November 2

Take your pick: You can sit in front of the television watching the election returns and biting your nails, or you can take in the haunting lyricism and bold sonic experimentation of ensembleNEWSRQ’s “When Words Fail” concert at the First Congregational Church of Christ, where you can do a little praying and manifesting during the world premiere of Shawn Allison’s “Vigil for the Disappeared.” (Wishful thinking?)

Examining the expressive power of music in the absence and aftermath of text, this program of works for smaller forces promises to “reshape our perception of time and sound.” Other selections include pieces by Timo Andres, Curtis Stewart, Vivian Fung, and Charles Wuorinen.

“When Words Fail,” enNEWSRQ at the First Congregational Church of Christ, 1031 S. Euclid Ave., Sarasota. 7:30 p.m. Tickets available online or at the door ($30) or streaming ($10). ensrq.org/seasons/s11/2026-11-02-when-words-fail

— Carrie Seidman

November 3-22

The second-year students in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory begin their new season with a two plays presented in rotating repertory. “Pronoun” by Evan Placey is about childhood sweethearts Josh and Isabella who thought they were going to be together forever. But when she transitions and becomes Dean, it forces difficult conversations about how their relationship can continue even though they still love one another. The play was commissioned for the 2014 National Theatre Connections Festival. “You Will Get Sick” by Noah Diaz is about a man who learns he has a mysterious degenerative illness but doesn’t know how to tell his family the news. So he hires a stranger, an out-of-work actress to tell the others. The play had its premiere off-Broadway in 2022.

“Pronoun” runs Nov. 3-22 and “You Will Get Sick” runs Nov. 4-21 at the Cook Theatre in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets are $5-30 for Nov. 3-4 previews and $40 for other performances. asolorep.org; 941-351-8000

—Jay Handelman

November 7-8

The Sarasota Orchestra launches a new season of Masterworks concerts with “Beethoven & Prokofiev,” led by music director Giancarlo Guerrero, who begins his second year leading the organization. The orchestra will be joined by renowned violinist Gil Shaham, who will be the guest soloist on Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. The program also includes Lera Auerbach’s “Icvarus,” a musical retelling of the Greek myth about Icarus, who flew to close to the sun, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5, which was written in the summer of 1944, and created as a “hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit.”

Sarasota Orchestra’s Masterworks I concert will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 and 8 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets are $43-$118. sarasotaorchestra.org; 941-953-3434

— Jay Handelman

November 4-22

Florida Studio Theatre’s cabaret series is exploring composers and performers who used their music to challenge, inspire and bring people together in the new, original revue “American Rebels.” Created by Executive Producer Richard Hopkins and Executive Director Rebecca Hopkins, with musical arrangements by resident pianist Jim Prosser, the show highlights such artists as Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Kenny Rogers, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen. It features the return of two FST favorites, Joe Casey and Sarah Hund, along with another returning performer, Devin McDuffy and FST newcomer Andrew Harvey. The cast members sing and play instruments. Catherine Randazzo is the director.

“American Rebels” previews Nov. 4-5, opens Nov. 6 and continues through March 21 in Florida Studio Theatre’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. Tickets are $18 for previews, $40-$42 for opening night and $37-$42 for other performances. floridastudiotheatre.org; 941-366-9000

— Jay Handelman

November 7-8

Since its founding in 2022, Azara Ballet, a company dedicated to diversity, connection and the promotion of mental wellbeing through dance, has gained an avid following. Their annual “Voices of Azara” performance, which began in 2024 and kicks off their 2026-2027 season, features works created by the company’s own dance artists.

This year’s program features three premieres by emerging choreographers Baylie Dockins, Drew Travis Robinson and MacKenzie Davis, along with a new work by resident choreographer and Azara co-founder Martin Flowers. Always presented with attention to audience accessibility, this performance will touch on themes of relationships, identity and the courage to prioritize what matters most.

“Voices of Azara,” at the Riverview High School Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota. 7 p.m. November 7 and 2 p.m. November 8. Tickets $20-$40. azaraballet.org/performances

— Carrie Seidman

November 2-14

If you’ve never been to an opera before, here’s your opportunity to enjoy an accessible production at a bargain rate. The Sarasota Opera is offering tickets for $10 each (limit two) to see “Hansel and Gretel” — a fairy tale opera in three acts with music by Engelbert Humperdinck and libretto by Adelheid Wette — to anyone who has never visited the company before.

Inspired by the Brothers Grimm fable, the story follows two siblings who stray into the forest, encounter a beguiling Gingerbread Witch, and find courage in the face of peril. Musically sophisticated but accessible, the opera blends rich orchestration with folk‑like melodies, conveying a journey from hardship and temptation to wonder and homecoming. It’s a timeless reflection on innocence, resourcefulness, and the power of family — and if you have a larger brood, family package deals are available too.

“Hansel and Gretel,” at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota. Tickets $10-$165. Evening performances at 7 p.m.; matinees at 1:30 p.m. Email [email protected] to claim your newcomer tickets and call the box office at 941-328-1300 for a “family pack.” https://www.sarasotaopera.org/event/hansel-and-gretel

— Carrie Seidman

November 8-15

Sarasota Rising’s Living Arts Festival is back for its third year, with a series of events it is presenting, while promoting performances and exhibits around Sarasota County. The festival opens from 2-5 p.m. Nov. 8 with the Harmony & Hue party at Art Ovation Hotel in downtown Sarasota. It continues through Nov. 15 with a Rising Stars Talent Show, a Rise And Shine Saturday event for families from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, and the closing Kaleidoscope: A Colorful World of Entertainment program from 4-8 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Sarasota Art Museum. The festival is also promoting dozens of other events throughout the period.

The Living Arts Festival, presented by Sarasota Rising, runs Nov. 8-15 at various venues around Sarasota. For details: sarasotarising.org/events

— Jay Handelman