Your Top 8 Things to Do: Jan. 5-11
Dirty Dancing Comes to the Van Wezel
Jan. 10-11
Nobody boxes Baby into the corner in the theatrical version of the classic movie about young love, summer camp and the power of dance. Almost a sellout; best ticket availability is the Wednesday matinee. Everybody, now: “Now I’ve had the time of my li-i-ife…” vanwezel.org
Asolo Rep presents The Great Society
Opening Jan. 11
Talk about timely. As America hurtles toward Inauguration Day, the Asolo Rep opens its winter season with Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Schenkkan’s The Great Society, a searing political drama about embattled President Lyndon Johnson as he attempts to build a new America despite civil rights turmoil and the Vietnam War. It’s the sequel to the theater’s acclaimed All the Way last season. In rotating rep through April 2. asolorep.org
Image: Greg Helgeson
The Minnesota Orchestra
Jan. 9
The great Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä brings the Grammy Award-winning orchestra to the Van Wezel as part of the Sarasota Concert Association Great Performers series, so it’s fitting that works by Finnish composers Jean Sibelius and Kalevi Aho are on the program. And cellist Alisa Weilerstein will solo on Dvořák’s Concerto for Cello in B Minor. scasarasota.org
Image: C. Schneider
Beethoven & Brahms with the Sarasota Orchestra
Jan. 6-8
The orchestra’s next Masterworks series pays homage to two titans of classical music when guest conductor Case Scaglione leads the ensemble in Beethoven’s Overture to Coriolan and Piano Concerto No. 3 (with guest pianist Yulianna Avdeeva, shown here), as well as Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. Three performances at the Van Wezel. sarasotaorchestra.org
Image: Liz Lauren
A Celebration of Two Worlds, Music and Dance
Jan. 8
The Sarasota Ballet brings to town a rare opportunity to see some world-renowned musicians and dancers in this fund-raising event at the Sarasota Opera House—but be prepared to pay, as tickets start at $500 each. You may think it’s worth that to see mezzo-soprano Frederica Von Stade, pianist Jake Heggie, American Ballet Theatre dancers and benefit the company. sarasotaballet.org
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presents The Piano Lesson
Jan. 11-Feb. 18
Playwright August Wilson is getting plenty of national attention with the holiday release of the Denzel Washington film, Fences. You can see another of the plays in Wilson’s acclaimed American Century Cycle when WBTT presents this powerful drama about a Depression-era African-American family arguing over an heirloom piano. westcoastblacktheatre.org
Image: Shutterstock
Sarasota Orchid Society 60th Anniversary Show and Sale
Jan. 7-8
Everything’s coming up orchids at the Sarasota Orchid Society’s big, big anniversary show and sale at the Municipal Auditorium. Hundreds of orchid hybrids and species for purchase, and free orchid-care classes, too. sarasotaorchidsociety.org
Thunder by the Bay
Jan. 6-8
It’s going to get noisy out at Lakewood Ranch, when the motorcycle festival moves from its traditional downtown Sarasota locale. The Born to be Wild kickoff party is Friday night; the new Rockin’ & Ridin’ at the Ranch festival is Saturday and Sunday at the Premier Sports Campus. This year’s headliner is none other than Blue Oyster Cult. Get all the details at thunderbythebay.org.
