Musicals-made-from-movies-made-from-books is a popular, winning formula drawing audiences from print, from film, from lovers of musicals – as well as “none of the above.” By the time a book- and/or movie-based musical hits Broadway, it tends to have a well-established fan base, eager for more. There will always be purists who claim one must read the book first or are emotionally tied to the movie. Coming from someone who’s experienced all three – in no particular order – I say there’s no one right or wrong way to enjoy a great musical. Nothing compares to the buzz and anticipation felt by a live audience when the curtain rises. Where personal issues are put aside and we can all sit entranced, together, for a few magical hours of drama, comedy and, especially, wondrous music and songs!
Arts Ballet of Florida Theatre showcases the famed ballets “Romeo & Juliet” by Russian composer Sergey Prokofiev and “Bolero” by French composer Maurice Ravel as highlights to their upcoming Program III; titled “Dancing Prokofiev and Ravel: A Celebration of Ballet’s Timeless Composers” taking place on Saturday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.and Sunday, March 2 at 3 p.m. at Aventura Arts & Cultural Center in Aventura.
Did you hear about the latest plane crash? What about the latest protest resignations by our most experienced government officials? And the firings, all the firings. And dismantling of essential federal agencies that protect us from foreign invasion (both human and microbial), our environment from climate disaster, our food and air and water … in essence, insure our quality of life? Even our cultural life (what really makes us human) is hanging by a thread from all the cutbacks to education, the arts, and book bans designed to keep “dangerous” inquiring minds from ever questioning the wisdom of our billionaire overlords.
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s production of The Lehman Trilogy is nothing short of epic. Spanning several generations, multiple world-altering events, and three acts, the Tony-winning masterpiece tells the story of the trio of brothers, Bavarian Jewish immigrants who longed to make the American Dream come true, Henry Lehman (David Studwell), Emanuel Lehman (Noah Keyishian), and Mayer Lehman (Jeremy Rishe), and the rise and fall of the empire they so tirelessly built.
After debuting on Broadway in 2001, “Mamma Mia” is still showing plenty of excitement with a sold out opening night performance at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami. Written by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of the Swedish popular music group ABBA, “Mamma Mia” is running until Sunday, February 23.
Family dynamics in the American South and a decaying once beautiful plantation set the stage for the two act drama “Appropriate”, running now through February 23 at GableStage in Coral Gables.
I was thrilled to finally discover why I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE is off-Broadway’s second longest-running show. It’s also a popular international favorite, having played in over 35 countries and translated into at least 17 languages! This timeless musical comedy, which premiered off-Broadway in 1996, boasts book and lyrics by Tony Award-winning Joe DiPietro (famous for Memphis, Over the River and Through the Woods, and much more) with music by Jimmy Roberts (composer of The Thing About Men). The show was (likely) universally embraced for its bold and honest exploration of that most stressful, heartbreaking and heart-expanding universal human emotion: LOVE, the pursuit of love, and all the related relationship trials and joys that have obsessed man- and womankind since time immemorial. (There’s even a short opening scene where God presents Adam with Eve, and Eve presents Adam with her list of demands before any coupling can commence.)
For over a century, The Great American Songbook of musical theater shows was dominated by Jewish songwriters through 2025. Four New York based singers and actors (who are also Jewish) will be recalling how the Jewish composers shined in creating memorable show tunes by singing their famed songs in “L’Chaim: A Toast to the Jewish Legacy of Broadway” to be performed on Wednesday, Feb. 19 and Thursday, Feb. 20 at Aventura Arts & Cultural Center in Aventura, Friday, Feb. 21 at the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Center in Davie and Thursday, Feb. 27 at The Hub at Temple Beth Am in Pinecrest.
Why not add a little faith, trust, and pixie dust to your latest trip to the theater? Beloved classic Peter Pan has just landed at the Kravis Center, and it was a real joy getting to embrace my inner child for opening night. Audiences were first introduced to Peter Pan with the 1904 play and 1911 novel of the same name, both by J.M. Barrie. Since then, the famous tale of “the boy who wouldn’t grow up” has since sparked a wide variety of acclaimed adaptations, including the 1953 Disney film and 1954 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, the latter of which this national tour is based on. Directed by Lonny Price, with a new book by Larissa Fasthorse, whose additions alter the outdated and problematic portrayals of women and Indigenous cultures that were present in older productions, the show is sure to delight audience members of all ages.
Sometimes you just need a getaway—one where you can sink your toes into the sand, sip a frothy drink, and splash around in the ocean for as long as you want to. Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville has the same effect from the moment audience members walk into the Delray Beach Playhouse, complete with colorful leis and themed drinks (including, of course, margaritas). So if you’re in search of that perfect vacation, look no further!
