October 5
The vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth joins ensembleNEWSRQ for a program of contemporary classical music. Photo by Anja Schutz provided by enSRQ
The contemporary classical group enembleNEWSRQ opens its 11th season by presenting the Sarasota debut of the two-time Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. Sarasota’s forward-looking contemporary chamber ensemble, opens its 11th season with the Sarasota debut of two-time Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. The concert features eight singers and five instrumentalists. The program includes “The Isle” and “This Might Also Be a Form of Dreaming,” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, as well as Peter Shin’s “Bits Torn From Words,” Leilehua Lanzilotti’s “On Stochastic Wave Behavior” and Wally Gunn’s “The Ascendant.”
The enSRQ concert “Roomful of Teeth” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at First Congregational Church, 1031 S. Euclid Ave., Sarasota. Tickets are $40 or $10 for a streaming option. ensrq.org
— Jay Handelman
October 6-11
The cast of the touring production of the Broadway musical “Buena Vista Social Club,” which will be presented at the Straz Center in Tampa. Photo by Matthew Murphy provided by Straz Center
On Broadway, the “Buena Vista Social Club” is oine of the most vibrant, energizing and scintillating musicals I’ve seen in years. And now the show that was inspired by real events as a one-time popular band reunites in a Cuban recording studio, is bringing the feeling of a Havanna nightclub to Tampa’s Straz Center. The musical earned five 2025 Tony Awards, including for its choreography and orchestrations. The focus is on the former star Omara Portuondo, who hasn’t recorded music in years. But she has recluctantly agreed to rejoin her former colleagues, knowing that it will stir some old feelings and painful memories.
“Buena Vista Social Club” runs Oct. 6-11 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa. Tickets are $65-$181. strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/buena-vista-social-club/; 800-955-1045
— Jay Handelman
October 7-11
Gabriel Ortiz is the author of “Kaddish for the Barrio” at Sarasota Jewish Theatre. Photo provided by Sarasota Jewish Theatre
Gabriel Ortiz is well known in the Sarasota area for his many stage performances and his role as a host for the WEDU series Arts Plus. Audiences now get to see his work as a playwright with the premiere of “Kaddish for the Barrio” at the Sarasota Jewish Theatre. It’s the story of a haunted young Latino gang member, played by Brandon Billings, his sister and an aging rabbi (played by Leonard Rubinstein) who create an unexpected bond at an East Los Angeles synagogue that has become a community center. The play uses humor, poetry, rap and prayer as it explores whether broken souls can be healed and how we can find light in a world facing violence around every corner. Ortiz says he grew up in the barrios of Los Angeles, with brothers who were cholos, or gang members. “I wanted to bring the world of the cholo to the stage with the humanity I knew it deserved.”
“Kaddish for the Barrio” will be presented Oct. 7-11 by the Sarasota Jewish Theatre at the Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets are $36. sarasotajewishtheatre.org; 941-365-2494
— Jay Handelman
October 9
Following a week of Young Person’s Concerts for thousands of local fourth- and fifth-grade students, the Sarasota Orchestra is offering the entire community an opportunity to enjoy a family-friendly encore of this musical experience, completely free of charge. “The Conductor’s Magical Book,” combines live orchestral music with an imaginative story, introducing young listeners to symphony in a fun and approachable way.
At the center of the story is young Tony Stradivarius, who uses a magical book to guide the orchestra on a musical adventure. Along the way, children will discover how the various sections of the orchestra work together, become familiar with the sounds of different instruments and even get an introduction to the art of conducting. The performance will be led by conductor Stilian Kirov, with narration by Rachael Lord.
The performance is general admission with no tickets required, but families are encouraged to sign up in advance to receive performance reminders and additional information.
Sarasota Orchestra’s 2026 Free Family Concert, 7 p.m. at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Register at sarasotaorchestra.org/concerts/special-concerts/the-conductor-s-magical-book
— Carrie Seidman
Oct. 9-18
Lifeline Productions, the nonprofit that utilizes theater, educational programs and community outreach to foster awareness, understanding and acceptance of mental health challenges, is debuting its latest mainstage production this week with “Baggage Claim,” an original one-woman show by Danielle Jacobs.
Danielle Jacobs stars in her one-woman play “Baggage Claim” for Lifeline Productoins. Photo provided by Lifeline Productions
Set in a bustling airport terminal, “Baggage Claim” uses everyday travel mishaps – delays, missed connections, lost-and-found, and final boarding – as a backdrop to ask a central question: What happens when we’re forced to sit with everything we’ve been running from? What starts as an ordinary travel delay rapidly transforms into a powerful reckoning with trauma, stigma, and the courage it takes to forge your own path toward healing.
“Baggage Claim,” presented by Lifeline Productions at the Cook Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 7777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 7:30 p.m. evening performances; 2 p.m. matinees. Tickets $37.25 at lifelineproductions.ticketspice.com/baggage-claim-world-premiere
— Carrie Seidman
October 9-Nov. 1
Cheryl Andrews plays a fictionalized version of Lizze Borden in the Venice Theatre production of “Blood Relations: The Lizzie Borden Story.” Photo by Renee McVety Photography provided by Venice Theatre
The legend of Lizzie Borden has remained a popular, much-intepreted and debated story in our culture since she was tried and acquitted of killing her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachussetts in 1893. Though many still blamed her for the crime, the case was never solved. Borden has since been the subject of a nursery rhyme, books, movies, a new Ryan Murphy television series (“Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story”) and Sharon Pollock’s play “Blood Relations: The Story of Lizzie Borden,” at the Venice Theatre. The play replaces the previously announced musical “Lizzie.” Executive Director Kristofer Geddie directs the production, which stars Cheryl Andrews as Lizzie, Tom Glynn as her father and Loretta Zullo as her stepmother Abigail.
“Blood Relations” runs Oct. 9-Nov. 1 at Venice Theatre’s Pinkerton Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice. Tickets are $40, $30 for college students and current educators and $19 for youth. venicetheatre.org; 941-488-1111
— Jay Handelman
October 10
In cast you missed the excerpt of “Echoes of My Barrio” shown by Tania Vergara Dance Theater at the Ringling Museum’s MicroWIP (works-in-progress) program last spring, here’s an opportunity to see a free preview of excerpts from an expanded full-length performance of the work, which will be shown in its entirety October 24 at Sarasota Contemporary Dance.
Choreographer Tania Vergara’s deeply personal work was catalyzed by a trip to her hometown of Camaguey, where she recorded the calls of the street vendors who have become essential to the impoverished economy of Cuba. They became the inspiration for this spirited, often humorous and moving piece.
The free performance, at the Selby Library in downtown Sarasota, will feature live bata drumming by dancer Dairon Batista and there will be an audience participation group salsa dance at the conclusion of the program.
Excerpts from “Echoes of My Barrio,” by Tania Vergara Dance Theater, 11 a.m. at the Selby Library, 1331 First Street, Sarasota. Free admission. taniavergaradancetheater.com/
— Carrie Seidman
