WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO GO

>>The Goat...or Who is Sylvia? is on stage at the Sugden Community Theatre in Naples. This week's theatre

Cirque Dreams - A magical jungle unfolds on the stage at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall with "Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy." The critically acclaimed theatrical sensation runs through Feb. 10. Because of ticket demand, an additional performance has been added on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 10:30 a.m. Artistic Director Neil Goldberg and his Florida based Cirque Productions have created "Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy," an all new, world class, acrobatic, musical and imaginative adventure that is wowing audiences of all ages throughout the country. Tickets are on sale now and available at the box office, by calling (239) 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com

Guys and Dolls - The musical fable of Nathan Detroit, Guys and Dolls runs through Feb. 16 at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater. The consummate gambling man, Detroit operates "The World's Largest Floating Crap Game." Songs include "Luck Be a Lady," "I've Never Been in Love Before," "Sue Me" and "A Bushel and a Peck." This song and dance extravaganza is fantastic entertainment for all ages. It embraces the season with Broadway style dancing, stunning costumes and the traditional holiday favorites you know and love. Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling 278-4422, by visiting www.BroadwayPalm.com, or by stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

A Perfect Wedding - Robin Hawdon's "A Perfect Wedding" is on stage at the Sugden Community Theatre in Naples through Feb. 9. It's a bedroom farce. It's a wedding-day fiasco. It's uninterrupted confusion, comedy and mistaken identity. The script is witty; utterly nonsensical and absolutely charming, and answers the question "Who love who?" For information and tickets go to www. naplesplayers.com or call (239) 263-7990.

The Goat…or who is Sylvia? - The Naples Players are on state with the award-winning Edward Albee comedy/ drama, "The Goat...or Who is Sylvia?" through March 1 at the Sugden Community Theatre in Naples. Albee's play won the 2002 Tony Award as well as a Pulitzer Prize. Reviewers have called "The Goat..." funny, shocking, disturbing, sad and tragic. And also, very literate and entertaining." This avant-garde, cutting edge production is not for everyone. "The Goat..." takes a controversial look at how we treat those who are outside the norm. Anna Segreto will direct The Naples Players' production; the cast includes Charles Brown, Erin Laughlin, Brad Goetz and Mikhail Spector. "The Goat...or Who is Sylvia" will be performed in the Tobye Theatre at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday, from Feb. 6 through March 1. Tickets are $20, and may be obtained at The Naples Players Box Office, 701 5th Avenue South in downtown Naples, by phone at (239) 434-7340, or online at www. naplesplayers.org

>>Actor/artist Dwayne Hickman Monky Business - The musical comedy "Monky Business" is running at the Off Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre through March 15. The show features some fun-loving monks who hold a fundraiser to save their monastery. The Monks have a divine plan with plenty of singing, dancing and vaudeville routines. For information and tickets call (239) 278-4422 or online at www.broadwaypalm.com.

>>Trisha Yearwood Miracle in Rwanda - Making its world premiere with TheatreZone in Naples last season "Miracle In Rwanda" now returns after playing The Ohio Theatre in New York City and the Edinburgh Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Performances are Feb. 7, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 9 and 10 at 2 p.m. What would you do if you met the man who was responsible for the slaughter of your family? If you were Immaculee Ilibagiza you would choose to forgive him. Leslie Lewis Sword brings to life the true story of Immaculée Ilibagiza, a Messenger of Hope, in her one-woman show. Immaculée survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide-including the brutal murder of her own family emerging as an international voice for peace and forgiveness. TheatreZone is on The Community School of Naples campus, in the G&L Theater Building. It is located at 13275 Livingston Rd., Naples, just north of Pine Ridge Road and a short distance from exit 107 of Interstate Highway 75. For tickets or information call (239)449-2323 or online at www.theatrezone-florida.com.

>>Bob Morris This week's symphony

The Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Jorge Mester, performs the works of Smetana, Canteloube and Mahler at 8 p.m. Feb. 7, 8 and 9 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 10 at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts. Soprano Shana Blake Hill will accompany the orchestra. Works include: Smetana's "Overture to the Bartered Bride," Canteloube's "Songs of the Auvergne" and Mahler's "Symphony No. 4." A Concert Prelude is one hour prior to each Great Composers performance by acclaimed music lecturer Phillip Gainsley. For information or tickets call (239) 597- 1900 or online at www.thephil.org .

>>Monty Python's SPAMALOT will perform at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. Friday, Feb. 8

Art - "Just Desserts" a short Art League of Fort Myers exhibit opens with a reception featuring real desserts created by Pastry Chef Karen Schaffer from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit features small paintings and photos of desserts at the 1451 Monroe Street gallery. Tickets are on sale at the ALFM gallery for $10 each. The paintings also on sale, will be a maximum size of 11x14, and will be priced under $100 with many being in the $50-$75 range. Paintings will be available for one week. All paintings are originals and they are created by local artists.

Saturday, Feb. 9

Michael Kimmelman - The chief art critic for the New York Times, will be speaking at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts at 10 a.m. Kimmelman is regarded by many as the most influential art critic writing today. For his Naples appearance, he will talk on his recent bestselling book The Accidental Masterpiece: On the Art of Life and Vice Versa, which explores the enigmatic status of great art and how to best approach it. Entertaining and highly accessible, Kimmelman's book inspires readers to see and think in new ways. It shows how great art can be anonymous or accidental - and can consume a life. For information or tickets call (239) 597-1900 or online at www.thephil.org .

Ms. Courageous - The children's play Ms. Courageous, presented by the Florida Repertory Theatre, is on stage at 11 a.m. at the Brick Bar in downtown Fort Myers. It's a collage of scenes from the lives of Elizabeth Blackwell and Marie Curie. Blackwell was the first woman in the United States to become a doctor with a medical degree, and Curie won two Nobel prizes for her work in physics and chemistry. Written by Joanna Halpert Kraus, Ms. Courageous explores the difficulties and challenges these two remarkable women faced and overcame. For tickets and more information, contact Florida Rep's box office at 239-332-4488. Please do not call the Brick Bar for ticket information.

Art - Maru Carreras, brass and acrylic artist, and Joanmarie and Emily Lermann of Radiant Renditions crystal jewlery designs, are the Harbour View Gallery's visiting artists for the month of February. A reception to meet Maru, Joanmarie and Emily is at 6 to 8 p.m. at the gallery located at 5479 Cape Harbour Drive, Unit 104 on the promenade at Cape Harbour Marina South. The work of the seven Harbour View Gallery memberowner artists will also be on display. Refreshments will be served. No reservation necessary. For more information call 540-5789.

Art - Actor/artist Dwayne Hickman, who is known to millions of fans as the star of the classic television series "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," will be making his first gallery appearance in Florida, bringing his One Man Art Exhibit to the "Olde Florida Gallerie " located in the Bell Tower Shops in Ft. Myers from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hickman's gallery exhibits have received an enthusiastic response from the public and the media.

Wednesday, Feb 13

Trisha Yearwood - Country Music star Trisha Yearwood hits the stage at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at 7:30 p.m. Talent, dreams and determination are an intoxicating little cocktail. It's a recipe that has served to propel a lithesome Georgia blonde from local honky tonks to the world's most prestigious stages. Sitting in a Nashville studio listening to mixes of her Big Machine Records debut, "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love," it is obvious Yearwood is living the dream and loving every minute of it. With three Grammys, three Country Music Association honors, and 19 top ten singles to her credit, including such career-defining hits as "She's in Love With the Boy," "Perfect Love," and "How Do I Live," it might be tempting to rest on her considerable laurels, but that's not in Yearwood's nature. Tickets are on sale at the box office, by calling 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com.

Bob Morris - The Southwest Florida Museum of History's "Night at the Museum: an Author's Evening" features author Bob Morris from 7 to 9 p.m. The event includes light fare and refreshments, dessert by Mason's Bakery, a presentation by Morris and a meet-and-greet book signing. The cost is $15. Morris, a former News-Press writer and world traveler, writes the Caribbean based mysteries series featuring Zack Chasteen, knockabout palm-tree farmer and haphazard hero.

Ongoing events

Art - "I Am in It: Contemporary Chinese Calligraphic Expressions" is on display at Florida Gulf Coast University at the Arts Complex Gallery through Feb. 16. Guest curator Yiguo Zhang, Director of Nankai University's Art History Center, brings an exhibition of work by five contemporary Chinese artists who have broken from their classical training as calligraphers and applied the discipline to their personal creations. The artists will be conducting talks and demonstrations during the exhibition. For information go to artgallery.fgcu.edu or call (239) 590-7199.

Clyde Butcher - Visions of the Big Cypress National Preserve, The photographic art of Clyde Butcher, is on display at the Museum of the Everglades in Everglades City. Butcher has been a fine art photographer for over thirty years and has photographed many different areas of the country however he is known for his extensive photographic work on the Everglades ecosystem. The Museum of the Everglades is located in historic Everglades City, three miles south of US 41 and SR 29. Exact address is 105 West Broadway. For more information, please call 239-695-0008. in everglades museum

Art - A juried art show at the Art league of Fort Myers runs through Feb. 23. The Art League is located in the City of Palms parking garage building at 1451 Monroe Street, between Bay and First Street in the downtown River District. For information call 275-3970 or online at www.artleagueoffortmyers.org.

Art - Rising Stars Art Studio in Cape Harbour in Cape Coral is presenting awarding winning guest artist Pam Brodersen whose medium is Digital Imaging. The exhibition is "Island Impressions" and runs thru Feb. 11. Regular Studio hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

Call for artists - Florida West Arts, a Southwest Florida performing and visual arts organization, is looking for area "arts as healing" programs - as well as individual performing and visual artists - to participate in ARTS & HEALING to be held on March 29 at Coconut Point in Estero. ARTS & HEALING is presented by Coconut Point, in cooperation with Florida West Arts, and sponsored by the News-Press "Your Health Monthly" magazine. There is no entry fee for the event. For more information, and to apply to participate in ARTS & HEALING, contact Florida West Arts by e-mail at info@floridawestarts.com or call (239)784-0707.

Call to artists - The Naples Art Association at The von Liebig Art Center in Naples, Florida, invites artists residing in the State of Florida to submit up to three entries of current work (created after January 1, 2006) in any media for ART ENCOUNTER 2008. The fine art and contemporary craft exhibition will be installed in the art center's six galleries from May 10 to June 29. At least $3,000 in cash awards will be presented to artists during the Members' Preview Reception and Awards Presentation on May 9. Works appearing in the exhibition as well as the award winners will be selected by guest juror Brian Dursum, director and chief curator of the Lowe Museum of Art at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. Online entries will be accepted at juriedartservices. com until March 16 with a non- refundable online application fee of $42 ($30 for current NAA members), and late entries (extra $20) will be accepted through March 30. NAA membership is not required. ART ENCOUNTER 2007 featured 68 works by 49 artists from 416 entries submitted by 155 artists. Entries came from as far away as Crystal River and Jupiter. For details, visit naplesart. org or call (239) 262-6517 x106.

Upcoming events

Symphony - The Gulf Coast Symphony, under the direction of Andrew Kurtz, presents A Tribute to Irving Berlin Pops Concert Sunday, Feb. 17 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. An American composer and lyricist, Berlin was one of the most prodigious and famous American songwriters in history. He was one of the few Tin Pan Alley/Broadway songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. Although he never learned to read music beyond a rudimentary level, he composed over 3,000 songs, many of which ("God Bless America", "White Christmas", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "There's No Business Like Show Business") left an indelible mark on American music and culture. In addition to his individual songs, he also composed 17 film scores and 21 Broadway scores. Tickets are available at the Barbara B. Mann Box Office or by calling (239) 481-4849.

Forum - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opens at the Historic Arcade Theatre on Friday, Feb. 15 and runs through March 16. The zany streets of Ancient Rome come alive in this musical farce, which features some of Stephen Sondheim's most memorable songs including "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid." With its unforgettable characters and witty book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum has been delighting audiences for more than forty years. Artistic Director Robert Cacioppo is directing the production and leading another expert team of designers including set designer Richard Crowell (Rainmaker, To Kill a Mockingbird) and Stones in His Pockets' Graham Kindred is back again this season to design the lighting. Florida Rep resident costume designer, Roberta Malcolm will oversee the costumes that were worn on Broadway in the 1996 revival starring Nathan Lane and Whoopi Goldberg. Florida Repertory Theatre is located on Bay Street between Jackson and Hendry in the Historic Arcade Theatre in the Fort Myers River District. Subscriptions and single tickets are available through the Box Office (239.332.4488), or visit Florida Rep online at www.floridarep.org Art - An exclusive exhibition by artist legend Peter Max will be on display at the Peter Max Gallery, 370 12th Ave. South, Naples Feb. 16 and 17. The show includes exquisite paintings, lithographs and sculp- tures. With paintings on exhibition in hundreds of museums and galleries worldwide, Peter Max and his vibrant colors have become part of the fabric of contemporary culture. Max has been successively called a Pop Icon, Neo Fauvist, Abstract Expressionist and the United State's "Painter Laureate." For more information about Peter Max, visit www.petermax.com.

Spamalot - Monty Python's SPAMALOT, winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical will hit the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at beginning Tuesday, Feb. 26 for six night. Monty Python's SPAMALOT is the outrageous new musical comedy lovingly ripped off from the film classic "Monty Python and The Holy Grail." Directed by Tony Awardwinner Mike Nichols, with a book by Eric Idle and John Du Prez, SPAMALOT tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail. Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen and showstopping musical numbers are just a few of the reasons audiences everywhere are eating up SPAMALOT. Tickets are on sale at the box office, by calling 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com.

Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne's Solo Acoustic Tour comes to the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall Wednesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the box office, by calling (239) 481-4849 or online at www. bbmannpah.com. Groups of 20 or more, call (239) 489-3033, extension 3122.

Moonlight and Magnolias - Stage 88 Community Theatre present "Moonlight and Magnolias" at the Bonita Springs Community Hall beginning Feb. 14. The comedy by Ron Hutchinson takes place in Hollywood in 1939. Legendary producer David O. Selznick has shut down production of his new epic, Gone with the Wind, a film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's novel. The screenplay, you see, just doesn't work. So what's an all-powerful movie mogul to do? Tickets are $20 at the door. For reservations call (239) 513-8600 or visit www.Stage88.com for more information.

Engelbert Humperdinck - In a career spanning 35 years, Engelbert has generated sales in excess of 130 million records, as well as four Grammies, a Golden Globe and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He comes to the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m. His music has transcended time and his honeyed, mellow voice still continues to reach out to people of all ages…which no doubt is the essence to his long-lasting success. Tickets are on sale at the box office, by calling (239) 481- 4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com. Groups of 20 or more, call (239) 489-3033, extension 3122.