BROADWAY N’ SARASOTA

The 69th Annual Tony Awards are coming on June 7th to honor the great work done on Broadway.  I am a frequent NYC visitor and can’t wait to see a show.  This year I was lucky enough to experience seeing Bradley Cooper as “The Elephant Man”, Alan Alda and Candice Bergen read “Love Letters” and Larry David’s hilarious “Fish in the Dark”.  Broadway has brought some of the greatest works of art to the stage.

For those who can’t make it to the Big Apple, our very own Sarasota/Manatee area has long been an extension of Broadway.  So many great theaters, small and large have a variety of shows to choose from. Starting with the historic Asolo Repertory Theatre on the Ringling Museum grounds, The Players of Sarasota, Florida Studio Theatre and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center brings the traveling Broadway Series.  There is the Manatee Players and the Island Players on Anna Maria, now in their 66th year! Down south is the Venice Theater. From 1971 until 2013, the “Golden Apple Dinner Theatre” entertained with a meal and a show.

Another off-shoot from the theater community is the Suncoast AIDS Theater Project! Started in 2000, by stage manager Garry Breul, SATP puts on shows to support the HIV and AIDS local community.  Their shows are sell outs and have the best theater actors and singers in the area donating their time for this cause.   Past shows include the music of “Rent” and “Diva’s Do Garland”.  Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS, a large AIDS organization for the New York Theater community are well aware of SATP and praise the great work they are doing here on the Suncoast.

Many of the actors working in these local shows have worked in on and off Broadway shows.  The quality of acting here in SRQ is as good as any Broadway production.  The next time you can’t think of something to do, go see a show! Support your local theaters! There is nothing like live theater, it takes you on a ride of entertainment like nothing else!

Be sure to check out the Tony Awards on June 7th and see what is happening on Broadway!