Now You Know: This ‘Cracker’ never gets stale

Will Watts
·7 min read
The 15-month run of Compton & Bennett’s social satire “A Cracker at The Ritz” at Arts Bonita has been extended for another six months.
The 15-month run of Compton & Bennett’s social satire “A Cracker at The Ritz” at Arts Bonita has been extended for another six months.

The 15-month run of Compton & Bennett’s social satire “A Cracker at The Ritz” at Arts Bonita has been extended for another six months. It’s performed to sell-out audiences every other Tuesday in The Moe Auditorium.

“A Cracker at The Ritz” is a 90-minute romp in song and sketch as seen by Earlene, a fifth generation Florida native. She is proud of her Cracker heritage. “Who do you think sold Disney World to Disney?” she quips. “Crackers!”

“Cracker” is the longest running show to perform at Arts Bonita. It opened to a sold-out house in August 2022. Except for time off for a holiday tour, Compton & Bennett have played every other Tuesday since.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity that Artists in Residence at Arts Bonita gives us,” said Betsy Bennett.

“It’s meant we can develop a momentum and constancy that one-night stands don’t offer,” said partner Rick Compton.

“And playing Tuesday nights,” adds Bennett  “allows us to tour our other shows on weekends.”

She refers to “Assisted Living: The Musical” and “The Home … for the Holidays.” These are full-stage musicals with on-stage bands.

C&B have performed these shows in more than 200 halls, from El Portal in Hollywood, California, to The Tropicana Showroom in Atlantic City, NJ.

Tickets for “Cracker at The Ritz” are available at ArtsBonita.org or by calling 239-485-8989.

Lee Health welcomes 21 new resident physicians on Match Day 2024

On July 1, 21 new physicians will begin their residency training at Lee Health through one of two Florida State University College of Medicine residency programs, 12 in internal medicine and nine in family medicine.After graduating from either an allopathic medical school, which awards an M.D. degree, or an osteopathic medical school, which awards a D.O. degree, physicians are required to complete residency training in their chosen specialty to practice medicine independently. These new resident physicians were selected after a rigorous vetting and interview process from 5,733 applications received from graduating medical students and physicians from around the world.

This marks the third class for the internal medicine residency program, which is based at Cape Coral Hospital and accepts 12 new doctors each year for three years of training. The family medicine residency program, based at Lee Memorial Hospital, accepts nine new doctors each year and is also a three-year program.

“We are pleased to welcome another diverse group of internal medicine residents from around the world to Lee Health and Cape Coral Hospital,” said Maja Delibasic, M.D., program director of the internal medicine residency. “They all graduated from different medical schools from 10 countries, and we can’t wait to see what unique perspectives they’ll bring to the Southwest Florida community as they continue their medical training.”

Alfred Gitu, M.D., family medicine residency director, likewise was “thrilled to welcome the next class of family medicine residents to Southwest Florida.”

“Our residency program continutes to be a top choice among graduating medical students from around the world,” he said, “and we are excited that our residents choose to stay here in Southwest Florida to continue serving patients in our community.”

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) announced 2024 as another record-breaking year with 50,413 applicants registered in the match, an all-time high in the program’s 70-year history. The rise in applicants was driven largely by an increase of 1,986 non-U.S. citizen international medical graduates (IMGs) and 623 osteopathic (D.O.)  fourth-year students over last year, according to the NRMP.

Lee Health launched the family medicine residency program in 2012 to address the shortage of primary care physicians in Southwest Florida. The internal residency program was launched in 2022. Eight residents graduated last year from Lee Health’s family medicine program and half of them remained in Southwest Florida to practice. The internal medicine residency program will  graduate its first class in 2025.The new residents were announced at the annual Match Day celebration on March 15. At noon Eastern time on the third Friday in March each year, graduating medical students across the United States are allowed to open their envelopes, learning where they “matched” for residency. The new residents at Lee Health:

Internal medicine

  • Peter Aceto, D.O., Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, Ala.

  • Aybike Atak, M.D., Baskent Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi, Turkey

  • Kimerlee Beans, M.D., St. George’s University, Grenada

  • Marco Calle Prado, M.D., Universidad Católica de Guayaquil Facultad, Ecuador

  • Claudiu Ciuciureanu, M.D., Universitatea de Medicin i Farmacie Carol Davila, Romania

  • Osama El Aryan, D.O., Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Iowa

  • Caroline Fretter, M.D., Universität zu Köln Medizinische Fakultät, Germany

  • Alonso Garro, M.D., Universidad Científica del Sur Facultad de Medicina Humana, Peru

  • Shajetha Iyathurai, M.D., American University of Antigua College of Medicine

  • Berniece Johnson, M.D., Ross University College of Medicine, Barbados

  • Arseni Khorochkov, M.D., Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland

  • Lane Sager, D.O., Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Family medicine

  • Hannah Ammari, D.O., Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lynchburg, Va.

  • Majed Ammari, .DO., Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lynchburg, Va.

  • Nirupam Duggirala, M.D., Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, India

  • Gabriela Elias, M.D., St. George's University of Medicine, Grenada

  • Yasmin Garcia, M.D., Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Puerto Rico

  • Mario Jacome, D.O., Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

  • Eve Reid, M.D., Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan

  • Anthony Whyte, M.D., St. George's University of Medicine, Grenada

  • Lathem Wojno, M.D., Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit

2024 SWFL INCredible Award Applications Open

Award applications for the 2024 SWFL INCredible Awards are now open. The winners will be recognized at the May 29 awards ceremony hosted by SWFL Inc. at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“If you’re wondering what makes Southwest Florida INCredible, the answer from SWFL Inc. would be the people and the businesses. We recognize the impact our business leaders have on the Southwest Florida region, resulting in a strong community,” said Tiffany Esposito, president and CEO of SWFL Inc. “Now, you have a chance to say, ‘thank you’ to the organizations that had influence in your life this year.”

Nominations are being accepted until April 8th, at swflinc.com/2024-incredible-awards-.

If you’d like to nominate a business and don’t have enough information to complete the application, just email the organization name and a brief note about why you think it deserves to win an award to Katy@SWFLinc.com, and a representative from SWFL Inc. will reach out to the owner to complete the application.

The 2023 Small Business of the Year Award will celebrate a Lee, Collier or Charlotte County for-profit, with one hundred or fewer employees, which serves the community in an exceptional way. This prestigious award has been presented by the organization since 2001.

The Nonprofit of the Year Award is given annually to a 501(c)3 organization that is seen as a leader in its industry and as an invaluable organization in Southwest Florida. The nonprofit can be based in Lee, Collier or Charlotte County.

The Innovation Award is presented to a business that creates unique and forward-thinking solutions to address the needs of its clients. The SWFL Citizen of the Year honors an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the betterment of Southwest Florida over the past 12 months. The INCredible Award recognizes a graduate of Leadership SWFL who exemplifies the values of the program by demonstrating leadership, community stewardship and a desire to continue learning and growing professionally.

Lastly, the Veteran-Owned Business of the Year Award recognizes a veteran-owned organization that has demonstrated strong business performance and exemplifies significant contributions in Lee, Collier or Charlotte County. All finalists for the award will be recognized at the INCredible Awards on May 29.

Tickets are available at swflinc.com/2024-incredible-awards-.

More Now You Know: Lee Health releases ‘Benefit Report,’ Sole Searching opens

And Now You Know: Collaboratory grant replaces aviary at Wonder Gardens

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Now You Know: This ‘Cracker’ never gets stale