As part of the sixth annual Project1VOICE/1PLAY/1DAY, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will join an international effort to revive and reintroduce underappreciated African-American theater with a special staged reading of Tony Award-winning playwright George C. Wolfe’s, The Colored Museum, this coming Monday. With more than 40 theater companies, museums and cultural institutions participating in the project, similar staged readings will unfold across the world for a one-day celebration of Wolfe’s classic work.

“This is an effort to make sure that the literature of an entire culture is always on the front burner,” says Colored Museum director Harry Bryce. “Even though we continue to create, there is so much that for years was not presented. Now we have an opportunity to do something whereby the energy is united at one time.”

Written in 1986 as a series of vignettes or “exhibits,” The Colored Museum presents 11 scenes exploring Wolfe’s observations of the roles of identity and self within an African-American community both overtly and subtly embattled by a dominant and, at times, opposing culture. Opening with a broadside, the first sketch sees cheeky flight attendant “Miss Pat” welcoming the audience aboard a slave ship and asking them to fasten their shackles and not rebel—letting the audience know there will be no "kid gloves" in this show. Not all are so openly inflammatory but none hold back, whether exploring the intersectionality of sexuality and race or a choice as seemingly innocuous as a wig for a date.

“It’s about looking at one’s self, one’s journey through assimilation and the good, the bad and the indifferent,” says Bryce, “and it’s a wonderful selection.” Understanding the inherent trauma of compulsory assimilation and the conflict it breeds within the self plays a central role in the work, according to Bryce, but so does it in understanding the African-American experience. “It’s educational for everyone,” he adds, “and it gives us a chance to look at the African-American experience and what we have had to deal with that we may not have spoken about.”

The Colored Museum opens 8pm on Mon., Jun. 20, at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe theater. Tickets are $15. 

Pictured: Director Harry Bryce. Photo courtesy of WBTT.

An interdisciplinary team of advertising, graphic and motion design upperclassmen students from Ringling College of Art and Design took third place and were awarded Best Plan Book at this year’s National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) in Anaheim, California earlier this month. Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), each year over 150 schools across the country are asked to develop an integrated campaign for a specific organization to increase purchase frequency. A three-segment competition—district, semi-finals and nationals—students must create a written campaign proposal and a 20-minute presentation before participating in a Q&A with the judges in the final round. In addition to being the only art and design school to make it to nationals, Ringling College was also credited as being one of the smallest schools in the competition.

With Snapple as this year’s client, students from Ringling College created an entire ad campaign incorporated in a strategic concept plan titled “Oddly Satisfying,” marking their first win in the district competition as the only art and design school to make it to semi-finals and nationals out of eight schools that competed in Florida, including previous national champions University of Miami and University of West Florida.

“We've been competing for five years and the best we've ever done was second place in our district. We have really tough competitions out here so it’s a proud moment for us to have made it this far," said Vivian Owen, faculty co-advisor for the Ringling NSAC team.

Through the “Oddly Satisfying” theme charming judges, students tied Snapple to the little odd moments of delight in life: that feeling one gets when taking the first scoop of peanut butter or when pumping gas and hitting the exact amount. Responsible for setting up TV commercials, in-store promotions, mobile apps, packaging and web designs and social media such as Spotify and Youtube, the team’s mobile app and in-store promotions stood out. Inspired by the Shopkick app, students created a Snapple version that used the same audio technology but included a location feature to find a certain flavor. When it came to in-store promotions, the team raised visibility by color-coordinating the caps in order to create a rainbow effect on the shelf.

“I still remember the day the students came up with the idea,” says Owen. “[Faculty Co-Advisor] Allen Harrison and I looked at each other and we got goosebumps. We knew this team had something special.” 

After nearly a decade boosting the philanthropic community at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Scott Anderson will take a new job as vice president of Philanthropy for the Sarasota-based Jewish Housing Council Foundation. The move will allow Anderson to slow down personally but still make a big difference in lives of individuals in the region. “I wanted in the next chapter of my life to be taking care of people,” he says. After years on the board of the Jewish Housing Council, the move seemed natural.

Jewish Housing Council Foundation provides financial support for Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson, a rental senior community in Sarasota offering a full continuum of care. CEO Heidi Brown said Anderson’s arrival comes just as the organization launches new programs and invests $1.5 million in renovations and enhancements. “We’re also poised to expand the campus to include other models of independent living and adult day care services,” she says. “Scott’s philanthropic reach and expertise will help us continue to raise the standard in senior living and care. He brings to us his love for the Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson campus and its residents, his deep knowledge of our nonprofit community and enormous enthusiasm for programs that benefit older adults.”

Anderson expects to rely on a the network of connections and visibility in the community. He has lived in the region for 26 years, including about nine and a half at Gulf Coast. In her new capacity, fundraising will remain a priority, and he noted major events like Keeping the Dream Alive and Eight Over 80 continue to be important for the organization.

He will start the new post in July, and stressed he still strongly supports everything Gulf Coast has accomplished in the region. He said working for individuals, notably past CEO Teri Hansen, has been essential in developing his philanthropic vision and ability. Now he will take the stewardship developed to his next job. 

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels, doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles...A new item needs to be added to the list of Maria's favorite things: the Heiße Liebe. For the non-German or Austrian, this chilly treat translates to "hot love." Classic scoops of vanilla ice cream swim in a sweet steamy pool of hot berries, bordered by airy whipped cream and topped with a waffeletten (German chocolate wafer roll). As the heat radiating from the juicy strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries slowly melts the vanilla cream, each bite brings a welcome pop of dueling sensations, which make a rare culinary pact to work together—warmth rolls down your throat filling your belly with a cozy buzz while you simultaneously experience the refreshing cool rush of the ice cream. Simply soaked in their own natural juices, the only thing supplementing the Bavarian berry sauce is a dash of sugar. Dip the crunchy wafer roll in the whipped cream and swirl it around in the melty leftovers for a second wave of sweetness. A traditional German dessert, don't be surprised if you suddenly feel the urge to yodel from the hilltops or break out into song, namely "Edelweiss," after a few bites of this hot love.    

The Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus, 3246 East Bay Dr., Holmes Beach, 941-778-1320

Delicate, buttery and golden brown cooked to perfection—the homey wafts of pancakes in the morning tingles your sense of smell in the best way. The chefs at Station 400 share their mouth-watering blueberry and almond pancake recipe. Mixed with almonds, this dish is showered with blueberry coulis on top causing the coolness of the syrup and heat of the pancake to complement one another for a lip-smacking taste.

Ingredients: 3 oz. blueberries; 1 oz. almonds; 1 oz. vanilla bean butter; 2 oz. pancake syrup; 0.5 oz. berry coulis; 3.75 qt. flour; 12 Tbsp. baking powder; 3 Tbsp. salt; 1 cup sugar; 2.75 qt. milk; 1 qt. water; 10 eggs; butter.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a sieve and sift into large bowl. Combine milk, egg and butter in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ones and whisk thoroughly, adding almonds to taste. Allow batter to rest at least 30 minutes before serving. Top with berry coulis as desired.  

Station 400, 400 North Lemon Ave., Sarasota, 941-906-1400.

Established by Dr. Inda Mowett, the Aesthetic and Wellness Center moved into a larger office in May, which expanded from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet. With this expansion Dr. Mowett will be able to offer a more comprehensive range of services to weight loss patients and other area residents. A fitness studio will be constructed in the Wellness Center that will include training for individuals and groups.  

Aesthetic and Wellness Center

Goodwill Manasota has announced the 2016 board of directors. As chairman of the board, Rob Morris continues his tenure along with immediate past chair Steve Boone holding the title of chair emeritus. Peter Crowley is chair-elect while Drayton Saunders serves as secretary/treasurer. New to the board this year are Lisl Liang, Rae Dowling and Rod Hollingsworth.  

Goodwill Manasota

The Cordelia Lee Beattie Foundation has given the Van Wezel foundation a $20,000 grant that will be used to continue the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall’s Total Access to the Arts Program. The program has been designed to provide local families with young children facing financial challenges the opportunity to experience several live performances at the Van Wezel over the course of the season free of charge along with a pre-show dinner.   

Van Wezel