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

15 Thursday May 2025

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

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

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

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

May 15, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~

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

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

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

08 Thursday May 2025

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

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

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

May 8, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~

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

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

Production Photos by Amy Pasquantonio

All photos: Lindsey Corey and Alex Jorth

Andy Rogow
Lindsey Corey
Alex Jorth


The Delray Beach Playhouse Announces Its 2025 – 2026 Lineup

23 Wednesday Apr 2025

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Subscriptions Are Now Available for
Two Signature Series

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

April 23, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~

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

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

THE RIGHTEOUS a New Play by Jeff Cohen at Miami New Drama April 22nd Only

14 Monday Apr 2025

Posted by in Clients, Uncategorized, YI Love Jewish, Yiddishkayt Initiative

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Yiddishkayt Initiative and The University of Miami Center for Jewish Studies
in Association with Miami New Drama and Second Serve Productions
to present a staged reading of
The Righteous
A new play by Jeff Cohen

In a World filled with turmoil and amorality, what does it mean to be Righteous?

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

April 14, 2025

MIAMI BEACH, FL:  In honor of Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day – Yiddishkayt Initiative (YI Love Jewish) and The University of Miami Miller Center for Judaic Studies in association with Miami New Drama and Second Serve Productions will present a staged reading of Drama Desk Award-winner Jeff Cohen’s (The Soap Myth) new play The Righteous.  The event will take place at Miami New Drama (at The Colony Theatre) on April 22nd at 7:30 pm.

What would you do if you learned that your country planned to exterminate an entire race of people? That is the horrible question faced by Eduard Schulte, a captain of German industry and member of Hitler’s inner circle.  The Righteous is the true story of the man who sounded the alarm of Hitler’s plan to murder all the Jews in Europe.  Schulte’s warning reached the desk of President Roosevelt in December 1942.  Roosevelt refused to act.

Schulte’s identity was a closely guarded secret for over forty years and his heroic act to stop the Holocaust was kept hidden from his family and from the world. The Righteous tells his story through the lens of Priscilla Schulte, the American granddaughter who never knew him. She uncovers a compelling and poignant portrait of a man who risked his life and the lives of his family to stand up against evil.  In 1988, Eduard Schulte was posthumously honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations – a Righteous Gentile.

The Righteous will be directed by the playwright Jeff Cohen, and feature Tony Award nominee Craig Bierko (The Music Man) and two-time Drama Desk Award nominee Avi Hoffman (Death of a Salesman), along with an award-winning cast of some of South Florida’s most talented actors, including Laura Turnbull, Patti Gardner, Irene Adjan, Peter Galman, Chiz Chisholm, Stephen Schnetzer, and Dave Corey. 

The Righteous will be staged for one night only at Miami New Drama (The Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139).  Admission to the reading is FREE, however reservations are required, and can be made online at https://yilovejewish.org/events.

For more information about The Righteous, to arrange for interviews, for photos, and/or to arrange to see the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. 
~
The Righteous
By Jeff Cohen
Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 pm
Admission:  FREE (Reservations required)
For reservations:  https://yilovejewish.org/events
Or call 954-678-1496
The performance will take place at
Miami New Drama/Colony Theatre
1040 Lincoln Road,
Miami Beach, FL  33139
~

Jeff Cohen (Playwright). Jeff Cohen’s drama The Soap Myth is considered one of the most important plays about antisemitism and Holocaust denial.  Ed Asner toured the country in The Soap Myth as a “concert reading” and the play was filmed and broadcast by PBS starring Mr. Asner and Tovah Feldshuh.  Other notable actors who have performed The Soap Myth include Richard Dreyfuss, Bob Gunton, John Rubinstein, Harris Yulin, and Jayne Atkinson.  His play The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller was a NY Times and Time Out New York Critic’s Pick. He received international acclaim and a special 2002 Drama Desk Award for his response to the attacks of 9/11. The Tribeca Playhouse Stage Door Canteen, his 10-week USO-style variety show to “entertain the troops” (the rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero) featured such stars as Kristen Chenoweth, Phylicia Rashad, Sandy Duncan, Colin Quinn and many more. He produced and directed a number of award-winning new plays including Christopher Shinn’s Four (NY Times Critic’s Pick)and Tristine Skyler’s The Moonlight Room (NY Times annual Ten Best productions).  The NY Times Arts & Leisure profiled him alongside internationally acclaimed avant-garde artists Ivo Van Hove and The Wooster Group for his groundbreaking work adapting classic plays to an American milieu. In his five-decades in the theater, Mr. Cohen has helped launch the careers of Laura Linney, Kathryn Hahn, Christopher Shinn, Michael Ealy and DB Sweeney – to name just a few.

