EVENTS

Big is back: Artis—Naples fields full season with encore stars, Broadway blockbusters

Naples Daily News

One: Big sendoff for Artis—Naples Music Director Andrey Boreyko, who leaves after this season.

Two: Broadway blockbusters, the musicals "Come from Away" (Nov. 30-Dec. 3) and "Dear Evan Hansen" (Feb. 22-27).

Three: -Peat of crowd-pleasers with who have been there at least that many times. Several have appeared five times or more:

Bernadette Peters (March 18), multiple Grammy winner and definitive Stephen Sondheim interpreter with starring roles in "Into the Woods," "Follies" and "Sunday in the Park with George"
Michael Bolton, the vocalist behind such hits as "That's What Love Is All About," "Missing You Now" and "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" (Jan. 23)
Jazz-ballads trumpet star and Sting band alumnus Chris Botti (March 13)
Michael Feinstein (Jan. 29), a Naples favorite, singing a 100th birthday tribute to Judy Garland
Pink Martini featuring China Forbes (Jan. 15), with its quirky songs and compact orchestra, blending jazz, ballads, vintage music and Latin sounds

The numbers just keep snowballing for an Artis—Naples season, destined to make up for lost time from last year. The season has built in both hopes and abundant sanitation precautions (see sidebar for details) after the COVID-19 pandemic rained all over last season.

Ticket sales dates are as follow:

Friday, Aug. 6 — Current subscribers only

Sept. 13 — New subscription packages and single tickets for non-subscription performances

Sept. 28 — Single tickets to subscription concerts, lectures and Broadway performances

Ticket purchases are through artisnaples.org or 239-597-1900, both beginning at 10 a.m. .

Those who had paid for tickets for COVID-cancelled performances can still use the value of their previous tickets for entertainment this season.

"All of their dollars from any unused tickets were placed on account," van Bergen said. "Absolutely, their dollar is their dollar. We look forward to welcoming them."

Many of the acts are proven draws here, and audiences may be more than ready to see them live again:

Golf pro-raconteur Dave Feherty (Jan. 25-26) gets the figurative blue blazer for his second appearance in Hayes Hall. He'll reprise his laugh-out-loud tournament stories and dish on his other life as a TV sports commentator.
Author Amor Towles (Feb. 19), author of bestseller "A Gentleman in Moscow," also returns for a special program with "Critics' Choice" host Elaine Newton on Feb. 19. It follows publication of his latest book, "The Lincoln Highway."
Patti LaBelle (March 15), whose hits "Lady Marmalade" and "On My Own" are in the Grammy Hall of Fame inductee's repertoire, has been in Southwest Florida before, playing at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. It's Naples' turn this season.
Neil Sedaka (March 27) sold out Artis—Naples two years ago. He and Artis—Naples hope people will come-a down-dooby-doo-down-down again to see him perform hits like "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" and "Calendar Girl."
And the Canadian Brass blows its own horns in celebration of its delayed 50th anniversary March 17.

All the series are wrapped under a season theme of "Esprit de Corps."

"We're trying to come together under this theme after a year-plus of isolation. And there's one thing we've learned as we look at this reopening and a full, robust season: The arts are meant to be experienced together," said Kathleen van Bergen, CEO and President of Artis—Naples.

She extended that need to audiences — "to share in applause, to share in reaction, to share in conversation" — but also to art makers: "Having ensembles onstage again, sitting close together, as they were designed to sit. Teams putting art on walls without worrying about what will happen as hordes of people come in to experience these exhibitions."

Current subscribers can renew beginning Friday, Aug. 6. New subscription packages and single tickets for non-subscription performances are available to the public beginning September 13. Single tickets to subscription concerts, lectures and Broadway performances will be available to the public beginning September 28.

Those who had paid for tickets for COVID-cancelled performances can still use the value of their previous tickets for entertainment this season.

"All of their dollars from any unused tickets were placed on account," van Bergen said. "Absolutely, their dollar is their dollar. We look forward to welcoming them."

Star turns for holidays, family, dance

Artis—Naples programmed a full course of holiday events, including a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas (Nov. 23), the Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour (Nov. 28), Handel's "Messiah" with the Naples Philharmonic and Philharmonic Chorus (Dec. 3) at First Presbyterian Church of Naples, Holiday Pops (Dec. 16-19) and Naples Ballet Presents "The Nutcracker" (Dec. 21-22).

And among the potential nods to the spirit of esprit de corps, there are two shows headlining family members:

Kenny Cetera, one of the vocalists for the group Chicago on its tours, and brother of lead singer Peter Cetera. He brings his own voice to the Kenny Cetera Chicago Experience (Jan. 14).
Alexander Shelley, son of pianist Howard Shelley, a nearly annual soloist through the first decade of the millennium. The younger Shelley, who was a frequent visitor as a child, now returns as the conductor for a Masterworks programs of Wagner and Schumann (March 4 and 5).

Dance lovers will be happy to see the Miami City Ballet here for two shows Jan. 12 and April 5. The Paul Taylor Dance Company (March 20) and Limón Dance Company (May 17) complete the season. This year, every one of them perform with the Naples Philharmonic under Associate Conductor Radu Paponiu.

Now, for something totally different

Alton Brown, part science professor, part comic, part culinary wizard, is back on the road talking food. He even wants some of you to join him onstage in "Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats." The former host of the long-running "Good Eats" on the Food Network and commentator for "Cutthroat Chef" and "Iron Chef America," appears Feb. 14. He performed his cooking wizardry in 2015 in Fort Myers.

If you have never heard of a timple, think of it as a guitar with celestial aspirations. German López is master of the unique five-stringed instrument native to the Canary Islands. He'll perform with guitarist Antonio Toledo March 30 in a show of original and transcribed music on a mission to make new fans.

Scott Bradlee's Post Modern Jukebox retools rock and pop tunes into completely new formats; think of Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself" done with double bass, black-slip vocals and sultry clarinet grooves. They're here April. 6.

"Tootsie," (Dec. 28-Jan. 2) a Broadway musical rendition of the 1982 comedy about a down-and-out actor who finally wins fame — as a female star. It won three Tonys and five Drama Desk awards, and is hoping to reach more theatergoers' awareness on its first tour. For the curious, the remaining Broadway Series musicals are "Ain't Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations" (Feb. 1-6) and a new production of "My Fair Lady" (April 12-17).

The great outdoors still count

One improvisation influenced by the pandemic will return. The Naples International Film Festival Oct. 21-24 will hold its post-screening parties outdoors this year in the Norris Garden adjacent to the The Baker Museum. Its new third-floor terrace, titled the Baird Terrace, will host a VIP party with filmmakers.

There will also be film screenings Friday and Saturday nights in the Norris Gardens.

Most weekend films will once again be at Silverspot Cinema in the Mercato center. And NIFF moves its red carpet opening night back into Hayes Hall.

Also indoors are the closing awards and a screening of the 1985 science fiction adventure "Back to the Future," stoked with a live soundtrack performed by the Naples Philharmonic under Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly.

But the festival, which was held outdoors and with virtual screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic, paved the way to make more of it al fresco.

"We're very excited the film fest will be back in full force both here and at Silverspot Cinema," said David Filner, executive vice-president, artistic operations.

"We actually had a record number of submissions. It seems there was a lot of pent-up interest from filmmakers in getting their films out, and a lot of interesting films are out there."

The Naples Philharmonic and The Baker Museum seasons, including details of the farewell performance for Music Director Andrey Boreyko, in the Neapolitan print section over the next few days, as well as online.

All its education series, as well as the complete schedule for Artis—Naples entertainment, appears online at artisnaples.org.

Harriet Howard Heithaus covers arts and entertainment for the Naples Daily News/naplesnews.com. Reach her at 239-213-6091.

Artis—Naples health/safety policies

Artis—Naples has added health/safety policies and protocols during the continuing COVID-19 virus risks. Guidelines from the CDC may change these, however. Patrons should check the artisnaples.org website under "Coronavirus (COVID-19) Protocols" or call 239-597-1900 if they have questions.

Masks are optional for fully vaccinated patrons, required for unvaccinated patrons.
Audience capacity will be unrestricted. Patron tickets state "By attending, you voluntarily assume all risks related to COVID-19."
All tickets may be exchanged up to two hours prior to the performance.
Artis—Naples says it "encourages anyone who is feeling ill or has been in contact with someone who has been feeling ill in the last 14 days to not attend events on the cultural campus."
Local requirements may be superseded by those required due to agreements with touring companies and actors and musicians' unions.
For audience safety, the bag-size policy remains in effect. Purses and small bags may not exceed 14 by 6 by 4 inches (24 inches total).

Artis—Naples has installed a needlepoint bipolar ionization (NPBI) system to remove airborne particulates and treated surfaces with an antimicrobial coating system to neutralize bacteria and viruses, among other measures..

A full list of its facilities upgrades is online in the COVID-19 information section.

It is also offering patrons the option of printing their own tickets at home.