Looking for a laughter buzz? Or maybe you’re hoping to take in a play with your honey? Alright, that’s all I have for bee-related jokes. Stageworks Theatre announces its [image-1]upcoming production of Douglas Carter Beane’s comedy, As Bees in Honey Drown. The acclaimed play, directed by Kara Hartley, is about artists of all kind who seek and desire fame, yet fall prey to the schemers of the big world. Beane also penned The Little Dog Laughed, which was highly reviewed by CL theater critic, Mark Leib, who called it “a smart, sophisticated satire … very funny, very in-the-know … this is a special play.” So if you missed Little Dog make up for it by seeing Bees which is bound to make your eyes sting … with tears … from laughing so hard. Yeah. Definitely done with bee-related jokes. (Pictured: Nick Horan and Heather Krueger in As Bees in Honey Drown. Photo by Brian Becker) July 8-25, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 4 p.m. Sun., Shimberg Playhouse, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa, $24.50 ($10 for July 8 show and $10 for students/senior citizens 30 minutes prior to curtain), stageworkstheatre.org. --Lily Reisman
[image-2]I’ve always seen mugs as sweet and comfy: they remind me of my mom and the holidays, they warm up hands, they hold yummy liquids. So naturally, I think Bluelucy's upcoming exhibit, MUG, is pretty neat-o. Collaborative art partners Chad Mize and Phillip Clark (together, Bluelucy) show 20 paintings of famous mugs — think Campbell’s Tomato Soup, "Super Dad" and the cool cream-colored cup with the bulbous, psychedelic mushrooms from mom's '80s collection. Each image is on a 10” x 10” board, and was created with [image-3]different media, from acrylic to pencil, resin, enamel and pastel. The collection shows at Kahwa Coffee South – how appropriate – until the end of July, and all paintings are for sale. So go drink coffee or tea out of a mug, while looking at paintings of mugs. It’ll be crazy, man. Opening reception, 6-9 p.m. Sat., July 10, Kahwa Coffee, 204 Second Ave. S., St. Petersburg, bluelucy.net. —Lily Reisman
Tampa has the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; New Jersey has the Little Sisters of Hoboken, who are holding a talent show to raise funds -- incidentally, to bury the Sisters accidentally poisoned by the convent cook. The habited honies of Nunsense take the stage, from Sister Mary Amnesia (the nun who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head) to wannabe prima ballerina Sister Mary Leo, to the streetwise nun from Brooklyn, Sister Robert Anne. eightoclocktheatre.com. July 9-18, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Largo Cultural Center, Largo, $26, $16 students 19 and younger, $23.50 groups of 10 or more.
[image-3]Thomas Rowe, who built the four-star hotel in the 1920s, and his lover Lucinda have been seen walking hand in hand through the Don. The tour is the result of a collaboration between Mary Ellen DiPietra, who has collected “ghost” stories from workers and guests of the storied hotel during the last eight years, and Ghost Tours of Tampa Bay, which hosts similar tours in John’s Pass and downtown St. Petersburg. DiPietra, who cowrote the Ybor City love letter I Am a Cuban Sandwich, also guides the tour, which ends with a nosh at the Don’s Sea Porch Café. 6:30 p.m. Thurs.- Sun., departs from corner of Casablanca Boulevard and Debazan Avenue; $39.95 (reservations required), 727-894-4678, ghosttour.com. —Anthony Salveggi
Everyone's pitching in to help in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: proceeds from sales of For the Birds, a collection of Artlofts' resident artists works -- including paintings, sculpture and mixed media, all with a seascape theme -- go to the Seabird Sanctuary for the entire month of July. The gallery is also collecting supplies for the sanctuary, from heavy duty trash bags to water, Palmolive, bleach, paper towels, sheets/blankets and pet carriers. An opening reception is held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Sat., July 10; on display through July 31. Artlofts at the Florida Craftsman Gallery, St. Petersburg.
The Xtreme Fighting Championships are a showcase of the best mixed martial arts badasses in the Southeast, from past winners Julio Gallegos, Chris Barnett and Julian Williams, to ring newbies Ian Stephens and Ryan Quinn, followed by Kim Couture in the co-main bout, and the main event: Bruce Connors (W.E.C. and Dream veteran) and Micah Miller. officialxfc.com. Fri., July 9, 7 p.m., St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, $15-$70.
[image-3]formal approach to image-making, finding beauty in everyday objects, like a statue of a horse mottled with chipped paint and lichen. Preston Warren conceived of the father-daughter exhibition as a tribute to her father, who died two years ago but lives on in photographs. (Pictured: "Gloved Hands and Clock" by Bob Preston) Bob Preston: A Life in Photographs and Patricia Preston Warren: I Am My Father’s Daughter, July 9-24 with an opening reception Fri., July 9, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, studio620.org. —Megan Voeller
Looking to boost your culture quo? Look no further than this monthly classical music series at the MFA. Today's guest group for Music in the Marly is La Catrina String Quartet-- including violinist Daniel Vega-Albela, violist Jorge A. Martinez, and cellist Alan Deowz -- who offer a concert highlighting the music of Latin American and Spanish composers, along with works from the standard repertoire. fine-arts.org. 2 p.m. Sun., July 11, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, $20, $10 students.
