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Arts + Culture

Justin Gomlak helps bring big city glamour to the Sarasota stage in "A Very Broadway Christmas," which plays Monday, Dec. 22, at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • December 17, 2025
The Van Wezel wants you to have 'A Very Broadway Christmas'

Broadway veterans who now live in Sarasota and St. Petersburg are staging the holiday spectacular.

  • Arts + Culture
Trevor Stalcup and Jessica Assef star in George Balanchine's "Mozartiana," in Sarasota Ballet's Program Three, "Masters of Movement," which runs Dec. 19-20 at the Sarasota Opera.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • December 16, 2025
Sarasota Ballet taps a Balanchine disciple to stage his final major work

Maria Calegari is staging "Mozartiana," which she danced when she was a principal at New York City Ballet.

  • Arts + Culture
Tree Fort Productions takes a recovery road trip, one classic car at a time
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • December 15, 2025
Tree Fort Productions takes a recovery road trip, one classic car at a time

Tree Fort Productions Projects founder Katherine Michelle Tanner's "Notes From the Dashboard" explores a platonic bond based on healing.

  • Arts + Culture
The moon rises as German and English troops gather together in "No Man's Land" to celebrate the birth of Christ in Asolo Rep's "All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914."
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • December 10, 2025
'All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914' returns to Historic Asolo Theater

First created as a Minnesota radio program in 2007, Peter Rothstein's show uses word and song to tell a little-known chapter of history.

  • Arts + Culture
Jolly (Flynn Nolen, center) is surrounded by the other characters including Candy (Christiana Allison), Mrs. Claus (Jillian Hurley), Jangle (Ray Barber), Tinsel (Vanessa Smith), Jingle (Mareece Love) and Santa Claus (Dellan Short).
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 9, 2025
'Deck the Halls' celebrates the holidays, Sarasota-style

The annual production by Florida Studio Theatre has become a holiday tradition for audiences.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Struggling artists on New York's Lower East Side hope for better days in Sarasota Players' production of Jonathan Larson's "Rent."
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • December 9, 2025
'Rent' weaves a 'tapestry of music and story' at The Sarasota Players

Director Brian Finnerty talks about The Sarasota Players' reinvention of Jonathan Larson's musical.

  • Arts + Culture
Lijana Wallenda perches on a chair balanced on a shoulder bar carried by her brother Nik Wallenda and Paul Matthew Lopez in the "Wonderland: Believe" circus, which runs through Jan. 4 in a big top near the UTC Mall.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • December 3, 2025
At the Wonderland circus, it's a Wallenda-ful life

Nik Wallenda brings his family and friends back to the UTC mall in a new theater-style tent.

  • Arts + Culture
Sarasota Opera Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi and General Director Richard Russell.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • December 2, 2025
Sarasota Opera artistic director will step down after 44 years

General Director Richard Russell will add artistic director to his role after Victor DeRenzi's departure in May.

  • Arts + Culture
Sarasota Concert Association names new board president
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • December 2, 2025
Sarasota Concert Association names new board president

Charlie Berardesco succeeds Joy McIntyre, who remains on the board.

  • Arts + Culture
Stephanie Zandra plays the Archangel who looks down over Joseph (Eustace Williams) and Mary (Maicy Powell) in Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's "Black Nativity," which runs through Dec. 21.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • December 1, 2025
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presents holiday pageant in living color

Director Nate Jacobs discusses his latest take on Langston Hughes' "Black Nativity" and why it matters more than ever.

  • Arts + Culture
Keep the wonder alive during the most wonderful time of the year
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • November 26, 2025
Keep the wonder alive during the most wonderful time of the year

From twinkling lights to festive music to caroling on a trolley, there's something for everyone in this holiday sampler of eight events.

  • Arts + Culture
Nathan Benderson Park bridge, Lakewood Ranch.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • November 25, 2025
Hermitage fellow is fixing the world one song at a time

Tom Lubben, the middle member of The Lubben Brothers, will perform with clarinetist Shawn Allison at Benderson Park in a Hermitage Sunsets concert.

  • Arts + Culture
Sarasota actor Alan Kitty is launching a Mark Twain Festival at the Crocker Memorial Church, home of the Sarasota Historical Society, in Pioneer Park.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • November 24, 2025
Mark Twain is alive and well and living in Sarasota

Twain impersonator Alan Kitty is launching a festival to honor the noted author's 190th birthday.

  • Arts + Culture
Sarasota arts scene serves up holiday classics, explores the modern 9-to-5
    By
  • Su Byron
  • November 21, 2025
Sarasota arts scene serves up holiday classics, explores the modern 9-to-5

Across the region, creativity is flourishing — from bold new theater and centennial celebrations to music and dance that lift the spirit.

  • Arts + Culture
Anxious travelers are desperate to contact loved ones after they are stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, in Asolo Rep's production of "Come From Away."
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • November 19, 2025
Asolo Rep tells a story of Canadian hospitality with 'Come From Away'

When 7,000 travelers were grounded in Gander on 9/11, locals opened their homes — and their hearts.

  • Arts + Culture
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1
Osprey play an important role in local ecosystems, and they seek out high perches on either designated nesting perches or, as in this case, power poles.
  • December 18, 2025
Ospreys get a home renovation
2
Renovations and construction of new concessions in Concourse B at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport are nearly complete.
  • December 18, 2025
Airport's growth in 2025 sets the stage for 2026 planning
3
St. Armands Circle was several feet underwater following hurricanes Helene and Milton.
  • December 17, 2025
St. Armands receives $13.5 million to address flooding concerns
4
Lakewood Ranch senior forward Gabriel Lara (11) chases after the ball during a Dec. 15 game against Braden River.
  • December 17, 2025
LRHS's boys soccer team races to an unbeaten start through 10 games
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  • December 17, 2025
Animal interactions and private experiences at Sarasota Jungle Gardens

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