by Donnie Quigley
I hope everyone is enjoying this hot summer, with the kids out and the ocean calm and warm, there is plenty to do in South Florida. If you find yourself getting bored, don’t forget the music and theatre opportunities to make your summer days even more special. From Shakespeare by the Sea, a multitude of music venues and a chance to see live theatre, especially for the kids, your summer will be even more enjoyable. There are still some opportunities for theatre camp this summer. Putting on a show helps with team building and communication skills, as well as the chance to be creative in an encouraging environment.
Maltz Jupiter Theatre
The season may be over, but there are still some exciting happenings at the Maltz! The summer camps and classes for kids at the conservatory are exceptional and known for their fabulous instructors and wonderful experiences for all involved. There are Broadway dance classes, acting, musical theatre, backstage skills, and private lessons. Their Grade 3-7 camp will be learning and performing Ever Happily After from July 10–30. If your child or grandchild doesn’t want to go to camp, they can watch the performance on July 30. Summer camps and creative lessons bring so much joy to children and their creative spirits.
Don’t forget to buy your season subscription for the upcoming 20th Anniversary Season of the Jupiter Maltz Theatre. The 2023/2024 season shows are Murder on the Orient Express, Christmas Carol, Beautiful, The Carole King Musical, Plaza Suite and 42nd Street. This fabulous lineup of shows will begin on October 29, 2023. I will give more information in the August article about each play. Single tickets will be sold starting August 7. If you have never been in the theatre, you will be thrilled as there are no bad seats in the house, and the new Broadway sized stage is impressive!
For Information Visit: GO.JUPITERTHEATRE.ORG
Maltz Jupiter Theatre
1001 E. Indiantown Rd, Jupiter
Tickets: 561.575.2223
www.jupitertheatre.org
Palm Beach Dramaworks
The Palm Beach Dramaworks Season ended with Topdog/Underdog by Susan-Lori Parks. It is the gritty tale of two brothers who are left by their parents as teenagers to fend for themselves. Their lives are marked by poverty, cruelty, and the longing for a different life. Lincoln’s longs for a successful and legitimate life, after years of hustling on the street as a three card monte expert. He has found a job as a Lincoln impersonator, donning the stovepipe hat and white face daily. His job is to allow the arcade players to recreate the assassination and shoot him in the back of the head. His money allows them to live in Booth’s seedy boarding house room and pay the bills. Booth wants to avoid working life, and he wants Lincoln to teach him how to hustle cards. He is a master shoplifter and brings home clothing and anything else they need from high end stores. As I watched the play, so many emotions were going through my head, running and skidding one after the other from empathy, sympathy, annoyance, sadness, shock and hope. The author does such a wonderful job of slowly exposing each character. George Anthony Richardson and Jovon Jacobs are both riveting as Lincoln and Booth. They take away your breath in so many intense scenes and bring the characters to life as you watch. The obvious and subtle ironies are there through the end of the play. It’s not surprising that this play won the Tony, this year, for the best drama revival, but their cast couldn’t have been any better than the actors at Palm Beach Dramaworks.
The Palm Beach Dramaworks 2023/2024 season subscription is now on sale at (561) 514-4042 or www.palmbeachdramaworks.org. This season the plays will include: Lobby Hero by Kenneth Longergan; The Messenger by Jenny Connell Davis; The Cancellation of Lauren Fein by Christopher Demos- Brown; Death of a Salesman by Authur Miller; and Trying by Joanna McClelland Glass. The season begins on October 13, and I will give you more of the scoop on the plays in the September edition.
Palm Beach Dramaworks
201 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach
Tickets: 561.514.4042 Ext. 2
www.palmbeachdramaworks.org
Kravis Theatre for the Performing Arts
The season begins at The Kravis Center on September 30 with the Commodores in The Dreyfoos Concert Hall. The Broadway Series begins on November 7 with the hit Chicago, followed by Mean Girls, Beetlejuice, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jagged Little Pill, Tina, Six and Hamilton. Quite the lineup, this season, and subscriptions are now on sale through the box office at (561) 832-7469 or www.kravis.org/broadway.
Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
Tickets 561.832.7469 or 800.572.8471
www.kravis.org
The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum
The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum have a few shows this summer, including A Star Spangled Tribute and Gourmet Picnic starring Bill Scott Sheets and Mallory Newbrough on July 4. The Wick supper club will present Ariana Savalas, The Mistress of the Moulin Rouge Experience on July 8.
The Florida Children’s Theatre will present Circus Spectacular, The Sweetest Show on Earth on August 29 and 30. You can call the box office at (561) 995-2333 for any of these shows and 2023/2024 subscriptions are on sale now. The season will begin on October 19 with I Love a Piano, followed by Bye, Bye Birdie, Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel, and Buddy. They always have a great lineup all season long in the Cabaret. More on that when I get the schedule in September.
The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum
7901 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton, FL 33487
Phone: (561) 995-2333
https://thewick.org/
Riverside Theatre
I had a delightful experience at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach watching 42nd Street. Tap Dancing just makes your heart soar, as your feet move and wonderful music makes your heart sing. What is not to love? Some of the songs were You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me, I Only Have Eyes for You, Lullaby of Broadway, Shuffle Off to Buffalo, and Forty-Second Street. The cast was filled with triple threats that could all sing, dance and act their way through the show. It was one production number after the other and the time just flew by. There were thirty cast members, and it was so nostalgic to watch a show that just made the whole audience happy. People were literally dancing out of the doors, young and old.
The Riverside Theatre’s 2023/2024 season opens on October 24 with Million Dollar Quartet. The rest of the season will include Jersey Boys, Morning After Grace, Kinky Boots, Yankee Tavern, and On Your Feet. Season subscriptions are now on sale at 772-231-6990 or at www.RiversideTheatre.com/2023/2024-season.
Riverside Theatre
3250 Riverside Park Dr, Vero Beach, FL 32963
Phone: (772) 231-6990
https://www.riversidetheatre.com/
Shakespeare by the Sea
The Palm Beach Park and Recreation and Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival present Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare. The story of Angelo, the nasty, temporary leader of Vienna who eventually gets his comeuppance. Bring your chairs, blankets, and picnics, and enjoy this annual event which is now in its 33rd season! The play will run July 6-9 and July 13-16, and the performance will begin at 8pm. It will be held at the Seabreeze Amphitheatre at Carlin Park, 750 South A1A, Jupiter, Florida, 33477.This is always a delightful event, and, as you smell the sea breeze, look at the stars, and enjoy an always captivating production.
Shakespeare by the Sea
Seabreeze Amphitheatre at Carlin Park
750 South A1A, Jupiter, Florida, 3347750 Riverside Park Dr, Vero Beach, FL 32963
Phone: (561) 762-8552
https://pbshakespeare.org/
The Barn Theatre
We can’t dismiss community theatre as engaging and satisfying entertainment. The history of The Barn is fun and interesting. It began as The Martin County Players in 1967, as an adult drama class at the Instructional Center of Stuart. They wanted to produce a play called The Brick and the Rose, but the school board considered the material too sensitive, as it focused upon drugs. St. Joseph’s College offered their stage, and the production was well received by the community. The group decided to rename themselves “The Renegade Players” and look for a facility and become a nonprofit. They ended up purchasing a barn and an acre of land on the Bussert Rose Farm. Mr. Bussert agreed to a mortgage that would give him half the proceeds from every production for three years, and, if there was a balance, it would be paid in full. The mortgage was burned in 1974, and improvements were made over many years. The community has continued their support as volunteers to improve and expand the theatre. They have produced quality shows for decades and continue to have a strong commitment from the community.
The Barn Theatre is celebrating 52 years, and this season has a fascinating lineup of shows. The Wedding Singer begins on July 13 and runs through July 30th. The rest of the productions for the 2023/2024 season will include: Kinky Boots, Lend Me a Tenor, Cinderella, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd and Seussical the Musical. Tickets can be bought at the box office by calling (772) 287-4884 or by visiting BARNTH2BARN-THEATRE.COM. They are located at 2400 SE Ocean Blvd, #3312, Stuart Florida, 34996. If you are interested in auditioning for a show, the audition schedule is on their website.
The Barn Theatre
2400 SE Ocean Blvd, #3312, Stuart, FL 34996
Phone: (772) 287-4884
https://www.barn-theatre.com/
Fun and Learning at Jupiter Lighthouse’s 163rd Anniversary
Although not a theatre production, this will be a fun event for families who want to have fun as they learn the history of the Jupiter Lighthouse and surrounding area. The celebration will be on July 8. Visitors will enjoy games, immersive crafts and hands-on learning activities. There will be tours and the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the lightkeepers lives and flora and fauna surrounding this local treasure. There will also be an ice cream truck and music. What a delightful way to spend a summer day than at The Jupiter Lighthouse. For more information go to jupiterlighthouse.org.
The Jupiter Lighthouse
500 Captain Armours Way, Jupiter, FL 33469
Phone: (561) 747-8380
https://www.jupiterlighthouse.org/
The Lake Worth Playhouse
The Lake Worth Playhouse is in the former Oakley Theatre, the oldest building on the register of the Art Deco Society of Palm Beach County. On December 1, 1953, Lake Worth Playhouse was incorporated by a group of Lake Worth citizens. They produced four shows a year and were almost always sold out. They held their productions in the auditorium of the old Lake Worth City Hall. In October, 1975 they purchased the Oakley Theatre for $60,000 and began to renovate. Today, the Playhouse offers a variety of mainstream and alternative programming both live and on film. Their next live production is West Side Story on July 14 – 30. The next few shows will be No Exit and Rent. For audition information or tickets, go to their website www.lakeworthplayhouse.org or call the box office at (561) 586-6410. The Playhouse is located at 713 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth, FL, 33460.
The Lake Worth Playhouse
713 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth, FL, 33460
Phone: (561) 586-6410
www.lakeworthplayhouse.org