Arts + Entertainment 4.21.22

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 21, 2022

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OSMIC ANTATA

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

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or years, the music lived inside James Grant’s head and had no outlet in the world.

But now it’s about to be set free.

SEE CANTATA, PAGE 2

Courtesy photo

Francesco Baronti’s “Listen to the Earth” and James Grant’s composition of the same name were originally commissioned for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Cantata FROM PAGE 1

Grant’s grand vision, a symphonic choral cantata entitled “Listen to the Earth,” was originally commissioned to serve as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. It got delayed and postponed twice due to the COVID pandemic but will finally be played Sunday for the first time at the Sarasota Opera House.

It will take a chamber orchestra and two choruses to pull it off, and the composer, in the audience, imagines his reaction when the time comes.

“When I’m sitting in the Sarasota Opera House getting ready to hear the piece, the overwhelming feeling I’m going to have is one of gratitude and humility,” says Grant. “That’s how I’ve always felt as a composer.

I get to do this. I get to create scribblings on paper that end up meaning something to people, and talented people transfer it to their instrument, and music comes out.

“There’s just something quite miraculous about all of that.”

It’s even more miraculous when you consider the timeline and immense scope of the intended project. Grant first began talking about the cantata with Choral Artists of Sarasota Artistic Director Joseph Holt about six years ago, and they hoped to take humanity on a ride to explore our commonalities.

Famed speakers like Jane Alexander and Terry Root had been enlisted to speak, and the event was supposed to include film screenings and panel discussions about the world and what human beings can do to be better stewards of the environment.

There is also an artwork commissioned with the same name, “Listen to the Earth,” painted by Francesco Baronti that will be on display during the Sunday performance and available for purchase via auction afterward.

While some of the context has been lost due to the pandemic and circumstances beyond the composer’s control, the heart of the project remains. And that’s the composition, which takes the shape of an astronaut’s journey deep into the solar system.

The perspective of the astronaut

IF YOU GO

‘LISTEN TO THE EARTH’ When: 5 p.m., Apr. 24 Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $5-$60 Info: ChoralArtistsSarasota.org

will be played by baritone soloist Marcus DeLoach, and the chorus will serve as the voices of Mission Control, guiding the audience through the piece. In some places, the chorus will be singing words from actual Mission Control transcripts; Grant says they were available because they are in the public domain.

“I never ever thought I’d set the word trans-lunar injection to music,” he jokes.

INTO THE BEYOND

For a while, he says, he wasn’t sure how to tell such a timeless and universal story. He didn’t know how he could encourage humanity to value taking care of itself and its immediate environment, but over time his task came into focus.

Grant became obsessed not just with Earth Day, but also with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, which was commemorated in July 2019. He found himself reading the accounts of not just the astronauts on that journey but on several journeys thereafter.

All of them, said Grant, began to express the same feelings.

They’re moved by the experience of escaping gravity, and they describe the image of the Earth in space as a tiny blue dot in a sea of planets and stars and celestial bodies. But how do you describe that musically?

Grant, who splits his time between Sarasota and Oxtongue Lake, Ontario, says he just gets out of the way.

“Writing music is like writing fiction,” says Grant. “There’s suddenly a knock at the door, and you don’t know who the hell it is. It’s the same thing with composing. One of the fascinating experiences I had with this piece particularly was when it began to take shape. As I began to put the pieces together, it began to inform me where the storyline needed to go. I’ve never had anything close to writer’s block. I don’t get in

Courtesy photos

the way of the creative impulse.

“I feel that writer’s block is a matter of the ego of the artist wanting the creative impulse to go in a certain direction that the creative impulse didn’t want to go in. You have to listen to that and follow it.”

Grant describes the act of composing as micromanaging the experience of time with sound.

He wants to take you on a journey into the cosmos with nothing to propel you except voices and instrumentation, and every second forms a vital part of that soundscape.

In this case, he had years to scheme out how those seconds should sound.

Grant says that the piece was nearly finished in March 2020 when he got word it wouldn’t play as scheduled.

So he moved away from it for a while.

Then he heard of the second postponement last April, so he didn’t really dive back into completing it until October 2021.

By this point, says Grant, he’s a different person doing the composing. The piece is different, and the world is different, and the new per-

spective helped inform its final state.

“I dove back in and found myself so thoroughly absorbed by the intricacies,” he says. “You think of all the moving parts that had to fall into place for this extraordinary event to take place. Just the mechanics of all of it. I got really caught up with the orchestrations; I found myself adding so much detail in little tweaks that really make the music pop.

“The piece had some time to age and mature, and there’s an overall depth to the artistic impression that has expanded.”

The Choral Artists of Sarasota are thrilled to be part of the world premiere of James Grant’s “Listen to the Earth.”

BACK TO EARTH

That added depth gives the orchestra and the Choral Artists more signatures to grab onto in their expressions and articulations. Grant says that he’s known Holt for decades and considers him to be one of the finest musicians he’s worked with, and they have a prior experience of premiering a Grant composition inspired by Walt Whitman at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The Women’s Ensemble of Parrish

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Community High School will add their voices; the program will also include another Grant piece, “Earth — Poem of Thanks to our Common Home,” as well as “The Lark Ascending” by Ralph Vaughan Williams performed by Sarasota Orchestra concertmaster Daniel Jordan.

But the centerpiece of the evening is the world premiere of “Listen to the Earth,” and the man standing in for all of humanity will be baritone soloist Marcus DeLoach.

“Marcus has worked with us before over the past decade,” says Holt. “He has a way of delineating text, and as a singer that’s really important, especially with something new that people haven’t heard before. He’s the perfect person to portray this astronaut character.

“At one point we actually sent Marcus a picture of an astronaut outfit. We said, ‘This is what you’re going to wear in the performance.’ I think he thought we were serious.”

Holt is thrilled that he finally can present “Listen to the Earth” to the world, but he does fret a little about the lost context. Holt says that he and Grant had hoped to raise consciousness about the fragility of the planet, and now the art will have to spread the message by itself without its intended support.

“The audience, I think, is going to be in for a wonderful surprise,” says Holt. “Jim’s music is very dramatic, but it’s also very approachable. There are certain types of 21st century composers that are blips and bleeps or some type of minimalism where they just repeat the same chords over and over. But this has a lot of color to it. There’s just

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TTHURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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Dan Jordan, concertmaster of Sarasota Orchestra

an incredible expressive quality he’s able to capture. We’re working in it and living in it right now. We’re pretty excited about it, but an audience is only going to hear it once, which presents its own unique challenge.”

Grant, for his part, says that the hard work for a composer comes in finding a new life for his compositions. He says this orchestration of “Listen to the Earth” is built for a chamber orchestra, but he’d like to build it out for a larger body of musicians to play.

The composer says he does not think of legacy or posterity; he doesn’t really consider the possibility that the work could be played long after he’s gone, but he knows how much work it will be just to make sure it’s played again while he’s here.

“Having music performed on this level by such extraordinary musicians is a privilege,” he says. “It’s really up to the composer to ascertain whether the piece can have an afterlife.If the answer is yes, that’s when we put down the composing quill and start marketing the bejesus out of the piece to other conductors. I’ve already talked to a number of conductors who are very interested in the piece. What I’ve always understood is that if conductors hear a fantastic piece, just because they love it doesn’t mean they’re going to program it.”

Joseph Holt, artistic director of Choral Artists

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

sculpting, woodworking, jewelry, photography, ceramics and more.

JIJI: NEVER NOT ENOUGH 8 p.m. at Mildred Sainer Pavilion, 5313 Bay Shore Road $15 Visit NCF.edu.

You heard her speak. Now’s your chance to hear her play. Jiji will bring her classical and electrical guitar wizardry to Mildred Sainer Pavilion, playing an eclectic mix of material from both young and established composers.

DIANA KRALL 8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 7777 N. Tamiami Trail $92-$132 Visit VanWezel.org.

Few modern jazz artists have made a bigger impact than Diana Krall.

The two-time Grammy Award winner has released seven multiplatinum albums, and eight of her albums have debuted at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. Now she’s here in Sarasota for one night playing at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall; her most recent album, “The Dream of You,” was released in 2020.

THIS WEEK

Motown with a Twist takes place Tuesday, April 25, at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

its way through a murder mystery, while audience suggestions help guide the show’s plucky detective character to finding a resolution.

