5 things to do this weekend in Lake County
It's a slower weekend than usual event-wise, but great theater shows, a Vietnam veteran breakfast and gardening sale more than make up for the gaps between Easter egg hunts and Sunday banquets.
Groovy retro fun and a dash of feminism in 'Shout! The Mod Musical'
The IceHouse goes all retro on us when it opens the 1960s singing and dancing revue, "Shout! The Mod Musical," on Friday, March 22 at 8 pm. The production will run for 16 performances over four weekends, through April 14, at The IceHouse, 1100 N. Unser St., Mount Dora.
Created by Phillip George and David Lowenstein, with narrative segments by Peter Charles Morris and Phillip George, the revue features pop recordings made famous by 1960s British and American female singers, including Petula Clark, Lulu, Dusty Springfield, Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black and Nancy Sinatra.
The British fad magazine SHOUT! inspired the title as well as its advice columnist, Gwendolyn Holmes, who offered stereotypical and inadvertently humorous advice to young women in the 1960s about their personal grooming habits and dating tips.
Five singer-dancers — Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green and Red — represent young women traversing the turbulent 1960s through the hit tunes of the British pop music scene. The cast includes triple-threat actresses, Laurie Sullivan (Orange Girl), Kaelen Segers (Yellow Girl), Jessica Guiffre (Blue Girl), Natalie Bollinger (Green Girl) and Alexandria Grace (Red Girl).
Robert Cohen steps in as music director with choreography by Barbara Dare Hartwig, scenic design by Buddy Fales, lighting design by Philip Lupo and KJ Sales and incidental staging and costuming by IceHouse managing artistic director Darlin Barry.
Performances are March 22-April 14 with shows on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and one Wednesday show, April 10, at 7:30. Details: icehousetheatre.com.
An off-beat 'odder couple' in 'The Roommates'
A fun, contemporary comedy can be enjoyed at The Villages this week. "The Roommate" follows Sharon, a recently divorced 50-something mom, and her son living across the country, who posts a listing for a roommate to fill the empty space of her Iowa home. Robyn, also in her mid-50s, needs a place to hide and the chance to start over.
According to The Villages' press, "Sharon is Walmart and white bread, book clubs, and leaving your door unlocked. Robyn is black leather boots, a motorcycle jacket, and cigarettes she’s trying to quit. When Sharon begins to uncover Robyn’s secrets, they encourage her own deep-seated desire to abandon her comfort zone and live a life of danger and adventure."
Described as "The Odd Couple" meets "Breaking Bad," "The Roommate" navigates the rocky roads of change and examines through comedy and snippets of drama what happens when the wheels come off. Onstage through Saturday, March 30, at the Studio Theatre At Tierra Del Sol, 806 San Marino Drive, Lady Lake. Tickets: thevillagesentertainment.com/buy-tickets/the-roommate-by-jen-silverman.
'Young Frankenstein' to fetch monstrous laughs at Melon Patch
"Young Frankenstein” was among the films selected for preservation in the Library of Congress National Film Registry. The United States National Film Preservation Board considered it "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" in 2003.
See the stage version in Leesburg weekends through April 7. The Melon Patch Players produce a show that they say is "as relevant to audience members who will remember the original as it will be to newcomers." The story of a mad doctor and his re-animated protege brings us Mel Brooks' irreverent humor with song and dance. Tunes include "The Transylvania Mania," "He Vas My Boyfriend" and "Puttin' on the Ritz."
Tickets are $22, $10 for students. The Melon Patch Theatre is located at 311 N. 13th St., Leesburg. Details: melonpatchplayers.org.
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans commemorative breakfast
Join in on the national celebration of gratitude of Vietnam Veterans in Leesburg Saturday morning, when the Daughters of the American Revolution, Mary Ellen Robertson Chapter present a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day event. Admission is free and open to all.
A continental breakfast buffet, including bakery-fresh muffins and pastries, will be provided, and attendees can participate in drawings for gift baskets. Retired generals Timothy Sullivan (Fla. Army Nat'l Guard/former county commissioner) and David Coffman (USMC) tell their stories, and the Lake County Band performs patriotic music.
According to Juanita LeBarron of the DAR, "the commemoration honors all veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975. These veterans deserve to know their service mattered. They deserve to know we care. The Nation owes them our deepest gratitude."
U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster, Leesburg City officials, including Al Minner and Allyson Berry, and other government and fire department officials from throughout Lake County will express their thanks and present to each Vietnam veteran a commemorative Vietnam War lapel pin. The Civil Air Patrol Cadets the Leesburg High School JROTC and Boy Scouts will be assisting throughout the program. A visit from a surviving World War II veteran is also scheduled.
The event takes place at 10 a.m. at the Venetian Center, 1 Dozier Circle, Leesburg. Details: 352-460-4772 or [email protected].
Plants for sale, grown by IFAS master gardeners
UF/IFAS Extension Lake County Master Gardener Volunteers will be offering more than 3,000 plants for sale to the public including Florida native species, butterfly and hummingbird attractants, edible plants and many more. All proceeds from the sale go to support Discovery Gardens and educational programs. Cash, check or credit cards accepted. The sale takes place from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 30, at 1951 Woodlea Road, Tavares. Details: sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lake.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Theater, military honors and gardening in Lake County this weekend
