PERFORMING ARTS
26
SEASON OF THE ARTS
MUSICALS, COMEDY
TAKE CENTER STAGE
Area performing arts theaters have
something for everyone this season
BY SUSAN BURGESS
Comedies, musicals, big productions and small
ones, singers, comedians, guitarists, acrobats and
dancers — Treasure Coast theaters have it all this
season.
The Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce is bringing
some big names to town, says executive director John Wilkes.
The Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach is hosting large-cast
Broadway musicals.
The Lyric Theatre in Stuart is highlighting some new shows
that haven’t been there before and opening a second theater
called the Lyric-Flagler Center, which will begin its season in
January.
SUSAN BURGESS
Other Treasure Coast theaters have great seasons under
way as well.
“Coming to the Sunrise, we have Bob Newhart, Debbie
Reynolds, Paul Anka, Neal Sedaka, Roberta Flack, a lot of big
names,” Wilkes says. “We have old favorites coming back:
Bill Cosby, Gordon Lightfoot, One Night of Queen, Travis
Tritt — and Willie Nelson just confirmed that he’ll be back.”
The historic 1923 theater saw record ticket sales last year,
he says; 39 percent of the sales were to people from outside
Fort Pierce.
Several national touring company events are on the
schedule this year, including “The Color Purple” and “Monty
Python’s Spamalot”, Wilkes says.
This year the popular Sunrise Black Box Theatre in historic
>>
Theater-goers leave a show at Riverside Theatre in Riverside Park in Vero Beach. The Riverside is presenting three big musicals this year.