Act II Entertainment, Vallarta’s new theatrical troupe, opens their season with THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, directed by David Restivo, with musical direction by Rhonda Padmos, vocal coaching by Elizabeth Ensor and choreography by Alejandro Balcazar. The stage version of the cinema cult classic opens at midnight on Halloween at The Palm Cabaret and Bar on Olas Altas 508 in the Zona Romantica and will run through the end of December on weekends at 7:30. Exact performance dates are listed at thepalmpv.com.

The musical follows the misadventures of two Vallarta kids, Brad Martinez and Janet Weiss, who seek refuge in a strange villa by the sea after their car breaks down on a rainy night. The inhabitants of the villa are a bizarre group of aliens led by the sweet transvestite, Dr. Frank N. Furter. Brad and Janet are swept up into Frank’s luscious decadence on a night that they would remember for a very long time.

The talented cast of American and Canadian expats and locals include Alain Perreault (Dr. Frank N. Furter), Alberto Mejia (Riff Raff), Joan Houston (Magenta), Linsi Gomez (Columbia), Aggie Unda (Janet), Jesus Salcedo (Brad), Roger Uscila (Dr. Scott), Juan Pablo Hernández (Eddie), Danny Mininni (Criminologist) and Elizabeth Ensor (Usherette). Chorus members include Juan Carlos Ramírez, Catalina Medina, Esteisy Enriquez, Jaime Coates and Alejandro Lamas.

The 4-piece live band, The Sonic Transducers, include Rhonda Padmos (piano and bass) Don Pope (electric guitar), Jesus Estrada (drums) and Oscar Terrazas (saxophone).

Tickets are $250 pesos and can be purchased at No Way, José! Restaurant at 5 de Febrero 260, on-line at thepalmpv.com or through the Act II Entertainment box office, 322.200.9461.

ACT II ENTERTAINMENT invites the public to LIKE their Facebook Page to stay up to date with information on upcoming productions.

Website: actiientertainment.com
Email: info@actiientertaiment.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ActIIEntertainment

Puerto Vallarta’s new theatrical entertainment company, ACT II ENTERTAINMENT, announces its formation. Founding members Elizabeth Ensor, Danny Mininni, Alain Perreault and David Restivo, actors in last season’s hits, THE FOREIGNER (directed by Danny Mininni) and THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (directed by David Restivo), are proud to announce five productions slated for the 2012/2013 season: two musicals, two comedies and one drama, all of which will be performed at The Palm Theatre and Cabaret (Olas Altas 508 in the Romantic Zone) as well as other venues in the Banderas Bay area.

ACT II ENTERTAINMENT’s mission is to provide Puerto Vallarta residents the opportunity both to attend and to participate in quality presentations of a cross-section of the finest theatrical works available. The company’s focus is on inclusion and quality, giving the public a well-balanced theatrical season and striving for excellence in all aspects of production with the hope of developing and drawing from local talent to the maximum extent possible.

The season begins with THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, which opens October 26 and will run through the end of December at The Palm on weekends at 7:30, with 2 special performances on Halloween at 7:30 and midnight. David Restivo directs this stage version of the cinema cult classic. Musical direction is by Rhonda Padmos (of Vallarta’s renowned music duo, Don and Rhonda) who will lead the 4-piece rock band, including piano, guitar, drums and tenor saxophone. Choreography is by another celebrated talent of Vallarta, Alejandro Balcázar. Starring Alain Perreault (Dr. Frank N. Furter), Craig Hinman (Riff Raff), Kathleen Palmer (Magenta), Joan Houston (Columbia), Aggie Unda (Janet), Jesus Salcedo (Brad), Roger Uscila (Dr. Scott), Juan Pablo Hernandez (Eddie), Danny Mininni (Criminologist) and Elizabeth Ensor (Usherette). Chorus members include Juan Carlos Ramirez, Mary Jacobs, Pam Alexandra, Mary Beth Volker, Cynthia McManus, Jamie Coates, Holly Wright and Dustin Fairchild

AN EVENING WITH SONDHEIM is an enchanting musical revue of selected works of the legendary Broadway composer/lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, featuring Elizabeth Ensor, Sharon Baughman White, David White, Kathy Overly, Alain Perreault, Craig Hinman and David Restivo. Directed by Elizabeth Ensor, the revue will open January 3, 2013 and will play several dates throughout the remainder of the season at The Palm and other venues.

HOSANNA, Act II Entertainment’s first drama, deals with issues of gender identity, sexual identity, the ignorance and acceptance of aging, and the social expressions of being gay. In this astonishing personal journey, the characters, Hosanna, an aging drag queen, and Cuirette, her reckless biker lover, shed layers upon layers of their personalities to discover the true essence at the core of their being. The two-character play by award-winning French Canadian playwright, Michel Tremblay, stars Alain Perreault and David Restivo led by the distinguished Montreal director Robert Maurac. Opening is scheduled for mid-January at The Palm.

SORDID LIVES by Del Shores is a black comedy about white trash. As an eccentric family in a small Texas town prepares for the funeral of their licentious matriarch, we learn the uproarious, sad and tawdry truth of their sordid lives. Danny Mininni will direct a cast of 12 in this offbeat and touching story, which opens at The Palm at the beginning of March.

GOD OF CARNAGE is a comedy of manners without the manners! Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play in 2009, the story is about two pairs of parents who meet to discuss in a civilized manner a playground skirmish between their sons. However, as the play unfolds, the parents become increasingly childish, and the evening devolves into chaos. Alain Perreault directs the show scheduled to open at the beginning of April. The cast features Danny Mininni, Elizabeth Ensor, David Restivo and Aggie Unda.

Tickets are $250 pesos and will be on sale at the box office at The Palm beginning mid-October, and season ticket packages will be announced soon. ACT II ENTERTAINMENT invites the public to LIKE their Facebook Page to stay up to date with information on upcoming productions.

• Website: actiientertainment.com
• Email: info@actiientertaiment.com

THE FOREIGNER, the Off-Broadway award-winning comedy hit, will be presented at Puerto Vallarta’s Boutique Theatre located at Manuel M. Dieguez 321 in Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romantica at 8 pm on 4 weekends: Nov 25-27, Dec 1-3, Dec 15-17 and Dec 28-30.

Directed by Danny Mininni, THE FOREIGNER is set in a resort-style fishing lodge in rural Georgia. The comedy revolves around two of its guests, Englishmen Charlie Baker and Staff Sergeant Froggy LeSueur. Charlie is so pathologically shy that he is unable to speak. As way of explanation, Froggy claims his companion is the native of an exotic country and does not understand a word of English. The fun begins when Charlie finds himself privy to assorted secrets and scandals freely discussed in front of him by the other visitors, and what happens can only be described as a modern comic farce complete with mistaken identities, surprising plot twists, evil villains, and innocent damsels.

The cast includes seven local ex-pats from the U.S., Canada and England: Alain Perrault (Charlie), David Restivo (Ellard), Elizabeth Ensor (Betty), Diane Briggs Hoyle (Catherine), Ron Sitarski (Owen) Dustin Fairchild (David) and Colin Hamilton (Froggy).

Director Danny Mininni Danny is excited to be returning to the Boutique Theater for its 2nd season. Last year Danny played the part of Will Scarlett in “Robin’s Hood’s” and Aunt Abby in “Arsenic and Old lace.” This is Danny’s directing debut for the Boutique Theater. Past directing credits include “Play On” “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” and the “Wizard of Oz.” Danny was a regular on Melrose Place and has appeared in TV shows and movies such as “Jerry Maguire”, “Dr Quinn Medicine Woman,” “A civil action,” “Murphy Brown,” “ Caroline in the City,” just to mention a few.

Karrie and Ken Sebryk own the intimate sixty-seat Boutique Theatre, which opened in November 2010 with the production of “Moments To Remember” a musical tribute to all the shows gone before. The first years season produced fourteen shows from musicals to comedy to drama, including the classic 1940s black comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace.

Tickets for THE FOREIGNER are $200 and can be purchased at Coco’s Kitchen, Pulpito 122, on line at tickets@boutiquetheatre.ca, or by phone, 322-222-7917.