The Pompano Players' THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND Opens In April

The Pompano Players fifth production of their inaugural season, The World Goes ‘Round – a musical retrospective of the work of the award-winning composer and lyricist duo John Kander and Fred Ebb will open on April 25th at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center and run through May 4th.

Kander and Ebb created some of Broadway’s most iconic musicals including Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Fosse.  The World Goes ‘Round is a cleverly curated collection of love songs, torch songs, and wonderfully acerbic comedic numbers from those classics, as well as pieces from many of their other lesser-known shows.  The World Goes ‘Round’s title is based on a song Kander and Ebb wrote for Liza Minelli to sing in the film “New York, New York” (that song is entitled “But the World Goes ‘Round”). 

“The World Goes 'Round is, in many ways, a meditation on perseverance,” says the production’s director, Jeremy Quinn. “Through the lens of Kander and Ebb’s rich and emotionally complex songbook, this revue becomes a theatrical tapestry - one that captures the breadth of the human condition with wit, poignancy, and unflinching honesty. These songs, culled from a remarkable canon of musicals, transcend their original contexts to speak to something more universal: the ability to endure, to dream, to lose, and to begin again.

“What fascinates me most about this piece is its non-linear, mosaic structure,” Quinn says. “There is no conventional plot—no singular protagonist or conflict - but instead a series of emotional snapshots that, when placed side by side, illuminate the resilience and absurdity of simply being alive. That structure invites the audience to find themselves in the material, to make their own connections, and to interpret each moment through a personal lens.

“In approaching this production, our team embraced that openness. We explored how each song exists in conversation with the others - how humor is often a mask for heartache, how bravado can give way to vulnerability, and how joy and sorrow are never far apart. By rooting our staging in the present, we sought to underscore the timelessness of these themes: ambition, regret, longing, reinvention. These are not relics of the past - they are ever-present, ever-relevant.

“I am deeply grateful to the extraordinary artists who brought their insight and generosity to this process,” Quinn continues. “Their interpretations breathe new life into these songs, revealing fresh layers of meaning while honoring the legacy of Kander and Ebb’s iconic work. My hope is that audiences leave the theatre not only entertained, but also reminded of the quiet, miraculous act of moving forward - of continuing on, even when the path is unclear. Because, as the title insists, no matter what happens, ‘the world goes 'round.’”

Quinn’s talented cast consists of Amanda Lopez (who served as the choreographer for the Pompano Players recent productions of Respect: A Musical Journey of Women and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), Amber Arevalo, Eve Dillingham, Ron DeStefano, and Kevin Hincapie.

The World Goes ‘Round’s creative team includes Music Director Elijah Gee; Keren Lydia is the show’s Choreographer, Claudia Smith is the Scenic Designer, and Penny Williams is the Costume Designer.   Director Jeremey Quinn will also serve as the production’s Stage Manager.