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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
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Sarasota Contemporary Dance celebrates the future with four native Floridian choreographers. PAGE 4
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Critic’s Picks The four-member Pretty Dirties band is starting a series of warehouse shows that will showcase Sarasota’s music and arts talent.
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THE ARTS The Pretty Dirties band is looking to revitalize Sarasota’s music scene with a series of warehouse shows starting Oct. 12.
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HARRY SAYER BLACK TIE REPORTER
We’ve picked the best don’t-miss productions from this season’s live theater lineup. PAGE 6
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T
he road to fame and glory for a rock band is well known. Most small-town
bands dream of starting off with small shows, heading out to larger venues and eventually making it big. The Pretty Dirties are different. The Sarasota-based band doesn’t just want to make a name for itself. It’s also trying to put an entire city on the map. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
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A mystical international thrill-fest and a twist on the home invasion genre are this week’s picks. YOUROBSERVER.COM
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Photos by Sten Spinella
Dana Laag sings in the band and has organized the upcoming “Slice” show Oct. 12.
Its music is not the usual Sarasota fare — a raw, bass-heavy, inyour-face psychedelic sound that can switch energies and genres effortlessly — but that’s precisely the point. Rather than letting Sarasota, unfairly or not, be considered a city with a stagnant music scene, The Pretty Dirties are looking to inject some edge and activity into the area. The goal is to establish a younger arts community that’s here to stay. The group is taking a big step toward this goal Oct. 12, when it will be performing a warehouse show with Dreamthing and St. Petersburg band Glaze. The hope is that the show — the first in the new “Slice” series — will be the first of many that showcase Sarasota’s local music and arts talent, a foundation that can lead to something greater. “Young people move here and they feel so inspired and they want to create, and they do all this awesome stuff,” says singer Dana Laag, 27. “Then they get so uninspired and unmotivated after feeling defeated. … Then they leave, and they move somewhere where they can actually pursue those dreams and goals.” It’s an ambitious endeavor, and Laag is organizing every part of it. But she thinks her band has the passion and drive to make it work. “It’s not that we’re special or anything; it’s just that no one else is committing to [a community],” Laag says. “We have the means; we have the equipment and the passion to create it. We’ve spent five years cultivating things here, and we’re ready to make it more permanent.”
IF YOU GO ‘SLICE’ ROCK SHOW When: 6 p.m. Oct. 12. Where: 1663 11th St. Info: Facebook.com/ PrettyDirties
BUILDING SOMETHING
The Pretty Dirties have had something of an iterative start. It originally was just Laag and her boyfriend and guitar player, Alex Alfonso, and they would sing originals and cover songs. It was “cutesy” and fun but hardly ambitious, Laag says. Things are different now. The addition of bassist Ryan O’Neill and drummer Tim Maryon about a year ago has completely changed the band’s sound, not to mention its sense of purpose. The Pretty Dirties’ “Red Mirror” debut album is about pressure, the kind close to Laag herself. After working through grad school while being a full-time elementary teacher, she found herself chasing a level of success and satisfaction that, in retrospect, was both unattainable and unhealthy. Upon moving to Florida from up north, she realized she needed to slow down and enjoy the time she had rather than worrying about reaching some impossible goal. But the band’s interests go beyond just playing for fun. Laag and her bandmates have been throwing house shows in her neighborhood for the past two years to bring together local talent. Those initial endeavors have led to local artists and vendors showcasing their work at the
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have vendor fees to pay bands for transportation and something to take home. Any other proceeds will be invested into future shows. It’s a pilot run — no beer or wine license, just music — but one Laag is hopeful about. If all goes well, the “Slice” series will have quarterly shows at the warehouse space along with additional shows at other Sarasota venues. Laag says she has seen great music talent come to Sarasota and leave, a frustrating result of the city’s focus on its older community and tourism industry. She believes the cultural scene can be more. “I don’t think [Sarasota] understands how much additional tourism would come if we had a cultural community that outshone St. Pete,” Laag says.
They have had help with their cultural push, and The Pretty Dirties are slowly building a following. Nick Dahill, a friend of Laag’s, has been to a few of the band’s house shows and often listens to its 2019 album, “Red Mirror,” when taking a long drive. He considers himself the group’s resident headbanger and views the band as the start of something larger. He says he wants to be on the ground floor. “I’m definitely thinking Sarasota is an emerging art community,” Dahill says. “And I want to be part of it and be a founder when it happens.” NEXT TRACK
Fame and fortune would be nice one day, but the band’s focus right
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
now is cultivating a community in Sarasota. It’s the kind of work that needs focus, but that doesn’t phase Laag. The chance to build something that lasts — something that matters — is worth the effort. “I think the biggest thing about creating the creative community here, one that will stay, is that it needs to not be based around students who are going to leave,” Laag says. “And it needs to not be based around that same kind of Bourgeoise arts culture that is happening here. You need to have a little bit of everything. … I think that they’ll eventually come to love the community that we’re offering to build here.”
Above: The band has cut its teeth playing small shows in Sarasota. Above Left: The new iteration of The Pretty Dirties is around a year old. Its album, “Red Mirror,” was released March 7.
Sten Spinella contributed to this story.
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shows, with the latest open jams bringing in more than 100 people. “[Sarasota’s music scene] is up and down,” O’Neill says. “I believe we’re starting again on the up.” The Pretty Dirties don’t lack for ambition, but they now have a venue to match their goals. Laag has connected with Laurie Maves, a Sarasota artist Laag has admired who owns a warehouse space. Like Laag, Maves has felt a lack of community in Sarasota’s arts scene. Laag says it simply became a matter of connecting one dot to the next, and the warehouse became the ideal spot to showcase these local talents. The first of those shows is the “Slice” opening, and Laag says she hopes to have five to 10 local artists at the show displaying their art flea-market style. She has met many of these figures at art galleries downtown or at house shows. It’s imperative to Laag and The Pretty Dirties that bands playing at the shows are paid for their time and work. She’s planned a framework where, rather than charging patrons, the “Slice” show will
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
‘AM I BLUE?’ 7:30 p.m. at the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton $15 Call 752-5252. At the State College of Florida Music Program, blue isn’t just sadness. The concert begins with Strauss’s “Blue Danube,” followed by Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with guest pianist Aza Torshokoeva. The evening will finish with William Grant Still’s blues-based Symphony No. 1, the “Afro-American Symphony.”
FRIDAY
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OUR PICK
THURSDAY
‘VOICES — RISING CHOREOGRAPHERS’ See the future choreographers of contemporary dance as their careers blossom at the opening of Sarasota Contemporary Dance’s 14th season. The production presents four rising, Florida-native choreographers who were selected from the organization’s summer intensive
THE ORCHID SHOW 2019 10 a.m. at Tropical Conservatory at Selby Gardens, 900 S. Palm Ave. Free with general admission Call 366-5731. Selby’s Museum of Botany and the Arts focuses its orchid display this year on living specimens from across Asia. “Blossoms of Asia” will feature traditional Japanese garden design and horticultural practices, such as ikebana, the art of flower arrangement, and bonsai, the creation of miniaturized trees. Runs through Dec. 1. MODERN WORKS FESTIVAL 3 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. $5-$15 per play; $40 for all three finalists Call 321-1397. The second annual festival celebrating women in theater explores new works by female
playwrights. The top three plays, “The Last Broadcast” by Carey Crim, “Daisy Violet the Bitch Beast King” by Sam Collier and “Regular” by Marjorie Muller will each have three readings that are open to the public and less than half the cost of a regular Urbanite Theatre ticket. Patrons who see all three plays are eligible to vote for their favorite, and the winner receives a $3,000 grand prize. Festival runs through Sunday.
THE BAY ARTS TRIO 10:30 a.m. at Eicher Auditorium, Sunnyside Village Community Center, 5201 Bahia Vista St. Free; donations accepted Call 925-3602. Music is the best way to start your mornings, and Sarasota Music Club is providing just that — plus a Latin flair. The Bay Arts Trio, featuring Margot Zarzycka on violin, Lise Frank on piano and Diego Villa on cello, will perform selections by Joaquin Turina and Astor Pantaleon Piazzolla. JAZZ AT TWO: 2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road $15-$20; students free Call 366-1552.
program. The evening will open with SCD’s ensemble debut. IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday Where: Jane B. Cook Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail. Tickets: $10-$49 Info: Call 359-0099.
Jazz Club of Sarasota spices up every Friday afternoon with a concert by either a local favorite or an up-and-coming music star. Musician Al Hixon is bringing along John Lamb and Billy Marcus for a swinging jazz jam session.
NRITYAGRAM DANCE ENSEMBLE: ‘DAŚAVATĀR’ 7:30 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road $10-$35 Call 360-7399. This renowned all-female performing arts troupe — which calls themselves a “village” — is made up of 13 dancers and musicians from southern India who are helping keep the Odissi classical dance tradition alive. This genre of dance is typically found in temples because the choreography is based on interpretations of Hindu mythology. A second performance will be Saturday, and the ensemble will host a conversation on Indian classical dance and the preservation of the Odissi traditions Sunday.
SATURDAY ART FOR A PURPOSE 5 p.m. at State of the Arts Gallery, 1547 State St. Free Call 786-4605. Easterseals Happiness House’s third annual art show features work by Easterseals artists. The organization offers resources and support for adults and children with special needs and their families.
NORM STULZ 7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $20 Call 925-3869.
‘VIEWPOINT’ OPENING RECEPTION 5 p.m. at Gaze Modern, 340 Central Ave. Free Call 400-0598.
Norm Stulz leaves everything he has on the stage — even hilarious, intimate details about his everyday life. Get to know him outside of his appearances on HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime and comedy specials on NBC and ABC. Runs through Sunday.
Take a step back, and change your perspective. View Southwest Florida through the eyes of some of its strongest photographers at Gaze Modern’s October exhibit.
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Images range from street photography and stylized portraits to abstract life scenes. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Exhibit runs through Nov. 2.
‘THE ROMANTIC FLUTE’ ARTIST SERIES CONCERTS OF SARASOTA 5 p.m. at Fischer-Weisenborne Residence, 7459 Cabbage Palm Court $49 Call 306-1202.
MONDAY DOGTOBERFEST 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at OldSalty Dog City Island, 1601 Ken Thompson Parkway Free Call 388-4311. Dogs and beer — what more could you ask for? The weeklong Oktoberfest celebration will have food and drink specials and beer sampling tents. Runs through Oct. 20, when there will be a pet costume contest and parade at 11:30 a.m.
GARDEN MUSIC SERIES 1 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens , 900 S. Palm Ave. Free with general admission Call 366-5731.
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Colossal Corn Maze • Charity Pumpkin Games Pony Rides • Corn Cannons • Face Painting Rock Climbing Wall • Power Jump Butterfly Experience • Children’s Train Ride Big Train Ride • Swamp Buggy Rides • Zip Lining Gem Mining • Fresh Produce • Pumpkin Pie Fresh Roasted Sweet Corn
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Craft Show • Live Bands • Many Live Shows Pioneer Trades Village • Chainsaw Sculptor Scarecrow Displays • Hayrides • Petting Zoo Barnyard Playground • Dino Dig Pumpkin Cannon-hourly
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MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY
DON’T MISS
JAZZ IS ENGLISH 10:30 a.m. at Geldbart Auditorium, Selby Public Library, 1331 First St. Free Call 861-1163.
‘SALUTE TO ARTHUR FIEDLER’ Sarasota Orchestra’s “Great Escapes” series continues with guest conductor Steven Jarvi. The program will include classics from Nicolai, Anderson and Beethoven, as well as hits from “The Godfather,” “Mary Poppins” and “The Music Man.” Runs through Oct. 19.
Liven up your day with Sarasota Music Archive’s newest series, Jazz is English. Pianist Tom Pizzi and Friends will give this week’s lecture and demonstration. The series will continue Nov. 6.
ONLINE Find information on these events and more at YourObserver.com.
HISTORIC ASOLO THEATER
GAUGUIN IN TAHITI: PARADISE LOST GREAT ART ON SCREEN OCT 24, 1:00 PM $15
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE OCT 25, 1:00 PM $20
ENTERTAINMENT
Gunslinger Monster Truck Show All Days A Grizzly Experience All Days Walker Brother’s Circus All Days Fearless Flores Motorcycle Stunts All Days American Wall of Death Motordrome All Days Luau Logan’s TroPIGal Revue All Days Bello Nock Sky Wire Walk All Days BMX Stunt Show Oct. 12, 13 Collector Car Show Oct 13, 20, 27 Tricky Dogs Show Oct. 19, 20 FMX Motocross Dare Devil Daze Oct 19, 20, 26, 27 The Moogician Magic Show Oct. 26, 27
SMALL ISLAND NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE NOV 8, 1:00 & 6:30 PM $20
INFORMATION + TICKETS
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IF YOU GO When: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Where: Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N. Tamiami Trail. Tickets: From $40 Info: Call 953-3434.
ON SCREEN AT
One Night Rodeo All Days Mr. Harley All Days Ricky & Franky Rock & Roll Oldies All Days The Sweeney Family Band All Days Aubrey Wollett Oct. 12, 13 Southern Express Bluegrass Oct. 12, 26 The Big Z Band Oct. 13 Bob and Tom the Band Oct. 19, 20 The Derek Lersch Band Oct. 27
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Set the alarm early to learn more about the Sarasota Opera Guild and hear vocalists from the Youth Opera Singers. Coffee and pastries will be served, so all the more reason to get out of bed.
Martha Collins — the stage director of “Brundibar,” a short opera composed during the Holocaust by a concentration camp prisoner — will share what it takes to produce a youth opera. “Brundibar” sometimes had as many 90 child actors on stage, so Collins will discuss how she learned to elicit the best musical and acting talents from each youth. Tickets include a reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres.
