Mondays are Dark

This week's "dark" theater is a venue that has been dark for awhile, but is about to re-open under new management.  The Countess De Hoernle's name remains on the exterior of the building, but it's now the home of The Wick Theater.

We'll be the first to admit that we've been doubtful, but now the names are starting to surface, and they are the right names: James Danford is stage managing their first production, Lourelene Snedeker is cast as the Mother Abbess, and Michael Leeds and Norb Joerder are scheduled to direct shows later in the season.

Let's Start With The Wick

Did you think it was a coincidence that we featured The Wick?  They recently hosted an event to woo the former Caldwell patrons, and it was attended by local press - and Jan McArt.  Florida Theater On Stage delves into the business plan of The Wick, and posts a slide show.  Meanwhile The Examiner (or Broadway Global, or Theater Chat, or whoever Richard Cameron is trying to be this week) spent more time detailing the upcoming productions. The Palm Beach Post was also there, but virtually everything is behind their pay wall.  So if you're a subscriber, click through, if not, don't bother.  Boca Magazine published three paragraphs, but didn't make last week's event.  Palm Beach ArtsPaper spoke with Marilyn Wick last month, and you can read the whole thing free.

Speaking of Palm Beach

BroadwayWorld reminds us that Palm Beach Dramaworks will open its production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men on October 11.  J. Barry Lewis directs a cast that includes John Leonard Thompson(George), Brendan Titley (Lennie), Paul Bodie, Cliff Burgess, Frank Converse, Dennis Creaghan, Betsy Graver, Christopher Halladay, Wayne Steadman, and Ricky Waugh.

Live, from Not Quite Doral...

The Sun-Sentinel reports that New Theatre has cast Miami Marlin's president David Samson in their upcoming premiere of Not Ready For Primetime, a play about the beginnings of Saturday Night Live.  Samson will portray the show's producer, Lorne Michaels.

They Should Do Gypsy

BroadwayWorld reports that Boca Raton Theatre Guild will be mixing it up this season, mounting productions at several venues, including its usual home, the Willow Theater.  But they're also doing shows at The Studio at Mizner Park, The Township Center in Coconut Creek, and  Andrews Living Arts Studios.  They'll kick off with They're Playing our Song in early November, then it's Marilyn: Forever Blonde in late November, Respect opens in December, Pippin in January, David Mamet's The Anarchist in February, and Everyday Rapture in April.   

Photos from Jupiter

From the town in Palm Beach County, not the planet.  The Palm Beach Post's community blog has an update on the renovations and additions being done on The Maltz Jupiter Theatre - including a photo.

Congratulations - GET OUT.

Last year, Washington DC's Shakespeare Theatre Company was honored with the Regional Theatre Tony Award.  Now, the Washington Post reports that they are struggling to stay in their home, the Landsburgh Theater.  It seems their landlord, who sought the company out back when they were developing their building, now wants 6 times the rent.  It seems they were only required to foster a theater in its building for 20 years.  And now that the time is up, they want that space back.  It's a cautionary tale for those seeking to redevelop The Coconut Grove Playhouse.

Want to Work in the Wings?

Florida Theater On Stage fills us in on the Stage Production program at Sheridan Technical Institute; it's designed to train stagehands for professional theater.

Save the NEA's Budget

Once again, Congress is talking about slashing the budget of the National Endowment of the Arts.  It's important to understand that NEA grants are actually a lynchpin for fundraising.  In other words, the money that will be lost is not just the NEA grant.  Most companies receive MATCHING grants; for every dollar they get from the NEA, they may raise as much as NINE dollars.  So if the proposed cut of $71 million goes through, the loss to the Arts will actually exceed $630 million.  This will savage the arts industry, and will also leave a gaping hole in the local economies of the companies in question.  The Arts tends to have a ten-fold effect on the economy; for every dollar spent on the arts, ten dollars of economic stimulus occurs.  Name another industry that does THAT.  Please sign the petition.