Mary Damiano’s Arts Scene

	Photo by David Vance

The holidays are over but the Miami and South Florida arts scene is in full swing. The high point of the first week of 2006 for me was seeing Movin’ Out at Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The show, which uses choreography by Twyla Tharp to bring 24 songs by Billy Joel to life was terrific, and the opening night performance on January 3 featured a special treat—a special appearance by the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. Joel rocked the house as he took the stage—and the keyboards—and performed two of his most rousing hits, "You May Be Right " and "Only the Good Die Young". Let me tell you, I’ve seen a lot of shows of all kinds at Broward Center, but I’ve never seen the place come to life like it did that night. If you want to catch Billy Joel live, you’ll have to go out to that big behemoth by Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise and catch him in concert, this Saturday, January 6 or next Sunday, January 15. Will Billy make another appearance at Movin’ Out? Who knows? But Movin’ Out, which heads to the Jackie Gleason Theatre January 24-29, is worth seeing even without the special surprise that the opening night audience in Fort Lauderdale got.

Fresh Produce
Fresh Produce is the clever name of a series a new play readings presented by the Inside Out Theatre Company. Women Always Win by local playwright Roger Martin is the first play in the series. Directed by Josh Braun, the reading will feature Lisa Morgan, Sandy Ives, Autumn Horn and Kay Brady. Following the reading there will be a discussion and question and answer period with the playwright. The reading of Women Always Win will be presented at Tuesday, January 10, 7:30 p.m., at the Museum of Art Theatre, 1 East Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Admission is free. For more information, call 954-385-3060.

	Director Wim Wenders, who will be honored by the Miami International Film Festival

On a Wim
Director Wim Wenders, whose highly acclaimed films include Wings of Desire and Buena Vista Social Club, will be honored with the Career Achievement Tribute at the 23^rd Annual Miami International Film Festival, which will be held March 3-12. Festival Director Nicole Guillemet says that Wenders passion for storytelling and support of young filmmakers embodies the spirit of Miami International Film Festival. Since bursting onto the scene in the late 1960s as part of the New German Cinema, Wenders has created a unique body of work, with more than 30 feature films and documentaries.

His films, characterized by the melding of a European art film sensibility with a passion for American cinema—particularly the American Western—illuminate consistent themes of alienation, individual pilgrimages toward understanding and all-too-fleeting moments of grace. In addition to receiving his Career Achievement Tribute, Wim Wender’s latest film, Don’t Come Knocking, will screen at this year’s Miami International Film Festival. The film reteams Wenders and playwright Sam Shepard—they worked together on Paris, Texas—in a compelling and amusing story about a western movie star looking for his past. The film stars Shepard, Jessica Lange, Tim Roth, Eva Marie Saint and Sarah Polley. In celebration of Calle Ocho, the Miami International Film Festival will also screen Wenders’s documentrary about Cuban musicians, Buena Vista Social Club. The screening will take place on the closing day of the festival, March 12, at the Tower Theatre. For more information about the Miami International Film Festival, visit www.MiamiFilmFestival.com.

The Actors Workshop of South Florida will begin their new eight-week program Monday January 23, 6.30-9.30 p.m, at Sugarsand Park, 300 Military Trail, Boca Raton.

The classes are designed for the adult interested in tapping into their creative side, learning to improve public speaking and presentation skills, overcoming shyness, looking  to have fun or seeking a career in acting. Registration starts January 9.  Cost is $150. For further information, visit www.theactorsworkshop.org, or contact the director, Jane Kelly, at 954-421 7469 or theactorsworkshop@hotmail.com

The GableStage Theatre will present a special one-night only performance of a one-hour version of Hamlet, adapted and directed by award-winning actor and director Paul Tei, founder and artistic director of Miami’s Mad Cat Theatre. The production is in association with the Miami Light Project and will take place Monday, January 16, 8 p.m. This is a free performance and seating is limited. This adaptation of Hamlet toured Miami-Dade County Public High and Middle Schools as part of the GableStage Educational Programming, with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Miami-Dade County School Board. The Miami Light Project’s Light Box Theatre is located at 3000 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Call 305-446-1116 for more info.