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MNM Theatre Company Partners with King of Cats Theatre Company to Bring Live Theatre to Schools and Families in Three Counties

16 Wednesday Jun 2021

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

June 16, 2021

BOCA RATON, FL: MNM Theatre Company will partner with King of Cats Theatre Company to bring Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) to the area. TYA’s purpose is to bring arts education and arts exposure to communities that are often overlooked and underserved within the South Florida community.  King of Cats Artistic Director Devin Tupler, along with the MNM Theatre Company team, have created a program that will be available to audiences who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience live theatre. The company’s pricing and business model are predicated on the premise that schools and families should be able to afford to experience theatre regardless of their socio-economic circumstances.

Marcie Gorman

“We are so pleased to be partnering with King of Cats,” MNM’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO said recently. “MNM has always been about community – we cast and hire within our South Florida community, and this is one project that fits our mission statement to a tee.”

“Theatre has given me my passion, my work ethic, my love of reading, my love for my fellow man, and almost every other trait I consider positive within myself,” Tupler says. “And I am not an anomaly. Almost every person I’ve met who was exposed to theater as a child (and I don’t mean just those working professionally in the field now) are some of the kindest, warmest, and hardest working people I know. So, when I heard from teacher friends that schools’ arts and theatre budgets kept getting cut, I knew I had to do something.  TYA is focused on inspiring the next generation through the arts, and that mission truly resonates with me.”

When asked about the origin of the name of her company, Tupler explains “I picked King of Cats because it refers to the character Tybalt in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, one of the plays we’ll be doing in 2022.  He’s the big brother everyone wishes they had (he’s a cousin in the play but still!). He’s protective, he loves his family with all of his heart, and his headstrong and fiery nature only show itself when he feels his family being slandered.” 

King of Cats will mount a four-show season beginning next fall, based on the current public school English curriculum, and will travel to three venues in three counties – Pinecrest Gardens in Miami/Dade, Miramar Cultural Center in Broward County, and FAU’s Barry Kaye Auditorium in Palm Beach County, during the 2021-2022 school year.

The company’s season will open with the world premiere of Robin Hood: How a Hero Came to Be, by local playwright/actor Robyn Eli Brenner. A devised work that is zany, quirky, fun, and full of heart, Robin Hood will be directed by Seth Trucks, and will run from late October through November.

King of Cats’ Devin Tupler will helm the January production, the world premiere of Treasure Island, by South Florida and New York based playwright Luis Roberto Herrera. The play is a swashbuckling, heart-stopping pirate adventure designed for middle schoolers, but has been approved for advanced elementary and 9th and10th grade students.

A new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, directed by Samantha Kaufman, will be King of Cats’ third production of their season.  This newly adapted version will retain Shakespeare’s classic language, but will add modern music, anachronistic costuming, stunt work, and the innovative use of multimedia. This show is designed for high school students. Romeo and Juliet will run from early February through the first week of April.

Awaken! is an adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty story by David and Paul Rigano, the award-winning cabaret and musical theatre song-writing team known as the Rigano Songbook. The multi-talented brothers will direct and musical direct the production –TYA’s only musical of the season.  Awaken! is designed for elementary school students and will run in April and May.

To learn more about King of Cats Theatre Company visit www.kingofcatstheatreco.org/.  MNM Theatre Company’s website can be found at www.mnmtheatre.org/. For more information about reservations, ticketing, pricing, specific dates, and availability, please contact Devin Tupler at  kingofcatstheatre@gmail.com / 954-850-0464

Jordon Armstrong and Devin Tupler as Romeo and Juliet

OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES at the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center January 9 – February 10, 2019

18 Tuesday Dec 2018

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Old Jews Telling Jokes
at
The Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center
January 9 – February 10, 2019

…a priest, a rabbi and a frog walk into a bar….

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

December 19, 2018

BOCA RATON, FL:  Philip Roger Roy and Playhouse Productions, Inc. will present the Off-Broadway hit, Old Jews Telling Jokes at the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center beginning January 9, 2019. The show will run through February 10.

