TV's Rhoda as Golda Meir at Ft. Lauderdale's Parker Playhouse

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FOUR-TIME EMMY AWARD-WINNER Valerie Harper

TO STAR/> AS/>/> LEGENDARY PRIME MINISTER GOLDA MEIR IN BROADWAY HIT "GOLDA'S BALCONY," KICKING OFF NORTH AMERICAN NATIONAL TOUR IN LIMITED 3-WEEK RUN

OCTOBER 18-NOVEMBER 5 AT FT./> LAUDERDALE/>/>'S PARKER PLAYHOUSE 

FORT LAUDERDALE---Marking a major coup for local theatre goers, four-time Emmy Award-winning television and motion picture star Valerie Harper takes on the starring solo role of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in the Broadway smash, GOLDA'S BALCONY, launching its North American tour, Tuesday, October 18, at the Parker Playhouse.  Following five reduced-priced previews through Friday, October 21, the acclaimed play will open officially, Saturday, October 22, at 8 P.M. 

 

A riveting portrait of one of the great women of our time, GOLDA'S BALCONY is the latest work from Tony Award-winning playwright William Gibson who wrote the now classic, "The Miracle Worker, and "Two For The Seesaw."  GOLDA'S BALCONY recently completed a record-breaking 15 sold-out months on Broadway. The show's run at the Parker will be its only Florida engagement during a 30-week tour where, among other cities, it will play Detroit, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Houston and Pittsburgh.                                                      

             The rise of Golda Meir from Russian schoolgirl to Israel/>/>'s Prime minister is one of the most thrilling stories of the 20^th century.  GOLDA'S BALCONY tells this story, and more earning raves across the board on Broadway. 

·        USA/>/> TODAY called the play "a moving tribute to the human capacity for survival."

·        John Simon in New York Magazine said, "GOLDA'S BALCONY is perfect: the play conveys so many lives, so much history, such an onrush of humanity."

·        Clive Barnes in The New York Post raved: "Gibson's fascinating play is a tight knit story of war and peace."

·        And The New York Times enthused: "Hearing from someone who was there at the birth of the country, who sacrificed to make it happen, helps remind us where the Middle East/> standoff came from. GOLDA'S BALCONY is enlightening."

 Nominated for a Tony Award and for "Best Play" by the Drama League, and winner of the Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards, GOLDA'S BALCONY is a dazzling, sight and sound spectacular that promises to be a thrilling, moving and unforgettable night of theatre. 

Valerie Harper most recently appeared on Broadway starring in Charles Busch's "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife." After running almost a year in New York/>/>, Harper then starred in the national tour. Off-Broadway she co-wrote and starred in "All Under Heaven," a one-woman play based on the life and work of Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck ("The Good Earth.") She starred in Elaine May's and Woody Allen's "Death Defying Acts," also Off-Broadway.  

Harper appeared on Broadway in Paul Sills' "Story Theatre" and "Metamorphoses," "Something Different" by Carl Reiner, "Subways Are For Sleeping," "Wildcat," "Take Me Along," "Destry Rides Again," and "Li'l Abner." During her long and varied career, Harper has starred in a wide variety of television films, specials and feature films, as well as five on-air prime time series.

 Most notably, Harper spent nine years as the character of Rhoda Morgenstern on both "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and on her own series, "Rhoda." She was the recipient of Harvard/> University/>/>'s Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award, the Golden Globe Award, the Golden Apple Award, and four Emmy Awards.  She is currently working with her husband, Tony Cacciotti, developing a series of health-related television specials.  The couple lives in Los Angeles/>/> and has a daughter, Cristina, who is an actress.                                                                         

 Playwright WILLIAM GIBSON has written poetry, fiction and scripts for stage, television and films. His plays include "The Miracle Worker," winner of the Tony Award for Best Play in 1960, "Two for the Seesaw," "A Cry of Players," "Golda," from which GOLDA'S BALCONY  is loosely adapted, "The Butterfingers Angel," "Monday After The Miracle," "Goodly Creatures," and "Handy Dandy."  He is the author of a novel, "The Cobweb," as well as the musical version of Clifford Odets' "Golden Boy."  His several books include "The Seesaw Log," "A Mass for the Dead" (a study of his family), "A Season in Heaven," and "Shakespeare's Game," a critical study.  GOLDA'S BALCONY is his latest play.  It set a record as the longest running one-woman play in Broadway history on January 2, 2005/>.

 Returning to direct GOLDA'S BALCONY in its national tour is the play's Broadway director, Scott Schwartz.  Schwartz was previously represented on Broadway as co-director of "Jane Eyre" with John Caird. He also directed the highly acclaimed Off-Broadway hits, "tick, tick…BOOM!," "Bat Boy: The Musical," and Franz Kafka's "The Castle."  

 All of the Broadway designers will reprise their roles for the road show, including set designer ANNA LOUIZOS ("Avenue Q," "Irving Berlin's White Christmas"); costume designer JESS GOLDSTEIN ("Take Me Out," "Enchanted April," "Proof"); lighting designer HOWELL BINKLEY ("Avenue Q," "The Full Monty," "Parade"); and video and projection designer ROBIN SILVESTRI ("The Rocky Horror Show," "Bring in Da Noise…."). The GOLDA'S BALCONY tour is being produced by David Fishelson who led the team on Broadway with veterans Roy Gabay ("Metamorphoses") and Randall L. Wreghitt ("Little Women").

 Valerie Harper in GOLDA'S BALCONY plays Tuesday, October 18 through Saturday, November 5 at Parker Playhouse 707 N.E. 8^th Street, Ft./> Lauderdale/>/>. Reduced priced previews at $ $45 & $37 are available Tues., Oct. 18-Friday, Oct. 21 at 8 P.M/> & Wed., Oct. 19 at 2 P.M./>.  Groups of 20 or more are $38.

  Thereafter for the official opening Sat., Oct. 22, 8 P.M. & Sun./>, Oct.  23, 2 P.M.and

7 P.M./> are $50 and $42.  Groups of 20 or more are $40.

2^nd week perfs.: Wed., Oct. 26-Sat., Oct. 29 at 8 P.M; Sun., Oct. 30 at 7 P.M.; matinees Wed., Oct. 26, Sat., Oct. 29; Sun., Oct. 30, at 2 P.M.

3^rd week perfs.; Tues., Nov.1-Sat., Nov 5, at 8 P.M./>; Wed., Thurs., Sat., at 2 P.M. 

Tickets are available by calling AutoNation Box Office (954) 462-0222 or 1-(800) 564-9539. Group rates are available by calling (305) 919-3731 or 1-(866) 252-5278. Tickets are also available at the Broward Center Box Office 201 S.W. 5^th Ave. Monday-Friday, 10 A.M.-5 P.M.; Friday and Saturday, 12 Noon-5 P.M.

 

 

 

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