Culture for the Week of February 24 By Josh Garrick

Feb 25 to March 2 – War Horse on the Broadway Series

War Horse is a World War One drama of courage, loyalty and friendship, playing for one week, on the Orlando Broadway Series. Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and caught up in an extraordinary journey as Albert, too young to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to bring him home. This powerful drama packed theaters in London and New York with the theatricality of life-sized puppets that ‘bring to life’ galloping horses. Call 800.448.6322 for your tickets.

Feb 26 – Chili for Charity

The Rotary Club of Winter Park's Chili for Charity event returns with creative chili recipes with a ‘Winter Park attitude.’ Local restaurants, caterers and businesses compete for the coveted Peoples' Choice award while having their dishes evaluated by a panel of judges as live entertainment, drinks, dessert and a live auction round out the evening at the Winter Park Farmers' Market. 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Marlow's Tavern, and The Meat House are three of the more than one dozen competitors in this up-scale chili cook-off set for February 26 beginning at 5:30 pm.

Feb 26 – A Roast Celebrating Dick Batchelor

Raise your glasses to toast (and ‘roast’) one of Central Florida’s most respected community leaders - Dick Batchelor, former member of the Florida House of Representatives and businessman, political analyst, and child advocate. The evening will include live music, a special menu from 4Rivers Smokehouse, silent auction and the entertaining ‘roast.’ Beginning at 6 pm at Quantum Leap Winery in Orlando, the Roastmaster is Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel joined by ‘Roasters’ including Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Mayor Buddy Dyer, Congressman Lou Frey … and more. Call 407.215.0095 x211 or email mdearth[at]impowerfl.org.

Feb 27 to Mar 23 – Orlando Shakespeare Presents Steve Yockey’s Pluto

Participating in National New Play Network’s 35th season of Rolling World Premieres, the Orlando Shakespeare Theater will present Steve Yockey’s Pluto from February 27 to March 23. In the play, single mother Elizabeth Miller is having a bad day. A tree has crashed through her ceiling, the fridge is … not functioning, and Mother and Son choose today to confront each other across the breakfast table. Balancing a dysfunctional family with dark comedy and rich metaphor, for tickets to Pluto, call 407.447.1700 or visit orlandoshakes.org
 

Photo by Landon St. Gordon featuring Suzanne O'Donnell, Heather Leonardi, & Chris Metz

Feb 28 – New Works by John Wilton at Ormond Memorial Art Museum

For 27 years, John Wilton was a professor of visual arts at Daytona State College, which partially explains the very contemporary, but also very popular way in which this Artist combines digital pixels with his skill as a painter. This dichotomy is the focus of his exhibit at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum opening Feb 28 at 6 pm. Running through April 4, Pixels and Paint is a ‘coming home’ for Wilton, whose first exhibit was there in 1984. The museum is at 78 E. Granada Blvd in Ormond Beach. Call 386.676.3347 or visit ormondartmuseum.org.

Feb 28 at 7 pm -- Don Quixote by the Moscow Festival Ballet

Rich in Spanish tradition (and Russian ballet bravado), Don Quixote (the ballet) brings Cervantes' masterpiece to life in the classic story of an aging knight and his imaginary adventures. The ballet concludes with the world’s most famous – and showy – pas de deux. The Moscow Festival Ballet will perform at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach for one-performance-only on February 28. Call 386.253.2901 or visit dbss.org

MARCH (the whole month) – A & H Museums – Maitland Presents Art31

The Art & History Museums – Maitland (A&H) invite us to 31 days of artistic experimentation – throughout the month of March – focusing on the legacy of the Research Studio. Highlights include wrapping the Maitland Art Center, an Art Car creation with Andrew Spear, workshops, performance art, Culture Pop!, a free artists’ critique, exhibitions and artists’ talks, and the culminating event, Participation Dinner Affair. All programs take place at 231 W. Packwood Ave in Maitland where Art31 opens on March 1. For a list of events, visit Art31.org or call 407-539-2181.

March 1 – Appetite for the Arches

On March 1, Central Florida’s finest chefs will showcase their creativity for a great cause at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida’s Appetite for the Arches fundraising event. At this event, celebrated chefs from more than a dozen restaurants will use McDonald’s ingredients to create palate-pleasing dishes for guests to sample. In addition to the food, guests will enjoy drinks, live music, a silent and a live auction. Ronald McDonald House provides a home and care to families with children receiving treatment at local hospitals in Orlando. Visit ronaldmcdonaldhouseorlando.org/events.

