Arts + Entertainment 1.23.25 by The Observer Group Inc.

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

IT’S TOPSYTURVY TIME

Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas continue to delight audiences 150 years after their creation.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

If this were the TV game show “Jeopardy,” the clue would be: “This expression describes the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan.”

“What is topsy-turvy?”

It’s safe to say many Sarasota arts patrons would bank some cash on this question if they were a contestant on “Jeopardy” or nod furiously if they were watching at home.

As two upcoming performances — one by Choral Artists of Sarasota and another by the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Society — demonstrate, this is topsy-turvy country. Nearly 150 years after they were first performed, Gilbert and Sullivan’s satirical operettas still resonate with audiences.

In the world of Gilbert and Sullivan, up is down and vice versa, and conventions are upended. Absurdity reigns.

Sometimes the team drew inspiration from real-life situations. Sir Joseph Porter in “H.M.S. Pinafore” was said to have been inspired by the politically connected English bookseller W.H. Smith, who was named Great Britain’s First Lord of the Admiralty in 1877 even though he’d never been to sea.

IF

YOU GO CHORAL ARTISTS’ GILBERT AND SULLIVAN REVUE

When: 4 p.m. Jan. 26

Where: First United Methodist Church, 104 S. Pineapple Ave. Ticket: $5-$40. Info: Visit ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.

‘H.M.S. PINAFORE’ BY THE NEW YORK GILBERT & SULLIVAN SOCIETY

When: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27

Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail. Tickets: $40-$80. Info: Visit VanWezel.org.

On Sunday, Jan. 26, Choral Artists of Sarasota will perform a Gilbert and Sullivan Revue at First United Methodist Church. The next day, the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Society will perform “H.M.S. Pinafore” at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

The Choral Artists’ performance will be conducted by the group’s artistic director, Joseph Holt, and will feature guest appearances by Luxe Consort members.

Going to a Gilbert and Sullivan show is like visiting a new city: It’s helpful to know a little bit about what you’ll be seeing, but the amount of research depends on the visitor. With that in mind, it’s worth noting that British director Mike Leigh’s 1999 film “Topsy-Turvy” is available for streaming online. It’s a good introduction to the relationship of W.S. Gilbert, a dramatist, and Arthur Sullivan, a composer, who jointly wrote 14 comic operas between 1871 and 1896.

Their works, which include “Pinafore,” “The Pirates of Penzance” and “The Mikado,” were so successful that their producer, Richard D’Oyly Carte, built the Savoy Theatre in 1881 to house their productions.

For a modern-day equivalent of Gilbert and Sullivan, think of such superstar theatrical collaborators

as Rodgers and Hammerstein (“The Sound of Music,” “South Pacific” and “Oklahoma”) and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice (“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Evita”).

AN OPERA EXPERT NARRATES THE CHORAL ARTISTS SHOW

Retired opera singer and professor Joy McIntyre is going to be the narrator at the Choral Artists Gilbert and Sullivan Revue. McIntyre, who lectures on opera and music in programs organized by Sarasota Music Archive, is a treasure trove of knowledge. We decided to pick her brain about Gilbert and Sullivan.

Asked why G&S musicals are still performed 150 years after they were written, McIntyre notes the songs stick in your head. As an example, she cites the song, “I’ve Got a Little List” from “The Mikado.”

He’s got ’em on the list — he’s got ’em on the list

And they’ll none of ’em be missed — they’ll none of ’em be missed

“You have these catchy little tunes that people can leave the theater singing,” McIntyre says.

Unlike their 20th-century counterparts, Gilbert and Sullivan couldn’t use radio, TV and film to bring their works to the masses. They occasionally turn up in modern mass media, including a 1983 film of “Pirates” starring Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt, as well as cameos in the Indiana Jones film franchise.

Image courtesy of Danny Bristoll

The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players bring “H.M.S. Pinafore” to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Monday, Jan. 27.

Joseph Holt is artistic director of Choral Artists.

Lori Sax A former opera singer and professor, Joy McIntyre will narrate Choral Artists’ Gilbert and Sullivan Revue on Jan. 26.

Image courtesy of BANKS

Choral Artists will perform a Gilbert and Sullivan revue on Jan. 26, at First United Methodist Church.

MON, FEB 10 7:30PM

Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m STILL In Therapy

TEVE SOLOMON, a Brooklyn native from Sheepshead Bay, developed his comedic and dialect skills early, sharing his humor through jokes and stories. Transitioning from a career in education, Steve embraced comedy full-time. His acclaimed one-man show, My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m In Therapy, became a nationwide hit. He followed this success with sequels and holiday specials, touring extensively and winning awards like The Connecticut Critics Circle Award and Broadway.com’s “Best new off-Broadway play.”

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Like many partnerships, the collaboration of Gilbert and Sullivan didn’t always run smoothly. History portrays Gilbert as a traditional Victorian family man who liked routine. Sullivan, meanwhile, had an unconventional relationship with an older American woman who was estranged from her husband. Sullivan suffered from bad health and was plagued by respiratory infections, including one that ultimately killed him. He was stung by the critics’ dismissal of his operettas as light fare and longed to compose a grand opera. As chronicled in the film “Topsy-Turvy,” this tension led to the critical triumph of “Mikado.”

Holt, of Choral Artists, got his introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan with a high school performance of “The Gondoliers” in the Washington, D.C., area. After graduating the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, Holt returned to D.C., where he was music director for the Georgetown Law Gilbert & Sullivan Society.

“It’s the only Gilbert & Sullivan Society in the country with its own law school,” Holt quips.

During his time in Washington, Holt served as principal pianist for the U.S. Army Chorus for 20 years. One of his friends from the chorus, Bob McDonald, will perform in Chorale Artists’ revue.

A TIMELY TRIBUTE TO VICTORIAN SATIRE

Holt decided to include the Victorian masterpieces of satire in Choral Artists’ lineup this season because he thought they would be timely.

“No one has done a Gilbert and Sullivan revue in a decade in Sarasota. It’s light and frothy. They make fun of people in power in such a wonderful way. We need something like this,” he says.

Because it is a revue with selections from “H.M.S. Pinafore,” “The Mikado,” “Pirates of Penzance” and “The Gondoliers,” the Choral Artists show will not have costumes. Those who want full regalia will have to buy a ticket to the “Pinafore” show at the Van Wezel by NYGASP, the memorable acronym for the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players.

At the Van Wezel, theatergoers will see New Mexico native James Mills play Sir Joseph Potter, a character at least 30 years older than he is in real life.

Like Holt, Mills has had a long relationship with Gilbert and Sullivan. While attending the University of New Mexico, Mills was selected for the prestigious College Light Opera Company, a summer program in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

“I played Patter Man in ‘The Yeoman of the Guard.’ It was a coveted role. It was a life-changing experience,” Mills recalls in a telephone interview.

After college, Mills moved to New York City and began performing with NYGASP about a year after his arrival. He answered an ad by the group in the theater casting publication Backstage.

At the audition, Mills wowed the veterans with his delivery of a signature G&S “patter” song, known for fast tempos and tongue-twisting lyrics. He didn’t get a job immediately but was called back for another role later.

That was 18 seasons ago. Mills has dedicated his career to Gilbert and Sullivan. He will soon take the reins of NYGASP from Artistic Director Albert Bergeret, who has held the post for 50 years. During the summer, he passes on his G&S expertise at his alma mater, College Light Opera Company.

Although Mills loves his job, he is not optimistic about the future of Gilbert and Sullivan.

“The Gilbert and Sullivan community is thinning,” he notes. “I hate to say that. Our parents and grandparents really grew up with it. But it’s sometimes difficult to inspire young people. It feels like missionary work.”

Mills will have no problem spreading the Gilbert and Sullivan gospel in Sarasota, where there is a devoted following.

Indeed, the nonchalance of “Three Little Maids From School Are We” from “The Mikado” might sum up the ethos for some newbies just starting out in a land where there are “no bad vibes on island time.”

Everything is a source of fun. Nobody’s safe, for we care for none! Life is a joke that’s just begun!

Art Center Sarasota welcomes new leader on eve of its 100th birthday

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

EDITOR

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

There are organizations whose names immediately bestow their members with certain traits — U.S. Navy SEALs, Phi Beta Kappa and the Peace Corps are examples that come to mind.

Teach for America is another one of those groups, and Art Center Sarasota’s new executive director, Katherine Ceaser, is an alumni. To participate in the leadership development program, college graduates commit to teach for at least two years in a public or private charter K-12 school in a low-income community. So what assumptions can we make about Ceaser based on her Teach for America experience? That she has managerial ability and that education and accessibility are important to her. Those are good qualifications for the head of Sarasota’s oldest visual arts organization, which will turn 100 next year.

Founded in 1926 as the Sarasota Arts Association by Marcia Rader, the art superintendent of the Sarasota school system, the inception of Art Center Sarasota predates that of the venerable John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

Formerly director of education at ACS, Ceaser got the top job in December, not long after Kinsey Robb resigned after three years in the position. Robb left Sarasota to become executive director of the Art Dealers Association of America in New York City, the leading nonprofit membership organization of the nation’s fine art galleries.

Before joining ACS in 2023, Ceaser served as an adjunct faculty member and education adviser at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. The Sarasota native also worked as a teacher in Sarasota County Schools after she, her husband and her three children moved here in 2015 to be closer to family. Whether it’s the result of her teaching background or just part of her personality, one of the first things you notice about Ceaser is what a good listener she is. Listening

involves patience while you wait for the other person to finish what she’s going to say.

Even if you don’t know that Ceaser has worked for a “do-good” organization, you immediately get the sense that she cares about people and truly wants to make the world a better place.

But she’s no pushover. Her mettle was tested on her first Tuesday on the job for Teach for America in 2001, when a plane hit the Pentagon, not far from where she was teaching third grade in the Anacostia neighborhood of D.C.

Ceaser’s two-year stint with Teach for America coincided with the rollout of the federal No Child Left Behind program, which piqued her interest in harnessing data and public policy. After completing her teaching commitment, she earned a joint master’s degree in public pol-

icy and education at Harvard University. “I thought I wanted to go into policy, but I realized I missed teaching and went back to it,” she says. In her education work, Ceaser focused on training teachers how to use limited resources. That kind of experience can come in handy for the leader of an arts nonprofit, even if it happens to be based in a community filled with philanthropic arts patrons.

There is no admission fee at Art Center Sarasota to view its juried exhibitions and solo shows, but it charges tuition for its classes for children and adults and its kids summer camps.

“People wander in here and they’re surprised to learn we don’t charge for admission. We have groups that come and sketch (on the tables in the middle of the back gallery). There

aren’t a lot of barriers to access here. That’s why I like it,” Ceaser said in a December interview, shortly after she was promoted.

Donors, Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues and until recently, state arts grants help keep the lights on at ACS. In addition, the nonprofit generates revenue through commissions on art sold in its galleries, and from fees for classes. “We don’t want to be dependent on one source of funding because we’ve seen how capricious that can be,” Ceaser says.

When an interviewer points out that there are dozens of cultural organizations in Sarasota, Ceaser gently interjects, “But we’re the first.” OK, then. Even though she wants to create opportunity for folks who might not otherwise have access to it, Ceaser understands the importance of a legacy.

GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT ABOUT WHAT’S AVAILABLE

Being first is a good thing, especially when you’re a year away from your 100th anniversary. Anyone who works in marketing knows holidays and birthdays get people to open up their wallets.

Art Center Sarasota is nicely situated within the confines of The Bay, Sarasota’s new 52-acre park, and holds a long-term lease with the city of Sarasota. Despite its proximity to the water, it escaped damage from hurricanes in 2024.

Its galleries and classroom space were upgraded during Robb’s tenure, so it’s not about to embark on a major capital campaign for a new building anytime soon. Right now,

ACS is building out its digital lab thanks to a grant from Impact 100 SRQ. Founded in 2018, the group of diverse women annually funds award grants to local nonprofits.

