October
Nu Deco Ensemble at the Colony Debut. The city's hippest chamber orchestra, Nu Deco Ensemble, returns with its first performance at the Colony Theatre. Joining the ensemble on stage is Beninese singer-songwriter and five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo. On December 10, Nu Deco takes the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center with Fugees member Wyclef Jean, Colombian duo Monsieur Periné appears on March 2, and multi-instrumentalist Derrick Hodge on April 28. You can also catch shows with soul-pop duo Lawrence on January 21 and rock band X Ambassadors on April 1 at the Miami Beach Bandshell. 8 p.m. Friday, October 7, and Saturday, October 8, at the Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; nu-deco.org. Tickets cost $71.50 to $101.50. Jose D. DuranMlima's Tale. Zoetic Stage kicks off its season with the South Florida premiere of Lynn Nottage's Mlima's Tale. Directed by Stuart Meltzer, the play tells the story of Mlima, an elephant trapped by the underground international ivory market. Nottage is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright known for works like Sweat and Ruined. Zoetic's season continues with the world premiere of American Rhapsody by Michael McKeever (January 12-29), the musical Next to Normal (March 16-April 9), and the world premiere of Vanessa Garcia's #Graced (May 4-21). 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 13, through Sunday, October 30, at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $55 to $60. Jose D. Duran
Outshine Film Festival. Revel in more than 50 critically acclaimed LGBTQ films during South Florida's 14th-annual Outshine Film Festival. The lineup includes the highly anticipated God Save the Queens, a dramedy about struggling contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race, screening at Gateway Cinemas. This year's lineup, both in-person and online, makes a point to emphasize intersectional experiences like mental health, HIV, accessibility, polyamory, and the military. The festival wraps up at Savor Cinema with The Shiny Shrimps, a French musical that scoffs at homophobic Russian conversion camps. Thursday, October 13, through Sunday, October 23, at various locations; 305-751-6305; outshinefilm.com. Ticket prices vary. Jesse Fraga
"Program I: Art in Motion." Led by artists/directors Jennifer Kronenberg and Carlos Guerra, Dimension Dance Theatre of Miami opens its season with "Program I: Art in Motion" at the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center in Davie. The program features the premiere of David Palmer's "Quizás," along with a special performance of Yanis Pikieris' "Orchids" by the Miami Youth Ballet. Later in the season, DDTM will present its "Latin Voices" program on November 12 and its production of The Nutcracker on December 3 and 4, both at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center. The company returns to Davie on April 29, 2023, for "Program II: Flavors of Spain." 8 p.m. Saturday, October 15, at the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center, 3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Blvd., Davie; 954-462-0222; miniacipac.com. Tickets cost $37. Jose D. Duran
New World Symphony Season Opener. The New World Symphony takes the stage during two dazzling shows: Fanfares from Uhrovec, which examines American and Bohemian traditions; as well as Der Freischütz, a German comedic opera about a hunter who competes with the Devil in hopes of wedding his lover. The symphony celebrates its 35th anniversary with world-renown artists, including Austrian-Hungarian conductor Christoph Koncz and Trinidadian soprano Jeanine De Bique. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 15, and 2 p.m. Sunday, October 16, at New World Center, 500 17th St., Miami Beach; 305-680-5866; nws.edu. Tickets cost $40 to $120. Jesse Fraga
Pageant. LGBTQ theater company Island City Stage is set to host an interactive smack down for the crown during its musical comedy, Pageant. The production throws shade at traditional beauty norms as the audience decides who takes home the beloved title of Miss Glamouresse. The company's upcoming season also features John Brittain's Rotterdam (January 19-February 19), I Want to F@#king Tear You Apart by Morgan Gould (March 2-April 2), Stephan Kaplan's Tracy Jones (May 18-June 18), and the commissioned play Springfield Pride (August 3-September 3). Thursday, October 20, through Sunday, November 20, at Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy., Wilton Manors; 954-928-9800; islandcitystage.org. Tickets cost $50. Jesse Fraga
Miami City Ballet's Romeo and Juliet. Internationally renowned ballet choreographer John Cranko brings Shakespeare's swooning tale of tragedy and romance to the Adrienne Arsht Center on October 21. The ballet adaptation's classical score, written by acclaimed Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, has remained in international demand since the late 1930s. This Romeo and Juliet production moves to the Broward Center on November 5. 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 21, and Saturday, October 22, and 2 p.m. Sunday, October 23, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 5, and 2 p.m. Sunday, November 6, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-462-0222; browardcenter.org. Tickets cost $39 to $199. Jesse Fraga