Mar 1 – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer Hosts 8th Annual Blues and Bar-B-Q

Blues Music, Bar-B-Q and Fun is on tap as Mayor Buddy Dyer invites residents and visitors to the 8th Annual Blues B-B-Q in Downtown Orlando. This FREE Blues festival features national and local acts as well as Orlando’s finest barbecue (available for purchase). The event features Blues Hall of Fame singer, Denise LaSalle and the Miami-based Lee Boys, a funk and gospel band.  BBQ will be available from Bubbalou’s, Serena’s, the Cave Inn, and Smokey Jay’s on the corner of Garland Ave and Central Blvd beginning at 4 pm. Visit CityofOrlando.net/BluesBQ.

Mar 2 at 1 pm – Spring Welcome: Maslenitsa Day at the Polasek

The Polasek Museum will offer FREE Admission on Maslenitsa Day (Pancake Day) in conjunction with the exhibit The Holy Art of Imperial Russia: Icons from the 17th C. to Early 20th C.  The Museum offers a day of Russian culture; pancakes, activities, art and Icons for a holiday that owes its existence to the tradition of pancakes (or ‘blini’), which represents new birth and the coming spring. We are invited to decorate our blini with Russian toppings and then eat our artwork. Russian dances will be offered along with a presentation by Dr. Alexander Boguslawski. Visit polasek.org or call 407.647-6294.

Mar 6 – Books and Cooks to Benefit the Winter Park Public Library

The Alfond Inn is the setting for an evening of celebrity chefs signing their books to support the Winter Park Public Library. Featuring John Rivers of 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Brandon McGlamery of Prato and Luma on Park, Norman Van Aken of Norman's, Richard Gonzmart of Columbia Restaurants, and Hollis Wilder of Sweet By Holly. The $25 Ticket includes the author’s panel, a bourbon cocktail (recipe by John Rivers) and ‘gourmet snacks’ by Luma on Park and Sweet By Miss Holly. Contact P. Corkum at pcorkum[at]wppl.org or call 407.623.3277.

Mar 7 to 29 – Sisters of Swing – The Story of the Andrews Sisters

The Winter Park Playhouse excels with musicals that follow the lives of famous performers, so we may look forward to the Central Florida Premiere of Sisters of Swing. The new musical follows Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne Andrews, from their early days on the road through their rise as recording stars famous for entertaining American GI’s during World War II. The score features over twenty hit songs including Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Tickets to Sisters of Swing, may be purchased by visiting winterparkplayhouse.org or by calling 407.645. 0145.

Mar 7 to April 18 – Legendary Abstract Painter – Harold Garde – at Jai Gallery

Artist Harold Garde, a legend of the American abstract expressionist movement, recently celebrated his 90th birthday having added a work to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, as the subject of a major documentary film, and having his work celebrated in a retrospective exhibit at the Museum of Florida Art. Now Jai Gallery will exhibit the bold and vivid creations of this legendary Artist in an exhibit opening March 7 at 7 pm.  Jai Gallery is at 47 East Robinson Street in Orlando. The Opening is free to the public with an RSVP to 407.921.0693.

Mar 8 – Music of the Ballet with the Orlando Philharmonic

Composers including Prokofiev, Ravel, and Tchaikovsky are often familiar to contemporary audiences thanks to the music they wrote for ballets. Those composers will be joined by Falla and Weber on March 8 at 8 pm at the Bob Carr PAC when dancers from Orlando Ballet will perform to several of the greatest orchestral ballet scores of all time with the music performed LIVE by the Orlando Philharmonic.  Excerpts from La Valse, Swan Lake, and Romeo and Juliet promise an evening of multiple talents on the stage of the Bob Carr. Visit orlandophil.org or call 407.770.0071

Mar 8 -- Mennello Museum ‘Walk & Talk’ with Curator Valerie Ann Leeds

The Mennello Museum is turning over the year 2014 to experience the Art of the American Southwest in their on-going exhibit – Southwestern Allure: The Art of the Santa Fe Art Colony. On March 8 at 2 pm Dr. Valerie Ann Leeds, a New York City-based curator, writer, editor and art historian, will lead a ‘walk and talk’ through the exhibit. Ms. Leeds will share her insights into the Artists and the time period that made Santa Fe into the art colony that is so much a part of our American art history. Visit mennellomuseum.com or call 407.246.4278.

March 9 – Be a Part of Florida History

With a spectacular view of the Capitol Dome, Florida House is the only state embassy in Washington, D.C. Since 1973, the beautifully restored 1891 Victorian Florida House has welcomed visiting Floridians, students, dignitaries, and those doing business in the nation's capital. The annual fundraiser for Florida House will take place March 9 in a private home in Orlando with a lakefront view, cocktails on the dock, ‘locally grown and harvested foods,’ a silent auction and more. We can be a part of Florida history as we support the fundraiser for our unique ‘home’ in D.C. RSVP to Gayle Wirtz at 407.222.5535 or email her at gwirtzreal[at]aol.com

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators