Tag Archives: Genie Croft

Boca Stage’s DRY POWDER Opens April 25

31 Monday Mar 2025

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

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

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

March 31, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

The Stage Manager Dry Powder is Joseph Zettelmaier.  The production’s Technical Director is Christian Taylor, Set Design is by Claudia Smith, Lighting Design is by Stevie Bleich, Sound Design is by David Hart, and Costume Design is by Timothy Charles Bowman.

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

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

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

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

Producion Photos by Amy Pasquantonio

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

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

SIDEKICKED at Boca Stage – September 19 – 29

06 Tuesday Aug 2024

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“…I’m tired of being second banana. I wanna be first banana. I wanna be more than just Lucy’s sidekick.
I’ve been side-kicked to death.” Vivian Vance in Sidekicked

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

August 6, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL:  Boca Stage’s first production of the 2024-2025 season will be playwright Kim Powers’ Sidekicked, an illuminating study of one of television’s – and America’s – iconic characters. The production will run from September 19 – 29 in the Cabaret Theatre at the Delray Beach Playhouse.  

It’s the last night on set filming I Love Lucy and America’s favorite housecoat-wearing sidekick, Ethel Mertz, played by Vivian Vance, has a lot to get off her chest.

“I am delighted we are opening our season with a play about this award-winning American television and theatre actress and singer,” says the production’s director Genie Croft.  Vivian Vance was often referred to as TV ‘s most beloved “second banana” and America’s favorite neighbor Ethel Mertz, sidekick to Lucille Ball, on the enormously popular TV show I Love Lucy. Though the role brought Vance fame it took quite a personal toll.

“In this fascinating and in-depth character play, we meet an exciting and vibrant woman who did not at all resemble the frumpy Ethel she made famous.  Long before her television career, Vance was well known as a comedic actress, show girl, and singer who worked with major stars like Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope.” Croft explains. “Vivian was plagued by terrible bouts of depression and insecurities and worries about the loss of her own identity. She once said, “When I die, there will be people who send Ethel Mertz flowers.” She was deeply afraid of losing her mind and was one of the first celebrities to speak openly about mental illness. 

“I am so pleased that Irene Adjan will be creating this iconic character,” Croft continues. “Irene has the profound ability to bring to life the many facets of Vivian Vance, and to create the behind- the-scenes stories of the show and its dynamics, feuds, and friendships.”

“Ethel Mertz is a character so many people grew up knowing and loving,” Adjan says, “However, very few people can tell you anything about the wonderful actress who played her – Vivian Vance.  I’ve been surprised at how many people – upon my sharing that I’d be doing this play -couldn’t even recall her real name, which is one of the things that plagued Vivian her entire career post I Love Lucy.  Vivian was an astounding comedian, a really complicated person, and seeing this play will be a great opportunity for people to learn and be surprised by how much they don’t know about someone they feel they know so well!”

Tickets for Sidekicked are on sale now. They range in price from $59 to $69 and are available online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by calling 561-272-1281. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th Street, Delray Beach (33444)

For more information about Boca Stage, to arrange for interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Irene Adjan Photo credit: Bob Lasky

~

Sidekicked
September 19-29
By Kim Powers
Directed by Genie Croft
Starring Irene Adjan
Performances:
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 1 pm
Wednesday, September 25 at 12:00 pm (sold out)
Tickets: $59/69
For tickets:  Click HERE /561-272-1281
All performances will take place at
The Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL  33444

Irene Adjan
Genie Croft


Production Shots/Photo Credit: Amy Pasquantonio

Boca Stage Announces its 2024-2025 Season

10 Wednesday Apr 2024

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Four diverse productions ranging from drama to farce will be on stage at the
Delray Beach Playhouse.

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

April 10, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL:  Boca Stage has announced their production schedule for 2024-2025. The award-winning company will revert back to a four-show season, producing a diverse selection of plays ranging from topical and edgy to timeless classics and full out farce.

The 2024-2025 productions are Sidekicked by Kim Powers, The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry, Living on Love by Joe DiPietro, and Dry Powder by Sarah Burgess. (Show descriptions/details below).  Boca Stage Founder and Executive Director Keith Garsson will share directing duties with his longtime theatrical collaborator Genie Croft.

“We are so pleased to have been invited back to the Delray Beach Playhouse after our first successful season here,” Garsson says.  “Our transition was seamless thanks to the royal treatment we received from the entire Playhouse team. 

“This will be our first season planned completely in conjunction with the Playhouse’ schedule,” he continues. We’re back to four shows, and we’ve chosen a great mix of drama, dramedies, and pure comedy.  Two of our four shows are South Florida premieres, and one is a fan favorite. 

“Our new space in the Cabaret Theater at the Playhouse has proven to be very popular with our audiences.  As an added bonus, our subscribers no longer need worry about being ‘transferred’ or face any other seating issues as they will now be booked directly into seats of their own choosing,” he says.

Subscriptions to the Boca Stage 2024-2025 season will be on sale beginning April 15. The individual ticket sales date is still to be announced.

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

For more information about Boca Stage, the Delray Beach Playhouse, and Keith Garsson, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. 

~

Boca Stage 2024-2025 Productions at the Delray Beach Playhouse:

Sidekicked
by Kim Powers
September 18 – 29, 2024
It’s the last night on set filming I Love Lucy and America’s favorite housecoat-wearing sidekick, Ethel Mertz, played by Vivian Vance, has a lot to get off her chest.  In her dressing room she issues an SOS to her long-time analyst: “Help me understand who I am before I’m stuck being Ethel forever.”  And she relives it all:  The good, the bad, and the Lucy.
Directed by Genie Croft

The Last Night of BallyHoo
By Alfred Uhry
October 24 – November 3, 2024
Atlanta, Georgia, December 1939.  Gone with the Wind is having its world premiere and Hitler is invading Poland. But Adolph Freitag (owner of the Dixie Bedding Company), his sister Boo, and sister-in-law Reba, along with nieces Lala and Sunny – a highly assimilated Jewish family – are looking forward to Ballyhoo, a lavish cotillion ball sponsored by their restrictive country club. Comedy, romance, and revelations all combine as the family finally confronts their identity in this rapidly changing world.
Directed by Keith Garsson

Living on Love
By Joe DiPietro
Based on the play Peccadillo by Garson Kanin
January 16 -26, 2025
When a demanding diva discovers that her larger-than-life maestro husband has become enamored with the lovely young lady hired to ghostwrite his largely fictional autobiography, she hires a handsome young scribe of her own.  Sparks fly, silverware is thrown, and romance blossoms in the most unexpected ways in this delightful and hilarious romantic comedy.
Directed by Keith Garsson

Dry Powder
By Sarah Burgess
April 24 – May 4, 2025
The same week his private equity firm forced massive layoffs at a national grocery chain, Rick Hannel threw himself an extravagant engagement party, setting off a publicity nightmare.  Fortunately, Seth, one of Rick’s partners, has a dream of a deal to invest in – an American-made luggage company – that will rescue his boss from the PR disaster.  But Jenny, Rick’s other partner, has an entirely different plan: to maximize the returns, no matter the price of success and the real cost of getting the deal done.
Directed by Genie Croft

AMERICA’S SEXIEST COUPLE at Boca Stage – April 18 – 27

28 Thursday Mar 2024

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America’s Sexiest Couple
at Boca Stage
April 18-27

“Levine’s plays are riotously funny, and with a depth of human awareness.” 
– Theatre in Chicago

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

March 28, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL: Boca Stage’s final production of their first season in their new home at the Delray Beach Playhouse is the South Florida premiere of Ken Levine’s America’s Sexiest Couple.  The comedy will run from April 18th – 27th. 

“The play is terrifically clever and sharp,” says Genie Croft, who will direct the production. “Ken Levine’s writing is, as always, brilliant and funny and satirical.  He really pokes fun at the TV celebrity culture. But,” she adds “The play has surprising poignancy and depth as well.”

Kim Ostrenko and Wayne LeGette will star as Craig and Susan who were the stars of a successful 90s sitcom, ‘Residents’, when Susan left the show without explanation. 25 years later, they are reunited at the funeral of one of their cast mates. As they prepare for the funeral, they are offered a reboot of ‘Residents’. Issues from the past resurface as they contemplate their present situations and the possibility of a future. Was the spark between them all those years ago merely the characters, or was it really them?  Forrest Stringfellow will also be featured in the production as ‘The Bellboy’. 

America’s Sexiest Couple playwright Ken Levine is an Emmy award-winning writer/director/producer/major league baseball announcer.  During a career that has spanned over 30 years, Levine has worked as a writer on M.A.S.H., Cheers, Frasier, The Simpsons, Wings, Everybody Loves Raymond, Becker, and Dharma & Greg, and has co-created 3 other television series.  He has also been the radio/TV play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres, and hosted Dodger Talk.  He is a contributing cartoonist to the New Yorker Magazine, and he hosts his own podcast, Hollywood & Levine.  His blog was named one of the 25 best blogs by Time Magazine.

The Stage Manager for America’s Sexiest Couple is Francesca Barioli, and Randall Swinton will serve as the Assistant Stage Manager.  Cindi Blank Taylor is the show’s Scenic Designer, David Hart will create the Sound, Stevie Bleich is the Lighting Designer, Alberto Arroyo is the Costume Designer, and Andre Lancaster will serve as the show’s Technical Director.

Tickets for America’s Sexiest Couple range in price from $39 to $69 and are available online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by calling 561-272-1281. Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm, and on Sunday at 2 pm. There will also be performances on Thursday, April 18th at 8 pm and on Wednesday and Thursday April 24th and 25th at 12:30 pm. All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th Street, Delray Beach (33444)

For more information about Boca Stage, to arrange for interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Please note:  Ticket availability is limited – please contact me as soon as possible in order to arrange to see a performance.
~

America’s Sexiest Couple
April 18 – 27, 2024
By Ken Levine
Performances:
Thursday, April 18 at 8 pm
Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2 pm
Wednesday & Thursday, April 24 & 25 at 12:30 pm
Tickets: $39-$69
For tickets: delraybeachplayhouse.com /561-272-1281
All performances will take place at
The Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL  33444

America’s Sexiest Couple Photos by Amy Pasquantonio

Kim Ostrenko
Wayne LeGette
Forrest Stringfellow



Boca Stage To Move To The Delray Beach Playhouse

10 Monday Jul 2023

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

July 10, 2023

DELRAY BEACH, FL:  Boca Stage is on the move.  The award-winning theatre company will take up residence at the Delray Beach Playhouse in October.  The well-respected company has expanded its subscriber base and attendance rate over the past few seasons to the point where there was a definite need for more seats; the move will double the audience capacity from 70 to over 140.  The company will perform in the black box/cabaret hall of the Playhouse.

Boca Stage is known for its mounting of a wide variety of works – from topical, timely, and edgy to classics and comedy.  Their programming is geared towards theatregoers of all ages and stages, and their recent productions have garnered excellent reviews along with full houses.

“We are very grateful to Kevin Barrett and the staff at Delray Beach Playhouse for this opportunity to co-produce our works in a bigger venue,” says Boca Stage Artistic Director and founder Keith Garsson. “We are anxious to provide additional quality productions to add to this historical venue which has served the larger community for over half a century.”

Boca Stage’s 2023 season will consist of three very different pieces:  an updated version of the classic suspense thriller Wait Until Dark; Boeing Boeing, a delightful 1960s comedy about airlines and timetables; and America’s Sexiest Couple, a comedy featuring two of South Florida’s finest actors.  (See below for more information about each play.)

Tickets for all three productions will be on sale soon.

The Delray Beach Playhouse, which first opened its doors in 1947, has become a beloved fixture in the South Florida theatrical community, and boasts a large, strong, and supportive membership composed of both year-round and seasonal patrons.   The addition of Boca Stage as a resident theatre company will offer their own subscriber and audience base, as well as that of the Playhouse, an even wider variety of theatrical options to choose from.

For more information about Boca Stage, the Delray Beach Playhouse, and Keith Garsson, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. 

The Delray Beach Playhouse is located at 950 NW 9th Street, in Delray Beach, 33444. (561-272-1281).

~

Boca Stage 2023 -2024 Productions at the Delray Beach Playhouse:

Wait Until Dark
By Frederick Knott
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
October 27 – November 5, 2023
Forty-seven years after Wait Until Dark premiered on Broadway, Jeffery Hatcher adapted Frederick Knott’s 1966 original, giving it a new setting.  In 1944 Greenwich Village, Susan Hendrix, a blind but capable woman, is imperiled by a trio of men in her own apartment.  As the climax builds, Susan discovers her blindness just might be the key to her escape.
Directed by Keith Garsson


Boeing Boeing
By Marc Camoletti
Translated by Beverly Cross and Francis Evans
January 19 – 28, 2024
This 1960s French farce features a self-styled Parisian lothario, Bernard, who has Italian, German, and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent ‘layovers’.   He keeps “one up, one down, and one pending” until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris, and to Bernard’s apartment, at the same time.
Directed by Keith Garsson
Starring: Angie Radosh


America’s Sexiest Couple
By Ken Levine
April 19 – 28, 2024
Two actors, who ‘America’s Sexiest Couple’ on a popular ‘90s sitcom reunite for the first time in 25 years.  They face a lifetime of unresolved issues, longings, resentments, and regrets.  Plus, the network wants to reboot the show. Career and personal aspirations collide – professionally and personally, where do they go from here?
Directed by Genie Croft
Starring:  Kim Ostrenko and Wayne LeGette

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
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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

 

 

 

 

 

The Boca Raton Theatre Guild presents TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE – February 27 – March 15

09 Monday Feb 2015

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The Boca Raton Theatre Guild
presents
Morrie postcard 2Tuesdays with Morrie
February 27 – March 15

“A touching, life-affirming, deeply emotional drama with a
generous dose of humor.”
—NY Daily News

February 9, 2015

BOCA RATON, FL: The Boca Raton Theatre Guild’s production of Tuesdays with Morrie will preview on February 27th, open Saturday night February 28th, and run through March 15th at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park.

Tuesdays with Morrie is columnist Mitch Albom’s moving, inspirational, and often humorous chronicle of the conversations he had with his former professor and mentor Morrie Schwartz. Albom was a successful sports columnist for The Detroit Free Press; after catching Morrie on Nightline, Albom called him and the result was a series of fourteen Tuesdays during which he learned there is more to life than reporting on Wimbledon tournaments and following the tabloids. Throughout their conversations Schwartz, plagued with health complications, never lost his zest for teaching, learning, love, and above all, life.

Albom’s book spent 205 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, sold over 14 million copies, has been translated into 41 languages, and became an Emmy-award winning television movie starring Jack Lemon and Hank Azaria. In 2001 Albom collaborated with playwright Jeffrey Hatcher to adapt his work for a very successful Off Broadway production.

Genie Croft

Genie Croft

“I’m delighted to have to opportunity to direct this piece…” says director Genie Croft. “…To track the evolution of Mitch and Morrie’s relationship as they spend time together and rekindle a bond that turns into one final class – lessons in how to live. Their conversations explore acceptance, communication, love, openness, values, and lasting happiness. Throughout the play, as they continue to meet each Tuesday, Mitch’s character evolves as Morrie’s stories inspire him. Their conversations are supplemented with lectures and life experiences, and interspersed with flashbacks and allusions to contemporary events.”

DSCN5378 cropped

Howard Elfman & Wayne LeGette

“I had the pleasure of doing Tuesdays With Morrie five years ago at the Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples,” says actor Wayne LeGette, who is playing Mitch in the BRTG production. “I found Morrie’s compassion and courage to be almost saintly. It’s a story about an incredibly wise man that causes both Mitch and the audience to realize that there is no hurdle insurmountable if you approach it with kindness and always keep looking forward. One day, I can’t wait to play Morrie.”

Howard Elfman, who plays Morrie Schwartz is equally enthusiastic. “When I read Tuesdays with Morrie I knew right then I had to do it,” he says.

Tickets for Tuesdays with Morrie are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 561-347-3948. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. The Willow Theatre is located at 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton, 33486 (in the heart of Sugar Sand Park, just south of Palmetto Park Road).

For more information, production shots, head shots, or to set up interviews, please contact Carol Kassie at 561-445-9244 / ckassie@gmail.com or visit: www.brtg.org.

