Black Tie & Tales

By Molly Schechter
| 5:00 a.m. February 2, 2011

Arts + Culture

+ Lovely love letters
Get your thoughts together and visit Write On Sarasota (1423 First St.) between 1 and 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11. ProprietorEileen Hays Wallace has a valentine for you: the services of master calligrapher Dotty McMillan to scribe your love note in red and black inks on a lovely Crane letterpress card. There is no charge and appointments are not necessary. For more information: 953-2800. Thank you, Eileen!

+ Auction action
Beverly Bartner and Helen Sosso are having their first go as co-chairs of the major gala for the Asolo Rep. Their “Studio 54 Disco Palace” is offering private rooms, and they are bringing some much-needed excitement to the live and silent auctions. Example: an exact replica pair of the ofMarilyn Monroe’s shoes paired with Monroe ephemera (her poetry book), and an all-out opening package for the opening night of “Marilyn” on June 18, at Asolo Rep. Mike Silverstein donated the Delman shoes. Strictly a rumor at this point: a London theater trip with Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards. For sure: walk-on roles in a 2012 Asolo Rep production. Studio 54 Disco Palace is set for Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota. Tickets and info: Laura Wood, 351-9010, Ext. 4712 or[email protected].

+ Gathered for Greenfield
Supporters of the Hermitage Artist Retreat gathered on Casey Key to advise playwright John Guare that he is the winner of this year’s prestigious Greenfield Prize. Carol Perloff and Michael Dixon, two of the three judges, came to town to give Guare the good news via speakerphone (more accurately, “speakercomputer”). Guare, the creator of “The House of Blue Leaves,” and “Six Degrees of Separation” will receive a $30,000 grant as a commission for a new play. Among those present: Steven Adler, Hillary Steele, Bob and Louise Greenfield, Bill and Joni Greenfield, Greenfield Prize Event Chairwoman Flora Major, Ron and Harold Kendall, and Hermitage Board Chair Caroline Andrus. Teri Hansen and Steve Wilberding were the hosts.

+ Tidbits
No offense meant … This column failed to mention that Richard Karp’s German shepherd, Caine, won the “Real Dog” award at ARC’s Dogs Night Out … Coffee, tea or he … According to Hillary Steele, the opening night dinner for “Boeing, Boeing” at the Asolo Rep was all about the good old days of air travel with foil pack peanuts and pretzels and old slogans like “Come Fly Me” that would never fly these days. Former flight steward Scott Anderson put on his wings for the occasion … The best brownies in town …Gloria Good from Saks Fifth Avenue styles Beth Israel Women, includingGloria Bergman, Anita DeVine, Rosalyn Fleischer, Judy Goldstein, Marge Heller, Terry Neis, Elaine Weill and BTmodel; and Phil Mancini cooks and it is all first rate. But what makes the Beth Israel Women fashion show unique is the brownies home baked by chair Sylvia Pastor and her next-door neighbor, BIW President Sheila Zinder. Event is Feb. 7, at Michael’s On East. Reservations: 383-3428.

+ Black Tie Affair
New College of Florida
50th Anniversary Tribute • 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11 • The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota • Tickets $250 • Reservations 941-476-4600

It’s back to school time for more than 900 New College alumni and their families coming to Sarasota for the Feb. 11 to Feb. 13 weekend, celebrating the 50th anniversary of their famed alma mater. Among those expected: William Dudley, chairman of the Federal Reserve (‘71); David Allen, author of the New York Times best-seller” Getting Things done – Stress-Free Productivity (‘65); and Cheryl Sirulnick, producer of the 2009 Daytime Emmy Award winner, “True Life” (‘87). They will enjoy a weekend’s worth of lectures, poetry readings, art exhibits and more. The social centerpiece is the Friday night Tribute Dinner led by honorary chairs Howard and Betty Isermann, Jean Martin, Margaret Mason, Boband Lee Peterson and Ulla Searing and co-chairs Dr. Charlene Callahan, Elaine Keating, Susannah Michalson andFelice Schulaner. The party will feature the famed Beatles cover band, Beatlemania. Complete info on the weekend:www.50th.ncf.edu. At press time, only a few reservations remain for the gala. Contact Johnette Cappadona at 487-4600.