Tag Archives: Willow Theatre

Entr’Acte Theatrix Presents THE PRODUCERS – A MEL BROOKS MUSICAL – May 19 – June 4

02 Tuesday May 2023

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Entr’Acte Theatrix
presents
The Producers
A Mel Brooks Musical
May 19 – June 4
At
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park

“[The Producers] is to put it simply, the real thing: a big Broadway book musical that is so ecstatically
drunk on its powers to entertain that it leaves you delirious …”
~ Ben Brantley, The New York Times

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


May 2, 2023:

BOCA RATON:    Mel Brooks’ musical comedy The Producers won a record-setting 12 Tonys in 2001, including Best Musical – the most in the awards’ history.  It also set the standard for outrageous, in-your-face, politically incorrect humor. Entr’Acte Theatrix will present what Variety’s Charles Isherwood called “a rip-roaring, gut-busting, rib-tickling, knee-slapping, aisle-rolling … good time” musical at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park. The show will open on May 19th and run through June 4th.

The plot is simple: Failed producer Max Bialystock and his reluctant accountant, Leo Bloom, cook up a scheme to convince a group of elderly women to invest two million dollars in a horrendously offensive Third Reich-themed musical, which they know will be a sure-fire flop. This, they conclude, will leave them with the money, which they plan to use to retire to Rio.  But against all odds the show is a hit, and Bialystock and Bloom have to deal with their success.

“During these difficult times when once again we are seeing the rise of antisemitism, we debated very carefully about doing this show,” Entr’Acte Theatrix Executive Producer Vicki Halmos explains.  “But in the end we decided that as Mel Brooks – who himself was a constant recipient of prejudice during his time in the US army – so rightly said, “More than anything the Holocaust by the Nazis is probably the great outrage of the 20th century. There is nothing to compare with it. And … so what can I do about it? If I get on the soapbox and wax eloquently, it’ll be blown away in the wind, but if I do “Springtime for Hitler” it’ll never be forgotten. I think you can bring down totalitarian governments faster by using ridicule than you can with invective.”

“We at Entr’Acte hope that by taking this absurd and politically incorrect look at a horrendous time in history (not to mention the way Brooks lampoons the ‘art of the deal’ in the business of theatre) we can entertain and educate at the same time,” Halmos says.

Entr’Acte Theatrix will donate a portion of their ticket sales to the Holocaust Museum in Miami.

The Producers Director Jamie Mattocks has cast Carlo-Rufino Sabusap as Max Bialystock, Chris Embroz as Leo Bloom, Zoe Darragh Garnett as Ulla Inga Hansen Bensen, Greg Halmos as Franz Liebkind, Jonathan Costanzo as Roger Debris, and Michael ‘Mercury’ Moser as Garmen Ghia.  Other cast members include Nik Rosa, Nicolas Aquino, David McKibben, Matthew Schenk, Charles Ponthokkan, Chris Calhoun, Norita Bandel, Heidi Salonia, Martyna Reczka, Roxanne Lamendola Grant, JB Peters, and Elizabeth Robinson.

Along with her directing duties, Jamie Mattocks will serve as The Producers’ Choreographer.  Roger Blankenship is the show’s Musical Director. Nicole Stav-Roach is Assistant Director, and Brittany Blouin will serve as the Production Stage Manager.

The Producers will run from May 19th – June 4th at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park. The theatre is located at 300 S. Military Trail in Boca Raton (33486).
 
Tickets for The Producers are $35. Group rates are available. Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 561-347-3948 or online at willowtheatre.org.

For more information aboutThe Producers and/or Entr’Acte Theatrix, please contact Carol Kassie (carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244).
~

The Producers

May 19 – June 4
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Directed by Jamie Mattocks
Music Direction by Roger Blankenship
Choreography by Nikki Dikun
Tickets:  $35 ($25 if 10 or more tickets are purchased in one transaction)
                $25 for Willow Theatre Season SubscribersTickets:  561-347-3948
Online: willowtheatre.org
Performance times:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
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


  • Carlo-Rufino Sabusap
  • Chris Embroz
  • Greg Halmos
  • Jonathan Costanzo
  • Michael Moser
  • Jamie Mattocks
  • Nik Rosa
  • Nicolas Aquino
  • David McKibben
  • Matthew Schenk
  • Charles Ponthokkan
  • Chris Calhoun
  • Norita Bandel
  • Heidi Salonia
  • Roxanne Lamendola Grant
  • JB Peters

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

Mel Brooks’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN at the Willow Theatre – October 21 – 30

17 Monday Oct 2022

Posted by in Entr'Acte Theatrix, Uncategorized

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Entr’Acte Theatrix
Gives Back with
Mel Brooks’
Young Frankenstein

A Halloween treat:  Tickets for the award-winning musical are only $20!

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

October 17, 2022

BOCA RATON, FL:  Along with their commitment to provide opportunities for young and up and coming talent, Entr’Acte Theatrix has a longstanding tradition of giving back to their community.  They have often donated tickets and profits to local and national not-for-profit organizations, including Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, Compass LGBTQ Community Center, Red Nose Day – Comic Relief, and earthquake victims in Haiti.  They are continuing this tradition in a different way with their upcoming production of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, which will open on October 21st, and run through October 30th at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton.

“We have set our ticket prices at $20 for this production,” says Entr’Acte Theatrix producer and founder Vicki Halmos.  “We believe this very low price for a fully produced musical comedy will encourage people who have been hesitant to venture back into a theatre until now will find this an incentive to do so.  And that it will perhaps encourage those who have never seen live theatre to come to the Willow Theatre to see what it’s all about! 

“In addition, for this show we are holding an on-line auction to benefit Hurricane Ian relief efforts and offering a chance for an audience member to join the cast on stage in a scene during the show,” she adds.

“We have a wonderfully talented cast, they’re doing a marvelous job, and it’s such a fun show,” she continues, “And we want to share the fun with as many people as we can!” 

A wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend, Mel Brooks’ comedy masterpiece follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen!) as he attempts to complete his grandfather’s masterwork and bring a corpse to life. Together with his oddly shaped and endearing helper Igor (that’s Eye-gor), his curvaceous lab assistant Inga, and in spite of his incredibly self-involved madcap fiancé Elizabeth, Frankenstein succeeds in creating a monster — but not without scary and quite often hilarious complications

Tickets for Young Frankenstein – The Mel Brooks Musical are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.sugarsandpark.org/young-frankenstein or by phone at 561-347-3948.  Tickets are $20.  Group rates (10 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $15.

For more information about Entr’Acte Theatrix and/or Young Frankenstein, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.
~
Young Frankenstein – The Mel Brooks Musical
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
October 21 – 30, 2022
Tickets: $20 (Group Rates available)
For Tickets:  https://www.sugarsandpark.org/young-frankenstein  / 561-347-3948
Performance Schedule:
Friday and Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
All performances at
The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL 33486

Entr’acte Theatrix is a not-for-profit, semi-professional, showcase company providing opportunities for emerging theatre artists, both on-stage and backstage. The company puts students of college or post-graduate programs on a professional trajectory with a goal of working in the profession a chance to gain experience in their area of training or interest.  Entr’acte, as the name suggests, is the “next step,” from classroom to career, and provides the young theatre artist with one of his or her all-important first professional resume-building credits. 

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.

  • Greg Halmos & Kevin Cruz

Entr’Acte Theatrix Presents Mel Brooks’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN – October 21 – 30

06 Tuesday Sep 2022

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October 20 – 31, 2022

The Tony Award-winning musical will run at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park
just in time for Halloween!

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

September 6, 2022

BOCA RATON, FL:  Entr’Acte Theatrix, whose previous productions such as Into the Woods, Avenue Q, Spamalot, and The Rocky Horror Show have proven to be consistently popular with young and older audiences alike, will present Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein – The Mel Brooks Musical from October 21st through October 30th at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park. This will be the company’s first production at the popular Boca Raton venue.

A wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend, Mel Brooks’ comedy masterpiece follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen!) as he attempts to complete his grandfather’s masterwork and bring a corpse to life. Together with his oddly shaped and endearing helper Igor (that’s Eye-gor), his curvaceous lab assistant Inga, and in spite of his incredibly self-involved madcap fiancé Elizabeth, Frankenstein succeeds in creating a monster — but not without scary and quite often hilarious complications.

“We have not produced a show since 2019 because of the pandemic, and I was not prepared to do so until the audience was ready to return,” says Entr’Acte Theatrix producer and founder Vicki Halmos. “Fortunately, I have seen strong evidence of that in the last few months. We will be in a new venue The Willow Theatre, in Boca Raton, which is very exciting. We are fortunate to have Jeremy Quinn as our director, who has expertise in the Mel Brooks comedic style and he will be joined by our long-standing music director, Roger Blankenship. In addition, we will be adding Andy Morejon, from our Entr’Acte ranks, to choreograph.

“Entr’Acte Theatrix has a tradition of promoting young artists to director positions who have honed their skills working in Entr’Acte productions specifically,” Halmos explains. “At Entr’Acte, our practice is to engage local emerging talent, and give them continuing support and opportunities to polish and enhance their skills. Several of our Young Frankenstein cast members were part of the Halmos’ Palm Beach Principal Players group several years ago, and are now back with freshly minted theatre degrees, and looking for the on-stage experience Entr’acte provides.  Our young cast is enthusiastically gearing up to be a part of what promises to be one of the outstanding productions of the coming season!  We hope our South Florida audience will continue to support local theater in developing a world class body of actors, and creative teams,” she concludes.

“I’m delighted to be returning to Entr’Acte for my fourth show, directing Young Frankenstein,” says director Jeremy Quinn. “This is my first opportunity to direct a large-scale musical (in-person) after the pandemic, so I’m incredibly grateful to Vicki Halmos and Entr’Acte for inviting me back to the table. I’ve been wanting to sink my teeth into something like this for quite some time, needless to say.

Jeremy Quinn

“Comedy has always been a strong suit in my 40+ year career in theatre, so the opportunity to tackle one of the greatest comedic properties of all time is nothing short of thrilling!” he continues. “After directing the national tour of Old Jews Telling Jokes (before the pandemic), I realize how much more I’ve added to my comedic canon from working with several masters of comedy in that production…and what a fitting segue to this project! Obviously, I’m a long-time fan of Mel Brooks and his unapologetic comedic style, so all the good stuff audiences remember from his movies will be on display here; including all the funny bits, nuances and innuendos.

“I can’t wait to share my joy of comedy with the Young Frankenstein cast and strengthen their knowledge/experience of what comprises good comedic timing. It’s actually somewhat mathematical and scientific when you break it down. Like I always say (even when directing a drama)…Find The Funny! It’s always there, you just have to look for it… and right now, audiences are desperately needing it.” 

Young Frankenstein’s cast includes Kevin Cruz as Frederick Frankenstein, Chase Stante as the Monster, Greg Halmos as Igor, Nicole Roach as Inga, Ashley Gravlin as Frau Blucher, Kalli Courakos as Elizabeth, and Carlo Sabusap as the Constable and the Hermit.  Also cast are Chris Calhoun, Christian Cooper, Briana Earhart, Tyler Fitch, Victoria Hocton, Nysia Matos, Andy Morejon, TJ Pursley, Sarah Rayburn, and Hannah Rosenberg.

Entr’acte Theatrix is a not-for-profit, semi-professional, showcase company providing opportunities for emerging theatre artists, both on-stage and backstage. The company puts students of college or post-graduate programs on a professional trajectory with a goal of working in the profession a chance to gain experience in their area of training or interest.  Entr’acte, as the name suggests, is the “next step,” from classroom to career, and provides the young theatre artist with one of his or her all-important first professional resume-building credits. 

Tickets for Young Frankenstein – The Mel Brooks Musical are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.sugarsandpark.org/young-frankenstein or by phone at 561-347-3948.  Tickets are $20.  Group rates (10 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $15.

For more information about Entr’Acte Theatrix and/or Young Frankenstein, please contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244.

Young Frankenstein – The Mel Brooks Musical
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
October 21 – 30, 2022
Tickets: $20 (Group Rates available)
For Tickets:  https://www.sugarsandpark.org/young-frankenstein / 561-347-3948
Performance Schedule:
Friday and Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
All performances at
The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park
300 S. 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.

  • Jeremy Quinn
  • Roger Blankenship
  • Kevin Cruz
  • Chase Stante
  • Greg Halmos
  • Nicole Roach
  • Ashley Gravlin
  • Kalli Courakos
  • Carlo Sabusap
  • Chris Calhoun
  • Christian Cooper
  • Briana Earhart
  • Hannah Rosenbeg
  • Victoria Hocton
  • Nysia Matos
  • Andy Morejon
  • TJ Pursley
  • Sarah Raburn

MNM Theatre Company’s 2022 – 2023 Season Promises Entertainment for Everyone!

20 Wednesday Jul 2022

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The Company will perform at
The Willow Theatre & The Kravis Center

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

July 21, 2022

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL:  Have theatre, will travel!  MNM Theatre Company will perform in two Palm Beach County venues during the 2022-2023 season.

The award-winning company’s first production of the season, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will run at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park in Boca Raton and Disenchanted, will have its South Florida premiere in the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.  A third production, scheduled to run at the Willow Theatre in April 2023 will be announced within the next few weeks.

Marcie Gorman

“We are very excited about our upcoming season,” says MNM Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Marcie Gorman.  “The shows we have chosen are fun, funny, and very clever, and we know they will appeal to audiences of all ages.  And our new venue, the Willow Theatre, is a lovely space – intimate and inviting, and we are looking forward to bringing MNM to a brand-new South County audience.  And we’re so pleased to be heading back to the Kravis Center as well.”

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical that has charmed audiences across the country, features an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents as they vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter – one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will run at the Willow Theatre from December 2nd – 18th.

Disenchanted will make its South Florida debut at the Kravis Center from May 9th – 28th, 2023: “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. Forget the princesses you think you know. These royal renegades will toss off their tiaras to bring their hilariously subversive, not-for-the-kiddies musical to the Rinker Playhouse – and fairy tales will never be the same!”

All three 2022-2023 MNM Theatre Company productions will be directed by Jonathan Van Dyke. 

For more information about MNM Theatre Company (www.mnmtheatre.org) please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

December 2 – 18, 2022
Music & Lyrics:  William Finn
Book: Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by: Rebecca Feldman
Additional Material by: Jay Reiss
Performances:
Friday & Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets:  $45
For tickets:
www.sugarsandpark.org/willow-theatre
Phone: 561-347-3948
All performances will take place at
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL  33486

Disenchanted
May 9 – 28, 2023
Book, Music, and Lyrics:Dennis T. Giacino
Developed wit: Fiely Matias
Performances: Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 1:30 pm
Prices: $50 – $65
For Tickets: mnmtheatre.org / Kravis.org / 561-832-7469
All performances in
Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center
701 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Southeastern Premiere! The Award-Winning Play CHASING JACK at The Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park March 12 – 22

18 Tuesday Feb 2020

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Jolt Productions, Inc. In Association with
Midlife Crisis Productions
Presents
The Southeastern Premiere of
Chasing Jack
March 12 – 22, 2020

 “This riveting, insightful and roller coaster of a ride is not done
until the last card is drawn.”
~ Susana Bowling – Times Square Chronicles

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

February 18, 2020

BOCA RATON, FL:   Chasing Jack, the award-winning play by John S. Anastasi, will have its southeastern premiere at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park this March.  The production, to be directed by Peter J. Loewy, will begin previews on March 12th and open on March 14th.  The show will run through March 22nd.

Chasing Jack, which won the Best Play Award at the 2019 New York Theatre Festival Summerfest, is the story of Dr. Jack Chase, a surgeon with a serious gambling addiction.  Through the lens of a malpractice lawsuit that could end his career, Chasing Jack explores familial relationships, medical ethics, and the potentially crippling effects of addiction.   The stakes couldn’t be any higher as Jack looks back at pivotal moments in his life, his relationships, and his career.

John Anastasi, M.D.

“I had written several plays, three of which were produced Off Broadway,” playwright John Anastasi said recently, when he was asked how Chasing Jack came about.  “It was after a reading of my play I Forgive You Ronald Reagan, starring Lucie Arnaz and her husband Laurence Luckinbill, and we were all out for dinner.  Lucie asked me about her mother’s aortic dissection (I am a thoracic surgeon in ‘my other life’!) and we started talking about heart surgery.  She listened to all the stories and was mesmerized, and at the end of the evening she said, “You write well but the best stories are when you write and talk about what you do!”  My response was that I spend 14 hours a day doing heart surgery, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer and write about it.

“So, two plays later I was at the opening night party of my play, Would You Still Love Me if, with Kathleen Turner,” Anastasi continued.  John Patrick Shanley came up to me and said almost the same thing: “Write about what you know…” There are two things I love, medicine and the law.  My daughter is a lawyer.  So, I started to think of how to connect them all and after an especially difficult operation, the germ of the story began.

“I don’t want anyone to get the idea that I’m Jack, because I’m not,” he says.  “Some of me is in him as I believe some of me is in all the characters I write, even the women.  The monologues Jack speaks regarding what it’s like to be a heart surgeon are very real.   The addiction concept is drawn from having the unfortunate experience of operating on drug addicts over the years, and watching them lie, betray, and systematically destroy every relationship, especially the people who love them the most.”

Anastasi and Director Loewy have cast a combination of local and out of town actors in the production.  Galen Murphy Hoffman will play Dr. Jack Chase, and two-time Tony Award nominee Crista Moore will portray the attorney Ockerman – the first time a woman has played this role.  Other cast members include India H. Jarvis as Taylor, Elana Valastro as Rebecca, David Sadaka as The Judge, Rick Malone as Robert, Ben Prayz as Dr. Fox, and Francis Allen as Dr. Noel.

Chasing Jack will run from March 12th – 22nd at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park.  Tickets are $30; group rates (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction) are $25.  Tickets can be purchased online at sugarsandpark.org/chasing-jack  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 Chasing Jack please visit www.chasingjacktheplay.com/.  To arrange for interviews, or for photos, or to arrange to see the production, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

This is a story about a world-class gambling obsession
that starts off at 100 miles-per-hour and builds from there.
It’s not a courtroom drama.
It’s a courtroom bombshell.

~*~

Chasing Jack
March 14 – 22, 2020
Preview performances March 12 & 13.
By John S. Anastasi
Directed by Peter J. Loewy
Tickets: $30 / $25 for groups of 6 or more
For tickets:  561-347-3948 or https://sugarsandpark.org/chasing-jack
Showtimes:
Thursday, March 12 at 7pm
Friday, March 13 at 8pm
Saturday, March 14 at 2pm
Saturday, March 14 at 8pm
Sunday, March 15 at 2pm
Thursday, March 19 at 7pm
Friday, March 20 at 8pm
Saturday, March 21 at 2pm
Saturday, March 21 at 8pm
Sunday, March 22 at 2pm
All performances will take place in
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 South Military Trail,
Boca Raton, FL 33486

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DANNY KAYE AND SYLVIA: A MUSICAL LOVE STORY – at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park – January 13 – 29

15 Thursday Dec 2016

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Black Box Booking & Hy Juter
present
dk-s-eblast-1

“I am a wife-made man.” ~ Danny Kaye

December 15, 2016
BOCA RATON, FL:  Danny Kaye was world famous as a star of Vaudeville, theatre, film, and television; Sylvia Fine was his primary songwriter, his mentor, his motivator, and his wife.  These two – each strong and fascinating personalities in their own right – are the subjects of Danny Kaye and Sylvia:  A Musical Love Story, which will open at the Willow Theater in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park on January 13th, and run through January 29th.   The show has played to sold out houses in London, New York, and Washington, D.C.

