Florida Culture for the Week of March 23, 2015 by Josh Garrick
 
March 24 at 8 pm – Sarah McLachlan at the Dr. Phillips Center

8-time Juno Award winner and 3-time Grammy winner Sarah McLachlan is one of the most celebrated singer/songwriters in entertainment, with over 40 million albums sold worldwide. Her landmark album Surfacing, contained two Grammy-winning tracks, Building a Mystery and Last Dance. She founded the Lilith Fair Tour, which raised over $7 million for charities over 3 years, and, in 2002, she founded the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, providing free music education for at-risk kids. The Lady’s recently released album Shine On celebrates the ability to grow from experience, thrive, and shine on. Call 844.513.2014 or visit drphillipscenter.org

Mar 25 to 28 – Real Ropin’ & Ridin’ Rodeo … in Central Florida

The cowboy heritage is a way of life in Kissimmee (just south of Orlando) where cattle ranching is big business, and tourists may find a real ropin’, ridin,’ rodeo at the 70-year-old Silver Spurs Rodeo, the oldest rodeo east of the Mississippi. At the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo, Cowboys compete in bareback riding, barrel racing, team roping and more. From March 25 to 28, regional champs will compete for National Championship Titles and over $1 million in prizes. Visit RNCFR.com

Mar 25 to 29 – Brooksville’s SPRING Bluegrass Festival

They CARE about Bluegrass music in Brooksville, Florida and each year the Sertoma Youth Ranch hosts the Bluegrass Fest. This season’s concerts will feature IIIrd Tyme Out, The Boxcars, Nothin Fancy, Cotton Eyed Does, and more. The concerts are rain or shine, and campground rentals are available. There will also be a Potluck Dinner, movies, bingo, Stage Show Workshop, Kid’s programs, and a Sunday morning Gospel Sing. Call 904.886.8378

Mar 26 & 27 – Roger McGuinn – He’s a Byrd

In two appearances at Rollins College, Roger McGuinn will give: a Free public lecture on March 26 at 7 pm, to be followed by Questions and Answers on March 27 at 11 am. McGuinn, leader of the influential 60’s group The Byrds, combined the genres of folk and rock with Gene Clark and David Crosby and founded The Byrds in 1964. His presentations offer a retrospective of his remarkable career, reflecting the history of the era when his music received international acclaim. Call 407.691.1995 or visit wpi[at]rollins.edu

March 27 – Rock & Roll Stars of the 1960’s Visit the Peabody Auditorium

Pop, Rock & Doo Wopp Live!, at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach on March 27, features the artists who recorded the biggest hits of the 60’s.  Jay and the Americans (This Magic Moment) will headline with their five Top 10 records. Lush harmonies, precision choreography and lyrics from a simpler time will be the highlights of the Drifters (Under the Boardwalk); the Belmonts (Runaround Sue); the Chiffons (One Fine Day); the Tokens (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) and more. Visit PopRockDooWopp.com or call 386-671-3462.

March 27 & 28 – Shen Yun Brings 5000 Years of Civilization to the Bob Carr

In 2 hours of performance, the Shen Yun Company of dancers and musicians leads their audiences through centuries of Chinese civilization. Including the exquisitely athletic classical Chinese dance and China’s joyful and colorful folk dances, all performed to the sound of a unique orchestra, the spectacle is completed by backdrops and costumes inspired by legends. Shen Yun Performing Arts will present three performances on March 27 and 28 at the Bob Carr Theater. Call 844.513.2014 or 888.974.3698 for tickets. 

March 27 & 29 – Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte at New Dr. Phillips Center

Florida Opera Theatre will have the honor of presenting the first Opera to be performed in the NEW Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts when it presents Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte on March 27 and 29. In this story of a man who bets two suitors that their girlfriends will not remain faithful, Shannon Jennings and Sarah Limper Nordin play the suspected sisters. Robin Stamper is Music Director and Frank McClain directs. Ask about the fund-raiser on March 28 when you call 844.513.2014 or visit drphillipscenter.org for tickets.

March 28 & 29 – American (Military) Heritage Weekend

It’s all things MILITARY and ALL historical periods as the Scottish Rite Center and the Living History Group celebrate America’s heroes on March 28 and 29.  There will be living history encampments, period re-enactments, weapons demos, collectibles, and a car show for both cars and military vehicles at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center at 1485 Grand Road in Winter Park. Call 321.239.2467 or visit Srorlando.org  

March 29 – FREE Concert – The Original Wailers

As part of the new Performing Arts Center’s commitment to present “Arts for All People,” the Center will offer a Free Concert – The Original Wailers – on the Seneff Arts Plaza on March 29 at 6 pm. Carrying the torch passed on by Bob Marley himself, guitarist Al Anderson has united a group of musicians to honor Marley’s music. Anderson first joined Bob Marley & The Wailers in 1973, playing with Marley until his death in 1981, imprinting his guitar solos on the catalog that has sold more than 75 million records around the world. Call 844.513.2014 or visit drphillipscenter.org

March 29 – the VIDA Guitar Quartet

Considering the program will include Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue; Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3; Brahms Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 3 and 5; and Bizet’s Carmen Suite, the British VIDA Guitar Quartet’s range of dynamics is like listening to an entire orchestra and not merely to four guitars. The Quartet will appear on the Guest Artist Series at Rollins College on March 29 at 3 pm. Call 407.646.2182 or visit bachfestivalflorida.org

March 30 – Jay Leno

Always passionate about performing in front of live audiences, TV show host, stand-up comedian, children’s book author, voice-over artist, and philanthropist Jay Leno is often characterized as ‘the hardest working man in show business.’ Always ‘testing his humor,’ Leno performs over 100 live appearances each year, including the military, in Las Vegas, and at colleges around the United States. He performs at the Dr. Phillips Center on March 30 at 7:30 pm. Call 844.513.2014 or visit drphillipscenter.org

April 3 to 20 – Breakthrough Theatre’s ‘Bad Girls of Broadway’

Being ‘Bad’ has never been so much fun as when the Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park presents a revival of their 2012 musical revue Redlight: The Bad Girls of Broadway and Beyond. There really is an R-rating to this musical revue (based on nudity and sexual situations), but on the lighter side the songs come from shows including Sweet Charity, Hair, Cabaret, Rocky Horror, Best Little Whorehouse, Gypsy, Chicago and (wink wink) some Disney musical parodies. Directed by Wade Hair and choreographed by Lori Babson Jessup,
call 407.920.4034 or visit breakthroughtheatre.com

April 4 – Pilobolus Dance Theatre

Founded in 1971, Pilobolus has built an international reputation by showing the human body to be the most expressive and magical of media. Pilobolus exemplifies amazing physicality, shape-shifting, shadow-play and more while collaborating with the brightest minds the world over. These collaborations result in amazing achievements, and Pilobolus has been recognized for decades for its developments in dance and multimedia art. In one HIGHLY RECOMMENDED performance at the Dr. Phillips Center, call 844.513.2014 or visit drphillipscenter.org
 

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators