Sarasota ~ Bradenton ~ Lakewood Ranch ~ Siesta Key ~ Palmer Ranch ~ Venice
The Performing Arts in Sarasota
Sarasota is certainly known for it's focus on arts and culture. The performing arts in this town are as good as you'll ever find in a town of our size!
Here is a list of some of the organizations and venues offering a wide variety of choices. Click on the logos or names below to visit their websites or learn more.
Crown Jewel of Sarasota Bay
A true pioneer in the cultural development of Sarasota, the Van Wezel, (pronounced Van Wayzull), presents a broad spectrum of the world's finest performers representing the diverse tastes of Southwest Florida residents and visitors. This season, with more than 100 events, the Van Wezel has carried on the long tradition of presenting spectacular Broadway musicals, top national and international performers, popular comedians, world-class symphony orchestras and a compelling mix of classical, modern and ethnic dance. The Van Wezel also hosts more than 50 performances and events presented by the Sarasota Orchestra, Sarasota Ballet, the Sarasota Concert Association and the Ringling Library Town Hall Lecture Series.
The Sarasota Ballet was founded in 1987 by Jean Weidner Goldstein as a presenting organization with the goal of becoming a full resident ballet company, which was achieved in 1990 with the appointment of the Company’s first Director, Montreal-based choreographer Eddy Toussaint.
In January 2007, The Sarasota Ballet announced d the appointment of Iain Webb, who would take the helm as Director. That first Season would revolutionize The Sarasota Ballet and set the Company on a path to both national and international recognition. Heavily inspired by his career with The Royal Ballet and combined with his close personal relationships with some of the biggest names in the dance world, Webb brought extraordinary ballets to the Sarasota stage by some of the great choreographers of the 20th century.
Since 1949, Sarasota Orchestra has inspired and entertained music-lovers across the region and visitors from around the world. A cultural leader in a city known for its vibrant arts community, Sarasota Orchestra’s threefold mission is dedicated to exquisite performance and first-class musical education.
As the oldest continuing orchestra in the state of Florida, each year the 76-member Orchestra performs more than 100 classical, pops, chamber music, and community outreach concerts. Don't miss the Sarasota Music Festival.
The summer of 2024 is the 60th Anniversary Festival, promising to break musical boundaries, drawing from sounds of jazz and bluegrass and showcasing performers skilled in improvisation.
New delights, fresh insights, and a bounty of noteworthy classics.
This is a musical journey unlike any you’ve taken before.
Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by artist Jon Spelman as an alternative touring group, reaching out to isolated and underserved audiences in nursing homes, migrant farms, and prisons. When Richard Hopkins was named Producing Artistic Director in 1980, he founded FST's Mainstage Series with a modest 106 subscribers. Today, FST reaches over 38,000 subscribers through its diverse programs, making FST the largest subscription theatre in the state of Florida. Now in its 49th Season, FST is proud of its reach and impact across its five stages and through over 20 professional productions each year.
McCurdy's Comedy Theatre was established in Sarasota/Bradenton Florida in 1988. Our new facility is a 7100 square foot purple building located in the heart of Historic Downtown Sarasota's East End at the intersection of Ringling Boulevard and Washington Avenue. The theatre was completely remodeled to create a world-class showroom devoted to the art of Stand-up Comedy. The Green Room is a great place to visit and have a drink before or after the show with a full bar and a great menu which is also available in the showroom.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) was founded in December 1999 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Our mission is to produce professional theatre that promotes and celebrates African American history and experience, engages a broad base of patrons and audiences, supports the development of a dynamic group of aspiring artists and builds self-esteem in youth of color.
In 1960 the touring Turnau Opera Players presented their first season in the historic 320 seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota's Ringling Museum of Art. The following year the Asolo Opera Guild was formed to support the annual visits of the Turnau company. In 1974 the Guild formed the Asolo Opera Company to begin presenting their own productions. Recognizing the need for a theater more conducive to opera, the company purchased the former A.B. Edwards Theater in downtown Sarasota in 1979. Renovations began in 1982 and the theater, now on the National Register of Historic Places, opened in 1984 as the Sarasota Opera House, the company it housed now being called Sarasota Opera.
