Enjoy a concert and then dinner…by Claudia Polzin, Independent Consultant

Season is in full swing in Naples. One sure sign of that is the full schedule of concerts in Cambier Park. So decide to enjoy a concert and then dinner at one of the many restaurants located on 5th and 3rd; or dinner and then a concert at 7 p.m. So, choose to make it an afternoon or evening of enjoyment downtown Naples.

The concert schedule for Cambier Park is:
February 1 at 2 p.m. Naples Dixieland Jazz Band
February 2 at 7 p.m. Stardust Memories Big Band
February 8 at 2 p.m. Gulf Coast Big Band
February 9 at 7 p.m. Naples Big Band
February 15 at 2 p.m. Naples Concert Band
February 23 at 7 p.m. Stardust Memories Big Band

Theatre goers also have options in February – beginning with TheatreZone. Opening on February 5 and continuing through February 15 – Guttenberg! The Musical. This Tony-nominated fast-paced comedy is a two man show featuring Tony and Bud – theatre writers and composers who try to sell a hilariously inaccurate musical about Johannes Gurenberg, the inventor of the printing press. The story follows these two as they try to sell the concept to potential investors. Abounding with enthusiasm they narrate the story to the audience.

Naples own – Naples Players – opens Beau Jest on January 14 and continues through February 15. This production plays in the Kizzie theatre -the main theatre in the Sugden theatre complex. This very delightful comedy is about Sarah, a young woman who hires an actor to pose as her perfect boyfriend to please her very traditional parents. But the charade spirals out of control and everyone gets much more than they bargained for in this very heat-warming tale of love, identity and family.

Naples Players also opens February 4 in the Price Theatre with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. This story is filled with heart and humor and invites you to see the world through the eyes of a brilliant teenager as he navigates challenges and celebrates his unique perspective on life and discovers his own extraordinary potential.

If you enjoy the concerts in Cambier Park – explore the Norris Center schedule on the City of Naples website. The Norris Center has a wonderful small theatre that features intimate productions, many appropriate for the entire family. On February 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 7 p.m. Southern Gothic Novel features Frank Blocker portraying heroes and heroines, villains and insects. He tells a tale of gothic proportions which is set in a sleepy Mississippi town. Enjoy the beauty of southern humor and family in this delightful play.

In the Norris Center on February 5 at 7:30 you can choose to be a part of the fun and attend Stage 2 Improv. This interactive comedy is a 90 minute – with no intermission – show of improv games, scenes and songs inspired by audience suggestions. So choose to use your own creativity and be a part of the show on February 5.

In the month of February take the time to revisit places that you haven’t been to in years and reacquaint yourself with the beauty of our piece of Paradise. One of the best ways to do that is pretend you are a tourist seeing Naples and Collier County for the first time – it always amazes me when people visit for the first time and I remember places I haven’t been to for many years and decide to explore them again. So, take the time to find the concerts, plays, museums, outdoor parks and beaches that are part of this place that we call home.