BIG ARTS is back: Sanibel venue returns for first full season since Hurricane Ian
“America’s Got Talent” dancers The Silhouettes. Grammy-winning singer Judith Hill. Bluegrass-based pop-funk-rock band Twisted Pine. A month’s worth of holiday shows.
And lots more.
The performing arts are finally returning to BIG ARTS after mostly staying dark after Hurricane Ian. And some great shows are happening at the Sanibel Island venue, says BIG ARTS executive director Lee Ellen Harder.
“We are just moving onward and upward,” Harder says, “and we’ve put together one of our biggest seasons yet for 2023 and 24.”
BIG ARTS announced its 2023-24 season this week. Subscriptions and single tickets are both on sale now.
Harder admits it wasn’t easy to cancel more than 200 events in its 2022-23 season. But she says it was the right thing to do after Hurricane Ian devastated much of Sanibel and Captiva islands in September 2022.
The venue only sustained about $250,000 in damage from the category 4 storm, Harder says. But many people on the islands ― including much of BIG ARTS’ staff and its audience base ― lost their homes or were displaced.
“It just didn’t make any sense (to put on shows),” Harder says.
Meanwhile, BIG ARTS stayed busy last season. The new building ― which opened in 2020 ― served as a staging area for first responders and a meeting place for the Sanibel Island government.
Now the venue is ready to get back to the business of entertaining people again, Harder says.
“We have some beautiful events,” she says. “We’re focused on the future. ... And the spirit out here ― it’s just amazing on the island.
"We’re all focused on moving forward and building back and getting back to experiencing the arts and what they do for us. It’s wonderful. It really is.”
Here are highlights from BIG ARTS 2023-24 season:
The Silhouettes: Light of Christmas (Dec. 16)
The renowned shadow-dance company rose to fame as first runner up on season six of “America’s Got Talent.” This inspirational holiday show features more choreographed shadow-dance pieces.
BIG ARTS Concert Band holiday show (Dec. 9)
The concert band returns for its annual holiday show.
BIG ARTS Community Chorus holiday concert (Dec. 14)
The chorus performs its annual concert of holiday tunes.
Now and Then: A Holiday Song Celebration (Dec. 19)
The BIG ARTS Community Chorus performs holiday songs with The Sanibel School’s Seahorse Chorale and Elementary Choir.
'The Polar Express' (Dec. 21)
Watch the 2004 holiday movie classic based on the classic children’s book about a boy’s magical journey to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express train.
The Greatest Piano Men (Jan. 13, 2024)
A tribute show celebrating the music and showmanship of “piano men” Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and even Beethoven and Liberace.
Jeremy Denk (Jan. 18, 2024)
The renowned American pianist has won the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize. He frequently performs at Carnegie Hall.
Judith Hill (Jan. 27, 2024)
The Grammy-winning singer was featured in the Academy Award-winning movie “20 Feet From Stardom," a salute to music's greatest back-up singers. She's toured with Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Ringo Starr.
BodyTraffic (Jan. 30, 2024)
The Los Angeles modern-dance company is led by influential dance leader Tina Finkelman Berkett. They’re known for their technical skill, challenging repertoire and theatricality.
Twisted Pine (Feb. 3, 2024)
The Boston-based band has won critical acclaim for its boundary-breaking blend of bluegrass with jazz, pop, funk and indie folk.
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Wind Ensemble (Feb. 8, 2024)
This touring group draws its members from the world-renowned London chamber-music ensemble Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The wind ensemble was formed to perform larger-scale chamber music.
Alan Bibey & Grasstowne (Feb. 17, 2024)
Grammy-nominated mandolin player Alan Bibey leads this bluegrass band that also includes 2020 Bass Player of the Year Zak McLamb (as named in by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America).
So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience (Feb. 29, 2024)
Actor/tribute artist Robert Neary brings Neil Diamond to life onstage.
'Late Nite Catechism: Sister’s Summer School Catechism' (March 2, 2024)
Sister makes her annual return to BIG ARTS for another interactive one-woman show that’s part stand-up comedy, part Catholic catechism class — with the audience doubling as her summer-school students.
'Sing and Swing': A Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents production (March 9, 2024)
The renowned New York organization presents rising New York jazz stars Bria Skonberg and Benny Benack III and “a quartet of jazz all-stars.” Together, they reimagine some of the greatest songs from Gershwin, Berlin, Ellington and Porter.
The Hit Men (March 15, 2024)
Members of this “classic rock supergroup” performed in Foreigner, Journey, Styx, Steely Dan, Cheap Trick, Cream, The Who and other legendary classic-rock acts. Now they bring some the songs they helped turn into hits to the BIG ARTS stage, including “Layla,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Sunshine of Your Love” and more.
The Doo Wop Project (March 22, 2024)
The touring doo-wop show features stars of Broadway hits “Jersey Boys” and “Motown: The Musical.” They’ll perform for BIG ARTS’ annual benefit show.
Stacey Kent (April 6, 2024)
The Grammy-nominated singer was named the 2001 Jazz Vocalist of the Year at the BBC Jazz Awards. Her 2017 album “I Know I Dream: The Orchestral Sessions” has seen more than 40 million streams and many glowing reviews. She sings both American standards and original songs.
— BIG ARTS is located at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel Island. For tickets and more information, call 395-0900 or visit bigarts.org.
— Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at [email protected]. Follow or message him on social media: Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: BIG ARTS returns with new season: What to know about shows, tickets
