Upcoming events at BIG ARTS

January is a busy month at BIG ARTS on Sanibel.

For further information about concerts

at BIG ARTS,

to purchase tickets, to sign up for workshops, or to become a member, stop by BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Road Sanibel, call 395-0900, e-mail info@BIGARTS.org, or log on to www. BIGARTS.org

. Aaron David Miller - The FORUM Lecture Series at BIG ARTS will host author Aaron David Miller on Sunday, Jan 18. Mr. Miller became a Public Policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in January 2006, where he wrote "The Much Too Promised Land."

For the past two decades, he served at the Department of State as an advisor to six secretaries of state, where he helped formulate U.S. policy on the Middle East and the Arab-Israel peace process, most recently as the senior advisor for Arab-Israeli Negotiations. He also served as the Deputy Special Middle East Coordinator for Arab-Israeli Negotiations and senior member of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He has received the department's Distinguished, Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards.

Miller All speakers in The FORUM program are completely sold out for 2009, but interested patrons can come the night of the lecture to see if tickets are turned back in. Although BIG ARTS cannot guarantee ticket availability, historically tickets have become available the night of a lecture.

. Verb Ballets - Verb Ballets, established as Cleveland's premiere dance repertory company, will perform Saturday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m. at BIG ARTS. Tickets are $46 loge and $41 floor. The company was named by Dance Magazine as one of "25 dance companies to watch" and most recently, "one of five great tiny troupes in America."

The program for this performance includes "Vespers," choreographed by Ulysses Dove, and "Peter and the Wolf," set to the famous children's theater score by Sergei Prokofiev and Boléro. Their Boléro program was choreographed by Heinz Poll and is set to the legendary music by Maurice Ravel.

. Homer's "Illiad" - Described by The New York Times as "A performance of staggering power," the Aquila Theatre Company's production of Homer's "Iliad" creates a "stunning, stirring, and memorable" theatrical experience. Their production of Homer's "Iliad: Book One" will be performed Tuesday, Jan. 20, and Wednesday Jan. 21, at BIG ARTS. Tickets are $35; both performances begin at 8 p.m.

Aquila Theatre Company: The Iliad Book One Aquila's innovative production tells the main parts of the story in an actionpacked 90 minutes combining ritualistic movement, original music, and superb acting. This beautifully realized production was inspired by a World War II photograph taken during D-Day. The actors portray the Trojan War in terms of the invasion of Normandy, France in 1944.

. Pottorf, Roberts and Matsumoto - The BIG SECRET block party, with a live art performance and live auction, will be held at BIG ARTS, Saturday, Jan. 24, to benefit BIG ARTS' scholarship program. Many island favorites, including Darryl Pottorf, Ikki Matsumoto, Myra Roberts, and Rene Miville, have donated work

for the live auction. Mr. Pottorf, a Captiva resident who has developed an international following, has created a mixed media piece especially for this BIG ARTS event. His work will be a tribute to artist Robert Rauschenberg, who was his longtime companion.

Pottorf Polly and Ikki Matsumoto have

also donated artworks for the live auction. More than 150 artists have generously donated their time and talent to produce 8-inch by 10-inch minimasterpieces for the event. The "secret" art and a list of artists' names can be seen at www.BIGARTS. org. The art will also be on display in Schein Hall Friday, Jan. 23, from 1 to 4 p.m.

. Premier event - The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra premier event, "Celebrating the life of Harvey Schein" will be held Thursday, Jan. 29, at BIG ARTS. Mr. Schein was an early supporter of BIG ARTS who was instrumental in generating money to build BIG ARTS' Performance Hall, which was named in his honor.

The Grammy-nominated Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra is an exceptional group of musicians interested in moving beyond classically restrictive performance boundaries and bringing music to new audiences. Tickets are $51 floor and $56 loge. The concert begins 8 p.m. in Schein Performance Hall. The program will include works by Bach, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky.

Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra . Three Men and a Baby... Grand! - It's a rare surprise to find three singers as disparate, yet talented, as Brian Lane Green, Lee Lessack and John Boswell who come together to perform as "Three Men and a Baby... Grand!" Their show, a salute to The Rat Pack of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., will be performed at BIG ARTS Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $41 Floor.

"Three Men and a Baby... Grand!" takes a walk down melody lane as these talented troubadours join voices to produce incredible harmonies. Messrs. Green, Lessack and Boswell bring freshness to this repertory.

Three Men and a Baby Grand