May Calendar

Von Liebig Art Center. Continuing through May 3: the Jade Riedel Scholarship Juried Exhibition, featuring works by Collier County's high school students. The Naples Art Association's Members' Juried Exhibition opens May 10 to run through July 5; and coming up May 31-July 5 is Selections from the von Liebig Art Center Permanent Collection. Information: 262-6517.

Tilting at Windmills. Continuing through May 14: a show featuring original oils by European Impressionists Christian Jereczek and Malva. Information: 498-3368.

Marianne Friedland Gallery. Summer Splendor, May 5-17, presents representational and abstract paintings and works on paper by Wolf Kahn, Jules Olitski, Janet Fish and other artists. Information: 262-3484.

Naples Museum. Eye Contact: Modern American Portrait Drawings from the National Portrait Gallery continues through May 18. Also on view here: Flor Garduño, Inner Light: Still Lifes and Nudes by the Mexican photographer (through July 31); Gilbert Lesser Theatre Posters (through July 31); and Correalism: Modern Art and Architectural Design, featuring selected works from the museum's American Modern collection, through July 31. Information: 597-1900.

Art League of Marco Island. Continuing through Sept. 30: the members' summer show. Information: 394-4221.

Aboriginals Art of the First Person. Figuratively Speaking is a show devoted to new Zuni, Navajo, Cochiti and other tribal fetish carvings, running May 2-31. Information: 395-2200.

Lee County Alliance for the Arts. Young Artists 2003 highlights the work of Lee County school students, May 2-31. Also this month: a jazz concert May 3, and Collecting Art: Its Pleasures, Pitfalls and Profits, at 5:30 p.m. on a date TBA. Information: 939-2787.

Museum of the Everglades. Photos by Fred Thomas are displayed May 2-31 (reception at 2 p.m. May 4). Information: 695-0008.

Cape Coral Arts Studio. Enjoy May's Bouquets, a multi-media exhibition focused on the floral world, May 2-June 6 (reception 5 p.m. May 9). Information: 574-0802.

Gallery Victoria. Artescape Naples 2003 Qualifying Exhibition IV opens May 3 and runs through May 23. Also on display: Shona sculpture from Zimbabwe. Information: 649-4300.

Benefits

Great Dock Canoe Race. This sometimes wacky, sometimes competitive race on Naples Bay pits "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" against one another this year, all to benefit the Cancer Alliance of Naples. Begins at 11 a.m. May 10 at Crayton Cove. Information: 261-4191.

Golden Apple Dinner. Presented by the Collier County Education Foundation to give recognition to the county's finest teachers, especially the six who receive the Golden Apple award. At 6 p.m. May 13 at the Phil. Tickets are $1,000 per couple; call 643-4755.

Eden Florida: Alive in the World. An event featuring singer Francine Reed, dinner, a silent auction, martini bar and more to benefit Eden Florida's programs for autistic children and adults, from 6 to 10 p.m. May 17 at the Sugden Theatre. Tickets $150 each; call 514-0769 or 436-1988.

Children

Sadako and a Thousand Cranes. A world premiere musical based on the true story of a Japanese girl after the atomic bomb was dropped on her city of Hiroshima. At 9:45 and 11:45 a.m. May 6 and 9:45 a.m. May 7 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Amelia Earhart. Florida Repertory Theatre offers this production about the pioneer aviatrix, at 9:45 and 11:45 a m. May 8 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Film

Wild Child. Based on an unusual journal, the 1806 memoirs of a French physician, Jean Itard, will be shown at 2 p.m. May 13 at the Naples branch of the Collier County Library as part of the Foreign Film Series, with English subtitles. To register, call 263-7768.

Miscellaneous

The Everglades: Exploitation and Conservation. The exhibit traces the history of the River of Grass through photographs, illustrations, maps and artifacts, through May 19 at the Collier County Museum in Naples. 774-8476.

Marco Island Film Festival Celebrity Charity Weekend. Soap, film and sports celebrities return to Southwest Florida May 2-4 for a weekend of film festival fundraisers: a VIP reception, golf tournament, theater performance and Sunday brunch, all at various locations. Information: 642-3378.

A Taste of Collier. Delicious foods of all kinds for sampling, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 4 on Third Street South. Sponsored by the Florida Restaurant Association to support Collier County charities. Information: 261-3307 or 434-8888.

Mother's Day Weekend Festival and Sales. Set for May 9-11 along Fifth Avenue South, and including a craft festival with a food court and entertainment May 10 and 11. The monthly "Evening on Fifth" is also planned from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. May 8. Information: 435-3742.

Music

Naples Philharmonic Classical Series. Drama and Destiny is the theme for this concert, featuring guest conductor Jorge Mester and cellist Gary Hoffman performing Elgar's Concerto for Cello in E Minor. Also on the program: Beethoven's Coriolan Overture and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E Minor. At 8 p.m. May 2 and 3 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Bluegrass Concert and Jam. Join in the acoustic jam session from 2 to 5 p.m. May 4 at the Buckingham Community Center in Fort Myers. Admission is $5. Information: 626-5399.

Naples Philharmonic Family Fare. Words and Music celebrates Mother's Day with a program of music, painting and poetry, featuring works by Collier County students. Scheduled works include Ravel's Mother Goose and Herbert's March of the Toys. At 3 p.m. May 11 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Southwest Florida Symphony Stained Glass Series. The symphony's Children's Chorus offers To Mom with Love, songs of love as well as the Florida premiere of Snow White, at 4 p.m. May 11 at Shell Point Village Church in Fort Myers. Information: 418-1500.

Naples Philharmonic Pops Series. It's time for Patriotic Pops as conductor Erich Kunzel leads the orchestra and the Soldiers Chorus of the United States Army Field Bank on favorites including "God Bless America." At 8 p.m. May 15-17 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Naples Philharmonic Chamber Series. Enjoy The Spice of Life with this concert featuring Debussy's Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp, along with John Evans' Two Movements for Violin and Marimba and Hoffmeister's Solo Quartet No. 3 for solo bass and string trio. At 8 p.m. May 21 in the Phil's Daniels Pavilion. Also this month: Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, at 8 p.m. May 28 in Hayes Hall. Information: 597-1900.

Naples Philharmonic Casual Classics. Mozart's Don Giovanni Overture and favorites from Handel's Water Music are among the works featured at a Festival of Style, led by Clotilde Otranto. Oboist Judy Christy is spotlighted. At 8 p.m. May 31 at the Phil. Information: 597-1900.

Theater

Tintypes. American music nostalgia, through May 4 at the Cultural Park Theatre in Cape Coral. Information: 772-5862.

Born Yesterday. Garson Kanin's classic comedy ends its run May 11 at the Sugden Community Theatre. Information: 263-7990.

J.T. Smith and Friends. A musical revue, continuing through May 17 at the Old Schoolhouse Theater. Information: 472-6862.

Ain't Misbehavin'. All those Fats Waller tunes keep the joint jumpin' through May 18 at Florida Repertory Theatre. Information: 332-4488.

The Buddy Holly Story. The life of the musical pioneer, onstage through May 31 at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. Information: 278-4422.

Bedroom Farce. The marital problems of one couple invade the bedrooms of several others in this comedy by Alan Ayckbourn, onstage May 1-25. Information: 514-7827.

The Vagina Monologues. Eve Ensler's hit about that certain part of a woman's anatomy, May 6-11 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. Information: 481-4849.

Don't Drink the Water. The early Woody Allen comedy about Americans abroad, onstage at the Cultural Park Theatre in Cape Coral May 16-June 1. Information: 772-5862.

TBA. Theatre Conspiracy promises two world premieres this month, springing from its annual new play contest. Dates are May 22-June 8 at the Foulds Theatre and May 29-June 15 at the Off Broadway Palm; titles TBA. Call 936-3239.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Yep, it's still in business in this country musical, onstage May 29-July 5 at Naples Dinner Theatre. Information: 514-7827.

Out of Order. Another farce from Brit Ray Cooney, this one involving a philandering MP, a suspicious hotel manager, angry spouses and, oh, yes, a dead body. Onstage May 29-Aug. 16 at the Old Schoolhouse Theater. Information: 472-6862.

Exit the Body. Speaking of bodies ... a young mystery writer stumbles across one in her closet in this farce, complicated by a diamond robbery, the police and summer vacationers. Onstage May 30-June 7 in a Charlotte Players production. Information: 255-1022.