FST Announces 2018-19 Educational Programming

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is pleased to announce its educational offerings for the 2018-2019 season. From acting, dance, and improv, to playwriting, behind the scenes tours, and theatre appreciation, there's something for students of all ages, experience levels, and artistic interests at FST. Established over 30 years ago, Florida Studio Theatre School reaches almost 1,000 students annually from ages 4 to 104. Led by professional artists, students experience the same level of quality and professionalism in FST's Education program that they see year-round on FST's five stages. Session I classes begin September 10, 2018. A full list of 2018-19 educational offerings is available at floridastudiotheatre.org. Registration is available by calling Pamela Smith, Education Administrator, at (941) 366-1350, or by visiting floridastudiotheatre.org.

"Every person on this earth is born with diverse skills, talents, and emotions," shared Christine Hopkins, FST's Director of Education. "At Florida Studio Theatre, we celebrate this diversity and highlight the abilities of every student we encounter. We ensure social cohesion through the creation of a positive, confident, and empathetic environment in our classes."

Studies have shown that young people who participate in the arts tend to have higher academic performance, improved motor skills, and more emotional awareness. For youth ages 4-12, the Florida Studio Theatre School offers opportunities throughout the year for budding artists to dive into acting, music, dance, and improvisation-sometimes all in one class. With classes like Little Theatre, Musical Theatre Boot Camp, and Advanced Youth Acting, youth will build their self-image and self-esteem, develop their improvisational and storytelling skills, and expand their imaginations.

This year, for the first time, FST is offering an entire education series just for teens. FST has offered teen classes for years, but now teens aged 13-18 will have their own line of dedicated programs, including several advanced classes. Teens will develop, write, and perform their own theatrical pieces in Advanced Teen Acting: Perform a Play and Write and Perform. For those who want to get in touch with their humorous and spontaneous sides, FST offers two comedy courses created specifically for teenagers-Teen Improvisation and Kids Komedy Club. In these classes, participants will have imaginative fun through improv games, and will write and rehearse their own sketch comedy scenes.

For the creative adult, FST's Actors' Lab provides a wide array of workshops in theatre creation, theatre appreciation, theatre performance, and improvisation. Three levels of playwriting courses-including the newly added Playwriting 201: Writing in 3D-are available for budding playwrights. More than four levels of acting classes are offered for those who want to learn the processes and techniques that professional actors use.

New to the adult curriculum are cabaret performance classes, including Cabaret: No Fear Singing and Cabaret: Performance, where students will learn to refine their unique vocal style and create their very own cabaret acts, emphasizing presence, song interpretation, and personal communication with the audience.

"The FST School takes a strengths-based approach, so that each individual can explore their minds and hearts in truthful, connected, and creative ways," added Hopkins. "We grow together, we play together, and we learn together. I look forward to seeing both new and returning students this year and welcoming them into the FST Education community."

Florida Studio Theatre's 2018-19 professional education offerings begin with Session I on September 10. Classes and workshops are available for students of all levels from ages 4 and up. Registration is now open at (941) 366-1350 and floridastudiotheatre.org.

About Florida Studio Theatre

Known as Sarasota's Contemporary Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre was founded in 1973 by artist, Jon Spelman. Starting out as a small touring company, FST traveled to places such as migrant camps and prisons. The company then acquired the former Woman's Club building, becoming the first permanent venue. Shortly after Producing Artistic Director, Richard Hopkins arrived, the building was purchased and 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 five theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Gompertz Theatre, the Parisian style Goldstein Cabaret and John C. Court Cabaret, and Bowne's Lab Theatre.

Even with its growth, Florida Studio Theatre remains firmly committed to making the arts accessible and affordable to a broad-based audience. 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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