Party Like It’s 1959

You think times are tough now? If the Lake Worth Playhouse could talk, it’d teach you a thing or three about survival. In the 85 years since it was first built (originally as the Oakley Theatre), the building at 713 Lake Avenue has been through it all: the Great Depression, the Hurricane of 1928, ownership changes, name changes, disco. Despite all this, the playhouse remains an epicenter of the arts. So in advance of the playhouse’s production of Grease, the Cottage restaurant is hosting a Nifty ‘50s Block Party fundraiser to stop the proverbial fat lady from singing. There’ll be plenty of vendors on hand with vintage merch, as well as artists ready to paint you up like a postcard from 1955. But the big attractions will be the contests. In addition to a classic car competition, partygoers can compete in dance and karaoke contests. There’s no admission, but a $5 donation to the playhouse gets you a free hot dog and soda or domestic draft beer. Happy days may not be here again yet. But for a few hours we can forget about 2009. Daddy-o.

The shoo-be-doo-woppin’ starts at 6 p.m. at the Cottage (522 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth). Call 561-586-6410, or visit lakeworthplayhouse.org.
Fri., July 3, 6 p.m., 2009