Tag Archives: Shelley Keelor

TO LIFE 6: STORIES & MUSIC CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF JEWISH COMPOSERS, ARTISTS, AND COMEDIANS TO BROADWAY & HOLLYWOOD at the Willow Theatre in January

20 Thursday Nov 2025

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“In any great adventure, if you don’t want to lose
Victory depends upon the people that you choose
So listen, Arthur, darling, closely to this news
We won’t succeed on Broadway if we don’t have any Jews”
From the musical Spamalot
Music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, Lyrics by Eric Idle

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

November 20, 2025

BOCA RATON, FL:  From Arlen and Harburg (“Over the Rainbow”), to Bacharach and David (“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”); from Rodgers and Hammerstein (Carousel) to Jerry Herman (La Cage Aux Folles); or from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) to Bock and Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof), Jewish composers and artists have contributed mightily to the great American Songbook, to Broadway musicals, to pop music, and to theatre and the arts in general.  (As Eric Idle and John Du Prez – non-Jews – so humorously rhapsodized in Spamalot).

To Life 6: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers, Artists, and Comedians to Broadway & Hollywoodwill open in Boca Raton’s Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park on January 16th and run through February 8th.

Once again this popular show will feature amusing anecdotes and fascinating facts about some of America’s most well-known, lauded, and iconic Jewish composers and entertainers who created and performed such musical classics as “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Get Happy,” “Defying Gravity,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “What the World Needs Now,” and many more.

The production, produced by Hy Juter, and written, directed, and hosted by Shari Upbin will feature top-tier South Florida actor/entertainers Kate Delaney, Bruno Faria, Shelley Keelor, and Shane Tanner.  Aiden Quintana will serve as the production’s Musical Director, and Nicole Roach is the production’s Stage Manager.

“What an honor to be the director of all the To Life shows including To Life 6, the longest running come back series in Florida!” Upbin says. “Over the years we have featured some of  the most talented Carbonell award-winning entertainers in town and highlighted the musical genius of the finest Jewish composers and lyricists of the 19th and 20th and 21st centuries.   Our audiences have been to the Borscht Belt, tasted Egg Creams and looked at the most famous comic books, all stemming from the pens of Jewish artists.  At this point we could even present an entire evening of Christmas songs as so many were written by Jewish composers!

“To Life 6 honors our Jewish immigrant ancestors from Eastern Europe, who came to America, the ‘golden medina’ the land of opportunity and freedom!” she continues.  “Those immigrants whose music have become the greatest influence of American pop culture Broadway and Hollywood in the world! L’Chaim!”

To Life 6 will run from January 16 through February 8 at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  Tickets are $46; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $42.  Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.myboca.us/2647/To-Life-6 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 6: Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers, Artists, and Comedians to Broadway & Hollywood,to speak with anyone involved in the production, or to arrange to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

In the attached photos:
Shari Upbin
Hy Juter
Photo credits:
Hy Juter/Shari Upbin       

~

To Life 6 – Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers, Artists, & Comedians to Broadway & Hollywood.
Written, directed, and hosted by Shari Upbin.
Musical direction by Aidan Quintana
January 16 – February 8, 2026
Tickets:  $46 ($42 Group Rate – 6 or more tickets purchased in a single transaction)
For tickets & Information:
https://www.myboca.us/2647/To-Life-6
Phone:  567-347-3948
Performance days and times:
Friday and Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm
All performances will take place at
The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL  33486

Kate Delany
Bruno Faria
Shelley Keelor
Shane Tanner
Aiden Quintana
Hy Juter
Shari Upbin

TO LIFE 5 – Jewish Broadway to Hollywood – January 17 – February 2 at the Willow Theatre

09 Monday Dec 2024

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Hy Juter presents
To Life 5:
Jewish Broadway to Hollywood!
 Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers and Entertainers to Broadway and the Great Hollywood Musicals
At the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park
January 17 – February 2, 2025

“The humor of the blues, as Jerry (Leiber) used to say, was akin to Yiddish humor. Like, “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all.”” Mike Stoller

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

December 9, 2024

BOCA RATON, FL:  From George and Ira Gershwin to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, from Irving Berlin to John Kander and Fred Ebb, or from Jerry Herman to Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein, Jewish composers and entertainers have been an integral part of the Broadway and American pop lexicon for well over a century. (And then there’s Barbra Streisand, Carole King, and even Elvis Presley – Elvis’ maternal great-great grandmother, Nancy Burdine, was Jewish. Her daughter gave birth to Doll Mansell who gave birth to Gladys Smith who gave birth to Elvis!).

