January 2009 Archives

Dance Week in Miami
Ballet Gamonet Soars at the Colony Theatre

By Marj O'Neill-Butler

It has been quite a week for ballet. Thursday night at the Arsht Center with the Miami City Ballet, and last night at the intimate Colony Theatre with Ballet Gamonet. Being new to this company, it was nearly impossible to discern who was dancing each section as no individual dancers were given credit in the program. The program lists them as company artists, and so they are. And like most companies, Ballet Gamonet's dancers hail from around the world: a kaleidoscope of talent.

The program was in four parts. Each piece was uniquely different. I'll start with my favorite, Purple Bend I, a duet by two women. The music was Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings". Tall, lithe and dressed in nude body suits the two dancers moved on beat and off, stretched into unique body positions. Moving together and apart it was a unique coupling. Special mention must be given to the lighting in this piece, which enhanced to mood.

I also enjoyed the three duets in Soneta de Amor y Muerte. Spoken word and music from Argentina accompanied this piece. The women were particularly good showing not only strong dance technique but also strong emotion. And again mention must be made about the lighting design. It was warm and romantic and gave the piece a sense of the erotic.

The opening dance piece, Concerto for La Donna, had at its center the most exquisite soloist of the evening. Strong, flexible and joyous in her movements, I think of her as the dancer in navy blue.

The closing dance, Jubilo, was choreographed to some of the best Wynton Marsalis music you will ever hear. This is a city piece with the sounds of traffic and people and the lives around them. It had humor (watch for the chickens) and verve and half the time you expect the company to fly off the stage.

Now comes the complaint. The sound operator must be young. The recorded music was played at a deafening level; so loud it became distorted at times and uncomfortable. It's a small house. Please don't blast us out of the place. Everything else is so very good.

Performances continue Saturday, January 31, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. For tickets call 305-259-9775. For more information about Ballet Gamonet and future performances, visit www.balletgamonet.org.

A Brilliant Evening of Dance and Music
The Miami City Ballet with the Cleveland Orchestra at the Arsht Center

By Marj O'Neill-Butler

There was a buzz when I entered the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts last evening. The lobby was full and people seemed energized. Everyone was dressed beautifully. How pleasant. People I know from the theatre world were in attendance. One said this performance is a big deal. And it was.

The evening started with the joyous sound of the Cleveland Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's "Polacca" from Sleeping Beauty. Full and luscious, it was a pleasure to hear this piece. After applause the curtain rose to reveal a long line of dancers in white. One hand nervously twitched and the evening began. Symphony in Three Movements, set to music by Stravinsky, was choreographed by George Balanchine for the New York City Ballet and debuted in New York in 1972. It is an interesting, very athletic piece; plotless yet moving because of the skill and verve of these dancers. The company moved on and off stage in various groupings, but the highlight of the piece was the duets and solos. It's difficult to select a favorite with these principal dancers. Each is unique in the way they move and yet the ensemble is tight. I am, however, particularly impressed by Alex Wong, who seemingly defies gravity with his leaps and turns in the air. Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg, Tricia Albertson and Patricia Delgado were brilliant in turn; lithe, flexible and so strong. Part two of the ballet was a duet that was quirky and fun. It used movements normally associated with modern dance with the turned in leg and angular movements. When the full company appeared on stage in the last movement, the audience could hardly stay in their seats. You could feel the energy from the dancers pour over the apron and into the house. The percussive music matched the percussive explosive movement of the dancers whose movements were in counter point to the brass section. At the end of this piece, the audience roared its approval.

The second half of the program began with "The Hebrides Overture" by Mendelssohn. The strings sang, especially the cellos. The second ballet, Symphony in C with music by Bizet, was also choreographed by Balanchine. I was not familiar with this piece of music, but the orchestra brought it fully to life. Someone at the theatre was paying attention- we heard the full rich sound of a symphony orchestra without massive amplification. Brava. This ballet was more traditional in style including the perky tutus on the women. There were four soloist pairs along with demi-soloists and the corps de ballet. Mary Carmen Catoya and Renato Penteado were particularly impressive. Ms. Catoya was like a human feather - drifting and floating on the wind. A fantastic, steady partner to Ms Catoya, Mr Penteado was also brilliant in his solos. Haiyan Wu was lithe and strong with her partner Carlos Miguel Guerra. And then there was Alex Wong, defying gravity once again. His partner Jeanette Delgado seemed joyous in every movement, as did Patricia Delgado and Jeremy Cox. The finale of this piece was so strong that it brought the audience to its feet in one movement.

This collaboration between the Miami City Ballet and the Cleveland Orchestra, called "See the Music, Hear the Dance" was a brilliant idea. The presenting sponsor was the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Please sirs, do it again.

Putting the Show in Show Business
Avi Hoffman shares memories of his long career in new show

By Mary Damiano

When Avi Hoffman takes a stroll down memory lane, he takes his audience along for company.

In his latest show, Avi Hoffman Still Jewish After All These Years: A Life in the Theater, Hoffman looks back on his 40 years as a professional performer. The show is the third in a trilogy that also includes Too Jewish and Too Jewish Two.

The staging is simple, just Hoffman, pianist Caryl Ginsburg Fantel and a backdrop of collages featuring black and white photos of New York, Jewish and theatrical memorabilia. But that's all Hoffman needs. He's a warm performer and connects with the audience on a personal level as he shares his memories.

The show is full of sweet anecdotes, like the one about Hoffman's a birth--he was born at a teaching hospital, delivered by C-section, in front of an audience of 25 interns, who applauded when Baby Avi entered the world. Hoffman jokes that that first round of applause marked him for show business.

What follows are reminiscences of his time in Yiddish theatre, his first time playing Tevya in a children's production of Fiddler on the Roof at age 8, appearing in the only movie actor Richard Harris ever directed, and how he came to write his successful Too Jewish series. The stories are punctuated with songs, including Hoffman's salute to the Jewish songwriters that influenced him growing up, like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.

