THURSDAY
What: Darville Duo
Where: Funky Buddha, 2621 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton
When: 10 p.m.
Cost: $5
Contact: 561/368-4643, thefunkybuddha.com
Leave it up to the Funky Buddha to discover the diamonds in the rough, the musical acts from far-flung places that would otherwise have trouble finding a regional venue that would book them. Such is the case with Darville Duo, whose members, Jacques Darville and Henrik Schwiecker, banded together in Copenhagen in 2008. But there’s nothing fundamentally Scandinavian in their sound, which hews mostly to the timeless emotional purity of American blues, with forays into folk, bluegrass, classic rock and even Latin music. These charming, rustic, derby-capped entertainers don’t come to our region very often, so if your schedule allows, check out the best American music not made by Americans.
What: “Mummies and Merlot” happy hour
Where: South Florida Science Center and Aquarium, 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach
When: 6 to 8 p.m.
Cost: $5-$15
Contact: 561/832-1988, sfsciencecenter.org
Last year, the South Florida Science Center combined scientific topics with craft brews at its “Science on Tap” series at O’Shea’s. This year, the institution is continuing its tradition of social drinking and educational exploration on its home turf, launching “Mummies and Merlot” this week. The series is organized in conjunction with its newly opened exhibition “Afterlife: Tombs and Treasures of Ancient Egypt,” and on the second Thursday evening of each month, attendees will learn about a different aspect of Egyptian life and history while enjoying a wine tasting from Vinoutlet. This week’s speaker is Ashley Hampton, president of the Palm Beach County Archaeologist Society; future lectures are set for Feb. 12, March 12 and April 9.
FRIDAY
What: ‘70s Soul Jam
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $20-$100
Contact: 561/832-7469, Kravis.org
This mini festival recalls a time in popular music when vocal groups’ sequined wardrobes were as harmonized as their singing, and when choreographed charisma meant as much to their success as the smoothness of their falsettos. Plus, these tunes had the respectable advantage of not being disco. Soul music thrived in the U.S. in the early 1970s, and this concert showcases three of its finest progenitors, whose vocal chords haven’t aged a day: The Stylistics, the Philadelphia balladeers behind “Stop, Look, Listen” and “Betcha By Golly, Wow;” Detroit’s Spinners (pictured), the legendary soul group from Detroit, with original member Henry Fambrough still touring after 50 years; and Cuba Gooding, the frontman of the Main Ingredient and father of Cuba Gooding Jr. Dust off those ‘70s togs and dress appropriately.
What: Opening night of “Fully Committed”
Where: Broward Center for the Performing Arts’ Abdo New River Room, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $45
Contact: 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org
This one-man show appears to be a perfect fit for the Broward Center’s cabaret-style, full-service Abdo New River Room: It is about food and drinks, after all—or at least access to food and drinks. Written by Becky Mode, the play begins with a relatable premise: An out-of-work actor earns his income by slaving away at a restaurant. But he’s no waiter or busboy, transiently jumping from one low-paying job to another while auditioning for work. Instead, he mans the reservation line at a trendy new Manhattan restaurant, where celebutantes, socialites and desperate name-droppers will do whatever it takes to land the right table, even when the restaurant is already “fully committed.” In addition to accepting or denying this rogue’s gallery their fleeting sample of culinary glamour, he also fields pleading phone calls from his recently widowed father, while vying for a major part at Lincoln Center. In all, one actor will portray 40 characters in a tour de force performance. Local thespian John Manzelli, who has twice performed the role outside of his home region, will take on the challenge. The show runs through Feb. 1.
SATURDAY
What: Opening night of “The Star-Spangled Girl”
Where: Mad Cat Theatre Company at Miami Theater Center, 9816 N.E. Second Ave., Miami Shores
When: 7 p.m.
Cost: $50, including preshow party ($15-$30 for the rest of the run)
Contact: 866/811-4111, madcattheatre.org
One of South Florida’s most experimental theater companies, Mad Cat is admired for its “collage” style of theater, which often injects video, pop music, and visual and performance art into a live theater paradigm. It is the least likely company to stage a play by Neil Simon, the nation’s most traditional and audience-pandering playwright, who has long been the bailiwick of more conservative producers. Ever one to subvert even its own expectations, Mad Cat will re-examine the largely forgotten Simon comedy “The Star-Spangled Banner” in its own singular language, with music, narration and a new setting supplementing this love triangle about two publishers of a radical magazine and their compelling new neighbor. Love and politics mix and take on new dimensions in director Paul Tei’s interpretation, which recasts the story from ‘60s San Francisco to the year 2066, which survives on the verge of a dystopia. It will undoubtedly be Neil Simon as you’ve never seen him before. “The Star-Spangled Girl” runs through Jan. 25.
SUNDAY
What: Oshogatsu celebration
Where: Morikami Museum, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $6-$15
Contact: 561/495-0233, morikami.org
Legend has it that the Japanese zodiac, borrowed from the Chinese, came into being when the Buddha invited all of world’s animals to come to him on New Year’s Day for a special gift. He could’ve learned something from Noah: Only 12 animals showed up, but each of them was granted its own calendar year in a 12-year cycle. In January, the Morikami Museum celebrates the calendar’s transition from the Year of the Horse to the Year of the Sheep with its 37thannual Oshogatsu celebration, which brings a lively, festive atmosphere to traditionally quiet Japanese New Year customs. Enjoy new year’s storytelling; live taiko drumming and koto music (a traditional Japanese stringed instrument); a DIY daruma wall, where visitors color a craft that signifies their wish for the coming year; a Mochi pounding demonstration; and an interactive scavenger hunt courtesy of Instagram. Libations will be provided by the Sake Station and Kirin Beer Garden, with food available from the museum’s Cornell Café and special vendors.
MONDAY, JAN. 12
What: “Daniel’s Husband” play reading
Where: Wold Center at Lynn University, 3601 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $10
Contact: 561/237-9000, events.lynn.edu
Award-winning South Florida playwright Michael McKeever (pictured) will see his latest work, “Daniel’s Husband,” receive a full production this coming May from Fort Lauderdale’s Island City Stage. But you can have a sneak peak at this new LGBT-themed dramedy—four months prior and for a fraction of the ticket price—thanks to Jan McArt’s indispensable New Play Reading Series. The play follows a contemporary gay couple dealing with the tribulations of not taking official vows, amid an environment of marriage inequality. Given the news in Florida this week, the play should feel ripped from the headlines. Some of the best actors in the South Florida community—Alex Alvarez, Antonio Amadeo, Kristian Kikic, Barbara Bradshaw and Larry Buzzeo—will premiere McKeever’s work, scripts in hand, next Monday.
