Actors' Playhouse Presents REAL MEN SING SHOWTUNES...AND PLAY WITH PUPPETS, Now thru 8/12

Actors' Playhouse will cap off the 2011 – 2012 Mainstage Season with the world premiere of Real Men Sing Show Tunes...and play with puppets, with book, music and lyrics by Paul Louis and Nick Santa Maria. A song-filled comedy for mature audiences, about real men behaving like real men, this manly musical revue will hit the Miracle Theatre from tonight, July 11 through August 12, 2012.

A hilarious romp through manhood, Real Men Sing Show Tunes...and play with puppets offers an inside glimpse of what it takes to be a man in a modern world shared with women, children, and yes, even puppets. The story of Real Men, who make a habit of juggling their balls every day; fatherhood, mid-life crisis, dating, marriage, potency, sexuality, and the lack of it. Men will finally have a musical comedy that speaks to them, while their ladies can gather some comedic material to use against them.

Although puppetry is featured in this production, this risqué and witty musical is not suitable for children...only the childish and immature.

"After years of working on new shows featuring 'today's women,' it's been a blast turning the tables and having fun with life, love, marriage, etc., from the guy's point of view," said Artistic Director David Arisco. "Nick and Paul are tremendously talented comedic writers, and this brand new show will have both men and women laughing at the results."

Actors' Playhouse Artistic Director David Arisco has worked closely with the playwrights throughout the past year developing this new work through a series of public and private readings. The playwrights will also be working closely on the production, with Paul Louis and Nick Santa Maria starring in the show.

Louis began writing musicals in his high school days in Queens, New York. As a young adult, he began to write original puppet musicals, eventually becoming the resident director/writer/composer of children's theater for The Shores Performing Arts Theater, in Miami Shores, FL. Louis created, and wrote all the scripts and songs for 14 episodes of his former nationally syndicated children's puppet TV series, "Jelly Bean Jungle" (praised by President Bill Clinton as "High quality children's programming", and winner of an award of excellence by The Film Advisory Board). It was on "Jelly Bean Jungle" where he began to collaborate on other projects with fellow puppeteer, and now his writing partner, Nick Santa Maria. Together, the team created "Blip and Blab, Language Explorers", an internationally seen series for teaching English as a second language. Louis has written the book, music and lyrics to over 50 children's musicals, which have been produced in professional theaters throughout the USA. He has also been a contributing songwriter for the adult musical comedy dinner theater, "Laffing Matterz", in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Santa Maria began writing scripts and songs when he was 14 years old for films he and his cronies made after school, and on weekends. He also wrote material and songs for his first nightclub act at 15 years of age. As a member of the fondly remembered Miami Comedy Improvisation Group, "Mental Floss", he honed his writing skills and became their resident songsmith. Santa Maria contributed songs and sketches for the Off-Broadway hit, Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know, and has also written and composed special material for several artists. Santa Maria has just published his first book, "COMEDY CRAZY; 60 Essays About Comedians From the Golden Age".

Actor Stephen G. Anthony will join Louis and Santa Maria on stage. Anthony is well known in South Florida for his Carbonell-winning portrayals of Man #2 in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, and Tom/Phyllis/Leslie in Sylvia. Since that time, Steve made his Broadway debut as Hoss (the bass player) in the award winning, critically acclaimed Hank Williams: Lost Highway. Most recently, he has appeared alongside Sharon Gless in A Round-Heeled Woman at GablesStage, the Carbonell-nominated play August: Osage County at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, and Death and the Maiden at The Mosaic Theatre. Anthony has numerous regional and national commercials to his credit, and has produced and/or starred in several independent films.

Directed by Artistic Director David Arisco, the creative team for Real Men Sing Show Tunes...and play with puppets includes Musical Director, Arranger, and onstage piano player Emmanuel Schvartzman, Set Designer Gene Seyffer, Costume Designer Ellis Tillman, Lighting Designer Patrick Tennent and Sound Designer Alexander Herrin, with puppets created by Paul Louis and Ellis Tillman.

Preview performances of Real Men Sing Show Tunes...and play with puppets will be held tonight and Thursday, July 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. The show will open on Friday, July 13 at 8 p.m. and play through August 12, 2012. Evening performances will be held Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m­., with afternoon matinees on Sunday at 2 p.m. A special weekday matinee is scheduled on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 2 p.m.

Preview night tickets on the first Wednesday and Thursday are $35. Tickets for weeknights and matinees are $40, and on Friday and Saturday evenings $48. The theatre offers a 10 percent senior discount rate the day of performance and $15 student rush tickets 15 minutes prior to curtain with identification. Discounts are based on availability and exclude Saturday and Sunday.

Group discounted rates are offered for 15 or more through our group sales department. Single tickets may be purchased through the box office at 305-444-9293 or online at www.actorsplayhouse.org.

Actors' Playhouse is the nonprofit resident theatre company and managing agent of the historic Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Actors' Playhouse, which has brought home 75 regional Carbonell Awards for artistic excellence, is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 22 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. In addition to its Mainstage season, Actors' Playhouse offers a year-round season of Musical Theatre for Young Audiences, a National Children's Theatre Festival, a Theatre Conservatory and Summer Camp Program, as well as educational arts outreach programs for underserved youth, and has initiated a Young Talent Big Dreams contest for children in partnership with The Children's Trust.

Photos courtesy of Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre.

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