Best Bets: This weekend, travel to Orlando with Viera theater company; jazz at King Center
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Viera theater company brings Alice into Y2K
The young thespians of Viera Studio for the Performing Arts’ children’s theater visit Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, but take the journey into the 21st Century with “Y2K Alice in Wonderland.” The adaptation of the classic will be performed at 2 and 7 p.m., Friday, July 17, at the Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 E. Princeton St., Orlando.
The adaptation, co-written by Gabriel Ramos, who is also assistant director and choreographer; Corey Beattie and Jennifer Garcia, features music, sets and costumes from the early 2000s and is directed by Monica Toro Lisciandro, with musical direction by Jennifer Garcia, set design by Andrea Havel and costume coordination by Jennifer Beattie.
“Our summer show this year has been such a special, unique experience,” said Garcia. “The nostalgia of the Y2K music, the creative process of selecting the perfect songs to fit the story, and most importantly, the incredibly talented cast of young people I get to work with, are things I will never forget.”
Director, Monica Toro Lisciandro is excited to be presenting the studio’s 12th annual summer show this year, and the first at the Orlando Rep.
"We are looking forward to our talented kids getting to experience this professional venue and continuing to expand upon quality arts experiences for our young performers,” she said.
Actors range in age from 7 to 16. Tickets, which start at $15, are available at TheVieraStudio.Eventbrite.com. For more, see TheVieraStudio.com.
Go for Baroque with BSO concert
It may be stiflingly hot, but that will not stop the musicians from Brevard Symphony Orchestra from putting on their best Baroque outfits, powdered wig and all, for “Nova Baroque,” a chamber music concert of Italian Baroque favorites.
The concert begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 16, at Suntree United Methodist Church, 7400 N. Wickham Road. General admission tickets are $25. Purchase at brevardsymphony.com/bsosummerevenings.
The Who ‘Who’s Next’
Classic Albums Live gives a concert recreating The Who’s ‘Who’s Next’ on Saturday, July 16 at 8 p.m. The show will be at the King Center, 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne. Call 321-242-2219 or visit kingcenter.com.
Ranger-led tour
Turkey Creek Sanctuary, 1518 Port Malabar Blvd NE, Palm Bay, offers free ranger-led tours on the first and third Sundays of most months, excluding holidays, from 10 to 11 a.m. The next tour will take place on July 17.
Participants should meet at the sanctuary Nature Center and bring sturdy tennis shoes or boots, sunscreen, insect repellent, water, snacks, binoculars and a hat. Tours will take place on the boardwalk and various trails. Each tour will be led by a Park Ranger and will focus on common plants and animals found in the sanctuary. Total distance for tours is approximately 1 to 1.5 miles and should take about 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours to complete. Admission is free. To sign up, call the Nature Center at 321-676-6690.
Drive-up movie under the stars
The movie ‘Pokemon Detective Pikachu’ will be shown at Wickham Park Pavilion, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, on Friday, July 22 from 5 to 9 p.m. Audience members are asked to distance themselves from neighboring vehicles during the film. Audio will be available through car stereo and external speakers. Admission is free. Visit facebook.com/events/694087495090653.
Wine dinners in Cocoa Village, Indian Harbour Beach
Two upcoming wine dinners promise plenty of gustatory delights.
Café Margaux, 220 Brevard Ave., Cocoa Village, will host a Napa Valley wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, July 14 and 15. The six-course dining event features the award-winning wines of Joseph Carr.
After 10 years serving as a world-class sommelier followed by ten years as an international industry executive, Carr in 2004 realized his dream of starting his own winery.
Influenced by the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, Carr’s winemaking philosophy is to achieve balance, sophistication and approachability throughout the portfolio pursuing an old-world style, yet distinctly Californian.
Carr wines will be paired with a menu that begins with sweet potato soup with miso and ginger and continues to a salad course of fennel, plum tomatoes and Greek feta. The third course features halibut wrapped in fig leaves with a lemon vodka sauce. For the fourth course, patrons will enjoy grilled quail with sweet and sour plum glaze before heading to the cheese course of Ameribella by Jacobs and Brichford. Dinner ends with chocolate cake featuring layers of layers of chocolate and hazelnut cream, plus hazelnut crunch and chocolate haze.
Cost is $135 per guest. Visit Margaux.com for reservations, or call 321-639-8343.
Wine dinners continue the following week at 7 p.m., Friday, July 22, when Green Turtle Market hosts a wine dinner featuring the wines of Argentina.
The five courses include Argentinian red shrimp ceviche shooters, duck breast and foie gras empanadas with queso blanco, baked clams with chorizo in a saffron broth, flat iron grilled steak with smoked olives and a dessert of dulce de leche Alfajores.
Cost is $120, which includes a $10 credit towards the purchase of wines featured that evening. Reserve at 321-773-2001. Green Turtle Market is at 855 E. Eau Gallie Blvd., Indian Harbour Beach. For complete menu, visit greenturtlemarket.com.
Melbourne Municipal Band takes it easy for upcoming concerts
Melbourne Municipal Band’s Swingtime ensemble is all about “Takin’ It Easy” for its concerts at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, July 20 and 21, at Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd.
Part of MMB’s Not-in-the-Park Summer Picnic concert series, the concerts allow audience members to bring a picnic dinner or purchase a meal on-site from City Bistro, which offers a BBQ plate with pulled pork, baked beans and slaw ($12); two hot dogs and fries ($10); and an egg, tuna or chicken salad sandwich with chips and slaw ($10). The City Bistro meals also include a non-alcoholic beverage and cookie.
Pre-show entertainment by vocalists Len Fallen and Sally Hart start at 5:30 p.m. Arrive early for best seats.
"We’ll be playing a wide range of popular tunes as you enjoy your picnic meal in air-conditioned comfort,” said conductor Kurt Schulenburg.
Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Call 321-724-0555 or visit melbournemunicipalband.org.
Brevard Music Group brings hot sax show to King Center
The sax is hot at the King Center, thanks to Brevard Music Group’s sizzling summer series, which will feature saxophonists Marcus Anderson and Paula Atherton.
Anderson is first up with his concert at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 16, at the Studio Theatre. The fusion jazz artist brings R&B, Pop, Rock and Funk to make music charting number one in both categories of Billboard’s Smooth Jazz and Sirius XM’s Watercolors. Anderson will be joined by guest trumpeter Ilya Serov.
At 6 p.m. the next day, July 17, onstage will be saxophonist/flutist Paula Atherton, joined by trumpeter Cindy Bradley. Both are regulars at some of the world’s top jazz festivals.
Tickets are $65 to $70 for each concert. Purchase at kingcenter.com.
Studios of Cocoa Beach hosts painting classes
Studios of Cocoa Beach, 165 Minuteman Causeway, will host the first class of the four-session “Painting Florida in Acrylics” workshop from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, July 13 with instructor Jaymee Weinreich guiding students through techniques in painting sky, clouds and waves, with the ultimate goal of creating a finished artwork.
Fee is $150. A list of materials needed will be provided.
Weinreich holds a bachelor of fine arts from Florida International University and has been a professional artist for more than 24 years.
For information, call or text 321-588-3352. To register, visit studiosofcocoabeach.org.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard events: Orlando with Viera theater group; jazz at King Center
