Mondays are Dark

Photo by Teddy Harrell

Today's "dark" theater is at The African-American Performing Arts Community Theater (AAPACT) at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center.  The center's Wendell A Narcisse Performing Arts Theater is a black box that can seat up to 250.  Located in the heart of Liberty City, it's actually fairly easy to get to, and does have off-street parking.  And AAPACT does work worth seeing - don't let the "community" appellation put you off.  They are currently running Anne & Emmett (see below).

Here's your Monday reading list.

Sheesh, what DIDN'T Ben Franklin Invent?
Butts In Seats tells us about the Father of Matching Grants.  Who knew?  But we're not surprised.

Attention Playwrights (aspiring and otherwise)
While it's South WEST Florida, Broadway World reports that the Gulfshore Playhouse's New Works Festival is looking for submissions from playwrights from all over.  It's just across Alligator Alley...

NOT The Recommended Method
Stage Directions reports that a college theatre in Quebec got its pending renovation fast-tracked after their rigging system failed during a speech by the president of the college.

The college had budgeted for a replacement “within the next five years,” said Geoff Stock, project manager with J. R. Clancy, Inc. “While the president was doing a presentation in the auditorium, one of the hydraulic hoists slipped, and the pipe crept in behind him.”

Suddenly the replacement rose to the top of the agenda.

Quelle surprise.

Into The Thick Of It
Howround decides to engage in theatre criticism.  But not in South Florida.  YET...

You Know, For The Kids...
The Miami Herald reminds us that the 18th Annual National Children's Theatre Festival kicks off this Saturday from noon to 5pm at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater.  And as usual, the centerpiece will be the wold premiere of a new musical.  This year, it's the rock musical Excellent Conquest, by Earl Maulding and Scott Morlock.

Two Teens Who Never Met
The Miami Herald notes that The African-American Performing Arts Community Theater (AAPACT) is performing Anne & Emmett.  Anne Frank and Emmit Till died on separate continents and decades apart, but both as a result of racial prejudice.

An Actor Talks about An Actor Walks...
The Drama Queen reminds us that Collin McPhillamy will be reading selections from his book, An Actor Walks Into China, at Palm Beach Dramaworks this Thursday at 2:30 pm.  And if you have the chance to stay and see his performance in Exit the King that evening, do.

Meanwhile...
...in Miami, the Coconut Grove Playhouse is one step closer to becoming a reality, according to Florida Theater On Stage. Well, one very small step closer:

But the road to actually opening up a theater on the property is still long and complex, especially because of pending lawsuits from groups that claim debts owed by the non-profit Coconut Grove Playhouse’s board of directors. No public entity connected to the arrangement wants to incur any debt in the deal, spokespeople have said.

...in Palm Beach, Patrick Flynn may be gone, but his dream is living on, according to the Palm Beach Daily News:

“The theater guild never was Patrick Flynn,” he said. “It wasn’t a one-man show. A lot of people have invested time and money in the group. It was crystal clear that we could not just shut it down.”

The Palm Beach based National Arts Institute has signed a letter of intent to lease the Royal Poinciana Playhouse from Sterling Palm Beach, but no lease has yet been signed.