Mary Damiano Photo by David Vance

Mary Damiano’s Arts Scene

Last weekend was the weekend of theatre festivals. I spent Saturday at the marathon Summer Shorts opening, and Sunday at the last day of the 6th annual Lavender Footlights Festival, which presents staged readings of gay and lesbian-themed plays. On Sunday Lavender Footlights hosted playwright Douglas Carter Beane, who wrote The Little Dog Laughed and who is nominated for a Tony Award this year for writing the book of the musical Xanadu. The first half of the evening was conducted like a theatrical version of Inside the Actor’s Studio, with Miami Herald theatre critic Christine Dolen conducting an onstage interview with Beane about his craft. The

Tony-nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane with his Ovation Award, given to him at the Lavender Footlights Festival in Miami Photo: Henry Perez

interview was punctuated by staged readings of scenes from five of Beane’s plays. It was a fascinating concept that gave real insight to the playwriting and theatre. At the conclusion of the interview, Beane was presented with the Ovation Award, for his achievements in playwriting and giving voice to gay characters. After a cocktail reception, which featured yummy mango risotto cakes shaped like hearts from Green Gables Café, the audience was treated to a staged reading of the first act of Beane’s new play, The Nance, about a gay burlesque performer in the late 1930s. Now that Lavender Footlights has passed from its originators, Creative Arts Enterprises to younger hands at the Living Arts Trust, let’s hope they’re able to include an evening like this every year, with a playwright of note. It’s the kind of thing that can make people fall in love with the theatre for the first time, or all over again. To see more photos of Lavender Footlights, check out the photo gallery in this issue.

Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus

Me with James Perkowski and Bruce Campione at Pier 66 for the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus Appreciation Party

I always have a wonderful time when I’m in the presence of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, whether at one of their concerts, or at a party. Late last month I attended a cocktail party the chorus hosted as an appreciation for their fans and supporters. Held at the rotating top of Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, guests were treated to panoramic views, delicious food and, best of all, a fabulous performance by the chorus, including a stirring solo by James Perkowski. Artistic director Todd Wiley hinted at some big news regarding the group’s upcoming season, but mum’s the word until the ink on the contract is dry. The party provided a chance to chat with the members of the chorus, as well as get a taste of their upcoming concert, “Rockin’ with the Rhythm”, which they’ll present June 21 and 22, at Broward Center. www.fortlauderdalegaymenschorus.org. To see more photos of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus cocktail party, check out the photo gallery in this issue.

Stonewall Hard Hat Party

J.C. Guererra, Keith Clark and Nate Klarfeld at the Stonewall Hard Hat Party at the site of the library’s new location in Fort Lauderdale Photo: Mary Damiano

The Stonewall Library & Archives was founded in 1973 and while it has been housed at the Gay & Lesbian Community Center in Fort Lauderdale for several years now, it will be moving to a brand new location in the fall. To celebrate, and to show supporters their new home, Stonewall held a hard hat party at their new location, where they will share a building with ArtServe and the E. Sunrise Boulevard branch of the Broward County Library. J.C. Guerrera, the architect for the project explained the philosophy behind his design: When the part of the building housing Stonewall is complete, it will have a new entrance with a glass door to show that the library has nothing to hide. A stone wall—an on the nose metaphor, to be sure—will also be added near the entrance to symbolize the library’s stable foundation and permanence. A soft canopy will be installed over the entrance, to show the flexibility of the facility. The move means that Stonewall will double its size, all the better to store the more than 18,000 volumes in its lending library and its vast archival materials. The new space will also allow Stonewall to expand there many programs, such as their movie nights, art exhibitions and author appearances. Stonewall’s latest exhibition is called "Out of the Shadows: Gay America from Kinsey to Stonewall," and will be on display in Gallery Six in the Broward County Main Library, 100 South Andrews Ave., in Fort Lauderdale throughout June. To see more photos of the Stonewall Library & Archive Hard Hat Party, check out the photo gallery in this issue.

United and Proud Celebrates Gay Pride
One of the largest visual art exhibits in the country from the gay and lesbian community, the 8th annual gay pride exhibition United and Proud features more than 100 works from more than 50 artists from around the state of Florida, including award-winning photographer Shannon McKenna, whose work you can see in the Artist Spotlight in this issue of MiamiARTzine.com. Produced by the nonprofit organization ArtsUnited, United and Proud will be on display at Gallery Six in the Broward County Main Library, 100 South Andrews Ave., in Fort Lauderdale June 1-27. “The gallery space is perfect, and the Programs and Exhibits staff at the library really make us feel welcome,” says Chuck Williams, president of ArtsUnited. Guest judge Peter Meyerhoefer, owner of the Meyerhoefer Gallery in Lake Worth, selected the Best of Show and Best of Class winners. Admission to the exhibition is free and open to the public. For more info, visit www.artsunitedonline.org. To see photos from the United and Proud opening night reception, check out the photo gallery in the June 20 issue of MiamiARTzine.com

