Wednesday, June 26 7 p.m. Urban ReThink, 625 E. Central Blvd. 407-704-6895 urbanrethink.com $5 suggested donation Urban ReThink has gone through a bit of a renewal of its own recently, with the arrival of new ReThinkers Shaina Anderson and Brendan O’Connor. Converse is the newest addition to Urban ReThink’s Signature Series of thoughtful and thought-provoking arts programming at the downtown space, and it’s one we hope will happen more than once: a “talk show” in which the audience becomes the subject. Improviser and actor Mary Thompson Hunt conceived of Converse as an adaptation of the late monologist Spalding Gray’s Interviewing the Audience piece, first performed in the 1980s. After leading the audience through a series of challenging queries, Hunt brings up “guests” to the stage for interviews, demonstrating that fascinating minds are all around us, if we just take the time to explore. – Jessica Bryce Young
Wednesday, June 26 5:30 p.m. The Hammered Lamb, 1235 N. Orange Ave. 407-377-0400 facebook.com/orlandoweekly free, RSVP on Facebook for admission Chances are you’ve seen one of Orlando Weekly’s bright-red (or chocolate-brown, if you’re downtown) street boxes tacitly loitering around any number of places around town – you know, the box where you grab a hard copy of the magazine each week? Well, while our creative department continuously designs “pop-in-the-box” magazine covers, we thought we’d step it up a notch and invite three local artists to pretty up our street boxes in their own style. We’re stoked to see what the finalists come up with: Austin James’ (aka Wet Brain) colorful drawings graced an OW cover last year (see: “WTF Orlando?,” Aug. 22, 2012); B-Side member Wolfrich is known for multi-eyed doodles; and Kittens of Industry’s Jaime Torraco’s illos “for the Sunshine Noir” currently hang at BART. And because the OW folks love a party, we’ve lined up the artists to paint the boxes live at the finale event at the Hammered Lamb, where partygoers will watch the action with free Blue Moon beer and hors d’oeuvres in hand, and then vote for their favorite painted box. The winner takes home a $100 gift card to Sam Flax, gift cards to other local businesses and a case of Blue Moon. It’s win, lose or … paint. – Aimee Vitek
Thursday, June 27 6 p.m. Magic Grill at Amway Center, 400 W. Church St. 407-440-7000 nba.com/magic/draftparty free As the Orlando Magic face a Field of Dreams mission while rebuilding the roster, the NBA Draft has become a major point of interest. With the second pick – provided they don’t trade it away – the team could jockey for some of the most attractive up-and-comers, like Ben McLemore, a shooting guard out of Kansas who has a better shooting percentage than even Ray Allen did at McLemore’s age. With Nikola Vucevic retained and tiptoeing around the restricted area, a return to the formula of attempting and sinking threes with a strong center playing cleanup is certainly enticing to fans who kicked the dirt outside the Amway Center after so many losses last season. The Draft airs on Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN, but if you really want to get in the spirit, join the party at the Magic Grill at 6 p.m. to enjoy special appearances, discounts and ticket offer exclusives. RSVP at nba.com/magic/draftparty. – Ashley Belanger
Thursday, June 27 6:30 p.m. Lake Eola Bandshell, 195 N. Rosalind Ave. paintorlandored.com free It doesn’t matter what the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions on the federal Defense of Marriage Act or California’s Proposition 8 gay-marriage ban might be – at press time, they were both still up in the air, with a ruling coming this week – because marriage equality proponents in Orlando are comfortable enough with the fact that we’ve even come to this point (and that the decision, however measured, will be a step forward) to throw a “pep rally” for equality. An impressive array of speakers – including Congressman Alan Grayson and state Rep. Joe Saunders, D-Orlando – will charge spirits for the rest of the fight, and red luminaries will be placed around Lake Eola for symbolic solidarity. The event also serves as a launch for a petition drive started by Equality Florida and Freedom to Marry called “Get Engaged” (clever!), which is seeding the effort to overturn Florida’s constitutional gay-marriage ban. This is really happening. You should be part of it. – Billy Manes
Friday, June 28 with the Plush Monsters, the Woolly Bushmen, Maximino 9 p.m. Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave. willspub.org $5 We love when sounds are at once warm and blue, and the latest local band to strike that chord is Fast Preacher, the solo project of singer-guitarist Daniel Hanson, who many might recognize from his heavy hand in Orlando bands Fat Night and the Broken Inn. His lyrics are beautifully uncomplicated and delivered simply to embellish the emotion the guitar is already evoking. Although he only has five songs posted online, he covers an impressive range of folk, blues and psych stylings and even gets a little noodle-y on “Trip,” so we’re eager to see what he’d do on a proper full-length release. Hanson is also part of the headlining band the Plush Monsters, an inventive four-piece indie rock band whose 2012 Halloween EP was more joyful than you’d expect, kinda like the kid who opts out of spooky costumes and prefers to dress up as a giant banana instead of a makeup-caked zombie. – Ashley Belanger
Saturday, June 29 7 p.m. The Space, 1206 E. Colonial Drive free Brian Phillips is known around town for his mysterious and foreboding paintings – images of snarling cheetahs, burning houses and stripped mastodon skulls that induce an uneasy sensation in the viewer. Now he presents his first full show of three-dimensional works. The sculptures we’ve seen so far from There Are No Answers create the same almost-cinematic atmosphere as the paintings, but in their abstract coiling or glittering or tentacular forms, exude a much darker aura. Expect an evening of ominous delight at the Space, a new event, uh, space on Colonial Drive that joins Orlando’s recent trend of un-Googleable names (the Venue, the Other Bar, etc.); should you be unable to make it to the opening, Phillip’s work will be on display at the Space Saturday from noon through the end of the opening, and Sunday at noon as well. – Jessica Bryce Young
Saturday-Sunday, June 29-30 1 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Enzian Theater, 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland 407-629-0054 enzian.org $10 If you look up the definition of sommelier it may say something as simple as “wine waiter,” but au contraire, mon ami, it is much more than that. A sommelier, for those of us who can’t afford to eat at restaurants that have such exquisite service, is the French term for an individual who has extensive education about wine and food pairings available in a restaurant. The knowledge is much more than a quick sniff, swirl, taste and down the hatchet – it takes passion, obsession and time. The award-winning documentary SOMM reveals just that by introducing us to the secret world of master sommeliers. SOMM follows four young hopefuls who have prepared for years on their journey during the last few weeks before they take the prestigious exam to become master sommeliers, a test with one of the lowest passing rates in the world. Drink it all up at Enzian Theater this week and find out if they make it. – Kelly Chambers
Sunday, June 30 3-9 p.m. Full Sail Live, 141 University Park Drive, Winter Park redbullbcone.com $5 Breaking news: literally. The hunt begins for the known-universe’s best B-boy, and the competition is about to break ground at Full Sail Live. The Red Bull BC One Cypher Orlando, the first level of a three-tier international breakdancing contest, invites all ages to watch. Hosted by rapper MC Supernatural and judged by renowned B-people RoxRite, Jeskilz and Reveal, the battles feature 16 Floridian B-boys, the best of whom go on to compete in Houston, Texas, this August for the opportunity to advance to the South Korean-hosted World Finals later this year. Arrive when the doors open for front-row seats to the showdown between the Sunshine State’s own Anthony “Omen” Cabrera, Robert “Fantum” Bell and Alfredo “Lego” Sotelo, to name a few. The event is a chance for you to take a break this weekend, but the only thing these B-boys are going to break is dance. – Lauren Killer
Tuesday, July 2 6:30 p.m. House of Blues, Downtown Disney West Side, Lake Buena Vista 407-934-2583 hob.com $22-$25 Emeli Sandé is a massive pop star in her homeland – her Our Version of Events recently broke the Beatles’ record for a debut album’s longest consecutive stint in the U.K. top 10, she sang in the 2012 Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies, and took home two of the top honors at this year’s Brit Awards – so it’s somewhat bizarre that the incredibly talented singer-songwriter is still struggling for recognition in the U.S. However, instead of becoming a contemporary version of Robbie Williams – can’t walk down an English sidewalk, can’t get arrested in New York – Sandé’s path feels more similar to Adele’s. American audiences are slowly, gradually being wooed by the effortless and astounding way Sandé blends contemporary production, soulful singing and deft songwriting into a unique and powerful package that feels like a secret only you’re in on until, suddenly, it’s the biggest thing in the world. – Jason Ferguson