Culture Worthy of Your Calendar: Pops, Pops, and Freud  by Josh Garrick

The Orlando Philharmonic – Outdoors and Free
There is no more beautiful place to “welcome Spring” than Winter Park’s Central Park and no more wonderful way to celebrate than with a FREE ‘Pops’ concert by the Orlando Philharmonic. On Sunday, March 13 at 7 pm, the Philharmonic and the City of Winter Park invite all of us to bring a blanket and a picnic for an evening of music from our favorite movies and musicals which they are calling ‘Epic Dreams of Stage and Screen.’ Winter Park resident Kenneth Murrah will be honored at the concert for his support of the Philharmonic as Conductor Paul Hostetter leads the Orchestra in music from Carousel, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, and songs from Strike Up the Band and That’s Entertainment.  Soprano Michelle Knight will join the Orchestra for a variety of vocal favorites, and Candice Crawford, President of the Philharmonic Board, will also take a turn at the podium. For more information, call 407-896-6700.

The Boston Pops!
And speaking of ‘Pops’ concerts, those wonderful folks at the Festival of Orchestras are bringing back the most famous ‘Pops’ Orchestra in the world! – The Boston Pops with Conductor Keith Lockhart.  The date is Friday, March 18th at 7:30 pm, and the program  is “A Tribute to American Songwriter Cole Porter.”  Known as "America's Orchestra," the Boston Pops performs hundreds of shows across the US and around the world. The annual 4th of July concert in Boston attracts over 300,000 people and is viewed by more than 20 million on CBS.  The Orchestra’s Central Florida program honors Cole Porter as one of the Great American Songbook writers with hits from Broadway shows Anything Goes, Can-Can, Silk Stockings, and Kiss Me Kate.  Joining the Orchestra for the evening’s performance are Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara and Jason Danieley. The concert will take place at the Northland Performing Arts Center at Northland Church, 530 Dog Track Road in Longwood. The new performing arts center is already earning a reputation for its sound quality and ease of access. For tickets call 407.539.0245.

pARTicipation in Maitland
One of our favorite combination ART Exhibit/Fundraisers begins this week at the Maitland Art Center, and this year the exhibit opens with a whole new twist. The annual Artist pARTicipation exhibit may be viewed now through April 17, but the Center has events scheduled throughout the month of March to celebrate Florida Artists. The important date for your calendar is March 25 (from 6 to 9 pm) – pARTicipation’s official Opening Reception. At that time two works of ART by each pARTicipating Artist will be on display for sale at the Museum. Over the years, our finest Artists have contributed their work to this fund-raiser – in support of the Center. The donated works will also be available for sale in an Online Auction that concludes April 2nd with the ‘Artist’s Tribute Cocktail Reception and Fundraising Dinner.’ Call 407.539.2181 for a complete schedule. Funds generated by pARTicipation benefit the Art and History Museum’s programming, and take place at the Maitland Art Center at 231 West Packwood Avenue.

Freud at Mad Cow
The always innovative Mad Cow Theater loves to get its directorial hands on plays that are provocative, witty, and intellectual. And when they can score a Florida premiere as part of the bargain, they can’t wait to get that play on-stage. The Mad Cow has done just that by acquiring the rights to Freud's Last Session, a sensation-causing play from last year’s New York theater season. In New York, the play was extended twice due to sold-out performances. Now, this “brilliant, mind-bending play” comes to Mad Cow Theatre, giving us the opportunity to experience the latest in contemporary theatre in Downtown Orlando. In the play two of history’s greatest minds – C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud – meet for a witty, intellectual debate about love, sex, and religion in what promises to be the most stimulating analysis ever. The New York Times said, “Mark St. Germain’s script is astute, and the humor is plentiful.” Freud's Last Session will play through April 3 at the Mad Cow Theatre. Call 407.297.8788 or visit madcowtheatre.com

And NOT to be missed …
Seldom in my life have I laughed, shouted, and cheered for a night in the theater as I did for SHOUT The Musical, now in its Central Florida premiere at the Winter Park Playhouse.  With a perfect cast and spot-on direction this time capsule of the “Swinging 60’s is ABSOLUTELY not-to-be-missed. Call 407.645.0145 or visit winterparkplayhouse.org.

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators