Arts + Entertainment 5.29.25

< THIS WEEK: ‘From 145th to 98th Street’ tells the story of a family in search of a better life. 4-5

FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE: A Band Called Honalee is one of three summer cabaret shows.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Holding a mirror to history

Sarasota Music Festival Director Jeffrey Kahane uses music to explore the past, including that of his own family.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Festival programmers are always looking for a theme or a thread to connect all the events. Last year’s Sarasota Music Festival celebrated its 60th anniversary, so there was lots of looking back at the festival’s history.

Co-founded at New College by Paul Wolfe, the SMF merged in 1985 with the Florida West Coast Symphony, which rebranded in 2008 as the Sarasota Orchestra. The festival now brings about 60 young musicians (fellows) to town and pairs them with about 40 experienced faculty members for three weeks of classes, rehearsals and concerts open to the public.

You can buy a ticket to a single class or rehearsal for as little as $5 and a festival pass that allows you to enjoy all these informal performances for just $75. Tickets to formal concerts begin at $15, depending on the show.

For the first time this year, the Sarasota Orchestra has included the Sarasota Music Festival in its Flex Pass, which offers 15% off single-ticket prices if you buy three tickets and 20% off if you buy four or more. The SMF concerts included in the pass include the Artist Showcase, Festival Friday and Festival Saturday series.

For music lovers who like to hunker down in Holley Hall and the Sarasota Opera House, the Sarasota Music Festival is pure paradise. It’s also a thrill for festival fellows to be coached by well-known professionals, some of whom are SMF alums themselves, and to perform for Sarasota’s generous audiences. It’s also a great way to start a career, for more than one fellow has ended up joining the Sarasota Orchestra. Here’s looking at you, co- horn principal Hugo Bliss!

Even though the 60th Sarasota Music Festival celebrated its history, it wasn’t backward-looking when it came to programming. Under SMF Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, the festival explored improvisation and genre-crossing under the banner of “Music Unbound.”

Improvisation in classical music is well-known territory to Robert Levin, the festival’s former director who spoke and performed at the lecture that bears his name in 2024 and returns again this year, on June 11. So, in some ways, it’s nothing new, but last year brought the excitement of classical improvisation and crosscultural performances to a new level.

One of the most exhilarating concerts of the 2024 festival, “American Soundscapes,” brought together fiddler and violinist Tessa Lark, cellist Mike Block and pianist Kahane. They performed improvisations on American folk songs in the concert, which also featured clarinetist Charles Neidich. Charles Dieupart’s

IF YOU GO

2025 SARASOTA MUSIC FESTIVAL

When: June 1-21

Where: Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail, and Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets & Info: $15 and up for concerts. $5 for a single class or rehearsal; $75 festival pass for all classes, not concerts. Pass must be purchased in advance at the box office, 709 N. Tamiami Trail or by calling 941-953-3434. Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Baroque piece “Sarabande” was transformed into a jazz jam session, thanks to an arrangement by Block.

Another noteworthy part of that jamboree was when Block led a group of fellows in his West African-inspired composition, “Inche Cosebe” (“Thank You Very Much” in the Mandinka language) that he had taught them by ear. Some fellows expressed trepidation about the process of learning and playing without sheet music, but the joyful performance brought the house down.

So what do you do for an encore? Well, Kahane, who is finishing his first season as music director of a revitalized San Antonio Philharmonic, wants to re-create some of that improv magic by reuniting with Block and Lark under the umbrella of this year’s festival theme, “Music as a Mirror of History.”

That tent has plenty of room for time travel and for juxtaposing recent works with familiar compositions.

MUSIC IS A MESSENGER OF HISTORY

“This year’s festival is curated around the idea that different pieces of music reflect their particular moment in history,” Kahane said in a telephone

interview. “The pieces that I and my colleagues have selected allow us to time travel, to learn what they tell us about the moment they were composed as well as our relationship to the past.”

The opening concert, “Echoes Across Eras,” gets into the spirit of things with a musical tour of three centuries. Pianist Nicolas Namoradze makes his festival debut with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue from “Well-Tempered Clavier.”

The program also includes Namoradze’s arrangement of Ravel’s ballet music, but the high point is sure to be Schubert’s Rondo in A Major for four hands, where Namoradze will be joined by Kahane on piano.

In addition to Namoradze, who will perform in three different concerts, another new faculty member this year at SMF is violinist Elena Orieste. A former festival fellow, Orieste will perform Korngold’s Violin Concerto in the Festival Finale concert on Saturday, June 21. The program also includes Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 in C Major.

Kahane said he got the idea for this year’s program from a book he read a few years ago called “Time’s Echo: Music, Memory and the Second World War.” It was written by longtime Boston Globe classical music critic Jerome Eichler, now a professor of music history and public humanities at Tufts University.

When Kahane was reading the book about four composers (Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg, Dimitri Shostakovich and Benjamin Britten) and how their musical compositions were shaped by World War II and the Holocaust, his memory was jogged.

“The book reminded me of how I did a project many years ago involving hundreds of kids with Benjamin Britten’s ‘War Requiem,’ when I was at the Santa Rosa Symphony,” he said. Kahane was music director of the Santa Rosa Symphony for 10 seasons and serves as its conductor emeritus.

Eichler’s book helped inspire Kahane’s selection of such SMF pieces as Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2, which is part of the concert “From Bach to Block” on Friday, June 6. Shastakovich dedicated his 1944

composition to a friend who recently died, Ivan Sollertinsky, but the piece coincides with the world learning about the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. But the program doesn’t dwell entirely on darkness. Also on the bill of the concert being performed by festival faculty and fellows are Bach’s joyful Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, and Block’s Global Music Collaboration, giving audiences another taste of the spontaneity that was such a hit in last year’s festival. The June 5 concert titled “Tessa Lark Returns,” brings Kahane, Lark and Block back together again for what’s sure to be one of the crowd pleasers of the festival. The trio will perform together on Improvisation on an Old English Folk Song and on Clarke’s Piano Trio.

The program also includes “The Jet Whistle” by Villa-Lobos featuring Alex Sopp on flute and Karen Ouzounian, another favorite from the 2024 festival, on cello. Rounding out the program is Michi Wiancko’s “Fantasia for Tomorrow” featuring Lark on violin and Paul Neubauer on viola.

ALL IN THE FAMILY AT THE FESTIVAL

This year’s Sarasota Music Festival is a family affair for Kahane because it will include a performance by his son, Gabriel Kahane, in the second to the last concert of the festival. Gabriel will first play solo piano on his piece, “October 1, 1939/Port of Hamburg.”

Then father and son will switch places as Gabriel conducts the festival orchestra and his father plays piano on Gabriel’s three-movement concerto called “Heirloom,” which tells the story of three generations of their family.

“The first movement is inspired by my wife and my story. The heart of the piece is the second movement, about my mother, who fled Nazi Germany when she was 17 along with her father, who had been released from a concentration camp. The final movement is a lighthearted and joyous piece, a portrait of my granddaughter, Vera Rose, when she was 2 years old,” Kahane said.

Kahane’s mother, who was from Magdeburg, Germany, first went to

Cuba with her father for six months because a quota system prevented them from immigrating to the U.S. After entering the U.S. in New Orleans, they made their way to Los Angeles in 1939, where the family settled.

A native of Los Angeles, Jeffrey Kahane is a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied piano. He later went on to win or be a finalist in numerous prestigious piano competitions and to make solo appearances both in recitals and with major orchestras around the world.

Kahane made his conducting debut in 1988, at the Oregon Bach Festival. In May 2017, he completed his 20th and final season as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He is currently a professor of Keyboard Studies at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

Kahane is in his ninth year as music

director of the Sarasota Music Festival, but he considers it to be only his seventh season. “We lost a year due to COVID, and the next year we just did a mini festival,” he noted.

In keeping with the theme of this year’s festival, Kahane included “Metamorphosen,” a piece for 23 solo strings that Strauss wrote in the final days of World War II as he contemplated the destruction of Germanic civilization. Considered a successor to Wagner and Liszt, Strauss holds a place in the late period of German Romanticism, along with Gustav Mahler.

Strauss didn’t look away from the horror of his times; he made music out of the experience. Like many of the works performed in the 2025 Sarasota Music Festival, “Metamorphosen” holds a mirror up to dark days of the past to help us understand the experience and hopefully to avoid repeating it.

Dough not miss the best donuts

Celebrate National Donut Day with crispy, creamy circular creations that will sprinkle you with happiness.

Donut act all glazed and confused about the topic of this week’s Eating with Emma — I’m not here for your summer-body prep talk. I’m on a knead-to-know basis about the hole lotta love donuts give me.

I’ve always been a little sprinkled with happiness when it comes to these frosted, fabulous fried (or however they’re made these days) breakfast beauties.

The smell of fresh donuts is one of the most nostalgic scents in my repertoire. When I was little, my grandma would take me to Dunkin’ Donuts to celebrate any kind of win. Passed a spelling test? Got an A on a homework assignment (not in math or science, but English)? Made my free throws or hit a home run? Same sweet reward from Mimi, which is what I called my grandma. If I managed to sit through an entire church service and stayed for coffee-hour instead of sneaking out back to wander around?

You guessed it: a strawberry frosted (with sprinkles, of course) donut was around the corner. It was Mimi’s sweet way of saying she was proud of me.

It’s been almost 10 years since she passed, but even now, when I land a new client at work, help my neighbor with yard work or deep-clean the bathroom, I still find myself wishing she’d pop over and say, “Sweetie pie, wanna go to Dunkin’?” Dunkin’ didn’t make the cut this time, but in honor of Mimi and National Donut Day (Friday, June 6), here are the local donut shops I wish I could take her to.

PEACHEY’S BAKING CO.

4800 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; PeacheysBakingCo.com

Glazed Glory: If you haven’t heard of Peachey’s, I can only assume you’ve been living in a sugar-free zone (my condolences). The Amishstyle food truck that’s been slinging pillowy-soft, vanilla-glazed donuts now has a permanent location in The Landings. From Tuesday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until sellout), you can now walk into their shop, breathe in that unmistakable sweet buttery aroma and grab a donut ($5) or a dozen ($40). Skip the snooze button, beat the rush and join me every chance I get, ordering “just one” but leaving with at least a box ($22).

Donut Mind If I Do: You didn’t think I’d leave Peachey’s without mentioning the best soft pretzel in town, did you? The pretzel ($8) somehow hits the perfect balance between chewy and soft, proving that Peachey’s continues to do what they’ve always done best — make simple things unforgettable.

GOLD STAR DONUTS

4800 S. Tamiami Trail,Sarasota; 941-755-1225; Order pickup or delivery on UberEats, Postmates, Seamless or GrubHub

Rise and Shine, It’s Donut Time: Searching for a box of classics, a strong cup of coffee and a loyal following that’s been showing up since 1989? This family-owned gem serves the real deal, memory-making donuts that take you straight back to childhood road-

trips, Sunday morning treats and paper bags dusted with powdered sugar. My personal favorite? The old fashions ($1.35), or what I like to refer to as crullers. These high holy rings are light, sweet, eggy and delicately crisp.

Donut Mind If I Do: The powdered sugar cake donuts ($1.32) melt the second they hit your tongue (and leave a trail on your shirt) while the blueberry cake donuts ($1.35) are nostalgic perfection — slightly crisp outside, delicate inside — with that unmistakable burst of berry sweetness.

PUBLIX Mutliple locations; Publix.com

Fantastically Frosted: It may not be the iconic strawberry glaze of my childhood, but these fried, frosted and forever delicious pillows of dough, topped with silky icing and a joyful avalanche of sprinkles, feel just like what Father Time had in mind. If Mimi were still here, I’m pretty sure she’d reward me for

finishing this story and sending it to my editor on time by taking me straight to Publix for a sweet treat. She’d tell me one donut ($1.31) wasn’t enough, so go for the half dozen ($5.19).

Donut Mind If I Do: Krispy Kreme donuts ($10+) will be waiting for you at Publix and those meltin-your-mouth rings have a cult following for a reason. When my dad was first diagnosed with ALS, he downed as many as he could handle. Wherever he is now, he’s definitely indulging and saying how delicious they are with a full mouth that would drive my mother mad.

JACK’S DONUTS OF FLORIDA

300 N. Washington Blvd, Sarasota; 941-487-8275.; 4205 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-554-8469; 3700 N. Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota; 941-351-5684; 6571 State Road 70 E., Bradenton; 941-226-1553;JacksDonuts.com

Filled with Joy: My husband doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth,

which is a strain on our marriage, but we’re working through it. That said, all bets are off when a Bavarian cream is within sniffing distance. Suddenly, he’s a kid in a candy shop, laser-focused on that custard-filled pastry like it holds the key to all the world’s problems. Jack’s take on the Bavarian classic ($3.25) is a handcrafted masterpiece with rich chocolate ganache cloaking the donut, generously stuffed with silky vanilla cream. Donut Mind If I Do: Jack’s is basically a donut love letter to all things stuffed. From cinnamon sugar apple-filled to peanut butter and jelly, to my current addiction of lemon, these filling-forward beauties are bursting at the seams in the best way. A dozen (ranging from $18-$21.50) is more than enough to keep you filled — at least until your next refill.

FIVE-O

3800 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-388-7046; 81 N. Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-358-7661; 2241 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota; 941-960-1370; 5942 34th St. W., Bradenton; 941-751-5077; 2211 60th Ave. E., Ellenton; 941-7229800;FiveODonutCo.com

Hole-y Moly: Whether you’re a die-hard donut devotee or just here for the Instagram drip, FiveO Donut Co. has become a fan favorite on the Sarasota sweets scene. Known for their over-thetop creations ($1-$6) that range from cereal-topped classics to bacon-laced beauties, not to mention decadent le five-o croissants, there’s always something flashy in the case. So for those who like their donuts layered with flavor, there’s no shortage of sugar-fueled fun for foodies all over the area, thanks to Five-O’s five locations. Donut Mind If I Do: To sprinkle and to serve — even for our vegan and gluten-free foodie friends. Right now, vegan fans can dig into treats like the yabba dabba do Fruity Pebbles and peanut butta Oreo (yes, really). Gluten-free? You’re covered, with vanilla glazed cake as well as maple, chocolate, strawberry and vanilla with icing on request. Everyone deserves a sweet moment, no matter the diet.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

HISTORIC PRESERVATION 101, PART 3

6 p.m. at Architecture Sarasota, 265 S. Orange Ave.

$15 Visit ArchitectureSarasota.org.

Architecture Sarasota President Morris (“Marty”) Hylton III is teaching this series on Historic Preservation, and he knows a little something about the subject matter. Before joining Architecture Sarasota in 2023, Hylton spent time at the World Monuments Fund, the University of Florida, where he was director of the Historic Preservation Program, and the National Park Service. Raised in Kentucky, Hylton blends a country boy sensibility with a formidable intellect to deliver entertaining and informative presentations.

‘DISCOVERY ROAD’ LIVE:

DENI BONET AND CHRIS FLYNN

7 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court

$20

Visit WSLR.org.

WSLR deejay Louise Coogan takes her “Discovery Road” radio show out of the studio and onto the Fogartyville stage with a live concert featuring Deni Bonet and Chris Flynn. A New York-based Americana folk-rock duo, Bonet and Flynn have performed at Carnegie Hall, Mountain Stage and the White House for President Obama. The concert, which includes an artists’ conversation with Coogan on the stage, will be simulcast on WSLR 96.5 LPFM in Sarasota and Fogartyville’s YouTube channel.

‘HOW SWEET IT IS’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave..

$18-$42

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org

As the mercury rises, locals know how to escape the heat with Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret. The series kicks off with an ode to Motown, Detroit’s Hitsville USA,

called “How Sweet It Is.” Led by dynamic vocalist and songwriter Luke McMaster, an energetic trio demonstrates the enduring appeal of hits by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Supremes and others with songs like “Tracks of My Tears,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” Runs through Aug. 3.

‘DIVAS: TIME AFTER TIME’

8 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $37-$39

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

New to Sarasota? We’ve got two words for you: Jannie Jones. When Jones is performing at Florida Studio Theatre, run — don’t walk — to the Court Cabaret. She is one-third of the trio performing in FST’s new cabaret show, “Divas: Time After Time.” The other talented singers are Aja Goes and Dakota Mackey-McGee. First-timers to FST’s cabaret shows leave the show amazed that there is such talent here in our laid-back beach town. Runs through June 22.

FRIDAY

PATTI SMITH: A BOOK OF DAYS

10 a.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Included with $20 admission Visit Selby.org.

Selby Gardens collaborates with poet and musician Patti Smith, its artist-in-residence, on an outdoor exhibition of large prints taken from her newly published bestseller, “A Book of Days.” By displaying her photographs outdoors, Selby brings them into a conversation with nature. Runs through Aug. 31.

HERMITAGE FELLOWS:

‘MOVEMENT OF BODY AND STORY’

4 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $5 with registration Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Sam Steiner and nicHi douglas, two

award-winning Hermitage Fellows and theater artists, explore how the mind moves the body and the body inspires the mind. Choreographer and experimental theater-maker nicHi douglas recently won the Lucille Lortel Award, for the OffBroadway production “(pray).”

Manchester playwright and screenwriter Sam Steiner’s wideranging subjects range from censorship to Kanye West to table tennis and his works have appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and London’s West End.

OUR PICK

‘JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’

This is it — the one we’ve been waiting all season for! Broadway director Josh Rhodes (“Spamalot”) returns to Sarasota to direct and choreograph Asolo Rep’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the granddaddy of rock musicals. The show promises to be Biblical proportions in more ways than one. Look for Sarasota’s own Ann Morrison, Mary in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” as King Herod. Runs through June 28.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29

Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail

Tickets: $35-$95.

Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.

SATURDAY

SCHMIDT VOCAL ARTS

COMPETITION NATIONALS

10 a.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

$10-$25

Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

The fourth annual Schmidt Vocal Arts Competition showcases 50 high-school classical singers from across the country who have made their way to the national finals in Sarasota. The two-day program, which includes contests and master classes, culminates June 1 when 16 finalists will perform for a panel of judges that includes mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, countertenor John Holiday and the Metropolitan Opera’s Melissa Wegner. All participants gain access to the Schmidt Vocal Arts network, which includes professional feedback, educational opportunities and eligibility for cash awards and scholarships, now and in the future. Continues June 1.

DON’T MISS

ARTIST TALK: ‘LILIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’

Award-winning artist Lillian Blades invites visitors to get lost in her first solo museum exhibition, at Sarasota Art Museum. Her installation of “veils” combine handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Blades attributes her use of dazzling color to her childhood in The Bahamas and her process of creating large-scale

assemblages from a hodgepodge of materials to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress who died giving birth to the artist. Runs through Oct. 26.

IF YOU GO

When: 1 p.m. Saturday, May 31

Where: Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail

Tickets: Free for museum members; $20

Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

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Urbanite Theatre wraps its season with Nia Akilah Robinson’s world premiere, “From 145 to 98th Street,” which follows a Black family’s move to a better neighborhood in search of a better life for their children. The American Dream proves elusive when the family’s son is wrongfully accused of a crime committed by someone with the same name. But the power of family prevails in this realistic tale of New York City life sure to resonate with all audiences.

SUNDAY

‘GEORGE HARRISON: A GARDENER’S LIFE’

10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens,1534 Mound St.

$28

Visit Selby.org.

“George Harrison: A Gardener’s Life” is the ninth installment of the annual Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series. Walking around the 15-acre sanctuary on the Sarasota bayfront where gardens and botanical displays have been erected to mirror those in Friar Park, you can’t help feeling Harrison would approve of this living tribute. Runs through June 29.

SARASOTA MUSIC FESTIVAL: ECHOES ACROSS ERAS

4 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

$30-$43

Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

The Sarasota Music Festival kicks off its 61st edition with a musical tour of three centuries. Nicolas Namoradze makes his festival debut with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue from “Well-Tempered Clavier.” The bill also includes Namoradze’s own arrangement of Ravel’s ballet music. SMF Director Jeffrey Kahane, also the new conductor of the revitalized San Antonio Philharmonic, joins Namoradze for Schubert’s Rondo in A Major for four hands.

MONDAY ‘CONJURING THE SPIRIT WORLD: ART, MAGIC AND MEDIUMS’

10 a.m. at the John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with $25 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.

Go on the trail of things that go bump in the night with this fascinating interactive exhibition, which follows the growth of Spiritualism in the mid-19th century from its roots in dining room seances to traveling shows featuring magicians and mediums. Along the way, you’ll learn about the opposing views of Houdini and Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about the existence of spirits and see an assortment of memorabilia and tools used both to contact spirits and trick audiences. Runs through July 13.

MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT THE CABARET: BARBARA KING

QUARTET

7:30 p.m. at FST’s John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $39-$44 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Monday doesn’t always get great billing in music (“Manic Monday,” “I Don’t Like Mondays,”) but it’s a good day to be a jazz fan in Sarasota, thanks to this weekly series by Jazz Club of Sarasota at Florida Studio Theatre’s Court Cabaret. This week features the Barbara King Quartet, which will play selections from the Great American Songbook as well as jazz classics. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for food and beverage service.

BY TIDEWELL FOUNDATION

“I need to be able to smile and laugh again...to feel like my life will have value.”

Paula is a local senior who struggles with physical and mental health challenges resulting from several traumatic life events. In the past, she found purpose in volunteering, but it became more difficult to remain active as she got older. Staying home alone all day left her feeling isolated and depressed. She realized she needed help, but didn’t want to lose her independence.

The opening of a bright spot in south Bradenton was just what she needed: the Empath LIFE (Living Independently for the Elderly) Center.

Empath LIFE empowers adults aged 55+ to continue living at home while receiving extra care during the day. Participants have access to medical and specialty services, nutritious meals, therapies, and daily activities. Transportation is available, and a home safety review is provided that can result in important upgrades like grab bars or emergency call systems.

For Paula, the Center means social time with peers, regular health checkups, and dedicated staff who support her wellbeing. She shares meals and swaps stories with new friends. She enjoys quiet time at home some days, but it’s a comfort to know the Center is there when she needs it.

Empath LIFE follows the nationally recognized PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) model and is funded through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The program offers a costeffective, holistic approach that helps reduce hospitalizations and delays or avoids the need for nursing home placement.

This new resource wouldn’t exist without generous donor support through the Tidewell Foundation. Their investment helped make the Center a reality-bringing life-enhancing care to the area’s growing senior population. By 2030, nearly 40% of Sarasota County and 32% of Manatee County residents will be over the age of 65. Programs like Empath LIFE are helping to meet that need-providing care and connection for older adults while empowering them to live safely at home, and offering peace of mind for families.

Now enrolling! To learn more, visit www.EmpathLIFE.org or stop by the Center at 303 13th Avenue E. in Bradenton.

Escape the heat — and the news — with FST’s Summer Cabaret Series

Three musical revues will transport you to another world, if you turn off your cellphone.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

It’s an article of faith in the entertainment business that baby boomers want to relive the happy days of their youth with tribute bands and jukebox musicals. For those with more catholic (lower case “c” here, folks), that kind of programming can get redundant, not matter how fresh the material is or how talented the stars.

That’s why it’s a relief to see that Florida Studio Theatre is mixing it up this year for its popular Summer Cabaret Series.

Can’t get enough Motown? You won’t want to miss “How Sweet It Is,” which runs from May 27 through Aug. 3 at the Goldstein Cabaret. Did the Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” get you remembering or yearning for the Greenwich Village folk-rock scene of the early 1960s? FST’s “A Band Called Honalee,” pays tribute to groups who burst onto the scene in that era, some of whom stayed for the next 60 years, like Peter, Paul and Mary, and Dylan himself, who is still performing. It runs from Aug. 19 through Oct. 26 at the Goldstein Cabaret.

Ryan Coogler’s current blockbuster “Sinners” defies categorization, but the time-travel vampire film set in a Black juke joint has rekindled interest in musical speakeasy delights like the blues, if not the restrictions of Prohibition.

Songstress Carole J. Bufford is another artist who easily skips eras and genres. Whether she’s singing songs by Ray Charles, whose ditty, “Sinner’s Prayer,” is featured in the film “Sinners,” Frank Sinatra or Patsy Cline, she exudes a retro vibe. What’s more, her cool costumes in “Too

IF YOU GO

FST SUMMER CABARET

“HOW SWEET IT IS’

When: May 27 through Aug. 3

Where: Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.

‘TOO DARN HOT’

When: June 24 through Sept. 14

Where: Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.

‘A BAND CALLED HONALEE’

When: Aug. 19 through Oct. 26

Where: Goldstein Cabaret.

Tickets: $40-$42 for each show.

Subscription reduces ticket price for each by up to 50%.

Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre. com.

Darn Hot,” which runs from June 24 through Sept. 14, evoke everything from flappers of the 1920s to the neo-swing era of the 1990s.

