Like many of you, Boca magazine is going on holiday break soon—a time when the arts tend to slow down as well. With that in mind, we’re pausing our weekly event updates, instead presenting one column encompassing the next three weeks of A&E happenings. Weekly columns will return on Jan. 6.
An “Office” comedian tours Boca Raton, Palm Beach Dramaworks dresses up for the season, and Funky Biscuit’s New Year’s show mashes together classic-rock legends. Plus, Maroon 5 and more in the weeks ahead.
THURSDAY, DEC. 19
What: Twilight Tribute Concert
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Old School Square Amphitheatre, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
Cost: $10 ($50 VIP)
Contact: 561/243-1077, downtowndelraybeach.com
Though separated in their primacy by a generation, Blondie and No Doubt have a lot in common. Both are otherwise all-male bands fronted by charismatic women. Both were adjacent to punk without fully embracing the countercultural genre—Blondie taking a new wave and sometimes dance-music tack, No Doubt leaning toward ska and the burgeoning alternative movement. And both have had No. 1 singles, most notably “Call Me” and “Just a Girl.” This week in Delray, you can see the next best thing to these iconic acts at a fraction of the price of the Real McCoy: Heart of Glass plays the music of Blondie, and Subliminal Doubt performs Gwen Stefani’s finest. Bring your own lawn chairs for general admission, or splurge for VIP tickets, which include seating and a free drink.
FRIDAY, DEC. 20
What: Opening night of “The Dresser”
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Palm Beach Dramaworks, 201 Clematis St., West Palm Beach
Cost: $89 (opening night $104, with reception)
Contact: 561/514-4042, palmbeachdramaworks.org
This 1980 British play by the late Ronald Harwood is not about a piece of furniture. In the world of theatre, a dresser is a person—the hardworking stagehand who maintains the quality of costumes, and who facilitates clothing changes during productions. Because they are literally the closest person to the actors they dress, they can form intimate bonds with the thespians with whom they work. That’s the premise of Harwood’s play, a love letter to the dresser-actor relationship set during World War II. Norman is the humble title character opposite a Laurence Olivier/Richard Burton-style giant of British theatre, a figure known only as Sir, who after decades on the boards is suffering from dementia while trying to persevere through one final production of “King Lear.” Nominated for two Tonys upon its 1981 Broadway premiere, “The Dresser” revels in both the comedy and tragedy of the stage life. It runs through Jan. 5.
FRIDAY, DEC. 27-SATURDAY, DEC. 28
What: David Koechner
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 4, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Studio at Mizner Park, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
Cost: $30-$40
Contact: 561/203-3742, thestudioatmiznerpark.com
This reliable funnyman and gifted improviser is one of the quintessential character actors of 21st century comedy, lending his memorable look, voice and talents to such seminal projects as “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Talladega Nights,” “Reno 911: Miami” and much more. And not for nothing, he appeared on 15 episodes of “The Office” as Dunder Mifflin salesman Todd Packer, which directly relates to his comedy tours. Fans can opt to see Koechner’s standup comedy or—if they fashion themselves experts in the Dunderverse—they can compete in the 4 p.m. Saturday Office Trivia show, hosted by Koechner, which includes team competition, behind-the-scenes stories from the show, and character impersonations.
What: An Evening With Maroon 5
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood
Cost: $185 and up
Contact: 800/937-0010, seminolehardrockhollywood.com
Maroon 5 celebrated its 30th anniversary this year at the tippy-top of the pop music hierarchy, a band with more No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 than any act this century. They are a legacy band with continues relevance and a seemingly boundless talent for earworms of the catchiest melodic order, to the tune of 32 charting hits, putting them in rarefied territory. In fact, their hits have become so titanic that you’ll know most of them even if you make zero effort to seek out their music (grocery stores love them). These two performances between Christmas and New Year’s are likely to sell out, so don’t hesitate. The band is fresh off its residency at Park MGM in Las Vegas, where it played most of its favorites along with surprising covers from Prince and the Bee Gees.
SUNDAY, DEC. 29-TUESDAY, DEC. 31
What: Steely Dead
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Funky Biscuit, 303 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton
Cost: $35-$70
Contact: 561/395-2929, funkybiscuit.com
Boca’s live-music institution is fortunate to snag one of classic rock’s most inventive touring tribute acts. Steely Dead, as its name suggests, honors the music of Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead, two acts with impassioned cult fan bases that often overlap—much like the jam-based set lists of this ace quartet. Channeling both Steely Dan’s studio-perfect craftsmanship and the Dead’s improvisatory, shambolic folk-rock odysseys, Steely Dead performs both hits and deep cuts—including Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir solo material—and plays wildly different sets each night. They’re even known to weave songs in and out of each other for inspired connections, as on a recent show, when they reprised “Terrapin Station” within a performance of “Show Biz Kids.”
For more of Boca magazine’s arts and entertainment coverage, click here.
