Culture Worthy of Your Calendar: Gorey Stories and ART Appreciation
By Josh Garrick

Gorey or Not-So-Gorey … THAT is the Question
As Halloween accompaniment to the hauntingly spooky Edward Gorey exhibit currently hanging at the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA), the Museum is offering a ‘story-telling’ day for adults and families.  On October 24 at 1:30 pm, “Not-so-Gorey Stories with Bill Cordell” will be presented for children of all ages with slightly frightful stories. The half-hour program is free with admission. BUT THEN things get a lot spookier on October 24 at 2:30 pm when “Gripping, Gruesome & Gorey Stories” presents spine-tingling tales from Edward Gorey’s own work. The 2:30 program is not for the faint of heart or young children! The OMA is located in Orlando Loch Haven Park at 2416 North Mills Avenue. Parking is free. Call 407 896 4231 or visit omart.org.

Back to the Future with Wolfgang Amadeus …
The Orlando Philharmonic keeps “topping itself” with quality performances AND inventive programming ideas.  For serious Mozart-lovers (Isn’t that ALL of us?), the Philharmonic begins its Focus Series by taking us back to the time of Mozart for an evening of the composer’s music. Titled Time Machine: Mozart in Prague 1787, the program promises Maestro Christopher Wilkins leading the orchestra in a concert program just as Mozart would have done in 1787.  Excerpts from The Abduction from the Seraglio; The Marriage of Figaro; Don Giovanni; and Symphony No. 38 (The Prague) will be performed.  Soprano Susana Díaz, who thrilled Philharmonic audiences in Carmen, will perform several arias.  The concert takes place Monday, October 25 at 7 PM in the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins Street (Loch Haven Park). Visit OrlandoPhil.org or call 407-770-0071. 

 Celery Soup – On Stage
The long-awaited Sanford community performance, Celery Soup will debut on October 21 at the Princess Theater in Sanford.  This historic Opening brings together the purest form of community creativity with the “Soup’s” unique ingredients including a script drawn from first-hand stories of residents, a score of original music, a cast of 70 volunteer actors (drawn from the community), and the re-birth of an historic theatre – ALL under the direction of professional theater consultants. “This has been four years in the making” says Trish Thompson, President of Creative Sanford, the non-profit producers. The script, called “Touch and Go” celebrates the resilience early residents had in the face of repeated adversity. The play includes workers on the mule train, Uncle Dieter's Rooster, a downtown fire, the Knot Hole Gang, Willie Saunders, and even the Lion from the Zoo. Over time, the orange groves froze, the celery crop went south, the naval base left and yet Sanford found the strength to go on.  This original play runs through November 13 at The Princess Theater in Downtown Sanford. Call 407.314.6750 or visit www.celerysoupsanford.com.

ARTISTS Have Their Day
Pretty much everything we use in our daily lives has an Artistic design at its root. Since pre-recorded time, ART has been the single most important defining characterization of a culture, surviving dynasties, tyrants, and war, and Artists have proven themselves to be the pioneer conduits to and from our culture and humanity. Now, a day has been chosen to honor Artists worldwide, and the day is October 25 (which happens to be Picasso’s birthday).  This iconic ARTIST was instrumental in bringing art to the “public” more than any other artist up to that time. On this one day let us consider what is timeless in our lives. October 25th gives each of us a reason to visit a museum or gallery, attend an art show, take an artist to lunch or visit his/her studio, and here in Florida, we can go online to museumoffloridaart.com and bid on original ART that has been donated by Florida Artists to assure that Florida’s own Art Museum will go on with its programming. Hail ART – and the Artists who create it.

October 21 is “Third Thursday”
In Orlando we have our own way to “honor Artists,” and we do it monthly on the Third Thursday of each month.  October’s 3rd Thursday (October 21) promises to be a big one with more venues and more Art Show Openings than ever, and three highly recommended shows to add to your list:
1.    "The Art of Seven Deadly Artist's" is Chris Johnson’s not-to-be-missed annual Halloween Show where Chris and friends “… plunge our minds into the darkness. Some see scary; I see only the beauty.” From 4 pm to 10 pm at Club 57 West (57 w. Pine St in Downtown Orlando)
2.    “7 Gay Artists – Out and Proud” It seems more than co-incidental that 7 Artists is the working number for October 21.  The 7 Gay Artists will host their “reception” from 6 pm to 9 pm at the City Arts Factory on the corner of Orange and Pine in Downtown Orlando.
3.    Husband and wife Edson Campos and Kathleen Brodeur present their latest work at the Gallery at Avalon Island (where they were married). Last year Edson was awarded the Bronze Medal at the Salon at the Grand Palais in Paris (to give you an idea of the level of the quality of the work!  Their Opening is from 6 to 9 pm at 39 South Magnolia Avenue … on the corner of Pine Street. Galleryatavalonisland.com

Edson Campos

Kathleen Brodeur

And not to be missed...

Noises Off in Winter Garden
The comedy in the play Noises Off comes from the slapstick ‘off-stage chaos’ that we get to see -- through November 7 at the Garden Theatre. Visit gardentheatre.org or call 407.877.4736 x303

On Your Toes …
One of the greatest of the classics – Giselle – will be performed by The Orlando Ballet on October 22, 23, and 24 at the Bob Carr. Call 407.426.1739 for tickets.

Art ‘Veterans’
The Mennello Museum opens its season with two beloved Fine Artist/Master-Teachers of Central Florida. Maury Hurt and Grady Kimsey have created, taught, and influenced Florida artists for over 40 years. Call 407.246.4278 or visit MennelloMuseum.com

Pump Boys and Dinettes
The “feel good, put a smile on your face ‘Southern’ musical” Pump Boys and Dinettes is at The Winter Park Playhouse through November 7. Call 407-645-0145 or visit www.winterparkplayhouse.org

PHANTASMAGORIA
Put Frankenstein, Kafka, and Edgar Allen Poe in the hands of Director John Didonna, call it PHANTASMAGORIA, and we can be assured of an intriguing Halloween entertainment. Call 407.328.9005 or visit redchairproject.com

Florida Highwaymen at the History Center
“Against All Odds: The ART of the Highwaymen” brings together 26 African-American artists who sold paintings by the side of the road – through January 2. Call 407.836.8500 or visit thehistorycenter.org.

Charles Turzak, Master of Modernism
Charles Turzak epitomized the American Modern Art movement in the 1930s. His Art Deco woodcuts are on display at the Albin Polasek Museum through November 14th.  Call 407-647-6294 or visit www.polasek.org

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators