November-December 2017

ontheGulf

Blues & Jazz FestivalReturns to Sanibel

The second annual Blues & Jazz Festival returns to ‘The Backyard at Bailey’s, a park-like setting behind Bailey’s General Store on Sanibel, on November 5. Music begins at noon and concludes with a jam session starting at 6:30pm.

Elvin Bishop, a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, headlines the event with his Big Fun Trio.

The Festival also welcomes back Matt Schofield and local favorites, the Marty Stokes Band. Schofield is a member of the British Blues Hall of Fame. Stokes, was raised on Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Teenager Johnny Jenson, also born and raised on Sanibel, will be opening the event.

SCHEDULE

12PM: Johnny Jensen

NEWS & PREVIEWS

1PM: FGCU Jazz Combo

2PM: Marty Stokes Band

3:30PM: Matt Schofield

5PM: Elvin Bishop

6:30PM: jam session

On-island parking will be

available, with transportation to the festival site. Attendees are encouraged to use bicycles to reach the site, with free valet bike parking provided. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

The music festival is organized by the Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Club. All proceeds benefit the Optimist Club’s college scholarship program, youth programs at the JN ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge, and Community Housing & Resources of Sanibel.

Bailey’s General Store is located at 2477 Periwinkle Way on Sanibel. Call 472-0836 for information.

Writers Meet on Sanibel

F

lorida Gulf Coast University is hosting the 12th annual Sanibel Island Writers Conference, November 2-5, at BIGARTS. The weekend of events include a wide variety of writing workshops, readings, panel discussions, concerts, networking, and a keynote address by acclaimed author, Alice Hoffman.

The majority of the events will

take place at BIG ARTS. A handful of workshops and readings will be held at the Sanibel Island Public Library, a short walk from BIG ARTS.

The list of more than 30 presenters includes authors Steve Almond, Dan Bern, Kevin Canty, Dean Davis, John Dufresne, Beth Ann Fennelly, Nathan Hill, Linda Oatman High, Ann Kidd Taylor, Frank Turner, Robert Wilder. Songwriters Dan Bern and Frank Turner will perform.

Writers at all stages of development — from notebook scribblers to published novelists — can attend a variety of workshops in fiction, poetry, songwriting, children’s literature, journalism, screenwriting, and creative nonfiction, as well as panels on publishing & editing.

Nighttime events — readings, keynote address, concerts, signings — will take place in BIG ARTS’ Schein Performance Hall.

Each day workshops are held from 9am-12pm &1-2:30pm (9am-12pm on November 5), readings are 2:30-4pm, and panels are 4-5pm.

Evening events are 6-7:30pm November 2-4. M.K. Asante gives a reading at 6pm on November 2, followed by a concert by Dan Bern at 7pm.

On November 3, Beth Ann Fennelly reads at 6pm and Alice Hoffman speaks at 7pm. Steve Crosley gives a reading at 6pm and Frank Turner performs at 7pm on November 4.

FGCU’s Sanibel Writers Conference is November 2-5 at BIG ARTS, located at 900 Dunlop Rd. in Sanibel. The

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Elvin Bishop headlines the Sanibel Blues & Jazz Festival, November 5 at Bailey’s General Store’s backyard.

Author Alice Hoffman is the Keynote Speaker, November 3 at FGCU’s Sanibel Writers Conference at BIG ARTS

Sanibel Library is located at 770 Dunlop Rd. For information, call 590-7421.

IMAGUnveils New Exhibit

IMAG History & Science Center is presenting a new exhibit about the effects of acidity in the oceans. The exhibit, Climate Change Oceans: Acid vs. Life, will educate guests about the impacts of ocean acidification in an up close and interactive way. “The oceans have experienced a 30% increase in acidity in recent years, and many are not aware of this, or the negative impact it is having”, said executive director Matt Johnson.

The information in the exhibit was gathered by a group of citizen scientists and film crews that traveled to the University of Belize Marine Research Station to explore the largest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere.

The exhibit will include a lifesize replica of a coral reef which will allow guests to crawl through it, experiencing what a diver sees while exploring the ocean.

The exhibit will be on view through the end of the year.

IMAGScience & History Center is open Tue-Sat 10am5pm &Sun 12-5pm. IMAG is located at 2000 Cranford Avenue in Fort Myers. For information, call 243-0043.

CollierMuseums BringBack OldFlorida

The Collier County Museums and the Friends of the Collier County Museums are hosting the 29th Annual Old Florida Festival, November 18 & 19 at the Collier Museum at Government Center in Naples.

The festival features authentic reenactors portraying the last 500 years of Florida’s history, two full days of music and entertainment, demonstrations, food, and fun for the entire family. Reenactment portrayals include the Calusa, Spanish Conquistadors, Revolutionary War, Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Seminole Wars, American Civil War, Pioneer Florida, and

World War II. Entertainment includes performances by the Eli Mosley Band, the Good Bad Kids, and Karibbean Groove, as well as storytelling from members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Proceeds from Old Florida Festival benefit the Friends of the Collier County Museums.

The Old Florida Festival is November 18 & 19, 10am-6pm.

The Collier Museum at Government Center is located at 3331 Tamiami Trail E. in Naples. Admission to all Collier County museums are free. Call 252-8476 for information.

Holiday Lights atEdison&Ford Winter Estates

Thomas Edison first lit his Fort Myers winter home with electric lights 130 years ago. On that night, the entire town of 349 residents lined the sidewalk to see the lights. To celebrate the anniversary, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates is hosting a special grand re-opening on November 3 from 5-8 p.m. The entire site will be open for special tours and presentations, and the historic Banyan will be decorated with lights.

Visitors can tour the site, including the historic winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, caretaker's houses, Edison's study, the 15,000 sq. ft. inventions museum and the

botanic research laboratory, on more than 20 acres of gardens. Living history characters of Mr. & Mrs. Edison and Mr. & Mrs. Ford will be making an appearance.

The museum has two new exhibits: the Smithsonian Spark!Lab exhibit and the Timeline of Innovation. The Smithsonian Spark!Lab is a hands-on, interactive exhibit for families and children. The Timeline of Innovation is a chronological exhibit of both Edison's and Ford's major inventions.

On November 24, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates will kick off its 42nd celebration of Holiday Nights. The homes will be decorated with thousands of lights and decorations. Visitors are able to view the lights from 5:30-9pm nightly from November 24-December 31, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The Waltzing Waters Liquid

Fireworks light show will return and there will be holiday carolers.

Opening Night festivities will start at 6pm with the annual tree lighting ceremony.

Local artist Doug MacGregor will be drawing cartoons on November 24 and December 9, 16 & 23. Santa will be visiting on select nights. The Children’s Tree Trail opens on November 20 and includes more than 60 trees with handmade ornaments from local school children.

The Edison-Ford Museum and Botanic Research Laboratory will be open until 9pm every night.

History characters Mr. & Mrs. Edison & Mr. and Mrs. Ford will host a special Holiday Tea on December 13 at 6:30pm.

Guided Holiday Tradition Tours will be offered at 6 & 7pm nightly and Inside-the-Homes Holiday Tours on Tuesday nights, starting November 28 at 6:30pm. A sightseeing river cruise and sunset cruise are offered through Pure Florida at the Marina at Edison Ford.

Edison & Ford Winter Estates, located at 2350 McGregor Blvd, in Fort Myers, is open daily, 9am-5pm. For information, call 334-7419.

Arts for ACT

Gala & Benefit Auction

Tickets are now on sale for Arts for ACT’s 29th annual Gala & Fine Art Auction benefit on November 11. Proceeds benefit Abuse Counseling & Treatment, who aid victims of domestic violence and their children, and survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking.

The 29th annual Old Florida Festival is November 18 & 19 at the Collier Museum at Government Center in Naples. For information, call 252-8476.

The Edison-Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers celebrates its 42nd year of Holiday Lights, November 24-December 31.

This year’s event will feature an upscale buffet, cash bar, a fine art and luxury item auction, and music by The Original Studio 54 Band. The cocktail hour will feature a silent auction.

Guests this year are encouraged to wear purple to honor domestic violence victims and their children.

The Gala & Fine Art Auction is November 11, 5-10pm at the Hyatt Regency at Coconut Point, 5001 Coconut Dr. in Bonita Springs. Call 939-2553 for information.

Playwright and Author Visit Florida Rep

Newbery Medal-winning author, Lois Lowry, and Broadway playwright, Eric Coble, will be in residence at Florida Repertory Theatre on November 6 for a performance and post-show discussion of Coble's adaptation of Lowry's acclaimed book,The Giver. The performance begins at 6pm on November 6 in the Historic Arcade Theatre.

Lowry received her second Newbery Award for The Giver, which has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, and has become a staple in middle school classrooms. The book was adapted to the screen in 2014 starring Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep.

Coble's plays have been produced on Broadway and Off-Broadway, and on four continents, winning several awards.

Florida Rep's relationship with Coble began in 2006, when he was commissioned to write ZAP! for the Theatre for Young Audiences Series. In 2016, Coble's new play, In Vivo was read in the popular new works festival, PlayLab.

The Giver, by Eric Coble and based on Lowry's novel, will be performed at Florida Rep and will be on tour throughout Southwest Florida through May 2018.

Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre at 2268 Bay St. in the Fort Myers River District.

For information about the event and school bookings, call 332-4488.

Blues Weekend in Bradenton

The Bradenton Blues Festival weekend kicks off on Friday, December 1 with a free ‘Blues Appetizer’ concert. The Bradenton Blues Festival continues the music on Saturday, December 2 with a lineup of acclaimed and popular blues musicians. The annual festival also features local craft beer and specialty foods. The festivities continue with blues after-parties all evening long. The weekend wraps up with a Blues Brunch on Sunday, December 3.

The Blues Appetizer concert on December 1 features Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones at 6pm and TC Carr & Bolts of Blue at 7:30pm.

The Bradenton Blues Festival is

outdoors in the Riverwalk Amphitheater. Blankets and chairs are recommended, but outside food, coolers, umbrellas, tents and pets are not allowed.

FESTIVALSCHEDULE

11AM: Sean Chambers

12PM: Vanessa Collier

1:30PM: Nick Moss Band

2:30PM: Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band

4PM: Sugar Blue

5PM: Curtis Salgado

6:30PM: Joe Louis Walker Brody Buster between sets

Damon Fowler & Matt Walker perform 11am-1pm at the Blues Brunch on December 3 at Mattison's City Grille at 101 Riverfront Blvd.on Bradenton Riverwalk.

The Bradenton Riverwalk Amphitheater is located at 452 3rd Avenue W. Call 941-6216471 for information.

Naples Players’ ReadersTheatre Returns

The Naples Players’ 2017-2018 ETC…Readers Theatre season began in October with a reading of ‘Gidion’s Knot’ by Johnna Adams. The full length play is a possible choice for their 2018-19 season.

The season continues on November 12, at 7pm, with ‘You’re Never Too Old To Be Young,’ an evening of one-act plays that celebrate the ability of being young at any age. OneActs to be presented: ‘Post-Its’ by Paul Dooley & Winnie Holzman; ‘It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie’ by Jason Miller; ‘Postcards‘ by James

Prideaux; ‘Fear of Flying’ by Jason D. Martin; ‘Life Comes to the Old Maid’ by Le Wilhelm.

‘Evening of New Plays,’ETC one-act play competition winners, will be performed on January 21, at 7pm.

A One-Act Play Festival, celebrating playwrights Rich Orloff & David Ives is scheduled for April 7 & 8.‘An Afternoon of Rich Orloff’ will be performed at 2pm on April 7 and ‘An Evening of David Ives’ at 7pm on April 8.

On May 6, ETC presents the world premiere reading of a brand new play (to be determined). The performance at 2pm will be followed by a discussion about the play.

All readings are in the 100-seat Tobye Studio in the Sudgen Community Theatre, located at 701 5th Ave. in downtown Naples. For information, call 263-7990.

Gulf Coast Symphony’s MusicWorks! Benefits Kids

An event benefiting the MusicWorks! program for children in Harlem Heights will be held November 8, 5:30-9pm at The Heights Center in Fort Myers. Guests will enjoy live entertainment, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a live auction, and a performance by the MusicWorks! students. All proceeds will benefit the MusicWorks! program at The Heights Center.

MusicWorks! was launched in 2015 by the Gulf Coast Symphony and provides daily instruction in string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments to underserved youth in the Harlem Heights neighborhood.

“We have seen a transformation in the lives of our MusicWorks! students over the past 2 years, not only in their musical development, but also in their improved academic grades, self-esteem, and behavior,” said Dr. Andrew Kurtz, Music and Executive Director of The Gulf Coast Symphony. “The support of our community allows us to continue providing full tuition scholarships to the 65 students at in MusicWorks! at The Heights Center this year.”

The MusicWorks! benefit reception and concert is

Playwright Eric Coble will be discussing his play, ‘The Giver’ with author Lois Lowry at Florida Rep after the November 6 performance.

Blues Music Award nominee, Vanessa Collier performs at the Bradenton Blues Festival on December 2.

November 8, 5:30-9pm, at The Heights Center, located at 15570 Hagie Drive in Fort Myers. For information, call 277-1700.

Open House in Englewood

Englewood Art Center's Fall Open House on November 11 features artist demonstrations, classes, a food truck, and activities for children.

“Many of our teachers will be on-hand to demonstrate their expertise in a variety of media, including pottery, watercolor, oil painting and portraiture,” says Samantha Parkinson, Director of the Art Center.

Four exhibitions will be on view: ‘Costal Contemporary,’ featuring works by Tim Jaeger, Javier Rodriguez and Steve Strenk is in the Mitchell Gallery; ‘Life’s A Beach: Weather and Waves’ is in the Loranger Gallery; ‘Works by Gary Maria’ is in the Mangrove Gallery; and the members gallery is showing ‘Works by Irina Kaplun’.

The open house is November 11, 11am-4pm. Ringling College of Art & Design’s Englewood Art Center is located at 350 South McCall Rd. in Englewood. For information, call 941-474-5548.

Gallery Hosts SeasonOpening Reception

The Cooperative Art Gallery at Coconut Point will host a reception November 9, 4-6pm, to officially kick-off the gallery’s inseason schedule of art sales and activities.

The Gallery represents the work of local artists and craftspeople who are members of one of the 19 art studios affiliated with the Art Council of Southwest Florida. The artwork includes painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry, and mixed media.

The November reception features a book launch. Lisa Batch will be discussing her latest children’s book, The First Song. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The gallery is an entirely volunteer effort, the participating artists always on hand to discuss the work on display and handle sales.

The Art Council of Southwest Florida gallery is located in the Coconut Point Mall, next to Panera Bread. Call 949-3073 for information.

Eisenstaedt Exhibit at The Ringling

Alfred Eisenstaedt was one of the luminaries of American photojournalism. German-born Eisenstaedt learned his craft in Europe in the 1920s and 30s, pioneering the use of the small Leica 35mm camera to get closer to his subjects and create more candid pictures. He fled fascist Germany and came to the U.S. where he became one of the first photojournalists of Life magazine, creating some of the most iconic images of the 20th century.

The Ringling Museum of Art is presenting an exhibition of Eisenstaedt’s photographs, November 18-March 18.

The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art is located at 5401 Bay Shore Rd. in Sarasota. The

museum is open daily 10am5pm, Thursdays until 8pm. For information, call 941-359-5700.

Chorale Presents A Banquet of Song

The Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida presents its own self-produced concerts and partners with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra as its Resident Chorus to present concerts with orchestral accompaniment.

The Chorale presents its first concert of the season, ‘Harvest Grain: A Banquet of Song’ on November 17, 7pm at Sanibel Community Church and again on November 19, 4pm at Faith Presbyterian Church in Fort Myers. All Symphonic Chorale concerts are free.

Sanibel Community Church is located at 1740 Periwinkle Way. Faith Presbyterian Church is located at 4544 Coronado Pkwy. in Cape Coral. For information, call 560-5695.

Sand Sculpting Championship Returns to Fort Myers Beach

Fort Myers Beach will again be the host of the 31st annual American Sand Sculpting Championship, the largest sand sculpting event in the United States, November 17-26.

Attendees will see a collection of some of the world’s best sand sculptors craft amazing sand sculptures. Featuring sculptors from around the world, the singles competition is the first week, followed by the second week by the doubles competition. Guests can attend a variety of events and activities daily, 10am5pm, including seeing the creating and display of more than 40 sand sculptures, speed sand sculpting, sand sculpting demonstrations and Lessons, an amateur contest, and a Kids Zone. The Sand Sculpting Competition will once again be held on the beach behind the Wyndham Garden Hotel, located at 6890 Estero Blvd. on Fort Myers Beach.Call 560-1247 for information.

Actors Wanted

The Naples Players are holding auditions for three upcoming shows on November 18. Auditions are 12-4pm and open to everyone. The only requirement is the desire to be involved in a production and the willingness to commit their time and effort to the project.

Auditions for productions of Charles Ives Take Me Home, Rapture, Blister Burn and The Taming of The Shrew.

Rehearsals for Charles Ives Take Me Home begin December 4 with performances January 17February 11. One woman (in her 20s-40s) and two men (45 or older) with the ability to play the violin and or piano are needed.

Rehearsals for Rapture, Blister Burn begin January 2 with performances February 7-March 4. One man (in his 40s) and four women (one early her 20s, two in their 40s and one in her 70s) are needed.

Rehearsals for William

Shakespeare’s The Taming of The Shrew begin January 8, with performances February 17-March 18. Six women or men (in their 20’s-40’s) are needed. One role calls for an actor who speaks spanish and is a musician.

Audition appointments are requested. Walk-ins the day-ofauditions are welcome.

The Naples Players perform in the Sudgen Community Theatre, located at 701 5th Ave. in downtown Naples. Call 434-7340 for information.

Ringling College of Art & Design’s Englewood Art Center is hosting an open house on November 11.

Iconic photographs by Alfred Eisenstaedt will be on view at The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, November 18-March 18.

Celebrating the Stage for 65 Years I

by Julie Clay

n the heart of downtown Naples, theatregoers are looking forward to the illustrious 65th season of quality performances from The Naples Players. While the Players have been busy rehearsing and preparing, they’ve also been doing a whole lot of upgrades in anticipation of another anniversary

— their 20th performing at the historic Sugden Theatre.

“Our new season is an exciting look at what it means to belong,” says The Players Artistic Director Bryce Alexander, “The season explores societal pressures like money, status, and self-image and what we sacrifice to fit in. Through a collection of classic musicals and contemporary plays, audiences of every age and creed will have plenty to engage with. As a theatre for the community, it is no surprise that The Naples Players can expertly explore what it means to be a part of one.”

A quick look at what to expect: On the heels of the season’s opening production, the comedy She Kills Monsters (running through November 5) is the drama Maple & Vine, by Jordan Harrison, in the newly renovated Tobye Studio. With performances through Nov. 19th, Maple & Vine showcases what happens when you ditch the 21st century world for a supposedly more idealistic 1950s way of life. The holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street, featuring a book and score by Meredith Willson, runs November 29 thru December 23. Charles Ives Take Me Home, penned by Jessica Dickey, tells the story of a father and daughter at odds over life’s passions. Charles Ives... happens on the main stage in Blackburn Hall from January 17 thru February 11. The drama Rapture, Blister, Burn, by Gina Gianfriddo, an account of old friends taking different paths in life while wishing for the other’s, unfolds in the Tobye Studio February 7 – March 4. Tony Award-winning family musical comedy The Music Man is in Blackburn Hall, March 7th thru April 8th, and Ripcord, a comedy by David Lindsay-Abaire, rounds out the season on the Blackburn stage, April 25 – May 20.

This solid selection of productions also includes a new outdoor performance series on the freshly updated Baker stage out front. Built to acoustic specifications by Andrea Clark Brown, the stage hosts Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, featuring KidzAct playerson five consecutive weekends, February 17 – March 18.

Naples Players Associate Artistic Director Jessica Walck imparts, “The Baker stage is a beautiful space that we don’t utilize nearly enough, so I think that presenting Shakespeare, the way it originally was performed [outdoors], is a great way to do that.” Named for benefactors Jay & Patty

Baker, the Baker stage and plaza in front both face Naples’ famed 5th Avenue, offering plenty of space for seating. Up until now, Alexander explains, the area has been used for red carpet events on opening nights, and when Shakespearean plays are the evening’s performance.

“Patrons can come with their lawn chairs and watch Shakespeare under the stars,” shares Alexander of the upcoming shows, “Not only are we doing the free performance, but we’re using the concepts to teach anti-violence and bully prevention. We’re trying to start a small conversation after the show and help families locally.”

Dead Accounts

Along with the Baker stage, the Sugden itself has undergone several upgrades to its facilities as part of its revitalization initiative, including modernizing the ticketing system. Alexander says, “It’s been this continual push to make sure our facilities and programs are as modern as possible to a modern audience while staying true to our roots of tradition.”

The new box office features “accessible ticketing windows, electronic displays, new offices, and a new state-of-the-art ticketing system, which allows patrons to print tickets at home, add electronic tickets to their mobile devices, trade tickets on-line,

renew subscriptions automatically, and even see a view of the stage from their seats.”

The newly recarpeted lobby concession area features a beautiful teak bar, tables and benches created (and donated) by Naples Players member Jackie & husband Hank Morelisse’s company BouTeak by JM.

The overhaul extends into the Tobye Studio as well, which has been pleasantly updated with new theatre chairs, curtains, handrails, steplights, and “new overhead lights that allow the theatre to subtly change the color temperature as you enter the theatre to represent the mood of the evening’s presentation.”

This season’s productions also includes ontheupdatedBaker stageoutfront

Bell, Book and Candle

These Shining

anewoutdoorperformanceseries

ront facing Naples’famed 5thAvenue.

“Making these upgrades happen [in the Tobye studio] is an effort in community partnerships,” Alexander expresses, “an exciting note is all of this is being made possible by individuals and businesses sponsoring a chair with their name on it. It is by the community, for the community, and the chairs will proudly display those names for years to come.” He continues, “It is an amazing story about community supporting the arts and then the arts trying to help support the community. That’s what makes the Naples Players work and is renowned in community theatre, with the financial backing of patrons like the Bakers and others who have made Naples great in so many ways.”

Celebration plans will stretch into next season as well. Alexander hints about possible open houses and theater tours. A peek into their costume design and prop storage areas shows an impressive collection spanning the organization’s history. Each expansive area is packed with years’ worth of neatly organized accoutrements. Even the boardroom is lined with bookshelves packed with scripts from virtually every play ever performed in their 65-year history. Additional scripts are carefully stored off-location. Further exploration of the

Sugden reveals well-maintained rehearsal studios oft-used by KidzAct, the educational arm of the Players.

Offering a well-rounded youth performing arts program, KidzAct presents a performance each season, with Elf the Musical, Jr! set to run in Blackburn Hall in December, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in May. KidzAct players will be the featured performers in The Taming of the Shrew

Adding to the offerings will be ‘Sensory Friendly’ performances, featuring accommodations for those with autism, Down syndrome and sensory processing

disorders. These shows offer lower sound and lighting levels, a reduction of audience lighting, and the option for patrons to talk and leave their seats during the performance. Theatre capacity is capped at 50% to allow for standing and movement, and there are designated quiet areas within the theater. For many families, this will be the first time that they can enjoy a theatre performance together.

Bryce explains the concept, “I came from a theatre in Colorado that served people with disabilities. I was constantly speaking to arts organizations around the country about this, so naturally when I came to Naples it was something we had to accomplish. We’ve been partnering with the Foundation for the Developmentally Disabled and their Trailblazer Academy. They will watch the sensory friendly performances to help us develop them for the audience. Trailblazer students take improv classes, etc. here. We are also helping them in the classroom and we’ve had all these teachers who are so excited about the opportunity who are offering their help. Our Director of Education, Craig Price leads the class every day.”

Bryce also mentions the importance of KidsZact being available to all through their scholarship program, “We don’t turn anyone away due to financial needs. Just last summer alone we gave out $30,000 in scholarship funding.” All that funding comes from monies raised at our annual gala, titled this year ‘Let us Entertain You,’ on February 6. Bryce adds, “Parents know their kids are valued here, they’re safe here. There’s no judgment here and full support. We try to keep our class sizes down and the gala really helps to offset that.” The program has grown to a point that it now attracts students from all over Southwest Florida.

The Naples Players are a community mainstay, as Ms. Walck shares, “I have been involved for the past 14 years and there is a renewed sense of purpose that I want our community to experience.” •

The Naples Players perform in the Sugden Community Theatre, located at 701 5th Avenue in Naples. For information, call 434-7340.

Shining Lives

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

I Hate Hamlet

Bringing Broadway to Southwest Florida

by Carol J. DeFrank

Anniversary’s are always exciting. But they’re especially cool when you have prevailed where others have failed. That’s when you know you’ve earned the right to celebrate. The Broadway Palm Theater has survived where many others have failed and, as a result, are celebrating their 25th anniversary. When it was founded in 1993 there were 30 dinner theaters in Florida. It is one of four that have survived. The milestone was celebrated recently with county dignitaries, local officials, advertisers, media and friends of the theater, at a cocktail reception and dinner before enjoying the award winning musical, Pippin

To appreciate Broadway Palm’s success only takes a quick review of some impressive numbers. More than 3.6 million people have enjoyed 183 main stage musicals, 72 children’s productions and 81 off-Broadway shows. Annual attendancehas

Morethan 3.6millionpeoplehaveenjoyed183mainstagemus

grown from 92,000 to more than 182,000. Initially there were 25 employees, now it takes 150 to run the 36,000 square foot venue located in the Royal Palm Plaza in Ft. Myers. It has truly earned its title as Southwest Florida’s Premier Dinner Theatre.

The theater is owned and operated by Will Prather, who according to Melissa Vogt, Director of Sales & Marketing, was literally born into the business. His parents, Tom & Deborah, produced plays and musicals for more than 50 years. They have owned and operated the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in Pennsylvania since 1964. Will expanded the business with the opening of the Broadway Palm theatre, then added two national touring companies.

For years Prather wore many hats. In addition to owning and operating the business he was the general manager and executive producer. After ten years he passed the general manager duties onto Susan Johnson, then to 20 year veteran and current General Manager Mary Lawton.

Giving the audience what they want rather than relying on the status quo is one of many reasons for their continued success. “We are constantly evolving to meet the needs of our patrons. It goes without saying that offering good food

and good theater is always at the forefront of our thinking,” Vogt says.

“For example, our main theater seating arrangement consisted mostly of tables for eight. Audience input indicated that many attended as couples or groups of four. To provide a more intimate atmosphere, many eight-tops were replaced with tables for two and four. We also included 52 show-only seats.”

Several other areas received attention in the last two years. New hardwood floors, carpeting and wallpaper are among the renovations.

Even though the word ‘dinner’ was dropped from the name several years ago, quality and selection of food is still a priority. Some menu items are so popular that the recipes appear on the website. Executive Chef, Ted Jenkins, is known for his pineapple casserole and prime rib, among other favorites. Vogt says, “If these items fail to appear on the buffet we have some disappointed patrons and they let us know about it.”

In an effort to entertain a variety of audiences, Prather utilizes every inch of the facility. He divided the floor space into different venues. The largest and most popular room houses the main theater and has a 448 seat capacity. This theater features eight full-scale Broadway musicals and five or six concerts every year. This years musicals include: A Christmas Story, Chicago, Mamma Mia, My Fair Lady, Ring of Fire, and Annie.

The Concert Series begins in January and will feature; Yesterday: The Beatles Tribute; One of These Nights: A Tribute to the Eagles; The Rave-Ons: Tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & The Big Bopper; The Piano Man: The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John; and Dwight Icenhower’s Tribute to the King.

The main room is also home to The Children’s Theater that features four shows annually. This venue caters to youngsters, with a the menu is a child’s dream: pizza, chicken nuggets, pasta, french fries, and so on. This season kids can enjoy: Curious George and the Golden Meatball, Jingle Arrgh the Way, and Seussical.

Vogt explains that their school involvement is focused on a special production. “Every year we have a new-teacher orientation to introduce our program. This year’s musical is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”

In 1996, the Off-Broadway, a 100 seat black box theater, opened to showcase smaller scale musical revues and comedies. This season’s five productions are A Tuna Christmas, The Hallelujah Girls, Church Basement Ladies:Rise Up, O Men, and The Savannah Sipping Society are on the agenda.

Past BroadwayPalm theatre productions: Evita (PAGE 21) and (ABOVE, LEFTT

Leoma Lovegrove, an eclectic, local and internationally-recognized artist, will perform at a special engagement. Lovegrove paints original art on stage while enjoying her favorite music, completing pieces in minutes.

Another important space is the Royal Palm Room, designed for main stage overflow dining. It was recently renovated and features a small stage with lighting and sound system.

Also located in the facility is the Palms Gallery, a great place to gather for cocktails; the Sabal Palm Room, a new, intimate room; the Playbill Bar, the lobby’s full-service bar; and a gift shop.

The season’s program is decided by teams led by Prather. Decisions are made after connecting and checking availability with royalty companies. Vogt says they were excited to retrieve the rights to Chicago and Mama Mia. “Big musicals attract a big audience. It’s difficult for regional theaters to get the rights to popular, current plays so we work hard to keep the program fresh.”

Paul Bernier is the Artistic Director for the Off-Broadway and Children’s Theaters. All other Prather Entertainment Group productions are under Artistic Director, Brian Enzman, who selects the principle actors and ensemble from

auditions held in Fort Myers, Chicago and in New York.

“More than 300 young local performers have appeared on our stage, as well as many adult actors and musicians,” Vogt says. “We hold local auditions once a year, but we require so many performers and musicians for each show, the area talent pool can’t always accommodate us so we have to explore other options.”

To ensure continued success, the staff participated in a five day retreat. Committees were appointed to take on much more than next years shows. Each committee had a different initiative. Vogt explains, “We discussed 5, 10, 20 and 25 year plans. We researched and debated issues like what our future audience will look like and what type of shows and food will be popular. We discussed how to acquire the best shows and how to be the first in the area to achieve the rights to them. This kind of planning helps us stay ahead of the curve. We strive to live up to and even improve upon our current standards.

“We also take advantage of every resource we have. For instance, Tom [Prather] is retired, but he still serves as artistic consultant and participates in monthly conference calls,” explains Vogt. “When in town, we get together and brainstorm. Everyone here considers him a great asset and feels privileged to benefit from his experience and wisdom.”

In addition to everything else it takes to run a major operation, provisions have been set in place to accommodate health issues. There are ramps for wheelchairs and staff available to

ing devices that can be used in tandem with hearing aids are linked directly to the sound system and available at no charge.

For special dietary needs Chef Jenkins provides heart healthy, low fat foods, at least one gluten-free item, and an extensive salad bar. He’s happy to honor extreme dietary needs if notified in advance.

The Broadway Palm is proud of its community and business involvement. “We help the local economy by hosting approximately 1,000 motor coaches annually, half of which originate from outside of Lee County and more than onethird include overnight stays,” Vogt says.

“We are active in the local chambers and are a sanctioned Florida attraction. We support local charities, not only monetarily but by donating goods, services, and volunteer hours.”

The Broadway Palm’s mission is ‘Providing exceptional entertainment and customer service that creates a fun and memorable experience while enriching the communities we serve.’ Obviously they practice what they preach.

•

Broadway Palm is located at 1380 Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers. For informtion, call 278-4422.

LEFTTORIGHT) Cats, Chicago, Les Miserables, Mary Poppins,MyFair Lady.

by Paula Bolado

Inside the Artstage Studio Theatre in downtown Fort Myers, an audience member can experience the small rural Irish setting of Outside Mullingar, a four person modern-day play complete with spot-on Irish accents and hints of weather changes — such as rain drops on jackets to mimic the damp, cold Irish climate. The intimacy of the Artstage, the smaller of the two theatres located inside the Historic Arcade building that houses The Florida Repertory Theater, allows the audience to sit quite close to the characters, making impossible not to become part of their story of love, loss, and land dispute.

Florida Rep (as it is referred to) is celebrating its 20th year in Southwest Florida. Recently, Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Robert Cacioppo discussed the diversity in the shows, the importance of communicating cultural issues through the stage, and how music and educational outreach are pinnacle to the success of this organization.

Cacioppo’s mission is to use a wide variety of people and works that showcase not only the talent and writing, but promote conversations about culture in our country. “Theatre is a place where ideas can be exchanged,” he says.

Considering the racial violence in America that is dominating the national landscape, Cacioppo presented a play last year titled, The Best of Enemies, a true story that took place in Durham, North Carolina, during the desegregation of schools in 1971; it’s about the real-life relationship between a desegregation activist and a member of the KKK. Adding to the theatrical discourse on racial injustice, he also presented the play, To Kill a Mockingbird, for the same reason: to bring race relations to the forefront. The first time he directed this show was in 1997, when the News-Press ran a headline, that said, according to Cacioppo: ‘Fort Myers: The Most Segregated City in the South.’

The second time Cacioppo presented To Kill a Mockingbird was around the poignant time when Obama was giving his farewell address. Obama quoted Atticus Finch by saying, “If our democracy is to work in this

Florida Rep’s production of ‘Best of Enemies’

increasingly diverse nation, each of us must try to heed the advice: You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Cacioppo knew this to be the right time to put on such a classic play that teaches people to learn to walk in another person’s shoes. Cacioppo insists, “Theatre, going back to the Greeks, also made people think. We have found that our biggest supporters and donors and the people who really love Florida Rep loves that we do plays that have substance and makes people think.”

Cacioppo feels a responsibility to serve the community as a first-rate arts organization. He notes, “We are the only theatre in Fort Myers that creates work with professional actors —meaning actors from Actors Equity Association —which is the union that works on Broadway.” He also works with set designers and directors from other professional organizations. “Every show that Florida Rep does, we spend over a quarter of a million dollars on each show or more,” he continues. “We audition the actors, bring them from New York, house them, pay their union dues, and build the kind of sets we have.”

Cacioppo adds, “We hold a very unique place in Fort Myers. Now Florida Rep is the largest not-for-profit arts organization in the history of Lee County.” Cacioppo, along with 55 staff members, are building a national reputation with a budget of four million dollars and plays that reach over eighty-thousand people, so that the community gets the big city theatre experience in Fort Myers.

The new season opens with a couple of comedies, two of which includes a beautiful romance, incredible acting, and moments of big belly laughs, needed after a stressful time postIrma. Outside Mullingar kicked off the season, and Sylvia, a fun fantasy where a dog, played by a human actress, takes up residency with a couple who just moved to New York City after their kids went off to college, runs thru November 15.

For someone who has produced 160 plays in 19 years, Cacioppo loves to bring joy to the audience, but again he intends to address social issues that pervade our culture. Disgraced opens November 7 and runs thru December 10. He says, “This is about a Muslim man who feels prejudiced against. It is the most produced play in theatres like ours.” With the new administration’s specific travel bans from those in predominately Muslim countries, this is an important reflection of our culture’s anxieties today. He continues, “Here’s a chance theatre not only makes people escape and forget about their problems, but also makes them think; that’s a play that when it’s over will stay with you and you’ll think about it a lot, and think about America.”

The Last Night of Ballyhoo (November 11December 17), is about a Jewish family living in Atlanta during World War II. Coalescing on stage are subsets of Southern elitism and antiSemitism, yet the play also includes a tender love story. These are the kinds of plays Cacioppo is most proud of when it comes to bringing important issues to the stage.

On the lighter side this season, he is bringing us a musical he wrote, Night and Day. He says, “We have been doing a salute to the great American composers. Three years ago we did a salute to George & Ira Gershwin, and two years ago we did a salute to Johnny Mercer. This year we are doing a salute to Cole Porter.” Cacioppo loves celebrating American composers. “No one does musical theatre like the Americans.” The play will be like an opera, involving two couples, with the story told via 36 Cole Porter songs.

The rest of the season is filled with comedy (How the Other Half Lives), classic drama (The Miracle Worker), classic musical (Cabaret), and a new comedic production ( George Washington’s Teeth).

Theatre education has been a passion for the organization. Through Florida Rep’s theatre’s education program, the Conservatory, and under the direction of Kody Jones, students in

the region, especially those from ages 4-18 years old, can participate in education classes on acting, musical theatre, improvisation, directing, private lessons, and intensive theatre camps. An impressive 31,000 kids are served in the area. The Conservatory is designed for young actors to gain ‘a real-life regional theatre experience.’

One of the Conservatory’s musicals this year is called School of Rock and recently my family was able to enjoy this energetic, intelligent, and hilarious musical. The choreography, acting, and songs provide a top-notch production from local youth in the area. One of the student characters, who showcases her spunky acting and dancing chops on stage and adds to the excitement of the show, is Ella Stroud, a 13 year old Sanibel Island resident who has been involved with Florida Repertory Theatre since she was ten. She says, “I’ve been doing Florida Rep’s Conservatory since I was in fifth grade and my most recent show was School of Rock and it’s the best theatre I’ve ever worked with. It’s really fun, a lot of close friendships are built, and it makes me sad when a show is over because the set is incredible, the people are amazing, and the talent is phenomenal.”

Through her involvement with Florida Rep, Ella has learned confidence skills she brings into her daily life. She adds, “Before I did theatre, I was kind of shy, and doing so many shows with Florida Rep has brought me get out of my shell.” Ella’s involvement with Florida Rep demonstrates how the organization touches the lives of many beyond the audience.

Florida Rep helps provide opportunities for students of all backgrounds to participate in its classes and camps. That is why corporate and individual support from donors are important to not only help bring high-level productions to the area, but also to help support youth scholarships.

•

Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the historic Arcade Theatre, located at 2268 Bay St. in downtown Fort Myers River District. For information, call 332-4488.

Becky’s New Car God of Carnage

“Theatre not only makes people escape and forget about their problems, but also makes them think.”

MUSIC THEATER & 2017-2018 season

FEB 25: Fandango!

MAR 2: Late Nite Catechism

MAR 9: Shotgun Wedding

MAR 16: Recycled Percussion

MAR 23: Hotel California

Strauss Theater

2200 Periwinkle Way

SANIBEL

472-6862

SCHEDULE

Dec 7-28: A Christmas Carol

BIG ARTS

Schein Hall

900 Dunlop Road

SANIBEL

395-0900

bigarts.org

BIG ARTS, established in 1979, is a nonprofit organization devoted to providing quality artistic, cultural and educational experiences to Sanibel and Captiva residents and visitors. BIG ARTS' vision is to create great arts, entertainment and learning experiences that always inspire, enrich and delight.

JAN 6: One Night in Memphis

JAN 12: The Modern Gentlemen

JAN 14: Nikita Mndoyants

JAN 25: Frisson Ensemble

JAN 27: Balsam Range

JAN 28: Hermitage Piano Trio

FEB 1: NY Philharmonic

String Quartet

FEB 9: Birdland All-Stars

FEB 15: Miro Quartet

FEB 17: The Hot Sardines

FEB 21: Pilobolus

Jan 11 -Feb 17: Noises Off

Mar 7 - Apr 7: Dames at Sea

Apr 11-21: Grounded

Broadway Palm

1380 Colonial Boulevard

FORT MYERS

278-4422

broadwaypalm.com

Broadway Palm is Southwest Florida's Premier Dinner Theatre and proudly celebrating their 25th Anniversary Season. The theatre features the best of Broadway, combining your favorite shows of the past along with the most recent musical hit sensations. Broadway

Palm features nationally selected performers, dazzling sets and costumes and a live orchestra. Also check out the Off Broadway Palm, Broadway Palm Children's Theatre, special engagements and the annual Concert Series.

MAIN STAGE

THRU NOV 18: Pippin

NOV 23-DEC 25: A Christmas Story

DEC 30-FEB 10: Chicago

FEB 15-APR 7:Mamma Mia

APR 12-MAY 19: My Fair Lady

May 24-Jun 23: Ring of Fire

JUN 28-AUG 11:Annie

Off Broadway Palm Theatre

NOV 16-DEC 25:A Tuna Christmas

JAN 11-FEB 24:The Hallelujah Girls

MAR 1-APR 29: Church Basement

Ladies: Rise Up, O Men

JUN 14-JUL 22: The Savannah Sipping Society

Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre

SELECTEDMATINEES

THRU NOV 17: Curious George & the Golden Meatball

DEC 1-24:Jingle Arrgh the Way

APR 20-MAY 2:Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

JUN 1-22: Seussical

concert series

JAN 15: Yesterday: The Beatles

Tribute

JAN 28 & 29: One of These Nights: A Tribute to The Eagles

FEB 25 & 26:The Rave-Ons: Tribute

to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & The Big Bopper

MAR 11 & 12:The Piano Man: The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John

MAR 25 & 26:Dwight Icenhower’s Tribute to the King

special events

JAN 4-7: Leoma Lovegrove’s My Studio

MAY 3-6:Harry’s Senior Moment

MAY 10-JUN 10: Murder In Paradise

Bonita Springs

10150 Bonita Beach Road, BONITA SPRINGS

495-8989

artcenterbonita.org

'Live at the Center!' features exciting, live performances across all genres — dance, comedy, theater, jazz, classical, and pop music. 'Live!'

2017 MUSIC&THEA

Series kicks off October showcasing a year-round selection of professional U.S. and international artists who fill our auditoriums (200 and 400). With over 70 performances across evenings and weekends, there’s entertainment for all ages with family, friends and clients. Refreshments are available at all performances to complement the show.

NOV 4: Improv Tonight

NOV 5: Musical MomentsGo for Baroque

NOV 17-19: Alice in Wonderland

(CFABS YOUTH PLAYERS)

DEC 2:Improv Café - YOUTH IMPROV

DEC 2: Improv Tonight

DEC 3: Holidays in Paradise

JAN 5: Three On a String

JAN 6: Improv Tonight

JAN 7:Musical Moments -

American Rhythms

JAN 12: Staged Readings

JAN 13: Riders in the Sky

JAN 24:Tab Benoit

JAN 25-29: Bonita Springs

International Film Festival

FEB 2: Patchouli Terra Guitarra

FEB 3: Improv Café - YOUTH IMPROV

FEB 3:Improv Tonight

FEB 4: Musical Moments -

Romantic Interlude

FEB 9-11:Present “Footloose (CFABS TEEN PLAYERS)

FEB 16:Staged Readings

FEB 17: O Sole Trio -

Bravissimo Broadway

FEB 24:Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica

MAR 2: Jonathan Edwards

MAR 3:Improv Café - YOUTH IMPROV

MAR 3: Improv Tonight

MAR 4: Musical Moments -

Classical Cuisine

MAR 16:Staged Readings

MAR 28: John Sebastian

APR 7: The Weight Band

APR 11-15: No Sex Please, We’re British (CFABS COMMUNITY PLAYERS)

APR 8:Musical MomentsNational Potpourri

APR 21: Barefoot Movement

APR 27: The Dan Miller / Lew Del Gatto Sextet - The Music of Art Blakey

APR 28 & 29:Stage It!10 Minute Plays

MAY 5:Improv Café - YOUTH IMPROV

MAY 5: Improv Tonight

MAY 6:Musical MomentsOpera & Musical Theater

MAY 12: Flamenco Puro

MAY 12 & 13, 18-20: Mary Poppins, Jr. (CFABS YOUTH PLAYERS)

legendary composer of film and TV Danny Elfman.

MAR 23-25 : Circus of the Voices WITH KEY CHORALE & CIRQUE ORCHESTRA

Sailor Circus

Sailor Circus Arena

2075 Bahia Vista Street

SARASOTA

941-355-9805

circusarts.org

For nearly 70 years, students ages 8-18 have wowed audiences with an incredible spectacle of youth circus arts.

DEC 27-30 : High Flying Holidays

Circus Arts Conservatory

Circus Sarasota

Ulla Searing Big Top 140 University

Town Center Drive

SARASOTA

941-355-9805

circusarts.org

Circus Sarasota boasts an impressive roster of international artists pushing human boundaries, leaving audiences awestruck. This year's performance honors the legacy of the circus arts and those who have impacted the artform.

FEB 9 - MAR 4:Ovation

Cirque des Voix

Ulla Searing Big Top 140 University

Town Center Drive

SARASOTA

941-355-9805

circusarts.org

Vocal vivacity combines with timeless circus elegance and excitement in this one-of-a-kind experience for all audiences. Incredible circus artistry combines with 100+ voices of the Key Chorale and the 40-piece Cirque Orchestra for an unforgettable performance. This year's shows will highlight the music of

Florida Gulf Coast University Bower School of Music & the Arts

Music Program

U. Tobe Recital Hall Music Building

10501FGCUBoulevardS. FORT MYERS

745-4268

fgcu.edu/ cas/music/concerts-music

The Bower School of Music seeks to prepare professionals for service in music education, and in music performance and pedagogy, while furnishing cultural enrichment for the southwest Florida community and beyond.

* FREE

NOV 4: Wind Orchestra (AT ARTIS-NAPLES)

NOV 6: Percussion Ensemble (at The Colony) *

NOV 12:Jazz Ensembles *

NOV 14: String & Wind Chamber Ensembles *

NOV 16: Brass & Percussion Ensembles *

NOV 17:Senior Concert *

NOV 19: Symphonic Band Concert (AT ESTERO HIGH SCHOOL) *

NOV 28: Choir Holiday Concert (AT MOORINGS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH) *

NOV 30: Logan Skelton, PIANO

DEC 2: Symphony Orchestra *

Dec 3: Wind Orchestra Holiday Concert (AT GRACE CHURCH) *

JAN 8: Colorado Piano Trio & Guests

JAN 21:Santiago Rodriguez, PIANO

JAN 25: Linda Chesis, FLUTE & Michael Baron, PIANO

JAN 28: 4th Annual Champagne

Signature Concert Fundraiser

FEB 4: Wind Orchestra & Symphonic Band Concert (AT ESTERO HIGH SCHOOL)*

Feb 9: Domo Emigrantes, ITALIAN FOLK MUSIC

FEB 11:Jazz Ensembles *

FEB 17: Symphony Orchestra *

FEB 22:Michael Baron & Priscila Navarro, DUOPIANISTS

Mar 15: Alex Richardson, TENOR & Michael Baron, PIANO

Mar 18: Chamber Choir (AT MOORINGS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH) *

MAR 24 & 25:Opera Workshop

Performance

Mar 26: Wind Orchestra (AT THE COLONY)*

MAR 27: Cameron Cozman, CELLO

APR 5: String Chamber Ensembles *

APR 6:Naples Philharmonic Chamber Ensembles

APR 8: Jazz Ensembles *

APR 11: Brass & Wind Chamber Ensembles *

Apr 15: Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Choir performing Handel’s Messiah *

APR 19: Percussion Ensembles *

APR 21: Wind Orchestra (AT ARTIS-NAPLES)

Apr 23: Symphonic Band (AT FLORIDA REPERTORY THEATRE) *

Apr 24: Chamber Choir (AT BOWER CHAPELIN MOORINGS PARK) *

APR 26: Piano Ensembles *

A TER SEASON 2018

Theatre Program

TheatreLab Arts Complex

10501FGCUBoulevardS. FORT MYERS

745-4268

theatrelab.fgcu.edu

The Theatre Program at the Bower School of Music & the Arts offers a dynamic balance of theory and application as well as real-world training in the whole craft of theatre: performance, technology, theory, and criticism. All productions take place in the TheatreLab in the Arts Complex at FGCU.

OCT 27-NOV 5:The Servant of Two Masters

FEB 16-25:Black Comedy

APR 12-22: Your Florida Fantasy

DEC 19-FEB 25: Night & DayLove Lost & Found Through the Eyes of Cole Porter

JAN 9-31: How the Other Half Lives

FEB 13-MAR 7: The Miracle Worker

MAR 20-APR 11: Cabaret

APR 24-MAY 13: George Washington's Teeth

MAY 9-13:Heathers - the Musical

Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers

6900 Daniels Parkway suite 29-193

FORT MYERS

288-2535

mastersingersfm.com

DEC 10:Christmas on Sanibel (AT SANIBEL COMMUNITY CHURCH)

Dec 17: Deck the Halls WITH GULF COAST SYMPHONY (AT BARBARA B. MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL)

JAN 14:Serenade to Music

WITH CHAMBER CHORUSAND CITY OF PALMS YOUTH CHOIR (AT MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH)

FEB 2:Serenade to Music WITH CHAMBER CHORUSAND CITYOF PALMS YOUTH CHOIR (AT THE ALLIANCEFORTHE ARTS)

FEB 11: Serenade to Music

WITH CHAMBER CHORUSAND CITYOF PALMS YOUTH CHOIR (AT SANIBEL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH)

MAR 11:Bernstein at 100 WITH GULF COAST SYMPHONY (AT BARBARA B. MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL)

APR 6:Nadler Conducts Haydn WITH MASTERSINGERS FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA (AT FAITH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH)

APR 8: Nadler Conducts Haydn WITH MASTERSINGERS FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA (AT MOORINGS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH)

Florida

Repertory Theatre

2267 First Street FORT MYERS

332-4488

floridarep.org

Celebrating 20 years of AwardWinning Regional Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre is a fully professional theatre company that The Wall Street Journal called 'One of America’s Top Repertory Companies.' Florida Rep is proud to serve Southwest Florida a wide variety of plays and musicals six days a week, September-May.

THRU NOV 15: Sylvia

NOV 7-DEC 10: Disgraced

NOV 28-DEC 17:The Last Night of Ballyhoo

The three ensembles singing under the Mastersingers brand, the 80-plus voice adult chorus, the City of Palms Youth Choir, and the Chamber Choir enter season 17 with a full lineup of concerts throughout Southwest Florida at a variety of venues. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Jeff Faux, Associate Director Matt Koller, and Accompanist Janet Carter, their entire music team is dedicated to the pursuit of musical excellence in the choral art form.

NOV 5: Tea with the Mastersingers

FUNDRAISER (AT WHITE ORCHID HOUSEAT OASIS)

NOV 19:Serenade to Music

WITH MASTERSINGERS CHAMBER CHORUS (AT EDISON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH)

Nov 19: Hurricane Irma Benefit Concert WITH GULF COAST

SYMPHONY (AT BARBARA B. MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL)

DEC 3: Readings and Carols WITH CITYOF PALMS YOUTH CHOIR (AT NEW HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH)

Gulf Coast Symphony

PERFORMANCESAT

Barbara B. Mann

Performing Arts Hall

Florida SouthWestern State College campus

13350 FSW Parkway

FORT MYERS

277-1700

BOXOFFICE: 481-4849

gulfcoastsymphony.org

The Gulf Coast Symphony, led by

Maestro Andrew M. Kurtz, is recognized for dynamic symphonic performances, as well as its active community engagement and commitment to arts education. During the 2017-2018 season, the Symphony will perform four Symphonic Pops concerts, three Classical Access concerts, a holiday concert, and two family concerts. The Symphony will also present 20 Days of Music —more than 20 free events throughout Southwest Florida from January 28April 8, 2018.

DEC 2:The Nutcracker

DEC 17: Deck the Halls WITH FORT MYERS SYMPHONIC MASTERSINGERS

JAN 7:Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg

JAN 21:A Tribute to Ella

FEB 24 & 25:Oklahoma!

MAR 11: Bernstein at 100 WITH FORT MYERS SYMPHONIC MASTERSINGERS

MAR 25:Rock On!

APR 15: From West Side Story to Wicked - Callaways on Broadway

MAY 12:Tosca

JUN 10:Animals from A to Z

GulfshoreOpera

3281 Golden Gate Blvd. W. NAPLES

529-3925

gulfshoreopera.org

Gulfshore Opera is Southwest Florida’s regional opera company serving Collier, Lee, and Charlotte Counties. Gulfshore Opera enriches the community by offering affordable professional opera theater and vocal music concerts to diverse audiences and a socially responsible musical education initiative.

JAN 20:Classic Cabaret (AT ALLIANCEFORTHE ARTS)

2017 MUSIC&THEA

JAN 22: Classic Cabaret (AT SANIBEL COMMUNITY HOUSE)

JAN 25: Taste of Opera (AT THE COLONY BAY CLUB)

JAN 31:Vocal Tour de France (AT ARTIS–NAPLES)

Feb 13: Taste of Opera (AT SHANGRI-LA SPRINGS)

Feb 17: Grand Opera Night (AT SANIBEL CONGREGATIONAL UCC)

FEB 23: Very Verdi Concert (AT SIDNEY & BERNE DAVIS ART CENTER)

Feb 25: Phantom Gala (AT VANDERBILT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH)

MAR 13: Rigoletto (AT ST. LEO PARISH LIFE CENTER)

Laugh In Comedy Café

8595 College Parkway #270

FORT MYERS

479--5233

laughincomedycafe.com

As the perfect date night, Laugh In is an old school comedy dinner theater. Table seating about 180 on a full house it makes every show a fun intimate experience. All American cuisine, they have something for every one, from appetizers to full entrees, dinner salads & flat breads. Even something for the sweet tooth. Arrive early to enjoy the lounge for a refreshing drink before settling into the theater for a great show. Doors open an hour and half before

every show. Showtimes 7:30 on all first shows. Friday & Saturday late show 9:30pm.

NOV 1:Open Mic

NOV 2-4: Kenny Smith

NOV 8:Carman Ciricillo

The Construction Comic

NOV 9-11:Jimmy "JJ" Walker

NOV 15:Doug Canney

NOV 16-18: Chris Cope

NOV 24-25:Brian Glowacki

NOV 26: Ben Hague

NOV 29:Laugh in lineup

NOV 30-DEC 2: Jim Florentine

DEC 6: Gallagher & Artie Fletcher

DEC 7-10:Mr Showtime

David Scott

DEC 13: Mike Murillo

DEC 14-17: Rob Little

DEC 20:Bill Ohse

DEC 21-23:David Merry

DEC 26 & 27:Kevin Lee

DEC 28-31:RC Smith

JAN 4-6:Mike Rivera

JAN 10: Jimmy Keys

JAN 11-14:Dat Phan

JAN 18-20: Valarie Storm

JAN 25-27: Bear Webb

JAN 31: Pat Dailey

FEB 1-3:Alex Ortiz

FEB 7: Jeff Zenisek

FEB 8-10: Reno Collier

FEB 15-17:Norman Shultz

FEB 22-25: Kerry Pollock

MAR 1-3: Tracy McDonald

MAR 7:Pat Dailey

MAR 8-11: Steve Hynter

MAR 14:Juanita Lolita

MAR 15-17:Jody White

MAR 22-24:Robin Williams

Tribute Show

MAR 29-31: Rene Bray

APR 5-7:Michael Harrison

APR 12-14:Mike McCarthy

APR 19-21: Michael Speenburg

APR 26-28: Al Ramero

MAY 3-5: Hypnotist Chris Jones

MAY 10-13: Jason Love

MAY 17-19:Alex Elkin

MAY 24-26: Bob Dibouno

Sanibel Music Festival

Sanibel UCC Congregation Church

2050 Periwinkle Way

SANIBEL 344-7025

sanibelmusicfestival.org

The Sanibel Music Festival is celebrating its 32nd season with Tuesday & Saturday evening concerts by world renowned artists throughout March 2018 at the Sanibel UCC Congregation Church. All concerts begin at 7:30pm.

MAR 3: The Boston Trio

MAR 6:2017 Cliburn Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo

MAR 10:Jasper/Jupiter String Octet

MAR 13:Olga Kern & Vladik Kern

MAR 20: Gems of Broadway's Golden Age with a tribute to Leonard Bernstein

MAR 24:Love, Passion & Revenge in Opera & Operetta

MAR 27: St. Lawrence String Quartet

Shell Point Retirement Community

15101 Shell Point Blvd. FORT MYERS

454-2067

shellpoint.org/concerts

Shell Point is a nationally-recognized leader in the continuing care retirement community industry, offering retirement living in a resort-style environment, complete with exciting concerts, a championship 18-hole golf course, deepwater boating access and public restaurants. Concerts are held in the Village Church Auditorium and the Grand Cypress Room at The Woodlands.

NOV 9: Thomas Pandolfi

NOV 16: SWFL SymphonyFrom Baroque to Jazz

DEC 7:All Is Calm - The Christmas Truce of 1914

DEC 12:SWFL SymphonyA Charlie Brown Christmas

JAN 11: SWFL SymphonyFor the Love of Beethoven

JAN 18: Glenn Miller Orchestra

JAN 25: Evan Drachman

FEB 9:Barrage 8

FEB 22: Washington Saxophone Quartet

MAR 8: SWFL SymphonyFrom Copland to the Classics

MAR 15: Vega String Quartet

MAR 22: The Step Crew

APR 17: Cary Hoffman - My Sinatra

A TER SEASON 2018

FEB 18: Sing Out! SWFL Choral

Festival 'Lift Ev'ry Voice' (AT NEW HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH) *

MAR 24:Leonard Bernstein at 100 (AT NEW HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH)*

MAR 25: Leonard Bernstein at 100 (AT BOWER CHAPELAT MOORINGS PARK) *

Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida

FORT MYERS

560-5695

symphonicchorale.org

The area’s only professional core chorus under artistic director/conductor, Dr. Trent Brown, is also the Resident Chorus of the SWFL Symphony Orchestra. Its three self-produced concerts offer professional-level performances with no set admission charge and audience members are invited to “donate what they can” during the concert. As an independent non-profit organization, The Chorale’s mission is to promote the appreciation of choral music by presenting entertaining, quality concerts that also provide opportunities for talented musicians to work together developing their artistry through the interpretation of significant choral music.

* FREE

NOV 17: Harvest Grain -

A Banquet of Song (AT SANIBEL COMMUNITY CHURCH)*

NOV 19: Harvest Grain -

A Banquet of Song

(AT FAITH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH)*

DEC 12: A Charlie Brown Christmas

WITH SWFL SYMPHONY

(AT SHELL POINT VILLAGE CHURCH)

DEC 14:A Charlie Brown Christmas

WITH SWFL SYMPHONY (AT ST. LEO

THE GREAT CATHOLIC CHURCH)

DEC 16:A Charlie Brown Christmas

WITH SWFL SYMPHONY (AT BARBARA

B. MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL)

JAN 27: Lovestruck Soiree FUNDRAISER (AT COLONIAL COUNTRY CLUB)

FEB 3: Mozart Requiem

WITH SWFL SYMPHONY (AT BARBARA

B. MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL)

The Naples Players

Sugden Theatre

701 5th Avenue

NAPLES

263-7990

naplesplayers.org

Rated one of the 'Best Community Theaters in the Nation,' The Naples Players Sugden Community Theatre shines as a cultural gem in the center of Fifth Avenue’s world class shopping and dining. From dazzling musicals and comedies to thought provoking dramas, The Naples Players entertain with over 240 performances each year in two state of the art theaters. Performing arts classes are offered for adults and youth.

THRU NOV 5: She Kills Monsters

THRU NOV 19: Maple & Vine

NOV 29-DEC 23:Miracle on 34th Street

DEC 3-11:Elf - The Musical Jr

Jan 17-Feb 11: Charles Ives

Take Me Home

FEB 6:Let Us Entertain You –

FUNDRAISINGBLACKTIEGALA

FEB 7-MAR 4: Rapture, Blister, Burn

FEB 17-MAR 18:The Taming of the Shrew

MAR 7-APR 8: The Music Man

MAR 28-APR 22: Kalamazoo

APR 25 - MAY 20:Ripcord

MAY 7-15:Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat

JUL 5-29:Summer Spectacular

Musical Comedy

TheatreZone

13275 Livingston Road

NAPLES

424-9500

theatrezone-florida.com

TheatreZone stages timeless, awardwinning Broadway musicals featuring professional actors from across the country, presents international music acts, and educates students of all ages to appreciate and engage with the performing arts. New this year: a ‘Coffee, Tea & Broadway’ morning cabaret series and Saturday behind-the-scenes tours.

DEC 8-10: Home for the Holidays

DEC 9, JAN 13, FEB 10, MAR 10,

APR 28:Behind-the-Scenes Tours

JAN 11-21: Me and My Girl

JAN 17, FEB 14, MAR 14, MAY 2: Coffee, Tea & Broadway cabaret

JAN 23 & 24:Jan & Dean’s Beach Party featuring Dean Torrence

FEB 8-18: The Secret Garden

FEB 21: The Mersey Beatles

MAR 8-18 : Barry Manilow’s Copacabana

MAR 14: Eat, Drink & Be Broadway

APR 26-MAY 6: Baby

Venice Theatre

140 W. Tampa Avenue VENICE

941-488-1115

venicestage.com

Located just an hour north of Fort Myers, Venice Theatre is the second

largest community theatre in the country. Their 68th Season features all types of musicals, comedies, dramas and concerts, including The Rocky Horror Show, The Santaland Diaries , Dreamgirls , The Capitol Steps, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Grapes of Wrath, Stuart Little and more. Mark your calendars for June 18-23, 2018 when they will once again host countries from around the globe at the international community theatre festival (aactWorldFest).

CONCERTS

NOV 19 & 20: The Alter EaglesEagles tribute

DEC 3 & 4: Dwight IcenhowerElvis tribute

DEC 29-31:The American Swing

Experience

JAN 14 & 15: Herman’s Hermits

WITH Peter Noone

JAN 21 & 22:Jay WhiteNeil Diamond tribute

JAN 28 & 29: Back Home AgainJohn Denver tribute

FEB 5: Sounds of Harry James & the Andrews Sisters

FEB 25 & 26:Let’s Hang OnFrankie Valli tribute

MAR 4-6: The Capitol Steps –Orange is the New Barack

MAR 11 & 12: The Kingston Trio

APR 16: Eric WattersNot Generic, Esoteric THEATRE

NOV 2-19: Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage

NOV 14-DEC 10: A Christmas Story

NOV 30-DEC 23: Santaland Diaries

JAN 9-FEB 4: Smokey Joe’s Cafe

JAN 11-28:Last Train to Nibroc

FEB 8-MAR 24: The Toxic Avenger

FEB 20-MAR 18: Dreamgirls

MAR 15-APR 8: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

MAR 19-24: The Silver Fox Show

APR 10-29:Grapes of Wrath

APR 26 - MAY 20: Debbie Does Dallas - the Musical

MAY 31-JUN 3: Loveland

JUN 18-23: aact WorldFest

JUL 6-AUG 27:Summer Cabaret

JUL 28-AUG 12:Zombie Prom

New Orleans natives, Wynton Marsalis and Jon Batiste pay homage to the late, great John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet

Big Band Bonanza

by Andrew Elias

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis featuring Jon Batiste

The Music of John Lewis

(BLUE ENGINE RECORDS)

An excellent live tribute to the great John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Lewis’ piano playing exemplified jazz ‘cool’ and the MJQ lured classical music fans. Every tune and all the arrangements were written by Lewis, and there is no better orchestra to play them.

‘Two Bass Hit’ and ‘Spanish Steps’ showcase the full force and flare of the large orchestra, while the chemistry between Marsalis and his fellow New Orleans native, Jon Batiste (pianist and bandleader on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert ) in the small group is most evident on ‘Delauney’s Dilemma.’ Yet, the standout might be Batiste’s solo piano recital of Lewis’ most popular tune, “Django.’ This is top shelf jazz that is easy to listen to, but certainly not ‘easy-listening’ music.

Christian McBride Big Band Bringin’ It

(MACK AVENUE RECORDS)

Bringin’ It picks up where McBride’s Big Band’s 2011 Grammy Award-winning debut album, Good Feeling left off: making funky and tasteful, with the band riding his bass in all sorts of directions. His arrangements are often surprising, but always original; his playing always masterful.

In addition to recording three tracks previously done in small groups, and revisiting ‘Thermo,’ a tunehe played with Freddie Hubbard at the age of 18, McBride also expands on Wes Montgomery’s ‘Full House’ and McCoy Tyner’s ‘Sahara.’ Vocalist Melissa Walker joins the band on two tracks, including a delightfully swinging version of ‘Mr. Bojangles.’ Yet it is McBride’s soulful arrangement of the Sinatra standard, ‘In the Wee Small Hours of the Evening’ that showcases his

remarkable talents most convincingly. McBride proves once again that he can, whether with a small group or a large ensemble, indeed, bring it.

Dial & Oatts/Rich DeRosa/ The WDR Big Band

Rediscovered Ellington

New Takes on Duke’s Rare &Unheard Music (ZOHO MUSIC)

In a tribute to the enduring essence of Ellington’s genius, Garry Dial and Dick Oatts have partnered with arranger/conductor Rich DeRosa to resurrect some of Duke’s rarely or never heard compositions. With Dial on piano and Oatts playing sax, the album opens with two mostly forgotten tunes from the 1940s, ‘Hey Baby’ and ‘Let the Zoomer Drool.’ Three unrecorded gems are ‘Just a Gentle Wo rd From You’ and ‘Introspection’ and ‘Kiki.’

‘IMustBeMad,’ with Dial and Oatts channeling Ellington and his long-time saxophonist, Johnny Hodges, concludes the album. This superb collection of rarities proves that not only is the WDRBig Band a formidable jazz ensemble, but that even if you think you know the extent of Duke’s unbound genius it is never too late to rediscover his works.

Terell Stafford & Dick Oatts with the Temple University Studio Orchestra

Luck Be A Lady

A Tribute to Frank (BCM+D RECORDS)

The album is basically a 27 minute long medley of some of Sinatra’s most popular tunes re-imagined with lush orchestral arrangements (courtesy of Michael Abene), punctuated by Stafford’s sophisticated trumpet and Oatts’ tasteful alto sax solos. “It Was a Very Good Year’ and ‘In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning’ are reminders of Sinatra’s more tender

Gary Dial and Dick Oatts revive rare and previously unrecorded works of Duke Ellington.

side while ‘Come Fly with Me’ and ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’ resurrect the spirit of Nelson Riddle’s rollicking orchestra. When the title track ends this marvelous but brief collection, you will be left with a wanting for more.

John Vanore Stolen Moments

Celebrating Oliver Nelson (ACOUSTICAL CONCEPTS)

This is the trumpeter’s homage to jazz great,

Oliver Nelson (whom Vanore met at summer camp 50 years ago!). Vanore has assembled a first-rate band featuring four trumpets, two saxophones, two trombones, two French horns and a four-piece rhythm section. While Nelson’s best known tunes (‘Blues and the Abstract Truth’ and the title track) are revamped with affection and reverence, it is the ensemble’s new take on the pop standard ‘A Taste of Honey,’ the timeless folk song

‘Greensleeves, and Ramsey Lewis’ ‘St. Louis Blues’ that stand out as examples of both Vanore’s remarkable talents as an arranger and bandleader, and Nelson’s extraordinary genius and spirit. The blues have rarely been more colorful.

The Prince of Broadway L

OOKING BACKin Sense of Occasion on his astonishing seven-decade career, Harold Prince sums it up in nine words: “Putting unlikely shows on Broadway that ultimately made history.” Why should he be modest? The man who produced West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof, then directed Cabaret and six game-changing Stephen Sondheim shows can be justifiably proud of the leading role he played in making the contemporary musical more adult and more ambitious. Prince of Broadway recently ended its engagement at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater in New York, celebrating the scope of his achievements in a revue containing 36 numbers from 17 productions.

by Wendy Smith

His account of a lifetime spent defying theatrical odds will leave readers wistful for the days when taste, guts, and faith in a personal vision were occasionally enough to get a show to Broadway.

Sense of Occasion (APPLAUSE THEATRE & CINEMA BOOKS) ranges even more widely, covering virtually every show Prince has done since his apprenticeship under George Abbott’s wing in the 1950s. To accomplish that, he takes the unconventional step of incorporating into this book the entire text of his long-out-of-print 1974 memoir, Contradictions.

It’s a good idea, actually. Written in the heady middle of his historic collaboration with Sondheim, Contradictions is worth reprinting simply for its vivid behind-the-scenes portrait of the creation of Company, Follies, and A Little Night Music. What makes it an indispensable prelude to the 19 new chapters on Prince’s career since 1974, however, is the producer/director’s sharp, savvy assessment of the challenges involved in trying to do artistically meaningful work in the commercial theater. Those challenges have grown exponentially greater, Prince frequently reminds us in the present-day ‘reflections’ he appends to each chapter from Contradictions. Chapter 2, on the first two shows he produced, is followed by the rueful elaboration, “The Pajama Game cost $169,000, and Damn Yankees cost $162,000. This is somewhere in the neighborhood of the budget for shoes and wigs on a current Broadway production.”

The higher stakes are already evident as the new material in Sense of Occasion beginning with Pacific Overtures, the fourth Prince-Sondheim collaboration—and the second (after Follies) to lose its entire capitalization. Prince’s warm recollections of his Kabuki-style interpretation of an aggressively conceptual musical about Western imperialism reveals no diminution in his appetite for risk-taking. It does reveal a weariness with Broadway’s increasingly insane economics that eventually prompted him to give up his dual role as producer/director. The loyal individual investors who had stuck with Prince since The Pajama Game, making it financially possible to take artistic risks, were just not sufficient to cover the $3.5 million budget of Sweeney Todd. (Pacific Overture, only three years earlier, cost $650,000.) He decided to direct it and leave the money-raising to a team of five producers who had to wait 11 years to recoup the cost of the greatest of the Sondheim-Prince shows.

The painful failure of Merrily We Roll Along in 1981 ended his partnership with Sondheim, and Prince describes his reaction in characteristically terse terms: “Of course I still miss the creative sessions,” he writes. “We both went alternative routes successfully; still…” He’s not one for delving into his or anyone else’s personal emotions, and readers looking for juicy gossip will have to look elsewhere; a mildly critical account of Madeline Kahn’s unprofessional behavior in On the Twentieth Century is as catty as he gets. Instead, he offers a show-by-show narrative that devotes as much attention to short-lived pieces like Parade and LoveMusik as to commercial hits such as Evita, Kiss of the Spiderwoman and the international mega-smash Phantom of the Opera. At the same time, although he focuses on his work as a director, he seldom fails to mention how long the show ran and whether it had subsequent productions. Prince has never chosen projects with their profitability in mind, but he understands that in the commercial theater you can’t make art if you don’t make a profit at least some of the time.

Prince’s accomplishments as a director are well served by his cogent snapshots of the creative process, in particular his intriguing discussion of “metaphor as the spine of a musical book” and his appreciative tributes to his designers and choreographers. But it’s telling that his most passionate statement of faith, in the book’s closing pages, is directed at the corporate investors and producers who now dominate Broadway, whom he urges to “think in terms of art” as a winning business strategy. The record-smashing successof Hamilton, with its hip-hopinflected score and multiracial cast, would seem to bear out Prince’s assertion that “there are greater profits to be realized in courageous, ground-breaking projects,” but the endless procession of jukebox musicals and revamped Disney movies suggests that there’s plenty of money to be made in cloning yesterday’s hits as well. Broadway continues to view innovation with a wary eye, and its economic bloat has left no room for producer/directors of the sort Prince once was.

Sense of Occasion is a determinedly un-nostalgic book; on the eve of his 90th birthday, Prince is still planning new productions. Nonetheless, his forthright account of a lifetime spent defying theatrical odds will leave longtime theatergoers wistful for the days when individual taste, guts, and faith in a personal vision were occasionally enough to get a show to Broadway. •

The man who produced West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof, then directed Cabaret and six Stephen Sondheim shows, can be proud of the leading role he played in making the contemporary musical more adult and more ambitious.

whatGoeson

WEDNESDAY

Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7:30-11p. 333-2225.

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS NOVEMBER

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours Receptions, exhibits, demos, livemusic at dozens of Art Alliance Naples galleries & studios. J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way,Naples. 5-8p. Free. 289-5070.

•Bobby James: Live music. Ft Myers Brewing Co, 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr, # 27, Ft Myers. 6:30-9:30p. 313-6576.

•Carly Pearce, Danielle Bradbery: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 985-9839.

•Ikebana Meeting & Workshop: Naples Botanical Garden, FGCU Research Center, Bueller Aud, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 9:30a. Free. 254-9999.

•Joe Delaney’s Latin Caribbean Jazz Project: The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7:30-11p. 333-2225.

•Lecture: Seminole CanoesThe Story of a People. Collier Museum at Government Center,3301 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 3p. Free. 252-8738.

•Miami City Ballet: ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Open Mic: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Rusty & Laurie Wright: Live music. Bone Hook Brewing, 1514 Immokalee Rd, #106, Naples. 6-9p. 631-8522.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

2 THURSDAY

•Art Reception: Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. 4-5p. Free. 642-1440.

•Art Reception: Visual Arts Center, 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. 5p. Free. 941-6398810.

•Badfish: Sublime tribute band concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 985-9839.

•Bonita Springs Short Film

Festival Gala & Awards

Ceremony: Prado Stadium Theater, 25251 Chamber of Commerce Dr, Bonita Springs. 6p. 992-0128.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del

•Kenny Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Sanibel Island Writers Conference: Workshops, panels, presentations, readings, concerts, networking, etc. BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop, Sanibel. Dan Bern concert 6p. 9a-7:30p. 590-7421.

•The Hipnauticals: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill, 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

3 FRIDAY

•130th Anniversary of Lighting of Edison Home: Special tours & presentations. Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-8p. 334-7419.

•Albert Castiglia: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•American Indian Arts Celebration: Live music, dance, crafts, arts demos, wildlife shows, kids activities, alligator wrestling, food. Seminole Tribe of Florida Ah-TahThi-Ki Museum, exit 49 off I-75. 9a-5p. 863-902-1113.

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours Receptions, exhibits, demos, livemusic at dozens of Art Alliance Naples galleries & studios. J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way,Naples. 5-8p. Free. 289-5070.

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 939-2787.

•Art Reception: Art League of Fort Myers, 1451 Monroe St, Ft Myers. 6-8p. Free. 275-3970.

•Art Reception: Arts for ACT Gallery, 2265 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Free. 3375050.

•Art Reception: Cape Coral Arts Studio, Rubicond Park, 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 10a-4p. Free.574-0802.

•Art Walk: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at severalgalleries & studios in downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 6-10p.Free. 3375050.

•Kenny Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Madama Butterfly: Opera Naples with Naples Philharmonic concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7:30p. 263-3889.

•Marty Stokes Band: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. 282-3232.

•Rat Pack Tribute: Concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 8p. 772-5862.

•Rock for Equality: Benefit concerts. Open mic, the Boyfriends at Bury Me Brewing, 4225 S Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers 7p; Cobress, The Young Dead, Bargan Bin Heroes, The Good Bad Kids, Cyborg Danger Field, Plural Being at Howl Tattoo, 4160 S Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. 8p. Donations. 332-0161.

•Sanibel Island Writers Conference: Workshops, panels, presentations, readings, concerts, networking, etc. BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Alice Hoffman keynote speaker 6p. 9a7:30p. 590-7421.

•The Servant of Two Masters: FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 590-7268.

•Tyler Farr, Ben Gallaher: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 985-9839.

•Writing Shadows: Ghostbird Theatre Company. LangfordKingston home, 2500 First St. 8p. 691-4128.

4 SATURDAY

•American Indian Arts Celebration: Live music, dance, crafts, arts demos, wildlife shows, kids activities, alligator wrestling, food. Seminole Tribe of Florida Ah-TahThi-Ki Museum, exit 49

off I-75. 9a-5p. 863-9021113.

•Art Fair: Outdoor art & crafts exhibit & sale. First St,downtown Ft Myers. 11a-4p. Free. 337-5050.

•Backtrack Blues Band: The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Brews for the Birds: Craft brews, food trucks, live music by The Woodwork, photo ops. Fundraiser. Everglades Wonder Gardens, 27180 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 5-9p. 992-2591.

•Brother Love: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Fanfare for the New World: SWFL Symphony. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 418-1500.

•FGCU Wind Orchestra Concert: Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7:30p. 745-4268.

•Florida Panther Festival: Exhibits, presentations, family activities, guided walks, live animals. Naples Zoo, 1590 Goodlette-Frank Rd, Naples. 10a-4p. Free for Collier residents. 2625409.

•Gulf Coast Harmonizers Cabaret Show: German American Social Club, 2101 SW Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral. 2p. 462-8444.

•Improv Tonight: Comedy. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 4958989.

•Kenny Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Rat Pack Tribute: Concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528

Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 8p. 772-5862.

•Sanibel Island Writers Conference: Workshops, panels, presentations, readings, concerts, networking, etc. BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Frank Turner concert 6p. 9a-7:30p. 590-7421.

•Sara Hadeka: Live music. Bone Hook Brewing, 1514 Immokalee Rd, #106, Naples. 6-9p. 631-8522.

•The Outlaws: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910.

•The Servant of Two Masters: FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 590-7268.

•Tommy & Friends: Live music, Tommy Lee Cook. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 6937111.

5 SUNDAY

•Dwight Yoakam: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 5971900.

•Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers: Tea with the Mastersingers, fundraiser. White Orchid House at Oasis, 3027 E Riverside Dr, Ft Myers. 26p. 288-2535.

•Musical Moments – Go for Baroque: Concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 3p. 495-8989.

•Naples Philharmonic: Sypert Salon Series.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Sanibel Blues & Jazz

Improv Tonight perform November 4 & December 2 at the Center for the Performing Arts in Bonita Springs. Call 495-8989 for information

Festival: Elvin Bishop Trio, Matt Schofield, Mart Stokes Band, Johnny Jenson, FGCU Jazz Combo. Bailey’s Center, 2477 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 12-7p. 579-0095.

•Sanibel Island Writers Conference: Workshops, panels, presentations, readings, concerts, networking, etc. BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 9a-7:30p. 590-7421.

•Taste of the Town: Outdoor food & music festival fundraiser. Alliance of the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 11a-5p. 277-1197.

•The Servant of Two Masters: FGCU TheatreLab. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 2p. 590-7268.

•The Ultimate Rat Pack

Tribute: Concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 8p. 772-5862.

6

MONDAY

•Independent Film Screening & Discussion: Live music. Hosted Fort Myers Film Festival. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, film 7p. talk after film. 810-6323.

•Lois Lowry & Eric Coble: Performance of The Giver followed by discussion with author & playwright. Florida Repertory Theatre. Historic Arcade Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 6p. 332-4488.

•Paint the Beach: Plein air painting competition meet & greet. Throughout Ft Myers Beach. 6:30p. Free. 757-618-3655.

7 TUESDAY

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery

Tours Receptions, exhibits, demos, livemusic at dozens of Art Alliance Naples galleries & studios. J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way,Naples. 5-8p. Free. 289-5070.

•Art Reception: Harbour View Gallery, 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. 6-8p.Free. 5405789.

•Jamie Laritz: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•Naples Philharmonic Pops: Cirque Broadway.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Naples Philharmonic: Sypert Salon Series.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

•Paint the Beach: Plein air painting competition. Throughout Ft Myers Beach. 7a-6p. Free. 757-618-3655.