Before Florida started turning into New Jersey, the Sunshine State was a magical place where you could escape reality. Under FST Artistic Associate Catharine Randazzo, FST’s Summer Cabaret Series gives you the chance to immerse yourself in an era that you may not have lived through. There’s even a word for this — “anemoia,” defined as nostalgia for a past that you didn’t actually live through.

If some previous FST summer cabaret seasons were heavy on doowop (always a hit with Sarasota audiences), no one can make that criticism about this year’s lineup. There’s something for everyone. And that’s how Randazzo intends it.

The winning formula is a combination of old and new, she says. In other words, FST patrons like to see familiar faces in a different show. All of the artists featured in FST’s summer musical revues are from out of town, Randazzo says. “These shows are presented by FST, not produced by FST,” she notes.

VIDEO AND DIALOGUE HELP

TELL THE STORY

All of the summer cabaret shows feature dialogue and video images that form the connective tissue between the songs, helping to tell the story. Having a libretto is what distinguishes a musical revue from what would just be a nightclub appearance or concert.

With “How Sweet It Is,” Luke McMaster has created a show for FST that reminds the audience of how Motown songs weren’t just played by the young Black stars of Berry Gordy’s Detroit-based record label; they were interpreted by white artists such as the Beatles, Eric Clapton and James Taylor, often years after they topped the charts for Motown.

The backstory came easily to McMaster when he wrote the libretto for “How Sweet It Is” because he had already done a documentary on Lamont Dozier, one of the three great Motown songwriters who made up Holland-Dozier-Holland. (The other two were Brian and Eddie Holland.)

According to Randazzo, McMaster’s a master (no pun intended) of “mashing up songs and making his own medleys. Audiences are going to love it.”

In the music industry, where songwriters get royalties when new versions of their songs are produced, you don’t hear much complaining these days about cultural appropriation when a song that was originally recorded by a Black artist becomes a hit for a white one.

One example of a popular Motown standard that a white artist made his own is “You Can’t Hurry Love,” which Phil Collins took to the top of the charts 16 years after it was a hit for The Supremes in 1966.

Think of Linda Ronstadt’s 1975 version of “Tracks of My Tears,” first recorded by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles 10 years earlier. With the help of her guitar players Andrew Gold, Dan Dugmore and Danny Kortchmar and drummer David Kemper, Ronstadt infused the mournful ballad with a folk-rock sensibility and a

female perspective.

The roots of folk-rock will be showcased in “A Band Called Honalee: A Tribute to Peter, Paul and Mary ... and Friends.” A Band Called Honalee is actually a real group, made up of a roster of vocal ists with solo careers who also appear with the band around the country.

Given the recent success of the folk rock-themed “59th Street Bridge” in FST’s regular cabaret season, there’s no doubt that “A Band Called Hon alee” will be a crowd pleaser. The death of Peter Yarrow at age 86 earlier this year means that the days of the original Peter, Paul and Mary have come to an end.

But just to be clear: While “A Band Called Honalee” may borrow some of the elements and songs of Peter, Paul and Mary, it is not a tribute band per se. In a world where artists rightfully pro tect their intellectual property, a show or band must have the consent of a star or their estate to portray them.

Such legal issues aren’t a problem for Bufford, the creator of “Two Darn Hot,” which forms the centerpiece of the FST Summer Cabaret season. “Carole’s a real original,” Randazzo says. “She is an amazing storyteller who gets facts that are unique. Her connective tissue takes the audience on a journey from song to song.”

With Sting’s “Every Breath You Take,” which Randazzo points out is “really a stalker anthem,” Bufford tells the story of the frontman for The Police visiting Ian Fleming’s mansion. Who knew?

But it’s not just storytelling that makes the Atlanta native’s shtick unique; it’s her voice, her phrasing and her persona. Based on Randazzo’s recommendation, we’re adding “Too Darn Hot” to our summer todo list.

A friendly reminder: Don’t spoil the mood at one of FST’s summer cabaret shows by doomscrolling on your cellphone all during the show.

sitting at a “four top,” as they say in the restaurant business, and a person who is not your date is the offender. You can’t really tell them to knock it off without seeming rude yourself. Some venues such as the Sarasota Opera and the Asolo Repertory Theatre are strict about cellphone use during their performances, but FST is a little looser, particularly in their cabaret shows.

