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Broward Stage Door Theatre presents Jonathan Tolin’s ‘The Twilight of the Golds’ September 20 – October 27

26 Monday Aug 2013

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TwilightF1-300x150If your parents knew everything about you before you were born,
would you be here?

Suzanne Gold and her close-knit New York family are delighted to hear she is pregnant, however a (fictional) prenatal genetic test reveals that the baby will most likely be gay. The news forces the entire Gold family to confront issues of bigotry, evolution, and the limits of love.

Jonathan Tolins’ The Twilight of the Golds has been called ‘a meditation on ethics, opera, freedom of choice, and the future of the species’ (LA Times) sheathed in snappy dialogue and comedic situations. The play tackles an issue that is as current and controversial today as it was when it was first seen on Broadway in the 1990s.

Leeds head shot“The Twilight of the Golds combines biting comedy and thought provoking drama, with a light dose of opera thrown into the mix,” says director Michael Leeds.  “I think it will keep audiences riveted throughout the evening, and talking about it for days.”

The Broward Stage Door Theatre’s producer Derelle Bunn has assembled a talented cast to bring Tolins’ characters to life: James Hesse, Sarah Miller, Jeffrey Scott Leshansky, Larry Bramble, and Phyllis Spear.

James Hesse, who will play David Gold, says, “My favorite quote from the play is “When art is at its most outrageous, when it cannot be easily believed, that is when it most resembles life,” because I think it sums up the importance and theJames Hesse1 purpose of theater very nicely. Theatre is the world’s longest oral tradition; we have always needed stories to better understand the world we live in. And this play, The Twilight of the Golds, is a story the world needs to hear now. The subject matter is becoming more relevant as science is progressing and we are getting closer to “designer babies””, says Hesse. “Families may soon have to make the same decision the Gold family is making in this show.”

Phyllis Spear - c“The Twilight of the Golds is a play about the dissolution of a family,” says Phyllis Spear who will take on the role of the mother, Phyllis Gold. “The playwright has dealt with the situation with humor and pathos.  My character deals with the question of how much should we as parents be involved in our adult childrens’ lives.”

The Twilight of the Golds will run from September 20th to October 27th at The Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs.   The theatre is located at 8036 Sample Road, in Coral Springs.

Tickets for The Twilight of the Golds 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.stagedoortheatre.com

~*~

Critical Praise for The Twilight of the Golds:

“Funny, thoughtful, and almost eerily topical.” – San Francisco Chronicle

“A marvelous achievement at all levels.” – USA Today

“An entertaining theatrical tempest.” – Washington Times

“A rich, intelligent, articulate piece of work.” – L.A. Times

The Twilight of the Golds
By: Jonathan Tolins
September 20 – October 27
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

stage_door_logo_square_flat_big-510x388

The Florida East Coast Chapter of The National Society for the Arts to honor Palm Beach Opera’s Daniel Biaggi

07 Thursday Feb 2013

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Boca Raton,  Florida, February 7, 2013:

The Florida East Coast Chapter of The National Society of Arts and Letters will honor Palm Beach Opera’s General Director Daniel Biaggi at their annual Red Rose Dinner Gala on April 4th at the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club.

The National Society of Arts and Letters (NSAL) is a National organization founded in 1944, whose mission is to fund, nurture, promote, and assist highly motivated young artists to advance their careers in the artistic disciplines of their choice.   Past recipients of NSAL support include Shirley MacLaine, Jessye Norman, and more recently, the organization’s 2004 Musical Theatre winner Megan Hilty, who is currently starring in NBC’s Broadway based hit SMASH.

The award-winning Florida East Coast Chapter, a non-profit, volunteer organization established in 1983, continues to further the Society’s goals.

The aims and objectives of NSAL are to discover talented young people at the beginning of their careers; to create opportunities for career development and expression in Literature, and the Visual and Performing Arts; and to recognize excellence by granting awards via national and local rotating competitions in Art, Dance, Drama, Literature, Music (instrumental and voice), Opera, and Musical Theatre to gifted young artists between the ages of 16 and 32.  The Florida East Coast Chapter holds one major competition per year.

In 2011 the Chapter began its Performing Arts High School Scholarship program, and in 2012 they awarded a total of $9,000 in scholarships to various students at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Dillard Center for the Arts, and the New World School of the Arts.  They also contributed $3,000 towards the National Society of Arts and Letters Lynn University Scholarship for Strings, Piano, and Theatre Arts.
Shari Upbin, Marilyn Nelson, Chloe DolandisNSAL president Shari Upbin, NSAL Vice President Marilyn Nelson and singer/songwriter Chloe Dolandis

In May, 2012 The Florida East Coast Chapter was the first winner of the newly established NSAL National Arts Advocate Award for their continuing efforts to identify, encourage and support young South Florida talent.

Daniel BiaggiNow entering his fourth season as General Director of the Palm Beach Opera, Daniel Biaggi is committed to expanding the company’s mission of presenting high quality opera productions and engaging educational and community outreach performances to the communities it serves. Under his leadership, the company celebrated its 50th Anniversary last season with two Golden Jubilee concerts featuring many of opera’s past and present stars in addition to three fully staged productions at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. To continue expanding its impact in the community, the company is holding the first collaboration with the Lynn University Conservatory of Music to present a Young Artist Production at the Wold Performing Arts Center, as well as an outdoor opera concert at the Meyer Amphitheater at the Waterfront in West Palm Beach.

A frequent panel discussion guest and competition judge, Mr. Biaggi served as Advisor and Judge for the National Society of Arts and Letters Local Florida Chapter Vocal Competition in 2008. Mr. Biaggi has also served as panelist for the Opera America Conference in Denver, and has been a jury member for the Tucker Foundation Career Grant Competition and Awards Nomination Panel, Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition, and the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Competition. His commitment to Young Singers has led him to be invited to MissionAudition as part of Sherrill Milnes’ V.O.I.C.Experience, NYIOP pre-selection auditions in New York, Berlin and Zurich. He has also served as Advisor and Judge for the National Society of Arts and Letters Local Florida Chapter Competition.  Daniel Biaggi holds a Post-Graduate and Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, a Bachelor of Music Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and a Certificate of Musicology from the University of Berne, Switzerland. As a classically trained singer, Mr. Biaggi has performed operatic roles and recitals in the US as well as Europe.

As NSAL Florida East Coast Chapter President, Shari Upbin brings a deep theatrical background to the organization (her father was a writer for Jack Benny).   She is producer/director who has been a theatre professional since the age of 13 when she became a member of Actors Equity; she has been a professional tap dancer and choreographer and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers; and she has produced and directed over 50 productions in New York and around the country.
Jan McArt, Judi Asselta, Alyce Erickson, Shari Upbin                       Jan McArt, Judi Asselta, Alyce Erickson, Shari Upbin

Upbin, who brings her considerable talent and energies to NSAL is passionate and excited about the young people the Society supports, “It is an honor and a privilege to serve as NSAL president,” she says.  “This organization is an excellent example of ‘pay it forward’.  Our chapter has opened doors through our competitions for so many ‘Stars of Tomorrow’.  Some of our recent winners are already fulfilling the promise we saw in them:  Nadine Sierra has performed at the Met in NY, Krista Ettlinger danced at the Dutch National Ballet, Jose Luaces starred on Broadway in A CHRISTMAS STORY, Gelan Lambert appeared on Broadway in the hit show FELA!, and Kassie Abreu was selected to dance at the Duncan Theatre in Palm Beach. As a theatre producer and director I am thrilled to be part of such a necessary and vital organization.”

Nadine Sierra will be one of the performers at the Red Rose Dinner Gala

Alyce Erickson, who has been involved with the organization since the early 80’s is equally committed.  The organization’s work has become even more important “since they started cutting out arts and arts funding in schools,” she explains.  “We had only been looking for students in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County, and working closely with the schools to identify, work with, and support these incredibly talented young people. But in May 2012, we expanded our search to encompass the entire eastern coast of Florida and Gainesville.”

For more information about The Florida East Coast Chapter of The National Society of Arts and Letters, The Red Rose Dinner Gala, Daniel Biaggi, or Shari Upbin, contact Carol Kassie (ckassie@gmail.com / 561-445-9244), or visit www.nsalbocaraton.org/ or
www.arts-nsal.org/

The NSAL Red Rose Dinner Gala
Thursday, April 4th
6:00 pm
Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club
2425 Maya Palm Drive West
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Tickets: $225
To purchase tickets please call: Alyce Erickson – 561-391-6380

The Women’s Theatre Project presents ‘The Interview’ January 4-20th

29 Thursday Nov 2012

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Powerful Memories… Powerful Theatre…

The Interview
by Faye Sholiton
 “We awakened a lot of memories,” the interviewer tells her subject.
“They were never asleep,” the survivor replies.

The Interview, The Women’s Theatre Project’s second production in their new venue, The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, will open on January 4th, 2013 and run through January 20th.  The Interview will be The Women’s Theatre Project’s 30th production since they were founded in 2002.

Faye Sholiton’s deeply moving memory play about the legacy of human suffering, courage and humanity, mothers and daughters, and forgiving and being forgiven, The Interview is at once a powerful documentation of a horrific historical event and one artist’s deeply felt response to it. Written with clarity and feeling, it resonates on all levels.

“It is so meaningful to bring this fine piece of theatre to life,” says the Women’s Theatre Project’s Artistic Director and the play’s director, Genie Croft.  “We are all born into some story that affects our emotional, social and spiritual growth,” she continues.  “The Interview explores the case of children of Holocaust survivors – and that can be an enormous legacy, a stifled mystery, or a complex gift and burden.  It’s exciting to focus on the characters’ evolution as they reveal their intense feelings, traumas, and even dark humor, in terms of individual perception, and communication.”

 Harriet Oser will play Bracha Weissman, who has transformed herself into an emotional recluse – her identity defined by the loss of her family in the Nazi death camps she miraculously survived.  Performing The Interview, particularly for the children of Holocaust survivors and sharing their memories was an unforgettable experience for Oser, who is looking forward to revisiting the character, whom she played in The Women’s Theatre Project’s 2009 production of the play.

 

 Patti Gardner will once again take on the role of Ann Meshenberg, who arrives one day to record Bracha’s testimony for a video archive.  Ann, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, has her own agenda: the need to ask a stranger what she could not ask her parents.

Irene Adjan will play Bracha’s daughter Rifka, and Christopher Mitchell will take on the role of videographer Chris MacDonald.

Playwright Faye Sholiton has developed her work in the Cleveland Play House Playwrights’ Unit since 1996 and in Dobama Theatre’s Playwrights’ Gym since 2009. Her full-length works have been read or produced in more than three dozen venues worldwide and have won more than 20 national honors. She is a four-time winner of Individual Excellence Awards from the Ohio Arts Council. Prior to writing plays, she was an award-winning journalist for local, regional and national publications. A teacher of playwriting workshops, most recently she was the Cleveland Play House Artist-in-Residence at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights. She has also taught scene writing to passengers cruising the South Pacific. Professional affiliations include the Dramatists Guild, which she serves as Regional Representative for Ohio; the Association for Jewish Theatre; and the International Centre for Women Playwrights. She is founder of Interplay Jewish Theatre, a company that produces staged readings of Jewish themed works.

Faye Sholiton will attend the opening night performance of The Interview.

The Interview will run from January 4th through January 20th, 2013, with performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park is located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets for The Interview are on sale now, and can be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. Tickets for all performances are $25, or $20 if purchased before December 21st.

The Interview
By Faye Sholiton
January 4-20, 2013
Thu-Sat 8pm, Sat-Sun 2pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486
Tickets:  $25
Phone: 561-347-3948

www.womenstheatreproject.com
http://www.facebook.com/WomensTheatreProject
http://www.fayesplays.com/


The 2012-2013 South Florida Theatre Season is Heating Up!

25 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by in Boca Raton Theatre Guild, Clients, Entr'Acte Theatrix

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2012-2013 Season Schedules
for
The Boca Raton Theatre Guild,
The Women’s Theatre Project,
Entr’Acte Theatrix, &
Parade Productions

  September is just around the corner, and the
South Florida Theatre Season is about to begin!
2012-2013 will offer theatregoers a myriad of choices – thought provoking drama, new works, return engagements, classic musicals, and
comedy, comedy, comedy!
Below is a list of what’s in store – so far!
Watch your inbox for more details about each show as
their opening nights approach.

~*~

The Boca Raton Theatre Guild:

Sylvia
by A.R. Gurney
September 28-October 14
Thu-Sat 8pm, Sat-Sun 2pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486
Tickets: $25
Phone: 561-347-3948
Group Sales: 561-948-2601

 

Sylvia is the comic tale of a middle-aged couple who move back to New York City. However, their new life is humorously upended when the husband adopts a most unusual canine. A.R. Gurney (Love Letters) has tapped into the fragility of human relationships, and the joys and frustrations of pet ownership and has created what most people feel is his best work – a delicate balance of humor and poignancy.

 
Chicago
Music: John Kander, Lyrics: Fred Ebb
Mar 1-Mar 17, 2013
Tues-Sat 8pm, Sat-Sun 2pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486
Tickets: $35
Phone: 561-347-3948
Group Sales: 561-948-2601  

In Chicago, John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Bob Fosse created a work that flawlessly evokes its vaudeville setting. Flamboyant flappers, crooked lawyers, and merry murderesses are all part of a sparkling script and a classic score that includes “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango” and “Razzle Dazzle.” Avi Hoffman, Sally Bondi, and Ken Clement will star.

~*~

The Women’s Theatre Project:

Delval Divas

By Barbara Pease Weber
November 2-18
Thu-Sat 8pm, Sat-Sun 2pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486
Tickets: $25
Phone: 561-347-3948

Delval Divas is a contemporary comedy about four educated, successful, professional women who share something in common: The same address. They reside at the Delaware Valley Federal Correctional Facility, a low-level security prison for white and “pink” collar criminals. With the Warden in one pocket and their cell block guard in another, the “Divas” continue to indulge their lavish and luxurious lifestyles until one of them is prematurely released and a murderess moves into her place.

The Interview

By Faye Sholiton
January 4-20, 2013  Thu-Sat 8pm,
Sat-Sun 2pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486
Tickets: $25
Phone: 561-347-3948

Faye Sholiton’s powerful memory play about mothers and daughters and the legacy of human suffering, The Interview is at once a powerful documentation of a horrific historical event and one artist’s deeply felt response to it. Written with clarity and feeling, it resonates on all levels.

~*~
The Santaland Diaries
By David Sedaris; adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello
December 13-23  Thu-Sat 7:30 pm,
Sat-Sun 3 pm
The Studio at Mizner Park
201 Plaza Real, 2nd Floor
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Tickets: $35
Phone: 866-811-4111
Group Sales: 561-291-9678

The Santaland Diaries hilariously

relates David Sedaris’ experiences when he reluctantly worked as an elf in Macy’s Christmastime Santaland display, and offers an uproarious behind-the-scenes look at how department stores manufacture Christmas spirit. Michael McKeever stars.
This play is NOT recommended for children!!
The Whole Caboodle
By Michael McKeever
Preview: January 31
February 1-24
Thu-Sat 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun 3 pm
The Studio at Mizner Park
201 Plaza Real, 2nd Floor
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Tickets: $35
Phone: 866-811-4111
Group Sales: 561-291-9678

Audiences will discover what Stephen Sondheim, Abe Lincoln, munchkins and ambivalent lesbians have in common, when they all get the McKeever touch in The Whole Caboodle, the award-winning playwright’s wickedly funny collection of some of his most celebrated short plays. With a razor sharp sense of humor and extra-keen insight, The Whole Caboodle takes apart and reassembles an entire series of lovably flawed characters and pop culture icons with hilarious results.

~*~

The Rocky Horror Show
By Richard O’Brien
Oct. 25 (opening night)  8 pm
Oct. 26  8 pm
Oct. 27  2 pm and 8 pm
Oct. 28  2 pm and 7 pm
Oct. 31  8 pm
Nov. 1  8 pm
Nov. 2  8 pm
Nov. 3  2 pm and 8 pm
Nov. 4  2 pm
The Crest Theatre at Old School Square
51 North Swinton Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444
Tickets: $25, $20 for groups of 15 or more, $10 student rush, day of show, with ID. All seats reserved.
Phone: 561-243-7922 ext. 1

The Rocky Horror Show is an outrageous assemblage of the most stereotypical science fiction movies, Marvel comics, Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello outings and rock ‘n’ roll of every vintage. The play (upon which the classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show is based) has grown from an experimental production originally produced in a small London theatre to a cult phenomenon with fans world-wide.

The Women’s Theatre Project Finds a New Home in Boca Raton

24 Thursday May 2012

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The Women’s Theatre Project has found a new home in Boca Raton. The acclaimed 10 year old company will move from their performance space in Fort Lauderdale to the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.

Incorporated in 2002, the Women’s Theatre Project is a company of professional female theatre artists dedicated to producing theatrical works exploring the female voice, and the move from their previous intimate 50-seat venue to the Willow’s state of the art 155-seat theatre is an exciting step forward in the company’s continuing evolution.

“A unique opportunity presented itself at The Willow Theatre,” says founding member and Artistic Director Genie Croft. “I’ve directed The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife and several other plays for The Boca Raton Theatre Guild at the Willow, and have imported The Women’s Theatre Project’s productions of The Year of Magical Thinking and Bridge and Tunnel into the theatre – it’s a natural progression to make our home here – a perfect union of theatre, creative growth, and venue to expand our productions and mission.”

Actress, founding member, and company treasurer Jacqueline Laggy agrees: “This move provides us with the opportunity to continue our work and expand our audience base. We’re very excited!”

Carol Sussman, TWTP secretary, and another founding member of The Women’s Theatre Project, is  thrilled the company’s mission will continue. “The Willow Theatre is the perfect venue for TWTP to further our vision of telling women’s stories,” she says. “We have worked long and hard to be able to share our passion with the community and we look forward to many years in our wonderful new home.”

The Women’s Theatre Project was incorporated as a 501c3 not-for-profit organization in May of 2002. The company was founded from a need for women’s voices to be heard, a desire to break down the stereotypes of women propelled by the media, and to create more professional theatrical opportunities for women of all shapes, sizes, races, and ages. The young company quickly drew praise from critics and audiences alike, received numerous Carbonell nominations, and built a strong and loyal following throughout South Florida.

The Women’s Theatre Project has presented staged readings, one act, and full length plays. Works by local, national, and international female playwrights have been featured throughout TWTP’s 10 year history, including the world and regional premieres of several works such as Speaking Elephant by local playwright Terry Lawrence, Jar the Floor by Cheryl L. West, Three Fittings by Stephanie Alison Walker, and True Blue by Marj O’Neill-Butler. Other recent productions include Playhouse Creatures, Eclipsed, Sunday on the Rocks, Chitterling Heights, and Women Drivers.  Over the past few years, TWTP has run a lesbian play festival in conjunction with the Pride Center.

Two productions are planned for the company’s 2012-2013 season at the Willow Theatre, Delval Divas, a comedy by Barbara Pease Weber will run November 2-18, and Faye Sholiton’s powerful memory play, The Interview will run January 4-20, 2013.  A third production is “not an impossibility,” says Croft.

The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park is located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets for Delval Divas will be on sale August 1st and can be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. Tickets for all performances are $25.

http://www.womenstheatreproject.com/#