COVID-19 Surge Disrupts Sarasota Arts, Community Events

SARASOTA, FL — As COVID-19 continues to surge across Florida and the United States, the virus is disrupting Sarasota’s vibrant arts scene and other community events.

A number of arts organizations, community groups and venues have announced the cancelation or rescheduling of events and performances because of COVID-19 cases and exposures among performers, crew members and staff.

Here are some events affected by coronavirus:

Sarasota Orchestra

The conductor for the upcoming concert Masterworks 3: Ohlsson Plays Rachmaninoff with performances scheduled Friday through Sunday at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has changed, Sarasota Orchestra said in a news release.

Due to a COVID-19 exposure, Jeffrey Kahane isn’t able to travel to Sarasota to conduct the performances. David Alan Miller, music director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra and a two-time Grammy Award winner, will conduct the concert featuring pianist Garrick Ohlsson.

As music director of Sarasota Music Festival, Kahane will conduct and perform at June's Festival.

Related Story: 142K COVID Cases Reported In FL Over New Year's Eve Weekend: CDC

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

After COVID-19 infections among cast and crew, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe canceled the final three sold-out performances of its holiday show, “Joyful! Joyful!”, at the end of December.

This outbreak also canceled rehearsals for WBTT’s world-premiere musical, “Ruby.” Because of this, the organization is pushing back the show’s opening to Jan. 26, according to a news release.

The theater has also canceled the planned Jan. 17 live performance of its annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration and, instead, will offer free streaming video of a past celebration online here from Jan. 17-31.

“Ruby” is a musical retelling by WBTT founder/artistic director Nate Jacobs and his brother, Michael Jacobs, of the shocking killing of a white doctor in Live Oak, Florida, by a Black woman — Ruby McCollum — who was tried in the case and eventually committed to Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee.

“The story — which was covered by famed writer Zora Neale Hurston for the Pittsburgh Courier — showcases the disenfranchisement of Black people in segregated Florida as well as the ugly history of white men taking sexual advantage of Black women without repercussions,” WBTT said.

The show, featuring original music inspired by jazz, gospel and blues, especially as heard in the 1950s era of the story, will run Jan. 26 to Feb. 27.

Robert L. Taylor KOPS Camp

Due to an increase of COVID-19 cases, the Kids and Officers Promoting Solidarity (KOPS) event scheduled Wednesday at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex has been canceled.

“The change in the schedule is for the health and safety of participants, attendees and spectators,” Sarasota police said in a news release.

The final event set for Saturday, which is a basketball game between Sarasota police officers and professional basketball players from the Gulf Coast Lions, has been postponed until Feb. 11

Know of a Sarasota event canceled, postponed or affected in some way by COVID-19? Email Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com.