SRQ DAILY Jun 5, 2026
Friday Weekend Edition
"Humans today are not as different as they were 500 years ago when it comes to matters of the heart."
Beatrice and Benedict have an issue. The two actors, who do audio book recordings to make ends meet, used to date. Now on the outs, Beatrice and Benedict are both hired to record a fantasy romance book—all unbeknownst to each other. Beatrice and Benedict are not real—they are the two leading characters of Lauren Gunderson’s Lady Disdain, making its rolling world premiere at Asolo Repertory Theatre June 6—but the inspiration for the sticky situation comes from a very real place.
Gunderson, one of the most prolific and celebrated American playwrights of the 21st century, wrote Lady Disdain as a modern take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. A veteran of the theater industry, Gunderson was drawn to the dichotomy so often seen in her friends and colleagues—classically trained actors dramatically reading sappy and sultry dialogue in audiobooks.
“I love this genre, it’s become insanely popular and the fervor around these books is just wonderful,” says Gunderson. “It occurred to me how funny it is for these actors to code switch—a lot of these actors are Shakespearean-trained to do the greatest roles in the English language—and then they have to read these audio books where they read all of these spicy scenes. How do you do that without breaking character or giggling?”
That tension, Gunderson attests, is a comedic one. “We’re expecting and we get another, but it’s also a way to unpack the vulnerability of the profession of acting, of this genre of book and what they allow people to experience and open up to,” she says. “Lady Disdain is a way to talk about the books, but also this profession of holding a character close to yourself as actors do.”
Gunderson also wanted to use the play to dissect the modern notions of a romantic comedy. The emotional arcs within Much Ado About Nothing—her favorite work of Shakespeare's—maintain their integrity in the 21st century. “What I get to do with this play is talk about the mythology of romance, love and marriage,” says Gunderson. “Humans today are not as different as they were 500 years ago when it comes to matters of the heart.”
Lady Disdain, June 6-27, Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 
Casey Murphy (Ben) and Veronika Duerr (Beatrice) in Lady Disdain. Provided photo.
Make your own mini reef on Saturday, June 6, from 11-3pm at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime. Small: $15, medium: $25. Benefits the Parrothead Clubs' efforts to have their own reef dedicated to Jimmy Buffett. Live music with Flip Flop Dave. Guest vendors joining outside, and of course, amazing food available from Hamlet’s Eatery and shopping inside The Bazaar with more than 40 artists, creators, and curators
821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota, bazaaronapricotandlime.com
Join Big Cat Habitat for our newest Wild Yoga class, Capybara Yoga! Our Capybara Yoga class is a chill, refreshing experience where relaxation meets irresistible cuteness. Surrounded by gentle, friendly capybara, you’ll stretch, breathe, and smile your way to zen. This alignment-based class synchronizes breath with movement for you to deepen the mind-body connection and tune into your spirit animal. Practice is for most levels, allowing you to be gentle on your body.
Duration: 1 Hour 15 Minutes - 1 Hour 30 Minutes, Rate: Person $125.
Wellen Park celebrates the completion of three new nature trails in honor of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6. The grand opening event will feature guided native flora and fauna walks and a bike ride along the new Oakheart Trail and a raffle to win a beach cruiser bicycle. The new Oakheart, Buttonwood and The Greenway trails collectively span more than 6 miles of pristine landscapes for walking, jogging and cycling. Featuring seasonal blooms, shaded canopies, tranquil waterways and fishing opportunities, the trails immerse visitors in Florida’s natural habitat with opportunities for memorable wildlife sightings at any moment. Spaces are limited, and advance reservations are encouraged by visitingwellenpark.com/national-trails-day. Limited walk-up reservations will be accepted onsite the day of the event Bike rentals are available by calling 941-408-5846. Those who register and attend the event are automatically entered in the beach cruiser raffle.
What does it actually mean to invest in LGBTQ+ youth? At ALSO Youth, it means filling a life-saving need that benefits their futures. Research from The Trevor Project displays a remarkable finding: LGBTQ+ youth who live in highly accepting communities attempt suicide at less than a third of the rate of those who don't. Read that again. Less than a third. Investing in ALSO Youth means you are actively building a life-saving community for these kids. Last fiscal year alone, your generosity allowed us to provide 917 free therapy sessions to 64 youth and see a 300% spike in support group attendance. We are halfway through GiveOUT Day and are making steady progress toward our $9,000 goal, but we need your help to cross the finish line. Please consider making a gift now to ensure our youth can always access the support they need!
The Originals Culinary Tour (formerly known as The Blend Trolley Tour) is Sarasota-Manatee Originals’ signature food and wine trolley tour—a curated trolley crawl for true food lovers, spotlighting the coolest kitchens and perfectly paired wines across the Sarasota-Manatee Originals restaurants. Hop aboard the trolley for a progressive tasting experience through Sarasota, featuring five locally loved restaurants and curated wine pairings at every stop. You’ll enjoy small plates, sip perfectly paired pours, and hear directly from the chefs and wine experts behind each pairing.
Mean Deans Local Kitchen, 6059 26th 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
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
Mondays, 1pm. Join Jerome Chesley as you explore more than 60 pieces of public art located in downtown and St. Armands.
Saturdays, 1pm. This tour led by circus historian Bob Collins explores the fascinating legacy of the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.
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
Discover the stories of 10 women who made major contributions to science, business, and the arts, and who were later denied credit for their accomplishments, including Rosalind Franklin, whose work was critical to the understanding of DNA, and Hedy Lamarr, the actress who was also an unheralded inventor.
Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
The sharp-witted, glamorous, incomparable Eartha Kitt commands the spotlight. But backstage in her dressing room, in the quiet between songs, she peels back the glitz to reveal Eartha Mae: a girl from the South Carolina cotton fields, orphaned by her mother until an audience adopted her. Told through both story and song, Urbanite Theatre’s first-ever musical production unearths the complex truth behind the icon.
Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd St, Sarasota, FL 34236
The exhibition at Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus celebrates childhood and the imagination of youth through the words and images of A Child’s Garden of Verses, the beloved book of poetry for children by the celebrated Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. The exhibition features photographs of pages from a vintage edition of the book, combining Stevenson’s poetry with illustrations by the notable American artist, Alexander Dobkin. Accompanying the photographs are simple interactives that draw their inspiration from Stevenson’s poems and enhance the visitor experience. Audio recordings enable visitors to hear the poems read by Selby Gardens’ Artist-in-Residence, Patti Smith. Visit selby.org for tickets.
Downtown Sarasota Campus, 401 N Tamiami Trail, Osprey
Maria A. Guzman Capron explores the complexities of identity through vibrant figurative textiles. Drawing inspiration from her own multicultural heritage, the artist creates layered portraits of exuberant, multi-faceted characters.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
Featuring works by such acclaimed modern and contemporary artists as Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, Yoko Ono, David Hockney, Ai Weiwei, and more, this never-before-seen exhibition offers a rare glimpse into private collections held throughout Southwest Florida.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
Café on St. Armands is introducing Prime Rib Sundays, a new weekly dining feature available every Sunday beginning at 11 AM. Guests are invited to enjoy a classic prime rib dinner, thoughtfully prepared and served as part of Café’s elevated all-day dining experience. The featured Prime Rib entrée includes chianti herb and Dijon-crusted prime rib, garlic confit mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, rich au jus, and creamy horseradish. The dish is available for $46.
Cafe on St. Armands, 431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota, FL
Step into the spotlight with One Hit Wonders, a toe-tapping celebration of those unforgettable songs that lit up the charts and became part of our lives. From the epic storytelling of “American Pie” to the carefree whistle of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” this show celebrates the artists who gave us a single great hit.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
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