“Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”
Often imitated, never duplicated — the original is still the best. Folio Weekly’s Best of Jax is the real deal, your quintessential guide to the very best stuff throughout Northeast Florida, as judged by you, the thousands upon thousands of readers who voted in more than 160 categories. From politicians to celebrities, arts to entertainment, restaurants to bars, shops to services, this is your source for, well, everything you need to know about making the most of life on the First Coast, and we’re proud to be the ones to bring it to you.
Now you, being a clever and discerning reader, will likely notice something of a theme throughout these pages. This theme will go unspoken so as not to offend the copyright gods (and their lawyers). But we would like to take a moment to thank our friend and cover model Chaz Bäck, who is mostly certainly a righteous Dude.
Abide,
Jeffrey C. Billman, editor
For more Best of Jax 2014 categories, please click on the links below:
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
“That rug really tied the room together.”
BEST GALLERY/BEST MUSEUM
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Located on the St. Johns River, The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens combines a bucolic setting, history and engaging artwork. The Cummer is equally renowned for its permanent collection of nearly 5,000 works and regular exhibits of contemporary art that celebrate both international and regional artists. This Northeast Florida institution is well-served by a staff with a perceptive vision and a strong sense of community. The museum offers educational and inclusive programs that foster an awareness of, and appreciation for, the arts in its many and magnificent forms. Current exhibits include A Commemoration of the Civil Rights Movement: Photography of the High Museum of Art and 450 Years of French History in Florida.
BEST GALLERY FINALISTS: Southlight Gallery, CoRK Arts District
BEST MUSEUM FINALISTS: Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Museum of Science & History
BEST COMMUNITY THEATER GROUP
Players By the Sea
Local theater lovers chose this Northeast Florida institution for the best in area stage productions. In continuous operation since 1966, Players By the Sea has been a long-established force in the area theatrical scene, presenting both well-known and cutting-edge dramatic, comedic and musical works, as well as fostering future local talent with educational programs. This current season includes Andrew Lloyd Webber’s holy hippie musical Jesus Christ Superstar, the edgy The Red Line and A Lesson Before Dying.
FINALISTS: Theatre Jax, The 5 & Dime
BEST THEATER PRODUCTION OF 2014
Rent
Loosely based on Puccini’s La Bohème, the multiple-award-winning musical Rent chronicles the lives of bohemians living in Manhattan’s gritty but vibrant East Village, dealing with the ever-present specter of HIV/AIDS. Written by Jonathan Larson, the story and music of this international hit have made it a milestone in contemporary theater. Players By the Sea staged the much-loved work this past July to appreciative crowds, on the strength of solid direction and a worthy cast that included Elias Hionides, Rachel Romo, Joseph Lorenzo Sykes-Burns and Jordan Leggett.
FINALISTS: Les Miserables, Angels in America
[NEXT PAGE: THE BEST LOCAL ARTIST]
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