Mary Damiano Photo by David Vance

Mary Damiano’s Arts Scene

We’re less than a month away from MiamiARTzine.com’s fourth anniversary party, which takes place Monday, October 19 6-9 p.m.at Museo Vault in the Wynwood Arts District in Miami. In addition to great food and drink, a silent auction, an art exhibition by Shie Moreno and a live performance by jazz group Sonido Batido, we will present the 2nd annual MiamiARTzine.com Visionary Awards to five arts leaders who think outside the box. This year’s recipients are Ed Bell, host of the radio program, “Arts Beat,” on WLRN, for his commitment to giving the arts a voice in South Florida; Dana Keith, founder of Miami Beach Cinematheque, for his dedication in bringing classic and new cinema to Miami Beach; Meredith Lasher, South Florida Theatre League president and founder of The Women’s Theatre Project, for her selfless devotion to the South Florida Theatre community; Marcy Lefton, director of MuseoVault, for her unflagging dedication to the arts; and Karen Petersen, dancer, choreographer and founder of Karen Peterson and Dancers, who this year celebrates her 20th anniversary of her mixed ability dance company. Please come out to the party to celebrate and honor these worthy individuals.

Michael McKeever
Prolific playwright Michael McKeever will be honored Monday, October 5. at Barry University in Miami Shores. The Barry University Department of Fine Arts will present an evening with award-winning playwright. The event will feature readings of selected short works by McKeever, including the debut reading of his newest short drama, Lost. Some of South Florida’s top theatrical talents are scheduled to appear at the event, including Lela Elam, Amy London, John

Playwright Michael McKeever

Manzelli, Chaz Mena, Hugh Murphy and David Perez-Ribada. McKeever, who lives in Davie, has had plays produced, locally, nationally and internationally. From comedy to drama, McKeever has used his plays to explore every aspect of the human condition. From deep-rooted prejudices of small town America to the delicate dysfunction of society's wealthiest homes, McKeever creates stories that entertain and enlighten. He is the recipient of three Carbonell Awards, and has been honored with an NEA Residency Grant. He has also been a three-time finalist for Humana Fest's nationally renowned Heideman Award. The event will be held in the Gato Gallery at Barry University at 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free. For directions, questions or to RSVP, please contact John Manzelli, Assistant Professor of Theater, 305-899-3291 or e-mail jmanzelli@mail.barry.edu.

Extreme Birdwatching by Flex Maslin, part of Arts at St. John’s “Common Roots” exhibition.

Common Roots
Arts at St. Johns will present “Common Roots” an art exhibition featuring depictions of native and traditional plants from Florida and the Caribbean region October 5-10 at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. A special opening reception will be held Tuesday, October 6 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. Artists featured in “Common Roots include Deborah M. Mitchell, Deborah Weed, Dee Clark, Elizabet Chacon, Evelyn Mitchell, Flex Maslan, Irene Sperber, John DeFaro, Linda Apriletti, Marian Wertalka, Marilyn Valiente, Mark Diamond, Mary Catello, Miguel Paredes, Natasha Duwin, Nelson Vieran, Patricia Roldan, Patti Black, Paula Turk, Perri Cox, Rosa Gallardo, Rosie Brown, Ruben Martinez Chamizo and Terry Arroyo Mulrooney. “Common Roots” also features a discussion on regional native plants, Steve Woodmansee on Wednesday, October 7, 10 a.m. to noon; and a talk about coastal native plants on Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m. to noon. All events are free and open to the public. The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is located at 2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach. For more information, visit www.artsatstjohns.com.

Emmet Cohen, YoungArts alumnus and Christina DePaul, president and CEO of YoungArts (NFAA). Photo: Juan Cabrera.

YoungArts Launches Miami Program
YoungArts, the core program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA), hosted a reception at the YoungArts offices in Miami for Miami-Dade High School teachers. The event celebrated the launch of YoungArts Miami, a new regional initiative that mirrors the national YoungArts Program. Attending and speaking at the event were Christina DePaul, president and CEO of YoungArts and Dennis Scholl, Miami program director of the Knight Foundation. YoungArts alumnus Emmet Cohen provided musical entertainment along with steel pan artist Othello Molineaux. YoungArts Miami will provide talented students with artistic enrichment opportunities, including professional development assistance in nine disciplines in the visual, literary and performing arts. The program offers master classes with world-renowned artists, the chance to perform and exhibit at professional venues, as well as the possibility to receive monetary awards and college scholarship assistance. The goal of YoungArts Miami is to be able to provide young, local artists with the tools they need to forge a successful career in the arts, as well as to engage the Miami community to help support and encourage these gifted artists developing right in our own backyard. To learn more about YoungArts Miami, visit www.youngarts.org.

An exhibition of the work of James Broderick will mark the fourth Anniversary of the World Erotic Art Museum in Miami

Zesty Exhibition Marks 4th Anniversary at WEAM
Continuing her search for exciting artists whose works have been internationally recognized for their provocative subjects and design, World Erotic Art Museum (WEAM) owner-curator Naomi Wilzig will present “October Zest: Naughty Visions of Fall,” an extensive collection of James Broderick’s graphic design and photography, opening Wednesday, October 7, and running through Sunday, November 1. The date marks the fourth anniversary of the opening of WEAM by what many considered a daring move by the now internationally famed “Jewish grandmother who keeps kosher” but had the “chutzpah” to place on exhibit a multi-million dollar collection begun as a lark but which has now become the most admired of it kind throughout the art world. Broderick has been an award-winning graphic designer and photographer for 40 years. Broderick won more than 70 awards in design and photography for his work for such prestigious clients as American Airlines, American Tobacco, Cunard Lines, IBM, ITT, and PepsiCo. Further acknowledged in scores of publications including Fortune Magazine, Graphic International, American Institute of Graphic Arts, and Industrial Design Magazine, among many honors, Design USA selected Broderick to represent the U.S. as the country’s top designer. WEAM is located at 1205 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. For more information, visit www.weam.com.

Broadway star Sherie Rene Scott kicks off the Adrienne Arsht Center new Cabaret & Cocktails series.

Life is a Cabaret at the Arsht Center
Tickets are now on sale for Carabret & Cocktails, a new series at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami spotlighting the talents of three of Broadway’s leading ladies, Sherie Rene Scott, Karen Akers and Christine Andreas. For the series, the center’s Carnival Studio Theatre will be transformed into an cozy jazz club setting with tables. Food and drinks will be available for purchase during each performance. The series begins October 15-18 with Scott, a Tony-nominated actress who has starred in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Little Mermaid, Aida, and Rent. It continues next year, January 21-24, with Akers, one of America's most arresting and successful concert and cabaret stars. Andreas will finish the series with performances April 22-25—Andreas starred in the very first musical presented at the center, The Light in the Piazza. For more information and tickets, visit www.arshtcenter.org.

Artist Judy Chicago

Judy Chicago
Famed artist Judy Chicago is featured at the Jewish Museum of Florida in a special exhibition, “Judy Chicago: Jewish Identity,” a retrospective exhibition of 50 works from throughout Chicago's career that explore the impact on her own identity of her Eastern European Jewish roots and Jewish cultural and politically activist upbringing. Topics in this installation include art about life and holiday cycles, feminism, the Holocaust, and multiculturalism. Chicago has been a convention-shattering feminist artist since the 1960s and is well known internationally as the creator of The Dinner Party (1974-79), an epic, room-sized installation of 39 place settings. The butterfly motif is key to the central core imagery that Chicago used to dedicate each to a famous woman in history, demonstrating that women have a place at the table. During a 10-year tour of museums throughout the world, this exhibit was viewed by more than 1 million visitors. The Dinner Party, which has become an icon of the women's movement, is now permanently installed in the Brooklyn Museum. Chicago's commitment to her Jewish heritage was tenuous until she visited the Nazi death camps. Researching the Holocaust, she discovered that stories of women who perished were largely excluded from the vast literature. The result, after eight years of traveling and reading, was The Holocaust Project in 1993 that she executed in collaboration with her husband, Donald Woodman, and some of these pieces are part of the exhibit. The exhibition will be on display at the Jewish Museum of Florida until February 7, 2010. For more information, visit www.jewishmuseum.org.

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida will open their season with Firebird.

Firebird on Stage
Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida opens its 2009-2010 season with the return of Firebird at Broward Center on Saturday, October 4 and at the Julius Littman North Miami Beach Theater on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11. This Russian folk tale follows a firebird that aids a gallant prince (danced by Andrey Konkin) on his quest to rescue his beloved princess. Possessed by the evil Katsheii and his team of monsters, the princess is not so easily freed, and the story which unfolds is sure to keep patrons of all ages on the edge of their seats. Stravinsky’s classic score is highlighted by Arts Ballet Theatre founder Vladimir Issaev’s choreography, which includes elements of Russian folk dance. In addition to Firebird, the pas de deux, Talisman, will be performed by Miho Yoshioka and Shannon Smith. New to Arts Ballet Theatre’s repertoire, it was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa, to the music of Riccardo Drigo. Also making its world premiere is a new contemporary piece choreographed for the company by local fellowship awardee choreographer Josee Garant with music of Aldemaro Romero. For more information, visit www.artballettheatre.org.