Want to make your Sunday afternoon especially relaxing? Spend it at an outdoor concert experience with music by Ocean’s Eleven Big Band with John Rinell. The band will play swing era favorites, including from Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, as well as some contemporary artists.
PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
SOCIAL AND SINGERS 9:45 a.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Free Call 488-2420.
‘BRUNDIBAR’: THE MAKING OF A SUCCESSFUL YOUTH OPERA 4 p.m. at Sarasota Opera Guild, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $20 Call 920-3764.
SUNDAY
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TUESDAY
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Sarasota Orchestra continues its new season with a focus on the life-affirming nature of music. The program will begin with Pavel Haas’ Wind Quintet, Op. 10, for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon. The Czech composer’s work was rooted in his love of folk music and Hebrew chant. The evening will finish with Johannes Brahms’ Piano Quartet No. 1, for violin, viola, cello and piano, in G Minor, Op. 25. He began the piece after the death of a friend.
This classical soiree celebrates the lyrical melodies of four romance powerhouses: Walter Gieseking, Daniel Kessner, Robert Schumann and Carl Reinecke. The performing duo are Taylor Irelan, flute, and Andrew Feitl, piano.
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A scene from Small Island. Photo by by Brinkhoff Moegenburg.
‘LIFE AFFIRMED’ 4 p.m. at Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center, 709 N. Tamiami Trail From $38 Call 953-3434.
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Director Greg Leaming will bring a hard-hitting take to Sophocles’ tragedy “Antigone,” at The Players Centre for Performing Arts, starting Oct. 23. Arts and Arts Crafts and Vendors Crafts Vendors 5K Race,5K Bed Race, RaceBed & Parade Race & Parade Beer andBeer Wineand Tent Wine Tent Kids Korner Kids Korner Food Vendors Food Vendors Live Entertainment Live Entertainment Music and Music Artsand and Crafts Vendors 5KFiesta Race, Bed Race & Parade Miss Sun Miss Fiesta Pageant Pageant Arts andSun Crafts Vendors Arts andBeer Crafts Vendors and Wine Tent Raffle5K and Raffle Auction and Race, Bed Auction Race & Parade 5K Race,Kids BedKorner Race & Parade Sun Fiesta Sun T-Shirts Fiesta T-Shirts Beer and Wine Tent Beer andFood Wine Tent Vendors Kids Korner Live Entertainment and Music Kids Korner Miss Sun Food Vendors Food Vendors Fiesta Pageant Raffle and Auction Live Entertainment and Music Live Entertainment and Music Sun Fiesta T-Shirts Miss Sun Fiesta Pageant Miss Sun Fiesta Pageant Raffle and Auction Raffle and Auction Sun Fiesta T-Shirts Sun Fiesta T-Shirts
Sarasota is full of mustsee live theater in the upcoming season. MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR
L
ive theater can be an escape from reality. (We all need it.) It can also grab you by the scruff of the neck and make you face reality. (We all need that too.) My top selections for the area’s upcoming live theater season offer a mix of both. Some plays are gloriously silly; others are a shot of undiluted truth. Take your medicine, or have a laugh. The choice is yours.
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“Underpants”: The word alone can send children into giggling fits. Their laughter is rooted in the fear of embarrassment. Polite, bourgeoisie civilization depends on unmentionables, after all. One simply doesn’t mention them. Actually exposing your knickers could shame you for life. So what’s the big deal? In 1911, German playwright Carl Sternheim pulled off a Kafka-esque clerk’s trousers to answer that question. His farce never found a decent English translator — until 2002 when Steve Martin took a
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stab at it. That wild and crazy guy was just the man for the job. You’ll be rolling in the aisles in this edgy, backstage production. (Be sure to bring a fresh change of underwear, just in case.) When: Oct. 10-20 Where: The Players Centre for Performing Arts, 838 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $21.50 Info: Call 365-2494, or visit ThePlayers.org.
‘THE FANTASTICKS’ THE PLAYERS CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS In 1894, Edmond Rostand wrote a play about two fathers who fake a feud to trick their kids (Luisa and Matt) into falling in love. In 1960, composer Harvey Schmidt and lyricist Tom Jones loved the idea so much that they stole it — and retooled it as a hit Broadway musical, “The Fantasticks.” (No harm, no foul; Rostand’s original was out of copyright.) Boasting weepers “Try to Remember” and “Soon it’s Going to Rain,” this heartstring-plucking perennial soaked untold handkerchiefs in the years that followed. And it still does. Melodramatic? You’d better believe it. But under Michael Newton-Brown’s direction, this reverse “Romeo and Juliet” is sure to be fantastic. When: Oct. 23-Nov. 10 Where: The Players Centre for Performing Arts, 838 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $29-$34 Info: Call 365-2494, or visit ThePlayers.org.
