The Velveteen Rabbit by Kevin Del Aguila OPENS THIS WEEK in the Keating Theatre, and begins our 26th Write-A-Play Season

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The Velveteen Rabbit – OPENING THIS WEEK

The Velveteen Rabbit  by Kevin Del Aguila 

OPENS THIS WEEK
in the Keating Theatre, and begins our 26th Write-A-Play Season!
Springing to life for a whole new generation is the timeless tale of a toy bunny who longs to become real. In this show the audience’s imagination converts the actors and their simple props into a wise old rocking horse, an assortment of toys, and a magical fairy. Based on the book by Margery Williams, the play is a joyous celebration of imagination, creativity, and the power of a child’s love.
Associate Artist Jason Cannon, the show’s director, remembers his favorite childhood animals:
“Through my childhood I loved the stuffing–literally and figuratively–out of a little brown dog named Flopsy that my grandmother gave me, and a cream colored teddy bear named Beethoven Bartholomew that my aunt gave me. He had a blue knit cap, and he had a voice and a personality, of course. But mostly my brother and I had an entire family of stuffed monkeys…I held on to those monkeys through college, through my 20s, and only finally got rid of them via donation in my mid-30s, before moving down to Florida. The Velveteen Rabbit is timeless because children are timeless, and because imagination is timeless. And as a director the best thing I can do is just get out of the way of this story, and encourage the actors to think back on their own stuffed animal families, and remember that the story isn’t so much about the rabbit as it is about the boy growing up.”
FST Improv – Special Event!
Calling all SRQ locals! Do you like happy hours, great local eats, and laughter? We’ve got an event for you.
Join Florida Studio Theatre’s resident improv cast on SEPTEMBER 30 AT 5:30 PM for a special happy hour improv performance downtown outside of Louie’s Modern and Buddy Brew!

FST Improv will be doing a FREE performance from 6:00-6:30. Buddy Brew will be offering a 20% discount from 5:30-7:00 and Louie’s Modern will be EXTENDING their happy hour until 8:00! Watch Sarasota’s funniest performers take your suggestions and turn them into sketches, songs and scenes.
There will also be a chance to win FREE GIFTS from FST, Louie’s Modern and Buddy Brew!

Beat the summer heat with a cool cocktail or coffee, and catch a performance at two of Sarasota’s favorite spots.

WINTER CABARET OPENS NEXT WEEK – Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves
Kicking off Florida Studio Theatre’s cabaret season, Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves will open October 7 in the John C. Court Cabaret.
Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves by Rebecca Hopkins and

Arrangements by Jim Prosser celebrates the women who have captivated the world with their dynamic personalities and fierce vocals. From the 1970s to today, female artists have been pop pioneers; pushing boundaries and charting new musical territory. Featuring songs by powerhouse performers such as Cher, Tina Turner, and Reba McEntire.

STAFF PROFILE – MELODY MORA-SHIHADEH
Florida Studio Theatre would like to welcome our new
Director of Individual Giving: Melody Mora-Shihadeh. Melody shared why she’s excited to join the FST team and what she’s looking forward to this season:
“I’m very excited to be back at Florida Studio Theatre, because I strongly believe in the importance of making live theatre accessible to everyone. As a teenager in Queens, New York,  I lacked resources and leadership, I was unfocused and uninspired. It was a high school teacher that encouraged me to join the Theatre Club. I resisted, but eventually joined, and got the opportunity to see my first off-Broadway show through a City funded program. The experience gave me new direction and inspiration.”

“I’m excited to be part of the return of the Stage III series, I enjoy the unique and distinctive material.  But I’m also passionate about the Rosemary Artist Housing project. To have quality housing for our visiting artists that is within close proximity to our theatre is an important project for the theatre and for the City of Sarasota.”

Melody returns to FST after an 8 year hiatus. While away, Melody worked for the HSN network in on-air sales and branding. As Supervisor of the on-air guests’ experience, Melody supported high profile celebrities and developed strategies to market new products.  From 2012 – 2016 Melody and her family lived in historical Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA, promoting sustainable farming and the slow-food movement. During that time, Melody became the Store Director for the oldest and largest Fair Trade retailer in the country, Ten Thousand Villages, providing a fair market for over 100 Artisans in more than 35 developing countries. Melody has a long history in supporting the non-profit community, including the Arts, Food-Coops and Social Programs helping those incarcerated transition back into society.
FALL CLASSES BEGIN 
The Florida Studio Theatre School is celebrating its 31st year of outstanding programming. From its modest beginnings of 11 students in 1982, the program now reaches close to 1,000 students each year. Training both children and adults in the language and thought of theatre, the FST School educates both the minds and the hearts of the theatregoers of today and tomorrow.
To register for classes, please call the Pamela Smith at (941) 366-1350 or visit our website at floridastudiotheatre.org. We do not want you to miss out!
CHILDREN’S THEATRE SERIES 
Creating theatre for the whole family, Florida Studio Theatre announces its 2016-17 inaugural Children’s Theatre Series!
This four show subscription series begins with the touching tale of The Velveteen Rabbit, followed by the festive variety show, Deck the Halls! Then comes the inventive Alice With a Twist and the series concludes with the imaginative anthology, The Dragon vs. The Hiccups & Other Winning Plays.
Subscriptions are available for only $20 for all four shows. Single tickets are $10. Subscribe NOW online or by calling our box office at 941-366-9000.

 

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