Florida Culture for the Week of May 26 By Josh Garrick

May 29 to June 1 –Davis Gaines’ Double Standards – An Intimate Cabaret
Orlando’s home-grown Broadway Star Davis Gaines will take the stage at The Abbey to present his one-man cabaret called Double Standards. The show offers fresh takes on familiar standards from the Great American Songbook. Best known for his lead role on Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera, where he starred in more than 2,000 performances, Gaines will perform on May 29 at 8 pm; May 30 at 7 and 10 pm; and June 1 at 3 and 7 pm. Tickets at TicketWeb.com and at AbbeyOrlando.com

May 30 and 31 – A ‘Hands-On’ Sewapalooza in Orlando

Bernina of America, manufacturer of sewing, embroidery and quilting machines, will host a 2-day Sewapalooza on May 30 and 31 from 9 am to 5 pm at the Spring Hill Suites Orlando Convention Center. Educator Kathy Shalda will lead event-goers through a variety of quilting and embroidery projects; from making clothes for her children, to designing window treatments, Kathy has done all types of sewing. The $199 2-day ticket includes meals, hotel room, goodie bag, project supplies, and the opportunity to use an array of Bernina sewing machines. Call 407.658.4044 or visit wanderingstitches.com.

May 31 – The 8th Annual Sanford HURRICANE Party

Hosted by OrlandoBands.com, Sanford’s annual HURRICANE Party is a music festival that also serves as a tribute to Mother Nature asking HER for a tranquil hurricane season (which begins in June).  Featuring 50 bands on 4 stages, with a line-up ranging from The Supervillains to Whole Wheat Bread, the main events are at West End Trading Co (202 South Sanford Ave) and adjoining streets of Downtown Sanford. The Party begins at noon and runs until the wee hours of the morning. Tickets at West End Trading Co, or on ticketfly.com. Visit drinkatwestend.com or call 407.716.2332

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

Wandering Educators 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 June 1, Josh will sign his new book, Seeking the Ancient Kallos (Beauty), AND share insights about his decades-long love affair with the Classical Greek temple – the Parthenon at a FREE event at the Winter Park Public Library on June 1 at 2 pm. The Library is at 460 E. New England Avenue. Call 407.623.3300

Author Josh Garrick and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

Author Josh Garrick and Burma Posey

June 1 – ‘Sail Away’ – a Maitland Symphony Orchestra Concert

The Maitland Symphony Orchestra (MSO) invites us to an evening of seafaring music in a FREE concert for children of all ages.  We can “Sail Away” on June 1 at 7:30 pm at Maitland Presbyterian Church at 341 N. Orlando Ave.  Portions of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 will be played by concert pianist Elena Ulyanova, along with A River Runs Through It, The Blue Danube, and more.  Call 321.303.1404 or visit pamaitland.org

June 3 to 9 – Gay Days Orlando

Each year the first weekend in June attracts more than 160,000 people from around the world to Gay Days Orlando, generating over $600 million to the Central Florida economy. Held from June 3 to 9, Gay Days celebrates the diversity and pride of the Gay community, especially as the grassroots effort called Florida for Get Engaged, leads the South in their campaign to secure the freedom to marry (getengaged.org) at the Doubletree by Hilton on International Drive. Visit gaydays.com

Now through 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 weekends through June 15. Guests encounter Star Wars characters for special shows, presentations, and autographs by joining host James Arnold Taylor (the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi). Adventures include intergalactic dining and an evening finale featuring characters, fireworks and Glow with the Show elements. Visit disneyworld.com.

June 6 – New Exhibits Recognize 70th Anniversary of D-Day

Beginning on June 6, Art & History Museums – Maitland will devote its museums to exhibits related to war and conflict in a manner unique to each museum’s core experience.  Highlights include:

*Battlefield (Maitland Art Center): This thought-provoking exhibition brings together works by J. André Smith and his experience as an artist sent to the front lines, in contrast to a broad range of artworks by contemporary artists.

*Veterans Remembered (Maitland History Museum): Remembering local Maitland veterans, this exhibit features letters, photos, and oral histories.

*Signal Corps Phones (Telephone Museum): Signal Corps phones are vital to troops during major conflicts, and this exhibit shows how this technology has saved lives.

*Waterhouse at War (Waterhouse Residence Museum): Five generations of Waterhouses lived in this family home before it became a museum. Guests will discover these early inhabitants’ service to their country. The exhibits debut on June 6 (the 70th anniversary of D-Day) from 6 to 8 pm.

Visit artandhistory.org or call 407.539.2181.

June 6 to 8 – Westgate River Ranch Presents Dollywood’s James Rogers

After performing for nearly 30 years at Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park in Tennessee, country singer James Rogers will bring a weekend of entertainment to the Westgate River Ranch in Lake Wales. Surrounded by the beauty of Old Florida, guests will unleash their inner cowboy as Rogers’ folk tunes evoke nostalgia and American pride during performances June 6 at 7 pm and June 7 at 5 pm. Weekend packages feature the performance, a catered dinner, and a stay in cowboy-themed accommodations. Visit westgateranchevents.com or call 863.692.1321.

June 6 to July 6 – Hair at the Mad Cow Theatre

The tradition-breaking musical from the 60’s, Hair changed the face – and other body parts – of Broadway. With music as exuberant and timely as when it first opened, Hair is about a group of young Americans searching for peace and love at the time of the Vietnam war. Featuring the songs – Aquarius, Let the Sun Shine In, and Good Morning Starshine, its relevance is undeniable. June 6 to July 6 at the Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando, call 407.297.8788 or visit madcowtheatre.com 

June 7 – Live from Orlando, its Science Night Live!

‘Grown-Ups’ get to take over the Orlando Science Center when it’s reserved strictly for adults at Science Night Live on June 7 beginning at 8 pm. The adult-inspired programming includes a concert by the band TWITCHY, led by Florida Institute of Technology President Anthony Catanese and former NASA Astronaut Captain Winston Scott; the laser light show in the CineDome; view stars and planets in the Observatory; and conduct lab experiments in Dr. Dare’s Laboratory. Dress code is casual science nerd. Call  407.514.2000 or visit osc.org

June 7 – Berkshire Choral Festival in Winter Park Debut

Choral works by two giants of opera – the Stabat Mater by Gioachino Rossini and the Messa di Gloria by Giacomo Puccini will be performed by the Berkshire Choral Festival under the baton of Dr. John Sinclair.  The Bach Festival Orchestra, led by Sinclair since 1990, will accompany the 100-voice Festival Chorus. Beginning at 7:30 pm on June 7, the concert will be held in the Knowles Chapel on the campus of Rollins College. Call 407-646-2182 or visit bachfestivalflorida.org or choralfest.org

And Looking Ahead …

June 14 – The Stars Come Out for Arena-Size JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
Some serious Rockers hit the road this summer for an ARENA tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar.  NSYNC’s JC Chasez plays Pontius Pilate, along with Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams as Mary Magdalene, Sex Pistol ‘Johnny Rotten’ Lydon as King Herod, Incubus' Brandon Boyd as Judas and real-life Billy Elliott Ben Forster as Jesus. SUPERSTAR comes to Orlando on June 14, with more than 60 cast members and musicians. From the pounding music, the huge video backdrops, and a cast of famous rockers, this is truly SUPERSTAR!  For tickets visit Ticketmaster.com, call 800.745.3000, or visit the Amway Center box office.

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators