Mizner Park lights its “iTree,” the Wick Theatre gets back in the habit, and a pair of experts debate the Kennedy Assassination. Plus, Melissa Etheridge, “Aliens,” new art at PAMM and more in your week ahead.
TUESDAY
What: “Who Killed John F. Kennedy”
Where: Books and Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables
When: 7 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: 305/442-4408, booksandbooks.com
On the 53rd anniversary of the JFK assassination, Books and Books is welcoming two investigators who have contributed to the endless volume of literature on the subject. The notorious Roger Stone, a political rabble-rouser and adviser to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, will defend his conspiracy tome “The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ,” and Gerald Posner, a dogged investigative journalist, will speak on “Case Closed,” which supports the Warren Commission and the single-assassin theory. Glenn Garvin of the Miami Herald will moderate a debate between these two best-selling authors. Whether the conversation will remain civil or devolve into chair-throwing remains to be seen; just keep your smartphone cameras at the ready.
WEDNESDAY
What: Holiday Tree Lighting
Where: Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: 561/393-7807, myboca.us
Mizner Park’s Christmas tree is so 21st century. The so-called “iTree,” which will be unveiled Wednesday evening near Lord & Taylor, is a marvelous combination of the organic and the digital, boasting more than 32,000 lifelike PVC branches and 25,000 clear and multicolored LED lights, along with clusters of ornaments and red and gold bows. A 20-minute musical light show will illuminate the park nightly, every hour, from 6 to 9 p.m. through the holiday season. But the “iTree” isn’t the only festive addition to Mizner; 50,000 LED lights will adorn 75 palm trees throughout the complex. Garland, lights and holiday trimmings will be everywhere, and four wreaths—each 60 inches in diameter—will be placed throughout the facility. Celebrate the yuletide cheer at this tree lighting celebration, which includes artificial snow, carnival rides, fireworks and a family-friendly stage show, with food and Santa sessions available for purchase.
What: South Florida Musicians Assistance Foundation benefit concert
Where: Funky Biscuit, 303 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton
When: 7 p.m.
Cost: $20-$40
Contact: 561/395-2929, funkybiscuit.com
An area’s best musicians are often the area’s most starving musicians, because rocking well doesn’t always pay the bills. These include health care costs, which are on the rise—and that’s where South Florida Musicians Assistance Foundation comes in. Launched in 2014 after the death of multi-instrumentalist and SoFla music pillar Corey Dwyer, the SFMAF pools funds to assist the medical bills of local musicians who otherwise can’t afford them, and much of its reservoir comes from this annual fundraising concert at the beloved Funky Biscuit. Three of the biggest names in the local scene will perform for your well-directed dollars: Crazy Fingers, the nationally acclaimed Grateful Dead tribute artists; Albert Castiglia, the veteran blues-rock virtuoso; and Bluestone, David Shelley’s bluesy hot rock project. “Other special guests” may turn up as well for the cause.
FRIDAY
What: Opening day of “Jillian Mayer: Slumpies”
Where: Perez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $12-$16
Contact: 305/375-3000, pamm.org
So what is a “Slumpie,” you may ask? It’s neither the latest sugary calorie bomb from 7-11 nor an innovation in thermal blanketing. A “Slumpie” is an awkward, deliberately meretricious piece of sculptural furniture, designed by artist Jillian Mayer as a sojourn for iPhone zombies. Inspired by research suggesting that smartphone users spend an average of 4.7 hours a day staring at their devices, Mayer’s satirical yet functional “Slumpies” are glitter-bedecked retro-futuristic respites for the perennially distracted to unplug from real-life and bask in handheld data. Comprised of materials such as fiberglass, resin, enamel and Amazon Prime cardboard boxes, “Slumpies” are a hilarious solution to a problem that shouldn’t exist; it’s no surprise their artist was inspired in part by Skymall merchandise, the now-defunct standard-bearer in superfluous gadgetry. PAMM visitors are invited to utilize the “Slumpies” on the museum’s Vattikuti Learning Theater and outdoor terrace. The exhibition runs through Jan. 22.
SATURDAY
What: Opening night of “Sister Act”
Where: The Wick, 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $80 ($75 for future performances)
Contact: 561/995-2333, thewick.org
“Sister Act,” the 1992 fish-out-of-water movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, became one of the most successful comedies of the early ‘90s, earning more than $230 million dollars off its clever premise: A hard-living Reno nightclub singer, fleeing her vindictive mobster boyfriend, enters the witness protection program by joining a convent. Cue the culture-clashing comedy. With Goldberg’s imprimatur, “Sister Act” was adapted as a stage musical in 2006, and by the time it reached Broadway in 2011, it was en route to becoming an international feel-good hit. Composer Alan Mencken, who penned the scores for stage musicals like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Newsies,” wrote the music, and the witty playwright Douglas Carter Beane contributed to the book. In this regional premiere, The Wick’s largely local cast includes familiar faces Jessica Brooke Sanford, Margot Morland, Meredith Bartmon and Leah Sessa. It runs through Dec. 17.
What: Screening of “Aliens”
Where: O Cinema, 500 71st St., Miami Beach
When: 11:30 p.m.
Cost: $10
Contact: 786/207-1919, o-cinema.org
If Ridley Scott’s original “Alien,” from 1979, was a claustrophobic horror film, James Cameron’s 1986 sequel was a relentless antiwar actioner—two hours and 17 minutes of blast-furnace carnage that resonated with the still-present aftershocks of the Vietnam War. Sigourney Weaver, who earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance, returns as iconic alien slayer Ellen Ripley. She launches back to the planet of hostile stomach-invaders, only this time with a team of elite space marines to back her up. Written and directed by a still-somewhat-humble, pre-King of the World Cameron, “Aliens” is a genre classic that has stands up powerfully to repeated viewings. See it for the first time, or enjoy it again, at this one-time-only 35mm screening.
MONDAY, NOV. 28
What: Melissa Etheridge
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $20-$100
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
Fresh off her Memphis Rock and Soul Tour, which featured the celebrated folk-rocker covering soulful compositions by Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and other genre staples, Melissa Etheridge is jumping right back into the touring grind, this time with a holiday trio. In 2008, Etheridge released “A New Thought for Christmas,” one of the more distinctive holiday albums of the Aughts, which featured seasonal standards like “Blue Christmas” and “O Night Divine” with original compositions such as “Christmas in America” and “Light a Light.” The mix of religious and secular, old and new, was meant to “bridge our old oppressive cultural ways with the enlightenment of our coming future.” She’ll continue to build that bridge on this tour, which features her Christmas cuts alongside megahits like “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.”
