INSIDE: BLACK
TIE
Men Who Cook: Benefiting the Asolo Rep 7 DESIGN STAR: HGTV’s David Bromstad 4
ARTS + CULTURE THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015
SCENE & HEARD
Courtesy
Van Wezel gets a makeover — don’t worry, it’s still purple
Photo by Nick Reichert
Jennifer Rominiecki is taking decades of experience she acquired at some of New York City’s most prestigious cultural institutions to lead the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens into into its fifth decade.
planting
ROOTS Manhattan native Jennifer Rominiecki had a good job at an iconic New York City institution. Then she traded it all to come to Sarasota for a chance to make her mark.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is receiving a makeover this summer thanks to some local and national grants. During a six-week renovation starting in July, the Van Wezel will install a new orchestra shell, new carpet and, most important for female patrons, a complete overhaul of the women’s restrooms. These projects are made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts ($20,000), the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation ($50,000) and the Harry Sudakoff Foundation ($25,000). The first grant from the NEA will go toward the Van Wezel’s education programs, and the latter two grants from the local entities will go toward the orchestra shell, which is integral in Van Wezel’s rising profile among touring Broadway productions and shows. According to Mary Bensel, executive director of the Van Wezel, the current orchestra shell, which was installed during the 1999-2000 renovations, is a cumbersome obstacle when not in use.
NICK REICHERT A&E EDITOR
J
ennifer Rominiecki, clad in a suit, walks through her office space like any assertive business leader. She talks with her staff, the board members of her organization and patrons on a daily basis, while keeping stock of the growth of her company. But unlike the majority of businesses filled with the hum of computers and fluorescent light, Rominiecki’s working environment is teeming with life. PAGE 2
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Review: The Orchestra hits a homerun
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