April brings abundant activities for Southwest Floridians. In Naples, the Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships sees the sport’s top athletes duel it out on the courts. In Immokalee, an Earth Day celebration beckons nature lovers to get their hands dirty in the outdoors. In Fort Myers, audiences “Wait for It” no more, as the Hamilton Broadway touring company takes the stage at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. Catch these must-do events this April.
Now through April 21
She Loves Me at Gulfshore Playhouse, Naples
This show serves as a farewell love letter to the Norris Center before Gulfshore Playhouse moves to the Baker Theatre and Education Center next season. The charming musical, based on the play that inspired films The Shop Around the Corner and You’ve Got Mail, transports audiences to a 1930s European perfumery, where two employees spar at work but, unbeknownst to both, are amorous pen pals. Get Tickets
Now through July 13
Purvis Young: Honey in the Sky at Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida SouthWestern State College, Fort Myers
The self-taught urban expressionist from Miami found worldwide acclaim for his mixed-media works that represented the underserved. The show—a partnership between FSW and Florida Gulf Coast University Art Galleries with loans from the Monroe Family Collection—presents about 75 of the late artists’ pieces from public and private collections. Find Out More
April 2
Miami City Ballet at Artis—Naples
Artis—Naples hosts the troupe’s second performance of the season in concert with the Naples Philharmonic. The impressive, three-part performance opens with Agon, then Following the Current Upstream. The show culminates with a newly commissioned work by Brazilian choreographer Ricardo Amarante, who’s known for emotionally driven classical and neoclassical ballet. Get Tickets
April 5
Kevin James at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers
The King of Queens is back on the road for his Owls Don’t Walk comedy tour. Expect a family-friendly show, as the actor shares humorous perspectives on parenting, marriage and modern life. Get Tickets
April 6
Stacey Kent at BIG ARTS, Sanibel Island
The Grammy-nominated singer has developed a broad fan base along with a highly distinctive and personal repertoire. Hear her takes on the Great American Songbook (20th-century pop and jazz classics). Get Tickets
April 6 — Sep. 8
Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life in Pop at The Baker Museum, Artis—Naples
This special exhibit demonstrates the breadth of Andy Warhol’s influence as a central figure of the Pop Art movement, featuring pieces from more than 20 years of work. Printmaking was a crucial part of his art, and the exhibit features some of the artist’s most rare prints. Keep an eye out for Warhol’s Vesuvius series, created two years before his death. Find Out More
April 9-14
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird at Artis—Naples
The Broadway marvel revisits Harper Lee’s tale of youthful innocence, racial tension and righteous integrity set in Depression-era Alabama. Adapted by esteemed screenwriter and playwright Aaron Sorkin, the production stars a touring company including Emmy Award-winning actor Richard Thomas, of TV’s The Waltons fame, as Atticus Finch. Get Tickets
April 12-14
Kevin Nealon at Off the Hook Comedy Club, Naples
From his nine-year run with Saturday Night Live to his affable role on the Showtime series Weeds and current-day Hiking with Kevin YouTube series, Nealon is no stranger to comedy. In Southwest Florida, he often visits family and stars in philanthropic stand-up performances. Get Tickets
April 12 — May 5
Crocodile Fever at Laboratory Theater, Fort Myers
As the theater’s season closes, this dark comedy takes viewers to 1989 Northern Ireland, when two sisters on both sides of the Irish Republican Army campaign confront their abusive father’s hideous legacy. Get Tickets
April 12 — May 25
The Addams Family at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Fort Myers
They’re still creepy, spooky, mysterious and kooky, but in this musical adaptation, Wednesday Adams has grown up and fallen in love. The young man’s normal, respectable family meets the Addams clan during a fatefully comedic dinner party held at Gomez and Morticia’s anything-but-normal home. Get Tickets
April 13
Blooms & Brews at Naples Botanical Garden
Experience the garden after hours in the glow of a Southwest Florida sunset. Enjoy bites available for purchase from Fogg Café, hear live music by JM and the Sweets, and sample craft beers from an assortment of microbreweries. Tickets include a commemorative Blooms & Brews glass (except for designated driver tickets). Get Tickets
April 14
Patti LaBelle at Seminole Casino, Immokalee
The legendary R&B artist, author, humanitarian and entrepreneur showcases her vocal versatility in this outdoor concert. This just in: VIP ticket holders enjoy two free drinks at the show. Get Tickets
April 13-20
Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships at East Naples Community Park
Billed as the “Biggest Pickleball Party in the World,” the tournament draws more than 3,000 players and some 40,000 spectators. In its eighth year, the championship tops all other pickleball competitions in size, energy and prestige. Kick off the festivities at Party in the Park, with live music, food trucks and pro clinics, and watch the pros face off throughout the week. Find Out More
April 16-27
Gary Bukovnik at Harmon-Meek Gallery, Naples
The longtime gallery favorite (two of his pieces hang in owner Kristine Meek’s kitchen) exhibits at Harmon-Meek for the first time in three years. The San Francisco artist’s colorful watercolor flowers have been featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chicago Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution. Find Out More
April 16 — May 12
Godspell at Players Circle Theater, Fort Myers
If you haven’t visited the company’s new location on McGregor Boulevard, now is the time. The rock musical retells the gospel according to St. Matthew in an uplifting, relatable and humorous way in the wake of the Easter holidays. The immersive rock musical closes the Players’ 2024 season with the theater’s biggest and most spectacular cast. Get Tickets
April 16 — May 19
Oleanna at Florida Repertory Theatre, Fort Myers
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet tackles difficult subject matter in this two-person play about a college professor and one of his students. Verbal battles explode as the two characters’ differences escalate to charges of sexual harassment and, ultimately, violence. Get Tickets
April 17, 24, 27
Turandot at various locations
The succession of performances concludes Gulfshore Opera’s 10th anniversary season at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, Charlotte Performing Arts Center in Punta Gorda and Artis—Naples. Giacomo Puccini’s final masterpiece brings fantasy and exotic splendor to the stage, as Prince Calaf courts the Ice Princess of Turandot. Like all her suitors, he must answer three riddles correctly or lose his head. Get Tickets
April 20
Earth Day at Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch
The 13-acre historic site, museum and 15 preserved original buildings at Roberts Ranch—the longest-running ranch in South Florida—provide visitors a chance to experience daily working life on a pioneer homestead and citrus grove from the early 1900s. For Earth Day, the ranch turns its focus to the environment with tree plantings and workshops on sustainable practices. Find Out More
April 20
Earth Day Festival at Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Naples
Explore the Conservancy for free in honor of Mother Nature’s annual day of celebration. The festival features hands-on activities for kids and a chance to meet baby gators and other critters during educational demonstrations. Find Out More
April 23
Lang Lang in Concert at Artis—Naples
The classical musician’s fame precedes him around the world, from performing at the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Beijing, to entertaining foreign dignitaries and collaborating with notable artists in other genres, like Metallica and Pharrell Williams. For this performance, the Chinese-born artist demonstrates his piano prowess with works by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Gabriel Fauré and Frédéric Chopin. Get Tickets
April 23 — May 5
Hamilton at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers
A revolutionary story that has taken the nation by storm since its debut in 2015, Hamilton hits the Barbara B. Mann stage with its supercharged score and choreography to tell the epic tale of founding father Alexander Hamilton—from his lowly childhood in the Caribbean island Nevis to his duel-to-death with rival Aaron Burr. The hit musical won 11 Tony Awards and picked up Grammy and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. Get Tickets
April 25 — May 5
Carrie: The Musical at TheatreZone, Naples
With music and lyrics by the award-winning talent behind Fame and a backstory based on Stephen King’s 1974 debut novel, Carrie: The Musical promises top-notch entertainment. The story takes on high-school bullying, telekinetic powers, prom night and bloody horror in a 1998 musical adaptation of the film. Newcomer Keeley Pendergrass, a talented FGCU student who beat out more seasoned actors, stars as the titular character in this production. Get Tickets
April 25 — May 5
Steel Magnolias at Fort Myers Theatre
This slice of life in the South centers around a Louisiana beauty salon, where the characters reveal the true mettle of Southern women with humor, wisecracks, sharp wit and camaraderie. Like the award-winning movie, Fort Myers Theatre’s version touches the heart (and funny bone) as it reveals the strength beneath the sweet and tough exteriors of the women who converge for hair-dos, gossip and support. Get Tickets
