By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach voters will be asked in March to give town leaders permission to spend up to $3 million on two public safety-related projects, should the money be needed. 

How much will be required for the projects — a dock for the town’s police boat and rehabilitation of the old fire station — has not been fully determined, but Town Manager Marshall Labadie believes the costs could be above the town’s $900,000 spending cap on each project. 

Highland Beach, unlike most surrounding municipalities, has a cap on how much town leaders can spend on a single project without going to a referendum. Voters raised that cap in 2024 from $350,000 to about $900,000.

“I hope we don’t need over $900,000 for each project,” Labadie said. However, he said that having voter approval in March could get the projects moving quickly once the costs are determined. 

The town created a marine unit in the spring of 2022 with the purchase of a police boat, but since then the town has been relying on a dock at a condominium complex in the south end of town that is not built to accommodate first responders.

Labadie said that having a dock with a boat lift behind the town’s library that is built specifically for helping first responders would improve their ability to help people in water-related emergencies, making it easier and quicker to get those injured onto land. 

The town is estimating the dock could cost $1.6 million to $2 million and is hoping to get a 50% match from the Florida Inland Navigation District. The town already has an estimated cost of the dock in its current budget, Labadie said. 

Labadie said the town is also hoping to demolish a part of the old fire station, just north of Town Hall, and upgrade the bay area where the town now keeps a backup rescue unit and a backup fire truck. 

Last year the town built a new fire station to replace the longtime station that Labadie said was too old, too small and below the flood plain. 

While there were discussions about possibly keeping the entire building, Labadie said that the living quarters section would need too much work. Instead, the town is getting cost estimates for work to fix the bay area and electrical storage areas and replace the roof. 

“We’re using the building for storage of $2 million worth of equipment,” he said.  

Labadie said the bay area, once improved, could be used for town social activities or ceremonies, with the backup vehicles being pulled up in front of the building.

The proposal to give the town the go-ahead to spend up to $3 million on the two projects is scheduled to come before the voters on March 11. 

By John Pacenti

When it comes to new construction on the barrier islands, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is requiring new houses to be elevated in response to climate change.

That means Delray Beach’s 6-foot height restriction on walls isn’t cutting it for the owners of some new coastal homes. 

Jordan and Megan Dorfman, who are building a two-story home at 319 Andrews Ave., came before the City Commission on Dec. 17 seeking a waiver to build a 10-foot wall to accommodate their newly graded property.

“So, this is a kind of a unique situation that’s been happening over on the barrier island,” said Gary Eliopoulos, the architect of the home. “When you start talking about a 10-foot-high wall, it’s kind of extreme, but I think it goes back to site-specific and it goes back to the criteria people are having to deal with.”

While the commission approved the waiver, Mayor Tom Carney and Vice Mayor Juli Casale suggested that the city look into implementing a “zoning-in-progress” approach as an interim measure that would address the new reality of elevated homes on the barrier island.

Carney said he worried about the drainage issue for surrounding properties but acknowledged the city doesn’t have a rule for elevated homes.

“This is my old neighborhood,” he said. “The concept of a 10-foot wall — I don’t want to look like Palm Beach.”

City Attorney Lynn Gelin indicated she would research the zoning-in-progress option and come back to the commission on how it could be applied.

Commissioner Rob Long said he tends to side with property rights and the city needs to encourage forward-looking construction like the Dorfmans’ future home.

“This is a very nebulous issue that we’ve been dealing with for a while, and we’re not going to figure it out tonight, and I don’t want to conflate what we’re allowing here with the ordinance or whatever that we’re going to end up passing,” Long said.

Development Services Director Anthea Gianniotes told the commission there needs to be a larger public discussion.

“How much fill is too much fill?” she said. “Or do we just understand we’re going to have to live with incompatibilities between properties for a while?”

By Mary Hladky

Architect Jessica Dornblaser, a member of Boca Raton’s Community Appearance Board since 2016, has become the fourth member to resign since Mayor Scott Singer proposed limiting the board’s authority.

Dornblaser submitted her resignation on Oct. 22 in a brief email to Singer shortly after the City Council approved an ordinance that stripped down the board’s responsibilities, including reviews of architectural designs, and handed them over to city staff.

Then-CAB Chair Tiery Boykin, an architect, and John Kronawitter, a contractor and architect, resigned last February after council members directed staff to propose CAB changes. Boykin said limiting CAB responsibilities is “an effort to be too friendly to developers.”

Michael Goodwin, the owner of Crazy Uncle Mike’s restaurant and brewery, resigned on Oct. 2 but said the ordinance did not prompt his decision. He had, however, criticized the changes during a February meeting with Erin Sita, the city’s deputy director of development services.

One flashpoint in the disagreement over responsibilities is that staff now will weigh architectural designs even though no architects work for the city. The seven-member CAB includes architects who had been conducting such reviews at no cost to the city.

CAB members were astounded when Development Services Director Brandon Schaad suggested last year that the city could hire an architect to conduct the reviews.

Dornblaser declined to comment on her decision to resign. She had argued against the changes during October meetings of the Planning and Zoning Board and the council.

The seven-member CAB, created in 1966, originally was tasked with evaluating the architecture, landscaping, signs and paint colors of proposed projects. Its members at present must include at least two architects and landscape architects. Others must be an engineer, planner, building contractor, real estate agent or broker.

After CAB approval, the planning board and the council consider proposals.

On Dec. 10, the council appointed two new CAB members. They are architects Jonathan Nehmer and Paola Morales, both of Boca Raton.

Fox News personality Sean Hannity bought this ocean-to-lake property in Manalapan for $23.5 million. Photo by Daniel Petroni Photography

By Christine Davis

Manalapan has a new resident with a familiar face. In November, Fox News host Sean Hannity, who moved to Florida from New York a year ago, spent $23.5 million for an ocean-to-lake estate at 1840 S. Ocean Blvd.

Hannity already owns a Palm Beach townhouse that he bought in 2021 as a vacation home and declared as his primary residence in 2023. 

The 20,106-total-square-foot Manalapan compound on 1.86 acres, built in 1990, was recently updated. The property is intersected by State Road A1A, with the ocean parcel and a guest house/cabana facing 150 feet of ocean frontage. The property also has 150 feet with a dock on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Details of the eight-bedroom estate include a formal living room with a fireplace, formal dining room, wine room, two-island kitchen, a casual living room with a bar, a luxury primary-bedroom wing, a rooftop observation terrace with a wet bar, and a resort-style pool and spa.

The property was originally listed in February 2024 for $29 million and reduced to $25.95 million in October. Douglas Elliman agents Gary Pohrer and Nick Malinosky represented the seller, with Vince Spadea, also a Douglas Elliman agent, representing the buyer.

1840 South Ocean LLC, which is linked to Tom Del Bosco, vice president at the hedge fund Smith Management, bought the estate in 2021 for $18 million.

***

Recently sold in Boca Raton: Three Jays Ltd., with Jamey Hargreaves and John Jason Hargreaves signing as directors, parted with neighboring mansions along the Intracoastal Waterway for a combined $23.47 million.

The 8,222-square-foot, seven-bedroom home at 550 NE Fifth Ave., on 1.11 acres, sold for $19.025 million to the 550 NE 4th Land Trust, with 550 NE 4th LLC as trustee. The LLC is managed by Kim Berman in Pompano Beach. The Hargreaveses bought the property in 2000 for $5.875 million.

At the same time, the 5,011-square-foot home at 550 NE Fourth Lane sold to the same trust for $4.442 million. It last traded for $3.15 million in 2022. The deal included $13.75 million in seller financing covering both homes. Jamey Hargreaves and John Jason Hargreaves are among the children of John Hargreaves, who founded the Matalan chain of stores in Great Britain in 1985. 

***

Discover the Palm Beaches, the tourism marketing organization for Palm Beach County, will be honored for travel marketing excellence by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International at the annual Adrian Awards celebration in Manhattan on Feb. 18. 

Discover the Palm Beaches campaigns that won gold awards include “Breaking Barriers: The Palm Beaches’ Commitment to Inclusive Marketing,” and “The Palm Beaches Collection.”

Campaigns that won silver awards include “A Pilot Influencer’s Sky High Adventures,” “Sea to Preserve,” “The Palm Beaches Welcomes Everyone,” and “The Pink Retreat.”

Campaigns that won bronze awards include “Entertainment Tonight in The Palm Beaches,” “Leisure Meets Luxury,” “Love the Palm Beaches,” “Record Breaking Video Series: Live Like a Local,” “Fashion Week NYC,” and “Conquering YouTube as the Nation’s Most Followed Destination.” 

The Adrian Awards, in their 68th year, are presented in advertising, digital, PR/communications, and integrated campaign categories. These include awards for digital creators, reputation management, affiliate marketing, and broadcast integration.

***

Thanks to grants from the cities of Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Miami Beach, along with help from its supporters, the nonprofit Institute for Regional Conservation, with 22 volunteer-led events throughout 2024, installed more than 1,500 plants representing 50-plus native species to repair ecosystem function and enhance native biodiversity and removed more than 5,000 pounds of invasive plants. For more information, visit www.regionalconservation.org/ircs/Events.asp. 

***

Andrea Keiser and Noah Hale were recently appointed to serve four-year terms as board members of the Delray Beach Housing Authority.

Keiser is the managing partner of Keiser Legal, PLLC, a Delray Beach firm specializing in the counsel and representation of property owners and real estate developers in land use and zoning. Hale is the managing director of development for Fairstead, a real estate firm headquartered in New York City with an office in Delray Beach. Fairstead builds sustainable communities nationally.

***

Duffy’s Sports Grill, a Lake Worth Beach-based restaurant group, recently made Joe Webb its chief executive officer. Webb had served as president for the past five years.

“I am honored to lead a company that values both its customers and employees,” Webb said. “I look forward to building on our legacy and maintaining our commitment to excellence that began four decades ago.”

Duffy’s Sports Grill, formerly Duffy’s Drafthouse, was founded in 1985 in Lake Park.

***

The Seagate Hotel in Delray Beach unveiled its multimillion-dollar, property-wide renovation in November, which included enhancements to its lobby, 157 guest rooms and suites, event spaces, pool, Beach Club and dining venues. These renovations were led by the Brooklyn-based interior design firm Watts & Dray and mark the first major upgrades to the property since it opened in 2009.

“Our vision for the reimagined Seagate was to create spaces that were structural, charming, worldly and art-filled, while being functional and comfortable for guests,” said Vanessa Watts, partner at Watts & Dray. “To achieve this design concept, we carefully selected world-class vendors to partner with to create custom and handcrafted accents and art pieces throughout the property. This approach allowed us to work with small vendors to create one-of-a-kind elements to elevate every corner of the resort.”

For example, Watts & Dray worked with Indiewalls for art and Marc Phillips for handmade rugs. The renovation of the hotel’s 18-hole golf course was headed by architect J. Drew Rogers. Bourbon Steak Delray Beach, with Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina, is slated to open this month.

Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

Plaza del Mar with the Atlantic Ocean and the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa at top, and Ocean Avenue on the left. Photo provided by Katz and Associates

By John Pacenti

It remains to be seen if the beloved Ice Cream Club at Plaza del Mar will debut a flavor in honor of the Minnesota Vikings.

The family that co-owns the NFL team is linked to the $37 million purchase of the Manalapan shopping center, which was recorded Dec. 30 with Palm Beach County.

The fact that the plaza — essential to coastal communities around Manalapan — was being sold was one of the worst-kept secrets.

Tenants had heard rumors that billionaire Larry Ellison was purchasing the 21-unit center but instead, it was a corporation connected to the Wilf family, which built its fortune on owning shopping centers nationwide. 

Ellison recently bought the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa across the street for $277.4 million and an estate in town in June 2022 for a state-record $173 million. 

Records with the Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office show the property was sold to Manalapan Plaza del Mar LLC, a Delaware corporation. It has the same New Jersey mailing address that is home to companies owned by the Wilf family, including Vikings Chairman Zygi Wilf, Vice Chairman Leonard Wilf and President Mark Wilf.

One of the companies at the address is K&K Developers, the company that had appeared on paperwork the plaza tenants received in December, they told The Coastal Star. The Short Hills, New Jersey, address is also home to Gardens Homes, the family development company founded by the fathers of the Wilf cousins who own the Vikings.

Company officials could not be reached for comment by phone at the New Jersey headquarters on Dec. 31.

Palm Beach connection
The Wilfs do have a connection in Palm Beach County.

Leonard Wilf has an active voter registration in the county ­— at an address in the town of Palm Beach owned by a trust associated with him. Mark Wilf bought a townhouse in Palm Beach in 2016 and sold it for $7 million in 2020.

Plaza del Mar, which opened in 1982, is a 102,000-square-foot plaza known for its upscale shops, diverse dining and the closest Publix for residents along that part of the coast.

The property was owned by the investment entity MSKP Plaza del Mar and managed by Kitson & Partners. Kitson did not return phone calls seeking comment. MSKP Plaza del Mar bought the property at the height of the real estate bubble in 2006 for $37.7 million, according to property records, slightly more than its latest sale price.

Jeannie Drummond, owner of Jeannie’s Ocean Boutique, said she had been asked to sign documents on Dec. 17 “just confirming how many years our lease is, etc., etc. Just insignificant questions.”

Businesses in the plaza include beauty salons, stores for jewelry and clothing, and restaurants. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

What’s next?
“I think they are probably going to tear it down,” Drummond speculated. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. No idea. We’ll just sit tight and they’ll let us know eventually, I guess.”

Without the Publix, nearby residents along the coast would need to go over the bridge to Lantana Road for groceries.

The plaza also has a Chabad, and an Evelyn & Arthur, a women’s clothing retailer, that holds charity events in the store as well as a fashion event across Ocean Avenue for residents in memory care at The Carlisle.

The Ice Cream Club is a local institution known for its unique flavors with fun names. “Garbage Can” — full of different kinds of candy bars — is an original. Insta Graham (as in Instagram) is a new flavor that is catching fire with dark chocolate and, of course, graham crackers.

Fran and Ed Guzile were enjoying eggs at John G’s Restaurant at the plaza recently.  “There is a lot of nice retail here,” Fran Guzile said. “People can walk here for their groceries.”

“The Jewish community, because they have to walk to the shul, you see them walking through here,” Ed Guzile added.

On the other side of the plaza sits Hedy McDonald’s Art Basil Restaurant. She was optimistic about the new owners.

“The idea of somebody that buys the plaza and wants to be a little more involved is extremely exciting. We’d be building for the next thing,” she said.

The plaza was built on submerged lands and has tension cables in its foundation, she said. McDonald learned this when a plumber refused to do work in her restaurant out of fear of snapping one of the cables.

She noted that the shopping center is easily accessible from Manalapan, South Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge and Boynton Beach.

A friend of McDonald’s in Palm Beach was considering buying the property but said it was out of his price range. 

“He’s like, it’s because that piece of dirt is awesome. There’s nothing like it around,” McDonald said. “It’s basically a plaza on the beach.”

A mangled and split Delray Beach fire truck lies along downtown railroad tracks after being struck near Atlantic Avenue by a Brightline train on Dec. 28. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

In a dramatic collision that made national headlines, a Delray Beach Fire Rescue truck driving through a railroad crossing — despite the lowered gates — was struck by a Brightline train.

There were more questions than answers following the Dec. 28 crash at the Florida East Coast Railway crossing at Southeast First Street, a block south of busy East Atlantic Avenue. Three firefighters and a dozen train passengers were sent to the hospital.

“On behalf of Delray Beach Fire Rescue, our thoughts are with the passengers, Brightline team members, and everyone affected by this incident,” Fire Chief Ronald Martin said in a statement to the public released on Dec. 31.

“We are thankful there were no fatalities and remain committed to working diligently to implement improvements to prevent future incidents.”

Martin — who was just hired in October — said he intended to use the crash as a “turning point” for a department that has had a series of controversies, including a fire rescue officer mistakenly declaring a senior citizen dead and the firing of its last chief in May for mishandling resources — a move that has resulted in litigation.

But the act of maneuvering an aerial ladder fire truck — four times the length of an average vehicle — around lowered railroad gates was especially startling. The collision occurred at 10:45 a.m., leading to a daylong traffic backup downtown. Both Southeast First Street and Atlantic Avenue near the FEC tracks were blocked to traffic for hours.

Delray Beach spokeswoman Gina Carter said all three firefighters were still in the hospital on Dec. 30. 

Delray Beach Fire Rescue leadership is working with investigators from the Police Department, Brightline, and the National Transportation Safety Board as they determine the facts of the events, Martin said.

He has asked Human Resources to assign an investigator, as well.

Brightline released its video of the collision the same day as the crash, and CNN and other media took the story national.

The truck was heading east toward Federal Highway but there has been no official word about where the crew was heading. 

The video showed a southbound freight train had just cleared the crossing before the driver of the fire truck tried to work his way around the still-closed gates, where the oncoming Brightline train plowed into it. The fire truck was blasted into three pieces. 

The train’s engine showed significant damage, as well, with a shattered windshield and a large hole left in the front’s center. It appeared the engineer had to use the escape hatch.

The replacement cost with a similar type of truck is $2.3 million, according to a separate email obtained by The Coastal Star on Dec. 31 from Martin to commissioners.

The chief, however, recommended purchasing a smaller replacement with a 75-foot aerial device for $1.365 million.

The total costs of the crash to taxpayers remain unknown — such as any pending litigation or equipment carried aboard the truck needing to be replaced. Martin said insurance costs would go up because of the crash.

There is also going to be accountability, he said.

“Once causation is established, and if that causation demonstrates that there is a lack of regard for the safety of the public and disregard for public trust, I will be bringing forward the appropriate level of disciplinary action for your consideration,” Martin said.

All members involved in the crash were represented by the union, Martin told commissioners.

A request for an interview with Martin was pending at press time.

Delray Beach officials didn’t immediately respond on whether or how fire rescue service would be affected.

Questions remain about whether going around lowered gates was a matter of routine for the department or if some confusion unique to the railroad crossing occurred that morning en route to an emergency call.

The reality of the good fortune of no fatalities hit hard on Dec. 30 when Martin suspended the department’s ride-along Explorers program for city teenagers.

“Considering this weekend’s events, I would like to temporarily suspend all third-party ride-along and civilian observers, i.e. Explorers, until we have completed our investigation,” Martin wrote to City Manager Terrence Moore.

Martin said a student observer was riding with an uninvolved fire rescue unit on the day of the crash.

“This crash is a sobering reminder that emergency responders must always balance the urgency inherent in their work with caution, ensuring that the safety of our community remains our guiding principle,” Martin said in his Dec. 31 statement.

Visitors to the PBS studios in Boynton Beach are immersed in and interact with The Last Supper, one of the classic Leonardo da Vinci works brought to life in Da Vinci — An Immersive Art Experience. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Unprecedented exhibition in Boynton Beach dedicated to the work of the famed artist

By Brian Biggane

“The thing that was given to me by the universe is the chance to question it.” 

— Leonardo da Vinci

Perhaps no one in history has questioned the laws of the universe more often or more successfully than Leonardo da Vinci, a giant of the Renaissance whose life and works are celebrated in an exhibit titled Da Vinci — An Immersive Art Experience, running through April at the WXEL and WPBT building in Boynton Beach.

Da Vinci (1452-1519) is probably best known for his painting of Mona Lisa that hangs in the Louvre in Paris, as well as his depiction of the Last Supper, in which he shows the multitude of emotions on the faces of the Apostles moments after Jesus said one of them was about to betray him.

But his intellect transcended being a painter. He was a sculptor, engineer, geophysicist, astronomer and much more. He was the first to conceptualize building a flying machine and did so, making a primitive airplane that stayed above ground for one kilometer more than 400 years before the Wright brothers accomplished the same feat.

The presentation at the PBS studio, which is in the midst of a construction project scheduled for completion next fall, is the exhibit’s first stop on a U.S. tour after it debuted in Berlin and Amsterdam. It is also the first exhibit at the studio, which going forward plans two such shows per year, each lasting six months. This one began in November.

“There’s been a curiosity about da Vinci, and wanting to know even more,” said Sadah Proctor, who joined WXEL and WPBT as director of immersive media over the summer. “That’s influenced us to find other ways to share about (him). The overall response has been very positive.”

“It was very, very interesting,” Jupiter resident Beth Rockroff said after leaving the 75-minute presentation. “Very, very colorful, and creative.”

“I thought it was fabulous,” added her friend Ellen Brownstein, also of Jupiter. “I loved all the colors.”

Profile of a Warrior in Helmet is one of dozens of works by da Vinci featured in the multimedia exhibit. 

Marketing and Event Manager Heather Strum said as of mid-December the show had already been viewed by more than 9,000 visitors and 68 school classes and is selling out weeks ahead of schedule, with four showings a day.

The show, which complements a three-part series on da Vinci by legendary filmmaker Ken Burns that is available on PBS and Amazon Prime, begins with a 15-minute video giving a brief summary of da Vinci’s life and accomplishments with commentary from experts.

After another brief video welcome from CEO Dolores Fernandez Alonso on the station’s history and future plans, guests are ushered into a 2,700-square-foot room with three large video screens. A mirror on a cube encompasses the middle of the room, and a multimedia mix of sound and lights can sometimes overwhelm the eyes and ears during the show’s 46-minute run time.

The production was designed and engineered by two award-winning companies, Phoenix Immersive and flora&faunavisions, with a soundtrack composed by electronic music legend Sasha.

As lights cascade around the room with images of da Vinci’s works and accomplishments appearing and disappearing, the show occasionally becomes interactive, with viewers able to spread light by moving their hands across walls or placing a hand against a handprint on a wall to send streams of light off in different directions.

“Da Vinci Genius is the award-winning next generation of immersive experiences,” reads a text block prepared by Phoenix Immersive on a board in the tent that serves as a lobby. “Explore da Vinci’s world from a completely new perspective.”

Visitors are immersed in da Vinci works, which are projected across the floors, walls and ceiling.

As with pretty much every show that’s ever been presented, not everyone comes away impressed.

“I was kind of disappointed because it was basically a very clever graphic arts presentation,” said Harry Berkowitz, of Boynton Beach. “And he didn’t have computers in those days.”

“It’s not what I expected,” added his wife, Sheila. “I thought it would be more into art.”

But Vernon Thornton, of Wellington, saw value in the presentation.

“It was an experience, more than anything I would learn in a museum or read about,” he said. “It attempted to get me into his mind and how he works out the relations between things. And I felt it a bit.”

At the conclusion of the multimedia presentation, visitors are encouraged to take a 15-minute visit into a workroom full of artifacts featuring interactive stops — such as having a conversation with Mona Lisa, keyboards designed to play music of that period or papers that show how to draw eyes the way da Vinci did.

“We had our director of creative services, Norman Silva, design the room and create a modern-day workshop that taps into some of the neuro arts aspects of da Vinci’s work,” Proctor said. 

If You Go

What: Da Vinci — An Immersive Art Experience

When: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through April; closed Mondays.

Where: WLRN studios, 3401 S. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach

Tickets: southfloridapbs.org/davinci. Adults $35 plus fees, students and seniors $28, 12-under free.

Parking: Free on site.

Luncheon Co-Chairwomen Marissa Hollander and Karen Lazar. Photo provided

Jan. 30:  'Empowerment Through Resilience' is the theme of the annual event that will feature keynote speakers Ashley Waxman Bakshi (content creator and entrepreneur) and Olga Meshoe Washington (author and community builder), and moderator Liz Schrayer (a business consultant based in Washington D.C.). Time is 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Couvert is $136, plus a minimum gift of $5,000 to the Annual Campaign. Call 561-852-6061 or visit jewishboca.org/lionlunch. 

By Amy Woods

The largest and longest-running benefit for the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

On Jan. 20, a cross-cultural crowd of 300 will congregate at Indian Spring Country Club in Boynton Beach for the Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch.

“We consider it a signature event because it is the epitome of what we as an organization love to do, which is bring people together around Black history,” said Charlene Farrington, the museum’s executive director.

The keynote speaker is Don Mizell, a lawyer in the entertainment industry whose résumé includes developing the marketing strategy that led to the creation of the King national holiday. Mizell’s cousin, Delray Beach resident Yvonne Odom, an active supporter of the museum, referred him to the board.

“When we talked to him, he said, ‘You know I’ll do anything Yvonne tells me to do,’” Farrington said. “We were thrilled to learn of his involvement in the King holiday, so I really want to hear that story.”

Mizell worked at Elektra Records where he branded the term “jazz fusion.” During his tenure, he produced several significant records — among them Ray Charles’ Genius Loves Company, which won a Grammy Award in 2005 for “Album of the Year.” He also is a contributor to civil- and social-justice initiatives.

“We want to impart some knowledge that has to do with the Black experience in America,” Farrington said. “That’s what we’re looking for. Not just a speaker, but a speaker who can share information authentically.”

The St. John Primitive Baptist Church Praise Team will sing gospel music during the event, and CORE Ensemble actor Tiffany Terrell will give a one-woman performance portraying voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer.

“We do our best to make this event available for a large majority of our audiences,” Farrington said of the $55 ticket price.

 “It continues to grow, and it continues to represent the Spady museum and its mission and our goals.” 

If You Go

What: Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch

When: 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 20

Where: Indian Spring Country Club, 11501 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach

Cost: $55

Info: 561-279-8883 or spadymuseum.com

The YMCA of South Palm Beach County’s recent Victory Party celebrated ambassadors and donors for helping raise a record-breaking $1.4 million for the 2024 Annual Giving Campaign.

The event also honored the hard work and dedication of campaign Co-Chairwomen Linda Gunn Paton and Nicole Grimes.

“Raising $1.4 million is a testament to the power of our community, generosity and shared purpose,” Gunn Paton said. “It reflects the unwavering dedication to ensuring everyone has access to vital programs and resources that strengthen individuals and families alike.”

“This year,” Grimes added, “we had an incredible team of donors, staff, volunteers and members who were deeply committed to showcasing the meaningful work the YMCA brings to our community.” 

For more information, call 561-395-9622 or visit ymcaspbc.org/agc.

Her 2nd Chance receives $40,000 gift

Boca Raton-based Her 2nd Chance, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women in recovery, has received $40,000 from the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation.

The funds consist of a $10,000 donation and a $30,000 grant, and they will expand employment opportunities and support programs for clients working to rebuild their lives after overcoming addiction.

“We are proud to continue supporting Her 2nd Chance and the incredible work they do to uplift women in the Palm Beach County community,” said James Conner, chief grants officer for the foundation.

“This donation reflects our ongoing commitment to helping organizations that embody compassion, social responsibility and a commitment to positive transformation.”

Erin Sabin, executive director of Her 2nd Chance, said, “We are deeply grateful to the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation for their unwavering support and commitment to our mission. Both the generous donation and grant award for 2024 will allow us to enhance our vital programs, ensuring that more women have the opportunities for a fresh start.”

For more information, call 561-405-6346 or visit her2ndchance.org.  

— Amy Woods

The 10th-anniversary luncheon benefiting the nonprofit that attorney Pamela Higer-Polani founded to help people with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases drew more than 1,100 guests. Leaders in business, the community and politics came together to hear former football star Tim Tebow, whose father has been battling Parkinson’s for more than a decade, speak about dementia-related disorders. 

ABOVE: (l-r) Cassie Ganter, Robyn Raphael Dynan, Lina Zelman, Victoria Bradley, Jennifer Thomason, Rachael Johnson, Danielle Rosse, Kali Williams and Claire Rhodes hold Tebow images. LEFT: Ingrid Fulmer and Marta Batmasian. Photos provided by Downtown Photo

The highly anticipated ball — in its 11th year — set a fundraising record for Place of Hope’s South County campus. The sold-out event brought together an audience of nearly 700 who helped pay for programs that provide safety and stability to vulnerable youths. ‘We are thankful for the people who have carried us through this first decade and excited for the next generation of supporters who will help us blaze a trail forward,‘ said Lisa McDulin, director of advancement and campaigns, noting that Susan and Peter Brockway were recognized as 2024 Jay DiPietro Heroes of Hope honorees. 