(Click on each photo to expand, identify and/or download)

jeff Cohen
Craig Bierko
Avi Hoffman
Irene Adjan
Chiz Chisholm
Dave Corey
Peter W. Galman
Patti Gardner
Stephen Schnetzer
Laura Turnbull

The Pompano Players’ THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND Opens April 25th

10 Thursday Apr 2025

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The Pompano Players’
The World Goes ‘Round
(The Songs of Kander & Ebb)
Opens April 25th
at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center

” …an unexpected delight: a handsome, tasteful, snazzily staged outpouring of song and dance that celebrates all the virtues of the Kander-Ebb catalogue”
~ Frank Rich, The New York Times

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

April 10, 2025

POMPANO BEACH, FL: The Pompano Players fifth production of their inaugural season, The World Goes ‘Round – a musical retrospective of the work of the award-winning composer and lyricist duo John Kander and Fred Ebb will open on April 25th at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, and run through May 4th.

Kander and Ebb created some of Broadway’s most iconic musicals including Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Fosse.  The World Goes ‘Round is a cleverly curated collection of love songs, torch songs, and wonderfully acerbic comedic numbers from those classics, as well as from many of their other lesser-known shows.  The World Goes ‘Round’s title is based on a song Kander and Ebb wrote for Liza Minelli to sing in the film “New York, New York” (that song is entitled “But the World Goes ‘Round”). 

“The World Goes ‘Round is, in many ways, a meditation on perseverance,” says the production’s director, Jeremy Quinn. “Through the lens of Kander and Ebb’s rich and emotionally complex songbook, this revue becomes a theatrical tapestry – one that captures the breadth of the human condition with wit, poignancy, and unflinching honesty. These songs, culled from a remarkable canon of musicals, transcend their original contexts to speak to something more universal: the ability to endure, to dream, to lose, and to begin again.

“What fascinates me most about this piece is its non-linear, mosaic structure,” Quinn says. “There is no conventional plot—no singular protagonist or conflict – but instead a series of emotional snapshots that, when placed side by side, illuminate the resilience and absurdity of simply being alive. That structure invites the audience to find themselves in the material, to make their own connections, and to interpret each moment through a personal lens.

“In approaching this production, our team embraced that openness. We explored how each song exists in conversation with the others – how humor is often a mask for heartache, how bravado can give way to vulnerability, and how joy and sorrow are never far apart. By rooting our staging in the present, we sought to underscore the timelessness of these themes: ambition, regret, longing, reinvention. These are not relics of the past – they are ever-present, ever-relevant.

“I am deeply grateful to the extraordinary artists who brought their insight and generosity to this process,” Quinn continues. “Their interpretations breathe new life into these songs, revealing fresh layers of meaning while honoring the legacy of Kander and Ebb’s iconic work. My hope is that audiences leave the theatre not only entertained, but also reminded of the quiet, miraculous act of moving forward – of continuing on, even when the path is unclear. Because, as the title insists, no matter what happens, ‘the world goes ’round.’”

Quinn’s talented cast consists of Amanda Lopez (who served as the choreographer for the Pompano Players recent productions of Respect: A Musical Journey of Women and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), Amber Arevalo, Eve Dillingham, Ron DeStefano, and Kevin Hincapie.

