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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Portrait of an artist’s admirers
Joe Fig used photos, software and paint to portray art lovers in Sarasota Art Museum’s ‘Contemplating Vermeer.’
IF YOU GO
‘JOE FIG’S CONTEMPLATING VERMEER’
When: Through April 13
Where: Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: Free with admission of $20
Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Life can get pretty meta these days. No, we’re not talking about the parent company of Facebook, but the concept of a thing within the thing.
Case in point: Imagine sitting on a bench with artist Joe Fig in the Sarasota Art Museum, where his one-man show “Joe Fig: Contemplating Vermeer” is on display. Fig is explaining how he would use photography and software to create a painting of SAM visitors looking at his portrait of museumgoers studying Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring.”
As they used to say back in the ’60s — mind-blowing.
Fig, department chair of the Fine Arts and Visual Studies programs at Ringling College of Art and Design, traveled to Amsterdam with his son in May 2023.
Like more than 660,000 visitors from over 100 countries, father and son were drawn by the Rijksmuseum’s unprecedented Vermeer exhibition. The show included 28 of the 36 surviving masterpieces said to have been painted by the Dutch painter. The trip was motivated by the desire to see the epic exhibition, but Fig also had it in his mind to paint portraits of those looking at the Vermeer paintings.
Fig, who is represented by the Cristin Tierney Gallery in New York City, is known for his detailed paintings of the intimate spaces where artists create their work. He is the author of “Inside the Artist’s Studio” and “Inside the Painter’s Studio.” Demand for tickets to the Rijksmuseum’s Vermeer exhibition was high, but Fig managed to get there with a bit of luck as well as some wheeling and dealing.
“Tickets sold out in two days, but then my friend told me about a second round of ticket sales. After waking up in the middle of the night and hitting the refresh button on my computer over and over, I was able to get one,” Fig says. He ended up selling the ticket on eBay. Fig made enough money on that transaction that he was able to buy two new tickets, allowing him to take his son on the trip.
Among the Vermeers on display at the Rijksmuseum show were “The Girl in the Red Hat” from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as well as three paintings loaned by the Frick Museum in New York. The Frick was undergoing renovations and was willing to temporarily part with “The Girl Interrupted at Her Music,” “Officer and Laughing Girl” and “Mistress and Maid.”
Those who want to learn more about the horse-trading involved in getting all those Vermeers to the Rijksmuseum should watch David Bickerstaff’s 2023 documentary, “Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition,” which takes viewers behind the scenes of the negotiations between museum officials in various countries.
Seven of the 28 paintings in the Rijksmuseum exhibition had never been seen publicly in The Netherlands before, including those from the Frick and “Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window” from the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, Germany.
Courtesy image
“Joe Fig’s Contemplating Vermeer” is on display at the Sarasota Art Museum through April 13.
Monica Roman Gagnier
Joe Fig stands in front of one of his works on exhibit through April 13 at Sarasota Art Museum.
SAVES THE DAY
Unfortunately, by the time the Figs arrived at the Rijksmuseum toward the end of the exhibition, Vermeer’s iconic “Girl with a Pearl Earring” had been returned to its home in the Mauritshuis in The Hague.
Although all of Vermeer’s works are celebrated, “Girl with a Pearl Earring” has taken on a life of its own, thanks to Tracy Chevalier’s 1999 novel imagining the life of the servant girl painted in 1665. The heat only intensified with a subsequent movie starring Scarlett Johansson in the titular role.
At first, the Figs were crestfallen to have missed the master’s most famous work. “Then we figured out that the Mauritshuis was only a 50-minute train ride from Amsterdam,” Fig recalls.
What’s more, the Hague museum was nearly deserted, making it easier for the Sarasota artist to do the legwork to create his painting of visitors contemplating “Girl with a Pearl Earring.”
Here’s how it works. First, Fig uses his cellphone to photograph art lovers contemplating a painting. He takes lots of pictures of the museumgoers.
When he is back home, Fig uses Photoshop to cut and paste viewers from various photographs and artfully arrange them in front of the painting he wishes to commit to canvas. Once he has a composite scene he likes, Fig begins to paint.
As he explains inside SAM, a contemporary museum owned by Ringling College housed in the former Sarasota High School, Fig sees his subjects not as human beings, but as objects like red scarf and black shirt. He imagines how those elements would look in front of various paintings.
When an interviewer asks if the process represents a wee bit of “cheating” to achieve the desired scene, Fig says he sets rules for himself. “People have to be in the same museum as the painting. I can’t take a visitor at the Met in New York and place him in front of an artwork in another museum,” he says.
In doing reconnaissance to find the subjects who will populate his small paintings (His “Vermeer: Girl with a
Pearl Earring” is 13-by-15 3/4 inches.), Fig looks for “engaged” viewers. He ignores those who are just there to score a selfie with a famous painting that they can post on social media to impress their friends. And, of course, he’s looking for memorable details that he lovingly commits to canvas with tiny brushes. He relies only on his glasses to paint those details, shunning magnifying devices.
How granular does Fig get? He recalls how once when he was painting an artist’s studio, he spotted an address book that was left open on the artist’s desk that had his daughter’s Social Security number in it. Presumably, she didn’t become the victim of identity theft. (We didn’t pursue this line of questioning with Fig because we didn’t want to stray too far from Vermeer.)
THINKING ON A GRAND SCALE
Before the SAM exhibition of 16 paintings, Fig had never done a full series of paintings inspired by a museum show, just one or two portraits. “Because Vermeer was such a blockbuster, I decided I wanted to try and capture that scope and energy,” he says.
Toward that end, he was conscious of the different colors for the backgrounds of his paintings and how they would interact with each other.
“I wanted all the paintings in the show to work well together,” he says.
Oddly enough, although attention to detail was prized by some of Vermeer’s peers, he was more concerned with the overall scene and is celebrated for his depiction of light.
Born in 1632 in Delft, renowned for its blue-and-white pottery, Vermeer was the son of a weaver and an art dealer whose business he inherited when his father died. Little is known about his decision to become an artist or how he received his training.
Vermeer began his career painting large-scale biblical and mythological scenes, but became known for his paintings of ordinary life in quiet, interior settings.
As his SAM show inspired by the Vermeer exhibition demonstrates, Fig has a fine appreciation for art patrons. “As an artist, you need these people,” he says. “You also need dealers, galleries and writers. It’s a whole art ecosystem.”
A native of Long Island, New York, Fig received his BFA and MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York. He got his start painting reproductions of Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns and Willem de Kooning.
Fig’s work was recently featured in the triennial Skyway exhibition of contemporary Florida artists, which ran from July 2024 to Jan. 25. The show was a collaboration among five Tampa Bay museums, including The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and SAM in Sarasota.
Fig’s “Self Portrait: Studio” (Norwalk, Connecticut), a mixed media work of 29-by-26-by-21 inches that was created from 2007-21, was on display at the Tampa Museum of Art.
The museum’s description of the piece noted that Fig pays close attention to the “materials, tools and equipment the artist uses” and sees a studio as a portrait of the artist himself.
Despite his mild-mannered, professorial appearance, Fig has a healthy ego, a necessity in the art world. Don’t make the mistake of calling him a “local” artist. While he was pleased to be included in the Skyway exhibition, he wants to be
clear that he has a New York City gallery and an international following.
Duly noted and no hard feelings.
We’re glad Fig has chosen Sarasota as his home and that he’s teaching the next generation of artists at Ringling College and exhibiting his exquisite paintings at SAM.
Those who missed the Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum may not be able to pass up a mug with Fig’s “Vermeer: Girl with a Pearl Earring” in the SAM gift shop.
In a world filled with calendars, tote bags and umbrellas celebrating the recent Van Gogh show in London and the Impressionists exhibit at The Smithsonian, why shouldn’t Joe Fig have his own merch?
As his SAM show inspired by the Vermeer exhibition demonstrates, Fig has a fine appreciation for art patrons. “As an artist, you need these people,” he says. “You also need dealers, galleries and writers. It’s a whole art ecosystem.”
Fig creates composite crowd scenes using photographs and Photoshop that balance color and other elements before taking up his brush.
Courtesy image
These fish tacos will have you hooked
BY EMMA BURKE JOLLY CONTRIBUTOR
My parents met at a bar — well, technically my dad saw my mom on the train as they commuted from Connecticut into the Big Apple. He overheard that she was from a certain part of Illinois, which happened to be mere minutes from where he grew up. So he stalked her. Took the same train as she did for a few weeks — until he had the courage to follow her off the train to the bar that she frequented with friends on Fridays after a long work week. He found the courage, in a couple of drinks of Jack Daniel’s, I’m sure, to walk up to his future leading lady of 37 years. He introduced himself by saying, “I heard you’re from Chicago.” Her response would not
be allowed to run in this paper.
My mom eventually caved in — or you wouldn’t be reading this column.
But that’s the thing — my parents were polar opposites. She likes topshelf Champagne, while he would have been fine with an Amstel light.
My mom loves traveling to London, while my Dad enjoyed going to Chicago and driving the same streets he drove as a teenager. My mom grew up eating fresh fish and my dad grew up eating fish sticks.
National Fish Taco Day on Jan. 25 got me thinking that I know the places with the best fish tacos that will have you hooked. You won’t be finding fish sticks on my list, but there will be something for everyone. Here are the most fin-tastic tacos in town:
SPEARFISH GRILLE
1265 Old Stickney Point Road, Siesta Key; 941-349-1971; SpearfishGrille. com
What a Catch: The fish that was caught and placed on your taco tonight will most likely differ from the fish on tomorrow’s menu — because the Gulf-caught tacos ($18 — market price) were brought in mere hours before you sat down. They’re wrapped in grilled flour tortillas or lettuce wraps and dressed with crispy slaw, black beans, sweet corn, cotjia cheese, chives, pickled onions, siracha sour cream and locally grown micro cilantro. Not into fish? Hook yourself up with the lobster tacos (market price).
Reeling in the Flavor: Follow the nachos with Spearfish’s sushi
nachos ($16). Pan-seared ahi tuna over crispy wontons, with avocado, house salsa, citrus soya glaze and a wasabi aioli drizzle.
TACO FUSION
4151 Proctor Road, Sarasota, 941914-8788; 1824 Main St., Sarasota, 941-929-8788; Blinq.me
What a Catch: If I had a dollar for every “Have you eaten here yet?” or “When are you going to feature them?” question I have received, I’d be able to order tacos from these food trucks for the rest of my life. The fish taco ($4) is layered with wild-caught seared mahi-mahi, cabbage, fruit pico and a hint of heat with the chipotle aioli.
