The Playgroup LLC continues its tradition of presenting the best work by local playwrights with staged readings of Joe Feinstein’s LAST OF THE AZTECS.  Author Joe Feinstein lives in Long Island, Manhattan, Los Angeles, suburban Detroit and Boca Raton. He has taught high school and college English and worked as a substance abuse therapist.  Productions of his full length comedies BETTER THAN MONEY and LAST OF THE AZTECS have been performed at Village Players in Birmingham, MI and AZTECS at The Met in Los Angeles.  Staged reading of THAT FAMILY THING have been performed by Village Players, and AZTECS by Autumn Players in Asheville, NC.  His one-act play, UNFINISHED BUSINESS appeared  off-off Broadway.

In LAST OF THE AZTECS  an 81 year old Danny finds the world he’s always loved falling apart.  He’s had the same friends since high school, all members of the Aztec Athletic and Social Club. He’s happily married to his childhood sweetheart.  He’s a beloved mentor and coach to his favorite grandchild, Allie.  But now, he’s the last of the Aztecs…his friends are all dead and the ghost of his best friend Walter seems to visit  just to give him a hard time.  His wife Joyce is looking at some scary lab test results and his granddaughter Allie says she’s in love with a woman! Why can’t the world stand still and be the way it’s always been?  And what about all the Aztec widows trying to jump his bones?  Will Danny find the answers in his well-worn copy of Alice in Wonderland?  Or will things just get curiouser and curiouser? 

The Playgroup LLC was founded in 2010 with the mission to provide a vehicle for local playwrights to develop and showcase their work.  Since then they have produced three short play productions: SHORTCUTS 1, 2 and 3, and three full-length productions; BROKEN ANGELS by Todd Caster, JOSEPH ANDREWS by Peter Hawkins, and THE MONSTER PROJECT by Brian Harris.  We are always on the lookout for new playwrights to showcase.  For for information on The Playgroup you may visit their website at http://www.theplaygroupllc.com.

There will be two shows at the Empire Stage on Saturday, January 4th at 8pm and Sunday, January  5th at 5pm.  The theatre is located at 1140 N. Flagler Drive, in Fort Lauderdale.  For tickets call 954-678-1496 or visit www.smarttix.com.  There will be a special performance at Lake Worth Playhouse on January 22nd at 8pm. The playhouse is located at 713 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth.  For tickets call 561-586-6410 or visit www.lakeworthplayhouse.org.  All seats at both venues are $15.