Mosaic has its own blog!

Mosaic Theatre has its own blog, TILES. Mosaic's founder and Artistic Director Richard Jay Simon is its author.

Inspired by the behavior of some recent audiences, he's set out to improve theater patrons' understanding of etiquette:

"I have seen zero Patron Education down here and it’s going to start right now"

He has a point; there's not a performance that goes uninterrupted by chirps, blips and symphonic samples from someone's cel phone.

Back in the 80's, it was beepers; etiquette then was for patrons to leave the beeper in the box office; if it went off, an usher would come and gently tap you on the shoulder, and you'd leave the auditorium to respond to it. Of course, back then it was mostly doctors who used pagers, or other "on call" professionals. But that practice has fallen into disuse, and everyone and their child has a cel phone, and they can't seem to turn them off for even brief periods.

In case you're wondering, yes, I did invite Richard Jay to blog here, but never received a response. The door's still open, and I don't mind if it's select posts from Tiles. The more of us that are talking, the more likely we are to find someone to listen.

Best of luck, and welcome to the Blogosphere!

Fresh Perspective

While doing some research, I found a young theater lover who reviews some of the productions she sees. Her blog is called Groundlings, and she's tagged all her theatre-oriented posts. Not only is she an aspiring performer, she has a few very well-written reviews up. Hard to believe she's twelve.

Welcome to the Theatre Scene, Dara. Keep going to theatre, and keep talking about it!

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Last Shows of 2007

It's been a banner year for theater here in South Florida; with premiers of plays, musicals and even entire theaters, we've had a cultural bumper crop.

So, what can you see to cap off the year of South Florida Theatre? Here's a short list of what's playing this final weekend of 2007:

The Caldwell Theater initiated its new home with John Patrick Shanley's DOUBT. Michael Hall directs a stellar cast that includes Pat Nesbitt and Terrell Hardcastle; there is no doubt at all about how good it is.

Florida Stage is offering up an adaptation of a rare Mark Twain story: A Murder, A Mystery, and A Marriage continues its run through January 13, 2008. They are located in Manalapan, see their web site for directions and show times.


New Vista Theatre is ambitious: not only are they running Funny Girl through Sunday at the West Boca Performing Arts Center in Boca Raton, they are also running Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale through January 6th. Funny Girl closes this weekend, but Jaque Brel will play Boca Raton from January 17 through February 3rd.

If you're down in the Keys, you can catch Gore Vidal's The Best Man at the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West. It runs throught January 12, 2008.

Palm Beach Dramaworks offers The Fourth Wall through February 3rd. This A.R. Gurney play is directed by perennial South Florida favorite, J. Barry Lewis. Dramaworks is located in downtown West Palm Beach.

If you're looking for something to do with the kids, Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater has one more performance of their musical adaptation of Madeline's Christmas on Saturday, at 2pm. The Bemelmans tale comes to life as Madeline does her best to save Christmas for Miss Clavell and the twelve little girls in two straight lines.

Last and by no means least, GableStage is opening The Little Dog Laughed this Saturday at their intimate space at the Biltmore Hotel. And not only are the opening just in time for 2008, they're offering a special New Year's Eve performance at 9pm, followed by a Champagne Supper in the Biltmore's Ballroom. And if that's a lot of action for you, you can stay right there at the hote; the Biltmore is offering special room rates to GableStage patrons for the evening.

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Palm Beach Post Presents "The Hapsters"

Hap Erstein published his top picks for 2007 in Sunday's Palm Beach Post. Along with his ten choices for the best of 2007, he had some...other...categories, including Best Title for a Flaccid Play and Lowest Artistic Aspirations for a New Play. See his article for THOSE award winners.

But his top ten are:

1. 'A House With No Walls,' Florida Stage

Philadelphia writer Thomas Gibbons scored big with his third straight thought-provoking drama on racial themes, looking at the political spin we place on history, in a crackling production led by coolly cerebral Karen Stephens.

2. 'Man of La Mancha,' Maltz Jupiter

Director Peter Flynn decided against a revisionist take on this musical classic from the idealistic '60s, and none was needed, for this musical biography of Cervantes and his masterwork, Don Quixote, still cast a spell on the audience.

3. 'Marc Salem's Mind Games,' Kravis Center

A low-key contemporary vaudevillian's act of apparent audience mind-reading still confounds us to this day - how did he do that? - and we will be back for more befuddlement when he returns the first week of January.

4. 'Melt,' New Theatre

Davie playwright Michael McKeever's best script yet, a tale of six intertwined characters in today's multicultural Miami, an epic tale inventively staged on this company's tiny stage.

5. 'Side by Side by Sondheim,' Palm Beach Dramaworks

Begin with the early songbook of the reigning composer-lyricist of Broadway, and you have a head start to a great evening, but a top-notch ensemble and the musical direction of Craig Ames made it even more sublime.

6. 'Lieutenant of Inishmore,' GableStage

Ireland's master of mayhem ups the gore content and the comedy level in this riotous fable of Irish rebels who can't shoot straight, in a blood-spattered production featuring a scene-stealing black cat.

7. 'According to Goldman,' Florida Stage

A glib morality tale about the screenwriting game from Hollywood veteran Bruce Graham, about a writing instructor who encounters an unusually savvy student in this twist on All About Eve.

8. 'Trying,' Palm Beach Dramaworks

Maybe Joanna Glass' portrait of former attorney general Francis Biddle in his final year of life is not a great play, but Peter Haig made it a superb evening of theater, an intimation of our collective mortality.

9. 'Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life,' Kravis Center

At 74, the star of West Side Story, Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman redefined ageless, touring with her Broadway career biography, reminding us how few performers dedicate their lives to the theater anymore.

10. 'Pericles,' Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival

Director-actor Kevin Crawford selected one of the Bard's lesser, action-packed potboilers then uncharacteristically delivered a straightforward production that was accessible and involving, one of the company's best outings in years.

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The Herald's list of Notable South Florida Theatre events

The Miami Herald published its most notable events of 2007 this past Christmas Eve. And as one would hope, the South Florida theatre scene had its moments, as enumerated by the Heralds' theatre reviewer, Christine Dolen:

• Quick and impressive: November's 24-Hour Theatre Project, produced by the Naked Stage and involving a wide spectrum of South Florida talent, proved the theater community has the chops and the gifted playwrights to create, rehearse and present six plays in only a day.

• Overcoming its title: With a name like Urinetown,
  it's a wonder that any theater produces this nifty satire on political
  corruption and musicals themselves; nonetheless, an Actors' Playhouse
  cast full of superb voices did the show proud in October.

• Mideast conflict: April should have seen three one-person shows about women in the Middle East: Golda's Balcony at GableStage, Nine Parts of Desire at the Mosaic Theatre and My Name is Rachel Corrie at Mosaic; the first two got impressive productions, but protests against the ever-controversial Rachel Corrie convinced artistic director Richard Jay Simon to pull the play.

• Irish eyes: GableStage continued its way with Martin McDonagh's bloody, darkly funny plays in its August production of The Lieutenant of Inishmore, a piece involving a wayward cat, a too-attached terrorist and some blinded bad guys.

• New works rule: In March,
  Manalapan's Florida Stage inaugurated its festival devoted to readings
  of new plays (including one co-authored by Tarell McCraney), with
  several landing on this season's schedule; Coral Gables' New Theatre
  has also jumped enthusiastically on the new works bandwagon.

• Languishing playhouse: Despite occasional bursts of
  news and ongoing work by its remaining board, the historic Coconut
  Grove Playhouse remains a dark, decaying shell of the once-great
  theater that shut down more than a year and a half ago -- and more than
  $4 million in debt.

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SIGHTINGS: The Miracle Theater

The Miracle Theater on Coral Gable's Miracle Mile is home to Actors' Playhouse. A national landmark, it's featured in many photographs.

