A Class Act
Norman Shabel Produces His Own Play in South Florida
By: Aaron Krause - Jun 24, 2025
“These big corporations are getting away with murder,” declares a character in Norman Shabel’s gripping play, A Class Act. He is referring to the corporate world sickening people by knowingly or unknowingly poisoning drinking water.
“So…what can we do now,” another character later asks.
“I’ll tell you what we can do. We fight,” another person responds. “Until there are no more dead children like Meghan. Yes sir, mothaf–ka, we’ll fight!”
And with that, we leave the theater feeling angry and inspired to act.
Truly, A Class Act, set during the present in New York City, is not just another legal drama — it is a call to conscience that we cannot afford to ignore.
Doing your part may start with experiencing an absorbing professional production of A Class Act that runs one more weekend at the Township Center for the Performing Arts in Coconut Creek. Shabel’s company, Ebenezer’s Entertainment, LLC is the producer. The performance runs about an hour and 45 minutes, including an intermission that seems unnecessary. It disrupts the otherwise smooth flow. As short as the play is, we do not need a break.
Under Seth Trucks’ tight and inspired direction, seven actors convincingly bring their characters to life in a play that mirrors our divisive world. The actors are Johnbarry Green, Carey Brianna Hart, Murphy Hayes, Rick Prada, Ben Prayz, Manny Zaldivar, and Trucks. He, in addition to directing, portrays one of the play’s major characters.
Shabel, an experienced attorney turned author and playwright, often follows advice given to writers – write what you know. Shabel does that in A Class Act by taking us behind the scenes of a class action lawsuit against a chemical company accused of poisoning drinking water.
We eavesdrop in conference rooms and law offices as attorneys on both sides battle it out before the case goes to trial (if it ever does). Along the way, we learn about the cost of placing profit over principle – the monetary cost, the physical cost, the emotional cost, and the psychological cost.
In A Class Act, the characters negotiate and spar back and forth about numbers and dry yet important facts related to the case. But while we gain a “behind the scenes” look at what happens outside the courtroom, rest assured that Shabel humanizes the proceedings. We learn how General Chemical Corp’s actions directly affected an individual, namely Meghan. But to say anything more about the child would ruin a plot twist that blindsides us at the end.
Credit the actors, and their director, for always remaining convincingly in character, in the moment. They never hint that a shocking plot twist is on its way. The performances feature a contrasting mix of intensity and subtlety that keep us riveted to the stage.
Generally, Green delivers a strong performance as Edward Duchamp, a corrupt executive at General Chemical Corp. who cares only about the bottom line. The actor credibly imbues his character with such impatience and an explosive temper that you fear this man will have a coronary any second if he does not try to calm himself. Green’s Duchamp paces, flails, shakes, and shouts. In terms of intensity, he jumps from 1 to 100 in an instant. But while Green is believably intense as Duchamp, his performance lacks the nuance that could strengthen an already strong performance.
Zaldivar and Prayz also deliver intense yet believable performances as fiery, outspoken opposing attorneys. At times, these performers, and others, lean forward in a posture that suggests aggression and urgency. In addition, they speak with sharp voices that help them command the stage without upstaging other actors.
Commanding is an apt adjective to describe Hart’s assertive and determined Dorothy Pilsner, the only female attorney in the play. Undoubtedly, she is a strong female character with a clear and strong objective. And Hart imbues her with a steely resolve without making Pilsner unlikable. With a sharp voice and decisive gestures and movements that appear natural, Hart brings nuance to a strong-willed character navigating high-stakes legal and moral terrain.
The characters are not always uptight. In fact, some are calmer and serve as foils for the more high-strung folks. For example, with a long, grey beard, glasses, and a poised presence, Hayes resembles a thoughtful, measured attorney who, on the side, plays Santa each holiday season (in real life, Hayes is a professional Santa Claus).
Prada plays lawyer John Dubliner with admirable dignity, although he can grow fiery if you test his patience too much. Prada’s Dubliner carries a formality that suggests the man is serious about his work and wants to be thorough.
As attorney Phil Alessi, Trucks conveys an easy-going likability and a casualness that might put clients at ease. At times, for instance, Trucks’ Alessi sits on a desk, perhaps to suggest that laid-back, informal aura. But Trucks, a versatile theater artist, also lends Alessi conviction and a wisecracking tendency. While Trucks’ Alessi is more mellow than some of the others, we always believe that his character takes this case seriously and is determined to seek justice for his clients.
As the director, Trucks paces the play well, smartly varies the intensity level, and his staging is smart. Every movement feels purposeful; nothing on stage is wasted or extraneous. However, I question the director’s note in the program. It reads that A Class Act “refuses to hand us heroes and villains.” Clearly, especially by the end, General Chemical Corp. and its executives have become villains who are sickening and even killing “the little guy.” Again, whether they are doing so purposely or not is a matter for the courts to decide. Still, by the end, we obviously side with those common folks who just want to be safe and healthy while drinking water.
But if you hear commercials for General Chemical Corp., you may think that saints run it. Smartly, this production includes advertisements for the plant that run during scene changes. They feature pleasant, optimistic voices that win you over. Such advertisements can make us question can make us question the integrity of the people behind them.
Just as the direction and performances are generally strong, so is the design work. The actors, dressed in dark suits appropriate for a professional setting, perform on a spacious, realistic set that never overwhelms the action. Though uncredited, the scenic design is lit with naturalism and typically features a large table and chairs to suggest a conference room. The production handles scene changes simply but effectively—often by repositioning the chairs.
Projections supplement the minimalist approach, offering contextual images that flesh out each location. For instance, a few strategically arranged tables and nighttime lighting suggest an elegant restaurant without the need for elaborate physical scenery. This understated approach keeps the focus on the characters and the moral questions at the heart of the play.
A Class Act contains language that suggests intense battle and viciousness – words such as “destroy,” “put you through the meat grinder,” “bully,” “big bad corporate wolf,” “rape,” “eaten alive,” “vultures” “pit bull” suggest that our courts system plays out in a society that prizes division, domination, and winning over doing what is right. The playwright’s battle language mirrors the tone of today’s deeply polarized society. Indeed, confrontation often takes precedence over compromise these days.
Clearly, Shabel knows what he is writing about. And this attorney turned author/playwright, who evokes comparisons to John Grisham, writes vividly. Indeed, Shabel’s words form clear mental pictures. While he does not pretend to have answers to the problems the play poses, his play may move us to hesitate just slightly before downing water. We may wonder: Where did it come from? Is it safe?
Pollution and the battle for clean drinking water are not abstract concerns. In 2025, they remain critical global issues. Over 2 billion people — around 26% of the world’s population — lack access to safe drinking water, and 3.6 billion — nearly half the global population — lack safely managed sanitation. This includes 703 million people who lack access to clean water altogether, according to World Vision. WaterAid also reports that one in ten people globally do not have access to clean water close to home.
Certainly, A Class Act is a timely piece – it is theater that strives to not only entertain, but to enlighten and make a difference in our broken world. The minimal design keeps our focus on the characters — and on a story that deserves a wide audience.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: “A Class Act” by Norman Shabel
WHEN: Through this weekend. Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, as well as 2 p.m. Sunday.
WHERE: Township Center for the Performing Arts, 2452 Lyons Road in Coconut Creek.
TICKETS: Go to https://boxoffice.townshipcoconutcreek.com.