SRQ DAILY Feb 27, 2026
Friday Weekend Edition
"We all have to really prioritize arts education these days because it's getting cut everywhere we look. "
On February 26, Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, announced that Anne Washburn has been selected as the sixth recipient of the Hermitage Major Theater Award. Washburn, a New York-based playwright, will receive a cash prize of $35,000, a residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key and a developmental workshop of her newly created work at a theater to be announced in New York in fall 2027.
Washburn is a prolific playwright, produced nationally and internationally, and a 2007 recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, a Whiting Award winner and a PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award winner. Her most recent plays include 2025’s The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire, 2019’s Shipwreck and her 2012 play Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play was a New York Times Critic’s Pick. “Winning this award is amazing and comes at the exact right time for this project,” says Washburn. “It is perfect both in the very helpful amount of money and the strict set of deadlines for when different parts of the project need to be enacted, which is something that playwrights also need. We need money and we need deadlines.”
The Hermitage Major Theater Award was established in 2021 by the Hermitage with the support of Flora Major and Kutya Major Foundation to give a platform to some of theater’s most important voices. The award, replete with the cash prize, ensuing residency and developmental workshop, gives the recipient the opportunity to create a new, original, significant piece of theater. “The mission of the Hermitage is to inspire and foster the most influential and culturally consequential art and artists of our time, and I think this award embodies that mission so fully,” says Sandberg. “We are an incubator and development organization and this award gives us the ability to launch that work, build it here, celebrate the DNA of that work in our local community and then send that work out into the world.”
Hermitage Artist Retreat, 6660 Manasota Key Rd., Englewood. 
Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg, Anne Washburn and Flora Major. Provided photo.
On March 6, The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation will welcome the award-winning superstar, Idina Menzel, to the stage to perform as part of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Gala: Defying Expectations: An Evening in Three Acts. The Foundation’s Gala will showcase Menzel’s extraordinary talent while raising funds to support arts education, community engagement and creative growth across our region.
Menzel first entered the spotlight as Maureen in Rent and won a Tony Award for Elphaba in Wicked. As the voice of Elsa in Frozen and Frozen 2, she helped drive both films to global success; her song Let It Go earned an Academy Award and Grammy. She recently returned to Broadway in Redwood, co-conceived with Tina Landau, receiving a Distinguished Performance Award from the Drama League and recognition from New Dramatists. On screen, she has appeared in Enchanted, Disenchanted, You're So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Cinderella and Uncut Gems, with TV roles in Glee and Beaches.
The Q&A below is part of a larger interview that will appear in the May/June edition of SRQ Magazine.
Why is being part of this gala especially meaningful for you?
I'm just so excited to be there for such a great cause. We all have to really prioritize arts education these days because it's getting cut everywhere we look. It's so important to me that kids have the arts as a tool for expressing themselves, as an arena to feel comfortable trying something and being free. We're at a beautiful venue raising awareness and money for arts education, which is something that’s near and dear to my heart. It's where we all found ourselves and had a free space to play, to express our feelings and discover who we are.
Will you be performing barefoot?
Probably at some point. I always try to put the heels on because I like the way it makes me look in my dress or suit, but then it just becomes not worth it anymore.
Photo courtesy of Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
Sunshine From Darkness is proud to sponsor Opening Night of Anxiety Club, produced by Through Women's Eyes at the Reel Equals 27th International Film Festival. Stay for a powerful Q&A with Tiffany Jenkins of Juggling the Jenkins — comedian, best-selling author, and mental health advocate — followed by a discussion on using humor to cope with anxiety, led by Terry Cassidy, member of Sunshine from Darkness Resiliency Advisory Council, LCSW and Executive Director of Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion. Join us for an inspiring evening of film, conversation, and connection and be part of breaking the stigma around anxiety. Learn more about Tiffany Jenkins here: https://jugglingthejenkins.com/about-me/
From the writer of television’s Dr. Who, Sherlock, and Dracula comes a hilarious new play about an unwanted house guest. After twenty years of marriage, Peter and Debbie are enjoying a cruise and a break from their annoying teenagers, when they meet a suspiciously friendly fellow passenger named Elsa. Faster than you can say ‘Keep Calm and Carry On,’ she’s taken up residence in their suburban home. Asolo Rep stages the US premiere of this hugely entertaining and satirical look at the terrifying lengths we go to just to be nice. February 18 - March 22
On Monday night, during Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's "Hush! Hush! Party," the arts organization announced its 2026-2027 "Rhapsodies of Rhythm" theatre season. The mainstage season will include: the Tony Award-winning theatrical journey through Duke Ellington's music, “Sophisticated Ladies”; Shakespeare's popular comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”; a musical revue featuring the music of the famous women singers of the 1960s, “BEEHIVE – The ‘60s Musical”; and “Stevie: A Stevie Wonder Revue.” The holiday show is “A Motown Christmas.” Visit westcoastblacktheatre.org to learn more.
Sarasota’s celebrated arts scene takes center stage when the Sarasota Festival of the Arts transforms J.D. Hamel Park into a vibrant outdoor gallery on February 28–March 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Set along the scenic bayfront, this free, two-day festival invites art lovers, collectors, and curious wanderers to explore original works by more than 70 artisans and crafters from Florida and across the United States. From bold statements to finely detailed pieces, the festival showcases an inspiring range of mediums — including painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, glass, ceramics, fiber and wearable art, mixed media, metalwork, graphic art, and woodworking. What sets the Sarasota Festival of the Arts apart is its emphasis on connection. Guests are encouraged to meet the artists, learn about their techniques and inspirations, and engage in conversations that bring each piece to life. For those seeking something truly personal, many artists offer the opportunity to commission custom works, creating art with meaning that extends far beyond the weekend. For more information, visit www.paragonfestivals.com.
By popular demand, Florida Studio Theatre (FST) announces the extension of its hit cabaret Three Pianos through April 19, 2026, in FST’s Goldstein Cabaret. Created by Rebecca Hopkins, Richard Hopkins, and Sarah Durham, with musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, this electrifying revue celebrates legendary piano-driven hits and the bold artists who redefined popular music from behind the keys. For more information, visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org or call (941) 366-9000.
This dazzling new work from acclaimed multi-disciplinary artist, Ahamefule J. Oluo, weaves music and storytelling into a singular live experience—combining trumpet, clarinet, live looping, and percussion made from everyday objects, all guided by Oluo’s incisive wit and singular narrative voice. Adventurous, genre-defying, and unmistakably of the moment, this is the kind of boundary-pushing performance you’ll only find at the HAT!
If you are oyster curious or just craving the fresh coastal seafood & hand-crafted cocktails from your new Rosemary District favorite, join us at Lefty's for our daily Happy Hours Monday - Friday from 4 pm - 6 pm and our Late Night Happy Hours every night from 9:00-Close. With seafood offerings from the Steamer and Buck-A-Shucks on oysters plus our extensive wine, specialty and seasonal cocktails and draft beers, Lefty's has your recipe to get happier and explore our menus. Join us every day for Lunch, Happy Hours or Dinner and for our downtown neighbors and Hospitality industry colleagues, we'll have live music and keep the light on for you on the weekends!
Lefty's Oyster and Seafood Bar, 428 N Lemon Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
This long-term installation in Gallery 10 of the Museum of Art showcases five outstanding examples of 17th-century Dutch painting on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Featuring a dramatic seascape, an expansive landscape, and captivating portraits set in detailed interiors, this exhibition offers a window into the vibrant artistic production of the Netherlands as the small nation rose to global prominence in the 17th century. The five exceptional paintings from the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, complement The Ringling's holdings of Dutch art and provide additional perspective on the artistry, historical significance, and continuing appeal of Dutch painting from this period.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
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
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
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
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
Wednesdays, 10:30am. Explore Art Deco, Mid-Century Modern (the Sarasota School of Architecture) and Mediterranean Revival Architecture buildings, homes and structures of Sarasota on this 90-minute mainland tour.
Saturdays, 1pm. This tour led by circus historian Bob Collins explores the fascinating legacy of the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.
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!
Tradition Reimagined brings together a diverse group of Illustration Department faculty whose practices are rooted in traditional painting techniques while actively challenging and expanding their boundaries. This group exhibition celebrates the enduring power of representational art while highlighting each artist’s unique approach to storytelling, process and visual interpretation.
Galleries of Ringling College of Art and Design, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
When President Kennedy vowed to put a man on the moon, the task landed in the hands of a band of maverick engineers – once the misfits of American science. With no rulebook, they embraced “blue-skying,” drawing inspiration from Buck Rogers, Greek myths, Louis Leakey, and even Snoopy and the Red Baron.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
A Hollywood film star and her entourage descend upon a quaint English village to film an epic period drama. But when the glamorous opening reception ends in a chilling murder, everyone becomes a suspect. Leaving Agatha Christie's beloved sleuth, Miss Marple, to untangle a web of ambition, deceit, and stage fright. One of the Queen of Mystery's most celebrated novels finally makes it to the stage in this new adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff.
Asolo Repertory Theatre , 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
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
This historical group exhibition revisits the creative legacy of the Sarasota Artist Colony—a vibrant and visionary community of artists who helped shape the region’s post-war cultural identity and laid the groundwork for Sarasota’s emergence as a thriving arts destination. Drawn to the Gulf Coast for its climate, light and Ringling School of Art, these painters, printmakers, and educators established studios, taught classes, and exhibited widely, fostering a collaborative spirit that flourished between 1945 and 1965. Origins is a visual tribute to this remarkable era—highlighting the innovation, camaraderie, and enduring influence of the colony’s members.
Galleries of Ringling College of Art and Design, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
Celebrate the legendary artistry of Lino Tagliapietra—widely regarded as the world’s foremost living glass artist. With a career spanning over seven decades, Tagliapietra has transformed the centuries-old traditions of Venetian glassblowing into a dynamic and expressive contemporary art form. Renowned for his unparalleled technique, vibrant color palettes, and sculptural finesse, Tagliapietra’s work bridges history and innovation. This landmark exhibition features over 40 exquisite works by Tagliapietra, offering a rare opportunity to experience the full breadth of his mastery.
Galleries of Ringling College of Art and Design, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
As the New Year begins, Jack Dusty, the waterfront restaurant and bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, is bringing back its popular Sunday Brunch beginning January 11, inviting locals and hotel guests alike to ease into Sundays with live music, waterfront dining, and a menu designed for lingering. Designed as a leisurely afternoon experience, Jack Dusty’s Sunday Brunch runs from 11AM to 4PM with live entertainment throughout, creating an upbeat yet laid-back atmosphere perfect for enjoying delicious food and drink. The brunch menu blends elevated classics with seafood-driven specialties and indulgent favorites, including a Maine lobster roll on toasted butter brioche, crab and avocado benedict with yuzu hollandaise, sticky toffee griddlecakes, and a decadent truffled croque madame. Heartier offerings range from wagyu steak frites topped with a sunny-side egg to confit pork belly char siu with scallion pancakes, alongside a robust raw bar and sushi selection featuring oysters, stone crab, crudo, nigiri, and maki rolls.
The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota, FL 34236
Enjoy music, theater, literature, dance, and more as part of the Hermitage Sunsets at Selby Gardens series. Each hour-long program features selections of work as well as candid and engaging conversations with the world-class artists who come to the Hermitage to create art in an inspirational environment.
Selby Gardens
Wednesdays, 10am. Go back in time to the 1920’s in Sarasota to hear from three leading ladies (Bertha Palmer, Marie Selby and Mable Ringling) as portrayed by Kathryn Chesley, who shaped Sarasota into a cultural icon.
Sundays, 1pm. Join psychic and tarot reader, Deni Dreazen on a metaphysical exploration trolley tour of Sarasota. Visit Pixie Dust gift shop, experience a sound bath at the Crocker Memorial Church with sound healer, Kaylene McCaw, and then walk the labyrinth.
Make your Saturday mornings even more fun! Check out the Backyard Science program for elementary-aged learners at The Bishop’s incredible indoor Mosaic Backyard Universe. This wildly popular learning program offers a wide range of activities, observations, and crafts that are sure to spark curiosity and ignite learning.
Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th Street West Bradenton FL 34205
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