Arts & Entertainment

Xmas with the Crafty Ladies
The Crafty Ladies of Gulf Cove United Methodist Church are open to the public just in time for Christmas. Their hand-crafted items are available in the main church building from 10am to noon on Thursdays, December 5, 12, and 19. Enter the church thru the doors by the pond. Gulf Cove UMC is located at 1100 S. McCall Road in the Gulf Cove area of Port Charlotte. The church can be reached at 941•697•1747 or [email protected]. 

 

 

Key Chorale of Sarasota and the Sarasota Ballet Studio Ballet Company will partner again for “Winter’s Glow” on Sunday, December 1, 4pm, at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota. The dancing color bursts of the aurora borealis are the inspiration for a program featuring Nordic music & tales celebrating the magic of the winter season. “Dreamweaver” is a story of a holiday transformation inspired by a Norwegian folk poem and “When Icicles Hang” highlights the charming choreography of Maria Konrad which captures the joy & mystery of the holiday season. Pricing is $20-$55 at keychorale.org or call 941•552•8768. Pictured here, Lithuanian soprano Lina Dambrauskaite is featured in “Dreamweaver”.

Art Fusion: A Celebration
Suncoast Writers Guild and Venice Musicale present “Art Fusion”, a celebration of art, music, poetry and storytelling on Thursday, December 5, 1:30pm at the Jervey Library, 300 Nokomis Avenue South, Venice. Four pieces of art will be presented to the public accompanied by an original short story and poem read by members of the Suncoast Writers Guild. Following the reading, Venice Musicale will perform a musical selection inspired by the piece. The artists will speak afterwards about their work and answer questions. This program is free and open to the public.

Claire Chase: Destiny of Density
Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens presents Hermitage Fellow Claire Chase on Thursday, December 5, 5:30pm, at Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Chase is an internationally acclaimed composer and performer and is a pioneer in the world of contemporary music with projects such as “Density 2036”. Enjoy the beauty of her flute during “Solo Flute – Destiny of Density”. Registration is $5 per person at hermitageartistretreat.org.

Venice Theatre’s Holiday Favorite
Venice Theatre’s musical version of “A Christmas Carol” returns with the joyous spirit of the year-end holidays. Intergenerational veterans from past productions of this holiday tradition join with new cast members to tell Charles Dicken’s story of redemption and rebirth. Performances run Friday, December 6 through Sunday, December 22 at the theater located at 140 Tampa Avenue West, Venice. Evening performances start at 7:30pm on Tuesday through Saturday and at 2pm on Sunday. Ticket price is $26 adult, $22 college and $15 youth (plus $3 restoration fee) and may be purchased at venicetheatre.org or call 941•488•1115. 

“Round the Christmas Tree” with Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
Englewood Performing Arts Series (EPAS) holiday show this year is “‘Round the Christmas Tree” with Paragon Ragtime Orchestra on Friday, December 6, 7pm, at Englewood Methodist Church, 700 E. Dearborn Street. This colorful program features familiar Christmas songs in their original 19th century scores from the Victorian era, along with some novelties like a ragtime version of the Nutcracker Suite. As a finale, the orchestra accompanies a screening of the one of the world’s first Christmas movies - a 1905 Thomas Edison production. Tickets are $35-$40 and may be purchased online at englewoodmethodist.com/epas. The next EPAS concert will be “Hotel California”, the original Eagles tribute band, on Friday, January 17 at 7pm.

Suncoast Duos’ Holiday concert
Ushering in the “Sounds of the Season” will be Suncoast Duo Pianists on Friday and Saturday, December 6 & 7, 3 to 4pm at the Jervey Venice Library, 300 Nokomis Avenue South, Venice. The duo pianists will perform duets celebrating the melodies of Christmas and Hanukkah as well as favorite winter selections. These concerts are free and open to the public. There will be a free-will offering that goes towards the Venice Musicale’s scholarship fund. For more information, go to venicemusicale.org.

Charlotte Chorale Concert
“Sing We Now of Christmas” is what the Charlotte Chorale will be doing at their concert on Saturday, December 7, 4pm at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center, 701 Carmalita Street, Punta Gorda. Adult ticket price is $25 and student $10 at CharlotteChorale.com or call 941•204•0033.

Winter Art Show
The Artist Colony will be hosting a Winter Art Show on Sunday, December 8, 10am to 3pm, in the 400 block of West Dearborn Street. Artists will offer a selection of original art for sale. Guests can also view the newly installed “Feathers and Fins” sculptures along the street that were sponsored by local businesses and painted by Artist Colony artists. This event is free and open to the public. The 400 block of West Dearborn will be closed to vehicular traffic for the show on Sunday, 8am to 8pm. At noon, there will be a ribbon-cutting for the Coastal Wildlife Education Garden located behind Sand Dollar Home Team with Leslie Brown at Keller Williams God Realty at 240 W. Dearborn Street on North Maple Street. Environmental groups will be on hand and there will be photos with Santa, food and music. For more information, email Sydney at [email protected].

The Venice Concert Band, under the baton of Artistic Director and Conductor Bob Miller, presents their traditional holiday concert, “Holiday Gems,” on Monday, December 2, 7pm, at the Venice Performing Arts Center, One Indian Avenue, Venice. With a program of holiday favorites, a few surprises, tenor soloist David Downer, and of course audience participation, this will be a night to put you in the holiday spirit. The concert selections include “A Christmas Celebration,” a fresh new holiday showcase by composer Kenny Bierschenk; “A Chanukah Celebration”, a delightful holiday medley; “Carols of Christmas”, with blended carols; “Whisper to Their Souls” composed by Samuel Hazo; “Secret Agent Santa”, “Minor Alterations: Christmas Through the Looking Glass”; and “A Most Wonderful Christmas”. Soloist David Downer (pictured here) will perform “The Birthday of a King” and “Blue Christmas”. Tickets are $14 and may be purchased online at VeniceConcertBand.com or for cash only at the door. If you wish to brighten someone’s holiday, please bring a new unwrapped toy or financial contribution for the Venice Police Department Blue Santa Program.

Happy Christmukkah!
Choral Artists of Sarasota presents “Happy Christmukkah” on Sunday, December 8, 7pm, at the Church of the Redeemer Episcopal, 222 S. Palm Avenue, Sarasota. The season of light will abound in this holiday choral program with both Christmas and Hanukkah songs promoting peace, comfort and joy for the season. There will also be a “Meet the Music with Dr. Holt” at 6pm on Thursday, December 5 at Art to Walk On, 16 S. Palm Avenue, Sarasota. Ticket price is $40 adult and $5 student. Tickets may be purchased online at choralartistssarasota.org or by calling 941•387•6046.

The Cop & the Anthem
Loveland Creates is a dynamic program that combines art & theater to empower adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through creative expression. These Loveland Center actors will present “The Cop and the Anthem” Thursday December 12-Sunday, December 15 in the Loveland performing arts center, 157 Havana Road, Venice. This heartwarming production follows the humorous misadventures of Soapy, a charming vagabond with one goal: to escape the winter chill by getting himself arrested. Showtimes are 5pm Thursday & Friday and 2pm Saturday and Sunday. Ticket price is $10, with a $20 VIP option that includes a gift bag and front-row seating. First Responders receive 10% off the ticket price with ID. Purchase tickets at lovelandcenter.square.site. There will be concessions and an art booth featuring works by Loveland Creates artists. Learn more at LovelandCenter.org.

Friday Night Concert
The Friday Night Concert Series at Centennial Park gazebo in Venice is held on the second and fourth Friday evening of the month from 7 to 9pm. The December concert schedule is Ken Wanovich on Friday, December 13th and Doug Burns on Friday, December 27th. These concerts are free. Concert attendees should bring their own seating to Centennial Park, 200 W. Venice Avenue, Venice. No alcohol permitted. For more information, go to VisitVenicefl.org.

