Florida Studio Theatre

Last updated
Florida Studio Theatre
FST's Hegner Theatre Wing Greg Wilson.jpg
FST's Hegner Theatre Wing Greg Wilson
Address1241 North Palm Avenue
Location Sarasota, Florida
Public transit Sarasota County Area Transit
Type Theatre
Opened1973 (1973)
Website
floridastudiotheatre.org

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is a professional, non-profit theater company located in Sarasota, Florida that represents one of the major cultural institutions in the Gulf Coast region. [1] Founded in 1973 as a touring troupe, FST is currently a regional theatre specializing in contemporary work and a member of the League of Resident Theatres. [2] [3] According to the Theatre Communications Group, it is the third largest subscription theatre in the country. [4] Each year, more than 225,000 attendees are served by the theatre's diverse programs including the Mainstage Series, Cabaret Series, Stage III, Children's Theatre, The FST School, New Play Development, and FST Improv.

Contents

FST consists of five theatre spaces: The Keating Theatre, the Gompertz Theatre, Goldstein Cabaret, John C. Court Cabaret, and Bowne's Lab Theatre. All of the spaces are located in a two-block radius in downtown Sarasota along with production facilities and administration offices.

History

FST's Gompertz Theatre, one of its Mainstage performance spaces. Florida Studio Theatre, Gompertz Theatre Interior.JPG
FST's Gompertz Theatre, one of its Mainstage performance spaces.

Keating Theatre

Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Jon Spelman as an alternative touring company during the height of the American regional theatre movement. [5] Originally presenting plays in migrant camps and prisons, it was established as a resident theatre in 1980 when Richard Hopkins, an actor at Asolo Repertory Theatre, was named the artistic director. It spent the next three years in various locations before moving into the former Sarasota Woman's Club, one of Sarasota's oldest surviving buildings, in 1983. [6]

Founded in 1913, the Sarasota Woman's Club started as a meeting of 63 charter members on April 14, 1913. [7] In 1914, Sarasota was incorporated as a city and after two years of club activities, the cornerstone was laid at their new clubhouse at the corner of Cocoanut and Palm on January 1, 1915. [8] When the club relocated, the building became slated for demolition. It was purchased by Marian McKenna and later sold to Florida Studio Theatre. In 1985, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. [9]

The building became home to the Keating Theatre. It originally seated 72 people, while today the capacity is at 173. It is home to FST's Main Stage Series and Children's Theatre. [10] While the education department was launched in 1982, the institution's signature Write-a-Play program was developed in 1991. This program was designed to encourage students from kindergarten to high school to engage in playwriting and receives over 2,000 submissions per year. The program culminates with the Young Playwright's Festival which includes a full staging of the winning entries. Past participants have come from as far as Russia, Scotland, Italy, and Israel. [11]

The Keating also hosts the Sarasota Festival of New Plays. Edward Albee spoke at the festival six times, lecturing on "art, politics, and commitment" in 1997. That same year, then-mayor Gene Pillot proclaimed May as Florida Studio Theatre Write A Play Month. [12]

Cabaret

Florida Studio Theatre began offering cabaret performances in local restaurants in the 1980s and by 1995 it had opened a space for its own cabaret season. Originally called the Cabaret Club, it was renamed Goldstein Cabaret in 2003 in honor of Alan and Alfred Goldstein and became the first theatre on the FST campus dedicated to musical cabaret performance. [13] Performances typically consist of song selections based around a central theme. [14] [15] The theatre has been home to over 71 productions, beginning with a production titled The Jazz Club and more recently, The Wonder Years: The Music of the Baby Boomers in 2019.

The cabaret space has a seating capacity of 100 and has a subscription base of over 8,000 people. There is a bar adjoining the space that offers in-theatre dining.

In 2012, FST broke ground on a new facility that would come to be known as the Hegner Theatre Wing. [16] Included in the complex was the John C. Court Cabaret, a second space for original musical reviews. It opened in 2013. It was named in memory of FST board member Georgia Court's late husband, John Court. It also serves as a venue for the Jazz Club of Sarasota and has hosted notable jazz musicians such as Dominick Farinacci. [17]

Hegner Theatre Wing

In 2003, FST purchased the building that would eventually become the Gompertz Theatre. [18] Originally a movie theater in the 1920s, the Great Depression caused the theatre to close. But by the 1940s, the theatre reopened and hosted a variety of road shows and performances. In 1951, the theatre was known at the Palm Tree Playhouse, but it closed again in the 1960s and spent the next decade mostly dormant.

In the mid-1970s, Asolo Repertory Theatre purchased the space for production purposes and second stage performances before selling it to Anita Katzman. It was then reoccupied by Siesta Key Actors Theatre followed by TheatreWorks Sarasota in the 1980s before again falling dormant. The building was acquired by Florida Studio Theatre and renamed the Gompertz Theatre in honor of Leila Gompertz, who made the lead gift enabling the purchase. In 2012 the space went under significant renovations. A $5.8 million dollar renovation culminated in a completely refurbished stage as part of the multi-theater Hegner Theatre Wing. [19] The Gompertz currently seats 237 while serving as a host of FST's Main Stage productions. Along with the Keating, it is also utilized for the Burdick New Play Festival. [20]

The third performance space in the complex is Bowne's Lab Theatre. It was named for one of John Court's ancestors, John Bowne. Opening in 2014, the lab space hosts the Stage III series which is reserved for experimental productions or plays with darker material. [21] Past productions have included The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? , Hand to God , and The Nether . Bowne's is also the host of FST's Improv program and home improvisational theatre team.

Notable Productions

Official website

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

Sarasota is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Greater Tampa Bay Area, and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Sarasota is a principal city of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2020 U.S. census, Sarasota had a population of 54,842, up from 51,917 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie Tucker</span> Ukrainian-born American show business personality (1886–1966)

Sophie Tucker was an American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertainers in the U.S. during the first half of the 20th century. She was known by the nickname "the Last of the Red-Hot Mamas".

<i>Cabaret</i> (musical) Stage musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff

Cabaret is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Masteroff. It is based on the 1951 play I Am a Camera by John Van Druten, which in turn was based on the 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katie Finneran</span> American actress (born 1971)

Katie Finneran is an American actress best known for her Tony Award–winning performances in the Broadway play Noises Off in 2002, and the musical Promises, Promises in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studio 54</span> Broadway theater and former nightclub

Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served as a CBS broadcast studio in the mid-20th century. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened the Studio 54 nightclub, retaining much of the former theatrical and broadcasting fixtures, inside the venue in 1977. Roundabout Theatre Company renovated the space into a Broadway house in 1998.

Dinner theater is a form of entertainment that combines a restaurant meal with a staged play or musical. "Dinner and a show" can also refer to a restaurant meal in combination with live concert music, where patrons listen to a performance during a break in the meal. In the case of a theatrical performance, sometimes the play is incidental entertainment, secondary to the meal. In the style of a night club, the play may be the main feature of the evening, with dinner less important or optional. Dinner theater requires the management of three distinct entities: a live theater, a restaurant and, usually, a bar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota</span> Public college in Manatee and Sarasota County, Florida, United States

State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota (SCF) is a public college with campuses in the Manatee and Sarasota counties of Florida. Part of the Florida College System, it is designated a "state college" because it offers a greater number of bachelor's degrees than community colleges. SCF is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1957 as Manatee Junior College, it was known as Manatee Community College from 1985 to 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Center for the Performing Arts</span> Set of concert halls within the larger Denver Performing Arts Complex

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts(DCPA) is an organization in Denver, Colorado which provides a showcase for live theatre, a nurturing ground for new plays, a preferred stop on the Broadway touring circuit, acting classes for the community and rental facilities. It was founded in 1972.

<i>Contact</i> (musical) Musical

Contact is a musical "dance play" that was developed by Susan Stroman and John Weidman, with its "book" by Weidman and both choreography and direction by Stroman. It ran both off-Broadway and on Broadway in 1999–2002. It consists of three separate one-act dance plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Conservatory Theater</span> Theater company and historic place in San Francisco, California

The American Conservatory Theater (ACT) is a nonprofit theater company in San Francisco, California, United States, that offers both classical and contemporary theater productions. It also has an attached acting school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August Wilson Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The August Wilson Theatre is a Broadway theater at 245 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, the theater was designed by C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim and was built for the Theatre Guild. It is named for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson (1945–2005). The August Wilson has approximately 1,225 seats across two levels and is operated by ATG Entertainment. The facade is a New York City designated landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Straz Center for the Performing Arts</span>

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts venue in Tampa, Florida, United States. It opened in July 1987 as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and was renamed in 2009. The Straz Center is owned by the City of Tampa and operated by the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Sondheim Theatre</span> Broadway theater in Manhattan, New York

The Stephen Sondheim Theatre, formerly Henry Miller's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 124 West 43rd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Owned by the Durst Organization and managed by the Roundabout Theatre Company, the modern 1,055-seat theater opened in 2009 at the base of the Bank of America Tower. The current theater is mostly underground and was designed by Cookfox, architects of the Bank of America Tower. It retains the landmarked facade of the original Henry Miller's Theatre, which was built in 1918 by Henry Miller, the actor and producer.

Isabel Keating is an American actress and singer. She is known for her performance as Judy Garland in the original Broadway production of The Boy from Oz, which earned her a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award.

The Roundabout Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota Woman's Club</span> United States historic place

The Sarasota Woman's Club is a historic woman's club in Sarasota, Florida. It is located at 1241 North Palm Avenue. It was founded in 1913 and on January 18, 1985, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The clubhouse is now home to the Keating Theater, the mainstage of Florida Studio Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linda Emond</span> American actress (born 1959)

Linda Marie Emond is an American stage, film, and television actress. Emond has received three Tony Award nominations for her performances in Life (x) 3 (2003), Death of a Salesman (2012), and Cabaret (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syesha Mercado</span> American actress, model and musician

Syesha Raquel Mercado is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and model. Mercado placed third during the seventh season of American Idol. Prior to American Idol, Mercado was on The One: Making a Music Star and she won Florida Super Singer. Her musical influences are Whitney Houston, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Zap Mama, Lauryn Hill, and Aretha Franklin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Theater Center</span> Off-Broadway theater in New York City

The Theater Center is an off-Broadway theater on 50th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It has two stages.

Stupid Fucking Bird is a contemporary adaptation of Anton Chekhov's 1896 play The Seagull, written by American playwright Aaron Posner, co-founder of the Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia. Posner has written multiple adaptations of Chekhov and Shakespeare's works. In 2013, Stupid Fucking Bird premiered at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. According to Howard Shalwitz, the play takes a satirical spin on a theatrical classic, but has the essence of Chekhov's original intent for the piece—what it means to create art.

References

  1. ↑ "Florida Studio Theatre Receives $60,000 Grant from The Shubert Foundation". Scene Sarasota. June 16, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  2. ↑ Handleman, Jay (September 5, 2021). "Florida Studio Theatre leaders rediscovering their love of theater in new season". Sarasota Herald-Tribune . Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Member Theatres". League of Resident Theatres . Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Theatre Communications Group's Report on the Fiscal State of the U.S. Professional Not-for-Profit Theatre Field" (PDF). Theatre Communications Group. December 21, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  5. ↑ O'Quinn, Jim (June 16, 2015). "Going National: How America's Regional Theatre Movement Changed the Game". American Theatre Magazine . Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Florida Studio Theatre, Established 1973". Sarasota Magazine.
  7. ↑ Mrs. F.H. Guenther, January 1930, read to Florida Club Women
  8. ↑ “Sarasota: An Overview of People and Events.” Teacher Resource Guide. 1986.
  9. ↑ "NP Gallery Asset Detail".
  10. ↑ Handleman, Jay (September 5, 2021). "10 things to know about Florida Studio Theatre". Sarasota Herald-Tribune . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ Wild, Stephi (September 20, 2019). "FST Will Inspire Over 47,000 Florida Students With its WRITE A PLAY Program". Broadway World. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  12. ↑ Lefkowitz, David (May 24, 1997). "Albee To Speak At Florida New Play Fest, May 24". Playbill . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Theater curtains are rising all across Southwest Florida". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. January 10, 2003. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  14. ↑ Sierra, Gabrielle (December 21, 2011). "Shake, Rattle & Roll Plays Florida Studio Theatre's Goldstein Cabaret 1/4". Broadway World. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  15. ↑ Sierra, Gabrielle (October 1, 2020). "FST Presents THE WANDERERS In The Goldstein Cabaret, Begins 10/13". Broadway World. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ Handleman, Jay (January 4, 2012). "FST breaks ground on Gompertz Theatre expansion". Sarasota Herald-Tribune . Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Jazz at the Cabaret presents Dominick Farinacci". Visit Sarasota. November 8, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  18. ↑ "New name for an old theater". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 23, 2003. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  19. ↑ Schelle, Charles (January 5, 2012). "Gompertz to add Hegner Theatre Wing". Patch. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  20. ↑ Cristi, A.A. (March 13, 2020). "Florida Studio Theatre Announces 38th Annual Burdick New Play Festival". Broadway World. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  21. ↑ Lowry, Klint (January 15, 2020). "FST's offbeat series isn't kid stuff" . Retrieved October 11, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.