The Scene for the weekend of January 18

Opening/Now Playing:

Actors Playhouse previews its anticipated production of AltarBoyz on January 16, and opens on that Friday, January 18. This spoof of a highly spirited (spiritual?) boy band runs through February 10. Altar Boyz is a high-energy musical that follows Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham on the last leg of their Raise the Praise tour. The Boyz come ready to steal hearts and sing songs to an audience of screaming, adoring fans.

Music sample available on their MySpace page.

Local theater lovers can get a first look at some of the literary giants and promising new voices under production consideration for City Theatre’s upcoming 2008 Summer Shorts Festival. Incoming Artistic Director Stuart Meltzer takes the helm in City Theatre’s search for new “short” plays at the free Festival Series reading on Wednesday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue in Coral Gables.

The weather is just perfect to see a play under the stars, and Shakespeare Miami is offering just that; they're presenting Much Ado About Nothing in Coconut Grove's Peacock Park.

It's only playing this weekend: January 17, 18 & 19 at 8:00 pm January 20 at 4:00 pm

Don't forget to bring a blanket or a low beach chair. Bleacher seats are available, but the grass seats offer the best view.

The Caldwell Theatre presents the world premier of Suite Surrender, a new play by South Florida playwright Michael McKeever.

It’s 1942, where the luxurious Palm Beach Royale Hotel is under siege as two of Hollywood’s biggest divas vie for the same suite. Mistaken identities, overblown egos, double entendres, and one pampered little lap dog round out this fall-down-laughing riot of a new farce.

New Theatre presents the world premiere of Lauren Feldman's new play, Fill our Mouths. It runs through February 10, 2008.

Using spoken English and American Sign Language, FILL OUR MOUTHS... is a story of love and choice, deafness and hearing, the trials of communication, and the search for self when caught between two worlds.

Palm Beach Dramaworks offers The Fourth Wall through February 3rd. This A.R. Gurney play is directed by perennial South Florida favorite, J. Barry Lewis. Dramaworks is located in downtown West Palm Beach.

GableStage is running The Little Dog Laughed through February 3rd at its intimate space in the Biltmore Hotel.

This fast-paced and hilarious look at the world of celebrity-- where coming out of the closet for an actor can still be taboo-- has audiences in stitches.

New Vista Theatre is running Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale through January 6th. It then moves to Boca Raton from January 17 through February 3rd.

Opening in the near future:

Next, The NakedStage will be mounting The Lonesome West at the Pelican Stage, in Miami Shores. The playwright, Martin McDonagh, is the creator of The Pillow Man, and The Lieutenant of Inismore, two plays which garnered awards and critical praise for GableStage. It opens January 24th and runs through February 17th.

Florida Stage presents another in a long list of world premieres; Roger Hedden's The Count.

A world-renowned photographer returns home for the first time in years to celebrate her parents’ 55th Anniversary. Her father’s friendship with a mysterious count ignites family fireworks with the brother she left behind. This smart new comedy is an uncompromising look at the functions and dysfunctions of family

The Count runs Jan. 25, 2008 - Mar. 2, 2008

The Promethean Theater will be offering Nilo Cruz's Two Sisters and A Piano from February 29 through March 16.

Maria Celia and her sister Sofia, under house arrest in their family home, take refuge in their writing and music. For these two passionate, artistic siblings, their punishment is an excruciating test of the soul. When political censorship denies Maria Celia her husband's love letters, Lieutenant Portuondo, who oversees their sentence offers to read them to her, but at a price. In this piercing and passionate play, this Pulitzer Prize-winning, Cuban-born playwright deftly shows audiences the intimate joys and sorrows of one family in a fascinating, politically charged country.

As always, COMPLETE listings (or MORE complete listings) can be found at the South Florida Theatre League's site, SouthFloridaTheatre.com