The Series prior to each movie explores the history and icons of the music that have shaped America, featuring a live performance by a new local musician each week. The July 23 film is The Power of Song, archival footage of the pioneering folk singer and political activist Pete Seeger, featuring interviews with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and more. James Gromko performs live before the film. Music begins at 6 p.m. and films begin at 7 p.m. every Thursday through Aug. 27 unless otherwise noted. Visit southfloridamuseum.org for more info. (Pictured: Pete Seeger, courtesy Robert Krones/PBS) Bishop Planetarium, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton, $8, $6 students, $5 museum members.
These days, Ybor City residents expect their criminal gangs to be made up of drunken teenagers, but in the early days of the 20th century the Cigar Cit was faced with a more organized type of crime. Local documentary filmmakers and Tampa Film Review founders Pete and Paul Guzzo produced Ghosts of Ybor, a film that attempts to shed light on some of the should-be-famous names from Tampa's glorious criminal past. The doc is presented as part of a special event at the Education Channel, which includes a Q&A with the Guzzos, and a meet-and-greet with Cigar City Mafia author Scott Deitche and everyone's favorite Tampa historian, Gary Mormino. Thurs., July 23, 6:30 p.m. reception with food, 7:15 screening with Q&A and dessert and coffee to follow, The Education Channel, 703 N. Willow Ave., Tampa, $10, educationchannel.org. —Joe Bardi
The antithesis of the modern fairy tale, Oddlie is the story of a nearly-mute girl who lives on a garbage heap and rarely speaks but loves to sing. Aleshea Harris, who starred in local productions of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuff and Gem of the Ocean, brings Oddlie to life through song, spoken word and theater. This one woman-play about magic and the power of poetry continues the Studio@620’s trend of pushing the boundaries of popular entertainment in Tampa Bay, offering a fresh perspective among a plethora of traditional offerings. July 23-25, Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., The Studio@620, 620 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg, $20, $15 students and seniors, 727-895-6620, studio620.org.—Franki Weddington
This article appears in Jul 22-28, 2009.