Life, Arts & Society ED 18th

Aaron Bower stars in Damn Yankees at the Wick Theatre.

West Boca Theatre Company Presents ‘Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks’

By Dale King

Playwright Richard Alfieri’s production of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks opens Sunday, March 5, at the Sandler Center in the Adolph and Rose Levis JCC in West Boca Raton. The show is being performed by the West Boca Theater Company.

Shows are scheduled on the following dates:

Sundays, March 5 & 12 at 2 p.m.

Wednesdays, March 8 & 15 at 2 p.m.

Saturdays, March 11 & 18 at 7:30 p.m.

In the show, Lily, an aging but formidable retiree, hires Michael, an acerbic dance instructor, to give her dance lessons in her condo in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.

Antagonism between a gay man and the wife of a Southern Baptist minister gives way to profound compatibility as they swing dance, tango, foxtrot and cha-cha while sharing barbs and intimacies along with the dance steps.

As Michael takes Lily in his arms on their final meeting, they both transcend fear and mortality while the sun sets on their last dance.

The play, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks,

opened on Broadway at the Belasco Theater and starred Polly Bergen and Mark Hamill. The show premiered in Los Angeles in 2001 where it set records at the Geffen Playhouse in a production starring the legendary actress Uta Hagen in her final role.

It has since been translated into 14 languages and opened in more than 24 countries with productions in cities that include Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne, Vienna, Madrid, Tokyo, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Amsterdam, Budapest, Helsinki, Prague, Istanbul, Hamburg, Munich, Athens, Seoul, Johannesburg and London.

Tickets range from $30 to $40 and are available by calling 561-5582520.

Shows are scheduled on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival opens

Batter up!

After being benched for a year due to COVID, the classic Broadway musical Damn Yankees is ready to take the field at The Wick Theatre at 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, just in time for Major League Baseball’s spring training season.

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March 5

The Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center announces that its Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival, a multi-access event, begins March 5 and continues through March 26.

The JLKBRJFF, considered one of the largest and longest Jewish/ Israeli film festivals in the country, will feature more than 80 in-theater feature-length films, documentaries, shorts, special guest appearances and more. In-theater films will be shown at the Cinemark Palace 20 in Boca Raton, Movies of Delray and in the Beifield Auditorium located at the Levis JCC’s Sandler Center.

‘Damn Yankees’ coming to Wick Theatre for devilishly good fun on the field

Aaron Bower stars in Damn Yankees at the Wick Theatre.

The North American premiere of The Path will be featured at the Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. (Courtesy of Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival)

Playwright Richard Alfieri

The Palm Beach County premiere of The Rothschild Saga will be featured at the Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. (Courtesy of Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival)

‘Damn Yankees’ coming to Wick Theatre for devilishly good fun on the field

By Dale King

Batter up!

After being benched for a year due to COVID, the classic Broadway musical Damn Yankees is ready to take the field at The Wick Theatre at 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, just in time for Major League Baseball’s spring training season.

This devilishly fun romantic comedy won eight Tony Awards including the coveted Best Musical honor. Damn Yankees runs March 2 to April 2, with evening shows on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and matinees on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available at www.thewick.org or by calling the box office at 561-995-2333.

“With acrobatic dancing, a sexy seductress and tons of comedy, this gem bats a thousand,” declared Marilynn A. Wick, managing executive producer.

Based on the novel The Year the Yankees Lost the

Pennant by Douglass Wallop, Damn Yankees tells the story of middle-aged baseball superfan, Joe Boyd, who trades his soul to the devil for a chance to lead his favorite team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees. Will he succeed in his race for glory, return home to the life he loves, or be lost for all eternity to the devil himself?

With a book by Broadway legend George Abbott and a winning score by Adler and Ross, the show features classic songs including “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets,” “(You Gotta Have) Heart” and iconic dance numbers originally choreographed by Bob Fosse.

The cast of heavy hitters includes two-time Carbonell Award winner Wayne LeGette as the devilish Applegate. Wick audiences can’t forget Wayne’s star turns as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls and Jeff

in Brigadoon, to name a few.

Helen Hayes Award nominee Lauren Weinberg brings all the va-va-voom to vixen Lola and newcomer Jeffrey Keller is a star in the making as all-American Joe Hardy.

Expect a wallop of a high belt from Mychal Phillips as Gloria and all the charm and wisdom of a mid-century housewife from Aaron Bower - back again after her triumphant turn as Reno in the just-completed musical, Anything Goes.

This all-star team is led by MVP’s including director, Jeffrey B. Moss, who has helmed some of the nation’s biggest touring hits including Legally Blonde, Hello, Dolly! and South Pacific. Carbonell Award-winner Jerel T. Brown is the choreographer and two-time Carbonell Award-winner Eric Alsford is the musical director.

