Palm Beach Dramaworks co-founders to receive prestigious honor
Photo by Curtis Brown Photography William Hayes and Sue Ellen Beryl In December 2000, in a rundown, soon-to-be-demolished theatre at Palm Beach Atlantic University, a new nonprofit theatre company staged its first-ever production. Its apt title: Greetings! Starting out with a shoestring budget of $10,000 — which included...
It’s showtime: ‘Beetlejuice’ blends weirdness, whimsy, and a whole lot of heart
Photo by Matthew Murphy The titular character (Justin Collete) appears in a scene from an equity national touring production of Beetlejuice the Musical. By AARON KRAUSE Beetlejuice the Musical may resemble a freaky carnival or haunted house, but at its core, the show is about a lonely, grieving...
Acting amazes in Miami New Drama’s world premiere of imperfect ‘Birthright’
Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography Arielle Goldman and Hale Appleman appear in a scene from Miami New Drama’s world premiere production of Jonathan Spector’s Birthright. By AARON KRAUSE Multiple times, the lights go out in a room with a hot tub in Miami New Drama’s (MIND) impressively naturalistic professional...
New City Players imbues ‘All My Sons’ with skill, heart
Photo by Ryan Arnst Timothy Mark Davis, Laura Turnbull, and Michael Gioia appear in a scene from New City Players’ production of All My Sons. By AARON KRAUSE The opening scene of New City Players’ (NCP) first-rate professional production of Arthur Miller’s tragic masterpiece, All My Sons, is appropriately...
‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ heats things up in South Florida co-production
Photo courtesy of Empire Stage Tension exists between Williamson (Matthew Schenk) and Levene (Michael H. Small) in a South Florida co-production of David Mamet’s powerful play Glengarry Glen Ross. By AARON KRAUSE If Matthew Schenk’s eyes grew any wider and icier, they might unleash daggers. I mean that as...
With a new year comes readings of new plays
South Florida residents and visitors will have several chances this month and in April to help develop new work for live theater. First, Palm Beach Dramaworks (PBD) will hold its annual Perlberg Festival of New Plays from Friday, Jan. 17 through Sunday, Jan. 19. The venue is the professional,...
Palm Beach Dramaworks’ remount of ‘The Dresser’ is stirring entertainment
Photo by Curtis Brown Colin McPhillamy, as Sir (front) and Bill Hayes as Norman (back, left) lead the cast of Palm Beach Dramaworks’ remount of ‘The Dresser’ By AARON KRAUSE In Ronald Harwood’s touching 1980 backstage drama, The Dresser, the familiar and perhaps unfamiliar merge to form a humorous,...
‘The Dresser,’ a human story offering a peak backstage, to open at Palm Beach Dramaworks
Photo by Curtis Brown Photography Bill Hayes (standing) plays Norman, the dresser for Actor-Manager Sir (Colin McPhillamy) By AARON KRAUSE While Ronald Harwood’s celebrated play The Dresser offers a backstage glimpse of live theater, ultimately the piece is not about the art form, according to Bill Hayes. “It is...
Modern version of ‘The Fantasticks’ soars at Island City Stage
Photo by Matthew Tippins Kevin Hincapie and Jonny Lee played lovers in Island City Stage’s production of an LGBTQ rewrite of The Fantasticks. By AARON KRAUSE Whether it’s between a man and a woman, two men, two women, two robots, or two animals, love is love. A modern version...
PBD: Get lost in award-winning ‘Lost in Yonkers’
By AARON KRAUSE When you hear the name Neil Simon, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is comedy. Indeed, the late great playwright’s early work is most notable for, among other things, snappy one-liners. But Simon’s talent extends beyond his ability to make people laugh. This is...