MAKIN' COPIES Stageworks and Gorilla Theatre join forces to produce the Southeastern premiere of A Number, Caryl Churchill's sci-fi drama about human cloning and individuality. The play opens with a son confronting his father about a recent discovery that he has genetically identical counterparts and is merely one of "a number" cut from the same genetic cloth, a copy created to replace the father's "real" son who was killed in a car crash. A Number tackles issues of identity and morality, the mysteries of parenthood, the idea of nature versus nurture, and the very substance of love with a minimal set, two actors and scarcely an hour's worth of dialogue. Kerry Glamsch and Jack Holloway star; Jim Rayfield directs. 7 p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. and 3 p.m. Sun., Sept. 8-25; audience talkbacks occur after the play on Fri., Sept. 16 and 23. $22 general/$16 seniors and students. Gorilla Theatre, 4419 N. Hubert Ave., Suite D, Tampa, 813-879-2914.
ART EXPLOSION It's the second weekend of September and visual arts shows are kicking off all over the greater Tampa Bay area. In fact, I could probably fill this entire page with a breakdown of each and every one, but there are other events to cover y'know, so here are a few exhibit highlights:
Dunedin Fine Art Center hosts two corresponding (and compelling) exhibits: The Great Human Race features John L. Doyle's five-color stone lithographs, which investigate the shared customs of the world's varied cultures via four "suites": The Builders, The Merchants and Traders, The Counselors, and The Medicine Men. Handprinted in collaboration with artist Roland Poska, these works symbolize the physical and spiritual aspirations of mankind while paying tribute to the nobility of the human spirit. Roland Poska's Prints and Papestries includes a selection of his signature 2- and 3-D paper tapestries that address a range of ideas, from ancestry to the government to philosophy and religion. An opening reception occurs tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. Human Race is on display through Dec. 24; Prints through Oct. 21. 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, 727-298-3322 or www.dfac.org.
The Arts Center unveils the works of five contemporary artists who explore different aspects of the human experience. Edgar Sanchez Cumbas and Donna Gordon unite for a dual exhibit, From the Ground Up, which examines the relationship between man and the environment via mixed-media paintings (Cumbas) and large, sculptural pieces (Gordon). In Name, Mine Thomas Murray displays portraits that attempt to objectively find "what is behind the way a person looks." The subjects in Chris Scarborough's This Was Better Than Real Life have digitally manipulated facial and bodily proportions, Japanimation-like characters that investigate the preconceived notions of reality and society's physical ideals. Melissa Christiano's Run for Your Life features mixed-media assemblages that focus on the passage of time and the rushed lifestyle of the modern man (and woman). An opening reception takes place tonight from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.; the works are on display through Oct. 30. 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-822-7872, www.theartscenter.org.
The USF Contemporary Art Museum marks the start of another school year with AudioFiles, an exhibit that sheds light on the converging elements of the spectrum of sound art. Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, Christian Marclay and Stephen Vitiello have produced three independent sonic installations, which apparently defy convention and resist categorization while indicating how the characteristics of sound influence our everyday lives. A symposium with author Christoph Cox and Céleste Boursier-Mougenot takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. tonight; the works are on display through Oct. 21. CAM 101, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-974-4133 or www.usfcam.usf.edu.
TNC UNITES As the summer draws to a close, the folks of Town 'N Country direct their attention to the calendar's next season with the Fall Family Festival. Celebrating the area's cultural offerings while promoting a sense of unity, the event features a variety of diversions for the whole family, like face painting, assorted games, dance contests (Latin and hip-hop), free food and beverages, a dessert contest and more. Representatives from a range of area agencies provide information about their services, and the Florida Institute for Community Studies shares the findings of recent academic performance surveys and draws attention to Town 'N Country's Communities That Care program, which encourages community cohesiveness. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission. Family Resource Centers, 7520 W. Waters Ave., Tampa. For more information, call 813-477-2882.
ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR Between 1887 and 1927, Arthur Conan Doyle wrote and published 56 short stories and four novels featuring literature's most renowned fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. As you doubtless know, Holmes specialized in solving unusual cases using extraordinary powers of observation and logical reasoning, which he frequently demonstrated to new clients by making on-the-spot deductions about their personality traits, habits and recent activities. His distinguished fictional existence is honored at this weekend's Sherlock Holmes Film Festival. Activities include screenings of film classics starring Basil Rathbone, as well as episodes from a 1950s French-produced television show; Holmes-related trivia games; and mini-mystery scenarios for attendees to investigate and solve. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave., Clearwater, 727-562-4970.
CLASSICAL PREVIEW The Florida Orchestra's diligent fundraising/networking group, VIVO (Vitally Interested Volunteers of the Florida Orchestra) presents Musical Note, a cocktail mixer with associate conductor Susan Haig and other Bay area classical music enthusiasts. Haig entertains on the grand piano, gives details about this season's schedule of concerts, and shares anecdotes about backstage excitement and her experiences playing with the orchestra. Attendees can also nibble tasty (and complimentary) hors d'oeuvres and knock back a couple of drinks at the cash bar. Proceeds support TFO's various community outreach programs. 5:30-7:30 p.m. $5 minimum donation. The Tampa Club, Bank of America building, 101 E. Kennedy, Suite 4200, Tampa. For more information, call 813-258-3433.
ROYAL READING The Readers' Theater Series is a recurring stage event that's one part reading and one part full-out production. The selected plays are executed by professional local actors with scripts in hand, although there are rehearsals and character studies prior to performances. This evening's selection is Robert Bolt's Vivat! Vivat Regina!, a historical drama that follows the relationship between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I, from shortly before Mary's return to Scotland to her imprisonment and subsequent execution. Presented by the Alley Cat Players. 7 p.m. Free. Seminole Heights Branch Library, 4711 Central Ave., Tampa, 813-273-3669. For more information, call 813-231-8478.
This article appears in Sep 7-13, 2005.