Tag Archives: Ellen Wacher

Pigs Do Fly Productions presents 2 ACROSS March 4 – 20, 2022

03 Thursday Feb 2022

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents

March 4 – 20, 2022

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

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

February 3, 2022

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:   Rehearsals will begin shortly for 2 Across, Pigs Do Fly Productions’ upcoming ‘reprise’ production of Jerry Mayer’s ‘comedy of crosswords and romance’. The show will run from March 4th through March 20th at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.

2 Across finds two strangers, a man and a woman, on board a San Francisco BART train at 4:30 a.m. Alone in the car, the only thing they have in common is that they are both doing the New York Times crossword puzzle.  Soon the puzzles they unravel are more intriguing than any crossword puzzle could ever be.

Ellen Wacher

“2 Across was extremely successful when we presented it in 2019, and I am often asked not if, but when we will be bringing it back,” says Pigs Do Fly Productions’ founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher. “Presenting it again is an exciting prospect – it’s a delightful two-person comedy that totally meets with our company’s mission – to show people over the age of 50 who are interesting and active and real. I was captivated by these characters’ development, and I believe our audiences will be too.”

Deboralih Kondelik

Deborah Kondelik, who directed 2 Across in 2019 and helmed Pigs Do Fly’s recent successful production of Helen on Wheels is looking forward to revisiting these characters: “It has been said that opposites attract,” Kondelik said recently.  “Whether or not that rings true remains to be seen in Jerry Mayer’s hilarious yet poignant romantic comedy.  One thing that is guaranteed though, is a delightful very early morning romp by two strangers on San Francisco’s BART train.  The tie that binds is that both of them are hard at work on the Saturday New York Times crossword puzzle.  Although they tackle the puzzle with very different approaches, they soon discover commonalities that cannot be ignored.”

Michele Verdi and David R. Gordon will star in 2 Across, and both are excited at the prospect of exploring their diametrically opposite characters: Verdi’s Janet is a responsible, honest, rule-abiding psychologist, and Gordon’s Josh is part-free spirit, part executive, part dreamer, and part Peter Pan.

Playwright Jerry Mayer has written scripts for All in the Family, M*A*S*H*, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and the Bob Newhart Show (where he served as story editor).  His first play, Almost Perfect ran for a year and a half at the Santa Monica Playhouse.  Other plays include the musical You Haven’t Changed a Bit, and Other Lies and Dietrich and Chevalier, The Musical.  

Tickets for 2 Across are $39 and are available online at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com  or by calling 954-678-1496.  Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, and on Sunday at 5 pm. All performances will take place Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.

This press release along with actor head shots can be viewed online at:  TBA

For more information about Pigs Do Fly Productions, please visit www.pigsdoflyproductions.com.   For more information about Ellen Wacher, please visit www.ellenwacher.com.  To arrange for interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~*~

2 Across
By Jerry Mayer
March 4 – 20, 2022
Directed by Deborah Kondelik
Performances:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
Tickets:  $39
For tickets:  www.pigsdoflyproductions.com / 954-678-1496
All performances will take place at
Empire Stage
1140 N. Flagler Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PigsDoFlyProductions/

  • Deborah Kondelik
  • Ellen Wacher
  • Jerry Mayer
  • Michele Verdi
  • David R. Gordon & Michele Verdi
  • Joseph Long, Deborah Kondelik, Michele Verdi, David r. Gordon, Ellen Wacher

Pigs Do Fly Productions presents HELEN ON WHEELS December 3 – 19!

03 Wednesday Nov 2021

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
Soars Back With
Helen and her gang… all ready to raise a ruckus!

“‘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

November 3, 2021

Ellen Wacher

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:  Pigs Do Fly Productions’ Helen on Wheels managed just one performance before the pandemic forced the show to shutter in March 2020.  However, Pigs’ founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher vowed Pigs Do Fly Productions and the show would be back when the time was right. Now, with Florida COVID numbers consistently dropping, and audiences starting to attend theatre, Wacher feels “It’s time to bring the gang back!”   Helen on Wheels will run from December 3rd through December 19th at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.  There will be a preview performance on December 2nd.

“We were devastated when we had to close down,” Wacher says, “But of course it was the right and only thing to do.  We’ve had to make a couple of changes due to scheduling issues – a new director and two new cast members, but I am more than confident our audiences will love this production of Helen on Wheels. It is totally enjoyable, far out, very funny, and fits our Pigs Do Fly mission – to show people over 50 doing interesting things with their lives – to a ‘tee’.”        

Deborah Kondelik

“I am so pleased to be working with Ellen Wacher again and most happy to be directing another Cricket Daniel play,” says the show’s director Deborah Kondelik. “I loved directing The Lost Virginity Tour for Pigs Do Fly, and I am certain that Helen on Wheels will be just as entertaining and engaging. We theatre artists are all grateful to be back after such a long hiatus.”

A feisty, bingo-playing, gun-toting, ruckus raising, independent woman living in the small town of Crockett, Oklahoma.  That’s Helen Wheeler, the title character in Cricket Daniel’s comedy Helen on Wheels.  When Helen isn’t locked up in the local clink, she’s on her front porch shootin’ up critters and the local kids.  Not even the local sheriff, who has already taken away all her ammo and her driver’s license, can manage to uphold the law when it comes to Helen, her sidekick Zona, and their daily “Thelma and Louise” antics. 

Beverly Blanchette will return as Helen, as will Carol Sussman as her best friend and partner in crime Zona. Todd Bruno will reprise his role as Nelson, and Michael Gioia and Steven Chambers have joined ‘the gang’ as Elmer and Seth.

Helen on Wheels’ Scenic Designer is Dean Landhuis, David Hart is the show’s Sound Designer, Preston Bircher is the Lighting Designer, and Joseph Long is the production’s Stage Manager.

“I am thrilled to have Helen on Wheels produced by Pigs Do Fly Productions,” playwright Cricket Daniel said recently.  “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 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 December 2nd; the production will open on December 3rd and run through December 19th.  Tickets are $39 and are available online at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com. 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.

Masks covering nose, mouth, and chin must be worn in the building
at all times in order to attend.
There will be no refreshments available.

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.

Helen on Wheels
By Cricket DanielPreview Performance: Thursday, December 2 at 8 pm
Runs from December 3 – 19, 2021
Tickets: $39
Tickets:  www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Or call 954-678-1496
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
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PigsDoFlyProductions/

  • Beverly Blanchette
  • Carol Sussman
  • Deborah Kondelik
  • Michael Gioia
  • Todd Bruno
  • Ellen Wacher
  • Todd Bruno, Deborah Kondelik, Michael Gioia, Steven A. Chambers, Beverly Blanchette, Carol Sussman, Joseph Long, Ellen Wacher
  • Todd Bruno, Michael Gioia, Steven A. Chambers, Beverly Blanchette, Carol Sussman
  • Deborah Kondelik, Ellen Wacher, Joseph Long
  • Deborah Kondelik, Ellen Wacher
  • Michael Gioia, Beverly Blanchette
  • Steven A. Chambers

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
Like Us on Facebook!

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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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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
Like Us on Facebook! 

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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

 

 

 

 

 

Pigs Do Fly Productions Presents The World Premiere of Michael Leeds’ IMPRESSIONS – July 21 – August 6

20 Tuesday Jun 2017

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
Presents
The World Premiere of
Impressions
by Michael Leeds
July 21 – August 6
(Preview performance July 20)

Art… literally brought to life…

June 20, 2017

WILTON MANORS, FL: “I’ve always been drawn to the paintings of the great Impressionists,” award-winning playwright and director Michael Leeds mused recently.  “As opposed to the idealized forms and perfect symmetry that was the norm, the Impressionists chose subjects from all walks of life, capturing who they were and what they were doing in that fleeting moment in time.  I was especially intrigued by the women in their paintings.  What were they thinking? What were they feeling?  What was their world like?”

Leeds explores this theme when Pigs Do Fly Productions presents the World Premiere of his new play, Impressions, at the Abyss Stage in Wilton Manors.  The production will run from July 21 – August 6. (There will be a preview performance on July 20th at 8 pm.)

From a Monet matron to a Degas dancer, Impressions brings these women to life to reveal their joys, their fears and their passions.

“When Michael approached me with his ideas during our last production, Invasion of Privacy, I became excited immediately,” Pigs Do Fly Productions founder and Executive Producer Ellen Wacher says.  “By wonderful coincidence that period of art is my favorite. I’ve worked with Michael – I am, and always have been – a great admirer of his work, and now, after reading the play I can hardly wait to see it myself!”

“Writing Impressions gave me the opportunity to enter the world of each painting and imagine the events surrounding the moments captured by these incredible artists,” Leeds explains.   “And, although it wasn’t intentional, when I was done, I found these women were all linked in some way by the limitations society imposed on them due to their gender, their class, or their age.

“Of course, none of this would be possible without the enthusiastic support of Ellen Wacher and Pigs Do Fly Productions,” Leeds continues.  “When I first brought the project to Ellen, I had no idea she was a passionate devotee of the Impressionists.   We’re both incredibly excited to see how it all comes together. The production elements of the play present many challenges in how to best bring these paintings to life.  Luckily, I’ve got three extremely versatile actresses, and a great design team.  To quote a Sondheim lyric, “Putting it together bit by bit… Art isn’t easy!”

Wacher and Leeds have cast three award-winning actresses – Patti Gardner, Barbara Sloan, and Karen Stephens – to bring the iconic paintings Leeds has chosen to life.  Along with Edgar Degas and Claude Monet, Leeds has chosen works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Édouard Manet, Mary Cassatt, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Gustave Caillebotte, Frédéric Bazille, Isaac Israëls, and Marie Bracquemond to ‘illustrate’.

Leeds and Wacher have enlisted recent Carbonell Award-winner Jodi Dellaventura to design the Impressions set.  Others on the show’s design team are Kevin Black (Projections), Ardean Landhuis (Lighting Design), Jerry Sturdefant (Costume Design), David Hart (Sound). Kevin Raymond Hammond (Wigs). Jeff Ostrow will serve as Impressions’ Production Stage Manager.

Tickets for Impressions are $35 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 The Abyss Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305

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 carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~*~

Impressions
By Michael Leeds
July 21 – August 6
(Preview performance July 20 at 8 pm)
Performance times:
Thursday – Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
Tickets:  $35
For tickets:  www.pigsdoflyproductions.com / 866-811-4111
All performances will take place at
The Abyss Stage
2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305
www.infinite-abyss.org
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Michael Leeds: (Writer/Director) B’way: Swinging On A Star (Writer/Director Tony Award nom. Best Musical).  Off-B’way: Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah – The Songs of Allan Sherman (Drama Desk Award nom. Best Director/Best Choreographer), the European Premiere of Arthur Miller’s Playing For Time (Edinburgh Fringe Festival First Award), A Little Night Music at Houston Grand Opera starring Frederica Von Stade and Regina for Florida Grand Opera starring Lauren Flanigan. Film:  choreographed End of Summer starring Jacqueline Bisset, co-wrote The Simian Line starring William Hurt and Lynn Redgrave, and The Last Film Festival starring Dennis Hopper. His many SF directing credits include Mack And Mabel (Carbonell Best Musical) and The Light In The Piazza (Carbonell nom Best Musical, Silver Palm Award for Direction).  Michael is Assoc. Artistic Director of Island City Stage where his directing credits include The Twentieth Century Way (Carbonell nom. Best Ensemble), The Timekeepers (6 Carbonell Awards including Best Director and Best Production of a Play), the World Premieres of Have I Got A Girl For You, POZ, Feeding The Bear and his own play Who Killed Joan Crawford? which received the 2016 Award for Best New Work of 2016 by the Broward/Miami New Times.  His other plays include The First Step – Diary of a Sex Addict, The Gift, Starmaker and Impressions.   Michael teaches an ongoing weekly acting class. (www.LeedsWorkshop.net)

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Pigs Do Fly Productions presents INVASION OF PRIVACY – September 8 – 25

09 Tuesday Aug 2016

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Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents
InvasionOfPrivacy_LOGOonlySeptember 9 – 25
(Preview performance September 8)

“Larry Parr has a flair for sassy humor and for focusing his story on the main issues.”  Sarasota Herald Tribune

August 10, 2016
WILTON MANORS, FL:  In 1943 Zelma Cason filed a ground-breaking lawsuit against Pulitzer Prize-winning author (The Yearling) Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.  Cason claimed Rawlings had invaded her ‘right to privacy’ in the author’s recently published book, Cross Creek. The suit – the first of its kind ever filed in Florida –  used ‘the right of privacy defense’.  At that time the state didn’t even recognize the existence of that right.

Pigs Do Fly Productions will present the South Florida premiere of Larry Parr’s award-winning play, Invasion of Privacy – the playwright’s fascinating examination of the events leading up to and including the trial that had the entire country focused on one small Florida town.   The production will run from September 9th through September 25th at The Abyss Stage in Wilton Manors.  There will be a preview performance on September 8th.

Ellen 2“Invasion of Privacy is our first foray into a full length play,” says Pigs Do Fly Productions Executive Producer Ellen Wacher.   “This one is awesome – it’s based on a real case and trial in 1940’s Florida.  It has great characters; it’s topical and funny, yet it deals with very serious issues.  And it fits perfectly within Pigs Do Fly’s mission – showing the impact people over 50 can have on all our lives.”

Larry Parr

Larry Parr

“I always loved Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ rich and poetic writings about Florida and the Floridians who made their lives from the bounty of the land,” playwright Larry Parr explains.  “I became fascinated by the lawsuit brought against her after the publication of her book, Cross Creek, for Invasion of Privacy – the first of its kind brought against an author.  It played out against the backdrop of early Florida and involved the very people she wrote about, and it involves an issue that is very much in the news yet today – Freedom of Speech versus Right to Privacy.”

The landmark case began when Cason, one of Rawlings’ closest friends took issue with the author’s description of her in Cross Creek as “…an ageless spinster resembling an angry and efficient canary. She manages her orange grove and as much of the village and country as needs management or will submit to it. I cannot decide whether she should have been a man or a mother …”  An additional real-life dramatic element was added to the mix in that Cason was represented by Kate Walton – one of Florida’s first female lawyers – in a time when women were not even allowed to serve on juries in Florida.

Peter J. LoewyInvasion of Privacy will be directed by Peter J. Loewy, whose production of The Rothschilds will open at Stage Door Theatre on September 2nd; his recent production of Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together received excellent reviews when it played at Stage Door in May.  He has directed numerous productions in South Florida, as well as at his own Forum Theatre, in Metuchen, New Jersey.

Loewy has selected a talented cast for Invasion of Privacy:  Eight-time Carbonell nominee Missy McArdle will play Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and Carbonell nominee Kevin Reilley will play her husband, Norton Baskin.  Also cast are Pepper Thompson as Zelma Cason, Todd Caster as lawyer Sigsbee Scruggs, Jules Pisano as lawyer Kate Walton, and Kerry Sensenbach as Judge John Murphree.

Tickets for Invasion of Privacy are $35 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 The Abyss Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305

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 carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~*~

Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents
Invasion of Privacy
By Larry Parr
September 9 – September 25 (Preview Performance – September 8)
Tickets: $35
Tickets:  866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm
Sunday: 5 pm
All performances will take place at
The Abyss Stage
2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305
www.infinite-abyss.org

Larry Parr (Playwright) Hundreds of regional productions.  Hi-Hat Hattie Kansas City’s Drama Desk Best Musical, Florida Individual Artist Recipient, American Cinema Foundation; My Castle’s Rockin’ Sart ScriptFest, National Black Theatre Festival;Invasion Of Privacy 1999 Gold Coast Players best-play award, Playwrights First Award in Manhattan, Ashland New Play Festival, Theatre Conspiracy’s New Play Competition, Florida Individual Artist Recipient, Dezart Performs Audience Favorite; Sundew Sart Scriptfest; His Eye Is On The Sparrow Florida Individual Artist Recipient, Sarasota County Arts Council’s Fellowship, Dayton Best Overall Production; Shunned Sart’s ScriptFest, Utah Shakespeare Festival, New American Playwrights Project.  2000, 2010 Barbara Anton Playwriting Award.  STAGES ’93, the 1994 Porter Fleming Playwriting Competition, The Arion Award For Music Excellence, Civic Recognition Award, Broome Agency’s Best-Novel Award.  www.larryparr.info

Awards for Invasion of Privacy:
State of Florida Individual Artist’s Fellowship Award
Gold Coast Players Best Play Award
The National Arts Club’s Playwrights First Award in Manhattan
Ashland, Oregon New Play Festival
Theatre Conspiracy New Play Award
Dezart Performs Audience Favorite, Palm Springs, California

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Pigs Do Fly Productions Moves to The Abyss Stage in September

23 Monday May 2016

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Pigs Do Fly Productions Is On the Move!
logo-pigsdoflyprod-vertical Pigs Do Fly Productions announces their September Production, and a move to
The Abyss Stage in Wilton Manors

May 24, 2016
WILTON MANORS, FL – Pigs do Fly Productions is on the move! The company’s September production, Larry Parr’s Invasion of Privacy will run from September 8th through September 25th at The Abyss Stage Wilton Manors.

“We’re constantly looking to grow… to fly,” says Pigs Do Fly’s founder and artistic director, Ellen Wacher.  “And this is the right move for us.  We’ve been lucky enough to have had quite a few sold out houses during each of our runs, so a larger space something we’ve been looking at for a while now.

Ellen Wacher

Ellen Wacher

“And there’s more exciting news,” she continues.  “We’re making another significant change.  Our usual format – and it’s been a very successful one for us – has been short plays.  But we’ve found a full length play that really resonated with our team, and it fits our mission in every way.  It features characters over the age of 50 in a situation based on a true story that’s as relevant for everyone – no matter what their age – today as it was when it took place in the 1940s.

“The play, Invasion of Privacy, is by Larry Parr.  His comedic short play Politically Incorrect, was featured in our March production, and was extremely well received.  When he sent this one to us… well… it just clicked.  It’s got humor, great characters, and social significance.”

Invasion of Privacy is based on the lawsuit brought against Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (The Yearling) by her neighbor, Zelma Cason.  Cason contended that Rawlings’ description of ‘her’ character in Rawlings’ book Cross Creek made her out to be a ‘hussy’ and sued the author for invasion of privacy (the courts of the time found libel to be too ambiguous).  It was a cause of action that had never been argued in a Florida court.  “That was a time when a woman lawyer was a novelty in the South, and man’s moonshine was nobody’s business, and an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit was something of a brand-new issue, which eventually became a popular reason for going to court.”  Jack Lyons, Theatre & Film Critic

Peter J. Loewy

Peter J. Loewy

Invasion of Privacy will be directed by Peter J. Loewy, whose production of Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together is currently running at Stage Door Theatre in Margate.  Loewy has directed numerous productions in South Florida, as well as at his own Forum Theatre, in Metuchen, New Jersey.

Auditions for the Invasion of Privacy will be held in late June or early July – the date, time, and location to be announced.

Tickets for Invasion of Privacy are $35 and will be on sale soon. Tickets will be 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 The Abyss Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305

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.

~*~

Pigs Do Fly Productions
presents
Invasion of Privacy
By Larry Parr
September 9 – September 25 (Preview Performance – September 8)
Tickets: $35
Tickets:  866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday: 8 pm
Sunday: 5 pm
All performances will take place at
The Abyss Stage
2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305
561-447-8829
www.abyss-stage.com

Larry Parr

Larry Parr

Larry Parr (Playwright) Hundreds of regional productions.  Hi-Hat Hattie Kansas City’s Drama Desk Best Musical, Florida Individual Artist Recipient, American Cinema Foundation; My Castle’s Rockin’ Sart ScriptFest, National Black Theatre Festival;Invasion Of Privacy 1999 Gold Coast Players best-play award, Playwrights First Award in Manhattan, Ashland New Play Festival, Theatre Conspiracy’s New Play Competition, Florida Individual Artist Recipient, Dezart Performs Audience Favorite; Sundew Sart Scriptfest; His Eye Is On The Sparrow Florida Individual Artist Recipient, Sarasota County Arts Council’s Fellowship, Dayton Best Overall Production; Shunned Sart’s ScriptFest, Utah Shakespeare Festival, New American Playwrights Project.  2000, 2010 Barbara Anton Playwriting Award.  STAGES ’93, the 1994 Porter Fleming Playwriting Competition, The Arion Award For Music Excellence, Civic Recognition Award, Broome Agency’s Best-Novel Award.  www.larryparr.info

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