On February 28, 2022, Florida Studio Theatre announced the plans for an ambitious new endeavor: The Mulva Arts Plaza. The largest expansion project in the theatre’s 49-year history, FST will construct an eleven-story building on its campus in downtown Sarasota adjacent to the theatre’s existing Hegner Theatre Wing. This will enable FST to meet its expanding needs and strengthen the theatre’s role as a vital … Continue reading Unveiling Our Future
The stages are set. The costumes are made. The talent is warming up in the wings. But our audiences’ theatre-going experience wouldn’t be complete without a little help from the people behind FST’s Green Room Cafe & Bar, who are just as eager as our artists and administrative staff to welcome you back to the theatre. “What is so special about FST’s Green Room is … Continue reading Here To Serve You
Dear Friends and Patrons, There’s a light at the end of the tunnel…and it’s the spotlight on our stage! We know you’ve been eagerly awaiting an update on what this season is going to look like. We have good news and bad news. The good news is that there is a vaccine, and it’s well on its way. The medical community is projecting that a … Continue reading A Message from the Producing Artistic Director
Dear Friends and Patrons, I hope that you and yours are staying well during this difficult time. It has been SIX MONTHS since the Pandemic of 2020 forced us to shutter our theatres. The good news is that FST is strong and we are weathering this difficult moment in our collective history with a positive spirit. We are down to a skeletal crew of about 30 … Continue reading A Message from the Producing Artistic Director – FST Remains Strong
With 47-years of history, FST’s five-theatre campus is chock-full of stories, little-known-facts, and hidden gems from the past. Whether you’ve been subscribing season after season for years, or are newer to FST’s community, we invite you to test your knowledge of Sarasota’s Contemporary Theatre! Keep reading for some fun facts that even our biggest fans may be surprised to learn… A PIECE OF HISTORY Did … Continue reading How well do you know Sarasota’s Contemporary Theatre?
By Lydia Baxter At one point in time, no audience had ever seen A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A Streetcar Named Desire wasn’t always a household name. A Raisin in the Sun was once just an idea in Lorraine Hansberry’s head. As FST’s Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins likes to say, “Without new plays, we wouldn’t have old plays.” At Florida Studio Theatre, a group of … Continue reading Investing in Theatre’s Future
Dear Friends and Patrons, I hope that you and yours are staying well. It has been four long months since the Pandemic of 2020 forced us to shutter our theatres. The date was March 15, 2020, when the lights were turned off on all five stages. The good news is that FST is surviving. We’ve been working diligently, making improvements to the theatre for a … Continue reading An Important FST Winter Season Update
By Justin M. Jones At the peak of season, you can find FST’s Production team building sets, props, and costumes. Today, you will see them working as hard as ever to ensure that when we reopen, your theatre experience with FST rises to an all-new level. We checked in with some of our Production team members to find them installing and testing new sound equipment, … Continue reading What’s To Come: Advancements For Your Enjoyment
Art brings people together. The pandemic has the opposite effect. After coronavirus reached our country, it brought social distancing in its wake. Restrictions on human contact saved lives, but killed live performances. Concerts yielded to the sounds of silence. Theaters closed. The shows did not go on. Stages emptied and audiences stayed home. People hid from the world — and each other. That’s the bad … Continue reading The Other Side of the Curtain
As of May 11, we have come to the difficult conclusion that our Summer Season and Annual Sarasota Improv Festival cannot go on as originally planned. The health and safety of our audience, staff, and artists are paramount. Therefore, we must cancel the Summer Season and Festival. The good news is that we believe we will be able to do some exciting programming in FST’s … Continue reading An Important FST Announcement
FST Stage Directions 