Arts + Entertainment 3.9.23

A+E INSIDE:

< BRIDGE THE GAP: Jazz Festival lineup seeks to expand horizons — and its audience. 3

BLACK TIE INSIDE:

SUNSET SHOWDOWN: Local celebrities square off for SCD dance fundraiser 8 >

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

The art of pattern recognition

Luca Molnar illuminates the networks of people, politics and power in her latest painting series at Art Center Sarasota.

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Luca Molnar’s latest painting series is a dense collision of patterns and historical personalities.

Her patterns flow from a range of spaces, both public and private. According to Molnar, “I’m captivated by the domestic environment and our everyday encounters with pattern in spaces like bathrooms and kitchens.”

She adds that while “home” is theoretically a sheltering safe space, it’s sometimes a workhouse for women’s often-unseen labors.

“It can also be a battleground for intimate violence,” she adds. Molnar also confronts the exploitation of women in the workforce. The networks of power and politics aren’t in your face in her fractured narratives. To find them, the viewer must exercise their own powers of pattern recognition. Molnar takes the same approach as an assistant professor of studio art at Stetson University. She graciously connected the dots in our recent conversation.

What drives you to create?

For me, it’s a process of inquiry. I’ll start with a narrative that interests me — and then keep digging in different directions to see what comes up. During this process, I begin to figure out how personal and political history intersects and influences the ideas and experiences of the present.

You often paint the walls behind your paintings the dominant color of your artwork. That blurs the boundary of where your art stops and the world begins. What’s your strategy with that?

I’m interested in breaking the white cube. I want to give my paintings alternate spaces to exist beyond just

white walls. That first started with the big yellow painting — “Giornata.” I was inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” It’s a short story about Jane, a writer with unnamed postpartum depression. Her husband locks her up in an attic that’s covered in yellow wallpaper. Jane slowly descends into madness and feels consumed by it. This feeling of being enveloped and maybe even attacked by a color became very interesting to me. My monochrome series evokes that visual intensity. I’m not interested in subtle color. I want color that yells at you.

SEE PATTERN, PAGE 2

IF YOU GO

‘SAME SOURCE: WORK BY LUCA MOLNAR.’

When: Through March 11

Where: Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail.

Info: Visit ArtSarasota.org.

Courtesy photos Artist Luca Molnar explores patterns in her work, which is on display at Art Center Sarasota.

“Indigo Girls” by Luca Molnar is inspired by Eliza Lucas Pinckney, who was credited with establishing indigo as a cash crop in South Carolina.

Luca Molnar’s “Radium Girls” painting is inspired by the historic watch-dial painters.

“I’m not interested in subtle color. I want color that yells at you.”

Artist LUCA MOLNAR

Pattern

Jane is a fictional character. Who are some real-life historical figures in your paintings?

Eliza Lucas Pinckney is the focus of “Indigo Girls.” She’s a pretty interesting historical figure who’s credited with establishing indigo as a cash crop that thrived in South Carolina. Of course, she didn’t accomplish that on her own. She used the labor and knowledge of enslaved people to do it. “BakerMiller Pink” refers to a shade of pink that’s very close to Pepto Bismol pink. In the ’60s, the psychologist Alexander Schauss theorized that it had calming effect on people. It was first tested by Baker and Miller, the directors of a Seattle naval prison. They painted some cells that color and tracked what happened. It supposedly did calm prisoners down, but it was a pretty unscientific study.

The “Radium Girls” were the women who painted watch faces with luminous radium at watch factories — and developed horrific cancers. Many actually sued their employers and established workers’ right to collectively sue for environmental harm in the United States. Other figures like Marie Curie show up, too. But it’s an interesting cross-section of environment, gender and labor rights.

How would you describe your relationship to pattern?

I relate to pattern in a conceptual realm. I think of patterns as individuals with unique personalities. Each pattern has its own internal logic, much like people. We each have our own ways of interpreting the world and interacting with each other. I’m interested in the dialogue you create when you put two competing patterns next to each other — or two similar patterns.

Where do you get the patterns?

It’s a combination of intuition,

memory and personal association. I was born in Hungary, and that resonates with me. So I work with a lot of Hungarian patterns, from architecture to textiles. I also do historical research in the popular patterns of wallpaper, upholstery or flooring at a certain time and place. So, if I’m creating an imagined space in for a 1970s woman in California, I might investigate the kind of environment she would’ve inhabited. But typically, I don’t pull the patterns from individual narratives.

Who are some of your artistic heroes and role models?

I’ve recently been inspired by Tomashi Jackson — a Black artist based in New York. Her paintings are very multimedia and incorporate see-through, plastic materials. Her approach to abstraction and historical narratives has influenced my work in many ways. In terms of color, I’m inspired by Kour Pour — an artist of Iranian descent who creates these nearly photorealistic textile paintings. They’re Persian rugs, but he sands their surfaces to make them look worn. The roughened quality he brings to textile has

deeply influenced my work visually. What would you like the viewer to take away from these pieces?

We tend to look at events and people singularly — in isolation. I think that looking at the connections between them can be beneficial. It’s really a kind of network thinking. Once you see the world this way, it brings more depth and nuance to things. And I hope my paintings might inspire that in the viewer.

Luca Molnar’s “Giornata” uses color and patterns to explore stories.

Courtesy image

ALIVE AND WELL

With a new venue, the 43rd Sarasota Jazz Festival aims to broaden its audience.

OBSERVER STAFF

Love jazz? No matter the answer to that question, the Jazz Club of Sarasota has planned something for you in its upcoming 43rd annual Sarasota Jazz Festival.

“There are lots of people of all ages who enjoy jazz every day but don’t know that they’re listening to it,” says Ed Linehan, president of the Jazz Club of Sarasota.

For Linehan and his team, the festival, which runs from March 13-18, represents an opportunity to bridge the gap between devoted and potential fans and keep the genre relevant.

Catering to current audiences while attracting a new crowd of listeners has driven every decision made by the festival committee.

“In this and last years’ festivals, our interest has been in expanding the range and depth of varieties of jazz that we’re presenting without abandoning tradition,” says Linehan.

From selecting the festival’s music director to relocating a majority of programming to University Town Center, the committee has made many strategic changes aimed at increasing the festival’s popularity.

The committee prioritized finding a music director who could help bring in a diverse array of performers. It chose Terell Stafford, a Grammy Award winner, previous festival performer and educator, due to his knack for networking. After creating their dream list of performers spanning a wide range of jazz subgenres, the committee tasked Stafford with determining which artists

were available.

“As we make our wish list, we’re driven by wanting quality performers who already have an audience and name that people recognize,” Linehan says. “But we also want ones who are capable of generating a new audience when heard for the first time.”

All four headline performers and half of the opening acts will be accompanied by their bands. Vocalists Lizz Wright and Kurt Elling, bassist Marcus Miller and Latin jazz great Paquito D’Rivera will headline the main stage. Pianist Christian Sands, The Allen Carman Project with percussionist Gumbi Ortiz, pianist Dick Hyman with guitarist Diego Figueiredo and saxophonist Houston Person with organist Tony Monaco will open for the headliners.

Singers Wright and Elling will focus on traditional vocal jazz while Miller will perform modern fusion and funk jazz. Pianist and composer Hyman, renowned for his work scoring films like “Moonstruck,” will play with Brazilian guitarist Figueiredo, beloved for his interpretations of bossa nova, one of Brazil’s most iconic musical styles.

Linehan is also eager for audiences to experience how artists from different generations approach the same instrument, as is the case with the festival’s two pianists, Hyman

and Sands. Hyman, in his mid-90s, and Sands, in his early 30s, will bring both years of experience and a youthful presence to the festival.

“Having Dick, who’s done a lot of everything, and a young Christian Sands will show that the future of jazz is being represented by a new generation of performers and that jazz is not dead,” Linehan says.

Catering to audiences of all ages was an important factor in determining not only the festival lineup but also in selecting an appropriate venue. When the festival returned in 2022 after a pandemic hiatus, the committee opted for an outdoor setting, but many attendees weren’t comfortable spending the entire evening outdoors.

This year, the Jazz Club of Sarasota is partnering with the Circus Arts Conservatory for the four main stage events, which will be held indoors at the Ulla Searing Big Top at University Town Center.

Along with the main stage events, the Jazz Trolley Pub Crawl and Late Night Open Jazz Jams will be held at Nathan Benderson Park and the UTC area. The only event not at UTC is the screening of two jazz films at the Burns Court Cinema in downtown Sarasota.

On the trolley pub crawl, 10 local jazz bands will play at 10 locations, and during the late-night jams,

Incident Our Lady Perpetual Help at OF

IF YOU GO SARASOTA JAZZ FESTIVAL

When: March 13-18

Where: Nathan Benderson

Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota; Burns Court

Cinema, 506 Burns Court, Sarasota; The Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota.

Info: Visit SarasotaJazzFestival.com to purchase tickets and learn more.

musicians can play together into the night.

“We found that a portion of our younger audience wasn’t ready to go home,” Linehan says, “and the jams are a way for them to listen to music or play and be an active part of the performance.” This year marks the second time the festival has hosted the jams, but the trolley pub crawl is a staple.

Keven Aland, the violinist of Hot Club SRQ, which will perform in the trolley crawl, has participated in the event for at least eight years. His band focuses on gypsy or hot club jazz — which originated in 1930s France and is characterized by an emphasis on string instruments — but puts a modern twist on other styles. According to Aland, the new location offers a chance to expand into a different part of Sarasota that’s embracing live music.

“This is an opportunity to get up and close and see a live performance that resonates better than listening on a mobile phone or streaming,” says Aland, “which could drive younger listeners to explore the music.”

The committee’s intentional planning is paying off, with the festival’s ticket sales set to double those of the same period this past year, and Linehan hopes it grow from a regional to a national destination event in the future.

“It’s a platform for musicians to share their talent and for audiences to appreciate the music in the way that it’s intended to be enjoyed,” he says. “There’s nothing finer than the opportunity to be at a live performance where you don’t know for sure what will happen next.”

SARASOTA JAZZ FESTIVAL LINEUP

n March 13: VIP Reception: By invitation for festival sponsors and VIP ticket holders.

n March 14: Jazz Trolley Pub Crawl: 10 bands at 10 venues (5:30-9:30 p.m.). University Town Center.

n March 15: Main Stage Event: Opener Christian Sands Trio and headliner Lizz Wright (6-9:15 p.m.).

Nathan Benderson Park.

n March 16: Jazz Film

Series: “The Benny Goodman” Story (9 a.m.). Burns Court

Cinema.

n March 16: Main Stage Event: Openers

The Allen Carman Project with Gumbi Ortiz and headliner Marcus Miller (6-9:15 p.m.). Nathan Benderson Park.

n March 17: Jazz Film

Series: “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool” (9 a.m.). Burns Court

Cinema.March 17:Main Stage Event: Openers Dick Hyman and Diego Figueiredo and headliners Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter and the Superblue Band (6-9:15 p.m.). Nathan Benderson Park.

n March 17: Late Night Open Jazz Jam led by La Lucha (9:30 p.m. to midnight). Nathan Benderson Park.

n March 18: Main Stage Event: Openers Houston Person and Tony Monaco and headliner Paquito D’Rivera (6-9:15 p.m.). Nathan Benderson Park.

n March 18: Late Night Open Jazz Jam led by Synia Carroll (9:30 p.m. to midnight). Nathan Benderson Park.

Photo courtesy of the Jazz Club of Sarasota

Terell Stafford will perform as part of the Sarasota Jazz Festival March 13-18.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY GREAT ESCAPES:

‘AMERICAN VIBES’

5:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

$45-$108

Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

In this program featuring AllAmerican composers, take in hits from Broadway, Disney and the Great American Songbook. Then dive into some heavier fare with a movement from Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony and Copland’s “Simple Gifts.” Runs through Sunday, March 12.

‘GODSPELL’

7:30 p.m. at The Players Studio, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 1130

$30; students $13; preview night $28

Visit ThePlayers.org.

In this first major musical by Stephen Schwartz (who composed “Wicked”), a small group helps Jesus tell parables using games, storytelling techniques and a hefty dose of comedy. Runs through March 19.

FRIDAY

KAT CROSBY AND THE RHYTHM GATORS

8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court

$15; members $12; students $7.50 Visit WSLR.org/fogartyville.

Singer and songwriter Kat Crosby presents blues from a woman’s perspective. That means a fresh take on everything from celebrating the man she loves to her observation of the world around her in a musical interlude that includes blues, jazz and guitar.

KENNY LOGGINS: THIS IS IT!

HIS FINAL TOUR 2023

8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $102-$167

Visit VanWezel.org.

He’s given us hits such as “Footloose” and “Danger Zone”, but don’t miss your last chance to hear them live with this stop on Kenny Loggins’ final tour. The twotime Grammy award winner has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and remains one of the most noteworthy musicians of the 1970s and ’80s.

‘AN INSPECTOR CALLS’

8 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $35 Visit AsoloRep.org

Set on the brink of WWII, this suspenseful mystery drama performed by the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training will

DON’T MISS ‘HARLEM QUILT’

This solo exhibit by June Clark is its first presentation in a U.S. museum since its unveiling in 1997. It features more than 300 pieces of fabric, each with a black-and-white photo on its surface, illuminated by lightbulbs.

IF YOU GO

When: Through March 26

Where: The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore

Road Tickets: Free with admission Info: Visit Ringling.org.

who has lost everything as he faces competing suitors — including the king — for his true love.

SUNDAY

‘I WANNA BE LIKE YOU!’

4 p.m. at Bee Ridge Presbyterian Church, 4826 McIntosh Road $10

Visit RingSarasota.org.

Hear things you never knew you could hear from a choir of handbells. From big band-era tunes to the rhythm of Latin music, this versatile program will give you a new appreciation for the instrument.

keep you on the edge of your seat. When a family celebration is cut short by the arrival of a mysterious inspector, the family struggles to recover from his scorching investigation. Runs through Sunday, March 12.

SATURDAY

SARASOTA FINE ART SHOW

10 a.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail Free

Visit Hotworks.org.

View offerings from artists based locally and all over the country in this outdoor show. With everything from oil and acrylic paintings to 3-D sculpture and jewelry, find that special piece for your house or just enjoy an afternoon of browsing. Runs through Sunday, March 12.

ANTONIO REY FLAMENCO TROUPE FROM SPAIN

7:30 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way $45, $55, $65 Visit GuitarSarasota.org.

As part of its international concert series, Guitar Sarasota presents Antonio Rey Navis, a Spanish flamenco guitarist and composer considered to be one of two flamenco guitar virtuosos in the world today. He will be joined with a whole troupe of flamenco artists, including dancers.

‘ERNANI’

7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets from $25 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

This stirring score by Verdi takes you through the tale of bandit Ernani,

ENGLISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $30-$95

Visit SCASarasota.org.

Led by conductor Jose Serebrier, the London-based, Grammy Awardwinning English Chamber Orchestra has made 860 recordings of 1,500 works and has performed in more countries than any other orchestra. Brought to you by the Sarasota Concert Association, this program will include Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Haydn.

MONDAY

POETRYLIFE: EVENING READING BY AWARD-WINNING POETS

7 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $30 Visit SarasotaBooks.com.

During PoetryLife, now in its 11th year, come hear some of the world’s best poets read their work at this event hosted by Bookstore1Sarasota. Featured poets this year include Martin Espada and Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, who have selected works that focus on celebrating heritage.

OUR PICK

CIRQUE DES VOIX

Join this annual collaboration between two Sarasota jewels — the Circus Arts Conservatory and Key Chorale. Top circus acts are accompanied by the sounds of chorale music in this not-to-be-missed performance.

‘AND THE HITS KEEP COMING’

7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 1031 S. Euclid Ave. $25

Visit ENSRQ.org.

EnsembleNewSRQ celebrates the versatility of percussion in this concert featuring four works of new music ranging from a percussion sextet to a marimba quartet.

VOICES OF THE AMERICAS

7:30 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way

Tickets $62

Visit LaMusicaFestival.org.

The La Musica Chamber Music Festival welcomes the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to perform a program packed with 20th century music from the Americas.

TUESDAY

JAZZ TROLLEY AND PUB CRAWL

5 p.m. at University Town Center Mall, 140 University Town Center Drive

$20-$25

Visit SarasotaJazzFestival.com.

IF YOU GO

When: March 10-12

Where: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St.

Tickets: $35-$75 Info: Visit CircusArts.org.

Grab some friends and board the trolley for a night of fun. Travel around to enjoy various live acts sprinkled throughout 10 venues about town, and enjoy food and drink at establishments all along the way.

WEDNESDAY

‘INCIDENT AT OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP’

8 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami

Trail $33 and up

Visit AsoloRep.org.

Time travel back to 1973 to see how the O’Shea family deals with the revelation of a family secret. Funny and touching, this play explores themes of first loves, Catholic guilt and the power of family. Runs through April 22.

Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7:30pm

Robert Vodnoy, music director featuring soloists

Christina Adams, violin; Robert Smith, trumpet; Ann Stephenson-Moe, piano First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota

Gershwin Levenberg

Aslanyan Bloch

Tickets $35

Sinfonia in B Minor Lullaby for Strings Hasidic Scene (Kaddish and Dance) Trumpet Concertino Concerto Grosso No. 1 for Strings and Piano

Order online at chamberorchestrasarasota.org

Call 219-928-8665 for info and tickets

Dinner, with a side order of blame

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

J.B. Priestley’s “An Inspector Calls” is the latest production from FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. This harrowing X-ray of the soul is more parable than play and doesn’t try to be subtle.

It starts jolly enough in the upscale home of Arthur Birling (Brian Zane). He’s a wealthy manufacturer, and you can tell he’s doing all right. The Birling family is having a convivial dinner with Gerald Croft (Jordan Rich), who takes the opportunity to give his fiancé, Sheila Birling (Brielle Rivera Headrington), an engagement ring. (This might also portend a marriage between their families’ two competing firms.)

Arthur holds court. He loves the sound of his own voice — and repeatedly describes himself as a “hard-headed, practical man of business.”

The year is 1912, and Arthur

thinks the future looks bright. He dismisses Kaiser William’s threats of war and the call for a general strike in the UK. “In 20 or 30 years’ time ... you’ll be living in a world that’ll have forgotten all these capital versus labor agitations and all these silly little war scares.”

He’s equally contemptuous of the socialist fantasies of Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells. “By the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive.”

That’s when Inspector Goole (Mikhail Roberts) calls. He informs the family that a young, workingclass woman named Eva Smith has just died by suicide — and died in agony after drinking a bottle of disinfectant. What does this have to do with the Birling family and their guest? That’s what he wants to establish. The Inspector has questions for all of them.

As the evening unfolds, it turns out they all share responsibility for driving Eva to desperation. Arthur fired her after she led a strike at his mill. Gerald made her his kept mistress — and then dumped her when he had to move out of his

‘An Inspector Calls’ crashes an elitist Edwardian dinner party with a harsh message of personal responsibility.

Photos by Frank Atura

Mikhail Roberts, Jordan Rich, Jackson Purdy, and Brian Zane in the FSU Asolo Conservatory production of “An Inspector Calls.”

Mikhail Roberts

friend’s empty house. Sheila got her fired from her job in a department store because she was jealous of her beauty. The youngest son, Eric Birling (Jackson Purdy), raped her and continued to use her sexually and got her pregnant. Eva went to the Brumley Women’s Charity for help, but the uncharitable Mrs. Sybil Birling (Brooke Turner) was in charge. Sybil refused Eva any help — because she wasn’t one of the “deserving” poor.

Ultimately, they all helped to kill her.

The Inspector drives this point home with his final words ...

“We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they well be taught it in fire and bloody and anguish.”

With that, he’s gone.

Eric and Sheila repent — though Sheila returns Eric’s ring. The rest of the Birling brood is more concerned with impending scandal.

The whole affair seems so unreal — and maybe it isn’t real. The so-called “Inspector” never actually said he was a police inspector. But he seemed to know everything about everyone and immediately launched into his rude questions. They all felt intimidated and didn’t think to ask him for identification.

Could the whole thing be a hoax?

Arthur calls the infirmary to find out. No young woman’s suicide has been reported.

They all breathe a sigh of relief.

No such luck. The phone rings

IF YOU GO

‘AN INSPECTOR CALLS’

When: Through March 12. Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.

Tickets: $32. Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.

again. This time, it’s a real police inspector.

Kirstin Franklin directs Priestley’s drawing room tragedy with a multilayered approach.

It’s a talky play — but the thoughts going through the characters’ heads are what matters. Sheila and Eric are the only two with any conscience. They’re appalled that nobody else has the slightest guilt and are just trying to weasel out of responsibility.

Chris McVicker’s lighting and set design smartly evoke the conspicuous consumption of the Edwardian era’s elite. April Andrew Carswell’s overstuffed, bulky costumes are more like armor — and a wearable display of wealth. Alex Pinchin’s sound design adds to the nightmarish quality of Priestley’s parable.

There’s a hint of magical realism to this play. The otherworldly “Inspector Goole” is ghoulish indeed. He’s a close cousin to the “Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come” from Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

The news he brings from the future isn’t good.

Brielle Rivera Headrington, and Brook Turner in the FSU:Asolo Conservatory production of “An Inspector Calls.”

BLACK TIE

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2023

SUNSET SHOWDOWN

Saturday, March 4, at Church of the Redeemer | Benefiting Sarasota Contemporary Dance

Sarasota locals and government figures mixed and mingled in a heated dance competition during the Sarasota Contemporary Dance company’s debut Sunset Showdown fundraiser on March 4.

The “Dancing With the Stars”-style event brought more than 100 supporters to the Church of the Redeemer in downtown Sarasota, where the crowd mixed and mingled before it was time for the show.

“We’ve always wanted to do something like this,” Artistic Director Leymis Bolaños Wilmott said.

Mayor Kyle Battie, Commissioner Erik Arroyo and other competitors danced along with SCD company members in a mix of lively styles surrounded by a cheering crowd.

But ultimately, there could only be one winning team. Victor Cipolla and Jessica Obiedzinski were voted the winners by the crowd for their committed performance.

Wilmott and staff announced the event brought in $86,000 for the company’s dance programs and initiatives.

— HARRY SAYER

Chairwomen Jaime Still and Georgia Higgins

Rhianna Taylor and Jennifer Mussro

Jessica Obiedzinski and Victor Cipolla took home the prize.

Photos by Harry Sayer

Patrick and winner Jessica Obiedzinski with Rosalie Cipolla, winner Victor Cipolla, Victor Cipolla Sr. and Kira Cipolla

Mike and Stacy Cole with Rachel McAree and Robin Jennings

David and Susan Feltus with Ike Koziol

Artistic Director Leymis Bolaños Wilmott and emcee Brendan Ragan

Monessa Salley and Sarasota City Commissioner Erik Arroyo act out a magazine cover dance.

Sarasota Mayor Kyle Battie & Juliana Cristina dance for the crowd.

Collaboration Celebration

Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Michael’s On East |

Benefiting Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center

The Glasser/Schoenbaum

Human Services Center recognized three local mentors and leaders during its annual Collaboration Celebration Feb. 28 at Michael’s On East.

The organization — which provides housing for local nonprofits and agencies helping people in need — brought hundreds of supporters to the Michael’s ballroom to celebrate local figures who have provided mentorship and positive change in their communities.

This year’s honorees were Venice Theatre’s Assistant Director of Education and Community Engagement Kelly Duyn, Assistant Director of High School Mentorship Nonprofit Faces of Accomplishment Dana LeBlanc and community health worker at CenterPlace Health Tiona Settles.

The honorees were recommended by peers and each were selected by a panel of judges. The trio accepted their awards before the audience heard from Executive Director Charlene Altenhain during lunch.

— HARRY SAYER

Honoree Kelly Duyn, Gary Blackden and Executive Director Charlene Altenhain

Honoree Dana LeBlanc and Kathy Chamberlain

Photos by Harry Sayer

Liz Rosado, honoree Tiona Settles and Christine Coviello

Carol Probstfeld, Empath Health President Jonathan Fleece and Jan Miller

Victoria Kasdan, Sarah Wertheimer and Sandy Buchanan

Photos by Harry Sayer

Daria Charlesworth, Linda de Mello and Cecille Riggs

Friday,

March 3, at Ritz-Carlton Sarasota | Benefiting Tidewell Foundation

The annual Tidewell Foundation Signature Luncheon brought physician Sudip Bose to The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota to speak on veterans health on March 3.

The event — which benefits Tidewell Hospice’s programs providing care to patients and families as well as other Empath Health nonprofit affiliates — brought hundreds to the Ritz-Carlton ballroom to hear from Bose. The physician and former Army Major was the surgeon who treated Saddam Hussein after his capture.

Bose spoke to the importance of health care and treatment for veterans. The luncheon also recognized the Tidewell Honors Veterans program, which provides specialized care for veterans and families.

After an opening performance of the national anthem from Empath Health music therapist Jasmine Ridge, guests heard from Empath Health President Jonathan Fleece and Tidewell Foundation President Delesa Morris as lunch was served. —

HARRY SAYER

Tidewell Foundation President Delesa Morris and Bix Mannion

Barbara Glanz and Judy Kozlowski

Speaker Dr. Sudip Bose and Chairwoman Kathy Martella

Party Under The Stars

Saturday, Feb. 25, at Hyatt Regency Sarasota | Benefiting Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation

The Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation’s annual Party Under The Stars fundraiser laid out the red carpet for guests during a classic Hollywood bash at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota on Feb. 25.

Hundreds of supporters and medical figures arrived dressed in elegant gowns, snazzy suits and all manner of Hollywood-inspired attire to support the organization’s mission. The Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation provides cancer patients with financial support concerning mortgages, car payments and other bills. Guests filled the Hyatt ballroom for a social hour followed by an evening program that included words from emcee Allison Imre, a live auction from Chris Marchand and a mission moment with Executive Director Lynn Rasys. The night concluded with drinks and dancing.

— HARRY SAYER

Honorary Co-chairwoman Dr. Blessy Jacob, Brittany Moe and Stacy Jean

Antonio Todaro and Jackie Mai

Ed Rasys and Executive Director Lynn Rasys

Photos by Harry Sayer

Jamie Kanter and James Atkins

Rita Aughey and Jennifer Smith

Brian and Jennifer Schulz with Kenney DeCamp as “Mr. Mime”

Dr. Dwight Fitch, chairwoman Marjan Zaun and Jill Fitch