(PRESS RELEASE)_Spring into the 41st Annual Hatsume Fair on Saturday and Sunday, April 4-5 at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida! 

Celebrating the first bud of spring, the Hatsume Fair is one of the Morikami Museum's most popular and beloved Japanese festivals. Guests will enjoy two days of breathtaking entertainment, including taiko drumming performances, martial arts demonstrations, garden tours, plus an exciting anime cosplay costume contest and fashion show. Stroll avenues of artisan, craft, and plant vendors, sample delicious Japanese beer, sake, and street fare cuisine, partake in a variety of family-friendly activities, and much more.

Pricing:
Advance purchase: $15 (Adults ages 11+); $8 (Children ages 4-10)
Day of purchase at the gate: $20 (ages 11+); $10 (Children ages 4-10)
Morikami members receive free admission
 
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. For more information, call (561) 495-0233 or visit https://morikami.org.

(PRESS RELEASE)_(Delray Beach, FL – February 25, 2020) Marjorie Waldo, President & CEO of Arts Garage, today announced that the nonprofit organization is topping off its popular Haitian Music Series with two more concerts, presented in  collaboration with the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce.

“This series reinforces the vision of Arts Garage to ‘connect our community to the world through the Arts,’” adds Waldo. “Following the success of the first three concerts in this series—BélO last July, Tifane in November, Jean Chardovoine earlier this month—we are very excited about our next two performances celebrating the Haitian culture’s magical ability to passionately represent its history through music and art.”

“We know that the arts can be a major economic force,” agrees Djenane StFleur Gourgue, Vice President of the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce. ‘Let’s value its worth by focusing on how it impacts the communities in which we live and work. To my artists and members I often say: It’s not only good for your business, it is also good business when artists grow with the process—branding, marketing and promoting like other businesses.”

The next two concerts of the Haitian Music Series at Arts Garage include:

May 13 at 7 pm (Wednesday)
Johnbern Thomas & Friends

Hailing from Croix-des-Bouquets, drummer Johnbern Thomas grew up in the Haitian music scene before veering toward Jazz. While developing his talents in the Dominican Republic, he cultivated relationships with artists such as Miguel Andres Tejeda, Fella Vega, Rafael Mirabel, and Sandy Gabriel. In 2012, Thomas represented Haiti in the USA as part of the cultural exchange program, One Beat. He later formed several groups with rising jazz artists, including the popular Johnbern Quintet, later a jazzy trio, that performed in clubs and restaurants throughout the capital of Haiti.

Tickets $25

August 5 at 6 pm (Wednesday)
BIC

Songwriter, rapper-slammer BIC (real name Roosevelt Saillant) is a socially committed singer. He handles the art of rhyme with talent, navigating from poetic melodies to moving rhythms, to deliver a successful synthesis between rap and folk. His songs evoke today’s society difficulties, in a realistic yet optimistic way, with the aim of bringing positive messages through poetry, BIC has been appointed goodwill ambassador by several organizations, including la Francophonie in Haiti alongside BélO and Jean-Jean Roosevelt. With five albums, he is one of the top artists of the Haitian music industry, performing regularly on North American stages.

Tickets $25

How to Get Tickets:

Tickets for the final two concerts of the Haitian Music Series are available for purchase by calling the Box Office at 561.450.6357 or going online to www.ArtsGarage.org.

(PRESS RELEASE)_(West Palm Beach, FL – February 25, 2020) The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts today announced that it is presenting SPAMILTON: An American Parody for eight performances, April 22-26. Hailed by The New York Times as “smart, silly and convulsively funny,” the singing, dancing, comedy revolution will be presented in the Kravis Center’s intimate Marshall E Rinker, Sr. Playhouse.

Tickets go on sale to donors this week, and to the general public this Friday, February 28, at 10 am – online through the Kravis Center’s official website at kravis.org; in person at the Box Office, located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; or by phone at 561.832.7469 or 800.572.8471.

April 22-26
+ Wednesday at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
+ Thursday at 7:30 pm
+ Friday at 7:30 pm
+ Saturday at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
+ Sunday at 2 pm & 7:30 pm

SPAMILTON: An American Parody

After tearing it up in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and London, SPAMILTON: An American Parody is coming to West Palm Beach. Created by Gerard Alessandrini, the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway and performed by a versatile cast of seven, SPAMILTON is a side-splitting new musical parody. The New York Post called it “the next best thing to seeing HAMILTON,” and The Hollywood Reporter raved, “SPAMILTON is so infectiously funny that it could easily run as long as its inspiration.”

