Carol Kassie’s clients.

The Pompano Players’ I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE Opens November 8th

18 Friday Oct 2024

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

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Collin Salvatoré, comedy, Eve Dillingham, Heather Simsay, I Love You You're Perfect Now Change, Jeremy Quinn, Jimmy Rogers, Joe DiPietro, Lovell Rose, Michael Ursua, musical, musical comedy, Musical Theatre, Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Pompano Players, theater, theatre, Theatre in Pompano

“Everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives, and in-laws, but were afraid to admit.”

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

October 18, 2024

POMPANO BEACH, FL: The newly minted Pompano Players Theatre Company will present I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center from November 8^th through November 17^th. This will be the second production of their inaugural season.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change with book and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis, Over the River and Through the Woods), and music by Jimmy Rogers (The Thing About Men), consists of a delightful series of vignettes celebrating the mating game – from single life to dating to marriage, from children to in-laws to the ‘end’.

The production will be helmed by Jeremy Quinn: “Directing I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is a thrilling and profound experience,” he says. “At its core, this musical is a celebration of love in all its messy, awkward, and hilarious glory. What excites me about this show is how relatable it is for audiences from all walks of life. Whether you’ve experienced a first date disaster, navigated the challenges of long-term commitment, or even survived a breakup, the characters in this musical feel like us – they reflect our joys, insecurities, and sometimes our failures.

“Each scene is infused with humor and heart, offering a cathartic experience that reminds us that while love can be confusing and challenging, it’s also one of the most beautiful things that define us as humans,” he continues. “Ultimately, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is about connection – the desire we all have to be seen, understood, and loved. In this production, we hope to leave the audience not only entertained but perhaps a little more reflective about their own relationships, whether past, present, or future.

Quinn has assembled a talented quartet of actors to portray the ups and downs of all types of different relationships: Eve Dillingham, Collin Salvatoré, Heather Simsay, and Lovell Rose will, between them, take on over 40 roles during the course of the production.

Music Direction for I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change will be handled by multiple Carbonell Award-winner Michael Ursua. The show’s Choreographer is Amanda Lopez, Claudia Smith is the Scenic Designer, Stevie Bleich is the production’s Lighting Designer, and Penelope Williams is the Costume Designer. Director Quinn will also take on Stage Manager duties.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change will run from November 8 – 17 at Pompano Beach Cultural Center. The theatre is located at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, in Pompano Beach (33060)

Tickets for I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change range in price from $45 to $65. Tickets may be purchased online at pompanobeachculturalcenter.com or by calling 954-501-1910.

For more information about I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and/or The Pompano Players, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
~
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro
Music by Jimmy Roberts
November 8 – 17, 2024
Tickets: $45 – $65
For tickets: pompanobeachculturalcenter.com or
Call: 954-501-1910
Performances:
Fridays at 7 pm
Saturday, November 9 at 8 pm
Saturday, November 16 at 7 pm
Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The Pompano Beach Cultural Center
50 West Atlantic Blvd.,
Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Thinking Cap Theatre to present LOVESONG – October 19 – November 3

10 Thursday Oct 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Thinking Cap Theatre

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Abbie Fricke, Abi Morgan, ACCH, Alex Gonzalez, Alyiece Moretto-Watkins, Art and Culture Center/Hollywood, Breanna Michel, Bree-Anna Obst, Deborah Kondelik, Drama, Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, Lovesong, Manda Gonzalez, Nathaniel Heustis, Nicole Perry, Nicole Stodard, Pablo de Pablo, Peter Galman, theatre, Theatre in Hollywood Florida, Thinking Cap Theatre

“…gripping and intense…make time for this play.”
~ The Cambridge Critique

“…the delightful quirkiness of Morgan’s text…is playful and illuminating.”
~ Aleks Sierz/The ArtsDesk.com

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

October 10, 2024

HOLLYWOOD, FL: Thinking Cap Theatre’s (TCT) first production of the 2024 – 2025 season will be the regional premiere of Lovesong by playwright/screenwriter Abi Morgan. Lovesong will run from October 19^th through November 3^rd at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center (managed by the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood (ACCH). TCT’s new residency at the venue will mark the return of professional theatre to Hollywood for the first time since the Hollywood Playhouse closed in 2003.

Inspired by the T.S. Eliot poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, Abi Morgan developed Lovesong with the world class innovative UK-based company, Frantic Assembly:

“Lovesong is a play that’s been on TCT’s radar since 2018, when I was searching for plays for our 10th Anniversary Season in 2020,” says TCT’s Producing Artistic Director Nicole Stodard. “The pandemic prevented us from staging it then, but I am thrilled finally to be directing the piece now. It’s a truly breathtaking play that examines the love story of one couple at two different stages of their life together, their youthful beginning and their twilight years. It’s a play about true love, the power of memory, the value of legacy, and the meaning of life. It’s also a visually stunning play that incorporates movement. Its message and its innovative style speak directly to TCT’s mission.”

Abi Morgan (OBE) is a Welsh playwright and screenwriter known for her works in television such as Sex Traffic, The Hour, and The Split, and the films Brick Lane, The Iron Lady, Shame, and Suffragette.

Stodard’s cast consists of Peter Galman, Deborah Kondelik, Nathaniel Heustis, and Abbie Fricke.

The Stage Manager for Lovesong is Pablo de Pablo; Breanna Michel and Manda Gonzalez will serve as Assistant Stage Managers. Costume Design and Co-Sound Design is by Nicole Stodard, along with Designers Bree-Anna Obst and Alyiece Moretto-Watkins. Nicole Perry is the production’s Intimacy/Movement Director, and Alex Gonzalez is the Front of House Coordinator.

Tickets for Lovesong are $45 and are available online at https://thinkingcaptheatre.org or by calling 310-500-6448. Performances are on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 5 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm. All performances will take place at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center (1770 Monroe Street, Hollywood, FL, 33020).

For more information about Thinking Cap Theatre, please visit https://thinkingcaptheatre.org. To arrange to see the production, for interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244 or Nicole Stodard at nicole@thinkingcaptheatre.org / 813-220-1546.

Lovesong
October 19 – November 3, 2024
By Abi Morgan
Tickets: $45 / $20 Student Rush tickets at the door for 21 & under with valid student IDTickets: https://thinkingcaptheatre.org
Or call 310-500-6448
Performances:
Wednesday at 7:30 pm
Saturday at 5 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
All performances will take place at
Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center
1770 Monroe Street
Hollywood, FL 33020

Pigs Do Fly Productions’ THE LONG WEEKEND Opens at Empire Stage November 1st

07 Monday Oct 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Pigs Do Fly Productions

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Alan Goodman, Christopher Michaels, comedy, Comedy of Manners, Ellen Wacher, Empire Stage, Janice Hamilton, Karen Stephens, Michael Coppola, Norm Foster, Pigs Do Fly Productions, theater, theatre, Theatre in Fort Lauderdale

“…just enough sex, just enough smart talk, just enough preposterous plot twists to keep you titillated.”
– Gary Smith, Hamilton Spectator

“Norm Foster scores a bull’s eye with this tickling romp about mismatched spouses.”
L.A. Times

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

October 7, 2024

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: Pigs Do Fly Productions will present Canadian Playwright Norm Foster’s The Long Weekend, a comedy of manners filled with numerous plot twists and a hilariously tangled web of truths, deceptions, and surprises. The production will run from November 1- 24 at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.

“Norm Foster’s plays definitely resonate with our audiences,” says Pigs Do Fly Executive Producer Ellen Wacher. “This is the third one of his plays we have produced. They are clever, and funny, but they also they examine life and circumstances in ways that ring true – whether he’s analyzing established relationships or observing emerging or fluctuating ones.

“His characters are often of over the age of 50, which is great for us – that’s our target audience and that ties in perfectly with our mission statement.” She continues. “But – and this is a wonderful caveat – we have found over the past 8 and a half years that as our audiences have grown, they have diversified; it’s been so great to see younger people at the theatre and enjoying what we’re offering. As I often say, good theatre has no age limit!”

As The Long Weekend opens Max and Wynn are preparing to show off their beautiful new summer home to their best friends, Roger and Abby. What is meant to be a relaxing holiday weekend turns into a battle of wits as their pasts catch up with them, the gloves come off and old scores are settled in comedic fashion.

The production will be directed by Christopher Michaels: “The Long Weekend had me in absolute stitches on the subway while I gave it a first read,” Michaels says. “It is hilariously well-written and all I could think was how much it felt like a sitcom: unit set, key cast, set-ups and punchlines, the overall pacing… And there was the challenge of putting a large country home in the intimate space at Empire Stage.”

Michaels is making his Pigs Do Fly directorial debut; this is his second South Florida theatre directing credit, following his acclaimed production of Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story at Wilton Manors’ Island City Stage last season.

The Long Weekend cast consists of 2024 Carbonell Award nominee and Silver Palm Award Winner Karen Stephens as Abby, along with Janice Hamilton as Wynn, Alan Goodman as Roger, and Michael Coppola as Max.

Norm Foster is considered Canada’s most produced playwright. An extremely prolific writer, frequently referred to as the Canadian Neil Simon, Foster has had more than fifty plays produced on professional stages. His plays are known for their humor, accessibility, and insight into ‘the everyday tribulations of life.’

The Stage Manager for The Long Weekend is Larry Buzzeo. Dean Landhuis is the show’s Scenic Designer, David Hart will do the Sound Design, and Preston Bircher will create the Lighting Design and serve as Technical Director. Costumes are by Saul Mendoza and MNM Theatre Company will build the sets. Jessica Kaschube is the Company Manager, and Patrick Vida will handle the Box Office.

Tickets for The Long Weekend are $45 and are available online at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com or by calling 954-678-1496. Performances are on Fridays at 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 5 pm. All performances will take place at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive,Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.

For more information about Pigs Do Fly Productions, please visit www.pigsdoflyproductions.com. To arrange for interviews, or for photos, or for requests to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. For more information about Ellen Wacher, please visit www.ellenwacher.com. For more information about Christopher Michaels please visit https://www.christophermichaels.nyc/director.

The Long Weekend
November 1 – 24
By Norm Foster
Tickets: $45
Tickets: www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Or call 954-678-1496
Performances:
Friday at 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 5 pm
All performances will take place at
Empire Stage1140 N Flagler Drive,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Delray Beach Playhouse Renames Actors Awards Gala in Honor of Long-Time Artistic Director Randy DelLago

30 Monday Sep 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Delray Beach Playhouse

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DeLago Awards Gala, Delray Beach Playhouse, Randy DelLago, theater, theatre

Delray Beach Playhouse Renames Actors Awards Gala
in Honor of
Long-Time Artistic Director
Randy DelLago

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

September 30, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL: The Delray Beach Playhouse announced today it will rename the theatre’s annual Actors Awards Gala in honor of the Playhouse’s long-time Artistic Director Randolph DelLago.

The newly renamed 2024 DelLago Awards Gala honoring performances from this past season will take place on November 7, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at the Delray Beach Playhouse. The event will be attended by Playhouse actors and family.

DelLago, who served as the Playhouse Artistic Director for 40 years, passed away on July 8^th, 2024.

Randy DelLago arrived in Florida via Wilmington, North Carolina in 1982. Beloved by Playhouse staff, board members, and audiences alike, he directed hundreds of plays and musicals over the years and was often characterized as ‘the face of the Playhouse’. However, DelLago may best be remembered for his “Musical Memories” productions that packed the Delray Beach Playhouse each season. DelLago scripted musical stories about a composer or performer — bringing that composer or performer to life through an ensemble cast singing and dancing while he narrated their biography.

“The Playhouse family of actors, volunteers, staff and board members are grateful to have worked with Randy over many, many, years and we were all deeply saddened to learn of his passing in July,” says Playhouse Executive Director Kevin Barrett.

“It was important to come up with a way to honor Randy’s legacy here at the Playhouse and renaming the annual Gala The DelLago Awards in his honor, along with establishing a special award that will be given to all the winners in his name, seemed like the perfect way to keep his memory alive year after year moving forward,” Barrett says.

For more information about the 2024 DelLago Awards Gala, please contact the Delray Beach Playhouse Box Office at (561) 272-1281.

