Which comes first, the script or the show? That depends. Live theater typically starts on the page before it hits the stage. Sketch comedy is a different animal – the script often comes last. In this summer of social distancing, the conventional approach of sketch comedians bouncing ideas off each other in a writers room is clearly not an option. So Florida Studio Theatre’s comedy … Continue reading The Long-Distance Comedy Kitchen
The Way We Live Now Whose story is it anyway? Playwright Thomas Gibbons considers the implications of that question in the past, present, and future tense. His previous work include two plays that Florida Studio Theatre produced in the mid-2000s: Permanent Collection (2007) and Bee-luther-hatchee (2004). Gibbons’ more recent plays investigate issues of identity and authenticity in present day and near-future societies. The uneasy present interrupted … Continue reading Inside the Playwrights Project – Thomas Gibbons
“I stretch my hands and catch at Hope.” Sarah Bierstock is a nationally recognized performer, playwright, and producer. A passionate world traveler, Sarah distilled her experiences of our uneasy global village in her hard-hitting, critically acclaimed drama, Honor Killing, which had its World Premiere at Florida Studio Theatre in 2018. But Bierstock’s world became very small after the quarantine took hold. The world of her … Continue reading Inside the Playwrights Project – Sarah Bierstock
Timely lessons. Timeless theater. The multi-talented Sam Mossler is a playwright, actor, and improv comedian. Before the pandemic, he put his many talents to work at Florida Studio Theatre. He performed on stage in such FST productions as How to Use a Knife, The Nether, and Kunstler. Backstage, he taught acting and playwriting in FST classes for adults and children. After the pandemic hit, Mossler … Continue reading Inside the Playwrights Project — Sam Mossler
Swing is alive and kicking in the 21st century. For proof, check out The Swingaroos – a sizzling sextet, comprising some of New York City’s finest swing players. It’s the brainchild of lyricist and lead vocalist, Kimberly Hawkey and pianist and composer, Assaf Gleizner. Their band has been a sure-fire crowd-pleaser in a long string of Florida Studio Theatre Cabaret productions, including Hollywood Serenade and … Continue reading The Swingaroos: Still Swingin’ After All These Years
Sarah Durham has a background in playwriting, and has studied improv and comedy writing at The Second City troupe in Chicago. Durham is now the head writer for Florida Studio Theatre’s Sketch Program, and a member of FST Improv. She knows a thing or two about dramatic structure. Whether it’s Hamlet or Harpo, there’s a basic three-part template… The key character (or characters) fight for a … Continue reading Can’t Stop the Comedy Train
The Worlds That Jones Made Playwright Kenneth Jones is many things — a playwright, lyricist, and librettist, to name a few. An overnight sensation he’s not. Before writing his own plays, he spent 15 years as a theater critic. Then Jones took a leap of faith — and changed his job description to playwright. His early work made a splash. But Alabama Story was his first … Continue reading Inside the Playwrights Project – Kenneth Jones
The Stages of Change Playwright Rachel Lynett doesn’t want to complain about society. She wants to change it. That passion fires her current works in progress as part of FST’s Playwrights Project. Her latest plays include As You Are, a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, and Carry Me, which explores the confluence of the abolitionist and suffragist movements. Both plays draw from the past. But as … Continue reading Inside the Playwrights Project – Rachel Lynett
It’s Alive! Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is the grandfather of modern science fiction. Her tale of the creation of artificial life and consciousness spawned a long line of descendants. That family tree includes James Whale’s iconic adaptation of Shelley’s novel, Metropolis, 2001, Blade Runner, and HBO’s Westworld series. When playwright José Casas joined The Playwrights Project at Florida Studio Theatre, he decided to adapt Shelley’s classic as a … Continue reading Inside the Playwrights Project – José Casas
Theater Reinvented Like all Florida Studio Theatre productions, The Playwrights Project began with a huddle. In this case, a virtual huddle on Zoom, thanks to social distancing. Richard Hopkins, FST’s Producing Artistic Director, challenged the participating theatre artists to follow Shakespeare’s example. Think epic. Think big. Reinvent what theater means. Create a new kind of theater that’s relevant for today. Quite a challenge. It captured … Continue reading Inside The Playwrights Project – Sandy Rustin
FST Stage Directions 