March at the Backlot
[ bunch o’stuff ]

The Backlot is serving up its usual variety of unusual variety with The Cherry Hill Project Live in Concert on March 9. On March 12 The Best Plays You’ve Never Seen series continues with a rehearsed reading of Case for A Rebel by Emmanuel Robles. Then on March 17 and 18 or March 24 and 25 there is a two-day playwriting workshop by Manny Fried from either 9:30-2:30 each day or 9:30-12:30 (I got different information everywhere I turned. So I suggest you call the Backlot at 941-363-9300 if you are interested in the workshop to confirm the date and time.) The workshop is hands-on and participatory. For all the stuff happening at the Backlot click here and you can always buy your tickets on-line at SRQBoxOffice.com

Opening March 9
[ encaustic ]

Elena De la Ville, Marks and Textures opens next Friday at Paradigm Art with a special artist reception from 6:00 - 10:00 pm. The exhibit of new work will run through the month and includes both installation and conventionally hung work. Elena teaches art at the Ringling School of Art, Longboat Center for the Arts and the Arts Center of St. Petersburg.

Opening March 10
[ uptown ]

Art Uptown is featuring Brendan Coudal through March 24. On March 16 you are invited to an artist’s reception from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Brendan is a wildlife artist and is also debuting his new series of vintage-style paintings honoring the images of southwest Florida’s past.

Through March
[ greene ]

New paintings by local artist Douglas Higgins are exhibited this month at Greene Contemporary. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 - 6:00 pm.

March 14 - 188
[ eartha ]        

Eartha Kitt comes to Sarasota for the 27th Annual Sarasota Jazz Festival at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Not only is Eartha able to dance and sing in ten languages, but also she was Cat Woman in the original Batman TV series. Buy tickets by clicking here.

March 15 - 18
[ godspell ]

The Manatee Players and Kirkwood Presbyterian Church are mounting Godspell for only four performances. The $10 tickets are available at 941-748-5875.

March 15 – April 1
[ drinking ]

The Island Players present Norm Foster’s Drinking Alone. Foster's plays are known mainly for their comedic qualities, but they are not without their serious moments as well. Says Foster: "I find it far more satisfying if I can make an audience laugh and feel a little heartache within the same story. The farces are a lot of fun to write but it's the stories that touch an audience's heart as well as it's funny-bone that are the most rewarding."

March 16
[ english ]

At the Selby Gallery, on the campus of the Ringling School of Art & Design, an exhibition honoring illustrator and painter Mark English who, with his son John, co-founded what came to be known as the Illustration Academy

March 16 & 21
[ mel is in da house ]

David Pruyn presents a jazzy evening called To Mel (Torme) with Love at 8:00 PM at the Glenridge Performing Arts Center. Call 941-552-5325 for information and tickets. Click here to read about Mel.

March 17
[ vlt kids ]

The Venice Little Theatre and Island Village Montessori School are joining forces to bring audiences a student production of Oliver, With a Twist. The shortened production features four of the hit songs from the original show. The collaboration began three years ago and continues as students receive acting instruction from VLT instructor, Clair Lockeyear, who has been visiting their campus and teaching theatre arts. Tickets for the 12:30 show are just $5 and available via the VLT Box Office 941-488-1115.

What was I thinking? I’m making my stand-up comedy debut at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre at 7:30 pm for a free show. Thankfully, there is a two drink minimum and we would appreciate it if you would have both of your drinks consumed and in your system BEFORE we hit the stage; you will thank us later. The door opens at 7:00 and you are encouraged to call ahead to reserve your FREE seat at 941-925-3869. Also debuting that night are several of my friends like Christopher Alexander (enter gratuitous mention of Christine, his wife and co-owner of anythingarts.com, here to stroke her ego: bla, bla, whatever), Zan Aufderhiderzanerderzanonzan, Jr., Nick Ribaudo (of Freezer Show fame), Vincent Dessberg, Jasmine “Jazzy” Vaughn and Tim Beasley the comedy improv impresario  from FST. It really should be a fun time and we would love having a big crowd because statistically somebody has to laugh.

March 21 - 233
[ barefoot ]

Barefoot in The Park is a Neil Simon hit and an audience favorite. Catch it at the Manatee School for the Arts for just three 7:00 pm performances. The tickets are just $5 and are available at the door. For further information contact Dr. Di Cicco at 941-721-6800.

March 21 - 25
[ silver foxes ]

The senior performance troupe of the Venice Little Theatre, The Silver Foxes, present its annual Follies on the MainStage with nightly shows at 8:00 pm and a 2:00 matinee on Sunday. Buy tickets here.

Opening March 29
[ nine ]

At The Players Theatre, based on Fellini’s film 8 ½, “Nine” is the story of a famous film director Guido Contini and his attempts to come up with a plot for his next film as he is pursued by hordes of beautiful women, all clamoring to be loved by him and him alone. Flashbacks reveal the substance of his life going back to his boyhood when he was approaching nine. The circumstances surrounding his loss of innocence, which will become the material for his next film, a musical version of the Casanova story are revealed. Buy tickets here.

Extended
[ yogi ]

The Asolo Repertory has extended the run of the very popular Nobody Don’t like Yogi. The next run will be April 3 - 15 and tickets are available by clicking here.  As actor David S. Howard said in an interview with Lauryn Sasso, “The play is about an American icon, the colorful Yogi Berra. It's also about family and ‘coming home.’ Yogi Berra is not merely one of the best catchers in baseball history. He is also, more importantly, a generous, thoughtful, caring, and engaging human being. I'm honored to have the chance to "come home" to the Historic Asolo Theater to tell his story.”

Now Playing
[ carnival ]

What do you get when you have the carnival and a love triangle and puppets? Carnival at The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre. Carnival has earned the title “America’s Magical Musical” and you can learn about tickets by clicking right here.

Four Weeks Only
[ stage III ]

At Florida Studio Theatre for just four weeks, The Fula From America is the story of one African-American's search for an African identity. He journeys deep into the bush and explores the corridors of the African elite, discovering the pains of poverty and the joy of generosity. Click here for ticket information

Tickets now
[ get wilde ]

The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, was first produced in London in 1895 and was the last comedy Wilde ever produced. Now is your chance to see this wonderful play at the Powel Crosley Theatre April 11 - 20.

Register Now
[ dance ]

Shlomo Bachar is coming to Sarasota to present two workshops in Internationally Flavored Israeli Dance. The workshops will be held at Rosemary Court on April 28 at a cost of just $20 per or $30 for both. Call Estrella for info and to register at 941-923-0218.

Coming soon
[ embrace ]

Miriam Cassell is one of the artists selected for this year’s Embracing Our Differences event that is quickly approaching. Miriam’s piece, at right, is entitle OFF WHITE and will be blown up to billboard size with the artist’s statement, “I am tired of faking it, to make it. ‘Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I’m free at last.’” For more information and to watch a short video about this event, click here.

Watch this
[ short videos ]

While in Maine last August for the Maine Workshops 4 Week Documentary Filmmaking class, I met some fascinating people. Greg Rainoff is a computer graphics expert with three Emmy’s for his work on Star Trek. Click here to watch a little experimental film by Greg. Swati Guild is an artist and filmmaker and just returned from Uganda where she shot a film about maternal mortality. That film is still in editing, but you can watch a short film she made in Maine, about an interesting “collector”, by clicking here. (Swati took the photo at right in Uganda. I have this little boy staring at me from my desktop to remind me that there are children everywhere that need our help and to ask me “what have you done today?”)