Mary Damiano Photo by David Vance

Mary Damiano’s Arts Scene

Miami Film Makes Its World Premiere
The Crystal Parrot Players presents Full Circle: A Taino Story, a documentary that tells about a young shaman family on the brink of European contact. Within 15 years of Columbus’ arrival, several million Lucayans and Tainos—from the Bahamas, Hispanola, Jamaica, Cuba and Puerto Rico—were eliminated by disease, genocide, and ecocide that followed in his wake. The Crystal Parrot Players embarked on an exploration about the Taino-Lucayan people and, through the combination of dramatic story and research sciences, presents an authentic portrayal of their lifestyle. This short film is a study about

A moment from Full Circle: A Taino Story, a documentary which will make its world premiere in Miami

the cosmology and cultural heritage of the indigenous people of the Caribbean. Full Circle: A Taino Story, which was filmed in 2007 in Miami is shown with some Spanish subtitles, will make its world premiere Monday, September 29, 8 p.m., with a special reception with the film’s cast and crew at 6:30 p.m., at the Tower Theatre, 1508 SW 8th St., Miami. The reception is $25, the screening is $15; students with ID get in for $5. Box office opens at 7 p.m., all tickets are cash only. For more information, visit www.crystalparrot.org.

Miami Beach author and entertainer David Leddick, seen here at the 2007 gay book expo, will appear at this year’s Rainbow Book Fest Photo: Mary Damiano

Over the Rainbow Over Books
Local and national authors of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender literature will appear at the 2nd annual Over the Rainbow Bookfest and Expo, which will be held Sunday, September 28 at the Broward County Main Library in Fort Lauderdale. David Leddick, Neil Plakcy, E. Robert Dunn, Nicole Pollifrone, Scott Pomfret, Scott Sherman, Lara Zielinsky and Lyn Armstrong are scheduled to appear. The authors represent many genres, including romance, mystery, poetry, science fiction and non-fiction. They will discuss their work and participate in panel discussions concerning contemporary GLBT literature and other critical issues concerning the adult and young adult South Florida GLBT community. Those attending will enjoy literary discussions, presentations, musical performances, food and prizes. All programs are free. I attended this event last year when it was called the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Bookfest & Expo and it was a terrific and informative event. The library is located at 100 S. Andrews Ave. For more information, call 954-357-7348.

The two posters created for the 25th annual Miami Book Fair International

Miami Book Fair Unveils Posters
While book lovers have to wait until November 9 for the opening of the 25th annual Miami Book Fair International, long-time supporters got a taste for the beloved event Thursday, September 18, when the official posters for this year’s fair were unveiled. The party, which kicked off the book fair season, was held at Texas Brasil restaurant on Alton Road in Miami Beach. Two posters were unveiled, the official poster for this year, which features art work by Art Speigelman, and a commemorative poster featuring images of all the posters from all the years. Miami Book Fair founder Mitchell Kaplan also announced some of the authors that will appear at November’s event, categorizing them as authors the Book Fair has wanted but had never been able to get, including Salmon Rushdie and Gore Vidal. The 2008 Miami Book Fair International runs November 9-16 at the Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami. For more information, visit www.miamibookfair.com.

Poet Denise Duhamel, who will conduct workshops at the 2009 Palm Beach Poetry Festival

Poetry Workshops
The Palm Beach Poetry Festival is now accepting applications for poets to have their poems considered in a workshop led by one of nine of the best and most award-winning poets writing today. The festival, which will be held January, 2009, will offer advanced workshops with Martín Espada, Kimiko Hahn, Laura Kasischke, Thomas Lux, Anne Marie Macari, Gregory Orr, Gerald Stern and intermediate workshops with: Denise Duhamel and Victoria Redel. Application deadline is October 31. For more info and an application, visit www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.

Theatre League president Meredith Lasher, second right, with John Manzelli, Katherine Amadeo and Antonio Amadeo, founders of Naked Stage, last May when Naked Stage was presented with a Silver Palm Award Photo: Mary Damiano

Naked Stage Event Rescheduled
The Naked Stage fundraiser, the 24-Hour Theatre Project, has been rescheduled for Monday, November 10, at Actors’ Playhouse. The event had been set for last month, but was postponed because it conflicted with the memorial service for late SunSentinel theatre critic Jack Zink. The 24 Hour Theatre Project is all about quicksilver creativity. Eight local playwrights will meet the night before to randomly pick a title, cast and director for the play they’ll then spend the night writing. The next morning, the directors and actors will arrive to begin rehearsals. Showtime is at 8 p.m. that night. Artists scheduled to participate in the event include Irene Adjan, Katherine Amadeo, David Arisco, Andie Arthur, Chris Demos Brown, Marjorie O'Neill-Butler, Clive Cholerton, Michaela Cronan, Todd Allen Durkin, Scott Genn, Sandy Ives, Christopher A. Kent, Wayne Legette, Lucas Leyva, Margery Lowe, Joseph Adler, Kim Morgan Dean, David Perez-Ribada, Deborah L. Sherman and Barbara Sloan. Last year’s inaugural event produced a packed house and some brilliant work, so get your tickets early and don’t miss it. Tickets are $58. For info, call the Actors' Playhouse box office at 954-444-9293, visit www.actorsplayhouse.org or www.nakedstage.org.

Playwright Douglas Carter Beane, who appeared at this year’s Lavender Footlights Festival

Lavender Footlights Seeks Play Submissions
The Lavender Footlights Festival is seeking submissions for the Seventh Annual Lavender Footlights Festival to be held in Miami on February 28 through March 2, 2009.
The festival features full-length plays and short plays that have never been produced in Florida. Past years have included pieces by noted playwrights such as Stuart Meltzer, Hal Corey, Michael McKeever, Claudia Allen and Tony nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane, as well as many emerging writers. The plays are staged as readings and are directed and presented by the best of South Florida theatre actors and directors. The deadline for submissions is December 1. For submission guidelines and more information about the festival, visit www.lavenderfootlights.org.

Music Revue Goes Back in Time
Arts at St. Johns takes a trip down a musical memory lane with “Doo-Wop Boys Gone Wild!”, a new revue paying tribute to the groups of the 1950s and 1960s, including the Coasters, the Platters, The Four Seasons, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Temptations and many more. Arts at St. Johns artistic director David Kingery will perform the songs in the show with Eric Miji, Ray Melton and Geo Macia. The performances will be held Saturday, September 27, 8 p.m. and Sunday, September 28, 3 p.m., at Arts at St Johns, 4760 Pine Tree Drive, Miami. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit www.artsatstjohns.com.

Robin Red Breast by Rob Nathans

Out with Art
ArtsUnited will host Arts NightOUT at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale Saturday, September 27, from 1-3 p.m. This special wine reception for ArtsUnited members and friends will include a special tour of the current exhibition, 13/08, which features 13 local artists, The 13/08 exhibition features 13 emerging and mid-career artists chosen by the South Florida Cultural Consortium, offering an annual glimpse of the art being created locally. Rob Nathans, whose work incorporates the collaged fabrics of shirts and garments of people who have died of AIDS. The 13/08 exhibition is on display at the museum through October 6. Arts NightOUT at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale is $10 and includes the reception with Nathans, a tour of the exhibition by Irvin Lippman, the museum’s executive director, wine, and access to the entire museum for the rest of the afternoon. Current exhibitions include first generation abstract expressionist, Marca-Relli, and Selections from the Museum's Contemporary Collection, including work by Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, and Robert Mapplethorpe. The museum is located at One East Las Olas Blvd in Fort Lauderdale. To attend, RSVP by September 25 to keith@artsunitedonline.org or call 954-530-2723.

Joseph Long, part of the cast of Some Men at Rising Action Theatre

Theatre Openings
The world premiere of Ambition, a new play by Jim Tommaney of the Edge Theatre, runs through September 28 at Studio 1415, 1415 NE 129 St., Miami, before moving to the Center for Spiritual Living in Wilton Manors on October 24. Set in South Beach, it’s about a young, gay, drama critic who writes scathing reviews to make a name for himself. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 786-355-0976. Terrence McNally’s musical about gay relationships, Some Men, opens at Rising Action Theatre in Oakland Park September 24 and runs through November 2 www.risingactiontheatre.com. The department of theatre and dance at Florida Atlantic University will perform Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, a modern retelling of the Greek myth of the unending love between Eurydice and Orpheus. The play runs October 3-12 at the Studio One Theatre on FAU’s Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road. For more information, call 561-297-3810. Coral Gables has two new shows opening October 3. Actors’ Playhouse has 1776, the musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It runs October 3 through November 2. www.actorsplayhouse.org. New Theatre has the world premiere of The Rant by Andrew Case, a drama about the investigation of the shooting of a 16 year-old boy by a police officer. It runs October 3-26. www.new-theatre.org.

Theatre Company Invites Audiences Behind the Scenes
The Women’s Theatre Project in Fort Lauderdale presents the southeastern premiere of Silent Heroes by Linda Escalera Baggs. Set in 1975 during the end of the Vietnam War, six wives of Marine fighter pilots wait to discover whose husband will not be coming home. The company is also hosting special Behind the Scenes luncheon on October 3 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the McFatter School in Davie. This is an opportunity to have a delicious lunch, hear the playwright Baggs speak about her work, and support the Women's Theatre Project. Attendees are encouraged to see the preview performance of the play the night before the luncheon so they can ask pertinent questions of the playwright. There are only 35 reservations available, and a percentage of sales from the lunch will go to support the Women's Theatre Project's 2009 season. The ticket price for the preview night of the show (Thursday, October 2) will be discounted to $15 per person for the luncheon patrons. Tickets are $25 per person including gratuities. $40 includes luncheon and preview performance on October 2. RSVP's are required by October 1 to TWTP@bellsouth.net or 954-462-2334. Silent Heroes runs through October 26. For more information visit www.womenstheatreproject.com.

Choreographer Jimmy Gamonet

Ballet Gamonet Begins Season in Broward
Ballet Gamonet begins their season at Broward Center this year with three performances during the first weekend in October. The program includes But I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Jimmy Gamonet De Los Heros, music by composers: Thomas Oboe Lee and Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki; Nous Sommes, by Jimmy Gamonet De Los Heros with music by Cantaloube; Coeur De Basque by Jerry Opdenaker; and The Big Band Supermegatroid by Jimmy Gamonet De Los Heros, with music by Benny Goodman, Jerry Gray, Jimmie Lunceford and Glenn Miller. After the Broward run, Ballet Gamonet will perform the program at Gusman in downtown Miami October 17-18. For more information, visit www.balletgamonet.org.

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