The World Goes ‘Round’s creative team includes Music Director Elijah Gee; Keren Lydia is the show’s Choreographer, Claudia Smith is the Scenic Designer, and Penny Williams is the Costume Designer. Director Jeremey Quinn will also serve as the production’s Stage Manager.

The World Goes ‘Round will run April 25 – May 4 at Pompano Beach Cultural Center.  The theatre is located at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, in Pompano Beach (33060)

Tickets for The World Goes ‘Round range in price from $45 to $65.  Tickets may be purchased online at https://pompanobeachculturalcenter.com or by calling 954-501-1910.

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

~

The World Goes ‘Round
April 25 – May 4
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Conceived by Susan Stroman, David Thompson, and Scott Ellis
Tickets:  $45 – $65
For tickets:  https://pompanobeachculturalcenter.csstix.com/event-details.php?e=624  or
Call:  954-501-1910
Performances:
Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The Pompano Beach Cultural Center
50 West Atlantic Blvd.,
Pompano Beach, FL  33060

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

Amanda Lopez
Amber Arevalo
Eve Dillingham
Kevin Hincapie
Ron DeStefano
Jeremy Quinn



Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC Opens at LPAC April 10th

03 Thursday Apr 2025

Posted by in Broadway at LPAC, Clients, Lauderhill Performing Arts Center

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Rodgers & Hammerstein’s
South Pacific
Opens at LPAC
April 10th

“…Essentially this is a tenderly beautiful idyll of genuine people tossed together in a strange corner of the world; and the music, the lyrics, the singing and the acting contribute to this mood.”
Brooks Atkinson – The New York Times, April 8, 1949

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

April 3, 2025

LAUDERHILL, FL: “Some Enchanted Evening”, “Cock-Eyed Optimist”, “Bali Ha’i”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” – Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific added some of the most beloved standards not only to Broadway history, but to the American Songbook.   South Pacific will be the Broadway at LPAC series final production of the 2025 season, and will run at the Lauderhill Lauderhill Performing Arts Centerfrom April 10th through April 27th.

Based upon James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tales of the South Pacific, the musical centers on Ensign Nellie Forbush, an American nurse stationed on a south Pacific Island during World War II, who falls in love with Emile de Becque a middle-aged expatriate French plantation owner, but struggles to accept his mixed-race children.  A secondary romance between US Marine lieutenant Joseph Cable and Liat, a young Tonkinese woman, explores his fears of the social consequences should he marry his Asian love.  “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught”, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s moving musical exploration of racial prejudice is as applicable today as when it was introduced in 1949.  

“Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific – the story itself is beautiful,” says the production’s director Michael Ursua. “Then there is this panorama of the south Pacific pitted against the narrow-mindedness of bigotry and the horror of the war that was taking place at that time. We see an awakening for some of the characters when they do their own introspection and the whole idea that people are searching for something or running away from something, or better yet, running to something, is fascinating. And the show’s message on racial tolerance is as relevant as anything written before or since.”

Director Ursua will also serve as the show’s Musical Director.   He has cast Christopher Sanders as Emile de Becque, Casey Sacco as Ensign Nellie Forbush, Marisol Morales-Dow as Bloody Mary, Lovell Rose as Luther Billis, Collin Salvatore as Lt. Joseph Cable, Thaylin Maria as Liat, Bill Brewer as Lt. George Brackett, Dan Carter as Cmdr. William Harbison, Eytan Deray as Stewpot, and Eli Flynn as Professor.

South Pacific will also feature Jorge Amador, Emily Rose Cardenas, Jennifer Fraser, Tanner Fults, Santiago Garza, Dru Loman, Emily Morgan, Eric O’Keefe, Brittni Taylore Rhodes, Allyson Rosenblum, Izaiah Scott, Larry Toyter, Corey Vega, Rachel Whittington, Lauren Wickerson, and Rachel Wresh.

