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A new exhibition of works by Southwest Florida based artist, illustrator, cartoonist, artist and musician Doug McGregor titled “Whimsy & Wonder,” opens Nov. 3 at the Alliance for the Arts. Ahead of next week’s opening reception we get a preview in a conversation with the artist.

The Southwest Florida Symphony’s first Masterworks Series program features well-known works by iconic American composers Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein and John Williams. The Marcus Roberts Trio joins the symphony to perform Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” ahead of next year’s 100th anniversary of the composition. Ahead of the Nov. 4 concert, we get a preview from Maestro Radu Paponiu and the Symphony’s Community Outreach Ambassador Robert Van Winkle.

The Florida Repertory Theatre is performing Katori Hall’s play “The Mountaintop,” which serves as a fictional reimagining Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s last night before his assassination after delivering his historic “I Have Been to the Mountaintop” speech. We’ll hear from the production’s director, Ansley Valentine.

The Southwest Florida Symphony’s next Masterworks concert, Feb 3, will feature Naples-based pianist Alexandra Carlson performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, along with performances of Gideon Klein’s Partita for Strings, and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8. We’ll delve into the program in a conversation with Maestro Radu Paponiu and the symphony’s community outreach ambassador Robert Van Winkle.

Ghostbird Theatre Company is mounting a production of a new play titled “Artificial Genesis” about the end of the world brought about by artificial intelligence. The play itself was written by a generative AI model. We’ll take a closer look in a conversation with the show’s director Barry Cavin and his son Emory Cavin, who’s responsible for the AI interface design and programming that led to the creation of the play.

Fort Myers-based artist Ananda War holds her first solo exhibition at DAAS CO-OP Art Gallery & Gifts titled “IS.” War is also a tattoo artist and owner of the Light Hand Tattoo & Healing Arts studio. Ahead of the exhibition’s opening reception, Feb. 2, War joins us in studio to talk about her creative process, her art and its connection to the metaphysical.

The Southwest Florida Symphony’s final performance of the season, May 18, titled “70s, 80s & 90s Unplugged” features music inspired by the popular MTV Unplugged concert series. Ahead of the show, we will hear from composer, producer, arranger, conductor, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and music educator Andrew Lipke, who created the symphonic arrangements and who will serve as maestro and featured performer.

The Southwest Florida Symphony will open the 2024-2025 performance season with new maestro Stilian Kirov after the sudden departure of music director Radu Paponiu in April. We listen back to our August conversation with Kirov and get a preview of what’s in store for the symphony’s 64th season.

The Marco Island Historical Society is hosting a retrospective exhibition of works by Naples-based impressionist painter Paul Arsenault titled, “Reflections of South Florida: A 50-Year Art Adventure,” through Feb. 15, 2025. Ahead of an Oct. 17 opening reception, we talk with Arsenault about his work, his storied career, and his advocacy for protection of our natural world.

In this second encore edition of our April show featuring Emmy-nominated jazz trumpeter, vocalist and composer Benny Benack III performing with the Florida Gulf Coast University Jazz Combo, we hear even more music performed live in studio, including a bonus track featuring Benack and FGCU Director of Jazz Studies and bassist Brandon Robertson.