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The best things to do in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat for Jan. 4-10


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  • | 10:00 a.m. January 2, 2024
Simply Tina, a full live band, performs Jan. 6 at Venice Performing Arts Center.
Simply Tina, a full live band, performs Jan. 6 at Venice Performing Arts Center.
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Thursday, Jan. 4

'A Brave New Wonderland' featuring Nik Wallenda
2 and 7 p.m. under the Big Top, East of University Town Center, Sarasota
From $30
Visit WonderlandCircus.com.

Sarasota hometown hero Nik Wallenda and the Circus Arts Conservatory present "A Brave New Wonderland,” an immersive holiday spectacular of circus acts, aerial performances and holiday storytelling. Runs through Sunday.


Dean Napolitano
7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota
$26
Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Comedian Dean Napolitano’s style brings back memories of great comedians of yesteryear. His TV credits include “Three Rivers,” “What About Brian,” “The Shield,” “Mystery Files of Shelby Woo” and more. Through Sunday.


‘Up on the Roof’
7:30 p.m. at FST's Court Cabaret, 1265 First St., Sarasota
$18-$39
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Manhattan’s Brill Building was home to songwriting duos such as Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Their iconic “Brill Sound” is showcased in this musical revue by Rebecca Hopkins and Richard Hopkins. Runs through Feb. 4. 


Friday, Jan. 5

Jazz @ Two with Trace Zacur Quartet
2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road, Sarasota
$15-$20
Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Jazz Club of Sarasota presents Trace Zacur Quartet. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Zacur was a favorite at last season’s Jazz @ Two. 


Jimmy Buffett Tribute with the Aquaholics
2 and 8 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W, Bradenton
$30-$38
Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com.

Like his “cousin,” financier Warren Buffett, the late Jimmy Buffett had a problem: His last name was always getting misspelled as “buffet.” This tribute concert features a smorgasbord of vocal harmonies and authentic island sounds. Musicians in the Aquaholics performed with members of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefers.

'The Truth of the Night Sky'
5 p.m. at Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood
$5
Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org

After meeting at the Hermitage, visual artist Anne Patterson and composer Patrick Harlin collaborated on an upcoming exhibition at the Sarasota Art Museum: "The Truth of the Night Sky.” Before Patterson and Harlin begin their conversation, they are joined by visual artist Anthony Hawley in an open-studio environment.


Music on Main
6-9 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch
Free
Visit LakewoodRanch.com.

Jesse Daniels is the featured performer for the year's first Music on Main. Daniels will play a variety of country, rock and soul at the free concert series and block party. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Girl Scout of the Gulf Coast. The event features food vendors, beer trucks, sponsors booths, and games and activities for the kids presented by Grace Community Church.


Pianist Sir Stephen Hough
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Masterworks 3: 'Friends and Inspirations'
7:30 p.m. at SCF Neel Performing Arts Center, 5840 26th St. W, Bradenton
From $35
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Miguel Harth-Bedoya leads the Sarasota Orchestra in a performance featuring Sir Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations. World-renowned pianist Sir Stephen Hough plays Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” while Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad salutes Carnival in her “Bonecos de Olinda.” Continues Jan. 6-7 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.


Saturday, Jan. 6

Rainforest Masks of Costa Rica
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota
Free with admission
Visit Selby.org

They’re back! The colorful masks of the Boruca tribe of the Costa Rican rainforest will be on display at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Hundreds of the masks will be available for purchase in the Museum of Botany & the Arts. The exhibition runs through Jan. 21. 


Sarasota Fine Art Show 
10 a.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
Free
Visit HotWorks.org.

Hot Works and Institute for the Arts & Education presents a juried, high-quality fine art and crafts shows with a selection of works at all price points. A large lawn, gazebo and ample parking area make a trip to Phillippi Estate Park a nice excursion. Continues Sunday.


Repticon
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sahib Shrine Center, 600 N. Beneva Road, Sarasota
$10-$15; ages 4 and under free
Visit Repticon.com.

See live reptiles up close at live animal encounters and seminars on the hour every day. Tickets sold online only.


Simply Tina: The Ultimate Tina Turner Tribute
7 p.m. at Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave. Building 5, Venice
$28-$86
Visit VenicePerformingArtsCenter.com.

What’s love got to do with it? A lot, when it comes to Tina Turner and her fans. Turner, who died in 2023 at the age of 83, set the stage for performers of today by taking control of her image. This tribute showcases hits such as “Better Be Good to Me,” “The Best” and “Proud Mary,” a showstopper throughout her lifetime. 


Lovro Peretic, Croatian Classical Guitarist
7:30 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota
$37-$41
Visit GuitarSarasota.org.

Guitar Sarasota kicks off its 17th season with award-winning guitarist Lovro Peretic. A native of Zagreb, Croatia, Peretic won the third Eurostrings competition in 2020, leading to concerts and master classes in 18 European countries. 


FST Improv Presents 'To Die For'
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab Theatre, 1265 First St., Sarasota
$15
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

FST Improv returns with its interactive murder mystery that uses audience suggestions to solve the case. A second performance is Jan. 13. 


Sunday, Jan.  7

New Year’s Romance with Eleonora Lvov
4 p.m. at Manatee Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 322 15th St W, Bradenton
Free; donations requested
Visit EleonoraLvov.com.

Pianist Eleonora Lvov was born to musical parents and studied with her father, the late Boris Lvov, a renowned pianist and teacher at the Moscow and Stuttgart Conservatories. Now a U.S. citizen, Lvov has continued her performing career and expanded her teaching with recitals and master classes.


Monday, Jan. 8

Jazz Club of Sarasota presents The Hot Tonic Band on Jan. 8.
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Monday Night Jazz: The Hot Tonic Band
7:30 p.m. at FST's John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St., Sarasota
$34-$39
Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Jazz Club of Sarasota presents the quartet of The Hot Tonic Orchestra, which melds jazz with Latin rhythms, funk and soul, tied together by original arrangements.


Tuesday, Jan. 9

Jonathan Mamora, piano
7:30 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bayshore Road, Sarasota
$30-$50
Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents Indonesian American pianist Jonathan Mamora. This program includes Schubert’s iconic “Trout” and features Daniel Jordan on violin, Stephanie Block on viola, Claire Solomon on cello and John Miller on bass.


Wednesday, Jan. 10

Live Music: The Orfeo Duo
10:30 a.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St., Sarasota
Free
Visit SarasotaMusicArchive.org.

Cellist Leonid Shukaev is a founding member of the St. Petersburg String Quartet and is currently at Wichita State University. Julie Bees is a professor of Piano and director of the Konrad Wolff-Ilse Bing Chamber Music Endowment Awards. Both artists have performed extensively in major venues around the world.


"By Special Arrangement," a Sarasota Orchestra program honoring musical arrangers, plays at Holly Hell from Jan. 10-14.
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Great Escapes 3: 'By Special Arrangement'
5:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
$47 and up
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Many treasured classical works started out life as piano music, but found new audiences after being arranged for orchestra. Christopher Confessore leads a Sarasota Orchestra concert dedicated to the music world’s unsung heroes: arrangers. Through Jan. 14. 


‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’
7:30 p.m. at The Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 1130, Sarasota
$30
Visit ThePlayers.org.

The Sarasota Players present the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning composer of "Rent." With 14 songs, 10 characters, three actors and a band, "Tick, Tick…Boom!" takes you on a journey that led to a Broadway hit. Runs through Jan. 28.

 

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