Events in Ocala, Florida

DEKA is an indoor fitness competition featuring 10 functional fitness zones – it’s fitness gamified and designed for all levels. No matter your background or experience, DEKA will help you set your baseline and train with a purpose. DEKA FIT includes a 500-meter run before each zone, 5K total.

Test yourself against a global fitness standard, earn your DEKA Mark and commemorate your achievement with your finisher medal and t-shirt.

The DEKA FIT Florida weekend features two days of epic DEKA competition.

DAY 1: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7th

Age Group Heat: eligible for Age Group recognition

Elite Heat: eligible for prizing

DEKA FIT Ruck: any ruck or backpack – Male 30lb & Female 20lb – a limited number of loaner rucks will be available on-site courtesy of GORUCK. Eligible for prizes from Titan 6 Actual. * Weight vests and plate carriers are not allowed.

Team Division: Elite & Age Group Teams of all levels divide and conquer the DEKA FIT Arena in 2-Person Teams (Female, Male, & Co-Ed).

DAY 2: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th

Open Heat: open to all levels of fitness

Age Group Team Division: Age Group Teams of all levels divide and conquer the DEKA FIT Arena in 2-Person Teams (Female, Male, & Co-Ed). Eligible for podium recognition

This Saturday, at Fort King we will have two different workouts to choose from. We will be doing Yoga and a low intensity workout. I hope to see you there! 

A night filled with Pizza & Live Music to help a good cause. Becky Baby will be playing a Benefit Concert for her mother Betty aka Mama Hudson, who was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer. All donations from the evening will go to help Betty Hudson with her medical expenses

You’re Invited!

Celebrate a Night of Vibrant Creativity and Milestone Moments

Date: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Location: 8th Ave Gallery, Ocala, Florida

Join me for a special evening as I celebrate the opening night reception of my first solo art show and my 50th birthday!

Event Highlights:

Art Exhibition: Immerse yourself in my latest collection of bold and colorful abstract expressionist paintings.

Live Music: Enjoy live performances by the talented Shelby Lauren.

Delicious Hors d’Oeuvres: Savor a selection of heavy hors d’oeuvres throughout the evening.

Birthday Celebration: Share in the joy of this milestone birthday celebration with friends, family and fellow art enthusiasts.

Come experience an evening where colors will dance, stories will unfold, and memories will be created. This event is a celebration of art, life, and shared happiness, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Warm regards,

Heather Dawn Batchelor

Don’t be late to the ball! The magical musical “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” opens Ocala Civic Theatre’s 74th season from September 5-22, 2024.

In the glamorous 1950s “kingdom” of Hollywood, poor Ella (La’Nya O’May Solomon) is beautiful, charismatic, funny, and full of hope – but she’s also overworked and mistreated, stuck in her own little corner among the ashes.

Her selfish and cruel stepmother, Madame (Kiara Feliciano), is a social climber who thinks only of her own wealth and status. Ella’s stepsisters are a mixed bag – brash and bratty Charlotte (Courtney Curtis) seems to take after her mother, while quiet and meek Gabrielle (Marilyn Lauryn Shafferman) has a hidden streak of empathy and wit.

But then a royal ball is announced – to find a bride for the charming and heroic Prince Topher (Hunter Freilich)! And every eligible girl in Hollywood, from starlet to servant, is invited. But could Ella ever dream of attending? Nothing’s impossible when you have a magical godmother like Marie (Ashlyn Gibbs), with a talent for transformation, on your side…

There’s more to the prince, however, than meets the eye. The orphaned Topher wants to do something important with his life, but this misguided young man feels as lost as Ella’s slipper after the ball. His devious adviser Sebastian (Brandon Crawford), the Lord Chancellor, has been keeping him in the dark about his kingdom in the hopes of a power grab. Lord Pinkleton (Daniel Boodoo), Sebastian’s henchman, aids him in his nefarious schemes.

Meanwhile, passionate peasant Jean-Michel (John Larance) is on fire for two things: making a positive change for the kingdom’s lower classes, and Gabrielle. But of course, her courtship with this poor revolutionary is forbidden. As befits a fairytale, Ella and Topher also waltz into obstacles at every turn, though they discover that the evenings are less lonely when they find the music in each other. Will they ever learn if the shoe fits – and find their “happily ever after”?

A storybook ensemble (Jamille Lea Brewster, Janik Buranosky, Benjamin Burnette, Angelina Canter, Lily Capote, Cristian A. Cardoso, Chelsea Dellinger, Tom Ferreira, Valynn C. Flaherty, Adrienne Hebert, Janea King, Hunter Leary, Adrianah Lee, Michael David Lesousky, Joan Elizabeth McDonald, Joshua Michel, Kaitlyn Nast, Josiah Naed Santiago) sparkles and shines as the stars of Tinseltown in this spectacular show.

Once upon a time, Rodgers & Hammerstein first wrote “Cinderella” as an original musical for television in 1957, starring Julie Andrews. The 1965 remake with Lesley Ann Warren and the 1997 remake with Brandy, both also made for TV, each charmed their respective generations. Numerous theatrical versions appeared on stage over the years.

Finally, in 2013, this revamped adaptation with a new book by Douglas Carter Beane premiered on Broadway, breathing new life into the classic. As lovely as a glass slipper in the moonlight, this new version of the favorite fairytale keeps the best of the beloved musical while updating it with a fresh and funny spin. You’ll fall in love with this charming romantic fantasy long before the stroke of midnight!

“Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” is directed and choreographed by Steven Flaa. Music director is Jason Bartosic. Scenic and projections designer is Evan Frank. Costume designer is Amanda Jones. Lighting designer is Corey Whittemore. Sound designer is Jazmine Whipple. Props designer is Laura Bradford. Stage manager is Greg Doss.

The musical “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” is live on stage September 5-22 at Ocala Civic Theatre. There will be 15 performances: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $17 for ages 18 and younger. Buy tickets online any time at www.ocalacivictheatre.com. To buy tickets through the OCT box office, call (352) 236-2274 or visit Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
New Book by Douglas Carter Beane
Original Book by Oscar Hammerstein II

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