Hermitage Presents First “Cross Arts Collaborative” Program with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and Florida Studio Theatre

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that it will present a showcase of new work created during the inaugural year of the Hermitage Cross Arts Collaborative. Made possible with generous support from the Koski Family Foundation, this new initiative is designed to give performers and company members from leading Sarasota arts organizations a chance to expand their artistic practice from 'performer' to 'creator.'

The goal of the Cross Arts Collaborative is to inspire and encourage generative work created by some of the best and brightest performers in our vibrant performing arts community. Nominated by their respective 'host' organizations in collaboration with Emily Mann, long-tenured Artistic Director of the McCarter Theatre Center and Emeritus member of the Hermitage's National Curatorial Council, Florida Studio Theatre's Tsebiyah Mishael Derry and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's Derric Gobourne Jr. spent two weeks on the historic beachfront campus of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, developing their proposals to create new work. The resulting community program, "Cross Arts Collaborative: New Voices and New work," will be held on Wednesday November 30th at 5pm ET on the Rooftop Terrace at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's downtown Sarasota venue. The hour-long outdoor event will feature both of these remarkable performers and creators sharing excerpts from their original works-in-process.

(Full program details for all events are provided below below.)

While the Hermitage's nationally renowned residency program brings leading artists from across the United States and around the world to create work on its beachfront Manasota Key campus, the Hermitage also seeks to enrich the incredible and growing arts scene in Sarasota, as showcased by performing arts institutions such as Florida Studio Theatre and Westcoast Back Theatre Troupe, along with others in future seasons.

"We wanted to offer this one-of-a-kind opportunity to some of the leading artists in Sarasota, creating space for a talented performer to focus on being a generative artist," said Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg. "There are actors, dancers, musicians, and performing artists working amidst our circle of collaborators who have passion projects waiting in the wings. This could be an actor writing a play between productions, a cellist composing a symphony after rehearsals, a dancer yearning to expand into the choreographer's space - or someone looking to work across an entirely new genre. This residency is designed for an artist who is hungry to expand their creative practice and explore a new 'hat' within the arts and entertainment space." Sandberg added that this new Cross Arts Collaborative initiative would not be possible without the generous support of the Koski Family Foundation, longtime supporters and champions of the Hermitage.

"We are proud of our long history of collaboration with the Hermitage and the collective impact we have on the Sarasota community," said Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe Founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs. "The Cross Arts Collaborative is an exciting new way to gather resources in service of wonderful artists like Derric who consider Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe their creative home."

"Every time we partner with the Hermitage, the result is a unique look into the creative process of making theater through the eyes of a leading artist in the field," added Florida Studio Theatre Founder and Artistic Director Richard Hopkins. "I'm so pleased we are able to collaborate once more to provide this opportunity to Tsebiyah who is quickly making a name for herself as one of those leading artists. We are honored to call her an FST creative family member and cannot wait to see what this dedicated time and space to delve into her richly varied artistry has produced."

On Saturday, November 12th, the Hermitage hosts the annual Artful Lobster: An Outdoor Celebration. Now in its 14th year, this signature event raises valuable funds for the Hermitage. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, proceeds from the 2022 Artful Lobster will go toward campus repairs, in addition to providing support for the Hermitage's internationally renowned artist residency initiative and free community programming. The Artful Lobster is the only Hermitage benefit to take place on the grounds of the historic Gulf front campus - outdoors from 11:30am to 2pm beneath a large tent - located at 6660 Manasota Key Road in Englewood. Michael's On East offers a lobster feast, this year with performances from award-winning Hermitage Fellows Adam Gwon and Reggie Harris. Adam Gwon's Hermitage residency is generously sponsored by the Huisking Family Foundation. Tickets for this fundraiser and sponsorship details can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Nearly all Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a chance to engage and interact with some of the world's leading talent. Due to capacity limitations and social distancing, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

The Hermitage hosts artists on its Gulf Coast Manasota Key campus for multi-week residencies, where diverse artists from around the world and across multiple disciplines create and develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, and more. As part of their residencies, Hermitage Fellows participate in free community programs, offering audiences in the region a unique opportunity to engage with some of the world's leading artists and to get an authentic "sneak peek" into extraordinary projects and artistic minds before their works go on to major galleries, concert halls, theaters, and museums around the world. These free and innovative programs include performances, lectures, readings, interactive experiences, open studios, school programs, teacher workshops, and more, serving thousands in our regional community each year.

See below for complete program details and artist bios.

For more information about the Hermitage and upcoming programs, or to support the Hermitage's hurricane repair efforts, visit HermitagArtistRetreat.org.

Newly announced program descriptions:

• "Cross Arts Collaborative: New Voices and New Work" Wednesday, November 30 @ 5pm: Designed to inspire and encourage generative work created by some of the best and brightest performers in our vibrant performing arts community, the inaugural year of the Cross Arts Collaborative celebrates the work of Tsebiyah Misheal Derry and Derric Gobourne Jr. Join these two remarkable performers as they share excerpts from the songs, poems, and other works that were developed during their residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N Orange Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236

Previously announced program descriptions:

• "Richard Kennedy: Performance and Conversation" Wednesday, November 2 @ 6pm: Returning Hermitage Fellow Richard Kennedy is a genre-defying creator working across dance, opera, and visual art. Just as their career has spanned Broadway and gallery spaces, museums and clubs, New York and Berlin, their interdisciplinary work is "...at once light with a sensual joy and heavy with mournful emotion" (ARTnews). Their wide variety of skills challenges and invites an audience to reimagine more traditionally defined boundaries of art. In a program combining performance and conversation, Kennedy reveals selections of past and upcoming work while also providing contextual insight. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). The Ringling Museum of Art, Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243

• "Hermitage @ Booker: Reggie Harris and the Power of Music" Friday, November 4 @ 5:30 pm: Returning Hermitage Fellow Reggie Harris believes that music has the power to unite, the power to uplift, and the power to heal. An international leader in the folk and acoustic music scene for more than 40 years, Harris brings all his skill and charm to Booker High School and is inviting the community along for the joyful ride. Join this incredible musician and storyteller to rediscover the essential power of music to move us all. Presented outdoors and socially distanced in the Booker Highschool courtyard in partnership with Booker High School VPA. Reggie Harris' Hermitage residency generously sponsored by Sondra and Gerald Biller. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Booker High School Courtyard, 3201 N Orange Ave, Sarasota, FL 34234

• NEWLY Announced Partnership with Oak Street Stage "Keyed In: A Piano Performance and Conversation" featuring Hermitage Fellow Conrad Tao Thursday, November 17th @ 6pm: In this piano performance and discussion, Hermitage Fellow and consummate pianist Conrad Tao pushes the boundaries of how we hear the sound of classical music. In an exploration of the full range of sound the piano is capable of, including its nuanced harmonics and resonances between notes, Conrad is working to make the piano sing beyond the keys; drawing attention to the inherent sound of the piano beyond how we ordinarily perceive it. Don't miss this award-winning musician transforming the artform in front of our eyes and ears. Presented in Partnership with Oak Street Stage. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Oak Street Stage on the campus of First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak Street, Sarasota, FL 34237

• "Radio Opera Workshop" featuring Hermitage Fellow Yvette Janine Jackson Friday, November 18th @ 2:30pm at New College of Florida: Hermitage Fellow and acclaimed composer Yvette Janine Jackson creates narrative and entire worlds out of sound. Whether radio opera or sound installation, her work has been described as "immersive, nonvisual films" by The Guardian. Hear selections of work inspired by cultural and historical events from this innovative creator and dive into the imaginative process of creating a world purely out of sound. Presented in Partnership with New College of Florida. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). 5800 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243

• "Multihyphenate Multimedia: Music, Visual Art, and Theater" featuring Hermitage Fellows Raquel Acevedo Klein and Guadalís Del Carmen Friday, December 2nd @ 5pm on the Hermitage Beach: Join us for a sunset beach program featuring two Hermitage Fellows whose talents cannot be contained in a single medium, style, or language. Raquel Acevedo Klein was named by The Washington Post as one of "2022's Classical Composers and Performers to Watch," and she is also an immensely talented visual artist. Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Guadalís Del Carmen creates original work across stage, screen, and film that doesn't shy away from the multifold perspectives of contentious issues, giving her audiences "no easy answers and no one to hate" while leaving them "more than a little entertained and a whole lot wiser," (ChicagoOnStage). See and hear works from this incredible duo and dive into the unique, intersectional voices driving their work. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Rd, Englewood, FL 34223

• "Angélica Negrón: Playing a Plant" featuring Hermitage Greenfield Prize Winner Angélica Negrón Friday, December 9th @ 5pm on the Hermitage Great Lawn: 2022 Hermitage Greenfield Prize Winner Angélica Negrón is inspired by nature and the music all around her. Her wide-ranging performance and compositional practice extends beyond the traditional repertoire to include unconventional instruments such as plants and found objects, often layering in vocals and other electronics. Be among the first to hear a demonstration from this revolutionary artist and learn about her creative process before the outdoor orchestral string presentation of her Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission in Sarasota in 2024. Presented in partnership with CreArte Latino, ensembleNew SRQ, UnidosNow, and New Music New College. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Rd, Englewood, FL 34223

• "Notes: On Writing and Music" featuring Hermitage Fellows Chigozie Obioma and Levy Lorenzo Thursday, December 15th @ 5pm on the Hermitage Beach: Featuring two artists who both bring an international perspective, the program spans literature and music. Nigerian-born Chigozie Obioma, whose two novels The Fisherman and An Orchestra of Minorities were both shortlisted for the Booker Prize in Fiction, reads selections of his work and discusses his creative process. He is joined by Filipino-American musician, instrument designer, and returning Hermitage Fellow Levy Lorenzo, whose quirky and innovative work has been described as "a potent force on the side of exuberance, pleasure and awe of virtuosity" by The New York Times. Join these two incredible artists as the sun goes down on the Hermitage Beach. Presented in partnership with The Johann Fust Library Foundation. Registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org ($5/person registration fee). Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Rd, Englewood, FL 34223

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