Florida Culture for the Week of June 24 by Josh Garrick

June 28 to July 15 – Breakthrough Theatre presents In the Gloaming

The Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park will present a new musical, In The Gloaming, from June 28 to July 15. Adapted for the stage by Wade Hair from the teleplay by Will Scheffer (which was adapted from a story by Alice Dark), In the Gloaming tells of Danny, dying of AIDS, who returns home for his last months. With music from the Dixie Chicks, the story shows the way that Danny’s final days lead to moments of openness with some of his family while shutting out others. Directed by Wade Hair, Danny will be played by Justin Scarlat. Call 407-920-4034 or you may purchase tickets online at breakthroughtheatre.com/tickets/

June 28 – FREE Healthy Greek Eats Taste-Test  
Chef-owner and native Greek Vassilis Coumbaros is so excited to announce Healthy Greek Eats that he is inviting ALL of us to a Taste-Test Social – a charity-focused, tasting event on June 28 from 8 to 11 pm. The evening will include samples of HGE hummus, yogurt, and spicy feta dip; live demos with recipe cards; and edible take-homes. The event will be at Downtown Credo at 706 West Smith Street in Orlando. Donations will be accepted at the door to benefit Downtown Credo, a College Park-based coffee shop founded on charitable giving. Please RSVP to savor [at] healthygreekeats.com

June 28 – Comedy Hypnotist Dale K to Perform at the Abbey

The award-winning comedy hypnotist DALE K will make his debut performance at The Abbey in downtown Orlando on June 28th at 9 pm. Entertaining and ‘educating’ audiences around the world with an annual tour schedule of nearly 200 cities, Dale K utilizes his unique abilities and abstract sense of humor to produce hypnosis events that are unconventional and hilarious. Tickets ($15 in advance; $18 at the door) can be purchased by visiting TicketWeb.com or by calling 1-866-468-7630. Visit AbbeyOrlando.com or call 941-932-6269

June 29 – A Rhinoceros Birthday Party … For Two

Talk about your BIG invitation, the Central Florida Zoo now has two (2) rhinoceroses.  PJ joins the Zoo's other rhinoceros, Jahi, and it happens that both PJ and Jahi turn two years old this summer. So, those “party animals” at the Zoo invite us to the Rhinos’ double birthday party on June 29 from 9 am to 3 pm. The Birthday with the BIG Boys will be celebrated with music, children's crafts, face painting, and animal encounters. Both rhinoceros’ can reach up to 5,000 pounds when fully grown, so I suggest we take this unique invitation … seriously! Visit centralfloridazoo.org or call 407.323.4450

July 1 to 7 – A Star-Spangled 4th of July All Week at Disney

This is Central Florida, and WE KNOW FIREWORKS. We also know that no one does fireworks better than DISNEY, and Disney guests don’t have to wait until the 4th to celebrate our country’s birthday.  Guests can choose any day of the week from July 1 to July 7 to experience the flag-waving spirit of the Holiday. The special red, white, and blue fireworks spectacular rockets above Cinderella’s Castle every night of the week orchestrated to a musical tribute to America.  Visit limitedtimemagic.com

July 1 to July 31 – FREE Admission at Art & History Museums – Maitland

For my readers from Maitland (who can show proof of residency) - all of the Museums that make up Art & History Museums – Maitland (A&H) are offered FREE Museum Admission from July 1 to 31. Those Museums include: The Maitland Art Center at 231 W. Packwood Avenue; Maitland Historical Museum at 221 W. Packwood Avenue, the Telephone Museum at 221 W. Packwood Avenue; the Waterhouse Residence at 820 Lake Lily Drive; and the Carpentry Shop Museum at 820 Lake Lily Drive. For more information call 407-539-2181 or visit ArtandHistory.org

July 4 – Fireworks at Lake Eola

Wishing us a “safe and happy 4th of July,” Mayor Buddy Dyer invites us to the 36th Annual Fireworks at the Fountain at Lake Eola Park. There will be live music, food vendors, and a play area for kids. The free event begins at 4 pm and is capped off with a patriotic light, sound and water show from the Lake Eola Fountain all leading up to a spectacular 20-minute fireworks finale. (If you can’t make it to the Park, you can watch the fireworks on WFTV Channel 9)

July 4 – Admission is FREE to the Morse Museum on July 4th

The Morse Museum – home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany – will follow a decades-long tradition and provide FREE admission to its galleries on July 4, in conjunction with Winter Park’s Olde Fashioned 4th of July Celebration. The City celebration, from 9 am to 1 pm, includes a bicycle parade, horse-drawn wagon rides, patriotic music by the Bach Festival Choir and more. The Museum will be open from 9:30 am to 4 pm. (Do not miss the Paul Revere silver on view especially for this Independence Day) Call 407.645.5311 or visit morsemuseum.org

July 5 – The Central Florida Artist Show at FAVO

On July 5 from 5 to 9 pm, Faith Arts Village Orlando (FAVO) will open it’s doors – LOTS of doors – to the former motel rooms at 221 East Colonial that have been renovated and filled with local art for the public’s enjoyment – and potential purchase.  With food trucks, art activities for kids, and live music, it’s a great way to ‘celebrate’ the extended July 4 weekend. The 19 open studios include the ceramic sculptures of Denisse Berlingeri, abstracts by Rodney McPherson, and paintings by Robin Maria Pedrero, along with works by dozens of other Artists. Visit faithartsvillage.com

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators