The Kravis conjures “Beetlejuice,” the “Man of 1,000 Voices” rocks Boca, and THRōW Social rings in the New Year. Plus, Fortune Feimster and more in the weeks ahead. *Note: This column covers two weeks of events, because Boca magazine will be closed for the holiday week.
TUESDAY, DEC. 19
What: Opening night of “Beetlejuice”
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
Cost: $44-$114
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
If we haven’t yet reached peak Gen-X nostalgia, this musical adaptation of Tim Burton’s cult comedy moves us one step closer up the mountain. But unlike other reboots of cherished 1980s entertainment, this ghoulish horror-comedy seems perfectly attuned to its new format: Its title character, a scheming and maniacal bio-exorcist jonesing for a good time, is tailored for the footlights. As in the film, Beetlejuice is summoned by a newly deceased couple that only in death discover a zest for life; perhaps, with the help of their crazy-haired, stripe-suited fiend, they can have some fun haunting the absent father and morose little girl now inhabiting their former home. Joining, of course, the Jamaican classic “Day-O” is a slate of fresh songs from Australian musical comedian Eddie Perfect, and a script that updates the 1988 original with a flurry of contemporary pop-culture references. Its Broadway tour arrives in West Palm Beach less than a year after its January closure in New York, a run that earned eight Tony nominations. Catch it through Dec. 24.
FRIDAY, DEC. 22
What: Michael Winslow & His Band Playing the Classics: Zeppelin, Floyd, Hendrix & Beatles
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Boca Black Box, 8221 Glades Road, Boca Raton
Cost: $37.50-$42.50
Contact: 561/483-9036, bocablackbox.com
When Michael Winslow covers a song—say, Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” which he performed on an Icelandic TV show—he doesn’t just sing it. Using only his vocal cords, he also “drums,” and plays the screaming feedback-drenched guitar as well: He is Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Bonham all in one. Known as the “Man of 10,000 Voices,” Winslow honed his craft as a bored and largely friendless child in Spokane, Washington, in which he would imitate sounds of the natural world to pass the time. He took his talent to comedy clubs and eventually the movies, where his role in the seven “Police Academy” comedies would cement his celebrity status. Winslow has enjoyed a late-career revival: His unsurpassed skill as a one-man foley artist took him to the semifinals in 2021 on “America’s Got Talent.” This show centers on his uncanny ability to mimic a range of classic bands with only his chameleonic voice.
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
What: Downtown Countdown
When: 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Where: Downtown Fort Lauderdale
Cost: Free
Contact: lasolasboulevard.com
As is its tradition, the City of Fort Lauderdale is once again “dropping anchor” instead a traditional ball. The illuminated anchor will descend as the clock makes its inevitable crawl into 2024, culminating hours of activities for families and nighttime revelers alike. Bring the little ones between 4:30 and 8:30 for bounce houses, inflatable slides, face painting and pony rides, with a children’s version of the late-night countdown at 7 p.m. The celebration begins for adults after nightfall, when Juanabe, which bills itself as “Miami’s premier ‘80s cover band,” takes the stage, playing your favorites from the era from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
What: New Year’s Eve 2024 Bash
When: 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Where: THRōW Social, 29 S.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach
Cost: $175
Contact: 800/561-0755, throwsocial.com
THRōW Social, Delray’s hip and whimsical party central, is once again hosting its own spin on a New Year’s Eve bacchanalia, complete with confetti, a balloon drop and sparkler cannons at midnight’s dramatic toll. The $175 ticket—actually not terribly expensive compared to the gonzo cover charges in, say, Miami—gets you an open bar, complete with specialty cocktails, until 10 p.m.; passed hors d’oeuvres also from 7 to 10 p.m.; party favors while supplies last; Champagne at midnight; and a breakfast buffet starting at 12:30 a.m. The venue is also offering $20 discounted axe throwing. Eighties cover band RUBIXX will be performing live, along with tunes from DJ duo 99 Goonsquad. As usual, THRōW’s other entertainment options, from light-up table tennis to darts and tabletop games, will be available all night, and if you really want to splurge, purchase a $4,000 XL indoor lounge cabana for up to 19 of your closest friends, with extra perks galore.
What: Fortune Feimster
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
Cost: $29.50-$165
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
Not all great comedians could comfortably join Mensa, but as a general rule in creating humor that stands the test of time, it helps to be smart. Fortune Feimster is, certifiably, a brainiac: She graduated summa cum laude from Peace College and served as her student commencement speaker. She spent seven years as an entertainment journalist before transitioning full-time as a comedian, which, in turn, has led to a fruitful career as an actor, on roles from “The Mindy Project” to her supporting part in the Arnold Schwarzenegger Netflix series “FUBAR,” which was recently renewed for a second season. Recognizable from even her bit parts—she has one of those faces—Feimster’s comedy is relatable and delivered with a folksy charm that’s both quick-witted and slow-building toward crescendos that are worth the wait. Her New Year’s Eve Kravis performance will get out around 8:30 p.m., leaving plenty of time for dinner and revelry over downtown West Palm Beach.
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