SRQ DAILY Apr 9, 2021
Friday Weekend Edition
"No matter what you have gone through, just believe that there are good days ahead."
In performance art, most of the conversation on reopening revolves around masks and social distancing for the audience. When enforced, these protocols offer the most statistically significant deterrent against the spread of COVID-19 other than, well, staying home. But behind the scenes of any Spring production, performers must rehearse with each other under the watchful eye of directors, all of them in masks, subject to frequent testing and daily temperature checks, and bound by strict guidelines handed down by unions.
“Our artists all live in a bubble in the lead-up to a production,” says Sarasota Opera’s Executive Director, Richard Russell.
The logistics of maintaining that bubble are restrictive, and to that end, Russell and his team found another tool to ease the burden on operations already stretched thin by the pandemic. Instead of an outdoor production or a half-hearted reading on a bare stage, Sarasota Opera chose all four of their Spring Festival operas for the diminutive size of their casts. “It was really important to us this season that we do things that were consistent with our aesthetic,” says Russell, and selecting small operas allowed just that.
The second half of the Spring Festival features “Dido and Aeneas” and “Il Signor Bruschino.” The former calls for nine primary characters and a small chorus while the latter only requires eight total. These small cast sizes mean fewer tests must be administered, social distancing is more readily honored on stage, less time is spent fitting costumes and ultimately, less can go wrong in terms of infection.
“When people come in for these two productions, we really want them to feel like they’re getting the whole experience,” says Russell, “so these short works with small casts allow us to produce as if there were no COVID.” Based on what Russell says has been more widespread interest in the second half of the Spring Festival, the Opera seems to have won over many who were still wary of attending an in-person, indoor production. The optics of a quarter-full theatre of masked guests seems to have instilled a sense of safety.
Even though 20% capacity is a bitter pill to swallow, Russell’s mind is on more than ticket sales. “For some of our guests, this will be their first time out since last year,” says Russell, “and the arts are more essential now than ever. We can bring comfort to people, and that’s powerful.”
The Spring Festival opens tonight with “Il Signor Bruschino.” Please visit Sarasota Opera’s website for details on their health and safety protocols or to purchase tickets. 
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is pleased to announce the celebration of World Circus Day, April 17, 2021. World Circus Day is an annual holiday dedicated to circus as an art form. The celebration will include performances by the Circus Arts Conservatory at 1pm and 3pm on The Ringling grounds. SRQ Media spoke with Ringling Manager Virginia Harshman to find out more about the special link between Sarasota and the circus.
SRQ: What makes the circus so special to Sarasota?
Virginia Harshman: Since 1927 when John Ringling established the Winter Quarters for Ringling Bros. and Barnum in Sarasota the city has been recognized as a center for the circus arts. The largest of the American circuses brought performers from all over the world to Sarasota and many settled here. The circus community is woven into the fabric of Sarasota with multi-generations of performers creating exciting new acts and continuing a tradition of excellence. Today, with The Ringling as a site to celebrate and preserve the history of the circus and active circus organizations including Circus Arts Conservatory, the city remains a unique hub where people can interface with the past, present, and future of the circus.
SRQ: How can visitors still feel that unique circus excitement around town today?
VH: Depending on their interests, there are many ways that visitors and Sarasota locals can still find the excitement of the circus. The Circus Museum invites guests to view firsthand the extraordinary parade wagons, glittering costumes, and fascinating circus posters that make up the material culture of the historic circus. The Howard Bros. Circus Model gives museum goers a sense of the scale of the tented American cat its largest and The Greatest Show on Earth Mural gives a sense of the overwhelming visual spectacle and excitement of circus in the later part of the century.
Along with exploring the history of the circus, in Sarasota visitors have so many opportunities to engage with a living community of performers. The Circus Arts Conservatory offers a calendar of live performances as well as classes in the circus arts and organizations like The Big Cat Habitat offer live programs and education about animal care and conservation.
Even our schools benefit from the unique contributions of circus to the Sarasota area. Educational programs through The Ringling and Circus Arts Conservatory adapt concepts related to the circus arts to curriculum in science, math and language arts.
SRQ: What are some secret or lesser known circus landmarks around town locals and visitors might not know about?
VH: Along with the groups lised above like Circus Arts Conservatory and The Big Cat Habitat, there are many places with less visible connections to the circus in Sarasota. Showfolks Club of Sarasota is a private club open to people in the performing community and the Ring of Fame in the center of St. Armand’s Circle has plaques giving the histories of performers honored by the association. Throughout Sarasota County you can find historical markers making the connections to people and places related to the circus. The Wallenda Home, The Circus in Venice and the Winter Quarters site are among those listed on the County’s web page.
Jennifer Msumba, a local award-winning filmmaker, musician and writer, wrote, directed and entered her latest film, “The Roommates,” in the 2021 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. The film highlights Msumba’s emotional support dog, Lemonade, as her fast-talking roommate with wit, wisdom and humor. “I like to inspire and motivate viewers to have confidence, to get out of their comfort zones, and to try new things,” said Jennifer Msumba. “No matter what you have gone through, just believe that there are good days ahead.”
Adopting a persona that's equal parts revival preacher, professional wrestler, social satirist and keyboard wizard, Reverend Billy C. Wirtz is unlike any other performer on the touring circuit. Steve Arvey is a well-known presence on the blues circuit in Southwest Florida. The two will trade songs and accompany each other on Saturday, April 17 at an outdoor concert at the Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court. Tickets are $15 for members, $18 for the general public.
Eager to bridge the void of excellent jazz performances created by the pandemic, WSLR+Fogartville and The Jazz Club of Sarasota. The third concert in the Bridge Series will feature Fred Johnson with the Michael Ross Quartet on Thursday, April 15. Doors will open at 7pm and the concert will begin at 7:30pm. Livestreaming tickets are $10 for The Jazz Club of Sarasota and WSLR+Fogartyville members, $15 for non-members, and $25 for those that will host a watch party. In-person seats are being sold in tables of four - $60 for members/$80 for non-members.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall announces Bay Music Live! On Saturday, May 8, Yesterdayze brings the high-energy music of the ’60s to the Van Wezel’s lawn and terrace for an outdoor, socially-distanced performance. The event starts at 6pm with music at 6:30pm. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 9 at 10am Lawn spaces on the grass accommodating up to 4 guests are $70.
On April 10, as part of WSLR’s Listen Local Concert Series, Al Donadi and Zach Yoder will be performing on the outdoor stage at Fogartyville. Advance tickets are available at www.wslr.org.During the Spring Membership Drive (Thursday, April 8th through Wednesday, April 14th) you can pledge your support by calling 941-894-6469 or donating online. WSLR will also be kicking off a ‘Building the Future Brick-by-Brick” Campaign to help raise money to fund outdoor patio improvements including a covered structure for outdoor seating.
As part of our commitment to bring art education into the community, a Youth Art Competition was integrated within the art show. Sponsored by Institute for the Arts & Education, the associated 501c3 non-profit, students are encouraged to submit his/her original art that was publicly displayed in the art show the entire weekend. The winner were: Best Budding Artist: Nalin Isme, Age 13, Painting and Budding Artist Awards of Excellence: Jade Moon, Age 17, Painting (award winner 3x out of 3x), Shivanshi Pathak, Age 9, Mixed Media and Kaira Picard, Age 15, Drawing.
The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime is doing it again!.Meet 21 local entrepreneurs all under the age of 17 selling their wares on April 10 from 10-3pm. Live music all day from students with the Music Compound. Hamlet’s Eatery will be open as well as the 30+ local vendors inside The Bazaar.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall announces the following changes to the 2020-2021 season:
- Anastasia on March 23-28, 2021 has been rescheduled to March 18-20, 2022.
- Fiddler on the Roof on April 27-29, 2021 has been rescheduled to April 19-21, 2022.
- Maks & Val Live: Motion Pictures Tour on July 25, 2021 has been canceled.
“Explosive dehiscence” is the scientific term for forcibly ejecting seed and spore from a parent plant. Join Bruce Holst, vice president for botany, virtually on April 14 from 12pm to 1pm to discover that plants are more active than most people think. Plants have developed innovative ways to disperse their seeds by way of gravity; by enticing animals with tasty and nutritious seeds who then ingest and spread them through their excretions; or by using water or air to distribute them even further. Some of these methods include shooting them out using mini cannons, via exploding or spring-loaded capsules, or splash pans. Using high-impact visuals, attendees will delight in these active mechanisms of plant seed and spore dispersal.
Expert epiphyte horticulturist Addie Worth will demonstrate how to care for and how to mount and pot epiphytes such as bromeliads, ferns, and cacti. Choose one session or take both. Participants can bring an epiphyte to pot or mount for an additional fee. Session II will take place on Thursday, April 15 from 10am to 1pm at the Downtown Sarasota Campus with instructor Addie Worth. Class Fee per session is $50 for nonmembers and $35 for members. The Mounting Fee is $25 average depending on size of plant and materials needed.
Join Historic Spanish Point campus staff for this 90-minute program which will include an introduction to the maritime heritage of the region and observation of the boat building now in-process boat building. This In-Person Program will be conducted outside – shine only, on April 16 from 10:30am to 12pm at the Historic Spanish Point campus. Drop in programs, no registration required. Cost: Selby Gardens Members-FREE or paid admission to HSP campus. This event is sponsored by Florida Department of State – Department of Community Affairs.
Join us for a sensational and safe “Orchid Experience” under the stars throughout the grounds of Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus on April 16 at 7pm. The Gardens will be illuminated for an open-air, dazzling light show for this one-night-only Pop Art phenomenon celebrating the exhibition Roy Lichtenstein: Monet’s Garden Goes Pop! Proceeds support Selby Gardens’ community education programs, international research, conservation, and beautiful world-class horticulture displays, while enabling thousands of underserved children and their families to connect with our bayfront sanctuaries. Safety protocols for COVID-19 will be observed.
In her travels around the world, Bertha Palmer took note of emerging styles in art, and began collecting the work of the French impressionists. Her favorite appears to be Claude Monet, as she purchased 90 of his paintings. She visited Giverny on her trips to France, and rumor has it she met and conversed with the artist. She kept many of the paintings and sold others – introducing a wider audience to the French Impressionist’s work. Several of the Monet paintings that graced her Osprey home “The Oaks” were later bequeathed to the Art Institute of Chicago, while other works are still cherished by family members. This virtual program will explore Bertha’s interest in impressionist art and her collection of paintings by Claude Monet virtually on May 5 from 12pm to 1pm. Members will receive an exclusive email with the registration link for this event.
Join the staff at Historic Spanish Point campus for this 90-minute program that will include an introduction to the Native American heritage of the region, and observation of in-process archaeological work. This In Person Program will be conducted outside – shine only on May 12 from 10:30am to 12pm. Drop in programs, no registration required. Cost: Selby Gardens members-FREE or paid admission to HSP campus. This event is sponsored by the Florida Department of State – Department of Community Affairs.
The Sarasota Ballet Presents Mark Morris Dance Group, whose mission is to develop, promote, and sustain dance, music, and opera productions by Mark Morris and to serve as a cultural resource to engage and enrich the community, at various times on April 9 and 10, 2021 at the Sarasota Opera House.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 North Pineapple Avenue
Gioacchino Rossini's Il signor Bruschino will play at the Sarasota Opera House on April 9 at 7:30pm, April 13 at 7:30pm, April 16 at 7:30pm, April 18 at 1:30pm, April 21 at 7:30pm, and April 24 at 1:30pm. This lighthearted operatic comedy opens with one of Rossini's most innovative and playful overtures. Anxious young lovers navigate their way through meddling parents, an arranged marriage, and a case of mistaken identity, with sparkling arias and ensembles soaring towards happily ever after. Tickets start at $25 and online streaming is also available.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong are ancient Chinese exercises that are practiced all over the world for their health and healing benefits. Practicing Tai Chi & Qi Gong improves balance, emotion, energy levels, muscle strength, joint flexibility, organ system, immune system, promotes healing, and delays the aging process. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are great exercises for stress reduction. Dr. Aihan Kuhn, award-winning author and the President of the Tai Chi & Qi Gong Healing Institute (www.taichihealing.org), will teach this class on April 9 at 10am. She will also explain why and how Tai Chi & Qi Gong promote healing and delay the aging process. For her publications, visit www.draihankuhn.com. $15 for non-members and $13.50 for Members. Tickets will be available 30 days prior to each event
Join us at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex on Friday, April 9, 2021, for a fantastic blood drive. OneBlood will be available on location from 8:30am to 1:30pm. Please note the last appointment is at 1pm. Get a FREE COVID-19 antibody test. Appointments are encouraged. Please remember to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before you donate. All donors will receive a Tie-Dye T-Shirt and a $10 eGift Card. Plus, a wellness checkup including COVID-19 antibody test, blood pressure, temperature, iron count, pulse, and cholesterol screening. ID is required. Donors must be at least 16 years old. Those who are 16 years old need parental permission.
Sarasota Contemporary Dance In-Studio Performance Series Presents an open rehearsal of Timeline with Stephanie Bastos. Virtually on April 9, 2021 at 7pm live Stream and April 10, 2021 at 7pm Broadcast Recording. Tickets are free but donations are welcomed to support arts education. Timeline is returning to Sarasota this April 2021 to dive back into the creative process; reconnect with the dancing body and re-ignite that which has been dormant since the start of the pandemic. Instead of a finished product for this work that we envisioned this past season of digital dance, this intimate encounter (not a performance) will invite the community to join us- Stephanie and Leymis, in the creative rehearsal process of revisiting, reinvestigating, and resurfacing what this work is and how it continues to evolve with Stephanie today.
The Chalk Festival is TENTATIVELY scheduled at the Venice Airport April 9-11, 2021. We are monitoring the pandemic and will only move forward if there is no health risks for our volunteers, artists and guests. They are a once-a-year opportunity to become an integral part of the fine art creative process. From start to finish, you can witness the largest gathering of renowned pavement artists perform using the road surface as a canvas to develop oversized masterpieces in chalk. The artists who create these 3D pavement paintings invite visitors during the festival to step directly onto their artwork - becoming a part of illusion in photos. These artists come up with intricate ideas that make images and the ground appear to dip inward or rise above when viewed from a particular vantage point. In addition to the pavement artists who travel from all over the world, the festival organization invites anyone, of any skill level, to sign up as an artist and work alongside the professionals, creating their own pavement paintings. No other cultural organization mixes the most renown with beginners better than this festival, giving novice pavement and student artists a truly unique opportunity. The Chalk Festival is celebrating its 11th season. After six seasons in Burns Square, a historic district in downtown Sarasota, it moved to Venice in 2014. This year will be its fifth season on the Island of Venice. Managed entirely by volunteers (even the director, Denise Kowal, is a volunteer), this 501c3 non-profit organization strives to bring a global community of culture enthusiasts together who value the work involved to make and share memorable experiences.
OWR is hosting an Equine Therapy group starting Friday, April 9 through Friday, May 14 at InStride Therapy in Nokomis, FL. Equine assisted therapy has been shown through research to heal veterans from service-related physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles. Our program is specifically designed to address veteran specific issues through horses. The horses provide us with a unique experience to learn how to become more self-aware, regulate the nervous system response, be in the present moment, build trust, confidence, connection, and more. This is all provided at no cost to the veteran. Please email info@operationwarriorresolution.org to attend.
We're happy to report that our popular program, Science Sprouts, for budding scientists ages 2-5 will be returning on January 10 from 10:30 to 11:30am on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. January 10 is "A Waddle of Penguins", January 24 is "All About Opposites", February 14 is "Wonderful Wetlands", February 28 is "Burrow Buddies", March 14 is "Prehistoric Pals", March 28 is "Manatee Mischief", April 11 is "Earth Sweet Home" and April 25 is "Beneficial Bees". Tots can bring their favorite grown-ups to explore and discover in the Mosaic Backyard Universe. Cost is $14 per child for members of the Discovery Society and $18 per child for all others. This includes one adult to accompany each child. Advance reservations are required.
In collaboration with the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation and the AIA Gulf Coast Chapter, this exhibit will examine the unique history of architecture in Sarasota from the time of Native Americans to the present and will run from January 12 until April 17, 2021. Timed reservation information will be available soon.
Anna Maria Island Privateers will be hosting their annual Thieves Market on Saturday, February 20, Saturday, March 20 and Saturday, April 17 from 8am to 3pm. This year we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary and are working very hard to make each Market more spectacular and fun. Booth space will be 14’ wide x 35’ deep. Coffee and a continental breakfast will be provided by the Privateers for our vendors to enjoy. Vendor set-up begins at 6am. All to be held at GT Bray Recreation Center. We will try to accommodate special requests for medical necessity, but most spots are on a first paid first served basis. Donation per spot per Market is $50 and there are no refunds. Online registration and payment are requested and recommended should you want a spot reserved or you can pay by check or cash if using a paper application, the link to that is below.
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