Florida Studio Theatre to Present THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY

FST continues the Summer Mainstage season with the AWARD WINNING SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL PREMIERE of The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by James Lecesne. This inspiring and uplifting one-man production runs from July 5 through August 6 in the Keating Theatre.

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey is the second production of the Summer Mainstage subscription. See all three shows for as little as $39. Subscriptions are available for purchase by calling the Box Office at (941) 366-9000 or online at www.floridastudiotheatre.org.

Tenacious and flamboyant 14 year-old Leonard Pelkey disappears. A small town New Jersey detective slowly unravels the mystery, portraying over a dozen eccentric characters along the way. A luminous force of nature whose magic is only truly felt once he is gone, the town's citizens question how they live, who they love, and what they leave behind.

Playing the complex and intricate roles of all nine characters in this production is returning FST company member, Jeffrey Plunkett. Plunkett has been in numerous FST productions including Race, The Columnist, Freud's Last Session, and last season's Stage III production of The Exonerated. Plunkett reflects on his own experiences that remind him of Leonard's journey. "I spent much of my childhood on the Jersey Shore in a town very much like this one, where being different was an affront to some kind of predetermined order. I remember one summer I was a lifeguard and we had a lifeguard tournament. I couldn't make it because I had to sing that night in an opera. I remember I felt like an alien as I tried to explain why I couldn't be there."

Directing this tour de force production is FST Associate Director, Kate Alexander. She most recently directed Plunkett in FST's hit Stage III production of The Exonerated. Alexander speaks to Plunkett's connection to this play stating, "You have to have a great love of people to do this role justice. You can't do this play if you are a judge. You have to be open to everyone you meet; the goth girl, the unaffected waitress, poor man on the street- just to name a few. Not only does Jeffrey have a love of humanity, but he is able to have that love for these characters' foibles too. You have to be that kind of person that gets that. There's a storyteller's relish here and not all actors have that."

Alexander concludes stating, "This play really trusts the audience. For each person, Leonard Will be different. There is no preconceived imaginary icon to follow for the audience like the Rabbit Harvey, Tinkerbell, or Santa Clause. They will create the Leonard they need or wish they knew. This play is not about his absence it's about his presence. The presence of absence. The stage gets brighter and brighter and the audience is left with a radiance , not a tragedy."

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey shimmers on stage from July 5 through August 6 in the Keating Theatre. This is the second production of the Summer Mainstage subscription. See all three shows for as little as $39. Subscriptions are available for purchase by calling the Box Office at (941) 366-9000 or online at www.floridastudiotheatre.org.

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 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 five theatre venues: the Keating Theatre, the Goldstein Cabaret, the renovated Gompertz Theatre, the 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. Under Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Richard Hopkins, 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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