The closing reception for Mark Gonzalez's solo show Navigating the Kaleidoscope will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight at USF-Tampa's Centre Gallery. Visit the gallery to meet the artist, see his colorfully compelling works and enjoy some free food. The Centre Gallery is located on the second floor of the Marshall Student Center in room 2700, at 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, Fla. It is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
West Coast Players premieres Monkey Monkey Bottle of Beer, How Many Monkeys Have We Here?, directed by Tom Costello. As silly as the title sounds, this is far from a comedy, set in the waiting room of a clinic where five mothers await word on the futures of their intellectually disabled children. The moms been given the opportunity to upgrade their kids' brains to genius level, and as they mull it over, the very nature of parental love comes into focus.
Sept. 19-Oct. 5, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. West Coast Players, 21905 U.S. 19 N., near the corner of Drew St. and U.S. 19 N. Call 727-437-2363.
Be inspired and entertained by off-Broadway actress Barbara Bates Smith and musician Jeff Sebens, who will perform in Go, Granny D!, presented by Largo’s New Stage Theatre & Conservatory 7 p.m. tonight at USF-St. Pete's Bayboro Hall. Smith portrays real-life New Hampshire activist and author Doris “Granny D” Haddock, who between ages 88 and 90 walked 3,200 miles from coast to coast to stump for campaign finance reform, a cause for which she continued to lobby right up through her 100th and final birthday. The play is a precursor to the historic walk planned by octogenarian Rhana Bazzini, which will begin Oct. 13 in Sarasota and end at the Capitol in Tallahassee. Her walk will be endorsed by Move to Amend, Public Citizen, Common Cause, and MoveOn. Admission to the play tonight is free. Or, visit New Stage in Largo, 11650 131st St. N. Largo, at 8 p.m. tomorrow night, Sept. 20, to see the show for just $20 a pop. Or see the play for free again at UT's Plant Hall on Mon., Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. (Ned Averill-Snell contributed to this text.)