His audience sings along and utters little sounds of acknowledgement when he mentions the Grand Concourse or Fyvush Finkle. And as Hoffman greets his audience in the lobby after the show, he listens as they share their own stories, and memories Still Jewish After All These Years have stirred.

Still Jewish After All These Years is 90 minutes of nostalgia. It's pleasant and entertaining, because Hoffman knows how to tell a story and sell a song. And don't be surprised if it leaves you craving a corned beef on rye and a knish.

Still Jewish After All These Years runs through February 8. For more information, visit www.newvistatheatre.com.

Taking the Fall, but Admitting No Wrongdoing
Actors says he contacted Westboro Baptist Church

By Mary Damiano

It seems that once again, actor Larry Fields' letter-writing has caused a lot of people a lot of trouble.

Fields, who appeared in the Rising Action Theatre's recent production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, has admitted that he contacted the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, practically inviting a protest in order to spur ticket sales.

In an e-mail sent this morning to writers and editors at several publications that covered this story, Fields has stated that he contacted Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas about the production. MiamiARTzine.com reported on Friday, January 16, that Westboro's planned protest of Rising Action had been canceled. In that story, Westboro's Shirley Phelps stated that someone associated with Rising Action contacted the church about The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, which depicts a gay retelling on the Bible. Later, the church forwarded an e-mail that appeared to have come from the account of David Goldyn, Rising Action's artistic director. Based on that e-mail, New Times reported that Goldyn sent the e-mail. After Goldyn complained to New Times, the story was pulled from it's website and a retraction was printed. The South Florida Theatre Scene blog also ran a timeline of the story, based on articles that had already been written.

Here is the e-mail that Fields sent this morning:

Hello, you are receiving a copy of this email because of a posting that is currently appearing on the South Florida Theatre Blog Spot, and eariler appeared on the New Times blog, in which David Goldyn is accused of contacting the Westboro Baptist Church and encouraging them to come protest The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told. I have written a reply to the posting that should effectively clear up the confusion. As members of the media who may cover this matter or hear about it, I would like to make you aware of the facts surrounding this. Below is a copy of what I sent to the South Florida Theatre Blog Spot:

--Larry Fields

Jan 24, 2009

To whom it may concern:

This issue of David Goldyn at Rising Action Theatre being accused of sending the Westboro Bapist Church a letter prompting the planned protest has just come to my attention. I am Larry Fields, I appeared in the production as Adam, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that David Goldyn DID NOT SEND the referenced letter. I sent it. I sent it to them using my real name and my real email address.

The church has fooled all of you, in an effort to (surprise surprise) hurt this gay theatre. The South Florida Theatre Blogspots states "It's the epitome of arrogance to threaten to sue someone for saying something about you that you know beyond any doubt is completely true," and it goes on to say "It's the 21st Century, people. The Information Age is in full swing." That's a good point, about the information age, and you should know that not only is this claim by the church NOT "completely true" but also EASILY verifiably false using some of that 21st Century technology.

Contact Bellsouth. Ask the ISP if any email originated from his IP address on that hour and date with that message in the body of the email sent to the church's address? NO. I sent that release to the Westboro Baptist Church, that is verifiable. I sent it to them from my home in Miami on my own time from my computer and using my email address. I sent it in the "comments" page. In this 21st Century age of technology is it easy to cut and paste an email message together to create a false email, and are you shocked that the Westboro Baptist church would do such a thing?

They took David's email address from when he emailed them telling them that they were responsible for surging ticket sales, and they pasted it onto my original letter, because they didn't know who I was, but they knew that he was the producer, so they wanted to attribute the letter to him, in an effort to cause trouble for Rising Action. Had due diligence been performed you would have discovered this.

By publishing this story without properly vetting it for accuracy you are harming a local theatre in our community and a producer who did nothing wrong. A full retraction and apology to him and his company is warranted. This is simple ethics.

As for my involvement. Let me make clear, I am an independent contractor for any company that I work for, including Rising Action. I am not an employee, they are in no way responsible for what I do on my own time. I sent that letter to Westboro in an effort to use them, a vicious anti gay hate group, to the advantage of a gay theatre company, by giving the theatre increased media visibility and coverage. It was my intention to use Westboro Baptist Church to help a gay company, I had no malicious intent and as a private citizen with no official ties to any theatre company I am totally within my rights to send them what amounted to a press release.

I never made David Goldyn or any of the artistic staff at Rising Action aware of my actions. It came as a surprise to me that the Westboro people actually took my bait. It is unfortunate that you at the South Florida Theatre Blogspot, Brandon K Thorpp, and Mary Damiano have been duped and used by the Westboro church to harm a local theatre. Again, just a little investigation on the part of the journalists covering this story would have ended it before it ever began. The records are clear, and I'm sure David Goldyn would be happy to have Bellsouth provide you with proof that no such email ever originated on its server from him.

Westboro Baptist Church is not exactly a trusted source. They are a fanatical hate group, our press in the theatre community here in South Florida should not take their word, or God forbid their side, without making sure that what they claim is true. In this case it is a total bold faced lie.

And a little side note, you reference my letter to Mary Damiano, admittedly written in poor taste in talking about David Goldyn. He had nothing to do with that. I have spoken to Mary on the telephone and I have written her two separate letters of apology for my bad taste and poor judgement in sending her that letter. I believe she will be publishing that letter in the next edition of Artzine.

Please make this right.. Please don't attempt to harm a theatre's reputation that does such a unique thing in our community, providing a gay theatre for everyone. David Goldyn DID NOT WRITE THAT LETTER, AND HIS REACTION TO IT WAS GENUINE. I have no reason to lie about this, and there is hard evidence to back it up.

--Larry Fields

END OF LETTER

For the record, in my original story about the cancellation of the protest, I never said that Goldyn sent the letter. I said exactly what I was told by Phelps, and that was that someone associated with the theatre sent the e-mail. The fact that Larry Fields is an independent contractor at the theatre is semantics. He was appearing in the production and getting a paycheck from them at the time he sent the church the e-mail. That certainly makes him someone associated with the theatre. So, it turns out my story in MioamiARTzine.com was absolutely accurate.

Since all of this seems to, in some way, started with me, let me tell you exactly what happened.

I heard from Brandon Thorp on January 16 that the protest was canceled. Rather than send a photographer to Rising Action for an event that wasn't going to happen, I called Rising Action to confirm the cancellation. They had heard nothing about it. I called Westboro Baptist Church and spoke to Shirley Phelps, who told me that someone associated with Rising Action had e-mailed them about the production, a common practice, she told me. The protest was planned because the church was already scheduled to be in Daytona that day. Later, when Phelps discovered how much publicity Rising Action had gotten from news of the protest, they canceled.

I called David Goldyn and told him what Phelps said. He went ballistic. "In no way shape or form did anyone from my theatre start this," said Goldyn. "And it hurts me that somebody would say so."

I called Shirley back and asked her if she could forward me the e-mail that spurred the protest. The next morning she did, and the e-mail did appear to come from David Goldyn's account. I called David Goldyn last Sunday, January 18, and told him about the e-mail. Again he denied that he or anyone associated with Rising Action sent such an e-mail. I never, in word or print, accused him of sending the e-mail. I did tell him that ever since news of the protest broke, many in the theatre community assumed someone at the theatre or with the production had alerted the church. He screamed at me, telling me I was vile, revolting, mean-spirited and out to destroy his theatre. (I pretty much took it in stride because David Goldyn has been accusing me of trying to ruin him and destroy his theatre for nearly a year, ever since I gave unfavorable reviews to Rising Action's productions of 11 O'Clock Number and Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.) When I suggested that perhaps someone else at the theatre sent an e-mail aletring the church, saying that we both know certain people like to hit the send button, David accused me of being "out to get" Larry Fields, because of the vicious letter he sent me, which appeared in the January 14 issue of MiamiARTzine.com. I told David that was not the case. They were two separate issues and I could take care of Larry Fields just fine in the Letters to the Editor page in the next issue of MiamiARTzine.com.

David threatened legal action, and then I spent 15 minutes on the phone with his lawyer. I called my friend Brandon Thorp at New Times because he has known the Westboro folks for some time. When I related everything to him, he said that he could not see the church lying and asked if I would mind if wrote about it.

I didn't do anything with the story. A few days later David Goldyn called me to apologize for all the names he called me and the nastiness he spewed the previous Sunday. By then he had a copy of the e-mail I was sent by Shirley Phelps and admitted that it looked as if he sent it.

Last Friday, Brandon Thorp published a story on the New Times blog about the letter. David Goldyn took issue, complained, and New Times removed the story and printed a retraction. And get this: David actually called me yesterday, asking for my advice on how to deal with Brandon and the story, admitting that it was a strange request after he had spent so much time yelling at me and accusing me of trying to ruin him.

So now we have Larry Fields letter taking the blame for contacting the church. I spoke to Larry Fields this morning, to verify that he sent the e-mail. But while he admits to the deed, it seems the main purpose of his latest e-mail is to clear David Goldyn's name and embarrass the journalists involved. He told me he's apologized to David Goldyn. But when I suggested that he owed the gay community an apology, he demurred.

"My intention was never to dupe the gay community," Fields told me. "My intention was to use Westboro Baptist Church to create an additional buzz around the show."

Fields told me he didn't believe that he did anything wrong.

"I think the opportunity to come together, an opportunity to re-evaluate what we stand for can be helpful," said Fields. "I mingled among some of the counter-protesters and what I didn't see were upset people, what I did see were happy people for the opportunity to face off against Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church, happy for the opportunity to stand up and be who they are. I'm not really sure how much angst was caused by the possibility of them showing up."

I had a different experience. Last weekend, after word came that someone associated with Rising Action spurred the protest, several gay friends told me how hurt they were that someone who lives here, one of our own, so to speak, would invite such hate.

I believe Larry Fields owes a great big apology to the gay community. For the most part, we're a happy community here in South Florida. For the most part, everyone gets along. Larry Fields invited the worst kind of anti-gay, homophobic hate to come to this community and spread their ugliness. He owes a huge apology to every gay person in South Florida.

The Race to the Oscars, Part 1
Plotting the Strategy

By Mary Damiano

Even after a very late night, my internal movie-lover's clock was at work Thursday morning, January 22. The nominations for the 81st Academy Awards were scheduled to be announced at 8:35 a.m., and I woke at exactly 8:32 a.m., time to switch on E! and watch the official start of Oscar season live.

This has been a ritual ever since they began televising the nomination announcement. In those days, before the Internet--which wasn't really that long ago--if you didn't hear the announcement right then and scribble down notes, you didn't get a hard copy of the nominees until the newspaper came out the next day.

I love movies and I love the Oscars, so it's always been important to me to get those nominations right away, so I could start seeing any movies I missed.

And that's the plan for this year as well: See all the Oscar-nominated movies I have not already seen before the big day. The last time I actually achieved this was for the 2005 awards--it's hard to believe it was four years ago. Now that the nominations are announced, here comes the strategy of seeing all the movies in 29 days. The official Oscar website has a countdown clock to the big night on February 22, so I will always know exactly how much time is left.

Concentrating on the major categories--film, acting, direction and screenplay--there are 13 movies that I need to see: The Visitor, Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Tropic Thunder, The Dark Knight, Revolutionary Road, Rachel Getting Married, Frozen River, The Reader, Bolt, Wall-E, Slumdog Millionaire and In Bruges. If I want to add in the movies in the design categories, that adds three to the list: Iron Man, Wanted, and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Of the major 13, The Visitor, The Dark Knight, Tropic Thunder, Wall-E and In Bruges are on DVD. Frozen River will be released on DVD on February 10. That's good and bad to me, because while it makes it much more convenient, I'd rather see everything in a theatre on a big screen. I'm too much of a multi-tasker to sit at home and only watch a movie. There's laundry to fold, mail to go through, rooms to straighten--it's hard for me to ignore those things. That's what I love about movie theatres. There are no distractions, just me and the movie, and I can disappear into its world.

Luckily, the other seven movies are in theatres. Seeing them will be a two-fold challenge. The first part of this challenge is seeing all those movies amidst the limitations of theatre schedules and an overflowing workload. Sometimes this can lead to some interesting movie pairings. For example, back in 2005, the only way I was able to see all the Oscar nominated movies was to head down to Aventura and see Hotel Rwanda and Million Dollar Baby back to back. I was ready to jump off the top floor of the Aventura Mall parking garage after that laugh fest. It will be interesting to see what pairings 2009 brings.

The other challenge is to see the movies in theatre I like. I'm notoriously picky about the movie theatres I patronize. It's not that they have to be state of the art or fancy. They do have to be hassle-free, with a pleasant staff no projection problems and good parking. I also dislike crowded theatres so I tend to go at off-times.

So that's the plan: See 13 movies in 29 days, and still satisfy the workload of my many jobs and other obligations. Give it a try yourself, and perhaps I'll see you at the movies.

Theatre By Numbers
Everything adds up in GableStage production of edgy musical

By Mary Damiano

One of the best shows of 2008 closes Sunday. If you haven't seen it, get over to GableStage Theatre and settle in for the thrilling artistry of Adding Machine.

Adding Machine is a musical, which on the one hand makes it a rarity for GableStage. On the other hand, it's a dark and edgy musical, and anything dark and edgy is a perfect match for GableStage's sensibilities.

Based on a 1923 play by Elmer Rice, Adding Machine is about the industrialization of America, and how that has marginalized and demoralized the American worker. Loyalty and appreciation go right out the window when the bottom line is at stake.

The story focuses on Mr. Zero, who has spent 25 years as a bookkeeper at the same job in the same company, adding columns of numbers day in and day out. Home is no joy either, thanks to his nagging shrew of a wife. The only real light in his life comes from his colleague, Daisy, one of the few characters with a name instead of a number. As Mr. Zero's 25th anniversary with the company approaches, he's certain he's going to get promoted. Instead, he gets fired, replaced by a newfangled adding machine. Mr. Zero snaps, murders his boss and ends up on death row. And that's just the first act. Act Two ventures into an after-life in which freedom and happiness are there for the taking, except by those who don't understand the concepts of happiness, being in charge of one's own destiny and breaking bad patterns.

It may sound depressing, and while the subject matter is an awful lot of food for thought, it's exhilarating to watch a talented cast and designers in action in one of the most exciting productions in recent memory. The cast works like a well-oiled machine, precise and in sync. Everything about the production is highly stylized, purposely stark and often sterile. Numbers are raised to the level of futuristic, industrial poetry. That's partly because of the way the musical numbers--no pun intended--are written, but also because of their flawless execution.

After so much work as a featured or ensemble actor, it's great to see Oscar Cheda take a lead role, as Mr. Zero, a human sheep for whom any other life is unthinkable. Cheda plays him with thug-like intensity, and he commands the stage.

Irene Adjan, Barry Tarallo, Erik Fabregat and Lisa Manuli make a tight ensemble, sometimes playing characters, sometimes taking on the role of Greek Chorus. Jim Ballard is charismatic and forceful as a religious death row inmate. Stacy Schwartz is delightful as Daisy, evoking a silent movie heroine, but with more depth and the voice of an angel. Maribeth Graham is appropriately annoying as Mrs. Zero, while Ken Clement gets several interesting turns, first as Mr. Zero's boss and later as an elegant after-life guide.

The designers also deliver stellar work. Lyle Baskin's industrial scenic design, Jeff Quinn's atmospheric lighting and Ellis Tillman's pre-Depression costumes all convey the despair of the show. Eric's Alsford's musical direction and Steve Shapiro's sound show that the theatre could be a great venue for musicals, because they pack a lot of punch into that intimate space.

This is only the second musical that director Joseph Adler has done at GableStage, and this production of Adding Machine is so exciting that one wishes that composers and playwrights would write more dark, edgy musicals, if for no other reason than to have Adler put his own inimitable spin on them.

Adding Machine runs through January 25 at GableStage Theatre in Coral Gable. www.gablestage.org.

Photos by George Schiavone

Art, Palm Beach Style

Story and Photos by Irene Sperber

High season is upon us. There is a panopoly of events and activities to educate and amuse as we careen through the 2009 winter.

I "did" the Palm Beach 3 Contemporary Art Fair this weekend, wondering if I was still on Art Basel overload. PB3 proved to be a delightful interlude, I am pleased to report.

Chubb Group of Insurance Companies was the official sponsor of the 12th annual fair January 15-8 at the Palm Beach Convention Center. (So, that's where my premium checks are going.) Sporting a "vastly expanded, high profile host committee" this year, offering a "multi-disciplinary" exhibition of modern and contemporary art.

A Collectors Round Table series had Artist Conversations with Chilean photographer Roberto Edwards; "Building a Collection" with senior curator of the ICP in New York, Christopher Phillips; Charles Steinback, from the Norton Museum of Art; Barbara Tannnenbaum, Akron Art Museum director of Curatorial Affairs; glass artist William Carlson, and many more. Also attending the fair were legendary artists Wendall Castle and Steve McCurry. More than 70 international galleries participated.

There is one photo gallery that never disappoints--Hackelbury Fine Arts of London took up the bulk of my viewing time with their stunning selection of photographers. Stephen Inggs' large, hand-coated silver gelatin prints on beautiful papers are so dreamy you want to reach out and caress them. Please visit their website: www.hackelbury.co.uk.

I caught the lecture "Andy Warhol & His Legacy" with Eric Shiner, the Milton Fine Curator of Art and Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. It's amazing how many interesting tidbits a lecture can uncover. Warhol left a $250 million estate when he died in 1987 of gall bladder surgery complications; perhaps exacerbated by an earlier attempt on his life when a crazed Factory "fan" pumped a bit of lead into his belly. He left all his money to the Andy Warhol Foundation and gives $20 million a year in grants. The value of the estate has remained. Many artists have been inspired by Warhol: Murikami copied everything Warhol did to elevate himself to fame and fortune.

A lot of glass works were shown at the fair as well as some jewelry, with the bulk of the better offerings seeming to congregate at the front of the hall. The VIP area was attractively appointed.

Photos:

Jodi Luntz, Holden Luntz Gallery, with Painted Bodies by photographer Roberto Edwards

Eric Shiner, curator of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 

Art Dec-OH!
2009 Weekend wows

Story and Photos by Irene Sperber

What a weekend. The weather is always ratty for Art Deco Weekend Miami Beach, and this year looked like it would follow suit, but--cue the bells here--Saturday morning dawned cool and breezy and shortly gave way to perfection--more bells, please. I had every intention of hitting the film and lectures at the Wolfsonian, but just could not make myself go inside and miss the daylight. Tomorrow is another day.

This year's theme is "Down Argentine Way: Deco, Vino, Tango", with all things Argentine--film, lectures, etc.

The Classic Car Show displayed on Ocean Drive appears to be larger than previous years and quite wonderful. Kinda makes one realize one's own vintage, wandering amongst the age-old metal. Yes, indeedy. I admired each and every vehicle for its stylish shape and classic lines, wondering when we could see aqua, red, white and seafoam green leather seats again. Is that fun or what? When did cars get so, well, dowdy?

The Dog Parade is always a hoot (woof?) and Saturday's parade did not disappoint. All canine friends appeared to be on their best behavior and alpha-dog crankiness was in short supply, we are pleased to report. The fact that today's pups are so much better attired and coiffed than I is a minor sore spot, but never mind.

Sunday will most likely prove to be equally as phenomenal in the weather department, so get on out there. Just walk around and view the scene, eat yourself silly, shop, enjoy the vibe or partake in a bit of cultural education.

Here are some of the highlights from today's schedule. All events listed here are free.

1 p.m. High-Flying Broadway Musicals The spirited cast of the Actor's Playhouse Miracles perform high-flying songs from the popular musicals Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins. Free. Presented on the Argentine Way stage at, 12th Street at Ocean Drive.

2 p.m.: Brief History of Tango Celebrated in cinema and literature, the tango has become part of the national identity of Argentina. Dancer and choreographer Roxana Garber, of the Tango Times Dance Company, presents a history of that most famous of all Argentinean dance forms. Free. Presented at the Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Ave., 305-531-1001.

3 p.m. Kiki Sanchez Jazz Trio Kiki brings an astounding yet refreshing sound to the spirit of piano playing. From popular Latin jazz standards to spirited Afro-Peruvian jazz, Kiki's fusion techniques are invigorating jazz band and trio, Kiki Sanchez. Presented on the Argentine Way stage at 12th Street at Ocean Drive.

4 p.m.: Saludos Amigos, animated film Director: Walt Disney, 1942 In order to reach a wide pan-American audience, Saludos Amigos was created with soundtracks in both English and Spanish. This performance will feature the Spanish language version. Presented at the Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Ave, South Beach, 305-531-1001.

For more info on all of today's Art Deco Weekend events, visit www.mdpl.org

And don't forget to check out the Argentinian films at the Miami Beach Cinematheque for Art Deco Weekend and beyond. Visit www.mbcinema.com.

Rising Action Theatre Protest Canceled
Westboro Baptist Church makes claims about who asked for the protest

By Mary Damiano

The Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas has canceled its planned protest of Rising Action Theatre in Oakland Park and their production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told. The protest had been scheduled for tonight, Friday, January 16.

According to Shirley Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church, last December, someone who identified themselves as being associated with Rising Action Theatre e-mailed Westboro Baptist Church asking them to picket the production. The play, by Paul Rudnick, re-imagines the Garden of Eden and his version of the first inhabitants, couples Adam and Steve and Jane and Mabel.

During a phone call today to verify the cancellation of the protest, Phelps told MiamiARTzine.com that Westboro scheduled the protest of the production because they would already have a protest team in Daytona, FL at another planned protest.

"We see that they accomplished what they were after--getting their publicity," said Phelps. "We get e-mails all the time, and when it looks like it might be a good thing to picket, then we get it scheduled."

Rising Action artistic director David Goldyn said that he did not send the church an e-mail asking them to protest, but that he later e-mailed the church thanking them for the publicity generated by the protest. Goldyn said ticket sales skyrocketed after news of the protest broke.

But he vehemently refutes the allegation that Rising Action requested the protest. "In no way shape or form did anyone from my theatre start this," said Goldyn, "and it hurts me that somebody would say so."

The Westboro Baptist Church, run by Fred Phelps, is adamantly anti-gay, and runs the website www.godhatesfags.com. Perhaps their most famous protest was the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay man who was murdered because of his sexual orientation.

Re-Orient yourself
Deco Deconstructed in the Sin Cities

By Irene Sperber

You will be sorry if you miss this one, so juggle your schedule to fit Thursday night's presentation at Miami Beach Botanical Garden authors series on the book, Art Deco in Shanghai and Miami Beach.

Miami Beach activists and authors Don and Nina Worth spent many fascinating months both visiting China, as well as inviting leading Chinese architects and city planners to our shores, stirring discussion and camaraderie on our shared architecture that has catapulted Miami Beach to great fame over the past many decades.

