SRQ DAILY Apr 25, 2025
Friday Weekend Edition
"These artists are so inspiring in terms of their dedication to the art form and their commitment to making art at extremely high conceptual and technical levels. "
Uncover an era of artwork at The Ringling Museum of Art. On view until May 11, The Ringling’s exhibition Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan gives audiences a peek into the jaw-dropping work of Japanese ceramicists. Radical Clay, originally curated by Janice Katz, the curator of Japanese art at the Art Institute of Chicago, features 41 ceramic sculptures from 36 female Japanese artists. The exhibition, which defies expectations of what ceramic artwork can be, is a testament to the rich history of Japanese ceramicists and the trailblazing women who paved the way for the artists of today.
Like the artists featured in the exhibition, the artwork featured in Radical Clay does not adhere to one style or material. A piece such as Tanaka Yu’s Bagwork, which resembles a lifelike fabric bag, made from glazed Shigaraki stoneware, can be seen along Hattori Makiko’s Wandering, a spherical sculpture made from porcelaneous stoneware applied with shaved clay.
“She takes these really tiny shavings of clay and manipulates them on the surface. They’re razor sharp if you try to pick them up,” says Katz of Hattori Makiko’s Wandering. “That’s her trademark–she does a lot of forms that are covered in this surface. I think about the way that the form wraps around itself, which means that she continues this surface throughout the whole piece. In your mind, you just realize how impossible this is.”
While Hattori Makiko (b. 1984) and Tanaku Yu (b. 1989) represent the slightly younger generation of artists shown in Radical Clay, there is an older contingent that laid the groundwork for the current generation of female Japanese ceramicists. While ceramic art has a long history in Japan, female artists were not typically involved in the sculpting and firing of the clay due to social expectations and prejudices. Artists like Tsuji Kyo (1930-2008), Tsuboi Asuka (1932-2022) and Mishima Kimiyo (1932-2024) were pioneers of their craft–not only redefining what ceramic art could be, but also who it could be made by.
“It’s important if you are a younger female artist to see women succeeding ahead of you. To realize that this is possible,” says Rhiannon Paget, Curator of Asian Art at The Ringling. “These artists are so inspiring in terms of their dedication to the art form and their commitment to making art at extremely high conceptual and technical levels."
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd
Wandering by Hattori Makiko. Porcelaneous stoneware applied with shaved clay. Provided photo.
Packed with toe-tapping hits that audiences adore, this Tony and Olivier Award-winning show is filled with entertainment and drama, telling the electrifying true story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Audiences and critics are raving for this hit Broadway musical, now held over through May 31!
Choral Artists of Sarasota and the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble join forces for "United We Stand: A Memorial Day Concert" on Saturday, May 24, at 4 p.m., Church of the Palms in Sarasota. This moving program honors those who gave their lives in service to our country and also offers a broader reflection on the ideals of freedom and democracy that continue to shape the American experience. Tickets for the concert are $40 (general admission) and $5 (students). Veterans receive 50% off with the code VET25. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ChoralArtistsSarasota.org or call 941-387-6046.
The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces its newest May program, “Movement of Body and Story,” on Friday, May 30 at 4pm, featuring award-winning choreographer, playwright, and director nicHi douglas, alongside acclaimed UK playwright and screenwriter Sam Steiner, a recent finalist for the Hermitage Major Theater Award. This event will be presented at and in collaboration with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.
Art Center Sarasota opens its much-anticipated annual juried regional show, “Vice & Virtue,” on May 22. Juried by Jessica Todd, curator, writer, and artist, the exhibition invites artists from across the Southeast to explore the complex dualities of the human condition. The show spans all four galleries and runs through August 2. The opening reception is Thursday, May 22, 5-7 p.m. A critique with Jessica Todd will take place on Wednesday, May 28, 4 p.m., Art Center Sarasota. For information, visit www.artsarasota.org or call 941-365-2032.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's 25th anniversary season, titled "25 Years of Black Heritage," continues through May 25. The remaining shows in the season are "Fences" (through February 23), "Five Guys Named Moe" (March 5-April 6), and WBTT's first-ever, world-premiere tap dancing musical revue, "Syncopated Avenue." Visit westcoastblacktheatre.org to learn more about WBTT and to purchase tickets. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N Orange Ave.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N Orange Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic, and Mediums explores the essential role art and objects played for mediums and magicians “communicating” with the dead during the 19th- and 20th-century Spiritualism movement in the U.S. and Europe—a time when people actively debated and wondered, "Can spirits return?" See paintings, posters, photographs, stage apparatuses, costumes, film, publications and other objects that will transport visitors to the age of Harry Houdini, Margery the Medium, Howard Thurston, and the Fox Sisters, among others. Whether you’re a believer, skeptic or somewhere in between, gain a new perspective on the timeless draw of mediums and magicians, séances and magic shows.
The Ringling - Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. From their New Jersey roots to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this electrifying show captures their journey from a groundbreaking sound to international stardom, revealing a story of fame and personal struggles that continues to captivate audiences.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1265 First Street Sarasota, FL 34236
When Myah punches her boss in the nose and walks out of a soul-crushing corporate job, her life unravels in ways she never expected. Crashing into the spare room of an older woman with her own hidden wounds, Myah embarks on an unpredictable transformation journey. Filled with raw emotion and poignant story-telling that captures the painful process of letting go, finding connection, and embracing change.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1265 First Street Sarasota, FL 34236
The spring concerts will take place Fridays, April 11 - May 2 from 6 - 8 pm at the Bradenton Riverwalk Pavilion at Rossi Park. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or a blanket to enjoy music and food along the beautiful Manatee River.
Bradenton Riverwalk Pavilion, 452 3rd Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34205
It’s showtime! Based on Tim Burton’s dearly beloved film, this hilarious musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that’s out of this Netherworld, Beetlejuice is “SCREAMINGLY GOOD FUN!”
Van Wezel, 777 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
Images of Dance is a thrilling program showcasing the future of ballet, with dancers from The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company and students of The Margaret Barbieri Conservatory. Adding to the excitement, Images of Dance also partners with local arts organizations to provide live music from the Sarasota Music Conservatory and Sarasota Youth Opera. The 2025 repertoire will include a World Premiere by Ricardo Graziano, and Sing, Wearing the Sky by Gemma Bond.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
The 20th Annual Dick Vitale Gala will lead the charge to eclipse $100 million in amount raised toward pediatric cancer research and the V Foundation’s Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund. The 19th Gala capped a record-breaking year of fundraising. At the event, it was announced that $24.8 million was raised, bringing the overall funds raised since the inception of the Gala to nearly $93 million.
The Ritz-CarltonThe Ritz-Carlton,The Ritz-CarltoThe Ritz-Carlton,the ritThe Ritz-Carlton,, 1111 Ritz Carlton Dr, Sarasota, FL 34236
Experience Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, an iconic Italian opera featuring one of the most famous arias in the repertoire, the clown Canio tries to go on with the show after learning of his wife’s infidelity, but his real-life humiliation and despair lead to a grim climax. The opera features soprano Ashley Milanese, baritone Jean-Carlos Rodríguez and tenor Rafael Dávila, with Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi conducting the Sarasota Opera orchestra. A live performance by Sarasota Youth Opera, who performed in the opera on the mainstage during the 2025 season, will open the film screening.
The Bay, 1055 Blvd of the Arts, Sarasota, FL
The grand finale of the ‘Opera on the Bay’ series —Gioachino Rossini’s comic masterpiece, The Barber of Seville — will be screened from 7-9:30 p.m., Saturday, May 17. Determined to win the heart of the beautiful Rosina, Count Almaviva enlists the help of Figaro, the barber of Seville, to steal her away from her guardian, Dr. Bartolo. Hilarious complications ensue to some of opera's most delightful music, performed by an all-star cast that includes baritone Filippo Fontana, mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali, bass-baritone Andrew Gilstrap, and bass Young Bok Kim, with the Sarasota Opera orchestra conducted by Marcello Cormio.
The Bay, 1055 Blvd of the Arts, Sarasota, FL
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