Art

Selby Gallery. Continuing through Nov. 13: Constructing Realities, Part I, offering photographs by Jane Calvin and video projections by Robin Vorshardt and Sven Humphrey. Opening Nov. 19 to run through Jan. 12: Constructing Realities, Part II, presenting works by Jin Soo Kim, Jane Hammond and Chris Piazza. Information: 359-7563.

Art Center Sarasota. The fall members' show, Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Plant, continues through Nov. 13, along with New Frontiers in Art in the Front Gallery. Opening Nov. 23 to run through Dec. 3: the Holiday Show. Information: 365-2032.

Longboat Key Center for the Arts. Opening Nov. 5 and running through Nov. 26: Downtown Comes to the Key, an Artists of Towles Court exhibition in the Durante Gallery. You can also view Emotion in Motion, works by Andrea Dasha Reich and Jorge Blanco, through Nov. 29 in the Glen Gallery. And opening Nov. 26 is the Members' Gallery Exhibition. Information: 383-2345.

Museum of Asian Art. Between Heaven and Earth, focusing on cultural traditions of the Chinese family unit, runs through Dec. 5. Information: 954-7117.

Museum of Fine Arts. Continuing through Jan. 2 at the St. Petersburg museum: Marvels of Maiolica: Italian Renaissance Ceramics from the Corcoran Gallery. Information: (727) 896-2667.

Ringling Museum of Art. Surrealism and Modernism: Selections from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art continues through Jan. 9 in the West Galleries. Information: 359-5700.

Salvador Dali Museum. Dali and Mass Culture, an exhibition exploring how Dali's work maintained a dialogue between high and low culture, continues through Jan. 9 at the St. Pete museum. Information: (727) 823-3767.

Tampa Museum of Art. Continuing through Jan. 9: TMA@25: The Collection, a show examining the museum's permanent collection of Green and Roman art, painting and sculpture, works on paper and photography. Information: (813) 274-8130.

South Florida Museum. Herbie Rose: Twenty Years in Florida, a one-person exhibit of paintings by Bradenton artist Rose, continues through Jan. 16. Information: 746-4131.

Miramar Gallery. The large digital photographs of Nancy Hellebrand are on view this month. Information: 366-2093.

Palm Avenue Gallery. On view this month: the wire mesh sculptures of Eric Boyer. Information: 953-5757.

Jessica's. An opening reception featuring landscapes by Thomas Gainsborough and a large seascape by J.M.W. Turner takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at this studio on Second Street and Lemon. Information: 955-8446.

Fiber Arts Boutique. Presented by the Manasota Weavers Guild, this two-day sale showcases the work of more than 50 local artists working in fiber media. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 19 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 20 at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church. Information: 378-8855.

Towles Court Third Friday Gallery Walk. From 6-10 p.m. Nov. 19. Information: 362-0690.

Comedy

McCurdy's Comedy Theatre. Get some laughs this month with the physical comedy of Dales Jones and Valarie Storm (Nov. 3-7); lovable redheaded redneck (from those Dodge Ram commercials) Jon Reep (Nov. 17-21); and Tommy Blaze (from The Newz), Nov. 24-28. Information: 925-FUNY.

The Capitol Steps. Time for a little election-year fun with the Washington-based ensemble, at 8 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

Carrot Top. The red-haired one returns with his props-oriented brand of comedy, at 8 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

Dance

Ballet Gran Folklorico de Mexico. Mexican song and dance from this company of 35, at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

Sarasota Ballet of Florida. A world premiere of New York, New York, a piece choreographed by Alexander Schneider-Rossmy and featuring music performed by the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. At 8 p.m. Nov. 21, 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 22, and 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 23 at the Van Wezel. Information: 552-1032.

Film

Cine-World Film Festival. Once more Burns Court Cinema plays host to filmgoers and films from around the world, including approximately 50 features, documentaries and experimental works, Nov. 5-14. Information: 955-FILM.

Miscellaneous

USF Week. Celebrating the Sarasota college campus's 30th anniversary with, among other things, a golf tournament at Rosedale Golf and Country Club Nov. 5, a speaker from National Public Radio TBA, and the 11th annual Brunch on the Bay. For complete info go to www.sarasota.usf.edu.

Antique and Classic Car Show. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 6 and 7, you can stroll St. Armands Circle Park and see cars dating from 1910 to 1972-a short course in automotive history. Information: 388-1554.

Selby Gardens. Coming up this month for plant lovers: a rose show and sale, Nov. 6 and 7, and the fall plant fair, Nov. 13 and 14. Information: 366-5731.

Second Friday on St. Armands. Music, tiki torches, wine and food tastings and more, from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 12 on St. Armands Circle. Information: 388-1554.

Super Surreal Family Festival. In conjunction with the current Surrealism exhibition, games and activities are offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Ringling Museum. Information: 358-3180.