Sebastian Beach by Richard Viola

Art for Sale
Artists from four non-profit arts organization will gather to sell their original art work at ArtsUnited's Fine Art Clearance Event on Saturday, October 3, from noon to 4 p.m., in the ArtServe Auditorium. Dozens of local artists will offer original paintings, prints, and photographs for $200 or less. This is the fourth year ArtsUnited is collaborating with ArtServe, Broward Art Guild and Goldcoast Watercolor Society to offer their artist members an opportunity to sell direct to the public, while offering aspiring art collectors the chance to buy original art at greatly reduced prices. The brainchild of several ArtsUnited artist members, the Fine Art Clearance Event came about as an opportunity to sell off surplus inventory of art filling their studios and closets and avoiding gallery commissions. ArtsUnited agreed to organize the event, charging the artists only a minimal table fee to produce and advertise the event, but artist must agree to sell their work for $200 or less. ArtServe is located at 1350 East Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Entry to the event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 954-530-2723 or visit www.artsunitedonline.org.

The Dutch jazz trio The Third Man will perform October 24 at the Byron Carlyle in Miami Beach, part of Tigertail Productions’ 2009-2010 season.

Tigertail Celebrates New Season at Kick-off Party
Tigertail Productions will launch their 30th season and celebrate their 2009-2010 season on Tuesday, October 6, 7-9 p.m., with a party at the new urban River Lounge in the Epic Hotel, at the mouth of the Miami River (former Dupont Plaza location). Guests can preview Tigertail’s diverse calendar of events, which includes the Dutch jazz trio The Third Man in October, danceable in December; legendary blues guitarist David "Honeyboy" Edwards in February; guitarist Leo Kotke in March; as well as many festivals and literary events. Guests will also enjoy music, video, special surprises and complimentary drinks. RSVP not necessary, but capacity is limited. For more information and the full schedule of events, visit www.tigertail.org.

Detail of Levitando, by Ana Maria Hoyos, part of the “This Land is My Land” exhibition at Art Expressions.

Gallery Celebrates Latin Artists
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage month and in celebration of the many Hispanic artists of every discipline who make South Florida their home, Art Expressions in Wilton Manors will host an exhibition of works from Latin American artists who call the tri-county area home. Titled “This Land Is My Land,” the exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, October 3, with a reception. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase original works of art by the featured artists, including Ana Maria Hoyos, Adriano Nicot, Isabel Perez and Vincente Fabre. The show will remain on view through October 2. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.artexpressions.tk.

Alberto San Juan and Natalia Mateo in a scene from The Shame/La Vergüenza, part of the MIFF’s Festival of New Spanish Cinema.

MIFF Spanish Film Series
Continuing its tradition of bringing the best of world cinema to South Florida, The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), Miami Dade College (MDC) and Centro Cultural Español (CCE)-Miami, will host the Festival of New Spanish Cinema, an eclectic collection of Spanish films during a weeklong festival beginning Tuesday, October 6 through Sunday, October 11, at MDC’s Tower Theater in Little Havana. The event will kick-off with a cocktail reception sponsored by Freixenet and the screening of director David Planell’s The Shame/La Vergüenza. The Festival of New Spanish Cinema’s visit next month is part of a six-city tour that will culminate in Chicago in November 2009. The festival will also feature films by such veteran filmmakers as Juan Luis Iborra, Javier Fesser and Gabriel Velázquez, shown side-by-side with cutting edge debut productions from the latest generation including Irene Cardona, Santiago Zannou, and Miguelanxo Prado. For more information about the Miami International Film Festival, call 305-237-FILM (3456) or visit www.miamifilmfestival.com.

Theatre Openings
With a mere two openings, September was a relative dry spell in South Florida theatre. All that changes next month, because October belongs to theatre events. Along with all the events of the South Florida Theatre Festival, and Topol’s farewell tour of Fiddler on the Roof, which comes to Broward Center October 6—both of which you can read about in this issue of MiamiARTzine.com—nine shows will open at area theatres. The first half of October features the off-Broadway musical revue, The Marvelous Wonderettes at Actors’ Playhouse in Coral Gables, which runs October 2-November 1; and In Development, a world premiere by Miami native David Caudle. In Development is set at a summer conference for aspiring playwrights and involves sex, death and dramaturgy. In Development runs October 9 through November 8 at New Theatre in Coral Gables. www.new-theatre.org.

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