Florida Culture for the Week of March 17 By Josh Garrick

Mar 19 to April 20 – Shakespeare Takes On Julius Caesar

Shakespeare’s version of the death of Julius Caesar explores the line between patriotism and personal ambition with Caesar’s assassination leading the world to the brink of anarchy. In an already brilliant season for the Shakespeare Center, Julius Caesar is another timeless classic. Adding to the experience (30 minutes before each performance) an Orlando Shakes actor shares insights about the production with the audience. Visit OrlandoShakes.org or call 407.447.1700

Photo by Landon St. Gordon with Anne Hering, Esau Pritchett, Paul Bernardo 

Mar 19 to April 20 – The Mad Cow has a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Legend says that Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was Tennessee Williams’ favorite play – perhaps because it won him the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955. The play examines how families deal with greed, mendacity, (repressed) sexual desire, and death. Presented in Mad Cow Theatre’s beautiful new complex, visit madcowtheatre.com or call 407.297.8788.

Mar 20 – Hannibal Square Wine Tasting

The kick-off of Art Festival Weekend is presented at Hannibal Square by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and Hannibal Square Merchants Association on March 20 beginning at 5 pm. Held on the evening before the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival begins, the evening offers more than 40 varieties of wine and beer samples, appetizers from local eateries and live music. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 ‘at the door’ with entrances at the corner of West New England and Pennsylvania or West New England and Virginia. Call 407-644-8281 or visit winterpark.org

Mar 20 – Jeb Bush at Rollins College

As part of a series of talks offered FREE to the Public, the Winter Park Institute at Rollins College presents former Governor Jeb Bush in a talk called America's Promise in Uncertain Times, in which he will share his insights on the current challenges facing America. Set for March 20 at 7:30 pm at the Alfond Sports Center, the event is free and open to the public. Call 407.691.1995 or visit winterparkinstitute.org

March 20 to April 11 – The Twitter Art Exhibit: Orlando

Orlando continues to enhance its reputation in the Art-world as local Arts legend Robin Maria Pedrero creates – and curates – the Twitter Art Exhibit: Orlando. Opening March 20 at the CityArts Factory, this is the 4th installment of a worldwide art experience featuring original, postcard-sized art, donated by Artists from around the world. The Postcard Art will be displayed and sold through April 11 at a price of $35 each to benefit special needs students at The Center for Contemporary Dance. FREE and open to the public, visit twitterartexhibit.org.

Mar 21 – The Art of Thomas Thorspecken at Snap!

Artist and urban legend ‘Thor’ acts as a human camera, sketching and recording events around Central Florida and posting daily sketches on his digital diary. Those very personal water-color sketches of very public events will be celebrated in an exhibit of Thomas Thorspecken’s work opening March 21 at 7 pm at Snap! Space at 1013 East Colonial Drive in Orlando. In addition to the exhibit, Thor will sign his new book Urban Sketching. Visit snaporlando.com

Mar 22 at 2 and 8 pm – The Broadway Tenors with the Orlando Philharmonic

Central Florida is blessed with great singing-actors. In two performances on March 22, we can experience Broadway’s finest as Eatonville native Norm Lewis leads a team of tenors in an evening of Broadway classics from West Side Story, Chicago, 42nd Street, and more. Fresh from his Broadway triumph as Porgy in Porgy and Bess, Mr. Lewis will be joined by Brent Barrett and Matt Cavenaugh with the Orlando Philharmonic conducted by Christopher Wilkins.  Visit orlandophil.org or call 407.770.0071

Mar 22 -- Brevard Symphony Makes History with Space Shuttle Atlantis

In partnership with the Kennedy Space Center, the Brevard Symphony Orchestra will make history by presenting the first-ever concert under the space shuttle. Christopher Confessore will conduct Symphonic Odyssey, a once-in-a-lifetime concert, beneath the Space Shuttle Atlantis on March 22 at 8 pm. Featuring music from Star Wars, Star Trek and the fanfare by Richard Strauss from 2001: A Space Odyssey, tickets are $150 and $250 (including dinner). Visit brevardsymphony.com or call 321.242.2024.
 

Mar 22 – The Luau – A Special Olympics Fundraiser

More ‘Indiana Jones’ than ‘black-tie affair,’ The Luau is set in the lush landscaping of the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios. The ‘adventurous’ evening features tropical cuisine, cocktails, live entertainment, crab races, and a silent and live auction. The event raises funds for Team Florida as they journey to New Jersey to compete in the 2014 USA Special Olympics. Celebrate the ‘transformative power’ of the Games on March 22 and say Aloha! to Team Florida. Visit specialolympicsflorida.org

Mar 23 – Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architecture in Florida

Kenneth Treister, co-author of Bok Tower Gardens: America’s Taj Mahal, will discuss the book and his connection to Frank Lloyd Wright at Lakeland’s Florida Southern College on March 23 at 10 am. Following the presentation is a book signing and optional tour of the world’s largest collection of Wright architecture, including a visit to Usonian House, the only Wright house built since the late 1960s for its original client on its original site. The brunch is $10 and the tour is $20. RSVP to Bobby Baum at 863-686-8820 or rbaum[at]gte.net

Mar 25 to 30 – EVITA on the Broadway Series

The inventive – and decades later – classic Broadway show EVITA offers us the Argentinean diva Eva Peron center stage at the Bob Carr PAC. The multi-award-winning musical chronicles the life of Eva Peron in a six-day run from March 25 to 30 telling the ‘rags-to-riches’ tale of Eva Peron and her rise to power from being an illegitimate child from the slums to becoming First Lady of Argentina. For a brief time, Evita was “high-flying-adored,” only to have her fragile health prove her downfall. Visit OrlandoBroadway.com or call 1-800-982-2787

March is National Noodle and Sauce Month

I only just learned this, but with half the month still to go, those of us who cannot get enough ‘Italian’ have one more reason to celebrate – National Noodle and Sauce Month.
A couple suggestions …

For fast-casual, Italio’s quick and easy pasta bowls are ‘customized’ with your choice of three different sauces at 276 S. Orlando Ave in Winter Park. Visit italiokitchen.com

For upscale dining, Prato in Winter Park, known for their Herb Ricotta Gnudi, offers hand-made pastas, locally sourced ingredients and house-cured meats at 124 N. Park Avenue. Visit prato-wp.com

My personal favorite, Francesco's in Maitland, offers handmade noodles and sauces with a classic Sicilian influence. Their wood-burning ovens add a rich flavor, and Francesco uses only sustainable, local ingredients at 400 S. Orlando Avenue. Visit francescos-rist.com

And looking ahead …

Along with the more-than-welcome news that the new Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will open this November, the Orlando Ballet is the first of Central Florida’s major performing arts groups to announce a “community partnership” which will allow the company to perform its 2014-2015 season in the Center’s new Walt Disney Theater. This forward thinking “partnership” gives us all more opportunity to experience the new performance space. Hooray and Hallelujah! Visit drphillipscenter.org

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators