Diversions 12.4.14

Diversions YourObserver.com

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Child actor embarks on musical voyage.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT | REASON FOR THE SEASON

the gift of

GOSPEL Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe brings back ‘Black Nativity’ for the holiday season.

by Nick Reichert | A&E Editor

Nick Reichert

Nate Jacobs and Donald Frison are unwrapping the musical theater gift of “Black Nativity.”

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT COVER STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: REASON FOR THE SEASON

by Nick Reichert | A&E Editor (continued from page 1)

the gift of GOSPEL Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe brings back ‘Black Nativity’ for the holiday season.

T

he winter holiday season summons Christmas-themed, feel-good, family-friendly theatrical entertainment. It’s the time of the year when theaters, ballets and symphonies across the country unwrap productions of holiday favorites.

In Sarasota, a standout among the artistic holly is “Black Nativity.” Written by Langston Hughes, poet extraordinaire and one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, the musical depicts the biblical birth of baby Jesus through the artistic and cultural lens of the African-American experience. Gospel music and jazz, modern and African dance are incorporated into the play to elevate the story’s inherent spirituality. The musical premiered offBroadway in 1961 and has been performed ever since as a spiritual and artistic revival.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s production, running from Dec. 3 to 21, is a reflection of Hughes’ highly adaptable and inspirational piece. Founding Artistic Director Nate Jacobs

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// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

That is what we’re doing at WBTT is to say remember the reason. I want them to be in a better place after they see this show.

– Nate Jacobs,

WBTT Founding Artistic Director Nick Reichert

Nate Jacobs and Donald Frison adds his personal dynamic flair to the show’s traditional gospel soundtrack by weaving in his own original songs. In addition, choreographer Donald Frison inserts his modern- and Africaninspired choreography to the classic nativity tale.

Though this is the first time Jacobs and Frison have collaborated, they discovered that they fit together as snug as a young babe in a manger.

“I couldn’t do any research on the choreography of past productions because of the original music being used,” says Frison, “and it had to come from within.

I knew it would all work out because his (Jacobs’) songs were so original and moving. I just closed my eyes and saw the dances.”

The musical, spiritual and cultural mash-up delivers the innate power of the nativity story along with the soul-stirring qualities of song and dance.

“During rehearsal you look around the room and the stage sometimes and we start a scene and these moments just happen,” says Jacobs. “You look into the performers’ faces and there’s this awe-inspiring spiritual experience.”

Universal celebration

Before the original production opened, it suffered an internal controversy when the title was changed from “Wasn’t it a Mighty Day?” to “Black Nativity.” Producers and actors feared white audiences wouldn’t attend a show with such a divisive title.

But, just like “Black Nativity,” the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe has repeatedly resonated with theater audiences. The label of black is not a divider but just a description of a culture and experience that anyone of any age, creed, race or gender can recognize and celebrate. West-

coast Black Theatre Troupe’s impressive growth over the past 15 years is proof that great stories told well unify the human spirit.

“The style of the music and the spirit of the show is black,” says Jacobs, “but the story and its elements are all universal. And, just like this company, the show can be embraced by everyone in the community.”

Musically, an integral part of “Black Nativity” is the intangible qualities and strength of gospel music. Throughout the history of 20th century popular music, some of the most heralded and popular voices of the age such as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Usher, Diana Ross, R. Kelly, John Legend and Little Richard all got their start in church choirs. This music of inspiration, deliverance and spiritual victory has its fingerprints all over pop, R&B/soul and rock-and-roll mu-

sic.

If this year’s production of “Black Nativity” is well received (WBTT previously produced it in 2002 and 2006), Jacobs hopes to turn it into a Sarasota family tradition. Now that the troupe’s budget and finances are at a secure level, Jacobs hopes to interchange “Black Nativity” and an original work, “Motown Christmas,” during every future holiday season.

Jacobs and Frison’s excitement and emotion are in abundance when speaking of the show and the process. It clearly isn’t just another show. And they hope that audiences that come, whether they believe in the religious impact of the story, are affected for the better by it.

Before they begin discussing the addition of the set design in the next rehearsal, Frison explains that “Black Nativity” displays what Christmas

is all about. Above the sparkling lights, bedecked trees and colorful gift-wrap, is that gospel truth: the promise of a better tomorrow and love for all peoples.

“That is what we’re doing at WBTT is to say remember the reason,” says Jacobs. “I want them to be in a better place after they see this show. There are 160 people in here a night, and we want our audience to be refreshed and revived through ‘Black Nativity.’”

IF YOU GO ‘Black Nativity’ When: Runs through Dec. 21 Where: 1646 10th Way Tickets: $36.50 Info: Call 366-1505 or visit wbttsrq.org.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: MAIDEN VOYAGE

by Nick Reichert | A&E Editor

Child’s Play

IF YOU GO ‘South Pacific’ When: Runs through Dec. 28 Where: Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota Cost: $34 to $72 Info: Call 351-8000 or visit asolorep.org.

