“Josh Recommends” for the week of July 16, 2021 by Josh Garrick  

Final Weekend -- 

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” at the Mad Cow Theatre through July 18
Directed by Tony Simotes, The Mad Cow Theatre returns with literature’s most famous hound (and most famous detective) through this weekend on the Harriett stage. For these performances, the mystery, farce, and suspense of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” has been turned into a sort of Marx Brothers comedy told in madcap style. With three actors -- Michael Geniac, Anthony Pyatt Jr, and Tom Keesling -- playing sixteen characters, the play is a parody of the most celebrated Sherlock Holmes novel of all time. Experience the “genius” as Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate the legend of a supernatural hound while uncovering the curse of the Baskervilles family. The Mad Cow Theatre is located at 54 W Church Street in Orlando and is currently seating at 50% capacity. Masks are encouraged. Call 407.297.8788 x1001 or visit madcowtheatre.com

Coming Soon --- 

“Crazy for Gershwin” at the Winter Park Playhouse from July 30 to August 22 
Winter Park’s professional music theatre, dedicated to producing year-round musical theatre programming for Central Florida residents, always features outstanding professional talent. The Winter Park Playhouse’s multi-talented Music Director Chris Leavy has been immersed in our great heritage of Broadway song and dance all his life – including his Master’s Degree at Missouri State. Now Leavy adds the Director’s title to his duties and invites us to “take a stroll down memory lane” as the Playhouse pays tribute to two of America's best loved – and most prolific – composers of all time, George and Ira Gershwin. This high-energy song and tap dance celebration is so filled with great songs that Leavy says, “You don’t need a plot line.” It really is “all singing and dancing" from some of Broadway’s greatest shows. “Who could ask for anything more?" Call 407.645.0145 or visit winterparkplayhouse.org 

“The Bodyguard” at the Garden Theatre (Winter Garden) now through August 8
I would say that “Yes, I am a fan of Whitney Houston, but I am a huge FAN of the new LIVE performance version based on the 1992 film by Lawrence Kasdan currently LIVE at the Garden Theatre. The big question before entering the theatre is – “Could they find a person who could sing the Whitney Houston ‘song-book?’ – especially THAT SONG – by Dolly Parton. Virginia Roebuck rocks it like it’s 1992 and then has the acting ‘chops’ to carry off the role of “superstar Rachel Marron.” Rachel refuses to believe she’s in danger, but her bodyguard thinks otherwise. A true romantic thriller, The Bodyguard features an incredible list of early 90’s hits including “One Moment in Time,” “I Have Nothing,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” and one of the best-selling songs of all time: “I Will Always Love You.” If you are a fan of Whitney Houston, you owe it to yourself to get a ticket and experience this wonderfully entertaining musical. Highly Recommended – Masks required. Call 407.297.8788 or visit gardentheatre.org

“Community: Five Years After the Pulse Tragedy” at the Orange County History Center now through August 15
Created to memorialize the victims and show the outpouring of love following the events of June 12, 2016, the concept of “Community” refers to the feelings of community in Central Florida after the Pulse Tragedy, as residents came together in an extraordinary show of unity. The LGBTQ and Latinx “communities” were profoundly affected by the tragedy. This exhibit features artifacts selected from the One Orlando Collection, which consists of over 12,000 artifacts, photographs, and oral histories preserved by the History Center. On this fifth-year anniversary, the History Center invites us to visit this exhibit and once again come together as a community to mark the solemnity of the tragedy while remembering the lives of those no longer with us. Call 407.836.8500 or visit thehistorycenter.org

A Classical Conversation: Jack Hill and Edson Campos at the Polasek Museum 
July 20 to October 3, 2021
In the exhibit about to open at the Polasek Museum in Winter Park, two of the most accomplished and celebrated Artists of Florida work with contemporary forms of Classical beauty. This first-time dual exhibition showcases the work of artists Jack Hill and Edson Campos, whose realist, and sometimes surrealist, views of the human form are executed with “hyper realism.” Both artists are inspired by classic works from Ancient and Renaissance masters, and both artists acknowledge the “dialogue” that can come from placing 16 pieces of Hill’s sculptures and 12 of Campos’ paintings beside each other. A highlight of the exhibition will be Campos’ favorite work, “Fall of a Dream” that won him a gold medal at the Grand Palais in Paris. Call 407.647.6294 or visit polasek.org 

Josh Garrick is the Florida Arts Editor for Wandering Educators