“We’re still benefiting from all that hard work that Kinsey did,” says Ceaser. “My focus going forward is letting people know all the things we’re doing. We have free youth art education every Saturday from September to March. We don’t charge for admission. Many of our special programs cost just $5.”

Ceaser continues, “My job is not to change the programming, but to expand it and let people know it exists. We have to work on getting the message out.”

Every day, Ceaser hears moving stories from visitors and students at ACS. “This morning, a woman told me it was the first time she had been back to take an art class since her husband died,” she said. “After she had done her watercolor, she came up to me teary-eyed and told me how much she had needed to get back to her art and how she couldn’t wait until next week.”

Many newcomers to Sarasota aren’t aware of the changing exhibitions at Art Center Sarasota. But the opening receptions for its exhibitions attract a Who’s Who of cultural movers and shakers in Sarasota. The next one is Jan. 30, to celebrate the opening of four new exhibits that will run through March 1. They are: n “Jon or Juan,” an exploration of identity through Latin American craft traditions by Jon Green n “Dreamscape,” a photographic journey of foreign places and the environment by Frederico Torres n “The Early Years,” Madie Gotshall’s collage-style paintings that seek to find meaning in the quotidian n The Annual Juried Members Show of no more than 100 pieces selected by juror Rangsook Yoon, senior curator at Sarasota Art Museum. ACS Board Chair Mary Davis Wallace will present a Director’s Choice Award to her favorite piece of artwork.

Remaining Schedule

Sunday Polo matches now through April 27, 2025

Gates open at 10AM and matches start at 1PM

Come enjoy themed tailgates, food, drinks, opening parade, and the traditional divot stomping.

Thursday Sunset Polo Happy Hour begins March 13, 2025

Gates open at 4:30PM and matches begin at 5:30PM

Great way to entertain collogues, clients, family, and friends.

Katherine Ceaser was promoted from education director to executive director in December.

Image courtesy of Barbara Banks

Katherine Ceaser became the new executive director of Art Center Sarasota in December.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

YACHT ROCK REVUE

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

$25-$65

Visit VanWezel.org.

Since their humble beginnings in 2007, members of Atlanta-based Yacht Rock Revue have become leading practitioners of their genre with lush instrumentation and ethereal vocals. No wonder this 10-piece ensemble has opened for bands such as Train and REO Speedwagon and attracted a devoted following of “Anchorheads.”

‘SPACEMAN’

7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.

$5-$44

Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.

Leegrid Stevens’ play follows a female astronaut (Terri Weagant) who travels to Mars after her late husband’s failed attempt to reach the Red Planet. Be prepared for a “sensesurround” experience as Summer Dawn Wallace bravely goes where no director of a black-box theater has gone before. (Apologies, “Star Trek” fans!) Runs through Feb. 16.

‘59TH STREET BRIDGE’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.

$18-$42

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Feelin’ groovy? Simon and Garfunkel fans know that expression from the hit song that gives this cabaret show its title. Florida Studio Theatre pays tribute to early folk rock artists such as John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Continues through March 30.

‘TOOTSIE’

7:30 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton

$19-$43

Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. com.

Unemployed actor Michael Dorsey

is willing to do anything to get a part of a lifetime in this Manatee Players production of the awardwinning musical based on the hit film. Runs through Feb. 2.

‘FENCES’

7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave.

$22-$52

Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presents “Fences,” the sixth play of playwright August Wilson’s 10-part American Century Cycle. Set in 1957, it follows Troy Maxson, a garbage collector whose baseball dreams were derailed by bigotry. His unresolved anger creates trouble with his son, Cory, who’s got his own big league ambitions. Directed by Jim Weaver, the play stars Patric Robinson as Maxson. Runs through Feb. 23.

‘THE CANCELLATION OF LAUREN FEIN’

8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.

$25-$42

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Written by Miami lawyer and playwright Christopher DemosBrown, “The Cancellation of Lauren Fein” tells the story of a “woke” professor forced to defend herself against charges of racism and that she sexually molested a graduate student. Florida Studio Theatre’s production of the play focusing on “cancel” culture is bound to push a few buttons. Runs through March 9.

‘THE HEART SELLERS’

8 p.m. at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.

