Host Shawn Palacious dishes on the hottest cultural events, appearances and live performances in South Florida, including Ron White live at the Hard Rock Event Center, Jeremy Jordan at Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, ‘A Madea Family Funeral’ in theaters, Anka Sings Sinatra at Broward Center, dance troupe Los Vivancos at Arsht Center and the Top 3 picks of the week.
Saturday, March 2
Cristoph’s Tampa presents a Toga Party (Men in Toga’s..HOT) with hostess Lady Janet and the music of Billboard reporting DJ Greg Anderson!
Sunday, March 3
After incredible success and demand, esteemed performer and international pop icon P!NK announces that her Beautiful Trauma World Tour will extend into Tampa’s at the Amalie Arena at 7:30pm. Since her debut in 2000, P!NK has released 7 studio albums, 1 greatest hits album, sold over 50 million albums equivalents, over 75 million singles, over 2.4 million DVDs worldwide and has had 15 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (four at #1). Her seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma is certified platinum, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s 200 chart and marked a career high for first week sales. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.
The Flamingo resort presents the annual Mr. and Miss Flamingo 2019 Pageant at 7pm hosted by Iman. The pageant will homnor Jrnavive Mateo (Miss), and Onyx Valentino (Mr.) and Forever Miss Flamingo Femme Samaya Sinsation. Categories include: Presentation (pink), Evening Gown/Wear, Talent and Q&A. For more information or contestant packets email: jon@flamingofla.com.
Tuesday, March 5
Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando presents Fiddler on the Roof at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts from today until March 10. Rich with musical hits you know and love, including “Tradition”, “Sunrise, Sunset”, “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” Fiddler on the Roof is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter. For more information, go to: Drphillipscenter.org.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. In celebration of the anniversary of Abbey Road, Rain will bring the greatest hits of this epic recording to life, in addition to all your early Beatles favorites. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles” (Associated Press). For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.
Friday, March 8
From his team members on The Voice to veteran country artists, Blake Shelton has a history of demonstrating his support for the people in whom he believes; when he realized that fans across the country needed to hear music from his friends and heroes, he decided to bring them all out on the road. “Friends & Heroes 2019” will hit Tampa’s AMALIE Arena at 7pm. Very special guest Lauren Alaina joins Shelton for the run along with special appearances by country icons the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson and Trace Adkins. For more info or to purchase tickets, go to: amaliearena.com.
Southern Nights Orlando presents from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, Jiggly Caliente. Jiggly will also be performing on Saturday!
The Orlando Improv presents Arsenio Hall today and tomorrow, Sat March 9. It was the success of his Emmy Award-winning late night talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” that made Arsenio a household name. The versatile actor, comedian and producer first became involved in the arts at “The Cleveland Playhouse” and continued to hone his craft through his Kent State Univ. Tickets start at $25 at Theimprovorlando.com.
Saturday, March 9
The Amway Center presents Lionel Richie in his All The Hits Tour at 8pm. He is one of the most successful solo artists in pop and R&B history and one of the most popular singer/songwriters of the modern era. Richie will take fans on an unforgettable musical journey featuring his most influential and revered songs that defined the icon’s unrivaled career. For more info or to purchase tickets go to: Amwaycenter.com.
The Parliament House presents “Garden Of Sin” featuring international DJ sensation Kidd Madonny. They will also feature the Footlight Players at 10pm and 12am, and a free courtyard party.
Neema’s Amor at Stonewall Bar Orlando, presents RuPaul’s Drag Races Naysha Lopez, along with Rochelle Mon Cheri and Angelica Sanchez. Doors open at 9pm with no civer before 10pm and $10 thereafter.
Wednesday, March 13
FL Falun Dafa Association Presents Shen Yun from today until March 17, at the Dr. Phillips Center. They invite you to experience a divinely inspired culture through the breathtaking art of classical Chinese dance. Audiences travel from legends of the past to stories of courage in China today; from snowy mountaintops to vast grasslands.
Large animated backdrops extend the stage and transport the audience to another world. These grand images are dynamic, involving unique interaction with stage—a patented innovation that has inspired Hollywood and catches seasoned theatergoers by surprise. Tickets start at: $84.25 at Drphillipscenter.org.
Thursday March 14
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents The Lion King from today until March 31.
Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s The Lion King! For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to: Vanwezel.org.
Friday, March 15
The Tampa Improv Presents Sheryl Underwood today and tomorrow, Sat, March 16. Sheryl is a savvy businesswoman and multi-faceted, multi-media entrepreneur, and she skillfully balances the roles of in-demand Entertainer, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Pack Rat Productions, movie and television actress, radio personality and philanthropist. Sheryl Underwood is one of the most articulate, well-informed women of our time and is a much sought after entertainer who has been described as one of the world’s brightest contemporary humorists. Tickets are $27 at Standupmedia.com.
Southern Nights Orlando from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11, Plastique Tiara. If you can’t make it tonight, you can catch Plastique performing tomorrow night, Sat March 16 at Southern Nights Tampa.
Timberly presents Bare Beef St Patricks Day kick off at Stonewall Bar Orlando. The night will feature a 12 am wet underwear contest and adult video star Jack Vidra.
Saturday, March 16
The Parliament House invites everyone to celebrate St Patrick’s Day by Getting “Lucky” with Blair St. Clair of RuPaul’s Drag Race. They invite you to reach into the pot of gold and win: Televisions, tablets, free drinks, electronics, gift cards and door entries. General admission is $10, with VIP photo Op $20.
Sunday, March 17
Amalie Arena presents Travis Scott in his Astroworld: Wish You Were Here Tour at 8pm. Once again, Travis Scott takes it up a notch – or ten. Known for his explosively wild performances, the history-making Houston superstar will make this tour his best yet. Bringing the amusement park of his chart-dominating critically acclaimed blockbuster Astroworld to life on stage, the artist has envisioned a show unlike anything done before and unlikely to be topped. amaliearena.com. (AMWAY CENTER MARCH 15)
Friday, March 22
The Tampa Improv presents Craig Robinson today, Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24. Beginning as a stand-up comedian in Chicago, Robinson first made his mark in the comedy circuit at the 1998 Montreal “Just for Laughs” Festival. Craig is best known for his portrayal of Daryl Philban in NBC’s The Office but has also starred in such movies as Knocked Up, This Is The End, The Hot Tub Time Machine series, and Morris From America, the latter of which he won a Special Grand Jury prize for acting at Sundance in 2016. Craig also plays the role of Leroy in FOX’s paranormal comedy series, Ghosted. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to: standupmedia.com.
Saturday, March 23
Barcodes Orlando (4453 Edgewater Drive) will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary tonight with a night filled with FUN! There will be raffle drawings throughout the night and the prizes include: $1000 in cash, a custom Miller Lite Bicycle, a Budweiser land cruiser bicycle, a smart TV, and lots more! As always free parking and never a cover. On behalf of myself and the entire Hotsptos Central staff we would like to wish Raymond and the entire Barcodes Orlando staff a very happy birthday and wishing them many more years of success!
Dr. Phillips Center Presents Tony Bennett live! Tony Bennett’s life and philosophy is the embodiment of the Great American Story. Having celebrated his 92nd birthday on August 3rd 2018, his career as the pre-eminent singer of the 20th and 21st centuries is unprecedented. He continues to be embraced and loved by audiences of all generations. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.
Cristoph’s Tampa presents a “Rewind Party” with hostess Stephanie Stuart and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.
Sunday, March 24
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Association with Live Nation presents Chicago. Billboard ranked Chicago ninth on the list of the hundred greatest artists of all time in terms of Billboard 200 album chart success in October 2015. Chicago is one of the longest-running and most successful rock groups, and one of the world’s best-selling groups of all time, having sold more than 100 million records. In 1971, Chicago was the first rock act to sell out Carnegie Hall for a week. Tickets start from: $55 at Drphillipscenter.org.
Monday, March 25
Chris Sant Lorans productions presents the annual Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA (reg and plus) 2019 at the Parliament House. The categories are Presentation (pink), Evening Gown, Swim Wear, Talent and Q&A. The winners will receive $1,000 cash, over $4,000 in prizes, 2 Photo Shoots, registration for the national, passage and stay for the national, dancers entry, Magazine Photo, Promotion Tour (show) all over Florida, New York and Puerto Rico and many more things.
Friday, March 29
Cristoph’s Tampa presents “Pup Pride,” a pride night kickoff with hostess Alexis De La Mer and the sounds of DJ Mike Sklarz.
The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents Tap Dogs through Sunday, March 31. Dein Perry’s TAP DOGS returns to the stage with its trademark blend of live music and tap dance as you’ve never seen before. The New York Observer called it “positively electrifying.” Part Theater, part dance, part rock concert and part construction site, the show is crammed with high-energy dance, theatrical performance, and music performed by the cast and live musicians in this unstoppable spectacular. Whether in water, upside-down or jumping through scaffolding, the Tap Dogs have been performing to the beat of their own drum for more than 20 years. Tickets star at $25 at StrazCenter.org.
Saturday March 30
Its Tampa Pride time which means a festival in Ybor and of course the fabulous parade. It also means tons of events and performers. For a full listing see the feature in this month’s edition or go to: TampaPride.org.
Southern Nights Tampa presents one of the original Queer Eye For the Straight Guy hosts and a current judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the one and only Carson Kressley live! This is an 18 and over event! (If you can’t make it on Sat, you can catch him on Friday, Mar 29 at Southern Nights Orlando).
Don’t forget the last Saturday of every month Stonewall Orlando brings you “Leather Night.” Catch all the sexy men in leather and as always no cover!
Sunday, March 31
Dr. Phillips Center Presents The Price Is Right, which is the hit interactive stage show that gives eligible individuals the chance to “Come On Down” to win. Prizes may include appliances, vacations and possibly a new car! Play classic games from television’s longest running and most popular game show from Plinko to Cliffhangers to The Big Wheel and even the fabulous Showcase. Tickets start at: $39.50 at Drphillipscenter.org.
The Winter Party Festival produced by the National LGBTQ Task Force is one of the world’s largest and best-loved celebrations for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. The Festival has evolved into a week-long series of events, taking place on Miami Beach and benefiting the LGBTQ community both locally and nationally. Much of the gross proceeds from Winter Party Festival support the Task Force’s efforts to take action, build power and create change for LGBTQ people. A significant amount of the remaining proceeds are also donated to local service organizations through a grant-making process administered by the Miami Foundation.
Founded in 1994, the original Winter Party featured just one event, a huge dance party held on the sands of South Beach. The blend of SoBe, surf and sun, along with fabulous people, music and weather, proved to be an irresistible combination for Winter Party’s success. Soon, thousands of LGBTQ people were pouring in from around the world, making this one of the hottest weekends on the queer calendar of South Florida.
Over the years, Winter Party has grown and evolved to a weeklong celebration with dozens of events, from cocktail parties, to stage shows to health advocacy programs — drawing more than 10,000 attendees to the festival.
The roster of international DJ talent and Miami’s unparalleled venues provide the kind of events that could never happen anyplace else in the world, This year’s festival is already shaping up to be a major success, with passes and tickets selling out at many levels. This year’s theme — With Open Arms — focuses on the organization’s dedication and specific efforts to make WPF a welcoming environment for all.
In 2018, a study conducted by the Task Force and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau articulated that 55% percent of attendees at WPF identify as non-Caucasian. This year, organizers worked to diversify the talent on the DJ roster by including more women, featuring the skills of Sharon O Love (making her US debut), Anne Louise and MORABITO behind the turntables.
“Winter Party Festival has always been friendly and inclusive,” WPF Festival Chair Rene Wolfensberger said in a statement.” “This year we wanted to turn it up a notch and encourage everyone, volunteers, committee members, staff and guests to welcome each other with open arms. It’s an international gesture of inclusion and ties very well into our vision statement: ‘Bringing the world together to create change while celebrating you.’”
“This year as we bring in a new era for Winter Party Festival, one thing that I am extremely excited about is our all new Nikki Beach Club venue for our Under One Sun: Evolution, presented by Impulse Group,” added Vice Chair Sergio Orlando. “As the Festival grows larger each year, we strategically chose Nikki Beach Club to expand our guests experience for this iconic and original event. We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this new venue to our Winter Party Festival line up.”
When the partying and weekend come to a close, the proceeds from WPF not only benefit the Task Force, but also other South Florida based LGBTQ organizations as well. In 2018, the Task Force donated $215,000 to the LGBTQ Community Fund at the Miami Foundation, for a total of nearly $3 million given back since the Task Force began producing Winter Party and the National LGBTQ Task Force Gala – Miami in 2005.
“The LGBTQ movement is as relevant today as it was when we fought back police raids at the Stonewall Inn 50 years ago,” Task Force Director of Communications Sarah Massey explained. “We still have a lot to do to achieve full liberation and equality for all of us. The Task Force is on the vanguard of this work. We are keeping the Trump administration in check, organizing faith communities to be welcoming, and protecting our hard-earned freedoms while expanding legal protections for all.”
Here is the full line up of events:
Wednesday, February 27
Welcome Center Grand Opening
Presented by Surterra Wellness
Shelborne South Beach Hotel
1801 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
7 – 10pm
Paradise: Deja-Vu
Riviera Live
3138 Coral Way, Miami
10pm – 5am
Thursday, February 28
LOCALIZE
Presented by Prevention 305 with Avita Pharmacy
Hôtel Gaythering
1409 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
7-10pm
Ignite
Presented by SCRUFF
Mr. Jones
320 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
10pm-5am
Friday, March 1
Sunny Side Up Brunch
Palace Bar
1052 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
12-4pm
Vagabunos Pool Party
Gates Hotel South Beach
2360 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL
12-6pm
VIP Cocktail Reception
Presented by The Art of Shaving
The Carlton Hotel at The Betsy South Beach
1433 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
7:30-11pm
Heat
Club Space
34 NE 11th Street, Miami
10pm-7am
Saturday, March 2
Under One Sun – Evolution
Presented by Impulse Group
Nikki Beach Club
1 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
12-6pm
Illuminate T-Dance
Palace Bar
1052 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
5-11pm
Theater Soirée
Carnival Studio Theater at the Adrienne Arsht Center
1300 Biscayne Blvd, Miami
7:30 PM
Sweat
Hunters Nightclub
2232 Wilton Drive, Fort Lauderdale
9pm-3am
Masterbeat Odyssey: A New Era
James L. Knight Center
400 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami
10pm-6am
Sunday, March 3
The Beach Party
Presented by WorldPride NYC | Stonewall 50
Lummus Park
12th Street and Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
1-8pm
Masterbeat: Avalanche
James L. Knight Center
400 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami
10pm-6am
Monday, March 4
Afterglow
The Hangar
60 NE 11th St, Miami
6am-12pm
ACTION! Finale
Treehouse
323 23rd Street, Miami Beach
10pm-5am
For more information on Winter Party week or to purchase tickets, go to Winterparty.com.
Oh, sure, Dan Levy gets excited. Really, he does! The sparkle may not be written on his face – cherubic, distinguished, writerly; one with features much like his actor-dad, Eugene Levy – but inside you can bet he’s screaming. It’s a Canadian thing.
Our conversation takes place on a day in mid December, the day after Pop TV’s Schitt’s Creek, his farcical and heartfelt sitcom about a family stripped of their riches that is lovingly created as a gift to this godforsaken world with his father, has picked up a Critics’ Choice nod for Best Comedy Series and Levy is screaming. Really!
“We have a limit to how excited we can be about ourselves,” he says, snickering. He continues, Canadian-modesty fully intact: “But it’s a thrill.”
The thrill humbly extended to a tweet written by the out 35-year-old conveying gratitude for the show’s recent wins when GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics awarded Schitt’s Creek with two honors, TV Comedy of the Year and Unsung TV Show of the Year, during their annual Dorian Awards. (Full, proud disclosure: I’m a member, and I voted for Schitt’s Creek in both categories.)
Get Levy talking about Mariah Carey – the diva inspiration for one of season 4’s sweetest and gayest lines, pertaining to his onscreen boyfriend, Patrick (Noah Reid) – and he won’t stop screaming. We spoke about the Elusive Chanteuse’s prominent place on Schitt’s Creek and about what’s in store for his lovably dramatic character, David Rose, mom Moira (Catherine O’Hara), dad Johnny (Eugene Levy) and sister Alexis (Annie Murphy) in season 5. Plus, this season’s coming out story that Levy says was an emotional shoot and “my proudest episode.”
I was feeling such disappointment when the Golden Globes and the Emmys didn’t acknowledge Schitt’s Creek yet again this year. So, this Critics’ Choice nod must feel like, “Finally, awards committees are catching up to the rest of the world.”
Slowly but surely we’re cracking into that illustrious group of shows that get nominated for things and it’s a wonderful feeling. We’re a very small show, and I think for very small shows that don’t necessarily have huge resources to promote themselves for award consideration, a nomination from the critics at this point is fantastic. It means it’s been word-of-mouth, and I think the fact that we are also streaming on Netflix has cracked us open to an entirely new and different audience as well.
And listen, our team, first and foremost, just wants to tell really interesting stories and wants to have fun when we go to work every day, and that has always been the goal for me as someone who’s running the show. The minute you start to look outside and think, “Oh, we’re being recognized for this; people are putting us on lists,” it’s wonderful but it can really change the experience of making your show. Suddenly you’re more concerned about, “Are things living up to the standards that the media have kindly set for us?” And that can be really intimidating.
So I try not to pay attention as much as I possibly can; especially when we’re making our show, I try to disengage from all of that so we can really focus on what’s ultimately going to serve our characters. But I’m not gonna lie: It’s been a joy over the past couple of years to see our show up there in the ranks of other shows that I have long admired myself. So I’m just ultimately bursting with pride for our team.
How are the Roses coping with each other during season 5?
Season 4 was a really emotional chapter in this family’s trajectory and we were able to really peel back some layers and show a lot of growth. Season 5 is really about having fun. The guards are down a little bit, which means we can have more fun with our characters, we can put them in stranger situations.
We tried our best to pair characters this season with characters that have never been paired before and really take stories outside of the box and expand our world a little bit, so this season was always intended to be the shiniest and brightest and boldest we’ve ever done. But I’m just really excited because there’s so much in store in season 5. It’s bursting with life and joy and I can’t wait for, particularly, a few episodes.
David does a lot of things this season that, for me, as a gay kid growing up, were horrifying: tree-climbing, baseball. What was your favorite David adventure to shoot this season?
The fun thing about David is he’s someone who has put on such a front for so long that he has really, over the course of his two years in this town, allowed himself to just get in better touch with himself and expose himself to vulnerability in ways that he never would have. So something like the first episode of season 5 (laughs) – constantly feeling the need to prove his relationship and how far he’s willing to go for it – was really fun. I mean, the day was grueling and I was stuck up there (in the trees) for, I think, seven hours…
So by the end of the shoot, your face was David’s. You weren’t even acting anymore.
(Laughs) The character and me as a person really came together in those moments. But yeah, I would say the excitement of our first episode back is really an indicator of what’s to come.
I can’t believe these characters are just now trying on Moira’s wigs. How did that not already happen?
The idea was, for us, that she needed to be on a totally different continent in order for David and Alexis to even dare touch that wall, because of all the things, all the buttons you can press with Moira, those wigs are everything (laughs). So we thought it could be really fun, considering no one’s ever tried them on. And we never ever really touched it, but that was really out of respect for Moira, who was holding court in her home. Now that she’s away we can all sort of have some fun with it, and getting to select which wig we got was a really fun process too. I tried on that little blunt, blonde wig that I wear in the episode and thought, “Well, this could be good for my real life!”
Will there be more Mariah stuff? And also, how much Mariah is played on set?
A lot of Mariah is played just in my life, which seeps into my professional life. She tweeted about the show last year after the Mariah Carey reference in our season 4 finale.
You recently celebrated that tweet’s anniversary on your IG.
I’ll be celebrating that anniversary for years to come. I lost it. There’s been some amazing people who’ve said some wonderful things about the show, but the Mariah Carey tweet, to me, was like, I don’t even know how to process that. I think back to being a teenager, putting up Mariah Carey posters on my bedroom walls. It was a full-circle moment.
The last time we chatted you told me that one episode in particular this season made you cry. Why is it so meaningful to you?
It’s a layered thing. I find it sometimes quite emotional to be in the position that I am in, to be able to tell queer stories and show them on a mass scale, to write moments and stories, and in this particular case a love story, that seems to really affect people. It’s hard not to think back to a time in your life where you didn’t have that kind of freedom. For me, I think back to high school when I was still in the closet and wondering if I would ever be able to live out in the open. To now be in the position that I am, getting to write what I find to be a really lovely queer romance that millions of people get to watch, it’s quite profound.
And how about the episode’s impact on you?
It’s a particular moment that I had to write that is something that most queer people go through and articulating that, dramatizing that, is just a very meaningful episode for me and for a character in our show. It’s a coming out episode. So getting to write that and trying to find a way around that kind of story that’s been told several times in film and television and literature, finding a dynamic way into that story and out of that story, was probably the greatest joy and challenge I’ve had as a writer for TV. And now that we’ve cut and polished the episode it’s my proudest episode we’ve done as a show.
Given that you understand the weight of this show on your audience, I’m guessing David and Patrick will never break up.
(Laughs) Um, I don’t ever want them to, but you never know what happens. All I know is that we do understand what our fans are enjoying and we certainly wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their loyalty.
It’s the first successful relationship I’ve had in a while and it’s not even mine.
Funnily enough, me too.
For the Schitt’s Creek: Up Close & Personal tour, you and some cast members are touring various U.S. cities. How did the idea for the tour start and are there any Tina Turner musical numbers?
(Laughs) The idea for the tour started mainly because I think so much of the success of our show is based on the enthusiasm and the word-of-mouth that has come from our fans. And the feedback that I’ve received from our fans has been so much more than, “We love your show”; it’s long letters about how this show has provided sort of a safe space, a happy space, a joyful space in dark times. We seem to have a relationship with the people who watch our show and love our show that is slightly deeper than I think the relationship that a lot of people have with the shows that they watch on TV.
Shooting the show in Canada, we don’t ever really have access to a lot of our fans. We shoot for three months out of the year and the rest of the time is me editing or writing the show, and a lot of the response and feedback we got from fans was a desire to interact with the cast, and so we started developing this idea. It’s a Q-and-A, it’s very casual. We show some things we’ve never shown before, we show some behind-the-scenes stuff, we show some bloopers, and there may or may not be a musical performance that may or may not involve a Tina Turner song sung by someone who may or may not play my boyfriend on a television show (laughs). But for us, it’s a great way for us to meet our fans and for the fans to come and say hi in person. We did our first in Los Angeles a little while ago and it was incredible. There was so much love in the room.
Regarding the writing, do you think in terms of meme-able moments in the writers’ room?
No, no! In fact, there was some kind of Instagram sticker – you know the GIF stickers you can use? There’s one of Moira that apparently had like a billion views or something insane, and I’m always sort of amazed how people have taken moments from our show and turned them into these little internet memes, because when we’re writing we never really think about that. But it’s quite an expressive show (laughs), so I understand how it would be very easy to take some reactions from our cast and make some sort of universal reactions of disgust or confusion.
I used your face when I was disappointed by the Golden Globe nominations.
(Laughs) I’m so happy that I could be there for you in that time.
Has working on this show and writing queer characters with your dad bonded you in ways you didn’t expect it to?
I honestly don’t know, actually. The show has been sort of wonderful in the sense that we have been put in a position where we get to see each other every day. I think just going through the experience of making this show and seeing its success has been a wonderful thing for the two of us.
There are just times in your life when things happen that you’ll never forget and you know that you’re sort of in the middle of doing something quite special and lasting, so I know that whatever I do after this show, we’ll always have this time together, we’ll always have this sort of chapter of our lives that we got to immortalize on screen, which is quite lovely.
There’s something for every color of the rainbow included in this year’s music-release roster. The list is long, but here’s a taste: debuts from Pitch Perfect star Ben Platt and hair-toss kween Lizzo, songwriter showcases from Patty Griffin and Lana Del Rey, a gay icon (Madonna), emerging gay icons (Ariana Grande, Carly Rae Jepsen), and much more. Look for this diverse pack in the coming months:
Ben Platt, Sing to Me Instead (March 29)
You know Ben Platt as a Pitch Perfect acca-nerd – he played Benji Applebaum, the acapella-obsessed outcast crazy for magic – and as the eponymous lead in Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen. But the magic of his first solo album, where he’ll peel back the layers of the gay man under the wizard’s cape, is purely Ben Platt being Ben Platt. Already, he’s captured the greatest love of all – the saving grace of self-love – on “Bad Habit,” a tender, aching piano number with gorgeous vocal riffs on gorgeous vocal riffs. Surely Platt has a few more tricks up his sleeve.
Madonna (TBA)
Will Madonna reel it in? Drain the pool of zeitgeist, hotshot producers she’s been known to enlist for recent projects? Ditch trends? Blaze trails? Much remains to be seen (and heard), but because women are ardently reclaiming their rightful power – and because Madonna is Madonna – she’s bound to come down hard on the patriarchy on her 14th studio album. Suitably, she had a session with an all-female Portuguese orchestra for the release, which she told Women’s Wear Daily was being made “in between rose mist spray and serums.” So just maybe this one’ll be sweet and fresh and like a Sephora after all.
Carly Rae Jepsen (TBA)
In October 2018, Carly Rae Jepsen announced her pop career’s next chapter by Instagramming a snap of a (her?) cat nipping at a Twizzler she held in one hand, a droopy slice of pizza dangling from her other. Full pizza at her feet, the pic – hilarious, empowering – captured the buoyant breakup anthem that would follow, “Party For One,” a bop that makes a strong argument for singlehood and self-pleasure. E*MO*TION* was fire. The best pop album of 2015. Maybe not a Hot-N-Ready, but whatever Jepsen delivers, piece by piece, we’ll eat it right up.
Patty Griffin, Patty Griffin (March 8)
A first-ever self-titled album after nearly 25 years in the music business has to mean something. For Patty Griffin, one of the best character songwriters this world has to offer (just ask gay power-songwriter Justin Tranter, who stands PG), it means deep, pensive dives into her own life. Battling cancer, as Griffin did, will tend to beget self-reflection, and so her 10th studio album, “Patty Griffin,” traces her steps, from memories with her late mom to growing up in Maine, when she thought “maybe who I am wasn’t right.” “Luminous Places” – a could-be swan song – is otherworldly, casting a mystic dreaminess amid a delicate dance of strings, guitar and pillowy piano; it’s as if the song was composed in the clouds, then fell from the sky and floated to us on a single moon-lit snowflake.
Ariana Grande, Thank U, Next (Out now)
Ariana Grande moves on fast – from donut controversy, from exes, from albums. Sweetener descended upon us just half a year ago, in August 2018, but Grande had more to say, dammit, and so she’s gone and said it with an army of 12 bad-bitch-and-beyond songs conceived for this new project led by the power-asserting “thank u, next” and the “My Favorite Things”-sampled “7 rings,” a piercing, winking satire of millennial entitlement. A confessional chronicling a trying year in the spotlight, it’s her best, boldest album yet.
Ryan Adams, Big Colors (April 19, plus two more albums TBA)
It seems Ryan Adams may be playing against his brooding type on Big Colors, one of three albums he’s releasing this year because Adams, you should know, is wildly prolific and mercifully insane. On the sweet title track, Mandy Moore’s ex-husband takes delight in life’s natural radiance, buzzing about “flowers for brains, permanent sunshine” with an uncharacteristically joyful disposition that’s refreshing and infectious.
Dido, Still on My Mind (March 8)
Dido seems to not mind being forgotten, only to be remembered every four to six years, when she floats back to earth like the mystic fairy she is, reminding us that her dainty voice may be that of an actual pixie. Her first album since 2013’s Girl Who Got Away, Still on My Mind was recorded with her brother, Rollo, at home, on a couch. It’s that chill living room sound both you and your mom can agree on; the real thrill, though, is hearing the English performer infuse electro and hip-hop life into her delicate sofa songs. A remix album can’t be far off.
Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell (March 29)
Lana Del Rey’s persona is the subject of much debate and confusion: how much is truly authentic, and how much is the record label’s doing to produce a pop icon for These Sad, Dark Times. Del Rey seems to have leaned into the conversation, and she’s responded accordingly – and very, very personally – with her forthcoming album’s maximalist-titled first single, called “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman to have – but I have it.” Produced and co-written with Taylor Swift and Lorde producer Jack Antonoff, the song is a songwriter’s song, hauntingly simple, intimate. Her authenticity is her defiance.
Lizzo, CUZ I LOVE YOU (April 19)
On “Juice,” rapper-singer-flutist and “America’s Next Bop Star” Lizzo does not, will not, even let that mirror, mirror on the wall chime in on the fairest one of all. Because, honey, she is. And you are. And we all are. There for you and all the blighted characters in Blockers and A Bad Moms Christmas and I Feel Pretty, the Detroit-born, Minneapolis-raised performer’s breakthrough single, “Good as Hell,” similarly empowered you to write your own damn fairy tale and parade that princess crown around and let it shine. All signs for this one, Lizzo’s much-anticipated major-label debut, point to more hair-toss, “you go geeeerl” swagger.
Ingredients
½ to ¾ box of Barilla Multi-colored Rotini Pasta
3 skinless chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
I small white onion
3-4 portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 jar of your favorite Alfredo Sauce
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
Directions:
Dice chicken breasts into bit size chunks
In a large skillet add olive oil and butter over medium heat
Add oregano, and minced garlic.
Continue to sauté chicken until it is about a third of the way done
Slice mushrooms, then slice peppers and onion lengthwise and add to skillet, stirring into chicken
Turn heat down to simmer
Boil pasta according to the box instructions.
Continue to cook to just soften the onions and peppers and ensure that the chicken is cooked.
(if you stab a piece of chicken, clear liquid should come out)
Drain pasta and add to skillet with chicken and peppers
Pour alfredo sauce over stir fry and allow to simmer until there is a slight bubbling, stirring constantly.
Serve right away.
Logo TV founder Matt Farber’s Outlandish performance series continues on Saturday, March 9 with Miss Richfield 1981 performing “Gender Fluids” at the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale.
It was a pleasure to sit down with Miss Richfield for this catch up mini-interview:
What have you been up to since you were last in South Florida?
Wonderful travels to Australia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Rochester, Atlanta, NYC, and Provincetown and my holiday show at home in Minnie! Let’s just say, I’m in the Greyhound Mile-Long Club again this year.
How did you come up with the idea for this year’s show, “Gender Fluids”?
I was standing in line to get a soda – true story! One of my “older” friends was complaining about the kids and their crazy new pronoun language. I just said, “Sweetie, you gotta keep up with the kids and I’d like a diet coke,” and a show was born!
How is this show similar or different to your previous shows?
Last year was so Jesus-based, I thought we’d give the Lord a rest this time around. So it’s mostly about this new boy-to-girl, girl-to-boy, neither-boy-nor-girl, both-boy-and-girl thing. And I just discovered this new, small, but boisterous non-committal gender group! It’s confusing and fun!
What do you expect audiences to take away from this new show?
Laughs and a break from the day-to-day, first and foremost. But I think this year will offer a new understanding about why this gender thing is important. You know, there was a day that the whole homo thing was a bit misunderstood. So I hope people come with an open mind and an open wallet. For crying out loud, I’m still learning as I do this. For instance, I thought non-binary, meant your diet had no fiber.
Anything else you’d like to share with readers?
I love Fort Lauderdale and I love Hotspots. I hope you all realize how lucky you are to be in such a wonderful environment down there! One of these days I’ll be relocating. It won’t be difficult, I just need to gas up my house and drive it down!
To purchase tickets, which start at only $39, for Miss Richfield 1981’s “Gender Fluids” at the Sunshine Cathedral, go to Outlandishfl.com.
Name: Leonel Del Castillo
Age: 26
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Nationality: Cordoba, Argentina
City you live in: Miami Beach
Single or married: Married
Perfect date: Gym and pizza
What do you do for a living?
Personal Trainer and bartender
What do you do for fun?
Working out and taking my dog to the beach
What does the future hold for you?
Working on different projects for the future, the goal is to spend more time doing what I love and make a living out of it.
Uwe Schroeder, Bartender at Georgie’s Alibi/Monkey Bar and owner/creator of Wolf Cuff Custom Leather Fashion Design is presenting the 9th annual fundraiser for Grateful Paws. This year’s motto is “RESCUE, saving lives is PAWssible,” and the benefit will, once again, be held at Georgie’s Alibi/Monkey Bar (2266 Wilton Drive) on March 6 starting at 6 p.m. It was a pleasure to sit down with my long time friend, Uwe, to talk with him about this year’s benefit.
What can we expect at this year’s fundraiser?
Well after almost a decade producing this benefit, I am blessed with a core crew, some who have been helping me from day one. I am really grateful to have so many good people behind me every year, and also excited to see new crew members come on board. Like every year, the event will start with the VIP cocktail reception from 6 till 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and available at Alibi or at the door that night. Each ticket will include catering by Alibi, complimentary cocktail by our liquor sponsors and a first chance to “buy now” any item from our silent auction (which again will be amazing). In addition, we will have a photo booth so everyone can get a memory of that night. At 8 p.m. the event will open to the general public and everyone can participate in the silent auction, meet our sponsors, buy 50/50 raffles, and a few more surprises. I made 100 OLLIE rescue cuffs again and got a sponsor for this year’s T-shirts (each $ 20 ) available at the event. Shortly after 9 p.m. it’s show time with the performers of the Alibi and some special guests.
Why is this year’s event particularly special for you?
It has been a few year now since my brain hemorrhage, and I have been through some ups and downs during the recovery, so I am more grateful than ever to still be able to help this amazing rescue Grateful Paws. In addition, Wolfcuff has become less of a business and more and more supporting other causes, especially on local level. My ability to “produce” is really limited but I am happy that by donating to events I can make a difference.
The biggest thing for me personally was finally the decision to honor the love for my mother with a piece of special art, a beautiful tattoo. Her name was Rosemarie and her favorite flowers were roses. It took me years to decide and get a tattoo, but finally in Stevie Moon I found not only an amazing artist but also by now a great friend. It’s been a journey, but I love it and have got nothing but positive feedback. AVI Ram, known by many from Skin Wars and by now world traveled artist will donate a “copy” of this tattoo on canvas and like the Ollie pic last year we will auction this off at the event. No surprise that this year’s decoration will have a lot of roses. By now the event has become one of the largest fundraisers on the drive and animal rescue event in town, and it’s shaping up very nice and I hope everybody will have a great time!
How can the public help?
There are many ways: the first is that you can come to this benefit and spend money. Also, and I beg of everybody to listen to this, report suspicious activities (Ex: Breeding in harmful conditions, abuse, and dog fighting), and lastly get your community involved.
What drives you to continue doing this benefit?
Saving one dog will not change the world, but for that dog the world will change forever. Dogs, for a reason that can only be described as divine, have the ability to forgive, let go of the past, and live each day joyously. It’s something the rest of us can strive for. I think anyone who has been through or is facing a life threatening illness can relate if I say that it can take you to dark places. My dog’s love got me out!
We asked Jan Milbyer, the founder of Grateful Paws, if they were excited to once again be the recipient of this benefit and she said:
“We are so honored to be the recipient of the proceeds from the WolfCuff event each year. This will be the 9th one! And we are so grateful to the entertainers who volunteer their time, and to the individuals who donate so generously to our silent auction. Grateful Paws is small but mighty, with a great team of caring volunteers on board, many of whom have been with us 11+ years. We are looking forward to yet again, another successful night at the Alibi and would like to thank everyone in advance for the efforts.”
What is your goal for this year?
To save as many animal lives as we can. I never set a monetary goal for the event, although last year we raised a record amount. I make sure that all the expenses for the event are covered by me or sponsors, and I am proud that I can say every dollar raised will go to the rescue! Whatever the number will be it will help many animals and everybody participating can go home knowing they saved lives. What can be better?
We are always looking for volunteers and especially foster homes since we do not have a shelter. We believe a loving home is better for an animal in distress than a small kennel. I love fostering. Yes, I do get attached but I love to meet the different personalities that come with every foster and it’s the best feeling in the world when you finally find them a new forever home.
Don’t forget to put the Wolf Cuff Grateful Paws benefit at the Alibi on your calendar. It’s Wednesday, March 6 starting at 6 p.m. for VIP ($20) and 8 p.m. for everyone else.
ArtServe and Bonnet House Museum & Gardens celebrate the artistic legacy of Fort Lauderdale pioneers Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett with “Impressions: The New Aesthetic.” The 19th annual juried art exhibition and fundraiser kicks off with an opening reception on Thursday, March 7 at 6 p.m. at Bonnet House, located at 900 N. Birch Road in Fort Lauderdale.
Organized and curated by ArtServe, South Florida’s award-winning arts services organization, “Impressions: The New Aesthetic” is Fort Lauderdale’s preeminent exhibition of modern and contemporary art from artists across Florida. The mixed-media exhibition features original artwork in a variety of mediums, transforming the nearly 100-year-old estate into a celebration of art in all of its forms.
“We’re very excited to be collaborating with ArtServe on this exhibition. The very foundation of Bonnet House is art,” said Bonnet House Museum & Gardens Director of Marketing Monica Estevez. “Frederic Bartlett was a prominent artist from Chicago and his wife, Evelyn, became a prolific painter after they wed in 1931. Over the years, the two adorned the Bonnet House with unique, vibrant and endearing decorative elements that delight visitors to this day.”
“Impressions” offers an immersive art experience for new and experienced collectors alike, featuring interactive sensory events, engaging art installations, video projections, live painting and music, performance art and more. Light bites and drinks are generously provided by A Alexander Event Catering.
All of the artwork in the “Impressions” exhibition is available for sale with 50 percent of the proceeds benefitting the ongoing historic preservation of Bonnet House and its cultural programming, which reaches more than 70,000 visitors and 8,000 area youth annually.
During the reception, guests and participating artists are invited to cast votes for their favorite artworks and the artist with the highest number of votes will be recognized with the People’s Choice Award. General admission tickets for the opening reception are $60 and VIP tickets are $100. Tickets are available at bonnethouse.org/event/impressions.
“Impressions: The New Aesthetic” runs from March 7 through April 28. The exhibition is available for viewing from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bonnet House. For more information, visit bonnethouse.org or call (954) 703-2614.
If you haven’t experienced America the Beautiful by rail yet, hop on an Amtrak ASAP for an eye-opening experience that could have you replacing planes as your preferred mode of travel indefinitely. Here are six reasons to book right now.
I booked my first cross-country Amtrak trip last fall after reading an article about how travel expert and blogger Derek Low designed a trip of his own, originating in San Francisco and ending in New York City, for around $200. Impossible, I thought, so I reached out to ask if he could help me score a similar deal. He obliged, and for a $49 consulting fee he returned a reverse itinerary (New York to San Francisco) for just over $400. My trip wasn’t as cheap as Low’s because he traveled straight through on his ride and I was making a few stopovers in cities I wanted to explore (Chicago, Denver and Salt Lake) for a day or two, but it was still mind-bogglingly inexpensive. Low’s trip totaled 71 consecutive hours on the train while my on-and-off experience lasted an amazing eight days.
Amtrak’s sightseeing routes all are aboard the national rail carrier’s Superliners, which consist of bilevel passenger cars plus dining, lounges and sleeping cars. I slept in my coach seat during the overnights I was on the train, but private roomettes are available. Just don’t expect the same low-cost deal I’m describing if you’re booking the latter. A sleeper car will easily put your trip over a grand, sometimes much more. Coach is quiet and perfectly comfortable for the budget traveler. No matter where you sleep, however, your trip will be relaxing from start to finish – because all you need to do is kick back and enjoy the ride.
The biggest advantage to rail travel is that there are no long security lines, TSA bag screenings, or costly bag fees like you have at the airport, so you’re not stressed out before your vacation even begins.
After you’re settled in your permanent seat, claim a spot in the Sightseer Lounge, which features floor-to-ceiling windows so you can watch your trip unfold right before your eyes. I spent every waking hour in this car drinking wine, making friends, and watching the most dramatic scenery glide by, complete with mountain views and wildlife sightings, including elk, bald eagles, moose, coyote, and more.
The lack of pre-travel hassle is a major pro when traveling by rail but equally appreciated is Amtrak’s BYO food and drink policy. I packed snacks and wine for days, which saved me a bundle on refreshments. I didn’t have enough room in my bags to cover the full trip (and I didn’t want to lug around that much weight either), but I got through at least two days without a spending a dime, money that adds up if you’re buying food and booze on the train from the jump. It’s also an opportunity to eat healthy-ish in the beginning, because once your home-packed provisions run out, your good-for-you snack options are extremely limited in the café car. Seated meals, on the other hand, are sufficiently healthy if you choose the healthy menu items. If you’re city hopping on your trip, restock your private stash while you’re off train and venture on full up.
Cars, planes, boats, and other modes of transportation can get you places, but they can’t access some of the most remote crevices of our beautiful country, like the hills and valleys of the Rocky and Sierra Nevada mountains. East Coast and Midwest legs of an Amtrak cross-country are pretty, sure, but those views aren’t in the same league as stunning scenes of snow-covered peaks, brilliant yellow aspens, winding rivers, slopes of never-ending forest, and myriad tunnels that still serve as individual feats of American engineering at its finest.
What’s more romantic than cuddling up in the cozy coach seats with your partner, one head on the other’s shoulder, and falling asleep to the consistent drone of a moving locomotive after a full day of refreshments, sights and enjoyable conservation with other travelers? It doesn’t get any better than that for me.
If you want to save the most money and stay on the train coast to coast, you won’t regret it. These Superliner routes are designed specifically for sightseeing, and if all you do is ride the whole way, you’ll be satisfied. This trip is about the journey, not the destination. You can get off along the way to stretch your legs and have a smoke break if needed (sometimes for longer stretches if there’s a delay in service – the only time you’ll look forward to this when traveling), then you’ll hop back on and chug along. No money spent on rental cars, fuel, hotel rooms, expensive dinners, and bar tabs, or activities. Your cross-country is all that rolled into one for the lowest fee that you make it.
Thursday February 28
The Annual Winter Party Festival produced by the National LGBTQ Task Force, takes place from today through Monday with events all over Miami, and one in Fort Lauderdale. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to: WinterParty.com, or see the feature in this week’s mag.
Twist (25 outrageous years) presents the premiere of their new Thursday promotion “Doll Brawl” with hostess and referee Athena Dion. The show starts at 12 am sharp and will feature 3 dolls in one epic brawl every week with the winner being decided by the audience. DJ Aulden Brown will be spinning.
Friday, March 1
The Off Broadway hit Daddy Issues, written and directed by David Goldyn, makes its South Florida debut at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton (300 S. Military Trail) and runs from today through March 10. Fridays at 8; Saturdays at 2 and 8; and Sundays at 3 pm. For tickets go to Willowtheatre.org or call 561-347-3941. Tickets also available at the theatre box office.
Sound Bar is now featuring Ladies night on Fridays featuring the sounds of DJ Citizen Jane from 10pm to 3am.
Saturday, March 2
Georgie’s Alibi/Monkey Bar presents DJ Shane Stiel with no cover and valet parking available.
Ramrod presents Pig Dance #127 (first Saturday of every month) featuring the sounds of guest DJ Guy DeGiacinto, who is ready to take you on a sub terrestrial journey into tech house, techno and tribal drums.
The Club Fort Lauderdale features their bi-monthly (1st and 3rd Saturday of the month) Res-Erection Naked Blackout event at 10p.m. This is always a sold-out event, so get there early!
Hunters Nightclub presents “Sweat,” an official Winter Party Event, featuring DJ/Producer Barry Harris from 10pm to 3am.
Sunday, March 3
Flip Flops Dockside Eatery presents their monthly T Dance (first Sunday of the month) from 4 to 7p.m., hosted by Amanda Austin with DJ Robert Lavalle spinning and this month’s special guests: Alexis Delamer, Erika Norell and Angie Ovahness Pryce.
The Pub presents Brut Bears, the Bear Necessi-T Dance from 4-9pm featuring the sounds of DJ Mike James, and sexy go-go bear dancers.
Tuesday, March 5
Tonight is the 12th anniversary of 321 and they will be celebrating from 9pm to midnight with a member sponsored open bar and lots of giveaways.
Wednesday, March 6
Wolf Cuff and Uwe Schroder presents the 9th annual benefit for Grateful Paws at Georgie’s Alibi/Monkey Bar. The VIP reception starts at 6pm to 8pm ($20 available for purchase at Alibi) with the main event starting at 8pm and show time at 9pm. The event will feature lots of silent auction items, a 50/50 raffle and more. For more info, see the feature in this magazine.
Hot Stuff
Don’t forget to check out the coupon from J. Marks in this week’s issue and get a certified Angus Beef New York Strip, Miso Salmon, Chicken Parmesan or Scottish Salmon for only $15.99.
This is HOT
Emmy Award-winning host RuPaul will be joined by a star-studded line-up of celebrities to help show regulars Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley and Ross Mathews as they decide who will stay, lip-sync for their life or “sashay away” in the new season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” premiering Thursday, February 28 at 9pm on VH1.
This season’s guest judges include Miley Cyrus, Troye Sivan, Lena Waithe, Joel McHale, Cara Delevingne, Bobby Moynihan, Kandi Burruss, Tiffany Pollard, Gina Rodriguez, Sydelle Noel, Wanda Sykes, Elvira, Guillermo Diaz, Adam Rippon, Mirai Nagasu, Travis Wall, Amber Valetta, Tony Hale, Clea Duvall, Fortune Feimster, Cheyenne Jackson, Katherine Langford and Natasha Lyonne. Additionally, Rachel Maddow will treat the queens to a special guest appearance.
The 15 competing queens will give their all to impress the judges as they vie for the ultimate title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and a grand prize of $100,000. The previously announced queens include: A’keria C. Davenport (Dallas, TX), Ariel Versace (Cherry Hill, NJ), Brooke Lynn Hytes (Nashville, TN), Honey Davenport (New York, NY), Kahanna Montrese (Las Vegas, NV), Mercedes Iman Diamond (Minneapolis, MN), Nina West (Columbus, OH), Plastique Tiara (Dallas, TX), Ra’jah D. O’Hara (Dallas, TX), Scarlet Envy (New York, NY), Shuga Cain (New York, NY), Silky Nutmeg Ganache (Chicago, IL), Soju (Los Angeles, CA), Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (Los Angeles, CA) and Yvie Oddly (Denver, CO).
When a person in history continues to fascinate the public years after that person’s death, it’s almost inevitable that various biopics will try to get up and running. And for legendary fashion designer Halston there’s already been one documentary and now a TV series in development. Stepping in to plant its own flag, though, is Halston, the latest doc from filmmaker Frederic Tcheng (Dior and I, Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel). It’s somewhat unusual formal approach involves a scripted framework featuring fashion blogger-turned-actress Tavi Gevinson (Enough Said) and a tapestry of archival footage of iconic personalities in the designer’s orbit. That means people like Liza Minnelli, Marisa Berenson (Barry Lyndon), Joel Schumacher, model Pat Cleveland, and Elsa Peretti will be swirling about in scenes from Studio 54 and other only-in-the-1970s glamour enclaves. When it’s released later this spring, dress yourself up, spritz on some of that Z-14 cologne they still sell at the drugstore, and glide into the theater like you own the place.
Warhol superstar Candy Darling returns to life
She died of lymphoma at age 29, but Candy Darling packed a lot of living into those few decades. She was a transgender icon and muse to Andy Warhol, appearing in his films Flesh and Women in Revolt. She popped up in Klute with Jane Fonda, and in the legendarily odd queer indie Some of My Best Friends Are…. And if you’ve heard Lou Reed’s song “Take a Walk on The Wild Side,” an entire verse is about Candy’s sexual exploits. Now, 45 years later, she’ll be remembered in biopic form thanks to Transparent writer Stephanie Kornick and producer Zackary Drucker. The film, still in early days with no director or star attached, is primed for a talented young trans actress to show up and run with the material, much like what’s happening on FX with the groundbreaking series Pose. We can’t wait to see Candy walk on the wild side again.
Romeo San Vicente loves a good documentary
Dear Andreus,
My boyfriend came home with an STD. He swears that he has not cheated, and that it must have been me that gave it to him. I have been fully committed, and now I have developed trust issues, because clearly, he has cheated on me. It makes me question how long this has been going on and makes me fear for my own health. I love him, but I don’t know if I can get over this. Is this fixable?
Sincerely,
At the Clinic
Dear At the Clinic,
This is a story that I am sure has been told millions of times over, and the culprit never wants to take responsibility out of fear of being dumped. You are right to want to preserve your health, and you have the right to demand honesty and transparency. Clearly the first step for you both is some sexual down-time, and adherence to whatever treatment is necessary. You need to have a serious talk with your boyfriend and decide if you want to continue or walk away. It’s kind of hard to trust once someone has broken it. A tiger does not change his stripes, but you must decide whether you want to fix this or not. Decide what you deserve.
——————————————————————————————————
Dear Andreus,
I recently met this guy, and we’ve pretty much hit it off. We are taking things slow and go out for a drink probably once a week. Seems like almost every time we are out, a friend of mine comes over to say hello, and starts flirting with him. The last time, my friend reached over and started caressing his chest. I was furious, and my guy looked uncomfortable. I have told my friend before that I am trying to pursue something with this guy, but it doesn’t seem to stop him from flirting. Can I just punch him and get my point across?
Sincerely,
Furious
Dear Furious,
Well, let’s not resort to violence, even though the thought might feel good. If you go to jail, you will leave your guy vulnerable to your friend. So, here’s the deal. You need to talk to your friend, one on one, outside of the bar and away from the guy. Let him now very seriously and firmly that his behavior bothers you, and that if he respects your friendship, he will stop. Also, your guy needs to take some responsibility as well. If he feels uncomfortable by your friend’s flirtation, he should say something. That might be the very thing that nips this in the bud. And you can re-assure your guy that it is okay to say something if he deems it necessary.
WINTER PARTY
The annual weeklong celebration, produced by the National Task Force, that takes over Miami Beach to raise money for good causes. There is nothing like partying and knowing that the money id for charity.
Feb 27- March 5, many venues and events; WinterParty.com.
Pink
There are only a handful of artists that can go by one name, and this is definitely one of the best. The high-flying pop star, hit-making machine, feminist icon and motherhood role model brings her latest tour to South Florida in support of her “Beautiful Trauma” release.
Fri, March 01, 8pm; BB&T Center (1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise) Tix: $54.95 to $505; Thebbtcenter.com.
ICON – Paul Anka
Presents: Anka Sings Sinatra: His Songs, My Songs, My Way. A note from Paul: The Anka Sings Sinatra tour will honor a great artist who has influenced me more than anyone else throughout my career, Frank Sinatra. It will also feature the hits that have spanned my career on this 60th anniversary year. It will be a night filled with his songs, my songs, my way!
Monday, March 4; 8pm; Au-Rene Theater at The Broward Center for the Performing Arts (201 SW 5th Ave, Fort Lauderdale); Tic: $33.75-$145; BrowardCenter.org.
COMEDIAN – Ron White
He is best known as a charter member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Nicknamed “Tater Salad”, he is the author of the book I Had the Right to Remain Silent But I Didn’t Have the Ability, which appeared on the New York Times best seller list.
Thursday, February 28, 8pm; Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood); Tix: $35, $55, and $75; seminolehardrockhollywood.com.
BROADWAY CONCERT SERIES – Jeremy Jordan
Star of stage and screen, Jeremy, is happy to be a part of the Broadway Concert Series. Jordan made his Broadway debut in Rock of Ages in 2009 and has held roles in West Side Story and Newsies for which he received a Tony nomination as Best Actor in a Musical for this star-making role. He also earned a Grammy nomination for the Newsies cast album. On TV, Jordan held a regular role on NBC’s hit series Smash while still starring in Newsies. Jeremy has performed his solo cabaret show, “Breaking Character” in clubs around the country.
Wed, March 6; 8pm; Aventura Arts & Cultural Center (3385 NE 188th St, Aventura); Tix: $45-$49; Aventuracenter.org.
MOVIES – A Madea Family Funeral
A joyous family reunion becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea and the crew travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly planning a funeral that might unveil unsavory family secrets. This comedy stars Courtney Burrell, Tyler Perry, Patrice Lovely, and Cassi Davis.
Premieres Friday, March 1, Rated PG-13.
TV – American Idol
The hit reality singing competition returns in March, after famously getting rebooted last year. Its roster of past contestants have gone on to become household names (Kelly! Carrie! Jennifer!), so we can’t wait to see who will join the ranks next. Just like last year, the judging panel will consist of Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. Ryan Seacrest returns to host, too. One notable change is the addition of Bobby Bones as the show’s official in-house mentor. Last year, he only mentored the top 24, but in the coming season, he’ll be a mainstay throughout the whole run.
Sunday March 3; 8pm; ABC
DANCE – Los Vivancos –
This group is composed of six brothers with a strong and loyal commitment to their ultimate passion, flamenco, which they studied at the prestigious Barcelona Spanish Dance Conservatory. As individual artists they have worked as solo dancers for Rafael Aguilar, the Scottish Royal Ballet and Joaquín Cortés and the group was seen in a critically-acclaimed guest performance on “Dancing With The Stars.”
Fri, March 1; 7:30pm Knight Concert Hall (1300 Biscayne Blvd, Miami); Tix: Start at $39; Arshtcenter.org.
Asian Culture Festival
The Consulate-General of Japan in Miami is offering South Floridians the opportunity to experience Japanese culture and traditions firsthand during this 29th edition of this festival that includes food, music, Taiko drumming performances by Fushu Daiko, dance, demonstrations of Iaido and Kendo, art and much more, and attracts 15,000 attendees each year.
Sat, March 2 and Sun, March 3; 10am-5pm; Fruit & Spice Park (24801 S.W. 187th Ave. in Homestead); Tix: $12; asianculturefestival.net.
THEATER – You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Whether you’re keen to fly with the Red Baron, moon over the Moonlight Sonata, or just do your best to find happiness, check out the crowd-pleasing classic. Brief vignettes span the months from Valentine’s Day to Beethoven Day, and from wild optimism to utter despair. Through it all, the sweet, joyful innocence of the Peanuts gang stays true
Thurs, February 28 through Sunday, March 10; Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and Thurs, March 14 through Sun, March 17; Aventura Arts & Cultural Center; Tix: slowburntheatre.org.
