Catch Asolo Repertory Theatre’s season-opening production of Crazy for You, before it’s gone this holiday season. The Tony-Award winning musical from Ken Ludwig, George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, which runs through January 4 at the Asolo, is largely based on the songs from the Gershwin brothers’ 1930 musical Girl Crazy.

In Girl Crazy, protagonist Danny Churchill is sent to Arizona to manage his family’s ranch. Instead, Danny turns his family’s property into a dude ranch, importing Broadway showgirls as entertainment and attracting visitors from all over the country as he falls in love with the local postmaster, Molly Gray. In Crazy for You, Bobby Child, wealthy son of a banking family, is sent to Nevada to foreclose on an old, run-down theater. Upon arrival, however, Bobby falls in love with local girl Polly Baker and works to revitalize the town by staging a production at the run-down theater.

Crazy for You, which first premiered on Broadway in 1992, was conceptualized by producers Roger Horchow and Elizabeth Williams, who tabbed Ken Ludwig to write the book for a new version of Girl Crazy. With permission from the Gershwin family–Ira passed in 1983 and George in 1937–the production was set to be under way. During development, however, Crazy for You became its own musical and incorporated songs from across Gershwin's musical canon. The musical’s premiere in 1992 and subsequent win for Best Musical at that year’s Tony Awards was a hallmark moment for American theater, with the production being credited for the revival of the traditional Broadway musical.

An explosive, bombastic musical, Crazy for You had all the qualities that Asolo Repertory Theatre was looking for in a season opening production. “Crazy for You gives us fantastic comedy, great physical comedy and is such a celebration of the theater. It features some of the greatest classics from the American songbook, along with tap dancing, physical comedy and romance,” says Peter Rothstein, Producing Artistic Director at the Asolo. “It’s a celebration of what we do in the theater and the power of theater. We wanted to open with that, something that welcomes people, a big spectacle that celebrates the power of live performance.”

Box office: 941-351-800 / 800-361-83988, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 

Pictured: Daniel Plimpton and members of the Crazy for You Company. Photo by by Sorcha Augustine.

For ticket information click here

Leaving by Roxana Robinson isn’t typically a book I’d be dying to read. The story sounds banal; high school sweethearts accidentally bump into each other years later and rekindle their lost love.

However, Roxana Robinson throws in quite a twist, that the male half of the equation isn’t free…yet. In fact, Warren is still very much married, even if his connection to his wife is lackadaisical and a binding from which he’d love to break free. Sprinkle in their adult children with complex separate lives and opinions told in a third person point of view that still somehow feels real and voyeuristic and you have a compelling novel.

Part of the allure is that Roxana Robinson focuses on material I rarely see utilized regarding loving parents who try desperately to keep connections with their adult children, only to be brushed off or pushed aside. And how grandparents’ attempts at bonding with their grandchildren are often taken for granted.

The book is by no means an upper, but living with these characters feels like the opera that the character Warren escapes into, and that tragedy based on honor is something to be witnessed and admired.

Leaving by Roxana Robinson is available for pre-order at sarasotabooks.com and available in store at 117 S. Pineapple Ave. beginning on February 13, 2024. ISBN: 9781324075516.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is excited to welcome Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo to Sarasota on Sunday, January 14, 2024 at 7pm. Tickets are currently on sale. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet company, brings its internationally beloved troupe of dancers to Sarasota as part of its landmark 50th anniversary season featuring gems from across the company’s groundbreaking repertoire. Founded in New York City in 1974, the company, affectionately known as the Trocks, has grown from its roots in late-late shows in off-off Broadway lofts to a global touring sensation, performing from Tokyo to Toronto and everywhere in between. The company dances en travesti with razor-sharp wit and breathtaking pointe work, performing polished parodies of works that span the classical ballet canon. Revered by ballet aficionados as well as by those who don’t know a plié from a jeté, the Trocks are “a guaranteed hoot for people who know nothing of ballet and an absolute must for those who think they know the originals” (Sydney Star Observer). Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at www.VanWezel.org, by calling the box office at 941-263-6799 or by visiting the box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups of 10 or more should contact 941-263-6726. Pre-show dining is available through Mattison’s at the Van Wezel which is located inside the theatre. Reservations can be made on VanWezel.org or through the box office. 

Prepare to be enchanted by James and the Giant Peach, the extraordinary musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s timeless tale performed by our 6- to 11-year-old performers! Jan. 18 to 20 at First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota (2050 Oak St, Sarasota, FL 34237) follow young James on an unforgettable journey as he stumbles upon a colossal, magical peach and, along with a quirky crew of insect companions, sets out on an epic adventure. With a captivating blend of catchy songs, whimsical characters, and mesmerizing stagecraft, this musical will transport you to a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Join James in a story of courage, friendship, and boundless imagination, and experience the wonder of James and the Giant Peach for a magical theatrical experience that will delight audiences of all ages. When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach... and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Suddenly, James finds himself in the center of the gigantic peach, among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities, but after it falls from the tree and rolls into the ocean, the group faces hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements. Thanks to James' quick wit and creative thinking, the residents learn to live and work together as a family. The dangerous voyage is a success, but the adventure takes a whole new twist once they land on the Empire State Building. Warnings: Adult language/Content.

Jan. 18-20, 2024, First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota, 2050 Oak St, Sarasota. 

For more information click here

Bradenton and Sarasota residents and fiber artists, Ellen S. Goldberg, Rebecca Levine Quigley, and Michael R. Stevenson, will be artists-in-residence at Gaze Gallery at ARCOS, 340 Central Ave, in Sarasota, January 3 to February 29. An opening reception for their exhibit, “The Beauty of Inflections and Innuendoes,” is Thursday January 18, 5-7 p.m. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and the artists will be in residence much of the time. 

Wellen Park invites the community for an evening of illumination and music Saturday, Jan. 20, in Downtown Wellen. The Luminescence Festival, from 6 to 10 p.m., will have hundreds of glowing luminaries light up the Grand Lake shoreline. The festival includes signature jazz performed by Orlando-based Eighth Note Collective on the Solis Hall outdoor stage and a table-decorating contest as part of exclusive VIP experience. Guests must register in advance at wellenpark.com/events to receive a lantern bag, marker, and tealight. Luminaries will be available for pick-up starting at 4 p.m. in Downtown Wellen during the event. The festival begins at 6 p.m. with music by Eighth Note Collective, known for its dynamic twist on classical jazz. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for general admission seating. Luminaries will be placed around the Grand Lake at 6:30 p.m., along with a special lighted boat parade. A magical display of projection art and live music will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. The Luminescence Festival’s VIP experience is $75 per person and includes a reserved seat at a communal table for eight with a premium location on the event lawn and a chef-driven six-course tasting menu with wine from The Banyan House restaurant. VIP guests also receive stemware, linens, plates, cutlery and a luminary. All VIP guests are encouraged to decorate their table with specialty linens, floral arrangements, candelabras, and more to create the ultimate tablescape. An undercover and incognito local design professional will judge tables based on overall design and creativity. Each person at the grand prize-winning table receives a $75 gift card to The Banyan House. Each person at the runner up-winning table will receive a $25 gift card to The Banyan House. For more information and to register for general admission tickets or VIP tickets, download the new Wellen Park app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit wellenparkapp.com.  

Pictured: Wellen Park invites the community for an evening of illumination and music Saturday, Jan. 20, in Downtown Wellen.