$25-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Take a time trip back to Thanksgiving 1973, when a chance meeting between two recent Asian immigrants develops into an unexpected friendship. Spoiler: Just because the holiday has passed, it’s not too late to talk turkey about assimilation, identity and female bonds. Runs through Feb. 23..

OUR PICK

MR. SWINDLE’S TRAVELING PECULIARIUM

Sarasota is no stranger to circuses, but this one is definitely not family fare. Mr. Swindle’s Traveling Peculiarium isn’t your grandfather’s circus, folks, and he might not be happy to hear you’ve got a ticket. Sorry, kids, the ID requirement to attend this risque cirque is strictly enforced. This isn’t a medicine show of yore, but Mr. Swindle’s features a Drink-Ory Garden serving up alcoholic potions and snacks that opens an hour before the show so circusgoers can pregame. Hey, what happens in the big top stays in the big top, right? Through Feb. 2.

IF YOU GO

When: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24

Where: Robarts Arena, Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd.

Tickets: $47-$82 (18+ with ID)

Info: Visit SarasotaFair.com.

FRIDAY

JAZZ @ TWO: EDDIE TOBIN AND FRIENDS

2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalists of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road

$15-$20 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

DON’T MISS

‘KEN LUDWIG’S LADY MOLLY OF SCOTLAND YARD’

Ken Ludwig’s world premiere at Asolo Repertory Theatre is a theatrical adaptation of Baroness Orczy’s lesser-known “Lady Molly” stories. Ludwig’s “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” transports Baroness Orczy’s female sleuth to World War II, where Britain is under attack by the Nazis and code-breaking, murder and espionage are the order of the day. Runs through Feb. 8.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23

Where: FSU Center for Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail

Tickets: $35 -$99

Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.

Jazz Club of Sarasota presents Eddie Tobin and Friends. Tobin, on piano and vocals, toured the world as pianist and music director for Englebert Humperdinck. Locals will know him from the popular club band The Venturas. Come prepared to hear a mix of genres, including jazz, blues, ragtime and pop.

‘MANN’S LAST DANCE’

7:30 p.m. at Tree Fort Productions, The Crossings at Siesta Key mall, 3501 South Tamiami Trail $40 Visit TreeFortProductions.com.

Sarasota multihyphenate Katherine Michelle Tanner presents a onewoman show she created that tells the true story of Polish Jewish ballerina Franceska Mann, who used her gift of dance to distract Nazi soldiers. Runs through Feb. 2.

‘DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL’

7:30 p.m. at Pinkerton Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice $37 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.

Venice Theatre presents a world premiere created by Roger Bean, known for his show, “The Marvelous Wonderettes.” This tribute to TV show tunes is presented within a game show-within-a-game show format. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming along and playing from your seat in the audience. Runs through Feb. 9.

POPS: KINGS OF SOUL

7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $41 and up Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Sarasota Orchestra is back in its home venue of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall after a hiatus of more than two months, just in

Courtesy images

Drop anchor and head over to Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to hear Yacht Rock Revue on Thursday, Jan. 23.

Herb Smith

time to “get it on” with this Pops concert: “Kings of Soul.” Get out your velvet purple tux or your sequined jumpsuit and groove to the tunes made famous by such performers as Marvin Gaye, Barry White and James Brown in a program featuring guest vocalists Michael Lynche, Darren Lorenzo and Jesse Nager that will be conducted by Herb Smith.

SATURDAY

‘AESOP’S FABLES’

10 a.m. and noon at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.

$12

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

On the weekends, there’s the eternal problem of what to do with the kids. Turn off their electronic devices and bring them down to Florida Studio Theatre for a fun, affordable show of “Aesop’s Fables.” They’ll learn that donkeys and asses have been with us for a very long time. Runs weekends through Feb. 2.

SUNDAY

SUNCOAST CONCERT BAND

3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3131 61st St. $5 Visit SuncoastConcertBand.org.

The theme of this week’s performance by the Suncoast Concert Band, in its 92nd season, is “Shostakovich is in the House.” Da! Call 941-907-4123 to check on ticket availability, and please be sure to dial the right number.

THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA

7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $69-$159

Visit SCASarasota.org.

Cleveland has the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but it’s also home to one of America’s favorite orchestras. The Sarasota Concert Association presents The Cleveland Orchestra, led by Kahchun Wong. This concert features Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto played by Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji.

TUESDAY

CARIBBEAN CHILLERS

JIMMY BUFFETT TRIBUTE

2 and 7 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W. $33-$37 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. com.

Parrotheads, rejoice! The Caribbean Chillers are bringing their Jimmy Buffett tribute to Manatee Performing Arts Center. This band hails from Florida, so it will be “neighbors helping neighbors” find their way to Margaritaville, destination of Buffett fans everywhere.

‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’

7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $50-$105 Visit VanWezel.org.

This isn’t the first visit to Sarasota by the Broadway touring production of “The Addams Family,” the musical based on the TV show of the 1960s. But the faithful always turn out to see the latest antics of this lovable macabre clan. Runs through Jan. 29.

WEDNESDAY

TOM PURVIANCE, PIANO

10:30 a.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free Visit SarasotaMusicArchive.org.

The subtitle of this Sarasota Music Archive presentation is “From Simplicity to Extravagance.” Demonstrating his piano mojo will be Tom Purviance, who will play the works of Mozart, Schoenberg and Rachmaninoff.

‘VISITING MR. GREEN’

7:30 p.m. at The Players Centre, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 1130 $34 Visit SarasotaJewishTheatre.com.

Sarasota Jewish Theatre presents Jeff Baron’s recently updated play.“Visiting Mr. Green” follows an elderly widower and a young man assigned to check in on him as part of community service. Runs through Feb. 9.

Dive into Daily Crossword Fun!

February 7 & 8, 2025

All concerts & Biergarten take place at Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota

Baroque and Beer – a perfect combination!

Three amazing concerts feature a star-studded cast of performers and chamber orchestra; plus, a pre-concert reception on Saturday night and an opening night Biergarten Experience with German food, beer, and dancing!

Featuring Guest Artists Yulia Van Doren, Thea Lobo, Ryne Cherry, Corey Shotwell, Daniel Jordan, Sam Nelson, Milene Moreira, Nicole Estima

Friday, February 7, 2025

5:30 PM Biergarten Experience 7:00 PM Opening Concert – Titans of Baroque

Saturday, February 8, 2025

11:30 AM Organ Recital & Bach’s Lunch 6:00 PM Pre-concert Reception

7:30 PM French Baroque Chamber Concert

To purchase tickets to individual concerts, visit KeyChorale.org or call 941-552-8768. Purchase the 2-day pass and save 15%!

With your help, we delivered 146,042 balanced

“Thank you for helping me survive. Getting old is not for the weak. My meals are such a help to

leave

with a smile and a lift of my spirits!” –Faye, age 83

A theater critic’s picks for 2025

Sarasota’s live theater companies share the human stories that often remain untold.

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Radio raconteur Paul Harvey famously gave you “the rest of the story.” The five plays I’ve selected do, too. Their events unfold after the big story ends. Or they’re the spark that got the big story started. Human pawns, taken off the chessboard. Dangerous books, taken off library shelves. A fractured fairy tale of what unfolds after “happily ever after.” The greatest story ever told — minus the last chapter. A winter of discontent turned to a glorious summer of reconciliation. What’s the rest of the story? Read on ...

‘BAD BOOKS’ March 5-28, Florida Studio Theatre’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St. $29. Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org. What happens when a teenager’s reading list becomes a bookbanners’ hit list? Sharyn Rothstein answers that question in this Florida Studio Theatre Stage III production about a single mother’s crusade to purge “bad” books from her district’s curriculum.

As a school board member, Hannah’s got the power to do it. She wants to “protect the children.” Her daughter, Ella, doesn’t want protection. She just wants to read and make up her own mind about what’s good and bad.

Hannah’s motives for censorship seem noble. But her defiant daughter pushes back. After a few squabbles, mom’s mask drops. You finally see what’s behind her high-minded rhetoric. Hannah’s insecure, uncertain and not so noble. Control is what really drives her. “Protecting the children” is just her excuse.

Rothstein’s play offers a witty, nuanced critique of the blunt tool of censorship. Hannah probably wouldn’t want her kid to see it. Your kid will probably love it.

‘NO ONE IS FORGOTTEN’ March 21 to April 29, Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. $39-$44. VisitUrbaniteTheatre.com.

Winter Miller’s play revolves around two female hostages trapped in a small, dark cell. They’ve got all the time in the world and nothing to do but talk. They do — and pour out their deepest hopes, dreams and fears. Words bind the women together. Words provide escape from despair.

Miller’s script digs into the psychology of captivity, the inner pain of isolation and the stubborn human need for meaning. While this play has a minimalist setting, its emotional depth is boundless. It’s an existential situation, but it isn’t a metaphor. Miller isn’t Sartre or Beckett. This is well-researched, grounded writing.

The playwright digs into the global conflicts and twisted ideologies that turn humans into hostages and leverage their pain for strategic advantage. Some playwrights have tackled hostage situations without doing their homework. Miller knows what she’s talking about. Directed by Summer Dawn Wallace.

‘THE WINTER’S TALE’

April 1-27, FSU/Asolo Conservatory, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail. $15-$30. Visit AsoloRep.org. Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” is a tragicomic tale of collateral damage. The play begins with jealousy, misunderstanding and false imprisonment. King Leontes imprisons his wife, the Queen Hermione, on a false charge of infi-

delity. After that, he abandons their newborn daughter, Perdita, in the wilderness. Shepherds find Perdita and raise her. Complications ensue.

Sixteen years later, Leontes is wracked with remorse. He thinks his wife is dead — and it’s all his fault. But, in a magical twist, a statue of Hermione seems to come to life. No magic; she’s no statue! Hermione’s been in hiding and it’s really her. And Perdita’s alive, too! The play ends with a joyful family reunion, a laugh at human folly and the hope of healing. Directed by Jonathan Epstein.

‘INTO THE WOODS’ April 10-20, The Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 1130. $34. Visit ThePlayers.org.

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical picks up where the children’s books leave off. In their deconstructed fairy tale, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of beanstalk fame) and Rapunzel discover that actions have consequences. They’re all on a quest through the scary, dark woods. But an angry giantess blocks their path. Who the heck is she? Well, remember that giant that Jack sent falling to his death after chopping down the beanstalk?

It seems that dead giant had a wife — and that’s who she is. Needless to say, the large woman isn’t happy. And she’s out for revenge. Like it or not, the characters must get it together, deal with the fallout and make hard choices. Is there a happy ending? They get out of the woods alive. For storybook characters, that’s happy enough. Thanks to sizzling satire and effervescent music, audiences will be happy in the real world. Directed by Brian Finnerty.

‘JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’ May 14 to June 15, Asolo Repertory Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail. $35-$80. Visit AsoloRep.org.

“The passion of Jesus Christ.” It’s the greatest story ever told, right? And a very old story. In the late 1960s, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice decided to tell it in a radically new way: as a rock opera. Not the too-familiar Bible story set in ancient times.

The creators shifted the setting to Jerusalem in an alternatereality present. The city’s locked down under Roman occupation. And Jesus is coming to town for a revolutionary Passover. The man is a rock star, a superstar, a Messiah, maybe more. Above all, he’s a hit.

The under-30 crowd digs him.

The square, old guys at the top don’t. Sure, he’s a great public speaker.

But this Jesus is threatening the power structure. To stay in power, the Romans need to shut him up. His thousands of fans won’t make it easy.

To get to Jesus, the squares need an inside man. That’s where Judas comes in. He’s the perfect fall guy!

This rock opera cleverly frames Jesus’ story from Judas’ point of view. In the gospel according to Webber and Rice, Judas’ motives are good. He isn’t in it for the 30 pieces of silver; he’s trying to put a lid on Jesus’ cult of personality. This show combines such all-too-human insights with a savvy sensibility about the realpolitik behind the crucifixion. There are some great tunes, too. Directed by Josh Rhodes.