Summer Shorts celebrates its 30th year, a Temptations musical tours the Kravis, and a Delray hot spot hosts an interactive spin on a ‘70s game show. Plus, Billy Currington and more in your week ahead.
TUESDAY
What: Opening night of “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $40.25 to $104.65
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
This ecstatic jukebox musical chronicles the magical sonic kismet that brought Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks and Elbridge “Al” Bryant together as the archetypal Motown quintet. With more than 30 songs, including “My Girl” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” it charts their journey from the streets of Detroit to rock ‘n’ roll royalty, an era riven by conflicts both personal and political. The show is set amid the turbulent civil rights movement, while issues of substance abuse, alcoholism and domestic abuse offer a raw flipside to the Temptations’ golden voices. “Ain’t Too Proud” earned 11 Tony nominations in 2019, and runs at the Kravis through Sunday.
THURSDAY
What: Gong Show Karaoke Night
Where: Good Night John Boy, 33 S.E. Third Ave., Delray Beach
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: 561/516-1957, goodnightjb.com
This first-of-its-kind event at one of Delray’s newest dining hot spots is not for the faint of heart or thin of skin. At Gong Show Karaoke Night, amateur singers are invited to take the stage and sing along to their favorite hits, while a three-judge panel emceed by an Austin Powers impersonator will analyze their every note—and if the singer is noticeably off, a panelist may strike a gong and end their performance early. The concept, borrowed from the wacky and cult-y Chuck Barris game show “The Gong Show,” is especially on-brand for Good Night John Boy, which celebrates all things ‘70s in its kitschy retro design, complete with shag carpet, disco ball and portraits of the era’s celebrities. If you’re brave enough to take to the mic, a word of advice: Focus on a song in your wheelhouse, ideally one for which you don’t even need the lyrics for, rather than experiment with something new. The night’s winner will earn a $500 cash prize.
THURSDAY TO SUNDAY
What: Summer Shorts
Where: Sandrell Rivers Theatre, 6103 N.W. Seventh Ave., Miami
When: 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun.
Cost: $25 per show, $80 for all four
Contact: citytheatre.com
Miami’s Summer Shorts, an annual festival of short plays in operation since 1995, was one of dozens of arts organizations that saw its funding slashed last summer when Gov. Ron DeSantis eliminated $32 million in arts and culture grants from the state budget. Now, for its 30th anniversary production, Summer Shorts is returning—scaled-back but undeterred in its mission to trumpet new works and support playwrights from local, marginalized communities. Instead of its usual multi-week run, Summer Shorts will be condensed into one four-day weekend, and each day is different: Five unique plays, each approximately 10 minutes in length, will run each night, encouraging repeat visitors. As usual for Summer Shorts’ format, comedy dominates the tenor of the plays—this year with a satirical bite that tracks with our troubled political zeitgeist.
SATURDAY
What: Billy Currington and Kip Moore
Where: Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
When: 7 p.m.
Cost: $30-$56.50
Contact: 561/393-7890, mizneramp.com
While in high school in his native Georgia, singer Billy Currington failed an audition for Opryland, the renowned country music theme park in Nashville. It’s fair to say he’s had the last laugh, however: The now 51-year-old singer-songwriter is a giant in country music, recording 11 No. 1 hits, including what may be the countriest song title of all time: “Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer.” “Do I Make You Wanna,” released in 2016 from the aptly titled album Summer Forever, set a new record a year later, when it topped country charts by the widest margin of all-time—with some 9.5 million more airplays than the No. 2 song on the chart. Fellow-Georgian Kip Moore, whose greatest hit is “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck,” joins Currington on this co-headlining tour. Arrive early for opening act Jade Eagleson, an up-and-coming country singer from Canada.
What: Gamer Rave
Where: The Banyan Live, 8199 Southern Blvd., Suite B
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $26 advance, $31 day of show
Contact: 561/855-0626, thebanyanlive.com
Worlds collide in this event—billed as “the ultimate gaming party”—which is situated on the overlapping nexus between video game and rave cultures. Those interested in the former can play in Tekken 8 and Super Smash Bros. tournaments, competing for a prize pool of $300, while ravers can dance to live DJ performances by @zerosum, @paradiselost_dj, @aphroditeareia, @grizzliiofficial and @sublmnlmusic. Attendees are invited to cosplay as their favorite game characters, and between games they can shop an “Artist Alley” complete with collectibles, art and exclusive merchandise. There’s even some free swag for all who show up.
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