No Reservations in Coral Springs

2008-09-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

Live Nation will begin it's own ticketing company in 2009 when it's contract with Ticketmaster expires at the end of the year. This is a game-changing move that will impact concert fans across the country. I'd like to tell you that fees will go down now that Ticketmaster has a major competitor, but I doubt it.

Now there is news that Live Nation also also signed up private management firm SMG, a company that runs theaters, stadiums, arenas and convention centers around the world, to sell all the tickets at their venues beginning next year. Live Nation and SMG were two of Ticketmaster's biggest clients and revenue sources. This is groundbreaking news in the entertainment business.

For an in-depth story on Live Nation and these new developments, check out this great article...

http://seekingalpha.com/article/95346-live-nation-on-music-track-to-increasingly-vertical-business

2008-08-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

Jack Zink, longtime drama critic of the Sun-Sentinel, has passed away at the age of 61.

I first met Jack many years ago when I took over the Coral Springs Center for the Arts. We had lunch together in downtown Ft. Lauderdale and I enjoyed his candid personality and great knowledge of the theater business.

He was quite a man, charming, witty, and extremely smart. He could smell B.S. a mile away, and so, unlike many arts executives trying to strong arm Jack into running story on them, I shied away from that approach. Jack would have just smiled and tossed the press release anyways.

If the story was good, he would run it. If it was fluff, forget about it. I loved that about Jack. It gave him enormous credibility in my eyes. When he did feature our theater in his well-written Showtime column, I felt good knowing he approved of the way we ran our operation and deemed it newsworthy. If Jack wrote about ya, you knew you were doing a good job.

All of us in the South Florida area who love the theater will miss him greatly. He's probably reviewing a show right now in Heaven as I write this...Jack never stopped working.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/obituaries/sfl-flozink0819sbaug19,0,137151.story

2008-07-28T06:27:00.001-07:00

Sad news to report this past Friday as Bruce Adler, one of South Florida's most beloved actors, passed away at the age of 63 after battling liver cancer. Ironically, the Coral Springs Center for the Arts had a January 2009 date on hold for a fundraiser for Adler to be hosted by many of his friends in the area.

For more information on the passing of Adler, Playbill. com has a great story which ran last week.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119831.html

2008-06-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

George Carlin, one of the most popular comedy acts of the past 30 years, passed away this weekend at the age of 71.

George's agent must have called me 10 times last season trying to line up a date for him here at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts as she routed him in Florida. Alas, we were never able to find an open date for him.

During my career, I booked George three times...and every time he sold out.

It's hard to be funny for 30 years...a lot of comedians don't last anywhere near that long. Towards the end, George became very political in his shows, some audience members couldn't handle it and walked out or booed. That was sad to see.

I will remember him most for the "Seven Dirty Words" and all his albums we used to listen to in the 1970s when I was a little kid. Me and my buddies would sit around in the garage on a hot summer day and recite the Seven Dirty Words over and over, laughing and giggling until my parents would come outside and tell us to knock it off.

George was quite the party guy and I remember going backstage at some of his shows...it was quite the scene if you know what I mean.

Hard living finally caught up with him.

2008-06-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a busy one with Father's Day, Tiger Woods and The Hulk dominating the headlines. In case you missed it, here's a breakdown of Sunday's Tony Awards for the best of Broadway this past season.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=awardcentral&jump=article&articleid=VR1117987516

2008-06-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Are we ready for "Brokeback Mountain" the opera?

In the Big Apple? Check out this story...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/am-brokeback0608,0,5436173.story

2008-06-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

Live Nation, the biggest concert promoter in the United States, is in negotiations with the City of Ft. Lauderdale to bring a mega concert festival to downtown on Memorial Day weekend. They are pitching this as an annual event to replace the now defunct Air & Sea Show.

Having lived near that area for nearly 10 years, traffic would be a nightmare for this type of event. I can see all the seniors locked up in their Galt Mile Ocean condos calling 911 about the noise levels, can't you?

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=132&articleId=26541

2008-05-30T06:21:00.001-07:00

Several former Fantasma employees have filed a lawsuit against the company which was sold to Live Nation after the death of founder and long-time Florida concert promoter Jon Stoll.

The Coral Springs Center for the Arts had done business with Fantasma for many years partnering with them on concerts and comedy shows.

For more details on this lawsuit check out the link below...

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=131&articleId=26470

2008-05-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

A lot of shows cross my desk over the course of the year, some perk my interest and others I pass on. In a crowded marketplace like South Florida, you have to be very careful which performers you roll the dice on, hoping the public's interest is worthy of their pricetag. It's a very risky business, picking shows for our theater, especially these days with the slumping economy taking its toll on consumers.

Recently, Frank Sinatra, Jr. was pitched to us for next season. Everybody loves Sinatra right? Well, I passed. Loved the original, but unfortunately the son does not move tickets like his Dad and the asking price was way too high.

Imagine my amusement then when I came across this juicy bit of gossip about him on a recent Today show episode...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117986130.html?categoryid=2062&cs=1

2008-05-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

The Tony Award nominations are out for the 2007-2008 season and there are some big surprises. For all the info., check out the details in this Playbill.com article...

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/117686.html

2008-05-12T11:58:00.001-07:00

You either love him or hate him, but comedian Jackie Mason is tearing it up in his latest stint Off-Broadway. We're hoping to have some exciting news to announce on him coming to Coral Springs again next season in the next few weeks. To read more on Mason, check out the latest in Playbill.com...

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/117645.html

2008-05-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

As American Idol winds down this season, it's interesting to look at the career paths of previous winners. As many of you know, Taylor Hicks appeared at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts last season.

Another winner, Fantasia, has become quite the Broadway star in New York appearing in The Color Purple. Prior to appearing in Oprah Winfrey's pet project, Fantasia had never seen a Broadway show before. Most critics didn't expect much from her, but she has blown them away with her performance. Variety has all the details in this well-written piece...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975619.html?categoryid=2831&cs=1

2008-05-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

Mandy Patinkin, who appeared at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts this past February, is heading back to the stage in New York City this fall. Patinkin, who won a Tony Award for his role of Che in Evita nearly 30 years ago, will star Off-Broadway in the classic Shakespeare play The Tempest. Read more here...

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/117299.html

2008-04-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

It's every General Manager's worst nightmare...

A bomb threat was phoned in to the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, FL last weekend just prior to the Bon Jovi concert scheduled to take place on Saturday night. Police were called to the scene and no one was allowed inside until several hours later when an exhaustive search turned up nothing.

Fans left waiting outside were livid, rightly so. But safety is first priority in these situations. Many people asked why didn't they just cancel the show?

With Bon Jovi already in the venue, and truckloads of equipment already set up, canceling was not an option unless the hoax had turned out to be true. Bon Jovi would have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars regardless of cancellation due to contractual requirements, not to mention the stagehand bill (enormous) and arena staffing expenses. You can't blame the band...nor can you blame the arena. False alarms like this are scary for all involved. After 9/11, the live event business has changed dramatically. We are a target whether we like it or not.

I feel for the fans who had to wait hours to get in to see the show. But it's a dangerous world out there now more than ever, and it's imperative threats like these are taken seriously. I hope they catch the clown who did this though...and send him to jail for a long time.

Read more about this here...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbbomb0427sbapr27,0,6544731.story

2008-04-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

This is an exciting weekend for dance fans as the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami ventures to Coral Springs for an exclusive performance on Sunday April 20th at 5:00 p.m. here at the Center for the Arts. This a first for the troupe who were profiled yesterday in the Sun-Sentinel...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flballet0413nwapr13,0,4276340,print.story

2008-04-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

Star Trek and Shakespeare fans may want to book Jet Blue to New York City soon as Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) takes the stage on Broadway in the title role for a revival of Macbeth. Read more here on Playbill.com --

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/116563.html

2008-04-07T13:27:00.001-07:00

A revival of Brigadoon is set for a pre-Broadway tryout in Boston before going to New York City in early 2009. Read more here...

http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/13468

2008-03-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

Rent, set to close on Broadway June 1, has been swamped with ticket requests and will now push back its end date to September 7th, according to Playbill.com. Don't miss the national tour of Rent as it plays Coral Springs for two shows on April 19th starring two former stars of American Idol. Read more about Rent here...

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/116252.html

2008-03-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

With Ballet Florida in serious trouble, word comes today that another high-profile Palm Beach arts organization may go belly up. Palm Beach Opera is on life support and is floating a proposal to merge with the Kravis Center to stay alive. Read the latest...

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/03/13/s1b_opera_013.html

2008-03-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

Ballet fans are holding their breath in Palm Beach County as Ballet Florida teeters on the verge of collapse. A sad day for arts lovers, especially dance fans, as the weakening economy takes its toll on non-profits all over the place. Read the latest on Ballet Florida here...

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/local_news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/03/11/0312balletfolo.html?cxntlid=inform

2008-03-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

With the recent passing of legendary concert promoter Jon Stoll, owner of Fantasma Productions, there have been lots of rumors about what would happen to his company.

One of the last independent concert promoters left standing in the United States after Live Nation gobbled up nearly every other player in all parts of the country over the past 10 years, Fantasma was a major thorn in their side as they bid on concerts throughout Florida and other states.

So, it is somewhat surprising, that news has broken today that Fantasma is being sold to Live Nation. Read all about it here in the Palm Beach Post...

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/local_news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/03/12/0312fantasma.html

2008-02-29T05:53:00.001-08:00

A megadeal involving some of the biggest players in live entertainment, including Ticketmaster, AEG and Cablevision/Madison Square Garden (MSG), is nearing the finish line.

With Live Nation ending its long relationship with Ticketmaster at the end of this year and moving ticketing operations in-house, this deal makes sense for a lot of reasons. Live Nation has few competitors, but AEG and MSG have the muscle to pose a threat in certain markets.

Read all about it here in Encore...

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=117&articleId=25201

2008-02-05T05:35:00.000-08:00

Classical music fans are celebrating this morning after news a new symphony orchestra is being formed in South Florida.

The Florida Philharmonic, for years the resident orchestra in South Florida, went out of business several years ago after declining sales and spiraling costs. They used to do six concerts a year at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts.

Will the new orchestra find an audience? Classical music's popularity is waning as thousands of older fans pass away and are not replaced with younger audiences demanding this type of music. It will be interesting to see it unfold.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/lifestyle/sfl-muclcafpnfeb04,0,453444.story

2008-01-28T06:06:00.000-08:00

High School Musical fans -- and there's millions of 'em -- are in for a treat in Coral Springs and other South Florida communities after this October.

That's when High School Musical 2 is set to be released to high schools and others across the country so that everyone can produce this show. Expect to see this blockbuster hit at the 2009 Next Stop Broadway Summer Camp at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts.

Read all about it here in Variety...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117979704.html?categoryid=15&cs=1

2008-01-28T05:29:00.001-08:00

The Super Bowl is six days away and Florida favorite Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will headline the halftime show...even though he doesn't like football!

Tom and his band will hit the road after the Super Bowl making a stop at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise this summer. Read it all in this interview...

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=111&articleId=24669

2008-01-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

American Idol is back on television this month and one of its biggest stars ever is moving to Broadway to star in Spamalot. Clay Aiken, a virtual rookie at theater, is very nervous, but excited about the opportunity. Read more in this interview with the Carolina native.

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=294206&GT1=7703

2008-01-18T06:37:00.000-08:00

If you like to go to concerts, buying a ticket will be a lot different in late 2008. That's when Live Nation, the largest concert promoter in the U.S., ends its deal with Ticketmaster and starts it's own operation. You'll likely have to go to www.livenation.com to buy concert tickets at that point and it will be interesting to see if this divorce between two heavyweights of the entertainment business results in lower fees for consumers.

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=110&articleId=24566

2008-01-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

The long awaited Disney musical The Little Mermaid finally opened on Broadway last week. I am very curious to see this show come to life on stage and finally on the road several years from now. Julie Taymor is back in action on this show, with the success of Lion King looming over her shoulder. So far, the reviews have been pretty good. Here's one writer's take on seeing the production last week for the first time.

http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=292086&ocid=cds_rec

2008-01-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite musicals of all-time, Rent, will be closing on Broadway after a historical 12-year run. Luckily, you can still catch it on the road, including here on April 19th for two shows.

http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=292974&Gt1=7702

2008-01-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

Miami's flagship performing arts facility is about to change its name after only one year of operations. Read all about it here...

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ia6dc904e032a3e87fa0ae1efa8589924

2008-01-14T10:31:00.001-08:00

More news on the passing of legendary South Florida concert promoter Jon Stoll...

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/local_news/epaper/2008/01/13/s1c_STOLL_OBIT_0113.html

2008-01-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

There is sad news to report this morning on the condition of legendary South Florida concert promoter Jon Stoll of Fantasma Productions. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family at this time.

http://old.encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=109&articleId=24469

2007-12-19T06:09:00.000-08:00

If you think Broward County doesn't have enough condos or stores or restaurants or entertainment venues, check out this article in the Sun-Sentinel...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbarena1219sbdec19,0,1674282.story?coll=sofla_tab01_layout

Yup, just what we need...

2007-12-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we hosted Joy Behar in a rare standup appearance for one of the original stars of The View. More than 1250 people came to see her and she put on a great show drawing many laughs from the audience as she riffed on a variety of topics.

Behind the scenes, though, the show almost didn't happen.

Back-to-back snowstorms in the New York area almost caused her to postpone the show. I received a phone call from the promoter on Thursday giving me a heads up that this might happen. Joy's agent had called him and warned him that she might not get out of the city and make it to Florida. She had to be back to do The View on Monday. She had a gig in Sarasota on Friday night before our date last Saturday. We spent all day Friday here in panic mode hoping she got on a plane and made it to Florida.

Lucky for everyone she was a real trooper and braved the storm and hectic schedule to honor her standup dates. We, and all her fans, appreciate it.

2007-12-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

With Broadway back in full swing now that the stagehands strike is over, Disney's latest stage production The Little Mermaid is warming up the box office in New York City while in previews. Read all about it in Variety...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117977853.html?categoryid=15&cs=1

2007-11-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

A 19 day strike that devastated Broadway is now over. Read the latest here...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/11/29/broadway.strike/index.html

2007-11-13T07:59:00.001-08:00

More than 25 theaters in New York City are shut down thanks to a strike by stagehands on Broadway. Producers look like they are willing to wait this one out for a while, hoping to reduce the number of stagehands required to load-in and work shows. For the very latest on the strike and its impact on surrounding businesses, check out this New York Post story...

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11132007/news/regionalnews/a_dramatic_paue_for_biz_993753.htm

2007-11-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Lots of mystery and intrigue on Broadway these days and it has nothing to do with a possible strike, according to famed NY theater critic Michael Riedel of the New York Post.

The master of publicity himself, Donald Trump, is trying to stir up some positive PR for his show The Apprentice and in the process is courting major Broadway stars to help out. Read all about it here...

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10312007/entertainment/theater/bway_trumped.htm

2007-10-29T09:15:00.001-07:00

The Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, now in its second year of operation, has fired its leader and CEO Michael Hardy, according to the Miami Herald.

Tough job for anyone down there these days. It's such a beautiful venue, I truly hope they succeed in the long run. The parking issues and poor attendance and budget problems have plagued the theater since its opening last season. Read more here...

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/288334.html

2007-10-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Sound Advice Amphitheater in West Palm Beach has been experiencing some major security problems recently. Read more about it in Encore newsletter....

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=101&articleId=23628

2007-10-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

Magician David Copperfield, scheduled to appear at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in February, is in hot water with the FBI. Details are sketchy at this point, and we have no information on his scheduled appearances here as of yet. Check back for more information or call the box office at (954) 344-5990.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20071019/tts-entertainment-copperfield-people-c1b2fc3.html

2007-10-16T07:41:00.001-07:00

Things are getting hairy in NYC with stagehands set to strike any day now on Broadway. Both sides presented their final offers last week to strike a new deal to no avail. Check out the latest information here:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117974044.html?categoryid=15&cs=1

2007-10-11T09:03:00.001-07:00

I'm always on the lookout for new websites that dish inside scoop on the entertainment business. If you are a diehard Broadway fan, check out this site that may not be on your radar screen...

http://broadway.yahoo.com/;_ylt=AgAqTCezshAWxLlw44jBEL87OYt4

2007-10-09T08:12:00.001-07:00

To book top acts or Broadway shows at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, we have to be aggressive with agents on pricing as we compete with the Hard Rock Casino, Broward Center, Sinatra Theatre and others.

To secure the shows, our ticket prices are strictly a matter of how much do big-name entertainers and Broadway tours charge us. We must break even at an acceptable percentage of the house (60%-75%) to make it feasible for us to do the show and make money.

Our ticket prices for most of the high profile shows here range from $50-$80. Occasionally, we consider offering discounts where appropriate, if our break even is lower than normal. We are very sensitive to pricing matters and do our best to keep tickets reasonable.

Bigger houses can discount much more often than us, especially when a show is sitting down in a theater for multiple performances. In New York and across the country, theaters struggle with this dilemma.

Check out this great article on trends in ticket pricing these days in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/theater/07ishe.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

2007-10-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

Is Florida Over?

That's the question the Wall Street Journal posed recently in a brilliantly crafted story covering all the topics on the minds of residents these days. Are we in a lull? Or has Florida lost it's luster forever? Read all about it here:

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119100802312142956.html

2007-10-04T05:37:00.000-07:00

Every season at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts we try to find one marquee, high profile show to anchor the rest of our lineup. One show to market all of our other shows around, a performance that is instantly recognizable, one event we can put front and center on our brochure to dazzle and whet our customer's appetite for the upcoming season. This year, that show was David Copperfield.

TV networks and movie studios do the same thing. Fox has American Idol, ABC has Lost and Grey's Anatomy, CBS has CSI, NBC has...well that's another story.

Movie studios are always looking for one big film to carry the summer, they call them "tentpoles" in the business. Spiderman, Shrek, James Bond are all "tentpoles" and can make or break a studio's year.

In the Broadway world, each season in New York City is marked with this same anticipation. Monster shows like Wicked, The Producers, Jersey Boys and others can help prop up box office grosses for the whole theater district as people come into to town to see those popular musicals and stick around for a few days to see some others.

Check out this recent article in Variety to learn more about this phenomenon and the 2007-2008 season.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972242.html?categoryid=2699&cs=1

2007-10-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Launching a national Broadway tour without opening in New York used to be taboo. These days, however, more and more big-name producers like Andrew Lloyd Webber are doing just that. Many are looking to the U.K. as a starting point. Read all about it in this very interesting Variety article.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972241.html?categoryid=2699&cs=1

2007-09-26T10:35:00.001-07:00

The newest performing arts center on the block in South Florida, The Carnival Center in Miami, is about to enter its second year of operation. Running that facility is no easy task with all the politics involved. I feel for the leader Michael Hardy and his staff as they prepare for Year Two.

It's a brutal market down here for the entertainment dollar, I've said that many time before. Much more so than in many places in the U.S. Many theaters have large metropolitan markets all to themselves. They are the top dog. The Carnival Center, like the Coral Springs Center for the Arts and Broward Center and many others, are in a different situation. We are all chasing the same bone. Greater risk...less reward.

When a theater takes it upon themselves to promote a show, and inherit the great risk involved in doing so, the man or woman who makes that decision lives on edge until the show is over. Did it win? Did it lose? How much? Do I still have a job?

The Carnival Center took some risks during Year One to feel out the market as they opened, and have decided to scale back promoting their own shows during the upcoming season, according to the Miami Herald. For more information on the Carnival Center, check out this link below.

http://www.miamiherald.com/519/story/250459.html

2007-09-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Two Grammy winners are set to join the cast of "The Color Purple" in New York in January. Read all about it here...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070926/ap_en_ot/theater_color_purple

2007-09-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you who like to go to New York City to catch a Broadway show in the fall, better avoid early October. It appears a showdown is approaching between stagehands and the American League of Theatres and Producers that may result in a strike after the end of September. The parties have been negotiating for a while, but no new deal is in place. For more news on this situation, check out the latest story in Variety.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972459.html?categoryid=15&cs=1

2007-09-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

Long ago, South Florida, specifically the Coconut Grove Playhouse, occasionally served as a pre-Broadway home for shows. These days, the competition is fierce among major U.S. cities for pre-Broadway tryouts as this story in Variety details in-depth.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972230.html?categoryid=2699&cs=1

2007-09-19T05:53:00.001-07:00

Well, this is it, the final two contestants in NBC's Last Comic Standing have ripped off a couple of fine sets and America will crown either Lavell Crawford or Jon Reep the winner tonight at 9:00 p.m.

The top five comics from this hit tv show are coming to the Coral Springs Center for the Arts on October 20th at 8:00 p.m. Both Lavell and Reep will be here so we're pretty lucky. Both are fine comics. It's not often one can see five very funny comedians in one show, so check them out at this website and on Saturday, October 20th at our place.

UPDATE: Jon Reep won The Last Comic Standing on Wednesday edging out Lavell Crawford.

http://www.nbc.com/Last_Comic_Standing/

2007-09-14T12:48:00.001-07:00

For those of you interested in reading about the inner workings of the concert business, check out this recent article in Encore magazine detailing the latest news on mega-promoter Live Nation.

With recent acquisitions like the House of Blues chain and aggressively pushing the Fillmore concert brand name across the U.S., including local venue the former Jackie Gleason Theater, Live Nation's moves have caught everyone's attention.

The company's website is now the most popular entertainment site on the Internet according to Nielsen, recording more than 60 million hits last year.

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=95&articleId=23101

2007-09-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

You know times are tough when a 79-year old grandma walks into a bank in Texas and tries to rob it with a toy gun.

Down here in South Florida, property taxes and insurance along with skyrocketing mortgage payments have residents feeling squeezed more than ever before.

Theaters and entertainment establishments like the Coral Springs Center for the Arts are feeling the pinch too. One of of our biggest problems that is here to stay is the ever growing expansion of casino gambling in our own backyard.

Just ask the folks at some of the smaller theaters in Broward County, down at the Fort Lauderdale Riverfront, and the downtown restaurant and bar owners who used to thrive before the Hard Rock Casino opened in Hollywood, FL.

With recent news that the Coconut Creek Seminole Casino is also gearing up for massive expansion, including a 2,500-seat theater, one has to wonder how much more erosion will take place within the current entertainment industry in Broward County. There's a lot of disposable income down here, despite the current mortgage and property tax crisis, but casinos, especially large, sprawling entertainment complexes like the one in Hollywood (and the one planned for Coconut Creek) spell deep trouble for those who make a living entertaining people.

They are the 800-pound gorilla in the room...and they are here to stay.

2007-09-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Jon Stewart will host the Oscars again next year for the second time. Tough gig. Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, and many others have hosted the Oscars throughout the years. Billy is a tough act to follow. He's my favorite.

A couple of years ago, the agent for Jon Stewart was shopping him around to do a standup gig at our theater. Price for one show back then was $50,000. We were willing to pay that, but he hates to fly so we couldn't get him down in time by car with all his other activities scheduled.

I'm not a big fan of him personally, too political for me, but he sells tickets. I have to believe his price tag now for one-night standup gigs is over $100,000 easy. For all the news on this announcement, check out the link to Variety below.

http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117971858.html?nav=news&categoryid=1985&cs=1

2007-09-10T06:49:00.000-07:00

So, just how many theaters can survive in South Florida without going bankrupt?

Another major player on the entertainment scene makes its debut this fall with the grand opening of The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater (that's quite a mouthful!)

Operated by the largest concert promoter in the United States, Live Nation, the old Jackie Gleason Theater has undergone a renovation and renaming so its not really a new theater.

Over the past 10 years, while managed by SMG (the largest private facility management company in the U.S.), activity at the historic venue had slowed down considerably. SMG manages theaters, arenas, stadiums and convention centers around the globe but does not promote concerts or take risk. They were essentially landlords. When Live Nation's Broadway Across America tour announced it would leave the Jackie Gleason Theater and move to the new Carnival Center, the handwriting was on the wall for that venue.

Now, Live Nation will take over the venue after cutting a deal with the City of Miami Beach. They will attempt to reinvigorate that theater by presenting and taking risk on a wide variety of concerts kicking off in October with local favorite Ricky Martin. Other acts on the schedule thus far include Kid Rock, Sarah Silverman, Widespread Panic and Lewis Black among others. They have a tremendous amount of clout and buying power with agents so expect the first year to be very active as they test the market.

What does this mean for the Coral Springs Center for the Arts? Not much in the whole scheme of things. However, Live Nation did block us from booking Lewis Black this December, preferring to use an exclusivity clause that is typical for promoters and agents in bigger markets close together like Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

It will be interesting to see if the Miami Beach area will respond in a big way to this new concert facility makeover. As the Carnival Center found out this past season, it's an ultra competitive market down here for the entertainment dollar.

The Fillmore brand concept that Live Nation is launching down here is also one they are using in other markets in the country. Very similar to the Hard Rock concert concept, but targeting venues with a lot more seats that have languished in major markets.

They are going to need Broward and Palm Beach concert fans to make this concept work and I have my doubts whether people are going to drive all the way down there when there is plenty of entertainment options available up here. It's a great concept by Live Nation, but in the wrong place. Parking is going to be brutal. The first year will be interesting to watch unfold.

2007-09-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

Today marks the launch of a brand new website in South Florida http://www.metromix.com that is backed by the Tribune Co., the powerful media conglomerate that also owns the Sun-Sentinel.

What is metromix.com? It's billed as "your one-stop local entertainment guide on where to go and what to do in South Florida, from the hottest restaurants and bars, to the latest in events, music, movies, style and TV."

Previously launched in major markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Orlando, the website has carved out a strong niche with the coveted 18-35 year olds that advertisers crave. In these major U.S. cities, it has become The website of choice for people who like to go out. Web traffic sometimes reaches 1 million hits a month. The reviews by the public on bars, restaurants, clubs, movies, etc. is a big draw. Thousands of people in these markets take the time to pen a review and reading them is very entertaining and informative.

There are lots of websites out there that are doing similar things as metromix.com, but with the Tribune Co.'s advertising muscle behind it, it won't be long before this website is bookmarked by tens of thousands of people in South Florida.

When people are getting ready to go out for the weekend, this will be the website of choice to find out everything they need to know. It's truly got everything. Maps, reviews, phone numbers, descriptions, etc. Check it out.

2007-09-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest opera stars of our time, Luciano Pavarotti, died today in Modena, Italy.

A crossover star who hit it big with pop music fans as well as die-hard opera lovers, Pavarotti was instantly recognizable, with his trademark beard and big, bold belly. He was a true superstar and worldwide icon in a way most other opera stars could never dream or duplicate.

Pavarotti will be very hard to replace on the opera front. Ironically, at the same time we mourn this great loss, a new opera star in Britain, who idolized Pavarotti, is emerging from the most unlikely of places.

Paul Potts, a portly, cell phone salesman who has never performed in concert, dazzled even the acid-tongued, music critic Simon Cowell when he competed in the the smash TV hit "Britain's Got Talent" this summer.

Cowell is the producer of this show as well as the U.S. version, "America's Got Talent", which just concluded on TV here last month with host Jerry Springer.

If you've never heard of Potts, and chances are you haven't, click on the YouTube link down below. If you are a true opera fan, it will blow you away. And maybe cheer you up on this sad day. All is not lost yet for opera fans. Potts appears destined for stardom.

And how did Potts get his start singing opera?

At the age of 28 he entered a karaoke contest dressed up as his hero, Pavarotti.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDB9zwlXrB8&mode=related&search

2007-09-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest storytellers in the entertainment business, comedian Bobby Collins, rang me up yesterday to chat for a while. He was just back from a week in Vegas doing shows at the Tropicana "seemed like a year" said the funnyman, and was hoping to get back down to South Florida for a tour run in January.

Bobby normally does the comedy club circuit down here, but is looking to step up to a larger hall and told me he had heard a lot of great things about our theater and crowds. He recently left ICM, one of the largest talent agencies in the world, and is now representing himself.

Bobby is working on a bunch of new projects (including a few reality show possibilities). He revealed to me that he actually turned down Deal or No Deal before Howie Mandel got the gig. Ouch!

Bobby's old friend (and ours) Richard Jeni, a mainstay at our theater for many years before his tragic suicide in 2006, had done well here financially (grossing $40K regularly for one performance). So, Bobby was looking to fill that void. We cut a deal, and he will make his debut here on Saturday, January 12, 2008, for one rocking show. I'm looking forward to seeing him live for the first time at our venue...tickets will go on sale later this month. Check back for more details and go to www.bobbycollins.com for the latest news on him.

2007-09-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

The next big Broadway musical from the multi-talented icon Mel Brooks is in tryouts now at the Paramount Theater in Seattle.

Young Frankenstein is a collaboration between Brooks, co-author Thomas Meehan and director-choreographer Susan Stroman, the same team that brought The Producers to life and garnered 12 Tony Awards back in 2001.

The reviews have been lukewarm thus far as the powerhouse team seeks to refine the show in Seattle. Regardless, the show is being eagerly anticipated by presenters around the country starving for hit shows down the road to anchor their Broadway Series lineups.

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934491.html?categoryid=33&cs=1&query=%22young+frankenstein%22

2007-09-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

Taylor Hicks, 2006 American Idol winner, has a new book out entitled Heart Full of Soul, and the gray-haired leader of Soul Patrol gives some major props to Coral Springs on page 240 in his memoir.

Taylor Hicks played the Coral Springs Center for the Arts this past February in what turned out to be the biggest concert of the season at our venue. It was quite a coup to land this superstar, and with the help of mega promoter Fantasma Productions, our partner on the date, the show sold out in record fashion.

Check it out at your local bookstore and for the latest news on Taylor check out his web site at www.taylorhicks.com

2007-08-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

If you have children ages 5-17, then you are very aware of the smash Disney hit High School Musical. Last week, the sequel debuted on the Disney Channel. It was watched by over 17 million people, an all-time record for cable television. Mind-blowing numbers.

It's wholesome entertainment and reminds me of my high school days when Grease was all the rage. The music is terrific, very catchy and kids sing the songs like they were reciting the National Anthem.

During our annual summer camp, Next Stop Broadway, we put on several performances of the original High School Musical to rave reviews. The kids were so pumped up I thought I was at a Pearl Jam concert.

Disney has been down for a while but looks to be coming back with a vengence riding the popularity of this production. There are now ice show and stage tours coming to a theater or arena near you and hopefully to Coral Springs at some point down the road.

MediaWeek has all the details on this hot topic and how it is impacting its web site www.disney.com

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003631062

2007-08-23T08:47:00.001-07:00

Ticketmaster and Live Nation are breaking up and the concert world for millions of ticket-buying customers will change dramatically over the next few years, reports Billboard magazine.

This was a marriage destined for divorce court after Live Nation gobbled up several ticket related businesses over the past few years. Why pay Ticketmaster when technology advances allow you to run your own operation and keep 100% of ticket fees and service charges?

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i30e53e28d8226c065af0ecffa91325be

2007-08-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

Interesting story this week in Variety regarding the Nederlander organization renovating an old movie house and turning it into a Off-Broadway type facility that will produce and present sitdown type productions in Maryland. Shows like I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish and I'm In Therapy will sitdown for months and play to auds.

The project cost $10 million to renovate and that's a heck of a lot cheaper than building a new theater (figure $60 million + for a bare bones 2,400 seat facility these days).

The Nederlanders, partners with our company Professional Facilities Management (PFM) in Durham, NC, where a new 2,800-seat theater is being built to service that booming market, is a trend setter in the theater world. Renovating old movie houses is an intriguing concept, especially when cities are looking to revive stagnant downtown areas.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970537.html?categoryid=15&cs=1

2007-08-20T07:29:00.001-07:00

It's finally official...the top five finalists for the Last Comic Standing Live Tour coming to the Coral Springs Center for the Arts on October 20th are:

Amy Schumer
Gerry Dee
Jon Reep
Lavell Crawford
Ralph Harris

2007-08-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

The rollout of our 2007-2008 season has begun and the Sun-Sentinel's Jack Zink gave us some top billing last week in his Showtime column. Tip of the cap, Jack, for recognizing our efforts. I like the way he noted us carving out a niche in northwestern Broward County. We've positioned ourselves that way for many years.

There are very few theaters out here in the suburbs and our market is very clearly defined. If you don't like to drive very far to see a good show....we're right here in your backyard. With 600 free parking spots right out front. Hard to beat that. I've noticed a lot more folks from west Boca, Boynton Beach, Deerfield Beach and Delray Beach (west of I-95) coming our way over the last three years as well. Interesting trend as those residents decide where to go for entertainment. The Sawgrass Expressway is their easy ticket here. If they ever expand that highway all the way to I-95 (as was discussed in the media last week), our market would likely grow even further.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/stage/sfl-shjz10braug10,0,729305.column

2007-08-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

Jon Stoll, the President of Fantasma Productions, one of the largest concert promoters in the country, had a blood clot removed last week in Colorado while on vacation at his summer residence in Aspen.

It was shocking news for many in the entertainment business. He is recovering at the hospital and is still in serious condition. Executive Vice-President John Valentino will oversee operations at Fantasma until Jon returns.

Fantasma is one of the largest concert promoters in the state of Florida. They manage the Pompano Beach outdoor venue and have an exclusive booking deal at Mizner Park in Boca Raton. They have also co-promoted with us on many occasions at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, most recently on the Taylor Hicks concert which took place here last February.

Here's wishing Jon a very speedy recovery. Our prayers go out to him and his family.

2007-08-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

Great article by Sun-Sentinel theater writer Jack Zink in last week's Showtime section detailing an initiative by theaters across the country to invest in a new company that will develop new musicals for Broadway and the road. Among the investors are local venues such as the Kravis Center and Carnival Center. The company, called Elephant Eye Theatrical (love to hear the story how they came up with that name), is considering the TV hit The Addams Family as one of its first ventures. As someone who bankrolled Gilligan's Island: The Musical last season, I'll be curious to see how that one turns out.

