Florida Studio Theatre's Winter Improv Season Will Kick Off With FST IMPROV PRESENTS: WHEN X MEETS Y

Florida Studio Theatre (FST)'s Winter Improv Season kicks off with FST Improv Presents: When X Meets Y, an improvised musical inspired by a location suggested by the audience and three random notes on the keyboard. In this show, FST Improv cast members weave a story of romance, heartache, and fate told through music and comedy. When X Meets Y has been performing to sold out audiences for the past four years. This improvised musical romance is now playing and runs every Saturday and Friday, January 31 at 8:30PM in FST's Bowne's Lab Theatre through February 15.

Following the six-week run of When X Meets Y, FST Improv Presents: Life's a Beach celebrates and lampoons what makes Sarasota unique-its plethora of roundabouts, influx of snowbirds, and narrow escape from red tide. An audience favorite, this short-form, revue-style show features improvised sketches, musicals, and classic improv games, poking fun at what makes Sarasota one-of-a-kind by using audience suggestions. Life's a Beach will run every Saturday in FST's Bowne's Lab Theatre from February 22 through April 24.

On April 3, FST Improv members will go head-to-head in FST Improv Presents: Tournament of Fools, a one-night-only April Fools' Day celebration. In this knockdown, drag-out comedy battle royale, favorite FST improvisers participate in a "survival of the fittest" competition of games, songs, and scenes. Each round, contestants earn points from the audience based on their performances, and the person with the fewest points is eliminated. The last improviser standing will win the coveted title of "Champion of Fools." Tournament of Fools takes place on April 3 at 8:30PM in FST's Bowne's Lab Theatre.

Back for another season of hilarity are returning cast members: Christine Alexander, Kevin Allen, Jason Cannon, Jamie Day, Andrew Deeb, Chris Friday, Sergei Glushonkov, Charles Gooch, Darryl Knapp, Emily Levin, Denee Lortz, Will Luera, Mikal Mancini, Joey Panek, Kathryn Parks, Sal Piccolo, Jim Prosser, Elise Rodriguez, Natasha Samreny, Maria Schaedler-Luera, and Anna Weatherwax.

FST's Winter Improv Season features two audience favorites, When X Meets Y and Life's a Beach. A special April Fools' Day improv show, Tournament of Fools, takes place on April 3. All performances take place in FST's Bowne's Lab Theatre with doors opening one hour before show time. Full menu and bar are available. Tickets range from $12-15 and may be purchased from the FST Box Office at (941) 366-9000, or online at 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.

Now in its 19th year, FST Improv was founded in 2001 by Rebecca Hopkins, who had the vision of growing the art form in Sarasota. FST Improv is part of FST's Stage III Series dedicated to presenting work that is challenging in content and unique in form. FST is also home to the Annual Sarasota Improv Festival, which brings the top improv troupes from all over the world to Sarasota for a whirlwind weekend of laughter. The 12th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival is scheduled to take place July 2020. In 2014, former ImprovBoston Artistic Director Will Luera was hired as FST's Director of Improvisation, and currently leads its artistic and education programs.

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