Totally Theatrical

We’re in the dog days, when there’s a whole lotta nothing happening at our favorite watering holes. We don’t know about you, but around this time of year, the prospect of outdoor fun sounds ghastly. When it’s hot and icky, we prefer indoor entertainment. And lucky us, there’s a slew of new theatrical performances taking place, so we can chill in air-conditioned bliss while we get a much-needed dose of class and culture. First up is the 13th annual Summer Shorts festival, which takes over the Arsht Center (1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami) from May 31 through June 22. The yearly short-play fest continues to offer its Signature Shorts program, but this year we also get Shorts 4 Kids — miniplays for little ones with fleeting attention spans — and Undershorts, a late-night selection of provocative plays for the grown folks. Call 305-949-6722, or visit www.arshtcenter.org/summershorts for ticket information.

At the Miami Science Museum (3280 S. Miami Ave., Miami), the annual Lavender Footlights Festival is featuring a full slate of theater targeted toward the GLBT community. With short plays titled Bush Hates Flags, Just Sex (Jazz Hands), and A Little Experimenting, it sounds like a little titillation might be in order for our Saturday evening. It begins at 6 p.m. with The Lost Art of Conversation, a dramedy about love, family, and interracial relationships. The first show will be followed by a cocktail reception at 7:45. Call 305-433-8111, or visit www.lavenderfootlights.org.
Sat., May 31, 2008