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  • View a time machine up close at the DeLorean Motor Company in Orlando

    View a time machine up close at the DeLorean Motor Company in Orlando

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Very few cars portrayed in films have had a bigger impact that the DeLorean. 

    The DeLorean made its public debut in 1981, with close to 9,000 of the futuristic cars produced.

    What You Need To Know

    • General Manager of DMC Florida Robert Gadocha said the car captured the public’s attention from the start, but the movie franchise took it to another level

    • The Orlando facility is one of three locations in the country that still deals, sells and maintains the one-of-a-kind vehicles

    • The company has over 40 classic DeLoreans on hand, all of which are in pristine condition

    • The tour is free, and you can call 407-203-2300 to reserve a time

    General Manager of DMC Florida Robert Gadocha said the car captured the public’s attention from the start, but the movie franchise took it to another level.

    “Well, the love for it stems from the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy. Everyone that sees the car loves the car,” said Gadocha.

    The Orlando facility is one of three locations in the country that still deals, sells and maintains the one-of-a-kind vehicles.

    The company has more than 40 classic DeLoreans on hand, all of which are in pristine condition.

    “We get people in the shop that bring their children, 5 to 10 years old, dressed like Marty. They love the car and everything about it,” said Gadocha.

    Guests can request a tour of the shop to see — depending on the day — how the famous stainless-steel exterior is polished, engines being worked on, and visit a showroom that includes a completed time machine, like the one featured in the Back to the Future movies.

    “Yes, we welcome guests here. We give them a quick tour and show them what we do inside and out,” said DMC owner Tony Lerardi.

    They also provide historical videos so guests can learn about the car’s unique history, beyond the films, including the car’s famous inventor John DeLorean.

    James O’Brien visited DMC one day and decided to purchase a DeLorean and convert it into a time machine.

    “When I was 6, and I first saw the film, for me, that was the car. So, I ended up building a time machine from scratch,” said O’Brien.

    He said he had no idea when he started building the time machine, but he watched videos, consulted with DMC and sought advice from the DeLorean Club of Florida, an organization that has more than 200 DeLorean loving owners around the state.

    DeLorean Club members meet several times a year with usually a stop in Orlando.

    The British-born time machine owner said the biggest problem he has when driving the vehicle around Central Florida is people forcing him off the road to stop and take pictures.

    “There’s about 5,000 DeLoreans left in the world. So, when people see them, they love the car. They love the movie franchise, and people want to take videos and pictures,” O’Brien said.

    He now plans to rent out his classic time machine equipped with every working gadget, including a flux capacitor for time travel.

    Reservations are required to tour the DeLorean Motor Company in Orlando. The tour is free, and you can call 1-407-203-2300 to reserve a time.

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    Randy Rauch

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  • ‘The Bear’ sets comedy series record with 23

    ‘The Bear’ sets comedy series record with 23

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    LOS ANGELES — “The Bear” went on a tear at Wednesday morning’s Emmy nominations with a comedy-series record 23, and “Shogun” led all nominees with 25 in a dominant year across categories for FX.

    What You Need To Know

    • The nominees for best limited or anthology series are: “Baby Reindeer”; “Fargo”; “Lessons in Chemistry”; “Ripley”; “True Detective: Night Country”

    • Getting back to its traditional schedule, the show will be held Sept. 15 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and air on ABC

    • “Shogun” took full advantage of the absence of last year’s top three nominees

    • The nominations announcement from Emmy winners Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tony Hale come just six months after the last Emmy Awards, which were delayed by last year’s writers and actors strikes

    Nominations for the acclaimed culinary phenomenon “The Bear” included best comedy series and best actor in a comedy series for Jeremy Allen White — both awards it won at January’s strike-delayed ceremony, along with best actress for Ayo Edebiri, who won best supporting actress last time around.

    It was also boosted by a bounty of guest acting nominations, including Jamie Lee Curtis and Olivia Colman, two of many Oscar winners who landed nominations.

    “Shogun” took full advantage of the absence of last year’s top three nominees — “Succession,” “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us” — to dominate in drama and give FX, with a leading 93 overall nominations, the kind of strong year often reserved for HBO, which even in this “off” year managed second with 91.