These, and many more icons of the stage, screen, and recording studio will be celebrated in To Life 5: Jewish Broadway to Hollywood! Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers and Entertainers to Broadway and the Great Hollywood Musicals. The production will run from January 17th through February 2nd at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park. The popular series (To Life 1 through 4 each played to sold out houses at almost every performance) was developed by producer Hy Juter and is written by and will be directed and hosted by Shari Upbin.

This all-new 5th chapter in the series will once again feature amusing anecdotes and fascinating facts about some of America’s most well-known, lauded, and popular Jewish composers and entertainers who created and performed in such iconic productions as Mame, Guys and Dolls, Hello Dolly, Fiddler on the Roof, Milk and Honey, and many more.

The production will feature top-tier South Florida entertainers Jinon Deeb, Bruno Faria, Shelley Keelor, and Shane Tanner.   Noted pianist/composer Elliot Weiss will serve as the production’s musical director. Nicole Roach is the production’s Stage Manager.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring another chapter of To Life to the stage!” Shari Upbin says.  “This season we have added stories of The Yiddish Theatre to songs of the Brill Building which includes Carole King and songs by Lieber and Stoller, “Hound Dog,” “Chapel of Love”… along with favorites by Gershwin, Berlin, Sheldon Harnick and Sondheim. This one is going to be a dynamic crowd pleaser!”

To Life 5 will run from January 17 through February 2 at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  Tickets are $46; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $41.  Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.myboca.us/2647/To-Life-5 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 5: Jewish Broadway to Hollywood! Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers and Entertainers to Broadway and the Great Hollywood Musicals,to speak with anyone involved in the production, or to arrange to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.  

Photo credits:
For Hy Juter: Arlene Juter
For Shari Upbin: Michael Thomas Photos

~

To Life 5: Jewish Broadway to Hollywood!
Stories & Music Celebrating the Contributions of Jewish Composers and Entertainers to Broadway and the Great Hollywood Musicals
January 17 – February 2, 2025
Written and Directed by Shari Upbin
Musical Direction by Elliot Weiss
Produced and Created by Hy Juter
Ticket prices: $46
Group rates: $41 (for groups of 6 or more tickets purchased in a single transaction)
For tickets & Information:
https://www.myboca.us/2647/To-Life-5 
Or call 561-347-3948
Performance days & times:
Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm
All performances will take place at
The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL  33486

Jinon Deeb
Bruno Faria
Shelley Keelor
Shane Tanner
Shari Upbin
Elliot Weiss
Hy Juter
Nicole Roach

TO LIFE 4: THAT’S (JEWISH) ENTERTAINMENT at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton – January 19 – February 4

14 Thursday Dec 2023

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Hy Juter
Presents

To Life 4:
That’s (Jewish) Entertainment!
 Stories & Music Celebrating Some of the Greatest Jewish Entertainers
At the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park


January 19 – February 4

“I have always thought of music as a highway with many lanes.” Marvin Hamlisch

“I love writing songs. I’m a songwriter…. I know how to make it a great musical. I’ve got to. It’s
like I’ve got to see it on stage.”  Mel Brooks

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

December 14, 2023

BOCA RATON, FL:  To Life 4, That’s Jewish Entertainment! Stories & Music Celebrating Some of the Greatest Jewish Entertainers the popular series developed by producer Hy Juter   will run from January 19th through February 4th at The Willow Theatre in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park. To Life 4 is a follow-up to three previous To Life productions – all of which played to sold out houses at almost every performance. 

This all-new 4th chapter in the popular series will once again feature music, amusing anecdotes, and fascinating facts about some of the most well-known, lauded, and popular Jewish entertainers and composers in recent history, including Mel Brooks, Marvin Hamlisch, Bette Midler, Neil Diamond, Jerry Herman, Sheldon Harnick, and many more!

The production will feature top tier South Florida entertainers Jinon Deeb, Shelley Keelor, Ben Sandomir, and Shane Tanner.   Writer/director Shari Upbin will serve as the show’s host/narrator and noted pianist composer Elliot Weiss will serve as the production’s musical director.

“To Life 4: That’s (Jewish) Entertainment! is a marvelous extension of To Life 1, 2, and 3,” Upbin says.  “Along with Jewish composers of Broadway and Hollywood, we now have the pleasure of featuring those performers who changed our lives and shaped our formative years. Neil Diamond, Bette Midler, Mel Brooks, and the explosive talent of the Borsht Belt. We have also been able to add those dynamic women composers, Dorothy Fields and Betty Comden into To Life 4. Every chapter of To Life introduces us to even more of the legends of the Golden Years of the Great American Songbook, and we are so excited to be able to bring you this year’s version!”   

To Life 4 will run from January 19 through February 4 at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  Tickets are $45; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $40.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.sugarsandpark.org/life-4  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 4, That’s Jewish Entertainment! Stories & Music Celebrating Some of the Greatest Jewish Entertainers please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.    

Hy Juter (Jupiter Theater Company, LLC) presents
To Life 4: That’s (Jewish) Entertainment!
 Stories & Music Celebrating Some of the Greatest Jewish Entertainers
January 19 – February 4, 2024
Written and Directed by Shari Upbin
Musical Direction by Elliot Weiss      
Tickets: $45 / $40 for groups of 6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction
For tickets:  561-347-3948 or
https://www.sugarsandpark.org/life-4
Showtimes:
Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday, & Sunday at 1 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
  • Jinon Deeb
  • Shelley Keelor
  • Ben Sandomir
  • Shante Tanner
  • Hy Juter
  • Elliot Weiss

Photos: MNM Theatre Company’s DISENCHANTED Opens May 12 at the Kravis Center

12 Friday May 2023

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And they lived happily ever after.
Well… not exactly.

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

May 12, 2023

WEST PALM BEACH, FL: Below are production photos from MNM Theatre Company’s Disenchanted, which opens May 12th at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The production will run through May 27th.  

Disenchanted is an irreverent, clever, funny, and definitely PG-rated reimagining of what happened to all those fairy tale princesses after ‘they lived happily ever after, the end’!

The production, directed by Jonathan Van Dyke stars seven of South Florida’s top musical theatre actresses:  Aaron Bower, Jinon Deeb, Kat Gold, Shelley Keelor, Ashley Rubin, Leah Sessa, and Vallery Valentine.  The show’s Musical Director is Bobby Peaco. 

Photo credit: Amy Pasquantonio.

If you would like to see Disenchanted, speak with anyone involved in the production, or would like more photos, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Carol

~
Marcie Gorman and MNM Theatre Company present
Disenchanted
May 12 – 27, 2023
Book, Music, and Lyrics:Dennis T. Giacino
Developed with: Fiely Matias
Performances: Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 1:30 pm
Ticket prices: $55 – $65
For tickets: mnmtheatre.org / kravis.org / 561-832-7469
All performances in
Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
701 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Click on each image to enlarge:

The Cast of Disenchanted
Ashley Rubin, Kat Gold, Shelley Keelor
Shelley Keelor, Ashley Rubin, Aaron Bower
Jinon Deeb
Vallery Valentine
Ashley Rubin
Kat Gold
Aaron Bower
Leah Sessa
Leah Sessa
Shelley Keelor
The Cast of Disenchanted

Marcie Gorman and MNM Theatre Company to present The South Florida Premiere of DISENCHANTED

03 Wednesday May 2023

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Marcie Gorman and
MNM Theatre Company
to present
The South Florida Premiere of
Disenchanted
at The Kravis Center

May 12 – 27

“And they lived happily ever after.  Well… not exactly.” 

“An absolute joy!  Sass-fueled enjoyment!  Empowering and truthful! 
One not to be forgotten!  4 stars!”
London Theatre Reviews, England, UK

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

May 3, 2023

BOCA RATON, FL:   Rehearsals are underway for MNM Theatre Company’s upcoming production of the South Florida premiere of Disenchanted, an irreverent, clever, funny, and definitely PG-rated reimagining of what happened to all those fairy tale princesses after ‘they lived happily ever after. The end’!  The award-winning musical will run from May 12 – 27 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.

Directed by Jonathan Van Dyke and musically directed by Bobby Peaco, Disenchanted stars seven of South Florida’s top musical comedy actresses:  Aaron Bower will play Sleeping Beauty, along with Jinon Deeb as Pocahontas and Princess Badroulbadour, Kat Gold as Mulan and Rapunzel, Shelley Keelor as Snow White, Ashley Rubin as Cinderella, Leah Sessa as The Little Mermaid and Belle, and Vallery Valentine as the Princess Who Kissed the Frog.

Tickets for Disenchanted are on sale now and can be purchased online at kravis.org, or by calling. 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471. Tickets range in price from $55 to $65.  For information regarding group rates call 561-651-4438 or 561-651-4304.

To speak with someone involved in the production, or to arrange for tickets, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244. For more information about MNM Theatre Company or Disenchanted,visit mnmtheatre.org.

Please note:  Disenchanted contains some adult material.  It is not suitable for children under the age of 13.      

In the attached photo, taken at a May 2nd rehearsal:
Jinon Deeb, Vallery Valentine, Ashley Rubin, Shelley Keelor, Aaron Bower, Kat Gold, Leah Sessa. 

~

Disenchanted
May 12 – 27, 2023
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Dennis T. Giacino
Developed with: Fiely Matias
Performances: Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 1:30 pm
Ticket prices: $55 – $65
For tickets: mnmtheatre.org / kravis.org / 561-832-7469
All performances in
Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
701 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

A South Florida Premiere! The Musical Comedy DISENCHANTED to Run at the Kravis Center – May 12 – 27

28 Tuesday Mar 2023

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Marcie Gorman and
MNM Theatre Company
to present
The South Florida Premiere of
Disenchanted
at The Kravis Center
May 12 – 27


“A warped bunch of stories masterfully crafted and full of inappropriate etiquette…Fun music and even funnier characters will have you laughing all the way to the palace.”  
Tom Williams ~ Chicago Critic

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

March 28, 2023

Marcie Gorman

WEST PALM BEACH, FL: Poisoned apples! Glass slippers! Who needs ’em?! Not Snow White and her posse of disenchanted princesses in this ‘musical comedy for grownups’ that’s anything but Grimm. Marcie Gorman and MNM Theatre Company will present the South Florida premiere of Disenchanted, a fun-loving, subversive, and definitely ‘not-for-the kiddies’ musical revue proving that happily-ever-after can be a ‘royal pain in the ass!’  The show will run in the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts from May 12 – 27.

“This one is just so much fun,” Gorman said recently.  “These princesses have so much to say about almost everything!  It’s very funny, very clever, and a little bit raunchy for sure, but as we all know, there can be a lot of truth in comedy, and in satire.”

Disenchanted debuted Off-Broadway in 2014 and played to sold out houses and rave reviews. The show garnered a number of award nominations including ‘Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical’ (Outer Critics Circle Awards), ‘Best New Off-Broadway Musical’ (Off Broadway Alliance Awards), and two Lucille Lortel Award nominations. It has played in multiple languages in13 countries on 5 continents, including an extended 16 week run at the Straz Theatre in Tampa.

Jonathan Van Dyke

“It is such a pleasure to be reunited with this wonderful show and introduce it to south Florida audiences,” says Disenchanted director Jonathan Van Dyke. Van Dyke originally cast the show when it ran in Tampa, and eventually became that production’s company manager.  “Although it’s a raucous, feel-good, uproarious musical,” he continues, Disenchanted also delivers plenty of honesty and poignancy, culminating in a true celebration of all women. In fact, in my opinion women and men will embrace and connect with this empowering material.”

MNM’s mission has always been to hire South Florida talent, and Van Dyke has assembled a stellar cast of local princesses:  Aaron Bower will play Sleeping Beauty, along with Jinon Deeb as Pocahontas and Princess Badroulbadour, Kat Gold as Mulan and Rapunzel, Shelley Keelor as Snow White, Ashley Rubin as Cinderella, Leah Sessa as The Little Mermaid and Belle, and Vallery Valentine as the Princess Who Kissed the Frog.

MNM is also one of the very few companies in South Florida that continues to use live musicians:  MAC and Bistro Award-winner Bobby Peaco will serve as Disenchanted’s Musical Director and pianist and will lead the production’s musical team of Julie Jacobs on Drums and Robert Ziawinski on Bass.

Disenchanted’s Production Stage Manager is Francesca Barioli; the Assistant Stage Manager is Randall Swinton. Lighting Design is Karalyn Fitzgerald, and Sound Design is by Justin Thompson. Penny Williams is the production’s Costume Designer, Wigs are by Justin Lore (Tease & Floof Theatrical Wig Boutique), Props are by Abby Rasmussen and Scenic/Set Design is by Jordon Armstrong.

Tickets for Disenchanted are on sale now and can be purchased online at kravis.org, or by calling. 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471. Tickets range in price from $55 to $65.  For information regarding group rates call 561-651-4438 or 561-651-4351.

For more information about MNM Theatre Company or Disenchanted,visit mnmtheatre.org or contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.        

Please note:  Disenchanted contains some adult material.  It is not suitable for children under the age of 13.      

Disenchanted
May 12 – 27, 2023
Book, Music, and Lyrics:Dennis T. Giacino
Developed with: Fiely Matias
Performances: Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 1:30 pm
Ticket prices: $55 – $65
For tickets: mnmtheatre.org / kravis.org / 561-832-7469
All performances in
Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
701 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

  • L-R: Vallery Valentine, Jinon Deeb, Shelley Keelor, Aaron Bower, Ashley Rubin, Leah Sessa (missing – Kat Gold)
  • Jonathan Van Dyke
  • Aaron Bower
  • Jinon Deeb
  • Shelley Keelor
  • Ashley Rubin
  • Leah Sessa
  • Vallery Valentine
  • Bobby Peaco
  • Marcie Gorman

STREAKIN’ THRU THE 70S – A Musical Flashback to the 1970s – at Mizner Park Cultural Center February 4 – 20, 2022 

27 Wednesday Oct 2021

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MNM Theatre Company &
Arts Center Management
to present

February 4th – 20th, 2022
Tickets on Sale Now!

“It’s like stumbling onto a jukebox full of your favorite 45s. It leaves no pet rock unturned!”
~ The New York Daily News

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

October 27, 202

BOCA RATON, FL:  A kaleidoscopic flashback through game shows, sitcoms, disco, earth shoes, pet rocks, and lava lamps, Streakin’ Thru the 70s is an outrageous, mind-blowing dash through the much maligned ‘Me Decade’.  The show, presented by MNM Theatre Company and Arts Center Management, will run from February 4th through February 20th at the Mizner Park Cultural Center, and is filled music, comedy, and memories and features over 40 hit songs.

Streakin’ Thru the 70s began as a workshop by creators/writers James A. Rocco and Albert Evans, who were responsible for the off-Broadway hits Pageant and Nite Club Confidential.   A six-week tryout in a small theatre in Wichita Kansas turned into a five-month run, and the enthusiastic reaction to the show, its iconic music, and uniquely 70s catch phrases and images – “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature”, “How would you like a nice Hawaiian Punch”, hot pants, polyester pantsuits, and the Village Person – plus the popularity of the Broadway mega-hit Mamma Mia, emphasized the universal appeal of both mocking and simultaneously embracing the ‘what were we thinking’ culture of the 1970s. 

“I am so looking forward to presenting this groovy good time and reminding audiences of what a special decade the 70s was,” says the show’s director Jonathan Van Dyke. “With all the laughs, music, fabulous fashion, and fun in this show, it will be a ‘dy no-mite’ theatrical event whether you lived it or not!”

Eric Alsford will serve as Streakin’s music director; the cast includes Shelley Keelor, Dorian Quinn, Ellie Roddy, and Ryan Michael James.

James A. Rocco is an award-winning director, writer, and theatrical consultant whose work has been seen on Broadway, off-Broadway, throughout the United States, and in London, Paris, and Tokyo.  In 2013 he was recognized by the Broadway League and the Coalitions of Broadway Unions and Guilds for 25 years of dedication, craft, and contribution to theatre.

Albert Evans wrote the music for the off-Broadway hit Pageant, chosen by Time Magazine as one of the year’s ten best entertainment events.    His lyrics are featured in a new performing edition of The Merry Widow, seen at New York City Opera, and televised on Live from Lincoln Center (PBS).  He was the Composer in Residence for ten years at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse and is currently Artistic Associate at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.

Streakin’ Thru the 70s will run at the Mizner Park Cultural Center from February 4th through February 20th, 2022. Ticket prices range from $45 to $65 and can be purchased online at miznerparkculturalcenter.com.

Masks must be worn in order to attend.

The Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center is located at 201 Plaza Real, in Boca Raton (33432)

For more information about Streakin’ Thru the 70s or the Mizner Park Cultural Center, contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Streakin’ Thru the 70s
By James A. Rocco and Albert Evans, with Heidi Karol Johnson
February 4 – 20, 2022
Tickets: $45/$55/$65
For tickets: 
Call 844-672-2849
Online: miznerparkculturalcenter.com/events/streakin-thru-the-70s/2022-02-04
Performance Days & Times:
Wednesday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm
201 Plaza Real, 2nd Floor
Boca Raton, FL 33432

MARCIE GORMAN to Direct THE VICTORY DOLLS 2021-2022 Season

26 Tuesday Oct 2021

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“When smart, talented women work together for the greater good, nothing can stop them.”
~ Excerpt from The Victory Dolls Mission Statement

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

October 26, 2021

BOCA RATON, FL:  In addition to continuing to serve as MNM Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director, Marcie Gorman will take on another role this season – that of Director for the popular 1940s era singing group The Victory Dolls. 

The Victory Dolls is a company of enormously talented and award-winning local singer/actresses whose nostalgic style is reminiscent of the sophisticated vocals and precise harmonies of the Andrews Sisters. Their vintage look, tight choreography, and lively original musical arrangements combine to create a dazzling All-American show that appeals to audiences of all ages. 

The Victory Dolls have added a number of new faces to their roster this year.  Ann Marie Olson, Mallory Newbrough, Elizabeth Sackett, Jessie Dez, Laura Yanez, and Molly Anne Ross will join Shelley Keelor, Sabrina Lynn Gore, Leah Marie Sessa, Jeanine Levy, Aaron Bower, and Jinon Deeb to make up an even ‘Dozen Dolls’.

Carbonell and two-time Silver Palm Award-winning music director, piano accompanist and vocal coach Caryl Fantel will serve as the group’s music director.  Musical arrangements are by Phil Hinton.

Marcie Gorman has had extensive directing experience – she produced and/or helmed numerous musical productions at A.W. Dreyfoos School for the Arts during her years as a volunteer/instructor there.  Prior to founding MNM, Gormanwas an educator, successful entrepreneur, and philanthropist.  Under her leadership and guidance, the award-winning MNM Theatre Company has been delighting audiences with their productions of beloved American musicals since its debut in 2014.  The company will produce three musicals in the coming season at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC) and one at the Mizner Park Cultural Center.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be working with this wonderful group of women on such a worthwhile project – paying tribute to our veterans – who have taken such great care of our country, and countries all over the world,” Gorman says.  “I have worked with almost every one of these talented ladies before at MNM Theatre Company, and I know we are going to produce a show that will honor, inspire, and entertain everyone who sees it.”

“We are very excited to bring on such a unique talent as Marcie Gorman as our Director,” says Kevin Barrett, the Founder and CEO of The Victory Dolls. “We have brought together some of the top names in the South Florida theater community to grow The Victory Dolls brand over the next few years. Our mission is to honor Veterans all over the South Florida community, city by city, and keep the music from the 1940s alive for all to enjoy with our incredible production and our unique harmonies and arrangements.” 

For booking information, contact Kevin Barrett at (954)234-5982 or email at kevinbarrettgm@gmail.com.

