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Weaving a ‘Beautiful’ tapestry
BY MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR
‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” is singing the songs of Carole King on the Asolo Repertory Theatre stage. Douglas McGrath wrote the book for the hit show, which ran from 2014-19 on Broadway. Needless to say, King wrote the tunes — with a little help from friends like Gerry Goffin (her ex-husband), Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil — at the dawn of her career. This beautiful musical is packed with King’s music. But don’t call it a “jukebox” musical. At least not in front of Director Shelley Butler.
“It’s much more than that,” she says, “It’s Carole King’s biography — the story of a life in song.”
And what a beautiful life it’s been.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW YORK CITY
King’s songwriting saga began in the Big Apple when she was only 16. Music publisher Don Kirshner was minding his own business — until a teenaged King walked into his recording studio to sing him a song she’d written. He told her that’s not the way it works. She sang it anyway. Kirshner liked her style — and raw talent. King quickly got to work in the Brill Building — a music factory that ground out hit after hit. The teenage talent created her own chart-toppers — “One Fine Day,” “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “The Locomotion” and “Up on the Roof,” to name a few. Bands and artists like Aretha Franklin, The Shirelles, The Chiffons and The Drifters sang King’s songs. But they were overproduced in the “Wall of Sound” style pioneered by Phil Spector, and other voices were singing her songs.
But King found her own voice. In 1971, her voice rang out on “Tapestry,” her breakthrough solo album produced by Lou Adler. King simplified and got straight to the heart. No studio trickery, no lush arrangements. Just acoustic and electric guitar, piano, electric keyboards, congas, drums, string bass. And King’s voice. That was it, and that was all. It was more than enough.
WEAVING THE TAPESTRY
OF A LIFETIME
The Asolo Rep production isn’t Butler’s first spin on this musical merry-go-round. She’s directed and
Asolo Rep tells the musical story of Carole King’s life with more than song.
co-directed multiple iterations of “Beautiful,” including a production in Japan. Butler describes these early productions as a “revelation.” She already loved King’s music — but she didn’t know how much there was to love.
“I knew and loved ‘Tapestry,’” she says. “But I didn’t realize that King and Gerry Goffin had written so many number one hits for so many other artists. And I had no idea James Taylor and Joni Mitchell sang back-
SEE BEAUTIFUL, PAGE 2
IF YOU GO ‘BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL’ When: Through Jan. 5 Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $35-$98 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.
Images courtesy of Adrian Van Stee
Carole King and her first husband, Gerry Goffin, churned out songs in New York’s Brill Building that became hits for The Drifters.
Asolo Repertory Theatre puts its own stamp on its production of the hit Broadway show, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
ing vocals on ‘Tapestry.’”
Butler also discovered that King’s string arrangements on “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” were inspired by The Drifters’ “There Goes my Baby.” King also composed the music for The Monkeys’ “Pleasant Valley Sunday.” Who knew?
Fun facts — but they’re not the point. For Butler, the point was always getting to know King’s character. After a host of “Beautiful” productions, she got to know her very well. As to putting that character on stage, she lacked creative control.
“Not to get too technical, but I was restaging the original director’s vision for the Broadway tour,” Butler says. “I had some wiggle room, but a lot of the creative decisions had been made.”
But the Asolo Rep production is Butler’s baby. Totally.
“This time around, it’s my directorial vision,” she says. “There are powerful things in the show’s DNA. Doug McGrath wrote an amazing book. We’ll honor the core truths of Carole King’s story in his script. But we’ve found our own fresh take.”
THE ACTOR WHO WOULD BE KING
Julia Knitel is also reprising the role of King. Knitel first stepped into King’s shoes during the musical’s initial Broadway run and national tour. She’s thrilled to rediscover her love for her legendary character and her music.
For Knitel, it’s been like revisiting an old friend. “Julia’s extraordinary,” Butler says. “She’s an incredible singer and actor in her own right. “Julia’s not doing a Carole King impression; she’s embodying Carole’s spirit. She’s living her truth, and it feels utterly authentic.”
Butler adds that this “Beautiful” biography is a moving target. “Carole King changes and evolves over time. Her music evolves, too. Julia really makes you feel her artistic growth.”
MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC
TOGETHER
Music Director Angela Steiner brings King’s musical metamorphosis to life with an 11-piece orchestra. “Beautiful” frames the songs in terms of her creative process. The first act hits you with a “wall of sound.” In the second act, King’s music gets down to earth. It culminates with her triumphant Carnegie Hall concert that showcased the songs on “Tapestry” and helped make her a star.
“You’ll see King’s creative growth,” says Butler. “But that growth doesn’t exist in a vacuum. She’s a collaborator and open to artistic influences. McGrath’s book really brings that out. King co-wrote with ex-husband Gerry Goffin and others at the beginning of her career. Black artists like The Drifters and The Shirelles sang King’s songs — and they also influenced and inspired her. Those incredible artists put Carole and Gerry on the map. This show honors that legacy. I think it’s a beautiful thing.”
BEAUTIFUL, FROM PAGE 1
Image courtesy of Adrian Van Stee
Before she became famous for her own music, Carole King wrote songs for other artists, including The Shirelles, portrayed here in “Beautiful.”
Sarasota Ballet takes a sentimental journey with ‘Giselle’
Margaret Barbieri prepares the company for a ballet she performed more than 100 times.
BY MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
When Margaret Barbieri was growing up in South Africa, she often felt sick when it was time to go to school. Her mother was concerned enough to take her daughter to a doctor. Ballet lessons would be the cure for what was ailing the seemingly sickly child.
The doctor’s advice changed the course of Barbieri’s life. She was accepted at age 16 by the Royal Ballet School in London. Barbieri then joined what is now the Royal Birmingham Ballet, where she danced such ballets as “The Sleeping Beauty,” “Swan Lake” and “Coppélia.”
But none won her the acclaim that Sir Peter Wright’s “Giselle” did. Barbieri’s interpretation of a peasant girl who falls for a count was so perfectly drawn that she was invited to perform at the Deutsche Oper in 1973.
The following year, Barbieri returned to her homeland to dance “Giselle.” In South Africa, the prodigal daughter was hailed for her poignant performance of a woman who goes mad when she loses love. It’s a tale that has resonated with balletomanes for nearly two centuries. “Giselle” first premiered at the Paris Opera Ballet in 1841 in a production choreographed by Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli.
In 1884, French dancer and choreographer Marius Petipa, whose influence is felt even today in the ballet world, restaged the performance for the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Sarasota Ballet first performed Wright’s version of “Giselle,” which he created in the 1960s, in 2009. It returned 10 years later with Victoria Hulland and Ricardo Graziano as Giselle and Count Albrecht and was revived again in 2021.
The Sarasota Ballet’s latest production, which runs from Nov. 22-23 at the Sarasota Opera House, will fea-
IF YOU GO
SARASOTA BALLET’S
‘GISELLE’
When: Nov. 22-23
ture three different couples. Jennifer Hackbarth and Ricardo Rhodes, Jessica Assef and Luke Schaufuss, and Macarena Giminez and Maximiliano Iglesias are all principal dancers with the company.
Giminez and Iglesias, who are married, made a name for themselves as Giselle and Albrecht at the Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires before they joined the Sarasota Ballet. Assef previously played Giselle when she was with the Atlanta Ballet.
Although some of the dancers are new to this ballet, which runs two hours and 15 minutes including an intermission, they have the benefit of Barbieri and Hulland’s experience.
Just months after her retirement as a principal dancer, Hulland returned to Sarasota Ballet in November 2022 as artistic assistant to Barbieri and Iain Webb, director of the ballet.
The husband-and-wife team have been at the helm of the Sarasota Ballet since 2007, though Barbieri did
Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
Tickets: $35-$115
Info: Visit SarasotaBallet.org.
not get her formal title until 2012. Having veteran dancers such as Barbieri and Hulland is valuable for a ballet company because choreography isn’t written down the way that dialogue and stage directions are in a play. Technology has made the process of handing down a dance over the years easier, with videos that were first in physical form and now can be viewed on the internet.
For ballets by major choreographers such as George Balanchine, companies often hire a “répétiteur,” who prepares dancers to perform a particular work so that it remains true to its original choreography.
For the Sarasota Ballet’s “Giselle,” that’s not necessary because it has
expertise in house with Barbieri and Hulland. Barbieri has danced “Giselle” more than 100 times.
KEEPING ROMANCE ALIVE WITHOUT EXAGGERATION
Reflecting on her experience performing “Giselle” and coaching others in the role, Barbieri notes that Wright kept the romantic quality of the story but simplified the mime so the gestures weren’t as exaggerated as in earlier versions.
“He wanted the production to be realistic,” she says. “He didn’t want it to be airy-fairy.”
There’s still plenty of drama left in the production, most notably in scenes between Giselle and her mother, Berthe, who is concerned about her daughter’s heart condition, and when Giselle goes mad.
Live music heightens the drama in the Sarasota Ballet’s latest “Giselle.”
Led by guest conductor Ormsby Wilkins, Sarasota Orchestra will play Adolph Adam’s score for the ballet. Wilkins has served as the music director of American Ballet Theatre since 2005.
Despite the attention given to the lead roles in “Giselle,” Barbieri says
the corps de ballet plays an important role in the production. “They play the Wilis, the ghosts of maidens who were betrayed and died before their wedding day,” she says.
Spoiler alert: Giselle joins the ranks of the Wilis after being jilted by Count Albrecht.
Today, lovers “ghost” each other and break up via text, but the themes of love and loss continue to strike a chord with audiences. “Nearly everyone has experienced losing love,” Barbieri said in an interview. Barbieri is one of the lucky ones. Although she portrayed the spurned lover countless times on the stage, she got a fairy-tale ending in real life. Barbieri fell in love with and married fellow dancer Webb, a veteran of both the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now the Birmingham Royal) and the Royal Ballet in London. Together they have raised the profile of the Sarasota Ballet to undreamed of heights — with help from former Metropolitan Opera General Manager Joseph Volpe, who came out of retirement to join the company in 2016.
Courtesy image
Margaret Barbieri, now assistant director of the Sarasota Ballet, won acclaim for her performance in “Giselle” in England, Germany and her native South Africa during the 1970s.
Image courtesy of Frank Atura
The Sarasota Ballet will perform Sir Peter Wright’s “Giselle” on Nov. 22-23 at the Sarasota Opera House.
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
‘SYNCOPATION’
7:30 at Venice Theatre’s Pinkerton Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice
$15-$37 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Starring Megan Hendrick and Jared Inman, “Syncopation” tells the story of a meatpacker’s efforts to find a suitable ballroom dance partner. Runs through Nov. 24.
‘JENNIFER, WHO IS LEAVING’
7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
$5-$33
Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
Directed by Asolo Repertory Theatre
Associate Artistic Director Celine Rosenthal, “Jennifer Who is Leaving” is a comedy set in a Massachusetts donut shop about three overworked women. If you’ve ever dreamed about escaping housekeeping or caretaking duties (even just for an hour or so), this is the show for you. Runs through Dec. 1.
OUR PICK
‘PARADE: A PERFORMANCE BY SHINIQUE SMITH’
What’s better than the juxtaposition of Shinique Smith’s colorful fabric sculptures and The Ringling’s Renaissance paintings? The artist herself leading her own “Parade.” In this live event, performers will move through The Ringling’s galleries and interact with each other and Smith’s sculptural works as
‘OFF THE CHARTS’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.
$18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
The creative team behind Florida Studio Theatre’s popular cabaret series is at again with “Off the Charts.” Richard and Rebecca Hopkins and Sarah Durham take the audience on a tour of 20th-century pop music with arrangements by Jim Prosser. Runs through Feb. 9.
‘WAITRESS’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $39-$59
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
For fans of Sara Bareilles, Florida Studio Theatre’s production of “Waitress” needs no introduction. The Grammy-winning singer/ songwriter wrote the music and lyrics for this hit Broadway musical based on a 2007 film of the same name. Spoiler alert: Pie is always the answer! Runs through Dec. 29.
attendees watch from seats on the side. After the “Parade” has passed, audience members will gather in the Museum of Art’s courtyard for the cavalcade’s grand finale.
IF YOU GO
When: 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 22
Where: Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road
Tickets: $5-$25
Info: Visit Ringling.org.
FRIDAY
‘PURPLE! THE 2024 ORCHID SHOW’
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St. $28 Visit Selby.org.
“Purple,” Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ annual orchid show, features an astonishing display of orchids along with books, prints, photographs and other materials. Runs through Dec. 5.
WONDERLAND CIRCUS:
‘ILLUMINATE’
7 p.m. at the Big Top at UTC, 195 University Town Center Drive $30-$100 Visit CircusArts.org.
Nothing says the holidays like the Wonderland Circus, especially when the star is Sarasota’s hometown hero Nik Wallenda. The deathdefying highwire artist teams up with the Circus Arts Conservatory to present new show “Illuminate.” Runs through Jan. 5.
SATURDAY
SAILOR CIRCUS GOLD TROUPE:
ZODIAC
1 and 5 p.m. at Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St.
$10-$30 Visit CircusArts.org.
Where do tomorrow’s circus stars come from? From far-flung places like Mongolia, Russia and Argentina. But some come from right here in Sarasota, where they train at the Circus Arts Conservatory. See the young aerialists, jugglers and clowns in the Sailor Circus Gold Troupe.
‘VOICES OF AZARA’
7 p.m. at Ovation Black Box Theater, 4602 E. State Road 64, Bradenton $28-$30 Visit AzaraBallet.org.
The contemporary dance company Azara Ballet led by Kate Flowers kicks off its second season with four works created by its professional dancers, including company cofounder Martin Roosaare. Runs through Nov. 24.
DON’T MISS
IVES AND SCHOENBERG AT 150
Not sure if you like contemporary classical music?
There’s one way to find out: Attend a concert by ensembleNewSRQ, the group founded by former Sarasota Orchestra members Samantha Bennett (violin) and George Nickson (percussion). Now in its ninth season, ensembleNewSRQ brings its fresh, innovative approach to the works of Ives and Schoenberg, born a month apart in 1874. Stephen Drury makes his ensembleNewSRQ debut with a performance of Ives’ “Piano Sonata No. 2” while local vocalist Thea Lobo performs Schoenberg’s “Pierrot lunaire.” Meet the artists after the concert.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 25
Where: First Congregational Church, 1031 Euclid Ave.
Tickets: $10-$30 Info: Visit EnSRQ.org.
SUNDAY
EXCELSIS PERCUSSION QUARTET
4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1050 Oak St. $43-$63 Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.
Artist Series Concerts presents the winner of the 2024 Chamber Music America Artistic Projects Grant. The Excelsis Percussion Quartet is made up of Marcelina Suchocka, Aya Kaminaguchi, Britton-Renee Collins and Mariana Ramirez.
MONDAY
MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT THE CABARET
7:30 p.m. at John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $34-$39 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.
In the theater world, Mondays are traditionally a “dark” night. Not so in Sarasota’s jazz community, where Jazz Club of Sarasota hosts Monday Night Jazz in partnership with Florida Studio Theatre. This week’s show features Hot Club SRQ, which plays Gypsy jazz. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for food and beverage service.
WEDNESDAY
‘A MOTOWN CHRISTMAS’
7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $22-$57 Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
You don’t have to be old enough to remember the Jackson Five singing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” to appreciate Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s “Motown Christmas.” Take time out from decorating the metallic tree and enjoy this energetic program of Hitsville holiday favorites guaranteed to warm the heart of any Grinch. Runs through Jan. 5.
Raise Your Voice
Joseph Parrish, baritone
Jesse Martins, piano
December 12, 11:00 am performance followed by lunch • Sarasota Yacht Club
Joseph Parrish, winner of the 2022 Young Concert Artists’ Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, is known for his versatility in both operatic and popular music. Joseph is passionate about giving back to the communities that have nurtured him and works to address diversity in the classical music world. Following his riveting ASC debut in 2023, he collaborates with pianist Jesse Martins from Sarasota Opera in this return engagement. Their program features music of William Grant Still, Donizetti, and Rachmaninoff.
James Ehnes and Friends
James Ehnes, violin • Orion Weiss, piano
December 17, 7:30 pm
First Congregational United Church of Christ
A founding member of the Dover String Quartet, James Ehnes is one of the most in-demand violinists on the international stage. He has won Grammy, Gramophone, and JUNO awards. Joined by pianist Orion Weiss, the pair perform Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata. Ehnes also joins forces with violinist Daniel Jordan, violists Stephanie Block and Nathan Frantz, and cellists Natalie Helm and Bjorn Ranheim for Tchaikovsky’s exceptional string sextet, Souvenir de Florence
Courtesy images
The Circus Arts Conservatory’s Sailor Circus Gold Troupe performs Saturday, Nov. 23.
Sarasota Jewish Theatre moves closer to being ensemble-driven
Kleinberg’s fledgling company has been nominated for three regional theater awards.
EMILY LEINFUSS CONTRIBUTOR
There’s been a lot of bad news lately in the arts community.
Canceled performances, multimillion-dollar damage to venues and vital fundraisers put on hold, all because of hurricanes.
That made the news even sweeter when Sarasota Jewish Theatre learned Nov. 13 that its May production of “The Immigrant” was nominated in three categories in BroadwayWorld’s 2024 regional theater awards: Best Play, Best Ensemble and Best Director.
Directed by Gus Kaikkonen, Mark Harelik’s “The Immigrant” tells the story of a Russian-Jewish newcomer who makes his way in a devout Christian community in Texas.
“For a fledgling regional theatre in our fourth season (and only our second season on our own) this is a stunning, wonderful tribute to Gus’ inspired direction,” said SJT Artistic Director Carole Kleinberg in an email.
Kleinberg cited “powerful performances” by “Immigrant” cast members Michael Raver, Vicky Daignault, Chris Caswell and Noa Friedman.
For its 2024-25 season, the 5-yearold theater company is focusing on stories of humanity and healing.
“Tikkun Olam,” a Hebrew phrase meaning “healing (or repairing) the world,” is part of SJT’s mission.
During a recent interview, Kleinberg relayed how a patron recently called her up and said, “There’s no way you can accomplish Tikkun Olam. It’s too big a role.”
Her reply? “A little Tikkun Olam is better than none at all.”
While SJT’s upcoming shows are all different, each speaks to a shared humanity, partly because they touch on family, says Kleinberg.
The company’s first production of 2025 will be “Visiting Mr. Green.” Playwright Jeff Baron has updated the beloved play, first performed in 1996, to reflect the pandemic.
“Visiting Mr. Green” follows an elderly widower and a young man assigned to check in on him as part of community service. Initially hostile, the meetings between the two characters lead to an unexpected friendship.“Visiting Mr. Green” runs Jan. 29 through Feb. 9.
Next will be Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers,” a play Kleinberg says she
has waited nearly 35 years to direct. The clock started ticking when she first saw the play in 1991.
The coming-of-age story about two brothers left with their strict grandmother and a disabled aunt after their mother’s death runs from March 19-30.
“I think ‘Lost in Yonkers’ is Neil Simon’s most important play. It is not a bunch of snappy one-liners, but a deep dive into a 1940s Jewish family,” Kleinberg says.
Closing the season is “Bad Jews” by Joshua Harmon. Paradoxically, the show explores what it means to be a “good Jew.”
After their grandfather’s death, three adult grandchildren spar over the gold pendant he carried with him throughout the Holocaust.
“The ending will provide an unexpected and awe-inspiring answer to the question,” Kleinberg teases. “Bad Jews” runs from April 30 to May 22. Reflecting on her company’s history, Kleinberg says she feels hopeful despite fiscal and space challenges. “Budget matters are big, and space matters because we are limited. We can’t do large-scale productions where we are now,” she says.
All of Sarasota Jewish Theatre’s shows are staged at The Players Centre in The Crossings at Siesta Key, which seats about 125 people.
Still, the BroadwayWorld nominations provide Kleinberg with encouragement toward her goal of creating an ensemble-style theater.
“Some actors from last season are coming back, and you’ll see the same actors in multiple plays portraying vastly different roles,” she says. “It’s great fun for the audience to witness the artistry and the challenge the actors face as they bring these different characters to life.”
Carole
Image courtesy of Goddess Imagery
The Sarasota Jewish Theatre’s May 2024 production of “The Immigrant” has been nominated for three awards in BroadwayWorld’s 2024 regional theater competition.
It’s the witching hour in Urbanite Theatre’s ‘Jennifer, Who is Leaving’
Three women find shelter from the storm during the night shift at a donut shop.
MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR
Urbanite Theatre’s “Jennifer, Who is Leaving” unfolds in a Massachusetts donut shop in the dead of night. Thanks to stormy weather, four characters get bottled up inside. The three women are all caretakers. The solitary man just doesn’t care.
Nan (Suzanne Grodner) is the donut shop’s senior manager. That job pays the bills. In her unpaid second job, Nan cares for Chuck, her recently retired husband. He’s turned Nan into his personal helpline. Nan keeps smiling and patiently answers.
IF YOU GO
‘JENNIFER, WHO IS LEAVING’
When: Through Dec. 1
Where: Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
Lili (Trezure B. Coles) is young, gifted and Black. She cares for her younger siblings at home for free. Lili is also a part-time donut wrangler, but it’s not her dream job. She’s taking her SATs first thing tomorrow morning. So why is Lili working the night shift now? Because her demanding dad forced her to.
With Nan’s permission, she’s cramming for the test, not slinging donuts. There’s not a customer in sight, so why not? Then Jennifer (Summer Dawn Wallace) bursts into the shop — along with Joey (Ned Averill-Snell), her elderly, foul-mouthed, wheelchair-bound companion.
They’re not customers; Jennifer’s a nurse’s aide, the old man’s her patient and her van broke down. Nan smiles and lets them stay until the tow truck arrives.
Despite Joey’s tantrums and Chuck’s relentless phone calls, Jennifer, Nan and Lili still have fun. Against all odds, these women are happy. Joey hates their happiness— and hates Jennifer most of all. To wipe the smile off her face, Joey turns his vitriolic abuse up to 11. That summary sounds bleak, but this isn’t “No Exit” with donuts. Morgan Gould has written a very funny play. Sartre’s characters were trapped; Gould’s have an exit strategy.
Director Céline Rosenthal plops you into the play’s pressure-cooker world. Gould’s script has a granular realism, but that’s a means to an end. Her play’s no sociological study. It’s an empathy test. You believe in her characters — but do you care about them? That test is baked into the script. Rosenthal puts it on stage — and puts the
Tickets: $5-$44. Info: Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
audience to the test.
The four actors are all in top form. Grodner’s Nan is a heroic optimist. She always looks on the bright side. She sees the donut, not the hole. Coles’ Lili isn’t smiling. This shiny, happy donut shop is her prison. Lili approaches her impending exam like a POW tunneling out of Stalag 17. It’s her only way out! Wallace’s portrayal of Jennifer is a shape-shifting transformation. The actor’s melted away into her character — to the point you don’t recognize the actor anymore.
Averill-Snell’s potty-mouth Joey is sadistic, solipsistic, sociopathic, vicious, narcissistic, vindictive and cruel. He’s an odious person. Jeff Weber’s set design doesn’t sneer at working-class hangouts. His donut shop is a refuge. Weber respects that. Dee Johnson’s costumes reflect the folks who need this shelter from the storm.
Alex Pinchin’s sound design and Ethan Vail’s lighting create a counterpoint of welcoming warmth and claustrophobic isolation. The donut shop is this play’s microcosmic world. These Urbanite talents make it visible. Gould’s play gave Urbanite’s creative team a powerful story to tell. For me, that’s all a playwright needs to do. But “Jennifer, Who is Leaving” also has message. It goes something like this: Caretakers do the nurturing work of America. But almost nobody cares for them. Gould does. After seeing her play, you will too.
Image courtesy of Sorcha Augustine
Urbanite Theatre Artistic Director Summer Dawn Wallace returns to the stage in “Jennifer, Who Is Leaving.”
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2024
A Starry Night Soirée SPARCCle,
Saturday, Nov. 16, at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens | Benefiting Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center
Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center celebrated its 45th Sapphire Anniversary with a celebration under the stars Nov. 16 on Sarasota Bay.
Titled SPARCCle, A Starry Night Soirée, 240 guests enjoyed champagne as they glided across the grounds of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Guests were attired in their finest, and many women had “fairy hair” and sparkles on their skin, in keeping with the theme.
With the Lawrence P. Castellani Family Foundation once again acting as the presenting sponsor, Joan and Larry Castellani are noted for their continued support and generosity. Joan Castellani acted as a co-chair for the event, with E-Dee Murphy, Kimberley Pelyk and Shirley Wulf.
Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres before heading inside to a seated dinner topped off with a live auction, raffle and dancing to complete the night.
The event benefited SPARCC in its mission of providing resources, counseling and shelter to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
— JANET COMBS
Jackie and Steve Griese enjoy a stunning Sarasota sunset.
Greg Benedict and Kimberly Tude Thuot
Diane and Chris Marsh
Hazel and Steve Pankhurst
Music lovers include Melissa Kallir, Helen Beljean, Cyndi and Howard Mumm and Chris Curtis
SPARCC President and CEO Jessica Hays and Mary Ellen Mancini, vice president of philanthropy
Co-Chairs Shirley Wulf and E-Dee Murphy
Photos by Janet Combs
Lee and Mark Majeske with Nancy Smith and Fred Simmons
Photos by Janet Combs
VMA board members include Melissa Dunlap, Melissa Morsli, Naiema Frieson, Wilitone Petit, Dr. Janet Taylor and Louis Parker.
Jill Fitch and VMA Love Lunch keynote speaker Dr. David Fitch
VMA supporter Donna Koffman with student Wyatt Morton
Carol Beeler, VMA Principal Janjay Gehndyu and ESE Director Jackie Gehndyu
Artful Lobster
Saturday,
Saturday, January 4, 2025 The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
HELICOPTER SPONSORS
Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation
John and Pauline Groetelaars
Sunset Automotive Group
AMBULANCE SPONSORS
Ambitrans Ambulance
Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
Robert and Anne Essner Flad Architects
Doug Holder Family Foundation
Deb Kabinoff Fund / Jon and Libby Soderberg Family Fund
The Reinhart Foundation
Barbara and Gary Rodkin
Williams Parker Attorneys at Law
Bob and Angelia Wood
Ann Fletcher, co-Chair Alice Court and Sarah McDonald
Trustee Ed Swan and Claudia Swan
Photos by Janet Combs
Co-chairs are Trustee Peter Offringa and Allison Gregory.
Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg (right) poses with Rona Siddiqui, Raleigh Mosely II, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer and guest performer Martina Long.
Bonnie and Michael Starr, Diane Houle, Jill Sherrard and Doris Vasquez
Co-Chairs Larry Wickless and Carole Crosby
