The Naples Players and Naples Zoo Team Up For Wild Culture January 21

The Naples Players (TNP) announced the continuation of their outdoor, alternative arts and culture events this week with the addition of Wild Culture, a collaborative event with the Naples Zoo slated for Thursday, January 21st. The outdoor, family-friendly event features live performance stations throughout the zoo as well as zookeeper talks and an after-hours VIP animal encounter opportunity. General admission includes access to the Zoo and performances from 4-6 p.m. with the additional after-hours VIP animal encounter and cocktail hour from 6-7 p.m.

The collaborative effort is part of the Discover Culture In Collier Outdoor Events Season launched by The Naples Players in September in response to the cancellation of their full-season of indoor performances due to COVID-19. Local volunteer actors and performers who would normally be on stage at The Naples Players’ iconic Sugden Community Theatre are again volunteering their time and talents to bring arts and culture to the Naples community.

“We’ve continued to keep pivoting to provide opportunities for our community to safely experience arts and culture during this difficult year,” said Bryce Alexander, CEO and Executive Artistic Director at The Naples Players. “Working with the great team at Naples Zoo is just another way we are combining forces with other organizations that are feeling the effects of COVID, and together, we can be saving the arts and each other,” Alexander continued.

Admission for children is $12, and adult admission is $18. VIP encounter and cocktail hour tickets are $150 and include zoo admission from 4-7 p.m. All proceeds benefit The Naples Players, who have lost upwards of $1.6 million in revenue from the full cancellation of their nine-show season that was scheduled to run from September 2020 through May 2021.

Leadership at TNP remains hopeful that with the vaccine rollout and additional facility safety and state-of-the-art sanitation equipment recently installed that they will move forward with the Spring 2021 production of the rousing comedy Calendar Girls as planned.

For tickets and more information about the Wild Culture event and all of the Discover Culture in Collier events, visit NaplesPlayers.org or call the TNP Box Office at (239) 263-7990. Locally, Gulfshore Life has partnered with TNP as the official media sponsor for the Discover Culture in Collier Series.