Playgroup Announces Last Performance MURDER AT THE BUTCHER'S

The Playgroup, LLC is proud to present its final production during its fifth season at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park in Boca Raton, 'Murder at the Butcher's', written by Alan Pessin and directed by Teresa Biber-LoMonte.

Four performances at the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL, 33486. November 22 and 23 at 8PM, November 23 and 24 at 2PM. Rated PG-13. Tickets: $25, groups of 4 or more are $15 each; season tickets are $20 each for 3 different Mainstage shows with special perks. Visit http://www.willowtheatre.org or call (561) 347-3948.

Benny Benjamin and his wife Miriam arrive at their butcher shop one morning to find a dead body in the walk-in fridge. They can't afford the scandal, so they decide to return at night to get rid of it. But when they come back, it's gone! A dead body can't simply get up and walk away, can it? No, of course not. That would be ridiculous. Mayhem ensues, as Benny and Miriam launch a cover up to conceal the truth, even though they don't know what the truth is. There's blood on the floor. But, don't worry, it's a butcher shop!

Alan Pessin is a frustrated comedian, who always dreamed of writing for Johnny Carson or SNL. As it turned out, he spent his first career writing news and analysis on national and international issues for the Voice of America. He traveled the world, reporting from Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Gaza, China, Pakistan, Egypt, Ukraine, Britain and many other locales. Closer to home, he covered the White House, the Pentagon and New York's financial district, among other assignments. During those decades, he also had opinion pieces published in the Los Angeles Times, Politico, The Hill and several other news outlets. Al turned to fiction in his second career, starting off close to where he had been with the thriller Sandblast, the story of a U.S. Army soldier who goes undercover in Afghanistan. Sandblast will be published in the spring of 2020 by Kensington Publishing, with sequels planned for the next two years. In between books, Al turned his keyboard toward farce, finally writing in the genre he had long dreamed about. The result is Murder at the Butcher's. Al is thrilled that The Playgroup LLC accepted the play as its 2019/20 season opener, and is looking forward to working with director Teresa Biber LoMonte and the cast to make bellies ache from laughter in November at the Willow.

Teresa Biber-LoMonte is an accomplished producer, actor and director. She wrote, directed and acted in her first play when she was 6 years old, had her first lead role at age 12 and was granted her first professional directing job at age 16. A lead member on the executive board of The Playgroup LLC, she has performed in multiple capacities both in front of and behind the scenes serving as producer, actor, director, stage manager, stage hand, tech director, set designer, graphic/visual arts, videographer, construction gopher and truck driver. Called "undeniably funny" by a South Florida Critic for her role as Sunny in the award-winning play The Pattern, Teresa is known for her penchant for physical comedy and is excited to bring her directorial vision to an undeniably funny script with a very talented cast. Teresa also facilitates the monthly actors/writers workshop, manages the website and writes the monthly newsletter, Behind the Curtain. She is happily married to fellow actor and hunk Nick LoMonte and loves la Pura Vida in their second home in Costa Rica.

The Playgroup LLC has been committed to showcasing the work of local artists: playwrights, directors, designers and actors. After a very successful 10 year run, The Playgroup will take its final curtain call. Murder at the Butcher's will be the denouement. The Playgroup has never wavered in its commitment to the local arts community and is proud to have produced 15 original full length plays and 72 original 10 minute plays in multiple venues in Broward and Palm Beach County, from the intimate Empire Stage to the historic Delray Beach Playhouse.

Past productions include 'All Together Now' and 'Can't Live Without You' by Philip Middleton Williams, 'Little Piggies', 'Surfing The Rubicon', 'Broken Angels', and 'Approaching The Speed Of Life' by Todd Caster, 'Last Of The Aztecs' and 'Better Than Money' by Joe Feinstein, 'Scenes From A Chinese Restaurant' by Tom Andrew, 'The Monster Project' by Brian Harris, 'Joseph Andrews' by Peter Hawkins, and Short Cuts 1-9.

The Playgroup also provided at least 60 playwright/actors workshops over the years, reading hundreds of plays and providing constructive feedback and opportunities for production and networking with other artists. The Playgroup LLC would like to thank all who supported us through the years with a special debt of gratitude to The Willow Theatre for giving us 5 years in such a wonderful venue. We have been all original, all the time and have loved every minute!