Broward Center Puts on “Summer Shorts”

Published June 22th, 2008

“Summer Shorts” at Broward Center for the Arts

Broward Center for the Arts puts on its “Summer Shorts” for a limited run Thursday, June 26 through Sunday June 29 at 401 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. The Miami leg of the run wraps up this Sunday, June 22 at the Arsht Center.

There are 17 “Signature Shorts” or short plays in the annual festival: eight plays in Program A and nine plays in Program B. Because the plays are so short, it is possible to see them all in a single sitting if you go on a Saturday. Curtain is 6 p.m. Saturday with a $20 “festival dinner” offered between acts.

The show starts on a rather silly note with “In Paris You Will Find Many Baguettes But Only One True Love,’ by Michael Lew.
Lew makes fun of typical Parisian stereotypes, slightly twisted. The first is the ubiquitous street mime, played by Antonio Amadeo. Ladies looking for love in a city of lovers are Elena Garcia and Kim Ostrenko.
Ostrenko returns in the next piece, “Rats” by festival co-founder Susan Westfall in the straight-person role of Mrs. T, a patron of “Slithers and Hisses,” a pet shop specializing in reptiles. Terry Hardcastle is first-time client Henry and Antonio Amadeo does a chameleon act as Spike, the spike-haired proprietor of the shop.
Marital relationships are explored in “Silence,’ with Stephen Trovillion as a Russian immigrant who has taken a vow of silence and Laura Turnbull as his long-suffering wife. “Parent Interview” is a light piece about the difficulties of enrolling in the “right” Manhattan school, with a rather shocking but hilarious twist. “Jody’s Mother” tackles the decidedly difficult subject of pedophilia, with Laura Turnbull pulling off the most shocking twist of the program. “Tongue Tied’ finds Elena Garcia and Paul Tei having fun with sock puppets, while ‘My Father’s Heart’ is a lovely tribute to fatherhood by John Yearly. Michael McKeever has some historic fun with Laura Turnbull as a prima donna actress at Ford’s Theatre.

Program B starts weakly with one of the silliest plays of the lot, the one-joke “Sheepish,” by Paul Rudnick. Antonio Amadeo plays a most immature dad-to-be in “It’s a Girl,” while David Mamet’s terse, hostile “Home” sounds like a dozen other things he has written. “Eros is Sore Spelled Backwards,” is pretty much another one-joke piece while “Fragment of a Paper Airplane” sardonic look at male friendship. Nick Duckhart bravely bares all in “Unraveled” while Elena Garcia and Terry Hardcastle capture the unifying spirit of baseball in “A Little Chatter.” “On Story” pokes obvious fun at the Hollywood studio mentality and its various stereotypes.

If you had to choose one program, I would suggest the A list, but there is a little something for everyone in both acts.
Tickets are $35. Call (954) 462-0222.

“America’s Singing Sweethearts” Open Summer Season at Caldwell

Caldwell Theatre Company begins its first summer season in the new Count De Hoernle Theater with the musical revue “Pete ‘n’ Keely,” continuing through July 6 at 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton.

The year is 1968 and warring sweethearts Pete Bartel and Keely Stevens have reunited for a live television special. The couple is reminiscent of Steve and Eydie, without the warmth. The duo has been estranged for five years, and like Neil Simon’s “Sunshine Boys,” they have been reunited under duress for potential profit.

Carbonell award-winning singer-actress Connie SaLoutos is Keely and Alberto Stevans is Pete. The 2000 New York production featured gaudy costumes by Bob Mackie mocking 1960s fashion and a set that replicates a period TV studio, complete with applause sign. The score has around two-dozen American musical standards plus some original tunes by Patrick Brady.

Tickets are $34 and $38. A three-play package is $84 and $93 and two plays (“Doubt” a parable” and “Lying in State” follow) are $60 and $70. Call 241-7432 or visit www.caldwelltheatre.com.

Caldwell theatre is hosting Equity Performer auditions for “She Loves Me” and “The Circle” from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, June 23. Call 995-2326 to schedule an appointment.

“Dream a Little Dream,” the “nearly true story of the Mamas and the Papas” opens Thursday. June 26 at Florida Stage, 262 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan.

The bittersweet book was written by real-life Papa Denny Doherty and Paul Ledoux. Doherty performed it as a one-man show from 1996 until his death in 2007. The Florida Stage production is only the second production of the fully-realized show. Alisa Schiff makes her Florida Stage debut as Mama Cass Elliot, with Christine Hope as Michelle Phillips, Kyle Harris as Denny Doherty and Michael sample as John Phillips. Christopher McGovern is musical director and pianist.

Tickets are $42 and $45. Call (800) 514-3837 or visit www.floridastage.org.

Ringo Starr at Seminole Hard Rock

Ringo Starr brings his music and art to Seminole Hard Rock Live June 27 through July 7. Ringo’s art show, to benefit the Lotus Foundation, opens Saturday, June 27 at the Hard Rock Casino.

Around 40 originals works will be on display for sale.
At 8 p.m. Thursday, July 3, the latest incarnation of the former Beatle’s All-Starr Band takes to the Hard Rock Live stage. This year’s lineup includes Greg Bissonette, Colin Hay, Hamish Stuart, Billy Squire, Edgar Winter and Gary Wright.

Tickets are $50, $75 and $100. Call (888) 513-8385.

Jeff Harnar at Royal Room Cabaret

The summer season continues at the Colony Hotel, 155 Hammon Ave., Palm Beach.

Paying a return to the Royal Room Cabaret is Cole Porter specialist Jeff Harnar this week and June 27-28. A powerful tenor, Harnar has been praised for cabaret performances from New York City to San Francisco. Tickets are $90 for dinner and show or $50 for show only, plus $15 beverage minimum. Call (561) 659-8100.

Eddie Vetter Wails for the Faithful

Pearl Jam has come and gone, but for you fans, here’s a shot of Eddie Vetter by Tom Craig.