Paradise - KeysNews.com

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Paradise
December 18-24, 2014
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PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
Paradise
PAUL A. CLARIN
Publisher
GARY E. MAITLAND
Editor
TOMMY TODD
Director of Sales and Marketing
MIKE HENTZ
Photo Editor
ROB O’NEAL
Contributor
Reach Us
Phone: 305-292-7777
Fax: 305-294-0768
Paradise This Week is published weekly by Cooke
Communications, 3420
Northside Dr., Key West, FL.
Second class postage paid
by The Citizen, Key West FL,
33040.
Postmaster: Send address
changes to The Citizen, P.O. Box
1800, Key West FL 33041.
Notice to Advertisers:
Paradise assumes no financial
responsibility for typographical
errors in advertisements but when
notified promptly will reprint that
part of the advertisement in which
the typographical error appears.
All advertising in this publication is
subject to the approval of the publisher. Paradise reserves the right to
correctly classify, edit or delete any
objectionable wording or reject the
advertisement in its entirety at any
time prior to scheduled publication
in the event it is determined that
the advertisement or any part thereof is contrary to its general standard
of advertising acceptance. Classified
department hours are 8 a.m. to 5
p.m. Monday through Friday; and 9
a.m. to noon on Saturday.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Paradise takes weekly entertainment submissions on the following schedule: All content must be
submitted by noon on Monday to
paradise@keysnews.com in order
to be considered.
• Paparazzi • Music schedules
• Art and gallery listings
• Local entertainment news
Find an electronic
version of Paradise
online at:
3
11
Walk on White
Movies
5
12
Music
Film Reviews
6
14
Feature
Theater
7
The Arts
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
Morgan Hulen gives a spectacular performance as a shark as he soars through space on
the stage during the performance of Nutcracker Key West.
16
About Town
COVER: MIKE HENTZ/The Citizen With Christmas just around the corner expect to see a busy Sant showing up at a variety of events.
THIS JUST IN:
8th Annual Gingerbread House
Making Party
The 8th Annual Gingerbread House Making
Party will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday in the garden of The Oldest House,
322 Duval St. All families are invited to this free
event, and donations are welcome. For information, call 305-294-9501.
Key West Library Christmas Party
Saturday
From 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Key West
Library, 700 Fleming St., there will be crafts,
snacks and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus
during the library’s Christmas party. Then, at 1
p.m. on Dec. 27, all children and their parents
are invited to a “Frozen” sing along. For information, call the library at 305-292-3595, or go
tokeyslibraries.org.
Pet Pictures with Santa Friday
Bring the critters and the kids for Pet
Pictures with Santa from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday
at the Historic Seaport Christmas Tree at the
foot of William Street. Sponsored by All Animal
Clinic, a $20 (cash only) donation gets a professional high-resolution photo with Santa,
plus goodies and treats including pet bandanas, dog treats, gift cards for free nail trims
and candy for the kids. Proceeds benefit the
Boys & Girls Club of the Keys. Island 107 FM
will broadcast live on site. For information, go
to KeyWestChristmas.org.
Lobster Trap Art exhibit
Lobster Trap Art is excited to introduce
an exceptional new exhibit with Florida artist, Trudy Anderson. Anderson’s love for the
Florida Keys has inspired her colorful and
whimsical sea life pottery collection. Come
“sea” for yourself at Lobster Trap Art Gift Shop
and Gallery, Mile Marker 82.2 in Islamorada.
Ho! Ho! Ho? Christmas with
Christopher Peterson
It’s the most fabulous time of the year.
Celebrating it’s 15th Holly Jolly Season,
it’s Christmas with Christopher Peterson’s
“EYECONS” starring Marilyn Monroe, Julie
Andrews, Reba McEntire, Liza Minnelli, Bette
Davis, Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland and
cameos from Cher, Eartha Kitt, Joan Rivers
and a heavenly host of others. Celebrate with
seasonal songs and MARYment in the way that
only Mr. Peterson can bring to you.
Oh come all ye faithful down to La Te Da,
1125 Duval St., or call for your tickets at 2966706. The shows will be at 9 p.m. Wednesday
and Dec. 25. So put on your toque and scarf,
grab some mistletoe and kiss your significant
other and join us in ringing in the shopping
season.
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
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WALK ON WHITE
isit the residency
cottages at 607 Ashe
Street during Walk on
White from 6-8 p.m.
on Thurs. Dec 18 Meet our
current Artists in Residence,
and visit their open studios
to see what they’ve been
working on! Around the
corner at the Armory and at
610 White Street you’ll find
V
Celebrate the
holiday season
at Harrison Gallery
Harrison Gallery, 825 White St., is hosting a new
group show featuring pieces by Joanne Klein,
Debra Yates, Carrie Disrud, Coco Eriksen, Bradley
Sabin, Pawel Kaczynski, and more!
Painting by Coco Eriksen.
our Studio Artists, who’ll
also have their doors open
that night. Pop in and say
hello, you just might find
gifts for the special people
in your life. There’s something for everyone on your
list: paintings, photography,
sculpture, event stationery,
fascinator hats, woven
scarves, and books.
STONE SOUP GALLERY
Stone Soup Gallery, 802 White St., will
be continuing the $150 show for this
Walk on White. All works on the wall in
the mail gallery are only $150. There is
an array of artists including Elizabeth St.
Hillaire Nelson, Jack Allen, Jack Houston,
Katrina, Pam Bluth and various Cuban
painters.
Elizabeth St. Hillaire
Nelson’s “Peonies.”
New York residency artists featured at the Studios
et a glimpse into the
creative workspaces
of The Studios of Key
West from 6 to 8 p.m.
during Walk on White.
The Residency Cottages
at 607 Ashe St. will feature
three New York artists,
including 3-D construction
artist, Barbara Korman;
writer, painter and filmmaker, Ilana Simons; and installation artist Mary Giehl.
Throughout the evening,
psychologist and filmmaker Ilana Simons will
project pieces of her short
animated films, which deal
with topics in literature and
psychology. During her residency in Key West, Simons
is working on a film about
alcohol addiction. She’s also
the author of “A Life of One’s
Own: A Guide to Better
Living through the Work
and Wisdom of Virginia
Woolf.”
Giehl was a Registered
Nurse for 22 years, working
in the Pediatric ICU. Known
for her innovation with both
materials and concepts,
she currently is at work
on a project in which she
reproduces large neuronal
networks in fine strands of
have their doors open, with
a wide variety of work on
display such as paintings,
art cards, prints and blingbling chickens by painter
Dahlia Woods, books by
writer Jessica Argyle and
noir crime books and “The
Curse of the Spongeman”
T-shirts by writer/filmmaker
Jonathan Woods.
G
Key West’s
Only Beach Bar with
LIVE MUSIC DAILY
*DAILY DRINK SPECIALS*
ALL DAY FOOD MENU
Thur 12/18 12-3 pm Brian Roberts
4-7 pm
Amandah Jantzen
Fri 12/19 12-3 pm Chris Toler
4-7 pm
Mixed media piece by Barbara Korman
silk on layers of silk organza.
Korman has spent her
month on the island working on gesso panels, combining a variety of materials
including paint, images
of Key West, and salvaged
beach and tree debris.
“My work has always
been inspired by relationships in nature,” said
Korman. “Currently I’m
juxtaposing a variety of
elements to create unified
statements that memorialize the scavenged materials
and give them a new life.”
Entry to the Residency
Cottages is through the
gate at 607 Ashe St. Studio
Artists at the Armory and
610 White Street will also
Joel Nelson
Sat 12/20 12-3 pm Rusty Lemmon
4-7 pm
Amandah Jantzen
Sun 12/21 12-3 pm Amandah Jantzen
Mon 12/22 12-3 pm Brian Roberts
Tues 12/23 12-3 pm Chris Toler
4-7 pm
Rob DiStaci
Wed 12/24 12-3 pm Rob DiStaci
4-7 pm
Chris Toler
1 Duval Street | Key West
305-296-4600 394235
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PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
music scene music scene music scene music scene music scene
THE LOVE LANE GANG
a wide variety of experience
and musical tastes to bear
and appeal to music lovers
The Love Lane Gang is
of all ages. They’ve brought
a homegrown band that
back skiffle and updated it
charms and thrills both
for the present. It’s imposlocals and visitors with
sible to keep from smiling
their rollicking raucous
amidst their mirthful musiruckus. With an age range
cal mayhem.
among the members of
The emphasis is on
over thirty years, they bring
ragtime and swing from
the 1930s and 1940s, done
in a refreshing new style
that melds Hot Club gypsy
Thu • Dec 18 • 9pm
jazz with island flourishes.
Green Parrot
Annual Christmas Also, Dust Bowl ballads,
old school country from
Party
Hank Williams and Dolly
Key Lime Pirates
Parton, rockabilly and surf
“Reggae/Ska/Rock/Funk”
music classics and rarer
Fri, Sat • Dec 19, 20 • 5:30pm gems, tunes from Sixties
stars like The Beatles, The
Kinks, and The Rolling
Stones, and carefully cho“Rock/Bluegrass/Gospel
sen songs from current
Country/Jazz”
artists like Andrew Bird,
Fri, Sat • Dec 19, 20 • 10pm Mason Jennings, and The
White Stripes all fit in
The Doerfels
Photo courtesy of Carol Tedesco.
Tim Williams and Chad Burtch will play the Hog’s Breath
Saloon.
Catch The Love Lane Gang around town.
alongside original songs
that sound like they could
have come from any of
those eras.
They will be playing
regular gigs at McConnell’s
Irish Pub Fridays at 8:30
p.m., Saluté On The Beach
Sundays at 5 p.m., and
Sunset Pier Wednesdays at
4 p.m.
ZOSO
HOG’S BREATH
SALOON
400 Front St.
Key Lime Pirates
Clair Finely and Jeff
Clark, aka The Key Lime
Pirates, will play from 10
p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday
through Dec. 28.
Since their worlds col-
lided in Boston in 2010,
Claire Finley and Jeff Clark
have been entertaining
tourists and locals alike
with their infectious musical take on living the good
life. Combined they have
played countless solo, duo,
and full band shows in the
Florida Keys, as well as
other national and international destinations.
“Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience”
World Famous T-Shirts • Raw Bar • Restaurant
Happy Hour Daily • 5-7 pm
Entertainment from 1pm til 2am
NFL Sunday Ticket
“See all your games here”
1pm Sunday Jazz Showcase
Sun • Dec 21 • 5:30pm
THURSDAY
December 18
Caffeine Carl
“House-Rockin’ Blues”
7pm Monday Night BINGO
Wed • Dec 24 • 9pm
Haywire
KEY WEST
“Rock-Classic/New/Old”
FRIDAY
December 19
SATURDAY
December 20
SUNDAY
December 21
MONDAY
December 22
TUESDAY
December 23
WEDNESDAY
December 24
Joel
Nelson
Kenny &
Cuda
Kenny &
Cuda
Sunday
NFL
Zack
Seemiller
Joel
Nelson
Joel
Nelson
Cliff Cody
Cliff Cody
Cliff Cody
Cliff Cody
Chad Burtch
& Tim
Williams
Chad Burtch
& Tim
Williams
Uncle
Daddy
Chad Burtch
& Tim
Williams
Uncle
Daddy
Uncle
Daddy
Uncle
Daddy
The Key Lime The Key Lime The Key Lime
Pirates
Pirates
Pirates
400 Front Street • Across the street from Sunset
Green Parrot
http://hogsbreath.com • 296-4222 • Key West
Also visit us in Destin, FL.
Package Goods & Spirits
Open Daily 11AM - 10PM • 609 Whitehead St
398123
FFamous Since 1890
890
on the corner of
Southard &
Whitehead
Remember:
Hog’s Breath is better than no breath at all!
ur !
O
s
Try arita
g
o
H
398122
Tim Williams and
Chad Burtch
Tim Williams and Chad
Burtch are back from
5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday
through Dec. 28.
Tim and Chad come
together four weeks a year,
exclusively at Hog’s Breath
Saloon, to put on their
high energy, often times
comedic, acoustic duo
show. With an impressive
mix of classic rock, modern
country, singer/songwriter
and top 40 songs, these
two always have memorable night’s on the Hog’s
Breath stage.
Key West resident Chad
Burtch has made a name
for himself as a local favorite on the music scene. He
has been featured on VH1
and spends two months
every year performing on
Martha’s Vineyard and all
around New England.
Philadelphia resident
Tim Williams performs
more than 300 live shows
annually on stages ranging
from NYC to Chicago to
LA. He has released two
albums – “We Begin” and
“Blue Ribbon” - and has
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
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music scene music scene music scene music scene music scene
SCHOONER WHARF
90 MILE LOUNGE
300 Front St.
All shows start at 8:30 p.m.
Today: Moose and Bullet
Proof Blues Band
Friday: Ericson Holt
Saturday: Woody Jenkins
Project
Sunday: Moose and Bullet
Proof Blues Band
Monday: Larry Baeder
Tuesday: Moose and Bullet
Proof Blues Band
Wednesday: Woody Jenkins
Project
fun as Parrot regulars wonder, “Who’s that Mystery
Santa?”
The Doerfels
The Doerfels will return
to the Parrot stage with
back-to-back Green Parrot
The Raven Cooper
Soundcheck appearances
beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Band
Friday and Saturday.
Friday and Saturday, 7
Their progressive acousp.m. to midnight.
tic music is a blend of rock,
Start off your Christmas
bluegrass, gospel, country
Week with The Raven
and jazz. Their outstandCooper Band at Schooner
ing musicianship and their
Wharf Bar.
enthusiasm seem to just
Raven is a talented guidraw you in and make you
tar player and singer, who
VIRGILIO’S
feel a part of the music
lights up the stage with her
524 Duval St.
itself.
wide range of vocal styles.
The Doerfels have perHer diverse singing ability
Virgilio’s “League of
formed in some of the
rivals an earthy Janis Joplin, Crafty Musicians” series
orchestral Julie Andrews
will present Boston/Mexico most prestigious spots in
the country with artists like
and Bluesy Billy Holliday
City sax and flute wonder
Ricky Skaggs, Asleep At The
and (yes!) the low growl of
Tim Mayer, Larry Smith
Wheel and The Isaacs. But
Johnny Cash.
on keyboards, Christine
Backed by some of Key
Cordone Smith with vocals when you listen to them,
you still feel like you’re sitWest’s favorite musicians,
and Skippo on the drums
the show is an eclectic mix at 9 p.m. Tuesday. They will ting around the family living room experiencing an
of jazz, country, blues, and play a mix of classic and
impromptu jam of worldmore. Join us for some
holiday tunes of reggae,
class musicians.
savory food, refreshing
rock, blues, and burning
drinks, and great entertain- originals.
ment.
Zoso, “The Ultimate
202 William St.
THE GREEN PARROT
601 Whitehead St.
Clair Finely and Jeff Clark
Led Zeppelin
Experience”
Zoso, described as the
“Ultimate Led Zeppelin
Experience” by Rolling
It’s Ho-Ho-Holiday fun
Stone Magazine, will play
as The Green Parrot Bar
hosts its annual Christmas at 10 p.m. Friday and
Saturday.
Party at 9 p.m. today.
Zoso was formed in
Hailed as the holiday event
1995 to create the most
of the season, don’t miss
mesmerizing and accuthe party as this year’s
rate portrayal of “the bigmusical guests, The Key
Lime Pirates infuse holiday gest band of the 1970’s”
- Led Zeppelin. Each
standards with their own
member was selected to
brand of Reggae/Ska with
Jazz,rock,and funk under- portray both the appearance and playing styles of
tones. And don’t miss the
Key Lime Pirates
emergedfive musicians,
all Key West locals who
formed an awesome cover
band playing rock hits
from the 70’s to today.
Screaming guitars, driving
rhythms and great vocals
cover alternative, classic
rock, new rock, old rock,
and even a country song or
two will have you screaming for more.
Local rock quintet Haywire returns to Green Parrot stage on
Wednesday.
THE GARDENS
526 Angela St.
Robert Plant, Jimmy Page,
John Bonham, and John
Paul Jones. Zoso almost
immediately developed
an outstanding regional
reputation and were
awarded “Best Tribute Act
in California” by Rock City
News.
In 1999, Zoso began
touring nationally, playing a remarkable 2,400
live performances, honing
their show to become one
of the most musically and
visually rewarding acts
in North America. Their
passion, musical ability,
showmanship and precise
attention to detail earned
them critical acclaim,
name recognition and a
large loyal following. The
Los Angeles Times hailed
the group as being “head
and shoulders above all
other Zeppelin tributes,”
and the Chicago SunTimes declaredZoso to be
“the closest to the original
of any tribute.”
Caffeine Carl
Caffeine Carl and The
Buzz will bring their brand
of blues/rock to the popu-
lar Green Parrot Sunday
Spoundcheck at 5:30 p.m.
on Sunday.
Haywire
Local rock quintet
Haywire will return at 9
p.m. Wednesday.
In late 2012 a lightning
bolt hit Key West and
from the smoke and ash
Today: Jimmy Olson, 5 to
7 p.m.
Friday: Michael Robinson,
5 to 7 p.m.
Saturday: Jimmy Olson, 5
to 7 p.m.
Jazz In The Gardens
Dec 21st, Sunday 4:30 to
7 p.m. (note early time),
Skipper Krippitz and
Friends.
You’re in Key West to be on the Water
Think Zero Duval Street
Serving Waterfront Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Hot Tin Roof Dinner & Brunch Reservations Recommended
Live Entertainment DAILY
305-296-7701
398124
opened for Of Monsters
and Men, Better Than Ezra
and Butch Walker.
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PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
Hidden away: Fringe Theater’s ‘The Price’ exposes Mel Fisher Museum’s garret
BY MOLLY WILLIAMS
Paradise Staff
he Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
at 200 Greene Street is a heavily
trafficked, well-known tourist
attraction in Key West, full of
found treasures and historic artifacts.
The building itself is an extraordinary
beast built in 1911 by the Key West
Navy Base to use as a storehouse.
There are five floors with towering ceilings and winding corridors, a space
perfect for the museum that currently
resides there.
Up on the fifth floor there is a previously unseen garret, which by definition is a small room or space just below
the roof of a building, usually used for
storage.
Until 10 years ago, the garret had
previously been used for storage space
for the museum. Then, it was renovated to its original glory, skylights,
exposed beams and all.
For the first time in the history of the
museum the public will be allowed to
take in the glory of the garret during
the Fringe Theater’s “The Price.” It’s a
massive, gorgeous space that is a hidden masterpiece of architecture right
in the middle of Key West.
“Opening the space to other uses
has been coming for some time
now,” said Corey Malcom, director
of Archaeology at the Mel Fisher
Maritime Museum. “We’re hoping
that with the use of the space by
Fringe Theater will open it up to
other educational uses as well. It’s a
great space that should be utilized.”
Complete with a vaulted ceiling,
exposed woodwork, gigantic windows
and antique furniture, it’s certain to
be a magical setting for one of Arthur
Miller’s greatest plays. The audience
will be interspersed into “pods” around
the set, tapping into Fringe Theater’s
concept of immersion theater and creating an up-close and personal experience unlike anything found within a
traditional proscenium arch.
“It’s going to be a wonderful surprise
T
398555
The fifth floor of the The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum during
construction of the building. Circa 1910
The current rennovated state of the Mel Fisher garret
for the audience,” said Fringe Theater’s
Artistic Director Monnie King. “The
garret is absolutely breathtaking. They
[the audience] will definitely see the
unexpected when they walk into the
space.”
“The Price” features an emotional
reunion between two estranged brothers as they dust off and sift through
an attic full family possessions, old
scores, and drama, offering them to
an ancient furniture appraiser who
turns haggling into a commentary on
life and consumerism. In this conflict
between defending family values and
fighting for one’s own success, the
brother who became a cop, sidelining his career in order to care for his
father,finds himself yearning to connect with the brother who escaped the
yoke to become a famous surgeon.
There will be shows at 8 p.m. Dec.
26-28 and Jan. 2-4. Fringe Theater’s
shows typically sell out, and because of
their unique strategy for finding performances spaces, they are unable to
extend the run of a show.
Fringe Theater of Key West is a nonprofit that creates, educates, and entertains with classic, innovative, intimate
theater through programs such as
Shakespeare in School, Fringe Benefits:
Classic Short Plays, and main stage
productions.
For information, including tickets
sales, go to fringetheaterkeywest.org.
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
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the artsthe artsthe artsthe artsthe artsthe artsthe arts the arts
Florida Keys
Council of the
Arts Cultural
Calendar
Thursday,
December 18
thru Wednesday, December 24
Visit keysarts.com, Cultural Calendar for
more listings and events throughout the
Keys.
Key West Happenings
ARTISTS RECEPTIONS AND
EXHIBITIONS
Today
Walk on White:
Stone Soup Gallery Show, 6 p.m.
802 White St. 296-2080.
stonesoupgallery.com.
Season special with works by Elizabeth
St. Hillaire, Jack Allen, Jack Houston,
Katrina, Pam Bluth and various Cuban
painters.
DANCE
Today through Sunday
Nutcracker Key West 2014, 7:30 p.m.
and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901
College Rd. 295-7676. keystix.com.
from Europe, the Caribbean, Israel and
more. For beginners, all ages welcome.
Tuesday
Key West Country Western Dancers, 6:30
p.m.
Free line dancing lessons with Marvin,
plus Texas 2-step, swing, waltz, cha cha,
etc.
Cowboy Bill’s, 618 Duval St. 724-3334137.
Monday
The Fabulous Spectrelles and
Southernmost Dance Theatre, 8 p.m.
The San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval St.
295-7676. Keystix.com.
Doo-wop and dance and holiday classics. FESTIVALS AND FUNDRAISERS
Sunday
Key West Artisan Market, 10 a.m.
Friday
The Restaurant Store, 1111 Eaton St.
Jazz Dance Class with Denis Hyland,
294-7994.
10:30 a.m.
Art, Food, Wine and Craft Beer, shopping
CoffeeMill Dance Studio, 916 Pohalski
and entertainment.
Ln. 296-9982. coffeemilldance.com.
Friday and Wednesday
Salsa and Salsa Rueda Dance Classes,
7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Paradise Health and Fitness Dance
Studio, 1706 N Roosevelt Blvd.
296-6348.
Drop in class, no partner needed.
Harrison Gallery Group Show, 6 p.m.
825 White St. harrison-gallery.com.
Featuring Joanne Klein, Debra Yates, Coco
Sunday
Eriksen, Bradley Sabin, Pawel Kackzynski
Ballroom and Latin Dance Evening,
and more.
7 p.m.
Dance Factory, 906C Kennedy Dr.
Artists at the Armory Holiday Faire, 6 p.m.
304-8184. dancefactorykeywest.com.
Second Floor Gallery, 600 White St. faceMonday: Argentine Tango Practica at
book.com/keywestarmoryartists.
8:15 p.m.
Judi Bradford, Christie Sauer Fifer, Jeffrey
Harwell, Mark Hedden, Pam Hobbs,
Monday
Michael Marrero, Lauren P. McAloon,
International Folk Dancing, 7 p.m.
Claire Perrault, Marky Pierson, Danette
UU Fellowship Hall, 801 Georgia St.
Baso Silvers, Sherry Sweet Tewell, Andy
207-939-0301.
Thurber and Maureen Tracy Venti.
With Nancy 3. Hoffman. Learn dances
Friday
Key West Outdoor Movies, 7 p.m.
Visualize Entertainment, Bayview Park,
Corner of Jose Marti and Truman Ave.
keywestoutdoormovies.com.
MUSIC
Thursday
In the Cabaret and Jazz in the Gardens,
5 p.m.
The Gardens Hotel, 526 Angela St. 2942661. gardenshotel.com.
Sunday
Tim Mayer, 4 p.m.
The Gardens Hotel, 526 Angela St.
296-2661.
Larry and Christine Smith on piano and
vocals and Skippo on drums.
Artist profile:
Jeffrey Cardenas
ardenas is the mastermind of Como lo
vemos a Usted, a collaboration of photographic portraits with Cuban photographer Yanela Piñeiro that was completed
in July. The exhibition is scheduled to open
at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in
Havana, Cuba on Dec. 26
Photo by Jeffrey Cardenas and Yanela Piñeiro
Glass Fusing, Painting, Sculpture and
more.
The Art Studio 12535 Overseas Hwy,
Marathon. 289-9013. keysartstudio.com.
DANCE
Nightly Entertainment
Tavern N’ Town, 5 p.m.
Marriot Beachside, 3841 N. Roosevelt
Blvd. 296-8100.
Michael Thomas, Carmen Rodriguez, Mike
Emerson, Rob DiStasi and Bobby Nesbitt.
Friday
Love Lane Gang, 8:30 p.m.
McConnell’s Irish Pub and Grill, 900
Duval St.
Creating a broad musical palette such as
swing, old school country, rockabilly and
bluegrass.
FILM
Next week in Paradise…
C
Tuesday
Holiday Rock, 9 p.m.
Virgilio’s, 524 Duval St. 296-1075.
Featuring Tim Mayer, Larry and Christine
Smith and Skippo.
THEATER
Ballroom and Latin Dance Instruction
Theo and Ganine’s Dance Center, 5800
Overseas Hwy, Suite 40, Marathon. 7663428. KeysDanceCenter.com.
Experienced, world-class instructors.
American and International styles, wedding dance, swing, salsa. Beginners
welcome, no partner required, monthly
dance socials.
MUSIC
Saturday
Marathon Community Theater Holiday
Concert, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
5101 Overseas Hwy., MM 49.5.
743-0994. marathontheater.org.
Sunday
Key West Story Slams - Theme: Bad Date, Upper Keys Happenings
8 p.m.
ARTIST RECEPTIONS AND
Little Room Jazz Club, 821 Duval St.
302-540-6102. keyweststoryslams.com. EXHIBITIONS
Daily
Wildlife Showcase and Exhibit, 9 a.m. to
Tuesday - Saturday, through Jan. 17
5 p.m.
The Last Night of Ballyhoo, 8 p.m.
The time is 1939, when the most impor- Lobster Trap Art Gift Shop and Gallery,
tant thing in young Lala Levy’s life is the Islamorada. MM 82.2. 664-0001.
Atlanta premiere of Gone With the Wind. lobstertrapart.com.
Indigenous wildlife on canvas, tile and
Red Barn Theatre, 319 Duval St. 296other media in various sizes.
9911. redbarntheatre.com.
Tuesday - Saturday, through Jan. 10
Noises Off, 8 p.m.
A delirious romp of slamming doors,
bickering actors, pretty girls in their
underwear, mayhem and errant sardines.
Today: Opening Night.
Waterfront Playhouse, 310 Wall St. 2945015. waterfrontplayhouse.org.
Middle Keys Happenings
ARTIST RECEPTIONS AND
EXHIBITIONS
Daily
Joanne Jarzombek and Sandy West
Exhibits, 10 a.m.
Winn Dixie Shopping Plaza, Big Pine Key,
MM 30. 872-1828. artistsinparadise.
com.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Today
Plein Air Painting Classes in Sugarloaf,
9:30 a.m.
Jim Salem, 744-9880. ImagineArtKW@
att.net.
Daily
Art Classes in Marathon: Pottery, Clay,
Thursday
Morada Way Arts and Cultural District:
Walkabout, 6 p.m.
MM 81.5, Islamorada. 664-9100.
moradaway.org.
Galleries include: Redbone Gallery,
Gallery Morada, Pasta Pantaleo Signature
Gallery and Morada Way Clay.
MUSIC
Today
Jam Session/Open Mic, 9 p.m.
oo-tray Restaurant, 80939 Overseas
Hwy., Islamorada. 922-2027. keysice.
com.
Saturday
Pops in the Park – Winter Wonders,
4 p.m.
Keys Community Concert Band,
Islamorada Founders Park Amphitheater.
853-7294.
keyscommunityconcertband.org.
Happy holidays!
8
◆
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
◆
Paparazzi
aparazzi’ is a photo-driven entertainment
feature compiled by Citizen staffers from
in-house and contributed shots. Snaps of
social events, arts and entertainment-related activities and other “wild art” will be welcomed as submissions to these pages. Send invitations to cover events to
paparazzi@keysnews.com, and we’ll do our best to get a
photographer to the event. If we can’t make it, send your
photos and information of your shindig and we’ll try to
publish them.
‘P
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
Eddie Hambright congratulates Christopher Rounds at La Te Da’s anniversary celebration. Rounds and his partner Patrick Hegarty celebrated their
one year of ownership on Dec. 13 and have been constantly remodeling and
updating this iconic Key West Hotel/Cabaret/Bar.
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
In Nutcracker Key West, the opening act takes place on Christmas Even in 1861 at the Home of Mayor Patterson
during a party. These young ladies are admiring new dolls they received as Christmas presents.
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
Morgan Hulen gives a spectacular performance as a shark
as he soars through space on the stage during the performance of Nutcracker Key West.
Cindy and Jim Cameron
have been the House
Managers at the Tennessee
Williams Theatre for the
past thirteen years and
were very busy during
Nutcracker Key West.
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
Mary Ellen Beattie and Linda Shagena were very busy behind the
counter at the Christmas boutique shop in the Tennessee Williams
Theatre Lobby during the performances of Nutcracker Key West.
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
Diana Aranda and Carolyn Cooper keep things running smoothly with your
theatre seats in the box office of the Tennessee Williams Theatre.
A publicity shoot with the dancers from Nutcracker Key West was arranged with the jewelers
who sponsored the “Jewels of the Atocha” sequence. Over $5,000,000 is being modeled by the
dancers. Contributing Key West jewelers were: Emeralds International; Blue Sophia, Neptune
Designs, Pacific Jewelry, and Mel Fishers Treasures.
PETE ARNOW/Special to Paradise
There are hundreds of Nutcrackers in all shapes and sizes on sale at the Boutique shop in the lobby of the Tennessee
Williams Theatre during Nutcracker Key West performances.
9
10
◆
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
‘Night at the Museum’
hits close to home
Who says Jewish people can’t have a Christmas tree?
‘The Last Night of Ballyhoo’ gets the star treatment
BY MOLLY WILLIAMS
REVIEWED BY SHIRREL RHOADES
Paradise Staff
ast week Key West Art and
Historical Society held a small
fundraiser at its Custom House
Museum, the main example of
Richardsonian Romanesque
Revival architecture in Florida.
The soiree was designed to show
off the building’s latest refurbishing: new windows, refinished
floors and stairways, freshly
painted walls, and a 60-seat
Educational Learning Center.
Dubbed “Night of the Living
Museum,” the guests mingled
with reenactors dressed as historic figures, including bearded
gentlemen from the 1800s and
Rosie the Riveter from WWII. And
a live-sized Robert the Doll wandered the building, carrying his
toy teddy bear and staring eerily
at the partiers. It looked as if the
exhibits had gone for a stroll.
Hollywood has cranked out a
series of movies that take a similar theme. “Night at the Museum”
featured Ben Stiller as a doofus
night watchman at the Museum
of Natural History who’s taken
aback when the exhibits come
to life. Its sequel moved the story
to the Smithsonian Museum.
And the British Museum is the
scene of a third entry, “Night
at the Museum: Secret of the
Tomb,” playing this week at Regal
Cinema 6.
Here again is Larry the night
watchman (Stiller), along with
Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams),
a miniature cowboy (Owen
Wilson), a Roman Centurion
(Steve Coogan), Attila the Hun
(Patrick Gallagher), a museum
director (Ricky Gervais), plus
Dexter the mischievous monkey
(Crystal), animated statues, and
rampaging T-Rex bones. There’s
hat happens when a
Jewish girl puts a star on
the top of her family’s
Jewish Christmas tree in
1939? Why, it sparks the hubbub of
action that sends “The Last Night
of Ballyhoo” flying into comedic
raucous, of course.
“Ballyhoo,” written by
acclaimed playwright Alfred Uhry,
who also penned “Driving Miss
Daisy,” is playing at the Red Barn
Theatre through Jan. 17, sending
the theater into its 35th year.
Set in Atlanta in 1939, the city is
beside itself with the excitement
for the movie premiere of “Gone
With the Wind.” (Side note: Dec.
15 marked the 75th anniversary
of that premiere, and coincidentally the Red Barn opened with
a special preview of “Ballyhoo”
that very night.) In Europe, Adolf
Hitler is pounding his mark into
the European countryside, but in
Atlanta Adolph Freitag (Seth Yates)
is trying to keep his nieces under
control while heading up the family business, the Dixie Bedding Co.
The play’s name refers to the big
society event of the season for the
well-to-do Southern Jewish teenagers at the exclusive Standard
Club. It’s an abomination not to
go, or to not be invited.
Anxious spit fire Lala Levy (Lisa
Elena Monda) is one of the daughters of the household, and has yet
to snag a date for Ballyhoo. Her
mother, Boo Levy (Karen Grant), is
up in arms over her lack of suitors
and doesn’t hesitate to express her
disappointment, fretting openly
that her daughter will never live
up to her cousin, Sunny Freitag
(Jessica Jackson). Sunny is the
prettier, brighter, smarter cousin
with a slightly airheaded mother
W
L
also a funny back-from-extinction Neanderthal (also played by
Ben Stiller).
The plot is unimportant: Seems
that the magic of the Tablet of
Ahkmenrah is starting to fade and
the gang must scour the globe for
a way to rekindle that old spark,
the one that brings museum
exhibits to life after visiting hours.
Yes, the idea that museum
exhibits come to life is an appealing one, in that this is what museums aspire to do: bring history
to life.
While the “Night at the
Museum” movies are comedies,
there’s a serious side benefit in
that they change people’s view of
museums as dusty old attics. Kids
now see museums in the light of
their imaginations … and that
is a good thing for these institutions that preserve our cultural
heritage.
(Full Disclosure: In addition
to being film critic for Key West
Citizen, I serve as president of Key
West Art and Historical Society,
a collection of three museums
comprised of the Custom House,
the Lighthouse and Keeper’s
Quarters, and Fort East Martello.)
srhoades@aol.com
The cast of Ballyhoo stars Laurie Breakwell, Karen Grant, Jessica Jackson,
Lisa Elana Monda, Kaleb Smith, Rock Solomon, and Seth Yates.
named Reba (Laurie Breakwell).
The women, along with bachelor
Adolph, live in the family’s household in their own nuclear world
located in the middle of Atlanta’s
prospering societal scene.
Into this comedic mix appears
handsome Brooklynite, Joe Farkas
(Rock Solomon), a new and highly
valued employee at Adolph’s firm.
He sets the family at a disadvantage on a number of levels, ultimately challenging their perception of what it means to actually
be Jewish.
Joe is immediately taken with
Sunny, much to Lala’s dismay,
but the wound is quickly patched
over by the arrival of Peachy Weil
(Kaleb Smith), a son of an elite
Jewish family out of Louisiana.
“Ballyhoo” has a contagious
wit that can be noted as nothing
less than a crowd pleasing show.
The Red Barn cast scores with
A+ comedic timing and a slight
bitterness that comes with still
prevalent political and religious
issues.
Directed by Joy Hawkins, the
entirety of the cast succeeds
at delivering Uhry’s snappy
dialogue and upbeat candor.
Monda’s Lala carries a childish
presence while being pressed
against Jackson’s mature and
demure Sunny. Breakwell brings
Reba to the stage as a half-abubble-off, clueless, well-meaning second in command of the
household.
Grant pulls off Boo’s character
with remarkable snark that has
the audience snickering from the
second the lights go up.
While the male characters of
the play certainly carry their own
weight, (Yate’s Adolph is lovable,
Solomon’s Farkas is completely
charming in an alley cat way and
Smith’s Weil is played as Lala’s
match to the truest definition), it’s
clearly a woman run show, much
like Uhry’s “Driving Miss Daisy.”
“Ballyhoo” is the perfect way
to get knock out a holiday show
without the overabundance of
Christmas greens and carols.
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
◆
11
What’s up at the Tropic: Friday, Dec. 19 Through Thursday, Dec. 25
FEATURE FILMS
OPENING FRIDAY:
“Birdman”
The critically-acclaimed
black comedy Birdman tells
the story of a washed-up
actor (Michael Keaton)—
“Wild”
famous for portraying
an iconic superhero—as
Director Jean-Marc Vallée
he struggles to mount a
(“Dallas Buyers Club”),
Broadway play. In the days
Academy Award winner
leading up to opening
Reese Witherspoon (“Walk
Matthew McConaughey, Anne
night, he battles his ego
the Line”) bring bestsellHathaway in “Interstellar.”
and attempts to recover
ing author Cheryl Strayed’s
his family, his career and
extraordinary and inspi(Rosamund Pike) has gone himself. Also starring
rational adventure to the
Zach Galifianakis, Andrea
missing. Under pressure
screen. After the destrucfrom the police and a grow- Riseborough, Amy Ryan,
tion of her marriage and a
Emma Stone, Naomi
ing media frenzy, Nick’s
heroin addiction, Strayed
Watts and Edward Norton,
portrait of a blissful union
(Witherspoon) sets out to
Birdman is directed and
begins
to
crumble.
Soon
hike more than a thouBenedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game.”
his lies, deceits and strange co-written by Alejandro
sand miles on the Pacific
González Iñárritu
behavior have everyone
Crest Trail alone, with no
asking the same dark ques- (“Biutiful,” “Babel,” “21
experience and haunted by cover whether mankind has “Sherlock”), leading a mot- “Inglourious Basterds”),
Grams,” “Amores Perros”).
tion: Did Nick Dunne kill
memories of her mother
who was one of the most
a future among the stars.
ley crew was instrumental
Rated R
his wife? Also starring Neil
(Academy Award nominee Directed by Christopher
financially successful
in cracking the code for
Patrick Harris and Tyler
Laura Dern). Wild powerpainters of the 1950s and
Nolan. Starring Matthew
Germany’s World War II
Perry.
fully reveals her terrors and McConaughey, Anne
early 1960s. The truth
Enigma Machine, a seem“St. Vincent”
Rated R
pleasures—as she forges
Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, ingly impossible code that would eventually be disahead on a journey that
covered though: Keane’s
Michael Caine.
changed daily, and in the
Maggie (Melissa
maddens, strengthens and
art was not actually creRated PG-13
process became a pioneer
McCarthy),
a single
“The Theory of
ultimately heals her.
of modern-day computing. ated by him at all, but by
mother, moves into a new
Everything”
Rated R
Keira Knightley co-stars. An his wife, Margaret (Amy
home with her 12-yearOPENING
intense and haunting por- Adams, Oscar nominee for
old son, Oliver ( Jaeden
“The Theory of
CHRISTMAS DAY:
“American
Hustle,”
“The
trayal
of
a
brilliant,
compliLieberher). Working long
Everything”
tells
the
“Interstellar”
Master,”
“The
Fighter,”
cated
man,
The
Imitation
hours, she has no choice
extraordinary
story
of
one
“The Imitation
“Doubt”
and
“Junebug”).
Game
follows
a
genius
who
but to leave Oliver in the
of
the
world’s
greatest
living
With our time on Earth
Game”
Golden Globe Nominated, minds, the renowned astro- care of their neighbor,
under nail-biting pressure
coming to an end, a team
Best Actor and Actress and physicist Stephen Hawking, Vincent (Bill Murray), a
helped to shorten the war
of explorers undertakes the
Alan Turing (Benedict
Best Original Song.
and, in turn, save thouretired curmudgeon. An
who falls deeply in love
most important mission in Cumberbatch, “The
Rated PG-13
sands of lives. Nominated
odd friendship soon bloswith fellow Cambridge
human history; traveling
Fifth Estate,” “Star Trek
for 5 Golden Globes includstudent Jane Wilde. Once a soms. Together with a
beyond this galaxy to disInto Darkness,” T.V.’s
ing Best Picture.
healthy, active young man, pregnant stripper named
HELD OVER:
Rated PG-13
Hawking (Eddie Redmayne, Daka (Naomi Watts),
“Gone Girl”
“Les Misérables,” “My Week Vincent brings Oliver
With Marilyn”) received an along to the race track, a
The haunting thriller
“Big Eyes”
earth-shattering diagnosis strip club and the local
Gone Girl, directed by
at 21 years of age. With Jane dive bar. Oliver begins
David
Fincher
(“The
Social
“Big Eyes,” from direc(Felicity Jones, “Like Crazy,” to see in Vincent someNetwork,” “Fight Club”)
tor Tim Burton (“Alice in
and based upon the global “The Amazing Spider-Man thing that no one else is
Wonderland,” “Ed Wood,”
“Edward Scissorhands”), is bestseller by Gillian Flynn. 2”) fighting tirelessly by his able to: a misunderstood
man with a good heart.
On the occasion of his fifth side, Stephen embarks on
based on the true story of
Written and directed by
wedding anniversary, Nick his most ambitious scienWalter Keane (Christoph
Theodore Melfi.
Dunne (Ben Affleck) reports tific work, studying time.
Waltz, Oscar winner for
Christoph Waltz, Amy Adams in “Big Eyes.”
Rated PG-13
Rated PG-13
that his beautiful wife Amy
“Django Unchained” and
12
◆
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
FILM IN PARADISE
Reese Witherspoon does walkabout in ‘Wild’ with Mother Nature
FRONT ROW
AT THE MOVIES
Cooke Communications Film Review
SHIRREL RHOADES
e often talk about
Hollywood stars
who can “carry” a
movie. Well, Reese
Witherspoon has joined
those ranks.
Being the only person on
screen for long stretches of
“Wild,” Witherspoon will
either hold your attention
or lose you. Fortunately,
her gritty, honest performance latches onto you
like mud that’s difficult to
wash off.
Witherspoon — once the
dainty princess in those
“Legally Blonde” movies
— proves she can carry a
backpack too.
Following a bad divorce
and the death of her mother, Cheryl Strayed (played
by Witherspoon) decides
to take a thousand-mile
W
Laura Dern, Reese Weatherspoon in “Wild.”
trek along the Pacific Coast
National Scenic Trail, walking from the California
desert to Oregon all by
herself.
“Wild” is playing at the
Tropic Cinema if you want
to join her on this arduous
journey of self-discovery.
Based on a book by
Cheryl Strayed, “Wild” falls
somewhere between “a
grief memoir and a travelogue.” This solitary walk-
about is fueled by a bit of
advice from her late mother about “putting yourself
in the way of beauty.”
In the movie, Reese
Witherspoon does just
that, presenting a panting,
sweaty, unglamorous hiker
confronting a panorama of
scenic wonder — majestic
mountains, snow-covered
vistas, lakes, verdant forests, ribbons of highway,
rock-strewn trails.
Fact is, a person’s troubles do get kinda dwarfed
when put against the
vast backdrop of Mother
Nature.
In the wilderness, a torn
toenail takes on greater
significance than her
once-upon-a-time sex life.
Needless to say, the men
she encounters along the
way are somewhat taken
aback to see a lone woman
hiking in the wilderness.
Cheryl’s journey is punctuated with free-associative
memories about her childhood, her disintegrating
marriage, her relationships, offering up more of
a mosaic of her life than
a connect-the-dots plot
line. Her mother (played
by Laura Dern) appears
almost as a magical apparition in her on-the-trail
memories.
Closely following the
book’s structure, director
Jean-Marc Vallée (“Dallas
Buyers Club”) begins the
story smack in the middle
of the journey. Surprisingly,
the film’s complicated
flashback structure works,
letting us share the solitary
thoughts of this worldweary traveler as clearly as
if we were rattling around
inside her head.
Cheryl Strayed, we
discover, is not seeking
redemption by this monklike pilgrimage. Rather,
she’s looking for self-acceptance. Learning to live with
herself.
That’s a good goal for all
of us.
As an actress, Reese
Witherspoon seems to
have found it.
srhoades@aol.com
Top 10 nepotistic films
S
ometimes movie directors or producers cast relatives, friends or even girlfriends. Film buff Susan
Server helped me pick out a Top 10 list of movies
where an actor skipped the audition by going right
to the top guy.
For example, playwright-director David Mamet
often casts his wife Rebecca Pidgeon in his movies
and T.V. shows. And Rita Hayworth was still married
to Orson Welles when she starred in “The Lady from
Shanghai.”
10.) “Casablanca” (1942) — Only three of
the actors in this classic film are Americans and
the only one you never heard of (Joy Page) is the
stepdaughter of studio honcho, Jack Warner. Pays to
know the boss.
9.) “The Godfather: Part III” (1990) — Maestro
Francis Ford Coppola cast his daughter Sofia (now
a filmmaker in her own right) as Don Corleone’s
daughter.
8.) “Father of the Bride” (1991) — Director
Nancy Meyers used her parents as extras in the
wedding scene with some dialogue for her father.
7.) “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944), “The Pirate”
(1948) — In these musicals, Vincent Minnelli directed his then-wife, Judy Garland.
6.) “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986) — For this
film Woody Allen not only cast his then-partner Mia
Farrow, but several of her children who appear in the
Thanksgiving scene shot in her New York apartment.
5.) “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) — In the
famous deli scene it’s director Rob Reiner’s mother
Estelle who says, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
4.) “Fading Gigolo” (2013) — One of the four
films actor John Turturro directed that included his
wife, actress Katherine Borowitz. See also “Romance
& Cigarettes” (2005), “Illuminata” (1998), and
“Mac” (1992). (Disclaimer: Susan says, “I’ve known
her and her parents forever.”)
3.) “Maltese Falcon” (1941), “Treasure of
Sierra Madre” (1948), and “Prizzi’s Honor”
(1985) — John Huston is a double-dipper as he
cast his father (Walter) in the first two films and his
daughter (Anjelica) in the third. All three Hustons
are Oscar winners.
2.) “Fargo” (1996) — Director Joel Coen is
lucky to be married to the incomparable Frances
McDormand … a perfect casting call.
1.) “Goodfellas” (1990) — Director Martin
Scorsese is a momma’s boy after all. That’s his
mother Catherine stirring the marinara for Mafia
killers, Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro. He used her
again in “Casino” (1995), another mobster movie.
Two true “Top of the World, Ma” moments.
After all that, Susan Server offers up another one
that’s close to home. In “Valentine’s Day” (2010),
director Garry Marshall’s own three-year-old granddaughter is seen flirting in the flower shop scene
with a toddler who happens to be Susan’s partner
Sheldon Davidson’s first cousin twice removed.
Any other movie nepotism you want to add to the
list?
srhoades@aol.com
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
◆
13
FILM IN PARADISE
‘Hobbit’ digs in, thanks to Jackson for ‘Battle of the Five Armies’
L
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”
Hobbit known as Bilbo
Baggins. He is hired by the
wizard Gandalf to help
Thorin Oakenshield and a
troupe of dwarves reclaim
a treasure from a fearsome
dragon.
In this just-released
third film, “The Hobbit:
The Battle of the Five
Armies,” Martin Freeman
reprises his role as Bilbo.
He’s joined again by Ian
McKellen as Gandalf the
Grey, Richard Armitage as
Thorin, Orlando Bloom as
Legolas, Cate Blanchett as
Galadriel, Hugo Weaving
as Elrond, Christopher Lee
as Sarumand the White,
Elijah Wood as Frodo, and
Andy Serkis as the Gollum.
Benedict Cumberbatch
belches fire as Smaug the
magic dragon.
Peter Jackson started off
by making the three “Lord
of the Rings” blockbusters before taking on the
“Hobbit” prequel(s).
Why three films squeezed
out of one tiny book?
Jackson says J.R.R.
Tolkien would’ve wanted
three films. “There were
elements looking back at
‘The Hobbit’ that he wished
he’d included,” Jackson
explains. “So he did have
a lot of notes for what he
was going to revise but he
never got that book done.
Those notes were published
after his death at the end of
‘Return of the King,’ so we
were able to access a lot of
that. All of the expanding
and embellishment was
based on the ideas Tolkien
was exploring.”
Translation: The “Lord of
the Rings” trilogy has made
nearly $3 billion, so why
wouldn’t Warner Bros. go
again for the gold?
“A huge built-in and
obsessed audience, divided
by the cost savings in producing three films simultaneously, certainly equals
more profit opportunity,”
points out Hollywood executive Marrissa O’Leary.
While some people see
this as a money grab akin to
Continued on page 15
398556
volume titled “The Hobbit”
and managed to eke three
movies out of it: “The
Hobbit: An Unexpected
Journey” (2012), “The
ately, we’ve seen book
Hobbit: The Desolation of
series stretched into
Smaug” (2013), and now
extra movies, as a way
“The Hobbit: The Battle of
of keeping ticket sales
the Five Armies” (currently
going.
playing at the Regal Cinema
“Harry Potter” was the
6).
first film franchise to do
A British university prothis. J.K. Rowling wrote
fessor, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote
seven books about the
boy-wizard, but Hollywood “The Hobbit, or There and
Back Again” in 1930, but
stretched them into eight
films (the final book, “Harry it wasn’t published until
seven years later. It became
Potter and the Deathly
the precursor to his nerdHallows,” was divided into
two parts). Not a bad deci- favorite “Lord of the Rings”
sion, in that “Harry Potter” trilogy (actually six books
squeezed into three volis now the bestselling film
umes).
series in history.
These novels offer readers
Suzanne Collins penned
three books in the “Hunger an epic adventure that takes
place in Middle-earth, a
Games” series. We’ve
fantasy world populated by
already seen three movmen, elves, trolls, giant spiies, with a fourth still to
ders, goblins, and dwarves.
come (“Hunger Games:
There’s also a race of diminMockingjay” got split into
utive hominoids known as
two parts).
However, Oscar-winning Hobbits. They have hairy
feet and live in holes.
filmmaker Peter Jackson
The same-named book
claims the stretch-‘em-out
focuses on a particular
trophy. He took a slender
REVIEWED BY
SHIRREL RHOADES
14
◆
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
The Waterfront kicks-off its 75th season with hilarious ‘Noises Off’
he Waterfront
Playhouse will kick-off
its historic 75th season
with the classic comedy “Noises Off” by Michael
Frayn at 8 p.m. today with
an opening gala.
This hilarious romp
about the on, and off,
stage shenanigans of a
British acting troupe is a
tour de force of precise
timing and comic ability.
Slamming doors, feuding
actors, missed cues, girls
in their underwear, guys in
their underwear and errant
plates of sardines are all
part of the choreographed
chaos.
The New York Times
called the show, “A spec-
keeping track of the many
plates of sardines that go on
and off the stage.
Act II takes place a month
into the run. In a coup
de theater the entire set
revolves 180 degrees, and
the audience is watching
the action backstage during a performance. Physical
altercations, misplaced
props, pranks and a roving
cactus plant are all part of
the silently choreographed
action backstage.
By Act III, the tour is coming to an end, and the production descends into complete and hysterical chaos.
The Daily News called it
“Bumper car brilliance...If
laughter is indeed the best
medicine, ‘Noises Off’ is
worth its weight in Cipro.”
“Noises Off” manages
to serve as both a send-up
of the modern farce and
a valentine to the form,
mocking its triviality while
simultaneously delivering
an extremely well-crafted
example of the genre. It has
been a hit on Broadway and
the West End–twice. It’s also
been translated into dozens
of languages and revived
throughout the world, making it one of the most produced plays in the repertory.
Directing the highenergy production will be
the Waterfront’s Managing
Artistic Director, Danny
Weathers.
St. Paul’s
Episcopal church
Annual
Christmas
concert
Sunday, December 21, 7 p.m.
Featuring: Various Soloists
Also: The Key West High School Chorus,
Brass Ensemble & Flag Corps,
The Paradise Choristers,
Chamber Ensemble, Jazz Band,
& Nutcracker Key West
Ticket Info
stpaulschurchkeywest.org/events.html
401 Duval St., Key West • 305-296-5142
398149
T
tacularly funny, peerless
backstage farce.”
“Noises Off” will have a
gala opening night at 8 p.m.
today with an after party
sponsored by Susan and
Stuart Kaufman. The production will run until Jan.
10 with all performances
beginning at 8 p.m.
“Noises Off” is a farce
about putting on a farce
with very funny insights into
the challenges of putting on
a play. Act I introduces the
cast and crew during a spectacularly bad dress rehearsal
for a mediocre sex farce
called, “Nothing On.” The
actors struggle with getting
their lines, cues, entrances
and exits right, as well as
The cast of “Noises Off.”
“‘Noises Off’ is the most
challenging show I’ve
ever taken on, and I’ve
done some doozies,” said
Weathers. “I think all of
the actors who are bearing
scrapes and bruises from
rehearsals would agree!”
The amazing cast includes
David Black, Brandon
Beach, Carolyn Cooper,
Matt Hollis Hulsey, Tony
Konrath, Erin McKenna, J.
B. McLendon, Joan O’Dowd
and Susannah Wells.
The two-level set with
nine doors has been
designed by the Waterfront’s
resident set designer,
Michael Boyer. David Bird
will design the lights and
Carmen Rodriguez is in
charge of costumes and
props. Trish Manley will act
as stage manager and traffic
cop.
Tickets for opening night
are $50, which includes the
after party. Tickets for other
performances are $40. There
are discounts for students,
military and seniors, as well
as the Friday night special of
two tickets for a total of $60.
Call 305-294-5015, or go to
WaterfrontPlayhouse.org for
the online ticketing service.
Season tickets, subscriptions
or individual tickets are all
available by calling or going
to the website. “Noises Off”
is perfect for the whole family, and student rates are
available.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
FREE HOLIDAY PERFORMANCE
ROB O’NEAL/The Citizen
Funny-faced Fish Sculpture
Steve Linden’s funny-faced Fish Sculpture
The new fisherman in
town doesn’t catch fish.
He creates bonefish, blue
marlin, lion fish and more,
from palm fronds, coconuts, driftwood and his
favorite screw gun.
An accomplished
sculptor, graduate of the
Museum School, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts,
Linden will be at the
Artisans’ Market from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at
The Restaurant Store, 1111
Eaton St. hawking his fish
out-back at Bone Island
Brewery’s garage, and
encouraging you to sample
a few of Jim Brady’s craft
beers.
Can’t wait for Sunday?
Check out “Steve Linden
Artist” on Facebook, or
go preview the fish at The
Restaurant Store today. For
information, call 978-5781546.
Hobbit
Continued from Page 13
the greedy dragon Smaug,
Jackson defends it as good
storytelling. “The richness of the story of ‘The
Hobbit,’ as well as some of
the related material in the
appendices of ‘The Lord of
the Rings,’ allows us to tell
the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and
the part he played in the
sometimes dangerous, but
at all times exciting, history
of Middle-Earth,” Jackson
posted on his Facebook
page.
“What people have to
realize is that Tolkien did a
lot more work on this tale
in the decades that followed the original novel’s
release,” says Corey Olson,
who teaches J.R.R. Tolkien
and medieval literature
at Washington College in
Maryland.
London’s The Guardian
floated a negative observation about this cinematic
undertaking. “Splitting the
story into three separate
films takes the moribund
self-absorption of the project to entirely new levels,”
the paper criticized. “It
looks as if Jackson is running entirely on empty,
pushing this side project
to ridiculous extremes
because he has nothing else
to offer.”
Many fans don’t buy that.
Jackson started out as a
director of low-budget horror movies in New Zealand.
Along the way he’s given
us such films as “Heavenly
Creatures” and the “King
Kong” remake. Let’s hope
once he gets this dweebish
fascination with J.R.R.
Tolkien out of his system,
he’ll give us some memorable films that are of this
Earth.
srhoades@aol.com
The children’s group — Violins
in Motion — returns to the
Historic Seaport from 6:30
to 8 p.m. Saturday for their
annual free holiday performance. This Fort Lauderdale
based group of 4-18 year
old musicians pay their own
way to Key West to share
the spirit of the holidays
with classical violin and
Celtic fiddle compositions.
The performance is free
and located at the Fishing
Buoy Christmas Tree at
Green St. and Lazy Way.
Donations accepted for the
fight against childhood diabetes. Part of the Key West
“Bight” before Christmas
Holiday Celebration. For
more information, visit
KeyWestChristmas.org.
◆
15
Farmer’s
Market today
Bayview Park Key West,
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Market offers fresh
fruits, vegetables, pasta,
free-range meats and
other organic things
from local vendors.
398563
PARADISE
16
◆
PARADISE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014
Get into the holiday spirit
with the Spectrelles
‘The Sexy Santa
Sing-a-long’
inging, stories and
striptease, all by the
sexiest Santas you’ve
ever seen.
Join Key West
Burlesque’s very own
Tatah DuJour and
Moana Amour as they
host a hilarious Holiday
Show Spectacular in the
Blue Heaven Bordello.
Accompanied by a live
band and super star
vocalists, this pageant of
Christmas cheer is sure to
have your belly shaking
like a bowl full of jelly this
year.
Special guest, Franki
Markstone, Addison Panic
and Jenna Beth will dazzle
the audience on stage.
Special surprise Santas
he Southernmost
Dance Theatre along
with The Anne McKee
Artist Grant and The
Monroe County Tourist
Development Council
presents “It’s A Fabulous
Spectrelle Christmas!” at
8 p.m Saturday at the San
Carlos Institute, 516 Duval
St. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Those Diva’s of DooWop and producer Allison
T
S
STARRY NIGHT
ALL IN WHITE
Mayer invite you to a family friendly evening of song
and dance.
Special guests include
The Southernmost Dance
Theatre, Denis Hyland,
Clayton Lopez and many
more with a special appearance by original Spectrelles
Penny Leto and Melody
The original Spectrelles will appear for a one night only event
Cooper. Tickets are now
will be held at the San Carlos Monday at 8 p.m. Doors open at
available at Keystix.com.
7:30 p.m.
Monthly Artisan
Market this Sunday
will fly into town for each
of these performances.
Join in the holiday fun
at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Dec.
19. For ticket prices and
reservations, call 305-2968666.
he Key West Artisan Market is a vibrant,
open air bazaar filled with artists, authors,
chef-made cuisine, craftspeople, performers, fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses
and flowers, craft beer & wine from residents representing the diversity of creativity,
ingenuity and locally made products of the
Keys & Key West. Held the first Sunday of the
month, during season (thru May) outdoors at
the Restaurant Store, 1111 Eaton. Free family
& pet friendly event.
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Elizabeth St Hillaire Nelson “Peonies”
Artists @ the Armory: 2nd
Floor Gallery Holiday Faire
January 17, 7:30pm February 5, 7:30pm
Continuous
Crescendo
S
Christopher Taylor,
British Invasion
piano
Ravel: Boléro
Barber: Piano
Concerto
Mussorgsky: Pictures
at an Exhibition
Favorite Beatles Songs
Performing with the
South Florida
Symphony Orchestra
Tennessee Williams Theatre
5901 College Rd, Key West, FL
394646
SouthFloridaSymphony.org
954-522-8445
For Tickets:
305-295-7676
Box Office:
Keystix.com
till searching for those elusive Holiday gifts? The
Artists @ the Armory have what you’ve been
looking for! Visit the Second Floor Gallery at the
Historic Armory from 6 to 8 p.m. today during Walk
on White and find distinctive gifts for the special
people in your life. There is something for everyone
on your list: paintings, photography, sculpture, event
stationery, fascinator hats, woven scarves, and books.
All expertly crafted and one of a kind.