| Thursday, June 26, 2008 | [ Visit us online ] |
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Featured Artist
I don't know about you, but laughter and music are the way to my heart. However, really talented musical-comedy actresses are few and far between. Chenoweth, Ebersole and LuPone don't grow on trees. Luckily, in this town the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre is a fertile breeding ground and ideal platform for such an actress to develop and fine-tune precisely those skills. Take the sublime, beautiful and incredibly talented Catherine Randazzo, for instance. It's no wonder that Catherine decided to pursue a life in the theatre, as she's been singing, acting, telling jokes and impersonating people since she was five. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre performance at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio (where she became friends with Players Artistic Director Jeffery Kin, incidentally), and since moving to Sarasota in 1990 has received many local awards, including a "Sammy" as one of Sarasota's Funniest People, a "Handy" for her portrayals of Ethel Merman, Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, Angela Lansbury and Carol Channing in FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, and the title of Best Supporting Actress by SRQ Magazine for her performance as Rizzo in GREASE. Most recently she was nominated Sarasota Magazine's Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL. Catherine has played over 35 roles at the Golden Apple, most notably Grizabella in CATS, Sister Margareta in THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Vicky in THE FULL MONTY, Maggie in A CHORUS LINE, Lucille in NO, NO, NANETTE and Dee Dee in SUDS. As an educator, Catherine has been teaching private voice and piano for 8 years and is now Music/Drama teacher and choral director for St. Martha's Catholic School. Before that, she was the Golden Apple's Production Coordinator for seven years. Now our Funny Girl has also transitioned into directing. Her upcoming directorial debut is "IF THE DEVIL COULD FALL IN LOVE", which was written by local writer Jenny Beres and won the 2007 "The Play's the Thing." It will run from July 17-20 at the Players of Sarasota. Catherine will also be directing BYE BYE BIRDIE there this coming October. Yep, laughter and music … watch Catherine Randazzo on or off stage, and I don't have the slightest doubt she'll find her way into your heart as well. (Written by Cliff Roles of WSRQ AM 1220 Talk of the SunCoast) (click here to nominate our next artist) |
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Coming Soon [ eco-art ] It’s never too soon to make plans, especially when you have to make something. Right? Well, Efest is November 15 & 16 and will be having a contest and exhibition of art made from recycled materials – it’s a Trash to Treasures Eco Art Contest! The deadline is October 15th. So, start thinking of what you want to make and let us know if your school, studio, civic org or artists’ group wants to participate. We’d really like to see a lot of entries and really show the world how one person’s trash can end up an artful expression. Click here to see last year’s winner and for more information. |
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opens June 26 [ a moon for the misbegotten ] Banyan Theater Company opens its seventh season with Eugene O'Neill's classic love story "A Moon for the Misbegotten" at the Jane B. Cook Theatre tonight at 8:00 pm. Two lost souls, James and Josie, have a chance encounter one moonlit night. Their only possibility for love and forgiveness lies in the other, and they spend the night struggling to find hope, happiness and ultimately the redemption of love. Show runs through July 13. Call 941-552-1032 for tickets. |
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[ gator club music ] The Gator Club, downtown Sarasota, has live music seven nights a week too. (I must be getting old, I didn’t know that.) This weekend it’s Friday night with The Bone Shakers (déjà vu), Saturday the 3 Peace Band and Sunday it’s Chameleon. Check the full schedule on The Gator Club’s new calendar by clicking here. |
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Through June 29 [ manatee players ] After selling out in 2007, “Swing” returns triumphantly to The Manatee Players for just 10 performances. The musical is dedicated to the swing style music of the 1940s and is a real crowd pleaser. Tickets available now at the box office, online and by calling 941-748-5875. |
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Through June 29 [ vlt play ] Just a few days remain to see The Venice Little Theatre presentation of The Narrow Gate, by Scott Kopischke. The play tells the story of Galileo and how the man of science was silenced by religious prosecutors because he challenged their notion that the Sun revolved around the Earth. Of course, he was found guilty and sentenced to house arrest where Galileo had some of his most productive years. Maybe old George W. and his bunch should come learn some 400 year old science from this one, ya think? |
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Through July 13 [ hot flashes ] The Asolo Repertory Theatre presents “Menopause the Musical.” Here’s how the Asolo website begins to describe this crowd favorite: “It all starts with four women at a lingerie sale with nothing in common but a black lace bra AND memory loss, brain skips, hot flashes, night sweats, chocolate binges, not enough sex, too much sex and more.” Tickets are on sale now. |
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June 25 – July 13 [ fst play ] “The Mystery of Irma Vep” was named "Best Comedy Play" by The New York Times and Time Magazine. It’s a romp that includes Wuthering Heights, Hitchcock's Rebecca, The Mummy's Curse and other favs satirized to a side-splitting finale. “The Mystery of Irma Vep” is revealed in this quick change marathon of two actors portraying eight classic characters. Call Florida Studio Theatre at 941-366-9000 for tickets and information. |
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June 26 – 29 [ good body ] Eve Ensler’s “The Good Body” is a play that shares the playwright’s interviews with women around the world and their thoughts on life and their bodies. (Eve wrote the popular “Vagina Monologues”). Carole Kleinberg directs a cast of 12 women and one man at The Players Theatre. Cast includes: Maureen Bacigalupo, Alice Cotman, Leslie Dawley, Donna Gerdes, Jessie Gormezno, Kim Hale, Nina Hughes, Monica Kennedy, Jasmine McAllister, Kaylene McCaw, Margaret Taylor, Kelly Walker, and Kristen Wilson. (Actors, (and other actors) get your free web page at AnythingArts.com! Send three photos, contact info and a short bio to Christine) |
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June 27 & 28 [ live music ] The Five O’clock Club is rocking seven nights a week with 10:00 PM show times. This Friday it’s Identity Krisis and on Saturday it’s the rock and rockabilly of The Bone Shakers. Whatever your mood, the Five O’clock Club has music for you. Check out their site and see. |
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June 27 & 28 [ redneck comic ] Remember that dude from “Hick’ry” that won Last Comic Standing last year? Well, his name is John Reep and he’s at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre this weekend and some tickets may still be available if you call now at 941-925-FUNY (3865). There are two shows each night and remember: the 7:30 pm shows are smoke-free (that doesn’t mean free cigarettes). |
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June 28 [ katzman at art center ] Meet Steven Katzman at Art Center Sarasota at 1:30 pm to walk-through his exhibition of panoramic photographs entitled “Martin Luther King Boulevard.” Then at 2:00 pm, Katzman will speak and deliver a video presentation sharing his views on the creative process, his work and the people involved. Call to RSVP if you can make it at 941-365-2032. |
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June 28 & every Saturday [ fst improv ] It's that time again when Saturday nights are known as Laugh You A*& Off Night. The Florida Studio Theatre Improv Troupe is back at it every Saturday at 8:30 pm. The Goldstein Cabaret is one of the most popular best kept secrets in town. Once last year, a gecko got on to the stage right before the show and when the actors took the stage it jumped out of the way and right into the martini of a lady in the front row. Well, she didn't see it and started drinking it when a man from two tables away ran over, grabbed her by the elbow and said... actually none of that happened. I was trying "written improv." Sorry. Call FST to reserve your seats at 941-366-9000. |
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June 30 [ film mixer ] The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) is hosting an event with speakers and such at the studio of Mars Vision Productions/Sound Stage One (1121 Lewis Avenue, Sarasota) from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. This event is for anyone interested in what facilities are available in the County for filming and a good way to mingle with those who do and those who want to do film production. It’s $10 in advance, register on the SCFEO website, or $12 at the door and includes food and stuff by Mattison’s. 941-309-1200 x 204. |
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July 4 [ fireworks in the gardens ] One of the best places to enjoy Independence Day is Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, with its “Tropical 4th of July Celebration” starting at 6:00 PM. There will be Reggae music by “Impulse,” lots of food and drink, TCBY, clowns for the kids and more. $18 for non-members and $15 for members; kids under 12 are free. Tickets available in advance at the Gardens or online. (Impulse (and other bands), get your free web page at AnythingArts.com! Send three photos, contact info and a short bio to Christine) |
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July 4 [ fireworks and first friday ] How cool when two fun things happen at the same time, at the same place (possibly same Bat Channel?). July 4 in downtown Sarasota is time for First Friday and the stroll through the galleries and restaurants and time to watch the fireworks blaze over Marina Jack’s and the island. Have fun, be safe. |
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July 4 [ music on the fourth ] Gloria Musicae presents 4th of July Spectacular, a special concert of All-American Music, including excerpts from favorite Broadway shows, at the Historic Asolo Theatre at 4:00 pm. Tickets and information available at 941-360-7399. |
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Ask me what I’m reading three times within any week and you will most likely
get three different answers. I’ve always been a voracious reader, but now
more than ever since I permanently shut off my television three months ago. Today I am reading “That’s Alright, Elvis: The Untold Story of Elvis’s First Guitarist and Manager, Scotty Moore.” While I didn’t grow up “on Elvis,” my brother is a huge fan and sent me the book – autographed, even! Scotty is credited with creating the guitar sound that became the prototype for all rock guitar, with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones writing that while everyone else at the time wanted to be Elvis, he wanted to be Scotty. At first I thought the book was a little “folksy” but I quickly became intrigued by Scotty’s stories and his way of storytelling. There is none better to learn of the beginnings of rock and roll from than the man who was at the forefront. Over the weekend I read John Grisham’s “The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town.” I long resisted reading Grisham’s true crime story, but after looking more closely at it I remembered when this case made the news. Through absolutely despicable police work, overeager prosecutors and shoddy defense representation, Ron Williamson, a mentally unwell man, was convicted of murder and sentenced to die in Ada, Oklahoma. His trial was littered with jailhouse snitches and tainted evidence – what weak little evidence there was. Pleas for help with his mental disorders were largely ignored. Finally, days away from his execution, he received his stay. Barry Scheck and his Innocence Project had gotten involved, and after 11 years of incarceration Ron was freed through DNA evidence. Even though the crime and conviction happened in the ‘80s it’s obviously still relevant today when one reads recent headlines such as “DNA frees Texas man jailed for 27 years.” Aside from books that make me angry with our so-called justice system, I read purely for pleasure and entertainment. A friend loaned me Bill Bryson’s “The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid,” a laugh-out-loud memoir of growing up in the ‘50s Midwest. I grew up a little later than that but childhood is childhood no matter in which decade it happens, and I found myself completely immersed. I then read Bryson’s “I’m a Stranger Here Myself” and “A Walk in the Woods.” I also enjoyed Kate Whouley’s “Cottage for Sale, Must Be Moved.” Another memoir, Kate saw a classified ad for an abandoned cottage and decided she needed to buy it, move it, and attach it to her house on the Cape. Kate references another book in hers, “On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town” by Susan Loomis, so I located that book and was sold by the line, “Loomis recalls the miraculous restoration that she and her husband performed on a dilapidated medieval convent” while dealing with a surly priest and a community wary of outsiders. Loomis is a cookbook author and the book contains some recipes, so buying that book was like killing two birds with one stone. Because I also love to read cookbooks... (get in touch with Kelly) |
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July 8 [ musical the musical? ] That’s right, the new show opening at The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre is called “The Musical of Musicals, the Musical.” Each of the five acts provides a short musical, each in the style of a different composer (like Rogers & Hammerstein, Lloyd Webber and Sondheim) and deals with the same plot - “I can’t pay rent.” Tickets are on sale now at the theater or at 941-364-5454. Did I mention it’s a musical? **Chicago is playing through July 6, so maybe catch them both! |
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July 11 [ reality chick speaks ] Local writer M.C. Coolidge – better known as “Reality Chick” - will discuss and sign copies of her new book, “Sideways in Sarasota,” at Sarasota News & Books at 6:30 pm. “Sideways in Sarasota” (quoting directly from the press release) “is a sexy, humorous, and sometimes sobering romp through the heart and mind of one of Sarasota’s most popular and provocative newspaper columnists. A native Floridian and longtime Bostonian, Coolidge offers commentary from both sides of the Mason/Dixon Line, with topics ranging from presidential politics and racism, to dating disasters and the serendipitous joys of Sarasota living. The book is a collection of columns from her two-year run with the Pelican Press.” |
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July 11 [ benefit concert for sinners ] Stephen Simmons is in concert at 8:00 pm at Mother’s Musical Bakery (6525 Superior Avenue, Sarasota) to benefit WSLR 96.5 LPFM. Simmons was raised in a strict bible-belt, small-town community with an extended family of hell-raisers in Eastern TN and his folk/alternative country music tells the tales of dealing with that, the real world and things in between. Tickets are just $8 in advance by calling 941-894-6469. |
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[ theatre classes ] Through August 9, Island Players (10009 Gulf Drive at Pine Avenue on Anna Maria Island) is offering theatre classes: script analysis/play reading, acting/scene study, and improv workshop. For ages 16 to adult, no experience necessary. Call Nancy at 941-518-4431 to see if there are spots available for the classes you’re interested in. |
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[ art classes ] ArtCenter Manatee, 209 Ninth Street West in Bradenton, offers a wide variety of art classes this summer, from painting and photography to pottery, pastels and jewelry techniques. For more information, click here. |
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[ auditions ] Manatee Players is holding auditions for “Steel Magnolias” on August 3 and 4, beginning at 7:00 pm at the theatre (102 12th Street West in Bradenton). You will be asked to read from the script. Sides for these two shows will be available for perusal two weeks prior to the audition date. The show runs from September 25 - October 12. |
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THEATRE TEACHING POSITION AVAIABLE Booker Visual & Performing Arts High School’s award-winning high school magnet program is seeking adjunct acting faculty to teach two sections of Level II (sophomore/10th grade) Acting. Level II classes emphasize scene work and working with a partner, developing emotional honesty and in-depth character development, while still working on fundamentals of voice/diction, movement, selection of material and audition technique. Minimum requirement is a bachelor's degree and professional theatre experience is a plus. Teaching certification not required, but also preferred. Contact Melissa McNatt at 941-355-2967. |
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[ modeling ] Photographer Daniel Perales is celebrating bodies! Check out his blog and the participate page to see if you are interested. |
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Auditions [ pick me, no me ] Be sure to check the audition pages of local
theaters to make sure you don’t miss anything (click the theater name):
Venice Little Theatre •
Florida Studio Theatre
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The Banyan
Theater • |
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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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