WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO GO

The New York Philharmonic, conducted by Lorin Maazel, plays the Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Naples, Monday, Feb. 23.

This week's theater

Murder in Paradise - Cypress Lake High School's Theatre department is offering an inexpensive way to have an unforgettable evening. At 7 p.m. Feb. 19-21, see an interactive play and be served a four-course meal for only $20. The play is called "Murder in Paradise" and half a dozen audience members can participate. 481-2233. or www.cypresslaketheatre.com.

 

All Shook Up - Broadway Palm Dinner Theater presents "All Shook Up'' Thursday, Feb. 19, through Saturday, April 11. This musical comedy combines Elvis hits with a whole new story full of hilarious twists and turns. 278-4422 or www.BroadwayPalm.com.

Doubt - The Gulfshore Playhouse presents the highly acclaimed drama "Doubt: a Parable," by John Patrick Shanle, Feb. 18-March 1 at the Norris Center in Naples. Set in a parochial school in the Bronx in 1964, "Doubt" is a gripping story of suspicion cast on a priest's behavior. Tickets start at $30; (866) 811-4111 or www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org.

Alone Together - Florida Repertory Theatre presents "Alone Together,'' a witty comedy by Lawrence Roman, about a nest that won't stay empty, through March 8. 332-4488 or FloridaRep.org.

Heidi Chronicles - The Naples Players presents "The Heidi Chronicles'' at the Sugden Community Theatre through Feb. 28. Walk with Heidi through 25 years of American cultural history, watching this art historian's mirthful and touching search for self. Act I, in the 1960s, highlights the freshness and excitement of starting out; Act II takes us into the materialistic 1980s as Heidi and her friends examine their own lives. 263-7990 or www. naplesplayers.org.

Church Basement Ladies - Broadway Palm Dinner Theater - Off Broadway presents "Church Basement Ladies,'' a musical tribute to the church basement kitchen and the fabulous women who work there through Sunday, March 29. 278-4422 or www. BroadwayPalm.com.

Classic Broadway - Sanibel's Schoolhouse Theater presents "Classic Broadway Abridged,'' a musical review of Broadway show tunes, through March 7. 472-6862 or theschoolhousetheater. com. .

This week's symphony

NY Philharmonic - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts welcomes the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Lorin Maazel, Monday, Feb. 23. A rare treat for classical music fans: The New York Philharmonic - the oldest and most venerable symphony orchestra in the country - comes to Southwest Florida under the direction of legendary conductor Loren Maazel. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Wednesday, Feb. 18

Ballet - The Naples Philharmonic Center of the Arts welcomes Miami City Ballet — Program I, Miami City Ballet's new production of "Don Quixote." In the tradition of George Balanchine, who portrayed Don Quixote in the mid-1960s, MCB Founding Artistic Director Edward Villella plays the title role in this acclaimed version of Marius Petipa's spirited masterpiece. 597- 1900 or www.thephil.org.

 

Evening With - The Art League of Bonita Springs hosts "An Evening With... World Travels, Sounds, Moods - Magic of Music" from 7-9 p.m. An informal concert and talk about flutes from around the world will be presented by Emmy Award-winning and Grammy nominated flautist/composer Kat Epple and accomplished pianist/composer Chuck Grinnell. 495-8989 or artcenterbonita. org.

Furniture as Art - American furniture artist Wendell Castle will present Furniture as Art at the Daniels Pavilion, Philharmonic Center for the Arts, at 10 a.m. Castle will discuss the exhibition Living with Studio Furniture, featuring art from the collection of Robert and Carolyn Springborn, on display at the Naples Museum of Art through Sunday, June 28. Castle is considered the "Father of American Furniture Art." The cost for the lecture is $25 for adults and $20 for Naples Museum of Art and Friends of Art members. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Thursday, Feb. 19

Hubbard Street - The Naples Philharmonic Center of the Arts presents Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Critically acclaimed for its exuberant, athletic and innovative repertoire, HSDC features unparalleled versatility and virtuosity in performances that inspire, challenge and engage audiences worldwide. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Friday, Feb. 20

Jazz Quartet - The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center welcomes the Wycliffe Gordon Jazz Quartet. Cost: $30; 337-1933 or www.sbdac.com.

 

Hot Club - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts welcomes The Hot Club of San Francisco Silent Surrealism. This ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrates the music of legendary jazz guitarists Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli and the pioneering Hot Club de France. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Saturday, Feb. 21

Hot Club - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts welcomes The Hot Club of San Francisco Silent Surrealism. This ensemble celebrates the music of legendary jazz guitarists Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli and the pioneering Hot Club de France. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

 

Art Fest - The Naples Art Association hosts the Naples National Art Festival in Cambier Park at 8th Street South. Consistently voted among the top outdoor festivals nationwide, the Naples National is a premier collecting opportunity for serious art collectors, a great venue for finding one-of-a-kind jewelry and clothing to treasure, the perfect place to pick up something beautiful for your home, and a fun day out in downtown Naples' premiere shopping and dining district.

Nellie McKay - BIG ARTS hosts pianist Nellie McKay. A talented young pianist, Ms. McKay brings an unlikely combination of influences and genres to her music, from Tin Pan Alley pop and cabaret to reggae, rap and jazz. Tickets: $41 general and $46 loge; 395-0330 or bigarts.org.

Sunday, Feb. 22

Art Fest - The Naples Art Association hosts the Naples National Art Festival in Cambier Park at 8th Street South. Consistently voted among the top outdoor festivals nationwide, the Naples National is a premier collecting opportunity for serious art collectors, a great venue for finding one-of-a-kind jewelry and clothing to treasure, the perfect place to pick up something beautiful for your home, and a fun day out in downtown Naples' premiere shopping and dining district. Moscow Ballet - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts hosts the Moscow Festival Ballet. The Moscow Festival Ballet brings together the highest classical elements of the great Bolshoi and Kirov ballet companies. Founded in 1989 by Sergei Radchenko, legendary principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow Festival Ballet has won fans around the world with this stunning recreation of Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli's "Giselle," the most quintessential of all romantic ballets. 597-1900 or www.thephil. org.

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Liza Minnelli - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts hosts musical icon Liza Minnelli. Ms. Minnelli's powerful singing voice, singular vitality and award-winning acting skills have made her an American entertainment legend - star of Broadway shows, films and concerts. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Wednesday, Feb. 25

Stephen Schwartz - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts features Stephen Schwartz & Friends Defying Gravity — The Music of Stephen Schwartz. Broadway stars Liz Callaway, Scott Coulter and Debbie Gravitte join famed composer Stephen Schwartz in the highly acclaimed Defying Gravity. Three-time Academy Award-winner Schwartz was the composer for the animated films "Pocahantas," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Prince of Egypt" as well as the smash Broadway hit "Wicked." Callaway, Coulter and Gravitte have headlined this show around the nation. For this special Naples appearance, Schwartz will perform with them. 597- 1900 or www.thephil.org.

Ongoing events

Mixed Media - Florida West Arts at Estero's International Design Center presents mixed media paintings by Danielle Felicie through Feb. 21. Meet the artist from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Exhibition hours: Monday - Friday, 9 .a.m-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 .a.m-5 p.m. 948-4427 or info@floridawestarts.com.

 

Jazz - The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center presents "Jazz in Fort Myers: A Salute to McCollum Hall," featuring "100 Years of Jazz," a photography exhibit of jazz legends through Feb. 27. The closing night gala will raise funds for the Williams Academy Black History Museum. The event also features a concert by the Wycliffe Gordon Jazz Quartet in honor of the late Bruce Gora on Feb. 20. www. sbdac.com or 333-1933.

Schwartz Exhibit - The Art Gallery at Florida Gulf Coast University invites the public to an exhibition of works by nationally recognized painter and printmaker Carl E. Schwartz, with an opening reception with the artist, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19, in the FGCU Library Gallery. The exhibition runs through March 22, and is free and open to the public. 590-7199 or asturdiv@ fgcu.edu. Visiting Artists - The Art League of Bonita Springs hosts Visiting Artist Workshops Feb. 16-20. Artists are: Karen Vernon, Watercolor Interpretations; $500 member/$550 non-member; and Ken Muenzenmayer, Acrylic Landscapes: The Power of the Sun; $500 member/$550 non-member; 495-8989 or www.artcenterbonita.org.

Artescape - Florida West's 2009 Juried Fine Art and Fine Craft Exhibition II, the second exhibition of in a series of three, featuring two- and three-dimensional artworks, takes place through Feb. 25 at Estero's International Design Center. Participating artists are competing for a series of awards.

Art Exhibit - The Art Galleries at Florida Gulf Coast University is hosting an exhibition of works from members of the Fort Myers arts community, Leo and Krista Johnson, in the FGCU Library Gallery through March 6; 590-7199 or asturdiv@ fgcu.edu.

Weekly Concerts - The Fort Myers River District offers its free concert series, Friday Night Live, each Friday night through March from 5-8 p.m. in the Patio de Leon. The weekly concerts are sponsored by the Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency and promoted by Frank Greathouse of Real Guitars and Vintage Instruments. Upcoming performances include: Little Eddie and the Fat Fingers (blues and R&B fun), Jan. 23; and Joe Virga and Darkwater (originals and pop), Jan. 30. Patio de Leon is located at 2236 First Street; 321-7100.

Wild Things - A captivating wildlife exhibit, "Where the Wild Things Really Are, II," by photographer Sallie Rich, is open at The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel through Feb. 28. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. seven days a week in The Duck Stamp Auditorium of The Visitor's Center at The Refuge on San-Cap Road.

Art at the Edison - daas Gallery presents Arts at the Edison the fourth Thursday of every month from 6-9 p.m. Artists do live demos and display their works throughout the venue at The Edison Restaurant & Bar, 3583 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers; www.edisonfl.com.

Art Exhibit - The Robert Rauschenberg Gallery features "Lilian Garcia-Roig: Nature of Being There" through Feb. 21. The Rauschenberg Gallery is located on the Lee County Campus of Edison State College; 489-9313.

Upcoming events

Crafts on the River - Centennial Park is transformed into a craft lover's dream with 100 exhibitors displaying their hand-crafts during the three-day Edison Festival event Feb. 20-22. Jewelry, quilts, note cards, pottery, sculptures, decorative accessories and more will be at this special event. Feb. 21 commemorates the 71st Grand Parade of Light that is routed along Crafts on the River. Feb. 22 will be the second annual Cars and Crafts. Edwards Drive will be lined with more than 200 Classic GM Cars. All proceeds will go to Harry Chapin Food Bank. 334-2999 or edisonfestival.org.

 

Classical No. 4 - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts presents "Classical No. 4, A Voyage to Middle Europe" Thursday, Feb. 26, through Sunday, March 1. Brahms' second piano concerto is a monumental work of extraordinary scope. Arthur Rubinstein Piano Competition winner Kirill Gerstein will perform it with the orchestra. Also on the program: Dohnányi's exuberant "Suite in F-sharp Minor" and Dvorák's "Carnival Overture," which incorporates Bohemian dance rhythms and folk music. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Off the Walls - The Art League of Bonita Springs features Off The Walls! Friday, Feb. 27. This fun, unusual, highprofile fundraiser provides funds for college tuition scholarships awarded to local high school seniors, as well as scholarships to freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors for programming at the Center for the Arts. 495-8989 or artcenterbonita.org.

Queen of Cabaret - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts hosts Andrea Marcovicci's "I'll Be Seeing You: Love Songs of World War II'' Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28. Known as the Queen of Cabaret, Ms. Marcovicci combines dramatic and storytelling talents with a singular ability to caress a song with her exquisite voice, Marcovicci is the epitome of showbiz elegance and savvy. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Polka King - Jimmy Sturr, America's Polka King, and his orchestra take the stage at Fleamasters at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27. Tickets: $25; 334-7001 or www.fleamall.com. Antares Quarter - BIG ARTS welcomes the Antares quartet to the Schein Performance Hall at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26. Antares, comprised of Garrick Zoeter, clarinet; Jesse Mills, violin; Rebecca Patterson, cello; and Eric Huebner, piano, draws from a vast and colorful repertoire for these four instruments, bringing new life to old forms. Tickets: $41 floor, $46 loge. 395-0900, e-mail info@BIGARTS.org, or www.BIGARTS.org.

Natural Wonder - The Southwest Florida Symphony performs "Natural Wonder'' at the Unitarian Universalist Church Saturday, Feb. 28, and Sunday, March 1. Nature's splendor shines in song as we celebrate the glory of landscapes, the beauty of birdsongs, the majesty of the sea and all God's creatures. 418-1500 or e-mail tickets@ swflso.org.

Jazz All-Stars - BIG ARTS welcomes Ed Polcer and his Jazz All-Stars at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, in Schein Performance Hall. Explore the golden age of swing jazz as they take the audience on a musical stroll down Swing Street, into the smoky clubs of New York, as they intersperse music with narrative, a bit of nostalgia, and humor. Tickets: $36 floor, $41 loge; 395-0900, www.bigarts.org or e-mail info@ BIGARTS.org.

Love Letters - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts hosts "Love Letters" Sunday, March 1. This touching and humorous play follows the correspondence exchanged over a lifetime by Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, childhood friends born to wealth and position who go their separate ways but continue to share confidences. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Mardi Gras Mambo - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts hosts "Mardi Gras Mambo - The Neville Brothers and Dr. John & The Lower 911'' Monday, March 2. The Neville Brothers are New Orleans' First Family of Funk - and the musical soul of the Crescent City. The Nevilles mix old-school blues and R&B with a powerful, funk-driven sound all their own. Another New Orleans legend is the one and only Dr. John, a four-time Grammy Awardwinner, whose music blends voodoo mysticism, rhythm and blues, rock and Creole. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Art Exhibit - The Alliance for the Arts hosts an opening reception for State of Abstraction: Fort Myers, from 5-7 p.m. March 6. The exhibit, featuring artists Veron Ennis, Leo Johnson, Raymond Hernandez, Jonas Stirner, Mamie Holst and Lily Hatchett, runs through March 27. 939-2787 or www.artinlee.org.

Benefit Concert - BIG ARTS' annual benefit concert presents perennial island favorite John Pizzarelli, with special guest Aaron Weinstein, at 8 p.m. Friday, March 6, in Schein Performance Hall. Tickets start at $125 for general admission; 395- 0900, www.bigarts.org or e-mail info@BIGARTS.org.

Happy Days - The Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts hosts "Happpy Days - A New Musical,'' Tuesday, March 3-Sunday, March 8. Happy days are here again with Richie, Potsie, Ralph Malph and the unforgettable "king of cool," Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli. Based on the hit television series, it takes us back to the days of 1959 Milwaukee, complete with varsity sweaters, hula hoops and jukebox sock-hoppin'. 597-1900 or www.thephil.org.

Evening With - The Art League of Bonita Springs hosts "An Evening With..." Clarita Filgueiras, presenting "The Best of Flamenco" from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, March 4. Music, dance, and the history of flamenco dancing combine to provide a magnificent evening of entertainment. 495- 8989 or artcenterbonita.org.

Anything Goes - The Naples Players perform "Anything Goes'' Wednesday, March 4, through Saturday, April 4, at the Sugden Community Theatre. Cole Porter's sublime 1930s musical crams a world of joyous archetypes aboard the oceanliner SS America, and then lets them collide happily. Many of Porter's best-loved songs are here" "I Get a Kick Out of You," "It's Delovely" and "Anything Goes.'' Tickets: $35 (adults), $10 (students); 263-7990 or www. naplesplayers.org.