In the attached photos: Randy DelLago
Photo credits: Unknown

Entr’Acte Theatrix to present SWEENEY TODD October 17 – 27

30 Monday Sep 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Entr'Acte Theatrix

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Aaliyah Hirt, Aaron Fratacone, Ariel Hodgetts, Aurora Jenkins, Austin Gladstone, Carl Van Dyke, Charles Ponthokkan, Craig Sherman, David Afkham, David Taylor, Greg Halmos, Heidi Salonia, Hugh Wheeler, James Cichewicz, Melissa Gomez, musical, Musical Theatre, Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, theatre, Uzel-Ann Arellano-Macapagal, William G Skaff Center, Zoe Kanter

The musical and dramatic achievements of Stephen Sondheim’s black and bloody Sweeney Todd are so numerous and so clamorous that they trample and jam each other in that invisible but finite doorway that connects a stage and its audience.
Richard Eder ~ The New York Times

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

September 30, 2024

WEST PALM BEACH, FL: Entr’Acte Theatrix in collaboration with Theatre of Collaborative Arts is deep into rehearsals for the Stephen Sondheim classic Sweeney Todd ~ The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The production will be presented at the William G Skaff Center in West Palm Beach from October 17 – 27.

Sweeney Todd has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony Awards, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere. Stephen Sondheim’s and Hugh Wheeler’s (A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures) tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed, and delighted audiences across the world.

An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up…

“Sweeney Todd is an obvious choice for the spooky season, but not the only reason we chose it,” says the show’s director Carlo Sabusap. “It is a time honored classic, but one of those shows that you just have to do as a company that establishes your ability to take on something challenging.

“For me personally, it’s a bucket list show as well. I love the works of Stephen Sondheim, and Sweeney Todd has a level of intrigue that just pulls in every audience that sees it. It’s horror, it’s a thriller, it’s a mystery, and a dark comedy wrapped in one, with an unforgettable score and equally memorable characters.

“When the librettos came in, they were twice as thick as those for our previous show, Beauty and the Beast, and the first thought I had was ‘oh boy, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us!’” he continues. “Thankfully, our cast is made up of some of the most wonderful, creative, and eager actors we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, and I am so proud of all that they are accomplishing with this show. Not only breathing full life into these characters, and absolutely understanding them in depth, but jumping the hurdles that are the very challenging score that Sondheim has presented before us. This show is definitely going to leave a mark, and will leave audiences with a bloody good time!”

Sabusap’s Sweeney Todd casts consists of James Cichewicz as Sweeney Todd, Zoe Kanter as Mrs. Lovett, Greg Halmos as Tobias Ragg, David Taylor as Judge Turpin, Aaron Fantacone as Beadle Bamford, Heidi Salonia as The Beggar Woman, Austin Gladstone as Anthony Hope, Aurora Jenkins as Johanna, Craig Sherman as Adolfo Pirelli, David Afkham as Ensemble/Sweeney Todd US, Melissa Gómez as Ensemble/Lovette US, Carl Van Dyke as Ensemble/Judge US, Charles Ponthokkan/Ensemble., Ariel Hodgetts/Ensemble, and Uzel-Ann Arellano-Macapagal/Ensemble.

The Music Director for Sweeney Todd is Aaliyah Hirt, and the production will be choreographed by Sarah Kenny. Elizabeth Southwell will serve as both Technical Director and Lighting Designer, Sound Design is by Ryan Kivett and Costumes are by Rosseroni Parris. Jason Fisher is the Production Stage Manager.

Sweeney Todd ~ The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will run from October 17 – 27. Ticket prices range from $15 – 35 and are available online at http://www.palmbeachtheater.org or by calling 877-849-5327. Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Saturday, and Sunday at 2 pm. All performances will take place at the William G Skaff Center, 500 Spencer Drive, in West Palm Beach (33409)

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

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
October 17 – 27
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Hugh Wheeler From an adaptation by Christopher Bond
Performances:
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 pm
Tickets: $35: (premium seating)
$25: General Admission
$15 Children 12 & under/Seniors/ Groups of 10 or more $15 Student Rush (Any seat purchased 30 minutes before curtain with valid student ID)
For tickets:
http://www.palmbeachtheater.org
Phone: 877.849.5327
All performances will take place at
William G Skaff Center
500 Spencer Drive
West Palm Beach, Fl 33409

Patrons are asked to arrive 30 minutes before each scheduled performance for seating. All seating is assigned. Concessions will be available, cash only. Unfortunately, alcoholic beverages will not be available for purchase. Runtime is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.

