WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO GO

>>"Wit" opens at the Sugden Community Theatre Wednesday, May 21. This week's theatre

Cabaret - "Cabaret," the hit Broadway musical is on stage at the

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre through May 31. The love story of a young novelist and an eccentric singer captures the spirit of pre-war Germany. Wilkommen! The words beckon you for some lively entertainment by the magnetic Emcee who welcomes you to Berlin. "Come to the Cabaret, old chum!" Ticket prices range from $25 to $52. Group discounts are available for parties of 20 or more. Tickets can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, by visiting www.BroadwayPalm.com, or by stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

Godspell - The Creative Theater Workshop, Inc., formed in 1996 by Artistic Director Michelle Messina, will present the musical "Godspell" May 23-25 and May 29-31 at the Foulds Theater at the Alliance for the Arts. The Workshop has grown to be one of the most successful theater companies in Southwest Florida. It has produced three successful shows at The Alliance for the Arts. Tom Sawyer - The Musical in 2006, Annie, Jr., also in 2006, and The Wizard of Oz this past fall. Upcoming productions include "A Chorus Line" in July, "Cinderella" in November, and "Seussical the Musical" next Spring. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit CTW's Web site at www. creativetheaterworkshop.com. Wit - The Naples Players' summer drama "Wit," an extraordinary, Pulitzer Prize winning play by Margaret Edson, opens May 21 in the Tobye Studio at the Sugden Community Theatre in downtown Naples. Janina Britolo, well-known to Naples' audiences, stars as Vivian Bearing in a role that is intellectually challenging and emotionally gripping. "Wit" tells the story of a noted professor of English who has specialized in teaching the Holy Sonnets of John Dunne, and who has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. She becomes a prize patient in a teaching hospital - and comes to reassess her own life with humor and profundity. The play runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., May 21 to June 14, and on Sunday, May 25, June 1 and June 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults; $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased at The Naples Players Box Office, 701 5th Avenue South in downtown Naples, by phone at (239) 263-7990 or at www.naplesplayers. org

>>"Run for Your Life" opens at the Schoolhouse Theater Saturday, May 24. Princess and the Pea- Broadway Palm Children's Theatre presents "The Princess and the Pea," playing May 23 and 24. "The Princess and the Pea" is the story of a handsome prince who is searching for a wife. Not being able to find out if the girls are really princesses, he gives up his search. One rainy night a girl comes to the prince's door claiming she is a princess and needs a place to sleep. To find out if she is truly a princess the prince places a tiny pea under 20 mattresses to see if she feels it, because no one but a real princess could be so sensitive. The chef's special buffet includes children's favorites like hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, chicken and more. Ticket prices for lunch and the show are only $15 for all ages. Tickets are now on sale and can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, visiting www.BroadwayPalm. com, or by stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

>>The Naples Philharmonic Orchestra's Chamber Ensemble presents "Chamber Variety!," Tuesday, May 27 at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. Run for your wife - "Run for Your Wife" is Ray Cooney's biggest hit and the longest running comedy to have played in London's West End. It opens at the Schoolhouse Theater on Sanibel on Saturday, May 24 and runs Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. until June 14. In this hysterically funny British farce, London cabbie John Smith lives a happy life with his wife Mary. He also lives a happy life with his wife Barbara. Since neither Mary nor Barbara knows the existence of the other, John's cleverly scheduled life is free of incident…UNTIL… a trip to the hospital sends John Smith into the most hilarious mix-up. All showtimes are at 7 pm. For more information and tickets for the show, call the box office at 472-6862 or online at www.theschoolhousetheater. com

The Shape of Things - Florida Repertory Theatre presents "The Shape of Things" by Neil Labute as a special addition to its 10th Anniversary Season, with three performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. The play is an edgy and adult drama featuring the talents of Florida Rep's staff and interns, and is directed by Associate Director, Jason Parrish, seen most recently in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." The play is a darkly fascinating look at four young people in a very real and visceral situation, and tests the most deeply entrenched ideas about art and love. Tickets are $15 ($10 for donors and subscribers), and all proceeds will benefit the Niels Miller Acting Endowment Fund. Visit www.floridarep.org or call the box office at 332-4488.

Wednesday, May 21

Being an Artist - The Business of Being an Artist, a series of roundtable discussions for artists who wish to hone their business skills is titled "Your Ability to Connect" is presented by the Art League of Bonita Springs from 7 to 9 p.m. The evening lecture/ information program will cover marketing; creating your own media list/ database; and creating your own website. The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Reservations are recommended. Call 495-8989 to reserve your space in this final segment of the Business of Being an Artist program. The Center for the Arts is located in Bonita Springs. For information go to www.artcenterbonita.org

Tuesday, May 27

Chamber Variety - The Naples Philharmonic Orchestra's Chamber Ensemble presents "Chamber Variety!," the final chamber concert of the season, at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. This program showcases a variety of chamber music, including Philip Glass' hypnotic "String Quartet," which appeared as the score for Paul Shrader's film "Mishima;" David Popper's poignant, moving "Requiem" for three cellos and pianos; Antonio Pasculli's "Homage to Bellini," a delightful duet written for English horn and harp; and Saint-Saëns underappreciated "E-minor String Quartet," a harmonically rich work with lovely melodies and an exquisite string fugue. Tickets are $29 for adults and $13 for students. For more information or to order tickets, contact Customer Service at (239) 597-1900 or toll-free at (800) 597-1900 or visit www. thephil.org. The Philharmonic Center for the Arts is at 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd. in Naples. The Naples Philharmonic Orchestra is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ongoing events

History - One of the greatest anthropological finds in history, "LUCY: The Story of Human Origins" spans 50 million years in scope, from the early primates to the dawn of humanity. This exhibition, at the SWFLMuseum of History in downtown Fort Myers, represents a historical frame of reference for the human timeline which includes this comprehensive collection of exact replicas of skeletons, skulls, footprints, tools, and artifacts dramatically illustrates the story of the progression of humankind on Earth. As part of the exhibit, the museum store will feature anthropological items and gifts and the best-selling book by the man who discovered her; "Lucy: The Beginning of Humankind," by Donald Johanson and Maitland Edey. The exhibit runs through June 12. Call (239) 332-5955 or visit www. cityftmyers.com/museum.

Call to artists - The Naples Art Association at The von Liebig Art Center has issued a Call for Artists to participate in "10 Illustrated: An NAA Members' Photography Exhibition." It will be installed in the Art Center from July 12 through Aug. 3, and selected images from those works will also be published in Naples Illustrated magazine. The Art Center and the magazine both turned 10 this year, and like brothers born near the same time, they will celebrate together to "take 10 to the max." The photography exhibition, therefore, is to be compiled from work based on a single theme - 10. There is no entry fee. Submissions are open to NAA members only and work may include photography or mixed media incorporating elements such as collage, photomontage, hand colored photographs, graphic design, compositing and computer illustration. Artwork receiving is Friday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday, June 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Art Center, 585 Park Street or call (239) 262-6517 for more information.

Art - "First Look" is a visual art exhibit at the Alliance for the Arts featuring Senior Projects of Florida Gulf Coast University visual art students. An opening reception, free to the public, runs from 5 - 7 p.m. Also in attendance at the opening will be the new C.E.O. of the Alliance, Gary Conley. The artwork created by FGCU visual arts students will be featured in the exhibit at the Alliance and were chosen by the Exhibition Committee from the Alliance. "First Look" will be on display at the Alliance for the Arts through June 6. The Alliance for the Arts is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard. Visit www.artinlee.org for further information.

Call to artists - The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, a partnership program working to protect the natural environment from Venice to Estero Bay to Winter Haven, is encouraging artwork submissions for its

2009 calendar. People can submit up to three digitized entries by 5 p.m. on July 14. Qualifying images captured must be within the watershed of concern to the CHNEP, which includes all or portions of Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, Polk and Sarasota counties. Entries and forms must be received by Maran Hilgendorf, CHNEP, 1926 Victoria Ave, Fort Myers FL33901-3414 prior to the deadline. If you have any questions, please contact Maran at mhilgendorf@ swfrpc.org.

Art - Space 39 Modern & Contemporary gallery presents "Reflexive," featuring the works of Pavol Roskovensky. The artist explores a more naturalistic method of painting, creating images that are meticulously detailed and provide an almost spiritual transcendence. He explores the idea that true nature can not be rendered on a picture plane by a human hand. "Reflexive" will be on display until June 15. Space 39 Modern & Contemporary is located at 39 Patio de Leon, Fort Myers. For more information, call (239) 690-0004 or visit www.spacethirtynine. com.

ART - Art of the Olympians will be featured in the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery/Edison College through June 19. There will be a special preview event featuring the Art of the Olympians collection to be showcased at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games at The Prince Jun Palace. Olympic Gold Medalists, Bob Beamon and Pat McCormick, among other Olympians will be present at this special preview exhibition, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. The Bob Rauschenberg Gallery is located on the campus of Edison College. For additional information call: 239-489-9313 or visit the Web site, www.bobRauschenberggallery. com

Upcoming events

Backyardigans - A national touring production of "The Backyardigans Live! Tale of the Mighty Knights" will stop at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on July 15 and 16 for two performances. Tickets are now on sale. Since its debut on Nickelodeon's preschool weekday lineup, "The Backyardigans" has become the No. 2-rated preschool show on all of commercial TV among the target audience of preschoolers. The shows will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $32.50, $27.50 and $17.50. For more information, call (239) 481-4849 or visit www.bbmannpah.com.

Space 39 - Space 39 Modern & Contemporary gallery hosts a reception June 28, from 6-10 p.m. for "New Works" featuring the distinguished students of Florida Gulf Coast University. The gallery picked specific pieces from this juried group show to bring to Space 39 for your enjoyment. The exhibit will be on display from June 28 to July 19. Please call ahead for summer hours. For more information, call (239) 690- 0004 or visit www.spacethirtynine.com.

Piano Men - "The Piano Men 2," an acclaimed musical journey through the 1970s and 1980s showcasing the songs of legendary performers Billy Joel and Elton John, comes to the Philharmonic Center for the Arts for one show on Saturday, June 28 at 8 p.m. Multi-talented entertainer Jim Witter is featured on grand piano and lead vocals, along with his band, which includes guitar, bass, sax, electric keyboard and drum backup. The Piano Men 2 is the sequel to The Piano Men, Witter's critically acclaimed show featuring Billy Joel and Elton John hits from the 1970s. Tickets to The Piano Men 2 are $35. For more information or to order tickets, contact Customer Service at (239) 597-1900 or toll-free at (800) 597-1900 or online at www.thephil.org.

Sweet Baby James - Multitalented entertainer Bob Stillman stars in Sweet Baby James - A Tribute to James Taylor, featuring such legendary hits as Fire and Rain, You've Got A Friend and How Sweet It Is, at the

Philharmonic Center for the Arts on Saturday, June 14 at 8 p.m. Stillman has lit up some of New York's best-known stages as a writer, musician and actor. The two-time Tony Award nominee, who studied piano and composition at the Juilliard and Manhattan Schools beginning at age 9, has appeared on Broadway in Grey Gardens and Kiss of the Spider Woman and in the cult off-Broadway hit The Last Session. Joining Stillman will be classically trained singer and actress Connie James, a New York staple for the past 20 years as a performer and studio singer. Tickets to Sweet Baby James are $35. For more information or to order tickets, contact Customer Service at (239) 597-1900 or toll-free at (800) 597-1900. Tickets are also available online at www.thephil.org.

Symphony - The Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, led by guest conductor Andrew Lane, will present "Music Takes You There," the final Family Fare concert of the season, on Sunday, June 1 at 3 p.m. Travel the world in an afternoon through the music of Mendelssohn, Bernstein, Sibelius, Offenbach, Tchaikovsky and more! This splendid concert event will feature orchestral music from Japan, Nigeria, Great Britain, France, Germany, Finland, Mexico, Russia and the United States. Joining the orchestra will be 7-year-old piano sensation Ethan Bortnick, who was recently featured on Jay Leno, Good Morning America and elsewhere. Tickets to Music Takes You There are only $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information or to order tickets, contact Customer Service at (239) 597-1900 or toll-free at (800) 597-1900 or visit www.thephil.org.

Fab Four - The Fab Four, known for their uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of Beatles' songs, return to the Philharmonic Center by popular demand on Saturday, July 19 at 8 p.m. This incredible stage show includes three costume changes representing each era of the Beatles' career. Hear record-perfect live performances of such classics as Can't Buy Me Love, Yesterday, A Day In The Life, Penny Lane, Here Comes The Sun, Hey Jude and many more. Tickets to The Fab Four are $35. For more information or to order tickets, contact Customer Service at (239) 597-1900 or toll-free at (800) 597-1900 or visit www.thephil.org.

Secret Garden - For its Naples summer musical extravaganza, The Naples Players bring to the stage "The Secret Garden," a production based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The book and lyrics for "The Secret Garden" were written by Marsha Norman; the music is by Lucy Simon. The Naples Players' production includes a cast of more than 30 and a full orchestra. Tickets for "The Secret Garden" are on sale at The Naples Players Box Office. Also on sale is a return of the summer dinner/ show package offered by The Naples Players and Vergina Restaurant. Beginning Saturday, June 28 and continuing Wednesday through Saturday evenings until the last performance on August 2, the dinner/show package costs $48 for an adult. After enjoying a three course dinner at Vergina, the ticket holder then watches a performance of "The Secret Garden." On Sundays, dinner follows the matinee. Individual tickets for The Secret Garden cost $30 per adult and $10 for children under 18. The show opens June 27 (opening night is sold out) and runs through August 2. For reservations for the dinner/show package or for individual tickets to any performance, visit The Naples Players Box Office at 701 5th Avenue South in downtown Naples. The office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets also may be purchased by phone at (239) 263-7990 or at www.naplesplayers.org