OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES Premieres in Florida – November 1st!

23 Thursday Oct 2014

Tags

Adam Chisnall, Ashley Brooks, Ben Prayz, Broward Stage Door Theatre, Broward Theatre, comedy, Daniel Okrent, Gail Byer, Jewish Humor, Mazel Musicals, Michael Small, Old Jews Telling Jokes, Peter Gethers, Peter J. Loewy, Sam Hoffman

Old Jews Telling Jokes
Premieres in Florida
at the Broward Stage Door Theatre
…a priest, a rabbi and a frog walk into a bar…

October 23, 2014,
Coral Springs, Florida

When Eric Spiegelman and his partner Tim Williams asked film and television producer Sam Hoffman if he had any ideas for an internet website, he pitched the concept of Old Jews Telling Jokes. Millions of views, shares, and guffaws later, Hoffman – in collaboration with Peter Gethers and Daniel Okrent, brought his Old Jews to Off-Broadway for an extremely successful run at the Westside Theatre.

Mazel Musicals, Inc. award winning producer Lawrence Toppall in association with Derrell Bunn and the Broward Stage Door Theatre will launch the Florida tour of Old Jews Telling Jokes at the Broward Stage Door Theater beginning Saturday, November 1^st.

The show, which has been called a “pickle-barrel full of giggles”, showcases five actors in a revue-type production that pays tribute to and reinvents classic jokes of the past and present. It celebrates the rich tradition of Jewish humor “and all the rabbis, complaining wives, fed-up husbands, patience-challenged physicians, gossiping ladies and competitive men” populating it. The humor can be suggestive (sometimes even raunchy) as the ‘Old Jews’ make fun of themselves as well as followers of every other religion.

“I attribute [Old Jews Telling Jokes’] success to a number of factors,” says Hoffman. “It’s funny. We launched …in [2009] the year when the recession was nearly at its worst and I think people really liked having something fun to download…. it celebrates older people with no irony, and I think that’s a fairly unusual commodity in popular entertainment.”

Toppall and Bunn have chosen Peter J. Loewy to direct the production, which will feature Ashley Brooks, Gail Byer, Adam Chisnall, Ben Prayz, and Michael Small.

Loewy is no stranger to the South Florida Theatre scene, having directed several Broward Stage Door Theatre productions including his own musical The Kid from Brooklyn. “The material, the premise, the humor, and this cast are a terrific combination,” he says. “This show is going to appeal to every audience, I guarantee it. Age, ethnicity, attitude – none of it matters – because laughter transcends it all.”

Old Jews Telling Jokes will open on November 1, 2014 at The Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs. The theatre is located at 8036 Sample Road, in Coral Springs.

Tickets for Old Jews Telling Jokes are $44. Tickets may be purchased at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at http://www.stagedoorfl.org.

For more information about Old Jews Telling Jokes and/or The Broward Stage Door Theatre, please visit www.stagedoorfl.org , or contact Derelle Bunn Executive Producer/Artistic Director, at DerelleBunn@yahoo.com / 954-344-7765 or Carol Kassie (ckassie@gmail.com / 561-445-9244).

Photographs and graphics available on request.

Old Jews Telling Jokes
Created by Peter Gethers & Daniel Okrent
Based on the website www.oldjewstellingjokes.com created by Sam Hoffman
Opens: November 1 – on sale through January 4
Tickets: $44
Phone: 954-344-7765
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00 pm,
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday at 7:00 pm (starting the week of… 2^nd week)
The Broward Stage Door Theatre
8036 W Sample Rd
Coral Springs, Fl 33065
www.stagedoortheatre.com
Facebook Page
Old Jews Telling Jokes Website

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Broward Stage Door Theatre presents Joe DiPietro’s THE LAST ROMANCE – October 10 – November 23

23 Tuesday Sep 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Arthur Whitelaw, Broward Stage Door Theatre, comedy, Coral Springs Theatre, Ft. Lauderdale Theatre, Joe DiPietro, Larry Kent Bramble, Phyllis Spear, Sally Bondi, The Last Romance

October 10 – November 23
September 24, 2014

Playwright Joe DiPietro has become increasingly adept at illustrating the fascinating dynamics of love and family. From his first Off-Broadway success, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, through his Tony Award-winning hit Memphis, DiPietro has examined many aspects of the human connection. In the Broward Stage Door Theatre’s upcoming production of The Last Romance, DiPietro explores a relationship between a man and a woman who just happen to be over the age of 65, and the family ties that bind, and pull. The play is a gentle and tender comedy that mixes a lot of humor with a little bit of heartbreak… and opera!

Director Arthur Whitelaw and Stage Door’s Artistic Director Derelle Bunn have cast Larry Bramble, Phyllis Spear, Sally Bondi, and James Parks in the production, which will open on October 10^t^h, and run through November 23^rd.

“The Last Romance is a warm, funny and insightful play about love after 65,” says Whitelaw. “I hope our audiences will leave the theatre with a smile on their faces and a tear in their eyes. I know that after I read it, I did. Joe DiPietro is a talented young writer, who knows his characters and their territory.”

Larry Bramble agrees. “When I first read this play I knew I had to play the role of Ralph. It seemed like it was written for me. Stage Door has allowed that dream to come true. I just directed Over the River and Through the Woods for Stage Door, and I have become a big fan of Joe DiPietro’s plays. He has an innate sense of what touches our souls and what makes us human.”

Joe DiPietro wrote the book and lyrics to the musical comedy hit I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, (composer: Jimmy Roberts), the longest running musical revue in off-Broadway history, with productions staged in over 150 cities around the world. He is also the author of the plays Over The River And Through The Woods, The Kiss At City Hall, The Virgin Weeps, and the comic thriller The Art Of Murder (winner of the 2000 Edgar Award). He wrote the book to the “new” Gershwin musical Nice Work If You Can Get It (world premiere: Goodspeed Opera House, 2001), a new adaptation of Rodgers & Hart’s Babes In Arms (world premiere: Goodspeed Opera House, 2002) and a new adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Allegro (world premiere: Signature Theatre, 2004). In addition to his book and lyrics for the recent off-Broadway musical The Thing About Men (composer: Jimmy Roberts), DiPietro’s other projects include book and lyrics for the rock & roll musical Memphis (composer: David Bryan, premiered regionally in late 2003), and the book for All Shook Up, an original musical comedy featuring the songs of Elvis Presley which opened on Broadway in 2005. Joe is the recipient of the William Inge Theater Festival New Voices In American Theater Award, and has won the O’Neill National Playwright’s Conference MacArthur Award for comic writing.

Arthur Whitelaw

Arthur Whitelaw has been producing, directing, writing and acting for the past 61 years. His productions have won every major industry award including the Tony, Oscar, Emmy, Olivier, Evening Standard, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, etc. He has discovered many future stars starting with his first production, Best Foot Forward which introduced Liza Minnelli and Christopher Walken to the New York stage. Others include: Marvin Hamlich, Stephen Schwartz, Gary Burgoff, Blyth Danner, Paul Michael Glaser, Christen Chenowyth to name only a few. His productions have played all over the world in and in many languages. Some of his many television credits include: You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (NBC) Emmy Nom., Celebrating Gershwin (PBS/BBC) EMMY WIN and for HBO, Camelot, The Rainmaker, The Deadly Game, and Groucho. His film credits include: Butterflies Are Free, and Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn with Jodie Foster. A few Seasons ago Mr. Whitelaw acted in Full Circle (a play he wrote about his long career) and directed A Taffeta Wedding (a sequel to The Taffetas) both for the Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs. He has also just finished his autobiography Working For Peanuts. Last year Mr. Whitelaw donated his vast theatre files to the Library of Congress.

The Last Romance will run from October 10^th – November 23^rd at The Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs. The theatre is located at 8036 Sample Road, in Coral Springs.

Tickets for The Last Romance are $38 – $42; $16 student tickets are also available. Tickets may be purchased at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at www.stagedoorfl.org.

The Last Romance
By Joe DiPietro
Directed by Arthur Whitelaw
Dates: October 10 – November 23
Tickets: $38 – $42 (Students $16)
For Tickets: 954-344-7765 / www.stagedoortheatre.com
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00 pm,
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday at 7:00 pm
The Broward Stage Door Theatre
8036 W Sample Rd
Coral Springs, Fl 3306

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Pigs Do Fly Productions to present FIFTY PLUS – A NEW ATTITUDE! – Six Brand New Short Plays – at Empire Stage Sept 11 – 21

26 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Pigs Do Fly Productions

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Adela Del Rio, Beverly Blancette, comedy, Elissa Solomon, Ellen Wacher, Empire Stage, Fifty Plus, Fifty Plus - A New Attitude, Fort Lauderdale Theatre, Janet Weakley, Kerry Sensenbach, Marjorie O'Neill-Butler, Pigs Do Fly Productions, Todd Caster, Troy Stanley

Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents
Fifty Plus – A New Attitude!
September 11th – 21st
A Collection of Six BRAND NEW Humorous Short Plays

Ellen Wacher

Audience response to Pigs Do Fly Productions’ first outing, Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It confirmed what the company’s producer and artistic director, Ellen Wacher already knew – that the short, humorous plays she and her production team chose to present last May in Ft. Lauderdale would resonate with theatre patrons of all ages. The show sold out at Empire Stage, and sold even more tickets than anticipated when it ran for eight ‘encore’ performances in Boca Raton in August. The company’s newest production Fifty Plus – A New Attitude! will run at Empire Stage from September 11^th through September 21^st.

“We received close to four hundred submissions when we sent out a call for plays last winter,” Wacher says, “and we quickly realized – even before our first run was over – that we’d found a great concept, that audiences were loving what we were doing, and that we still had a deep pool of excellent material to choose from. So…” she laughs, “I thought, why not do it again!?”

Empire Stage offered dates in September, and Wacher and her team revisited at least 75 of the previously submitted plays. Six plays were chosen and auditions were held in early August.

Todd Caster, Adela Del Rio, Kerry Sensenbach, Elissa Solomon, Troy Stanley, and Janet Weakely were cast.

The new collection, titled Fifty Plus – A New Attitude! reflects the company’s mission, to produce plays that highlight the actor over 50 as a viable, fully involved, full of life character perfectly.

“Anyone, any age, can do anything. If you do it well at 25, you can do it twice as well at 50. Not everything entertaining should be aimed at the young,” says Marj O’Neill-Butler, one of the show’s two directors. You can have fun with an older crowd too. Good stories resonate at any age.”

Co-director Beverly Blanchette agrees: “Fifty Plus – A New Attitude! reminds me of Molly Shannon’s SNL character, Sally O’Malley, whose catchphrase is: “I’m proud to say I’m 50 years old. And I like to kick! Stretch! And kick! I’m 50!” Shannon says the phrase means: “Watch out people, here I come. . . I can kick ass.” And that’s what Pigs Do Fly Productions does.”

The six 10-minute plays are (see below for playwright bios):
Buddhists in the Basement by Mary Beth Smith
Rainbow Sprinkles by Stacey Lane
Memoir by Donald Steele
Remote Control by Connie Schindewolf
Your Kiss is on My List by Christopher Lockheardt
Mrs Greenblatt’s Place in the Universe by Sharon Goldner

Tickets for Fifty Plus – A New Attitude! are $25 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com, or by calling 866-811-4111.
All performances will take place at Empire Stage, 1140 North Flagler Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, 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 set up interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at ckassie@gmail.com / 561-445-9244.

~*~

Fifty Plus – A New Attitude!

By Various Playwrights
September 11 – September 21, 2014
Tickets: $25
Tickets: 866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.org
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm
Sunday: 5 pm
All performances will take place at Empire Stage.
1140 North Flagler Drive.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Fifty Plus – A New Attitude! – Playwright Bios:

Sharon Goldner’s (Mrs Greenblatt’s Place in the Universe) plays have been produced and workshopped in NYC; Canada; FL; WI; OH; PA; VA; TX; CA; & MN. She’s a member of Dramatists Guild.

Stacey Lane’s (Rainbow Sprinkles) plays have been performed at 400 theatres on 6 continents. She has 35 published works and has received numerous grants, awards and commissions. www.StaceyLaneInk.com

Christopher Lockheardt’s (Your Kiss is on My List) plays have been produced over 140 times nationally and internationally, but never before in Florida. His father, who lives in Merritt Island, was starting to take it personally.

Connie Schindewolf (Remote Control), an award-winning playwright, has had productions across the United States (including NYC and LA), Canada, and Australia. She’s a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and when she’s not writing, she’s saving sea turtles.

Mary Beth Smith (Buddhists in the Basement) won the 2014 Peter Honegger award for “Keep A-breast”, a dramedy about her bizarre experiences surviving cancer, living proof that laughter heals.

Donald Steele (MEMOIR) has had four plays published by Samuel French. He is a Fellow of the MacDowell Colony and member of the Dramatist Guild.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Pigs Do Fly Productions Encores in Boca Raton August 14-24

21 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Pigs Do Fly Productions

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Boca Raton Theatre, comedy, Fifty Plus, Pigs Do Fly Productions, short plays, Showtime Performing Arts Theatre

Pigs Do Fly Productions
Encores in Boca Raton
August 14-24

Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It
A Collection of Seven Humorous Short Plays

Pigs Do Fly Productions’ Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It sold out almost every performance when it played at Empire Stage in May. The good ‘word of mouth’ and positive reviews intrigued Showtime Performing Arts Theatre’s Marilyn Perry; she attended a performance and liked what she saw – so much so that she issued an invitation to Pigs Do Fly producer Ellen Wacher to reprise the production at Perry’s own theatre in Boca Raton.

Ellen Wacher

Wacher quickly contacted directors Beverly Blanchette and Marj O’Neill-Butler, as well as actors Todd Caster, Mark Kroczynski, Kitt Marsh, Troy J. Stanley, Carol Sussman, and Janet Weakley, along with the technical crew associated with the Empire Stage production, all of whom came on board immediately.

The ‘encore’ edition of Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It! will run from August 14^th through August 24^th at Showtime Performing Arts Theatre in Boca Raton.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to reach a brand new audience – people who would otherwise not have an opportunity to see what we’re doing,” says Wacher. “And we now know for sure, from the reaction to our May production, that there is definitely an audience ‘out there’ looking for exactly the type of theatre we want to produce.”

Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It! consists of seven short plays reflecting Pigs Do Fly Productions’ mission to produce plays that highlight the actor over 50 as a viable, fully involved, full of life character. The scripts were selected from over 350 submissions. And Wacher was extremely specific in her search for just the right plays: “We looked for scripts that resonated with us; for situations that strike a chord with our audiences; and of course, for humor,” she explains. “I’m really excited that this concept is flying (pun intended!). It’s definitely an idea whose time has come. These plays appeal to everyone no matter how old they are! They’re funny, and witty, and touching, and resonate with anyone who sees them.”

The seven 10-minute plays will be mounted in the following order (see below for playwright bios):

Flight Fright by Marj O’Neill-Butler
Kiss Her Goodbye by Mike Vogel
Theater In the Red byJoan Broadman
Mrs. Jensen Isn’t Here Now by Steve Korbar
Spice by David Susman
Poison Control by Rebecca Gorman O’Neill
How Nice of You to Ask by Rich Rubin

Tickets for Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know it are $30 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com, or by calling 866-811-4111.
All performances will take place at Showtime Performing Arts Theatre, 503 SE Mizner Boulevard, #73, in Boca Raton (33432).

~*~

Pigs Do Fly Productions presents
Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It
Dates: August 14 – 24
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm
Sunday: 3 pm
Tickets: $30
Tickets: 866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Showtime Performing Arts Theatre
503 SE Mizner Boulevard, #73
Boca Raton, Florida 33432

Playwright Bios:

Joan Broadman (Theatre in the Red) has written twelve short plays, three full-length plays, and three feature-length screenplays. Her plays have been performed in twelve states, Australia, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Her many playwriting awards include “Excellence in Playwriting” from the Theatre Association of New York State. In June 2013, Broadman completed UCLA’s Professional Program in Screenwriting.

Steven Korbar’s (Mrs. Jensen Isn’t Here Now) full-length and one-act plays have been produced throughout the United States and Canada. Productions include I Understand Your Frustration at the Turtleshell Theatre NYC, Let Go at Future Ten in Pittsburgh, Hard at Elephant Stageworks in LA, Circles at Shelterbelt Theatre in Omaha. His comedy What Are You Going to Be was recently published as part of Smith and Kraus’ “Best Short Plays of 2013”.

Rebecca Gorman O’Neill (Poison Control) was born in Akron, Ohio. She escaped at age 17 to attend Dartmouth College, and she went on to earn her M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon University. Rebecca’s original plays have been produced across the country, and her plays Tell-Tale and The Greater Good are available from Eldridge Publishing and Next Stage Press, respectively. Rebecca is an Associate Professor of English at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she reaches playwriting, screenwriting, cinema studies, and the graphic novel.

Marj O’Neill-Butler, (Flight Fright) a member of the Dramatists Guild and the International Center for Women Playwrights, is a produced playwright of True Blue, eight Theatre for Children scripts, short plays Stalwart Woman, At The Bus Stop, Life Imitates Art, Leaving Home, What If?, Scavenger Hunt, Missed Connections, Elf Yourself, Chairs, One Less, and a reader’s theatre script The Women Of The Beat Generation. She is proud member of Equity and SAG-AFTRA. Visit her online at www.marjorieoneill-butler.com.

Rich Rubin’s (How Nice of You to Ask) plays have been produced throughout the U. S., including theaters in New York, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles. Internationally, his work has been staged in London, Berlin, Sydney, Singapore, Mexico and Canada. Rich is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild as well as Portland’s Nameless Playwrights and P-Town Playwrights.

David Susman’s (Spice) short plays have been staged at the Boston Theater Marathon, the Maine Playwrights Festival, the Playwrights’ Platform Festival of New Plays in Boston, the Company Theatre’s Winter Shorts Festival in Norwell, MA, and the 0-60 Ten Minute Play Competition at Longwood University in Virginia. He lives and teaches in southern Maine.

Mike Vogel’s (Kiss Her Goodbye) full-length comedy March Madness was successfully produced off-Broadway in Fall 2012 at NYC’s Abingdon Theatre. He has had numerous one act plays produced nationwide and also writes a weekly column for a NYC newspaper.

Photos from the May 2014 Production of Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Broward Stage Door Theatre presents BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE

15 Tuesday Jul 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Broward Stage Door Theatre, Butterflies are Free, comedy, Leonard Gershe, Michael Leeds, Romantic Comedy, Stage Door Theatre

Broward Stage Door Theatre
presents
Butterflies Are Free

“I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies.” Charles Dickens (Harold Skimpole – Bleak House)

July 15, 2014
Coral Springs, Florida

The reviews for Leonard Gershe’s Butterflies Are Free were unanimously raves when it opened on Broadway in 1969, and the play ended up winning a number of awards that season. The play focuses on Don Baker, blind since birth, whose over-protective mother is forced to come to terms with her son’s bid for independence when he sets up in a Manhattan apartment on his own. He soon makes the acquaintance of his off-the-wall, liberated, actress neighbor Jill. Don learns the kind of things from Jill that his mother would never have taught him! And Jill learns from Don what growing up and being free is really all about.

Michael Leeds will direct Butterflies Are Free at the Broward Stage Door Theatre. The production will run from August 1^st through September 14^th.

Michael Leeds

“What drew me to Butterflies Are Free, aside from it being extremely charming and very funny, was the way it highlights how deceptive our perception of people with disabilities can be,” Leeds explains. “While the young man in the play is blind, his problem is not how he sees the world but rather how the world sees him. Gershe deftly makes the point that in their way, the young man is far less handicapped than his mother, who is deaf to what her son really needs, and the young woman who starts out emotionally crippled but blossoms through their relationship.”

Leeds and Broward Stage Door Theatre Artistic Director Derelle Bunn have assembled a talented cast of local and New York actors to inhabit Gershe’s characters. “Aside from earning numerous Tony and Oscar nominations, the play was responsible for introducing Blythe Danner to Broadway audiences

Gina Marie Jamieson

and the inimitable Goldie Hawn in the film,” Leeds says. “And I’m lucky to have an equally talented young actress, Gina Marie Jamieson to play the lead opposite Britt Michael Gordon.

“Eileen Heckert won an Oscar for her portrayal of the acerbic mother,” he continues. “And Brook Packard has the same gift of delivering the biting humor while somehow remaining extremely likeable. Andy Quiroga, whom I’ve worked with twice before, rounds out our ensemble as a self-absorbed theatre director. (Personally, I don’t believe they exist but there you have it!)”

“And by the way,” Leeds adds, “The young man in Butterflies Are Free is a struggling song-writer, and the song he sings in the play was written by a young up-and-comer – named Stephen Schwartz!”

Britt Michael Gordon

Actor Britt Michael Gordon continues to discover unexpected depths in his role as Don Baker as he works through the production’s rehearsal process. “I’ve fallen in love with this play,” he says. “I’m finding there’s a lot more to it than people might assume. I don’t believe that Butterflies Are Free is only about blindness as a physical disability. I think the play is about our ability as human beings to see past the surface of any individual, which, regardless of whether you’re sighted or not, is a difficult, yet essential part of life. Butterflies Are Free is teaching me how to see past the surface of those around me. It’s teaching me to how to have faith in myself and
others. And finally, Butterflies is teaching me to trust, even when I have no reason to.”

Butterflies Are Free will run from August 1^st – September 14^th at The Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs. The theatre is located at 8036 Sample Road, in Coral Springs.

Tickets for Butterflies Are Free are $38 – $42; $16 student tickets are also available. Tickets may be purchased at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at www.stagedoorfl.org.

Butterflies Are Free
By: Leonard Gershe
Dates: August 1 – September 14
Tickets: $38 – $42 (Students $16)
For Tickets:954-344-7765 / www.stagedoortheatre.com
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00 pm,
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday at 7:00 pm
The Broward Stage Door Theatre
8036 W Sample Rd
Coral Springs, Fl 33065

Entr’Acte Theatrix presents AVENUE Q June 19 – 29

22 Thursday May 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Entr'Acte Theatrix

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Avenue Q, comedy, Crest Theatre, Delray Beach Center for the Arts, Delray Theatre, Entr'Acte Theatrix, musical comedy, Puppets, Robert Lopez

“DISGUSTINGLY IRRESISTIBLE!”
-The New York Times
“WICKED FUN FOR GROWN-UPS!”
-The New Yorker
“JAW-DROPPINGLY HILARIOUS!”
-Entertainment Weekly

Delray Beach FL, May, 2014:

Avenue Q has been called the ‘funniest dirty musical’ or ‘the dirtiest funny musical’ ever. Written by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez (The Book of Mormon, Frozen) the Tony Award-winning show is a clever and irreverent look at the world through the eyes of the residents of Avenue Q as they explore and address the issues associated with growing up in the ‘real’ world, rather than the one their parents – and Sesame Street – described to them. Using a unique combination of humans and puppets, the musical chronicles its characters’ struggles to find decent jobs, stable relationships, and their purpose in life.

Entr’Acte Theatrix will present Avenue Q at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts (Crest Theater) from June 19 – 29.

“This play is a particularly appropriate one for Entr’Acte Theatrix”, says producer Vicki Halmos. “Our mission is to provide performance opportunities for emerging theatre artists, who – just like the characters they will portray, are taking the ‘next step’ from classroom to career.” Halmos has been involved with Avenue Q almost since its inception. She was an original investor in the Broadway, London, and Las Vegas productions, as well in its current off-Broadway incarnation, and was at the Tony Awards when the show won for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score ten years ago.

Darrick Penny

Avenue Q’s director Darrick Penny, has just graduated with an MFA from Florida Atlantic University. He recently directed The Fantasticks, and starred as Sir Robin in Entr’Acte’s 2013 production of Monty Python’s Spamalot.

Entr’Acte’s company of actors are all seriously pursuing careers in theatre or the arts, and a number of them have already appeared on area stages. Cast members Christian Ortega (Princeton), Sahid Arnaud-Pabon (Nicky), and Luis Herrera (Rod, Bad Idea Bear) are students at The New World School of the Arts; Seth Trucks (Trekkie) is a graduate of London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (his father is Butch Trucks, drummer for the Allman Brothers Band); and Joanna Mandel (Kate Monster) appeared in Entr’Acte’s productions of Hair and Cabaret. The rest of the cast includes Greg Halmos (Brian), Elaine Flores (Christmas Eve), Kalli Courakos (Lucy the Slut), Samantha Streich (Mrs. Thistletwat, Bad Idea Bear), and Chasity Hart (Gary Coleman).

All the cast members attended a two week puppet ‘boot camp’ in order to learn the intricacies of manipulating, singing, and dancing with their puppet counterparts. (Click HERE to see a short video of an Avenue Q cast performing La Macarena) Musical numbers include: “What do you do with a B.A. in English?”, “It Sucks to Be Me”, “If You Were Gay”, “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist”, and “The Internet is for Porn”.

Avenue Q will run from June 19^th through June 29^th only, at the Crest Theatre at the Delray Beach Center for the Arts at Old School Square. The theatre is located at 51 North Swinton Avenue, Delray Beach, 33444. Tickets are on sale now, and are available by calling 561-243-7922. Tickets are $20; $15 for groups of 15 or more with the 16^th ticket free and are on sale now. $10 Student Rush tickets will be available ½ hour before curtain only, with valid ID. (Not suitable for children under the age of 15) Tickets can be purchased on line at:
http://delraycenterforthearts.org or by phone at: 561-243-7922, ext. 1.

Avenue Q has adult themes, and ‘full-frontal puppet nudity’, so parents are advised that this production may not be suitable for young children.

For more information about Entr’Acte Theatrix or Avenue Q visit www.entractetheatrix.org.

~*~

Avenue Q
Music and Lyrics: Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx
Book: Jeff Whitty
June 19-29
Tickets: $20
Groups of 15 or more: $15
Student Rush – ½ hour before curtain: $10 – with valid ID
Performances:
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays – 8 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday – 2 p.m.
Sunday, June 22 – 8 p.m.
Delray Beach Center for the Arts / Crest Theatre
Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave.
Delray Beach 33444
Box Office: 561-243-7922, ext. 1
Direct link for on-line ticket purchase:
http://tinyurl.com/o2yypnm
http://www.entractetheatrix.org
Like us on Facebook!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Pigs Do Fly Productions Takes off at Empire Stage May 1st – May 11th

15 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients, Pigs Do Fly Productions

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

aging gracefully, Beverly Blanchette, Carol Sussman, comedy, Ellen Wacher, Empire Stage, Ft. Lauderdale Theatre, humor, Kitt Marsh, Marjorie O'Neill-Butler, Mark Kroczynksi, Pigs Do Fly Productions, short plays, theatre, Todd Caster, Troy Stanley

Working in association with Empire Stage,
Pigs Do Fly Productions will produce
Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It
A Collection of Seven Humorous Short Plays

The plays have been chosen and casting is complete for Pigs Do Fly Productions’ very first production – Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It. Producer Ellen Wacher, along with directors Marjorie O’Neill-Butler and Beverly Blanchette and a committee made up of members of the South Florida theatrical community, spent several months weeding through the 353 short plays they received in response to their call for submissions. The final seven were selected at a marathon read through at Empire Stage on March 3rd.

Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It will run at Empire Stage from May 1^st through May 11^th.

Wacher was extremely specific in her search for just the right plays: “We looked for scripts that resonated with us; for situations that will strike a chord with our audiences; and of course, for humor,” she explains. “I’m really excited to be flying (pun intended!) this concept for the first time in South Florida. It’s definitely an idea whose time has come.”

Pigs Do Fly Productions’ mission is to produce plays that highlight the actor over 50 as a viable, fully involved, full of life character; the company’s goal is to tap into the 100 million plus Americans who are over age 50 and are under recognized by the marketers of products and entertainment – with theatre that reflects their world and resonates with them.

“Ellen told me she wanted to produce plays, and we agreed that she should produce plays about people over 50 since she is always discussing the lack of work for more mature actors,” says Marjorie O’Neill-Butler. “I suggested the short play format; she came up with the idea of making the plays about people who are fit and happy.” O’Neill-Butler will direct four of the seven plays, Beverly Blanchette will direct three.

Todd Caster, Mark Kroczynski , Kitt Marsh, Troy J. Stanley, Carol Sussman, and Janet Weakly will all be featured in the production. Several of the actors, all of whom fall within the demographic Wacher hopes to attract, had signed on even before the plays were chosen. “However,” she stresses, “I have absolutely no doubt these plays will appeal to everyone. They’re funny, and witty, and touching, and will resonate with anyone who sees them.”

The seven 10-minute plays selected will be mounted in the following order (see below for playwright bios):
Flight Fright by Marjorie O’Neill-Butler
Kiss Her Goodbye by Mike Vogel
Theater In the Red byJoan Broadman
Mrs. Jensen Isn’t Here Now by Steve Korbar
Spice by David Susman
Poison Control by Rebecca Gorman O’Neill
How Nice of You to Ask by Rich Rubin

Tickets for Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know it are $25 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased on line at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com, or by calling 866-811-4111.

~*~

Pigs Do Fly Productions presents
Fifty Plus – A Celebration of Life… As We Know It
Dates: May 1 – May 11, 2014
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm
Sunday: 5 pm
Tickets: $25
Tickets: 866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
All performances will take place at Empire Stage.
1140 North Flagler Drive.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Pigs Do Fly Production Team:
Producer/Artistic Director:        Ellen Wacher
Director:                               Marjorie O’Neill-Butler
Director:                               Beverly Blanchette
Stage Manager:                    Jeffrey Ostrow
Set Designer:                        Preston Bircher
Marketing & Public Relations: Carol Kassie

Playwright Bios:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Broward Stage Door Theatre presents OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS April 4th – May 11th

27 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Broward Stage Door Theatre, comedy, Coral Springs Theatre, heartwarming, Joe DiPietro, Larry Kent Bramble, Miki Edleman, Over the River and Through The Woods

“Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow.” Lydia Marie Child, c.1844

Family, faith, and food’ are ‘the three F’s’ governing Joe DiPietro’s heartwarming comedy Over The River and Through The Woods, which will run from April 4th through May 11th at the Broward Stage Door Theatre. The play, which takes place in Hoboken, New Jersey focuses on the relationship between young up-and-coming marketing executive Nick Cristano, and his four loving and very involved grandparents. When Nick is offered a career advancing opportunity across the country, he is faced with making some tough and life-altering decisions.

Speaking about the characters in Over the River and Through the Woods, playwright Joe DiPietro, who recently won two Tony Awards for his work on the hit Broadway musical Memphis (Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, with David Bryan) said, “The biggest difference between these generations is their concept of family and home. Our grandparents believed that the family was central, and work is something you do just to provide for them. For our generation, it’s a lot more complicated.”

Larry Kent Bramble will direct a cast that includes Miki Edleman, Steven Kaiser, Vicki Klein, Abby Perkins, Kevin Reilley, and Jerry Weinberg. Dan Kelley has signed on as costume designer, and Ardean Lanhuis will design the lighting for the production.

Although this is Bramble’s first directorial assignment for Broward Stage door, he has numerous directing credits to his name, including Charles Busch’s The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, Terrance McNally’s A Perfect Ganesh, Adam Bock’s The Receptionist, and Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful. Bramble is also the founder and artistic director of Vermont’s Thespis Theatre Company. As an actor, he has appeared in a number of Broward Stage Door Theatre productions including The Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Twilight of the Golds, Beau Jest, and Damn Yankees. Bramble recently played the part of Avram in Rags at the Plaza Theatre in Manalapan.

“When I first read Over the River and Through the Woods, I fell in love with the play,” Bramble says. “I was immediately taken back to my love for my own grandparents and the unique sense of family that grandparents engender. What a joy it has been to direct this heartwarming play with an exceptional cast. Regardless of your mood at the time, this is a play that will make you laugh, cry, and generally feel good about life.”

Miki Edelman agrees: “As a first generation American I can relate to the family dynamics being played out in this show,” she says, “And I think our audience will relate to it as well. My generation wanted to pull away from the “old fashioned” ideas of our parents, and our children continued the process and tried to get further away. But at a certain point, family loyalties and love re-emerge as elements that can never be erased. As a character says “what’s important is family”!”

Over the River and Through the Woods will run from April 4th through May 11th at The Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs. The theatre is located at 8036 Sample Road, in Coral Springs.

Tickets for Over the River and Through the Woods are $38; $16 student tickets are also available. Tickets may be purchased at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at www.stagedoorfl.org.

Over the River and Through the Woods
By Joe DiPietro
April 4th – May 11th
Tickets: $38 (Students $16)
Phone: 954-344-7765
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00 pm,
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm
The Broward Stage Door Theatre
8036 W Sample Rd
Coral Springs, Fl 33065
www.stagedoortheatre.com

GOD OF ISAAC at Broward Stage Door Theatre – March 14 – April 20

06 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Broward Stage Door, comedy, God of Isaac, James Sherman

presents
God of Isaac

“…a little charmer of a play that has you hooked from its early minutes…”
~Buffalo News

Often in theatre when a character searches for his spiritual identity much drama and angst ensues. In James Sherman’s God of Isaac, which will open at the Broward Stage Door Theatre on March 19^th, Isaac Adams’ quest results in a series of hysterically funny, smart, and ultimately touching moments, as he comes to terms with his heritage, his mother, and himself.

Based on a true event, the play opens when Isaac, a second generation American Jew, learns of the plans of a neo-Nazi group to stage a demonstration in Skokie, Illinois (home to many Holocaust survivors) and wonders what, if anything, his involvement should be.

Throughout the play, James Sherman uses humor to make his point, yet his script is a clever balance of one-liners and a serious discussion of religious and cultural identity.

“I directed The God Of Isaac about ten years ago and I am so enjoying directing it again,” says director Dan Kelley. “It’s funny how time alters your perspective as a director… I’m finding things in the script that I totally missed the first time.”

Phyllis Spear, who plays Isaac’s ‘Ma’ is also enthusiastic. “Both mother and son learn so much from each other,” she says. “The story will touch the hearts of everyone who comes to see it.”

Tom Benston, Rebecca Diaz, Kelli Mohrbbacher, Christian Vandepas, and Patrick Wilkinson will also star.

God of Isaac will run from March 14 – April 20 at The Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs. The theatre is located at 8036 Sample Road, in Coral Springs.

Tickets for God of Isaac are $38; $16 student tickets are also available. Tickets may be purchased at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at www.stagedoorfl.org

God of Isaac
By James Sherman
March 14 – April 20
Tickets: $38 (Students $16)
Phone: 954-344-7765
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00 pm,
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm
The Broward Stage Door Theatre
8036 W Sample Rd
Coral Springs, Fl 33065
www.stagedoorfl.com

Parade Productions presents The Last Schwartz January 30 – February 23, 2014

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Carol Kassie in Clients

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Boca Raton Theatre, comedy, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center Studio Theatre, Parade Productions, The Last Schwartz

“…Rollicking, sad, shocking, goofy, and thoughtful.
It is comic drama firing on all cylinders, a superb work…”
~The Washington Post~

Parade Productions will present Deborah Zoe Laufer’s The Last Schwartz from January 30^th through February 23^rd at the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center’s Studio Theatre.

Focusing on a family in flux gathered together on one fateful weekend, the play received unanimously glowing reviews when it debuted at Florida Stage in 2002.

“I’m thrilled to have Parade Productions give The Last Schwartz a production,” says playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer. “It’s a play that’s very close to my heart. It’s had a nice life — it’s had many productions, ran for over six months in LA, and had three options for commercial Off-Broadway productions (all of which fell through!). But it’s been a while since anyone gave it a whirl. I hope everyone has a blast with it!”

Laufer has a deep fondness for South Florida and is very connected to its theatrical community. “The Last Schwartz was my first professional production,” she explains. “I fell in love with Florida Stage – it became my professional home for the next ten years. They gave every new play of mine a reading, produced three of my premieres; commissioned me; we collaborated on getting grants. I was down here at least once a year, frequently much more.

“Maybe because of that, I think I’ve had more productions of my plays in Florida than anywhere else,” she continues. “At least ten that I can think of – and several readings and short plays. I’ve also taught for the past two years at the Playwright Development Program through the Miami- Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. I was included in the One-Minute Play Festival as a Florida Playwright. It really is a second home (and my brother lives in Boca!).”

The Last Schwartz will be directed by Kim St. Leon, and will feature Ken Clement, Kim Ostrenko, Betsy Graver, Mark Della Ventura, Matt Stabile, and Candace Caplin.

The Last Schwartz will have one preview performance on January 30^th, 2014. It will open on January 31^st, and will run through February 23^rd, with performances Thursday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $35 ($30 for groups of 15 or more).

Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased on line at: www.paradeproductions.org, or by calling 866-811-4111. For Group Sales please call: 561-291-9678.

For more information, photos, or interview requests, please contact Carol Kassie at ckassie@gmail.com / 561-445-9244.

The Last Schwartz
By Deborah Zoe Laufer
Tickets: $35/$40
January 31-February 23, 2014
Preview: January 30, 2014
Thu-Sat 7:30 pm, Sat & Sun 3 pm
The Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center, Studio Theatre, 2^nd Floor
201 Plaza Real
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Phone: 866-811-4111
Group Sales: 561-291-9678
www.paradeproductions.org
Like Us On Facebook!

Carol Kassie

~ Theatrical Marketing & Public Relations

Tag Archives: comedy

OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES Premieres in Florida – November 1st!

Broward Stage Door Theatre presents Joe DiPietro’s THE LAST ROMANCE – October 10 – November 23

Pigs Do Fly Productions to present FIFTY PLUS – A NEW ATTITUDE! – Six Brand New Short Plays – at Empire Stage Sept 11 – 21

Pigs Do Fly Productions Encores in Boca Raton August 14-24

The Broward Stage Door Theatre presents BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE

Entr’Acte Theatrix presents AVENUE Q June 19 – 29

Pigs Do Fly Productions Takes off at Empire Stage May 1st – May 11th

The Broward Stage Door Theatre presents OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS April 4th – May 11th

GOD OF ISAAC at Broward Stage Door Theatre – March 14 – April 20

Parade Productions presents The Last Schwartz January 30 – February 23, 2014