By Dale King Incongruity isn’t always a shortcoming. The darkly comedic production No Way to Treat a Lady combines the usually incompatible elements of serial killing and music in a single entity. The adaptation of the book-turned-movie-turned-play now being performed at the Broward Stage Door Theater in Margate is downright entertaining, particularly its finale, which could … [Read more...]
Broward Stage Door brings back magic of Danny Kaye
By Dale King With a bit more than a week left in its run, the biographical comedy/musical, The Kid from Brooklyn: The Danny Kaye Story, is still drawing bounteous audiences to the Broward Stage Door Theatre in Margate. Director and co-writer Peter Loewy premiered the tale of the multi-talented, red-haired, singer, actor, comedian and philanthropist at the West Sample Road … [Read more...]
Fathers and sons, Jewish-style, in ‘The Bris’ at Broward Stage Door
By Dale King Most theater-goers understand the phrase, “willing suspension of disbelief.” It’s the capacity to suspend one's critical faculties and believe the unbelievable for the sake of entertainment. It’s how audiences can watch five guys playing cards at a table on a stage and believe they are in Oscar Madison’s New York apartment circa 1962, for example. The Bris, … [Read more...]
A winning ‘Most Happy Fella’ at Broward Stage Door
By Dale King The Most Happy Fella is a most unusual stage show, and most entertaining. To present Frank Loesser’s award-winning production (he wrote the book, music and lyrics), the Broward Stage Door Theatre in Margate has pulled out all the stops. Solidly ensconced in the director’s chair, Carbonell Award-winner Andy Rogow has assembled an outstanding cast of … [Read more...]
‘Vegas’ another strong revue entry from Broward Stage Door
By Dale King Bounding from soul to swing, with an energetic side jaunt through jazz, entertainment entrepreneur Kevin Black’s two recent productions at Broward Stage Door Theatre in Margate have taken audiences through the formative years of Motown (The Soul of Motor City), then back through the pedigrees of swing and jive (Swing, Swing, Swing) to illustrate tunefully how … [Read more...]
At Stage Door, ‘Sweet Charity’ still has legs after all these years
By Dale King It’s hard to believe that Charity Hope Valentine has been around for a half-century. But the unlucky-in-love taxi dancer whose well-intentioned intentions often go sliding off the rails is back in a delightful and cute production of Sweet Charity, now being performed at the Broward Stage Door Theatre. Charity first appeared on the Broadway stage in 1966 in … [Read more...]
Stage Door’s ‘Swing’ is its best jukebox show yet
By Dale King Broward Stage Door Theatre has boosted the jukebox musical genre to new heights. Once thought of as the unloved stepchild of traditional music-and-dialogue performances, jukebox-style productions are drawing larger and more exuberant crowds, at least at the Margate venue. Swing, Swing, Swing, now playing at Broward Stage, is the fourth all-melody production … [Read more...]
Fine cast shines in ‘The Rothschilds’ at Broward Stage Door
By Dale King The Broward Stage Door Theatre is back in full production mode about a month before most other performing arts venues have raised their opening night curtains. The 22-year-old arts center in Margate is still riding the crest of its successful summer production of the jukebox musical, The Soul of Motor City, which is scheduled to conclude its lengthy run on … [Read more...]
Broward Stage Door’s ‘Broadway Bound’ funny and moving
By Dale King Broward Stage Door Theatre wraps up its summer schedule with a humorous yet moving performance of Broadway Bound, the final installment of Neil Simon’s so-called “Eugene” trilogy, the semi-autobiographical plays written late in his career that trace his early growth years (Brighton Beach Memoirs) through his service in the Army (Biloxi Blues) and conclude with … [Read more...]
‘Motor City’ gives Broward Stage Door an unforgettable groove
Gabrielle Graham, Alexandria Lugo, Mimi J., Joshua Graham, Jar'Davion Brown and Elijah Word in The Soul of Motor City at Broward Stage Door Theatre. (Photo by George Wentzler) By Dale King Musicals have reigned supreme this year at the Broward Stage Door Theatre in Margate. Not just the traditional ones, with actors, dialogue, songs and fancy sets. No, the powers-that-be … [Read more...]