Tag Archives: comedy

Pigs Do Fly Productions presents HELEN ON WHEELS – March 5 – 29, 2020

11 Tuesday Feb 2020

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents
Helen on Wheels
March 5 – 29, 2020

“‘Helen on Wheels’ is a lovely play about real people, and its gentle humor provides the structure for a very funny lesson on living your life, and no one else’s, no matter how old you are.” ~ Mary Ann Johnson, MD Theatre Guide

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

February 11, 2020
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:  A feisty, bingo-playing, gun-toting, ruckus raising, independent woman!  That’s Helen Wheeler, the title character in Pigs Do Fly Productions next outing – Cricket Daniel’s comedy Helen on Wheels.  The show will run from March 6th through March 29th at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.  There will be a preview performance on March 5th.

Ellen Wacher

“We had such a great response to our recent production of Cricket Daniel’s The Lost Virginity Tour that I was pumped to look at this play too,” says Ellen Wacher, Pigs Do Fly’s founder and Executive Producer.   “Helen on Wheels is totally enjoyable, far out, very funny, and perfect for us, and for the times.”

Elizabeth Price, who recently received glowing reviews in Primal Forces Productions’ Villainous Company will direct Helen on Wheels: 

“Nostalgia for the past, good times. Pushing boundaries, living out loud. Seeing what’s really important, not buying into what people think we should be and do, missed chances, new opportunities… these are things that everyone, no matter what their age, can relate to.”  Price says.

Elizabeth Price

“The play is about a woman who has lost the man she spent her whole happy life with, and now she’s acting out in crazy but hilarious ways as she looks for who she is on her own,” she says. “Another chance for love comes along and she has to decide which way to go. Essentially, we get to see how the sweetness of the past doesn’t end when something new begins.

“This company has a great mission,” Price continues. “I want to see and tell stories that reflect what the whole of life looks like, not just life’s early phases.”

Price has cast Beverly Blanchette as Helen, and Carol Sussman as her best friend and partner in crime Zona. Rounding out the troupe are David Hyland as Seth, Todd Bruno as Nelson, and Dave Corey as Elmer.

“I am thrilled to have Helen on Wheels produced by Pigs Do Fly Productions,” playwright Cricket Daniel says.  “This play is very personal to me because it was inspired by my own mother, who loved two things… my Dad and Bingo!  I had an absolute blast creating these characters.  I think the heart of Helen on Wheels is the friendship between Helen and Zona.  Everyone needs a best friend that will wipe your tears… and help you break out of jail.  Everyone needs a Zona!”

Cricket Daniel

Cricket Daniel holds a theater degree from UC Santa Barbara and studied Shakespeare in Cambridge, England. She has an extensive background in improv, stand-up and theater. Cricket was a member of the national improv troupe Comedy Sportz and has performed stand-up at The Ice House and The Improv and has performed regularly in local community theatre productions. Her short play Break Dreams has been staged in New York City, Miami, Colorado Springs, Eugene, Oregon, and in Austin, TX. Her full-length play Love, Laughter & Lucci took home Best Production, Best Actress and Best Actor awards at the 2012 Golden Gravel Awards. Her full-length play Helen On Wheels was a finalist in the 2015 New Play Development Workshop through Route 66 Theatre in Chicago. Cricket is a 2012 recipient of an Arts, Beautification, and Culture Award for her contribution to local theater and is a member of The Dramatist Guild of America. She lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband and daughter.

There will be a preview performance of Helen on Wheels’ on March 5th; the production will open on March 6th and run through March 29th.  Tickets are $39 and are available online at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com  or by calling 866-811-4111.  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 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, or to arrange to see the production, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Funding for this project is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council.

~*~

Helen on Wheels
Preview Performance: Thursday, March 5, 2020
Runs from March 6 – March 29, 2020
By Cricket Daniel
Tickets: $39
Tickets:  866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Performances:
Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm
Sunday: 5 pm
All performances will take place at
Empire Stage
1140 N Flagler Drive,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
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THE SECRET COMEDY OF WOMEN’S Barbara Gehring’s Film ‘The Social Dilemma’ Debuts to Rave Reviews at The Sundance Film Festival

06 Thursday Feb 2020

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THE SECRET COMEDY OF WOMEN’S
Barbara Gehring’s Film
‘The Social Dilemma’
Debuts to Rave Reviews at
The Sundance Film Festival

The Secret Comedy of Women runs through February 23rd
at the Mizner Park Cultural Center.

