Free music returns to downtown Delray, a comedic “Jackass” tours West Palm, and a dance-pop musical celebrates its 25th anniversary. Plus, jazz trumpeter Jean Caze and more in your week ahead.
TUESDAY
What: Opening night of “Mamma Mia!”
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $45 to $110
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
This week marks the brief West Palm Beach run of the 25th anniversary tour of “Mamma Mia!,” but it feels like the ABBA-soundtracked jukebox musical never went away. It’s become a perennial choice in regional theaters everywhere; few modern musicals have entrenched themselves so ubiquitously in our cultural firmament. At its heart, it’s silly escapist fun set on a fictional Greek island, and centering on the pending nuptials of 20-year-old Sophie, who grew up without meeting her father. After a bit of sleuthing, she has narrowed down the options to three men, each of whom receives an invitation to the wedding, much to the surprise of her mother, Donna. But the story is really window dressing for the goofy and endearing repartee and those great dance songs—“Money Money Money,” “Super Trouper,” “Dancing Queen.” When produced with the Broadway-level talent leading this tour, it should be irresistible. It runs through Sunday; look for a review later this week here on bocamag.com.
THURSDAY
What: Opening night of “Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1”
Where: Cinemark Bistro Boca Raton, 3200 Airport Road, Boca Raton
When: 3, 7 and 9:40 p.m.
Cost: $13.75
Contact: 561/395-4695
Kevin Coster’s relationship with the American western rivals that of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne; it’s served as a passionate through-line in his career, from “Silverado” and “Dances With Wolves” to “Wyatt Earp,” “Open Range” and “Yellowstone.” But this first in a four-part series about the frontier of the American west promises to be his most thorough examination yet of our fractious history, from the colonization of Native American land through the American Civil War and beyond. Costner stars and co-wrote and directed the project, the first in a series of four epic films (Chapter 1 alone spans three hours), which has been germinating in his head since 1988. The sprawling ensemble cast includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Danny Huston and Jena Malone; Chapter 2 opens in theaters in August.
FRIDAY
What: Summer in the City
Where: Amphitheater at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
When: 7 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: 561/243-1077, downtowndelraybeach.com
Not that we South Floridians can feel the difference from a blazing and probably record-hot spring, but summer officially kicked off last Thursday. And with that seasonal turnover, Delray’s beloved Sunset Concert Series is back, offering free live music on the fourth Friday of each month during the dog days. Friday’s headliner at 8 p.m. will be the Shaelyn Band, a Florida-based quintet whose original sound is a danceable gumbo of soul, blues, funk and rock that effectively transports listeners to an earlier time in music; to that end, the group’s latest album, Juke Joint, is a down-and-dirty tribute to the jukebox clubs of yore. Arrive early for Matt Brown opening the show at 7 p.m. No outside food is permitted, but there will be food and drink vendors on site.
What: An Evening with Jean Caze
Where: Arts Garage, 94 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $40-$45
Contact: 561/450-6357, artsgarage.org
Jean Caze is among contemporary jazz’s most versatile trumpeters, having lent his smooth and buttery tone to compositions by artists as wide-ranging as Herbie Hancock, Mariah Carey and Aretha Franklin. Even if you’re unfamiliar with Caze’s name, you may have heard him play: He joined Michael Buble’s live band in 2010, and performed a memorable solo each night on tour, in the kind of plum side gig that allows an artist more financial freedom to do what he wants as a bandleader. Born in Haiti, Caze wears his heritage proudly in his music—his latest single, released during this troubled time in his homeland, is the Haitian National Anthem—but he’s a dexterous enough player to also conjure Miles Davis at his modal and post-bop peak. Catch him leading this groovy and melodic Arts Garage set backed by a four-piece band on saxophone, keyboards, bass and drums.
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
What: Steve-O
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: 7 and 9:30 p.m.
Cost: $37.50-$57.50
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
Some would argue that comedy shouldn’t be for the faint of heart: For those audiences, there’s probably no voice more brutally liberated than that of Steve-O, the fearless stunt performer who, in his work on the “Jackass” television and film franchise, seemingly never encountered a disgusting or life-threatening proposition to which he didn’t consent. From attaching a leech to his eyeball to climbing a tightrope—while dangling raw meat—above a hungry alligator, to snorting wasabi up his nose, Steve-O’s “don’t try this at home” extremism is among the most daring in contemporary entertainment. In this multimedia show co-produced by Palm Beach Improv, expect to hear recollections from Steve-O’s career on the margins of acceptability, in what is being billed as a budget-friendly workshop production for the comedian’s next large-scale tour.
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