Sarasota News Leader

04/04/2014

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after services, the release notes. The church is located at 3975 Fruitville Road in Sarasota. Admission is free. McDonough is an award-winning Florida art- ist "with deep ties to her native New England upbringing," the release continues. "Her love of experimentation with color, texture and pattern is evident in her vibrant work," it adds. McDonough says in the release that inspiration for her recent work comes from spirituality, social commentary and her nightly dreams. The subjects range from war to environmental issues to political concerns to man's journey to become enlightened. McDonough was named Florida Artist of the Year in 2013 by Twin Cities TOSCA Magazine "for her passion and excellence in creating 'art that is visually beautiful, art that is emo- tionally or spiritually provocative or art that is intellectually challenging,'" the release notes. Learn more about her and her work at raven- skyemcdonough.com. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) plans to end the season on a "hot note," a news release says, opening Bubbling Brown Sugar, a musical revue featuring the music of numerous African-American artists popu- lar during the Harlem Renaissance, on Friday, April 11. The show will run through May 11, the release notes. Tickets are $29.50. To purchase them, visit www.wbttsrq.org or call the box office at 366-1505. "This is an iconic work of African-American theater, one of the first successful musicals on Broadway with a primarily African-American cast," said Director Harry Bryce in the release. "It was also one of the first times that Broadway paid homage to the Harlem Renaissance. Surprisingly, Bubbling Brown Sugar is not done very often so this is a won- derful, rare occasion," he added in the release. "It's an important selection for WBTT and reinforces the Troupe's effort to keep African- American literature alive and present." The play is about two couples — one white, one black — who travel back in time to visit var- ious Harlem nightclubs, the release explains. It was conceived by Rosetta LeNoire, founder of Amas, a nonprofit theater group partly created to promote interracial casting, the release points out. The company produced many hits, one of which was Bubbling Brown Sugar. Music featured in the show is by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller and Eubie Blake. Blake was LeNoire's music teacher, the release adds. The music director of the WBTT show is LaTerry Butler, who toured nationally with Bubbling Brown Sugar, working with musi- cians who were in the original Broadway production, the release continues. "This show features some of the most recog- nizable music from the period running from 1920 to 1940," said Nate Jacobs, founding artistic director of WBTT, in the release. BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR TO END WBTT'S 2013-14 SEASON facebook.com/SarasotaNewsLeader Sarasota News Leader April 4, 2014 Page 99

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