Culture worthy of your calendar

At SeaWorld and Busch Gardens

Those two related parks — SeaWorld in Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa — are bringing big names in country, Latin and classic rock to perform at both parks — with each performance included in the price of park admission. Country and rock legends Willie Nelson, REO Speedwagon and Josh Turner will perform at Bands, Brew and BBQ along with Viva La Música’s Jerry Rivera, Manny Manuel and Ednita Nazario (in Orlando) while The 5th Dimension, the Osmond Brothers, Tony Orlando, Travis Tritt and the Charlie Daniels Band and Charo headline in Tampa. And the parks make the deal even sweeter with the 2011 Fun Card, where you pay for one day and come back all year — any time you want. That way you can catch all the music, all year long. The pay-one-day Fun Card offers return access to all of the animal and fish encounters, thrill rides and entertainment the parks have to offer. The BBBBQ theme also offers samples of international beers and food tastings. You may purchase the Fun Card at the front gate, online or by calling 888-800-5447. Visit Seaworld.com or BuschGardens.com for the complete schedule.

“Shout! The Mod Musical”

“Shout! The Mod Musical” will be presented in its Central Florida premiere at the always fun Winter Park Playhouse from March 4-27. This “absolutely smashing” off-Broadway musical sings its way through the 1960s, following the lives and fashions of five groovy girls as they come of age during those crazy years of swinging London. Like a musical time capsule, this “mod” (’60s for “awesome”) musical journey takes us back to the pop songs that made stars of Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield and Lulu. Letters to an advice columnist, true confessions and psychedelic dances serve as the frame for the hits that make up the show. The Playhouse has five dynamic women in the cast, including Playhouse favorite Heather Alexander, Candace Neal, Natalie Cordone, Sarah-Lee Dobbs and Kate Zaloumes. For even more fun, be there for opening night March 4, when the Winter Park Fish Company will sponsor a fish and chips pre-show reception in honor of the British theme. Call 407-645-0145 or visit winterparkplayhouse.org. The Playhouse is located at 711-C Orange Ave. in Winter Park.

Fine art of 1934

That jewel-box of a museum — the Mennello Museum of American Art at Loch Haven Park — recently opened another in its list of great fine art exhibits. Working in collaboration with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Mennello is currently exhibiting works created from December of 1933 to June of 1934. Called “1934: A New Deal for Artists”, the exhibit presents masterpiece after masterpiece by relatively unknown artists who, faced with the economy of the 1930s depression, were “hired” by the federal Public Works of Art Project to create paintings to celebrate our nation. The Public Works of Art Project lasted only six months, from December 1933 to June 1934, but the New Deal program employed artists and encouraged them to depict the American scene. The exhibit presents 56 of the finest works created by these New Deal artists — paintings that represent the American spirit at a time when hope was all that these artists had to work with. “1934: A New Deal for Artists” will run through May 1 at the Mennello Museum at 900 E. Princeton St. Call 407-246-4278 or visit mennellomuseum.com

And not to be missed

Congratulations to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater for a brilliantly funny and original production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” in performance through March 19. For tickets, call 407-447-1700 or visit OrlandoShakes.org