Episodes

Sarasota's premier handbell choir, Ring Sarasota, joins the Pops Orchestra of Bradenton and Sarasota for its annual holiday concert, this year called "Ring in the Holidays!" On this week's episode of the Suncoast Culture Club podcast, conductor of Ring Sarasota, Rick Holdsworth and conductor of the Pops Orchestra, Robyn Bell, sit down to talk about Rick's life and career (30 years in the Navy Band!), everything you need to know about Ring Sarasota, and the music the handbell choir and the orche...

Dingbat Theatre Project is at it again, this time with the SpongeBob Musical production showing at the Bizaare on Apricot and Lime, December 3rd through 19th. Director and choreographer Brian Finnerty, along with the star of the show, Jamie Molina, join the club this week to talk about the production, Dingbat's special take on the show, and what makes our area such a wealth of collaboration with all of our arts groups. You can get your tickets to this show by going to Dingbat Theatre's Website o...

She is product of the Manatee School for the Arts, the State College of Florida, and Florida State University, but now she is back home sharing her gifts of performing and teaching music on the Suncoast. Katie Priest stars as Cinderella in the Manatee Players Production of the hit Rodgers and Hammerstein musical running December 2 through December 19 at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Listen to her interview about her life, career, love of performing, and the show Cinderella on this week's e...

On Thursday, December 2 at 7:30 PM, join the SCF Music Program in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center for our final concert of the semester. “BELIEVE!” brings you all your holiday favorites and will feature the SCF Guitar Ensemble, Men's Choir, Women's Choir, combined Concert and Chamber Choir, and the SCF Bradenton Symphony Orchestra. Listen to conductors Rex Willis, Melodie Dickerson, and Dr. Robyn Bell as they talk about the selections on this concert, what the "BELIEVE!" theme means to the...

The SCF Percussion Ensemble is hosting a percussion concert and a canned food drive on Tuesday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center. In lieu of tickets, patrons are asked to bring two canned food items to the lobby of the Neel as a donation to the SCF Food Pantry. This concert will feature the SCF Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Tomasz Kowalczyk, the Buffalo Creek Middle School Percussion Ensemble, directed by William Reaney, The Bradenton Christian Scho...

Both are from Texas, both currently reside in Chicago, but currently, Donovan Session and Shea Petersen are starring in Urbanite Theatre's latest production, At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen showing not through December 5. Take a listen to this Suncoast Culture Club podcast episode to learn more about their lives, this play, and the importance of understanding each other's worlds. Written by Terry Guest and directed by Damian Lockhart, this play presents us Courtney Berringers, who would like to...

After a 21 month hiatus, the Pops Orchestra is back and ready to bring you our first concert of the season, Sgt. Presley and the Pops Pay Tribute to Our Nation's Veterans, starring Elvis tribute artist Ted Torres Martin. Join conductor Robyn Bell as she interviews Pops Orchestra concertmaster Nikki Rinsema on her life, her family (two of which also play for the Pops!), and why the Pops Orchestra is such a special organization to her. You have two opportunities to see this fabulous show: 1. Sunda...

Jessica Babcock has been working for Jump Dance Company in Lakewood Ranch for eight years helping students learn to sing, dance, act, and entertain. After many years of junior musical productions, Jump Dance Company has taken the leap to produce full scale adult musicals under their new division called Jump Encore! Their first production, Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods will be performed on the outdoor stage at Hunsader Farms in Bradenton, November 11-14 at 7:00 p.m. and the cast and crew invi...

SCF Veteran Services advisor Lisa Goss, veteran student and president of the SCF Veterans Services of America Club, Dakota Trueba, and SCF Symphonic Band conductor Robyn Bell talk about the important role the Veteran Services program plays in the lives of our veteran students and the impact patriotic music has on our military men and women. All part of the SCF Symphonic Band's concert on Thursday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center called Welcome Home: In Gratitude t...

On this episode of the Suncoast Culture Club podcast, hear director and choreographer Jim Weaver and performer Quinn Cason talk about Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's fabulous production of " Eubie!," a toe-tapping revue of songs by Eubie Blake, legendary composer, ragtime pianist and “father of Black Broadway.” Showing in WBTT's Donelly Theatre now through November 21, this show is not to be missed! How did the fabulous Jim Weaver get from New York City to our beautiful Suncoast of Florida and ...

Join the State College of Florida's Theatre Program for its production of John Cariani's play Love/Sick a collection of nine slightly twisted and completely hilarious short plays. Set on a Friday night in an alternate suburban reality, this 80-minute romp explores the pain and the joy that comes with being in love. Full of imperfect lovers and dreamers, Love/Sick is an unromantic comedy for the romantic in everyone. Love/Sick is directed by SCF Assistant Professor of Theatre Amanda Schlachter an...

The SCF Musical Theatre Program is proud to present the 2021 Fall Musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood, directed by Melodie Dickerson, in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center on the following dates and times: Friday, November 5, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 6, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, November 7, 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center Website or at the door 45 minutes before each show. The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a musical by Rupert Holmes that is based on the un...

Though he is from Michigan and currently lives in New York City, Jason Pintar, the bass singer in Florida Studio Theatre's production of The Wanderers, is thrilled to be spending the entire winter season on our beautiful Suncoast of Florida entertaining sold out enthusiastic crowds. Hear his story of finding acting and singing, journey to New York City, life during the pandemic, and thrill of performing once again on this week's episode of the Suncoast Culture Club podcast. Get your tickets to s...

Step right up and experience a different kind of carnival by the SCF Bradenton Symphony Orchestra on Thursday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center. Featuring Hector Berlioz’s “Roman Carnival Overture,” the famous trumpet solo the “Carnival of Venice” with guest soloist Brandon Ridenour, and Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of theAnimals," featuring pianists Aza Torshkoeva and Maria Medina, as well as SCF Theatre major William Ashburn as narrator. Take a listen as trumpet...

On Thursday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the SCF Neel Performing Arts Center, join the SCF Music Program for our collaborative concert "New Beginnings," celebrating the return of a live audience and the feeling that this year is truly a "new beginning." This performance will feature the SCF Symphonic Band, Big Band, Jazz Combo, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and Guitar Ensemble. Listen to four SCF Music majors talk about their experiences with the opening of our new wing to our music building, th...

The Sixth Season Five Concerts Four Premiers of commissioned works Two dynamic leaders TONS of guest performers Three options for concert viewings Take a listen to percussionist George Nickson and violinist Samantha Bennett tell us their story of the amazing chamber music series of new music they have envisioned for Ensemble New SRQ's sixth season and then RUN to your nearest device to purchase your season ticket of in person or streaming access. Oh...and just how do so many people, spread out a...

For the third year in a row, the SCF Music Program is performing a concert to help the SCF Hispanic Latino Heritage Club celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on the State College of Florida campus. This year, Dr. Pete Carney and SCF Jazz present "Cuban Passport: The Rhythms from Havana to New Orleans," a concert that explores how Latin rhythms and instruments made their way to the States. Listen to Dr. Carney, SCF Music Cuban pianist Maria Medina, assistant professor of Language and Literature and ...

Alfonso Lopez and Michelle Tabor both hail from Caracas, Venezuela. Alfonso is the concert master for the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra and Michelle lives in Tallahassee since she completed her doctorate in music theory at Florida State. Together, they prepare programs, rehearse, and tour twice a year presenting violin and piano recitals with music ranging from traditional Western European composers, American offerings, and those of the Latin flair. The State College of Florida is proud to host t...

After spending 20 years as the principal pianist with the United State Army Band, Dr. Joe Holt decided it was time retire to a place that met three criteria: by the water, warmer weather and less politics than Washington D.C., and cultural arts opportunities. He found all of that in Sarasota, Florida. In 2008, he became the conductor and artistic director of Choral Artists of Sarasota, our region's premier professional vocal ensemble, and his musical tentacles have been far reaching ever sin...

After 18 months of thought provoking time and pent-up creative energy , Urbanite Theatre is back with "Radiance." Committed to creating visceral, shared experiences by fearlessly lifting up the boldest new voices in theatre, Urbanite Theatre believes in inclusive, artist-first storytelling, daring honesty, and the powerful connectivity of an intimate space...and this season has all of that. They begin their 8th season with a $300,000 fundraising initiative to assist in the move to a 5-day work w...

He taught music in the public schools of West Virginia for 38 years before finding the cultural scene of the Suncoast too good to pass up. Since moving here in 2015, he has become the piano accompanist at Sunnyside Village Retirement Community, the Sarasota Jewish Chorale, director of music ministry at St. Andrew United Church of Christ in Sarasota, performs with the Players Center for Performing Arts, is on the board of the Sarasota Ballet, attends every cultural arts performance in town, AND i...

Dingbat Theatre Project's Luke McFatrich and Amanda Heisey tell us all about their upcoming production of the groundbreaking show Hedwig and the Angry Inch being performed August 27 through September 11 at the Bazaar on Apricot and Lime. This Obie and Tony-winning Off-Broadway smash tells the story of "internationally ignored song stylist" Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth-wall smashing East German rock 'n' roll goddess. This outrageous and unexpectedly hilarious story is dazzingly performed by Hedwig (n...

He is a homegrown talent whose path to musical theatre began at Braden River High School, continued at the State College of Florida, ventured to the University of South Florida, and landed him as the choir director and department chair at the Visual and Performing Arts program at Booker High School Now, Alex Zickafoose continues his creative expression outside of Booker VPA by being the musical director at Spotlight Theatre Production and performing community theatre productions at the Manatee P...

He knew from the tender age of five that he was going to be an entertainer and when the opportunity presented itself for Jason Cohen to play Jerry Lee Lewis in the national tour of the Million Dollar Quartet, his life was changed forever. His co-creation of the spin-off Great Balls of Fire has landed him on the Suncoast for an 11-week run at Florida Studio Theatre, and now you get to hear the story of his path to Broadway, his love of Sarasota patrons, the importance of close-toed shoes in New ...