This Week in Sarasota: Thursday, June 22

THURSDAY, JUNE 22

Artist Showcase 3

4:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

$27 to $35

Call 953-3434.

The Sarasota Music Festival continues with Maurice Ravel’s sonata, Francis Poulenc’s sextet and 19th century composer Amanda Röntgen-Maier’s violin sonata.

Art After 5

5 p.m. at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road

$15

Call 358-3180.

Explore The Ringling’s exhibition galleries and the Circus Museum. Tickets required.

Keith Alberstadt

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd.

$15 to $19

Call 925-3869.

A regular performer for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Keith Alberstadt is also a contributing writer for “Saturday Night Live’s” Weekend Update, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” “National Lampoon” and other online outlets. Catch him at McCurdy’s through Sunday.

SOAP, Radtke, Spainhower and Friends

8:30 p.m. at Growler’s Pub, 2831 N. Tamiami Trail

Free

Call 487-7373.

Sarasota folk-Americana musician Tanya Radtke joins world-rock musician Bryan Spainhower and an open jam by SOAP with special musical guest pianist John Hetherington, who joins Jonathan Pettus on bass and Christopher Austin on drums.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23

‘Beau Jest’

7:30 p.m. at The Players Centre for Performing Arts, 838 N. Tamiami Trail

$18; Summer three-show package $45

Call 365-2494.

Sarah is a nice Jewish girl whose parents want her to marry a nice Jewish boy. So, instead of introducing her WASP boyfriend, Sarah hires an aspiring actor to meet her parents. Runs through Sunday.

Diana Ross

8 p.m. at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail

$86 to $126

Call 953-3368.

Diana Ross has been topping the U.S. music charts since she got her start in the ’60s as the lead singer of the Supremes, earning 12 No. 1 singles with the band and six as a solo artist.

Festival Concert 3

8 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

$27 to $45

Call 953-3434.

The final Friday concert of the Sarasota Music Festival features the groundbreaking ensemble yMusic, a group of six New York City musicians who blend classical and pop music. yMusic will perform six short pieces commissioned specifically for them.

SATURDAY, JUNE 24

FST Improv

7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre Bowne’s Lab Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.

$15

Call 366-9000.

FST Improv presents Comedy Lottery — a show that audiences help create on the spot by selecting games from a bucket to determine the lineup of sketches, songs and other improv routines.

‘Naming True’

8 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.

$29; $20 under age 40; $5 for students

Call 321-1397.

Playwright Natalie Symons, who acted in Urbanite’s “Reborning,” returns with the world premiere of her play, directed by Daniel Kelly. “Naming True” follows Amy, a transgender teen from Seattle who finds herself in a Florida motel room with Nell, a dying woman from the streets of Detroit. Together, they plan to publish Nell’s memoirs. Runs through July 2.

Saturday Symphony 3

8 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

$32 to $65

Call 953-3434.

Music Director Jeffrey Kahane will conduct the orchestra from the piano to perform work by George Gershwin. Also included in the concert are Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” and Maurice Ravel’s “Piano Concerto.”

SUNDAY, JUNE 25

Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Car Show

10 a.m. at Lakewood Ranch Main Street

Free admission; $20 same-day registration

Call 487-7904.

Celebrate the Sarasota Grand Prix with this car show, featuring hot rods and cool rides from classic American muscle to modern exotics.

Music Fest

1 p.m. at JR’s Old Packinghouse Café, 987 Packinghouse Road

$10

Call 371-9358.

This inaugural festival features music by Lauren Mitchell, the Alvis Brothers, The Missing Links, The Heather Downie Band, Mumbo Jumbo, the Schmitz Brothers, John Howard, Mike Tozier, Joneses and Smokin’ Bones. Food and beverages available.

HD at the Opera House presents ‘The Dream’ by the Royal Ballet

1:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

$20

Call 328-1300.

The Royal Ballet celebrates 70 years at the Royal Opera House with a mixed program of works by its founding choreographer, Frederick Ashton.

Drag Queen Bingo Bonanza, starring Beneva Fruitville

8 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd.

$20

Call 925-3869.

LDG Productions presents Beneva Fruitville’s Drag Queen Bingo Bonanza, starring Beneva Fruitville and special guests in a wild night.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28

Sarasota Music Half Marathon Beer-Run Series

6 p.m. at JDub’s Brewing Co., 1215 Mango Ave.

Free

Call 955-2739.

Sarasota Music Half Marathon hosts a series of 5K beer runs at local hotspots that include live music, free registration, raffles, swag and more.

John Carfi

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd.

$15

Call 925-3869.

John Carfi got his start at the Comedy Store in California and has since performed around the country and on television shows including Comedy Central’s “Stand Up Stand Up,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “The Ricki Lake Show” and more. Performs through July 2.