For more information about The Victory Dolls (https://thevictorydolls.com) and/or Marcie Gorman please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

The Victory Dolls – 2021-2022
  • Shelley Keelor
  • Sabrina Lynn Gore
  • Molly Anne Ross
  • Mallory Newbrough
  • Leah Marie Sessa
  • Laura Yanez
  • Jinon Deeb
  • Jessie Dez
  • Jeanine Levy
  • Elizabeth Sackett
  • Ann Marie Olson
  • Aaron Bower
  • Marcie Gorman
  • Caryl Fantel

MNM Theatre Company’s Innovative Virtual Production of CLOSER THAN EVER Extended Through January 10th, 2021

22 Tuesday Dec 2020

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Theatre in the Time of COVID!

MNM Theatre Company Proudly Extends

Maltby & Shire’s
Closer Than EverThe Critically Acclaimed Production
Is Now Available for Streaming
On Demand
Through January 10th, 2021

Innovation is the key for MNM Theatre Company’s production of Closer Than Ever.

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

December 22, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:  MNM Theatre Company’s cutting-edge production of Maltby and Shire’s Closer Than Ever will now be available for streaming on demand through January 10th, MNM Producing Artistic Director Marcie Gorman announced today.

Marcie Gorman

“We are so proud of this project,” Gorman explains, “and we want to make sure everyone who would like to see Closer Than Ever has the opportunity to do so.  Our director, Jonathan Van Dyke, came up with an incredibly creative and innovative way to make live theatre during the pandemic, using video, audio, and projections.  Our cast and crew stayed safe and healthy throughout the entire creative process, and their dedication to this project is another reason why we want to ensure their work remains available for a while longer. Plus, of course,” she adds, “The reviews by both audiences and critics alike have been nothing less than stellar, so it’s a popular demand extension, too!”

Closer Than Ever has received universal praise since it began streaming on November 27th, including glowing endorsements from both composer David Shire (“The performances were honest and great, the musical direction, staging, production design, choreography all first rate, and [your] direction and overall conception of how to present CTE and keep it “Covid-safe” was truly impressive.”) and lyricist Richard Maltby Jr. (“The performances were all on the money and very true, Surprisingly, that isn’t usually the case with this show. Your staging ideas and your filming ideas were very very clever. It was an actual film version of the show, which was daring to attempt. Clearly you approached the show with a great deal of love and a great deal of respect for the material. I heard every word, and the vocals were glorious.”)

Closer Than Ever features self-contained songs which deal with such diverse topics as security, aging, mid-life crisis, second marriages, working couples, and unrequited love. Maltby and Shire based many of the songs on real-life experiences of their friends, or stories told to them.

Closer Than Ever stars Aaron Bower, Johnbarry Green, and Carbonell Award-winners Shelley Keelor, and Elijah Word, each of whom have worked with MNM Theatre Company in the past.   The technical crew, almost all of whom are also MNM alumni, includes Eric Alsford as the production’s Musical Director, and Emily Tarallo as the show’s Choreographer.  Lighting Designer is Clifford Michael Spulock, Sound Designer is Mike Kelly, Scenic Artist is Cindi Taylor, and Scenic Designer is Jordon Armstrong.  Johnbarry Green serves as Technical Director, Cliff Burgess as Videographer, Michael Joseph as Assistant Videographer and Wig Design is by Justin Lore of Tease & Floof Custom Wig Boutique.  Amber Mandic and Andrea Guardo are the production’s co-Stage Managers and co-Props Mistresses.

Closer Than Ever will be available On Demand through January 10th, on Music Theatre International’s (MTI) streaming platform www.ShowTix4U.com via MNM Theatre Company’s website www.mnmtheatre.org.  Once tickets are purchased, patrons will receive a link to view the production.  The link will be active for 48 hours from the first click.  Tickets are $20.

MNM Theatre Company is an award-winning not-for-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company whose mission is to produce high quality professional live theatre that inspires audiences and enriches the cultural life of the community while creating Florida based jobs in the Arts.

For more information about Closer Than Ever and MNM Theatre Company please visit www.mnmtheatre.org/ .  To speak with Marcie Gorman or Jonathan Van Dyke, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~~

Closer Than Ever
Streaming On Demand
Through January 10th, 2021
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr.
Conceived by Steven Scott Smith
Directed by Jonathan Van Dyke
Tickets: $20
Tickets available at https://www.mnmtheatre.org/
Direct ticketing link:  https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/41307

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MNM Theatre Company to Stream Maltby & Shire’s CLOSER THAN EVER On Demand – November 27 – December 31

09 Monday Nov 2020

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Creating Theatre in the Time of COVID!
MNM Theatre Company’s Innovative Production of
Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever
Will Be Available for Streaming on Demand
November 27 – December 31

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

MNM develops a cutting edge and creative way to move forward with
 Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever.

