FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: How much would you pay for a white painting? Would it matter who the painter was? Would it be art? These are just some of the questions that are asked, but not necessarily answered in Yasmina Reza’s award-winning play, ART. ART will open at Empire Stage on April 29th and run through May 15th.
ART is a fascinating, clever, and often comedic exploration of both art and friendship. Serge, one of a trio of three long-time friends indulges his penchant for modern art and buys a large, expensive, completely white painting. His friend Marc is horrified, and their relationship suffers considerable strain as a result of their differing opinions about what constitutes “art”. The third member of the trio, Yvan, caught in the middle of the conflict, tries to please and mollify both of them. As their discussions move from the theoretical to the personal, the three friends are forced to ask questions not only about the nature of art, but about the nature of friendship.
Amir Darvish
“I have been wanting to direct and work on ART for several years”, says the show’s director, Amir Darvish. “To me, productions that really resonate are those that delve deep into relationships and how those bonds are tested. I want to make audiences think and laugh at the same time. How a simple event can mean so many things to different people and the viewing audience. What can we tolerate? When do we speak up? Who are our friends?”
Empire Stage Executive Producer David R. Gordon agrees wholeheartedly. “I am very excited to be working with Amir Darvish on this project. ART is not the type of play we typically do here at Empire Stage, and I am very curious to see how many of our regular patrons show up to see it.”
Darvish has cast Dean Nigro as Yvan, Ben Prayz as Serge, and David R. Gordon as Marc. Gordon recently garnered excellent reviews in Pigs Do Fly Productions’ 2 Across.
David R. Gordon, Dean Nigro, Ben Prayz
Yasmina Reza’s ART premiered in 1994 at Comédie des Champs-Élysées in Paris. The play, translated by Christopher Hampton, subsequently ran in London in 1996 and on Broadway in 1998 and garnered numerous awards during all three runs, including the Molière Award for Best Commercial Production, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle for Best Play, and the Tony Award for Best Play. ART has been produced in 30 countries and translated from the original French into 45 languages.
Brian Bloomer will serve as ART’s Stage Manager, Preston Bircher is the show’s Lighting Designer, Dean Landhuis is the Set Designer, and David Hart is the show’s Sound Designer.
Tickets for ART are $35 and are available online at www.empirestage.com or by calling 954-678-1496. Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, and on Sunday at 5 pm. All performances will take place Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.
For more information about Empire Stage please visit www.empirestage.com. To arrange for interviews or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
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ART April 29 – May 15, 2022By Yasmina Reza Translated by Christopher Hampton Directed by Amir Darvish Tickets: $35 For tickets: www.empirestage.com / 954-678-1496 Performances: Friday & Saturday at 8 pm Sunday at 5 pm All performances take place at Empire Stage 1140 N. Flagler Drive Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
DELRAY BEACH, FL: The Delray Beach Playhouse will offer two theatrically based summer programs for children ages 6-16 this summer.
The 2022 Broadway Camp, which will run from May 31st to July 17th, will allow young performers the opportunity to experience the joy of live theatre, while building self-confidence, engaging their imaginations, and learning the importance of teamwork. The camp will culminate with performances of Disney’s The Little Mermaid on July 12th – 15th for fellow campers, and July 16th and 17th for the public. Auditions for the Broadway Summer Camp will be held on April 30th from 9 am to 1 pm, with call-backs scheduled on May 1st from 9 am to 1 pm. A limited number of spaces are available. Cost for the Broadway Camp is $249 per week for 6 weeks. Camp will run from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, however three Saturday rehearsals are scheduled.
The Playhouse’ Summer Fun Camp, which will run from May 31st to August 5th, will allow youngsters to explore drama, music, and dance. The program is suitable for children who want to be active and involved in theatre without performing on stage. Cost for Summer Fun Camp is $175 for the first week, and $100 for each week thereafter. Campers can sign up for the entire 10 weeks, or as many or few weeks as desired.
Each camp requires a $99 deposit, due April 15th, with the balance of the fees due on May 20th.
There will be an Open House at the Playhouse on Saturday, April 2nd from 11 am to 12:30 pm where parents and potential campers can meet with the Camp Director, actress, singer, and model Jessie Dez, and Camp Manager Shoshana Davidowitz to learn more about both programs.
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
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
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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
BOCA RATON, FL: A major chemical company pours cancer-causing waste into the water supply, and a high-powered law firm brings a class action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of “the little people” – who might die from the poisonous water. Who wins? Who loses? A Class Act, Norman Shabel’s intriguing and timely look at the inner workings of our justice system will ask and possibly answer these, and other questions when the play runs from March 25th through March 27th at Mizner Park Cultural Center in Boca Raton.
As the lawyers wheel and deal and decide whether to take a settlement or go to trial, it becomes increasingly unclear who is really winning. Who makes millions whether they win or lose? Which lawyers battle the best… or the worst? Who gets justice in the end? A Class Act is a sophisticated thrill ride that has been described as “engrossing and gripping”. It examines a world in which greed pervades, the loyal suffer, and morality is always relative.
Norman Shabel
“The pandemic global disaster the world is now suffering was prevalent several years ago, when I originally wrote the play, with the poison dumped in the worlds’ drinking waters by non-caring corporations whose only consideration was saving expenses in the production of their products,” playwright Norman Shabel said recently. “A Class Act depicts the war-like negotiations between those corporate non-caring perpetrators and the lawyers who represent the dying public.”
Attorney turned author and playwright Norman Shabel spent close to 50 years as a trial and class action lawyer. He has drawn upon his experience to fashion a ‘pulled from the headlines’ look at what goes on in corporate America, in courtrooms, and behind the scenes. A Class Act received excellent reviews when it played Off-Broadway in 2016.
David Simson
A Class Act will be directed by David Simson. Since moving to Florida from Philadelphia, Simson has directed the popular musicals Anything Goes and Nice Work If You Can Get It, as well as the acclaimed dramas Endgame, The Shadow Box, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.He conceived and directed Wisdom Wonderment Rainbows, based on the poetry of his husband Tony Puma, which enjoyed two sold-out runs in South Florida. He is currently involved in Ronnie Larsen’s Plays on Wilton, presenting staged readings of new plays. David is the recipient of a number of fellowships to study Shakespeare, at The Globe and Stratford in England and in Ashland, Oregon. He had the distinct honor and privilege to be one of twenty American teachers selected to study The Holocaust in Poland and Israel.
Simson’s cast includes Brewer Daniels, Tom Copeland, Ken Vianale, Leslie Kandel, Bob Sharkey, Adam Carter, and Tom Turner. Chloe Ward is the production’s Stage Manager, and Gerry Regan is the show’s Technical Director.
A Class Act will run at the Mizner Park Cultural Center from March 25 – 27. Ticket prices range from $25 to $35 and can be purchased online at miznerparkculturalcenter.com The Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center is located at 201 Plaza Real, in Boca Raton (33432).
For more information about A Class Act contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
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A Class Act By Norman Schabel March 25 – 27, 2022 Performances:Friday & Saturday at 8 pm Sunday at 2 pm & 6 pm Tickets: $25/$30/$35 Click HERE for tickets, Or call 844-672-2849 Mizner Park Cultural Center 201 Plaza Real, 2nd Floor Boca Raton, FL 33432
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: Rehearsals will begin shortly for 2 Across, Pigs Do Fly Productions’ upcoming ‘reprise’ production of Jerry Mayer’s ‘comedy of crosswords and romance’. The show will run from March 4th through March 20th at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.
2 Across finds two strangers, a man and a woman, on board a San Francisco BART train at 4:30 a.m. Alone in the car, the only thing they have in common is that they are both doing the New York Times crossword puzzle. Soon the puzzles they unravel are more intriguing than any crossword puzzle could ever be.
Ellen Wacher
“2 Across was extremely successful when we presented it in 2019, and I am often asked not if, but when we will be bringing it back,” says Pigs Do Fly Productions’ founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher. “Presenting it again is an exciting prospect – it’s a delightful two-person comedy that totally meets with our company’s mission – to show people over the age of 50 who are interesting and active and real. I was captivated by these characters’ development, and I believe our audiences will be too.”
Deboralih Kondelik
Deborah Kondelik, who directed 2 Across in 2019 and helmed Pigs Do Fly’s recent successful production of Helen on Wheels is looking forward to revisiting these characters: “It has been said that opposites attract,” Kondelik said recently. “Whether or not that rings true remains to be seen in Jerry Mayer’s hilarious yet poignant romantic comedy. One thing that is guaranteed though, is a delightful very early morning romp by two strangers on San Francisco’s BART train. The tie that binds is that both of them are hard at work on the Saturday New York Times crossword puzzle. Although they tackle the puzzle with very different approaches, they soon discover commonalities that cannot be ignored.”
Michele Verdi and David R. Gordon will star in 2 Across, and both are excited at the prospect of exploring their diametrically opposite characters: Verdi’s Janet is a responsible, honest, rule-abiding psychologist, and Gordon’s Josh is part-free spirit, part executive, part dreamer, and part Peter Pan.
Playwright Jerry Mayer has written scripts for All in the Family, M*A*S*H*, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and the Bob Newhart Show (where he served as story editor). His first play, Almost Perfect ran for a year and a half at the Santa Monica Playhouse. Other plays include the musical You Haven’t Changed a Bit, and Other Lies and Dietrich and Chevalier, The Musical.
Tickets for 2 Across are $39 and are available online at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com or by calling 954-678-1496. Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, and on Sunday at 5 pm. All performances will take place Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.
This press release along with actor head shots can be viewed online at: TBA
For more information about Pigs Do Fly Productions, please visit www.pigsdoflyproductions.com. For more information about Ellen Wacher, please visit www.ellenwacher.com. To arrange for interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
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 Actis 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 18thto 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
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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
DELRAY BEACH, FL: From Lillie Langtry to Cyndi Lauper and Betty Boop to Tina Turner, or from Rosie the Riveter to Britney Spears, female singers and pop stars and their music provide a vivid reflection of how much has changed for women since the beginning of the 20th century. Respect: A Musical Journey of Women, which has evolved from a one-woman dissertation by Columbia University Professor Dorothy Marcic to an international hit musical revue,is an entertaining, exuberant, and exhilarating look at the lives of women as reflected in the popular music of the times. Respect will run at the Delray Beach Playhouse from January 28th through February 13th.
Featuring an ensemble cast of eight and a live band, and combining excerpts of 60 songs including “I Enjoy Being a Girl,” “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “I Wanna Be Loved By You,” “As Long As He Needs Me” and “Whatever Lola Wants” along with such modern standards as “Where the Boys Are,” “It Must Be Him,” “The Greatest Love of All,” and “Stand by Your Man” with women’s own stories about finding dreams, lost love, relationship issues, entering the workforce, gaining independence, and more, Respect has resonated with audiences around the world. Men as well as women will have no trouble at all identifying with the messages of encouragement and empowerment that Respect portrays.
Suzanne Dunn
“The show has changed a lot since it premiered in South Florida in 2003,” says Respect’s director Suzanne Dunn. “That’s why we’d encourage anyone who’s seen it before to come out and enjoy it again, because it has been updated with different songs and dialogue and will be a new experience. I’m thrilled to be working with the great team at the Delray Beach Playhouse (I first performed on stage there when I was in college at FAU, directed by Randy DelLago in See How They Run) and with this incredible group of actors.
“These very talented women, who are well-known throughout the theatre community, have been rehearsing under the strictest of COVID guidelines – singing and dancing with KN95 masks on every night!” she continues. “They have such a huge amount of enthusiasm and commitment, and audiences are going to have a blast taking this trip down memory lane with them.”
Dunn’s cast includes Kelley DiLorenzo, Spensyr Bach, Sara Hope Tripp, Amanda Gomes, Lissen Ellington, Rachel O’Hara, Jacynth (J.B.) Brown and Patricia Sotolongo.
Respect’s Music Director is Karen Nagy and the show’s Choreographer is Jeannie Krouch. Stage Manager is Michele Popken, Technical Director is Andre Lancaster, Set Design is by Cindi Taylor, Lighting is by Sonia Buchanan, and Props and Costumes are by Susan Rose.
Respect: A Musical Journey of Women will run from January 28 – February 13 at the Delray Beach Playhouse. Tickets are $38 and can be purchased online at delraybeachplayhouse.com/, or by phone at 561-272-1281.The Delray Beach Playhouse is located at 950 NW 9th Street, in Delray Beach (33444).
For more information about Respect: A Musical Journey of Women contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
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Respect: A Musical Journey of Women By Dorothy MarcicJanuary 28 – February 13, 2022 Tickets: $38 Performances:Friday & Saturday at 8 pm Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm For tickets: https://tinyurl.com/2cywthjx Or call 561-272-1281 Delray Beach Playhouse 950 NW 9th Street Delray Beach, FL 33444
Who’s Who in Respect: A Musical Journey of Women:
Spensyr Bach
Spensyr Bach (Eden) “One of the best things that ever happened to me is that I’m a woman. That is the way all females should feel.” – Marilyn Monroe. When she’s not performing, Spensyr is an attorney practicing entertainment and intellectual property law in Boca Raton, FL at The Lomnitzer Law Firm, P.A. Spensyr has a BA in Music from Rollins College, and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Previous DBP credits: Annie Get Your Gun, The World Goes Round,1940’s Radio Hour, Showtune, See How They Run, and Take Me Back to Manhattan.
Jacynth Brown
Jacynth Brown (Ensemble) This is Jacynth’s debut performance with the Delray Beach Playhouse and she is thrilled to join the cast of RESPECT. After many years as a “Theatre Mom” Jacynth has finally decided to step out from behind the scenes. Jacynth played Blanch Ethels Pracket in the short film “Walk On” and most recently performed with Torch and Trumpet Theatre Company in The Gospel According to Scrooge. A long-time resident of Palm Beach County, Jacynth is a mental health professional who enjoys volunteering, singing and actively serving in her local church.
Kelly DiLorenzo
Kelly DiLorenzo (Janet) Originally from Los Angeles, Kelly has enjoyed a 30+ year career in “the biz”. Roles she’s extremely proud of are Fantine in Les Miserables (Broadway National Tour), she originated the role of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin at Disneyland and went on to portray Belle in Beauty and the Beast and every other Princess imaginable! Other favorites include The Narrator (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Miss Hannigan (Annie), Mary Magdalene (JC Superstar) and Eva Peron (Evita). For almost a decade, she was the lead singer of South Florida’s popular band, The Fabulons. She’s entertained on cruise ships and on stages around the world in Canada, Europe and Southeast Asia. Love and gratitude to her husband Rick and two amazing kids, Austin and Bella. “Thank you for always being my cheerleaders”.
Lissen Ellington
Lissen Ellington (Ensemble) Lissen is excited to be back at the Delray Beach Playhouse with RESPECT. Last season, Lissen made her DBPH debut in Take Me Back To Manhattan. She has been seen around the state performing in a variety shows including Into the Woods (Witch), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Drood), The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Lin), A Funny…Forum (Gymnasia), Flora the Red Menace (Maggie), Spelling Bee (Rona), You Can’t Take It With You (Penny), Alice In Wonderland (Queen of Hearts), No, No, Nannette (Flora). Lissen is a proud EMC candidate. During the day you can find Lissen at Santaluces High School where she is the Director of Theatre Arts for the award-winning Tomahawk Theatre Company. When not performing, Lissen runs Disney marathons and volunteers with JLPB. Thank you, Suzanne for this opportunity! For my guardian angels Bubba and Matty!
Amanda Gomes
Amanda Gomes (Rosa) Amanda is making her Professional Debut as Rosa in Respect. Amanda is a recent graduate of FAU. She is well-versed in several areas of Theatre from singing and acting, to directing, writing, stage managing, wardrobe, and theatrical makeup. Some previous performance credits include Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, and Charlotte in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. She’d like to thank her friends, family, and the Cast & Crew of Respect for all their support.
Tricia Sotolongo Mundarain
Tricia Sotolongo Mundarain(Ensemble) Tricia is a Palm Beach County native and lifelong music lover. She began singing as a toddler and later in her middle and high school choirs. She is the proud mother of two vocally gifted daughters who inspired her to pursue her passion again in 2018 when she performed the role of the haughty ballet company headmistress in Flashdance at the Lake Worth Playhouse. Respect: A Musical Journey of Women is only her second foray into musical theater and her first for the Delray Beach Playhouse. She is inspired by her female cast, crew, and director and hopes to continue to entertain in the future.
Rachel O’Hara
Rachel O’Hara (Ensemble\Dance Captain) Rachel is thrilled to be back on stage at the Delray Beach Playhouse after two years away from the theater due to the pandemic. Since moving back to her hometown in 2017, Rachel has performed in two other shows at Delray Beach Playhouse; Annie Get Your Gun in 2017 and 1940’s Radio Hour in 2019, and as Blue Girl in Maplewood Playhouse’s SHOUT! The Mod Musical. She is the Communications Associate at Gulf Stream School and a freelance photojournalist for The Coastal Star. She would like to thank all her friends and family for being so supportive of her love of theater and she hopes everyone enjoys the show!
Sara Tripp
Sara Tripp (Samantha) Sara Hope Tripp is happy to return to the Delray Beach Playhouse, where she last performed in A Doll’s House Part 2 and Take Me Back to Manhattan. A native New Yorker, she’s performed as Anna in the King and I and Maria in the Sound of Music at Dicapo Opera Theatre; Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Vertical Players Repertory; the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Charlotte Malcom in A Little Night Music, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, and most recently Mrs. Anderssen in A Little Night Music at the Manhattan School of Music, where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in vocal performance.
Suzanne Dunn
Suzanne Dunn (Director) Suzanne made her professional acting debut in Eleemosynary at the Theatre Club of the Palm Beaches for which she was nominated for a Carbonell Award. Other roles include: Blythe Spirit (Edith), Proof (Catherine), Steel Magnolias (Annelle), See How They Run (Ida), Mama Drama (Morgan), Chicago (Mona/Go-to-Hell Kitty/undst. Velma), Foxfire (Holly), Bananas (House of Blue Leaves), and The Cover of Life (Weetsie). Directing credits include The Bachelorette, Death by Design, Church and State. Suzanne was last seen on the Delray Beach Playhouse stage as Nora in A Doll’s House Part 2, and recently completed the role of Anita in the independent film The Pool, directed by Anna Hozian. She was a founding member of the all-female comedy improv troupe, Big Purse…and Matching Shoes with screenwriter Kim Turner as well as a founding member of the Comedy Squad with Upright Citizen Brigade members Michael Delaney and Billy Merritt. Suzanne holds a BFA from Florida Atlantic University where she studied with J. Robert Dietz, Zoe Caldwell, and Hume Cronyn, and attended Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, obtaining certificates in British Society and 20th Century Literature, Theatre, and Poetry. Suzanne would like to thank this absolutely amazing cast of talented women – Kelly, Sara, Spensyr, Amanda, Lissen, Rachel, Jacynth, and Trish – as well as her talented friend Jeannie, Randy, Andre, Karen, Sonia, Cindi, Michelle, Susan, the band, and the Playhouse crew and staff. All the love to her family and friends, especially Mr. Pie, Mom & Dad, and Ronan.
Karen Nagy (Music Director) Karen Nagy is thrilled to be working at DBPH with such a talented cast and crew! She has worked in professional theater in south Florida for over 30 years, as a singer, actor, music director, band member, stage manager, and in all areas of tech. She and two colleagues developed and oversaw the longest-running play reading series in south Florida, Theatre With Your Coffee, introducing works of local playwright Michael McKeever and others. She is a longtime adjunct professor of music at Miami-Dade College, also having taught at NSU and New World School of the Arts. She proudly holds membership in Actors’ Equity; NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and NSAI (Nashville Songwriters). That said, her favorite job for the past 24 years is playing 2nd keyboard in theatres from Jupiter to Coral Gables. Favorite shows include: “Violet,” “1776,” “Ragtime,” and “Memphis,” (Actors’ Playhouse); “Avenue Q,” (MNM at the Rinker); and anything rock or pop, including “Tommy,” (Entr’acte) and “Footloose” (Lake Worth and Actors’ Playhouses). Karen is also proud to be a published author. Her book Girlfriend of Bill (Hazelden) has helped many in the recovery community, and she is currently finishing her second book, Finding Home: The Journey to My Happy Place. Many thanks to Suzanne, Randy, Andre, Michele and this great group of people!
Jeannie Krouch (choreographer) Jeannie is thrilled to join the Delray Beach Playhouse family. Jeannie has performed all over South Florida. Her favorite roles include: Leisl (The Sound of Music) Louise (Carousel) Snoopy (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown) Spider (James & the Giant Peach) Joan (Dames at Sea) and Dolly (The ThreePenny Opera) Her most fulfilling role is “mom” to Zach (16) and Sydney (14) Jeannie has choreographed many shows for American Heritage School and Coral Springs Centre for the Arts including Chicago, Legally Blonde, Young Frankenstein and Into the Woods. She would like to thank her husband, Rob for his support, Suzanne for the opportunity to dance again and last, but not least the amazing RESPECT cast and crew who have worked so hard to make this show a success. Enjoy!
Michele Popken (Stage Manager) – Michele is excited to be stage managing this all-female cast. Michele has stage managed several plays at the Delray Beach Playhouse. Some of the recent plays have been the Playwright Festival, Steel Magnolias, Lost in Yonkers, 1940’s Radio Hour. Thanks to the wonderful women in the play, Suzanne for her great directing. All the love to her family and friends, especially her husband, Dave for all of his support.
DELRAY BEACH, FL: The Delray Beach Playhouse will present actor/comedian Peter Fogel’s multi-media solo show, ‘Til Death Do Us Part… You First, for one performance only, on Wednesday, February 23 at 12:30 pm, as part of the theatre’s popular “Lunch & Laffs” Cabaret Series.
Fogel will also bring his show to the brand-new Charlotte J. Burrie Civic Center in Pompano Beach on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:30 pm.
Peter Fogel
Eternal Bachelor Peter Fogel has significant commitment issues as the love of his life has just broken up with him on Valentine’s Day. Sensing his own mortality, he is visited by a Special Guest who mentors him on how he can end all his romantic disasters and reconnect with the one woman who can change his life!
Directed by Academy Award nominee and three-time Emmy Award-winner Chazz Palminteri (A Bronx Tale), Fogel employs his signature wit to bring to life such relatable characters as Iranian Ex-Girlfriend Elena, Magician & Ex-Fiancé Jamie, High Maintenance Marla, his college roommate “Uncle” Harold, plus his Demented Father and Evil Step-Mom Eva. They all have one goal – to continue to stress him out about his unfilled love life! “The longest relationship I’ve had in my entire life is with Amazon’s Alexa!” Fogel laments.
Just as Robert DeNiro discovered Chazz Palminteri in his one-man show A Bronx Tale, director Palminteri discovered Peter’s one-man show during a South Florida run. Excited about the play’s potential – Palminteri immediately offered to direct it.
