It’s a big week for events in the Sarasota area arts scene, with Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall hosting an Emmy-winning dancer and choreographer, while multiple local stage productions both open and close.
Derek Hough of “Dancing with the Stars” fame will return to Van Wezel this week, which is also your last chance to catch Summer Circus Spectacular at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater and “Head Over Heels” at Venice Theatre. However, there’ll also be new shows debuting, including “Fame” at Manatee Performing Arts Center and “Legacy: Motown & More!” at Florida Studio Theatre.
Here are this week’s highlights. Event details are subject to change.
1. Derek Hough — Symphony of Dance: Encore at Van Wezel
Best known for appearing on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” both as a record-breaking six-time winner and as a judge, Derek Hough will return to Sarasota’s Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Hough — who’s also earned four Emmys out of 13 nominations, making him the most nominated choreographer in Television Academy history — will explore styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa and hip-hop, with fellow Emmy winners NappyTabs (Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo) co-creating, directing and supervising choreography for the tour. 7 p.m. Aug. 6; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $86-$151; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org
2. Summer Circus Spectacular at The Ringling
It’s the final week for this summer show by Sarasota’s Circus Arts Conservatory and The Ringling, held at the Historic Asolo Theater on the latter’s campus, featuring circus artists including ringmaster Ashley Vargas, clowning/slack wire act Davis Vassallo, juggler Noel Aguilar, aerialist Emma Grace Clarke, Duo Transcend, who’ve appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” and hand-balancing act Yelitza Vivas. Attendees can pay an additional $5 for admission to The Ringling’s Circus Museum. The Ringling’s Museum of Art (separate admission fee) is also currently showing the circus-themed exhibition “Canvas City.” Through Aug. 8; Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota; $20, $15 ages 12 and under; 941-360-7399; ringling.org
3. ‘Fame’ at Manatee Performing Arts Center
Manatee Performing Arts Center will put on the musical about students at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts, based on the 1980 film “Fame” (whose Oscar-winning title track is reprised in the musical) that was also adapted into a TV series. Fun fact: The first production of the “Fame” musical was held in Florida at Miami’s Coconut Grove Playhouse before being produced worldwide, including returning to New York for an off-Broadway run in the 2000s under the title “Fame on 42nd Street.” Aug. 6-16; Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton; ticket prices vary; 941-748-5875; manateeperformingartscenter.com
4. ‘Legacy: Motown and More!’ at Florida Studio Theatre
Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret Series, which has featured other music-themed productions such as “Leaving on a Jet Plane” and “Songbirds of the Seventies,” continues with “Legacy: Motown & More!” The show will feature Motown and other R&B and pop hits from artists including The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Four Seasons and The Temptations. Opens Aug. 4; Goldstein Cabaret at Florida Studio Theatre, 1239 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota; ticket prices vary, cabaret subscriptions also available; 941-366-9000; floridastudiotheatre.org
5. ‘Head Over Heels’ at Venice Theatre
Also concluding this week is this production of the musical blending “The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia,” written by Philip Sidney in the 16th century. with the music of ’80s rock band The Go-Go’s (whose song gives the show its name) and lead singer Belinda Carlisle. “Head Over Heels” is part of Venice Theatre SummerStock, a musical theater “boot camp” geared to high school and college students, who are trained by professionals to the latter’s standards. Through Aug. 8; Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice; $35, $26 college students/current educators, $19 youth (child-high school); 941-488-1115; venicetheatre.org
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top Sarasota area arts events this week include Emmy-winning dancer
Reporting by Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
