Culture worthy of your calendar

Five full weekends

Now that you’ve enjoyed the Fourth of July weekend, take a look at your calendar. We still have four more full weekends to enjoy this month! That’s right. This year, July has five Fridays, five Saturdays and five Sundays, and since this calendar anomaly happens once every few years, enjoy it. That’s four more weekends to visit a museum, see a play, or hear a concert. My suggestions include the world-premiere guitar exhibit at the Science Center, the truly funny musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at the Mad Cow Theatre, or the Philharmonic’s Sovereign Brass concert on July 11.

Breakfast with the Expressway Authority

The always-helpful Winter Park Chamber of Commerce invites the community to meet representatives of the Expressway Authority at a breakfast where we can learn about the economic impact of their construction projects … and ask some of those questions we’ve wanted to ask. The “networking” and breakfast begins Friday, July 8, at 7:45 a.m. It’s followed by the program at 8:15 a.m. The “meet and greet” is free and will be held at the Winter Park Welcome Center (home of the Chamber) at 151 W. Lyman Ave. in Winter Park. Pre-registration is suggested. Call 407-644-8281.

Orlando Shakes presents ‘Snow White’

Leave it to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater to find a new way to present a classic fairy tale. In this case it’s the beautiful Snow White and her seven little friends. Orlando Shakes begins its new season of Theater for Young Audiences with an interactive adaptation of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” playing at the Shakespeare Center from July 7 through Aug. 7. Based on the classic by the Brothers Grimm, “Snow White” is the story of a sweet, young girl who lives in the forest as part of a most unusual family. The story also includes the Wicked Queen, who will stop at nothing to be the most beautiful woman in the world. The interactive part comes as the tale is told with help and suggestions from the youngest members of the audience.

The Shakespeare Center is in Loch Haven Park at 812 E. Rollins St. Student matinees for schools, summer camps and daycares are offered. Call 407-447-1700 or visit orlandoshakes.org.

All hail the Sovereign Brass

When you find the words “fun” and “Philharmonic” in the same sentence, it usually involves the brass section of the orchestra. That is absolutely true of the group called the Sovereign Brass who will perform in the Orlando Philharmonic’s Sounds of Summer series on Monday, July 11. The concert is called Passion and Fury and will begin at 7 p.m. at the Shakespeare Center at 812 E. Rollins St. in Loch Haven Park. The Sovereign Brass is known for adding “fun” to the serious world of chamber music, performing quality music in a way that is entertaining and appealing to all generations.

The group will perform works about the “trials and tribulations of love” including versions of “Romeo and Juliet,” Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” Carmichael’s “Stardust,” Piazzolla’s “Libertango,” and more. The Sovereign Brass includes Mike Avila and Thomas Macklin, trumpets; Jeffrey Thomas, trombone; Kathleen Thomas, French horn; Ed Firth, tuba; and Mark Goldberg, percussion. Call 407-770-0071 or visit OrlandoPhil.org