. . . to next season’s concert/cabaret series. Allan Kollar is finalizing contracts and we’ll make official announcements soon . . . meanwhile just know that it looks like lots of your favorites will be returning - among them Golf, The Kingston Trio and The Diamonds! As soon as it’s all firmed up, we’ll announce here and post on the website. AND (shhhssshhh . . . ) in May of ‘07, the season’s final cabaret will be . . . (wait now) . . . The Rocky Horror Show! Oh fun. Much fun. Oh? And what’s that I hear . . . No! Really??? Why, Allan says yes indeedy . . . in February of ‘07, on our MainStage, it’s Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone! Oh! More and more fun!

. . . especially when it’s served up on MainStage with Murray Chase and Allan Kollar. Thanks to the genius of our costumer Nick Hartman, you get to see these two play every character in the third smallest town in Texas (where Patsy Cline never died and the Lion’s Club is too liberal). This one is all about laughs and more laughs - the belly kind. Get your tickets here: https://venicestage.org/Wt4/wc.dll?webtix~ShowTheDates~Greater%20Tuna

. . . depending, of course, on what you consider controversial. But when The Vagina Monologues opens next week in the Pinkerton Theatre, VLT will be joining the world-wide embrace of this amazing show, which has now been translated into 45 languages and is being performed on every continent. Director Linda MacCluggage says of this show that yes, "it can offend - in the same way that unvarnished truths and frank talk can offend. However, for those women whose words we speak onstage, anything less would be a lie". Come see for yourself why The Vagina Monologues has taken such a sturdy place in theatre everywhere. The usual caveat applies – very strong and frank language and adult situations. This isn’t everyone’s show. But it is great theatre.

. . . cuz we miss you. A shout out to Jim Lovett, board member, volunteer paint steward and co-creator of wonderful drops here. Jim had surprise surgery Monday at Sarasota Memorial and will be there a few more days. He had to give up his role in Little Women, which to us is the "real" tragedy.

And Maggi Taylor! Hurry back you extraordinary actor, Foxette, and all around wonderful volunteer. Maggi is off having one of those hip thingees (a replacement actually) done and has said she’ll see us all when it’s over - no visitors please. Okay Mags, we’ll just wait - but we can send out best from this page, can’t we?

. . . is that Irene Bette, one of our wonderful Foxes. She lost her husband Hank just a short while before the Annual Silver Foxes Showcase, for which she and sixty others had been rehearsing for months. But Irene, a key performer, wasn’t going to walk out on her cast. She was there, completely there. And it was a wonderful show with a wonderful run. A memorial service for Hank Bette is being held at Epiphany Cathedral here on the island at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, April 8. Our sympathy and thanks to Irene.

. . . the Arts & Cultural Alliance of the Venice area includes most of south county. Since their startup a few years ago, they have been doing a wonderful job of raising awareness and networking arts professionals. This year, they are holding the Annual ACA Showcase right here at VLT. There’ll be loads of music throughout the day with groups like the Suncoast Choral (10am), the Venice Symphony Brass Quintet (11:30 am), Exultate (at noon) and many, many others. 30-minute performances will go on throughout the day as will story telling, children’s performances etc. There will also be lots of craft tents set up in our parking lot as well as opportunities for you to join some of the fine area arts organizations. There is no charge for attendance. That’s Saturday, April 15 from 10am to 4m right here at VLT.

. . . we told you in February about the challenge of having two shows open on the same night (like they did with Singing in the Rain and Always, Patsy Cline) and in March and it happened again - The Dunes opened as the third production of the Stage II season at the same time/same day as The 14th Annual Silver Foxes Follies on the MainStage. All went well.

through APRIL 15 - Greater Tuna in MainStage. Tickets $20.00

APRIL 9-10 - Liberace: A Performance Spectacular - three shows, $25.00

APRIL 13-30 - The Vagina Monologues, Stage II

APRIL 15 - Arts and Culture Alliance - daylong event at VLT

APRIL 16 - Happy Easter everyone!

APRIL 23 - Annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony and Party

MAY 2-14 - Little Women on MainStage

MAY 11-21 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (a Musical) in Pinkerton Theatre

MAY 15 - Annual members/Guild meeting