Neil Simon's Tony Award winning play, “Brighton Beach Memoirs” is a MUST-SEE play at the Alhambra
Theatre & Dining. The cast consists
of only 7 people, yet the dialogue is immense and none of the actors missed a
beat (at least they never appeared to miss a line, and that is a representation
of true acting). This reviewer has never
seen this play before, and it kept me laughing and interested throughout the
entire performance.
As said previously, there is a lot of dialogue and allow me to give some credit
to whom credit is due. I can’t brag
enough on a young veteran actor who is only a sophomore at Douglas Anderson
School of the Arts and is also a member of the Actors Equity Association. Evan Gray* portrays (Eugene Jerome
and is also the Narrator for portions of the play). Evan has been in four previous shows at the
Alhambra and you don’t want to miss him in this one. There has to be a love of the theater for
this young man to do homework, go to school each day, accomplish his chores and
be on stage Tuesday thru Sunday nights and matinees on the weekend.
You may have seen Hillary Hickam* (Kate Jerome) onscreen and yes,
she plays a huge part along with Stacey Harris* (Blanche Morton) who has
graced the stage of the Alhambra in “The Addams Family”. Both ladies portray sisters who grow together
in a blended household with the ups and downs associated with overcrowding in a
one-family home.
Emma Decker (Laurie Morton) & Kelly Wolfe (Nora
Morton) are newbies to the Alhambra, nonetheless, we may see these ladies
in upcoming shows. They both have an
interest in acting and both are pursuing the acting bug.
Cameron Hale Elliott* (Stanley Jerome) was recently in Alhambra’s
“Mamma Mia!” and he meshes well with younger brother Evan Gray, as the older
brother who gives advice and has a surprise for the audience toward the end of
the show.
Veteran actor Robert Herrle* (Jack Jerome) is the patriarch of the
Jerome family as this marks his fourth show with the Alhambra. Herrle is more
noted around his home in Orlando, Florida; yet you might have been privileged to
see him working on stage with Disney Cruise Lines.
If plays are your choice of entertainment over musicals, then you’ll want to
get you tickets NOW for a seat in the audience, while Neil Simon’s “Brighton
Beach” is still on stage at the Alhambra.
NB - * Denotes Actors Equity Association!
RECOMENDATIONS OF THE MENU:
First Course Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup, OR Home Run Salad
with chopped romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, boiled eggs, green onions, green
peppers, carrots, raisins, sliced almonds, Green Goddess dressing *GF*. Both were good. If you don’t like a lot of salad dressing,
request your dressing on the side.
Second Course (Choice of One) Pierogi Shepherd’s Pie with
ground beef and mixed vegetables and rich gravy, fluffy potatoes and cheese
pierogies, OR Chicken & Waffles - with cardamom syrup and strawberry
butter & Fruit with Poppy Seed Dressing. As always, Chef DeJuan’s Fried Chicken is Da
BOMB and the waffles have a sweet taste that didn’t require any additional
syrup.
Third Course (Choice of One) Lemon Chiffon Cake OR Boston
Cream Pie Both desserts were scrumptious
and the portions are just enough to enjoy with coffee or tea.
“Brighton Beach Memoirs”
DATES: September 18, 2019 through October 13, 2019
SHOW TIMES: Evening shows Tuesday
through Friday start at 7:50 p.m. Doors
open at 6 p.m., and dinner is served until 7:30 p.m. Saturday Matinees
begin at 1:15 p.m. Doors open at 11 a.m.
and the brunch served until 12:30 p.m.
Sunday Matinees are at 1:50 p.m.
Doors open at 12 p.m. and the meal is server until 1:50 p.m.
DRESS: All other shows could be
“Business Casual”, or “Sunday Best”.
TICKETS: Prices range from $38 – $66. Ticket prices include: a plated three-course
meal that changes for each show, and is served directly to your table; a
Broadway-style performance and complimentary parking. Tickets may be purchases on line, or by calling (904) 641-1212.
**Prices do NOT include gratuity,
professional photos, or orders from the bar**
LOCATION: Alhambra Theater & Dining
12000 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, Florida 32246
(904) 641-1212
The Alhambra Theatre & Dining will open its
run of Neil Simon's Tony Award winning play, “Brighton Beach Memoirs”. From 1965 to 1980, Simon's plays and musicals
racked up more than 9,000 Broadway performances, a record not even remotely
touched by any other playwright of the era - and set even before the opening of
his semi-autobiographical "Eugene Trilogy," of which Brighton
Beach Memoirs is the first installment. In 1966 alone, he had four Broadway shows
running simultaneously.
ABOUT THE SHOW: “Brighton Beach Memoirs” is the first in a trilogy of
semi-autobiographical plays that depict a portrait of the writer as a young
teen in 1937 living with his family in a crowded, lower middle-class Brooklyn
walk-up. These comedy-dramas - "Brighton
Beach Memoirs” (1983), "Biloxi Blues” (1985) and "Broadway
Bound” (1986) - were admired for the way they explored the tangle of love,
anger and desperation that bound together - and drove apart - a Jewish
working-class family, as viewed from the perspective of the youngest son, a
restless wisecracker with an eye on showbiz fame. Eugene Jerome, standing in for the author, is
the narrator and central character.
Dreaming of baseball and girls, Eugene must cope with the mundane existence of
his family life in Brooklyn: formidable mother, overworked father, and his
worldly older brother Stanley. Throw
into the mix his widowed Aunt Blanche, her two young (but rapidly aging) daughters
and you have a recipe for hilarity, served up Simon-style. This bittersweet memoir evocatively captures
the life of a struggling Jewish household where, as his father states “if you
didn't have a problem, you wouldn't be living here.”
The production is being presented by Rosenblum's; an iconic men's clothing
retail store opened 126 years ago by the current owners' great grandfather. Said co-owner, Bob Rosenblum, “Our business
has supported the cultural arts in Jacksonville for as long as we can remember,
and we have wanted to partner with the Alhambra for a while. This show about a
Jewish family overcoming its trials and tribulations, and riding with them on
part of their journey, struck an obvious chord with us as the right show at the
right time.” Added Richard
Rosenblum, co-owner in the Rosenblum's, “Every family has a story to tell. Ours is not exactly this story, but the
underlying themes hold true regardless of where you come from - that family, as
irascible as they can sometimes be, is always the most important thing in life.”
“Brighton Beach Memoirs” had a pre-Broadway engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre in
Los Angeles on December 10, 1982, and following an additional pre-Broadway
engagement at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, the play premiered on Broadway
at the Alvin Theatre on March 27, 1983 and transferred to the 46th Street
Theatre, where it closed on May 11, 1986 after 1,299 performances and 7
previews. Matthew Broderick won a Tony
Award for his performance in the play's first run.
ALL ABOUT THE MENU:
First Course (Choice of One) Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup, OR
Home Run Salad with chopped romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, boiled eggs,
green onions, green peppers, carrots, raisins, sliced almonds, Green Goddess
dressing *GF*.
Second Course (Choice of One)Pierogi Shepherd’s Pie with
ground beef and mixed vegetables and rich gravy, fluffy potatoes and cheese
pierogies, OR Seafood Newburg with rice and asparagus, OR Chicken
& Waffles - with cardamom syrup and strawberry butter; *GF* Option: Baked
Chicken with natural au jus, potatoes, asparagus. OR Falafel with
chopped salad and pilaf.
Third Course (Choice of One) Lemon Chiffon Cake OR Boston
Cream Pie.
“Brighton
Beach Memoirs”
DATES: September 18, 2019 through October 13, 2019
SHOW TIMES: Evening shows Tuesday
through Friday start at 7:50 p.m. Doors
open at 6 p.m., and dinner is served until 7:30 p.m. Saturday Matinees
begin at 1:15 p.m. Doors open at 11 a.m.
and the brunch served until 12:30 p.m.
Sunday Matinees are at 1:50 p.m.
Doors open at 12 p.m. and the meal is server until 1:50 p.m.
DRESS: “Gala Night” (Friday September
20, 2019) attire is “Dressy/Formal/Black Tie”, or Under the Sea. All other shows could be “Business Casual”,
or “Sunday Best”. There is always
complimentary Champagne and Hors d'oeuvres served in the lobby before dinner,
on Gala evening and special pastries served after the show.
TICKETS: Prices range from $38 – $66. Ticket prices include: a plated three-course
meal that changes for each show, and is served directly to your table; a
Broadway-style performance and complimentary parking. Tickets may be purchases on line, or by calling (904) 641-1212.
**Prices do NOT include gratuity,
professional photos, or orders from the bar**
LOCATION: Alhambra Theater & Dining
12000 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, Florida 32246
(904) 641-1212
The Booth family (Tod, Lisa Valdini and Jessica)
are the stars of the Alhambra’s production of the Neil Simon comedy, “Come Blow
Your Horn”; (the first show ever performed at the Alhambra Theatre and
Dining when it opened back in 1967). This is the first time that the family is debuting
on stage together. The play is very well
done and it’s probably better than the original show - hands down. As with the first “CBYH”, the Playbill was very
modest in style and presentation, yet printed on quality stock with pertinent
information of all involved.
The conversation between Tod Booth* (Mr. Baker) and both his sons, draw much
laughter from the crowd and almost resembles a Laurel and Hardy sketch. Tod still performs like the pro that he is, nevertheless,
Mr. Booth is also the Producer/Director of this and many other Alhambra shows. Tod Booth is wonderful whether behind the
scenes or front and center as he proves it in this show
Vincent Hannam (Buddy Baker) was the younger son who knew where all the pencils
are located in his brother’s apartment.
Adam Kaster* (Alan Baker) is the older playboy who leads his younger
brother astray with the Ladies. When
Alan Baker comes to himself, he sounds just like his stern father figure in the
end. The dialogue between Abby Jaros* (Peggy
Evans) and Buddy Baker is hilarious. These
three actors are new to the Alhambra Theater and Dining, yet they have proven
that they will be back again.
The daughter of Tod and Lisa Booth can hold her own on the Alhambra stage here
in Jacksonville, Florida and also on a stage in New York City. Jessica Booth* (Connie Dayton) has blossomed
into a beautiful, talented actress. You
may remember her from Alhambra presentations of: “Blithe Spirit,” “25th Annual
Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “Shrek the Musical” and many others.
Saving the best for last, Lisa Valdini* (Mrs. Baker) steals the show and is so
funny especially when she slides off a bean bag chair. She has so many one-sided comical lines on
the telephone too. Valdini is a seasoned
actress who keeps on going and going, as she entertains the audience with each
line. It’s a hoot to finally see where
the ‘pencils’ are hidden.
Special thanks to the sponsors of “Come Blow Your Horn”: Kilwins, Arlington YMCA, Bohemia Roofing, Kwik Fix Plumbing
and Fleet Landing.
*Denotes Members of Actors’ Equity Association*
The colorful “Alhambra Theatre and Dining, 50 Years of Memories” hardback
coffee table book, is a wonderful addition to any home and is available for $39.99,
when you attend this performance.
“Come Blow
Your Horn”
DATES: January 4 – 20, 2017
PLEASE NOTE NEW SHOW TIMES: Evening shows Tuesday through Sunday start at 7:50
p.m. Doors open at 5:50 p.m., and dinner
will be served until 7:20 p.m. Saturday
Matinees begin at 1:15 p.m. Doors open
at 11 a.m. and the brunch ends at 12:45 a.m.
Sunday Matinees are at 1:50 p.m.
Doors open at 11:50 a.m. and the meal service ends at 1:20 p.m.
DRESS: “Business Casual” or “Sunday Best”.
To see the menu, click HERE.
TICKETS: Regular tickets $35 each; or
tickets will be offered at a 50th anniversary price,
just $50 for two seats.
Ticket
prices include: a plated dinner served to your table, an incredible show and
prime parking. Group sales of 20 + are
available upon request. Price does NOT
include gratuity or orders from the bar.
LOCATION:
Alhambra Theater
& Dining
12000 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, Florida 32246
(904) 641-1212
