When the late Hunter S. Thompson wrote that the Kentucky Derby was “decadent and depraved,” the Louisville native was referring to the crowd, not the actual event. The derby itself is commonly thought of as the world’s most distinguished horserace — “the most exciting two minutes in sports.” But whatever…

Poor Craig. For the deceased military man in Christopher Shinn’s play Dying City, it was out of the frying pan and into the (friendly) fire. On the eve of his deployment to Iraq, Craig and his wife, Kelly, are helpless to repair their decaying marriage. It’s a bad situation made…

What’ll it take to bring down the sinister Dr. Dragon and his musclebound henchman, Goliath? Not much, just your average group of crime-fighting superheroes. In the comic-book-styled film Lucky Streak and the Crimefighters, local director/writer/producer Kurt Donath introduces us to a whole cast of specially powered (and costumed) vigilantes, led…

There comes a point in the life of a band when the dreaded h word rears its head. For those unfamiliar, that would be hiatus. When this happens, the band either comes back stronger and more focused than before or it quietly dissolves. Fortunately, for San Francisco’s Train, the former…

Minneapolis’ Toki Wright, who was raised Buddhist, developed an awareness of the world that influenced his work as a hip-hop emcee, community activist, and world traveler. This awareness is reflected in his debut album, A Different Mirror, notably on songs like the socio-political anthem “State of Emergency.” Wright mixes the…

So Jackie Mason’s in town for a string of performances at the Improv Paradise Live (5700 Seminole Way, Hollywood). Humor aside, it’ll be an interesting study in demographics. On one hand, you’ve got a Jewish comedy legend bringing his old-school humor to Broward County, home to many a transplanted New…

Like many a love story before and after it, the French play La Cage Aux Folles derives its plot from a “meet the (conservative) parents” scenario — only this time, it’s not the suitor whose lifestyle is a problem; it’s the suitor’s father. The father, Renato, manages a drag club…

A white horse sits atop a bundle of cash, the Latin phrase pecunia non olet displayed on the apron-clad equine. The translation: Money does not smell. Exactly what this means is something Gisela Pferdekamper wants you to ponder with her painting Stimulus, part of the exhibit “Contempo: Pushing the Limit…

Santa Claus may have no problem crawling through chimneys on Christmas Eve — but that doesn’t mean the rest of us are OK with random smoke inhalation, especially when there’s a fresh plate of sushi on the table. It seems the folks at the Blue Fish in Delray Beach don’t…

One of the greatest things about Thanksgiving has always been the leftovers. They’re the gift that keeps on giving. The same can be said for the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and its surplus of short films. The festival may have ended, but there are 23 films left to enjoy…

Sure, it’s got some awards under its belt. And yeah, its plot is based on real-life events. But perhaps Chicago: The Musical’s greatest significance in the age of Octomom and Balloon Boy is reminding us that media-whoring is no new thing. In Chicago, jailbirds Velma and Roxie meet in the…

Here’s a secret about lung disease: it’s afraid of heights. OK, maybe not, but after this Saturday’s inaugural Fight for Air Climb, it should be. The event is a benefit the American Lung Association of Florida, and puts participants in a race to the top of the 30-story 110 Tower…

It sounds like a Kit Kat commercial: A group of construction workers, bored at work, one by one begin to dance before breaking out in a flurry of footwork. But suppose these “workers” are Australian, and their form of dance is tap. In that case, there’s obviously no chocolate snacks…

A photograph is a document – a moment in time captured and preserved. Some of these moments are more fleeting than others. And in the case of the Sunshine State and its ever-changing environment both natural and manmade, time is of the essence. “Vanishing Florida” is an exhibit of works…

The Miami Dolphins had somewhat of a rocky start last season, with a few bumps on the road up through most of October. But then came a four-game winning streak, followed by a near-flawless run (Damn New England!) to cap out the season as AFC East champions. And it all…

So a priest walks into a classroom — you can probably figure out how the rest goes. As a joke, the priest-as-molester punch line is obvious. In real life, though, you’d better be damn certain of your suspicions if you’re going to say anything. That’s the dilemma facing Sister Aloysius,…

There are many dichotomies in Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll — theory and practice, teacher and student, freedom and oppression. But the one constant is that sweet sound of freedom known as rock music. The Tony Award-winning Stoppard takes us on a journey from 1968 to 1990, alternating between Communist…

There was a time when Charlie Murphy was probably best known as “Eddie’s brother.” But then came Chappelle’s Show and its popular “Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories” sketches, which included the now-classic lines “I’m rich, bitch!” and “Cocaine’s a hell of a drug.” That show may be gone, but Murphy…

Paintings of sunsets are often a way to make a quick buck off out-of-state tourists looking to take a “piece of Florida” back home with them. Of course, there are plenty of artists who simply love Florida’s marine life and are mindful of the possibility that what they’re capturing on…

The concept of synchronized swimming takes on a whole new meaning this Saturday, and you can be a part of it — but not your swim trunks. That’s right, the Seminole Nudist Resort in Davie is joining other resorts and nude beaches across the continent in an attempt to set…

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,…

While the ska resurgence that began in the mid-’90s brought renewed interest in the music of the late-’70s/early-’80s U.K. scene, there was a noticeable generation gap between the young upstarts and their supposed influences. Had more bands then sounded like South Florida’s Spred the Dub, we might have been spared…