May-June 2019

: Paula Bolado, Julie Clay, Carol DeFrank, Cindy-jo Dietz, Angela Minor NEXT ISSUE : July-August 2019 ADVERTISING SPACE RESERVATION DEADLINE : June 15 ONTHECOVER:T.R.Kurtz

The Circus Arts Conservatory and The Ringling present Summer Circus Spectacular 2019, June 11-August 3 at the Historic Asolo Theater in Sarasota.

Comic Book & Science Fiction Convention Returns

The 3rd annual SWFL SpaceCon - Comic Book & Science Fiction Convention will be held Saturday, June 8 at the Araba Shrine Event Center in Fort Myers. This comic & sci-fi convention features special guests from the TV, film and comic book industries, as well as authors, illustrators, and Cosplay guests. The day’s events include celebrity appearances, panel discussions, and gaming, as well as a kids crafting zone, costume contest, and vendors.

Featured guest actors include: Joe Davison (director, screenwriter, actor plays nerdy tech on Stranger Things), John Loudermilk (Power Rangers Megaforce), Ann Mahoney (Olivia on The Walking Dead), Carey Means (Frylock on Adult Swim), Justin Nimmo (Silver Space Ranger in Power Rangers in Space), Jeremy Palko (The Walking Dead), & Joshua Seth (voice of Digimon).

Among the comic book industry guests appearing are Bob McLeod (co-creator and llustrator of the New Mutants), James Haick (writer and co-creator of Solar Flare), Dorphise Jean (writer for Spirit's Destiny), James Pruett (publisher of Scout Comics and writer/creator of Mindbender), and Richard Rivera (writer and creator of Stabbity Bunny).

Attendees dressed in familyfriendly costumes will qualify for the SpaceCadet discount pricing at the door.

SWFL SpaceCon will feature vendors, guests, and gaming 10am-6pm, with constume contest starting at 6pm, followed by a Cosplay lip-syncing battle.

The Araba Shrine Temple is located at 2010 Hanson St. in Fort Myers. For information, visit swflspacecon.com.

Rauschenberg GalleryShowing Never Seen John Cage Art

Florida SouthWestern State College continues its celebration of the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery’s 40th anniversary by presenting ‘John Cage: Steps & Other Works from the Mountain Lake Workshop,’ an exhibition of visual art by the renowned artist and composer that will feature newlylicensed performances of ‘Steps: A Composition for a Painting’ and the world premiere of his recently rediscovered, never previously exhibited and monumentallyscaled work, the 8.5ftx28ft ‘New River Rocks & Washes.’

As a composer, music theorist, author, and artist revered as a pioneer of electro-acoustic music and non-standard use of musical instruments, John Cage was a leading voice of the post-war avant-garde and one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. Cage proposed the revolutionary concepts that any sound may constitute music and that there is no such thing as silence.

Bob Rauschenberg said that he was his “spiritual and philosophical soulmate.”

Often applying chance-based operations to his compositional process in an effort to eliminate

The exhibition, ‘John Cage: Steps & Other Works from the Mountain Lake Workshop,’ at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at FSW thru July 27, features works never seen before.

aesthetic decisions, Cage’s forays into visual art, perhaps best represented by his experimentation at the Mountain Lake Workshop, employed many of the same techniques.

‘John Cage: Steps & Other Works from the Mountain Lake Workshop’ will be on view thru July 27 at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery in Humanities Hall (building L), next to the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College, located at 8099 College Pkwy. in Fort Myers. The gallery is open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm & Saturday 11am3pm. Admission is free. Call 489-9313 for information.

Florida Rep’s PlayLab Fest Showcases New Plays & Playwrights

Florida Repertory Theatre's 6th annual PlayLab Festival of New Plays & Emerging Voices kicks off May 9 with readings of five new plays and one musical, and a world premiere performance of the play for young audiences, Refugee, as well as a Keynote Address from literary agent, Susan Gurman, followed by a playwrights panel.

This year’s PlayLab lineup includes Good Americans, by Bruce Graham; Death of a Driver, by Will Snider; The Last Buckley, by Nathan Cann; Loving and Loving, by Beto O'Byrne; The

Joe Davidson, actor in ‘Stranger Things,’ will be among the special guests appearing at the SWFL SpaceCon in Fort Myers on June 8.

Circle Game, conceived and arranged by Victoria Casella with a book by Michael Bias; and Safety Net, by Daryl Lisa Fazio. Each play was chosen from an open call for submissions to affiliated artists with the National New Play Network and other literary agencies.

The PlayLab Festival runs May 9-12, with readings in the ArtStage Studio Theatre and the performnce of Refugee in the Historic Arcade Theatre.

Director, Jason Parrish, directs the festival's first musical, The Circle Game. Parrish has overseen PlayLab since its inception in 2014. Maureen Heffernan, one of Florida Rep’s ensemble, returns to direct Safety Net.

Florida Rep Education Director, Kody Jones, directs the world premiere production of Refugee.

P LAY L AB S CHEDULE

May 9, 7PM: Good Americans

May 10, 4PM: Death Of A Driver

May 10, 8:30PM: The Last Buckley

May 11, 2PM: Loving And Loving

May 11, 7PM: Keynote Address & Playwrights’ Panel

May 12, 10AM: Refugee

May 12, 2:30PM: The Circle Game

May 12, 5:30PM: Safety Net

Florida Rep’s Historic Arcade Theatre and ArtStage Studio Theatre are located at 2267 1st St, in downtown Fort Myers’ Historic River District. For information, call 332-4488.

Albert Castiglia’s New Album is a ‘Masterpiece’ B

Castiglia calls this the most meaningful album he’s ever made. “My daughter finding me and opening up my world to an additional family, including two grandchildren, brought out the deepest material I’ve ever created,” he notes, “along with my wife, they were my muses.”

Songs such as ‘Keep On Swinging,’ ‘Masterpiece,’ and ‘Bring on the Rain’ address the unexpected emotions that infused his psyche with the discovery of a family he never knew.

“Prior to my daughter finding me, my entire adult life felt incomplete,” Castiglia reflects in the song “Bring On the Rain.” “I never knew why I felt that way. I could never put my finger on it. Then when I discovered my daughter, my heart was suddenly overflowing.”

The title track echoes the same sort of sentiment. "After my daughter and I connected I wrote a letter telling her how happy I was to be her father. At the end of the letter I wrote, ‘I've been an artist for thirty years, but you're my masterpiece!’ I ran with that line and made it the perfect song to express my love.

by people who live in this country and feel alienated, unappreciated, demonized and shunned by society.” ‘Love Will Win the War’ goes even deeper, inspired by the mass shootings all too prevalent in recent years.

“I really have a hard time playing this song without choking up because I have my grandchildren in mind when I play it. It's sad, but I believe it's also hopeful.”

Castiglia backed legendary bluesman Junior Wells before embarking on a solo career that’s yielded eight critically acclaimed albums.

Masterpiece will be released by Gulf Coast Records on May 24. Castiglia will be performing at Buckingham Blues Bar in Fort Myers on June 21. For information, visit albertcastiglia.net.

Each of the festival playwrights works with a professional director and a professional cast of actors, and receives 15 hours to workshop and develop their piece before it has one public reading during the weekend festival. The plays are each in consideration for a future premiere production in a subsequent Florida Rep season. Every year since its inception, the theatre has chosen one or two of the plays for production. The readings include a talk-back and a discussion with the playwrights, directors, and actors.

Florida Rep's Artistic Director, Greg Longenhagen, directs Bruce Graham's play, Good Americans. Lauren Caldwell, Artistic Director at the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainsville, makes her Florida Rep debut directing Death of a Driver. Orlando Shakespeare Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director, Kristin Clippard also makes her Florida Rep and PlayLab debut directing The Last Buckley. Sonya McCarter returns to PlayLab, directing Loving and Loving. McCarter recently directed Theatre Conspiracy’s Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

Florida Rep's Associate

lues guitarist, Albert Castiglia’s new album, Masterpiece, celebrates his connection with a daughter he never knew he had and his reflections on the disappointment and disconnect that’s gripped the nation in the past several years. “This album is an observation of life through the eyes of a father, grandfather, husband and citizen of the world. My newly found family brought out a perspective I never thought I'd have.”

‘Heavy’ and ‘Love Will Win the War’ are songs that deal with the dilemma that has impacted those forgotten as the result of our current malaise. Castiglia explains, ‘Heavy’ “was inspired

Mayfaire by-the-Lake Arts Festival Celebrates 48th Year

Celebrating its 48th year, Lakeland’s Polk Museum of Art’s Mayfaire by-the-Lake free weekend outdoor arts festival will be held on the shores of Lake Morton Mothers’ Day weekend, May 11 & 12, 9am-4pm daily. More than 70,000 visitors from throughout Central Florida attend Mayfaire each year.

The festival features a juried art show with 46 new artists coming from 18 states, as well as familyfriendly entertainment and childen’s activities including live performances throughout the weekend on the front lawn of the Lakeland Public Library, food trucks, and a Children’s Art Tent

Lakeland’s

Co-produced by long-time friend and colleague Mike Zito, and coming out on Zito’s own label, Gulf Coast Records, the album is both personal and provocative. The album’s sound is raw and unfiltered, with Castiglia and Zito playing all the instruments.

Daryl Lisa Fazio’s ‘Safety Net’ is one of the new plays being read at Florida Rep’s PlayLab Festival, May 9-12.

Albert Castiglia’s new album, ‘Masterpiece’ celebrates his new outlook on life.

Mayfaire by-the-Lake free outdoor arts festival is May 11 & 12.

with hands-on art activities designed for participation by children of all abilities.

The weeknd also features Mayfaire Saturday Night on May 11, 5:30-11pm with fireworks over Lake Mirror at 9pm. This free concert features the band MPiRE at the Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror.

Free parking and shuttle service is available, and free shuttles also run around Lake Morton and to the museum during the festival.

Scheduled to perform at the festival are: Hawaiian Paradise Dancer, Samira Belly Dance, Mandalika Indonesia Dance, Excel Christian Academy, All Saints’ Academy Thespian Troupe, Just Dance Academy of Dance & Etiquette, Sage Koury, and Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder Celtic Band.

Mayfaire by-the-lake is one of the largest and oldest outdoor art festivals in Central Florida.

Lake Morton is located one block east of the Polk Museum of Art. Lake Mirror is a few blocks north. Florida Southern College’s Polk Museum of Art is located at 800 E. Palmetto St. in Lakeland. The Lakeland Public Library is located at 100 Lake Morton Dr. For information, call 863-688-7743.

Matsumoto

Art Returns to Tower Gallery

Sanibel Island's Tower Gallery is once again selling prints and serigraphs of the late, great artist and illustrator Ikki Matsumoto. The colorful and quaint turn-ofthe-century beach cottage turned art gallery on Tarpon Bay Rd. was rescued and reimagined by Matsumoto in the 1980s. It remains a testament to his artistic vision today.

For many Sanibel and Southwest Florida residents and snowbirds, as well as vacationers, a visit to the island included a visit to Tower Gallery to purchase a print, original or calendar of Ikki Matsumoto's whimsical art. The family of Ikki Matsumoto has allowed a select group of Ikki's art to be sold through Tower Art Gallery once again.

Tower Gallery on Sanibel is once again selling artwork by the late Ikki Matsumoto, the island’s most famous and acclaimed artists.

Matsumoto, born in Tokyo, Japan in 1935, worked for years in the advertising field illustrating books and magazines, and designing packagings. He is noted for illustrating the awardwinning Joy of Cooking recipe book as well as designing an Easter egg for Nancy Reagan that is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

In the 1970's Matsumoto left the advertising field to become a fine artist. Moving to Sanibel Island with his wife Polly and their three children, he established a new career as a painter and printmaker using native birds as his subject.

In the 1980's Ikki and his wife rescued an old 1915 beach house on Sanibel, brought it via a flatbed truck to Tarpon Bay Rd., and restored it into a fine art gallery he called Matsumoto Gallery. This building is now the Tower Art Gallery. When a group of artists were unable to renew their lease at the Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers, Ikki allowed them to use a part of the gallery to show their work. This arrangement eventually became permanent in the 1994 and the Tower Cooperative of artists became the new tenants of the building when Matsumoto moved to Arcadia, Florida.

Ikki passed away on December 31, 2013, one day before his 79th birthday.

Tower Gallery, now a cooperative consisting of 23 artists, is located at 751 Tarpon Bay Rd. on Sanibel. It is open daily 10am-6pm. Call 472-4557 for information.

TheArtofMally Khorasantchi at Naples Botanical Garden

Naples Botanical Garden is hosting a special exhibition of large-scale paintings and collages by Mally Khorasantchi, ‘Natural Oasis,’ May 3-September 2 in Kapnick Hall.

Each work is an homage to the natural world. Khorasantchi’s works are a celebration of the everchanging landscape that surrounds us. Currents of gnarled trunks and

Naples Garden hosts ‘Natural Oasis: The Art of Mally Khorasantichi, May 3-September 2.

roots, repeating patches of honeycombs, and rhythmic threads of color evoke a sense of connectedness and restoration. Her oil paintings feature bold lines, symbols and shapes that converge to hearken an awareness of all things natural. One painting, ‘Mangrove’ has never before been displayed for the public.

Naples Botanical Garden is a 170-acre garden paradise that features the plants and cultures of Brazil, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Florida, as well as an interactive Children’s Garden, 90 acres of restored natural habitats, walking trails, and a Butterfly Garden. The Garden is open daily 9am-5pm, with an early opening on Tuesdays at 8am.

Naples Botanical Garden is located at 4820 Bayshore Dr. in Naples. For information, call 315-7289.

Palm Beach Celebrates Month of Art & Culture

The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County in partnership with Discover The Palm Beaches is hosting a month-long celebration of arts and culture throughout the region during May. MOSAIC (Month of Shows, Art, Ideas, and Culture) offers special deals on cultural experiences and hotel stays.

Venues participating in MOSAIC include:

• Arts Garage, a not-for-profit, multi-media arts venue located in downtown Delray Beach that presents concerts, theater, and an art gallery. Arts Garage is offering 25% off tickets to the following concerts: Marlow Rosado (May 4), Nicolas Bearde - A Salute to Lou Rawls (May 10), Jah Movement (May 11), Kat Riggins & Blues revival (May 17), and Shamarr Allen (May 19).

• Arts Warehouse, located in Delray Beach’s Pineapple Grove Arts District, features studios for local and visiting artists, gallery and exhibit space; classrooms and workshop. Arts Warehouse is offering free admission for First Friday Art Walk, First Friday Bites, Third Thursday Luncheon Art, and discounts at select artist studios on May 3 & 16.

• Old School Square offers world-class events, theater, exhibits and learning opportunities. Located in downtown Delray Beach, the restored early 20th century school buildings (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) houses the Cornell Art Museum, the intimate Crest Theatre, and a Vintage Gymnasium, as well as The Pavilion, which hosts outdoor concerts and festivals. Old School Square is offering free admission to the Cornell Art Museum for two during the ‘Seven Solos’ exhibition, May 1-31.

• Palm Beach Dramaworks, a professional not-for-profit theatre company that performs in the Don & Ann Brown Theatre, is located in downtown West Palm Beach. Dramaworks is offerig two-for-one tickets to The House of Blue Leaves, May 15-31.

• Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in downtown West Palm Beach is offering 20% off select tickets to Dance Theatre of Harlem (May 8) and 50% off select tickets to Chick Corea & Béla Fleck Duet (May 17).

• SunFest, Florida’s largest waterfront music and arts festival is held every May in downtown West Palm Beach. This year, the festival is May 2-5. Among the performers appearing are Keith Urban, Diplo, Tears for Fears, Earth Wind & Fire, Papa Roach, Ludacris, The B-52s, and Larkin Poe.

• Boca Raton Museum of Art is offering two-for-one admission for adults, May 1-31.

• South Florida Science Center & Aquarium in West Palm Beach

A-LEAGUE ARENAFOOTBALL

Hertz Arena

11000 Everblades Pkwy. Estero 948-7825

MAY 12: vs Manatee Neptunes

MAY 26: vs Lakeland Tarpons

JUN 2: vs Sarasota Big Cats

JUN 16: vs Lakeland Tarpons

JUL 29: vs tba

ALLGAMESSTART 4PM

is offering free child admission with the purchase of an adult admission, May 1-31.

• Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in West Palm Beach is offering a $5 discount on any regular admission, May 1-31.

• Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach is offering 50% off a second admission, May 1-31.

• Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is offering $2 off admission, May 11&12.

For information about MOSAIC and the arts and culture of Palm Beach County, visit mosaicpbc.com.

Art Walks the Runway at the Davis Art Center

The 8th Annual Art Walks the Runway brings celebrity designers Michael Ngo, who has dressed celebrities like Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez; Usama Ishtay, couture designer worn by actress Lauren London, dancer Zuleyka Rivera, and celebrities like Ciara, Tyra Banks, and Carrie Underwood; and Victor Lopez to the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center on Saturday, May 18. There will also be a body art performance piece from Elements of Body Art.

Artful designs and trendy boutique fashion are featured on Friday, May 17. Forema Boutique returns to showcase their 2019 Spring Collection. In addition, Cesar Aguilera, a well-known Southwest Florida artist, will present upcycled wearable art. His work with Paionia has been featured in several fashion shows in the area.

Each evening there will be a cocktail reception at 6pm, followed by the Runway show at 7pm.

The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District. For information, call 333-1933.

WANTED PLAYWRIGHTS

The Naples Players’ Readers Theatre is accepting original oneact scripts for its 16th Annual ‘An Evening of New Plays’ contest for Southwest Florida playwrights. In addition to having their play cast and performed by The Naples Players on January 19, finalists will each receive a performance royalty, memorial plaque, and tickets to ‘An Evening of New Plays.’ Winners will have the opportunity for their plays to be cast, directed, and staged by The Naples Players. The deadline for submission is July 31. Winners will be notified by October 31. Only non-musical one-acts are accepted. Only one play per writer can be submitted. Each play must be the writer’s own original work, not an adaptation, and not commercially published or produced, though it may have been workshopped or presented in staged readings, although it may have been entered in an earlier contest, so long as it was not an earlier finalist. The play should not exceed 20 minutes in length.

Authors retain all rights and give performance rights to The Naples Players for ‘An Evening of New Plays’ and limited readings in other venues.

Readers Theatre is The Naples Players’ affiliate theatre group. Performances are at Sugden Community Theatre, located at 701 5th Ave. S. in Naples. For information, call 263-7990.

ACTORS

The Studio Players are holding auditions for their upcoming production of Venus in Fur, a two-person play set in today’s New York City. The play had its premiere off-Broadway at the Classic Stage Company in 2010 and on Broadway in 2011. One male and one female are sought to play 25-40 year olds. Actors will cold read from the script.

Auditions are May 13, 7-9pm in the Joan Jenks Auditorium at Golden Gate Community Center, located at 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy. in Naples. The show runs August

23-September 8. For information, call 398-9192.

ACTORS

Venice Theatre is seeking entertainers for its 7th Annual Summer Cabaret Festival, which will run July 12-August 25. Performances will be ThursdaySaturday evenings & Sunday afternoons. Selected acts will perform two or three times during the run of the festival. The deadline to submitt applications is May 15. Chosen acts and a festival schedule will be announced June 1.

Those interested in being considered for the festival must submit: A brief description of the show, sample song list, video highlighting vocal and performance abilities, performance resume, and head shot.

Acts selected to participate will need to provide: two sets (35-45 minutes each) of music-driven cabaret entertainment, sheet music for the accompanist, any costumes or props required.

Venice Theatre will supply: performance space in the Pinkerton Theatre, piano, accompanist, cordless hand-held microphones, basic lighting, and stage manager, light board operator, sound Operator.

Venice Theatre is located at 140 Tampa Ave. W in Venice. Call 941-484-4033 for information.

ARTISTS

Artists and writers are invited to submit work for the 17th Annual ‘Embracing Our Differences’ outdoor exhibit scheduled to open in January 2020 in Bayfront Park in downtown Sarasota. Original works of art and statements should celebrate the theme of ‘enriching lives through diversity’ are being accepted through October 8.

The work of 50 artists, poets and writers will be selected for the exhibit by a panel of professional artists, curators and arts educators. The artwork will also be evaluated on how effectively it will read when enlarged to the exhibit's billboard-size dimensions of 16ft x 12.5ft. Quotations must be 20 words or less.

Cash awards will be presented for ‘Best-in-Show Adult,’ ‘Best-inShow Student,’ and ‘People’s Choice,’ as well as for the best original quotation.

There is no submission fee or limit on the number of entries. For information, call 941-404-5710.

Short Stories & Writing Advice W

HEN TOM DEMARCHI puts together a writer’s conference, he intentionally carves an intricate experience for both presenters and attendees, from cross-genre writing workshops and speakers who are excited to share their writing process, to those wanting to strengthen their craft, all of which makes the Sanibel Writers Conference so memorable. When he put together a collection of stories for his new book, Möbius Strips and Other Stories, he also cut and carved his material so tightly that what is received is a memorable collection of short and flash fiction that enlists the reader to continue the narrative after the “flash” of story is told.

I spoke to DeMarchi, a writing professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, about his new book and his writing process.

•

PAULA BOLADO: In this collection of short stories, it is exhilarating to be part of these little vignettes where the reader is pulled in immediately into moments that are dark, gritty, or in the mind of an adolescent boy who makes bad choices. In [the Acknowledgements], you wrote that these stories came to you during your breaks from working in a pizza shop.

DeMARCHI: On and off for about a decade, I worked these shifts from ten in the morning until ten at night spinning and delivering pizzas. During the afternoon lull I’d get my break and go downstairs to the storage room and scribble stories in my notebook.

Did you journal personal experiences or stories or a combination of both?

Definitely not journaling but creating stories.

What is flash fiction?

“I accepted the fact there’s no such thing as writer’s block. If my fingers work and I have access to some kind of writing implement, I can write.”

It has to be very immediate. It has to pull you into a scene with a character who has a problem, just as you would with any story or novel. The big difference in flash is it’s over very quickly. But just as in a longer story or novel, something significant has to happen, and it has to leave an effect on the reader.

There was a moment I really liked in the piece ‘Evolution’ and the narrator says, “All I could think of was that pictures trap you.” I thought that seemed a lot like some of these stories: they are pictures in a way of moments that captures a lot of what’s going on. I may be off-base, but it seems these vignettes are pictures and only from the perspective of the main character can you have this perspective, this snapshot.

by Paula Michele Bolado

I wasn’t thinking about it that way, but now that you say that, it does make sense. These stories are like flashes on a camera: They’re trying to capture these small and large life-changing moments that, I hope, have tension or comedy or drama or something beyond “oh-this-is-a-cute-little-moment.” The characters in the story — or at least the main character — should be different at the end than they were at the beginning. These transformative moments happen to all of us in real life.

In the story ‘Ruby, My Dear,’ if you were to look at this whole thing on the outside it would all seems so nefarious what they are doing, but you don’t really know the whole story, or even why this character would be doing what he’s doing, but he has to do something because Amy left him. That’s my conclusion. If you are in the vision of the narrator, there is more depth, there is more meaning, like let me explain why all this is happening. Then, you leave the reader with the last line: “But first I had to leave Ruby at the beach” and so the story continues for the reader, and we fill in what probably would happen to Ruby.

You’re really tapping into what I’m trying to do with the ambiguous endings. One of the things that contemporary and modern fiction does is enlist the reader to finish the story on her own. You want some kind of resolution in the end, but you don’t want to tie it up with a nice little bow and say, “And the moral of the story is…” Because it’s not a fairy tale. You want to engage your readers to the point where they keep finding new ways to finish the story in their imaginations even after it ends on the page. If I’ve done my job as a writer, I’ve given the readers enough information and enough options so that they become co-authors.

I remember Lynne Barrett’s workshops at the Sanibel Island Writers Conference, and she taught us as writers to give characters something they want and try to take it away as the story unfolds and decide if they are going to get it back or not. This advice always inspired me to teach my students in creative writing. You have this in your stories because these characters definitely want something deeply in these tight moments that you capture. How do you do this and where do you draw your stylistic inspirations?

When it comes to writing stories, one of my big influences is [Anton] Chekhov. ‘The Lady with the Pet Dog’ is one of his best stories. It’s about a man and

“One of my big influences is Chekhov. Chekhov provides enough information so that the reader gets to decide how their story culminates.”

woman having an affair. They’re miserable in their marriages and have found true love with each other, but divorce in their culture — 19th Century Russia — is very difficult. Maintaining the affair is equally difficult — and dissatisfying. At the end of the story, the reader has no idea whether they’ll continue the affair, break it off altogether, or take the big risk of blowing up their lives to be together. Chekhov provides enough information so that the reader gets to decide how their story culminates. What’s more, Chekhov has set it up so that the characters are in for a rough ride, no matter their decision.

Tell me about your revision process.

Basically, my approach to writing is highly inefficient. I write and write and write until I have a ton of material and then I throw away what doesn’t serve the end product. So, I allow myself, I almost demand of myself, that I write poorly a lot. A long time ago I accepted the fact there’s no such thing as writer’s block. If my fingers work and I have access to some kind of writing implement — it doesn’t matter if it’s a legal pad, a pencil, a keyboard, or a piece of stone and a chisel — if my hands are working, I can write. When people say they have writer’s block, they are not giving themselves permission to write poorly. And I have given myself permission to write poorly. I’m like, “Okay, I know it’s terrible” as I’m writing it and I’m laughing at myself: it’s so bad and it’s so sentimental or it’s so pandering or so nakedly manipulative, that I know it’s never going to survive the revision process, but for whatever reason, I have to write through the bad stuff to get to the good stuff.

Like I said, it’s very inefficient; it’s like me trying to chop down a tree with a spoon. I have to say, “Okay, I have to be merciless and it doesn’t matter if I spend X number of hours invested in this material; I just have to chop away everything that’s terrible. That usually begins with me getting down as much as I can in long hand and reading it through silently and crossing things out or making little arrows — this should go here, and that should go there — filling in

some blanks and writing lots of marginalia. Then I will type up the crappiest first draft that I can in an attempt to organize the chaos. I’ll print it out and read it aloud — that way I can hear whether it has any legs or any music. The read-through is merciless. I revise again. I pace when I read. Anyone looking in my window would think I am a maniac, as I’m walking in circles and reading aloud. As I am reading aloud, I have a pen in my hand and I’m marking up the manuscript.

Then I sit down and revise it again. I put it aside for a couple days so I can have distance from it, so the next time I read it, it’s as if someone else wrote it. Next, I read it the way I read my friends’ and students’ manuscripts by asking: “What’s going on here?” Forget about intention behind it. What is actually on the page? Here’s what’s working and here’s what isn’t working. How can I do more of what is working and what can I do to replace or delete what isn’t working?

The stories in this little collection represent about 10% of what I actually wrote. I don’t know whether any of the stories in my book are good enough, but they’re the best version of what I had to begin with.

In Möbius Strips and Other Stories, Boston and Florida are the main settings. Are these the main areas you feel most comfortable writing about?

I have plenty of stories set elsewhere, but the stories in Möbius Strips are set exclusively in Florida

and the Boston area because one of the requirements from the publisher is that they have to take place on the Eastern seaboard.

For the first 25 years of life I lived in the Boston area, and I’ve lived in Florida for 17 years. Setting is destiny: where you’re from determines your character. Massachusetts and Florida directly inform who I am, how I see the world, how I move through the world. All of the positives and negatives of both locations are now part of my sensibility.

So, where are you headed next as a writer?

I have many, many legal pads full of scribblings of what I hope will turn into a novel. What I need now is the time to sit down and go through them and start mining them for possibilities, to see what’s in there.

I have a general idea what the main story line is, and where I want to begin, but experience tells me that that will change. Once I start writing, the characters take over and tell the story that they want to tell rather than the story I want to tell. I can’t wait to see what happens next. •

Möbius Strips and Other Stories is published by Rain Chain Press and is available in paperback. DeMarchi will be reading from his book on May 2, 7pm at The Alliance for the Arts, located at 10091 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers.

“Setting is destiny: where you’re from determines your character. Massachusetts and Florida directly inform who I am, how I see the world, how I move through the world.”

ARTS BOOKS ISISvs the Catholic Church T

HIS SUPERCHARGED TECHNO-SPY THRILLER has it all. First of all, it has an intriguing premise. Kurtz imagines that the Catholic Church has developed a firstclass intelligence operation with resources comparable to those of the superpowers. The Canonical Order is that impressive force, and it is presented as a late incarnation of the ancient Knights of Malta. Kurtz’s protagonist, Chad Stryker, is a highly experienced and outlandishly skilled former CIA agent who now works with the Canonical Order and has mastered its amazing resources. He is a leader of Black Swan, its covert action arm.

Why would the Vatican need such a warlike entity?

Because a radical Islamist supergroup, led by a pair of Chechen brothers loyal to the Islamic State, has plans to destroy the Catholic Church and, by extension, all of Christianity.

Indeed, the Pope has been shot and is severely wounded.

by Philip K. Jason

expected. Some tools have been improperly calibrated or otherwise compromised.

Dedicated readers will find out by whom and why.

Chad Stryker’s action tools include weaponized gear of all kinds. He has outfits that disguise and protect him, while hiding an array of immediately accessible, personal armaments. One imagines a world at techno-war in which new kinds of haberdashery adorn the compatible, superblytrained agent.

Well-chosen bible passages connect chapter titles with the moral and ‘end-of-world’ motifs of the action.

Kurtz is adept at describing intriguing settings and putting readers on the spot of the action. A long sequence set in Dubai engagingly establishes the interplay of character and place. Scenes in Kurdistan and elsewhere are similarly effective.

Kurtz’s first novel has the makings of a best-seller, and it’s inventive imagery could inspire a movie

What is amazing is the author’s ability to make his premise seem plausible. He has crafted a dynamic, suspenseful tale in which all of the many and often unexpected details fit together.

Stryker’s mission seems motivated in part by his need to redeem himself for any missteps he might have taken during the later stages of his wife’s death from a rare form of cancer. The portrait of the lovers’ relationship is powerfully drawn, and though Jennifer must always be offstage, she is as well-developed as any of the book’s many important characters.

Novices in the field of espionage and security countermeasures won’t know if Kurtz’s descriptions of the Order’s tools are accurate or not. However, they sure are appetizing. Devices are programmed to guide, respond to, and refine the parameters of the task at hand. Artificial intelligence seems to be blended with human assessments. Stryker is assisted by something called the ‘e-Mission Manager’ that is as important as his Canonical Order human associates: namely, D’Orio, Moldovan, and the brains-andbeauty-blessed Sonia Navarre. And a human source curiously named MILEAGE.

However, as the mission progresses, it becomes clear that the outcomes are not what was hoped for or

T.R. Kurtz’s first novel has the makings of a best-seller, and its inventive imagery could inspire a movie.

Where did all this potentially history-changing imagining come from?

A Naples resident, Kurtz has worked counter-terrorism and counternarcotics issues for the U.S. Government on worldwide assignments. His experiences inthe MiddleEast, Far East, East Asia, and Latin America inform the tactics, equipment, and scenarios in his books. T.R. is a commercial multi-instrument pilot and certified flight instructor.

I spoke with him about his new book, The Canonical Order

PHILIP K. JASON: Tell us a bit about the genesis of this book.

T.R. KURTZ: It started with the idea that someone would try to assassinate the Pope. So then I began to think of the reasons why. I started to look at geopolitics, what was happening in the world in the present day, the global threats, and historical conflicts. Obviously, groups like ISIS stood out. I cross-referenced those factors with some of the recruiting tactics of ISIS, their doomsday vision, and prophesies by the prophet Muhammad. A picture began to emerge that the group might try to literally do what they said they’d do on

Kurtz has worked counterterrorism andcounter narcotics issues for the U.S. Government on inthe MiddleEast, Far East, East Asia, and Latin America.

social media, “Go to Rome,” especially if that meant that they could draw in the rest of the Western world.

While ISIS may have been diminished, the radical ideology and its basis continue to be promoted by individuals seeking to control others through exploiting their vulnerabilities.

What aspects of crafting the novel gave you the most difficulty?

The biggest challenge was to get into the head of the protagonist, Chad Stryker. First, the guy is in a dark place. He’s trying to overcome something that he cannot fight with his hands. And has the impossible challenge of trying to fix the past. We are often the source of our biggest problems and Stryker knows that he alone is to blame. There’s real power and potential for change and growth in that idea of personal responsibility, but it’s going to be painful. And maybe it should be for real change to take hold.

What aspects gave you the most pleasure?

The fight scenes, tactical parts, and imaging new weapons and resources in the field were by far the most fun. Everyone goes into a situation with a plan, but once the action starts anything can happen because the situation unfolds dynamically. So imaging how Stryker would approach a situation asymmetrically, how adversaries might respond unpredictably, and the factors that affect the outcome, were all a lot of fun. I would also say that writing the relationships between Stryker and his Black Swan team was also a lot of fun because they are not only part of this clandestine, elite, and off-thebooks group, but they also have a great camaraderie and unique friendships.

Are you an outliner, or do you just let the ideas and language flow?

So, yes. I did outline this book because I needed events to anchor the book and understand in general where things were going. For me, I used parts of the Snowflake method, which is to say that I did a bunch of building blocks to provide clarity where I was going, who was

involved, and the obstacles to overcome. Once I had the general outline, I just started writing in order that things naturally flowed together. In the process I had to step back a couple of times and do some background work to make sure that I was clear on the motivations of each individual, but the outline at least provided a general structure so that I could connect everything together.

What are your revision techniques?

My personal technique is to get feedback from other writers. So I shared some chapters with a couple of writers and got their feedback. After I re-worked the manuscript, about four times, then I hired an editor who gave absolutely fantastic feedback. So then I reworked it maybe two more times. I think that the next book is going to be a lot easier because I can eliminate a lot of the revisions just by doing things right the first time and better understanding the characters before writing.

What do you want your “ideal reader” to get out of this novel?

First, I want the reader to be entertained, see a bit of the world, and understand the geopolitical

factors that are at work in the world today. First, Stryker and his team are a lot of fun to hang out with. The places that they travel in this novel are real, unique, and worth a visit. And there are real things going on in the world that don’t make the new cycle, but are happening every day, like persecution of Christians in the Middle East. Ultimately I’d like readers to get the idea that each individual is capable of redemption. Everyone has bad things happen in life. And even if we’re not the cause of the pain, we are still the solution. Is there a follow-up novel in the works?

There is a follow-up novel in the works as part of The Canonical Order series and will feature some of the same characters. It will still star the intelligence apparatus of the Canonical Order and Black Swan covert action arm, but there will be a different protagonist. Additionally, I am toying around with the next book where the protagonist is written in the first person, and the other characters are written in the third person. It’s a little scary because I’m not sure that the voice I am writing with works in the genre. •

The Canonical Order is published by CatAero, and is available in paperback and Kindle.

“I want the reader to be entertained, see a bit of the world, and understand the geopolitical factors that are at work in the world today.“

Baseball Greats

by Andrew Elias

Let’s Play Two

The Legend of Mr. Cub, The Life of Ernie Banks

Ron Rapoport HACHETTE

No Chicago Cub is more beloved than Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks. And yet few fans know much more about him than his amiable demeanor, his famous quote, “It’s a beautiful day for a ball game, let’s play two,’ and that he was perhaps the greatest baseball player to never play in the World Series. Rapaport’s biography tells the whole story — from the poverty and racism he endured as a youngster is Texas; through his early career in the last days of the Negro Leagues; then playing for the perpetually losing Cubs while contemporaries like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron won championships and garnered massive media attention; to his difficult life after retirement.

Through interviews with former teammates and friends, Rapaport delves into the complicated and conflicted man behind the infectious smiling face; the often painful private life behind the lauded professional athlete. An excellent and detailed history of one of baseball’s greatest stars and one of the game’s most beloved and misunderstood personalities, Let’s Pay Two is a great read for baseball fans in general and Cubs fans in particular. The definitive biography of ‘Mr. Cub.’

Tinker to Evers to Chance

The Chicago Cubs and the Dawn of Modern America

David Rapp

UNIVERSITYOF CHICAGO PRESS

They were just a shortstop, a second basemen and a first basemen when standing alone, but when they played together they became the core of the most formidable teams of the time, leading the Chicago Cubs to four pennants and two World Championships between 1906-1910. It was a time when baseball was outgrowing its infancy as a weekend recreation on its way to becoming an important nationwide business enterprise. It was a time of great changes in American culture

and society, and a time when mortal men could become near mythical characters.

Rapp tells the story of how three very different men — Chance (from California’s central valley), Evers (from Troy in upstate New York) and Tinker (from Kansas City, Missouri) joined together to help the Cubs dominate the game for years and help the baseball capture the imagination of the nation. He details their impressive athletic feats with a compelling chronicle of memorable games and exciting seasons, and places events and characters in the proper context of an America developing from rural agricultural communities into an industrial society of city dwellers.

An entertaining read that is much more than just a profile of the men behind the myth, it is an examination of how and why America first became infected with what was called ‘baseball fever.’

After the Miracle

The Lasting Brotherhood of the ‘69 Mets

Art Shamsky

with

Erik Sherman SIMON & SCHUSTER

Few teams in baseball history achieved the miraculous success of the 1969 New York Mets. And few books about baseball have been able to capture the lifelong comraderie of teammates and child-like fun that professional players feel for the game. As the 50th anniversary of the Miracle Mets approached, right fielder Art Shamsky organized a trip with former teammates Bud Harrelson, Jerry Koosman, and Ron Swoboda to visit an ailing Tom Seaver, the star and leader of that World Champion team. This book is the result of those intimate conversations and remarkable recollections of that incredible year, and an exploration of the lasting friendships forged during that historic time.

The book is filled with funny stories (including the infamous black cat incident during a game against the Cubs as the pennant chase heated up) and sad medita-

Shamsky not only brings that magical season alive again, butalso offers a g limpse into how amazing s hared ex periences c an bond people for a lifetime.

Rapaport delves into the complicated and conflicted private man behind the lauded professional athlete.

tions (memories of former teammates that have passed), colorful characters (Yogi Berra, Gil Hodges, Tug McGraw) and memorable moments (the ticker-tape parade New York gave the champions). Shamsky not only brings that magical season alive again, butalsooffers a glimpse into how amazing shared experiences can bond people for a lifetime.

108 Stitches

Loose Threads, Ripping Yarns, and the Darndest Characters from My Time in the Game

Ron Darling with Daniel Paisner ST. MARTIN’S PRESS

Darling was a star pitcher for the 1986 World Champion New York Mets, is currently on the Mets’ broadcast team, and has written two best-selling books. His new book has been controversial due to unflattering tales told about teammates Lenny Dykstra, stories Dykstra (and others) have vehemently denied, and Gary Carter.But those are minor anecdotes in abook of almost 250 pages filled with recollections of and ruminations on the game and his career on the field and in the broadcasting booth. Some are funny (singing Bob Dylan’s ‘Tangled Up in Blue’ in the dugout with Walt Weiss) and are some surprising (talking baseball with actress Lauren Bacall).

Met fans will be especially interested to read his exciting stories about the 1986 season and incredible World Series, his touching remembrances of teammate and friend Rusty Staub, his gratitude to veteran pitcher Al Jackson for mentoring him, and his caring but sharp criticisms of ‘could-be’ Hall of Famers Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. Darling’s stories are not very meaty or particularly meaningful, but the name-dropping tidbits in the book will be like candy to diehard Mets fans.

Yankees 1936-39, Baseball’s Greatest Dynasty

Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and the Birth of a New Era

Stanley Cohen SKYHORSE

Joe DiMaggio began his career with the New York Yankees in 1936 and Lou Gehrig’s career ended abruptly in 1939, and the four years they played together gave baseball perhaps its greatest team ever. The Yankees won four consecutive World Championships (something the Yankees never achieved when Gehrig batted after Babe Ruth), and boasted six future Hall of Famers.

Not only do we learn about the excitement generated by the arrival of a young ‘Joltin’ Joe’ Dimaggio and the emotional shockwaves caused by ‘Iron Man’ Gehrig’s sudden and devastating diagnosis of ALS, but also about less known, but no less important, players such as Bill Dickey, Lefty Gomez, Tommy Heinrich, Charlie Keller, and others. Following each season almost month by month, the book should be a treat for Yankee fans interested in learning about this golden era of baseball and the Yankees’ long legacy of greatness.

September 1918

War, Plague, and the World Series

Skip Desjardin REGNERY HISTORY

As a young pitcher named Babe Ruth lead the Boston Red Sox to the World Series, a division of Massachusetts’ militia went to war in France, and the Spanish flu erupted in Boston. It was September 1918 — and the Red Sox became world champions, Americans turned the tide in World War I, and thousands died in one of the nation’s deadliest pandemics. Desjardin describes this incredible month with detailed and almost daily accounts of thedoctors and nurses that saved the city, theplayers and games that enthralled the nation, andthe

heroes and battles that saved the world. He also describes the tensions that arose between the families sending their young men to Europe — and having them return with unfathomable injuries from the new chemical warfare — and the well-paid young players of a ball game. A fascinating look at what is arguably the most important month in the history of Boston since the American Revolution — a time when sports, politics and science collided.

The Age of Ruth and Landis

The Economics of Baseball

During the Roaring Twenties

David George Surdam & Michael J. Haupert

UNIVERSITYOF NEBRASKA PRESS

Written by two economics professors, the book explores this important era in baseball’s history when the game was scandalized by corruption (the infamous Black Sox scandal captivated the nation in 1920) and invigorated by change (Babe Ruth hit 59 home runs in 1921, more than most teams). The 1920s was a decade of roaring prosperity for baseball, like the rest of the nation. The game was goosed by a livelier ball, new stadiums, and a campaign designed to make it the ‘national pastime.’ It was a time when technological innovations clashed with cultural conservatism. And it was a time of larger-than-life characters like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the first Commissioner of Baseball, credited with both cleaning up the game’s gambling problems and blamed for continuing the racist policies that kept African-American players from participating in the major leagues.

The well-documented book is not about the game as it was played on the field or the greats playing it, but instead focuses on the business of baseball, delving into the conflicts between cities, teams, players, and owners, and the economic success of the 16 teams that comprised the two major leagues. •

Dry Tortugas National Park

Stand at the southernmost tip of the continental United States, in the pastel tones of Key West, Florida, and look at the sunset. Seventy miles out awaits a small cluster of seven islands (keys) made of coral reef and sand. One has a large 19th-Century fort, pirate legends, links to an infamous assassin, gin-clear waters for diving and snorkeling, and rare bird species.

With nothing but blue sea between you and the Dry Tortugas National Park (‘tortugas’ is Spanish for turtles), the only transportation is via ferry (or private boat) or seaplane. I took the latter, and watched the sea turtles from the air. Once again on land at Garden Key, the largest all-masonry fort in the U.S., Fort Jefferson, dominates the landscape. To cool off and feed your history nerdiness, take a tour. Inside the walls and walkways are amazingly cool. You’ll learn about pirates, shipwrecks and reefs for mysterious and breath-taking dive sites, the Harbor Light, and a famous prisoner — the doctor who set John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg.

The soundtrack for this park is birds. The Sooty Tern (80,000-100,000 of them) comes ashore only a few times per year. Its life is spent flying and floating, earning it the nickname of ‘Wideawake Tern.’ The Tortugas are also the only U.S. nesting spot for the Masked Booby, a bird that catches dinner by piercing the water as a high-speed bird rocket, and the Magnificent Frigatebird with its seven- to eight-foot wingspan.

PREPARATIONSANDFACILITIES

A Tortugas trip should be considered ‘roughing it.’ With no food, beverages, or lodging facilities in the park, bring your own snacks, water, sunscreen,

and so forth. Whatever you pack-in, you must packout. Some ferry tours offer snacks, drinks, and snorkeling gear. There is a 68-person primitive campsite; first-come-first-served with reservations needed for one group site. If you’ve never seen the night sky constellations away from city lights, stay overnight and look up!

Biscayne National Park

Point north on the Overseas Highway (US1) through the Keys to Homestead, then hang a right. On the eastern coast lies 173,000 acres of national park protecting four ecosystems: Florida’s longest expanse of mangrove forest on its eastern coast, the northern Keys, a bay, and the third largest coral reef on the planet.

Since 95% of this park is submerged (and I’m a bit afraid of water) it seems I missed the biggest and best parts of this one! For example, remnants of 10,000 years of human history, including six shipwrecks, can be explored in the Maritime Heritage Trail (which does have that underwater requirement). There are also sharks, manatees, 500 species of fish, and brilliantly colored reefs to explore; fishing, lobstering, and boating to enjoy; and guided eco-adventures, canoe trips, paddle craft, and snorkeling on site.

Above sea level, Boca Chita Key’s lighthouse is worth a visit, as is the Jones Family Historic District & Lagoon. For nature hiking, boat out to Elliott Key for a one-mile loop trail, and the six-mile ‘spite highway’ (indulge your history geek and ask about this story!) down the middle of the key.

PREPARATIONSANDFACILITIES

For courageous aquatic explorers, bring your

own gear, or rent at several local businesses authorized to operate in the park. Tropical climates and randomly changing weather dictates clothing, sunscreen, and bug spray. For overnight stays, camp in relative comfort with access to drinking water, showers, and restrooms on Elliott Key. Boca Chita Key, with toilets, shade, and no water, is the only other camping location in the park. Both can only be reached by boat.

All the information you need for this location, which is more Caribbean than continental, is at Dante Fascell Visitor Center,

Gallery & Museum (nine miles east of Homestead).

Everglades National Park

The dual distinction of being the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi River and the country’s largest subtropical wilderness belongs to the ‘River of Grass.’ While is seems improbable to the human mind, this 1.5-million-acre ecosystem is a river keeping time on a metronome set to eons. While my intent was to focus binoculars on as many of the 360

different birds as possible during my adventure into the ‘Glades,’ I kept getting distracted by the surroundings — nine distinct ecosystems, to be exact. With sloughs, sawgrass, mangroves, hammocks, and ‘tree islands,’ the landscape itself is worth the trip. Three hundred fish species, 40 species of mammals, 50 reptile species, and 36 threatened or protected types of fauna, as well as 39 native orchids, 750 seedbearing plants, and flora dating back 360 million years all call this land their home.

Take your own journey

through the park by car, bike, walking, or water. On State Highway 9336 West from Homestead, stop at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center just inside the park. Rangers have great tips for your travel, and there are walkways to explore. You could spend days and days on all the side ‘roads’ (loose description), boardwalks, and trails on this route.

From Miami, enter the Everglades via US41. You’ll find one of the ‘best bike trails’ in the state and an observation tower at Shark Valley. As an alternative, you can hire

a guided tour adventure to hit the highlights.

PREPARATIONSANDFACILITIES

A weather app and navigational assistance are very useful in this area. If you’re visiting in summer, don’t forget the wearable insect repellent and sunscreen. Any time of year, bring your attention span —27 snake species and the ubiquitous alligators and crocodiles live here. The favorite season for lower humidity, fewer insects, and milder temperatures is between December and April.

Two developed campgrounds

(Flamingo and Long Pine Key) are drive-in and welcome tents and RVs. A ‘leave no trace’ backcountry camping experience is available at various park locations.

Big Cypress National Preserve

Making my way northwest through the Everglades, I blended seamlessly into the Big Cypress. With no discernable boundary, these 729,000 acres became America’s first ‘national preserve.’ While protecting the endangered Florida panther with

the largest contiguous habitat acreage, this destination has multi-use activities.

Ranger-led activities abound here for all abilities and ages. For example, the campfire talks and night sky programs are fun for the whole family. Hiking adventures with rangers include a prairie, lake, sinkhole, and other wetlands. Explore the vast space in swamp buggies or airboats. Licensed fishing and hunting are allowed, managed by the National Park Service. Also, Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes continue indigenous access to plant and animal resources.

In this area of the state, US41 is famously known as the Tamiami Trail, running beside a canal of the same name. Whether entering from east or west, there are numerous ORV, hiking, and waterway trails. Stop at either the Oasis Visitor Center or the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center respectively. The southwestern corner of this park opens into the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge with world-class canoe trails and wilderness waterways.

PREPARATIONSANDFACILITIES

Maps, GPS, or a keen sense of direction are helpful. From May through October, also known as the rainy season, the words mosquitoes and

unbearable are often heard loudly in the same sentence.

In the northern part of Big Cypress, I75/Hwy93 is known as Alligator Alley. It bisects the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, and then crosses due east and west through Big Cypress, the Miccosukee Reservation, and the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area.

Inside the preserve, tents and RVs are welcome at five developed campgrounds with three tents-only locations. In the backcountry, multi-use trails lead to ‘pack-in–pack-out’ primitive adventures.

DeSoto National Memorial Park

On the way to immerse in five centuries of the state’s history at DeSoto National Memorial Park, US41 passes right by prehistoric relics too tempting to ignore – shark’s teeth. An 18- to 35-foot fossil layer, ten million years old, continually feeds archeological interests with fossilized teeth of these mysterious creatures. The beaches at Venice are tailor-made for an authentic hands-in-the-sand treasure hunt.

To reach the DeSoto Memorial, go west in Bradenton to where the Manatee River enters the southern end of Tampa Bay. The origins of this 26acre park memorialize not only the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th Century, but the native cultures and landscapes documented at the time. As the records of history are more often than not lopsided and one-sided, this park strives to tell a balanced recounting of the legacies from time. A nice system of trails (sand and boardwalks) wanders through the mangroves, to the beach, and among the memorials.

This park is rich with family activities like sunset cruises, fishing and fossil adventures, kayak tours, living history demonstrations with reenactors, a 16th Century native village recreation, and a National Parks Junior Ranger Summer Camp for the kids.

PREPARATIONSANDFACILITIES

This is a day use park, open year-round with no entrance fees. Swing into the visitor’s center (exhibits, info, and an interesting short movie) before setting out into the park. Tip: For the shark teeth side trip, take a baggy —wet pockets get heavy! • For more information, visit: nps.gov.

“There is nothing so American as our national parks. The fundamental idea behind the parks... is that the country belongs to the people… f or the enrichment of the lives of all of us.”

— P RESIDENT F RANKLIN D. R OOSEVELT

Coltrane’s ‘Lost Album’ was recorded all in one afternoon, with the quartet performing at Birdland that night and recording the classic album with Johnny Hartman the next day.

Lost & Found

by Andrew Elias

John Coltrane

Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album

IMPULSE RECORDS

1963: New Directions

IMPULSE RECORDS

Coltrane ‘58: The Prestige Recordings

CRAFT RECORDINGS

No icon in the jazz pantheon is revered more than John Coltrane (Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker also occupy that stratosphere) and in recent months we have been blessed to see the release of several newly discovered recordings from 1958 and 1963, two pivital years in his career.

On March 6, 1963, John Coltrane, along with McCoy Tyner,Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones, recorded an album at thelegendary Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey. Coltrane and his quartet were to perform the last gig in a two-week engagement at iconic jazz club Birdland across the river in New York City that night, and then went into the studio the very next day to record his famous album with Johnny Hartman.

This legendary Lost Album features two remarkable, never-heard-before originals, as well as the only studio version of Trane’s ‘One Up, One Down’ and a piano-less version of ‘Impressions,’ one of his most famous compositions. It also includes new and different versions of his tunes, ‘Nature Boy’ and ‘Slow Blues’ and tackles ‘Vilia,’ from the operetta The Merry Widow. The album features Coltrane’s classic quartet at its most intense, experimenting with new arrangements and different instrumentation.Fans will be grateful to hear this session and will gain a fresh appreciation for the band at their peak, mastering bop traditions while exploring post-bop abstractions — going in “both directions at once,” as Coltrane explained. And to think that it was all recorded in one afternoon!Sonny Rollins was spot on when he remarked, “This is like finding a new room in the Great Pyramid.”

The standard release includes seven tracks, chosen by his son, Ravi Coltrane. The deluxe edition includes an additional seven tracks from

the session, different takes of four compositions (three takes of ‘Impressions’).

Impulse has also released a 3-CD set that includes all 14 tracks of The Lost Album as well as music from other releases from 1963 — John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman, Dear Old Stockholm, Newport ‘63, and Live at Birdland

Among the masterpieces on these classic albums (all recorded in one year!) are‘My Favorite Things’ (an amazing 18minute ride), ‘I Want to Talk About it,’ ‘LushLife’ (with Hartman crooning at his most soulful), ‘Afro Blue’ (one of the best performances on record) and ‘Alabama.’ The set is a testament to Coltrane’s creative genius and incredible output. 1963 was the year he transitioned from familiar sound to a more expanded view of jazz’s experimental potential. These recordings are a prelude to the new directions Coltrane was about to embark on, a direction that lead to ‘A Love Supreme’ and beyond.

1958 was another pivotal year for Coltrane, one now documented in the release of Coltrane ‘58: The Prestige Recordings, a chronologically curated compilation of the 37 tracks recorded that year and released on 10 albums, ‘Soultrane,’ ‘Lush Life,’ ‘The Believer’ ‘Settin’ the Pace,’ ‘Black Pearls,’ ‘Bahia,’ ‘Stardust,’ ‘The Last Trane,’ ‘Standard Coltrane,’ and ‘Kenney Burrell & John Coltrane.’ The effect is an awesome collection of blues and ballads, including popular standards such as the Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer gem ‘Come Rain or Come Shine,’ Irving Berlin’s ‘Russian Lullaby,’ Oscar Hammestein’s ‘Lover Come Back to Me,’ and the Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne classic ‘Time After Time.’

These sessions showcase Coltrane as a sideman (there is but one original composition), full of a bluesy soul infused with bop cool and the heat of improvisation,the foundation for his later sojourns to the edge of jazz.In addition to Burrell, bandmates include Paul Chambers on bass; Jimmy Cobb, Louis Hayes, and Art Taylor on drums; Red Garland and Tommy Flanagan on piano, and trumpeters Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, and Wilbur Harden — all at the top of their game and collaborating with a tightness that belies the few short sessions these recordings have been culled from. A comprehensive introduction to Coltrane’s formative years at his first record label.

The Impulse releases have extensive and well-written liner notes with information about each track. The Craft release is an extra special 5CD cloth-bound package, with a 76-page booklet featuring insightful song-by-song notes by Coltrane biographer, Ashley Kahn, several of

‘The Prestige Recordings’ showcase Coltrane as a sideman

Francis Wolf’s iconic photographs, and the charts for Trane’s improvised solo on ‘By The Numbers.’

Eric Dolphy

Musical Prophet

The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions

RESONANCE RECORDS

Jazz aficionados will be excited to hear more than two-and-a-half hours of Dolphy’s music recorded in 1963, just prior to his classic album, Out to Lunch. These recordings contain the hardto-find album ‘Conversations’ and harder-to-find album ‘Iron Man,’ as well as several unreleased outtakes. Among the musicians participating in these sessions is trumpeter Woody Shaw, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, and saxophonists Clifford Jordan and Sonny Simmons.Whether playing alto sax, bass clarinet, or flute, Dolphy’s playing is always a revelation.Highlights are the playful, Spanish-tinged ‘Music Matador,’ Fat’s Waller’s jaunty ‘Jitterbug Waltz,’ and the edgy original ‘Burning Spear’ (both takes of each), as well as the beautiful and mournful version of Duke Ellington’s ‘Come Sunday.’

While not as famous as some of his contemporaries, Dolphy nonetheless was revered

by many of them, and had a huge and lasting influence on generations of jazz musicians to follow. Hopefully, this release of rare recordings will renew interest and spark deserved attention to one of the giants of jazz, who passed less than a year after they were made.

The 3-CD set comes in an impressive package, including a gorgeous and informative96-page booklet of liner notes, essays, rare photographs, and interviews with Sonny Rollins,Henry Threadgill, Bill Laswell, Oliver Lake, and other jazz artists.

Cannonball Adderley Swingin’ in Seattle

Live at The Penthouse

1966-1967

REELTO REEL RECORDINGS

Adderley was one of the greatest saxophonists in the his-

tory of jazz and anytime newly discovered recordings become available it is a big deal. Swingin’ in Seattle does not disappoint. Culled from radio broadcasts in the mid-60s, it features Cannonball supported by his underrated brother Nat on cornet and Joe Zawinul on piano, with a rhythm section of Victor Gaskin (bass) and Roy McCurdy (drums). Although the album features energetic versions of several staples of the quintet’s live sets, highlights ar e the two expansive Zawinul compositionsanda heart-wr enching rendition of Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Somewhere,’ from West Side Story .T he sound quality is excellent, andan additional treat is hearing Cannonball’s brief introductions to each song, making you feel as if you are in the audience.

The record is accompanied by a 28page booklet that features explanatory liner notes, an interviews with Adderley’s wife, McCurdy, and saxophonist Vincent Herring about the man and the musician. •

May 1

WEDNESDAY

•Art Alive: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at dozens of galleries & studios. Naples Art District, Pine Ridge Industrial Park, Pine Ridge Rd, west of Airport Rd,Naples. 5-8p. Free. 289-5070.

•Courtney Amber: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:309:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Clearwater Threshers: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Fresh Sounds of Jazz: Naples Philharmonic Youth Jazz Orchestra concert. Wang Opera Center, 2408 Linwood Ave, Naples. 7p. 775-2800.

•Ikebana Meeting & Workshop: Naples Botanical Garden, FGCU Research Center, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 9:30a. Free. 254-9999.

•Killer Queen: Queen tribute band. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•RC Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

2

THURSDAY

•An Evening with Tom DeMarchi: Book reading, discussion signing.

Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. Free. 939-2787.

•Broadway & Happy Hour: Cabaretpresented by TheatreZone. Moorings Park’s auditorium, 120 Moorings Park Dr, Naples. 4p. 888-966-3352.

•Chris Workman: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral.

7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 333-2225.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Clearwater Threshers: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

Leroy Jones peforms with Lew Del Gatto on May 3 at the North Naples United Methodist Church as part of the Stay in May Festival. For information, call 390-2788.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•Jamey & Kim: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Jason Love: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Miguel de la Ballyhoo: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 6:30-10:30p. Free. 313-6012.

3 FRIDAY

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7a. Free. 939-2787.

•Art Reception: Art League of Fort Myers, 1451 Monroe St, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 275-3970.

•Art Reception: Arts for ACT Gallery, 2265 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Free. 3375050.

•Art Reception: Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Live music. Free. 333-1933.

•Art Walk: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at severalgalleries & studios in downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 11a4p.Free. 337-5050.

•Bits & Pieces: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 6-10p. Free. 3136012.

•Hank Williams Jr: Concert. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 8p. 948-7825.

•Jason Love: Laugh In

Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Kyle Anne: Folk music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-10p. Free. 603-6535.

•Leroy Jones & Lew Del Gatto: New Orleans jazz concert.Stay in May Festival. N Naples United Methodist Church, 6000 Goodlette-Frank Rd, Naples. 7p.390-2788.

•Opera Under the Stars: Gulf Coast Symphony concert. Shangri-La Springs, 27750 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 2771700.

•RJ Howson & Friends: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p1a. 333-2225.

•Susan Graham: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. Artis Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 5971900.

•Talkback: Discussion after performance of And the World Goes ‘Round. Presented by TheatreZone. G&L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 8p. 888-966-3352.

•The Freecoasters: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 471-2777.

4 SATURDAY

•Americana Community Music Association: Robert Bidney CD release party concert. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Beethoven vs Coldplay: SWFL Symphony. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. Happy hour 6:30, concert 7:30p. 418-1500.

•Betty Fox Band: Concert. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Brother Love: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Comedy Night: Tobye Studio,Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 8p. 263-7990.

•Gallery Walk & Talk: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a. Free. 939-2787.

•Jason Love: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Joey Tenuto: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Mike Imbasciani: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•Neon Summer: Live music.

Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 7-10p. Free. 313-6576.

•Susan Graham: Concert w Naples Philharmonic. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 5971900.

5 SUNDAY

•Amazing Pipes & Brass: Concert.Stay in May Festival. Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd, Naples. 4p. 390-2788.

•Dueling Pianos: Concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 3p. 4958989.

•ETC Readers Theater: World Premiere of New Play.Naples Players Etc... Readers’ Theatre. Tobye Studio,Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 2p. 263-7990.

•Mark Telesca Band: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 5-8p. Free. 313-6012.

•Music in the Garden: Bob Zottola & Jazz Simpatico. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 12-2p.643-7275.

•Purple Reign: Prince tribute concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

6 MONDAY

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a2p. Free. 333-2225.

•Matt Lee: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. Free. 282-3232.

•The Collaboration Band: Motown music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 711p. Free. 313-6012.

7

TUESDAY

•Art Reception: Harbour View Gallery, 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. 6-8p.Free. 540-5789.

•Seraphic Fire: Choral concert.Stay in May Festival. Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd, Naples. 7p. 390-2788.

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

8

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

WEDNESDAY

•Bobby James: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr,

G. Love performs a solo concert on May 13 at Point Ybel Brewing Company in Fort Myers. Call 603-6535 for information.

# 27, Ft Myers. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Charlotte Knights: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•Sierra Club Calusa Group Meeting: Ft Myers Library, 1651 Lee St, meeting rm CD, Ft Myers. 6-8p. 533-4636.

•Tim the Dairy Farmer: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

9

THURSDAY

•Acoustic Fire: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•Art Reception: Wine & cheese. Cape Coral Art League, 516 Cultural Blvd, Cape Coral.5-7p. Free. 772-5657.

•Beyond the Sea: Heather Vichevich concert. Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30p. 394-4221.

•Chayanne: Concert. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 8p. 948-7825.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 333-2225.

•Deb & The Dynamics: Blues band. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Tampa Yankees: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•Marshall Tucker Band: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 245-9910.

•PlayLab Festival: Good Americans. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 7p. 332-4488.

•Rene Bray: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Torched: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 8-11p. Free. 313-6012.

FRIDAY

•Dirty Dozen Brass Band: Concert. SWFL Event

Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 245-9910.

•Easy Pickins: Bluegrass music. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Tampa Yankees: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. Colton Dixon concert & fireworks after game. 768-4210.

•Joe ‘Survival’ Carusso: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p1a. 333-2225.

•Marty Stokes: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Blues. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha.

7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Naples Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival: Live music, food, craft beers, kids activities. The Dazzling Delrays 6-9p. Tin City, 1200 5th Ave S, Naples,.

4-9p. Free. 431-5504.

•PlayLab Festival: Death of a Driver. Florida Repertory Theatre.

ArtStage Studio Theatre,

2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 4p. 332-4488.

•PlayLab Festival: The Last Buckley. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 8:30p. 332-4488.

•Rene Bray: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Staged Readings: Theater. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 495-8989.

SATURDAY

•Alex Lopez Xpress Band: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p1a. 333-2225.

•Americana Community Music Association: Nmbr11, Bill Veach concert. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Art After Dark: Receptions, exhibits, demos,music at several galleries & studios. Crayton Cove, Naples City Dock, 8th St S & 12th Ave S, Naples. 6-9p. Free. 8211061.

•Backyard Bluesfest: JP Soars & The Red Hots,

13

MONDAY

•Can’t Take It With You: Naples Players’ KidzAct. Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. xxp. 434-7340.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Bradenton Marauders: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•G Love: Solo acoustic. The Ries Brothers open.Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6:30-10:30p. 603-6535.

•Matt Lee: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. Free. 282-3232.

Tommy Lee Cook & The Heathens with Panache. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 2-11p. 693-7111.

•Brother Love: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Can’t Take It With You: Naples Players’ KidzAct. Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. xxp. 434-7340.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Tampa Yankees: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. Russell Dickerson concert after game. 768-4210.

•Mayfaire by-the-Lake: Free fine arts festival. Art show, art activities, famly activities, Children’s Art Tent, live entertainment, food trucks. Polk Musuem of Art, Lakeland Library front lawn, Lake Morton, Lakeland. 9a-4p. Free. 863-688-7743.

•Mayfaire Saturday Night: Free concert & fireworks. Frances Langford Promenade on Lake Mirror, Lakeland. 5:30-11p. Free. 863-688-7743.

•Naples Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival: Live music, food, craft beers, kids activities. Gator Nate 11a1:30p, Mike Imbasciani & His Bluezrockerz 2-5p, Ben Allen Band 6-9p. Tin City, 1200 5th Ave S, Naples,. 11a-9p. Free. 4315504.

•PlayLab Festival: Keynote address & playwright’s panel: Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 7p. 332-4488.

•PlayLab Festival: Loving abd Loving. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 2p. 332-4488.

•Relentless Fire : Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral.

8:30-11:30p. Free. 4712777.

•Rene Bray: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•The Collaboration Band: Motown music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 711p. Free. 313-6012.

Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Justin Hires: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Patriotic Pops: Naples Philharmonic, Chorus & Youth Chorus. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Torched: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 8-11p. Free. 3136012.

17 FRIDAY

•Art Walks the Runway: Local fashion show opening night. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

14

SUNDAY

•The Barber of Seville: Gulf Coast Symphony. BB Mann Hall, FSW State College, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 277-1700. 12

•Can’t Take It With You: Naples Players’ KidzAct. Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 4347340.

•Gulf Coast Fire vs Manatee Neptunes: A-League arena football. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 4p. 948-7825.

•Joey Tenuto Band: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 5-8p. Free. 313-6012.

•Mother’s Day Murder Mystery: Dinner & show. Seminole Gulf Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,Colonial Station, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5:30p. 275-8487.

•Naples Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•PlayLab Festival: Refugee. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 10a. 332-4488.

•PlayLab Festival: Safety Net. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 5:30p. 332-4488.

•PlayLab Festival: The Circle Game. Florida Repertory Theatre. ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 2:30p. 332-4488.

•Rene Bray: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

TUESDAY

•Art Reception: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30-7p. Free. 394-4221.

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

15 WEDNESDAY

•Bobby James: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra: Music of Cannonball & Nat Adderley. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 6 & 8:30p. 597-1900.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•Tony Valentine’s Ladies Night Out: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

16

THURSDAY

•Clare Liparulo: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 333-2225.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 603-6535.

•Jamey & Kim: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271

•Audubon of SWFL Meeting: 10868 Metro Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. Free. 410-6971.

•Brandon Miller Band: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p1a. 333-2225.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs St Lucie Mets:Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Jamey & Kim: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. 282-3232.

•Jeff Lyons: Acoustic jams. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-10p. Free. 603-6535.

•Justin Hires: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Music Walk: Live music & dancing at several cafes, clubs &galleries. Downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 610p. Free. 855-732-3836.

•MusicWorks! Spring Concert: Gulf Coast Symphony MusicWorks! Students concert. The Heights Center, 15570 Hagie Dr, Ft Myers. 5:30p. 277-1700.

•Patriotic Pops: Naples Philharmonic, Chorus & YouthChorus. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Sheena Brook: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 313-6576.

•SOS Band: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•Toad the Wet Sprocket: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910.

Deb & The Dynamics perform May 9 and June 13 & 27 at Bert’s Bar & Grill in Matlacha. Call 282-3232 for information.

•Willy Wonka: Children’s theater. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 495-8989.

SATURDAY

•Americana Community Music Association: Dan Navarro, Andy Getch concert. All Faiths

Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Art Walks the Runway: International couture fashion show. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

•Chad Prather’s Star Spangled Banter Comedy Tour: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Classic Albums LiveTom Petty’s Damn the Torpedoes: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 245-9910.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs St Lucie Mets: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Zion Lutheran Church, 7401 Winkler Rd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 770-906-7885.

•Justin Hires: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Blues. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Shaw Davis & The Black Ties: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Soulixer: Live music. Big

Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•Wilder Sons: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 7-10. Free. 313-6576.

•Willy Wonka: Children’s theater. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 2 & 7p. 495-8989. 19

SUNDAY

•Fort Myers Miracle vs St Lucie Mets: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a2p. Free. 333-2225.

•JP Soars & Joel DaSilva: Blues music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 58p. Free. 313-6012.

•Music in the Garden: John Patti Project. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 122p.643-7275.

•Willy Wonka: Children’s theater. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 2p. 495-8989.

20

MONDAY

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Bradenton Marauders: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Matt Lee: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. Free. 282-3232.

•The Collaboration Band: Motown music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band perform on May 10 at the SWFL Event Center in Bonita Springs. For information, call 245-9910.

Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 711p. Free. 313-6012.

21

TUESDAY

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Bradenton Marauders: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 11a. 768-4210.

•Mack Is Back! - The Music of Bobby Darin: Chaz Esposito. Blackburn Hall, Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 7p. 263-7990.

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

22

WEDNESDAY

•Badger & Rose: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:309:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Kevin White: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Mack Is Back! - The Music of Bobby Darin: Chaz Esposito. Blackburn Hall,Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 7p. 263-7990.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

23

THURSDAY

•Art & Poetry Networking: Art, poetry, live music, cocktails.Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 333-1933.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 333-2225.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. 6036535.

•Jamey & Kim: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Michael Harrison: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Rich Lancaster: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson: Reggae concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Torched: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030

San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 8-11p. Free. 3136012.

24 FRIDAY

•Art Reception: Aquatic Preserves of Florida exhibit. Meet Clyde Butcher. Clyde Butcher’s St. Armands Gallery, 55 S Blvd of Presidents, Sarasota. Mon-Sat 10a-8:30p & Sun 12-5p. 941-702-8818.

•Babefest: Post-punk concert w BiteMarks, Nervous Girls, Covenne, Butch Queen & The Bad habits, Young Dead. Howl Gallery/Tattoo, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 9p. 332-0161.

•Damon Fowler: Concert. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Electric Mud: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•Fastball: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7p. 245-9910.

•Michael Harrison: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Blues. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•MusicWorks! Soloist Recital & Awards Ceremony: Gulf Coast Symphony MusicWorks! Students concert. The Heights Center, 15570 Hagie Dr, Ft Myers. 5:30p. 277-1700.

•Pam Taylor & The Flyin V’s: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Penn Johnson: Folk msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-10p. Free. 603-6535.

•SoapFest – VIP Welcome Party: Private dinner party in private home on Marco Island. 7p. Sponsors only.394-0080.

25 SATURDAY

•Art Reception: Aquatic Preserves of Florida exhibit. Meet Clyde Butcher. Clyde Butcher’s St. Armands Gallery, 55 S Blvd of Presidents, Sarasota. Mon-Sat 10a8:30p & Sun 12-5p. 941702-8818.

•Brian Leneschmid Trio: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 471-2777.

CenturyLink Sports Complex Hammond Stadium

14400 Six Mile Cypress Parkway

Fort Myers

800-338-9467

MAY 1: vs Clearwater Threshers

MAY 2: vs Clearwater Threshers

MAY 8: vs vs Charlotte Knights

MAY 9: vs Tampa Yankees

MAY 10: vs Tampa Yankees

MAY 11: vs Tampa Yankees

MAY 13: vs Bradenton Marauders

MAY 17: vs St Lucie Mets

MAY 18: vs St Lucie Mets

MAY 19: vs St Lucie Mets

MAY 20: vs Bradenton Marauders

MAY 21: vs Bradenton Marauders***

JUN 3: vs Florida Fire Frogs *

JUN 4: vs Florida Fire Frogs *

JUN 5: vs Florida Fire Frogs **

JUN 6: vs Florida Fire Frogs

JUN 7: vs Jupiter Hammerheads

JUN 8: vs Jupiter Hammerheads

JUN 9: vs Jupiter Hammerheads**

JUN 17: vs Charlotte Knights *

JUN 19: vs Charlotte Knights *

JUN 20: vs Charlotte Knights *

JUN 28: vs Bradenton Marauders *

JUN 29:vs Bradenton Marauders

JUN 30: vs Bradenton Marauders

JUL 4: vs Palm Beach Cardinals *

JUL 5: vs Palm Beach Cardinals *

JUL 6: vs Palm Baech Cardinals

JUL 7: vs Palm Beach Cardinals **

JUL 8: vs Daytona Tortugas *

JUL 9: vs Daytona Tortugas *

JUL 10: vs Daytona Tortugas ***

JUL 11: vs Daytona Tortugas *

JUL 16: vs Tampa Yankees *

JUL 17: vs Tampa Yankees ***

JUL 18: vs Tampa Yankees

JUL 25: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers *

JUL 26: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers *

JUL 27: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers

JUL 28: vs Lakeland Flying Tigers**

JUL 30: vs Dunedin Blue Jays *

JUL 3 : vs Dunedin Blue Jays *

AUG 1: vs Dunedin Blue Jays *

AUG 8: vs Jupiter Hammerheads*

AUG 9: vs Jupiter Hammerheads *

AUG 10: vs Jupiter Hammerheads

AUG 11: vs Jupiter Hammerheads**

AUG 12: vs St Lucie Mets *

AUG 1 : vs St Lucie Mets *

AUG 14: vs St Lucie Mets *

AUG 15: vs St Lucie Mets *

AUG 21: vs Charlotte Knights *

AUG 22: vs Charlotte Knights *

AUG 30: vs Clearwater Threshers *

AUG 31: vs Clearwater Threshers *

SEP 1: vs Clearwater Threshers***

ALLGAMESSTART 6:30PM

EXCEPT * START 7PM,** START 1PM, *** START 11AM

what Goes on

•Brother Love: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Dueling Pianos: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 7-10p. Free. 313-6576.

•Marty Stokes Band: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Metal & Soul: Nausratep CD release party. Live music by Nausrateo, For the Struggle, Murkov, Death Inside us. Old Soul Brewing, 10970 S Cleveland Ave, #402, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 334-4334

•Michael Harrison: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•SoapFest - A Night of Stars: Dinner, celebrities, games, autograph signings, Q&A, fundraiser. Rose Auditorium, Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. 7p. rsvp.3940080.

•SoapFest - Cruisin’ Boozin’ & Schmoozin with the Stars: 3-hour cruise aboard Marco Island Princess yacht, celebrities, buffet brunch. Departs Marco Rover Marina 12p. rsvp. 394-0080.

26 SUNDAY

•Gulf Coast Fire vs Lakeland Tarpons: ALeague arena football. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 4p. 948-7825.

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a2p. Free. 333-2225.

•SoapFest – Bar Bashin’ & Puttin’: Party with celebrities, karaoke, dj, dancing. La Tavola, 961 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 8p.rsvp. 394-0080.

•Steve Arvey Blues music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 5-8p. Free. 313-6012.

•Summer Spectacular: Naples Philharmonic & Youth Chorus. ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•Summerlin Williams: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill, 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 3p. Free. 2823232.

27 MONDAY

•Matt Lee: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271

Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. Free. 282-3232.

•RaShimba Bloom: Soul music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 3-6p. Free. 313-6012.

•SoapFest - Farewell VIP Lunch: Celebrities. 12p. Sponsors & donors only. 394-0080.

•The Collaboration Band: Motown music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 711p. Free. 313-6012.

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

29

WEDNESDAY

•Chris O’Leary Band: Live music. Shark Bar & Grill, 19030 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach, 7-10p. Free. 313-6012.

•Courtney Amber: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:309:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Noah Waddell: Piano concert.Shell Point, Grand Cypress rm, The Woodlands, 14441 Woodsong Ln, Ft Myers.7p. 454-2067.

•Open Mic Night: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

30

THURSDAY

•24th Annual Loveland Show: Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice.

7:30p. 941-488-1115.

•Art Reception: Visual Arts Center, 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. 5-7p. Free. 941-639-8810.

•Chris Workman: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral.

7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•High Five Band: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. 6036535.

•John Carfi: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

31

•John Carfi: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Mark Telesca Band: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Blues. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha.

7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Riverside: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

3

MONDAY

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Florida Fire Frogs: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Matt Lee: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. Free. 282-3232.

4

TUESDAY

•Art Reception: Harbour View Gallery, 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. 6-8p.Free. 5405789.

7 FRIDAY

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 939-2787.

•Art Reception: Art League of Fort Myers, 1451 Monroe St, Ft Myers. 6-9p. Free. 275-3970.

•Art Reception: Arts for ACT Gallery, 2265 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Free. 3375050.

•Art Reception: Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Live music. Free. 333-1933.

Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. Free. 282-3232.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 768-4210.

•Gallery Walk & Talk: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 10a. Free. 939-2787.

•Michael Panzeca: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

FRIDAY

•Dio: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

June 1

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Florida Fire Frogs: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

SATURDAY

•24th Annual Loveland Show: Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice.

7:30p. 941-488-1115.

•Art Garfunkel: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 4814849.

•DVS: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•John Carfi: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•The Freecoasters: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 7-10p. Free. 313-6576.

2 SUNDAY

•24th Annual Loveland Show: Venice. Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 2p. 941-488-1115.

•Festival of Great Organ Music: Concert. ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 5971900.

•Gulf Coast Fire vs Sarasota BigCats: A-League arena football. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 4p. 948-7825.

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a-2p. Free. 333-2225.

•Jimmy Keys: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Music in the Garden: Sarah Hadeka Trio. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 24p.643-7275.

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

5

•Art Walk: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at severalgalleries & studios in downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 11a4p.Free. 337-5050.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

WEDNESDAY

•Art Alive: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at dozens of galleries & studios. Naples Art District, Pine Ridge Industrial Park, Pine Ridge Rd, west of Airport Rd,Naples. 5-8p. Free. 289-5070.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Florida Fire Frogs: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 1p. 768-4210.

•RC Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

6 THURSDAY

•Brian Lenschmid Trio: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 333-2225.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Florida Fire Frogs: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. 6036535.

•Michael Panzeca: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Mike Imbasciani: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 4712777.

•SWFL SpaceCon: Comic Book & Sci Fi conference: Speakers, panels, celebrity guests, entertainment. Araba Shrine Temple, 2010 Hanson St, Ft Myers. 10a-6p.

9

•Michael Panzeca: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Music in the Garden: Trinity. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 2-4p.643-7275.

•The Freecoasters: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 4712777.

8 SATURDAY

•Americana Community Music Association: Ellen Bukstel, Carolyn Stanley concert. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Brother Love: Live music.

SUNDAY

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Jupiter Hammerheads: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 1p. 768-4210.

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a-2p. Free. 333-2225.

11

TUESDAY

•Art Reception: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30-7p. Free. 394-4221.

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

Al Anderson performs with The Original Wailers on May 23 at The Ranch Concert Hall &Saloon in Fort Myers. Call 985-9839 for information.

WEDNESDAY

•Bobby James: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Emo Philips: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Gulfshore Tenors: Concert. Shell Point, Grand Cypress rm, TheWoodlands, 14441 Woodsong Ln, Ft Myers.7p. 454-2067.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

Cox, Paul Elliott concert. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Brian Leneschmid Trio: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•Brit Floyd: Pink Floyd tribute concert. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 9487825.

•Brother Love: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. Free. 282-3232.

Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•Steel Pulse: Reggae concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•The Reverend Bob Levy: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

20

THURSDAY

Blues band. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Charlotte Knights: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. 6036535.

•Matt Walden: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Sierra Club Calusa Group Meeting: Ft Myers Library, 1651 Lee St, meeting rm CD, Ft Myers. 6-8p. 533-4636. 13

•Grandma Lee: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

THURSDAY

•Chris Workman: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 333-2225.

•Deb & The Dynamics: Blues band. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Grandma Lee: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Zion Lutheran Church, 7401 Winkler Rd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 770-906-7885.

16

SUNDAY

•Father’s Day Murder Mystery: Dinner & show. Seminole Gulf Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,Colonial Station, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5:30p. 275-8487.

•Gulf Coast Fire vs Lakeland Tarpons: ALeague arena football. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 4p. 948-7825.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 333-2225.

•Frankie Paul: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. 6036535.

•Jeff Leigh: Concert. Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30p. 394-4221.

•Rich Lancaster: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 7-10. Free. 471-2777.

21 FRIDAY

Emo Philips will perform on June 12 at Laugh In Comedy Cafe in Fort Myers. For information, call 479-5233.

Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Free. 313-6576.

•Bobby James: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 12-3p. Free. 313-6576.

28 FRIDAY

•Alex Elkin: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Artist Meet & Greet: Leslie Peebles. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Cafe, 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. 10a2p. Free. 248-9151.

25

TUESDAY

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Bradenton Marauders: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 7684210.

•Jenny Ve: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a2p. Free. 333-2225.

FRIDAY

•Hunter Dahlen & Friends: Jazz msuic. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p. 6036535. 14

•Grandma Lee: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Live on Mars: David Bowie tribute oncert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Blues. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Piff the Magic Dragon: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910.

•Relentless Fire: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

SATURDAY

•Americana Community Music Association: Kenny

•Kevin McDonald: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

17

MONDAY

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Charlotte Knights: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 768-4210.

18

TUESDAY

•The Sogheads: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

19

WEDNESDAY

•Bobby James: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Charlotte Knights: Hammond Stadium, 14400

•Albert Castiglia: Concert. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Audubon of SWFL Meeting: 10868 Metro Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. Free. 410-6971.

•Electric Mud: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•Frankie Paul: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•High Five Band: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•Music Walk: Live music & dancing at several cafes, clubs &galleries. Downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 610p. Free. 855-732-3836.

•Pirate Day! Arts, crafts, pirate songs, treasure hunts. Marco Island Historical Museum,180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. Free. 11a2p. 642-1440.

22

SATURDAY

•Ben Allen Band: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing

•Frankie Paul: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Mike Imbasciani: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:30-11:30p. Free. 4712777.

•Wilder Sons: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 313-6576.

23

SUNDAY

•Gary & Kerri: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 3p. Free. 282-3232.

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a-2p. Free. 333-2225.

•North Island Duo: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 2-6p. Free. 313-6576.

•Star Wars Summer Family Concert: Gulf Coast Symphony. FSW State College, BB Mann Hall, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. Meet musicians 1p, concert 2p. 277-1700.

26

WEDNESDAY

•Clare Luparulo: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:309:30p. Free. 313-6576.

•Magician Eric Eaton: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

27

THURSDAY

•Acoustic Fire: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 7-10. Free. 471-2777.

•Alex Elkin: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Citizen Cope: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p-12a. 985-9839.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7-10:30p. 3332225.

•Deb & The Dynamics:

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Blues. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. Free. 282-3232.

•SAP Trio: Live music. Big Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

29 SATURDAY

•Alex Elkin: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Americana Community Music Association: Michael Reno, Silvia & Pete Popravek concert. All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7-9:30p. 691-4069.

•Brother Love: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. Free. 282-3232.

•Faded Roots: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 7-10p. Free. 313-6576.

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Bradenton Marauders: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. 7684210.

•Riverside: Live music. Big

what Goes on

Blue Brewing, 4721 SE 10 Pl, Cape Coral. 8:3011:30p. Free. 471-2777.

•SummerJazz on the Gulf: Alter Eagles.Free waterfront concert on Watkins Lawn. Naples Beach Hotel, 851 Gulf Shore Blvd N, Naples. 6:30-9:30p. Free. 2612222.

30 SUNDAY

•Fort Myers Miracle vs Bradenton Marauders: Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six MileCypress Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 768-4210.

•Jazz Brunch: Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 11a2p. Free. 333-2225.

ongoing theater

•’Til Beth Do Us Part (A Marital Confection): Jun 523. Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 941-475-6756.

•And the World Goes ‘Round - The Songs of Kander & Ebb: Thru May 6. TheatreZone, G & L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 888-966-3352.

•Around the World in 80 Days: Jun 7-23.Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-351-8000.

•Beauty & the Beast: Jun 20-Aug 10. Broadway

Palm Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 980-5674.

•Death With a Cherry on Top: Thru May 26: Sun, Wed, Thu.Seminole Gulf

Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Disney’s Beauty & the Beast - the Broadway Musical: Jun 20-Aug 10.

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 2784422.

•Honk! - A Musical Tale of The Ugly Duckling: May 10-19. Venice Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•Jack & the Beanstalk: May 24-Jun 14. Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 980-5674.

•Little Shop of Horrors: May 16-Jun 15. Broadway

Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Lost in Yonkers: May 1-26.

The Naples Players. Blackburn Hall, Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

•Murder Impossible: Thru Jun 29: Fri & Sat.Seminole Gulf

Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Murder On the 19th Hole: thru Jun 2.

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Native Gardens: Thru May 19. Florida Repertory Theatre,ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Old Love: Thru May 12.

Lemon Bay Playhouse. 96 W Dearborn St, Englewood. 941-475-6756.

•Over the River & Through the Woods: May 5-26. The Studio Players, Joan Jenks Auditorium, Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 389-9192.

•PlayLab Festival: May 912. Florida Repertory Theatre,ArtStage Studio Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Race: Thru May 12. Venice Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•Rancho Mirage: May 9-19. Theatre Conspiracy. Foulds Theatre, Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 936-3239.

•Royal Palm Noir: May 29Aug 4: Sun, Wed, Thu.Seminole Gulf Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Rumors: Jun 13-30. New Phoenix Theatre,13211 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 284-5214.

•Schoolhouse Rock Live: Thru May 11. Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 980-5674.

•Second Chances - the Thrift Shop Musical: Thru May 12. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Sex Please, We’re 60: Jun 6-Jul 21. Off Broadway Palm Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Skylight: May 4-19.

Gulfshore Playhouse, Norris Center, 755 5th Ave S, Naples. 866-811-4111.

•Summer Circus

Spectacular: Jun 11-Aug 3. Circus Arts Conservatory. Historic Asolo Theatre, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-359-5700.

•Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: May 4-Jun 1.Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-351-8000.

•The Cake: Thru May 28.Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-351-8000.

•The Shadow Box: May 219. New Phoenix Theatre,13211 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 284-5214.

•Willy Wonka: May 1719.Center for the Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 495-8989.

•You Can’t Take It With You: May 11-13. The Naples Players’ KidzAct. Blackburn Hall, Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

THEATERS

•Asolo Repertory Theatre: Thru May 28: The Cake; May 4-Jun 1: Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Jun 7-23: Around the World in 80 Days. Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 941-351-8000.

•Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre: Thru Jun 2: Murder On the 19th Hole; Thru May 12: Second Chances - the Thrift Shop Musical; May 16-Jun 15: Little Shop of Horrors; Jun 20-Aug 10: Disney’s Beauty & the Beast - the Broadway Musical.1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers.278-4422.

•Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre: Thru May 11: Schoolhouse Rock Live; May 24-Jun 14: Jack & the Beanstalk; Jun 20-Aug 10: Beauty & the Beast. 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Centers for the Arts

Bonita Springs: May 17-19: Willy Wonka. 10150Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 495-8989.

•Circus Arts Conservatory : Jun 11-Aug 3: Summer Circus Spectacular.Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mertz Theatre, Florida State Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. 941-355-9805.

•Florida Repertory Theatre:

Artstage Studio Theatre –May 9-12: PlayLab Festival . 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Off Broadway Palm Theatre: Jun 6-Jul 21: Sex Please, We’re 60. 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•The Naples Players: Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. May 1-26: Lost in Yonkers 263-7990.

•The Studio Players: The Studio Players, Joan Jenks Auditorium, Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. May 10-19: Over the River & Through the Woods. 389-9192.

•TheatreZone: Thru May 6: And the World Goes ‘Round.G & L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 888-9663352.

•Venice Theatre: Thru May 12: Race; May 10-19: Honk! A Musical Tale of The Ugly Duckling. 140 W. Tampa Ave, Venice. 941488-1115.

art galleries

•Alliance for the Arts: 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. May 3-31: Juxtaposition - Mariapia Malerba & Mila Bridger; Jun 7-29: Art in FlightMy Florida Invitational Exhibition. Mon-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 9a-1p. Free. 9392787.

•Another Time: 1414 Dean St, Ft Myers. Daily 11a-6p; Fri & Sat 11a-8p. Free. 672-4607.

•Arsenault Studio & Banyan Arts Gallery: 1199 3rd St, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 1-5p. Free. 263-1214.

•Art Center Sarasota: 707 N Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. May 30-Jul 5: Monumental, Keith Crowley, Caitlin Albritton, Made Fresh. Mon-Sat 10a4p. 941-365-2032.

•Art League of Fort Myers: 1451 Monroe St, Ft Myers. May: Beachy Days, Eric Greenblatt; Jun: Welcome Summer. Free open painting Wed 9:30-12p. Tue-Sat 11a-3p & 6-9p 1st Fri of month. Free. 2753970.

•Artis–Naples: Hayes Hall Galleries & Gardens, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. Thru Jun: Phillip HassThe Four Seasons, Daniel Buren - A Colorful Pause; Thru May 5: Isabelle de Borchgrave - Fashioning Art from Paper; May-Jun: Annual Student Exhibition. Thu-Sat 10a-

4p, last Wed 6-9p. Free. 597-1900.

•Arts For ACT Gallery: 2265 First St, Ft Myers. May: Katy Danca Galli, members show; Jun: Shannon Holland, Sam Frazier. Mon-Sun11a-

4:30p, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Fri

11a-10p. Free. 337-5050.

•Baker Museum: ArtisNaples, Hayes Hall, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. Museum closed for indefinitely for renovations. 597-1900.

•Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery: 4332 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. Sun & Mon 10a-5p, Tue-Sat 10a-7p. Free. 283-1335.

•BIG ARTS: 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Mon-Fri 9a4p & Sat 9a-1p. Free. 3950900.

•Bob Rauschenberg

Gallery: FSW State College, 8099 College Pkwy SW, Ft Myers. Thru Jul 27: John Cage’s Steps –A Composition for a Painting. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat 11a-3p. Free. 489-9313.

•Cape Coral Art League: 516 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. Thru May 5: Mixed Media; May 9-20: Land & Sea. Meetings 1st Mon 9am. Open painting Wed 1-4p. Sun 1-4p, MonThu 10a-4p, Fri 1-9p, Sat 9a-1p. Free. 772-5657.

•Cape Coral Arts

Studio: 4533 Coronado Pkwy in Rubicond Park, Cape Coral. Mon-Fri 9a4:30p. Free. 574-0802.

•Center for the Visual Arts

Bonita Springs: 26100 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. xxxxxxxx. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat 1-5p. Free. 4958989.

•Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs: 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Thru Jun

22: Open Figure Study

Group show. Mon-Fri 10a4p & Sat 1-5p. Free. 4958989.

•Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery: 52388 Tamiami Tr, Ochopee.

Daily 10a-5p. Free. 6952428.

•Clyde Butcher’s St Armands Gallery: 55 S Blvd of the Presidents, Sarasota. Thru May 15: Myakka – Preserving Paradise; May 24-Sep 2: Aquatic Preserves of FloridaMon-Sat 10a-8:30p & Sun 12-5p. Free. 941702-8818.

•Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio: 237 Warfield Ave, Venice. Thru May 31: Visions of Dali’s Spain. Tue-Fri 10a-4:30p. Free. 486-0811.

•COCO Art Gallery: Art Council of SWFL Gallery. Coconut Point Mall, 8074 Mediterranean Dr, Estero. May 7-21: Discovery Day Academy. Tue-Sat 11a-5p & Sun 12-5p. Free. 9493073.

•Collier County Museum at Government Center: 3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. Thru May 15: Space Art. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 2528476.

•Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. Thru Jun: Leslie Peebles; Jul 1-31: Audubon Photo Awards. 7a-5:30p. Free. 248-9151.

•DAAS Co-op Art Gallery: Inside Butterfly Estates, 1815-3 Fowler St, Ft Myers. Thru May 25: Above the Noise - Diana Ripoll. Tue-Sat 10a-6p. Free. 590-8645.

•East West Fine Art: Bigham Galleria, 2425 Tamiami Tr N, #102, Naples. Mon-Fri 11a-4p & Sat 11a-2p.Free. 8219459.

•East West Fine Art: Mercato, 9115 Strada Pl, #5130, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-9p & Sun 12-6p. Free. 220-7503..

•Florida Gulf Coast University Art Galleries: Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S., Ft Myers. Wasmer Gallery –Thru May 3: Senior Projects. Mon-Fri, 10a-4p & Thu 10a-7p. Free. 590-7199.

The Gulfshore Tenors perform at Shell Point retirement community in Fort Myers on June12. For information, call 454-2067.

•Fort Myers Beach Art

Association: 3030 Shell Mound, Ft Myers Beach. Thru Oct 15: Summer Show Wed & Thu 9a-12p. Free. 463-3909.

•Fort Myers Beach

Library: 2755 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Mon-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 9a-1p. Free. 463-3909.

•Gallery Vibe: 851 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. Free. 417-3450.

•Gardner Colby Gallery: 386 & 365 Broad Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. Free. 403-7787.

•Guess-Fisher Gallery: Crayton Cove, 810 12th Ave S, Naples. MonThu 11a-5p, Fri & Sat 11a9p. Free. 403-8393.

•Harbour View Gallery: 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. Daily 11a-8p. Free. 540-5789.

•Harmon-Meek Gallery: 599 9th St N, #309, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-5p. Free. 261-2637.

•Harmon-Meek Modern: 382 12th Ave S, Naples. Tue-Sat 12-5p. Free. 261-2637.

•HW Gallery: 1305 Third St S, Naples. Daily 10a-5p. Free. 263-6640.

•Island Conclave: 5101 Pine Island Rd, Bokeelia. TueSat 11a-5p. Free. 2828488.

•Island Visions: 4643 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. Daily 10a-5p. Free. 282-0452.

•Lovegrove Gallery & Garden: 4637 Pine Island Rd NW, Matlacha. MonSat 10a-5p & Sun 11a-4p. Free. 283-6453.

•Marc Harris Wildlife Photography Gallery: inside Everglades Wonder Gardens,27180 Old 41 Rd, BonitaSprings. Daily 9a5p. 283-3354.

•Marco Island Center for the Arts: 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. May 128: I See You, Jim Freeman; Jun 3-25: Where Will Color Take You, Victor Caroli. Tue-Sat 9a4p. Free. 394-4221.

•Marianne Friedland Gallery: 359 Broad Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 10-5p. Free. 262-3484.

•Museum of the Everglades: 105 W Bwy, Everglades City. Thru May 9: Skunk Apes, Scallywags, & Swamp Spirits. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 695-0008.

•Naples Art Association: 585 Park St, Naples. May 4-23: Pat Kumicich - I Found My Voice in Fabric, SWFL Pastel Society show; May 4-29: Traces of Red; Jun 3-Jul 5: Camera USA - Nat’l Photo show.

May Mon-Sat 10a-4p & Jun Mon-Fri 10a-4p. Free. 262-6517.

•Naples Botanical Garden: 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples.

May 3-Sep 2: Natural Oasis - The Art of Mally Khorasantchi. Daily 9a-5p & Tue8a-5p Oct-Jun; daily 8a-3p Jul-Sep. 6437275.

•Ollie Gentry Mack

Photography Studio & Gallery: 2180 W 1st St, #210, Ft. Myers. Tue-Sat

10a-6p & 1st Fri 10a-10p. Free. 332-1295.

•Rookery Bay

Environmental Learning Center: 300 Tower Rd, Naples. May 6-Aug 8: Seacrest School Student Show. Free. Mon-Sat 9a4p. 530-5940.

•Rosen Gallery & Studios: North Line Plaza, 2172 J&C Blvd, Naples. Thru Oct 1: Resident Artists’ Group Show. By appt or chance. 821-1061.

•Sheldon Fine Art: 460 Fifth Ave S, Naples. 10a10p. Free. 649-6255.

•Sidney & Berne Davis

Arts Center: 2301 First St, Ft Myers. May 3-29:

Digital Lee - Student Show; May 3-30: Moving Toward Abstract - JoAnn LaPdula & Sue Pink; Jun

7-28: AC vs DC - Tesla vs Edison, Full SpectrumSarah Sullivan. Mon-Fri

10a-4p & 6-9 1st Fri of month. Free. 337-1933.

•Sweet Art Gallery: 2100A Trade Center Way, Naples. Nov-AprMon-Fri

10a-5p, 1st Wed 5-8p, 3rd Fri 6-8p, Sat by appt; May-Oct Mon-Fri 10a-5p & Sat by appt. Free. 5972110.

•The Ringling Museum of Art: 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. Thru May 5: Woodblock Prints from Post War Japan; thru Sep 8: Interpolations; thru Sep 29: Natasha MazurkaOrder Systems. Circus Museum — thru May 13: Chivalry & Circus. Bayfront Gardens. Gardens of Ringling Guided Tour: Thu 10:30a. Daily 10a-5p, Thu 10a-8p. 941-3595700.

•Timeless: 2218 First St, Ft Myers. Daily 11a-6p; Fri & Sat 11a-8p. 332-8463.

•Tower Gallery: 751 Tarpon Bay Rd, Sanibel. Dec 16Apr daily 10a-9p; May-Dec 15 daily 10a-6p. Free. 3406467.

•Union Artists Studios: Alliance of the Arts, 10051 McGregor Blvd, #202, Edwards Bldg, Ft Myers. Free. 826-3861.

•Unit A - Marcus Jansen

Studio & Residency: 2633

Martin Luther King Jr

Blvd, Ft Myers. Mon-Wed 11a-3p & by appt & special events. 240-1053.

•Visual Arts Center: 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. Main Gallery – Thru May 8: Charlotte County High Schools; May 11-18: Charlotte County Elementary Schools; May 21-Jun 27: Water Water Everywhere. Goff Gallery –Thru May 9: Charlotte County Middle Schools; May 11-Jun 7: Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society; Jun 11-27: Three Artists in Full Bloom; Jun 29-Aug 22: Members’ Showcase. Mon-Fri 9a-4p & Sat 10a-2p. Free. 951639-8810.

•Watson MacRae Gallery: 2340 Periwinkle Way, #G1, Sanibel. Thru Jul 31: Summer Salon. Mon-Sat 10:30a-5p. Free. 472-3386.

attractions

•Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Tribe of Florida Museum: Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, 30290 Josie Billie Hwy, Clewiston. Daily 9a-5p. 877-902-1113.

•Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum: 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Rd, Sanibel. Ongoing: Journey to the Center of a Shell, Raymond Burr Memorial Exhibit,Deep-Sea Mollusks, Henry DomkeNature Photographer. World record-sized Shells. Daily 10a-5p. 395-2233.

•Baker Museum: ArtisNaples, Hayes Hall, 5833

Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. Closed indefinitely for renovations. 597-1900.

•Burroughs Home & Gardens: 2505 First St, Ft Myers. Living history tours daily 11a & 1p, 5-9p. 337-0706.

•Butterfly Estates: 1815 Fowler St, Ft Myers. Butterfly release daily 10:30a; tours daily 11a & 1p. Tue-Sun 10a-3p. 6902359.

•Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium: 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers. Museum, butterfly aviary, trails, live reptile shows daily. Solar observing thru telescope Fri 11a. 10a-5p & Sun, 11a5p. 275-3435.

•Cape Coral Historical Museum: 544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. Wed-Fri 11a-4p & Sat 10a2p. 772-7037.

•Collier County Museum at Government Center: 3331 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. Thru May 15: Space Art. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 2528476.

•Conservancy of SWFL: 1495 Smith Preserve Way off Goodlette Frank Rd. Mon-Sat 9:30a-4:30p. Free. 430-2466.

•Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: 375 Sanctuary Rd, Naples. Art exhibits in cafe – thru Jun: Leslie Peebles; Jul 1-31: Audubon Photo Awards. 7a-5:30p. Free. 248-9151.

•CREW: Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. Marsh Hiking Trails, 4600 Corkscrew Rd, Immokalee. Guided walks: Tue 9a Nov-Mar.

Trails open sunrise-sunset. Free. 657-2253.

•CROW: Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife. 3883 Sanibel-Captiva Rd, Sanibel. Healing Winds Visitor Education Center. Wonders of Wildlife: Nature presentations MonFri 11a. Tue-Sun 10a-4p. Free. 472-3644.

•’Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge: 1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel. Education Center. 9a-4p. 472-1100.

•Edison & Ford Winter Estates: 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Daily 9a5:30p. 334-7419.

•Everglades Day Safari: Pickups throughout SWFL. Daily 7:30a-5p. 472-1559.

•Everglades Wonder Gardens: 27180 Old 41 Rd, BonitaSprings.Botanical gardens, animals, Marc Harris Wildlife photography gallery. Daily 9a-5p. 992-2591.

•Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples: North Collier Park, 15080 Livingston Rd, Naples. Thru May 5: Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train traveling exhibit. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 11a-4p. 514-0084.

•Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL: Sandalwood Square, 4760 Tamiami Tr N, # 107, Naples. Tue-Sun 1-4p. Guided Tours: 1:30p. Free. 263-9200.

•IMAG History & Science Center: 2000 Cranford St, Ft Myers. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. 321-7420.

•Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch: 1215 Roberts Ave W, Immokalee. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 252-2611.

•Marco Island Historical Museum: 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. Jun 21: Pirate Day. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 6421440.

•Mound House: 451 Connecticut St, Ft Myers Beach. Guided tours Tue, Wed & Sat 9a-3p; programs Tue, Wed, Sat 10a; free guided beach walks Tue 9a, Newton Park, 4650 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Tue, Wed & Sat 9a-4p. 765-0865.

•MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium: 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota. Daily 10a-5p. 941-3884441.

•Museum of the Everglades: 105 W Bwy,Everglades City. Thru May 9: Skunk Apes, Scallywags, & Swamp Spirits. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 695-0008.

•Museum of the Islands: 5728 Sesame, Pine Island Center. Free. 283-1525.

•Naples Botanical Garden: 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. May 3-Sep 2: Natural Oasis - The Art of Mally Khorasantchi. Daily 9a-5p & Tue8a-5p. 643-7275.

•Naples Depot Museum: 1051 Fifth Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 2626525.

•Naples Museum of Military History: Naples Airport, 500 Terminal Dr, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-4p & Sun 12-4p. Free. 4500073.

•Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens: 1590 GoodletteFrank Rd, Naples. Daily 9a-5p. 262-5409.

•Ostego Bay Foundation

Marine Science Center: 718 Fisherman’s Wharf, Ft Myers Beach. Mon-Sat 10a-4p. 765-8101.

•Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary: 41660 Horseshoe Rd, Punta Gorda. Mon-Fri 9a-12p, Sat & Sun 11a-4p (Sun 11a-4p Nov-May). 5431130.

•Palm Cottage Museum & Norris Gardens: Naples Historical Society, 137 12th Ave. S, Naples. Walking tours of Naples historic district: Wed 9:30a; Guided garden tours: 1st & 3rd Thu of month 10a. Tours: Tue-Fri 12-4p & Sat 1-4p. Free. 261-8164.

•Rookery Bay

Environmental Learning Center: 300 Tower Rd, Naples. May 6-Aug 8: Seacrest School Student Show. Daily programs: 11a & 2p. Guided boat & kayak tours Nov-Apr Tue-Fri. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. 530-5940.

•Sanibel-Captiva

Conservation Foundation Nature Center: 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Rd, Sanibel. Exhibits, programs, guided tours. Mon-Fri 8:30a-3p. 4722329.

•Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Native Landscapes & Garden Center: 1300 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Exhibits, demonstration gardens, workshops. MonFri 10a-3p. 472-1932.

•Sanibel Historical Museum & Village: 950 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Tue-Sat 10a-1p. 472-4648.

•Shangri-La Springs: 27750 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 949-0749.

•Shell Factory & Nature Park: 2787 N Tamiami Trail, N, Ft Myers. Shell exhibits, Animal exhibits, petting farm, Christmas House, Natural History Exhibit, Money Museum, water games, video arcade, miniature golf,

Broadway Palm in Fort Myers presents ‘Second Chances’ thru May 12. For information, call 278-4422.

playgrounds, zip line. Jan xx: Gumbo Fest. Wed: Live music & dancing 6-9p. Daily 10a-5p. 995-2141.

•SWFL Military Museum & Library: 4820 Leonard St, Cape Coral. Mon-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 9a-4p. Free. 5418704.

•The Ringling Museum of Art: 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. Thru May 5: Woodblock Prints from Post War Japan; thru Apr 21: Knights; thru Sep 8: Interpolations; thru Sep 29: Natasha MazurkaOrder Systems. Circus Museum — thru May 13: Chivalry & Circus. Bayfront Gardens. Gardens of Ringling Guided Tour: Thu 10:30a. Daily 10a-5p, Thu 10a-8p. 941-3595700.

•True Tours: River District History Tours Sat 10:30a; Haunted History Tours Wed & Sat 8p. Tours begin & end at 2200 1st St, Ft Myers. Reserve. 9450405.

•Williams Academy Black History Museum: Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave, Ft Myers. Mon-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 12-4p. Free. 332-8778.

parks

•Bonita Beach Park: 27954 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs. 533-7444.

•Bowditch Point Regional Park: 50 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 463-3764.

•Bunche Beach: 18201 John Morris Rd, Ft Myers. 7076794.

•Caloosahatchee Regional Park: 18500 North River Rd, Alva. 693-2690.

•Collier-Seminole State Park: US 41 (Tamiami Trail), S Naples. Guided walks: Sat 10a. Hiking trail, self-guided boardwalk nature trail, exhibits, camping, fishing, boating canoeing. 394-3397.

•Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park: 11135 Gulfshore Dr, Naples. Beach, fishing, picnic areas. 597-6196.

•Estero Park: 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero. 248-1609.

•Everglades National Park: Gulf Coast Visitor Center,815 Oyster Bar Ln.Everglades City. 9a4:30p. 695-3311.

•Four Freedoms Park: 4818 Tarpon Ct, Cape Coral. 7a7p. 574-0804.

•Hickeys Creek Mitigation Park: 17980 Palm Beach Blvd, Alva. 693-2690.

•Koreshan State Historic Site State Park: US Hwy 41 & Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-0311.

•Lakes Regional Park: 7330 Gladiolus Dr, Ft Myers. Guided walks: 1st Sat 8:30a, Garden tour: 2nd Sat. 533-7575.

•Lovers Key State Park: South of Ft Myers Beach. 463-4588.

•Lynn Hall Park: 950 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 229-7356.

•Manatee Park: 10901 Palm Beach Blvd, Ft Myers. 8adusk. 690-5030.

•Matanzas Pass

Preserve: 119 Bay Rd, Ft Myers Beach. 707-3015.

•Myakka River State Park: 13207 SR 72, Sarasota.

Canoeing, camping, wildlife tours by air-boat & tram, scenic drive, guided walks. 361-6511.

•Naples Preserve: Ecocenter. 1690 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. Free. Dawndusk. 261-4290.

•North Collier Regional Park: 15000 Livingston Rd, Naples. 252-4060.

•North Ft Myers Park: 2021 N Tamiami Tr, N Ft Myers.

Yoga: Wed 6p. 652-4512.

•Rutenberg Park Eco-Living Center: ‘Florida-Friendly’

Garden/Landscape Workshops: Wed 10:30a.

Free. 533-7515.

•Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve: 7791 Penzance Blvd, Ft Myers. Free. 5337550.

•Veterans Park: 55 Homestead Rd, Lehigh Acres. 369-1521.

•Wa-Ke-Hatchee Park: 16730 Bass Rd, Ft Myers.

Flow Yoga & Mat Pilates: Mon-Thu 9a; Yoga & Meditation: Tue 4:30p; Tai

chi: Wed 1p; Laughter

Yoga: Wed 6:30p. Classes free. 432-2154.

Citizen

live music & comedy

•Americana Community Music Association Listening Room: All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Select Fri, Sat, Sun 7p. 691-4069.

•Beach Records: 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music select nites. Free. 878-7806.

•Bert’s Bar & Grill: 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. Live music nightly; TueThu 12:30-3:30p, Fri-Sun 12:30-6:30p: Calypso Magic. 282-3232.

•Big Blue Brewing: 4721 SE 10th Pl, Cape Coral. Live music Wed-Sat nites. 471-2777.

•Bone Hook Brewing: 1514 Immokalee Rd, #106, Naples. Live music Fri & Sat. 631-8522.

•Bubba’s Roadhouse & Saloon: 2121 SW Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral. Wed 7-10p: The Hipnauticals. 282-5520.

•Buckingham Blues Bar: 5641 Buckingham Rd., Ft Myers. Live music select nites. Free open blues jam Wed 8-11p & Sun 3-6p. 693-7111.

•Buddha Bar & Grill: 12701 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music Wed-Sun. 4828565.

•City Tavern: 2206 Bay St, Ft Myers. Live music ThuSat. 226-1133.

•Cottage Bar: 1270 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Live music nightly. 7655440.

at The Ranch Concert Hall &Saloon in Fort Myers. Call 985-9839 for information.

1406 Hendry St, Ft Myers. Live music MonThu 4-10p. Fri 4p-2a, Sat 12p-2a, Sun 12-10p. 3377646.

•Fathoms Restaurant & Bar : 5785 Cape Harbour Dr, #106, Cape Coral. Live music Tue & Fri-Sun nites. 542-0123.

•Fort Myers Brewing Company: 12811 Commerce Lake Dr, #27, Ft Myers. Live music select Wed & Sat nites. 313-6576.

•Laugh-In Comedy Café: 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. Thu-Sat: comics 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Matanzas on the Bay: 414 Crescent St, Ft Myers Beach. Live music MonSat 5-9p & Sun 12-5p. 463-3838.

•Momentum Brewhouse: 9786 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Live music Fri & Sat nites & Sun afternoons. 9499945.

•Old Soul Brewing: 10970 S Cleveland Ave, #402, Ft Myers. Wed: Open Mic 810p. Live music select Fri & Sat nites. 334-4334.

•Naples Beach Brewery: 4120 Enterprise Ave, #116, Naples. Live music WedSat nites. 304-8795.

•Point Ybel Brewing Company: 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music: Thu: 6-10p; Fri & Sat 7-10p; Sun 36p. Free. 603-6535.

•Red Rock Saloon: 2278 First St, Ft Myers. Live music Fri & Sat nites. 689-8667.

•Reserve Cigar & Wine Bar: 10950 S. Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. Live music Fri & Sat nites. 210-0300.

•Riptide Brewing: 987 3rd Ave N, Naples. Wed 7-9p: Irish music jam; live music select Fri & Sat nites. 228-6533.

•RJ’s Bar & Grill: 1475 N. Tamiami Tr, N. Ft Myers. Live music nightly. 9979600.

•Roadhouse Café: 15660 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. Live jazz Tue-Sun. Wed: Danny Sinoff Trio 710p; Thu: The Jazz-Matics w Lynn Richardson 7-10p; Fri: Tony Boffa & Friends 7-10p; Sat: Danny Sinoff Quartet 7:30-10:30p, Sun: Jazz Jam 7-10p; Tue: Dan Miller Quartet 7-10p (NovMar). 415-4375.

•Shark Bar: 17979 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Live music most nites. 313-6012.

•Smokin’ Oyster Brewery: 340 Old San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Live music nitely 6-10p. Mon &

Eats & Drinks

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DINING GUIDE

BERT'S BAR & SEAFOOD GRILL : 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 282-3232. Dockside dining with a million dollar view and quality food at reasonable prices. Waterfront restaurant offering delicious and fresh local seafood, certified angus burgers, refreshing brews, and live entertainment Tue-Sun. 'All-U-Can-Eat' Fish Fry Wed & Fri 4-9pm. Open 7 days a week from 11am. BROADWAY PALM DINNER THEATRE: 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422. Southwest Florida’s premier dinner theatre features the best of Broadway, favorite shows of the past and the most recent musical hits. with nationally selected performers and a live orchestra. Featuring a delicious buffet. Tue-Sun: dinner 5:30pm, Matinees: lunch 11:45am.

CAPT’N FISHBONE’SSEAFOOD GRILL &DOLPHIN

ROOM: The Shell Factory, 2787 N Tamiami Tr, N Ft Myers. 995-3999. Full service restaurant serving lunch & dinner. Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, seafood, steaks, ribs, pasta. All-you-can-eat Fish Fry Tue & Fri, Live music daily. Mon-Thu & Sat 11am8pm, fri 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm.

FORT MYERS BREWING COMPANY: 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, unit 28, Ft Myers. 239-313-6576. 25 beers on tap, many award-winning. Atmosphere is very laid back and has a cool local vibe to it. Familyand pet-friendly. Always has at least one food truck on site. Open Mon 3-9pm, Tue & Wed 3-10pm, Thu & Fri 3-11pm, Sat 12-11pm, Sun 12-8pm.

LAUGH IN COMEDY CAFE: 8595 College Pkwy, # 270, Ft Myers. 479-5233. Laugh In's menu has everything from clams, mussels, crab cakes, and cod to house favorite chicken parmesan & Shrimp Orleans to strip steak. Late night menu features 4-cheese fried rigatoni, pulled pork nachos, hot wings, hot apple pie. Shows:Thu7:30pm,Fri&Sat7:30&9:30pm.

MOMENTUM BREWHOUSE: 28120 Hunters Ridge Blvd, units 1-3, Bonita Springs. 949-9949. Award winning local craft beers and comfortable tasting room. Food trucks on site every day. Choices include pizza, tacos, gourmet burgers, seafood, Jewish/Cuban and Argentinean to name a few. Also, order or carry in from local restaurants. Snacks available at the bar. Open 7 days a week.

THE VERANDA : 2122 Second St. (at Bwy), Ft Myers. 332-2065. Romantic setting in two turn-of-the-century homes, combined with their Southern Regional Cuisine, an extensive wine list, and first class service staff, provide a unique dining experience. Celebrating excellence since 1978 and consistently honored as one of the most award-winning restaurants in Fort Myers. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11am-2pm, Dinner: Mon-Sat 5:30-9pm.

Sat: Will Kaiser; Tue & Fri: Anthony Wayne; Wed: Frank Thomson; Thu: Shawn Russell; Sun: Lee Hagen. Free. 463-3474.

•Sneaky Pete’s: 3465 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Live music Wed & Thu, Sat & Sun. 4988887.

•Society’s Treehouse: Bell Tower Shops, 13499 Bell Tower Dr, Ft Myers. Live music select nites. 3340900.

•Space 39 Art Bar & Martini Lounge: 39 Patio de Leon, Ft Myers. Live music Wed-Sat nites. 2049949.

•The Barrel Room: Twisted Vine, 2214 Bay St, Ft

Myers. Live jazz/blues

Thu-Sun 7-10. Thu 7-10p: Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet; Fri & Sat 9p-12a: blues bands; Sun 11-2p: Jazz Brunch w Joe Delaney & Don Mopsick. 333-225.

•The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon : 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music select Fri & Sat nites. 985-9839.

•The Rhythm House: 16440 S Tamiami Tr, Ft Myers. Live music select Tue-Sat 6:30-9:30p. 4668326.

•The Veranda: 2122 Second St, Ft Myers. Piano Bar Wed-Sat 6:30-9p. 3322065.

Cope performs on June 27