The Seven Best Things to Do in South Florida This Weekend – New Times Broward-Palm Beach

Live stage productions seem to be leading the pack in the entertainment and cultural events field this weekend as we move into the middle of November. Its still too early for Christmas events, though Santa Claus seems to be showing up in all the usual places and stores are dressing up with holiday decorations.

Playhouses that have been holding their opening shows back a bit are ready to take them to the stage. Student actors at Florida Atlantic University are actually bringing forward their second production of the season, a 180-degree jump to comedy from the theatre-of-mood wrought by Anton Chekov's Uncle Vanya, the troupe's season-opener.

The newly renovated Kravis Center in West Palm Beach has rolled out a major Broadway phenomenon this week.

Locally, the Museum of Discovery and Science is delivering a totally non-Christmas, non-theatrical package a tale of animals saved from extinction. Can anything be more uplifting than that?

Heres a look at whats on the agenda.

Friday, November 15

Youre in luck if your Halloween mask (some call it a masque) hasnt been packed away for next year. You see, its time for another fabulous party to benefit Nine Cat Rescue. This time, the theme of the festivities is Masquerade Madness, and prizes will be awarded for the best mask whichever way you spell it. Your $20 donation at the door Friday night will ensure complimentary valet parking, a cocktail of your liking, dinner, and dessert. Therell be a lot of great stuff in raffles and a silent auction.Established in 2007, Beyond Nine Cat Rescue is a nonprofit all-volunteer group dedicated to giving cats the opportunity to live safe, healthy, and happy lives. It has about 200 cats waiting for forever homes, so give adoption serious thought. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Friday, November 15, at Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa, 1200 N. Ocean Blvd., Pompano Beach; beyondninecatrescue.org. Tickets are $20 per person at the door.

Student thespians at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton are trotting out a play that those of us with roots in the Boston area would call "a wicked pissa." Urinetown, a play by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, opens Friday and runs through Sunday, November 24, at FAUs Studio One Theatre on the Boca Raton campus. Set during a catastrophic water shortage when the use of private toilets has been banned, this hysterical musical satire of corporate greed and political malfeasance has an unlikely hero a man who needs to pee and refuses to pay for it. The winner of three Tony Awards, Urinetown is an outrageous, modern comedic romp. Make sure you visit the bathroom before you take your seat. 7 p.m. Friday, November 15; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, November 16; and 2 p.m. Sunday, November 17; through November 24, at FAU's Studio One, 777 Glades Rd.; 561-297-6124. Tickets are $22 via fauevents.com.

Fiddler on the Roof runs through Sunday at Kravis Center.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Not many plays earn the descriptor beloved. Fiddler on the Roof is among the few and a distinction well earned and enduring. The tale of hard-working families in a small Russian village circa 1905, with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and a book by Joseph Stein, is about to conclude its run at the revamped Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.Fiddler is based on Tevye and His Daughters, a series of stories written in Yiddish by Ukrainian writer Sholem Aleichem and first published in 1894. The musical centers around Tevye, the father of headstrong daughters seemingly bent on flouting his Jewish religious and cultural traditions. The classic production is rich with Broadway hits, including To Life (LChaim), If I Were a Rich Man, Sunrise, Sunset, Matchmaker, Matchmaker and Tradition. The original Broadway show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical in history to surpass 3,000 performances. 8 p.m. Friday, November 15; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, November 16; and 2 p.m. Sunday, November 17; at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561-832-7469; kravis.org. Tickets start at $39.

Experience an unforgettable evening as South Floridas top female impersonators transform into musics legendary icons. The show, Icons: The Art of Celebrity Illusion, brings Cher, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Judy Garland, and Liza Minelli together for one night only. Join host and drag superstar Nicole Halliwell for this one hour of fabulousness full of glamour, outrageous costumes, and familiar musical hits with lots of unexpected surprises along the way. 8 p.m., Friday, November 15, at Mizner Park Cultural Center, 201 Plaza Rd., Boca Raton; 844-672-2849; miznerparkculturalcenter.com. Tickets are $29.

The cast of Andy and the Orphans, a new comedy by Lindsey Ferrentino, opening Friday in Boca Raton.

Photo courtesy of Primal Forces

The Primal Forces theatre troupe opens its sixth season Friday (its second in Boca Raton) with a powerful and poignant new comedy by Lindsey Ferrentino, Andy and the Orphans. The play, which debuted last year at New Yorks Roundabout Theatre, follows a Jewish family on a road trip that uncovers an old scandal and some shattering family secrets. I am honored to bring together such a distinguished ensemble cast for this production, director Keith Garsson says. While the play is often hilarious, Garsson says it also "explores a real family drama and lays bare topics that are not as readily discussed." The plot involves a couple of unhinged siblings who, after their fathers death, reunite with Andy, their movie-loving brother neither has seen in years. Together, they careen down the Long Island Expressway, navigating strip malls, traffic jams, and some serious (and not-so-serious) family drama. The cast includes Edward Barbanell, a long-time Coral Springs resident, who understudied his role in its original incarnation in New York City. 8 p.m. Friday, November 15, and Saturday, November 16; and 2 p.m. Sunday, November 17, through December 8 at Sol Theatre, 3333 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton. Tickets start at $40 via primalforces.com or 866-811-4111.

Saturday, November 16

The Distinguished Speaker Series at the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) in Fort Lauderdale is back for its 2019 autumn season. Visitors of all ages are invited to learn from renown researchers and scholars who will educate, entertain, and inspire new ways of thinking about marine-related topics. This event will include an AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater screening Saturday of the critically acclaimed documentary Back from the Brink, which explores true stories of animals rescued from the edge of extinction. Several screenings are planned for Saturday along with a distinguished speaker presentation at 2:30 p.m. 9 a.m. Saturday, November 16, at Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale. Free to MODS members; nonmember tickets are $16 to $19.

In an effort to face our nations growing health crisis, curb the opioid epidemic, and deal with mental health issues, Integrative Medicine US and Lost Legacy Martial Arts are hosting their second-annual Integrative Health Expo and Legacy Kung Fu Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. The goal is to engage the community in exercise, lifestyle and dietary changes, and mindfulness practices as active measures in preventative healthcare. The free event will feature classes for beginners on tai chi, qi gong, yoga, boot camp fitness, break dancing, and stationary surfing as well as exhibitors providing details and treatments centering around acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, dentistry, CBD, and more. For details, visit integrativemedicine.us or lostlegacysystems.com. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 16, and Sunday, November 17, at Coral Springs City Gym, 2501 Coral Springs Dr., Coral Springs. Admission free.

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The Seven Best Things to Do in South Florida This Weekend - New Times Broward-Palm Beach