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Thursday, August 4
Shorts Gone Wild, the short-play collection conceived by Island City Stage and City Theatre, hasn’t always lived up to the “wild” part of its title. Expect that to change for the better this month in the companies’ fourth-annual collaboration because this time, the plays fall under a theme that’s as bonkers as can be: politics. Seven playwrights, including five of our finest local scribes – Chris Demos-Brown, Jessica Farr, Michael Leeds, Michael McKeever, and Stuart Meltzer – contributed new ten-minute plays as part of Shorts Gone Wild: Election 2016. Because it’s an Island City Stage coproduction, many, but not all, of the shorts will address LGBTQ issues. In McKeever’s Things My Grandmother Taught Me, a friendly dinner date becomes a verbal steel-cage match between far-left and Log Cabin contingencies; Meltzer’s Lips Like Crocus centers on a couples therapy session in which cable news makes a startling cameo; Leeds’ The Lie features an aging country couple that develops a novel solution to recapture the limelight; and so on. Farr’s satirical comedy might just have the bitterest sting of them all: Bernie Singles Dot Com imagines a “dystopian future of disenfranchised Bernie supporters” scavenging the web for partners with whom to survive the next apocalyptic four to eight years. The production runs Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. this Thursday through August 28 at Island City Stage (2304 N. Dixie Hwy., Wilton Manors). Tickets cost $35. Call 954-519-2533, or visit islandcitystage.org. John Thomason
Pompano’s monthly event Old Town Untapped returns for the waning days of summer with an Olympic motif. Not that placing on a medal pedestal is a bad incentive per se but it is a nice tie in to this summer’s big dance in Rio to go with a one-stop shop of some of the area’s finest breweries offering their latest concoctions. The world of craft brewing has grown quickly around the US and we can be proud, as Floridians, to claim some of the better brews as our own. The Bangin’ Banjo Brewing with numbers like “Odin’s Revenge” and “Bum Ditty,” as well as 26 Degrees Brewing Co. with enjoyable libations like “Jack’s Fault” and “The Brown Eye” will be making Pompano proud. A variety of Olympic-styled games will add to the liveliness of the evening and we can only guess as to their nature but we are sure that the competitive edge will be on. Live music by Casey Raines and food trucks as well as a “Biergarten” menu by Checkers Old München and the Kingshead Pub will compliment Bailey Contemporary Arts’ exhibit, Swimming with Narcissus, a group show exploring the relationships between identity and persona between the artist and viewer. Go for gold from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, August 5 at BaCa, 41 NE 1 Street, Pompano Beach. Call 954-786-7824 or visit baileyarts.org. Abel Folgar
Saturday, August 6
Let the rest of the ambitious folks out there register for the Ironman competitions, the 5Ks, the CrossFit games, and the triathlons of the world. If where you really excel physically is at the tried and true pub crawl, wrap your arms around the Fort Lauderdale Bar Crawl. With seven of downtown Fort Lauderdale’s most popular bars participating this Saturday, bar crawl champions and first-timers alike are encouraged to bounce from bar to bar with an event bracelet on their wrists and ball out on a budget with specials on shots and drinks at locations such as Lucky’s Tavern, Tarpon Bend, and Stache 1920s Drinking Den. Check-in begins at 7 p.m. at Tilted Kilt (219 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale), and the crawl goes until 10 p.m. Guests can stick with the itinerary or follow their own way, getting on and off the free trolleys at each stop. The fun continues at midnight with an after-party at America’s Backyard (100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale). Tickets cost $20 in advance via fortlauderdalebarcrawl.com. Terra Sullivan
In terms of sales, craft beer may not be as popular as the better-known brands. But one way for brewers to gain exposure is from small-time competitions such as the Florida Big Beer Bash Contest. Sure, winning such a contest may not mean as much as first place at the Great American Beer Festival (the largest such fest in the nation), but it’s a way for brewers to reach a portion of the population that’s not yet acquainted with craft beer. At the very least, this inaugural event could attract a sizable crowd as interest in craft beer in South Florida continues to grow. You can taste and vote on more than 20 beers from ten Florida brewers as you listen to live music by Palm Beach County band Future Prezidents. The Florida Big Beer Bash Contest will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Quarterdeck (1541 Cordova Rd., Fort Lauderdale). You must be 21 or older to attend. Admission costs $15 and includes a tasting glass. All proceeds will be donated to Honor Flight South Florida, a nonprofit dedicated to helping all U.S. military veterans visit memorials in Washington, D.C. Remember, don’t drink and drive; ride-sharing app Lyft is offering a $50 credit if you use promo code PalmBeaches. Call 954-524-6163, or visit the Facebook event page. David Minsky
Having fun and supporting a good cause has never been made easier. Or more Shakespearian- esque. That’s all thanks to Hollywood’s Masquerade Ball. In cahoots for this feel good event is Team Hollywood and Relay for Life Lake Worth/Lantana Relay. Taking place at Lakeside Anchor Inn, this event boasts dancing, fun and, of course, masks. This event will close out this year’s Relay for Life season, making it the perfect time to donate. The Masquerade Dance Party is from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $15, which includes unlimited appetizers. There will also be a 50/50 raffle, photo booth, music and chance raffle. Prizes for the last feature include two adult summer saving passes, two passes for deep sea fishing, and gift cards from local business. All proceeds from the photo booth, which was donated by Sound Storm Productions, will go to the American Cancer Society. In addition, most proceeds from the night will go to the American Cancer Society as well. Lakeside Anchor Inn is located at 2412 Floral Rd. in Lantana. Visit LakesideAnchorInn.com, or call 561-729-5516. Natalya Jones
For more events, visit our online calendar or pick up the print edition of the New Times every Thursday. To submit an event, use our online form.