Miami Symphony Orchestra Grand Season Opening. Get swept away by the classical sounds as Miami Symphony Orchestra kicks off its season at the Adrienne Arsht Center on October 23. Led by conductor Eduardo Marturet, the orchestra will perform Brahms' Symphony No. 4 and John Adams' 1986 orchestral work "Short Ride in a Fast Machine," along with two MISO-commissioned pieces: Karen LeFrak's Piano Concerto and Rodner Padilla's Concerto for Electric Bass and Orchestra. The orchestra will return to the Arsht later in the season, on February 12 and May 7, and will hold several chamber music series events at its Design District headquarters on October 6, November 3, December 8, and February 16, 2023. 6 p.m. Sunday, October 23, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $39 to $164. Jose D. Duran
Forward Motion Festival and Conference. One of the world's first dance festivals and educational conferences to showcase only physically integrated dance companies is back for its fourth year, this time with a robust lineup of never-before-seen performances, including adaptations of The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. The conference, organized by Miami-based performing arts group Karen Peterson and Dancers, features educational panels, community discussions, and technique classes, all of which shed light on the diverse community. Thursday, October 27, through Saturday, October 29, at various locations; 305-298-5879; karenpetersondancers.org. Tickets cost $10 to $25. Jesse Fraga
Elián. For its season opener, Miami New Drama declares that "the circus returns" for its world premiere of Rogelio Martinez's Elián. Before there was talk of division in the nation, the saga of Elián González divided Miami and the nation. Some thought he should stay with his extended family in Miami, while others contended that he should be returned to his father in Cuba. Directed by Michael Hausmann, the play promises to pull back the curtain and reveals how American democracy really works. 8 p.m. Thursday, October 27, through November 20, at the Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; 305-674-1040; miaminewdrama.org. Tickets cost $46.50 to $76.50. Jose D. Duran
"Plotting Power: Maps and the Modern Age" and "Turn the Beat Around." The Wolfsonian-FIU premieres two exhibitions in October. "Plotting Power" follows the use of maplike imagery for political, commercial, and other purposes in the first half of the 20th Century. Then there's "Turn the Beat Around," which examines the exchange of ideas and rhythms between American and Cuban artists from the 1930s through the '60s. "Plotting Power" runs through April 16, 2023, while the last call for "Turn the Beat Around is April 30. Friday, October 28, at the Wolfsonian-FIU, 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-531-1001; wolfsonian.org. Admission is free for Florida residents and museum members; tickets cost $8 to $12. Jose D. Duran
Heisenberg. GableStage artistic director Bari Newport's sophomore season begins with Simon Stephen's Heisenberg, starring Margery Lowe. The play premiered off-Broadway in 2015, eventually opening on Broadway the following year, with Mary-Louise Parker and Denis Arndt starring in both productions. (Arndt earned a Tony nomination for "Best Actor in a Play" in 2017.) The company's season continues with David Meyer's We Will Not Be Silent (January 7-29), A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath (February 25-March 19), El Huracán by Charise Castro Smith (April 15-May 14), and Karen Zacarías' comedy Native Gardens (June 10-July 1). 8 p.m. Saturday, October 29, through Sunday, November 20, at GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables; 305-445-1119; gablestage.org. Tickets cost $50 to $70. Jose D. Duran
All Man: The International Male Story screens during the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival in November.
Photo by Jonathan Ingalls
November
Gems Film Festival. What began as a small fall presentation to keep cinephiles satiated until March's Miami Film Festival has turned into an impressive production all its own. The four-day event is set to screen some of the best films from around the globe. This year's lineup includes Rian Johnson's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, a sequel to the beloved 2019 mystery film Knives Out; the biographical drama She Said, which depicts the work done by the journalist who broke the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct allegations; and Darren Aronofsky's The Whale, which earned praise for its lead actor, Brendan Fraser, at this year's Venice International Film Festival. Thursday, November 3, through Sunday, November 6, at the Tower Theater, 1508 SW Eighth St., Miami; 305-237-2463; miamifilmfestival.com. Ticket prices TBA. Jose D. DuranFort Lauderdale Film Festival. You'll need a lot of popcorn for this one. FLIFF's 37th-anniversary edition showcases 168 movies from more than 35 countries in ten days. The festival takes on nine cinemas and venues across Broward County — not to mention the yacht parties, soirées, celebrity appearances, and lectures. The southeast premiere of Paul Dektor's American Dreamer serves as the festival's opening-night film. Other highlights include Rosanna Arquette and Zoë Bleu Sidel starring in Signs of Love and All Man: The International Male Story, a documentary that examines the history of the mail-order men's underwear catalog. Friday, November 4, through Sunday, November 13, at various locations; 954-525-3456; fliff.com. Tickets cost $8 to $15. Jesse Fraga
"Kanaval." British photographer Leah Gordon's photographic exhibition explores the costumes behind Haiti's Carnival festival, Kanaval, which celebrates the island's history and roots in mythological fables. The series features a fascinating dichotomy between muted black-and-white depictions of its costumes, many of which are known for their vibrant hues and extravagant accessories. Sunday, November 6, through Sunday, April 16, 2023, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 770 NE 125th St., North Miami; 305-893-6211; mocanomi.org. Tickets cost $3 to $10. Jesse Fraga
Small Press Fair. Back and bigger than ever, the Small Press Fair is a two-day event highlighting local and regional artists, printmakers, booksellers, publishers, authors, poets, bookmakers, designers, zinesters, and more — really anyone involved in bookmaking or zine creation. There'll be live demos and a larger-than-life steamroller printing event. Exhibitors from all over Florida will attend to show, sell, and exchange all kinds of printed media. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, November 12, and Sunday, November 13, at MAD Studios, 481 S. Federal Hwy., Dania Beach; spf-ftl.com. Admission is free. Jose D. Duran
Florida Grand Opera’s El Matrimonio Secreto. Director Elena Araoz makes her debut with Florida Grand Opera for the musical comedy El Matrimonio Secreto, which showcases a reimagined Cuban culture on Miami Beach during the 1980s. The Mozart-inspired opera by Italian composer Domenico Cimarosa uses a new Spanish translation to retrace a family story of romance, sibling rivalry, and mucha frivolidad. FGO's upcoming season also includes Gianni Schicchi and Buoso's Ghost (January 28-31), Tosca (March 18-21), and The Barber of Seville (April 29-May 2). 7 p.m. Saturday, November 12; 2 p.m. Sunday, November 13; and 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 15, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $20 to $214. Jesse Fraga
Art Basel celebrates its 20th edition in Miami Beach with its largest show to date.
Photo courtesy of Art Basel
CultureFest 305. Celebrate everything that makes Miami, well, Miami, when the HistoryMiami Museum hosts the sixth-annual CultureFest 305. The family-friendly event features music and dance from countries like Cuba and Panama, Haitian and Cuban food, Seminole demonstrations, and even some Yiddish folk music. Best of all? It's free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, November 12, at HistoryMiami Museum, 101 W. Flagler St., Miami; 305-375-1492; historymiami.org. Admission is free. Jose D. Duran
Miami Book Fair. From classic and vintage reads to the forefront of modern literature, the U.S.'s most comprehensive book fair returns with some of the most treasured local and international booksellers and librarians. After 38 years in the making, the festivities continue with in-person and virtual programs featuring live entertainment, food vendors, book signings, readings, and educational lectures for all ages. Sunday, November 13, through Sunday, November 20, at the Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus, 300 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-237-3258; miamibookfair.com. Ticket prices vary. Jesse Fraga
"Scott Covert: I Had a Wonderful Life." NSU Art Museum presents the first solo museum exhibition dedicated to Scott Covert. The work featured in "I Had a Wonderful Life" spans 40 years and focuses on the "Monument Paintings" Covert began working on in 1985 while part of the East Village art scene. Covert forms his abstract compositions through the Victorian tradition of grave-rubbing and has spent his professional life visiting the resting places of what he calls "people of character." Sunday, November 20, through April 23, 2023, at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-525-5500; nsuartmuseum.org. Tickets cost $5 to $12. Jose D. Duran
"Leandro Erlich: Liminal." Dive into a parallel universe as conceptual artist Leandro Erlich's "Liminal" exhibit fabricates everyday scenarios into an extraordinary dreamlike paradox. The Argentinian artist's first solo show in North America guides spectators through an interactive sequence of spaces where stairs lead to nowhere, elevator rides are infinite, and physical structures are merely optical illusions. Tuesday, November 29, through Monday, September 4, 2023, at the Peréz Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-375-3000; pamm.org. Tickets cost $12 to $16. Jesse Fraga
"Nina Chanel Abney: Big Butch Energy." Something as hetero and cis-normative as Greek student life might actually hold implicit flamboyance and homoeroticism — at least, that's what this exhibit suggests. Through abstract paintings and radical sculptures, Nina Chanel Abney's "Big Butch Energy" pays homage to queer Black characters in the crosshairs of fraternity and sorority culture. Tuesday, November 29, through Sunday, March 12, 2023, at Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, 61 NE 41 St., Miami; 305-901-5272; icamiami.org. Admission is free. Jesse Fraga
December
Art Basel. Celebrating its 20th edition in Miami Beach, Art Basel will return to the Miami Beach Convention Center December 1-3 (with preview days taking place on November 29 and 30). More than 300 galleries will exhibit the best in contemporary and blue-chip art. Locally, Fredric Snitzer and David Castillo galleries will be in attendance, and Spinello Projects will take part in the fair's Nova section, displaying the work of Juana Valdes and Reginald O'Neal. 11 a.m. Thursday, December 1, through Saturday, December 3, (preview days on Tuesday, November 29, and Wednesday, November 30) at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; artbasel.com. Ticket price TBA. Jose D. DuranHadestown. The Tony Award-winning musical hits the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center as an official part of Broadway in Miami. The opera, rooted in folk, rock, swing, and blues, follows the dark tale of Greek legends Orpheus and Eurydice on a quest among rulers of the underworld, King Hades and his wife Persephone. Tuesday, December 6, through Sunday, December 11, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-949-6722; arshtcenter.org. Tickets cost $35 to $165. Jesse Fraga
Dance Now! Miami's "Masterpiece in Motion" Series. Florida's leading contemporary dance company, Dance Now! will transform iconic works of art and issues of identity into physical dance interpretations as part of its "Masterpiece in Motion Series." The program kicks off with Clara, a modern twist on The Nutcracker. The next show features three world premiere performances — Tribe, Unplugged, and Area 52 — on the subject of identity, ageism, and emerging choreographers. The bill concludes with the Joffrey Ballet's Relativity of Icarus, a highly acclaimed but once controversial ballet from the 1970s that oozed homoeroticism. Saturday, December 10; Saturday, March 4, 2023; and Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Miami Theater Center, 9806 NE Second Ave., Miami Shores; 305-975-8489; dancenowmiami.org. Tickets cost $32.14. Jesse Fraga
January
Miami Jewish Film Festival. From animated features to hard-hitting short films, the largest Jewish film festival in the world returns with a jam-packed two weeks of inspiring events, panels, and screenings led by indie and established filmmakers representing more than 25 countries. The festival has gained support from big-time distributors, including Warner Bros., A24, and 20th Century Fox — the list goes on. Film submissions are open until Friday, October 28. Thursday, January 12, through Thursday, January 26, 2023, at various locations; 305-573-7304; miamijewishfilmfestival.org. Ticket prices vary. Jesse FragaArt Deco Weekend. Lectures, walking tours, a classic car show, an artisan market — Art Deco Weekend has it all. Returning January 13-15, 2023, the weekend-long event celebrates Miami Beach's favorite style of architecture with a dizzying amount of activations that celebrate the turn-of-the-century style that reached its peak in popularity around the 1920 and '30s — around the time Carl Fisher was turning a mosquito-plagued barrier island into a winter getaway. Friday, January 13, through Sunday, January 15, 2023, at various locations; artdecoweekend.com. Jose D. Duran
Miami Beach Antique Show. Dig through more than 600 vendors of accessories, artwork, furniture, home décor, and more at the 58th-annual Miami Beach Antique Show. Not sure where to start? The event offers free guided tours through the show, plus free educational sessions on tips and best ethics on the art of antique shopping. Thursday, January 19, through Monday, January 23, 2023, at Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; 864-641-4217; originalmiamibeachantiqueshow.com. Tickets cost $30 to $50. Jesse Fraga
February
The River Niger. M Ensemble Company, Miami's longest-running Black professional theater company, returns with a powerful rendition of the Tony Award-winning play The River Niger. The heart-wrenching 1970s drama follows an African-American man's struggle to survive as alcoholism, cancer, and rape plague his Harlem family's home. The production visualizes a striking metaphor for racist repercussions brought on by the West African river used during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Thursday, February 9, through Sunday, February 26, 2023, at Sandrell Rivers Theater, 6103 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; 305-705-3218; themensemble.com. Ticket prices TBA. Jesse FragaTropic Bound Fair. It's like your typical print and zine market, but make it international. Miami's first-ever artists' book fair takes over the Design District with an educational symposium, creative workshops, and exhibitors from around the world. In collaboration with galleries, publishers, and universities, the fair is led by print and archival experts, including Ingrid Schindall, founder of IS Projects; Cristina Favretto, director of special collections for University of Miami libraries; and Sarah Michelle Rupert, director of collections for Girls' Club and founder of Mixed Use Space. Thursday, February 16, through Sunday, February 19, 2023, at various locations; tropicboundfair.org. Tickets prices TBA. Jesse Fraga
Coconut Grove Arts Festival. South Florida's largest art festival takes over Coconut Grove during the President's Day weekend for three days of fun. More than 300 jury-selected artists will showcase their work with Biscayne Bay as a backdrop. But that's not all! There are also kid's activities, culinary demonstrations, and live music to get things going. Saturday, February 18, through Monday, February 20, at S. Bayshore Drive between McFarland Road and Pan American Drive, Coconut Grove; cgaf.com. Ticket prices TBA. Jose D. Duran
Gay8. Celebrating the intersectionality of being Latinx and queer, Gay8 takes over Calle Ocho on February 19. Expect everything from drag shows to live music and dance parties as you celebrate every color of the rainbow. There will also be plenty of food, clothing vendors, and LGBTQ organizations to visit along the strip. Sunday, February 19, at SW Eighth Street between 13th and 17th avenues; gay8festival.com. Admission is free. Jose D. Duran
