Scene & Heard

+ If I Were A Size Two
PLATO kicked off its new season in a new place with “Waist Watchers: The Musical,” at the Ramada Waterfront.

The comedy is a musical revue of parodies. It’s about women struggling with self-consciousness, dating, dieting and weight loss, and it was pretty spot-on — for being written by a man.

I’m sure you’ve never heard the version of “If I Were a Rich Man” from “Fiddler on the Roof” in which the lyrics are replaced with, “If I were a size two, I’d be an itty, bitty, bitty, bitty girl.” Or “Maria,” from “West Side Story” parodied as “Viagra.” The production has traveled to eight states so far, and this is the first time the writer, Alan Jacobson, didn’t also produce the show; but he was in the audience.

“I was always the psychologist,” Jacobson says of tapping into a woman’s mind to write the production. “Women wanted to talk to me about problems, but I just wanted to date them.” He says some of the show is based on his life experience, such as in college, during which he blew up like a balloon from campus dining because he wanted to beef up like the football players.

Kyle Ennis Turoff announced that the Ramada Waterfront was quick to step in and provide a temporary home for the nonprofit after the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre closed its doors.

+ Back in action
And speaking of the Turoff family and Viagra — there’s more good news to go around. Golden Apple will re-open on New Year’s Eve, with a production of the comedy “Viagra Falls,” about two older gentlemen’s experiences with Viagra.

The producers of the show, New Yorker John Finocchio and snowbird Stanley Browne, along with an area silent backer, are providing the funding to open the theater’s doors after it has been closed for two months.
Details are in the works as far for the rest of the theater’s season.

+ Crafting a show
I love crafts, as one could probably assume from my other column “Crafty Genes,” but anything I do will be completely outshined by the 100-plus crafters headed our way.

The 20th annual Sarasota Craft Show is a juried show that brings the nation’s top clay, wood, glass, fiber, mixed-media and jewelry crafters to our backyard. It takes place Nov. 30 through Dec. 2, at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd. Tickets are $9, and you can find out more information by calling 800-834-9437.

Be sure to look for these local artists at the festival: Su Griggs Allen, Jessica Smith, Joan Michlin, John Linda Whitney, Geoffrey Walsh, Harry Roa, Katherine Kaya, Oscar Rivero and Jill Krasner.

Hot Ticket
‘Comedy for Rockaway’ Comedians Long Island Mary, Catherine Maloney and headliner Al Romas will take the stage at 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre for a comedy-show fundraiser for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. The theater is located at 3333 N. Tamiami Trail. Tickets are $15. Call 925-3869 for more information.

‘Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour’ Get in the holiday spirit early with this show, which takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail. Tickets are $50 to $65. Call 953-3368 for more information.