Florida Culture for the Week of May 12 By Josh Garrick

TONITE – May 12 – Il Divo at Hard Rock Live
Let the swooning begin – Il Divo is headed to Hard Rock Live on May 12 to perform songs from Broadway drawn from their latest album, A Musical Affair. The multinational operatic vocal group has sold more than 26 million albums worldwide, toured with Barbra Streisand and released A Musical Affair in 2013, giving that name to their current tour. Visit hardrocklive.com or call 407.351.5483.

FINAL WEEK – Now through May 17 – Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits

Forbidden Broadway has been a hit musical revue – lovingly satirizing Broadway shows and stars for decades. Now the singing-actors of the Winter Park Playhouse are producing the laughs as they present Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits – where Broadway's music legends meet Broadway's greatest satirists in a hilarious tribute to the “Great White Way.” Call 407.645.0145 or visit Winterparkplayhouse.org.

Now through May 25 – Freckleface Strawberry – The Musical at Orlando Rep

Closing out Orlando Rep’s season of theater for young audiences is Freckleface Strawberry - The Musical. Based on a picture book, Freckleface Strawberry will do anything to get rid of her freckles – from scrubbing to wearing a ski mask to school. With the help of lovable schoolmates (and a kooky teacher), Freckleface learns that everyone is different – and that’s what makes everyone special.  Visit orlandorep.com or call 407.896.

May 13 to 18 – GHOST the Musical at the Bob Carr

For one week only, Ghost the Musical delivers a ‘visual experience’ that allows us to relive the magical moments from the Oscar-winning movie in a Broadway musical. Using the latest theater technology, we’ll see holograms, back-screen projections, and other amazing special effects accompanied by an original score from Grammy Award-winners Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard. Adapted from the hit film by its Academy Award-winning screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, this “eye-poppingly brilliant” musical is at the Bob Carr from May 13 to 18.  Visit orlandobroadway.com

May 14 to 27 – The 23rd Annual Orlando International Fringe Festival

The wacky, weird, and always-wonderful Festival of plays called Fringe will present 100 performance groups in Fringe 2014. The oldest, non-juried festival in the United States, the Orlando International Fringe Festival’s ‘philosophy’ is to be 100% uncensored, 100% non-juried, and 100% accessible. This celebration of the arts takes place at Loch Haven Park in the last two weeks of May offering uncensored performances, an outdoor stage, Visual Fringe (fine Art) and Kids Fringe! Note: You’ll want to check the schedule for plays that are adults only and which ones are age-appropriate fro kids. Visit orlandofringe.org for a complete schedule.

May 15 to June 14 – Redefine Gallery Presents Dualities

Redefine Gallery, located within the CityArts Factory at 29 South Orange Ave in Orlando, will present Dualities, a two-person show featuring paintings by artists Loaf Ninja and Chad Pollpeter. Both Artists paint subjects of a surrealistic nature with works focusing on concepts of time, life and death, beginnings and endings, religion and science. The Public is invited to an Opening Reception set for May 15 beginning at 6 pm. Call 407.648.7060 or visit redefinegallery.com

May 15 to June 13 – Picturing Main Street at City Arts Factory

As part of Third Thursday’s May 15 events at the CityArts Factory in Downtown Orlando, an Opening Reception will begin at 6 pm for Picturing Main Street, hosted by Lisa Cuatt. Showcasing Orlando’s Artists and the City’s eight Main Street districts: Audubon Garden, Church Street, College Park, Downtown South, Ivanhoe Village, Mills50, Semoran, and Thornton Park, Central Florida Artists will create works depicting what is unique to that district. While you are having fun recognizing “the street where you live,” a surprise judge for the event will be Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer. Call 407.648.7060

May 16 – CHER Comes to the Amway Center

The ORIGINAL one-name Diva – CHER – comes to the Amway Center on May 16.  ‘Nuff said – When I can write one syllable, and everyone in the world knows exactly who I’m writing about, this is a celebrity who TRULY needs no introduction. So the simple fact is Cher will appear at the Amway Center in Orlando on May 16. Cher’s special guest Cyndi Lauper (in 2013) became the first solo woman to win the Tony Award for Best Original Score for Kinky Boots, itself a Tony Award Winner for Best New Musical. Visit Amwaycenter.com

May 16 to August 29 – Honoring, Gratitude and Guilt – The Art of Linda Brant

Recent artwork by Linda Brant will be featured in an exhibit at the Winter Park Welcome Center with an Opening on May 16 from 4 pm to 6 pm. The exhibit, entitled Honoring, Gratitude and Guilt, showcases Brant’s multi-year investigation into the subject of ‘honoring’ animals. Maps, diagrams, photographs, and bone-sculptures coalesce as Brant presents us with the contradictions and inconsistencies in our treatment of non-humans.  The Winter Park Welcome Center is at 151 West Lyman Avenue. Visit cityofwinterpark.org

May 16 to June 15 – Star Wars Weekends at Disney

Grab your light-saber and join an inter-galactic event packed with out-of-this-world entertainment at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on the weekends from May 16 to June 15. Guests will encounter Star Wars characters for special shows, presentations, and autographs by joining host James Arnold Taylor (the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi). New adventures include intergalactic dining and a state-of-the-art evening finale featuring characters, fireworks and Glow with the Show elements. Visit disneyworld.com.

May 17 – The James Gamble Rogers Colloquium on Historic Preservation

Nicole Curtis, star of HGTV Networks' Rehab Addict, will headline the 8th annual James Gamble Rogers Colloquium on Historic Preservation set for May 17 from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Sponsored by the Friends of Casa Feliz, the morning session will be held at Rollins College with Curtis speaking on the topic Restore, Repurpose, Reuse! After lunch, the program will resume with a tour of Winter Park's loveliest remodeled historic homes. (Shuttle buses provided). At $50 per ticket, registration information is available at casafeliz.squarespace.com

May 17 – The Music of Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire, and Blood Sweat & Tears

May 17 is the date for the always popular Orlando Philharmonic’s annual outdoor concert at The Springs at Woodbridge Road in Longwood. This year the concert features the Orlando Philharmonic rocking to popular hits like CHICAGO’s “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?” and “25 or 6 to 4,” BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS’ “You’re The One” and “Spinning Wheel” and EARTH WIND & FIRE hits like “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove.” Bring a picnic! Gates open at 5 pm and the concert begins at 8 pm. Call 407.770.0071 or visit orlandophil.org

May 17 – The School of Rock Turns up the Volume in Orlando

Demonstrating its teaching concept that gets kids and adults rocking to the classics while performing ‘live’ with their peers, the performance-based School of Rock will have young Orlando-area musicians rocking on-stage at Will’s Pub at 1042 N. Mills Ave on May 17 at 3 pm and 4:30 pm. Forty students, ages 8 to 18, will perform live concerts featuring the music of Jimi Hendrix (3 pm) and Queen (4:30 pm). Visit oviedo.schoolofrock.com

May 17 & 18 – Orlando Gay Chorus Presents Pillow Talk

Inspired by the classic romantic-comedy movies of the 1950's and 1960's –  the naively ‘sexy’ Doris Day-Rock Hudson comedies like Pillow Talk – the Orlando Gay Chorus brings two performances of romance, sophistication, fun and intrigue to the stage of Plaza Live. Performances are May 17 at 7:30 pm and May 18 at 4:30 pm. Plaza Live at 425 Bumby Ave in Orlando. Visit Plazalive.com

May 17 – Winter Park Farmer’s Market’s 35th Anniversary

Beginning at 9 am on Saturday, May 17, the Winter Park Farmers’ Market will ‘begin’ the Celebration of its 35th Anniversary. The fun will include door prizes, live music, vendor discounts, free market bags, and activities for the kids, AND a doggie fashion show will be held on the main-stage at 9 am. The Farmers’ Market opened May 19, 1979 with 8 vendors; 35 years later, the market hosts over 80 vendors with over 5,000 visitors shopping for kitchen and garden items. Located at 200 W. New England Ave, call 407-599-3275 or visit cityofwinterpark.org.

May 18 & June 1 – Josh Garrick Book Signing at Winter Park Public Library

Florida Arts Editor Josh Garrick recently returned from making Art History as the first American in the 125 – year history of the National Archaeological Museum of Greece, to be invited to exhibit in that World’s Top Ten Museum.  On May 18 and June 1, Josh will sign his new book, Seeking the Ancient Kallos (Beauty), AND share insights about the Parthenon at two FREE events at the Winter Park Public Library. On May 18 at 2 pm – HOW the PARTHENON Came to Be, and June 1 at 2 pm – The PARTHENON – Over 2400 years. Both lectures are FREE. The Library is at 460 E. New England Avenue. Call 407.623.3300

Josh Garrick and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators