Lush landscape, beautiful beaches and pristine settings—that’s what Naples is known for. What can be surprising is who might be lunching on the other side of the restaurant, or dropping by Wynn’s Market for a last-minute ingredient. Many of these notables chose Naples because of its quiet beauty and the ability to fly under the radar. We introduce 10 interesting, and possibly surprising, neighbors.
Center Stage
Patty Baker | Tony Award-Winning Producer
Patty Baker wrote, acted and produced her own plays when she was in grade school, but she didn’t get back into theater until five years ago, as a Broadway producer. After studying art history and theater in college, she realized she couldn’t make a living on stage. Today the arts and education supporter has a big role financing shows as a producer. “It’s like the stock market, but more fun,” she says. “Even if you don’t make money, you have wonderful experiences.” Her first foray into producing was Legally Blonde, The Musical, which lost momentum on Broadway after a scene designers’ strike, but gained it back on tour. Baker has also backed All My Sons, Blithe Spirit and Memphis, which won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. She called winning a Tony in 2010 “ethereal,” even though her gown was stepped on as she made her way to the stage. “I could barely get up the steps,” she recalls. “It was really great.” In February 2012, the touring company brings Memphis to the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts, where Baker and her husband, Jay, donated $10 million to the Naples Museum of Art. Baker enjoys sharing her passions with her friends in Naples and New York. “It’s wonderful when they merge,” she says. “It’s like coming home to two places, like when friends from different parts of your life meet each other and get along.” Currently, she is behind the Broadway hit Catch Me if You Can, and is looking forward to Bonnie & Clyde and another show this fall. She also enjoys mentoring others, including friends in Naples, to invest in theater through her company Good Production.
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