Latest news with #Straz
Axios
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Unhoused teens become playwrights through Straz partnership
Nine teens stand in a circle. Erin Lekovic, a playwright and community engagement instructor at the Straz Center, is in the middle, leading a round of "Fortunately, Unfortunately." "Unfortunately, I lost my car," one teen begins. "Fortunately, I had wings," another offers. "Unfortunately, I flew too close to the Sun," a third chimes in. Laughter spreads. The warmup ends. The teens sink into gray couches and open their scripts for today's rehearsal: a comedy they wrote about a gold-digging leprechaun. Why it matters: The youngest in the room is 13; the oldest, 18. All of them are experiencing homelessness and live at Metropolitan Ministries with their parents. But through a partnership between Metropolitan Ministries and the Straz, for 90 minutes each week, they're not case numbers — they're actors and playwrights. What they're saying: Justine Burke, vice president of marketing for Metropolitan Ministries, noted that many kids the nonprofit serves have never experienced Broadway-style theater. "It brings them a lot of laughter, a lot of joy. It relieves their stress and exposes them to things that they might otherwise not be able to do." Zoom in: Lekovic grew up in Tampa and is a product of the Straz's community engagement program. Her mom dropped her off in the summers while she worked. That's where she first learned that not all plays were written by "dead white guys." They could be made in a room with kids like her. And that stuck with her. She studied musical theater, started a theater company in New York, worked on stages in Chicago and wrote screenplays in Los Angeles. But her roots were in Tampa, and she returned in 2022. State of play: The teens have written two plays since January. One is a dark reimagining of "Little Red Riding Hood." The other started as a joke on St. Patrick's Day. Some of the teens miss classes, but they always come back. Over time, the talkative ones quiet down; the quiet ones speak up. Lekovic has watched them grow into an ensemble. She hopes a few keep writing. Maybe a few keep acting. But mostly, Lekovic hopes they remember what it felt like to build something together. What's next: Tonight, the teens have a stage reading. Not all of them will be there — some have jobs, some have SAT prep. Life.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
50-count indictment alleges Quincy man swindled homeowners in construction scheme
UPDATE: All but one of the charges in this case have been dismissed. There is one that was left open and will only be dismissed in March 2026, pending good behavior. A man from Quincy has been indicted on charges he swindled nearly a dozen homeowners out of thousands of dollars by lying about being a licensed and insured contractor, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz. A Plymouth County Grand Jury returned 50 indictments against Stephen Straz on Monday following a months-long investigation led by Hanson Police and Sergeant Eugene Andrews. Cruz said Straz has been working as a contractor since 2015 and received 'considerable sums of money' from clients who hired him to perform various building projects on their homes. The indictments allege Straz lied numerous times about being licensed, his expertise, insurance status and his ability to complete the projects. He's also accused of forging signatures, creating fake and fraudulent documents and committing perjury on affidavits in order to conceal the fact he wasn't licensed and insured. The investigation also found that Straz engaged in deceptive business practices, including falsely advertising being licensed as construction supervisor and creating or knowingly allowing false testimonial endorsements to be published about his corporation, Straz Construction Inc. Straz additionally operated the following: Unique Building & Contracting, Inc., Unique Custom Kitchens & More, Inc., Straz Custom Kitchens & More Inc., 13 Hayes St. LLC, New England Property Ventures LLC, and 216-218 Central Ave. LLC. In total, the indictments allege there are 10 victims who contracted with Straz to complete construction or home improvement projects, ranging in price from thousands of dollars to one project which the homeowners paid more than $100,000 to Straz. The projects Straz didn't complete or performed substandard work include construction of homes and kitchen, bedroom and bathroom remodels. The 50 indictments Straz is charged with are: Home Improvement Contractor Violations, Perjury, Larceny of Property Over $1,200 by Single Scheme, Obtaining a Signature by False Pretense, Defacement of Real or Personal Property, Forgery. Larceny of Property, less than $1,200, Common and Notorious Thief, Employer Failure to Have Workers' Compensation, Larceny over $250 from a Person Over 60, State Building Code Violations, Uttering and Identity Fraud. Straz will be arraigned in Plymouth Superior Court at a later date. Boston 25 News reached out to Straz for comment. >>RELATED: Local contractor accused of failing to complete paid work
