AnythingArts.com is co-sponsoring the new and improved Film Forum at Burns Court under the direction of Sarasota Film Society Outreach Dude, Jerry Kovar. This monthly event will feature short films, documentaries and narrative flicks from local and international filmmakers. Future plans may include a technology and equipment round table, seminars and featured speakers. There is no cost and everyone is welcome. The Film Forum starts at 8:30 pm and this month includes films by local filmmakers Andrzej Mrotek (a.k.a. Onjay) and David Branin. Filmmakers and actors will be on hand to discuss the process and film with the audience. Have ideas for future Film Forums? Email Jerry.

An Evening with Groucho at the Historic Asolo Theatre. Award-winning actor Frank Ferrante brings the legendary Marx brother to life in the faced-paced comedy of jokes, song and dance. Call 941-360-7399.

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)

Iain Webb, the new artistic director of the Sarasota Ballet, is getting a lot of attention from ballet fans all over the world for the opening program on November 30 and December 1 featuring Ashton's The Two Pigeons and Balanchine's Allegro Brillante. Tickets start at only $15.00 and tickets for children under 12 are 50% off! If you have ever been curious about the ballet and wanted to try it out, this is the perfect program. There are only three performances at the Van Wezel - 8 pm on Fri, Nov 30 and 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm on December 1. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 941-351-8000. Photo: Frank Atura

The Players Gallery, in the lobby of The Players Theatre is featuring the work of local artist Frank Creaturo. The theme is "Urban" and it coincides with the opening of The Players Broadway Musical, 42nd Street. Several other local artists are also showing in the Gallery this month including Bonnie Dennis, Barbara Schicitano, Dotty Terry, Pat Kaufman, Pat Davidson, Cecile Moran, Julie Trigg, Julee Docking, John Barends, Jamie Friedli, Baba, Rita Rust, John Norman Tuck, Karle Murdock, Anita Wexler, Judy Nadler, and Elaine Bruen. The Players Gallery is a relatively new venue with a goal to nurture and promote area artists by showing and selling art. Local art supporters Judy Nadler, Isabelle Dunkeson and Artistic Director Jeffery Kin are staffing the Gallery. For information about future shows call 941-365-2494.

Ave Maria: The Nativity in Music and Art at 11:00 am at the Historic Asolo featuring Kendra Colton, a frequent soloist with the nation’s leading orchestras, and Lee Dougherty Ross of the Artist Series of Sarasota, bringing nativity to life as they lead guests in an inspirational exploration of the season’s music from classic holiday works to sacred lullabies and traditional carols and hymns while exploring paintings such as Tintoretto’s Holy Family. Tickets are available through the box office at 941-360-7399.

In downtown Bradenton, Art Center Manatee’s Artrageous exhibit runs only another week, so don’t miss it. The juried exhibit received 125 entries with first place going to Frank Saso’s Coffee Break, a mixed-media piece shown at right. Call 941-746-2862 for information.

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.

Holidays at the Crosley Festival of Trees celebrates its 11th anniversary this year at the Powel Crosley Estate, One Seagate Drive, Sarasota. Featuring a new look this year, the event runs from through December 5. This year, the trees, wreaths and vignettes are in the theme of holiday entertaining and are done by professional designers. Other displays include a room-sized model railroad village, Crosley memorabilia, and antique Crosley automobiles (December 1 only). Festival hours are 11:00 - 8:00 pm. daily; admission at the door is $8 for adults and free for kids under 12. Back by popular demand, afternoon tea will be offered daily at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Call 941-722-3244 Ext. 0 for tea reservations.

All Month
[ venice little theatre ]

It is a busy month at Venice Little Theatre and we haven’t the space to write pieces on each. So, here is a list and a link so that you can read more: Forever Plaid November 29; Herman’s Hermits December 1; A Christmas Carol December 14 - 16; The Ditchfield Family Singers Christmas Show December 20 - 22; The Music Man December 28 - 31. Click here to read more.

The Longboat Key Center for the Arts presents A New York State of Mind, showcasing new sculptures and paintings, by acclaimed Sarasota sculptor Jack Dowd. Dowd will be on hand for his opening reception from 6:00 - 9:00 pm on Saturday, December 1. The exhibition runs November 27 to December 9 in the Joan M. Durante Gallery. The artist is well known for his whimsical life-sized sculptures and Dowd’s work is found in both public and private collections throughout the world. Wine and hors d’oeuvres catered by Harry’s Continental Kitchen will be served, music by Scott Blum Jazz Trio. There will be a $15 admission. Call 941-383-2345.

Sonata A Due, a celebration of the spirit of La Musica featuring pianist Derek Ham and violinist Daniel Avshalomov performing the works of Mozart, Prokofiev and Schumann. The celebration includes a wine & hors d’oeuvres reception, recital and seated dinner in a Victorian setting at the Charles Ringling House, on the campus of New College. Tickets are $150 and $200. For reservations contact Janet Hunter at 941-371-6798. (The 2008 La Musica Festival runs March 28 – April 14. Click here for information.)

December 4
[ training ]

At the Digital Technology Centre, learn to use Final Cut Pro Express. This hands-on class will take you through all the steps and take the mystery out of setting up your project, editing, adding filters, transitions, color correction, titles, sound effects, music, narration, importing graphics and then exporting for a variety of uses. College instructor and filmmaker Phil Chiocchio will help you edit videos that can be put on the web, shown on television or used in a variety of ways. He will demonstrate techniques to reduce time and create compelling stories using the Final Cut Express software. Many of the same tools are found in Final Cut Pro, so this class will help those users get an understanding of the work flow as well.

Two upcoming holiday concerts by Manatee Community College (MCC) choirs, orchestra, wind, jazz and guitar ensembles offer an opportunity to enjoy a variety of music that includes seasonal favorites in Neel Performing Arts Center. The La Camerata Guitar Ensemble, conducted by Rex Willis, will perform traditional and seasonal classical guitar music in the lobby of Neel Performing Arts Center prior to a December 4 Holiday Concert that begins at 8 p.m. The MCC Concert Choir will join with the MCC Orchestra for a performance of the Christmas portion of G.F. Handel’s “Messiah” in the concert. The Dec. 6 concert, also beginning at 8 p.m., features the jazz band and combo conducted by Marc Mannino. Steiger conducts the wind ensemble. The student soloist is Ellen Wittman on alto saxophone. General admission for each concert is $8. Tickets are $4 for Florida students. For more information, call the MCC Neel Performing Arts Center Box Office at 941-752-5252.

Imperial Fine Art is presenting a posthumous exhibit of paintings by locally and nationally renowned artist Louis Tedesco (1947-2007) through the month of December. During First Friday, December 7, the public is invited to a reception from 6:00 – 9:00 pm.

The Dancing Crane Gallery, Bradenton’s Village of the Arts, shines the spotlight on Karen Klosky as its Featured Artist for December. Meet Karen during First Friday, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Crane and enjoy her landscapes, portraiture, still life and abstracts.

First Friday is always fun but the December one is a crowd favorite because the streets are donning gay apparel. Take advantage of the cooler weather and the non-mall atmosphere for some shopping in downtown Sarasota. 

Bradenton’s Village of the Arts is chock-full of studios, workshops and stores where you can do your holiday shopping and get something truly unique. They do it on Saturday, too! (Village of the Arts by artist Herbie Rose)

The ComCenter Gallery, 9040 Town Center Pkwy in Lakewood Ranch, invites the public to a wine and cheese reception to meet artist Jeanne Bessette from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Bessette’s Musings and Illusions , featuring acrylic and mixed-media artwork, runs through February 2 at the ComCenter, where there is never an admission charge.

The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presents Black Nativity for a couple of weeks at the Historic Asolo. The annual production is under the direction of Nate Jacobs and choreography by Leymis J. Bolanos Wilmott and features Tsadok Porter as The Angel. Call 941-360-7399.

The Dabbert Gallery is exhibiting Sculpture, Metal, Marble & More, featuring the work of Eric Boyer, Scott Causey, Richard Hager, Candace Knapp, Andy Marcus, Gert Olsen, Odile Segui, Ben Stahl, Todd Warner, Thyra Davidson-Wexler with works in bronze, marble, clay, wood, mixed media and metal. Opening 6:00 - 9:00 pm on December 7 during the First Friday Art Walk.

Sarasota Magazine is sponsoring An Artful, Intimate Evening with WUSF at the island home of Jennie and Mark Famiglio. There will be lots of great food, entertainment and lively conversation with on-air hosts Susan Giles Wantuck, Carson Cooper, Russell Gant and Bob Seymour. Best of all, 100% of the $250 price tag goes to supporting WUSF Public Broadcasting. Call 813-974-8680 for one of only 100 tickets being sold.

Art Center Sarasota is hosting a Sans Sidewalk sale just in time for the holidays. Buy one-of-kind special pieces directly from the artists during this special holiday sale Sunday, December 9 from 10:00 - 4:00 pm. Enjoy the Florida weather, camaraderie and bayfront view at Sarasota's oldest art center. Located at 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Call 941-365-2032 for more information.

The fun and music of the boy-band continues with Altar Boyz through December 9, followed by Pure Confidence starting December 5 on the Main Stage. Harry Who? continues to entertain audiences in the Goldstein Cabaret through January 5. Get the full lowdown by clicking here. 

Gloria Musicae, chamber vocal ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Elwood Smith, will present its traditional Christmas concert at 7:30 pm, at The Church of the Redeemer, 222 South Palm Ave. in Sarasota. This always popular concert will feature Bach’s Christmas Cantata 140 - Wachet Auf! (Sleepers, Awake!) - with soloists and an orchestra featuring members of the Florida West Coast Symphony. In addition, there will be well-known carols in traditional and not-so-traditional settings. Tickets are $20 ($10 for students with I.D.) and are available by calling 941-360-7399. (If you wait until the last minute, you might still be able to purchase tickets at the door the night of the concert.)

The Home for the Holidays Patriotic Holiday Concert at the PAL Sailor Circus will feature The American Big Band Brass, the Sarasota Military Academy's Drumline, Choir, Band Members and Drill Team. Color Guards from the Vietnam Brotherhood - Alpha Company and SMA. No-cost tickets are available to Veterans and Active Military by calling 941-362-7632. General Open Seating Admission $10 tickets here. Call 941-362-7632 for more information. Proceeds will benefit the Military Academy's trip to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

Experience the thrill of the creative process in action as the next generation of classical musicians train and perform under the direction of Toby and Itzhak Perlman and their world-class faculty during The Perlman Music Program Winter Residency. This two-week professional training program for students, ages 12 - 20, studying violin, viola, cello, and double bass is made possible as a benefit to the community by the Van Wezel Foundation. The public is invited to attend daily events free-of-charge, including chorus and orchestra rehearsals, works-in-progress student recitals, and master classes, the majority of which occur at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For information and PMP Winter Residency event updates, call the PMP hotline at: 941-955-4942 or visit here. Complimentary ticket distribution began November 17 and will continue until as long as tickets remain. Comp tickets are available for in-person pick-up only at the Van Wezel box office. Distribution is limited to six tickets per person and may be applied to a single event or distributed across several.

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.

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