Mary Damiano Photo by David Vance

Mary Damiano’s Arts Scene

I’ve always been fascinated by summer in South Florida. For much of the rest of the country, summer means a respite from cold weather, a time to get out of the house and enjoy parks and picnics, the beach and baseball. But it’s the reverse here in the tropics, where we get a respite from summer’s sticky, blazing heat in the fall and winter. That’s when weekends are filled with festivals and arts events, when the season is high and the living is easy. Still, childhood memories of two and a half glorious months of no school drift into my mind this time of year. Every unstructured day was bursting with a kind of potential and possibility that wasn’t possible during the school year. And even though my days are now structured by work and errands and all the trappings of a grown-up life, summer is too good to waste. Summer, I’ve decided, is a state of mind, a magical time to play, to experience and to enjoy. While I will be escaping the heat to a breezy mountain in North Carolina for the first half of July, I look forward to taking advantage of the many free museum days, concerts, movies and events offered this summer in South Florida. With the current price of gas, even the most basic driving costs a fortune, so make use of as many summer freebies as you can. To see what I’m talking about, check out my Summer Freebies story in this issue to find great events all summer long that won’t cost you a penny. Summer is also a great time to catch up on reading, and local authors have lots of new releases to keep you entertained. Read Tina Koenig’s summer reading round-up to see what’s hot. Whatever you do this summer, have a great time.

One of the photograpgh on display at the World Erotic Art Museum’s “Gay Art: From Ancient To Modern”

Have a Gay Old Time at WEAM
In an interesting move to add provocative artistic heat to an already sweltering summer, owner/collector Naomi Wilzig has searched through her vast collection to introduce a fresh look at “Gay Art: From Ancient To Modern” an extended exhibition which runs Monday, June 23 through Sunday, July 27, at the World Erotic Art Museum in Miami Beach. The exhibition tracks gay and lesbian art from the earliest days of Greece to the modern world of Mapplethorpe and Haring. A highlight of the exhibition will be selected works of photographer Wilhelm Von Gloeden who, from 1890-1914, became the pioneering force in bringing nude homoerotic photography to the eyes of an accepting public. Through the eye of his camera, Von Gloeden captured the essence of innocence through “tableaux vivants,” specially designed set pieces featuring nude portraits of young men. Von Gloeden stopped taking photos in 1930, the year he died at age 74. In 1933, a thousand glass plates were confiscated and destroyed by Fascist police. The remaining collection of 800 plates and 200 albumin prints, which were in the care of Von Gloeden’s assistant Pancracio Bucini, remain in the archives in Naples. In addition to the work of Von Gloeden and the photography of such contemporary icons as Mapplethorpe and Haring, on display will be paintings, statues, and objects d’art drawn from the museum’s permanent collection, including the art of the phallus as seen through the eyes of such distinguished artists as Aubrey Beardsley. An opening reception will be held Monday, June 23, 7-10 p.m. The World Erotic Art Museum is located at 1205 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. www.weam.com.

Art, Rock and MOCA
I know my rock and roll, but the new exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami, “Sympathy for the Devil” took me by surprise because it featured artifacts of so many singers and bands I’d never heard of. Granted, there is stuff from all over the world, and I’m more of an American/British rock girl, but it really put my rock knowledge to shame. The most fascinating parts of “Sympathy for the Devil” for me were the Andy Warhol screen tests and the room whose floor was covered wall to wall with vinyl LPs. When I first saw that room, the albums were shiny and black, boasting colorful, now-defunct labels. When I went back a little later, the black wasn’t so shiny anymore; the albums were covered with footprints. I couldn’t bring myself to walk on them. I still own a lot of those records. “Sympathy for the Devil” runs through September 7. www.mocanomi.org.

Connie SaLoutos and Alberto Stevans, who star as Pete ‘n’ Keely at the Caldwell Theatre Photo: Sean Lawson

Theatre Openings
Frothy fun is the order of the day for summer theatre in South Florida, where upcoming musicals abound. Actors’ Playhouse will present Mid Life! The Crisis Musical, July 9 through August 10, which takes a heartfelt and humorous look at the inevitabilities of aging. www.actorsplayhouse.org. At the Caldwell in Boca Raton, there’s Pete ‘n’ Keely, the fictional story a couple of beloved entertainers who reunite in 1968 for for a live TV special. The catch? They haven’t spoken in the five years since their big break-up. Pete ‘n’ Keely  runs through July 6. www.caldwelltheatre.com. Also in Boca, New Vista theater presents Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah, the story of Barry Bockman and his love Sarah Jockman, all set to the music of humorist Allan Sherman. It runs through July 6. www.newvistatheatre.com. Up in Manalapan, Florida Stage has Dream a Little Dream: The Nearly True Story of The Mamas and The Papas, June 26 through August 31. Co-written by Papa Denny Doherty, the musical chronicles the rise and fall of the singing group that created the folk rock sound, took the music world by storm and knocked The Beatles from number one on the charts. www.floridastage.org.

Deborah Sherman and Ricky Waugh in Shining City at GableStage ‘Photo: George Schiavone’

On the non-musical side of the spectrum, GableStage in Coral Gables presents Shining City by Conor McPherson, which runs June 21 through July 20. Set in Dublin, a man seeks help from a counselor after his wife's death, and what begins as an unusual encounter becomes a struggle between the living and dead, which will shape and define both men for the rest of their lives. www.gablestage.org. The Sol Theatre in Fort Lauderdale opens Claire Chafee’s Why We Have a Body June 21; it’s a comedy/drama focusing on the journeys of four women, each struggling to make connections and to forge a sense of personal identity. www.soltheatre.com. Rising Action Theatre in Oakland Park presents The Sisters Rosensweig by Wendy Wasserstein, about three sisters who reunite in London. It runs through August 3. www.risingactiontheatre.com.

Gay-Lapalooza
More than 7,000 people are expected to pour into Miami Beach for the attend the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA), which will take over the Arsht Center July 12-19. The GALA Choruses Festival 2008 Miami is an eight-day choral festival comprised of more than 140 choral groups from around the world, scheduled to perform in afternoon and evening concert blocks. While chanteuse Ann Hampton Calloway will perform at the opening night festivities, the Miami Gay Men’s Chorus will kick off the first concert block. As a huge fan of gay choruses, I can tell you that the GALA Conference presents a unique opportunity to see some of the best singers and choral groups in the country. It’s sure to be a treat for any music lover. For more information, visit www.galachoruses.org.

Anissa Gathers as Celia Cruz Photo: Adrienne Lovette

Celia Comes to Miami
Cuban legend and global icon Celia Cruz is back in an explosive new musical featuring a hit parade of her greatest songs. After huge success in New York, Celia will kick off its international tour in Miami at the Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center June 18 through July 6. Known as the Salsa Queen, Cruz left an indelible mark on music and Cuban culture. The musical Celia takes audiences on a 60-year musical journey through the life and music of the sensational salsa diva. Born in Havana in 1925, Cruz made her mark on Cuban music and then emigrated to the United States in the wake of Fidel Castro’s takeover. Both on her own and through her association with Latin stars, notably Tito Puente, Cruz became a crossover hit in her adopted homeland as well. She won a Grammy in 1990 for Best Tropical Latin Performance and in 1992 appeared the film The Mambo Kings alongside Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas. In 1994, President Bill Clinton awarded Cruz the National Medal of Arts. She died in July 2003 at her home in Fort Lee New Jersey of a brain tumor. Her body was taken to Miami to lie in state at the Freedom Tower, where more than 200,000 admirers paid their respects. To purchase tickets for Celia, visit www.arshtcenter.com.

Fiesta Flamenco
Get ready for Festival Flamenco: Seasons, a stunning performance of Flamenco dance,
music, and visual images with Fermin Calvo de Mora, direct from Madrid,
Spain. The performances will take place Sunday, June 29, 4 p.m., at the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road. If you’d like to do more than watch, workshops with guest artists in Flamenco dance, guitar, and cajon are available for beginners with Fermin Calvo de Mora. For workshop info, visit www.claritafilgueiras.com. For tickets to the performances call the Colony Theater box office at 305-674-1040, or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Abigail Breslin stars as a spunky aspiring reporter in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
Not having kids, and not really even knowing any little kids, I only know about the American Girl phenomenon secondhand. What began as a line of historical dolls aimed at pre-teen girls morphed into an empire of books, magazines, merchandise and movies. The fourth movie in the series, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, stars Abigail Breslin as a spunky 9 year-old in 1934. Kit, who longs to be a reporter, experiences the Depression firsthand: the bank repossesses her dad’s car dealership and the family is torn apart when he leaves home to search for work. Mom tries to keep the house by taking in an eccentric collection of boarders. When Kit’s hobo friend is blamed for a series of robberies, she and her friends unite to find the real thieves and clear her friend’s name. The movie lives up to the original American Girl ideal, to present a girl-size look at history. But it’s not just for kids. Adults will also enjoy the story, the acting and incredible attention to detail. There is also a fascinating correlation between the 1934 America in the movie and the America of today; in the movie, foreclosure signs go up at record speed, and food is expensive and everyone blames all the bad things that happen on those they dub as outsiders. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl boasts an impressive cast, including Julia Ormond, Chris O’Donnell, Joan Cusack, Jane Krakowski, Glenne Headly and Stanley Tucci. It opens in theatres July 2.

Cruise with the Caldwell
The Caldwell Theatre in Boca Raton is holding a unique fundraiser next month, hosted by Friends of Caldwell Theatre Company. The Rock The Boat Cruise Fundraiser will take place Sunday, July 20, aboard the Lady Atlantic Yacht in Delray Beach and will feature a champagne brunch and entertainment and four hour cruise along the Intracoastal. Tickets are $100 and space is limited, so if you’re interested, call 561-241-7432 or order tickets online at www.caldwelltheatrecompany.com by July 10.

Sam Damiano with Woody Woodbury at Cinema Paradiso

FLIFF Beach Movie Fest
My hubby Sam and I kicked off summer early last weekend, attending three of the four days of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival’s Beach Movie Festival. It was a real treat, relaxing in the comfy blue seats at Cinema Paradiso—they really are the best theatre seats in town—and getting lost in the world of Frankie and Annette, surfing in Hawaii and spring break in Fort Lauderdale. We met Woody Woodbury, a legendary Fort Lauderdale comedian, and singer, who introduced his film, For Those Who Think Young., which featured a very young and absolutely gorgeous Ellen Burstyn, billed as Ellen McRae. We even got to see a real time capsule piece, Good Times, starring Sonny and Cher, the only movie the then-couple made together. What a kick to check out a long ago Fort Lauderdale, in Where the Boys Are, and the Elvis Presley movie Girl Happy, which included footage shot in town. Unfortunately we had to miss the last day of the festival, which featured a luau, the Monkees’ movie Head, and perennial teen idol Davy Jones, but lots of other people did make it; a friend who was there said there were more than 100 people. But we saw eight movies in three days, which isn’t unusual for me—my record in five movies in one day at four different theatres—but that was more movies than Sam has seen in a theatre in the past couple of years combined. The festival seemed to be a big success, drawing big crowds several days. I’ve got my fingers crossed that they do it again next year, and I’m putting in my bid now for my dream line-up: a Gidget marathon. Are you listening, FLIFF?

Gordon McConnell in Wrecks at the Mosaic Theatre

Wrecks
I caught Wrecks at the Mosaic Theatre during the opening weekend. It’s a one man show with Gordon McConnell as a widower at his late wife’s funeral. It’s written by Neil LaBute, the playwright of The Shape of Things and Fat Pig, among others. If you know LaBute, you know that he loves a good twist, and Wrecks doesn’t disappoint. Neither does McConnell, who’s on a roll with characters in unusual relationships—a few moths ago at GableStage, he played a man who had sexual affair with a 12-year-old in Blackbird. I was taken by several things: the fact that McConnell could memorize 75 minutes of dialogue, the spectacular set by Sean McClelland, and also LaBute’s writing and structure of the play. I’m not going to give away any secrets, but what LaBute doesn’t reveal is as important as what he does, and it will be a coin toss as too which juicy morsel you think about more in the days following the play. Wrecks runs through June 29. www.mosaictheatre.com.

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