Tag Archives: theatre

The Pompano Players’ JERRY’S GIRLS Opens January 10th

09 Monday Dec 2024

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The Pompano Players’
Jerry’s Girls
Openns January 10
at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center

“Jerry’s Girls is a delectable smorgasbord of show tunes that offers samples from a range of Mr. Herman’s productions, including “Mame,” “Hello, Dolly!,” and “La Cage aux Folles.”“
Leah D. Frank ~ The New York Times

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

December 9, 202
POMPANO BEACH, FL: The Pompano Players third offering in their inaugural season is Jerry’s Girls, a musical revue that honors the life and work of legendary Broadway composer Jerry Herman.  The production will open at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center on January 10th and run through January 19th.

Jerry’s Girls has been described as a ‘celebratory two-hour musical entertainment of glamour, optimism, love, melody, and women’ (The Guide to Musical Theatre).  It is a thoughtfully constructed musical revue that celebrates Herman’s music and lyrics, highlighting the broad spectrum of material he wrote specifically for female performers.

More than most Broadway composers, Jerry Herman showcased ‘larger-than-life’ women in his iconic musicals. From Dolly Gallagher Levi of Hello, Dolly!, to Mame Dennis of Mame, or Countess Aurelia of Dear World, Mabel Normand of Mack and Mabel, and female impersonator ZaZa of La Cage Aux Folles, Herman’s women were center stage – strong, key personalities that drove the shows’ plots, led musical numbers, and sometimes even determined the fates of the plays’ other characters.

The production, directed and staged by multiple Carbonell Award-winner Michael Ursua, will feature 35 of Herman’s songs:

“Jerry Herman is my favorite composer,” Ursua says. “He had tremendous musicality and wit.  His gift was to musicalize the resilience of the human spirit.  We’re presenting Jerry’s Girls with a 6-piece live band, beautiful costumes, energetic choreography and staging, great vocals, and an amazing cast.”

Jerry’s Girls will star Lourelene Snedeker, Patrece Bloomfield, and Abbey Alder, and feature Cassidy Joseph, Caroline Macchiarola, Jacqueline Rose, Alexandra Van Hasselt, and Lauren Wickerson.  

David Nagy will serve as the production’s Musical Director; Choreography will be by Alex Jorth.  Claudia Smith is the show’s Scenic Designer, Stevie Bleich will create the Lighting Design, and Penny Williams is the Costume Designer. 

Jerry Herman (1931-2019) has the distinction of being the only composer/lyricist in history to have had three musicals that ran more than 1,500 consecutive performances on Broadway. His first Broadway show was Milk and Honey (1961), followed by Hello, Dolly! (1964), Mame (1966), Dear World (1969), Mack & Mabel (1974), The Grand Tour (1979), La Cage Aux Folles (1983), Jerry’s Girls (1985), and Mrs. Santa Claus (1996) a CBS television special.

His string of awards and honors includes multiple Tony Awards, Grammys, Olivier Awards, Drama Desk Awards, the Johnny Mercer Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, the Oscar Hammerstein Award, the Frederick Loewe Award, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Theatre Hall of Fame and The Kennedy Center Honors. For more information about Jerry Herman, visit www.jerryherman.com.

Jerry’s Girls will run January 10 – 19 at Pompano Beach Cultural Center.  The theatre is located at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, in Pompano Beach (33060)

Tickets for Jerry’s Girls range in price from $45 to $65.  Tickets may be purchased online at https://pompanobeachculturalcenter.com or by calling 954-501-1910.

For more information about Jerry’s Girls, 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.

~

Jerry’s Girls
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Concepts by Larry Alford, Wayne Cilento, and Jerry Herman
January 10 – 19, 2025Tickets:  $45 – $65
For tickets:  https://pompanobeachculturalcenter.com/events/jerrys-girls or
Call:  954-501-1910
Performances:
Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The Pompano Beach Cultural Center
50 West Atlantic Blvd.,
Pompano Beach, FL  33060

Abbey Alder
Patrece Bloomfield
Lourelene Snedeker
Patrece Bloomfield
Abbey Alder
Cassidy Joseph
Caroline Macchiarola
Jacqueline Rose
Alexandra Van Hasselt
Lauren Wickerson
Michael Ursua

Off Glades Theatre Company to Present I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE – February 14 – 23

04 Wednesday Dec 2024

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Off-Glades Theatre Company
to present
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
At the Willow Theatre
February 14 – 23, 2025

“A musical celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum known as ‘the relationship’!”

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

December 4, 2024
BOCA RATON, FL: Off-Glades Theatre Company will present I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change beginning on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2025, at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  The production will run through February 23rd  at the popular Boca Raton venue.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change has been described as “Seinfeld set to music”, “adorable”, “silly”, and “delightful”.  Nominated for Best Musical by both the Outer Critics Circle and the Drama Desk, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change became the second-longest running Off Broadway musical in theatre history, and has been translated into numerous languages, including Chinese, Korean, Spanish, German, French, Catalan, Hebrew, Czech, and Hungarian.

The show has a timelessness that consistently appeals to audiences of all ages. With book and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis, The Toxic Avenger, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Over the River and Through the Woods), and music by Jimmy Roberts (The Thing About Men), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is presented in the form of a series of vignettes that mark life’s progress – all connected by the central theme of love and relationships. From single life to dating to marriage, from children to in-laws to the bitter end, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change explores the whole cycle with humor, emotion and insight.

Jodie Langel, who starred in the Off-Broadway production for over two years, will direct the show:

“This show reminds us that, when it comes to relationships, we can still find humor in those difficult moments,” Langel says. “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change celebrates love in all its stages. Be prepared to fall in love from the very first date to the very last kiss.”

The Music Director for I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is Richard Kaydas who will accompany violinist Luibov Ohrimenco at each performance. Melanie Farber will serve as the show’s Choreographer. Bryan Morris is the production’s Stage Manager.

Langel’s talented cast of four, Hannah Hayley, Alex Martinez, Bruno Faria, and Nicole Roach will play over 40 roles in the production, as they explore the many ups and downs of different relationships.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change will run from February 14 – 23 at The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park (300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL  33486). Tickets are $35 (group rates are available) and may be purchased online at www.offgladestheatrecompany.com  or www.myboca.us/2508/Willow-Theatre, by phone at 561-347-3948, or at the theatre’s box office.

For more information about I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Off Glades Theatre Company, or Jodie Langel, please contact Carol Kassie (carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244).

Jodie Langel – headshot by Bachi Frost
Cast photos – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change by Anahelena Natera

~

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
February 14 – 23, 2025
Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro
Music by Jimmy Roberts
Tickets: $35
Group rates available
For tickets & Information:
https://www.offgladestheatrecompany.com or
https://www.myboca.us/2648/I-Love-You-Youre-Perfect-Now-Change
Phone:  561-347-3948
Performances: 
Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday & 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

Hannah Hayley
Alex Martinez
Nicole Roach
Bruno Faria
Jodie Langel

ANNE BEING FRANK to be Presented at 3 Venues in South Florida in November

21 Monday Oct 2024

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Anne Being Frank
Reimagines an Iconic Story to Pose Philosophical Questions

The Award-winning play will be presented at 3 Venues in South Florida

“An important play” … “a powerful reminder” … “heartbreaking” … “chilling” … “very moving” … “thought provoking” ~ Broadway Radio

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Carol Kassie
Carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244
Contact: Jenna Swanson
Jswanson@piersongrant.com / 954-776-1999, ext. 235

October 22, 2024

AVENTURA, FL:   YI Love Jewish in partnership with the City of Aventura, and in collaboration with the Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center and the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present Anne Being Frank, a new play by Israeli-born Australian playwright Ron Elisha. Directed by Amanda Brooke Lerner, the production will run at three venues in South Florida: November 9th (at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center), November 10th (in the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center) and November 12th (at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center).

Performed Off-Broadway to rave reviews, this one-woman show starring Alexis Fishman is a total reimagining of the iconic story of Anne Frank. The play, which received the 2023 Broadway World – Best Production award, takes place within three worlds: Anne and her family’s secret annex hiding place, the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp where Anne died, and an imagined world where Anne survives WWII to go over the manuscript of her diary with her editor at a publishing house in Manhattan. But now, with her devastating new insight into the depths of human depravity, she has rewritten her entire diary at the great personal cost of constantly having to justify her choices to her editor, who wants to maintain the purity and innocence of the original story.

Anne Being Frank poses the philosophical question: “Had Anne known precisely what was in store for her and her family at the hands of the Nazis, would she still have written, ‘In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart’?”

Australian-born Fishman is a Helpmann Award-nominated actor and singer who currently lives in New York. She is a board member of 3GNY, an educational non-profit for the descendants of Holocaust Survivors and tells her grandparents’ story in New York public schools.

Anne Being Frank is presented as a commemoration of Kristallnacht by YI Love Jewish and Executive Producer Marc Levin. 

Tickets for Anne Being Frank are on sale now at all three venues and can be purchased online at yilovejewish.org/events.  Ticket prices begin at $52.

For more information about Anne Being Frank, 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 or Jenna Swanson at Jswanson@piersongrant.com / 954-776-1999, ext. 235.

Anne Being Frank contains adult language or content.

~

Anne Being Frank
A New Play by Ron Elisha
Saturday, November 9 at 8 pm
at The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center
3385 NE 188th Street
Aventura, FL  33180
Sunday, November 10 at 8 pm
in The Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center
701 Okeechobee Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL  33401
Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30 pm 
at Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center
3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Boulevard
Davie, FL  33314
Tickets: $52 and up.
To purchase tickets at any of the above venues, and/or for more information visit
https://yilovejewish.org/events

Production Photos credit: Richard Rivera

Alexis Fishman
Ron Elisha

The Pompano Players’ I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE Opens November 8th

18 Friday Oct 2024

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“Everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives, and in-laws, but were afraid to admit.”

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

October 18, 2024

POMPANO BEACH, FL: The newly minted Pompano Players Theatre Company will present I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center from November 8th through November 17th.  This will be the second production of their inaugural season.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change with book and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis, Over the River and Through the Woods), and music by Jimmy Rogers (The Thing About Men), consists of a delightful series of vignettes celebrating the mating game – from single life to dating to marriage, from children to in-laws to the ‘end’.

The production will be helmed by Jeremy Quinn: “Directing I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is a thrilling and profound experience,” he says. “At its core, this musical is a celebration of love in all its messy, awkward, and hilarious glory. What excites me about this show is how relatable it is for audiences from all walks of life. Whether you’ve experienced a first date disaster, navigated the challenges of long-term commitment, or even survived a breakup, the characters in this musical feel like us – they reflect our joys, insecurities, and sometimes our failures.

“Each scene is infused with humor and heart, offering a cathartic experience that reminds us that while love can be confusing and challenging, it’s also one of the most beautiful things that define us as humans,” he continues. “Ultimately, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is about connection – the desire we all have to be seen, understood, and loved. In this production, we hope to leave the audience not only entertained but perhaps a little more reflective about their own relationships, whether past, present, or future.

Quinn has assembled a talented quartet of actors to portray the ups and downs of all types of different relationships:   Eve Dillingham, Collin Salvatoré, Heather Simsay, and Lovell Rose will, between them, take on over 40 roles during the course of the production.

Music Direction for I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change will be handled by multiple Carbonell Award-winner Michael Ursua. The show’s Choreographer is Amanda Lopez, Claudia Smith is the Scenic Designer, Stevie Bleich is the production’s Lighting Designer, and Penelope Williams is the Costume Designer.   Director Quinn will also take on Stage Manager duties.  

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change will run from November 8 – 17 at Pompano Beach Cultural Center.  The theatre is located at 50 West Atlantic Boulevard, in Pompano Beach (33060)

Tickets for I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change range in price from $45 to $65.  Tickets may be purchased online at pompanobeachculturalcenter.com or by calling 954-501-1910.
 
For more information about I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change  and/or The Pompano Players, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.
~
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro
Music by Jimmy Roberts
November 8 – 17, 2024
Tickets:  $45 – $65
For tickets:  pompanobeachculturalcenter.com or
Call:  954-501-1910
Performances:
Fridays at 7 pm
Saturday, November 9 at 8 pm
Saturday, November 16 at 7 pm
Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm
All performances will take place at
The Pompano Beach Cultural Center
50 West Atlantic Blvd.,
Pompano Beach, FL  33060

Lovell Rose
Collin Salvatoré
Eve Dillingham
Heather Simsay
Jeremy Quinn
Michael Ursua

Thinking Cap Theatre to present LOVESONG – October 19 – November 3

10 Thursday Oct 2024

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“…gripping and intense…make time for this play.”
~ The Cambridge Critique

“…the delightful quirkiness of Morgan’s text…is playful and illuminating.”
~ Aleks Sierz/The ArtsDesk.com

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

October 10, 2024

HOLLYWOOD, FL:  Thinking Cap Theatre’s (TCT) first production of the 2024 – 2025 season will be the regional premiere of Lovesong by playwright/screenwriter Abi Morgan.  Lovesong will run from October 19th through November 3rd at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center (managed by the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood (ACCH). TCT’s new residency at the venue will mark the return of professional theatre to Hollywood for the first time since the Hollywood Playhouse closed in 2003.   

Inspired by the T.S. Eliot poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, Abi Morgan developed Lovesong with the world class innovative UK-based company, Frantic Assembly:

“Lovesong is a play that’s been on TCT’s radar since 2018, when I was searching for plays for our 10th Anniversary Season in 2020,” says TCT’s Producing Artistic Director Nicole Stodard.  “The pandemic prevented us from staging it then, but I am thrilled finally to be directing the piece now. It’s a truly breathtaking play that examines the love story of one couple at two different stages of their life together, their youthful beginning and their twilight years.  It’s a play about true love, the power of memory, the value of legacy, and the meaning of life. It’s also a visually stunning play that incorporates movement. Its message and its innovative style speak directly to TCT’s mission.”

Abi Morgan (OBE) is a Welsh playwright and screenwriter known for her works in television such as Sex Traffic, The Hour, and The Split, and the films Brick Lane, The Iron Lady, Shame, and Suffragette.

Stodard’s cast consists of Peter Galman, Deborah Kondelik, Nathaniel Heustis, and Abbie Fricke.

The Stage Manager for Lovesong is Pablo de Pablo; Breanna Michel and Manda Gonzalez will serve as Assistant Stage Managers. Costume Design and Co-Sound Design is by Nicole Stodard, along with Designers Bree-Anna Obst and Alyiece Moretto-Watkins.  Nicole Perry is the production’s Intimacy/Movement Director, and Alex Gonzalez is the Front of House Coordinator.

Tickets for Lovesong are $45 and are available online at https://thinkingcaptheatre.org  or by calling 310-500-6448.  Performances are on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 5 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm. All performances will take place at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center (1770 Monroe Street, Hollywood, FL, 33020).

For more information about Thinking Cap Theatre, please visit https://thinkingcaptheatre.org.  To arrange to see the production, for interviews, or for photos, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244 or Nicole Stodard at nicole@thinkingcaptheatre.org / 813-220-1546.

~

Lovesong
October 19 – November 3, 2024
By Abi Morgan
Tickets: $45 / $20 Student Rush tickets at the door for 21 & under with valid student IDTickets:  https://thinkingcaptheatre.org
Or call 310-500-6448
Performances: 
Wednesday at 7:30 pm
Saturday at 5 pm
Sunday at 5 pm
All performances will take place at 
Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center
1770 Monroe Street
Hollywood, FL  33020

Peter W. Galman
Deborah Kondelik
Abbie Fricke
Nathaniel Heustis
Abi Morgan
Nicole Stodard

Pigs Do Fly Productions’ THE LONG WEEKEND Opens at Empire Stage November 1st

07 Monday Oct 2024

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“…just enough sex, just enough smart talk, just enough preposterous plot twists to keep you titillated.”
– Gary Smith, Hamilton Spectator

“Norm Foster scores a bull’s eye with this tickling romp about mismatched spouses.” 
L.A. Times

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

October 7, 2024

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL:  Pigs Do Fly Productions will present Canadian Playwright Norm Foster’s The Long Weekend, a comedy of manners filled with numerous plot twists and a hilariously tangled web of truths, deceptions, and surprises. The production will run from November 1- 24 at Empire Stage in Fort Lauderdale.  

“Norm Foster’s plays definitely resonate with our audiences,” says Pigs Do Fly Executive Producer Ellen Wacher.  “This is the third one of his plays we have produced. They are clever, and funny, but they also they examine life and circumstances in ways that ring true – whether he’s analyzing established relationships or observing emerging or fluctuating ones. 

“His characters are often of over the age of 50, which is great for us – that’s our target audience and that ties in perfectly with our mission statement.” She continues.  “But – and this is a wonderful caveat – we have found over the past 8 and a half years that as our audiences have grown, they have diversified; it’s been so great to see younger people at the theatre and enjoying what we’re offering. As I often say, good theatre has no age limit!”  

As The Long Weekend opens Max and Wynn are preparing to show off their beautiful new summer home to their best friends, Roger and Abby. What is meant to be a relaxing holiday weekend turns into a battle of wits as their pasts catch up with them, the gloves come off and old scores are settled in comedic fashion.

The production will be directed by Christopher Michaels:  “The Long Weekend had me in absolute stitches on the subway while I gave it a first read,” Michaels says. “It is hilariously well-written and all I could think was how much it felt like a sitcom: unit set, key cast, set-ups and punchlines, the overall pacing… And there was the challenge of putting a large country home in the intimate space at Empire Stage.”

Michaels is making his Pigs Do Fly directorial debut; this is his second South Florida theatre directing credit, following his acclaimed production of Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story at Wilton Manors’ Island City Stage last season.

The Long Weekend cast consists of 2024 Carbonell Award nominee and Silver Palm Award Winner Karen Stephens as Abby, along with Janice Hamilton as Wynn, Alan Goodman as Roger, and Michael Coppola as Max.  

Norm Foster is considered Canada’s most produced playwright. An extremely prolific writer, frequently referred to as the Canadian Neil Simon, Foster has had more than fifty plays produced on professional stages.  His plays are known for their humor, accessibility, and insight into ‘the everyday tribulations of life.’

The Stage Manager for The Long Weekend is Larry Buzzeo. Dean Landhuis is the show’s Scenic Designer, David Hart will do the Sound Design, and Preston Bircher will create the Lighting Design and serve as Technical Director. Costumes are by Saul Mendoza and MNM Theatre Company will build the sets.  Jessica Kaschube is the Company Manager, and Patrick Vida will handle the Box Office.

Tickets for The Long Weekend are $45 and are available online at www.pigsdoflyproductions.com  or by calling 954-678-1496.  Performances are on Fridays at 8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 5 pm. All performances will take place at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive,Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.

For more information about Pigs Do Fly Productions, please visit www.pigsdoflyproductions.com.  To arrange for interviews, or for photos,  or for requests to see a performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.  For more information about Ellen Wacher, please visit www.ellenwacher.com. For more information about Christopher Michaels please visit https://www.christophermichaels.nyc/director.

~

The Long Weekend
November 1 – 24
By Norm Foster
Tickets: $45
Tickets:  www.pigsdoflyproductions.com
Or call 954-678-1496
Performances: 
Friday at 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 5 pm
All performances will take place at 
Empire Stage1140 N Flagler Drive,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Alan Goodman & Michael Coppola
Alan Goodman & Michael Coppola
Janice Hamilton & Karen Stephens
Michael Coppola, Janice Hamiton, Karen Stephens, & Alan Goodman
Alan Goodman
Janice Hamilton & Karen Stephens

Michael Coppola
Alan Goodman
Janice Hamilton
Karen Stephens
Ellen Wacher
Christopher Michaels
Norm Foster

Delray Beach Playhouse Renames Actors Awards Gala in Honor of Long-Time Artistic Director Randy DelLago

30 Monday Sep 2024

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Delray Beach Playhouse Renames Actors Awards Gala
in Honor of
Long-Time Artistic Director
Randy DelLago

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

September 30, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL:  The Delray Beach Playhouse announced today it will rename the theatre’s annual Actors Awards Gala in honor of the Playhouse’s long-time Artistic Director Randolph DelLago.

The newly renamed 2024 DelLago Awards Gala honoring performances from this past season will take place on November 7, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at the Delray Beach Playhouse. The event will be attended by Playhouse actors and family. 

DelLago, who served as the Playhouse Artistic Director for 40 years, passed away on July 8th, 2024.

Randy DelLago arrived in Florida via Wilmington, North Carolina in 1982. Beloved by Playhouse staff, board members, and audiences alike, he directed hundreds of plays and musicals over the years and was often characterized as ‘the face of the Playhouse’.  However, DelLago may best be remembered for his “Musical Memories” productions that packed the Delray Beach Playhouse each season. DelLago scripted musical stories about a composer or performer — bringing that composer or performer to life through an ensemble cast singing and dancing while he narrated their biography. 

“The Playhouse family of actors, volunteers, staff and board members are grateful to have worked with Randy over many, many, years and we were all deeply saddened to learn of his passing in July,” says Playhouse Executive Director Kevin Barrett.

“It was important to come up with a way to honor Randy’s legacy here at the Playhouse and renaming the annual Gala The DelLago Awards in his honor, along with establishing a special award that will be given to all the winners in his name, seemed like the perfect way to keep his memory alive year after year moving forward,” Barrett says.

For more information about the 2024 DelLago Awards Gala, please contact the Delray Beach Playhouse Box Office at (561) 272-1281.

In the attached photos:  Randy DelLago
Photo credits:  Unknown

Entr’Acte Theatrix to present SWEENEY TODD October 17 – 27

30 Monday Sep 2024

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The musical and dramatic achievements of Stephen Sondheim’s black and bloody Sweeney Todd are so numerous and so clamorous that they trample and jam each other in that invisible but finite doorway that connects a stage and its audience.
Richard Eder ~ The New York Times

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

September 30, 2024

WEST PALM BEACH, FL:  Entr’Acte Theatrix in collaboration with Theatre of Collaborative Arts is deep into rehearsals for the Stephen Sondheim classic Sweeney Todd ~ The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.  The production will be presented at the William G Skaff Center in West Palm Beach from October 17 – 27. 

Sweeney Todd has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony Awards, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere. Stephen Sondheim’s and Hugh Wheeler’s (A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures) tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed, and delighted audiences across the world.

An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up…

“Sweeney Todd is an obvious choice for the spooky season, but not the only reason we chose it,” says the show’s director Carlo Sabusap. “It is a time honored classic, but one of those shows that you just have to do as a company that establishes your ability to take on something challenging.

“For me personally, it’s a bucket list show as well. I love the works of Stephen Sondheim, and Sweeney Todd has a level of intrigue that just pulls in every audience that sees it. It’s horror, it’s a thriller, it’s a mystery, and a dark comedy wrapped in one, with an unforgettable score and equally memorable characters.

“When the librettos came in, they were twice as thick as those for our previous show, Beauty and the Beast, and the first thought I had was ‘oh boy, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us!’” he continues.  “Thankfully, our cast is made up of some of the most wonderful, creative, and eager actors we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, and I am so proud of all that they are accomplishing with this show. Not only breathing full life into these characters, and absolutely understanding them in depth, but jumping the hurdles that are the very challenging score that Sondheim has presented before us. This show is definitely going to leave a mark, and will leave audiences with a bloody good time!”

Sabusap’s Sweeney Todd casts consists of James Cichewicz as Sweeney Todd, Zoe Kanter as Mrs. Lovett, Greg Halmos as Tobias Ragg, David Taylor as Judge Turpin, Aaron Fantacone as Beadle Bamford,  Heidi Salonia as The Beggar Woman, Austin Gladstone as Anthony Hope, Aurora Jenkins as Johanna, Craig Sherman as Adolfo Pirelli, David Afkham as Ensemble/Sweeney Todd US,  Melissa Gómez as Ensemble/Lovette US, Carl Van Dyke as Ensemble/Judge US, Charles Ponthokkan/Ensemble., Ariel Hodgetts/Ensemble, and Uzel-Ann Arellano-Macapagal/Ensemble.

The Music Director for Sweeney Todd is Aaliyah Hirt, and the production will be choreographed by Sarah Kenny.  Elizabeth Southwell will serve as both Technical Director and Lighting Designer, Sound Design is by Ryan Kivett and Costumes are by Rosseroni Parris. Jason Fisher is the Production Stage Manager.

Sweeney Todd ~ The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will run from October 17 – 27. Ticket prices range from $15 – 35 and are available online at http://www.palmbeachtheater.org   or by calling 877-849-5327.  Performances are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Saturday, and Sunday at 2 pm.  All performances will take place at the William G Skaff Center, 500 Spencer Drive, in West Palm Beach (33409)

For more information about Entr’Acte Theatrix and/or Sweeney Todd please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

~

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
October 17 – 27
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Hugh Wheeler From an adaptation by Christopher Bond
Performances:
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 pm
Tickets: $35: (premium seating)
$25: General Admission
$15 Children 12 & under/Seniors/ Groups of 10 or more $15 Student Rush (Any seat purchased 30 minutes before curtain with valid student ID)
For tickets: 
http://www.palmbeachtheater.org
Phone: 877.849.5327
All performances will take place at
William G Skaff Center
500 Spencer Drive
West Palm Beach, Fl 33409

Patrons are asked to arrive 30 minutes before each scheduled performance for seating. All seating is assigned. Concessions will be available, cash only. Unfortunately, alcoholic beverages will not be available for purchase. Runtime is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.

Sweeney Todd Cast:

Aaron Fantacone
Ariel Hodgetts
Aurora Jenkins
Austin Gladstone
Carl Van Dyke
Charles Ponthokkan
Craig Sherman
David Afkham
David Taylor
Greg Halmos
Heidi Salonia
James Cichewicz
Melissa Gómez
Uzel-Ann Arellano-Macapagal
Zoe Kanter
Carlo Sabusap

Boca Stage to present THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO October 24 – November 3, 2024

24 Tuesday Sep 2024

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“Using the manner and technique of boulevard comedy as its backdrop, “Ballyhoo” addresses some weighty issues with… [a] combination of ease and purpose…”
Greg Evans ~ Variety 

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

September 24, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL: Boca Stage’s second production of the 2024-2025 season will be The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Pulitzer Prize/Tony Award/and Academy Award-winning playwright Alfred Uhry. The production will run from October 24th to November 3rd in the Cabaret Theatre at the Delray Beach Playhouse.

“The Last Night of Ballyhoo is the second of playwright Alfred Uhry’s ‘Atlanta Trilogy’ which, although it follows Driving Miss Daisy, takes place twenty-five years earlier as World War II is just on the horizon and Gone with the Wind is about to become a movie sensation,” the production’s director Keith Garsson explains.  (The third work in the trilogy, the musical Parade, recently enjoyed a successful revival on Broadway).

“In both Daisy and Ballyhoo, Uhry gives us characters who share a common experience of alienation yet cannot communicate with each other”, Garsson continues.

“Ballyhoo, told on a larger canvas, flips the traditional story of the assimilation of twentieth-century American Jews on its head,” he says. “Instead of the humorous Neil Simon tales of woe, neuroses and insecurities in New York City, Ballyhoo tells a much darker story with more serious themes of identity.

“The German-Jews of this story settled in Atlanta and became successful business folks. Yet, unlike their New York counterparts who continued to embrace their religion, the protagonists of Ballyhoo slowly shed their own backgrounds as they longed for acceptance in the upper crust of Southern society. Although the play may be seen as a search for identity, it is also by turns humorous, touching, and fascinating.

“We’ve all been outsiders at some point in our lives and Ballyhoo masterfully balances the sometimes-painful journey of a family that is forced to finally decide who they want to be.”

Director Garsson’s talented cast includes Hannah Hayley as Lala, Liz DeBeer as Reba, Betty Ann Hunt Strain as Boo, Shane Tanner as Adolph, Alex Bakalarz as Joe, Rachel Whittington as Sunny, and Christian Cooper as Peachy.

The Stage Manager for The Last Night of Ballyhoo is Joseph Long.  The production’s Technical Director is Christian Taylor, Set Design is by Claudia Smith, Lighting Design is by Stevie Bleich, Sound Design is by David Hart, Costume Design is by Timothy Charles Bowman, and Jeff Davis will take care of Set Construction.

