By Nancy Powell Radlauer (PowellReviews@aol.com)

Sunday, September 19; Whole Foods Market 30th Birthday and awesome 80’s Party! 12 noon – 4pm FREE; Whole Foods Market is turning the big 3-0 and we’re celebrating by turning the clock back to 1980 when it all began! Featuring your favorite 80’s music, a birthday hat challenge and lots of silliness just to prove we’re still as young as we feel! Stop in for some birthday cake and ice-cream, and see if you can win the 1980’s Costume Contest or ‘Pin the Tail on the Grass Fed Cow’ for a chance to win a free gift card. Plus, while you’re loading up your cart with anniversary deals, kids will have fun with face painting, party hat making and cupcake decorating in the café. No birthday party is complete without party favors, so throughout the day,  customers who can answer our 1980s Trivia questions will get prizes.  And lots of delicious, highest quality natural and organic products to sample!

SEPTEMBER EVENTS:
• School Lunch Revolution: Salad Bar Fundraiser: Register Donation Campaign, thru September 29 This school year Whole Foods Market has partnered with Renegade Lunch Lady, Chef Ann Cooper for a salad bar fundraiser! Our goal? For every Whole Foods Market location (that’s 300 stores) to raise enough green to build 300 salad bars in local schools across the country. For every $2,500 we raise in Aventura, a local school will receive a “grant” of a salad bar from Chef Ann Cooper & F3! Local schools may apply at: http://www.saladbarproject.org/
• Wednesday, September 1; SPEED BIZ BREAKFAST: Hallandale Beach Chamber of Commerce; 7:30 am – 9 am; FREE for Members, $ 5.00 Non-Members; A morning of fast paced Networking with over 50 other businesses in our area – 3 minutes at a time. The early-bird gets the business!!!
• Thursday, September 2; Spice Up your Labor Day Weekend with Branford; 4–7 pm, Meat Department; Spice up your Labor Day weekend grill with Branford’s Originals! Come over to our meat department to sample our high quality, all natural grilling favorites while you meet and greet the creator of our very own LOCAL Branford’s Original Sauces. Who knows? If you’re lucky, he just may share a recipe or two with you!
• Friday, September 3; Health Starts Here Demonstration with Ira Luft, RN; 11 am–1 pm FREE; Trying to eat well, but not sure where to begin in the kitchen? Join Ira Luft, RN and Demo Specialist Nadeige as they teach us to prepare Tangy Bean Salad with Carrot & Green Onion Dressing.
• Saturday, September 4; Clean up with Hugo, from Hugo’s Naturals! 4 pm–7:30 pm; FREE; Join us as the award-winning Chef and Founder of HUGO NATURALS shares his philosophy of ‘food grade quality’ all natural body care products. He will be sampling his luxurious products and highlighting his newest additions to his collection, bath bombs and bath salts.
• Monday, September 6; LABOR DAY Forgot something for the grill? We are open 8am–10 pm for you.
• Rosh Hashanah – Shana Tova!  Sundown Wednesday, September 8; Ends nightfall Thursday, September 9; The words Rosh Hashanah mean “Head of the Year.” It is the anniversary of the past creation of the world, and Jewish tradition sees everyone as being created anew at this time every year. On Rosh Hashanah, it is traditional to eat foods that are sweet and nourishing. Come in and pick from the very best organic and natural additions to your holiday table. Whether it’s Challah, apples, local honey or a kosher dessert to round out your meal, we’ve got it.
• Saturday, September 11; Health Starts Here Demonstration with Ira Luft, RN; 12 pm–2pm FREE; Trying to eat well, but not sure where to begin in the kitchen? Join Ira Luft, RN and Demo Specialist Nadeige as they teach us to prepare Tangy Bean Salad with Carrot & Green; Onion Dressing.
• Sunday, September 12; Grandparents Day; Pick up a beautiful bouquet, potted orchid or fabulous dessert to share!
• Tuesday, September 14; Gluten-Free Basics Tour with Ira Luft, RN; 10:30 am–12 pm FREE; Are you or a loved one living the gluten free (GF) lifestyle and not sure what to eat? Not even sure what gluten is or where it is found? Join Ira Luft, RN on a journey through the aisles as he shares gluten-free choices and information for those on special diets. Sample delicious gluten-free products and find some new favorites. Don’t suffer from a limited selection or compromise on taste anymore! To RSVP; sign up at Customer Service, phone 305.933.143 or email  Vanessa.Hassele@wholefoods.com. Tour size is limited to 10 persons.
• Yom Kippur; Begins Sundown Friday, September 17, Ends nightfall Saturday, September 18
• Friday, September 24; Top 5 Wines @ 5 pm! 5–7pm TGIF! Stop by our Wine Department to receive a complimentary wine glass and sample up to 5 carefully picked wines and cheeses, each selected to start your weekend off right! Limit one glass per customer, while supplies last.
• Sunday, September 26; Seafood 101:  Harpoon Caught Swordfish, 1 pm–3pm; With fisheries around the world in search of finding more sustainable and environmentally friendly means of bringing their catch to market, fishermen are now returning to the ancient art of harpoon sword fishing. Stop by and learn about what Whole Foods Market is doing to ensure sustainable fishing, try a new recipe and taste a sample of this unique catch!
 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30; HALL-O-GREEN MONSTER MASH!
Join us for a GREEN-HALLOWEEN celebration featuring your favorite monster-mash music, a “Recycled~ Repurposed~ Reused Costume Contest” plus lots of zero waste party tips!
 
Whole Foods Market®, founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, is a leader in the natural and organic foods industry, is America’s first national certified organic grocer,  and was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” in 2008 by Health magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement.
Thanks to its 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 12 consecutive years. There are currently more than 275 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & WildTM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP.  Wild Oats® and Capers Community MarketTM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market Aventura 305.933.143

By Rodi Alexander Friedman C.H.C. (rodialexander@yahoo.com)

 It is absolutely shocking to me, how many people let themselves go and
continue to live a lifestyle in poor health. Even after learning how detrimental
certain foods and drinks are on the body. I associate it to the smoker who
knows that cigarettes can cause cancer and heart disease, but continues to
smoke anyway. In case you didn’t know, 64% of American adults are obese,
as are 1 in every 4 children. We are headed for disaster!
Dr. David Katz, Director of Medical Studies in Public Health at the Yale
University School of Medicine, has stated, that our children have a shorter
life expectancy than our generation. Not only is that horrifying, but totally
preventable. We have lost sight of quality of life, purely from bad habits and
wrong choices. Eat to Live, don’t Live to Eat!
If you want to lose weight, keep it off and maintain a good healthy state of
being, there are 5 important steps you must take; The first step is the most
important. #1- A strong, positive mind set. This applies to anything and
everything you ever want to accomplish in your life. It is the foundation for
discipline. If you set your mind to it, you can do it! For those of you who find
it difficult to stick to a certain regiment, you must change your way of
thinking. There are plenty of self help books and groups out there to help you
get motivated and keep you motivated. There is nothing wrong with that. Do
whatever it takes to help gain control of your life. When you come to the
realization that you are fed up with the way you look and feel about your
body and you want to get in shape, your mind set is your success.
The second step is, Make water your #1 choice of drink. Forget the diet
drinks, juices, sports drinks and alcohol. Drink half your body weight in
ounces every day. This is further substantiated in one of my previous articles,
http://envmagazine.org/?p=1180, Soda is a No No, Water is a Go Go! By
drinking water you will help rid the body of excess toxins, clean the intestines
and improve absorption of nutrients. Water is used by the liver to metabolize
fat into useable energy. Stay Hydrated! This is an excellent start to successful
weight loss.
Step # 3 is Exercise. You’ve got to keep your metabolism active. I have
found exercise to be instrumental in losing weight successfully, and the more
you keep a consistent exercise schedule, the easier it will be to maintain your
weight. Stop making excuses and do it! Choose a workout that works best for
you. Running, jogging, walking, swimming, biking, yoga, palates, tennis
etc…Whatever you do, MOVE! For more in depth information, read my
previous article, Exercise – The True Fountain of youth. Click on
http://envmagazine.org/?p=1687
Step #4, Incorporate more Fruits and Vegetables into your diet. There are
thousands of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables.
They are a pure, unprocessed food source with a 90% content of water, and
have enough nutrition to sustain life. They are so good for you, and contain
benefits that can literally save your life! Fruits are best digested when eaten
on an empty stomach. Eating fruits first thing in the morning works well when
trying to lose weight or maintain your weight. Try a bowl of melon or berries,
½ a grapefruit, or fruit shake. Whatever you do, Don’t skip breakfast! An
apple, pear, mixed berries etc…works well as an in between snack. Be sure
not to skip meals, and try your best to eat dinner before 7:00 pm. Salads are
the best way to incorporate an array of vegetables. Eat a rainbow of colors.
There are all sorts of different benefits from eating a variety, but, watch your
dressings! Creamy, fatty, cheesy dressings may taste good, but will prevent
you from losing weight because of the high calories and fat content. Stick to a
pure virgin olive oil and or vinegar, (balsamic, red wine, or apple cider).
Eating a larger quantity of vegetables and a smaller portion of meat, (fish,
turkey, chicken), will fill you up and aid in the weight loss process. You can
eat red meat 1 or 2 times a week, but make sure that it is lean, grass fed or
organic. All sorts of beans are a great source of protein and nutrition. Slightly
cooked vegetables or steamed are acceptable. Remember, you want to lose
weight, but you also want the nutritional value. Fruits and vegetables are also
naturally high in fiber. The consumption of high fiber foods contributes
greatly to an individuals ability to achieve and maintain optimal weight. Fiber
is also found in grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. There is NO fiber in animal
foods. A high fiber diet keeps bowel movements regular and soft. An
appropriate amount of fiber in the diet can:
* Reduce the risk of Heart Disease
* Lower Blood Cholesterol
* Satisfy hunger longer
* Keep blood sugar levels balanced by slowing down
carbohydrate absorption
The average American consumes approximately 17 grams of fiber per day.
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 25 grams. Most Nutritionists
recommend a daily consumption of 35 grams. But, in countries where cancer
and heart disease rates are very low, fiber exceeds 45 grams per day.
Many people eat only 1 or 2 meals a day. It is far better to eat several smaller
meals throughout the day. Not feeding your body consistently throughout the
day, can cause your blood sugar to drop and your energy to decrease. Eating
several meals can keep you from over eating.
If you can successfully implement steps 1 – 4, you can definitely accomplish
step #5. You may find this step to be the most challenging, I did, but once you
master it, not only will you see the pounds come off, you will feel lighter, less
bloated, have better digestion and be healthier overall.
Step #5, Cut out ALL white foods; Sugar, Flour, Dairy, Potatoes, Rice.
Once you’ve reached you’re ideal weight, you can add them back, but in
moderation. Sugar has been proven to be addictive, and consuming large
amounts, promotes weight gain and depresses the immune system. According
to one study, 100 grams of sugar (the equivalent of a 5 oz chocolate bar and
soft drink) can suppress the immune system for up to 6 hours. DO NOT
substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar. They are detrimental to one’s health.
Honey, molasses and fructose in their natural state are good ingredients.
Flour, bleached and enriched flour is not a whole grain. It has been processed
and chemically treated with virtually all of the nutritive value removed.
Products containing bleached and enriched flour (most breads, cookies,
crackers, cereals, pasta, desserts, etc..) act like simple sugars in the body, in
that they cause blood glucose levels to rise quickly, triggering production of
insulin. Look for whole grains as ingredients, such as, oats, oat flour, millet,
whole spelt flour, barley, quinoa or whole rye.
Dairy is an entire article within itself. I will be discussing dairy in depth next
month, but for now, just know that if you want to lose weight and be
healthier, you are better off cutting dairy out of your diet. It is gas forming,
creates mucus and bloating, as well as being a major contributor to
degenerative disease, as proven in many studies and research. We are the only
mammals that drink milk into adulthood. Cows milk is to nurture a baby calf
into a full grown cow. Today you can substitute cows milk with unsweetened
Almond Milk or Rice Milk. White Potatoes and White Rice are not good
choices when you are in the process of losing weight. They convert to sugar
quickly and get stored as fat because they are starches which does not
disseminate quickly through the body’s system. Better choices are sweet
potatoes and brown rice. Do not deprive yourself of the good carbohydrates.
They help fill you up and satisfy your hunger.
Let’s recap The 5 Steps to Successful Weight Loss and Good Health;
1) A Strong, Positive Mind Set
2) Make Water Your #1 Drink
3) Exercise
4) More Fruits and Vegetables
5) No White Foods; Sugar, Flour, Dairy, Potatoes and Rice
The bottom line is that these steps depend on you and you alone. No one can
do them for you. Get your mind set for success. The results are totally worth
it! You will feel better about yourself, be more energetic, significantly reduce
your incidents of illness and disease, and have a healthier existence.
Stop putting it off and start taking it off!!!

By Susie Glass, LEED AP

When one thinks about green house gases being emitted into the atmosphere the natural assumption would be that transportation contributes the greatest number of total combined emissions. And, although transportation does rank close to the top of the list, Miami’s number one ranking is actually held by buildings. An overwhelming 54% of greenhouse gases can be attributed to buildings alone here in Miami. Just as a refresher, green house gases are gases in the atmosphere that absorb infrared radiation emitted from the earth, and as a result temperatures rise and raise sea levels. Greater Miami is one of the most vulnerable urban areas in the world when it comes to rising sea levels. At current, there is 400 billion dollars of property at risk by rising sea levels and based on current trends that number is expected to increase to 3.5 trillion dollars by 2070. Although Miami is in such a challenging position it should be noted that the city’s greenhouse emissions do rank in the lowest one third in 100 metropolitan cities.
In Miami, commercial buildings represent 35% of the built square footage yet consume 60% of the city’s electricity.  In fact, 90% of Miami’s energy usage comes from electricity. One of the main reasons buildings consume so much electricity is that Miami, unlike most other metropolitan cities, relies heavily on electricity versus natural gas for energy. This is due to the fact that Miami’s climate does not have as much of a need for natural gas since the majority of the energy usage relates to cooling. Nationally 47% of energy usage is for heating and in North Florida that number drops to 15%. In Miami, only 2% of the energy used is for heating. In addition, an average Miami home’s cooling, refrigeration, lighting and water heating account for 77% of electricity consumption.
This leads us to the obvious question, how can Miami reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere when it comes to energy? There are many ways to incorporate lowering energy consumption across the board; in fact, there are actually too many to mention in this short amount of space. Since the largest contributor of green house gas emissions are buildings, it would logically follow that the first order of business is to reduce the amount of gases that buildings emit. How can this be done? One of the answers lies in a building certification process that is starting to gain traction here in South Florida, and that certification process is called LEED. Developed by the United States Green Building Council, LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and there are over 63 certified LEED projects here in South Florida with 16 here in Miami-Dade County. LEED is essentially a process of building commissioning which verifies a building is operating and built as designed. LEED standards are not necessarily easy to achieve, the process is thorough and requires numerous minimum building, design and performance standards that focus on building efficiency as well as the impacts the project will have on the environment. LEED is flexible enough to be incorporated into existing buildings, interiors, schools, homes, new construction and major renovation projects.
According to recent studies, 30% of the energy used by buildings are used inefficiently or unnecessarily. Amongst the many benefits that LEED certification has to offer, LEED certification helps to reduce wasteful usage of energy and demands efficient energy usage. Depending upon the size and scope of the project, a certified LEED building can no doubt greatly reduce the amount of energy a building consumes, in turn lowering the amount of green house gases emitted into the atmosphere which then lowers the risk of rising sea levels. Municipalities are also seeing the need for more efficient buildings, including the City of Miami which has previously released MiPlan, a climate action plan that seeks to reduce green-house emissions by 25% as early as 2015 (based on 2007 levels) and part of that reduction includes encouraging LEED certification for buildings. In addition, Miami-Dade County offers incentives for business that operate out of LEED certified buildings and implement energy saving technologies as well as expedited permitting for LEED registered projects. The benefits of a LEED certified building are many and to learn more about LEED certification in South Florida your first step is to visit the South Florida Chapter of the United States Green Building Council’s website at www.usgbcsf.org. This site provides information on LEED certified projects that have been completed, a database of LEED accredited professionals and educational workshops, seminars and meetings all pertaining to green building. The Chapter’s database makes it easy for you to locate professionals in your specific area that can walk you through the LEED certification process. As a caveat, LEED may not be the best choice for every project and there are other green building certification options available here in South Florida, including the Florida Green Building Coalition. The wise choice is to consult with green building professional to see if LEED certification is the best choice for the project.
References & Resources:
www.usgbcsf.org – USGBC South Florida Chapter
www.floridagreenbuilding.com – Florida Green Building Coalition
www.miamigov.com/msi – City of Miami Office of Sustainable Initiatives
www.miamidade.gov/oos -Miami-Dade County Office of Sustainability

 
By Nancy Powell Radlauer (PowellReviews@aol.com)

EVOS® is a quick-service restaurant chain serving burgers, fries, and shakes. One exception from the norm; their philosophy is to use healthier ingredients such as naturally-raised hormone/antibioticfree beef and organic ingredients, as well as alternative cooking techniques. The result is 50 to 70
percent less fat without sacrificing flavor.
Dino Lambridis, Alkis Crassas and Michael Jeffers expanded their business to include stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and California since starting the franchise expansion in 2005. The company employs sustainable business practices that range from purchasing renewable wind energy to utilizing environmentally-friendly materials in the building of its stores.
EVOS, the restaurant known for great tasting, healthier menu options is proud to
announce the EVOS® Healthy School Lunch Program. Now available at public and
private schools throughout the Miami area this year, it offer an easy, affordable option for parents that ends daily lunchbox dilemmas.
Schools that choose to adopt the EVOS® Healthy School Lunch Program this year
are being rewarded for their efforts because the restaurant chain has committed to
donating a portion of each lunchbox sale back to the school from which it was
purchased.
“This year alone, more than 31 million students will consume 30 to 50 percent of their daily calories during their 30 minute lunch break,” says Jackie Macaluso,community ambassador at EVOS. “Packed with high amounts of salt, fat and sugar today’s school lunch simply “fails” miserably. The EVOS Healthy School
Lunch Program hopes to not only make a direct nutritional impact in the lives of those students we serve, but to also help schools get one step closer to meeting their unique fundraising milestones.”
While many people may assume that the idea of a healthier school lunch would be a
hard “sell” for students used to devouring the first slice of pizza, bag of chips, or
cookie assortment that comes their way, EVOS has succeeded in building a solid
following. From naturally-raised, beef burgers and hotdogs (free of added
hormones, antibiotics), to air-baked chicken strips and even a vegetarian option,
EVOS’ great tasting food and hip, trendy attitude has set the stage for great things to
come. Students are expected to talk about their “Most Talented, Most Likely to
Succeed, Most Athletic and Most Attractive” form those all packed into their tasty
lunchbox.
For more information on EVOS Healthy Lunch Program, menu offerings or for information on how your
school can get involved, log on to www.evoslunchroom.com. And, for those of you who just can’t get
enough EVOS during your lunch hour, visit EVOS’ Miami location at 9537 South Dixie Highway,
Pinecrest, Florida. The restaurant is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. www.evos.com.

Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, Mayor Alvarez and Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau President and CEO William Talbert

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez and City of Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower hosted the first Mayors’ Green Initiatives for Economic Growth Workshop and Trade Show on Wednesday, August 25, 2010, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

“This workshop and trade show exemplifies how developing relationships between residents, businesses, community based organizations and government – all stakeholders in taking action to make a difference – can ensure we are doing what is necessary for a sustainable future,” Mayor Alvarez said.

More than 450 green exhibitors and attendees from as far as Tallahassee participated in the day-long event. Participants were able to meet one on one with representatives from governmental agencies and private businesses to learn more about green business practices, green lodging certification and economic development opportunities.

The workshop was a collaboration between Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami Beach, the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Environmental Coalition of Miami & the Beaches (ECOMB), and several private companies.

For more information about Miami-Dade County’s green programs, call the Office of Sustainability at (305) 375-4790.

By Ron Levitt

ENV Magazine/Florida Media News

MACK AND MABEL AT BROWARD STAGE DOOR: A WONDERFUL  RERUN OF TOPNOTCH MUSICAL

Jerry Herman – despite his smash successes with La Cage, Hello Dolly, Mame and other Broadway hits – has been quoted many times a saying that Mack and Mabel is the personal favorite of all the shows he has created.   When you go to Broward Stage Door to see the latest version of the Tony-nominated  musical, you will understand why.

This is one classy, fun, music-filled, inspired production – one that we have come to expect  from Broward Stage Door after its recent successes of A Little Night’s Music and The Drowsey Chaperone.

What makes this particular version of Mack and Mable so enjoyable are the sometimes-subtle, many times-original   approaches that Director Michael Leeds  has given to this musical which first opened on Broadway in 1974.   Leeds  (Tony nomination for  “Swingin’ on A Star”) was a performer in the first National Tour with Bernadette Peters, and has a special affinity for this show.   According to the promotional material for this production, Leeds was able to convince Herman to give him some leeway on new approaches and changes to for this production.  “I didn’t get everything I wanted”, says Leeds, “but he was kind enough to give me a lot, including the ending that was eventually used on the tour, but not on Broadway.”

Mack and Mabel – which is reminiscent of what old-time Broadway musicals were all about (interesting story, great score, huge performances) comes right out  of the silent movie era and the rising glamour of 1920s Hollywood. This classic show tells of the heart-wrenching love story of two of its greatest legends –  director Mack Sennett (creator of the legendary Keystone Kops)   and his star, Mabel Normand.

When deli-delivery  girl Mabel (played by New York actress Mara Gabrielle )  appears on the set of film-maker Sennett (Shane R. Tanner ) , she catches his eye and in time captures his heart. Before long she brings a special quality to the “two-reelers “of the  silent  era  as  his star comedienne.  However ambition, rivalry and the impending threat of “talkies”  make for a tempestuous relationship. Her partying ways and use of drugs eventually leads  to scandal,  even though the two of them cannot forget the  love  they have for one another.

There are a number of reasons for theatre aficionados to rush to see this version of  Mack and Mable.

1.       It has one of the best scores one will find in a revived musical.  It’s much more than the familiar “I Won’t Send Roses” or the sensitive “Time Heals Everything.”   Such meaningful lyrics and music as  “Look What Happened to Mabel” will be with you long after you leave the theatre.  Suffice it to say, this score is as good as it gets in this wild Show Biz world.

2.        Shane  R. Tanner — who has appeared in dozens of South Florida  musical productions  is terrific as Mack, His deep baritone voice and stage presence is what makes for musical awards.  He has been understandably a multiple Carbonell nominee. And, it t would shock if he doesn’t repeat this awards season.

3.       It is tough for any musical actress to play the same role as the magical Bernadette Peters and- risk comparison.  But, Mara Gabrielle – as Mabel  – sings beautifully and shimmers in the  wardrobe  provided by Marilyn Wick/Costume World

4.         The rest of the cast is admirable.  Ken  Clement is the perfect  Fatty Arbuckle ( who else in South Florida could ever fill this role?)  and Kelly Cusimano does quite well as  the important sidekick –  Lottie.     When  Cusimano belts and hoofs “Tap Your Troubles Away”  with six gorgeous (if horribly “wigged” ) blondes, it is a show-stopper—one of the few moments you will see audience members stand up and cheer  (…and that’s also because of the brilliant choreography by  Chrissi  Ardito).

5.        We don’t usually mention an  entire ensemble but with this upscale production creating such enjoyment, credit must also go to the rest of the cast – Bob Levitt, Jeffrey Funaro, Stacie Johnson,  an d those wonderful ful people named  in the Program:  Christopher Violett, Alishia Suitor,  Joey ZangardI, Ron Tal,  Kelly Skidmore, Maureen Kelley, Casey Shea, Lauren Kaye Cluette,  Al  Gable, and Michael Joseph.

Show times are Wed, Thurs, Sat, and Sun at 2PM; Thurs, Fri, Sat at 8PM, and Sunday at 7PM. For tickets and information: 954-344-7765. The Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Rd, Coral Springs, Fl 33065.

Jerry Herman is entitled to his selection of  Mack and Mabel as his personal favorite. My jury is still out of that one, but certainly this production has every ingredient which makes for a hit!

ACTORS HAM IT UP IN PROMETHEAN FUN-FEST

If you happen to remember the sense of humor you had in college or  as a young adult , -you know how much fun movie spoofs – particularly those involving B-horror flicks – can be.  Well, look no further. Just head to the Promethean Theatre on the  campus of Nova Southeastern  University and join the younger set in a fun-time as a cast of talented  20-somethings  get stupid, silly and sometimes sensational  in Evil Dead: The Musical.

This quite original musical  is based on Sam Rami’s trio of horror films. The franchise includes Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness – but composer / author George Reinblat  and composer Frank Cipolla  take it a step further – with blood  (actually a chocolate derivative)  promised so that those in the  first couple of rows – “the splatter zone” –  are  provided with ponchos .  (if this seems reminiscent of Promethean’s musical hit – Cannibal – last season, it is meant to be!!)

It’s all about five college kids on spring break who visit a cabin the woods and turn into demons – much like the cult movies.  There are plenty of vivid (f not memorable) songs  – many of which contain four-letter words – and as much blood and gore, demons and devils, zombies and “living” vegetation  as one would expect in a horror presentation. And, there’s enough severed limbs,  demons telling bad jokes and putrid puns, chain saw and other weapons ready to massacre the cast – all a part of craziness set to music.

Evil Dead is just for fun – a rare moment in the theatre when you are not asked to think…not required to make judgments….just enjoy the silliness!!   Promethean producer/founder, Deborah Sherman, gives advance warning that this is gory – yet ridiculous and hilarious – as she passes out the ponchos to those who might get “splattered.”  If the opening night audience is an indicator, this will be a successful run. 

Director Margaret Ledford has the assist of a number of technical gurus in bringing this musical funfest to South Florida ( Similar productions of this off-Broadway hit are currently playing in 21 other cities and there have been another  40 productions in addition to its New York run.)  Ledford team includes lmusic director Phil Hinton, choreographer Chrissy Ardito, scenic designer Dan Gelbmann, Patrick Tennent handling lighting, Ellis Tillman in charge of costuming, Matt Corey helming Sound, and Taso Stavrakis choreographing the fight scenes and “blood” splattering and let’s not forget Tyler Smith whose prosthetic props – including a severed  hand which has a mind of its  own– adds to the mayhem,

Matthew William Chizever –  for the past two years a  Carbonell nominee as best actor in a musical (Cannibal and La Cage)  – uses his strong voice and  adroit movements  to  dominate the off the wall comedy.  Chizever is star quality in his performance and his  “duet” – What the F—Was That? — with Troy Davidson is a show-stopper.   Lovely Lindsey Forgey (playing two important roles) , Jaime Kautzman, Jamie Mattocks,  an impressive Kaitlyn O’Neill also make up the youthful but capable  cast, along with two of the funniest performances and musical moments with relative newcomers to the stage David Dearstyne (as nerdy Ed)  and Noah Levine (as hillbilly Jake).

.Evil Dead runs through September 12 at Nova’s Black Box Theatre  (3301  College Avenue)>  Call toll free 866-811-4111 for tickets (only 80 seats available per performance ) or purchase online at www.prometheantheatre.org

Whenever, you go, be prepared for a bunch of actors hamming it up.  It was written that way and the actors  do it  justice on purpose!!!!

ONLINE RESEARCH HELPS VISUALIZE 

CALDWELL’S  “THE COMFORT OF DARKNESS”

 Because of  the world premiere of   The Comfort of Darkness, now at the Caldwell Theatre, I was intrigued to learn about the real life people whose characters are portrayed by playwright Joel Gross.  So, off I went to the Internet to discover  back some 250 years ago, the real people in this play actually lived and loved.  

I would be remiss if I didn’t admit that my online research made more of an impression that did this over-long two act (multi scene)  production, despite its  creative direction by Clive Cholerton, amazing costuming by  Alberto Arroyo and a set by the always reliable Tim Bennett.

My initial response to the play was that it had two elements which should give it special appeal to women in the audience, First, it was a love story and its medical element was certainly interesting – sort of a theatrical “chick flick.”  How chauvinistic can one be? I was wrong!  All I heard after the  show ended was, “it was too long.”   We wondered if this could have played better as a one-act, 90 minute show? 

Basically, the playwright had a great idea – two historic figures  who learn over and over that love is blind.  But, when the research becomes more pleasurable than the play, something is amiss!

It’s about Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), a German physician who invented “magnetise” – the forerunner of hypnosis (yes, the word MESMORIZE” is an outgrowth of his name).  Dr Mesmer is played by New York actor Stevie Ray Dallimore, one of the bright spots in this production.   Dr, Mesmer is enchanted by  and has a scandalous affair with his patient Maria Theresa von Paradis= (Jessalyn Maguire),    a prominent harpsichordist who was blind since childhood,  The doctor treats her with his ‘Magnetise” and her condition temporarily improves, but her blindness comes back for good as their  romance ends.  Bystanders – but very much involved – are a former patient  with her own eyes on the doctor (Jane Cortney) and Dr. von Stoerk, (an excellent performance by Kenneth Kay), as Dr. Mesmer’s at-first unbelieving friend who finally sees that his “cure” may possibly work.

Author Gross apparently has a passion for taking real  personalities  and bringing them to life on stage.  His earlier Marie Antoinette:  The Color of Flesh–also about love and friendship –  was at Caldwell two years ago – another play whose costumes and set dominated the run. He is reported to be currently working on a musical about John Dillinger.

Director   Cholerton – one of South Florida’s most capable artistic leaders – brought in this cast – all professionals – from New York City. With the economy in such a mess and arts/ theatre  funding so critical, it induced the question as to why he couldn‘t have used local talent. After all, South Florida is filled with capable actors! 

The show runs through Sept.  5.  Call 561 241-7432.

EARTHY BLUES NUMBERS KICK OFF FLORIDA STAGE AT ITS NEW HOME

It’s all about the music;  some 90 minutes of  it, by the way, a non-stop  revue of heartfelt, often earthy, renditions of blues, powerfully  and perfectly executed  by four performers who have the audience in their hands.  That’s what is happening at Rinker Stage  of the Kravis Center  where the  veteran company  Florida Stage has taken up its new residency.

It’s called Low Down Dirty Blues – and it turns the three-sided seating into a  South-side Chicago night club long after the patrons have gone home and four entertainers sing some 22 numbers filled with double entendre messages and suggestive, sexy topics.  They are singing for their own enjoyment – much to the delight of the Florida Stage audience.

You really don’t need a story-line in such a setting.  – and you don’t  get one.  But, no one seems to care. The music is so satisfying  and – at times – inspiring, it’s sufficient to be entertained – especially by this extra-ordinary four-some.

Sandra Reeves-Phillips is the one  who owns the Windy City night  club featuring blues singers  and she is a big-voiced lady, who gets the after-hour vocalizing in high gear with some thigh-slapping movements as she belts “They Call Me Big Momma.” She is followed by  Mississippi Charles Bevel as a guitar-strumming, soft-singing  entertainer who becomes a philosophical wonder as he sings “The Grapes of Wrath”  and  Gregory Porter –   a huge man with lungs to match his body  — who dominates the stage when he is singing, especially a number called  “Change Is Gonna Come.”

But, the one performer who will be with you long after you leave the Rinker theatre is Felicia P. Fields, who  rightfully earned a Tony nomination for her turn in The Color Purple on Broadway.  A huge woman with a mountain of talent  Fields enthralls as she delivers the erotic “My Stove’s In Good Condition” and  the memorable “I’m Not That Kind of Girl.”    She also interacts with a male in the audience (the audience member I saw was in his 90s and had been married 68 years) and Fields had the audience and the gentleman  in near-hysteria.  She is a terrific entertainer who knows how to push the audience’s button!  She could have done a one-woman show and have had its audience eating out of her hands. She is a wonder!

And, when all four get together – such as in ”Nobody’s Fault But My Own,”  it is pure joy. 

This sizzling and sassy show is the creation of Tony-nominated co-creators Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman (who received the  nomination for It  Ain’t Nothing But the Blues). Myler directs this show and Wheetman is the music director.   Jack Magaw’s  realistic set, comes complete with some tables for the audience, making the night club set totally realistic. The backdrop of Chicago signage sets the scene.

This show runs through September 5.  Call 561-585-3433 for tickets.

Contact: Andrea Cuccaro, 1Sky Florida Organizer, 786-925-1151

1Sky and Allies in the South Florida Clean Energy Network Rally for Clean Energy at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

On Saturday, August 21st at noon, at Welcome Park near the entrance of Port Everglades about 40 concerned citizens united for a rally to document the 4-month anniversary of the BP Oil Spill Disaster, to speak up in favor of mandatory oil rig safety and better regulatory practices and to demand clean energy instead of expanding offshore oil drilling.
“1Sky and the South Florida Clean Energy Network are urging U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and George LeMieux to support a cap on carbon with tax breaks for renewable energy that will transition us away from fossil fuels to a green economy,” said 1Sky Florida Organizer Andrea Cuccaro. “We also want them to follow the House and support oil rig safety and an increase in the cap on funds for oil spill clean ups and an end to the revolving door between folks who work for oil companies and the Department of Interior,” she said.

Over a year ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to place a cap on carbon that ratchets down each year which we need to address climate change in time, while also providing incentives for clean energy with 2 million jobs and plentiful tax breaks. Environmentalists call such legislation “jump-starting the green economy” because while penalizing carbon and promoting more green power, it takes one giant leap from one to the other. At the end of July of this year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill for better safety regulations, increasing the cap on funds for oil spill cleanup, and to end the revolving door for employees moving between Big Oil and its regulator, the Department of Interior. All that’s left to move these efforts into law is for the U.S. Senate to pass a similar plan. 1Sky has several thousand supporting members in Florida who have petitioned for clean energy solutions from Congress for over a year.
Even as the Gulf disaster grows, British Petroleum and other oil companies continue to push for new offshore drilling anywhere oil might be found regardless of the risks they pose. Scientists have discovered a 22 mile oil plume in the Gulf of Mexico, discrediting previous reports that state that 75% of the oil is gone. Once again, the reality of the spill’s impact and magnitude has been far more sobering than the rosy picture painted by BP and the government. Together we have an opportunity to change America and the world. It is time for our leaders to take bold, courageous steps and open the door to clean energy and renewables and free our country from its addiction to oil.
“I actually saw President Obama speak in Miami Beach last week,” Cuccaro said. “He promoted green jobs, tax breaks for small businesses, and in general a carbon cap and clean energy tax breaks mean helping small local businesses get access to the energy market.” Cuccaro recounted, “The president also mentioned the $20 billion in recovery funds for fisherman and businesses affected by the spill and how U.S.  Representative Joe Barton responded. Yelled Obama, ‘He apologized to BP! It’s like, Are you serious?’”
1Sky and allied clean energy advocates aim is to raise awareness of the methods for institutionalizing clean energy sources, and recognize that there are many non-allies in Congress, which is why it’s important to push hard and raise more awareness from folks in the community to pick up the phone and call their senators. Speak out for a cap on carbon, a transition to a clean energy economy, and urge leaders to work for mandatory safety valves, better regulatory practices, and abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.
“At a time when our country is finally assessing the true cost of dependence on fossil fuels – no need to recap the horrors we’re all seeing daily,” said Matthew Schwartz, Political Chair of the Broward Sierra Club “this is the time to move things in a very different direction. We must say NO to offshore drilling and YES to clean energy. Now!”
Representatives from local chapters of 1Sky, Greenpeace, Sierra Club, Sea Shepherd, and the newly formed South Florida Clean Energy Coalition provided critical information to the public and media regarding who in congress is leading the way and how to promote passage of the current proposal in the house and the Senate, and were interviewed by ABC News.  As many oil and gas trucks passed by toward the port, even the drivers honked and gave peace signs in support of an end to drilling and a transition to clean energy.

Photo Credit: Tom Olsen

Join the 1Sky Florida group on facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/?sk=2361831622#!/group.php?gid=149011449694
1Sky is a collaborative national campaign for strong federal action to tackle global climate change and invest in building the clean energy economy of the future. As one of the largest national campaigns in the country, 1Sky combines the force of 620 allied organizations, 201,959 committed climate advocates, 4,238 volunteer Climate Precinct Captains covering more than 394 congressional districts in 50 states, and a team of 24 including 9 organizers in 50 states working to mobilize constituent support.

By Peter Perez

A Green Come True: ECOMB’s Center for the Environment

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. So simple yet so meaningful in today’s world as the push for environmental sustainability gains more and more momentum. How much do we live our lives by these three elementary words? How much do we even know about these words?

In 1994, the Environmental Coalition of Miami and the Beaches (ECOMB) was founded to address just these questions. These principles are so fundamental to the organization’s essence that their value statement even says, ‘ECOMB believes that, by educating and encouraging people to get involved and to act responsibly towards their environment, together, we will improve our quality of life, save resources, and live more sustainably.’ However, until recently, ECOMB did not even have enough funds to pay its executive director.

Luiz Rodrigues

In 2001, Luiz Rodrigues became the second executive director of ECOMB and quickly took ECOMB to new shades of green. Former Miami Beach Commissioner Saul Gross, who chaired the Commission’s Sustainability Committee said, “Luiz is remarkable. He moves a thousand miles an hour, with ideas and initiatives and information. His passion is infectious.” Commissioner Gross was right. Now, ECOMB has developed programs to reduce the amount of litter on the Miami-Dade County beaches, waterways, islands and Biscayne Bay, increase both business and residential recycling rates, as well as preserve and restore habitats.

Due to this incredible growth, ECOMB now has friends in the proverbial high places. Perhaps the most noteworthy is Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora, who was chairman of ECOMB’s Board of Trustees in between stints as a Miami Beach City Commissioner. With his help, ECOMB was able to lease its own building in 2009 from the City of Miami Beach at a very affordable rate. For the first time since it’s founding in 1994, ECOMB now has a freestanding headquarters. “I’ve been trying to lease a building for some years now.” Rodrigues says. “Initially, it was an office space; then we realized we actually needed a building, so we could cultivate a great environmental center. We’re calling it the Miami Beach Center for the Environment.” Luiz immediately mapped out an ambitious expansion plan.

In addition, ECOMB has attracted a number of volunteers. One volunteer in particular stands out. Gabriole Van Bryce, Treasurer of ECOMB’s Board of Trustees, is Luiz’s right hand woman. Not only is Gabriole an experienced LEED AP, she is partner at greening consulting firm Eco-Logical Solution, chair of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainable Business Council, and chair of the Green Hospitality Council for the Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association. Luiz asserts, “ She is the most dedicated Board Member ECOMB has ever had and works tirelessly to promote ECOMB’s mission and goals.  [ECOMB] could not have achieved many of the organization’s accomplishments without her support and that of its volunteers and interns. She is a jewel of a human being.”

According to ECOMB, ‘The Environmental Coalition of Miami & the Beaches (ECOMB) looks forward to furthering its partnership twith the City of Miami Beach as well as with other local “green businesses” to fully implement the Miami Beach Center for the Environmen at 210 Second Street. The Center’s goal will be to provide environmental programs and services to residents, visitors, and City employees. The Center will provide local nature interpretive displays, environmental programming and events, a green building and native landscaping showcase, a composting demonstration area, rain barrel, as well as a recycling drop-off center for small electronics, batteries, and CFLs.’ The main goals of the MBCE is to inform, teach, and explain the concept of reduce, reuse, and recycle, as well as that of many other sustainable living strategies.

Luiz wants the MBCE to be LEED accredited. The US Green Building Council’s website (usgbc.org) explains LEED as ‘an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.” LEED certification has four levels: certified, silver, gold, and platinum. The MBCE will be restored and expanded in a way to achieve either a silver or gold certification.

Exceptional enthusiasm for this project has already been generated. For example, Ken Fields, the Director of Marketing and PR for Electron Solar Energy, says “It is our sincerest wish for the success of your project and Electron Solar Energy would like to participate, in any way possible, to help you in your endeavors… Electron Solar Energy will provide, build and install, at Electron’s cost, a Solar/Renewable energy demonstration and display.” In addition, a high-profile architectural firm has offered to work with the MBCE to help make it LEED accredited. The firm believes that by introducing local residents to the latest strategies and benefits of sustainable living, residents will apply these important principles to their everyday lives.

“ECOMB really needs the funds,” says Rodrigues. “I have been a one-man operation for many years. Our goal for 2010 is to raise enough funds through grants, corporate sponsorship or partnerships, donations and fundraising events, so that we have a professional team working with us and we can actually pay them for their services.” So all you ambitious grant writers and altruistic businesses looking for a good way to donate your services, products, and/or money, look no further. ECOMB is a bona fide organization that could use your help. Considering all ECOMB has done for us over the last 16 years, it is the least we can do. If you would like to contact ECOMB you can email either Luiz Rodrigues at luiz@ecomb.org, or Michael Laas at michael.laas@gmail.com.

By Ron Levitt – ENV Magazine/Florida Media News

ADLER – ALONG WITH STARS WEINER AND SCHMIDT: A TRIO WITH  DRAMATIC IMPACT AT GABLESTAGE

CORAL GABLES, FL–  Every so often one goes to theatre and sees outstanding direction, a stylish set, excellence in lighting – topped by two actors who  can only be described  as award-worthy and absolutely stirring in their  dramatic impact.

If  it is not obvious from the above statement that “I really am a fan of Michael Weller’s Fifty Words,” currently playing at GableStage at the Biltmore, let me make it perfectly clear, “this is one helluva production.”    It should not be missed!

Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of this production!   Basically, I should begin –” How do I love thee? Let me count the brutality, hostility and violence! “  Because, in summing up, that’s what this inspired production is all about – a complicated look at marriage  or any relationship where there is a  thin line between love and  hate,   respect and resentment ,  loneliness and acceptance, and sex and violence.

That’s a lot to expect from a 90 minute, intermission-less play, but thanks to Creative Chief Joseph Adler – who earns  Carbonells for theatrical excellence like a philatelist collects rare stamps –  obviously has utilized all he knows about timing, dramatic force,  and real conversations.

Adler’s expertise seems to have infused itself into all aspects of this production –most notably in his selection of Gregg Weiner and Erin Joy Schmidt as  Adam and Jan, the married couple who shock what seems like the perfect, successful marriage into  an entanglement bent on destruction.   The perfect middle-class home set by Lyle Baskin, the  work of lighting guru Jeff Quinn, sound work of Matt Corey, normal attire by Ellis Tillman, all have the Adler imprint for excellence, And, let’s give a  nod to those usually forgotten when we clap our hands in approval — veteran Stage Manager Kristen  Pieski and prop mistress Beth Fath whose attention to detail makes this set seem like the living space of our next door neighbors. It is so realistic, one can actually taste the champagne the actors are drinking (or is that just a “wish.”? )

Basically, Adam and Jan – a middle-class architect and his wife, a former dancer who gave up her career to be wed  – are spending their first night alone in seven years (their young son is having his first  sleepover at a friend’s house some 45 minutes away).One would think  a dozen or so hours of childlessness would be just the thing to renew a spark in a marriage.  But this is no soap opera rendition with a happy-time-had-by-all. Instead,  a complicated  series of verbal assaults and fierce pronouncements and confessions lead to unexpected twists.  There’s even some flung glasses  and injuries , possibly symbolizing that love can hurt at times.

Author  Weller’s dialogue is biting, at-times stinging;  yet  he allows his characters moments of humor amid the search for sex and love.  To tell more would be unfair to the potential audience.  Just have your moment and  enjoy being a voyeur as you meet a married couple who openly discuss their most intimate relationship.

As for the title, don’t be misled.  The show’s title comes from the wife’s suggestion that there are all kinds of  love – 50 –the way Eskimos have so many different words for ‘snow.”

But, this production is more than “cool.”  It’s a profound, adult play which brings to fruition the final moments of GableStage’s 12th season. Fifty Words runs through Sept. 12.   Call  305 -445-1119.

ONLINE RESEARCH HELPS VISUALIZE CALDWELL’S  “THE COMFORT OF DARKNESS”

BOCA RATON, FL –  Because of  the world premiere of   The Comfort of Darkness, now at the Caldwell Theatre,  I was intrigued to learn about the real life people whose characters are portrayed by playwright Joel Gross.  So, off I went to the Internet to discover  back some 250 years ago, the real people in this play actually lived and loved.

I would be remiss if I didn’t admit that my online research made more of an impression that did this over-long two act (multi scene)  production, despite its  creative direction by Clive Cholerton, amazing costuming by  Alberto Arroyo and a set by the always reliable Tim Bennett.

My initial response to the play was that it had two elements which should give it special appeal to women in the audience, First, it was a love story and its medical element was certainly interesting – sort of a theatrical “chick flick.”  How chauvinistic can one be? I was wrong!  All I heard after the  show ended was, “it was too long.”   We wondered if this could have played better as a one-act, 90 minute show?

Basically, the playwright had a great idea – two historic figures  who learn over and over that love is blind.  But, when the research becomes more pleasurable than the play, something is amiss!

It’s about Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), a German physician who invented “magnetise” – the forerunner of hypnosis (yes, the word MESMORIZE” is an outgrowth of his name).  Dr Mesmer is played by New York actor Stevie Ray Dallimore, one of the bright spots in this production.   Dr, Mesmer is enchanted by  and has a scandalous affair with his patient Maria Theresa von Paradis= (Jessalyn Maguire),    a prominent harpsichordist who was blind since childhood,  The doctor treats her with his ‘Magnetise” and her condition temporarily improves, but her blindness comes back for good as their  romance ends.  Bystanders – but very much involved – are a former patient  with her own eyes on the doctor (Jane Cortney) and Dr. von Stoerk, (an excellent performance by Kenneth Kay), as Dr. Mesmer’s at-first unbelieving friend who finally sees that his “cure” may possibly work.

Author Gross apparently has a passion for taking real  personalities  and bringing them to life on stage.  His earlier Marie Antoinette:  The Color of Flesh–also about love and friendship –  was at Caldwell two years ago – another play whose costumes and set dominated the run. He is reported to be currently working on a musical about John Dillinger.

Director   Cholerton – one of South Florida’s most capable artistic leaders – brought in this cast – all professionals – from New York City. With the economy in such a mess and arts/ theatre  funding so critical, it induced the question as to why he couldn‘t have used local talent. After all, South Florida is filled with capable actors!

The show runs through Sept.  5.  Call 561 241-7432.

EARTHY BLUES NUMBERS KICK OFF FLORIDA STAGE AT ITS NEW HOME

It’s all about the music;  some 90 minutes of  it, by the way, a non-stop  revue of heartfelt, often earthy, renditions of blues, powerfully  and perfectly executed  by four performers who have the audience in their hands.  That’s what is happening at Rinker Stage  of the Kravis Center  where the  veteran company  Florida Stage has taken up its new residency.

It’s called Low Down Dirty Blues – and it turns the three-sided seating into a  South-side Chicago night club long after the patrons have gone home and four entertainers sing some 22 numbers filled with double entendre messages and suggestive, sexy topics.  They are singing for their own enjoyment – much to the delight of the Florida Stage audience.

You really don’t need a story-line in such a setting.  – and you don’t  get one.  But, no one seems to care. The music is so satisfying  and – at times – inspiring, it’s sufficient to be entertained – especially by this extra-ordinary four-some.

Sandra Reeves-Phillips is the one  who owns the Windy City night  club featuring blues singers  and she is a big-voiced lady, who gets the after-hour vocalizing in high gear with some thigh-slapping movements as she belts “They Call Me Big Momma.” She is followed by  Mississippi Charles Bevel as a guitar-strumming, soft-singing  entertainer who becomes a philosophical wonder as he sings “The Grapes of Wrath”  and  Gregory Porter –   a huge man with lungs to match his body  — who dominates the stage when he is singing, especially a number called  “Change Is Gonna Come.”

But, the one performer who will be with you long after you leave the Rinker theatre is Felicia P. Fields, who  rightfully earned a Tony nomination for her turn in The Color Purple on Broadway.  A huge woman with a mountain of talent  Fields enthralls as she delivers the erotic “My Stove’s In Good Condition” and  the memorable “I’m Not That Kind of Girl.”    She also interacts with a male in the audience (the audience member I saw was in his 90s and had been married 68 years) and Fields had the audience and the gentleman  in near-hysteria.  She is a terrific entertainer who knows how to push the audience’s button!  She could have done a one-woman show and have had its audience eating out of her hands. She is a wonder!

And, when all four get together – such as in ”Nobody’s Fault But My Own,”  it is pure joy.

This sizzling and sassy show is the creation of Tony-nominated co-creators Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman (who received the  nomination for It  Ain’t Nothing But the Blues). Myler directs this show and Wheetman is the music director.   Jack Magaw’s  realistic set, comes complete with some tables for the audience, making the night club set totally realistic. The backdrop of Chicago signage sets the scene.

This show runs through September 5.  Call 561-585-3433 for tickets.

BARBARA BRADSHAW, PETER HAIG  PERFECTLY IN SYNCH IN THE MODERN CLASSIC – THE GIN GAME

WEST PALM BEACH, FL –  Take a  1978 Pulitzer prize winning play for drama. Find two of the area’s  finest actors whose voices, expressions and gestures are so perfect , one can only be reminded of just how fortunate it is to have them both working  in South Florida.  Put them all is the hands of a capable, astute director and skilled stage technicians and set masters.

That’s the ideal mix going on at the tiny space known as Palm Beach Dramaworks from now through August  15.

The play is the classic The Gin Game by D.L. Coburn, which captured the Pulitzer in 1978, and won the hearts and minds of thousands of theatre-goers who watched Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn bring the tragicomedy to life.  There were revivals some 22 years later with Julie Harris and Charles Durning, a television movie with Cronyn and Tandy and then another TV rehash on PBS  with Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in 2002.

The story is the same as it was in 1977, when the two-character s met in a seedy old age home where their friendship flourished over a card game  — even when it refers to  “old people” who have just reached 73.  That portion of the play could probably be updated to 80 or 90-something. Yesterday’s 73 is today’s  90 (ask anyone old enough to validate those ages).  In that regard, this play about the psychological warfare over a deck of cards by two elderly people  has not met the test of time.  (but, only in that  regard).  My only criticism is that 73 just doesn’t seem so advanced an age nowadays!

Except for that “age problem”  for today’s theatre goer, this production is superb – especially the casting of Barbara Bradshaw and Peter HaIg as the man and woman condemned to a ramshackle nursing home where their battle of wits endures over a card game.  It is the 26th time Bradshaw and Haig have appeared together in a South Florida production – and their appearance in The Gin Game  is further proof  of  just what consummate craftsmen they are.  Bradshaw  is simply wonderful  as Fonsia – a lovely older lady who proves she has nerves of steel — and Haig –who plays a man who doesn’t quite understand the world around  him — exploits every comic line, giving the audience a chance to chuckle, even as they witness time  enveloping this individual.   Bradshaw and Haig are so much in synch, you feel you are watching a couple of old “pros” (even if their real-time age may be much younger than the characters they play!).

J. Barry Lewis is a savvy director and he has at his disposal a crew of amazing talent –  a nursing home porch set by Michael Amico ,  Costume Design by Brian O’Keefe, expert lighting by Ron Burns and some excellent sound relays by Steve Shapiro.

The Gin Game is virtually plotless. It’s about two strangers  and their effect upon one another. They play gin rummy, while engaging in lengthy conversations about their life before ending up in this dumpy old age home. In fact, they learn too much about one another. There is sufficient humiliation to expose each other’s weaknesses.  And, a finale which one does not expect! Basically, the “game” is a metaphor for life!

The Gin Game runs through August  15..  Call  561 514-4042.

1Sky Clean Energy Patriots Followed Senator George LeMiuex Around All Week
Monday in front of the Chamber of Commerce in Palm Beach, Florida, Senator George LeMieux spoke about the need to support small businesses, as Florida is primarily a small business state with “no fortune 100 companies” housed here. When he was finished, I was the first person to shoot my hand up in the question and answer session. I introduced myself as a representative of Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and thanked him for his thoughtfulness on our economy and his support for clean energy initiatives, which he had also mentioned in his speech. I also asked him if, considering all of his support for clean energy and for small business, if he would support a cap on carbon which would generate revenues from Big Energy and distribute them to clean energy businesses which are primarily small and growing. The senator talked a long and good game about supporting the Lugar’s bill, and tax breaks for clean energy, but ultimately clarified that he does not support a price on carbon as he has been informed that this would cause a 35 percent increase in energy costs. In his answer, he also identified himself as a staunch supporter of investing in nuclear power, which he defined as the “cheapest clean energy” source on the market. While we would not define nuclear as clean from the environmental costs in terms of water and waste, as well as the health costs of Leukemia traced to neighbors of transmission lines and reactors, it’s also important to point out that nuclear is actually really expensive, and that according to a study from Duke University, solar is less expensive than nuclear now. Solar power is on a trajectory to become less and less expensive and the year 2010 is the year in which it surpassed nuclear as a more affordable option.
The most important takeaway from this day was that U.S. Senator LeMieux came out publically against a cap on carbon. This was the first time climate solutions advocates heard the senator take a position. While the senator supports clean energy tax breaks and investments, all of which will jumpstart our green economy and curb carbon emissions, climate solutions advocates like 1Sky are disappointed he does not support a cap. A cap on carbon is the only way to ensure we can control cutting greenhouse gases within the timelines we need, in the timeframes outlined by scientists- between twenty and forty percent reductions below 1990 levels of greenhouse gases by 2020. A cap and price  on carbon that covers all the major pollution sources in the economy would be ratcheted down each year to insure further reductions over time, and to reinvest revenues from Big Oil and Dirty Coal companies into local growing small businesses in clean energy.
There seems to be little justification for the senator to take this position but to point to his ties to Big Oil and Dirty Coal corporate interests. Florida clean energy advocates have delivered between fifteen thousand and twenty thousand signatures at minimum regarding this issue over the past year and still the senator has acted the wrong way. We are now experiencing the warmest year on record. A giant ice sheet just broke off of Greenland. Melting fresh water ice sheets in the North Atlantic is a consequence of warmer temperatures that scientists have long said could lead to an ice age. When the cold fresh water floods the North Atlantic ocean, the temperature of which is made warmer by the gulf stream current which flows with temperatures from the South Atlantic, the fresh water could reach a lot of the stream and push heavier salt water lower, along with its warmer temperatures. The most dire possible result? A sudden ice age in northern Europe and North America.
Clean energy business leaders have met with the senator’s staff over the past year to inform him of the necessary policy incentives for business growth, anda transition from fossil fuels which create a blanket of heat trapping gases in our atmosphere, to a clean and green economy.
He stated concerns that big energy companies would pass on costs to rate paying consumers. Yet, policy makers can create controls to prevent that. While the senator believes costs for consumers could rise 35 percent, studies from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office discuss that the average rise in costs would be $175 per year for family households.
1Sky and partnered advocates have followed him around the state this week, starting with the Chamber of Commerce breakfast on Monday in Palm Beach, two Wednesday town hall meetings in Orlando and Tampa, a rally outside his Miami office Thursday, and advocates at an event he spoke at in Ft. Lauderdale on Friday. Everywhere he went, we had activists to ask him, “Will you support a cap on carbon now?”