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

Old Jews Telling Jokes, which has been called a “pickle-barrel full of giggles”, showcases five actors in a revue-type production that pays tribute to and reinvents classic jokes of the past and present.  It celebrates the rich tradition of Jewish humor “and all the rabbis, complaining wives, fed-up husbands, patience-challenged physicians, gossiping ladies and competitive men” populating it. The humor can be suggestive (sometimes even bawdy – the show has been suggested as being appropriate for audiences age 21 and up!) as the ‘Old Jews’ make fun of themselves as well as followers of every other religion.  “Think Catskills comedy – with jokes, songs, stories, skits, and routines,” says Old Jews producer Philip Roger Roy. “The humor is reminiscent of the great Jewish comedians from Buddy Hackett and Alan King to Tom Lehrer and more. This show makes it obvious that Jewish humor is Universal – it’s American humor!”

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

Jeremy Quinn will direct the production, which will feature Robyn Eli Brenner, Emily Freeman, Janna Morrison, David Samuel, Michael H. Small.  Freeman and Small both recently received rave reviews when they were featured in Stage Door Theatre’s production of Nice Work if You Can Get It.

Michael H. Small

Small, who will be reprising the role he played four years ago in the show’s regional premiere, is looking forward to the production: “I relish the opportunity to play this material in South Florida again,” Small says, “It’s a wonderful show for the area – the humor is timeless and South Florida audiences love to laugh. There are a lot of funny people down here. I got lost in Boca on Tuesday and couldn’t find my way back to the highway. I saw a man walking on the sidewalk, so I pulled over and put down my window. I hollered, ‘how do you get to 95?’ He looked at me and said, ‘Don’t eat meat!’”

Jeremy Quinn

“Old Jews Telling Jokes is one of the funniest scripts I’ve read in a very long time…simply because of the number of laughs – one right after another,” the show’s director Jeremy Quinn says. “When I first read it, I found myself laughing out loud…loudly. I’m sure they heard me in Cleveland. You certainly don’t have to be Jewish to appreciate and relate to the humor or the funny stories; but the style of the writing absolutely lends itself to the Catskills comedy shows of yesteryear. And with the addition of projections and musical numbers, this show is NOT just “stand-up”. It’s also quite touching from time to time – a perfect balance.

“I’m quite fortunate to be working with a cast who inherently gets the timing and delivery necessary for this script,” he continues. “That is a HUGE advantage and not something easily taught. Two out of five actors have done the show before, so we’re blessed to have their performance experience alongside us during the rehearsal process.

“Throughout my 38-year career in theatre (as both an actor and director), the one thing that is consistently the most rewarding, is the sound of laughter when a joke is perfectly delivered and lands with open arms around the entire audience. For me,” Quinn says, “applause is secondary to the sound of even one person laughing…it’s the gauge of a job well done. But put 200 or more people laughing together, experiencing the same relatable, LIVE experience for 90 minutes; and it’s an unforgettable symphony of pleasure for everyone involved. Who could ask for anything more? Ok, yes…maybe whirled peas.”

Old Jews Telling Jokes will open on January 9, 2019 at The Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center in Boca Raton. The theatre is located at 201 Plaza Real (2nd Floor), in Boca Raton (33432)

Tickets for Old Jews Telling Jokes range from $45–$65, and may be purchased online at  http://playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark or by calling 844-672-2849.  Group rates are also available and can be arranged by calling 888-264-1788.

For more information about Old Jews Telling Jokes and/or Playhouse Productions, please visit http://playhouseinfo.com, or contact Carol Kassie (carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244).

~
Old Jews Telling Jokes
January 9 – February 10, 2019
Created by Peter Gethers and Daniel Okrent
Based on the website:  www.oldjewstellingjokes.com
Tickets:  $45 – $65
For Tickets:  844-672-2849 / http://playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark
Group Sales: 888-264-1788
Performances:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 pm
Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 3 pm
All performances will take place at
Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center
201 Plaza Real (2nd Floor)
Boca Raton, FL 33432
http://playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark

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Entr’Acte Theatrix presents THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE – at the PGA Arts Center – June 22 – July 2

30 Tuesday May 2017

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Entr’Acte Theatrix
to present
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
at the PGA Arts Center
June 22 – July 2

“…Hilariously F-U-N-N-Y (enjoyment, amusement or lighthearted pleasure) and delightfully Q-U-I-R-K-Y (characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits)
night of theatre.”
Ilene Chalmers – DC Metro Theater Arts

May 30, 2017

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL:  Entr’Acte Theatrix will present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the PGA Arts Center in Palm Beach Gardens from June 22 – July 2.

“We are happy to be aligning ourselves with the PGA Arts Center, and veteran producers Dana Matthow and Philip Roy, helping to grow their new venue and their audience base to become a popular destination for theatre in mid and north Palm Beach County,” says Entr’Acte Theatrix founder and Executive Producer Vicki Halmos. “Entr’Acte has an excellent reputation as a launching pad for emerging talent in the County; several of our alumni are Carbonell Award-winners, and a number of others have gone on to receive their Equity cards, and to work on and off Broadway and in national touring companies. With Spelling Bee Entr’Acte will bring a more traditional theatrical choice to the Center’s audiences – it’s a ‘tongue in cheek’ parody – and a rollicking, funny, and heart-warming musical that will appeal to theatre patrons of all ages and stages; it will put adults in touch with their inner child, and will bring back memories of their own youth.   And the audience participation aspect of the show will add another layer of enjoyment for our audiences – who knows – they might be asked to come on stage and spell s-y-z-y-g-y.*”

Nominated for six Tony Awards, and winning 2, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee features an eclectic group of sixth graders (played by adult actors in uproariously comical caricatures), who arrive at a fictional spelling bee set in the geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School to vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime; the Bee is run by three equally quirky grown-ups. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter – one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box!

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be directed by Entr’Acte alumnus Carlo-Rufino Sabusap.  Sabusap has been with the company for10 years, and recently directed their production of Peter and the Star Catcher.

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is one of my all-time favorite shows,” Sabusap says. “It’s got a small cast, but a big heart, and tells so much about the experience of growing up, and the different types of relationships kids have with their parents.  Our production will hold on to the classic moments and themes of the show, while introducing some new things here and there that I haven’t seen in other productions.  Our amazing cast is sure to deliver a fun, hilarious, but touching experience for our audiences.”

Spelling Bee’s cast consists of Robyn Eli Brenner as William Barfee, Mary Grace Tesoriero as Olive Ostrovsky, Greg Halmos as Leaf Coneybear, Rosseroni Parris as Chip Tolentino, Rachel Ihasz as Marcy Park, Amanda Ruggiero as Logan Schwartzandgrubenierre, Lissen Ellington as Rona Lisa Peretti, David W. Lamphier as Douglas Panch, James White III as Mitch Mahoney, Megan Cires as Olive’s Mom and Others, and Patrick Kolta as Carl-Dad and Others. The production’s Musical Director is Anneliesa Tretheway, and the show’s Stage Manager is Sean Smyth.

Tickets for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee are on sale now and can be purchased on line at www.entractetheatrix.org, or www.pgaartscenter.com or by phone at: 855-448-7469. Tickets are $38; student tickets are $15.

For more information about Entr’Acte Theatrix or The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, visit www.entractetheatrix.org or contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.  

Please note:  The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee contains ridiculously childish adult material.  Not suitable for all audiences.             

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
June 22 – July 2
Music & Lyrics:  William Finn
Book: Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by: Rebecca Feldman
Additional Material by: Jay Reiss
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm
Saturday at 2:30 pm
Sunday at 3 pm
Prices:  $38 ($15 for students with ID)
For tickets: On line: www.entractetheatrix.org or www.pgaartscenter.com
Phone: 855-448-7469
All performances take place at
The PGA Arts Center
4076 PGA Boulevard,
Palm Beach Gardens, FL  33410
www.pgaartcenter.com
Directions to the PGA Arts Center:
On PGA Blvd heading East, (& RCA Blvd) take first right at Shell Gas Station, and then take the 2nd right into the shopping center driveway. The theater is on the left. Formerly the Cinema 6 Movie Theater inside the former Loehmann’s Plaza. This is less than 1/4 mile off of the PGA Blvd. Exit of 95 North.

*The straight line configuration of three celestial bodies.

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Evening Star Productions presents GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL! September 15 – October 2

23 Tuesday Aug 2016

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Evening Star Productions
presents
use_Gutenberg_logoSeptember 15 – October 2

“Who knew that a musical about the life of the inventor of the printing press
could have so many laughs?”  Jason Zinoman NY Times

August 23, 2016

BOCA RATON, FLORIDA:  Evening Star Productions will leap even farther back into history,  jumping from William Shakespeare (their recent production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream played to appreciative audiences for three weeks in August) to Johannes Gutenberg when they produce Anthony King and Scott Brown’s Gutenberg!  The Musical! which will open on September 15th, and run through October 2nd at Boca Raton’s Sol Theatre.

This uproarious spoof tells the story of two passionate musical theatre writers – desperate and bravely untalented – who perform a backer’s audition for their new musical about the inventor of the printing press. With an unending supply of enthusiasm, the two authors sing all the songs and play all the parts in their crass historical epic.

Gutenberg! The Musical! opened at the Actor’s Playhouse in January 2007; it was nominated for the 2007 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2007 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical, and its authors were nominated for the 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical.

BenSandomir headshot

Ben Sandomir

Gutenberg’s director, Ben Sandomir, explains the play this way: “Bud and Doug are putting on a backer’s audition for their new musical about the inventor of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg. Since research materials on Johannes are “scant” they fill in the blanks with “historical fiction”.

“Bud and Doug are played by two local South Florida actors, Robyn Eli Brenner and Alex Weiss,” he continues.   “They also play all 18 characters in the musical, a mighty but fitting task for a play about two artists shooting for the stars. As the director, I’ve spent the last few months trying to figure out how Bud and Doug can transport the audience to the word of their magnum opus on a shoestring budget inside a small black box theatre. I think our audiences will laugh and be entertained and fall in love with these hopeless optimists, as I have.”

Robyn Eli Brenner“As an actor you always want the opportunity to do something like Gutenberg – a two-man, full length musical.” Robyn Eli Brenner says. “And I’m extremely proud and honored to be doing such a funny piece of theatre – one that audiences probably wouldn’t get to see if it weren’t for this production.”

ALEX

Alex Weiss

Alex Weiss, who plays Doug, agrees: “I’m so excited to be working with this extremely talented cast and crew on Gutenberg! The Musical!” he says. “With Ben’s direction and unique perspective, I really think we will be bringing something to South Florida that’s never been done before. Plus, I get to play a variety of different characters including a woman named after a font. It’s the little things!”

Weiss has also offered a thought from the enthusiastic perspective of his character, Doug Simon:   “I can’t wait to bring our musical to the people! Bud and I have always wanted to be on Broadway and I truly feel like this is the first and only step that we will need to get there.”

Gutenberg! The Musical! will run from September 15 – October 2 at Sol Theatre in Boca Raton. Tickets are $25 and $10 for students. Group rates are also available. Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased  by calling 561-447-8829 or on line at www.eveningstarproductions.org.

For more information about Evening Star Productions visit www.eveningstarproductions.org or contact Rosalie Grant at 561-447-8829 /info@eveningstarproductions.com ; For more information about this production, contact Carol Kassie at 561-445-9244 /ckassie@gmail.com.
Gutenberg! The Musical!
September 15 – October 2, 2016
By Anthony King & Scott Brown
Directed by Ben Sandomir
Tickets:  $25 / $10 for students
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 2 pm
For Tickets:  561-447-8829 / www.eveningstarproductions.org
3333 N. Federal Highway
Boca Raton, FL  33431
www.eveningstarproductions.org
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