Complete guide to all the 2022-23 theater stage shows in Bradenton and Sarasota

Bradenton and Sarasota are rich with local performing arts.

As fall arrives, area theater troupes are set to retake the stage with some exciting lineups of shows for the upcoming season.

Musicals, comedies and dramas are among the offerings from local theater outfits in 2022 and 2023. Fans of the stage will recognize favorites from Broadway and stage play hits; there are also some fresh new productions and world premieres on deck.

Here’s a look at what venues in Southwest Florida have planned for the 2022-23 season.

Manatee Performing Arts Center

The Manatee Players have a season packed with award-winning musicals and dramas lined up for the remainder of their latest season.

Rent | Sept. 15-Oct. 2: “Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Rent has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages.”

Gypsy | Oct. 20-30: “Regarded by many theatre professionals as the finest musical ever created, Gypsy is the ultimate tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters’ success — while secretly yearning for her own.”

Pets! | Nov. 2-13: “This critically-acclaimed musical revue consists of 22 musical scenes dealing with the very special relationship between people and their pets. It’s clever, user-friendly and suits audiences of all ages.”

The Music Man | Dec. 1-18: “The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize.”

Next to Normal | Jan. 19-29: “An unflinching look at a suburban family struggling with the effects of mental illness. Next to Normal is an emotional powerhouse that addresses such issues as grieving a loss, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life.”

Go Ask Alice: Feb. 1-5: “Powerful and tragic, this adapted play follows Alice, a teenage girl, as she fights desperately against her drug addiction. Although the novel of the same name it was based on was published in 1971, this story remains poignant and relevant even today.”

Company | March 2-12: “Sondheim’s game-changing musical is a sophisticated and honest look at modern adult relationships. On the night of his 35th birthday, confirmed bachelor, Robert, contemplates his unmarried state. Over the course of a series of dinners, drinks, and even a wedding, his friends explain the pros and cons of taking on a spouse.”

Driving Miss Daisy | April 5-23: “This Pulitzer-winning play was the most successful play to be put on in the Bradenton Kiwanis Theater and is returning to bring this heartfelt tale to more audiences. Dealing with race relations in the south, unlikely connections, and the passage of time, ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ follows the relationship between the widowed 72-year-old Daisy Werthan and Hoke Colburn, the African American man hired to be her chauffeur.”

Sunset Boulevard | April 27-May 14: “Based on the Billy Wilder film, the musical version of Sunset Boulevard is a tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning masterwork of dreams and desire in the land called Hollywood includes the lush, swelling standards ‘With One Look,’ ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ and ‘Perfect Year.’”

Info: 941-748-5875. manateeperformingartscenter.com.

The Island Players

Anna Maria Island’s resident theater troupe is back with another five-play season. This season’s lineup includes mystery, drama and some creative adaptions of popular plays.

Cliffhanger | Sept. 15-25: “Professor Henry Lowenthal accidentally kills his boss when she ruins his retirement plans. Now Henry and his devoted wife, Polly, must find a foolproof method to dispose of the body despite frequent visits from a persistent student and a suspicious police lieutenant.”

I Ought to be in Pictures | Nov. 3-13: “Libby Tucker travels cross-country from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in the hopes of starting a film career with the help of her estranged father. But Herb Tucker has his own problems — a case of perpetual writer’s block and the rocky relationship with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Steffy.”

The Odd Couple (The Female Version) | Jan. 12-29: Audiences first met mismatched roommates Felix and Oscar in 1965. Twenty years later, this revised version made its Broadway debut with Florence Unger and Olive Madison playing Trivial Pursuit (instead of poker) and pursuing the Spanish-born Costazuela Brothers.”

The 39 Steps | March 9-26: “Get ready for non-stop laughs in this zany adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller. Four actors play more than 150 characters as our hero and heroine race across England and Scotland to stop and international gang of dangerous spies.”

How the Other Half Loves | May 4-14: “Two living rooms and three couples literally and hilariously overlap. Frank and Fiona reside in an upper-class house. Bob and Teresa live in a middle-class mess. Fiona and Bob are having an affair and must entangle the naive William and Mary in this beloved farce about adultery and alibis.”

Info: 941-778-5755. theislandplayers.org.

The Players Centre

As The Players Centre continues a campaign to find a permanent home, the theater group will produce another season of musicals and music revues at its temporary space at Studio 1130 in Sarasota.

Side by Side by Sondheim | Sept. 8 - 18: “This revue celebrates the wit and genius of musical theatre’s most influential artist, who searched for what it means to be alive. Simple and unpretentious, this Tony Award-winning musical is a perfect introduction to the work of this contemporary master and a must for diehard fans.”

Little Shop of Horrors | Oct. 6 - 16: “Feed the need for musical hilarity with this delicious sci-fi smash about a man who seeks fame at the cost of his morals with the help of a man-eating plant.”

Miracle on 34^th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play | Dec. 1 - 11: “When a department store Santa claims he’s the real Kris Kringle, his case gets taken all the way to the Supreme Court, and a little girl’s belief makes the difference in the ‘miracle.’ With live Foley effects and a score of holiday carols, Miracle on 34th Street is a beloved musical radio version of the classic film that will melt even the most cynical of hearts.”

Proof | Jan. 12 - 22: “Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for best play, ‘Proof’ tells the story of Catherine, a troubled young woman, who has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death and on the eve of her 25th birthday, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire; and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s.”

Always… Patsy Cline | Feb 2 - 12: “’Always… Patsy Cline’ is more than a tribute to the legendary country singer who died tragically at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The show is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death. The musical play, complete with down home country humor, true emotion and even some audience participation, includes many of Patsy’s unforgettable hits.”

Godspell | March 9 - 19: “’Godspell’ touches on the parables and wisdom that grapple with maybe the most important mystery of all. It was the first major musical theatre offering from three-time Grammy and Academy Award winner, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Children of Eden), and took the world by storm led by the international hit, ‘Day by Day.’”

Info: 941-365-2494. theplayers.org.

West Coast Black Theatre Troupe

Guys and Dolls | Oct. 5 - Nov. 20: “A Tony Award winner for Best Musical, ‘Guys and Dolls’ tells the story of New York City gambler Nathan Detroit, who dreams of setting up a big dice game while avoiding the authorities—and marriage to his longtime fiancée. WBTT will add its own special twist to this crowd-pleasing show.”

Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity | Nov. 30 - Dec. 23: “WBTT lovingly presents its Christmas card to the community, Langston Hughes’ ‘Black Nativity.’ The show is adapted anew by WBTT Founder Nate Jacobs each time we stage it. Black Nativity is a celebration of the nativity story, with gospel, blues, spiritual and Christmas music paired with the poetry of Langston Hughes and the creativity of WBTT.”

Flyin’ West | Jan. 4 - Feb. 12: “In the 1890s, a group of African American women leave the oppressive South and settle in the all-Black town of Nicodemus, Kansas. Their determination to survive in a harsh region is tested as they build new lives. With flashes of humor amid serious themes, ‘Flyin’ West’ sheds new light on a seldom-told chapter of American history.”

Dreamgirls | Feb. 22 - April 9: An inspirational journey through American pop music, ‘Dreamgirls’ chronicles one fictional Motown group’s rise from obscurity to superstardom. The musical explores themes of ambition, hope and betrayal, all set in the glamorous and competitive world of the music industry.”

Big Sexy | The Fats Waller Revue: April 19 - May 28: “Thomas Wright ‘Fats’ Waller was an American jazz pianist, composer, singer and comedic entertainer. Nate Jacobs’ original tribute to this irrepressible artist features Waller’s signature songs, including ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’,’ ‘Honeysuckle Rose,’ ‘Your Feet’s Too Big,’ ‘The Joint is Jumpin’’ and many more.”

Info: 941-366-1505. westcoastblacktheatre.org.

Urbanite Theatre

The Burdens | Oct. 21 – Nov. 27: “Siblings Mordy and Jane have a problem. Their dreadful, centenarian grandfather is an emotional and financial tax on the family, and he just won’t die. Scheming almost entirely via sarcastic and misspelled text messages, the siblings hatch an outrageous plan to relieve their family of their grandfather’s burden. Zany, twisted and inventive, this dark comedy reminds us it’s much easier to write what we could never say face to face.”

Birds of North America | Jan. 6 – Feb. 12: “As birders, John and his daughter Caitlyn adore spending tender autumn days attempting to catch glimpses of elusive birds. But as seasons, the climate, and global politics change, the two find their connection as rare as a red-headed woodpecker. In a lyrical and endearing family portrait, ‘Birds of North America’ unfolds in delicate, detailed layers like the scattered leaves of each passing year.”

Backwards Forwards Back | March 24 – April 23: “When a soldier returns from war carrying the ghosts of his tour, he’s faced with a sobering decision: address his alarming PTSD with virtual reality therapy, or risk losing access to his family forever. Can this new technology re-calibrate the brains and bodies of wounded soldiers? This electric, vivid, one-man drama studies the power of healing and finding strength in vulnerability.” (World premiere.)

That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven | June 10 – July 10: “Glory. Survival. Legacy. Citizenship. Four Latino boxers all chase a world title to achieve their personal versions of heaven. But to get there, they must battle each other, their own battered bodies, and the universe itself. All four men walk the line between life and death in this poignant, poetic collision of combat and cosmos.” (World premiere.)

Info: 941-321-1397. urbanitetheatre.com.

Flordia Studio Theatre

FST MAINSTAGE SERIES

Something Rotten! | Nov: 9 - Jan. 1: “Nominated for 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, ‘Something Rotten!’ is a humorous mash-up of 16th century Shakespeare and contemporary musical theatre. Set in Elizabethan England, this musical comedy follows Nick and Nigel Bottom, two playwriting brothers who are stuck in the shadow of the Renaissance rock star known as ‘The Bard.’”

What the Constitution Means to Me | Dec. 7 - Feb. 26: “When Heidi Schreck was 15 years old, she put herself through college by winning debates about The Constitution across the country. In this inspiring new play, the playwright resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the document’s profound impact on four generations of women in her family.” (Florida premiere.)

Network | Jan. 25 - March 19: “This regional premiere follows veteran anchorman Howard Beale, who is let go for not bringing in enough viewers. In his final broadcast, Beale unravels live on air — and his show’s ratings soar. Suddenly, Beale is biggest thing on TV and the network seizes on his popularity and power.” (Regional premiere.)

Visit Joe Whitefeather (and bring the family!) | April 5 - May 21: “Set in the small town of Beaver Gap, Pennsylvania during the early 1970s, this new comedy centers on the city council’s outrageous ideas to help drum up more tourism. The council decides to rename the town in honor of Joe Whitefeather — a deceased, Native American war hero who has no connection to the town whatsoever.” (World premiere.)

FST CABARET SERIES

The ‘70s: More Than a Decade | Oct. 5 - Feb. 12: “A dynamic new music revue tracing a pivotal decade and celebrating some of the greatest music ever recorded. With music made famous by The Who, Harry Chapin, The Bee Gees, Marvin Gaye, and more, this series opener celebrates the musical hit parade that was the ‘70s.”

A Place in the Sun: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder | Nov. 16 - March 26: “With a catalogue spanning six decades and multiple genres, Stevie Wonder has earned the status of the most-awarded solo artist of all time. ‘A Place in the Sun’ highlights Wonder’s significant artistic contributions and features such timeless hits as ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You,’ ‘Superstition,’ and ‘Isn’t She Lovely?’”

Reel Music | Feb. 15 - June 25: “Featuring songs from black & white films and movie musicals to ‘Casablanca’ and ‘The Greatest Showman,’ ‘Reel Music’ highlights the movies that helped create the soundtrack to the last century.”

Info: 941-366-9000. floridastudiotheatre.org.