Best Things to Do in Broward and Palm Beach This Week

Friday, July 22

The Artsy Wayans

Standup comedy has its share of dynasties, and the Wayans clan is undoubtedly one of most established. Keenen Ivory, Damon, Shawn, Marlon, and Kim are talented individually, but together they’re a Hydra of pioneering satire, from their groundbreaking sketch-TV staple In Living Color, to Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (one of the best comedies of the ’90s), to the Scary Movie franchise. Marlon, the wiriest of the Wayans, has enjoyed the most unpredictable career of his siblings, excelling as an actor, writer, and producer in projects beyond his family’s comfort zone of pop-culture spoofs: He played a supporting role in Requiem for a Dream and was even cast as Robin in Tim Burton’s original concept for Batman Forever, only to be recast by the milquetoast paleness of Chris O’Donnell (cue the sad trombone). Marlon has been so prolific an actor that unlike his road-warrior kin, he didn’t begin doing standup until about five years ago, learning the craft in order to audition for a forthcoming Richard Pryor biopic. Few clips of Marlon Wayans’ standup exist online, so expect to hear a fresh batch of material, which he described in a local TV appearance as “some PG-13, but mostly R.” Check him out at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Fort Lauderdale Improv (5700 Seminole Way, Hollywood). Tickets cost $30. Call 954-981-5653, or visit improvftl.com. John Thomason

Saturday, July 23

Let It Sink In

“I feel that artificial reefs play an important role in not only creating habitat, but also potentially reducing some of the negative pressure on natural reefs,” says Zach Ransom. “By responsibly creating these artificial reef sites, it will provide people with more options, probably closer to home, while still having an incredible experience and reducing pressure on natural coral reefs.” Ransom, a South Florida-based marine biologist and underwater photographer with over 2,000 dives around the world under his belt, is one of many enthusiasts looking forward to our ecosystem’s newest addition: the Lady Luck, a 324-foot tanker formerly known as the Newton Creek, will be sunk one and a half miles off Pompano Beach and will be the centerpiece of Shipwreck Park, an effort funded by the City of Pompano Beach and Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. The Lady Luck will sit among 16 existing wrecks and will be one of the biggest contributions to Florida’s artificial reef system. As a major tourist destination, organizers are launching the site with an appropriately themed casino look with creations from local artist Dennis MacDonald on the ship’s deck. The park will host rotating underwater exhibits and events throughout the year as the ship becomes covered with marine life. The sinking, which is free to attend, will kick off around 2 p.m. Saturday at Pompano Beach (Pompano Pier), Atlantic and Ocean Boulevards, Pombano Beach. Call 954-590-1000, or visit shipwreckparkpompano.org. Abel Folgar

Summer Suds

The Palm Beach Summer Beer Festival features more than 60 craft beers from South Florida and beyond. What you won’t see are European-owned and American-brewed macrobeers (whose names shall remain unmentioned), although they should be given credit for at least recognizing the tenacity of craft brewers. Just five years ago, Palm Beach County had only one craft brewery – Tequesta Brewing Company – and now it has far more, many of which will be represented alongside a phalanx of food trucks at the festival. Other than benefiting South Florida’s craft beer scene, the fest is for a great cause: It’ll help raise money for Little Smiles of Florida, a volunteer-driven, nonprofit children’s charity that helps kids in local hospitals, hospices, shelters, and other similar facilities. The Palm Beach Summer Beer Festival will take place at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach) this Saturday in two sessions: The first runs from noon to 4 p.m. and the second from 5 to 9 p.m. General admission tickets cost $40 in advance and $55 at the gate and include unlimited tastings; VIP tickets cost $100 and include a full food buffet, a custom T-shirt, a commemorative beer mug, and a premium cigar. Designated driver tickets cost only $10 and come with free soda and water. Visit palmbeachsummerbeerfest.com. David Minsky

Comicon-ish

If you’re reading this right now, chances are you are not making your way out of this fair state westward on the epic pilgrimage to San Diego’s Comic-Con – one of the largest, most popular comic, geek, and pop-culture gatherings in existence – and that is OK. No, you will not be posing for selfies with the magnificent Chris Pratt as he shows off some of the best bits of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 or sitting in on the world-premiere screening of an animated treatment of Alan Moore’s Batman story The Killing Joke. But all is not lost, because the staff at Tate’s Comics has us all covered with their Not at Comic-Con 2016 event: a day of activities, costumes, fun, and giveaways to make you quickly forget about missing out. Not at Comic-Con includes the annual Tate’s Cosplayrade (a Cosplay parade for all ages), Nakia’s Xtreme Comic Trivia Challenge, informative and entertaining minipanels, free copies of Tate’s Indy Comic Anthology, the world premiere of Tate’s Trailer for Golden Tate VII: Enemy of the Tate, and much more. The fun runs from noon until 4 p.m. Saturday at Tate’s main headquarters at 4566 N. University Dr., Lauderhill. Call 954-748-0181, or visit tatescomics.com. Terra Sullivan

Sunday, July 24

The Podcast’s the Thing

Four years ago, South Florida comedians Lamonte Stewart and Rhett Thompson realized they had a lot in common. They were “a little scholarly, bookish, nerdy, and… black,” Stewart recalls. They banded together to form the monthly podcast whose title reflects these similarities: Brown Skin and Glasses. Under the surface, they don’t necessarily agree on a whole lot. In fact, their arguments got so heated that they once suspended the podcast for a year to heal and regroup. Now, this fiercely opinionated and effortlessly funny twosome is back recording perceptive material and riffing on news and personal anecdotes, from police shootings and political commentary to encounters at nude beaches. This weekend, they’ll elevate their venture to the next level by hosting the inaugural Brown Skin and Glasses Live in conjunction with Fort Lauderdale’s Conundrum Stages. Stewart and Thompson will each perform standup sets, followed by an interactive panel discussion with special guests Natalie Tyler and CJ Staples, whose topics will be suggested by the audience. “Think Larry Wilmore meets Bill Maher meets 60 Minutes,” Thompson says. “This is different from the podcast, where it’s just Lamonte and me going at it. It’s all good fun.” The event takes place from 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday at the Abyss Theatre (2304 N. Dixie Hwy., Wilton Manors). Tickets cost $5 online and $10 at the door. Call 954-673-5124, or visit conundrumstages.net. John Thomason

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