“Now, more than ever, audiences want to get back to laughing and enjoying live theater…” Fogel says., “And ‘Til Death Do Us Part… is the perfect post-Valentine’s Day show for single, divorced, and devoted couples!”
“A funny show about marriage and relationships. Go see it!” Ray Romano (“Everybody Loves Raymond”)
Tickets for Peter Fogel’s ‘Til Death Do Us Part…You First are on sale now and can be purchased online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by phone at 561-272-1281. Tickets are $44 and include lunch. Tickets for the Burrie Civic Center performance are also on sale and can be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/45fy7wzt or by calling 954-786-5566.
~ ‘Til Death Do Us Part…You First! Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 12:30 pm By Peter Fogel Directed by Chazz Palminteri Tickets: $44 (includes lunch) For tickets: delraybeachplayhouse.com or Call 561-272-1281, Ext.5 Direct ticketing link: https://tinyurl.com/ejhdpryd The performance will take place at The Delray Beach Playhouse 950 NW 9th Street Delray Beach, FL 33444
‘Til Death Do Us Part… You First! Wednesday March 2 at 7:30pm By Peter Fogel Directed by Chazz Palminteri Tickets: $15 For tickets: https://tinyurl.com/45fy7wzt or Call 954-786-5566 The performance will take place at Burrie Center 2669 N Federal Hwy Pompano Beach, FL 33064
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 13that 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.
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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
BOCA RATON & DELRAY BEACH, FL: In Italian Bred – The Theatrical Comedy, actress/singer/storyteller Candice Guardino effortlessly slips in and out of multiple family characters as she reminisces about her childhood. The show, which has received rave reviews wherever it has played, will have its Florida premiere performances at the Mizner Park Cultural Center on February 24th, and at the Delray Beach Playhouse on February 25th and 26th.
Based on true life events and told through the eyes of a little girl growing up Italian on Staten Island – from learning to make meatballs to learning to drive – Guardino shares heartfelt and hilarious memories of her childhood with humor and skill. And from her matter-of-fact father to her outspoken, chain-smoking grandmother, she impersonates all the members of her sitcom-worthy family, while sharing the stage with virtual cameo appearances of Emmy Award-winner Steve Schirripa (“Blue Bloods”), Mario Cantone (“Sex & the City”), Leslie Jordan (“Will and Grace”), and Vic DiBitetto (“Mall Cop 2”).
Candice Guardino
Candice Guardino was born in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, was raised on Staten Island, and now splits her time between Los Angeles and New York City. She made a name for herself on the New York theatre scene with her outrageously revealing one-woman show, “S.O.S.” which ran at Stage 72 and The Laurie Beechman. Candice has also written several sitcoms, stage plays, screenplays, and shorts. She has studied with UCB, Second City, The Pit Improv and has a BA in Theatre. www.candiceguardino.com
Italian Bred will be at the Mizner Park Cultural Center on Thursday, February 24th and at the Delray Beach Playhouse on Friday, February 25thand Saturday, February 26th. Tickets for these performances range from $32.50 to $40, and can be purchased online at https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com and https://delraybeachplayhouse.com.
Masks covering the mouth, nose, and chin must be worn in order to attend.
The Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center is located at 201 Plaza Real, in Boca Raton (33432). The Delray Beach Playhouse is located at 950 NW 9th Street, in Delray Beach (33444).
For more information about Candice Guardino and Italian Bred – A Theatrical Comedy contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
In the attached photo: Candice Guardino (Photo credit: Dirty Sugar Photography, NYC)
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Italian Bred – A Theatrical Comedy Show Thursday, February 24 at 7:30 pm Tickets: $32.50 – $40 For tickets: https://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/italian-bred Or Call 844-672-2849 Mizner Park Cultural Center 201 Plaza Real, 2nd Floor Boca Raton, FL 33432
Carol Kassie 