Arts + Entertainment 3.20.25

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

IF YOU GO

‘ROMEO AND JULIET’

When: March 28-29

Where: Van Wezel

Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $35-$125 Info: Visit SarasotaBallet.org.

Ricki Bertoni and Maximiliano Iglesias rehearse a duel from Sarasota Ballet’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

A BALLET TO DIE FOR

Sarasota Ballet brings Ashton’s rarely seen ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to the Van Wezel stage at last.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Five years is a long time. But that’s how long Sarasota Ballet principal dancer Luke Schaufuss has been waiting to perform Sir Frederick Ashton’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

Two weeks before Schaufuss was set to play Romeo’s friend, Mercutio, in the timeless tale of the starcrossed lovers in 2020, COVID-19 put the production — and the rest of the world — on hold.

Now, Schaufuss, a third-generation dancer whose family tree is intertwined with Ashton’s “Romeo and Juliet,” finally gets to perform the full-length ballet. This time around, Schaufuss will play Romeo when the curtain goes up at the Florida premiere on March 28-29 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Macarena Giminez will dance the role of Juliet. Giminez wasn’t a member of the Sarasota Ballet back in 2020. She and her husband, Maximiliano Iglesias, joined the company as principal dancers in 2022 from Argentina’s Teatro Colón.

With Schaufuss cast as the besotted scion of the Montague clan and Giminez playing his forbidden love from the rival Capulet family, the maxim “good things come to those who wait” certainly rings true for Sarasota audiences.

Accompanied by live music by from Sarasota Orchestra, “Romeo and Juliet” promises to remind patrons at the Van Wezel why the Bard himself wrote, “For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.” In addition to elaborate costumes

and props, including swords wielded by the dueling Capulets and Montagues, and ornate sets depicting Juliet’s iconic balcony and a ballroom, the full-scale production has a cast of nearly 40 dancers. Among them are international stars and company veterans returning to play character roles, as well as members of the Sarasota Ballet Studio Company for younger dancers in training.

“Romeo and Juliet,” which runs more than two hours, not including two intermissions, features the kind of pageantry more frequently found in opera than ballet. Here, the limbs tell the story rather than voice, but acting is required in both cases. Even back in 2020, Sarasota Ballet Managing Director Iain Webb and Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri had firmly established their company as the guardian of British choreographer Ashton’s legacy.

Both danced Ashton’s ballets earlier in their careers in London and have revived many of his productions since their arrival at the Sarasota Ballet in 2007.

But their reputation was burnished this past June by the Sarasota Ballet’s triumphant London residency at the Royal Opera, where the company won rave reviews for its performances in the “Ashton Celebrated” program and shared the stage with the Royal Ballet.

Born in 1904, Ashton was first choreographer and then director of the company now known as the Royal Ballet. He is credited with creating a uniquely English style of ballet and is known for such works as “La fille mal gardée,” “Cinderella,” “Dante Sonata” and “Sinfonietta,” to name a few.

WHEN EAST DIDN’T MEET WEST

What is significant about Ashton’s dance interpretation of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” set to the music of Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, is that Ashton created it in 1955 without any exposure to Russian versions of the ballet.

The reason for this lack of cultural exchange was geopolitical. The first “Romeo and Juliet” ballet was choreographed by Leonid Lavrovsky and produced in 1940 at the Kirov The-

atre when Russia was an ally of Nazi Germany. After World War II, the Iron Curtain came down dividing the Soviet Union and Europe. Relations between East and West remained tense during the so-called Cold War.

“Sir Fred was the first to introduce ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to the West as a ballet,” notes Webb.

Ashton originally wanted to choreograph the production for the Royal Ballet, but was turned down by Dame Nanette de Valois, the godmother of British ballet and a veteran of the Ballet Russes, he says.

“Madame,” as she was always called, was concerned that Ashton’s production could jeopardize efforts to bring the first version of “Romeo and Juliet” and Russian ballet stars of the era to London. “That was why he brought the ballet to the Royal Danish Ballet,” Webb explains.

When Ashton choreographed “Romeo and Juliet,” he used Luke Schaufuss’ grandmother, Mona Vangsaae, to create the role of Juliet, while his grandfather, Frank Schaufuss, was the seminal Mercutio, a jester-like character.

Over time, Ashton’s fairy tale-like “Romeo and Juliet” was eclipsed by later versions, including John Cranko’s production for the Stuttgart Ballet and one choreographed in 1965 for the Royal Ballet by Sir Kenneth McMillan, Ashton’s successor at the company.

More athletic than Ashton’s, McMillan’s “Romeo and Juliet” was adopted by the American Ballet Theatre and became the most popular version.

When Ashton died in 1988, he bequeathed the rights to his ballets to his friends, rather than forming a foundation to administer future productions. “Romeo and Juliet” was inherited by the current Romeo’s father, Danish dancer and choreographer Peter Schaufuss, who had worked with Ashton to update the ballet and stage it before he died.

The sets and costumes for this Sarasota Ballet premiere are from the Royal Danish Ballet’s revival of “Romeo and Juliet” in the 1990s. The production and its accoutrements are more than ample enough to fill the stage of the Van Wezel, which is considerably larger than those at the Sarasota Opera House or FSU Center for the Performing Arts, where the

Sarasota Ballet also performs.

The last time Ashton’s “Romeo and Juliet” was seen in the U.S. was in 2016, when it was performed by the Los Angeles Ballet. The Sarasota Ballet’s dedication to Ashton’s repertory and the ballet’s long absence from the stage was why Webb was so keen to revive it five years ago.

When COVID restrictions were announced in March 2020, Webb and his company didn’t know how long they would last. “We thought everything would be sorted out very quickly. We didn’t think the lockdown would last very long,” Schaufuss recalls.

Luckily, the Sarasota Ballet had the foresight to videotape a rehearsal of “Romeo and Juliet,” which runs more than two hours and has two intermissions, for posterity. It has been valuable as the company prepares to stage Romeo and Juliet 2.0.

JULIET STEALS THE SHOW

Even though the ballet is titled “Romeo and Juliet,” it is the heroine who steals the show, insists Luke Schaufuss. “This ballet really should be called ‘Juliet,’” he says. “She’s the centerpiece. It’s really about her journey.”

“So many things are happening to her during the ballet,” Giminez says of her character. “She starts out as a girl and becomes a woman. She makes decisions and she thinks everything is going to work out. But in the last two or three minutes, it’s just her world falling apart.”

Sarasota Ballet principal dancer Ricardo Graziano will play two roles —Juliet’s father, Lord Capulet, and her cousin, Tybalt, who escalates the feud between the rival families by killing Mercutio.

“They’re both part of the same family, so I’m rooting for the same team. I’m on Juliet’s side both times,” Graziano says.

On hand to coach Graziano and others in their fight scenes is French dancer Patrick Armand, who recently retired as director of the San Francisco School of Ballet.

“He (Patrick) danced Paris and Romeo and toured everywhere,” Schaufuss says. “He’s here sharing his expertise, not just in sword fighting, but all the little details.”

Rita Duclos, who has been living in Europe and recently moved back to Sarasota with her family. Duclos will play Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mother. Juliet’s nanny will be played by Deirdre Miles Burger, assistant director of education of the Sarasota Ballet.

Schaufuss advises ticket holders to arrive at the Van Wezel with a handkerchief in their pocket or a packet of tissues in their handbag.

Returning to the stage for this production is Sarasota Ballet veteran

“If you see the end scene and it doesn’t move you, we’ve totally failed,” he says. “Something has gone drastically wrong.”

+ INFORMATION

The past is present in Asolo Rep’s ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’

For Joe Dowling, directing Brian Friel’s play is like visiting an old friend — and making a new one.

IF YOU GO

‘DANCING AT LUGHNASA’

Brian Friel’s Tony Award-winning “Dancing at Lughnasa” (1990) is a touching memory play about the five Mundy sisters living in rural Ireland in the 1930s. Joe Dowling is directing the upcoming Asolo Rep production. He’s the former artistic director of both the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Dowling first directed “Dancing at Lughnasa” in Dublin in 1990 — the year of this play’s premiere. According to Dowling, directing it again in 2025 is like visiting an old friend. But it’s also like making a new one.

What’s your take on Brian Friel’s writing style?

I’d say ... Friel’s writing is poetic at times, but he wasn’t a poet like Seamus Heaney. His strength was in creating rich, believable characters. His dialogue is filled with humor and sharp observations of human nature. Friel’s incredible ability to balance comedy and tragedy are what make his plays so deeply resonant.

Is “Lughnasa” the name of a place? No. “Lughnasa” is the Irish word for “August.” “Lugh” is also the name of an ancient, Celtic harvest god — and the dance at Lughnasa was a yearly celebration of this being with bonfires and wild dancing. The church naturally frowned on any such pagan festivals, but they continued long after St. Patrick had arrived. The dance itself was a sort of rebellion.

What’s “Dancing at Lughnasa” about?

It’s a beautifully simple yet complex play set in Ireland during a time of great change. It centers on

When: March 21-April 19

Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $33-$95

Info: Visit AsoloRep.org

the five Mundy sisters and their brother, a missionary priest who’s returned home unwell. Their nephew, Michael, tells the story from his perspective. As an adult, he shares his childhood memories of how their household fell apart. But Friel also looks at the troubled world outside the Mundy home. His play touches on themes of family and faith — along with the cultural struggles between Celtic traditions and Catholicism in Ireland, and the African influences the priest brings back with him. Despite those deep themes, the play’s filled with humor and warmth.

It’s also filled with nods to Ireland’s pre-Christian heritage — including the title of the play itself. Works like “Equus” and “The Wicker Man” put a sinister spin on the resurgence of pagan rituals. What’s Friel’s take?

Multilayered — as it should be. Having grown up Catholic in Northern Ireland, Friel understood the complexities of religion and politics in his culture. During the time of this play, strict Catholicism and Ireland’s more ancient, free-spirited traditions were often at odds. “Dancing at Lughnasa” reflects that tension, without taking sides. Friel’s characters are each on their own distinctive spiritual search. They all have very different perspectives.

I understand that Friel drew on his own family history in this play. How autobiographical is it?

It’s not strictly autobiographical, but it is deeply personal. The sisters in this play were inspired by his aunts in the small town of Donegal. Friel’s play captures both the intimacy of family life and the larger forces shaping Ireland at the time. In our time, the house where his aunts lived still exists; efforts are now underway to turn it into a Brian Friel Center.

What’s the role of dance in “Dancing at Lughnasa” ... ? Dance in the play serves as both a joyful release and a metaphor for longing and loss. There’s a pivotal dance sequence where the five sisters are swept up by the music from their first radio. It’s a moment of liberation and a break from their struggles. It’s the dance of life itself.

Ah. As Baba Ram Dass once said, “It’s the only dance there is.” That’s a magical idea. But what’s your approach with the actors who’ll cast the spell? I trust them to bring their skills to the table. Tyler Michaels King plays Michael, the narrator; he’s an inventive actor with a great sense of musicality. Four of the five actresses playing the Mundy sisters are originally from Ireland, which adds authenticity. My job as a director is really to ensure the actors feel like a family and stay true to Friel’s text.

How do you balance the play’s blend of humor and heartache? Friel’s script does that naturally. If we stay true to his text, the humor and tragedy emerge organically. My job as a director is to help the actors mine every nuance from the script. The playwright’s really done my job for me.

How have rehearsals been going? Phenomenally! The level of atten-

tion to detail is remarkable at Asolo Rep. We’ve been rehearsing on John Lee Beatty’s actual set — which is almost unheard of in live theater. It allows the actors to fully inhabit the space from day one. That makes for a richer rehearsal process, and a richer performance as well.

How does it feel return to this play after 35 years?

It feels like a completely new play to me. I directed it in 1990 in Dublin, but I barely remember the specifics. I’ve seen great and not-so-great productions over the years, but working with the Asolo Rep cast, I’m rediscovering it in a fresh way.

Any final thoughts?

Just that I’ve truly enjoyed working on this production and rediscovering “Dancing at Lughnasa” with these talented actors. Brian Friel’s play continues to resonate because it captures the joys and struggles of family life so beautifully. That never gets old.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

BARBARA RAMSAY, THE JOHN AND MABLE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART

11 a.m. at Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd.

$45-$50 Visit ArtsAdvocates.org.

Arts Advocates presents a lecture by Barbara A. Ramsay, chief conservator of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Ramsay will bring to life the behind-the-scenes efforts to restore hundreds of old paintings to their original glory. Lunch will be served.

EMMET COHEN TRIO PLUS GABRIELLE CAVASSA AND TERELL STAFFORD

7 p.m. at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail $60 and up Visit SarasotaJazzFestival.com.

The Emmet Cohen Trio kicks off the first mainstage concert at the 45th annual Sarasota Jazz Festival. One of the brightest lights on the jazz circuit today, Cohen has studied, performed and recorded with jazz masters including Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter and Benny Golson. Also on the bill is trumpeter Terell Stafford and vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa. The festival continues through March 22.

‘STIFFELIO’

7:30 at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

$34-$157 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

The Sarasota Opera keeps its Verdi mojo going with one of the composer’s lesser-known operas. “Stiffelio” tells the tale of a Protestant minister torn between the Christian forgiveness he preaches and his desire for revenge after discovering his wife’s infidelity. Don’t underestimate this uplifting tale of redemption. Runs through March 30.

‘ANNE FRANK’S TREE’

7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota, 2050 Oak St. $42; $5, students Visit ChamberOrchestraSarasota.org.

DON’T MISS

‘PETER AND THE WOLF’

Classical music isn’t just for people who are rich, old and speak English; it’s for everybody. That’s the message the Sarasota Orchestra is sending with this affordable family concert whose centerpiece is Sergey Prokofiev’s “symphonic fairy tale for children.” Alexander Jiménez is the guest conductor and Victor Fernandez is the featured narrator.

IF YOU GO

When: 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday March 23

Where: Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

Tickets: $5-$7

Info: Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Readers of “The Diary of Anne Frank” will know how her chestnut tree kept her hopes alive while she and her family hid from the Nazis in an Amsterdam warehouse. Chamber Orchestra of Sarasota presents the Florida premiere of Victoria Bond’s “Anne Frank’s Tree,” a 2023 work of words and music. Also on the program are pieces by Erich Korngold and Felix Mendelssohn, both banned by the Nazis. Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor will feature violin virtuoso George Maxman.

‘59TH STREET BRIDGE’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave. $18-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Feelin’ groovy? Simon and Garfunkel fans know that expression from the hit song that gives this cabaret show its title. Florida Studio Theatre pays tribute to early folk-rock artists such as John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Continues through March 30.

‘MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL’

7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail

$50-$185 Visit VanWezel.org.

Not every theatrical adaptation of a hit film is a success, but “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” swept audiences off their feet — and the Tony Awards. The story of the eyepopping Baz Luhrmann film remains the same — boy meets wrong girl. Can love bloom between a chorus girl at the world-famous nightclub in Montmartre and a bohemian poet? Yes, it can-can. But like flowers, some romances can only last a season. Runs through March 23.

‘FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE’

7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave.

$22-$52

Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

Last presented by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in 2011, this musical tribute to R&B pioneer Louis Jordan promises to delight audiences not only with Jordan’s music, but with lively dance numbers. Runs through April 6.

FRIDAY

‘LOST IN YONKERS’

1:30 p.m. at The Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Unit 1130

$30-$42

Visit SarasotaJewishTheatre.com.

Neil Simon’s heartwarming play about family dynamics and the healing power of love is directed by Sarasota Jewish Theatre Artistic Director Carole Kleinberg. The cast features several of Sarasota’s favorite actors, including Carolyn Michel as Grandma Kurnitz, Michael Raver as Louie Kurnitz, Scott Ehrenpreis as Eddie and Jill Schroder as Gert, to name just a few. Runs through March 30.

OUR PICK

MONDAY

‘DANCING AT LUGHNASA’

7:30 p.m. at Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail

$35-$95

Visit AsoloRep.org.

Joe Dowling, the former artistic director of both the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, directs Brian Friel’s Tony Award-winning play about the five Mundy sisters living in rural Ireland in the 1930s. The play gets its name from the Gaelic word for August, which is the month agrarian folk celebrate after bringing in the crops. Runs through April 19.

SATURDAY

‘THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO’

1:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

$34-$157

Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

Which is the better opera about Figaro — Rossini’s mirthful “The Barber of Seville” or Mozart’s masterpiece,“The Marriage of Figaro?” Decide for yourself during the Sarasota Opera’s 2025 Winter Festival, which features both. In “Barber,” Figaro helps his master, Count Almaviva, win the hand of Rosina through disguise and trickery. In “Marriage,” the Count begins to covet Figaro’s betrothed. But when he tries to bed her ahead of Figaro, he makes a surprising discovery. Runs through March 28.

SUNDAY

SPRING SELECTIONS

3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3131 61st St. $5 Visit SuncoastConcertBand.org.

Get into the swing of spring with a program by the Suncoast Concert Band, now in its 92nd season. Call 941-907-4123 to check on ticket availability and please be sure to dial the right number.

PALOMA CHAPRNKA, CLASSICAL GUITAR

7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2256 Bahia Vista St. Free Visit GuitarSarasota.org.

Guitar Sarasota presents Naples native Paloma Chaprnka playing a repertoire that ranges from the Baroque to modern periods. Now 15 years old and a freshman at Interlochen Arts Academy, Chaprnka has won first prizes at the Houston International Classical Guitar Competition, at the University of Florida and Florida State University.

TUESDAY

SALUTE TO THE STARS

11:30 a.m. at Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd. $85 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

In case you missed it, we’re in the final days of the Sarasota Opera’s 2025 Winter Festival. Opera lovers will gather at the Sarasota Yacht Club to enjoy lunch and performances by those being honored as this season’s outstanding artists. Awards are presented through the legacy left by benefactors as well as the Sarasota and Manatee Opera Guilds.

WEDNESDAY

RENAISSANCE QUARTET

7:30 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton $32-$42 Visit PMPSuncoast.org.

Perlman Music Program Suncoast presents the Renaissance Quartet, a New York City-based group featuring four PMP alumni — violinists Randall Goosby and Jeremiah Blacklow, violist Jameel Martin and Daniel Hass. All graduates of The Juilliard School, members of the quartet have been performing together for more than a decade.

CIRQUE DES VOIX Key Chorale teams up with the Circus Arts Conservatory for its annual Cirque des Voix (Circus of the Voices.) The sci-fithemed extravaganza will feature internationally acclaimed circus artists, the 40-piece Cirque Orchestra and the 100 voices of Key Chorale. The performances will include music from films such as “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” “The Mandalorian,” “2001: A Space Odyssey” and more. Calling all cosplay fans for the opening night Sci-Fi Costume Contest. Runs through March 22.

IF YOU GO

When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 21

Where: The Big Top at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle

Tickets: $50-$100

Info: Visit KeyChorale.org.

Sharing a cell and waiting for a

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Winter Miller’s play “No One is Forgotten” strips its story to the existential bone. While it’s a work of fiction, the play is based on the stark reality of the hostage experience.

Two women, one room. Two prisoners. Who locked them up? The play doesn’t say. Who are these women? Beng (Casey Wortmann) and Lali (Dekyi Rongé) might be aid workers or reporters. The play stays silent about that, too.

But we do know one thing. These women aren’t going anywhere. They’re hostages. Human bargaining chips. They’ve got no exit and all the time in the world. All they can do is talk. Or fight. And that’s what they do.

Urbanite Theatre Artistic Director Summer Dawn Wallace is directing this two-hander, which runs from March 21 through April 29. She notes that the play’s claustrophobic isolation puts a heavy demand on the actors.

“It’s a very minimal set,” she says.

Info: Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.

“It’s a bare concrete cell, that’s it. There are no bells and whistles for Casey and Dekyi to rely on; it’s all on their shoulders. They need to make you care about their characters — and pull you into their story.”

If that story feels painfully real, there’s a reason. The playwright is also a reporter. During Miller’s stint as New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof’s research assistant, she covered brutal scenes of genocide in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Those encounters informed her first play, “In Darfur” (2006).

Miller’s latest play reflects her anger and alarm at the fate of journalists and activists around the world.

The horrific, brutal murders of Jamal Khashoggi and Daniel Pearl shocked

her to the core. Miller devoured true accounts of captured reporters and humanitarian aid workers. “No One is Forgotten” distills their traumas. It paints a true picture of the human damage of hostage-taking.

According to Miller, the play probes the existential issues faced by hostages. “If you lost everything and you were left with one other person and you were together day after day, what would it take to keep you alive, particularly if you had doubts if anyone was still even looking for you? How do two people pass the time in these heightened circumstances in which there is a fear of death or violence all the time?” she asks.

TRAPPED IN A VICIOUS CIRCLE

Wallace uses staging-in-the round to get the audience up close and personal with the characters.

“I made the space as immersive and intimate as possible,” she explains. “We created a tight, small world for our characters. It feels like a real prison cell.”

Circular staging also posed logistical challenges. “Movement is key,” says Wallace. “But theater-in-the-

round has a different movement vocabulary. At times, a character might turn their back to part of the audience. The actors have to use the space dynamically while staying true to the emotional core of the play’s characters.”

Lali and Beng’s concrete cage evokes the worst parts of Samuel Becket, Franz Kafka and Christopher Marlowe. Despair might seem like the appropriate emotion in their hopeless situation. But they hold it together.

How? “Because they support each other,” says Wallace. “They talk; they exercise; they refuse to lay down and die.” She adds that they don’t always get along. “They also fight sometimes. Captivity brings out the best and worst in people. But in the end, they stand together. And they don’t break.”

After three weeks of intense rehearsals, the actors know their characters like old friends. How do they see Beng and Lali?

“Beng’s spent her life playing it cool and thriving in her own independence,” says Wortmann. “As a hostage, she gradually realizes that facade has kept her from ever fully loving herself, let alone another person.”

“Lali wants to help people and save lives,” says Rongé. “This came out in her humanitarian work before she was taken prisoner. Within captivity, her empathy becomes a compass for survival. Lali forms a civil society of two with Beng. Their bond fortifies their resilience against oppression.”

The oppression gets heavy at times. It’s tough material. Wallace approached rehearsals with a balance of depth and lightness. “There’s both violence and intimacy in this play,” she says. “We made sure the actors felt safe.”

Time itself is a recurring motif in the play’s harsh realm. “We talked about what time feels like when

you can’t measure it,” says Wallace. “What routines do you create? How do you maintain autonomy when you’re stuck with the same person every day?”

The actors repeatedly practiced this experience. They often rehearsed with little or no light. The director took a similar approach with “Northside Hollow.”

“We rehearsed in total darkness to simulate being trapped underground,” she says. “The actors’ physical memory made their performances much more authentic.”

According to Wallace, the litany of bad news has numbed the American mind. “Authenticity is the key to empathy,” she says. “If the hostages’ experience feels real on stage, the audience will feel for them.”

Urbanite Theatre partnered with Hostage U.S. to get it right. This nonprofit organization supports the families of Americans taken hostage abroad; their support continues after detainees come back home.

Hostage U.S. provided research materials during Urbanite’s rehearsals and connected Wallace with former hostages. They also recommended books by two real-world hostages of Somali pirates. Wallace devoured those accounts. “Their stories helped me understand what it’s like to have no control over time or your surroundings,” she says.

The director hopes this production will help the Urbanite audience understand.

“Atrocities in other countries seems distant and far away,” Wallace says. “News blips about hostages and murdered journalists pop up on social media. But they don’t grab our interest. These horror stories are happening to other people. They’re not like us, and it’s not happening here. So, we scroll to something else. Miller forces us to witness this abuse up close. Lali and Beng are people like us. Like it or not, you feel their pain.”

Sarasota Opera’s ‘Stiffelio’ is a timeless tale that shouldn’t be missed

The opera’s power lies in its story and Verdi’s masterful score using full ensemble and chorus.

GAYLE WILLIAMS CONTRIBUTOR

If you are inclined to pass on

Guiseppe Verdi’s opera “Stiffelio,” assuming it’s a dusty, lesser opera because it’s rarely performed, then you will be missing out on one of the most compelling and delightful operas I have heard in some time. The power of this opera is in both the story, still relevant today, and Verdi’s masterful score using full ensemble and chorus for maximum effect.

Stiffelio is a minister returning home after a long mission to eventually learn that his wife, Lina, has been unfaithful. In the March 15 performance, tenor Victor Starsky fully embodied this role with a voice that accommodated both the pious peace he holds dear and the jealous rage and vengeance he succumbs to when the betrayal is made clear. His struggle is convincing, a nod to both Starsky’s acting and vocal prowess.

Aviva Fortunata plays the repentant sinner Lina, Stiffelio’s wife. A dramatic soprano with a voice that was as strong and clear in the upper range as it was deep and emotive in the low range, Fortunata clearly has the capacity for big roles. Able to rise above full orchestra and chorus, as she did many times, Fortunata also melted hearts in her soft aria pleading for forgiveness at her mother’s grave in Act II.

As an actor, she convincingly navigated heavy demands of her role, transforming from adulteress intent on hiding her affair to a humble supplicant. One has to admire her power and stamina.

The notable duos between Stiffelio and Lina in Act I and Act III honed the emotional immediacy felt through the hall with a show of both performers’ vocal certainty and prowess.

Lina’s father Stanka is an enviable role, which Ricardo Jose Rivera filled as if born to it. His strong baritone voice carried his authority and vengeful rage. Bent on doing what he has to do to save his honor and that of his family, he’s keen on using his sword against

IF YOU GO

‘STIFFELIO’ When: Through March 30

Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $34-$157. Info: Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

Lina’s seducer, Raffaele, ably carried by tenor Jeremy Braumer.

Rivera’s scene in the castle, where Stanka is considering killing himself out of shame, amazingly offered some comic relief. It was an opportunity for us all to recognize the fleeting nature of dark thoughts. Rivera is a marvel throughout.

Young Bok Kim, a popular favorite in any role he takes on, played the elderly minister Jorg. He is the conscience of the opera — steady and unwavering with his commandingly deep bass voice always pointing the way to the godly path.

THE CHORUS MAKES A CONVINCING CASE

Two factors coincide to add an unshakable underpinning to the opera: Verdi’s masterful scoring for full ensembles including chorus and Sarasota Opera’s talented chorus. Kudos to the chorus master Arthur Bosarge, but we all

know the chorus here is consistently strong.

Its dense harmonies and blend account for much of the effect in delivering Verdi’s music in scene after scene. The results were amazing. Yet another reminder that this opera deserves a higher standing in Verdi’s repertory.

Stephanie Sundine consistently delivers excellence with her stage direction, and this production was notable. In each scene, Steven Kemp’s set design was seamlessly supportive, true to the era and never upstaged the singers. The swift transition in the first act from castle front hall to ballroom was impressive.

The supporting production team of costume designer Howard Tsvi Kaplan, lighting designer Ken Yunker,and hair/makeup designer Sue Schaefer are to be commended as well.

Behind all the work on stage is Verdi’s musical score and an orchestra with talent to burn.

Conductor Victor DeRenzi sets the pace and foundation of the entire production with an orchestra that seems to flawlessly deliver.

I decided to not reveal the ending of this opera in hopes that readers will make haste to buy their tickets. If you can only see one opera this season, this is the one. Be sure to stay for Act III.

Halo Arts Project announces 2025 fellowship winners

Halo Arts Project announced the seven recipients of the 2025 Halo Fellowship Award, recognizing outstanding visual artists who enrich their communities. This year’s fellows are: n Carrie Ann Baade, whose oil paintings connect historical masterworks with contemporary experience n Clifford McDonald, an artist and founder of Art 4 Change Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating change through art, information, advocacy and service n Fran Failla, who specializes in still-life oil paintings n Marc Brechwald, a self-taught artist who concentrates on realistic figurative drawings n Mär Martinez, an interdisciplinary artist who specializes in sculptural painting n Rob Tarbell, whose work was featured in the Skyway exhibition at the Sarasota Art Museum and at 502 Gallery’s “Shopliftable” show, both in 2024 n Tatiana Mesa Pajan, a processbased artist who expresses her ideas across various media

Each recipient will receive a $5,000 fellowship supporting their creative endeavors and artistic growth.

Set the Bar cocktail contest returns to Ed Smith Stadium

The Set the Bar cocktail competition returns to the Ed Smith Stadium on April 13 from 4-7 p.m., and will be joined by a new Bar

Bite Competition, event sponsor Sarasota-Manatee Originals announced.

Using the tagline “Eat Like a Local,” Sarasota-Manatee Originals champions independently owned eateries in the area with annual events such as the Forks & Corks Grand Tasting at The Ringling Courtyard and Set the Bar and through education and advocacy.

“With the addition of the Bar Bite Competition, we’re giving local restaurants an even bigger stage to showcase their talent,” said Marne Gaston, director of operations for Sarasota-Manatee Originals.

More than 25 restaurants are expected to compete in this year’s Set the Bar competition. Attendees sample crafted cocktails and tasty bar bites and vote for their favorites in the People’s Choice Awards in both categories.

In addition to the public vote, a panel of professional judges will evaluate cocktail entries in five spirit categories — tequila, rum, vodka, gin and whiskey. A winner will be named in each category, as well as a cocktail champion.

Last year’s winning cocktail was Mulix, concocted by bartender Angel Nazario at Kolucan! restaurant. It featured smoked tamarind syrup, Dano’s Tequila, spicy lime juice, a burnt tortilla rim and dehydrated jalapeños garnish.

In addition to the cocktail and bar bites contests, Set the Bar features live entertainment, a silent auction benefiting Children First, a photo booth and purveyors of face and body art.

Tickets are available online at EatLikeALocal.com. Advance tickets are $85. The price is $95 on event day, subject to availability.

Monday, March 10, at FST’s Gompertz Theatre |

Benefiting Florida Studio Theatre

One of the highlights of the season is Florida Studio Theatre’s annual Shindig, and the much-anticipated 2025 event did not disappoint.

The March 10 event began on the corner of Cocoanut and Palm avenues with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. About 250 guests enjoyed performances by the Circus Arts Conservatory; Nick Lande, the Honest Magician; and FST Improv. A guest appearance by Alex Huppe’s pristine 1937 Buick Special was used as a photo op and left guests and passersby alike oohing and aahing.

After moving into the Hegner Theatre Wing, FST Managing Director Rebecca Hopkins opened the show with her typical humor and good nature. Chairwoman Anita DeVine was acknowledged and presented with a bouquet of flowers, and guests were treated to performances by cast members of “Jersey Boys,” “59th Street Bridge” and “Divas.”

Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins took on a more serious note when he bestowed the coveted Spelman Award upon Priscilla and Jack Schlegel.

The Spelman Award honors individuals/couples and organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary leadership with mentoring, service and/or philanthropic support.

— JANET COMBS

THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2025

The Shindig Oh What a Night!

RENAISSANCE STRING QUARTET

Randall Goosby, violin; Jeremiah Blacklow, violin; Jameel Martin, viola; Daniel Hass, cello Known for their masterful performances, exciting repertoire, engaging personalities and broad range of talents, the Renaissance Quartet returns to our area for three incredible performances!

MON. MARCH 24 | 7:30 PM

In collaboration with WBTT Westcoast Black Theater Tickets available at WBTT Box Office

WED. MARCH 26 | 7:30 PM

Manatee Performing Arts Center, Stone Hall

THURS. MARCH 27 | 7:30 PM First Presbyterian Church, Sarasota

Garden to Plate Wine Dinner

Friday, March 7, at Michael’s On the Bay at Selby Gardens

GLOBAL ISSUES I

Ivory & Gold® Flute and Piano Ivory & Gold® is a musical duo featuring Anne Barnhart (flute, vocals) and Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals). The duo’s repertoire spans American jazz, blues, ragtime, Broadway tunes, andselections from the Great American Songbook.

Community Center, 326 S Nokomis Ave, Venice Wednesday, Mar. 26: 11:00 am Cornerstone Church, 14306 Covenant Way, Lakewood Ranch

China’s Economic Rise: Where Did it Come From and Where is it Headed? When Deng Xiaoping lead China , the economy was staggering from four decades of mismanagement. Twenty years later, the Chinese economy was growing at 10% per year. How did a country with no business and no private property become the factory to the world? Dr. Shelley Rigger will address China’s future.

GLOBAL ISSUES II

Thursday, Mar. 27: 10:30 am First United Methodist Church, 104 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota 5:00 pm Cornerstone Church, 14306 Covenant Way, Lakewood Ranch Friday, Mar. 28: 10:00 am Venice Community Center, 326 S Nokomis Ave, Venice

Single Lecture Ticket at the door: $15 Tickets and information: sillsarasota.org | 941-365-6404 SARASOTA INSTITUTE OF LIFETIME

Vladimir Putin: In the Tradition of Brutal Russian Autocrats or Unique Leader Vladimir Putin rule has been marked by a gradual regression from democratic aspirations to personalist dictatorship, echoing historical patterns of Russian governance. Amb. John Tefft, in a discussion with SILL board member Michael Boorstein, will examine Putin the individual, his personal characteristics and the policy traits of the Russian leader.

Benefiting Marie Selby Botanical Gardens