Florida Culture for the Week of May 28 by Josh Garrick

June 1 to September 2 – Eye-cons of Florida’s Wilderness

Opening on June 1 at 6 pm is Lake Eustis Museum of Art’s next exhibition entitled Jim W. Wilson: Eye-cons of Florida’s Wilderness. Wilson’s beautiful paintings of Florida’s wilderness are arresting and rendered with scientific accuracy. The artist has made a lifelong study of birds, reptiles, and plants, while exhibiting his artworks and teaching at art institutions throughout Pennsylvania and Florida. A gallery discussion will occur between the Artist and the Museum’s Director Richard Colvin on Opening Night. LEMA is at 220 B East Orange Avenue across from the Eustis City Hall. Call 352.483.2900.

June 2 and 3 – Anna’s Having a Sale

One of the great ladies of the Central Florida Art world – Anna Tomczak – is having a “Summer Sale” of her work. This is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire work which has been featured in exhibitions and collections at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Florida Gulf Coast Museum, McGraw-Hill, Museum of Florida Art, Norton Museum, Polaroid Collections, Polk Museum of Art, Sony Latin-America and Tampa Museum of Art. It’s also a chance to visit this special Artist in her uniquely welcoming home studio at 340 New York Avenue in Lake Helen (and wish her a happy birthday).  Please RSVP to annat [at] annatomczak.com

June 3 – World Ballet Competition All Stars of Dance

Throughout this week 120 dancers from around the world are competing in elimination rounds for awards and scholarships in the World Ballet Competition.  Held at the Bob Carr PAC, winners will join a host of dance stars in the World Ballet Competition All Stars of Dance on Sunday evening June 3 beginning at 7 pm. Gala highlights include Maria Kochetkova of San Francisco Ballet and Winner of NBC’s Superstars of Dance. Principal dancers Lia Cirio and Misa Kuranaga, of the Boston Ballet, will appear with Paul Craig along with Maki Onuki and Jonathan Jordan of Washington Ballet. Two world premiere choreographies will be presented by Edgar Anido and Viktor Plotnikov as Joan Boada of San Francisco Ballet makes his Orlando debut. Each year this Gala is more thrilling as we view Stars of tomorrow dancing on-stage with the finest of today’s dance Stars. Competition tickets are available daily along with the Sunday evening Gala. Visit WorldBalletCompetition.com or call 407.849.9948.

June 2 and 3 -- American Spirit Pageants at Disney

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is the site for a unique ‘series’ of pageants that incorporate charitable fundraising into the competition. Contestants, who are beautiful inside and out, raise money for charity as part of the competition with 100% of the proceeds going to American Spirit Charities, which distributes funds to the elderly, children, the arts, Veterans, the environment, and other special needs. Women compete in 4 divisions (Teen, Miss, Ms. and Mrs.) with N’Sync’s Chris Kirkpatrick as host along with Floridians, Kellie Lightbourn (Mrs. Galaxy 2012) and April Lufrui (Mrs. World 2012) as guests. In addition, the Spirit of Pageantry Convention runs in conjunction with the pageant with exhibitors from the modeling, nutrition, fitness, fashion and entertainment industries. A free Post Pageant Party, after the June 3rd Finals, is part of the festivities. Visit AmericanSpiritcharities.com or call 309-738-5452

June 8 -- Summer Music at the Art & History Museums – Maitland

The volunteer corps of the Art & History Museums – Maitland (A&H) will present their second evening of the Summer Concert Series, Art. Music. Food. Architecture. on June 8 at 7 pm in A&H’s beautiful Main Garden at 231 W. Packwood Avenue. I attended the first of this series and had a wonderful evening listening to the music under the stars. The Mudflappers, a 7-piece mini-orchestra with a reputation for ecstatic live performances will offer music from Johnny Cash to the jazz of your local speakeasy. Maitland Poets & Writers and Food Truck offerings from Gator County BBQ will be on-hand, and the A&H’s Main Galleries will be open for guests to view the exhibit. Admission is $3. Visit ArtandHistory.org or phone 407-539-2181

June 8 – Crealde’s 32nd Annual Student Show

The work of exceptional student artists will be presented in Crealdé’s 32nd Annual Juried Student Show, on display from June 8 to August 31. The highlight of the students’ year, artworks in painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, and photography will be exhibited with many of the pieces for sale. Students will be awarded with prizes, certificates, and ribbons. The opening reception will be held on the Crealde campus on June 8 from 7 to 9:30 pm. Crealdé School of Art is a non-profit arts organization established in 1975 with a year-round curriculum of over 100 visual arts classes for students of all ages. Call 407.671.1886 or visit crealde.org.

June 8 to July 18 – Get ready to ‘face the music’ as The Mad Cow Theatre presents the musical Next to Normal, the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey. The winner of three Tony Awards, Next to Normal is an emotional rollercoaster with a contemporary ‘rock’ score that is disturbingly intense. Featuring Broadway veteran Melissa Minyard in the pivotal ‘Mother’ role, Next to Normal runs through July 8 at Mad Cow Theatre in Downtown Orlando.  Call 407.297.8788 or visit madcowtheatre.com.  Be warned; this is definitely NOT your Grandmother’s musical.

June 9 – Ms. Jacqueline Jones in Concert

The Winter Park Playhouse kicks off its 10th Anniversary Series with the incomparable Ms. Jacqueline Jones and her trio in concert on the Mainstage in The Best is Yet to Come.  This one-night-only special event is scheduled for June 9 at 7:30 pm, and is a tribute to Ms. Jones’ favorite classics from Broadway to Jazz including, Night and Day, S’Wonderful, I Wish You Love, plus a special salute to Billie Holiday!  Ms. Jones has performed across the country, and remains a favorite in her home-town of  Orlando with her spirited blend of Jazz, Rhythm and Blues and Contemporary music. The Winter Park Playhouse is at 711 Orange Avenue in Winter Park. Visit winterparkplayhouse.org or call 407.645.0145.

And Not to be Missed ... June 5 to 10 – La Cage Aux Folles

3 Tony Awards; 3 Drama Desk Awards; 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards, AND a production starring George Hamilton. La Cage Aux Folles the Musical comes to the Bob Carr from June 5 to 10. It’s all singing, all dancing FUN. Call 1-800-982-2787 or visit FloridaTheatrical.org.

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators