Theater: A summer tradition in South Palm Beach County is Florida Atlantic University’s Festival Rep, a series of productions in rotating repertory featuring current and recent students of the department of theater and dance, plus a few working professional mentors. This season the emphasis is on the works of composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim through two of his shows — the revue Side by Side by Sondheim and the book musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This Saturday is the first opportunity to see both shows in a single day. Beginning July 12, George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s classic comedy, The Man Who Came to Dinner, joins the mix. Single tickets are only $20, a package of three goes for $45. Call FAU at (800) 564-9539 for reservations. Continues through July 28 at the University Theatre and Studio One Theatre, on the Boca Raton campus.
Film: This weekend, the camera lens of Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri is focused on the murky Middle East situation with an involving drama that looks at the Arab-Israeli conflict from a new perspective. The film, The Attack, concerns a noted Palestinian surgeon whose life turns upside-down when a bomb goes off in a crowded restaurant and all signs point to his wife as the suicide bomber. So he puts his life on hold to explore the secret life she led, keeping him in the dark. It is a gripping story that audiences will be easily drawn into, yet it refuses to take sides on issues. Perhaps that is why the Arab League has banned the film from exhibition in its member states. It works as a personal drama and a political story whose message is that the differences between sides over there will not be resolved anytime soon. Opening this weekend at Boca Raton’s Living Room Theaters and other locations around the county.
Music: There aren’t too many jazz trios led by a classical guitar working these days, but Nate Najar has made a successful career doing just that. An avowed admirer of the great Charlie Byrd, Najar’s newest album, Blues for Night People, is a tribute to Byrd, and doubtless some of the songs will be on the program Saturday night at the Arts Garage for Najar’s appearance with the other members of his trio, bassist Tommy Cecil and drummer Chuck Redd. The arrival of the off-season has done nothing to slow things down at the Arts Garage, and Nate Najar is just one of the fine acts that will be appearing all through the hottest days of the year. The trio appears at 8 p.m. Saturday; tickets range from $25-$35.
Art: The winners of the Palm Beach Photographic Centre’s InFocus show were announced this week. The Best in Show winner was Debbie Gans of Palm Beach Gardens, whose Caught in the Fun is one of those indelibly adorable child pictures with broad appeal. Merit winners were Ni Rong of Palm Beach and Maine (for The Gaze), and Marjorie Neu of New York (for Milky Way in Namibia). These are excellent photographs as well, and you can see them as part of the show, which runs through Aug. 17 at the Photo Centre downtown. For more information, call 253-2600 or visit www.workshop.org or www.fotofusion.org.