November 9, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:  Rehearsals and filming have been completed for MNM Theatre Company’s upcoming production of Closer Than Ever, David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr.’s fascinating song cycle that explores the everyday struggles of love in the modern world.  The production will begin streaming on November 27th and be available through December 31st.

Director Jonathan Van Dyke has developed an innovative theatrical hybrid that marries live performances with video, audio, and projections.  “The result,” says MNM Producing Artistic Director Marcie Gorman, “is an exciting and creative way to make live theatre during this horrendous pandemic.” 

Marcie Gorman

“We rehearsed at our warehouse in Boca Raton, and filmed there as well,” Gorman explains.  We followed extremely strict protocols throughout the process and were constantly mindful of the health and well-being of our cast and our crew.  COVID testing, masks, cleaning, and sanitizing – we did it all constantly.   But what’s so wonderful is that we are created and performed live theatre and we will be able to share it with a worldwide audience.

“And Jonathan’s concept, which involves integrating live performances with projections, is brand new.  It’s what will separate this production from just being a filmed play – it’s a hybrid with three components, not just two, and as far as we know, no one has ever done anything like it before.”

Jonathan Van Dyke

“This concept was developed to allow us to create theatre during the pandemic, but it can and will be implemented for a live production,” Director Jonathan Van Dyke explains.  “The integrated projections allow for intimate onstage moments; the actors were each green-screened separately and the results were edited for projection, so they appear to interact with one another.”

                      Shelley Keelor and Aaron Bower in Closer Than Ever
“They never held hands… they were just edited that way!”  Jonathan Van Dyke
Photo credit:  Jonathan Van Dyke

Closer Than Ever features self-contained songs which deal with such diverse topics as security, aging, mid-life crisis, second marriages, working couples, and unrequited love. Maltby and Shire based many of the songs on real-life experiences of their friends, or stories told to them.

Closer Than Ever stars Aaron Bower, Johnbarry Green, and Carbonell Award-winners Shelley Keelor, and Elijah Word, each of whom have worked with MNM Theatre Company in the past.   The technical crew, almost all of whom are also MNM alumni, includes Eric Alsford as the production’s Musical Director, and Emily Tarallo as the show’s Choreographer.  Lighting Designer is Clifford Michael Spulock, Sound Designer is Mike Kelly, Scenic Artist is Cindi Taylor, and Scenic Designer is Jordon Armstrong.  Johnbarry Green serves as Technical Director, Cliff Burgess as Videographer, Michael Joseph as Assistant Videographer and Wig Design is by Justin Lore of Tease & Floof Custom Wig Boutique.  Amber Mandic and Andrea Guardo are the production’s co-Stage Managers and co-Props Mistresses.

Closer Than Ever will begin streaming on November 27th and will be available On Demand through December 31st on Music Theatre International’s (MTI) streaming platform www.ShowTix4U.com via MNM Theatre Company’s website www.mnmtheatre.org or on the company’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/mnmtheatrecompany . Once tickets are purchased, patrons will receive a link to view the production.  The link will be active for 48 hours from the first click.  Tickets are $20.  

MNM Theatre Company is an award-winning not-for-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company whose mission is to produce high quality professional live theatre that inspires audiences and enriches the cultural life of the community while creating Florida based jobs in the Arts. 

For more information about MNM Theatre Company please visit www.mnmtheatre.org/   To speak with Marcie Gorman or Jonathan Van Dyke, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244..

Please feel free to forward this article.  Thank you!

~~

Closer Than Ever
Streaming On Demand
November 27 – December 31
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr.
Conceived by Steven Scott Smith
Directed by Jonathan Van Dyke
Tickets: $20
Tickets available at https://www.mnmtheatre.org/ ,
www.facebook.com/mnmtheatrecompany or
Direct ticketing link:  https://www.showtix4u.com/events/closerthanever 

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