Members of the cast Fifth July. www.ExpressGayNews.com • December 2, 2002 Q1 CYMK Q_COVERstory The Mosaic Theatre is housed in a small theater at the American Heritage High School Curtain Up on Local Theaters in Plantation. Earlier this year, it presented Durang Durang, an evening of one-act plays Nonprofit Theaters Take the Spotlight by playwright Christopher Durang and By Mary Damiano joined forces with American Heritage for a Arts & Entertainment Editor spectacular production of Titanic. “That was Like Blanche DuBois, Tennessee a fabulous production because the students Williams’ faded southern belle, non profit were working side by side with the actors,” theaters have always depended upon the he says. “Everyone was learning and that’s kindness of strangers. what the project was about,”says Simon. South Florida’s theatrical landscape Simon has a history with American has changed dramatically in recent years. Heritage—he attended high school there. When Gone are the days when theater lovers had Simon was in Chicago, the president of American to wait for the Broadway shows to tour, or Heritage contacted him and told him of the be left with a regional production of a school’s plans to build a 5 million dollar performing timeworn show. arts facility. He asked Simon if he would be Now, new theaters intent on doing interested in coming home and doing something cutting edge work are popping up all the in conjunction with the theater. time. South Florida boasts more than 25 “My mentor, Jim Usher is still here, and he theaters, doing musicals, comedies and ran the fine arts program when I was here,” says alternative works that 10 years ago would Simon. not have seen the footlights of a stage. Simon, a fan of David Mamet, Harold Pinter The reason many of these theaters can and Sam Shepard, likes to present cutting edge present new and cutting edge work is that work, such as The Complete Works of they are nonprofit organizations. Because Cast members from Shakespeare Abridged, which opened the they rely on financial support from private A Shayna Maidel. season. “It got lukewarm reviews, but everybody sponsors, the government and corporations, loved it. I wish we could have extended that as well as their audiences, they have the nonprofit, how do they make money? “The Mosaic Theatre: Local show.” One upcoming production is an off- freedom to try theatrical experiments and answer is simple,” he says. “All of the money Boy Makes Good and Broadway gay-themed play called Food Chain, present untried work. returns to the company, so if there’s any profit Comes Home which opens January 16. “I think a theater has to be a nonprofit to the show, it benefits the company.” “The obvious recipe for success is to do big in order to succeed, especially if you’re trying The three theaters profiled here each For Richard Jay Simon, founding the musicals, a comedy and some Jewish plays and to do the work that I’m trying to do, because have a special story to tell. The Mosaic Mosaic Theatre was a homecoming. you’ll sell out,” says Simon. “I tend to go against you are dependent on money from outside Theatre has an interesting collaboration with Simon was born and raised in South that.” sources,” says Richard Jay Simon, who a local school. The Sol Theatre has its own Florida. He graduated from Ithaca College, So far, people have taken notice of this founded the Mosaic Theater in Plantation. acting troupe. then spent time spent time honing his craft young theater’s work and potential. The “We need money from government and The Public Theatre, is a theatrical in New York and Chicago. “I decided I didn’t Mosaic received this year’s Curtain Up award corporations, so, to give that tax incentive is company without a theater. want to be a nomad traveling to different for Most Innovative Theatre in their first year, essential.” And although each have their own story, theaters for different shows,” says Simons. and they also received their first Carbonell According to Simon, the common they all share the same goal—to bring local “So, I came back to South Florida to start my nomination. question he hears is this: If a theater is audiences quality theater. own theater.” See THEATER on next page Q2 • www.ExpressGayNews.com • December 2, 2002 CYMK Q_COVERstory THEATER from page Q2 to do the kind of theater that other people do. tour through American popular culture from recently, at the Fort Lauderdale Children’s “My goal is to be here in a hundred I knew in the end I had to have my own theater.” 1950 to 1990. Admission to American Pop Theatre, also known as the Studio Theatre. years, to exist and stay in business and be In the past season, the sol has presented was by donation and audience members were Executive Director David Bernstein, who one of the best theaters in the country,” says Cat’s Paw, a gritty thriller about an American served free wine. has helmed the Public Theatre for three years, Simon. “I think we’re moving toward the goal terrorist, La Chunga, a tense drama about the Hooker is thrilled that his dream has come believes that in order for the Public Theatre of being one of the distinguished theaters in denizens of a lonely cantina and Hell on the true. “Just the fact that we’re able to make money, to grow, it needs a place to call home. “Having South Florida, as well as being one of the Halfshell, an evening of two one act comedies pay the rent, plus have money for the next and a home of your own certainly adds to the nationally recognized theatre. That’s the goal.” about hell. Their upcoming production, As You buy lighting equipment, is amazing,” Hooker prestige of the company,” he says. “The The Mosaic Theatre is located at Like It, updates the Bard’s play to 1920s New says. “Everything seems to be on our side.” Public Theatre, I think, is viewed as itinerant. 12200 W. Broward Blvd, at American Orleans. The play opens Dec. 7. The Sol Theatre is located at 1140 NE There is something about having one’s own Heritage Fine Arts Center, Plantation. For The production of As You Like It is a Flagler Dr. in Fort Lauderdale. For more home that leads to being taken more seriously, more information, visit mosaictheatre.com good example of how Hooker likes to make information, visit soltheatre.com. even when applying for grants. There are things original and uniquely his own. many grants available for purposes of Sol Theatre: A Merry Way Whereas most theaters cast their shows from upgrading or improving a to Realize a Dream the vast pool of local talent, or go out of property that you own that are town looking for actors, simply not made available for The cast of As You Like It. Hooker formed his own purposes of rental property.” acting troupe, The Though they lack a Merry Solsters. theater, the Public Theatre’s “My vision has dedication to presenting always been the quality work has never process,” he says. “As wavered. Last season, they an artist, I’m interested presented an edgy in how people interact production of Antigone, and with one another. In my a wonderful production of mind, if I could get The Boys Next Door. people together who The Public Theatre has work together all the also presented a gay and time, and every time we lesbian play festival for several did something it would years. Through this festival, grow upon that last they have presented Last The founding of the Sol Theatre was experience, the more we work together, Summer at Bluefish Cove, The the realization of a lifelong dream for Sol therefore, it can only be better. I don’t want Most Fabulous Story Ever artistic director Robert Hooker. Hooker, who to think about just product.” Told, Jeffrey and their current also teaches at Broward Community College, So far, Hooker’s experiment and vision production, Fifth of July. always wanted his own theater so he could are working. In addition to their regular The Public Theatre also has do the kind of work he didn’t often see season, the Sol Theatre presents children’s a commitment to promoting local performed. productions and late night open mic style playwrights. They are currently jams. At the end of last summer they accepting submissions for their “I realized that I wasn’t an equity Cast members of presented their first-ever fundraiser, an second annual local short play theater-type person,” Hooker says. “I wanted Fifth of July. to do live theater but I didn’t necessarily want original show that took the audience on a contest for South Florida playwrights. The winning The Public Theatre: playwrights will see their plays produced as part A Company in Search of an evening of winners next spring. But in order for the Public Theatre to really of a Home come into its own, Bernstein believes they need The Public Theatre, which celebrates its a theatre of their own. 15th anniversary of presenting theater to “We need some angels,” he says. “I have South Florida, is in a precarious position: It great aspirations for the Public. I would like is one of the area’s longest running arts the Public to be Broward’s answer to Florida organizations, yet it has no home to call its Stage. They do marvelous work. I don’t think own. that a company can reach the level of the Florida The Public Theatre has rented space Stage or the Caldwell with out a history of and staged shows in Hollywood, in the philanthropy.