Culture worthy of your calendar

‘Myth and Poetry’ from the Philharmonic

There is nothing ‘scary’ about the Orlando Philharmonic’s lyrical Halloween concert entitled “Myth and Poetry” set for 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30. The concert will introduce the Orchestra’s new concertmaster Yuri Bekker as they perform works by Orlando’s resident composer Stella Sung, Chausson, Tchaikovsky, and Vaughan Williams. The program will conclude with the work that is considered to be Igor Stravinsky’s first masterpiece, “The Firebird”. Written as ballet music (in 1910), “The Firebird” was given its first performance by the Ballet Russes in Paris. Many in that premiere audience were ‘shocked’ by the modernism of the score’s complexity, but it was praised by critics for its orchestral effects, pulsating rhythms, and sheer beauty. For 100 years, “The Firebird” has been Stravinsky’s most popular work. Maestro Christopher Wilkins will conduct at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre. For tickets, call 407-770-0071.

The Gorey project

This is the final week to view Edward Gorey’s macabre and witty work currently featured in the exhibition, “Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey”, at the Orlando Museum of Art until 4 p.m. on Oct. 31. Gorey’s drawings and illustrations make creepiness into fun – sometimes making sense, but often leaving us with a wry smile thanks to their ‘twisted’ humor. A significant addition to the current exhibit is a project initiated by the University of Central Florida art and theatre departments whose students developed their own work as they were inspired by Gorey. UCF art students researched Gorey’s style and subject matter and then created their own works with an emphasis on his ironic and mysterious sense of humor while their fellow students from the theater department designed and built mask and hat projects. It’s amazing to see how well the students ‘assimilated’ Gorey’s unique style and then translated it into their own work. The student work is exhibited in a side gallery next to the Gorey exhibit with one exhibit enhancing the other. The OMA is located in Orlando Loch Haven Park at the corner of Princeton and Mills. Parking is free. Call 407-896-4231 or visit www.omart.org.

‘Girls’ Night: The Musical’

Both touching and funny, “Girls Night: The Musical” is a ‘tell-it-like-it is’ look at the lives of five female friends who re-live their past, celebrate the present, and look to the future during an outrageous girls night out at a karaoke bar. You’ll quickly recognize the characters…Carol ‘the party girl’; Anita who ‘tells it like it is’; Liza ‘who has ‘issues’; Kate, the boring designated driver; and Sharon, the not-so-angelic angel who provides the ‘heavenly narration’. This strong-woman-musical rocks with energy and empowering classic anthems, from “Lady Marmalade” and “I Will Survive” to “It’s Raining Men” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”. This girls’ night out promises to have you, your sisters, and your girlfriends laughing, crying and dancing in the aisles. Performances are scheduled Nov. 4-7 at the Plaza Theatre at 425 N Bumby Ave. in downtown Orlando. Visit www.theplazatheatre.com or call 407-228-1220.

…and my buddy Barney Rubble

The Orlando Science Center asks us not to put away those Halloween costumes just yet, because we may need that costume for their annual Neanderthal Ball, the Science Center’s biggest ‘friend-raiser’ of the year. Considered the “coolest event this side of the Stone Age,” the Neanderthal Ball invites us to step into the past to support the future with fun, fire, food, wine, and a silent auction on Saturday, Nov. 6 from 7-11 p.m. It’s time to party like a caveman — with an animal-print tie or a bone in your hair — amidst the prehistoric atmosphere of the Science Center’s dinosaur exhibit. Guests may participate in a “diamond dig” for an authentic half-karat diamond, see a dinosaur come to life, or chisel your mark at the silent auction - all to benefit programs for youth at the Orlando Science Center. Guests are invited to “rock out” with themed entertainment, create their own cave painting, and indulge in food and wine under the starlit sky on the Center’s Terrace. The dress code is cocktail attire with a ‘caveman couture’ accent. Show your prehistoric flair with an animal print cocktail dress. For more information, call 407-514-2233 or visit www.osc.org. Tickets are available for purchase online.