The young, undisciplined comic Danny Kaminsky met aspiring songwriter Sylvia Fine at an audition for The Straw Hat Review in 1939. (Fine had written the music and lyrics for the show). After a whirlwind courtship they were married in Ft. Lauderdale in January 1940; under Sylvia’s guidance, Danny Kaye rose from an impoverished improvisational comic to become an international star.

Larry Buzzeo and Katie Angell Thomas will reunite to play Danny

Kaye and Sylvia Fine – their performances in  The Jazz Singer, were lauded by audiences and critics alike.  This will be the second show mounted by Black Box Booking and Hy Juter. Their January 2016 production of the aforementioned production, The Jazz Singer, sold out every performance at the Willow Theatre.

“If Danny Kaye had not been born,” a Hollywood writer once observed, “no one could possibly have invented him, it would have been stretching credibility far past the breaking point.”  Kaye was a virtuoso entertainer – an actor, a singer, a dancer, a comedian and a clown. He won two honorary Oscars, an Emmy, a Peabody Award, a Golden Globe, the French Legion of Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  Kaye was a licensed pilot (in 1979 he made the Guinness Book of Records by piloting a private jet to 65 cities in the U.S. and Canada in 5 days), a gourmet chef, and a symphony conductor – although he could not read a note of music. And he was the first Good Will Ambassador to UNICEF.

Sylvia Fine was a gifted writer, producer, pianist, lyricist, and Oscar-nominated composer in her own right. She wrote many of Kaye’s best known songs and sketches and contributed numerous pieces to Kaye’s various movies, radio, and television programs.

Danny Kaye and Sylvia: A Musical Love Story, written by Robert McElwaine, includes a number of Kaye’s most famous songs – many of them written by Fine – including ‘Tchaikovsky’, ‘Balling the Jack’, and ‘Anatole of Paris’. McElwaine and Kaye met when McElwaine worked as director of advertising and publicity at the Goldwyn Studios in the 1950s; he subsequently became the star’s publicist and confidant for 20 years.  Danny Kaye and Sylvia explores the romance, the talent, and conflict that made them such a successful – and volatile couple.

The show’s director, Larry K. Bramble has also designed the set and the lighting for the production.  Musical direction is by Annaliesa Trethewey, sound design by Jason Hesler, and costumes are by Mary Ellen Many.

Danny Kaye and Sylvia will run from January 13 through January 29 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 http://www.willowtheatre.org/danny-and-sylvia   or by phone at 561-347-3948.

For more information about Danny Kaye and Sylvia and/or Black Box Booking please visit www.blackboxbooking.com  or contact Carol Kassie (carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244).

Danny Kaye and Sylvia:  A Musical Love Story
By Robert McElwaine
Original Music by Bob Bain
January 13 – January 29, 2017
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2 pm
Tickets:  $35
Group rates: $30 (6 or more tickets purchased in one transaction)
Phone:  561-347-3948
To purchase tickets on line:  http://www.willowtheatre.org/danny-and-sylvia
Showtimes:
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday at 8:00 pm,
Saturday  & Sunday at 2:00 pm
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL 33486
http://www.willowtheatre.org

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Curtain Call Playhouse presents DIAL M FOR MURDER May 8 – June 27

13 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by in Clients, Curtain Call Playhouse

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Curtain Call Playhouse
presents
Dial M - Logo2
May 8 – June 27

“…original and remarkably good theatre—quiet in style but tingling
with excitement underneath.” —NY Times.

April 14, 2015
Curtain Call Playhouse, South Florida’s most active touring company, will present Dial M for Murder at various venues throughout the region through May and June.

Now in their 18th year, Curtain Call Playhouse’ unique touring situation has allowed them to reach a much wider and more diverse audience than a traditional ‘one space’ theatrical company. They currently partner with the City of Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Miramar, Sunrise, and The Township Center for the Performing Arts in Coconut Creek.

