Category: Theater

Suncoast Scene: Out and About

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Visitors from the North

You know it’s winter up north when your friends and relatives start showing up in Florida.  Over the past few weeks, we’ve enjoyed getting together with a former colleague from San Francisco, entertaining two of the Chief Penguin’s former graduate students and their three almost adult children (do we feel old?), and catching up with the C.P.’s college roommate and wife from Potsdam (whose wedding we attended decades ago).

This past week we had a delightful time with my Chapel Hill sister and brother-in-law.  They provided the impetus for breakfast at the beach, lunch at Thai Palace, live music (along with fresh fish) at Cortez Kitchen, dinner at our favorite new French restaurant, wandering the Sarasota Seafood Festival, and another tour around Selby Botanical Gardens.  Note the emphasis on food; as Sally says, “we ate, talked, and walked,” and ate some more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performing Arts

At Music Monday, we were privileged to see and hear from Betsy Hudson Traba, principal flute in the Sarasota Orchestra, and Cheryl Losey Feder, harpist. Together they played several works, a couple of which had keyboard parts that had been adapted for harp.  It was a treat.

Playwright Robert Schenkkan wrote two plays about Lyndon Johnson’s presidency.  Last year we saw the first, All the Way, and this past week we went to Asolo’s production of The Great Society.  This second, equally superb play, deals with the tumultuous events (marches, riots, deaths, war in Vietnam) from 1965-68.  It is both instructive and chilling to see this period from 50 years later and to be reminded of how much and how little progress has been made.  Also disturbing in light of the current president.  The play ends with a line from President-elect Nixon about making America great again.  I wondered if it was in the original play.

We ended the week with the Sarasota Ballet.  Under director Iain Webb, the company has made a specialty of presenting the works of choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton.  We were pleased to see the lovely Valses nobles et sentimentales and look forward to more works by Ashton on future programs.

Footnote

The Florida Suncoast refers to the west-central coastal region from Tampa and St. Petersburg south to Bradenton and Sarasota which includes more than 20 miles of lovely sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.

Note:  All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved)

Sarasota Scene: Holiday Happenings

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Fabulous Fun.  Asolo Repertory Theater’s production of Guys and Dolls is the perfect antidote for any lingering post-election blues.  Energetic, boisterous, lively, romantic, it’s hard to find enough adjectives to describe the sheer fun of it all.  I had never seen this musical before and was caught up in the music and the fast-paced dancing.   And pleased to discover that I even knew a couple of the songs, ”Luck Be a Lady,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”  The subtitle of the work is “A Musical Fable of Broadway,” and reflecting that, the action is set on Broadway and in a Salvation Army-like mission and features gamblers and show girls and the most unlikely of romantic pairings.  It runs until January 1, so if you’re local, treat yourself!

Christmas Concert

Tucked just in from Sarasota Bay, the Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota’s sanctuary is both elegant and cozy.   This week we attended “This Day, a concert of Christmas-related music by the Musica Sacra Cantorum, part of the church’s Great Music Concert Series which runs from December through next May.  This concert mixed the familiar, “The Holly and the Ivy”, “In the Bleak Midwinter,” and “Joy to the World” (all verses) with the new and the unexpected.  British composer John Rutter is one of my favorites (“All Things Bright and Beautiful”) and we heard his three-movement, “Gloria,” along with works by John Tavener and the hauntingly beautiful, “Shine on This Shining Night,” by Morton Lauridsen.  Much honored and lauded, Lauridsen’s name and work were previously unknown to me.

Bob Parrish, the choir director, is a warm and engaging presence at the podium.  The program was an ambitious one and at some points challenging for the singers.  But overall, an enjoyable paean to the season.

Fresh Fish

For fresh and tasty fish in downtown Sarasota, I highly recommend Duval’s on Main Street.  We’ve had lunch there a number of times, but dinner perhaps only once before.  This week we took our visiting friend Barb and were delighted.  It’s a place where when you walk in, the décor leads you to expect an acceptable casual meal.  In our experience, the food consistently trumps the ambience.

Two of us enjoyed the grilled red snapper with a choice of sides.  I opted for the lightly sautéed spinach (one of my favorite vegetables) and requested the fried green tomatoes.  They were not technically one of the sides, but were being offered in a modified caprese salad.  Also tasty were the corn and lobster mac and cheese and a Caesar salad (large enough to share).  Our waitress was charming and knowledgeable—the next day we spotted her at the Asolo Theater.  Small world.

 

Header photo:  http://www.bradenton.com/entertainment/article115230988.html; Brass:  Christmas-brass.jpg

 

Tidy Tidbits: Local Fare

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BUY LOCAL

The Florida season is over, the snow birds have retreated north, and it’s quiet time for many local merchants.  If you live in Sarasota or Bradenton, remember to visit your favorite downtown shops and restaurants.  They need you and they really appreciate your business!

Two of my regular stops are Bookstore 1 Sarasota and the Artisan Cheese Company.  In addition to Stilton (a stately, elegant cheese) and creamy, nutty L’Amuse Gouda, we indulged in some soft cheese and, for the first time, tried the store’s own pimento cheese.  Now, I know of pimento cheese from Southern novels, have sampled it from several suppliers and have always been underwhelmed.  Louise said that her version flew out of the store as soon as she put it on the shelf.  Well, it’s scrumptious!  The right mix of cheese, enough bits of pimento, and a hint of heat make it positively addictive.  I’ll be back for more.

Louise & Parker Converse shop owners (www.artisancheesecompanycm)
Shop owners Louise and Parker Converse (www.artisancheesecompany.com)

At my favorite bookstore, a proper one with shelves of books and more books, magazines, a children’s section and tables of temptation, I was intrigued by at least six new novels.  I settled on two, one the latest from Lauren Belfer, while the Chief Penguin located the hefty libretto for Hamilton.  With somewhat lighter pockets, we left happy merchants and headed home.

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Program cover (www.thelowry.com)

GIRL POWER  

For this year’s summer musical, Asolo Rep is presenting the U.S. premiere of Hetty Feather.  Based on a book by Jacqueline Wilson, it’s the story of Victorian girl Hetty’s tumultuous and, at times rollicking, journey from a foundling hospital to a foster home and then back to the hospital with encounters with the circus along the way.  Hetty is spunky and lively and always on the lookout for her real mother.  With exceedingly creative and clever staging (ropes, ladders and a suspended ring) and a very nimble and talented British cast, this is delightful family fare.

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SHOUT-OUT

While in New York, I finally visited Rizzoli Bookstore’s new location on Broadway not far from Eataly.  It is very spacious and all on one floor, but retains the feel of the old Rizzoli on W. 57th Street.  Dark wood bookcases, long tables of books and classic chandeliers.  I was told by one of the staff that they were able to save and re-use many of the fixtures including cases and lights, hence the familiarity.  They have a big space at the back (I’m assuming for events) with some comfy chairs and even several restrooms (another plus).  I enjoyed my time browsing and left with one of the several new novels I’d spied.  Definitely add it to your bookstore list!

WHAT I’M READING

Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.  I suggested this title (previously unread by me) to my west coast book group and found myself plodding through it.  Published in 1920 and Lewis’ first successful novel, it is the story of Will Kennicutt, a doctor in small town Gopher Prairie, Minnesota, and his younger wife, Carol.  She is from the big city and has problems adjusting to what she views as a provincial, gossipy, unsophisticated place.  She is both a romantic and a self-appointed reformer who doesn’t really know what she wants or how to accomplish her supposed aims.  A satirical study in gender roles and cultural mores in a different time, but with a perspective on social class that still has relevance.  Overall, I found it too long and very dense.

First Women:  The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies by Kate Anderson Brower.  For a relaxing change of pace, this breezy work is about the bonds, the correspondence, and the unlikely friendships between these First Ladies.  Each is unique in personality and style and each, as wife of the president, made the White House her home.  Not a lot of new information here, but an engaging look at the times they inhabited and the roles they played—from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama.  Brower’s earlier book is The Residence about those who staff the White House.

 

Note:  Header photo and Rizzoli image by JWFarrington (some rights reserved)

Manhattan: Culture Notes

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They say good things come in threes, so here you have a play, a film, and a novel.  All deserving of attention, and at least two, of kudos.

BRILLIANT THEATER

Last week we saw Hamilton and it lived up to all the hype. We were seated in the 3rd row of the mezzanine (best seats I could get last September without taking out a loan!)  which actually gave us a good view of the entire stage and the ability to see the dance routines from above. Lin-Manuel Miranda is one very creative guy and how he makes history come live! Even allowing for dramatic license, one will never think of these Founding Fathers quite the same way.

Mairanda is marvelous as the ambitious, verbose, self-centered, self-righteous Hamilton. Thomas Jefferson is foppishly funny in “What Did I Miss?” George Washington is appropriately reasonable and statesmanlike, King George is childishly amusing (got a lot of laughs from the audience), and Aaron Burr is smooth, sometimes slick, and oh, so envious of Hamilton’s rapid rise. The few females, the two Schuyler sisters and Maria, the object of Hamilton’s adulterous affair, have secondary roles although Hamilton’s wife Eliza Schuyler delivers several poignant songs.

My only criticism is that it was not possible to understand all the words, especially in some of the early numbers, and it was not always clear then what event precipitated that dialogue. We were part of an extremely enthusiastic audience, lots of families with kids and at least one school class, and the cast received many cheers and an immediate standing ovation at the conclusion. Definitely see it!!!

Postscript: I am now reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Hamilton on which the play is loosely based.

ENTERTAINING TRUTH

I would never ever vote for Anthony Weiner, but the new documentary, Weiner, which tracks his primary campaign for mayor of New York, is intense, funny at points, and vastly entertaining. Presenting the sexting scandal of 2011 with clips of press conferences and TV interviews, the film then goes deep into his daily life in 2013 as he mounts his campaign to return to public office and faces chapter two of the sex scandal. It is amazing to me that Weiner gave the filmmakers such unfettered access to his wife and son as well as to his campaign team. Call it hubris, craziness, or what you will, the man has charisma and determination despite being, literally, his own worst enemy.

SUPERB FICTION

Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett

Thoroughly enveloping. Madness, music, siblings and suicide. It sounds like a depressing combination, but rather than being depressing, Imagine Me Gone is a fully imagined portrayal of family dynamics told in the voices of the five family members. In this case, a father who is mentally ill, his wife, and their three children, all of whom bear the scars, be they scratches or full-blown cuts, of his affliction. The eldest son, Michael, is 36 and still single and suffers from his own mental issues. Sister Celia is wary of trusting in her own long-term relationship, and brother Alex is gay and seeking a stable place in the world. Initially each one invests time and mental effort in trying to assuage Michael’s anguish and in managing his anxiety and his ineptitude for daily life. Their mother Margaret goes into debt in her efforts to support her eldest son. Haslett’s writing is tender and exquisite, beautifully nuanced in his depiction of family relationships. You, the reader, feel for each member of this damaged family. But it is ultimately a story with hope. One of the best novels I’ve read thus far this year!

John, the father, about Alec as a kid:

The beast isn’t in Alec.  I have no way of knowing this for certain.  He’s too young.  Maybe I just don’t see it and don’t want to. But in his eagerness to please there is such squiriming energy and a kind of literalness.  He’s up on the surface of himself opening outward, even when he’s embarrassed, perhaps particularly so then, because he finds embarrassment so painful, he’ll do anything to get off the spot.”

Margaret reflecting on her work colleague, Suzanne:

She’s an unlikely librarian, her flair wasted, if not resented, by everyone but the high school boys and their fathers.   Early on, she decided that I was to be her ally against the forces of boredom and small-mindedness. I was too tired to resist.

 

 Header photo: Richard Rodgers Theater before all the seats were filled (JWFarrington)