The best things to do around Sarasota for June 23-29

Thursday

Summer Circus Spectacular
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road
$18; children over 12 $12; children 12 and under free
Visit Ringling.org.

Sarasota, a circus city, is bracing for the summer spectacular, which will bring the art of circus to the Historic Asolo Theater. The event, a partnership between the Circus Arts Conservatory and The Ringling, will bring a number of phenomenally talented artists to Sarasota through Aug. 13. Heidi Herriott, a third-generation circus performer, will serve as master of ceremonies, and the acts will include an aerial duo, a hand balancing team and a hand balance/contortion act. Abreham Mola, a skilled acrobat and juggler, will perform on the rolla bolla, and Chris Allison, a graduate of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus Clown College, will provide comic relief. 

'Triumphs'
4:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail
$29-$40
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

New festival faculty members perform and afternoon focused on individual instruments. Demarre McGill plays Francis Poulenc’s popular Flute Sonata, Teng Li leads Rebecca Clarke’s groundbreaking Viola Sonata, and Robert DeMaine, Ani Kavafian and Jeffrey Kahane join for Robert Schumann's expressive Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor.

Art with a Twist: Gallery Tours
5 p.m. at Art Ovation Hotel, 1255 N. Palm Ave.
$15; hotel guests free
Visit Facebook.com/ArtOvationHotel.

Art Ovation Hotel's Overture Restaurant & Gallery Lounge offers a tour of its art exhibitions through every Monday to Friday through July 1. The tour begins in the Gallery Lounge. Tickets include one glass of Champagne and two hours of complimentary parking.

‘Athena’
7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
$20-$36
Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.

You've seen rival dramas in just about every sport. But have you tried fencing? This play, written by Gracie Gardner and directed by Summer Wallace, centers on a pair of aspiring fencers who compete against each other and practice together; but do they really like each other? Runs through July 10.

'Ring of Fire'
8 p.m. at FST's Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
$45
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Love is a burning thing. And it makes a fiery ring. Scott Moreau stars as Johnny Cash in this show, which will take you on a tour through the beloved artist's canon. The show, created by Richard Maltby Jr. and conceived by William Meade, made an outsized impact on Broadway before touring Sarasota. Runs through June 19.

Friday

'Rising Stars 3'
2:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail
$15-$22
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

The third "Rising Stars" concert of the Sarasota Music Festival features several short chamber works and movements, including Mozart's Allegretto movement from Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, the second and third movements of Jean Françaix's "Quatuor," and Brahms' Andante, un poco Adagio, movement from Piano Quintet in F Minor.

Music at the Plaza
6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch
Free
Visit MyLWR.com.

Folk singer/songwriter Tyler Vaden will provide the live music on Friday as those who visit Waterside Place enjoy sunset views of Kingfisher Lake, fun at the hub's small parks or dining at the various restaurants. On Saturday, singer Cam Stockton is the headline performer.

'Rock & Roll Reignited with Not Fade Away'
6 and 9 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.
$36
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Florida Studio Theatre's Summer Cabaret show — based on the classic music of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis — has successfully toured the country and performed in more than 150 cities. The musical arrangements are done by Jared Mancuso and Nick Gallardo. Runs through Aug. 7.

Keith Alberstadt
6:30 and 8:50 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre
$25
Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Keith Alberstadt is a funny guy, but he also has a big heart. A regular performer for the U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Alberstadt has been described as “absolutely hilarious” by Armed Forces Entertainment and “a hidden gem” by the Boston Globe. Not swayed yet? He;s also a contributing writer for “Saturday Night Live’s” Weekend Update and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Performances continue at 6:30 and 8:50 p.m. Saturday.

‘Damaged Goods’
7:30 p.m. at Studio 1130, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail
$21.50
Visit SarasotaArts.org.

Loretta is a fading star who once shined bright as a child actress. She decides to re-create herself — and hopefully regain fame — via her gifted daughter, which is exactly what Loretta’s mother did to her. Presented by The Players Centre for Performing Arts, the play by Ron Pantello was the 2019 winner of the New Play Festival. Runs through Sunday.

Mix and Mingle
7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
$29-$50
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Wind and string instruments intermingle in this Sarasota Music Festival program. The evening begins with "Theme and Variations" by Amy Beach, the first American woman to compose and publish a symphony. Jean Françaix’s "Dixtuor" for 10 players follows, and the program concludes with Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat Major.

Open Mic
7:30 p.m. at The Reserve Retreat, 1322 N. Tamiami Trail
Free admission; two-item minimum
Visit TheReserveRetreat.com.

Every Friday night is open mic night at The Reserve, and with Brittany Loeffler hosting, it’s bound to be a fun night. Interested singers, rappers, spoken word poets, comedians, etc., are welcome. Sign-ups start at 7:15 p.m., and the entertainment begins at 7:30.

OUR PICK: 'Wendy and Peter Pan'
8 p.m. at Studio One @ Reflex Arts, 6260 N. Lockwood Ridge Road
$10-$20
Visit DingbatTheatre.org.

Off to Neverland! In an adaption of the beloved tale, "Wendy and Peter Pan" features everyone’s favorite characters, from thieving pirates and jungle rulers to the most lovable, unlikely heroes. Explore the themes of what it means to grow up and the role gender plays in society from a young age in this Dingbat Theatre Project production. Runs through July 10.

Saturday

Master Gardener Plant Clinic
10 a.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road.
Free
Visit SFYL.IFAS.UFL.edu.

If you’re looking to get gardening, this clinic put on by the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County partnership will get you up to speed on Florida-specialized gardens, composting and all other sorts of green thumb knowledge.

'Moxie' by Rita Rust
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Art Uptown, 1367 Main St.
Free
Visit ArtUptown.com.

Art Uptown's newest exhibition opens. In a change from her typical subject matter, painter Rita Rust explores how to find joy and light in the darkest of times with "Moxie." The exhibit is on display through July 30, and an opening reception will be held from 6-9 p.m. July 1.

'The Little Mermaid'
1 p.m. at Riverview High School, 1 Ram Way
$25
Visit FutureOfDance.org.

Future of Dance presents its youth program's spring production perfect for all ages: a dance interpretation of the classic under-the-sea tale. The Sarasota dance school fosters youth dance education, with performances a collaboration between students and faculty. 

'From America to Italy'
7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
$29-$65
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

The final Sarasota Music Festival program opens with George Walker’s "Lyric for Strings," a tribute to his grandmother, a formerly enslaved person. Sergei Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor follows, with a feature performance by violinist Francesca Anderegg. The evening concludes with Felix Mendelssohn’s joyous Symphony No. 4.

A RADD Show
8-10 p.m. at DreamLarge, 600 Central Ave.
Free
Visit DreamLarge.org.

Vibes, music and food will be aplenty at this street party highlighting Florida music. The night will feature Sarasota bands Physical Plant and Me Umbra as well as Orlando band Shreddie King.

Sunday

HD at the Opera House: ‘Turandot’
1:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
$22
Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

Giacomo Puccini's "Turandot," which was completed posthumously in 1926, tells of a prince who fell in love with a princess — but must solve three riddles in order to marry her. One wrong answer and the suitor is executed. In this production, the opera finale is changed by Luciano Berio from the traditional ending. 

Hope from the Harp
5 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 4631 South Lockwood Ridge Road
Suggested donation $36; students $18
Visit HopeFromTheHarp.org.

Temple Sinai hosts a benefit concert, with all proceeds going toward nonprofit Emergency, which helps Ukrainian refugees with medical aid and relief efforts. Giuseppina Ciarla, the principal harpist at the Sarasota Opera, will perform original and classic songs from her album, "A Ticket Home." Admission is by donation, which is tax deductible. 

Beneva Fruitville's Drag Queen Bingo Bonanza
8 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre
$25
Visit McCurdysComedy.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 at the penultimate show of the "longest continuously running theatrical production in Sarasota," as Beneva Fruitville is conquering a new adventure nationwide. The final Bingo Bonanza will be July 31.

Wednesday

'Maytag Virgin'
8 p.m. at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.
From $36
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Over the year following the death of her husband, Alabama schoolteacher Lizzy Nash gets to know her new neighbor, the unflappable Jack Key. Their bond grows while they explore inertia and self-enlightenment in this classic Southern love story, and they face the question: How do you know it's time to love again? Runs through July 31.