Tag Archives: Shari Upbin

TO LIFE 3: STORIES & MUSIC CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF JEWISH COMPOSERS TO THE GREAT HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS – January 20 – February 5 at the Willow Theatre

29 Tuesday Nov 2022

Posted by in Clients, Hy Juter, Shari Upbin, Uncategorized

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January 20 – February 5, 2023

“Music doesn’t argue, discuss, or quarrel. It just breathes the air of freedom.”
~ Harold Arlen

“Hooray for Hollywood!” ~ Johnny Mercer

“You ain’t heard nothing yet, folks!” ~ Al Jolson

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

November 29, 2022

BOCA RATON, FL:  George Gershwin.  Irving Berlin. Johnny Mercer. Harold Arlen. Sheldon Harnick.  Jerry Herman. These composers and many more will be highlighted in To Life 3: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to the Great Hollywood Musicals.  The production will run from January 20th through February 5th at The Willow Theatre in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park. To Life 3 is a follow-up to two previous To Life productions – both of which sold out at the Willow Theatre in 2019 and 2020. 

Featuring amusing anecdotes and fascinating historical facts, along with tributes to some of the greatest Jewish performers in Hollywood history, including Eddie Cantor, Danny Kaye, and Barbara Streisand, To Life 3 will be performed by five of South Florida’s award-winning musical theatre artists:  Julie Kleiner, Bruno Faria, Michael Materdomini, Amy Tanner, and Shari Upbin.

Hy Juter

Hy Juter (Jupiter Theater Company, LLC) will produce the show: “We’re extremely excited about this iteration of our To Life series,” he says.  “This time we’re focusing on Hollywood and the outstanding talents that contributed to those great musicals we all remember. We have an amazing cast – their talent is extraordinary! Our director, Shari Upbin, has also written the show this year.  Her background in theatre and her extensive knowledge of the Hollywood musical made her a natural choice to continue our tradition of presenting audiences with a unique combination of history, music, and fun!”

Shari Upbin

Upbin will also direct the production, and Bobby Peaco will serve as music director and pianist.

“To Life 1 and 2 featured the Jewish composers of Broadway,” Upbin says. “But what most people don’t realize is first of all, how many of them transitioned to Hollywood, and secondly, that there were numerous Jewish composers who wrote primarily for ‘the movies’.  I had an amazing time writing the script for the show,” she continues. “I learned so much – there are so many fascinating stories involving these amazingly talented individuals I can’t wait to share with our audiences. And of course,  I couldn’t leave out some of the greatest Jewish stars who left their indelible marks – Eddie Cantor, Danny Kaye, Barbra Streisand… so many and so memorable.”

To Life 3 will run from January 20 through February 5 at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  Tickets are $43; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $38.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.sugarsandpark.org/life-3 or by phone at 561-347-3948.  The Willow Theatre is located at 300 South Military Trail, in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park (33486).      

For more information about To Life 3: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to the Great Hollywood Musicals please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.    

~

Hy Juter (Jupiter Theater Company, LLC) presents
To Life 3: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to the Great Hollywood Musicals
January 20 – February 5, 2023
Written and Directed by Shari Upbin 
Tickets: $43 / $38 for groups of 6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction
For tickets:  561-347-3948 or
https://www.sugarsandpark.org/life-3
Showtimes:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm
All performances take place in
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486

About The Willow Theatre:
The Willow Theatre, opened in 1998, is a beautiful 155-seat proscenium theater, located inside Sugar Sand Park Community Center and allows for a unique experience for theatre patrons. Before or after a show, you may wander the nature trails, visit the Children’s Science Explorium, look at the art exhibit on display, or picnic at one of our pavilions.

  • Shari Upbin
  • Bobby Peaco
  • Julie Kleiner
  • Michael Materdomini
  • Bruno Faria
  • Amy Tanner
  • Hy Juter

Faye Sholiton’s THE INTERVIEW at Congregation B’nai Torah – February 26th

03 Monday Feb 2020

Posted by in Clients, Shari Upbin

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Powerful Memories… Powerful Theatre…

The Interview
by Faye Sholiton

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

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

February 4, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL: The B’nai Torah Cultural Arts Series 2020 theatrical presentation, The Interview will be presented for one performance only on February 26th at 7:30 pm in the Eleanor and Paul Weiner Cultural Center at B’nai Torah Congregation.

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

Fifty years after her liberation from the Nazi death camps, Bracha Weissman still suffers the aftermath of her old trauma.  When she allows Ann Meshenberg, the child of other survivors, into her suburban Cleveland home to take testimony for an archival videotaping project, Bracha reviews the legacy she has left her own daughter. The Interview is a story about mothers, daughters and memory. It is about forgiving and being forgiven.

Shari Upbin

“I chose this play for B’nai Torah Cultural Arts Series especially for this commemorative 75th year of the liberation of Auschwitz,” Upbin explains. “This story must be told and seen by all audiences. In keeping with the theme of mothers and daughters and forgiveness – a theme running through most of the plays I have presented for the past four years – this one perhaps is the most poignant,” she continues. It is told with pathos, pain, and humor, which is our Jewish heritage. The theme of The Interview will resonate with all of us who must remember and honor our past, as we look to forward to the future of our next generation.”

Fern Katz will play Bracha Weissman, who has transformed herself into an emotional recluse – her identity defined by the loss of her family in the Nazi death camps she miraculously survived.

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

Nancy Turetsky will play Bracha’s estranged daughter Rifka, and Jason Pierre will take on the role of videographer Chris MacDonald.

Playwright Faye Sholiton developed her work in the Cleveland Play House Playwrights’ Unit from 1996-2011 and is a charter member of Dobama Theatre’s Playwrights’ Gym. Her full-length works have been read or produced in more than four dozen venues worldwide and have won more than 20 national honors. She is a four-time winner of Individual Excellence Awards from the Ohio Arts Council. Her work has been published by Applause, ArtAge, Meriwether, Smith & Kraus, Speert Publishing and the International Centre for Women Playwrights (ICWP). Prior to writing plays, she was an award-winning journalist for local, regional and national publications. She teaches writers of every description, including high school and college students, community groups and cruise ship guests. Professional affiliations include the Dramatists Guild, which she served as Regional Representative for Northern Ohio 2009-2016; the Alliance for Jewish Theatre; and ICWP. She is Founding Artistic Director of Interplay Jewish Theatre, a company that produces staged readings of Jewish themed works. Most recently, she has written a screenplay based on the life of Howard Mechanic, the last prisoner of the Vietnam War.

The Interview will be performed on February 26th at 7:30 pm. Tickets  are on sale now, and can be purchased on line at www.btcboca.org or by phone at 561-392-8566. Tickets $36 ($25 for B’nai Torah congregants).  B’nai Torah Congregation is located at 6261 SW 18th Street, in Boca Raton (33433).

