Cosmic Rewind, which opened this spring, is an indoor roller coaster with a storyline that swings through outer space and is set to a pop-music soundtrack. Bermuda Storm, a motion-simulator attraction at Chimelong Spaceship theme park in Zhuhai, China, also was recognized in the attraction division.

SeaWorld’s Yas Island in Abu Dhabi won in the indoor marine park category.

Other outstanding achievement winners were Disney Encanto x CAMP in New York (retail experience, limited budget), Mussikkfabrikken Hunderfossen at Hunderfossen Eventyrpark in Norway (attraction, limited budget), Geneva Journey of Switzerland (live spectacular), Deutschlandmuseum of Berlin (museum attraction, limited budget), “Le Mime et L’Etoile” at Puy De Fou in France (live show), Titanic Belfast of Northern Ireland (visitor experience re-envisioned, limited budget), Johnnie Walker Princes Street in  Edinburgh, Scotland (brand experience), Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky in Haikou, China (immersive mall experience), Peaky Blinders: The Rise at Camden Stables Market of London (live interactive experience), Colored (Noire) of Centre Georges in Paris (extended reality exhibit) and Eatrenalin of Europa-Park in Germany (experiential dining attraction).

Individuals recognized include Su Zhigang, chairman and CEO of Chimelong Group, for the Buzz Price Award; Paul C. Hutton, principal and director of Regenerative Design at Cuningham for the Thea Catalyst Award, and David Green and Lisa Passamonte Green of Visual Terrain for the Peter Chernack Distinguished Service Award.

Liseberg, an amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden, received the Thea Classic Award.

Winners will be honored at a gala in Hollywood, California, in March. IAAPA Expo at Orange County Convention Center continues through Friday.

dbevil@orlandosentinel.com

Orlando’s Little Radical Theatre is staging the musical in a raucous, exuberant production that will hit the right buttons for “Rocky Horror” fans — and heaven knows, there are a lot of them. The production is full of energy and has the right subversive attitude. But as for the show itself, well, the times they are a-changin’.

When “The Rocky Horror Show” debuted in 1973 — two years before the film adaptation that would turn the musical into a cult favorite — it was celebrated (or derided, depending on your point of view) as a reflection of the growing sexual liberation of the times. Set up as a spoof of the sci-fi B-movies of Hollywood’s early years, the story follows Brad and Janet, a couple of “squares” who succumb to the oversexed world of a mad scientist from outer space Frank-N-Furter, who’s determined to create a perfect sexual being, the Rocky of the title.

But as the social climate changes, it feels odd now to hear the show toss around words like “transvestite” and “transsexual.” (Does anyone even say “transvestite” or “transsexual” anymore?) And in an era focused on sexual consent, scenes where Frank tricks Brad and Janet into sex are more off-putting than humorous, as originally intended.

The Little Radical production, directed by Travis Eaton, mitigates these problems somewhat by focusing on the show’s ultimate message of “Don’t dream it, be it” and shaking up the genders in casting.

Jennifer Rae Paxton, who uses she/they pronouns, is the lecherous Frank and gives the scientist a troublemaking sneer while gleefully romping through the production numbers. Rocky, the object of Frank’s affection, is a nonbinary creation, portrayed with glee by Marlo Coffin.

Brad and Janet stick to traditional gender roles, with Ryan Bassett playing up Brad’s nerdish qualities and Kristie Geng relishing Janet’s newly discovered sexual freedom. Yet even her stripping down to pasties can’t possibly feel as shocking in this sexualized age as it did decades ago.

In his staging, Eaton has smartly found a middle ground between a typical play in which the audience sits quietly and the now de rigueur interactive movie screenings, in which audience members dress up, yell out lines between the filmed actors’ words and throw things at the screen.

I walked into the theater during a preshow game as an audience volunteer was agreeing to be flogged. Goodie bags are available filled with props to be used during the show. And, yes, the audience is encouraged to rise and dance the iconic “Time Warp.”

But the most interesting idea is the insertion of a master of ceremonies, who sometimes leads the audience in the standard interjections — how many times do we hear “Castles don’t have phones!” — but also adds his own witty one-liners, some with on-point Florida-specific references to Gov. Ron DeSantis or Walt Disney World.

Kenny Robinson plays this role with a devilish twinkle akin to the narrators in Broadway’s “Shucked.” About 90% of his comments land solidly, with the other 10% drowned out by the other onstage action. And there is plenty of onstage action: choreographer Shawn Lowe has fun with his big ensemble.

Ensemble members even take to the aisles in the Shakespeare Center’s Mandell Theatre, but oddly face the stage instead of the audience; how much more fun it would be to see their faces while they are among us.

One final note: Musical director Nishaa Johnson’s band sounds great and adds immeasurably to the energy, with a special shoutout going to saxophonist Jesse Dean. The sweet sound of his sax? Now that’s sexy.

‘The Rocky Horror Show’

• Length: 2:30, including preshow games and an intermission
• Where: Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins St. in Orlando
• When: Through Nov. 19
• Cost: $30 ($25 students and seniors)
• Info: littleradicaltheatricsinc.com

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/arts, and go to orlandosentinel.com/theater for theater news and reviews.

Radar is a weekly digest of theme park news and notions. It appears on OrlandoSentinel.com on Wednesdays.

Mrs. Claus stirs things up

SeaWorld Orlando has sprinkled some new elements into its Christmas celebration, which is now underway on select evenings. Among the additions is “Mrs. Claus’ Magic Kitchen,” a stage show in Seaport Theater.

“You get a sneak peek into the culinary habits of the Clauses,” said John Minneci, manager for entertainment. In the story, “Mrs. Claus is getting all into social media. She wants to be the next TikTok trend.”

The plot involves her doing a video shoot on how to make the cookies that Santa loves most, he said.

“At the end, we learned a little lesson about how Mrs. Claus does her magic,” Minneci said.

It’s SeaWorld’s first holiday season with Pipeline, the roller coaster that opened this spring. The park is divided into “seas,” and the area around the ride has been designated Sea of Memories. The pathway is lined with trees decorated to represent different decades of holiday traditions, Minneci said.

“We took a lot of inspiration just from the ride itself,” he said. “The ride has a kind of retro vintage kind of vibe.”

Orlando theme parks: 10 things we’re thankful for in 2023

Among the holiday holdovers at SeaWorld are “O Wondrous Night,” “Elmo’s Christmas Wish Show,” a Christmas parade in Sesame Street Land, “Winter Wonderland On Ice,” the Sea of Trees display and the “Holiday Reflections” fireworks show.

The Christmas Market has moved into the Wild Arctic area.

“One thing that we really wanted to do this year was kind of elevate the theming of the seas that you see in the park. … Each one [sea] has a different theme based on the different holiday feeling, and it’s been like that for years,” Minneci said.

“What we wanted to do is really find ways that we could still enhance that and make sure that our guests know what those feelings are. So you’ll see a little bit more, you’ll see some signage, you’ll see some decor that kind of really helps tell the story of each land,” he said.

For dates and showtimes, go to SeaWorldOrlando.com or use the park’s official app.

Getting Very Merry

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is back in full swing at Magic Kingdom. It’s a hot ticket again: 17 of the 29 nights have sold out already. And beware, every night was a sell-out in 2023.

Here are notes taken from opening night.

• Among the new offerings: A boy band called the Collective 5ive performs pop holiday songs on the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland. A three-piece country-western group called Reindeer Wranglers was in the streets of Frontierland. Most visibly, “Frozen Holiday Surprise” (Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, castle projections) kicks off the event at the base of Cinderella Castle.

• Some attractions have mild holiday makeovers. A surprise: From the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, you get a red-and-green lit glance of Space Mountain and its rockin’ soundtrack. As we passed by, we got a look at the whole attraction in moody blue/black lighting.

• If you thought you’d be the only one there in pajamas, you’d be wrong headed. Folks have shifted into holiday dressing mode for the event, although we can probably agree that flannel in Florida is pushing the season.

• Things I had forgotten about in “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration”: Clarabelle cow doing her best Mariah Carey and making a cowbell joke, Daisy Duck’s song about texting, Mickey Mouse breaking into a version of the Carlton.

• Very Merry begins at 7 p.m., although ticketholders can enter at 4 p.m. There can be a rush at the turnstiles for the event and to get the required wristband. A workaround for annual passholders: Go in through “regular” gates (you’ll need reservations on Saturdays or Sundays still) and get banded inside.

Mr. Gold standard

Mr. Gold has moved into Legoland Florida. He’s a sought-after minifig that the Winter Haven theme park uses to encourage interaction between visitors and employees (a k a model citizens or MCs.)

“Every day, some of our team will have a Mr. Gold,” said Kelly Hornick, head of marketing and communication. “Some days, there’ll be multiples, you don’t know who has it. It could be me, it could be the park president, it could be the ride operator.

Mr. Gold has been a staple at Legoland California and is popular with annual passholders. But anyone can just ask a worker if they have Mr. Gold.

“If we have Mr. Gold, which is a pop badge with Mr. Gold on it, we’ll give it to the kid and then the family gets to go up to guest services and get some really awesome prizes,” Hornick said. “The prizes, honestly, will change throughout the days. … But they’ll always be something really fun and new for the kids and for the families to do.”

There are consolation prizes too.

“For those of us who aren’t lucky enough to be Mr. Gold for the day – even though we’ll get asked about 40 times a day now when we are around the park – we have more pot badges and fun things just to give the kids for being brave enough to talk to the grown-ups and take the time to chat with us,” Hornick said.

First look: Disney Jollywood Nights debuts at Hollywood Studios

Weekend outlook

• Island H2O Water Park’s new Holiday Nights show, featuring light presentations, live entertainment, family activities and a holiday market, starts Nov. 15 and continues on select nights through Dec. 31.

• The Dinos in Lights holiday show is now playing at Orlando Science Center through Jan. 9.

• The Santa Workshop Experience is now open at Icon Park. St. Nick is scheduled for appearances through Dec. 24.

• Gaylord Palms’ “ICE” exhibit based on “A Charlie Brown Christmas” begins Friday and runs daily through Jan. 3.

• Universal Orlando’s holiday celebration, including a parade and Grinchmas festivities, launches Friday and goes through Dec. 31.

• The movie for Saturday’s Beach Nights event at Aquatica water park is 2018’s “The Grinch.”

• At Walt Disney World, the new Disney Jollywood Nights event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is sold out for Saturday but tickets are available for Nov. 20. At Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is sold out through Nov. 22 and at least seven other dates.

• The final day of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is Saturday.

What’s on your radar? Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com.

The traveling attraction is the dream-turned-reality of a Knoxville-based couple who saw room to improve with other family events they visited.

“My wife and I have three children. We’ve been to children’s events around the country. We went to one event and thought that it could have been so much better; that it didn’t capture the magic of being a child,” said Patrick Mines, who co-founded the event with his wife, Lauren. “We started brainstorming and ended up landing on unicorns.”

The immersive experience puts children and families into an enchanted forest with animatronic unicorns before leading out into areas with arts and crafts, unicorn stables, a ball pit, a bounce house village and more.

In the last year, Unicorn World has traveled to 18 cities across the United States, and the reception has been greater than Mines had ever expected.

“There are so many people out there, children and adults alike, who love unicorns,” he said. “The response has been bigger than we thought. We stumbled upon this whole mythical, magical unicorn desire that was out there.”

While the event is targeted toward children ages 2-10 and their families, the event organizers have found broader appeal among some adults and seniors as well.

“I think this gives people a big break from their daily lives to come out and be a kid again,” Mines said. “It’s been cool to see people’s enthusiasm for it.”

Whether it’s indulging in arts and crafts, playing in the ball pit or meeting fairies and exploring myriad photo ops, the attraction aims to help visitors leave reality behind and find themselves inside another land.

“We want to make it an immersive experience where you are transported to another place and feel like you’re in a different realm,” Mines said. “We’re creating a story where people can leave the regular world and get lost in a fun world for a little bit.”

If you go

Unicorn World is open from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Nov. 18 and 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at 9860 Universal Blvd. in Orlando. Timed-entry tickets are available online for $39 per adult and children ages 2-17 (before taxes and fees). Children younger than 2 years old enter for free. Unlimited passes are available as an add-on, granting unlimited access to bounce houses and unicorn rides. For more information, visit theunicornworld.com.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.

This wasn’t just any book: It marked the first time all of Shakespeare’s works were published together — no mean feat back in those days when many of his plays existed only in his drafts or the bits and pieces handed out to actors.

