This weekend. … I mean, where do you start? Miami City Ballet is making its debut at The Parker and Florida Grand Opera will uncrate its majestic “Turandot.” Jazz in the Gardens has Ludacris and Nelly. Local stages will have “Curb Your Enthusiasm” favorite J.B. Smoove and “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander. You can see Tony Award winner Nicole Scherzinger, once of girl group The Pussycat Dolls, and a screening of the Spice Girls movie “Spice World.” The Muscle on the Beach car show in Delray Beach and the early St. Patrick’s Day festival in Wellington are both free. Then there’s Hugh Jackman, Darius Rucker, Brantley Gilbert and Bret Michaels doing what they do. Let’s go …
Thursday
Fun in store: This is closing weekend for “Kim’s Convenience” at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, a theatrical production that was also a hit Netflix series about a Korean family and what they discover about themselves and the world around them — in moments both hysterical and heartfelt — while running a convenience store in Toronto. Weekend performances will be 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1:30 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: Kravis.org.
Stage star: A performance by Tony Award-winning singer and actor Nicole Scherzinger (“Sunset Blvd.”) will be the centerpiece for the Kravis Center Gala on Thursday night. The fundraiser includes a reception at 5:30 p.m. and a dinner-dance gathering afterward. Tickets can be purchased for all gala events (which include preferred concert seats) or just for Scherzinger’s concert at 7 p.m. Tickets and information: Kravis.org.
Thursday night live: Pink Martini and powerhouse vocalist Storm Large come to the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami at 8 p.m. Thursday on their 30th anniversary tour. Tickets: ArshtCenter.org. … Punkish SoCal rockers The Offspring bring their world tour to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Thursday at 8 p.m. Tickets: MyHRL.com. … Country star Brantley Gilbert will play the Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Thursday at 8 p.m. Tickets: PompanoBeachArts.org.
Friday
Art to heart: The 20th annual Festival of the Arts Boca comes to a close at Mizner Park Amphitheater with classical pianist Conrad Tao offering a program featuring Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” at 7:30 p.m. Friday; followed by Grammy-winning classical instrumental trio Time for Three at 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and Broadway star Patti Lupone, revisiting her acclaimed cabaret show “Matters of the Heart,” at 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets and information: FestivalBoca.org.
More stage stars: Song-and-dance man and Wolverine Hugh Jackman will bring his dreamboat-y charisma to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets: MyHRL.com. … Tony Award winner Donna McKechnie (the original Cassie Ferguson in “A Chorus Line”) brings her tribute “Take Me To The World: The Songs of Stephen Sondheim” to the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets: AventuraCenter.org.
Local listening: Cassadee Pope, who got her pop-punk start here with Hey Monday before winning “The Voice” and becoming a star in Nashville, has returned to her rock roots and is bringing her Spring Acoustic Tour to Respectable Street in West Palm Beach on Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets: Facebook.com/respectablestreet. … South Florida guitarist and composer Russell Mofsky’s Gold Dust Lounge — makers of a cinematic sound that mashes the moods of Ennio Morricone, Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch, Dick Dale and Bela Lugosi into something vividly their own — will play the Thomson Plaza for the Arts at Miami’s Arsht Center at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets: ArshtCenter.org.
Singer-songwriter Cassadee Pope will bring her acoustic tour to West Palm Beach on Friday. (J Creative House/Courtesy)
Friday laughs: J.B. Smoove, forever to be best known for his role as Leon Black on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” will be at the Miami Improv for performances at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets: MiamiImprov.com. … Canadian comedian Mae Martin, one-third of the “Handsome” podcast (with Fortune Feimster and Tig Notaro) and creator-star of the 2025 Netflix special “Wayward,” will perform at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets: ParkerPlayhouse.com. … Ariel Elias, who has done Kimmel and Colbert but achieved priceless viral fame a few years ago when she chugged a beer thrown at her by a heckler, will be at The Studio at Mizner Park in Boca Raton at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets: TheStudioAtMiznerPark.org.
Friday night live: Two staples of your ’90s sing-along soundtrack, Lisa Loeb and Joan Osborne, will perform at the Arsht Center in Miami on Friday at 8 p.m., on a co-headlining tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of Loeb’s “Tails” and Osborne’s “Relish.” Tickets: ArshtCenter.org. … Charismatic Poison icon Bret Michaels will bring all the hair-borne hits to the Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Friday at 7:30 p.m. on a tour with Tesla. Tickets: PompanoBeachArts.org.
Returning to Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Friday, longtime Poison frontman Bret Michaels does not lack enthusiasm. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Saturday
Gardens party: Jazz in the Gardens Music Fest will return to the grounds at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Saturday and Sunday with a long and strong lineup of performers. Saturday’s headliners include Jhené Aiko, GloRilla, Ella Mai, Mýa, Joe and a set by DJ D-Nice featuring appearances from SWV, Robin Thicke, Sunshine Anderson and others. On Sunday, the highlight will be a 25th anniversary set by Ludacris, as well as performances by Nelly and Ashanti, The Isley Brothers, Boney James and more. The festival begins at 4 p.m. each day. Tickets, information: JazzInTheGardens.com.
Big show: At Miami’s Arsht Center, Florida Grand Opera will close its season with a bold exclamation point — a massive production of Puccini’s 100-year-old masterpiece “Turandot” (best known for “Nessun Dorma”), featuring more than 150 people onstage while pairing the creative storytelling of director (you may remember the visual magic of his “Magic Flute” last season) and inventive video artist Erin Teachman. The cast includes Roberto Alagna, Aleksandra Kurzak, Jennifer Rowley and Dominick Chenes, under the baton of Jonathan Brandani, born in Lucca like Puccini. Performances will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Tuesday. The production will move to the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale for performances at 7:30 p.m. March 26 and March 28. Tickets: FGO.org.
Nice ride: Muscle on the Beach will bring vintage muscle cars, trucks and hot rods to Old School Square in Delray Beach on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by Mike Brewer, British host of the Discovery Channel’s “Wheeler Dealers,” the event will send all net proceeds to local nonprofit Sandoway Discovery Center. Admission is free. Information: MuscleOnTheBeach.com.
Downtown dance: Miami City Ballet will make its debut at The Parker in downtown Fort Lauderdale this weekend with “Across the River of Light,” a program curated exclusively for the more intimate space and highlighted by MCB choreographer Durante Verzola’s Latin-flavored “Sentimiento.” Three other works on the program include Christopher Wheeldon’s “This Bitter Earth,” George Balanchine’s “Tarantella,” and “Nous Sommes” by Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m Saturday and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: MiamiCityBallet.org.
Miami City Ballet principal soloist Taylor Naturkas in George Balanchine’s “Tarantella,” part of the program coming to The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday and Sunday. (The George Balanchine Trust/Miami City Ballet/Courtesy)
Beyond George: “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander will share stories from his work on stage, television, film and other pursuits during an installment of The Rosenthal Speaker Series at Congregation B’nai Israel of Boca Raton on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets: CBIBoca.org.
Saturday night live: Darius Rucker will play an annual fundraising concert for the Broward Center’s many education efforts on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Benefit packages that include a cocktail reception and dinner are available, but you can also get tickets for the concert only at BrowardCenter.org. … Indie band Interpol brings its tour with Austin rockers The Black Angels to the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets: JLKC.com. … ’80s idiosyncrasy Gary Numan is a sellout at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, but check for updates at Ticketmaster.com.
What you really, really want: Local cineastes The Film Junkies will host a screening of “Spice World,” the glittery, girl-powery romp starring The Spice Girls — Posh, Scary, Baby, Sporty and Ginger — on Saturday at 10 p.m. at Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale. Tickets: TheFilmJunkies.com.
Irish aye: St. Nick gets a whole season, why not St. Patrick? The inaugural Village of Wellington Irish Festival will take place on Saturday, a full 10 days before St. Patrick’s Day — and we’re not complaining. Running from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., the event will include food, drink, kids’ activities and live entertainment (Black Thorne Pipe Band, Clar Killoran, Rogue Theory, Tir Na Greine Irish Dancers and more). Franny from 98.7 FM The Gator will host a Split the G Guinness-drinking contest. Admission and parking are free. Information: WellingtonFL.gov.
Sunday
Sunday laughs: If you struck out trying to see Ari Matti (Rogan guy, “Kill Tony” podcaster) at his four sold-out shows at the Fort Lauderdale Improv, know that he’s also scheduled at the Miami Improv for two shows on Sunday. Last we checked they still had tickets for the 9:30 p.m. performance. Visit: MiamiImprov.com.
Billy’s boys: The Lords of 52nd Street, including musicians who backed Billy Joel in the late 1970s, beginning with the “Turnstiles” album, will perform at the Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University in Davie on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: MiniaciPAC.com.
Mozart matinee: The Vienna Philharmonic, led by Grammy-winning conductor Andris Nelsons (music director of Boston Symphony Orchestra), will play a matinee program (Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 and Dvořák’s Sixth Symphony) at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. Visit: Kravis.org. Note: The orchestra’s Kravis Center concert with revered pianist Lang Lang at 7:30 p.m. Monday is sold out. Check updates at Kravis.org.
Looking ahead
Food stuff: Michelin-blessed Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza is opening its newest South Florida location at Dania Pointe on Tuesday (Mister01.com) … Fuku, chef David Chang’s New York-based cult-fave fried chicken spot, will open its first South Florida brick-and-mortar on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables on Wednesday. Chang expects to open a shop in downtown West Palm Beach this summer (EatFuku.com).
Beatles all over: The beloved Beatles on the Beach festival will bring myriad concerts, lectures, vendors and activities to Boca Raton from March 12-15. Highlights include a performance by Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience (yes, that Morgan Freeman) on March 14 at Mizner Park Amphitheater and the Boca Raton Museum exhibition “The Art of Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon & George Harrison.” Tickets, information: BeatlesOnTheBeach.com.
More music: Alicia Keys opens her jukebox musical “Hell’s Kitchen” at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday for a run through March 22. Tickets: BrowardCenter.org. … You can still get tickets to see country singer-songwriter Miranda Lambert at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on March 12. Tickets: MyHRL.com. … The 10th edition of GroundUP Music Festival is returning to Miami Beach Bandshell on March 13-15, with a lineup featuring Snarky Puppy, Flying Lotus, Arooj Aftab, Rickie Lee Jones, Julian Lage, Patrice Rushen, Bilal and more. Tickets: GroundupMusicFestival.com.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on IG: @BenCrandell.