By Meg Gilbert

One big idea shines through FST’s 4th Annual Children’s Theatre Season: anyone can be a storyteller.

“Using the imagination and innovation that audiences have come to expect from FST, we will tell stories of truth and family for a new generation this season,” shared Caroline Kaiser, FST’s Director of Children’s Theatre.

Starting November 30, FST’s Children’s Theatre celebrates the holidays with Deck the Halls: A Holly Jolly Holiday, a brand new rendition of a Sarasota tradition. This never-before-seen show is a festive opportunity for audiences to connect with friends and family through song, dance, and laughter.

Following Deck the Halls is Tomás and the Library Lady beginning January 11. Tomás, the son of a family of migrant workers, spends long, hot days in the fields harvesting crops alongside his parents. But when he meets a kind librarian, she helps him find an escape from the heat in the form of thousands of books.

“This play is especially near and dear to my heart because it is all about celebrating the power of a story and each individual’s power to write their own,” says Kaiser.

Tomás and the Library Lady is also on tour! The story of Tomás is inspiring even more young hearts and minds as it travels to local Florida schools through FST’s award-winning WRITE A PLAY program. An arts-in-education initiative, WRITE A PLAY provides students with the inspiration, the skills, and the example to write their own plays. Since its inception in 1991, the program has touched the lives of over one million children.

Closing out the season is The Star That Could Not Twinkle, a collection of winning plays written and submitted by students in grades K-6 through WRITE A PLAY. Starting March 28, youth and their favorite grownups will be inspired by the creativity and imaginations of these young playwrights, brought to life by professional actors.

This year, children and their families will have more opportunities to experience the magic of theatre at FST than ever before.

“We are excited to offer audiences even more chances to see live theatre as a family this season. We’ve grown now to perform on Saturdays, and on most Sundays,” said Kaiser. “And the shows we are producing this year are all different, yet they share heart and humanity as a common thread. This season is a diverse showcase of all that Florida Studio Theatre has to offer for young audiences.”