This week: Pasco

By Times Staff Writer
Published May 6, 2005

GUITARIST IVAN MENDOZA will perform Latin and American songs at 3:30 p.m. today at the New Port Richey Public Library, 5939 Main St., New Port Richey.

"RED HOT & COLE' continues through May 15 at the Show Palace Dinner Theatre, 16128 U.S. 19, Hudson. Shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays and 1:30 p.m. Saturday and May 14. Doors open two hours before each show for buffet and full cash bar. Dinner and show, $39.50; show only, $28.45; ages 12 and younger, $21.95 and $16.95, all plus tax and tip. Call 863-7949 in west Pasco or toll-free 1-888-655-7469.

THE MUSICAL "GREASE' will be performed by students at Nature Coast Technical School at 7 p.m. today and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students. The show is not recommended for children under 10. Reservations are advised. Call (352) 797-7088, ext. 296 or ext. 297. The school is off California Street north of Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. You can also take Powell Road west off U.S. 41 and turn south at California.

"WALLY'S CAFE," a comedy, will be performed by students of Renaissance Academy at 7 p.m. today at the school, 8431 Corporate Way, New Port Richey. Tickets are $6, open seating, available at the door. Call 845-8150.

"CRIMES OF THE HEART," a comedy/drama, continues weekends through May 22 at Stage West Community Playhouse, 8390 Forest Oaks Blvd., Spring Hill. Shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $14, reserved seating. Box office is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and an hour before each show. Call (352) 683-5113.

MEXICAN MUSIC will be played by Conjunto Aventura with Tomas Grandao, Banda San Martin and Mariachi Tapatio at 8 p.m. today at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, 324 Pine St., Tarpon Springs. The program is presented in part by the Florida Folklife Program and is in honor of Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day. Admission is $5 for adults, free to ages 12 and younger.

THE GROUP BIG PICTURE will perform from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Cool Beans Cafe coffeehouse, 21511 Village Lakes Shopping Center, State Road 54, Land O'Lakes.

FORMER STRANGER LEAD VOCALIST Greg Billings will perform at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Bourbon Street Concert Club, 4331 U.S. 19, Holiday. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $5. Call (727) 843-0686 for information.

BOBBY MERCER & LOTSA FUN will perform at the Mother's Day Special on Sunday at the Palace Grand, 275 Della Court (off U.S. 19 a quarter mile north of County Line Road), Spring Hill. Doors open at 1 p.m., dinner at 1:30 p.m. and show at 3 p.m. Dinner and show, $35.95. Call toll-free 1-888-655-7469 or 863-7949 in Pasco County.

THE OPERA "THE PEONY PAVILION" by Tang Xianzu and Ye Tang will be shown on video at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art auditorium. The museum is at 600 Klosterman Road (a quarter mile west of U.S. 19), Tarpon Springs. The video and museum admission are free on Sunday.

"THE JOHN TIMPANELLI PLAYHOUSE" will present a musical tribute to mothers at 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday at Beth-El Shalom, 6209 Congress St., New Port Richey. Doors open one hour before the show for included full buffet. Others in the show are Chris Stein and Lexi Balestrieri. Dinner and show, $20, reserved seating. Reservations are required by 5 p.m. Saturday. Call (727) 849-3758 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

THE RICHEY CONCERT BAND will perform at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Center for the Arts at River Ridge, Town Center Road, New Port Richey.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MUSICAL "BRIGADOON" will be performed by the Florida Lyric Opera at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, 324 Pine St., Tarpon Springs. The presentation includes soloists Patricia Agneu, Linda Muley-Switzer, Jeff Clark and Constantine Grame; the Madrigalians of St. Petersburg College; The Scottish Highland Dancers; pianist Rena Massey; and narration by Rosalia Maresca. Tickets are $12; center members or students, $10. Call 942-5605.

THE MOVIE "POPE JOAN" will be shown at 5 p.m. Monday at the New Port Richey Public Library, 5939 Main St., New Port Richey. It is based on the life of Pope John VIII, who ruled the Catholic Church from 853-855 - until he/she gave birth to a child. The church accepted the story until the 16th century reformation. Modern scholars have been unable to resolve the question of whether Pope Joan existed. The film stars Liv Ullmann. Refreshments and discussion follow the show.

VISUAL ARTS

THE ALL MEDIA WILDLIFE ART SHOW concludes today at the West Pasco Art Guild, 6206 Jefferson St., New Port Richey. Hours are 1 to 4 p.m. The exhibit includes oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastels, colored pencil, casting, clay and carvings.

FOUR NEW EXHIBITORS will be honored at a reception from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the Progress Energy Art Gallery, 6231 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey. The artists are watercolorist Jane Batalden-Palmer, painter Judith Curtis, jewelry designer Liz Dono and potter Christa Stanelum. The exhibit will be open until May 28. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

LOOK AHEAD

HIGHWAYMAN ARTIST R. L. LEWIS will exhibit his painting techniques from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 14 at the Port Richey Waterfront Park on Old Post Road, just north of Grand Boulevard on the west side of U.S. 19. Lewis, a retired schoolteacher, is one of 27 artists who painted colorful scenes of Old Florida in the 1960s through 1980s and traveled the east coast selling them, thus the name "Highwaymen." Lewis continues his art work to the present.

GILBERT & SULLIVAN PLAYERS will present an encore performance of Patience at 8 p.m. May 14 and 2 p.m. May 15 at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, 324 Pine St., Tarpon Springs. Tickets are $18 adults, $16 center members and students.

[Last modified May 6, 2005, 13:32:13]