There is no doubt that we have been through a lot in the last few years. It is understandable that people still are carrying fear with them. We are programmed as human beings to keep ourselves safe and act in risk adverse behaviors.
That being said, we must also remember that we are meant to be together. How lonely an existence we will have if we forget how to actually be in each other’s company. Along with the concerns of keeping ourselves safe, we should also worry about the long term consequences of being complacent to actually living life. Theatre has many collaborators but the final contributor is our audience. Without the collective group coming together sharing the experience, the process is incomplete. You have probably exited the theatre after a performance acknowledging that your enjoyment of the production was, in part, due to the fact that the audience was in sync with your emotions. That cannot be duplicated sitting in front of your television. Theatre performances also have visual dimensionality that cannot be replicated in any other media. It’s amusing that people get excited about a 3D experience when theatre actually provides a level beyond that. It’s live! Anything can happen and often does as the audience responds. Each performance is unique. Scientists say that audience’s heart beats stay in rhythm while attending a live show proving our humanity is stronger when we’re together.
So, as we move forward, we must make important decisions about our values and ask ourselves what are the repercussions of not showing up? Not only for art and culture, but for each other. Wishing you a great year…together.
Andrew Kato PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Maltz Jupiter Theatre Board of Directors
W. Scott Seeley, Chair | Robin B. Smith, Vice Chair
Milton Maltz, Chair Emeritus
Doug Brown, J. Philip Clark, Eileen Daly, Janene Edlin, Debra A. Elmore, Jack Farber, Maxine Poole Farrell, Linda M. Flynn, Paul A. Goldner, Roberta E. Golub, Roe Green, Rodger H. Hess, Jeffrey R. Hoops, Martha Ingram, Peggy Katz, Brett Langbert, James M. Li, Tamar Maltz, Karen T. Marcus, Hans Mautner, William I. Morton, Sally B. Neff, Alceste T. Pappas, Ph.D., Amit Rastogi, MD, Janis Ruan, Robert Sachs, Avery Sommers, Susan Namm Spencer, John A. Stevens, Jay M. Wilson
BY:
BY: ANDREW KATO
Jerry Dixon has played a lot of parts in his career including actor, director, writer, teacher and artistic director. His acting profession began at a young age on Broadway as a mega-star in musicals such as Once on this Island, Five Guys Named Moe and If/Then. He is also credited for his writing on the Broadway production of Laugh Whore starring Mario Cantone. He was in the original off-Broadway production of Tick, Tick…BOOM! and nominated for A Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. Until recently, he was the Artistic Director of the acclaimed Village Theatre in Issaquah, Seattle. Through his career he has developed and helmed plays and musicals and now serves as the director of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s production of Good People
When asked about his eclectic career and transitioning through the various skill sets needed to do each job, he replied “I remember reading about film director, Franco Zeffirelli. I was so intrigued that he had all of these artistic chapters in his life. He was a costume and scenic designer, film director and producer. I knew early on that I wanted to apply myself to as many facets of the theatre as possible. To me, it felt quite natural for my career to go from actor to writer, teacher to director, then onto artistic director. And the best thing is that I never have to shorten the list. I’ll just keep adding onto the dream!”
One of his early dreams came true when he originated the role of Daniel in a new musical of an adaptation of a Caribbean retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Little Mermaid. He remembers it fondly when he almost walked past the marquee of his first Broadway show, Once on This Island. “It was July of 1990, and thank goodness I was walking on 46th Street with a friend who suddenly stopped and said “I think you should look up.” Seeing evidence of dreams come true is an amazing thing that should never be missed.”
When Jerry was approached to direct Good People he was intrigued by the different facets of the plays themes. “I gravitate toward stories that challenge my own personal views. Good People presses us to
answer questions like “Why do we bury the past?”, “What should we do with our success?”, “Am I exceptional or just lucky?” So, even if a play takes me out of my comfort zone, if my answers are honest, I can’t help but grow from the experience. Good People lays down some hard truths and confounding issues in the most unlikely of settings.
Mr. Dixon, a writer himself, gives the playwright credit for the intriguing characters that are often portrayed in his productions. “Having now experienced three of his plays and two of his musicals the common thread with David Lindsay-Abaire’s storytelling is his way of honoring his characters by making them three dimensional - warts and allas though perfection has no interest to him. Very few plays accomplish the kind of fervor where each character, with the gusto of an athlete, dives into their win or lose circumstance, making Good People feel akin to an exciting sporting event!
Jerry’s illustrious career has been developed and sharpened by taking on many roles throughout his life. Each new adventure built on the next. Where did the journey begin? He says “My junior high school choir teacher, Bobbie Simms, was this young, super smart, African American woman, who heard something, that I was completely oblivious to, in my squeaky adolescent voice. Then, there was Eleanor Baum, my freshmen year of high-school, acting teacher. She began the first class with a monologue that brought most of us to tears. Afterward, she confessed it was the Russian alphabet, and said “… acting is the how, not the what!” The fortune of having my talents recognized and nurtured, so early on, by both of these teachers set my future in motion.”
Maltz Jupiter Theatre now gets to observe the benefits of years of experience that Jerry Dixon developed over his lifetime. “I’ve always enjoyed having a high level of curiosity about a lot of things. So, my appetite for deep research has been with me since my early days of acting. This has definitely informed all aspects of my professional endeavorsbe it directing, teaching or consulting, or leading a theatre.”
BY: CORY REED
Perhaps the most recognizable line from Charles Dickens’s beloved novel Oliver Twist and Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver! is “I want some more!” And it’s what our audience members will be saying after they see this epic-scaled musical with a stage full of kids.
Oliver! is a colossal undertaking. The massive cast of children required to produce the opening number needs a stage large enough to accommodate the iconic song, Food, Glorious Food, which sets the tone for the entire show. In order to be prepared for this moment, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre team was challenged to cast and rehearse a group of children including Oliver, the Artful Dodger, Fagin’s Gang and 15 to 20 Workhouse Boys.
“We’ve wanted to do Oliver! for decades, but we had to wait until we built a stage large enough to tell this iconic classic story. That’s how huge and complex this production is,” said Andrew Kato, Producing Artistic Director.
It all begins with auditions. Last May, while Denis Jones, the production’s director and choreographer, was in town casting the adult South Florida actors, he met Chase Bauer, one of the young actors from the Theatre’s Goldner Conservatory, and quickly decided to cast him as the Artful Dodger. Then, in August, as part of the “First Step To Stardom” audition process, the Theatre put out a call to the community. The 120 interested child actors quickly learned a song and short dance for the audition.
In mid-November, auditions were held in New York and the role of Oliver was cast. He will travel to Jupiter with his mother for the six-week rehearsal and production.
In early December, there was a weekend-long workshop that included selected actors from the spring student auditions. The group attended two four-hour blocks of singing and dancing before video recordings of the process was sent to the director in New York to finalize the cast.
Once the cast is set, there are many more details to plan and manage to ensure the young thespians hit the stage on time. A wrangler is hired (along with support from our volunteer team) and they are assigned to supervise the non-Equity children at all
times while in the facility. Most of the volunteers will be ex-teachers and their duties will include backstage tutoring and supervision, as well as escorting the young actors on and off the stage to their dressing rooms.
And as they say, ‘it takes a village.” Or in this case, a community. Being a parent of one of the cast members in a production of this scale requires a high level of commitment and sacrifice.
Locals Mike and Stacy Bauer, parents of Chase Bauer, not only understand the time and commitment needed to bring Chase to and from rehearsals, they understand the importance of keeping up with schoolwork, lessons, and practice. “We constantly communicate with his school and teachers, so he is able to balance his studies with the rehearsal and production schedule.”
As you are taken on a wild adventure through Victorian England, remember the real-life escapades of what it takes to create the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s re-envisioned production of Oliver!
It’s hard to believe that we have met a major milestone with our 20th Anniversary Season! Time goes by so quickly. In that short time we have become one of the most respected regional theatre’s in the country and the only LORT B+ (League of Resident Theatres) organization in the lower half of the United States.
In curating our season, we select new and classic Broadway plays and musicals with the intent to bring them a fresh perspective.
The best way you can support our not-for-profit is to become a subscriber. As part of our mission to make theatre accessible to everyone, we keep our prices competitively low. We look forward to you joining us for our full season as we bring world-class art
OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 12, 2023
ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY KEN LUDWIG
All aboard the exotic and mysterious Orient Express as it takes off with a train full of larger-thanlife suspects, each one with a motive and an alibi. This clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic boasts all the glamour, intrigue and suspense with a healthy dose of humor to quicken the pace. This masterful ride will keep you on the edge of your first class seat.
NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 10, 2023
BY CHARLES DICKENS
ADAPTATION BY
PAUL CARLIN
ORIGINAL MUSIC AND ARRANGEMENTS BY FITZ PATTON CONCEIVED AND DEVELOPED BY ANDREW KATO
The magic of the yuletide season comes to life in Charles Dickens masterpiece, A Christmas Carol The miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, through a series of strange and magical journeys with the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, discovers the true spirit of the holiday season. This reimagined concept of the classic story of redemption is interwoven with dazzling special effects, traditional songs, strolling carolers and musicians, and will be sure to usher in holiday memories for years to come.
JANUARY 9 - 28, 2024
BOOK BY DOUGLAS MCGRATH
WORDS AND MUSIC BY GERRY GOFFIN & CAROLE KING, BARRY MANN & CYNTHIA WEIL
Follow the inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom—from being part of a hit songwriting team to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs including “I Feel the Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” this Tony® and Grammy winner is the soundtrack for many generations.
FEBRUARY 11 - 25, 2024
BY NEIL SIMON
In Tony®-winner Neil Simon’s “avalanche of hilarity,” Plaza Suite is a perfect mixture of love and laughter. Check into suite 719 at New York’s Plaza Hotel in the swinging 1960s and meet three comical couples: a long-married couple revisiting their honeymoon suite to rekindle the flame; a Hollywood producer on the prowl, reunited with his childhood sweetheart; and the parents of a nervous bride who has locked herself in the bathroom!
JANUARY 23
APRIL 7
JULY 26-28
MUSIC BY HARRY WARREN
LYRICS BY AL DUBIN
BOOK BY MICHAEL STEWART & MARK BRAMBLE
This love letter to Broadway is the ultimate show biz fairy tale of the chorus kid who becomes an overnight star. A 1930s backstage musical packed with plenty of pizazz, it will set your heart pounding with its rhythmically tapping feet and a hit parade of songs, including “Lullaby of Broadway,” “We’re In The Money,” “Shuffle Off To Buffalo,” and of course, “42nd Street.” It’s big production numbers will put you in tap dance heaven!
Renewal forms will be mailed out
Deadline to return renewal forms/ VIP Sweepstakes Drawing
Circle of Friends**Donor Days – Exchanges/Single tickets advance sale
JULY 31 – AUGUST 4
AUGUST 7
SEPTEMBER
Subscribers Only - Exchange week/Single tickets advance sale
Single Tickets Go On Sale to the Public at 10AM (Great subscription seat locations will continue to be on sale!)
Look for your season subscription show tickets in the mail at the end of the month.
**To become a Circle of Friends member, please contact Major Gifts Officer, Brett Wilson at: (561) 972-6124 or bwilson@jupitertheatre.org
Renewing subscribers with NO changes are seated immediately
Renewing subscribers requesting a change are seated by the end of April, in the date order in which they are received
New subscribers are seated from May to the end of July, in the date order in which they are received
*Dates subject to change
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is committed to the health and safety of our patrons, artists, staff and volunteers. We will continue to focus on providing a clean, safe and sanitized environment. In addition to our venue protocols of routine cleaning and disinfecting of all public areas, our new, state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the following:
• UV light and/or optimization of air handlers
Hands-free hand sanitizer stations
• Hands-free ticket scanning
• Digital programs
restroom
1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 5 6
Become a Season Subscribers are seated first, before single ticket buyers, which allows you to get the best seats in the theatre!
Subscribers get a full bonus week ahead of single ticket buyers to exchange their seats and buy additional seats!
Subscribers get to buy Limited Engagements a week before single ticket buyers!
Season Subscribers get a discount for their loyalty!
So long as you re-subscribe each season, your seats are yours for your lifetime so long as you renew before the deadline. You can even transfer your seats to a friend or leave them to a loved-one in your will!
All forms are processed in the order in which they are received. The earlier your form is submitted, the better chance you will get what you want.
When filling out your subscription form, give the box office as many day and time options that you can. The more flexibility you have in your dates, the greater chance you will get what you want.
As a Season Subscriber, you have the privilege to exchange each of your Season Subscription tickets once fee-free (per ticket/per show).
Some of our productions have a third week! Since all subscribers go into the first two weeks of our performances, the third week has great seats available for Season Subscribers to nab during your Bonus Week (see #2) of purchasing.
Next to “Talent,” “Kindness” is one of our company’s greatest values. Remember, human beings are processing your forms. If you’re kind, that will make a great impression on them.
BY: KIM COZORT KAY AND KELLY MORGAN
The stage at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre will be taken over by ghouls and fairy tale characters when students at the Goldner Conservatory begin their 2023 summer production camps in June. Up first, the Senior Conservatory students in grades 8-12 will present the musical comedy, The Addams Family. The Conservatory’s production of this kooky, upside-down world of The Addams Family will be told through an interactive theatre-style format guaranteed to create an intimate theatre experience for campers, as well as families. Students will be engaged via creative workshops for stage makeup and costuming. Prep classes for this summer production are currently being offered during the Conservatory’s Spring Session for students to learn choreography, acting styles and music.
July will feature the Junior Conservatory Campers in grades 3-7 who will participate in a delightful production entitled Ever Happily After, A Musical Fairytale. This show combines an array of everyone’s favorite fairytale characters including Cinderella, Pinocchio, Gretel and The Three Little Pigs with a touch of music reminiscent of recent Broadway hits (think MJ or & Juliet). Campers will enjoy a whimsical, whirlwind three-weeks as they create characters, learn music, and rehearse dance moves for this magical production.
Something new has been added in July that will
introduce a 10-minute Play Production Camp for students who wish to follow their dreams of an acting path rather than musical theatre. Students in grades 8-12 will perform published works and collaborate with established playwrights to adapt and write their own plays from existing short stories. This will be a true partnership for students that wish to explore all aspects of scenework, character development and playwriting.
Our production camps are guided by theatre professionals who will be in residence at the Theatre throughout the summer semester. Students will rehearse in our newly added, state-of-the art rehearsal hall and enjoy the experience of performing on the new Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s Broadway-scale stage.
We invite you to learn more about the Conservatory’s upcoming spring break and summer camp programs at a special Open House that will be held on Friday, March 17th, between 10:00am -12:00pm at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. The Open House will include a St. Paddy’s Day theme, Theatre tours, and a special appearance from Drama Dragon. Come on out and sign up for our summer of FUN!
For more information on our classes and upcoming summer camp programs, including specific dates and times, please visit: jupitertheatre.org/conservatory.
BY: CHRISTINA VAN VLIET RYNASKO
If you have attended a Maltz Jupiter Theatre Gala in recent years, you know how fun and entertaining an immersive experience can be, but you might not know how much goes into creating such an event.
In December 2021, when the titles for the upcoming 2022/23 productions were contracted, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s Development Team began the initial planning phase for the annual gala theme, “It’s a Fine Life”. The Team voted unanimously on the show Oliver! as the best choice to weave an interactive adventure for guests to be transported back in time to Victorian 1838 when Charles Dickens brought us Oliver Twist
To create an immersive or interactive adventure requires creative minds and tons of planning, much like one of our productions on our stage. We dream big and then have to pull on the reigns and bring it all in to fill an evening with the usual speeches, awards, live auction, and then add a smattering of exciting entertainment, and fabulous surprises for our guests to enjoy.
After listening to the score of Oliver!, the team focused on one of the songs from the production as it expressed the perfect overall theme for the gala and “It’s a Fine Life” was born. The team then wove the songbook throughout the night to help
create the feeling of being in Oliver!, from “Food, Glorious Food” for dinner, and “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” for the auction, along with a few other numbers, and a lovely tribute that we will keep as a special surprise for our gala honorees: Nancy Kyle, Erik Pettersen of Evo Italian, and Admirals Cove Foundation.
With the theme and aspects from the production chosen, it was now time to select the venue, the décor, cast, costumes, set rehearsal dates, have a food tasting themed on scrumptious English cuisine, search for auction items, add interactive fun throughout, create the sponsor appeal and invites, write the script and timeline, and finally setting the wheels in motion.
When you attend this year’s Gala: “It’s a Fine Life”, at the Pelican Club on February 4th, be prepared to immerse yourselves in a glamorous event, filled with great food, entertainment, laughs, fun, and rest assured the team at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre will “Do Anything for You” to ensure a memorable evening is had by everyone.
Single tickets are currently on sale and sponsorships are available. For more information, please contact Major Gifts Officer, Brett Wilson at: (561) 972-6124 or bwilson@jupitertheatre.org.
BY: NORA MINICHINO
When Lucie Arnaz’s father, Desi Arnaz, suggested she create a show of the songs and stories from her musical performances fortyfive years ago, she brushed the idea aside as silly. After all, she had only done about two professional shows at the time. Fast forward forty-five years of theatre experience under the tutelage of showbiz legends such as Michael Bennett, Robert Kline, Marvin Hamlisch and Dorothy Fields, so she began to reconsider her father’s “crazy” idea.
In fact, the idea was perfect, so Lucie and her longtime friend and musical director, Ron Abel, put together the show “I Got the Job! Songs from My Musical Past,” compiling tunes from Lucie’s awe-inspiring musical career and pairing them with captivating true stories from her life on stage.
“I like to think I picked stories that people will care about not just ‘and then he wrote this, and then I sang this,” Lucie said. “It’s more like, ‘I have a great story about why I ended up singing this, or how I lost this part, or how I got this part.’ The songs are great and hopefully, I sing them well, but it’s a good evening of storytelling.”
In this truly authentic and intimate look back on her career, Lucie spends the evening with her audience weaving stories and songs through various chapters of her life. To create the show, she drew influences from high school and beyond—even reflecting on voice lessons learned as a child, and sharing thoughts on that time she sang “No Time At
All” while swinging from a trapeze in the circus-themed, Tony®-winning revival of Pippin. In “I Got The Job!” Lucie transports theatre-goers back in time by recounting impactful life experiences and delivering heartfelt renditions of some of her most famous performances.
Lucie has been performing the show around the United States since 2019 (with a break for the pandemic in between), however the rendition at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre is sure to be the most memorable to date. Historically, the performance includes Lucie and a piano on stage, however, March 4th will be the first time she performs the show with a 10-piece orchestra behind her. She shared that she and her team have “pulled together certain arrangements and expanded the piano versions of others to deliver a big band version of the show. We’re very excited about that!”
While the show will be memorable for all who attend, visiting the Theatre will also be a special walk down memory lane for Lucie. A longtime friend of Burt Reynolds, Lucie and her husband Larry watched a performance at the Theatre shortly after it opened.
“I remember how much he [Burt] wanted to have his own theatre and so it was a big deal to him to be able to mentor and bring his friends to help,” Lucie said.
That friendship will come full circle in March as Lucie entertains and inspires audiences with her performance of “I Got the Job!” at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre.
POETRY IN MOTION: THE MANY BENEFITS OF BALLROOM DANCING
BY: KELSEY PETERSON
“Ballroom dancing” can conjure up a number of mental images. A classic Hollywood musical. An anxious bride and groom practicing their first dance. A reality TV star twirling in a glittery dress for audience votes. But modern social dances— from the Foxtrot to the Lindy Hop have roots stretching way back through a rambunctious history.
Ballrooms were the domain of elite social classes for centuries, but that changed in the early 20th century with the explosion of public dance halls. More people could intermingle and new styles of dances began to evolve rapidly. Popular dancing trended away from sequence dances— imagine any ballroom scene from a regency drama like Bridgerton—to scandalous new styles where dance partners held each other closely and moved independently from the rest of the dance floor. Funny to think how your wedding waltz would have made your grandmother blush in the 1800s.
And it’s no surprise why ballroom dancing has survived this long. Even as dance styles have evolved, the dance floor has always remained a place for people to meet, mingle, and express themselves through movement. Dance is meant for everyone, and anyone can dance. Serge Aliev, owner of the Jupiter Fred Astaire Dance Studio,
doesn’t believe that anyone has “two left feet.”
“Not true,” says Serge. “If you can walk, you can dance. It’s no different than learning tennis or golf. It’s just more fun.”
In fact, the comparison to sports or other leisure activities isn’t far off. Dancing offers a number of physical benefits, such as improved flexibility, muscle endurance, and a boost to cardiac health. In addition, a 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that dancing helped reduce the risk of dementia in individuals over 75 years old. A social activity that’s also good for your body and mind; no wonder humans have been cutting a rug since the dawn of time.
Curious to try out your dancing shoes? The Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s business partner, Jupiter Fred Astaire Dance Studio, offers a wide range of classes for all levels, for singles and couples. The talented instructors at Jupiter Fred Astaire will also be hosting Broadway Ballroom Battle, a Dancing with the Stars-style competition on the Maltz Jupiter Theatre stage on Saturday, April 14th. Come and enjoy an evening of high-energy entertainment while showing your support for the Theatre and you might just leave with a new hobby!
Sources: “Benefits of Dance” Fred Astaire Dance Studios. www.fredastaire.com/jupiter/benefits-of-dance/. Blakemore, Erin. “How Ballroom Dancing Went from Elite Pastime to Dance Hall Craze.” National Geographic. October 5, 2022. Verghese, Joe, et al. “Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 348, no. 25, 2003, 2508-2516.
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is one of Florida’s preeminent, not-for-profit professional theatres, whose mission is to entertain, educate, and inspire our community. The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is recognized as the state’s largest award-winning regional theatres and completed a $36 million renovation in 2022, transforming the corner of Indiantown Road and A1A in Jupiter. A capital campaign is underway to complete the Final Act of the 60,000 square foot facility. The plans include a 199-seat second space theatre, an expansion of the Goldner Conservatory to increase enrollment for arts education, and a 40-seat dining experience will complete the final phase. The Theatre draws 100,000 patrons annually, serving a subscription base of 6,000.
