| Thursday, May 15, 2008 | [ Visit us online ] |
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Featured Artist
This week we acknowledge Booker High grad Syesha
Mercado, not just for her great performances on American
Idol, for the enthusiasm and excitement that she brought
to the Sarasota – Bradenton Area last week. I didn’t set
out to take the pictures above for this piece. I was in
Bradenton for something else, took a right turn and
ended up in the middle of the frenzy. So, camera in
hand, I joined the crowd to see what the fuss was all
about. It was amazing. Syesha wasn’t there yet, but
hundreds of people had gathered on Bradenton’s
waterfront to welcome her. People of all ages, all races
and all backgrounds gathered for the sole purpose of
seeing Syesha. I watched little kids with wide-eyed
wonder looking for a glimpse of their very own American
Idol. My wife, Peg, was working at Bay Haven Elementary
that day and said that dozens of kids were checked out
early by their parents to go to the Syesha concert at
the Ringling Museum. Both events brought kids, parents
and even grandparents together. That’s something that
doesn’t happen too often now days and for that, Syesha,
we say thank you. For showing kids what can be
accomplished with some hard work and perseverance, we
thank you. Congratulations for making the final 3, you
are still number 1 here. Good luck with everything you
do! (RH)
May 17 & 31 Sarasota’s new Documentary Film Society (DFS) is screening “Knuckleball,” by local producer and comedian Ken Sons. The screenings are both at 10:30 am; one on May 17th at Burns Court (downtown Sarasota) and again on May 31st at the Lakewood Ranch Cinemas. Ken will be on hand after each 70 minute screening for Q & A with the audience. A portion of the proceeds will help the Documentary Film Society get rolling. The DFS mission is to enhance the appreciation of documentary films as both entertainment and as an educational catalyst to increase awareness and promote action. The DFS plans to produce a couple of documentaries each year about a local non-profit or cause. The production will be at no cost and provided for those non-profits that can not otherwise afford the expense. Sponsorship funding opportunities (Producer Credit) exist for those who’d like to help their special cause receive much deserved recognition. Contact Rick here. |
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Now playing [ lady at the asolo ] Now playing at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, “LADY” by Craig Wright. The Asolo website says, “In the woods outside their small Midwestern hometown, three old friends come together on a hunting trip. But they quickly discover that the men they’ve become are very different from the boys they once were. In the light of their new lives, new responsibilities, and new conflicts - both personal and political - can old ties bear up? Or will the war in Iraq claim their friendship as its newest casualty?” (Contains adult language, suited for mature audiences) |
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May 16 [ free concert ] WSLR is hosting a Free Jam Night at The Flying Dog Café (500 Tallevast Rd., just north of SRQ) beginning at 8:00 pm. Three bands will perform: FURNITURE combines rock and folk and drum circles and more. THE DONE FORS have a unique sound concoction of classical, punk and post rock. THE TUFF SONS, formerly Fiasco, have their roots in reggae and R & B. Something for everybody!! |
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May 17 [ celebration ] Lakewood Ranch Cinemas is having a celebration and the public is invited. From 10:00 am – Noon, the public can tour the state of the art projection rooms and enjoy family friendly fun like clowns from Circus Sarasota, face painting, cartoon screenings and dancers from the Fred Astaire Studios. |
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May 19 [ cover yourself ] Board Certified Intellectual Property attorney, Douglas Cherry, is presenting valuable information on Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, Website and Domain use and ways to protect your business name and products. The session is at the Selby Library (downtown Sarasota) from 6:00 – 7:30 and will include Q & A. This program is presented in cooperation with the Young Lawyers Division of the Sarasota County Bar Association. Call the Selby Library for more info at 941-861-5000 and reference “Law at the Library.” |
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May 20 [ search engine optimization ] The EDC (Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County) is hosting a workshop on Website Search Engine Optimization from 3:30- 5:30 PM at the Sarasota Herald Tribune’s Community Room (1741 Main Street ). The purpose of the workshop is to educate participants about the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to drive traffic to your site, increase visibility and attract clients. The presenters are Melissa Fach, Panaca Writing & Design, and Ray Miller of RealTech Services. This is a great opportunity to those who actually build websites as well as those who have websites of their own and want to know more about SEO. The event is free, but registration is requested at 941-309-1200 x 204 or click here to register on-line. |
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May 20 [ before dawn ] Before Dawn, a disco/punk band based in Austin, TX, makes an appearance at Pastimes Pub, 6540 Superior Avenue. Before Dawn shows are about fun musical expression, crowd interaction, drama, theatrics, dancing, singing, sweating and the liberation of inhibitions. Go - be liberated! Showtime: 11:00 pm. |
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 Photo Credit: Timothy White Graphics from FoxSearchlight.com |
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May 20 – 23 [ theater at home resource ] IIf you haven’t been to one of the productions at Home Resource, you are missing something. It’s set right in the store where you are up close and personal with the actors. Here’s what’s going on (submitted in this nice format, we are just reproducing): “Home Resource is proud to present an original one-act play, “Misery Loves Children,” written by Sarasota local Jenny Beres. Jenny was the winning playwright in the 2007 The Play is the Thing competition conducted at the Players Theatre. The play is directed by Louise Stinespring and stars Annie Morrison and Wesli Spencer. The performances run from May 20 - 23 at 7:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm) at Home Resource located at 741 Central Avenue in Sarasota. Tickets are $6.50 and must be purchased on-line at SRQBoxOffice.com. Come enjoy the intimacy of this theatre in the comfort of our elegant furniture.” |
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May 21 & 22 [ styro-art ] San Francisco artist Andy Junge will be making a two day visit to Art Center Sarasota on to install and discuss his life-size model of a civilian Hummer H1 constructed from Styrofoam scavenged from the trash during a three-month residency at SF Recycling & Disposal’s Artist In Residence Program. This program gives artists the opportunity to create art from materials found in the San Francisco dump. SF Recycling & Disposal provides a studio on the dump premises, tools, a small stipend, and most importantly access to SF’s waste stream. “Styrofoam Hummer” is the centerpiece of his show, entitled “American Detritus.” Styrofoam Hummer will be on display through July 26 with an opening reception from 5:00 - 7:00 pm on May 22. |
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May 22 [ artist’s opening reception ] The Sarasota Art Center is exhibiting “Ten Large Etchings by Elisabeth Stevens” from May 20 – July 26. The etchings, by the Sarasota artist – writer, feature work depicting nudes, mythical and dream-like figures. A special artist’s opening reception is Thursday May 22 from 5 – 7:00 pm. |
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Opening May 24 [ ringling museum exhibit ] FFantasy and magic collide in the interactive exhibition, “Phantasmagoria: Specters of Absence,” at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in the Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing. The exhibition consists of twelve works of mixed media, by international artists, comprised of videos, installations, objects and drawings that refer to absence, disappearance, and loss through the use special effects. The practice of “phantasmagoria” dates back to the 18th century and you can read about it by clicking here. |
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Opening May 24 [ rocky horror ] The Venice Little Theatre closes its 2008 season with the wildly popular Rocky Horror Show, through June 14. Four special midnight performances are scheduled on May 24 & 29 and June 7 & 14. VLT encourages all you Rocky Horror fans to come in costume, with your props and play along. Call 941-488-1115. |
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I slogged through mystery writer Stephen King’s “Duma Key” recently. It was
a huge achievement because the novel is huge: 607 pages. OK, it’s not the
1,500 pages of Tolstoy’s tome “War and Peace,” but for a horror story, “Duma
Key” is drawn-out. (In the interest of transparency, I’m not one for horror
stories). Even so, this King novel is practically required reading for Sarasotans because the story is set here and in all our favorite haunts – the Ringling, Ophelia’s, Morton’s Market. Truth be told, though, that’s not why I read the thing. See,. Bob Plunkett, Mr. Chatterbox at Sarasota MagazIne, called to say I’m one of the characters in the book – or at least one who made him think of me: you know, a woman of a certain age and a controversial art critic. I had to see what he was talking about. My doppelganger is called Mary Ire, her last name supposedly suggesting my public persona. Fair enough. I deny nothing. But I like to think I’m not homicidal. (Oops, did I give away part of the plot?) King is nicely clued into art. I understand the subject comes up frequently in his work. Clearly, he knows a lot about it. But he’s absolutely out to lunch when it comes to the business of art – in Sarasota galleries, anyway. His lead character, who turned to painting late, sold a quarter million dollars worth of his pictures at an opening. At an opening? Is that fictional or what? Everyone knows that local gallery openings are party nights, that painting has nothing to do with them and more, that locals don’t buy art here. In fact, I’d go so far to say that despite the rep for being an art town, painting and sculpture serve merely as backdrops for all the soirees and compulsive fun-seeking that rules the town. Sorry, the critic in me never dies, I suppose. AAnyway, y’all can have at me come July. I’ll be showing my recent paintings at EdFish Gallery. Go ahead. Make my day. I’m even thinking of inviting Stephen King to test his ridiculous notion that a quarter of a million dollars can ever pass hands for pictures on exhibition in Sarasota – opening or no opening. Joan Altabe is the art and architecture critic for the Bradenton Herald and is also know to many for her years at the Sarasota Herald Tribune and SNN 6. Joan is a writer, artist and thinker. Read an article about Joan in “Fine Art Registry” by clicking here. |
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Days in May [ writing workshop and presentation ] Write It Out is holding several writing workshops this month and full details are available at their website by clicking the underlined words. Then on May 31 there is a special Write It Out event called “Life is a Carousel.” This free event at the Women’s Resource Center will feature work by creative artists from the Write It Out program. Call 941-359-3824 for more information. |
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May 29 [ family beach portrait ] The Digital Technology Centre is offering a course on Family Beach Photography. Participants will go to the beach and learn how to best take location shots and then return to the Centre to learn how to enhance your photos. AnythingArts.com readers save 10% on all DTC courses by entering “anythingarts.com” as the promo code when you sign up. Other upcoming classes include Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Lighting Techniques and Flower Photography. |
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Summer [ lifetime learning ] The Academy for Lifetime Learning, at the Sarasota campus of USF, has a variety of course offerings this summer that may interest you. Course like Art Appreciation, Drawing, Local Photographic Safari, Asian Art, Watercolor, Writing and Speaking and Expressive Illustration. There are non-art related course on geography and science and more. The amazing thing is that for $85 you can get a summer membership and attend any or all of the 4 to 8 week courses. That’s huge! |
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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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