8 WEDNESDAY

•Carman Ciricillo

The Construction Comic: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers.

7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Florida Everblades vs Cincinnati Cyclones: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero.

7:30p. 948-7825.

•Lecture: Historical Everglades City. Naples Depot Museum:1051 Fifth Ave S, Naples. 2. Free.

262-6525.

•MusicWorks! Benefit: MusicWorks! Students concert, cocktails, auctions. The Heights Center, 15570 Hagie Dr., Ft Myers. 5:30p. Reserve. 482-7706.

•Naples Philharmonic Pops: Cirque Broadway.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Paint the Beach: Plein air painting competition. Throughout Ft Myers Beach.

7a-6p. Free. 757-618-3655.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha.

6:30p. 282-3232.

•Sierra Club Calusa Group Meeting: Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers.

6-8p. 275-3435.

9 THURSDAY

•Art Reception & Book

Launch: Author Lisa Batch, entertainment. ACSWF Co-op Gallery, Coconut Mall, 8074 Mediterranean Dr, Ft Myers, 4-6p. Free. 949-3073.

•Art Reception: Wine & cheese. Cape Coral Art League, 516 Cultural Blvd, Cape Coral.5-7p. Free. 772-5657.

•Coconut Festival: Live entertainment, carnival rides, kids activities, food. Sun Slash Festival Grounds, 400 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral.

5-10p. Free. 573-3128.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del

Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7:30-11p. 333-2225.

•Jimmie JJ Walker: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Naples Philharmonic Pops: Cirque Broadway.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Paint the Beach: Plein air painting competition. Throughout Ft Myers Beach. 7a-6p. Free. 757-618-3655.

•Thomas Pandolfi: Piano concert. Shell Point, Grand

Cypress rm, The Woodlands, 14441 Woodsong Ln, Ft Myers.7p. 489-8472.

10 FRIDAY

•Ambrosia: Concert & Dinner. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910.

•Chalk Festival: Art performance & exhibits, ballon rides, live music 11a-6p. Venice Airport & Airport Fairgrounds, 900 Airport Ave, Venice. 8a-6p. Free. 941-488-8877.

•Coconut Festival Coco Country Night: Live music by Grayson Rogers, Walker Hayes, Russell Dickerson, High Valley; fireworks, carnival rides, kids activities, food. Sun Slash Festival Grounds, 400 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral. 5p-12a, fireworks 9:30p. 573-3128.

•Fair at Fenway South: Pirates of the Caribbean show, illusionist Lance Gifford, Grizzly bear Experience, rides, petting zoo. JetBlue Stadium, 11500 Fenway S Dr, Ft Myers. 5-11:30p.

•Florida Everblades vs Cincinnati Cyclones: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Jazzy Nights: Kate Davis concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

•Jimmie JJ Walker: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. 282-3232.

•Naples Philharmonic Pops: Cirque Broadway.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Paint the Beach: Plein air painting competition. Throughout Ft Myers Beach. 7a-6p. Free. 757-618-3655.

•Rachelle Coba Band: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Shaggy: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 985-9839.

•Writing Shadows: Ghostbird Theatre Company. Langford-Kingston home, 2500 First St. 8p. 6914128.

11 SATURDAY

•Art on the Veranda: Sanibel Captiva Art League show & sale. Bailey’s General Store, 2477 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.10a-3p. Free. 472-2483.

•Art Reception: DAAS Coop Gallery, Royal Palm Square, 1400 Colonial Blvd, # 84, Ft Myers. 610p. Free. 590-8645.

•Arts for ACT Disco Ball

Gala & Fine Art Auction: Fundraiser reception, auction, live music, dancing. Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, 5001 Coconut Rd, Bonita Springs. 5-10p. Rsvp. 939-2553.

•Chalk Festival: Art performance & exhibits, balloon rides, live music 9:30a-6p. Venice Airport & Airport Fairgrounds, 900 Airport Ave, Venice. 8a-6p. Free. 941-488-8877.

•Coconut Festival Coco Rock Niight: Live entertainment by Eagles & Tom Petty tribute bands, Vince Neil, firworks, carnival rides, kids activities, food. Sun Slash Festival Grounds, 400 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral. 12p-12a. 573-3128.

•Fair at Fenway South: Pirates of the Caribbean show, illusionist Lance Gifford, Grizzly bear Experience, rides, petting zoo. JetBlue Stadium, 11500 Fenway S Dr, Ft Myers. 1-11:30p.

•Florida Everblades vs Cincinnati Cyclones: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Jimmie JJ Walker: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Naples Philharmonic Pops: Cirque Broadway. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 2 & 8p. 597-1900.

•Nigel Mack & The Blues Attack: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Open House & Art Reception: Exhibits, demos, kids activities, food.,Englewood Art Center, 350 S. McCall Rd,

Englewood. 11a-4p. Free. 941-474-5548.

•Paint the Beach: Plein air painting competition. Throughout Ft Myers Beach. 9a-6p. Free. 757-618-3655.

•Ray Wylie Hubbard: Concert. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 6-10p. 693-7111.

•Second Saturday: SoCo Cultural District galleries, theaters, shops along Colonial Blvd, McGregor Blvd, Royal Palm Sq Blvd, Summerlin Rd. Ft Myers. 5-10p. Free. 877-9878.

•Terri Clark: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 985-9839.

•The Hipnauticals: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill, 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Tommy & Friends: Live music, Tommy Lee Cook. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 693-7111.

•Wine on the Waterfront: Live music by Sheen Brooks, wine, food, fundraiser. 5-8p. Rsvp. 463-3838.

12 SUNDAY

•Chalk Festival: Art performance & exhibits, balloon rides, live music 10a6p. Venice Airport & Airport & Airport Fairgrounds, 900 Airport Ave, Venice. 8a-6p. Free. 941-488-8877.

•Coconut Festival Family Day: Live entertainment, carnival rides, kids activities, food. Sun Slash Festival Grounds, 400 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral. 12-10p. 573-3128.

•ETC Readers Theater: Play Readings:You’re Never Too Old to Be Young. Naples Players Etc... Readers’ Theatre. Tobye Studio,Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 7p. 263-7990.

•Fair at Fenway South:

call 479-5233.

Pirates of the Caribbean show, illusionist Lance Gifford, Grizzly Bear Experience, rides, petting zoo. JetBlue Stadium, 11500 Fenway S Dr, Ft Myers. 1-11:30p.

•FGCU Jazz Ensemble Concert: U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU BlvdS, Ft Myers. 3p. Free.745-4268.

•Gary & Kerri: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 3p. 282-3232.

•Jeanne Robertson: Comic. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 481-4849.

•JL Fulks: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Lee County Community Band: Cape Coral High School, 2300 Santa Barbara Blvd, CapeCoral. 3p. Free. 995-2097.

•Paint the Beach: Plein air painting competition awards Ceremony. Throughout Ft Myers Beach. 10a-2p. Free. 757-618-3655.

•Taste of the Islands: Food fest, entertainment, fundraiser. Sanibel Community Park, 2231 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 12-5p. 472-3644.

•The Ultimate King of Pop: Michael Jackson tribute band concert & dinner. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Dinner 5:30, concert 7:30p. 245-9910.

13 MONDAY

•Chalk Festival: Art performance & exhibits, balloon rides, live music 11a-6p. Venice Airport & Airport Fairgrounds, 900 Airport Ave, Venice. 8a-6p. Free. 941-488-8877.

14

TUESDAY

•Art Reception: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30-7p. Free. 394-4221.

•Brandon Santini: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•FGCU String & Wind Chamber Ensemble Concert: U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU BlvdS, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free.745-4268.

•From Baroque to Jazz: SWFL Symphony & Yaron Gottfried Jazz Trio. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 418-1500

15

WEDNESDAY

•Doug Canney: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College

Comedian Jimmy J.J. Walker performs at Laugh In Comedy Cafe in Fort Myers, November 9-11. For information,

what Goes on

Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7::30p. 479-5233.

•From Baroque to Jazz: SWFL Symphony & Yaron

Gottfried Jazz Trio. BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 7:30p. 418-1500.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•SWFL Storytellers Project: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 939-2787.

16

THURSDAY

•Art Lecture & Demo: Sanibel Captiva Art League meeting. Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 1-3p. Free. 472-2483.

•Art Reception: ArtLab, FGCU Library, 10501 FGCU Blvd S., Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 590-7199.

•Art Reception: Rookery Bay National Research Reserve, 300 Tower Rd, Naples. 5:30-7:30p. 5305977.

•Audubon of SWFL Meeting: 10868 Metro Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. Free. 410-6971.

•Chris Cope: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7:30-11p. 3332225.

•Fair at Fenway South: Pirates of the Caribbean show, illusionist Lance Gifford, Grizzly Bear Experience, rides, petting zoo. JetBlue Stadium, 11500 Fenway S Dr, Ft Myers. 5-11:30p.

•FGCU Brass & Percussion Chamber Ensembles

Concert: U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU BlvdS, Ft Myers. xp. Free.745-4268.

•From Baroque to Jazz: SWFL Symphony & Yaron Gottfried Jazz Trio. Shell Point Village Church, 15101 Shell Pt Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 418-1500.

•Jon Stickley Trio: Concert. Point Ybel Brewing, 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. 8p. 603-6535.

•Latin Jazz: Fernando Ferrarone. Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30p. 394-4221.

•Lecture: Florida’s Largest Bat. Naples Zoo, 1590

Goodlette-Frank Rd, Naples. 6p. Rsvp. 262-5409.

•Naples Philharmonic: Sibelius.Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Stop & Listen

FGCU

Students on Environmental Awareness & Restoration: Art reception & discussion concert. ArtLab, Library, FGCU, 1051 FGCU BlvdS, Ft Myers. 5p. Free. 7454268.

•The Hipnauticals: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill, 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Zmed Brothers: Everly Brothers tribute band concert & dinner. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Dinner 5:30, concert 7:30p. 245-9910.

17 FRIDAY

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a-5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Art Alive: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at dozens of galleries & studios. Naples Art District, Pine Ridge Industrial Park, Pine Ridge Rd, west of Airport Rd, Naples. 11a-4p. Free. 2895070.

•Betty Fox Band: Concert. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Brandon Santini: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Chamber Concert: Diaz Trio. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

•Chris Cope: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Fair at Fenway South: Pirates of the Caribbean show, illusionist Lance Gifford, Grizzly Bear Experience, rides, petting zoo. JetBlue Stadium, 11500 Fenway S Dr, Ft Myers. 5-11:30p.

•FGCU Senior Concert: U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU BlvdS, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 745-4268.

•Kate Keys Band: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill, 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. 282-3232.

•Music Walk: Live music & dancing at several cafes,

clubs &galleries. Downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 6-10p. Free. 855732-3836.

•Rhythm on the River: Memory Makers Big Band. Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5:308:30p. 334-7419.

•Russian & Italian Art Songs: Concert. Wang Opera Center, 2408 Linwood Ave, Naples.

7:30p. 775-2800.

•Straight No Chaser: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Symphonic Chorale of SWFL: Harvest Grain - A Banquet of Song. Concert. Sanibel Community Church, 1740 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 7p. 560-5695.

•Tim Allen: Comic. ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Venice Blues Crawl: Downtown Venice. 5-11p. Free. 941-484-6722.

•Writing Shadows: Ghostbird Theatre Company. Langford-Kingston home, 2500 First St. 8p. 6914128.

•Young Dubliners: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910. 18

SATURDAY

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours Receptions, exhibits, demos, livemusic at dozens of Art Alliance Naples

galleries & studios. J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way,Naples. 11a-4p. Free. 289-5070.

•Auditions: Naples Players’ season. Sugden Community Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 12-4p. No appt needed. 434-7340.

•Brother Love: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

•Chain Reaction: Journey tribute band concert & dinner. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Dinner 5:30, concert 7:30p. 2459910.

•Chris Cope: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Decades Rewind: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 481-4849.

•Estero Fine Art Show: Outdoor art fair. Gulf Coast Town Center Center, 9903 Gulf Coast Main St, Estero Free. 10a-5p. 941755-3088.

•Fair at Fenway South: Pirates of the Caribbean show, illusionist Lance Gifford, Grizzly Bear Experience, rides, petting zoo. JetBlue Stadium, 11500 Fenway S Dr, Ft Myers. 1-11:30p.

•Florida Everblades vs Jacksonville IceMen: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Garden Festival: Family festival, entertainment, food, kids crafts, petting zoo. Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 9a-5p. Free. 334-7419.

•Granger Smith: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall &

Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 985-9839.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Zion Lutheran Church, 7401 Winkler Rd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 247-4515.

•Kara Grainger: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Naples Philharmonic: Sibelius.Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•SWFL Comic-con: Comic book & pop culture convention. Exhibits, celebrities. Holiday Inn Ft Myers Town Center, 9931 Interstate Commerce Dr, Ft Myers. 10a-6p.

•SWFL Comic-Con: Comic book & pop culture convention. Holiday Inn Ft Myers Airport Town center Hotel, 9931 Interstate Commerce Dr, Ft Myers. 10a-6p. 236-8189.

•Tommy & Friends: Live music, Tommy Lee Cook. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 6937111.

•Venice Blues Festival: Elvin Bishop & The Big Fun Trio, Andrew Jr Boy Jones, Eliza Neals, Tommy Z, CeCe Teneal. Maxine Baritt Park, 1800 Harbor Dr S, Venice. 11a-7p. 941484-6722

19 SUNDAY

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Chamber Music Concert: Art Hall, Koreshan State Park, 3800 CorkscrewRd, Estero. 4p. 596-8404.

•Estero Fine Art Show: Outdoor art fair. Gulf Coast Town Center Center, 9903 Gulf Coast Main St, Estero. Free. 10a-5p. 941-755-3088.

•Fair at Fenway South: Pirates of the Caribbean show, illusionist Lance Gifford, Grizzly Bear Experience, rides, petting zoo. JetBlue Stadium, 11500 Fenway S Dr, Ft Myers. 1-11:30p.

•FGCU Symphonic Band Concert: Estero High School, 21900 River Ranch Rd, Estero. 3p. Free. 745-4268.

•Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers: Serenade to Music, with Mastersingers Chamber Chorus. Edison Congregational Church, 1619 Llewellyn Dr. Ft Myers. 3p. 288-2535.

•Garden Festival: Family festival, entertainment, food, kids crafts, petting zoo. Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 9a-5p. Free. 334-7419.

•Old Florida Festival: Historical reenactors, folk music, crafts, demos, storytellers, kids activities. Collier Museum at Government Center,3301 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 9a-4p. Free. 252-8738.

•Open House & Art Reception: Englewood Art Center, 350 S. McCall Rd, Englewood. 2-4p. Free. 941-474-5548.

•Sing-Along Messiah: Voices of Naples concert. Naples United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Rd, Naples. 3p. 455-2582.

•Symphonic Chorale of SWFL: Harvest Grain - A Banquet of Song. Concert. Faith Presbyterian Church, 4544 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 4p. 560-5695.

•The Alter Eagles: Eagles tribute band concert. Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 8p. 941-488-1115.

20 MONDAY

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a-5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Old Florida Festival: Historical reenactors, folk music, crafts, demos, storytellers, kids activities. Collier Museum at Government Center,3301 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 9a4p. Free. 252-8738.

•Staged Reading: TBA. Naples Players Etc… Readers Theater. Laboratory Theater of Florida,1634 Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 7p. 218-0481.

•The Alter Eagles: Eagles tribute band concert. Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 8p. 941-488-1115.

21 TUESDAY

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a-5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Art Reception: Center for

Kara Grainger performs at The Barrel Room in downtown Fort Myers on November 18. For information, call 333-2225

TheatreZone presents ‘Home for the Holidays,’ December 8-10 at the G&L Theatre in Naples. Call 888-966-3352 for information.

the Visual Arts Bonita Springs, 26100 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs.6-8p. Free. 495-8989.

•FSW Big Band jazz & Jazz Combo: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 4814849.

•Jamie Laritz: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•Lunch & Learn Lecture: Florida is a Land Remembered. Rookery Bay Research rsvp, 300 Tower Rd, Naples. 12p. 530-5940.

•Randy Newman: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 5971900.

22 WEDNESDAY

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a-5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

23

THURSDAY

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a-5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Thanksgiving Dinner & Murder Mystery: The Not So Great Train Robbery. Dinner & show. Murder Mystery Dinner Train Theater, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5:30p. 275-8487.

•Marty Stokes Band: Blues Band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•The Hipnauticals: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill, 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

26 SUNDAY

•African Children’s Choir: First Baptist Church of Cape Coral, 4117 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 10a. Free. 542-3703.

24

FRIDAY

•American Sandsculpting

Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Brian Glowacki: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Holiday Lights Opening celebration: Holiday lights throughout grounds & gardens, holiday decorations in homes, Waltzing Waters Liquid Fireworks Show.

Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 6-9p, tree lighting 6p. 334-7419.

•Mike Imbasciani & The Bluez Rockerz: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7:30p. 282-3232.

•Rusty Wright Band: Blues band. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 9p-1a. 333-2225.

•Writing Shadows: Ghostbird Theatre Company. Langford-Kingston home, 2500 First St. 8p. 691-4128.

25

SATURDAY

•American Sandsculpting

Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Backyard Bluesfest: Terry Hanck, Tommy Lee Cook & The Heathens. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 2-11p. 693-7111.

•Brian Glowacki: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Kenny Rogers: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 4814849.

Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•The Nutcracker: Moscow Ballet. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

30 THURSDAY

•Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet: Jazz. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 7:30-11p. 3332225.

•American Sandsculpting Championship: Exhibits, demos, contests, live music, kids activities, vendors. On beach behind Wyndham Garden Hotel, 6890 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 10a5p. Free. 454-7500.

•Ben Hague: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Brian Sutherland: Americana music. The Barrel Room, Twisted Vine Bistro, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. 4-7p. 333-2225.

•Dave Koz & Friends Christmas: Concert. ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

•Naples Jazzmasters Dixieland Jazz Band: Free concert. Cambier Park, 6th Ave S & 8th St S, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 263-1113.

28 TUESDAY

•FGCU Chamber Holiday Concert: Moorings Prebyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples. 7p. Free. 745-4268.

•FSW Orchestra & Choir: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 4814849.

•Jamie Laritz: Live music. Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 6:30p. 282-3232.

•The Nutcracker: Moscow Ballet. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 597-1900.

29 WEDNESDAY

•Festival of Trees: Holiday decorated trees. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 9a-5p. 333-1933.

•Laugh In Lineup: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Scotty Bryan: Live music.

•Festival of Trees: Holiday decorated trees. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 9a-15p. 333-1933.

•FSW Concert Band: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 4814849.

•Jim Florentine: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Logan Skelton: Piano concert. U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU BlvdS, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 745-4268.

•The Hipnauticals: Live music.Bert’s Bar & Grill,4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 7p. 282-3232.

DEC 1 FRIDAY

•Art Reception: Art League of Fort Myers, 1451 Monroe St, Ft Myers. 6-8p. Free. 275-3970.

•Art Reception: Arts for ACT Gallery, 2265 1st St, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Free. 3375050.

•Art Walk: Receptions, exhibits, demos, live music at severalgalleries & studios in downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 6-10p.Free. 3375050.

•Bradenton Blues Festival Free Concert: Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones, TC Carr & Bolts of Blue. Waterfront Park, btwn US 41 & Bus US 41, N of 3rd Ave W.6-9p. 941447-9494.

•Festival of Trees: Holiday decorated trees. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 9a-5p, free. Nowhere Band concert 10a-2p. 333-1933.

•Jim Florentine: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Luminary Open House:

Sanibel Historical Museum & Village, 950 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 3:30-5:30p. WedSat, 10a-4p. 472-4648.

•Neil Diamond Tribute: Neil Zirconia concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 8p. 772-5862.

•The Reverend Billy Wirtz: Concert. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

2 SATURDAY

•Art Reception: Cape Coral Arts Studio, Rubicond Park, 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 10a-4p. Free.574-0802.

•Backyard Bluesfest: JP Soars & The Red Hots, Ray Fuller & The Blues Rockers, Tommy Lee Cook & The Heathens. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 2-11p. 693-7111.

•Bradenton Blues Festival: Brody Buster, Sean Chambers, Vanessa Collier, Nick Moss Band, Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band, Sugar Blue, Curtis Salgado, Joe Louis Walker. Waterfront Park, btwn US 41 & Bus US 41, N of 3rd Ave W.11a-8p. 941-447-9494.

•Dan Heck Blues & Truth Sextet: Concert. Wang Opera Center, 2408 Linwood Ave, Naples. 7:30p. 775-2800.

•Festival of Trees: Santa’s Block party. Holiday decorated trees Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. 9a-5p. 333-1933.

•FGCU Symphony Orchestra Concert: U Tobe Recital Hall, Music Bldg, FGCU, 1051 FGCU BlvdS, Ft Myers. 7:30p. Free. 7454268.

•God Save the Queen: Queen tribute band concert. Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 8p. 948-7825.

•Improv Café – Youth

Improv: Comedy. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 5p. 495-8989.

•Improv Tonight: Comedy. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 4958989.

•Jim Florentine: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Neil Diamond Tribute: Neil Zirconia concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 8p. 772-5862.

•Nutcracker: Gulfshore

Ballet w Gulf Coast Symphony. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 2 & 7p. 590-6191.

•Solar Energy Cook-Off: Student teams build & demonstrate solar powered cookers. IMAG History & Science Center, 2000 Cranford St, Ft Myers. 10a5p. 321-7420.

•The Nutcracker: Gulf Coast Symphony concert with Gulfshore Ballet. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 2 & 7p.2771700.

3 SUNDAY

•Bradenton Blues Festival Blues Brunch: Damon Fowler & Matt Walker. Waterfront Park, btwn US 41 & Bus US 41, N of 3rd Ave W.11a-1p. 941-4479494.

•Dwight Icenhower: Elvis tribute concert. Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 8p. 941-4881115.

•FGCU Wind Orchestra Holday Concert: Grace Church, 13 SE 21st Pl, Cape Coral. 3p. Free. 7454268.

•Fort Myers Symphonic

Mastersingers: Readings & Carols, with Palms Youth Choir. New Hope Presbyterian Church, 10051 Planatantion Rd, Ft Myers. 3p. 288-2535.

•Handel’s Messiah: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 5971900.

•Musical MomentsHolidays in Paradise: Concert. Center for the Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 3p. 495-8989.

•Naples Philharmonic: Sypert Salon Series.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 5971900.

•Neil Diamond Tribute: Neil Zirconia concert. Cultural Park Theater, 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 8p. 772-5862.

•Spirit of the Season: Spirit of the Gulf Christmas & Holiday concert. BB Mann Hall, FSW State College, 13350 FSW Pkwy, Ft Myers. 3p. 844-704-7464.

4 MONDAY

•Dwight Icenhower: Elvis tribute concert. Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 8p. 941-4881115.

•Independent Film Screening & Discussion: Live music. Hosted Fort

Myers Film Festival. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 6:30p, film 7p. talk after film. 810-6323.

•Lee Ann Rimes: Concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 5971900.

5 TUESDAY

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery

Tours Receptions, exhibits, demos, livemusic at dozens of Art Alliance Naples galleries & studios. J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way,Naples. 5-8p. Free. 289-5070.

•Art Reception: Harbour View Gallery, 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. 6-8p.Free. 540-5789.

•Christmas Carol Sing: First Presbyterian Church, 2438 Second St, Ft Myers. 4-7p. Free. 334-2261.

•Home for the Holidays: Voices of Naples concert. Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 777 Morring Line Dr, Naples. 7p. Free. 455-2582.

•Naples Philharmonic: Sypert Salon Series.ArtisNaples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 3p. 597-1900.

6 WEDNESDAY

•Art Alive: Naples Art District Studio & Gallery Tours Receptions, exhibits, demos, livemusic at dozens of Art Alliance Naples galleries & studios. J & C Blvd, Shirley St & Trade Center Way,Naples. 5-8p. Free. 289-5070.

•Gallagher & Arte Fletcher: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Ikebana Meeting & Workshop: Naples Botanical Garden, FGCU Research Center, Bueller Aud, 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. 9:30a. Free. 2549999.

•Lecture: Colliere County’s Historical Archaeological Preservation Board. Naples Depot Museum:1051 Fifth Ave S, Naples. 2. Free. 262-6525.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

7 THURSDAY

•All Is Calm – The Christmas Truce of 1914: Theatrical concert. Shell Point, Village Church,

15101 Shell Pt Blvd, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 454-2067.

•Art Reception: Wasmer Gallery in FGCU Arts Complex & ArtLab in FGCU Library, 10501 FGCU Blvd S., Ft Myers.

5-7p. Free. 590-7199. 57p. Free. 590-7199.

•Art Reception: Wine & cheese. Cape Coral Art League, 516 Cultural Blvd, Cape Coral.5-7p. Free. 772-5657.

•Home for the Holidays: Voices of Naples concert. Chapel by the Sea, 100 Chapel St, Ft Myers Beach. 7p. Free. 455-2582.

•Mr Showtime - David Scott: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 4795233.

•Songwriters at Sunset: Acoustic concert. Gazebo on beach, Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 4p. Bring chairs. Free. 463-4588.

8 FRIDAY

•Art Reception: Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 5-7p. Free. 939-2787.

•Art Reception: BIG ARTS Center, 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 5:30-7p. Free. 395-0900.

•Damon Fowler: Concert. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. 693-7111.

•Florida Everblades vs Jacksonville IceMen: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Gin Blossoms: Concert. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 7p. 9859839.

•Holiday Open House: Cape Coral Historical Museum, 544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-8p. Free. 772-7037.

•Home for the Holidays:

•Pirate Day! Arts, crafts, pirate songs, treasure hunts. Marco Island Historical Museum,180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. Free. 11a2p. 642-1440.

•Second Saturday: SoCo Cultural District galleries, theaters, shops along Colonial Blvd, McGregor Blvd, Royal Palm Sq Blvd, Summerlin Rd. Ft Myers. 5-10p. Free. 877-9878.

•Tommy & Friends: Live music, Tommy Lee Cook. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 6937111.

10 SUNDAY

13

WEDNESDAY

• Symphonic Chorale of SWFL: A Charlie Brown Christmas, with SWFL Symphony. St Leo the Great Catholic Church, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 560-5695.

•Art & Nature Community Night: Art reception, live music, organic dining, beer & wine, yoga.. Shangri-La Springs, 27750 Old US 41, Bonita Springs. 6-9p. Free. 949-0749.

•Florida Everblades vs South Carolina Stingrays: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero.

TheatreZone concert. G&L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 8p. 888-966-3352.

•Lamplight Book Party: Author Robert Macomber. Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery, 4332 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 5-7p. Free. 2831335.

•Mr Showtime - David Scott: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Naples Philharmonic: Brahms.Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Art Reception: DAAS Coop Gallery, Royal Palm Square, 1400 Colonial Blvd, # 84, Ft Myers. 6-10p. Free. 590-8645.

•Behind the Scene Tour: TheatreZone’s G&L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 12p. rsvp. 888-966-3352.

•Caribbean Chillers: Jimmy Buffett tribute band concert & dinner. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Dinner 5:30, concert 7:30p. 245-9910.

•Celebrate the Holidays: Cultural Park, 516 Cultural Blvd, Cape Coral. 5-8p. Free. 772-5657.

•Florida Everblades vs Jacksonville IceMen: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7p. 948-7825.

•Home for the Holidays: TheatreZone concert. G&L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 2 & 8p. 888-966-3352.

•Mr Showtime - David Scott: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Naples Philharmonic: Brahms.Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 597-1900.

•Bonita Springs Concert Band: Joyful Sounds of the Season. Riverside Park, Old US 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Bring chair or blanket. 4p. 405-3320.

•Chamber Music Concert: Art Hall, Koreshan State Park, 3800 CorkscrewRd, Estero. 4p. 596-8404.

•Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers: Christmas on Sanibel. Sanibel Community Church, 1740 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 6p. 288-2535.

•Home for the Holidays: TheatreZone concert. G&L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 2p. 888-966-3352.

•Lee County Community Band: Cape Coral High School, 2300 Santa Barbara Blvd, CapeCoral. 3p. Free. 995-2097.

•Mr Showtime - David Scott: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

12

TUESDAY

•A Charlie Brown’s Christmas: SWFL Symphony w Symphonic Chorale of SWFL. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 4181500.

•Art Reception: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. 5:30-7p. Free. 394-4221.

•Carol of the King: Irish dance Christmas show. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910.

•Harlem Globetrotters: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 3p. 948-7825.

•Lunch & Learn Lecture: The Florida Dream. Rookery Bay Research rsvp, 300 Tower Rd, Naples. 12p. 530-5940.

Chorale of SWFL. BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. 7:30p. 418-1500.

•Florida Everblades vs South Carolina Stingrays: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Holiday Pops:Naples Philharmonic concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 5971900.

•Jazzy Nights: Professor Cunningham & His Old School concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

7:30p. 948-7825.

•Holiday Brass: Naples Chamber Brass concert. Wang Opera Center, 2408 Linwood Ave, Naples. 7:30p. 775-2800.

•Lecture: History of Marco Island Development. Collier Museum at Government Center,3301 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. 3p. Free. 252-8738.

•Mike Murillo: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sierra Club Calusa Group Meeting: Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers. 6-8p. 275-3435.

14 THURSDAY

•A Charlie Brown’s Christmas: SWFL Symphony w Symphonic Chorale of SWFL. St Leo the Great Catholic Church, 28290 Beaumont Rd, Bonita Springs. 7:30p. 4181500.

•Art Reception: Visual Arts Center, 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. 5p. Free. 941-6398810.

•Holiday Pops:Naples Philharmonic concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 8p. 5971900.

•Michael Carbonaro: Magician. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•Rob Little Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

15 FRIDAY

•A Charlie Brown’s Christmas: SWFL Symphony w Symphonic

•John Anderson: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910.

•Music Walk: Live music & dancing at several cafes, clubs &galleries. Downtown Ft Myers’ historic River District. 610p. Free. 855-732-3836.

•Nutcracker : N Ft Myers Academy for the Arts. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. Free. 481-4849.

•Rob Little: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

16

SATURDAY

•24-Hour Playwriting Project: Five 15 minute one-act plays written in 24 hours. Laboratory Theater of Florida,1634 Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 8p. 2180481.

•A Charlie Brown’s Christmas: SWFL Symphony w Symphonic Chorale of SWFL. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 8p. 4181500.

•Florida Everblades vs South Carolina Stingrays: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Gulf Coast Writers Association Meeting: Guest speaker. Zion Lutheran Church, 7401 Winkler Rd, Ft Myers. 10a-12p. Free. 247-4515.

•Holiday Pops:Naples Philharmonic concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 2 & 8p. 597-1900.

•Memphis Motown

Experience: Tribute concert. Davis Art Center, 2301 1st St, Ft Myers. Cocktails 7p, show 8p. 333-1933.

•Naples Jazzmasters

Dixieland Jazz Band: Free concert. River Park Community Center, 301 11th St N, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 263-1113.

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers presents ‘Pippin,’ thru November19. For information, call 278-4422.

•Rob Little: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Tommy & Friends: Live music, Tommy Lee Cook. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 6937111. 17

SUNDAY

•Deck the Halls: Gulf Coast Symphony concert with Kellyn Irish dancers, Ft Myers Symphonic Mastersingers, Mark Sanders. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p.277-1700.

•Holiday Pops:Naples Philharmonic concert. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 7p. 5971900.

•Naples Jazzmasters

Dixieland Jazz Band: Free concert. Cambier Park, 6th Ave S & 8th St S, Naples. 2-4p. Free. 263-1113.

•Rob Little: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

20

music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

21

2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 5:30p. 275-8487.

26

THURSDAY

•Art Lecture & Demo: Sanibel Captiva Art League meeting. Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 13p. Free. 472-2483.

•Audubon of SWFL Meeting: 10868 Metro Pkwy, Ft Myers. 6p. Free. 410-6971.

•David Merry: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

22

TUESDAY

•Boxing Day Special & Murder Mystery: Trained for Deception. Dinner & show. Murder Mystery Dinner Train Theater, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 6:30p. 275-8487.

•Kevin Lee: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

27

FRIDAY

•Cirque Dreams - Holidaze: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•David Merry: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

23

WEDNESDAY

•Art Reception: Center for the Visual Arts Bonita Springs, 26100 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs.6-8p. Free. 495-8989.

•Bill Ohse: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Ethan Bortnick: Holiday concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•Florida Everblades vs Jacksonville IceMen: Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Open Blues Jam: Live

SATURDAY

•Cirque Dreams - Holidaze: Concert. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•David Merry: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Tommy & Friends: Live music, Tommy Lee Cook. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 693-7111.

24

SUNDAY

•Christmas Eve & Murder Mystery The Nutcracker’s Final Curtain. Dinner & show. Murder Mystery Dinner Train Theater,

WEDNESDAY

•Kevin Lee: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Open Blues Jam: Live music. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 8-11p. Musicians welcome. Free. 693-7111.

•Sailor Circus - High Flying Holidays Sailor Circus Arena. 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

28

THURSDAY

•Jim Gaffigan: Comedy. Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero. 7:30p. 948-7825.

•Nutcracker: Moscow Ballet. BB Mann Hall, 13350 Edison Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7p. 481-4849.

•RC Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30p. 479-5233.

•Sailor Circus - High Flying Holidays Sailor Circus Arena. 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

29 FRIDAY

•Gary Puckett & The Union Gap: Concert. SWFL Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 8p. 245-9910.

•RC Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Sailor Circus - High Flying Holidays Sailor Circus Arena. 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

•The American Swing Experience: Concert. Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 8p. 941-488-1115.

30 SATURDAY

•RC Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Sailor Circus - High Flying

Holidays Sailor Circus Arena. 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 7p. 941-355-9805.

•The American Swing Experience: Concert.

Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 8p. 941-488-1115.

•Tommy & Friends: Live music, Tommy Lee Cook. Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Rd, Ft Myers. 3-6p. Free. 693-7111.

31 SUNDAY

•New Year’s Eve Gala & Murder Mystery: Trained for Deception. Dinner & show. Murder Mystery Dinner Train Theater, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 8p. 275-8487.

•New Year’s Eve:Naples Philharmonic concert & reception. Artis-Naples, 5833Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 9p. 597-1900.

•RC Smith: Laugh In Comedy Cafe, 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•The American Swing Experience: Concert. Venice Theatre, 140 W Tampa Ave, Venice. 8p. 941-488-1115.

ongoing

theater

•A Christmas Carol Dec 728. BIGARTSStrauss Theater. 2200 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 395-0900.

•A Christmas Story - the Musical: Nov 23-Dec 25. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•A Christmas Story: Nov 14-Dec 10. Venice Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•A Tuna Christmas: Nov 16Dec 25. Off Broadway Palm Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Alice in Wonderland: Nov 17-19. CFABS YouthPlayers.Center for the Performing Arts BonitaSprings, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 495-8989.

•An Act of God: Nov 17-Dec 9. Laboratory Theater of Florida,1634Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 218-0481.

•Book of Mormon: Dec 1924. Artis-Naples,5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. 597-1900.

•Chicago: Dec 30-Feb 10. Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380Colonial

Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Curious George and the Golden Meatball: thru Nov 13. Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Disgraced: Nov 7-Dec 10. Artstage Studio Theatre. Florida Repertory Theatre,2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Duets: Nov 15-18. Royal Palm Players,131 1st St W, Boca Grande. 8p. 941-2694.

•Elf the Musical Jr: Dec 211. The Naples Players KidzAct. Tobye Studio, Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

•Erma Bombeck - At Wit’s End: Nov 29-Dec 17. Marco Players. Marco Players Theater, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 642-7270.

•Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage: Nov 2-19. Venice Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave, Venice. 941488-1115.

•Home for the Holidays: Dec 8-10. TheatreZone, G & L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 888-966-3352.

•Jingle Arrgh the Way - A Christmas Pirate Adventure: Dec 1-24. Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Maple & Vine Ripcord: thru Nov 19. The Naples Players. Tobye Studio, Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

•Miracle on 34th Street: Nov 29-Dec 23. The Naples Players. Blackburn Hall, Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

•Murder on the Scottish Line: thru Nov 18: Fri & Sat.Seminole Gulf Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

• ’night Mother: thru Nov 5.The Studio Players, Joan Jenks Auditorium, Golden Gate Community Center, 5701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 389-9192.

•Night & Day - Cole Porter

Revue: Dec 19-Feb 25. Artstage Studio Theatre. Florida Repertory Theatre, 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Nutcracker’s Final Curtain: Nov 24-Dec 24; Sun, Wed, Thu.Seminole Gulf Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•One Man Christmas Carol: Dec 15 & 16. Theatre

Conspiracy. Foulds Theatre, Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 936-3239.

•Pippin: thru Nov 18.

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Sailor Circus - The High Flying Holidays. Dec 2730. Sailor Circus Arena. 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 941-355-9805

•Santaland Diaries: Nov 30Dec 23. Venice Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave, Venice. 941-488-1115.

•Seven Guitars: Nov 3-18. Theatre Conspiracy. Foulds Theatre, Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 936-3239.

•Sex Please, We’re SixtyAn American Farce: thru Nov 12. Marco Players. Marco Players Theater, Marco Town Center Mall, 1089 N. Collier Blvd, Marco Island. 642-7270.

•She Kills Monsters: thru Nov 5. The Naples Players. Blackburn Hall, Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. 263-7990.

•Spectacular Christmas

Revue: Dec 13-17. Cultural Park Theater 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 772-5862.

•Sylvia: thru Nov 15.

Arcade Theatre. Florida Repertory Theatre,2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•The Last Night of Ballyhoo: Nov 28-Dec 17. Arcade Theatre. Florida Repertory Theatre,2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•The Mousetrap: Nov 10-19. Cultural Park Theater 528 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. 772-5862.

•The Not So Great Train Robbery: thru Nov 23: Sun, Wed, Thu.Seminole Gulf Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•The Servant of Two Masters: thru Nov 5. FGCU TheatreLab.FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 590-7268.

•Trained for Deception: Dec 27-Jan 14: Wed-Sun.

Seminole Gulf Railway Murder Mystery Dinner Train,2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Veronica’s Room: thru Nov 4. Staged Reading. Laboratory Theater of Florida,1634Woodford Ave, Ft Myers. 218-0481.

•Writing Shadows: Nov 3, 10, 17, 24. Ghostbird Theatre Company. Langford-Kingston home, 2500 First St. 691-4128.

THEATERS

•BIG ARTS Strauss Theater: Dec 7-28: A Christmas Carol. 2200 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. 395-0900.

Sailor Circus performs December 27-30 in the Sailor Circus Arena in Sarasota. Call 941-355-9805 for information.

what Goes on

•Broadway Palm Dinner

Theatre: thru Nov 18

Pippin; Nov 23-Dec 25: A Christmas Story - the Musical; Dec 30-Feb 10: Chicago. 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers.278-4422.

•Broadway Palm Children’s Theatre: thru Nov 13:

Curious George & the Golden Meatball; Dec 1-24: Jingle Arrgh the Way - a Christmas Pirate Adventure. 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•Circus Arts Conservatory Dec 27-30: Sailor CircusHigh Flying Holidays. Sailor Circus Arena. 2075 Bahia St, Sarasota. 941-355-9805.

•FGCU TheatreLab: thru Nov 5: The Servant of Two Masters. FGCU Arts Complex, 10501 FGCU Blvd S, Ft Myers. 590-7268.

•Florida Repertory Theatre: Arcade Theatre — thru Nov 15: Sylvia; Nov 28-Dec

17: The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Artstage Studio Theatre —Nov 7-Dec 10:

Disgraced; Dec 19-Feb 25: Night & Day - Cole Porter Revue. 2267 1st St, Ft Myers. 332-4488.

•Off Broadway Palm Theatre: Nov 16-Dec 25: A

Tuna Christmas. 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422.

•The Naples Players: Sugden Theater, 701 5th Ave S, Naples. thru Nov 5: She Kills Monsters; thru Nov 19: Maple & Vine Ripcord; Nov 29-Dec 23: Miracle on 34th Street. 263-7990.

•TheatreZone: Dec 8-10: Home for the Holidays.G & L Theatre, Community School of Naples, 13275 Livingston Rd, Naples. 888-966-3352.

•Venice Theatre: Nov 2-19: Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage; Nov 14-Dec

10: A Christmas Story; Nov 30-Dec 23: Santaland

Diaries. 140 W. Tampa Ave, Venice. 941-488-1115.

exhibitions

•Alliance for the Arts: 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Nov 3-Dec 2: Off the Wall, Bonnie Bohn, Marcela Paz Soldan; Dec 8-Jan 5: Fired Up, Martin Casanova, Imani Gibbs. Mon-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 9a-1p. Free. 939-2787.

•Another Time: 1414 Dean St, Ft Myers. Daily 11a-6p; Fri & Sat 11a-8p. Free. 672-4607.

•Arsenault Studio & Banyan Arts Gallery: 1199 3rd St, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-5p, Thu-Sat 10a-7p, Sun 1-5p. Free. 263-1214.

•Art 41: 2084 J & C Blvd, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-4p. Free. 249-2205.

•Art Council of Southwest Florida Co-Op Gallery: Coconut Point Mall, 8074 Mediterranean Dr, Estero.

Nov 3-Dec 30: Cornucopia.

Tue- Sun 11a-5p. Free. 2673049.

•Art League of Fort Myers: 1451 Monroe St, Ft Myers.

Nov 3-24: Cornucopia; Dec

1-29: The Gift of Art. Free open painting Wed 9:30-

12p. Tue-Sat 11a-3p & 6-9p

1st Fri of month. Free. 2753970.

•Arts For ACT Gallery: 2265 First St, Ft Myers.

Nov: Dedo - John Cristina, Justin Markley; Dec 1-Jan

2: Rob Goldey, AJ Weber.

Mon-Sat 11a-4:30p, 1st,

2nd & 3rd Fri 11a-10p. Free. 337-5050.

•Arts on Fire Studio & Gallery: 6210 Shirley St, #103, Naples. Mon-Thu 10a-4p. Free. 914-4840608.

•Baker Museum: ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. thru Jan 7: Arik Levy - Unnatural History; thru Oct 29:

Schrenk Student Photography; thru Jan 31: French Moderns; thru Jan 31: Expressions - Matisse & Modern Art; Nov 14-Jan

14: To the Streets! - Protest

Posters; Nov 14-Jan 14:

Florida Contemporary.

Tue-Sat 10a-4p & Sun 124p. 597-1900.

•Beth Sistrunk Fine Art: 5760 Shirley St, # 15, Naples. Tue & Thu 1-4p.

Free. 293-4904.

•Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery: 4332 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. Sun & Mon 10a5p, Tue-Sat 10a-7p. Free. 283-1335.

•BIG ARTS: 900 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. thru Nov 25: Int’l Society of Experimental Artists; Nov 29-Dec 29: Material Matters, Buy It Off the

Wall. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 395-0900. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 395-0900.

•Bob Rauschenberg Gallery: Florida SouthWestern State College, 8099 College Pkwy SW, Ft Myers. thru Nov 11: Fluzusic/Fluxus Music. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat 11a-3p. Free. 489-9313.

•Cape Coral Art League: 516 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. Nov 6-30: Words & Images; Dec 4-31: Celebration. Meetings 1st Mon 9am. Open painting Wed 1-4p. Sun 1-4p, MonThu 10a-4p, Fri 1-9p, Sat 9a-1p. Free. 772-5657.

•Cape Coral Arts Studio: 4533 Coronado Pkwy in Rubicond Park, Cape Coral. Nov 3-30: MuseDec 1-22: Holly Daze Holiday Bazaar. Mon-Fri 9a-4:30p. Free. 574-0802.

•Casa Art Studio: 5860 Shirley St, #104, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-4p. Free. 2895070.

•Centers for the Arts of Bonita Springs: 26100 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. thru Nov 16: Ted De Clercq; thru Dec 17: Amster, Ferrich & Giannini; Nov 21-Dec 28: Florida Watercolor Society; Dec 20-Feb 18: Diedrich, McCurdy, Nissita & Skiba. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat 1-5p. Free. 495-8989.

•Clark Art Studio: Mercato, 9155 Strada Place, #5155, Naples. Mon-Sat 11a-9p & Sun 1-9p. Free. 616-2601533.

•Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery: 52388 Tamiami Tr, Ochopee. Daily 10a-5p. Free. 695-2428.

•Clyde Butcher’s Venice Gallery & Studio: 237 Warfield Ave, Venice. TueFri 10a-4:30p. Free. 4860811.

•Collier Museum at Government Center: 3301 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. Nov 11-Dec 30: A Heart of Alligators - Art of Jurg ‘George’ Furrer. Educational

programs, Wed, 2pm. MonSat 9a-4p. Free. 774-8476.

•DAAS Co-op Art Gallery: Royal Palm Square, 1400 Colonial Blvd, # 84, Ft Myers. Nov: INKdecent Break - Camilo Perez; Dec: Whitney Hackett. Tue-Sat 10a-6p. Free. 590-8645.

•Dennis Goodman Photography & Printing: 5880 Shirley St, #207, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-5p. Free. 825-4677.

•East West Fine Art: Bigham Galleria, 2425 Tamiami Tr N, #102, Naples. Nov 16-Dec 7: A Butterfly Has Three Lives. Mon-Fri 11a-4p & Sat 11a2p.Free. 821-9459.

•East West Fine Art: Mercato, 9115 Strada Pl, #5130, Naples. Nov 1-15: Orphans & Butterflies; Dec 15-29: Hidden Treasures. Mon-Sat 10a-9p & Sun 126p. Free. 220-7503.

•Elaine Murphy Art: 6240 Shirley St, #204 upstairs, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-4p. Free. Naples. 941-320-1617.

•Emily James Gallery: 720 5th Ave Sm # 111, Naples.

Tue-Sat 12-8p & Sun 125p. Free. 777-3283

•Englewood Art Center: Ringling College of Art & Design, 350 S. McCall Rd, Englewood. Loranger Gallery —thru Nov 3: Abstract; Nov 7-Dec 14: Life’s a Beach. Mangrove Gallery —thru Nov 3: Beverly Yankwitt; Nov 7Dec 13: Gary Maria. Mitchell Gallery —thru Nov 1: Gary Oglander; Nov 7-Dec 13: Coastal Contemporary. Members Gallery —thru Nov 3: Kathleen Simonds; Nov 7-Dec 13: Irina Kaplan.

Tue 9a-9p & Wed-Sat 9a4p. Free. 941-474-5548.

•Florida Gulf Coast University Art Galleries: 10501 FGCU Blvd S., Ft Myers. Wasmer Gallery — thru Nov 16: UntetheredBarbara Balzer & Linda Hall; Dec 8-15: Senior Projects. ArtLab — thru Nov 17: Stop & ListenEnvironmental Awareness & Restoration. Wasmer Gallery in Arts Complex, ArtLab in Library. MonFri, 10a-4p & Thu 10a-7p. Free. 590-7199.

•Fort Myers Beach Art Association: 3030 Shell Mound, Ft Myers Beach. thru Nov 2: Summer Paint Group Show. Mon-Sat 10a3p & Sun 12-3p. Free. 4633909.

•Gallery Vibe: 851 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. Free. 417-3450.

•Gardner Colby Gallery: 386 & 365 Broad Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-5p. Free. 403-7787.

•Geoff Gleason Sculpture

Studio: 5490 Yahl St, Naples. Mon-Fri 1-5p. Free. 703-597-2897.

•Grand Illusion Gallery: 2443 First St, Ft Myers.

Tue-Sat 10a-6p & Sat 11a2p, 1st & 3rd Fri 6-10p, 1st Fri of month 10a-10p. Free.461-7245.

•Guess-Fisher Gallery: 1187

8th St S, Naples. Mon-Thu

12-5p, Fr & Sat 12-9p, Sun

1-5p. Free. 263-3417.

•Harbour View Gallery: 5789 Cape Harbour Dr, #104, Cape Coral. Daily 11a-8p. Free. 540-5789.

•Harmon-Meek Gallery: 599 9th St N, #309, Naples.

Nov 6-16: Herman Maril;

Nov 20-Dec 8: Francine

Tint; Dec 11-Jan 5: Joan Konkel. Mon-Fri 10a-5p. Free. 261-2637.

•Harmon-Meek Modern: 382 12th Ave S, Naples.

Tue-Sat 12-5p. Free. 2612637.

•Hirdie-Girdie Art Gallery: 2490 Library Way, Sanibel. Mon-Sat 10a-5p. Free. 395-0027.

•HW Gallery: 1305 Third St S, Naples. Daily 10a-5p. Free. 263-6640.

•Immokalee Pioneer Museum: 1215 Roberts Ave, Immokalee. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 658-2466.

•Iona Art Gallery: 16681 McGregor Blvd, #301, Ft Myers. Tue-Sat 10a-4p. Free. 246-5826.

•Inspirations Artists & Design Gallery: 5450B, Shirley St, Naples. By appt. Free. 641-1660.

•Island Conclave: 5101 Pine Island Rd, Bokeelia. TueSat 11a-5p. Free. 282-8488.

•Island Visions: 4643 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. Daily 10a-5p. Free. 282-0452.

•Jo-Ann Sanborn Sunshine Studios of Marco Island: The Esplanade, 760 N Collier Blvd, #102, Marco Island. Mon-Fri 10a-5p & Sat 10a-2p. Free. 404-9179.

•John Ebling Veteran Art Gallery: American Legion Post #38, 1837 Jackson St, Ft Myers. Free. 332-1853.

•Kathleen Bradford Studio/Gallery: 4259 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Tue-Sat 11a-5p. Free. 776-6844.

•Lovegrove Gallery & Garden: 4637 Pine Island Rd NW, Matlacha.MonSat 10a-5p & Sun 11a4p.Free. 283-6453.

•Marc Harris Wildlife & Fine Art Photography Gallery: 1401 Lee St, #B, Ft Myers. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat 12-4p. Free. 789-7027.

•Marco Island Center for the Arts: 1010 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island. Nov 628: Marianne Oehler, Marco Island Academy

Students; Dec 4-26: Art of Clay, Josey Prior. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 394-4221.

•Marco Island Historical Museum: 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. thru Nov 28: Florida Artists Group. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 6421440.

•Marianne Friedland Gallery: 359 Broad Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 10-5p. Free. 2623484.

•Michaela & Leigh Art: 6240 Shirley St, #103, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-4p. Free. 272-6383.

•Michelle Kaytaz Gallery & Studio: 6230 Shirley St, #204 upstairs, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-4p. Free. 817944-2407.

•Museum of the Islands: 5728 Sesame, Pine Island Center. Tue-Sat 11a-3p & Sun 1-4p. 283-1525.

•Naples Art Association: 585 Park St, Naples. Nov

8-Jan 1: The Great Outdoors; Nov 11-Jan 27: Animals - Fact & Fable; Nov 11-25: Marcus Zotter; Dec 2- Jan 7: Telling a Story. Mon-Fri 10a-4p. Free. 262-6517.

•Naples Botanical Garden: 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples. thru Jan 30: A Blessing of Animals sculpture exhibition. Daily 9a-5p & Tue 8a-5p Oct-Jun; daily 8a-3p Jul-Sep. 643-7275.

•Naples Depot Museum: 1051 Fifth Ave S, Naples. thru Jan 27: Sites & Scenes - Collier County’s Historic Places. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 262-6525.

•Ocasiocasa Art Studio: 10051 McGregor Bvd, Edwards Bldg, #201. Sat 10a-2p, 2nd Sat 5-10p. 691-8292.

•Ollie Gentry Mack Photography Studio & Gallery: 2180 W 1st St, #210, Ft. Myers. Tue-Sat 10a-6p & 1st Fri 10a-10p. Free. 332-1295.

•Phil Fisher Gallery: 810 12th Ave S, Naples. MonThu 11a-5p, Fri & Sat 11a9p. Free. 403-8393.

•Quidley & Company Fine Art Gallery: 375 Broad Ave S, Naples. Mon-Sat 10a-7p & Sun 11a-5p. 261-4300.

•Rene Miville Gallery: Franklin Shops, 2200 1st St, 2nd fl, Ft Myers. MonSat 10a-8p & Sun 12-7p. Free. 333-3130.

•Ringling College of Art + Design Galleries: Ringling College of Art + Design, 2700 N. Tamiami Tr, Sarasota. Thompson Gallery (Keating Center) — thru Dec 2: Freedom of the Presses. Stulberg Gallery (Basch Center) — thru Dec 8: Warren ReineckerGeneral Motors Design exhibit. Willis Smith

An exhibition of art by the International Society of Experimental Artists is on view at BIGARTSon Sanibel, thru November 25. Call 395-0900 for information.

Gallery — thru Dec 2: Real + Ready. Sep-Apr Mon-Sat

10a-4p; May-Aug Mon-Fri 10a-4p. Free. 941-359-7563.

•Ringling Museum of Art: 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. thru Jan 14:

Extraordinary Animals; Oct

8-Jan 21: Aftermath - The Fallout of War; Nov 5-Jan 21: Approaching the Border; Nov 18-Mar 18: Eisenstaedt Photographs. Circus Museum —thru Nov 28: Collecting Recollections. Bayfront Gardens -thru Jun 1: Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads. Gardens of Ringling Guided

Tour: Thu 10:30a. Daily 10a-5p, Thu 10a-8p. 941359-5700.

•Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center: 300 Tower Rd, Naples. thru Nov 3: Giants of the Everglades; Nov 6-Feb 1: Painting Exhibit. Free. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. 530-5940.

•Rosen Gallery & Studios: North Line Plaza, 2172 J & C Blvd, N Naples. MonSat, 12-6p. Free. 8211061.

•Sanibel Captiva Art League: Dec 7-Jan 12: Captiva Memories at Captiva Civic Center, 11550 Chapin Ln, Captiva. Mon & Thu 9a-8p; Tue & Wed, Fri & Sat 9a5p. Free. 472-2483.

•Shangri-La Springs: 27750

Old US 41, Bonita Springs. Dec: Dream or RealityMila Bridger photographs. 2nd Wed: Free Community Art & Nature Night 6-9p. 949-0749.

•Sheldon Fine Art: 460 Fifth Ave S, Naples. 10a10p. Free. 649-6255.

•Sidney & Berne Davis Arts Center: 2301 First St, Ft Myers. Nov 3-21: City of Palms; Dec 8-22: Isabel Mejia - False Forests & Hidden Skylines. Mon-Fri 10a-5p & 6-9p & 1st Fri of month. Free. 337-1933.

•SmallWalls: 6240 Shirley St, #202 upstairs, Naples. Wed 3-5p. Free. 402-2016160.

•Space 39 Art Bar & Lounge: 39 Patio de Leon, Ft Myers. Tue-Sat 5:30close. Free. 204-9949.

•Sweet Art Gallery: 2100-A Trade Center Way, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-5p, 1st Wed 58p, 3rd Fri 6-8p. Free. 597-2110.

•The Artist’s Gallery: 6240 Shirley St, #104, Naples. Mon-Fri 10a-4p & Sat by appt. Free. 596-5099.

•The Lady from Haiti: 110 10th St N, Naples. Oct-May Mon-Sat 10:30a-5p; JunSep Tue-Sat 3-8p. Free. 649-8607.

•Timeless: 2218 First St, Ft Myers. Daily 11a-6p; Fri & Sat 11a-8p. 332-8463.

•Tower Gallery: 751 Tarpon Bay Rd, Sanibel. Daily 10a-9p. Free. 340-6467.

•True Joy Studio: 6240 Shirley St, #201 upstairs, Naples. Mon-Fri 11a-4p. Free. 821-8806.

•Two Newts Gallery: 2502 2nd St, #104, Ft Myers.

Tue-Fri 10a-6p, Sat 10a-4p, Sun 12-4p. Free. 332-2300.

•Union Artists Studios: Alliance of the Arts, 10051 McGregor Blvd, #202, Edwards Bldg, Ft Myers. Free. 826-3861.

•Unit A: 2633 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Ft Myers. Marcus Jansen studio/gallery. Mon-Wed 11a-3p & by appt & special events. 240-1053.

•Visual Arts Center: 210 Maud St, Punta Gorda. thru Nov 30: Harvest of Art; Dec 2-29: Flights of Fancy.

Mon-Fri 9a-4p & Sat 10a2p. Free. 951-639-8810.

•Watson MacRae Gallery: 2340 Periwinkle Way, #G1, Sanibel. Nov 14- Dec 12: 10th Anniversary Exhibit –A Decade in the Making; Dec 12-Jan 7: Fine Arts of Contemporary Crafts. MonSat 10:30a-5p. Free. 4723386.

attractions

•Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Tribe of Florida Museum: Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, 30290

Josie Billie Hwy, Clewiston. Daily 9a-5p. 877-902-1113.

•Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum: 3075 SanibelCaptiva Rd, Sanibel.

Ongoing: Journey to the Center of a Shell, Raymond Burr Memorial Exhibit, Deep-Sea Mollusks, Henry DomkeNature Photographer. World record-sized Shells. Daily 10a-5p. 395-2233.

•Baker Museum: ArtisNaples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples. thru Jan 31:

French Moderns; Oct 20Jan 31: ExpressionsMatisse & Modern Art; Nov 14-Jan 14: To the Streets!Protest Posters; Nov 14-Jan 14: Florida Contemporary.

Tue-Sat 10a-4p & Sun 124p. 597-1900.

•Burroughs Home & Gardens: 2505 First St, Ft Myers. Living history tours daily 11a & 1p, 5-9p. 3370706.

•Butterfly Estates: 1815 Fowler St, Ft Myers. Sun & Tue-Th 10a-5p, Sat 10a-7p. 690-2359.

•Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium: 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers. Museum, butterfly aviary, trails, live reptile shows daily. Planetarium shows daily.

Sanibel. Healing Winds Visitor Education Center. Wonders of Wildlife: Nature presentations MonFri 11a. Tue-Sun 10a-4p. Free. 472-3644.

•’Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge: 1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel. Education Center. May-Dec 9a-4p, Jan-Apr Sun-Fri 9a-5p. 472-1100.

•Edison & Ford Winter Estates: 2350 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Nov 24Dec 31: Holiday Nights 5:30-9p (except Christmas eve & day). Daily 9a-5:30p. 334-7419.

•Everglades Day Safari: Pickups throughout SWFL. Daily 7:30a-5p. 472-1559.

‘Untethered, Stories Come Like Charms,’ the work of Barbara Balzer&Linda Hall is on view thru November 16 at FGCU’s Wasmer Gallery in the Arts Complex on campus in Fort Myers. Call 590-7199 for information.

Solar observing thru telescope Fri 11a. 10a-5p & Sun, 11a-5p. 275-3435.

•Cape Coral Historical Museum: 544 Cultural Park Blvd, Cape Coral. Wed, Thu & Sun 1-4p. 772-7037.

•Collier Museum at Government Center: 3301 Tamiami Tr E, Naples. Nov 11-Dec 30: A Heart of Alligators - Art of Jurg ‘George’ Furrer. Nov 18 & 19: Old Florida Festival. Educational programs, Wed, 2pm. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 774-8476.

•Conservancy of SWFL: 1495 Smith Preserve Way off Goodlette Frank Rd. Mon-Sat 9:30a-4:30p. Free. 430-2466.

•Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: 375 Sanctuary Rd W, Naples. Blair Audubon Center, Boardwalk Exploration & Exhibits. Daily 7a-5:30p. Free. 3489151.

•CREW: Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. 23998 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. Guided walks: 1st & 3rd Tue & 2nd Sat, NovApr, Marsh Hiking Trails, 4600 Corkscrew Rd, Immokalee. Trails open sunrise-sunset. Free. 6572253.

•CROW: Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife. 3883 Sanibel-Captiva Rd,

Train: Dinner & play during 3 hour train ride. Dec 11 & 12, 18 & 19, : Christmas

Rail-Boat trip. Seminole Gulf Railway, Colonial Station, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 275-8487.

•Museum of the Everglades: 105 W Bwy,Everglades City. Tue-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 9a-4p. Free. 695-0008. Closed until further notice.

•Museum of the Islands: 5728 Sesame, Pine Island Center. Free. 283-1525.

•Naples Botanical Garden: 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples.thru Jan 31: A Blessing of Animals; Dec

8-23 & 26-30, Jan 1-3: Night Lights in the Garden

Painting Exhibit. Daily programs: 11a & 2p. Guided boat & kayak tours Nov 4Apr 30 Tue & Th. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. 530-5940.

•Sanibel Historical Museum & Village: 950 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Dec 1: Luminary Open House 3:30-5:30p. Wed-Sat, 10a-4p. 472-4648.

•Shangri-La Springs: 27750 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 2nd Wed: Free Art & Nature Community Night 6-9p. 949-0749.

•Everglades Wonder Gardens: 27180 Old 41 Rd, BonitaSprings.Botanical gardens, animals, art gallery.Daily 9a-4p. 9922591.

•Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples: North Collier Park, 15080 Livingston Rd, Naples. Special hours for children on autistic spectrum: Breaking the Barriers, 2nd Sat of month 8-9a & Sensory Night, 4th Tue of month 5-8p. Register. Mon-Sat 10a-5p & Sun 11a4p. 514-0084.

•Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL: Sandalwood Square, 4760 Tamiami Tr N, # 107, Naples. thru Dec 18: Painting the Irena Sendler Story. TueSun 1-4p. Guided Tours: 1:30p. Free. 263-9200.

•IMAG History & Science Center: 2000 Cranford St, Ft Myers. thru Dec 31: Climate Change Oceans –Acid vs Life. Science Saturdays: 1st Sat; History Saturdays: 2nd Sat. MonSat 10a-5p & Sun 12-5p. 321-7420.

•Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch: 1215 Roberts Ave, Immokalee. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 658-2466.

•Marco Island Historical Museum: 180 S Heathwood Dr, Marco Island. thru Nov 28: Florida Artists Group. Tue-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 6421440.

•Mound House: 451 Connecticut St, Ft Myers Beach. Guided tours Tue, Wed & Sat 9a-3p; programs Tue, Wed, Sat 10a; free guided beach walks Tue 9a, Newton Park, 4650 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Tue, Wed & Sat 9a-4p. 765-0865.

•MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium: 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota. Dec 9-Jun: Sea Debris –Awareness thru Art. Daily 10a-5p. 941-388-4441.

•Murder Mystery Dinner

6-9p. Dogs in the Garden walks Sun 9-11:30a, Tue 811a, Thu 3-5p. Daily 9a-5p & Tue8a-5p. 643-7275.

•Naples Depot Museum: 1051 Fifth Ave S, Naples. thru Jan 27: Sites & Scenes - Collier County’s Historic Places. Mon-Sat 9a-4p. Free. 262-6525.

•Naples Museum of Military History: Naples Airport, Commercial Terminal, 500 Terminal Dr, Naples. MonSat 10a-4p & Sun 12-4p. Free. 941-575-0401.

•Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens: 1590 GoodletteFrank Rd, Naples. Daily 9a-5p. 262-5409.

•Palm Cottage Museum & Norris Gardens: Naples Historical Society, 137 12th Ave. S, Naples. Walking tours of Naples historic district: Wed 9:30a; Guided garden tours: 1st & 3rd Thu of month 10a. Tours: Tue-Fri 12-4p & Sat 1-4p. Free. 261-8164.

•Ringling Museum of Art: 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota. thru Jan 14: Extraordinary Animals; thru Jan 21: AftermathThe Fallout of War; Nov 5Jan 21: Approaching the Border; Nov 18-Mar 18: Eisenstaedt Photographs; thru Sep 10: Eternal Offerings - Chinese Ritual Bronzes; thru Oct 15:

Skyway - A Contemporary Collection; thru Oct 29:

Posed - Portrait Photography; thru Nov 30:

Last 5 Years of Art of Our Time. Circus Museum — thru Nov 28: Collecting Recollections. Bayfront Gardens -thru Jun 1: Ai

Weiwei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads. Gardens of Ringling Guided

Tour: Thu 10:30a. Daily 10a-5p, Thu 10a-8p. 941359-5700.

•Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center: 300 Tower Rd, Naples. thru Nov 3: Giants of the Everglades; Nov 6-Feb 1:

•Shell Factory & Nature Park: 2787 N Tamiami Trail, N, Ft Myers. Shell exhibits, Animal exhibits, petting farm, Christmas House, Natural History Exhibit, Money Museum, water games, video arcade, miniature golf, playgrounds, Soaring Eagle Zip Line. Daily 10a-5p. 995-2141.

•SWFL Historical Society: 10091 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Wed 9a-12p & 4-7p, Sat 9a-12p. Free. 939-4044.

•Williams Academy Black History Museum: Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave, Ft Myers. Mon-Fri 9a-5p & Sat 12-4p. Free. 332-8778.

parks

•Bonita Beach Park: 27954 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs. 533-7444.

•Bowditch Point Regional Park: 50 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Guided walks: Tue & Sat 9:30a. 463-3764.

•Bunche Beach: 18201 John Morris Rd, Ft Myers. Guided walks: 1st & 3rd Tue 5p. 707-6794.

•Caloosahatchee Regional Park: 18500 North River Rd, Alva. Guided walk: 1st Sat & 3rd Tue of month 9a. 693-2690.

•Collier-Seminole State Park: US 41 (Tamiami Trail), S Naples. Guided walks: Sat 10a. Hiking trail, self-guided boardwalk nature trail, exhibits, camping, fishing, boating canoeing. 394-3397.

•Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park: 11135 Gulfshore Dr, Naples. Beach, fishing, picnic areas. 597-6196.

•Estero Park: 9200

Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero. 248-1609.

•Everglades National Park: Gulf Coast Visitor Center,815 Oyster Bar

Ln.Everglades City. 9a4:30p. 695-3311.

•Hickeys Creek Mitigation Park: 17980 Palm Beach Blvd, Alva. Guided walks: 1st Tue 9a. 693-2690.

•Koreshan State Historic Site State Park: US Hwy 41 & Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-0311.

what Goes on

•Lakes Regional Park: 7330 Gladiolus Dr, Ft Myers. Halloween Festival: Oct 17-31, weekends 10a9p, weekdays 6-9p. Guided walks: 1st Sat 8:30a, Garden tour: 2nd Sat. 5337575.

•Lovers Key State Park: South of Ft Myers Beach. 463-4588.

•Lynn Hall Park: 950 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Laughter Yoga: Fri 8a. 229-7356.

•Manatee Park: 10901 Palm Beach Blvd, Ft Myers. 8adusk. 690-5030.

•Matanzas Pass Preserve: 119 Bay Rd, Ft Myers Beach. Guided walks: Thu 9:30a. 707-3015.

•Myakka River State Park: 13207 SR 72, Sarasota. Canoeing, camping, wildlife tours by air-boat & tram, scenic drive, guided walks. 361-6511.

•Naples Preserve: Eco-center. 1690 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. Jan 10-Apr 25: Nature talks Tue 10a. Free. Dawn-dusk. 261-4290.

•North Collier Regional Park: 15000 Livingston Rd, Naples. 252-4060.

•North Ft Myers Park: 2021 N Tamiami Tr, N Ft Myers. Yoga: Wed 6p. 652-4512.

•Rutenberg Park Eco-Living Center: ‘Florida-Friendly’

Garden/Landscape Workshops: Wed 10:30a. Free. 533-7515.

•Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve: 7791 Penzance Blvd, Ft Myers. Guided walks: daily 9a. Free. 5337550.

•Veterans Park: 55 Homestead Rd, Lehigh Acres. 369-1521.

•Wa-Ke-Hatchee Park: 16730 Bass Rd, Ft Myers. Flow Yoga & Mat Pilates: Mon-Thu 9a; Yoga & Meditation: Tue 4:30p; Tai chi: Wed 1p; Laughter Yoga: Wed 6:30p. Classes free. 432-2154.

live music & comedy

•Americana Community Music Association Listening Room: All Faiths Unitarian Congregation, 2756 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. Select Fri, Sat, Sun 7p. Free. 691-4069.

•Bert’s Bar & Grill: 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. Live Tue-Sat afternoons & nites. 282-3232.

•Big Blue Brewing: 4721 SE 10th Pl, Cape Coral. Live music Wed-Sat nites. 4712777.

•Bone Hook Brewing: 1514 Immokalee Rd, #106, Naples. Live music select nites 6-9p. 631-8522.

•Buckingham Blues Bar: 5641 Buckingham Rd., Ft Myers. Open blues jam Wed 8-11p & Sun 3-6p. Live music weekends. 693-7111.

•Bury Me Brewing: 4224 S Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers. Live music select nites. 332-2337.

•Cape Coral Brewing Company: 839 Miromar St, Cape Coral. Live music select nites. 257-1033.

•City Tavern: 2206 Bay St, Ft Myers. Live music ThuSat. 226-1133.

•Fort Myers Brewing Company: 12811 Commerce Lake Dr, #27, Ft Myers. Live music select Wed-Sat nites. 313-6576.

•Howl Gallery/Tattoo Dive Bar: 4160 Cleveland Ave, Ft. Myers. Live music & burlesque select nites. 332-0161.

•Laugh-In Comedy Café: 8595 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. Thu-Sat: comics

7:30 & 9:30p. 479-5233.

•Matanzas on the Bay: 414 Crescent St, Ft Myers Beach. Live music nitely

6-9p. 463-3838.

•Millennium Brewery: 1811 Royal Palm Ave, Ft Myers. Live music select nites. 271-2255.

•Momentum Brewhouse: 9786 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. Live music select nites. 949-9945.

•Old Soul Brewing: 10970 S Cleveland Ave, #402, Ft Myers. Wed: Open Mic 810p. Live music or comedy select Fri & Sat nites. 3344334.

•Naples Beach Brewery: 4120 Enterprise Ave, #116, Naples. Live music WedSat nites. 304-8795.

•Point Ybel Brewing Company: 16120 San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music Thu & Fri 7-9p; Fri: live music 8-10p. 6036535.

•Red Rock Saloon: 2278 First St, Ft Myers. Live music Fri & Sat nites. 689-8667.

•Riptide Brewing: 987 3rd Ave N, Naples. Irish music jam Wed 7-9p; live music Fri & Sat 8-11p. 228-6533.

•Shangri-La Springs: 27750 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Thu 5-8p, Fri & Sat 6-9p: original live music in lounge. 949-0749.

•Smokin’ Oyster Brewery: 340 Old San Carlos Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. Live music nitely 6-10p. Free. 463-3474.

•Space 39 Art Bar & Lounge: 39 Patio de Leon, Ft Myers. Live music WedSat 8:30-11p. 204-9949.

•The Barrel Room: Twisted Vine, 2214 Bay St, Ft Myers. Live music Thu-Sun. Thu 7-11p: Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Jazz Quartet; Fri & Sat nites: blues bands; Sun 10:30a-1p: Jazz Brunch.

Sun 4-7p: Americana Sundays. 333-225.

•The Joint at Cape Harbour: 5785 Cape Harbour Dr, Cape Coral. Live music

Tue, Fri, Sun. 542-0123.

•The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon: 2158 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. Live music selectFri & Sat. 9859839.

•The Rhythm House: 16440 S Tamiami Tr, Ft Myers. Live music Fri 6:30p. 4668326.

•The Veranda: 2122 Second St, Ft Myers. Piano Bar Tue-Sat 6:30-9p. 3322065.

FARMERS MARKETS

TUESDAY

•Estero Farmers Market: United Methodist Church, 8088 Lords Way St, Estero. 8a-1p.

•Health Park Farmers Market: Village Shoppe at Health Park, 1620 Summerlin Rd, Ft Myers.

9a-1p.

•Surfside Farmers Market: Shops at Surfside, 2408 Surfside Blvd, Cape Coral.

2-7p.

•Santini Sunrise Fresh Market: Santini Marina Plaza, 7225 Estero Blvd, Ft Myers Beach. 9a-1p.

WEDNESDAY

•Bonita Springs Riverside Farmers Market: Riverside Park, 27300 Old 41 Rd, BonitaSprings. 7a-1p.

•Health Park Farmers Market: Village Shoppe at Health Park, 1620 Summerlin Rd, Ft Myers. 10a-2p.

•Lakes Park Farmers Market: Lakes Regional Park, 7300 Gladiolus Dr, Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•Marco Island Farmers Market: Veterans Community Park, 901 Park Ave,Marco Island. 7:30a-1p.

THURSDAY

•Coconut Point Farmers Market: Coconut Point, 23106 Fashion Dr, Estero.

9a-1p.

•Gulf Coast Town Center Farmers Market: 9903 Gulf Coast Main St, San Carlos Park. 10a-2p.

•Health Park Farmers Market: Village Shoppe at Health Park, 1620 Summerlin Rd, Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•McGregor Fresh Market: Faith United Methodist

Church, 15690 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•River District Farmers Market: Under Caloosahathcee Bridge, Centennial Park, 2000 W First St, Ft Myers. 7a-1p.

FRIDAY

•Bayfront Farmers Market: 465 Bayfront Pl, Naples. 4-8p.

•Bonita Springs Fresh Food Market: The Promenade, 26795 South Bay Dr, Bonita Springs.8a-12p.

•Farmers Market at FSW State College: FSW State College, 8099 College Pkwy, Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•Fort Myers Beach Farmers Market: Under Mtanzas Pass Sky Bridge, 483 Crescent St, Ft Myers Beach. 7:30-11:30a.

•Friendly Farmers Market: Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 3-7p.

•Government Complex Farmers Market: 3335 US 41 E, Naples. 11a-2p.

•Health Park Farmers Market: Village Shoppe at Health Park, 1620 Summerlin Rd, Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•Lakes Park Farmers Market: 7330 Gladiolus Dr, Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•Fort Myers Beach Farmers Market: 1st St & 2nd St, under Sky Bridge, Ft Myers Beach.7:3011:30a.

SATURDAY

•Alliance for the Arts’ Green Market: 10091 McGregor Blvd., Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•Bonita Springs Farmers Market: The Promenade Shoppes, 26811 South Bay Dr,Bonita Springs. 8a-12p.

•Bonita Springs Lions Market: Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Track parking lot,10601 SE Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 7am12:30p.

•Cape Coral Farmers Market: 2051 Cape Coral Pkwy, Cape Coral. 8a-1p.

•Cornerstone Farmers Market: Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 8200 Immokalee Rd, Naples. 8a-1p.

•North Naples Farmers Market: North Naples United Methodist Church, 6000 Goodlette Rd N, Naples. 8a-1p.

•Friendly Farmers Market: Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 9a-3p.

•Fort Myers Downtown Farm & Art Market: Cornog Plaza, 2450 First St, Ft Myers. 9a-1p.

•Naples Green Market: 2150 Goodlette Rd, Naples. 8a1p.

Wi ne&Dine SWFLDININGGUIDE

BERT'S BAR & SEAFOOD GRILL : 4271 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha. 282-3232. Dockside dining with a million dollar view and quality food at reasonable prices. Waterfront restaurant offering delicious and fresh local seafood, certified angus burgers, refreshing brews, and live entertainment Tue-Sun. 'All-U-Can-Eat' Fish Fry Wed & Fri 4-9pm. Open 7 days a week from 11am. www.bertsbar.com

BROADWAY PALM DINNER THEATRE: 1380 Colonial Blvd, Ft Myers. 278-4422. Southwest Florida’s premier dinner theatre features the best of Broadway, favorite shows of the past and the most recent musical hits. with nationally selected performers and a live orchestra. Featuring a delicious buffet. Tue-Sun: dinner 5:30pm, Matinees: lunch 11:45am. broadwaypalm.com

LATITUDE 26 BAR & RESTAURANT: Hyatt House Naples, 1345 5th Ave S, Naples. 775-1000. New menu of home-cooked comforts, including delicious entrees, gourmet sandwiches, a variety of snacks & sharables, premium beers and wines, and their signature ‘Smoke on the Water’ cocktail, served in nautical British West Indies-inspired décor. Wed: Prime Rib Night. Happy Hour Daily Specials 4-7pm: Lunch: daily 11am-4pm, Happy Hour: daily 4-7pm, Dinner: daily: 5-10pm. hyatthousenaples.com

LAUGH IN COMEDY CAFE: 8595 College Pkwy, # 270, Ft Myers. 479-5233. Laugh In's menu has everything from clams, mussels, crab cakes, and cod to the house favorite chicken parmesan and Shrimp Orleans to a 10 oz. NY strip steak with fresh vegetables & potato Late night menu features four cheese fried rigatoni, pulled pork nachos, hot wings, hot apple pie, citrus base sunshine cake! Shows:Thu7:30pm,Fri& Sat7:30&9:30pm. laughincomedycafe.com

The Restaurant atSHANGRI-LA SPRINGS : 27750 Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. 949-0749. The legendary resort offers a beautiful, light-filled all organic restaurant. Ingredients are from the property’s organic gardens. Dine indoors surrounded by local fine art or select our canopied patio seating, nestled among lush botanical gardens. Enjoy garden fresh options with organic wine. Lunch: Mon-Sat 11am-2:30pm, Dinner: Thu, Fri & 2nd Wed 5-8pm. shangrilasprings.com

THE VERANDA restaurant: 2122 Second St. (at Bwy), Ft Myers. 332-2065. The Veranda's romantic setting in two turn-of-the-century homes, combined with their Southern Regional Cuisine, an extensive wine list, and first class service staff, provide a unique dining experience. Celebrating excellence since 1978 and consistently honored as one of the most award-winning restaurants in Fort Myers. Lunch: Mon-Fri 11am-2pm, Dinner: Mon-Sat 5:30-9pm. verandarestaurant.com

•Third Street Farmer’s Market: 1220 Third St S, Naples. 7:30-11:30a.

•Vanderbilt Farmers Market: 355 Vanderbilt Beach Rd,Naples. 8a-1p.

SUNDAY

•Green Market at Miromar Outlets: 10801 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 10a-2p.

•Koreshan Farmers Market: Koreshan State Park, 3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 8a-1p.

•Naples Depot Museum Farmers Market: 1051 5th Ave, Naples. 10a-2p.

•North Naples Green Market: Ole Towne Center, 8020 Grand Lely Dr, Naples. 12-4p.

•Pine Island Tropical Fruit Market: Stringfellow Rd & Ficus Tree Ln, Bokeelia. 10a-3p.

•Pine Ridge Farmers Market: Pine Ridge Rd & Airport Pulling Rd, Naples. 9a-2p.

•Sanibel Island Farmers Market: Sanibel City Hall, 800 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. 8a-1p.

•Sugden Park Farmers Market: Sugden Park, 4824 Avalon Dr, Naples. 8a-2p.

•Venetian Village Green Market: The Village at Venitian Bay, 4200 Gulf Shore Blvd N, Naples. 8a2p.