By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life

"Shrek the Musical" arrived at the Kravis Center Friday for a three-night run, and despite a small technical glitch that delayed the start, the fabled green orge not only won the heart of Princess Fiona, but also the hearts of the audience. Led by strong performances by Nicholas Hambruch (Shrek), Kelly Prendergast (Fiona), Naphtali Yaakov Curry (Donkey) and Timmy Lewis (Lord Farquaad), we happily follow along on Shrek's quest to reclaim his swamp. 

The toe-tapping score, creative set design and an abundance of humor -- juvenile and otherwise -- combine to make the almost two-hour run time fly. A special shoutout to Curry's Donkey, who owned the
stage, and Tori Kocher as the menacing dragon guarding Fiona's castle.

Fans of the movie no doubt will embrace the musical version, which wraps up its Kravis run Sept. 29. More information and tickets can be found here. 

By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life

Who doesn't know Ethel Mertz, Lucy and Desi's landlady from one of television's most beloved and longest-running syndicated shows that aired in the Fifties, "I Love Lucy."

Less known is the story behind the woman who played Ethel, Vivian Vance. That's the subject of a new, one-woman play by Kim Powers -- "Sidekicked" --  now showing through Sept. 29 in the Cabaret Theatre at the Delray Beach Playhouse.  

Directed by Genie Croft and starring Irene Adjan as Ms. Vance, it lifts the curtain on the life story behind the actress who found lasting fame as Lucy's second banana. Set on the final night of filming "I Love Lucy," Ethel, in housecoat and hair rollers, bares her soul to an unseen analyst,  from her childhood in Kansas and multiple marriages to  her dislike of co-star William Fraley and the deep insecurities that almost derailed her career.

Cleverly weaving in some of the most memorable scenes from the classic sitcom, Ms. Adjan's performance evokes the joy, pain and pathos that was Ms. Vance's life. As a one-person production, running almost 90 minutes, it's a demanding role, and Ms. Adjan is more than up to the challenge. In fact, once you see "Sidekicked," you'll never think about the landlady who shared morning coffee with Lucy the same way again.

Tickets for "Sidekicked" range from $59 to $69 and are available online at delraybeachplayhouse.com or by calling 561-272-1281. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. All performances will take place at the Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th Street, Delray Beach (33444)
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By GERRY and PAMELA BARKER
Photos/Video by  North Palm Beach Life
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A condo construction project gave Palm Beach designer David Campbell an opportunity to completely re-imagine his terrace space. Campbell spent a year planning and executing a new look, drawing inspiration from the decor of MacKenzie-Childs. He unveiled the results of all his labors just this week, and gave North Palm Beach Life an inside look at how he accomplished the makeover. 

(Press Release) Tequesta, Fla., (September 17, 2024) – Lighthouse ArtCenter (LAC) in Tequesta, FL, welcomed over one hundred guests to its gallery for the opening of "LUSH 3." The third edition of a biennial open-call ceramics exhibition showcases contemporary ceramics and the large-scale work of underwater photographer Chris Leidy. The opening reception occurred on September 12 and featured LAC's signature light bites and refreshments.