Arts + Entertainment 2.9.23

INSIDE:

<AIR TIME: FST’s production of a story written in 1976 proves prophetic given today’s media culture. 6

BLACK TIE INSIDE:

PALM BALL: Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast takes a walk on the wild side 8 >

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

(GLASS) WORKS IN PROGRESS

GLASS IN THE GARDENS

Nathan Burnaman, associate director of horticultural exhibits with Selby, has had an idea for one of many art installations that will fill Selby Gardens for the Tiffany showcase.

HARRY SAYER STAFF WRITER

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens staff members always want to maintain a point of view when debuting new exhibits.

The mantra for the Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series — to examine master artists throughout history and highlight their relationship to nature — has led to creative and original approaches to bringing artwork into the gardens each year.

For their upcoming exhibit, the vision is clear. Staff members are taking guests back in time and showcase a type of practical but beautiful stained glass and decorative arts not shown in the garden before.

The “Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty In Nature” exhibit, set to debut on Feb. 12, will highlight the many works of American artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The stained glass artist and designer put out a number of revered art nouveau works — including intricate lamps, multicolored mosaics, patterned windows and more — in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of which will now be celebrated at the gardens.

“It’s (showcasing) the decorative

arts at the turn of the 20th century by looking at glass with a connection to nature,” Vice President for Visitor Engagement and Chief Museum Curator David Berry says.  The exhibit’s work is not yet done,

with many of the horticultural displays and museum designs still in progress. But the creative figures designing both sections are excited for guests to see what they have in store.

A mosaic of a wildflower dug right into the earth, with crushed glass and colored stone providing color. The outlines of the petals would be creeks with flowing water, and the remaining space filled of vibrant plant life to complete the image.

Burnaman felt it would be a union of nature and Tiffany’s style. Where the renowned artist used leading to create lines that delineated his colored glass, the Selby art piece would have streams of jetting water to create the shape of a wildflower.

A year ago, it was an idea. But now, standing in the middle of the installation, seeing the full design take shape and watching the various rivulets begin to fill with water, Burnaman feels a sense of pride.

“It’s super exciting in the beginning,” Burnaman says. “There’s infinite possibilities because we’re usually doing new things. It takes stretching your imaginations and looking for inspiration where you can find it.”

The Flowing Flower will be one of seven installations in the gardens that reflect Tiffany’s style and vision transformed into a tangible garden space.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens staff is preparing a number of stained glass installations ahead of its exhibit on Feb. 12.

David Berry and Nathan Burnaman have overseen much of the design of the upcoming Tiffany exhibit.

Photos by Harry Sayer

Nathan Burnaman has been visualizing and executing many of the gardens’ art installations.

Burnaman says he has been involved in the design process for the art installations from cradle to grave. That starts with generating ideas that will marry Tiffany’s stylings with the garden space and then finding ways to make them work.

“We ask, ‘what makes the artist distinct?’” Burnaman says. “We focus on those key elements and generate ideas that would be practical to execute … with the language of plants, sculpture and flowers. We’ll think of many ideas and whittle it down from there.”

Many are still works in progress, and all require a good deal of work to execute.

The Living Lampshade, for example, is a vignette that Burnaman says is one of the garden’s biggest ever.

Staff members have constructed a gazebo that has been lined with orchid-shaped, leaded glass shades with vibrant green, red and blue colors. A garden will fill the interior with additional color.

When guests stand inside the gazebo (imitating a lamp shape) and the sun hits just right, they’ll find themselves surrounded by dazzling shades of colored light.

“(The gazebo) is a permitted structure,” Burnaman says. “It’s built to withstand Armageddon.”

Color and light (and their relationships) are a common theme in many of the installations that will be seen at Selby this spring.

The Rooted in Nature section has the gardens’ massive Moreton Bay fig tree’s root area planted with more than 1,000 guzmania flowers of various colors to imitate Tiffany’s glass displays.

The Succulents in Silhouette piece that overlooks the succulent garden has a number of tall, colored panels that stretch color and light across the plant space.

As it is still leading up to the exhibit’s debut, other installations are still underway. That suits Burnaman just fine.

“I usually have one favorite (installation),” Burnaman said. “This year, I have a lot of them.”

A CURATED EXPERIENCE

David Berry has been preparing the museum space for the new Tiffany exhibit for some time, and work really kicked into gear once the previous exhibit wrapped.

But during all this prep work, he’s been waiting for one moment — the first time a guest walks inside the museum, stop, and take a look at a Tiffany lamp he placed ever so carefully. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s much more than that to Berry. It will be proof that his team’s design of the museum’s walk-thru has paid off.

“(It’s about) the object you placed in a particular place that just stops someone and they look,” Berry says. “That’s what it’s all ultimately about, when people make that connection. They have a better understanding of all this in the context of nature.”

The Tiffany exhibit’s museum segment will have guests entering and seeing a silhouetted display of glass designs meant to evoke Tiffany’s New York studio before walking through hallways and learning more about the artist and seeing his various lamps, mosaics and other designs. Much of the museum’s col-

Nathan Burnaman has been watching the Flowing Flower installation take shape from starting design to its finish.

Photos by Harry Sayer

IF YOU GO

“TIFFANY: THE PURSUIT OF BEAUTY IN NATURE”

Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

When: Feb. 12 through June 25

Tickets: $16 for adults; $11 for guests Info: Call 366-5731 or visit Selby.org.

lection of glasswork was loaned from a private party.

Unlike some earlier exhibits that had a more open floor plan, the Tiffany exhibit has a guided style that Berry hopes will help guests better understand the artist’s life and style when working in interior design. That approach has included putting in a new dividing wall in an opening room to give more of a walkthrough experience.

“There’s something always in front of you, to your left or your right,” Berry says. “We want to capture the viewer’s (attention).”

Picking the types of artwork and details from Tiffany’s life — especially those that highlighted his

relationship to nature — to adorn the new layout and gallery was another matter entirely.

“You have the artist and the artist’s work, but what are the stories you’re going to tell?” Berry says. “We dive in as fully as we can … once we commit to an idea, then there’s the research to flesh it out.”

Berry feels he was well versed in Tiffany’s work before the exhibit but says he’s now learned to recognize the sophistications that separate Tiffany’s glass work from other artists.

A Lotus Pogoda lamp, for example, has a water-lily inspired design with a delicate touch that Berry has come to love.

But more than that is Berry’s respect for the artist’s emphasis on creating lamps, windows and other glass work that have real function to go along with the aesthetics.

“With Tiffany, you have glass used for practical purposes at the highest level of craftsmanship and aesthetic quality with the windows and the lamps,” Berry says. “We can see it as fine art because it is, but they were sold with a practical purpose.”

The Living Lampshade installation will be filled with color and light.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

HANZHI WANG, ACCORDIONIST

11 a.m. at Sarasota Yacht Club

1100 John Ringling Blvd.

$60 Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.

Young musician Hanzhi Wang is the only accordionist to ever earn a place on the roster of Young Concert Artists in its 61-year history. Hosted by the Artist Series Concerts, enjoy lunch and a performance by this musician, who was named Musical America’s New Artist of the Month in 2018.

THURSDAY JAZZ AT THE SAM

5:30 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail

$20; members free Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

Hot Club of SRQ will perform as the Sarasota Art Museum invites patrons to sip on cocktails and dine on light bites in the Bistro. Hosted by the Jazz Club of Sarasota, this event welcomes attendees to peruse the galleries during extended hours.

TEMPS, TOPS, SUPREMES, & GLADYS: A MOTOWN REVUE

7:30 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W. $30-$55 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. com.

For more than 60 years, Motown has held up as one of the most unique and fertile genres for music lovers. The Soul Sensations and their friends will play the classics and

invite the audience to sing, dance and enjoy the best of Motown. Runs through Friday, Feb. 10.

GREAT ESCAPES: DATE NIGHT

7:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

$45-$108

Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

What better prelude to Valentine’s Day than enjoying an evening of romantic music? As part of its Great Escapes series, the Sarasota Orchestra will take audiences on a journey through heartfelt stories paired with music that will make you swoon. Runs through Sunday, Feb. 12.

FRIDAY

YAKOV SMIRNOFF

6:30 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $37 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Russian-born entertainer Yakov Smirnoff has had a career that has spanned TV, movies and Broadway. Don’t miss his particular brand of comedy during this two-day special event. Runs through Saturday, Feb. 11.

BEATLES VS. STONES

7 p.m. at Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice $36-$100

Visit VenicePerformingArtsCenter. com.

Billed as “the greatest concert that

never was …” this performance presents a what-if of the biggest battle of the bands to answer the age-old debate: Which is the better band — the Beatles or the Rolling Stones?

‘A SEA SYMPHONY’ MASTERWORK BY VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

4 p.m. at Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road $35-$45 Visit KeyChorale.org.

Vaughan Williams’ large-scale symphony was one of the first to incorporate a choir throughout it, and it is still considered one of the best first symphonies ever composed. Key Chorale performs this work, which tells the story of a seaward voyage of the soul to uncharted waters. Runs through Saturday, Feb. 11.

SATURDAY

‘ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE’ WITH THE LIVERPOOL LEGENDS

7:30 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way $30 Visit ThePopsOrchestra.org.

The Pops Orchestra welcomes the Grammy-nominated Liverpool Legends, who will delight with this Beatles tribute concert. The Liverpool Legends have a unique connection with Louise Harrison, George Harrison’s sister and a Sarasota resident. Runs through Monday, Feb. 13.

FST IMPROV PRESENTS ‘WHEN X MEETS Y’ (VALENTINE’S DAY EDITION)

8:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab Theatre, 1265 First St. $15 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, the hilarious improv troupe at Florida Studio Theatre will produce

“When X Meets Y,” a fully improvised musical love story. Inspired by one location and three random notes on the keyboard, the troupe takes it from there to spin a fun story with romantic twists and turns.

SUNDAY

LET’S CELEBRATE

3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3131 61st St.

$5 Visit SuncoastConcertBand.org.

The Suncoast Concert Band presents this performance of local musicians, which is sure to delight with an afternoon of music in a casual atmosphere.

MONDAY

‘TOOTSIE’

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

$42-$97 Visit VanWezel.org.

When an out-of-work actor has trouble getting gigs, he reinvents himself as a woman to secure the role of a lifetime. This good-time musical packed full of laughs will be sure to give you a night off from the real world. Runs through Wednesday, Feb. 15.

TUESDAY

PETER FOGEL’S ’TIL DEATH DO

US PART ... YOU FIRST!

2 and 7 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W. $30-$38 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. com.

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than making fun of relationships and romance? No matter what your particular situation, anyone will be able to relate to Peter Fogel’s take on marriage, sex and other things that end prematurely.

OUR PICK

‘CHICKEN & BISCUITS’

This comedy, presented by the Asolo Repertory Theatre, introduces the Jenkins family as they celebrate their recently deceased father and grandfather. When a secret is revealed, this new Broadway show leads audiences through all the hilarious drama and antics that only family can inspire from one another. Runs through April 13.

IF YOU GO

When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15

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

Tickets: Start at $33 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.

DON’T MISS

CIRCUS SARASOTA

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, don’t miss your chance to take part in a long-standing area tradition: Enjoying a night of entertainment under the big top at Circus Sarasota. Be dazzled by a variety of performers all in the best venue for circus around.

SILLY LOVE SONGS WITH JIMMY

MAZZ

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

$30

Visit ThePlayers.org.

For a light-hearted Valentine’s Day, take in a cabaret with crooner Jimmy Mazz, who will take a spin through some of your favorite romantic tunes. Cabaret seating features romantic tables in the front row, along with champagne and a sweet treat for you and your Valentine.

WEDNESDAY

EXHIBITION EVENING FEATURING

DYNASTY DANCE CLUBS

6 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

Tickets $60-$65

Visit Selby.org.

Stroll through Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ spring exhibition, “Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature,” and enjoy a reception and performance by Dynasty Dance Clubs.

IF YOU GO

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 through March 5

Where: Ulla Searing Big Top on Nathan Benderson Park’s Regatta Island, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle

Tickets: $20-$75

Info: Call 355-9805 or visit CircusArts. org.

VIRTUOSO NIGHT

7:30 p.m. at St. Boniface Episcopal Church, 5615 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key $35 Call (219) 928-8665.

A 13-member professional string ensemble as part of the Chamber Orchestra of Sarasota will perform some of the best works from virtuosos, including Mozart, Bach and Janacek, all in the intimate setting of St. Boniface.

PIANIST AWADAGIN PRATT

7:30 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way $30-$85 Visit SCASarasota.org.

The Sarasota Concert Association welcomes acclaimed pianist Awadagin Pratt, who will lend his musical insight and intensity to a performance that spans everything from the works from Philip Glass to Rachmaninoff.

TV or not TV?

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Paddy Chayefsky was mad as hell at the top executives of American broadcast television. His anger was understandable. He’d written some of the legendary scripts of TV’s golden age.

In less than a decade, he’d watched the network’s corporate clowns turn this revolutionary new medium into the idiot box. Chayefsky also absorbed tons of insider information about the three big TV networks. For a writer of his stature, that was a stockpile of radioactive ammo. Chayefsky dropped his satiric A-bomb in the mid-1970s. “Network” was the name of his weapon of mass-media destruction.

In 1976, “Network” looked like a dark satire. In 2023, it resembles prophecy. Was Chayefsky a satiric soothsayer after all? Marty Fugate posed that question to Richard Hopkins. (He’s directing the theatrical adaptation at Florida Studio Theatre, and we thought he would know.) His answers may shock you.

Paddy Chayefsky wrote “Network” for the movies. But Lee Hall’s play adaptation made very few changes. Why does the original material survive theatrical translation when so many other brilliant screenplays wouldn’t?

I think it’s because Paddy Chayefsky wrote such great dialogue in his screenplays and teleplays. His command of human speech made his scripts for “Marty,” “Network,” Hospital” and “Altered States” the masterpieces that they are. In these examples, Chayefsky was writing for the screen. He also wrote plays. Whatever the medium, Chayefsky’s words were always the driving force. His use of language was highly theatrical from the get-go. In the beginning was the word? Exactly. And that’s especially true for “Network.”

Why? Because speech is its organizing principle. Like all of Chayefsky’s screenplays, “Network” has its cinematic moments. But it’s not cinematic by nature. It’s more about the words of characters with opposing philosophies.

Chayefsky’s dialogue has the back-and-forth rhythm of theatrical speech. His scenes are a series of fragments. His locations jump from the studio, to the living room, to the bedroom, to the boardroom. His scenes of back and forth — then come back together. They’re effective against the backdrop of a highly realistic set. But they’d also work in an empty black box theater. The flow of Chayefsky’s language pulls these disjointed vignettes together not action in physical space.

When I saw “Network” in ’76, I figured it was a dark, over-thetop satire of TV, not a prediction. Now much of his bizarre lampoon has come to pass. Am I crazy to think that?

No, you’re not crazy. Chayefsky was amazingly prophetic. “Network” holds a mirror to the media-saturated world of today.

For me, that’s why Hall’s play works so much better than the film. Chayefsky railed against the crush of media in the 1970s. Television was shaping and misshaping humanity! The omnipresent boob tube is manipulating our minds! That’s nothing compared to the crush of contemporary media. Chayefsky never fathomed that we’d all be carrying portable screens in our pockets. Our smartphones are little bitty televisions. They’re two-way televisions. It’s so much like “1984.”

Sure. But instead of one Big Brother, we’ve got lots of Little Brothers. Who rat on us. That’s hilarious, Marty. And weirdly terrifying.

Because it’s true?

Because it’s true. Our smartphones talk to us, watch us, listen to us, interrupt us, give us orders and record our geographic locations.

And constantly try to sell us stuff. Yes. They do that, too. And it’s not just our smartphones — that’s true

IF YOU GO

for all the screens of our office computers, home computers, tablets and other digital devices. Media technology is ubiquitous in 2023. We’re surrounded!

Hall could’ve updated his “Net

work” adaptation to reflect that reality. But he didn’t. He still set the play in the 1970s. The dominant media technology is still TV. Not cable TV. Broadcast television — on clunky, old-fashioned, low-res screens. I think Hall made a smart choice in sticking to that. The ’70s had big, fat analog screens; we have slim, flat digital screens. So what? “Network” isn’t about mass media technology. It’s a satire of the corporate executives who profit from it — and the viewers they manipulate.

Despite the 1970s tech, “Network” is still very 21st century. Fat screen, flat screen. Chayefsky’s mass-media satire applies either way. The FST audience will connect the dots.

Let’s unpack Chayefsy’s “mass media satire.” What’s he saying exactly?

I think he’s saying a lot of things. Mad prophets can be dangerous, even when you agree with them. Angry rants can be satisfying, but they get you nowhere. Those are some of his obvious points. But Chayefsky wasn’t always on the nose. “Network” also made a lot of indirect, subtle observations.

For example?

First and foremost, Marshall McLuhan was wrong. The medium is not the message. The “message” is just a commodity in network television. The TV set doesn’t create the shows people watch. Creative professionals do — directors, actors, writers, etc.  But it’s not “art for art’s sake.” TV creatives are hired hands. Network executives tell them exactly what to create — on the basis of ratings, which

are constantly fluctuating, based on viewer taste … or lack of taste. Who’s consuming media content? That’s important. Who’s controlling that content? That’s the most important question. Not the “message” on the boob tube. The owners and executives who profit from it.

“Network” zeroes in on the network executives at UBS. “Look at them! They’re the bastards in charge of TV.” That’s one thing Chayefsky is saying to us. And also showing us.

Look at the man behind the curtain! Or, in this case, the men and women behind the boob tube. Yes, exactly. The old guard executives at UBS had standards. But dinosaurs like Max Schumacher are mostly gone. A new breed has replaced them. They have only one standard: ratings. They try to give the people what they want — or what they think they want. Assassinations on live TV? Well, that depends on the ratings.

What’s the audience share? How many eyeballs are watching? That’s the new breed’s definition of success. I’d be shivering in fear to work with them.

They’re amoral and corrupt. But they don’t see themselves that way. “It’s a business. We’re doing our job … blah, blah.”

Sure. But Chayefsky also indicts the corruption of the viewers who passively consume the sludge that UBS pumps out.

What’s your ideal takeaway for theatergoers driving home from your FST production?

I hope it’ll inspire a great conversation; it’s just that simple. I also hope they’ll ask tough questions. What does “Network” mean? Why is its fictional world so broken? Why is the real world so broken? What can we do to fix it? I don’t claim to have the answers. But if theatergoers ask the questions, I know I’ve done my job.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

SPONSORS

Drs. Joel Morganroth and Gail Morrison Morganroth LEAD

Courtesy photo

What affect does TV really have on us? FST’s “Network” pierces the veil between television and reality.

Swordplay & silliness

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Back in 1844, Alexandre Dumas wrote a ripping yarn called “The Three Musketeers.” Not just a great story.

Like “The Odyssey” and “The Seven Samurai,” Dumas’ tale is amazingly elastic. The story is so strong, it survives adaptation, translation and appropriation into multiple forms. Speaking of which, it’s alive and well in Ken Ludwig’s farcical take in this Asolo Repertory Theatre production.

The action unfolds in France in 1625. The foppish Louis XIII (Peter S. Raimondo) sits on the throne.

The Musketeers of the Guard protect him. These elite warriors take their name from muskets, but they’re far more deadly with old-school swords. Good thing.

Cardinal Richelieu (Jay Russell) is the King’s enemy — and he’s got his own set of deadly warriors.

D’Artagnan (Evan Stevens), a clueless country kid, tries to join the Musketeers in their fight against the Cardinal’s sins. The unlucky lad gets on the bad side of three badass Musketeers — namely Athos (Leighton Samuels), Porthos (Dean Linnard) and Aramis (Ray Huth filling in for Rasell Holt). They initially want to kill him, but decide to train him instead. D’Artagnan’ sister Sabine (Erin O’Connor) joins the struggle. The fight against evil begins! After that, things get complicated …

Stevens shows panache as the plucky young D’Artagnan. He wants to fight evil? Be careful what you wish for, kid. His sister, Sabine, popped out of Ludwig’s imagination, not Dumas’ original novel. O’Connor brings her vividly to life on stage. Her Sabine loves her big brother. But she’s got a severe case of sibling rivalry.

Samuels’ Athos is the three musketeer’s leader. He’s brave and smart, not flashy and boastful. His Athos has mastered the art of swordfighting. He doesn’t yap about his skill. He lets his rapier

IF YOU GO

‘THE THREE MUSKETEERS’

When: Through March 26

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

Tickets: $33-$93

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

do the talking. Linnard’s Porthos is also a masterful swordsman. But he’ll crack jokes and clown around. His silly antics make foolish foes drop their guard. Big mistake.

Huth’s Aramis is a darkly brooding romantic — a lover and a fighter.

Raimondo’s King Louis XIII is a royal poseur. Queen Anne (Imani Lee Williams) is doing a royal job of cuckolding him.  Jay Russell’s Richelieu is a nasty piece of work. He’s good at being bad. Why? Because he likes it. Deadly Machiaevillian schemes are Richelieu’s bloody game of human chess — and his idea of fun. He’s been playing the game so long, he’s reached the master level. Lane’s unladylike Milady is every Walt Disney villainess rolled into one. She can smile and smile — then stab a knife in your back. That’s her idea of having fun.

That’s not the entire cast by a long shot. But it’s a fair sample of the talent.

The actors are all pretty, pretty good.

Dumas’ novel ran to 700 pages or so. The playwright squashed his sprawling tale down to two, highvelocity acts.

Ludwig’s comedy doesn’t crush Dumas’ tough, elastic story. His adaptation of “The Three Musketeers” is still a rousing yarn. On top of that, it’s a love story, an adventure and a gripping struggle of good against evil.

Above all, it’s a celebration of solidarity. “All for one and one for all,” isn’t the fashion lately. Here’s hoping it’ll come back in style. Sounds crazy, I know …

It’s so crazy it just might work.

BLACK TIE

PALM BALL

Saturday, Feb. 4, at Bay Preserve at Osprey | Benefiting Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast brought wild color and energy to the Bay Preserve at Osprey during its annual Palm Ball on Feb. 4.

This year’s event had a “Call of the Wild” theme and boasted plenty of decor and color to match. The interior of the tented event space had a wild green aesthetic that played up the natural energy of Southwest Florida.

Guests dressed up in dazzling clothes to match and spent a lengthy cocktail hour at the preserve mingling and enjoying light bites and drinks near outdoor heaters.

Eventually, though, it was time for the program to start and guests took to their seats. There they heard from Conservation Foundation figures on the importance of the organization’s programs protecting land and water in Southwest Florida.

After food and been served, guests took part in a paddle raise for a number of nature-themed experiences, including a sunrise kayak and brunch, dinner at the Burrows-Matson house at the Bay Preserve and more.

The night finished with dessert and dancing.

— HARRY SAYER

Photos by Cliff Roles and Harry Sayer

Co-chair Jeremy Wright, honorary Chair Cornelia Matson, Co-chairs Rosemary Eure, Elizabeth Moore, Kathy Coffey and Leiza Fitzgerald

Dru Greene with Bill and Barbara Little

Paul McFee-

ley with Patricia and Charles Clark

The night had a wild green aesthetic.

Amber Lamerson, Webster McDonald, Lee Ann Rodriguez and Jennifer Johnston

Victoria and Jack Chapman

Lindsay Morrison and Luke Simonds

BLACK TIE & TALES HARRY SAYER

Project PRIDE SRQ donor party

Project PRIDE SRQ has had something of a busy year.

That involved merging with the Sarasota Pride organization, donating more than $102,000 to local organizations and helping organize a Say Gay emergency rally at the Ringling Bridge in early February.

It’s been a lot of work and activity, and Project PRIDE staff recently thanked its many donors and supporters with its first appreciation party on Feb. 4.

More than 150 Project Pride supporters met at the Benderson Family Finish Tower at Nathan Benderson Park, where they sipped on drinks and enjoyed light bites.

The audience heard from new President Jason Champion, as well as representatives from other Sarasota organizations Project PRIDE has supported, including ALSO Youth, SRQ Kickball, Second Chance Last Opportunity and the Asolo Repertory Theatre.

Project PRIDE’s upcoming events include supporting a transgender memorial garden dedication at the Church of the Trinity MCC on March 5, joining a Manatee Pride Parade in Bradenton on March 11 and being part of a 99 Bottles give-back night on March 12.

New RCLA lecture series, new RCLA executive director

It’s a new year, and that means a new slate of celebrity and influential figures speaking at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall as part of the Ringling College Library Association’s Town Hall lecture series.

But there’s also new leadership handling the series as well. After Stephanie Grosskreutz’s retirement from RCLA in early December, Lauren Kurnov has stepped up to serve as the organization’s newest executive director. It wouldn’t be a new season without some curveballs, of course. While the series’ opening lecture was meant for 2021 Nobel Prize win-

ner Maria Ressa, that was changed to inviting Carlos Alvardo Quesada, the 48th president of Costa Rica, to the Van Wezel on Jan. 17.

Kurnov introduced the political and climate change figure on stage and felt like the event went well.

“There’s always nerves when it’s your first time doing something, but I was excited,” Kurnov said.

Quesada spoke to his climate policies and programs pursuing sustainable energy while in office.

Fittingly, President Christine Johnson of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast served as moderator and spoke with Quesada on a number of ecological issues.

“We realized we didn’t have another speaker in the series that was a climate change policy expert,” Kurnov said.

Kurnov notes future lecture events will see additional community experts serving as guest moderators to bring more knowledge to the Q&A discussions.

“We want to strengthen the community connection,” Kurnov said. “We want the program to have deeper relevance to our community.”

Following the Michael Phelps lecture series event that was held on Feb. 6, the next event in the series will feature Admiral James Starvridis on Feb. 27.

Paul Seed, Startech.com

Jim and Susan Travers

PRESENTING

SPONSORS

Amicus Foundation

Julie A. Harris

HOST COMMITTEE

Gerald and Sondra Biller

Jenne Britell

The W. Dale Brougher Foundation

Jaclyn Brunckhorst

Design Works and Kirkplan Kitchens

Michele Hooper and Lemuel Seabrook

Joan K. Lieberman

Michael and Kathy Martella

John and Eilene Maupin

William and Elaine McClure

Karl and Ricky Newkirk

Walt and Donna Pearson

Drayton and Kara Saunders

*As of 2/2/23

For information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Julie

The 2023 Collaboration Celebration luncheon brings together nonprofits, businesses, and donors to celebrate the important work of collaboration on the Campus of Caring and beyond.

This event introduces the Emerging Leader Awards. Three individuals will be recognized in the categories of health, human services, and arts & culture, each winning a $1,000 grant to be used in their leadership journey.

The awards aim to develop the leaders who will shape Sarasota’s human services community in the years to come.

Harry Sayer

Antonio Pinho and Rogelio Capote were on hand at Project PRIDE SRQ’s donor party.

Junior League Legacy Luncheon

tiatives to develop the potential of women.

Legacy Luncheon Chairwoman Melissa Hembree welcomed the crowd before President Lindsay Nock took to the stage to thank the audience as well.

The Junior League of Sarasota celebrated 20 years of its Legacy Luncheon fundraiser with an emerald event Feb. 2 at Michael’s On East Guests met for a lengthy champagne reception to celebrate the organization’s many years of volunteer programs and ini-

Guests also heard from Georgia Pellegrini, host of PBS show “Modern Pioneering” and the event’s guest speaker.

Junior League staff later led a raffle drawing for a custom emerald necklace.

The event ended with closing remarks by Hembree.

— HARRY SAYER

Catholic Charities Ball 2023

The 2023 Catholic Charities Ball brought hope and elegance to The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota on Feb. 4.

The annual affair, put on by the Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc., had 300 guests attending the event.

Guests joined the Rev. Frank Dewane, the bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, during lively social hours accompanied by bagpipes from Kevin Wiegand of the Knights of Columbus.

Ray Collins emceed the program, which started with words from Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice CEO Eduardo Gloria.

Once dinner and the live auction had ended, guests heard from people who have benefited from Catholic Charities programs.

The night ended with music from pianist Giovanni Marradi, violinist Edgar Sandoval and the Phase 5 band.

Chairwoman Bridget Spiess, the Rev. Frank Dewane, pianist Giovanni Marradi, Mary Beth and Ralph Cotran and Edgar Sandoval

Co-chairwomen Beth Cannata, Marilee Roberts, Sabrina Gibson, Judy Kozlowski and Marcia Norris

Kathleen Gordon and Shirley Wiginton Nicole Randazzo and Kelli Soukup

Lauren and Candice Henry

— HARRY SAYER

Photos by Harry Sayer Scarlett and Riley Beaver

Photos by Harry Sayer

Special guest Georgia Pellegrini, middle, with the Junior League committee members

Steak & Burger Celebration

Friday, Feb. 3, at Lee

Wetherington Club | Benefiting Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties saddled up for its annual Steak & Burger celebration event at the Lee Wetherington Club on Feb. 3.

Guests dressed up in their most country attire for the annual Youth of the Year celebration that started with light bites and mingling before it was time to fill the Lee Wetherington event space for the event.

The audience heard from Boys and Girls Clubs President and CEO Bill Sadlo before the 2023 Youth of the Year was announced.

—HARRY SAYER

Brian Woodring, Lisa Kiesel, Sheriff Kurt Hoffman and Caroline and Lee Wetherington

Photos by Cliff Roles President and CEO Bill Sadlo