Most of the venues investing in this company are located in markets where Live Nation dominates in competing theaters with their Broadway Across America Series (i.e. Boston, Chicago). The investor/theaters can't land the big shows in these markets when up against Live Nation so they are looking to create their own product. It's an interesting concept, but their $8 million capitalization thus far isn't going to last long in NY, where it takes closer to $11 million to debut even one show.

With a national network of theaters already formed many years ago (Independent Presenters Network) to compete against Live Nation, it appears on the surface to be a duplication of effort. Time will tell on this new venture. They have a lot of talent assembled. I will be curious to see what happens at the Kravis Center in the coming years now that they have severed their relationship with Live Nation. Will they still be able to get the big shows? Or will Live Nation start to flex its muscle, using its two remaining venues in South Florida (Broward and Carnival Centers) as leverage to prevent Broadway product from going to West Palm?

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/stage/sfl-shjz3pbaug03,0,7579567.column

2007-08-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

Coral Springs is loaded with Baby Boomers and whenever we look at booking new shows we always are searching for ways to satisfy that audience. A new concept on the road today is taking great classic rock albums (i.e. Abbey Road, The Wall) and recreating the entire record on stage with great musicians. www.classicalbumslive.com

This season we are looking at booking several of these shows. The word from other presenters across the country is these classic rock shows are extremely high quality. If you, the reader, have any suggestions on your favorite classic rock albums of all time, I'd love to hear from you.

2007-08-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

I get comments from people from time to time wondering why the 1471-seat Coral Springs Center for the Arts doesn't get more "big" shows. If the patron is sincere and not negative, I will take the time to explain a little about the business of securing acts and how working with only 1,471 seats puts us in the back seat when bidding against the Broward Center, Hard Rock Casino and others. Sometimes we are able to use our booking leverage (our company PFM manages theaters across the U.S.) and land a big name like David Copperfield, Taylor Hicks, and others.

He who has the most seats wins most of the time in this game. It's all about the money...how much can the act walk away with at your place. Sometimes, promoters in other markets (i.e. Miami) book a show down there and try to negotiate an exclusive type deal with the agent to block Coral Springs from getting a show. In fact, that situation is going on right now with the Carnival Center and a national promoter regarding a "very big" name. It's borderline ridiculous.

How many people in Coral Springs are going to drive all the way to Miami, pay $40 for parking (if they can find any) to see a show at the Carnival Center? Very few, if any, is my guess. Certainly not enough to make a dent in the gross sales for an event at the Carnival Center. Our own zip code analysis from the past three years of shows here tells me less than 1% of our audience (over 300,000 people) comes from Miami.

Nevertheless, they are trying to stop a "big name" show from playing our theater as well as their venue. No whining here...it is what it is. Bu that's an inside look at why sometimes we can't get A level stars even when the number of seats aren't a factor.

We're working with the agent to try and convince them otherwise, but it's a big promoter with a lot of muscle. And Coral Springs is getting squeezed because Miami can't sell tickets in their own backyard.

I'll keep you posted on how this shakes out.

2007-08-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

For the past three years, we've been lucky enough to secure the exclusive South Florida tour appearance of NBC's hit reality show The Last Comic Standing. The show consistently produces breakout stars on the comedy circuit among them Kathleen Madigan, Alonzo Boden, Josh Blue and many others. Tonight's episode (it airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m.) features the Top 10 finalists. I've got my predictions on the Final Five (all of whom will be appearing at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts on October 20th at 8 p.m.)

I'm thinking an all-male Final Five as the women are not as strong this year.

1. Lavell Crawford
2. Jon Reep
3. Dante
4. Ralph Harris
5. Matt Kirshen

Doubtful they will not include a woman in the final five, but if it's strictly based on talent alone, these five crack me up the most, belly aching laughs every time they walk on stage.

www.nbc.com/Last_Comic_Standing

2007-07-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

Looks like Broadway producers in New York are heading for a battle with stagehands that may ultimately end up getting ugly. I respect stagehands a great deal, but there is a lot of waste in old school, outdated contractual arrangements that call for laborers to be paid while standing around. In Coral Springs, all the stagehands work for Professional Facilities Management (PFM), the company that runs the 1471-seat theater. There is no contract. There is no IATSE arrangement, and the situation works well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/26/theater/26hand.html

2007-07-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

Gotta love kids, especially camp kids, if you're going to work at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts these days. The largest performing arts camp in all of South Florida, entitled Next Stop Broadway, is right here in Coral Springs every summer. Perhaps you didn't know that. Over 300 kids every day for 11 weeks roam the theater and meeting rooms, singing, dancing, making new friends, and learning to come out of their shells. Some more than others :)

A great group of creative people lead these children for four week sessions culminating in productions ranging from Grease to High School Musical this summer.

It's wholesome family entertainment, so catch a local musical if you're so inclined, bring the grandparents, the kids, the neighbors and grab a bag of popcorn, sit back and enjoy the show.