OutClique Magazine January 2022

Volume 6, Issue 2 January 2022

Jacqueline Lorber & Sebrina Alfonso

South Florida Symphony Orchestra New Lexus NX

Ignite Broward

Claudia Castillo

Johnny Mathis

South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center

Miss Richfield 1981

One Person Can Make a Difference With legacy gifts your impact lives forever.

Theodore (Ted) F. Schultz November 11, 1938 – February 17, 2021

Ted was a thoughtful and generous philanthropist who supported many LGBT-supportive agencies throughout his remarkable life. Even after his passing, his philanthropic contributions will endure through his Legacy Fund at Our Fund Foundation.

A Life Well Lived Ted and his late partner, James Rieck, enjoyed 43 years together before James’s death in 2006.

The couple lived in New York City near Lincoln Center and were frequent concerts goers, sharing a special bond over a love of classical music. After relocating to South Florida, Ted dedicated himself to the South Florida Symphony and proudly served as Member of the Stradivarius Society An enthusiastic Bridge player, Ted hosted Gay Bridge at Pride Center at Equality Park and competed regularly with friends.

He also supported numerous other charities including The Pride Center and The Stonewall National Museum & Archives, an institution near and dear to his heart, especially as he was the gifted architect of the current Stonewall National Museum & Archives located at ArtServe.

Our Fund Foundation is honored to announce the creation of the Theodore (Ted) F. Schultz Fund, a legacy fund that will greatly benefit South Florida’s LGBT community

“Ted Schultz was passionate about the causes that mattered to him. He participated fully during his life in a handful of non-profit agencies and those same agencies are direct beneficiaries of the generosity he made certain was included in his estate plans,” said David Jobin, president & CEO of Our Fund Foundation. “Through proper planning, Ted has made sure that our community will benefit in perpetuity from the causes that enriched his own life.”

Our Fund Foundation’s mission is to secure the LGBT community’s future by promoting and increasing responsible philanthropy, strengthening community organizations and their leaders, and connecting donors to causes that matter To learn more about how Our Fund Foundation can help you establish a legacy plan, please contact Our Fund at DJobin@Our-Fund.org or call 954-565-1090.

A sampling of South Florida LGBT-supportive agencies Our Fund Foundation is proud to support.

Alzheimer's Association Aqua Foundation Broward House Chainless Change Compass LGBT Community Center Equality Florida

Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida Gilda's Club Island City Stage Jewish Community Services of South Florida Latinos Salud Museum of Science and Discovery

OUTShine Film Festival Pride Center at Equality Park South Florida Institute on Aging Stonewall National Museum & Archives SunServe

Sunshine Cathedral Thou Art Woman TransInclusive Group Urban League of Broward County

HIVcare.org

Dr. Zachary Henry Medical Director, Northpoint Healthcare Center

AHF Healthcare Centers BISCAYNE 2400 Biscayne Blvd (786) 522-2503

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O UTC LIQUE OPEN DOOR. OPEN MIND.

Steven O. Evans, PhD

Publisher and Editor in Chief Steven@OutClique.com

Connie Evans Chief Copy Editor Mother of the Publisher

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A New Day

By Steven O. Evans, PhD

This January 2022, we welcome a new day and the start of a new year. What are your resolutions? Fitness, giving, relationships, finances, travel, or just a better quality of life?

This is the time. This is the year. There are limitless possibilities for you to create the life you want to live.

Don’t let anyone or anything hold you back. Conquer your fears. Let go of past hurts. Have a mindset to overcome any obstacles. And have open eyes and ears for opportunities that God, the universe, or the world may bring.

Are you excited? You should be. It’s a new year. A new day. A new dawn. And with that brings the anticipation of what you can do. Every moment is a treasure.

I hope that all our friends and readers have a spectacular 2022 filled with rainbows, sparkles, and unicorns. Be the love in the world you want to see.

From all of us at OutClique - Happy New Year!

Steven O. Evans, PhD Editor in Chief

Lexus Brings Next-Level Hybrid Luxury Photos Courtesy of Lexus

U

shering in a new era of luxury, Lexus is embracing electrification, intuitive technology, performance, and design. The all-new 2022 Lexus NX delivers a long list of firsts, including the all-new Lexus Interface multimedia system designed with the North American market in mind.

With a lower center of gravity and stronger stance, the allnew NX embodies powerful design, intuitive innovation and boundless utility. The most notable update is the introduction of Lexus Interface, the integrated multimedia and digital support on the optional 14-inch touchscreen display. It offers available over the air updates, wireless charging and untethered smartphone connection to the user’s unique profile. This is paired with the introduction of standard Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, plus Blind Spot Monitor. Additionally, Safe Exit Assist and the innovative Digital Latch system are designed to make exiting the vehicle safely even more effortless.

“The all-new Lexus NX sets a new standard in the luxury

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crossover market with class-leading innovations in electrified powertrains, infotainment, driving dynamics, styling and safety,” said Vinay Shahani, Lexus vice president of marketing. “The 2022 NX includes the most technological vehicle changes since we launched Lexus 32 years ago. With the all-new Lexus Interface multimedia system and a variety of customizable features, NX is an exciting first step in a series of 20 all-new or updated Lexus vehicles by 2025.”

Powerful Design for the Future From the refined spindle grille to the new full-width blade taillamps and LEXUS rear badging, the allnew 2022 Lexus NX emits a powerful message to those approaching the luxury crossover. At the front, the updated grille pattern and frame create a more integrated feel to the body of the vehicle. Made up of tall U-shaped blocks, the spindle grille is designed for a three-dimensional effect and creates a sense of depth while expressing a strong impression. Framed on top by

the L-shaped daytime running lights (DRL), the optional three-projector headlamps create balance with a more subdued impression.

In the rear, the Lexus logo has been redesigned to create an advanced and modern expression. The use of the L emblem has been replaced by a new, unified Lexus logo located at the center of the vehicle. A full-width blade rear combination lamp and an L-shaped lamp on the rear fender are separated to make the expression unique to the NX. The light bar lamps are constantly illuminated at night to function as a taillight and illuminate the rear brand signature.

Driver-Focused Cockpit Design The NX’s driver-centered cockpit has been meticulously designed with a focus on connecting the driver to the vehicle. The 7-inch Multi Instrument Display (MID) and optional 10-inch Head Up Display (HUD), both NX firsts, are designed to convey vehicle information, alerts and updates, within the driver’s line of sight. The MID’s single meter layout is made more visible by a high-definition screen. Most driving-related functions are concentrated on the steering wheel to allow for intuitive operation while keeping the driver’s eyes on the road.

In the center stack, the standard 9.8-inch touchscreen puts an array of multimedia features within easy reach.

The optional 14-inch touch screen, a first for NX, delivers an immersive multimedia experience.

Driving Performance – All-New NX 350 2.4 Turbo Engine

The new lower center of gravity and enhancements in vehicle rigidity allow for a higher horsepower 2.4 turbo gas engine on the NX 350. The new 8-speed transmission provides the gas-powered NX the feel of a performance vehicle with the higher perspective of a crossover utility vehicle. The exciting turbo gas-powered engine boasts an estimated 275 horsepower and 317 lb. ft. of torque.

Combined, these result in a 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds, a half-second quicker than the previous model.

Performance and Range with the NX 450h+ Plug-In Hybrid In a first for Lexus, the new plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) system brings Lexus Electrified to life through performance and the signature quietness of a PHEV model. The NX 450h+ has a manufacturer-estimated 36mile range on electric power only, made possible by the newly developed, high-capacity lithium ion battery. The system achieves the EV output equivalent to a 2.0-liter engine. When combined with the newly developed hybrid transaxle, a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine delivers on the performance luxury guests are seeking with an estimated 6.0 second 0-60 time.

A high-output, high-efficiency system designed to reduce power loss when converting from AC power to DC power, results in shorter charging times. Using the maximum charging current of 240V, the Lexus NX plugin hybrid can be fully charged in approximately two-and a-half hours when equipped with the optional 6.6 kW Expedited Onboard Charger. With the standard 3.3 kW on board charger, charge time goes up slightly to fourand-a-half hours.

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Hybrid Combines Performance and Fuel Economy With the all-new Lexus NX 350h, guests can have both great performance and fuel economy. With a combined 239 horsepower (a 20 percent increase over the current model) and an impressive manufacturer estimate of 36 MPG (an increase of 6 MPG over the current model), the NX hybrid brings a powerful performance that illustrates the brand’s hybrid leadership. Guests will also notice the quicker 0-60 time with 1.5 seconds shaved off the time from prior generations at 7.2 seconds.

The Lexus Hybrid Drive system pairs the D4-S fuel injection 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with two high-torque electric drive motor-generators for strong acceleration and passing performance. Instead of transfer gears and a driveshaft to the rear wheels, the AWD system employs a second, independent electric motor to drive the rear wheels when it detects it is needed to help maintain optimal traction.

Predictive Efficient Drive couples with the navigation system, learns driving habits, predicts the expected roadway ahead and analyzes real-time traffic reports to optimize charging and discharging of the hybrid battery.

The more miles the NX is driven, the more data is gathered to help optimize fuel consumption.

Lexus Interface: An All-New Elegant, Intuitive and Desired Connected Multimedia System The all-new, North American-developed Lexus Interface multimedia system allows the NX to seamlessly integrate and navigate life’s twists and turns. The

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eye-catching standard 9.8-inch touchscreen provides intuitive technology at the occupants’ fingertips. The screen’s new Human Machine Interface (HMI) enhances user interaction through sight, touch and voice, while balancing accessibility needs. An optional 14-inch touchscreen maximizes the experience with integrated automatic climate control functions.

With the ubiquitous use of smart phones, an intuitive and simple guest experience is now possible with Lexus Interface. With the Lexus Interface User Profile feature, the driver’s personalized settings and experience can be retained in the cloud and accessible on the go in other Lexus Interface equipped vehicles. Once a profile is created in the Lexus App, guests can use a Bluetooth handheld device, smart key or manual login to access it.

Illuminating the Way: Inside and Out The 2022 NX delivers on the brand’s well-known interior cabin noise reduction with additional updates made to reduce road noise and exterior distractions. Inside, drivers can create an oasis with nature-inspired Thematic Ambient Illumination, an optional feature that bathes the NX interior in a choice of 14 themes and 64 colors.

Each has been carefully selected to express ephemeral emotions and evoke nature-inspired feelings, with themes including Rain Forest, Waterfall, and Sunset.

In a first for the NX, the panoramic moonroof gives both the front and rear passengers the ability to see the sky with just the push of a button. Its smooth gliding opening and closing motion provides easy stargazing or additional airflow on a sunny day.

Rosie’s Bar & Grill

Photos Courtesy of SRL Media

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There’s Always Time for a Cocktail at Tulio’s

By Denny Patterson

Photos Courtesy of SRL Media

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bar may be what draws patrons in, but a great bartender is what makes their visit worthwhile and keeps them returning.

On Tuesday-Saturday, you’ll find Jason DiFusco pouring your favorite drinks at Tulio’s Tacos and Tequila Bar in Wilton Manors. Also known as Jay the Bartender, he is a self-taught mixologist who has been in the business on and off since 2008. Not only does he love meeting and taking care of people, but he also says strong, great tasting cocktails are hard

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to find. He knew he could do better.

Tulio’s is a vibrant Mexican style bar and restaurant developed by long-time friends Brian Parenteau, Doug Herbst and Tulio Alas located in the heart of Wilton Manors. The culinary and hospitality teams work together to provide a unique quest experience with amazing cocktails, fabulous food, great ambiance, and amazing service. Tulio’s is a place where friends come together and great memories are made whether you are drinking or dining.

OutClique caught up with DiFusco and asked him some questions.

Denny Patterson: Let me begin by asking, what do you enjoy the most about being a bartender?

Jason DiFusco: Every night is a new experience with different situations and conversations. It keeps me interested and motivated.

DP: What is your favorite part about working at Tulio’s?

JD: Definitely working with our bar team, owners,

managers, and Tulio himself. Working in a bar, especially on a busy weekend night, can be challenging. Just knowing that I have my colleagues behind the bar with me, and the support of Tulio and his kitchen staff, our managers, Jeff and Todd, and our owners, Doug and Brian, really helps when dealing with busy situations and challenging guests.

DP: Do you have a favorite drink to make?

JD: The Smoked Pineapple and the Endless Summer

Paloma. These are my recipes and two of our best craft cocktails. I find the flavors well-balanced, and I get great feedback from our guests about them.

DP: Which cocktail is your personal go-to choice?

JD: Our Mango Margarita. This is, by far, our most popular

craft cocktail. We use fresh lime juice, real mango puree, agave nectar, and Rock and Roll Mango-infused silver tequila. It tastes great, and it’s strong.

DP: What is something every beginning bartender should know?

JD: A good cocktail should be strong and taste great.

This is a concept that many people, especially on the Drive, get confused about. If the taste of the spirit is too overpowering, the drink is not enjoyable and it is difficult to drink. It is possible to make great-tasting cocktails that have a high alcohol content, but also can be enjoyed and re-ordered.

To connect with DiFusco, follow him on Instagram @jaythebartender.

Visit TuliosTacos.com to stay up-to-date with their rotating specials and events.

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You and Your Credit

By Rod Davis, CEO BBB serving Southeast Florida and the Caribbean

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our credit score has a direct impact on your ability to get loans and how much you pay for loans and credit.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, “[c]reditors use credit scoring systems to figure out if you’d be a good risk for credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages. Phone companies and companies selling auto insurance and home insurance also use credit scores along with other factors to decide whether to sell you a policy or service.

Credit scores also can affect the terms of the credit you’re offered. Having a higher credit score means businesses see you as less of a financial risk, which means you’re more likely to get credit or pay less for it.”

A credit score is a number that represents a rating of how likely you are to repay a loan and make the payments on time. Lenders calculate your credit score using information in your credit report, like your history of repaying money you borrowed, the types of loans you’ve had, how long you have had a particular line of credit or loan, and how much total debt you owe. Credit scoring systems calculate your credit score in different ways, but the scoring system most lenders use is the FICO score. Many different kinds of businesses use your credit score to help decide whether to give you credit and what the terms will be. That includes what interest rate you’ll pay to borrow money.

How do you find out your credit score?

have begun to provide credit scores for all their customers on a monthly basis. The score is usually listed on your monthly statement, or can be found by logging in to your account online.

Second, talk to a non-profit counselor. Non-profit credit counselors and HUD-approved housing counselors can often provide you with a free credit report and score and help you review them. Third, use a credit score service.

Many services and websites advertise a “free credit score.”

Some sites may be funded through advertising and not charge a fee. Other sites may require that you sign up for a credit monitoring service with a monthly subscription fee in order to get your “free” score. These services are often advertised as “free” trials, but if you don’t cancel within the specified period (often as short as one week), you could be on the hook for a monthly fee. Before you sign up to try one of these services, be sure you know what you are signing up for and how much it really costs.

Finally, buy a score. You can buy a score directly from the credit reporting companies. You can buy your FICO credit score at myfico.com. Other services may also offer scores for purchase. If you decide to purchase a credit score, you are not required to purchase credit protection, identity theft monitoring, or other services that may be offered at the same time.

Federal Law permits consumers to obtain a copy of their credit report from the website annualcreditreport.com once a year. Since your credit score is based on your management of credit and payment history, routinely monitoring and correcting errors on your credit report is essential. After you check out your credit reports, the next step to take is to fix any errors. Contact each of the three reporting agencies to report the errors, and begin the process to correct them. This often requires sending in a letter, including your name and address, exactly which items you’d like to dispute and why. Include copies of supporting documentation and a copy of your report with the errors circled or highlighted. Also contact the provider of the incorrect information and have it fixed on their end, so the problem does not reappear in the future.

There are ways to evaluate and improve your credit score.

Investopedia provides a breakdown of credit scores by state and the range of scores to help you determine if you need to work to improve your score. It can take time to improve a credit score, but it can be done. Pay your bills on time and keep your debt as low as possible.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau shares this advice to obtain your credit score.

If you are needing assistance with your credit, find a trustworthy counselor. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers tips on their website: ConsumerFinance.gov.

There are four main ways to get a credit score. First, check your credit card or other loan statements. Many major credit card companies and some auto loan companies

Even if you pay off your credit cards monthly, a lower balance to approved limit will help your score. Keep the number of credit lines and applications to a limited number.

A long credit history with a positive record is a good thing.

Too many inquiries on your credit can also have a negative effect, so be careful about generating too many inquiries by exploring multiple credit opportunities.

You can also check out any option you are considering at BBB.org.

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IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: � Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section. � Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. � Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. � Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. � Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. � The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

� Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your

healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: � dofetilide � rifampin � any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: � Have or have had any kidney or liver problems,

including hepatitis infection. � Have any other health problems. � Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby.

Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. � Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed.

Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: � Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-

counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

� BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other.

Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION � This is only a brief summary of important information

about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

� Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 � If you need help paying for your medicine,

visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2021 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0370 04/21

HUGO LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 1995 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

KEEP CONNECTING. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

See Hugo’s story at BIKTARVY.com.

Featured patient compensated by Gilead.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

Photo by Steven Shires

The Dynamic Partnership of Sebrina Alfonso and Jacqueline Lorber

By Denny Patterson Cover Photo by Andy Armano | www.AndyArmano.com Makeup: CeCelia Baughn

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eing a leader poses many challenges, but working alongside your significant other in a professional setting is the most unique of them. Yet, despite, or even because of the challenges, the bond between South Florida Symphony Orchestra’s (SFSO) driving forces, Maestra Sebrina Alfonso and CEO and President Jacqueline Lorber, have become even stronger.

