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 Alliance for the Arts hosts the 5th annual Arts on Tap fundraising celebration, Friday, Dec. 1, including live music, craft brewers and food trucks. Alliance Executive Director Molly Rowan-Deckart previews the event and talks about the nonprofit’s latest gallery exhibition, the new digital arts laboratory, the Alliance’s ongoing Art House Cinema series, and the upcoming release of the newest Arts and Economic Prosperity study. -
Opera Naples Artistic and Music Director Ramón Tebar joins us live in studio to highlight the opera company’s upcoming performance offerings including the Winter Dreams Gala in December, performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, and Opera Naples’ fourth annual Festival Under the Stars in March 2024. -
Co-founder and original band member of the new wave band DEVO, Bob Lewis, is in Fort Myers to deliver a lecture, reading and Q&A event, Nov. 9, in conjunction with an exhibition now at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College marking the 50th anniversary of the iconic band. Lewis joins us in studio ahead of the event along with Rauschenberg Gallery Director Jade Dellinger. Dellinger is co-author of “The Beginning Was the End: Devo in Ohio,” which serves as a definitive account of DEVO’s early history. -
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. -
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. -
This month marks 25 years since the death of Matthew Shepard, whose brutal murder served as a turning point for gay rights in the U.S. In recognition, Choral Artistry performs Craig Hella Johnson’s powerful three-part oratorio “Considering Matthew Shepard,” Oct. 22 at Naples United Church of Christ. We explore the composition in a conversation with Choral Artistry Artistic Director Trent Brown. -
Players Circle Theater kicks off the performance season with playwright Tom Dulack’s mafioso-style comedy “Breaking Legs.” The show will mark the company’s first production in its newly renovated theater space in the heart Fort Myers’ McGregor corridor. We preview the show and learn about the new theater space in a conversation with Players Circle Theater co-founders Bob Cacioppo and Carrie Lund. -
The Southwest Florida-based rock band Rosaline celebrates the release of its newest single, “Heartbreakin” with a performance, Oct. 6 at Nice Guys in Cape Coral. The show will also feature performances from other notable musicians in the region. We’ll speak with Rosaline front man Caleb Neff and hear him perform acoustic versions of the band’s new music live in studio. -
The use of intimacy choreographers and intimacy coordinators in the performing arts has been growing across the industry in recent years. These experts provide direction in the process of actors performing sensitive scenes that may involve content of a sexual nature, nudity, violence and more. We talk with Laboratory Theater of Florida Artistic Director Annette Trossbach about a new report titled, “A Case for Intimacy Choreographers in SW Florida.” -
The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers is marking one-year since Hurricane Ian with an juried exhibition titled “Storm Stories.” In cooperation with the Gulf Coast Writers Association, a book chronicling local experiences with the storm is now also available, and the Alliance is featuring a related exhibition of photography by Kinfay Moroti. We’ll explore the Alliance’s “September to Remember” offerings in a conversation with Executive Director Molly Deckart.
