The calendar is about to flip to August, when the already incessant yammering about Tua and the Dolphins, Canes and Gators, another breakup of the Marlins and blah-de-blah will become even more oppressive. (I say this as a sports fan of impeccable qualifications. Fight me.)

So we look forward to celebrating other ways of looking at life, found in the bold style of Chelsea Handler and (soon) Cassadee Pope, the cult-y cinematic escapism of  “Bring It On” (anyone else forget it stars Dwyane Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union?), the ABBA/Queen Bingo Brunch at Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton, the Pop Icons Drag Brunch at Tin Roof in Delray Beach, and the bottomless Rosa Mimosa at Miami rooftop Rosa Sky’s new disco brunch. Here we go …

FRIDAY

Local color: The Delray Walls Mural Fest will celebrate the city’s under-appreciated community of wall artists on Friday and Saturday on Old School Square, with live music, a night market, food and drink, and painters creating murals before your eyes. Events take place from 4 to 10 p.m. each day. Music highlights include the energetic Spred the Dub and Bad Apples Brass Band on Friday and local Latin-reggae favorites Bachaco with opening act La Tribu Royale on Saturday. Admission is $10, $5 for children age 12 and younger, free for kids younger than 1. Visit DelrayOldSchoolSquare.com.

Hard truths: South Florida writer, director and educator Darius V. Daughtry, founder of the nonprofit Art Prevails Project, will direct performances of his semi-autobiographical play “Seeking” at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday. The play follows a young musician’s journey of self-discovery, a sudden inheritance from an estranged father, and the influence of family history on his future. “This show is honest, and sometimes in art or in life, and more so in life, we are not very honest. Even with ourselves, right?” Daughtry told the Sun Sentinel. Tickets start at $30+ at BrowardCenter.org.

‘Lear’ here: The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival continues its free performances of “King Lear” with Shakespeare by the Palms IV Friday-Sunday at Commons Park Amphitheater in Commons Park, in Royal Palm Beach. Performances are 8-10 p.m., with a 15-minute intermission (gates open at 6:30 p.m.). Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Visitors are encouraged to bring a beach chair, blanket and picnic basket, and on-site concessions will be available. Visit PBShakespeare.org.

Weekend movie: The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival’s new monthly retro film night, FLIFF After Hours, will screen the 2000 cult-fave high school rom-com “Bring It On” (with Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku and Gabrielle Union) at Savor Cinema on Friday. Doors open at 9 p.m. for the 10 p.m. screening. Come dressed as a favorite high school clique (to love or hate) and enjoy themed drink specials, local vendors and a movie trivia challenge before the screening (free Savor Cinema movie tickets to the winner). Tickets cost $9+ at FLIFF.com.

Recommended listening: Matt Horan and Dead Bronco will uncrate their old-school honky-tonk yearnings at Tarpon River Brewing in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Not to be missed, if that’s your vibe. Visit TarponRiverBrewing.com. … South Florida roots rockers 33 Years (led by Paula and Kevin Tolly) play the taproom at Mathews Brewing Co. in Lake Worth Beach, a perfect match of music and venue. Visit MathewsBrewingCompany.com. … Insistently independent Central Florida rockers Virginity will bring the tour supporting new album “Bad Jazz” to Invasive Species Brewing in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village at 8 p.m. Friday, joined by locally familiar rickoLus (Rick Colado) and Ashley Reda. Visit Instagram.com/invasivespeciesbrewing. … Nearby 511 Bar & Lounge will launch its monthly Jazz & Blues Night on Friday at 7 p.m. with charismatic vocalist and producer Lucian White. Visit Instagram.com/511bar_. 

Free Buffett: Boca Raton’s free Summer in the City concert series continues on Friday at 8 p.m. with Jimmy Buffett tribute band Caribbean Chillers at the Mizner Park Amphitheater. It’s BYO chair and blanket, with chairs available to rent ($5). Food and beverages will be available to purchase inside the venue (no outside food, drinks or pets). The evening also will include the Night Market pop-up. Visit MiznerAmp.com.

Friday tributes: Hard-rocking tribute bands KISS America and Diary of an Ozzman are at Revolution Live in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Friday (doors open at 7 p.m.). Tickets start at $15+ at JoinTheRevolution.net. … Popular Eagles tribute band The Long Run returns to Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; tables start at $30 for a two-seater. Visit Galuppis.com. … Texas Twister, a salute to Stevie Ray Vaughan and ZZ Top, plays the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton at 9 p.m. Friday. Tickets start at $15+ at FunkyBiscuit.com.

Ticket window: Actor and comedy star Kevin Hart is bringing his Acting My Age Tour to Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Sunday, Oct. 20. Tickets (starting at $108+) go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com. … Emmy-winning actor, writer and comedian Brett Goldstein has scheduled a stop at Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, Oct. 5. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com. … Boyz II Men will play Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday, Oct. 5, with opener Robin Thicke. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com. 

SATURDAY

Hollywood country: Star of prime-time TV and the Billboard charts, Blake Shelton brings 20 years of country hits to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Saturday at 8 p.m. Not surprisingly, only scattered single seats (starting at $125+) and resale tickets are available. Visit MyHRL.com.

Dancing queens: Tin Roof in downtown Delray Beach will wrap itself in a glamorous theme on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. with the Pop Icons edition of Drag Brunch ($45+ for brunch buffet and show). That evening, Drag Bingo will take over (seating at 5 p.m., show 6-8 p.m.), if you’re in the mood for something “hilariously inappropriate” ($25+, which typically includes a free drink and light bites). At 10 p.m., Tin Roof’s Disco Extravaganza dance party will showcase your favorite ear candy. Visit TinRoofDelrayBeach.com.

Get ur Freaky on: Patio Bar & Pizza in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Progresso neighborhood will celebrate its second anniversary on Saturday with Freaky Tiki, featuring DJs Ani Phearce and Rizzo, $10 Spicy Hawaiian pizzas (if you know, you know), $10 Rock ’n Roll Tequila mango margaritas and $4 Corona specials. Admission is free. Visit Instagram.com/patiobarpizza.

A new vibe: Fort Lauderdale’s Thrive Art District, an evolving downtown creative and commercial zone west of the water tower,  will host Art Walk on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening will include live music, vendors, food and drink. A warren of stark white warehouses, Thrive may be best known as the home to the bright and warm taproom at Uncommon Path Brewing, located at 710 NW Fifth Ave. Visit Facebook.com/ThriveArtDistrict.

Saturday tributes: Sing along to your favorite memories on Saturday when Talking Heads tribute band Road to Nowhere plays restaurant-brewery Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton on Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Tickets start at $15+ for general-admission standing room, with tables also available, at CrazyUncleMikes.com. … Meanwhile, tribute bands Still Alive (Pearl Jam) and Foo Fight (Foo Fighters) take the stage at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, with doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $15+ at JoinTheRevolution.net. 

Capitol ideas: An invigorating subgenre of funk and soul that sprung from Black musicians in Washington, D.C., during the 1960s and ‘70s, the propulsive rhythms of go-go music will be celebrated during the Art of Go-Go Culture Fest on Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. at the Miami Beach Bandshell in North Miami Beach. An amalgam of music, dance and art, the event will feature performances by go-go- artists Janae Music, Backyard Band, Sirius Vybe and Black Passion. Tickets start at $65+ at MiamiBeachBandshell.com.

SUNDAY

Peruvian independence: Aventura restaurant Jarana will celebrate Peruvian Independence Day on Sunday with a DJ (1-6 p.m.) and menu specials from executive chef Martha Palacios. They include Adobo de Rabo (featuring oxtail braised for eight hours; $39; Carapulcra con Sopa Seca (crispy pork belly, Peruvian chilis, sun-dried potatoes, linguini criollo with basil; $29) and Cebiche de Pato (duck leg stewed with aji amarillo broth and yucca; $39). Jarana is at 19505 Biscayne Blvd., in the Esplanade, adjacent to Aventura Mall. Visit JaranaRestaurant.com.

Sunday laughs: Rock star comedian, author, podcaster and TV host Chelsea Handler brings her globe-trotting Little Big Bitch Tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $68+ at MyHRL.com.

Disco brunch: Buzzy Miami rooftop Rosa Sky (from Fort Lauderdale’s The Restaurant People … just saying) will showcase a new brunch menu during Sunday Soirée, which will feature a funk and disco vibe going forward. These gatherings take place from 2 to 8 p.m. (now that’s Miami time!) with a menu that features the savory Lox & Everything Board ($20), the hearty Steak & Egg Chilaquiles ($24) and their signature pink Rosey Cakes ($16). Because you asked, two cocktail staples will be the Discoteca (Grey Goose Strawberry & Lemongrass Vodka, sparkling rosé, strawberry and citrus; $18) and the  Rosa Mimosa (champagne, strawberry and lemon; $12, or $35 for two hours bottomless). Visit RosaSkyRooftop.com.

Queen for a day: Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton will host ABBA/Queen Bingo Brunch on Sunday, which can only get more lively when you factor in the free bottle of bubbly for the ladies with each entree. The party runs from noon to 4 p.m. (brunch starts at noon, bingo at 1 p.m.). Reservations recommended at CrazyUncleMikes.com.

Locals free: NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale celebrates locals on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. during Fort Lauderdale Neighbor Day, with free admission for residents and two-for-one wine in the Museum Cafe. This is your chance to see the exhibits “Glory of the World: Color Field Painting (1950s to 1983)” and “The Daily Act of Art Making” before they close next month. Bring a photo ID or residential utility bill to get the deal. Visit NSUArtMuseum.org.

LOOKING AHEAD

Cassadee is back: Once best known locally as the vocalist for West Palm Beach rock band Hey Monday, then as a Grammy-nominated Nashville country singer, Cassadee Pope comes full circle as her national tour supporting new rock album “Hereditary” comes to South Florida. Pope will perform at iconic West Palm Beach indie-rock club Respectable Street on Wednesday, July 31, on a bill with The Foxies and Natalia  Taylar. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the $18-and-older show cost $20+. Visit Facebook.com/respectablestreet.

Beer games: Garden District Tap Room in downtown West Palm Beach will host the Beer Olympics on Saturday, Oct. 3. Sponsored by 3 Sons Brewing Co., the games will feature teams of four facing off from 6 to 9 p.m. for more than $200 in prizes. Cost is $10 per person, which includes the beer. Register your team in advance at GardenDistrictWPB.com.

Obon Weekend: The popular Obon Weekend will return to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach on Aug. 10-11, the traditional Japanese festival and holiday honoring the spirits of ancestors who make a brief return to visit living relatives. Tickets (while they last) cost $16,  $10 for children (free for museum members). Visit Morikami.org.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

A hybrid of a concert with bits of a traditional musical, “Hundred Days” is a musical memoir telling the story of real-life couple Shaun and Abigail Bengson, who wrote the musical with the book by Sarah Gancher.

While the musical explores the dark edge of love and how we hold onto it, “Hundred Days” is full of wit, lively songs, exuberant performances and a top-notch band with a story clocking in just under 90 minutes. David Arisco’s deft direction is accented by on point musical direction by Dominique Scott.

The Bengsons have one of those love-at-first-sights stories. Within an hour of meeting, they visit a diner where they instantly fall in love, decide to move in together and basically blow up their lives. Abigail moves her stuff out of the apartment she shared with her kind-of fiancé while Shaun has to tell his best friend, who is driving cross country to stay with him. Yet neither Shaun nor Abigail doubt that the have found “their person,” the basis of “Vows,” the first song.

Three weeks later, Shaun and Abigail marry and form a band.

Whirlwind romance aside, both come with baggage that led each to move to New York City. Abigail alludes to her teen years when her family was destroyed by violence and mental illness. She doesn’t go into a lot of detail, and the audience doesn’t need to know more to understand the pain in the songs.

After rear-ending a UPS truck, Shaun ends up in the hospital where the couple is informed that he has only 100 days to live. It’s unclear if this is real or one of Abigail’s nightmares manifested, built from her childhood trauma. The diagnosis also seals what Abigail says at the beginning: “Being alive, means being in grief.”

Regardless, this turn of events makes for an emotionally engaging musical with solid songs about love, the uncertainty of life, fear and making every day count. The Bengsons decide to make every day stretch as if it was a year. They will “memorize moments,” celebrate Halloween in the morning, Christmas in the afternoon, birthdays at night and fit in other holidays and milestones.

Actors Playhouse’s “Hundred Days” is graced by superb performances by Mallory Newbrough as Abigail and Nate Promkul as Shaun. Both actors’ talents have been showcased in numerous South Florida productions. Newbrough has earned two Carbonell Awards and two Silver Palm Awards, along with a few nominations, while Promkul has received a Silver Palm and two Carbonell nominations.

In “Hundred Days,” the far-ranging vocals of Newbrough and Promkul nail the songs that include folk rock, folk punk, ballads, pop and a bit of hip hop. One can hear the love in each of their voices and the grief in Newbrough when she laments what life without Shaun would be like, and if she can handle it. Newbrough is constantly in motion, jumping around the stage, whipping up the musicians and herself with a kinetic spirit.

Newbrough and Promkul also have an undeniable chemistry, making us believe they truly are a couple. Newbrough and Promkul impeccably recreate the story of the real Bengsons, who have performed their musical numerous times, including in 2019 at the Arsht Center in Miami.

Newbrough and Promkul, who also plays acoustic guitar, are supported by Stephen G. Anthony as Reggie on vocals and bass; Jenn Chandler as Colette on vocals and cello; Dennis Fuller as Danny on vocals and drums; Melanie Vitaterna as Barrie on vocals and accordion. These actors-singers make a tight band.

“Hundred Days” benefits from the intimacy of Actors Playhouse’s Balcony Theatre space. The colorful set is the performance space for a band, with scenic and set design by Jodi Dellaventura. Ellis Tillman’s costumes showcase the characters, especially Newbrough’s punk outfit. Eric Nelson’s lighting design and Reidar Sorensen’s sound enhance “Hundred Days.”

The message of “Hundred Days” centered on the power of love and taking a chance on love ends Actors Playhouse’s 36th season on a high note.

A version of this review is published on floridatheateronstage.com.

IF YOU GO

What: “Hundred Days”

When: Through Aug. 4. Performances Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. Running time approximately 90 minutes without an intermission.

Where: Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables

Cost: $40 to $75

Information: 305-444-9293 or www.ActorsPlayhouse.org

It was at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, and she was struck by how many audience members related to the main character — a man who grew up without his father in his life. Now, Rodriguez gets to return to the Broward Center on July 26-27 for the full production of “Seeking,” a new play by Darius V. Daughtry.

“It provided another place of healing and a connection for [the audience]. I was able to see firsthand just from us reading the play to people how much it moved them,” Rodriguez said.

“Seeking” follows the journey of a young musician who receives a large sum of money after the death of his absent father. With his world changing, the musician discovers the type of person he wants to be and whether he can forgive his father. The play is produced by Daughtry’s Art Prevails Project, a South Florida-based performing and literary arts organization.

Rodriguez frequently volunteers and teaches art for Art Prevails, having become involved with the nonprofit group when she auditioned for “Seeking” about three years ago.

“I’ve had such an amazing time working on this show. We are a team of just such kind and brilliant Black artists,” Rodriguez said. “I think that being able to work with Darius [Daughtry] as a playwright and as our director, it really cultivates a space for us to try new things.”

Daughtry, founder and director of Art Prevails, said the play is partially autobiographical and explores how events can impact people differently as they get older. Like Rodriguez, he also recalled that reading in 2022 and how audience members of different backgrounds resonated with the story and characters.

“This show is honest, and sometimes in art or in life, and more so in life, we are not very honest. Even with ourselves, right? Most of the time we’re not honest with ourselves,” Daughtry said. “I think this particular show is all about honesty and about the characters. Maybe they might not have started off honest, but finding moments of honesty with themselves and with each other is one of the appropriate through lines with the entire show.”

Xaire Goodridge, who plays the lead in the local, all-Black cast production, said he was inspired to work on “Seeking” because of his strong relationship with Daughtry and his own resemblance to the main character.

“I’m a musician myself, someone who has strong ties to his mother and his grandmother,” said Goodridge, who has known Daughtry for more than 10 years. “The play revolves around my character and opens up with him working on his music while his family was at his father’s funeral.

“Seeing as how I grew up without my father, it’s been a challenging experience, because there are a lot of different interactions where I have to tap into something that, in the past, I tried to avoid.”

“Seeking” is part of the Broward Center’s Arts for Action: Black Voices program, which uses the arts to amplify diverse voices. Daughtry has previously worked with the Broward Center for its Student Enrichment through the Arts program and Art Prevail’s annual series “The Happening: A Theatrical Mixtape.”

Jan Goodheart, the center’s vice president of external affairs, hopes to continue working with Daughtry and Art Prevails.

“Our work with Darius so far has all been outstanding. Darius produces original work that is thought-provoking, very engaging and always leaves audiences really feeling inspired,” Goodheart said. “He’s a really skillful storyteller and has a great gift for making his stories relatable and relevant to all audiences.”

“Seeking” will have showings at 7 p.m. Friday, July 26, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27. After the evening shows, there will be a reception with beverages and gift bags, as well as a discussion led by Daughtry and the actors.

“‘Seeking’ is about family,” Daughtry added. “It is about the pursuit of one’s dreams. It is about how your past influences and affects your future and your present. It is about relationships.

“It’s about a young man aspiring to be a musician, and all the things that come into play with his pursuit for his dream.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Seeking,” a new play by Darius V. Daughtry

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, July 26; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27

WHERE: Amaturo Theater at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale

COST: $30-$50

INFORMATION: 954-462-0222; browardcenter.org

That’s especially true for James Raymond, the band’s keyboard player and vocalist — and the son of David Crosby.

But for Raymond, the tour’s visit to The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, July 20, resonates, much like his father’s high tenor, with the extra-sweet dynamic of the song that gives the tour its name. For it was here that Crosby found his life-altering muse, his beloved Mayan, a 59-foot schooner that he sailed across the Caribbean, the Panama Canal and the Pacific for nearly 50 years and that graced the cover of the 1977 album, “CSN.”

And it was on the Mayan, docked in the city, that the harmonic magic of the legendary supergroup set sail. There, on a night in 1968, Crosby and Stephen Stills wrote their first song together, the classic “Wooden Ships.”

“There’s so many multipronged connections to South Florida,” says Raymond, who didn’t learn of his famous birth father until he was in his 30s and collaborated with him for decades afterward. “It had a very special place in his heart. He felt very at home there. I could feel that when we would go to South Florida to do gigs. It just brought him back to that really happy time in his life when he was making some really great music.”

At one of those shows, Crosby’s last in Fort Lauderdale in 2019, he spoke about his seminal period in South Florida. As part of the nascent ’60s music scene in Coconut Grove, Crosby met and “discovered” Joni Mitchell before becoming one of the most resounding voices of his generation. Later, while recording in Miami, he met another consequential woman, Jan Dance, a Criterion Studios receptionist who would become his wife of 36 years.

“It was in Lauderdale, just off the Intracoastal, on one of those islands. That’s where ‘Wooden Ships’ was written, right in the main cabin of the boat,” Crosby told the Sun Sentinel before another SoFlo performance, in 2018.

Joining Raymond on the family side of the family-and-friends tribute will also be Neil Young’s half-sister, Astrid Young.

“It’s not your typical tribute act,” says Young, a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter in her own right who will open the show with a solo set before being joined by the tribute band. “Most of these folks were in David Crosby’s touring band. After he passed away [in 2023], they did a memorial show with a few special guests. It went really well and they decided to keep it going.”

Pared down to a semi-acoustic/drumless configuration for the tour’s Florida leg, the band also features Jeff Pevar, Steve Postell, Michelle Willis and Berry Duane Oakley.

“I think we’re really going to be able to present this music in a way that’s not been done before,” says Raymond. “We’re going to stay pretty faithful to the albums. That’s part of the fun of it for us — trying to use those records as a jumping-off point and then just see where we can take it from there.”

As for which of those records will be used, in light of CSNY’s various musical-chairs incarnations, Raymond says: “There are no rules. We’ve got stuff from the Crosby-Nash catalog. We’re talking about doing some solo Crosby stuff and some solo Stills songs. And Astrid is going to be doing some of Neil’s solo stuff.”

Young, however, is the only artist who’ll perform her own material.

“I was really thrilled that they asked me to do that. I played on a lot of Neil’s records and I toured with him for many years and, of course, I knew all the guys since I was a kid,” she says.

And after those many years, Young’s upcoming album features a reciprocal harmonica solo by Neil Young.

“It’s the first time Neil’s played on my stuff. I’ve played on plenty of his, so it was time to pay up,” says Young, who shares the same father as her half-brother.

Though both Young and Raymond have performed extensively with their famous family members, the interplay of genetics presents a fascinating counterpoint to their personal musical journeys.

For example, Raymond, who was adopted after his birth in 1962, started playing piano when he was 6. But it wasn’t until he was an adult that he even learned he’d come from music.

“I grew up not knowing who my biological parents were. When I was 18, my dad took me down to the safe deposit box and showed me all the info that he had. ‘Your birth mother was into the arts and an actress, and your father was a musician.’ And that was kind of it,” he says. “So I think they knew to push me maybe in that direction. They knew they had an artsy kid on their hands.”

As an adult, with the blessing of his adoptive parents, Raymond began searching for his birth parents.

“I saw Crosby’s name on my birth certificate. I was like, no, it can’t be. It’s just another guy with that name. Weirdly, my birth mother [Celia Crawford Ferguson], who hadn’t looked for me in 30 years, was looking for me right then. It was one of those cosmic things. And so we got connected.”

And that’s when Raymond learned he was the child of the man who famously sang “Teach Your Children” — and the man who at that moment in 1994 was about to undergo a liver transplant.

“My parents were telling me, ‘Maybe it would be good for you guys to meet, in case he doesn’t make it through this transplant,’” Raymond says. “Unbeknownst to me, my dad had written a letter to Crosby, and a couple weeks later, Crosby called me.”

They met after Crosby recovered from the operation — on the same day that Raymond’s wife, writer Stacia Raymond, would give birth to their daughter.

“We just hit it off right away,” Raymond says of the first meeting. “And I got to tell him, ‘Oh, by the way, tonight you’re gonna be a grandpa.’ And not long after that, his son Django was born. So we were both new dads together.”

They also made up for lost musical time together, forming the group CPR and playing with each other on tours and albums over the next 30 years.

Young’s kinship with her famous half-brother may be less melodramatic, but there’s a kindred spirit in the rambunctious quality of her music.

“My music doesn’t sound like his, but we think the same way,” says Young. “We’re both of the mind that when the muse speaks to you, you have a responsibility to answer that call.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Our House: The Music Of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young”

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 20

WHERE: The Parker, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale

COST: Starts at $29.50

INFORMATION: 954-462-0222; parkerplayhouse.com

This story was produced by Broward Arts Journalism Alliance (BAJA), an independent journalism program of the Broward County Cultural Division. Visit artscalendar.com for more stories about the arts in South Florida.

By his mid-20s, Larsen had become nationally known as one of the 1990s’ leading playwrights of adults-only gay comedies. His best-known work — “Making Porn,” which featured nude male porn stars — ran 511 performances off-Broadway and was seen worldwide, including in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach.

Now 55, Larsen is the founder and artistic director of Wilton Manors’ nonprofit Plays of Wilton (POW) theater company and helming the musical adaptation of “A Shonda,” a serious love story about a young Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish man and a Southern Baptist cowboy. A shanda (its usual spelling) is Yiddish for a “shame” or “disgrace.”

“They’re deeply in love,” says Larsen. “The play starts with them trying to navigate how they’re going to escape their communities and actually live as a gay couple. But the Hasidic man is married. … He would lose his entire everything. The other man lives in this very redneck, conservative Southern Baptist community. They both have a lot to lose. The Southern Baptist guy has decided that he’s willing to lose it. But the Jewish man cannot make the transition.”

“A Shonda” was written in 2019 by Los Angeles-based playwright Wendy Graf, who gave the OK for Larsen to add songs to her play.

“A year ago, I thought this could be a musical,” says Larsen. “You could have Jewish singing, you could have line dancing, you could have all this imagery.”

South Florida composers and lyricists Bobby Peaco and Dennis Manning (also board president of Plays of Wilton) wrote the songs, and New York City-based Oren Korenblum provided the choreography.

Getting it right

For authenticity, Larsen hired Coral Springs actor Avi Hoffman, president and founder of the Jewish cultural Yiddishkayt Initiative, as a performer and “Jewish consultant.” He plays a Hasidic rabbi in “A Shonda.”

Hoffman, 66, grew up in the Bronx and also in Israel. His father was a Holocaust survivor “who came from a very Orthodox background, but after Auschwitz decided that there was no God,” he says.

Hoffman, who is married to South Florida actor Laura Turnbull, believes “there is an enormous movement within the Orthodox community right now that is shifting and changing …

“And a lot of young people, and older people, not only younger people, are finding that there is another world out there that they didn’t know about really,” he added. “And many of them are coming from the LGBTQ+ community.”

Actor Brandon Campbell, 31, of Miami Lakes, plays Duvid, the Hasidic young man in love with Clay (played by Georgia-based actor Jackson Goad).

“We were childhood friends, Duvid and Clay, the Southern boy,” says Campbell. “It’s really a childhood love story. It’s one of those first-love stories. These two boys have loved each other since they were young, and it never left.”

Campbell isn’t Jewish and says Hoffman has been “an invaluable resource for me for any questions I have, anything that I need to do to just make the authenticity of this character lived in.”

He adds: “That’s really what I try to do as an actor, to make the audience never not believe that I’m not what I’m playing. I am bisexual. Right now, I am in a straight-passing relationship with a girl. I’ve played gay characters, bi characters. And again, it comes down to the authenticity. Love is love.”

Larsen, who became known for writing and directing shows featuring full male nudity and simulated sex scenes, describes “A Shonda” as “family-friendly if you’re comfortable watching two gay men kiss.”

“They don’t kiss a lot, but they do kiss,” he says. “There’s absolutely no nudity. There’s no simulated sex. So, yes, if you’re liberal, you could bring your kids.”

Larsen assures, however, that he’s not abandoning his bawdy past. In August, Plays of Wilton will present the 30th anniversary of his first play, “Scenes From My Love Life,” which he based on his own sex life in the early ’90s.

“It was pre-internet, about phone sex,” he says. “Life before pictures. You’d have to trust that what they described on the phone was going to show up.”

Larsen’s second play, a year later in 1995, was “Making Porn.”

“It was a perfect storm. ‘Making Porn’ hit just when people were really interested in the gay porn industry, and it was pre-internet, so people had never seen a porn star in person,” says Larsen. “And a lot of them had never seen a naked man on stage.”

His early career petered out as gay theater companies began shifting from sexually-oriented programming. Larsen took a 10-year break from the theater and lived in Mexico, where he met and married Melqui Dominguez in 2009.

Discovering Wilton Manors

In 2010, David R. Gordon of Empire Stage theater in Fort Lauderdale presented a sold-out run of “Making Porn.” Larsen was startled to discover nearby Wilton Manors, with its large community of gay men who enjoyed the kind of shows he produced in the 1990s.

Larsen and his husband relocated to Wilton Manors, where he leased a rehearsal space next door to Island City Stage on North Dixie Highway and named it The Foundry.

“The first show we did there was on the cement floor and there were like 20 chairs. And then we added 10 chairs, and 10 more, and then we added another 10. And then we added a wooden floor. And then we expanded the wings. And we moved the light booth.”

During the pandemic, after the for-profit Foundry abruptly shut down, Larsen’s longtime friend and business partner, Caryn Horwitz, a Miami Dade College criminal justice professor, suggested he change his model and create a nonprofit — which led to him founding Plays of Wilton (POW). He reopened The Foundry four months after shuttering.

“My life just keeps changing in Wilton Manors,” Larsen says. “I feel like Wilton Manors — I know this sounds so ‘whatever’ — but I feel like it made me whole. I was able to be a whole person here. Whereas before, I was just like the porn guy who did the sex plays. That’s fine. I embrace that because that’s what I built my career on.

“But it’s been really empowering to be recognized as, ‘Oh, there’s much more to this person than just writing gay sex plays.’”

Awards and Off-Broadway

Since 2022, Plays of Wilton has been nominated for 28 Carbonell Awards, South Florida’s version of the Tony Awards, winning four including the 2023 Howard Kleinberg Award given to Larsen “for contributions to the health and development of the arts in South Florida.”

Larsen says he’s proud to live in a town with “three theaters in one mile” (The Foundry, Island City Stage and Empire Stage) that regularly present LGBTQ programming.

“That is unbelievable. I talk about it all the time,” he says. “They don’t have it in New York. Chicago. London. Nowhere has it.”

Recently, Larsen and POW took one of their productions to Off-Broadway.

“The Actors,” written by and starring Larsen and directed by Stuart Meltzer (producing artistic director of Miami’s Zoetic Stage) ran from April 27 to June 1 at Theatre Row on West 42nd Street in New York City. During that month, about 100 friends from Wilton Manors traveled to New York to see “The Actors,” which had its world premiere in 2022 at The Foundry.

“If you go to the theater, you feel some part of ownership for that theater. It’s literally everyone’s $10. It’s everyone’s this, that and the other that pays for everything that happens there,” says Wilton Manors Commissioner Chris Caputo, who also serves on the POW board. “And so the people that I know that went [to New York], they went feeling like they made this possible.”

Caputo, among those who saw the play in New York, says Larsen constantly promotes Wilton Manors as “a source of awesome theater.”

And Larsen says the people of Wilton Manors always support him, POW and the arts.

“We couldn’t have taken ‘The Actors’ to New York as a commercial production. We did it with underwriting, and people donated to us. We raised $200,000 from this community of people that just wanted to see POW go to New York.”

‘The DeSantis thing’

Larsen says his life is “transformed” daily since becoming part of the Wilton Manors community.

“Even [with] the DeSantis thing. All these people started donating,” he says.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last month vetoed $32 million in arts funding throughout the state, including 50 grants in Broward County totaling $2.5 million. Plays of Wilton was set to receive $20,000, according to Larsen.

“This has been a blessing because it infuriated people so much that donations started pouring in,” says Larsen. “People started calling me to say, ‘This is bulls—. I’m sending you $5,000. I’m sending you $10,000.’ We have had a windfall of donations because of the backlash of Ron DeSantis.”

So far, POW has raised more than $45,000 since the grant cuts.

“And more is coming in,” says Larsen. “It’s like, ‘You are not going to cut the arts in Wilton Manors.’ They will not allow it. … That is the story. Wilton Manors is the story. That the gay men and the community of South Florida are supporting the arts. They love theater. That’s the story.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Plays of Wilton presents “A Shonda,” produced and directed by Ronnie Larsen

WHEN: Through Sunday, Sept. 1

WHERE: The Foundry, 2306 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors.

COST: $27.50-$53.50

INFORMATION: 954-826-8790; playsofwilton.com

This story was produced by Broward Arts Journalism Alliance (BAJA), an independent journalism program of the Broward County Cultural Division. Visit ArtsCalendar.com for more stories about the arts in South Florida.

“We call to our governor because the arts are good for all of us, and it’s time to champion the cause,” said United Arts of Central Florida CEO Jennifer Evins, one of the community leaders, performers and arts advocates who spoke at a Thursday event celebrating World Fringe Day.

The governor vetoed $32 million in grants approved by the Legislature for more than 600 cultural groups statewide when he signed the budget in June. At a subsequent press conference, he blamed the Fringe, which he termed “a sexual festival,” as a reason for his veto — which eliminated funding for everything from orchestras to science centers, film festivals to ballet companies.

DeSantis says he vetoed state arts grants over ‘sexual’ Fringe Festivals

The veto caught arts organizations off guard as it marked the first time that Florida’s cultural organizations received no funding through the grants process administered by the state Division of Arts & Culture.

The Orlando and Tampa Fringes, which run annual multiday festivals of short plays, concerts, comedy acts, magic shows and other entertainment, made their proposal to DeSantis through an open letter and media event on July 11, designated World Fringe Day since 2017.

“Today I stand before you with a fire in my heart and unyielding resolve, not as a state legislator but as a person who is part of a community that is under attack,” said Lavon Bracy Davis, a Democrat member of the state House of Representatives who has served on the Florida Council of Arts and Culture. “Cutting arts funding is not just a financial decision; it is a cultural and economic misstep. It is an attack on the community that drives the economic engine that is Florida.”

“I’m fired up, y’all, I’m fired up,” said longtime Fringe artist Chase Padgett, who also performed at Thursday morning’s event.

Established in 1992, Orlando’s fest “is the longest-running and largest Fringe Festival in the United States, infusing Central Florida with vibrant arts, energy, inspiration and culture — a remarkable achievement we should all celebrate and be proud of,” said producer Tempestt Halstead.

Governor, rethink arts funding, Fringe leaders urge | Commentary

As part of their funding challenge, Fringe leaders also invited the governor, his family and his aides to a future festival, while requesting a meeting with him this fall to further discuss the nature of Fringe.

It’s not likely the offer to return the vetoed grant money so other groups can receive funding will be accepted; there’s no real precedent for a governor to undo his veto once he has signed the budget. And while the Legislature could override the veto — it would have to be called back from summer break for a special session, with two-thirds of legislators approving the change.

Sex? Grandstanding? Arts leaders, experts examine why DeSantis cut funds — and prep for future

Even if the idea comes to nothing, speakers at Thursday’s World Fringe Day event indicated it serves as a way to open dialogue with DeSantis.

“We hope we can build bridges with the governor through this unselfish action,” said Evins, who pointed out his veto affected 89 organizations in Central Florida alone.

The governor’s press office did not directly comment on the Fringe’s offer or invitation when questioned by the Orlando Sentinel, instead providing a video link to the June press conference in which DeSantis first referenced the Fringe.

“We didn’t have control over how it was being given,” DeSantis said at the time of the arts grant funding he vetoed. “So you’d have your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff.”

At Thursday’s event, former Orlando Fringe Festival producer and current board member Michael Marinaccio humorously referenced the governor’s comments while making a serious point.

“Even for me, a ‘Fringe Festival’ is a hard thing to define,” Marinaccio said. “Each one is different, and every show is new, and every experience is unique. So, I can understand and forgive the governor’s ignorance in trying to describe it. And while I’m not sure where the ‘like a sexual festival’ came from, I will concede that it’s a place where we are ‘doing all this stuff.’”

Some speakers pointed out the unfairness of penalizing arts organizations statewide if the governor objected to perceived adult content at Fringe festivals.

“The Fringe has shown me that you can create wonder and amazement without a lot of money or big sets or special effects — similar to what some of the 600 programs who will lose funding will have to go through,” said Tymisha Harris, star of “Josephine,” a musical about the legendary Josephine Baker that started at Fringe festivals and later had an off-Broadway run in New York City.

Thursday’s event and corresponding letter was also a chance to educate the public on what Fringe is, leaders said.

The open letter points out that the Fringe uses a lottery system to determine what performances are offered, so there’s no guarantee a show with adult content will even be part of the festival. And although the festival is uncensored, it is not unlawful.

“While a fraction of the work at our festivals could be ‘adults only,’ we and the artists operate within the law, including decency requirements,” Halstead read from the letter.

The letter also stresses that taxpayer money does not support any performance, adult or otherwise; performers pay their own expenses to be in the festival, and the money they earn comes solely from ticket sales from their audiences.

Taxpayer dollars, such as those received through the state grants, “help with office expenses, ADA accommodations, and staff salaries (i.e., taxpaying Floridians),” the letter notes.

Speakers stressed what the festivals give back to the community: Money to the artists, jobs to technicians and others who help stage the fests, and a boost to local businesses as that money flows into the local economy.

“You would think a governor who bills himself as a friend of small business would understand that this is more than an arts festival for patrons,” said Padgett. “It is a startup accelerator for artists like myself. And when you do not fund an organization like Orlando Fringe, you ensure that the seeds of tomorrow’s creators never sprout.”

Padgett — best known for his award-winning “6 Guitars,” which debuted at Orlando Fringe, has toured extensively and will return to Orlando with January performances at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts — issued his own cheeky challenge to DeSantis.

“Come to ‘6 Guitars’ and I’ll make you a promise,” he said. “If you get aroused at any moment, I will give you your money back and ensure you get the medical help you so clearly deserve.”

Many speakers emphasized the intangible community building provided by festivals such as the Fringe, which also offers free concerts, food and drink, a visual art gallery and a popular free program of children’s activities.

“We too often let divisive voices separate us, and art brings us back together,” said Cole NeSmith, founder of Orlando’s Creative City Project.

“Fringe Festivals are largely a reflection of the communities they serve and support,” Marinaccio said. “They are places where the fundamental values of fairness, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression are honored and protected.”

And others said the artistic spirit would triumph over political maneuvers.

“Friends, we are living in perilous times where a culture war is the flavor of the day, and the arts have become politicized and partisan,” said Bracy Davis, who questioned why DeSantis would ignore the work done by the panels who evaluate the arts grants and the Legislature, which voted to partially fund them.

Yet she sounded a hopeful note as she paid tribute to the tenacity of artists.

“We still have a mission and a purpose,” said Bracy Davis. “We must push past this dark moment and do what we are called to do.”

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news at OrlandoSentinel.com/entertainment.

FRIDAY

Weekend laughs: Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias will be at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood this weekend for three shows that will be filmed for an upcoming Netflix special. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets start at $70+ on Sunday. Seats on Friday and Saturday are nearly gone. Visit Ticketmaster.com. … Meanwhile, comedian Alfred Robles, a frequent opener for Iglesias, will perform on the Palm Beach Improv stage at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $27.50+ at Kravis.org.

Night of the living Dead: The Symphonia chamber orchestra in Boca Raton (celebrating its 20th anniversary this month) and longtime local Grateful Dead admirers Crazy Fingers will join forces to celebrate the improvisational adventures of Jerry Garcia and his band of brothers at Mizner Park Amphitheater on Friday at 8 p.m. Part of Boca Raton’s Summer in the City series, admission to the one-night-only event is free. Visit MiznerAmp.com or  TheSymphonia.org.

“Lear” for nothing: This is opening weekend for the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival‘s free Shakespeare by the Sea XXXIV performances of “King Lear” at the Seabreeze Amphitheater at Carlin Park in Jupiter. The 8 p.m. performances are Friday through Sunday, and July 18 to 21. The company also will have Shakespeare by the Palms IV performances of “King Lear” from July 25 to 28 at the Commons Park Amphitheater at Commons Park in Royal Palm Beach. Admission to all performances is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Visit PBShakespeare.org.

Country Cats: The Florida Panthers’ Baptist Health IcePlex in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park will host Country Night on Friday, with skating to country hits from 7 to 9 p.m. Western wear encouraged. Price to skate: $17. Pre-registration required at FTLWarMemorial.com. … Meanwhile, on the other side of the Holiday Park pickleball courts, The Andrew Morris Band will be playing country hits during the free Starlight Musicals series. The music runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday. Visit Parks.FortLauderdale.gov/starlight.

Yachty by nature: Buzzy taqueria COYO Taco in downtown Fort Lauderdale (401 E. Las Olas Blvd., Suite 150) will host Yacht Rock Night on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., with smooth jams from DJ Avg Joe, extended happy hour specials and $5 margaritas all night. Guests are encouraged to dress the part. (Ask your dad about Thurston Howell III.) Visit Coyo-Taco.com or Eventbrite.com.

Summer lovin’: The Movies by Moonlight series on the lawn at Las Olas Oceanside Park returns to Fort Lauderdale beach on Friday with a free screening of “Grease” beginning at 8:15 p.m. Movie snacks and drinks will be available to purchase onsite, but visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic, blankets and lawn chairs. Visit Facebook.com/theloopflb.

New laughs: Riverwalk SoFlo Comedy Club is an intimate new spot for laughs, putting on every-Friday shows at the lovely Masa & More restaurant in downtown Fort Lauderdale (510 SE Fifth Ave., Suite 129). With host Brett Engle leading a lineup of local comedians, performances run from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets cost $25+. Visit Eventbrite.com. 

It’s Fry Day: All four South Florida locations of World of Beer Bar & Kitchen will celebrate National French Fry Day on Friday (yes) with a contest to see who can eat 2 pounds of fries the fastest. Also celebrating its 14th anniversary this weekend, the restaurant in Coconut Creek will award $100 cash to the winner, a $50 gift card for second place and 10 raffle tickets for third. Participation is limited, and you can sign up at  Facebook.com/wobcoconutcreek. Also hosting contests with similar prizes are WOB locations in Royal Palm Beach, Miramar and Doral. Visit WorldOfBeer.com.

SATURDAY

‘Office’ trivia: Yes, the largest-ever reunion of cast and crew from popular TV show “The Office” will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Miami Airport Convention Center. The weekend will include the first fan-convention reunion of characters Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey), meet-and-greets, Q&As, unique interactive photo opportunities and special merch for sale. General admission for the event, called The Reunion, is $79.95+ for Saturday, $49.95+ for Sunday and $119.95+ for both days. Guests age 6 and younger get in free. Visit ReunionCon.com. To get you in the mood, here are two trivia questions we got from “The Office” stars Kinsey and Kate Flannery (Meredith Palmer). Kate: “What happened to Meredith’s daughter?” Angela: “What is the name of the receptionist at Vance Refrigeration that Phyllis doesn’t trust?” Answers at the bottom of this article. 

Where to meat: Boca Burger Battle 2024 is back on Sanborn Square Park in downtown Boca Raton on Saturday with its popular backyard-grilling vibe and unlimited noshing and sloshing. Returning to the competition this year are past winners Burtons Grill and Bar, Yard House and Tucker Duke’s. Among the new contenders will be PZZA in Boca Raton, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar in Boca Raton, Sonrisa restaurant at Marriott Boca Center and, from Rio de Janeiro, Sem Frescura Burger & Fries. Boca Burger Battle takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. General-admission tickets cost $69+ in advance (then $100), VIP is  $89+ in advance (then $125+). Both tickets get you unlimited burger samples and other bites, as well as unlimited beer, wine and spirits. VIP tickets include 6 p.m. admission, while GA is at 7 p.m. Perhaps not incidental to your enjoyment, locals Barrel of Monks Brewing will lead the beverages, with help from Funky Buddha Brewery, Pompano Beach Brewing Co. and others. Also for your enjoyment, new this year is a system of high-tech fans placed around the event to lower the temperature and humidity. Visit BocaBurgerBattle.com.

Mango guide: The Mango Festival returns to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami this weekend, a beloved annual showcase for hundreds of varieties of the “king fruit.”  Taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, it will include fruit vendors, cooking demonstrations, live music and family-friendly games. Insiders know to get there promptly to buy Fairchild-grown mangoes and trees, as well as the famed mango smoothies ($8 each, two for $14, and $16 for a spirit-infused smoothie). You’ll also find mango cocktails and mango craft beer from La Tropical. Tickets are $24.95+, $17.95+ for seniors, $11.95+ for kids (age 6-17), free for guests age 5 and younger. Visit FairchildGarden.org.

Yes, mango pizza: To the north, Chef Daniel Ramos of Red Splendor Farm and Palm Beach Meats in West Palm Beach will celebrate the season’s bounty with their own Mango Festival at PBM on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature a variety of farm-grown mangoes to taste and to purchase, a mango menu that includes mango pizza (courtesy of Stepdad’s Pizza), Burmese curry with green mango slaw (Ahmay’s Cuisine), mango pie (Miss Marsha’s) and more. Visit Instagram.com/redsplendorfarm and Instagram.com/palmbeachmeats.

Free jams: The free Concerts at the ArtsPark series in downtown Hollywood will bring popular roots-reggae band Jah Steve & the Counteract Crew to the lawn at Young Circle on Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. Get there in time to catch the openers, funky instrumentalists TWYN (highly recommended). You can bring a picnic, but this also may be a good time to check out Block 40 Food Hall, which has 10 eateries and a large bar just across the street. The attractive 15,000-square-foot space is on the ground floor of the 1818 Park residential tower, in the southwest “corner” of Young Circle. Visit Instagram.com/hollywoodartspark.

Weekend pie: Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop locations in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Wynwood and Coconut Grove will recognize the 10th anniversary of his first brick-and-mortar location (Wynwood) with a weekend celebration that includes slices of chocolate-dipped Key lime pie on a stick for $5. The signature treat, a throwback to Fireman Derek’s food truck days, will be available Saturday and Sunday (open noon-11 p.m. each day), while supplies last. At the Wynwood shop, festivities also will include a new mural on the building by artist Carlos Solano, with signed prints of the work ($30) raising money for local arts organizations. Each purchase of a mural print also will come with a free Fireman Derek’s Birthday Box of treats. Visit FiremanDereks.com.

Lavender haze: Miami-based Lite Up America, which has choreographed laser shows for Ultra Music Festival, III Points and Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, will shine its lights on a Taylor Swift soundtrack at Savor Cinema in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Saturday (the 13th, as her fans know). There will be two shows at 7 and 9 p.m., each featuring more than a dozen music videos from Swift’s various eras, with lasers and Lite Up America’s signature Liquid Sky, a glowing layer of color flowing over your head. Tickets cost $39+, $49+ at the door. Visit Facebook.com/LiteUpAmerica.

Seeing red: The Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, brings The Best of All Worlds Tour to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Saturday at 7 p.m., with special guests Loverboy. Tickets start at $38.05+ as part of a four-pack. Visit LiveNation.com.

Saturday comedy: Longtime writer and performer on the “Comedy Central Roast” series, Tony Hinchcliffe brings the barbed wit heard on his “Kill Tony” podcast to The Parker in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $39.75+ at ParkerPlayhouse.com.

Home boy: Acclaimed Wilton Manors blues guitarist Albert Castiglia and his band will be at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Saturday to celebrate his new album, “Righteous Souls,” scheduled for release on July 19. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show start at $20+ for standing room at FunkyBiscuit.com. For more on the album, visit Facebook.com/albertcastigliaband.

SUNDAY

Dare ya: DAER dayclub at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood will host a Copa America watch party by the pool on Sunday beginning at 4 p.m. The music will be by DJ Pope, longtime sideman for Colombian star J. Balvin, so you might want to leave your Messi jersey at home. Tickets cost $30+. Visit HardRockNightlife.com.

Sisters with voices: You’ve seen Bravo’s TV series “The Queens of R&B” — now witness the real thing. R&B groups Xscape and SWV bring the tour that shares its name with the 2023 TV show to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Sunday at 7 p.m. Other 1990s female hitmakers on the bill include Mya, 702 and Total. Tickets start at $41.30+ LiveNation.com.

It’s always Sunny: Sunny Side Up Market’s OG event in the MASS District in downtown Fort Lauderdale (844 NE Fourth Ave.) has been bringing the fruits of farmers and artisans together for five years. It returns on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with more than 40 vendors, food trucks, live music and more. You can pre-game at 11 a.m. with an hour of yoga and mimosas across the street under the trees at The Parker (BYO mat). Visit Instagram.com/sunnysideupmarket.

‘Office’ trivia answers

What happened to Meredith’s daughter? Kate Flannery: “It was mentioned that she had a daughter in ‘The Alliance’ episode, the one where Michael throws Meredith a birthday party even though it’s not her birthday. We did a webisode where Meredith explains that her ex-husband got her daughter, the nice one, and she got stuck with the son.”

What is the name of the receptionist at Vance Refrigeration that Phyllis doesn’t trust? Angela Kinsey: “I was just rewatching the (“Cafe Disco”) episode where Phyllis is not happy with Bob Vance’s new receptionist. It’s Jessica.”

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.

DeSantis pointed to one program put on by one grant recipient, a “fringe festival,” which was in line to receive $7,369 in state matching money as the reason he vetoed $32 million of arts and culture money for organizations throughout the state.

Speaking Thursday, DeSantis said there was insufficient oversight and control of the state money that had been going to such organizations. All the grants he vetoed had been screened and vetted by a panel that included people he appointed and also approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature.

“Well, if you look at, so this is money that would go and we didn’t have control over how it was being given. So you have your tax dollars being given in grants to things like the Fringe Festival, which is like a sexual festival where they’re doing all this stuff,” DeSantis said.

“And it’s like how many of you think your tax dollars should go to fund that? Not very many people would do that. And so when I see money being spent that way, I have to be the one to stand up for taxpayers and say, ‘You know what, that is an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars.’”

He didn’t provide specifics.

In response to a request for details, DeSantis’s deputy press secretary forwarded an image and description of one production at the Tampa International Fringe Festival. Tampa Fringe was in line for $7,369 of the $32 million in state grant money DeSantis vetoed.

This is the description:

“Tampa’s favorite wacky playwright Christen Hailey births another hilariously sexy mystery, featuring characters and locales from the Perilousverse: Captain Havoc returns to Cockroach Bay after years of service flying the Jizz Jet for the Secret Queen of Tampa. But there’s no rest for the wicked when a greedy developer wants to tear down the whole town and build a super kinky swinging senior center.

“Will Captain Havoc and the Big-Titty Bog Witches save the day? FAFO!”

Tampa Fringe, describes itself as a 10-day festival that includes a range of performances, from someone ranting about the rising price of gas to a new musical to a gospel soloist.

The Tampa Fringe website indicated there were two performances of the show that offended DeSantis, on June 15 and 16, at a 40-seat theater. Tickets cost $13 each.

Arts Council

DeSantis commented in response to a question at a news conference in Auburndale after he announced some state transportation funding. At the same time, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture was meeting via video  conference.

The 15-member council is made up of members appointed by DeSantis and the Senate president and House speaker, both Republicans.

The Council is in charge of the extensive vetting of grant applications and recommended to the Legislature all of the recipients of grants that ultimately were vetoed. The House and Senate then reduced the recommended amounts and included them in the state budget.

Council members said the screening process is lengthy; organizations around the state recently submitted their proposals for funding in the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2025.

DeSantis’ comments indicated dissatisfaction with the Council’s performance, based on how the money is spent. He said he wants changes.

“The Legislature needs to reevaluate how that’s being done. You know, we don’t need to say that somebody that’s working hard is paying taxes. I can go to you and say, hey, we’ve got a very small budget compared to our state’s population. We have a low tax burden all this. But this transportation, these, these roads are important. I can sell that. Education is important. I can sell that. Preserving our natural resources is important. I can sell that. I can’t sell the Fringe Festival to taxpayers. Nor would I want to try to sell the Fringe Festival to taxpayers.”

At the Council meeting, DeSantis appointee Carroll Hanley Goggin, of Winter Park, said she’s been contacted by many people wanting to know what happened and why. She said the applications were vetted extensively and recipients are required to provide metrics showing the results of the government spending.

“I’m a little frustrated. I know we need to look forward,” she said, adding that she was both “surprised” and “a little baffled by (the veto), and would like to know a little bit more myself as well.”

Sandra Mortham, a former state representative and former Florida Secretary of State, told fellow Arts and Culture Council members “obviously the governor felt strongly about this.”

Lisa Burgess, another DeSantis-appointed member of the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, disagreed with his decision in a weekend interview with WPLG-Ch. 10.

“I’d like to state that while I’m a supporter of Governor DeSantis and I voted for him, and I do think he’s doing a great job with the state, nobody gets it right 100% of the time, and I do think he got this decision wrong,” Burgess said. “We were shocked that the funding was cut so drastically.”

Burgess, the owner of New River Fine Art, a gallery on Las Olas Boulevard, could not be reached this week by phone or email, and did not appear to be participating in Thursday’s council meeting.

DeSantis appointed Burgess to the Council on Arts and Culture in 2020. On June 7, DeSantis announced he was reappointing her for a second term.

Veto surprise

DeSantis vetoed the money on June 12 — just 20 days before the July 1 start of the state’s fiscal year when the organizations believed their grants would start flowing.

The elimination of the $32 million in arts and culture grants was part of the $949.6 million he vetoed from the $116.5 billion state budget for the new fiscal year. He cut just enough to bring the total of the new budget below the level of the current year’s projected spending.

DeSantis boasted about keeping spending flat, and what he projected as $17 billion in state reserves.

David Jobin, president and CEO of The Our Fund Foundation, said the state’s healthy reserves shows the arts and culture veto was unnecessary.

“The money’s there. This is not a poor state,” he said.

The state Legislature passed the budget continuing the arts and culture money on March 8; affected organizations said they didn’t expect the veto that came three months later.

“Clearly this took us by surprise. We had no sort of forewarning that this was going to happen,” said David Lawrence, president and CEO of the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

Phillip Dunlap, director of the Broward County Cultural Division, said via email that the state reduction “was a surprise and is without precedent.”

Community response

The Our Fund Foundation is raising money for eight South Florida groups that are largely LGBTQ oriented with the goal of making them whole by giving them the same amount they would have received from the state.

Jobin said Our Fund Foundation decided soon after the veto was announced that the LGBTQ community should take collective action.

“We’re tapping people in South Florida who have an appreciation for the arts to, frankly, make his action null and void,” Jobin said. “We’re going to fill that gap for LGBTQ organizations, and they’re not going to suffer from this act.”

Our Fund is asking for contributions to support the lost state grant money that would have gone to ArtsUnited, Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida; Island City Stage; Plays of Wilton; South Florida Pride Concert Band; Stonewall National Museum, Library & Archives; Thinking Cap Theatre; and the World AIDS Museum.

Each would have received from $5,687 to $42,300.

Jobin said the $170,500 goal would cover the vetoed total for the eight organizations. Our Fund set a July 31 deadline; eight days after it first put out the word about the effort, Jobin said more than half the desired total had been raised.

“We’re an LGBTQ community foundation” with a mission “to make South Florida the most livable and thriving place in the country for LGBTQ people,” Jobin said. “When we say thriving, South Florida has the most vibrant LGBTQ arts scene in the country. There’s no city in the country — not New York, not San Francisco — that has the same number of LGBTQ theaters, that has the same number of LGBTQ music and chorus groups,” Jobin said.

Jobin said philanthropic organizations shouldn’t have to make up for cuts in state funding. “This is a unique situation because the agencies were told the money was coming,” he said. “These dollars were put into their budgets.”

Many arts organizations, from big-name brands to small theater and choral groups, have been emailing ticket buyers and financial supporters asking them to take a range of actions, from buying season tickets to increasing their contributions.

Dunlap said he’s seen efforts by individual organizations attempting to raise money, but said he’s unaware of any other broader efforts like the one from Our Fund Foundation.

Going forward

Many in the arts world said they want to focus on attempting to get grant funding included in the next state budget, for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2025. State Rep. Chip LaMarca, the only Republican state legislator from Broward County, said in a recent interview he would support that objective.

Mortham, one of the Council members, urged people to look to the future “as opposed to necessarily looking backwards.”

“We’re calling for a measured response. As devastating as the news is, I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that the Legislature approved funding. And this was an action that took place in an election year,” Lawrence said. “And the arts are often a political football, and it seems that we have landed in this space again here.”

Lawrence said that the initial response from his and other arts and cultural organizations is to concentrate on positive messages to show why funding should come in future state budgets. He said that includes telling people — and lawmakers — that arts are important to the economy, to education, community revitalization and tourism. “These are the messages that we’ll be lifting up as we move forward.”

“Unfortunately we got caught up in election-year politics, I believe. So our task will be to reengage with those legislators, make sure they understand the impact of these cuts, and reinforce with them the importance of arts and culture moving forward,” Lawrence said.

Political heat

The arts and culture veto has received support on social media. Anonymous posts have applauded the cuts, especially to LGBTQ-related organizations.

“Over 40 publicly funded art and cultural centers in Broward today, but one lousy gun range.

And the left is blowing a gasket over less funding for the arts? We built and maintained the buildings … you fill them up,” one post said.

Another objected to funding for the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble, which rebranded last year as the Pride Concert Band. “The GOP way in the rest of the country is to win elections, then fund your opponents. Not in Florida. They can get their funding from donors, not me.”

One person wrote that supporters of the pride band are “more than welcome to fund it” themselves.

Jobin faulted DeSantis, who he said ignores the economic impact of spending on arts, and who he said is politically motivated.

“It’s short-sighted. But what do we expect from a politician who wasted $168 million to finish nearly dead last in the primary? This is what we expect from him,” Jobin said.

Jobin was referring to DeSantis’s ill-fated candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination and suggested the veto was part of a strategy appeal to GOP voters for another attempt in 2028.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon.

Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed cultural and museum grants and money from the cultural facilities program from the state budget.

The Florida Cultural Alliance, which includes many state art and cultural organizations, provided the name and the amount of money that was cut for each entity. Most were in cultural and museum grants. Those marked with an asterisk * were from the facilities program.

Broward County

All Florida Youth Orchestra, $68,690

ArtServe, $49,350

ArtsUnited, $5,687

Bonnet House, $70,500

Brazilian Voices, $7,050

Broward County, $70,500

Broward Performing Arts Foundation (the foundation of the Broward Center), $70,500

City of Miramar, $70,500

City of Oakland Park, $70,500

City of Pembroke Pines, $70,500

City of Pompano Beach, $70,500

Coral Springs Festival of the Arts, $11,398

Coral Springs Museum of Art, $42,300

Davie School Foundation, $30,918

Deerfield Beach Historical Society, $18,294

Flamingo Gardens, $70,500

Florida Singing Sons, $18,800

Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, $44,281

Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, $42,300

Gold Coast Jazz Society, $35,720

Grace Arts Center, $19,540

Hollywood Art and Culture Center, $61,100

Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, $70,500

Island City Stage, $36,727

Island Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education, $18,800

Lovewell Institute for the Creative Arts, $23,444

Master Chorale of South Florida, $31,932

Museum of Discovery and Science, $70,500

New City Players, $10,721

Nova Southeastern University, $70,500

Performing Arts Center Authority (Broward Center) $70,500

Plays of Wilton, $11,750

Sample-McDougald House Preservation Society, $18,800

Slow Burn Theatre Company, $70,500

South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble,  $11,750

South Florida Symphony Orchestra, $70,500

Stonewall Library & Archives, $42,300

Symphony of the Americas, $51,700

The Broward County Film Society, $66,038

The Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theatre, $42,300

The Girlchoir of South Florida, $18,800

The Heartbeat Foundation, $18,800

The Stranahan House, $25,818

Thinking Cap Theatre, $11,750

Volta Music Foundation, $10,340

Women in Music Ayo, $11,750

World AIDS Museum, $20,559

Yiddishkayt Initiative, $20,665

Young At Art of Broward, $70,500

Museum of Discovery and Science, $500,000*

Miami-Dade County

4Ward Miami, $23,500

Across Missions, $18,800

Actors’ Playhouse Productions, $70,500

Adrienne Arsht Center Trust, $70,500

Alhambra Music, $14,600

American Children’s Orchestras for Peace, $23,556

Arca Images, $18,800

Area Performance Gallery, $70,500

Armour Dance Theatre, $70,500

Artefactus Cultural Project, $11,750

Artists in Residence in Everglades, $19,887

Arts & Business Council of Miami, $40,022

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, $42,300

Arts for Learning/Miami, $70,500

ArtSouth, $14,694

Bakehouse Art Complex, $45,731

Ballet Flamenco La Rosa, $21,103

Bas Fisher Invitational, $15,510

Bascomb Memorial Broadcasting Foundation, $49,644

CaFA-Third Horizon, $11,750

Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education, $70,500

Centro Cultural Español de Cooperación Iberoamericana, $39,010

Chopin Foundation of the United States, $23,500

City of Homestead, $70,500

City Theatre, $42,300

Civic Chorale of Greater Miami, $12,094

Conecta: Miami Arts, $11,750

Contemporary Arts Foundation, $70,500

Coral Gables Cinemateque, $47,769

Coral Gables Museum, $42,300

Creation Art Center, $14,100

Cuatrogatos Foundation, $11,750

Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, $18,800

Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami, $23,265

Doral Contemporary Art Museum, $9,620

Edge Zones, $18,800

El Ingenio, $17,680

Fantasy Theatre Factory, $59,664

Fire Haus Projects, $10,810

Florida Film Institute, $24,852

Florida Grand Opera, $70,500

Florida International University Foundation, $42,300

Friends of South Florida Music, $11,750

Friends of the Bass Museum, $70,500

Fundarte, $42,300

Gablestage, $70,500

Global Arts Project, $7,050

Gold Coast Railroad Museum, $28,200

Greater Miami Youth Symphony of Dade County, $42,300

Guitars Over Guns Organization, $70,500

Historical Association of Southern Florida, $70,500

Holocaust Memorial Committee, $47,000

IFCM, $41,795

IlluminArts, $18,800

Institute of Contemporary Art, $70,500

Jorge M. Pérez Art Museum, $70,500

Karen Peterson and Dancers, $16,450

Koubeck, $30,994

Les Ailes Du Desir Foundation, $35,250

Live Arts Miami, $42,935

Living Arts Trust, $52,945

Locust Projects, $58,006

Main Street Players, $11,750

Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, $35,462

Mexican American Council, $11,750

Miami Beach Garden Conservancy, $42,300

Miami Book Fair, $55,263

Miami Chamber Music Society, $23,583

Miami Children’s Museum, $70,500

Miami City Ballet, $70,500

Miami Dade College, $70,500

Miami Dade College, $70,500

Miami Dance Project, $47,000

Miami Design Preservation League, $70,500

Miami Light Project, $42,300

Miami Music Festival, $54,130

Miami Music Project, $70,500

Miami New Drama, $70,500

Miami Short Film Festival, $13,630

Miami Theater Center, $42,300

Miami-Dade County, $70,500

Miami-Dade County Auditorium, $70,500

Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center, $25,380

Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas, $18,800

Museum of Contemporary Art, $70,500

Musicall, $42,300

Name Publications, $11,750

National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, $70,500

New World Symphony, $70,500

North Bay Village, $11,750

Nu Deco Ensemble, $70,500

O, Miami, $42,300

Olympia Center, $33,605

Orchestra Miami, $34,866

Patrons of Exceptional Artists, $21,025

Peter London Global Dance Company, $8,800

Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, $70,500

Pioneer Winter Collective, $21,051

Primer Acto Florida Foundation, $11,750

Prizm Projects, $35,250

Rise Kern Cultural Productions, $18,800

Sanctuary of the Arts, $11,750

Seraphic Fire, $70,500

South Florida Art Center, $70,500

South Florida Youth Symphony, $22,184

The Children’s Voice Chorus, $18,800

The Cove/Rincon, $3,892

The Dance Now! Ensemble, $25,457

The Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center, $70,415

The Florida International University, $70,500

The Fountainhead Residency, $46,530

The M Ensemble Company, $18,800

The Miami Symphony Orchestra/Orquesta Sinfonica De Miami, $48,097

The Murray Dranoff Foundation, $28,200

The Opera Atelier, $18,800

The Rhythm Foundation, $70,500

The Roxy Theatre Group, $37,600

TL Tango Lovers Organization, $18,800

Town of Surfside, $11,750

Troop of Actors, $8,460

University of Miami, $35,250

Urgent, $11,750

Village of Pinecrest, $70,500

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, $70,500

Women Photographers International Archive, $11,750

Young Musicians Unite, $70,500

Zoetic Stage, $42,300

Zoo Miami Foundation, $70,500

Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, $500,000*

Adrienne Arscht Center, $500,000*

Miami Design Preservation League, $270,892*

Palm Beach County

Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center, $60,865

Adoph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center, $500,000*

Aequalis, $18,800

Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, $51,724

Ballet Palm Beach, $23,500

Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts, $42,300

Boca Ballet Theatre Company, $58,750

Boca Raton Historical Society, $42,300

Boca Raton Museum of Art, $70,500

Boca Raton Philharmonic Symphonia, $42,300

Boynton Cultural Centre, $37,835

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, $70,500

Center for Creative Education, $70,500

Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park, $11,750

City of Riviera Beach, $70,500

Cox Science Center and Aquarium, $70,500

Creative City Collaborative of Delray Beach (Arts Garage), $70,500

Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, $70,500

Digital Vibez, $16,450

Palm Beach State College, $70,500

Florida Atlantic University, $29,140

Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden, $70,423

Historical Society of Palm Beach County, $57,270

Lake Worth Cultural Renaissance Foundation, $5,640

Lighthouse ArtCenter, $70,500

Loggerhead Marinelife Center, $70,500

Loxahatchee River Historical Society, $70,500

Lynn Conservatory of Music, $70,500

Maltz Jupiter Theatre, $70,500

Memory Trees, $11,750

Norton Museum of Art, $70,500

Palm Beach Dramaworks, $70,500

Palm Beach Opera, $70,500

Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival, $9,400

Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, $70,500

Resource Depot, $11,750

School of the Arts Foundation, $70,280

Society for Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing America, $9,494

Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, $27,244

Sunfest of Palm Beach County, $70,500

The Armory Art Center, $ 70,500

The Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, $2,300

The Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, $70,500

The Lake Worth Playhouse, $60,364

The Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches, $6,359

The Morikami, $70,500

The Palm Beach Symphony Society, $70,500

The Zoological Society of the Palm Beaches, $70,500

Village of Royal Palm Beach, $70,500

Village of Wellington, $ 70,500

Young Singers of the Palm Beaches, $42,300

DeSantis used his veto authority to eliminate $32 million that would have gone to large and small organizations throughout the state. The money was appropriated months ago by the Florida Legislature, and recipients expected it would begin flowing in coming weeks.

“It was a shocker. It was a stunner,” said Marjorie Waldo, president and CEO of Arts Garage, the Delray Beach venue that offers live music, theater, comedy, visual arts and more.

“Something like this could literally be the death knell for some organizations, and succeed in doing what COVID could not,” Steven Haines, executive director of the Symphony of the Americas, whose organization’s 37th season begins this fall at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. “We don’t want to sound alarmist, but yet it’s an alarming situation.”

And Phillip Dunlap, director of the Broward County Cultural Division, and Janet Erlick, chair of the county Cultural Council, wrote on a county-run arts website that the art and culture community “took a serious gut punch” when DeSantis vetoed the money.

Eliminated were:

— 50 grants to Broward entities that collectively would have received $2.5 million.

— 51 grants totaling $3.1 million for organizations in Palm Beach County.

— 123 grants totaling $6.5 million for Miami-Dade County groups.

The funding in question amounted to small change for state government — a small fraction of 1% of the $116.5 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The reasoning behind DeSantis’s decision on the arts and culture spending wasn’t clear; the governor’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment.

State Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, said he didn’t know the rationale behind the veto, and he had no indication the arts and culture money was in jeopardy.

“I’m disappointed in the cut,” LaMarca said. “I would have liked to see it fully funded.”

In the days since the governor signed the budget into law on June 12 and outlined his vetoes, LaMarca said he’s probably heard more reactions from people in the community about the arts and culture funding than about anything else.

Impact

“The impact could be a significant ripple to a tsunami,” Haines said. “This can, and most likely will, directly impact the programmatic output of organizations, and impact the people who are served.”

The veto means a loss of $51,700 for the Symphony of the Americas and $70,500 for the Arts Garage.

The lost grant money amounts to about 4% of the symphony’s most recent budget, Haines said, and about 5% of the Arts Garage budget, Waldo said.

“Don’t think that 4% to 5% of anybody’s budget isn’t significant, ” Haines said. “Most arts organizations already run barebones.”

“We run a very lean budget,” Waldo said. “When that money disappears, it’s going to hurt something.”

The list includes many well-known organizations, including Bonnet House and Flamingo Gardens in Broward and the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens and the Norton Museum of Art in Palm Beach County, each of which lost $70,500.

Lesser-known organizations are affected as well, such as The Girl Choir of South Florida, which is losing $18,800, and the Society for Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing America, which is losing $9,494.

Cut some, raise some

The sudden change in their circumstances is prompting large and small organizations to find new ways to cut costs, which could include people; consider programming, which could include trimming performances; and reach out to supporters in search of more donations.

Waldo said she and her board of directors would appeal to the community for more support.

In the meantime, she said, she’s looking for budget reductions.

“I’m cutting off a sliver here and sliver there,” she said. If trimming and fundraising don’t close the gap, it might affect the jobs of some of Arts Garage’s 22 full- and part-time employees.

“I am attempting to do everything I can to get that (budget shortfall) number low enough that I don’t have to cut staff. But I cannot say that that won’t happen,” Waldo said, adding that she’s already told staffers to expect meetings about budget cuts. “I’m prepping them for whatever might be coming.”

Which South Florida arts, culture organizations had funding cut by DeSantis? Here’s the list and how much each lost

Arts Garage, which opened in 2011, has more than 300 events, classes and performances every year, Waldo said.

The 2024-25 Symphony of the Americas season, beginning in October, has eight different concert series, and each series has two or three performances. Themes range from the annual holiday pops concerts to recognizing composers of the past to new symphonic voices.

The combination of the short notice of the funding cut and the long lead time for arts organizations makes it especially challenging, Haines and Waldo said.

“For us to be informed at this 11th hour that the grant will be zero is significant,” Haines said.

“Arts organizations work so far in advance,” Haines said — typically one to two years at the Symphony of the Americas.

Waldo said Arts Garage has programmed its offerings through 2025 and she has started work on 2026.

The Symphony of the Americas and the Arts Garage aren’t unique.

In recent days, arts organizations in South Florida have sent out alerts to their supporters, some of which were defiant in tone and others pleading with supporters to dig deeper into their pockets and increase contributions.

Describing “some very bad news for all of the arts in Florida!” Ronnie Larsen, founder and artistic director of Plays of Wilton, told his patrons that the governor’s action was “erasing thousands and thousands of dollars Plays Of Wilton was counting on, some of which was scheduled to arrive very soon. This is nothing short of a disaster, not just for us but for all of the arts in Florida.”

GableStage Theatre Company told supporters of the Miami-Dade County theater that “we fell victim to the heartless power of a veto pen,” and The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival told its patrons that it was “still reeling from the devastating news.”

Arts funding

Arts funding has sometimes become a political lightning rod nationally, and both Haines and Jennifer Jones, president and CEO of the Florida Cultural Alliance, which includes many state art and cultural organizations, said they’ve always known nothing was guaranteed.

“There’s an element of surprise, but not shock. I think it was just a matter of time that this, unfortunately, would play out with this result,” Haines said.

When DeSantis originally outlined a proposed budget before the 2024 legislative session, he included nothing in the arts and culture categories he eliminated, Jones said.

The proposed grants, vetted and recommended by the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, were forwarded to the Legislature, which reduced the totals by a little more than half. Ultimately $32 million was included in the state budget, which the House and Senate passed in March.

DeSantis spent much of the ensuing three months touring the state talking about all the good things the budget contained, and highlighting popular initiatives the Legislature included that he said he’d approve. He routinely warned, however, there would be some cuts.

On June 12, he made those cuts, 20 days before the start of the new fiscal year.

“I don’t think anybody thought it was going to happen,” Jones said. “He recommended nothing, and by golly, he delivered,” Jones said.

DeSantis vetoed a total of $949.6 million from the state budget — just enough to boast that spending in the new fiscal year is less than spending in the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30.

At an event Wednesday in Marathon, a week after he acted on the budget, DeSantis described it as the “most fiscally sound of any in the United States” and called it “really sound, very responsible and protective of taxpayer money.”

The state coffers are brimming with cash — DeSantis called it “a massive surplus” on Wednesday and previously estimated reserves would top $17 billion — though there is no guarantee how long flush times will last.

DeSantis’ motives

State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, a Palm Beach County Republican, and state Sen. Lori Berman, a Palm Beach County Democrat, said they don’t know DeSantis’ motives.

“I don’t know why he did it. I don’t know who told him this was a good idea. We never heard any negative comments about any of the cultural programs or funding,” Berman said. “I can’t imagine what the thought process is.”

The governor is widely viewed as planning a candidacy for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. His budget actions could burnish his credentials with the Republican Party base, which generally isn’t enamored of things like spending government money on art and humanities and show his prowess as fiscally prudent.

Jones said the arts have received financial support under previous conservative Republican governors and from the Legislature, which has been controlled by Republicans for decades. “You can’t take the numbers and look at who’s in a position of authority and say, ‘I see what happened here.’ I don’t think it plays out that way. People probably have ideas about which party is more interested in supporting the arts or not, but when you come down to the numbers it doesn’t really play out that way.”

Gossett-Seidman said she believes DeSantis was trying to spend money in areas with the biggest needs.

“There are so many avenues to fund the arts. I believe the governor was looking at taking care of major issues that are super important,” she said. “Maybe the arts have to wait another year. I believe that is the attitude.”

“We’ll come back and make it a priority,” she added.

In the meantime, Gossett-Seidman said, philanthropy can help make up the lost funding, supplemented by other governments such as the School Board.

Benefits

Arts and culture organizations, and their supporters, said there are two central reasons government funding is good public policy.

Spending on arts and culture has a positive impact on the economy, including tourism, they said.

“The economic impact is massive,” Haines said. Waldo said someone coming to a show means parking fees, dinner before the show, and employment for venue staff and artists.

She and LaMarca said spending on arts and cultural organizations helps the economy by spurring tourism, a pillar of the state’s economy. “I’m a strong believer that the arts actually have a good return on investment. We invest in the arts, you have people that come here,” he said.

Waldo said Arts Garage was just awarded funding through the Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, which is financed through hotel bed taxes, so it could market to tourists.

Arts and culture improve the quality of life, they said.

“We need the mind to be stimulated,” said state Rep. Marie Woodson, a Hollywood Democrat. She said art and music help provide that stimulation.

“We bring communities together, people who might never meet one another otherwise. We have an impact on mental health, on physical well-being, on students academic performance, on community engagement,” Waldo said. “The work that we’re doing has a deep and lasting impact.”

What’s next

Island City Stage, a theater in Wilton Manors planning five plays in its next season beginning in October, urged its supporters in an email blast to contact their state lawmakers — and provided a link people could use to figure out who represents them.

Posts on the South Florida Jazz List on Facebook also urged action. “When you read the list, you should get angry!!!.” Another post included a call for people to contact their elected officials with a message: “This is wrong.”

Dunlap and Erlick, the county cultural leaders, wrote that they weren’t sure what would happen next.

“Our collective voice still has power,” they wrote. “Let’s do our part to be involved in advocating for what our sector needs and what our community values. Convey this to elected officials at the State level,” adding an admission: “Remember to be respectful.”

In theory, the Legislature could override DeSantis’ veto of the spending. Practically speaking, legislators said, there is no chance the Republican-controlled House and Senate would override the Republican governor’s veto.

LaMarca said he hopes money will be put in the next budget, for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2025.

Haines said he’s unsure of the prospects. “Once any part of a state’s budget is zeroed out, the concern is when and how does it get restored,” he said.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon.