Tom Hall

There’s a temptation to lump “Carrie” with musicals like “Heathers” and “Mean Girls” - another sad story about teenage peer pressure, pecking orders and the desire to fit in. Truth is, “Carrie” is one of the most complex psychological thrillers to ever see the stage.

Among the 28 art exhibits on view in August at area art centers is “Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art” at Art Center Sarasota – which showcases the artists, volunteers and visionaries who have helped establish Sarasota as one of the leading arts communities in Florida. Also on view is “The Art of Healing: Prescriptions for the Soul” – which will turn the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center’s Grand Atrium into an immersive wellness emporium on August 7 – and “Currents” at BIG ARTS – which will convert the Dunham Family Gallery into a 125-foot-long underwater mural over the next eight weeks.

Filled with quick wit and Neil Simon's signature comedic style, “The Odd Couple (Female Version)” is a lighthearted look at friendship, compatibility and finding common ground. The play runs Aug. 14-23 in the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts.

The Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College is mounting an interactive exhibition that celebrates two artists who defined the underground art scene in New York City in the late 1970s and early ’80s. It's called “Klaus Nomi & Kenny Scharf: Time SPLAT!” and will be on view in the annex Aug. 20 to Dec. 5.

During the month of August, three exhibitions close and 25 others continue their runs at Southwest Florida art museums.

This week, three shows open, four shows close, two continue their runs and there are two limited engagements at Southwest Florida equity and community theaters.

Gulf Coast Symphony is the second-largest non-profit performing arts organization in Lee County. But there’s more to it than the classical, jazz and other concerts it produces each year. Gulf Coast Symphony produces more than 186 performances each year. That’s not just significant culturally. It means big dollars for Lee County business.

On August 20, Art Center Sarasota opens its final shows of its 100th season. One, in particular, will showcase the artists, volunteers and visionaries who helped establish Sarasota as one of the leading arts communities in Florida. “Shaping Sarasota: A Century of Art” traces Art Center Sarasota’s evolution from its earliest days in 1926 through a century of artistic innovation, community leadership, and creative exchange.

Since joining The Naples Players nearly 10 years ago, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Artistic Director Bryce Alexander has led one of the most transformative decades in The Naples Players' nearly 75-year history.

'Songbirds of the Seventies' performers Samantha Duval, Victoria Boland and Madalyn McHugh take Florida Studio Theatre audiences back to a time when female singer-songwriters transformed the music industry from spectacle to introspective storytelling that addressed love, heartbreak, independence and empowerment from a personal, feminist perspective.