Best known as a classic Alfred Hitchcock film, Frederick Knott’s psychological thriller, Dial M for Murder premiered on BBC television in 1952, and was performed in London’s West End and on Broadway several years before Hitchcock adapted it for the screen.   The play centers around former tennis star Tony Wendice and his scheme to have his wealthy wife murdered now that she has designated him her heir. Although Wendice’s plans are evident almost from the outset, Knott’s clever plotting and characterizations will keep audiences on the edge of their seats throughout the play.

Charlie Redler - Director

Charlie Redler

“I am so pleased to be directing this outstanding timeless thriller,” says director Charlie Redler. “It’s a story with twists, turns, and surprises. There is a love affair, bribery, and back stabbing…This play and its conclusion will not be new to many in the audience, especially Hitchcock lovers, but working with these excellent actors to create a fresh new look at peeling away the layers of this thriller is an exciting and interesting challenge.

The cast of Dial M for Murder consists of Bill Battaglia as Tony Wendice, Kris Coffelt as Margot Wendice, Peter Hawkins as Inspector Hubbard, John Hernandez as Captain Lesgate, and Anton Simon as Max Halliday.

Dial M for Murder will run at various venues throughout South Florida from May 8th through June 27th. Ticket prices and performance times vary at each venue. See below for details.

For more information about Dial M for Murder and/or Curtain Call Playhouse, please contact Kris Coffelt at curtaincallplyhs@bellsouth.net /  954-784-0768 or Carol Kassie at ckassie@gmail.com / 561-445-9244, or visit: http://curtaincallplayhouse.com.

~

Curtain Call Playhouse
presents
Dial M For Murder
By Frederick Knott
Ticket prices vary

Dial M for Murder – Performance Locations, Dates, & Times:

The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL 33486
Phone: 561-347-3948
Performance Dates & Times:
May 8, 9, 15, 16 at 8 pm
May 9, 10, 16, 17 at 2 pm.
Ticket Prices:
If purchased prior to April 23rd – $19;
After April 23 – $23.
$14.00 for preview shows on Friday, May 8th, at 8pm &
Saturday, May 9th at 2pm

The Sunrise Civic Center Theatre
10610 W. Oakland Park Blvd.,
Sunrise, Fl. 33351
Phone: 954-747-4646
Performance Date & Time:
May 31 at 2 pm
Ticket Prices:
$16 for adults, $10 for children, $14 for students with ID

Herb Skolnick Center
800 S.W. 36th Ave.,
Pompano Beach, Fl. 33069
Phone: 954-786-4590 or 954-784-0768
June 13 at 6 pm (dinner) 7:30 pm (show)
June 14 at 2 pm
Ticket Prices:
$30 for dinner and show on June 13;
$20.00 for show only on June 14th.

Township Center for Performing Arts
2452 Lyons Rd.,
Coconut Creek, FL. 33063
Phone: 954-970-0606
June 27 at 8:00 pm
Ticket Prices: TBA

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

09 Monday Feb 2015

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

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

February 9, 2015

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

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

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

Genie Croft

Genie Croft

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

DSCN5378 cropped

Howard Elfman & Wayne LeGette

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Kevin Black’s CIRQUESCO at the Willow Theatre February 20-22

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Clients, Kevin Black Productions

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Kevin BannerKevin Black Productions
presents
pole 1Cirquesco
February 20 – 22

Exciting, Exotic, and Electrifying… Cirquesco!

Cirquesco - trioFebruary 4, 2015
BOCA RATON, FL: Kevin Black’s Cirquesco has been described as captivating, stunning, exotic, intense, amazing, and just plain fun.   Cirquesco is a unique combination of song, dance, acrobatics, and humor, and a perfect example of what the multi-talented and extremely creative producer/director/choreographer brings to the South Florida Theatre scene. The production will run for three performances only – February 20th, 21st, and 22nd, at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton’s Sugar Sand Park.

