Tony Finstrom’s lates new play titled HOUSE OF GABOR, is soon to be unveiled for the first time on any stage Monday, October 30th, at 7:30 PM, as part of the ‘Jan McArt New Play Readings’ series at Boca Raton’s Lynn University, where Producer McArt continues to develop new work by South Florida playwrights.
Jan McArt will star as Jolie Gabor n this presentation, along with last season’s Carbonell Award-winning Best Actress, Mia Matthews as Zsa Zsa. The cast also features Alex Alvarez, Jeffrey Bruce and Michael McKeever. McArt, often referred to as the First Lady of Florida Theatre, says “This promises to be one of the best we’ve ever presented here, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out on our stage after a solid week of work with this marvelous cast and director.”
“Zsa Zsa Gabor is my muse this year!,” says award-winning South Florida playwright Tony Finstrom. “After doing some extensive reading-up on her, I’ve learned she was not only beautiful and glamorous, but also extremely naive, innocent, pure, and honest. And I’ve fallen in love!”
“I set out to write something about the Gabors, as they’ve long fascinated me and I have a lot of books about them that I’ve only really glanced at superficially in the past. So it was now my pleasure to do some real research,” explains Finstrom. “And I quickly found the right time and place where they were all together on a stage. This only happened once, in Las Vegas over the Christmas holidays in 1953, where they performed a kind of ‘sister act’ for a huge amount of money.
“But the funny thing was, the more I read about them, the more I found myself falling for Zsa Zsa,’ Finstrom says. “So it’s really become her show; a kind of funny-sad love story that was playing out over that 1953 Christmas holiday in Vegas, as her well-publicized affair with notorious international playboy Porfirio Rubirosa came to an end during a time when she was still married to movie star George Sanders.
The play will soon go into rehearsal and, after five days, the fully staged reading of HOUSE OF GABOR will then be presented, for one night only, in the beautiful Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center of Lynn University, directed by Wayne Rudisill.
Jan McArt runs this award-winning play reading series at Lynn, where playwrights get the chance to bring a new play to life, working with a cast and a director for five days – rehearsing, re-writing, rehearsing, rewriting. Then, at the end of those five days, their new, polished, reworked play is presented to the public in performance, fully staged, with actors up on their feet, scripts in hand, employing minimal costumes, sets, lighting and sound, to aid them in the presentation of the new work.
HOUSE OF GABOR is the first show in the 2017-18 season for ‘Jan McArt’s New Play Readings’ series at Lynn University. Tickets are currently available for HOUSE OF GABOR at $10 each. Call 561-237-9000, or go to www.lynn.edu/tickets for more information.
The Four-Show Lineup for 2017-18 Also Includes:
January 22, 2018 – STARMAKER
By Michael Leeds
Directed by Andy Rogow
The true story of Hollywood super-agent Henry Willson and his relationship with his super-client Rock Hudson, as told by Henry himself, accompanied by a Greek chorus of his other famous clients. Written and directed by the co-artistic directors of Fort Lauderdale’s award-winning Island City Stage. Featuring Dominic Servidio, Mallory Newbrough, Clay Cartland, Larry Buzzeo, Jordan Armstrong and Sean Davis.
February 12, 2018 – WIDOW ON THE LOOSE
By Jay Stuart
Directed by Michael McKeever
Is it acceptable for a married woman to make love to a preacher, a car salesman and a mysterious hotel guest who keeps changing his identity? And, if a bellman has an affair with a guest, is it reasonable to still expect a tip? Featuring Jan McArt and a cast TBA.
March 12, 2018 – A HOME
By Dan Clancy
Directed by John Tolley
The story of the Reddington family – father, mother, daughter, son – tracing the family’s history over a period of sixty years. Although the action takes place in the family’s Brooklyn brownstone, their story will resonate with your own. From the author of ‘MIDDLETOWN.’ Featuring a cast TBA.