~

The Interview
By Faye Sholiton
Directed by Shari Upbin
February 26, 2020 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $36 ($25 for B’nai Torah Congregants)
For tickets:  561-392-8566 / www.btcboca.org
The performance will take place at
B’nai Torah Congregation
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL  33433

Empire Stage Presents CLEMENZA & TESSIO ARE DEAD – August 15 – September 8

12 Monday Aug 2019

Posted by in Shari Upbin

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Direct from The New York City Fringe Festival
Empire Stage Theater Presents the South Florida Premiere of
Clemenza & Tessio Are Dead
August 15 – September 8

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

August 12, 2019

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:  Empire Stage will present a limited 13 performance run of Clemenza & Tessio Are Dead by Gregg Greenberg from August 15 – September 8. The play – a clever and humorous parody of the classic 1972 movie “The Godfather” (based on the novel by Mario Puzo), was originally produced as part of the 2009 New York City Fringe Festival.

Shari Upbin

Shari Upbin will direct the production, which will star Troy Stanley, Christopher Dreeson, and Aaron Bravo.

Clemenza & Tessio Are Dead takes a look at two little-noticed cogs in the Mafia machine and shows how those wise guys who are often overlooked can actually have the most fascinating stories of all.

Peter Clemenza and Salvatore Tessio are two longtime foot soldiers of the Corleone crime family, but after more than 40 years of service, upper management changes in the organization, and a perceived lack of respect from the incoming generation leads them to wonder if they’re being put out to pasture (or under it). But with the handwriting already on the wall, is it possible to change what fate has already decreed? Well, yes – but only if someone is cunning enough to radically change the script.

Clemenza & Tessio Are Dead will run at Empire Stage Theater form August 15 – September 8. Empire Stage Theater is located at 1140 North Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $35 ($20 for Aug 15 preview performance). Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased on line at www.empirestage.com or by calling 954-678-1496.

For more information about this production, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

Clemenza & Tessio are Dead
August 15 – September 8
By Gregg Greenberg
Based on the movie The Godfather (1972), screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, based on the novel by Mario Puzo
Tickets: $35 ($20 for August 15 preview)
Performances:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
To purchase tickets:
www.empirestage.com or 954-678-1496
All performances will take place at
Empire Stage
1140 North Flagler Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

 

2019-2020 THEATRE & CONCERT PRODUCTION SCHEDULES

29 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by in Boca Bound, Broadway in Broward, Clients, Hy Juter, MNM Theatre Company, Pigs Do Fly Productions, Playhouse Productions, Shari Upbin, Sol Children Theatre, Spanish River Concerts, The Theatre Arts Series at B'nai Torah

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2019-2020 THEATRE/PRODUCTION SCHEDULES
for

MNM Theatre Company
White Ibis Productions
Sol Children Theatre
Pigs Do Fly Productions
Playhouse Productions
Black Box Booking
Shari Upbin/B’nai Torah
 Broadway in Broward
Spanish River Concerts
~

MNM THEATRE COMPANY

Man of La Mancha
September 13 – 29
Book by Dale Wasserman
Music by Mitch Leigh
Lyrics by Joe Darion
For tickets: www.kravis.org / 561-832-7469
Tickets:  $65
Performances:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday at 1:30 pm
All performances at
The Rinker Playhouse at
The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
701 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
mnmtheatre.org
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Miguel de Cervantes, aging and an utter failure in his varied careers as playwright, poet and tax collector, sits in a Seville dungeon with his manservant, awaiting trial by the Spanish Inquisition for an offense against the Church. The other prisoners set up a mock trial: if Cervantes is found guilty, he will hand over all his possessions. Cervantes agrees to do so and offers his defense in the form of a play. Producing a makeup kit, he transforms himself into an old man who calls himself Don Quixote de La Mancha and with his ‘squire’ Sancho Panza, sets out to find adventure to restore the age of chivalry, to battle evil, and to right all wrongs.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
November 22 – December 8
Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
For tickets: www.kravis.org / 561-832-7469
Performances:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm (no Thanksgiving night performance)
Saturday & Sunday at 1:30 pm
Tickets:  $39 – $55
All performances in
Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center
701 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
mnmtheatre.org
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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a nonstop laughfest in which Pseudolus, a crafty slave, struggles to win the hand of a beautiful, but slow-witted, courtesan named Philia for his young master, Hero, in exchange for freedom. The plot twists and turns with cases of mistaken identity, slamming doors and a showgirl or two.  This irreverent and witty musical  takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from the time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville.

~

ENTR’ACTE THEATRIX

The Rocky Horror Show
By Richard O’Brien
September 13 – 22
Tickets:  $40
Box Office: 561-243-7922
Performances:
(Schedule varies)
The Field House at Old School Square
51 N. Swinton Ave.
Delray Beach 33444
http://entractetheatrix.com/
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Halloween is just around the corner, and who better to celebrate with than the denizens of Dr. Frank N. Furter’s home-sweet-castle in Richard O’Brien’s beloved cult classic.   The Rocky Horror Show is an outrageous assemblage of – and humorous tribute to – the most stereotypical science fiction and horror movies, Marvel comics, Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello outings and rock ‘n’ roll of every vintage. The play (upon which the classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show is based) has grown from an experimental production originally produced in a small London theatre in June 1973, to a cult phenomenon with fans world-wide.  The musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple who, when caught in a storm, find refuge in the home of a decidedly unusual scientist who is madly working towards unveiling his latest and greatest creation.

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WHITE IBIS PRODUCTIONS

Boca Bound: A New Musical
September 19 – 22
Book by Bonnie Logan
Music and Lyrics by Richard Peshkin
Tickets: $50 – $55
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday at 7:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
To purchase tickets: www.thewick.org or www.bocaboundmusical.com
Or call 561-995-2333
All performances will take place at
The Wick Theatre
7901 North Federal Highway,
Boca Raton, FL  33487
www.bocaboundmusical.com
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A trip to Boca Raton, reconnections with family and friends, and new experiences and acquaintances, all lead to a journey of discovery – about the choices one makes and those one can still make in order to find fulfillment and happiness.

~

SOL CHILDREN THEATRE

Little Shop of Horrors
October 4 – 20
Book by Howard Ashman
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman
For tickets: www.solchildren.org / 561-447-8829
Tickets:  $20 /$15 for juniors (11 & under)
Performances:
Friday at 7 & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
Sol Theatre
3333 N Federal Highway
Boca Raton, FL 33431
www.solchildren.org
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Meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names “Audrey II” – after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down and out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it… BLOOD. Over time, though, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s out of this world origins and intent towards global domination!  

~

PIGS DO FLY PRODUCTIONS

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
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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 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.

