Doing it his way
Venice Theatre Director Allan Kollar, Musical Director Michelle Kasanofsky and Choreographer Cynthia Ashford have a treat planned for audiences in the Venice Theatre reprisal of the best-selling cabaret, "My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra."
The show opens the theatre’s 2009-2010 Cabaret Season, running on the Pinkerton Stage from Aug. 28 through Sept. 13.
"My Way" originally opened at Venice Theatre for a limited run in the summer of 2003. It immediately sold out and performances were added – twice. Each extension sold out, and the theatre maintained a waiting list for cancellations. In response to "My Way’s" popularity, the theatre presented the cabaret a second time as part of its 2004-2005 season.
Singing the standards of Frank Sinatra in the 2009 incarnation of "My Way" are professional performers Kim Gardner Kollar, Allen Kretschmar, Bobbi Eschenbach and Chris Caswell. All are veterans of Venice Theatre’s Cabaret Series. The singers will be led by seasoned jazz musician and frequent musical director Michelle Kasanofsky, who will be playing keyboard on stage with a small combo.
The authors of the review, David Grapes and Todd Olson, began work on "My Way" shortly after Sinatra’s death in 1998. The resulting show was an instant hit in theatres around the country. One local reviewer raved, "At the end of the evening, the title song will leave you with a tear in the eye and a lump in the throat. Who could ask for anything more?"
"My Way" features 56 songs recorded by Sinatra, including "Strangers in The Night," "Where or When," "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)," "New York, New York," and "I’ve Got You Under My Skin."
Venice Theatre is located at 140 W. Tampa Ave. on the island in Venice. Tickets to "My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra" are available by phone at 941-488-1115 or in person at the box office from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The box office also opens one hour before all shows for walk-up tickets. Tickets are always available online at www.venicestage.com.
Performances are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. Tickets are $24 ($12 for students).
Chris Caswell.
The ensemble.
MUSIC
FRIDAYFEST ON THE BAY - Aug. 28, 5-9 p.m., at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Yesterdayze will headline a Woodstock anniversary celebration. Located at 777 N. Tamiami Trail. Admission free. Bring lawn chairs, blankets; 953-3368.
IRISH ROVER - Through Aug. 30, Sundays, 5-8 p.m., Jazz Juvenocracy. Reservations strongly recommended. No cover charge. Located at 6514 Gateway Ave. Call 926-1060; visit www.jazzjuvenocracy.com.
LULLABY CONCERT SERIES - Aug. 29, North Sarasota Library, concert for children and parents. Free. Located at 2801 Newtown Blvd. For details, call 861-5000.
MOTHER’S MUSICAL BAKERY - Open mic on the first Thursday of the month this summer, 7-10 p.m. Because of noise restrictions, acoustic music only; original compositions welcome. Next: Sept. 3. Located at 6517 Superior Ave., Gulf Gate; www.mothersmusicalbakery.com; 342-6419.
SARASOTA FOLK CLUB - Aug. 31, Ishmael Katz & Friends. Open mic: 7:15 p.m; concert, 8:30 p.m. Hamburgers & hot dogs available 7-9 p.m. No pets. Donation: $5. Located at Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway. Call Jean Hewitt, 377-9256 or 320-4774; e-mail jvhewitt@pobox.xom.
SECOND SUNDAYS AT SELBY - Free monthly concert series, 2:30 p.m., sponsored by the Sarasota Music Archive, at Selby Library. Call 861-1168. Located at 1331 First St.
VENICE JAZZ FESTIVAL - Third annual event, Sept. 25-26, Centennial Park, downtown Venice, featuring Don Riddell and his Hep Cats, the Patricia Dean Trio, the Jim Wellen Quartet and the Johnny Varro Quintet. Free. Public encouraged to bring blankets and chairs, but no coolers. Food and water vendors available. Visit www.jazzclubsarasota.org; 366-1552.
VENICE THEATRE - Aug. 28-Sept. 13, "My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra," kicking off the 2009-2010 Cabaret Season. Tickets: $24; $12, students. Located at 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice; 488-1115 or www.venicestage.com.
THEATRE
FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE - Saturdays through Aug. 29, FST Improv. Call 366-9000 or visit www.floridastudiotheatre.
GOLDEN APPLE DINNER THEATRE - Through Aug. 30, "Late Nite Catechism." Tickets are $33-$45. Located at 25 N. Pineapple Ave.; 366-5454; www.thegoldenapple.com.
LAZY FAIRY IMPROV TROUPE - Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. In the lobby of Players Theatre, 838 N. Tamiami Trail. Tickets: $12; 365-2494.
PLAYERS THEATRE - Sept. 4-6, 4th Annual Got a Minute? 60-Second Play Festival. Ticket donation: $20; $25 on Sept. 5 for gala fundraising show; all shows benefiting the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation. At 838 N. Tamiami Trail; 365-2494; www.theplayers.org.
ART
RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART - Through Oct. 11, "Dangerous Women," featuring 16th- and 17th-century art depicting Judith and Salome of the Bible. Sept. 17, 6-9 p.m. Cocktails at the Cà d’Zan. Cover charge: $5. Through Nov. 8, "Paths to Paradise: The World of Buddhism," featuring works primarily from the permanent collection. Tickets for the museum are $25, or $20 for seniors 65 and up; children ages 6-17, $10; children 5 and under, admitted free. Art museum free to all on Mondays. Located at 5401 Bay Shore Rd., 351-1660. Admission includes the Ringling Museum of Art, Cà d’Zan mansion, Circus Museum, Mable’s Rose Garden and grounds.
RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN - Through Sept. 19, "Wendell Minor: In the American Tradition," with opening reception Sept. 3, 5:30 p.m. Galleries located one-half block east of 2700 N. Tamiami Trail on Dr. MLK Jr. Way. Call 359-7563; www.ringling.edu/selbygallery.
ART CENTER SARASOTA - Through Sept. 12, "Green: The Primary Color." Located at 707 N. Tamiami Trail; 365-2032; www.artsarasota.org
ART UPTOWN - Through Aug. 27, Dog Days Art Show. Through Aug. 28, ceramics by Boots Culbertson and colored pencil sports renderings by Janine Hoffman. Aug. 29-Sept. 4, abstract acrylics by Sharon Stewart and vintage and marine paintings by Brendan Coudal. Located at 1367 Main St.; www.artuptown.com; 955-5409.
CAMBRIDGE CHRISTNER FINE ART - One-man retrospective of the art of David Rodgers, a veteran Hollywood producer and founder of the East Village Art Movement in New York City in 1977. Located at 415 S. Pineapple Ave.; 724-8889.
COLLEEN CASSIDY-BERNS STUDIO - Through Aug. 31, "Tropical Botanica," an exhibition of watercolors and signature hand-painted furniture. Go to www.colleencassidy.com; 4613 S. Tamiami Trail, 924-1200.
DABBERT GALLERY - Through Sept. 30, "Summer Showcase" featuring Yuqi Wang, Ben Stahl, Robert Baxter, Eric Boyer, Jinzhou Bai, Bill Jerdon, Barbara Krupp, Candace Krupp and Beatrice del Perugia. Located at 76 S. Palm Ave.; 955-1315; www.dabbertgallery.com
ELIZABETH STEVENS GALLERY - Through September, "Summer Show," featuring gallery artists Marge Bennett and Debbie Dannheiser. Gallery located at 1945 Morrill St. in Towles Court; 365-4222.
GALLERY AT TOWLES COURT - Through August, a multi-media event by Marilyn Helfenbein. Located at 252 S. Links Ave.; 308-1986.
KATHARINE BUTLER GALLERY - Sept. 18, 6-9 p.m., Summer Celebration, featuring highlights of the 2009 season with artwork by all 17 gallery artists. Located at 1943 Morrill St. in Towles Court. Call 955-4546 or log onto www.kbutlergallery.com.
KELIETZA - Through August, mosaic tile creations by Karen Parenti. Located at 602 S. Pineapple Ave.; info@kelietza.com.
LOCAL COFFEE & TEA - Through Oct. 17, drawings, paintings, 3-D art and photography by Glenn MacKinnon of Sarasota on display. Located at 5138 Ocean Blvd. in Davidson’s Plaza on Siesta Key; 685-6574 or 726-1660; www.localcoffee.com.
M GALLERY - Sept. 4, 6-9 p.m., exhibit of works by local artist Katie Dobson Cundiff. Refreshments served as part of the Artwalk event. Located at 16 S. Palm Ave.; 954-8774 or www.mgalleryoffineart.com.
SARASOTA SEASON OF SCULPTURE GALLERY - Through September, Jack Dowd’s sculpture of a New York bar scene, "Last Call. Admission: $5, adults; $3, seniors; children under 12, admitted free. Located at 20 Lemon Ave.; 366-7767; www.seasonofsculpture.com
SELBY PUBLIC LIBRARY - Through Sept. 30, ‘Similar Contradictions," an exhibit of works by Ali Light and Steve Capri that were created through the use of nontraditional materials. Located at 1331 First St. Call 861-5000.
SELBY GARDENS - Through Sept. 27, the 4th Annual Selby Instructors’ Showcase, in the Museum of Botany and the Arts. Located at 811 S. Palm Ave.; 366-5731 or www.selby.org.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH - Through Aug. 30, "Collage As Art," with works by a group of Sarasota artists. Located at 3975 Fruitville Rd.; 373-0530 or judihennard@comcast.net.
WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER GALLERY - Through Sept. 30, "Signs of Time," photographs by Agnieszka "Agnes" Arlukiewicz. Located at 340 S. Tuttle Ave. Call the center at 586-1649 or Lvov at 366-1700.
ARTWALKS
FIRST FRIDAY WALKS - Downtown galleries of Burns Square, Pineapple Avenue, Palm Avenue and Main Street, from 6-9 p.m. featuring live music, refreshments and general merriment. Next: Sept. 4.
TOWLES COURT GALLERY WALK - Art walks every third Friday of the month, from 6 p.m. Many galleries and restaurants are open for evening strolls and dining. Live music; 365-8683 for details. Parking on Adams Lane. Next: Sept. 18.