Arts + Entertainment 12.08.22

A+E INSIDE: <CABARET: Life is beautiful in the Asolo Repertory Theatre production of the classic musical. 6

BLACK

TIE INSIDE:

CASTLE BY THE SEA: Florida Center for Early Childhood puts on 35th annual gala. 8>

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 8, 2022

YOUROBSERVER.COM

Jim Prosser flanked by Catherine Randazzo and Forrest Richards at a New Play Festival at FST.

Photos courtesy of Florida Studio Theatre

Jim Prosser performing in Laughing Matters during the 2009 season.

“I was surprised maybe 10 years ago when I realized that, ‘Oh, they know who Jim is.’ Because the piano player is not dead center.”

—Richard Hopkins

Jim Prosser and Rebecca Hopkins work on the development of Laughing Matters in 2009.

BE

A H , E O A N D A O I P FT E He’s the indispensable man behind the music. For three decades, Jim Prosser has been FST’s Piano Man. SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

F

or 30 years, he’s been one of the most recognizable faces in the Sarasota theater world. And he rarely accepts a curtain call.

Jim Prosser, Florida Studio Theatre’s resident pianist, arrived on the scene decades ago as an intern with hopes of writing music for children’s theater. He quickly made an impact at the company and over the years, his role has grown and grown.

At this point, says FST’s Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins, the audience greets Prosser as soon as he steps on stage.

And it hardly matters that he’s situated on the stage periphery.

“He’s probably the most wellknown performer on the cabaret stage,” says Hopkins. “Jim has played so many cabaret shows, the audienc-

es know him and love him. It’s truly amazing. I was surprised maybe 10 years ago when I realized that, ‘Oh, they know who Jim is.’

“Because the piano player is not dead center.”

Truth be told, that’s exactly how Prosser likes it.

He loves being part of the ensemble, and he’s thrilled that he gets to be such a vital part of a performance on a regular basis.

It’s been a natural evolution for the piano man, who says he grew up in a musical household in New Haven, Connecticut. His dad, Hal Prosser, played a lot of Broadway, Beatles and show tunes, imparting a lifelong love of music that has enriched the younger Prosser’s life.

“He was my musical education,” SEE PIANO MAN, PAGE 2

of Maria Lyle Photography

Jannie Jones, Sue Haefner, Jim Prosser and Liz Power in “The Prima Donnettes” during the 2013-14 season.

HE C U

RVE

H T D IH N

Photo courtesy

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

Piano man FROM PAGE 1

says Prosser. “He basically made me want to play music every night.

“Every night, there would always be music playing while we had dinner. Whether it be musical theater, or the Beatles. Even classical music.

There was a melting pot of musical influences growing up that kind of got into my writing.”

Prosser says his facility for writing music was learned at the George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania, where he was fortunate enough to learn from musical mentors who helped him get the most of his ability.

He was already writing songs for student revues in high school, and he later went on to study theory composition. Shortly after graduating college, Prosser had enrolled in business school with the intention of finding a safe job when he found an ad for his future home.

“Before computers, an art search was actually on a piece of paper that was mailed to you,” he says. “I saw the ad came back and just found me again, and I’m like, ‘Well, I guess I’m supposed to do this.’ So I left business school, answered the ad and the rest is history.”

Hopkins says he was struck immediately by the earnest young musician’s skill and affinity for children’s programming, which came in short supply.

“He was young and gangly, just out of school but very enthusiastic. He had a nice touch for music for kids,” says Hopkins. “He continues to write for our children’s theater. And he’s heavily involved with works in the cabaret; playing those shows and helping develop those shows. He’s in great demand at Florida Studio Theatre. We need three Jims.”

Rebecca Hopkins, the managing director of Florida Studio Theatre, says Prosser was already part of the scenery when she arrived in town 25 years ago. She met him as a peer and quickly grew to be his friend, and their relationship deepened over decades of working together.

The interesting part about Prosser, she says, is that his passion for musical theater has never dimmed.

He’s had a hand in developing more than 50 musical revues for FST over the decades.

“This guy is playing in a cabaret nine shows a week for almost 50 weeks of the year,” she says.

“If he gets a random night off that happens to coincide with the improv company, he’ll come in and play that show just for fun because he misses being able to do it.”

And while his stage work is a vital part of his contribution, Prosser has proven indispensable in crafting cabarets and Laughing Matters.

It’s not just that he does all the musical arrangements.

Richard Hopkins says that in the early conceptual stages of cabarets, Prosser is actually the only voice holding the project together.

“We’re usually using recordings,” he says of the cabaret process. “But once it’s far enough along, we ask Jim to sing all the roles.

“And we get other actors to read the book parts to see how it’s going.

We call that an in-house reading and Jim is great at that.”

Then, once the running order is agreed to, Prosser really puts his stamp on the project. He’ll take the music home and work on it for a week, and when he comes back, the cabaret is fully fleshed out.

“Jim is playing the show, but he may add a drum, he may add a bass, he may add a horn,” says Hopkins of the cabaret. “He’ll add other things that he plays on the piano, but he records it in and loops in. “So everything that you hear in the cabaret, Jim has created and played. And sometimes you might hear three or four instruments, and that’s all Jim. His contribution is mammoth.”

Sarah Durham, a writer and performer at Florida Studio Theatre, says she’s been at the theater for five years and that she’s collaborated with Prosser on pretty much every big project she’s worked on.

“It’s hard to find someone that does no wrong, but Jim Prosser is one of those people,” she says.

“He’s just such a caring, kind, giving co-worker. Whenever I can partner with him, I want to.”

The cabaret shows are collaborative efforts, and Prosser is usually laying down the supporting licks for the singers to carry the show.

But sometimes his quick thinking

Photo courtesy of Florida Studio Theatre

is needed to save his colleagues.

Rebecca Hopkins mentioned one such evening, when a singer had a mishap entering the stage and needed some extra assistance.

“She was coming down the stairs for a cabaret show to sing ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ And she tripped coming down the stairs and tumbled,” she says. “The audience sees this and gasps. She gets up, makes a joke about it and forgets what she’s there for. Because she’s so flustered.

Jim plays a few notes and starts singing the song to her. ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ It was a very poignant moment.”

Prosser, for his part, says his colleagues carry the show on a nightly basis and he’s thrilled to be making music with them.

Sometimes, he says, the job can be exhausting because they regularly

play a “six pack” of shows between Friday and Sunday evening.

But it’s so rewarding for him to take some of the most beloved songs in the pop canon and to give them new life on the FST stage.

“It’s just fun,” he says.

“I like approaching music in new ways and making it fresh. And that’s what I’ve liked about the cabaret.”

Over time, says Richard Hopkins, company members become more than colleagues.

They become family.

Prosser has endeared himself to his FST colleagues with his affable personality and his unflagging work ethic, and Hopkins says it’s not difficult to imagine him playing piano at FST another 20 years.

“Easily,” he says.

“As long as his fingers hold out.”

Jim Prosser plays piano alongside Christine Mild in the 2008 Summer Mainstage production of “Always … Patsy Cline.”

Marijana Dominis & Ricardo Graziano in Robbins’ In the Night Photography by Frank Atura

America's Longest-Running Youth Circus

presents

y a d i l Ho ial Spec Do reindeer really fly?

How much do elves help Santa?

Don't miss Santa's action-filled circus satchel of wonders!

Program 3 - At Night

Wed - Fri 2:00 pm

DECEMBER 16 - 17 | OPERA HOUSE

941.355.9805 CircusArts.Org

Scan QR code for tickets!

390581-1

Ashton’s LES PATINEURS Robbins’ IN THE NIGHT Robbins’ FANCY FREE

BOX OFFICE: 941.359.0099 | SarasotaBallet.org

7:00 pm | Sat 1:00 pm

RESERVED SEATS $20 - $40

389379-1

2

YourObserver.com

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

|

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

3

Local couple illuminates Selby Gardens for Lights in Bloom Carolyn and Phil Babas are the crafty professionals who design the annual holiday spectacle at Selby Gardens. And they’re not sure they ever want to retire.

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

C

arolyn Babas counted all the lights for Lights in Bloom once before. And she’s not going to do it again.

Babas and her husband, Phil, are the duo behind Affairs in the Air, a Bradenton-based wedding planner, and she has been hanging the effects for Lights in Bloom for 11 years now.

The last time she counted the lights, she says, there were more than 2 million. Since then, says Babas, there’s just no way to estimate how many more have been added.

“We’re not throwaway-ers,” says Babas, inventing a brand new word on the spot. “We like to continue to reuse, reuse, reuse. So we repair. I mean, we have some lights on things that have been on them for five years.

“You just repair them over and over and over again. When we finally have to say a little prayer for them (and) throw them away, it’s terrible.”

Much of the show begins in Phil’s head; he’ll spend time in the summer creating new lighting effects, and then the crew of workers will set out to reproduce his work.

They bend the wire themselves, and they’ll even do the welding if it’s a simple task.

The process of creating new effects and repairing old ones takes about eight weeks in the summer. Then, months later, they’ll spend 1,500 to 2,000 hours setting everything up.

How have things changed over the years? For one thing, they’ve become more efficient.

“Everything was incandescent when we started,” says Babas. “We were like, ‘You don’t have enough

LIGHTS IN BLOOM

BY THE NUMBERS

2,000,000 Minimum number of lights

Nearly 300

linear feet of light tunnel walkways

90 30 2,000 786

Florida reindeer (flamingoes with antlers)

Butterflies hung in the trees hours to install it all

bromeliads in the bromeliad tree

electric for the consumption of what you want us to do.’

“We had to change everything to LED, but it took like three years to actually take everything apart that was already put together. Now we run so much. And the power consumption is minimal.”

Babas chuckles a moment later when asked if she’s afraid of heights.

In this industry, that’s a luxury she can’t afford.

They are Affairs in the Air, after all.

She and her husband lead a staff of seven full-time workers to set up Lights in Bloom and another three workers that help out part time.

The work is done mostly during the day, but for some tricky areas, they wait until the evening to avoid inconveniencing daytime Selby visitors.

Babas says one or two workers will be on a lift hanging the lights, and more workers will be on the ground stretching the lights out and handing them to the people on the lift.

“It is better to tweak the lights at night,” she says. “My husband and I do a lot of ‘We just did all of this.

Photo courtesy of Cliff Roles

More than 2 million lights line Selby Gardens for Lights in Bloom, and it takes nearly 2,000 hours to hang them all.

Tonight, let’s come back.’ Then we come back at night, we turn everything on, we look at how everything is and we make notes. ‘This is too dark and that’s too bright. Move this.

Move that.’ And then in the morning, they get the list and they start.”

Babas says her husband is really never finished designing the effects.

He’ll walk around the grounds and he’ll constantly think of ways he can make the lighting even better.

The couple also relish the opportunity to hear what people are saying about the display.

They remain on site for the first few nights to troubleshoot, which gives them a chance to see which parts of their work are inspiring the greatest reactions.

It’s the best feeling in the world,

EXTRA SHOPPING DAY

S

OPEN OPEN

9 10

OPEN

OPEN

OPEN

OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN

11

14

OPEN OPEN

16 17

21 22 23 24

18

says Babas, to see people enjoying Lights in Bloom, and she plans on continuing to assemble it long after she retires from the wedding and events business.

“It’s so funny,” she says, “People say, ‘How come you don’t do your house for Christmas?’

“I’ll say, ‘Well, I do some lights at Selby Gardens.’ Eventually they’ll go and say, ‘Those lights at Selby? What part did you do?’ All of it.”

CLOSED

25

November 18 - January 16

When You Donate $50 or More to Resurrection House.

9AM - 4PM

SAVE

ENTIRE MARKET OPEN

SHOP EARLY

Photo courtesy of Selby Gardens

Carolyn and Phil Babas, of Affairs in the Air, have spent countless hours decorating Selby Gardens for Lights in Bloom and Spooky Point events.

copenhagen imports

DECEMBER 2022 F

Lights in Bloom. Runs from Dec. 10 through Jan. 5. Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St. $20-$40. Visit Selby.org

Imagine... giving a gift that will last.

for

S M T W T

IF YOU GO

400

$

OFF STRESSLESS®

MAYFAIR

OPEN NEW YEAR’S DAY

GIVE + RECEIVE

SAVE

200

$

OFF STRESSLESS®

393945-1

For Best Selection!

RECLINERS PLUS EACH SOFA SEAT

1707 1st Street E. Bradenton 34208 (Where Highway 41 & 301 meet at 17th Ave.) www.redbarnfleamarket.com • 941.747.3794

7211 S. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, Florida 34231 *See Sales Associate for Details

Mon.-Sat. 10-6 • Sun. 12-5 941-923-2569 copenhagen-imports.com

Closed Christmas Day & New Year’s Day

391095-1

FURNITURE+LIGHTING+ACCENTS+INTERIOR DESIGN

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

THIS WEEK THURSDAY ARTIST TALK: STEVEN AND WILLIAM LADD 6:30 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

Few artists are as productive and as friendly as Steven and William Ladd.

The brothers will greet the public and talk about their Sarasota Art Museum takeover, which includes both the Scrollathon and their “Lead with a Laugh” exhibit. The Ladds made a beaded portrait family tree that currently hangs in the museum, and “Lead with a Laugh” includes work they’ve developed over the last decade.

AN EVENING WITH RANDALL GOOSBY AND ZHU WANG 7: 30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $40-$80 Visit PerlmanMusicProgramSuncoast. org.

PMP alumni Randall Goosby is back in town, and he’s ready to show a little bit of what he’s learned along the way. Goosby, an acclaimed virtuoso violinist, joined the PMP Orchestra at age 15 and spent a winter residency here in Sarasota.

Goosby will be accompanied by pianist Zhu Wang.

FRIDAY ANGÉLICA NEGRÓN: PLAYING A PLANT 5 p.m. at Hermitage Great Lawn, 6600 Manasota Key Road, Englewood $5, registration required Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

www.manasotaonline.com

Negrón, the winner of the 2022 Hermitage Greenfield Prize, is a composer who loves to mix in a bit of the unexpected. The Puerto Rico native likes to mix the sounds of plants and other found objects into her compositions, and she’ll talk a bit about her creative process at this event. Negrón will be back in Sarasota in 2024 to play the premiere of her Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission.

THREE DOG NIGHT 8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $47-$82 Visit VanWezel.org.

Three Dog Night. One Great Show.

The band named for a trio of canines is barking up the right tree at the Van Wezel, and it will be aiming to bring Joy to the World for one night in Sarasota. Three Dog Night had a trio of top Billboard hits in its heyday, and it has been touring for five decades now.

Let Choral Artists bring you peace on Earth. The choral group will hit the high notes on a bunch of holiday selections including “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” in this event at Church of the Redeemer.

LEWIS BLACK: ‘OFF THE RAILS TOUR’ 7 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $42-$87 Visit VanWezel.org.

He’s a very angry man. Lewis Black burns with passion so incandescently that sometimes he spits out his punchlines as if he can’t stand holding their acrid sensation in his mouth one moment longer.

He’s thought deeply about many of the world’s worst problems, and he’s coming to tell you all about them in excruciating detail.

HOLIDAY HARMONY — JINGLE ALL THE WAY 7 p.m. at Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave. $20-$25 Visit TheVeniceChorale.org.

Pretty voices and beautiful holiday songs will hit the stage at the Venice Performing Arts Center on Sunday.

Venice Chorale will celebrate the season with choral masterworks, seasonal favorites and even an audience singalong.

MONDAY CARLOS SERRANO, CLASSICAL GUITARIST 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2256 Bahia Vista St. Free Visit GuitarSarasota.org.

Colombian-born guitarist Carlos Serrano is taking center stage as part of Guitar Sarasota’s Emerging

SUNDAY

DON’T MISS

HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAYS 3 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way $30-$50 Visit ThePopsOrchestra.org

‘THE NUTCRACKER’ If it’s the holiday season, it’s time for “The Nutcracker.” The classic ballet danced to a score by Tchaikovsky has taken on a life of its own here in the United States, and Sarasota is hosting several competing versions of the event this winter. The Sarasota Ballet School’s performance will feature costumes and sets designed by the late designer Peter Farmer, and there will be an encore performance Saturday afternoon.

The Pops Orchestra and the State College of Florida film department team up to bring you Hollywood classics and the music you may already know by heart. It’s a dose of Holiday CineMagic, and The Pops will repeat their performance Monday afternoon at the Neel Performing Arts Center.

IF YOU GO When: 7 p.m., Dec. 9; 3 p.m. Dec. 10 Where: Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave. Tickets: $36-$66 Info: Visit SarasotaBallet.org.

‘PEACE ON EARTH’ 7 p.m. at Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave. $35; $5 students Visit ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.

1734 South Tamiami Trail Venice, FL 34293 941.493.7441

4551 N. Washington Blvd.

Sarasota, FL 34234 941.355.8437

2510 1st Street West Bradenton, FL 34208 941.748.4679

OUR SHOWROOMS ARE OPEN Special Financing Available

385021-1

4

YourObserver.com

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

|

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

5

Listen

‘HIP HOP NUTCRACKER’ If it’s good enough for ballet, then why wouldn’t it be good enough for hip-hop?

Settle into your seats for the energetic, explosive and infectious stylings of the “Hip Hop Nutcracker,” which aims to take a stately and familiar institution and turn it into something raucous, wild and beautiful. This production has toured all

Artists Series. Serrano was a prizewinner at the Florida International University Concerto Competition, and he’s performed with a number of small guitar and mandolin ensembles.

TUESDAY THE 442S 7:30 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5400 Bay Shore Road $30-$50 Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.

It’s a holiday concert for the whole family. These Midwestern musicians are an acoustic quintet that includes three members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

You’ll hear fantastic group singing and inventive improvisation, and the music will move all along the shadowy borderlands that comprise the worlds of jazz, classical, folk and pop music.

over the country for a decade, and over time it may just become an institution of its own.

IF YOU GO When: 7 p.m., Dec. 10 Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $22-$92 Info: VanWezel.org.

‘MY FAIR LADY’ 7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail. $42-$97 Visit VanWezel.org.

Performing December 17, 2022 at 2pm - Timothy Chooi and ChangYong Shin

Wouldn’t it be lovely if you had a chance to see one of the most acclaimed Broadway musicals right in your backyard? The classic “My Fair Lady” comes to Sarasota with a new production helmed by Bartlett Sher. Runs through Dec. 15.

Listen Hear

Sarasota Art Museum presents a classical music program features world-class artists performing in an intimate casual setting.

December 17, 2022

Join our diverse roster of musicians this season on Saturdays at 2 pm in Thomas McGuire Hall.

Timothy Chooi and ChangYong Shin

WEDNESDAY

January 28, 2023

Max Tan, Sam Boutris, and Chelsea Wang

Curated by concert violinist Max Tan, each salon-style event includes a short, classical music program, insights from the artists, and conversation.

SarasotaArtMuseum.org

1001 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34236 941.309.4300

Michelle Ross

SAM’S 3-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY 11 a.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free with museum admission Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

April 15, 2023

Time passes quickly when you’re having fun. The Sarasota Art Museum will celebrate its third year of bringing art exhibits and events to the community, and it’s inviting the public to join in the fun.

382240-1

OUR PICK

give the gift of a live performance!

THE LINCOLN CENTER THEATER PRODUCTION

TUE-THUR • DEC 13-15 SPONSORS: Lexus of Sarasota and ABC7

THIS SUN!

NEXT WEEK!

SUN, DEC 11 7PM

a holiday tradition SPONSORS: Lexus of Sarasota and Sarasota Magazine

SELECT NIGHTS

Monday-Friday 10-6 • Saturday 10-4 Open later Saturday and Sunday (on show days only)

DECEMBER 10 – JANUARY 5

390711-1

TICKETS AT SELBY.ORG

393398-1

Prices, dates and times subject to change without notice.

THUR, DEC 22 7:30PM

Gift Certificates Available!

(941) 263-6799 • (800) 826-9303 • vanwezel.org

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

A ‘Cabaret’ for today The musical’s songs remain the same in this Asolo Repertory Theatre production. In Josh Rhodes’ bold reinterpretation, its story is now based on respect.

MARTY FUGATE THEATER CRITIC

“L

Photo courtesy of Cliff Roles

Berlin. Sally stays.

Seen it before? Me, too.

I’ve seen “Cabaret” so many times that you could wake me at 2 in the morning and I could probably give you a plot synopsis.

But I’ve never seen this before.

Without violating the musical’s text, director/choreographer Josh Rhodes turns the context insideout.

In the process, he shows you something new. One simple shift of focus changes everything.

In Rhodes’ reimagining ...

He looks at the Kit Kat Klub’s art and artists with respect.

Sally Bowles isn’t a spoiled, notso-talented, rich kid slumming in Berlin — she’s a charismatic virtuoso on her way to bigger things.

The Emcee isn’t a corrupt, soulless creep. He’s a transgressive talent who’s created a refuge for other such talents.

The Kit Kat Klub isn’t a workingclass dive with a stage full of losers; it’s an alternative performance space and a launching pad for firstrate artists.

The gender-bending on its stage isn’t decadent; it’s a bold artistic experiment.

The actors’ powerful performances bring Rhodes’ vision to life.

Clauss’ Emcee steals the show whenever he appears.

His incarnation of the character is a gleeful, gender-fluid trickster, not a malign clown.

His Emcee is having fun; he wants the performers and audience

to have fun; his art is an expression of joy. (He’s also got amazingly expressive hands. They really should get separate billing.)

Beaumier is a smash as Sally Bowles 2.0. Her character’s wildly ambitious — and it’s no joke.

She’s got the drive and talent to back it up.

(Halfway through the show, I realized I wasn’t comparing her to Liza Minnelli’s iconic performance.

Having a fresh performer drive that memory out of my head is quite a feat. Brava!)

Chandler does a great job in the thankless role of Clifford Bradshaw (an Americanized stand-in for Christopher Isherwood).

He gets a few moments to shine — especially in the scenes where he refuses Nazi money and confronts Sally about their future in the USA. But the bulk of “Cabaret” isn’t Cliff’s story — he’s mainly a witness to the stories of others.

Lester’s Fraulein Schneider initially dismisses the Nazi menace as a passing fad. As a landlady, she’s overworked and cash poor.

As a human being, she’s basically decent. Hoffman’s Schultz is also good-hearted, and you can see how he won her heart.

Tijana Bjelajac’s set is a doubledecker birdcage spangled with geometric Art Deco designs. It’s seen some wear-and-tear, but it’s not a broke-down palace. The Kit Kat Klub is still a happening place.

(And American writers who drop in aren’t slumming.)

Alejo Vietti’s costumes are an excellent shorthand for the club’s class structure.

Sally Bowles is the star and the Emcee runs the show; they both get show-stopping costumes. The lesser dancers on the kick-line get shabbier garb, and a few seem to be wearing their own lingerie.

Music director Angela Steiner keeps the band cooking on the set’s second tier.

According to the Emcee, “The orchestra is beautiful.”

I didn’t get a good look at them. But they made beautiful music with Kander and Ebb’s tunes.

It adds up to an evening to remember. I laughed, I cried, I thought, you name it.

This revivified vision ticked all the boxes of body, mind and soul.

It’s an entertaining show.

But it’s more than that.

Watching this musical’s characters is like watching the cast of a musical set in the World Trade Center on Sept. 10, 2001.

You know what’s going to happen to them. It hasn’t happened yet.

But it’s only a matter of time.

The book for “Cabaret” leaves you guessing at the characters’ futures. Rhodes spells it out without hitting you over the head.

The musical ends with a haunting scene evoking the fates of people like the Emcee and Ernst.

Inside the Cabaret, life is beautiful. Outside, it’s getting very ugly in Nazi Germany. And we all know how that story ends.

Lincoln Clauss stands center stage as the Emcee in Asolo Rep’s “Cabaret.”

IF YOU GO ‘CABARET’ When: Runs through Dec. 31 Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail.

Tickets: $35-$99.

Info: Call 351-8000 or visit AsoloRep. org.

Enjoy your favorite holiday movies and their music as the Pops and the SCF film department create Features traditional spirituals, gospel tunes, and anthems along with stirring Holiday Cinemagic!

patriotic selections to commemorate Veterans Day. The Pops welcomes the talented Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe soloists Amber Myers, CJ Melton, Raleigh Mosely II, and Maicy Powell as we honor America’s musical heritage.

Get Your Tickets Today!

Sun, Dec 11, 3pm Riverview Performing Arts Center Mon, Dec 12, 7:30pm SCF Neel Performing Arts Center

thePopsOrchestra.org 941-926-POPS (7677)

390245-1

ife is a cabaret.” That’s a famous line from a famous song from the famous musical “Cabaret.”

It’s now on the Asolo Repertory Theatre stage. Surprisingly, the talents behind this show have given the musical new life.

The basic story remains the same, of course. The year is 1931.

Seeking material for his next novel, an American author named Clifford Bradshaw (Alan Chandler) rents a flat in Berlin in the twilight of the Weimar Republic.

What he finds is Sally Bowles (Iris Beaumier), a vivacious, ambitious chanteuse. She leads him to the Kit Kat Klub, a fantasyland of artful song, dance and drag, where she’s the star performer.

The Emcee (Lincoln Clauss) is the gleeful ruler of this hedonistic domain, which has a strong magnetic pull on the young writer.

When Sally has a run-in with the manager and loses her gig, she winds up sharing his flat.

Cliff (who’s either gay or bisexual) thinks he might be falling for her.

But Cliff might also be falling for Ernst (Blake Price) — a shady German businessman who pays him handsomely to smuggle packages in from Paris.

Young love blossoms.

And middle-aged love does, too.

Fraulein Schneider (Kelly Lester), Cliff and Sally’s landlady, gives her heart to Herr Schultz (Philip Hoffman), a fruit shop proprietor, who happens to be Jewish.

Wedding bells are in the air, until the sound of Nazi jackboots drowns them out.

Fraulein Schneider withdraws her consent. The Nazi voices are getting louder, and breaking into the private world of the Kit Kat Klub.

Cliff decides to get the hell out of

393880-1

REVIEWS

6

YourObserver.com

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

|

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

7

DISTINCTIVE DISHES An occasional series on signature dishes from local restaurants.

WHAT’S THE DISH: When executive chef Kaytlin Dangaran began planning her lunch menu for Bistro, she knew she wanted some comfort food. So she took a page out of her home cookbook.

Dangaran says she loves making tomato soup and grilled cheese at home, which made it a natural fit for her menu for Bistro.

“I make it in the pan with butter, and it’s such a fun dish,” she says of her staple soup and sandwich.

“I know I have a can of tomatoes at home. I know I have cheese. I know I have bread and butter. And I know everybody will be happy with it.

Kids, adults, everybody likes it.”

A QUEST FOR BREAD: When she first came to town, Dangaran says she and her husband, John, went all around town tasting bread.

They ultimately found a Pullman Loaf from C’est La Vie that was perfect for sandwiches, and then they started experimenting with different ways to use it.

Dangaran says she wants you to be able to pull the grilled cheese apart and savor it bite for decadent bite.

“We cut the bread,” she says. “And we soak the outside and one half of the inside with melted butter and a little salt.”

GRILLED CHEESE AND TOMATO SOUP AT BISTRO Address: Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Ambiance: Artsy cafeteria, lunch and light bites Price: Entrees from $11 to $17 Info: SarasotaArtMuseum.org/ Bistro

you take whatever cheese you want to do and you melt it in there. It’s a very classic French traditional cheese sauce.”

“You let all that cook down. We used canned San Marzano tomatoes and we cook them down with chicken stock for about 45 minutes. And that’s it. Nothing else.”

A SOUP TO DIP INTO: The tomato soup, says the chef, is delightfully simple.

“We start with whole cloves of garlic, fresh basil, fresh thyme, white onion, butter and olive oil,” she says.

A WINNING DISH: Dangaran says she’s selling about 10 tomato soups and grilled cheese orders per day, and Bistro also offers the soup and sandwich in a half-portion option.

The dish is plated with side orders of

“When you order a grilled cheese, you’re not expecting the world. You just want comfort food, which is beautiful.”

— Chef Kaytlin Dangaran

pickles and chips.

“When you order a grilled cheese, you’re not expecting the world,” says Dangaran of the dish’s eternal appeal. “You just want comfort food,

which is beautiful. And then they have it and they’re like, ‘Oh, this is a really good grilled cheese.’”

— SPENCER FORDIN

www.instagram.com/observergroup

Highlights from the Stanton B. and Nancy W. Kaplan Collection of Photography THROUGH FEB 12

FRIDAY, JAN. 13, 2023

6:30-9:30 P.M. • RITZ-CARLTON, SARASOTA

INFORMATION + TICKETS

ringling.org

KEYNOTE SPEAKER & PERFORMER

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY

LEE AND BOB PETERSON LEGACY AWARD RECIPIENTS

JOAN AND BOB GEYER, ACADEMY AT GLENGARY

Supporting Partner Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the National Endowment for the Arts, Herald Tribune, and the Selby Foundation Ringling Endowment.

The Inspiring Hope Dinner is presented by Sunshine from Darkness, a subsidiary of the Lee and Bob Peterson Foundation Proceeds will support local mental health services provided by Harvest House and Teen Court of Sarasota, and cutting-edge research funded by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908–2004) Brussels, Belgium (detail), 1932; printed later.

Gelatin silver print, 14 1/4 × 9 1/2 in. Gift of Stanton B. and Nancy W. Kaplan, 2019.

SN11678.93 © Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson / Magnum Photos

THANKS TO MEDIA SPONSOR

Tickets and information: SunshineFromDarkness.org

380846-1

This exhibition is a part of the Stanton B. and Nancy W. Kaplan Photography and Media Arts Program at The Ringling.

393432-1

393970-1

THREE CHEESES: You’ll taste three cheeses in the sandwich; there’s a fontina mornay on one side and an aged white cheddar on the other, and Dangaran says there’s also hints of parmesan.

“The parmesan is really that rounding, salty flavor that you want to keep eating,” she says of the delicate balance of cheeses.

“The fontina mornay is the creamy base. And the cheddar is the thing that brings them together. It’s got some creaminess and it’s got some saltiness because it’s aged a little bit.”

What exactly is a fontina mornay?

“It’s like a fancy cheese sauce,” she says. “You take flour and butter and melt it down.

“You whisk in some milk. Then

Photos by Spencer Fordin

CHEF KAYTLIN DANGARAN

BLACK

YOUROBSERVER.COM

Renee Phinney and Glenn Reith

Board Chair Michele Miller, Kent Hayes and CEO Kristie Skoglund

TIE

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

Jeanie DeLa and Florida Center speaker Amanda Jacobson

35TH ANNIVERSARY WINTER GALA Friday, Dec. 2, at Michael’s on East | Benefiting the Florida Center for Early Childhood

T

he Florida Center for Early Childhood continued its winter wonderland gala series with the “Castle By The Sea” fundraiser on Dec. 2.

The annual event — celebrating its 35th anniversary this year — brought hundreds of guests to Michael’s On East for an elegant evening supporting the nonprofit’s many educational and therapeutic programs for children with behavioral and developmental disorders.

Guests mingled with one another and bid on silent auction items outside Michael’s On East before heading inside to admire the day’s castle-themed decor and iconography.

The night’s program started with words from board Chair Michele Miller before Chief Development Officer Kristen Theisen thanked the donors and supporters for their support and attendance.

CEO Kristie Skoglund then addressed the crowd before it was time for Florida Center parent Amanda Jacobson — who has been involved with the organization’s Healthy Families program — to speak to the efficacy of the program and the impact it had on her family.

The night ended with music and dancing.

Co-chairs Larry and Jessica Lawman with Sandy and Mike Humenik

Morgan Mills and Meredith Centauro

Robyn Baker belts out some tunes for the audience.

— HARRY SAYER

Abigail Richardson and Joe Kinker

Photos by Harry Sayer

The night had an elegant castle-themed aesthetic.

Steve and Leslie Goodwin with Renee and Marc Preininger

YourObserver.com

BLACK TIE

|

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

BLACK

Feast Upon The Fields Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Crowley Museum and Nature Center | Benefiting the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

TIE

C

ats, cattle, goats and plenty of support were the name of the game during the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast’s latest fundraiser on Dec.4.

The “Feast Upon The Fields” luncheon brought the Conservation Foundation’s supporters to the Crowley Museum and Nature Center for an afternoon of fundraising for the nonprofit’s nature conservation initiatives.

There were plenty of animals, too. Guests took time to pet and feed goats upon walking to the tent event space, where they then picked up light bites and admired some of the nearby cattle.

It was then time for the program, where guests heard from Conservation Foundation President Christine Johnson and Crowley Museum CEO Dixie Resnick before they enjoyed food from Mattison’s 41.

Photos by Harry Sayer

Back: Ed Lindsay and Chris Schaeffer; Front: Chris Lindsay, Raul and Alison Elizalde, Kristan Hamill, Lynn Morris and Rick Smalley

— HARRY SAYER

President Christine Johnson with Rhonda Deems, Sherry Davis and Polly Giuffrida

Pauline Wamsler and Chris Lindsay

Karla Lewis feeds a nearby goat. The goat was later freed from the fence.

Tom Waters and Brittany Bryant-Swift

Lynn and Chris Romine

Elizabeth Moore and John Knowles

NEED NEED A A LITTLE LITTLE BLACK BLACK DRESS? DRESS?

WE HAVE YOURS.

392555-1

Upscale Upscale Resale Resale && Estate Estate Liquidation Liquidation

Where Fashion Meets Philanthropy Where Fashion Meets Philanthropy

• Hanukkah Cookie Decorating • Face Painting & Dreidel Game • Live Performances • Lego Building Contest • Colorful Tape Menorah • Photos with Hanukkah Characters • Daily Raffles and Free Giveaways • Candle Lighting

Dec. 18th - Dec. 23rd 12/18 at University Town Center - 4:00 - 6:00 pm 12/19 at Selby Gardens Lights In Bloom - 5:00 - 7:00 pm 12/20 at St Armands Circle - 4:00 - 6:00 pm 12/22 at Waterside LWR - 4:00 - 6:00 pm 12/23 at Temple Sinai - 6:00 - 8:00 pm

1226 North Tamiami Trail 1226 North Tamiami Trail DesigningWomenSRQ.org DesigningWomenSRQ.org 941.366.5293 941.366.5293 A 501c3 Benefiting Local Arts & Human A 501c3 Benefiting Local Arts & Human Services Organizations Services Photography by:Organizations Markus Drew Photography by: Markus Drew

391057-1

DESIGNING DESIGNING WOMEN WOMEN BOUTIQUE BOUTIQUE

9

www.templesinai-sarasota.org/hands-on-hanukkah.html

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

393972-1

BLACK TIE

Photos by Harry Sayer

Evelyn Almodovar, Ashley Brown and speaker Robyn Faucy

Winter Wonder Women Collective Thursday, Dec. 1, at Grove restaurant | Benefiting Women’s Resource Center

T

389749-1

he Women’s Resource Center brought some holiday cheer to Grove restaurant in Lakewood Ranch during its latest Wonder Women Collective fundraiser on Dec. 1.

The “Winter Wonder Women Collective” event saw the WRC’s clients, donors and partners mingling together for a year-end celebration of the organization’s work providing resources for women seeking guidance and support.

The evening started with light bites and drinks before guests sat to hear from TEDX speaker Robyn Faucy. Guests finished out the night enjoying music and bidding on silent auction items.

Experience

Close Encounters!

— HARRY SAYER

going

Come see what everyone’s

WI LD

Lori Gentile and Rosie Stewart

Kelly Romanoff and Andrea Doggett

941-306-1202 ArtistSeriesConcerts.org

Ever Onward Season 27

about!

THE 442s

December 13, 7:30 pm Historic Asolo Theater

A holiday concert for the whole family!

Breaking down barriers between jazz, classical, folk, and pop music, these St. Louis-based musicians present a program of original compositions from their upcoming album and holiday favorites including “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Blue Christmas,” and others!

Get friendly with some flamingos. Take your picture with a parrot. Feed and touch a tortoise. Hold and play with our fun-loving lemurs. Our animal interactions and private experiences let you get up close and personal with an assortment of new friends.

VISION DUO Ariel Horowitz, violin Britton-René Collins, marimba

Make some lasting memories today!

December 15 • 11 am performance followed by lunch at the Sarasota Yacht Club

SarasotaJungleGardens.com • 941.355.5305

389193-1

Sarasota's Favorite Family Attraction 381574-1

10

Co-winners of the Concert Artists Guild Competition’s Ambassador Prize, Vision Duo blends seemingly opposite sound worlds such as electronic/acoustic, old/new, and Bach/blues, prioritizing inclusion and representation from the composers they perform.

This project is supported in part by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County; Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council of Arts and Culture and the State of Florida (Section 286.25 Florida Statutes); The Exchange; Gulf Coast Community Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; the Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues; and the Virginia B.Toulmin Foundation.

YourObserver.com

BLACK TIE

|

11

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

It’s Beginning to Look A lot Like Hanukkah

Photo courtesy of Cliff Roles

Co-chairs Albert and Norma Cohen with Gigi and Ben Huberman

VOICES: The Stories of JFCS Sunday, Dec. 4, at Sarasota Yacht Club | Benefiting Jewish Family & Children’s Service of the Suncoast

J

Harry Sayer

from new JFCS President and CEO Helene Lotman as well as other members of the board.

—HARRY SAYER

4420 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 941.260.8905 www.shellysgiftandchristmasboutique.com

Kameron Hodgens and President and CEO Helene Lotman

372869-1

FCS of the Suncoast shared a variety of stories and perspectives during its annual fundraiser on Dec. 4.

Hundreds of faithful supporters filled the Sarasota Yacht Club for an evening of fundraising, music and celebration. The annual fundraiser benefits the organization’s mental health counseling and human services programs.

Guests mingled during cocktail hour before settling down for a number of performances and displays of artistic talent from pianist Susan Hollins, the Rise Above Performing Arts show choir, cantor Riselle Bain, the a cappella jazz vocal ensemble Jet Stream from Booker High School and more.

The program included words

Open 7 Days a Week Until Christmas

A Meal Makes a Difference.

“Hands down this is the most cohesive,

Meals On Wheels of Sarasota Serves

175,000

meals annually

700+

meals daily

well-rounded, fully conceptualized staging of this musical that I have seen to date.

My friends, this is how you do CABARET.

5 days

”

a week

— Broadway World

Feeding the elderly, veterans, physically disabled and mentally challenged.

Iris Beaumier and Lincoln Clauss

Give Today

Book by

JOE MASTEROFF JOHN VAN DRUTEN CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD JOHN FRED KANDER EBB Based on the play by

and stories by

Music by

Lyrics by

and

NOW - DEC 31 TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

SERVING MEALS SAVING LIVES DELIVERING HOPE

941.351.8000 asolorep.org

390517-1

A registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization established in 1971

JOSH RHODES

SPONSORS

374817-1

(941) 366-6693 | MealsOnWheelsOfSarasota.org

Directed and Choreographed by

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

Best .

Gift .

Ever.

What could be more thoughtful, or a better way to show how much you care? Share the joy of ME time with a gift card.

Sarasota North 2855 University Parkway Sarasota, FL 34243 (941) 556-6400

Sarasota South 4055 Clark Road Sarasota, FL 34233 (941) 927-6200

Sarasota Midtown 1279 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34239 (941) 308-7600

Bradenton 4734 Cortez Road West Bradenton, FL 34210 (941) 909-0800

MM#34107, MM#23392, MM#27535, MM#39805

393200-1

M-F 9a - 9p | S 9a - 8p | Sun 10a - 6p | www.MassageEnvy.com

393920-1

12