Even if you’re just texting or checking headlines, the bright light from your device is a distraction to fellow audience members and the performer in these intimate spaces. There’s nothing like learning your 401(K) is down 10% to ruin the upbeat mood of these summer shows, unless you’re experiencing anemoia about the 1920s stock market crash.

So give yourself a break from the headlines and the texts reminding you to pick up milk on the way home. They’ll be there for you when you get out to the parking garage.

Summit highlights challenges and opportunities for Sarasota arts

Potential loss of government funding is offset by upbeat demographics and philanthropy.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Arts organizations that depend on government grants for funding are typically reluctant to bite the hand that feeds them. Witness the muted response to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ unprecedented veto in June 2024 of $32 million in Florida arts grants for the fiscal 2025 year. It wasn’t much of a surprise, especially in a “nice” town like Sarasota.

But proposed cuts in federal government funding for the arts and the proposed elimination of hollowed institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities by the Trump administration have galvanized cultural leaders across the country. Sarasota, which has trademarked the name “Florida’s Cultural Coast,” is no exception.

An Arts Summit organized by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota convened May 21 at the Sarasota Opera House with a mixture of optimism, defiance and facts and figures. The Alliance administers the distribution of $2.1 million from the county’s tourist development tax to local arts groups. It faces uncertainty itself as county commissioners periodically spitball ideas about its future.

Anyone who expected anything less than a class act from the Arts Summit’s keynote speaker, Deborah Rutter, the former head of the Kennedy Center, was sorely disappointed. In the run-up to Rutter’s Sarasota appearance, President Trump took to social media to discredit her record during her 11-year tenure.

She ended her talk with a quote from a speech President John F. Kennedy made at Amherst College shortly before his 1963 assassination: “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him. We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.”

On a local level, the arts leaders and administrators speaking at the Arts Summit expressed hope that DeSantis will restore the arts grants he eliminated last year and pointed to anecdotal evidence that they are moving through the budgetary process in Tallahassee.

Angelica Hull, director of grants and advocacy at the Arts Alliance, noted the perception in the Florida Legislature is that “both sides of the aisle want arts grants back.”

“We’re making the strongest case possible. Arts funding isn’t a partisan issue,” she said, particularly in Florida, where it helps drive tourism and economic growth.

In the face of uncertainty about government support for the arts, Hull and her boss, Arts Alliance CEO Brian Hersh, emphasized Sarasota’s position due to well-heeled arts patrons who are moving here and bringing their wealth with them as well as the strength of local community foundations.

But what can the little guy do?

According to a Powerpoint slide, it boils down to five bullet points:

n Stay engaged

n Opt in

n Buy the ticket

n Show up

n Volunteer

During her speech and afterward in a “fireside chat” with Hersh, Rutter praised Sarasota’s vibrant arts

Rutter, a former musician and veteran arts administrator, noted that when she was fired in February by Trump, who has become the Kennedy Center’s new chairman, she left the national arts center in fiscally sound condition and in the best position since it opened in 1971.

institutions. “It’s breathtaking what you have created here,” she said. Like some students of Sarasota history, she gave John Ringling credit for kicking off the cultural party by making Sarasota the winter home of his circus back in 1927.

But today, “in the land of Ringling, resilience is what we need,” she said.

Interspersed between the speeches during the three-hour symposium were performances by members of Sarasota Contemporary Dance, music and interactive rapping by artist and educator Karim Manning, who spun upbeat tunes on his turntable, and a performance by a chamber music group called Upward Notes.

Led by Natalie Helm, Sarasota Orchestra principal cellist, Upward Notes performs for prisoners, homeless shelters, dementia patients and assisted living facilities throughout the U.S.

By delivering the message that arts enhances quality of life, speakers at the Arts Summit were essentially preaching to the choir. Among the event’s attendees were some of the Arts Alliance’s newly elected board members and representatives of such Sarasota cultural institutions as Ringling College of Art and Design, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Architecture Sarasota and The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, just to name a few. Everyone left feeling validated by Rutter’s resolve to stand up for the arts and her words of praise for Sarasota.

Nevertheless, Rutter warned the audience that it’s a mistake for artists and arts advocates to get an inflated view of their role in society. “We never want to risk being regarded as elite, niche or ‘over there,’” she said.