Florida Culture for the Week of January 2 by Josh Garrick

Otronicon at the Science Center

As Orlando continues to enhance its reputation for creative careers in ‘simulation’ games and entertainment, a variety of industry partners will join the Orlando Science Center to celebrate interactive technology at Otronicon from January 13 to 16. This year, partners including EA SPORTS, Lockheed Martin, Univ. of Central Florida, Florida Hospital, and Walt Disney World will demonstrate the way we live, learn, work and play in the technological worlds of simulation, education, and healthcare. The Science Center’s largest annual event is created to inspire a child’s interest in technical careers through the appeal of video games and interactive technology. Classes in video game creation will be offered along with demonstrations of simulators created by local experts. The event promotes the concept of “made in Orlando, played in Orlando” with opportunities to interact with professionals who create the games we enjoy while discovering career opportunities in our own backyard. There will also be live music, open play video games, and video games as art. Call 407-514-2000 or visit osc.org or otronicon.org.

Three Tenors Join the Space Coast Symphony

Bells will continue to ring in Brevard as the Space Coast Symphony presents New Years with the Three Tenors on Sunday, January 8 at 3 pm at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in north Melbourne. Styled after traditional Viennese New Year’s concerts, The Space Coast Symphony, comprised of professional musicians and select youth players, will perform popular works including waltzes, polkas, mazurkas and marches. Joining the Orchestra will be three tenors to sing arias from beloved operas as well as Broadway favorites. Vist SpaceCoastSymphony.org or call (321) 536-8580. 

Sweet Bird of Youth

The Orlando Shakespeare Theater celebrates the 100th birthday of American playwright Tennessee Williams with a free reading series, which continues with William’s controversial Sweet Bird of Youth on Sunday, January 8 at 7 pm. Biting and brutal, Williams unfolds the story of local boy-gone-bad Chance Wayne and his temperamental companion, movie star Princess Kosmonopolis, amidst a backdrop of small town narrow-mindedness and racial tension. The play conveys Williams’ most brutal truth -- lost innocence is impossible to resurrect, but shame and regret live on forever.  Directed by Patrick Flick and featuring a cast of Orlando audience favorites, Sweet Bird of Youth veers back and forth between sexual tension and dark humor.  Orlando Shakes will conclude its reading series on March 11 with William’s iconic masterpiece, A Streetcar Named Desire. The readings are free; no tickets are required. Call 407-447-1700 or visit orlandoshakes.org

Winter Music Series at Lakeridge Winery

Lakeridge Winery in Clermont will host a Free Winter Music Series on each of the Saturday afternoons in January. Live music on an outdoor stage, food and beverages for purchase, and complimentary winery tours and wine tasting are offered each Saturday. The series will be held from 1 pm to 4 pm on January 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th. Plenty of seating is available at the music stage, but guests are welcome to bring chairs and blankets. There is no charge for admission or parking.  The performers include:  
January 7 - Bobby Blackmon & the B3 Blues Band
January 14 - The Nightly Blues Band
January 21 - Tory Wynter
January 28 - Little Mookie & the Half Pints
Lakeridge Winery continues to development wines from Florida’s Muscadine grapes with complimentary tours and tastings offered seven days a week at their 30,000 sq. ft. facility in Clermont. Visit lakeridgewinery.com or call 352-394-8627

DRAGONS at the Circus

Renowned for leading the world in all things spectacular, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey have searched the world-over to create DRAGONS, a once-in-a-millennium event honoring The Year of the Dragon. Ringmaster Jonathan Iverson presides over the cavalcade of circus champions that bring together dragon lore with circus feats in a never-before-seen blend of myth and real-life legends. The circus comes to the Amway Center in Orlando from January 12 to 16.  “Children of all ages” will see acts including Shaolin Kung Fu Warriors, Cossack riders, Asian elephants and the frenzied Globe of Steel. As audience excitement grows, glimpses of the elusive DRAGON will be seen, but will the dragon emerge from its lair?  The DRAGONS Pre-show opens an hour before show time. The Performance Schedule is Thursday, January 12 at 7:30 pm; Friday, January 13 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, January 14 at 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 pm; Sunday, January 15 at 1 pm and 5 pm; and Monday, January 16 (MLK Day) at 5 pm.  Tickets are available at ringling.com or ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Amway Center box office 407-440-7900.

The Art of Missionary Mary Proctor

Tallahassee-based Missionary Mary Proctor is a self-taught African-American Artist who has exhibited her work nationally in galleries, festivals and museum exhibits. Her work will be celebrated in the first exhibit at the Hannibal Square Heritage Center (Winter Park) in 2012 as The Art of Missionary Mary Proctor is shown from January 20 to April 21. The exhibit includes work from Ms. Proctor’s personal collection as well as from the collection of the Mennello Museum. Ms. Proctor will speak at the opening reception on January 20 from 6 to 9 pm. “Told by God that the door is the way,” Ms. Proctor began her career as an Artist by painting on an old door lying in her yard. Thereafter her focus turned to making art with found objects as inspired by Bible scriptures and memories of her childhood. The Hannibal Square Heritage Center – at 642 New England Ave, opened in 2007 in partnership with the City of Winter Park and pays tribute to the contributions of Winter Park’s historic African American community. Call (407) 539-2680 or visit hannibalsquareheritagecenter.org

And NOT-to-be-missed …  Les Miz’ 25th Birthday

The epic Broadway musical Les Miserables celebrates its 25th anniversary as the most successful musical OF ALL TIME with a brand new production from January 17 to the 22nd at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center. Tickets at OrlandoBroadway.com and at the box office at 100 South Eola Drive, Suite 101. To charge by phone call 1-800-982-2787.

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators