wcw JANUARY 2024

out and about continued
at Old Granddaddy’s home in Hazlehurst,
Mississippi, after Babe shoots
her abusive husband. The sisters were
raised in a dysfunctional family with a
penchant for ugly predicaments.
• January 18-28: Oklahoma!— Rodgers
& Hammerstein’s exuberant classic
is a lively, tuneful musical full of
cowboys, farmers, romance and fearless
optimism.
Box Office: 941-748-5878. Manatee
Performing Arts Center, 502 Third
Avenue W, Bradenton.
At Venice Theatre January 19-February
18 is Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to
Margaritaville with music and lyrics
by Jimmy Buffett. The popular musical
with a buffet of Buffett hits promises
to change your attitude and latitude.
Paradise is found in Jimmy’s jukebox
jam, Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville.
Info: venicetheatre.org/
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Asolo Rep has Inherit the Wind
running January 19-February 24. Feel
the heat of the courtroom in the sizzling
American classic INHERIT THE
WIND, an explosive drama inspired
by the most important trial of the 20th
Century. As a media circus descends
upon a small American town, two of
the largest figures of their time engage
in a battle of wits and wills to ensure
that justice is served, in the process
charting the course of education for
generations. Relive a defining moment
of American history, brought to life
by Asolo Rep’s new Producing Artistic
Director Peter Rothstein.
Visit asolorep.org to learn more info.
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FSU/Asolo Conservatory for
Actor Training has Miss Julie running
February 15 -March 10. By
August Strindberg. Witness a clandestine
encounter of desire, lust and forbidden
love. On a Midsummer Night,
the count’s daughter, Julie, enters the
kitchen, sparking a dangerous connection
with the servant, Jean. As
their illicit affair unfolds, Christine,
another servant and Jean’s fiancé,
quietly observes, leading to a shocking
climax. Experience a naturalistic
tragedy where class, sex and fate intertwine,
as Julie and Jean spiral into a
mesmerizing “dance of death”.
For information, visit asolorep.org/
conservatory
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Florida Studio Theatre has Little
Shop of Horrors running to January
14. A hapless flower shop assistant,
Seymour stumbles across a new breed
of plant, which he names ‘Audrey II’
after his coworker crush. The saucy,
R&B-singing carnivore promises Seymour
unending fame and fortune with
one condition: he must keep feeding
it blood. Seymour soon discovers
Audrey II’s out-of-this-world origins
and its man-eating appetite for global
domination blown musical numbers,
drama, and spontaneous choreography
in this musical improv show.
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org or
call 941-366-9000.
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Sarasota Jewish Theatre has
three plays from January through
May: “Fully Committed” by Becky
Mode, “Better Late” by Larry Gelbart,
and “The Immigrant” by Mark
Harelik. The plays are presented at
The Players Centre Studio 1130 at the
Crossings at Siesta Key mall, 3501 S.
Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
To purchase tickets and subscriptions,
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visit ThePlayers.org or
call 941-365-2494. For
information, visit SarasotaJewishTheatre.org.
At Urbanite Theatre,
Judith is running
January 5 - February
18. The world premiere
poses a question: What if
Shakespeare had a sister?
Playwright Katie Bender
offers an answer in this
one-woman show, which
follows Judith’s transformative
journey to save
her brother’s reputation.
Gallivanting in and out of
character, she discovers
the pleasures and pitfalls
of passing as the bard
himself. https://www.
urbanitetheatre.com/
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Fogartyville
January 14: Will
McLean Foundation
Audible Art Series at
Fogartyville presents the
finest of Florida’s acoustic
artists — artists who
share a vision of saving
Florida through music.
Tampa-based musical
duo Paul Arnone and Tami Wingard
founded Hannah’s Whirl based upon
Arnone’s vocals and original guitar-driven
songs and Wingard’s easy
vocal harmonies with accompaniment
on harmonica and percussion.
Hannah’s Whirl Event link: wslrfogartyville
• January 19: Claudia Schmidt has
been perfecting her craft of performing
for four decades. It is a quirky and
wonderful hodge-podge of music, poetry,
story, laughter. drama, and celebrating
the moment.
Work in clubs, theaters, festivals, TV,
radio has added depth and dimension,
and since she has always included her
original work along with very personal
versions of the work of others, what
you get is a unique look at the world
from someone who says what she sees
with clarity, humor, and wonder.
Alice Howe and Freebo will get the
evening started with their blend of
roots, folk and blues.
Claudia Schmidt event link: wslrfogartyville.tickets
• January 20-21: Mary Gauthier‘s
eleventh album, the first record in
more than 8 years consisting of all her
own songs, “Dark Enough to See the
Stars,” follows the profound antidote
to trauma, “Rifles & Rosary Beads,”
her 2018 collaborative work with
wounded Iraq war veterans.
It garnered a Grammy nomination
for Best Folk Album, as well as a nomination
for Album of the Year by the
Americana Music Association. Mary
Guthier Event link: wslrfogartyville.
tickets
• January 27: Jazzmeia Horn Trio
with special guest Jamee Harris. Horn
is among the most exciting young vocalists
in jazz, with a proud traditionalism
that keeps her tightly linked to
the sound of classic figures like Nancy
Wilson and Betty Carter, but a vivacity
of spirit that places her firmly in the
present. Event link: wslrfogartyville.
ticket
Food available prior to the event
when doors open 7pm. Location: Fogartyville
Community Media and Arts
Center, Kumquat Ct. Sarasota.
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Soundbox Ventures
Their “Listen Hear” Salon Concerts
are on March 8 and March 20
at St. Boniface Episcopal Church.
This interactive “exhibition for
music” series examines a specific
way we hear expression and meaning.
Curated by Max Tan, each salonstyle
event includes a classical music
program, insights from the artists,
and conversations with the audience.
Each program is free and registration
is required. Register at www.
soundboxventures.org/events. St.
Boniface Episcopal Church is located
at 5615 Midnight Pass Road on
Siesta Key.
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At The Galleries
Island Gallery and Studios presents
“I Must Have Flowers” with
paintings by Debbie Snow, January
2-31. Snow loves the quote: “I must
have flowers always and always” by
Claude Monet. Flowers bring such
happiness in life. Debbie reflects “No
matter where I am in the world, I am
constantly seeking out flowers that I
can photograph and use as subjects
for future paintings. My paintings are
larger than life so they become a focal
point for others to enjoy.”
Artist reception is on January 5,
5:30-7:30 pm. Debbie will be at Island
Gallery and Studios on January 19,
from 10 am to 6 pm. Island West Gallery
and Studios is located at 456 Old
Main Street in downtown Bradenton.
Visit www.islandgalleryandstudios.
org or call 941-778-6648.
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Church of the
Palms’ Faith &
Society Speaker
Series presents
Dr. Eddie Glaude,
Jr. on January
25. . Info.
www.church
ofthepalms.org.
“What’s Cookin’, Sarasota?” is
the newest exhibit courtesy of the
Sarasota County History Center and
is on display at the Sarasota County
Administration building. The exhibit
explores how food and cooking
shaped the community of Sarasota
County and features cookbooks,
recipe cards, and a variety of unique
and historical kitchen equipment.
“What’s Cookin’, Sarasota?” will be
on display through March 2024 on
the first floor of the Administration
building at 1660 Ringling Blvd. Hungry
for more? Visit the
online exhibit here:
https://loom.ly/fRtcQLs
Art CenterManatee
has January 30
-March 8 brings the
156th International
American Watercolor
Society Traveling
Exhibit and Florida
Suncoast Watercolor
Society Annual Aqueous
Exhibit.
AWS features master
watercolor artists from
around the world and
the ArtCenter will be
one of only three venues
in the United States
to host the traveling
exhibit. The opening
reception for these two
don’t miss shows will
be February 1, 5-7pm.
They’re at 209 9th St W,
Bradenton. Info: Art-
CenterManatee.org.
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Sarasota Orchestra’s
Harmony Gallery
features local artists
showcasing their work
in solo exhibitions
throughout the Orchestra’s season.
These juried exhibitions feature
artists with mediums ranging from
painting to pastels to mixed media.
Twenty-five percent of all proceeds
from the sale of the artwork benefit
Sarasota Orchestra.
Next up is Booker High School VPA
Student Exhibition. VPA visual art
students will present a collection of
two-dimensional artwork from various
genres. Runs through January 25.
Reception: January 24, 5-6:30 pm.
Information: www.Sarasota
Orchestra.org.
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Art Center Sarasota
Cycle 2: Runs through January 13
• Aimee Jones: Aimee Jones’ paintings
use Florida’s landscape of desire
and lust to portray the body, interwoven
with the American idea of paradise.
She plays with the dichotomy of
the female form as a political landscape
and the power of a woman’s
bodily agency.
• Ethan Fielder: Ethan Fielder will
exhibit a body of sculptural ceramics,
which examines personal and collective
growth inspired by formative
moments of transformation that he
experienced through his turbulent
countrywide travels in 2020.
• Tom Casmer: In his upcoming exhibition,
“ges•talt,” Tom Casmer brings to
life the infrastructure that lies beneath
the skin, the fabric of the world around
him. Drawing inspiration from the
organic and inorganic alike, Casmer’s
sources include the human figure,
nature, and machine-made elements.
His work recognizes the mechanism of
organic and addresses the connection
between the mechanical form and the
human system.
Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami
Trail, Sarasota. Info: www.
artsarasota.org.
Selby Gardens has Clyde Butcher:
Nature Through the Lens at the
Historic Spanish Point campus on
view to August 31, 2024. Featuring
extraordinary, large-format wildlife
prints by this well-known landscape
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photographer and conservationist,
Clyde Butcher: Nature Through
the Lens gives viewers the chance to
engage with Clyde Butcher’s artwork
against the backdrop of our Historic
Spanish Point campus. selby.org.
Sarasota
Orchestra
Masterworks performances take
place at Van Wezel and Neel Performing
Arts Center.
• Friends & Inspirations – January
5, 6, 7
Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor with
Sir Stephen Hough, piano
Clarice Assad – Bonecos De Olinda
Rachmaninoff – Rhapsody on a Theme
of Paganini
Elgar – Enigma Variations
• Titans is on January 26, 27, 28
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor with
Ji Su Jung, marimba
Mozart – Overture to The Marriage
of Figaro
Kevin Puts – Concerto for Marimba
and Orchestra
Mahler – Symphony No. 1
• Smoke and Fire is on February 8,
9, 10, 11
Rune Bergmann, conductor with Stella
Chen, violin
Nielsen – Overture to Maskarade
Prokofiev – Violin Concerto No. 2
Rachmaninoff – Symphony No. 2
• The Pops series includes music
from Broadway, powerful soul hits,
and a program dedicated to singer-songwriters.
Dynamic vocalists
join Sarasota Orchestra musicians to
perform these hits. Performances take
place at Van Wezel. Next up: Broadway
Showstoppers on January 19,
20. Evan Roider, conductor with Ali
Ewoldt, vocals; Teri Hansen, vocals
and Sean MacLaughlin, vocals
• The Great Escapes series offers
a mix of popular tunes and light
classics. Performances take place at
Holley Hall. In this series, conductors
share stories and commentary
throughout each performance. Performances
take place at Holley Hall.
Next up: By Special Arrangement on
January 10-14 with Christopher Confessore,
conductor. Revolutionary
Music is on January 31-February 4
with Lawrence Loh, conductor
For further information, visit www.
SarasotaOrchestra.org.
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Meetings
Get a sneak peek of the Asolo
Repertory Theatre’s costumes for
upcoming shows at the January
19 Palm-Aire Women’s Club Luncheon.
David Covach, the costume manager
from the Asolo Repertory Theatre,
will discuss the new Asolo show “Inherit
the Wind. Covach came to the
Asolo in 1995 to serve as Assistant
Costume Shop Manager, resident designer
and draper.
Luncheon will be held at the Palm
Aire Country Club and will start at
11:30 a.m. Cost is $35 for nonmembers.
Reservations must be received
by January 12. Mail a check to January
PAWC Lunch, P O Box 21051,
Bradenton Fl 34204. For credit cards,
contact Susan at susanromine@
gmail.com.
For more information about becoming
a member of the Palm Aire
Women’s Club contact membership
chair, Katherine Pike at katherinemaryt@yahoo.com
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10 WEST COAST WOMAN JANUARY 2024