~

PLAYHOUSE PRODUCTIONS

The Secret Comedy of Women – Girls Only
January 15 – February 23, 2020
By Barbara Gehring & Linda Klein
Tickets:  $45 – $65For Tickets:  844-672-2849 / http://playhouseinfo.com/miznerpark
Group Sales: 1-888-264-1788
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

Girls Only is an original comedy that celebrates the honor, truth, humor, and silliness of being female.  Born out of the earnest and sweetly ridiculous writings the two authors discovered in their girlhood diaries, the show is a unique examination of all things girly.  A delightful mix of sketch comedy, improvisation, audience participation, and hilarious songs and videos.
Warning:  This show contains feminine subject matter, including teenage diaries, breast feeding, tampons, shadow puppets, pantyhose, menstrual cycles, slumber parties, menopause, and maxi pads.

My Son the Waiter – A Jewish Tragedy
December 19, 2019 – January 12, 2020
Written & Performed by Brad Zimmerman
Tickets:  $45 – $65
Tickets:  1-855-448-7469 / www.mysonthewaiter.com
Performances:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 7:30
Saturday & Sunday:  2 pm
Michael-Ann Russell JCC
Alan and Diane Lieberman Theatre
18900 NE 25th Avenue
Miami, FL  33180
www.mysonthewaiter.com
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My Son the Waiter:  A Jewish Tragedy is the story of Brad Zimmerman’s struggle to fulfill his dream and ‘make it’ as a comedic actor in New York, He spent 29 years “temporarily” waiting tables in New York, all the while chasing a career in acting and comedy.  Brad tells of his pursuit, along with stories about his childhood, family, and misbegotten love life with warmth, wit, self-deprecating humor, and wicked charm, and combines his years of training as an actor with his innate comedic talent.

~

BLACK BOX BOOKING & HY JUTER

To Life 2 – More Stories and Music of the Golden Age of Broadway
January 10 – February 2, 2020
By Scott Siegel
Tickets:  $40 / $35 for groups of 6 or more
Tickets:   561-347-3948 / www.willowtheatre.org
Showtimes:
Friday, & Saturday at 8:00 pm,
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 pm
All performances take place at
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL 33486
www.willowtheatre.org

A brand new and exciting follow-up to the 2019 sold out concert event, once again highlighting the contributions of Jewish composers and stars to Broadway.  Directed by Shari Upbin.

~

CULTURALTHEATRE ARTS SERIES AT B’NAI TORAH
PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY SHARI UPBIN  

The Interview
February 26, 2020
7:30 pm
By Fay Sholiton
Tickets: $36 / $25 congregational members (group rates)
Tickets:  561-392-8566
Performances take place at
B’nai Torah Congregation
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33433
www.bnai-torah.org

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

~

BROADWAY IN BROWARD

 Group and Subscriber Discounts are available for these productions

West Side Story
November 14 – December 1, 2019
Book by Arthur Laurents
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Tickets:  954-777-2055 / https://lpacfl.com/
Performances:  Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets:  $35 – $55
(Single tickets on sale August 5th/Subscriptions are on sale now)
All performances at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://lpacfl.com/
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From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Arthur Laurents’ book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are widely regarded as among the best ever written. The world’s greatest love story takes to the streets in this landmark Broadway musical that is one of the theatre’s finest accomplishments.

Once
December 5 – 22, 2019
Book by Enda Walsh
Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová
Based on the motion picture written and directed by John Carney
Tickets:  954-777-2055 / https://lpacfl.com/
Performances:  Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets:  $35 – $55
(Single tickets on sale August 5th/Subscriptions are on sale now)
All performances at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://lpacfl.com/
Like Us on Facebook!

This emotionally captivating musical is the only show to have music that won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Olivier Award and a Tony Award: On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, underscored by emotionally charged music.

Kinky Boots
January 23 – February 9, 2020
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Based on the Miramax film of the same name, written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth
Tickets:  954-777-2055 / https://lpacfl.com/
Performances:  Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets:  $35 – $55
(Single tickets on sale August 5th/Subscriptions are on sale now)
All performances at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://lpacfl.com/
Like Us on Facebook!

Based on a true story, this heartwarming story tells of Charlie, a factory owner struggling to save his business, and Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos.  The two have nothing in common, but with a little compassion and a lot of understanding, this unlikely duo learns to embrace their differences and discovers that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
February 20 – March 8, 2020
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
Book by Linda Wooverton
Tickets:  954-777-2055 / https://lpacfl.com/
Performances:  Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets:  $35 – $55
(Single tickets on sale August 5th/Subscriptions are on sale now)
All performances at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://lpacfl.com/
Like Us on Facebook!

The classic ‘tale as old as time’ of Belle, a young woman in a small town, and a Beast who is really a prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress.  If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self.  But time is running out, and if the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

~ 

SPANISH RIVER CONCERTS

Concerts take place at Spanish River Church (2400 Yamato Road, Boca Raton, 33431) and Kings Point Theatre (7000 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, 33446).  For tickets, and venue information: https://spanishriverconcerts.com/ or 800-716-6975.

 

The Cultural Theatre Art Series at B’nai Torah Produced by Cantor Udi Spielman and Directed by Shari Upbin presents MIKVEH By Hadar Galron

04 Monday Feb 2019

Posted by in Clients, Shari Upbin

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The Cultural Theatre Art Series at B’nai Torah
Produced by Cantor Udi Spielman and Directed by Shari Upbin
presents
Mikveh
By Hadar Galron
February 20, 2019

“Mikveh imagines a #MeToo moment in an Orthodox Jewish Community”
~ The Toronto Globe and Mail

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


February 4, 2019

BOCA RATON, FL: Hadar Galron’s powerful play, Mikveh, offers a glimpse into the secretive world of the Jewish ritual bath. The intimate stories of seven women unfold in this revealing story of religious observance and evolving feminist consciousness. With humor, sincerity and tragedy, this provocative play explores the evolving position of women in this religious society. Nominated for six Israeli National Theatre Awards and winning two, including Play of the Year for 2005, Mikveh will be performed at 2 pm and 7:30 pm at Boca Raton’s B’nai Torah Congregation on February 20th, 2019 in the Weiner Auditorium.

Mikveh focuses on two mikveh attendants: Shoshona an older one who believes in respecting the privacy of the women who come for their ritual immersions; and Shira a younger one from an outside community who believes the all-female space should be a place to find solidarity and share information. The two clash early and often over what to do and say regarding, among others, Chedva, a client whose naked body reveals she is clearly being physically abused by her husband, a powerful politician; and Tehila, another, just 18 years old and terrified of her wedding night with a groom she will only meet earlier in the day. (J. Kelly Nestruck, The Toronto Globe and Mail)

Shari Upbin

Shari Upbin, one of the driving forces behind B’nai Torah’s Theatre Arts Series, will direct Mikveh.   The production will feature Rene Barrett, Jennifer Coe, Kai Alivia Koren, Peggy Linker, Ellen Murray, Lory Reyes, Erika Scotti, and Yafi Yair.

“The beauty of purification under the laws of Judaism, immersed with the courage and empowerment of women that has indeed led to many changes in both women and men have driven me throughout this project,” Upbin says. “The #MeToo Movement, which women have privately felt for centuries, and the awareness of recognizing the signs of depression and actually stepping up to do something are paramount in this compelling piece by Hadar Galron. I thank her for the play… and I thank my mother for giving me the most beautiful Jewish upbringing.”

Sound design for Mikveh is by Carbonell Award-winner Matt Corey and lighting design is by Sean Cutler, Producing Director of Ft. Lauderdale Children’s Theatre and two-time winner of BroadwayWorld.com’s Best Director of a Musical award.  Set design is by Ardean Landhuis, costume design is by Carole Barou Mootoo, and the production’s stage manager is Jerry Jensen. Musicians Mario Zelaya (Violin) and Leanna Ginsberg (flute) will accompany the production.

Mikveh will run for two performances only – on Wednesday, February 20th, 2019, at 2 pm and 7:30 pm at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th Street, in Boca Raton (33433).  Tickets are $36 ($25 for congregational members) and may be purchased by calling 561-392-8566 or on line at https://btcboca.org. Group rates are available.

For more information about Mikveh or Shari Upbin, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Mikveh
February 20, 2019
2 pm & 7:30 pm
By Hadar Galron
Tickets: $36 / $25 congregational members (group rates)
Tickets:  561-392-8566 / https://btcboca.org/event/mikveh/
Performances take place at
B’nai Torah Congregation
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33433
https://btcboca.org

Shari Upbin (Producer/Director) became a member of Actors Equity when she was just 13. She is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers; she was the president of the League of Professional Theatre Women/New York for seven years and is currently President of the National Society of Arts and Letters, Florida East Coast Chapter.   Shari has produced and directed over 50 productions in New York and around the country and was one of the original producers of the hit Off Broadway Grammy nominated show One Mo Time.  Some of Shari’s Florida directing credits include Women’s Minyan, Broadway Live! and Hollywood Live!, Confessions Of A Jewish Shiksa…Dancing On Hitler’s Grave at the Kravis Center, Dames In Divaland, From Door to Door, In the Voice of Our Mothers (at the Posner JCC), and Bridge & Tunnel and the recent sold out production of To Life at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton.  

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TO LIFE: STORIES & MUSIC CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF JEWISH COMPOSERS TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF BROADWAY – Jan 18 – Feb at the Willow Theatre

27 Thursday Dec 2018

Posted by in Clients, Hy Juter

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Black Box Booking & Hy Juter
Present

To Life: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to The Golden Age of Broadway

January 18 – February 3, 2019

 “Musicals are plays, but the last collaborator is your audience, so you’ve got to wait ’til the last collaborator comes in before you can complete the collaboration.” 
~ Stephen Sondheim

“I think it is just as important to sing about beautiful mornings as it is to talk about slums. I just couldn’t write anything without hope in it.”
~ Oscar Hammerstein”

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

December 27, 2018
BOCA RATON, FL:  From Irving Berlin to Leonard Bernstein, and from Rodgers and Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim, not to mention Fanny Brice, Zero Mostel, Jerry Orbach, and Barbra Streisand, Jewish composers and artists have contributed tremendously to Broadway.   Black Box Booking and Hy Juter will present To Life: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to The Golden Age of Broadway at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park from January 18th through February 3rd.

To Life: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to The Golden Age of Broadway is chock full of fascinating narrative and charming anecdotes about some of the greatest Broadway artists of the 20th and 21st century.  The production features five of South Florida’s top actor singers:  Jeffrey Bruce, Broadway’s Jodie Langel, two-time Carbonell Award-winner Wayne LeGette, Alix Paige, and Carbonell Award-winner Mark Sanders.

Producers Jerry Seltzer of Black Box Booking and Hy Juter have tapped Shari Upbin to direct the show, and Paul Reekie to handle To Life’s musical direction.

“Jewish contribution to the Broadway musical has been phenomenal,” Upbin says. “In fact, Jewish composers and lyricists created the Broadway musical. Children of immigrants, called outsiders – people who struggled for acceptance in mainstream society – created the greatest American shows in history. Show Boat, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy… and scores (pun intended!) more!

“Growing up in a household where my mother was a singer and my dad a writer for Jack Benny, I learned musical theatre songs early, and created dances for my parents to enjoy,” she continues. “I was encouraged by their enthusiasm for a good song, a good joke. Yes, my parents spoke Yiddish when they did not want me to understand what they were saying… but I always felt the warmth of the light in their eyes. I dedicate all the Jewish one-liners and the amazing songs heard in this show to my parents and grandparents. Immigrants who found their place in America urging me to continue their legacy. Tradition!”

To Life: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to The Golden Age of Broadway was created and written by Scott Siegel.  Siegel is a well-known pop culture critic who covers film, theatre, and cabaret with his wife, Barbara, writing “The Siegel Column” for TheatreMania.com, and “The Two of Clubs” column for Talkin’Broadway.com. He has created more than 300 major concerts that have been performed worldwide, he has written/produced/directed concerts for Michael Feinstein, and has created scores of nightclub acts that have played at major clubs around the globe. However, he is perhaps best known as the creator/writer/director/host of New York City’s Town Hall Theatre’s signature series, Broadway by the Year® and Broadway Unplugged.

Nicole Stav is the production’s Stage Manager, and Jason Pierre will serve as Assistant Stage Manager.  Technical crew includes Laura Fulton (Lighting) and Andrés Alessandro Beuses Casasanta (Sound).

To Life will run from January 18 through February 3 at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  Tickets are $35; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $30.  Tickets can be purchased on line at www.willowtheatre.org or by phone at 561-347-3948.  The Willow Theatre is located at 300 South Military Trail, in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park (33486).

For more information about To Life: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to The Golden Age of Broadway please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.  To learn more about Black Box Booking please visit www.blackboxbooking.com, and for more information about Hy Juter please contact jupitertheater@yahoo.com.

To Life:  Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers to The Golden Age of Broadway
January 18 – February 3, 2019
Created and Written by Scott Siegel
Directed by Shari Upbin
Tickets: $35 / $30 for groups of 6 or more
For tickets:  561-347-3948 or www.willowtheatre.org
Showtimes:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm
All performances take place at
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486
www.willowtheatre.org

About The Willow Theatre:
The Willow Theatre, opened in 1998, is a beautiful 155-seat proscenium theater, located inside Sugar Sand Park Community Center and allows for a unique experience for theatre patrons. Before or after a show, you may wander the nature trails, visit the Children’s Science Explorium, look at the art exhibit on display, or picnic at one of our pavilions.

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2018-2019 THEATRE & CONCERT PRODUCTION SCHEDULES

17 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in Clients, Entr'Acte Theatrix, Hy Juter, Menopause The Musical, Playhouse Productions, Shari Upbin, Sol Children Theatre, Spanish River Concerts, The Theatre Arts Series at B'nai Torah

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2018-2019 THEATRE/PRODUCTION SCHEDULES
for
Pigs Do Fly Productions
GFour Productions
Entr’Acte Theatrix
Menopause The Musical
Playhouse Productions
Black Box Booking
Shari Upbin/B’nai Torah
Stage Door Theatre
Spanish River Concerts

PIGS DO FLY PRODUCTIONS

The Ladies Foursome
By Norm Foster
October 4 – 21, 2018
Tickets: $39
Tickets:  866-811-4111 / www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Performances:
Thursday, 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! 

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.   Directed by Genie Croft.  Starring Janice Hamilton, Deborah Kondelik, Jacquie Laggy, and Elissa Solomon.

~

SOL CHILDREN THEATRE

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
October 19 – November 4
Music & Lyrics:  William Finn
Book: Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by: Rebecca Feldman
Additional Material by: Jay Reiss
Performances:
Friday & Saturday at 7:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets:  $20 / $15 juniors (11 and under)
Tickets:  561-447-8829 / www.solchildren.org/
Performances:
Friday & Saturday: 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 2 pm
Sol Theatre
3333 N. Federal Highway
Boca Raton, FL  33431
www.solchildren.org
like Us on Facebook!  

Nominated for six Tony Awards, and winning 2, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on an eclectic group of sixth graders, who arrive at a fictional spelling bee set in a 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!

~

GFOUR PRODUCTIONS

Menopause The Musical
October 23 – October 28
Tickets:  $46.50 – $66.50
Click HERE For Tickets or call  
877-311-7469
Performances:
Tuesday, October 23 – 8 pm
Wednesday, October 24 – 8 pm
Thursday, October 25 – 8 pm
Friday, October 26 – 8 pm
Saturday October 27 – 2 pm
Saturday, October 27 – 8 pm
Sunday, October 28 – 2 pm
Sunday, October 28 – 6 pm
All performances will take place at
Aventura Arts & Cultural Center
3385 NE 188th Street
Aventura, FL 33180
http://menopausethemusical.com/
Like Us on Facebook! 

Four women at a lingerie sale with nothing in common but a black lace bra AND memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more! This hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles! See what millions of women worldwide have been laughing about for 17 years! It’s the Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change®

~

ENTR’ACTE THEATRIX

The Addams Family – A New Musical
Book by Marshall Brickman
Book by Rick Elice
Music and Lyrics by  Andrew Lippa
October 25 – November 4
Tickets: $35 – $45
For tickets: 561-243-7922 /
Performances:
Thurs, Oct 25th – Soft Opening:  8 pm
Fri, Oct 26th – Opening Night 8 pm
Sat, Oct 27th – 2 pm & 8 pm
Sun, Oct 28th – 2 pm
Wed, Oct 31st – Halloween Show 8 pm
Thurs, Nov 1st – 8 pm
Fri, Nov 2nd – 8 pm
Sat, Nov 3rd – 2 pm & 8 pm
Sun, Nov 4th – 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The Crest Theatre at Old School Square
51 N. Swinton Avenue
Delray Beach, FL  33444
http://entractetheatrix.org
Like Us on Facebook! 

That lovable family of creepy kooks is alive and well and living in their super-spooky mansion in Central Park. The Addams family, led by the elegantly gaunt and seemingly undead Morticia and her ever-devoted husband Gomez, is in turmoil. Their daughter Wednesday, now 18, finds herself falling in love—a sensation that is unsettling for both her and her family of endearing misfits. When the teen invites her new boyfriend, Lucas Beineke, over with his “normal” family to get better acquainted with the Addams household, comic chaos (including everything from mixed-up potions to a scorching tango) ensues.

~

Waist Watchers The Musical!
December 14, 2018 – January 13, 2019
Book and Lyrics by Alan Jacobson
Music by Vince Di Mura
Tickets:
Phone: 305-444-9293
On line: www.waistwatchersthemusical.com
Group Sales (12 or more):305-504-5020
Show Times:
Wednesday at 2 pm & 7 pm
Thursday at 7 pm
Friday at 8 pm
Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm
Sunday 3 pm
All performances will take place at
Actor’s Playhouse at Miracle Mile
280 Miracle Mile
Coral Gables, FL 33314
www.waistwatchersthemusical.com

This hilarious and inspirational musical  comedy will leave you laughing so hard you’ll burn more calories during the show than in the past week!  Come and dance in your seat, or jump right in!
Set in Cook’s Women’s Gym, Waist Watchers The Musical is a lighthearted look at four women dishing on food, diets, exercise, friendship, love, and sex!
~

PLAYHOUSE PRODUCTIONS

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: 1-888-264-1788
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

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

~

BLACK BOX BOOKING

To Life – The Stories and Music of the Golden Age of Broadway
January 18 – February 3, 2019
By Scott Siegel
Tickets:  $35 / $30 for groups of 6 or more
Tickets:   561-347-3948 / www.willowtheatre.org
Showtimes:
Friday, & Saturday at 8:00 pm,
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 pm
All performances take place at
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL 33486
http://www.willowtheatre.org

An exciting concert event that highlights the contribution of Jewish composers and stars to Broadway.  From Irving Berlin to Brock and Harnick, and from Rogers and Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim, not to mention performers such as Fanny Brice, Barbra Streisand, Zero Mostel, and Jerry Orbach.  Starring Jodie Langel, Wayne LeGette, Alix Paige, and Mark Sanders.  Conceived and Written by Scott Siegel. Directed by Shari Upbin.

~

CULTURAL THEATRE ARTS SERIES AT B’NAI TORAH
PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY SHARI UPBIN

Mikveh
February 27, 2019
2 pm & 7:30 pm
By Hadar Galron
Tickets: $36 / $25 congregational members (group rates)
Tickets:  561-392-8566
Performances take place at
B’nai Torah Congregation
621 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33433
www.bnai-torah.org

Mikveh offers a glimpse into the secretive world of the Jewish ritual bath. The intimate stories of seven women unfold in this revealing story of religious observance and evolving feminist consciousness. With humor, sincerity and tragedy, this provocative play explores the evolving position of women in this religious society.  Mikveh was nominated for six Israeli Theatre Academy Awards including Best Play, Playwright, Director, and Scenery and was named the Play of the Year 2004 at Israeli Theatre Academy Awards.

~

STAGE DOOR THEATRE

Group and Subscriber Discounts are available for these productions
Please note that Stage Door Theatre’s production of La Cage Aux Folles will be the first in their new home – the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (

La Cage Aux Folles
August 31 – September 23, 2018
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the play by Jean Poiret
Tickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

After twenty years of unwedded bliss, Georges and Albin, two men partnered for better-or-worse get a bit of both when Georges’ son (fathered during a one-night fling) announces his impending marriage to the daughter of a bigoted, right-wing politician. Further complicating the situation is the ‘family business’: Albin and Georges run a drag nightclub in St. Tropez, where Albin is the star performer, Zaza. 

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
October 12 – November 4, 2018
Book by Jeffrey Lane
Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek
Tickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

Sophisticated, suave, and with a good dash of mischief, this hysterical comedy features a delightfully jazzy score and was nominated for eleven Tony Awards.   Lawrence Jameson makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money.  Freddy Benson more humbly swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother’s failing health.  A hilarious tale of cons and high jinks on the French Riviera.  Based on the popular 188 MGM film.

The Wiz
December 7 – 31, 2018
Book by William F. Brown
Music and Lyrics by Charlie Smalls
Based on “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank BaumTickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

A beloved Broadway gem, The Wiz infuses L. Frank Baum’s classic tale with a dazzling mix of rock, gospel, and soul music.   This timeless tale of Dorothy’s adventures in the land of Oz is a fun, family friendly, modern musical.  Winner of seven Tony Awards.

The Producers
January 18 –  February 10, 2019
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel BrooksTickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

Bialystock and Bloom! Those names should strike terror and hysteria in anyone familiar with Mel Brooks’ classic cult comedy film:  A down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby bilking their backers out of millions of dollars.  Only one thing goes wrong:  the show is a smash hit!

My One and Only
March 1 – March 24, 2019
Book by Peter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer
Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira GershwinTickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

Take the heart-stopping songs “S’Wonderful”, “Funny Face”, and of course “My One and Only” from George and Ira Gershwin’s Funny Face, along with great numbers from several other Gershwin shows and joins them into a fun, frothy, and buoyant musical spoof about a barn-storming pilot, a pretty Channel swimmer, and a host of other wonderful characters.

Ghost the Musical
April 12 – May 5, 2019
Book and Lyrics by Bruce Joel Rubin
Music and Lyrics by Dave Stewart
Music and Lyrics by Glen Ballard
Tickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

Adapted from the hit film by its Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Bruce Joel Rubin, Ghost the Musical follows Sam and Molly, a young couple whose connection takes a shocking turn after Sam’s untimely death.  Trapped between two worlds, Sam refuses to leave Molly when he learns she is in grave danger.  Desperate to communicate with her, he turns to a storefront psychic, Oda May Brown, who helps him protect Molly and avenge his death.

Thoroughly Modern Millie
May 24 – June 16, 2019
New Lyrics by Dick Scanlon
New Music by Jeanine Tesori
Book by Richard Henry Morris, Dick Scanlan
Original Story and Screenplay by Richard Morris for the Universal Pictures Film
Tickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

Set in New York City in 1922, Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of young Millie Dillmount who comes to the big city from Kansas in search of a new life for herself.   Filled with frisky flappers, dashing leading men, and a dragon lady of a villainess, the show is a perfectly constructed evening of madcap merriment.  Winner of the 2002 Tony Award for Best Musical.

The Soul of Motor City
July 5 – July 28, 2019
Conceived, directed, and choreographed by Kevin BlackTickets:  $48
Tickets:  954-344-7765 / www.stagedoorfl.org
Showtimes:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm,
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
All performances take place at
The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)
3800 NW 11th Place
Lauderhill, FL 33311
https://www.stagedoorfl.org/
https://www.facebook.com/stagedoorfla/

In the early 1960s Detroit was on the move.  The distinctive sound that emerged from the city was the sound of young America.  The music from that time left an indelible stamp on the heart, soul, and minds of subsequent generations.   The Soul of Motor City celebrates the classics of the time by such artists as The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Temptations, The Supremes, and many more.

~

SPANISH RIVER CONCERTS

Concerts take place at Spanish River Church (2400 Yamato Road, Boca Raton, 33431) and Kings Point Theatre (7000 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, 33446).  For tickets, and information: https://spanishriverconcerts.com/ or 800-716-6975.  Series ticket prices:  Premier: $269, Preferred: $239, Standard: $209, Value: $159. 

David D’or
January 28 – February 5, 2019
Israeli superstar David D’or flaunts his 4-octave vocal range, in a magical evening of international music.  D’or has 15 gold and platinum albums to his credit, and is also an accomplished painter and humanitarian, known for integrating his diverse interests into his live performances.  Backed by a full orchestra, David welcomes special guest soprano Betty Lipska to the stage during this very special engagement.

American Rustic
January 7 – January 21, 2019
A concert featuring uniquely American music and instrumentation.  Country and Folk music have evolved into sophisticated art forms, fostering the emergence of highly skilled instrumentalists and uniquely emotive singer-songwriters.  Featuring the heartfelt lyrics and soulful harmonies of some of the most beloved Folk, Country, and Folk-Rock icons, including Peter, Paul, and Mary, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and more.

Four Best Men
March 11 – March 25, 2019
By popular demand, Spanish River Concerts brings back four of the most lauded tenors we have introduced to South Florida audiences in recent years.  The members  of this all-star cast have individually thrilled: now the sky’s the limit as Daniel Montenegro, Marc Devigne, Omer Shaish, and David Burnham join forces to create an incredible evening of Broadway, Opera, and Popular favorites.

Vintage Reflections
February 18 – March 4, 2019
A tribute to the quirky genius of Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox concept, featuring a collection of fabulous singers, performing in visually stunning vignettes.  This performance showcases popular songs that have been re-stylized in ways that will make audiences fall in love with the music all over again.

The Concert and Theatre Arts Series at B’nai Torah & present James Sherman’s BEAU JEST – February 22

09 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in Shari Upbin

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The Concert and Theatre Arts Series at B’nai Torah
&
Shari Upbin
present
beau-jest-red-1ckJames Sherman’s
Beau Jest
February 22 at 7:30 pm


“Hilarious and quite moving …blending farce and genuine insight.” ~ Chicago Sun Times

“Very funny…The well-crafted play has a lot to say about nuclear families of any ethnic persuasion.” ~The Wall Street Journal


February 9, 2017

BOCA RATON, FL: The Concert and Theatre Arts Series at B’nai Torah and Producer/Director Shari Upbin will bring James Sherman’s ‘comedy with romance’, Beau Jest, to the B’nai Torah Stage for one performance only, on February 22nd at 7:30 pm.

Sarah Goldman is a nice Jewish girl with a problem:  her parents want her married – to a nice Jewish boy, of course. They’ve never met Sarah’s boyfriend, who happens to have the unfortunate name of Chris Kringle, and who doesn’t exactly fit that description, so to make them happy she invents Dr. David Steinberg – the man of their dreams.  When they insist upon meeting Dr. Steinberg, Sarah contacts an escort service to provide her with a Jewish date – but instead they send her Bob Schroeder, an out of work actor who agrees to perform the impersonation.  Sarah’s mother – armed with challah and lokshen kugel sets out to snare this Beau for her daughter with hilarious mix ups and consequences!

Now in its 21st season, The Concert Series at B’nai Torah has proven to be a popular program for congregational members and non-members alike.  The Theatre Series, spearheaded by Cantor Udi Spielman and Producer/Director Shari Upbin, was added three years ago.

shari-upbin-by-michael-thomas

Shari Upbin

“When Cantor Udi Spielman asked me to bring a comedy to B’nai Torah, I immediately thought of the wonderful Beau Jest by James Sherman, the author of the highly successful Door To Door – which I also directed for our Theatre Series,” Director Upbin says. “This well-crafted play has a lot to say about families of any ethnic persuasion. Coming from a family devoted to comedy – my dad was a writer for Jack Benny – it was a wonderful experience blending farce with a genuine insight into this family I knew so well.

“Jewish mothers are a tribute to society,” she continues. “I miss my own Jewish, mother but now that I have grown children of my own, I get the opportunity – over and over again – to pass down the very statements my own mother used to say to me. “So… that’s what you are wearing?” is now an anthem filled with love and familiarity. I believe our audiences will enjoy seeing the Goldman family on stage!”

Emily Freeman, who recently placed first in the National Society of Arts and Letters Musical Theatre competition will play Sarah Goldman.  Roy Lynam, Christopher Mitchell, Larry Bramble, Chris Anthony Ferrer, and Phyllis Spear round out Upbin’s talented cast.
b-j-actor-stripJames Sherman is the author of numerous plays, including The God of Isaac, Mr. 80%, The Escape Artist, Romance in D, From Door to Door, The Old Man’s Friend, Affluenza, and Jacob and Jack. He began his professional career as a writer and performer with The Second City in Chicago and received an M.F.A. degree from Brandeis University. Since 1985, he has had thirteen plays premiered at the Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, and he was a founding member of the Victory Gardens Playwrights Ensemble. His plays have been published and are regularly produced by theatres throughout the United States and have also been seen in Canada, Mexico, Australia, South America, England, Germany, Austria, Turkey, South Africa, Australia, China, and Korea.

Beau Jest will play for one performance, only – on Wednesday, February 22nd, at 7:30 pm at Congregation B’nai Torah in Boca Raton.  Tickets are $45 ($36 for congregational members), and may be purchased by calling 561-392-8566 or on line at www.bnai-torah.org.  Group rates are available.

For more information about Beau Jest or Shari Upbin, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Beau Jest
February 22, 2017
7:30 pm
By James Sherman
Tickets:  $45 ($36 for congregational members)
Click HERE to purchase tickets on line.
Phone: 561-392-8566
B’nai Torah Congregation
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33433
www.bnai-torah.org

Shari Upbin:
Shari Upbin (Producer/Director) has been a theatre professional since the age of 13 when she became a member of Actors Equity. (Her father was a writer for Jack Benny). She has been a professional tap dancer and choreographer and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers; she was the president of the League of Professional Theatre Women/New York for seven years, and is currently President of the National Society Of Arts And Letters, Florida East Coast Chapter.
Shari has produced and directed over 50 productions in New York and around the country. Her directing Credits include Vincent, The Passions Of The Artist Van Gogh, Danny And Sylvia at the Forum Theatre in New Jersey. Other credits include Life With Father,  Fiddler On The Roof, Cabaret, Jacques Brel, and The Roar Of The Greasepaint; she was awarded Best Director for her production of Side By Side By Sondheim. Shari will be producing the national classical ballet competition En Pointe in South Florida in 2017.
Along with Beau Jest, some of Shari’s Florida directing credits include Bridge & Tunnel, Women’s Minyan, Broadway Live! and Hollywood Live!, Confessions Of A Jewish Shiksa Dancing On Hitler’s Grave at the Kravis Center, Dames In Divaland, From Door to Door, and In the Voice of Our Mothers (at the Posner JCC).
Shari served as assistant director to the world renowned British Director Michael Langham for the first Black/Hispanic Julius Caesar and Coriolanus at the New York Shakespeare Festival with Joe Papp starring Morgan Freeman.
Shari Upbin and Sandi Durell have been long time producing partners in Hollywood Live! and Broadway Live! as well as the Manhattan Association of Cabaret Award nominated Timeless Divas! series with hosts Ben Verreen, Tony Randall, Karen Mason,  Tovah Feldshuh , Phyllis Newman, and Leslie Uggams.   She is producing the 2017 National Classical Ballet Competition at Florida Atlantic University in June.

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Carbonell Award-Winner Karen Stephens in BRIDGE & TUNNEL – March 16th, 2016

22 Monday Feb 2016

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Carbonell Award-Winner
Karen Stephens
in
B&T poster 2March 16th, 2016

February 23, 2016
BOCA RATON, FL: The Theatre Arts Series at B’nai Torah will conclude its season with star power: Carbonell Award-winning actress Karen Stephens will reprise her award-winning performance (Best Actress 2011 – New Times Best of Award) in Sarah Jones’ Tony Award winning Broadway show Bridge & Tunnel.

On March 16th, Stephens will once again inhabit the souls of 14 diverse members of New York City’s melting pot: A Polish-German-Lithuanian-American Jewish grandmother, a boyfriend-hating Australian, a Chinese mother of a lesbian daughter, a Jordanian woman with a fixation on the Beatles, and 10 other inimitable individuals provide their own distinctive, entertaining, and often moving perspectives on the American dream. Hosted by the charming and hilarious “Muhammad Ali” in a night club in Queens, New York, these fascinating characters from the outer boroughs of New York – bridge and tunnellers – will offer their perceptions of the immigrant experience.

Karen Stephens

Karen Stephens

“Through an annual poetry gathering we are introduced to these people from varying cultures who share their unique experiences,” Stephens explains. “It’s a delightfully entertaining view of the American immigrant story.”

Bridge & Tunnel was originally produced Off-Broadway by Oscar-winner Meryl Streep, where it won an Obie Award (Outstanding Performance) and went on to become critically acclaimed, long running hit on Broadway where it won a special Tony Award. It was performed in both Sarasota and Ft. Lauderdale as part of the Women’s Theatre Project. Bridge & Tunnel will be directed Shari Upbin.

Playwright Sarah Jones is the winner of the 2007 Brendan Gill Prize. Jones has also received grants and commissions from The Ford Foundation, NYSCA, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and others.  Her theater honors include an Obie Award, a Helen Hayes Award, two Drama Desk nominations, and HBO’s US Comedy Arts Festival’s Best One Person Show Award.

Bridge & Tunnel will run for one performance, only – on Wednesday, March 16th, 2016, at 7:30 pm at Congregation B’nai Torah in Boca Raton.  Tickets are $36 ($25 for congregational members), and may be purchased by calling 561-392-8566 or on line at www.bnai-torah.org.  Group rates are available.

Bridge & Tunnel
by Sarah Jones
March 16, 2016
7:30 pm
Tickets:  $36 ($25 for congregational members)
Click HERE to purchase tickets on line
Phone: 561-392-8566
B’nai Torah Congregation
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33433
www.bnai-torah.org

Shari2

Shari Upbin

Shari Upbin:
Shari Upbin (Producer/Director) has been a theatre professional since the age of 13 when she became a member of Actors Equity. (Her father was a writer for Jack Benny). She has been a professional tap dancer and choreographer and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers; she was the president of the League of Professional Theatre Women/New York for seven years, and is currently President of the National Society Of Arts And Letters, Florida East Coast Chapter.
Shari has produced and directed over 50 productions in New York and around the country. Her directing Credits include Vincent, The Passions Of The Artist Van Gogh, Danny And Sylvia at the Forum Theatre in New Jersey. Other credits include Life With Father,  Fiddler On The Roof, Cabaret, Jacques Brel, and The Roar Of The Greasepaint; she was awarded Best Director for her production of Side By Side By Sondheim. Shari will be producing the national classical ballet competition En Pointe in South Florida in 2017.
Along with Bridge & Tunnel, some of Shari’s Florida directing credits include the recent sold out performance of Women’s Minyan, Broadway Live! and Hollywood Live!, Confessions Of A Jewish Shiksa Dancing On Hitler’s Grave at the Kravis Center, Dames In Divaland, From Door to Door, and In the Voice of Our Mothers (at the Posner JCC).
Shari served as assistant director to the world renowned British Director Michael Langham for the first Black/Hispanic Julius Caesar and Coriolanus at the New York Shakespeare Festival with Joe Papp starring Morgan Freeman.
Shari Upbin and Sandi Durell have been long time producing partners in Hollywood Live! and Broadway Live! as well as the Manhattan Association of Cabaret Award nominated Timeless Divas! series with hosts Ben Verreen, Tony Randall, Karen Mason,  Tovah Feldshuh , Phyllis Newman, and Leslie Uggams.

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Shari Upbin presents WOMEN’S MINYAN – February 3rd, 2016

21 Thursday Jan 2016

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                                          February 3, 2016
“Ragen is… a champion of those who have no voice.”  ~ Amazon.com

BOCA RATON, FL: Naomi Ragen’s powerful play, Women’s Minyan resonates as deeply today as it did when it premiered in July 2002 at Habima National Theater in Tel Aviv.  A powerful and fascinating exploration of religious fundamentalism in a patriarchal society, the play is based on a true story.  Women’s Minyan will be performed at Boca Raton’s B’nai Torah on February 3, 2016 in the Weiner Auditorium.

Chana Sheinhoff, is the respected Rabbi’s wife in an ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem. After years of abuse by her husband, she breaks her silence only to find herself excommunicated and forcibly separated from her twelve children. She convenes a ‘minyan’ (a quorum) of women asking them to decide her worthiness to be reunited with her children.  Hearing for the first time what led to her divorce, this group of women explores the boundaries between religion and social convention, truth and falsehood, and women’s true place in the religious world.

Producer Shari Upbin, one of the driving forces behind B’nai Torah’s Theatre Arts Series, will direct Women’s Minyan.   The production will feature Faiza Cherie as Chana Sheinhoff, along with Rene Barrett, Fern Katz, Abby Linker, Peggy Linker, Ellie Murray, Clelia Patrizio, Renee Rogoff, Phyllis Spear, and Skylar Voelker.  Jeffrey Bruce will provide the voice of the Rabbi.  Sound design for the production is by Carbonell Award-winner Matt Corey and lighting design is by Sean Cutler, Artistic Director of Ft. Lauderdale Children’s Theatre and winner of the 2015 BroadwayWorld.com Best Director of a Musical award.  Live music will accompany the production.

Women’s Minyan has received universally rave reviews whenever and wherever the play has been produced, and praise for Upbin’s production of the play, which ran at the West Boca Theatre Company at the Levis Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton in November 2012 was unanimous.

Women’s Minyan will run for one performance, only – on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016, at 7:30 pm at Congregation B’nai Torah in Boca Raton.  Tickets are $36 ($25 for congregational members), and may be purchased by calling 561-392-8566 or on line at www.bnai-torah.org.  Group rates are available.

For more information about Women’s Minyan or Shari Upbin, please contact Carol Kassie at ckassie@gmail.com / 561-445-9244.

Women’s Minyan
by Naomi Ragen
Produced and Directed By Shari Upbin
February 3rd, 2016
7:30 pm
Tickets:  $36 ($25 for congregational members)
Phone: 561-392-8566
B’nai Torah Congregation
The Weiner Auditorium
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL 33433
www.bnai-torah.org

Shari2Shari Upbin:
Shari Upbin (Producer/Director) has been a theatre professional since the age of 13 when she became a member of Actors Equity. (Her father was a writer for Jack Benny). She has been a professional tap dancer and choreographer and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers; she was the president of the League of Professional Theatre Women/New York for seven years, and is currently President of the National Society Of Arts And Letters, Florida East Coast Chapter.
Shari has produced and directed over 50 productions in New York and around the country. Her directing Credits include Vincent, The Passions Of The Artist Van Gogh, Danny And Sylvia at the Forum Theatre in New Jersey. Other credits include Life With Father,  Fiddler On The Roof, Cabaret, Jacques Brel, and The Roar Of The Greasepaint; she was awarded Best Director for her production of Side By Side By Sondheim. Shari will be producing the national classical ballet competition En Pointe in South Florida in 2017.
Along with Women’s Minyan, some of Shari’s Florida directing credits include Broadway Live! and Hollywood Live!, Confessions Of A Jewish Shiksa Dancing On Hitler’s Grave at the Kravis Center, Dames In Divaland, From Door to Door, and In the Voice of Our Mothers (at the Posner JCC).
Shari served as assistant director to the world renowned British Director Michael Langham for the first Black/Hispanic Julius Caesar and Coriolanus at the New York Shakespeare Festival with Joe Papp starring Morgan Freeman.
Shari Upbin and Sandi Durell have been long time producing partners in Hollywood Live! and Broadway Live! as well as the Manhattan Association of Cabaret Award nominated Timeless Divas! series with hosts Ben Verreen, Tony Randall,  Karen Mason,  Tovah Feldshuh , Phyllis Newman, and Leslie Uggams.  Shari is currently teaching a master class, and will be staging Tony Finstrom’s Wave Your Flag for the Jan McArt Playwright’s Series at Lynn University.

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