Manatee Players' big win and the $250,000 Ringling Fest question

Due to my Friday deadline, when I researched and wrote my Sunday column, "Ringling Fest and the $250,000 question," I did not know that the Manatee Players took top honors at the state theater competition Saturday and will now be representing all of Florida at the Southeastern Theatre Conference, which will be held in Atlanta in March.

The Players' latest accomplishment, for their superb staging of Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George" (pictured performing at Ringling International Arts Festival fringe event at Museum of Art Courtyard) obviously strengthens the argument made by those who feel Manatee County would have been wiser to give the local community theater company the $250K rather than RIAF.

In case you missed Sunday's publication, here are links to my stories:

"Ringling Fest and the $250,000 question"

"Manatee Players takes top honors at state fest"

"Strauss celebrates 20 years of Sarasota Blues Fest"

"Cine-World brings Oscar buzz to Burns Court"