A Century of Memories at the Melrose Gallery

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The rich history of the Orange County Library System’s Albertson Public Library and Orlando Public Library is captured in these photographs taken through the decades. Images portray library patrons using resources and technology of different eras, library staff members engaged in everyday activities, and compelling shots of the two buildings that have occupied the corner of Rosalind Ave and Central Boulevard for the last 100 years.  The exhibit will be on display through November 2023.

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Summer At Your Library – Melrose Pop Festival

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On June 10th, the Melrose Center pays tribute to a seminal event in the history of popular music with the Melrose Pop Festival. Over a weekend in June 1967 at the County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California, organizers led by record producer Lou Adler and musician John Phillips staged the Monterey International Pop Festival. The festival brought together acts from an array of regional musical scenes, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Memphis and London. It featured memorable break out performances by Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, the Who and Ravi Shankar among others. The success of the Monterey Pop Festival led directly to the advent of subsequent large-scale music festivals, from Woodstock at the end of the 1960s right through to current-day fixtures like Glastonbury and Coachella.  

While the Melrose Pop Festival will occur in a single afternoon rather than over multiple days, the event will serve as the Melrose Center’s homage to the spirit of Monterey. It will be an afternoon of Peace Love and Music, featuring six acts with Central Florida ties.  Eugene Snowden headlines the bill with his special blend of blues and soul. Beth McKee brings her southern roots sound to the festivities with her Funky Time Band. Indie-folk singer-songwriter Hannah Stokes, winner of Orlando Weekly’s 2022 Readers Poll Best Singer-Songwriter award, will be accompanied by her full band.  The Oak Hill Drifters will lend their rockabilly western swing sensibilities to the proceedings. Milk Carton Superstars will appear with a sampling of their songs made mostly from guitar, drums and reasonable words. And making a rare in-person performance, Orlando’s longtime leading exporter of lo-fi original music, Marc With a C, will open the festival with a solo mini-set. 

Hosted by Marko Torres, the Melrose Pop Festival will take place on the newly refurbished Melrose Stage from 2:00 – 7:00 p.m. 

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Then & Now: 100 years of Orlando Public Library

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The Melrose Gallery is pleased to host a retrospective look at the history of the Orlando Public Library building and its operation over the years. Work displayed includes imagery from local photographers during the 1960s through the 1980s and current day recreations by Winny Rivas to celebrate the unique structural and environmental changes that have occurred in the Orlando Public Library building and its surroundings.  You may view the exhibit on the second floor of the Orlando Public Library.

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Improv Town Hall

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The Central Florida Improv Community Town Hall is a networking and resource event. We invite improvisors of all skill levels to join us for this Town Hall on which has been created to encourage growth, provide training, and receive insight into producing opportunities for our art form. The Town Hall will extend past library open hours on January 23rd from 6p.m. – 9p.m. Attendees must arrive before 7 PM in order to join.

Attendees will be provided headshots on a first come first serve basis.

Coaching Sessions – Improv troupes interested in a feedback coaching session must email Marko Torres at torres.marko@ocls.info to register their troupe up to the day before the Town Hall event.

  • Coaches:
    • Katelyn Berrios
      • Creator of Improvengers, the annual multi day improv show at Megacon.
      • Mountain Improv Holiday Show in Mount Dora, FL
      • Featured performer in A Knight to Be Major benefit show
    • Melanie Leon
      • Melanie Leon is an improvisor, actor, and writer in Orlando, Florida. She is the CEO of The Improv Network. She has toured the country with a comedy show and continues to travel to improvise and teach at festivals and theaters. Mel also coaches, uses improv at hospitals to help better train medical professionals, teaches applied improv to companies, does corporate events, and uses improv to help train difficult leadership topics for the US military. Locally, she performs, hosts, and teaches at different places, including SAK Comedy Lab and The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, performs with her own indie teams, and is a producer of the Orlando Fringe Festival. Her true passions in life are improv, animals, sugar, and travel.

Games Session – A breakout jam session consisting of short form games. Lead by Andrew Bond & Mallory Ertel

Femprov – A workshop on creating a respectful and inclusive environment for women to thrive in improv comedy. Presented by Halley Spencer & Emily Broker

Panelist discussion & Q&A Session – Central Florida show producers speak on the creation of their shows, obstacles and successes. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and open discussions.

  • Our Panelists
    • Zane Ertel – The Corner Gallery Improv Show at Penguin Point
    • Dylan Miller – The Comedy Chaser presented by Subject To Change
    • Alex Streu – Nitro Theater
    • Mat Gervia – Orlando Comedy Festival
    • Gina Hunter – SAK Comedy Lab – Corporate Events and Sales Director

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