What’s your Style? Performing Arts, Theater? by Claudia Polzin, Independent Consultant

2022 is holding great hope for all of us that the pandemic and all that it brought will be over during this year. Unfortunately, as we begin the year we still have some lingering effects – but hopefully they will all start to diminish. But one thing is certain the arts venues have “geared up” for an exciting season and invite you to return to your favorite venue and enjoy the pleasures of live
entertainment once again.

You can begin the day after New Year’s Day (hopefully you have fully recovered from your New Year’s celebrations) – January 2 at 2 pm grab your lawn chair and head down to Cambier Park to hear the Naples Dixieland Jazz Band. But if the harmonies of Motown are more to your liking – the Girls of Motown will be performing throwback hits at the Norris Center on January 7 at 7 pm. From
Motown to Big Band – January 9 at 2 pm in Cambier Park – the Gulf Coast Big Band will be performing.

Begin your theatre season in 2022 with the Naples Players and their production of “The Savannah Sipping Society”. It’s never too late to make old new friends or to decide to change your perspective on life. Four unique Southern women all need to find something different in life and all are drawn to a regular happy hour. This enjoyable production will open on January 12 and run through February 6.If you are looking for a theatre production with a little sass – go to TheatreZone for “I Love my Wife”. This production will open on January 13 and conclude on January 23. This 1970’s musical satire is about relationships and sexuality. Nominated for six Tony Awards including Best Musical.

As anyone who lives in Naples knows, we have several local bands that regularly perform in Cambier Park and at River Park Community Center – 2 pm on January 15 the Naples Jazzmasters will play at River Park and January 16 the Naples Concert Band invites you to Cambier Park at 2 pm. All of the bands that perform in Cambier Park are free-will offering instead of prepaid tickets.

January 21 finds Gulfshore Opera at the Daniels Pavilion at Artis-Naples. The concert will feature Ireland’s foremost tenor – Anthony Kearns. Singing everything from Broadway to the traditions of Ireland this one night only performance is not to be missed.

Two more of the great bands here in Naples will be performing in Cambier Park – on January 24 the Stardust Memories Big Band at 7 pm; and on January 30 you can end the month with the Naples Big Band at 2 pm. The Naples Big Band’s mission is to preserve the music of the swing era and to support music education in our schools.

Opera to Broadway is one of the productions of Florida’s only regional touring companies, Gulfshore Opera. This production will feature Glenn Seven Allen, tenor and Jacquelynne Fontaine, soprano. Both artists bring significant Opera and Broadway credits to the stage. Allen has received critical acclaim from both art forms as a consummate singing actor, lauded for dynamic interpretations of heroes and leading men. Fontaine has appeared in several opera productions, including Don Giovanni and La Traviata. She also toured with the Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera as Carlotta Giudicelli – she performed the role over a 1,000 times while on this tour. 2022 is the time to get out and enjoy all of the wonderful performing arts that Naples has to offer.