Sweeney Todd Cast:

YI Love JewishTo Host SUNDAY SCHMOOZE SERIES at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts

26 Thursday Sep 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Yiddishkayt Initiative

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Aaron Kula, Anne Being Frank, Avi Hoffman, Chanukah, coral springs center for the arts, Igor Shteyrenberg, israel, Miriam Hoffman, Music, Singalong, YI Love Jewish, YI Love Jewish/Yiddishkayt Initiative, Yiddish, Yiddish Culture

YILove Jewish
To Host a
Sunday Schmooze Series
at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts
Beginning in October

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

September 26, 2024

CORAL SPRINGS, FL: YILove Jewish (a division of the Yiddishkayt Initiative) will host a Sunday Schmooze series beginning October 13^th at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts. Each event will begin with coffee, bagels, and ‘schmoozing’ (‘talking with someone in a friendly and engaging way!’), followed by lively, educational, and entertaining programming.

YI Love Jewish, founded by actor/producer/Jewish cultural activist Avi Hoffman and his mother, Miriam Hoffman, world-renowned scholar and professor of Yiddish language at Columbia University, is not-for-profit organization that celebrates and promotes Jewish history, life, and culture and their positive and far-reaching impact on the world. From performing arts, publishing, and education to language, philosophy and literature, YI offers a global clearinghouse of Jewish learning, culture and entertainment.

The Sunday Schmooze Series will offer a wide variety of programming and discussion opportunities and fits neatly into the YILove Jewish goal to utilize the arts to promote Jewish culture and identity both within and outside the Jewish community.

The first four programs to be offered are:

October 13^th: Anne Frank: A discussion centering on how Anne Frank’s Diary influenced people’s perception of the Holocaust. There will be a video interview with playwright Ron Elisha and star Alexis Fishman introducing their play Anne Being Frank, which will be presented at various venues in South Florida in November.

November 17: How are Jews portrayed in the media? Igor Shteyrenberg, founder of the Miami Jewish Film Festival will discuss how Jewish culture has made its way into mainstream cinema.

December 22: Chanukah Around the World. How do Jews around the world celebrate? Explore the different customs and traditional foods associated with ‘The Festival of Lights’ while enjoying latkes and donuts, and perhaps even playing a round or two of a dreidel game.

January 19: Rhythm and Schmooze ‘Singalong’. Join Avi Hoffman and Aaron Kula for a celebration of Jewish music.

For more information about YI Love Jewish and the Sunday Schmooze Series, and/or to purchase tickets, visit the organization’s website at https://yilovejewish.org or contact Sheri Smith – sheris@whyilovejewish.org / 561-254-5494 or Carol Kassie – carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Sunday Schmooze Series at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts
October 13/November 17/December 22/January 19
For tickets and Information: https://yilovejewish.org
Single Schmooze tickets are $18 per person/series tickets are $54
All Schmoozes will take place from
11:30 am (Schmooze) 12 pm – 1:30 pm program at
The Coral Springs Center for the Arts
2885 Coral Springs Drive
Coral Springs, Florida 33065

Boca Stage to present THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO October 24 – November 3, 2024

24 Tuesday Sep 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Boca Stage, Clients, Delray Beach Playhouse

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Alex Bakalarz, Alfred Uhry, Betty Ann Hunt Strain, Boca Stage, Christian Cooper, comedy, Delray Beach Playhouse, Hannah Haley, Keith Garsson, Liz DeBeer, Rachel Whittington, Shane Tanner, theater, theatre, Theatre in Delray Beach

“Using the manner and technique of boulevard comedy as its backdrop, “Ballyhoo” addresses some weighty issues with… [a] combination of ease and purpose…”
Greg Evans ~ Variety

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

September 24, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL: Boca Stage’s second production of the 2024-2025 season will be The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Pulitzer Prize/Tony Award/and Academy Award-winning playwright Alfred Uhry. The production will run from October 24th to November 3^rd in the Cabaret Theatre at the Delray Beach Playhouse.

“The Last Night of Ballyhoo is the second of playwright Alfred Uhry’s ‘Atlanta Trilogy’ which, although it follows Driving Miss Daisy, takes place twenty-five years earlier as World War II is just on the horizon and Gone with the Wind is about to become a movie sensation,” the production’s director Keith Garsson explains. (The third work in the trilogy, the musical Parade, recently enjoyed a successful revival on Broadway).

“In both Daisy and Ballyhoo, Uhry gives us characters who share a common experience of alienation yet cannot communicate with each other”, Garsson continues.

“Ballyhoo, told on a larger canvas, flips the traditional story of the assimilation of twentieth-century American Jews on its head,” he says. “Instead of the humorous Neil Simon tales of woe, neuroses and insecurities in New York City, Ballyhoo tells a much darker story with more serious themes of identity.

