for a long time,” says MNM Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO Marcie Gorman. “The music, the characters, the book, Runyon’s New York – Guys and Dolls is ‘theatrical Nirvana’.  And I’m so thrilled we can present it to a brand-new audience at LPAC.”

Jonathan Van Dyke

“Guys and Dolls for me is the quintessential NY theatrical experience,” says the production’s director, Jonathan Van Dyke. “The score and characters are so vibrant, and I have really been looking forward to putting this together with MNM.”

Van Dyke’s talented South Florida-based cast includes Sean Davis as Sky Masterson, Caiti Marlowe as Sarah Brown, Leah Sessa as Miss Adelaide, Larry Buzzeo as Nathan Detroit, Tommy Paduano as Nicely, Nicely, Geoffrey Mergele as Benny Southstreet, Alexandria Thomas as Rusty Charlie, Michael Kreutz as Arvide Abernathy, James Skiba as Lt. Branigan, Norita Bandel as General Cartwright, Kat Gold as Agatha, Michael Materdomini as Harry the Horse, Manny Zaldivar as Angie the Ox, Randall Swinton as Joey Biltmore, and Colleen Pagano as Big Jule.

Rounding out the Guys and Dolls cast are Ashley Rubin, Amanda Eisele, Alex Van Hasselt, Alison Podolsky, and Michael Harper.

Bobby Peaco is the production’s Music Director, and Jonathan Van Dyke and Jonathan Eisele are the show’s Choreographers.  Scenic Designer and Scenic Artist is Cindi Blank Taylor, Lighting Designer is Guy Haubrich, Sound Designer is Justin Thompson, Costume Designer is Penny Williams, Props are by Jamie Brothman, and Wigs are by Justin Lore.  Guys and Dolls’ Technical Director is JB Green, Production Manager is Jordon Armstrong, Stage Manager is Amber Mandic, and the Assistant Stage Manager is Andrea Guardo.

Guys and Dolls will run from April 1st through April 16th, 2022.  Tickets are $45 to $65 and are available online at www.lpacfl.com or by calling 954-777-2055.

Lauderhill Performing Arts Center recommends that masks be worn in the building.

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/) and North End Theater Company and/or the Broadway at  LPAC series, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

~

Guys and Dolls
April 1 – 16, 2022

Book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Based on the Idyll of Sarah Brown and characters by Damon Runyon
Tickets: $45-$65
For tickets:  www.lpacfl.com or www.mnmtheatre.org or
Call 954-777-2055
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm
All performances at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL  33311

  • Sean William Davis, Caiti Marlowe
  • Leah Sessa, Larry Buzzeo
  • Tommy Paduano, Alexandria Thomas, Geoffrey Mergele
  • Geoffrey Mergele, Larry Buzzeo, Tommy Paduano
  • Sean William Davis, Caiti Marlowe
  • Tommy Paduano
  • Leah Sessa, Caiti Marlowe



  • Jonathan Van Dyke
  • Marcie Gorman
  • Larry Buzzeo
  • Colleen Pagano
  • Geoffrey Mergele
  • Ashley Rubin
  • Michael Materdomini
  • Allison Podolsky
  • Tommy Paduano
  • Alexandra Van Hasselt
  • Caiti Marlowe
  • James A. Skiba
  • Manny Zaldivar
  • Michael Kreutz
  • Norita Bandel
  • Leah Sessa
  • Michael Harper
  • Amanda Eisele
  • Randall Swinton
  • Alexandria Thomas
  • Sean William Davis
  • Jessie Dez

SISTER ACT (A Divine Musical Comedy!) at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center February 18 – March 6, 2022

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, MNM Theatre Company

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Alex Jorth, Alexandra Dow, Allan Napier, Amber Mandic, Andrea Guardo, Anthony Campisi, Ariela Pizza, Ashley Rubin, Bill Brewer, Casey Sacco, Charlie Alguera, Cindi Blank Taylor, Clifford Spulock, Colleen Pagano, Dalia Aleman, Don Jose, Elissa Solomon, Elizabeth Sackett, Francine Birns, Gabriella Saramago, Geoffrey Mergele, Heather Simsay, James White III, Jamie Brothman, Jaonda Carter, JB Green, Jordon Armstrong, Justin Lore, Justin Thompson, Karen Hagerty Cohen, Kate Delaney, Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, LPAC, Marcie Gorman, Meg Frost, Michael Ursua, MNM Theatre Company, musical comedy, Musical Theatre, Nia Bourne, North End Theater Company, Penny Williams, Sahid Pabon, Sister Act, Vallery Valentine

MNM Theatre Company
The City of Lauderhill and
North End Theater Company

To present

February 18 – March 6, 2022

“This is a musical that hits all the right spots, achieving something close to Broadway grace.”
~Mark Kennedy, Associated Press

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

February 2, 2022

LAUDERHILL, FL:  Musical theatre audiences love big, splashy musical numbers. And what could be better than those? Big splashy musical numbers… with nuns!  Sister Act, which will open at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC) on February 18th and run through March 6th, is chock full of both! The show is the second joint production of MNM Theatre Company, the City of Lauderhill, and North End Theater Company, following their recent critically acclaimed production of Grease.

After witnessing her gangster boyfriend commit murder, Disco Diva Deloris Van Cartier is put into protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be found – a struggling Philadelphia convent.  Disguised as a nun, but constantly at odds with the rigid lifestyle and old- fashioned Mother Superior, Deloris eventually takes on revamping the convent’s out of tune choir, with energizing and surprising results.  

Based on the 1992 hit film and featuring music by Tony Award-winner and eight-time Academy Award-winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors, Newsies) and lyrics by Glenn Slater, Sister Act’s musical numbers run the gamut from old fashioned Broadway-type show tunes, to Gospel Music, to 70s R & B, to early disco, to rap.

Michael Ursua

“With a fantastic score by Alan Menken and all the beloved characters from the film, Sister Act is the perfect show to welcome audiences back to the theatre,” says the show’s director Michael Ursua.  “It’s a beautiful story about coming together. It reminds us that we as human beings are more similar than we are different. With a cast of 25, fabulous sets and costumes and an 8-piece band, this uplifting musical comedy will leave you happy and hopeful… Can I get an amen?!” 

Vallery Valentine

Ursua’s talented South Florida cast includes Dalia Alemán as Mother Superior, Ariela Pizza as Sister Mary Robert, Heather Simsay as Sister Mary Patrick, Colleen Pagano as Sister Mary Lazarus, Bill Brewer as Monsignor O’Hara, Don Jose as Curtis Jackson, James White III as Eddie Souther, Allan Napier as TJ, Joshua Roland-Bramkamp as Joey, Charlie Alguera as Pablo, Javonda Carter as Michelle, Meg Frost as Tina, and Vallery Valentine as Deloris Van Cartier.

“I am extremely excited to play the role of Deloris, and to work with MNM,” Valentine says. “Being an independent R&B artist for the past 15+ years, I can relate to Deloris’s character and her story (the hardships of trying to “make it” in this industry). Also, it’s just a really fun role. I actually think our personalities are almost 100% identical – I get to show my comedic side – not only my voice. For me to be offered this role was truly divine intervention!”

Rounding out the Sister Act cast are Sahid Pabon who will act as the show’s dance captain, Elissa Solomon, Casey Sacco, Geoffrey Mergele, Elizabeth Sackett, Kate Delaney, Karen Hagerty Cohen, Gabriella Saramago, Francine Birns, Ashley Rubin, Alexandra Dow, and Nia Bourne.

Anthony Campisi is the production’s Music Director and Alex Jorth is the show’s Choreographer.  Scenic Designer and Scenic Artist is Cindi Blank Taylor, Lighting Designer is Clifford Spulock, Sound Designer is Justin Thompson, Costume Designer is Penny Williams, Props are by Jamie Brothman, and Wigs are by Justin Lore.   Sister Act’s Technical Director is Johnbarry Green, Production Manager is Jordon Armstrong, Stage Manager is Amber Mandic, and the Assistant Stage Manager is Andrea Guardo.

Sister Act will run from February 18th to March 6th, 2022.  Tickets are $45 to $65 and are available online at www.lpacfl.com or by calling 954-777-2055.

Lauderhill Performing Arts Center requires that masks be worn
in the building at all times.

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/) and North End Theater Company and/or the Broadway at  LPAC series, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

This press release, along with the show logo and actor headshots, can be viewed online at TBA

~

Sister Act
February 18 – March 6

Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner
Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane
Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture, Sister Act, written by Joseph Howard
Tickets: $45-$65
For tickets:  www.lpacfl.com or www.mnmtheatre.org or
Call 954-777-2055
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm
All performances at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL  33311

  • Nia Bourne
  • Alexandra Dow
  • Alex Jorth
  • Ariela Pizza
  • Bill Brewer
  • Colleen Pagano
  • Dalia Aleman
  • Gabriella Saramago
  • Geoffrey Mergele
  • Heather Simsay
  • James White III
  • Sahid Pabon
  • Michael Ursua
  • Vallery Valentine
  • JaVonda Carter
  • Francine Birns
  • Elizabeth Sackett
  • Allan Napier
  • Ashley Rubin
  • Karen Hagerty Cohen
  • Joshua Roland-Bramkamp
  • Don Jose
  • Kate Delaney
  • Meg Frost
  • Charlie Alguera
  • Elissa D. Solomon
  • Anthony Campisi
  • Dalia Aleman
  • Sister Act
  • Sister Act
  • Vallery Valentine
  • Vallery Valentine, Bill Brewer, Dalia Aleman
  • Sister Act
  • Dalia Aleman, Vallery Valentine

MNM Theatre Company to present TREASURE ISLAND – January 10 – 13

05 Wednesday Jan 2022

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, MNM Theatre Company

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Blaine Deberry, Christian Cooper, Delray Beach Playhouse, Devin Tupler, Doriyan Caty, Eliot Mahon, Family Theatre, Franz Joseph, James Skiba, Luis Roberto Herrera, Manuel Zaldivar, MNM Theatre Company, Om Jaye, Sara Grant, Theatre for Young People, Treasure Island

Four Performances Only at The Delray Beach Playhouse!

January 10 -13

A swashbuckling, heart-stopping pirate adventure suitable for the entire family

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

January 5, 2022

DELRAY BEACH, FL:  Devin Tupler, MNM Theatre Company’s Director of Education and Outreach Program, will helm the world premiere of Treasure Island, by South playwright Luis Roberto Herrera.  The production will run from January 10th through 13th at the Delray Beach Playhouse.

This version of the beloved Robert Louis Stevenson classic by playwright Luis Roberto Herrera is a swashbuckling, heart-stopping pirate adventure suitable for the entire family. 

“The play is a fun 90-minute rollicking good time,” Tupler says. The playwright managed to roll a stunt show, a comedy, and a heartfelt look into what makes people truly “good” all into an hour and a half – plus he found time for MUSIC!” 

Luis Roberto Herrera is a New York City based playwright with a bachelor’s degree in acting from the University of Florida.  He is currently completing his M.F.A. in playwriting at The New School. He was a resident playwright in the Greenhouse Residency at SPACE on Ryder Farm and has had work produced at the Fort Lauderdale Fringe Festival and the New York Summer Theatre Festival. His full-length plays include Pale Blue Dot, Bang Bang, Poolside Glow, and Grandma’s Armchair. Poolside Glow was chosen for the New Year New Works reading series at Fantasy Theatre Factory in January 2019 and was part of the Greenhouse Development Residency 2019 program at FIU. Herrera was part of the 2019 Athena Writes fellowship at Athena Theatre Company and had a reading of Grandma’s Armchair through Zoetic Stage. 

Director Tupler has assembled a multi-talented cast, several of whom will take on multiple roles in the production.  James Skiba will play Billy Bones/Long John Silver, along with Eliot Mahon as Jim Hawkins, Sara Grant as Jim’s Mother/Tom/ Ben Gun, Manuel Zaldivar as Black Dog/Israel Hands/ Christian Cooper as Dr. Livesey, Doriyan Caty as Squire Trewlaney, Om Jaye as Captain Smollet, Franz Joseph as Joeb, and Blaine Deberry as Gray.

Martyna Reczka is the production’s Stage Manager, Andre Lancaster is the Technical Director, and Sonia Buchanan is handling the lights.

Treasure Island will run from Monday, January 10th through Thursday, January 13th at the Delray Beach Playhouse.  All performances are at 6 pm. Tickets are $25, $20 for seniors and/or children under 10, and $15 for groups of 6 or more, and can be purchased online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by phone at 561-272-1281. 

Masks covering the nose, mouth, and chin must be worn in order to attend.

The Delray Beach Playhouse is located at 950 NW 9th Street, in Delray Beach (33444).

For more information about Treasure Island, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

MNM Theatre Company
presents
Treasure Island
By Luis Roberto Herrera
January 10 – 13, 2022
Directed by Devin Tupler
Tickets:  $25
              $20 for seniors and children under 10
              $15 for groups of 6 or more
For tickets:  delraybeachplayhouse.com
Direct ticketing link: https://tinyurl.com/2wawu5xx
Or call 561-272-1281
All performances at 6 pm
All performances to take place at
The Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL  33444




 


  • Devin Tupler
  • James Skiba & Friends

GREASE to Run at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center January 21 – 30, 2022

15 Wednesday Dec 2021

Posted by Carol Kassie in Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, MNM Theatre Company

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Alexandra Dow, Amber Mandic, Andrea Guardo, Angela Morando Taylor, Ashley Rubin, Brian Pedra, Caryl Fantel, Cindi Blank Taylor, Cliff Burgess, Clifford Spulock, Dorian Quinn, Eytan Deray, Grease, Jennifer McClain, Jessie Dez, Johnbarry Green, Jonathan Van Dyke, Jordan Gonzalez, Jordon Armstrong, Justin Lore, Justin Thompson, Larry Buzzeo, Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, LPAC, Marcie Gorman, Meg Frost, Michael Harper, Michael Materdomini, MNM Theatre Company, musical comedy, Musical Theatre, Nia Bourne, Penny Williams, Ryan Michael James

MNM Theatre Company
North End Theatre Company and
The City of Lauderhill

to present

January 21 – 30, 2022

“Perhaps more than any other musical, Grease embodies those seven words most commonly heard in the theater just before the curtain rises: ‘Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.’”
 ~
Syracuse.com

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

December 16, 2021

LAUDERHILL, FL:  Grease, the rollicking rock ‘n roll musical that is both an homage to the idealism and the music of the 50s, and a satirical look at teenagers’ universal and age-old desire to be provocative and rebellious, is the first joint production of MNM Theatre Company, North End Theatre Company, and the City of Lauderhill.  Grease will open on January 14th at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC) and run through January 30th.  

At Rydell High School the ‘T-Birds’ are acting tough and stealing hub caps, and their gum-snapping, chain-smoking ‘Pink Ladies’ are looking hot in bobby sox and pedal pushers. But at the heart of Grease is the romance between top Burger Boy hot-rodder Danny Zuko and sweet ‘new girl in town’ Sandy Dumbrowski.   Can Danny maintain his ‘cool dude’ status and still make Sandy his girl?!

Grease has become one of the world’s most popular musicals and has a cult-like following – especially among teens. The show’s book, music, and lyrics are by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, and the show features such iconic classics as “Summer Nights”, “Hopelessly Devoted to You”, “Beauty School Dropout”, “Greased Lightning”, and “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee”. 

The show debuted Off-Broadway on February 14, 1972, at the Eden Theatre in New York City, and transferred to Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre, and later to the Royale Theatre, closing on April 13, 1980 after a record-breaking 3,388 performances. The film adaptation of Grease premiered in 1978 and over forty years later remains on the list of the top 10 highest grossing movie musicals of all time.  

Jonathan Van Dyke

“Grease is still the word, and I can’t wait to take everyone back to 1959 and Rydell High,” says the show’s director, Jonathan Van Dyke. “We are so excited about this dynamic cast and sharing this nostalgic show with fans and perhaps introducing patrons to their first Grease experience.” 

Van Dyke has populated Rydell High with an impressively talented cast:  Dorian Quinn will play Danny Zuko and Jessica Fernandez has been chosen to play Sandy Dumbrowski.  Other cast members include Jordan Gonzalez as Rizzo, Ashley Rubin as Frenchie, Caiti Marlowe as Patty Simcox, Kat Gold as Jan, Meg Frost as Marty, Ryan James as Kenickie, Brian Piedra as Doody, Michael Harper as Roger, Michael Materdomini as Sonny, Alexandra Dow as Cha-Cha, Eytan Deray as Eugene, Jennifer McClain as Miss Lynch, and Larry Buzzeo as Vince Fontaine.

Marcie Gorman

“I love this show!”, says MNM Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Marcie Gorman. “Grease, to me, is the perfect way to begin our new relationship with North End Theatre Company and LPAC.  It’s upbeat, it’s fun, the songs are so recognizable, and it appeals to audiences of all ages.  It’s ‘greased lightning!’”

Desorae Giles-Smith, City Manager for the City of Lauderhill agrees: “The City of Lauderhill is looking forward to an amazing 2022 Broadway season in partnership with MNM Theatre Company and North End Theater Company,” she says.  “We are so pleased to be a part of bringing our community high-quality musicals and entertainment, and Grease is sure to continue that tradition when it opens at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in January.”

Carbonell and Silver Palm Award-winner Caryl Fantel is Grease’s Music Director and Angela Morando Taylor is the show’s Choreographer.  Scenic Designer and Scenic Artist is Cindi Blank Taylor, Lighting Designer is Clifford Spulock, Sound Designer is Justin Thompson, Costume Designer is Penny Williams, Props are by Jaimie Brothman and Jacob Altman, and Wigs are by Justin Lore.   Grease’s Technical Director is Johnbarry Green, Production Manager is Jordon Armstrong, Stage Manager is Amber Mandic, and the Assistant Stage Manager is Andrea Guardo.

Grease will run from January 21st – January 30th, 2022.  Tickets are $45 to $65 and are available online at www.lpacfl.com or by calling 954-777-2055. Subscriptions to the Broadway at LPAC series (Grease, Sister Act, and Guys and Dolls) are also on sale, and various subscription packages are available.

Lauderhill Performing Arts Center recommends that face coverings be worn.

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/) and North End Theater Company and/or the Broadway at  LPAC series, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

Grease
January 21 – 30, 2022

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Tickets: $45-$65
For tickets:  www.lpacfl.com or www.mnmtheatre.org or
Call 954-777-2055
Performances:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 pm
All performances at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL  33311


  • Jonathan Van Dyke
  • Caryl Fantel
  • Eytan Deray
  • Larry Buzzeo
  • Michael Materdomini
  • Michael Harper
  • Brian Piedra
  • Jessie Dez
  • Jordan Gonzalez
  • Ryan Michael James

STREAKIN’ THRU THE 70S – A Musical Flashback to the 1970s – at Mizner Park Cultural Center February 4 – 20, 2022 

27 Wednesday Oct 2021

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center, MNM Theatre Company

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1970s music, Albert Evans, Boca Raton Theatre, Dorian Quinn, Ellie Roddy, Eric Alsford, Heidi Karol Johnson, James A. Rocco, Jonathan Van Dyke, Mizner Park Cultural Center, musical comedy, Ryan Michael James, Shelley Keelor, Streakin' Thru the 70's

MNM Theatre Company &
Arts Center Management
to present

February 4th – 20th, 2022
Tickets on Sale Now!

“It’s like stumbling onto a jukebox full of your favorite 45s. It leaves no pet rock unturned!”
~ The New York Daily News

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

October 27, 202

BOCA RATON, FL:  A kaleidoscopic flashback through game shows, sitcoms, disco, earth shoes, pet rocks, and lava lamps, Streakin’ Thru the 70s is an outrageous, mind-blowing dash through the much maligned ‘Me Decade’.  The show, presented by MNM Theatre Company and Arts Center Management, will run from February 4th through February 20th at the Mizner Park Cultural Center, and is filled music, comedy, and memories and features over 40 hit songs.

Streakin’ Thru the 70s began as a workshop by creators/writers James A. Rocco and Albert Evans, who were responsible for the off-Broadway hits Pageant and Nite Club Confidential.   A six-week tryout in a small theatre in Wichita Kansas turned into a five-month run, and the enthusiastic reaction to the show, its iconic music, and uniquely 70s catch phrases and images – “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature”, “How would you like a nice Hawaiian Punch”, hot pants, polyester pantsuits, and the Village Person – plus the popularity of the Broadway mega-hit Mamma Mia, emphasized the universal appeal of both mocking and simultaneously embracing the ‘what were we thinking’ culture of the 1970s. 

