The Gateway Center for the Arts and the Florida Humanities Council will host "Dreamers & Schemers: An Evening with Great Floridians" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 880 N. U.S. 17/92, DeBary.
With its pristine beaches, fertile farm land and vast Everglades, the lure of tourism and industry has always been at odds with preserving Florida's natural beauty and unique ecosystems. Henry Flagler, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward and Marjory Stoneman Douglas each had a very different vision of what the future Florida should look like and who should control its natural resources.
Trained stage-actors portray these important figures and offer a glimpse into each of their contributions to Florida. After about an hour of theatrics, a moderator will facilitate a brief discussion on the themes of the program and the impact of industry and environmentalism on Florida.
This year, Florida will celebrate its 500th anniversary, marked from the day in 1513 when Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Le-n landed on Florida's east coast.
To help commemorate this event, the Florida Humanities Council is conducting a statewide series of programs designed to engage the audience in thoughtful reflection and dialogue about our state's rich history.
Admission is $5. For more information, call (386) 668-5553.
Black History Month program offered
"Black History Month -- Song & Story" is an audience participation, educational, storytelling and musical presentation that will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at Gateway Center for the Arts, 880 N. U.S. 17/92, DeBary.
Bill and Eli Perras are a nationally touring folk music act from DeLand. Their songs and stories will include details related to notable civil-rights icons, such as Harry T. Moore, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Tuskegee Airmen. Bill and Eli's performance will cover events, such as the Selma March, the Underground Railroad and others related to African-American heritage in the U.S.
The lyrics given to and interpreted by Eli, combined with Bill's bluesy finger-style guitar playing, create a uniquely modern take on true Americana music in its purest form.
Included in this evening will be an audience participation sing-along of civil-rights songs that were prevalent during the 1960s folk movement.
Tickets are $12 for members, $15 non-members in advance or $18 at door.
For information, visit gatewaycenterforthearts.org or call (386) 668-5553.