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FALSE STEPS WALTZES INTO NYC THIS FALL
A Ballroom Comedy about Love, Lies, and Finding Your Footing
Prepare to laugh, gasp, and glide across the floor—FALSE STEPS, a dazzling new ballroom comedy, pirouettes into Theatre at St. Clements this September for a strictly limited three-week Off-Broadway engagement. Tickets are $49-$59 and are available at FalseStepsComedy.com.
From real-life dance champions Candace H. Caplin and Ronny Dutra (WICKED in São Paulo, Brazil), FALSE STEPS tells the story of Rae Applebaum, a struggling playwright thrown into chaos when her recently widowed mother Sophie falls head-over-heels (and heels-over-head) for a charming, much younger ballroom dance instructor named Paulo. Suspicions swirl, secrets surface, and a retired NYPD homicide detective is pulled into the family fray. What follows is a madcap tango through maternal tensions, romantic confusion, and a whole lot of sequins.
“Ballroom dance tells the story,” says Caplin, who co-wrote the play with director Kim St. Leon. “It’s elegant, expressive, and in this case, totally unhinged.”
Featuring original choreography by Dutra and partnering consultation by U.S. Ballroom Champion Edward Simon, the production blends screwball comedy with heartfelt revelations.
FALSE STEPS, a play by Candace H. Caplin and Kim St. Leon, with original music by Jesse Corbin, and direction by St. Leon and Ronny Dutra, is presented by A Ballroom Comedy LLC and produced by Caplin, Dutra, Carrie Steinmetz, and Ethan Steimel, with scenic design by Harry Feiner, lighting by Steimel, sound by Sean Hagerty, production stage management by Haley Robles and publicity and marketing consulting by Katie Rosin, Kampfire PR.
Early audiences in NYC and Boca Raton raved:
“A heartwarming story of mother and daughter relationship and the strength it takes to be your authentic self.” – Renee Makras
“Non-stop fun. Dancing was divine.” – Herb Zarkin
“Mystifies the audience with hints of mischief, then presents dance numbers that will certainly appeal to aficionados of terpsichore.” – Dale King, South Florida Theater Magazine
FALSE STEPS blends comedy, mystery, and the magic of dance to explore how families fracture and how they just might come back together.
Performances begin September 5, 2025, opening Friday, September 12, 2025, at the Theatre at St. Clements, NYC.
Mondays at 7 pm
Thursdays - Fridays at 7 pm
Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
There is an additional performance on Wednesday, September 10 at 7 pm. Press performances are Monday, September 8, Wednesday, September 10, and Thursday, September 11 at 7 pm.
Tickets are $49-$59 and are available at FalseStepsComedy.com.
More information and tickets will be available at www.falsestepscomedy.com.
BIOGRAPHIES
CANDACE H. CAPLIN (producer, playwright) co-founded and ran Parade Productions, a Florida-based theater company that produced a broad spectrum of productions, including Brooklyn Boy, The SantaLand Diaries, The Last Schwartz, and more. Parade was also proud to present numerous works by new artists.
Her varied background, as a nationally published humorist, an actress, and ballroom dancer (she and dance partner and co-lead, Ronny Dutra, are 2019 National Pro Am Rhythm Champions) put her in perfect position to create Sophie Applebaum, both on the page (co-writing FALSE STEPS with Kim St Leon) and on the stage. Previous acting credits include Mrs. Frank (The Diary ofAnne Frank), Edna (The Prisoner of Second Avenue), Sara (Sisters Rosenzweig), Norma (Plaza Suite), film work, and a recurring character on Nickelodeon’s Talia In The Kitchen.
The production team’s commitment to this play knows no bounds; FALSE STEPS is a work of passion, about passion, an opportunity to inspire people to “find their footing,” and to fly.
RONNY DUTRA (director/choreographer/producer), just back from directing and choreographing WICKED in São Paulo, Brazil is an internationally acclaimed theatre director, choreographer, performer, and producer, continuing a longstanding collaboration with Stephen Schwartz that also includes Brazilian stagings of PIPPIN (2018, 2019) and WICKED (2023). With over a decade of experience in New York City’s theatre scene, Dutra has built a dynamic career bridging Broadway and Brazilian stages.
He co-directed and choreographed the NYC workshop of FALSE STEPS (formerly MARRY MURDER WHAT?!), and is eager to cross over two of his greatest passions, Ballroom Dance and Broadway, later performing in the show, and went on to direct the film adaptation of RIO UPHILL – A New Musical. Other notable credits include staging Réveillon Branco – A New Year’s Eve Celebration, co-adapting and co-directing the award-winning OUT OF WATER – A Brazilian Pocket Musical, and starring in the title role of BUM FARTO – The Musical. (@ronnydutra)
KIM ST. LEON (writer/director) With an illustrious 35-year career in the entertainment industry, Kim St Leon is a visionary producer, director, and actor. Her career spans both film and stage production, and her remarkable versatility is reflected in her expansive body of work across multiple mediums. Kim is a proud co-founder of Parade Productions, where she served as the Artistic Director. Under her leadership, Parade Productions has cultivated a reputation for staging productions by veteran playwrights while also providing a platform for emerging local talent. She has directed at numerous prestigious venues, including the Mosaic Theater, Inside/Out, New World School of the Arts, City Theatre, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and the Arsht Center, to name just a few.
As a director and co-writer, Kim’s award-winning film Lost Everything captured the attention of audiences and garnered critical acclaim, earning prestigious accolades, including the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival’s “Florida Favorite” Award and the “Best Director” Award at the Aphrodite Film Festival. Kim’s talent for storytelling continued with her role as producer and coeditor of Amelia’s 25th, which starred renowned actors Danny Trejo, Jennifer Tilly, and Margaret Cho. Kim’s most recent project, FALSE STEPS with her writing partner Candace (formerly titled Marry Murder F#k!!*), is a testament to their ability to find humor in the darkest of times. Written during the challenging period of The Great Pause ( the covid years), the production uses dance to move the story forward, showcasing their ability to transform life’s most challenging circumstances into opportunities for laughter and reflection.
CARRIE STEINMETZ (producer/assistant choreographer), a passionate force in the world of ballroom dance, found her calling mid-life and quickly established herself as a competitive Pro-Am finalist. She is the co-founder of the Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine Dance Studio, proudly NYC’s largest ballroom studio, which was established as a vital resource supporting the entire dance community following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her profound commitment to ballroom extends beyond the studio, evidenced by her seven-year tenure on the Board of Trustees for Dancing Classrooms. Serving three years as Chair, Carrie played a crucial role in creating a financially stable and innovative organization, which continues today to bring ballroom and social dance into NYC schools.
Now, as a producer and assistant choreographer for FALSE STEPS - A Ballroom Comedy, Carrie bridges her extensive experience in the ballroom community with the vibrant world of Broadway, bringing an authentic voice and deep passion to the production. She shares, “It’s exciting now to bring the fascinating world of Ballroom to a large audience through the artistry of Candace and Kim’s play. It lit up my world and I’m thrilled to help bring its joy to so many others.” Prior to her immersive involvement in dance, Carrie leveraged her analytical background in Economics for a successful career in finance and consulting. LI: carrie-steinmetz-nyc
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