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Showtime Performing Arts Theatre

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Showtime Performing Arts Theatre
SHOWTIME Dance & Performing Arts Theatre
Youth and community musical theatre · Performing arts school
Location
Address 503 SE Mizner Blvd., Suite 73
Royal Palm Place
Location Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.
History
Founded / opened c. 2006 (website online by July 2006)
Closed c. 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic)
Founder Marilyn Perry
Venue
Director Marilyn Perry (executive director and producer)
Capacity 100–125 seats
Stages / spaces One theatre; 3 dance studios; recording studio; 5 instructional studios in total
Art forms Musical theatre, dance, acting, voice, instrumental music
Programs Children's Broadway season; adult and teen series; ShowStoppers Broadway troupe; Kidz on Stage; classes and private lessons; holiday and summer camps
Notable productions Alice in Wonderland (2007)
Les Misérables
Nunsense
Rent (2019)
Billy Elliot (2019)
Heathers (2019)
Links
Archived website showtimeboca.com (Wayback Machine)

Showtime Performing Arts Theatre (originally SHOWTIME Dance & Performing Arts Theatre, often called Showtime Boca) was a performing arts school and small musical theatre at Royal Palm Place in downtown Boca Raton, Florida. Its founder, Marilyn Perry, ran it as executive director and producer. From the mid-2000s until the COVID-19 pandemic it staged seasons of children's, teen and adult musicals and taught dance, acting, voice and instrumental music to students from age three to adult.[1][2]

History

The theatre's website was online by July 2006 under the name SHOWTIME Dance and Performing Arts Theatre. At that time it described a 3,400-square-foot facility at Suite 73, 503 SE Mizner Boulevard, in the Royal Palm Place shopping district.[3][4] Its stated mission was "to provide a professional, yet fun and supportive atmosphere where students of all levels can succeed", teaching "not only 'how you do' but 'why you do'".[3] The facility had:[3]

  • three dance studios with sprung ("floating cushioned") floors
  • a 24-track digital recording studio for voice and music classes
  • a teaching and performance theatre with about 120 seats, stage lighting and a custom sound system

Later descriptions gave the size of the two-storey building's theatre as 100 seats (2010) and 125 seats (2014).[5][1] In early 2007 Sara Perry Trabin was listed as artistic director, Sergio Crego as acting program director and Scott Sutter as music director.[6] By the mid-2010s the name had changed to Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.[2]

Closure

Showtime's 2019–2020 season was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The teen production of 13, planned for spring 2020, did not open, nor did The Sound of Music. The theatre's home page, still online in 2023, advised: "Please stay tuned for updated performance dates."[7][8] The theatre did not reopen, and business directories now list it as closed.[9]

Programs

Showtime presented a season of children's musical theatre each year from September to May, together with programs for teenagers and adults. Its classes and programs included:[1]

  • Theatre (age 3 to adult): acting, improvisation, audition preparation, musical theatre, "Broadway Babies" and "Kidz on Stage"
  • Dance: ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, acro, hip hop, ballroom and musical theatre jazz
  • Music: voice, piano, guitar and drums
  • Private coaching for auditions to performing-arts magnet schools and college conservatory programs
  • ShowStoppers: an auditioned "triple threat" Broadway performance troupe with junior and senior divisions[7]
  • Camps during the winter, spring and summer school holidays

CBS Miami included Showtime in a list of the best theatre groups for children in South Florida. It highlighted the acting and dance programs, music lessons, the "Musical Test Drive" (a one-on-one session trying up to four instruments), holiday musical theatre camps and birthday parties.[10]

Productions

Showtime's children's "Broadway seasons" ran every year from at least 2007–08 to 2019–20.[11] Saturday matinées in 2007 included Alice in Wonderland – The Musical and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. An adult cabaret series that year presented An Evening with Richard Rodgers, Rock 'Em Broadway and Broadway Rhythm.[12] Around 2014 the adult series included Nunsense and Les Misérables, and the theatre also hosted monthly shows by the improv troupe Sick Puppies Comedy.[13]

In fall 2019 Showtime presented Billy Elliot, which BroadwayWorld announced in September.[14] That year it also staged two productions with teen and adult casts:[15][16]

  • Rent (school edition), March 30 – April 14. It was directed by Emily Mittleman, with musical direction by Rebeca Diaz.
  • Heathers, December 7–22. It was produced by Marilyn Perry, directed by Emily Freeman, with musical direction by Rebeca Diaz, choreography by Nicole Perry and costumes by Stephanie LoVerde.

A local reviewer called Heathers a "must see" whose final performance was so full that extra chairs had to be brought out.[16] Luanda de Hilster appeared in both shows. She played Heather McNamara in Heathers, and she also trained and worked as a camp counsellor at the theatre.[16]

Recognition

Showtime listed the following awards on its website:[17][2]

  • Kids Crown Award from South Florida Parenting (2015 and 2016) for best arts/academic program in Palm Beach County
  • "Best of Boca" Readers' Choice awards from the Sun-Sentinel / Forum Publishing Group for #1 entertainment/activity for kids and #1 summer camp
  • Finalist for best theater group for kids in Nickelodeon's ParentsConnect "Parents Pick" awards

People

  • Marilyn Perry: founder, executive director and producer
  • Rebeca Diaz: voice teacher and musical director
  • Stephanie LoVerde: instructor and costume designer
  • Emily Freeman (Mittleman): director
  • Sara Perry Trabin: artistic director (2007)
  • Notable students include Luanda de Hilster.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "About Us". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2014-03-21.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Staff". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2017-02-03.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Showtime Boca (home page)". Showtime Dance and Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2006-07-21.
  4. ↑ "Contact Us". Showtime Dance & Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2007-02-22.
  5. ↑ "About Showtime". Showtime Dance and Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2010-04-23.
  6. ↑ "Staff". Showtime Dance & Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2007-06-01.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Showtime Performing Arts Theatre (home page)".Archived2023-05-29.
  8. ↑ "Luanda Lands Female Lead in the Musical "13"". luanda.dehilster.com(2019-12-30).
  9. ↑ "Showtime Performing Arts Theatre". MapQuest.
  10. ↑ "Best Theatre Groups for Kids in South Florida". CBS Miami.
  11. ↑ "Past Youth Productions". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2017-09-29.
  12. ↑ "Productions". Showtime Dance & Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2007-02-09.
  13. ↑ "Adult Series". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2014-03-21.
  14. ↑ "Showtime Performing Arts Theatre Presents BILLY ELLIOT". BroadwayWorld(2019-09-13).
  15. ↑ David de Hilster."Luanda Thrives in First All Adult Cast". luanda.dehilster.com(2018-10-22).
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 David de Hilster.""Heathers": Off-Broadway at Its Very Best in Downtown Boca". luanda.dehilster.com(2019-12-24).
  17. ↑ "Awards & Articles". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2017-02-03.

External links

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