Biggest concerts, comedians, celebrities coming to Sarasota's Van Wezel in 2023-24

As we approach fall and snowbirds start flocking back to Sarasota-Manatee, several of our local performing arts centers have started announcing their schedules for the rest of the year and into 2024 — including our area's largest such venue.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall recently unveiled its 2023-24 season , which features a wide array of events including concerts by pop, rock and blues stars, two shows featuring one of today's most popular stand-up comedians, movie screenings with the films' stars, and celebrity conversations. They'll also range from performers making their debuts at the venue to returning faces, including one serving as the headliner for an annual gala.

Here are the biggest concerts, comedians and celebrities set to visit Van Wezel in 2023-24, listed in chronological order. Event details are subject to change. Ticket sales begin at 10 a.m. Sept. 9, with a pre-sale Sept. 7-8 for current subscribers and e-club members, and some select shows already on sale. Note: This list doesn't include stage productions such as Broadway hits "Hamilton" and "Hadestown" that are part of Van Wezel's season, and does include rental events taking place at the venue the same time as the 2023-24 season.

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Nick Carter (Oct. 20)

After headlining both Tampa's Amalie Arena and MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre (each with a capacity around 20,000) with the Backstreet Boys last year, Nick Carter will return to the area to play the considerably more intimate, less-than-2,000-seat Van Wezel. Raised in the Tampa Bay area himself, Carter and his fellow band members formed the Backstreet Boys in Orlando and went on to international fame with hits such as "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "I Want It That Way," with Carter later pursuing a solo career starting with 2002's "Now or Never." Carter described his show visiting Van Wezel to Billboard as a mix of "'80s songs, '90s songs — songs that we all grew up with, and then also some solo songs and a lot of the Backstreet Boys songs."

Sebastian Maniscalco (Oct. 22)

Unlike many other stand-up comedians, Maniscalco became a big name in the genre without any major movie or television roles to his name, leading the New York Times in 2019 — following four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden and five sold-out dates at Radio City Music Hall — to ask "How is the Hottest Comic in America Still Under the Radar?" Maniscalco's first film in a leading role, the comedy "About My Father" co-starring Robert De Niro released earlier this summer, was actually a rare commercial and critical failure for the comedian. Yet he's likely not too worried about it, with an upcoming schedule that includes his first sitcom vehicle "How to Be a Bookie," created by Chuck Lorre of "The Big Bang Theory" and "Two and a Half Men" fame, and stand-up dates such as these two Van Wezel shows, both of which were sold out as of press time.

Bruce Hornsby (Nov. 9)

After visiting Van Wezel in 2021, Bruce Hornsby returns to the venue while on a tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of his 1998 album "Spirit Trail." The singer-songwriter and pianist rose to fame as leader of Bruce Hornsby and the Range, whose 1986 debut "The Way It Is" went triple-platinum thanks to songs such as the No. 1 hit title track and helped earn the group a Best New Artist Grammy. Hornsby's career has also included being a touring member of the Grateful Dead — the "Spirit Trail" track "Sunflower Cat (Some Dour Cat) (Down With That)" samples and loops the Dead song "China Cat Sunflower" — and contributing music to numerous Spike Lee films. He's continued to remain relevant, too, often collaborating with younger musicians on his newer albums, such as Blake Mills, HAIM's Danielle Haim and Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig on last year's album "'Flicted."

William Shatner (Nov. 11)

A screening of 1982's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," widely agreed to be the best of all the "Star Trek" films, will be followed by an appearance from James T. Kirk himself, as William Shatner shares stories and answers audience questions about his seven decades-long career. That now includes visiting space, the final frontier, himself after he took part in a Blue Origin spaceflight in 2021, with the then-90-year-old Shatner becoming the oldest person to visit space. That's not the only movie/star pairing Van Wezel plans to host this year: The 2023-24 season kicks off Sept. 30 with a screening of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" featuring Barry Bostwick, who played Brad Majors in the 1975 horror-comedy-musical cult classic.

Joe Bonamassa (Nov. 30)

Blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Joe Bonamassa will visit Van Wezel shortly after releasing his latest album "Blues Deluxe Vol. 2." Like the original "Blues Deluxe" released in 2003, the new album will feature a mix of originals and covers of songs by blues musicians such as Albert King, Bobby "Blue" Bland and Peter Green. After playing in the band Bloodline, with other members including Sarasota County resident Berry Duane Oakley, Bonamassa embarked on a solo career that now includes 26 No. 1 Billboard blues albums. His other accolades include three Grammy nominations, most recently a Best Contemporary Blues Album nomination for the 2020 full-length "Royal Tea."

Allman Betts Family Revival (Dec. 12)

The annual concert tour previously known as Allman Family Revival, paying tribute to the late Allman Brothers Band frontman and former Manatee County resident Gregg Allman , is rebranding this year. Now along with songs written by Allman, the concert will feature a second set of songs from his bandmate and longtime Sarasota County resident Dickey Betts, who wrote and sang Allman Brothers Band classics including "Ramblin' Man" and "Blue Sky," as well as composing the hit instrumental "Jessica." The lineup of musicians performing will include Betts' son Duane Betts, who released his own debut solo album "Wild & Precious Life" earlier this year , and Allman's son Devon Allman. They'll be joined by Anders Osborne, Luther and Cody Dickinson, Jimmy Hall, Jackie Greene, Larry McCray, Orbi Orbison, Ally Venable and other musicians.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd (Feb. 8)

Another big name in blues rock, guitarist and singer-songwriter Kenny Wayne Shepherd, will play Van Wezel in what the venue says will be his debut performance there. Shepherd rose to fame with albums such as his 1995 debut "Ledbetter Heights" and 1997's "Trouble Is...," both of which went platinum. The latter album's title track earned Shepherd the first of his five Grammy nominations, with his most recent nomination for his live album "Live! in Chicago" that saw him joined by other musicians including Hubert Sumlin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and the late Bradenton resident Bryan "Braille Blues Daddy" Lee . Last year, Shepherd released "Trouble Is... 25," a re-recording of his earlier album for its 25th anniversary with a previously unreleased cover of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man."

Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes (Feb. 13)

Another musical act set to make their Van Wezel debut this season is the Gipsy Kings, still featuring founding lead singer Nicolas Reyes. The group's sound blending flamenco and rumba with pop is credited with helping introduce the former two genres to a worldwide audience through releases including their platinum-selling 1987 self-titled album, featuring tracks such as "Bamboleo" and "Inspiration," which appeared on a "Miami Vice" episode. Indeed, you may have already heard their music even if you don't know them: their cover of the Eagles' "Hotel California" also appears in the Coen brothers' 1998 comedy cult classic "The Big Lebowski," and their rendition of Randy Newman's "You've Got a Friend in Me" in 2010's "Toy Story 3." Gipsy Kings are also eight-time Grammy nominees, winning a Best Global Music Album Grammy for 2013's "Savor Flamenco."

David Foster and Katharine McPhee (Feb. 14)

The husband-and-wife musical duo of composer/producer David Foster and singer Katharine McPhee return to Van Wezel for a show that, fittingly, falls on Valentine's Day. Foster is a 16-time Grammy winner who had a hand in some of the biggest pop songs of the '80s and '90s, including Chicago's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me" and Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You." Meanwhile, McPhee rose to fame as the runner-up of "American Idol" season five in 2006, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year, along with an acting career that's included lead roles on the television shows "Smash" and "Scorpion," and on Broadway in "Waitress."

Stanley Tucci (Feb. 26)

The Ringling College Library Association Town Hall lecture series, which takes place at Van Wezel, features Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor Stanley Tucci in this year's lineup. In recent years, he's hosted the travel show "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy," which has won the last two Emmys for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special, and is nominated again this year. Other awards Tucci have been nominated for include an Oscar for "The Lovely Bones," a Tony for "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune" by the late playwright and part-time Sarasota resident Terrence McNally, and even a Grammy for narrating "The One and Only Shrek!" alongside Meryl Streep. Tucci returns to our area after previously being a guest at Sarasota Film Festival .

Kristin Chenoweth (March 22)

Van Wezel's annual gala, which in past years has been headlined by stars such as Barry Manilow, Seal , Harry Connick Jr. and Jay Leno the night after his final "Tonight Show" appearance as host, this year will feature Kristin Chenoweth. The Emmy and Tony-winning actress-singer probably remains best known for originating the role of Glinda the Good Witch in the hit musical "Wicked," soon to get a two-part film adaptation starring South Florida-raised pop star Ariana Grande as Glinda. Chenoweth has also had roles in TV shows such as "The West Wing" and "Pushing Daisies," winning an Emmy for the latter, and currently appears on the Apple TV+ musical comedy series "Schmigadoon!"

Misty Copeland (April 15)

The upcoming Ringling College Library Association Town Hall lineup will come to a close with Misty Copeland, who is best known for her work in the ballet world, including being the first Black woman to be promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. Yet her presence extends even further into pop culture, being named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People and appearing on the magazine's cover in 2015, appearing in films including Disney's "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" and TV shows such as "So You Think You Can Dance," and appearing on stage with and in music videos for artists including Prince, Drake and Taylor Swift. Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, and author Nir Eyal round out the Town Hall lineup.

Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by  subscribing .

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota's Van Wezel biggest concerts, comedians, celebrities 2023-24