Reeling in the Flavor: Observer Media Group’s own Taylor Poe said she is planning to either nosh on the fusion taco ($4) with steak, chorizo and cheese or the pork with pineapple quesadilla ($8.50) weekly after her first “10 out of 10 experience.”
CASA MASA
4862 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 941-921-0578; 2773 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 941-922-9078; CasaMasa-SRQ.com
What a Catch: Rob Disilvio has created a masterfully beautiful selection of Oaxacan flavors and curated a menu that appeases the masses in two locations. His brand new location in The Landings serves alcoholic beverages. The pescado taco ($6.50) is made to your liking: grilled, blackened or masa-tempura battered and fried grouper, topped with fresh Napa cabbage, tangy pickled red onion, get-me-a-tub-of-this-stat black garlic crema and micro cilantro. Or set your eyes on the camarones ($6.50), or Gulf shrimp, served with the same.
Reeling in the Flavor: Treat yourself to land and sea with the vieiras con pork belly ($18), only offered at The Landings location. It’s a nearly perfectly seared sea scallop with a green sauce for which I could easily lick the plate, a superb pork belly adorned with chicharrones and a foodie-moment
mole negro and sprinkled with salmon roe.
OWEN’S FISH CAMP
516 Burns Court, Sarasota, 941951-6936; 6516 University Parkway, Lakewood Ranch, 941-951-5052; OwensFishCamp.com
What a Catch: We know it, we love it, we couldn’t stay away if we tried — even when it’s season. Two fish tacos ($14.99) with green salsa and a spicy baja sauce are served with the finger-licking good Old Bay-dusted french fries or the heavenly slaw that I, no kidding, have dreamed about. While you can’t get the fish tacos at the new and impeccably designed Lakewood Ranch location, you can stick to the sea and order the two blackened shrimp tacos ($15.99) served with the same salsa and sauce as at the Sarasota downtown location.
Reeling in the Flavor: The naked fish is what I get all my out-oftown and local foodie friends alike ordering. Take a pick of the local offerings, get the lemon-caper butter, the grits and the local collard greens. You can thank me later.
TIDE TABLES
12507 Cortez Road W., Bradenton; 941-567-6206; TideTablesCortez. com
What a Catch: Plop down in paradise at this Cortez Village eatery. The fish tacos ($19.95) paired with the waterfront views is a local combo that never gets old for this Connecticut transplant. Packed with blackened mahi, creamy cole slaw, cheddar jack cheese and Tide Tables’ special sesame ginger sauce all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla — this taco take makes waves with every bite.
the Boardwalk”
FEB 5 • 7:30PM
Reeling in the Flavor: Save room for dessert, my foodie friends. The homemade key lime pie ($8) is a tangy, tropical hug for your tastebuds that you won’t want to skip. Want a different sweet treat? Delectable daily dessert specials are offered too.
Courtesy Image
Spearfish Grille’s fish tacos will delight you with all their fresh flavors.
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
NEIL BERG’S 50 YEARS OF ROCK & ROLL
7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami
$27-$85 Visit VanWezel.org.
What if you got the stars from Broadway’s greatest rock musicals as well as veteran rock ’n’ roll singers to perform the history of rock, from its predecessors in the 1940s to the MTV era of the 1980s? Then you would have the recipe for Neil Berg’s wildly successful 50 Years of Rock & Roll show. Long live rock!
MASTERWORKS: HEROIC SPIRIT
7:30 p.m. at SCF Neel Auditorium, Bradenton $38 and up Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
Giancarlo Guerrero’s debut conducting a Masterworks concert as Sarasota Orchestra’s music director designate was originally scheduled for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in early November. But the aptly named “Going Places” got moved to the Sarasota Opera House in the wake of Hurricane Milton. After a performance at SCF Neel in Bradenton, Guerrero makes his Van Wezel debut in his new role on Jan. 31 in a program that kicks off with Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture. Runs through Feb. 2.
‘TOOTSIE’
7:30 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton $19-$43 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com.
Unemployed actor Michael Dorsey is willing to do anything to get a part of a lifetime in this Manatee Players production of the award-winning musical based on the hit film. Runs through Feb. 2.
KEN LUDWIG’S ‘LADY MOLLY OF SCOTLAND YARD’
7:30 p.m. at the FSU Center for Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami
Trail $35 -$99
Visit AsoloRep.org.
Prolific playwright Ken Ludwig’s world premiere “Lady Molly of Scotland Yard” transports Baroness Orczy’s female sleuth to World War II, where Britain is under attack by the Nazis and code-breaking, murder and espionage are the order of the day. Runs through Feb. 8.
‘THE CANCELLATION OF LAUREN FEIN’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $25-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Written by Miami lawyer Christopher Demos-Brown, “The Cancellation of Lauren Fein” tells the story of a “woke” professor who is forced to defend herself against charges of racism and that she sexually molested a graduate student. Leave your assumptions at the theater door. Runs through March 9.
DON’T MISS
SARASOTA BALLET: ‘QUINTESSENTIAL’
Sarasota Ballet’s Program Four has something for fans of both the old and the new. The triple bill marks the return of Paroni’s classical “Rococo Variations” set to the music of Tchaikovsky, as well as a world premiere by choreographer Gemma Bond, whose title hasn’t been announced. Rounding out the program is “Brandenburgs,” choreographed by Paul Taylor, one of the pioneers of American modern dance. Runs through Feb. 2.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31
Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: $35-$115 Info: Visit SarasotaBallet.org.
can pregame. Hey, what happens in the big top stays in the big top, right? Through Feb. 2.
TAMMY PESCATELLI
6:30 and 8:50 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd.
$31 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.
Tammy Pescatelli is billed as a comedian that nearly everyone wishes was “their best friend or sister.” High praise, indeed. Currently a regular on the “Sherri” syndicated talk show, Pescatelli’s “Way After School Special” is the follow-up to her award-winning special “Finding the Funny,” both on Amazon Prime. She will soon appear in the upcoming movie “Nonna’s,” starring Vince Vaughn and Susan Sarandon. Runs through Feb. 1.
FRIDAY
JAZZ @ TWO: TRACE ZACUR QUARTET
2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalists of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road $15-$20 Visit JazzClubsarasota.org.
Get the weekend started early with the Trace Zacur Quartet at Jazz Club of Sarasota’s weekly Jazz @ Two concert. Zacur cites as his heroes Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and James Carter. He will be joined by Joel Freisenger, Alejandro Arenas and Mark Feinman.
MR. SWINDLE’S TRAVELING PECULIARIUM
5:30 p.m. at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd. $47-$82 (18+ with ID) Visit SarasotaFair.com.
Sarasota is no stranger to circuses, but this one is definitely not family fare. Mr. Swindle’s Traveling Peculiarium isn’t your grandfather’s circus, folks, and he might not be happy to hear you’ve got a ticket. This isn’t a medicine show of yore, but Mr. Swindle’s features a DrinkOry Garden serving up alcoholic potions and snacks that opens an hour before the show so circusgoers
‘MANN’S LAST DANCE’
7:30 p.m. at Tree Fort Productions, The Crossings at Siesta Key mall, 3501 South Tamiami Trail
$40 Visit TreeFortProductions.com.
Sarasota multihyphenate Katherine Michelle Tanner presents a onewoman show that tells the true story of Polish Jewish ballerina Franceska Mann, who used her gift of dance to distract Nazi soldiers. Runs through Feb. 2.
‘DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL’
7:30 p.m. at Pinkerton Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice
$37 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Venice Theatre presents a world premiere created by Roger Bean, known for his show “The Marvelous Wonderettes.” This tribute to TV show tunes is presented as a game show within a game show. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming along and playing from your seat in the audience. Runs through Feb. 9.
February 7 & 8, 2025
Guest Artists Yulia Van Doren, Thea Lobo, Ryne Cherry, Corey Shotwell, Daniel Jordan, Sam Nelson, Milene Moreira, Nicole Estima
Courtesy image
Paroni’s classical “Rococo Variations” is part of Sarasota Ballet’s triple bill for Program Four: “Quintessential.”
SATURDAY
‘AESOP’S FABLES’
10 a.m. and noon at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.
$12 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
On the weekend, there’s the eternal problem of what to do with the kids. Turn off their electronic devices and bring them down to Florida Studio Theatre for a fun, affordable show of “Aesop’s Fables.” They’ll learn that donkeys and asses (animals that turn up frequently in the fables) have been with us a very long time.
CONVERSATIONS WITH AN ASTRONAUT: NICOLE STOTT
5 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. $44 Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
Real-life astronaut Nicole Stott will share her stellar experiences before Urbanite’s nightly performance of “Spaceman,” the one-woman play about a female astronaut’s voyage to Mars. This is a one-night only event. “Spaceman” runs through Feb. 16.
MARY GAUTHIER
7 p.m. at Forgartyville, 525 Kumquat Court $35 Visit WSLR.org.
Twenty-five years ago, chef Mary Gauthier recorded her debut album “Drag Queens in Limousines.” Less than two years later, Gauthier moved to Nashville and put away her chef’s toque for good when her authentic material struck a chord with people from all walks of life. She will be joined by special guest Jaimee Harris. Runs through Feb. 2.
MONDAY
MUSIC MONDAY AT McCURDY’S:
BILL EVANS
7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $55 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.
The latest in McCurdy’s Music Monday series, curated by Barry Weisblatt’s White Leaf Events, features legendary saxophone player Bill Evans backed by McCurdy’s house band, The Ramblin’ Rockers, featuring RJ Howson, Mike Kach, Garrett Dawson and Barry Oakley Jr.
LA MUSICA CHAMBER MUSIC
FESTIVAL: SPANISH JOURNEY
7 p.m. at Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way $64 Visit LaMusicaFestival.org.
Join the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center on a musical trip to Spain with a flamboyant program that features soprano
OUR PICK
NOCHEUNIDOS @ THE RINGLING
The partnership between UnidosNow and The Ringling will showcase cultures that have influenced Florida, including Africa, Indigenous America and Europe. Guests are asked to wear white as they party to Puerto Rican rhythms from Bomba Yemayá and Mardi Gras standards from the New Orleans-based 79rs Gang.
IF YOU GO
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31
Where: The Ringling Museum of Art Courtyard, 5401 Bay Shore Road Tickets: $45-$150; students $10 Info: Visit Ringling.org.
Vanessa Becerra, Jason Vieaux on guitar, Kristin Lee on violin, Clive Greensmith on cello and Soyeon Kate Lee on piano.
‘HERE COMES THE SUN’ BEATLES TRIBUTE
7:30 p.m. at Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave. Building 5, Venice $61 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Venice Theatre presents the Beatles tribute show, “Here Comes the Sun,” which gets its name from a song penned by George Harrison at the country house of his friend Eric Clapton.
TUESDAY
EVIL WOMAN: THE AMERICAN ELO
7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 7777 N. Tamiami Trail $25-$65 Visit VanWezel.org.
In case you forgot, this 12-musician tribute band will remind you that Electric Light Orchestra had 20 chart-topping hits, including the titular song, “Don’t Bring Me Down,” “Livin’ Thing” and “Roll Over Beethoven,” to name just a few.
WEDNESDAY
THE ART AND JOYS OF COLLABORATIVE PERFORMANCE
10:30 a.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free Visit SarasotaMusicArchive.org.
Sarasota Music Archive presents Gail Berenson and Sylvia Eckes on piano and Jeff Sebeika on flute with a program that explores spontaneous interplay between performers.
TEVE SOLOMON, a Brooklyn native from Sheepshead Bay, developed his comedic and dialect skills early, sharing his humor through jokes and stories. Transitioning from a career in education, Steve embraced comedy full-time. His acclaimed one-man show, My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m In Therapy, became a nationwide hit. He followed this success with sequels and holiday specials, touring extensively and winning awards like The Connecticut Critics Circle Award and Broadway.com’s “Best new off-Broadway play.”
Swinging for the ‘Fences’
WBTT’s production of August Wilson’s Pulitzer-winning play knocks it out of the park.
MARTY FUGATE THEATER CRITIC
August Wilson’s “Fences” walks the dangerous crossroads of self, family, loyalty, racial identity and personal ambition in this Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe production. The Pulitzer-winning play unfolds in Pittsburgh in the late 1950s. Wilson’s slice of African American life has seven compelling characters. But Troy Maxson (Patric Robinson) towers above the rest.
Troy seems like a happy-golucky tough guy. He cracks jokes, tells tall tales and bursts with life. Don’t be fooled; Troy’s not what he seems. The happy face he shows the world masks a burning inner rage.
Troy ran away from his abusive father at age 14 and stole to survive for a year. After he killed somebody, he was sentenced to 15 years in the state penitentiary.
Troy spent those years playing prison baseball. By the time he got out, Troy was a world-class power hitter. He had a few years of fleeting fame in the Negro Leagues. He hit a ton of home runs and made very little money.
When Troy started a family with Rose (Ariel Blue), he needed to provide. Major League Baseball was integrated by then. But he was in his 40s now, and that wasn’t a realistic career choice.
Troy walked away from the game. He swallowed his pride and got a steady job as a garbage man. He did his duty. That’s what men do.
Troy’s 53 years old when “Fences” begins. His bitterness still simmers, but he keeps a lid on it. Outwardly, he’s a fun-loving,
happy fellow. Troy flirts with his wife (Blue), shares whiskey with his friend, Jim Bono (Brian L. Boyd), and builds a fence around his house.
Troy keeps his lost dreams of baseball glory to himself. But his youngest son, Cory (Zion Thompson), has dreams of his own. He wants to go to college on a football scholarship.
When Troy discovers Cory’s ambition, his happy mask cracks. He orders the high school football coach to kick his son off the team and tells the college recruiter to go back home.
Troy says his intentions are good. He’s sparing his son the humiliation of his own failure. But he’s really sparing himself the humiliation of his son’s success. After that, Troy’s bitterness finally boils over. And it almost tears his family apart.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Wilson’s an amazing storyteller — but never formulaic. This story of “Fences” takes many side trips and never moves in a straight line. The play avoids a predictable setup/payoff beat, fakes you out at times and leaves many questions unanswered. It’s a great story. But not an easy one.
CHARACTERS ARE THE HEART OF THE PLAY
Director Jim Weaver brings clarity to Wilson’s dense, multilayered saga. The characters are the heart of his play. The script doesn’t telegraph who they are. Wilson honors that intention. He slowly reveals them — a slipped word here, a guilty look there. Like so many puzzle pieces, the characters gradually come together. With Weaver’s deft direction, you’ll see them for who they truly are. That clarity of character depends on the actors, of course. No problem. Their performances are outstanding. Robinson’s Troy is a force of nature — a blustering, shouting, charismatic figure who’s brimming with life force. The man is
IF YOU GO
AUGUST WILSON’S ‘FENCES’
When: Through Feb. 23
Where: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1646 10th Way
Tickets: $20-$50
Info: Visit WestcoastBackTheatre.org.
also a selfish bully and a control freak who pushes his family around.
Troy’s moral code is as strong as a tough, maple baseball bat. He beats people up with it. The code’s rigid when applied to friends and family. But there are loopholes for Troy Maxson.
Cheating on his wife doesn’t feel wrong. Like Tony Soprano, Troy’s a bad guy who thinks he’s a good guy. Against all logic, you can’t help but like him. It’s a tough, nuanced, paradoxical role. But Robinson makes it live and breathe on stage.
Blue’s Rose is a family variation of the Stockholm Syndrome. Rose is a hostage; Troy is her captor. Say or do the wrong thing, and the man explodes. Rose strives to see through Troy’s eyes, anticipate his needs and keep him happy. She takes a lot of crap, but only so much.
Thompson’s Cory is also selfeffacing. The poor kid walks on eggshells around his father. Just like his mom, Cory tries not to push Troy’s anger buttons. Cory doesn’t rebel, even when his dad stomps on his football dreams. But when Troy violently throws his mother to the ground, he finally stands up to him.
Donovan Whitney delivers a subtle, low-key performance as Lyons, Troy’s older son from a first marriage. He’s a smooth, easygoing bebop jazz player.
He drops by every Friday to ask his father the same two questions. Can I get a loan? Will you drop by the club to hear me play? Troy usually gives the same answers:
“Yes” and “no.”
Boyd plays Troy’s best friend, Bono. Boyd smartly conveys the rules of the game in his character’s longstanding friendship. When Bono stops by, he knows what he’s in for. It’s always the Troy Maxson show — and he’s its one-man audience. Boyd’s character gets a word in edgewise every now and then. And a few sips of whiskey.
Leon S. Pitts II’s Gabriel, Troy’s brother, was shot in the head on an island in the Pacific in World War II. His brain’s been damaged, and he’s not all there. Like some Shakespearean prophetic figure, Gabe’s got one foot in this world and another in the next. These characters live and breathe in the Maxson family home. One set; one location. Roland Black’s lovingly detailed set for this residence has seen a lot of living. The home isn’t falling apart. But it’s not going on the cover of House Beautiful anytime soon.
J. Faye Manselle’s costumes evoke the clothes of respectable, working-class Black folks in the 1950s. Except for Gabe, they all
dress sharp. Lyons’ hipster garb is sharper than most. (Love that porkpie hat.)
There’s a lot to love in this play. “Fences” is gripping from start to finish. The play clocks in just under two-and-a-half hours, so it damn well better be. I’m happy to say, it damn well is. “Fences” won a Pulitzer Prize in 1987. It deserved it.
Wilson knew what makes people tick. His characters are well drawn and never devolve into lazy stereotypes. He’s also got a great ear for spoken language. His sizzling dialogue always sounds like real people talking. “Fences” grabs your attention because it’s true to life. But not just this life. A haunting, mystical thread runs through Wilson’s earthly story. The veil between this world and the next gets very thin at times. Thanks to the playwright’s genius, you get a few glimpses of the other side.
Thanks to the talent behind this production, “Fences” hits it out of the park on the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe stage.
Image courtesy of Sorcha Augustine
Patric Robinson stars in August Wilson’s “Fences” on the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe stage through Feb. 23.
Dive into Daily Crossword Fun!
Lifeline Productions add Atomica Arts’ co-founders to its management team
Will Leura and Maria SchaedlerLeura join arts nonprofit founded by Joel Ehrenpreis.
OBSERVER STAFF
Will Leura and Maria SchaedlerLeura have joined Lifeline Productions, the arts nonprofit best known for Scott Ehrenpreis’ one-man show “Clowns Like Me.”
Leura and Schaedler-Leura are the co-founders of Atomica Arts, a hub offering workshops, bilingual programs and other initiatives to promote the arts and health.
At Lifeline, Leura and SchaedlerLeura will be co-executive directors of the nonprofit dedicated to using arts to end the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Leura is former director of improvisation at Florida Studio Theatre, a post he held for more than a decade. He currently serves as director of Big Bang Improv and artistic director emeritus of ImprovBoston.
In addition to holding regular Saturday night performances featuring its improv troupe, FST produces the annual Sarasota Improv Festival, founded in 2009 by FST Managing Director Rebecca Hopkins.
Now in its 14th year, the festival draws improv and comedy troupes — and their fans — from all over the world for a long weekend of nonstop performances.
Leura sits on the boards of CreArte Latino, a Latino cultural and arts community center, as well as Miss Sarasota Softball, which empowers young women through educationalathletic initiatives.
Through Atomica Arts, SchaedlerLeura designs and implements arts integration programs, culturally responsive teaching models, bilingual initiatives and wellness workshops for schools, nonprofits and community organizations.
Among the local organizations Atomica Arts has worked with are the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation, Focus 5 Inc. and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.
Directed and written by FST veteran Jason Cannon, “Clowns Like Me” is a stage production that tells the story of Ehrenpreis’ struggle with mental health issues such as depression, OCD and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, but in a humorous fashion.
“Clowns Like Me” had its first run in 2023 at the Jane B. Cook Theatre in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. An updated version of the play was performed at the Cook Theatre again in May 2024, before moving to New York City for an off-Broadway run.
Along the way, the father-son team got lots of community support, including financial backing from Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota, Michael Saunders & Co. and Aviva Senior Living, to name just a few donors.
A video version of “Clowns Like Me” played at the Sarasota Film Festival and the first Sarasota Living Arts Festival in 2024. Lifeline has been screening the film free for college students, including a Jan. 28 event in Bradenton at the State College of Florida Neel Performing Arts Center.
In a video interview, Ehrenpreis, Leura and Schaedler-Leura expressed their enthusiasm for working together and promised to reveal a new project at Lifeline Productions soon.
Retired marketing executive Joel Ehrenpreis founded Lifeline Productions in 2022 to help produce a one-man show, “Clowns Like Me,” starring his son. Scott Ehrenpreis is a Sarasota-based actor who has appeared in such FST productions as “Network,” “The Front Page” and “The Lehman Trilogy.”
Image courtesy of Sorcha Augustine Will Leura and Maria Schaedler-Leura have joined Lifeline Productions as co-executive directors.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2025
FORKS & CORKS
Sunday, Jan. 26, at The Ringling | Benefiting the Sarasota-Manatee Originals
The courtyard at the Ringling Museum is where foodies and oenophiles gather annually during the capstone of the weeklong Forks & Corks festival. The Grand Tasting rounds out the week of celebration centered around food, wine and the people who revel in pairing the two.
The 18th annual event boasted some 1,800 guests, who also enjoyed a break in the weather, with temperatures jumping to 72 degrees by 1 p.m. after a chilly 52-degree Sarasota morning.
With more than 40 local restaurants participating, guests mingled and enjoyed unique recipes and delicious dishes. Forks & Corks brings out samples of more than 350 wines from across the world. Each is hand selected, tasted, judged and recognized as a winner. Guests are also kept busy with live music, a beer garden and shopping.
Forks & Corks is presented by the Sarasota-Manatee Originals restaurant group, whose mission is to champion local eateries. The focus of the day was food, fun and wine — not necessarily in that order.
— JANET COMBS
Michael Klauber, Gabriel Garcia, Emma Kate Silvestri and Joe Farrell
Kathy Gilkey, Brad Bryan and Gana Gilkey grab their selfie at Forks & Corks.
Photos by Janet Combs
Sean Cotter adds Gran Gala liqueur to flame up his flambé.
Colleen Shoemaker, Dilip Mathew, Kiley and Carson Turner, Cindy Adams and Brad Shoemaker enjoy a day at Forks & Corks.
Mark Viso and Kate Gibson toast.
Sima Powers, Meghan Medeiros, Caroline Yoder and Shea Joseph show off their brilliant smiles at Forks & Corks.
Karen Barnacle takes a break from the momentum for a moment.
Renae and Geir Fjugstad purchase Pouilly Fuissé.
Mark Hahn takes it all in from the top shelf overlooking the courtyard where some 1,800 guests are enjoying Forks & Corks.
Christina Chartrand and Courtney Bonacuse
or those of us who grew up outside of the Sunshine State and were accustomed to cold winters and snow, our blood seems to have thinned as of late. Our winter blues typically arrive when the pool heater’s on the fritz, and we definitely wig out when the air temp drops below 65 degrees. A coat a day does indeed keep the shivers away. Many in Florida were catching snowflakes instead of rays as the first month of 2025 whizzed by. Despite a slight lull in local fundraising events, there is always something going on behind the scenes if you look hard enough.
Anyone on social media has undoubtedly stumbled over a post where people are arguing about the identity of an animal they saw or snapped in extreme low light, akin to “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman!” Well, who knows, so let’s poll strangers and get into some public discourse!
That said, you may hear the purr of a Jaguar engine, but despite rumors to the contrary, you will not hear the purr of a jaguar cat in Florida. (We do have panthers.) But there are many other animals that call the 18 million acres of the Florida Wildlife Corridor home.
The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation held an event at Moore Bliss Farms with the intention of raising awareness and funding. Local conservationists and members of various other foundations enjoyed hors d’ oeuvres, cocktails and conversations.
Convos centered on preservation, including the latest news on wildlife crossings — those genius tunnels and bridges we build when animal habitats are bisected by roadways.
Wildlife crossings began in earnest when the 1972 Environmental Impact Statement created I-75 between Naples and Fort Lauderdale along Alligator Alleyway. The state now boasts over 200 active crossings. Board Chair PJ Marinelli, CEO Mallory Dimmitt and board member Elizabeth Moore (the “Moore” in Moore Bliss Farm) addressed the guests with facts and goals. While some of you may think downtown dweller Bob Bunting is
just another pretty face (and one who may no longer be available to all the single ladies) he actually is a world-renowned climate scientist.
He founded the Climate Adaptation Center five years ago with a mission of bridging the gap between research and public sector understanding of the changing climate.
The CAC will hold its 2025 Climate Champions Award Ceremony luncheon Feb. 12 at Michael’s On East, showcasing its Beacon Statue. This is a networking opportunity that is not to be missed.
Transitions
The Sarasota Orchestra began its year on a high note with the addition of India Marie Paul to its employee directory. Paul, previously employed by the Asolo Repertory Theatre as its special events manager, is now the orchestra’s director of donor engagement, special events. “Getting to help tell and be a part of Sarasota Orchestra’s story during such a time of growth and change has been wonderful and exciting. I’ve felt so welcomed and am looking forward to what is in store,” she said. Congratulations, India!
Celebrations
Is it even called work when you get to dress up as Bertha Palmer or John Ringling and ride around on a teal-colored trolley named Dolly while giving tours of Sarasota, recanting history and — big bonus — having the effervescent Tammy Hauser as your creative director and boss?
Tammy and her adorable pup, Charlie, who is the head of PR (puppy relations), hosted a holiday party for the cast of extremely talented characters who work at Discover Sarasota Tours. It was a night happily filled with tacos, games, stories and music.
Mazel tov to Laila Karp, who made her Bat Mitzvah at Temple Sinai on Jan. 11. Reveling in delight were her parents, Dr. Lisa Klein and Dr. Lance Karp, older sister Laurel, and many
other family members and friends.
The celebration with a forest theme took place across every room offered at the Field Club. Different species of trees decorated with mini lights, and tiny birds served as centerpieces.
The event was like walking into “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Guests enjoyed dinner, games, photo opps, a candy bar and dancing all night long.
The next weeks are filled with excuses to don fairy hair, a ball gown or a favorite tux. Mark your calendar to help support your favorite cause. Circus Arts Conservatory, Sarasota Orchestra, Catholic Charities, Sarasota Players, Sarasota Opera, Selby Gardens, and Sarasota Art Museum all have upcoming events. If you want to confirm a date, drop some intel or debate which animal you saw crossing Verna road at midnight, please email me at JCombs@ YourObserver.com.
Tammy and Charlie Hauser (center) hosted a holiday party for the cast of Discover Sarasota Tours.
Bob Bunting
India Marie Paul
Photos by Janet Combs
Fred Klein. Lisa Klein, Laila Karp, Laurel Karp, Lance Karp and Jeff Klein celebrate Laila’s Bat Mitzvah at Temple Sinai on Jan. 11.
Fresh Perspective Lunch Series
Photos by Lori Sax
Pauline Wamsler and Barbara Brizdle
Marion Levine and Karin Meyers Lois Schottenstein, Henry Lisi and Rangsook Yoon
Kandy Kaak and Jo Ann Burhart
Featured speaker Stefanie Block Reed and SAM Executive Director Virginia Shearer
John Dangaran, Charlotte Suhler and Laura Stuart Wood
Impact100 SRQ Awards
Wednesday, Jan. 22, at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium | Benefiting various nonprofits in Sarasota and Manatee counties
BLACK TIE
Monday, Feb. 3: 10:30 am Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota 3:00 pm Venice Presbyterian Church, 825 The Rialto, Venice
Cello (Artist Series Concerts Winner)
Matrick Thorpe is a 17-year-old contemporary/classical cellist from Sarasota, FL, where he attends Pine View School for the Gifted. While studying classical music with cellist Ann Alton, he has received several performance scholarships and awards. Music Mondays offers both musical performances and conversations with artists.
GLOBAL ISSUES I
Tuesday, Feb. 4: 10:30 am First United Methodist Church, 104 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota 2:30 pm Venice Community Center, 326 S Nokomis Ave, Venice
Wednesday, Feb. 5: 11:00 am Cornerstone Church, 14306 Covenant Way, Lakewood Ranch
Women of Afghanistan: Three Years of Oppression, Resistance, and
GLOBAL ISSUES II
Thursday, Feb. 6: 10:30 am First United Methodist Church, 104 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota 5:00 pm Cornerstone Church, 14306 Covenant Way, Lakewood Ranch Friday, Feb. 7: 10:00 am Venice Community Center, 326 S Nokomis Ave, Venice
Island Gallery and Studios invites you to our First Friday Artists Reception every month from, Nov - May from 5-7pm. Discover Bradenton’s premier art gallery offering one of a kind art works and unique gifts created by local artists. Enjoy Artist Demonstrations, Art Classes, and Critique Corner. Open Tues-Sat, 10-5 and Sun, 10-4 456 12th St W Bradenton FL www.islandgalleryandstudios.org (941)778-6648
Duo Karolina & Iwo
Karolina Mikolajczyk, violin
Iwo Jedynecki, accordion
February 6, 11:00 am (includes lunch)
Sarasota Yacht Club
One of the most interesting and original chamber ensembles performing today, Duo Karolina & Iwo breaks stereotypes about their instruments and defy categorization. Their wide-ranging repertoire includes everything from Bach and Mozart to Gershwin and Piazzolla.
Horns of Plenty
Hugo Bliss and Scott Sanders, horns with Joseph Holt, piano
March 13, 11:00 am (includes lunch)
Sarasota Yacht Club
A cornucopia of music for the most magnificent horn, including Beethoven’s mighty sextet for two horns and string quartet.
Catalyst Quartet
March 30, 4:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
This Grammy Award-winning quartet has toured widely throughout the United States and abroad, including sold-out performances in the world’s most prestigious venues. Their program includes music by Gershwin, Piazzolla, and Ravel.
The Arts Advocates Gallery inside the Crossings at Siesta Key mall is open every Saturday from 2-4 pm featuring the works of Sarasota Colony artists, the Florida Highwaymen, and changing monthly exhibits.
February 4
Art Talk
Robert Chase, Sarasota Legacy Artist and Icon 4-6 pm
Arts Advocates Gallery
Chase's life and work intersected with notable personalities such as Marie Selby, Cecil B. DeMille, Charlton Heston, and Emmett Kelly. Rick Sanders, Robert’s son-in-law, will share stories about his father-in-law's life, and discuss the eclectic residential compound which served as his studio.
February 20 Luncheon
Greg Rumph, Booker High School VPA Program 11:30 am-1 pm
Arts Advocates Gallery
Rumph, assistant principal and head of the renowned Booker High VPA program, will speak about preparing the next generation of artists. An artist himself, he has two paintings in the permanent collection of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis as well as in many private collections.
Summer Pfeiffer, Kelly Howard and Sara Kula
Photos by Janet Combs Elena Cassella and Annette Larkin represent grant winner Foundation for Dreams.
Lynne Anast and Jake Hartvigsen Impact100 was founded by Wendy Steele after recognizing women’s roles in philanthropy needed to be expanded. The first chapter began in Cincinnati in 2001. There are currently more than 60 chapters across the U.S., UK, Australia and New Zealand.
Toni Schemmel, Roberta Scales and Pam Kandziora
