Though Suki Lopez’s first performing arts passion was for dancing, it didn’t take her long to catch the musical theatre bug. “Throughout my childhood I was very focused on ballet and I did summer programs with ABT and Joffrey and all that…it was actually, one of my trips to New York for these summer programs that I sort of fell in love with Broadway and was like oh wait, I can do this… so I kind of switched gears in high school and shifted my focus,” she explains.
Sixteen months ago, the Actors’ Playhouse in Coral Gables was primed, rehearsed and ready to present Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot. Artistic boss David Arisco had settled into the director’s chair. Dave Nagy was eager to direct the musical score. Lights, sound, sets, props, even fight choreography, were on track.
An excited Leah Marie Sessa – a singer/actress with acknowledged vocal excellence and talent capable of modulating from light comedy to heavy drama — was prepared to step forward as Lady Elaine of Astolat, an innocent maiden who falls deeply in love with Sir Lancelot.
The Theater Up Close series at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami will celebrate its tenth anniversary this fall, with five new productions mounted by two local theater companies — including one world premiere and two South Florida premieres.
Any celebration of our American Independence Day would be incomplete without an acknowledgement of the many brave men who have risked their lives to keep our country safe and free—and that’s exactly what The Andrews Sisters inspired South Florida harmony group The Victory Dolls is all about. Their repertoire of World War II era hits and vintage looks bring a little slice of history to life for a new generation,while bringing those who do remember that time a much appreciated portal to their past.
Just over a half-century since its 1967 inception, the 1,100-seat Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale is now in the final stages of an ambitious $30 million renovation project that began a little over two years ago. With the grand reopening, the venue will also change its name to simply, The Parker.
Our Fund Foundation has made it their mission to support an arts community that has been largely neglected in the past. However, The LGBTQ+ community has come a long way from where they first started, especially the South Florida Society of LGBTQ+ Arts because of organizations like Our Fund leading the way. Founded in 2010 by a board of committed advocates, Our Fund focuses on areas that need the most aid through community assessments – primarily in the areas of health and wellness, social justice, and cultural needs of LGBTQ+ Arts in Florida. They award over $1 million annually to non-profit companies that hold the same missions.
This month’s blog is going to be a bit on the short and sweet side. I am directing the summer camp at the Delray Beach Playhouse, and our musical, Elf Jr. The Musical, is moving along full steam ahead! We are only in our second full week of camp, but these kiddos have already stolen a big piece of my heart.
Witold. Izabela. Natalia. Dominika. My father, mother, sister and me.
When my sister and I were little, we realized our initials spelled wind in age order and ever since, it’s just been our family thing. But we’ll get there… for now let’s rewind to Poland circa mid 1900’s, where my family (as I know it) really began.
If you’re new here, Hi! I’m Bridget! (I will keep the introduction short and sweet since this is my THIRD blog post and you should know ALL about me by now.) However, in case you are late to the blog game you can get to know more about me and my family in my last blog post here…
“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore to be happy.”
As of today, I have now been fully vaccinated for over a month, and, in many ways, it’s everything I expected it to be. A visit from a New York grad school friend spiraled into a spur of the moment road trip, and the slow return of full-fledged in-person theatre has been downright marvelous to behold.
