February is Fabulous at Artis-Naples

There’s no need to look far and wide for fun in February: Artis—Naples has something on the schedule for just about every fan of the visual and performing arts. February fun starts with one fabulous Broadway show—Ain’t Too Proud: the Life and Times of The Temptations—and ends with another—the smash hit Dear Evan Hansen. Ain’t Too Proud tells the compelling story of The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, while Dear Evan Hansen is a deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. Ain’t Too Proud runs February 1-6, while Dear Evan Hansen runs February22-27.

“It is a joy to have touring Broadway productions return to Artis—Naples,” says CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen, “and to see Hayes Hall filled with audiences eager to welcome them back. And there is so much more for patrons to enjoy in February as well, whether you’re a ‘foodie,’ a Sinatra lover or someone who is crazy about baseball—we have got something for you.”

Sinatra fans will get their fill when Artis—Naples favorite Tony Desare returns to Hayes Hall February 8-12 to join Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly and the Naples Philharmonic for Frank Sinatra and Great Ladies of American Song, featuring hits made famous by Ol’ Blue Eyes, Ella Fitzgerald and several others.

Foodies interested in a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day can look forward to Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats on February 14, which sees the beloved Food Network star presenting a culinary variety show filled with cooking, music—and a lot of surprises for the audience!

The Baker Museum is another great option for a Valentine’s Day date for visual arts lovers. The museum presents Baseball Heroes: Works from the Jay H. Baker Collection and a companion exhibition, Love in All Forms: Selections from the Art Collection of Patty and Jay Baker, on the third floor. Baseball Heroes features the most extraordinary collection of baseball memorabilia outside of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, while Love in All Forms offers works representing some of art’s most significant historical movements and artists over the past 150 years. The Baker Museum also offers a dazzling variety of fine art to enjoy, including rarely seen paintings by surrealist painter Rene Magritte, a visually stunning exhibition about the impact of plastic on the environment, striking works of American and Mexican modernism from the permanent collection, and examples of cutting-edge contemporary work by artists from throughout Florida. Visitors to the museum can also engage with perennial favorites from the permanent collection, including four large-scale glass installations by iconic artist Dale Chihuly, the larger-than-life Dawn’s Forest by Louise Nevelson, and a fantastic selection of outdoor sculpture.

Classical music buffs are not left out, with guest conductor Asher Fisch and renowned pianist Jonathan Biss joining the Naples Philharmonic February 17 and 19 for a program featuring Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor,” and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. As for jazz fans, you can look forward to the sizzling sounds of the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra with guest artist Paul McKee on trombone February 16.

Visit artisnaples.org for additional details on all programming,