Marilyn Stasio of Variety mused, “Hip-hop, Broadway showtunes, Viennese waltzes — is there anything this guy can’t write? No, not Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, but Gerard Alessandrini, whose ingenious parody SPAMILTON simultaneously salutes and sends up Miranda and his signature musical.” Ben Brantley of The New York Times said, “This smart, silly, and often convulsively funny thesis, performed by a motor-mouthed cast that is fluent in many tongues, is the work of that eminent specialist in Broadway anatomy, pathology, and gossip, Gerard Alessandrini.”

Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. Playhouse
Tickets start at $49

About the Creator of SPAMILTON:

Gerard Alessandrini (Creator, Writer & Director) is a Special Tony Award winner for Excellence in the Theatre. He created, wrote, and directed all 25 editions of Forbidden Broadway in NYC, Los Angeles, and around the world, and performed in the original 1982 cast. He can be heard on four of the 12 Forbidden Broadway cast albums and on the Disney classics Aladdin and Pocahontas. He has written television specials for Bob Hope, Angela Lansbury, and Carol Burnett. He contributed material to the recent Barbra Streisand album Encore. His other musicals include Madame X (co-written with Robert Hetzel) and an all-sung version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Most recently in New York, he directed the new revue Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Songs of Maury Yeston. His SPAMILTON  won Best Unique Theatrical Experience (Off-Broadway Theatre Alliance) and Show of the Year (2017 MAC Award). Other awards include seven Drama Desks (including two for Best Lyrics), one Obie, two Lucille Lortels, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Drama League.

The creative team includes Gerry McIntyre (Choreography), Morgan Large (Set Design), Dustin Cross (Costume Design) and Fred Barton (Music Supervision).

The North American tour of SPAMILTON: An American Parody is produced by Spamiltour LLC. SPAMILTON was originally produced by John Freedson, David Zippel, Gerard Alessandrini and Christine Pedi.

How to Get Tickets for SPAMILTON: 

Tickets are on sale this week to Kravis Center Donors. For information about becoming a Kravis Center donor, please visit kravis.org/membership or call 561.651.4320.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 28, at 10 am – online through the Kravis Center’s official website at kravis.org; in person at the Box Office, located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; or by phone at 561.832.7469 or 800.572.8471.

For group sales, please call 561.651.4438 or 561.651.4304.

(PRESS RELEASE)_PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (February 3, 2020) – Florida’s largest student film competition and award show, The Palm Beaches Student Showcase of Films (SSOF), announces an elite slate of industry professionals who will judge this year’s submissions from talented high school and college entrants.

Included among the international list of 48 new (and returning) judges in various categories are:

Joyce Belloise – Ms. Belloise is the Vice President of Content & Community Partnerships at South Florida
PBS. A third generation South Floridian, Joyce has written and produced content for public television
for over 20 years. From local public affairs discussions to magazine shows, from wildlife programs to a
travel series and internationally distributed documentaries, she enjoys exploring our state's
unique culture, ecosystem, and attractions.

Ellen Jacoby, CSA – As Founder and President of Ellen Jacoby Casting International, Ms. Jacoby has
hired more than 300,000 actors, dancers and performers through the years. She has worked with
Hollywood elite, including Steven Soderbergh, Joel Schumacher, Sidney Pollack, The Farrelly Bros., Bob
Zemekis, Ron Howard, Mike Nichols, Michael Bay, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton, Gary Marshall, John
Landis, James Cameron, Joe Roth, Tony Scott and others. She is a member of the Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences, which produces the Emmy Awards.

Cody Johns – Mr. Johns is an actor, recording artist, and digital content creator from South Florida.
Johns found success as not only a social media personality, but also a pioneer in digital-based
Journalism and Marketing.

Omar McClinton – Mr. McClinton is the head of production at Echo Bridge Productions, a full-service
award-winning animation studio based in St. Petersburg, FL, which specializes in 2D, hand-drawn
animation for feature films, commercials, music videos, video games and more. McClinton has 30+
years of experience producing for film and television and managed the IMAX VFX crew for The Dark
Knight movie.

(PRESS RELEASE)_The Fifth Annual Palm Beach Paddlefest, presented by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County (MIAPBC) at Harbourside Place in Jupiter, Florida, captured the attention of the paddling community on February 8. According to event organizers, the festival experienced tremendous growth as paddle sports continue to grow in popularity in South Florida. In addition to an increase in overall attendance, exhibitors, and support from local businesses, the two featured races saw a 40 percent increase in participation.

“Palm Beach County and this event in particular has developed into a top destination for paddlers,” says MIAPBC Executive Director Alyssa Freeman. The MIAPBC team and volunteers planned and promoted the event over the past year and were pleasantly shocked at the level of growth experienced during the event’s fifth year. “We were all surprised by the increase in racers this year,” says Alyssa. Palm Beach Paddlefest utilized a new timing company, which improved accuracy, and offered new, custom medals for top finishers, which were “a big hit” according to Alyssa.
 
In addition to hosting two competitive races sponsored by Blueline Surf and Paddle Co. and a kid’s fun race, the one-day festival supports local nonprofits and featured free activities for families and kids, including a waterslide, face painting, games, and more.

(PRESS RELEASE)_(West Palm Beach, FL – February 19, 2020) Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden will be hosting 10 fun and horticulturally informative programs and events in March and April. Visitors to Mounts will also want to experience the two ongoing exhibition at Mounts: the family friendly Ribbit the Exhibit and the amazing eco-exhibition CUTTING CORNERS: A Stickwork Exhibit.

 Guided Garden Walks
Wednesdays – March 11 & 25, April 8 & 22
+ 10:30 am & 1:30 pm
Meet at the Garden Entrance
FREE with admission. No RSVP Required
Enjoy this professionally guided walking tour throughout Mounts Botanical Garden.

Curator Conversations: Ribbit the Exhibit
Wednesday – March 18
Thursday – April 9
+ 4:30 pm to 6 pm
Meet at the main entrance on Military Trail
$5 for members; $15 for nonmembers.

Join Mounts staff for an insider’s look at Ribbit the Exhibit. This guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at J.A. Cobb’s whimsical structures and takes visitors through the Art in the Garden process, from art selection to landscape design. This after hours experience is limited to 20 participants. Registration deadlines are March 17 and April 8, and walk-in are not accepted.

(PRESS RELEASE)_COCONUT CREEK – Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Palm Beach Classics will host the COCO Car Show, on Saturday, February 29, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Featuring more than 75 classic cars and high-end exotics valued at up to $1 million, the family-friendly event is open to the public and will feature food trucks, exciting vendors, and live entertainment by Tailgate Shakedown. 

To register your vehicle, please call (561) 637-2333. Vehicle registrants will receive a VIP swag bag, Fresh Harvest buffet voucher, and a car show trophy. Vehicle registration is a $20 or greater donation benefiting Casey Cares Foundation. For more information, call (954) 977-6700 or visit casinococo.com. 

(PRESS RELEASE)_ COCONUT CREEK – Enjoy a comedic night out with actor Paul Reiser on Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m. in The Pavilion at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

Reiser is currently starring in two hit shows for Netflix: Stranger Things as Dr. Sam Owens, in a role created by the Duffer Brothers specifically for Reiser, and Chuck Lorre’s The Kominsky Method alongside Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. He has been getting rave reviews for the latter, where he delivered a moving soliloquy on life and loss in a scene that MediaPost says “will stand by year’s end as one of the finest moments seen anywhere on television this year.”

The multi-faceted actor also revived one of his most iconic roles in the highly-anticipated return of Mad About You, the long-running hit ‘90s comedy Reiser co-created and starred in with Helen Hunt. The Emmy, Peabody, and Golden Globe Award-winning comedy ended in May 1999 and returned 20 years later as a limited series on Spectrum Originals. 

Throughout his prolific career, Reiser has worked with both independent and mainstream filmmakers. More recently, Reiser earned acclaim for his supporting roles in the Academy Award-winning film Whiplash, John McDonagh's War on Everyone and frequent collaborator Jeff Baena’s The Little Hours.

Reiser is a fixture behind the camera as well. He co-created and co-produced There’s…. Johnny!, a seven-episode series on Hulu which depicted the fictional goings-on behind the scenes of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

As an author, Reiser’s first book, Couplehood, sold over two million copies and reached the number one spot on The New York Times best sellers list. His subsequent books, Babyhood and Familyhood, were best-sellers as well.

A SUNY Binghamton graduate in the prestigious music program, Reiser co-wrote the theme song from Mad About You, “The Final Frontier," with Grammy Award-winning producer Don Was. He also released an album of original songs with British singer-songwriter Julia Fordham called Unusual Suspects.

Over the course of his career, Reiser has received multiple Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, American Comedy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. He was also voted one of Comedy Central’s “Top 100 Comedians of All Time.”

Tickets are priced at $20/$25/$35 per person and can be purchased via Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com, or by calling (800) 653-8000. The Pavilion box office will also open at 1 p.m. on the day of the show for on-site ticket purchases and will-call pickup.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is located at 5550 NW 40th Street, Coconut Creek. For more information, call (954) 977-6700 or visit casinococo.com.

(PRESS RELEASE)_(West Palm Beach, FL – February 18, 2020) The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is thrilled to announce its 2020-2021 Kravis On Broadway season—complete with seven mega-hits. The 13th Kravis On Broadway season is packed with musicals that will lift your spirit, stories that will touch your heart, and indelible moments that will stay with you long after you’ve left the theater.

From the acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater production of Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY, to six-time Tony winner DEAR EVAN HANSEN, to the captivating WICKED, this season’s line-up will be impossible to resist!  Kravis On Broadway 2020-2021 also features MEAN GIRLS, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE, ANASTASIA, and AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN.

“Our next Kravis On Broadway series line-up is nothing short of amazing. We’re bringing some of the most popular, coveted productions on tour today,” says Lee Bell, Senior Director of Programming at the Kravis Center. “We’re especially excited to present DEAR EVAN HANSEN and WICKED, two hits that our audiences cannot wait to experience at the Kravis Center. Local Parrotheads will be ecstatic, dancing and singing to their favorite Jimmy Buffett tunes in ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE, and Tina Fey fans will definitely delight in the popular MEAN GIRLS.”

Remember: the best place to get information or tickets is through the Kravis Center’s official website at www.kravis.org/broadway. 

The 2020/2021 Kravis On Broadway series includes:

(PRESS RELEASE)_(Delray Beach, FL – February 14, 2020) Marjorie Waldo, President & CEO of Arts Garage, today announced that the nonprofit organization will once again present SET THE STAGE, PLACES EVERYONE!—unique summer theatre camps for kids and teens. This exciting multidisciplinary experience will help young artists learn about all aspects of theatre..

This summer’s SET THE STAGE is divided into three sessions:

+ Session I for Ages 6-9 / June 1-19
+ Session II for Ages 10-12 / June 22-July 10
+ Session III for Ages 13-17 / July 13-31

The participating young performers will feel like real professionals as they learn the ins and outs of producing their own play. The campers are the writers, directors, techies and actors, as well as costume and set designers. Of course, each session will culminate in a live, original showcase. 

“This is a really cool project,” says Waldo. “The kids have incredible feedback at the end of each camp where they talk about how they came out of their shells, made new friends, learned to collaborate and compromise and share their ideas. It's truly amazing.”

“Best of all, financial aid is available to young summer campers thanks to the generosity of The Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Family Foundation and matching donors from the Arts Garage,” she adds. “Our cost may be $600 per student per session, but we are determined to make sure that any child who wants to enroll in the SET THE STAGE summer camps can do so. We will not turn down any parent who wants to enroll their child.”

“Why does the Arts Garage do this? Because we believe the arts are transformative,” says Waldo. “Participation in theatre camp, as well as many other arts education experiences, makes a difference - especially for children. They learn so much about themselves, about their fellow campers, and about the art form they are studying. We already know what the research proves: Children perform better in school, improve their problem-solving and communication skills, and have higher self-esteem when they are exposed to the arts.”

How to Enroll in SET THE STAGE Summer Camps at Arts Garage

Parents can both enroll their children and apply for scholarship support online at www.ArtsGarage,org or by calling 561.450.6357. The deadline to apply is the first day of each session, but the earlier the better.

Note: Extended care is provided upon request for an additional fee.

For more information about the SET THE STAGE, PLACES EVERYONE!, please contact [email protected] org or call 561.210.9036.