Art

Selby Gallery. Rhythm and Structure: Mathematics, Art and Poetic Reflections closes here April 2. It’s followed by the 2011 Annual Best of Ringling Juried Student Exhibitions, April 8-22, and the Ringling College Senior Thesis Exhibitions, April 29 through May 6. 359-7563.

Venice Art Center. The members-only show, Latest and Greatest, ends April 8. Up next: an all-media show titled Abstraction, running April 15 through May 6. 485-7136.

Art Center Sarasota. A community show features works by more than 15 community art groups, including the Sarasota Portrait Society, Sarasota Ceramicists and more. Through April 22. Up next: the annual North Sarasota County Schools Exhibition, running April 25 through May 16. 365-2032.

Ringling Museum of Art. Gardens in Perpetual Bloom: Botanical Illustration from 1600-1850 continues here through April 24. In connection with the show, London’s Garden Museum director Christopher Woodward discusses English gardens, at 10:30 a.m. April 16. For tickets call 360-7399; for other info, 359-5700.

Longboat Key Center for the Arts. The center holds its second annual juried photography exhibition entitled Great Themes in Photography, April 7 through May 12. Also this month: a show of works by members of the Tapestry Artists Guild. 383-2345.

Selby Gardens Juried Photography Exhibit. The 31st annual, showcasing images of plant and animal life, takes place April 29 through June 5 in the gardens’ museum. 366-5731.

 

Comedy

Kathy Griffin. “D-List” comedienne Griffin brings her standup act to the Van Wezel once more, at 8 p.m. April 1 (no April Fool’s joke here). 953-3368.

The Second City: Fair & Unbalanced. The famed Chicago improv troupe comes to town in an Asolo Rep extra, April 17 and 18 at the Mertz Theatre. 351-8000.

 

Dance

Sarasota Ballet. The ballet promises a “Spring Surprise”—a world premiere by Dominic Walsh performed with his company—for its season closing performances, April 29 through May 1 at the FSU Center for Performing Arts. 359-0099 ext. 101.

 

Film

Sarasota Film Festival. No. 13 may be a lucky one for the festival, celebrating its 13th year with a full lineup of movies, intimate conversations with stars and directors, notable honorees and lots of parties. New this year: Short Stacks Family Film Day, April 9 at Sarasota High School (featuring a pancake breakfast along with films); returning are the opening night film and party, Cinema Tropicale at Sarasota Yacht Club and a filmmaker tribute, with more TBA. Dates are April 7-17; for complete info go to sarasotafilmfestival.com or call 364-9514.

 

Miscellaneous

DAFF. The Dance, Art, Food Festival, featuring crafts bazaars, kids’ activities, cooking demos and ethnic dances, takes place starting at 2 p.m. April 30 at the Van Wezel; for more details call 922-3520.

 

Music

Sarasota Orchestra Masterworks. The orchestra pays a visit to “Paradise” with mezzo-soprano Jennifer Hines, the Key Chorale and the Sarasota Young Voices joining in on Mahler’s Third Symphony, No. 3 in D Minor. April 1-3. 953-3434.

La Musica International Chamber Music Festival. La Musica celebrates its 25th year, with musicians from around the world and concerts set for April 4, 7, 10, 13 and 15 at the Sarasota Opera House (open rehearsals at Sainer Pavilion on the New College campus). Works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and our own Dick Hyman (a world premiere) are scheduled. Call 366-8450 ext. 3 or visit lamusicafestival.org.

Carpe Diem String Quartet. Expect a blend of classical, tangos, blues and more with concerts by this ensemble, April 3 and 5 at the Historic Asolo Theater in an Artist Series of Sarasota presentation. 360-7399.

Sarasota Orchestra Great Escapes. “Hot Summer Nights” is the theme of these pops concerts, April 6-9 at Holley Hall. Listen for music from Dvorak and Billy Joel. 953-3434.

St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Nikolai Alexeev leads the orchestra in works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich and Brahms, with guest artist cellist Alisa Weilerstein. At 8 p.m. April 8 at Van Wezel. 953-3368.

Venice Symphony. The symphony offers classical works including Donizetti’s Don Pasquale Overture and Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1, with pianist Jonathan Spivey, April 8 and 9 at Church of the Nazarene. The orchestra also presents its Spring Pops concert this month, April 29 and 30, with an “American Legends” theme, also at the church. 488-1010.

Jim Brickman. Pianist Brickman (Love of My Life, Destiny) returns to the Van Wezel at 8 p.m. April 9. 953-3368.

Sarasota Pops Orchestra. The Powerhouse Barbershop Quartet joins the orchestra in a concert featuring Americana, from The Music Man to New World Symphony, at 3 p.m. April 10 at Church of the Palms. 926-7677.

Sarasota Orchestra Pops Concert Series. Alfred Hitchcock’s films were almost as well known for their dramatic scores as for their suspenseful stories; combine the two with live music and film clips in the orchestra’s salute to Hitchcock, at 8 p.m. April 15 at Van Wezel. 953-3434.

Michael Chapdelaine. Chapdelaine, the only person to win the world’s top competitions in both classical and fingerstyle guitar, closes out Guitar Sarasota’s season with a concert at 7:30 p.m. April 16 at St. Paul Lutheran Church. 360-7399.

David Yoshiaki Ko. The young pianist performs April 17 and 19 at a home in the Lakewood Ranch Country Club East community. An Artist Series of Sarasota offering; call 360-7399.

Dennis Lambert. Singer-songwriter Lambert (Baby Come Back, We Built This City) takes to the Van Wezel stage with guests Tavares, Mickey Thomas and Peter Beckett, at 8 p.m. April 23. 953-3368.

Sybarite5. This New York-based (with Sarasota connections) group of young string musicians presents the Florida premiere of The Shuffle Effect, at 9 p.m. April 29 at the HuB Incubator on Boulevard of the Arts, with additional concerts at 8:30 p.m. April 30 and 2:30 p.m. May 1 at Holley Hall. Call 685-4077 or (800) 838-3006.

Key Chorale. The choral ensemble closes out its 2010-2011 season with a concert highlighting “Brahms Two Ways”—the composer’s Requiem and Liebeslieder Waltzes—April 30 at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium. 921-4845.

 

Talks

Jane Pauley. The former Today Show host, author and bipolar disorder sufferer speaks on “Living with Mental Illness” in a free appearance at 2 p.m. April 9 at the Sarasota Opera House, with a panel discussion afterwards. Call 953-3477 or 917-7777 or visit mhcci.com for more info on tickets.

 

Theater

Five Guys Named Moe. The lively salute to the songs of Louis Jordan ends its run April 3 at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s new theater. 366-1505.

Avenue Q. The hit musical about young slackers in NYC continues through April 10 at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre. 366-5454.

Shout! The Mod Musical. This musical celebrating the swinging ’60s continues through April 10 at the Manatee Players Riverfront Theatre. 748-5875.

Boeing Boeing. Take off for a high-flying romp about a man juggling relationships with three flight attendants—until he runs the risk of getting caught. In rotating rep through April 23 at the Asolo Rep’s Mertz Theatre. 351-8000.

Las Meninas. Lynn Nottage’s play about an illicit love affair in the 17th-century royal court of France, running through May 15 at Asolo Rep. 351-8000.

Laughing Matters: Unconditional Surrender. A Sarasota-based music-comedy revue, à la Saturday Night Live, continuing through June 12 at Florida Studio Theatre’s Goldstein Cabaret. 366-9000.

Deathtrap. Remember Ira Levin’s thriller about a mystery writer out to commit a perfect murder? It’s back onstage, April 1 through May 14 at the Asolo Rep. 351-8000.

The Drowsy Chaperone. The Tony Award winner about a musical theater fan reliving his favorite 1920s-era show runs April 5-23 at Venice Theatre. 488-1115.

Viagara Falls. A comedy involving two widowers, a call girl, and a certain little blue pill…onstage at 8 p.m. April 6 at Van Wezel. 953-3368.

Ghost-Writer. A regional premiere of a work by Michael Hollinger (Opus), about the relationship between art and its creator. April 6 through May 29 on FST’s mainstage. 366-9000.

Theatre Odyssey Ten-Minute Festival. Seven new 10-minute plays, several by local playwrights, are presented at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe venue, April 8-10. For details, call 951-6319 or visit theatreodyssey.org.

Tartuffe. Moliere’s classic comedy taking aim at religious hypocrisy remains timeless; see it in an FSU/Asolo Conservatory production, April 12 through May 1 in the Historic Asolo Theater. 351-8000.

TBA. Check with the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre to see what their final play of the season, running April 12 through May 22, will be. 366-5454.

A Chorus Line. That One Singular Sensation returns to the Van Wezel at 8 p.m. April 14. 953-3368.

Victor Victoria. The cross-dressing musical comedy, which starred Julie

Andrews on Broadway, turns up April 14-24 at the Players Theatre, with a possible extension through May 1. 365-2494.

The Compleat Works of Wm. Shakespeare: Abridged. Get a swift-paced, comic version of the bard’s great works, April 14 through May 1 at Venice Theatre’s Stage II. 488-1115.

The Innocents. A new play by Steven Drukman, developed out of last year’s Unplugged Festival. It centers on a middle-aged gay man, his close female friend, and two young men who threaten the status quo. April 15 through May 14 in an Asolo Rep production in the Cook Theatre. 351-8000.

Monty Python’s Spamalot. The hit Broadway musical based on the comedy classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail makes its Sarasota bow in performances April 20 and 21 at Van Wezel. 953-3368.

Hi De, Hi De Ho! Cab Calloway. Nate Jacobs stars as the late, great Cab Calloway in this new play by Sarasotan Larry Parr (Hi-Hat Hattie). Onstage April 20 to May 15 in a Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe production. 366-1505.