PlayGround Theatre Jumps to Major Arts Force

What three years ago was a dream of two people of the theater to create a repertory company dedicated to the young people of South Florida in terms of a totally professional approach both artistically and technically, has emerged as a fully realized achievement with the latest announcement by its co-artistic directors Stephanie Ansin and Oleg Kheyfets, that, with the signing of additional actors, set, costume, lighting designers and technical staff, The PlayGround Theatre has met its goal of a full complement of creatives to move the company forward to its November 11 premiere of "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" at the Shores Performing Arts Theater.

Launched in 2004 with a group of 8 actors who made their first "PlayGround Theatre for Young Audiences" appearance in a the children's play, "Pluft, The Little Ghost," the number of actors has now grown to 14 and the plays will stretch to seven. The name of the company will have also changed, now identified simply as "The PlayGround Theatre" to illustrate its growth in presenting plays that will also appeal to teenagers and adults.

Recognized by their growing number of fans who have seen them through such productions as "Pluft," "Brooklyn Bridge," "The Love of Three Oranges," and 'The Beast" and will soon experience their work in "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," (for ages 3 and up), "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" (ages 10 and up), and Arthur Miller's "The Creation of The World and Other Business," (ages 16 and up), Meshaun LaBrone Arnold, Linda Bernhard, Raul Martinez, Kristen Dawn McCorkell, and Ricky Waugh will be joined by Melissa Almaguer, Steve Gladstone, Amy Cozette Martin, John Page, David Potter, Jesus Quintero and Valerie Stanford, Sharon Stern, and Anna Talbot.

Complementing their work will be set and costume designs by award winner Vyatcheslav Dolgachev, Margarita Demianova, Emil Kapelush, Simon Pastukh and Galina Solovyeva; lighting designers Jeff Quinn and S. Ryan Schmidt; and sound designers Daniel Suarez, Amanda Green, and Joe Pisciotta.

Refreshed and ready for its November 11 premier of "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" will be the Shores Performing Arts Theater which, under the aegis of The PlayGround Theatre, will be available to all arts organizations, presenters and producers. With a seating capacity of338, a 36' wide proscenium stage, and newly installed lighting equipment, the Shores will offer a much needed venue to the city's growing arts community.

For The PlayGround Theatre, the Shores will be the home where all productions will be born and presented before touring to Miami Beach's Colony Theater; Miami's Dave and Mary Alper JCC at the Morton-Levanthal Campus; the Amaturo Theatre at Ft. Lauderdale's Broward Center; the Crest Theatre, Delray Beach; the Rinker Playhouse at Kravis Center, West Palm Beach; and at Wellington, Palm Beach Cultural Trust.

Tickets are now on sale for all productions. Admission is $15 per person, $10 for groups of 20 or more. Tickets are available by calling (305) 751-9550; via e-mail: info@theplaygroundtheatre.com; website: www.theplaygroundtheatre.com.

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