Your Top 10 Things to Do: Feb. 16-22
Image: Courtesy The Ringling
Seesaw
Feb. 17-18
The Ringling Museum takes its New Stages series all over the bayfront campus this season while its Historic Asolo Theater is under backstage renovation, starting this weekend with Seesaw. The New Mexico-based acrobatic theater troupe Wise Fool will be performing on a huge kinetic sculpture set in the museum courtyard. Showtimes at 7:30 and 9 p.m.
Image: Todd Olszewski
Orioles Springfest
Feb. 18
The Birds are back in town—the Baltimore Orioles , that is—and you can welcome them back at the Orioles Springfest Saturday. “Coach” them from the bleachers during practice, catch a Q&A session with catcher Caleb Joseph at noon and enjoy music, games and food trucks from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium. Meanwhile, here’s our own Q&A with manager Buck Showalter conducted last spring.
Image: Rod Millington
Sarasota Opera presents The Italian Girl in Algiers
Feb. 18
A first-ever production of this Rossini comedy for the acclaimed opera company, sung in Italian with English subtitles. Seven additional performances through March 25.
Image: Courtesy Selby Gardens
Chuchito Valdes at Selby Gardens
Feb. 19
Selby Gardens is rolling out a new format for its popular Garden Music concert series: one concert on the third Sunday afternoon of each month through July. The first this Sunday features pianist and two-time Latin Grammy nominee Chuchito Valdes.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Feb. 21
If you haven’t seen the late, great Alvin Ailey’s masterwork, Revelations, you are in for the thrill of a lifetime when his world-renowned dance company performs the full-length piece at the Van Wezel along with Mauro Bigonzetti’s premiere of Deep and new productions of Billy Wilson’s The Winter in Lisbon and Robert Battle’s In/Side. Hurry—we hear it’s nearing sellout.
Pippin
Feb. 17-18
The venerable musical that was reinvented for the 21st century with tons of razzle-dazzle acrobatic energy won four 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, and now the Van Wezel brings the national tour to Sarasota for three shows Friday and Saturday.
The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6
Feb. 19
They’re calling it “The Summit”—two virtuoso vocal groups with 20 Grammy Awards between them meet up on the Van Wezel stage. Java Jive, anyone?
Image: Courtesy Asolo Rep
FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training presents The Drunken City
Feb. 21-March 12
The talented students of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory take on playwright Adam Bock’s playful contemporary comedy about a trio of friends who set out on a very eventful bachelorette party. Tuesday night is a special “pay what you can” performance.
Image: Gary Spector
Cynthia Sayer's Hot Banjo Show
Feb. 18
The Glenridge PAC welcomes back the jazz banjo star and her band for an evening of Great American Songbook classics, novelty tunes, vaudeville and virtuoso pieces. Our own NEA Jazz Master Dick Hyman says, “She takes us into places where you’d never expect the banjo to be admitted and makes herself completely at home.” Tickets at GPACTix.com.
Image: Courtesy Art Center Sarasota
Iconcept Avant-Garde Runway Show
Feb. 19
Are you a fan of the Project Runway unconventional materials challenge or simply enjoy the intersection of fashion and art? Then hightail it to Saks Fifth Avenue Sunday evening for Art Center Sarasota’s ninth annual fashion show fund raiser, where models sashay down the runway wearing the most outrageous designs made from the most unconventional materials.
