We sat down with Nathaniel P. Claridad, the human history book of doo-wop. Find out more about him here: Have you ever performed in a cabaret before? If not, how would you describe FST’s process? This is my first experience performing in a cabaret! The process of creating Unchained Melodies was a whirlwind. Imagine workshopping and fully mounting a jukebox musical in three weeks – things … Continue reading Get to Know the Know-It-All
We sat down with Sarah Ellis, who plays Sibella Hallward in FST’s production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Get to know her a little bit more by reading the interview below: You were previously part of the national tour of Gentleman’s Guide. What was that experience like, and how is it different from FST’s production of the show? The Gentleman’s Guide tour was my first big … Continue reading Meet the Woman in the Pink Dress
by Charles E. Williams Some define privilege as a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others. To many, privilege is often thought of as something that is earned and not given. The controversial and often hotly disputed term “white privilege” can be thought of as an advantage that white people have in society that is earned by operation of … Continue reading White Entitlement: Exploring Racial Privilege
by Becca Jennings Let’s face it. The holidays are a time of good tidings, great cheer…and even greater stress. In Straight White Men, the festivities are unexpectedly suspended when son Matt is brought to tears, putting a confusing damper on the family’s Christmas celebration. Here’s a list of seven things inspired by the play that are guaranteed to up the stress level this holiday season. … Continue reading Don’t Have A Merry Meltdown
by Jenna Tonsor To say playwright Young Jean Lee is “a big deal” is an understatement. She’s been called “One of the best experimental playwrights in America,” by Time Out New York and “The most adventurous downtown playwright of her generation,” by The New York Times. She is the first female Asian American playwright to ever have a play produced on Broadway. She’s a two-time … Continue reading From the Outside In
by Jenna Tonsor They say you can never go home again. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Straight White Men by Young Jean Lee follows three adult brothers, Drew, Jake, and Matt, who reunite in their childhood home to celebrate the Christmas holiday with their father, Ed, who loves his boys as much as he loves forcing them to wear matching Christmas pajamas. Under … Continue reading A Holiday Hits Home
“JOLENE” Dolly Parton’s famous song, “Jolene,” is so popular that it is still being covered by well-known artists today, including Parton’s goddaughter, Miley Cyrus. Parton claims that she was inspired to write the song by a red-headed clerk at the local bank that she and her husband used when they had just gotten married. Apparently, this clerk flirted with her husband so often that she … Continue reading The Stories Behind the Songs
by Irene Martinko The female singer-songwriters below have each changed the American musical landscape through their honest, moving, and genuine songs. These women are as much legendary staples of the past as they are energizing cultural influences today. Still the subjects of musicals, plays, films, and tribute concerts, icons like Dolly Parton and Carole King continue to inspire contemporary artists like Taylor Swift and Miranda … Continue reading Where Are They Now?
by Becca Jennings “It’s a man’s world,” Joni Mitchell once said of the music industry. “Men wrote most of the songs for women, and they were mostly tales of seduction. I wrote my own songs. That ended that.” From the front porch swing to sold out stadiums, Guitar Girls, FST’s second Cabaret of the Winter Season, celebrates the greatest female-songwriters of the last century. Shining … Continue reading Four Women. One Man. Six Strings.
by Jordan Faddis On December 3, Florida Studio Theatre will hold a celebration honoring those who have made lifetime commitments to FST through planned giving. The event will include dedication ceremonies for both FST’s recently renovated artistic producing offices and its new costume studio. Florida Studio Theatre received a generous Legacy gift from the Muriel O’Neil Fund for Performing Arts of Community Foundation of Sarasota … Continue reading Planned Giving Matters
