Let's Fall in Love Guest Artist Pack

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FLORIDA REPERTORY THEATRE

GREG LONGENHAGEN, Artistic Director • JOHN MARTIN, Executive Director

2021-2022 SEASON ARTSTAGE STUDIO THEATRE • FORT MYERS RIVER DISTRICT PRESENTS

A World Premiere Cabaret Event!

DEVELOPED BY

EVAN TYRONE MARTIN, VICTORIA CASELLA & JASON PARRISH SPONSORED BY SAM GALLOWAY FORD-LINCOLN

STARRING

EVAN TYRONE MARTIN with VICTORIA CASELLA • MATTHEW KOLLER • PERRY ORFANELLA and ISIAH BOSTIC DIRECTED BY ensemble member JASON PARRISH

SCENIC & VENUE DESIGNER ensemble member DENNIS C. MAULDEN***

COSTUME COORDINATOR ANTHONY TONEY

SOUND DESIGNER JOHN McQUIGGAN

LIGHTING DESIGNER JOEL ZISHUK

STAGE MANAGER RACHEL BERKHOUSE

Any taping, filming, recording or broadcast of this cabaret (musical or otherwise) is strictly prohibited.

2021-22 GRAND SEASON SPONSORS IN THE KNOW. IN THE NOW.

This entire season sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

Florida Repertory Theatre is a fully professional non-profit LOA/LORT Theatre company on contract with the Actors’ Equity Association that proudly employs members of the national theatrical labor unions. ***Member of United Scenic Artists.

WHO’S WHO

A World Premiere Cabaret Event!

DEVELOPED BY

EVAN TYRONE MARTIN, VICTORIA CASELLA & JASON PARRISH

STARRING Evan Tyrone Martin THE CLUB INTERLUDE TRIO Victoria Casella, Piano Matthew Koller, Drums Perry Orfanella, Bass UNDERSTUDY Isiah Bostic

PLACE AND TIME:

Club Interlude.

Somewhere along the way, in the cool, cool, cool of the evening.

LET’S FALL IN LOVE is performed without an intermission.

PRODUCTION STAFF:

Wardrobe Supervisor: Anthony Toney Sound Engineer: Jackson Berkhouse †Member of Florida Repertory Theatre’s Ensemble of Theatre Artists.

See page 25 for the entire ensemble.

***

There was a boy, A very strange enchanted boy.

They say he wandered very far, very far, Over land and sea.

A little shy and sad of eye, But very wise was he.

And then one day, A magic day he passed my way, And while we spoke of many things, Fools and kings, This he said to me: The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, Is just to love and be loved in return.

-Nat King Cole, 1948 For Katherine Fisher & Eleanor McBride, you’re unforgettable.

EVAN TYRONE MARTIN (Performer & Co-Creator) is a Chicago-based actor whose recent credits include Jim Bishop in Roundabout Theatre Company’s (NYC) digital reading of Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston, and directed by Lilli-Anne Brown.

Other credits include Ensemble in The Black Clown (Lincoln Center 2019 MMF / A.R.T. – Boston), Horton in Seussical (Marriott TYA), Hud in Hair (Mercury Theatre), Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar (Paramount Theatre, BTAA Nomination), I Left My Heart: A Salute to…Tony Bennett (Mercury Theatre, Jeff Nomination), Curtis Taylor, Jr. in Dreamgirls (Porchlight Theatre, BTAA Nomination), Raymond in Far From Heaven (Porchlight, Jeff Nomination), King Triton in The Little Mermaid (Paramount Theatre) and (Arkansas Rep), Jake in Side Show (Porchlight, Jeff Nomination), Collins in Rent (Paramount Theatre), Harpo in The Color Purple (Mercury Theatre). Evan has also worked with Chicago Children’s Theater, Silk Road Rising, Arkansas Shakes, and Arkansas Rep, and has even been personally featured in Chicago Magazine, Chicago Tribune, and The New York Times. Additionally, Evan did two national tours starring in his one man shows Unforgettable: Falling in Love with Nat King Cole, An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas, and recorded a Live! album through Artists Lounge Live. Evan sends love and thanks to his friends, family and amazing agents at Paonessa Talent!

VICTORIA CASELLA (Music Director/Arranger/ Pianist) is very pleased to return to Florida Repertory Theatre. She is an actor/singer and musical director/pianist. Recent Florida Rep music direction credits include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, Music Director/Creative Team for Night and Day: Love Lost and Found Through the Eyes of Cole Porter, Music Director/Creative Team for Fascinatin’ Gershwin, and Music Director for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Other recent musical directing credits: Elliot and Me, a pandemic livestream for Laguna Playhouse and Sonoma Arts Theatre, Music Director/Arranger for The Green Crow Caws at Irish Repertory Theatre, NYC. Other credits include Night and Day, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty, Altar Boyz for Theatre Barn. Acting credits: Susanna in Daredevil (Netflix), Mrs. Aaronson in The Gold (NYMF), Marie (understudy) in The Most Happy Fella (Goodspeed). Most recent: Co-Writer (book)/Musical Arranger for The Circle Game (2019 PlayLab, Florida Rep). Victoria was recently awarded Broadway World Best Musical Direction for Regional Theater (Fort Myers/Naples, Florida) for her work on Night and Day at Florida Rep. JASON PARRISH† (Director & Co-Creator) is in his 16th season with Florida Rep, currently serving as the company’s Associate Artistic Director.

His directing credits with Florida Rep include the National New Play Network Rolling World

WHO’S WHO premiere of Alabaster, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Million Dollar Quartet, Steel Magnolias, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, A Christmas Story, The Fantasticks, Tru, intern showcases [title of show] and The Shape of Things, as well as The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe, Curious George: The Golden Meatball, Miss Nelson is Missing, the worldpremiere commission of Journey to Oz, Schoolhouse Rock Live, How I Became a Pirate, The New Kid, and The Mischief Makers for Florida Rep’s Theatre for Young Audience Series. His over 30 appearances with the company include Cabaret, How the Other Half Loves, The Dingdong, Twelve Angry Men, Around the World in 80 Days, Clybourne Park, Miracle on South Division Street, 2014’s nationally acclaimed production of Arsenic and Old Lace, and six years in David Sedaris’ one-man-show, The Santaland Diaries.

Jason has overseen Florida Rep’s PlayLab Festival of New Works since its 2014 inception, and under his direction it’s produced over thirty new play readings, commissions, and World Premiere productions of Split in Three by Daryl Lisa Fazio, Doublewide by Stephen Spotswood, George Washington’s Teeth by Mark St. Germain, Alabaster by Audrey Cefaly, and more. Jason’s work with other theatres as an actor and director includes Actors’ Playhouse (Miami), Riverside Theatre (Vero Beach), Theatre by the Sea & Ocean State Theatre Company (Rhode Island), and guest appearances with the New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concert Series at Lincoln Center. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers Society. www.jasonparrish.net.

RACHEL BERKHOUSE (Stage Manager) is excited to be returning to Florida Rep for a second season after completing a Stage Management internship with the company in 2019-2020. Previous credits at Florida Rep include serving as Assistant Stage Manager on Always...Patsy Cline, Barefoot in the Park, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, and A Doll’s House, Part 2. Outside of Florida, Rachel’s prior credits include serving as the resident Production Stage Manager at University of Dallas, where she earned her BA in Drama, and working at Fort Worth’s Trinity Shakespeare Festival as Assistant Stage Manager on Richard III, Measure for Measure and Twelfth Night.

Rachel is delighted to be back and is looking forward to the season ahead!

MATTHEW KOLLER (Drums) is thrilled to be returning to Florida Rep after appearing as the drummer in last season’s Broadway’s Best! He has also played for Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, Always…Patsy Cline, and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder. Matt is the founder and conductor of the City of Palms Youth Choir in Fort Myers. Choirs under his direction have performed several masterworks, world premieres, and have appeared in Carnegie Hall. He has conducted at Florida Gulf Coast University Opera, Gulfshore Opera, and teaches private voice lessons. His students have appeared in lead roles on Broadway, national tours, television, and film. He is a graduate of Westminster Choir College and is a member of The Same Stream Choir in Philadelphia.

DENNIS C. MAULDEN***† (Scenic & Venue Designer) is delighted to be working with Florida Repertory Theatre again after having designed An Inspector Calls in 2019. He has served since 1985 as the Resident Scene Designer at Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina where he also serves as Apprentice Administrator. He has headed design programs at the University of Florida and the University of South Carolina, where he also was Departmental Director of Graduate Studies. Maulden, a scene designer since 1970, has designed in other university, community, and regional theatres as well as in New York. In addition to a long list of theatre classics, he considers himself privileged to have designed many premiere productions of straight plays, musicals, and operas. He received his MFA in Design from UNC-Greensboro in 1977 and is a member of USA, NY Local #829.

PERRY ORFANELLA (Bass) is a composer/actor/ bassist who’s been active on the contemporary music scene for nearly 40 years. During that time, his performances have taken him from the jazz club to the Broadway theater; from the classical stage to the sports arena; from the church sanctuary to the theme park. He has accompanied celebrities such as Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Rosemary Clooney, and Olivia Newton-John; shared the stage with Broadway legends Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone, and Idina Menzel; worked with jazz luminaries Jackie McLean, Stanley Turrentine, Eric Darius, Doc Severinson, and Lionel Hampton; performed at Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, appeared in concert with more than a dozen professional symphony orchestras and shared his experiences as an educator at private and public schools, community colleges and state universities. His compositions and arrangements have been premiered and featured at numerous venues throughout the United States and he has recently been seen acting in several regional theater productions.

ANTHONY TONEY (Costume Designer) is ecstatic to officially join the Florida Rep staff this season as wardrobe supervisor. He hails from Detroit, Michigan where he started his career in costume and fashion design. Now, with several credits under his belt, Toney is looking forward to growing with Florida Rep, returning to the stage after a brief stint, and collaborating with amazing and talented artists.

Theater credits include The African Company Presents: Richard III off-Broadway, The Mountaintop, Godspell and Into The Woods. He has also had the opportunity to design two fashion collections that showed in Detroit. Toney is brimming with anticipation for what this season has in store.

JOEL ZISHUK (Lighting Designer) is a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Theater Design and Technology. After working and studying in Orlando for the past four years, Joel is excited to join the Florida Rep staff as the Master Electrician for this season. His past work with the Florida Rep includes Bulletproof Backback (Assisant Lighting Designer), CLUE: The Stay at Home Version (Graphic Designer) and the Education Department’s 2021 Summer Intensives (Lighting and Projection Designer).

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & FLORIDA REP STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

R. Marc Laviolette, Chair Arthur Zupko, Treasurer Dinah Bloomhall Alexandra Bremner Janice Danzig David M. Fritz

Naomi Bloom, Vice Chair Doris Colgate, Secretary

Fay C. Gronski David Hall Greg Longenhagen

Sunny Lubner Martin McLaughlin John Martin Rachel Burttram Powers

ADVISORY BOARD

Don Abbott • Liz Abbott • Don Gurule • Melinda Isley • Jane Lane • Marc Laviolette Darrel Lieze-Adams • Donna Lovejoy • Clive Lubner • John Martin • Jeff McCullers

Greg Longenhagen Artistic Director

STAFF

John Martin Executive Director

Jason Parrish Associate Artistic Director

ADMINISTRATION

Chris Clavelli Resident Director Kody C Jones Education Director

Tim Billman Production Manager

Jenny Smith Director of Operations

Drew Johnson Technical Director

Renee Pesci Development Director

Josh Schacht Asst. Technical Director

Emily Yorgey Development Associate Aaron Martin Company Manager Max Conoley Asst. Company Manager Deborah Jonsson Marketing Manager Joseph Dafeldecker Digital Media Specialist Stephanie Stanley Front of House Manager Gerrie Benzing Box Office Manager

EDUCATION

PRODUCTION

Kelly Colton Finance Director

John McQuiggan Resident Sound Designer & Engineer

Christina DeCarlo Asst. Education Director Zeke Bocklage Education Outreach Manager

INTERN STAFF

Mary Leigh Montgomery Education Emma Badger Yul Carrion Joe Collins Melissa Tucker Diego M. Villanueva Alexis Yard Acting

Joel Zishuk Master Electrician Jackson Berkhouse Asst. Master Electrician & Carpenter Shellie Raleigh Carpenter

Naomi Bates Stage Management Danica Murray Company Management

Jillian Parzych Costume Shop Manager

Dominic Masotti Production

Anthony “Tony” Toney Wardrobe Supervisor

London Dailey Paint

Julie Beth McCracken Scenic Charge Jesseca Terhaar Properties Master

Lily Munro Properties Krissey Michele Browder FOH/Marketing

Miranda White Properties Artist Rachel Berkhouse Covid Safety Officer

Contains strong language, adult situations, & brief nudity.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE OF

AT THIS PERFORMANCE OF

A World Premiere Cabaret Event!

