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(GableStage photo by Magnus Stark)
GableStage is presenting Boca by Jessica Provenz, a not-to-be-missed comedy about how a group of saucy retirees come together in the fictional gated community of Royal Oasis in Boca Raton.
Directed by Julianne Boyd, the legendary artistic director of the Berkshire’s Barrington Stage Company,Boca continues to May 22 and is available for streaming from Apr. 27 to May 22.
Described as “funny and… surprisingly touching” by The Wall Street Journal, Boca delivers laughs. This rolling world premiere is brought to life by GableStage after a sold-out run at Barrington Stage last summer. There it received seven Berkshire Theater Critic nominations including Best New Play and was called, “one of the funniest plays I’ve seen,” by Mark Auerbach of The Westfield News.
Boca stars five actors who play 11 characters. South Florida-based actors Beverly Blanchette, Barbara Bonilla, Avi Hoffman and Deborah Kondelik are joined by New York’s Robert Zukerman.
Described by critics as “the Berkshire’s Neil Simon,” playwright Jessica Provenz’s witty dialogue and quirky humor sparkles. Boca is a play with an abundance of heart.
“I believe all is fair in love and playwriting. By which I mean, my plays are populated by characters I know, real people I’ve met, and inspired by stories I’ve picked up over dinner, walking my dog, even sitting by the pool…If the play has a theme or a message, it’s the importance of community. Of showing up for one another. Of being present,” Provenz said.
Boyd is joined by a creative team that includes production stage manager Katie Ellison, music and sound designer Alexander Sovronsky, assistant sound designer Sean McGinley, lighting designer Barbara Samuels, dressing/props designer Clara Fath, costume designer Camilla Haith and scenic designer Lyle Baskin.
“It is a great honor to have Julie direct this production, a play she shepherded from its inception. What began as a 10-minute play written by Jessica Provenz for Barrington’s 10×10 shorts festival in 2021, expanded into a full production, produced by Barrington Stage last summer. It has now been further reimagined for this GableStage production,” said Bari Newport, GableStage producing artistic director. “We have worked for a year on this production and are proud, very proud, of where it has come. Get ready for some laughs.”
Boca is made possible through support from Rhoda Levitt (in memory of Morris “Mo” Levitt) and Jodi and Paul Tartell, with additional support from Audrey and Ralph Friedner and The Zelda and John Schwebel Family Foundation. The opening night reception for Boca was sponsored by Elaine and Danny Katz. El Dorado Furniture and Greenberg Traurig PA also supported this production.
Tickets start at $35, with discounts available for artists, veterans and Biltmore Hotel members. Students with ID cards and Biltmore employees may see any production free-of-charge by stopping by the box office an hour before the performance of choice begins.
Groups of 10 or more receive $8 off each ticket and receive one additional ticket free-of-charge. Subscribers receive the best seats at the best prices. Subscriptions are still available. To learn more, call 305-445-1119.
GableStage Theatre is located on the front east side of the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables at 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables, FL 33134.
As COVID-19 is once again causing cancellations of performances and due to the intimate nature of the theater space and for the safety of actors, staff, crew and patrons, GableStage will be keeping the mask mandate in place until further notice. Patrons will be required to keep masks on their faces while inside the theater space.
Boca runs through May 22, with performances from Wednesday to Sunday. Show times are Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m.; Thursday, 7 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Streaming: Ticket holders can enjoy the show in person or via stream from a location of their choosing. Streaming of Boca will be available until May 22. People interested in streaming need to buy a ticket to a specific performance to receive a streaming link to that particular date/time. The streaming will begin at the same time as the show. It will not be on demand.