    Its nominations included best drama series, best actress in a drama series for Anna Sawai and best actor for Hiroyuki Sanada.

    The show shook up the drama race when its makers said in May that despite reaching the end of the story of James Clavell’s historical novel about political machinations in early 17th century Japan, they would explore making more than one season, shifting the critical darling from the limited series category to the more prestigious drama one.

    “True Detective: Night Country” was a bright spot for HBO, which lost “Succession” to retirement and is between seasons on “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us.”

    The show, a semi-spinoff of the “True Detective” franchise, led all limited or anthology series nominees with 19, including a best actress nomination for Jodie Foster for playing a police chief investigating mysterious deaths in the darkness of a north Alaskan winter. It’s expected to vie for the best limited series Emmy with “Fargo,” which had 15 nominations and gives FX a shot at a triple crown if its favorites win drama and comedy series, and “Baby Reindeer,” a minor cultural phenomenon and Emmy upstart for Netflix in recent months.

    Foster was another of the Academy Award winners to get Emmy nods, along with fellow multiple Oscar winner Meryl Streep, up for best supporting actress in a comedy for “Only Murders in the Building;” reigning best supporting actor winner Robert Downey Jr., up for best supporting actor in a limited series for playing several characters in “The Sympathizer;” and Gary Oldman, up for best actor in a drama series for “Slow Horses.”

    “Only Murders,” a perennial Emmy nominee for Hulu with few wins, outdid itself this year with 21, behind only “Shogun” and “The Bear.” Leads Steve Martin and Martin Short were nominated for best actor, and, in her first Emmy nomination as a performer, Selena Gomez got a nod for best actress.

    Old Emmy favorites also returned. Jon Hamm, who had one Emmy from 16 previous nominations, most of them for “Mad Men,” got two nominations, one for actor in a limited or anthology series for “Fargo” and another for supporting actor in a drama for “The Morning Show.” His “Morning Show” castmate Jennifer Aniston is considered by many the favorite to win best actress in a drama Emmy to go with the comedy actress trophy she won for “Friends.”

    And four-time Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub has a shot at his fifth for reprising his role as Adrian Monk in “Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie.”

    Getting back to its traditional schedule, the show will be held Sept. 15 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and air on ABC.

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    Associated Press

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  • Nature Coast serving as backdrop for new film

    Nature Coast serving as backdrop for new film

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    CITRUS CO., Fla. — A slice of Hollywood has found its way to Florida’s Nature Coast. Citrus County is taking center stage as the prime location for a new movie being shot.

    What You Need To Know

    • Citrus County and the Nature Coast are taking center stage as the prime locations for a new movie being filmed

    • The movie, titled “Skinwalker Island,” is an indie horror film set in the deep south

    • One of the film’s leading roles is played by social media influencer ‘Too Turnt Tony’ alongside his popular duck sidekick ‘Baby Girl’

    • Plans are to have the movie premiere in this summer

    The movie is called “Skinwalker Island” and is an indie horror film set in the deep south. But the movie is going beyond its unique genre.

    In the remote woods of Citrus County, a movie set and its crew have set up in producer Nick Tamposi’s very own backyard.

    “I can’t imagine doing this anywhere else and having the comfort of doing it at our own home,” he said.

    Tamposi has been making movies for five years. He and his wife have their own talent agency, managing fashion models from New York to Miami. With a background in photography for many years, the transition, he says, was seamless.

    “Just fell in love with the whole process of the filmmaking side,” said Tamposi, a producer of the film. “I’ve been a photographer for many years and it was just a natural progression to move over onto this side. Being able to do it with my kids and my family is just a complete blessing.”

    Like with any movie, the crew is pretty extensive, including writer and director Jon Carlo.

    “We always really wanted to do a horror film because we love the genre, also because it’s just so popular right now and they sell well, and this area lends itself so perfectly to a horror film,” Carlo said.

    And what’s a movie without its cast? One of the leading roles is played by social media influencer ‘Too Turnt Tony.’ Well-known across the internet for his quirky videos featuring him and his duck, ‘Baby Girl.’

    “It’s almost come like full circle, because she’s been in all of the videos since we started, and now we’re doing a movie together, so it’s cool,” said Tony. “I’m glad they put her in a cameo and she’s loving it. She’s quiet right now, so she must be happy, but yeah, it’s been cool to have her along the journey for sure.”

