Mondays are Dark

Twitter is burning up with missives from people attending The Donkey Show at the Arsht Center, but the hottest ticket in South Florida is The Fantasticks at Palm Beach Dramaworks, which tweeted that the musical is almost sold out for the next eight days.  Not surprising, considering that it's the longest-running musical in history.

Via email, the Palm Beach Theatre Guild informs us that they've made a cash offer to lease the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, with "no response from lessor or owner."  We don't know when they made the offer, or how much it was for. Our advice to the Sterling Group; take the offer, and let the PBTG succeed or fail.

Just a reminder that Conundrum Stages's
weekly Ghost Light Playreading Series continues this Tuesday at Empire
Stage. And don't forget you can indulge in the Theatre League's A Taste of Summer Theatre.

The Hits Keep Coming
BroadwayWorld reports that Burt Reynolds spent the weekend with Glenn R. Wilder holding a stunt workshop at the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre (BRIFT).

Reynolds... recalled his recent stint on the hit tv show Burn Notice. Wilder coordinated the stunts for the show because, according to Reynolds, "I wanted to beat him up again. I’ve been beating him up forever."

We're glad they're friends.

What DC's Got That We Ain't Got
The Drama Queen sums it up after a visit to Washington DC's Arena Stage; we ain't got a regional theatre sending productions to Broadway.  Sure, we have theatre as good as anywhere in the world, and we have South Florida talent all over the world's stages, and yes, even scrappy little companies like New Theatre have commissioned plays that are produced across the country, but no one's sending their actual productions to The Great White Way.

From Donkeys to Dogs & Ponies
The Examiner fills us in on the latest project from Mad Cat Theatre: The Hamlet Dog & Pony Show, opening this week at the awkward to type The Light Box At Goldman Warehouse.  It's another re-interpretation of a Shakespeare classic show, although we suspect there will be a lot less disco.

We're Tops
...or at least, amongst the top.  The Stage Door over in Naples brags that their Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall made the top 25 in world wide ticket sales in Pollstar Magazine's Report for mid-year 2012.  But two South Florida venues rank in the Top Ten; the Kravis Center came in at Number 6, and the Broward Center came in at Number Ten.

Storm Damage
The Palm Beach Daily News reports that The Kravis Center has settled with their insurance company regarding damage from hurricanes Jeanne and Frances back in 2004.

The Kravis, which sought $29 million in damages, alleged that the delay increased the risk to the property beyond the amount for which it was originally insured.

Meanwhile, The Miami Herald reports that the Miami-Dade County Commission has agreed to cough up $5 million towards Arsht Center repairs. A storm drain failed during a May thunderstorm. 

Commissioners agreed that the money needed to be released quickly so the repairs could be completed before the center’s next season starts in October. But many sounded unhappy about pouring more money into an already expensive building.

The funds cover the deductible as well as a forensic examination to determine if the failure was due to shoddy materials or workmanship.  We'll see if the Arsht Center also has to fight for 8 years to get its claim settled.

Burning the Golden Goose

Miami Today News

reports that the Miami City Commission has decided that Miami needs a park more than the TV show Burn Notice.

...the show employss about 150 people, spends $25 million in Miami and pays $240,000 a year to the city, an amount TVM productions says it is willing to increase if commissioners allow them to stay the extra year.

Commissioner Sarnoff is behind the move, just the latest bone-headed scheme to thwart arts and  entertainment in Coconut Grove.  As Michelle Spence stated:

"I support 100% the green space, and I am excited that it is moving in that direction," she said of Mr. Sarnoff's plan. But "if we have business happening right here in the heart of the Grove… what is the issue with giving them another year?"

But apparently the City Commission believes that Miami doesn't need those jobs, or the tens of millions of dollars the production spends in Miami while filming each year; they voted not to renew the company's lease.