Tuesday
Kathy Griffin at Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 8 p.m.; $35
to $115; 561/832-7469 or www.kravis.org
When are we finally going to call Kathy Griffin on her self-effacing status as a “D-Lister?”The red-haired, acid-tongued comedian is a New York Times best-selling author, has been nominated twice for Emmy awards, enjoyed a one-woman show on Broadway, costarred in a successful sitcom and earned a Grammy nomination for her 2010 comedy album. She even cohosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage – twice – to considerable controversy. Sounds like a mainstream, A-list celebrity, whether she likes it or not.
“Of Gods and Men” at Regal Shadowood 16, 9889 W. Glades Road, Boca Raton; 1, 4, 7 and 9:45 p.m.; $6.75 to $10; 561/482-2296
This staggering, true-story-based drama from French-Canadian director Xavier Beauvois centers on a group of eight monks who run a monastery and clinic in an Arab country in the mid-’90s. Their peaceful and ascetic existence is threatened by the rise of Islamic extremism. This poetic, unsettling experience reminded me of cinema’s great directors of films about faith, from Carl Theodore Dreyer to Robert Bresson to Roberto Rossellini; it’s a haunting observation of transcendence, morality, the perils of human kindness and the cinema itself. You won’t find anything else like it. The movie runs at least through Thursday.
Suze Ormon at Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd., Coral Gables; 7:30 p.m.; free but tickets required; 305/667-9470 or www.booksandbooks.com
The recession may technically be over, but tell that to the unemployment rate. Best-selling financial advice columnist Ormon drops by Gables to discuss her latest book “The Money Class: Learn to Create Your New American Dream, “in which the self-help guru acknowledges the raw economic deal many Americans still have” and promises a way forward and a path to security. It’s a tall order, but if there’s anyone to guide us through our current financial muck, it’s Ormon.
Wednesday
Opening night of “Wicked” at Broward Center for the Performing Arts’ Au-Rene Theater, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 8 p.m.; $36 to $154; 954/462-0222 or www.browardcenter.org
The three-time Tony-winning musical “Wicked” is an absorbing pop confection – one that is quickly achieving status as a modern classic. A creative coming-of-age tale about witches in the land before Oz, “Wicked”merges infectious songcraft, bubbly acting, show-stopping stage theatrics and powerful social commentary. It comes to South Florida just about every year, and for good reason – most of the shows still sell to near capacity. The production runs through April 24.
Opening night of the Women’s International Film & Arts Festival at Broward Center for the Performing Arts’ Amaturo Theater, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 7:30 p.m.; $65; 954/462-0222 or www.browardcenter.org
Yes, Wednesday is a busy night at the Broward Center. The venue will play host to one of the tri-county area’s many niche film festivals, this one celebrating films by female directors. The opening night film is “Latin Music USA: Divas and Superstars,” a PBS documentary directed by Miami-based filmmaker Adriana Bosch. Bosch turns her attention away from her usual subject of world leaders to focus on the success of Latin crossover artists such as Ricky Martin and Shakira. An after-part will follow at Dockers Bar and Grill, 6330 Miramar Parkway, Miramar.
Tango Buenos Aires at Society of the Four Arts, 2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach; 8
p.m.; $40 to $45; 561/655-7226 or www.fourarts.org
This Argentinean group makes for one of the most interesting additions to the Four Arts’ music season. Less a traditional dance concert than an innovative, interactive dance history lesson, the show features a 10-piece ensemble that dances through a narrative of passionate meetings, bitter break-ups and peaceful reunions, all while showcasing the tango’s rich heritage. The group is renowned for its uncompromising representation of the tango.
Friday
Opening night of “Insidious” at most area movie theaters
I don’t usually promote big-budget, wide-release Hollywood movies in the Week Ahead, but this is a slow cultural weekend and, with a ton of movies opening, I don’t want this terrific horror picture to get lost in the flurry. Directed by “Saw” helmer James Wan, “Insidious” looks awfully generic on paper: Harried parents are haunted by largely unseen demons and/or spirits that follow them from house to house and eventually paralyze their young son. Enter the quirky medium, played by Lin Shaye, who will help the family navigate the necessary netherword and retrieve their boy. “Insidious” feels like a gonzo ’80s horror movie in tone, texture and zonked-out un-believability – which is to say it’s a lot of fun. It manages to provide some genuinely memorable scares while, at the same time, not taking itself too seriously.
Saturday
Opening reception of “Overtones: Diptychs and Proportions by Ralph Gibson” at Palm Beach Photographic Centre, 415 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 6 to 8 p.m.; $3 suggested donation; 561/253-2600 or www.workshop.org
A painter in a photographer’s body, Ralph Gibson is a Los Angeles-based artist, now 72, who is considered a pioneer of the photographic book. His mostly stark, high-contrast black-and-white images alternate between erotic surrealism, shadowy noir energy and haunting visual fragments you won’t soon forget. He has won endowments from the Guggenheim and the National Endowment for the Arts, and his work has been included in more than 150 museums across the world. His West Palm Beach show runs through May 14.
Saturday and Sunday
2011 Reggae Fest at Bryant Park, on the corner of Lake Avenue and South Golfview Road, Lake Worth; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday; $10 for one day and $15 for two-day pass; 561/582-4401
The Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce once again sponsors this annual Caribbean shindig, offering ethnic food, culture and reggae music at an affordable price. The Wailers, the legendary, genre-defining collective founded by Bob Marley, will headline the event at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Live music runs all day both days, and other talent includes Gainesville act Third Stone (6:30 p.m. Saturday) Pato Banton & the Now Generation (4:30 p.m. Sunday) and local favorites The Resolvers (12:30 p.m. Sunday).
Monday
The Carbonell Awards at Broward Center for the Performing Arts’ Amaturo Theater, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 7:30 p.m.; $25; 954/462-0222 orwww.browardcenter.org
The bustling South Florida theater season is finally beginning to slow down after March’s copious month of cultural riches. It’s a perfect time to reflect on the past year of regional theater by attending the Carbonell Awards, the tri-county area’s answer to the Tonys. See “Blasted” and “American Buffalo” duke it out for Best Production of a Play, “Miss Saigon” and “The Drowsy Chaperone”battle for Best Production of Musical and much more – including original song-and-dance numbers written for the occasion.