Senior Friendship Centers Fall Festival. A daylong community fair highlighting services for seniors, Nov. 13. Information: 556-3213.

Heritage Holidays at Historic Spanish Point. Period costumes, dramatic vignettes, and traditional holiday decorations spark the season, starting Nov. 26 and continuing through Dec. 12. Information: 966-5214.

Venice Holiday Parade. Downtown Venice's broad avenues welcome parade goers beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 27. Information: 484-6722.

Festival of Trees. The bayfront Crosley Mansion is the setting for this festival event, featuring decorated trees, a gift boutique, train display, antique car display and more. Nov. 30-Dec. 8; call 776-0796 for more info.

Music

Great Escapes. Famous Heroes and Villains are the focus of these Florida West Coast Symphony concerts, offered at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4, 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Nov. 5, and 8 p.m. Nov. 6 at Holley Hall. That includes music from Star Wars, Les Miz and Braveheart. Information: 953-3434.

Sarasota Pops. The Sarasota Pops combines with the Tamiami Brass Quintet in concert, at 3 p.m. Nov. 7 at Lakewood Ranch High. Information: 795-7677.

Jazz at the Ranch. The Jazz Club of Sarasota presents a day of music, Nov. 7 at Lakewood Ranch Polo Grounds. Information: 366-1552.

Rite of Strings. Bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Al Di Meola and violinist Jean-Luc Ponty play jazz-rock with just strings, no percussion, thank you, at 8 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

Florida West Coast Symphony Masterworks. Guest pianist Horacio Gutierrez joins the orchestra, at 8 p.m. Nov. 11 and 13 and 2 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Van Wezel; 8 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Neel Performing Arts Center. On the program: Brahms Academic Festival Overture, Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3, and Elgar's Enigma Variations. Information: 953-3434.

Sarasota Opera Fall Concert. Get Up Close, Informal, On Stage with opera principal artist Mark Walters at 8 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Opera House. Information: 366-8450.

Gloria Musicae. The choral ensemble presents Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and a new Mass by James Whitbourne at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at St. Boniface Episcopal Church. Guest artist is Lillette Jenkins-Wisner. Information: 954-4223.

Cocktails at the Cà d'Zan. Live entertainment by Jennifer and the Venturas, cash bar, food vendors, from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 18 on the Cà d'Zan Terrace. Information: 359-5700.

Sarasota Opera Fall Concert: Opera's Great Moments. Some of opera's greatest arias and ensembles are highlighted, at 8 p.m. Nov. 18 and 20 at the Opera House, with the Florida West Coast Symphony conducted by Victor De Renzi. Information: 366-8450.

Young Artists Concerto Competition. There's no charge to hear some very talented young artists competing for the opportunity to perform as soloists in the Florida West Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra Showcases this spring. At 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at Holley Hall. Information: 953-3434.

Home for the Holidays. Robert Goulet and Shirley Jones take audiences on a nostalgic holiday sleigh ride, at 8 p.m. Nov. 24 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

Smooth Jazz on St. Armands. Fourth Friday with Style. Look for jazz entertainers TBA, 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 26 on the Circle. Information: 388-1554.

Sarasota Folk Club. The club has its monthly Sailing Squadron concert at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 29, and features singer-songwriter Austin Church. Information: 377-9256.

The Temptations & The Four Tops: A Motown Christmas. Celebrate the season with lots of soul, at 8 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

Sports

Operation Serving Children Golf Tournament. An event set for Nov. 13 at Serenoa Golf Club; $100 per person. Information: 379-9755.

Talks

Museum of Asian Art Lecture Series. Scholar Qianshen Bai speaks on the art of Chinese calligraphy, at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Geldbart Auditorium of Selby Library. Information: 954-7117.

Spotlight Series. Ringling Museum lectures this month include Waking Dreams, with FSU faculty members, Nov. 5; Surrealism in America, with Dali museum curator Peter Tush, Nov. 12; and Makers and Muses with curator Joanna Weber and educator Maureen Zaremba, Nov. 19. All talks at 10:30 a.m. Information: 358-3180.

Books & Coffee. Retired Brigadier General Roswell Round discusses Nathaniel Philbrick's Sea of Glory, at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 9 at Selby Library. Information: 365-5228.

The Eclectic Home. A show/sale/lunch/lecture celebrating decorative arts for the home by local artisans, starting at 11 a.m. Nov. 16 at Michael's On East. Presented by the SmARTalk committee of the Sarasota County Arts Council; tickets $30. Information: 365-5118.

Theater

How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Frank Loesser's hit about climbing that corporate ladder, onstage through Nov. 7 at the Players Theatre. Information: 365-2494.

High Spirits. This musical "revisal" of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit continues through Nov. 14 at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre. Information: 366-5454.

It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues. A musical tracing the journey of this American art form, through Dec. 3 on Florida Studio's mainstage. Information: 366-9000.

The Affections of May. A comedy about a deserted wife who tackles managing a B&B on her own, onstage Nov. 3-21 at the Lemon Bay Playhouse. Information: 475-6756.

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Terrence McNally's two-person show about lonely strangers finding each other one special night, onstage Nov. 4-20 at Venice Little Theatre's Stage II. Information: 488-1115.

Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam. Poetry with a hip-hop flavor, onstage at 8 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

The Piano Lesson. August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winner about a brother and sister with different plans for the family's heirloom piano is onstage Nov. 11-20 in a Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe production at the Gompertz Theatre. Information: 954-4651.

Moon Over Buffalo. Ken Ludwig's comedy about a theatrical family in a bit of a crisis takes to the stage Nov. 11-28 at the Manatee Players Riverfront Theatre. Information: 748-5875.

Metamorphoses. Mary Zimmerman's much applauded take on the fables and myths of Ovid, told in and around a shimmering pool of water. Onstage Nov. 12-Dec. 11 at American Stage in St. Pete. Information: (727) 823-PLAY.

Chicago. Roxie and Velma and their fellow murderesses are back in this Kander-Ebb musical, Nov. 16-Jan. 9 at the Golden Apple. Information: 366-5454.

1776. Time for a dose of patriotism in this musical salute to those not-so-perfect Founding Fathers of American independence, Nov. 16-Dec. 5 at Venice Little Theatre. Information: 488-1115.

Peter Pan, The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. J.M. Barrie's original and much loved tale of Peter, Wendy, Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys, onstage Nov. 19-Jan. 1 at the Asolo. Information: 351-8000.

The Two Gentleman of Verona. The early Shakespeare comedy about two young men in love with the same woman, Nov. 24-Dec. 12 in an FSU/Asolo Conservatory production at the Cook Theatre. Information: 351-8000.

Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror. An adaptation of Nicholas Meyer's homage to Holmes, set in 1895 London, of course. This one involves the savage murder of a drama critic. (Don't get any ideas.) Running Nov. 26-March 3 at the Asolo. Information: 351-8000.

Fiddler on the Roof. Tevye and his family return, this time in a production that helps celebrate the Van Wezel's 35th anniversary season (Fiddler opened the hall back in 1970, a mark of the show's durability). At 8 p.m. Nov. 26, 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 27, and 2 p.m. Nov. 28 at the Van Wezel. Information: 953-3368.

42nd Street. Can't you hear those tapping feet over at the Van Wezel? Listen for them at 4 and 8 p.m. Nov. 29 in this quintessential show biz musical. Information: 953-3368.

Ready for Reading

Looking for a few good books? Bring your wallet and your autograph pad to the 2004 Sarasota Reading Festival, which will once more turn Five Points in downtown Sarasota into a literacy zone, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 6. (The Novel Affair reception at Selby Library takes place the evening before.)

Among the authors confirmed at press time: Mark Derr (A Dog's History of America), Bob Greene (Fraternity), Dawson Perkins (The Team), Tara Bray Smith (West of Then), Max Frankel (High Noon in the Cold War), Donald Barlett and James Steele (Critical Condition), and Nena Torres (Lost Apple: Operation Pedro Pan).

There are also a few local and semi-local authors to meet, including Kevin O'Neil (Optimal Aging) and Claire Hamner Matturro (see "Street Talk," page ??????). Celebrity hunters may also spot Christopher Lowell of HGTV, who's written Hassle Free Host; Leslie Godwin (political consultant Dick Morris' daughter), author of Burned Out to Fired Up; and Tracy Griffith (actress Melanie Griffith's sister), whose book Sushi American Style focuses on making sushi with-vegetables.

Not all of the children's book authors had been confirmed at deadline, but the festival can guarantee both some goosebumps (horror master R.L. Stine will be in attendance) and some tears (courtesy of Lurlene McDaniel, who specializes in young adult books about teens facing serious illness or death). For more information, call 906-1733.

Arts and crafts lovers turn out in appreciative droves each year to browse and buy at the American Craft Council Show, set for Dec. 3-5 in Sarasota. The show has a new venue, the Sarasota Bradenton International Convention Center at 8005 15th St. E.; but will still bring us the best in contemporary craft from more than 150 artists.

The largest juried craft show in the Southeast, the ACC show includes jewelry, fashion, furniture, home décor accessories and wall art, as well as sculptural and functional works of glass, ceramic, metal, wood, leather and decorative fiber. More than 10,000 people are expected to do some shopping over the three-day event.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 3 and 4 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 5. Admission for one day is $9, but if one day just isn't enough, a two-day pass goes for $16. ACC members and children under 12 get in free. For more details call (800) 836-3470 or visit www.craftcouncil.org.