Winter Dessert Cabaret Showcase
The Lemon Bay High School Theatre Department is delighted to announce their upcoming Winter Dessert Cabaret Showcase on Friday, December 6 at 6pm and Saturday, December 7 at 2pm and 6pm. Warm up your winter with sweet treats and show-stopping performances by the Musical Mantas Choir, the Junior Musical Mantas Choir and the Musical Theatre Class in the LBHS Black Box Theater at 2201 Placida Road. Your $15 ticket provides great entertainment and a delectable dessert spread and refreshing drinks; students and staff are $10. Don’t miss this delightful opportunity to support the talented students of the Lemon Bay High School Theatre Department! Tickets are selling fast, so secure yours today at lbhstheatre.net. For more information, call 941•474•4702.

Stand-Up Comedy Fest
Venice Laughs is a stand-up comedy fest for adults who love the funny side of life. Who can’t benefit from some humor and laughs after all that the year 2024 has brought. Stand-up comedians from this area will keep you laughing throughout the show which also includes Hanukkah and Jewish-themed humor. Thirteen different comedians will be on stage during the show’s run so you may want to come more than once. Show dates are Friday, December 6, 7:30pm; Sunday, December 8, 2pm; Saturday, December 14, 7:30pm and Sunday, December 15, 2pm. To see each show’s comics and purchase tickets, go to venicetheatre.org. Ticket price is $26 adult, $22 college/educator and $15 youth (plus $3 restoration fee).

Venice Musicale's Encore Chorus Holiday Concert
Bells, holly, candles & more - those are signs of the season and the title for the Venice Musicale’s Encore Chorus holiday concert on Thursday, December 12, 3pm, at St. Mark’s Church, 508 Riviera Street, Venice. The Encore Chorus is a 30-voice ensemble of male & female singers who present two concerts yearly. The concert is free and open to the public. Donations accepted for the Musicale’s scholarship fund. For more information, visit VeniceMusicale.org.

Raise Your Voice
Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents Joseph Parrish and Jesse Martins in “Raise Your Voice” on Thursday, December 12th and James Ehnes and Friends on Tuesday, December 17th. Baritone Joseph Parrish, winner of the 2022 Young Concert Artists’ Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, is equally at home with operatic and popular repertoire. He has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall & the Kennedy Center. He will be accompanied by Sarasota Opera’s Jesse Martins on the piano. The concert starts at 11am at the Sarasota Yacht Club, 1700 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. The $70 ticket price includes lunch. James Ehnes, one of the most in-demand violinists on the international stage, will be featured on Tuesday, December 17, 7:30pm at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1031 S. Euclid Avenue, Sarasota. Orion Weiss will accompany him on piano and in the second half of the concert, he will be joined by violinist Daniel Jordan, violists Stephanie Block & Nathan Frantz and cellists Natalie Helm and Bjorn Ranheim. Ticket price is $43 general seating & $63 for VIP seating. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call 941•306•1202.

  

The Artful Lobster Luncheon Raises over $380,000
The Hermitage Artist Retreat is overjoyed to announce that over $380,000 was raised at the Artful Lobster luncheon on Saturday, November 9th. This annual event raises valuable funds for the artist residency program and this year’s proceeds will also help with hurricane recovery efforts for the Manasota Key campus. Over 200 guests attended the sold-out luncheon, headlined by Hermitage Fellows Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Rona Siddiqui. Pictured here (l-r): Rona Siddiqui, Raleigh Mosely II, Hermitage CEO Andy Sandberg, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and Martina Long at the event.

Winter Art Market
Englewood Art Center asks you to save the date for the Winter Art Market on Friday & Saturday, December 13 & 14, 10am to 4pm, at their gallery/center, 350 S. McCall Road. Just in time for the holidays, you can shop local art and artisan vendors, enjoy instructor demonstrations, enjoy live music from 11am to 3pm, and grab something to eat from the food trucks on-site. Bring the kids as fun activities are scheduled for them. On Friday, Shindig will be performing and on Saturday, it’s Rick Holt. Free entry and a chance to win vendor art merchandise. For more information, visit eac.org or call 941•474•5548.

Yuletide Fun for One and All
Get ready for a wacky good time this holiday season when Lemon Bay High School Theatre presents “A Seussified Christmas Carol” on Friday, December 13 at 6pm and Saturday, December 14 at 2pm and 6pm. This whimsical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale transforms the story into a world of Seussian rhyme and wacky characters. Catch the Scrooge as he journeys through Christmas Past, Present, and Future to discover the real meaning of the season. This heartwarming and hilarious production is perfect for audiences of all ages. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at lbhstheatre.net. General admission is $15, $12.50 for seniors age 60+ and $10 student/staff. Don’t miss your chance to celebrate the holidays with this merry and Seussical twist on a beloved classic! For more information, call 941•474•4702.

The Nutcracker at VPAC
Sarasota Ballet will present a performance of “The Nutcracker” at 7pm Friday, December 13 and 3pm Saturday, December 14 at the Venice Performing Arts Center, One Indian Avenue, Venice. The Venice Symphony, Venice Institute for the Performing Arts partner with the Sarasota Ballet School for this holiday favorite with enchanting sets and an array of stunning costumes. Ticket price is $40 to $85, and tickets may be purchased online at veniceperformingartscenter.com or call 941•218•0627.

 

 

 “The Sore Loser”
The Hermitage Artist Retreat is excited to invite Gulf Coast audiences to experience the first regional showing of “The Sore Loser”, the new Hermitage commission from Hermitage Fellow Madeleine George. The show just concluded a successful presentation in New York. The Faustian comedy will be on Monday, December 9, 7:30pm, at the Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Avenue West, Venice. Set in a bowling alley, this story promises to bring the competitor (and the laughs) out of us all during this story about power, domination and the death of the patriarchy…as told through a small-town bowling tournament. Reserve your seat now at hermitageartistretreat.org ($5 registration fee).

Winter Arts & Crafts Show
Sarasota County Parks & Recreation invites you to attend a Winter Arts & Crafts Show on Saturday, December 14, 10am to 3pm at the Venice Community Center, 326 Nokomis Avenue South, Venice. Free admission. For more information, go to sarasotacountyparks.com/programs-and-events.

Venice Chorale Holiday Extravaganza
Enjoy a holiday show with the Venice Chorale on Monday, December 16, 7pm, at the Venice Performing Arts, One Indian Avenue, Venice. “Classic Carols, Modern Mirth” takes you on a joyous musical journey where the past meets the present, warming hearts and lifting spirits in the true essence of the holiday season. Tickets are $25 (+fees) online at TheVeniceChorale.org or call 941•218•3779.

The Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative, “Opera and Theater”, with the 2024 Hermitage Cross Arts recipients Anthony Baresse and Raleigh Mosely II, will be Friday, December 13, 5pm, at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota. Sarasota Opera’s Anthony Baresse is a celebrated conductor who is pursuing his passion to transcribe lost operas so they can be performed by today’s companies. Raleigh Mosely II is a star of the Sarasota theater scene, and a gifted singer and actor making a name as a recording artist, writing & performing his own work. Registration is $5 at hermitageartistretreat.org. Raleigh Mosely II (left) and Anthony Baresse will share perceptions and perform selections during “Opera and Theater”.

These listings are as accurate as possible. Please call the listed numbers for confirmation and further information. If you have an art event or happening you would like to have considered for “Art Chat,” please send information and/or photo to The Englewood REVIEW, 370 W Dearborn St, Suite B, Englewood, FL 34223, or email: [email protected]. Visit our website at www.englewoodreview.com and check out our interactive calendar where you are invited to add your event.