In fact, without this remarkable book, there would have been no published script for “Macbeth,” “Twelfth Night,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Tempest,” “Antony and Cleopatra” or “As You Like It,” just to name a few. Nearly half of Shakespeare’s output would have been lost.

And without his complete body of work to awe and inspire, Shakespeare likely would never have reached the cultural heights he has.

On Friday, Nov. 17, PBS’s “Great Performances” celebrates the 400th anniversary of the book in “Making Shakespeare: The First Folio.”

“The First Folio” is the name of this book of 36 plays. Well, actually, it’s not. The proper title is “Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies.” But it’s commonly called the First Folio by modern scholars; folio is a publishing term that indicates the way the book was printed, resulting in large-size pages.

Early in the program, narrated by Broadway superstar Audra McDonald, a participant describes the First Folio as “the most important secular book in the history of the Western world.”

Hyperbole? Well, the speaker is renowned Shakespeare scholar Jonathan Bate, so clearly, he has a bias toward its cultural significance. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t speaking accurately.

The First Folio is certainly the most expensive book going. In 2020, a copy auctioned by Christie’s sold for $10 million — the highest price ever paid for a work of literature at auction.

It’s estimated about 750 copies of the First Folio were printed. Today, 235 are known to still exist. PBS looks at a famously stolen copy, a recently discovered copy — in a public library in a small French town, no less — and a very royal copy.

In that latter segment, King Charles III examines a First Folio owned by his predecessor of some 15 generations, King Charles I, which is still in royal hands at Windsor Castle. That first Charles came to an unhappy end: His forces were defeated in the English Civil War, and he was executed in 1649 as the monarchy was abolished.

But, some comfort, we are told that even while imprisoned before his execution, Charles I was allowed to keep his copy of the First Folio. The copy contains his notes, in which he has written character names in the margins, perhaps to highlight his favorites — or maybe to keep the various comedy couples straight: “Is this the one with Beatrice and Benedick or the one with Helena and Bertram?”

There is something satisfying in learning that it was Shakespeare’s friends, two actors, who were the driving force in organizing whatever source material they could round up, collecting the plays and getting them published for posterity; after all, Shakespeare has been creating work for actors ever since.

(Side note: As a “Macbeth” fan, I also enjoyed learning that Shakespeare’s rough drafts are known as “foul papers” while the later, cleaned-up versions are called “fair copies.” “Fair is foul, and foul is fair…”)

In their effort to pay tribute to their deceased friend and preserve his legacy, John Heminges and Henry Condell also had to deal with some legalese that still exists in the modern arts world: Obtaining the rights to the works. The rights to many of Shakespeare’s plays were owned by those who had first printed them individually in various other formats, and the pair had to do some wheeling and dealing.

Lest you think the program has its eye solely on ancient history, it should be noted that the amusing stories of the First Folio are interspersed (sometimes smoothly, sometimes more clunkily) with the inspiring way Shakespeare impacts the world today, especially through the efforts of the Public Theater of New York City.

There’s “The Comedy of Errors” as a bilingual musical, Kenny Leon’s version of “Hamlet” for Shakespeare in the Park, a student production of “Romeo & Juliet” with children learning English as a second language. It’s all heartening to lovers of classical theater.

A favorite quote from the program comes from Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public, as he ponders why Shakespeare endures. When the playwright creates his tales, whether comic or tragic, Eustis says, “he sees the worth of every human being.”

How to watch

• On TV: 9-11 p.m. Nov. 17, on WUCF-TV, Channel 24
• Online streaming: At pbs.org/show/great-performances

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/arts, and go to orlandosentinel.com/theater for theater news and reviews.

And though McAvoy, now an advanced sommelier and owner of Orlando’s Swirlery Wine Bar in SoDo, has a far more sophisticated palate these days, the Beaujolais Day tradition — this year on Nov. 16 — has stuck. This will be Swirlery’s eighth annual Beaujolais soiree, a deep dive into styles of this popular, easy-drinking wine.

“I think it’s a perfect wine for Florida because it’s lower alcohol, a really nice, crisp red, and should be served chilled,” she notes. “And it pairs beautifully with some of the lighter food choices we often make because of the climate we live in. It’s an ideal wine to showcase.”

The Nouveau, she notes, is best known. Its colorful labels show up this time of year, bright and often flowery. “It’s associated with the end of harvest in Burgundy,” she explains, “but also happens to time well in America with the Thanksgiving holiday.”

The Nouveau employs a process called carbonic maceration, which “for me makes it sort of a guilty pleasure,” McAvoy jokes. “It’s made to be enjoyed really immediately. Using this technique, it’s fermented very fast at super cool temperatures, and so, just a fresh fun wine to enjoy quickly.”

Madeira: The Portuguese wine of American presidents

There are other Beaujolais varieties, however, that are deep-dive worthy. These are McAvoy’s favorites: the Crus. With these comes something of a geography lesson.

Beaujolais is a region in France that sits south of Burgundy. Within, there are 10 “crus” from north to south. These include St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly.

“It’s often like stepping back in time,” McAvoy says of the regions’ small, old-vine family operations. “These wineries have been passed down through generations. And when you meet these winemakers, you can’t help but fall in love with the wine. You want to share it every year and celebrate, but then enjoy it all year long.”

Orlando’s natural wine scene is growing — organically

There is a variance in flavors from cru to cru, she notes, “lots of depth and minerality due in part to the soils,” and on Beaujolais Day at Swirlery, her annual selection will roam the region. Guests can sip and savor a few light bites or get as geeky as they like: Beaujolais and its gamay grapes are rife with drama.

“Hundreds of years ago, the Duke of Burgundy — they called him Phillip the Bold — wanted to make pinot noir famous in Burgundy, and so he banned the planting of gamay grapes in the northern part of the region.”

It was a long road to redemption for this now-beloved Beaujolais from the south, “and why it is such a special, unique part of Burgundy and its history.”

Swirlery’s tasting party ($30 at the door) starts at 6 p.m. and will take guests through all 10 crus, with bottles available for sale. There will be Nouveau, too, of course, “And maybe a little gamay from Oregon or elsewhere in the States, too.”

Parties here are casual, come as you are and wholly unpretentious, with lots of wine lovers eager to share what they know, exchange thoughts on the pours and just have fun. Dinner-party and gifting season is upon us, too, and so really, going to a wine shop is about the most unselfish thing you can do this time of year, really.

I’m reaching, I know.

But if you needed another excuse to get to know Beau, now you’ve got one. And you can share what you’ve learned with your hosts this season when you bring them a bottle.

Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group or follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

“We catalogued them as women’s,” Massey said. “But we recently talked to a fashion historian who is convinced one is a men’s suit … The other could have been unisex. A lot of the suits then were androgynous.”

The 1920s are described as roaring, but there was little skin at the beach, the most risqué dance was the foxtrot, and, while liquor — or hooch as it was called back then — was bountiful, one sip put you on the wrong side of the law.

So, is roaring accurate?

Absolutely, Massey said, when compared to the previous Victorian generation. “They were rebelling against the more conservative environments that they grew up with.”

That story is told through the history center’s new exhibit, “Decade of Change: Florida in the 1920s.” It features the music of the time as well as displays about prohibition, Pentecostalism and those sexy androgynous bathing suits.

To understand why shorts and tank tops as beachwear were considered provocative, look to the style from a few years earlier, which sometimes included sleeves.

“In 1917, anything that was two inches above the knee basically defied regulations by the American Association of Park Superintendents,” Massey said. “At some beaches, the police would come and get you.”The younger generation pushed back with less fabric covering their bodies. Men still hid their chests behind tank tops, but women dared to show more leg.

“When everyone was dressed on the beach like that, it became normal,” Massey said, “and there wasn’t much the decency police could do.”

Inspired by the new jazz music hitting the scene, women’s nightlife fashion changed, too.

While the foxtrot seems tame by today’s standards, the upbeat dance music with horns was radical for the 1920s. The old Victorian-style gowns were not conducive for those who wanted to cut a rug. So those were replaced with ballroom gowns, or “glad rags,” as the exhibit calls them.

“If you look at the ballroom attire of the 1920s,” Massey said, “it’s not much different than it is today.”

The history center has an interactive exhibit with dance steps to teach the foxtrot to visitors, but don’t let 1920s-era Pentecostals see you practicing the devil’s steps.

