Aaron Kula and the Klezmer Chamber Orchestra. South Pacific, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s blockbuster musical of war and love in the islands, turned 67 earlier this year, and in some respects, you could argue it’s showing its age. It’s set in the Pacific Theater of World War II, for one, which every day fades from society’s living memory. For another, one of … [Read more...]
Art Basel, and explosion of art fairs, about to hit South Florida
By Sandra Schulman In an overwhelming Art Fair week ready to descend on Miami from all corners of the world, there are so many events to choose from it’s almost unreal and pure art nirvana. The sheer quality and quantity of shows, promotions, screenings, talks, public art and fairs ready to land on the billion-dollar sandbar is unparalleled in America and perhaps the world. … [Read more...]
‘100 + Degrees in the Shade’ heats up South Florida art scene
By Sandra Schulman Fall is here and that means the art and culture scene will be heating up as the temps cool down. Running prior, through and after Art Basel Miami Beach, 100+ Degrees in the Shade is a monster art show and a landmark survey of what’s going down and coming up in the art scene in South Florida. This expansive show will include works in all media including … [Read more...]
Community theater: An enchanting ‘South Pacific’ at LW Playhouse
By Dale King Lake Worth Playhouse wraps up its much too-short, three-week run of the musical South Pacific with a matinee today. It’s the final time, at least for now, that the powerful baritone voice of lead actor Michael Cartwright will resound so beautifully across the lushly decorated seashore stage with touching Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II tunes like “Some … [Read more...]
Looking back: 2014’s best in theater
On balance, 2014 was not a bad year at the theater in South Florida, with a couple of blockbuster touring shows, two startling takes on classic musicals at the Maltz Jupiter and a few worthy productions from many of the area’s other resident companies. Here is my undeniably subjective list of the 10 shows I enjoyed the most during the year. Fiddler on the Roof (Maltz … [Read more...]
Cultural Council’s SmARTBiz Summit draws eager arts advocates
About 200 culturally connected South Florida residents gathered Oct. 28 for the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County’s fourth annual SmARTBiz Summit. Representatives from distinguished arts organizations — including Katie Deits from the Lighthouse ArtCenter, Cynthia Palmieri from the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, Andrew Kato from Maltz Jupiter Theatre and Joe Gillie from the … [Read more...]
New opera company triumphs with ‘Bluebeard’
All Hallow’s Eve gave birth to a new opera company for South Florida. Oct. 31 saw the launch of Opera Fusion at Lake Worth Playhouse in a well- presented, well-sung mounting of Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. The group’s mission is to get opera to the people; it’s an artist-driven startup offering a new approach. Less stodgy, as proven by the very young audience who came … [Read more...]
2014-15 arts preview: The season in pop
Amid the usual South Florida classic rock concerts in 2014-2015, plus a couple shows by popular indie stars like The Black Keys, it’s a surprisingly singer/songwriter-oriented season that ranges from blues and pop to country and folk. In addition to rootsy crossover artists Lyle Lovett, Jimmy Webb, Leon Russell and Emmylou Harris, and various blues incarnates like Robert … [Read more...]
The View From Home 59: Hawking’s history, a gruesome morality tale, coming of age in the South, and more
A Brief History of Time: For years, Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time has been sitting on my shelf, its spine ashamedly uncracked, waiting for the hypothetical day when I have hours of time on my hands and the irrepressible desire to read sentences six times before possibly comprehending them. Forgive me if I’d gallop a bit quicker toward completing an 84-minute movie … [Read more...]
2013-14 arts preview: The season in jazz
As the sweltering South Florida summer temperatures drop, and listeners decide they can survive leaving their houses wearing more than just shorts and T-shirts, so the often equally-sweltering area jazz season begins. The big news last year was the unfortunate suspension of the annual concert series by the West Palm Beach-based Jazz Arts Music Society (JAMS), a trend that … [Read more...]