This Thursday, Cabaret opened for Asolo Repertory Theatre, marking the start of the storied theater’s 2022-23 production season. The award-winning musical, which first made its debut in 1967 and is based on the play by John Van Druten, is set in 1931 Berlin and follows the performers and patrons of the luxurious Kit Kat club. As the Third Reich begins to take hold over Germany, the members of the club have to choose between remaining in their fantasy world of cabaret theater or face the mounting threat.

Asolo Repertory Theatre chose to produce Cabaret in large part as a response to the turmoil across the world over the past two years. The production serves as a thematic stamp over the entire season, echoing the notion that the theater can be a place where people can escape the hardships of the outside world. “We found it really inspiring to think about a story where people came together in a really fraught time in their history and survived, made art, and embraced joy where they could. I think that this musical embraces that sentiment and will be a treat for the audience as well as something that’s thought provoking,” says Celine Rosenthal, Associate Artistic Director at the Asolo.

The production is directed by Josh Rhodes, who has had success as a director with Asolo in the past. “When it comes to season selection, Michael Donald Edwards (Producing Artistic Director), Michael always thinks of the play first – it has to be the right story for the season – and then a director that would be a good fit emerges. We work in a repertory scenario, so not only do we have to balance how we accommodate the rotating cast with who doubles into the different shows, but also we’re looking to create a season that has a little bit of something for everybody. We don’t want to have a season of all the same stories, so finding that exact right fit so that we’re offering up a season in which you want to see everything is always such a puzzle to put together.”

Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 941.351.8000 / 800.361.8388. 

Pictured: Iris Beaumier and the cast of Asolo Rep's Cabaret. Photo credit: Cliff Roles

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Book club or no, I’m reading all the time and love the adventure of the ‘next’ book. However, let’s face facts; each and everyone of us can get into a rut or echo chamber of our own ‘likes’ whether it be Colleen Hoover or David Baldacci.

That’s why two recent book clubs have made me stretch my intellectual and communication skill set. For example, I just finished Beginning of Spring by Penelope Fitzgerald, a simply covered white and black book that has stared at me from the Staff Pick shelf with a sweet note from our wonderful Elsie Souza who deftly entices shoppers to ‘read this!’. Had it not been for my condo’s book club’s rabbit hole into Russian based literature (the book previously had been Dostovevky’s Notes from the Underground), I would never have chosen Fitzgerald to read.

Penelope Fitzgerald was a Booker Prize winner and is considered one of the 45 greatest British writers of all time. Her literary rocket had been fueling for 58 years before she was actually published. Beginning of Spring wasn’t her Booker Prize winner, but it was nominated and rightfully so. To say that it’s a delightful tale of a man left by his wife with three small children, sounds rather odd, but Fitzgerald’s writing brings you into their pre-Russian Revolution Moscow home and entertains you with three precocious children and their analytically flummoxed father. Her description of a spring birch forest ready to pop from its winter’s respite is also indescribably comforting.

I am blessed to have stretched myself into reading books outside my normal box. And even better, to be able to discuss the book with a community of fellow book lovers.

Currently at BookStore1 we have several book clubs: mysteries, short stories, banned, poetry and short and satisfying. See our website for more information.

Beginning of Spring published in 1988 (ISBN #: 9780544484115) is available now at www.sarsotabooks.com or in person at 17 S. Pineapple Ave. Sarasota, FL 34236. 

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In what is shaping up to be a big year for The Players as it crests the midway point of its 93rd Season, the nonprofit community theatre has announced the hiring of Steven H. Butler as its new Artistic Director. Butler has roots in the area, growing up in Sarasota and graduating from Sarasota High. Butler joins The Players from Gainesville, Florida, where he most notably served as Executive Director of Florida Theatre Conference, Inc. (FTC), and as Executive/Artistic Director and co-founder of The Actor’s Warehouse, Inc. (AW). His work with FTC saw him refine and develop the organization’s mission and objectives while interfacing with state, regional and national organizations to ensure FTC adopted best practices in community engagement, access and inclusion. At AW, Butler guided the nonprofit’s creation and relocation from an unassuming storefront to a historic church built in 1928 and then through the pandemic. On the artistic side of Butler’s résumé, he brings a wealth of directorial and acting credits around the state, including The Players where he assumed roles in various productions such as Irma la Douce, Carousel, Cabaret, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. As a director, Butler helped produce renowned productions for AW, including Steel Magnolias, Black Nativity, and Satchmo at the Waldorf. Butler begins his role as Artistic Director on February 27, 2023 and will work on carrying out the rest of the critically acclaimed 93rd Season for The Players while planning for the 94th Season. In addition, Butler’s experience with relocating AW to a new location will serve The Players well as it explores new spaces for a more permanent home. 

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota will present three concerts in January: Grammy Award-nominated Dover Quartet on January 10 at the Historic Asolo Theater; husband/wife duo Kerry Wilkerson, bass-baritone and Danielle Talamantes, soprano on January 18 at Plantation Golf and Country Club; and violinist Steven Moeckel with pianist Joanna Goldstein on January 29 and 30 at the Fischer/Weisenborne residence. Dover Quartet, nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award in the Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance category for “Beethoven Complete String Quartets: Volume 2 The Middle Quartets,” perform works by Beethoven and Mendelssohn on January 10, 7:30 p.m. at the Historic Asolo Theater. Metropolitan Opera soprano Danielle Talamantes and her husband, bass-baritone Kerry Wilkerson, will perform a Lighter Fare Series program devoted to classics from the Great American Songbook and musical theater. This concert is January 18 at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice. The Soireé Series at the Fischer/Weisenborne residence continues January 29 at 4:00 p.m. and January 30 at 7:30 p.m. with celebrated violinist Steven Moeckel, concertmaster of the Santa Fe Opera. This program features the works of women composers including Amy Beach, Frances Ulric Cole, Jesse Montgomery, and Florence Price. For more information and tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202. 

Sarasota Orchestra announced that it will offer a “gift of music” this holiday season through an initiative called “Hometown Heroes.” Intended for members of the Sarasota-Manatee community who work in emergency response, disaster recovery, education, healthcare and other public services, the initiative will provide a select number of free tickets to attend a concert entitled “A Guided Tour: Mahler and Sibelius.” Public servants with a valid ID may reserve up to four free tickets online. The performance will take place on Friday, January 6, 2023 at the Van Wezel at 7:30 p.m. Those who work in the following fields are invited to participate: Healthcare, Education, Human Services (social work, food banks, homeless shelters, foster care, other), Law Enforcement, Active Military, Firefighters, Public Works/Utilities (power, water, waste management, other), Construction. A work-issued photo ID is required at Will Call to pick-up free tickets. Conductor Peter Oundjian, Grammy-winning violinist James Ehnes, and soprano Laquita Mitchell join Sarasota Orchestra for a 60 to 75 minute, new concert format called “A Guided Tour.” Conductor and soloists will lead the way through inspiring and joyous selections of music by Gustav Mahler and Jean Sibelius, sharing historical background and personal insights on the music. The Guided Tour concert format is designed to welcome those new to classical music. The Hometown Heroes initiative is made possible by Orchestra donors and ticket buyers. Tickets for the general public start at $26. January 6, 7:30 pm, Van Wezel. 

For more information click here.

Sixteen Hands Horse Sanctuary based in Ona, FL, serving Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Hardee Counties and beyond, is celebrating its 15th anniversary by hosting an Open House on Sunday, December 11th, 2022. Enjoy a day in the country with fun for the whole family to enjoy. Grab a bite to eat at the food concessions, meet the horses, tour the barn, and take part in a 50/50 raffle. Join us for horsemanship and hoof trimming demonstrations, as well as an adoptable horse parade. Participation and support at this year’s Open House helps continue efforts of helping neglected, abused, and abandoned horses for “as long as it takes”. Robin Cain founded the sanctuary on the premise of being a “lifetime home” for unwanted horses. She dedicates her life to ensuring they are safe and comfortable. The horses get to enjoy being horses again living in natural herds. Sixteen Hands Horse Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As a sanctuary, most of the horses rescued stay at the sanctuary forever and will never have to suffer abuse or neglect ever again. Community support is needed now more than ever as the farm rebounds from Hurricane Ian and ongoing increase in costs for horse care, supplies, and veterinary needs. Sixteen Hands Horse Sanctuary relies heavily on the annual Giving Tuesday challenge where donations are matched. Giving Tuesday coincides with the Sanctuary’s Open House and runs through Dec 13th,2022. All are welcome at Sixteen Hands Horse Sanctuary Open House.

Sunday, December 11, 2022, 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., 712 Roy Moore Road, Ona, Florida 33865. The horse sanctuary is off SR 64 at the Manatee / Hardee County line. Once you are on Roy Moore Road follow the signs with our address to our gate.

To learn more click here.