A World Premiere Cabaret Event!

Please Help Keep our Theatre Safe!

Wear your mask properly when inside the theatre and Florida Rep’s facilities.

Please Help Keep our Theatre Safe!

Wear your mask properly when inside the theatre and Florida Rep’s facilities.

Thank You for your Cooperation!

Thank You for your Cooperation!

LET’S FALL IN LOVE is performed with one 15-minute intermission.

LET’S FALL IN LOVE is performed with one 15-minute intermission.

THE CLUB INTERLUDE TRIO Stephanie Layton, Piano Matthew Koller, Drums Perry Orfanella, Bass

THE CLUB INTERLUDE TRIO Stephanie Layton, Piano Matthew Koller, Drums Perry Orfanella, Bass

STEPHANIE LAYTON (Pianist) is thrilled to be making her Florida Rep debut on the keys after moonlighting as their NYC audition accompanist for a number of years. An Olympia, WA native, Steph currently splits her time between the west and east coasts working as both a musician and graphic designer. In NYC she has served as audition accompanist for countless Broadway, national tour, and regional productions, and spent a number of years as a vocal coach for Pace University’s prestigious musical theatre program. She also fronts jazz event band Eden Lane, where she channels Julie London at high end weddings and corporate events for clients like Macallan Scotch, Etsy, and Charlotte Tilbury Beauty. On the design front, she creates record packaging for Ghostlight Records and Warner Music Group in addition to freelancing with a myriad of small businesses, theatres, and musicians. She is extremely grateful to be making her living in the arts, and sends her love to Steve back home. Edenlanejazz.com / redscandalgraphics.com

STEPHANIE LAYTON (Pianist) is thrilled to be making her Florida Rep debut on the keys after moonlighting as their NYC audition accompanist for a number of years. An Olympia, WA native, Steph currently splits her time between the west and east coasts working as both a musician and graphic designer. In NYC she has served as audition accompanist for countless Broadway, national tour, and regional productions, and spent a number of years as a vocal coach for Pace University’s prestigious musical theatre program. She also fronts jazz event band Eden Lane, where she channels Julie London at high end weddings and corporate events for clients like Macallan Scotch, Etsy, and Charlotte Tilbury Beauty. On the design front, she creates record packaging for Ghostlight Records and Warner Music Group in addition to freelancing with a myriad of small businesses, theatres, and musicians. She is extremely grateful to be making her living in the arts, and sends her love to Steve back home. Edenlanejazz.com / redscandalgraphics.com

SPECIAL THANKS Black Tie Tuxedos Brian Hatch • Clifton Lewis Josh Schacht

SPECIAL THANKS Black Tie Tuxedos Brian Hatch • Clifton Lewis Josh Schacht

AT THIS PERFORMANCE OF

AT THIS PERFORMANCE OF

A World Premiere Cabaret Event!

A World Premiere Cabaret Event!

DEVELOPED BY

DEVELOPED BY

EVAN TYRONE MARTIN, VICTORIA CASELLA & JASON PARRISH

EVAN TYRONE MARTIN, VICTORIA CASELLA & JASON PARRISH

ISIAH BOSTIC

ISIAH BOSTIC

ISIAH BOSTIC (Understudy/Performer) is a singer, actor, dancer from Hamden, CT. He received his BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Connecticut State University in 2020 and is thrilled to make his Florida Rep debut! Isiah has had the opportunity to share his love of the arts around the country, and has honed his craft with the help of many industry professionals such as Tim Howard, John Hickok, MaryAnn Lamb, Elizabeth Parkinson, Scott Wise, Bob Cline, Megan Osterhaus, Anthony Cochrane, Michael Bartoli, and Deborah Lifton. His professional credits include 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Mitch Mahoney) with Quisisana Resort, Much Ado About Nothing (Antonio) with Ives Concert Park, In the Heights (Ensemble) with Playhouse on Park, South Pacific (Featured Sailor) with New Paradigm Theater, and Porgy and Bess (Ensemble) with South Florida Symphony Orchestra.

ISIAH BOSTIC (Understudy/Performer) is a singer, actor, dancer from Hamden, CT. He received his BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Connecticut State University in 2020 and is thrilled to make his Florida Rep debut! Isiah has had the opportunity to share his love of the arts around the country, and has honed his craft with the help of many industry professionals such as Tim Howard, John Hickok, MaryAnn Lamb, Elizabeth Parkinson, Scott Wise, Bob Cline, Megan Osterhaus, Anthony Cochrane, Michael Bartoli, and Deborah Lifton. His professional credits include 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Mitch Mahoney) with Quisisana Resort, Much Ado About Nothing (Antonio) with Ives Concert Park, In the Heights (Ensemble) with Playhouse on Park, South Pacific (Featured Sailor) with New Paradigm Theater, and Porgy and Bess (Ensemble) with South Florida Symphony Orchestra.

Performs the Cabaret at the Infamous Club Interlude

Performs the Cabaret at the Infamous Club Interlude

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Deborah Jonsson (239) 219-1536 marketing@floridarep.org

NEWS RELEASE

Press Ready Images: https://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/W1Mbd-HC0-CkW

Florida Rep returns to the stage with worldpremiere cabaret event, “Let’s Fall in Love.”

The new concert-style event salutes the music of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, and Tony Bennett.

The cabaret stars Chicago-based singer, Evan Tyrone Martin, and features a live band in the ArtStage Studio Theatre. Florida Rep’s Associate Artistic Director, Jason Parrish, returns to direct the cabaret.

FORT MYERS, FL – Florida Repertory Theatre announces its return to indoor performances with “Let’s Fall in Love: A World Premiere Cabaret Event,” in the ArtStage Studio Theatre.

Previews begin Sept. 28, and the concert runs through Nov. 7 in the intimate venue. Masks are required for all patrons while inside Florida Rep's facilities, and the theatre asks that all patrons comply with posted health and safety guidelines.

Tickets for “Let’s Fall in Love” are available online at FloridaRep.org and through the box office at (239) 332-4488 for $59 and $55. The cabaret can also be purchased as part of any 2021-2022 Season subscription series, and packages for 6, 7, 8, and 9 shows start as low as $224.

“We are so pleased to be opening our doors to the public this fall,” said Artistic Director, Greg Longenhagen. “The 2021-2022 Season has been a long time in the making, and we couldn’t be happier to showcase Evan Tyrone Martin in this brand-new musical event. I can’t think of a better way to welcome our patrons back than with a celebration of this iconic American music. Audiences are in for a treat with this salute to Nat King Cole – and so many voices that defined a generation of popular music in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. We’ll see

you at the theatre soon!”

“Let’s Fall in Love” celebrates the music of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tony Bennett, but it begins with the crooner who started it all, Bing Crosby. With Evan Tyrone Martin at the center of the action, the cabaret charts the singer’s journey and how these iconic voices inspired him to become a professional singer. Using the music of Nat King Cole as a way in, audiences will take a journey through American musical history to see how Bing made way for a new kind of singer, and how Nat King Cole broke barriers and rose to international stardom while crossing paths along the way with Frank, Sammy, and Tony Bennett.

Chicago-based singer and actor, Evan Tyrone Martin, makes his Florida Rep debut in “Let’s Fall in Love,” but is no stranger to the music of Nat King Cole. Martin appeared in two national tours with Chicago’s Artists Lounge Live, starring in a one-man-shows saluting Cole, “Unforgettable: Falling in Love with Nat King Cole” and “An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas.” Martin’s regional credits include Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center, A.R.T., Porchlight Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Arkansas Rep, and more. In addition to his work saluting Cole’s music, Evan recently received a Jeff Award nomination for his work in “I Left My Heart: A Salute to Tony Bennett” with Chicago’s Mercury Theatre.

“Let’s Fall in Love” is a collaboration between Martin, Florida Rep’s Associate Artistic Director, Jason Parrish, and longtime guest musical director and arranger, Victoria Casella.

The trio have been hard at work since the spring selecting and arranging music and crafting a narrative that celebrates these diverse American voices.

Jason Parrish directs the cabaret after his recent work on Florida Rep’s “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” “Alabaster,” and “Million Dollar Quartet.” Victoria Casella returns as arranger, musical director, and pianist after recent work on “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Tenderly,” and arranging for “Fascinatin’ Gershwin” and “Night and Day.” The evening also features Florida-based musicians, Matt Koller (“Tenderly”) on drums and Perry Orfanella on bass (Florida Rep debut).

The ArtStage Sudio Theatre plays host to the concert, and is transformed into a stylish 1950’s era jazz and supper club, inspired by venues that dotted Harlem and New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and countless other cities across the country during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Ensemble set designer, Dennis C. Maulden, returns after his work on “An Inspector Calls” to design the transformed ArtStage; costume consultant, Tony Toney, joins the creative team for the concert after recent work on the outdoor Conservatory productions of “Into the Woods” and “Godspell” last spring; resident master electrician, Joel Zishuk (Conservatory’s, “Bulletproof Backpack”), will design the lights for the cabaret; and Rachel Berkhouse serves as production coordinator.

“Let’s Fall in Love” is generously sponsored by Sam Galloway Ford-Lincoln.

“Let’s Fall in Love: A World Premiere Cabaret Event" plays in the ArtStage Studio Theatre Oct. 1 – Nov 7, with discounted previews Sept. 28 – 30. Tickets are $59/$55 and $39/$35 for previews, and available online at www.FloridaRep.org and through the box office at (239) 332-4488. Performances are Tuesday – Saturday at 7 PM, Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 PM, and 8 PM for the opening night gala performance on Friday, Oct. 1.

Florida Rep's parking lot will open 2 hours before each performance and offers guests FREE PARKING across the street from the Arcade Theatre.

Subscriptions for the 2021-2022 Season are also on sale now and offer the best seats at the most significant savings. “Let’s Fall in Love” can be added to any subscription package for 6, 7, 8, or 9 shows. Subscriptions start at $224 for 6 shows, and packages are available for any budget or any schedule. Subscriptions are available through the box office at 239-332-4488 or toll-free at 877-787-8053.

COVID PROTOCOLS FOR A SAFE RETURN: •

• • • •

Because of rising numbers of COVID cases in Southwest Florida, Florida Rep requires ALL PATRONS to wear masks at all time while inside theatre facilities and when seated in the ArtStage Studio Theatre. Florida Rep continues to monitor the situation, and will comply with CDC and local guidance.

Florida Rep is a fully vaccinated workplace, and ALL staff and guest artists must be fully vaccinated in order to work for the company.

Florida Rep recommends that audiences and guests be fully vaccinated before coming to the theatre.

Florida Rep is following enhanced safety and cleaning protocols, and the theatre spaces will be cleaned and disinfected before and after each public performance.

Florida Rep reserves the right to make changes to reservations if social distancing is required in the ArtStage, and patrons will be notified in writing of any changes to performances dates or seating location.

Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre and the ArtStage Studio Theatre on Bay St. between Jackson & Hendry with free parking in the Fort Myers River District. Visit Florida Rep online at FloridaRep.org, and by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. ###

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BWW Review: LET'S FALL IN LOVE at Florida Repertory Theatre Playing now through November 7!

by Elizabeth James Oct. 1, 2021

LET'S FALL IN LOVE at Florida Repertory Theatre is a World-Premiere Cabaret event, created by Evan Tyrone Martin, Jason Parrish, and Victoria Casella, celebrating the music of several well-known golden-age musicians.

Evan Tyrone Martin stars in the show, and he is wonderful. It is so captivating to see and hear how he changes his voice and his persona to match each artist who he is singing a song by currently. That requires a lot of talent, and I was very impressed with his charismatic performance. This is a beautiful show that tells a story about his experiences growing up with music and how his grandmother really created that love in him. He perfectly performs songs by iconic artists, including Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, and Tony Bennett.

The band who accompanies him includes Victoria Casella on the piano, Matthew Koller on the drums, and Perry Orfanella playing the bass. They all did a fantastic job, and it was fun to see how much they were incorporated into the show.

1M 164 Skip Ad

In this production, Florida Rep's ArtStage Studio Theatre has been transformed into "Club Interlude," and I loved the concept. The set was designed by Dennis Maulden, with lighting by Joel Zishuk, sound by John McQuiggan, and costumes by Anthony Toney. Florida Rep's Associate Artistic Director, Jason Parrish, directed the production.

The entire creative team put in some incredible work for Florida Rep's first professional production back inside their venue since the beginning of the pandemic. This is definitely something special.