“The German-Jews of this story settled in Atlanta and became successful business folks. Yet, unlike their New York counterparts who continued to embrace their religion, the protagonists of Ballyhoo slowly shed their own backgrounds as they longed for acceptance in the upper crust of Southern society. Although the play may be seen as a search for identity, it is also by turns humorous, touching, and fascinating.

“We’ve all been outsiders at some point in our lives and Ballyhoo masterfully balances the sometimes-painful journey of a family that is forced to finally decide who they want to be.”

Director Garsson’s talented cast includes Hannah Hayley as Lala, Liz DeBeer as Reba, Betty Ann Hunt Strain as Boo, Shane Tanner as Adolph, Alex Bakalarz as Joe, Rachel Whittington as Sunny, and Christian Cooper as Peachy.

The Stage Manager for The Last Night of Ballyhoo is Joseph Long. The production’s Technical Director is Christian Taylor, Set Design is by Claudia Smith, Lighting Design is by Stevie Bleich, Sound Design is by David Hart, Costume Design is by Timothy Charles Bowman, and Jeff Davis will take care of Set Construction.

Tickets for The Last Night of Ballyhoo are on sale now. They range in price from $59 to $69 and are available online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by calling 561-272-1281. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9^th Street, Delray Beach (33444)

The Delray Beach Playhouse is located at 950 NW 9^th Street, in Delray Beach, 33444. (561-272-1281). For more information about the Playhouse, visit https://delraybeachplayhouse.com.

For more information about Boca Stage, the Delray Beach Playhouse, and Keith Garsson, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

The Last Night of Ballyhoo
By Alfred Uhry
October 24 – November 3, 2025
Tickets: $59/$69
For tickets & information:
https://delraybeachplayhouse.com/off-broadway-series
561-272-1281
All performances will take place at
The Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9^th Street
Delray Beach, FL 33444

The Last Night of Ballyhoo Production Photos by Amy Pasquantonio
(Click on each image to enlarge)

Liz DeBeer, Hannah Hayley, Betty Ann Hunt Strain

The Delray Beach Playhouse Presents THE FIFTH ANNUAL PLAYHOUSE PLAYWRIGHTS’ PROJECT – October 19th & 20th

18 Wednesday Sep 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Delray Beach Playhouse

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Allison Fradkin, Ambar Colon, Arts, Dan Bellante, David Tressler, Delray Beach Playhouse, Jeff Perlman, Jim Bisco, Katherine H. Vellis, Kathryn Ryan, Laura Ratto, Marianne Regan, Marilyn Goldstein, New Plays, One Act Plays, Playhouse Playwrights' Project, Sam Leven, theater, theatre, Theatre in Delray Beach, Todd Caster

The Delray Beach Playhouse Presents
The Fifth Annual Playhouse Playwrights’ Project
Saturday, October 19^th & Sunday, October 20^th

10 new plays by local playwrights will be showcased over a
two-day period

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

September 18, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL: Now in its fifth year of producing one-act plays by local playwrights, the Delray Beach Playhouse’s Festival of New Plays 2024 will be held on October 19^th and 20^th. Ten one-act plays by local playwrights, helmed by local directors, and read by local actors will showcase the diverse and talented South Florida theatrical community. The event will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse.

Festival Director and Co-Founder Marianne Regan continues to build on the Project’s success and offers new and exciting changes for Festival 2024. “We have three new directors this year,” Regan reveals, “as well as several new playwrights. And some of our returning playwrights have accumulated their own following.”

This year’s Festival playwrights include Jeff Perlman, Jim Bisco, Laura Ratto, Judy Marilyn Goldstein, Sam Leven, Todd Caster, Ambar Colon, Allison Fradkin, Kathryn Ryan and Katherine H. Vellis.

“I truly had no idea that South Florida was so chock-full of incredible talent both on and off the stage,” Regan continues. “Our playwrights are amazing, our actors are extraordinary, and our audience members continue to support us, year-after-year.

“And as we did last year with a ‘sneak peek’ of our stand-alone show, Tell Me A Story, this Festival will also feature two new performers and their personal-story monologues,” Regan says. “So many people have a story to tell, and this is one way for us to give them that space to tell it.”

Tell Me A Story will launch its own performance day on Thursday, January 29, 2025, as part of the Playhouse lunch-box matinee series, and will feature 6 artists performing personal monologues.

