Leading Question

Should the Van Wezel and Asolo Rep worry about the proposed new Nederlander theater?

Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment has announced plans for an up to 800-seat, for-profit theater to be located at Lion’s Gate Development Group’s Proscenium project across from the old Sarasota Quay. Nederlander—one of Broadway’s oldest and most venerated producers—plans to bring Off-Broadway and smaller Broadway shows, like Smokey Joe’s Café, to the new venue.

“We conducted research on the ideal markets for the kind of Off-Broadway productions we’re looking to present throughout the U.S., and Sarasota was considered to be one of those ideal markets,” says Bob Nederlander Jr., president of Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment. “The demographics of Sarasota show an educated, wealthy demographic that we think would gravitate toward the high-quality, smaller productions we’re looking to bring into the market. And you have great restaurants, hotels, the kinds of things we look for in a location. There’s a vibrant cultural community in the Sarasota area; we’re thrilled to join it.”

But what does this new project mean for the nonprofit performing arts organizations that have long called Sarasota home? Should they worry about losing patrons to the new theater?

“I don’t believe it would have a material, adverse effect on the Van Wezel,” says John Wesley White, interim executive director of the 1,736-seat Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. “Typically we don’t plan for shows that are only going to sell 800 tickets. I think it would introduce a competitive element. It would certainly be a brand-new venue and would be appealing to certain producers. But competition usually is a good thing. It causes everybody to be sharper.”

“We believe the more good theater there is to go to see, the more theatergoing becomes a habit, and the more likely people are going to be stimulated to see more good theater,” says Linda DiGabriele, managing director of the Asolo Repertory Theatre, which presents the bulk of its plays in a 500-seat theater. “Whether or not Sarasota can actually support another theater I think still remains a question mark. Sarasota is growing so fast, and the communities around Sarasota are growing so fast, that it is certainly conceivable that there is more opportunity for another performing arts organization, especially in season.”

The Proscenium project has a target completion date of 2010, so there’s still plenty of time for local arts organizations to gear up for the opening of the new Nederlander venue. But Bob Nederlander doesn’t think they have anything to worry about.

“I don’t look at it as taking away from others,” he says. “We look at it as adding to the cultural, artistic community in Sarasota. We think that patrons of the arts in Sarasota will continue to go to the organizations they attend now and, in addition, feel attracted to attend our shows. I think there’s a need and desire for the kinds of Off-Broadway productions we’re looking to present.” —Beth Luberecki

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THE LIST
The region’s 10 largest law firms.

1
Williams, Parker, Harrison, Dietz & Getzen
Sarasota, (941) 366-4800
www.williamsparker.com
Attorneys: 47

2
Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg
Sarasota, (941) 366-8100
www.icardmerrill.com
Attorneys: 38

3
Abel Band, Chartered
Sarasota, (941) 366-6660
www.abelband.com
Attorneys: 37

4
(tie) Blalock, Walters, Held & Johnson
Bradenton, (941) 748-0100
www.blalockwalters.com
Attorneys: 17

 
(tie) Kirk Pinkerton
Sarasota, (941) 364-2481
www.kirkpinkerton.com
Attorneys: 17

5
Porges, Hamlin, Knowles, Prouty, Thompson & Najmy
Bradenton, (941) 748-3770
www.phkplaw.com
Attorneys: 16

6
(tie) Dickinson & Gibbons
Sarasota, (941) 366-4680
www.dglawyers.com
Attorneys: 13

 
(tie) Dunlap & Moran
Sarasota, (941) 366-0115
www.lawyers.com/dunlap&moran
Attorneys: 13

(tie) Ruden McClosky
Sarasota, (941) 316-7600
www.ruden.com
Attorneys: 13

(tie) Fergeson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron & Tirabassi
Sarasota, (941) 957-1900
www.fsskbt.com
Attorneys: 13

7
Syprett, Meshad, Resnick, Lieb, Dumbaugh, Jones, Krotec & Westheimer
Sarasota, (941) 365-7171
www.smrl.com
Attorneys: 12

8
Norton, Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos
Sarasota, (941) 954-4691
www.nhlslaw.com
Attorneys: 11

9
Nelson Hesse
Sarasota, (941) 366-7550
www.nelsonhesse.com
Attorneys: 9

10
(tie) Dye, Deitrich, Prather, Petruff & St. Paul
Bradenton, (941) 748-4411
www.dyefirm.com
Attorneys: 7

 
(tie) Harrison, Kirkland, Pratt & Chulock
Bradenton, (941) 746-1167
Attorneys: 7

(tie) Judd, Ulrich, Scarlett, Summonte & Dean
Sarasota, (941) 955-5100
www.juddulrich.com
Attorneys: 7

(tie) Levin, Tannenbaum, Band & Gates
Sarasota, (941) 316-0111
www.levintannenbaum.com
Attorneys: 7

Ranking based on number of attorneys. Compiled by Chelsee Payne.

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Five Questions

At Your Service
Sarasota’s Monique McKenzie takes home a top hospitality honor.

Monique McKenzie, director of business travel and leisure sales at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, was recently presented with a J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence, an honor that only 10 of the Marriott’s 151,000 employees—and only one of the Ritz-Carlton’s 32,000 employees—receive each year.

What do you do at The Ritz-Carlton? I’m responsible for developing outreach to new leisure and business customers and retaining existing ones. I also design packaging that goes to travel agencies and Web sites, such as Travelocity and Expedia. Some of our local clients include AAA, Merrill Lynch, Zenith, Tropicana and PepsiCo, IMG Academies and Bealls; they’re our extended family and the key to our success. We used to do 60 percent corporate trips and meetings and 40 percent social and leisure sales; now we do 60 percent social and leisure and 40 percent corporate. We’re really a resort destination now. My goals increase by 10 percent each year—we’re always trying to push the envelope.