Beau Higgins - Page 99

Paul Romero plays 'the Guy' and has worked extensively in regional theatre across the country and on television on programs like Spin City, Law & Order, 100 Centre Street, Chappelle's Show, All My Children, Guiding Light and several late night talk shows. Ashley Puckett Gonzales, who portrays Karol, has many regional credits, including locally at the Jupiter Maltz Theatre as Kathy in 'Full Monty,' has been seen in the 30th Anniversary national tour of 'Annie' and does voice over work for a handful of programs on Cartoon Network. Both actors are making their Gulfshore Playhouse debut.

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, the fantasmagorical Broadway musical, launches its First National Tour at Ft. Lauderdale's Broward Center for the Performing Arts for a limited two week run November 19 through November 30, 2008.

Although written in 1952, 'The Chairs' did not run on Broadway until 1998, earning several Tony Award nominations. One of Ionesco's most popular plays, 'The Chairs' was first performed in Paris. It was soon praised for its unique style and became a defining example of Theatre of the Absurd - a literary philosophy that emphasized the absurdity and futility of the human condition.

Paul Rudnick is the playwright who wrote Jeffrey, The New Century and I Hate Hamlet. He also wrote the screenplays for In and Out, Adam's Family Values, and Sister Act. He is the winner of The Outer Critics Circle Award for his play Poor Little Lambs and The Obie Award and the John Gasner Playwrighting Award for Jeffrey. He has written two Novels: Social Disease and I'll Take It. Ben Brantley of The New York Times says 'Paul Rudnick may be the funniest writer for the stage and he confirms that with Fabulous.'

Following last season's sold-out celebration, FLAMENCO FESTIVAL MIAMI - 'the hottest flamenco event in the country' (World Music Central) - returns by popular demand to South Florida with a month-long celebration throughout February 2009. Presented by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and PerilloMusic, FLAMENCO FESTIVAL MIAMI will feature three headlining performances: ANTONIO GADES COMPANY in the U.S. premiere of CARMEN on February 12; Flamenco royalty ESTRELLA MORENTE on February 19; and LOS FARRUCO - the first family of flamenco dance - on February 28.

From the playwright who brought us The Boys In The Band comes a look at activities the church would rather forget. Reasons contains a surprise twist and builds to a rather intense climax. This is not your typical 'priest' play.

Based on the novel by Ian Fleming, author/creator of the James Bond franchise, the production features the music and lyrics by the Sherman brothers, composers of Mary Poppins. The national tour also features an original script and fresh adaptation directed by Ray Roderick.

With a book by Cabaret's Joe Masteroff, and music and lyrics by the team that brought us Fiddler on the Roof and Fiorello!, She Loves Me is an enchanting love story. There have been multiple films based on the original story including The Shop Around The Corner, the Judy Garland musical In The Good Old Summertime and You've Got Mail.

Performances include Scenes on Stage at 3 pm, featuring opera excerpts by Busoni, Debussy, Hanson, Puccini, Ravel, and Weill. Puccini's Tosca will follow that same evening in concert with pianos.

Winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle award, A Raisin In The Sun opened on Broadway in 1959. Starring Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee, the play went on to become a critically acclaimed film two years later. A couple of seasons ago, it was back on Broadway in an acclaimed revival. It was also the basis for the Tony winning Best musical, Raisin.

New Theatre continues with its second World Premiere of the season with Michelle Rosenfarb's coming of age drama, The Gates of Choice making its debut on November 13, 2008. Set in Israel 's Ultra Orthodox quarter of Mea Shearim, a Hasidic young woman facing an arranged marriage finds refuge and answers in a taboo relationship to the secular world.

The first FAMILY FEST (Saturday, November 1) is a celebration of the new nationally touring production of The Wizard of Oz, which is being presented on stage at the Center through November 2. Everyone is invited to the Center's outdoor Plaza to meet Dorothy and her friends; listen to professional storytellers; and sing along to the classic 'Ding Dong the Witch is Dead' with 70 youngsters from all over Miami-Dade County.

Broward Cultural Division, The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) and ArtServe announce The Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute (AEI) for South Florida artists to be presented on four Saturdays in November and December 2008, at ArtServe, 1350 East Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.

Florida Rep's Education Department offers theatre classes in the fall, winter and spring that are open to community members of all ages. These classes allow Florida Rep professionals to share their wealth of experience with those who are eager to learn more about theatre. Areas of study include, but are not limited to: improvisation, theatre games, movement, acting for youth, acting for adults and stage makeup. Specialized classes are also offered for home school families as well as parent organizations and playgroups.

'Academy' tells the story of a prestigious prep school, where two senior boys make a bet involving an unsuspecting naïve freshman. But when the Faustian bargain goes too far, they realize their lives will never be the same again. With a 40-piece youth orchestra under the direction of Palm Beach Music Center and a mass choir under the direction of Young Singers of the Palm Beaches, Academy is a hymn to the journey many boys must traverse from childhood to manhood.

ASJ's Artistic Director, David Kingery, has gathered an eclectic troupe of performers, who fiendishly sing and dance their way through this Halloween-inspired evening, with numbers from 'Phantom of the Opera' and ghoulish songs such as 'The Monster Mash,' 'I Put a Spell On You,' and more.

Jerome Kern once stated, 'Irving Berlin has no place in American music-he is American music.' Florida Studio Theatre opens its Cabaret Winter Season with Steppin' Out, October 21st. The show will feature a jazz and modern day influence on Berlin favorites such as 'Puttin' On The Ritz,' 'Anything You Can do,' 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Always.'

'There is no better show to introduce your family to the dream of Broadway and live theater than THE WIZARD OF OZ,' says Susie Krajsa, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Broadway Across America. 'Over the years, THE WIZARD OF OZ has become an American icon and there are many testaments to it's longstanding place in our history. The original film is on the American Film Institutes (AFI's) top 10 movies of all time and the song 'Over the Rainbow' is ranked in AFI's top 100 songs. The ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland are on view at the Smithsonian.'

JAMS celebrates their 9th season at The Harriet on Feb. 24, as pianist and University of Miami Frost School of Music Dean Shelly Berg and his trio team up with clarinet virtuouso Ken Peplowski for what's sure to be an exciting set of traditional jazz. Peplowski apprenticed with the bands of Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman in the late '70s and early '80s, and is perhaps best known for his sparkling duet work with guitarist Howard Alden, with whom he also teamed for the soundtrack to the Woody Allen movie Sweet and Lowdown.

Born Yesterday is the play that made Judy Holiday famous, and the film adaptation launched her into stardom. Her performance as Billie won her both the Tony Award and the Oscar. It is the story of what happens when Harry Brock, a corrupt tycoon, comes to Washington with his showgirl mistress, Billie, in tow.