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Arts roundup: ‘We Are Family’ festival to stream, and more
Scheduled for the afternoon of Mothers Day Sunday (May 10), Creative Pinellas’ “We Are Family: Pinellas County Virtual Festival of the Arts” will bring together livestreaming appearances from a cross-section of Tampa Bay performers. It’s a benefit for the Pinellas County Arts Relief Fund -100% of monies raised (tickets are $12.50) will go towards helping those in our arts community survive during these times of zero gigs and zero real-live shows. It will stream on the Creative Pinellas Facebook page.
Dundu Dole dancers
With “more to be announced,” the lineup for the 4 p.m. event includes the Florida Bjorkestra, Helen Pruitt Wallace, Dundu Dole Urban African Ballet, Paul Wilborn and Eugenie Bondurant, the Al Downing Jazz Society, Mickett-Stackhouse Studio, dancer Helen Hansen French with La Lucha, Shevonne Philmore, Alex Harris and Shawn Brown. Pre- and post-show talks will feature “notable guests including artists, county representatives and personalities in Pinellas County and nationwide.”
Get more information and/or purchase tickets here.
Skyway play
Coming May 9, the 40th anniversary of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse that claimed 35 lives: A 22-minute video preview of an original one-man play, Mayday: Captain Lerro and the Skyway Bridge, with St. Pete actor Michael Horn as the harbor pilot who steered a freighter into the bridge during a sudden, violent storm. Roxanne Fay is the director. Originally, the full play – full disclosure, it was written by yours truly – was to be presented live starting May 9. The video, created by St. Petersburg’s 2 Hungry Dogs productions, consists of roughly the first quarter of the play. It will stream at 7 p.m. May 9 on Facebook – look for the Mayday Facebook page.
Book clubs
Available this month are online book clubs, which will meet virtually to discuss the books in question. At the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, the club (for which you can register here) is reading Maria Gainza’s novel Optic Nerve; the discussion date is May 14, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. On May 6, the Keep St. Pete Lit Book Club (hosted by thestudio@620) meets virtually at 6:30 p.m. to talk about Three Women by Lisa Taddio. Join the Zoom meeting here.
Virtual radio
Now in its 11th season, the Radio Theatre Project normally happens monthly at thestudio@620. It is a “live” reading of an original script – comedy, drama or in-between – performed by local actors, creative types and other people with interesting voices. There’s a foley artist to create professional sound effects, too, and the whole thing is very much like an old-time radio play (without the “old-time,” as these are contemporary scripts, penned by Florida authors).
Here’s a reminder that several seasons of Radio Theatre Project recordings are available to stream for free via Soundcloud. Check ‘em out here.
- Please submit your events, virtual and otherwise, to bill@stpetecatalyst.com
