New Year's Eve: celebrate with the arts

COURTESY PHOTO Dress up in '30s or '40s gangster style and head for the New Year's Eve party at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre that features the hit musical "Guys and Dolls." If spending a night in a crowded bar surrounded by drunken strangers isn't your idea of a fun way to spend New Year's Eve, don't despair.

Southwest Florida offers a few alternatives for those who'd rather celebrate the arts while ringing in the New Year.

The Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Naples welcomes the New Year with "'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin," a concert by the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. Conducted by Jack Everly, the evening features soloist Judy McLane and pianist William Wolfram. Highlights include wellloved Gershwin tunes "I Got Rhythm," "Rhapsody in Blue" and selections from the landmark "Porgy and Bess," as well as some surprises.

"In my opinion, it's the best safe and exciting New Year's party you can go to," says Phil CEO and founder Myra Daniels.

The evening starts at 8 p.m., Dec. 31, with a grand buffet reception. The performance begins an hour later at 9 p.m., followed by a champagne toast. Black tie is suggested attire, but dark suits for the men are also acceptable. Tickets are $150 each.

COURTESY PHOTO Featured soloist, Judy McLane at The Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Naples welcomes the New Year with a black-tie affair; "'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin," a concert by the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. "We'll have the best buffet in town," Daniels promises. "Champagne will be flowing. It's quite a sensational evening, to be in an audience that loves the arts and music."

For those who can't attend on New Year's Eve, the entire concert is repeated Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 8 p.m., minus the reception and champagne toast. Tickets for that performance are $79.

The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall won't hold a New Year's Eve concert this year, but their "Salute to Vienna" plays at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30. Featuring Viennese waltzes and classical music, Martin Kerschbaum of Vienna conducts the Strauss Symphony of America, with soloists soprano Patricia Nessy and tenor Michael Zabanoff. Also featured: the Gyor National Ballet of Hungary and International Champion Ballroom Dancers. Tickets are $60, $50 and $40.

"It's a re-creation of the traditional annual New Year's Eve concert held in Vienna," says Scott Saxon, Mann Hall general manager. "Because it's on the 30th, people can attend and still have New Year's Eve open for another event."

And for those who hate to leave the holiday season and want to keep celebrating past New Year's, the Mann Hall will host the musical "Irving Berlin's White Christmas" from Jan. 1-6. Tickets are $65, $50, $40 and $30.

"It's based on the Bing Crosby/Rosemary Clooney movie - it's the same story, with all the music everybody loved, including 'White Christmas,' 'Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep' and 'Sisters,' " Saxon says. "Everybody can use a little extra holiday spirit this year; it's our opportunity to extend the holiday season."

And, it not only snows on-stage, but on the audience as well.

New Year's Eve falls on a Monday this year, a night when theaters are traditionally dark. But two local venues have decided to hold special New Year's Eve productions.

The Schoolhouse Theater on Sanibel will offer a final performance of "The Holiday Follies!" which opened Dec. 18. On New Year's Eve, the performance starts an hour earlier, at 7 p.m., so people can attend the show and still attend a party afterwards.

Schoolhouse Theater box office manager Dianne Altieri describes "The Holiday Follies!" as "a traditional Christmas music revue: some silliness, some poignant songs. It's a good, family-oriented Christmas show," she says. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for children 16 and younger.

And the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers is holding a special New Year's Eve celebration with its show "Guys and Dolls," which opens Dec. 29.

The New Year's Eve performance starts later than usual. Dinner, which is an upscale buffet, begins at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 9 p.m.

"Suggested attire is New Year's Eve dressy," says Broadway Palm general manager Susan Johnson. "But because our show is 'Guys and Dolls,' we're inviting them to join in the fun and dress in '30s or '40s gangster style."

After the show, there will be dancing on-stage along with trivia contests about the musical. After the countdown to midnight, with champagne and noisemakers, the Broadway Palm will offer coffee and cookies in their lobby. Tickets to the New Year's Eve production of "Guys and Dolls" are $100 apiece.