Stage is set for weekend Koreshan Theatre Fest

Using the expansive front porch of the park's newly renovated Planetary Court building as a stage, the event will showcase everything from Broadway show tunes and classical music to skits and comedy. The festival will start at 4 p.m. and continue until 8:30 p.m., allowing it to debut in the daylight and wrap up under the stars.

Organizers say they're expanding the festival into what they hope eventually will be a two-day event. Sponsored by the park's support group, the Koreshan Unity Alliance, the festival is meant to entertain and pay homage to the original Koreshan sect's appreciation for the arts.

"The Koreshans loved culture and cultural events," said Koreshan Park Ranger Michael Heare. "This is a way we can celebrate that aspect of their life here."

The Koreshans were a religious group whose members moved to Estero from Chicago in 1894, following their leader, Cyrus Teed. Hoping to give rise to a "New Jerusalem," the group flourished until Teed's death in 1908. Their numbers dwindled to practically nothing over the next half century. They believed, among other things, that the world was a hollow sphere and all of life lived inside it. They also practiced celibacy and a communal way of life.

Park Ranger Michael Steen booked the performances. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and member of the Screen Actors Guild who has performed in everything from plays to television commercials, Steen said his goal was to put together a festival that would appeal to all ages. The program will begin with a collection of show tunes presented by actress Lenny Manoe. At 5 p.m., the Cypress Lake School of the Arts students will perform the plays they present in statewide competitions. The Florida Repertory Theatre will take the stage at 6 p.m., followed by classical duo Boris Sandler and Bella Gutshtein at 7 p.m. and The Victorian Players at 7:30 p.m.

The Florida Repertory Theatre's presentation is a five-person presentation called titled "I Didn't Know That." It's an interactive performance that shares with the audience unusual facts about events like the invention of the toothbrush and the size of the world's largest banana split.

"We've had audiences of all ages and everyone seems to love it," said Merideth Hoppe, Florida Repertory Theatre educational director.

Tickets are $7.50 for adults, $3 for students or $15 for families. The ticket price includes admission to the park. Advance sales are available by calling the park at 992-0311.