Flamingo Court to Close Off-Broadway Sunday, 9/28

Flamingo Court, the off-Broadway comedy by Luigi Creatore starring Jamie Farr (television’s “M*A*S*H,” Guys & Dolls) and Tony Award nominee Anita Gillette (Chapter Two, They’re Playing Our Song), will play its final performance on Sunday, September 28th at 3:00PM after 68 performances (including 17 previews).

South Florida comes to New York in Flamingo Court, a comedy in three condos by Luigi Creatore.  Starring Jamie Farr (television’s “M*A*S*H,” Guys & Dolls) and Tony Award nominee Anita Gillette (Chapter Two, They’re Playing Our Song), and directed by Steven Yuhasz, Flamingo Court plays at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), stage #2.

Farr and Gillette take on multiple roles in a three-act comedy featuring the loopy and endearing residents of Flamingo Court, a South Florida apartment complex.  Each floor is another story with a lesson to learn.  Sex after sixty’s no sin.   Where there’s a will, there’s a way (for your kids to fight over the inheritance).  And love, at any age, can be a new and beautiful thing.

Presented by Theatre 21 and Carolyn Rossi Copeland, Flamingo Court also features Lucy Martin, Herbert Rubens and Joe Vincent.  The scenic design is by Jim Youmans; costume design by Carol Sherry; lighting design by Herrick Goldman; and sound design by David Arnold.

The critics are raving about Flamingo Court with John Simon of Bloomberg calling the show “a wall-to-wall hoot for old and young alike.  The audience laughed up a Florida-worthy hurricane!  Wonderful performances by the spirited Jamie Farr and the adorable Anita Gillette.”  UPI calls Flamingo Court “without question, the funniest show in town. Laughs galore,” while The Associated Press says the show has “License to kill with laughter.  You’ll be in heaven with this trio of vignettes written by Luigi Creatore.”  The New York Times praised “Flamingo Court knows its prime audience –the AARP crowd – and plays to it skillfully.”

Flamingo Court plays at New World Stages, Stage #2 (340 West 50th Street), Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00PM.  Matinees are Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 2:00PM and Sundays at 3:00PM.  Tickets are $57 – $72. Call Telecharge.com at 212-239-6200.   Visit www.FlamingoCourt.com

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Jamie Farr (Dominic, Harry, Arthur) i is best known as the Corporal Max Klinger on "M*A*S*H" (CBS, 1973-83). His first film role was Santini in "The Blackboard Jungle." Appearances on "The Red Skelton Show" and "The Danny Kaye Show" followed, but it was his work as Corporal Klinger that brought the actor the most fame. His other screen credits include "The Greatest Story Ever Told," and "Cannonball Run." Farr toured with The Will Rogers Follies and played Oscar Madison in a national tour of The Odd Couple; he made his Broadway debut in the hit revival of Guys and Dolls.  More recently, he appeared in Moon Over Buffalo as well as the comedy-thriller play, Catch Me If You Can.  Jamie is still hoping to get back on a successful TV series, and we all hope it will be soon. One of his proudest accomplishments was in 1985 when he received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  And in 1983 Jamie received an honorary Doctor of Performing Arts Degree from the University of Toledo.   Jamie’s greatest passion aside from acting is golf and, as everyone knows by now, he has for over twenty years sponsored the internationally acclaimed LPGA Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger which is seen yearly on ESPN2.  Farr is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate for Humanity from the Owens Medical College of Ohio.

Anita Gillette (Angelina, Clara, Chi Chi) is probably best known for playing Mona the mistress in Moonstruck, but Broadway audiences know her best from her starring roles in fourteen Broadway showsincluding Chapter Two (Tony Nomination, LA Drama Critics Award) Carnival, Gypsy,  Don’t Drink the Water, All American, Jimmy, They’re Playing Our Song, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Mr. President, The Gay Life, Kelly and Showboat . Off-Broadway and Regional credits include The Seagull,  Skin of Our Teeth, Juno, Rich & Famous, Moving Targets, Travesties, The Importance of Being Earnest,  My Fair Lady, The Winslow Boy, Irene,  South Pacific, Sweet Bird, The Great Waltz (recorded for RCA), Knickerbocker Holiday.  She is currently Tina Fey’s mother on ”30 Rock”and Marg Helgenberger’s mother on ”CSI.”   In feature films, she was mother to:  Bill Murray in Larger Than Life; Jennifer Anniston in She’s The One; Jack Black in Bob Roberts;  the groom in The Guru; Mary Louise Parker in Boys on the Side; John Goodman in ”Normal, Ohio.”  Two other feature films await distribution:  Hiding Victoria and The Last Adam. Other film credits include Mitzi (Richard Gere’s teacher) in Shall We Dance; Emily, Jack Klugman’s wife, on ”Quincy” and Bob Newhart’s wife on ”Marathon”. She appeared on every major game show including ”Pyramid,” ”Password,” ”Match Game,” ”To Tell The Truth,” ”What’s My Line?,” etc.   She was a foil for Johnny Carson for at least 50 ”Tonight Show”s,and appeared many times on other talk shows and ”The Bell Telephone Hour.”  She is the proud grandmother of five.

Luigi Creatore (Playwright) was born in New York in 1921. (You do the math). He retired to Florida in 1981. In between he spent most of his years as a record producer with his partner Hugo Peretti. The team of Hugo and Luigi chalked up dozens of gold records with such artists as Sara Vaughn, Jimmie Rodgers, Perry Como, Sam Cooke, Della Reese etc. As a songwriter, with partners Hugo Peretti and George David Weiss, he wrote a number of hit songs of which two mega hits were “Can’t Help Falling in Love” for Elvis Presley, and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” In 1968, the team was represented on Broadway with Maggie Flynn starring Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy, and Off Broadway with Smile, Smile, Smile. After retiring to Florida, Mr. Creatore wrote the Off Broadway play, The Man Who Shot Lincoln and began writing about the Florida scene for the Boca Raton Community Theater. Much of those works morphed into Flamingo Court.

Steven Yuhasz (Director) Zorba - Jeff McCarthy, Beth Fowler & Emily Skinner - York Theatre, The King & I - Lorenzo Lamas, Rachel deBenedet & Paulo Montalban, Ogunquit Playhouse.  NYMF Awards Gala, Duncan Sheik, Liz Larson and Kelly O’Hara.  Tusk “Best of NYMF 2004”. Forever Plaid - Canada & US.  Lover, Liar, Lady: The Woman Of Kander & Ebb (Conceived) - New Provincetown Players - Artistic Consultant. Associate Director All About Us - Westport Country Playhouse - Eartha Kitt, Cady Huffman & Shuler Hensley. and Cinderella - Papermill Playhouse & Ogunquit Playhouse - Leslie Uggums. Three seasons - A CHRISTMAS CAROL - Jim Dale, F. Murphy Abraham & Tim Curry at MSG assisting Susan Stroman. Producer - Off Broadway Streakin &  Pterodactyl Island. Producer for The Actors’ Fund of America Broadway Concerts and World AIDS Day, 2004 Concert of Pippin. One of the Founding Producers NYMF.  Steven appeared on Broadway as an actor in the revivals of Peter Pan with Sandy Duncan and Zorba with Anthony Quinn. www.stevenyuhasz.com

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.