This past Saturday the talented directing, musical, and acting talent of the 2011 Palm Beach Centennial Follies came together to rehearse for the Launch Party which will take place Sunday December 19, aboard the Mariner III yacht. Pictured are writer Pat Crowley, director Barrie Ingham, and actor Scott Hammond.
What is the Follies?
The Palm Beach Follies is a unique tradition in Palm Beach since 1928. The Follies generally occur every five or six years and make it their goal to benefit local charities. The most recent productions occurred in 2005 and 1989 and benefited the Four Arts’ Hulitar Garden and the Palm Beach recreation center respectively. Besides the Palm Beach Theater Guild, other local charities have been asked to share in the net proceeds of the 2011 Centennial Follies. The event is a-political. It intends to bring the community together in celebration of the Town’s 100th Anniversary through our shared pride, humor and history.
The Story
The Centennial Follies is a book musical that follows a younger couple on their second marriage who visit Palm Beach to celebrate the Centennial. Staying in plush accommodations at a historic local hotel called “The Crashers”, the couple explores the glamorous Island life. They investigate real estate, shop for schools for their children, shop on Worth Avenue, go to a gala, take in a town council meeting, pick and join a club, etc. The drama is whether they will stay and make Palm Beach their new home or not?
Meanwhile, we present a good-natured spoof of our town with the humorous participation of the “ghosts” of Palm Beach’s illustrious history-- including Henry Flagler, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Colonel E.R. Bradley, and Addison Mizner-- not to mention some yet to be announced celebrities, living and dead.
Who’s doing the production?
The Centennial Follies is primarily an amateur production with a sprinkling of professional actors, directors, stars, and celebrities. This year we are blessed with Broadway veteran and Royal Shakespeare Company member Barrie Ingham, who will direct. Barrie, co-produced Hans Christian Andersen (with Harold Fielding) at the London Palladium and directed the international tour of Gypsy. Barrie also recently starred in Jekyll and Hyde on Broadway and has played countless musical theater roles opposite talented luminaries such as Angela Lansbury and Sarah Brightman.
The book for the musical or libretto, which will spoof Palm Beach, was written by Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post cartoonist Pat Crowley, Palm Beach Daily News columnist Paulette Cooper Noble, Paul Noble (former television producer), Barrie Ingham, Patrick Henry Flynn, and Mia Matthews.
We will be casting primarily Palm Beach actors. Our second audition will be Saturday January 15 from 10:30a-5p at Bethesda by The Sea Church in Palm Beach. If--and likely when-- we need to cast the net broader (especially for the people who are not here until after Christmas) we will hold a second round of auditions in January (same times) on January 21 & 22. We will have six weeks of rehearsal beginning in mid-February.
The Centennial Follies is a remarkable community enterprise. We really need you to participate. We look forward to working with you on this production and laughing and learning about our town.
