Back by popular demand, City Theatre’s ISLAND SHORTS returns to Key Biscayne for a limited engagement of only three performances in the Island Room of the Key Biscayne Community Center on February 5, 6 and 7, 2016. Presented with the support of the Village of Key Biscayne, The Key Biscayne Community Foundation and the Key Biscayne Community Center, City Theatre’s ISLAND SHORTS will serve to strengthen the Village of Key Biscayne’s efforts to establish cultural programming in the community.
City Theatre, well known nationally for its production of short plays, and the recognized regional leader of the Summer Theatre Season with its annual SUMMER SHORTS Festival, has created a special program for Key Biscayne, featuring nine short plays for this exclusive winter production. The plays, running ten minutes or less, include entertaining classics and brand new work celebrating City Theatre’s 21 seasons. Performed by an ensemble of South Florida professional artists, ISLAND SHORTS will engage City Theatre’s veteran Summer Shorts audiences and introduce the award-winning company and its work to new snowbird fans. Each performance will be followed by a post-show discussion with the cast.
City Theatre, born on the sands of Key Biscayne in 1995, has cherished close ties to its birthplace, including company co-founder and literary director Susan Westfall, many past and current Board Members from the Key, including Christine Biggers, Alan Fein, Dr. Clint Bush and Patricia Woodson. Several productions have toured Key Biscayne schools, the Village Green Park and Key Biscayne Community Center, where it also presents an occasional play reading series. The ISLAND SHORTS venue also presents a full circle story: City Theatre was one of the original users of the Key Biscayne Community Center’s Island Room when it hosted an evening fundraiser of “dinner and theatre” after the building opened 12 years ago.
ISLAND SHORTS is directed by City Theatre’s Director of Special Projects Gail Garrisan, and will be performed by Jim Gibbons, Carol Sussman, Susie Kreitman Taylor, Stanley A. Ross, Andres Maldonado and Marcela Paguaga. The creative team for ISLAND SHORTS includes set design by Jodi Dellaventura, lighting and sound design by Preston Bircher and costumes by Larry Bauman.
The ISLAND SHORTS play line-up includes: A Little Bit of Culture by Staci Swedeen, Summer Shorts revival A couple settle in to “enjoy” a concert and are moved in mysterious ways! / Poetry Curse by Greg Waters, World Premiere. Be careful what you wish for on Valentine’s Day! / Prodigal Cow by Mark Harvey Levine, Summer Shorts revival. The prodigal son’s return concerns the fatted calf! / Real Art by Louise Wigglesworth, World Premiere. An enthusiastic art lover and a painter negotiate the meaning of art. / I’ve by Jonathan Bernstein, Summer Shorts revival. An uncomfortable encounter between strangers is changed by a familiar tune. / Flare by Edith Freni, Summer Shorts revival. A neurotic woman sits next to a patient pilot and share a bumpy ride. / The Trade by James Armstrong, Florida Premiere
A young couple raise the stakes in their relationships one card at a time. / Standing Tall by Marv Siegel, Miami Premiere. An older couple raise the stakes in their relationship one hour at a time. /The Colony by Patricia Cotter, World Premiere. A very intimidated writer searches for the right words…
ISLAND SHORTS, an exclusive limited engagement of only three performances, will open on Friday, February 5 with a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m., and play through February 7. Performances are Friday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 7 at 4 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 for Key Biscayne residents, $25 for non-residents, and $30 for same day purchases on or after February 5. Tickets may be purchased through the Key Biscayne Community Center by calling (305) 365-8900, or online at islandshorts.org.
City Theatre is a professional theatre company in Miami, FL that celebrates 21 years of dedication to the development and production of new work, specifically the short play format in 2016. Since its inception, the company has received over 17,000 national script submissions (with over 900 submitted for this season alone) and produced over 400 original short plays by established playwrights and important new voices in the theatre industry. Best known for its award-winning Summer Shorts – America’s Short Play Festival, City Theatre also presents in its annual programming Island Shorts on Key Biscayne, the CityWrights Professional Weekend for Playwrights Conference, and the LGBT-themed Shorts Gone Wild Festival. The company fulfills its educational mission with the Short Cuts Educational Tour that introduces students throughout South Florida to the art of theatre. Visit www.citytheatre.com for more information.
