Episodes

She is an actor, director, producer, playwright, and film director who has grown SOURCE Productions from a small group of youth into a large, nationally recognized theatre and film company. KT Curran's films tell the stories that help illuminate and shine a light on on the issues and concerns of young people. Come along and join the club! • The SOURCE Productions Website and Facebook and YouTube • Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida Website and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube ...

In Michigan, she was a middle school band director, high school band director, middle school principal, high school principal, and even school superintendent. Retiring to the Suncoast of Florida meant she, unexpectedly, became involved with the many community bands and arts organizations our area is so well known for. Now, Lynn Cleary is the conductor of the Manatee Community Concert Band, the Suncoast Wind Ensemble, performs in and is president of the North Port Concert Band and the North Port ...

How can a little unexpected college degree change your life? Joey Panek, Senior Producer of ABC-7's Suncoast View, tells us how his career as an actor, singer, and dancer suddenly changed when he decided to get a degree in video production to help supplement his income while in between performances. Look at him now! Hear that story and so much more on this episode of the Suncoast Culture Club Podcast. Come along and join our club! • Joey Panek Website and Facebook and Instagram and Twitter • The...

As if searching for a new conductor and a new home at the same time isn't hard enough, try doing it during a pandemic! Joe McKenna talks to us about his life as the Executive Director of the Sarasota Orchestra, the amazing tapestry of cultural arts organizations in our town that have been working side-by-side through the pandemic, and the challenges that lie ahead for music education. Come along and join our club! • Sarasota Orchestra Website and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube • Sarasota Ope...

Checkout what the Sarasota Orchestra, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota Opera, The Pops Orchestra, and SCF Music Program are working on this week. Come along and Join the Club! • Sarasota Orchestra Website and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube • Asolo Repertory Theatre Website and Facebook Page and Instagram and YouTube Channel • Sarasota Opera Website and Facebook and Instagram • The Pops Orchestra Website and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube • State College of Florida Music Program Website ...

From a projected $2 million surplus for the season to a completely dark hall for the next six months, executive director of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Mary Bensel, tells us her story of the Friday the 13th in March that changed her life and the lives of her staff, patrons, and our entire community. Come along and join the club! • Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Website and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube • Van Wezel Foundation Website and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube...

From drum major of her high school band to the 6th president of the State College of Florida, Dr. Carol Probstfeld brings an abundance of leadership skills, eye for talent, passion for students, and appreciation for culture to work with her every day. Hear her story of what brought her to the Suncoast, how she's navigated the community's college during a pandemic, and why the arts are vitally important to a student's education. Come along and join our club! • State College of Florida Website and...

What started as a series of small house concerts in a private home on Lido Beach 25 years ago has turned into the successful Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, bringing over 25 world-class musical experiences to the Suncoast of Florida including classical, cabaret, pop, Broadway, orchestral and opera. New Executive Director Marcy Miller joins founder Lee Daugherty Ross and Director of Artists Programs Dr. Joe Holt, as they tell us about the rich history of this organization and what they have p...

He's a concert pianist who will have you in stitches, while she has made her musical career as an administrator from the Kalamazoo Symphony to the Sarasota Opera. Together, Rich and Stacy Ridenour have conquered the world and raised two great sons (a trumpet player and a pilot!). They make their home on the Suncoast of Florida and today, you get to hear their story. Come along and join our club! • Rich Ridenour Website • Sarasota Opera Website and Facebook and Instagram • Brandon Ridenour Websit...

How does a little girl from Arcadia go from working at Disney to leading the $62 million endowment fund as the Executive Director of the State College of Florida Foundation? Cassandra Holmes is here to tell us. From Mickey Mouse to the Manatees, she has made raising money for students, programs, and buildings at the State College of Florida in Bradenton her life's mission. Come along and join our club! • State College of Florida Foundation Website and Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn • State ...

He lives 20 paces from the Asolo, has worked with Stephen Sondheim to Angela Lansbury to David Letterman and everybody in between, was nominated for a Tony award and won a Grammy award for his orchestration of the Broadway hit show Jersey Boys, loves to play jazz piano every evening for his wife and Jake (the dog), and has a fascinating love affair with Amazon Alexa. Meet Steve Orich – composer, arranger, orchestrator, conductor, and Sarasota resident – you're going to love his story. Come along...

Lynne plays oboe in the Pops Orchestra, the Bradenton Symphony Orchestra, and sings in Key Chorale. Bernadette sings in Diversity: The Voices of Sarasota, and serves as president of their board of directors. Since moving to Sarasota from New Jersey 7 years ago, these ladies have taken advantage of every cultural arts opportunity that comes their way. Find out how two retirees suddenly find themselves not so retired in the land of Suncoast culture. • The Pops Orchestra Website and Facebook Page a...

Over 500 students participate in the arts programs at Braden River High School and band director Jeramiah Bowman oversees one of the largest, most visible, and highly successful entities at the school: The Marching Band of Pirates. Take a look into his world of high school music teaching during COVID and how the pandemic has affected his students, staff, and the ability to make music together. With a supportive principal and dedicated band booster parents, his mantra has become, "Different, not ...

From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the Ringling College of Art and Design, find out how Dr. Larry Thompson came to the helm of the Suncoast's (and the world's!) preeminent art college 21 years ago. Not even a little thing like a pandemic can stop his vision for their progress. Come along and join our club. • Ringling College of Art and Design Website and Facebook Page and Instagram and YouTube • Sarasota Art Museum Website and Facebook Page and Instagram • Asolo Repertory Theatre Website and...

He is the principal bassoon and she is the principal flute of the Sarasota Orchestra. Together, they have been making music in the woodwind section for 27 years. Learn what Fernando and Betsy Traba have to say about their lives as musicians, parents, teachers, and cultural addicts on the Suncoast. Oh yeah...there may be some beer and wine stories in there too! You won't want to miss this episode with another Suncoast Culture Club power couple. Come join the club! • Sarasota Orchestra Website and...

From Ohio farm boy to Sarasota Renaissance man, Jeffery Kin has found his home in our theatre world at the Players Centre for the Performing Arts. As they were navigating closing their long time theatre to prepare for the move to their new home in Lakewood Ranch, COVID had different plans. Join us as he tells his story and shares his passion for community theatre, loyal patrons, creative staff members, and the future of his beloved Players Theatre. • The Players Centre for the Performing Arts We...

What's it like to teach dance for a living? To be on the faculties of the University of Michigan, Cal State Long Beach, Shenandoah University, Florida International University, and Harvard? Then "retire" to Sarasota where you end up choreographing for countless arts organization and working at the Sarasota Ballet? Kelly Burnette and the Suncoast Culture Club get the scoop from the incomparable Liz Bergmann. Come along and join the club! • Liz Bergmann Website and Facebook Page and Instagram • Sa...

You've seen a play or a musical at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, you've marveled at the talent and magic before your very eyes, but do you know what goes on behind the scenes and who takes care of managing all those details? Well, now you do..meet Corinne Deckard, the General Manager of the Asolo Repertory Theatre. State College of Florida's Director of Vocal Studies, Melodie Dickerson, takes us in to the life of Corinne as a performer, theatre manager, hockey player (you read that right!), and c...

What's it like navigating a $9 million opera company through a pandemic? Richard Russell can tell you, and he does so openly and honestly. With a positive spirit and an amazing calmness to his voice, Richard tells us of his many roles with the Sarasota Opera the past 31 years, the tough financial decisions the Sarasota Opera has had to make the past four months, how the pandemic derailed his personal goal of running the New York City Marathon, and how amazing the musicians, patrons, and voluntee...

It's Couples Day and Robyn Bell is interviewing Suncoast musicians Dr. Jon Godfrey (guitarist, composer, teacher, and church music director) and Jenny Kim-Godfrey (soprano, music director, teacher, marketer, world traveler, and Costco pizza aficionado) about their musical lives together on the Suncoast, the pandemic effect, their "perfect date night," and could they choose between West Side Story and Hamilton. • Dr. Jonathan Godfrey Website and Facebook Page and Instagram • Jenny Kim-Godfrey Web...

Join Robyn Bell as she welcomes Janene Amick to the club. They talk about everything from the Manatee Performing Arts Center's pandemic experiences to Janene's vision for the Bradenton cultural arts scene to her favorite activities and eateries in the Bradenton area. Manatee Performing Arts Center and Manatee Players Theatre Website: https://www.manateeperformingartscenter.com Manatee Performing Arts Center on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManateePAC/ Realize Bradenton Website: https://www....

The Suncoast Culture Club podcast is your weekly dose of what’s happening in the performing and visual arts this week on Florida’s Suncoast, including interviews, reviews, discussions, behind the scene tidbits, and insider trading. Join State College of Florida arts faculty and staff members as they bring you all the arts happenings on the Suncoast from music to dance to art to theatre. Come along and join our club. Support the show (https://scf-foundation.org/suncoastcultureclub/)