This is such a heartwarming, fun show. It was the perfect way to open up Florida Rep's 24th season, and I encourage you to get tickets for this production soon!

Florida Rep has taken clear COVID safety measures, currently including requiring masks as well as a negative COVID test (or proof of vaccination, if you opt for such instead).

This is one of the safest-feeling theatres I have visited since the pandemic began. I can imagine patrons are just as excited as I am to get back inside their theatre, and I appreciate the measures they have taken to make sure everyone is safe.

Florida Rep’s cabaret pays tribute to Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and more

By HAPPENINGSMAGAZINE September 28, 2021 No Comments

Florida Repertory Theatre announces its return to indoor performances with Let’s Fall in Love: A World Premiere Cabaret Event in the ArtStage Studio Theatre. Previews begin Sept.

28, and the concert performances run through Nov. 7 in the intimate venue.

Masks are required for all patrons while inside Florida Rep facilities, and the theatre asks that all patrons comply with posted health and safety guidelines.

“We are so pleased to be opening our doors to the public this Fall,” said artistic director Greg Longenhagen. “The 2021-2022 season has been a long time in the making, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome Evan Tyrone Martin to the ArtStage in this brand-new musical event. I can’t think of a better way to welcome our patrons back than with a celebration of this great American music. Audiences are in for a treat with this salute to Nat King Cole – and so many voices that defined a generation of popular music in the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s. We’ll see you at the theatre soon.”

Let’s Fall in Love celebrates the music of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett, but it begins with the crooner who started it all, Bing Crosby. With Evan

Tyrone Martin at the center of the action, the cabaret charts the singer’s journey and how these iconic voices inspired him to become a professional singer. Using the music of Nat King Cole as a way in, audiences will take a journey through American musical history to see how Bing made way for a new genre of singer, and how Nat King Cole broke barriers to rise to international stardom while crossing paths along the way with Frank, Sammy, and Tony Bennett.

Chicago-based singer and actor Evan Tyrone Martin makes his Florida Rep debut in Let’s Fall in Love, but he is no stranger to the music of Nat King Cole. Martin appeared in two national tours with Chicago’s Artists Lounge Live, starring in one-man-shows saluting Cole, Unforgettable: Falling in Love with Nat King Cole and An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas. Martin’s regional credits include Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center, A.R.T., Porchlight Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Arkansas Rep and more. In addition to his work saluting Cole’s music, Evan recently received a Jeff Award nomination for his work in I Left My Heart: A Salute to Tony Bennett with Chicago’s Mercury Theatre Let’s Fall in Love is a collaboration between Martin, Florida Rep associate artistic director Jason Parrish, and longtime guest musical director and arranger Victoria Casella. The trio have been hard at work since the late-spring selecting and arranging music and crafting a narrative that celebrates these diverse American voices.

Jason Parrish directs the cabaret event after his recent work on Florida Rep’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Alabaster and Million Dollar Quartet.

Victoria Casella returns as arranger, musical director and pianist after recent work on A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Tenderly, and arranging for Fascinatin’ Gershwin and Night and Day. The evening also features Florida-based musicians, Matt Koller (Tenderly) on drums and Perry Orfanella on bass (Florida Rep debut).

The ArtStage Studio Theatre plays host to the concert and will be transformed into a stylish 1950s era jazz and supper club, inspired by venues that dotted Harlem and New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and countless other cities across the country during the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s.

Ensemble set designer Dennis Maulden returns after his work on An Inspector Calls to design the transformed ArtStage; costume consultant Tony Toney makes his main stage debut on the concert after recent work on the outdoor Conservatory productions of Into the Woods and Godspell last spring; resident master electrician Joel Zishuk (Conservatory’s, Bulletproof Backpack) will design the lights for the cabaret, and Rachel Berkhouse serves as production coordinator.

Let’s Fall in Love: A World Premiere Cabaret Event plays Oct. 1 – Nov. 7, with discounted previews Sept. 28 – 30. Tickets are $59/$55 and $39/$35 for previews, and available online at www.FloridaRep.org and through the box office at 239-332-4488.

Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7 p.m., Thursday, Saturday, & Sunday at 2 p.m., and 8 p.m. for the opening night gala performance on Oct. 1.

2’s Review: You’ll fall for “ Let’s Fall in Love” at Florida Rep

by Dave Elias 11:30 AM EDT, Mon October 04, 2021 A

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The Florida Repertory Theatre is returning to the indoor stage with a world premier event, “Let’s Fall in Love.”

