DC’s Scythian (named for antiquity-era nomadic herders) is among the resurgence of old-timey music makers, an acoustic quartet that fuses Americana with Celtic, klezmer, Irish, and Eastern gypsy influences. Poetry n' Lotion opens the band's Tampa show. 8 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $8.
Last chance to see A Celebration of Diversity at Studio@620. This Alternative Visions of Peace exhibit includes works by 30 local artists, and chairs decorated by local artists and non-artists who took part in a special community craft project. In conjunction, the studio presents an experiential workshop, ""Transformative Conflict Resolution," this afternoon and an "East Meets West: A Happening" presentation this evening. Erhu player Betti Xiang and conductor David Alan Miller — both guests who perform with The Florida Orchestra this weekend — talk about Chinese composer Chen/He’s The Butterfly Lovers and offer an erhu demo. (Pictured at right: "Boy and Woman," by Kirk Wang.) Noon-4 p.m. exhibit, 4:30-7 p.m. workshop, 7:30 p.m. lecture, St. Petersburg, free admission to all.
Avenue Players present a staged reading of Zebras, a play that focuses on the affair between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, his black mistress/slave/mother of his seven illegitimate children; actors perform the readings in period costume. A talkback with refreshments follows. 7 p.m., Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Auditorium, St. Petersburg College-Tarpon Springs Campus, Palm Harbor, free.
This article appears in Feb 4-10, 2009.