(Abridged From Dangerous Ladies Shindig – February 24, 2020) When I arrived in 1980, we started with 72 seats and tin cans for lights. We had 103 subscribers and a budget of $140,000. That year, we survived and grew to 450 subscribers. I remind myself: Never forget your roots, Richard. We wanted to make great contemporary theatre that our friends could afford to come and … Continue reading FST Leading the Way
Dear Friends and Patrons, We hope that you and your families are safe and well. While we have cancelled our Summer Seasons and Annual Sarasota Improv Festival, we are excited to be able to bring you special live musical and comedy entertainment along with educational opportunities – all at reduced capacities – this summer. Now running through June 20, FST is entertaining outdoor diners with … Continue reading Update: FST On COVID-19
“America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath- America will be!” -Langston Hughes Dear Friends and Patrons, We stand with our Brothers and Sisters. We stand with the Fallen. Say their names. Out loud. George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Tamir Rice. Emmett Till. Say them over and over. They are like prayers beckoning us. Their last breaths plead with us. … Continue reading Florida Studio Theatre Statement
by Benedict Burgess His aggressive, radical approach to law made him an icon – both loved and loathed in equal measure. This Stage III season in FST’s Kunstler, famous lawyer William Moses Kunstler stands trial, himself, for a forty-plus year legal career spent defending some of the twentieth century’s most contentious court cases. “I have long been fascinated by public figures who undermine the reputations … Continue reading In Defense of Defense
by Benedict Burgess Christopher Demos-Brown is no ordinary playwright. Sure, he’s a co-founder and literary manager of a successful Miami theatre company, and author of various award-winning plays, including the Broadway hit American Son. But what really sets him apart are not his theatrical accolades, but his law career. After spending two years as a Los Angeles actor, Demos-Brown transitioned into law, enrolling at Tufts … Continue reading Raising the Bar
By Meg Gilbert and Irene Martinko While the Guitar Girls are “Workin’ 9-5” in FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, struggling LA actor Alex More is working the oddest of odd jobs in FST’s Bowne Lab Theatre. “The gates opened, and suddenly I was in another world. Like when Dorothy steps from sepia into technicolor,” muses character Alex More in the opening of Buyer & Cellar by Jonathan … Continue reading Secrets Stored: Unveiling Celebrity at all Costs
In David Gow’s Cherry Docs, Mike, a neo-Nazi skinhead, is charged with a racially motivated murder and Legal Aid assigns him a Jewish lawyer, Danny. Over the course of developing a defense for Mike, Danny is forced to examine the limits of his own liberalism and its underlying demons. This drama is an unblinking exploration of the roots of hatred, and examines how its growth can be … Continue reading Facing Your Demons
The very first Tyrone puppet built for Hand to God was constructed by Steven Boyer, the first actor to have a hand at playing troubled protagonist, Jason. Playwright Robert Askins was born in Cypress, TX, the setting for the play. In 2016, Hand to God became the most produced new play in America. The Boston Globe described playwright Askins as a writer who “wraps his … Continue reading Did You Know?
By Melanie Slusar Every year, FST presents one outstanding intern with the annual Daniel R. Mandelker and Marlene N. Harris Scholarship Award. The scholarship honor is given in recognition of the intern’s talent, drive, and achievement. The person is chosen because they embody the core values and mission of FST, and act as a model for others through their natural leadership. This year, the award … Continue reading FST Presents the Annual Daniel R. Mandelker and Marlene N. Harris Scholarship Award
by Mary Donofrio Despite their fruitful collaboration, Gilbert and Sullivan often quarreled when developing a new piece. Sullivan often found Gilbert’s plots to be repetitive and unrealistic, and felt his artistic growth as a composer was being stifled. Sullivan requested to leave their partnership several times, and produced extensive solo work. During their feuds, their producer, Richard D’Oyly Carte, was able to keep the public … Continue reading Art Isn’t Easy
FST Stage Directions 