Buzz Worthy | A roundup of Bradenton-area arts and entertainment happenings
Two of the most intriguing plays in Asolo Repertory Theatre's 2015-16 season are "All the Way," an examination of the first year of Lyndon Johnson's first year as president, and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," a fresh look at the classic film. They're very different works, but they both look at race and civil rights in the 1960s.
On Feb. 24, Asolo Rep will host what they're calling a "special behind-the-scenes discussion" of the two plays. Features panelists are Tony Award-winner Frank Galati, who's directing "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?," and Shaun Patrick Tubbs, the directing fellow for both of the shows.
The discussion starts at 11 a.m. on the mezzanine at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets are $5. Call 941-351-8000 or go to asolorep.org.
Verdi exciting
It's an exciting season for Sarasota Op
era as it wraps up its 28-year Verdi Cycle and becomes the only company in the world to have performed everything Giuseppe Verdi ever wrote that he intended for performance. In recent days, Sarasota Opera has announced a couple of new developments associated with the cycle.
Its production of Verdi's "Aida" has proven so popular with audiences that an extra performance has been added. It's set for 7:30 p.m. March 10. Tickets are $19-$135. You can get them by calling 941-328-1300 or by going to sarasotaopera.org.
The opera has also launched a website dedicated to the company's Verdi Cycle. The site includes listings of all of Verdi's operatic and non-operatic music performed by Sarasota Opera, production information and photos, testimonial pages for artists who performed in Verdi Cycle productions, pages that let audience members to share their experiences, scholarly resources for Verdi enthusiasts and a countdown clock that tracks the time left to the completion of the Verdi Cycle. The website's address is verdicycle.org,
Island songs
A new CD that features songs by area musicians about how cool Anna Maria Island is has just been released.
The CD is called "AMI Originals," and its eight songs all celebrate one of Manatee County's most beautiful areas. In fact, five of the eight songs are titled simply "Anna Maria."
The artists who provided songs for the album are Jon Condie, Chip Ragsdale, Chuck Caudill, Don Middlebrook and Arun Bhagwat (all of whom perform songs titled "Anna Maria"), Karen Klarich and Jimmy Lally ("Anna Maria Island"), Mike Sales ("Meet Me on Anna Maria Island") and Kenny Ray ("Sitting on the Beach'). Bhagwat lives in Sarasota and Ray in Bradenton, but all the others live on Anna Maria Island.
The CDs sell for $10 and they're available at Sandbar, BeachHouse, MarVista, The General Store, AMI Beach Fun Rentals, ABC Rentals, and at Paradise Boat Tours at Bridge Street Pier and through AnnaMariaIslandRadio.com.
It's the first-ever CD release from AMI radio, which streams live 24 hours a day at AnnaMariaIslandRadio.com. (The album is also available through the website.) Half the money goes to the musicians and 10 percent will be donated to Manatee Children's Services.
Marty Clear, features writer/columnist, can be reached at 941-708-7919. Follow twitter.com/martinclear.
This story was originally published February 14, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Buzz Worthy | A roundup of Bradenton-area arts and entertainment happenings ."