SRQ DAILY Feb 6, 2026
Friday Weekend Edition
"Kenneth taps into a part of all of us that is trying."
Next week, Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production of Primary Trust will come to an end. Eboni Booth’s play, which premiered Off-Broadway in 2023 and won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, is a “deceptively simple," tender story about loneliness and the power of human connection. Set in suburban upstate New York in the 1990s, Primary Trust follows Kenneth, a 38-year-old Black man who lives an isolated existence as a book store worker in a small town.
It’s an existence Kenneth is content with—he spends his days working at the local bookstore and nights sipping mai tais at the local tiki bar—but when he is laid off from the bookstore and begins working at the Primary Trust bank, Kenneth is forced to confront a world he’s long avoided.
“It’s really a portrait of a 38-year-old man confronting loneliness and the coping mechanisms that he’s employed to deal with it,” says Peter Rothstein, the producing artistic director at Asolo Rep. “When Kenneth is provided an opportunity, when someone opens a door for you, not only does that door open, but the entire world opens up. Kenneth is able to see the entire world anew because of human connection.”
Kenneth, for much of his life, has lived in a bubble. His best friend Bert, for instance, is only real to him. Primary Trust tracks Kenneth’s gradual progression from the confines of his mind into the real world, turning what appears to be a mundane story about a bank clerk into a moving depiction of a man’s journey out of isolation. “Kenneth taps into a part of all of us that’s trying,” says director Chari Arespacochaga.” The parts of ourselves that have the hardest time believing that better things are coming, except we catch him at a point in the show where he has no choice but to change.”
Primary Trust, January 7-February 11, Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 
Asolo Rep's production of Primary Trust. Provided photo.
White Plume productions announces the Sarasota premiere of Naga-Mandala ("Play with a Cobra") by legendary playwright Girish Karnad. This is a masterwork by one of the foremost contemporary playwrights from India. Featuring live music, dance and theatre, Naga-Mandala celebrates imagination and transformation through the lens of South Indian folklore. This is a professionally-mounted production uniting local and international artists in a co-production with the Circus Arts Conservatory. Recommended for audiences 10 and older. Limited engagement: one weekend only. Performances Friday 3/13, Saturday, 3/14 and Sunday, 3/15. Tickets on sale now through the Circus Arts box office at Naga-Mandala Sarasota Premiere.
Meet the Artists of Naga Mandala on February 11, 6-8pm, Rose & Ivy, 1296 1st St, Sarasota. This behind-the-scenes preview is presented by White Plume Productions in partnership with the Indian Association of Manatee & Sarasota, celebrating Girish Karnad’s beloved folktale-inspired play. RSVP for the Preview Event: https://bit.ly/3LNMgJy
Arts Advocates is pleased to announce its schedule of March events, which include a Talkback Tuesday with Emmy-nominated producer Ronnique Hawkins on March 10; a luncheon featuring guest speaker Thayer Greenberg from The Sarasota Players on March 19; a behind-the-scenes tour of the Van Wezel; and an exhibit by Arts Advocates member artist Suzanne Havens. Unless otherwise indicated, registration is required at ArtsAdvocates.org.
Creative Liberties presents “MashterWorks,” a three-day pop-up exhibition, February 19-21, featuring artworks that began as existing pieces and were transformed by artists into entirely new creations. The exhibition opens with a reception, Thursday, February 19, 5 -7 p.m., at 927 N. Lime Ave., Sarasota, with additional festivities at Creative Liberties’ 901B Apricot Ave. location.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall saddened to share that the upcoming performance of Mandy Patinkin In Concert – Jukebox scheduled for Sunday, March 29 has been canceled. Mandy has been cast as the chief Norse god Odin in Prime Video's upcoming series God Of War based on the blockbuster PlayStation video game God of War: Ragnarok. The project begins filming early spring causing unexpected conflicts with his concert here. Ticket buyers will receive an email from Veteran Air Box Office at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall regarding refund and account credit information. For questions, please contact the Box Office at 941-263-6799 Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Van Wezel hopes to bring Mandy Patinkin back at a later date. 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.
The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime presents REFLECTIONS: A Community Art Exhibition, a collaborative show featuring artists from The Bazaar and Creative Liberties. The exhibit explores the theme of reflection through a wide range of mediums, including painting, photography, mixed media, and printmaking.REFLECTIONS highlights the diverse perspectives of local artists, inviting viewers to consider reflection as both a visual and personal experience. From natural landscapes and abstract forms to textured mixed media and photographic works, the exhibition celebrates creativity, connection, and artistic exchange within Sarasota’s vibrant arts community. REFLECTIONS: A Community Art Exhibition runs February through March at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime. The Bazaar is open Thursday - Saturday 10-3 at 821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota.www.Bazaaronapricotandlime.com
The Hermitage Artist Retreat announced a new March program on the Hermitage Beach featuring Tony Award nominee, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and Hermitage Fellow Anna Deavere Smith, alongside Olivier Award nominee and Hermitage Major Theater Award finalist Beth Steel. Smith is a celebrated writer and performer recognized by millions for her memorable roles on stage and screen, and Steel is the UK-based author of the acclaimed West End play Till the Stars Come Down. On Thursday, March 19 at 6:30pm, these two heralded playwrights will offer their unique perspectives into playwriting and share excerpts of their original work in this sunset program on the Hermitage Beach.
Counterpoint is a collaboration between pianist and composer Conrad Tao and choreographer and dancer Caleb Teicher. The duo explores the dichotomy of their different perspectives and artistic practices, expanding their individual expressive capacity through a collective experience. Harmonic, rhythmic, and theatrical counterpoint between the artists seeks to map out constellations linking their disparate traditions, driving the imagination and opening the heart.
Feb 7, 7:30pm, Feb 8, 5:00pm, Historic Asolo Theater, $50 / $45 / $40.
Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is thrilled to announce that the Southeastern premiere of The Blue-Sky Boys has been extended through March 15, 2026. Written by Deborah Brevoort, this inventive and high-energy play invites audiences inside the extraordinary imagination behind the race to the moon. Single tickets start at $39. For more information, visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org or call (941) 366-9000.
Sarasota Concert Association presents Grammy Award–winning violinist Joshua Bell leading the internationally renowned Academy of St Martin in the Fields on Sunday, March 15th 2026 at 7:30 pm at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The evening features Dvořák’s soulful Symphony No. 8, along with Bell as soloist in Saint-Saëns’ dramatic Violin Concerto No. 3, showcasing both Bell’s virtuosic artistry and the orchestra’s celebrated precision and warmth. Single tickets start at $65 and are available online at SCAsarasota.org or by calling the SCA Box Office at (941) 966-6161, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursdays, 10am. Discover with our expert guide, Kendra Cross, why Sarasota is the only place in the world that the Amish and Mennonite communities come to vacation en masse. In Pinecraft, enjoy the tour stops at Alma Sue’s Quilt Shop, The Carlisle Inn and Der Dutchman Amish Kitchen Cooking Restaurant for shopping and a pie shooter sample of their delicious pie!
Swing into an evening of style, swagger, and timeless charm with Feeling Good, a high-energy celebration of modern crooners. From the timeless elegance of Sinatra and the smooth sophistication of Michael Bublé to the sparkle of Bette Midler and Lady Gaga, this show delivers silky vocals, irresistible rhythms, and captivating personality. Savor swingin’ favorites like “Come Fly With Me” and “It Had to Be You,” fresh hits like “Home” and “Moondance,” and delightfully cheeky numbers such as “Stuff Like That There” and “Me and Mrs. Jones.” Equal parts class and sass, Feeling Good will leave you – well – feeling good.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
This exhibition highlights contemporary Native design, craftwork, and art that employ the formal and aesthetic elements of abstraction as meaningful motifs and coded tools of Indigenous expression to communicate tribal cultures and histories, ancestral knowledge, and the lived experiences of the artists and their communities. Explored in a variety of media, including basket weaving, beadwork, collage, clay, textiles, photography, metalwork, and printmaking rooted in ancestral technologies, their work shares similar stylistic and social concerns, such as vibrant color, hard-edged geometries, curvilinear patterns, and bold mark-making, all infused with personal stories and those of their kin.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
This exhibition highlights contemporary Native design, craftwork, and art that employ the formal and aesthetic elements of abstraction as meaningful motifs and coded tools of Indigenous expression to communicate tribal cultures and histories, ancestral knowledge, and the lived experiences of the artists and their communities.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
Join us for a weekly guided tour of the night sky in our state-of-the-art planetarium. As Earth moves around the sun, different objects come into view. We'll not only discuss what you can see this season, we'll fly you there!
Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St W, Bradenton
Award-winning Hermitage Fellows offer a unique glimpse into their creative process, sharing original works in process with our Gulf Coast audiences. These free hour-long programs take the shape of musical performances, playreadings, concerts, visual art demonstrations, panel discussions, master classes, exhibitions, open studios,and more. The presentations are often works in process, giving Hermitage audiences a look into the creative process before these works go on to leading theaters, concert halls, and museums around the world.
Hermitage Artist Retreat, 6660 Manasota Key Rd, Englewood, FL 34223
Showcasing 100 rare posters along with sculptures, cocktail shakers, and furniture pieces, this exciting exhibition celebrates the centennial anniversary of Art Deco and the artistic significance it brought to the early 20th-century.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
Selina Román blends photography, abstraction, and self-portraiture to explore themes of beauty and the politics of size. Roman’s photographs transform the gallery into a space of quiet resistance, subverting traditional ideas of feminine beauty.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
The Sarasota Art Museum partners with the Jazz Club of Sarasota to present live jazz on the second Thursday of every month on the Marcy and Michael Klein Plaza. Enjoy a beverage or food in the Bistro and extended hours in the galleries and shops! Concert begins 5:30 pm.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
Art immersion class for children ages 6-18. Small classes with fine arts materials. Visit linarinconart.com for more information and to register.
Creative Liberties Artist Studios, Gallery & Creative Academy, 927 N Lime Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237
The summer 2026 exhibition at Selby Gardens will celebrate the creative collaboration between two legendary figures and longtime friends, photographer Lynn Goldsmith and singer-songwriter Patti Smith, who is Selby Gardens’ artist in residence. The exhibition will feature Goldsmith’s photographs of Smith, past and present, in the Museum of Botany & the Arts. The images will offer an intimate portrait of an iconic artist over the course of her remarkable career.
Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Juana Romani (1867–1924) was one of the most fascinating and successful painters in late-nineteenth-century Paris. Born in Italy, Juana—whose given name was Giovanna Carlesimo—moved to Paris with her mother and stepfather at the age of ten. She took up painting, studying under the well-known painters Jean-Jacques Henner (1829–1905) and Ferdinand Roybet (1840–1920). Romani quickly earned both critical praise and significant fame for her deftly painted, richly colorful depictions of strong, sensual women adorned in lavish textiles.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
Mayer explores the impact of technology on the human body through this interactive sculpture series. Slumpies invites viewers to sit and slump on these sculptures, much like furniture, and find a place of comfort while using their technological devices.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
An exhibition showcasing the recent work of Sarasota-based artist and Ringling College alumnus Tom Stephens (Class of 1996). Known for his expressive use of color, gestural brushwork, and emotionally charged compositions, Stephens’ paintings explore the tension between abstraction and representation. His dynamic surfaces reveal a deep engagement with process and intuition, resulting in works that resonate with both personal introspection and universal human experience.
Galleries of Ringling College of Art and Design, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
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