by Jan Davisson
Fall always brings exciting events: back to school, football season and the start of the new theatrical season. Yeah!
Most of the seasons officially start in October, so now is a great time for getting those season or single tickets on sale at all the Palm Beach County professional theaters.
MNM Theatre Company Rinker Playhouse
The beautiful baritone voice of Michael McKenzie will fill the air at the Rinker Playhouse in the upcoming MNM Production of Man of LaMancha. McKenzie’s credits extend from television on top shows to Broadway and Off Broadway plus numerous regional theaters.
MNM production is getting ahead of the crowd and presenting Man of LaMancha, which opens in September. The wonderful story of Don Quixote will be played by Carbonell Award-winner Michael McKenzie. Other cast members include Anna Lise Jensen as Aldonza and Mark Kirschenbaum as Sancho. Also featured is Jupiter actress Ellie Pattison. The show is directed by Bruce Linser, winner of the 2018 Carbonell Award for Best Director of Woody Guthrie’s American Song.
According to the show’s book writer, Dale Wasserman, Man of La Mancha is not a musicalization of Don Quixote; instead, it is a show about a few hours in the life of Miguel de Cervantes using Quixote as a storytelling device. “My man of La Mancha is not Don Quixote; he is Miguel de Cervantes.”
MNM Theatre Company’s Executive Producer/Artistic Director Marcie Gorman recently said, “We at MNM are committed to hiring locally since there is such a depth of talent and ability in South Florida. Our La Mancha actors, musicians, and entire creative team are proof of that.”
Man of LaMancha will be performed in the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Man of La Mancha will run from September 13 – September 29. The production will take place in the Raymond Kravis Center for the Performing Arts’ Rinker Playhouse. Tickets are $65 and will be on sale on June 21st. For tickets and information, call 561-832-7469; or visit www.kravis.org or mnmtheatre.org. For group rates and sales call (561) 651-4438.
Kravis on Broadway Series
Kravis on Broadway kicks off the 2019/20 season with the beloved classis, Fiddler on the Roof, running November 12-17 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. Tickets now on sale.
One of my favorite shows is the classic Fiddler on the Roof. This musical features the great songs by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick such as Matchmaker, If I Were A Rich Man, Sunrise, Sunset and Tradition. The story line follows a poor Jewish milkman (Tevye) and his wife (Golde) as they try to marry off their daughters in czarist Russia. It’s funny. It’s sad. It’s a history lesson set to songs. It’s a show not to be missed. Tickets are now on sale.
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach Tickets 561.832.7469 or 800.572.8471; www.kravis.org
Maltz Jupiter Theatre
The Seventh Annual Tony Award-Winner Benefit Concert at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre on November 16, 2019 at 8 pm. features Broadway’s Jersey Boy, John Lloyd Young performing classic hits from the ‘50s and ‘60s in rock’n, doo-wop and R & B standards.
Maltz Jupiter Theatre has released a stellar list of limited engagement shows throughout the 2019/20 season. Starting off with the Seventh Annual Tony Award-Winner Benefit Concert on November 16 at 8 pm.
The star of the evening is John Lloyd Young who won both a Tony and a Grammy Award for his portrayal of Frankie Valli in Broadway’s Jersey Boys. The show will feature classic hits from the 50s and 60s from rock ‘n’ roll, Doo-Wop to R & B standards. And, of course, Jersey Boy hits like Sherry, Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You, Hold Me Thrill Me, Kiss me and In the Still of the Night. No wonder all the VIP and sponsorship tickets have already been sold; however, still available are mezzanine tickets.
The annual Maltz Jupiter Theatre Gala, celebrating the Milton & Tamar Maltz Family Foundation, is Roaring 20’s. It will be held on February 15, 2020. What a great Valentines Day for some lucky sweetheart!
December ushers in a special holiday show, Christmas Cheer, live from the Maltz Jupiter Theatre on December 16 at 7:30 pm. This festive show will be broadcast live on “Legends Radio” and hosted by the Morning Lounge duo of Jill and Rich Switzer. A great way to capture the magic of the holidays.
The new year kicks off with a trio of outstanding shows. Every New Year’s Eve the Maltz Jupiter Theatre hosts Capitol Steps. This well know group takes a humorous look at some serious issues in an all-new show. The biting wit of this group will have you starting off the New Year in good spirits. Two shows on December 31, 5 pm and 8 pm.
Simply Streisand recreates the fantastic sounds of Barbra Streisand as recreated by Carla Del Villaggio. One performance only, January 3, 2020 at 7:30 pm.
A two-hour Vegas-style show celebrates the music of Freddie Mercury, the leading man that made Queen a group to be remembered. Terry Barber, an outstand tenor, will bring memories back with “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” One night only, January 4, 2020 at 8 pm.
February provides seven shows…count them. February 6 at 7:30 pm Tapestry, a tribute to Carole King; February 7 at 7:30 pm; Stayin’ Alive, an evening of disco classic hits of the Bee Gees; February 8, Beach Party Boys with all the great vocal harmony of The Beach Boys; February 9, at 7:30 pm the audience will be transported back in time to the fantastic sounds of Cornell Gunter’s The Coasters; My all-time favorite on February 13 at 7:30 pm. is The Celtic Tenors. You don’t have to be Irish to appreciate the sounds of this trio of cool sounds and hunky guys. What a way to get a start for St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone loves Tina and Valentines Day will celebrate the remarkable career of Tina Turner in Forever Tina at 7:30 pm; Let’s Hang On, a Frankie Valli Tribute Show will finish out this bonanza of February shows on February 15 at 8 pm.
An American Salute features pianist Jeffrey Siegal who will thrill the audience with the most popular American masterpieces with excerpts from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, Aaron Copland’s humorous Cat and the Mouse and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. If you love classical music, An American Salute is the show for you on March 22 at 7:30 pm.
Imagine all these shows in addition to the fabulous 2019/20 season of Broadway hits, which is 75% sold out.
Maltz Jupiter Theatre, 1001 E. Indiantown Rd, Jupiter. Tickets: 561.575.2223; www.jupitertheatre.org
Palm Beach Dramaworks
William Hayes, the Producing Artistic Director of Palm Beach Dramaworks, has planned an exciting season for the Main stage productions as well as Dramawise, which kicks off the day before the opening of A Streetcar Named Desire on October 10, 2019.
DramaWise is a program that takes audiences deeper into each main stage production, divided into two “acts” and an intermission (also known as lunch at a local restaurant).
Act I is an in-depth discussion of the play, while Act II features the cast and artistic team in conversation about the production and the creative process. Each program takes place on the Thursday prior to opening night.
Programs begin with A Streetcar Named Desire on October 10, 2019.The world premiere of Ordinary Americans will be the featured topic on December 5. Skylight, the third production of the season will be the Dramawise program on February 6, 2020 followed by the musical, The Light in the Piazza, on April 2. The closing show, Lobby Hero will be the May 21 program.
A note about the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire, the first show of the season; it’s being directed by J. Barry Lewis and features Annie Greer, Kathy McCafferty, Brad Makarowski and Julie Rowe ( a Jupiter actress). The story revolves around a fading Southern belle, Blanche DuBois who moves into the tiny, dingy apartment of her sister, Stella, and her brutish working class brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. The tension between Blanche and Stanley increase throughout the story line.
Tickets are now being sold for main stage seasonal productions at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre for the 2019/20 season as well as the exciting Dramawise programs.
Palm Beach Dramaworks, 201 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach FL 33401 Tickets: 561.514.4042 Ext. 2; www.palmbeachdramaworks.org
The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum
South Florida’s favorite character actor, Missy McArdle is co-starring in the upcoming new play at the Wick Theatre in Boca. Boca Bound as a limited run from September 17.
The Wick Theatre has a wonderful season coming up starting in October; however, before the start it also has a new show A Musical Boca Bound, which will make its debut from September 19-September 22. The action takes place in Boca and was written by Bonnie Logan with music and lyrics by Richard Peshkin, both of whom are residents of Boca Raton. The show will have its world premiere performances at the Wick Theatre from September 19 through September 22. The cast includes Neva Rae Powers as Nadine, Missy McArdle as Gert, and Steve Carroll as Allan. Other cast members include Philip Chaffin, Justin Figueroa, Ashley Wilcox, Gail Byer, J.R. Coley, Peter Librach, Janna Morrison, Colleen Pagano, and Troy Stanley.
The Wick Theatre,7901 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33487
Tickets: 561-995-2333; www.thewick.org or www.bocaboundmusical.com