Stage Right
Southwest Florida’s newest performance venue, celebrity chef on the menu
When Capt. Brien Spina envisioned the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center, he dreamed big. His mission was bringing world-class performing arts to a new state-of-the-art, 27,000-square-foot entertainment space in Bonita Springs. If that mission wasn’t big enough, he also wanted to launch a modern, upscale Italian restaurant within that space helmed by a celebrity chef. In addition, Spina envisioned the space accommodating private events such as weddings, parties and corporate functions.
To house this multidisciplinary performing arts space, Spina chose a building that had t o be completely retrofitted to meet his bold vision, a task which, from permitting to construction, took years to complete. The process culminated with a June launch and fall performance scheduling that includes such icons as Jerry Lewis and Nelson Illusions, the largest touring illusion show in the United States. “I wanted to bring drama, music, magic, dance and all-around performing arts into one space,” Spina said in an interview ahead of the Center’s opening.
Spina has the experience to orchestrate the launch of a project as big as the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center. In 2005, for instance, he opened the Off the Hook Comedy Club on Marco Island as a first in Southwest Florida to incorporate a full-service restaurant into a comedy venue. Off the Hook Comedy Club, which has now relocated to Naples, brings in celebrity comedians on a regular basis.
When looking for celebrity talent to headline his new venue, Spina thought beyond just the stage, however, and looked to the kitchen as well. He recruited celebrity chef Michael Psilakis to helm the upscale and modern Italian restaurant within the Center, known as Teatro. The restaurant opened June 30.
Psilakis, who owns eight award-winning restaurants in New York and has appeared on Food Network’s Iron Chef, explains: “I received a call from Brien, and I sensed his excitement and passion coming out of every word he said,” describing why he signed on to project. “I am mostly known for my Greek restaurants, but I actually started my career in Italian, so this is really
IT’S HIS PASSION, HIS BABY AND HE’S RUNNING WITH IT, AND I’M FEEDING OFF HIS ENERGY.”
—CHEF MICHAEL PSILAKIS DISCUSSING BRIEN SPINA
a return to my roots. For me, it was exciting to be revisiting the past, now that I’m older and more accomplished.”
Psilakis explained his concept for a “core menu which changes seasonally, focused on farm-to-table ingredients, seasonal items which are sourced locally as much as possible.” He describes a menu rich with pasta, pizza, antipasto and appetizers, and mentions food presentation and plating will be “sexy,” to suit the restaurant’s modern ambiance. He credits Spina for “giving me the freedom to play with great ingredients and come up with unique dishes.”
Psilakis also credits Spina for his infectious passion for the project, as well as his vision for bringing interdisciplinary arts together under one roof in Southwest Florida. “Brien is all in; he’s very hands-on. He’s involved in every square inch of the facility, every fiber of what’s happening,” says Psilaksis. “It’s his passion, his baby and he’s running with it, and I’m feeding off his energy.”
About the overall vision behind the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center, Psilakis says, “From music to comedy to the culinary arts, Brien is giving a platform to artists to do their things,” predicting the Center will draw audiences from both the local community and well beyond.
I WANTED TO BRING DRAMA, MUSIC, MAGIC, DANCE AND ALL-AROUND PERFORMING ARTS INTO ONE SPACE.”
—BRIEN SPINA, OWNER SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER