In a year chock full of star-studded 80th birthday tributes to legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the March 15-16 gala evenings with the New York Philharmonic at New York’s Lincoln Center stood tall. The two-hour concert, “Sondheim! The Birthday Concert,” will air on PBS’s “Great Performances” Wednesday, November 24 at 9 pm (check local listings). Hosted by David Hyde Pierce, who provides sardonic narration throughout the evening, the cast, a veritable Who’s Who of Broadway’s finest performers, includes (in alphabetical order): Laura Benanti, Matt Cavanaugh, Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jenn Colella, Jason Danieley, Joanna Gleason, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Blaine Hoven, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, John McMartin, Donna Murphy, Laura Osnes, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Maria Riccetto, Bobby Steggert, Elaine Stritch, Jim Walton, Chip Zien and from the current production of “West Side Story,” Karen Olivo, who gets the evening off to a spirited start leading the dancers in “America.”
Gay Events in South Florida This Week
Last Week in Review
There were so many events around South Florida last week, so I will let the pictures do the talking…
It’s Halloween weekend and all events that have costume contests are featured in What’s Haunted. All other events will be listed here.
Friday, October 29
Living Room Nightclub presents the official “SAW” movie release event, where they will decorate the club as if you were in the movie.
The Boardwalk presents live from San Francisco Dylan Roberts all weekend. Tonight and tomorrow he will be performing at 11 pm and 1 am and on Sunday an early show at 8 pm and a late show at midnight. They will also feature no cover with a Halloween costume.
Saturday, October 30
SAVE Dade features their annual Halloween event this year entitled Hellrotika, Circus of Lost Souls at The Awarehouse, 550 NW 29th Street in Miami. Doors open at 8 pm and the night will star DJs Lazaro Leon, Pabel Lima, Doug Jackson and Miik with a special performance by Rainbow Circus Special Burlesque as well as a special appearance by Rachel Robinson of MTV’s “Road Rules.” Admission is $35 for general admission and $90 VIP before October 30th and $45 general admission and $100 VIP thereafter. To purchase tickets go to Hellrotika.com
The official Hellrotika after party take place at The Bay starring DJ Daniel Kristopherre with no cover for anyone with a Hellrotika wristband.
Bigger Saturdays at Score presents The Shadows Emerge starring DJ/producer Abel as well as Ricardito and his dancers on the second level.
The Clubhouse II presents Halloween Blackout Dungeon starting at 8 pm. They suggest you reserve early.
Scandals Saloon presents Old MacDonald Farm Gone Wild where they invite you to come celebrate Halloween with the Old MacDonald gone wild bartenders.
Monkey Business presents a Halloween extravaganza cabaret dinner show. The dinner starts at 8:30 pm with the show starring Tyese Rainz, Monica Moore, Meyakie Lepaige and Brianna Brag starts at 9:45 pm. The dinner costs $20 per person and is a 5 course meal and includes Monster Punch/soda.
Sunday, October 31
Welcome all freaks, fairies, queers and fiends to Score’s Monster Ball starring DJ/producer Drew Tribe with a warm up set by DJ Vixen.
Hot Stuff
We (Hotspots Magazine) proudly present the 3rd annual Holiday Celebration, a benefit for The Pride Center at Equality Park (formerly the GLCC) at the Embassy Suites Hotel on the 17th street causeway, on Tuesday, December 7th from 7 to 10 pm. 100% of the proceeds benefit the Pride Center and all GLBTQ business owners and community leaders are invited to attend. Stay tuned for more info in the coming weeks.
“CHER: THE FILM COLLECTION,” a 6-film set containing some of Cher’s most memorable roles, is coming to DVD on November 2nd from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and MGM. The films included in the collection are “Good Times,” “Chastity,” “Silkwood,” “Mermaids,” “Tea With Mussolini” and the performance that won Cher an Oscar “Moonstruck.”
Do you have a fantastic Thanksgiving recipe that you want to share with our readers? Please send them to Sheri@HotspotsMagazine.com and yours could be featured in our magazine!
In a year chock full of star-studded 80th birthday tributes to legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the March 15–16 gala evenings with the New York Philharmonic at New York’s Lincoln Center stood tall. The two-hour concert, “Sondheim! The Birthday Concert,” will air on PBS’s “Great Performances” Wednesday, November 24 at 9 pm (check local listings). Hosted by David Hyde Pierce, who provides sardonic narration throughout the evening, the cast, a veritable Who’s Who of Broadway’s finest performers, includes (in alphabetical order): Laura Benanti, Matt Cavanaugh, Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jenn Colella, Jason Danieley, Joanna Gleason, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Blaine Hoven, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, John McMartin, Donna Murphy, Laura Osnes, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Maria Riccetto, Bobby Steggert, Elaine Stritch, Jim Walton, Chip Zien and from the current production of “West Side Story,” Karen Olivo, who gets the evening off to a spirited start leading the dancers in “America.”
Conducted by longtime Sondheim stalwart Paul Gemignani, the evening (as well as the broadcast) was directed and co-written (with Pierce) by actor-director Lonny Price, who appeared in the original cast of Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along.” Stephen Holden in The New York Times raved, “While such celebrations tend to be messy affairs, ‘Sondheim: The Birthday Concert’ … was a model of organization, with a suave host … and witty leitmotifs woven into its structure. Performances by an all-star guest list …proceeded at a brisk pace; there was no speechifying.” The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as “Company,” “Follies,” “A Little Night Music,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “Into the Woods” and “Sunday in the Park with George.” Many of Sondheim’s most famous numbers are on display, of course, as well as such interesting items as “Don’t Laugh,” which he wrote for his friend Mary Rodgers’ Hot Spot, and “Growing Up,” written for a later production of “Merrily We Roll Along” but sung here by original cast member Walton. In an especially memorable sequence, some notable creators of Sondheim roles reprise their greatest moments, including McMartin, Gleason and Zien, Peters and Patinkin, the segment concluding with a couple of rival Broadway Sweeney Todds, Hearn and Cerveris, amusingly flanking LuPone, who played Mrs. Lovett opposite both of them.
Other highlights in an evening filled with them include “We’re Gonna Be Alright” (Mazzie and Danieley); “Johanna” (Gunn); and “Too Many Mornings” (Gunn and McDonald), and the parade of legendary leading ladies who cap the evening with a non-stop succession of showstoppers guaranteed to quicken the pulse of all bona fide show fans: “The Ladies Who Lunch” (LuPone); “Losing My Mind” (Mazzie); “The Glamorous Life” (McDonald); “Could I Leave You?” (Murphy); “Not a Day Goes By” (Peters); and “I’m Still Here” (Stritch). In addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment. Visit Great Performances online at PBS.org/gperf for additional information about this and other programs.
