Murder hornets? Bitcoin? Captain Kirk actually going to space? To say the past couple years have been a wild ride might be the biggest understatement of the century. Although the 2020s may not have been all fun and games so far, FST’s popular musical sketch comedy show, Laughing Matters, gives audiences a chance to look back and find the humor in the madness of the … Continue reading “Laughing Matters” is back with All-New Laughs
Pickup trucks. Dirt roads. Cowboy hats…Electric guitar solos? Since its inception, the definition of what constitutes “country music” has been ever-evolving. In its early days, country was called “hillbilly music,” created by European immigrants who settled in the foothills of Appalachia with their folksy ballads and fiddles in tow. In the ‘30s and ‘40s, the heart of country was cowboy songs and bluegrass. Then, the … Continue reading The Resilience of the People’s Music
Travis Keith Battle is making his FST debut he is certainly no stranger to doo-wop. He has also performed in shows like Dreamgirls and Memphis, which both feature influences of the genre. We sat down with Travis to learn more about his experiences working on The Wanderers, from what he enjoys most about Sarasota audiences, to why doo-wop is such a challenging art form and … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Meet The Wanderers’ Travis Keith Battle
When most people think “Country Music,” geographically, they often think about the Southern or Midwestern United States. But country is true “melting pot music,” with roots from literally all around the world. The fiddle, from Europe. The banjo, from Africa. The mandolin, from Italy. And with each addition, the genre evolved, splitting off like tree branches, and giving birth to more and more nuanced subgenres … Continue reading Melting Pot Music…Electrified
“Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.” – Plato FST is thrilled to kick off its Winter Cabaret Season with The Wanderers, a musical celebration of the great male harmony groups of the 1950s along with the artists they helped inspire in the 1960s. Featuring such timeless hits as “At the Hop,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” … Continue reading “Feel-Good Music” is In Order!
Assaf Gleizner has co-created several shows that have premiered at FST with The Swingaroos, the Swing-era territory band that he started with vocalist Kimberly Hawkey. Now, he is back to highlight the greatest hits of the 1920s-1960s with an all-new show, Jukebox Saturday Night. We sat down with Assaf to learn more about personal connection to music, how he decided to become a musician, and about music’s … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Meet The Swingaroos’ Assaf Gleizner
Fall in love with the music of the ‘50s and the ‘60s all over again with this season’s Winter Cabaret opener, The Wanderers! In this charming new music revue, our cast of four accomplished performers will transport you back to simpler times with their tight harmonies, slick choreography, and, of course, matching jackets. Honoring the dynamic harmony groups of the mid-20th century—from The Four Seasons … Continue reading Harmony Heads Up The Season
Since 2015, Kimberly Hawkey has created and performed in all-new shows at FST in different Cabarets that highlight the evolution of music with her swing-era territory band, The Swingaroos. This summer, she returns to entertain FST audiences with some jukebox flair while celebrating the sounds of the turn of the century. We sat down with Kimberly to learn more about Jukebox Saturday Night, her favorite songs to … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Meet The Swingaroos’ Kimberly Hawkey
Over the past six years, Adam Rennie has traveled around the world, sharing and celebrating the music of Canadian crooner, Michael Bublé. This summer, he has been charming FST audiences with hits like “Feeling Good,” “Moondance,” and “Just Haven’t Met You Yet.” We sat down with Adam to learn more about his experiences on the road with Shades of Bublé, his favorite songs to perform, … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Meet Shades of Bublé’s Adam Rennie
Where could you find Bob Dylan, Motown hits, patriotic anthems, and musical comedians like Spike Jones all in one place? We’ll give you a hint… What machine sat in the corner of almost every diner and soda shop in America for most of the 20th century? You guessed it! The jukebox. Now Sarasota’s favorite swing-era territory band, The Swingaroos, are back at FST to explore … Continue reading Swingin’ Through the Century
FST Stage Directions 