By PAM HARBAUGH
Up and at ’em. There are better ways to avoid the world and still be a part of society. Sink into art instead of your bed. Especially different are a couple of concerts — free operatic concert Sunday afternoon and a jazz concert Wednesday evening. Doesn’t those sound nice? And yes, gobs of theater and visual art as well.
Theater:
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST runs through Oct. 8 at Cocoa Village Playhouse. This Disney musical has all the elements you expect. And yes, CVP costume designer Dan Hill made the costume for the Beast…with help of Ben Cox who plays the role. He also got help from an engineer to create the costume for Lumiere, which is played by Jason Crase. Read more about it by clicking here. Cocoa Village Playhouse is at 300 Brevard Ave., Cocoa. Tickets are $24 adults, $22 seniors, students and active military and $16 children. Handling fees are also applicable. Call 321-636-5050, visit CocoaVillagePlayhouse.com or click on their ad.
Benjamin Cox and Dominique Solano in “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” at Cocoa Village Playhouse. photo by Goforth Photography.
THE 39 STEPS runs through Oct. 1 at Surfside Playhouse. This is an entertaining send-up of Alfred Hitchcock films. To read a story about it, click here. The show performs 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Surfside Playhouse, 301 Ramp Road (5th Street South), Cocoa Beach, FL. Tickets are $25 general, $22 seniors and students. There is a $1.75 processing fee per ticket. Call 321- 783-3127, visit SurfsidePlayers.com or click on their ad.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY runs through Oct. 15 at Titusville Playhouse. Although director Niko Stamos drew inspiration from the original 1930s cartoons, the musical is based on the 1960’s television show. Read more about it by clicking here. Tickets are $23 to $29. Titusville Playhouse is at 301 Julia St., Titusville. Call 321-268-1125, visit TitusvillePlayhouse.com or click on their ad.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY at Titusville Playhouse.
OF MICE AND MEN runs through Oct. 8 at the Central Florida Community Arts Theatre in Orlando. The play is an adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel. The production features West Melbourne actor Zack Roundy. Tickets start at $15. The theater performs in the fellowship hall in a church at 250 SW Ivanhoe Blvd., Orlando. Call 407.937.1800 or visit Central Florida Community Arts Theatre.
BIG RIVER: THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN runs through Oct. 22 at Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando. Tonight’s performance will be a preview, which had to be postponed until tonight due to Hurricane Irma. The musical is based on Mark Twain’s novel about a runaway young boy, Huck Finn, who joins Jim, a slave running for his freedom. Tickets are $23 to $47. The show performs at various times throughout the week with Talkbacks after each Thursday and Sunday performance. Mad Cow Theatre is at 54 W. Church Street (second floor) in downtown Orlando. Call 407.297.8788 or visit MadCowTheatre.com.
MAN OF LA MANCHA runs through Oct. 8 at Orlando Shakes. But the shows are quickly selling out thanks to the acclaimed performances of Davis Gaines as Don Quixote and Laura Hodos as Aldonza/Dulcinea. Tickets are $35 to $65. Orlando Shakes performances at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E Rollins St, Orlando. Call 407-447-1700 or visit OrlandoShakes.org.
Concerts:
ELIZA DOPIRA will perform arias and art songs by Chausson, Bellini, Brahms and more at a special free concert 4 p.m. Sunday in the Gleason Performing Arts Center on the campus of Florida Tech. Ms. Dopira is FIT’s music instructor and director of choral and string studies. She is an accomplished opera singer who studied at the Peabody Conservatory. She has performed with the Sarasota Opera, the National Symphony, Bryn Mawr Chorale, the John Hopkins Choral Society and the Peabody Symphony Orchestra…as well as others including the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. Click here or call 321-674-8082.
Eliza Dopira
JAZZ LEGENDS: RON TEIXEIRA TRIO will perform 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Henegar Center. Mr. Teixeira is quite the accomplished jazz musician. Anyone who has gone to Heidi’s Jazz Club will agree. At this concert, which is the second one in the Henegar’s Jazz Legends Series, he will perform on the Hammond B-3 organ. During the concert, he’ll also be recording a CD, “Live at the Henegar.” He will be joined by jazz guitarist Rich Walker and percussionist Walt Hubbard. Tickets are $20 plus a $3 handling fee. The Henegar is at 625 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-723-8698, visit Henegar.org or click on their ad.
Nightlife:
HEIDI’S JAZZ CLUB offers great entertainment, a wonderful bar and a super bar menu. Steve Kirsner & Friends perform Friday. On Saturday, the Israeli entertainer Hella joins the Ron Teixeira 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.
HOWL AT THE MOON this weekend at Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach featuring dueling pianos by Ken Gustafson and Rob Volpe. This fun-packed music-filled evening has shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The shows invite guests to come enjoy a picnic style dinner while listening to some great music, free. Tickets start at $16. Shows sell out quickly, so purchase in advance. Riverside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach, FL. Call 772-231-6990, visit RiversideTheatre.com or click on their ad.
Exhibits:
CLOTH AS COMMUNITY: HMONG TEXTILES IN AMERICA runs through Dec. 16 at Florida Institute of Technology’s Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts. Although rich in history, Hmong flower cloth did not become widely known until after the Vietnam War when refugees from the war-torn country arrived in the United States. The exhibit features 28 textiles—flower cloths and embroidered story cloths—by those in the Hmong community. It also features Peter Kastan’s photographs of contemporary Hmong women and children in traditional dress. Look for a story about the exhibit later in Brevard Culture. The Ruth Funk Center is on the campus of Florida Tech, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Call 321-674-8313, visit their website or Click on their ad.
From the Hmong exhiibition.
WOMAN-MADE: FEMALE ARTISTS FROM THE FOOSANER COLLECTION is on view through Oct. 7 at the Foosaner Art Museum. The exhibition is sponsored in part by the John K. and Julia R. Roach Fund in memory of Judy Roach. And we love thinking about Judy Roach and how much she loved the arts. The exhibition comprises select 20th century women artists such as Isabel Bishop, Louise Nevelson and Miriam Schapiro…as well as some of the area’s best artists (who happen to be women) including Susan Martin, Vera Sattler and the late Ellen Plankey. The Foosaner Art Museum is at 1463 Highland Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-674-8916, visit FoosanerMuseum.org or click on their ad.
Auditions and Calls for Art:
CHRISTMAS WITH DINO needs a wide assortment of performers. Auditions will be held 2 p.m. September 30 and 7 p.m. Oct. 3. The special show stars Alfie Silva and is scheduled to run Nov. 24 to Dec. 24 at Melbourne Civic Theatre, 817 E. Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-723-6935 or visit MyMCT.org.
RIVERSIDE THEATRE will hold auditions for both AEA and on-Equity actors Oct. 2 and 26. The season includes productions of “Million Dollar Quartet,” “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” “Lombardi,” “Gypsy,” “Buyer & Cellar” and “Mamma Mia.” To schedule an audition appointment, contact Kyle Atkins, Company Manager, via email at kylea@riversidetheatre.com or by phone at 772-410-0456. AEA members without appointments will be seen as time permits. Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend. Riverside is at 3250 Riverside Dr., Vero Beach.
SANTALAND DIARIES needs one male actor, late 20s to mid-30s. Auditions will be held 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8 and 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9 at the Henegar Center, 2nd floor Studio Theatre. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script, which will be available for perusal before the audition. The one-man one-act is scheduled to run late nights Dec. 7 to 10 and possibly be extended through Dec. 17. The Henegar is at 625 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-723-8698 or visit Henegar.org.
ANNIE will audition for adults 7 p.m. Oct. 16 and 17 at the Henegar Center. The show is scheduled to run Dec. 1 to 17. The Henegar is at 625 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne. Call 321-723-8698 or visit Henegar.org.
CALL FOR ART has been made by the Studios of Cocoa Beach Holidy Gift Shoppe. Apply online at studiosofcocoabeach.org. The gallery is at 165 Minutemen Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Call 321-613-3480.
Plan Ahead:
THE MAGICAL WORKS OF NANCY DILLEN exhibition opens Oct. 6 at the Renee Foosaner Education Center.
THE BREVARD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA starts its season Oct. 7 at the King Center.
BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY opens Oct. 13 and runs through Nov. 12 at Melbourne Civic Theatre.
SWEENEY TODD opens Oct. 13 and runs through Oct. 29 at the Henegar Center.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW runs Oct. 20 to 29 at the Titusville Playhouse.
CULTURAL ARTS SHOWCASE will be held Oct. 29 at the King Center.
