Culture worthy of your calendar

‘Butterflies are Free’ at Breakthrough Theatre

When “Butterflies Are Free” opened on Broadway decades ago, the Leonard Gershe comedy was described as “lovely,” “charming” and “heartwarming.” Years later, the comedy is all those things, providing a perfect date night play that’s easy on the emotions. The Breakthrough Theatre of Winter Park will perform the comedy through Sunday, June 20. It’s the story of a blind young man (Don Baker) who is declaring his freedom from an overprotective mother. Fulfilling his mother’s greatest fears, he decides to take his own apartment in Manhattan, sending his mother into “motherly” overdrive with comic results. The Daily News called it, "A lovely play. It is funny when it means to be, sentimental when it is so inclined, and heartwarming.” Heather-Lucia Bass, a recent graduate of University High School, directs the play. Reservations can be made at 407-920-4034 or visit www.breakthroughtheatre.com. The theater is located at 419A W. Fairbanks Ave.

Theatre to “remake the world”

Just down the street, we can depend on the Empty Spaces Theatre Company to bring us the other side of the theatre spectrum. Pretty much the theatrical opposite of the “lovely” butterflies, the next production by the always-creative team at Empty Spaces is “An example of how art can remake the world!”, according to the New Yorker magazine.

Empty Spaces is bringing us the Central Florida Premiere of Heather Raffo’s “9 Parts of Desire.” According to the author, the play is, “A portrait of the extraordinary (and ordinary) lives of a cross-section of Iraqi women: a sexy painter, a radical Communist, doctors, exiles, wives and lovers. This work delves into the many conflicting aspects of what it means to be a woman in the age-old war zone that is Iraq.” The passionate work reaches across religious and political borders to recreate experiences of love, life and tragedy, while depicting the horrors faced by Iraqi women over the last century. Directed by John DiDonna, the play will be performed from Thursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 27 at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins Street, in Loch Haven Park. For tickets, call 407-328-9005 (Credit card orders go through www.redchairproject.com).

Movies in a renovated movie theatre

Since it was once a movie theatre, it’s only appropriate that the Garden Theatre in Winter Garden has announced its very affordable Summer Movie Series, running through Sept. 16. This varied series — with something for everyone — will include 36 feature films. Thursdays are Vintage Favorites, Fridays are Family Nights and Saturdays are Cult Classics. All feature-length movies begin at 7 p.m. and tickets are $5. Tickets are sold online at gardentheatre.org or two hours prior to show times at the Theatre Box Office at 407-877-4736. And for the kids, the Theatre will offer Milk Money Movies, scheduled Tuesdays at 10 a.m. through Aug. 3. For $1 general admission, the Milk Money Movies include everything from “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” to “Charlotte’s Web”.

Eatonville’s own Norm Lewis on new recording

While millions know his songs by heart, few know much about the reclusive composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Now, however, a musical review called “Sondheim on Sondheim” is presenting a portrait of the celebrated composer in his own words (and music). Mixing interview footage of Sondheim’s personal life and a cast of Broadway’s finest singers, “Sondheim on Sondheim” presents new arrangements of two dozen Sondheim songs. One of those songs is the Sondheim classic “Being Alive,” performed on-stage — and for the new recording — by Eatonville’s own Norm Lewis. Broadway success Norm Lewis grew up in Eatonville, graduated from Edgewater High School and is part of a brilliant company on the new cast recording. It was recorded last week and will be released in August. Along with Lewis, the cast features Barbara Cook and Vanessa Williams. Visit www.psclassics.com.