This show allows you to take a break from our hustle and bustle life as it will no doubt transport you back in time. The Rep’s ArtStage Studio Theatre becomes an intimate Cabaret show featuring the beautiful and magical voice of Chicago-based Actor Evan Tryone Martin, who is making his Rep debut.

Martin, along with Jason Parrish and Victoria Cassella, created this show which features the greats of the golden age of music including the diverse and beloved voices of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tony Bennett.

Martin is a true artist who is able to bring each iconic singer to the stage as he tells his own heartwarming musical history and the influence each legend has had on his life and how his music was inspired by a lesser-known vocalist, his beloved grandmother.

Martin’s rich baritone voice is captivating and full of range as he takes you on a magical musical history tour even revealing hidden secrets of the stars and the industry.

Equally impressive is the trio of musicians who accompany him, including pianist and longtime guest musical director Victoria Casella who also has a beautiful backup voice I would like to have heard even more of.

Joining her is accomplished drummer Matthew Koller and Perry Orfanella on the bass.

Jason Parrish has done a great job directing the show.

The set is designed by Dennis Maulden who has transformed the stage into “Club Interlude” a 1940s-50s era Jazz and Supper Club. While I loved the design, I couldn’t help but find myself wishing I was sitting at a table with a martini and allowing myself to become completely absorbed into this time capsule show I didn’t want to end.

If you’ve never attended a cabaret, you owe yourself the treat to be immersed into a bygone era with some great talent and great songs like ‘My Way,’ ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’ and ‘The Candy Man,’ to name only a few

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EVAN TYRONE MARTIN AT THE FLORIDA REP THEATER IN "LET'S FALL IN LOVE"

Evan Tyrone Martin and Company. Photo: Joe Dafeldecker / Florida Repertory Theatre

Rating 

How delightful that the season was extended! Perhaps it will be extended even more!

In this, the 24th season of the Florida Rep theater, singer-actor Evan Tyrone Martin stars in a romantic, sentimental musical journey set from the 1930s to the present. Martin is handsome, charming, witty, urbane, elegantly dressed, and owns a winning smile like the singers he honors and portrays.

Accompanied by pianist Victoria Casella, drummer Matthew Koller, and bassist Perry Orfanella, Martin guided us through the Great American Songbook and historic significant artistry of Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett. He ably characterized elements contributing to the renown of each singer, reminiscing with us through nostalgic songs representing distinctive decades like I’ve Got the World on the String, Brother Can You Spare a Dime, Swinging on a Star, Straighten Up and Fly Right, For Sentimental Reasons, Nature Boy, Night and Day, Nice Work if You Can Get it, It’s Only a Paper Moon, The Candy Man, and much more. Martin also spoke of the challenges that faced African American luminaries like Sammy Davis Jr and Nat King Cole. He reflected on his own experiences as a lone minority while a college student.

In this intimate theatre setting, perfect for a cabaret performance, the packed house was wooed by Martin’s delightful repartee, sincerity, and musical artistry. Martin met the challenges of a varied repertoire, range, and styles with ease as he communicated directly with the audience through song.

With a seemingly simple set, skilled lighting, excellent sound, musical balance, choreography, and props like period microphones and a cabaret table setting where we learned of Nat King Cole’s final days, we were drawn into the times and places presented.

Cabaret table. Photo: E. Kliszus

Martin showed his versatility and power as a singer and actor. He displayed his mastery of styles and range, seamless shifting from one song to another, drawing us into the magic of music, verse as he projected feelings and memories into our hearts and imaginations.

After a standing ovation, Martin’s encore reminded us that tonight was about falling in love. He reprised Nat King Cole with L-O-V-E., Let’s Fall in Love, and When I Fall in Love.

“Let’s Fall in Love: A World Premiere Cabaret Event” plays in the ArtStage Studio Theatre through Nov. 21. Tickets start at $59/$55 and are available online at www.FloridaRep.org and through the box office at (239) 332-4488. The theatre’s dynamic pricing model goes into effect after Oct. 25, and prices will go up to $69 for in-demand performances. Performances are Tuesday – Saturday at 7 PM, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and select Wednesdays at 2 PM. There are no performances on Nov. 12 or 13.