A CORNUCOPIA OF TALENT AND ARTISTRY TAKE THE STAGE THIS NOVEMBER

Published: Oct 8, 2024

This November is chock-full of musical, comedy and dance genius at The Parker in the Lillian S. Wells Hall, from a live band experience celebrating Taylor Swift to such varied musical talent as Ben Folds, Amy Grant, Don McLean, Will Downing, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Better Than Ezra and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the transformative moves of dance troupe Pilobolus, laughs from comedians Vir Das, Laura Ramoso, Felipe Esparza, Max Fosh, Dan & Phil and so much more.

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes return to The Parker on Sunday, November 3 at 7 p.m. as part of the Cleveland Clinic Rock Series. Emerging from the same New Jersey Shore music scene as Southside Johnny's contemporary and friend Bruce Springsteen, the band delivers a classic blend of hard-core R&B and street-level rock with molten grooves, soulful guitar licks and blistering horns. The band's first three albums, “I Don't Want to Go Home,” “This Time It's for Real” and “Hearts of Stone,” were produced by Steven Van Zandt (E Street Band, “The Sopranos”) and featured songs written by Van Zandt/Springsteen with Rolling Stone magazine voting “Hearts of Stone” among the top 100 albums of the 1970s and 1980s.

Pilobolus Re:CREATION delivers a dynamic collection of dance pieces on Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. at The Parker as part of the Mosaic Series in a performance generously supported by Funding Arts Broward. The program leads audiences into a realm where imagination knows no limits and the boundaries of gravity and creativity blur to offer an intimate window into the essence of creativity itself. These daring experiments and groundbreaking new collaborations keep the troupe at the forefront of innovation and stand alongside the Pilobolus classics that altered the landscape of dance and theater.

Stand-up comic Felipe Esparza performs in an event presented by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and Outback Presents on Friday, November 8 at 7 p.m. at The Parker. Since winning NBC's “Last Comic Standing” in 2010, he has delivered three successful stand-up specials on Netflix and HBO while his “What's Up Fool?” podcast is holding steady as one of the top comedy podcasts for the last eight years. Off the stage, he has been a recurring favorite on TV shows such as “Superstore,” “The Eric André Show,” “Gentefied” and “Victor and Valentino.” He has appeared on film in “Guest House” with Pauly Shore, “7th & Union” with Omar Chaparro, “Daddy Daughter Trip” with Rob Schneider and “You People” with Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill. This event contains adult language or content. A VIP package may be added to any ticket.

Bringing joy to audiences around the world for more than 30 years, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy performs on Saturday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. at The Parker as part of the TD Bank Jazz Series. Famously named after an autograph by blues legend Albert Collins, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has appeared in concert venues across the world, sold millions of records and had their music appear in hundreds of movies and television shows. With sold-out concerts from the Hollywood Bowl to Lincoln Center, appearances with many of the country's finest symphony orchestras and television appearances ranging from “Dancing with the Stars” to Super Bowl XXXIII, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy continues its decades-long mission to celebrate and revitalize jazz and swing music, America's original musical art form.

With one of the most versatile and loved voices of our time, Will Downing performs on Sunday, November 10 at 7 p.m. at The Parker. Known as "the prince of sophisticated soul," his repertoire consists of signature interpretations of R&B classics like "I Go Crazy," "Wishing On A Star" and "I Try," as well as original hits "A Million Ways," "Sorry I" and the showstopping duet with Rachelle Ferrell, "Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This." He hosts the weekly radio show “The Wind Down” and continues to record fresh melodies and lush arrangements on his own Sophisticated Soul record label.

One of the biggest British pop artists to emerge in the 2000s, Sophie Ellis-Bextor performs Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30pm at The Parker. Sophie soared to the top of the U.K. charts with her glossy, disco- and '80s synth-pop influenced dance sound. Initially gaining buzz as the lead singer of the Brit-pop band theaudience, Ellis-Bextor established herself as a pop diva with her chart-topping anthem "Murder on the Dancefloor," which helped take her 2001 debut, “Read My Lips,” to number two on the U.K. Albums Chart. Recently, the song gained renewed popularity after appearing in 2023's cult film “Saltburn,” surging on streaming platforms, rising on the U.K charts and giving the singer her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100.

Applauded as "a stellar performer" by The Guardian, German-Italian comedian Laura Ramoso performs on Thursday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. at The Parker Best known for her sketch specials and impressions on Instagram and TikTok, she has amassed more than two million followers with her hit characters, "German Mom," "Italian Dad" and "Girl who just got back from…." In 2022, she returned to the stage with her critically acclaimed live show Frances and delivered a sold-out run at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and London's Soho Theatre. In 2023, she was named a “New Face of Comedy” by Just for Laughs.

Named one of the “100 Greatest Alternative Artists of All Time” by Billboard magazine, Better than Ezra performs Friday, November 15 at 8 p.m. at The Parker as part of the Cleveland Clinic Rock Series. The New Orleans quartet's hummable melodies, unshakable guitar riffs and confessional lyrics have stood the test of time from 1995’s number one hit, “Good,” to Taylor Swift’s 2010 cover of the band's “Breathless,” to the recently released singles “Mystified,” “Contact High” and “Live A Little.” Founded by Kevin Griffin (lead vocals, guitar, piano) and Tom Drummond (bass, backing vocals), the band started by playing house parties at Louisiana State University and has recently released its tenth studio album, “Super Magick.”

Max Fosh – Loophole comes to The Parker as part of the Truist Comedy Series on Saturday, November 16 at 7 p.m. A YouTuber and comedian with more than four million followers across social media, Fosh’s videos are all about finding life’s loopholes and exploiting them. How else would one explain how he became the richest man in the world for seven minutes, or how he would legally become his parent's favorite child, or how he technically won an Oscar? His videos have generated more than one billion views across YouTube alone, and he has completed a national stand-up tour that culminated with a sold-out show at London’s Palladium. Audiences will come along for 80 minutes of loophole hunting and exploiting in this brand-new show that his mum is calling “the greatest piece of art since his macaroni paintings.”

Dan & Phil: Terrible Influence brings the duo to The Parker as part of the Truist Comedy Series in an event presented the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and AEG Presents on Monday, November 18 at 8 p.m. Dan and Phil are back to heal each audience member’s inner child and take back what the internet took from them in a screamingly hilarious new show filled with scandalous stories they couldn't share before, including theatrical plot twists, a savage roast of social media, the fans they raised and, most importantly, themselves. They're older, gayer, Phil's gone blonde and nothing is off limits. The evening offers laughs, a feeling of community and a chance to make peace with the past before Dan has another breakdown and disappears. VIP packages are available.

India's biggest stand-up comedian, Bollywood star and Emmy^® nominee Vir Das brings his Mind Fool Tour to The Parker as part of the Truist Comedy Series on Thursday, November 21 at 7 p.m. in an evening presented by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and AEG Presents. With his boundless comedic talent, wildly successful world tours and five incredible Netflix specials, he delivers what the Boston Globe labeled a “mixture of audacity and humility,” while The New York Times declared, “no artist embodies the globalization of stand-up like Vir Das.”

Swedish guitar player and songwriter Yngwie Malmsteen brings his neoclassical metal playing style back to The Parker as part of the Cleveland Clinic Rock Series on Friday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. He has released more than 20 albums in his four-decade career and received a Grammy^®Award nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for his first solo album, “Rising Force,” that is now considered the foundation of neoclassical rock.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts and AEG Presents bring six-time Grammy^®Award winner Amy Grant to The Parker Saturday, November 23 at 8 p.m. In a career that spans more than four decades, Grant has grown from her gospel roots to become an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality and philanthropist. With three multi-platinum albums, six platinum albums and four gold albums, her total career album sales have exceeded 30 million and more than one billion global streams. Grant's chart success has been consistent throughout her career with six number one hits, 10 Top 40 pop singles, 17 Top 40 Adult Contemporary tracks and multiple Contemporary Christian chart-toppers. Her honors include induction into the Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame, 26 Dove Awards, and inclusion on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts and AEG Presents bring one of the major music influencers of today to The Parker as Ben Folds performs on Sunday, November 24 at 8 p.m. This Emmy^®-nominated singer-songwriter-composer has created an enormous body of genre-bending music over the past three decades, including pop albums with Ben Folds Five, multiple solo albums and numerous collaborative records. A New York Times bestselling author and podcast host, he also composes for film, television and theater as well as guest stars in films and television. In addition, Folds serves as the artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and is an active member of Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund. VIP packages are available.

Let’s Sing Taylor – A Live Band Experience Celebrating Taylor Swift comes to The Parker as part of the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Imagination Series on Friday, November 29 at 8 p.m. This ultimate tribute to the music of Taylor Swift invites Swifties to sing their hearts out and sport their Swift-inspired attire. With faithful and lively covers of Taylor's expansive and cherished catalog, the event delivers a communal experience of celebrating Swift's music. This event is presented by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and AEG Presents.

As part of the Cleveland Clinic Rock Series, Don McLean: Starry Night Tour performs Saturday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. His magnum opus, "American Pie," catapulted McLean to international stardom making history as the longest song to top the charts. Continuing to captivate audiences with timeless classics like "Vincent," he crosses various genres, from folk to country, garnering widespread acclaim. With works that have been covered by Madonna and George Michael, among others, he continues to inspire new generations of artists and enchant audiences with timeless melodies. Having been inducted into the Grammy^® Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry, his legacy as a musical trailblazer endures, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of American music.

Also at The Parker this November is South Florida Symphony Orchestra: 100 Years of Rhapsody in Blue Plus Elgar & Prokofiev Orchestra (Nov. 13).

Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of The Parker. Buy tickets online at ParkerPlayhouse.com and Ticketmaster.com; by phone at 954.462.0222; and in person at the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office.

Lillian S. Wells Hall at The Parker is located in Holiday Park at 707 N.E. Eighth St. in Fort Lauderdale. The Parker is an affiliated venue of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, which provides programming and management of the facility. The performance season at The Parker is supported by the Broward Performing Arts Foundation.

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About The Parker

The Parker is Fort Lauderdale’s iconic, heritage theater presenting concerts, comedy, dance, family fare and more. Beautifully renovated in 2021, The Parker offers audiences enhanced entertainment and hospitality experiences. The neo-classical Lillian S. Wells Hall features outstanding acoustics, unobstructed sightlines, wide rows and continental seating. The grand S. Donald Sussman Lobby, Bernie Peck’s Bar, the intimate Haller Club, and the private members’ lounge, The Place To Be, provide ample opportunities for audiences to enjoy culture, cocktails and conversation with every visit to the theater. For more information, visit ParkerPlayhouse.com.

Complete November Schedule at The Parker

Nov. 3 Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes – Cleveland Clinic Rock Series

Nov. 7 Pilobolus ReCREATION – Mosaic Series

Nov. 8 Felipe Esparza

Nov. 9 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – TD Bank Jazz Series

Nov. 10 Will Downing

Nov. 12 Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Nov. 13 South Florida Symphony Orchestra: 100 Years of Rhapsody in Blue Plus Elgar & Prokofiev Orchestra

Nov. 14 Laura Ramoso

Nov. 15 Better Than Ezra - Cleveland Clinic Rock Series

Nov. 16 Max Fosh – Truist Comedy Series

Nov. 18 Dan & Phil – Truist Comedy Series