Mizner Park hosts spirited mix-masters, the Carbonell Awards honor South Florida theatre, and local politicos search for civility at Lynn. Plus, Chris Rock, Dinosaur Jr., Bravo Amici and more in your week ahead.
WEDNESDAY
What: Dinosaur Jr.
Where: Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $25
Contact: 954/564-1074, cultureroom.net
Dissonance has always been embedded into the fabric of Dinosaur Jr., the Amherst, Mass., trio whose 1980s emergence laid foundational stones for alternative and college rock. It was there in the music, which married crank-it- to-11 arena-rock volume with lo-fi punk distortion and singer J. Mascis’ incongruous vocal drawl, with its country-slacker disaffection. And it was certainly there in the mercurial musicians themselves, whose personalities and creative visions clashed enough to warrant a 10-year hiatus between albums. Since 2007, Dinosaur Jr. seems to have mended its fences without losing the healthy juxtapositions of its influential music. Its 2016 release “Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not,” represents the band’s best work in nearly a decade.
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
What: Chris Rock
Where: Hard Rock Live, 5747 Seminole Way, Hollywood
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $65-$180
Contact: 800/745-3000, myhrl.com
It’s been more than 20 years since Chris Rock’s breakthrough HBO special, “Bring the Pain,” established him as a megastar. That standup show—and its follow-up, “Bigger and Blacker”—created the perception of Rock that still holds: as a brash, un-P.C., black-leather- jacketed truth-teller, the anti-Cosby. But in the nine years since his last standup tour, he’s become less of a provocative outsider and more of a multihyphenate mogul—executive-producing documentaries, acting on Broadway, hosting awards shows, and writing and directing feature films. How this time in showbiz and off the comedy-club stage will affect Rock’s “Total Blackout Tour” remains to be seen, but there’s only one way to find out.
THURSDAY
What: “Mixology: The Craft Spirits Event”
Where: Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
When: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $45
Contact: mixologyboca.com
It has taken the craft cocktail movement a little longer to catch fire than its now-ubiquitous craft beer colleagues. But for the second year in a row, Boca Raton magazine is helping to stoke the flames of this exciting movement with “Mixology,” one of our signature annual events. The $45 cover grants unlimited tastings from 25 of Florida’s finest purveyors of craft spirits—brands with punchy names like Slaughter House, Death’s Door and Wicked Dolphin. You can expand your culinary horizons, too; the ticket charge also includes offerings from Tanzy, Café Med, Villagio, Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar, M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom and more. Live music rounds out the spirited evening.
FRIDAY
What: “Dialogues in Civility: In Conversation With Congress”
Where: Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University, 3601 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton
When: Noon
Cost: Free, but registration required
Contact: 561/237-7000, lynn.edu/events
Civility in politics sounds like a quaint relic of the 20th century: principled congressional leaders air passionate but respectful disagreements, then perhaps share a beer after the session and work constructively on a compromise. These days, fueled by a balkanized media and constituents who, understandably, would rather see the system burn to the ground than to see their side commune with the sworn enemy, the very concept of civil behavior is under serious endangerment. This free lecture at Lynn will hope to change that perception and forge a new reality, with a bipartisan panel of well-behaved Florida political all-stars. Ted Deutch, Lois Frankel (pictured), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Tom Rooney will discuss the causes and solutions to political incivility in a panel discussion led by Lynn’s own Robert Watson.
What: “Grounded”
Where: Thinking Cap Theatre at the Vanguard, 1501 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale
When: 3 p.m.
Cost: $35
Contact: 954/610-7263, thinkingcaptheatre.org
Drone warfare has become something a topic du jour in contemporary storytelling, from the play “Leveling Up” to the film “Eye in the Sky.” But George Brant’s“Grounded,” which opened last weekend at Thinking Cap Theatre, offers an innovative stylistic choice to accompany its timely subject matter: It’s a solo show, planting us entirely in the headspace of an Air Force pilot forced into drone duty when she becomes pregnant. Actress Niki Fridh, in her first one-person production, takes the controls for 80 nonstop minutes, in a show that she says explores the “struggles of motherhood, marriage and a career in the military.” “Grounded” also provides a deep dive into the morality of today’s remote-war technology, in which a bad guy—or an entire village of civilians—could be decimated at the punch of a button. Friday’s unique matinee will be followed by a happy hour; traditional 8 p.m. evening performances and 5 p.m. Sunday matinees will continue through April 15.
What: Opening night of “Frantz”
Where: Regal Shadowood 16, 9889 Glades Road, Boca Raton
When: Show times pending
Cost: $10-$13
This period drama from celebrated French director Francois Ozon (lately of the gender-bending “New Girlfriend”) is full of secrets and lies in black and white. In the immediate aftermath of the First World War, French soldier Adrien appears in the German mountain town of Quedlinburg, ostensibly to pay his respects to a fallen German warrior named Frantz, and encountering the fresh rancor of a divided continent. Few are willing to accept Adrien’s genuine presence in the country, but among them is Anna, Frantz’s widowed fiancée. Ozon’s narrative, based on Ernest Lubitsch’s lesser-known 1932 drama “Broken Lullaby,” throws a couple of effective curveballs, holding our interest even when the director’s approach grows unnecessarily maudlin. As a study in shared melancholy, “Frantz” has much to say about the fictions we spin to comfort ourselves and loved ones in times of grief, and its monochrome photography—transitioning occasionally into pointed color—is luminous. “Frantz” also opens at Living Room Theaters in Boca Raton, Movies of Delray and Movies of Lake Worth.
SATURDAY
What: Bravo Amici
Where: Old School Square Pavilion, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $30
Contact: 561/243-7922, oldschoolsquare.org
Shattering the misconception that the best opera singers boast wide-girthed proportions, these dashing young turks have the goal of introducing classical musical forms to pop audiences. Bravo Amici’s compelling ensemble of tenors and divas croons classics in Italian and English, crafting a crossover cultural stew of polished musicality. It’s no wonder they’ve sold more than 3 million albums, counting Sir Elton John and Queen Elizabeth among their rapidly growing fan base. Expect to hear classic and contemporary arias that move fluidly between genres and styles. The outdoor concert will be presented under a tent with provided seating; popcorn, ice cream, candy and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
MONDAY, APRIL 3
What: Carbonell Awards
Where: Broward Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $25 advance, $30 day of show
Contact: 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org
It’s time once again for “theatre prom,” the night South Florida’s theatre community dresses to the nines to celebrate the best work produced on tri-county stages the previous year. Maltz Jupiter Theatre, the north county powerhouse, leads regional companies with 18 nominations, many of them for its sensational production of the classic musical “Me and My Girl.” Among plays, Michael McKeever’s shattering ensemble drama “After,” from Miami’s Zoetic Stage, received the most nominations.Regional companies such as GableStage, Slow Burn Theatre and Thinking Cap Theatre also received a number of nominations in important categories. See the winners accept their statues at this local version of the Tonys, which includes performances from the five Carbonell-nominated musicals. Then hobnob with nominees at the onsite after-party.
