Sound the trumpets, alert the town crier and watch for smoke signals: Arts organizations have issued multiple announcements in recent days, from new dates for a flooded festival to a new leader at a Winter Park historic landmark to new shows of a Halloween favorite to a new faces coming to Play-in-a-Day.
But first, the 2024-25 theater season has opened, if you can believe it. Although the traditional season runs fall to spring, a few theaters follow the calendar year, and some just like to get a jump on things: The Garden Theatre kicked off its season with “Little Shop of Horrors” two weekends ago, and Winter Park Playhouse has “8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s” opening Aug. 1.
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‘DAMN YANKEES’: The Sonnentag Theatre at the IceHouse gets in on the 2024-25 action with its season-opening production, the musical comedy “Damn Yankees.” In the show, a baseball fan becomes so despondent over the fate of his losing team, he makes a deal with the devil to turn things around. The score includes such memorable songs as “Heart” and “Whatever Lola Wants.”
“Damn Yankees” runs through Aug. 11 at the theater, 1100 N. Unser St. in Mount Dora. Tickets are $25 for adults, with discounts for students and children. For more information, go to icehousetheatre.com .
OUTFEST RESCHEDULED: Orlando Fringe’s new OutFest, celebrating the work of Central Florida’s queer artists, will now take place in September. The festival’s debut was postponed after Fringe ArtSpace suffered a flood last month. Rob Ward will host a teaser-preview show for the festival as his alter-ego P. Sparkle, using his comedic truth-or-dare format. That show will take place Sept. 19. The festival’s seven productions, including an adults-only drag storytime and an all-ages informative puppet show, will run Sept. 20-21 at Fringe ArtSpace, 54 W. Church St. in Orlando.
Unlike the Fringe Festival, OutFest does not require purchasing a button. Tickets are on sale now at OrlandoFringe.org/artspace .
NEW LEADER, KIND OF: Betsy Rogers Owens has been named executive director of the Friends of Casa
Feliz, the nonprofit that operates the Casa Feliz historic-home museum in Winter Park.
Owens already knows her way around the place; she served as the founding executive director of the organization between 2004 and 2016. She has a family connection to the historic building to boot: She is the granddaughter of architect James Gamble Rogers, who designed it.
“Betsy is not only an effective leader, she has a personal passion for the house through her familial ties,” said board chair Phil Eschbach, who worked with Owens during her last stint. “We are so pleased to have her back as we look to charting a course for this important historic resource in Winter Park.”
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Owens has worked more than 30 years in nonprofit management, most recently as vice president of marketing and community relations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.
“I’m so honored to be rejoining Casa Feliz,” said Owens. “The house has such a rich history as ‘Winter Park’s
parlor,’ and I look forward to expanding and diversifying the communities that we serve. I know my grandfather would be so pleased to see his signature residential design being used to advance historic preservation and so many other worthy causes.”
If you’ve never attended a cultural or community event at Casa Feliz, check it out. The building is open to the public 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays. Private group tours also can be arranged. For more information, contact Owens at betsy@casafeliz.us or 407-463-0256.
MORE ‘ROCK CAULDRON’: “Winnie’s Rock Cauldron Cabaret,” the spirited show saluting the “Hocus Pocus” movies by Bette Midler impersonator Jennica McCleary, has new show dates at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando. The original one-weekend run has now been extended to two “by popular demand,” as they say.
In the show, the franchise’s Sanderson sisters get up to merry mischief as they tell comically spooky stories and sing songs. Tickets for the Oct. 17-26 run are available at drphillipscenter.org. Pay attention to which performance you book: There are two versions of the show, some for adults only and some for all ages.
PLAY-IN-A-DAY UPDATE: Mark your calendar for the 2024 Play-in-a-Day, which will be at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at Imagine Performing Arts Center in Oviedo Mall. Originally produced by Beth Marshall, who turned the reins over to Clark Levi, Play-in-a-Day features writing-acting-directing teams that create original short plays in 24 hours. The works produced are then staged for the public and judged.
Winners are guaranteed a spot in the following year’s event, but for 2024 don’t expect to see any other faces from the 2023 edition. Levi has announced artists from years past or artists who haven’t participated before will make up this year’s creative teams, alongside last year’s winners, in an effort to give other creative types a chance to participate.
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Proceeds from the event’s silent auction benefit The Center, which provides services to the Central Florida LGBT+ community. For more information, go to imagineperformingartscenter.org .
Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com . Find more arts news at OrlandoSentinel.com/entertainment .
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