Gulfshore Playhouse Presents FOSSE TO FLORIDA: Bringing Broadway To Arts Education, May 6

Gulfshore Playhouse, Naples' premier professional theater, will host Broadway choreographer and actor Becky Timms alongside Gulfshore Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Jeffrey Binder and Director of Education Steven Calakos, for next week's Artful Distancing on Wednesday, May 6 at 3 p.m. via Zoom.

The panelists bring decades of Broadway experience and will discuss how their experience has informed their theater education teaching. Timms has directed and choreographed more than 60 productions for professional equity theatres all over the country and previously worked with the legendary Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse. Binder has worked with Tony-winning directors Julie Taymor and Michael Mayer. He also recently starred in the theater's production of "It's a Wonderful Life" and has appeared on Broadway shows, including "The Lion King," "Mary Poppins," "Side Man" and "The Lieutenant of Inishmore." Calakos, served as founder and artistic director of CHS Theatrical, a New Jersey-based independent theatre company that produced numerous productions as well as the annual South Jersey Student Theatre Festival for high schoolers.

"As always, Gulfshore Playhouse has made lemonade from lemons," said a first-time Artful Distancing participant. "When the whole world is feeling more than a bit isolated, suddenly on the screen appears familiar faces talking about interesting things. A wonderful contact with other people and with the theater."

Artful Distancing is a weekly theater discussion program that airs live on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. via Zoom. Participants can register online at www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org/artful-distancing. Login details will be sent via email. Sessions will also be recorded and available for viewing at no cost on Gulfshore Playhouse's YouTube channel.

While Gulfshore Playhouse has cancelled programming for the remainder of season due to COVID-19, plans are still underway for education summer programming, with mainstage productions anticipated to kick off in October for the 2020-21 season.

While the financial impact from the loss of ticket sales revenue has been devastating, the Playhouse has continued basic operations through the support of tax-deductible donations. To help sustain future programming, donations are being requested to ensure the organization is able to continue serving families, children, and the greater community through the power of live theater. All donations can be made online at www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org.

For nearly 16 years, Gulfshore Playhouse has been passionately committed to enriching the cultural landscape of our region by producing professional theater to the highest artistic standards and providing unique educational opportunities to diverse groups of people in a spirit of service, adventure, and excitement. The Playhouse's work is inspired by a belief in the magic of theater to expand the imagination, challenge the senses, provoke discussion, and revitalize in its audiences an understanding of our common humanity. This belief drives the care with which Gulfshore Playhouse treats its artists, audiences, students, staff, and members of the greater community.