The Earthman Project presents a special Nashville Climate Change Event
“Post Copenhagen – What Happened” “Where do we go from here in 2010″
Tuesday, January 12th, 7:30 p.m., in the auditorium of the
Scientology Celebrity Centre at 1130 8th Avenue South.

Cost: A love offering forThe Earthman Project’s climate change outreach.

Featuring: *Reception at 7pm., Sponsored by EarthMattersTn

• Albert Bates, a United Nations representative for the Global Ecovillage Network, part of the TckTckTck and 350.org coalitions. He attended the recent climate summit in Copenhagen, peaksurfer.blogspot.com.
• Internationally known environmental artist Earthman Lanny Smith will perform a piece from his award-winning “Hot” Climate Change Concert Tour (www.Earthman.TV).

Other Special Guests

*Q&A and an audience dialog

The Board of the Coconut Grove Playhouse is pleased to announce that, after conducting a formal “Request for Proposal” process, they have entered in to a Memorandum of Understanding with GableStage and their Producing Artistic Director, Joseph Adler.

• Plans call for the Playhouse Board to follow the recommendations of the planning charrette conducted by the University of Miami’s Center for Urban and Community Design which call for the phased development of the Playhouse site, which is located at 3500 Main Highway, in Coconut Grove.

• With the selection of GableStage as a theater partner, the charrette’s recommendation to build a new 300-seat state-of-the-art theatre and supporting facilities to accommodate quality professional regional theatre theater can proceed as the first phase of a master plan for the site.  Other components of the master plan include parking, a second, 600-700-seat second theater, commercial development and the preservation of the historic elements of the existing Playhouse structure.

• There are $20 million in available Miami-Dade County capital improvement funds that will be devoted to the capital costs of the first phase, the building the 300-seat theatre.

• Pursuant to a long-term agreement that is currently being negotiated, GableStage will manage and operate the theatre, providing professional regional theatre and theatre education programs for the community.

• The historic Coconut Grove Playhouse was built as a movie theatre in 1926, and was converted into a theatre in 1956.  In the fifty years that followed, the Playhouse played host to many of theater’s most renowned performers, including Maureen Stapleton, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Tallulah Bankhead, Carol Channing, Liza Minnelli, Linda Lavin, Beatrice Arthur, George C. Scott, Colleen Dewhurst, and Ethel Merman.  The Playhouse was considered to be one of the premiere theatres in the United States for many years.  It suspended operations in 2007.

• GableStage has been an integral part of the South Florida theatre scene since it was founded in 1979, as the Florida Shakespeare Theatre.  It has been at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables for the past twelve seasons, under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director Joseph Adler.  During that time, GableStage has been nominated for 148 Carbonell Awards, and won 38, including either Best Production or Best Musical Production every year since 2004. Adler has been nominated for twenty Carbonells (thirteen at GableStage) and has won seven Best Director and two Best Director of a Musical awards.  His first Carbonell Award was for a production of The Shadow Box at the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

• GableStage will be initiating a series of performances and events in Coconut Grove during the interim period prior to the opening of the new theatre.
• It is anticipated that design work on the new 300-seat theater can commence in 2010.

• “We are one major step closer to our goal of returning great regional theater to Coconut Grove.  The Playhouse’s selection of GableStage as its theater partner confers instant credibility on the quality of theater that we can expect once again in Coconut Grove.  Most exciting is the prospect that with support from Miami-Dade County, GableStage and the Playhouse can bring great performances back to Coconut Grove as soon as early next year while plans for a new theater also get underway,” said Michael Spring, Director, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.

• ”On behalf of the Board of the Coconut Grove Playhouse, I am pleased to report that we are on the way to fulfilling our promise to bring theater of the highest quality back to Coconut Grove,” stated Shelly Spivack, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Coconut Grove Playhouse.  I want to thank all of the people who continue to believe in our efforts to begin a new era of artistic excellence to the Grove. I especially want to acknowledge the vision and spirit of collaboration of our new partner GableStage, an outstanding theater company that can and will achieve even greater acclaim in its new home on Main and Charles streets.”

• GableStage Board President Steve Weinger stated, “I could not be more pleased. As a non-profit theater organization, we always welcome the opportunity to have a greater impact. Our entire Board is excited about this incredible opportunity for GableStage to further our mission and provide the community with the highest quality live theater.  We look forward to continuing our year-round presentations of the finest plays, expanding our educational programs and expanding our audience. Our Board of Directors is committed to quality. Under the direction of Joe Adler we will further enrich our community.”

• “I have always believed that the Coconut Grove Playhouse should be one of the great regional theatres in America, and I am truly thrilled to have an opportunity to play a role in its rebirth.  We are honored that GableStage has been chosen to participate in this fantastic undertaking,” said Joseph Adler, Producing Artistic Director of GableStage.

By Ron Levitt

Florida Media News
ENV Magazine

It’s sophomoric…downright silly…and laughable. Yet, if you like corny moments while actually getting to know the true story of the only person in America ever convicted of cannabilsm, you should treat yourself to a feast of musical fun by joining the crowds at The Promethean Theatre’s Black Box at Nova Southeastern University in Broward County.

Cannibal: The Musical is based on the true story of Alfred Parker, who led a group of miners into the Colorado Territory in 1873 in search of gold and was the only one to return, confessing to eating his dead companions in order to survive. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison but – according to this script – was released through the efforts of a perky Denver Post reporter named Polly Pry who becomes infatuated with Parker and got him a new trial.

South Park co-creator Trey Parker actually wrote this version and the songs some 16 years ago as a collegiate student film project. Cannibal – like South Park – is based on a bunch of silly moments, in this case, making fun of gore, grisly murder and other bloody moments. Director Margaret Ledford pays homage to the original by providing ponchos to first-row theatre-goers so that the “blood” doesn’t spatter on them and uses a huge rug covering the stage to keep the bloody moments within the set, just close enough to the audience to make them squirm a little, But, over the years, Cannibal has become more than a silly musical spoof. It is a cottage industry – as a cult film, a much produced musical – and a host of other money makers such as Cannibal t-shirts, key chains, sweat shirts, etc. Many of the successful productions have been on college campuses since its premiere in 1993 – complete with the sale of memorable items.

But, nothing is being sold at Promethean—just the price of admission to guffaw over the sure-fire funny 90 minutes.

There are enough offbeat moments to make a college age student – and those older with a sense of the ridiculous – to grin and bear the gore: songs with bizarre lyrics, tap-dancing by hungry cowboys, references in melodic terms to sexual encounters (When I was on Top of You), and one of Florida’s loveliest actresses (Katherine Amadeo) playing of all things, a blonde-tressed horse.

Director Ledford has put together an interesting ensemble to initiate the company’s first foray into musical comedy. Matthew Chizever is a charismatic hero (a goofy rendition of the lead in Oklahoma), while Anne Chamberlain as the vocalizing sob-sister reporter, Jeffrey Bower, Patrick Jesse Watkins, Phillip de la Cal, James Carrey, and Sean Muldoon as the miners, Andy Quiroga, William Adams and Noah Levine as the evil trappers all add to the madness. Then there are a whole host of townspeople and other characters, including veteran actor Ken Clement who makes fun of himself as Judge Ken. It is the largest cast ever assembled on a Promethean stage.

The Promethean production has its own take on the goofiness. In the movie, American Indians (Utes) who met and fed the miners in the Rockies were Orientals. In this version, they are a trio of effeminate guys who converse in pig Latin. But, no one is offended; it’s all played for fun and laughs. There is an unwritten code that allows any production company to put its own brand on this nutso play.

Give a hand, as well, to musical director and piano accompaniest Mark Fiore who adds some familiar tunes, along with the original music, and Chrissi Ardito for choreographing a bunch of rough cowboys who think they are dancers in West Side Story. How crazy can you get?

Cannibal! The Musical runs through Sept. 6 at Nova’s Mailman Theatre, 3301 College Ave. in Davie. Performances 8 p.m. Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. Call 786-317-7580, 866-811-4111 or contact www. theprometheantheatre.org.

By Ron Levitt

Florida Media News
ENV Magazine

Speed-The Plow – a 20 year old, revitalized play by David Mamet, should have fans begging for tickets at GablesStage nowadays. The classic play – a hit once again on Broadway – has been in the news for the past year and continues to make wire service headlines. All of this notoriety plus the fact that this South Florida production is a sizzler – with fine acting and super direction – are the elements which usually make for a hit run.

In addition to its excellence as a play about the motion picture business, what makes Speed -The Plow so significant to show biz fans and those who like good theater?

The publicity surrounding the revived play reminds everyone that it was 20 years
that Madonna made her not-necessarily-memorable Broadway stage debut in this show.

2. The wire services and entertainment blogs – only months ago – screamed out that it was this play in which Entourage TV star Jeremy Pivens “dropped out” citing illness – high levels of mercury in his blood. Producers and Pivens were then engaged in a lawsuit for non-performance. Fans love controversy!!!

Headlines and publicity such as these are sure to drive many to see the Director Joseph Adler’s production. However, there are other, more potent reasons to see this topnotch creation in Coral Gables.

The double-whammy excellence of the prize-winning actors – Paul Tei and Greg
Weiner. Both are Carbonell-award recipients for Best Actor and what could be a bigger quinella than having two of this caliber in the same play? Both Tei and Weiner deliver in the whiplash satire with fierce concentration and energy.

Director Adler – also a multi-Carbonell recipient – once again put his indelible
stamp of excellence on this production –a play which emphasizes the sleazy side of filmmaking in Hollywood. And, who better than Pulitzer-prize winner (Glengarry Glen Ross) Mamet – considered a genius at scripting and a veteran of Tinsel-town – to tell this entertaining story of greedy studio executives?

Speed-The Plow tells the quick-paced story of Bobby (Tei) – head of production at a movie studio who yearns for more financial success and acceptance in the industry, and his long-time buddy Charlie (Weiner) who is pitching a commercially viable script which – with a big star likely to appear – will push them both to the top of the movieland heap. All is going to plan, until temp secretary Karen (Amy Elane Anderson) becomes involved. She is asked to give a “courtesy read” to a spiritually-themed, non-commercial script and then she then becomes its advocate. But, for what reason? — Mamet asks. Meanwhile, the two men are engaged in a $500 bet that Bobby can get Karen into his bed. The final third of the play is typical Mamet…trashing women, having two pals slug it out and the audience having one helluva good time watching the antics.

Forget about this play’s history, its Broadway successes, Mamet’s sensational script,

even about its more recent controversy. What makes this GableStage production a must-see can be summed up in two words — Tei and Wiener. Despite playing despicable characters, the dynamic duo scream, slam and slap with such gusto and intensity, one can only hope no permanent damage is done.

Sean Mccllelland’s design for the Hollywood office, complete with its just-arrived look and Omar Martos’ lighting add to the reality of this crude culture clip of cinemaland. Don’t miss it!

Speed-The Plow runs through September 13. Call 305-445-1119.