• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Arts + Entertainment | Reviews

Peter Van Wagner, John Rapson, Dayne Lee Palya, Suzanne Grodner and Zachary Prince star in Asolo Rep's production of Grand Horizons. (Photo courtesy of Cliff Roles)
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • February 3, 2022
'Grand Horizons' meets great expectations

The Asolo Rep’s production of “Grand Horizons” is seriously funny. And, sometimes, just plain serious.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
A bar serves as the backdrop for Tim Finnegan's tale in "The Smuggler." (Courtesy photo: Dylan Jon Wade Cox)
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • January 28, 2022
The road to hell is paved with eloquent rationalizations in 'The Smuggler' at Urbanite

Ronán Noone’s one-man play takes audiences on an entertaining ride on one immigrant's hell-bound train of snatch-and-grab.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Alex Benito Rodriguez as George Gibbs and Caroline Mixon as Emily Webb in Asolo Rep's production of "Our Town." (Courtesy Photo: Cliff Roles)
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • January 19, 2022
Surprisingly mystical 'Our Town' creates a sense of universality

“Our Town” explores the cycles of human life in a moving Asolo Rep production.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Peter Raimondo and Zoya Martin in FSU Asolo Conservatory’s production of Belleville. (Photo: Frank Atura)
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • January 10, 2022
'Belleville' brings out the ugly truth in two Americans in Paris

In The FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training's latest production, a young couple’s life seems too good to be true. It is.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
    By
  • Spencer Fordin
  • January 4, 2022
An introduction from the Observer's new A+E Editor

Spencer Fordin, the Observer's new Arts + Entertainment editor, comes with two decades of experience in journalism but not much skill at all at singing and dancing.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Victoria Hulland, Dierdre Miles Burger and Ricardo Rhodes in Sir Peter Wright's "Giselle." (Photo by Frank Atura)
    By
  • Sara Rachon
  • December 20, 2021
Sarasota Ballet's 'Giselle' delivers the drama

The dancers bring the story of tragedy alive in their performance of Sir Peter Wright's classic.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Charnette Batey as Dionne and the cast of Asolo Rep's production of "Hair." (Photo by Cliff Roles)
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • December 16, 2021
'Hair' today, gone tomorrow

'Hair' was a musical of its time. The Asolo Rep creative team reimagined it for our time.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Marijana Dominis and Ricardo Graziano perform in Twyla Tharp's "Nine Sinatra Songs."
    By
  • Sara Rachon
  • November 22, 2021
Sarasota Ballet shines day and night

The second program of the season highlights two very different works.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Michael Perrie Jr. plays Buddy Holly in FST's production.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • November 18, 2021
Remember When Rock Was Young?

The music lives in 'Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story' at Florida Studio Theatre.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
"Everybody" (Christian Douglass) tries to bring "Stuff" (Dreaa Baudy) on his journey in the Asolo Conservatory production.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • November 16, 2021
Dying on stage

'Everybody' explains life, death and everything in the FSU/Asolo Acting Conservatory’s imaginative production.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Donovan Session and Shea Petersen bring Urbanite's "At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen" to life. (Photo by Dylan Jon Wade Cox)
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • November 6, 2021
What a drag it is not getting old

'At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen' cracks the intersectional code of identity at Urbanite Theatre.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Timothee Chalamet is Paul Atreides. Photo via HBO Max.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • October 22, 2021
Cringe Blog: "Dune" reminds you that fear is the mind-killer

Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi blockbuster is on "HBO Max" right now.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
James Badge Dale in "The Empty Man." Photo via HBO Max.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • October 14, 2021
Cringe Blog: "The Skeleton Key" and "The Empty Man" bring the atmospheric horror

"The Skeleton Key" is on Peacock, and "The Empty Man" is on HBO Max.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Eili Harboe in "Thelma."
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • October 12, 2021
Cringe Blog: "Escape Room" is dumb fun, and "Thelma" provides held-breath mystery and thrills

Plus, the trailer for the next "Scream" movie drops.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Hamish Linklater in "Midnight Mass." Photo via Netflix.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • October 1, 2021
Cringe Blog: "Midnight Mass" and "Malignant" usher in October

The 2021 spooky season starts on two different notes.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
« 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 »
The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Latest in Arts + Entertainment

1
Peculiar Pub takes the place of Twisted Pit BBQ on Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.
  • June 12, 2026
Peculiar Pub crawls across Main Street in Lakewood Ranch
2
Carlos Pagán, a fixture of the Sarasota jazz scene, passed away June 7 at age 78.
  • June 12, 2026
Sarasota jazz crusader and filmmaker Carlos Pagán dies at age 78
3
Venice Theatre hosts global theater showcase WorldFest
  • June 10, 2026
Venice Theatre hosts global theater showcase WorldFest
4
Alexandra Melrose, Hailie Lucille and Hannah Taylor star in Florida Studio Theatre's "Honky Tonk Angels."
  • June 9, 2026
The best things to do in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat for June 11-17
5
Pianist and composer Michael Stephen Brown is a faculty member at the 2026 Sarasota Music Festival.
  • June 7, 2026
The bar remains high at streamlined Sarasota Music Festival

App

Download the Your Observer app

Stay in the know with the latest local news. Any device, anytime, anywhere.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.

Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free