Arts & Entertainment

Sing, Sing a Song

Hermitage Artist Retreat CEO Andy Sandberg Makes a Brief Return to the Stage

He'll appear in a benefit concert March 20 at the Van Wezel, along with some of his Broadway friends.

03/05/2023 By Kay Kipling

Film

Go See the New Film Path of the Panther

The new documentary film allows us to see the elusive cat—Florida's state animal—in all its secret glory like never before.

03/03/2023 By Isaac Eger

History Lesson

The Short Film Spare Me Reveals Sarasota's History as a Sundown Town

Local film student and director Will Mauricette touches on the history of racism in Sarasota through a father-son relationship in his latest film.

03/03/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Cold Case

The Heist That Rocked Sarasota's Art World

In 1969, thieves made off with 15 of Ben Stahl’s most famous paintings. The heist ruined him financially and left behind a mystery that has never been solved.

03/03/2023 By Robert Plunket

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Embracing Our Differences Raises Record-Breaking $248,000 at Annual Luncheon

“Clearly, more and more people are searching for the creativity and inspiration that is represented in our exhibit," said executive director Sarah Wertheimer.

03/01/2023 By Megan McDonald

Let's Dance

Local Salsa Fans Keep the Genre Alive by Connecting With Its Rich History

Salsa surged in popularity in the 1970s, primarily through the immigrant diaspora dancing to the fusion of the new sounds of Caribbean and African beats with jazz rhythms.

03/01/2023 By Andrea González

Book ban

Shelf Indulgence Is Starting a Mobile Bookstore That Will Feature Banned Books

Shelf Indulgence is fighting statewide book bans by providing access to censored literature.

02/27/2023 By Isaac Eger

Review

Dreamgirls Returns to WBTT Stage with a Big Production

The show is often a hit with audiences, and this staging is no exception.

02/27/2023 By Kay Kipling

Celebrating Our Arts

New Sarasota Arts Festival Moving Forward

Sarasota Rising is working toward presenting a weeklong festival in 2024.

02/24/2023 By Kay Kipling

Black History in Song

Charlayne Hunter-Gault to Narrate Florida's Premier of "The Children's March"

The piece tells the story of a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.

02/24/2023 By Staff

Review

Asolo Rep's Chicken & Biscuits Goes for Big Laughs

You could say this show about a Black family puts the "fun" in funeral.

02/20/2023 By Kay Kipling

Q & A

Retiring Visit Sarasota County President Virginia Haley on the Past, Present and Future of Local Tourism

"I think there are endless possibilities because of the assets we have here."

02/17/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Path of the Panther

A New Film Highlights the Plight of the Florida Panther

Wildlife photographer Carlton Ward Jr. produced the movie, which will receive a statewide theatrical release this month.

02/17/2023 By Staff

The Square Root of Love

On His 55th Birthday, the Sarasota Community Remembered Artist John Sims

Sims, whose work was conceptual, sometimes controversial and always thought-provoking, died suddenly in December 2022.

02/15/2023 By Kay Kipling

Art Studios

Creative Liberties Has Opened a Second Location in the Limelight District

Seeing the demand and the opportunity, Creative Liberties just keeps growing.

02/15/2023 By Bethany Ritz

The Greatest Show on Earth

The Circus Ring of Fame Will Induct New Honorees This Saturday

They include Peggy Williams, the first female graduate of Clown College, and "circus chaplain" Father Jerry Hogan.

02/02/2023 By Yasi Bahmanabadi

Far From Home, High Above Earth

Circus Sarasota Welcomes Ukrainian Aerialists to Its 25th Anniversary Season

The female duo from the war-torn country will add both beauty and drama to this year's performances, Feb. 10 through March 5.

02/02/2023 By Kay Kipling

Breaking News

Embracing Our Differences Was Vandalized Last Night

A piece of art titled Women of the Bluest Eye was targeted. Embracing Our Differences estimates it will cost about $3,000 to repair.

02/01/2023 By Megan McDonald

Mad As Hell

Paddy Chayefsky’s Network Comes to Florida Studio Theatre, and It’s More Relevant Than Ever

Nearly 50 years since its debut, it feels like little has changed—which makes the story ripe for a revisit.

02/01/2023 By Kay Kipling

Review

FST's Network Makes for Compelling Viewing

Paddy Chayefsky's 1970s tale of a newsman and a world on the edge proves as timely as ever.

01/30/2023 By Kay Kipling