TOP: The Brockways RIGHT: Amy and Mike Kazma Photos provided

Honorees (l-r) Lisa Mulhall, Cynthia Krebsbach, Leon and Toby Cooperman, Dawn Friedkin, Mindi Fasnacht and Lisa Friedkin. The Friedkins accepted a posthumous award for Lora ’Skeets’ Friedkin. Photo provided

The annual affair of the Boca Raton Historical Society/Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum celebrated the 2024 inductees whose contributions left a lasting mark on the Boca Raton community. ’The Walk of Recognition highlights the selfless individuals who strengthen the fabric of our community through service, leadership and generosity,’ said Mary Csar, executive director of the historical society. ’We are honored to celebrate this year’s inductees and their extraordinary legacies.’ Inductees’ names are etched into granite stars at the Walk of Recognition monument in Mizner Plaza at Royal Palm Place. 

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s campaign finale took place in front of an audience of 300 supporters watching while author Shelby Van Pelt was being interviewed about ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’. Van Pelt’s debut novel — about a widow’s unlikely friendship with a giant octopus reluctantly residing at an aquarium — was an instant New York Times bestseller. ’This Read Together campaign was one of the most exciting and engaging campaigns, from scientific presentations about octopuses, to art class-style paint-and-sip parties, to virtual and in-person book discussions,’ said Kristin Calder, the coalition’s CEO. ’The community loved reading this book together.’   

TOP: (l-r) Leanne Adair, Calder, Brenda Medore and Debra Ghostine. RIGHT: (l-r) Suzy Lanigan, Van Pelt and Becky Walsh. Photos provided

The new Oceano Kitchen on Lucerne Avenue in Lake Worth Beach will include a wood-fired pizza oven, fuller menu and bar, credit-card acceptance and a light, open interior. Rendering provided 

By Jan Norris 

Mid-month is the targeted reopening date for the newly designed Oceano Kitchen.

The popular Lantana restaurant moved in 2023 to the former Social House in downtown Lake Worth Beach. It’s been closed since June for the renovation.

Chef/owner Jeremy Bearman said the former restaurant and bar is transformed. “We gutted the entire thing.”

Bearman got through last season with a limited menu. “We went into the contract on the building a year and a half ago. After we were kicked out of our old space, we moved in in nine days in Lake Worth,” Bearman said.

“When we moved over from the old space, we left a kitchen with a wood-burning oven. We had used it for everything. So we ran without pizza.

“Now, we have a new wood-fire oven — no gas. And a pretty big smoker outside. We’ll be doing pizzas and all the wood-fired dishes as we did in the past.”

Bearman co-owns the restaurant with his spouse, Cindy Bearman, and they planned the layout. “We did all the architecture,” he said.

The interior spaces are their vision that a New York designer fulfilled, he said. 

“We hired this designer, Sarah Carpenter, from Brooklyn. We love her work,” Bearman said.

Carpenter’s designs incorporate a modern feel, with light woods and open spaces, and not what Bearman calls the cliché of dark, industrial interiors he dubs as overdone. 

“You don’t see too many like these in South Florida,” he said.

He’s excited about having expanded seating, patio dining, and a practical kitchen. It’s a big step up from his former restaurant, a tiny house on Ocean Avenue in Lantana.

“For 6½ years we were working from a 500-square-foot kitchen. We were limited in how much we could do. Guests didn’t like the 2½-hour wait,” Bearman said.

That, combined with a lease disagreement with the landlord, and the Bearmans were ready to move. “So when we found this place in Lake Worth Beach, we jumped,” Jeremy said.

The Social House was used for co-working and as a private event space at the time.

“One good thing was a functional commercial kitchen. We were able to run out of there for six months. If it hadn’t been there, we would be closed,” Bearman said.

Also new is the full bar. “We’re super excited. We brought on a gentleman, Patrick Wert, who does a lot of work in New York and Miami. He’s consulting with us on our cocktails. He does amazing work.”

A change in menu format is underway as well.

“We used to do a menu that changed every night. But we limited it when we moved here. Now we’ll have a few things that remain on it weekly — pizzas, pastas, fish every night. But we’ll change a couple items every week. By the time we get into a couple months, a lot of the menu will change,” Bearman said.

He will continue to source locally when viable, and change the menu with ingredient availability. 

Cindy Bearman will continue as pastry chef and add a few more desserts each night, Jeremy said.

“We have new wait staff and, the great thing, a new general manager.” 

Eric Abney is from Dallas where he worked at Loro, a well-known Asian smokehouse.

“All of our employees are coming back, too,” Bearman said. “Eric Sheremeta heads up our kitchen as chef d’cuisine, the former general manager wants to stay on as maitre d’. Even all our dishwashers are coming back. It’s pretty amazing.

“A lot of our guests have been clamoring for us to reopen.”

The new restaurant seats 140 — 80 indoors and 60 outside. “We’re taking reservations for all size parties. We can accommodate 40 to 50 people in our back dining space. We’re already sold out for two weddings,” Bearman said.

Diners will also be in for a pleasant payment surprise.

“Oh yeah — we’re now taking credit cards. Gotta move forward,” he said.

512 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth Beach. Online at oceanolwb.com. 

Max’s Grille changes hands

Max’s Grille in Mizner Park is under new ownership as of mid-December and is open during the transition.

David Baldwin, owner of Arka Restaurant Group, says the group will keep the Max’s name but tweak the concept to Arka’s specifications.

Baldwin is behind the trio of Kaluz restaurants, in Wellington, Plantation and Fort Lauderdale.

Max’s Grille was created by local restaurant gurus Burt Rapoport and Dennis Max in 1991, and considered a new concept at the time: a chef-driven, modern American grill. It has been a draw to the plaza from the start.

“It’s got a long and successful history,” Baldwin said. That’s one of the reasons it will remain under the same name, he said.

It will pick up the best features from Kaluz, but still retain the Max’s Grille feel, he said. Changes will be subtle and not immediate.

“I’m happy with the general manager and chef and others that are there,” Baldwin said. “We are trying to integrate their opinion and at the same time, make sure to move the concept forward.”

Baldwin says dining at an upscale-casual restaurant has changed since Max’s opened. 

Looking at other recently opened restaurants in the plaza, he said, “We want to be relevant, and continue to stay relevant. We’ll improve what you touch and feel in the restaurant and the food.”

Adapting to trends and shifts in diner perception is important.

“People who want to go out to dinner want a good meal and good service — and an experience,” Baldwin said. “We get birthdays and celebrations, the special occasion diners. We’re selling an experience. But people have to see the value in it.”

Baldwin is hoping to expand Max’s Grille concepts elsewhere, while he continues to add more Kaluz locations. 

404 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Phone 561-368-0080; maxsgrille.com.

In brief

The Falcon House in Delray Beach is now Novecento, with  a soft opening late last month and grand opening set for Jan. 16.

The upscale-casual Argentinian steakhouse has roots in the Soho area of New York and in South America. Currently there are four in Miami-Dade County.

Expect a large selection of grass-fed Argentinian steak cuts, a raw bar with dishes such as wagyu carpaccio and salmon crudo, plus pasta and chicken items. Brunch, lunch and dinner;  weekly tango shows. More info at novecento.com.

The Boca Raton resort is bringing back the Napa Valley-partnered winter wine and food event that focuses on top chefs and winemakers.

The Artisans of Wine and Food event is Jan. 17-19 at the resort and includes the popular gala with wine auction. Tickets and more information are available at artisansofwineandfood.com.

Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.

Darren Miller’s Explorations of the Dance will be displayed on Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach. Photo provided

By Tao Woolfe

Boynton Beach is promoting this year’s kinetic art exhibition as one that kids will especially enjoy. But because many of the huge, outdoor sculptures sport bright colors and parts that move with the wind, they bring out the child in everyone.

The exhibit, formally known as the International Kinetic Art Experience in Boynton Beach, will be held Feb. 1-2 at two venues — one inside at the Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center and one outside.

The outdoor installations will be placed in downtown areas from Seacrest Boulevard to Federal Highway, said Craig Clark, the city’s director of recreation and cultural services, who is organizing the event.

The indoor pieces will be on display for only two days, but the outdoor sculptures will remain for 18 months, Clark said. 

“Kinetic art is art that really moves, or gives the illusion of motion,” Clark said, adding that the art form — which requires engineering expertise as well as artistic talent — is popular and brings artists and visitors from around the world.

He said he is especially excited about some of the local artists who will be among the 30 exhibiting this year. Among them is Harold Caudio, a Haitian mixed-media artist who lives in West Palm Beach.

Caudio’s work, which has been featured at Art Basel in Miami and on television’s “Good Morning America,” uses unconventional materials such as Skittles candies for  pop art pieces.

His “Colored Collextion” will feature portraits of Black celebrities constructed from hundreds of Skittles.

He has sweetly remembered Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Michelle Obama, to name a few. 

“The idea of the collection is to bring people together, no matter what color or background while spreading unity and peace,” says a blurb on the website of the Trap Music Museum in Atlanta, which has exhibited Caudio’s work.

Other artists Clark plans to showcase include Darren Miller, of Decatur, Ill., and Laurence Gartel, of New York, who is considered a pioneer in digital art.

Miller’s Explorations of the Dance is 7 feet tall and will be on exhibit along Ocean Avenue.

“It moves and turns and plays musical notes,” Clark said.

A little further down Ocean Avenue, Gartel’s playful murals of underwater flowers and fish will grace the Boynton Beach Amphitheater in Centennial Park.

“It’s an underwater colorful theme that looks like it’s moving,” Clark said.

Boynton Beach has been featuring kinetic art exhibits since 2013 and has established itself as an annual destination for the big, moveable pieces.

Last year’s show brought in some 6,000 visitors, Clark said. 

“This is our seventh one,” Clark said, explaining that although setting up such exhibits is not usually his job, he has enjoyed the task. 

“I’m excited and proud to be putting in this show. I do love art!”

The exhibition weekend will include artist and designer talks, student displays, turbine demonstrations, light projections and choreographed motion performances with community volunteers. There will also be live music, food trucks, artist booths and other activities.

The indoor exhibit will be held Feb. 1-2 at the Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center, 125 E. Ocean Ave. Hours for the Feb. 1 indoor exhibition are noon to 4 p.m., and for Feb. 2, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The outdoor weekend events will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on Feb. 1 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 2. The outdoor exhibits are self-guided. Admission is free.

The Beast Mode Trio consists of keyboardist Tal Cohen, bassist Armando Gola and drummer Jonathan Joseph. Photos provided

By Bill Meredith 

Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be drummers in South Florida.

Miami-born Jonathan Joseph has toured and recorded with vocalists Ricky Martin and Joss Stone — two pop artists with oversized name recognition — but even that hasn’t made him a comparable star despite his own oversized technique, taste, and speed around the drum kit.

The 58-year-old Port St. Lucie resident has also worked with rock, jazz and fusion names like Jeff Beck, Pat Metheny, Joe Zawinul, Al Jarreau, David Sanborn, Richard Bona, Martin Barre, Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Betty Wright, Nestor Torres, and the Yellowjackets.

Trained by the incomparable Steve Rucker at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, the drummer has talent comparable to that of current percussive icons such as Vinnie Colaiuta, Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl, and Omar Hakim.

And although his home base being in South Florida means he’s seen and heard less than his peers, Joseph’s every new project could shine more light on his world-class dexterity — like his latest venture, the Beast Mode Trio (beastmodetrio.com), with keyboardist Tal Cohen and bassist Armando Gola.

The group has a forthcoming self-titled debut album that’s being mixed and mastered by Gola, and appears at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Jan. 12.

“It’s mostly originals, written by all of us, with a few cover songs,” Joseph says. “Like ‘My Favorite Things’ by Rodgers and Hammerstein; ‘Lonnie’s Lament’ by John Coltrane, and ‘Yesterdays’ by Jerome Kern, which we play in a 7/8 time signature. They all have our unique rhythmic approach.”

Grammy Award winners all, the members of the Beast Mode Trio are also akin to a musical United Nations (fittingly touring to play the Thailand International Jazz Conference on Jan. 24). The Australia-born Cohen’s credits include Terence Blanchard, Joe Lovano, and Greg Osby; the Cuban Gola’s include Arturo Sandoval, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Eldar Djangirov, plus his own celebrity vocalist association in Jennifer Lopez. But the trio’s chemistry stems from years of previous instrumental gigs, jams, and recording sessions.

“The first time I played with Tal was a jam session at Churchill’s Pub,” Gola says, “the oldest bar in Miami. We also used to play at a jazz club there called Le Chat Noir. And Jonathan and I have done many years of recordings and concerts with different bands, including Weather Underground.”

Joseph’s drumming is in the league of hummingbird-like speed kings who attract eyes and ears by nature.  

Yet Joseph, Cohen and Gola all understand that surplus technique and beastly chops are necessary only when they suit particular pieces of music.

Drummer Jonathan Joseph has had a varied and impressive career. His newest venture is a jazz-fusion trio.

The drummer’s work with the Zawinul Syndicate, Austrian keyboard legend Joe Zawinul’s offshoot group from Weather Report, taught him lessons in non-clave-based rhythms and world music. And Joseph’s 2015 instructional book, Exercises in African-American Funk (Hudson Music), written with the Frost’s Rucker, illustrates the fusing of Cameroonian rhythms into contemporary music that his playing with the gifted Cameroon-born bassist Richard Bona inspired.

“Richard probably had more impact on me than any other artist I’ve worked with,” Joseph says, “and Armando is probably one of the only other musicians I know who could help create the rhythms we come up with. Tal, who’s a tremendous up-and-coming talent, has been fascinated with those rhythms since we first crossed paths. He plays mostly acoustic piano, with occasional Fender Rhodes electric piano figures.”

The Beast Mode Trio features the perfect foils for Joseph, and not just because all are deserving of wider recognition. Cohen seamlessly blends his knack for Middle Eastern melody with traditional jazz harmony, and his rhythmic prowess perfectly suits the propulsive rhythm section. Gola sports a deep, massive tone on electric bass, and an ability to match Joseph on everything from stately ballads and jazz standards to complex shell-game rhythmic patterns on original fusion compositions.

Both Cohen and Gola reside in Joseph’s hometown of Miami, and the drummer has indeed ventured elsewhere during his career of star associations.

Many of the jazz/fusion artists he worked with came during the late 1990s, when he lived in and around New York City. Joseph met British singer Joss Stone in the early 2000s; married her mother, and started splitting time between the United States and England.

Joseph’s move to Port St. Lucie was for reasons non-musical.   

“In 2016, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,” he says. “The surgeon that my urologist recommended was based in Celebration, near Orlando. So I sold my townhouse in Boca Raton and moved further north. I had surgery in 2017 after my last tour with Jeff (Beck), plus a tour with Jethro Tull’s former guitarist, Martin Barre. Those were both great distractions, and I’ve been cancer-free for more than seven years since.”   

The Beast Mode Trio took shape after he recovered, providing incentive for the seemingly ageless drummer to break new ground with Cohen and Gola, musicians a generation or more younger.   

On the trio’s album and at its upcoming performance, listeners can expect the unexpected in cuts like Joseph’s composition “Binda.”

Few other than Weather Report have ever created a jazz/fusion beast this heavy — especially, and similarly, with no guitarist required.

If You Go

The Beast Mode Trio performs at Crazy Uncle Mike’s, 6450 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton.

When: 7 p.m. Jan. 12

Tickets: $25-$245

Info: 561-931-2889; crazyunclemikes.com

An ionic capital manufactured by Mizner Industries. Photo provided

By Jan Engoren

A new exhibit at the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum coincides with the city of Boca Raton’s centennial and looks back on the continuing impact of city planner, industrialist and architect Addison Mizner.

The multimedia exhibit, Boca Raton 1925-2025: Addison Mizner’s Legacy, features artifacts, photographs, drawings, maps and videos, and runs through May 30. 

It highlights the city’s past century of development — from its beginnings as a rural  agriculture stop on Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railroad, to a wealthy enclave and resort destination, due in large part to the architectural philosophy and vision of Mizner. 

“Contemplating the previous decades of progress gives us the foundation, perspective, and inspiration to make the next century even greater than Addison Mizner could have ever imagined,” says Mary Csar, executive director of the Boca Raton Historical Society.

Along with the museum’s curator, Susan Gillis, the exhibit was guest curated by architectural historian and photographer Augustus Mayhew, author of Addison Mizner: A Palm Beach Memoir.  

As a young man, Mizner traveled extensively in Spain, Mexico and Central America, visiting Guatemala, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and was influenced by the architectural styles he saw there.

“I have based my design largely on the old architecture of Spain — with important modifications and to meet Florida conditions,” he said at the time.

His vision for both Palm Beach and Boca Raton included a city inspired by the style of Old World Spanish or Italian towns — Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival  styles — but with modern conveniences such as plumbing, roads and electricity.  

According to Gillis, Mizner would fly potential investors down from Palm Beach to Boca Raton in a seaplane.

The Historical Society archives contain hundreds of Mizner’s full-page newspaper ads from all over the country proclaiming of Boca, “Where promises are as good as the God-given soil.”

“Nobody did PR better than Addison Mizner,” says Gillis, noting that Mizner, the best-known American architect of his era, was “incredibly ambitious.”

Mizner’s first Florida building in 1918 — now the Everglades Club — revolutionized Palm Beach, which had wooden homes mostly in the style of the Northeast.

The club had a signature pink stucco, arched arcades, ornate wrought-iron balconies and terra-cotta tile roofs, which he himself manufactured at Mizner Industries on Bunker Road in West Palm Beach.

The company also manufactured pottery, furniture, wicker, millwork, hardware and stained glass windows and doors.  

From 1919 to 1924, Mizner designed about 38 houses in Palm Beach, as well as homes in Boca in the Old Floresta and Spanish Village neighborhoods and even the City Hall building, which now houses the Boca Raton History Museum.   

The Addison, built in 1925, and now an event space on East Camino Real, was Mizner’s headquarters. According to Gillis, Mizner had an apartment on the second floor, a space now used for storage.

“I never begin to design a home without first imagining some sort of romance about it. Once I have my story, then the plans take place easily,” he said.  

The centerpiece of the Boca exhibit is Mizner’s famed 1925 Mediterranean Revival-style Cloister Inn, now The Boca Raton.

His signature details are evident in the resort’s red tile roofs, stucco exterior, lush, tropical landscaping, ornate lobbies and open air spaces as well as its opulent décor, some of which he manufactured himself.

On display at the museum are interior décor and vases and Ali Baba jars with his signature “Mizner blue” glaze and samples of tiles fabricated in his Las Manos Pottery company.

Also showcased are Mizner-designed architectural elements such as Corinthian column artifacts, cast-stone elements, mantels, decorative accessories and furnishings on loan from the Frederick Herpel Collection.

What does Gillis think Mizner would think of Boca Raton now?

“He’d absolutely love it,” she says. “His architectural style still has influence today and, not just the style, but his glorious dream.”   

If You Go

Boca Raton 1925-2025: Addison Mizner’s Legacy is on view at the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, 71 N. Federal Highway, through May 30.

Admission: $12 adults, $8 seniors and students

Info: 561-395-6766; BocaHistory.org

From left: Dennis Creaghan, William Hayes, Denise Cormier, David Hyland, Kelly Gibson and Collin McPhillamy in ‘The Dresser.’ Photo by Curtis Brown Photography

By Hap Erstein

Theater audiences are often intrigued by the intricacies of backstage life, and particularly the larger-than-life personalities who have devoted their careers to an unglamorous existence on the road.

So there is little wonder that Ronald Harwood’s 1980 drama The Dresser has been met with success on both sides of the pond, with several major revivals and a couple of filmed adaptations of the story of a symbiotic relationship between a once-great, now gone-to-seed Shakespearean actor-manager known only as Sir and his slavishly devoted companion and factotum, Norman.

The play has long been a favorite of Palm Beach Dramaworks’ producing artistic director William Hayes, so much so that he took on the role of Norman in the company’s fourth season and revives it now, returning in the title role.

While Sir and Norman are fictional characters, they are recognizably based on Sir Donald Wolfit, an incorrigibly difficult stage actor who headed a classical touring troupe in England during the 1940s and ’50s, and Harwood himself, who served as Wolfit’s dresser during that latter decade.

The Dresser is set somewhere in the English provinces in war-torn 1942 and, indeed, the first sound we hear in director J. Barry Lewis’s meticulously detailed production is an air raid siren that threatens to cancel Sir’s 227th rendering of King Lear.

You would think he would have the role down cold by now, but perhaps struggling with dementia, panicky Sir is trying to recall his opening lines — much to Norman’s chagrin — and is virtually catatonic, unable to make his first entrance.

In many ways, The Dresser is a valentine to the theater and to those who trod the boards many years ago, but Harwood is also after something deeper and more personal. For in addition to the history lesson, it is a touching tale of unrequited love.

Despite his name, Sir is as far away from knighthood as his seedy troupe is from London’s West End. Nevertheless, there is greatness in Colin McPhillamy’s performance as the mountainous, egotistical tragedian facing life’s endgame.

As befits the character, most of his lines are bellowed in capital letters, for Sir is always consciously acting, offstage as well as on. The actors and crew in his orbit have both fear and affection for him, dependent as they are on his ability to keep the company intact and solvent.

No one is more aware and on the receiving end of Sir’s mood swings than Norman, his devoted assistant who has accepted his lot in life, living in Sir’s shadow.

In a similar way, Hayes spends much of the evening deferring to McPhillamy, but he comes on strong late in the play as Norman is forced to face how little his love and respect for Sir are reciprocated.

Hayes low-keys the prissy mannerisms that are often used to convey the character’s sexual orientation while leaving no doubt that he is gay. 

The Dresser is essentially a two-hander, though Harwood gave himself the luxury of a 10-member cast, some of whom are mere background extras. Standouts include Denise Cormier as Sir’s long-suffering wife, Her Ladyship, and Elizabeth Dimon as Madge, the company’s stage manager.

Among the indignities Cormier has to suffer are being assigned to play Lear’s daughter Cordelia. Dimon, reprising a character she played 21 years ago, aptly projects a scolding admiration for Sir.

Dramaworks’ earlier production was in a more intimate — as in cramped — venue. While that sense of claustrophobia had its advantages, money and space now allow the company the breathing room of Anne Mundell’s scenic design, a well-appointed if shabby dressing space and a cleverly placed side area representing the stage wing.

There, the actors huddle and double as the sound crew,. Veteran costumer Brian O’Keefe must have had fun assembling the theatrical wardrobe for the cast, as well as Sir’s dingy gray union suit underwear.

In recent years, Dramaworks has been placing an emphasis on producing new works. While that is an admirable goal, it is currently demonstrating the value of also reaching back in this 25th anniversary season and reviving cherished productions from its past.

Whether you saw PBD’s The Dresser 21 years ago or not, see it now.

By Janis Fontaine

Some people call it Drunk Church. Or Addiction Church. 

Whatever the name, the Recovery Church Movement is saving the lives of addicts and alcoholics one soul at a time. Recovery churches hold worship services that incorporate Jesus Christ into the familiar 12-step recovery program with great success. 

Recovery Church was imagined in Lake Worth in 2010 by Philip Dvorak, a Palm Beach Atlantic University graduate, and a few other men and women who recognized the need for a church where alcoholics and addicts in any stage of recovery could continue their walk with Christ without fear of being judged.

Its tagline explains it: “A Church Created BY the Recovery Community FOR the Recovery Community.” And as Dvorak has said, “They can belong before they believe and before they behave.” 

Delray Beach’s first Recovery Church, which meets on Mondays at Trinity Lutheran Church on North Swinton Avenue, maxed out with more than 300 people showing up some weeks for Christian worship. So Pastor David Schmidt at Cason United Methodist Church, just across the road from Trinity, opened his church to the movement on Thursday nights at 7.

Mitch Thompson from the Recovery Church Movement has overseen the opening of Recovery Church Delray 2. 

Thompson’s official title is “Discipleship and Operations Pastor,” which means he’s active in all aspects of running a Recovery Church and spends his time fine-tuning the churches and the 20-step process for opening a new church.

The system provides all the support a new church could want. Over several months, church leaders like Thompson, Jeff Waycott and Dave Wise travel to the sites to train new worship leaders in the ways of the RCM. 

In December, the RCM opened its 85th church with plans to open at least five more in the coming months. 

As anyone familiar with the 12-step method of treating alcoholism knows, the first step is for addicts to acknowledge their lives are broken. (“I admitted I was powerless over alcohol — that my life had become unmanageable.”)

But the second step delivers hope. (“I came to believe that a Power greater than myself could restore me to sanity.”) And the third step is to surrender to that power. (“I made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God as I understood him.”)

Many people find comfort in the ambiguity of a “higher power” and one that accepts “God as I understood him.”

This opens the door for people of all faiths — and those without any faith at all — to work the 12 steps. For those with a Christian background, the unaffiliated Recovery Church provides a way to ease back into building a more intimate relationship with God.  

But Recovery Church doesn’t just minister to addicts living in sober houses or on the street.

The leaders do what Thompson calls “the H&I tour” — the hospitals and institutions tour — where they bring church into the facilities where the sickest are suffering. “We’re very much connected to the recovery community,” Thompson said. And RCM has certain expectations. 

“One of the key components or requirements is that the individual be of service to others. It’s fundamental to us,” Thompson said. Parishioners are expected to volunteer to help in any way they can. It may be something small at first, but in most cases, they want to give back, Thompson said. “Addicts tend to be selfish people and it’s important that they grow and look outside themselves. The root of service is spiritual.”

It’s a way of saying thank you for the grace that they’ve been given, because it’s by the grace of others that Recovery Churches exist. Most of their money comes from donors and fundraisers.

It takes from three to six months and $10,000 minimum to open a new church, Thompson said. “In every location, we take care of all the set-up costs and training of the people.” 

Thompson said that the demand for Recovery Churches keeps growing, so 2025 shows no sign of slowing down. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a testament to the success of the church.

The attendance, which sometimes tops that of “normal” church, is proof there’s a need. 

It’s easy to get burned out, and even with God’s support, Thompson, a married father of two kids ages 3 and 8, said he’s careful to take time out for self-care. “I have a mentor I meet with who helps me, and I guard my evenings and weekends closely. Family and balance come first,” he said.

Inside a church service

The service at the new church in Delray Beach kicked off on time, right at 7 p.m., with about 50 people scattered on hard, slippery wooden seats. But right from the start you knew the acoustics were first-class. 

Worship leader Kermit Kruger welcomed everyone. He called out his team of prayer warriors and invited anyone present to come up to receive a “surrender cross.”

These crosses represent the start of one’s journey walking and working the steps at Recovery Church. They are a bit like the AA chips that people in recovery receive.

Parishioners earn crosses of different colors for the time they’ve spent on the path. 

The music portion was first. Singers Stacy Hinz and Bobby Cumming took the stage to perform Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” a heartbreaker of a song.

The words to the songs are displayed on a huge video screen, karaoke style, so that you can sing along and don’t need to remember all the words. 

The duo followed that with the stirring song “I Speak Jesus,” written by Jesse Reeves, Abby Benton, Carlene Prince, Dustin Smith, Raina Pratt and Kristen Dutton. 

With lyrics like “I just want to speak the name of Jesus/ ’Til every dark addiction starts to break/ Declaring there is hope and there is freedom/ I speak Jesus,” the song touches many hearts.

Hands go up in praise all over the venue as people at various points in their sobriety journeys pass healing energy back and forth. The duo finished with a lovely rendition of the classic Christmas hymn “O Holy Night.” 

Kruger returned to the stage with a few messages of his own before introducing the guest speakers. He impressed upon the audience that when we don’t want to do something (like go to church), that’s the time to do it.

He said that what spinach is to Popeye, Jesus is to him. And most touching, he admitted, “I finally found the high I’ve been searching for my whole life.” Then he turned the stage over to Will and Jose, the guest preachers for the night. 

The duo testified about their recent experiences spreading the Recovery Church message. Pastor Will told a story about a woman with a withered hand and asked the congregants, “Without Jesus, where is your hope?” 

Then speaker Jose turned up the volume and told his story, which had themes including “God loves a grateful heart,” “keep on praising” and “God doesn’t change.” He reminded his audience that we have “a big God for our little problems.”

As the show ended, audience members were invited forward for a meet-and-greet and prayer session, and when they began putting chairs up on tables an hour later, prayers were still going on. 

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com