Eight-year-old Sophia Cavalluzzi represents Sarasota onstage in “South Pacific.” a surprise that this is, in fact, her maiden voyage on stage.

Like a lot of young performers, Sophia discovered and developed her vocal chops in church.

“When I was in pre-kindergarten, we sang a lot and my teacher wanted me to sing,” says

Sophia. “So, I started to sing in church.”

At St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, Sophia started singing, which served as an extension of her vocal personality.

“She’ll definitely tell you what

Nick Reichert

she’s thinking,” says Haily Cavalluzzi, Sophia’s mother. “And whatever she adopts and becomes passionate about, she’ll go after.”

Through her time singing at school, church and voice lessons, Sophia and her fam-

ily learned that Asolo Rep was holding open auditions for children’s roles in “South Pacific.”

Auditions can be nerve-wracking for even the most seasoned professionals. But Sophia was unfazed. According to her mother, she was calm in the moment and performed with unabashed excitement. That combination of childlike enthusiasm when performing but maintaining professional airs impressed the creative team, her fellow cast members and audiences.

“I just really like doing this,” says Sophia. “I don’t know if I’ll act again, but it’s fun.”

As she heads to her costume and makeup calls, Sophia nonchalantly hugs her mom, gives her a kiss on the cheek and says goodbye.

“She’s never like this at home and school,” says Haily Cavalluzzi. “She usually, you know, acts like a kid.”

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Currently stationed in the briny depths of Asolo Repertory Theatre is Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “South Pacific.” With sweeping music, romance and humor, the production exhibits Asolo’s penchant for memorable and impactful productions of popular plays and musicals that draw seasoned cast members, designers and directors from America’s theater meccas such as Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City.

However, swimming through the sea of out-of-town sailors and nurses onstage, there is a Sarasota native.

Sophia Cavalluzzi, 8, from Sarasota and currently living in Bradenton, stars as Ngana, French planter Emile de Becque’s young daughter.

Though a small part, it is an essential role in the musical’s story as well as its staging. Sophia, in fact, opens the entire production. The curtain parts and the houselights rise as Richard Rodgers’ incomparable melody of “Dites-Moi” floats in the air.

Then Sophia, along with her costar Zachary Jones (playing her older brother Jerome), scampers under the bright lights and tropical scenery. The duo stands and proudly exchanges verses of the French nursery rhyme. Calm, confident and collected, Sophia performs like a stage performer three times her age. It comes as

Sophia Cavalluzzi stands tall among a crew of veteran performers in ‘South Pacific.’

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// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: HIGHLIGHTS

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// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: REVIEWS

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these instrumentalists’ readings followed the cadence and rhythm written into the text by Stein, making their stories natural, real and, at times, quite disturbing. Some of them were also amusing and touching.

Most of all, they left room for our imaginations to see ourselves in the stories and, with Goebbels’ music underscoring the text, they were just that much more personal.

The percussion section of the orchestra had a whirlwind of a time playing instruments we’d never seen before, along with playing familiar ones in unsettling ways.

The “Sound Design,” (by Ian Dearden), something one doesn’t often connect with a so-called classical concert, brought out lines and musical motifs so we were aware of their context more than we’d have been without the amplification.

The lighting, by Michael Pasquini and the composer, who designed the lighting, was both unsettling and beautiful.

Changing from the warm glow of gold one sees through the windows of a cozy cottage to bright, stark white, the lights combined with the music and text to create an ambience closer to a theatrical event than a concert setting.

Anu Tali, the Sarasota Orchestra’s music director, held all of this together in a way we’ve rarely seen in orchestral performances. Often, her role was simply beating time, a necessity when so many things were happening at once. At other times, she drew emotions from the individual instruments and sections of the orchestra.

And, as in the final section, when trumpeter Michael Dobrinski performed a poignant, affecting solo, her black-clad body with long blond hair streaming down her back, was so stock still, she became part of the music, like the stark ghost light that hovered over the stage, reminding us that theaters, like people, can sometimes be heartless and empty.

That image, along with the unsettling but consoling sounds of all the musicians playing tuned Tibetan bowls, which first sounded disconcertedly like dangerous mythological Sirens but then transformed into church bells ringing out peace, brought a reassuring and comforting conclusion to this most unusual work.

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Music is, without question, an aural experience. But some music is aurally sonic, like a boom that explodes in your head and leaves an indelible impression on your brain. Heiner Goebbels, a composer who works with sounds as if they’re living creatures, created a work called “Songs of Wars I Have Seen.” Based on one of Gertrude Stein’s books, Goebbels has taken the rhythm and cadence of Stein’s written words and turned them into a visual, visceral experience that seems to grow on you even after the last sounds have ceased ringing from the stage.

“Songs of Wars I Have Seen” is a thought-provoking piece filled with unearthly, enigmatic sounds that, somehow, tie together the vignettes of wartime Stein wrote about. In the 1970s, the work might have been called an “encounter,” but today, especially the way Goebbels has put it together, it’s a piece of theater with music.

Set on the smallish platform of Holley Hall, the orchestra, featuring members of the Sarasota Orchestra, is placed by gender, with the men — in black attire — sitting on risers upstage, facing the audience, and the women, dressed as if at home — in differently colored tops over casual pants — are assembled as a septet, downstage, surrounded by mismatched end tables with equally off-balance lamps, as if accumulated from various homes and put together for warmth.

It’s the women, the ones at home while their men are at war, who tell their stories, and, like the prodigious author she was, Stein leaves room within her own memories for some of ours to tiptoe in and make interpretations that open windows into our souls.

Goebbels’ music is at once enlightening and dramatic, but, for the most part, it’s supportive, and one has to wonder what this particular piece would be without the text. Baroque music, which the women play with eerie, supernatural, ghostlike and sometimes creepy sounds (played on a synthesizer by Joseph Holt), is the glue that connects the stories and the original music by Goebbels.

The seven women from the Sarasota Orchestra — violinists Jennifer Best Takeda and Chung-Yon Hong, violist Elizabeth Beilman, cellist Cheeko Matsusaka, bassist RoseAnne McCabe, flutist Betsy Hudson Traba and harpist Cheryl Losey — put aside their musical instruments to read the Stein stories, and they did it in a way that allowed the words to become part of the music. Although Takeda did have a sung part that was perfectly on pitch and considerably more spine-chilling and paranormal than a real singer would have pulled off, the other readings weren’t sung; they weren’t even written in rhythms or like Sprechstimme (speaking on pitch). Rather, every one of

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

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// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: REVIEWS

Courtesy

// Balanchine, Tuckett, Bruce Once again, Director Iain Webb proved to be a master repertoire setter by creating a show that featured diverse styles of dance — neoclassical, lyrical and folk — with George Balanchine’s “Rubies,” Will Tuckett’s “Lux Aeterna” and Christopher Bruce’s “Sergeant Early’s Dream.” The Sarasota Ballet dancers continue to impress with their increasing talent and strength in all versatile forms of choreography. The production was complete with the accompaniment of live music performed by the Sarasota Ballet Orchestra and Key Chorale conducted by Joseph Caulkins.

This program kicked off with Balanchine’s “Rubies,” which is part of his three-act ballet, “Jewels,” set to music by Igor Stravinsky. The dancers bedazzled in deep-red costumes that glittered with ruby-like jewels, which clattered and clinked while they jumped and turned. The corps de ballet, which included eight girls and four boys, was especially strong in this utterly classic Balanchine-style piece that includes a mixture of angles, off-balance positions, turned-in passés and fancy, fast footwork en pointe.

Kristianne Kleine was a vision of one of the Balanchine stars — Merrill Ashley.

As the soloist, Kleine demonstrated the strength and agility as Ashley did when she was on stage. Kleine was stunning with her incredible long lines, perfect

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pirouettes and athletic jumps. She even looked as if she were going to kick herself in the head in a series of fouettés to attitude derrière.

Just coming off a Will Tuckett high from “The Secret Garden,” the audience was treated to more of his choreography. The Sarasota Ballet reprised Tuckett’s “Lux Aeterna,” which is a visual symphony.

Despite the low-lighting effects by Aaron Muhl and the gray simple costumes by Bill Fenner, Tuckett’s choreography is rich with intricate interweaving movements, lifts and group poses.

The ballet started out with a powerful scene. All the men moved forward in slow motion as if in battle. Slowly, one by one fell down, as if shot, leaving the lead male, Ricardo Graziano, standing with his “guardian angel,” Danielle Brown, ethereally arriving onstage to protect him. Graziano and Brown were incredibly expressive and danced beautifully to the moving chorus of Key Chorale.

Christopher Bruce’s “Sergeant Early’s Dream,” which is set to a selection of Irish, British and American folk songs, was an audience favorite of the program. The piece is like an Irish version of Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo.” The entire cast of this piece was incredibly strong, expressive and funny, while tapping their feet and skipping as if dancing an Irish jig. The highlight of this piece was a hilarious drunken dance by David Tlaiye, Juan Gil and Logan Learned, who were sloppily proclaiming their love to Peggy Gordon, Kate Honea, who tapped her foot in disdain in the corner.

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Sarasota Ballet recently performed George Balanchine’s “Rubies.”

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// HOME&GARDEN: OLD SCHOOL, NEW STUFF

by Heather Merriman | Black Tie Editor

The Magnolia House

The Korffs spend most of their time in the kitchen, which features marble slab countertops and stainless steel appliances.