Their ultimate goal is to ensure that this archival record will encourage Shanghai officials to appreciate and treasure their marvelous collection of Art Deco architecture and to continue the dialogue between our two cities.

One of the purposes of the cultural exchange during Art Deco Weekend of 2007, called "East Meets West: Art Deco from Shanghai to Miami Beach", was to show city planners and officials from Shanghai how the preservation of our art deco architecture became an economic engine to promote tourism.

Shanghai and Miami are such different cities--size-wise for sure--yet they have many points of commonality: they were both known as "sin cities" in their times, they are both gateway cities and they both have a large and impressive collection of Art Deco architecture.

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden and the Miami Beach Historical Association presents Don and Nina Worth, authors of Art Deco in Shanghai and Miami Beach, Thursday, January 15, 6-8 p.m., at the Miami Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach. The presentation is free.

For more information, visit www.mbgarden.org or www.miamibeachhistory.org.

Kelley Shanley Named President a CEO of Broward Center
Center's executive VP selected for top spot

Kelley Shanley, who has served as executive vice president/general manager of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale since 1999, was today named president and chief executive officer of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. He replaces Mark Nerenhausen who announced in December that he would be leaving for a similar post at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts.

The announcement was made by M. Austin Forman, board chair of the Performing Arts Center Authority.

"An outstanding team has been built at the Broward Center which has uniquely positioned the Broward Center for a leadership transition," said Forman. "Kelley's selection will ensure a seamless transition...His achievements and contributions to the Center's growth over the past decade make him uniquely qualified to lead the Broward Center from strength to strength."

Shanley has worked side-by-side with Nerenhausen in developing many of the initiatives that have defined the Broward Center as one of the leading performing arts centers in the world including the award-winning SEAS (Student Enrichment in the Arts) program which has introduced more than two million local students to the performing arts; the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District which draws one million visitors annually; the opening and management of the new Miramar Cultural Arts Center; and the ongoing operations of Parker Playhouse and the Miniaci Performing Arts Center on the campus of Nova Southeastern University.

"I am truly honored to have been selected as president and CEO of the Broward Center, an organization that has had a significant impact on the South Florida region and plays a key role in building our community," said Shanley. "The programs and initiatives of the Broward Center reach far beyond our walls and have brought about positive awareness of the region nationally and internationally. I welcome the opportunity to continue to realize this organization's vision in one of the nation's most dynamic communities."

I Dreamt I Danced in My Maidenform
Another perspective on an evening at the ballet

By Roger Martin

Hold onto your hat; Friday night I went to the ballet. Again. I say again, because the last time I saw girls in tutus was in Swan Lake, Sadler's Wells, London in 1952. Not much difference after 57 years, except that last night, the girls in the second piece were dancing in what appeared to be red bathing suits spray painted on. Interesting. And the boys, in skin tight, uh, tights, haven't changed a bit--still the most well-endowed creatures outside of Debbie Does Dallas. I've seen smaller air bags in an Escalade.

It was opening night of Program II of the Miami City Ballet Company. Ball gowns, cocktail dresses, sparkling jewels and pristine tuxedos; those were the dancers in the opening piece. The audience dressed Miami style: casual dresses, jeans, open-necked shirts, sports coats and one guy in a snap brim fedora--in the auditorium. And a woman in the row behind me was eating popcorn. I guess culture has finally been brought to the masses. As my old mother used to say: "It would never have done for the Duke, m'dear."

There was a sprinkling of chaps in suits and ties, Dick Cheney look-alikes, one of whom spent the evening peering through, not opera glasses, but binoculars. At the girls, I think, but I'm not sure. The Cheneyesque one if front of me, however, was apparently asleep. And that's too bad, because he missed an evening of stomps, spins, tosses, flounces and other arcane movements that would have inspired the halt and the lame. (I spotted two forsaken wheelchairs after the show.)

We had The Fox-Trot, a 1940's nightclub with big band music and dancing, the earlier mentioned red-costumed Mercuric Tidings and finally, Ballet Imperial. Still no tutus. But what's not to like? Wonderful music, gorgeous costumes, long legs and six packs galore. Comfy seats, a mezzanine and countless balconies and boxes, and a sound and light system that's just perfecto.

There's something for even the most swineish of us at the Miami City Ballet.

Photo: Mary Carmen Catoya and Renato Penteado in Ballet Imperial. Photo: Joe Gato.

Miami City Ballet presents Program II at Broward Center at January 16-18. For more information, visit www.miamicityballet.org.

Mercuric Tidings Comes to Miami
Miami City Ballet impresses with Program II

By Marj O'Neill-Butler

When growing up in New York, my Mom took me to the ballet twice a year right through high school. That's when I first saw Edward Villella dance. I was thrilled then, and I was again thrilled last evening to see his Miami City Ballet at the Arsht Center. He has a company of beautifully trained dancers, many of whom exude a joy for dance. Program II has three pieces, something for everyone.

My favorite was The Fox Trot: Dancing in the Dark. A rich score of music from the 1940s brought the characters in the nightclub setting to life. The opening with the women in gowns and men in tails set the scene. Stand-out performers included Alex Wong as the Pilot's Best Friend and Jeremy Cox, Daniel Sarabia and Renato Penteado as The Three Smokers.

The second piece Mercuric Tidings, which was choreographed by world famous modern dancer Paul Taylor, would test the endurance of our finest professional athletes. These dancers are in fact athletes--strong, flexible and with the endurance of marathon runners. Add to that the perfection of their bodies in motion, and this piece is amazing to watch.

Ballet Imperial, choreographed by George Balanchine, closed the program. This classical work featured three terrific principal soloists: Mary Carmen Caroya, Renato Penteado and Tricia Albertson. In addition, the Corp de Ballet was beautiful to watch--a fleeting impression of beautiful movement. The live music by Tchaikovsky and pianist Francisco Rennó added to the richness of the work.