“I am so looking forward to presenting this groovy good time and reminding audiences of what a special decade the 70s was,” says the show’s director Jonathan Van Dyke. “With all the laughs, music, fabulous fashion, and fun in this show, it will be a ‘dy no-mite’ theatrical event whether you lived it or not!”

Eric Alsford will serve as Streakin’s music director; the cast includes Shelley Keelor, Dorian Quinn, Ellie Roddy, and Ryan Michael James.

James A. Rocco is an award-winning director, writer, and theatrical consultant whose work has been seen on Broadway, off-Broadway, throughout the United States, and in London, Paris, and Tokyo.  In 2013 he was recognized by the Broadway League and the Coalitions of Broadway Unions and Guilds for 25 years of dedication, craft, and contribution to theatre.

Albert Evans wrote the music for the off-Broadway hit Pageant, chosen by Time Magazine as one of the year’s ten best entertainment events.    His lyrics are featured in a new performing edition of The Merry Widow, seen at New York City Opera, and televised on Live from Lincoln Center (PBS).  He was the Composer in Residence for ten years at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse and is currently Artistic Associate at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.

Streakin’ Thru the 70s will run at the Mizner Park Cultural Center from February 4th through February 20th, 2022. Ticket prices range from $45 to $65 and can be purchased online at miznerparkculturalcenter.com.

Masks must be worn in order to attend.

The Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center is located at 201 Plaza Real, in Boca Raton (33432)

For more information about Streakin’ Thru the 70s or the Mizner Park Cultural Center, contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Streakin’ Thru the 70s
By James A. Rocco and Albert Evans, with Heidi Karol Johnson
February 4 – 20, 2022
Tickets: $45/$55/$65
For tickets: 
Call 844-672-2849
Online: miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/streakin-thru-the-70s/2022-02-04
Performance Days & Times:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm
201 Plaza Real, 2nd Floor
Boca Raton, FL 33432

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

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, MNM Theatre Company

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Barry Kaye Auditorium, David Rigano, Devin Tupler, Jordon Armstrong, King of Cats Theatre Company, Luis Roberto Herrera, Marcie Gorman, Miramar Cultural Center, MNM Theatre Company, Paul Rigano, Pinecrest Gardens, Rigano Songbook, Robyn Eli Brenner, Romeo and Juliet, Seth Trucks, Theatre for Young Audiences, TYA, William Shakespeare

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

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

Posted by Carol Kassie in MNM Theatre Company, Uncategorized

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Arts Center Management, Broadway at LPAC, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Jonathan Van Dyke, Kevin Barret, Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, Marcie Gorman, Michael Ursua, MNM Theatre Company, musical comedy, Musicals, Sister Act, Theatre in Lauderhill

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

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, MNM Theatre Company

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Aaron Bower, Boca Raton Theatre, Closer Than Ever, David Shire, Elijah Word, Johnbarry Green, Jonathan Van Dyke, Marcie Gorman, MNM Theatre Company, Musical Theatre, Richard Maltby Jr., Shelley Keelor, Streaming Theatre

Theatre in the Time of COVID!

MNM Theatre Company Proudly Extends

Maltby & Shire’s
Closer Than Ever
The 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

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, MNM Theatre Company

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Tags

Aaron Bower, Boca Raton Theatre, Closer Than Ever, David Shire, Elijah Word, Emily Tarallo, Eric Alsford, Johnbarry Green, Jonathan Van Dyke, Marcie Gorman, Musical Theatre, Richard Maltby Jr., Shelley Keelor, ShowTix4U.com, Theatre on Demand

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

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, MNM Theatre Company

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Aaron Bower, Boca Raton Theatre, Closer Than Ever, David Shire, Elijah Word, Emily Tarello, Eric Alsford, Johnbarry Green, Jonathan Van Dyke, Marcie Gorman, Musical Theatre, Richard Maltby Jr., Shelley Keelor, ShowTix4U.com, Theatre on Demand

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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