When John and Leslie Korff decided to leave their bustling city lives in Manhattan to settle down and raise their family in the South, the couple set their eyes on Sarasota. Bridging the gap between small town and big city, Sarasota was exactly what they sought. Moving here in July 2013, the couple purchased a home in their favorite area of town, Southside Village, which is close to local dining, shops and schools, and began the remodeling process.

With nine months of renovations, many setbacks and problems, the renovation to create their dream home in suburbia quickly turned into an almost yearlong project that surpassed the home’s purchase price.

Deciding to commit fully to the house and the remodel, the couple found that every challenge faced turned into an opportunity resulting in the perfect combination of New York and Sarasota in their new home on Bay View Drive.

Photos by Heather Merriman

The renovation turned demolition …

The built-ins in the living room are original to the home, as well as the stair rail, which was salvaged by removing and rebuilding it.

The established landscape, specifically the magnolia tress, is what initially attracted the couple to the home. After seeing the interior and the potential it had, they purchased the home and their plans for moving their life to Florida were in motion — but were quickly halted when they moved in.

“Nothing was functioning; it must have barely passed inspection because it wasn’t safe or habitable,” says Leslie Korff. “We were devastated. It was a complete loss and we had to decide if we were just going basically say somebody just take this or commit to this huge project.”

After the demo, the home was

just a shell and the Korffs had the opportunity to design the home perfectly for their family.

“There was such a lack of maintenance and love,” says Leslie Korff. The family decided on the full demo, moved out, signed a lease two blocks away on Morris Street and waited for their home to be brought back to life.

“There are maybe 10 things that stayed the same,” says Leslie Korff.

Everything else was rebuilt to be like it was when the home was built in 1938.

“We made a commitment to this property and were going to finish it from A to Z,” says Leslie Korff.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// HOME&GARDEN In her words …

The silk wallpaper in the formal dining room was custom made in France for the Korffs, designed and painted to resemble the property’s magnolia trees.

How did you want to the house to flow?

I do like to have the separation of church and state, the concept of an open floor plan. In New York, we call that a loft. I really didn’t think that would work for me — I like having the living room, the family room, the rec room. It’s nice to have space, as well as the craftsmanship. It’s got walls, but it still flows.

When we were designing the first floor, we mimicked the openness of the foyer doorway to have a straight see-through from the kitchen into the family room.

It was a series of small openings and it didn’t feel light-filled. So by expanding the perimeters of the doors, it would be easier than just knocking out walls. I like having rooms to go to.

One of the many interesting finds and occurrences stumbled upon during the renovation was the sealed closet behind a wall in one of the upstairs guest bedrooms. When they knocked the wall down, they found a closet, with a light that was still on and coke bottle dated in the 1940s.

Using the leftover PVC pipes, Leslie Korff created a garden space on the side of the home, where she and her children are growing vegetables. “It’s exciting for the kids — there is an outside, a doorman doesn’t deliver groceries.”

How did you come up with the interior design?

In New York we had the pre-war look. I like pre pre-war and this home reminded me of that — it’s brick, it’s got the columns and the molding. I could picture my things in this space, but we brought in my interior designer from New York to kick it up a notch. We have this wallpaper in the built-ins — I don’t like animal print; it’s snow leopard, but it works. The little things make everything wonderful — mixing Buddhas with Keith Haring, mixing silver and gold and bronze, copper and textures; nothing is off limits. It’s not a precious place, it’s the place where we live. I didn’t want a house, I wanted a home, and that’s what we created.

What is your favorite thing about the house now?

The new deck — the pool has Versailles jets and I feel like I’m on a spa vacation, a retreat at my own home.

Deck jets aren’t anything to people who are used to pools, but it’s a big deal for me to see water flow. You can’t put a pool on West 67th.

The two things I learned throughout the buying and renovating process is that nothing is as it seems and no one will tell you that they have an ugly baby.

– John Korff

From MosquitoNix, speakers, hanging chairs, an outdoor kitchen, entertainment area and multiple seating areas that can be enclosed by motorized patio screens, the Korffs can enjoy their outdoor living space. Another improvement made to the outside was the raising of the land in the front and back yard. “It was just a sliver of usable grass and now it’s an actual front and back yard, giving the kids so much space,” says Leslie Korff.

‘ Tis the season

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PASSPORT TO ELEGANCE benefits arts & human services of sarasota

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YourObserver.com

DIVERSIONS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT: REVIEWS

BOOKS

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// ‘All the Light We Cannot See’

by Anthony Doerr Anthony Doerr’s novel, “All the Light We Cannot See,” is a National Book Award finalist, and with good reason. Doerr has crafted a story that is not only beautifully written, it is tender, suspenseful and thought-provoking.

Marie-Laure LeBlanc is a young Parisian who, in her first six years, loses both her mother and her sight. Her father, principal locksmith for the National Museum of Natural History, helps her to cope with her blindness by carving an impeccably detailed miniature of her neighborhood.

From this miniature, she memorizes streets and landmarks, ultimately enabling herself to navigate her surroundings with confidence.

Marie-Laure’s life with her father is disrupted by the progression of World War II and the Nazi forces bearing down on Paris.

On the eve of the Nazi invasion, father and daughter flee the city and seek shelter with Marie-Laure’s great uncle, Etienne, in SaintMalo on the Brittany coast. Their flight is complicated by a parcel that Marie-Laure’s father secretly carries for his employer, a parcel that is being doggedly pursued by Nazi Sgt. Maj. Reinhold von Rumpel.

In a parallel narrative, Werner Pfennig grows up in a coalmining complex in Zollverein, Germany. Werner is a precocious, mechanically inclined young man who, along with his younger sister, Jutta, is orphaned as a child. As Werner grows, his abilities come to the attention of local government officials.

He is sent to the National Political Institute of Education, after which he is given orders to join the Wehrmacht.

“All the Light We Cannot See” does not have romantic themes, per se, but from the

beginning, it is clear that Marie-Laure and Werner are on a collision course, pulled together by forces beyond their understanding or control. They each struggle to overcome their own limitations — for her, those limitations that come with her blindness and, more complicated, the protectiveness that her blindness inspires in those who love her; for him, his knowing complicity in the evils that happen around him.

Doerr’s novel reaches a sustained climax when the inevitable Allied liberation of France and von Rumpel’s manic and relentless pursuit converge. The book tends to linger in the chapters leading up to the climax, but with frequent peaks forward into the hours following the onset of the Allied invasion, the plot maintains a steady pace throughout. And Doerr’s prose makes the journey both enjoyable and satisfyingly suspenseful.

— Jennifer McPheeters “All the Light We Cannot See” is available at Bookstore1Sarasota, 1359 Main St., Sarasota. Call 365-7900 for more information.

Top 10 fiction titles at Bookstore1 this month: 1. “The Burning Room” by Michael Connelly 2. “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante 3. “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr 4. “An Officer and a Spy” by Robert Harris 5. “City of Thieves” by David Benioff 6. “Orphan Train” by Christina Baker Kline 7. “Gray Mountain” by John Grisham 8. “Let the Great World Spin” by Colum McCann 9. “The Mathematician’s Shiva” by Stuart Rojstaczer 10. “Let Me Be Frank With You” by Richard Ford

“DAILY DINNER SPECIALS” Specials start at 4pm (Except Wednesday) DINE-IN ONLY & Sharing is not permitted

MONDAY......................... Prime Rib Night ................................................................................. $1395 TUESDAY ........................ All You Can Eat - Giant Snow Crabs ....................................... $2695 ¢ WEDNESDAY..............Wings (boneless or regular) ................................................................ $59each $ 95 THURSDAY ................... All You Can Eat - Gourmet Beef & Chicken Mexican Buffet .. 6 with beverage purchase FRIDAY .............................. Seafood Dinner Night ........................................ All You Can Eat - Fish $1395 ......................... or Shrimp...$1795 SATURDAY .................... 1$ lb. Live Maine Lobster Dinner .............................................. $1695 C Happy Hour D

Mon. - Thurs. 11am - 6pm and 10pm - Midnight Fri. & Sat. 11am - 6pm and Sun. 11am - Midnight

C Hours of operation D Daily 11am - 10pm

tiki Bar – Sun. - Thurs. 11am - Midnight Fri. & Sat. 11am - 1am

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Join us in the kitchen with Chef Gaetano of Ortygia as he prepares one of his favorite dishes. Get the recipe and watch the cooking demo at

YourObserver.com/InTheKitchen

DineOriginal.com

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Arancini

Black Tie

INSIDE: Dream Makers Ball: ‘It’s A Small World’ PAGE 12

YourObserver.com

Bill and Darla Furst with Henry and

Suzanne Rodriguez

Aimee and Chris Cogan with Kristan Hamill

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

Michael Polk, Jessica Bailey and

Margaret Wise

Melissa Stevens and Crystal Lahners

Black Tie talked to event Co-Chairs Barbara and Todd Stainbrook and Kristen and Joe Farrell to find out how they and their committee put together the perfect Havana Nights party: • A Cuban-inspired MENU and EXOTIC COCKTAILS • THE BEST IN CUBANSTYLE ACTIVITIES: Rum tasting, cigar wrapping and a dominoes tournament • AMBIENCE — Achieved with lighting, exotic flower arrangements, high-end rattan chairs with cushions, gold-trimmed glassware and Cuban touches were placed throughout the museum grounds • THE SALSA BAND: Going with the “King of Mambo” himself, Tito Puente Jr. and his Latin band. He and his sixpiece ensemble delivered energetic Latin music, later joined by professional salsa dancers, and had the crowd dancing all night.

Photos by Heather Merriman

by Heather Merriman Black Tie Editor

NIGHTS

It’s a nice treat when the weather cools down, and it was a crisp 65 degrees the evening of Friday, Nov. 21, for Historic Spanish Point’s annual fall Benefiting: Historic Spanish Point • Friday, Nov. 21, at Historic Spanish Point gala, themed “Havana Nights — Party at the Point.” The event, which is hosted on the grounds of Historic Spanish Point overlooking Little Sarasota Bay, attracted more than 215 guests. They enjoyed an evening of entertainment under the stars and raised more than $103,000 for the historic landmark. The energy was high, the grounds were stunning and the Cuban-themed atmosphere was on point.

PARTY AT THE POINT

Co-Chairs Joe and Kristen Farrell with Barbara and Todd Stainbrook

Richard and Lisa Merrill

Cornelia and Dick Matson

Brenda and Geoffrey Michel

“The paddle raise will let us offer schools that could not otherwise afford it, scholarships for field trips to Historic Spanish Point. Other funds raised help us sustain the museum’s mission, which is to connect people of today with 5,000 years of human history by preserving and interpreting objects and traditions significant to our region’s past.”

— Historic Spanish Point Executive Director John Mason

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DIVERSIONS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// BLACK TIE: CAMERA READY

DREAM MAKERS BALL: ‘IT’S A SMALL WORLD’ Benefiting Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County Saturday, Nov. 22, at Hyatt Regency Sarasota Co-Chairs Tom and Debbie Shapiro Helen McBean, Lee Wetherington and Caroline Jensen

Tamara Chapman with Keffie and Bonnie Lancaster Larry Greenspon and Mary Gratehouse Photos by Heather Merriman

Dave and Donna Bewley with Lydia and Roger Miles Brian Mata, Paris Levine and Dagyn Tow

DIScOVeR

19 - 20 December 2014

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Sir Frederick Ashton’s

‘ La Fille mal Gardee

WHAT’S ON

The Wayward Daughter

baYFRonT GaRDEns ToURs FRI & SAT, 10:30 AM $20 / $10 for Members From the soaring banyans to Mable’s roses, tour the “living collections” of the Bayfront Gardens.

naTIonaL THEaTRE LIvE, SKYLIGHT Dec 12, 7:30 PM, $20 / $18 for Members An HD-screening of the highly anticipated production of David Hare’s Skylight, starring Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan.

vIEwpoInT: bEsT In sHow Dec 13, 10:30 AM, $10 / $5 for Members Man’s best friend has appeared in art since ancient times. This lecture will look at the dog as an artistic and cultural symbol over the past 500 years.

GREET THE LIGHT

GREET THE LIGHT cELEbRaTIon Dec 20, 7:00 PM, $15 / $10 for Members Fire dancers, specialty drinks, and a live DJ. Celebrate the solstice in our Courtyard and escape the pressures of the holidays for an evening.

Tickets and Information:

ringling.org or 941.358.3180

Closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day

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| F L O R I D A S TAT e U N I V e R S I T Y

Box Office : (941) 359 - 0099 x 101 | www.SarasotaBallet.org 156597

S TAT e A R T M U S e U M O F F L O R I D A

OPeN DAILY at 10:00 AM

DIVERSIONS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

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// BLACK TIE: CAMERA READY

‘WISH’ WHITE PARTY Benefiting Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida Friday, Nov. 21, at Michael’s On East Photos by Heather Merriman

Ted Chamberlain and Lauren McComb

Danny and Fondren Watts Co-Chairs Elizabeth Wexler and Kim Mancini

Tatyana Sharoubim and Renee Phinney

Tyler Vaden and Deva O’Donnell

Circus Sarasota performers wowed guests with a strength and balance performance

Jerry Gray and Alexis Upham

Two engaging experience .

One pectacular man ion.

s

s

A

Victorian Christmas at the Crosley

December 9 through 21 Select dates

Feel the spirit of the holidays with a festive, family evening of theater, carols and tales to warm the heart. All amid the historic grandeur of the majestic Powel Crosley Estate.

Murder at the Crosley January 27 through February 6 Select dates

Feel the chill as you immerse yourself into an evening of Who Done It. You’ll follow colorful characters from room to room as you pick up the clues and unravel the mystery.

Jan. 27-29 – 7:30pm Jan. 30 - Feb. 1 – 2:00pm, 7:30pm Feb. 4-5 – 7:30pm Feb. 6 – 2:00pm, 7:30 pm

Dec. 9 -11 – 7:30pm Dec. 14 – 2:00pm, 7:30pm Dec. 16 -18 – 7:30pm Dec. 19-21 – 2:00pm, 7:30pm

BACVB-01880-14 Victorian and Murder-Observer.v2.indd 1

TicketMaster.com and at Bradenton Area Convention Center Box Office 941-722-3244, ext. 0 • PowelCrosleyTheater.com 8374 N. TAMIAMI TRAIL, SARASOTA, FL 34243

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All tickets on sale Monday, October 20 at 10:00am $15-$25 (plus convenience fees) Tickets are $5 additional at the door Group Discounts Available

s

11/21/14 1:53 PM

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DIVERSIONS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// BLACK TIE: CAMERA READY

NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY AWARDS LUNCHEON Benefiting Association of Fundraising Professionals Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Michael’s On East

DECEMBER 3–21

Photos by Heather Merriman

Bob Carter, Aida Matic and Thomas Stuhley

foR tiCkEts 941-366-1505 OR

wEstCoast

BlaCk thEatRE

150384

wEstCoastBlaCkthEatRE.oRg

tRoUPE

PAID FOR IN PART BY SARASOTA COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUES

The 27th Annual

WINTERFEST HOLMES BEACH CITY HALL FIELD

December 13th & 14th, 2014 Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am - 4:30 pm

Co-Chairs Jennifer Vigne and Stacey Corley

Ann Logan, Doug Elder and Cathy Layton

JURIED ART EXHIBIT “Young at Art” Children’s Exhibit & Activity Area LIVE MUSIC Saturday: Anna Maria String Band, Gumbo Boogie Band, Drum Bunny Band - Howie Banfield & Scott Blum

FOOD & T-SHIRTS. Image courtesy of Kathy Sparks

FREE ADMISSION & PARKING Visit:

www.islandartleague.org or call

941-778-2099 157199

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: Scott Zelniker, Carlo Marchetti, Wendy Surkis, Flora Major and Ellen Berman

THIS

W

EN EEK

D

The Suncoast’s Premier Indoor Fine Art & Craft Show

December 5•6•7 Timed perfectly for Holiday Shopping

St. Armands Circle 22 N. Blvd of Presidents Sarasota 941-383-3711 Bay Street Village 3976 Destination Dr. Osprey 941-966-5878 www.armeljewelers.com 155195

ROBARTS ARENA 3000 Ringling Blvd.

HOURS Fri-Sat 5 & 6 : 10am-6pm Sun 7: 10am-4pm

Buy tickets online! $1 OFF Adult Admission

SarasotaCraftShow.com

ADMISSION Adults $10 • Seniors $9 Students $5 • Weekend Pass $12 Children under 10 Free CASH ONly AT THE DOOR

156406

Get Noticed this Holiday Season

100 Contemporary Jury Selected Artists & Designers

DIVERSIONS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

YourObserver.com

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// BLACK TIE: CAMERA READY

Longboat Key Center for the Arts A Division of Ringling College of Art and Design

HIGH TIDE AT HIGH NOON Benefiting Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida Monday, Nov. 17, at Sarasota Yacht Club

FLORIDA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY Traveling Exhibition DECEMBER 4 - 19

Co-Chairs Bianca Lawrence, Allison Scanlan and Laura Proctor with Barbara Zdravecky

Award winners from the esteemed Florida Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition will be on display in our Durante Gallery this December. Come out and explore the amazing talent of our regional watercolorists! For those looking for a unique holiday gift, many of the works will be available for purchase.

Roger Parent, Clean Sweep

RSVP to attend opening reception!

OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday, December 4 5:30 – 7:30 pm

Please RSVP to 941.383.2345 or email lbkca@ringling.edu to attend the Opening Reception

Jimmy DiPaola, Zara Barrie, Nan Morgan, Kellie Dupree and KT Curran

150931

6860 Longboat Drive South Longboat Key, FL 34228 Hours: Tue-Fri 11am to 5pm

www.ringling.edu/lbkca

Gifts

Photos by Heather Merriman

Ruth Bromley and Elaine Rosen

Susan Holike and Monica Streacker

for the holidays (or all year round) This holiday season, make charitable giving personal, meaningful and fun!

Purchase a Giving Spirit Card and share the joy of giving.

Select a Giving Spirit Card from a number of holiday designs and load it with a value of $25, $50, $100 or more. Cards can be conveniently redeemed online to benefit any 501(c)(3) public charity in the United States. You receive a charitable tax deduction at the time of purchase, and the receiver experiences a gift that pays it forward. For more than 35 years, we have been the Giving Spirit and Heart of Sarasota County.

And we’re proud to share this avenue for charitable giving.

Purchase and redeem Giving Spirit Cards from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County online at CFSarasota.org or by calling 941.955.3000.

Our New Dock is Finished!

A Complimentary Bottle of Wine!

Ask about bulk orders and customized cards featuring your company logo.

from the Manager’s exclusive selection of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. With this ad & the purchase of two lunch or dinner entrees.

Give. Feel Good.

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2635 Fruitville Road | Sarasota 941.955.3000 www.CFSarasota.org

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DIVERSIONS

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014

// BLACK TIE: SOCIAL STUDIES

by Heather Merriman | Black Tie Editor

GERRI AARON

tended for the Arts Council (now the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County). I went up to the president at the time and said, “I really love your organization. I’m leaving to go up north in April, but when I come back I’ll be your slave, I just want to be involved.” I came back the next season and I was the slave for the Arts Council.

I WAS eventually asked to be on the board, the first board I was on in Sarasota, and that must have been close to 25 years ago. I became a community activist and a member of many other boards in town — cultural, educational, human interests and humanities, lots of boards over the years.

I STARTED out as a community

Heather Merriman

Sitting on an L-shaped couch in her living room overlooking Sarasota Bay, Black Tie chatted with local philanthropist Gerri Aaron to find out more about her origins of philanthropy, her passions and her continued commitment to philanthropy in her hometown of Philadelphia. Claiming, “I’m not very funny today because I’m thinking,” Aaron gave us a peek into her life and passions for giving back.

I’M ORIGINALLY from Philadelphia. I think the first time I came to Sarasota was probably over 40 years ago as a visitor with my husband, who was in business down here. I always said, when we retire, this is where I want to be — we went from visitors, to living on Longboat Key part time in the ’80s, to becoming legal residents in 1991. When I first came

here, I did what most people do on Longboat Key — I played tennis and bridge and I came into town for dinner and the theater.

I LOVE Sarasota, it’s a wonderful

place. I remember coming here from Longboat Key. My husband was sick with Parkinson’s, and we moved into town to Bay Plaza.

All of a sudden I recognized that

I lived in a city, a viable city, not just a place where people play golf and tennis and bridge. I was inspired and I had to try to translate that to the people on Longboat Key — that they had to be involved in this really important, growing city of Sarasota.

I BECAME involved in the community after a luncheon I at-

activist and then when things were looking up financially, I became a philanthropist. My late husband’s success provided me the ability to do so. I like to help people. Currently, I’m on the board of JFCS, AJC, Sarasota Orchestra and I just rotated off Planned Parenthood.

I AM so spread out in my interests in this town and I’m still very involved philanthropically in Philadelphia as well. I have been active in the town at a small university in the Philadelphia suburbs called Arcadia University.

It used to be a small girls college called Beaver College, but it became a university years ago and I’ve been involved there in their physical therapy department. I started a rehab program, an exercise program for Parkinson’s patients and MS patients and I’ve been supporting that for about 11 years. They now have an en-

dowment and they asked me to be the commencement speaker this past May. I gave the commencement speech for the graduates and that was very nicely received. I was hooded, and am now a doctor of humanities.

WHAT DO I do in my spare time?

I don’t have much spare time. I used to be a dancer and a tennis player — I can’t do that anymore, but I keep up with political situations, world situations. I’m a big reader, I go to the theater, I go to musical events, to the orchestra; I’m very involved in the city and the things that go on here. I’m a social person — I go to every event, and I’m involved in a lot of them. In addition to being on a few boards, I’m on event committees as well.

PEOPLE USUALLY think I am

so serene — I am not really serene. I can get out on that balcony and scream about some political thing that upsets me.

I have a great passion that I express when I’m with my family or my partner Marvin, I’m not just a nice serene old lady — my kids could tell you plenty. As far as talking about who I am, I find it difficult to talk about, to describe myself. And I’m not sure if we are ever aware of how we appear to other people.

I’VE BEEN with Marvin for six

years. He’s also from Philadelphia and we’ve known each other for quite some time. We go out together a lot and have fun at the events that we go to and we love to go out with our friends for dinner and dinner parties. I love being with friends, having conversation, and a lot of laughter.

Hawthorne Village of Sarasota, a Not-for-Profit Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, invites you to attend a FREE community education seminar.

Good News for Bad Knees

Thursday, December 11 • 5-6pm Enjoy a light dinner and a discussion on common knee problems and various treatment options including non-surgical. Presented

by Jeffrey Silverstein, MD of Sarasota Orthopedic Associates.

Fellowship Trained & Board Certified Orthopedic Physician; Adult Hip & Knee Join Reconstruction; Trauma; Arthroscopy

Jeffrey Silverstein, MD

Space is Limited • Please RSVP by Wednesday 12/10 to 941.355.6111

5381 Desoto Road, Sarasota, FL 34235 (Just East of Honore on Desoto Road) Marketing@HawthorneVillageofSarasota.com

www.HawthorneVillageofSarasota.com License #SNF130471051 EOE

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CALL 941-355-6111 TODAY