Showtime Performing Arts Theatre
| 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) 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
Productions
Showtime's children's "Broadway seasons" ran every year from at least 2007–08 to 2019–20.[10] 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.[11] Around 2014 the adult series included Nunsense and Les Misérables, and the theatre also hosted monthly shows by the improv troupe Sick Puppies Comedy.[12]
In 2019 Showtime staged two productions with teen and adult casts:[13][14]
- 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.[14] 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.[14]
Recognition
Showtime listed the following awards on its website:[15][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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "About Us". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2014-03-21.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Staff". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2017-02-03.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Showtime Boca (home page)". Showtime Dance and Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2006-07-21.
- ↑ "Contact Us". Showtime Dance & Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2007-02-22.
- ↑ "About Showtime". Showtime Dance and Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2010-04-23.
- ↑ "Staff". Showtime Dance & Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2007-06-01.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Showtime Performing Arts Theatre (home page)".Archived2023-05-29.
- ↑ "Luanda Lands Female Lead in the Musical "13"". luanda.dehilster.com(2019-12-30).
- ↑ "Showtime Performing Arts Theatre". MapQuest.
- ↑ "Past Youth Productions". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2017-09-29.
- ↑ "Productions". Showtime Dance & Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2007-02-09.
- ↑ "Adult Series". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2014-03-21.
- ↑ David de Hilster."Luanda Thrives in First All Adult Cast". luanda.dehilster.com(2018-10-22).
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 David de Hilster.""Heathers": Off-Broadway at Its Very Best in Downtown Boca". luanda.dehilster.com(2019-12-24).
- ↑ "Awards & Articles". Showtime Performing Arts Theatre.Archived2017-02-03.
External links
- showtimeboca.com (archived website, 2006–2023)
- Showtime Performing Arts Theatre on StageAgent