From the truncated hilarity of the Reduced Shakespeare Company to the sly feminist comedy Women Playing Hamlet, the Bard is far from the theater world's sacred cow. He's more of a postmodern meme these days — a catch-all for the kind of classical, impenetrable stagecraft that the millennial generation has little patience for — so it's no surprise that plays quoting, spoofing, or satirizing Shakespeare are presented more often than his intimidating originals. Paul Rudnick's I Hate Hamlet is a paranormal twist on the Shakespeare-as-self-actualization narrative, centering on Andrew Rally, an out-of-work television actor facing the most daunting challenge of his career: performing as Hamlet in a stage production. The pressure mounts when he moves into a brownstone formerly occupied by actor and archetypal Hamlet John Barrymore, whose acerbic ghost still haunts the premises — offering Andrew advice, insults, bons mots, and sword fights, all in the service of pushing the reticent resident toward dramaturgical greatness. The play is one of the most enduring Shakespearean meta-comedies, with nearly 25 years of success on the regional theater circuit.
It previews at 6 p.m. Thursday and runs at 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through December 6 at Lake Worth Playhouse, located at 713 Lake Ave. Tickets cost $23 to $35. Call 561-296-9382, or visit lakeworthplayhouse.org.
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Rogow will direct a cast of seven in Island City Stage's season-opening production, which is also the company's first show in its expanded new digs at the Abyss Theatre, located at 2304 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays and 5 p.m. Sundays through December 13. Tickets cost $35. Call 954-519-2533, or visit islandcitystage.org.
Long before the images of the Abby Lee Millers and Mama June Shannons of reality TV were etched into our psyche, there was a longstanding champion of unbearable stage-mother behavior in Momma Rose. As the main unsavory (but oddly captivating) character of the 1959 musical Gypsy, loosely based on the memoirs of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, Momma Rose is the embodiment of all of the unsavory, therapy-inducing, self-esteem shattering bits of showbiz. The play chronicles life on the road for girls June and Louise in the 1920s underground vaudeville circuit with Ma at the helm. Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, and Bernadette Peters have all hollered out the lines, "If it wasn't for me, then where would you be? Miss Gypsy Rose Lee?" to sold-out Broadway audiences for
Hailing it as the "ultimate story about an aggressive stage mother," Stage Door Theatre is bringing back an adaptation of the classic Broadway hit with performances now through January 3. Tickets for Friday's 8 p.m. engagement cost $38 in advance. Call the box office at 954-344-7765, or visit stagedoortheatre.com.
Sony may have recently announced that it was going to stop making Betamax tapes, but VHS is still apparently in style. It's a medium that still flourishes even in a world awash with thumb drives, MP3 players, instant streaming, and instant gratification. Skateboarder Dylan Hughes has time for none of this. The sport takes years to master, and you've got to have balls — or ovaries — of steel to endure the countless injuries to your body. The only thing instant that Hughes and other skateboarders hope for is the instant they pull off a flawless trick. Hughes' exploits have been well-documented by organizations such as Red Bull, but now the 20-something Briton is taking his experience across the pond with a new film, Urban Decay. Filmed entirely on VHS, Hughes goes old school by capturing the grittiness of skate life on an obsolete medium. The film also features Matt Smith, Anthony Garcia, Devin Abreu, and many others. In a way, he's proving that low-technology methods can still make a high impact.
Hughes' film will be shown at 8 p.m. Friday at Jump the Shark (formerly the Bubble), located at 810 NE Fourth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. It's an all-ages show; admission is $5. Call 954-667-4126, or email [email protected].
Who the heck is Guy Torry? If the name doesn't ring a bell, it's time to catch up on your movies. Other than being the younger brother of actor and comedian Joe Torry, Torry has landed minor roles in several movies. He's made several minor appearances on Martin. He appeared in Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood and Pearl Harbor, and he most famously played the role of Lamont in American History X. In that movie, Torry plays alongside Edward Norton's character from behind the walls of
This time, he'll perform at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Improv Comedy Club, located at 5700 Seminole Paradise Way in Fort Lauderdale. It is a 21-and-up show with a two-drink minimum. Tickets start at $22. Call 954-981-5653, or visit ftl.improv.com.
If you've yet to partake in FLIFF's dynamic docket of premiere movies, you're running out of time. The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival concludes its
Tickets for individual screenings cost $5 to $10 and are available at Cinema Paradiso's locations at 503 SE Sixth St. in Fort Lauderdale and 2008 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood. Visit the festival's website, fliff.com, for the full schedule, or call 954-525-3456.
It's a fact: The holidays are the most stressful time of the year. There's buying gifts: who to give to, what you want to buy, what you can afford. There are tons of parties, which means way too much fatty foods, booze, and baked goods. Oh, yeah, pair that indulgence with a huge lack of sleep. Then there's the whole family thing. Spending multiple days with the parents and siblings is often a trying endeavor. Get ready. It's all about to begin in the coming weeks. Barrel of Monks Brewing is starting the festivities (and preparations) early with its Christmas Beer Release Party this week. Celebrate this special release with your beer friends and family — you know, the ones who aren't going to put on the pressure to get hitched and have kids. This
It takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday. The cost to attend is $40, which includes unlimited draft beer and a souvenir glass. Advance ticket purchases are suggested. Barrel of Monks is located at 1141 S. Rogers Circle, Suite 5, in Boca Raton. Call 561-510-1253, or visit barrelofmonks.com.
With a heavy influx of traffic and the unfortunate fatality reports this year, active outdoor events are difficult as well as dangerous to participate in. However, that will change briefly. Thanks to the City of Fort Lauderdale, there will be open streets and closed traffic on Sunday. Open Streets Fort Lauderdale allows participants to bring their skates, skateboards, rollerblades, bikes, and whatever other active
Open Streets Fort Lauderdale will happen Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at East Las Olas Boulevard from South Andrews Avenue to SE 15th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. Visit fortlauderdale.gov.
We all know the holidays are for indulging. There's literally nothing we won't stuff in our faces for the next few months, all in the name of
Tucker Duke's Lunchbox is located at 1101 S. Powerline Road in Deerfield Beach. The "Gobble Till You Wobble" pairing dinner will take place at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets cost $65 per person and can be purchased online at eventbrite.com.