Florida Studio Theatre's Summer Improv Season Is Jam-Packed With Laughter

FST Improv announces its summer season with three distinct shows that will bring spontaneity, playfulness, and a bit of history to Sarasota. Playing through June 30 is the fresh and daring Comedy Freestyle, where audience members will see free-form improv-a challenging improv style with no rules or limits. Playing on July 7 only is When X Meets Y: American Revolution, FST's special holiday improv show celebrating Independence Day, which follows a band of American colonists fighting the British, but adds a thrilling romantic twist. Starting July 28 is Comedy Lottery, FST's short-form improv show built off the audience's suggestions and favorite games. All three programs play on Saturdays at 7:30 pm in FST's Bowne's Lab. Full menu and bar are available for all performances. Doors open one hour prior to the show. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person, by calling (941) 366-9000, or online at www.floridastudiotheatre.org.

On July 7, FST presents its special musical improv show in honor of Independence Day-When X Meets Y: American Revolution. Inspired by one location and three random notes on the keyboard, the cast of FST Improv's When X Meets Y will weave a story of love taking place during the American Revolution. In the style of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, the show follows a band of colonialists as they try to ?ght the British while falling in love at the same time. "While it won't be hip-hop [improv] in nature, we will do our best to tell an unknown story of life and love during the Revolutionary War, explained FST's Director of Improv, Will Luera. "The audience will provide us with one of the colonies' names and the occupation of our protagonist and then we will take it from there. In past years we've heard the love stories of the Cooper from Virginia and the Blacksmith from Maryland. We look forward to see what this year brings!"

Starting July 28, audiences can help FST Improv troupe members create the show they are about to see on the spot. Before every Comedy Lottery performance, 12 lucky audience members are asked to randomly select one of 50 games out of the infamous FST Improv bucket. Of the 50, 12 are chosen to create the line-up for that night. Every performance features a unique combination of scenes, sketches, and songs selected by the audience.

Playing through June 30, Comedy Freestyle consists of a mix of games, music, and memorable scenes. Imagine taking your favorite FST Improv games and removing the rules-that is Comedy Freestyle.

Unlike other improv shows, Comedy Freestyle doesn't have a set structure. Instead, FST Improv members "follow the funny" and begin a new scene or narrative when inspiration hits them, and will surely be one of the most unique improv shows audiences have ever been a part of.

Back for another season of inspiration, laughter, and spontaneity are returning cast members: Will Luera, Christine Alexander, Jason Cannon, Andrew Deeb, Chris Friday, Patrick A. Jackson, Joey James, Darryl Knapp, Emily Levin, Natasha Samreny, Sergei Glushonkov, Michelle Neal, and Jim Prosser.

Performances of all three programs will run Saturday nights at 7:30 in FST's Bowne's Lab Theatre, with a break in programming for the 10th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival on July 12-14. Full menu and bar are available. Doors open one hour prior to the show. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person, by calling (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 Gompertz Theatre, the Goldstein Cabaret, 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 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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