Category: Art & Entertainment

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Rebounding After the Pandemic: The Return to the Cinema

The cinema is truly a cornerstone of American culture. More important than providing a source of fun entertainment or a classy taste of art, going out to the movies is a great way to spend time with others.

From the nail-biting suspense of watching a thriller with a tightknit group of friends, to “ahhing” at a bombastic action movie with our families, to gushing over a corny rom-com with a significant other, going to the movie theater affords us a surefire way of spending quality time with those we care about most. That is why it hurt so much to lose the theater during the pandemic.

Fortunately, as the COVID-19 pandemic winds down and the American public becomes vaccinated, we are having our beloved cinemas, and all that comes with them, returned to us.

Although many Americans continue to remain hesitant, the future of the cinema still looks bright. On March 31, the mega-budget CGI monster slugfest, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” released in theaters and earned over $420 million at the box office. More than just an outstanding economic success, the film proved to studios that if they release films, audiences will go to see them. After all, there is no point in producing a movie if it will not earn any profits. 

Also taking a stand for the return to the cinema is one of the most successful and beloved movie studios, Marvel. In a recent trailer for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the studio not only showcased its upcoming films, but also implored audiences to return to theaters. Marvel carried this out by having the late Stan Lee speak about the importance of being with those we care about, showing video clips of remarkable in-theater reactions to Marvel movies, and ending the trailer with the large white text “See you at the movies.” With such an influential and cherished studio confidently leading the way, more are bound to follow and resurrect the cinema.

Besides studios being encouraged to solely create new movies, they also will be incentivized to release big-name blockbusters that they have been strategically holding on to. Examples of completed, yet unreleased films include the highly anticipated new installment in the James Bond franchise, “No Time to Die”; Wes Anderson’s artsy yet broadly appealing “The French Dispatch”; and the novella-adapted, sci-fi thriller “Dune.” However unfortunate being forced to see these movies later than sooner is, these films will be made all the better by having the full cinema experience.

Although using a streaming app and enjoying a movie on a personal device is still great and enjoyable, nothing quite compares to the silver screen. In addition to the aforementioned social aspects, there are more factors that make this statement true.

As showcased in the Marvel Phase 4 trailer, collectively watching and reacting to movies as an audience improves the viewing experience tenfold. There is a certain magic to laughing, gasping, crying, and cheering with complete strangers that only the cinema can provide.

Going to the theater also provides a more cinematic experience in general. When it comes to movies, bigger is better, and viewing from a large, high-quality silver screen is much better than the lesser quality and smaller size of a personal device. In addition to the visual aspect, a greatly underappreciated factor of the cinematic experience is audio quality. There is a world of difference between personal earbuds and professional-grade speakers at movie theaters. Punches feel weightier, dialogue is clearer, explosions are more visceral, and the music is more expressive. 

Bringing everything back to a more local level, I recently went out to a local theater to see the action-comedy film “Nobody.” To put it bluntly, the movie theater was in a desolate state. Aside from the theater lacking customers, it also was short-staffed. There were no ticket clerks, janitors, or ushers. The one concessions worker who was there also took the role of ticket clerk, selling both tickets and treats. Her manager took the role of janitor and was maintaining the theater. As for the lack of ushers, one could walk into a theater without having purchased a ticket.

At this cinema I saw only three other movie-goers, all of whom were in my theater. However bare-bones the cinema was, seeing the film in an actual theater was no less of a welcome experience, which I hope to enjoy again as we move forward into the future.

List of notable movies being released in theaters:

June 25 — “Fast and Furious 9”

July 2 — “The Forever Purge”

July 9 — “Black Widow”

July 16 — “Space Jam: A New Legacy”

July 23 — “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”

July 30 — “The Green Knight”

July 30 — “Jungle Cruise”

August 6 — “The Suicide Squad”

August 20 — “Paw Patrol: The Movie”

August 20 — “The Protégé”

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Primal Forces Debuts as Boca Stage

Boca Raton’s Primal Forces theater company, founded in 2014 by artistic director Keith Garsson, emerges from the pandemic with new productions, a new attitude, and a new name – Boca Stage.

The company, located in The Sol Theater, at 3333 North Federal Highway is a professional theater company that produces new and topical works geared to a sophisticated theatergoer looking for alternatives to revivals and musicals.

Past productions have included the 2019 production of Emily Mann’s “Having Our Say” with Karen Stephens and Avery Somers, “Breadcrumbs” by Jennifer Haley, and  Laura Eason’s “Sex with Strangers,” which won the New Times Best Play of 2016.

“We want to be more aligned with our home and the City of Boca Raton,” says Garsson, about the name change, and says he is “excited to be coming back.”

He works in tandem with Genie Croft, artistic director and founding member of the multi-Carbonnell nominated Women’s Theater Project.

“All the world’s a stage,” says Croft, “and I can’t wait to be live in this world again.”

“The energy and dynamics of live theater are beyond description,” she says. “They are the essence of living, of being in the moment and transcribing those feelings to an audience.  That’s the creative process.”

Last March 13, the company shut down on what was to be Opening Night of their production of award-winning playwright Kenneth Lin’s “Warrior Class,” a modern-day variation on the Faust legend which explores the underbelly of a political campaign.  Lin has also written for the Netflix series, “House of Cards.”

The play is currently rescheduled for November 2021.

Garsson credits his landlords, Keith and Sara Grant, for their flexibility and financial help during the pandemic and says, “Without them, it could have been the end of the game.”

He also appreciates his loyal subscriber base which he says, “has been great.”  Boca Stage will honor all tickets purchased for the canceled season for a future date.  Garsson says he will personally call each and every subscriber to assure them the theater is returning in November and their tickets are good for a future performance.

“My heart goes out to our actors and designers who bore the brunt of losing their livelihoods during this past year of the pandemic,” says Garsson, who also runs a full-time software business.

“Of all the people who are allowed to complain, I’m not one of them,” he jokes.

While some theater companies found ways to produce virtual productions or other streaming shows Garsson says, “We are purists.  We believe live theater and all its drama is best seen live.”

“It’s hard to compete with Netflix or Amazon,” he says.  “Why would people stream my production when they can watch “Bridgerton” or “The Crown” or “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?”

“The way I see it is I’d rather have nothing, than settle for less,” says Garsson, referring to what he says is a phrase “loosely translated from the Yiddish.”

Luckily, this fall people will have the choice to see live theater at Boca Stage, with one caveat – everybody must be vaccinated.

Garsson plans to ensure both patrons and employees are vaccinated by Oct. 1.  “Safety is our priority; we can’t risk anyone’s safety,” he says.

Croft concurs, “We cannot wait to bring our creative vision once again to an audience sharing in the evolving moments of a story coming to life,” she says.  “I look forward to sharing this experience with our audience.”

Besides “Warrior Class,” on deck for the 2021-22 season (the company’s 7th season) are four South Florida premieres featuring characters struggling against the system and tackling topics such as Hollywood legends and myths, (Elton Townend Jones’s “The Unremarkable Death of Marilyn Monroe”), big pharma (Kate Fodor’s “Rx”), children’s rights (“Luna Gale,” a new play by Pulitzer Prize-finalist Rebecca Gilman), and the lunacy of the military bureaucracy in playwright Richard Strand’s “Ben Butler,” a Civil War comedy about real-life army general.

“Our audiences have made it quite clear that they enjoy the little-known plays with interesting topics,” says Garsson, who reads approximately 50-60 plays each month while exercising on the treadmill.

“We’re very lucky that today’s playwrights are providing works that are both relevant and different from the standard fare,” he says.  “Barring unforeseen events, this will be a good season.”

 

Tickets are on sale now for $45 ($50 Sunday matinees.)  Subscriptions may be purchased at www.bocastage.org or by calling 1-866-811-4111. Individual ticket sales will be available in mid-September. Thursday previews, Friday, and Saturday nights 8 p.m. curtain, and Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m. curtain.

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Artist and coach contributes to MSD community and creative culture

Photography By Melissa Sweredoski of Moments By Mel

A lifelong artist and creative coach teacher, Lori Arbel has found the balance between art and academics, with her detailed work keeping people together.

“Two students who come to mind are Daniel Farji and Alyna Taub,” said Arbel. “We’re still friends and we’ve watched each other evolve as artists, as humans, and those are the most special relationships.”

From as early as 5 years old, Arbel has had an interest in art and knowledge. Many people think of a library as tall walls with boring, ancient volumes. But she saw it as a place with inky treasures and one that offered advice.

“I’d go to the library and I always had a stack of arts and crafts books,” said Arbel. “I remember being at the kitchen table making paper-plates arts and crafts with my cousin, and in that moment, I remember saying, ‘I love this.’”

Arbel later went to the University of Florida for her two-year undergraduate degree and a minor in photojournalism and art. She used art as a method to help heal and worked through the heartache of her mother’s death. She was then inspired to become an art educator, and at Florida International University she earned her master’s in art education.

For 20 years, Arbel’s career led her to teach in Manhattan, New York, and throughout South Florida. She is known for her mixed-media artwork, including drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, montages, and designs.

One example is Arbel’s “Thought Patterns,” a mixed-media collection using marks to question how people connect, respond, and make marks on the world while embracing emotional introspection for content — a creative expression as dialogue. Pops of bleached buttercup golds and yellows illustrate metaphors, and irregular lines may symbolize negative energy turning in a positive direction.

Arbel’s educational mission for Holocaust Remembrance Day and the currently all-virtual exhibition “#Marks4TheirLives” combines her artistic talents along with submissions provided by the public, who can participate and send in their projects for inclusion in the online gallery.

The exhibition focuses on a simple mark or line, on any size paper. This is to make a mark for each year of someone’s life, to celebrate their existence and uniqueness, and to honor the 1.5 million children whose lives were taken in the Holocaust.

“It’s a pun for March for Our Lives and March for the Living, which is a Holocaust program trip to Israel and Poland,” said Arbel.

This is meant to symbolize how everyone will confirm their own mark and existence and share their reflection on the process. The mailed submissions will be woven together to create a quilt, a celebration of life. All works will be displayed in a traveling art exhibition.

Arbel’s first full-time job was 20 years ago as an artist at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. After leaving Manhattan, she returned home to Parkland. She volunteered as a teaching artist with Eagles Haven, a wellness center created for the MSD community following the mass shooting.

“We created art together,” said Arbel. “It helps to heal and be in a loving and supporting environment.”

Alyna Taub has a history with Arbel. For nine years, Arbel has been a mentor, teacher, and friend to Taub. Their relationship began in high school when Arbel allowed Taub to express her creativity when the drama of high school swamped Taub’s teenage years. Through numerous lunches, class sessions, and after-school hours, Arbel supported Taub’s love of poetry, surrealism, and illustrations. Taub was inspired to go on and graduate from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in visual arts.

“She’s been a constant support of inspiration, unconditional love, and friendship,” said Taub. “And I’m forever grateful to have a bright soul such as her in my life.”

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Two talented young girls learn charity at an early age

For Eden Gross and Jorie Blake Rosen — two young South Florida residents — talent and charity go hand in hand. Both girls have a penchant for philanthropy, acting, and creating music.

Ten-year-old Parkland resident Eden Gross, a fourth-grade student at Donna Klein Jewish Academy (DKJA) in Boca Raton, along with her twin brother Jordan, sits on the philanthropy board of the DKJA Philanthropic Kids in Action.

“It’s a great initiative,” says Eden’s mom, Shirley Gross. “Every school should have it. They plant the seeds for kids to understand giving and become mensches and (wo)mensches.”

The board meets every week after school to focus on giving initiatives. During school hours, they visit other classrooms to present philanthropic topics as a way to engage their fellow students.

While both Eden and Jordan love music — Jordan plays the guitar and viola — Eden is more the extrovert who loves the spotlight and recently recorded her first song titled “Shadows on the Wall,” relaying a message of strength and of overcoming your fears.

Available on all music sites, the song costs $1.29, and as part of Eden’s philanthropic efforts, a portion of all sales will go to JAFCO (Jewish Adoption and Family Care Options) and Eagles Haven, a community wellness center created for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas−Parkland community.

Eden is dedicating this series of songs to kids who struggle with mental health issues, especially during the pandemic.

“I want kids to know that they can overcome fears by seeing the light,” she says, echoing the lyrics to her song. “And we shouldn’t listen to those voices that tell us we’re not good enough. Because we are.”

“Find the light inside you so you can shine and face your fears,” she says.

“Helping others means supporting them when they need it the most,” says Eden. “Nothing makes me feel better than knowing I was able to be there for them.”

Across town in Boca Raton, 9-year-old singer and actor Jorie Blake Rosen is also making her own music, with a song titled “Make Your Own Music.”

The fourth-grader at Morikami Park Elementary School in Delray Beach lost a number of acting roles she was up for once the quarantine started.

Not one to lay on the couch or feel sorry for herself, Jorie found a new love for writing music. To cope with her feelings during quarantine, she began writing down her feelings in a journal, which eventually turned into songs.

“You can start from the bottom but can go to the top — if you work hard, you will never stop,” Jorie sings on the single. “I can give you some lessons to sing, act, and dance; I can hold your hand; this is your chance to open a new door to something you haven’t done before.”

“Think about what you want to do because you … can make your own music,” goes the refrain, encouraging kids to follow their dreams.

The song, chosen as an artist pick on Spotify, was released in March on playitforward.com, and proceeds from the download will benefit the local South Florida chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In the first two weeks, Jorie’s song raised $2,000. “Writing music helped Jorie find her voice, and start to smile again,” says her mom, Randi Rosen.

“In addition, we believe in paying it forward,” says Randi. “Each month, Jorie picks a ‘mitzvah’ project as a way to encourage her to be grateful and to give back to her community.”

“Over the years, she has worked with charities such as the Tri-County Animal Shelter, Toys for Tots, No Kid Hungry, and Mini Mitzvahs,” says Randi.

Additionally, during 2020, Jorie performed in a number of benefit concerts to raise money for the Actors Fund.

With the release of “Make Your Own Music,” Jorie knew she wanted to affiliate with a charity.

“My mom and I discussed a number of charities,” she says. “I chose Make-A-Wish Foundation because I love everything they do and I felt it connected well to my song.”

“‘Make Your Own Music’ is about following your heart and making your dreams come true,” says Jorie. “And the Make-A-Wish Foundation helps dreams come true for children, which is something I love.”

She hopes to put out her first album by the end of the summer and will look to connect her debut album to a charity as well.

“I know I am a very lucky girl,” says Jorie. “I look up to artists like Taylor Swift who perform many benefit concerts. I’m hoping I can do a lot of that by using my own voice and talents.”

For Eden Gross’s music, go to Amazon, Apple Music, Boomplay, MediaNet, YouTube Music, iTunes, or Spotify. Visit eagleshaven.org and jafco.org.

 

For Jorie Blake Rosen’s music, visit www.playitforward.com/projects/334 or https://wish.org.

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Actors 50 and over examine dementia and death

The Show Must Go On | Pigs Do Fly Productions

Actors 50 and over examine dementia and death

By Jan Engoren

With the emphatic moniker, Pigs Do Fly, Ellen Wacher, founder and producer of Pigs Do Fly Productions, wanted people to know, women (and men) of a certain age are still relevant.

“When pigs fly,” might be an ironic comment meant to convey the unlikeliness of something happening, but Pigs Do Fly stands for people over 50 living interesting, active lives, according to Wacher, a 60-something who founded the theatre company in 2014.

With a mission is to produce plays that highlight the actor over 50 as a viable, fully involved, full of life character, Wacher says she wants to engage the 100 million plus Americans who are over age 50 and are under-recognized by the marketers of other popular culture.

“We don’t do plays about dementia or death,” says Wacher from her home in Miami.  “I’m interested in vibrant, active people living their lives and pursuing their passions.”

All of the company’s plays focus on this demographic and feature actor over 50.  The company is a professional theatre company and all employees are paid.

Seven years ago, Wacher presented her first production, title, “Fifty Plus — A Celebration Of Life . . . As We Know It,” a collection of short plays featuring actors 50+, and focused on active folks of the same age group.

On March 6, 2020, Wacher’s latest production, “Helen on Wheels,” an original play by Oregon-based playwright Cricket Daniel premiered at the Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale, but was indefinitely postponed as theatres shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’d give my eye teeth to be back live,” says Wacher who is gauging things on a daily basis as to when the theatre might resume.

She’s also concerned, about whether her audience – also people of a certain age – will return.   Noting that many theatres and other arts venues have moved their programming on-line, Wacher defers, saying, “By definition, theatre is meant to be shared live and in person.”

A native of Miami, Wacher worked for the state of Florida as a teacher and lobbyist and retired with 30 years under her belt.

“I always wanted to be an actress,” Wachter remembers, “but didn’t have the courage to starve.  Eating and dressing nicely were always at the top of my list.”

So, once she retired, she decided to pursue her passion and appeared in local productions of Neil Simon’s “Rumors,” “The Sisters Rosensweig,” “Joseph Andrews” and “The False Witness.”

“Now I can do what I always wanted to do and not worry about the money,” she said.

However, it was a shock to learn that she had aged out of the commercial acting market.

“I didn’t fit the stereotype of what they wanted for older women,” she remembers.  “I got really mad and decided to start my own theatre company.  I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but I was committed to the idea.”

“I was headstrong and determined,” Wacher says.  “I lucked out, found the right people and in spite of not knowing what I was doing, managed to get it done.”

“We picked plays, held auditions and the audiences came,” she says.  “I got positive feedback from my audience.”

Currently, Wacher is vice president of the SAG-AFTRA Miami local and as chair of the women’s committee, works on the need to better recognize actors (and audiences) over 50 in theater, television and film.

During the quarantine and pandemic, Wacher, despite eating what she says is a bit too much ice-cream, attended SAG Zoom meetings, watched reruns of Seinfeld (her favorite), Friends and Everyone Loves Raymond and founded the Miami Radio Players, a group of professional actors based in Miami, who perform live radio shows.

Once she gets the all-clear to resume productions, Wacher is ready to go with re-launches of two of her most popular productions – Daniel’s “Helen on Wheels” and an original comedy by playwright Jerry Mayer titled, “2 Across,” about the New York Times crossword puzzle and a chance encounter aboard a San Francisco BART train.

She also has her eye on mounting “The Savannah Sipping Society,” a comedy by Nicholas Hope, Jessie  Jones and  Jamie Wooten.

As one audience member proclaimed to Wacher, after a previous show, “Thank god someone’s doing something for people like us.”

 

Visit pigsdoflyproductions.com

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Civil War spawned our Memorial Day

By Ellen Marsden

Memorial Day is the end-of-May holiday that unofficially kicks off summer. But what is the holiday really about?

First, let’s clear up the confusion between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday in May, commemorates those who died in military service to the country. Veterans Day, always observed on November 11, honors everyone who has or is serving the country, in wartime or peacetime.

Memorial Day started as a Civil War remembrance

While honoring those who have been killed in combat goes back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who marked their passing with public remembrances and decorating graves with flowers, our national holiday begins with the Civil War

Toward the end of the war, thousands of Union soldiers were held as prisoners of war in Charleston, South Carolina, at what was formerly a racetrack. Hundreds died from maltreatment, and they were buried in a mass grave there.

In May 1865, newly freed slaves, along with regiments of the U.S. black troops, gathered to honor and properly bury those soldiers. They sang hymns and put flowers on the graves.

Nearly 620,000 soldiers were killed in the Civil War. In May 1868, John A. Logan, Union general and commander-in-chief of the Union veterans group, the Grand Army of the Republic, called for a nationwide day of remembrance to be held yearly on May 30.

General Logan named it Decoration Day, and he called on citizens to put flowers and decorations on the graves of those who had died in the war. (Logan’s name may not be among the most prominent of the Union generals, but Logan Circle in Washington, D.C., is named after him.)

Over time, Memorial Day came to honor all of those lost in military service, not only in the Civil War. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, and Memorial Day moved from the set observance on May 30, no matter what day of the week that fell on, to the last Monday in May. Memorial Day became a federal holiday in 1971.

 

Why poppies are a symbol of the holiday

World War I was raging in Europe in 1915 when Canadian soldier and surgeon John McCrae was serving in Belgium. Inspired by the bright red poppies growing in Flanders Fields (located in southern Belgium and northwest France), despite the bleak and brutal battles there, he wrote “In Flanders Fields,” a poem giving voice to the dead soldiers lying beneath the flower-covered ground.

A few years later, Moina Michael — a professor at the University of Georgia and a volunteer at the training headquarters for YWCA overseas workers — who had read McCrae’s poem, was moved to write her own poem commemorating those who had died at Flanders Fields. She, too, referenced poppies in her poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith.”

After the war, realizing there was a need to support disabled veterans, Michael championed the selling of silk poppies to help raise funds. As a result, a movement began to make wearing a red poppy a symbol of remembrance on Memorial Day. Through the years, the symbolism has extended to represent all veterans, so wearing a poppy on Veterans Day has become common as well.

 

Memorial Day today

For many of us, Memorial Day is a fun day of traditions celebrated with parades, long weekend vacations, barbeques and get-togethers with friends and family. But there are more formal traditions as well. Flags are supposed to be flown at half-staff until noon and then raised.

And by congressional legislation passed in 2000, at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, Americans are encouraged to think about the meaning of the holiday during the National Moment of Remembrance.

Wishing you a happy and meaningful Memorial Day.

 

 

In Flanders Fields

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch: be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

⎯John McCrae, May 1915

 

 

We Shall Keep the Faith

 

Oh! You who sleep in Flanders Fields,

Sleep sweet ⎯ to rise anew!

We caught the torch you threw

And holding high, we keep the Faith

With All who died.

 

We cherish, too, the poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led;

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies,

But lends a luster to the red

Of the flower that blooms above the dead

In Flanders Fields.

 

And now the Torch and Poppy Red

We wear in honor of our dead.

Fear not that ye have died for naught;

We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought

In Flanders Fields.

⎯Moina Michael, November 1918

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May the Fourth be with you!

By Sheryl Dunn

Stories from the Star Wars universe have been delighting and enthralling fans young and old alike since “A New Hope” first debuted in 1977. “May the force be with you” became a catchphrase, and eventually, as with many things on the internet ⎯ a pun and a holiday were born.

May the Fourth be with you! Regardless of your opinions on the prequels (Episodes I through III) and sequels (Episodes VII through IX), the popularity of the Star Wars franchise continues with the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando and with “The Mandalorian,” the TV show on Disney+.

However, you don’t have to travel all the way to Orlando and brave the crowds just to have some Star Wars−themed fun. Even though May 4th is a Tuesday this year, you can still have fun dressing up at school, at work, or at home and having watch parties with your friends and family.

What can hard-core Star Wars fans do if they want to up their costume game or meet other diehards? There are, in fact, international, nonprofit social clubs ⎯ the 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion ⎯ with local chapters in South Florida. Founded in 1997, the 501st Legion is an international, 501(c)(7), nonprofit social club first organized by Albin Johnson. As of April 2, 2021, they have 14,188 members in 69 countries. In Florida, there are 602 members who make up the Florida Garrison. The garrison is further divided into five squads with South Florida covered by the Everglades Squad, which was first founded in 2003.

Since then, the 501st has participated in thousands of events and currently has 101 active members in its service. Active members are defined as those members who participate in at least one event, or “troop,” per year; complete their annual organizational census; and own, via building or commissioning, at least one screen-accurate costume that has been reviewed and approved according to specifications listed in the costume reference libraries (CRLs). These CRLs include not only stormtroopers, but also any antagonist or morally gray character from the Star Wars galaxy.

In January 2000, in response to the rise of the 501st, and wanting to celebrate the heroes of the Star Wars galaxy, the Rebel Legion was officially founded by Tony Troxell, Richard Fairbrother, Doug Fesko, and Ed O’Connell.

The 501st Legion and the subunits thereof have three primary missions: (1) to promote interest in Star Wars, (2) to facilitate the use of costumes, and (3) to contribute to a variety of charitable causes. To accomplish these missions, they attend various private and community events throughout the year at no charge to event organizers. For private events, they generally encourage organizers to donate any amount to a charity of the organizer’s choosing in the 501st Legion’s name. This request is by no means mandatory, though. For public events, the 501st Legion visits libraries, schools, children’s hospitals, fundraising initiatives, weddings, birthday parties, comic conventions, municipal parades, movie premieres, select Disney events, and many more. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, the Everglades Squad attended approximately 142 different events in South Florida throughout the year.

For more information, visit the following websites:

The 501st Legion is a worldwide Star Wars costuming organization comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans. While it is not sponsored by Lucasfilm Ltd., it follows generally accepted ground rules for Star Wars fan groups. Star Wars, its characters, costumes, and all associated items are the intellectual property of Lucasfilm.©™ Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

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Let’s Fiesta! – A Cinco de Mayo collaboration

Let’s Fiesta! – A Cinco de Mayo collaboration

By Rachel Hunter

Owner of Celebrate You Events offering bespoke party planning for all occasions.

Tel: 305.389.0550

CelebrateYou2020@gmail.com

While Cinco de Mayo originated as an historic battle won in the city of Puebla, Mexico, here in the US, it has become a celebration of Mexican heritage. So, grab your sombreros and get ready to party! Here are some family-friendly ideas to liven up your hump day.

A few days before the holiday, get the kids involved in creating the decorations. The local dollar store has tons of seasonal, inexpensive crafts. Make them together, or give them the tools and enjoy a few minutes of downtime. (Wishful thinking, I know!)

On the actual day, I like to set up a festive kids table with more activities. Don’t put the Easter eggs away just yet! Save a few for them to make their own maracas. Simply have them put dried beans inside the egg, grab a couple spoons and secure the egg in the spoons with some colorful tape. They’ll enjoy decorating them as well as dancing around afterwards with their new musical instrument. I also found a free, downloadable Cinco de Mayo themed “I Spy” for them to play. Throw in some adorable avocado cookies, and you’ll have some happy kids!

While the kids are busy with their crafts, make yourself a well-earned margarita. Instead of a salted rim try using Tajin for extra bite. Order food from your favorite Mexican restaurant, or whip up some quick fajitas like we did. But be sure to treat yourself to some almost-too-cute-to-eat sweets like these festive cookies and stunning cakes. Believe me, these coconut lime cactus cupcakes will not disappoint.

 

Stay safe and enjoy your Cinco de Mayo!

 

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel Hunter of Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) – Concept creation, party styling & banners

Kelley Jomant of Caked with Love by Kelley Inc (IG: @cakedwithlovebykelleyinc) – Custom cakes

Ana Ortiz of AO Craft Décor (IG: @aocraftdecor) – Extra-large paper flowers

Claudia Ovalle of Claumellows (IG: @claumellows) – Custom cookies

Crystal Aguila of Riley Black Designs (IG: @rileyblackdesigns) – Custom signs & acrylic lime wedges

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Road Tripping in Florida

By Amy Martin

If you’ve ever had dreams of swinging high beneath the big top, or if
you’ve ever been bemused by circus-themed-historical-Americana,
look no further than our own backyard.

In 1884, five Ringling brothers launched their first circus in Baraboo,
Wisconsin. They traveled town to town, like many other small circuses,
using animal-drawn caravans. The circus grew, and shortly after their
debut, they were soon able to transport their circus by train, bringing
“oohs” and “ahhs” far and wide across the entire country.

The Ringling Bros. purchased the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show
on Earth in 1907 and operated the circuses separately until 1919.
Combined in the 1930s, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
became the largest and most renowned circus in the world.

The Ringling Estate in Sarasota is an homage to our American culture
— and to our adoration of thrill-seeking entertainment and amusement.

The property includes multiple sites of interest: The John and Mable
Ringling Museum of Art (the official state art museum of Florida),
Ringling’s mansion Ca’ d’Zan (Venetian for “House of John”), the
Circus Museum, the historic Asolo Theater, the Tibbals Learning
Center, the Ringling Art Library, Mable Ringling’s Rose Garden, the
Secret Garden, the Dwarf Garden, Bayfront Garden Tours, the FSU
Center for the Performing Arts, and the gravesites of John and Mable
Ringling.

The Ringling Estate encourages artists to use the grounds as an
inspirational space to make art, asking only that posted guidelines are
respected.

Just a hop, skip, and swing away from Parkland, you’ll be there in 3.25
hours.

While you’re visiting Sarasota, you may want to check out these
other electrifying acts:
Take a class and fly trapeze at the school of circus arts, and/or see a
show. https://circusarts.org/flyingtrapeze/
Drive one hour north of Sarasota to Gibsonton to visit the community
of retired circus and carnival performers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibsonton,_Florida

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London to Parkland: Curiosity led him to a career as a singer, filmmaker

By Julie Rosner

He’s a Parkland resident now, but filmmaker and singer Menachem Weinstein was born and raised in Stamford Hill, London, into an ultra-orthodox Jewish family. He, along with students like himself, went to segregated schools and never received a full English education.

Weinstein, 29, was a creative kid. By the age of 13 he became curious and wondered what the rest of the world was like. “We didn’t have television or internet. We had a shielded life. I would see non-Jewish people walking down the street and wonder what their life was like. It was like an outside world,” Weinstein said.

When he turned 14, Weinstein rebelled and started buying his own jeans and acting up in class. “I didn’t know what was out there, but I wanted to explore and find out. It was always a question.” According to Menachem, he would question everything and give his teachers a hard time.

During those rebellious years, Menachem believes they were tough, but magical. “It put a lot of stress on my family and our relationship. I met so many new friends and new types of music. I really started to educate myself. And I learned about history,” Weinstein said. Eventually, as he reached the age of 18, things started to spiral.

Menachem did not have any direction or education. “It came to a point where I lost all my friends, started to get addicted to drugs. I came to a real point where I had to make some serious life choices,” Weinstein said.

Through it all, the only pathway that he found helpful to figure it all out was music. “I started to write down my thoughts and feelings, transferred them into poems and then music,” Weinstein remarked.

Despite his actions during his rebellious years, Menachem’s mother was supportive of his music. “My mother thought my creative outlet was healthy for me and would help me along the line. She spotted something in me before anyone else and pushed me to go forward,” Weinstein said.

From that point on, at the age of 19, Menachem entered a Jewish competition worldwide. He had to submit a video, which followed with an online voting process. After the votes were in, Menachem was flown to New York to perform in front of 3,000 people. From this experience, he started to take his music more seriously. “Being thrown in the deep end so early on helped me transition my life…I decided I wanted to do something with my life. No more drugs. I wanted to be productive,” Menachem said.

Unfortunately, with no education, it was hard to launch a career. Menachem went back to his community and started filming and recording a music video. He had no idea what he was doing. He borrowed his friend’s camera and used YouTube tutorial videos to figure it out. At the same time, he was shaping up his life and getting clean. He worked with at-risk teens organizing programs
to help take them off the street.

As time progressed, Menachem left the youth work and got serious with video production. He created commercials for a few travel companies. After he made some money, Menachem purchased his own camera. He landed a gig producing a music video for $25,000 for Jewish artists in Northern California.

“They flew me out to California for a massive shoot and I had a crew of 20 people working underneath me…The morning of filming I woke up and I felt like a fraud. I had no education and somehow, they were all waiting for me to get ready and start running this film set. I was freaked out. I took a few deep breaths and played the part. I faked it until I made it,” Weinstein said.

From that point on, Menachem got more and more job offers and moved to New York, where he opened up a successful media company called Munch Media. It became one of the top Jewish media production companies in Brooklyn. He performed in the United Kingdom, Amsterdam, New York, New Jersey, and Belgium. “Music was always a passion project,” Menachem said.

Today, Menachem is married and living in Parkland, Florida with his wife and 2-year-old son, Danny. “My wife was the person who was able to lead me into a much healthier place and help me unleash my potential,” Weinstein said.

In March, he accepted an offer to be a director of marketing for a tech company in Miami. Weinstein recently released a music video called “Highway” where he sings about the struggles to fi nd light in the darkness and finding the one person who changes everything for the positive. “I dedicated my new song to the special people who showed me love and guided me towards a path of creativity, productivity, and opened a doorway for me to see my religion and community in a new light,” Weinstein said.

“My whole life has been a winding road. Everyone’s life is a highway,” Weinstein said. “I have had ditches and turns, but for the first time in my life, moving to Parkland, I sit and think, this is it. This is where I can grow old and grow my family.”

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Organize your work area at home

Creating an organized work area at home is essential to make your space productive and efficient. Here are a few tips to help you achieve your goals:

If possible, set up your workspace where you have ample natural light. Surround yourself with things that make you comfortable and happy such as pictures, candles, and plants. Simplicity is key – try to keep your workspace simple and uncluttered by placing your office essentials in desktop organizers. To keep power and network cables at bay, use power strips and cable wraps or ties to keep them out of sight. Move valuables and keepsakes to shelves so they are out of harm’s way.

Utilize a filing cabinet, rolling file cart, desktop sorter, or file box to store important documents. Organize your paperwork by type and category so they are easily accessible. Also consider the frequency of access when creating your filing system. To maximize the usefulness of your system, consider scanning and storing your documents electronically in a secure online service for universal access.

Set the mood for your workspace to inspire productivity and your creative juices will start to flow!

Lisa Haubenstock is a professional organizer and the owner of LisaTheOrganizer, LLC. Serving Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties.

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‘Closer Than Ever’ in a time of social distance

With the on-going blackout of Broadway, live theatre in New York and around the country has taken a hit since March when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

While many actors, singers, and dancers (not to mention directors, producers, technical staff , etc.) were on hiatus, theaters were searching for a way to remain relevant and keep their actors and staff employed.

Boca Raton-based MNM Theatre Company, a non-profit theatre company which has been producing professional musical theatre in Palm Beach County since 2014, was in residence at the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach prior to the pandemic.

In 2019 the company produced “Man of La Mancha,” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” both large-scale productions.

When the quarantine hit, MNM was in rehearsal for a production of the musical, “Cabaret” and one week prior to opening night last March, had to lay off 65 staff.

“No one really knows what the future of live theatre looks like,” says Marcie Gorman, CEO of MNM Theatre Company. “Will live theatre return to a full-house? Will it be half or quarter capacity? Will the audience return? Will it be safe?”

It was questions like this that kept Gorman up at night and prompted her and her staff to reinvent their stage productions.

She and her director, Jonathan Van Dyke, came up with what they call a “hybrid” – streaming their live production, which was produced following safety and CDC protocols and utilizing “projections” (or, graphics) to enhance the experience.

For example, if a couple was supposed to touch or hug following the script, they did not touch in real-life, but the f lm production was edited to seem as if they were hugging or touching.

“We followed strict protocols throughout the process and were constantly mindful of the health and well-being of our cast and our crew,” says Gorman, a South Florida native. “COVID testing, masks, cleaning, and sanitizing – we did it all constantly.”

“But,” she says, “what’s so wonderful is that we created and performed live theatre that we will be able to share with a worldwide audience.”

“It’s not just a film, not just a live show, and not just a series of projections,” says Gorman, noting that the filming was shot using multiple cameras and angles over a span of five days in their Boca Raton warehouse/studio. “It’s a combination of all three and as far as we know, no one has ever done anything like it before.”

Most recently, they used these techniques in their production of composer David Shire and lyricist Richard Maltby Jr.’s musical song cycle, “Closer Than Ever,” a lively and fast-paced musical revue starring Aaron Bower, Johnbarry Green, and Carbonell Award-winners Shelley Keelor and Elijah Word, exploring the everyday struggles such as second marriages, aging, mid-life crises, working couples, and unrequited love in the modern world.

“Our director, Jonathan Van Dyke, has developed an innovative theatrical hybrid that marries live performances with video, audio, and projections,” says Gorman. “The result is an exciting and creative way to create live theatre during the pandemic.”

“The integrated projections allow for intimate onstage moments,” says Van Dyke on the company’s website. “The actors were each green-screened separately and the results were edited for projection, so they appear to interact with one another, even as they social distance.”

After watching the production on-line, composer Shire wrote in an email to Gorman, “The performances were honest and great, the musical direction, staging, production design, choreography all first rate, and your direction and overall conception of how to present “Closer Than Ever” and keep it COVID-safe were truly impressive.”

Additionally, on their website mnmtheatre.org, the theatre company has a project called #MNMSings, where former cast members and alumni share their favorite numbers from the production in which they starred.

Currently, Shelley Keelor sings her favorite, “Back on Base,” from “Closer Than Ever,” (“My scattered life had no foundation. Couldn’t seem to fi nd my space. Then all at once came inspiration. Now I’m back on base.”)

Gorman says it’s a way for the actors to stay involved, connect with the audience, and remain in people’s consciousness during these trying times.

As a producer, former actor and singer — Gorman describes herself as “very involved and a hands-on producer.”

“I’m at every show,” she says. “I’ve never missed one. Even when the director leaves after a production, I’m still there.”

“It’s an adrenaline rush and a chance for me to bond with the actors,” she says. “I love mentoring them, being a part of the production, watching them perform and revel when they go on to do something bigger and better.”

“It’s all about the connections with people that has made it all worthwhile,” she says. “That’s my thing. I love theatre!”

Visit https://www.mnmtheatre.org/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mnmtheatrecompany

Clips from “Closer Than Ever” can be viewed on their website https://www.mnmtheatre.org 

 

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