Dan Bellante – art historian and Festival Co-Founder – believes all the exciting changes at the Playhouse are ushering in a new era of artistic accomplishment. Now in its 77^th year of continuous operation, the Playhouse continues to expand on its beyond-compare production values and is attracting a new audience of season subscribers who will sustain and ensure the theatre’s future.

David Tressler is the artist winner who designed the feature poster for Festival 2024. A native South Floridian, David was inspired to begin his artistic journey by his daughter, who loves to color. After some time, and many, many pages of coloring, he thought to himself, “this looks pretty good.” David’s infectious enthusiasm exemplifies the Festival’s creative spirit: “opportunities are endless, you just have to walk into them.”

As the Festival has done in the past, five new plays will be presented on Saturday, October 19^th, and five different new plays will be presented on Sunday, October 20^th. Both performances begin at 2 pm. Tickets for each day are $20. In true Festival fashion, a “Festival Pass” which includes both days is available for $30. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online (click HERE) or by phone at 561-272-1281.

The ten selected plays are:

Daddy Speaks by Sam Leven
Donald Alden For Hire by Jim Bisco
Ghost and Ghosted by Kathryn Ryan
Heard Mentality by Allison Fradkin
Infomercial by Judy Marilyn Goldstein
Pandora 2.0 by Katherine H. Vellis
The Café on Main by Jeff Perlman
The Family Tree by Laura Ratto
Tale of the Tiger’s Ring by Todd Caster
Wilted Amaryllis by Ambar Colon

All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse – 950 NW 9^th Street, in Delray Beach (33444). For more information, please contact delraybeachplayhouse@gmail.com or Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com.

Delray Beach Playhouse Playwrights’ Festival of New Plays
Saturday, October 19 at 2 pm
Sunday, October 20 at 2 pm
Tickets: $20, or $30 for a 2 day Festival Pass
Click HERE for tickets
Or call 561-272-1281
Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL 33444

The Pompano Players Premiere Production – LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE – Opens October 11 at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center

11 Wednesday Sep 2024

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

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Christine Chavers, Delia Ephron, Francine Birns, Ilene Beckerman, Jeremy Quinn, Love Loss and What I wore, Nora Ephron, Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Pompano Players, Rachel Ihasz, Raven Adams, Sarah Romeo, Theatre in Pompano Beach

“Breezy and perfectly enjoyable … it’s like a big bowl of buttered popcorn (but calorie-free!) for the women who can share deeply in the particulars of experience dissected and discussed.”
Charles Isherwood ~ New York Times

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

September 11, 2024

POMPANO BEACH, FL: Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman, Nora and Delia Ephron’s award-winning ensemble piece about women, clothes, and memory, Love, Loss, and What I Wore will be the first production presented by The Pompano Players, the brand-new Pompano Beach Cultural Center resident theatre company. The play will run from October 11^th through October 20^th.

Love, Loss, and What I Wore won the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience as well as the 2010 Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite New Off-Broadway Play. It has been produced on six continents and in numerous countries.

“Love, Loss, and What I Wore is a story of women’s roles and the clothes chosen to represent the changes and challenges of every woman,” says the production’s director Jeremy Quinn. “It is, at heart, about being a woman and the bonds made between women through shared experiences. The show encapsulates these moments and uses them to explore what it means to be a mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, girlfriend, wife.

“What excites me most about directing this timely show with all women is the opportunity to shine a bright light on women’s stories through the lens of fashion,” he continues. “The show weaves together the fabric of female empowerment and equality by paying tribute to and uplifting the voices of women at a time when they need to be heard and shown gratitude for the sacrifices they make every single day.

“It’s an opportunity to honor my own mother and grandmother who made their own clothes and kept in line with current fashion trends every step of the way,” Quinn says. “They were wizards of the sewing machine who introduced me to the process of making garments from scratch. Believe it or not, knowledge and experience that I use to this very day. Need a hem? I got you covered!”

Quinn’s cast includes Christine Chavers as Gingy, Francine Birns, as Woman 2, Raven Adams as Woman 3, Rachel Ihasz as Woman 4, and Sarah Romeo as Woman 5.

Director Quinn will perform triple duty as the show’s Production Stage Manager and Sound Designer, and Amanda Lopez and Elizabeth Guerra will serve as Assistant Stage Managers. Set Design is by Claudia Smith, Lighting Design is by Stevie Bleich, and the Production Manager is Christian Taylor.