South Pacific will be choreographed by Alex Jorth. The production’s Lighting Designer is Clifford Spullock, Sound Design is by Christopher Wynters, the Costume Supervisor is Penny Williams, Justin Lore will provide the production’s wigs, and Joseph Long will serve as the Production Stage Manager.  South Pacific is produced by Kevin Barrett and ACM Theatricals.

Tickets for South Pacific are on sale now and can be purchased online at https://www.lpacfl.com or by calling 954-777-2055. Ticket prices range from $45 to $65.

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 South Pacific, to speak with anyone involved in the production, or to arrange to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

South Pacific
April 10 – 27, 2025
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan
Adapted from James A. Michener’s novel Tales of the South Pacific.
Tickets:  $45-$65
For tickets:  https://www.lpacfl.com or
Call 954-777-2055
Performances:
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2 pm
Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm
All performances will take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL  33311

(Click on each photo to expand, identify and/or download)

Casey Sacco
Christopher Sanders
Marisol Morales-Dow
Lovell Rose
Collin Salvatore
Michael Ursua

Boca Stage’s DRY POWDER Opens April 25

31 Monday Mar 2025

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Boca Stage’s
Dry Powder
Opens April 25th
at The Delray Beach Playhouse

Take your forks and knives — and heck, your pitchforks, too — and dig in!”
 ~ Charles Isherwood – The New York Times.

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

March 31, 2025

DELRAY BEACH, FL: Boca Stage’s final production of the 2024/2025 season will be Dry Powder, a high finance comedy-drama by Sarah Burgess.  The production will run from April 25th through May 4th at the Delray Beach Playhouse.  

Dry Powder is principally concerned with the world of private equity, and a firm’s founding partners as they compete to confront the fallout from a public relations crisis: The same week his private equity firm forced massive layoffs at a national grocery chain, Rick Hannel threw himself an extravagant engagement party, setting off a publicity nightmare. Fortunately, Seth, one of Rick’s partners, has a dream of a deal to invest in an American-made luggage company for a song that will rescue his boss from the PR disaster. But Jenny, Rick’s other partner, has an entirely different plan: to maximize returns, no matter the consequences.

Playwright Burgess was drawn to the play’s topic after working as a tutor for students preparing to take graduate school admissions tests, many of whom worked at investment firms like Goldman Sachs. “I was fascinated by the culture of the place,” she said in an interview with The Washington Post, explaining that the juxtaposition of moral responsibility with bankers’ complex, abstract business transactions seemed fertile ground for a satirical production. 

“I am delighted to be directing Sarah Burgess’s clever, smart, witty play examining the intersection of modern finance and politics,” says the production’s director Genie Croft. “The script has biting insights into what truly constitutes the background of private equity. Dry Powder can refer to not only funds that are expendable, but people too. All four of the characters portrayed by this very talented cast, are tripped up by flaws they are unaware of and are unwilling to change, so as successful profiteers they very well know, it’s not about right and wrong or even business ventures – it’s all about the satisfaction – and the real price – of getting the deal done.”

Croft’s cast includes Autumn Kioti Horne as Jenny, Wayne LeGette as Rick, Michael Scott Ross as Seth, and Christopher Dreeson as Jeff.

The Stage Manager Dry Powder is Joseph Zettelmaier.  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, and Costume Design is by Timothy Charles Bowman.

Tickets for Dry Powder are on sale now. Theyrange in price from $59 to $69 and are available online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by calling 561-272-1281. Performances take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. There will be a Lunchbox matinee performance on Wednesday, April 30 at 12 pm. All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th Street, Delray Beach (33444)

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

For more information about Boca Stage, the Delray Beach Playhouse, and Genie Croft, or to arrange to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. 

Dry Powder
April 25 – May 4
By Sarah Burgess
Tickets: $59/$69
For tickets & information:  
https://delraybeachplayhouse.csstix.com/event-details.php?e=1251
Or call 561-272-1281
Performances: 
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm
Wednesday, April 30 at 12 pm (Lunchbox Matinee)
Wednesday, January 22nd at 12 pm
All performances will take place at
The Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL  33444

Producion Photos by Amy Pasquantonio

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

Wayne LeGette, Autumn Kioti Horne, Christopher Dreeson, Michael Scott Ross
Autumn KIoti Horne
Michael Scott Ross, Autumn Kioti Horne
Autumn Kioti Horne
Autumn Kioti Horne, Wayne LeGette, Chirstopher Dreeson
Christopher Dreeson, Michael Scott Ross
Michael Scott Ross, Christopher Dreeson
Wayne LeGette
Wayne LeGette

Pigs Do Fly Productions to Present PAINTING CHURCHES – April 11 – May 4

04 Tuesday Mar 2025

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
to present
Tina Howe’s
Painting Churches
April 11 – May 4, 2025

“Beautifully written… A theatrical family portrait that has the shimmer and depth of Renoir portraits.”
~ The New York Times

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

March 4, 2025

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: Pigs Do Fly Productions will present Painting Churches,Tina Howe’s moving and hilarious portrait of a family of artists falling apart and coming together at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale from April 11th through May 4th. Painting Churches was a finalist for the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Gardner Church (a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet), and his wife, Fanny (a flamboyant aesthete) are aging Bostonian bluebloods in the process of moving out of their Beacon Hill home into their summer cottage on Cape Cod due to the shambles their lives have become. They have invited their daughter, Mags, who is on the verge of artistic celebrity as a portrait painter, to come and help them with the move.  

“When Tina Howe’s Painting Churches first premiered, it invited audiences into the intimate, poignant, and often humorously complex world of family dynamics,” says the play’s director, Deborah Kondelik. “Set against the backdrop of a New England home, the play explores the shifting tides of relationships between parents and their adult children, all while subtly examining the process of memory, change, and the inevitable passage of time.

“In Painting Churches Howe captures the bittersweetness of life – how we struggle with the past while simultaneously grappling with the responsibility of the present,” she continues. “The play gives us moments of levity amidst its emotional depths – finding laughter in the confusion, in the mismatched recollections, and in the sometimes outrageous behaviors of its characters. Howe reminds us that even in the face of loss or impending change, there is room for wit and tenderness.”

Kondelik has cast Carbonell Award-winner Laura Turnbull as Fanny, William Mahone as Gardner, and Ana Marie Calise as Mags.

“We are now entering our ninth year of operations,” says Pigs Do Fly Productions’ Founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher. “I am so proud of what we have accomplished during these past nine years; we are continuing to grow and to explore the many facets of life over 50.  I love the fact that unlike in the past, the actor – and the character over ‘a certain age’ is no longer considered ‘old’.  We are totally involved in life – we love, we lose, we work, we play, and we enjoy life.”

The Stage Manager for Painting Churches is Joseph Long. 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. Director Kondelik will serve as both production’s the Costume Coordinator and Property Designer, and MNM Theatre Company will build the sets.  Jessica Kaschube is the Company Manager, and Donna Pacheco de Castro will handle the Box Office.

Tickets for Painting Churches 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.

~

Painting Churches
April 11 – May 4, 2025
By Tina Howe
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

(Click on each photo to expand, identify and/or download;
To download, right click on the expanded image and click on the ‘Save Image As’ option)
Photo credit: Carol Kassie

Ana Marie Calise
Ana Marie Calise & Laura Turnbull
Ana Marie Calise, William Mahone, & Laura Turnbull
Ana Marie Calise, William Mahone, & Laura Turnbull
Ana Marie Calise, William Mahone, & Laura Turnbull
Laura Turnbull
Laura Turnbull
Laura Turnbull & William Mahone
Laura Turnbull & William Mahone
Laura Turnbull, William Mahone, Ana Marie Calise
Laura Turnbull, William Mahone, Ana Marie Calise
Laura Turnbull, William Mahone, Ana Marie Calise
Laura Turnbull, William Mahone, Ana Marie Calise
William Mahone
William Mahone
William Mahone, Laura Turnbull, Ana Marie Calise
Laura Turnbull
Ana Marie Calise
William Mahone
Deborah Kondelik
Ellen Wacher
Tina Howe

The Pompano Players’ RESPECT: A MUSICAL JOURNEY OF WOMEN Opens March 28th

20 Thursday Feb 2025

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The Pompano Players’
Respect: A Musical Journey of Women
Opens March 28th
at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center

“I loved the show. It was the soundtrack of my life. Everyone should go see it!”
~ Patti LaBelle

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

February 20, 2025

POMPANO BEACH, FL:  From Lily Langtree 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, the fourth production of the Pompano Players’ inaugural season, will open on March 28th at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center and run through April 6th.

RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women which has evolved from a one-woman dissertation by Dr. Dorothy Marcic to an international hit musical revue since its 2004 debut in South Florida,is an entertaining, exuberant, and exhilarating look at the lives of women as reflected in the popular music of the times.  

Featuring an ensemble cast of four (Dalia Aleman, Noelle Nicholas, Heather Simsay, and Anneliese Wolfanger) and a live band, and combining excerpts from 60 songs including “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “I Will Follow Him,” “These Boots are Made for Walking,“”What’s Love Got to Do with It,” and “Bravewith 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 have no trouble at all identifying with the messages of encouragement and empowerment that RESPECT portrays.

“RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women is more than just a jukebox musical – it is a celebration of resilience, empowerment, and the evolving role of women through the decades,” says the show’s director, Jeremy Quinn. “Through the powerful lens of music, this production tells the story of struggle, triumph, love, and identity, all woven together by the unforgettable songs that defined generations. 

“As a director, my vision for this production is to honor the spirit of the women who lived these stories while making them deeply personal and relevant for today’s audiences,” he continues. “Each song – from “I Will Survive” to “You Don’t Own Me” – is more than just a melody; it is a testament to the voices that refused to be silenced, to the dreams that refused to fade, and to the ongoing fight for equality and respect. 

“This show is a journey – one that takes us from the innocent love songs of the early 20th century to the powerful anthems of independence that fuel modern movements. My goal is to craft a production that is not only entertaining but also thought-provoking, one that sparks conversations and reflections about how far we’ve come and the work that remains,” he says.

“Above all, RESPECT is a celebration of the collective strength of women. It is a reminder that music has the power to inspire, to heal, and to unite. I am honored to bring this journey to life on stage and to share in this tribute to the voices, past and present, that continue to demand—and deserve – respect.” 

The RESPECT team includes Music Director Phil Hinton (Hinton was the original production’s Music Director in 2004), and assistant Music Director Elijah Gee.  Amanda Lopez is the show’s Choreographer, Claudia Smith is the Scenic Designer, and Penny Williams is the Costume Designer.   Director Jeremey Quinn will also serve as the production’s Stage Manager.

RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women will run March 28 – April 6 at Pompano Beach Cultural Center.  The theatre is located at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, in Pompano Beach (33060)

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

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

~

RESPECT:  A Musical Journey of Women
By Dorothy Marcic
March 28 – April 6, 2025
Tickets:  $45 – $65
For tickets:  https://pompanobeachculturalcenter.csstix.com/event-details.php?e=623 or
Call:  954-501-1910
Performances:
Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The Pompano Beach Cultural Center
50 West Atlantic Blvd.,
Pompano Beach, FL  33060

Production photos by Amy Pasquantonio.

Click on each image to enlarge and download.

Anneliese Wolfanger
Heather Simsay, Dalia Aleman, Anneliese Wofanger
Anneliese Wolfanger, Heather Simsay, Dalia Aleman, Noelle Nicholas
Noelle Nicholas
Dalia Aleman, Noelle Nicholas, Heather Simsay, Anneliese Wolfanger
Heather Simsay
Noelle Nicholas, Anneliese Wolfanger, Dalia Aleman, Heather Simsay

BITTERSUITE: SONGS OF MORE EXPERIENCE at the Levis JCC – March 22nd & 23rd

12 Wednesday Feb 2025

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Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience
at the Levis JCC Sandler Center
March 22nd & 23rd Only

Sheer brilliance… An inspired cabaret presentation with the kind of provocative Broadway songs that draw people back to relish them again and again.”
John S. Wilson – The New York Times

“Riveting, thought-provoking, superb”
Curt Davis – The New York Post

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244 February 11, 2025

February 12, 2025

BOCA RATON, FL: Elliot Weiss and Michael Champagne’s award-winning song cycle, Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience, will run for two performances only at the Levis JCC Sandler Center March 22nd and 23rd.  The production is part of the JCC’s Robert Greenberg Performing Arts Series.

Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience is a extension of the acclaimed revue Bittersuite: Songs of Experience which ran in New York, San Francisco, and for two years in Los Angeles where it was singled out as a “critic’s choice” by the LA Times, LA Weekly, and Daily News. In this edition the cycle continues to explore the American Experience in song, but from a more mature perspective. Bittersuite explores growing old in America, what it feels like, and what it means – how do the issues of love, loneliness, success and failure, change, and accommodation, impact our lives as we age?

“Michael Champagne and I had just completed a workshop of our first musical Casanova – A Musical Romanceand we were having trouble attracting a producer due to the size of the cast,” Bittersuite composer Elliot Weiss recalls. “We decided to scale down and write a song cycle for four singers and piano. We envisioned it to be performed with no props or sets. To let the material speak for itself. But – what should we write about? Seeing as both of us were rapidly approaching middle age, it seemed that how people feel when their youthful expectations collide with their present-day reality could be a fertile field to explore.” 

“Bittersuite grew out of our interest in exploring the realities – both sweet and bitter – of American life,” Michael Champagne says.  We first presented the show in a seedy little Off-Off Broadway theater in New York, where it caught fire and moved into the cabaret theatre scene in a stylish uptown location.  Bittersuite: Songs of Experience has had great success, won many awards, and has been performed many times all over the world.”

“Years went by, and lo and behold Michael and I were now approaching our golden years.” Weiss continues. “It seemed with so much more knowledge, regrets, wisdom, foolhardiness, and everything else that comes with aging it was time to update Bittersuite and call it Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience. This latest version of the show, which has been tailored and updated specifically for South Florida audiences, won the New Jersey Broadway World Best Musical award when we first performed it!”

Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience is a musical ‘selfie’ taken forty years later,” Champagne concludes. “And reflects some of the deeper perspectives time brings with it.”

Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience will be staged by Holly Budney, and Weiss will serve as the show’s Musical Director.  The production will feature Francine Birns, Lisa Fishman, David Hyman, and Shane Tanner.  The four actor/singers will use narrative song, set pieces, humor, and pathos to express the currents flowing through the American psyche to produce an unflinching view of who we are and what we hope as we grow older.

Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience will be performed at the Levis JCC Sandler Center on Saturday, March 22nd and Sunday, March 23; both performances will take place at 7:30 pm.  Tickets are $35/$40 each and are on sale now.  For tickets and information visit https://levisjcc.org/culture/performingarts/ or call 561-558-2520.

For more information about Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience, to speak with Elliot Weiss, Michael Champagne, or anyone else involved in the production, or to arrange to attend a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

Bittersuite: Songs of More Experience
Music by Elliot Weiss
Lyrics by Michael Champagne
Written and created by Elliot Weiss and Michael Champagne
Saturday, March 22 & Sunday, March 23 at 7:30 pm
Tickets:  $35/$40
For tickets and/or more information:
https://levisjcc.org/culture/performingarts/ or
Call:  561-558-2520
Both performances will take place at
The Levis JCC Sandler Center
21050 95th Avenue S.
Boca Raton, FL 33428

Rehearsal photos – credit:
Carol Kassie

David Hyman, Lisa Fishman, Shane Tanner, Francine Birns
Francine Birns, Lisa Fishman, David Hyman, Shane Tanner
Elliot Weiss, Lisa Fishman, Shane Tanner, Francine Birns, David Hyman
Francine Birns, Shane Tanner, Lisa Fishman