Weekend Top 10, May 6-9: Mom’s your queen, so celebrate with queens of rock and Broadway. Plus: The Beatles!
Equality Florida St. Pete Gala: Broadway legend Audra McDonald is among the performers in this free virtual event championing equality for LGBTQ Floridians, which includes a tribute to the late great playwright (and Sarasota resident) Terrence McNally and his husband, producer and attorney Tom Kidahy). RSVP here. Sat., May 8, 6-7 p.m., eqfl.org.
Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival w. Sheila E. The fiercely talented percussionist is the main attraction in the two-day music fest’s Sunday bill, which also features Grammy-winning gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds. Saturday’s acts are R&B stars Joyce Irby & Klymaxx and smooth jazz trio Guitar G Force. Sat.-Sun., May 8-9, 1-9 p.m. Virtual and in-person tickets available. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa. tampablackheritage.org.
This Bird Has Flown: A Jazz Tribute to The Beatles. Award-winning jazz singer Ona Kirei (right) celebrates the music of Lennon and McCartney in this live-streamed Palladium Live concert with a combo led by Dominic Walker on guitar. Fri. May 7, 8 p.m. livestream. Info at mypalladium.org.
Broadway and Kansas come to Ruth Eckerd. Mom’s a Broadway baby? Take her to see 112 Years of Broadway, featuring stars from The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and more. (1 & 7:30 on Friday). Her jam’s more ’70s prog rock? Take her to see Kansas sing hits like “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry On Wayward Son” on Saturday night at 8. rutheckerdhall.com
FLA: The Art of All Things Florida at MIZE Gallery. Featuring 44 new works inspired by Florida, including the hilarious “Snowbird” by Alyssa Marie (below). Exhibit opens online Friday: Facebook, 6 p.m.; Instagram, 7 p.m. Gallery open Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or by appointment. 689 Dr. MLK Jr St., St. Petersburg. Exhibit will run through May 30. facebook.com/mizegallery
Next Generation Ballet: Swan Lake The Straz Center’s resident ballet company performs one of the most beloved works in the repertory, the saga of the beautiful Odette, trapped in a swan’s body by a sorcerer’s curse, and the Prince who loves her. Staged by Artistic Director Philip Neal. Presented in socially-distanced fashion in Carol Morsani Hall on Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 6 p.m. strazcenter.org
What is a Green Society? The third in a series of art + science panels being held in conjunction with Expanding Waters, an exhibition at Creative Pinellas which sheds light on the issue of climate change and the current state of our waters. Dr. Carol Mickett, Largo Sustainability Program Administrator Laura Thomas and Jeffrey P. Gellermann of the University of Florida will discuss what a “green society” could look like and what it may take to build it. Sat. May 8, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., facebook.com/creativepinellas/live.
Sarasota Film Festival closing weekend. Screenings include the “meta-musical” A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff (May 6, noon); Centigrade (May 6, 9 p.m.), a thriller about a couple trapped inside their SUV in the mountains of Norway, and the closing night film, Dream Horse (May 8, 6 p.m.), starring Toni Collette in a crowd-pleaser about a Welsh town that pools its resources to buy a racehorse. There’s a Friday night street party, too, and most films have virtual screening options. CMX CinéBistro Siesta Key, sarasotafilmfestival.com
TEMPUS YAVA: Young Adult Visual Artists. Tempus Projects’ latest exhibition highlights works from high school students in Hillsborough County, including students from Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School, HB Plant High School, and Howard W Blake High School. Open through May 21 at LiveWork Studios by appointment only, and virtually from May 3-July 3. Text appointment requests to 813-340-9056. Tempus Projects at LVWRKS, 6405 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, tempus-projects.com
Mother’s Day is Sunday. If you haven’t already ordered flowers or made dinner reservations, it’s probably too late. So if she’s been run ragged all year by family in the house, go somewhere else and give her what she really wants — to be blissfully alone… for a whole day! Pictured: August Heyn’s painting The Exhausted Mother.