Please Note: This production is a partially staged reading, and runs approximately 2 hours with no intermission.

Tickets for Love, Loss, and What I Wore are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.pompanobeachculturalcenter.com.Tickets range in price from $45 to $65. The Pompano Beach Cultural Center is located at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach (33060). For more information about the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, visit www.pompanobeachculturalcenter.com.

For more information about Love, Loss, and What I Wore, to speak with anyone involved in the production, or to arrange for tickets, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Love, Loss, and What I Wore
October 11 – 20, 2024
By Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron
Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman
Performance days and times:
Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pmSaturdays and Sundays at 2 pm
Individual tickets: $45/$55/$65
Subscription prices for the entire Pompano Players season begin at $99
For tickets and information: www.pompanobeachculturalcenter.com
Box Office: 954-501-1910
All performances will take place at
The Pompano Beach Cultural Center
50 West Atlantic Boulevard
Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Love, Loss, and What I Wore
Production photos by
Amy Pasquantonio

SIDEKICKED at Boca Stage – September 19 – 29

06 Tuesday Aug 2024

Posted by Carol Kassie in Boca Stage, Clients

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Boca Stage, Boca Stage at the Delray Beach Playhouse, Delray Beach Playhouse, Ethel Mertz, Genie Croft, I Love Lucy, Irene Adjan, Kim Powers, Sidekicked, Theatre in Delray Beach, Vivian Vance

“…I’m tired of being second banana. I wanna be first banana. I wanna be more than just Lucy’s sidekick.
I’ve been side-kicked to death.” Vivian Vance in Sidekicked

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

August 6, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL: Boca Stage’s first production of the 2024-2025 season will be playwright Kim Powers’ Sidekicked, an illuminating study of one of television’s – and America’s – iconic characters. The production will run from September 19 – 29 in the Cabaret Theatre at the Delray Beach Playhouse.

It’s the last night on set filming I Love Lucy and America’s favorite housecoat-wearing sidekick, Ethel Mertz, played by Vivian Vance, has a lot to get off her chest.

“I am delighted we are opening our season with a play about this award-winning American television and theatre actress and singer,” says the production’s director Genie Croft. Vivian Vance was often referred to as TV ‘s most beloved “second banana” and America’s favorite neighbor Ethel Mertz, sidekick to Lucille Ball, on the enormously popular TV show I Love Lucy. Though the role brought Vance fame it took quite a personal toll.

“In this fascinating and in-depth character play, we meet an exciting and vibrant woman who did not at all resemble the frumpy Ethel she made famous. Long before her television career, Vance was well known as a comedic actress, show girl, and singer who worked with major stars like Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope.” Croft explains. “Vivian was plagued by terrible bouts of depression and insecurities and worries about the loss of her own identity. She once said, “When I die, there will be people who send Ethel Mertz flowers.” She was deeply afraid of losing her mind and was one of the first celebrities to speak openly about mental illness.

“I am so pleased that Irene Adjan will be creating this iconic character,” Croft continues. “Irene has the profound ability to bring to life the many facets of Vivian Vance, and to create the behind- the-scenes stories of the show and its dynamics, feuds, and friendships.”

“Ethel Mertz is a character so many people grew up knowing and loving,” Adjan says, “However, very few people can tell you anything about the wonderful actress who played her – Vivian Vance. I’ve been surprised at how many people – upon my sharing that I’d be doing this play -couldn’t even recall her real name, which is one of the things that plagued Vivian her entire career post I Love Lucy. Vivian was an astounding comedian, a really complicated person, and seeing this play will be a great opportunity for people to learn and be surprised by how much they don’t know about someone they feel they know so well!”

Tickets for Sidekicked are on sale now. They range in price from $59 to $69 and are available online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by calling 561-272-1281. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9^th Street, Delray Beach (33444)

For more information about Boca Stage, to arrange for interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Irene Adjan Photo credit: Bob Lasky

Sidekicked
September 19-29
By Kim Powers
Directed by Genie Croft
Starring Irene Adjan
Performances:
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 1 pm
Wednesday, September 25 at 12:00 pm (sold out)
Tickets: $59/69
For tickets: Click HERE /561-272-1281
All performances will take place at
The Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9^th Street
Delray Beach, FL 33444