Michael Leeds News

Pigs Do Fly Productions will hold two readings of short humorous plays at Coral Gables' Books & Books on January 25th and February 1st.

'DANIEL'S HUSBAND,' a new dramedy by award-winning playwright Michael McKeever, will be presented as a Staged Reading for one night only, at 7:30 PM on Monday, January 12th, 2015, in Lynn University's Wold Performing Arts Center, as part of 'Jan McArt's New Play Reading Series.'

The Playgroup LLC continues to present the best work by local playwrights with nine exciting performances of Todd Caster's LITTLE PIGGIES. Directed by Joyce Sweeney.

It's first time up for POZ at Island City Stage and it's up with a bang. It's funny, it's tender, and it rings with truth.

In what may be a first for South Florida Theatre, South Florida audiences will have the extremely rare opportunity to see the production that earned six 2013 Carbonell Awards including Best Production of a Play, Best Actor in a Play, Best Director, Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design.

'EAST HAMPTON, LAST SUMMER,' a new comedy with music by award-winning playwright Tony Finstrom, will be presented as a Staged Reading for one night only, at 7:30 PM on Monday, November 3rd, 2014, in Lynn University's Wold Performing Arts Center, as part of Jan McArt's New Play Reading Series.

And so South Florida's Island City Stage - winner of six Carbonell Awards last season including Best Production of a Play - will kick off its third season with the world premiere of Michael Aman's new comedy POZ. The production will begin with previews on Thursday, October 23and open officially on Saturday, October 25.

The Playgroup LLC continues to present the best work by local playwrights with nine exciting performances of Todd Caster's LITTLE PIGGIES. Directed by Joyce Sweeney.

When Broward Stage Door Theatre's artistic director Derelle Bunn mentioned to director Michael Leeds and choreographer Kevin Black that she had an open time slot for a show, and asked them if they'd be interested in 'doing something', they jumped at the chance. "Kevin and I have wanted to work together for a while, and this was a terrific opportunity," says Leeds. "And then, of course, the question became - what should we do?!"

City Theatre and Island City Stage are proud to present the return of Shorts Gone Wild 2, South Florida's hottest short play festival that celebrates the LGBT and Progressive communities, from August 7 - September 7 at Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale.

The reviews for Leonard Gershe's Butterflies Are Free were unanimously raves when it opened on Broadway in 1969, and the play ended up winning a number of awards that season. The play focuses on Don Baker, blind since birth, whose over-protective mother is forced to come to terms with her son's bid for independence when he sets up in a Manhattan apartment on his own. He soon makes the acquaintance of his off-the-wall, liberated, actress neighbor Jill. Don learns the kind of things from Jill that his mother would never have taught him! And Jill learns from Don what growing up and being free is really all about.

After a weekend of large houses and enthusiastic crowds viewing enhanced stage readings of four new plays and one new musical, Gentle Passage by Paul Elliot was named the winner of the 2014 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest.

He's talking about 'CHILD'S PLAY,' his new drama that will be presented as a Staged Reading for one night only, at 7:30 PM on Monday, April 28th, 2014, in Lynn University's Wold Performing Arts Center, as part of 'Jan McArt's New Play Reading Series.'

Pride Films and Plays' Gay Play Weekend is one of the most exciting events for LGBT theater lovers, as five great new scripts are brought to life in enhanced staged readings directed by Chicago's top directors. The first three years of the contest had produced finalists and award winners like At The Flash by Sean Chandler and David Leeper, Under A Rainbow Flag by Leo Schwartz, Learn to Be Latina by Enrique Urueta, and Directions for Restoring the Apparently Dead by Martin Casella.

On Monday night, March 31, at the 38th annual Carbonell Awards, when the statuettes were all handed out, the musical numbers had concluded and the audience had left the Broward Center for the Performing Arts to attend the after-party, two things could not be denied: South Florida is home to a rich, vibrant theatrical community packed with talent; and it was a good night to be Island City Stage.

PFP's Gay Play Weekend includes a dynamic musical about a tragedy in gay history, and a historical drama about Michelangelo. You will also see a murder mystery which takes place at a party where everyone is dressed as Joan Crawford, a fun piece about gay dating today, and a drama about abuse and healing. These are the themes of the five finalists in Pride Films and Plays' 2014 Gay Play and Musical Contest.

A musical about the struggles of a bipolar woman and the plight of two prisoners in a concentration camp during the Holocaust received the most nominations in the musical and play categories when the nominations were announced for the 38th Carbonell Awards, which honors excellence in theatre in South Florida.

Five finalists have now been named in the 2014 Great Gay Play And Musical Contest sponsored by Pride Films and Plays. The works are as varied as the writers, and PFP will present enhanced staged readings of these works in May at Center on Halsted.

Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Crimes of the Heart will open at the Broward Stage Door Theatre on January 17th, and run through February 23rd. Sometimes described as Hannah and Her Sisters with a Southern accent, Crimes of the Heart has often been named one of the finest plays in American Theatre. Along with the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the play was awarded the 1981 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play, and the 1982 Theatre World Award.

A slate of 17 vibrant and kinetic new LGBT scripts and musicals have emerged as Semi-Finalists in Pride Films and Plays 2014 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest. They come from writers across the United States and Great Britain, and have been read by several dozen film and theater professionals.