Now comes my pitch: When the Orange Bowl game can ask $600 for the cheap seats at Dolphin Stadium, it is time for people to step up and buy tickets to the Miami City Ballet. The tickets are reasonably priced, there's no hype, the beautiful music is played at a level that won't make you deaf and the Arsht Center is a lovely place to spend the evening.

Miami City Ballet Program II continues January 10-11 at the Arsht Center, and again at Broward Center January 16-18. For more information, visit www.miamicityballet.org.

From BFFs to Bridezillas
Bride Wars is filled with insulting stereotypes

By Mary Damiano

As I was watching Bride Wars, I wondered if there really is a whole tribe of women out there so desperate to get married that hearing of a friend's engagement sends them into fits of anxiety attacks and eating disorders, as the movie purports. I've never met such women. Maybe I don't travel in their circles. Or maybe it's an outdated stereotype trotted out for chick flicks. In Bride Wars the stereotype of what marriage means to a woman is further driven home by an elite wedding planner, who tells her client-brides that not only is their wedding the first day of the rest of their lives, but that they are dead until that day--dead, mind you--and that any woman who doesn't get married will always be dead. That's not exactly the way we do things in the century that I inhabit.

Yes, I know, Bride Wars is fiction--I hope it is anyway. It's meant to be exaggerated--again, I hope it is. It's supposed to be a comedy--although whether you laugh or not depends solely, for women at least, on whether or not you enjoy watching your gender portrayed in such an unflattering, downright offensive light.

The set-up in Bride Wars is that Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have been BFFs since, well, forever. When they were little girls, their moms took them for a fancy, grown-up outing at the Plaza, where they spied a bride. The wedding left such an impression on young Liv and Emma that they decide the only wedding for each of them is in June at the Plaza.

Fast-forward 20 years. Liv, a high-powered attorney, and Emma, a put-upon middle school teacher, get engaged within days of each other and book an appointment with Marion St. Claire (Candice Bergen), the most exclusive wedding planner in Manhattan. An assistant erroneously books the two weddings on the same date. There's not another June date available at the Plaza for three years, and neither Liv nor Emma will change their plans, so the two BFFs turn into big-time bridezillas. Instead of enjoying three months of wedding planning, Liv and Emma engage in three months of sabotage.

Of course, the most logical solution is to have a double wedding, as the grooms suggest, an idea that's so quickly dismissed that you know it's only because to entertain the idea would mean there wouldn't be a movie. After all, wouldn't a double wedding be a small concession to make in order to be at your best friend's wedding and to make her dream come true?

Maybe Bride Wars was meant to be a fairy tale--it does feature Bergen doing a voice-over narration that gives it that air. But it's really a cautionary tale--not about bad friends, but about bad movies.

Bride Wars
PG
Running Time: 90 minutes
Director: Gary Winick. Screenplay: Greg DePaul, Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael. With: Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Candice Bergen, Kristen Johnston, Bryan Greenberg, Steve Howie and John Pankow.

Looped is Flawless
Brilliant script and performances highlight play about legendary actress Tallulah Bankhead

By Mary Damiano

Every so often, you see something at the theatre which is so beautifully written, acted and designed that you wonder why all theatre can't be this wonderful.

That's the case with Looped, the comedy now playing at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach. Looped, which is based on a true incident in which legendary, infamous actress Tallulah Bankhead comes to an L.A. soundstage in 1965 to record a single line of dialogue for her final film, Die! Die! My Darling!, is an embarrassment of riches, from the clever, riotous script and deceptively simple scenic design, to the spot-on performances by star Valerie Harper and co-star Chad Allen.

Playwright Matthew Lombardo has a knack for taking legends and turning them into people an audience can relate to--he did it with Katharine Hepburn in Tea at Five which played the Cuillo a few years ago and starred Kate Mulgrew, and he's done it again in Looped with Tallulah Bankhead. How wise of Lombardo to repeat this Tea at Five formula and make his Tallulah play a one-woman show with the legend reminiscing to the audience. That structure worked beautifully in Tea at Five because it seemed natural for patrician Hepburn to tell stories about her life and career. Tallulah however, needs a counterpart at whom to lob her deadpan one-liners, someone to be on the receiving end of her acerbic wit. Lombardo has furnished Tallulah with a mousy, uptight film editor in a business suit and slicked hair who proves to be the perfect foil--and later the perfect adversary--in the recording session from hell.

Harper is brilliant. Whether you know her as Rhoda Morgenstern from TV or Golda Meir from the stage, all vestiges of other characters disappear in Looped. She crawls into Tallulah's skin and inhabits her for two hours, so much so that you'll feel that you were witness to Tallulah's recording session. Her Tallulah never lapses into caricature. She nails Tallulah's throaty voice, her poker face even when delivering the most stinging barb, her tipsy movements and grand gestures. You'll realize how true this is when the curtain call arrives and Harper returns to the stage. Still wearing Tallulah's wig, dress and make-up, she takes her bows as Valerie, transforming from character back to herself in the blink of an eye. It's a remarkable performance, a tour de force everyone who loves theatre should experience.

Her co-star, Chad Allen is also best known for TV roles, like the long-running "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman", but there's no trace of Matthew Cooper here. Allen masterfully portrays Danny Williams--Harper gets the star turn, but Allen gets to portray a character who evolves from impatient corporate dweeb to a man willing to face and perhaps exorcise his own demons.

Lombardo's script is seamless in that it incorporates Tallulah's actual quotes with dialogue he's written, and you can't tell which parts of the script Tallulah actually said and which Lombardo wrote. Lines like "If I'd known it was going to be this hot I would have worn my other fur" and "I'll be the first to admit that I'm bisexual--buy me something and I'll be sexual" are vintage Tallulah, whether she actually said them or not.

