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Todd Olson, artistic director of American Stage, has announced a family theater series that opens Sept. 27 with Living a Friendly Life, a double bill of the Chinese fable Sweet & Sour Berries and The Lion's Whiskers, an Ethiopian folk tale. The series also features Shana Banana on Oct. 11, the American Stage school tour Nov. 8 and 15, Native Nations: Tales of Thanksgiving on Nov. 22, King Island Christmas (dates and location to be announced), and Winter Wonderland on Dec. 20.
"These shows will be fun and perfect for children from kindergarten to fifth grade," Olson said. "All the shows will be only 45 minutes long and come with great free snacks."
All shows except King Island Christmas will be performed at 10 a.m. Saturday at the theater in St. Petersburg. Single tickets are $7 except King Island Christmas, and a six-show subscription is $30. Call (727) 823-7529 or see www.americanstage.org
The season at Stageworks
Stageworks in Tampa has announced the lineup for its 2003-04 season: The Seagull by Chekhov, The Exonerated by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, Hypoxia Zone by Kim Hanna, and Design for Living by Noel Coward. Dates have not been set.
Sarasota assistant conductor named
Oscar Bustillo, who studied at the University of Miami, the Purchase Conservatory and Peabody Conservatory, has been named assistant conductor of the Florida West Coast Symphony in Sarasota. Bustillo will be on the podium for pops, light classics and educational concerts as well as serve as cover conductor for artistic director Leif Bjaland.
Van Wezel's Broadway lineup
The Broadway series at Van Wezel Hall in Sarasota opens with Jesus Christ Superstar on Nov. 24-26. Also on the schedule are Fame: The Musical on Nov. 28; Miss Saigon on Dec. 9-14; Seussical on Dec. 24; Spirit of the Dance on Jan. 3-4; Mandy Patinkin in concert Feb. 10; The Sound of Music on Feb. 16-17; A Few Good Men Dancin' on Feb. 29; 42nd Street on March 2-3; HMS Pinafore on March 12; Kiss Me Kate on April 5-6; Fosse on April 9; and Cats on April 14-15.
Three shows will be presented at Players Theater: Forbidden Broadway on Dec. 22-28; The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron on April 13-18; and My Cousin's Wedding on April 23-25.
Van Wezel's box office, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, will open at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Tickets for shows at Van Wezel range from $35 to $65, with $25 student tickets available for Fame and Seussical. Tickets for shows at Players Theater are $25. Call 941 953-3368 or see www.vanwezel.org