“Forget Victoria’s Secret; it’s Linda Klein and Barbara Gehring who know the real secrets, at least to making ladies laugh!” ~  Ilana Rothman – Ilana in Theatre Land

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

February 6, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:  Barbara Gehring one of the co-creators and stars of The Secret Comedy of Women just returned from “…a whirlwind of a weekend at the Sundance Film Festival.   Our movie’s premier got a standing ovation,” she reports, “And a great review in The Hollywood Reporter!!” ‘“The Social Dilemma’, the film she was at Sundance to promote (and which Variety called a ‘lively and entertaining documentary, whose accessibility is heightened by some narrative play acting’) examines the pervasive influence of social media on society.

Gehring, and her partner Linda Klein have been performing in The Secret Comedy of Women at the Mizner Park Cultural Center since January 15th; the show will run through February 23rd.  The Secret Comedy of Women was inspired by the earnest and absurd writings in Gehring and Klein’s girlhood diaries, which were written well before the term social media was even coined – when secrets were shared with a few best friends, rather than the entire world.  It celebrates the joys of the journey from girlhood to womanhood and explores the universal female experience through a rollicking spectacle of sweetly-sharp comedy, songs, dances, stories, improvisation, and spontaneous moments of discovery that all women share.

Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein both began writing and performing comedy at an early age.  While young Barbara directed elaborate puppet shows in her secret fort thousands of miles away in Winnipeg, Canada, little Linda was producing extravagant backyard circuses in a tiny Colorado mountain town.  Neither could have foreseen how well these skills would blend together decades later when they wrote The Secret Comedy of Women.  Had they known each other all those years ago, The Secret Comedy of Women is exactly the type of show they would have created together and now as adults, it is exactly the kind of show in which they’ve always wanted to perform. Gehring and Klein have successful careers in the entertainment industry beyond comedy, and have rich expertise in the areas of training, writing, creative thinking, logistics, administration, marketing, and public relations.

The Secret Comedy of Women will run through February 23 at the Mizner Park Cultural Center.  Tickets range from $45 to $65; group rates are also available.  Tickets can be purchased online at playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark or by phone at 844-672-2849. (For group sales call 888-264-1788).           

For more information about The Secret Comedy of Women please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244 or visit www.SecretComedyOfWomen.com

The Secret Comedy of Women®
By Barbara Gehring & Linda Klein
January 15 – February 23, 2020
Tickets:  $45 – $65
For Tickets:  844-672-2849 / playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark / or
miznerparkculturalcenter.com/
Group Sales: 1-888-264-1788
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30 pm
All performances will take place at
Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center
201 Plaza Real (2nd Floor)
Boca Raton, FL 33432
www.girlsonlycomedy.com/
Like Us on Facebook!

Reviews for ‘The Social Dilemma can be found online at:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/social-dilemma-review-1273606
https://www.indiewire.com/2020/01/the-social-dilemma-review-sundance-1202207034/
https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/the-social-dilemma-review-1203487761/

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Tovah Feldshuh Returns to the Mizner Park Cultural Center in TOVAH IS LEONA March 28th & 29th

20 Monday Jan 2020

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Back by Popular Demand!

Tovah Feldshuh
Returns to the Mizner Park Cultural Center
in
Tovah is LEONA!
Saturday & Sunday,  March 28th & 29th

“Dead 12 years, and I can still nail a middle C!”
Tovah Feldshuh as Leona Helmsley

“This Is A Do-Not-Miss!! Tovah Embodies This New York Name With Every Fiber Of Her Being”
—Times Square Chronicles

 

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

January 20, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:  Six-time Tony and Emmy nominee Tovah Feldshuh will return to the Mizner Park Cultural Center on March 28th and 29th for a limited engagement with her Broadway-bound musical Tovah is LEONA! The show, in which Feldshuh assumes the persona of real estate mogul and hotelier Leona Helmsley, played to sold-out houses in early January.

As Helmsley, the disgraced doyenne comments and sings about anything and everything – from her meteoric rise from office temp to trophy wife, from wheeler-dealer to hotel magnate, to her real estate rival Donald Trump.

Created by Feldshuh with Director Jeff Harnar and Musical Director James Bassi (and based on the New York Times best-seller by Ransdell Pierson) Leona Helmsley is given one hour up from Purgatory to “set the record straight!!” …..and sing a few show tunes. She fulfills her dream to star in her own cabaret show as she sings for her innocence in a long awaited RE-trial with the audience as her jury.

Tovah is LEONA! features original music by Ron Passaro, lyrics by David Lee, and a book by Alex Lippard and David Lee.  The show is directed by Jeff Harner, and Musical Director James Bassi provided the musical arrangements and additional lyrics.

Tovah Feldshuh

Tovah Feldshuh is a six-time Emmy & Tony nominee and has been awarded three honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters. Additionally, for her theatre work, she has won four Drama Desks, four Outer Critics Circle Awards, three Dramalogues, the Obie, the Theatre World, and the Helen Hayes and Lucille Lortel Awards for Best Actress.

On Broadway: Yentl, Cyrano, Rodgers & Hart, Dreyfus in Rehearsal, Sarava!, Lend Me a Tenor, Golda’s Balcony Irena’s Vow, and the show stopping trapeze-swinging Berthe in Pippin. Off-Broadway and around the country: Dozens of productions playing everything from three queens of Henry VIII and Tallulah Bankhead to Yussel “The Muscle” Jacobs, nine Jews from birth to death in Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! and most recently Holocaust Denier Brenda Goodsen opposite Ed Asner in The Soap Myth. This summer she starred in the world premiere of Wade Dooley’s The Prompter directed by Scott Schwartz, where she played Irene Young, a legendary diva making her Broadway comeback after a 40-year absence. Immediately on the heels of The Prompter, she filmed Clifford for Paramount Pictures, went to the Sing-Sing in New Guinea, and flew from there to Los Angeles to star as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the LA Premiere of Jonathan Shapiro’s Sisters-In-Law. She has just completed filming Edith Hagigi’s BLEECKER with Ben Stiller.

On TV: Deanna Monroe on “The Walking Dead”, Danielle Melnick on “Law & Order”, POTUS Pauline Mackenzie on “Salvation”, and Naomi Bunch, on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” where Feldshuh can be seen singing the dignified showstopper: “Where’s the Bathroom!” Films include: Kissing Jessica Stein, (Golden Satellite Award), A Walk on the Moon, Brewster’s Millions, Just My Luck, Daniel, The Idolmaker, and most recently, Ms. Feldshuh’s award-winning performance as Prime Minister Golda Meir in Golda’s Balcony has been made into a film entitled Golda’s Balcony The Film which has won 20 out of 20 Audience Choice Awards. Her one-woman show “Tovah is LEONA!” enjoyed sold-out engagements at 54 Below in New York and at Feinstein’s at the Nikko in San Francisco.  Feldshuh is thrilled to bring the infamous Leona Helmsley direct from Purgatory to sunny Florida where Leona was once a resident in Palm Beach. Follow Tovah’s travels around the world on Instagram @tovahfeld. www.tovahfeldshuh.com/

Tickets for Tovah is LEONA! are on sale now and range in price from $39 – $59. Tickets can be purchased online at http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com or by phone at 844-672-2849.  Group rates are available.  The Mizner Park Cultural Center is located at 201 Plaza Real in Boca Raton (33432).

For more information about Tovah is LEONA! to arrange for tickets, or to speak with someone involved in the production, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

“Tovah Is a Life Force!” Theater Pizazz

“Fast, funny and vastly entertaining.” Cabaret Scenes

~

Tovah is LEONA!
Saturday, March 28 at 3 pm & 8 pm
Sunday, March 29 at 2 pm & 7 pm
Created by: Tovah Feldshuh, James Bassi, & Jeff Harner
Directed by Jeff Harner
Musical Director:  James Bassi
Music by Ron Passaro
Lyrics by David Lee & Alex Lippard
Tickets: $39 – $59
Group rates:  $10 off for groups of 12 or more.
For tickets:  http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/  844-672-2849
All performances take place at
The Mizner Park Cultural Center
201 Plaza Real, 2nd Floor
Boca Raton, FL 33432
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THE SECRET COMEDY OF WOMEN Opening January 15th at The Mizner Park Cultural Center

30 Monday Dec 2019

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THE SECRET COMEDY OF WOMEN®

Opens January 15th for a Limited Engagement at
Mizner Park Cultural Center

“If there is a mystique that defines the feminine and a gap that obstructs understanding between the sexes, Gehring and Klein have probed it with intelligence and sensitivity and loads of good-natured laughs.”
~ Herbert Paine, BroadwayWorld.com

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

December 30, 2019

BOCA RATON, FL: – Ladies! Gather your girlfriends and your fun-loving men! The Secret Comedy of Women® will open the Mizner Park Cultural Center on January 15th and run through February 23rd.

The Secret Comedy of Women celebrates the joys of the journey from girlhood to womanhood. An immersive theatrical experience that rejoices in the challenges of being a woman – from boys to bras and pantyhose to menopause – this two-woman show explores the universal female experience through a rollicking spectacle of sweetly-sharp comedy, songs, dances, stories, and spontaneous moments of discovery that all women share.

Inspired by authors Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein’s earnest and amusingly absurd writings in their girlhood diaries, The Secret Comedy of Women is a mix of sketch, improvisation, audience participation, witty songs and clever videos. The show reminds audiences of the very funny and very charming similarities between all women. “It’s really like a girlhood reunion,” says Klein. “Our show is something highly universal, made personal. It’s for women of all ages – and for the men who love them,” adds Gehring.

The Secret Comedy of Women actively engages its audience with its high spirited, good-natured style of humor. With reviewers calling the show “…truly brilliant.” (Denver Post) and “Laugh out loud comedy!” (Broadway World) it is no wonder that this “two hour celebration of bras, purses, showers, breastfeeding and menopause” (Pittsburgh Tribune) ran continuously for nearly two years at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and has played to over a quarter of a million women across North America.

Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein both began writing and performing comedy at an early age.  While young Barbara directed elaborate puppet shows in her secret fort thousands of miles away in Winnipeg, Canada, little Linda was producing extravagant backyard circuses in a tiny Colorado mountain town.  Neither could have foreseen how well these skills would blend together decades later when they wrote The Secret Comedy of Women.  Had they known each other all those years ago, The Secret Comedy of Women is exactly the type of show they would have created together and now as adults, it is exactly the kind of show in which they’ve always wanted to perform. Gehring and Klein have successful careers in the entertainment industry beyond comedy, and have rich expertise in the areas of training, writing, creative thinking, logistics, administration, marketing, and public relations. .

The Secret Comedy of Women will run from January 15 through February 23 at the Mizner Park Cultural Center.  Tickets range from $45 to $65; group rates are also available.  Tickets can be purchased online at http://playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark or http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com, or by phone at 844-672-2849. (For group sales call 888-264-1788).           

For more information about The Secret Comedy of Women please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244 or visit www.SecretComedyOfWomen.com

In the attached photos:
Barbara Gehring & Linda Klein in The Secret Comedy of Women.
Photo credit:  Tony Shapiro

~

The Secret Comedy of Women – Girls Only
By Barbara Gehring & Linda Klein
January 15 – February 23, 2020
Tickets:  $45 – $65
For Tickets:  844-672-2849 / http://playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark or
http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/ 
Group Sales: 1-888-264-1788
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30 pm
All performances will take place at
Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center
201 Plaza Real (2nd Floor)
Boca Raton, FL 33432
MiznerParkCulturalCenter.com
www.girlsonlycomedy.com
Like Us on Facebook!

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December & January at MIZNER PARK CULTURAL CENTER

19 Thursday Dec 2019

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December and January at
Mizner Park Cultural Center:

Franco Corso & Murat Turan: A Night of Passion
Aces & Knaves: A Film About Bridge
Tovah is Leona
Jeff Norris
The Secret Comedy of Women 

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

December 19, 2019

BOCA RATON, FL:  Mizner Park Cultural Center is quickly becoming one of South Florida’s ‘go to’ spots for an exciting and eclectic mix of theatre, music, comedy, and even film. The venue, well-located in Boca Raton’s Mizner Park, will play host a wide variety of entertainment in December and January, hosting Broadway’s Tovah Feldshuh in a brand new Broadway-bound musical, comedian Jeff Norris, a film about bridge, an evening of romantic music, and the delightful interactive Secret Comedy of Women.  Numerous other performances will take place as well.

On December 28th Italian tenor Franco Corso will team up with Gypsy Flamenco Guitarist Murat Turan to perform in A Night of Passion – From Bocelli to The Gypsy Kings, showcasing a fusion of Lakatos’ flamenco and Spanish guitar styles with Corso’s versatile voice that ranges from baritone to tenor.

Aces & Knaves – A Film About Bridge will be screened for one night only, on December 29th.  A fascinating documentary about the game of bridge, directed by Jackie Paré, the film zooms in on the players, the scandals, and the intense competition inside the world of bridge.  Featuring interviews with some of the world’s best players, including aspiring ace Bill Gates.

From January 8th – 10th, six-time Tony and Emmy nominated star Tovah Feldshuh will star in the South Florida premiere of Tovah is Leona, a musical production featuring highlights from the new Broadway-bound musical Queen of Mean, based on Piers Ransdell’s New York Times best-selling biography of Leona Helmsley.  (Please note, this show is completely sold out.)

Las Vegas and Atlantic City favorite, comedian Jeff Norris (January 24th) has been called one of the most quick-witted acts working today.  Hardly pausing for breath, he tears through his material – keeping audiences alert and in stitches from beginning to end.

The Secret Comedy of Women will run from January 15th through February 23rd.  A laugh-out-loud immersive theatrical celebration that exuberantly triumphs over the challenges of womanhood, this two-woman show liberates the female experience through a rollicking spectacle of sweetly sharp comedy, songs, dances, and stories.  From boys to bras, and pantyhose to menopause, The Secret Comedy of Women “inspires many laughs and ‘ahhs’ of recognition” (Charlotte Observer).

Tickets to each of these performances, as well as many other Mizner Park Cultural Center performances are on sale now and can be purchased online at http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com or by phone at 844-672-2849. Ticket details are below.

The Mizner Park Cultural Center is located at
201 Plaza Real,
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Website:  miznerparkculturalcenter.com
Like us on Facebook!

For more information about the Mizner Park Cultural Center, and any of these shows, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Ticket prices and performance times are below.

Franco Corso & Murat Turan: A Night of Passion
Saturday, December 28, at 7:30 pm
Tickets:  $35

Aces & Knaves: A Film About Bridge
Sunday, December 29 at 7: pm
Tickets: $20

Tovah is Leona – January 8 – 10
Sold Out

Jeff Norris
Friday, January 24 at 7:30
Tickets:  $34 – $39

The Secret Comedy of Women – January 15 – February 23
January 15 – February 23
Tickets: $45-$65
(Group rates – 12 or more – are also available –  call 888-264-1788)
Performance Schedule:
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2:30 pm
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 pm

For tickets to all shows, and more information:  http://miznerparkculturalcenter.com/

 

Pigs Do Fly Productions Presents THE LOST VIRGINITY TOUR – October 31 – November 24

07 Monday Oct 2019

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents

The Lost Virginity Tour
October 31 – November 24

“When liquor laced cookies are the highlight of our week, then it’s time for us to shake things up.”– The Lost Virginity Tour

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

October 8, 2019
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:   Four women ‘of a certain age’ will take to the road and revisit the locales where each lost her virginity in Pigs Do Fly Productions’ The Lost Virginity Tour by Cricket Daniel.  There will be a preview performance on October 31st and the production will run from November 1st through November 24th at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.  

The Lost Virginity Tour is a funny, profound, and provocative play about four women in their golden years – not talking about their grandkids or their knitting circles, but talking about sex and love, and recalling their ‘first time’ with often hilarious but sometimes harrowing detail.   This humorous and adventurous road trip through memories conjures up the choices we make that shape our lives forever, and the friendships that hold us up when we can’t walk on our own.

Deborah Kondelik

Deborah Kondelik, who directed Pigs Do Fly’s recent sold out production of 2 Across, will helm The Lost Virginity Tour: “Old folks ain’t what they used to be! And Pigs Do Fly Productions has a noteworthy mission – to do productions that feature characters over 50 years of age, and oftentimes much older,” she says.  “The plays we present are populated with vibrant, intriguing characters who make “getting older” much more fun than the typical older characters we saw in plays of bygone eras.  This play by Cricket Daniel is a perfect fit for Pigs Do Fly because it features four unique women taking an inimitable, one-of-a-kind road trip. Everyone should come along for the ride because it promises to be filled with tons of raucous laughter and also a few poignant tears.”

Ellen Wacher

Pigs Do Fly founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher agrees: “Pigs Do Fly stands for people over 50 living interesting, active lives,” she says.  “And…WOW!  The Lost Virginity Tour fits our mission to a “T”. It has humor, some serious moments, and always strong characters who reflect our lives and who we are today.  We have assembled an amazing cast and I totally believe that those who come will be affected by this play – I know it will inspire laughter, introspection, reflection, and even a few tears.”

Kondelik and Wacher have assembled an impressive cast to travel together on The Lost Virginity Tour: Leigh Bennett, Barbara Bradshaw, Diana D’Ambrosio, and Barbara Sloan will, as Sloan’s character Rita says “…Make like dough and roll”!

“As a playwright, it is very gratifying to give female actresses of a certain age a great vehicle to shine on stage,” playwright Cricket Daniel said recently. “Having a play with one leading role for the older actress is rare, let alone four.  It was fun to create these characters who get to laugh, cry, and play together on stage.  As a former actress, I would have killed to play one of these roles!”

Cricket Daniel

Cricket Daniel holds a theater degree from UC Santa Barbara and studied Shakespeare in Cambridge, England. She has an extensive background in improv, stand-up and theater. Cricket was a member of the national improv troupe Comedy Sportz and has performed stand-up at The Ice House and The Improv and has performed regularly in local community theatre productions. Her short play Break Dreams has been staged in New York City, Miami, Colorado Springs, Eugene, Oregon, and in Austin, TX. Her full-length play Love, Laughter & Lucci took home Best Production, Best Actress and Best Actor awards at the 2012 Golden Gravel Awards. Her full-length play Helen On Wheels was a finalist in the 2015 New Play Development Workshop through Route 66 Theatre in Chicago. Cricket is a 2012 recipient of an Arts, Beautification, and Culture Award for her contribution to local theater and is a member of The Dramatist Guild of America. She lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband and daughter.

The Lost Virginity Tour will run from October 31st (preview performance) through November 24th.  Tickets for The Lost Virginity Tour are $39 and are available online at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com  or by calling 866-811-4111.  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 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.

Funding for this project is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council.

~*~

The Lost Virginity Tour
Preview Performance: Thursday, October 31
Runs from November 1 – November 24, 2019
By Cricket Daniel
Tickets: $39
Tickets:  866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Performances:
Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm
Sunday: 5 pm
All performances will take place at
Empire Stage
1140 N Flagler Drive,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Like us on Facebook!

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David Goldyn’s Delightful Comedy DADDY ISSUES at the Theatre at CSL – October 18 – November 3

12 Thursday Sep 2019

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David Goldyn Productions in Conjunction with Theatre at CSL presents
Daddy Issues
October 18th – November 3rd

“A brilliantly structured myriad of sticky situations”
Stage Buddy

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

September 12, 2019

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: The Off Broadway hit Daddy Issues, written and directed by David Goldyn, is returning to South Florida after a short but successful stint at Boca Raton’s Willow Theatre last March. The production will run from October 18th through November 3rd at the Theatre at CSL (Center for Spiritual Living) in Oakland Park.

How far will a gay guy go to please his parents? Daddy Issues centers on Donald Moscowitz, (Elijah Pearson) an openly gay actor living in New York City in 1982.  His overbearing Jewish parents (Elli Murray and David Goldyn) know he’s gay but that doesn’t stop them from demanding a grandchild.  When Donald learns that Grandma Moscowitz (Vicki Klein) will double his inheritance if he produces a grandchild, he enlists the help of the ten-year old kid from downstairs (Michael Salvanto) to play his son from an experimental tryst he had in college. His two best friends Henrietta (Kayla Fainer) and Levi (Jesus Reyna), a drag star from the village, fight over who will play the birth mother, Mary Ellen McQuire. When Mom and Dad show up what could go wrong?

Daddy Issues was nominated for Best Off Broadway Play by Broadway World in 2017.  In New York it was hailed as “hilarious and heartfelt” (Michael Musto) and the Huffington Post proclaimed it “a frothy whipped dessert of a show.” Seth Kubersky at The Orlando Weekly called the Florida premiere of Daddy Issues in 2018, “the rare snappy play that would go over equally well in a gay nightclub as well as a Miami retirement home.” The Weekly went on to say that “if it were a sit-com on NBC’s Thursday’s lineup, it might run for six seasons.” Prophetically, the play has already received sit-com interest in Los Angeles.

Playwright David Goldyn, who will also be directing the production, has helmed the show five times previously, including the Off-Broadway version, but this is the first time he will appear on stage.  Goldyn ran Fort Lauderdale’s Rising Action Theatre for seven years. He left the company (to pursue a writing career) in the capable hands of Andy Rogow, who reinvented it as Island City Stage.  Since leaving Rising Action Theatre, David has written two full length plays – Daddy Issues and The Manufacturers Daughter and the upcoming film “Black Jack at the Moulin Rouge” (http://blackjackatthemoulinrouge.com/). David also served as an Associate Producer on Broadway’s Honeymoon in Vegas.

Daddy Issues will run from October 18th through November 3rd at the Theatre at CSL (Center for Spiritual Living) in Oakland Park. The theatre is located at 4849 N Dixie Highway in Oakland Park (33334) Tickets are on sale now, and are available by phone at 800-595-4849 and online at www.daddyissuestheplay.com/.  Ticket prices range from $35 – $60.

For more information about Daddy Issues, visit www.daddyissuestheplay.com/ or contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com /561-445-9244. To learn more about The Theatre at CSL (The Center for Spiritual Living) visit  www.cslftlauderdale.org.

~

Daddy Issues
By David Goldyn
October 18 – November 3
Tickets:  $35-$60
Box Office: 800-595-4849
To purchase tickets: www.daddyissuestheplay.com/
Direct ticketing link:
https://dgproductions.tix.com/schedule.aspx?orgnum=6130
Performances:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 5 pm.
All performances will take place at
The Theatre at CSL (Center for Spiritual Living)
4849 N Dixie Highway
Oakland Park, FL 33334

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Romance, Comedy & Crosswords! Pigs Do Fly Productions Presents 2 ACROSS – March 7 – 24

12 Tuesday Feb 2019

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents
2 Across

March 7 – 24

“A charming, character driven comedy” ~ Los Angeles Times”

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

February 12, 2019

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:   Rehearsals have begun for 2 Across, Pigs Do Fly Productions’ upcoming production of Jerry Mayer’s ‘comedy of crosswords and romance’. The show will run from March 7th through March 24th 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

“This is our first play that focuses on a relationship between two people,” says Pigs Do Fly Productions’ founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher. “It also totally meets with our company’s mission – to show people over the age of 50 living interesting and active and real lives. I was captivated by these characters’ development, and I believe our audience will be too.”

Deborah Kondelik

Deborah Kondelik, who starred in both of Pigs Do Fly’s recent successful productions of The Ladies Foursome, will direct 2 Across: “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. The stumbling block is that both are married . . . to someone else.”

Barbara Sloan and David R. Gordon will star in 2 Across, and both are excited at the prospect of exploring their diametrically opposite characters: Sloan’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 on line at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com  or by calling 866-811-4111.  Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm, and on Sunday 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.   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.

~*~

2 Across
By Jerry Mayer
Directed by Deborah Kondelik
March 7 – 24
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
Tickets:  $39
For tickets:  www.pigsdoflyproductions.com / 866-811-4111
All performances will take place at
Empire Stage
1140 N. Flagler Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
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Pigs Do Fly’s THE LADIES FOURSOME Returns to Empire Stage – October 4 – 21

11 Tuesday Sep 2018

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Back by Popular Demand!

Pigs Do Fly Productions
The Ladies Foursome
Will hit the links again!

“Norm Foster’s hit comedy The Ladies Foursome is a fun-filled romp from beginning to end” ~ Joe Belanger ~ The London Free Press

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

September 11, 2019

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:   Pigs Do Fly Productions’ production of The Ladies Foursome played to consistently full houses when it ran at Empire Stage last March.  The show was such a success that the company’s founder and Executive Producer, Ellen Wacher decided to bring ‘the ladies’ back onto the golf course and let them swing their way through another round!   The show will run from October 4th through October 21st – once again at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.

“Why not?” Wacher said recently.  “I kept hearing from people saying their friends heard great things about the show and were sorry they’d missed it. Or that they hadn’t laughed so much in the theatre for ages and wanted to see it again.  The play – and the dialogue – is thoughtful, clever, realistic, and very, very funny, and it really resonated with our audiences – both men and women.   So this is truly a case of ‘back by popular demand’!”  

The show’s premise is simple: It’s the day after the funeral, and three women gather for a round of golf in honor of their recently departed play partner.  A mysterious fourth joins them, and so begins a raucous and rowdy 18 holes filled with secrets, surprises, confessions… and sex

The production will once again be directed by Genie Croft and all four original cast members – Janice Hamilton, Deborah Kondelik, Jacquie Laggy, and Elissa Solomon are back on board for this round.

“I am delighted we have the opportunity to be on the links once more, with this production,” Croft says. “Having done the show with this talented cast before, this time around they are able to expand in a more significant, and deeper way to their friendships, and pursuits of their own dreams, while achieving a higher level of humor.

“These four women have played golf together every week for 14 years, and they believe this is the perfect way to honor their friend,” Croft explained when she spoke about the play last March. “Each one of the foursome has her secrets – some have been taken to the grave, and others are revealed in moments of anger, jealously, drunkenness, and guilt.  As they play the links, confessions about men, sex, love, children, and careers come to the fore as they challenge each other’s views.  The Ladies Foursome is a tribute to the pitfalls and pleasures of friendships and their lasting significance in our lives.”

Norm Foster is considered to be Canada’s most produced playwright. He discovered his talents as a playwright in Fredericton, New Brunswick, while he was working as host of a popular morning radio show. He accompanied a friend to an audition, and landed his first acting job, as Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, without ever having even seeing a play. Intrigued with the theatre, he set his pen to paper and wrote his first play titled Sinners.

An extremely prolific writer, Foster has had more than fifty plays produced on professional stages around the world. Other well-known plays include The Love List, The Long Weekend; Bedtime Stories; Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun; Storm Warning; Skin Flick; Outlaw; Hilda’s Yard; On A First Name Basis; Old Love; Mending Fences and Here on the Flight Path. Frequently compared to American playwright Neil Simon, Foster pens plays that are known for their humor, accessibility, and insight into the everyday tribulations of life.

Tickets for The Ladies Foursome are $39 and are available on line at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com  or by calling 866-811-4111.  Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm, and on Sunday at 5 pm. All performances will take place Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flager Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.

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.

~*~

The Ladies Foursome
By Norm Foster
Directed by Genie Croft
October 4 – 21
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
Tickets:  $39
For tickets:  www.pigsdoflyproductions.com / 866-811-4111
All performances will take place at
Empire Stage
1140 N. Flagler Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Like Us on Facebook! 

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Pigs Do Fly Productions presents the Southeastern Premiere of THE LADIES FOURSOME

05 Monday Mar 2018

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
Presents
The Southeastern Premiere of
The Ladies Foursome
March 22 – April 8
(Preview performance March 21)

“Norm Foster’s hit comedy The Ladies Foursome is a fun-filled romp from beginning to end…”  Joe Belanger ~ The London Free Press

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

March 5, 2018
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:   It’s the day after the funeral, and three women gather for a round of golf in honor of their recently departed play partner.  A mysterious fourth joins them, and so begins a raucous and rowdy 18 holes filled with secrets, surprises, confessions… and sex.  Pigs Do Fly Productions will present award-winning Canadian playwright Norm Foster’s The Ladies Foursome from March 22nd – April 8th at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.  There will be a preview performance at 8 pm on March 21st.

The production will be directed by Genie Croft: “Welcome to the Southeastern premiere of The Ladies Foursome, a witty insightful comedy following four women as they navigate the ups and downs of life on the links,” she enthuses.  The fun starts at the first tee when golfer Tate starts stretching to “loosen up” and Margot does the same by cracking open a beer! 

“These four women have played golf together every week for 14 years, and they believe this is the perfect way to honor their friend,” she explains. “Each one of the foursome has her secrets – some have been taken to the grave, and others are revealed in moments of anger, jealously, drunkenness, and guilt.  As they play the links, confessions about men, sex, love, children, and careers come to the fore as they challenge each other’s views.  The Ladies Foursome is a tribute to the pitfalls and pleasures of friendships and their lasting significance in our lives.”

Croft has cast Janice Hamilton, Deborah Kondelik, Jacquie Laggy, and Elissa Solomon to portray her swinging foursome.

“The Ladies Foursome is so fascinating that I can hardly wait to see the production open myself!” says Pigs Do Fly Productions founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher.  “It shows exactly what Pigs Do Fly stands for – people over 50 doing interesting things with their lives.  And our director Genie Croft has created a fabulous show with this foursome.”

Norm Foster is considered to be Canada’s most produced playwright. He discovered his talents as a playwright in Fredericton, New Brunswick, while he was working as host of a popular morning radio show. He accompanied a friend to an audition, and landed his first acting job, as Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, without ever having even seeing a play. Intrigued with the theatre, he set his pen to paper and wrote his first play titled Sinners.

An extremely prolific writer, Foster has had more than fifty plays produced on professional stages around the world. Other well-known plays include The Love List, The Long Weekend; Bedtime Stories; Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun; Storm Warning; Skin Flick; Outlaw; Hilda’s Yard; On A First Name Basis; Old Love; Mending Fences and Here on the Flight Path. Frequently compared to American playwright Neil Simon, Foster pens plays that are known for their humor, accessibility, and insight into the everyday tribulations of life.

Tickets for The Ladies Foursome are $39 and are available on line at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com  or by calling 866-811-4111.  Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm, and on Sunday 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.   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.

~*~

The Ladies Foursome
By Norm Foster
March 22 – April 8
(Preview performance March 21 at 8 pm)
Performance times:
Wednesday, March 21, at 8 pm (preview)
Thursday, March 22, at 8 pm
Friday, March 23, at 8 pm
Saturday, March 24, at 8 pm
Sunday, March 25 at 5 pm
Wednesday, March 28 at 8 pm
Thursday, March 29 at 8 pm
Friday, March 30 at 8 pm
Saturday, March 31 at 8 pm
Thursday, April 5 at 8 pm
Friday, April 6 at 8 pm
Saturday, April 7 at 8 pm
Sunday, April 8 at 7 pm
Tickets:  $39
For tickets:  www.pigsdoflyproductions.com / 866-811-4111

All performances will take place at
Empire Stage
1140 N. Flagler Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304