Bloody fun: Quirky, clever New Zealand director/writer team Jemaine Clement (of Flight of the Conchords) and Taika Waititi (Eagle Vs. Shark, Boy) bring us What We Do in the Shadows, the comedic tale of modern-day vampires Viago (Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh) and Vladislav (Clement), who have a new recruit on their hands when 8,000-year-old roommate Petyr (Ben Fransham) turns 20-something hipster Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer) into a fellow bloodsucker. Contending with a huge generation gap, the senior vampires get a crash course in fashion, technology and the internet — and us mere mortals. The film has garnered some good reviews. Expect a dry, deadpan wit comparable to Christopher Guest’s films (Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show). March 6-19 at Tampa Theater, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa. tampatheatre.org.
Scribes alive: This week, as the SunLit Festival rolls out a vast assortment of literary-inspired events, two Tampa theater companies will coincidentally be staging their own versions of literary classics. Jobsite Theater will be presenting Orlando, Sarah Ruhl’s adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s gender-bender about a centenarian who changes sexes and gets it on with the likes of Queen Elizabeth I, the Russian princess Sasha, and Marmaduke. Giles Davies directs an impressive cast. (Shows Fri.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 4 p.m. at the Straz's Shimberg Playhouse) Meanwhile, the new Tampa Shakespeare Festival fills our outdoor Bard void by presenting two of his most famous works in free performances at Water Works Park on alternate days. Jack Holloway is Macbeth, Jamie Jones is Romeo, and Regan Moore plays Juliet. Macbeth can be seen on March 5-21; Romeo and Juliet, March 6-22 at Water Works Park, Tampa, facebook.com/Tampashakes.
Both kinds of networking: As Gasparilla Arts Month really starts to get revved up, Tampa digiphiles, SEO and social media mavens and would-be startup gurus are treated to the first-ever Gasparilla Interactive Festival, held just down the street from Channelside at Port of Tampa’s Cruise Terminal #3. Gasparilla Interactive aims to inspire ongoing conversation about innovation and technology between creatives of all industries. This inaugural event is heavy on branding, PR and influential digital-age marketers like Faris Yakob and 3D printing ambassador Savannah Peterson, but festival executive director Vinny Tafuro envisions it evolving to become exactly what Tampa Bay’s unique tech-era profile needs. 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday, Port of Tampa Cruise Terminal #3. $175. Read more at cltampa.com/gasparillafestivals; text contributed by Scott Harrell.
Artful fun on both sides of the bay: Dunedin Fine Art Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and you can celebrate the milestone at DFAC’s huge annual trifecta, Contain It!/Trashy Treasures/Eat It! On Friday night, the Trashy Treasures art auction sets up shop with food trucks, craft brews and live music. On both Friday and Saturday, Pods transform into storytelling art installations. The opening reception for Taking Flight is part of First Friday Seminole Heights, Pyramid Inc. showcases works by artists with developmental disabilities and locals Angela Azmitia, Cory Robinson, Daniel Mrgan and Jeremy Rivera (pictured). 6-9 p.m. pyramidinc.org. Plus new exhibitions at TMA and the Dali Museum. Click here for details.
Biking for Brews: The Big Lebowski Ride Celebrate the 17th anniversary of the Coen Bros.' masterpiece while biking the ’Burg and quaffing beer (White Russians only $4!) Ride departs at 1:30 p.m. from World of Beer; screening, 4 p.m. at WOB.
Everyone’s favorite coal miner’s daughter ... and Boys II Men? Yes, it's the best of two worlds at the Florida Strawberry Festival. Boys II Men, hitmakers with velvety vocals and that late 80s/early 90s Jew Jack Swing sound, headlines at 7:30 p.m., and country music trailblazer Loretta Lynn was one of the first female artists to talk openly about birth control and female empowerment. Expect to hear great stories from her six-decade career. flstrawberryfestival.com.
Tunes everywhere: Let's not even get started on live music shows. We won't have room for anything else. You'll need to head over to Leilani's Ear Buds for a rundown of the Gasparilla Music Festival — with headliners Modest Mouse (Saturday) and Gogol Bordello (Sunday) — and more!
The return of Goat Boy: He had a successful four-year run on Saturday Night Live and co-starred in the cult classic Half Baked alongside Dave Chappelle, who's also coming to town again next month; tickets go on sale tomorrow. Jim Breuer can go from stand-up comedy to a spot-on impression of your favorite heavy metal band. He's a one-man show. $25-$35. Saturday, 7:30-9 p.m., at Straz Center’s Ferguson Hall. strazcenter.org.
Offense coordinator: Though he's known for his in-your-face humor, Anthony Jeselnik's stand-up technique is more akin to that of Mitch Hedberg and Steven Wright — one- or two-liners that play with words, ideas and expectations (“I lost my grandparents in the Holocaust … museum”). He’s not for everyone and an acquired taste to be sure, but fans generally have a blast at Jeselnik’s shows. Fri., March 6, 8-9:30 and 10:30 p.m.-midnight; Sat., March 7, 7:30-9 and 10-11:30 p.m. $25. The Tampa Improv, ImprovTampa.com.
Florida Orchestra — John Williams: Star Wars & More! Star Wars/movie fans, take note: John Williams’ soundtrack music will be brought to life with the help of the Florida Orchestra. Hear selections from the Superman, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, E.T., Schindler’s List along with, of course, the themes from the Star Wars films. Bob Bernhardt conducts. $15, $30 & $45. Fri., March 6, at the Straz, 8 p.m.; Sat., March 7, 8 p.m., at the Mahaffey; Sun., March 8, 7:30 p.m. at Ruth Eckerd Hall. floridaorchestra.org.
