Florida Culture for the Week of December 3 by Josh Garrick

Now through December 9 – Stephen Sondheim’s Company

Amidst the Holiday shows there are four performances left of the decidedly UN-holiday musical Company – the show that made Stephen Sondheim a theatre icon and changed Broadway musicals forever.  Huge congrats to Artistic Director Nicholas Murphy as he directs his first musical, bringing new insights to every aspect of the staging and for creating Cornerstone, a new theater company here in Central Florida.  Special mention goes to Janae Riha as “Amy” and to Angel Allen as “Joanne.”  Presented at the Shakespeare Theater complex in Orlando, visit cornerstonetheatrecompany.com.

December 6 – Orlando Museum of Art’s Art Under $200

Deck your walls with Art – each piece sold for under $200 - during 1st Thursday’s Art Under $200 - 'Tis the Season event on December 6 from 6 to 9 pm. All original works – for sale – this ART Holiday Sale is perfect for collectors and gift givers of every sort. Enjoy live jazz by The Dave Capp Project and savor Orchid Thai's culinary fare. Handcrafted beers and wine will be available for purchase. Admission is $10 (free for OMA Members) and Parking is free. Call 407 896 4231 x260 or visit OMArt.org.

December 6 to 23 – PB&J Theatre Factory in the Spirit of the Season

PB&J Theatre Factory has packed the entire holiday season into one evening in the comedy SLEIGH. First, a young woman brings her beau home to meet her family while a pair of shopkeepers redefines “rivalry” as they coax customers away from their competitor. Finally, three determined mail carriers fight the elements (and each other) to make a delivery. SLEIGH is a family show suitable for all ages. PB&J Theatre Factory integrates sound effects, music, and props into stories without the spoken word. Presented from December 6 to 23 at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater at 812 East Rollins Street, call 407.722.7037 or visit pbjtheatrefactory.com

December 7 – Hannibal Square Event Benefits Orlando Philharmonic

Winter Park’s Hannibal Square Merchants Association will present Hannibal Square Holiday, a food and wine celebration benefiting the Orlando Philharmonic on December 7 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Hannibal Square merchants and restaurants, including Chez Vincent, Mi Tomatina, Tollas (each of which has received excellent reviews in these pages), and others, will provide food and wine on New England Ave while Musicians from the Orlando Philharmonic provide seasonal music. Tickets ($25 in advance; $30 on day of) may be purchased at HannibalSquare.com/HolidayEvent or at participating locations.

December 7 to April 7 – Ultra-Realist Sculptor at Museum of Florida Art

The life-like sculptures of Duane Hanson (1925-1996) have unparalleled power to hold fool our eyes and shake our sensibilities. The exhibit, opening December 7 and continuing through April 7 at the Museum of Florida Art in DeLand, is comprised of  ten of his extraordinary sculptures, ranging from 1970's works of his children to classic 1980's sculptures of working class figures, such as Security Guard and Housepainter I as well as the last sculpture Hanson completed, Man on Mower. In 1978 Hanson’s work attracted 300,000 visitors to New York's Whitney Museum, a record-breaking attendance. Hanson’s empathy for the ordinary man took sculpture off its pedestal and removed the boundaries that separated art from life. Call 386.734.4371 or visit museumoffloridaart.org

December 8 at 4 pm -- Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra

The Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra will once again collaborate with WMKG Local 6 to present a Holiday Benefit Concert in support of the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Network. Hosted by WKMG news anchors, and featuring all four FSYO Orchestras, the concert presents the sounds of the season and a visit from a very special ho-ho-holiday guest at the Disney Amphitheater at Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando. Admission is Free, and a donation to the Salvation Army is suggested. Visit fsyo.org

December 9 from 2 to 6 pm – ‘Drop and Shop’ at the History Center

What a concept! Leave your kids at the History Center (in Downtown Orlando) while you do your holiday shopping. Children will enjoy an afternoon watching holiday movies, making crafts, creating gifts and ornaments, exploring holiday traditions, enjoying holiday snacks, and visiting with a Very Special Guest. Staffed by Museum chaperones, the only catch is – you are required to come back to the Museum … and pick them up.  Contact 407.836.8580 or visit thehistorycenter.org

December 8 and 9 – Lakeridge Winery Wine & Chocolate Festival

Talk about the invitation of the season! Lakeridge Winery will host a Wine & Chocolate Festival on December 8 & 9 featuring live music, an arts & craft show, and award-winning Lakeridge Wines. The musical lineup includes two bands each day along with solo performances in the Hospitality Cellar. Wine tastings, co-sponsored by Godiva, will include a sample of Godiva chocolates inside the production facility, where guests have the opportunity to see the fermentation tanks ‘up-close.’ Call 352-394-8627 or visit.lakeridgewinery.com

December 10 at 7 pm – Bach’s Coffee House with Maestro Christopher Wilkins

Bach’s Coffee House, presented by the Orlando Philharmonic, presents music from the famous chamber music concerts Bach hosted at Zimmermann’s Coffeehouse in Leipzig. There audiences came to know Bach as an entertainer and inventive programmer. The informal setting was in sharp contrast to Bach’s ‘day-job’ at St. Thomas’ Church. At Zimmermann’s, Bach created over 500 2-hour programs and led performances of his own Brandenburg concerti, orchestral suites, and chamber music of composers he admired. This program includes Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos No. 1 and 5, an excerpt from his ‘Coffee Cantata,’ as well as works by Telemann and Vivaldi at the Shakespeare Center at 812 E Rollins Street in Orlando. Visit orlandophil.org

Holiday Gift to Edgewood Children’s Ranch –

At a celebration on November 17, Visit Orlando presented a check for $67,714 to the Edgewood Children’s Ranch, a service organization providing residential, educational and counseling services for troubled children and their families. The proceeds were raised through the annual Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month program that (each September) offers an opportunity to enjoy Orlando’s culinary experiences through prix-fixe dinners for $30. As the 2012 charitable beneficiary, Edgewood Children’s Ranch received $1 of the $30 price of each meal served at more than 70 of Orlando’s best restaurants. Visit OrlandoMagicalDining.com

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators