On December 4, Dinbat Theatre Project will unveil its latest production, A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas. A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas, adapted into a musical directly from A. A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book, features a more modernized take on the story while still featuring all of the classic characters like Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and Winne-the-Pooh. “We’re building the show around this family that is leaving something behind, particularly a house. It’s about a father reconnecting with his son through playing with the stuffed animals of his childhood and telling him stories that his father, who has now passed on, used to tell him as bedtime stories,” says Luke Manual, producing artistic director and founder of Dingbat Theatre Project.

The decision to produce the musical harkens back to Dingbat’s mission of creating theater for everyone. 2025 marked Dingbat’s first season in the organization’s permanent Gulf Gate venue, and has included an array of productions from the R-rated I’m Gonna Marry You, Tobey Maguire to a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet at a drag bar. Nestled within Dingbat’s 2025 slate is A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas, a return to the type of familial programming that Manual holds close to their heart. “My passion lies in developing shows for family audiences,” says Manual, who will also direct the production. “A big part of what we do at Dingbat is trying to make theater as inclusive and accessible for everyone, which includes people with children and children themselves. Since our production of Wizard Of Oz, we’ve had kids in our shows when it’s appropriate and I feel like children’s theater deserves the platform that our other mainstage shows get.”

Dingbat’s production will make full use of the organization’s Gulf Gate venue, which includes a 70-seat black box theater and separate lobby/performance space. A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas will be split between two areas—the first act will take place in the front lobby area, in Christopher Robbin’s bedroom, before Robbin takes all of the stuffed animals and runs to theater, transformed into the Hundred Acre Wood, to start the second act.

A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas, December 4-19, Dingbat Theatre Project, 7288 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 

The cast of Dingbat's A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas. Photo by Adrian Van Stee.

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Be transported to Clara’s enchanted dream world in The Nutcracker by the Sarasota Cuban Ballet on December 5 at 6:00 pm at the Sarasota Opera House. This holiday favorite features the beloved classic choreography and the beauty of Tchaikovsky’s score, with scenery and costumes conceived exclusively for the Sarasota Cuban Ballet by a legendary theater designer. It’s a very special evening for dance lovers of all ages! Our audiences agree: “A big part of the start of my holiday season” “Joyous” “Spellbinding” “A most magical experience” “Amazing production” “Absolutely first rate” “By far the most charming of all the Nutcrackers I’ve seen”  

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Sarasota High School Theatre is proud to announce its upcoming production of the critically acclaimed musical Alice by Heart, running December 3, December 4, and December 5. This intimate and emotional production will invite audiences to sit on stage, surrounding the performers for an up-close and deeply personal theatrical experience. Set in London during the Blitz of World War II, Alice by Heart reimagines Lewis Carroll’s beloved tale through the eyes of two teenagers sheltering in an underground tube station. As bombs fall above, Alice and her friend Alfred escape into the familiar world of Wonderland — a place where imagination offers refuge from the horrors of war. The musical, with a book by Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson and music by Duncan Sheik, explores how we find hope, memory, and healing in stories when the real world feels impossible to face. *Content advisory: This musical contains themes that may be heavy for younger viewers (death, war, loss, and substance use).

Sarasota High School’s Theater, 2155 Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota, Wednesday, December 3 – 7:00pm, Thursday, December 4 – 7:00pm, Friday, December 5 – 7:00pm. 

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe has just recently completed months of work--after a highly competitive application process--with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Program. The nonprofit arts organization has just recently launched a brand new, state-of-the-art website that it hopes will grow its geographic reach and expand its audience demographic variety. The Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator Program helps cultural organizations across the U.S. and U.K. to strengthen technology and management practices to improve operations, drive revenue, increase fundraising, engage broader audiences, and deliver dynamic programming. WBTT is one of the nearly 200 nonprofit cultural organizations that have been accepted into Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Digital Accelerator Program, spanning artistic disciplines and organization size in 52 U.S. and 28 U.K. cities. 

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As we enter this season of gratefulness and thanksgiving, it feels most fitting to honor Muriel Gordon Mayers in our November newsletter. Muriel left an indelible mark on Sarasota Contemporary Dance—and on my heart forever. Muriel passed away on Friday, November 7, just one day after we shared a beautiful afternoon together over lunch and a decadent dark chocolate layered cake. I had stopped in to deliver a flyer she wanted to post in her residence—because, in true Muriel fashion, she had already gathered a group of six friends to purchase subscriptions for SCD’s 20th Season and was working on a few more. In lieu of flowers, contributions in honor of Muriel Gordan Mayers are welcomed and can be mailed to Sarasota Contemporary Dance at 1400 Blvd of the Arts, Ste 300, Sarasota, FL 34236. 

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The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is thrilled to welcome back Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert following last year’s hurricane and rescheduled performance. This holiday tradition will take the stage on Tuesday, December 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.  Future updates on shows and productions can be found on the Van Wezel’s website and through social media on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. 

Downtown Sarasota will sparkle with holiday energy on Friday, December 5, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., as we present Fresh Fridays: Light Up The Night at Selby Five Points Park. This month’s celebration features live music by The Rockefellers, delivering their signature blend of funk, soul, and rock ’n’ roll. Guests can enjoy festive photo-ops, falling snowflake effects, and a vibrant atmosphere as the park transforms for the season. A highlight of the evening will be the official downtown tree lighting at 8:00 p.m., illuminating the park and marking the start of Sarasota’s holiday celebrations. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure a great viewing spot for this annual community moment. This free event is presented by the Sarasota Downtown Improvement District and welcomes all ages to experience an evening of lights, music and holiday magic. 

By popular demand, Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is extending two hit Winter Cabaret productions: Feeling Good will now run through February 8, 2026, and Three Pianos will now run through April 5, 2026.See these two hit cabaret shows and One Hit Wonders for as little as $19.67 per show when you subscribe! For more information, visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org or call (941) 366-9000.