Culture Surfing - Anthony Rodriguez’s Top Five

As artistic director of Aurora Theatre, Rodriguez currently has his hands full while the playhouse moves to Lawrenceville after 10 seasons in Duluth. Until Aurora’s new permanent theater opens, shows will play at such venues as Central Gwinnett Auditorium, where Lucky Stiff runs Aug. 17-Sept. 17. Not surprisingly, Aurora’s new home is very much on Rodriguez’s mind.

1) Metamorphoses, Georgia Shakespeare: “I was moved from the very first moment of the play and riveted for the entire 90-plus minutes. A play, an event, a grand tour de force that should not be missed.”

2) “The West Wing,” seasons 1-6 on DVD: “Working with the city of Lawrenceville to create a partnership for our new theater offered a lesson in civics. “West Wing” may not be “real life,” but the producers have done a great job of crafting a superb behind-the-scenes look at the world of the White House.”

3) Li’l River Grill: “A great Lawrenceville restaurant situated directly across from the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse. Whether you are looking for a romantic dinner or a bar with a great wine list and a tasty dirty martini, this is the place.”

4) Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, Chastain Park, Aug. 25: “I won’t be able to attend this year but had the pleasure of seeing him at Chastain two other times, and it was fantastic. I gladly stayed seated through a torrential downpour, holding an empty Tupperware dish over my head for the last half-hour of one show.”

5) visitlawrenceville.com: “A great website for finding out all the things to see and do in its historic downtown. If you haven’t made the short drive (if you wait until after rush hour) up I-85, you should.”