- December 5, 2025
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Summer Circus Spectacular
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road
$20 adult, $13 child
Visit CircusArts.org.
Pack up the car with Grandpa and the kids and head for the Circus Arts Conservatory’s annual Summer Circus Spectacular at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, a jewelbox venue that elevates any show. This thrilling, 60-minute circus of fresh new acts is perfect for people of all ages with short attention spans. There’s room for walkers, strollers, wheelchairs, you name it — but please arrive early so ushers can store them. Make it a circus day by adding a ticket to The Ringling’s famed Circus Museum for just $5 on the day of the show. Runs through Aug. 9.
Mr. Showtime
7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd.
$26
Visit McCurdysComedy.com.
Leave your assumptions about stand-up comedy at the door when David Scott, aka Mr. Showtime, takes the stage at McCurdy's Comedy Theatre. The host of his own nationally syndicated radio show, Mr. Showtime holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Stand-Up Comedy show by an individual, at 40 hours and 8 minutes. He’s got props such as a straitjacket, performs tricks such as mind reading and wraps his performance with a funny tour of four decades of music. Runs through July 13.
‘Dames at Sea’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
$42 and up
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Fresh from his success with Florida Studio Theatre’s “Jersey Boys,” Ben Liebert directs and choreographs “Dames at Sea.” A parody of 1930s musicals, “Dames at Sea” first debuted Off-Off Broadway in 1966 starring Bernadette Peters. With the help of sailor/songwriter Dick, Utah chorus girl Ruby lands a role in a musical that’s trying to find its footing. FST’s Ruby is Emily Ann Brooks, making her FST debut. Runs through July 13.
‘Too Darn Hot: Songs for a Summer Night’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.
$39 and up
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Songstress Carole J. Bufford easily skips eras and genres in this showcase of stories and songs featuring the months June, July, August and September. Whether she’s singing songs made famous by Janis Joplin or Randy Newman, she leaves the audience with something they never knew before. What’s more, her cool costumes evoke everything from flappers of the 1920s to the neo-swing era of the 1990s. Runs through Sept. 14.
‘How Sweet It Is’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.
$18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
As the mercury rises, locals know how to escape the heat — with Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret. The series kicks off with a Motown tribute called “How Sweet It is.” Led by dynamic vocalist and songwriter Luke McMaster, an energetic trio demonstrates the enduring appeal of hits like “Tracks of My Tears,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” Runs through Aug. 3.
‘Dorothy’s Dictionary’
8 p.m. at Florida Studio’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.
$42 and up
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Alice M. Gatling stars as Dorothy, an older woman who introduces a troubled teen, played by Ethan Jack Haberfield, to the healing power of books. Directed by Kate Alexander, the tale explores memory, identity and how relationships can transform our lives. Runs through Aug. 10.
Classic Movies at the Opera House: ‘Foul Play’
7 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
$12
Visit SarasotaOpera.org.
Sarasota Opera presents “Foul Play,” Colin Higgins' 1978 film about a librarian (Goldie Hawn) who finds herself in the middle of a plot to kill the pope. When a bumbling detective (Chevy Chase) is assigned to the case, romance blooms. Meanwhile, the assassin (Marc Lawrence) is determined to keep the lovebirds from foiling his plot.
‘Alice in Boogie Wonderland’
2 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave.
$30; students 25 and under $10
Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s Stage of Discovery summer musical theater camp is celebrating its 10th anniversary and it’s pulling out the stops with its most ambitious production to date. An original musical written by WBTT Education Director/Artistic Associate Jim Weaver, “Alice in Boogie Wonderland” features characters from Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale and disco favorites such as “Boogie Ooggie Oogie” and “Boogie Nights” as well as ballads such as “That’s What Friends Are For.” Repeats Sunday, July 13, at 2 p.m.
Patti Smith: A Book of Days
10 a.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey
Included with $20 admission
Visit Selby.org.
Selby Gardens collaborates with poet and musician Patti Smith, its artist-in-residence, on an outdoor exhibition of large prints taken from her newly published bestseller, “A Book of Days.” By displaying her photographs outdoors, Selby brings them into conversation with nature. Runs through Aug. 31.
FST Improv: 'Freedom! The Musical'
7:30 p.m. FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St.
$15-$18
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Feeling patriotic but looking for a laugh? Florida Studio Theatre Improv explores "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Laughter" in this comedy musical with a promise to share an untold story of the American Revolution.
Hard Heart Burlesque
11:30 a.m. at The Mable, 2831 N. Tamiami Trail
$25
Visit EventBrite.com.
Grab your friends, your dollar bills and your appetite for glitter and breakfast. Join Swanky Valli, Karma Kandlewick and Marina Elaine as Burlesque Brunch returns to the Mable Bar and Grill. Step into Hard Heart Burlesque's little cabaret where the mimosas flow, the music sizzles and the performers… Well, they don’t just light up the stage — they set it on fire.
HD at the Opera House: ‘L’elisir d’amore’
1:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
$20
Visit SarasotaOpera.org.
Sesto Quatrini makes his house debut in this Royal Opera performance of Donizetti’s opera about a country boy, Nemorino (Liparit Avetisyan), who seeks to win the affections of the high-falutin’ Adina (soprano Nadine Sierra). Can the “elixir of love” concocted by Doctor Dulcamara (Bryn Terfel) help Nemorino win his reluctant lover’s heart? You'll have to find out for yourself.
Rauschenberg: A Centennial Celebration
The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road
Free with $25 admission; Mondays free
Visit Ringling.org.
The Ringling joins museums around the world in honoring the centenary of maverick artist Robert Rauschenberg, who burst onto the art scene in the mid-20th century with collages he called “combines.” The first American to win the grand prize at the Venice Biennale, Rauschenberg set the stage for the Pop Art movement. The exhibition includes works that The Ringling has in its collection, including pieces Rauschenberg created during his time on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Runs through Aug. 3.
'Lillian Blades: Through the Veil’
11 a.m.. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College,1001 S. Tamiami Trail
Free for museum members; $20
Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Award-winning artist Lillian Blades invites visitors to get lost in her first solo museum exhibition at Sarasota Art Museum. Her installation of “veils” combine handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Blades attributes her use of dazzling color to her childhood in The Bahamas and her process of creating large-scale assemblages from a hodgepodge of materials to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress. Runs through Oct. 26.
Jazz Happy Hour: Pete Carney Quintet
6 p.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St.
Free with registration
Visit SarasotaMusicArchive.org.
The Sarasota Music Archive kicks off its free summer jazz series with the Pete Carney Quintet playing “Chicago Jazz: Redline Grooves. Prior to joining State College of Florida as director of Jazz Studies, saxophonist Carney headlined jazz festivals around the world. He has performed with Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval and Nestor Torres, among others. Joining him will be Alara Ureksoy on vocals, Mark Moultrup on piano, Geoff Neuman on bass and Rod Alnord on drums.
‘A Year With Frog and Toad’
7 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 555 N. Tamiami Trail
$15-$19
Visit AsoloRep.org.
Asolo Repertory Theatre rolls out a fun, family-oriented production that’s priced right. Most people taking a cursory glance at the title of the show assume it’s based on Kenneth Grahame’s classic tale, “Wind in the Willows,” but that is not the case. Adapted from Arnold Lobel’s beloved children’s stories, Robert and Willie Reale’s musical is structured as a series of vignettes that follow the friendship of Frog and Toad through the seasons. Runs through Aug. 3.
