Search results for

Making Light Productions presents Spotlight of Stars 2026, an inspiring afternoon of performance showcasing the talent, creativity, and growth of our students and instructors.

This annual event brings the MLP community together on stage for a dynamic mix of group numbers and solo performances. From musical theatre favorites to heartfelt original moments, each piece reflects the dedication and artistic development of the performers.

At the heart of Spotlight of Stars is a celebration of progress—of skills built, confidence gained, and voices discovered. Audiences will experience a wide range of performances that highlight not just technical ability, but storytelling, connection, and joy.

A special part of the program honors students who are transitioning into adulthood. At Making Light, we recognize that every path is different, and this moment celebrates each student’s journey, their accomplishments, and the impact they have made within our community.

Whether you are a longtime supporter or new to Making Light Productions, Spotlight of Stars 2026 offers a meaningful and uplifting experience for all ages.

Join us as we celebrate our performers, our community, and the power of the arts to bring people together.

Spend an evening with Dr. Chris Watkins as she discusses her groundbreaking book, The Drag Gospel of Queer Jesus, with Dr. L. Lamar Wilson.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rescuing biblical language from misuse by those who would persecute queerness and subjugate the natural world, The Drag Gospel of Queer Jesus contemporizes and enlivens Biblical mysteries, exploring queer/trans identities and Florida ecologies through poetic forms (both received and invented) as often as through free verse. Simultaneously playful and serious, like the best drag performances, these poems nod equally and as often to the work of RuPaul or Marsha P. Johnson as to William Shakespeare or the author(s) of Genesis. Meanwhile, as the poems point to the artificial constructions of gender, they also embrace the (queer) natural world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chrysanthemum (Chris) Brook Watkins is a trans poet, writer, and environmental activist living in North Florida. They spend as much time as they can on the water and in the swamps, and they are a proud board member of Apalachicola Riverkeeper. Chris received their PhD in Poetry with a focus in Ecopoetics and Environmental Writing, Poetic Forms, and Queer Literature from Florida State University. Chris now works as the Academics and Partnerships Coordinator at FSU’s Office of Sustainability (Sustainable Campus) and teaches both writing and sustainability courses.

ABOUT L. LAMAR WILSON

L. Lamar Wilson is an Affrilachian writer of multiethnic descent. He holds an MFA from Virginia Tech and a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. L. Lamar Wilson's poems have appeared in African American Review, Callaloo, jubilat, Los Angeles Review, The 100 Best African American Poems, and other journals and anthologies.

International Women’s Ride Day is going down May 2nd from 11AM–3PM, and you’re invited.

Pull up, bring your bike, and ride with a solid group of women who love the same thing you do. This isn’t anything complicated — just a good day to ride, meet new people, and enjoy the vibe.

We’ll have a food truck on site, good energy, and plenty of bikes lined up. Whether you’ve been riding for years or just getting started, you’re welcome.

All bikes. All women. All love.

Midtown Reader invites you to a meet and greet with three fantastic local authors!

ABOUT EMILY ROBYN CLARK

Emily Robyn Clark is an award-winning poet and filmmaker, and the author of Morning Comes Roaring Down the Mountain (2025) and Art Triumphant (2017). Her poetry has appeared in SLANT, Cantos, Lullwater Review, The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, and LA’s Cultural Daily, among others, and she has performed her work at venues across the United States, including the historic Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center in Venice Beach, SoHo Music Club in Santa Barbara, The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank, and The Aspen Poets’ Society in Aspen. She studied poetry, fiction, and creative writing at Virginia Commonwealth University and trained in screenwriting and producing in the MFA Film Production program at Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts. She is the founder and president of The Screenwriter’s Guild, a chapter of the League of Utah Writers, a former Artist-in-Residence with California Poets in the Schools, and an alumni mentor at Florida State University.

ABOUT MORNING COMES ROARING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

In Morning Comes Roaring Down the Mountain, the riveting debut collection from award-winning poet and filmmaker Emily Robyn Clark, the force grounding the collection is the mountain, symbolizing the desire to reach the place "where all the beauty came from." Her imagery is striking, a natural extension of her training as a filmmaker. The landscape of her poems carries us from Western wilderness to blood-soaked Southern soil. With candor and cinematic vision, Clark offers glimpses of healing and rebirth amid devastation.

ABOUT CHECK BECKETT

Chuck Becket is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force; his nine-year military tenure provided the foundation for his writing. Beckett tries to weave intricate layers of logistical and technological realism into his stories. He holds an MBA from Auburn University.

He is an instrument-rated pilot and certified rescue diver, skills that help inform the authenticity of his protagonist’s world. When he isn’t navigating the complexities of his next thriller, he can be found traveling throughout the world or at his home in Tallahassee or at his condo in Panama City Beach, Florida, with his wife of over thirty years.

ABOUT DEADLY COLUMBIAN EXTRACTION

A routine prisoner extradition. A plane crash in Colombian jungle. Nothing routine about what comes next. When the aircraft carrying cartel accountant Esteban Rojas goes down in hostile territory, Deputy U.S. Marshal PJ Steele is the only thing standing between two dozen wounded survivors and the sicarios already closing in. The cartel wants their man back. They don't care who dies in the process.

Former Air Force Pararescue - eight years of combat medicine, tactical operations, and pulling people out of the worst places on earth - PJ falls back on every bit of that training. Triage the wounded. Arm the able. Move through jungle with a cartel army on their heels and no extraction coming. The briefing said straightforward. The jungle says otherwise. Some are trained to save every wounded soul; others to neutralize threats with cold, precise finality and without hesitation. PJ Steele is both.

ABOUT EMILY FIORE

Emily Fiore is a career counselor with over 10 years of experience in career services at colleges and universities. She holds both a Master of Science and an Education Specialist degree in career counseling. With specialized training in career development and its relationship to mental health, Emily applies her expertise to help young people make career decisions with confidence.

Emily’s goal is to help every student who has wondered, "How do I know what I want to do with my life?" think about career decisions differently than before and navigate their futures with clarity.

ABOUT FOLLOW THE SUNRISE

Are you a high school senior headed to college or a current college student? Do you feel stressed about the future? Have you tried to find your career direction or choose a college major, but still feel stuck?

If yes, this workbook is for you.

Here’s the good news: You don’t need all the answers right now to find your career direction or to make your next career decision.

In Follow the Sunrise, discover how to make career decisions with confidence.

“New Beginnings” Exhibition Extended through May 16 at SJC Gallery

There is still time to come out and enjoy viewing and purchasing beautiful art from the "New Beginnings" exhibition at Stan Johnson Creative art gallery! By popular request, the inaugural exhibition, which was scheduled to run through April 11, has been extended through May 16.

Approximately 52 works of art created and collected by Tallahassee and North Central Florida artists are on display. The artists and their works within this exhibition may also be viewed online at: https://www.sjc.gallery/artists-collections-1

The exhibition features works by contemporary and award-winning artists Paul Houzell (Tallahassee, Florida) and Turbado Marabou (Gainesville, Florida), a special collection of African Art curated by Ok Sun Burks (Starke, Florida), and fine art photography by gallery owner Stan Johnson (Quincy, Florida) featuring images from his recent travel to Cuba.

SJC Gallery is committed to showcasing diverse voices, global traditions, and meaningful, visual and artistic storytelling. New Beginnings reflects both the gallery’s mission and the spirit of its opening—honoring creative origins, transformation, and artistic growth. Guests are offered the opportunity to experience the gallery’s vision firsthand, meet members of the creative community, and explore a thoughtfully curated collection that bridges contemporary and traditional art forms.

“We are deeply grateful for the love and support shown by all who came to our gallery's grand launch and the opening of our first exhibition titled "New Beginnings" held in February 14th,” said gallery owner Stan Johnson who is also a professor at the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication at Florida A&M University. .

“We continue to welcome gallery visitors during our public hours from 3-6pm, Tuesday - Friday, and from noon-6pm on Saturdays.”

Stan Johnson Creative Gallery aims to become a vibrant cultural destination in Tallahassee, fostering dialogue, creativity, and connection through exhibitions, events, and community engagement.

Where: SJC Gallery, 1747 S. Adams Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32307

Admission: Free and open to the public. Donations welcome.

Parking: Behind the Gallery, behind the North Florida Regional Thyroid Center building, and on Adams Street (just past the FAMU entrance).

For more information, media inquiries, or upcoming programming, please contact:

Stan Johnson, SJC Gallery owner, at 850-294-9668, email stanjcreative@gmail.com or visit online at www.sjc.gallery/upcoming-events

FREE FREE FREE. CARRABELLE COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR April 23 9AM to 1PM
FREE Health Screenings **heart rate **blood pressure **oxygen **sugar/glucose/A1C **colorectal (blood test) **cholesterol **kidney function **prostate cancer
FREE Information on health care and transportation.
FREE PRODUCTS from providers
FREE chance to win one of the 5 raffles for $50 gift cards to IGA
FREE Ice Cream provided by Sheriff’s office

Providers
Department of Health Nurse
North Florida Medical Center East Point
Guardant Health
Second Harvest of the Big Bend
Bond Community Health Center
FSU REACH Program
TMH Memory Disorder Clinic
Elder Care Services
Big Bend Transit
Healthy Families/Healthy Start
Dept of Children Welfare / Early Learning Coalition of NW FL
Happy Body Peaceful Mind
Carrabelle Food Pantry
United Way of Big Bend
CORE NETWORK
Disc Village/NWF Health Network/Apalachee/DOH/Sheriff’s office
Department of Health / Big Bend AHEC
Florida Springs Wellness & Recovery Center
Oxford House, Inc.
Refuge House, Inc.
Veterans Affairs
Blood One Bus
Clinical Home Medical
Fire Dept
Franklin County Emergency Management
Franklin County EMS
Big Bend Hospice
Pan Care Bus RCORP & CORE Programming

Club -n- Grub is back, and this month we’ve got Silent Watch MC out front running the grill. It’s a relaxed, come-as-you-are kind of event—grab something to eat, talk bikes, and spend time with other riders. Riding Academy graduates are encouraged to come back out, take a test ride, and reconnect with the riding community.

North America’s largest award-winning interactive true crime murder mystery dinner show invites you into a night of laughter, mystery, and audience-driven intrigue. Enjoy a full dinner while a hilarious crime unfolds around you—but stay alert. The culprit is hiding in plain sight, and before the night is over, you could find yourself named a Prime Suspect.

Now playing at Hilton Garden Inn Tallahassee Central in Tallahassee, FL, this murder mystery dinner experience is unlike traditional dinner theater. Our professional actors are not in costume and are secretly planted among the guests, creating a modern, social, and highly interactive evening. Each ticket includes our signature live murder mystery show, a complete dinner, waitstaff gratuity, and plenty of unexpected twists. Reserve your tickets now and crack the case before it’s too late.

Planning a group celebration or private event in Tallahassee? We specialize in custom private shows for companies, parties, and organizations of nearly any size—hosted at our public venue or brought directly to your location. Perfect for team outings, corporate events, and unforgettable celebrations.

Join us on Wednesday evenings at 7PM for story time adventures thru June 24th! Whether you're out on the town for a family meal or finishing up dinner at home, please stop by for a fun time of reading with our reading volunteers!

A Midweek Meetup for Women Leaders, Women Doers & Women Supporters.
Join us for a special Women Wednesdays: Midweek Meetup, After Hours in partnership with the Tallahassee-Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.

This evening edition brings a new energy to our Midweek Meetup series with a dynamic panel featuring women working in male-dominated industries. Hear their stories, gain insight into the challenges they’ve navigated, and learn how they’re building, leading, and breaking barriers in their fields.

Connect with fellow founders, professionals, creatives, and community members for meaningful conversation and authentic networking in a supportive space designed to uplift women at every stage.