November 17, 2008 (Sarasota, Florida) Asolo Repertory Theatre and Maltz Jupiter Theatre have partnered to present Barnum, the multiple Tony Award winning musical that ran for two years and 854 performances on Broadway. Barnum runs from November 15 to December 20, 2008, in Asolo Rep’s Mertz Theatre in Sarasota, and opens on January 9, 2009, at The Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, Florida.
The co-production between the two theatres represents sharing on many levels, from concepts to expenses, and from artistic decisions to sets, costumes and props. It also means that the production will move from one theatre to the other, taking with it all the shared elements, including the actors and creative team.

“We are thrilled to be co-producing Barnum with the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. This musical is a vibrant, dynamic show that deserves to have the highest quality of production. When the opportunity arose to partner with Andrew Kato and the brilliant team at Maltz Jupite ...

As part of its "One Book One Community" program this April, Sarasota County Public Library invites the community to read The Sweetheart Deal by local Sarasota Attorney Claire Matturo. The author will be on-hand at book events at Selby and Venice Libraries. Click here for more information.

Life moves fast . . . if we let it. Between our PDAs, MP3 players and cell phones, we are always connected to someone, always listening for a ring, surfing for the latest news on the web, or “IMing” or accessing our email from anywhere. And if we’re not doing it, someone around us is. Now, all this technology is fascinating and useful, but we often think we don’t have enough time because we let it control our living.

When I was little, I would watch my favorite TV show before going to bed. On occasion the ...

I’ve got a friend who practically devours books. He and an old college buddy actually compete for the most fiction read in a year – 42 is the record. The loser has to buy dinner and endure the winner’s unabashed boasting. Now, I never understood how he had so much time to read almost a book a week. Perhaps he’s a bit of a speed reader. That helps. But with two young children and a full-time job, how could he manage to work it into his schedule? He tells me it’s not about TIME, but rather priorities and passion. He chooses to devote time to reading because of the great joy he gets from getting lost in a story and seeing the world through the lens of another character. Reading ...

5. Ladybird or The Golden Thread

Sweet Lucie Manette is so lovingly referred to as My Ladybird by Miss Pross. As “The Golden Thread” she binds together a misfit crew with her love and kindness. If she weren’t so completely pure, she might rank a bit higher on this list.

4. Jacques &l ...

At the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens favors the peasants over the aristocrats in 18^th-century French society. He describes numerous encounters of aristocratic maltreatment of the peasant class and their extreme poverty and hunger. Dickens writes about their courageous fight for their fair share of the pie. But as the novel progresses, Dickens begins to illustrate the change in the wind. When the peasants overthrow their leaders and claim power, they abuse their authority and embark on a murderous scene sacrificing anyone merely suspected of associating with an aristocrat. Dickens paints the French Revolution in shades of gray. It is a far, far more complicated situation than merely pitting the “good guys” against the “bad guys.” War is never as simple as good vers ...