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

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

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

~

The Last Night of Ballyhoo
By Alfred Uhry
October 24 – November 3, 2025
Tickets: $59/$69
For tickets & information:  
https://delraybeachplayhouse.com/off-broadway-series
561-272-1281
All performances will take place at
The Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL  33444

The Last Night of Ballyhoo Production Photos by Amy Pasquantonio
(Click on each image to enlarge)

Liz DeBeer, Hannah Hayley, Betty Ann Hunt Strain
Betty Ann Hunt Strain, Hannah Hayley
Liz DeBeer, Betty Ann Hunt Strain
Shane Tanner
Rachel Whittington
Christian Cooper, Betty Ann Hunt Strain, Hannah Hayley
Rachel Whittington, Alex Bakalarz

The Delray Beach Playhouse Presents THE FIFTH ANNUAL PLAYHOUSE PLAYWRIGHTS’ PROJECT – October 19th & 20th

18 Wednesday Sep 2024

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The Delray Beach Playhouse Presents
The Fifth Annual Playhouse Playwrights’ Project
Saturday, October 19th & Sunday, October 20th

10 new plays by local playwrights will be showcased over a
two-day period

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

September 18, 2024

DELRAY BEACH, FL: Now in its fifth year of producing one-act plays by local playwrights, the Delray Beach Playhouse’s Festival of New Plays 2024 will be held on October 19th and 20th. Ten one-act plays by local playwrights, helmed by local directors, and read by local actors will showcase the diverse and talented South Florida theatrical community.  The event will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse.

Festival Director and Co-Founder Marianne Regan continues to build on the Project’s success and offers new and exciting changes for Festival 2024.  “We have three new directors this year,” Regan reveals, “as well as several new playwrights. And some of our returning playwrights have accumulated their own following.”

This year’s Festival playwrights include Jeff Perlman, Jim Bisco, Laura Ratto, Judy Marilyn Goldstein, Sam Leven, Todd Caster, Ambar Colon, Allison Fradkin, Kathryn Ryan and Katherine H. Vellis.

“I truly had no idea that South Florida was so chock-full of incredible talent both on and off the stage,” Regan continues. “Our playwrights are amazing, our actors are extraordinary, and our audience members continue to support us, year-after-year.

“And as we did last year with a ‘sneak peek’ of our stand-alone show, Tell Me A Story, this Festival will also feature two new performers and their personal-story monologues,” Regan says.  “So many people have a story to tell, and this is one way for us to give them that space to tell it.”

Tell Me A Story will launch its own performance day on Thursday, January 29, 2025, as part of the Playhouse lunch-box matinee series, and will feature 6 artists performing personal monologues.

Dan Bellante – art historian and Festival Co-Founder – believes all the exciting changes at the Playhouse are ushering in a new era of artistic accomplishment. Now in its 77th year of continuous operation, the Playhouse continues to expand on its beyond-compare production values and is attracting a new audience of season subscribers who will sustain and ensure the theatre’s future.

David Tressler is the artist winner who designed the feature poster for Festival 2024. A native South Floridian, David was inspired to begin his artistic journey by his daughter, who loves to color. After some time, and many, many pages of coloring, he thought to himself, “this looks pretty good.” David’s infectious enthusiasm exemplifies the Festival’s creative spirit: “opportunities are endless, you just have to walk into them.” 

As the Festival has done in the past, five new plays will be presented on Saturday, October 19th, and five different new plays will be presented on Sunday, October 20th.  Both performances begin at 2 pm. Tickets for each day are $20. In true Festival fashion, a “Festival Pass” which includes both days is available for $30.  Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online (click HERE) or by phone at 561-272-1281.

The ten selected plays are:

Daddy Speaks by Sam Leven
Donald Alden For Hire by Jim Bisco
Ghost and Ghosted by Kathryn Ryan
Heard Mentality by Allison Fradkin
Infomercial by Judy Marilyn Goldstein
Pandora 2.0 by Katherine H. Vellis
The Café on Main by Jeff Perlman
The Family Tree by Laura Ratto
Tale of the Tiger’s Ring by Todd Caster
Wilted Amaryllis by Ambar Colon


All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse – 950 NW 9th Street, in Delray Beach (33444). For more information, please contact delraybeachplayhouse@gmail.com or Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com.

~

Delray Beach Playhouse Playwrights’ Festival of New Plays
Saturday, October 19 at 2 pm
Sunday, October 20 at 2 pm
Tickets:  $20, or $30 for a 2 day Festival Pass
Click HERE for tickets
Or call 561-272-1281
Delray Beach Playhouse
950 NW 9th Street
Delray Beach, FL 33444