Entertainment listings for Gainesville and Alachua County April 2025

THIS WEEK

‘Belongings’

The High Springs Playhouse is putting on performances of Daniel Fenton’s production “Belongings.” It is produced by special arrangement with the Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois. See a show at 7:30 p.m. April 4-5, April 11-12, April 17-19 and April 25-26; or 2 p.m. April 6, April 13 and April 27 at the High Springs Playhouse, located at 23416 W. U.S. 27 in High Springs. Tickets are $17 for adults, and $15 for students and seniors. They can be purchased online at highspringsplayhouse.com.

John Prine Music Matinee

Join Heartwood Soundstage for the inaugural John Prine Music Matinee, a heartfelt celebration of the life and music of legendary songwriter John Prine. Hosted at Heartwood Soundstage on April 6, this special event will feature a lineup of local and regional artists performing John Prine songs exclusively. Musical acts Include Mike Amish, Shiloh, Michael Claytor, Barry Sides, Ric Kaestner, Kyle Keller, Patchwork and John Stephens, Dim Lights, Uncle Mosie, Dan Stepp, Mike Lagasse, Mick Marino, and The Currys. Proceeds from the event — set on a sliding scale — will benefit Heartwood Soundstage and WMBT 90.1 The Wombat, supporting live music and independent community radio in Gainesville. Heartwood Soundstage is located at 619 S. Main St. For more information, visit heartwoodsoundstage.com.

‘Elements of Style’

Santa Fe College’s annual dance showcase, “Elements of Style,” returns to the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall — located at 3000 NW 83rd St. — at 7:30 p.m. April 4-5. The production, featuring 40 SF dance students performing in eight distinct styles, highlights the diversity and artistry of the college’s dance program. Audiences can expect a program ranging from classical ballet to contemporary fusion. The student performances include variations from “Swan Lake”; “Fire’s Dance,” a Spanish folklore-inspired piece; an exploration of isolation; a musical theater selection from “The Wild Party”; a high-energy fusion performed by the SF Dance Team; West African dance and drumming; “Strict Love,” a post-modern dance; and a unique fusion of tap, hip-hop and contemporary. Beyond their performances, students also work closely with professional technical theater staff and SF technical theater students, gaining hands-on experience in theatrical production. Tickets are $16 for adults; $10 for seniors, students and military service members; and free for SF students, faculty and staff with ID. They are available at the Fine Arts Hall Box Office at 95-4181 or online via Showpass.

Old Florida Celebration of the Arts

Despite still recovering from Hurricane Helene, Cedar Key’s annual Old Florida Celebration of the Arts is returning for a one-day event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 5. According to the event’s website, cedarkeyartscenter.org, the festival welcomes 100 high-quality artists and about 15,000 visitors annually. Organizers say the celebration radiates a relaxed and friendly atmosphere often missing in larger venues. The island community of Cedar Key is surrounded by the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s Gulf Coast. This free event benefits the Cedar Key Arts Center in addition to local nonprofit and Cedar Key School groups who serve food, beverages and goodies during the festival.

Voices Rising Spring Concert

The annual spring performance by Voices Rising Community Chorus is set for 3 and 7 p.m. April 5 at First United Methodist Church. The church is located at 419 NE First St. The suggested donation for entry is $10 to $20. Parking will be available on the street and in the bank parking lot across from the church. For more information, visit vrccgainesville.org.

‘Romeo and Juliet’

The greatest love story ever told is set to be presented by Dance Alive National Ballet. In “Romeo and Juliet,” the heartbreaking feud between the Capulets and Montagues results in the doomed lovers’ deaths and a sad reconciliation for the families. This performance is family friendly. Sword fighting is involved. See the show at 7:30 p.m. April 5 at the Phillips Center, located at 3201 Hull Road. Tickets are $35 to $65, and can be purchased at performingarts.ufl.edu.

Amaryn Olmeda

“Prodigy” is a lofty label, but in the case of Amaryn Olmeda, the shoe fits. Olmeda won her first competition at age 9, debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 13, and made her Carnegie Hall solo debut at 14. At 16, the bold, expressive playing style of this rising star rivals that of international concert stage veterans. See her perform at 2 p.m. April 6 at the Squitieri Studio Theatre at the Phillips Center, located at 3201 Hull Road. Tickets are $35 for general admission and $12 for University of Florida students. For more information, or to purchase tickets online, visit performingarts.ufl.edu.

Zakir Hussain’s Masters of Percussion

A celebration of drumming with one of the chief architects of contemporary world music — Zakir Hussain — is set for 7:30 p.m. April 8 at the Phillips Center. Credited as the pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso, Hussain is one of the world’s most esteemed and influential musicians. Renowned for his immersive performances, Hussain boasts a career that includes collaborations with luminaries such as Edgar Meyer, the Grateful Dead, George Harrison and Herbie Hancock. The Phillips Center is located at 3201 Hull Road. Tickets are $25 to $45, $12 for University of Florida students. For more information, visit performingarts.ufl.edu.

Santa Fe Plein Air Paintout

The eighth annual Santa Fe Plein Air Paintout begins April 9 with public viewing for three days in downtown High Springs and three parks. For the past eight years, local and out-of-town plein air artists have flocked to High Springs to capture the city’s parks and springs through their plein art. Nineteen artists will be painting this year, and the poster painting is “Whispers of Turquoise” is by artist Karen LeMonnier. Organizers also are supporting the nonprofit Our Santa Fe River.Org with 10% of all art sales. Come early on public observation days to capture most of the artists at work in the parks. Most artists paint between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. This year’s locations are: Rum Island Springs County Park, 1447 SW Rum Island Terrace, Fort White, on April 9. There is a park entrance fee of $5; Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park, 7450 NW 60th St., High Springs, on April 10. There is a park entrance fee of $4 per person or $6 per car; and O’Leno State Park, 410 SE O’Leno Park Road, High Springs, on April 11. There is a park entrance fee of $4 per person or $6 per car. Paintout exhibit paintings created during this creative window will be on display at Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies from April 12 to May 17 unless they are sold. Maps will be available at Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies during normal gallery hours all week. There also will be an art reception at Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies from 5 to 8 p.m. April 12. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies at 474-1049 or visit lanzagallery.com. The gallery is located at 23645 W. U.S. 27 in High Springs.

Las Guaracheras

Las Guaracheras is a salsa band hailing from the city of Cali, Colombia, that is lifting female voices in the Afro-Latin music scene. Their music is about joy, memory and transformation backed by vibraphone, percussion, bass, piano and vocals. See them perform at 7 and 9 p.m. April 10 at UpStage at the Phillips Center, located at 3201 Hull Road. Tickets are $55 for the 7 p.m. seating, $35 for the 9 p.m. seating and $12 for University of Florida students. Tickets are available online at performingarts.ufl.edu. UpStage is an intimate, cabaret-style setting on the Phillips Center Mainstage. The 7 p.m. seating includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar; the 9 p.m. seating includes desserts and cash bar.

Local news: Commercial developments proposed near West Newberry Road off Southwest 143rd St. in Jonesville

ONGOING

‘Ragtime’

Based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow, “Ragtime” weaves together the stories of three diverse families as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of a rapidly changing world. From the  immigrant struggles of Tateh and his daughter to the privileged lives of mother, father and their son, and the explosive energy of Coalhouse Walker Jr. and Sarah, their lives intersect in unexpected ways, revealing the interconnectedness of humanity in the face of adversity. Nominated for 13 Tony Awards — including “Best Musical” and winning for “Best Original Score” and “Best Book of a Musical” — “Ragtime” is a powerful portrait of life during the turn of the 20th century, exploring America’s timeless contradictions of freedom and prejudice, wealth and poverty, hope and despair. Catch a show at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays plus 2 p.m. Sundays through April 13 at the Gainesville Community Playhouse, located at 4039 NW 16th Blvd. Tickets are $24 for adults, $20 for seniors and $12 for students. For more information, or to purchase tickets online, visit gcplayhouse.org.

‘Morning After Grace’

What happens when a one night stand leads to an awkward situation between three unknowingly connected strangers? Watch as this unlikely trio tackles love and loss, and reminds us that life’s greatest chapters can begin at any age. Join Nell Page and Kevin Rainsberger in this new touching comedy at the Hippodrome. See a show at 8 p.m. Fridays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, and 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays through April 20 at the Hippodrome Theatre, located at 25 SE Second Place. Tickets are $10 to $30. For more information, or to purchase tickets online, visit thehipp.org/morning-after-grace.

Sylvia Zerbini’s ‘Liberte’

Equestrian trainer and performing artist Sylvia Zerbiniis bringing her production, “Liberte,” back to her Liberte ́ Equestrian Theater in Williston now through April. The former star and lead trainer of “Cavalia” has performed across the globe for millions of fans. Zerbini’s multidimensional equestrian voyage features more than a dozen horses and world-class equestrian theatrical performers. Blending awe-inspiring horsemanship with imaginative stagecraft, intricate choreography, high-flying aerial stunts, and multi-talented live musicians, this horse lover’s extravaganza expands the definition of equestrian performance into a theatrical experience. Weekly performances will be held every Saturday and Sunday at 4:30 p.m. with both general seating, and VIP upgraded options that include food, beverages and a backstage tour. Located at the Grande Liberté Farms at 18550 NE 81st St. in Williston, the Liberte ́ Equestrian Theater offers an indoor theatrical experience. Tickets start at $35 and are available through SylviaZerbini.com or ordered directly on EventBrite.com.

‘Riding the 33rd Parallel’

“Riding the 33rd Parallel” is a virtual road trip from Florida to California via the Harn’s photography collection. According to the Harn, 48 photographs by 22 photographers were made along the 33rd parallel (more or less) encompassing Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. The time span is 1961 to the present. Some images are grouped by similar or opposing conditions within one or more states while other images follow Ansel Adams’s grand landscape style and still others fuse the picturesque with toxic industries and extreme weather or truly awesome human ingenuity. The photos will be on display in the Rubin Gallery through May 25 at the Harn Museum of Art, located at 3259 Hull Road. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays through Wednesdays, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, or to see what other exhibits are on display, visit harn.ufl.edu/visit.

‘Silver Linings’

The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida will display art from Spelman College — a historically black liberal arts college for women located in Atlanta. The Harn is one of five venues across the United States exhibiting “Silver Linings: Celebrating the Spelman Art Collection.” Through 39 works by nearly 30 artists, “Silver Linings” uplifts the legacy of artists of African descent spanning the 20th century through the contemporary moment, many of whom have been overlooked by mainstream art museums. A community day at the Harn, set for noon to 4 p.m. May 31, will celebrate the exhibition with tours, a silkscreen art activity, art creation by Clermont, entertainment, partner information tables and refreshments. The exhibition will be on view through July 6. “Silver Linings: Celebrating the Spelman Art Collection” includes a variety of mediums and techniques such as painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed-media collage, prints and photographs divided into five sections that focus on the Spiral Group, abstraction, early figuration, contemporary photography and contemporary figuration. An artist-in-residence program and special community day are among the programs providing opportunities for the community to engage with the exhibition in multiple ways. Onsite artist-in-residence Jessica Clermont will create works of art inspired by the exhibition Tuesdays through Thursdays from noon to 5 p.m. until June 26. Visitors can engage in discussion as the artist works, discuss the influence of the exhibition and create their own work of art. Entrance to the museum is free. For more information, visit harn.ufl.edu.

COMING SOON

Birth of the Cool

Featuring Dominick Farinacci and the Christian Tamburr Quartet, audiences can follow ambassadors of jazz Birth of the Cool on a toe-tapping expedition through the iconic era of jazz in an exploration of the late Miles Davis and trumpet greats like Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan and Clark Terry. Kick back while these top-shelf musicians serve as your guides, bringing to life the sophisticated sounds that shaped bebop and hard bop jazz. Catch a show at 7 and 9 p.m. April 11 at UpStage at the Phillips Center, located at 3201 Hull Road. Tickets are $55 for the 7 p.m. seating, $35 for the 9 p.m. seating and $12 for University of Florida students. Fore more information, or to purchase tickets online, visit performingarts.ufl.edu. UpStage is an intimate, cabaret-style setting on the Phillips Center Mainstage. The 7 p.m. seating includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar; the 9 p.m. seating includes desserts and cash bar.