The growth of the Pentecostal movement in the 1920s and their tent revivals was, in part, in reaction to the rebellious ways of that decade, Massey said. By 1926, Florida had over 500,000 Pentecostal church members.

“Holy Rollers … argued that all the historical teachings told in the Bible were accurate,” reads a placard in the exhibit hanging near a model of the type of tents used for worship centers throughout the country. “Many also abstained from drinking alcohol, dancing, going to the movies and engaging in other popular modern amusements.”

But they couldn’t keep nonbelievers from those amusements, especially alcohol, nor could the state and federal governments.

“Florida goes dry early. By 1904, there are 26 dry counties,” Massey said. “Then in 1915, we outlaw saloons. Hillsborough is one of the few counties that is still wet at the time of statewide prohibition in 1919, a year before nationwide prohibition.”

The Tampa Bay area didn’t seem to care. Speakeasies replaced bars and moonshiners in the rural areas delivered the illegal alcohol in jugs, some of which are on display at the history center.

“And a lot of booze that comes to Florida gets smuggled from the Bahamas,” Massey said. “The year prohibition goes into effect, the imports of liquor to the Bahamas increased by 20 times … It’s not as if the Bahamian people decided that they’re going to start hammering down drinks. Almost all of that ends up in Florida.”

A long time ago — relatively, in this short-attention-span age — and at multiplexes not so far away, the simultaneous theatrical release of “Barbie “ and “Oppenheimer” was pretty much all anyone could talk about. Admittedly, this was before Travis Kelce crafted a friendship bracelet for a certain someone, before we were well-versed on SAG-AFTRA interim agreements, before we were rewatching “Friends” through our tears.

And now, nearly half a year and three bags of bite-size Halloween candy later, we’re starting to talk about “Barbenheimer” again. This time, the focus isn’t on the propriety of quoting the Bhagavad Gita during sex or how “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig worked in references to “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” and “The Red Shoes” into what, on paper, could have been an extended toy commercial. The conversation has turned to the Oscars, a ceremony that’s shaping up as a sequel to that magical opening weekend.

How big a sequel? Let’s just say bigger than “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and go from there. Or simply note that the producers of the upcoming 96th Academy Awards are probably already working the phones to incorporate some celebrity Ken cameos into a “Barbie” dance number. (Judging from “Maestro,” Bradley Cooper should be game.)

Or we could just put on our thinking caps (fedoras, of course) and comb through the awards categories to chart what’s going to be an (equally?) incredible Oscars for both films.

PICTURE

“Barbie” sold more than $1.4 billion in tickets while winning over most critics, triggering fragile men and launching a thousand think pieces that sifted through the subversive ways Gerwig celebrated and critiqued its namesake toy. That’s enough to cement a nomination. But the “Barbie” team isn’t resting on its laurels, enlisting the likes of filmmakers Todd Field and Judd Apatow and playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner to lead Q&As at recent events. “I think it’s a masterpiece,” Kushner said.

“Oppenheimer,” meanwhile, grossed nearly a billion dollars, remarkable for a three-hour, R-rated drama about the “father of the atomic bomb.” Between the box office, the reviews and its ambitious examination of our history that isn’t as distant as we’d like to think, “Oppenheimer” possesses the pedigree of a best picture winner. It will be difficult to beat.

Nominations: “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer”

DIRECTOR

Christopher Nolan has one nomination as a director (“Dunkirk”), two as a writer (“Memento” and “Inception”) and two as a producer (“Inception” and “Dunkirk”). He has never won an Oscar. That will likely change soon, as voters will have three different categories — director, writer, producer — this year to finally honor him.

Gerwig has never won an Oscar either, earning nominations for writing and directing “Lady Bird” and writing “Little Women.” She’ll probably be nominated again as both a writer and director with original screenplay (see below) offering her the best chance to prevail.

Nominations: Gerwig, Nolan

ACTRESS

The only thing that could prevent Margot Robbie from being nominated would be voters failing to appreciate the degree of difficulty in what she pulls off in the film — the comic timing, the emotional depth she brings to the character, the precise body control required to play a plastic doll. It’s a star turn and absolute exquisite acting. It would be a crime if she’s overlooked.

Nominations: Robbie

ACTOR

Just as “Barbie” wouldn’t have succeeded as spectacularly without Robbie, “Oppenheimer” owes much of its power to Cillian Murphy’s terrific turn as the tortured title character. Murphy worked with Nolan on the “Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception” and “Dunkirk,” a fruitful partnership that will now net the actor his first nomination — and, possibly, the Oscar itself.

Nominations: Murphy

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Both films have women delivering a great speech — Emily Blunt, playing Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty, laying into the men investigating her husband and America Ferrera’s powerful monologue in “Barbie” in which she laments, “I’m just so tired of watching myself, and every single other woman, tie herself into knots so that people will like us.” Gerwig gives Ferrera a meatier role, whereas Blunt elevates the “long-suffering wife” into something memorable. Blunt’s lengthier film résumé gives her an edge.

Nominations: Blunt

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Robert Downey Jr.’s wily, ranging turn as Adm. Lewis Strauss, Oppenheimer’s antagonist, is essentially a second lead in the movie. You could also make a case for several of the film’s rad scientists (Benny Safdie is brilliant playing Hungarian-born physicist Edward Teller), but Downey’s presence casts a long shadow.

While I wouldn’t go so far to say that Ryan Gosling stole “Barbie,” his playful, perfect turn as Ken questioning the meaning of his existence was an absolute delight. Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”) and Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) will offer Gosling and Downey strong competition, but the Oscar should go to one of these two.

Nominations: Downey, Gosling

SCREENPLAY (ORIGINAL/ADAPTED)

Gerwig and partner Noah Baumbach’s joyous, inspired take on “Barbie” lands in original; Nolan’s painstaking reworking of “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer” will compete in adapted. Both will be among the favorites to win.

Nominations: “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer”

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Hoyte van Hoytema has one measly Oscar nomination to show for 15 years of indelible images. His spectacular, immersive work “Oppenheimer,” what he calls a “three-hour-long movie about faces,” will earn him another and quite possibly the trophy. “Barbie” cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto also shot Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Voters could (and should) opt for both the beautifully backlit world of Barbieland and the brooding, burnished textures of “Killers of the Flower Moon.” But that might be a reach.

Nominations: “Oppenheimer”

PRODUCTION DESIGN

“Oppenheimer” built Los Alamos; “Barbie” created a Dreamhouse.

Nominations: “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer”

COSTUME DESIGN

Jacqueline Durran won an Oscar for her last collaboration with Gerwig, “Little Women.” She’s the favorite again for all those fashion packs and accessories she created for “Barbie.” Ellen Mirojnick has a shot for “Oppenheimer” (Those hats! Those power suits!) — but she’s going to have to compete with the headwear in “Wonka,” “Killers of the Flower Moon” and the bicorn that Napoleon dude dons.

Nominations: “Barbie”

ORIGINAL SCORE

Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt had never scored a movie before “Barbie,” but you’d never know that from the way their music supports the emotional undertow of the film. Composer Ludwig Göransson, by contrast, already has an Oscar for “Black Panther” and could well win another for the beautiful melodies and disturbing energy he brought to his “Oppenheimer” score.

Nominations: “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer”

ORIGINAL SONG

“Barbie” is submitting three songs, the maximum allowed — Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For” and the Ryan Gosling-sung power ballad “I’m Just Ken” — and, per academy rules, at best, two can be nominated.

Nominations: “Barbie,” two (prayers for “I’m Just Ken”)

FILM EDITING

If, as Van Hoytema says, “Oppenheimer” is a three-hour movie about faces, it’s also a three-hour movie mostly of people talking in rooms. But it goes by quickly! (Your mileage may vary.) That’s superb editing. “Barbie” has its share of transitions — through worlds, tones, textures. It should be nominated, but so should have Nick Houy’s marvelous work on “Lady Bird,” and the academy ignored it.

Nominations: “Oppenheimer”

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Between Barbie’s wigs, Ken’s spray tan and Weird Barbie’s Sharpie-fied makeup, “Barbie” should make the cut. And if “Oppenheimer” scores enough points for making Downey almost unrecognizable, it could too.

Nominations: “Barbie”

VISUAL EFFECTS

“Oppenheimer” boasts a small number of visual effects shots, all shot in camera. “Barbie” employed around 1,300 VFX shots, including, of course, that opening “2001: A Space Odyssey” hommage.

Nominations: “Oppenheimer”

SOUND

“Barbie” has a song in its heart (musicals always do well here), whereas “Oppenheimer” lowers the boom.

Nominations: “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer”

©2023 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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  A mountain of delicious food is displayed during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Attendees prayerfully admire the mountain of delicious food displayed during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Colorfully dressed women gather and enjoy themselves during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  A mountain of delicious food is displayed during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Women pray during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Mahendra Patel walks among a massive display of food during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Attendees gather outside during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Girls pose for a photo during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  An image of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the sixth and present spiritual guru of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, is displayed during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Mahendra Patel performs the "arti" during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The arti involves waving lighted wicks before the sacred images to infuse the flames with the Dieties' love, energy and blessing. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Colorfully dressed women gather and enjoy themselves during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Photos are taken during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Attendees walk among the twinkling lights during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  A child holds a sign promoting the "world's best Falafel" during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Colorfully dressed women gather and enjoy themselves during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Attendees prayerfully admire the mountain of delicious food displayed during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  A man lies down in prayer during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  The colorful interior of the temple is pictured during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Manoj Patel passes lighted wicks around the congregation to allow members to receive the blessings infused within the flames during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Colorfully dressed women gather and enjoy themselves during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Mahendra Patel performs the "arti" during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The arti involves waving lighted wicks before the sacred images to infuse the flames with the Dieties' love, energy and blessing. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Children are pictured during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Attendees prayerfully admire the mountain of delicious food displayed during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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  Men pray during a celebration of Diwali/Hindu New Year at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Orlando, on Monday, November 13, 2023. The Hindu New Year is celebrated around the world and is a festival of light to celebrate light over dark, good over evil. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

In August, the museum sued former director Aaron De Groft and the consortium of individuals who owned the art attributed to Basquiat, an acclaimed artist who died in 1988. The nearly century-old Loch Haven Park institution alleged a conspiracy in which the defendants planned to use the museum show to give the art credibility so it could later be sold for personal profit — despite not knowing for certain if the works were authentic.

De Groft, who was fired by the museum, and defendant Pierce O’Donnell, a Los Angeles attorney, have said the charges are baseless but have not yet filed a formal response to the suit. In the most recent court filing this month, the museum disclosed it had given the defendants more time for their response, partly because several of them — including De Groft — still had not obtained Florida legal counsel.

The filing with Orange County circuit court was necessary because a standard pre-trial conference with the case’s presiding judge had been scheduled for Nov. 14. Last week, the museum and the defendants asked for a postponement of that conference, which Judge John E. Jordan approved Monday.

Postponements of that nature are routine as cases are being prepared, said Ginny Childs of Akerman, the law firm representing the museum, and don’t represent a substantive shift by either party in the case.

Despite lawsuit’s claims, Orlando Museum of Art tight-lipped about how much damage it has suffered

In its lawsuit, the museum claimed its finances and reputation were grievously injured by the 2022 “Heroes & Monsters” exhibition, which closed abruptly in June of that year when FBI agents seized the paintings as part of an investigation into fraudulent art. Authentic Basquiat works sell for millions of dollars.

Later, California auctioneer Michael Barzman told the FBI he helped create some of the exhibition’s art years after Basquiat’s death. O’Donnell and De Groft maintain Barzman was lying to avoid jail time; he received only probation and a fine at his sentencing in August.

The museum sought a jury trial in its lawsuit, but the recent court filing indicates the case won’t get that far if a deal can be reached.

‘A truth stranger than fiction’: Basquiat lawsuit details secrets, threats and conspiracies at Orlando Museum of Art

One of the factors cited in postponing the conference with the judge states: “The parties are currently engaged in settlement negotiations, the outcome of which has the potential to dispose of further litigation proceedings.”

As is customary, neither representatives of the museum nor the defendants would comment on any behind-the-scenes settlement negotiations.

Late last month, Orlando Museum of Art settled a lawsuit in which it had been sued by singer Sisaundra Lewis, who claimed her reputation had been damaged by use of her photo on the museum’s website after the Basquiat scandal. Details of that settlement were not revealed.

In the ongoing case, the pre-trial conference between the judge and lawyers for the museum and defendants is now scheduled for Jan. 2.

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/arts, and go to orlandosentinel.com/theater for theater news and reviews.