This is the time when people start considering New Year’s resolutions. As you do so, why not consider getting a little more culture into your activities diet. Fortunately, Vero Beach has some first-class offerings.
After a long pandemic-induced hiatus, Riverside Theatre is coming back next week with one of the American musical theater’s greatest, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Carousel.” With songs including “If I Loved You” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” this show has some of the most alluring music you’ll hear on stage. Set in a small fishing town on the coast of Maine, there’s also plenty of charm, with clambakes, cute children and enough romance to satisfy even the most curmudgeonly. You’ll also find a touch of heaven and redemption. Just be sure to bring enough hankies. The show is so enduring that it’s hard to believe it first appeared on Broadway 75 years ago. Riverside’s producing artistic director and CEO Allen D. Cornell has also directed and designed the scenery for this show. That’s a good thing because Cornell has an exquisite aesthetic, guaranteeing some sumptuous visuals. In a press release, Cornell says “I hope people are yearning to get back together … When we closed, I don’t think anyone imagined we’d be dark for almost two years, but the message of this show is one that is needed today. In the last couple of years of isolation, it is reassuring that we are still connected and not alone.” Look also for some thrilling dance created by well-known choreographer DJ Salisbury, who has served up some great treats both as choreographer and director for Riverside, Orlando Shakes, Ogunquit Playhouse and Lincoln Center. As far as this Omicron variant, Riverside is strictly following CDC guidelines for the cast, crew and audience. The theater’s website is updated constantly with protocols. But for your information, the cast and crew are all fully vaccinated. The theater will have masks available for any audience who wants one. “Carousel” opens Tuesday, Jan. 4 and runs through Jan. 23 at Riverside Theatre, 3250 Riverside Dr., Vero Beach. Tickets start at $45. Call 772-231-6990 or visit RiversideTheatre.com.
Plan ahead for some big fun at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, especially one event that is sure to sell out very fast – “A Conversation with Christian Siriano.” That particular event is a few weeks away, but really, with a fashion superstar like Siriano, you really need to get those tickets now. Siriano, of course, is the young fashion phenom who shot up like a rising star after winning the 2008 “Project Runway.” He, the young man who liked to call his work “fierce,” went on to study with the legendary Alexander McQueen. He has designed showstopping fashion for first ladies Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, Oprah, Lady Gaga, Billy Porter, Amy Adams and so many more. He has been hailed by both Time and Forbes magazines and shows yearly at New York Fashion Week. He launched his own Bravo talk show called “So Siriano” and has co-hosted “Project Runway.” So, yes, reserve your spot now. “A Conversation with Christian Siriano,” part of the museum’s “Fashion Meets Arts” series, starts at 4 p.m. Feb. 23 and is followed by cocktails. The Vero Beach Museum of Art also has a new Winter Film Studies runs Tuesday, Jan. 4 through Feb. 1. The program is called “Tapestries: Stories of Struggle and Success in Our Diverse World.” The films in the series will explore humanity’s interconnectedness in its search for love, fame, home and identity. You can join online or in person (with masks). The cost is $96 for the general public, with discounts available for museum members. And, of course, if you haven’t seen the folk art exhibit there yet, you have until Sunday, Jan. 2. That’s the final day for “American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection.” Making a last-minute visit even harder is the fact that the museum galleries will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Admission to the galleries is $8, with discounts for seniors, children and museum members. The Vero Beach Museum of Art is at 3001 Riverside Dr. Call 772-231-0707 or visit VBMuseum.org.
We are happy to report that “The Rocket Man Show” will indeed take the stage this month at The Emerson Center. This is Rus Anderson’s Elton John tribute show with all the trappings. Brought to the stage by LIVE! From Vero Beach, the show begins 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 at The Emerson Center, 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach, Fla. Tickets are $35 to $85. For more information, call 800-595-4849 or visit MusicWorksConcerts.com.