The expression “opposites attract” does not always apply in the evolution of relationships. Playwright David Auburn’s drama “Summer, 1976”, running now through April 20 at GableStage in Coral Gables, is a dramatic story of how two women who seem to have nothing in common eventually come to appreciate their differences over a period of close to five decades.
Currently in its 78th season, the Delray Beach Playhouse just wrapped a production of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, which ran March 21st through April 13th, and it brought to life one of Agatha Christie’s most-famous detective novels, of the same name. Featuring local South Florida talent, the company produces classic theater for the Delray community, situated right on the edge of Lake Ida. For those that have not been to one of hidden gem’s performances yet, I highly recommend making an evening out of their final production of the season: The Bridges of Madison County.
“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.
Every song tells a story. . .and Respect: A Musical Journey of Women, the latest installment in the Pompano Players’ inaugural season, has dozens to share. This toe-tapping yet thought-provoking revue boasts excerpts of 60 songs by popular women in the music industry. Together, these numbers create a narrative about the journey of women and the ups and downs they have faced throughout history—following their dreams, falling in love, dealing with heartbreak, pursuing their careers, enjoying their independence, and everything in between. The show was created by Dorothy Marcic, a professor at Columbia University, and was originally produced in New York. Since its original run, it has played thousands of performances in over 70 cities (and counting). Now, the production is here in South Florida, directed by Jeremy Quinn (who has also helmed other shows in the Pompano Players’ current season, including hit plays Love, Loss & What I Wore and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change).
In classic fashion, Slow Burn Theatre Company’s current production of Something Rotten! at the Amaturo Theater of the Broward Center is a fast-paced and utterly hilarious celebration of the theater, musicals, and everything Shakespeare. With another outstanding cast, memorable choreography, and razor-sharp comedy, the company’s latest is one of their greatest to-date. The infectious atmosphere and energy of Broadway can be found in every scene and every song, all while bringing forth laughter from every mouth in the audience. If you enjoy anything theatrical, I guarantee you’ll enjoy this one, too.
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.
Miami City Ballet’s penultimate concert, branded “Spring Mix,” begins to tie the bow on the company’s season, and this particular year’s Mix is perhaps the best night of ballet that I have ever witnessed in all my years covering the art form. On opening night of Friday, March 28, at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, the company showcased their incredible prowess by performing four masterpieces from four master choreographers: Ratmansky, Limón, Balanchine, and Robbins. In an opening speech, Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez made a speech that each masterpiece spoke to a festering wound of this country in its current political turmoil. These choreographers are minorities, with communities and passions and resiliences, and with their art, they prove that this world is a better place because they exist(ed). I have never seen a company make such a statement, and her words provided a foundation for inclusivity. Brava.
The 1964 Broadway production of the Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical “Fiddler On The Roof” has been performed thousands of times on the stage, but Zoetic Stage Artistic Director Stuart Meltzer found a novel way of retelling the story of the famed 19th century Russian Jewish milkman Tevye seeking to feel safe with his Jewish family in the village of Anatevka while attempting to marry off his eldest daughter according to the laws of Jewish tradition.
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.