The community is invited to celebrate enhanced bicycle safety and expanded multimodal opportunities when the Ringling Trail “complete street” opens with a special ceremony at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. The event will take place on the north side of the Ringling Boulevard - Legacy Trail intersection, just east of School Avenue. The Ringling Trail complete street features protected bicycle lanes for one mile between Lime and Pineapple avenues in downtown Sarasota creating a safer road experience for recreational cyclists and commuters. The lanes also provide connectivity between The Legacy Trail at Payne Park and the downtown core. The protected lanes are painted bright green to alert bicyclists and e-scooter riders they are approaching an intersection or potential conflict point. The bright color also serves as a reminder to drivers to remain in their travel lane. The bike lanes are physically protected with 6-foot long bright green concrete wheel stops and 4-foot tall flexible delineators placed between the bike and travel lanes. The Friends of the Legacy Trail and the Sarasota/Manatee Bicycle Club will be among the guests at the grand opening celebration. Immediately following a ribbon cutting ceremony, bicyclists will experience the new protected lanes with a fun, organized ride along the Ringling Trail. Historically, traffic volumes along the Ringling corridor have been declining. After a 2020 traffic study showed vehicles will continue to flow at an acceptable level during the next 20 years, one travel lane was repurposed as a bicycle lane in the complete street design. A complete street is unique to a community and promotes age-friendly safe travel whether biking, driving a vehicle, walking or riding a bus. The Ringling Trail construction schedule was accelerated to coincide as closely as possible with the opening of The Legacy Trail extension. Funding sources for the $2.7 million Ringling Trail include the Sarasota County Penny Sales Tax, Economic Development Funds, multimodal impact fees and federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Other improvements include the addition of landscaping and the adjustment of signal timing to improve traffic management. 

To learn more click here.

While ovarian cancer is relatively rare, it is the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. It is a stealthy disease, with no proven screening tests to help with early detection and no noticeable symptoms until its later stages when the cancer is harder to treat. That’s why the Sarasota Memorial Research Institute is among 318 research sites across the nation participating in a clinical trial aimed at preventing ovarian cancer in women at high risk for the disease. Known as the SOROCk trial, the study will assess whether removing the fallopian tubes (bilateral salpingectomy) reduces the risk of ovarian cancer among premenopausal women with inherited BRCA1 mutations as effectively as removing both the ovaries and fallopian tubes (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy). The current standard of care is to remove both the ovaries and fallopian tubes at the same time, which is highly effective but comes with significant side effects and long-term problems. Over the next 10 years, researchers will collect data from more than 2,000 premenopausal women (age 35-50) with the BRCA1 mutation, comparing clinical outcomes of those who opt to remove their fallopian tubes and ovaries with those who choose to remove only their fallopian tubes. Women who choose the latter can opt to remove their ovaries later and still be part of the trial. The study excludes women who are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or have a prior history of ovarian cancer. For more information about the SOROCk trial or other clinical trials, contact the Sarasota Memorial Research Institute at (941) 917-2225. 

The Gecko’s Hospitality Group family of restaurants has renewed its ongoing commitment as a Business Partner with Unidos Now, designating their Future Leaders Academy as direct recipients of a multi-year scholarship award. Gecko’s co-owners, Mike Gowan & Mike Quillen awarded the check at a presentation ceremony at the Fruitville Gecko’s. The Gecko’s Hospitality Group has a long history of serving as Business Partners with dozens of schools in Sarasota and Manatee County, providing Super Student Free Meals to tens of thousands of elementary students and supporting untold numbers of philanthropies and charitable groups. Gecko’s was awarded the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s prestigious Restaurant Neighbor award for the entire United States in 2017. This honor recognizes outstanding restaurants around the country that go above and beyond in community service and aims to inspire other restaurateurs to get or stay involved in their local communities. 

GREEN DENSITY | Michael Halflants shared how he is championing sustainable structures.

Halflants discussed the direction of sustainable building and the climate of Sarasota's progression. Read more through the link, on our social media, or in the December Edition! 

Read Here!

Meet the region's 35 Under 35 Awards Honorees for the 2022 program produced by SRQ Magazine to recognize young professionals who are taking a leadership position at their company and in the community.

About 35 Under 35 Honoree Brian D. Goodrich, Shareholder, Bentley Goodrich Kison, P.A.

He is an experienced, AV-rated commercial litigator, which is the highest peer ranking issued by Martindale-Hubbell given exclusively to attorneys who possess high ethical standards, communication skills and legal expertise. Brian has been recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer, Florida Trend Legal Elite “Up and Comer”, an “Elite Top Attorney” by SRQ Magazine and by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Brian’s general business litigation caseload includes representation of both plaintiffs and defendants in lawsuits involving allegations of contract breaches, disputes among shareholders or partners, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, breaches of fiduciary duty, fraud and various other business torts. As part of his real estate litigation practice, Brian represents plaintiffs and defendants in disputes involving real estate contracts, easements, construction litigation, lien litigation and HOA issues. He also practices in general civil and trust litigation. Bentley Goodrich Kison (BGK) regularly handles cases in state and federal court, arbitrations, and administrative hearings. BGK is frequently at the forefront of important local issues. BGK’s attorneys have extensive litigation and dispute resolution experience and have earned a reputation for being trusted, effective advocates for their clients. Recently, U.S. News – Best Lawyers® named BGK to its 2023 “Best Law Firms” list for its work in commercial and real estate litigation. 

To read the full article, click here.