The SCF Bradenton Symphony Orchestra will punctuate its sixth season with Handel, Dvorak and Beethoven. The orchestra is comprised of SCF students and community members and open to anybody with high school band or orchestra experience.

BEYOND VAN GOGH 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Starry Night Pavilion, 195 University Town Center Drive $24-$74 Visit VanGoghSarasota.com.

This multimedia exhibit has been extended due to popular demand.

The immersive Van Gogh exhibit will run until June 5, giving you even more time to stand in the shadow of greatness in the form of sunflowers and starry nights.

THURSDAY JIJI ARTIST CONVERSATION 5 p.m. at Mildred Sainer Pavilion, 5313 Bay Shore Road Free Visit NCF.edu.

FRIDAY

Jiji usually speaks with her guitar, but now’s your chance to hear from one of the world’s most innovative musicians about how she got to where she is and where she’ll be taking her music next. Jiji will play on the same stage Saturday night.

MUSIC AROUND THE WORLD WITH KAVITA SHAH 6 p.m. at Bayfront Gardens, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free for members, $5 non-members Visit Ringling.org.

Hermitage fellow Kavita Shah, a jazz singer and composer, will bring her distinctive blend of sounds from all over the world to the grounds of the Ringling Museum for one night only.

‘THE SIXTH SENSE’ 7:30 p.m. at Neel Performing Arts Center, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton $15, $5 students/staff Visit SCF.edu.

RODNEY ROJAS JAZZ ENSEMBLE 2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road $15-$20 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Rodney Rojas brings his 10-piece ensemble New Profiles in Jazz to round out the Jazz Club of Sarasota’s Jazz at 2 season. Rojas and his band will play jazz standards, blues, bossa nova and familiar cuts from the American songbook.

RYAN HAMILTON 6:30 and 8:50 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $39 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Idaho native Ryan Hamilton is bringing his clean comedic stylings to McCurdy’s for two shows Friday night and another two on Saturday.

Hamilton’s first comedy special, “Happy Face,” is available on Netflix.

FANTASY, FIREBIRD AND FABIOLA 7:30 p.m. at Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice $31-$56 Visit VenicePerformingArtsCenter. com.

DON’T MISS

SPRING WATERCOLORS Here’s your chance to support local art and artists from the comfort of your own home. The Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society is holding its online spring exhibition through the end of the month, and most of the pieces you’ll see on display are on sale.

Hodges Soileau of Venice, a signature member of the Oil Painters of America, served as juror for the exhibition.

Both the first- and third-prize winners of the show hail from Sarasota.

IF YOU GO Where: Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society When: Online through April 30 Tickets: Free Info: SuncoastWatercolorSociety.online

FST IMPROV PRESENTS: ‘TO DIE FOR’ 7:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St. $15 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Who did it? Not even the cast might know. Prepare for a wild ride as Florida Studio Theatre improvises

Virtuoso violinist Fabiola Kim solos on “The Lark Ascending,” and the Venice Symphony will play Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” and Stravinsky’s “The Firebird Suite,” among other classics in its season finale.

There will also be a performance Saturday afternoon.

IL DIVO: GREATEST HITS TOUR 8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 7777 N. Tamiami Trail $95-$171 Visit VanWezel.org.

It’s a bittersweet Sarasota debut. Il Divo is playing in Sarasota for the first time, dedicating its tour to late former member Carlos Marin, who died in December. Guest vocalist Steven LaBrie will join stalwart voices David Miller, Sébastien Izambard and Urs Bühler as they power through a catalogue that has sold more than 30 million albums.

SUNDAY SEASON FINALE: SUNCOAST CONCERT BAND 3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3131 61st St. $5 Visit SuncoastConcertBand.org.

Come down and pay tribute to the Suncoast Concert Band, concluding its season of concerts. The Suncoast Jazz Ambassadors Big Band concluded its season earlier this month.

STUDENT COMPOSERS: SARASOTA PIANO QUARTET 2:30 p.m. at Mildred Sainer Pavilion, 5313 Bay Shore Road Free Visit NCF.edu.

New Music New College New Fest welcomes the Sarasota Piano Quartet to play original works by New College student composers.

The composers will participate in a question-and-answer session with the audience as part of the event.

ALTER EAGLES 7:30 p.m. at Jervey Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice $38 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.

Don’t tell The Big Lebowski about this event. This sweet-voiced tribute act to the Eagles will hit all the high notes, from early canon classics like “Take it Easy” and “Desperado” all the way to “Hotel California.” The show will also play Monday night.

SATURDAY

MONDAY

LAKEWOOD RANCH ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lakewood Main Street, 8100 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

Free Visit ParagonArtEvents.com.

SCF SPRING PIANO RECITAL 7 p.m. at SCF Recital Hall $15, $5 students/staff Visit SCF.edu.

Crafts from a wide variety of local artisans will be on display for purchase at the Lakewood Ranch Arts & Crafts Festival, which will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. You’ll be able to browse fine craftsmanship in painting,

Piano players ranging in abilities from beginner level to advanced will play the pieces they’ve been working on all semester.

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TTHURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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AT THE VAN WEZEL

OUR PICK THE GREATEST LITTLE SHOW ON EARTH What does Sarasota do better than anyone else in America? Instructing and performing in the circus arts. Step right up and gape in amazement as Sailor Circus Academy students display their full complement of skills from clowns, acrobats and trapeze acts all the way down to jugglers and trampoline artists.

The students of the academy range in age from 8 to 18, and the show is meant

to pay tribute to the origins of the circus arts. The Sailor Circus Academy has been a local institution for 73 years and still going strong thanks to Dolly Jacobs and Pedro Reis.

“Diana Krall possesses a voice at once cool and sultry, wielded with a rhythmic sophistication.”

–The New York Times

IF YOU GO When: 7 p.m. Apr. 21 and 22; 2 and 7 p.m.

Apr. 23; 1 and 6 p.m. Apr. 24 Where: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St. Tickets: $20-$30 Info: CircusArts.org.

LARUE NICKELSON MONDAY NIGHT CABARET 7:30 p.m. at FST’s John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $35-$39 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

famous songs from the Motown era sung by finalists from “American Idol” and “The Voice “and danced by talented performers from “Dancing With the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Tampa Bay area composer and guitarist LaRue Nickelson will wow the Jazz Club of Sarasota audience with his style and panache, and he’ll be capably supported by vibraphonist Cole Hazlitt, bassist Joe Porter and drummer Jean Bolduc.

WEDNESDAY

TUESDAY

Dennis Blair toured with George Carlin for 18 years, and now he’s bringing his musical comedy act to McCurdy’s. Blair, who has played everywhere from the Kennedy Center to Carnegie Hall, will have you laughing and clapping along.

MOTOWN WITH A TWIST 8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 7777 N. Tamiami Trail $32-$77 Visit VanWezel.org.

SAT, APR 23 • 8PM

THIS WEEKEND!

To date, Diana Krall’s albums have garnered two Grammy® Awards, ten Juno® Awards and have earned nine Gold, three Platinum, and seven multi-Platinum albums.

DENNIS BLAIR 7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

TUE, APR 26 8PM This family-friendly night features songs from Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Jackson 5 and everything in between. You’ll twist and shout to Motown with a Twist!

Sugar pie, honey bunch, you know this show’s for you. Hear the most-

29 - 30 April | Sarasota Opera House

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Spencer Fordin

Arrivederci, Baci The landscape of Sarasota has changed during the tenure of Cafe Baci, which opened its doors more than 30 years ago and will close in May.

Presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County

April 26-27

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

C

afe Baci wasn’t always in the geographical center of Sarasota. It just seems that way to more recent transplants.

When Roberto Mei opened the Italian staple more than 30 years ago, it was on the periphery of Sarasota’s traffic pattern. Now that he’s on the verge of closing the landmark, he sits overlooking a strip of road clogged with cars both day and night.

“Keep in mind that in 1990 and 1991, there was a major real estate depression,” says Mei, who will close Cafe Baci after its final service on Mother’s Day. “The owner that sold me the building made a bet with the broker that a restaurant this far south would never survive. The hospital was as far south as people wanted to go. None of this stuff was here. And now Bee Ridge and (U.S.) 41 is the busiest intersection in town.”

Mei, 68, says he is a fifth- or sixthgeneration restaurateur with roots in the old country; his grandparents owned and operated a restaurant called Trattoria Mei in Rome, then his family opened Fontana di Trevi in New York’s Theater District.

By the time Mei moved to Sarasota, he had already been in the restaurant industry a couple decades.

He says that his father started him out when he was 10 years old, and that by the time he was 18, he had become one of the youngest restaurant managers in America.

Over the years, he learned to do every job in a restaurant there is to do, but the challenges at Cafe Baci came even before he opened his doors. Mei says he purchased the property for just shy of $700,000 but immediately had to undergo a major renovation to fix damage incurred by the previous owner.

“The restaurant that was here before was called Western Sizzlin,” says Mei, recalling the days before Cafe Baci opened. “Their menu was more steaks and fried foods, so they had a battery of five deep fryers. They were huge on french fries and onion rings. Because of all that grease, the drains in the kitchen, you could put a toothpick in it. So I had to tear up the floor. I had to put in all new plumbing. I had to put in all new electrical.

It was a total gut job.”

Mei estimates that the renovation took three or four months, but that was only the beginning of the structural problems he faced. When Mei moved his family to Sarasota, he did it to escape the cold and gloom and doom. But he didn’t realize the lengths he’d have to go just to obtain ingredients to cook traditional Italian fare in Florida.

“I had to import products from Manhattan,” he says. “Nobody knew what a cremini or a portobello mushroom was down here. I had to call my suppliers, and you can imagine what it would cost. I would go to the airport and pick up five boxes of mushrooms and other things like escarole.

Things they had no idea existed.

Today, you just go to Publix.”

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Mei, who learned to cook from his grandmother, said he’s had only about seven or eight chefs in 30

years operating Cafe Baci. His first chef was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and his most recent chef has worked for Cafe Baci for two decades.

That chef, Eldis Rodriguez, began at the restaurant as a dishwasher, and Mei has promoted him through the ranks multiple times. That’s a key part of Mei’s philosophy: He believes that you give people a chance and let them determine their own future.

“That’s really the best way to have employees because they’ve learned every position in the house, and there’s nothing they can’t do,” says Mei. “And also they’re loyal because you gave them a chance to grow. They recognize that I give them a chance.”

That’s the one regret Mei has in closing the doors to Cafe Baci. He knows it’s time for him to move into the next phase of his life, but he wants to make sure that he can find productive places for his staff to land and continue their careers.

What will happen to Cafe Baci next? Mei says he isn’t sure.

His was one of just three Italian restaurants in town when he opened, but the city’s restaurant scene has matured, and the property’s location might guarantee that the next owner isn’t a restaurateur.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be sold to another restaurant. I tend to doubt it,” he says. “It’s probably going to be sold to a developer. I have people interested in putting medical buildings here, which is a no-brainer. …

If you drive up and down 41, there’s not that many businesses you can get into from 41. Normally, you have to go down the street and come in the side.”

Mei says the final few weeks of the restaurant have been full of people sharing their memories. Several of his regular customers have had their wedding or rehearsal dinner at Cafe Baci and return every year to celebrate their anniversaries.

“It’s going to be emotional, no question about that,” says Mei. “A lot of our customers are like family.”

“It’s really hard for me,” adds Rodriguez about Cafe Baci closing. “All my life, I’ve worked here. I started at dishwasher, then moved to sous-chef and to chef. It’s been an amazing group of people to work with, and I’m going to miss Roberto and his family.”

HURDLING ADVERSITY

When Mei thinks about the final years running his establishment, he will think of the resilience and determination it took to keep things afloat during the COVID-19 era.

The rules kept changing, he said, and his customers weren’t sure how to react. First the restaurant was closed, then it was allowed to operate at 25% capacity.

“Then it went to 50% and 75%, and finally 100%,” he says. “We finally got business back to where it was, and then there’s a labor shortage.

When we finally get our labor back in order, the food prices are going crazy.

But we made it. We stuck together, we hung in there, and we made it.”

Mei wants to use his restaurant know-how to aid a food philanthropy organization such as Meals on Wheels in retirement. Asked to give advice to the new generation of restaurant owners, he suggested they enroll in a culinary school.

“It’s important that whoever gets involved in a restaurant knows every aspect of it,” says Mei. “If a dishwasher doesn’t show up, you’ve got to be a dishwasher. If the cook doesn’t show up, you’ve got to be a cook. You’ve got to be able to know how to do everything. And you never want to be at the mercy of anybody.

You want to be able to do it.”

Roberto Mei and chef Eldis Rodriguez stand in front of Cafe Baci’s trademark marquee. The restaurant will close its doors in May.

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MARTY FUGATE THEATER CRITIC

W

illiam Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is now bending genders in the Asolo Conservatory’s final production of the season.

The play’s title refers to the Feast of the Epiphany on the 12th day of Christmas. In the old Christian calendar, that’s the day Jesus revealed his divine identity to the three magi.

The reference is fitting because Shakespeare’s play is all about revelation, both sacred and profane.

The plot is a convoluted mirror maze of double identities and parallel stories. Here’s a short version to help find your way through.

Brother and sister twins, Sebastian (Evan Stevens) and Viola (Erin O’Connor), are lost at sea. Each believes the other drowned.

The young woman washes up in a strange city. For convoluted reasons, she pretends to be a young man named Cesario and enters the court of Duke Orsino (Jerald Wheat).

Orsino immediately puts “him” to work wooing Olivia (Imani Lee Williams) on his behalf. But Olivia also judges a book by its cover and falls in love with Cesario. (Centuries before “Monty Python,” the British loved cross-dressing comedy.)

Shenanigans ensue.

After a sword fight or two, Sebastian shows up and reveals Cesario’s true identity.

(The “mister” is his sister!)

Once the genders are sorted out, all the true lovers get married. With Sir Toby and Maria (Dreaa Kay Baudy), this takes a court order. There’s also a subplot involving Malvolio, the Shakespearean character you love to hate.

He’s one of the biggest jerks in

IF YOU GO

‘TWELFTH NIGHT’ When: Through April 24 Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota Tickets: $32 Info: Call 351-8000 or visit AsoloRep.org/Conservatory/ Season

English drama, a Puritan who loses sleep at night at the thought that somebody, somewhere might be having fun. This production turns Malvolio into Malvolia (Zoya Martin). The gender’s different, but the story remains the same.

Sir Toby Belch (Christian Douglass) and his accomplices trick Malvolia into thinking Olivia (her employer) is in love with her and want her to dress like a fool and grin like an idiot. Malvolia does; Olivia is not amused.

Then it gets worse.

Revelation is the common thread for both plot lines. The “A” story reveals true love in disguise. The “B” story rips the mask off false virtue.

In both stories, outward appearance doesn’t match inner reality.

But the truth comes out.

Director Jonathan Epstein has fun with Shakespeare’s epiphanies.

He eases you into the comedy like a warm bath and doesn’t bludgeon you with big messages. Epstein also turns the play into a mini-musical, with abundant tunes from several Shakespeare plays along with a sampling of Foreigner’s cheesy “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Composer Daniel Levy deftly sets Shakespeare’s words to music. His songs fit perfectly in the world of this play.

The rest of the creative team is also having fun. Chris McVicker’s set is a movable feast of unadorned Christmas trees the actors move around like chess pieces on the stage.

April Carswell’s costumes have an

Photo courtesy of Frank Atura

old-timey look without being specific to any literal time period.

Alex Pinchin’s sound design is equally dreamy and timeless.

Movement coach Eliza Ladd sprinkles the show with dance and physical comedy, and some snappy fight choreography. Kudos also to voice coach Patricia Delorey for making the Elizabethan screwball comedy dialogue flow in a range of dialects.

The conservatory’s student actors deliver strong performances.

Marcaria Chaparro Martinez and Sydney Story make for two impish jesters. (Festa and Vesta, respectively.) Douglass’ Sir Toby Belch is also hilarious — think Falstaff without a weight problem and a ridiculous Southern accent that sounds like John C. Reilly.)

Baudy’s Maria balances common sense with a gleeful sense of mischief.

Williams’ Olivia has a profound gravitas, even when she’s head over heels in love with Cesario.

O’Connor’s nervous Nellie portrayal of Viola in drag is sometimes funny, sometimes moving.

She’s heart-wrenching in the

HELLO SPRING. HELLO SAVINGS.

copenhagen imports

REVIEWS

Sacred and profane Shakespeare Epiphanies abound in The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training’s production of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night.’

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TTHURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

scenes where her dialogue is dense with double meaning. (“I am all the daughters of my father’s house, and all the brothers, too.”)

As to Martin’s Malvolia: wow. As noted, Malvolio’s the character you love to hate. But this time I didn’t.

Why? This might sound sexist, but flipping the character’s gender also flipped my perception.

The prank on Malvolia now seems cruel, like one of Neil LaBute’s misogynistic attacks on some unsuspecting woman.

This production actually made me feel sorry for Malvolia. “Sorry,” as in empathy, sympathy, compassion.

This is the first time I felt any of those emotions.

This is the first time this character seemed human to me.

Brava to Martin for bringing her to life and giving her a shred of dignity.

That’s only one of the many revelations this inventive production has to offer.

Come in a suit, a dress or what you will. But don’t miss it.

Sydney Story, Christian Douglass, Macaria Chaparro Martinez and Joe Ayers in FSU Asolo Conservatory’s production of “Twelfth Night.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Blue Ties and Butterflies Wednesday, April 6, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Child Protection Center

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Co-Chairwoman Nikki Williams, Executive Director Doug Staley and coChairwoman Jen Steube

he Child Protection Center brought its signature Blue Ties and Butterflies event back to Michael’s On East on April 6.

Hundreds of folks met wearing dazzling blue designs — along with a few butterfly accessories — for the annual event supporting CPC’s programs for child abuse victims.

Following the social hour, guests sat in the ballroom to hear from co-Chairwomen Jen Steube and Nikki Williams. Executive Director Douglas Staley gave an update on CPC services as well as the North Port facility that is underway.

The night’s featured auction item was Clara Reynardus de Villanueva’s “Wings of Hope and Healing” painting, which sold for $40,000 to Graci McGillicuddy. The painting was donated back to the Child Protection Center’s North Port building.

The CPC also announced an expansion of its therapy programs to include adults who were victims of childhood sex abuse.

The Hanna’s Hope program is currently in the planning stage and will feature individual, group and family counseling.

Tina Granthon and Clara Reynardus de Villanueva

—HARRY SAYER

Above: Lorri Laughlin with Tracy and Joel Valentino Right: Autumn McConnell and Josh Haas

Above: Kristin and Ed Griese with Kimberlie Buchanan and Anna Starr Left: Rita Thibault and Gary Kirschner

Photos by Harry Sayer

Pete and Barbara Ripp

WORLD PREMIERE Of TWO ONE-ACT PLAyS DIRECTED by NATE JACObS

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For sponsorship opportunities and tickets, please contact Monica Caldwell: 941-724-8804 or mcaldwell@avivaseniorlife.org

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

Linda Domenico, Lauren Ann Walsh and Laura Feder

Showcase Luncheon Monday, April 11, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Friends of The Sarasota Ballet

Photos by Harry Sayer

Above: Laurie Fitch and Katie Couchot Below: Richard Carroll and Darlene Carroll

Above: Junior principals Marijana Dominis and Richard House with Patricia Golemme and Sarasota Ballet Director Iain Webb Left: Sara Robinson, Micki Kastel and Lisa Wicks

T

he Friends of The Sarasota Ballet celebrated two new junior principal dancers during its final Showcase Luncheon of the season on April 11.

Marijana Dominis and Richard House were the stars of the luncheon; both have recently been promoted to junior principal dancers for the upcoming 2022-23 season.

Members of the volunteer organization mingled and became acquainted with the pair before sitting down for the program.

Jason Ettore then led a Q&A session with Dominis and House as the program’s main entertainment.

—HARRY SAYER

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

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Visit our award-winning building designed by FL architect Guy Peterson

ELLING EIDE CENTER

Weekly arboretum tours of the property and library, which holds one of the largest private collections of East Asian literature in the US Public lectures on East Asian art, religion, and history Workshops and conferences on Chinese Culture

Annual Ambassadors Dinner

Register online at www.ellingoeide.org

Dr. Robert Parrish, Artistic Director

Wednesday, April 13, at Sarasota Art Museum | Benefiting Sarasota Art Museum

Ein deutsches Requiem

T

he Sarasota Art Museum’s top supporters met Wednesday evening for the annual Ambassadors Dinner.

The museum’s supporters and contributors mingled in the outdoor courtyard for the event, which featured cocktails and dinner. Executive Director Virginia Shearer spoke to the crowd and expressed her appreciation for the group’s continued support.

The night featured artist Christian Sampson, whose installation “Vita in Motu” is currently featured at the museum.

—HARRY SAYER

MONDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2022 - 7 Pm FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 2050 OAK STREET SARASOTA, FL 34237

A DAY TO MAKE A

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Apr 24

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Sarasota Opera House

Meals On Wheels of Sarasota is grateful for the support of Sarasota during the COVID-19 crisis.

This unprecedented time has brought new challenges to every door, and we are here to help by delivering nearly 800 meals a day.

We are proud to be a part of the 2022 Giving Challenge. This 24-hour fundraising event will provide much-needed resources to enable us to continue our mission of feeding those in need while our community heals.

YOU CAN HELP.

Please take the time, from noon to noon, Tuesday, April 26 to Wednesday, April 27 to donate. Any amount is welcome and appreciated.

y Scan the QR to the left or visit www.givingchallenge.org/organizations/meals-on-wheels-of-sarasota-inc

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JOIN US FOR AN EVENT:

Photos by Harry Sayer

Above: The evening’s dinner had a blue color scheme in honor of the ambassadors. Left: Artist Christian Sampson with Annie Wharton

Above: Executive Director Virginia Shearer and Lori Stulberg Below: Katherine and Frank Martucci

Learn more at www.ellingoeide.org

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

The C rys Tal G a la Celebrating Iain Webb’s 15th Season as Director PRODUCTION PATRON Bud and Betty Shapiro

DIAMOND PATRONS

Karol Foss Patricia A. Golemme and Timothy Fullum Julie A. Harris Frank and Katherine Martucci

EMERALD PATRONS

Sydney Goldstein Joe and Mary Kay Henson Richard Johnson Harry Leopold and Audrey Robbins Jean Weiller

SAPPHIRE PATRONS

George Allison and Alan Watkins Jan and Bill Farber Marnie and Stephen Grossman JoAnn Heffernan Heisen Pat and Ann Kenny Phil and Kim Lombardo Richard March Bill and Linda Mitchell Stu and Gini Peltz Kimberley Anne Pelyk Micki Sellman Alison Gardner and Jan Sirota Hillary Steele Melliss Swenson Marcia Jean Taub and Peter Swain David Welle and Rosemary Reinhardt Anonymous

RUBY PATRONS

Bob and Ginger Cannon Bailey Neil and Sandra DeFeo Fred and Lynda Doery Richard and Cornelia Matson Peter B. Miller and Dr. Martha Harrison Rosemary and Lou Oberndorf Mercedita OConnor Rich and Clare Segall Maureen and Tom Steiner Robin Klein-Strauss and Michael Strauss PEARL PATRONS

Peggy and Ken Abt Carol Arscott Ronelle Ashby Shari and Steve Ashman Sumner and Irene Bagby Ruth Barker Isabel Anchin Becker Patricia Belote Marty and Barbara Bowling James Brooks Bonnie and William Chapman Katie Couchot Cumberland Advisors Robin and Chase Curtis Sona and David Degann Kay Delaney and Murray Bring Rosalyn and Joel Ehrenpreis Laura Feder Frances D. Fergusson and John Bradbury Geoffrey W. Fulton Martine Flamen Patsy and Ed Garno Valerie Gill Suzanne Gladfelter Jane C. Gould and Stephen W. Fillo Gerald and Deborah Hamburg Family Foundation Amy Harding

Charlie Huisking D’Anne Hurd and George Forsythe Ann and Robert Jackson Barbara Jacob Andrea Justiniano Merrill Kaegi Erika Kahwaty Henry Kahwaty and Mary Dooher Linda Klein Vivian Kouvant Waldron Kraemer and Joan Lovell Peter E. Kretzmer Joan Switt Langbord Ron and Katherine Lee Alan Lenowitz Melvy Erman Lewis Tina and Rick Lieberman Dr. and Mrs. Louis Marquet Joan Mathews Donna Maytham Dorothy O’Brien and Richard Antoine Rose Marie Proietti Pamela Revels Arthur Siciliano and B. Aline Blanchard Barbara Staton Michael and Cindy Thompson University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Campus Joan Volpe and Ronald Kluck Lauren Walsh Thomas and Gwendolyn Watson Anonymous 1st Source Bank Williams Parker Attorneys at Law

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