Photo Flash: FST Opens Award-Winning Opus

Florida Studio Theatre continues the Winter Mainstage Season with Opus, "a smart, witty tribute to the trials and tribulations of working together as we follow the functions and dysfunctions of a world class string quartet." said Artistic Director and Show Director, Richard Hopkins.

When their mentally-imbalanced violist disappears, a world-class string quartet takes a chance on a gifted but relatively inexperienced young woman. With only a few days to rehearse a grueling Beethoven masterpiece, the four struggle to prepare their highest-profile performance ever - a televised ceremony at the White House. Their rehearsal room becomes a pressure cooker as passions rise, personalities clash, and the players are forced to confront the fleeting nature of their life's work.

Opus made its World Premiere at the Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia in 2006. Michael Hollinger received the 2006 Barrymore Award for Best New Play. Other productions include Off-Broadway at Primary Stages 59E59 Theatre (2007).

Florida Studio Theatre will collaborate with the Sarasota Orchestra during rehearsals and the eight week run. Mr. Dan Jordan, Concertmaster for the Orchestra's String Quartet will work with the Opus actors' technique.

The Opus company performers will include New York Actor Scott Giguere (Alan). Giguere returns to FST where he was last seen in Metamorphoses and Gross Indecency. Off Broadway credits include Firecracker! and Shogo Ohta's The Water Station. His regional credits include Time of Your Life at the Seattle Rep and Flea in Her Ear at PCPA. New York Actress Susan Hyon (Grace) has performed in Romeo & Juliet (NYSF/The Public), Tartuffe and Scapin (Classic Stage Company), Bring Love (Guthrie) and numerous other credits. This will be Hyon's FST debut. Broadway Actor Christian Kohn (Dorian) was most recently seen in the title role of Sherlock Holmes: The final Adventure at the Cleveland Playhouse. His Broadway credits include Hollywood Arms at The Cort Theatre. Other favorites include An Ideal Husband (ATA), Death of a Salesman (Alabama Shakespeare) and David Copperfield (Steppenwolf). This will mark the first performance at FST for Kohn.

New York Actor Jeff Plunkett (Elliot) returns to the FST stage where he last was seen as De Witt in Pure Confidence and Paul in Permanent Collection. New York credits include Concertina's rainbow (The Cherry Lane Theatre), the New York City premiere of All the Rage at the Manhattan Theatre Source and Black Comedy/white Liars at the Estrogenius Festival of Plays among others. New York Actor Ron Siebert (Carl) has played the title roles in Macbeth, Titus Andronicus and The Misanthrope. He has taught in the pre-college program at Carnegie Mellon University for the past ten years. This will be Sieberts FST debut.

Florida Studio Theatre's Artistic Director, Richard Hopkins will direct. Hopkins has served as Artistic Director since 1980; his numerous directing credits include Metamorphoses, The Bully Pulpit, god's Man in Texas, Hysteria, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wild, Over the Rainbow, Permanent Collection among others. He will also direct FST's Boleros for the Disenchanted and Laughing Matters 2009.

The production design team includes Nayna Ramey as Scenic Designer, Michael Klaers as Lighting Designer and FST staff member Marcella Beckwith as Costume Designer.

The harmonious drama, Opus opens December 3 and continues through January 30, 2009 at the Keating Mainstage. Tickets are $19 - $32 and may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person, by phone (941) 366 - 9000 or online at www.floridastudiotheatre.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 three theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Goldstein Cabaret and its newest space, the Gompertz 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.

Florida Studio Theatre is grateful to Robert and Bonny Israeloff, Dennis and Graci McGillicuddy and Jules & Sheila Rose for underwriting the 2008 - 2009 Mainstage Season; Co-Producer's Jerome and Sydney Goldstein, Ernie and Alisa Kretzmer, Larry and Jennifer Saslaw, Ina Schnell and Dr. Arthur Ancowitz, David and Ruth Gorton, Alfred and Ann Goldstein and to the Florida Arts Council, Sarasota Arts Council, Tourist Development Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Opus
The Keating Theatre
$19-$34

Performance Schedule
December 3 - January 30, 2009

Photos by Amy Steinmetz

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.