    It’s a different approach to movie-making. One that Carlo says could be a game-changer for the industry.

    “We have someone that has more power than any PR company can bring on or an advertising company,” he said. “We have someone that if one percent of his followers convert and rent the movie, that’s real box office money. We’re really excited to see what this non-conventional approach to marketing a movie turns into.”

    It’s also an opportunity for Citrus County. A community, Carlo says, that has been so welcoming to them. A favor they would like to return.

    “If we can eventually figure out a way to train and hire locally across the board, that’s how I feel like we can really give back to the community.”

    Which could extend beyond the camera lens.

    “Putting it on camera and letting people see the real natural beauty of the area and the charm of the deep south setting that we have, it’s almost a character itself: Citrus County,” said Tamposi. “So we’d love to have more film here and we’re going to continue to do more filming as we go.”

    Shining the spotlight on the idea of more show biz along the Nature Coast.

    Carlo says they plan to have the movie premiere in early summer. Exclusive streaming rights are still being negotiated.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Tampa native performs in ‘Stranger Sings!’ musical at Straz Center

    Tampa native performs in ‘Stranger Sings!’ musical at Straz Center

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    TAMPA, Fla. — A musical that’s playing right now in Tampa is a spin-off from one of the most binge-worthy shows of the last decade, and it features a Bay area girl with some powerful chords.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Caroline Huerta, born and raised in Tampa, is performing in the musical, “Stranger Sings!” at the Straz Center

    •  The musical is a parody of the Netflix show, “Stranger Things,” a spooky thriller set in the 80s

    • “Stranger Sings!” plays at the Straz Center through April 21 

    “I love Tampa,” said Caroline Huerta. “Tampa is amazing. I was born and raised off Westshore, went to school at Berkeley Prep. I’m a lifer.” 

    Huerta spent much of her youth in Tampa going to see shows on the stage of the Straz Center. And now in her adult life, she’s performing on that very same stage. 

    You can hear her voice in “Stranger Sings!” — a musical playing at the Straz with its roots on Netflix.

    It’s the musical parody of the Netflix show, “Stranger Things,” a spooky thriller set in the 80s where a group of kids battle villains from the eerie “Upside Down.”

    “It’s a lot of fun, a spooky comedy,” Huerta said. “It’s not so much scary as it is in the Netflix series, so we turn it on its head and make it a lot of fun.”

    And can you imagine how much fun Huerta is having living out her performer dreams in the city that raised her?

    “Ever since I was little, I think it was something I always wanted to do in my heart,” she said.

    “Stranger Sings!” plays at the Straz Center through April 21. Tickets start at $37. And Huerta said one piece of feedback they’ve been getting: you don’t have to be a fan of the Netflix show to enjoy the musical. 

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    Jeff Butera

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  • ‘Compositions by Her’: Concert celebrates Women’s History Month

    ‘Compositions by Her’: Concert celebrates Women’s History Month

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    DURHAM, N.C. —  An orchestra in North Carolina is working to honor marginalized voices in the music world, starting with a tribute for Women’s History Month.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Durham Symphony Orchestra put together a concert honoring women in music

    • In 2016, works by female composers and composers of color made up only 4% of orchestra programming, according to the Orchestra Repertoire Report

    • The Durham orchestra’s concert featured works by marginalized and suppressed voices

    As part of its 48th season, the Durham Symphony Orchestra put on a special concert at the beginning of March titled “Compositions by Her – A Celebration of Women in Music.” 

    Members of the Durham Symphony Orchestra rehearse for a concert. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

    Maestro William Henry Curry, the music director for the orchestra, has been working to include neglected pieces by marginalized composers since he accepted the position in 2009.

    “When I think of the amount of female or women composers that have been suppressed, their content,” Curry said. “They still compose despite being lost in oblivion, ignored. Your heart breaks over that.”

    Founded in 1976, the symphony has always aimed to be “Durham’s People’s Orchestra” — reflecting the diversity of the community in its programming.

    “This is an era now where if there’s anything positive, we’re having an awakening to these treasures, like these female composers that never should have been buried in the first place,” Curry said.

    Maestro William Henry Curry champions the cause of marginalized composers and musicians. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

    According to the Orchestra Repertoire Report in the 2022-23 orchestra season, more than 87% of pieces performed were composed by men. Curry said the power of his podium comes in moments like this when he gets to be what he calls a “composer’s advocate.”

    “To root for the underdog and bring forward the unjustly neglected pieces and performers, to me is kind of a natural, innate,” Curry said.

    He said you can feel that these women are saying things through their music that words couldn’t convey and believes sometimes you have to play what people need to hear even if it’s not comfortable or easy.

    The report also shows that in 2016 works by female composers and composers of color made up only 4% of programming — today that number has increased to 24% thanks to efforts like those of the Durham Symphony Orchestra. 

    “These are people that could have given up and they would have been forgiven for giving up, but they wouldn’t have forgiven themselves,” Curry said. 

    The orchestra’s next concert is a free outdoor performance the first weekend in May called Pops in the Park. It will conclude the season with a performance with the Choral Society of Durham on May 19 at Duke University. 

    The Durham Symphony Orchestra curated a concert to honor women in music. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

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    Rachel Boyd

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  • Ariana DeBose to host Tony Awards for the 3rd straight time

    Ariana DeBose to host Tony Awards for the 3rd straight time

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    It’s a new location but the same host for the Tony Awards:Ariana DeBose will make it three in a row as MC of theater’s most watched event, which this year moves uptown to Lincoln Center.

    The Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee, who hosted both the 2023 and 2022 ceremonies, will be back this year for the show on June 16, and will produce and choreograph the opening number.

    “I couldn’t pass up the chance to host the Tonys one more time, at Lincoln Center. I’m excited to collaborate with the team to create an incredible celebration of this season’s achievements on Broadway for our community and for everyone at home,” said DeBose in a statement.

    DeBose was widely cheered for the way she hosted last year amid the Hollywood writers’ strike, leading a show that had no script and opening the telecast by dancing and leaping her way through the lobby of the United Palace Theatre. She earned an Emmy nomination for her work.

    DeBose is a theater veteran, with roles in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” “Hamilton,” “A Bronx Tale,” “Pippin,” “Motown the Musical,” “Bring It On: The Musical” and “Company.” She won an Oscar for her role in Steven Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story” and was in “Schmigadoon!” on Apple TV+.

    This year’s location — the David H. Koch Theater — is the home of New York City Ballet and in the same sprawling building complex as Lincoln Square Theater, which houses the Broadway venue Beaumont Theater.

    Like last year, the three-hour main telecast will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. EDT/5 p.m.-8 p.m. PDT with a pre-show on Pluto TV, with some Tony Awards handed out there.

    The Tony eligibility cut-off date for the 2023-2024 season is April 25, and nominations for the 2024 Tony Awards will be announced April 30. The awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

    Last year, the intimate, funny-sad musical “Kimberly Akimbo” took the best new musical crown, and Tom Stoppard’s “Leopoldstadt,” which explores Jewish identity with an intergenerational story, won best play. Sean Hayes won lead actor in a play for “Good Night, Oscar,” and Victoria Clark won for “Kimberly Akimbo.”

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    Associated Press

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  • ZooTampa opens Stingray Shores exhibit for guest experiences

    ZooTampa opens Stingray Shores exhibit for guest experiences

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    TAMPA, Fla. — ZooTampa is opening its stingray exhibit, Stingray Shores, for guest experiences.

    What You Need To Know

    • ZooTampa Animal Encounters now include a stingray experience

    • Southern and cownose stingrays populate the exhibit

    • Handlers trim barbs, and rays are raised hand-fed 

    • Stingray Shores offers daily interaction opportunities

    It’s another way the zoo is trying to connect people with the wild, taking a step into the 76-degree water habitat.

    That’s right — in it.

    ZooTampa’s Kayla Cary is one of the zoo professionals leading the way in this hour-long experience.

    It starts with educational components and preparations for meeting rays in the habitat.

    “So, while you are in the waters, they may come all around you and even straight up to you,” Cary said. “It’s completely OK. They are very curious animals. It’s OK, and we are entering their space.”

    Cary’s been working in their space for two years.

    “A lot people have misconceptions about stingrays,” she explained.

    And at ZooTampa, she said, it’s even safer than the wild. Zoo staffers trim each ray’s barb.

    Rays have their own dispositions. They are food-motivated. And their mouths feel like little vacuum cleaners.

    Because rays sometimes burrow in the sand on Tampa Bay’s beaches, Cary shows the stingray shuffle, shuffling her feet to move forward through the sand.

    “By doing this movement, this will alert the stingray we are coming near them and allow them to move,” Cary said. “They can sense vibrations in the sand.”

    Moving people from fear to understanding of the wild kingdom is part of ZooTampa’s mission.

    The goal is to change perceptions and help protect the future of the animals and their environment.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Summer Circus Spectacular in final week of 18th annual show

    Summer Circus Spectacular in final week of 18th annual show

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    SARASOTA, Fla. — Before the lights. Before the cheers. Before the performance — it’s a quiet stage and an empty house.

    What You Need To Know

    • Summer Circus Spectacular continues through Saturday, Aug. 12

    • One-hour show filled with circus arts

    • 18th year at the Historical Asolo Theater at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota 

    • Created by Pedro Reis, founder and CEO of the Circus Arts Conservatory

    Tersit Dersu is the opening act for the Summer Circus Spectacular at the Historic Asolo Theater at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota.

    Dersu warms up by softly bouncing balls off a clear apparatus that she and the crew wheeled on stage.

    “Juggling is practice and patience,” she said.

    Dersu adds more balls to the flow, creating a double two-bounce roundabout of a circle whirring of white.

    She said she knew at 15 that she was destined to perform.

    “It’s been like 10 years of practicing,” she said.

    “Circus makes the impossible possible,” said Pedro Reis, the founder and CEO of the Circus Arts Conservatory. “They’re juggling. There’s aerial, there’s grace. It’s a combination of movement and dance.”

    Reis started the show after retiring from his own international adventures on the high wire.

    Dersu’s performance skills have taken her from her native Ethiopia to stages around the world.

    “You do what you love, you travel,” she said.

    Dersu said meeting and working with people from different countries and cultures has been amazing.

    “I love my job,” she said.

    And when she does her job, the crowd — they love it too. 

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival offers tour of world cuisines

    Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival offers tour of world cuisines

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Busch Gardens is offering a culinary trip around the world without ever leaving the Tampa Bay area.

    What You Need To Know

    • Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival is currently running weekends through May 21

    • Executive Chef Matt Maslowski explains the global food and wine pairings chosen for the festival 

    •  Concerts are also part of the event, with acts like 38 Special and Elvis Crespo 

    It’s the Busch Garden’s Food and Wine Festival, which will run on weekends through May 21.

    The festival will include concerts and a view of the park’s Serengeti and the newly opened “Screaming Swing” the Serengeti Flyer.

    Executive Chef Matt Maslowski says kitchens have a lot in common with theme parks.

    “Lot of moving parts like a roller coaster,” he said, laughing. “You build a strong team to make sure everything runs smooth. But it’s just that trying to take things out of the natural theme park atmosphere when it comes down to food and take it to another level.”

    From baklava in Greece to tuna poke in Hawaii, food from around the world is there to try, plus the drink pairing that makes what Maslowski calls “an orchestra in your mouth.”

    Concerts Coming Up:

    • Sunday, March 25:  Rodney Atkins
    • Sunday, March 26: Flo Rida
    • Saturday, April 1: Jeremy Camp
    • Sunday, April: +Live+
    • Sunday, April 9: The Fab Four
    • Saturday, April 15: 38 Special
    • Sunday, April 16: Mitchell Tenpenny
    • Saturday, April 22: Air Supply
    • Sunday, April 23: Gabby Barrett
    • Saturday, April 29: Hoobastank
    • Sunday, April 30: Walk The Moon
    • Friday, May 5: The Como La Flor Band
    • Saturday, May 6: Celia Vive
    • Sunday, May 7: El Gran Combo
    • Saturday, May 13: Toño Rosario
    • Sunday, May 14: Grupo Niche
    • Saturday, May 20: Elvis Crespo
    • Sunday, May 21: Luisito Ayala y la Puerto Rican Power

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    Virginia Johnson

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