Taylor Mac, Carmelita Tropicana and Well-Strung Among Lineup for Miami's OUT IN THE TROPICS, Kicking Off Today

The fourth annual celebration features a groundbreaking lineup of award-winning LGBT artists from New York, boldly mixed with cutting edge performers from Havana, Cuba that are traveling to Miami for their U.S. debuts.

This year's OUT in the TROPICS features performances by: Taylor Mac, Carmelita Tropicana, and Well-Strung.

The festival also presents the first-ever U.S. performance by Havana's notorious lesbian feminist
performance group El Ciervo Encantado, and the U.S. premiere of the Cuban film about homophobia
and gay life in Cuba, "Verde Verde."

The event is produced by FUNDarte, a non-profit arts organization celebrating its tenth anniversary.

"There's no other festival like this in the United States," says FUNDarte's Artistic Director Ever Chavez.
"A bold collection of the world's best contemporary lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender performance."

This year's lineup includes ...

THE 20th CENTURY SHOW
by Taylor Mac

From New York, performance artist Taylor Mac presents the Miami Beach debut of his newest work, ""THE 20th CENTURY SHOW."

A visual feast and a glorious concert, all rolled into one. Featuring one song selected from each decade of the 20th Century.

"I am presenting this to Miami Beach as a performance ritual to help the audience let go
of the 20th Century and move into the 21st," says Mac.

The Obie award-winner has performed at The Public Theater, at Lincoln Center, the Sydney Opera House, and at hundreds of the world's greatest theaters, museums, music halls, cabarets and festivals. For more information, visit taylormac.net.

POST-PLASTICA MIAMI 2013
by Carmelita Tropicana and Ela Troyano

Also from New York, the Cuban-American diva of queer comedy Carmelita Tropicana presents her Miami
premiere of "Post-Plástica Miami 2013."

In collaboration with her sister, New York based filmmaker Ela Troyano, the part live performance/part video installation show offers a glimpse into a future where celebrity culture battles between the primacy of virtual and artistic lives.

Tropicana's work has been presented at the Institute of Contemporary Art in London, Hebbel Am Ufer
in Berlin, Centre de Cultura Contemporanea in Barcelona, the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York, the Mark Taper Forum's Kirk Douglas Theater in Los Angeles, and at El Museo del Barrio in New York.

She has received numerous awards including the prestigious Anonymous Was a Woman, fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, plus an Obie for Sustained Excellence in Performance. For more, go to: carmelitatropicana.com.

WELL -STRUNG
The All-Male Gay Singing String Quartet

There's a new kind of boy band on the circuit.

The all-male string quartet Well-Strung makes its Florida debut, featuring classical musicians who sing and put their own spin on Mozart, Vivaldi, Adele, Lady Gaga, and more.

Well-Strung stars first violinist Edmund Bagnell, second violinist Christopher Marchant, cellist Daniel Shevlin and violist Trevor Wadleigh. Learn more at well-strung.com.

CUBALANDIA
by El Ciervo Encantado
(Direct from Havana / U.S. Premiere)

An outrageously profound, wildly interactive performance by Havana's daring and controversial lesbian feminist theater collective, addressing the social and political conditions of present-day Cuba. Presented in Spanish with English supertitles. For more info, go to: teatrociervo.com.

VERDE VERDE
A film by Cuban director Enrique Pineda Barnet
(U.S. premiere)

The controversial new Cuban film "Verde Verde" directed by Enrique Pineda Barnet, explores issues of gay male identity and homophobia in contemporary Cuba.

Presented in Spanish with English subtitles.

Miami-based actor Carlos Miguel Caballero, one of the film's stars, will be in attendance to introduce the film.

OUT IN THE TROPICS 2013

Thursday, June 13, 7:00 p.m.
- Panel Discussion & Reception at the Miami Beach LGBT Visitor Center
1130 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach (free and open to the public)

Miami's LGBTQ leaders present a community reception to welcome visiting festival Artists Taylor Mac, Carmelita Tropicana and El Ciervo Encantado, followed by a panel discussion on themes relating to their work and to Miami's diverse LGBTQ communities.

Friday, June 14, 8:30 p.m.
- "Cubalandia" by El Ciervo Encantado, followed by ...
- "The 20th Century Show" by Taylor Mac
Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

Saturday, June 15, 8:30 p.m.
- "Cubalandia" by El Ciervo Encantado, followed by ...
- "Post-Plastica Miami 2013" by Carmelita Tropicana and Ela Troyano
Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

Sunday, June 16, 4:30 p.m.
- "Verde Verde" a film by Cuban director Enrique Pineda Barnet
Miami Beach Cinemateque, 1130 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach

Sunday, June 16, 8:00 p.m.
- Well-Strung in concert
Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

Tickets to performances at The Colony Theatre are $60 for a three-day Festival Pass for the evening showsFriday-Saturday-Sunday; single tickets cost $30 each ($25 students/seniors) General Admission available at Ticketmaster or at FUNDarte.us, and by calling 800/745-3000, or in-person at the Colony Theatre box office,305/674-1040. Tickets to the film "Verde Verde" at the Miami Beach Cinemateque are $10 ($9 students/seniors) ($8 MBC members).

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