Mondays are Dark

We're well into summer now, as you can tell by the hot, humid, sultry slap in the face you get whenever you step outside.  SMACK!  It's SUMMER!  Which means that you can take a chance on Summerfest Free Night.  Or at least indulge in A Taste of Summer Theatre.

Here is your reading list for the week with the Fourth of July in it.

Fantastick Memory
In 1985, Florida Governor Bob Graham took to the stage to play Hucklebee in the Florida Repertory Theatre production of The Fantasticks.  That stage now belongs to Palm Beach Dramaworks, and The Palm Beach Daily News talks to Mr. Graham about his experience with the show, slated to open at Dramaworks next week.

Getting in the Spirit
Florida Theater On Stage reports that Conundrum Stages will be bringing back the weekly play readings for the summer.  The Ghost Light Series starts July 10, and will play each Tuesday.

On Your Mark, Get Set....
...oh, wait, never mind, it's not THAT kind of Race.  The Miami Theater Examiner and the Miracle Theatre Examiner both tell us about Race, opening this week at GableStage.

New Theatre and New Playwrights
New Theatre is holding a fundraiser this weekend, and Florida Theater On Stage tells us about the smorgasbord of theatrical talent involved.

Spray It With Love
The venerable community theatre Lake Worth Playhouse is set to open Hairspray this week; The Miracle Theatre Examiner gives us some history of the show, while BroadwayWorld actually tells us about this production.  It's directed by Clayton Phillips, who has directed several hit musicals at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre.

Speaking of the Jupiter Theatre
BroadwayWorld reports that the Maltz Jupiter Theatre has broken yet another record for the venue built by Burt Reynolds; they now have 7,350 subscribers.  It's counter to national trends.

“According to the Theatre Communications Group, the average number of subscribers at regional theaters across the country has declined over the last five years,” said Jennifer Sardone-Shiner, the Theatre’s director of marketing. “We are very proud to be an exception and to have reached this milestone in attendance.”

Living in a Digital World
The Boston Globe sits in on the recent Theatre Communications Group conference that was held there in good ol' Beantown.

The question that no conference could resolve and that still lacks a ready answer is how far theaters can go in embracing new methods without jeopardizing their own values, tastes, and mission. As anyone who works in the newspaper, publishing, or music industries could tell them, there’s really no script to follow when you’re utterly transforming your business model while simultaneously running for your life.

The Problem with Posterity
Parabasis examines an offhand remark about the worth of theatre criticism and runs with it.

First off,  just to address a brief misunderstanding (or talkingpasting) what my friend meant by "largely correct" was "reflects what audiences are likely to think of the shows."  The critical hits are generally well regarded, the plays that are slammed are generally disliked and the controversial shows are.... well, controversial.

Still, there's something else that Jack's getting at here that I think is interesting, and that's the idea of posterity. Or, you might say, The Durable Vs. Disposable.

Final Bow
The Miami Herald reports that philanthropist and grand patron of the arts Lynn Wolfson has died.

At the time of her death, Wolfson was or had served on the board of trustees for the Miami City Ballet, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts Foundation, and the Platinum Circle of the Greater Miami Opera. She was also co-founder and president of the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation.

She will be missed, but not forgotten.