Guided by the belief that music is pivotal to community engagement, the SFSO has become a superlative cultural institution serving all of South Florida. Alfonso founded the organization in 1997.

“Originally conceived as the Key West Symphony, the orchestra brought beautiful classical music to my hometown community,” she explains. “I am a sixthgeneration ‘Conch’ from Key West. When I began my studies at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, I created orchestras and presented concerts for the community, as well as educational experiences for children. That was when I realized the exposure to this beautiful art form was not available to me as a child growing up in Key West. That inspired me to replicate that model for the residents and visitors of the Keys.”

The Key West Symphony was a hit, and the concerts became a much-anticipated activity on the islanders’ social calendars each winter season. Friday and Saturday night performances were sold out, and on the Wednesdays leading into the concerts, the orchestra performed for children.

When the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra disbanded, Alfonso began to think about expanding the footprint of the organization.

“There was a gaping hole in the musical landscape on the mainland, and I instinctively knew it was time to bring our style of high-quality programming in Key West to Fort Lauderdale and Miami,” she says.”

Lorber came into the picture in 2009 when she interviewed for the CEO position.

“I told Jacquline to ‘run,’” Alfonso jokes. “She was overqualified, but she insisted she could do the job. She was an award-winning entrepreneur and a successful

fundraiser, but most of all, she loved a challenge.”

Regarding their budding romance, Alfonso says there was definitely a mutual attraction, but it was several months before they acknowledged their feelings for each other.

“She definitely played hard to get, which was fun,” she says. “We took it slow, and I enjoyed the chase.”

“We were destined to be together, and we bonded through our dedication to the organization,” Lorber adds.

“We were laser focused on expanding the symphony at that time, so our personal life was placed on hold. It is only now that I feel like we are finally able to enjoy the fruits of our labor.”

The two officially said “I do” in August 2015, in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

“We were delighted when several patrons unexpectedly ‘crashed’ the wedding to celebrate with us,” Lorber says.

Because Alfonso and Lorber both share a strong passion for music and community engagement, the SFSO has reached major milestones and record growth.

Once considered “the little symphony that could,” it is now recognized as a major cultural institution in Broward County for its commitment to classical music.

The SFSO also reaches diverse and underescourced communities, through the groundbreaking “Symphony in the Schools” program, which ties to the music education programs at The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and school districts throughout the region.

Since its inception, the SFSO has touched and influenced the lives of nearly 100,000 students.

“We have a shared goal and vision,” Alfonso says.

“It’s like both of our dreams have combined and complemented each other. She has her strengths, I have mine, and we make beautiful music together. I can honestly say that because of Jacqueline, SFSO has really been able to expand. She works tirelessly and is not afraid to go out, meet people, and promote what we are doing. She truly pours her heart into the

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Photo by Steven Shires

SFSO and I am proud of her. Not only has she helped to create something that South Florida can be proud of, but she also continually finds new ways for us to serve the community in the best way possible.”

“Sebrina’s tender heart and her passion for music shines brightly as she mesmerizes audiences at each concert,” Lorber adds. “We all experience a special intimacy brought together by the universal appeal of music. Our mutual love for the arts transcends beyond our relationship into our work environment.”

Like any couple, the pair have encountered their fair share of obstacles, but according to Alfonso, they solve their challenges together and move on.

“We take pleasure in balancing our time together and with our families, especially with our new grandchild,” she says. “We are blessed to work together.”

The power duo’s approach to growth and sustainability has also caught the attention of notable organizations such as the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and Tiffany & Co.’s “About Love” campaign featuring Beyonce and Jay-Z. SFSO has achieved new heights, becoming the go-to orchestra, which includes achieving status as “Partner in the Arts” with the Broward Center’s affiliated venue, The Parker. This came about in recognition of the alignment of the SFSO and the Broward Center’s mission, artistic excellence, and mutual dedication to music education.

It is no coincidence that the SFSO’s achievements and accolades are due to the fact that it is one of only a few orchestras worldwide led by women.

Alfonso says this is significant.

“If you think about all the arts organizations in existence, you rarely see a female conductor,” she explains.

“It is even more rare to see a female music director alongside a female CEO. I hope this will stand as an example for young women that anything is possible, that they can do anything they want. If anything, I hope we are showing that women can work together because there was a time when a woman wouldn’t hire another woman, or a company would only hire a token woman.”

OutClique.com | 39

Photo by Andy Armano Makeup: CeCelia Baughn

Photo by Steven Shires

According to Lorber, when she attended the League of American Orchestras Conference in 2019, she learned of the launch of its nationwide campaign focused on women and diversity in the orchestral world.

“This was just a couple years ago, and it was the first time they were talking about women in leadership positions in orchestras,” she says. “It was astonishing to me. I was thinking to myself, diversity? Check.

Female music director? Female conductor? Female CEO? Check. Check. Check. As for presenting works by women composers, we regularly feature their work, including the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for music, Ellen Taffe Zwilich. Diversity is written in the DNA of the SFSO culture. From day one, the SFSO has embraced diversity in all our ranks. From the orchestra, to composers, to staff - we support their efforts in shining a light on this critical cultural shift. It was validating to know that this had come about organically for us.”

As for the SFSO’s future, Alfonso and Lorber say they have groundbreaking plans.

“We dedicate time for ourselves between the time commitments of the SFSO’s growing initiatives, Masterworks concerts, our education and community engagements, and corporate programs,” Lorber says.

“The SFSO has been woven into the cultural fabric of our community with its new endeavors, such as film to live orchestra. With the focus on creative programming and growing audiences, we’ve found the formula to become the ‘orchestra of the future.’”

“The symphony has blossomed,” Alfonso adds. “That is exactly what Jacqueline and I strive for.”

Their exceptional commitment to excellence creates a musical culture accessible for all to experience. As Lorber proclaims at the start of every concert, “Maestra, let the music begin!” It is this phenomenal music that creates a more beautiful culture for us to experience.

Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, and so many other composers are honored by what the SFSO brings to the amazing South Florida community.

To stay up-to-date and connect with the SFSO, visit SouthFloridaSymphony.org, or follow the organization on Facebook and Instagram.

Bringing Care To the Community

By John Hayden

Photos Courtesy of Care Resource

C

are Resource is rolling out its latest weapon in the fight against the HIV and opioid crises.

The SPOT, which stands for Special Purpose Outreach Team, is a mobile unit that goes into neighborhoods and reaches people who need testing, counseling, and prevention tools. The impact is immediate, because just a few weeks into this new venture more than 60 lives have already been saved.

Emelina Martinez is their Safe Syringe Exchange Services manager. She hits the road with The SPOT and goes out every day with one goal in mind: helping people the healthcare system and society overlook. Services include COVID testing and vaccination, HIV testing, Hepatitis C testing, and as part of a syringe exchange program, anonymous exchange for participants.

52 | OutClique.com

Once the testing is finished, HIV positive tests are referred for additional help, Martinez and her team turn to prevention.

“We give them everything they need to stay safe to prevent the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C,” she explains.

Those tools include Narcan, which saves people in the middle of an overdose, to clean needles. The privately funded needle exchange is a one-for-one program, meaning that for every used needle someone brings in, they are given a new, clean needle. When a person is the first to use a needle, they know they aren’t at risk for HIV. “They appreciate what we’ve done,” Martinez told OutClique. “They say it’s about time someone in Broward

did this. Some of them have come and cried with us out of gratitude. I have one gentleman who saved his life with the Narcan we gave him.”

The SPOT took to the streets in autumn 2021.

“We have seen firsthand the increase in patients coming to us with HIV, Hepatitis C, and other infections after sharing used syringes,” Dr. Thomas Smith, director of behavioral health services at Care Resource says. “We’ve also seen a dramatic rise, 51 percent, in opioid-caused deaths in Broward over the first half of 2021 compared to the previous year. The SPOT is key to preventing these tragedies by taking used syringes off the street, providing HIV and HCV testing, and preventing overdoses through education and naloxone distribution.”

Martinez says drug users are hard to reach because stigma is attached to their habit.

“People who are active injectors are looked down upon by society at large,” she says. “We have compassion for them.”

Once The SPOT team makes contact, they bring people inside for a conversation that gets real. They are asked about their sexual and drug habits, gender, orientation, and more, but The SPOT isn’t one-anddone. It comes back to the same place at the same time each week, because keeping people in care is a big obstacle.

“It’s a constant conversation that we have,” Martinez said. “Continuity is what matters. It’s them knowing we’re going to be there for them. That’s what makes them come back.”

For Martinez, the work is personal. She started her work with HIV in 1992 after a friend of hers died of AIDS. Many clients are self-conscious about their appearance and know how society at-large feels about them, but none of that matters to Martinez.

“We work with compassion, tolerance, and respect for the participants,” she says. “I want to be the person that they turn to. I want to be the person that it’s okay to hug me.”

OutClique.com | 53

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GET STARTED TODAY! www.healthkarma.org

Ride the Wave

By Eric Noel Roman

Hey Dude, this water is cold, but I am so happy to see you out here. Let me give you a few tips when you see a wave you are interested in. First scout the water and check out how often the waves come. Not often that you get a good one, but sometimes you gotta ride even the small ones to get movement.

Once you have your wave chosen, prepare to work because getting up and riding it is not an easy task.

Paddle hard and fast, with the momentum prepare to pop up. When you get on your feet, immediately balance. Two things can happen here.

If you manage to gain the balance, you can ride the wave as long as possible. With practice you can get fancy with your moves and show off. However, do not get cocky because it is that easy to wipe out and fail.

When you fail, do not worry, fall in the water and quickly assess the situation, regain your composure and get back on that board. Remember there is wildlife in the water and you want to avoid them from biting. After a quick recovery onto your board go back out and find another wave.

Once you find that wave, thank the cosmos for the opportunities, remember it is your hard work that will get you to balance life and ride the wave to your success. Do not forget good things come to an end and sometimes you just need to get back up and ride another wave.

Eric Noel Roman DJ, obstacle racer, motivational writer from North Miami Beach, living life one day at a time, and making a difference one person at a time.

Genesis Health Institute Holiday Celebration

More photos at www.Facebook.com/OutClique OutClique.com | 59

It’s a new year

Trust Your Gut’s Instinct

Get to the root cause of your discomfort

Medical diagnosis and treatments are traditionally focused on symptoms. Using a simple example, you have a stomachache; the doctor will prescribe a medication to relieve the pain.

Genesis Health Institute thinks differently. Keeping with the example above, we ask: why do you have a stomachache? Is there an underlying condition, like inflammation, that is resulting in your stomach hurting?

At Genesis, we treat illness as part of the whole body, not just an isolated set of symptoms. This is called functional medicine. And it’s the next generation model in healthcare.

By shifting the traditional diseasecentered focus of practicing medicine to a whole-body approach, functional medicine looks at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence complex chronic pain, disease and long-term health.

Ready to get to the root cause of your discomfort? Call us today and mention this ad for a complimentary consultation.

(954) 561-3175 1001 NE 26th Street, Wilton Manors, FL 33305 ∙ ghinsitute.com

Photo Courtesy of Genesis Health Institute

It’s a New Year; Trust Your Gut We’ve all been there -- sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room for hours just to see the doctor for five minutes and be prescribed yet another medication that may or may not work. We follow this flawed system, but your gut tells you: “This is not working.” You’re right. There is a better way.

It’s time to trust your instincts and go to Genesis.

Get to the Root Cause Genesis Health Institute is the intersection of nextgeneration medicine and medical aesthetics. Medical diagnosis and treatments are traditionally focused on symptoms, but Genesis Health Institute treats illness as part of the whole body, not just an isolated set of symptoms. This is called functional medicine. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of practicing medicine to a whole-body approach, functional medicine looks at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence complex chronic disease and long-term health.

Next Generation Medicine Consider this scenario: You have trouble sleeping, so the traditional doctor will prescribe a sleep aid as a first line of defense. However, Genesis Health Institute

thinks differently. We would ask: why do you have trouble sleeping? Is there an underlying condition, like stress, poor diet, or a chronic condition that is causing your sleep issues? This next-generation medical approach has been proven to lead patients to a lifetime of healthy living.

Keep Them Guessing Looking great inside can have life-shifting effects on how a person sees themselves on the outside. That is why we offer the most advanced medical aesthetic therapies available. Through a comprehensive set of facial and body aesthetics, sexual enhancement programs, IV therapies, and more, we make sure the effects on the inside are equal to the effects on the outside. We want you to look at yourself the way you used to.

Next Generation Medicine In Our Community Conveniently located in Wilton Manors, Genesis Health Institute has been helping our community feel better for more than 15 years. Genesis founders and owners, Dr. Ferdinand Cabrera and Chief Operating Officer, Dimitri Bakoulis, look forward to welcoming you for a complimentary consultation. Call (954)561-3175 or visit GHInstitute.com to learn more.

Content supplied by Genesis Health Institute | Sponsored Editorial

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Turning the Tide on HIV/AIDS

By John Hayden

T

he fight against HIV/AIDS is its fifth decade. The first 15 years were devastating, but the next 15 were encouraging. Now, we avoid stagnating.

To know where we’re going, we have to know where we came from, and the World AIDS Museum in Fort Lauderdale is where the pandemic’s history is on display for people to see, read, and learn.

The tide began turning in the mid-1990s with the emergence of the first proven and approved drugs: AZT. Besides being a game changer in the LGBTQ community, it altered the entire pharmaceutical landscape.

“They managed to change the way the FDA approved drugs,” World AIDS Museum Executive Director Dr. Raquel Lopes told OutClique. “It usually takes 12 years for a drug to get through. It took 25 months for this to go through.”

Unfortunately, getting the drug approved was just the beginning of getting it to patients. Not all doctors could prescribe AZT. There was an incredible amount of paperwork, to the point where it was nearly a prohibitive hurdle.

On display at the museum is a doctor’s stamp from the early days of prescribing. Few pharmacies were even able to fill prescriptions. Beyond that, insurance coverage was challenging, as many health insurance companies would just drop patients rather than pay the high prescription prices.

Today, we have PrEP, which is covered by many insurances and subsidized by health organizations.

Where AZT was tough to obtain, required a strict dosing regime, and often led to secondary medical issues, PrEP operates differently.

“The drugs attack at different stages,” Lopes says. “The more stages a drug can attack the more likely they can stop the replication of the virus.”

Another big step was the approval of the needle exchange programs. According to Lopes, if a person is the first to use a clean needle, then they are protecting themselves.

“It’s everybody after you that you have to worry about,” she says.

Going forward, Lopes says reaching out to women is crucial.

“Women are not readily taking PrEP and it’s offered,” she says. “You’re going to talk about an increase of HIV in various communities, then we need to talk to women about PrEP. It’s about controlling your own body and protecting yourself. If you trust your partner or not, things happen.”

Stigma still radiates from even the mention of HIV/ AIDS. For awhile, people were focused on the four Hs: homosexuals, Haitians, heroin addicts, and hemophiliacs.

South Florida continues to be an epicenter of the crisis, often leading the nation in new infections. Lopes says that makes the World AIDS Museum’s work all the more important.

“That’s why we need places like this and why we need to continue the conversations,” she says. “This is a virus that is pesky and changes. It doesn’t conform the way we wish it would so we could eradicate it. The more people who think they don’t need to worry about it, the more people who become positive.”

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Photo Courtesy of Richard Gray

Richard Gray and Stacy Ritter as the Grand Marshals of the iconic Pride Parade on November 20, 2022.

Pride has been celebrated in Fort Lauderdale since 1977, making it the oldest pride celebration in Florida.

Freeing the Vaccine In Indonesia AHF Indonesia and partners recently organized a multi-pronged VOW initiative that included a webinar featuring members of key populations and health experts explaining plans to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Advocates also conducted a two-day community outreach component that reached hundreds of people at several temples and popular tourist destinations with educational materials to reduce vaccine hesitancy.

“These initiatives are vital for educating the public and more importantly, determining the best methods to reach marginalized groups that may not have equal access to vaccines,” said AHF Asia Bureau Chief Dr. Chhim Sarath.

“AHF Indonesia and all the Asian countries where AHF operates will continue to fight to ensure global vaccine access. We must continue urging leaders of wealthy countries to demand that vaccine makers share their vaccine recipes and the technology required to increase production worldwide, particularly in developing countries.”

It’s never too late to join AHF and the VOW campaign!

Visit Vaccinate Our World to stay up to date on the latest advocacy efforts and take the pledge with us to not stop until everyone globally has access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines!

Content provided by AHF

Holiday Wreath Auction Pub on the Drive

Photos Courtesy of SRL Media 76 | OutClique.com

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Wishing you a Joyous Holiday Season and a safe 2022 filled with kindness, unity and, most importantly, equality for all.

SunServe at Scandals Photo Courtesy of Marty Kiar’s office

Monitoring Your Homestead Exemption

By Marty Kiar

After your initial application for Homestead Exemption has been approved, it automatically renews each year unless there is a change of ownership or eligible use of your homesteaded property. Each January, our office mails a Homestead Renewal Notice and “Change Card” to all Homesteaded properties.

Florida law requires the property owner to notify the Property Appraiser of any change which may affect homestead eligibility. This Change Card provides an efficient way to communicate these important changes to our office.

If there are no changes to the use and/or ownership of your property, simply keep the card as your receipt verifying that your Homestead Exemption has automatically renewed for another year. However, if there are changes, please mark the Change Card accordingly and return it to our office.

If your name is not printed above the mailing address section on this card, it means you are not protected by Homestead Exemption at this property.

You may be on title to the property, but you are not receiving Homestead Exemption. If you are eligible for Homestead Exemption on this property, you must complete your own Homestead Exemption application.

If you are a co-owner, surviving spouse, trust beneficiary or otherwise believe you are entitled to this exemption, you must file your own Homestead Exemption application to receive the benefit.

Photos Courtesy of SRL Media More photos at www.Facebook.com/OutClique

Rock the Ribbon / World AIDS Day Galleria Fort Lauderdale

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WPB Perfect for HRC

T

he Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF)

prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual

has rated the City of West Palm Beach as better

orientation in public employment.

than perfect, with a score of 106 points, on its 2021 Municipal Equality Index (MEI) Scorecard. Rating

•

That same year, the City Commission voted to

more than 500 U.S. cities, the MEI examines how

prohibit the use of any public facilities or any public

inclusive are the municipal laws, policies and services

funding to entities discriminating against members

of the LGBTQ people in communities. Cities are rated

of a variety of protected classes including gays

based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as

and lesbians.

an employer, municipal services law enforcement, and the city leadership’s public position on equality. This is

•

In 1992, West Palm Beach became the first public

the fifth time the city has received a perfect score or

employer in Florida to provide domestic partnership

better.

benefits for municipal employees.

“I am proud that the Human Rights Campaign’s

•

In 1994, City Commissioners enacted the West Palm

Municipal Equality Index has recognized the City

Beach Equal Opportunity Ordinance prohibiting

of West Palm Beach for its inclusivity, one of our

discrimination based on sexual orientation in

community’s greatest strengths and standards,” said

private and public employment, housing and public

West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “West Palm

accommodation. The ordinance was amended in

Beach greatly values the LGBTQ community, who

2007 to prohibit discrimination based on gender

deserve to fully participate in and contribute to our

identity or expression.

community and with dignity. I am committed to making West Palm Beach a community of opportunity for all

•

In 2015, City Commissioners updated the Equal Opportunity Ordinance by expanding the definition

residents, including the LGBTQ.”

of “public accommodations” to prohibit consumer discrimination.

The City of West Palm Beach has been at the forefront of LGBTQ equality in the State of Florida: • •

In 2016, West Palm Beach became the first city

In 1990, City Commissioners established the

in Palm Beach County to prohibit the practice of

West Palm Beach Employment Practices Review

conversion therapy for minors.

Commission to recommend improvements to the City’s personnel practices and procedures.

•

In 2018, West Palm Beach adopted an LGBTQinclusive resolution affirming its commitment to

•

In 1991, West Palm Beach became the first

address and eliminate bullying at City facilities and

public employer in Florida to enact an ordinance

in City programs.

Content courtesy of WPB.org

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Our Fund Helps Pride Center Clients

O

ur Fund Foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park announced new gap funding to provide financial assistance to help offset an increase in meeting room rental rates for existing health, wellness and support groups that meet at The Center. This funding will help fill the gap between what support groups paid for space before the pandemic and current rental rates.

“The health and wellness of South Florida’s LGBTQ+ community is Our Fund’s primary concern,” said Our Fund President & CEO David Jobin. “Many in our community were concerned that new rental rates would cause some groups to seek lower rental agreements at facilities outside of central Wilton Manors at venues that may not be hospitable to LGBTQ+ clients. We are proud to help remedy the situation.”

The Pride Center reopened rental spaces to group meetings this summer after being closed to face-to-face meetings for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Center established new room capacities and rental rates for each meeting room before reopening. This meant all rentals, including health and wellness groups, faced increased costs upon returning.

“We understand that The Pride Center needed to adjust fees,” says Jobin. “Both to bring equity among the diverse groups renting space and to help offset the many expenses that The Center has invested in rental spaces in recent years to greatly improve security, safety, air conditioning, sanitation, cleaning and COVID protocols.”

The Center’s costs for staff, security, utilities, cleaning and sanitation are exponentially higher now than when they moved and established The Equality Park campus in 2009. The Center has worked hard over many years to ensure that group rental rates remain low. Our Fund’s generosity can now offset more costs for groups.

“We want those seeking support to find a safe, welcoming home at The Center,” says The Pride Center at Equality Park CEO Robert Boo. “The Pride Center subsidizes and helps underwrite the costs of groups that meet on campus. We always have, and always will. That has been true throughout our history, remains true for every support group that meets on campus today and will remain the reality in the future.”

To provide a solution to that challenge, Jobin petitioned local businessperson and LGBTQ+ philanthropist, Michael Kalb for help subsidizing the financial gap.

“The Pride Center is a key institution in Broward County and making rental space available to support groups is a core component of their services,” said Kalb. “Along with Our Fund, I felt compelled to help ensure that members of recovery support groups can continue to attend regular, in-person meetings to receive uninterrupted, vital peer support and treatment at a place where many in the recovery community have met for many years.”

“Our message to the community is: This is your home and you are welcome here,” says Boo.

Content provided by Our Fund Foundation

84 | OutClique.com

Pride Fort Lauderdale

Photos Courtesy of SRL Media 86 | OutClique.com

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Do your pup proud!

Shop wagpride.com

All breeds are welcome at WagPride. Stop by or shop online for fabulous frocks, booties, collars, treats and so much more.

Scan and Shop Keep your doggie dollars in our community at WagPride.com

wagpride.com 954.777.6WAG woof@wagpride.com 2031A Wilton Drive

Photo credit: Claudia Castillo Art studio

Art & Inspiration with Claudia Castillo

By John Hayden

A

little piece of fabulousness sits along Wilton Drive, but you’ve likely walked past and never noticed.

Inside Claudia Castillo Art Gallery sits dozens of stunning, original works made by local artist Claudia Castillo and other exhibitors. Brad Welch’s Sensual exhibit is on display until February 4, 2022, and the colorful, fun winners of the Justin Flippen Manatee Contest are up until January 7, 2022.

and collaborations with Wilton Manors and Broward County to expand diversity, culture, and art education for the community.

JH: Art can be a luxury for individuals, but is a necessity for a community. How do you feel the art scene is doing in South Florida, especially in Broward County?

CC: I think the art scene is strong in South Florida, Castillo took some time to talk about creating the Rainbow Bridge leading into Wilton Manors, the importance of art, and her brewing creative visions.

John Hayden: What is inspiring you right now?

Claudia Castillo: I recently returned from Florence, Italy, where I exhibited at the XIII Florence Biennale International Contemporary Art Exhibition. It was such an emotional and empowering experience to exhibit in the city where such great art masters have created architecture and art throughout time. I was so inspired by the energy and beauty of all that I saw, and am excited to convey it in the artwork that I am working on.

JH: What are you working on for 2022?

CC: I have so many projects in progress now. My most important one is the new collection of art pieces that I am doing and will be showing at my studio in the upcoming month. These pieces will have my heart and soul and convey my feelings and the experiences of Florence.

I am also working on my business and expanding the services we provide at the studio. We are engaging more local and international art talent to exhibit to give opportunities to artists and to provide the community with new contemporary art. I’m also continuing my service on the boards of several local non-profits such as the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce, the Wilton Drive Improvement District, and other initiatives such as the Justin Flippen Manatee Contest

especially as we come out of the pandemic. We are seeing a trend where people are reevaluating their lives, appreciating art, and choosing to acquire artwork that they can enjoy day to day. As the borders open up, international art shows are now able to open up again and have been very well attended. We are blessed in South Florida as many people from the north visit and have a second home here and they are very used to frequenting art galleries and discovering new and innovative artwork they can acquire.

JH: The biggest addition to our local art scene is the Rainbow Bridge. It’s been a bit since both sides have been completed, what has the reaction been? Did it raise awareness of you and your work?

CC: I am so proud of the Rainbow Bridge, especially since it was my mission last year to assure this became a reality as it was the idea of our late Mayor Justin Flippen. We worked together on this initiative in January 2020, and due to his passing and the COVID pandemic, the completion was delayed. I receive so much gratitude from locals and tourists that visit my gallery who see it as a tremendous icon for our community. The bridge has an important location as it is the window to the central business district and Arts and Entertainment District of Wilton Manors and it serves as the connection between the City of Wilton Manors and the City of Fort Lauderdale. The Rainbow colors celebrate the cultural diversity and inclusion for all people of this great community.

To see more of Castillo’s work and featured artists, visit her Wilton Manors gallery at 2215 Wilton Drive, or visit her website, ClaudiaCastilloArtStudio.com.

A Night Out In Miami

South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center Photos Credit: Robin Hill

T

he South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center (SMDCAC) can’t be beat for an evening of funfilled entertainment and cultural enrichment. With its proximity to a vast array of world-class dining venues in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, and South Miami, make an entire night of it in the Magic City, Broward’s closest neighbor to the south.

A calendar of diverse performances every season means there’s something for everyone at SMDCAC. Partnering with a number of top-tier arts organizations, the center presents productions ranging from the Miami Lyric Opera to the Miami Youth Ballet, Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami, and Sin Salida.

Culture Shock and Much More

SMDCAC ushered in a new era for South Dade when it opened in the coastal community of Cutler Bay in October 2011. Featuring a 961-seat main stage theater, the design team for this state-of-the-art venue was led by awardwinning architectural firm Arquitectonica, internationally acclaimed for such notable projects as Icon Brickell and Brickell City Centre, and the FTX Arena.

Also featuring prominent works of art by Miami artist Robert Chambers, this stunning multi-disciplinary cultural arts center stages everything from opera to film, musicals, bands, dance and stand-up comedy, while also acting as a community gathering place with education and outreach at the core of its mission.

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A major priority at the SMDCAC is making theater and the performing arts accessible to everyone in the community, so it offers many generous programs including “Culture Shock Miami,” which provides $5 tickets to select shows for patrons ages 13 to 22. Other discounts are available for senior citizens, students, and active military personnel.

In addition to its beautiful main stage, there’s a collection of smaller venues onsite at SMDCAC. The Black Box Theater and Lab Theater are both multipurpose spaces that can be arranged to stage intimate performances, rehearsals, and auditions.

Each has a capacity of 129 people. The Dance Rehearsal Studio boasts high ceilings with sprung wood floors and mirrors with a sound and video system.

Additionally, a classroom with gorgeous floor-toceiling windows provides space for workshops, master classes, meetings, or luncheons. Set against the picturesque Black Creek Canal, the center boasts an impressive backyard concert lawn and plaza for festive outdoor performances and events for up to 700 people.

Make it a Magical Outing Whether it’s a night at the opera or the jaunty notes of a brass band under the stars, the SMDCAC is a worldclass venue and a cornerstone of the South Dade arts community that appeals to the entire South Florida region.

SMDCAC is located at 10950 SW 211 St., Cutler Bay, FL 3318. For information and a full schedule of upcoming events, visit SMDCAC.org or call the box office at (786) 573-5300.

Content provided by South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center

OutClique.com | 91

Photo Credit: Dan Norman

Florida Grand Opera to Celebrate 80th Anniversary Season

By Denny Patterson

F

lorida Grand Opera (FGO) is about to begin its landmark 80th anniversary season.

Debuting in 1942 with Pagliacci on Valentine’s Day at the Miami Senior High School Auditorium, FGO, then known as the Greater Miami Opera, has gone on to present the finest opera singers from around the world in productions representing the work of more than sixty composers.

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According to General Director and CEO Susan T. Danis, the celebration of an 80th anniversary season is an accomplishment for any company.

“There are not a lot of South Florida institutions that are 80 years old,” she says. “This is such a significant and milestone anniversary, especially after weathering the storm of the pandemic. We have been in a very different place for almost two years.”

In addition to FGO’s loyal patrons, Danis believes another large part of the company’s success is due to the quality of its productions.

“Our company has brought the opera world, and South Florida in particular, a lot of firsts,” she explains. “It was where Luciano Pavarotti made his American debut, first on the stage of the Miami-Dade Auditorium and then the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, and folks who had huge opera careers, we presented their talents in South Florida. Ultimately, making sure we are putting out a really good product onstage, so to speak, has helped motivate the audience to attend, buy tickets, contribute, and make sure this less than mainstream art form stays alive in South Florida.”

Filled with high drama, scandal, intimacy, and obsession with power, the 80th anniversary season kicks off January 22, 2022 with the American classic, A Streetcar Named Desire. The following productions will include Rigoletto (March 12 - April 2), Fellow Travelers (April 23-26 & 28), Agrippina (May 14-17 & 19), and a couple special concert events.

“This is such a spectacular season,” Danis says. “These are pieces of incredible relevance and importance, and most people are familiar with them. They will certainly teach potential audience members that opera is way more than just one thing, and they get to see the relevance of opera in their own lives.”

Danis has now been with FGO for 10 years. According to her, the best part of being involved with this company is the people.

“I absolutely love the wide variety of people that I get to meet,” she says. “The artists that we bring in from all over the United States to sing with us, folks that are an important part of our overall organization, and then of course, the audience. The audience is what really gives performers their energy.”

She and her team are currently planning out FGO’s 81st season. For more information, to stay up-to-date, and to purchase tickets, visit FGO.org. The company can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photo Credit: Jeff Tombello

Photo Credit: Lutz Edelhoff

Photo Credit: Hawai’l Opera Theatre

In addition to returning to Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and Broward Center for the Performing Arts, FGO has also created new partnerships with the

Lauderhill Performing Arts Center in Fort Lauderdale and Scottish Rite Temple in Miami, giving more opportunities for audience engagement in a variety of different communities.

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The cast of the National Tour of TOOTSIE. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

The Tony Award-winning Musical is Coming to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts January 11-23, 2022 Photos Courtesy of Allied Global Marketing

T

ootsie, the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical, is coming to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale for a limited two-week engagement from January 11- 23, 2022.

Call it “musical comedy heaven” (Rolling Stone). Call it “the most uproarious new musical in years!” (The Hollywood Reporter). Call it Tootsie! This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one showstopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime.

Featuring a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this New York Times Critic’s Pick is “a joyful delight” (The Washington Post) that’s “so packed with punchlines, it should be called a jokebox musical!” (Bloomberg).

“In these turbulent times, when the world seems out of

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balance, we need a place to let the good times roll,” raves Rolling Stone. “Tootsie is it!”

The creative team for Tootsie includes director Dave Solomon (Broadway associate director), Broadway choreography by Denis Jones, associate choreographer Chip Abbott. The design team for Tootsie includes original scenic designer David Rockwell, tour scenic designer Christine Peters, costume designer William Ivey Long, associate costume designer Christopher Vergara, lighting designer Donald Holder, associate lighting designers Vivien Leone & Coby Chasman-Beck and assistant lighting designer Colleen Doherty, sound designer Brian Ronan, associate sound designer Cody Spencer, hair and wig design by Paul Huntley, assistant hair and wig designer Loryn Pretorius. make-up design by Angelina Avallone. Casting is by Binder Casting, Chad Murnane CSA. Supervising Music Supervisor Andrea Grody, Music Supervision by Dean Sharenow, vocal & incidental

arrangements by Andrea Grody, dance arrangements by David Chase, orchestrations by Simon Hale, and music coordination by Talitha Fehr.

Lauderdale, FL, 33312, BrowardCenter.org or by calling (954) 462-0222. Orders for groups of ten or more may be placed by calling (954) 660-6307. Tickets start at $35.00.

Tootsie is based on the story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart and the Columbia Pictures Motion Picture produced by Punch Productions and starring Dustin Hoffman. The National Tour of Tootsie is produced and managed by TROIKA Entertainment.

All guests age 2 and up must wear a suitable face covering while inside the theater. In addition, all guests age 12 and up must provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test or of full vaccination status. View the Guest Entry Policy for full details on the venue’s COVID-19 protocols.

For accessibility questions or assistance related to the COVID-19 policies, email Boxoffice@BrowardCenter.org or call (954) 462-0222.

Tickets for Tootsie are available at the Broward Center AutoNation Box Office, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort

Payton Reilly as Sandy Lester in the National Tour of TOOTSIE. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

The cast of the National Tour of TOOTSIE. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

The cast of the National Tour of TOOTSIE. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.

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Photo by Halle Von Kessler

Masterworks III with Composer John Gottsch

By Denny Patterson

T

he South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO) is ringing in 2022 with the old and new.

took some time to chat more about the piece and his love for classical music with OutClique.

Not only will its Masterworks III concert feature Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, but audiences will witness the world premiere of Princess Yurievskaya by SFSO’s Composer-in-Residence John Gottsch. Charting the passionate love between Catherine Dolgorukova and Tsar Alexander II, the vivid narrative is full of exciting dances, irradiated with evocative orchestral solos.

Denny Patterson: Thank you for taking some time to chat with me, John! How excited are you for the premiere performances of Princess Yurievskaya?

Gottsch, who has been with the SFSO for three years,

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John Gottsch: I am very much looking forward to the premiere of Princess Yurievskaya. The premiere was originally scheduled for the 2020 season, but of course, the pandemic derailed all in-person performances and concerts. The South Florida Symphony Orchestra is

excited to have in-person concerts again, and we are eager to perform this new work.

DP: Can you tell us more about the piece’s concept and inspiration?

JG: Princess Yurievskaya is a historical figure. She was a

long-time mistress and eventually became the wife of Tsar Alexander II of Russia in the mid-19th century. What’s remarkable about the story of the princess and the tsar is the historical record of their raw, passionate love for each other. They shared a mutual devotion that lasted until the tsar’s death by assassination in 1881. Their torrid, white hot correspondence was recently published, and these letters were a primary reassessment and understanding of Alexander II. He was a transformative tsar who, with the encouragement of the princess, instituted important reforms. One early achievement of the tsar was to free the serfs. To this day in Russia, he is known as Alexander the Liberator, and the story of the princess and the tsar, to me, begged for a musical interpretation. Their passion for each other, the joy of the serfs being freed, and the utter tragic death of the tsar.

DP: Why do you like to bring history to life through music?

JG: Often, past historical events can have an important contemporary context. As an example, this past January, Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned by Putin’s security forces, was sentenced to prison. As he was led off to jail, he compared Russia’s glorious past with Alexander The Liberator. He compared him to Russia’s present leadership with, what he called him, Putin the Poisoner. As we see, the princess and the tsar live on.

DP: As the SFSO’s Composer-in-Residence, what do you enjoy the most about working with this institution?

JG: The orchestra has such accomplished musicians, incredible soloists, and of course, it has South Florida’s crown jewel of classical music, Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso, as its musical director. I very much enjoy working and collaborating with the maestrea on these performances and projects.

DP: Right before COVID-19 shut down the world,

the SFSO recorded for your debut album, which was

finally released in June. The album features Princess Yurievskaya and your symphonic poem Sunset. How has it been received, and do you have any more albums in the works?

JG: The album received a favorable review in Gramophone Magazine by the highly respected critic, Donald Rosenberg. He was particularly complimentary to the orchestra and to the soloists. Huifang Chen plays the violin as the princess and David Calhoun on cello as the tsar. I am putting together another album of my chamber works, and I also have another large orchestral work that tells the history of slaves and Native Americans that live near the Ockalawaha, a mysterious and beautiful river in central Florida. I hope that will someday result in another album.

DP: What are some key elements you incorporate when creating a piece?

JG: As I write, I always keep in mind the musicians who will be playing the music. I have such a tremendous respect for their talents and skills. In a large symphonic work, I am always aware of balancing the different instrumental sections of the orchestra. I make a special effort to showcase individual musicians and their instruments with lyrical solos.

DP: You are also a medical doctor. How did your interest in composing classical music begin?

JG: I have composed pretty much throughout my life, mostly smaller chamber pieces. I also like to listen to classical music as I operate, and I enjoy quizzing the doctor in training operating with me by asking if he or she could identify the classical piece that was playing [laughs].

If the patient is awake during surgery, they will sometimes chime in with the right answer.

DP: What are some goals you would like to achieve as a musical composer?

JG: My goals are those that a very serious composer

would have, and that is hoping his or her work will be taken seriously and enjoyed by musicians and audiences alike. Perhaps, some works will survive and be performed and appreciated by future generations.

To connect and stay up-to-date with Gottsch, visit his official website, JohnDGottsch.com. For more information and to purchase tickets for Masterworks III, visit SouthFloridaSymphony.org, or call (954) 522-8445.

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Returning Returning for its forsecond its second year, year, thisthis one-of-a-kind one-of-a-kind tasting tasting event event is filled is filled withwith days days of indulgent of indulgent fun fun featuring featuring more more thanthan 30 rosés, 30 rosés, spirits, spirits, celebrity celebrity chefs, chefs, music music andand so much so much more! more!

Proceeds Proceeds go towards go towards driving driving out out cancer cancer in South in South Florida Florida through through AutoNation’s AutoNation’s DRVDRV PNKPNK initiative. initiative.

Lavishly Lavishly appointed appointed cabanas cabanas withwith dedicated dedicated butler butler service service are are alsoalso available. available.

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Photo Credit: Elliot Lee Hazel

The One & Only Johnny Mathis

By Gregg Shapiro

T

here is only one Johnny Mathis. With a career in its eighth decade, he has touched multiple generations with his plush vocals and radiant personality. He’s known for hits including “When Sunny Gets Blue,” “It’s Not For Me To Say,” “Chances Are,” “The Twelfth of Never,” “Misty,” “Wonderful! Wonderful!,” and “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late,” just to name a few. Mathis has always had a way with standards, as well as tunes of the winter holiday season.

He learned early about music and performance from his musician-father, Clem. In addition to being musically gifted, Mathis was also athletic, even once besting NBA legend Bill Russell in a high-jump meet. Around the time he was invited to the 1956 Olympic trials in Melbourne, Australia, he also had the chance to go to New York to record his first album. The rest, as they say, is musical history. Mathis, a true all-seasons performer, was kind enough to answer a few questions in advance of his upcoming concert tour celebrating 65 years of romantic music.

GS: Is there anyone with whom you wish you had sung a duet but you didn’t get a chance to?

JM: Oh, my goodness, I could name you a thousand

people that I would have loved to perform with. The thing is, you have to be grateful for what you have and what you’ve done and hope for the best that is to come.

GS: Seeing as how you are known as “The Voice of

Christmas,” your 2021 tour schedule has a couple of Christmas concert dates in December, one in a warm climate (Clearwater, FL) and one in a cold climate (Chicago, IL). What do you like best about performing Christmas concerts?

JM: You bring Christmas to wherever you are. I remember

being raised in San Francisco. During Christmas, the sun was out and it was warm and toasty and everything.

Someplace else it’s nice and cold and the snow is coming down and it looks like Christmas. You bring Christmas with you, from your heart. It’s what’s in your heart that counts.

Gregg Shapiro: Mr. Mathis, your long association with the music of romance made me wonder if you could choose your top three most romantic songs of all time?

GS: Because you also have a reputation for being a foodie, did you, like so many others, bake any sourdough bread while isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020?

Johnny Mathis: I have no idea! You love one one day and the next day you say, “Oh no, I like that one better!”

That’s the way most singers are about their music. I talked to some of my favorite singers, people like Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughan and Billy Eckstine, and they felt the same way. One day you like this and another day you like that. A lot of times it has to do with how you feel about the way your voice sounds with one song or another.

Sometimes it sounds really good, and you think you were made to sing that song. Other times you think, “Oh well, I did a good job but maybe somebody else sounds better doing it.”

JM: [Big laugh] I think baking is the most difficult thing

GS: You have a long history of singing duets and have

performed them with artists such as Deniece Williams, Jane Olivor and Barbra Streisand, to name a few. What makes you so good at playing well with others?

JM: [Laughs] I like those girls! They’re pretty and they’re

good singers. You meet them and you hit it off. Then you say, “If you like me so much, why don’t you sing with me?”

[They say] “OK, I’ll do it!” That’s about how it goes.

about cooking! I’m a terrible baker. I love the wonderful baked goods that are available, especially in California.

I choose to go with the people who do it brilliantly and marvelously. I buy my food from specialty places, and I love it. Sometimes I do find a way to enhance my life by preparing foods. But baking is a science, and it’s very difficult and I don’t pride myself on my baking [laughs].

GS: Finally, I had the honor of interviewing you a few years ago at the time your Johnny Mathis Sings the Great New American Songbook album was released. Is there a new Johnny Mathis album forthcoming?

JM: I was thinking about that recently. Of course, the

times have changed so much, including the people in charge of all these places that I have been involved with at the record companies and the music companies and what have you. So, as far as I’m concerned, I’m just a person who has to have the material. If they don’t supply it for me, then I’m going to have to wait until there is a way for me to record again and get it out.

For Tickets to Johnny Mathis’ performs on Jan. 26, 2022 at Broward Center’s Au Rene Theater, go to BrowardCenter.org

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WELL STRUNG

DIRECT FROM LONDON’S WEST END!

January 22

January 26

Broward Center I Amaturo Theater

Broward Center I Au-Rene Theater

January 28

February 18

The Parker I Wells Hall

The Parker I Wells Hall

TICKETS at BrowardCenter.org • ParkerPlayhouse.com Ticketmaster 954.462.0222 • Group Sales 954.660.6307 Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office & The Parker Box Office The 2021/2022 performance season at the Broward Center and The Parker is supported by the Broward Performing Arts Foundation.

IMMERSIVE LIGHT AND ART EXPERIENCE

B R O W A R D JANUARY 26-30 D A I LY : D A N I A B E A C H N I G H T L Y : DOWNTOWN FORT LAUDERDALE

ArtsCalendar.com/Ignite

ArtsEvents.Broward.org

@BrowardArts Free and open to the public #IgniteBroward

MAD Arts in Dania Beach will feature immersive art by three artists, including the experience States of Matter by Susan Narduli

Broward Cultural Division hosts five days and nights of interactive art for all ages, January 26-30, 2022

By Denny Patterson Photos Courtesy of Broward Cultural Division 110 | OutClique.com

F

ollow the light to IGNITE, Broward’s new familyfriendly immersive art experience showcasing exciting interactive light and video installations by leading contemporary artists and designers. Site-specific artworks will illuminate and activate locations in Fort Lauderdale and Dania Beach from January 26 to January 30. Admission is free and open to the public.

art at the Museum of Discovery & Science (401 SW 2 St.) and Esplanade Park (400 SW 2 St.).

Downtown Fort Lauderdale will come alive nightly from 6 – 10 pm with spectacular outdoor digital and light-based

Everyone is invited to attend the IGNITE Broward kickoff at Esplanade Park and in the Museum of Discovery &

Daily from 10 am – 8 pm, captivating indoor video, light and design exhibitions will be on display at MAD Arts in Dania Beach (481 S. Federal Highway), with timed reservations available.

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Trees at Esplanade Park with art by Glowing Bulbs Science’s atrium on Wednesday, January 26, at 5:30 pm.

The event will include food trucks, music and Broward County Mayor Michael Udine will activate the art at 6 pm.

A series of talks exploring the intersection of technology and art will also take place during the event’s five-day run, which coincides with Fort Lauderdale Art & Design Week.

IGNITE Broward builds on the Cultural Division’s ‘Light the Night’ festival, which took place in March 2021. Now, with a new name, expanded roster of artists and mediums, and new locations, IGNITE Broward is sure to become a mustsee annual event.

Featured artists: • David Carson

• • • •

Susan Narduli Edison Peñafiel Marcel Andristyak Glowing Bulbs

Stay in touch with Broward’s arts and cultural community by following @BrowardArts on Instagram or Facebook; and for more information, visit ArtsCalendar.com/Ignite.

IGNITE Broward is presented by Broward Cultural Division and is produced by the creative solutions firm, MAD. It incorporates innovative technology to create new site-specific artworks by international and local artists.

Additional support comes from Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, Visit Lauderdale, Museum of Discovery & Science and the City of Fort Lauderdale.

Installation in the gazebo at Esplanade Park by Marcell Andristyak and Glowing Bulbs

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JANUARY 27

Photo Courtesy of Island City Stage

Michael Ford Stars In World Premiere of Armature

By Denny Patterson

I

sland City Stage is proud to present the world of Armature, written by Andrew Kramer.

Playing January 27 - February 27, 2022, this production oozes with racism, homophobia, eroticism, and self-

hatred. Centered at the Armature Bar, audiences will witness the story of two sexy, troubled gay men and a Black family whose matriarch is running for political office.

Uniquely combining mystery and poetry, the challenging themes of Armature is exactly what Island City Stage

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loves to explore. The show will be directed by Michael Leeds and Andy Rogow.

OutClique had the opportunity to connect with New Yorkbased actor Michael Ford, who plays the role of Shod.

Armature will be his Island City Stage performance debut.

Denny Patterson: What are you looking forward to the most about performing in the world premiere of Armature at Island City Stage?

Michael Ford: I love that the play focuses on so many elements of unrest that are happening in the world right now. It doesn’t just focus on race, sexuality, homophobia, or whatever, but it encapsulates everything. That was a big challenge, but that’s what drew me to it. When I first read it, I was like, holy smokes. I was debating on whether I wanted to do it or not, but I want to push the envelope, portray a character, and tell a story that people may be reluctant to hear. I am looking forward to working with the team to bring this story to life. Trust me, it’s not an easy one.

DP: Without giving too much away, can you tell us more

DP: What do you hope to take away from this experience?

MF: I primarily do film and TV stuff, but I was trained in theatre, so I am very much looking forward to working with an ensemble again. There is nothing like it. I think the rehearsal process is one of the most beautiful, creative, and most inspiring times of an actor’s life. Being on a strong hiatus from collaborating with other artists and directors for almost two years, so much has been missing.

Plus, I get to spend two months in Florida. That’s an added bonus!

DP: How did you get involved with Armature and Island City Stage?

MF: I auditioned through a casting that was sent to me,

and that was my first time meeting Andy and Michael.

I remember it being a busy week, I was stressed out, and the audition scene was decently long, so I was on the fence about doing it. The scene is of Shod having an affair with the reporter from New York, and I am straight. My roommate is gay, and he gave me a lot of help with it.

about the story and your character?

DP: Have you ever played a LGBTQ character before?

MF: There is a political race happening in South Florida, and my character kind of affiliates himself with both Democratic and republican sides. The Republican candidate is a White man, and the Democratic candidate is a Black woman, and the story focuses on her running in a predominantly white republican area. This other character comes in, he’s a reporter from New York there to cover this scandalous tabloid story, and my character starts to build a relationship with him. Meanwhile, I am having a relationship with the daughter of the Black democratic candidate. Audiences can tell that my character, his name is Shod, isn’t super trustworthy and there’s something suspicious about him. Even when I was reading the script for the first time, that was my initial reaction. I was like, I don’t know if I like this guy anymore [laughs]. On top all that, Shod is a white supremacist, which is something I struggled with the most when I was first offered the role. I have never explored a character like this before, but even though these people are horrible, they are still people and it’s our job as artists to portray anyone.

MF: I have a couple times. In college, I was in a production of The Little Dog Laughed, which is an LGBTQ play with nudity. Michael directed a production of it as well, so after I was cast in Armature, he was talking to me about the sexuality in the play. I was like, I think I’m good. I’ve broken that barrier with nudity in college [laughs]. I think playing an LGBTQ character helps me understand and makes me a better ally in the long run. There are a lot of LGBTQ people in my life, and I would love to have that empathy and understand life from their point of view.

DP: Have you always had a passion for acting?

MF: I have been acting for the majority of my life. I was in The King and I when I was five. I did some kid commercials and child acting. Then I came to New York when I was 17 to pursue acting in school. Nothing else really brings me the same kind of joy. Exploring a play and its characters is so much fun.

Stay up-to-date and connect with Ford by following him on Instagram @michaeljcford.

For more information and to purchase tickets for Armature, visit IslandCityStage.org.

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(L-R) Derrick Baskin, Jelani Remy, Jawan M Jackson, Ephraim Sykes, and James Harkness in AIN’T TOO PROUD.

A Proud Show Photos Courtesy of Matthew Murphy

B

roadway in Fort Lauderdale is thrilled to announce that tickets are now on sale for the First National Tour of Ain’t Too Proud - The Life And Times of the Temptations.

The new Broadway smash hit musical will play in Fort Lauderdale at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Tuesday, February 8 through Sunday, February 20, 2022 as part of the 2021-2022 Broadway season.

Featuring the Grammy® winning songs and Tony® winning moves, Ain’t Too Proud is the electrifying new

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musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one and being voted the greatest R&B group of all time by Billboard Magazine in 2017.

The rest is history: how they met, the groundbreaking heights they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the United States fell into civil unrest. This thrilling story of brotherhood,

Taylor Symone Jackson, Candice Marie Woods, and Nasia Thomas in AIN’T TOO PROUD.

family, loyalty, and betrayal is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more.

After breaking house records at Berkeley Rep, The Kennedy Center, CTG’s Ahmanson Theatre, and Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre, Ain’t Too Proud opened on Broadway in March 2019, where it continues to play to sold-out audiences and breaking the Imperial Theatre’s box office record. Written by Kennedy Prizewinning playwright Dominique Morisseau, directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Des McAnuff, and featuring the Tony Award winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo, this dazzling production now brings the untold story of

the legendary quintet to audiences across the country.

Tickets are available at BrowardCenter.org, at the Broward Center AutoNation Box Office, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 33312, or by calling (954) 462-0222. Orders for groups of ten or more may be placed by calling (954) 660-6307. Ticket prices start at $32.50.

All guests age 2 and up must wear a suitable face covering while inside the theater. In addition, all guests age 12 and up must provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test or proof of full vaccination status. View the Guest Entry Policy for full details on the venue’s COVID-19 protocols.

Content Provided by Broward Center for the Performing Arts

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Discover the superpowers of skin. See and touch amazing specimens – from scales to feathers to fur. Plus, learn how our perceptions of skin shape human identity and culture.

presented by

ON VIEW THROUGH APRIL 3, 2022 FROSTSCIENCE.ORG/SKIN

1101 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33132

Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity was created by the California Academy of Sciences and modified for travel and distributed by the Science Museum of Minnesota.

The exhibit is generously supported by Susan and Nicholas Pritzker and Family.

Mardi Gras E D I T I O N

SATURDAY

26

FEBRUARY www.keystix.com

8.00 PM

Leading.

More than 100 years ago, Jackson Health System made a promise to provide quality care to everyone in our community. We’re proud that so many of our goals — to perform groundbreaking research, provide advanced services, and expand county-wide facilities — have been achieved.

Our commitment to the community continues, as we find new, innovative ways to expand these efforts in the new year.

Call 305-585-4JMG for a Jackson specialist near you.

Jackson Health System is proud to be recognized as an “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.