Upcoming Events

Celebrate our 75th Anniversary! Our inspired 2020 Great Performers Series includes the Sarasota premiere of Riccardo Muti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Subscribe today! 941-225-6500 | www.scasarasota.org | boxoffice@scasarasota.org BEZ...

The Greatest Love of All brings Whitney’s musical legacy to life in this critically acclaimed tribute show described as “mind-blowingly spot on.” Be stunned by the breathtaking vocals of Belinda Davids – a RiSA chart-topping artist in her home country of South Africa - who has performed alongside the likes of Keri Hilson, Keyshia Cole and Monica and featured on Fox TV&rsqu...

It’s not a concert…it’s a party! Spend a nostalgic evening saluting three of the world's most beloved musical groups who were instrumental in creating the rock & roll/doo wop sound: Cornell Gunter’s Coasters (“Charlie Brown,” “Yakety Yak,” “Poison Ivy”); The Platters featuring four of America’s premier singers performing their greate...

Steve Martin and Martin Short return to the Van Wezel by popular demand! Their celebrated comedy show, The Funniest Show in Town at the Moment: Steve Martin & Martin Short, featuring The First Ladies of Bluegrass redefines the form in unexpected and profound ways, from two of the funniest, most influential and acclaimed talents of the past century. Steve Martin ...

Inspired by the beloved film, WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town. A baking contest and the town’s new doctor may offer her a fresh start, but Jenna must summon the strength to rebuild her own life. Don’t miss this uplifting celebration of friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie....

Sarasota's premiere lecture series returns for 2020! General John F. Kelly  January 27 Rick Steves February 11 Ambassador Wendy Sherman  February 17 Sam Quinones  March 2 Lisa Genova  March 23 Annie Leibovitz

Iconic comedian and three¬-time Emmy Award® winner Louie Anderson is one of the country’s most recognized and adored comics. His career has spanned over 30 years, and Comedy Central named him as “One of 100 Greatest Stand¬-Up Comedians of All Time.” The best-selling author is the star of his own standup specials and sitcoms and continues to tour the country performing for standing-room-only crowds worldwide.

Emmy® and Tony Award®-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth’s career spans film, television, voiceover and stage, earning herself a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. She received an Emmy Award for her role in Pushing Daisies, won a Tony Award for You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and was also nominated for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway smash-hit Wicked. Chenowe...

Classical Romance (Masterworks) Gerard Schwarz, conductor Lise de la Salle, piano November 8-10 Roman Festivals (Masterworks) JoAnn Falletta, guest conductor Alexi Kenney, violin December 6-8 Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II...

Steve Solomon’s three-time award-winning show has been met with rave reviews and great audience acclaim throughout the country, becoming one of the longest-running one-man shows in Broadway history. Once again, we meet the people that we’re all too familiar with – the family members that make you remember why you left home in the first place. It’s a laugh-filled fest of everybody you know, have known...

From three-time Tony® winner and Hamilton choreographer, Andy Blankenbuehler, comes an inspiring new American musical that explodes with infectious music and high-octane, heart-stopping dancing. It’s 1945, and six soldiers return from war to a changed nation. When NBC announces a national competition to find the nation’s next great musical superstars, they form a band unlike any the nation has ever seen. Along the...

Known as the king of the rant, Lewis Black returns to the Van Wezel with his trademark style of comedic yelling and animated finger-pointing, skewering anything and anyone that gets under his skin. His comedic brilliance lies in his ability to make people laugh at the absurdities of life, with topics that include current events, social media, politics and anything else that exposes the hypocrisy and madness he sees in the world. ...

Frankie Valli is a true American legend. His incredible career with the Four Seasons, as well as his solo success, has spawned countless hit singles with unforgettable tunes like "Sherry," "Walk Like A Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Rag Doll," "December '63 - Oh What A Night," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and of course, "Grease."  His songs have been om...

Stayin' Alive offers to their audiences the songs and sights of a full Bee Gees playlist, singing blockbusters such as “Night Fever,” “Jive Talkin’,” “How Deep is Your Love,” “You Should be Dancing,” “Nights on Broadway” and “Stayin’ Alive.” In addition, they perform softer poetic ballads such as “I Started a Joke,” “Ma...

Everyone has pretended to be a pirate at some point. Set sail with this classic comedy that boasts one of the most famous patter songs in musical theatre history. On the coast of Cornwall, a band of tenderhearted pirates celebrates the coming of age of Frederic, who was mistakenly apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday. Now, Frederic has vowed to devote his life to the extermination of piracy - until a ludicrous leap year snag t...

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is one of the world’s finest chamber orchestras, renowned for fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s greatest orchestral music. This program features MOZART: The Marriage of Figaro Overture, PAGANINI: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major and BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4 in E minor. The Academy is led by Music Dire...

Mandy Patinkin in Concert: DIARIES presents the acclaimed actor/singer/storyteller in his most electrifying role: concert performer. “Mandy Patinkin is in the business of showstopping,” raves The New Yorker, and that’s exactly what he does in this powerful, passionate evening of song. DIARIES is a marriage of many of Mandy’s favorite Broadway and classic American tunes, along with selections...

The Beach Boys return to the Van Wezel! The legendary band is led by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, who, along with Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Keith Hubacher, Christian Love, Brian Eichenberger, Randy Leago and Scott Totten continue the group's legacy. The Beach Boys have birthed a torrent of hit singles and sold albums by the tens of millions. Their songs have forever changed the musical landscape, profoundl...

Neil Berg returns to the Van Wezel celebrating a record-breaking decade of annual performances with an exciting, all-new show! 111 YEARS OF BROADWAY recreates the finest moments from the most memorable shows of the century featuring the actual Broadway stars of shows like Jersey Boys, Wicked and Mamma Mia! Backed by an excellent New York-based band, Neil Berg presents skillful arrangements of Broadway classics as ...

Michael Feinstein has built a dazzling career over the last three decades bringing the music of the Great American Songbook to the world. From recordings that have earned him five Grammy Award® nominations to his Emmy® nominated PBS-TV specials, his acclaimed NPR series and concerts spanning the globe – in addition to his appearances at iconic venues such as The White House, Buckingham Palace, Hollywood Bowl, ...

Grammy Award®-winning rock icon John Fogerty headlines the newly named Inspiration Gala to benefit the Van Wezel Foundation on Friday, February 21, 2020 at 8:30 p.m. Fogerty, who celebrates his 50th anniversary in music with a world tour in 2019, has been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine’s lists of Top 100 Greatest Guitarists and Top 100 Singers of all time. The American musician and singer-songwriter w...

Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from its acclaimed Broadway return. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars," “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the mos...

The Russian National Ballet Theatre was founded in Moscow during the transitional period of Perestroika in the late 1980s, when many of the great dancers and choreographers of the Soviet Union's ballet institutions were exercising their new-found creative freedom by starting new, vibrant companies dedicated not only to the timeless tradition of classical Russian Ballet but to invigorate this tradition as the Russians began to accept new...

Since its debut, global musical sensation Celtic Woman’s concerts continue to capture the hearts of an audience that spans the globe. Both an accomplished recording ensemble and a world-class performing collective, Celtic Woman celebrates Ireland's rich musical and cultural heritage, while continuing its remarkable legacy of introducing some of Ireland's most talented singers and musicians onto the world stage...

ABBA The Concert brings one of the greatest pop phenomena back to life in a truly authentic tribute! Don’t miss the most iconic hits from ABBA, including “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S.,” “Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes All,” “Waterloo,” “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” and “Dancing Queen.” Sing, dance and have the time of your life as ABBA The Con...

Celebrate the legendary music of Ray Charles at the Van Wezel with Emmy Award® winner Clint Holmes, 10-time Grammy Award®-winning band Take 6, six-time Grammy® nominee and Downbeat vocalist of the year Nnenna Freelon and sax phenom Kirk Whalum. This 90-minute feel-good extravaganza includes dazzling soulful performances of hit songs including “Hit The Road Jack,” “What'd I Say,” &ldqu...

Global superstar Josh Groban returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Monday, March 9, 2020 at 8 p.m. The acclaimed performer, who was unable to schedule Florida tour stops during his last sold-out Bridges tour, will be performing several intimate shows throughout the state in early 2020. Last week, the Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) announced Groban’s one-of-a-kind residency at New Yo...

THE COLOR PURPLE is the 2016 Tony Award® winner for Best Musical Revival!  Hailed as “a direct hit to the heart” (The Hollywood Reporter), this joyous American classic about a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South has conquered Broadway in an all-new "ravishingly reconceived production that is a glory to behold” (The New York Times)....

A note from Paul Anka: “Back by popular demand! The Anka Sings Sinatra tour will honor a great artist who has influenced me more than anyone else throughout my career, Frank Sinatra.  It will also feature the hits that have spanned my career on this 61st anniversary year.  It will be a night filled with his songs, my songs, my way!”...

In post war Paris, romance is in the air and youthful optimism reigns. Gershwin’s soaring melodies are matched by gravity-defying dance as the world rediscovers the power of love in this breathtaking production. Hoping to start a new life, World War II veteran Jerry Mulligan chooses newly-liberated Paris as the place to make a name for himself as a painter. But Jerry's life becomes complicated when he meets Lise, a young Parisian ...

The runaway hit of numerous international music festivals is hitting the road for its first U.S. tour! Known across the globe as “the ultimate-feel good show,” THE CHOIR OF MAN offers up 90 minutes of indisputable joy! It’s a party. It’s a concert. It’s a pint-filled good time set in a working pub (free beer anyone?!?) that combines hair-raising harmonies, high-energy dance, and live Percussion with foot-stompi...

With the inspiration that Nat King Cole’s tv show brought to the American public including so many amazingly talented singers such as Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae and many others, John Pizzarelli and Catherine Russell will be paying homage to Nat King Cole and these iconic singers with their new show, “Nat King Cole and Ladies of Song”.  Songs throughout ...

The iconic classic-rock favorite AMERICA has amassed numerous gold and/or platinum albums, with their first greatest hits collection, “History,” hitting four million plus in sales. The Grammy® Award winners’ widely renowned singles--including “Horse With No Name,” “Sister Golden Hair,” “I Need You,’ “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “Tin ...

 While Harry Connick, Jr. is the virtual definition of a multi-talented star, with notable triumphs as a television personality and an actor, the foundation of his art remains his music.  After 30 million albums sold worldwide and a music, film, television and Broadway career spanning three decades, Harry Connick, Jr. returns with a sensational new record, True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter.  Join Harry for an i...

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music. Itzhak Perlman’s recordings have garnered 16 GRAMMY® Awards and regularly appear on the b...

Sixteen-time Grammy®-winner David Foster returns to Sarasota with special guest Katharine McPhee! A prolific songwriter, David played a key role in the career launches of Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé and more. Some of his most beloved hits include “And Love Goes On”, “Follow Me”, “Only You” and “Please Hold On”. A performer in his own rig...

Returning to the Van Wezel are Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. – the original stars and lead singers of the legendary group, The 5th Dimension! McCoo and Davis launched hits including "Up, Up and Away," "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In," "Worst That Could Happen," "Stoned Soul Picnic," "Sweet Blindness," "Wedding Bell Blues" and "One Les...

Romeo & Juliet March 27 & 28, 2020 Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton Music by Sergei Prokofiev Click here to BUY TICKETS With the blossoming of spring comes The Sarasota Ballet’s Company Premiere of Sir Frederick Ashton’s ballet adaptation of William Shakespeare’s immortal romanti...

Bruce Hornsby, the creatively insatiable pianist and singer-songwriter from Williamsburg, Virginia, always has succeeded on his exceptional gifts, his training and his work ethic. He has collaborated with Ricky Skaggs and the Grateful Dead. He has scored films and performed with symphony orchestras. Hornsby describes his new album Absolute Zero as “a compendium of what I like and moves me.” Prepare for ...

The Pointer Sisters return to the Van Wezel! Known for hits such as “I’m So Excited”, "He's So Shy", "Slow Hand", "Jump (for my love)", “Neutron Dance”, “Automatic” and "Fire", The Pointer Sisters are music industry legends, securing a place in pop music history as a dynamic female group. The Pointer Sisters were the first black female gro...

A worldwide sensation when she was only ten years old, Jackie Evancho has moved past the exuberant promise of a child prodigy vocalist, becoming a mature young adult with a clear direction as to where she is. Since gaining global recognition with her stunning debut on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Jackie Evancho has released a string of platinum and gold albums. Along the way, she has also made history as...

For the past ten years at the Mirage Hotel, world famous singer, comedian, impressionist and ventriloquist Terry Fator has sold out night after night with a show featuring his cast of characters that includes everyone from Winston the Impersonating Turtle to Elton John, to Elvis. In addition to winning America’s Got Talent, Terry has won Las Vegas’s best show, best all-around performer, best family show...

Reza has taken the art of illusion to a new level, delivering his rock concert style magic show to audiences across the globe. Young and fresh, Reza’s new show, “Edge of Illusion,” has earned various awards including “Magician of the Year.” Don’t miss this Sarasota premiere – LIVE on the Van Wezel stage! A world-class entertainer, Reza’s unique brand of illusion has...

Celebrating his 64th year in the music industry, legendary singer Johnny Mathis is Columbia Records’ longest-signed artist. A sublime vocalist whose approach to pop music eclipses passing fads and trends, Mathis has performed songs in an incredible variety of styles and categories -- from music composed for stage and film to golden era jazz standards, contemporary pop hits and holiday music, all of which has assured h...

For over two decades, Grammy Award®-winning master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti has amassed a spectacular variety of honors, including multiple Gold and Platinum albums, to become the nation’s largest selling instrumental artist. His mesmerizing performances with a stunning array of legends such as Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Yo-Yo Ma, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Andrea Bocelli have cemented his...

A BRONX TALE, Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser, takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s, where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be.  Bursting with high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and Glenn Slater (Love Never Dies), A BRONX TALE is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family. The New York T...

Brian Culbertson is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer known for his distinct brand of genre-crossing contemporary jazz, R&B and funk. Mining the urban sounds of Chicago, he began his musical studies on piano and quickly picked up drums, trombone, bass and euphonium. Culbertson has 30 Billboard No. 1 singles and a deep catalogue of 18 albums, most of which have topped the Billboard contemporary jazz charts. ...

Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner all across North America! This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t mi...

In 2000, Gary Mullen won ITV’s “Stars In Their Eyes” Live Grand Final, with the largest number of votes ever received in the shows history.  The record of 864,838 votes was more than twice that of the runner-up.  Gary began touring on his own, and in 2002, formed a band (“The Works”) to pay tribute to rock legends, Queen.  Since May 2002, “Gary Mullen and the Works” h...

The most successful reality romance series in the history of television is coming to your hometown. The Bachelor Live On Stage Official Tour guarantees all the drama, the gossip and the romance of your favorite TV show in one delightful evening for the ultimate fan party.  Previous Bachelor and Bachelorette favorites will serve as your hosts, as one eligible hometown Bachelor is introduced to local ladies from the audi...