INSIDE: BLACK
TIE
JUST MARRIED: Brent Greeno and Ryan Inskeep 8 > < SUMMER READS: Our book critic has some suggestions for readers of all tastes. 4
ARTS + CULTURE THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015
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SCENE & HEARD
The Ringling bests personal attendance record The Ringling, which includes the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the Historic Asolo Theater, a circus museum, bayfront gardens, an education center and the Ca’ D’zan mansion, has set a new attendance record. Between July 2014 and July 2015, The Ringling attracted approximately 400,209 visitors. That total beats its previous attendance record of 384,323 visitors during the 20132014 fiscal year. Since 2011, The Ringling has seen attendance climb 33%. “A lot of this is because of the increased tourism due to the growing economy, but even before the collapse, our attendance wasn’t anywhere near these numbers,” says Steven High, executive director of The Ringling. According to High, 65% of The Ringling’s visitors come from different states, 25% from Sarasota and Manatee counties, and 10% of visitors come from international countries. Photo by Nick Reichert
Arthur Keyser, Connie Schindewolf and Jeffery Kin, all playwrights, are ready to make their plays better at the 2015 Players New Play Festival.
Local Drama Local playwrights vie for their time in the spotlight at The Players’ New Play Festival. The winner will see his or her play take center stage in August.
NICK REICHERT A+E EDITOR
T
he past week at The Players Theatre has been dedicated to something wholly unique to the Sarasota theatrical community: a festival that consists of 100% new plays written by local playwrights. PAGE 2
Maria Lyle Photography
Katherine Michelle Tanner in Banyan Theater Company’s “The Amish Project.”
ONLINE Read theater critic Marty Fugate’s reviews of “The Amish Project” and “I Hate Hamlet,” and see film critic Pam Nadon’s review of “Mr. Holmes” at
YourObserver.com.