This week, the Florida Studio Theatre finished this season’s “Write A Play” program, in which 21 winning plays from over 3,000 submissions were staged by a small FST cast. Over 300 people, including the winning young playwrights and their families, traveled to Sarasota to watch the new theatrical works and receive recognition at an awards ceremony. Now in its 22nd year, Write A Play expanded its reach to children living on military bases throughout Florida, which produced two winning plays and a tour to Kiryat Yam, Israel, from which three winning plays were performed during the festival.

Bonnie and Daphne Silvestri at FST’s “Under Six.”

Those of you who regularly read my posts know I have a special fondness for sharing the arts with my two-year-old daughter Daphne. After hearing that the Under Six program, which I enjoyed many years ago before I became a mom, was playing last weekend, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to bring Daphne to her first official play. All of the plays were written by children from kindergarten to sixth grade. Surely kids know what kids love, so I thought it would be right up her alley.

Although she was troubled when the lights were lowered, Daphne was captivated by many of the plays. Our favorite by far was The Boy Who Whistled, which Daphne has been talking about repeatedly for days. In this short play by fifth grader Tyler Wilson of Garden Elementary, a young boy loves to play his whistle but when he does, everyone around him immediately falls asleep. He even goes to a doctor, who promptly begins snoring the minute he seeks a cure. This cracked Daphne up. She loved it! Seeing these actors in full costume fall asleep every time a little boy played his whistle was hilarious. Only a young kid could come up with such a great concept to delight other children.

The Center of Planning Babies, by fifth grader Daniel Teper of Almogim School, was pretty intense and actually quite advanced for a youngster. In it, parents visit the eponymous center in hopes of planning the perfect baby for themselves with ideal hair and eyes, but at a cost. Although it was handled in a light-hearted manner, designer babies are surely a hot topic and something young Daniel may be able to take advantage of when he is ready to have a baby. A strange thing to contemplate—but the program moved on quickly to The Fight by fourth grader Virginia Babcock of Sigsbee Charter School, with two people engaging in a playful scuffle in front of the Eiffel Tower, one using a huge baguette. How apropos!

The cast of FST’s “Under Six.”

Another big hit with Daphne was Ernie’s Beach Day, by fifth grader Matthew Allen of Epiphany Cathedral School. She was excited about this one once she heard the title, and was ready to hop in the car for the beach herself. In the play, Ernie feels ready to search for seashells on his own but his overprotective father follows him. On his journey, he discovers a turtle and a crab. The crab tries to convince him to take the turtle home with him, but the turtle misses his own family under the sea. Ernie thinks better of it and sets the turtle free, learning a valuable lesson about the importance of family and environmental conservation.

We heard from the staff that ABZ’s was not to be missed, but since it came at the end, we unfortunately had already reached Daphne’s limit. The play, by fifth graders Molly Boyas, Zyanne Miller and Donato Quattro of the Julie Rohr Academy, contained a timeless and especially important message for our young people about tolerance and celebrating diversity. To access this kind of topic with young people through playwriting is a worthy and important endeavor, and this year FST won the WEDU “Be More Knowledgeable” Educational Outreach Award, which recognizes programs that offer guidance, knowledge, emotional support and mentorship to the community.

The fact that FST reaches out to schools throughout Florida and now internationally in this yearly award-winning program is extraordinary. Teaching children to access their creativity and write about their feelings and emotions in plays that can be shared with others is a gift. I know that I would have loved such a program as a young person, and I am grateful that in just a few years Daphne will have the chance to participate. If you want to catch Under Six, it is running May 19 – 24 for $6. For show times, contact Jennie Cole, Write A Play Manager, at (941) 366-9797.

The cast of “It Ain’t Nothin but the Blues.”

The cast came out on stage in high-energy mode, dancing and singing, their bodies undulating in perfect synchronicity with the music as they began a roughly two-hour journey through the history of blues music. The taint of slavery and its impact on the dance and music of black people was key in the entire production, and the cast captured the gravity of that experience in their performances.

As the troupe transitioned from songs sung to cope with enslavement, to the second act set in nightclubs and theaters, the musical and dance vocabulary remained an enduring thread. You could see the deep rhythmic movements of the dances of slavery carry through to the later showstoppers such as “Fever,” “Good Night Irene” and a haunting rendition of “Strange Fruit,” a once-forbidden song about lynchings in the South. The company also did a beautiful job demonstrating the strong connection of country and honkytonk music to the blues.

WBTT recently raised enough funds to purchase their building, and the space is an intimate black box theater that allows the audience great sight lines of the performers and the other audience members. I mention this because the only downside of the show for me was that the performers had such outsized talent that I often felt, particularly in the dance numbers, that they were constrained by the space. I wanted to watch them fly across the stage, and it was clear they were fully capable of doing so, but they seemed to have to stop short on a few occasions to ensure they didn’t end up in the lap of an audience member.

The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in a rousing performance.

There was one man in the front row who wouldn’t have minded that a bit, as he just barely stayed in his seat and frequently hit the stage with both hands to convey his deep appreciation for the production. I love to see someone so engaged with a show, so his reaction to this amazing production was endearing. To their credit, the cast never got rattled, and I think they appreciated the enthusiasm. At the conclusion of the show, they seemed to be signaling that we should all get up and dance, but the largely staid audience remained complacent and seated until the show was clearly over and then leapt to their feet for a standing ovation.

In another lovely and meaningful touch to the production, the entire cast formed a receiving line to thank the audience for coming. I enjoyed the opportunity to pay tribute to each of them one-on-one at the evening’s end, because these were such special performers who put so much into the production.

Lesson learned: If you want to see the WBTT, buy tickets early. The level of production is so high and the ticket prices so reasonable, it is likely that next year’s whole season will quickly sell out. That’s a risk you don’t want to take, because this gem of a theater company won’t be flying below the radar much longer. Although It Ain’t Nothin but the Blues is close to selling out, if you call the box office (941-366-1505) they may be able to find a few seats so you don’t miss this incredible show. For tickets for the final show of the season, Aunt Rudele’s Family Reunion, along with next season’s series, go to wbttsrq.org.

TWIS Contributor Bonnie Greenball Silvestri sat down with New York magazine art critic Jerry Saltz. Photo by Cliff Roles.

I was already a fan of Saltz from his weekly appearances on Bravo’s TV show Work of Art, a reality show seeking the next top artist. He was widely criticized for pandering to the public and derided for “destroying art” in becoming a part of the show, and I liked that he was willing to continue in spite of his detractors. But his on-screen persona was a bit edgy. What I didn’t know was that he would be so easy-going and spirited in person and that we would be so squarely on the same page that the arts need to become more accessible. (You can read more of my thoughts on reality TV arts shows here and here.)

The art world, especially the gallery scene in New York City, often gets a bad rap. Outside the tiny circle of artists, gallerists, curators and collectors, contemporary art can seem like an impenetrable wall to the general public. But Saltz is dedicated to tearing down that wall. In contrast to his detractors, Saltz believes that “art will do just fine” if it becomes more democratized.

“All you good little humanists, you want art to be understood and embraced by the public,” Saltz said, but then these same folks panic the minute the process of art making and art criticism is opened up for popular consumption.

To some extent, Saltz is a one-man show who allows art criticism to “cross this divide” between art makers and art consumers. In addition to his work for the magazine, he lectures regularly for art programs of the top universities in the country. Perhaps it is his training as an educator that makes him want to go beyond the confines of the four corners of his magazine. He responded with a personal note to every person who commented on his Work of Art recap blogs, which in the end garnered over 100,000 comments. Furthermore, Saltz said he resisted the magazine’s attempt to put up a firewall between him and his audience because he doesn’t want to “dance naked” alone. He wants to be understood. His “skin is like an elephant,” and he loves communicating with the public about his writing, art criticism and the art world itself.

Saltz wants to move away from the vertical model in which the art critic tells everyone else what to think about a painting, a sculpture or an exhibit, and that goes for the artists as well. Rather, he wants to create a “more horizontal platform” in which everyone has a voice in the creative process. He calls it the “40,000 headed beast” that seeks to engage in a conversation about art through online media.

“I’m not interested in power, I’m interested in credibility and in respect,” Saltz said. As he opens himself up to public critique, he makes himself a more valid critic. By pulling back the veil on the mysteries of contemporary art, he may be dragging the whole art world with him. Much like Web MD began to level the playing field in the doctor/patient relationship, Saltz has validated our particular tastes.

“My 15 percent may not overlap with your 15 percent,” Saltz said. But without public connossieur-ship, the art world may go the way of the dinosaurs. And with a richer understanding, we can begin to rely on the vehicle of the creative arts to help us communicate more meaningfully with one another. Three cheers to Saltz for taking on the establishment and winning!

Ricardo Graziano of the Sarasota Ballet wins the heart of the Wayward Daughter in La Fille Mal Gardée.

I loved that the leads were able to tell their story so clearly with facial expressions, gestures and movement that I didn’t need to read the plot to follow the full-length ballet. The sumptuous set, the brood of dancing chickens, the huge company of friends and peasants and the live pony made the production feel lavish for a smaller community production. But the true highlight was the music filling the Van Wezel’s large auditorium. It felt like a cocoon surrounding the audience and the dancers in a warm glow. Why on earth don’t dance companies and orchestras perform together all the time? Without the accompaniment of live musicians, even during even some of the most significant dance performances I have seen, the dancing seems naked and bare on stage by comparison.

At last week’s Creative Conversation about contemporary art in America, sponsored by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in connection of the award of the Greenfield Prize (see my accompanying post), the speakers lamented the demise of major orchestras and wondered what the future, if any, would be for such organizations. I wanted to exclaim, “Get them to perform with our dance and theater companies!” It seemed a rather simple point, but the writing is on the wall. We need expanded cross-disciplinary collaboration to feed an ever-more sophisticated audience.

The Sarasota Ballet and the Sarasota Orchestra wisely chose to perform together (with much-needed funding) for a variety of performances this season, but this was for me the most remarkable, perhaps because of the addition of the delightful conductor Ormsby Wilkins, Music Director of the American Ballet Theatre. I found my gaze frequently on him as he led the orchestra in this rousing performance.

Other highlights were the intricate dances performed using ribbons. First Honea, as the wayward daughter, danced with a pink ribbon alone, then she was joined by Graziano in a stunning duet concluding brilliantly in a cat’s-cradle arrangement. Later much of the company danced around a maypole creating a complex braided design, which they then unfurled with an equal amount of grace. Furthermore, the comic timing of all the performers was impeccable, and the chance to laugh at what can often be a more staid art form was a welcome change.

The ballet was performed in three acts and I would have preferred a slightly shorter evening, because it is difficult for both the dancers and the audience to keep the energy high when you close in on a three-hour mark. However, I thought the entire production was a pleasure to behold. Bravo once again, Sarasota Ballet!  There is one performance left this season: Theatre of Dreams, running May 3 – 5. Go to www.sarasotaballet.org for tickets.

Father and son bond in “A Song Still Inside”

The trio—Gregory Collins, the writer and director, along with Rodrigo Lopresti and Susan Highsmith, the starring actors—are a modern family of sorts who have come together to make this brilliant film about the choices families must make to achieve balance in their lives. Collins is the father of two young girls and the film relates to his life as a parent but is not autobiographical. Lopresti plays Mike, a father who is the primary caregiver while his actress wife Maggie, played by Highsmith, makes a film. Mike is an actor and writer, and attempts to keep his career afloat while his wife becomes the provider. The pair have a great deal of easy chemistry and a loving but strained relationship. Collins feels that this very personal and intimate film is a great conversation starter to examine changing gender roles and the difficulties inherent in dual-career families. He said that he loves to explore issues of identity, and Mike’s character, sympathetically interpreted by Lopresti in a virtuoso performance, struggles against losing himself in his love for his family. Mike makes some difficult and inappropriate decisions in the film, and Maggie is jolted back into her role as nurturer.

“Ultimately it’s the woman’s baby and the man is the helper,” Collins said, which I thought was fascinating, particularly in light of the fact that the film largely focuses on the incredible bond between father and son. In my “Women and the Law” class, we focus on gender equity and whether that goal is truly achievable. Until we address gender roles head-on, as Collins does so creatively in his highly entertaining and engaging film, we will likely continue to fall back on shorthand despite all of the strides we have made. Films that flip the script like this one does will help us all on our journey as we find our way as parents. Mike’s plight as a father is so universal, it may help move us forward toward a deeper understanding of the challenges of modern parenting.

Maggie and her director in A Song Still Inside

Collins, like Nina Davenport, filmmaker of First Comes Love (who I interviewed earlier this week) also opened up to me about the problems he sees in contemporary society. He believes that our society professes to be “family-friendly,” but instead is actually a “hostile environment” for families. He said you “get baby-bashed all the time,” so families end up being relegated to specific activities and unable to fully integrate children into their lives. For example, he said “family movies” are usually cartoons, not films about family relationships.

Highsmith said she drew upon her early life as a nanny for her role as Maggie, and she agreed that our culture is very “fear-based” when it comes to raising children. Collins also talked about the high price of child care, and how difficult it is to make a living when so much of what we earn goes to paying someone to watch our children.

“I wanted to make a film that I wanted to watch,” Collins said. He wanted to “mine his day-to-day life” to tell a story that would address how we choose to prioritize among our roles as “parents, partners, and professionals,” and how one area invariably suffers as we make room for these other roles. He compared taking his film to film festivals, such as the Sarasota Film Festival (which all three are loving), to sending a child off to daycare.

“You give it love and hope it’s embraced,” Collins said. Come on, Sarasota—let’s show this beautiful movie, A Song Still Inside, some love. The film screens Friday, April 12 at 2:30 p.m. Try not to miss it!

Mike, played by Rodrigo Lopresti, rehearses a script for his young audience

Gail, played by Reta Rehn, is a patriotic Southern belle.

The premise of sisters-in-law from very different backgrounds (Naomi is an African-American woman who hails from Chicago, and Gail is a true blue Southern belle) trying to find common ground is rich with possibilities. For some reason, none of the characters ever addresses the fact that Gail loves Naomi as she would her own sister but immediately rejects Anisah, who has taken such good care of Naomi in her time of need, merely because she is a Muslim Afghani. Gail’s ultimate redemption seems so inevitable that is hard to buy the tension between the two.

Another intriguing aspect of the play is the budding friendship between Anisah and Gail’s handsome son Bo, Jr., who Naomi calls “damaged” because of a family tragedy that took place when he was a younger man with a bright future. Bo, Jr. gives Anisah a landscaping job with his company. Despite the protective shield he has put up around himself, he begins to lighten from spending time with Anisah. Anisah views every new experience in his hometown with a childlike exuberance, and he is able to reminisce with her about his childhood spitting watermelon seeds and catching fireflies before things went so terribly wrong for him and his family. Perhaps the most charming character is Bo, Sr., who has his own prejudices primarily by proxy for Gail, on whom he willingly dotes; but he wants what is best for his family.

The acting is solid with the most subtle and believable performances coming from the Bos (Graham Stuart Allen as Bo, Jr. and Andy Prosky as Bo, Sr.), and one can get swept away in the love story between Bo, Jr. and Anisah. However, subtlety is not a strong suit of the production. A broom motif figures in nearly every scene, with “sweep her in, sweep them out” as Gail’s campaign theme and characters “jumping the broom” to get married, and the multitude of brooms undercuts the universal message of the power of love to conquer even the most hardened prejudices.

Florida Studio Theatre excels at plays about social justice, such as this season’s tremendous Best of Enemies, last season’s winning Jericho and even earlier productions such as Ruined and Black Pearl Sings. Although In the Book Of deals with the timely issue of immigration policy and our foreign wars, it doesn’t tread new ground. No matter: FST will soon be bringing down the house again. I eagerly await announcements for their upcoming summer season!

Here is my one-on-one conversation with Nina. She has a lot to say about dating, single motherhood, feminist filmmaking and the state of affairs in America for parents and families. For those who saw my interview last month with Anne-Marie Slaughter, author of Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, this is a great follow-up to Anne-Marie’s commentary. Stay tuned later this week for my interview with Gregory Collins, filmmaker of A Song Still Inside, about a father’s experience as the primary caregiver for his young son.

- Videography by McFadden Creative.

Beautiful Sarah Nealis makes her Asolo Rep debut in “Venus in Fur.”

I must start by saying that Venus in Fur at the Asolo Rep is seriously, almost dangerously intense. I don’t want to give away too much; I knew next to nothing about the play going into it, other than the fact that it was recommended for mature audiences only. I’m glad I didn’t read the program before the show began so that I had no idea what to expect. The twists and turns in this brilliant production were alluring, revealing and imaginative.

Despite the warnings, the relationship between the two leads remained relatively chaste throughout the production, but the sexual tension—particularly from our vantage point in the second row—was electric. (Note: If you see this show on a date, please see it with someone you find sexy, because if you don’t, you are in for an uncomfortable evening.)

We begin by meeting a playwright, the uptight and rather priggish Thomas (Scott Kerns). He has a somewhat smug attitude on the phone with his fiancee, who awaits his return at home, as he tells her he found the women he auditioned to play the leading role of Vanda to be trite and dull. In walks a last-minute hopeful who wants desperately to audition for Thomas’ play—and wouldn’t you know, her name is Vanda. Played by Sarah Nealis, Vanda is a fiery redhead who spends the majority of the play in her bra, garters and stockings. She appears at first to be unprepared for the role and cleverly spoofs the acting process as she gets into character. Unsurprisingly, we soon realize she is perfect for the role; and Thomas, reading the male lead, is thrilled with her interpretation of his femme fatale. It is as if he is meeting Vanda for the first time as a fully realized woman. Now that she is three-dimensional, she quite literally has a mind of her own with a personal take on how the role should be played. One can imagine how exciting this must be for a playwright, and we get to be a part of this artistic process.

Sarah Nealis and Scott Kerns get steamy in Venus in Fur. Photo by Cliff Roles.

We learn that the play itself, which Vanda calls “porn,” is dark and twisted. Vanda wants to learn more about the man who chose to devote himself to the unusual story, based on the novella Venus in Fur by Leopold Ritter von Sacher-Masoch. The term “masochism” was based on Sacher-Masoch’s literary development of his desire to find pleasure in pain.

By forcing him to play the role she assumes is his alter ego, Vanda peels away at Thomas’ conventional exterior in a veiled attempt to understand why he would be so drawn to this late 19th century novella. As the audition continues, Vanda’s knowledge of the play is revealed to be much more intimate than she initially wanted Thomas to believe. In fact, he finds that her script and the novella, which she brought along to the audition, were both, as he says, “well thumbed.” One wonders what else she was doing while preparing for the role.

Lest I be forced to give you a spoiler alert, I will stop here and advise you that if you want a sophisticated, adults-only evening that is tumultuous and surprising, you must get tickets for this tantalizing production! Go to asolorep.org.

The Games Afoot brings Sherlock Holmes to the stage.

Gillette is shot on stage during the opening scene and survives. He then sets about trying to solve his own attempted assassination using the techniques of his alter ego, Holmes. He invites the cast and an infamous theatre critic to his palatial mansion in Connecticut to simultaneously celebrate Christmas Eve and try to solve a crime. The play is reminiscent of the classic board game Clue, complete with an elaborate setting, mystery-solving gadgets galore and suspicious characters, each of whom has a complex backstory.

Kudos to the set designers for creating Gillette’s opulent compound with larger-than-life portraits of Holmes and Watson, secret rooms and a two-story Christmas tree. And bravo to the fabulous costume designers for Gillette’s gorgeous smoking jacket, actress Madge Geisel’s red and green velvet jeweled coat and critic Daria Chase’s sparkly dress, which she “just threw on” to come to the Gillette mansion.

Stunning costumes in the classic whodunit “The Game’s Afoot.”

The Game’s Afoot cast was top-notch as usual. Two of the stand-out performances of the evening were the sharp-tongued Chase, played by Gail Rastorfer, who was reminiscent of Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada; and Gillette’s dotty mother, Martha, a loyal matriarch who holds the motley crew together.

The play, although not my favorite this season, was light-hearted and spirited, certain to be a crowd-pleaser. Because it focused on the camaraderie of a repertory cast, the play served as a great reminder of just how talented and versatile our local repertory company is. Most of the cast has already played a variety of roles this season, including ingénue Aggie, played by Brittany Proia; her husband Simon, played by Joseph McGranaghan; and her mother, played by Peggy Roeder, who all perform together in this year’s production of You Can’t Take It With You. It was also lovely to see so many other Asolo luminaries, including Clybourne Park star Tyla Abercrumbie and Associate Artists Doug Jones and David Breitbarth present in the audience on opening night to support their fellow cast members.

We are so fortunate to have a fantastic repertory company here in our local community, and The Game’s Afoot demonstrates that actors working “in rep” become as close as family when they work together on stage regularly. You can feel the familiarity among the cast as you begin to see the Asolo shows on a regular basis, and that just adds to the experience.

If you love farce and murder mysteries, be sure to check out The Game’s Afoot at asolorep.org. Up next, Venus in Fur premieres on Friday, April 5. Stay tuned to This Week in Sarasota for my review.

As soon as I get my hands on an SFF film guide, I scour it trying to decide what to see and when to see it, toggling back and forth between the film list and the calendars in back, which help ensure your films don’t overlap. When I have film conflicts during the jam-packed week, I always favor more obscure movies lacking big-name stars, because those are unlikely to open in local theaters and will be much harder to track down later.

I love documentaries, particularly the ones that take me on armchair adventures. Film can transport me to places and cultures that may be beyond my reach or even beyond my tolerance (I’m more of a “hotel with robes” kind of a girl). Documentaries take me inside worlds to which I wouldn’t otherwise have access.

Once while traveling on a yoga retreat to Costa Rica, one of the other participants told me about all of her adventures traveling the globe, meeting people in small villages and far-away regions. My response to every story was, “I saw a documentary about that!” I found myself recommending documentaries to this globetrotter, and I realized that occasionally I had learned more about a region or culture through a two-hour film than she was able to in her travels, because a filmmaker can give the viewer a perspective that is often difficult to capture, for even the most intrepid adventurer.

Although there are many more films I wish to see, here are my top five picks (a mixture of documentaries and dramas):

1. Without Shepherds (Friday, April 12, 2:15 p.m. and Sunday, April 14, 6:15 p.m.)

This documentary is about six Pakistanis who are trying to bring about social change in their war-torn country. I like the idea of these “shepherds” taking me inside the world of the average Pakistani so I can better understand what is taking place in that region. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to find it alarming that Osama Bin Laden was essentially hiding in plain sight in their country;

2. First Comes Love (Monday, April 8 at 7:15 p.m. and Tuesday, April 9 at 5:30 p.m.)

First Comes Love is a self-revelatory documentary about the filmmaker’s experience having a baby on her own at 41. In past work, Davenport seems to specialize in helping us understand the lives of single women, as she has “always been obsessed with the institution of marriage and its promises of fulfillment” (Always a Bridesmaid). Up until now, this accomplished filmmaker had not yet taken time out to have a child, and the film follows her journey to single motherhood. I’m hoping to bring TWIS readers an interview with Davenport during the film festival.

3. You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet (Saturday, April 6 at 1 p.m. and Tuesday, April 9 at 2:30 p.m.)

This French film with English subtitles is about a dying playwright who gathers his theatrical friends together for a modern reading of the play Eurydice and then encourages them to play various roles. I love the idea of this one—first of all, true theater people always intrigue me because their lives are spent inhabiting other characters; second, it’s sure to be a feel-good, tear-jerker film, which I always love and which you can count on from the great programmers at SFF.

4. After Tiller (Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 at 5:30 p.m.)

This documentary takes a hard look at the aftermath of the assassination of one of the only remaining doctors in America willing to perform late-term abortions. This sounds like an incredible film that will surely invoke some soul-searching among viewers about what will happen if politicians continue to play such an all-encompassing role in determining what women do with their own bodies—but which will also will show us in real time the complexity of late-term abortions.

5. Renoir (Monday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m.)

Another French film, this is hands-down the one I am most excited to see. Renoir tells the story of a young woman who models for the great Impressionist painter and meets the artist’s son upon his return from the front of World War I. This appears to be a passionate love story about the power of art, set on the French Riviera and promising details of the life of perhaps my favorite artist, Auguste Renoir. I would practically hang from the rafters to get to see this one!

So with that, I hope to see you at the movies!  Stay tuned for my interviews with some of the filmmakers.

We recently checked out By Gershwin, which features four seasoned performers covering many of the Gershwin brothers’ countless hits during the roughly two-hour production. Robert H. Fowler was adorable, particularly in comedic roles as the nerdy object of affection. Liz Power has a beautiful voice and did a lovely rendition of “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Stephen Hope was a bit over-the-top in his versions of some of the classics, such as “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” for my taste; but he showed great talent and ability in repeatedly and rapidly singing the complicated names of all the famous European composers while pointing to their respective homelands on a map onstage.

Jannie Jones and Robert H. Fowler flirt in “By Gershwin.”

Georgia Court dedicates a new cabaret.

By far, the most outstanding performer of the evening was Jannie Jones, who stole the show as a cheeky vixen throughout most of the opening numbers. Her powerhouse voice was reminiscent of the great Jennifer Hudson, and it would be quite a contest should these two divas square off in a singing competition. The highlight of the night was Jones’ chill-inducing rendition of “Summertime.” I regret that she didn’t get the chance to sing another of my favorites from Porgy and Bess, “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man of Mine,” but that just goes to show that the Gershwins were so prolific that even some of their greatest tunes didn’t make it into this retrospective.

FST productions are so popular that, with generous community support, they decided to build a second cabaret theater adjacent to the recently remodeled Gompertz Theatre. The “Court Cabaret” was dedicated earlier this month to honor John C. Court. Court loved theater, and his wife, Georgia, thought the cabaret would be a fitting honor for her late husband. The Court Cabaret is also a 110-seat theater modeled after the Goldstein Cabaret to ensure that FST subscribers (the theater has the fourth largest subscription base in the country) as well as single-ticket buyers can see their productions. Note also that I will be reviewing In the Book Of, which opens March 29th. For more information and tickets to all of these shows, go to floridastudiotheatre.org.

The cast of “By Gershwin” salute the master composer.

Racial tensions flare in Clybourne Park.

The play begins with an older white couple surrounded by boxes in an upscale home as they prepare to move to a northern Chicago suburb, presumably to improve the pajama-clad Russ’ commute to work. Russ, played by the sublime Doug Jones, reaches a slow burn in the first act as we learn why his soul has been deadened. His chipper wife Bev, played with an irrepressible charm by Annabel Armour, tries to keep everyone civil as circumstances among the characters grow bitter. We learn that the two have sold their home to an African-American family; and busybody Karl (played by David Breithbarth in yet another stellar Asolo performance) tries to talk them out of it for “the sake of the neighborhood.” He has convinced himself that everyone would be happier if like stayed with like. He uses a distaste for unfamiliar foods as a surrogate for his overt distrust of African-Americans, giving even the family maid Francine (Tyla Abercrumbie, who only shows a portion of the fire she will light in the second act) and her husband Albert (Christopher Wynn) a wide berth when he enters the house. We learn that a great tragedy has taken place in the home, causing the family to accept a lower price for it. Ironically, this real estate transaction ushers in a new era of desegregation, as the first African-American family is able to afford a home in the neighborhood.

Lena (Tyla Abercrumbie) stands her ground in Clybourne Park.

In act two, 50 years later, the home is once again up for sale, but this time a white couple, Steve and Lindsey, played by Breithbarth and Sarah Brown (his wife in the first act as well), has chosen to move into the newly-gentrifying neighborhood, which offers architectural gems and a short commute to downtown Chicago. Abercrumbie (playing a descendant of the first black residents) and Wynn revisit roles similar to act one, this time as Lena and Kevin. Kevin just wants to fit in with the new neighbors, but Lena wants to hold on to the cohesiveness of the neighborhood in which she grew up. This time, Steve and Lindsey are the ones posing a threat to the community with their overly large home, koi pond and unfortunate taste. Steve and Lena use the protective barriers of racial stereotypes and invoke notions of reparations and the extinct white male, while the rest of the cast struggles to keep the peace and avoid offending one another. The laughs are uncomfortable but feel cathartic. One wonders when, if ever, it will be completely acceptable to treat racial issues with humorous commentary; and at the same time, why, even after we have elected our first black president, one would feel the need to declare, “I even dated a black guy!”

The play suggests that in many ways we are no further along in eliminating racial barriers than we were 50 years ago. However, one can find some comfort in the fact that Kevin works for a firm across the street from Lindsey’s office; that both couples have traveled to Prague; and that Kevin is a far more proficient skier than Steve. And, perhaps, even if these neighbors never become friends, their children will. For more information about this excellent production and to purchase tickets, go to asolorep.org.

Anne-Marie Slaughter’s by-now infamous article, “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” was read by over half a million readers within the first week of publication. It has touched a nerve with women in America and around the globe. Slaughter was the keynote speaker this Tuesday at the Women’s Resource Center’s Renaissance Luncheon, where she told us that her article “caught a wave, and it turned into a tsunami.” Slaughter said that “our country needs to value caregiving,” which is absolutely not happening currently; and that since her article’s publication, women have been thanking her for launching such an important conversation. But in contrast to the gratitude expressed, she has also faced an equal dose of disapproval, particularly from feminists who fear that she is setting the movement back by admitting that achieving true work/life balance is often an insurmountable hurdle.

She said that many people have also criticized her for being a perfectionist, but she joked, “If I could just show you a picture of my kitchen, [you’d see] perfectionism isn’t an issue.” Rather, she said that if “you can’t name it, you can’t change it,” so she felt it was important that a woman in her position get the ball rolling to begin to work toward meaningful social change. Slaughter would like to see “flexibility around caregiving” in the workplace. She said, “If family comes first, work does not come second; life comes together.”

I was honored to interview Anne-Marie, and I had the opportunity to speak to several other attendees about their reactions to the article and to the difficulties of work/life balance. You can watch our discussions in these videos from the Renaissance Luncheon, produced by McFadden Creative.

I heard this over and over when I was pregnant, and I responded with a polite smile and internal eye roll. But now I know that the mystery of becoming a parent is one of the few things that cannot possibly be explained until you experience it for yourself. What it’s like to go to college or take a trip to Europe or even to get married are all well within even an adequate storyteller’s capabilities. But the sea change that comes with giving birth is so transformative that superlatives fail me.

The “Redefining Balance” luncheon with Anne-Marie Slaughter is on March 12.

I tell you this to explain why I am so excited that Anne-Marie Slaughter, author of “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” in the July/August edition of The Atlantic, is speaking at the Ritz-Carlton this Tuesday, March 12 at noon for the Women’s Resource Center Renaissance Luncheon called “Redefining Balance.”

Had she given this talk before the birth of my daughter, I would have wanted to poke holes in her premise that women still can’t have it all. Like most career women, I never paused to consider whether or how I would achieve balance, I just was certain that I would. But now, with the understanding that comes from mothering, it is entirely apparent why Slaughter chose such a provocative (even anger-inducing) title for her important article.

Anne-Marie Slaughter, author of “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All”

Slaughter, the mother of two, is an incredibly accomplished woman. She is currently the Bert G. Kerstetter ’66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. From 2009 to 2011 she served as Director of Policy Planning for the United States Department of State, the first woman to hold that position, and was the dean of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs from 2002 to 2009. She is also the author of six books. She came to the difficult conclusion that women can’t have it all when she decided to leave her post at the Department of State after two years and return home to be with her husband and teenaged sons. She realized that, at least as far as she was concerned, certain careers do not lend themselves to parenting, and that families often suffer when one or both parents try to tip the scales toward career. If a superwoman like Slaughter can’t do it all, it is clear that it is time for everyone to have a discussion that is long overdue.

Janice Zarro, Executive Director of the Women’s Resource Center, stated, “Women have new opportunities, wonderful opportunities, and they also have new challenges.” Zarro said that this talk is geared toward women of all ages because, in addition to their role as mothers, women are often caretakers for an elderly parent or spouse as well.

“Women strive for balance at all different times in their lives,” Zarro added, saying that she hopes that this program will help give women the tools they need to achieve their goals and to care for their families. She also has plans for the Women’s Resource Center to help foster this dialogue in our community following the event. All the proceeds from the program (tickets are still available for $95) go to the work of the Women’s Resource Center, which supports women in all aspects of their lives.

If you still wish to get a ticket to the Renaissance Luncheon, call 941-366-1700 or visit this website to get yours today! And be sure to visit This Week in Sarasota next week for my review of the program. I hope to spark a dialogue with our readers too!

“Lilac Garden” performed by Ricardo Graziano and Victoria Hulland of the Sarasota Ballet. Photo by Frank Atura.

On a personal note, I have recently returned to ballet after a 25-year hiatus with both “Mommy and Me” ballet classes and my first adult ballet class at the Sarasota Ballet’s downtown rehearsal space this past week. As an amateur I don’t have to worry about bruises on my feet or my body type, so I can just revel in experiencing the beauty of the art form itself as I breeze in and out of them each week. This is the first show I have seen since revisiting ballet class, and it served to enhance my pleasure in watching the performance.

My favorite piece of the evening, Les Rendezvous, was an old-school ballet gem, and the dancers were impeccable in their performance. It was a flurry of white ruffles, pink satin bows and some of the most spectacular lifts I have seen the company do. Ricardo Rhodes leapt from the earth repeatedly, and from our fantastic second-row seats it was positively breathtaking. Additionally the ballerinas, led by the delightfully coy and charming Kate Honea and the always-adorable Sara Sardelli, were light and ethereal in their movement while assisted by their strong partners, including Logan Learned, who turned in three great performances during the evening.

“Lilac Garden” was a psychological piece full of longing, desire and regret. Victoria Hulland, who displayed real acting chops in addition to virtuoso dancing, was Caroline, a lovelorn beauty reunited at her garden engagement party with her dashing former lover, danced by the perfectly-cast Ricardo Graziano. Rounding out the leading roles were “The Man She Must Marry (David Tyaliye) and “An Episode in His Past,” played by Danielle Brown as Tyaliye’s haughty and sophisticated former lover. I found myself a bit frustrated that the quartet never talked through the fact that they each were in love with the other’s partner—nothing a swift group therapy session couldn’t resolve! But the performance was so beautiful, and the dancers, particularly Hulland and Brown, dancing their roles for the second time, truly captured the emotions of this heartbreaking affair. Most touching was when the cast was still in a tableau, and Hulland alone stepped with painstaking care over to Graziano to feel his presence one last time before she married another man.

The masked dancers of the Sarasota Ballet heated things up in a series of pieces about life in Italy in “I Napoletani.” Photo by Frank Atura.

Finally, I Napoletani was gorgeous, if a bit uneven, beginning with the incredible “Stabat Mater,” in which the company performers, men and women, wore gray tutus, portraying what seemed to be an array of beautiful birds. Their careful muscular movements were truly extraordinary. A series of playful dances followed that seemed to feed into stereotypes about Italians: loving pizza, using their hands in boisterous gestures and brazenly flirting. It was fun and light-hearted, and once again Learned stole the show for me in “Guaglione,” as he tried every trick in the book to win Hulland’s heart. Also noteworthy was Graziano’s solo in “O Sole Mio” that completed the evening, but the ending felt abrupt and left me wanting more. Luckily I can get my fix next month with the Sarasota Ballet’s presentation of La Fille mal Gardee (The Wayward Daughter) on April 18 and 19 at the Van Wezel. The performance will be accompanied by the Sarasota Orchestra, and live accompaniment always enhances the performance—so don’t miss it!  For tickets, go to sarasotaballet.org.

The first piece, “Birthday Offering,” featured seven female soloists, each in the role of one of the original Sadler’s Wells dancers for whom Sir Frederick Ashton created the piece. Every dancer brought a different character to life, and each part of the piece showcased the strengths of the dancers selected.  As much as I adore soloist Danielle Brown, she did have a few moments where she slipped with her able partner, one of my new favorites, Ricardo Rhodes. However, these brief moments only served to remind the viewer of the degree of difficulty with which our local ballet company is constantly challenging itself. The costumes were stunning and reminded me of a gilded music box filled with ballerinas. “Offering” was decadent and marvelous and made me wonder if I prefer the company when they perform classical pieces.

After the lengthy intermission, during which I overheard a few intrepid theatergoers trying to catch a bit of the Super Bowl, I realized that the company has, if it’s possible, truly taken itself to another level (which I feel I declare after every show)! The next piece, “Between Longing and Yearning,” was so demanding and so professional, it reminded me of the work of one of my favorite choreographers, David Parsons, who creates muscular, very physical pieces. I learned later that it was actually choreographed by a relative newcomer, Jamie Carter, one of the company’s coryphée dancers. The maturity of the lines and movement of the dancers in the choreography blew me away. I love watching our local company grow and develop. I feel connected with the dancers themselves because I see them year after year. I have watched Logan Learned begin to shed his sweet boyish charm as he morphs into a major force in the company. Every once in a while I catch a flash of a quick trademark grin, which only serves to make his overall graceful mien more delightful. Also notable in this piece was Ricki Bertoni, who seems like a leaner, meaner dancing machine this year. Their duet felt fresh and yet traditional, particularly in a year when same-sex marriage has stood at the front of national consciousness.

But there was nothing quite like the final piece, “Changing Light,” which was probably the best thing I have ever seen the Sarasota Ballet do.

“Changing Light” performed by the Sarasota Ballet.

I wish I could watch it over and over again whenever I feel down or melancholy. I was so touched by the incredible optimism and joy in this piece that brought me back to a time before I knew just how tough the world can be. The dancers were alternately dressed in oranges and blues, backed by a blue screen behind them. Apparently (and not surprisingly), choreographer Will Tuckett was inspired by our beautiful sunsets over the Gulf. Although it is an age-old question whether art or nature can lift the spirits more, I have to say that “Changing Light,” accompanied by an amazing score by Jeremy Holland-Smith, truly rivals even one of our most stunning sunsets. I saw their last performance of this piece, and the dancers seemed to revel in it, wanting to sit in the pockets of the piece for as long as they could. If I were a dancer, I would be heartbroken to have to let a piece like that rest at the end of the run. Should I ever again question whether I ought to rally for a night out, I will remember this magical dance performance. Only a few short weeks remain until the next performance—I will be there!

For tickets, vist the Sarasota Ballet’s website at sarasotaballet.org.

Joseph and Susan Mary Alsop read one of his ubiquitous columns in FST’s “The Columnist.”

Joseph Alsop, a warrior with a typewriter, is the unusual subject of the Florida Studio Theatre‘s new play, The Columnist, which opened this weekend. The William F. Buckley-esque Alsop was a permanent fixture on the Washington, D.C. social scene, culminating in a visit from President John F. Kennedy on the night of his inauguration. Playwright David Auburn, a Pulitzer Prize winner for his play Proof, chose to feature Alsop when he researched the Vietnam War and continuously found Alsop’s name among the footnotes of history. Alsop was an outspoken advocate as a behind-the-scenes advisor to Kennedy and publicly through his ubiquitous columns supporting the now-besmirched war.

This proved an interesting week to premiere this play about the meaning and efficacy of war, given that during his confirmation hearings, Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam War veteran who is noted for questioning that war as well as this century’s wars in Iraq and Afganistan, was raked over the coals by hawkish senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham. During the painful-to-watch proceedings, which have run repeatedly on television for the past several days, McCain and Graham tried to get Hagel to admit he was wrong to question our country’s love affair with war. The nomination hearing gives Americans the chance to consider whether the Defense Secretary ought to defend our country through peaceful means or whether we must test a nominee’s willingness and desire to go to war; and Hagel has become a flashpoint for this important question.

Alsop came from a politically well-connected family, related to both Presidents Theodore and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which gave him a unique insider status and incredible access to the highest echelons of power. He elected to serve in World War II as a historian with the Flying Tigers and was even held captive in Hong Kong by the Japanese. Additionally, he was a closeted homosexual whose status was an open secret in Washington. His life experience shaped him as a writer and public policy advocate, and he proved to be a fascinating figure with whom to spend a couple of hours. Jeff Plunkett brilliantly portrays the complex Alsop by capturing both his pomp and his genuine humanity. Although Alsop dismisses coverage of civil rights, he vigorously defended those accused by Senator Joseph McCarthy of communism.

His marriage of convenience to the lovely and long-suffering Susan Mary (played by Rachel Moulton, who sizzled in last season’s Jericho) enabled him to host parties for the who’s-who in Washington and gave him the chance to play doting stepdad to his precocious stepdaughter Abigail (Marie Claire Roussel). Although his politics are difficult to stomach with the benefit of hindsight, he proves to be a charming relic, especially in his sparring scenes with his beloved brother and his heart-to-heart with Abigail, who drops out of Harvard to oppose the war he so staunchly supported. Pulitzer-prize winning writer David Halberstam reports from the field in Vietnam and joins the ranks of a new brand of journalists who look critically at government policies. Halberstam and Abigail represent the younger generation who question authority, while the Alsops stay firmly rooted in the old guard.

Alsop declares early in the play that he tells his readers what to care about, and The Columnist pulls back the curtain on a bygone era when a powerful writer could influence geopolitics. As much as we may criticize the media today, the proliferation and choice of sources has democratized our political system as we march toward an era of greater social justice and political awareness. This exploration of a long-forgotten political figure reminds us that, although the lack of a clear guide through the messiness of politics can be destabilizing, our country is the better for it.

For tickets to this thoughtful and well-acted production of The Columnist, go to floridastudiotheatre.org.

Lovebirds Alice and Tony are from different sides of Central Park.

In this play, set toward the latter part of the Great Depression, the eccentric Sycamore clan lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, near Columbia University, and while away their days together doing whatever suits their fancy. Older sister Essie (Lindsey Tornquist) is a budding ballerina who can’t pirouette after eight years of lessons; her husband Ed (Joseph McGranaghan) loves to play the xylophone and print the menu for their nightly dinners of corn flakes and home-made candies; father Paul (David Breitbarth) enjoys reading Trostky and building fireworks in the basement; and mother Penny (Peggy Roeder) is an amateur playwright and painter obsessed with sex. The only two in the family who seem to have ventured below 103rd street are grandpa Martin Vanderhof and younger sister Alice.

Beautiful Alice (Brittany Proia) has fallen in love with Tony Kirby (Brendan Ragan), a delightful and witty young man whose father runs the company for which Alice works. Proia (who has a lovely voice when she belts out a love song while cavorting with Tony) and Ragan (who was equally charming in 2011′s Lobby Hero at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory when he was also paired with Proia) have great chemistry and create the kind of couple in Alice and Tony that you would love to have on your guest list for a successful dinner party. Alice is afraid that Tony’s straight-laced aristocratic father (veteran Asolo actor Douglas Jones, who can always be counted on for a stellar performance) and socialite mother (Gail Rastorfer, who has an upcoming appearance in The Heidi Chronicles) will be horrified by her nearly-certifiable family. But Tony is taken with the clan and is almost quirky enough to fit right in.

Former financier Grandpa Vanderhof heads the quirky clan.

The entire play is set in the insular world of the Sycamore household, but the call of Wall Street is ever-present. We learn that even the snake-collecting tax evader Grandpa Vanderhof (David S. Howard, who was so endearing in this role he made me heartsick for my own grandpa) was a successful financier who gave up his work decades ago when he realized it wasn’t making him happy. Grandpa sees a bit of himself in young Tony, who has joined the family business after “knocking around” a bit after college. When the Kirbys and Sycamores finally do meet, the families’ very different philosophies on life force a culture clash with hilarious implications. Among the best moments were Peggy’s suggestion that everyone play a game of word association, during which we learn that Mr. Kirby thinks of Wall Street during sex and spends much of his family time in the bathroom dealing with work-induced indigestion. The Sycamores have an unwitting manner of helping others understand themselves, and one gets the sense that, despite the Kirbys’ discomfort with the mayhem, spending time with the Sycamores is the most fun any of them has had in years.

You Can’t Take It With You is a light-hearted romp that lets us go back to a simpler time when anarchists and capitalists could sit down to dinner and the chasm between the one percent and everyone else could be breached with a parlor game and a sincere discussion of ideas. Or maybe, just maybe, I miss the Upper West Side. Either way, I highly recommend this engaging production playing through April 20. Tickets are available at asolorep.org.

Ku Klux Klan leader, C.P. Ellis, and civil rights activist Ann Atwater clash in Best of Enemies.

Enter Florida Studio Theatre’s latest production, Best of Enemies, to keep these important topics front and center even as we head full throttle into the holiday season. The real-life story of a Ku Klux Klan leader named C.P. Ellis (played by FST regular Sheffield Chastain) and an African-American civil rights leader named Ann Atwater (played by Stephanie Weeks) asks powerful questions about race and money, but leads the audience to a holiday-worthy conclusion about the role of goodwill and redemption in achieving lasting social change. Ellis is hateful, spiteful and malicious, a perfect candidate to run the local Ku Klux Klan in Durham, North Carolina. He has behind-the-scenes relationships with politicians who believe in his message but can’t be publicly associated with his cause. Chastain manages to make Ellis a sympathetic character even before he makes a major transformation, and I attribute that to Chastain’s excellent performance and to Ellis’ oddly sweet relationship with his long-suffering wife, Mary, played with subtle grace by Amanda Duffy. Atwater has built up such a rough shell from her bitter life experiences it seems impenetrable, but slowly, through a nuanced performance by Weeks, she lets her humanity come through.

Ku Klux Klan Leader Ellis lets his soft side show through with wife Mary.

Ellis’ and Atwater’s lives intersect when they are approached by Bill Riddick (played by Kevyn Morrow), who comes to Durham from the Department of Education. When Riddick introduces himself to Ellis as a “community organizer,” you can see Ellis seething at the sight of a well-educated black man in a suit trying to tell him what to do. It’s the same kind of look we’ve grown used to seeing when people show disrespect toward the world’s most famous community organizer. Riddick intends to organize a charrette (an intensive set of community meetings) to address the post-Brown v. Board of Education inequities which continue to exist in the local school system, and no amount of ridicule or deep-seated hatred will sway him from his goals. He comes up with a brilliant move to ask Ellis to co-chair the charrette with Atwater. Both stubbornly refuse to work with their mortal enemy, but Riddick manages to persuade them to look after their own interests during the process.

The results of the charrette surprise even Riddick, who hoped that by bringing the community together he could shed light on disparities in the school system. Ultimately, Ellis and Atwater realize that they have more in common with each other than they do with the policymakers. It dawns on Ellis that stoking racial flames benefits the wealthy elites who can drive a wedge among working-class people so that they can retain power. This is the kind of moment in theater that I cherish most: when politics and art come together to make lasting impressions on an audience in a way that no textbook or political speech can.

I highly recommend this excellent production running through Jan. 27, 2013. Also of note, the production is staged in the new and improved Gompertz Theatre, where you can get dinner in the Green Room Café and Bar before the show. Go to floridastudiotheatre.org for more information.