“Cirquesco explores our most treasured emotion… love,” says Black, “…through the journey of our Lead Player, a somewhat lost soul searching for meaning in this Mad, Mad World.”  Contemporary choreography, an electrifying score, and elaborate and beautiful costuming – all created, arranged, and assembled by Black – combine to make Circquesco a “feast for the eyes, the ears, and the soul.”

Mimi J HeadshotSinger Mimi J is an enthusiastic participant in the production:
“It’s amazing to once again be in the midst of Kevin’s visionary brilliance,” she says. “He never ceases to introduce a new vibe of theatre to South Florida that is rarely seen and the quality is similar to what you can expect from the shows in Las Vegas and New York. Cirquesco is a Cirque du Soleil style show that incorporates the artistic elements of the European big top circuses mixed with a modern flare. The music is rhythmically charged and texturally dynamic and the specialty acts grapple the senses and keep you at the edge of your seat…a great spectacle for folks of all ages.”

Kasey J. HughesSinger/dancer Kasey J. Hughes will also be featured. Hughes has an extensive background nationally as well as internationally. He has regularly been a featured performer in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, as well as at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, and various Disney productions in Orlando and Tokyo.

Kevin Black is the owner and artistic director of Kevin Black Productions. His expertise, experience, and creativity in directing and choreography, as well as in set, costume, and lighting design have built him a solid reputation as one of the top ‘go-to guys’ in South Florida. Kevin’s most recent work includes 8 Track, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and Rags at The Plaza Theatre in Manalapan. He directed and choreographed Spamalot, Tommy, and The Rocky Horror Show for Entr’Acte Theatrix performing at The Crest Theatre in Delray Beach.  Kevin has also produced South Florida tours of La Cage Aux Folles, The Jazz Singer, Smokey Joe’s Café, Funny Girl, Victor/Victoria, Cabaret and Dreamgirls. And his recent creations for Stage Door Theatre, On the Radio, starring Ballroom’s Mimi J. and What’s New Pussycat? The Soundtrack of an Era, were extremely successful and well reviewed. Kevin’s work can currently be seen at the Villa de Palmar Resorts in Cabo, Mexico; Kevin is also the Artistic Director for CAST (Career in the Arts, School of Talent) located in Cooper City, Florida.

Mimi J. was born and raised in Miami. She is a professional singer currently performing in the South Florida tri-county area, and has been the recipient of numerous awards in vocal performance. She received her degrees in Musical Theater from the University of Central Florida Conservatory Theater in Orlando, where she attended on the Walt Disney Scholarship. Mimi has been a member of the gospel recording group, Revelation S.E.E.D. founded and led by Margaret Reynolds of KC and the Sunshine Band, and has sung background for a number of award-winning artists including Gloria Estefan, Bobby McFerrin, Betty Wright, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill of the R&B group New Edition, and Quan Howell of the gospel group Sounds of Blackness. Some of her regional theatre and Broadway National and International Tour credits include Ain’t Misbehavin’, Smokey Joe’s Café, Fame, Nunsense, and Rent. Mimi was the first woman of color to play Teen Angel in the classic 70’s hit, Grease during the show’s Pan-Asian tour. She recently starred in On the Radio at the Broward Stage Door Theatre, and was a featured performer in Kevin Black’s recent production of Ballroom South Beach Style at the Willow Theatre.

Cirquesco will run for three performances only at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park from February 20 – 22, 2015. The theatre is located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets are $40, and are available at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948 or on line at www.willowtheatre.org.

For more information about Cirquesco, Kevin Black, or Kevin Black Productions, please contact Kevin Black at 954-558-4446/ kevin@kevinblackproductions.com , or Carol Kassie at 561-445-9244 / ckassie@gmail.com, or visit www.kevinblackproductions.com.

Click HERE for a video preview of the production.

Cirquesco
Friday, February 20 – 8 pm
Saturday, February 21 – 8 pm
Sunday, February 22 – 2 pm
Tickets: $40
For Tickets: www.willowtheatre.org/ 561-347-3948
The Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park
300 S Military Trail
Boca Raton FL 33496

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