Looking for a special present for a special kid? Look no further! Mini Chefs is a funny, yet informative, new video designed to teach kids how to cook simple meals. Let Chef Christine (yes, our AnythingArts Christine) entertain and educate (edutain, entercate) with step by step instructions as she takes on multiple personalities (not a far stretch). Click here to check it out.

Our cutting edge stand-up comedians are back to have you laughing your butt into a new pant size, this Friday night, Nov 16 at The East Village Cabaret. Host Zan Aufderheide dishes up the dirt on what's what in the dating scene here in Sarasota. And Dan Mahoney Does It His Way with his take on everyday living, and a goofy look at politics. Support the "Sarasota Can Be Hip Foundation" by showing up this Friday night. Doors open at 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm show.

The Ringling Museum, through a collaboration with the Sarasota Season of Sculpture, is featuring a large-scale sculpture of Louis Armstrong. The piece is located between the visitor’s pavilion and the Ca d’Zan and was created by French-born artist Niki de Saint-Phalle. Go see all the sculptures along the bayfront too! Niki’s bio is a good read here.

The Manasota Weavers Guild, in conjunction with the Florida West Coast Bead Society, Surface Design Guild Sarasota and the Venetian Society of Basket Weavers announces their fifth annual exhibit and sale to be held at the Art Center Sarasota, with an opening reception held from 6:00 – 8:30 pm on Thursday, November 15. The exhibit and sale continues Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17 from 10:00 – 4:00 pm.

Selby Gallery, Ringling College of Art + Design, presents The Image & The Word. In Gallery I, Sarasota artist, Gwen Fryer constructs what look like altarpieces or shrines from a variety of found objects and decorative wood from torn down houses. Many of her pieces include texts in Arabic, a reflection on her life as a child in North Africa (her father worked for a petroleum company) and what was to her a culture of mysteries. In Gallery II, experience the work of the late Bruce Rosen, who held a Ph.D. in American Literature and was a Herman Melville expert. “He was a talented artist and poet who used the philosophical and spiritual concerns found in 19th century romantic writing as the basis for his enigmatic minimalist paintings and his poetry, which will be included in the exhibition.” There is a preview reception Thurs., Nov 15, 5:30 pm followed by presentations at 7:00 pm in the Lecture Hall adjacent to the gallery. The opening reception is Friday, Nov. 16, 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Call 941-359-7563 for details.

Great weather is here and there will be live music this week at the Towles Court Gallery Walk. If you’ve never been, the Gallery Walk is a big open house of all the galleries, shops and restaurants in the Towles Court Art’s District. You can stroll under massive banyan trees, listening to music and sipping wine. If you have been to a Gallery Walk and it’s been a long time… get ye there and enjoy!

Sarasota News & Books welcomes Robin Givens at 7:00 PM. Their site says, “Robin Givens may be best known for her abusive marriage to the volatile boxer Mike Tyson and its cataclysmic ending. But in this vividly evoked, intelligent memoir she makes it clear there is much more to her life. She recounts the legacy of life-threatening domestic violence that has haunted her family for three generations and how she has managed to survive, and, ultimately, thrive. It was Oprah who convinced Robin to tell her story. It is through her children, and her stalwart mother and sister, that she has been able to come to terms with her choices, her faith, and ultimately herself. Grace Will Lead Me Home is her extraordinary, yet poignantly universal story.” 

An opening reception for Manatee Community College’s Annual Art Faculty Exhibition will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 pm, in the fine art gallery, building 9A, at MCC Bradenton, 5840 26th St. West. The exhibit showcases a broad range of artworks produced in the last year by MCC full-time and adjunct instructors. Refreshments will be served and the reception is free and open to the public. The exhibit will feature ceramics, sculpture, graphics, photography, painting and printmaking. Joe Loccisano, gallery manager, said the annual faculty exhibit provides an opportunity for talented MCC faculty to share their artistic explorations and for students and the public to view their work. Faculty participants include Ted Camp, Sherri Hill, David Kinsey, Loccisano, Joseph Melancon, James Sager, Annette Sidner, Gundel “Danni” Sullivan, Jamie Tracy, Sue Turconi, Drew Webster and Sue Wyar. (pictured: How Green Was My Grandmother by Sherri Hill)

In addition to the master class at MCC mentioned in our last issue, the Sylvia Smith Percussion Duo and composer Stuart Saunders Smith will be in residency at New College of Florida this week to work with Professor Steve Miles’ music students and perform as part of the New Music New College series on Friday and Saturday evenings, Nov. 16 & 17 at Sainer Pavilion, 8:00 pm (tickets $10). Based on the most personal aspects of his life, Smith’s music spins out into complex networks of sound, language, movement and gesture. There is also a free lecture/discussion on Thursday, Nov 15 at 3:30 pm, also at Sainer. For reservations and information, call 941-487-4155 or click here. 

Art Uptown is exhibiting the watercolors of Anne Abgott throughout the month. There is a special reception and book signing on the 17th from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Anne teaches at Art Center Manatee in Bradenton and Art Center Sarasota. She has been on the faculty at the Ringling College of Art, is a Signature Member of the Florida Watercolor Society and is a member of the National Pen Women of America and the Contemporary Women's Art Group. She serves on the Board of Directors of Art Center Manatee and is chair of its Education Department. Anne was the 2006 President of the Florida Watercolor Society and is currently President of the Florida Sun Coast Watercolor Society.  

The Suncoast AIDS Theatre Project, along with artists from American Stage, announce their homage to World AIDS Day, 2007 with CREATING A QUILT; A WORLD AIDS DAY CELEBRATION; 7:30 pm at the American Stage Theatre Company, 211 Third Street South, downtown, St. Petersburg. Proceeds from this event will benefit FACT (For AIDS Care Today), an organization that provides services to people living with HIV and AIDS. Reservations can be made by calling the American Stage Box Office at 727-823-PLAY (7529). 

The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre presents Cole Porter’s Can-Can. The exciting musical stars KT Curran, in the role of Pistache, and also features Roy Johns, Tom Bengston, John Russo and Kari Constantine. Call 941-366-5454 for tickets and information. Read about the show here. 

Venice Little Theatre presents Forever Plaid in the Pinkerton Theatre. Forever Plaid tells the story of four young male singers who, although killed in a car crash in the 1950's on the way to their first big concert, are miraculously revived. They now have the posthumous chance to fulfill their dreams and perform the show that never was. 

Celebrate the historic Rosemary District during the neighborhood's third annual Holiday Walk. Visit area shops, restaurants and businesses and enjoy artists, vendors and music in this intimate, yet festive, setting. Over 25 open houses and vendors will make this evening a great way to kick off your holiday season. The Rosemary District is located all along Central and Lemon Avenues and cross streets, just north of Fruitville Road. 

The Players Theatre continues its 78th season, with 42nd Street. The huge cast and musical production will surely entertain. At the helm of this production is director and choreographer Steven Vincent. Set Designer is Tom Hansen, Lighting Designer is Steve Carns and Costume Designer is Paul Lopez. Music Director is Joyce Valentine. (photo by Ted Mase: l to r, Scott Gordon, Libby Fleming and Victoria Tokarz) 

The American Craft Show returns to the area for the 13th consecutive year, presenting the work of 200 artists at the Sarasota Bradenton Convention Center. Artists are selected through an annual jury process. Musical entertainment provided during the event by the Florida West Coast Symphony. Visit sites to confirm dates, times and information.  

Art Center Sarasota’s Twelve Inch by Twelve Inch exhibit showcases member artists demonstrating the unlimited creative possibilities in a space one square foot or less through paintings, drawings, photographs, and fabric. Original artworks are on display and for sale. This show is coordinated by artist Pat Kaufman and the jurors are Gail Mead, founder of New College’s Fine Arts Department, and Suzanne White, curator of the South Florida Museum. Also on exhibit are the soft figurative sculptures by Rukiya, which represent the metaphysical, spiritual journey of African-American women from slavery to the present. Rukiya lived and worked in New Orleans until hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and studio. She is currently working in Africa and returns to the U.S. as a visiting artist and guest of Art Center Sarasota. Running alongside Rukiya’s unparalleled sculptures is a display of African American Quilts, a unique exhibit exploring the tradition of quilts and textiles.
 

Ok, if he is Henry the VIII, who is Herman? The Venice Little Theatre presents Herman’s Hermits, starring Peter Noone for two performances; 2:00 & 8:00 pm. I remembers Henry the VIII, but forgot about all the hits like There’s A Kind of Hush, Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter, I’m In To Something Good. Something tells me you’re in for something good if you take advantage of this show. Call 941-488-1115.  

Fuzion Dance Artists presents Fuzion2, a junior company consisting of pre-professional dancers from Booker High School – VPA Dance Program. This intimate performance will showcase works by young talented artists in our community from both Fuzion2 and Fuzion Dance Artists. The performance will support The Richard M. Brodsky Foundation, which supports AIDS research towards finding a cure or vaccine for AIDS. The foundation also exists to improve the lives of people affected by AIDS and brain cancer and to provide homes for the 14,000,000 orphans living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sunday, December 2 at 6:00 pm, at the Backlot’s East Village Cabaret for this benefit performance inspired by the Fuzion2 dancers. Doors will open at 5:00 m for a meet and greet with the performers, hour devours will be served, cash bar available, while listening to live drumming. 941-363-9300.   

Time to get tickets for the upcoming FST production of Pure Confidence. As the FST website says, “An exploration of the true meaning of freedom set in the gritty, high-stakes world of Civil War-era horse racing. Both Simon Cato, a smart, cocky 'colored' jockey, and his horse, Pure Confidence, are owned by Colonel Wiley Johnson. Cato wants to buy his freedom, but the Civil War changes everything. An emotional and comedic look at the complexity of race, humanity, love and dignity.” 

New College of Florida invites the community to hear author Donald Friedman discuss his latest work, The Writer’s Brush. “Whether viewing the beautiful landscapes that Hermann Hesse credited with saving his life, the manuscript sketches that Fyodor Dostoevsky made of his characters, or the can-can dancers secretly drawn by Joseph Conrad, readers of The Writer’s Brush will gain new insights into the lives and minds of their favorite writers and the nature of the creative process itself.” Friedman spent six years gathering information, conducting interviews and writing this fascinating book. The event begins at 4 PM at New College’s Sainer Pavilion and is followed by a reception. Cost of admission is $10 and reservations can be made at 941-487-4800.

Space is limited for a special, one night only, 3.5 hour Shakespeare experience. Led by Geoffrey Owens, of NBC’s The Cosby Show, participants will read and discuss Othello. Slightly different than last year’s sold old event, this year Geoffrey will delve deeper into the interpretations of the play and share insight in to the plot and characters. Cost is $30 with your own script ($38 with script provided. Time 6:00 - 9:30 or 10:00 pm. Location to be announced. Email Rick to confirm a space and for further information. 

While Geoffrey is in town visiting, we are putting him to work, eh? Geoffrey Owens will, again this year, conduct an evening scene study class. Each actor will be given a side (portion of a script) to prepare in advance and will be partnered with another actor. While it isn’t absolutely necessary to memorize it, one gets out of it what on puts in to it. Each acting pair will have individual time with Geoffrey: analyzing the script, performing the piece and gaining feedback and direction. Cost is $30. Time 6:00 - 10:00 pm. Location to be announced. Email Rick to confirm a space and for further information.

Venice Little Theatre’s Troupe in A Trunk, a touring group of ‘adults acting for children’, will audition for its 2008 tour on Monday, November 19 at 3:00 pm. Auditions will be held at the theatre in The Education Studio. Director Sandy Davisson is looking for six adults to play roles in a production of Robin Hood.

Information about show times, places and dates is assumed accurate but not guaranteed. Please contact the presenting organization directly, by the link or phone number provided, to confirm information.

You are receiving this email because 1. Christine Alexander and Rick Hughes know you are an artist or an arts patron and/or 2. You signed up for it, or 3. One of your friends has forwarded it to you because they knew you’d love it. To ensure that you continue to receive emails from us every two weeks, please add info@anythingarts.com to your address book today. Also, please send us your news!