The South Florida Fair is its own water world, a New Wave pioneer tours Miami, and the Wick mounts an iconic musical. Plus, “Hadestown” and more in your week ahead.
TUESDAY
What: Opening night of “Hadestown”
Where: Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $45-$176
Contact: 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org
Broadway’s “Hadestown” is the brainchild of Vermont folksinger Anaïs Mitchell, who first released its alternately haunting, ethereal and rousing songs as a concept album before bringing the fully staged musical version off-Broadway. Her source material is as ancient as 29 BCE: the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, and the former’s harrowing journey into a hedonistic underground to rescue the latter. Hermes, Persephone and, of course, Hades figure into the plot as well, and the elaborate sets, costumes and Mitchell’s cerebral but catchy songcraft helped propel the eventual Broadway production to eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. This Broadway in Fort Lauderdale enjoys an unusually generous two-week run, closing on Jan. 21.
WEDNESDAY
What: American Patchwork Quartet
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561/832-7469, kravis.org
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $35
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
Inspired by the ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax’s quote that “America has a patchwork culture made of the dreams and songs of all its people,” this ace quartet draws from its own “patchwork” of players to excavate and reimagine treasures of early American roots music. An American-born drummer and guitarist join a Mumbai-born vocalist and a native Japanese bassist—all naturalized U.S. citizens, and all with Grammy nominations or victories to their credits—weave a “nation of immigrants” narrative into their entrancing takes on classics from “Wayfaring Stranger” to “Shenandoah,” for an uplifting sound that fits snugly into folk and jazz festivals alike.
THURSDAY
What: Opening night of “Fiddler on the Roof”
Where: the Wick Theatre, 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $109
Contact: 561/995-2333, thewick.org
One of the most infrequently produced Broadway warhoses in South Florida regional theatre, this Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick musical is based on Sholem Aleichem’s cherished Jewish folk tales. It centers, of course, on Tevye, who toils as a milkman while raising three strong-willed daughters in a village in Imperial Russia circa 1905. Its themes, including the preservation of religious tradition amid accelerating cultural change, have transcended the musical itself, as much as its hummable classics, like “If I Were a Rich Man,” have become standards in the pop, jazz and classical songbooks. The production runs through Feb. 11.
FRIDAY
What: Opening night of South Florida Fair
Where: South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: Beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $15-$45
Contact: 561/793-0333, southfloridafair.com
There will be water, water everywhere at this year’s South Florida Fair, whose theme is “Dive Into the Fun.” New and exclusive events at the 2024 fair pertain to ocean conservation and marine life: Expect a live shark show, up-close sea lion encounters and immersive—the descriptor du jour in the entertainment world—“underwater experiences.” Local organizations will educate visitors on the best ways to maintain a healthy ocean ecosystem, and the fair’s resident paleontologist will stroll the grounds with baby sea animals in tow. This is all on top of the annual favorites at this now 112-year-old tradition: live music from national and local artists, daily Mardi Gras-style parades (with floats direct from New Orleans), an agricultural and livestock program with more than 1,000 exhibitors, and upwards of 200 rides, games and attractions. And don’t miss the funnel cake; any New Year’s resolution to eat healthier can wait until Jan. 29.
What: Elvis Costello
Where: Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $64-$139
Contact: 305/673-7300, fillmoremb.com
One of popular music’s most distinctive chameleons—an oxymoron he wears with pride and verve—Elvis Costello emerged like a rocket with his 1977 debut LP My Aim is True, an instant classic that positioned the British singer-songwriter as a sort of Buddy Holly for the punk set. In the nearly five decades since, Costello has traveled myriad musical byways, recording everything from country to hip-hop to classical to jazz, including a long-running relationship with the late Burt Bacharach. He remains an omnivorous and unorthodox collaborator, most recently with the under-the-radar Slovenian indie band Joker Out (on its 2023 song “New Wave”) and on a tour with Italian singer-songwriter Carmen Consoli. His 32nd album, A Boy Named If, was released to wide acclaim in 2022. He’s launching a mini tour in Florida this week (Charlie Sexton is the opening act) for his first slate of performances since October, so his set list is an enticing mystery. With no small amount of cheek, Costello’s announcement of the tour promises nothing less than a transcendent experience: “an escapade destined to rhapsodize the senses and bewitch the heartstrings.”
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