By PAM HARBAUGH

People are already lining up to get their tickets to Melbourne Civic Theatre’s season opener…so snap to and read more below. And if some beautiful music is what’s needed to lift your soul, then nothing better than tonight’s concert featuring two extraordinary up and coming musicians…read more about that below as well.

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Theater:

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM at Melbourne Civic Theatre is getting tons of kudos on social media. It opens officially tonight and runs through Sept. 17. Read a story about it by clicking here. Melbourne Civic Theatre is at 817 Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne. It performs 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays and Saturday, Sept. 2. Several Sunday matinees are already sold out. Tickets are $29 to $31, plus handling. Call 321-723-6935, visit MyMCT.org or just click on their ad.

DEADWOOD DICK or A Game of Gold runs through Sunday at Surfside Playhouse. Speak with director Bryan Bergeron and you’re going to want to head to Surfside Playhouse to have a fun time at the theater. This is an olde-timey melodrama, with expectations of boos and cheers from the audience. Read more about it by clicking here. Surfside Playhouse is at 301 Ramp Road (5th Street South), Cocoa Beach. It performs 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $15 general, $13 seniors and military and $10 children 17 years and younger. Call 321-783-3127, visit SurfsidePlayers.com or click on their ad.

THE AMISH PROJECT opens tonight and runs through Sept. 10 at Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando. Written by Jessica Dickey, this one-woman play received rave reviews by The New York Times. Ms. Dickey was inspired to write it following the 2006 murder of five girls who were taken hostage at the Nickel Mines Amish school in Lanaster County, PA. At Mad Cow, it is actress Trenell Mooring who will portray seven characters, including the gunman and two young victims. Several guest speakers have been invited to Talkback sessions following select performances. $40, with discounts available for seniors and students. The Mad Cow Theatre is at 54 West Church Street – Second Floor, Orlando, FL. Call 407-297-8788 ext. 1 or visit MadCowTheatre.com.

Concerts:

SUMMER OF LOVE concert featuring cellist Francisco Vila-Haas and pianist Steven Lin performing Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, Saint Saens, Davidoff and more, begins 7:30 p.m. tonight, Aug. 11, at the Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 106 N. Riverside Drive, Indialantic, FL. Read more about these two extraordinary musicians by clicking here. Tickets are $25 at the door and $20 in advance. It is free to those 18 years and younger with student ID. Call 855-252-7276 or visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org.

Nightlife:

HEIDI’S JAZZ CLUB is a cool thing to do in the hot summer. The lively spot is busy this weekend with some great entertainment, a wonderful bar and a super bar menu. Steve Kirsner & Friends perform 5 to 8 p.m. Friday followed by the Ron Teixeira Trio. On Saturday, the Israeli entertainer Hella joins the trio from 8 p.m. to midnight. And Sunday is the always fun Jam Session from 7 to 11 p.m. Heidi’s is at 7 N Orlando Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL. Call 321-783-4559 or visit HeidisJazzClub.com or click on their ad.

COMEDY ZONE features stand up comics Kevin Lee and Chris Buck Friday and Saturday evenings at Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach. Shows begin at 7:30 and 9:30 tonight and Saturday. Patrons to the Comedy Zone can also enjoy free music before the shows and casino games in the lobby. Riverside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Drive, Vero Beach. Get there early and buy a burger and a beer if you like. Tickets begin at $16. Call 772-231-6990, visit RiversideTheatre.com or click onto their ad.

Exhibits:

DOMINIC AGOSTINI PORTRAITS exhibition runs through Sept. 22 at the Renee Foosaner Education Center, 1520 Highland Ave, Melbourne. The works on view reveal the photographer’s keen interest in celebrating the heroic in every day people. Read more about it by clicking here. The exhibit is installed in the Frits Van Eeden Gallery. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Admission free. Call 321-674-8923 or visit FoosanerArtMuseum.org.

FLORA & FIBER runs through Aug. 26 at the Ruth Funk Center for the Arts. The exhibit, culled from the Textile Center’s permanent collection, is designed to show how plants inspire hand-weaving and dyeing and how they also inspire both the design and adornment in textile art especially in Asia and later in Europe and America. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The center is located next to Evans Library on the Florida Tech campus, 150 W. University Blvd. in Melbourne. Admission is free. More information click here or click on their ad.

FIFTH AVENUE ART GALLERY is an important hub in this evening’s First Friday open house which runs 5:30 to 8:30 P.M.. The gallery presents BEST IN SHOW exhibition runs throughout August at the Fifth Avenue Art Gallery. A portion of sales from the exhibit will go to the Central Brevard Humane Society. The Fifth Avenue Art Gallery is at 1470 Highland Avenue, Melbourne. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Call 321-259-8261, visit FifthAvenueArtGallery.com or just click on their ad.

Auditions:

COCOA VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE will hold auditions for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST this weekend. The audition schedule is: Children 7 to 12 years old 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12; males and females 13 years and older, 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 and Sunday, Aug. 13. No experience necessary. The show is scheduled to run Sept. 22 to Oct. 8. For audition and character information, visit CocoaVillagePlayhouse.com and click on the audition banner at the top of the home page. CVP is at 300 Brevard Ave., Cocoa. Call 321-636-5050.

MELBOURNE CIVIC THEATRE will hold auditions for the Ken Ludwig farce BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13 and Monday, Aug. 14. Needed are 1 female and 4 males. Roles to be cast include men 30 to 60 years to play Sherlock and Watson; two men of any age; and one woman of any age. Except for those cast as Sherlock and Holmes, every actor will take on 11 to 14 roles. Hence, the work will be physically demanding with multiple quick costume changes, and multiple dialects. The show is scheduled to run Oct. 6 to Nov. 12. MCT is at 817 Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-723-6935 or visit MyMCT.org.

Plan Ahead:

SHREK THE MUSICAL opens Aug. 18 at Titusville Playhouse.
JAZZ LEGENDS will feature area jazz artists including those from “Lady Day” Aug. 19 at the Henegar Center.
SUNDAY WITH THE SYMPHONY presented by the BSO on Aug. 20 at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in West Melbourne. Visit BrevardSymphony.com.