But Coconut Grove Grapevine has a photo of the creation of a painting of the Art Moderne
treasure, crafted by Jeffrey Passage.

Photo from Coconut Grove Grapvine

More Shows for Kids this Weekend

Playground Theatre also has several shows this weekend; it's presenting The Steadfast Tin Soldier at the Byron Carlysle Theatre in Miami Beach.


Hans Christian Andersen gives a peek into the playroom after the children go to sleep. See a brave toy soldier risk everything for the love of a beautiful ballerina.

Shows are:

Sat, Dec 22	11am
Sat, Dec 22	3pm
Sun, Dec 23	3pm

The Byron Carlyle Theater is at 500 71st Street in Miami Beach. Call 305-751-9550 x223 for tickets, or go HERE.

Nightingale, Pierrot, Doll, Piggy Bank, and Tin Soldier
Played by Valerie Stanford, Stephanie Ansin, Melissa Almaguer, John Page, and Meshaun Labrone Arnold



Adapted and Directed by Vyatcheslav Dolgachev
Translated by Aleksandr Kheyfets
Set & Costume Design by Margarita Demianova
Lighting Design by S. Ryan Schmidt

Spend Christmas Eve in Paris

"In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines
Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines
- the smallest one was Madeline."

With the calendar placing Christmas on a Tuesday, it's going to be a looooooong weekend of antici.....PAtion. Already out of school, the kids will have three days at loose ends to repeat the endless query "Can we open some presents NOW?!?"

So Actors' Playhouse is coming to the rescue; there will be two additional performances of it's holiday offering Madeline's Christmas. Take your children away from the temptations of a tree surrounded by unopened presents, and spend an hour or so in Paris with Miss Clavell and the girls.
There will be a 5pm performance on Sunday, December 23. There will also be a special performance on Christmas Eve, at 7:00pm.

Tickets are available on the Actors' Playhouse website, or by calling 305-444-9293

Madeline's Christmas
By Ludwig Bemelmans
book and lyrics by Jennifer Kirkeby
music by Shirley Mier
Directed by Earl Maulding
Costumes by Ananda Keator
Sets by Christopher Jahn
Lights by Patrick Tennent

Miami has a Shakespearean Company

Somehow this company completely slipped under my radar; I don't know who they are, how they got started, or anyone involved with the project.

But they're doing MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING this January over in Coconut Grove's Peacock Park.

Perusing their website, I think they're a community theatre group. But an ambitious community theatre group.

Hey, it's Shakespeare in the park!

(tip o' the hat to the Grapevine for the lead)

Caldwell's Castle

Caldwell has opened its new theater in Boca Raton. Named for their chief benefactress' late husband, The Count de Hoernle Theatre is a veritable palace. It's a major step up for one of the region's major theatre companies.

The company was created in 1975 at the suggestion of the man who invented the rubber dustpan (and founder of Rubbermaid), James R. Caldwell. A retiree to Boca Raton, he persuaded the College of Boca Raton (now known as Lynn University) to let the company use its small auditorium, some office space, and 6 dorm rooms. He also urged his fellow Boca Ratonians (Ratonites?) to throw in their support. Within four years, the "Caldwell Playhouse" had 3,000 subscribers and won its first Carbonnell Award.

"To finally have our own home, even though we have to pay for it, gives us stability,"
- Michael Hall

I remember their second space, located in a downtown shopping mall. The developers of Mizner Park helped the company set up its third "temporary" home in the Levitz Furniture Plaza. The plan was to continue producing plays - and raising funds - until the new mall was finished and the theater could move in. That never happened, and they remained in their "temporary" home for nearly two decades.

"...suddenly, we're not hidden away in a crumbling mall."
- Michael Hall

Their new space is their own building. After 32 years of making do, Artistic Director Michael Hall made sure his company's new home would have room to prepare and to perform, and clear sightlines for the audiences to see the show.

As he told the Sun-Sentinel's Mary Damiano, "That was the most important thing to me. I told them I would sacrifice more seats for total visibility."

Of his larger space; a stage with full wing space and plenty of headroom, and a rehearsal hall larger than many area theaters: "It will allow me to consider plays that require a two- or three-story set, plays that have moving scenery."

Did he worry about the larger space? He told Jan Sjostrom of the Palm Beach Daily News that "It's absolute fear to build a building this big, with all the things that are required by code and all the things that suddenly pop up that no one told you about. Suddenly, the seats came, and it was like this is a dream come true."

The first review is in; Christine Dolen attended the opening of their premier production of John Patrick Shanley's Doubt. Of the Caldwell's new home, she wrote:

"The Count de Hoernle Theatre is the Caldwell's fourth home, increasing its seating capacity by 27 (though the 332-seat space feels much larger). Each of its previous theaters opened with a comedy; Doubt, though it sometimes inspires been-to-Catholic-school laughter, showcases the company's formidable dramatic chops with layered work from its powerful cast."
- Christine Dolen, Miami Herald

Doubt plays through January 6th. Tickets available online or by phone.

Caldwell Theatre Company
7873 N. Federal Highway
Boca Raton, FL 33487

Box Office (561) 241-7432 or Toll Free (877) 245-7432



Additional Stuff:
A video of the opening ceremony is available at the Boca Raton News website.
A slideshow of the space is available at the Palm Beach Post site.

Behind the scenes: Actors' Playhouse at the Tree Lighting

Earl Maulding gives a few last minute notes to The Miracles before they perform...

Like, make sure your shoes are tied

Twelve little girls in two straight lines; the smalles one is Madeline!

Madeline and the other girls from
Miss Clavel's Academy are doing just fine.

Madeline's Christmas runs through December 24th at the Miracle Theater, with special shows on December 23 at 5pm and a 7pm Christmas Eve performance.

Visit the Actors' Playhouse website for ticket information, or call 305-444-9293

Coral Gables Tree Lighting

The Musical Miracles and the cast of Madeline's Christmas will be performing outside of Coral Gables City Hall as part of the Tree Lighting Ceremony, according to Actors' Playhouse. Madeline's Christmas is the holiday offering for children at The Miracle Theater, and the Miracles are sponsored by the Playhouse.

The Musical Miracles is a talented troupe of youth who audition to be part of a year-round intensive musical training program under the direction of the Actors' Playhouse Educational Director. They gain experience developing careers in musical theatre, admittance into magnet schools, casting in television commercials, and as performers in productions demanding youth actors at Actors’ Playhouse. Visit their MySpace page to see their performance schedule.

Madeline’s Christmas is a delightful musical based on the popular Madeline book series by Ludwig Bemelmans. "In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.” With this classic storybook line, the audience enters the world of Madeline’s Christmas. It plays through December 24th at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater, with special performances on December 23rd and Christmas Eve. Details and tickets available online.


The ceremony is Friday, December 7 in Merrick Park, beginning at 5 p.m. Merrick Park is transformed into a winter wonderland offering lots of activities for the family from 5-10 p.m. including carnival games, trackless train, face painting, candy land and more.

At 7 p.m., members of the City Commission will welcome the arrival of Santa Claus and will turn on the light switch for the gigantic holiday tree outside City Hall.

This evening, children can take pictures with the old bearded fellow dressed in red from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. After this day, Merrick Park will be open from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. every day until December 23. Come take pictures with Santa on Thursdays and Fridays from 5-10 p.m. or Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m.


For additional information, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 305-460-5600.

2nd Annual 1st Stage New Works Festival

March 2-4, 2008

1st STAGE: 2nd Annual New Works Festival In its continuing efforts to inspire and develop new work Florida Stage presents its 2nd Annual New Works Festival. Join us for 6 playreadings read over 2 days, a playwrights' panel discussion, artist receptions, the sun, the surf, and so much more...

Featuring:

NILO CRUZ (Anna in the Tropics, A Bicycle Country)
Interpreter of Desire
The Pulitzer Prize-winner returns to Florida Stage with a poetic drama of lost love in 1960s Cuba.

JEFFREY HATCHER (Ella, Stage Beauty)
GI Gay
Jeffrey Hatcher confronts the controversial topic of gays in the military.

WILLIAM MASTROSIMONE (Benedict Arnold, Extremities)
Dirty Business
The true story of a party girl caught between a mafia capo and the President of the United States.

CHRISTOPHER McGOVERN (Backwards in High Heels, Lizzie Borden)
A Crash in Roswell
In this new musical, a family is caught up in the otherworldly events of July 1947.

MARCO RAMIREZ (Mister Beast, I Am Not Batman)
Macon City
The lines blur between the comic book panel and the theatrical stage.

And a sixth reading to be announced...

Keynote speaker is Pulitzer Prize-winning
playwright, Marsha Norman.

Special Packages Available for Theatre Professionals.

For tickets call the box office at:

(561) 585-3433 (inside Palm Beach County)
(800) 514-3837 (outside Palm Beach County)

www.floridastage.org/festival

The Long and Winding Road to Florida Stage's Next Show

The upcoming Florida Stage production of A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage is based on a Mark Twain Story of the same name. But this is no Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer.

This story was originally a gimmick that Twain pitched to his longtime friend, William Dean Howells, editor of The Atlantic Monthly. Twain would write a bare-bones plot but wouldn't write an ending. In his "blindfold novelette" concept, other writers would create their own endings for the story. He hoped to get contributions from noted authors like Henry James, Bret Harte, and William Dean Howells (a noted writer of the day). These endings would be published in The Atlantic Monthly.

"If we could ring in one or two towering names beside your own,we wouldn't have to beg the lesser fry very hard."
- Mark Twain, in a letter to William Dean Howells.

This was an idea that had never been tried before. Now, of course, there have been several similar collaborations; South Florida's own Miami Herald produced Naked Came The Manatee, which featured Carl Hiaasen, Elmore Leonard, James W. Hall, Edna Buchanan, Les Standiford, Paul Levine, Brian Antoni, Tananarive Due, John Dufresne, Vicki Hendricks, Carolina Hospital, and Evelyn Mayerson. But Twain was there first.

Well, almost. Unfortunately, no one else wanted to collaborate on the project.

"I see where the trouble lies. The various authors dislike trotting in procession behind me." - Mark Twain, in a letter to William Dean Howells..

Twain wrote his own version of the story in two days. He hesitated in showing it to Howells, and even noted that it was ""Not Original. God said the same of another Creation." He did tell Howells that his wife liked it. "'Good;' pretty strong language - for her."

He didn't give up his idea; he tried peddling it to other magazines, and even tried tinkering with the basic structure. But after his death in 1910, it remained largely forgotten. It wound up in the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center in Austin, Texas. Patrick E. Martin, a lawyer who represents the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, (which owns the manuscript to "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,") heard about the forgotten story in the mid 1990's. He acquired the rights to publish the novelette "the way Twain wanted, as a contest." The Atlantic, appropriately, got the first rights to run the serial. The magazine finally published it in June of 2001, one hundred and twenty five years after Twain first proposed it.

The serial caught the imaginations of Aaron Posner and James Sugg. While a melodrama can make for a challenged read, it lends itself perfectly to the musical theatre form. Their musical has received the kind of praise that the story it is based on never did.

Their musical adaptation was first produced at Maryland's Round House Theatre, a production that garnered reave reviews and a nomination for the Charles McArthur Award for Outstanding Play or Musical. It had a similar reception at the Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington, Delaware, where it was nominated for a Barrymore Award.

A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marraige runs December 7 through January 13 at Florida Stage. 282 South Ocean Blvd, Manalapan, FL, 33462 561-585-3433, 800-514-3837

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