APRIL 21 THURSDAY
LOVE AND MARRIAGE Set in Oregon in the 1850s, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (a stage adaptation of the 1954 movie musical) follows farmer Adam Pontipee as he journeys to town to find a wife. After meeting a woman named Milly, he convinces her to marry him in a single day. Milly's marital bliss quickly sours, however, when she learns that she'll be sharing her home and husband with his six rambunctious, uncivilized brothers. So, she hatches a plan to marry them off by educating them in the ways of proper courting. But you don't think it will be that easy, do ya? Tonight, St. Petersburg Little Theatre opens a local production of the musical, directed by Gary Moss, a member of the original 1982 Broadway cast. 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., April 21-May 8. $18 general/$8 students with ID. St. Petersburg Little Theatre, 4025 31st St. S., 727-866-2059.
ORCHESTRATING THE BEATLES Imagine seeing The Beatles perform a live concert with a full symphony orchestra. If you're intrigued by the notion, The Florida Orchestra teams up with members of acclaimed Broadway sensation Beatlemania to present a program of Beatles hits at this weekend's Classical Mystery Tour. The tribute artists play around 30 of the Fab Four's compositions in their original styles: "Penny Lane" and "Got to Get You Into My Life" are accompanied by horns; "Yesterday" is performed with an acoustic guitar and string quartet; and "A Day in the Life" features the orchestral crescendo that fans have come to know and love. 8 p.m. Thu., April 21, Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater; 8 p.m. Fri., April 22, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa; and 8 p.m. Sat., April 23, Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg. $22.50-$50.50. Call 813-286-2403 or visit www.floridaorchestra.org for more information.
APRIL 22 FRIDAY
ON FIRE In 1983, Harvey Fierstein took home both a Tony and Drama Desk award for his work in Torch Song Trilogy. Torch Song is a combination of three one-act plays, with an overlapping story that documents the life of drag queen/torch singer Arnold Beckoff and his on again/off again relationship with Ed, a bisexual schoolteacher. The play has been hailed as a classic comedy, and was one of the first Broadway shows to center around a gay theme, setting the stage, literally, for a wide range of successors. However, Torch Song is just as much an exploration of family and love as it is a study of gay culture. Dave Thomas directs the local revival, which is staged by Gypsy Productions. 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat., and 1:30 p.m. Sun., April 22-May 15. $16 general (two-for-one tickets available Thursdays). Suncoast Theatre, 3000 34th St. S., St. Petersburg, 727-456-0500 or www.gypsyproductions.org.
APRIL 23 SATURDAY
YOUR ASIA AsiaFest is an annual Bay area event that attracts thousands of folks looking for a way to celebrate National Asian Pacific Heritage Month in style. Hosted by the Asian-American Coalition of Florida to promote a better understanding between Eastern and Western cultures, the festival features an assortment of cultural entertainment, including a Chinese magic show, a traditional Thai costume show and a performance by the Sri Lanka Children's Choir. Attendees can also enjoy plenty of ethnic foods, with offerings from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. In conjunction with AsiaFest 2005 is the Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Races, a sporting event where 65 teams compete in 40-foot dragon-headed boats powered by crews of 20 paddlers and paced by a dude on drums. United Way of Tampa Bay, a health and service organization, benefits. Opening ceremonies for the Dragon Boat races begin at 8:30 a.m.; the first race commences at 9 a.m., and the festival occurs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Cotanchobee Park, 601 Ice Palace Drive, downtown Tampa, 813-276-8623 (races occur in Garrison Channel alongside the park).
EARTH SUPPORT While you may have missed the official observance of Earth Day – an international affair that occurred on the spring equinox (March 21) – you still have the opportunity to appreciate the environment and all of the world's natural offerings at today's Earth Day Tampa Bay celebration. Hosted by the Sierra Club, the event features a variety of eco-friendly organizations presenting demonstrations and exhibits on topics like recycling, energy and water conservation, hybrid cars and landscaping with native plants. A new area this year focuses on mind and body health, incorporating displays and presentations in meditation, yoga, tai chi, the massage arts and more. For the younger attendees, there's a special children's craft and activity area, and guided nature walks; children's music and theater performances occur throughout the day as well. Admission and parking are free, so come out and join the community in honoring the earth. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Lowry Park, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa, 813-234-5009.
APRIL 24 SUNDAY
ANTIQUES FROM THE PANHANDLE Antique shows draw sizable crowds of folks with varying intentions and enthusiasm. Some go in search of nostalgia, while others seek that highly prized piece to parade in front of their like-minded, old-stuff-lovin' friends. Some are serious collectors while others are treasure hunters, shameless in their desire to make a quick, easy buck. For all of these folks, the Florida Collectibles & Vintage Memorabilia Show offers everything from roadside attraction kitsch to vintage Floridiana (collectibles specific to Florida). Authentic old Florida photographs and postcards, Highwaymen paintings and old cigar industry paraphernalia are just some of the items on display at the show. Other perks include: talks with antiques experts; sneak-peek previews of the documentary film Once a Mermaid … Tails of Weeki Wachee (and the chance to meet several former mermaids); free appraisals of vintage Florida art; and music by The Haole Kats. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $5 general, $3 for children under 2; discounted combo tickets (include admission to Sunken Gardens) cost $10 general, $7 ages 2-11, and $3 children under 2. Sunken Gardens, 1825 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-363-4852.
APRIL 26 TUESDAY
CODE WORD: MUSIC While sharing amusing show experiences, a friend of mine related a story about seeing Colonel Bruce Hampton play live. The so-called godfather of Southern alternative music appeared to fall asleep while performing (thankfully, he was seated). The band played on and eventually Col. Bruce roused himself and joined them. Whether or not this was another part of Hampton's subtly bizarre showmanship, or just a brief and necessary cat nap, is unclear. However, I'm more than just a little intrigued and am curious as to what sort of theatrics he'll produce at Skipper's tonight. He appears with The Codetalkers, an experimental outfit that combines influences of jazz, rock and bluegrass, and features songwriting whiz and multi-instrumentalist Bobby Lee Rodgers. Also on the bill is Col. Bruce's former Aquarium Rescue Unit sidekick, guitarist Jimmy Herring, and The Rowan Brothers open the show with bluegrass-flavored folk and Everly Brothers-style Americana. 8 p.m. $18. Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa, 813-971-0666.
This article appears in Apr 20-26, 2005.