Aaron Bower stars in Damn Yankees at the Wick Theatre. Wayne LeGette stars in Damn Yankees at the Wick Theatre.

The Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival opens March 5

By Dale King

The Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center announces that its Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival, a multi-access event, begins March 5 and continues through March 26.

The JLKBRJFF, considered one of the largest and longest Jewish/Israeli film festivals in the country, will feature more than 80 in-theater feature-length films, documentaries, shorts, special guest appearances and more. In-theater films will be shown at the Cinemark Palace 20 in Boca Raton, Movies of Delray and in the Beifield Auditorium located at the Levis JCC’s Sandler Center.

The three-week festival opened with a “Cinebash” Feb. 28 at The Polo Club of Boca Raton and featured award-winning author and historian Dr. Robert Watson. He presented an episode from the U.S. premiere of the all-new TV Series Forgotten Frontlines: The Nazi Titanic. He shared the story of how one of the most opulent ships ever built became a propagandic coup, a transport vessel, and eventually a concentration camp.

With more than 25 countries represented, 41 dramas, 27 documentaries and 17 shorts, JLKBRJFF is poised to attract upwards of 3,000 attendees and has become a highly anticipated event for film enthusiasts throughout Palm Beach County.

“This year’s festival reflects storytelling at its finest,” said Wendy Honig, JLKBRJFF artistic director. “With themes ranging from survival and resilience to art history, culture and romance, we are excited to offer such a wide array of films guided by the Jewish experience.”

“With the loyal support of Levis JCC Grand Benefactor Judy Levis Krug, our incredible screening committee and a strong collaboration with our film partners, we are proud to once again present our

community with a premier cinematic experience,” said Lesley Rich, JLKBRJFF program director.

With more than 80 screenings to choose from, several not-to-be missed films include:

The Rothschild Saga: Rise, Riches, Repercussions shares the history of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, a name synonymous with banking and the fate of many wealthy Jewish families before World War II. Under the Nazis, however, the Rothschilds became the target of anti-Semitic propaganda, and to this day anti-Semitic conspiracy theories are sparked by the name “Rothschild.” (Austria, Short Film, Palm Beach County Premiere).

Matchmaking, an entertaining and good-hearted romantic comedy that gives a light Orthodox twist to “Romeo and Juliet.” (Israel).

Perfect Strangers, a story of seven friends who attend a dinner and decide to play a game with their cell phones. Unfortunately, the game ends in disaster when their darkest secrets are revealed. (Israel, Palm Beach County Premiere)

The Accusation, a timely and thought-provoking #MeToo drama exploring the dark side of human behavior. (France, Palm Beach County Premiere).

Indigo, a Kosher certified film by the Orthodox communities of Beit Shemesh and B’nai Brak, is an all-women film that is a cross between Cinderella and Downton Abbey. (Israel, North American Premiere).

The Path is a thrill-a-minute family drama that follows two children, a journalist father, and a dog as they flee from the Nazis and must make their way through the hazardous Pyrenees on their expe

dition to New York City. (Germany, North Amer

ican Premiere)

Modigliani and His Secrets, Modigliani’s work is among the most recognizable in modern art, but

little is known about the man himself. Based on an ongoing scientific study, the film reveals the secrets behind the myths surrounding this Bohemian artist. (France, Documentary, U.S. Premiere)

Other important international, world, U.S. and North American Premieres being shown during JLKBRJFF include Baltic Truth, a film by Dudu Fisher; LGBTQ short film Sin and Repent; Yiddish film Shttl; and romantic comedy Marrying Myself, among many others.

A full program guide including dates, showtimes, trailers, a synopsis of each film and special events are available on http://bocajff.org/. In person and virtual film packages and festival passes are also available for purchase online and range from $59 to $540. As a bonus, all pass holders will receive access to “A Day of Shorts” program for free. All films can be enjoyed for up to 72 hours after its scheduled time and can be viewed on various platforms by downloading the Eventive TV app which is available on Apple TV, Roku, Firestick and Chromecast, among others.

For more information, contact Lisa Barash at lisab@bocafed.org or call 561-558-2514. The Levis JCC is located at 21050 95th Avenue S. in Boca Raton.

The mission of the Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival is to provide the newest, most stimulating and thought-provoking films that encourage audiences to expand their awareness and understanding of the Jewish world and engage in dialogue to explore the many diverse perspectives portrayed by the films presented.

Due to the generous support from donors Billi & Bernie Marcus, the Festival has been able to expand, offering year-round Jewish-themed film programming.

Photos by Amy Pasquantonio

The Palm Beach County premiere of Perfect Strangers will be featured at the Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. (Courtesy of Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival)

The North American premiere of The Path will be featured at the Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. (Courtesy of Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival)