This Week in Sarasota: Nov. 25 to Dec. 1

A look at our favorite events taking place this week.


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  • | 6:00 a.m. November 24, 2021
  • Arts + Entertainment
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Thursday

Community Thanksgiving

11 a.m. at Crowley Museum & Nature Center, 16405 Myakka Road

Free

Call 322-1000.

 

Whether you’re alone for the holiday or just want a free meal surrounded by smiling faces, Crowley is the place to be. You are welcome to bring a dish if you can. Food, music and games are all free to enjoy.

 

Friday

DON'T MISS
Newtown Farmers Market

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 2523 Cocoanut Ave.

Free

Visit NewtownFarmersMarketSRQ.org.

 

This weekend, trade shopping carts and fluorescent lighting for the Newtown Farmers Market. Every Friday and Saturday, vendors sell fresh, Florida-grown produce, among other goods from local, small businesses.

 

Jazz at Two: Dick Hamilton’s WC Sextet

2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road

$10-$20

Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

 

Jazz Club of Sarasota presents the latest installment of its weekly afternoon concert series with this show featuring arrangements and compositions by composer, arranger, orchestra leader and musician Dick Hamilton, who worked for 45 years as a studio musician in Los Angeles.

 

‘Come From Away’

2 and 7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail

$42-$112

Visit VanWezel.org.

 

Broadway hit musical “Come From Away” tells the true story of what happened when 38 airplanes had to unexpectedly land in a small town in Newfoundland on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, leaving 7,000 airline passengers stranded. Final performances are 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

 

Steve Byrne

6:30 and 8:50 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd.

$28

Visit McCurdy’sComedy.com.

 

This Pittsburgh native had plenty of comedic material from birth. Born to a Korean mother and Irish father, Steve Byrne channeled the dysfunctions of his upbringing in his first TV show, “Sullivan & Son” on TBS. Since then, he’s been making audiences laugh in comedies including “The Dilemma” and “Couples Retreat.” Runs through Sunday.

 

‘The Great American Trailer Park Musical’

7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Jervey Stage, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice

$32; college students $20; youth $15 

Visit VeniceTheatre.org.

 

The folks from Armadillo Acres mobile home park (in Florida, duh) are at it again! Their redneck rampage includes catfights, the ashes of an electrified Florida cracker stuffed in a tiny urn, a stripper on the run, creative cursing, and plenty of belly laughs, wicked tunes and rude puppets. Aside from a few jerks, the trailer park’s residents are all good-hearted. In terms of brainpower, they range from worldly wise to sure-fire winners of The Darwin Award. You’ll laugh with them and at ’em. They’re funny either way. Runs through Sunday.

 

‘Hair’

8 p.m. at Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail

$33-$76

Visit AsoloRep.

 

Dig out your tie-dye and peace symbol necklaces and prepare yourself for Asolo Rep’s premiere of this iconic production, billed as “The American tribal love-rock musical.” The production is well known for its take on hippie counterculture and the sexual revolution of the 1970s, and its music has risen to anthem-level for the times. Tap into your rebellious side and view the Age of Aquarius through a group of bohemian draft-dodgers living it up in New York City, complete with anti-war rhetoric, drug exploration and a much-talked-about nude scene. Continues through Jan. 1, 2022.

 

‘Friends in Low Places’

9 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.

From $36

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

 

Florida Studio Theatre’s next cabaret celebrates genre-transforming country musicians, including Garth Brooks, The Chicks and George Strait. Runs through March 20, 2022.

 

Saturday

Divine AF

7 p.m. at The Reserve Retreat, 1322 N. Tamiami Trail

$15

Visit TheReserveRetreat.com.

 

The indie rock band, with songwriters and storytellers spanning four generations, plays a unique blending of funk, soul and blues. Proudly identified as LGBTQ, Divine AF has performed at various festivals in the region, including Sarasota’s Harvey Milk Festival and Pride Festival.

 

Sunday

Thanksgiving Concert

2 p.m. at Peace Presbyterian Church, 12705 State Road 64 E., Lakewood Ranch

$10

Visit LWRWindEnsemble.org.

 

Lakewood Ranch’s newest concert band opens its 2021-22 season for a Thanksgiving celebration. Music Director Joe Miller, a former high school band director who worked with the Venice Symphony, will conduct the 40-piece ensemble. Selections include Melvin Ribble’s “Bennet’s Triumphal,” Julius Fucik’s “Florentiner March” and Gustav Holst’s Second Suite in F for Band.

 

‘Sheer Grace’

4 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

$20-$55

Visit KeyChorale.org.

 

Key Chorale has collaborated with the Sarasota Ballet to present “Sheer Grace.” The repertoire includes Ola Gjeilo’s “Dark Night of the Soul” and Eric Whitacre’s “Goodnight Moon” and “Five Hebrew Love Songs.” The evening will close with “Magnificat” by John Rutter, 

 

OUR PICK
Thanksgiving Drag Queen Bingo Bonanza

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

$25

Visit McCurdy’sComedy.com.

 

LDG Productions presents Sarasota’s beloved queen, Beneva Fruitville, in the naughtiest game of bingo in town. Enjoy performances by special quests and plenty of surprises. You’re in for a wild night.

 

Monday

New Music Salon: Natalie Helm

5:30 p.m. at Mildred Sainer Pavilion, 5313 Bay Shore Road

$10

Visit NewMusicNewCollege.org.

 

Sarasota Orchestra’s principal cellist transfixes audiences across the country. She founded the initiative Upward Notes to encourage positive social change by bringing music into local communities. At her performance for New Music New College’s Salon Series, Natalie Helm will play Bach suites and discuss music’s relationship to one’s well-being.

 

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail

$37-$106

Visit VanWezel.org.

 

This Broadway spectacular lights up the stage with a variety of fantastical cirque artists, singers and dancers celebrating the season. Holiday storybook characters — including nutcrackers, gingerbread people and reindeer — come to life in this annual production.

 

Tuesday

Dave Koz and Friends: Christmas Tour 

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

$32-$87

Visit VanWezel.org.

 

If he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, you know the show’s going to be good. Saxophonist Dave Koz’s been at it for more than 30 years, and nine Grammy nominations later, he’s headlining his 24th annual Christmas Tour. Koz will be joined by Richard Elliot, Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler and Rebecca Jade.

 

Wednesday

Arts Advocates Gallery Docent Tour

11 a.m. at Arts Advocates Gallery, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 119

$10; members $5

Visit ArtsAdvocates.org.

 

On the first Wednesday of every month, Arts Advocates offers a docent-led tour of its new gallery, which opened in July at The Crossings at Siesta Mall. Docents bring the work alive by providing interesting facts about the artwork and the context of the artist’s life and what was happening at the time, which will make your gallery visit more fulfilling. Currently on exhibit is work by the Sarasota Colony of Artists, who were drawn to Sarasota in the 1920s for its natural beauty and John Ringling’s dynamic circus acts.

 

‘Holiday Lights’

5:30 p.m. at Holly Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

$42-$65

Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

 

Guest conductor William Waldrop will make sure there are no Scrooges in the house by the time they leave this Sarasota Orchestra concert. This “Great Escapes” performance features everything from “White Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland” to “The European Anthem (Ode to Joy)” and “Christmas at the Movies.” Runs through Dec. 5.

 

‘Joyful! Joyful!’

7:30 p.m. at WBTT’s Donelly Theatre, 1012 N. Orange Ave.

$50; students and military $20

Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

 

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe opens its brand-new holiday production with a mixture of new takes on seasonal favorites, pop music and gospel-infused classics. Songs include “African Drummer Boy,” “Carol of the Bells” and “Hallelujah Chorus.” Runs through Dec. 30.

 

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