Gulf Coast Life Arts Edition

In an unexpected and unprecedented move, last month, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed $32 million dollars in state grants for more than 600 arts and culture organizations throughout Florida. We hear from Molly Rowan-Deckart with the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers, Elysia Dawn with United Arts Collier, and arts reporter Tom Hall about how local arts and culture organizations are coping with the lost funds and about the economic impact of the region’s arts and culture industry.

Internationally renowned psychosexual therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer died, July 12 at the age of 96. In remembrance, we listen back to our 2018 interview with Dr. Ruth ahead of her visit to Fort Myers to attend Florida Repertory Theatre’s production of a play about her life titled “Becoming Dr. Ruth.”

Players Circle Theater is hosting a production of a new one-man musical drama titled “A Man of the Decade: An Evening with John Lennon.” Ahead of opening night, July 12, we talk with actor, playwright and musician Randy Noojin, who wrote and stars in the show, along with Players Circle Theater co-founder and artistic director Bob Cacioppo.

Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and sound engineer Caleb Vilca performs live in studio. Vilca is perhaps best known as frontman of the Southwest Florida-based alt rock band Perfect Sequence, but recently dropped a new solo single titled “HEARTBEAT,” that shows a different side of his musical creativity and influences.

The Americans for the Arts’ AEP6 (Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 6) finds that Lee County’s nonprofit arts and culture sector generated more than $135 million in economic activity in 2022 and supported more than 2,500 full time jobs. We explore results of the study, and the case they make for more public support for the arts, in a conversation with Alliance for the Arts Executive Director Molly Rowan-Deckart, Florida Repertory Theatre Producing Artistic Director Greg Longenhagen, and local arts reporter and advocate Tom Hall.

Laboratory Theater of Florida in Fort Myers is mounting the world premiere production of “Alien: The Musical Parody.” The show is a hilarious new take on the 1979 sci-fi horror classic film “Alien.” We hear from Lab Theater founder and Artistic Director Annette Trossbach, who conceived of and wrote the show, along with Earl Sparrow who composed the music.

Players Circle Theater closes its fifth performance season with a production of the musical comedy “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” We will explore the show in a conversation with director Bob Cacioppo and actors Ted Wioncek and Amanda Ross.

Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and sound engineer Caleb Vilca performs live in studio. Vilca is perhaps best known as frontman of the Southwest Florida-based alt rock band Perfect Sequence, but recently dropped a new solo single titled “HEARTBEAT,” that shows a different side of his musical creativity and influences.

The second annual Fringe Fort Myers returns May 30 – June 2. The four-day festival includes a wide array of performances from independent, experimental and alternative artists from all over the world. We get a preview from festival organizer and founder Bill Taylor. We also hear from featured performer Keith Alessi about the true experiences that inspired his one-man show “Tomatoes Tried To Kill Me But Banjoes Saved My Life.”

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.