Tom Hall

In his Emmy Award-winning musical, Maury Yeston focuses on the real-life passengers of the ill-fated luxury liner, whose dreams of a new life in the land of the free weren’t scuttled by an iceberg, but by the blind ambition of the men who built and piloted the Titanic on its maiden voyage.

This week, five shows open, six close and 12 continue their runs at Southwest Florida equity and community theaters, including "Titanic the Musical" at Arts Bonita.

From set to lighting to costume design, Panther Theatre Company’s “Blithe Spirit” is produced and performed entirely by Cypress Lake High School seniors. They do a sensational job.

Reginald O’Neal’s best-known body of work is his Jazz Figurines Series. Paintings and a sculpture from that series are on view in Hayes Hall at Artis-Naples. “The fact that it has a musical connection made it feel really appropriate for our unique institutional context here,” said Baker Museum Chief Curator Courtney McNeil. The series originated from a random stop at a souvenir shop on a visit to New Orleans in 2022.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Wynton Marsalis asks the question that confronts us as a nation: “Do we want to find a better way?” He answered that in the eight songs that comprise his 2022 album “The Democracy! Suite.” The Gulf Coast Jazz Collective – Paul Gavin, Zak Bartholomew and Brandon Robertson – will perform it on April 18.

Each spring, Florida Repertory Theatre hosts an intensive weekend of rehearsals, readings, talk-backs, and development that brings professional playwrights, directors, actors, and audiences to Fort Myers. It’s called the PlayLab Festival of New Works. Go here to see which works have been juried into this year's festival.

This week, seven shows open, three close, ten continue their runs and there is one limited engagement at Southwest Florida equity and community theaters.

The 2026 International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Exhibition at the Davis Art Center headlines 29 visual art exhibitions on view in April at Southwest Florida art centers.

The 28th Annual Sarasota Film Festival takes place April 10-19. This year's festival includes over 200 features, documentaries and short films exploring both local and global issues. The festival also features red carpet premieres, community-wide street festivals, filmmaker Q&A sessions and exclusive industry panels.

Last April, the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra closed its doors after 64 years in operation. To fill the void, an organization spearheaded by community leader Carol Robinson has formed the Fort Myers Philharmonic. Southwest Florida Symphony’s Music Director and Conductor of 16 years, Paul Nadler, will lead the newly created Fort Myers Phil. Christopher Confessore will serve as Principal Pops Conductor.