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.
Playwright Norman Shabel, a retired attorney known more for his dramatic plays and novels, has a flair for comedy. His one act play “Are The Lights Still On In Paris?”, written in 2006 and first performed in Philadelphia in 2007, is concluding its three-performance run on Thursday, May 8 at 7 p.m. in the Jewish Cultural Arts (JCAT) production at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center in North Miami Beach.
The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton is wrapping up its 2024-2025 season much the way it opened this year’s five-show performance roster. That is, with a rousing tribute to a legendary star. The first show at the Wick paid homage to the comic prowess and enduring legacy of funnyman Groucho Marx.
Thousands of fans of ‘Beetlejuice’ came to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami on opening night dressed in attire resembling their favorite characters from the comic horror 1988 “Beetlejuice” film to rejoice in a two act musical version of the cult film. They left dazzled because of the impressive work of the cast, costume and scenic designer and the quality of the music.
I’ll admit it: as I walked into The Island Theatre at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, maybe I was a little afraid of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? After all, I had already heard so much about this snappy, sharp-edged exploration of the facades people put forth—both to those around them, and sometimes even to themselves. The award-winning 1962 play, penned by Edward Albee and directed here by J. Barry Lewis, has received critical acclaim spanning decades. The story has even inspired multiple stage adaptations, as well as a 1966 film adaptation starring a real-life married couple who certainly knew a thing or two about tumultuous relationships themselves—Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. All of this is to say, I wondered whether Virginia Woolf would live up to everything I had heard about, whether I would enjoy it as much as so many other theatergoers have. Needless to say, I had nothing to fear—The Island Theatre’s production of this iconic play had me utterly captivated from the very first line!
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.
The Kravis Center has had a relentlessly fantastic Broadway lineup for its 2024-2025 season, and the one currently making all the local headlines in Palm Beach County is Les Misérables, a darling favorite for lovers of musical theater. Having been a fan of this show for many years, this was actually my first time getting to see Les Mis as a Broadway production, so I knew it was one I couldn’t miss. Even though I wasn’t feeling my best, I knew red, the blood of angry men, would brighten me up, and I was greeted with a show of the greatest level of production quality one can reach.
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.
No matter how many times you happen to have seen Hamlet, odds are likely low that you have ever seen anything like Fat Ham. And, assuming you are lucky enough to snag a highly sought after ticket, you would be missing out on a genuinely good time if you choose not to indulge in this delicious morsel of a BBQ-meets-Shakespeare tale at Wilton Manors’ Island City Stage, where it will be playing until only this May 4th.
