Smokey Robinson

March 2

Grammy Living Legend Smokey Robinson returns to the Van Wezel with the songs that made him a Motown superstar. Everybody, now: “Ooo-ooo-ooo baby baby…”  

The 37th Sarasota Jazz Festival

March 5-11

Venice’s own piano genius Dick Hyman (honored this year as a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters fellow) is the center of this year’s festival. At age 90, he shows few signs of slowing down, performing March 7 in an All-Star concert, March 9 with fellow jazz man Ken Peplowski, and March 11 with the Jim Cullum Band. A free Jazz at the Park concert at Phillippi Estate Park kicks off festivities Sunday afternoon. And don’t forget the Jazz Trolley and Pub Crawl Wednesday night, with stops for music and more at eight downtown bars and restaurants. 

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presents Girl Groups: The '60s Explosion

March 1-April 9

A world premiere for this high-energy musical revue that celebrates the girl groups of the Sixties like The Supremes, The Shirelles and Martha and the Vandellas.    

Sarasota Orchestra Pops: Leading Ladies of Broadway

March 3-4

Broadway leading ladies Susan Egan (Beauty and the Beast), Deedee Magno Hall (Miss Saigon) and Liz Callaway (Cats) join the Sarasota Orchestra for a joyous salute to the Great White Way.   

Taj Express - The Bollywood Musical Revue

March 7

India’s Bollywood pop culture bursts onto the Van Wezel stage in this colorful song-and-dance extravaganza.

Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs

March 5

A Van Wezel debut for the charismatic Tony Award-winning Broadway star (Best Actor in a Musical, Cabaret) and television actor (Golden Globe nominee, The Good Wife); he’ll recreate his hugely acclaimed cabaret show that he performed at New York’s Café Carlyle. 

Dialogues of the Carmelites

March 4

A first-time production for the Sarasota Opera, this Francis Poulenc opera is based on events during the French Revolution, when a group of Carmelite nuns were executed during the Reign of Terror. It’s a chance for the female side of the opera’s artists, led by Sandra Lopez as the aristocratic Blanche, to shine. Sung in French; additional performances March 9, 12, 15, 18 and 25.  

The Ringling Museum presents Chargaux in Pathless Woods

March 2

The monthly Ringling Underground happening gets started early, at 7 p.m. Thursday night, when the Brooklyn-based duo Chargaux performs in Anne Patterson’s sensational Pathless Woods ribbon forest installation—you know, those thousands of multicolored ribbons dangling from the ceiling of the new Monda Contemporary Art Gallery.  

March 4-5

Historic Spanish Point Fairy House Festival

Calling all families for this springtime festival that features a tiny fairy house competition, enchanted garden walks, live music, games and more.

Fox Lea Farm’s "Jumping Under the Stars" 

March 3

A whopping $25,000 is on the line for the best horse show jumpers on the Venice Equestrian Tour as this Grand Prix series concludes Friday night at Fox Lea Farm. The fun starts at 7 p.m.