The Lost Continent Comes to Miami Beach

“Atlantis—In the Midst of Myth” an exhibition of life-size bronze sculptures by Oxana Narozniak, at Miami Beach Botanical Garden

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden will present “Atlantis—in the Midst of Myth” an exhibition of life-size bronze sculptures by Oxana Narozniak, from June 9 to 21. An opening reception on Tuesday, June 10, 6-8 p.m. is free to the public. Inspired by mythological Atlantis, Narozniak created 11 sculptures that convey the rise and fall of Atlantis in parallel with the present day collective psyche. Many people believe that the existence of this ancient sunken continent is but a legend, but for others, it is reality. The former claim that there is no material evidence—such as ruins under the Atlantic waters—the latter base their claim on Plato’s narrative abut the last fragment of the continent, Poseidon’s Island, about 11, 500 years ago. Narozniak’s sculpture series includes: Calypso, daughter of Atlas, the first-born son of Poseidon and Cleito and the first King of Atlantis. Calypso lived on the island of Ogigia and was the guardian of the Great Ocean; Atlantis, the power-holder who lacks foresight; Daitya, Ruta and Poseidia, the three main islands of Atlantis depicted as masks shown under a transparent pyramid surrounded by crystals; Horus Eye that symbolizes the vision of divinity and Shattered Eye that symbolizes Atlantis’ destruction by water and fire. The eye being both fire and water, fire is light and water is emotion; Cocoon after the destruction of one civilization, the Atlantean being the fourth root race, the cocoon represents the emergence of the present fifth race; Rusalka, the Mermaid emerges from the primeval waters to the air; Phoenix represents rebirth from the ashes and the Goddess Isis holding an ankh, symbol of life as consciousness of our divinity as a birthright. Narozniak was born in Germany of Ukrainian parents. She was raised in Brazil and took up her studies in the U.S. where she became a citizen. Her work is an abstraction of the female figures. She perceives the body as an interaction of volume, space and geometry. These in turn reach out to uncharted dimensions of the mind. The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For information, call 305-673-7256 or visit www.mbgarden.org.

MiMo and Music

Sonido Batido: Emilio Subdiaz, A.J. Khaw and Ruben Olvera

Arts at St. Johns has designed a new monthly series that celebrates American art forms and will take place the first Saturday of each month, beginning June 7 and running through December. Jazz and MiMo architecture will be on tap as the series kicks off in the new historic MiMo district. Visual Art, with a musical theme, will be on view as local jazz trio Sonido Batido combines the juicy rhythms of Latin tunes, with jazz standards and a touch of Asian sound. The events will be held at Harvey Seeds, a recently renovated cocktail lounge, inside the American Legion Hall overlooking Biscayne Bay. Located in the historic MiMo District, the American Legion Hall is surrounded by examples of truly American 20th century architecture, with a distinct Miami flair. For hungry souls, Be Organic and The Market Company will offer French Caribbean dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. The Jazz and Art Series will feature various artists throughout the year, with performances starting at 8 p.m. A $10 cover gets you in the door to enjoy the cash bar and entertainment; dinner is separate. For more information on the artists and the performance, contact Jean Villamizar at 786-201-7727 or visit www.artsatstjohns.com. For reservations for dinner, e-mail claire@themarketcompany.org. Dinner will also be offered every Saturday night during the summer at Harvey Seeds, with music entertainment on some evenings. Contact Claire for more info. Harvey Seeds, American Legion, is located at 6445 NE 7th Ave., Miami.
 
Miami Gay Men’s Chorus Salutes the Military with Music
Although the United States government maintains its “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy regarding gay people in the military, the Miami Gay Men's Chorus is showing their own brand of patriotism with their upcoming concerts, “By the Sword: A Salute to the Armed Forces”, will honor Americans past and present who have served in the military. “Our focus, as always, is not on making political statements, but to bring entertainment from our vantage point that everyone can relate to,” says Miami Gay Men's Chorus music director Anthony Cabera. The concerts include songs from many generations, including selections the Broadway musicals The Civil War, Miss Saigon and Hair, as well as popular big band standards from World War II. “Those who served in the military were brave and made a sacrifice to that we all can be free,” says Cabera. “We are honoring everyone who ever served and had family in the armed forces.” The concerts will take place June 13-15 at the Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. Tickets range from $20-30 with a VIP reception on opening night. For showtimes and more information, call 305-604-8787 or visit www.miamigaychorus.org.

Gallery Takes a Look Back

One of the paintings which will be a part of Diane Lowenstein Fine Arts Season Review

Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts will feature “Season Review”, an exhibition on view during the June Wynwood Art District second Saturday gallery walk. The opening reception will take place June 14, 7:30-10 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. “Season Review” showcases current work by the gallery artists who had solo exhibitions this season. The exhibition will focus on painting, sculpture, photography and drawing. Artists featured include Sergio Bazán, Rabindranat Diaz, Felice Grodin, Marc Hello, Ola Kolehmainen, Michael Loveland, Gye-Hoon Park, Silvia Rivas, Georges Rousse, Guillermo Srodek-Hart, Graciela Sacco, Karina Wisniewska and Michael Wolf. The exhibition will be on view from June 14 – July 19, 2008. Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts is located at 2043 N. Miami Ave., Miami. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. For more information, call 305-576-1804 or visit www.dlfinearts.com.

Local Art Dealer Hosts Private Exhibition

Sculptor Marcelo Wong with his piece Istambul

Harvey Oxenberg, an esteemed local art dealer, is hosting a private exhibition by sculptor Marcelo Wong at his Coconut Grove estate, home of Oxenberg Fine Art. The exhibition, in association with Chopard fine jewelry, will feature the Peruvian artist’s latest work alongside the newest collection of jewels. Oxenberg has committed to donate a percentage of sales from the exhibition to UM Sylvester Cancer Center. Multi award-winning sculptor Marcelo Wong works primarily with steel and stone. He has participated in a number of world exhibitions and his sculptures have trekked the globe from Tehran and Lima to Istanbul and Buenos Aires. Oxenberg is originally from New York and has been in Miami since 1959. An avid art collector since 1982, Oxenberg spent his leisure time collecting contemporary art and acquainting himself with dealers, gallerists and artists by visiting collections, galleries and auctions around the world. The exhibition is taking place for about a month by appointment only at 3003 Seminole St., Coconut Grove. For more information, please call 305-854-7104.

Theatre Openings

Erin Joy Schmidt with the object of her unique sexual fetish in Wood, part of City Theatre’s Undershorts, a program of bawdy plays. Photo: George Schiavone

June is turning into quite the theatre month, with nearly a dozen shows opening, most of them in the next to weeks. The Jesus Quintero Studio reprises its production of The Sorrows of Young Werther at the Light Box Studio in Miami, June 5-28. For more information, call 786-853-3915 or e-mail TheJesusQuinteroStudio@gmail.com, or visit www.myspace.com/thejesusquinterostudio. City Theatre adds a new late night component to Summer Shorts with Undershorts, a program of racy plays, weekends June 12-21, at the Carnival Studio Theatre at the Arsht Center. www.citytheatre.com. Ted Neely is like the Energizer bunny—he keeps going and going and going. The actor and singer, who played Jesus in the 1973 film adaptation of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, has made a career of playing Jesus, and at age 64, he’s still at it, making him at this moment nearly twice the age of the character he’s playing. See him live at Broward Center June 13-15, in what theatre wags are calling the Resurrection Tour. www.browardcenter.org. The Mosaic Theatre in Plantation has the Neil LaBute play Wrecks, the story of one man’s unique love for his deceased wife. Anyone familiar with LaBute knows that can mean anything. The production features Carbonell Award winner Gordon McConnell, one of the region’s best actors. Wrecks runs June 12-29. www.mosaictheatre.com. M Ensemble in North Miami has replaced the previously announced Blues in the Night with The Fannie Lou Hamer Story, written and starring the singularly named mZuri, about the civil rights leader who championed voting rights in Mississippi. The show runs June 19 though July 13. www.themensemble.com.

Carrie Bradshaw, Eat Your Heart Out

Artist Robert Tabor with one of his award-winning shoe sculptures, Fierce Fish Photo: Mary Damiano

Calling all fash-shoe-nistas. Neiman Marcus Boca Raton will exhibit Fort Lauderdale-based artist Robert Tabor's unique collection of shoe sculptures through June 20. Tabor's collection is inspired by food, animals and everyday things. The artist's collection of "Sole Sensations" includes pieces named Cherry Pie Mule, The Picnic Pump, Spaghetti Stiletto. Tabor’s creations are made from multiple mediums such as clay, acrylic, rubber and crystals. The collection can be found in front of the Ladies Shoe Salon, and sculptures range in price from $350 to $1,500. For more information about the artist and his collection, please visit www.roberttabor.com. And look for more of Robert Tabor’s unique show sculptures when he is featured in the Artist Spotlight in the June 20 issue of MiamiARTzine.com.