Chicago has a reputation as a rough city, and whether or not that reputation is warranted, a play by one of its hottest up-and-coming playwrights promises to challenge Sarasota audiences with its colorful language, flawed characters and racy sexual themes. The play is called “Sender,” and it is part 1 of a 7-play series of loosely-connected stories by playwright Ike Holter, a Chicago native poised to break out in 2020 for his powerful, timely work.

The play opens with a quirky twist: a man who was thought by his friends to be dead returns and upends the tenuous peace they have all made in moving on. His mysterious reappearance and desire to make up for lost time and past mistakes rips through their lives like a tornado, forcing each of them to take responsibility for themselves. And, some of the contemporary issues explored by the play—student loan debt, arrested development, sexuality—belie the universal themes explored, which bodes well for a play about millennials being performed to an older audience.

“The characters all in one way or another embody some of the things that make other people look down on millennials,” says Brendan Ragan, Co-artistic director of Urbanite and director of this production. “But, ultimately, the characters are dealing with the same problems as any other family drama,” he says, “secrets, infidelity, substance abuse; it’s just that they aren’t a traditional, nuclear family.” It all amounts to a play that promises to portray the despondency and angst of the Millennial generation in all of its self-reflective, insecure, foul-mouthed glory.

“Ike’s language is gorgeous,” says Mary Williamson, who reprises her role as Tess, a role she played when the play premiered in Chicago in 2016. “It’s heightened yet realistic, rhythmic and chaotic,” she continues, and altogether serves to accentuate the manic lives of the four millennial characters who all, in one way or another, are struggling with the looming threat of their belated adulthood. And, like the play’s protagonist returning from the dead, Urbanite’s production is also an opportunity for Williamson to reflect on her own growth, both personally and as an actress.

“This will be the first time I’ll revisit a character with a totally different company,” she says, “and I’ve had more life experience, so I’m a different person and Tess is a different person.” For Williamson, having more life experience means she can better understand her troubled character, and Ragan hopes this translates into something universally relatable for Sarasota audiences. “The play is about growing up, but also about healing and owning yourself,” says Ragan. Nonetheless, “Sender” will continue Urbanite’s aim to push the boundary on what Sarasota audiences are used to.The play opens tonight at 8 pm and promises to evoke any combination of gasps,
laughs, eye-rolls or tears. It runs through February 16th. 

Credit Jack Cooper for the photo, and include this caption:

Since 2004, Embracing Our Differences has used the power of art and prose to promote diversity. One way it accomplishes this is through its annual, juried international outdoor art exhibition consisting of 50 billboard-sized works of art, each accompanied by an inspirational quote. The response to the call for artwork and inspirational quotes was record-breaking this year, with 16,118 entries pouring in from 127 countries and 50 states. Students from 398 schools around the world submitted artwork or quotes to the juried exhibit. The winning quotes and art will be showcased in the 17the annual exhibit, January 18 through April 5, in Sarasota’s Bayfront Park. 

Image by Ash DiCristofalo, "Coming Together". For more information about this exhibit or Embracing Our Differences, call 941-404-5710 or visit www.embracingourdifferences.org.

 Sarasota Opera is seeking a number of enthusiastic, outgoing children to volunteer as supernumeraries, or “supers,” the non-singing and non-speaking extras in the following opera productions in its 2020 Winter Festival Season: Puccini’s La bohème, Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, and Catalani’s La Wally. Age range for the characters is from 7 to 18. To be considered for the role: must be no taller than 4'6", maximum weight no more than 120 lbs, be energetic, enthusiastic and take direction well, must be able to attend evening and occasional daytime rehearsals and evening/weekend performances. Rehearsals will start in mid-January 2020 and the final performance of the winter season is March 22, 2020. 

Parents of interested children, please contact Director of Artistic Administration Greg Trupiano at 941-366-8450 ext. 534, or email info@sarasotaopera.org.

Health departments in the Tampa Bay region-Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota-are strongly encouraging residents older than six months of age to follow the Florida Department of Health's recommendation that all unvaccinated residents get their flu shot as soon as possible. Flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu and its potentially serious complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, nationwide, for the 2019-2020 season so far, there have been at least 6.4 million cases of influenza, more than 55,000 associated hospitalizations and approximately 2,900 related deaths. For Florida flu statistics, please visit the Department's Florida Flu Review website. "With this year's flu season in full swing, it is critical that adults and children get the flu vaccine to protect against infection and help prevent the spread of seasonal flu to others", said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. "By getting a flu shot now, you will protect yourself, as well as your family and friends." "Influenza is a contagious virus that can spread rapidly in our communities and cause severe illness resulting in hospitalization or death", said Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees. "Getting vaccinated is the best way to avoid the flu; it reduces the spread of the virus and can also help make illnesses less severe for those who do still get sick." 

Sarasota Contact: (941) 861-2900

The School District of Manatee County’s overall graduation rate has increased 5.3 percentage points since the 2014-2015 school year, according to graduation data released today by the Florida Department of Education. While the district’s overall graduation rate dipped slightly from a year ago (from 85.4% in 2017-2018, to 83.2% in 2018-2019), the long-term trend reflects improvement – not only overall, but for different demographic subgroups. For example:

• The graduation rate for Students with Disabilities in Manatee County has increased 26.9 percentage points since 2014-2015.

• The graduation rate for Hispanic or Latino students in Manatee County has increased 11 percentage points since 2014-2015.

• The graduation rate for Black or African American students in Manatee County has increased 6.2 percentage points since 2014-2015

• The graduation rate for White students in Manatee County has increased 5.1 percentage points since 2014-2015.

“While yearly graduation rates in our school district have shown some fluctuations over the last several years, the overall trend is one of sustained progress, especially when you look at the different demographic subgroups of students we serve,” said Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Services Genelle Zoratti-Yost. “While we know we have work to do to continue to improve, we feel like the direction we are heading in terms of graduating our students reflects a positive upswing.” 

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner has been invited by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in Washington, D.C. to participate in a panel discussion next week on issues faced by national elections officials related to poll workers and other election day challenges. The commission’s 2020 Elections Summit, which will highlight important issues facing state and local elections officials as they prepare for the 2020 primaries and general elections, is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14 at the Washington-based National Press Club. 

The all-day event will bring together state and local election officials, representatives from federal agencies that support elections, and other key election stakeholders to discuss election security and combatting foreign interference in elections, preparing for high voter turnout, ensuring access for voters with disabilities and limited English proficiency, and effective poll worker recruiting and training. The EAC will convene a total of four panels to address various aspects of election administration. Turner will participate in the panel discussion on challenges faced by election officials related to implementing election policy change at the ground level, deploying election poll books and new voting equipment, and supporting poll workers to ensure accessibility in the polling place. 

The summit will be livestreamed on www.eac.gov

The annual American Advertising Awards remains the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition to honor creative excellence in the area. Conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the local phase—sponsored by AdFed Suncoast—is the first of a three-tier, national competition. Across the nation, entrants vie to win the prestigious ADDY Awards—recognition as the very best in their markets. At the second tier, local ADDY winners compete against winners from other local clubs in one of 15 district competitions. District winners are then forwarded to the national stage of the 2020 American Advertising Awards. 

Open to media professionals throughout Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands and Glades counties, the coveted local chapter competition will recognize the best spirit and art of advertising and communications. AdFed Suncoast recently confirmed the three-member creative panel that will judge entries at this year’s Awards. The judges were chosen from a database provided by parent organization, American Advertising Federation (AAF) - Fourth District. They are brought in from outside the local market area so they are neutral and unfamiliar with our entrants during the judging process. Judges include Matthew Wengerd of A Fine Press in Lakeland, FL; Anne Grigsby of Grisby Design in West Palm Beach, FL; and Tim Boatright, Creative Director at Vistra Communications in Lutz, FL.  

Boatright, who has more than 30 years of advertising experience and has earned hundreds of prestigious honors, including more than a dozen Clio Awards and scores of regional and national ADDY Awards, has worked on everything from major pharmaceuticals to telecommunications accounts and with brands such as AT&T, DIRECTV, Pepsi, Pfizer, Lowe’s, Burger King and MillerCoors. "I am looking forward to the challenge of judging what I know will be exceptional work," he says. "It is an honor to have been selected to participate in this year's Suncoast ADDY Awards team on the other side of the competition."

Judges will review entries submitted by the Suncoast market in all areas of online, nontraditional, print and broadcast advertising. Advertising professionals are invited to submit their work in consideration for the prestigious ADDY Award. All entries must be received by 5 pm on January 17. Judging will be conducted the weekend of January 24 and all finalists will be notified by the week of February 2. The winners are all kept top secret until the unveiling at the awards show on February 23, where winners will be honored at a black-tie gala. 

Entry fees are $89 for members of AdFed Suncoast and $178 for non-members. To receive an American Advertising Awards entry packet, contact Shane Hughes, AdFed Suncoast president at 941-927-7589, or visit AdFedSuncoast.com/ADDYs for entry details.  

Photo from the 2019 American Advertising Awards, courtesy of AdFed Suncoast. Check out the highlight reel on YouTube here.

For entry details, click here.

Argus Foundation will be hosting Former Congresswoman & Google VP of Public Policy’s Susan Molinari and Former Congressman Bill Paxon at today's annual meeting from 11:30am-1pm to offer their perspectives on Washington D.C. today. Susan Molinari’s congressional career began in 1990 when she took the seat of New York’s 14th congressional district. In 1992, following the state’s redistricting, Molinari won her second race leading the district until 1997. During her time in office, Molinari signed the 1994 Contract with America amendment pledging a balanced budget to the U.S. Constitution, later taking a seat on the House Budget Committee after trading in her former seat on the Education and Labor committee. In 1997, Molinari left her notable congressional career to become the co-host of CBS
News, and by 2012, she was named Google’s VP of Public Policy for the Americas until 2018. Bill Paxon’s congressional career spanned from 1989 to 1993 after five years of serving the New York State Assembly. He was elected into the 101 st , 102 nd , 103 rd , 104 th and 105 th United States Congresses, and during his time in office, he was elected into the National Republican Congressional Committee in 1992 and chaired by the Republican House Leadership committee during the 105 th Congress. Paxon later became an advisor to GOP congressional members and by 1999, he joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP where he has advised on policy issues for
both public and private sector clients for nearly two decades. Paxon has been consistently rated as one of Washington’s top lobbyists. The Argus Foundation will additionally present their installation of new 2020 officers during their annual meeting. Interested community members must register to attend. Seating is limited. 

Contact Christine@argusfoundation.org for tickets.

Earlier this week developers officially broke ground on The Palmetto Sheraton at the Bradenton Area Convention Center located adjacent to the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The estimate $60 million project is expected to draw more business and tourism to the area – specifically from groups and meetings – and is projected to be completed in September 2021. 

Michelle R. Armstrong has joined RE/MAX Alliance Group as a Realtor in the Bradenton office. She formerly worked with a predecessor of RE/MAX Alliance Group before moving to South Carolina, where she was also a RE/MAX agent. With 23 years of real estate experience, Armstrong brings excellent negotiation skills, an extensive knowledge of the market, and “a passion for helping people.” She is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI) and a member of the 100% Club recognizing outstanding performance. The mother of three, a grown son and two daughters, Armstrong enjoys going to the beach, swimming and reading. She is involved in dog rescue efforts. The Bradenton office is located at 3007 Manatee Avenue W. Armstrong can be reached at (941) 713-8294 or MichelleArmstrong123@yahoo.com.  

The January 2020 New Year New You feature shows the changes we can make to engage our health, wellness, strength and happiness. 

Read the full story.