LET'S TWIST AGAIN Opens Florida Studio Theatre's 2012-13 Cabaret Season Tonight, 10/17

Florida Studio Theatre presents a tribute to the dreamy harmonies and boyish innocence of pop music's past with Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers, the new '50s & '60s style revue bopping into Florida Studio Theatre's (FST) Goldstein Cabaret (1241 N. Palm Avenue) tonight, October 17 at 7:30pm. Tickets for the premiere music revue are on sale through January 13, 2013 and can be purchased online at FloridaStudioTheatre.org, by phone at (941) 366-9000 or by visiting the Box Office.

Get ready to swoon once more as the boys in matching jackets take the stage after first topping our charts in the 2010 revue, The Wanderers. Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers highlights the music of teen heartthrobs like Dion & the Belmonts, Frankie Valli and The Beach Boys through its evolution into sounds like the Kinks, The Lovin' Spoonful and The Doors - and many more along the way! "We wanted to bring some love to the world. I thought we were good at doing that. Bringin' love to the world." - BrIan Wilson

"We created Let's Twist Again by starting with the joyous sounds of the doo wop guy groups," said director Richard Hopkins. "Then we studied the acappella guy groups that doo wop sprang from...and specifically those guys in the neighborhood who would stand on the street corner and make up close harmonies to pass the time. Let's Twist Again transcends the '50s and rolls into the next three decades. The influence of those early 'guy groups' is in our music to this day, more than half a century after it evolved. This show is a celebration of all the doo wop and close harmony guy groups."

Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers, developed by Richard Hopkins and Jim Prosser with additional assistance from Rebecca Hopkins, features an all-male cast of performers who will sing, dance and doo-wop their way through a multitude of popular songs. Featuring "At the Hop," "Barbara Ann," "Do you Believe in Magic," "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin'," "Light My Fire" and many more of pop's greatest hits.

The cast includes returning Florida Studio Theatre actor Eric Collins, as well as some new faces. Eric is reprising his role from the 2010 production of The Wanderers. He was previously seen on the FST stage in Hula Hoop Sha-Boop and That's Life. Joining The Cast is José Restrepo, a Broadway actor who appeared in Grease, Evita and Skippyjon Jones; Brett Rigby who has appeared in numerous New York, regional and national shows as well as on television, including a two-year run on Guiding Light; and Teddy Tinson, a New York-based actor and fashion designer/stylist.

Musical Director John Franceschina also returns after having worked on numerous FST productions over the years. Franceschina has accompanied Judy Garland, Angela Lansbury, Nell Carter, Jan Peerce, Robert Merrill, Lotte Lenya, Paige O'Hara, Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon, and has conducted dozens of off-Broadway shows and national tours.

Pianist Jim Prosser returns to the Cabaret for his 16th season; returning Choreographer Stephen Hope gets the boys moving; Lighting Designer Kate DeWall also joins the production team along with Costume Designer Susan Angermann and Sound Engineer Ryan Kilcourse.

Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers opens in the Goldstein Cabaret tonight, October 17, 2012 - January 13, 2013. The Cabaret opens one hour before curtain for dining, where patrons may enjoy a full dinner menu, bar, and other refreshments. Single tickets are $19 - $36. Single tickets may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person or by calling (941) 366-9000 or now online at www.floridstudiotheatre.org.

Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by Jon Spelman. Starting out as a small touring company, FST traveled to places such as migrant camps and prisons. The company eventually settled down into a permanent home, acquiring the former Woman's Club building – now renamed the Keating Theatre. In the years that followed, Florida Studio Theatre established itself as a major force in American Theatre, presenting Contemporary Theatre in its four theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Goldstein Cabaret, the Gompertz Theatre and the New Cabaret Theatre. Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. Under Richard Hopkins, Artistic Director and CEO, FST develops theatre that speaks to our living, evolving, and dynamically changing world. As FST grows and expands, it continues to provide audiences with challenging, contemporary drama and innovative programs.

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