McCurdy’s Comedy Club in downtown, Sarasota, has always been known to have great energy and an eclectic talent that keeps audiences laughing.
Laughter is indeed the best medicine, but so is listening to great Broadway music from voices from well-known Broadway veterans Anita Gillette and Lee Roy Reams who perform “Broadway Buddies TWO-Gether” on McCurdy’s stage at a matinee performance Sunday, Feb. 18 at 3pm.
Anita Gillette and Lee Roy Reams will be singing songs from Broadway and sharing their career stories with the audience. Both Actors have starred on Broadway and on Television and in films. Gillette played the memorable role of the girlfriend in the movie MOONSTRUCK. She also starred on Broadway in CABARET for two years and in numerous other Broadway musicals and plays.
Lee Roy Reams hit a home run in THE PRODUCERS on Broadway with his role as Roger Depris. His career spans Broadway, Television and films. Lee Roy is also a Director. Both Anita and Lee Roy have performed in Cabaret acts in NYC.
To heighten the excitement of the matinee, two other performances will round out the performance: Strings Con Brio will perform with some of the best songs from the American Stage. Strings Con Brio is a community string orchestra that engages 60 musicians of varying ages and abilities from student through the professional level. Finally, Ovation School of Musical Theater young members will perform “It roars” and “Apex Predator” from the musical, Mean Girls.
The matinee is hosted by Sarasota Rising, a new arts festival gradually taking shape in the Sarasota area, with the inaugural Living Arts Festival scheduled for November 10-17, 2024. A first of its kind, the festival aims to bring together various arts organizations, museums, and institutions to create a unified annual arts-centric event that highlights the region’s cultural legacy and economic partners.
The festival is led by Jeffery Kin, who has been working for the past two years to bring together as many Sarasota area organizations as possible to take part in the community-wide arts festival. The festival is supported by various volunteers and consultants and has received financial backing from the Downtown Improvement District and other sources.
“The vision for the Living Arts Festival is to elevate and celebrate what the cultural coast has to offer, with hopes of it becoming an international festival within 10 years,” says Kin, who has been an integral part of the art/music/culture scene in Sarasota since 1991. Kin is an award-winning actor, director, producer and playwright, but is likely known for his 15 years as the force behind The Players Theatre. A graduate of Otterbein University with a BFA in Performance, Kin says the Broadway Buddies TWO-Gether is just a preview of what’s to come as Sarasota Rising ramps up to their first festival in November. “We are the focused regional agent to brand our area as the Cultural Coast” – from Northport to Bradenton,” says Kin.
Sarasota Rising: An Evening With…
WHEN? The event will be held at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre on February 18, 2024 at 3PM. 1923 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34236
WHAT: Entertainment, Food & Drinks: (2-drink minimum, food extra cost).
HOW MUCH? Tickets are $45.00 + tax. To secure yours, please visit https://www.mccurdyscomedy.com/shows/ or call the box office at (941) 925-3869.
WHY: Sarasota Rising is producing the show to promote Sarasota Arts. The proceeds will support the annual Sarasota Rising; the annual Sarasota Arts Festival beginning in November this year.
~ Andrea Martone
