by Jan Davisson
With Palm Beach Dramaworks’ production of Equus, the theater season ends; however, don’t despair, as the summer months brings a variety of great events throughout South Florida. Although I usually concentrate on the Palm Beaches, summer gives me the opportunity to venture out to other theaters in Florida. Starting with the Asolo Repertory in Sarasota, which will be performing The Jungle Book June 6-24. (Tickets: 800-361-8388)
Sarasota is a great place to bring the family. Not only a perfect show for the kids but also the Ringling Brother/Barnum and Bailey Circus Museum. A duo of outstanding theaters in Coral Gables. The Actor’s Playhouse on Miracle Mile, which is featuring the Tony Award-winning musical, Million Dollar Quartet, based on events around the careers of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. The Actors Playhouse is located in the old Miracle Theater, which opened in the late forties. (Tickets: 305-444-9293)
The Gables Stage is the oldest theater in South Florida and is located in the beautiful Biltmore Hotel on Anastasia Ave. This awarding-winning theater is featuring the Halley Feiffer play, I’m Gonna Pray for you So Hard, June 9-July 8. The beauty of venturing south is all the new things to experience. Coral Gables has a charming museum and a Venetian Pool…a wonderful coral rock pool. If you have an unlimited budget, stay at the historic Biltmore; see the Gables production on Friday night, have high tea at the Biltmore on Saturday afternoon, then hit the Actor’s Playhouse on Saturday night. End your stay with a poolside Sunday Morning brunch. The perfect weekend. (Tickets: 305-445-1119)
Dalia Aleman stars in Victor/Victoria at the Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs.
A tad closer to home is the Broward Stage Door Theatre with the story about singer Victoria Grant, a female pretending to be a male who impersonates a female. If it sounds familiar, remember Julie Andrews and Robert Preston in Victor/Victoria? With musical numbers by Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse, including You and Me, Paris by Night and Crazy World, you can’t go wrong driving to the Broward Stage Door Theatre now through June 6. Next up is Breaking Up, a musical set in a Catskill resort in the sixties. Lots of good times, romance and a wild Labor Day weekend. It features 18 Neil Sedaka classic songs.
Broward Stage Door Theatre, 8036 West Sample Rd., Coral Springs. Tickets 954-344-7765/ boxoffice@stagedoorfl.org
Palm Beach Dramaworks presents Equus by Peter Shaffer, directed by J. Barry Lewis Peter Simon Hilton, Steven Maier, Mallory Newbrough. Photo credit Alicia Donelan
Back in the Palm Beaches, there is still time to see the spellbinding production of Equus at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre on Clematis Street in West Palm. Produced by Palm Beach Dramaworks and directed by directed by J. Barry Lewis, it ends their season on a spectacular note. Written by Peter Shaffer, it explores a psychiatrist’s attempt to treat a young man who has a troubling obsession with horses.
No wonder J. Barry Lewis keeps winning directing awards; Equus is brilliant. I really wasn’t looking forward to seeing Equus; however, I was memorized throughout the entire show. Set on a stark stage, the production relied on the acting abilities of Peter Simon Hilton as the doctor in a psychiatric hospital in England in 1973 and Steven Maier as his patient. Assisted by an outstanding group of actor, Meredith Bartmon, Anne-Maire Cusson, John Leonard Thompson and Julie Rowe (as the patients parents) Steve Carroll and Mallory Newbrough, the explosive story unfolds. Some of the most cleaver costumes that I’ve ever seen were the amazing horses heads that Domenic Servidio, Steve Carroll, Austin Carroll, Nicholas Lovalvo, Robert Richards, Jr, and Frank Vomero wore to portray the patient’s obsession with horses. Dressed completely in black with footwear that looked like old fashion ice skates, the talented group brought the theme to life. Equus runs through June 3.
Palm Beach Dramaworks summer musical production. Ticket price based on your age, if you’re under forty.
Next up is the summer time musical, Woody Guthrie’s American Song, opening July 13 and running through August 5. A note about the Palm Beach Dramaworks summer time production. Last year it was Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which also scooped up the best director and best actor awards in the musical category at the 2017 Carbonell Awards. Clive Cholerton directed the show and Shane Tanner portrayed the homicidal barber of Fleet Street.
The theater made the cost of a ticket whatever the age of the ticket buyer, if they were under 40. The theaters’ outreach to get the interest of first-time, younger audience turned out to be extremely successful as an overwhelming group of first-time theater goers decided that this was a great summer evening out. The offer continues this summer for the Woody Guthrie’s American Song
Palm Beach Dramaworks, 201 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach FL 33401 Tickets: 561–514–4042 Ext. 2; www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.
Courtney Poston, Wesley Slade, Robert Fitz and friends from Avenue Q in the Rinker Theatre at the Kravis
The Kravis Center Rinker Playhouse, located at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm, now hosts the MNM Theatre Company. There new production, AVENUE Q, runs through Sunday, June 10, with performances at 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday & Saturday, and 1:30 pm matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday.
Directed by Bruce Linser with musical director Paul Reekie, the cast includes Nayomi Braaf, J.R. Coley, Robert Fritz, Paul Louis, Jayne Ng, Rick Peña, Nicole Piro, Courtney Poston, Michael Scott Ross, Kate Ryan and Wesley Slade.
Entering adulthood after completing college is a traumatic event, especially if you take off for life in the big city. So, although Avenue Q includes delightful puppets, it’s not for children. A parody of Sesame Street, these cute little puppets discuss adult subjects in a humorous manner. Sprinkled with delightful songs by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and smart dialog (book by Jeff Whilly), it’s a great evening of entertainment. Avenue Q was a “Triple Crown Tony Award Winner,” receiving Tony’s for best musical, score and book.
Avenue Q opened to a full house, roars of laughter, and an audience brought to their feet for a standing O. As producer, Marcie Gorman stated, “This is a Florida theater with everyone from costume designer and back stage crew to actors all from South Florida.” This is what makes MNM such a great addition to the Palm Beach theater scene. And, best of all, it has productions throughout the summer months!
Summer productions include Avenue Q (May 25 to June 10); I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (July 27 to August 12); and My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra (September 28 to October 14).
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach Tickets (561) 832-7469 or 800-572-8471; www.kravis.org.
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre presents a summer season of young audience shows including Sister Act. All shows are produced by the Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA)
It’s all about the kids during the summer months at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. The outstanding Conservatory of the Performing Arts (COPA) features a series of shows for children of all ages. The Disney Mulan, Jr was featured in May followed by the tap dancing hit, 42nd Street. Next up is Sister Act, June 22 & 23. This is also a student production. If you’ve seen the Whoopie Goldberg hit movie, you know the humor of this show plus great music.
The summer season winds up with The Wizard of Oz on July 27 & 28. With songs such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow and the Scarecrow’s rendition of If I only Had a Brain.…how can you go wrong by taking your child or grandchild by the hand and leading them onto the yellow brick for a live adventure. They’ll never forget their introduction to theater! Remember that season tickets are now on sale for the Maltz Jupiter Theatre 2018/19 season. Steel Magnolias, Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia, The Doll’s House Part 2 and West Side Story.
Maltz Jupiter Theatre, 1001 E. Indiantown Rd, Jupiter. Tickets: (561) 575-2223; www.jupitertheatre.org.