ANYTOWN IN TAMPA Friends Soozie Tyrell and Patti Scialfa had casually discussed a collaboration with dance couple Danial Shapiro and Joanie Smith, before the former pair joined the E Street Band, and the latter formed a critically acclaimed dance company. When Shapiro was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002, he and Smith were convinced it was time to focus on the project that they'd talked about so many years ago: to showcase the music of Tyrell and Scialfa in some sort of creative dance performance. Presumably, it wasn't too difficult for Smith to convince her half-sister, Scialfa, to consent, and after Bruce Springsteen signed on, plans for the project began in earnest. The resulting music-driven contemporary dance show — Anytown: Stories of America — traces the loves and losses of three working-class families in the 1930s through the music of Springsteen ("Born in the U.S.A.," "Human Touch," "Glory Days") and original compositions by Tyrell and Scialfa. See it tonight at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. 8 p.m. $22.50-$45.50. Ferguson Hall, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa, 813-229-7827, www.tbpac.org.
FINE ART MARKDOWNS For 37 years, emerging and established artists from around the world have flocked to the experimental, research-oriented workshop known as Graphicstudio to collaborate with expert artisans and master printers. Collectors, enthusiasts and anyone with even a remote interest in contemporary art are invited to peruse an assortment of these works at the seventh annual Graphicstudio Benefit Sale. Limited-edition fine art prints and sculpture multiples are available for up to 60 percent off the regular list price, and represented artists include James Rosenquist, Lesley Dill, William Wegman, Kiki Smith, Vik Muniz, Los Carpinteros and Robert Mapplethorpe. All sales benefit Graphicstudio's continuing research and educational programming. For more information, call 813-974-5871. 6-10 p.m.; a drawing for an original work by Burt Barr occurs at 9 p.m. Free admission. Graphicstudio, 3702 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 100, Tampa, 813-974-3503, www.graphicstudio.usf.edu.
PAW-TY IN THE PARK Al Lopez Park is the backdrop for this weekend's fifth annual Stride for Strays community pet walk, presented by the Animal Coalition of Tampa to raise funds for a low cost spay/neuter clinic. A portion of proceeds also benefits United Animal Nations and its Hurricane Katrina pet support efforts. Basically, individuals and teams gather donations (or pledges) before taking a leisurely, one-mile walk around the park. For each $100 pledge, participants receive two Big Cat Rescue passes and a ticket for a drawing with prizes ranging from gift certificates to airline tickets; additional prizes are awarded for pledges of $250 or more. Dog owners are encouraged to bring their four-legged friends to take part in the walk, as well as subsequent canine-friendly activities like flyball, Frisbee and tail painting. Other amusements include demonstrations, live entertainment and pet-related contests. For further information or to register, visit www.strideforstrays.org. 8:30 a.m.-noon. Interested participants pay a minimum fee of $15 to take part in the walk and related activities. Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, 813-818-9381.
A FERTILE COLLECTIVE The Artillery made headlines this past spring after teaming up with Pinellas Heritage to host a weekly night of music, art and shuffleboard gaming at the St. Petersburg Shuffle Club, attracting a crowd of hipster twenty- and thirtysomethings while revitalizing the historic downtown venue. This weekend, the St. Pete-based artist collective opens Cross~Pollination, a collection of more than 50 works exploring the varied concepts of natural beauty and the connection between art, nature and evolution. The exhibit consists of splashy, pop art acrylics and mixed-media works by multimedia maverick Chad Mize; film and metal creations by photographer Andrew Hawthorne; a series of oil-painted wood panels portraying sterile and realistic domestic scenes by Anna Sauer; and a selection of brilliant, garden-inspired acrylic and mixed-media pieces by designer/painter Phillip Clark. DJs Harold and Mod spin tunes at the opening reception, which occurs from 7 to 11 p.m. tonight ($5 donation general/$2 students). The gallery is open noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. and by appointment; Cross~Pollination is on display through Nov. 2. Covivant Gallery & Studios, 4906 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-234-0222.
CULTURAL CAPERS Ballet Folklórico de México stops in Clearwater this afternoon to perform a show that transcends the language barrier with extravagant costumes, larger-than-life props and high-spirited traditional dances accompanied by the tunes of live mariachi and marimba musicians. Considered a preeminent cultural representative of Mexico's artistic heritage, the troupe was founded in 1952 by choreographer Amalia Hernández as a means to showcase her country's ancient dance traditions, from pre-Columbian ceremonial displays to skirt-twirling fiestas. Hernández passed away in 2001 but Ballet Folklórico lives on through her two daughters, who add their own original choreography to a program highlighting the Veracruz, Azteca, Guerrero, Sonora, Jalisco and Tamaulipas regions of Mexico. After the show, attendees are invited to enjoy art, crafts and food at the Marvels of Mexico Fair. 2 p.m. $8. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater, 727-791-7400, www.rutheckerdhall.com.
TEMPORARY FIX Discovering Phish was like discovering a whole new world of music — and I'm not talking about the whole "jam band" genre, although it'd be a mistake not to admit that I'm a fan. No, I'm talking about jazz, folks. I'm talking about the blues. I'm talking about bass-thumping funk, note-heavy prog rock and bluegrass, for cryin' out loud! Phish helped me broaden my musical horizons and it's the reason I keep an open mind to anything and everything out there. If you're interested in checking out the band's next show, you've most unfortunately missed the boat — it broke up last year. However, you can see (and hear) the next best thing when Phix, a Colorado-based Phish tribute band with a light show and quality musicianship, takes the stage tonight in St. Petersburg. While I have more than a little skepticism about the whole tribute band thing, I can't deny my burning desire to see some Phish tunes performed live, in the lights, surrounded by other phriendly pholks. 9:30 p.m. $10. The Bank Nightclub and Concert Venue, 1919 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-898-4488.
WAR IN ST. PETE When adapting The War of the Worlds for his Mercury Theatre radio broadcast, Orson Welles made a few significant modifications: the setting was changed from England to New Jersey; and under his direction, the play was written and performed so it would sound like an authentic news broadcast about a Martian invasion, a technique that, presumably, was intended to heighten the dramatic effect but instead caused mass hysteria when numerous listeners believed the broadcast to be real. In the aftermath of the panic, a large public outcry arose and although Welles and Mercury Theatre escaped punishment, CBS had to pledge never again to use the "we interrupt this program" device for theatrical purposes. But it's Jersey all over again when American Stage continues its 28th season with a faithful recreation of the infamous radio performance; Todd Olson directs. 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 3 and 8 p.m. Sat., and 3 p.m. Sun., Oct. 19-30. Tickets: $21 preview (tonight and tomorrow night); $34 opening night (Oct. 21); $28 weeknights; $25 matinees; $31 weekend nights; $7.50 for children under 16. 211 Third St. S., St. Petersburg, 727-823-7529, www.americanstage.org.
This article appears in Oct 12-18, 2005.