Gulf Coast Life: Arts Edition
John Davis has been a full-time Reporter/Producer for WGCU since 2009. He is the local host for NPR’s Morning Edition and producer and host for WGCU’s radio talk program Gulf Coast Life! John came to WGCU as an intern in 2007, and is now reporting on a broad spectrum of topics of interest to Southwest Florida. Prior to joining WGCU, he worked at WDUQ-FM in Pittsburgh, PA covering local government and general assignments.John studied journalism at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Florida Gulf Coast University. His work has garnered awards from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, the Radio Television Digital News Association, and a first place award and “Best in Show” from the Florida Associated Press for his investigative work in 2011. Send news pitches to wgcunews at wgcu.org
Latest Episodes
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The 15th annual Fort Myers Film Festival kicks off next Wednesday and runs through May 18. Over the course of the five-day event, attendees will get to screen a wide variety of feature films, short films and documentaries from filmmakers here in Southwest Florida and from around the world. We’ll get a preview of this year’s offerings with Fort Myers Film Festival Founder Eric Raddatz and Steve Hilfiker who produced and stars in a film called “Daniel, My Brother” about his own experience as a heart transplant recipient. -
“Venus in Fur” at the Florida Rep. explores power and dominance through the lens of sex and intimacyFlorida Repertory Theatre’s production of playwright David Ives “Venus in Fur” explores themes of power and dominance, gender roles and feminism, sexuality and desire, and transformation and revelation. We take a deeper dive into the play with actors David McElwee and Kathleen Simmonds in a conversation recorded on the set of the play. -
Emmy-nominated jazz trumpeter, vocalist and composer Benny Benack III is in Southwest Florida working and performing with musicians in the Florida Gulf Coast University Jazz combo. Benack and the combo perform live in the WGCU studios, and we explore how the university’s jazz studies program continues to grow. -
As April marks Autism Awareness month, we explore how The Naples Players works to make theater accessible to neurodivergent audiences and performers. Such efforts include relaxed performances, educational programs geared toward people on the autism spectrum, and a new first-of-its-kind sensory viewing booth. -
Players Circle Theater is mounting a production of the psychological thriller, “The Business of Murder” April 15 – May 11. We explore the play in a conversation with playwright Richard Harris, the show’s director Bill Taylor, and Players Circle Theater cofounder and Artistic Director Bob Cacioppo. -
Blues musician/instrument maker James “Super Chikan” Johnson -
Composer, performer, author and inventor of the Mutantrumpet, Ben Neill, has written a new book titled “Diffusing Music: Trajectories of Sonic Democratization,” which explores how AI and other technology is transforming how we create and experience sound. He joins us ahead of his concert event, March 27 at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College. -
The Gulf Coast Symphony’s upcoming 30th anniversary concert celebration will include the premiere performance of a symphonic piece titled, “Seas of Glass,” from local composer Frazar Henry. The 19-year-old composer and multi-instrumentalist was commissioned by the symphony’s maestro to write the piece. Frazar has been composing music since he was just five years old. Ahead of the March 30th concert, Henry joins the show to talk about the composition and his extraordinary musical journey so far. -
The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers is hosting a four-day family-friendly storytelling festival March 13 – 16. The event includes storytelling performances covering a wide variety of subjects and genres along with storytelling workshops. Ahead of the March 13th opening reception, we’ll get a preview from the event’s featured storytellers Paul Strickland and Erika MacDonald. -
Next week, Players Circle Theater is set to open its production of playwright Bruce Graham’s comedic play “Flatlanders.” It’s about a couple on the way to their wedding when they get stranded in a blizzard and resort to breaking into a cabin to survive the night. We take a closer look in a conversation with director Bob Cacioppo and actors Ted Wioncek and Kimberly Suskind.
