BOCA’S BEST Like most visiting snowbirds to the Sunshine State, the party down south is over. It’s now time to enjoy the pleasures of New York. However, it’s also the time to think back to this past unusually beautiful season and the special venues available in the world of entertainment. We all have our favorites, but a visit to the Wick in Boca was the most special I encountered. The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum is a minor miracle. It all began with a Santa Claus costume (“Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus”), created by the mother/ daughter team of Marilynn and Kimberly Wick. The costume was worn, cleaned and worn again by dozens of would-be St. Nicks, until hundreds more were made and rented. With a few stops along the way and the acquisition of thousands of costumes, in l975, Costume World was born. Having Costume World—presently the leading distributor of costumes in the nation—just wasn’t enough for this dynamic duo, and when the chance to buy a theatre came along, Marilynn Wick shrieked with delight “I always wanted to own a theatre!” The Wick is a regional theatre, which presents classic musicals. Their productions are second only to Broadway with superb sets, firstrate staging and professional actors. A recent performance of “West Side Story” was a knockout, as was the phenomenal “Guys and Dolls.” In addition, there is not a bad seat in the house. However, it is the Costume Museum which is the jewel in the crown of the Wick complex. The museum whose first costumes were from “Bells are Ringing” now owns 65 original Broadway wardrobes, which can be rented to theatres across the country. On staff are eleven seamstresses who make sure each garment is in perfect condition. The exhibits, which change yearly, are a walk into theatre history with exciting back drops and pertinent information cards. “Where Runway Meets Broadway” was this season’s costume installation and it was a sensation, a unique exhibit drawing costumes from a 100-year span: the l880’s to the l980’s. These were years of economic and social changes and theatre reflected them. The costumes on view and the plays in which they were worn were a prime example of these years. With Kimberly Wick as the docent, visitors had the most glorious stroll through Broadway history imaginable. As if the Costume Museum and the performances were not enough, the Wick offers a magnificent lunch at Tavern on the Wick. The walls are completely covered with photographs of the Crystal Room of the original Tavern on the Green and the famous chandelier hangs center stage. The china is delicate and diverse and the service is exceptional. Lunch, a Broadway musical and a museum tour, I thought I died and went to heaven. There is a gem in Boca Raton, Florida. It should not be missed. The Wick is located at 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida and can be reached at 561-995-2333. One of the many exhibit at the Wick Costume Museum Guys and Dolls at the Wick Theatre Tavern at the Wick 46 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ June 2017
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