Plays are the thing this weekend: Professional theater companies are back in full swing after their holiday hiatuses with fresh fare. At the Straz, Shakespeare’s comedy of love and mistaken identities, Twelfth Night, gets the Jobsite treatment — a production set against the backdrop of Ybor City in 1926 and an all-star cast: Ned Averill-Snell, Giles Davies, Jason Vaughan Evans, Roxanne Fay and several others. David M. Jenkins directs. jobsitetheater.org.
In Tampa Rep’s Imagining Madoff, playwright Deborah Margolin muses on our values when guilt, greed and faith stir the pot. Her play follows an imagined meeting of corrupt financier Bernie Madoff and poet/philosopher Solomon Galkin. Directed by Steve Mountan, the show stars Jim Wicker, C. David Frankel and Joanna Sycz. Runs Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through Jan. 25 at Studio 120 USF-Tampa; map and info at tamparep.org/madoff.
Two block parties this weekend! No. 1: Franklin Street's Better Block Party: For years, a vibrant Franklin Street was the stuff of history books and old postcards. Thankfully, a few local organizations are spearheading a movement to reimagine downtown Tampa’s historic block. The group will host its first Franklin Street Better Block Project on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with local vendors, retailers and pop-up storefronts in addition to art, “parklets” and entertainment. Visit betterblock.org for more info.
Block Party No. 2: Grandiversary Block Party: The burgeoning Grand Central District celebrates the first anniversary of several of its businesses 3-9 p.m. on the sidewalks of the 2400 block with live music, food and more. communitycafestpete.com/grandiversary.
Kava fans: Bula on the Beach is still under construction but doing a soft opening at 14601 Gulf Blvd Unit B, Madeira Beach, this weekend. Features $2 Kava and $4 Kratom all day plus live music 7-10 pm by Rachel Alex. Click here for details.
Last weekend for Feathered Serpent. Visit the Latin American and indigenous art gallery during its final weekend before closing during the Second Saturday Gallery Walk or on Sunday. Located at 1018 Central Ave., it will feature a super sale of Latin American art, jewelry and folk art. Click here for more information.
Sunshine City Antiques and Collectibles: The weekend-long event brings packs more than 100 dealers in the historic Coliseum. Browse art, jewelry, furniture, vintage toys and more. $7 adults, kids under 12 get in free. sunshinecityantiqueshow.com.
Zine scene: Back for its third celebration of DIY greatness and communal creativity, The St. Pete Zine Fest is an upbeat event that brings together dozens of local writers, self-publishers and artists. Vendors sell and sometimes trade publications, art and more. Expect a forum of progressive ideas, out-here visuals and a community discussion panel on self-publishing along with live music, crafting opportuniies and visit from the Bluebird Books Bus. The event will also feature the official unveiling of the St. Pete Zine Fest Zine Library. Jan. 10, 6 p.m., at the The Venture Compound, 2621 Fairfield Ave. S., St. Petersburg. facebook.com/stpetezinefest.
Jew stories: Celebrate all things great, Jewish and funny at the revue Stars of David: Story to Song, which pays homage to some of the most well known Jewish personalities in America.The show combines monologues and zingy one-liners that muse on what life is like for famous contemporary Jews, inspired by Abigail Pogrebin’s book Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish. Sunday, 1 and 5 p.m., Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater. $29-$49. atthecap.com.
This article appears in Jan 1-7, 2015.