Tuesdays with Morrie
By Jeffrey Hatcher and
Mitch Albom based on his book.
February 27 – March 15, 2015
(Previews February 27 at 8 pm and Saturday February 28 at 2pm)
Tickets: $28 (Groups of 10 or more and previews $22)
Performances:
Thursday – Saturday at 8 pm (Previews February 27 at 8 pm and Saturday February 28 at 2pm)
Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S Military Trail
Boca Raton FL 33486
http://www.brtg.org
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Critical Praise for Tuesdays with Morrie:

“Unforgettable! No matter how well you tell the story, the play makes it more vivid, more shattering, more humorous.” —NY Magazine.

“Making the language of the book crisper, cleverer and more palatable…aphoristic wisdom, expressed with gallows wit.” —NY Times.

“I was unprepared for how moving and powerful Tuesdays with Morrie turned out to be…On this ground, the flowers of humanity grow.” —NY Post.

“The evening has an aura of celebration. Just what the doctor ordered, you are likely to be moved.” —Journal News.

 

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The Boca Raton Theatre Guild presents EVERYDAY RAPTURE – November 7th -23rd

13 Monday Oct 2014

Posted by in Boca Raton Theatre Guild, Clients

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The Boca Raton Theatre Guild
presents
Everyday Rapture
Rapture_WebsiteThe Broadway and Off-Broadway hit comes to Boca Raton!

“It easily qualifies as one of the year’s most extravagantly
entertaining new musicals…” Ben Brantley ~ The New York Times

October, 2014 – Boca Raton, FL:
The Boca Raton Theatre Guild was looking for something unique as a follow-up to the company’s recent successful productions of Pippin and Chicago: “Something modern – with music that would appeal to all generations,” says producer Keith Garsson. “And when Everyday Rapture opened on Broadway in 2010 to outstanding reviews and sold-out performances it just stuck in my mind. It’s funny, timely and unlike anything you’ve seen before.” Everyday Rapture will have its South Florida premiere when it previews at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park on November 7th and opens the following night. It will run through November 23rd.

The show, which has been called a ‘stage memoir disguised as fiction’, tells the story of a young woman’s psycho-spiritual-sexual journey down the rocky path that separates her mostly Mennonite past from her mostly Manhattan future – from the cornfields of Kansas to the clover fields of New York (with a disturbing detour through YouTube!). Everyday Rapture entwines spirituality and show biz.  It follows a young woman as she grows from a Mennonite to a Manhattanite, with many psychological and spiritual challenges on the way.  Gay men, Judy Garland and two preachers named Fred all form major parts of the tapestry woven into the play. Everyday Rapture features songs by numerous singers and songwriters including Johnny Mercer, David Byrne, George Harrison, Roberta Flack, Judy Garland, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, and even Mr. Rogers.

Genie's headshot“I’m delighted to be directing the Southeast premiere of this unique musical story,” says Genie Croft. “The lead character is an outsider from Topeka – raised as a Mennonite – who follows her dreams to New York, and creates a career as a Broadway actress.  The emotional, humorous, and spiritual arc of the musical is an exciting contrast of two journeys of discovery that cleverly show how divided personalities can lead to some of the most fascinating people out there.”

Musical director Caryl Fantel, who has credits from Off-Broadway to regional Caryl Fantel Color Head Shot 2014 Print Versiontheatres and concert halls throughout South Florida and around the United States is equally enthusiastic about the production:
“I’m excited to work on it because there’s truly something for everyone, running the gamut of musical styles from standards to musical theatre, funk, and rock. We have a top-notch ensemble of vocalists and a rocking band in place,” she continues, “And I can’t wait to share this unique and entertaining piece of theatre.”

jodie headshot 1 biggerSays lead actress Jodie Langel: “The heart of this show lies in the story of this incredible girl, her desire to be spiritually and morally correct – while dreaming of Broadway, and to do what she loves most – be center stage singing her heart out.”

Joining Langel on the Willow stage will be Ann Marie Olson, Leah Sessa, and Ben Solmor (who is also serving as the show’s choreographer.)

Tickets for Everyday Rapture are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 561-347-3948. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets are on sale now, and may be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box Office at 561-347-3948.  The Willow Theatre is located at 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton, 33486 (in the heart of Sugar Sand Park, just south of Palmetto Park Road).

For more information, production shots, head shots, or to set up interviews, please contact Carol Kassie at 561-445-9244 / ckassie@gmail.com or visit: www.brtg.org.

Everyday Rapture
By: Dick Scanlon & Sherie Rene Scott
Featuring Music by Judy Garland, Roberta Flack, David Byrne,
Harry Nilsson, & The Band
November 7 – November 23, 2014
(Previews, November 7 at 8 pm & November 8 at 2 pm)
Tickets: $35 (Groups of 10 or more and previews $28)
Phone: 561-347-3948
Performances:
Thursday – Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S Military Trail
Boca Raton FL 33486
http://www.brtg.org  

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The Women’s Theatre Project 2013-2014 Season: ‘THE LYONS’ & ‘RED HOT PATRIOT: THE KICK-ASS WIT OF MOLLY IVINS’

02 Thursday May 2013

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The Women’s Theatre Project TWTP Logo
to present Two South Florida Premieres in 2013-2014

Acerbic comedy and salty satire are in store for The Women’s Theatre Project audiences as the well respected company enters into its 11th season and its second year at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park.  The Lyons will run from December 6th through December 22nd, 2013, and Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins will play February 28th through March 16th, 2014.  It will be the first time either of these plays has been produced in South Florida.

Lyons_PostcardThe Lyons, Nicky Silver’s outrageously funny and stirring play about a family coming to terms with the impending death of its patriarch received glowing reviews when it ran on Broadway in 2012.   The play focuses on Rita Lyons and her grown children, who, as they gather to say goodbye, learn that despite being a family, each of them is totally isolated. Afraid of closeness and solitude, they are pushed into a new arena – the human connection. New York Magazine’s Scott Brown said The Lyons is “simply trying to tell a funny, furious little tale of family annihilation with honesty, savagery, and humanity.”

“The complex and inter-connected relationships in this family remind us how close comedy and tragedy are to each other,” says TWTP artistic director Genie Croft. “I found the dysfunctional family in The Lyons to be darkly funny, smart, and deeply affecting.  It’s an exciting script that roars to life, with characters who behave with complicated emotions, and this makes it an excellent choice for the type of work that The Women’s Theatre Project likes to offer on stage. Although it’s the first play TWTP is producing that was written by a man (our past 32 productions have all been written by women), we feel it is a unique opportunity to continue to expand and evolve our mission, by giving voice to these characters, theme, and plot.”

With Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins audiences will be Red Hottreated to the wit and wisdom of a true original.  Barbara Bradshaw will star as the unsinkable, unstoppable Molly Ivins. The ‘dyed-in-the-wool liberal from deep in the heart of Texas’, famously brassy newspaper columnist and best-selling author was a crusading journalist who broke gender barriers with her sharp-tongued wit, humor, and political savvy to establish herself as one of the nation’s most influential political columnists.  Written by twin sisters Margaret and Allison Engel, the play is a true tribute to Ivin’s wit, sense of humor, and love of irony. The script also delves into Ivins’ life to reveal what drove her from a comfortable upper- class upbringing and education to the good-ole-boy, hard-drinking world of journalism and political warfare.  Red Hot Patriot seamlessly weaves personal anecdotes with a sharp and clever look at one of our favorite national pastimes – politics.

“I love the fact that the Dallas Times Herald let Ivins write what she pleased,” says Croft, “They even endorsed that policy on billboards that read: ‘Molly Ivins, Can’t Say That, Can She?’ The Engels’ script captures the jokes about provoking politicians, and her reminiscences of personal heartbreak inform and offer insight into who she was.”

The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park is located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road.

The Lyons
By Nicky Silver
December 6 – 22, 2013
Tickets: $25
Previews:  December 6 at 8 pm/December 7 at 2 pm (Tickets $20)
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
~

Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins
By Margaret and Allison Engel
February 28 – March 16, 2014
Tickets:  $25
Previews:  Friday, February 28 at 8 pm/Saturday March 1 at 2 pm (Tickets $20)
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
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