Florida Culture for Your HOLIDAY Calendar! Week of December 19, 2016 By Josh Garrick 

December 21 at 6:30 pm -- Josh Garrick’s ‘VERY Classical Christmas’ at Bloomingdale’s 
Hosted by the Orlando Downtown Arts District and Bloomingdale’s at the Mall of Millenia, the Public is invited to my Art Exhibit ‘A VERY Classic Christmas,’ featuring my ‘printed on aluminum’ artwork. Visit the 3rd floor where Bloomingdale’s supports the arts by allowing viewers to imagine the Artists' work in their homes with a percentage of all art sales donated to the Downtown Arts District. Take a break to visit a ‘classic’ art exhibit in a department store. I’ll be there signing books. Thank you, Bloomingdale’s for this enlightened approach to philanthropy.   

December 22 at 6:30 pm – ‘Get Your Jazz On’ at the Alfond 
‘Get Your JAZZ on’ as you enjoy unlimited wine, beer, spirits and seasonal cocktails as the Alfond’s Chef serves roast chicken and his award-winning roast pig. (Vegetarian selections available). With entertainment from The Dana Kamide Quartet, the evening takes place both indoors and out at the beautiful Aldond Hotel, the profits from which serve the unique purpose of providing scholarships to students at Rollins College. Tickets are online at Eventbrite.com $45 per guest / $50 at the Door

FINAL PERFORMANCES – NOW to Dec 23 – ‘Dickens by Candlelight’ 
Feel like part of the production as actors speak beside you – or pour your tea – in my favorite re-telling of the Dickens’ classic. In the Robin Olson production, three actors portray dozens of characters as they move through and around the audience seated at treat-laden tables. John DiDonna, Morgan Russell, and Monica Tamborello portray all the roles, transforming themselves from character to character as ‘Dickens by Candlelight’ returns to the Shakespeare Center. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Call 407.222.7669. 

Dec 24 from 9:30 am to 4 pm – Christmas Eve Open House at the Morse Museum 
The most charming way to spend Christmas Eve is to visit the Morse Museum, which hosts open houses throughout the year. On December 24, visitors to the Museum receive FREE admission to the galleries including free guided tours of Tiffany’s celebrated leaded glass windows and the always breath-taking Centennial Chapel. Two very special windows – portraying Father Christmas – will be on view, and the Raintree Chamber Players will perform from 1 pm to 4 pm. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED  Visit morsemuseum.org or call 407.645.5311. 

Dec 25 to Jan 8 – Christmas Day Carillon at the Bok Tower
Especially during the Holidays, the magnificent gardens surrounding the Bok Tower create a fairy-tale atmosphere for the entire family. On Christmas Day – from 1 pm to 3 pm – ‘The Singing Tower’ makes Christmas the most special day to visit the Gardens with concerts featuring carols from around the world. Volunteer garden guides lead hour-long walking tours sharing information about the Gardens in winter, and the Holiday Home Tour of the 1932 Mediterranean-style Pinewood Estate Mansion (on the grounds) is a glittering showcase of holiday décor paying historical tribute to how the Mansion would have been decorated in 1945. Visit boktowergardens.org

Dec 28 at 7:30 pm – Dancing with the Stars LIVE!
America’s favorite dance show comes to the Dr. Phillips Center with ‘Dancing with the Stars: LIVE!’ – giving fans the opportunity to see the best dancers in the world perform LIVE in Orlando. The production showcases every type of ballroom and modern dance seen on ABC’s hit show including group performances, romantic duets, contemporary numbers and original pieces created especially for this tour. For tickets call 844.513.2014 or visit drphillipscenter.org. For VIP ‘Meet & Mingle’ packages, visit vipnation.com

Dec 28 at 8 pm – A Drag Queen Christmas 
Both ‘naughty and nice’ contestants from ‘Rupaul's Drag Race’ on Logo TV perform LIVE on-stage in this “Fabulash Holiday Spectacular,” hosted by fan fave Thorgy Thor on the violin. ‘She’ will be joined by Naomi Smalls, Milk, Trixie Mattel, Roxxxy Andrews, Tatianna, Pearl and Chi Chi DeVayne. Naughty or Nice?  Gimme a break. Some of these LADIES were responsible for Santa creating the third ‘No Way’ list. Interestingly ALL ages are welcome to this EVENT at The Plaza Live at 425 N. Bumby Ave in East Orlando. Visit ticketfly.com 

NOW to Dec 30 – Orlando Shakes’ ‘EVERY Christmas Story Ever Told’ 
As an audience member you will LOVE the moment when the performance of ‘yet another’ production of "A Christmas Carol" devolves into an irreverent look at ALL of our favorite ‘Holiday Classics’ including ‘Wonderful Life,’ Frosty, Rudolph, Charlie Brown, and more! Three hilariously funny actors (with the help of Santa) take a tongue in cheek look at everything from Dickens to Dr. Seuss in the funniest satire you may ever experience – in ANY season.  I LOVE THIS SHOW and HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.  At Orlando Shakes, call 407.447.1700 or visit orlandoshakes.org 

Dec 31 beginning at 8 pm – New Year’s Eve – 4th Annual Gala at the Alfond
You want to stay close to home, but you still want some NYC sophistication to bring in the New Year?  You can begin your celebration at 8 pm in the Alfond’s Park Avenue Ballroom with dancing to The Buzzcatz as the hotel offers Chef-attended food stations with an open bar and Champagne Toast at midnight as you count down to live streaming of the Times Square ball drop. Food and dancing is online at Eventbrite.com for $169 per guest. There is also a ‘Midnight and Beyond Dance Party’ from 10 pm to 1 am in the New England Ballroom with a DJ, ‘light food’ and open bar online at Eventbrite.com for $99 per guest. Call 407.998.8090

NOW to December 31 – Help Feed the Mad Cow 
Hurrah for Anonymous Donors. The Mad Cow Theater in Downtown Orlando has been dropped by the ‘Grinchy’ United Arts' Campaign, so the Theater is running its own fundraising with recently announced Anonymous Donors committing to match dollar for dollar up to $40,000 of all donations made to Mad Cow by December 31.  And ALL this money goes to the Mad Cow without United Arts’ overhead being taken out. By running its own campaign, Mad Cow’s Mitzi Maxwell believes the theater will bring in more than it would have received from United Arts, and she is foretelling a total in excess of $80,000.”  Should you feel end-of-year-Mad Cow-generosity, please call 407.297.8788.

And Looking Ahead to the ‘Wicked’ month of January …  

January 11 to 29 – WICKED – For Three Weeks – at the Dr. Phillips Center 
Broadway’s WICKED, one of the greatest Broadway shows of all time, continues to break box office records around the world. Winner of over 100 international awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, WICKED tells the story of two girls in the Land of Oz.  One, born with green skin is smart and misunderstood; the other is ambitious and popular. How one becomes the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ and the other becomes ‘Glinda the Good’ makes for one great Broadway musical. In performance for three VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED weeks at the Dr. Phillips Center, call 844.513.2014 or visit drphillipscenter.org
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Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators