Like countless other performing arts organizations across the country right now, Urbanite Theatre is looking to stage a comeback. The coming season is already locked, loaded and ready to go, with a season announcement expected early September and the first show of a four-show season hitting the blackbox in October, but Urbanite already has at least one eye firmly set on the season after that, launching a yearlong capital campaign aimed at not only setting the theater back on its pre-pandemic footing, but positioning the company to climb even higher.

Aptly named “Staging A Comeback,” the just-launched yearlong campaign calls on supporters to help the theater raise $300,000 by June 30, 2022. And while the figure itself represents nothing out of the ordinary for a yearly theater budget, according to Urbanite cofounder Brendan Ragan, the stated goals for those funds signal something of a sea change for how Urbanite Theatre sets about staging shows in Sarasota.

For transparency’s sake, the campaign launched with a clear indication as to how the raised funds would be utilized. Some, such as HVAC upgrades and rent, a new expenditure for a theater that has previously benefitted from donated space, are self-explanatory. The need to rehire administrative staff furloughed during the previous year comes as a result of a global pandemic. (“We’re just not going to be able to do what we normally do without that administrative backbone,” says Ragan.) But many of the biggest changes to be implemented with this new budget stem not from such external pressures, but from an internal determination to change the way theater is made—and for the better.

“One thing we all learned from this pandemic,” says Ragan, “was that, in the theater industry, sometimes we’re all so thankful for the opportunity that we overlook the conditions that we work in.” Somewhere along the line, the famous “show-must-go-on mentality” transformed into a toxic mandate and six-day weeks crammed with 14-hour days became “an unfortunate tradition” that everyone came to expect. “But it doesn’t have to be like that,” says Ragan. “In order to give great performances and do even better than we have in years past, we have to take care of people.”

And so the most high-profile goals of this Staging A Comeback campaign aren’t about building new stages or buying fancy toys, but about investing in the humans who make theater possible. This includes a mandated five-day workweek with reasonable hours, equal pay for both union and non-union actors and a $15/hour minimum wage for all interns and apprentices. And no longer will tech nights and rehearsals be crammed into overstuffed schedules that mount up days before the production and pile the pressure on everyone involved, but spread out over a longer period of time, allowing everyone involved to give their all without sacrificing their health. 

It costs more, says Ragan, but it will be worth it.

“Everybody benefits,” he says. “It’s going to be a stronger environment to work in and a better artistic product. If we nurture the artists, the art is better.”

Learn more at the website below. 

Pictured (left to right): Ryan Leonard, Mary Williamson and L James in SENDER by Ike Holter. Photo by Dylan Jon Wade Cox.

Urbanite Theatre: Staging A Comeback

Anthony Veasna So was just beginning what would have been an illustrious writing career. Colleges Stanford and Syracuse educated, So was also a professor at the latter. Sadly, So died suddenly in December 2020 at the tender age of 28. Yet sympathy is not what should entice you to read his amazing short story collection, Afterparties: Stories, since his gift for capturing human interactions is on par with seasoned writing icons.

As a second generation Cambodian growing up in Stockton, California, So’s cultural pride and history glistens throughout the stories. Every tale is spoken through the lens of tenacity and striving to achieve the American Dream. But the most prolific writers can make their personal stories accessible to readers of any nationality, gender, sexual preference and So’s ability to capture characters with universal conflicts hammers home that we are all in the same human race.

To be specific, with sardonic wit, he tackles the topic of men attempting to hold on to their athletic glory days in “Superking Son Scores Again”, extended family financial competition often exacerbated at weddings in the spot on “Afterparties”, cousins we sometimes cherish more than siblings in “Maly, Maly, Maly”, and parents both single and married, who sacrifice their own needs and happiness to build a better future for their children in “Three Women of Chuck’s Donuts”, just to name a few.

Like many young adults felled too soon, while we won’t get to see what So would have accomplished with more life span, we can appreciate this gorgeous collection of short stories. 

Click here for more information.

Hear from Guest Speaker, Mark Wilson, President and CEO of Florida Chamber of Commerce as he shares a state-wide perspective on building the economy's future. Additional highlights of the event will be the introduction of the 2021-2022 Chai of the Board, Dennis Murphy, CEO of Gulfside Bank, and the recognition of the Annual Chair's Cup Award. 

Meeting takes place on Friday, September 17, 2021 from 11:30 am - 1pm at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota Tickets are $55 for Chamber Members, $75 for Future Members, $650 for Silver Sponsorship Table and $850 for Gold Sponsorship Table.

Register here. For any questions, contact Kelly Monti. 

Center For Sight is preparing for its annual Mission Cataract event scheduled for August 11 and  18. Cataract surgeons Dr. David Shoemaker, Dr. William Lahners, Dr. Joshua Kim, Dr. William Soscia, Dr. Jon Berlie and Dr.  Joaquin O. De Rojas will perform free life-changing cataract surgeries in the Sarasota and Naples AAAHC-accredited surgery centers. The event, funded by the Center For Sight Foundation, annually helps up to 100 people who cannot pay for cataract surgery get the  vision correcting care they need. 

Center For Sight is one of only 19 ophthalmology practices in the United States that offers this free service to uninsured patients through Mission Cataract. The practice has been performing vision restoration for underprivileged community members for over 30  years. 

“Our team’s mission is to ensure that no one suffers visual loss due to a treatable condition due to inability to pay,” said Dr. David  Shoemaker, founder and director of cataract and lens replacement surgery at Center For Sight. “Cataracts are the leading cause of  blindness and we are committed to changing lives through this program. There is no greater gift than the gift of sight, and we are  proud to continue to offer Mission Cataract to those in our community who need it annually.”  

The Alzheimer’s Association has selected Bradenton resident Deborah (“Deb”) Jobe to serve on its 2021-2022 Alzheimer’s Association National Early-Stage Advisory Group (ESAG). Jobe is one of 10 individuals chosen to serve on the group, which helps raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and other dementia by sharing their personal insights and experiences of living with dementia with media and other audiences across the country.

“Early-stage advisors play a vital role in Alzheimer’s Association advocacy efforts,” said Michelle Branham, Alzheimer’s Association Florida region vice president of public policy. “They bring a unique perspective that not only informs our work, but also inspires others living with the disease to engage in efforts that can make a difference for all those affected.”

Chosen from more than 50 applicants across the country, Jobe was diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy and mild cognitive impairment in 2019 at the age of 53. At the time, she had been experiencing memory issues for a couple of years, but the diagnosis, she said, still hit her hard. “It was utter devastation,” she recalled. “It was as if your world was suddenly turned upside down and you are floundering, attempting to grasp and process what it means for the future and what to do next.” Jobe now uses her voice to advocate for others. “The Alzheimer’s Association was my saving grace,” she said. “Getting involved and sharing my story in an effort to help others has given me a newfound purpose, and it’s improved my quality of life.”

As a member of the 2021-2022 National Early Stage Advisory Group, Jobe said she hopes to help change the public’s perception of what living with dementia is like and educate people on the benefits of early detection and diagnosis. “Prior to my diagnosis, I thought Alzheimer’s and other dementia only impacted old people,” she said. “Now, I realize there are many different faces and stages of the disease. But the one thing we all have in common is that we are human and deserve to be treated with respect. I intend to use my voice for as long as I can to help educate people about dementia and the challenges it brings.” 

Manatee County Transportation Planning Division is seeking public input for a Mobility Plan that will help meet the growing needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists in Manatee County. From now through the end of August, County residents are encouraged to visit mymanatee.org/mobility to view a short video about the first phase of the Mobility Plan: Establishing Vision. People can also provide feedback on the survey on that area of the site.

“With pedestrian and cyclists accounting for a quarter of traffic fatalities in Manatee County, it’s important to ensure safe planning on our streets,” said Nelson Galeano, Transportation Planning Division Manager.  “The Mobility Plan will be an important foundation to ensuring coexistence – instead of competition – on our roadways for safety and choice of transportation options.”

Results from the survey will provide the County with valuable insight to identify areas of improvement and engagement. For more information on Manatee County Government, visit mymanatee.org or call 941-748-4501.