Compromise your principles for the almighty dollar. Would you do it? How far would you go? What about the repercussions? … For yourself? Your family? Society at large? Nowadays, it feels like we’re confronted with this question daily – especially when it comes to actions taken by our government and industry leaders. Twenty-seven years ago, award-winning playwright and screenwriter/director Craig Lucas (best known for his 1991 Pulitzer-nominated “Prelude to a Kiss”) proposed this quandary, and a whole lot more, in THE DYINGGAUL: a groundbreaking psychological thriller set in the high-stakes world of traditional Hollywood and nascent online chat rooms.
Only in South Florida (I admit I’m biased) are we lucky enough to experience spectacular world premieres, see the best of Broadway and off-Broadway, and also get to enjoy many local-talent revivals of enduring classics. We appear to have a special knack for mounting musical favorites from the distant past … to the delight of senior fans and fresh audiences who might have missed the initial run and want to see what all the fuss is about!
Leave it to Ronnie Larsen, POW! (Plays of Wilton) founder and artistic director, actor, producer, playwright and, dare I say hyper-creative mad genius? for coming up with original, out-of-the-box productions practically every quarter. (Last year’s A Shonda:The Musical remains one of my all-time favorites.) But this time, he outdid even himself by taking on classic, beloved by everyone, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and presenting the musical live and for free at a local Wilton Manors park in a way it’s NEVER been shown before.
Why are women who are overcome by passionate, sexual love so often depicted as tragic heroines? At least best-selling ones like Tolstoy’s 19th century novel, “Anna Karenina,” written in 1878 and set primarily in the St. Petersburg of Imperial Russia … followed by Kate Chopin’s short 1899 novel, “The Awakening,” which takes place in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. In both cases, the women remain true to their feelings; the men, however, are not to be trusted. They ultimately cause their lovers’ downfall and suicidal death.
So what exactly is “dry powder”? Those involved in the world of finance would recognize its “dry” definition as cash-on-hand reserves held by private equity funds (companies not listed on the stock market) that are basically waiting to be invested in new ventures or business buyouts. But as a writer, I’m always curious about word derivations – especially colorful ones like this. I discovered the term originated in the 17th century when armies kept gunpowder in reserve to fire guns and canons at a moment’s notice. The powder needed to be kept “dry” to be effective.
Tolstoy’s famous quote that “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” likely applies double to families of artists. Actually, both happy and unhappy parts tend to be exacerbated by artistic temperaments known for remarkable sensitivity, passion … but also selfishness.
“Some enchanted evening, when you find your true love…” For me that enchanted evening took place at the outdoor Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, NY. Many, many years ago, when I was 16. And the “true love” that I found was a lifelong passion for live theater (musicals in particular).
If New York Times deputy editor of culture and lifestyle Melissa Kirsch finds herself suffering from “the blues” attributed to too many hours spent scrolling and watching digital screens (aware of the dangers of FOMO, she no longer checks out Facebook friends), where does that leave the rest of us? What Kirsch was watching – even those cute Instagram dog reels – didn’t matter as much as the quantity: her brain was simply overtaxed from constantly “consuming content” at the expense of live human interaction.
Slow Burn Theatre Company continues its fabulous 15th Anniversary Season with a somewhat lesser-known but absolutely hilarious musical that, once experienced, makes any lover of the genre a fan for life. Get ye quick and join the “in” crowd at BrowardCenter’s Amaturo Theater to gasp with laughter and amazement at all the theatrical references and musical history madness that is SOMETHING ROTTEN! playing only through April 13.
I had no idea when I stepped into the Charlotte Burrie Center in Pompano Beach on Sunday to see SYLVIA by A. R. Gurney that I’d also be witnessing history. But I’m so glad I was there to join in the raucous applause for Kris Coffelt, founder and artistic director of Curtain Call Playhouse (CCP), when South Florida Theatre League presented her with the 2025 REMY Award for Outstanding Contribution to Community Theatre right before the show. In her “thank you’s,” Coffelt acknowledged this recognition was “28 years in the making” – ever since she’d moved here from LA and decided to pursue her passion for bringing affordable, quality theater to the public. Over 175 shows later, Coffelt’s inspired touring model of mounting each new production in various locations – from civic centers to art and theater spaces – has become an obvious, popular success.