This is the second production of Looped; Harper and Allen originated the roles last year in Pasadena. Harper and Allen have great chemistry. Their banter, on paper, probably reads like an old vaudeville routine, but in the hands and mouth of these two brilliant performers, it's natural, clever and very witty.

Looped makes an interesting comment on the culture of celebrity. Tallulah was a an early example of a talented actress who played herself to the point that it became the only role she was allowed to play, thereby devolving from actress to celebrity. Although she was proud and unapologetic for living her life on her own terms, her career suffered. Looped portrays her as an actress who, although her main role was playing herself, proved she could bring the goods when she wanted to.

Do yourself a favor and don't miss Looped. Sure, if you live in Miami Beach or even further south, the Cuillo Centre in downtown West Palm Beach is a schlep. But gas is cheap, Looped is worth it, and if you miss it you'll be missing one of the best productions to come to South Florida in a very long time.

Looped runs through February 15 at the Cuillo Centre for the Arts, 201 Clematis, West Palm Beach. The official opening night is Wednesday, January 7. For tickets and more information, call 561-835-9226 or visit www.cuillocentre.com.

Say Oui Oui to La Cage Aux Folles

By Mary Damiano

The musical La Cage Aux Folles used to be considered edgy, but now it's become so mainstream that I wouldn't be surprised if Disney or Pixar did an animated adaptation. Now it's come to Coral Springs, in a production that is rightfully wowing audiences.

The story concerns Georges and Albin, a long-time, devoted gay couple who run a nightclub on the French Riviera--Georges is the manager and Albin performs in drag as the great ZaZa. But all hilarity breaks loose when Georges' son arrives to say that not only is he marrying, but that his fiancée's ultra-conservative parents can know nothing of Albin, the club and the fact that his father is gay.

La Cage Aux Folles is regularly revived--it was done here in 2007 by Actors' Playhouse. The Broward Stage Door's production is impressive, with a terrific, hard-working ensemble and two leads with real chemistry. Timothy J. Conway plays Albin with pouty pride, while charismatic Matthew William Chizever infuses debonair Georges with moving affection. The two actors take these roles, which too often devolve into stereotypes, and make them real human beings. Marcus Davis works his scene-stealing role of houseboy Jacob so that all he has to do is raise an eyebrow to get a laugh.

Although the set looks more American Southwest than South of France, the entire cast is ebullient and delivers a joyful night of theatre.

For tickets and more information, visit www.stagedoortheatre.com.

Musical Memories
The Campaign to Restore the Miami Marine Stadium

By Irene Sperber

OK, a show of hands: How many of you are aware of the Miami Marine Stadium, an architectural gem on Virginia Key?

Thought: maybe we need to brush up on the history and import of yet another blast of Miami's past before the wrecking ball does the dirty deed.

The Miami Marine Stadium, closed by will of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, is an knock-out masterpiece, sporting a cantilevered roof boasting the largest span of unsupported concrete in the world. Built in 1964 and likened to the jaws of an alligator, the 6,566-seat stadium offers an unsurpassed view of our Miami skyline.

Originally built as a venue for boat races, the Miami Marine Stadium has been the site of many concerts. Musical greats including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Buffett and Sammy Davis Jr. performed there. Buffett's August 17, 1985 concert there was taped for the Live on the Bay video, Buffett's first full-length concert release. The stadium was also the site of a much-publicized impromptu hug between Davis and former President Richard M. Nixon in 1972. Classical and jazz music lovers enjoyed many concerts under the stars at the stadium, where boaters could drop anchor and listen to the music.

If the Dade Heritage Trust and Friends of Marine Stadium are successful in saving the stadium, we could "down the road" conceivably be enjoying a concert or water sports event, admiring the Miami skyline as the tropical Miami breezes caress our faces. (How'm I doing with the convincing thing?)

OK, here's what you do: The Dade Heritage Trust has already designated as Historic the Marine Stadium as of October 2008. Along with Friends of Miami Stadium, they will hold a seminar--no really, these are informative and lots of fun, so stay with me here--discussing plans for restoration and use.

The event will be held Saturday, January 10, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Miami Rowing Club, right next to the Marine Stadium, 3601 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virgina Key.

Here's the schedule:
9:30 to 10 a.m.: Coffee and bagels
11 to 11:30 a.m.: Dragon Boat Race
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Discussion
12:30-1:30 p.m.: Water tours of the Marine Stadium by Chinese Dragon Boat

The event is free for members of the Dade Heritage Trust and Friends of Marine Stadium, $10 for non-members. The last event was sold out, and tickets will not be sold at the door. To RSVP to the Dade Heritage Trust, call 305-358-9572 or e-mail info@dadeheritagetrust.org. For more information, www.marinestadium.org.

The Chairs is a Trippy Ride

By Mary Damiano

Eugene Ionescu's Theatre of the Absurd play The Chairs may be more than 50 years old, but its production at Palm Beach Dramaworks is fresh and new. The production fits in with the company's mission to present classic work, but it's the most edgy thing PBD has produced in recent memory.

The Chairs is about a married couple in their 90s who live in a room surrounded by water. Throughout the course of the play, they reminisce about their lives, discuss their present situation, and welcome imaginary guests, so many that the couple fills the stage with chairs.

The Chairs features terrific performances by Dan Leonard and Barbara Bradshaw, as well as Shel Shanak, who takes the production from merely absurd to downright trippy. Michael Amico's set and Steve Shapiro's sound design is some of the best we've seen all year.

Kudos to the artistic team at Palm Beach Dramaworks for thinking way outside the box on The Chairs, which, according to artistic director William Hayes' program notes, has never had a South Florida production. The play might leave audiences scratching their heads trying to figure out an interpretation--and believe me, there are many--but this production is a ride worth taking.

For tickets and more information, visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.