Over 100 years ago, FST’s Keating Theatre served as headquarters for The Woman’s Club of Sarasota. On Monday, that rich history was evoked as Kate Alexander, FST’s pioneering Associate Director At-Large, unveiled an ambitious collaboration between 55 arts organizations in the greater Sarasota area called The Suffragist Project: Celebrating 100 Years of the Woman’s Right to Vote. To a packed house that included the political gravitas of state representatives and local elections supervisor Ron Turner, Alexander employed the full emotive force of her theatre background to elicit frequent applause in response to her directorship of the far-reaching collaboration that includes artistic, educational and cultural programming from some of the most prominent arts institutions in the area.

The Project kicks off this Sunday with a rather fitting publicity campaign in Walk with the Suffragists, a march of solidarity that will be a part of the 2019 Sarasota Holiday Parade. As all participants in the walk take peacefully to the streets as part of the parade’s procession, Alexander hopes to bring awareness to the sacrifices made in pursuit of women’s suffrage. “We have no idea what some great women risked to speak out loud with men,” she says, and the parade will serve as a great opportunity to celebrate the freedom of the modern woman to assemble proudly and in full public view.

As part of the project’s community outreach programming that begins in January 2020 and runs through March, the project will feature educational seminars for county students in which trained actresses will give dramatic readings of famous suffragist speeches. Following each performance, students will participate in a Q & A session with a member of the Sarasota County Bar Association, offering an opportunity for practicing attorneys to distill the finer details of the movement’s legislative goals into accessible terms.

Of course, the arts programming will reinforce the celebration of women’s suffrage as well. In addition to the myriad visual arts programming offered by The Ringling, Art Ovation Hotel, ArtCenter Sarasota and others, performance art will feature prominently.
Sarasota Orchestra chimes in for the Project in June 2020 with Voices Unbound: Three Centuries of Women in Music. Voices Unbound will spotlight the work of female composers and their role in breaking barriers for women in classical music. In addition, the Orchestra will sponsor works by several female composers and invite them to participate in the production process of their pieces’ performance.

FST itself will also host the Dangerous Ladies Festival in August 2020, in which four commissioned plays by female playwrights will be presented. Each play will help bring to life the spirit of women who campaigned for the 19th Amendment and also highlight the ever-expanding role of women in theatre. “Women weren’t allowed to have agency and perform in some of the greatest plays in antiquity,” says Alexander.

The full breadth of the programming will culminate with a documentary that tracks the Project from beginning to end. Those interested in learning more about the Project can visit FST’s website, where a full listing of events and sponsors is available. 

Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota, 941-366-9000.

Executive Chef and co-owner of Baker & Wife Global Cafe, Isaac Correa, announced a festive pop-up event celebrating Puerto Rican heritage, dubbed 'Taste of Puerto Rico'. Before the Christmas cooking marathons ensue, take a load off and dine in on December 23 for a culinary experience of tropical fun and flair from Chef Correa and fellow Chef Gerardo “Jerry” Colon, which will take shape in the form of four Latin cuisine-inspired courses, plus featured craft cocktails—including the Coquito, a traditional PR Christmas drink and a Passion Fruit Mojito.

Go muy hungry, because the Aperitivos (appetizers) come out the gate flipping with lots of fresh seafood varieties. Charred Octopus will come served with micro cilantro, red onion, malanga chips, watercress, lime and mint dressing, while the beloved Mofongo, will highlight its uniquely Puerto Rican ingredients with an elevated twist—boasting Gulf shrimp, applewood smoked bacon and lobster consommé. A mid antojito (snack) will break up the courses with housemade tostones—twice-fried plantain slices commonly snacked upon in Caribbean culture. Platos Fuertes (entrees) include Petite Puerto Rican Pernil, which is essentially Roast Garlic Pork Shank—Chesire heritage with bone in, skin on shank and served with arroz con gandules (yellow rice with pigeon peas). The other option is the Pan Seared Grouper Collars, served with authentic salsa criolla, tomato, onion, garlic, olives, capers and cilantro. Can you guess the neighboring island’s favorite dessert? The Postre (dessert) will highlight the delicious delicacy of Flan, served with fresh raspberries.

“These dishes are inspired by my and Gerardo Colon’s parents and roots—some are actually still cooked over the holidays,” shares Chef Correa. “We have been wanting to do this for a long time and we will be hosting a series of different cuisines once a month.” 

Taste of Puerto Rico, $80 per person (includes a welcome cocktail and an after dinner drink). Monday December 23, 5:00pm. 

Photo courtesy of Baker & Wife

Baker & Wife Global Cafe, 2157 Siesta Dr., Sarasota, 941-960-1765.

One of downtown Sarasota’s most popular dining destinations is expanding its footprint. Selva Grill, a Main Street hot spot for 15 years, is set to open a second location at University Town Center in summer 2020.Ranked among the hottest 100 restaurants in America according to OpenTable, Selva Grill is known for its beautifully presented dishes inspired by Peruvian cuisine.  The menu features creative cocktails, fresh ceviches and top-notch Nuevo Latino dishes, like empanadas, seafood paella, salmon chileno topped with crab and manchego, and the famous skirt steak served atop plantains, beet relish and chimichurri. Selva Grill’s second location will be in a 5,000-square-foot space on Cattlemen Road in the West District of UTC, adjacent to Jared the Galleria of Jewelry. The new chic space will feature plenty of outdoor and indoor seating in a modern, colorful setting, complete with an artfully lighted mural by Douglas Higgins, the same artist who designed the Starry Night-inspired mural in the original location. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Selva Grill to UTC and enhance the district’s already impressive list of gathering and dining options,” said Mark Chait, executive director of leasing for UTC developer Benderson Development. “UTC is a unique shopping and dining destination with a mix of exceptional retailers, and it speaks volumes about the district’s continued growth and success that Selva Grill chose this for its second location.” 

This weekend, Sarasota Orchestra audiences have the opportunity to witness a musical trailblazer on the podium. JoAnn Falletta has garnered three Grammy awards, was appointed by two U.S. Presidents to sit on an esteemed arts council, and is considered one of the most exceptionally gifted American conductors of all time. In this weekend’s Masterworks concert, Roman Festivals, the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra brings her energy and talents to the Sarasota Orchestra for three days of performances. Falletta, who is internationally celebrated as a vibrant ambassador for music and an inspiring artistic leader, has guest-conducted more than 100 orchestras in North America and many of the most prominent orchestras in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. Earlier this year, she was named Performance Today’s 2019 Classical Woman of The Year for making a lasting impact on classical music.

Friday, December 6, 8:00 pm; Saturday, December 7, 8:00 pm;  Sunday, December 8, 2:30 pm at Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. *Cyber Sale extended* Take 30% off online purchases of tickets to this weekend’s Masterworks using promo codeCYBER. Tickets here.  

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner is accepting applications for a $1,200 scholarship to be awarded by the Florida Supervisors of Elections (FSE) in 2020.

The FSE is offering a total of three scholarships to eligible college/university juniors or seniors enrolled or accepted as full-time students in an accredited Florida university or college.

To be eligible, an applicant must:
-be either a political science, public or business administration, or journalism/mass communication major;
-have finished two years of junior college or undergraduate work and be enrolled or accepted as a full-time student in a senior college or university in Florida;
-have been a resident of Florida for at least two years preceding the academic year for which the application is made, and
-be registered to vote in the county where the application is made.

Additional eligibility requirements are listed on the application and in the scholarship guidelines, which are available online at SarasotaVotes.com. Applications may also be picked up at any one of the following supervisor of elections offices: 

Sarasota County Terrace Building, 101 South Washington Blvd, 7th Floor, Sarasota
R.L. Anderson Administration Building, 4000 South Tamiami Trail, Venice
Biscayne Plaza, 13640 Tamiami Trail, North Port

Completed applications must be received by Friday, February 28, 2020, and may be delivered in person or by mail to: Supervisor of Elections, PO Box 4194, Sarasota, FL. For more information, call 941-861-8606. 

Today, the Board of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County announced that Mark Huey will step down as President and CEO of the organization. "We are grateful for Mark's leadership over the past nearly nine years he has served the mission of the EDC," saod Art Lambert, the EDC's Board Chair, in acccepting Mark's resignation.

“Leading such a vibrant organization that has contributed so much to our County’s business growth has been an honor for me,” Mark stated. “It has been a great leadership run in a wonderful community.” “I look forward to taking my experiences to a new opportunity and will enthusiastically cheer on the EDC team as it continues to grow and diversify our economy.”

According to Lambert, the Board has identified a transition team empowered to carry forward, without interruption, the EDC’s mission during the search process and to work closely on the formation and charge of the search committee.