www.yourobserver.com stories: Arts + Culturehttps://www.yourobserver.com/news/arts-culture/www.yourobserver.com stories: Arts + Cultureen-usMon, 15 Sep 2025 10:45:00 -0400<![CDATA[Florida Studio Theatre promotes two artistic team members ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/15/florida-studio-theatre-promotes-two/Observer StaffMon, 15 Sep 2025 10:45:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/15/florida-studio-theatre-promotes-two/<![CDATA[Dingbat Theatre Project leans into diversity ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/10/dingbat-theatre-project-diversity/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/10/dingbat-theatre-project-diversity/Dingbat Theatre Project founder Luke Manual played the Cowardly Lion in its production based on "The Wizard of Oz."<![CDATA[Urbanite Theatre goes big for its 2025 Modern Works Festival ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/08/urbanite-theatre-modern-works-festival/Monica Roman GagnierMon, 08 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/08/urbanite-theatre-modern-works-festival/<![CDATA[Music director's exit ushers in period of change at the Sarasota Music Festival ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/03/director-exit-change-sarasota-music-festival/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/03/director-exit-change-sarasota-music-festival/Sarasota Music Festival 2023 fellows Ellen Hayashi, Ray Wyant, Melanie Chen and Daniel Itzkowitz relax with their instruments.<![CDATA[Jazz Club of Sarasota names first development director ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/01/jazz-club-development-director/Observer StaffMon, 01 Sep 2025 10:30:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/01/jazz-club-development-director/<![CDATA[Sarasota Art Museum stages an Art Deco extravaganza ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/27/sarasota-art-museum-deco-extravaganza/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 27 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/27/sarasota-art-museum-deco-extravaganza/"Chrysler," a 1930 lithograph by Roger de Valerio, is on display at Sarasota Art Museum's exhibition, "Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration," which runs from Aug. 31 to March 29, 2026.<![CDATA[Van Wezel is already getting ready for Christmas ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/26/van-wezel-getting-ready-christmas/Monica Roman GagnierTue, 26 Aug 2025 12:30:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/26/van-wezel-getting-ready-christmas/"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical" plays the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Nov. 14-16.<![CDATA[Sarasota Music Festival music director steps down ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/25/sarasota-music-festival-music-director-steps-down/Monica Roman GagnierMon, 25 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/25/sarasota-music-festival-music-director-steps-down/Jeffrey Kahane spent 20 seasons as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra before being appointed music director of the Sarasota Music Festival in August 2016.<![CDATA[Artist Series Concerts' executive director goes back to the future ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/24/artist-series-concerts-director-back-to-future/Monica Roman GagnierSun, 24 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/24/artist-series-concerts-director-back-to-future/<![CDATA[See how a renowned sculptor creates plaster casts of community members ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/21/renowned-artist-plaster-casts-community-members/Ian SwabyThu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/21/renowned-artist-plaster-casts-community-members/Rigoberto Torres holds the bust of Bélen Lopez. There is still more work to be done, including opening the eyes on the sculpture and painting the surface.<![CDATA[Season is heating up. Here's what you can look forward to on the arts scene. ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/21/look-forward-to-arts-scene/Su ByronThu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/21/look-forward-to-arts-scene/<![CDATA[Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe pays tribute to Fats Waller with 'Big Sexy' ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/20/westcoast-black-theatre-troupe-big-sexy/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/20/westcoast-black-theatre-troupe-big-sexy/Leon S. Pitts II and Ariel Blue star in Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's "Big Sexy: The Fats Waller Revue," which runs from Aug. 22 through Sept. 7.<![CDATA[Sarasota Opera names new artistic administrator ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/15/sarasota-opera-artistic-administrator/Observer StaffFri, 15 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/15/sarasota-opera-artistic-administrator/Arthur Bosage is the new artistic administrator of the Sarasota Opera.<![CDATA[The heat is on at Florida Studio Theatre's summer cabaret 'Too Darn Hot' ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/13/fst-cabaret-too-darn-hot/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 13 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/13/fst-cabaret-too-darn-hot/Carole J. Bufford stars in the summer cabaret "Too Darn Hot." Her band includes Angela Steiner on piano and Isaac Mingus on bass.<![CDATA[An eye-catching exhibition of bird photography lands at Selby Gardens ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/06/exhibition-bird-photography-selby-gardens/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 06 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/06/exhibition-bird-photography-selby-gardens/Cheryl Medow's 2014 photo "White Ibis with Fish" overlooks Sarasota Bay in "The High Life" exhibition at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.<![CDATA[Sarasota Ballet School names new principal ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/05/sarasota-ballet-school-new-principal/Monica Roman GagnierTue, 05 Aug 2025 13:30:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/05/sarasota-ballet-school-new-principal/<![CDATA[Gee's Bend quilters learned to 'make something out of nothing' ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/04/gees-bend-quilters/Monica Roman GagnierMon, 04 Aug 2025 14:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/04/gees-bend-quilters/Loretta Pettway Bennett, Sarasota Art Museum Associate Curator Lacie Barbour and Louisiana Bendolph<![CDATA[The Sarasota Players stages a thrilling, chilling 'Cabaret' ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/30/sarasota-players-chilling-cabaret/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/30/sarasota-players-chilling-cabaret/The cast of "Cabaret" gets ready for their close-up at the Kit Kat Club, the setting of the musical set in Weimar-era Berlin.<![CDATA[Florida Studio Theatre gives blue-eyed soul a spot in the limelight ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/28/florida-studio-theatre-blue-eyed-soul/Monica Roman GagnierMon, 28 Jul 2025 14:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/28/florida-studio-theatre-blue-eyed-soul/Louis Tucci, Luke McMaster and Miles Aubrey star in Florida Studio Theatre's cabaret show, "How Sweet It Is," which runs at the Goldstein Cabaret through Aug. 3.<![CDATA[The Sarasota Ballet Summer Intensive is raising the barre ]]>https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/23/sarasota-ballet-summer-intensive/Monica Roman GagnierWed, 23 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/23/sarasota-ballet-summer-intensive/Johnston Kraft, Rosemarie Kraft, Broc Stull and Liesl Kraft relax between rehearsals for InMotion, the recital of the Sarasota Ballet Summer Intensive.