‘ANTIGONE’ ASOLO CONSERVATORY Once upon a time in ancient Thebes, Antigone’s brother died, disgraced as a traitor. Antigone’s uncle, King Creon, commanded his subjects to leave his corpse to rot without the sacred rites of burial. Antigone defied him, buried her brother and paid the price. What does it mean to do the right thing? Are law and morality two different things? Sophocles’ tragedy explores these questions and doesn’t flinch from the brutal, bloody answers. Expect a hard-hitting, uncompromising take from Director Greg Leaming. When: Oct. 30-Nov. 17 Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $30 Info: Call 351-8000, or visit AsoloRep.org/conservatory
‘BRIGHT STAR’ FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE “Bright Star” boasts banjo and bluegrass by Edie Brickell (sans New Bohemians) and Steve Martin (who also wrote the script). The action unfolds in the Blue Ridge Mountains right after World War II. Just back from the battlefields, a young writer named Billy pitches his stories to the prestigious Asheville Southern Journal. Alice, the editor, rejects his writing but feels an inexplicable connection with the writer. A tangle of lies, love, loss, unplanned pregnancy and heartbreak follows. The good news is that Billy finally
gets published. Martin’s bittersweet musical comedy brilliantly traces the fault lines dividing love, family and creativity. Under Kate Alexander’s direction, “Bright Star” should be stellar. When: Nov. 8-Jan. 3 Tickets: $29-$49 Where: FST Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. Info: Call 366-9000, or visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
‘THE THANKSGIVING PLAY’ URBANITE THEATRE Larissa FastHorse’s “The Thanksgiving Play” has lots of turkeys and plenty of white meat. The Lakota playwright knocks the stuffing out of the happy image of Pilgrims and Native Americans breaking bread together. It’s an easy target but not her prime target. FastHorse also takes aim at the woke, culturally aware,
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ethnically inclusive, all-white theater talents who bend over backward to launch the most politically correct Thanksgiving pageant ever. Sink your teeth into her savvy satire, but leave room for just desserts. When: Nov. 8-Dec. 15 Tickets: $31 Where: Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. Info: Call 321-1397, or visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
‘INTO THE BREECHES!’ ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE
‘CAROLINE OR CHANGE’ WESTCOAST BLACK THEATRE TROUPE Race is the third-rail of American culture. Lyricist and playwright Tony Kushner and composer Jeanine Tesori fearlessly dance around it. In the spirit of James Joyce’s “Dubliners,” their musical tells the story of a life in paralysis. Caroline Thibodeaux, an African American maid, is trapped in a dead-end job in a wealthy Southern household in the 1960s. Caroline is confined to a limbo of laundry work, her days are a blur of drudgery, and change seems impossible. But the year is 1963, and a change will surely come. With direction by Jim Weaver and Jannie Jones in the lead role, you’re in for a powerful performance. When: Jan. 8-Feb. 16 Where: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1646 10th Way Tickets: $20-$45 Info: Call 366-1505, or visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
In Shakespeare’s day, men were men, and male actors dressed in drag to play all the female roles. In 1942 at the Oberon Play House, the women wear the pants. Blame the war effort. After the company’s male thespians got drafted, the director’s wife persuades the female cohort to, well, man up and stage the upcoming play — a production of Shakespeare’s testosteronefueled “Henry V,” no less. So once more into the breeches they go! And thanks to these happy few, the show does goes on. That might sound like a cute high-concept, but George Brant’s comedy doesn’t stoop to formulaic genderbending. The playwright smartly evokes wartime solidarity. Against all odds, these plucky women put the victory of Agincourt on stage. That’s a victory in its own right. When: Feb. 12-March 21 Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $28-$93 Info: Call 351-8000, or visit AsoloRep.org.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
‘Frequent Flyers’ soars in season opening
THE ORCHID SHOW • 2019
OPENS OCTOBER 12
EDWARD ALLEY MUSIC CRITIC
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Blossoms of Asia combines a dazzling display of living orchids in the Tropical Conservatory with an elegant exhibition of orchid treasures from Selby Gardens’ bibliographic and preserved collections in the Museum of Botany & the Arts.
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IN COLLABORATION WITH
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NOVEMBER 6 Experience the Orchid Show 2019: Blossoms of Asia in a whole new light. Guests will enjoy an exclusive after-hours lighted viewing of the orchid displays with live entertainment by the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, light bites, and wine and beer tastings. $60 Members, $65 Guests
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t’s hard to believe that ensembleNEWSRQ is in its fourth season of presenting new and current music to Sarasota audiences, but indeed it is, with an evening entitled “Frequent Flyers” Sept. 30 for a large audience at First Church downtown. I’ve never really understood where Luciano Berio is going, or coming from for that matter, in his series of “Sequenzas” for solo instruments and voice. He wrote 14 of these pieces, each calling for extended techniques. Quite possibly, Berio was primarily interested in finding and developing new sounds from each instrument, which often caused the performer to create a new method of producing these sounds and to sometimes go completely against the norms of instrumental or vocal production. Having said that, each Sequenza presents a new challenge unique to each instrument. Anthony Limoncelli, newly appointed principal trumpet of the Sarasota Orchestra, was absolutely fearless in his performance of Sequenza X for C trumpet and piano resonance — already something new. Co-Artistic Director George Nickson sat at the piano and held down notes without sounding them while Limoncelli played blasts (sometimes blats) into the piano, which caused the strings to resonate the preplayed notes. It was a most interesting effect that would have been helped by amplification, but nevertheless Limoncelli provided us with a complete vocabulary of double and triple tonguing, glissandos, half-valve notes and others I couldn’t identify. It was a journey through a kaleidoscope of trumpet sound that makes the words “tour de force” seem almost trivial. Quite a contrast was Pëteris Vasks’ Wind Quintet No. 1 “Music for Fleeting Birds,” beautifully played by Betsy Hudson Traba, flute; Nicholas Arbolino, oboe; Laura Petty, clarinet; Fernando Traba, bassoon; and Joshua Horne, horn. This is a most evocative piece and so accurately portrays the swarming, swooping, fluttering and even restful sounds of species of birds that I was repeatedly reminded of Alfred Hitchcock. With Magnus Lindberg’s “Ottoni,” the concert really got down to serious business. Originally written for the powerhouse brass section of the Chicago Symphony, Ottoni featured hornists Joshua Horne, Priscilla Rinehart, Feliks Gmitruk and Andrew Karr; trumpets Sam Jones, Federico Montes, Dan Kasteen and Limoncelli; trombones Brad Williams, Steven Osborne and Marc Morgan; and tubist Aaron Tindall — all conducted by Nickson. Although the composer has given us an intellectual description of the work, what we as first-time listeners heard was a chordal exploration of the many colors created by the various brass groups. Some of the chordal moments were pretty “far out,” reminiscent of some of the sounds written by Russo and Greaettinger for the Stan Kenton
Courtesy photo
Anthony Limoncelli played “Sequenza X.”
orchestra of the 1950s, but more sophisticated in their resolution. Interesting that a brass ensemble is capable of such varied tone colors, but Lindberg found them, and this group of players performed all with excellent intonation and ensemble. Ottoni isn’t really a melodic work, but we still heard some romantic sounds, and a friend commented that it reminded her of the sounds of outer space but more friendly. The final work was “Couleurs de la Cité Céleste” of Olivier Messiaen, a major undertaking for any group. Somehow I think that ensembleNEWSRQ has been working toward this since its first concert four years ago. It is in many ways a culmination of ambition and musicianship. Messiaen called for every musical “couleur” possible, painting in vast brush strokes of organized cacophony, followed by quiet introspective passages symbolizing the “Celestial City” and “The One” who inhabits it. It was almost an aural overload presenting us with so much color and contrast, both in scoring and volume, that we were all a bit taken back. The percussion, using so many sounds of Asian gamelan, with chimes and charms, only served to propel our musical visions forward. Using a group of 20 players — clarinets, trumpets, horns and trombones, aided by some six percussionists, all ably conducted by Nickson — this was clearly the most ambitious effort yet of this collective of outstanding musicians. Guest artist and pianist Conor Hanick artfully contributed Messiaen’s piano colorings to the spectrum of sound. I must say a word about Nickson’s conducting ability. He seems to have a natural talent for decoding these complicated scores of contemporary music and leading his colleagues clearly through the thickets. I, for one, certainly believe that in not too many years he will need to face a decision between being an expert percussionist and a blooming conductor. Yes, I mean that, so keep watch. The audience was treated to an encore, composed by and in honor of Christopher Rouse, who had just recently died. It was his “Ogun Badaris” for five percussionists, based on Haitian Voodoo rituals. This music, with is constant galloping rhythm, reminded me of “Uranus, the Magician” from “The Planets” of Holst but with a lot of modern bumps and twists. We all loved it, and it was really an appropriate ending for an intriguing evening of music for everyone.
ON THE FLIP SIDE: A+E PRETTY DIRTIES: Band cultivates a new music scene in Sarasota. ON MY HONOR: Girl Scouts teach patrons survival tips. 5
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
Emily Walsh (with dance partner Antonio Pinho) and Scott Anderson (with dance partner Evgenia Krasavina) walked away as dance champion and fundraising champion, respectively.
CANDance
Photos by Harry Sayer
2018 Dance Champion Monica Kelly had a “Mary Poppins”inspired dance number.
20th Anniversary Saturday, Oct. 5 at Art Ovation Hotel Benefiting CAN Community Health HARRY SAYER BLACK TIE REPORTER
C
hampions from CANDances past returned to strut their stuff once again to celebrate the event’s 20th Anniversary Oct. 5 at the Art Ovation Hotel. The CAN Community Health event had guests mingling in the hotel lobby and voting online for their preferred dance competitor. The crowd then headed into the ballroom for dinner and a paddle raise to support the organization’s work toward HIV research and treatment programs.
After that, it was time for the dance competition. Ten dance and fundraising champions from years past returned to perform intricately choreographed dance numbers for the cheering crowd. Tanya Schreibman led the night’s performances before passing it to Monica Kelly, who danced to a “Mary Poppins”-inspired beat. Scott Anderson called his shot and declared himself “Sarasota’s Elton John” at the end of his dance, while Chaz Glunk danced to an emotional number to great applause.
SEE PAGE 2
Emcee Bob Nosal, President and CEO Richard Carlisle and emcee Bob Trisolini
Above: Co-Chairwomen Jackie Rogers and Emily Walsh Left: Ian and Melissa Howard
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
BLACK TIE & TALES Season is back, baby!
Photos by Harry Sayer
Renee Hamad, Ron Kendall, Sally Schule, Michael Valentine and Hillary Steele
And we’re back! I hope you missed us because we certainly missed you. If you’re reading this Black Tie & Tales edition, you’ve already seen the Arts + Entertainment and Black Tie cover flip that gives our little section of the newspaper so much presence. You can expect the weighty, indepth coverage you’ve become
HARRY SAYER
accustomed to each season. The new ingredient, of course, is me. I’m looking forward to writing this Black Tie column to go along with the many fundraising events you’ll see me at. Can you tell I’m excited? Because I’m excited. I’ve heard summer is Sarasota’s slow season, but you definitely kept me busy — which is good because I wouldn’t have it any other way. So let’s get this party started, Sarasota.
Candyland
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Harry Sayer
The Benjamin Gilkey Fund for Innovative Pediatric Cancer Research Golden Ticket fundraiser transformed Michael’s On East into a veritable candyland inspired by Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Michael and Laura Gilkey, with the help of family and friends, took two days bringing in props, wall decor, chocolate fountains, candy structures and more to give MOE a classic candyland feel that would make Roald Dahl proud.
There were plenty of sweet treats.
Tidbits
Above: 2013 Dance Champion Eve Caballero owned the floor with her dance partner, Volodymyr Barabash Above Left: Roger Capote and Alex Hill
F THE FABULO U ALL O S N O NE
F THE FORMA O E N L• NO S ALL U O L
L• MA
LOUS NONE OF U B A THE F E H FO T F R O
Cindy Burke and Jason McGuire announced their engagement this past summer and are planning for a wedding this June. Both live on Siesta Key with their dogs, Parker
and Poncho. … CAN Community Health announced its Red Ribbon Gala on Feb. 22 will have “Will & Grace” star Debra Messing as the guest speaker. If you miss watching Grace Adler on your television, this is basically the next best thing.
Saturday, Oct. 12th 7:00 PM Michael’s On East food • open bar • dj • dance • entertainment Stop the boredom and take back your Saturday night. Delight the senses with scrumptious eats, the best beats, specialty drinks and an open bar! All of the fabulous. None of the formal. www.sparcc.net/events
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Emily Walsh rounded out the event with an energetic dance number that involved some flossing. When all the votes were tallied, Emily Walsh and Scott Anderson walked away as 2019’s dance champion and fundraising champion, respectively. CAN Community Health raised more than $270,000 during the event.
AL • ALL OF T FORM H EF THE A B OF U
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
Top Dog 2019 Friday, Oct. 4, at Bird Key Yacht Club | Benefiting Donte’s Den Foundation
Photos by Whitney Elfstrom
Co-Chairs Kristine Nickel and Tammy Houser
Above: Cindy Eley and her dog, Maggie Right: Casey Siljestorm and Nick Altier with 9-week-old Lilo
Lindsey Carlton performs as Liza Minelli.
Founder Marsha Panuce watches as the crowd sings her “Happy Birthday.”
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
Denim and Pearls 2019 Saturday, Sept. 28, at Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Event and Conference Center | Benefiting Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida
Photos by Harry Sayer
Richard Cyphers, honorees Veronica Brady and Kelley Lavin, and CEO Mary Anne Servian
Top: Sabrina Cummings laughs as she learns how to deliver first aid to Hannah Rolle. Above: Steve Larimer and Shari Harvey
Jeanni Castro helps Catherine Carmack line up her shot. Hope Wulliman and Melinda Haney
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
34th Freedom Awards Thursday, Oct. 3, at Hyatt Regency, Sarasota | Benefiting NAACP of Sarasota
Sarasota NAACP President Trevor Harvey with honorees Nate Jacobs, Lori Jaress, LaTarsha Melvin, Jobia Keys, Nancy Jenkins, Cheryl Steele, Jaela Dennis, Kevin Stiff and Joe Polzak.
Above: Betty Gibson and Edna Sherrell Right: David Fairman and John Acevedo
Photos by Whitney Elfstrom
Kitty Cranor and Nate Jacobs
Four Shows for Just $20!
By Greg Banks Beginning Oct. 12
Join us for the second in our series of “Tree Parties” celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Myakka Canopy Walkway. Beginning Jan. 11
Beginning March 28
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Hosted by Dr. Meg Lowman, creator of the Canopy Walkway. Libations and Hors d’oeuvres will be served.
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Children dressed as Oompa Loompas put on a show.
Golden Ticket Fundraiser 316027-1
Saturday, Sept. 28, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting The Benjamin Gilkey Fund for Innovative Pediatric Cancer Research
Empowering USF Sarasota-Manatee students to lead lives of impact.
Photos by Harry Sayer
Above: Sonny and Kristi Shaw Left: Michael and Laura Gilkey
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019
people like to be center of attention … and act a way they’re not supposed to.” DO: ARRIVE EARLY
Courtesy photo by Justin DeMutiis
WEDDING ETIQUETTE
DO’S & DON’TS Sarasota residents give advice on being your best self this wedding season. HARRY SAYER BLACK TIE REPORTER
W
eddings are many things to many people. For the bride and groom, it’s (hopefully) one of the most important days of their
lives. For the wedding committee, it’s the culmination of months of hard work and preparation. And for the wedding guests, it’s the chance to be your best self. We spoke to an industry expert and a handful of Sarasota residents (who have been to more than a few weddings) about what makes a good wedding date. Nicole Kaney (owner of NK Productions Wedding Planning), Samantha Solie (system traffic manager at Sarasota Memorial
Healthcare Foundation) and Murray Devine (communications and learning officer at The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation) had a number of thoughts. But the common consensus was that guests need to have a level of respect and politeness for the bride and groom’s special day. “It’s not just the clothes you’re wearing, but [it’s also] the attitude you’re wearing,” Devine says. “Some people are there to just party, party, party. Some
Don’t get it confused: If an invitation says 6 p.m., that’s not the time to arrive; that’s the time the bride or groom is walking down the aisle. As Devine can himself attest, it’s not fun to arrive to a wedding right as the ceremony begins. Kaney says people misunderstanding wedding invites or failing to heed instructions is a surprisingly common problem. “We’re often standing, ready to go and waiting on guests walking in the door,” Kaney says. “A lot of venues are limited on time. … Starting the ceremony late cuts into dancing time.” Make sure you arrive 15 minutes early at the very least. After all, you don’t want to be the one interrupting the proceedings. DON’T: DRINK IRRESPONSIBLY
Surprising just about no one, all three sources agreed that drinking too much can quickly disrupt the ceremony. Beyond the possibility of a drunken outburst or unruly behavior, drinking in moderation can very much be a matter of respect. Solie recalls a dry wedding where people would disappear for short periods of time and return later seeming a little more inebriated, which obviously wasn’t a good look. “If I knew someone enjoyed too many libations, maybe [we go together] at the next event,” she says. “You may know the bride or groom, but you don’t know the entire rest of the family. It’s this melting pot of expectations and opinions. I just want them to enjoy this day they’ve put together.”
Devine says an easy rule to follow is to never drink more than the couple. The classic party rules also apply here: Make sure to pace yourself if you’re having fun, and consider alternating between water and alcohol to stay relatively composed. “There’s definitely a time and a place to let loose and have fun, but keeping it together through the beginning of the wedding is really helpful,” Kaney says. “You see movies like ‘Wedding Crashers’ where people are wedding-loose and going crazy, but at the end of the night, people still need to get home safely,” Solie says. “Everyone wants to make sure they don’t have to pay the security deposit.” “Everybody gets swept up in the theatrics of the whole thing,” she says. “Because for the most part, [a wedding] is a show. It’s a show of love. … But if you get swept up in that and lose sense of reality, that’s where the line crosses into the disrespectful.” DO: GO THE EXTRA MILE
If you’re close to the bride or groom, Devine recommends thinking of a more creative and thoughtful wedding gift. He says he often organizes group gifts that matter more than some random item on the registry. He’s pooled together money for the bride and groom’s honeymoon or set up a couple with a discounted wedding photographer in the past. Your gift might not be a new blender or set of steak knives, but Devine is confident the bride and groom will appreciate your thoughtfulness long after the wedding date.
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