Tom Hall

“Dog Mom,” a heartfelt new comedy, comes from writer, producer and filmmaker Tate Elizabeth Hanyok. It is enjoying a rolling world premiere that includes a stop at Florida Studio Theatre June 26 to July 26.

On June 15, Fort Myers City Council awarded $150,000 in arts and culture grants. Of the 47 applicants this year, grants were awarded to 19 arts organizations, one group and one individual artist. The total awarded, $150,000, was the same amount the city awarded last year.

The Marco Island Historical Society will hold an Independence Day celebration commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary. It’s called “Red, White and You” and it takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1. It kicks off with a performance of “The Ghost of Julia: A Revolution Tale,” a one-woman show that brings the American Revolution to life through the eyes of Julia Stockton Rush.

No Southwest Florida museum has any of David Hockney’s artworks in its permanent collection. They are very expensive. His painting “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)” sold at Christie’s New York in 2018 for $90 million, a record for a living artist. But one of his photographic drawings is on loan to the Sarasota Art Museum as part of the “Something Borrowed, Something New” exhibition.

Canine actors add authenticity, personality, energy and a dash of cuteness to any theatrical production – which is why Prather Entertainment has cast three dogs to play Toto in its upcoming production of “The Wizard of Oz.”

This week, one show opens, four close, five continue their runs and there are seven limited engagements at Southwest Florida equity and community theaters.

In mid-May, Fort Myers Theatre took a competition team to England to compete in Junior Theatre Festival Europe. In Artistic Director Michelle Kuntze’s estimation, trips to the Junior Theatre Festival Europe competition in England have huge benefits.

“Marvin: A Marvin Gaye Revue” features an ensemble honoring one of the greatest catalogs in music history. With Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe fan favorite Sheldon Rhoden returning in the title role, “Marvin” is filled with powerhouse vocals, dynamic performances, and hit after hit.

In the aftermath of Matthew Shepard’s murder in 1998, people in Laramie, Wyoming rallied together to deal with the tragedy. That, says Director Kody C. Jones, raises a crucial question: “Why does it take tragedy to bring a community together?”

The Gulf Coast Jazz Collective has been celebrating famous jazz musicians this season. In June, it’s Thomas “Fats” Waller.