The dawn of theater in Ancient Greece coupled with a musical about ancient Rome, inspired a former Bakersfield, Calif., boy to create a theater in the parks program for Wilton Manors.
So says Ronnie Larsen, artistic director of Plays of Wilton, a non-profit theater company based in Wilton Manors and founder of POW! In the Park.
Starting Friday, March 7, Plays of Wilton (POW!) is collaborating with the City of Wilton Manors for POW! In The Park. The first production will be the musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” which is free in Mickel Park for two weekends.
Shows are Friday, March 7 through Sunday, March 9, and Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 16.
“At age 56, I’ve come full circle,” says Larsen. “When I was 17 and attending Fresno State University, I searched the campus for outdoor spaces and courtyards and staged Shakespearean plays.”
And while he laughingly confesses that he did not graduate from any of the colleges where he studied, Larsen learned something very important that impacted his entire career.
“A powerful lesson for me early on was, ‘Work with what you have,’” says Larsen. “This experience at Mickel Park reminds me of what I had forgotten. What defines theater is not the space it’s in but telling the story.”
Larsen adds that launching the new venture has refreshed his ideas about what theater is and about the city where he produces his plays.
“This is how theater began. There was no lighting equipment. It was held outdoors in the afternoons,” adding that he’s also taking a look at the city with “fresh eyes.”
As a director, he says that creating a musical in an outdoor space has brought him more than a few “aha” moments.
“Theater can be held anywhere. Performing in the park stops me from thinking small or making rigid assumptions. Outdoor productions broaden the mind,” says Larsen.
For Chris Caputo, vice mayor of Wilton Manors, who became a founding board member of Plays of Wilton in 2020, presenting the production in the park adds another dimension to the city’s support of the arts.
“We have a thriving arts and culture district, but this different venue really opens it up. The city is excited anytime we get the opportunity to expose our residents and visitors to theater and especially in a funny and unique way.”
The city’s collaboration is so strong that Caputo, along with Mayor Scott Newman and other commissioners, will make cameo appearances in “guest togas,” according to Larsen.
The musical, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” was originally produced in 1962 by Hal Prince with Stephen Sondheim providing music and lyrics. The book is by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.
The latest production features gender blind casting with four-time Carbonell Award winning actor, Lourelene Snedeker, performing the Pseudolus role that Zero Mostel originated and was later played by Nathan Lane, with Whoopi Goldberg replacing him in the 1998 Broadway revival.
The story is inspired by 2,000-year-old Roman farces. A slave (Snedeker) is scheming his way to freedom by setting up his master’s son with his crush, a beautiful (but not too bright) blonde. However, blackmail, mistaken identity, disguises and long-lost children get in the way.
“This is a classic musical — vaudeville in ancient Rome. There is some innuendo, people chase each other, there are courtesans and it is very over the top, goofy and very broad humor,” says Jack Stein, POW! in the Park’s producer.
The cast includes Mark Erson, Michael Gillespie, Irma Gloria, Sharyn Peoples, Brian Piedra, Rick Prada and Michael H. Small. Krystal Bly, Nicole Hulett, Scott Jordan, Lin Joy Luber and Gianni Palermo make up the ensemble. Eric Alsford and Aidan Quintana are co-musical directors with Quintana playing an electric keyboard at each performance.
Stein says the park, with covered stage, pavilion and concession stand, will hold 200 people a night and 1,000 free tickets have already been claimed over six nights.
“We will loan camp chairs to the first 100 people each night,” says Stein. “Attendees should also bring their own chairs, blankets and picnics. Parking is very limited; we encourage ride-sharing."
The Warten Foundation, a Boca Raton-based family foundation, donated $100,000 to pay for the production, according to Larsen. “They heard about [the idea] and immediately said, ‘We’re in!’” The previous year, the foundation gave $35,000 in unrestricted funding to Plays of Wilton, he adds.
In May, Richardson Park will serve as the outside venue for “The Sound of Music” followed by “The Boys in the Band” staged within a building at the same park. Dates have not yet been announced.
“This is not a one-shot deal,” says Stein. “POW! is raising additional funds for future productions.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: POW! In the Park presents “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday: March 7, 8 and 9, also March 14, 15 and 16
TICKETS: Free but registration required at http://powinthepark.com
Tickets are limited to four per individual registering.
WHERE: Mickel Park, 2675 NW 7th Ave., Wilton Manors
INFORMATION: (954) 826-8790 and playsofwilton.com
This story was produced by Broward Arts Journalism Alliance (BAJA), an independent journalism program of the Broward County Cultural Division. Visit ArtsCalendar.com for more stories about the arts in South Florida.
